The Second Battle Begins!

"Clang!"

It was a sound of impact as strong as thunder.

At the very moment the Assassin Hattori Hanzo's blade was about to fall on Abner's throat, a short sword pierced through from the side! The flying short sword condensed a chilling, terrifying power. Its rotating blade stirred up a spiral of wind pressure, and with an explosive sound, the short sword shattered the Assassin's ninja sword into two!

That wasn't enough to vent his anger. The Lancer's short sword continued its flight, and with another booming sound, as if struck by a cannonball, it gouged a massive indentation into the ice wall!

Beneath the thin layer of ice armor was flowing water. Due to the wall's fragmentation, the water slowly trickled from the cracks, like blood from a wound.

It was a short sword with a distinctly Greek style, now embedded in the wall like a stopper, reaching all the way to its hilt, creating a strangely humorous sight.

But the Assassin couldn't laugh. He reacted with lightning speed, like a startled leopard. His feet tapped the ground, and his body twisted in mid-air in a posture impossible for a human, retreating to dodge the opponent's swift, sweeping spear.

At some point, like a Greek statue, a brawny Servant filled with power and muscle had appeared before his Master. Behind his broad shield was a resilient body comparable to a mobile war chariot, and a challenging expression.

(So that's it. It wasn't that he was unprepared for the Assassin, but that he trusted his Servant to stop my attack the moment I revealed my killing intent, wasn't it?)

Assassin Hattori Hanzo narrowed his eyes, proceeding with caution.

Unlike the previous Archer, who was completely hidden beneath a green robe and revealed nothing, the Servant before him seemed to have the word "threat" etched into his very bones, radiating outwards with every breath.

"Yo, assassin... is that right? As a first opponent, you're really not very exciting."

His voice boomed like thunder, clearly conveying his excitement.

The brawny man before him wore golden armor, and extending from his shoulders was a crimson cloak that seemed to burn like a raging fire, resembling the Higanbana flowers blooming on the shores of the Sanzu River in Japanese legends, giving the illusion that life was about to end. His arrogant and defiant expression was shielded by a golden helmet, revealing only a Y-shaped patch of skin, through which his disdain was unmistakable.

Accompanying this bold statement, the brawny Leonidas took a step forward, his spear and shield intercepting Abner with imposing presence, blocking the Assassin's path. As if intimidated by the amplified pressure, the Assassin involuntarily took a step back.

"What? Not attacking? Then, shall I come to you?"

He sneered, as if telling a bad joke. The Assassin didn't understand his meaning, but he seemed satisfied. With a forceful stomp, his bare calf muscles instantly became as tough as steel. With a crackling sound of the ice armor shattering, the golden-red Servant vanished, leaving only shattered cracks in his wake. With his spear tucked under his arm, and shielded by his great shield, he charged at the Assassin like a tank!

And his speed was incredible!

By estimation, his Agility was B-rank, or even higher!

Generally, in games, anime, and movies, the first impression of a two-meter-tall, muscular character is "a slow character who excels in strength." However, Leonidas shattered this "common sense."

One must remember that sufficient Agility is one of the primary selection criteria for the Lancer class. Leonidas was a battle-hardened Spartan warrior, and having survived under that savage jungle law, he undoubtedly possessed combat qualities that were second to none.

Strength, speed, skill, combat experience – without exception, he was a warrior of the highest caliber, a warrior among warriors.

While the movie's depiction of 300 Spartans fighting against hundreds of thousands of Persian troops was an artistic embellishment, it couldn't change the fact that the Greek allied forces lacked overwhelming combat effectiveness at the Battle of Thermopylae. And those three hundred Spartan warriors were indeed the main fighting force.

Leonidas, who became a military king in that city-state that valued martial prowess, was naturally the strongest warrior in all of Sparta.

The two rapidly closed the distance. Assassin Hattori Hanzo did not hesitate and stopped retreating. He pulled out a length of chain from his person, with an iron weight attached to one end and a sickle to the other. This was a weapon used by Japanese ninjas, known as the "Ninja Sickle."

Japanese ninjas, who valued stealth, naturally couldn't live in night-clothes every day. To conceal their identities, most disguised themselves as farmers, making their weapons look like farm tools, and cleverly integrated themselves into the castle towns. Only when they were needed would they transform into lurking shadows of the night, skillfully executing special missions.

Hattori Hanzo, known as the God of Ninjas, naturally mastered various ninja weapons.

This specialized armament possessed three attack modes: the "entanglement" of the chain, the "cutting" of the sickle, and the "throwing and smashing" of the weight. It was a weapon specifically designed to counter the "long spears" of samurai.

However... looking at Leonidas's imposing posture, could such conventional weapons cope with this powerful Servant?

Assassin's arms swung back like an eagle's wings. With the movement of the weapons at both ends, the central chain, influenced by the force of the speeding ends, flew out in a curved trajectory. The silver chain links rapidly shot towards Leonidas's spear.

With a crisp scraping sound, the chain links, following their inertia, snaked around the shaft of the spear. The Assassin's heart leaped with joy. It seemed this wild Servant was unaware of the power of his weapon!

As the two drew closer, the Assassin quickly sidestepped, moving towards Leonidas's shield. However, Leonidas reacted faster, smashing his raised shield forward, using it like a large war hammer!

Unfortunately, he was facing an Assassin known for his agility. The Assassin, like a nimble black fish, swam through the water-attribute-filled castle space. With a large leap, his feet landed on the Lancer's great shield!

This was the weakness of a shield. Although called a "weapon," it was actually more like "armor." The wide, curved shield surface and the large inverted V-shaped emblem posed no threat to the Assassin. With footholds secured, he immediately gripped the edge of the shield with both hands, clinging to it like a spider!

Then, using the shield as a springboard, he pushed off with his hands, like performing a vaulting horse maneuver, and nimbly leaped over Leonidas's head! In mid-air, the black ninja transferred the iron weight and sickle to the same hand, and with his free left hand, he drew out three shuriken!

He had no fear that the Lancer would shatter him with that incredibly powerful spear...

Because...

Under the special structure of the chain, which acted like a somewhat rough pulley system, the Assassin's B-rank strength was fully transmitted to the spear shaft, pulling it and causing it to slant backward and embed into the ground along Leonidas's shoulder!

Indeed, if two people were to engage in a strength contest, B-rank strength might not be much. Moreover, if a pulley system had only one pulley, it wouldn't be able to distribute the force.

But if it were the "principle of leverage," it would be different.

Undoubtedly, with the immense power that Lancer exerted, his wrist had become the "fulcrum" for this spear. As long as he applied force, the Assassin could easily deflect the opponent's spear. It wasn't about "stopping" the spear's attack, but about applying an irrelevant force to "deflect" the enemy's attack, thereby neutralizing it.

Hattori Hanzo, as the God of Ninjas, had clashed with samurai numerous times. In actual combat, he had disarmed countless spear-wielding samurai with his Ninja Sickle.

Crack!

This was the sound of the spear flying backward, its blade piercing the ground! Not only his short sword! Now even his trusty spear had been disarmed by the Assassin!

(Something's wrong!)

However, in the next instant, the Assassin felt a lightning-like jolt run down his back! It was a signal that he was about to be in danger! He immediately thought of something that didn't quite add up.

It was too smooth!

Normally, if someone tried to take away a person's weapon, they would instinctively grip it tighter. His B-rank strength could only deflect Leonidas's attack, disarming him? How was that possible? Looking at Leonidas's muscular physique, his strength couldn't possibly be below B! Even if he had B-rank strength like the Assassin, it shouldn't have been this easy. A stalemate where they competed in strength was what should have happened...

But... it was too easy!

The Assassin instinctively felt a sense of crisis!

There was only one possibility…

The only way he could take the spear from this muscular brute was through one possibility!

That was…

The Lancer had let go of it willingly!

He hadn't intended to wrestle for it! He had actively given up the opportunity! This guy!!

Right! The chains… they were two-way!

While his chains had wrapped around the spear, it also meant the spear had bound his chains!

The Assassin felt a chill run down his spine. Servants didn't sweat, but the Assassin still felt as if he were alive, covered in cold sweat! Being schemed against was definitely not a pleasant experience, especially when it was by a muscular brute, and even more so when that brute's strength could absolutely kill him in one blow!

This muscle-bound brute was also a master of tactical thinking!

He didn't dare to think further and quickly threw his shuriken! His target was the slumbering Abner!

However, it was still a step too late!

Before that, the Lancer had willingly let go of the spear and switched his grip on the shield. Leonidas was naturally freed from his "spear-and-shield-in-hand" stance. He forcefully kicked off the ground with his right leg, stopping his momentum, and turned to extend his free right hand towards the Assassin behind him!

His palm, like an iron vise, passed through the Assassin's shoulder and directly gripped the Assassin's elbow! With a roar from the Lancer, his five fingers acted like drills, boring power into the Assassin's arm. With a full twist, the Assassin felt immense force transmitted, his forearm being directly twisted by the grip. His wrist went numb, and the three shuriken fell to the ground!

What incredible power!

As expected of the King of Sparta!

"Kid, when you're fighting, don't just stare at others!"

The Lancer, having discarded his spear, revealed a joyful yet bloodthirsty smile.