Rider, Alliance, and Promise

During the daytime, no one intentionally caused trouble.

After the Executor confirmed that Kiritsugu was not the culprit, they stopped their search. For them, everything had lost its meaning; it didn't matter who the killer was. They only needed to wait quietly for Kiritsugu Emiya to come to them.

Ever since they acquired Archer, they had gained this confidence.

In the afternoon, the gentle sunlight streamed into the Emiya Residence's courtyard.

Saber was chatting with Irisviel when suddenly, her brow furrowed slightly. She keenly sensed a familiar presence approaching the entrance.

"What's wrong? Saber?" Irisviel noticed Saber's unusual demeanor and asked with concern.

Saber's expression was grave as she softly said, "Rider is here."

"Rider!! How did he find this place?" Irisviel exclaimed in surprise. She thought they had hidden their location very well, yet Rider had found them. This meant there must have been a leak in their intelligence security.

"No matter what, let's go see what he wants."

"Saber is right. Let's go see his intentions," Irisviel took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

After they invited Rider, whose expression was somewhat unusual, into the house, Rider preempted Irisviel's questions with a shocking proposal.

"King of Knights, and your Master, I, King of Conquerors Iskandar, hereby propose an alliance to you."

This sudden request stunned everyone.

It was highly unusual for Rider, who was always domineering and preferred to work alone, to come seeking an alliance.

Irisviel subconsciously glanced at Rider's Master, that student from the Clock Tower. He showed no signs of being controlled.

She looked at Saber with confusion, asking with her eyes what was going on.

Saber was equally bewildered. She spoke directly, "King of Conquerors, why are you proposing an alliance at this time? With your abilities, I don't believe you would need to form an alliance to gain power."

Rider laughed heartily upon hearing this, then patted his head. He suppressed his smile and his expression turned serious.

"King of Knights, do you know that Lancer has withdrawn from the Holy Grail War?"

Irisviel and Saber exchanged glances and nodded simultaneously. They were among the first to learn of Lancer's death, besides the killer.

"Since you already know, I won't say more. Do you know who killed him?"

"I don't know. Could it have been you, King of Conquerors?" Saber retorted.

"Haha, King of Knights, you're joking. Of course, it wasn't me," Rider's face turned serious as he continued, "My Master and I found the battlefield. Judging from the traces and scale of the battle, the killer used a sword. I think you, King of Knights, can guess who it was."

A sword?

In this Holy Grail War, there were only two Heroic Spirits who used swords as their weapon: the King of Knights, who was in the Saber class, and her close friend, Berserker Lancelot.

Saber lowered her head, falling into silence. She never expected Lancelot to be the one who eliminated Lancer. She had originally thought she would be the one to face Lancer, as they had a prior engagement, and ultimately cause their elimination.

"King of Conquerors, what reason do you have for seeking an alliance with me? Even if Lancelot... Berserker eliminated Lancer, it shouldn't make you so eager to find an ally."

This was Saber's biggest question.

Rider's Noble Phantasm, "Ionioi Hetairoi," was incredibly powerful, making him almost invincible in this Holy Grail War. Logically, he shouldn't fear anyone.

"King of Knights, it's natural for you to have such doubts. But once you see that battlefield, you'll understand my purpose in seeking you out."

"The battlefield?" Saber and Irisviel both showed confused expressions.

"Indeed."

Half an hour later, Rider, driving his chariot, brought Saber and Irisviel to the battlefield in the new city.

When they saw the battlefield, which resembled the surface of the moon, Saber was speechless, and Irisviel covered her mouth, her eyes filled with shock.

"How could this be? Is this really the battlefield of Heroic Spirit Berserker and Lancer?"

She wasn't unfamiliar with battles between Heroic Spirits. From the initial sword and spear duels between Saber and Lancer to their later confrontation with the Sea Monster summoned by Caster, and the liberation of the Holy Sword Noble Phantasm, she had witnessed it all.

She had thought that even the most intense battles would only result in some damage to the surrounding area. She never expected the battle between Berserker and Lancer to devastate the battlefield to such an extent, as if it had undergone a large-scale modern war.

Rider's expression was solemn as he said, "King of Knights, you should understand that this is not ordinary magic, nor is it the effect of a Noble Phantasm at full power. This is the pure display of strength by two Heroic Spirits."

Saber's expression became very serious. She understood the deeper meaning behind Rider's words.

In this battle, most of the destruction was not caused by the power of Noble Phantasms, but by the combat skills and physical abilities of the two Heroic Spirits.

Although there were some sword slashes from Noble Phantasms, they were insignificant compared to the overall destruction of the battlefield.

"Saber!"

Irisviel looked at Saber with concern. She noticed that since arriving at the battlefield, Saber's expression had become unusually serious. This was the first time she had seen Saber look so solemn.

Clearly, from this battlefield, both Saber and Rider had perceived a terrifying truth: Berserker's current strength had exceeded all imagination.

"It's alright, Irisviel," Saber comforted Irisviel, then looked at Rider. "King of Conquerors, are you seeking an alliance with me because you want me to deal with Berserker?"

Rider chuckled and said, "King of Knights, you understand my intentions. I heard you have a duel of knights with Berserker. Coincidentally, I also have a score to settle with Archer. Among the remaining four Heroic Spirits, how about we divide our tasks like this? Then, the winner of each duel will engage in the final confrontation."

Saber understood Rider's intentions.

If they didn't form an alliance, Rider would likely target her first. After all, no one wanted to see their holy sword unleash its dazzling radiance during their own battles.

With this alliance, Rider could settle his score with Archer without any worries about being ambushed from behind.

Given Berserker's immense strength, Rider would be unable to defend himself against a surprise attack from behind. Therefore, he needed someone to keep Berserker occupied, and Saber was undoubtedly the most suitable candidate.

Although the proposal carried a hint of a threat towards Saber, Saber didn't get angry. She simply nodded slightly and said, "Alright, I agree to this alliance, King of Conquerors."

Rider smiled in satisfaction. "Then it's a deal, King of Knights."

The two clasped hands tightly, and at that moment, a tacit understanding was reached between them.

Upon returning to the Emiya Residence, Irisviel eagerly wanted Saber to clear up her confusion.

She could understand the matter of the alliance, but she didn't understand why Saber's expression had become so serious after merely glancing at the battlefield.

Irisviel asked with deep concern, "Saber, has Berserker's power already surpassed our imagination?"

She was very worried that if that were the case, the path to realizing their dream would become exceptionally difficult.

Saber nodded and slowly said, "Irisviel, Lancelot might have reached his Spirit Core Limit."

"…?"

Irisviel looked bewildered, clearly not understanding the meaning of "Spirit Core Limit."

So, Saber patiently explained to her, "Simply put, the Spirit Core is the framework that carries the soul of a Heroic Spirit. When it reaches its limit, the Servant's physical abilities will also reach their peak, and all aspects of their power will surpass their original level."

"Saber…"

Irisviel hesitated, wanting to ask Saber if she still had confidence in defeating such a powerful Berserker.

But thinking of Saber's previously serious expression, she swallowed her words. Saber probably didn't have absolute certainty either.

Thinking of Kiritsugu and Saber's strained relationship, her heart ached.

Sensing Irisviel's worry, Saber smiled slightly and said, "It's alright, Irisviel, don't worry. Even facing Lancelot like this, I won't be afraid."

As a Saber-class Servant, her own stats were already high. Even if they weren't as high as Lancelot's when he was at his Spirit Core Limit, the difference wouldn't be too significant.

Moreover, she had the innate skill 'Mana Burst,' which could enhance her strength, and she held a powerful holy sword. This gave her a certain chance of victory in battle.

What truly worried Saber was Irisviel's physical condition.

If the issue with the Lesser Grail couldn't be resolved quickly, then after the battle with Lancelot, Irisviel's life could be in danger. She didn't want to see this pure and beautiful girl die like that.

Looking earnestly at Irisviel, Saber's gaze was filled with sincerity.

"Irisviel, there's something I hope you can promise me."

"What is it?"

"Don't give up on your life so easily, Irisviel. No matter who it's for, your life should hold more beautiful things waiting for you. You shouldn't easily cast yourself aside for the Holy Grail, for a dream or a long-held wish."

"Saber…"

Irisviel's heart was filled with warmth. She hadn't expected that the one who truly cared about her and valued her life was Saber.

As an artificial human, her purpose from birth was for the Einzbern Family and to fulfill the wish of the Holy Grail War.

She had already enjoyed over nine years of a rich and colorful world and should have been content. After all, she had experienced many important stages of life, developed emotions, found a man, and even had a child.

Thinking of her child, the daughter she had given birth to, Irisviel felt a pang in her heart. She was so reluctant to part with that child.

Raising her head, Irisviel looked at Saber's expectant gaze and nodded involuntarily.

"I promise you, Saber, I won't give up my life easily."

Seeing Irisviel agree, a great weight was lifted from Saber's heart. As long as Irisviel had this resolve, many things could turn around.

"Then, Irisviel, I will now charge Avalon to better protect you."