Spear and Shield

A steed of crimson.

A robe of crimson.

Like embers of a star gradually expanding, the crimson color quietly rose on the pale blue glacier. Amidst the cyan and blue, the crimson trail was exceptionally conspicuous, as if the scent of scorching fire permeated the air.

The warhorse was tall, its mane black and thick, flying in the air. Its skin was crimson, every muscle and blood vessel clearly visible with each step. It bore a carved saddle, with intricately patterned knitwear of exotic design hanging beside it as decoration. Even from a distance, the warhorse's distinct presence could be felt.

The warrior was tall, his crimson battle robe tucked beneath a beast-head helmet. The sturdy bronze framework formed a golden hue more dazzling than gold itself. The red and gold combination appeared both grand and noble. The overlapping plates of armor, structured like fish scales, maximized defensive power while ensuring mobility.

The rider's appearance was somewhat ordinary, a purple-gold crown securing his black hair. In terms of looks, he was no different from an ordinary Han Dynasty man. However, the sharpness emanating from his brows was certainly not something an average person possessed. It was the arrogant and untamed gaze only a fierce general who had charged into battle and achieved great victories could have.

(Note: Bronze is yellow; it only turns green when it rusts. Furthermore, Lu Bu's appearance was not particularly outstanding. The Records of the Three Kingdoms did not mention his looks. Whenever someone's appearance was extraordinary, the Records of the Three Kingdoms would mention it. Lu Bu was not mentioned, indicating his appearance was no different from an ordinary person.)

The towering Servant, combined with a truly magnificent warhorse, created a colossal being nearly four meters tall. Accompanied by two heavy breaths, their white exhalations were particularly conspicuous in the air.

Of course, Servants do not need to breathe.

This breath was mana.

With the rise and fall of his chest, the wild mana surging within his massive body overflowed. Unlike Leonidas's unrestrained mana diffusion, this Servant, due to the sheer power of his own mana, could not completely contain it even while being reserved.

Legend has it that dragon-kind could generate mana simply by breathing. And China has always referred to heroic individuals as "dragons among men," truly living up to their name. This Servant, with his body filled with almost overflowing mana, spoke of his near-disaster-level combat prowess.

Wearing a purple-gold crown, beast-head armor, a red silk robe, riding Red Hare, and wielding a halberd, the person possessing all these characteristics could no longer hide his true name.

Just as a golden shield, spear, and red cape are synonymous with Sparta, the Servant possessing the aforementioned characteristics was the only one in the entire world.

Lu Bu, Lu Fengxian.

A Servant renowned in Chinese Han Dynasty history as the "Flying General" of the Three Kingdoms.

A Servant's abilities are enhanced by their "Fame." The more widely known a Servant is in the place they are summoned, the closer their abilities become to their original form, closer to legend.

This Holy Grail War happened to be taking place in China.

Needless to say, in this country, while some might not have read the original Romance of the Three Kingdoms, absolutely no one is unaware of the Three Kingdoms period.

Moreover, whenever the Three Kingdoms are mentioned, whether people like or hate it, they will definitely know Lu Bu.

In terms of "Fame" alone, over 2 billion people in China are all aware of this Servant. With so many adaptations of the Romance of the Three Kingdoms drama series, it's only natural that the image of Lu Bu from the classic novel Romance of the Three Kingdoms is the most aligned with traditional perception for all Chinese people.

Regardless of who Lu Bu truly was, under such "Fame Correction," he would undoubtedly transform into the character image widely known by the Chinese people in Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

"Oh—looks like a man with some spirit."

From the gaping hole in the wall where he had escaped before the assassin, the heroic Spear Servant, Leonidas, carrying his spear on his shoulder, also in gold and red, let out a sound of interest.

Looking at his effortless demeanor, the natural aura of pressure he exuded, and... the immense mana that could be felt just by looking at him...

This is great.

His blood vessels seemed to speak.

This is great!

The warrior before him was strong! Super strong! Unfathomably strong!

Leonidas's heart was filled with pride and excitement at the prospect of challenging a strong opponent. His already burning blood absorbed even more of the scorching heat generated by his rapidly beating heart. The two forms of excitement transformed into tangible energy, flowing into every corner of his body, making him tremble with excitement.

If one had to compare it, it would be like the excitement of an elementary school student the night before a field trip.

"Lu Bu, Lu Fengxian, the Flying General of the Three Kingdoms, is here! If you have the guts, come and fight me!"

The crimson cavalryman tugged the reins with his left hand, and the warhorse beneath him stopped steadily. Turning halfway, Lu Bu shifted his body, pointing his right hand, holding the halberd, diagonally towards the castle under the moonlight... or rather, towards Leonidas, who was looking down from above in the moonlight.

He let out a cold sneer and boldly introduced himself, the corner of his mouth curling up arrogantly. Although his appearance was no different from that of an ordinary person, his condescending tone gave him an unignorable presence, like a raging flood.

Perhaps feeling that the provocation wasn't enough? Lu Bu paused, then continued to shout loudly:

"Judging by your appearance, you should be a Servant who enjoys combat, right? Then, become another achievement in the records of my Lu Fengxian."

His voice boomed like thunder, accompanied by his bold words, Lu Bu's fighting spirit manifested in a visible manner. The almost transparent crimson mana, like a blazing flame, continuously expanded outwards, like a runaway mana furnace. To outsiders, it looked as if scorching flames erupted from the gaps in his armor, turning him into a fiery figure.

Hearing his words, Leonidas was first stunned, then burst into laughter.

With a surge of effort, accompanied by the bulging muscles of his calves, the two-meter-tall strong man leaped directly from the castle!

Thump!

His footsteps landed firmly on the ice, the heavy force rumbling like an earthquake. The poor ice surface let out a pained groan, and accompanied by a sinister chill, swirling air currents spread out in all directions, as if building momentum for Leonidas.

"King of Sparta—Leonidas, is here to fight!! No matter what kind of Servant you are, you won't break through my shield."

"Haha, interesting! In this world, there is no one Lu Fengxian cannot break through!"

Confident words.

Both sides had absolute confidence in their own valor.

At this level, there was no need for further pointless chatter.

Leonidas, the King of Sparta, the strongest shield who led three hundred warriors to fight to the death in the Battle of Thermopylae, fighting against an army several times his size for three days.

Lu Fengxian, the foremost general of the Three Kingdoms, the strongest vanguard cavalry, never defeated in one-on-one combat or breakthroughs, arguably the strongest spear.

There is a Chinese saying, "Contradiction" (máo dùn). When the strongest spear and the strongest shield collide... what kind of outcome will there be?

Without further ado, Lu Bu urged Red Hare forward. His loyal companion, who had faced life and death with him countless times, already understood Lu Bu's intent. With a long neigh, a surge of potent magic erupted from its nostrils, its crimson form streaking like a scarlet lightning bolt!

This was an attack faster than any Assassin's! Furthermore, as Lu Bu's arm muscles bulged, the power contained within his halberd was something the Assassin could only dream of reaching.

Chii!

In the blink of an eye, the crimson warhorse had abruptly appeared within Leonidas's field of vision. Leonidas had no time to react; he could only twist his body to clear Red Hare's path, his left hand raising his large shield to cover most of his body.

Even so, a B-rank Agility was no match for Lu Bu's speed. Lu Bu's halberd struck the shield, producing a grating, sharp sound. Leonidas felt a heavy force press down on his left arm. Despite his best efforts to resist, his A-rank Strength couldn't stop the halberd's attack! He gritted his teeth, bracing his left shoulder against it, and widened his stance, as if rooted to the ice, struggling to withstand the force of Lu Bu's strike!

Sparks of magic erupted from where the halberd met the shield. Rider Lu Fengxian, using the momentum of his galloping steed and the curved surface of the great shield, forcefully carved three gashes into it with his halberd. Accompanied by an unpleasant tearing sound of metal, the attack sliced down, its endpoint Leonidas's tensed thigh. His muscles, hard as iron, were struggling against the force on the shield, leaving him no time to withdraw!

Chii!

A dull, viscous sound of flesh tearing. Leonidas's outer thigh was struck by Lu Bu's halberd! Blood flowed freely!

"Heh heh... It seems I have won."

Lu Bu declared victory without looking back.

This was not mere arrogance.

Without exaggeration, as long as he was in China and riding Red Hare, he was the invincible Servant Lu Fengxian.

Strength, Endurance, Agility – the three stats that measured close-combat ability – he possessed A+++ in all of them, the absolute limit for a human.

Even the Assassin, Hattori Hanzo, known for his agility, only had A+ Agility, two ranks below Lu Bu. Coupled with the perfect synchronization with his beloved steed, Lu Bu was a Servant who embodied the very essence of the [Rider] class.

Moreover, even if Leonidas hadn't died, Lu Bu was certain he had wounded his thigh artery. While not a fatal wound for a Servant, it would undoubtedly hinder his combat effectiveness.

He was already struggling to keep up with Lu Bu's speed, and with a wounded thigh, his speed would be further reduced. This would only make him slower and slower, unable to keep pace...

"So, so strong..."

Tohsaka Mina, hiding in the woods, watched the battle with wide eyes, an irrepressible excitement surging within her.

So powerful!

Lu Bu! So powerful!

As expected of the peerless warrior of the Three Kingdoms!

Whether in animation, games, manga, or the original text, this is the character renowned as the foremost in the Three Kingdoms!

Tohsaka Mina had previously worried if an EX-rank Noble Phantasm might cause some trouble, but it seemed there was no need to worry!

His first strike had already achieved...

Wait?!

Tohsaka Mina rubbed her eyes, disbelief etched on her face as she continued to gaze at the battlefield.

After becoming a Master, she had received the Master authority granted by the Holy Grail, one aspect of which was the ability to see the stats of the opposing Servant.

Strength A, Endurance EX, Agility B+, Mana E-, Luck D, Noble Phantasm EX.

These were the stats Tohsaka Mina had seen before. There was no mistake.

But... when she had inadvertently glimpsed Leonidas's stats just now...

"Rider! Be careful! Don't get careless!"

Tohsaka Mina, her heart filled with urgency, quickly sent a mental warning to her Servant.

"Hah?"

Hearing the astonished voice of his Master echo in his mind, Lu Bu scoffed. This little girl, so easily surprised, has never seen the world. Women are such a hassle; it's Diao Chan who truly understands me.

However, he was, after all, her Servant. If he went too far and damaged their relationship, it would be troublesome to interact later. Thus, Lu Bu unhappily turned Red Hare and rode back, intending to see what Tohsaka Mina was up to. But then...

He saw a flash of silvery blade accompanied by a crimson cape charging towards him!

Lu Bu was greatly alarmed. Instinctively, he gripped his halberd with both hands, holding the shaft in front of him, raising his weapon to intercept a blade aimed at his face!

"Ngh?!"

The immense force immediately made Lu Bu's hands sink. The halberd's shaft bent dramatically towards his body! Even with his A+++ Strength, in his haste, he couldn't fully block the opponent's onslaught!

Lu Bu could only do his best to mitigate the force. With a roar, he flicked the shaft, transforming the force of [interception] into [guidance]. The silvery blade then flew along his shaft, the sharp steel tearing through his vambrace and leaving a shallow wound on his left forearm!

If it wasn't Leonidas, who else could it be!

Dong!

The charging, robust Servant landed with a thud, using a half-crouch to absorb the impact.

In the air, his hearty yet displeased voice rang out.

"In the midst of battle... who gave you the confidence to turn your back on me, Leonidas?"

"Oh?"

Lu Bu's facial muscles twitched.

Injured...

This is truly...

A sensation I haven't felt in a long time.

"Hehehe, hahahahahahahaha!!!"

The warrior's joyous, wild laughter echoed over the frozen river. The martial artist, having finally found an opponent, felt the blood of battle boiling within him!

Every cell urged him to fight! To kill this man!

The last time Lu Bu felt such exhilaration was at Hulao Pass. Accompanied by his hearty laughter at finding a worthy opponent, lightning-like fighting spirit flashed in his eyes. His sharp gaze fixed on Leonidas, who returned the same look.

In their first clash of spear and shield, Leonidas suffered a wound to his thigh.

Therefore, in Tohsaka Mina's eyes, Leonidas's ability data had been updated.

Strength A++, Endurance EX, Agility A+, Magic E-, Luck D, Noble Phantasm EX.

His Agility and Strength now possessed the power to rival Lu Bu!