Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume6 Chapter8 (section)

===Part 5===

--As the mud-like darkness dripped down upon the ground, Nepenthes Lore roared.

Then the black knight pulled out the Vorpal Sword embedded vertically in the ground.

Tightly gripping the Demon Slayer as it shone with silver-white brilliance, Kamito began to charge.

Kicking the soles of his boots against the ground to gain speed -- Kamito closed in instantly.

(A sustained battle would be disadvantageous for me. Victory must be decided in the next strike...!)

But just as he stepped on the black mud stretching across the ground, in that very instant--

"--What!?"

An intensely draining sensation attacked his entire body, and Terminus Est's shining brightness suddenly disappeared.

(...As soon as this darkness touched, my power gets stolen!?)

The viscous darkness entangled his foot. Kamito smacked his lips and jumped.

Numerous dark tentacles sprouted from the ground to pursue Kamito as he jumped. Infusing divine power into Terminus Est which had lost its brightness, Kamito severed all the incoming tentacles.

Nepenthes Lore roared with laughter as if greatly delighted.

"...This monster, getting so excited from being freed!"

There was little leisure for further ridiculing the opponent. The bottomless ooze dripping from Nepenthes Lore's body was rapidly eroding the ground surface.

"Is this all the divine power absorbed from the elementalists so far...?"

Dodging the dark tentacles extending from the ground, Kamito waited for his chance.

Vorpal Blast was released from the dark demon sword in Nepenthes Lore's hand.

"...!?"

A dark thunderstrike that streaked across the ground in a straight line.

Kamito barely dodged to find a large patch of forest behind him annihilated without a trace.

This surprising firepower far surpassed the level displayed back when Nepenthes Lore was sealed in the armor.

Various spirits hidden in the forest were instantly destroyed, producing particles of light. Fleeing spirits were also captured and devoured by the dark tentacles sprouting from the ground.

"...Est!"

Kamito brushed away black mud and jumped, infusing the Demon Slayer with divine power.

Using the dazzling sacred sword, he swung down at the demon sword of darkness -- !

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhh!"

As if responding to Kamito's thoughts, Terminus Est's brightness intensified.

However.

Clang -- suddenly there was a minute metallic noise.

In the ensuing intense explosion of sparks, Kamito's ears caught the sound of a blade cracking.

(...Could it be possible, Est broke!?)

To this point, the Demon Slayer had vanquished numerous formidable foes.

For the very first time, Kamito experienced disadvantage in a frontal clash of blades.

Terminus Est was in no way inferior to Restia's demon sword.

But persisted use of an excessively powerful elemental waffe was depleting Kamito's divine power.

"...Tsk, I beg you Est, please endure a little while longer!"

Yelling at the same time, Kamito forced divine power into the sacred sword he gripped tightly.

Light and darkness were in stalemate once more. Sparks exploded from where the blades met.

Suddenly, Kamito felt a sharp pain from the spirit seal on his left hand.

--It's futile. In your current state, you cannot defeat Nepenthes Lore.

Restia's voice resounded in his mind directly.

She was speaking directly to Kamito's mind through the spirit seal.

--Awaken, Kamito. Show me your true power.

(...My true power?)

--Yes. Powerful enough to kill ''them'', the true power of the Demon King.

(...With that power, will I be able to protect my comrades?)

Kamito asked in his heart as he infused divine power into the shining sacred sword--

(...''Can it realize your Wish from three years ago, the one that was not realized?'')

--It will. Furthermore, if you don't awaken now, you'll die.

"...Really?"

Kamito quietly closed his eyes.

The Demon King's power lying dormant in Kamito's body. Kamito still had no idea what she was talking about, but it seemed like he would be able to protect his comrades if he took possession of that power.

Kamito in his current state desperately wished to reach out for that power.

However--

"...I'm sorry. I'm not interested in that sort of unknown power."

As Kamito smiled fearlessly, he could feel Restia's dumbfounded surprise.

"Didn't I mention it just now? I have obtained new power."

...Very soon. That power was about to arrive.

"--Such as her, this sword spirit Est."

The precious partner who broke free from the shadow of tragedy and returned to Kamito's side.

As well as--

Kamito kicked at Nepenthes Lore's shoulder and leaped back.

The demon sword of darkness swung down.

Together with black mud, it approached Kamito forcefully--

In that very instant, a crimson slash lit the dark night on fire.

"--Turn into charcoal!"

As soon as they made contact with the chaotic flurry of flames, the dark tentacles disappeared without trace.

A burning wall of a flame illuminated the girl's figure a bright fiery red.

Those eyes of rubies shone with unyielding spirit. Her red twintails fluttered in the wind.

"--I've been waiting for you, Claire!"

Kamito made a thumbs up sign at the hell cat girl, standing proudly with Flametongue wielded in her hand.

"Kamito, I am here as well!"

"Kamito-san, me too!"

Ellis, armed with Ray Hawk, and Rinslet with Magic Bow of Ice also arrived.

"Don't forget, this Blade Dance festival is a team fight."

Kamito believed in his teammates whom, at the same time, also believed in him.

"--This is the power I did not have three years ago, Restia."

The four teammates swiftly entered into formation and faced off against the roaring Nepenthes Lore.


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