As Kaineth hurriedly drafted the agreement, Shiki watched Lancer's tenacious resistance on the battlefield through the Black Knight's eyes.
It had to be said, Lancer truly deserved his reputation as a legendary warrior. Even under the Black Knight's storm-like barrage, he still managed to hold on without being instantly defeated.
"Could Lancer have some special skill that's letting him last this long?"
Shiki found it strange. Given the Black Knight's overwhelming strength, Lancer should have been defeated long ago if he had nothing exceptional.
However, as a Master, Shiki had limited access.
The Holy Grail only allowed him to detect a Servant's six basic parameters: Strength, Endurance, Agility, Mana, Luck, and Noble Phantasm.
As for a Servant's skills and the true abilities of their Noble Phantasms, they were hidden behind a veil of fog. He could only explore and speculate during battle.
"Ah, forget it if I can't figure it out."
Shiki shook his head and stopped dwelling on it.
Besides, even if Lancer could hold on, how much longer could he last? He might as well use this moment before Lancer was defeated to test his theory.
That would save him the trouble of figuring it out later.
At that moment, Kaineth was drafting the contract at the fastest pace of his life, all for his and Sola's survival.
Time was tight. Every second mattered.
At last, the contract was complete. He hurriedly handed it to Shiki and explained at a rapid pace, "Just pour mana into it, and you'll understand its contents."
This time, he was sparing with his words, not daring to waste even a moment. Only once this contract was signed could he truly rest easy.
Following his instructions, Shiki infused the contract with mana. The ink on the parchment immediately glowed faintly, and the contract's terms and meaning flooded into his mind like a tide.
"Interesting."
Shiki murmured to himself. The terms were extremely favorable to him, showing that Kaineth had given up quite a few negotiable conditions in order to return home.
The most eye-catching clause was that once the contract was signed, he had to ensure Kaineth and Sola could safely leave Japan.
Shiki answered decisively, "No problem. Let's sign the contract, then."
"Wonderful!"
Kaineth heaved a sigh of relief, his face filled with the joy of someone who had escaped death.
The contract was not entirely fair to him, but if it kept him alive, the price was worth paying.
The signing process was not complicated. The moment Shiki firmly pressed his handprint onto the parchment, the contract took effect and bound both parties with powerful force.
At last, Kaineth's suspended heart settled back into place. So long as Shiki did not violate the agreement, his and Sola's lives would be guaranteed.
Kaineth raised the back of his hand, revealing the Command Spells upon it. "Then, according to the agreement, we can hand Lancer over to Lord Shiki."
Shiki raised a hand to stop him. After a brief moment of thought, he said, "The agreement says Lancer is to be handed over to me. That means he has to obey me, right?"
Kaineth froze slightly, then nodded after a brief silence. "You could understand it that way."
Snap!
Shiki snapped his fingers. "Okay, since he'll obey me, then Mr. Kaineth and Miss Sola, please use all your Command Spells to strengthen Lancer."
At those words, Kaineth and Sola looked at each other, their faces full of confusion. Neither understood Shiki's intention at all.
Kaineth hesitantly asked, "Lord Shiki means for us to use Command Spells to strengthen Lancer? This..."
"That's right. That's exactly what I mean," Shiki replied firmly.
Helpless, Kaineth could only forcibly restrain the deeply unwilling Sola and begin activating the Command Spells' power.
"Holy Grail, use all Command Spells to restore and strengthen my Servant Lancer! Take effect immediately and last for one hour!"
As his words fell, the scarlet Command Spells on Sola's hand completely vanished.
Sola's face was full of reluctance, as though she still clung to that strange connection between herself and Lancer.
Fortunately, they were fairly cooperative. In return, Shiki smiled and removed Sola's curse.
In an instant, Sola seemed to wake from a dream. She blinked, covered her face with both hands, crouched down, and began sobbing.
This sudden development left Shiki somewhat at a loss. "What's wrong now?"
"Waaah—Kaineth, I... I'm sorry!" Sola cried.
"..."
Shiki understood that sentence without any translation.
My God, something like this actually happened?!
Shiki blinked. Wasn't his presence here somewhat awkward?
He cleared his throat, reminding Kaineth of his presence.
The latter seemed to wake from a dream as well. He quickly pushed his wheelchair over to Sola's side and comforted her softly.
Kaineth was delighted to discover that the familiar Sola had returned. He was both astonished by Shiki's methods and overjoyed at his fiancée's return, secretly relieved that their future life would no longer be troubled by those unpleasant matters.
On the battlefield, Lancer finally failed to withstand the Black Knight's violent power amid their fierce clash. The spear in his hand was knocked away, and the tremendous impact sent him flying from the factory roof to the ground.
But he endured the pain within his body, turned, and leaped away at once. If he did not evade, he would surely lose his life.
Boom!
The Black Knight's diving strike smashed a massive crater into the ground.
Taking a step forward, he swung the Demon Sword in his hand straight at the unarmed Lancer. This blow was certain to hit.
At that critical moment, Lancer suddenly felt as though time had frozen. An incomparably powerful surge of mana erupted from within him, dozens of times greater than his own reserves.
"This is... Command Spells!"
Lancer immediately understood what had happened.
An ordinary Magus possessed far less mana than a Servant. Even though he was not the type skilled at controlling mana, the amount he could control was still twenty times that of an ordinary Magus.
And the mana now pouring from within him was so immense that, aside from Command Spells, there was almost no other possibility.
"Lord Kaineth, Lady Sola!"
Warmth rose in Lancer's heart. Only with the full support of those two Masters could he gain such tremendous power.
In an instant, Lancer's wounds rapidly healed, his stamina was replenished, and his physical abilities greatly increased.
This unprecedented feeling ignited the battle lust deep within him, and his fighting spirit blazed like a raging fire.
Mana overflowed around Lancer's body. Facing the Black Knight's lethal sword strike, he easily dodged with his multiplied agility, then viciously kicked the Black Knight in the chest.
Bang!!
A powerful shockwave erupted. To the Black Knight's astonishment, he plunged headfirst into the collapsed factory ruins. Amid rumbling crashes, the factory collapsed in a chain reaction. In just over ten seconds, the Black Knight was completely buried beneath the rubble.
Still burning with fighting spirit, Lancer reached out and summoned back the Crimson Spear that had been knocked away. He roared, "Lancelot!!! I know you're fine! Come out, and let's fight again!!!"
Boom!
The ruins exploded apart, and a figure shot into the sky before landing not far from Lancer. It was the Black Knight, Lancelot.
He stared gravely at Lancer. At that moment, Lancer's fighting spirit soared, mana surged through him, and the enhancement to his physical capabilities was shocking.
He had neither managed to dodge nor block Lancer's earlier kick. The other man's speed had been beyond imagination.
"Diarmuid, you've changed," Lancelot said with feeling.
The current Lancer was completely different from before. His body, spirit, and energy had all undergone earth-shaking changes.
The earlier Lancer had possessed high fighting spirit, but nothing like this. From mind to body, he seemed to have broken through his former limits and reached the same Spirit Core Limit as Lancelot.
"Lancelot, you're right. I have changed!"
Lancer swung the spear in his hand. The crimson Noble Phantasm gleamed with waves of red light as unprecedented mana gathered at its tip, sending the Noble Phantasm's danger level soaring.
The Black Knight grew wary. He had no doubt that the power of this crimson Noble Phantasm had surpassed its original rank restrictions.
A Noble Phantasm that could originally only sever mana could likely now cut through magecraft with ease.
He could not help but speculate, Lancer's transformation probably has something to do with his Master.
Recalling his Master's earlier gaze, Lancelot became even more certain that this had all been his Master's doing.
Master wants to see this Noble Phantasm's limit—perhaps even push it beyond its limit!! Only a Noble Phantasm with such powerful functions is what Master wants!!
Before you continue