Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter6
The blade dance at midnight
Part 1
—It was 2 am. The time when the academy students slept and forest spirits began being astir.
On the stone paving path illuminated by the moonlight, Kamito was walking along with Claire.
“The atmosphere is very different, the academy at night.”
“Of course, the night is the time for spirits.”
Claire kept facing front and bluntly replied. Solid sound of walking resounded awfully loud.
Since some time ago, Claire had not said much. She might be tense about the duel with the Knights.
“Where are you planning to do it?”
Private battles should be prohibited within the academy according to academy regulations. Is there a place for a duel outside?”
“Over there –“
Claire abruptly stopped.
In front of what she was pointing, there was a gigantic stone circle.
Its ground was dimly shining in bluish-white.
“That’s the – 'Astral Gate '!”
“Yea, the gate that connects this world with the Astral Zero. The reason why the academy was built in such a remote place.”
“…I see”
He was surprised that there was a ‘gate’ within the academy premises. That stone circle was perhaps a prehistoric ruin, which was used with an unknown art. It probably had a function to stabilize the unstable 'gate '.
“Isn’t it dangerous? There are spirits that cannot be controlled by humans roaming about in the Astral Zero.”
“You see, that 'gate' connects to a safe area where there are only low-level spirits. If not, the academy wouldn’t leave it alone, right?”
Claire murmured stupid, and stepped into the middle of the stone circle.
She recited the words of opening the gate in the spirit language and the blue light on the ground further increased its brightness.
“Come on, you, faster get here too.”
Led by Claire, Kamito panicky jumped on top of the formation of lights.
At that moment, his field of vision was filled with a white flash.
He had a feeling that his whole body was attacked with dizziness. And then –
…
–After opening his eyes, a scenery of another world spread out.”
There was a deep dark forest with twisted trees standing tall.
Shining brilliantly in the night sky was blood-like red moon.
There was a pale purple smoke-like fog shrouding nearby.
Astral Zero –another world where spirits live in.
“If it’s here, nobody can disturb us. Even if we were injured, it would not be serious, so this place is often used by the academy students for duels.”
In a situation such a thing occurred, the physical body of humans possessing divine powers would be treated the same as spirits, this meant that there’s almost no physical damage received.
Naturally, this was not absolutely safe. Pain was felt normally; in exchange of the physical body not receiving damage, the mind would suffer an equal damage.
To fall into a lethargic state was still a good thing but in the case of receiving a serious injury, one would receive severe memory impairment and the destruction of the mind, there was also the possibility of not regaining consciousness.
“—Flame, illuminate”
Claire recited the spirit magic and a small fire ball was born on her palm, dimly lighting up a narrow open path in the middle of the forest.
“Let’s go, Kamito”
Claire gently brushed her twin-tails and calmly walked.
“Do we have a chance of winning?”
“That depends on your ability. …Honestly, it might be a little hard.
“Is that so?”
Kamito was surprised. For a spirit contractor of Claire’s level, it was unexpected of her to such a thing.
“Putting aside the other two, Ellis is strong. She isn’t the Knights leader just for show. Besides, Scarlet exhausted some strength from this morning’s fight with the ‘Sealed Spirit’. Rinslet’s ability is –well, I at least recognized it, but her teamwork is the worst.”
“…That was a surprising calm battle strength analysis. I thought you were the more impulsive type.”
“You, what do you see me as?”
“A dangerous fellow, who instantly swings a whip –Ouch!”
Pashii –A whip was promptly swung down onto Kamito’s back.
…After walking a while, there was a historic ruin of a gigantic theater in the forest.
It was something when Astral Zero and the human world were one –a long mythical era.
The crumbling looking stone gate greeted the two. It seemed that here was the stage for the duel.
“First of all, you, the sword spirit contractor, are the attacker. Rinslet and I will provide cover.”
“I’ve the most dangerous role! Isn’t it your duel?”
“What! Do you have a complaint? Alright, if that’s the case, I’ll let you choose a position. Attacker or cinders, which do you like?”
“I get it. I’ll be the attacker.”
“A wise decision.”
Claire nodded seemingly satisfied.
“By the way, you can properly handle that contracted 'sword spirit', right?”
“Hn, ahh…probably”
“…Probably? What do you mean?”
Claire’s eyes lifted up with danger. Kamito backed off in a panic.
“Well, you see, isn’t it bad if it was summoned poorly and went out of control? That’s why, I have not summoned even once it since I contracted it this morning.”
That was somewhat of an explanation – he thought. Actually, it was half of the explanation.
The truth was that by contracting with another spirit he felt guilty to her.
He felt a sense of betrayal about using a new contracted spirit.
“You succeeded in contracting in just one try, therefore there should be little chance of losing control but—well, it is a sealed spirit with a history and it certainly won’t be funny if anything happened.”
However, Claire seemed to have agreed for once.
“For the time being, try releasing your elemental waffe. You are able to do that, right?”
“A…aahh… Yea”
The releasing of an elemental waffe was not something anything could do but –
(Can’t seem to get into the mood, it can’t be helped –)
Kamito closed his eyes and concentrated his consciousness to the 'spirit crest' engraved on his right hand.
“The cool-headed steel queen, the sacred sword that destroys evil –“
He recited the summoning in the spirit language and the crest of two swords crossing faintly shined.
The path with a contracted spirit would be normally connected – however,
(What?)
…It was strange. He could not feel the presence of such a powerful sealed spirit.
No –he could pick up its presence but it was something like gears not fitting together.
“—now form a sword of steel and be the power in my hand!”
At that moment, small particles of light gathered at Kamito’s palm.
And then, what appeared was –
“…”
One short sword.
To be more precise, it was a small sword almost like a knife.
…Shin. An awkward silence arrived.
“…Is that that sword spirit’s elemental waffe?”
Claire said with her face twitching.
For an incarnation of the powerful sealed spirit that cut down Scarlet in one blow –
…Honesty, it was too shabby.
“D…don’t judge it by its appearance, it might actually have an amazing ability.”
“Y…ea, that certainly may be true!”
Claire nodded momently while having a stiff expression.
Kamito tried cutting a buckwheat tree as a test.
Bekii. The short sword very easily broke and vanished.
“…”
…Ahh, how should I say it, it is probably that.”
Kamito bear the frozen Claire’s glaze and calmly opened his mouth.
“Truthfully, this is the first time I used a contracted spirit in three years. I have not regained that perception.”
“…Huh?”
Claire blankly opened her mouth to that shocking confession.
“You’re lying… after all, didn’t you so easily tame that sealed spirit!”
“That time was because I was franticly trying to save you. To be honest, I don’t really understand myself why I succeeded the contracting.”
No matter how powerful a spirit one contracted with, there was no point if one could not fully draw out that power. When an inexperienced spirit contractor contracted a spirit beyond his means, it was often the case that its power would be too much to handle.
(…However, for my case, it’s a little different.)
Kamito stared at his left hand, inserted in a leather glove.
(Probably, within my sub-consciousness, I thought about her.)
—Therefore, he could not connect the path with the new spirit.
“Wh..wha..what’s with that…”
He heard a dead groan. After lifting her head, Claire was tightly grasping a leather whip, used for training animals, with her shoulders trembling.
“No, I mean, um, my battle strength is lacking…”
“What do you mean! I am counting on your battle strength!”
Pishii! Pishii! Pishii!
“Ouch! Wait..stop!”
A tempest of unforgiving whips descended onto the escaping Kamito.
Then, there –
“What in the world are you doing? Claire Rogue.”
From the other side of the dark tree grove, that voice was heard.
Claire stopped her whipping and sullenly turned around.
Appeared were Rinslet and the maid Carol.
“You’re late, Rinslet.”
“Aah, a lady getting dressed takes time.”
Rinslet proudly brushed her extravagance platinum blonde hair.
“…? What is Carol here too?”
“Of course, as milady’s supporter.”
After Kamito heard that, Carol took out a flag from out of nowhere and began swinging it.
“By the way, why were you spanking Kazehaya Kamito?”
Rinslet placed her index finger at her chin and frowned dubiously.
That was – before Claire answered, Carol interrupted.
“Milady, that’s something unrefined to listen to.”
“What do you mean?”
“That was a form of a slightly unusual love. In a unique way, that was a perverted play.”
“Ehh! Is that right, you two!?”
“T…th..t..that’s not it! W…what are you saying, you stupid maid!”
Claire’s face became bright red as she denied it.
...Indifferently, he wanted fuse-blowing whipping to stop. As it hurt.
(…Why am I already worn out before the duel.)
Kamito began to seriously think about the absurdity of his life. At that moment.
“—Your side seems to be all present, Raven class”
A cold voice descended from right above.
“…!?”
The four of them looked upwards together.
There, above the crumbling theater wall was –
A figure of a gallant female knight with her blue hair fluttering in the gentle breeze.
Beside her, two knights, also wearing the same silver armor, were standing.
He heard their names from Claire. The one with the short hair was Rakka. The one with the braiding was Reishia.
“—Ellis Fahrengart, for how long were you here!”
“By the way, you wouldn’t by any chance be waiting for a timing to appear cool, right?”
“Wha… T…there’s no such thing! I just only got here!”
After Kamito pointed it out with his half-opened eyes, Ellis was frankly disturbed and ended up almost falling.
…Somehow, that was a rather deplorable Knights leader look.
Ellis sharply glared at Kamito and the rest, and drew her sword from her waist.
“Let’s go, Raven class. Let’s finish this duel by dawn break –“
At that moment. The illumination of a large flame lit onto the stage of the theater.
The one shined on by that illumination –
“That’s –!?”
A large eagle was spreading its enormous wings and making an appearance in the red night.
“Let me introduce to you, Kazehaya Kamito. This is my contracted spirit – magic wind spirit, 'Simorgh'!”
With a howl like the wind – The large eagle, clad in wind swooped down.
Part 2
At a point of the attack in-place of a greeting, —
The magic wind spirit glided closer and dived with its aim at the ground, where the four were.
An ear-splitting thunderous roar. Stone paving came unstuck and large amount of earth and sand were whirled up.
A strong wind, brought forth from the entre of the explosion, hit Kamito and his body was easily blown off.
“…Gahaa!”
He was thrown into a wall. With that bone shattering impact, he stopped breathing for a moment.
Even if one received an attack of a spirit of a purified form, the physical body cannot be hurt, however, the physical damage from a crashing impact and fragments of rubble were different. Small rocks fluttering up in the squall were cutting at Kamito’s whole body. While covering his forehead with both his hands, Kamito clicked his tongue.
(…What destructive power! If I directly took a blow, I’ll faint.)
That magic wind spirit… Simorgh.
Comparing just destructive power, even Claire’s Scarlet might surpass.
(That’s right, where’s Claire?)
He stood up and surveyed his surroundings, his two allies were at their respectively positions.
Claire was providing direct cover from a mid-distance. Rinslet was providing rear support with a long distance attack.
Carol was…waving a flag at the outside of the theatre where she escaped to.
The thunderous wind that was blowing violently stopped. At that interval, Kamito began to run –
“Not yet, Kamito!”
“…!?”
At the same time Claire shouted, the roar of the magic wind spirit resounded.
From an empty large hole in the ground, a large magic bird flapped its wings—
“What are you doing, faster release your elemental waffe!”
“Hn, even if you say that –“
At that moment, a cluster of wind that held an enormous mass gouged the earth while rushing over.
The stone paving came ripping off in a straight line. Kamito quickly jumped sideways.
While tumbling on the ground, he quickly recited the summoning of the spirit language in his mouth.
The spirit crest faintly glowed but as before the path with the contracted spirit was not connected.
(… It’s no good, huh!?)
He gave up, at that time – a glowing short sword was constructed in his palm.
It was the same unreliable elemental waffe but it was better than nothing.
“Are you just escaping? Kazehaya Kamito, I have misjudged you!”
Ellis, with a pony-tail hair swaying, alighted onto the ground.
“Ahh! I just have to fight, right – “
Kamito prepared the short sword and charged towards Ellis. The first to strike wins. If he defeated the spirit contractor first, then the summoned contracted spirit would vanished –
“Kamito, behind you!”
Claire’s voice came from his behind – Kamito jumped straight to the side.
The wing of the magic wind spirit mowed down at the place Kamito was at just now.
“… What speed!”
Among the five grand elemental spirits, the ones boasting of being the fastest was the wind-attribute spirits. Ellis was completely controlling that.
The magic wind spirit, dancing in the night sky, turned in an arc –and swoop down.
Kamito jumped again. The magic wind spirit that crashed into the ground blew up a large quantity of earth and sand – and then it immediately became the countless blades of the wind and cut Kamito’s arms.
“…Kuu!”
Tremendous pain was running in his right arm. Actually, it did not mean that his arm was cut off –but that pain was violently jolting his consciousness.
(—Well, I never thought it’ll turn into the blades of the wind at that timing.)
Kamito was astonished in his mind. Ellis’s spirit contractor’s competency was something substantial.
“Kamito, I’m covering you!”
At the same time as her voice, A blazing flame illuminated the night sky red.
Claire wielded Scarlet’s elemental waffe –'Flame Blaze'.
The flame slash mowed down all the attacking blades of the wind in an arc—
“I won’t let you interfere with the leader!”
The braided hair knight, Reishia, attacked Claire.
The elemental waffe held in her hand was a transparent ice sword – it seemed she was the same ice spirit contractor as Rinslet.
Nonetheless, her spirit’s rank was completely no matched for Rinslet’s Fenrir. It seemed she had the competency to release her contracted spirit into its elemental waffe but she had not made that hers.
She was not Claire’s adversary – Kamito concluded so and adjusted his direction to Ellis, who was in front of him.
In that moment, simultaneously as the violent blasting sound, the ground in front of him was being completely gouged.
“…!?”
“Huh, try taking on my elemental waffe –Rock Breaker!”
The short hair knight, Rakka,, shouted in a spirited tone.
Her specialized weapon was a large hammer with a long handle. That was easily being swing about by the thin arm of a girl.
Kamito jumped and backed off, getting some distance between them. She seemed more hot-blooded than Reishia.
While keeping his distance, he was chasing Ellis, who was within his sight—
Ellis had linked with Rakka’s attack and was already moving.
As expected of the Knights leader, Ellis’s commanding ability was high.
First was to use the magic wind spirit to launch a preemptive attack to cause chaos on the battlefield. Next was to strike Claire on mid-guard with Reishia and Kamito on advance-guard with Rakka. While the two were pinned down, Ellis with the most battle strength would attack Rinslet on rear-guard. That was the so-called strategy.
(… Before attacking Ellis, firstly, I have to do something about this fellow.)
Kamito nimbly stepped in and let loose a slash. The flash of the silver sword shallowly cut Rakka’s arm.
As it was an attack from an elemental waffe, blood did not flow out –but pain should be felt in the same way.
“This guy…!”
Rakka’s face was dyed in anger. She aimed at the top of Kamito’s head and swung her Rock Breaker down.
There was a thunderous roar. The ground was gouged and rubbles were whirled up. It was probably a spirit of the earth attribute. As expected, its destructive power is great but its movement was a large swing, making it easy to avoid.
“Chii, how restless!”
She too seemed to have yet to master her elemental waffe. Or perhaps, her contracted spirit’s rank in contrast to her competency was too great – The spirit she was supposed to be using was manipulating her.
“Don’t run, fight properly, male spirit contractor!”
“This doesn’t mean that I’m just running away. In a group battle, you should pay more attention to your surroundings.”
“What?”
“A capable hunter is taking aim”
At that moment, an ice arrow came flying and pierced the girl’s chest.
Rakka was flashily blown off and bounced on the ground.
The elemental waffe, 'Rock Breaker', turned into particles of light and vanished.
“Fuu, nice shot!”
Kamito turned behind where the voice came from.
On the outer wall of the theater, there was the appearance of Rinslet brushing her hair.
“… Why are you, the support position, standing at such a conspicuous place?!”
“Ah, it’s natural for me to be at a more conspicuous place than Claire!”
“Th…That stupid dog…! You were moving around and sniping, right!”
Claire shouted like she was gnawing.
“Fuu, as a worthy lady of the noble Laurenfrost family, I won’t be satisfied if I’m not at most conspicuous place at a dance party.”
“That’s my milady!”
Carol was delightfully swinging a flag from above ground.
“Hmm, you’re pretty composed, Raven Class!”
—At that moment, at the back a strong squall was winding up.
Spreading its wings, the magic wind spirit roared and flew with its aim at Rinslet.
“A good target! Freezing ice fang, pierce –'Freezing Arrow'!”
Rinslet quickly released the Freezing Arrow—
The magic wind spirit immediately transformed to the countless blades of wind and rushed at Rinslet.
“Kyaa!”
“Rinslet!?”
In front of Claire, who planned to rush over, the braided hair knight blocked her way.
She quickly entered into the range of the whip in the gap that Claire lost her focus and slashed with her ice sword. The moment she got into the range, a sword was overwhelming advantageous. Claire was gradually pressured.
“Why you! How dare you do this to Rakka!”
“Kuu –Kamito, chase Ellis!”
“Ahh!”
Claire was in a predicament but Ellis ought to be stopped now.
Ellis was running on the stairs of the theater. Her intention was to completely take out Rinslet.
Kamito aimed at Ellis’s legs and threw the short sword. He concluded that it was dangerous to ignore her – Ellis jumped to the side and got into the audience seating.
In the vicinity, a high-pitched sound reverberated. The elemental waffe short sword hit the wall and got smashed up.
“Hmm, that’s a pretty fragile elemental waffe.”
While Ellis said that, she called the magic wind spirit to her hand.
And then—
“—Evil winds, pierce through my sworn enemy’s heart, become a magic spear and lodge within my hand!”
The moment she recited the releasing in the spirit language – winds blew violently and in her hand a very long spear appeared.
It was a ceremonial long spear and delicate patterns were engraved on its handle.
Its tip, illuminated by the red moonlight, was clad in sharp winds and was faintly making wind sounds.
Her pony-tail hair, which reached her waist, was swaying like agitatedly flowing in the wind.
Ellis completely spun the spear in one hand and stared at Kamito with a cold expression.
18 of 40 pages
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