Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume9 Chapter6 (section)

===Part 2===

"...?"

Hiding in the ruins, Claire turned her head towards the demon sword of darkness resting against the wall.

The demon sword, which had remained silent all this time, seemed to be murmuring something.

(...Was it an illusion?)

...However, the demon sword remained silent.

The sharp blade of darkness shone with ominous luster as it reflected the moonlight.

Earlier, Restia was heavily injured by the divine armament that pierced her chest. Even for a high-level spirit like her, recovery would take quite a long period of time.

(--That knight hasn't caught up yet.)

Leaning against a wall in the ruins, Claire searched the area for presences.

It was inconceivable that Luminaris would give up so easily--

At this moment, Claire felt a powerful presence up in the air, causing her to tremble intensely.

"That's...!"

In the evening sky, a gigantic spirit resembling a multi-headed dragon was flying.

(Demon spirit...)

During the daytime, no spirits could be sensed other than those ghosts in this abandoned city.

But as soon as the sun went down, it was as if the city changed completely.

It became a literal "City of Demons" with violent and ferocious demon spirits roaming the skies.

Furthermore, the spirit flying overhead belonged to the highest rank, categorized as "archdemon class"<!--魔神--> by the Spirit Knights of the Empire. An existence that none of the elite Blade Dance participants from various countries could possibly handle alone.

If one were to attempt slaying it, most likely an entire division of elite spirit knights would be required at least.

However, Kamito had apparently defeated an archdemon class spirit singlehandedly before.

(...Probably some kind of joke. How could a single person defeat something like that?)

Claire looked up in trepidation at the demon spirit flying in the night sky.

Of course, from the demon spirit's perspective, beings like Claire were completely insignificant. So long as she did not attack first, it probably would not assault her--

"Meow..."

Scarlet also seemed to have sensed the danger and had humbly curled into a ball.

After some time, the gigantic demon spirit leisurely flew into the distance.

"...It's gone."

Seeing that, Claire breathed a sigh of relief.

...As soon as she relaxed, a rumbling informed her of the hungry stomach.

Speaking of which, she still had not eaten yet.

Claire took out the little pill from her pocket and placed it in her mouth. Seeing Scarlet wagging its tail as if it wanted one too, she gave the cat a pill as well.

(...What a tasteless meal.)

However, Claire was used to such lonely meals. Before she met Kamito, she spent her days alone in the Academy residence, subsisting on canned food.

--Completely different from several years ago.

Although the Elstein family's dining table was not as luxurious as other great nobles, they did have exclusive chefs in the city who could provide hot meals on demand.

Also, whenever large scale festivities were being held in their territory, their subjects would prepare and bring all sorts of prided specialties of local cuisine.

(...The Fire Spirit Festival once a year, how nostalgic.)

Stroking Scarlet's head gently, Claire muttered in her heart.

Even now, Claire could still vividly recall the figure of her elder sister in glamorous ritual attire as she danced in offering during the festivals back then.

--It was a memory of her happy everyday life that had vanished like a dream.

At this moment.

"...!?"

Sensing the presence that suddenly appeared, Claire went into high alert.

With her left hand, she grabbed the demon sword of darkness that was leaning against the wall.

"...Who is it!?"

A wild animal's low cry responded to her sharp question.

(...A wolf?)

This word entered her mind momentarily but she instantly rejected the notion.

Wild animals could not possibly appear in this abandoned city.

If they did, they must be--

"--Scarlet!"

Claire swiftly chanted spirit language to release her elemental waffe.

The burning flames lit the dim surroundings.

"...!?"

Appearing out of the darkness was a pack of black hunting hounds.

Five... Or was it six? --Their outlines flickered nonstop as if melding into the surrounding darkness.

"...Why? I couldn't sense any elementalist just now."

As if responding to Claire's murmurings, a voice answered:

"My legion spirit Shadewolf possesses skills in tracking and presence concealment. Ordinary methods cannot detect us."

A girl approached from the entrance of the ruins.

Glaring sharply, this girl had hair that was cut short like a boy's.

"--Special Operative of the Sacred Spirit Knights, Ayla Cedar."

The girl bowed politely then snapped her fingers.

Hearing the sound, the wolf pack began to make intimidating howls as they encircled Claire.

"That demon sword, hand it over."

"I'm sorry, I cannot comply."

Claire struck the floor with Flametongue to deter the wolves.

(...A special operative, in other words, an expert tracker. What a troublesome opponent.)

The wolves were very likely the minions of the shadow spirit.

Despite the name of the Sacred Spirit Knights, it did not imply that all members employed spirits with the holy attribute.

After all, an unbalanced team composition of that sort would be unlikely to win the current Blade Dance with its team format and regulations.

Shadow spirits possessed excellent skills in presence hiding.

Although the flame spirit Scarlet was stronger in pure offensive power, Claire could not afford to be careless because shadow elementalists were skilled in special blade dances.

"Go forth and capture, Shadewolf!"

Heeding the calls of Ayla Cedar, the shadow wolves attacked one after another.

Claire swung her whip to trace out a column of fire in an arc.

--However, the enemy anticipated her move. The wolves instantly melted into the shadows on ground and dove into gaps in the rubble to get around the wall of flame.

"...Tsk, take this -- !?"

Faced with a pouncing wolf, Claire incinerated it at the last second using her whip.

An endlessly criss-crossing mad storm of whip strikes made it impossible for the wolf pack to approach.

"As befits one hailing from the renowned lineage of flame priestesses--"

"After all, I'm used to training animals!"

"I hope you will refrain from throwing insults, Claire Rouge!"

Ayla Cedar snapped her fingers again.

The shadow wolves divided and increased their numbers.

(...With this many, I'm not going to be able to handle them!?)

Instantly, the tides turned on Claire.

There was no end to things when dealing with legion spirits as enemies.

"Go forth and devour, scorching ball of conflagration -- Fireball!"

Releasing spirit magic from her palm, Claire blew away the shadow spirit.

The shadow wolves dispersed like mist but they were not defeated by the attack just now.

Legion spirits which relied on numbers for victory were rather tricky to deal with. In that case--

(--I'll just attack the elementalist directly!)

Claire kicked the ground to accelerate and closed in instantly.

Due to the nature of their duties, special operatives tended not to be skilled in close combat using elemental waffen.

The wolves that had escaped the earlier explosion now bared their fangs and claws as they gave chase, however--

"Too late!"

Claire brandished Flametongue as she ran, establishing a barrier around her.

Using a whip in a one-against-many blade dance was precisely Claire's forte.

Within the blink of an eye, Claire had closed in before Ayla, then--

"--Turn into charcoal!"

Mercilessly, she swung down the fiery whip.

A whip strike with god-like speed, so fast that there was no trail of its trajectory.

During practice, the only one capable of dodging this move was Kamito.

Ayla Cedar was just about to be devoured by the crimson flames -- However.

"I am the shadow that moves in time -- Shade Leap."

Her figure disappeared from before Claire like an afterimage.

(Transfer type spirit magic...!)

Claire's mind began to turn rapidly.

(I remember amongst spirit magic with the shadow attribute, Transfer type magic--)

Having learned at the Academy about the basic magic systems of all the major attributes, Claire had them all memorized with certainty.

The title of the "Problematic Honors Student" was not simply for show.

(...It is supposed to be a magic system with many flaws that make it hard to control.)

Ayla's figure vanished completely.

Instantly, Claire jumped away from her position.

(Shade Leap -- its effect is the transfer between shadows that are closest together...!)

Beneath Claire's feet, her shadow was shaking unnaturally.

But having seen through her opponent's attack, Claire had already prepared countermeasures.

"O Flame, dance a magnificent rondo -- Fire Burst!"

She chanted spirit magic at high speed in midair.

Countless glowing spheres of heat appeared from her palms and banished the surrounding darkness with dazzling light.

Unlike the Fireball, this move lacked damage but could shock and awe the enemy through powerful light and noise.

The white flash instantly cleared the ground of shadows, cancelling the Shade Leap magic.

Suffering the backlash of the cancelled magic, Ayla was ejected onto the ground.

Landing nimbly, Claire instantly attacked with Flametongue.

"Yah!"

The special operative was enveloped in fire and sent crashing into the floor.

With a cracking sound of air, Claire pulled Flametongue back into her hands.

"--Victory has been decided."

Just as she was about to inflict a decisive blow--

"...!?"

She found her foot sinking into a shadow on the ground as she took a step forward.

"...This is an Isolation Barrier!?"

Claire exclaimed in surprise.

Before Ayla started the fight, she must have set a trap in the surroundings--!

"...How careless, hell cat user. After all, special operatives are most adept at relying on traps to fight."

Lying on the ground, Ayla smiled.

However, even with one foot swallowed by shadows, Claire remained calm and composed.

"Relying on a barrier of this level, do you really think you can catch me?"

The victor of the blade dance was already decided.

Struck by a direct hit from Flametongue, Ayla was incapacitated from fighting within the near future.

Unless the ensnarement occurred during battle, otherwise this type of Isolation Barrier, which only took mere minutes to dispel, was virtually meaningless.

"No, I have already achieved my goal."

"What?"

"Because my goal was to keep you pinned down in this location."

"...!"

Claire clicked her tongue as she realized her own stupidity.

(...Her comrades are nearby?)

On further thought, it was only natural.

Otherwise, this girl would not have come to challenge her one on one.

--In that case, it was imperative to escape from here as quickly as possible.

Claire lit a fire with her finger and traced out a magic circle in the air for dispelling the barrier.

'--This method will not be anywhere quick enough, you know. Claire Rouge.'

"...!?"

Claire suddenly looked down.

The exasperated voice came from the demon sword held in her left hand.

"...You recovered your energy?"

'Only a bare minimum, enough to transmit my thoughts. Still not enough to resume human form... That aside, use me to pierce that shadow. Your spirit magic takes too long.'

"Eh?"

'Do it quickly. The Paladin is hastening to this place.'

"...I-I got it."

Claire frantically nodded and used the demon sword's blade to stab the shadow.

Instantly with an ear-splitting metallic clang, the Isolation Barrier ensnaring Claire's foot was easily broken.

"How could this happen!?"

Ayla exclaimed with surprise.

(What power...!)

Claire could not help but gasp.

Simply within an instant, a barrier that would occupy an experienced elementalist quite some time was dispelled--

''--Well then, hurry and leave this place.'

"W-Why are you giving me orders!?"

Despite retorting back, Claire was already preparing to flee the scene. However.

"Do you really think I would let the same prey escape twice?"

"...!?"

On the other end of the dim passage came a solemn voice.

"Well done, Ayla. Please rest there for a while."

As her military boots sounded with every step she took, Luminaris Saint Leisched approached.

Then from the opposite end of the alleyway came another person--

"I'll shoot you full of holes if you dare move."

Wielding a silver longbow, yet another girl of the Sacred Spirit Knights.

(...This is bad.)

The two knights were closing in on Claire with a pincer formation.

Her escape routes were completely sealed off.

(...This is hopeless. Nothing I can do but fight?)

Paying attention to the archer behind her, Claire readied Flametongue.

The one before her was the runner-up from the previous Blade Dance who had fought and lost to Ren Ashbell.

Although Claire had no idea how well she could fight against an ace-level elementalist--

--She could not allow herself to be defeated here.

Claire had a Wish she must realize no matter what.

Also--

(All this time, Kamito has protected me many times.)

She gripped the demon sword of darkness in her hand tightly.

Holding the contracted spirit from Kamito's past, the darkness spirit girl.

(...Therefore, I shall in turn protect what's precious to Kamito!)

Reacting to the divine power she released, Flametongue's flames intensified instantly.

The flames were so astounding that even Luminaris displayed wariness and halted her advance.

"Claire Rouge. Why are you going to so far in protecting that darkness spirit?"

"...None of your business."

"--Is it because the demon sword belongs to the Strongest Blade Dancer, Ren Ashbell?"

"Like I said, none of your -- Eh?"

Claire's jaw dropped in surprise.

For an instant, she could not comprehend what Luminaris had said.

"...Just now, what did you say?"

"...? Could it be, you didn't know?"

This time it was Luminaris who displayed an expression of surprise.

Next--

"Then I shall tell you. The darkness spirit over there is the elemental waffe -- the Vorpal Sword."

An unbelievable statement was announced.

"--Namely, the sword used by the strongest blade dancer during the Blade Dance three years ago."