Academy Town was a small-scale town within the premises of the Areis.h.i.+a Spirit Academy.

The townscape, lined with stone buildings, was filled with the tumult of people.

While b.u.mping many times over into the coming-and-going crowds of people, Kamito was running towards the arena.

—If that was him thinking about it too much, it was alright. However, he was feeling strangely uneasy.

(...Absurd. With the loss of her contracted spirit, a blade dance is just...)

While he was out of breath, he ran at full speed, pulling Est's hand.

He did not understand why he was so frantic for her sake.

Claire Rouge was a—tyrant, who was prideful, willful and quick to lash her whip.

However, he somehow could not leave her alone.

(After all, her true self is—)

Kamito stopped at that moment.

"—Here, right?"

Before the arena built at the center of the town, there was a crowd of spectators gathered.

The blade dance was originally a holy ritual to let spirits enjoy themselves—a kind of kagura.

However, there was no change to the fact that it was also the highest form of entertainment to humans.

Also, the same as other festivals, the spirits preferred a great number of enthusiastic people.

He showed his academy student badge to the guard and entered inside, and pushed aside clamoring spectators to get to the front.

There were ear-splitting cheers. The sound of shrills of weapons. The intense blade dance had already started at the arena.

There were about 20 partic.i.p.ants. Various types of spirits were jumbled together and fighting.

It was a battle royale system where the last one remaining would earn the right to contract with a powerful militarized spirit.

Kamito searched for Claire—

For that unbelievable sight, he doubted his eyes.

That Claire Rouge was—

Covered all over with wounds and crawling.

Against the contracted spirits boasting tremendous power, Claire was fighting with just a whip and spirit magic.

While her whole body was. .h.i.t and slammed into a wall, she stood up and fought again and again.

"Claire—"

He could not go help her. If Kamito got in and helped her, she would be naturally disqualified.

If he did that, she would probably never forgive him.

Kamito bit his teeth and in front of him, Claire was blown away.

(—Weak. Why am I so weak?)

While being thrown to the ground, Claire strongly bit her lips. The taste of blood spread across her tongue. It seemed that she was cut somewhere inside her mouth. She planned to stand up, but her hands went numb and did not move. It seemed to have caused a cerebral concussion. Even several bones of her ribs might be suffering damage.

"Guu...!"

Even so, she still did not raise the surrender card.

She slowly stood up on shaky legs.

She sternly looked up. At the center of the altar was a wors.h.i.+ped stone pillar. Within that, there was a rank-A battle-cla.s.s militarized spirit—Glasya-Labolas sealed inside, brought in from the imperial capital.

Having brought down many spirit knights in the past wars, it was a famous giant-man spirit.

(...If I obtain that, I can be strong.)

—Nee-sama surely can be saved!

"Flame—dance in my hand, dance!"

She turned the divine power dwelling within herself into flames and produced a fireball of spirit magic in her palm.

In her situation where there was no supply of divine power from Scarlet (her contracted spirit), even for Claire, who was superior, to produce such a small flame took all her might. Naturally, such a thing could not bring down spirits.

However, if she aimed for the elementalists, possibly—there might be a tiny chance of winning.

"Huh? Do you still plan on doing this? You don't learn, do you"

—She heard a scorning voice from her front.

She bit her teeth and lifted her head. The two elementalists were standing with ridiculing expressions.

They were the Academy's upper cla.s.smen. They were respectively using Adamantine Spirit and Demon Mirror Spirit.

"Hey, are you truly an idiot? You don't even have a contracted spirit."

"That very part of you is irritating, you know."

"...You!"

Aiming at the two upper cla.s.smen ridiculing her, Claire released the fireball.

However, the fireball was stopped by the bore-looking Adamantine Spirit and easily repelled.

"Ahahaa, what's that, spirit magic? —Do it, Adamantine!"

The girl on the other side cruelly curved her lips and gave an order to her contracted spirit.

The Adamantine Spirit emitted a blue radiance and rushed and struck Claire's abdomen.

"Agg...!"

A mumbling scream escaped from Claire's mouth.

She did not dare aim for her vital points. She was slowly tormenting her and enjoying herself.

This was not a splendorous blade dance for spirits to enjoy. It was merely unsightly violence.

"...How cheeky, you. Despite being that Calamity Queen's younger sister."

The upper cla.s.sman's face was really distorted in hatred. While being hit many times over her whole body—finally, Claire recalled. These two were colleagues, who were one-sidedly knocked down by Claire at a practice match a month ago. They were still resentful about that time.

"What's with that look? If you don't give up quickly, you'll really die!"

"It's alright if you quickly kneel down and lick our shoes. Truly, that foolishness is the same as your sister."

"...Shut...up, be silent."

Claire tightly grasped the sand scattered on the ground.

"Hn, did you say something?"

"I said... be silent."

It was no good. She could not restrain it.

(Only abuses at Nee-sama, no matter what, my boiling point for that is low!)

She put divine power into her left hand, which was grasping sand. A black spirit seal that was re-engraved ominously glowed.

And then the moment the path was connected, a horrifying sensation ran all over her body.

She would not be defeated at such a place. There was no value in her weak self.

(To grasp a more powerful power in my hand—!)

"What... a contracted spirit!?"

The uppercla.s.smen's eyes opened in surprise.

"If you wish for it, I'll show you. This is—my true power!"

*Gou!*

The black flame, released from Claire's hand, gulped down the Adamantine Spirit in an instant.

Appearing from within the blazing flame was—

A flickering jet black magic beast.

It was not a n.o.ble flame like Scarlet. It was a flame of darkness, showing signs of madness.

*Guo...ruuuuuu...*

The beast's hair-raising roar shook the entire atmosphere in the arena.

"...What's that!?"

Kamito got up from the audience seating and shouted.

The black flame spirit that Claire brought forth engulfed the Adamantine Spirit in front of it in an instant.

—It was not Scarlet.

Its appearance was similar to that h.e.l.l cat, but the presence of that divine power was overly ominous.

The jet-black flame spirit bit and crushed the demon mirror spirit at the other side and was devouring those remains like a starving beast. That was not all. The spirits around the black spirit suddenly writhed as if going mad and began eating each-others existence.

"The frenzy is spreading...!"

Kamito recalled the demon spirit that appeared in Astral Zero last night.

And about the water spirit that went out of control in the bathroom.

The spirits, in a frenzy, lost their reasoning and were unable to restrain their powers. Until their own existence were extinguished, they would conduct themselves with their impulses for destruction.

However, that black Magic Beast—

(It's forcefully s.n.a.t.c.hing away Claire's divine power!?)

Claire stood rock still at the center of the arena with an exhausted expression.

From the black spirit seal engraved on her left hand, blood was trickling down.

Her face was pale and her whole body was quivering bit by bit. It looked like she was also barely standing.

If the situation was left as it was, she might lose her life.

The spectators, who realized that something was strange with the appearance of the spirits, suddenly began making a commotion.

The elementalist girls, in the arena, were also perplexed at their contracted spirits that suddenly did not listen to their commands.

"d.a.m.n, what are the guys in Knights doing?"

Kamito looked around the inside of the arena. Despite being an obviously strange situation, the Spirit Knights that should have been prepared for unexpected situations were not moving. What was going on?

However, the Spirit Knights standing at the arena gate were all rooted at the same spot, staring into empty s.p.a.ce. Their eyes were not focused. It was as if they had been entranced—

"...What? What the heck is happening?"

"That's a frenzy spirit, Kamito."

Est, who was beside him, muttered expressionlessly.

"A frenzy spirit?"

"It is a possession-type spirit that causes spirits to go berserk. It isn't such a high status spirit, but the spirit possessed loses its reasoning and, until its own existence vanishes, it will continue to fight."

"Possess—? Don't tell me, that black Magic Beast is Scarlet!?"

"Affirmative. That h.e.l.l cat is a very powerful spirit, it should not vanish from the extent of being beaten by the demon spirit. It seems that it temporary lost the ability to manifest but—"

"Is that so..."

The fire of the flame spirit remained. However, Claire continuously thought that Scarlet vanished, so she was not able to connect the path.

"—But, in that frenzied condition, vanis.h.i.+ng completely is also just a matter of time."

"Ah, I understand."

Kamito nodded.

Scarlet—a flame spirit with the appearance of a h.e.l.l cat cladded in n.o.ble flames.

That was the very flame of a girl named Claire.

That flame turned into a crazy disgusting Magic Beast that was indulging and eating the spirits.

Something like that could not be her—Claire's desired flame.

"—Est. I ask of you, lend me your strength."

"I am Kamito's sword. I'll do as you desire."

Est gently grasped Kamito's hand. There was a feeling of a hand, cold but surprisingly soft.

"Dispa.s.sionate Queen of Steel, the sacred sword that destroys evil—now form my sword!"

Kamito spun the releasing of the elemental waffe; at the same time, Est's body turned into particles of light and vanished.

In the next moment, a silver glowing single edged sword appeared in Kamito's hand.

The spirit language inscription, carved on the edge, was—Terminus Est.

Just by lightly holding it, he understood that it was a tremendously famous sword.

"I'm sorry. The path to my true form is closed, so this is the limit for me currently."

Est, who turned into the form of a sword, said apologetically.

"No, this is plenty. —Let's go, Est!"

Kamito prepared Terminus Est and jumped into the arena where the raging black flame was.

The moment he landed onto the ground, the magic beast of darkness bared its fangs and pounced to attack him.

He brandished the sword with a flourish, knocked away the black flame, and rushed over to Claire's side.

"Claire!"

"...Kamito"

Claire opened her ruby-colored eyes.

Her knees were on the ground and she was breathing heavily. Her delicate body was going to collapse at any time.

The blood, trickling from the spirit seal on her left hand, was dyeing the sand scattered on the ground red.

At that moment, the black Flame Magic Beast mowed onto the ground with its claws, like it was making fun of it.

There was the scent of burning in the air. The hot wind with pebbles mixed in gently brushed Kamito's cheeks.

In a hair's breadth, Kamito dodged the black flame's claws. He drove in a slash at the black flame spirit that was just knocked down.

The silver sword flash drew an arc. The elemental waffe of the sword spirit cut up even the intangible flames—

The black Flame Magic Beast let out an ear-splitting scream and broke up in the air. It didn't mean that it vanished. The flames that were scattered were burning at their respective positions and formed a flaming wall surrounding Kamito in it. Kamito clicked his tongue and stopped at that spot.

"Claire, get yourself together, come to your senses!"

"Wh...What... Why are you here—"

A confused expression surfaced on Claire's face—

Then, as if she just began to realize it, she opened her eyes in terror.

The scene that flew into her eyes was a cruel disastrous scene.

There was a blazing, disgusting black flame.

A group of spirits was in a frenzy and were devouring each other.

The students of the academy were losing their consciousness from having their divine power eaten and were falling down to the ground one by one—

"Claire, is this the power you wanted? Something like this? These are your flames!"

Kamito shouted as if he was throwing up.

While he cleared away the attacking flame with the sword, he reached out his hand towards Claire.

"I...I...—"

Claire moved her lips with her pale facial expression—

She instantly shook her head as if she had changed her mind.

"Sh...Shut up! I... I need the power!"

The red twintail hair violently sprung up.

The black flame blazed even more as if responding to Claire's fury.

"...You don't understand. My feelings of being always alone—"

Claire lay face down and said that while gasping.

That day, four years ago, was when the still childish Claire Elstein's life ended.

The girl, who was betrayed by her most loved sister, had both her parents imprisoned and lost everything, was—

To live taking persecutions as Calamity Queen's sister.

If she didn't become strong alone, she would not be able to live on.

"...You're not alone, idiot."

"Eh?"

At Kamito's words—

Claire raised her head with a blank expression.

"I am here. I'll be by your side. After all, I'm—"

Kamito approached Claire with a step.

The flame wall in their surroundings burned with intimidation.

"D...Don't come here..."

"Claire—"

"Do not come here!"

*Pas.h.i.+n!*— She closed her eyes and strongly struck her leather whip at Kamito's cheek.

Red blood flowed from his cheek. Kamito did not even wipe that and took another step—

"...!? Why didn't you avoid it?"

Claire's cherry-colored lips were quivering.

"I didn't plan on hitting... and yet."

Kamito stood before Claire and slowly raised his hand over his head.

Claire thought it was a strike, and reflexively closed her eyes tightly.

Then—

....*Poff*.

"Eh?"

Claire widely opened her ruby-colored eyes.

She looked up at Kamito with a blank expression.

"—Claire, I like your flames."

Kamito stirred up and crumpled Claire's red hair.

"...Wh!? Ah, ...Li...Like...? Eh?"

Claire's cheeks were dyed bright red inside.

"They burn prettily, dazzlingly and n.o.bly. I like your flames."

"Ah, sh...sh..."

—That was why he wanted to protect those flames.

"If you want power—"

Kamito looked straight into Claire's eyes and said.

"I'll be your contracted spirit."

"Kamito..."

In Claire's red eyes, a drop of tear surfaced—

Confused, she wiped it with her uniform sleeve.

"Wh...What are you saying? You are originally my slave spirit!"

"Ah, that is right..."

Kamito bitterly smiled and gently removed his hand from Claire's head.

At that moment, he sliced and drove away the black Flame Magic Beast that roared and advanced while attacking with the sword.

With his back facing Claire, he blocked its way like a knight protecting a princess.

"—Hey, Scarlet. Did you forget your precious master?"

With Kamito's words thrown at it, the black flame that clad the Magic Beast trembled for a moment.

Scarlet—it seemed to respond to that name.

"...Scarlet?"

Claire asked.

"Ah, it wasn't that your partner vanished. It just temporarily lost its power. Although, it's now possessed by a frenzy spirit and it has changed into such an appearance."

"...Scarlet is alive!?"

Claire was taken aback and raised her head. Kamito nodded.

"Ah, this sword—Est informed me."

"...That's, by no means, that sword spirit?"

"That's right. But she probably can't even use a tenth of her original power."

Taking a stance with Terminus Est in both his hands, Kamito turned towards the black flame magic beast.

Claire stared at the thunderously raging black flame.

She saw something within that flame and swiftly raised her head—

"...Yes, that is Scarlet."

She wiped her tears to shake it off.

"If that's the case—"

"Claire, stand back. A frenzied spirit will attack even its contractor."

Kamito restrained Claire, who planned to go to the front, with his hand—

Claire stopped that hand and shook her head.

"Scarlet is in a frenzy because of me. Therefore, only I can take her back."

—Flames, dance in my hand, dance!

Spun from her cherry-colored lips was the spirit language aria.

At that moment, a small fireball was born at the palm of her hand.

"Spirit magic? What can such a small fireball—"

"—Like this."

At that instant, Claire pushed the burning fireball into her left hand.

There was the sound of flesh burning.

"O...Oi, Claire!?"

"...A...gu...uuuu—!"

While barely clenching her teeth, Claire moaned in anguish.

On her pale face, perspiration like waterfalls flowed along her chin.

"You...!"

Kamito finally understood.

The black spirit seal, re-engraved on Claire's left hand—that was the symbol of contract with that frenzy spirit.

The spirit seal was an exclusive Gate to connect the path between Astral Zero and this world.

If that was destroyed, naturally, the contract with the spirit would be annulled.

Claire was physically burning the spirit seal and was breaking the contract with the frenzy spirit!

*Guorooooouuu...*

The Magic Beast, clad in black flames, raged like a thunderous wind.

With the path being burned off, it shared the same pain as Claire, its contractor.

"Sorry, Scarlet, I too... will endure—"

Claire was putting up with the pain and that moment when Claire's knees. .h.i.t the ground—

The frenzied magic beast roared and sprung at Claire.

Kamito quickly stepped in and got into the magic beast's bosom in one bound.

The claws, clad in flames, burned the ends of his hair and at that instant—he slashed down with the sword when they pa.s.sed each other.

There was a flas.h.i.+ng sword swing. At the same time, the red hot flames that could melt even iron attacked Kamito's whole body—

"Kamito!"

Claire's scream resounded.

However, Kamito's body had already disappeared.

The moment the sword and the claws crossed, he dodged like a shadow and had turned to the flame spirit's back.

(—A frenzied spirit certainly has its power greatly increased.)

The black flame spirit turned around—but it was too late.

(However, no matter what, its movements became dull. In that case, it can't win against me—)

Kamito kicked the ground and sharply turned, and swung the silver s.h.i.+ning Terminus Est—

With that stroke of the sword, the black flame, possessing the flame spirit, was severed and killed.

"—Claire, are you alright?!"

Kamito rushed over, Claire was lying on the floor with a pale face.

From her red forelock clinging onto her forehead, drops of perspiration were dripping down.

"A...guu...!"

A gasping, like it was hoa.r.s.e from her inner throat, leaked out. Her left hand sustained a severe burn.

Just the texture of her thin pretty skin was hideously burned, that scar was too painful to look at.

However, the black spirit seal that was engraved disappeared without leaving any trace.

With this, the path with that frenzy spirit should be completely severed.

"That was so reckless. Look, I'll treat it for you, so show it to me."

"I...I'm fine, it's just this much..."

Claire's cheeks turned slightly red and she quickly turned away.

At that moment, intense pain was suddenly running all over, causing her to softly scream "Hyauu" and making her eyes turn teary.

"What, you're not being honest."

"Sh...Shut up, I'll turn you into cinders!"

Kamito bitterly smiled at Claire's usual behavior.

—However, this is the usual Claire Rouge.

She was not suited to have just a sorrowful face.

"By the way, where—"

Suddenly, Kamito turned serious and asked.

"What..."

"Where did you contract something like a frenzy spirit?"

"That's—"

Claire stammered with her words and at that time.

"Ah, did you receive my present with pleasure?"

From behind, they heard such an inappropriate voice.

It was a gentle voice, like downy hair tickling one's earlobe.

It sounded familiar—but that was out of the question.

For three years, he always—yearned to hear it, that voice.

Kamito slowly turned around.

And there—

A beautiful girl, wearing a dark black dress, was giggling.

Kamito stood still at that place with a frozen expression.

"Don't tell me, tha..t's..."

What was there was—

A girl, who was the very light to Kamito.

She gave the boy, who had closed his heart into a cold cage, a warm light—

"...Res...tia?"

Kamito muttered in a blurry voice.

"—It has been quite a long time, Kamito."

The girl, wearing a darkness-color dress, impishly smiled.

...It was unbelievable.

However, that appearance was the same as it was from that time, three years ago.

That beautiful face, without doubt, belonged to the girl, who Kamito knew.

The darkness spirit, Restia.

The contracted spirit of the strongest blade dancer—Ren Ashbell.

"Restia, I—"

Kamito reached out his hand and he planned to approach the girl.

However, his legs, as if they were sewed on to that place, could not move.

Despite that, the girl who he was continuously searching for the last three years, was right in front of him—

—Something was strange. His elementalist intuition was telling him that.

She was smiling like that.

Moveover, in the girl's hand, what was that ominous black lump?

"I wanted to meet you, Kamito. However—"

The girl faced that black lump at the altar in the center and threw it there.

"Let's leave the hug to the next opportunity. Look, as that child wakes up."

When the black lump turned into a fog in midair, it surrounded the holy stone pillar at the altar.

The stone pillar that was brought in from the imperial capital and in which was the sealed militarized spirit.

"Restia... What in the world are—?"

Kamito muttered and at that time.

Suddenly, the ground violently shook.

"What...!?"

"Ah, looks like it has already woken up."

"Restia...?"

"Kamito, be careful! She is the one who gave me that frenzy spirit!"

Claire shouted to the absentminded boy.

"Wh...at...!?"

At that moment, a ground-shaking roar resounded.

*Pis.h.i.+*— the stone pillar enveloped in the black fog cracked.

*Zu...zuzu...zuzuzuzu...!*

From the tear in the stone pillar, a giant human hand appeared.

That was—

(Glasya-Labolas is—going into a frenzy!?)

Taken aback, he turned around. Restia was giggling.

That somewhat devilish smile was something Kamito had never seen.

"—Good bye, Kamito. Let's meet again."

"Restia... What is going on!? What are you—"

"Because that is your wish."

Kamito's face froze.

"Wait—Please wait, Restia!"

"I had waited, it has already been three years."

"Resti..."

Restia smiled once again and disappeared into the empty s.p.a.ce that became a black fog.

Kamito dropped both his hands like he was exhausted and stood still and dumbfounded.

—He did not understand what had happened.

(Restia gave Claire that frenzy spirit...?)

He could not believe it. No, he did not want to believe it.

However, the girl's appearance belonged to the darkness spirit that he had certainly been continuously searching for.

His former contracted spirit.

The girl showed Kamito, who lost his human heart, his first warm light.

If that girl changed, that—

(It's my fault... I had changed her into something different.)

The Blade Dance three years ago.

Kamito, who came out victorious as Ren Ashbell,—

Attempted to have a Wish that humans can never wish for to be granted.

For that reason, he decided to lose her.

He believed that she would be alive somewhere.

The aching of the spirit seal engraved on his left hand whispered.

—She would be alive again. He could still make up for his crimes.

By no means, it became that they met up again in such a manner—it was something he never thought of.

"Restia... Is this my punishment?"

If that was the case, it was too cruel.

Like his whole body's strength was drawn out and he was going to collapse, his knees. .h.i.t the ground.

He was plunged into darkness.

"Kamito!? Hey, are you listening, Kamito!"

Even Claire's voice calling for Kamito was only absentmindedly heard.

Once again, the ground violently shook.

Pa.s.sing through the Gate opened in the empty s.p.a.ce, Glasya-Labolas was attempting to emerge.

The wall of the arena collapsed due to the tremor and a large amount of rubble poured down over Kamito's head.

Just before his body was going to be crushed—that moment.

*Pas.h.i.+*— Kamito's head was twined around by a whip.

"...Guoo!"

Kamito was violently dragged along the ground and he made an anguished voice.

Immediately after, a large amount of rubble fell at the place where Kamito had been at.

There was a thunderous sound. Clouds of dust fluttered up in the air.

...If he was crushed, he would have, without a doubt, died.

"Idiot! Wh...What are you doing!"

Over his head, Claire took up a daunting pose and shouted.

"Hey, do you want to die? Or do you want to turn to cinders?"

"No, not those two choices—Guoo!"

"Hmm, if you can retort, you are alright, aren't you!"

Claire constricted Kamito's head with her whip and with a jerk, drew her face closer.

It was at a point-blank distance as if the tips of their noses were touching.

Her ruby-colored pupils, filled with a strong will, were before his eyes.

Nevertheless in such a moment, Kamito was reflexively startled.

"...Come on, what? What is it?"

Seemingly noticing that her face was too close, Claire's cheeks turned red and she slightly loosened her whip.

"It...It's not like I'm particularly interested but... for once, listen up."

"Wh...What..."

"That girl just now, h...how is she related to you?"

"She—"

Kamito averted his eyes from Claire's clear eyes

"Was my contracted spirit."

"Spirit?"

Kamito silently nodded and clenched his left hand.

"...It's my fault. It's my fault that she—"

Thoughts of her made Kamito sink into the dark abyss once again,—

"So what!"

Claire's voice, which was cold, drew him back.

"Eh?"

"I am saying so what!"

Claire was standing straight up, with both hands on her waist and her twintail hair over her shoulder.

Until a while ago, she was extremely depressed.

Now, there was above all else her n.o.ble, beautiful crimson flame.

"No, it is because I..."

Kamito was taken aback and became dumbfounded—

"Didn't you promise me just now that 'I'll be your contracted spirit'?! Please hold on to the responsibility of your own words!"

*Pis.h.i.+pas.h.i.+!* Claire struck Kamito's back with her whip.

"Ouch! Wh...What are you doing! Whipping a dead person!"

Without thought, Kamito stood up and shouted.

Claire suddenly smiled.

"A dead person? Then how about dying once? Look, look at that."

"Aah?"

Kamito turned his face—

From the Gate in the empty s.p.a.ce, bluish-white light emitted and Glasya-Labolas came crawling out.

The battle-cla.s.s militarized spirit, whose seal was undone; its over-all length was more than ten-odd meters.

Glasya-Labolas roared. With just that roar, half of the audience seats were blown away.

It seemed that the audience had already escaped, but there should still be many citizens outside the arena.

From the giant empty hole in the wall, the state of the plaza could be observed.

Everyone was screaming and jostling, while running away. In response to the sudden appearance of Glasya-Labolas, the plaza and the main street were filled with chaos and agonizing cries.

Placing its hand on the crumbled arena wall, Glasya-Labolas slowly walked out.

With his every step, the ground shook as if an earthquake occurred.

How things would turn out, if such a thing got into the town was quite obvious.

"Waiting for help from the academy would be pointless. They will arrive too late. Just the two of us will have to do this."

"...Ah, that's right."

However—Kamito still had not recovered from the shock.

Even Terminus Est, which he was tightly grasping, was losing that cool and clear radiance.

An elemental waffe would demonstrate its true value according to the elementalist's divine power.

With Kamito's current condition, he was unable to even maintain the sword's strength.

For example, even if he fought, it was certain that it would be instantly broken.

Claire stared at Kamito in such a state with a rigid expression.

"It seems like you're still half asleep. If that's the case, I'll wake you up."

After that, for some reason, her face turned red and she quickly looked away.

And, in the next moment.

Suddenly, his lips were closed.

It was hot. It was a tender sensation that was gently getting wet.

His nose was tickled by the faint scent of her hair.

"Hn..."

Several seconds later, their lips slowly separated.

"Are you awake?"

"...A...Ah."

Kamito nodded like he was befuddled.

"Th...This is something... only once."

Biting her lips, Claire turned bright red and looked downwards.

The numbing kiss had blown away all the anguish from Kamito's mind.

"...Shock therapy? However, this is a little too effective."

"Hm...hmm, that's fine! —Well then, let's go, Kamito!"

While her face was bright red, Claire spun the spirit language summoning.

"—Guardian of the crimson blaze, keeper of the undying hearth!"

"—Now's the time to abide by the blood contract, come forth and do my bidding!"

Immediately, a blazing flame whip was born in Claire's hand.

It was not the black flame, invaded by the frenzy spirit.

That was the flame of the n.o.ble Claire Rouge—Scarlet's elemental waffe.

"Thank you, Scarlet. Lend me your power for just a bit longer."

Responding to Claire's feelings, the flame whip thunderously growled.

"I won't make Scarlet, who is weakened, do something unreasonable. I'll go around it to support, so you strike that giant human spirit."

"Ah, I got it!"

Kamito firmly nodded and tightly grasped Terminus Est.

(—That's right.) It is alright to not think about Restia now.

(Now, just—)

(To protect this tomboy princess because that's what I promised!)

Taking a stance with the sword, Kamito kicked the ground and jumped.

"I'll show you, Claire Rouge"

The Strongest Blade Dancer—Ren Ashbell's blade dance!

Glasya-Labolas smashed the stone wall and stepped his foot out to the plaza outside the arena.

Kamito took a roundabout path to its behind and with a one-step jump, he pierced its ankle with the sword.

*Vuoooooon!*

Glasya-Labolas let out a destructive roar. While the shock seemed to be blowing him away, Kamito clung onto the sword that pierced it.

(...What power! As expected of a militarized spirit!)

The eyes of the giant, that were burning in anger, caught sight of Kamito's figure at its feet.

It roared again and swung down its boulder-like fist.

Kamito pulled out the sword and jumped back, then using the giant's arm as a stepping stone, he jumped again.

In order to crush Kamito, who appeared on top of his head, Glasya-Labolas reached out with its hand—

At that moment, when it seemed like it caught his ankle.

"Kamito!"

Claire swung her flame whip and bound that arm. As Scarlet was exhausted, cutting up the spirit could not be done. However, roughly sealing its movement was possible.

There was the thunderous sound of the wind blowing violently. Glasya-Labolas s.h.i.+fted its anger to Kamito on its head. In the state of pa.s.sing by, Kamito brandished the sword. He cut the black crystal-like eyeball.

At that moment, from the eyeball that cracked, something like a black fog was blown out.

(That's the frenzy spirit...!?)

The black fog coiled about the sword. Just at that moment, the tip of its edge was corroding to black.

Kamito was taken aback. —The frenzy spirit was a spirit that granted crazy attribute to spirits.

(Est is being encroached—!)

Kamito twisted his body and swung and cleared away the black fog.

He broke his stance in the air and was about to strike the ground as he was.

Then, Glasya-Labolas' fist swung downwards.

Kamito took a stance with the sword in front of him—but he did not make it!

Glasya-Labolas' fist was—precisely stopped above his head.

Its arm, which was about to swing down at any time, was twisted with a burning flame whip.

"Kamito! Now's the chance, quickly do it!"

"Ah—"

Kamito laughed fearlessly, stood up and concentrated his consciousness on the sword.

The elemental waffe of the sword spirit, Est, increased in radiance as it responded to Kamito's feelings

He kicked the ground and jumped. Kamito's sword once again danced in the midair.

And then—

"Oooooooooooo!"

The s.h.i.+ning flas.h.i.+ng sword cut Glasya-Labolas' body right in half.

With the s.h.i.+ning sword in his hand, Kazehaya Kamito danced a splendorous blade dance—

That was almost—

Like the blade dance of Ren Ashbell, who she saw at the stage of the Blade Dance three years ago.

(...Don't tell me.)

The moment Glasya-Labolas turned into particles of light, the flame whip returned to the form of a small h.e.l.l cat. Claire tenderly embraced the flame spirit, which became small like a kitten.

"—Thank you, Scarlet."