The Elemental Sword Demon King
Episode 19: Aero Elemental Embodiment
POV: Kirigaya Kaizo
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It was 2 in the morning. As the academy students slept and the forest spirit started to move. On a stone paved road illuminated by moonlight, Kaizo was walking with Victoria.
“Academy at night has a very different atmosphere."
"Of course, night is the time for wandering spirits." Victoria continued to face forward and bluntly replied.
The dense voice running resounded loudly. Since a while ago, Victoria didn't say much. He might be tense about the duel with the Knights.
"Where do you plan to do it?"
"Personal battles should be banned within the academy in accordance with the academy's rules. Is there a place for a duel outside?"
"There."
Victoria suddenly stopped. In front of what he pointed at, there was a gigantic stone circle. The ground was dimly lit shining bluish white.
"That's the Astral Portal!"
"Yes, the gate that connects this world with Astral Spirit. The reason why this academy was built in such a remote place."
"I understand." Kaizo nodded in surprise that there was a 'Gate' inside the academy building.
The stone circle was probably a prehistoric ruin, used with unknown art. It might have a function to stabilize the unstable 'Gate.
"Isn't that dangerous? There are spirits that cannot be controlled by humans roaming the Astral Spirit."
"You know, that "Gate' is connected to a safe area where there are only low-level spirits. Otherwise, the academy wouldn't just let it go, would it?" Victoria muttered foolishly, and stepped into the center of the stone circle.
*ᚢ ᚱ ᚲᛉ ᛋ ᛟ ᛗ ᛚᛜ ᛞ ᛟ ᚷ ᚠᚢ ᚦ ᚨ ᚱ ᚲ ᚹᚺ ᚾ ᛁ ᛃ ᛇ ᛈ ᛉ ᛋ ᛏ ᛏ ᛒ ᛗ ᛜ ᛟ ᛈ ᛋ ᛏᛒ ᛖᚠ ᚢ ᚦ ᚨ ᚱᚲ ᚹ ᚺ ᚾ ᛁ ᛃ ᛇ ᛈ ᛉ ᛋ ᛏ ᛒ ᛖ ᛚ ᛜ ᛞᛒ ᛖ ᛗ ᛚ ᛜ ᛞ ᛁᚠ ᚨ ᚲ ᚾ ᛁ ᛃ ᛇ *
He recited the opening words of the gate in tongues and the blue light on the ground further increased his brightness.
"Come, you're faster! Rise too."
Led by Victoria, Kaizo hastily jumped onto the light formation. At that moment, his field of vision was filled with white flashes. He had a feeling that his entire body was being attacked with dizziness.
****
After opening his eyes, the otherworldly scenery spread. There was a deep dark forest with crooked trees standing upright.
Shining brilliantly in the night sky was a red moon like blood. There was a mist like pale purple smoke enveloping nearby. Astral Spirit, the other world where the spirits live.
"If it's here, no one can bother us. Even if we get injured, it won't be serious, so this place is often used by academy students for duels."
The situation where such a thing happened, the physical body of a human who possessed holy power would be treated the same as a spirit, this meant that almost no physical damage was received.
Naturally, it is not completely safe. Pain can be felt normally, instead of the physical body not receiving damage, the mind will suffer the same damage.
Falling into a lethargic state is still a good thing, but in the case of receiving a serious injury, one will receive severe memory impairment and mind destruction, there is also the possibility of being unconscious again.
*ᛉ ᛋ ᛟ ᛗ ᛚᛜ ᛞ ᛟ*
"Fire, turn it on."
Victoria recited spirit magic and a small fireball was born in her palm, faintly illuminating the narrow path that opened in the middle of the forest.
"Let's go, Kaizo." Victoria said gently stroking her ponytail hair and walking quietly.
"Do we have a chance to win?"
"It depends on your ability. Honestly, it might be a little hard."
"Is that so?" Kaizo. To a Victorian-level elementalist, it was unexpected that he said such a thing.
"Regarding the other two, Eve was strong. He's not the leader of the Knights just for show. Moreover, Salamander spent some of the strength from the fight this morning with a sealed spirit. Aura's abilities are.... Well, at least I recognize him, but his teamwork is the worst."
"It was a very calm battle power analysis. I thought you were the more impulsive type."
"You, what do you see me as?"
"Dangerous person, who instantly swung the whip, ouch!"
The whip was immediately swung onto Kaizo's back.
After walking for a while, there was the historic ruins of a giant theater in the forest. It was something from the moment the Astral Spirit and the human world became one.
Elementalists call it a mythical era that has long since passed or disappeared from civilization. The stone gate that seemed to collapse welcomed the two. It seems like this is the stage for the duel later.
"I got the most dangerous role! Isn't that your duel?"
"What, do you have a complaint? Alright, if that's the case, I'll let you pick a position. Attacker or ash, which one do you like?"
"I understand. I'll be his assailant."
"The wise decision." Victoria nodded seemingly satisfied.
"By the way, you can handle that contracted sword spirit well, right?"
"Hn, ahh, maybe."
"Maybe? Whatchu mean?" Victoria's eyes were raised with danger. Kaizo retreated in panic.
"Well, isn't it bad to be called out badly and get out of control? That's why, I haven't called him once since I signed him this morning."
A little explanation, he thought. Actually, that's half the explanation. The truth was, by contracting another spirit, he felt guilty towards her. He felt a sense of betrayal for using the new contracted spirit.
"You managed to contract in just one trial, therefore there should be a slight possibility of losing control, but.... Well, it's a spirit sealed with history and certainly wouldn't be funny if something happened."
However, Victoria seemed to agree once and continued, "For the time being, try to remove your elemental aerom. You can do it, right?"
"Ahh, yes."
The elemental release of aero was not something anyone could do, but it was easy for Kaizo as he had gotten used to doing it with 'he' in the past.
(It doesn't seem like it can get into a good mood, but it wants to how else.)
Kaizo closed his eyes and focused his consciousness on the spirit seal engraved on his right hand.
*ᛒ ᛖᛚ ᛖᛟ ᛈ ᚢ ᚦ ᚨ ᚱᚲ ᚹ ᚺ ᚾ ᛁ ᛃ ᛇ ᛈ ᛉ ᛋ ᛏ ᛒ ᛖ ᛚ ᛜ ᛞ ᛟ ᛗ ᛚᛜ ᛞ ᛟ*
"The Heartless Steel Queen, the holy sword that destroys evil!"
He recited the summoning in tongues and the emblem of the two crossed swords shone faintly. The path with contracted spirits was usually connected, yet it looked uncharacteristic.
(What?)
That's very strange. He could not sense the presence of such a powerful sealed spirit. No, he could tell of his whereabouts, but it was as if something went wrong, like an ill-fitting gear.
*ᛋ ᛏ ᛒ ᛖ ᛒ ᛖᛚᛋ ᛏ ᛟ ᛈ ᛋ ᛏᛒ ᚾ ᛁ ᛃ ᛇ ᛈ ᛉ ᛋ ᛏ ᛒ ᛖ ᛚ ᛜ ᛞ ᛟ ᛗ ᛚᛜ ᛒ ᛖᛚᛞ *
"Now form a steel sword and become the power in my hands!"
At that moment, tiny particles of light gathered in Kaizo's palm. And then, what appeared was a single short sword. More precisely, it was a small sword that was almost like a blade.
The awkward silence fell.
"Is that the elemental aero of the sword spirit?" Victoria said with a twitching face. For the incarnation of the powerful sealed spirit that slashed at Salamander in a single blow.
"Honestly, that's too bad."
"Ja-don't judge from his appearance, it might actually have an amazing ability."
"Y-yeah, that might be true!" Victoria nodded for a moment while putting on a stiff expression.
Kaizo tries to cut down a tree nearby as a test. The short sword was very easily broken and vanished.
The silence fell once again.
"Ahh, how should I say it, maybe it's a bit fragile." Kaizo looked at Victoria's frozen gaze and calmly opened her mouth. "To be honest, this is the first time I've used a contracted spirit in three years. I haven't regained that feeling."
"Huh?" Victoria blankly opened her mouth to that shocking confession.
"You lied. After all, didn't you easily tame that sealed spirit!?"
"It was because I was frantically trying to save you. To be honest, I don't really understand how I managed to sign him."
No matter how powerful the contracted spirit was, it was useless if one was unable to fully unleash that power. When an inexperienced elementalist contracts a spirit beyond his means, often his strength is too great to handle.
(However, for my case, this is a little different.)
...
*Connected.....
*Note: This story is fictitious. If there is a similarity in the name of the character, the scene, or the story, it is a mere coincidence and there is no element of intentionality.