Desperate Strike

The intense offense and defense between the two, though lasting only a few seconds, saw Red Hare's incredible speed cover over a hundred meters on the ice. Accompanied by Lu Fengxian's full-power strike, the powerfully built warrior seemed to have a jet engine installed in his chest, rocketing backward like a human cannonball!

Whether intentionally or not, Leonidas's flight path was directly towards the spot where he had previously planted his spear!

However, Leonidas figured he probably wasn't thinking that much at the time.

His side was first pierced by Lu Fengxian's iron fist, and then he took a counter-kick from Lu Bu in mid-air. The intense pain spread throughout Leonidas's body, bringing a savage and excited expression to his face.

Just as Lu Bu was thrilled by the sensation of fighting a strong enemy, Leonidas rarely had the chance to battle such a skilled opponent.

As Sparta's mightiest warrior, war for him was merely a continuous slaughter of the weak until his body gave out from accumulated injuries, or until all beings weaker than him were eliminated. Even Xerxes's "Immortal Army" only held an advantage in "numbers"; within that near-endless sea of soldiers, there was no warrior who could compare to Leonidas.

While rapidly flying backward, Leonidas keenly extended his arm, intercepting his spear in mid-air. It lodged into the ice like a flag on a pole. Under his immense momentum, the spear piercing the ice sheet quickly tilted backward, accompanied by a loud cracking sound. The white, vast ice sheet was almost instantly covered in dark, jagged cracks...

This ice sheet was made of magical ice created by Abner based on the flow of Dragon Veins, making it far more durable than regular ice. Even so, it couldn't withstand the head-on clash between two Servants. To counteract his inertia, Leonidas's grip on his halberd tore up a large chunk of the ice surface. Following the momentum, he slid backward for over ten meters, his feet and spear gouging three deep furrows into the smooth ice.

The two Servants were separated once again by the previous blow.

What a fierce warrior!

Both thought, praising each other in their minds.

Leonidas stopped himself, gripped his spear, and spun it once. A silver gleam flashed past. He took a deep, heaving breath, his chest rising and falling. With a short sword in his left hand and a spear in his right, he looked at his hands, then at Lu Bu. The crimson cavalryman was merely confronting him from about three hundred meters away, showing no intention of charging.

"Taking time to retrieve your weapon," Leonidas accurately read Lu Bu's intention.

So, he slid his short sword back into its sheath at his waist and walked towards his large golden shield, picking it up again. After some thought, Leonidas finally set the shield aside, pulling off his helmet as well. His chestnut-brown, medium-length hair, softly curled, scattered casually in the air.

Placing his helmet steadily on the shield, the powerfully built Servant took a deep breath, a surge of battle intent erupting from him.

Leonidas hated magecraft, and thus, he didn't understand that a Servant's armament could be freely materialized and dematerialized; there was no need to discard it.

Although the helmet could protect his head... in front of this fierce warrior, its defensive capability was meaningless, unable to even hinder the halberd for a second.

While the large shield could indeed block the halberd's attack, it simultaneously eliminated Leonidas's possibility of counter-attacking, making it difficult for the physically imposing warrior to track his opponent.

So, why keep such cumbersome items?

The young warrior's youthful and heroic face was exposed to the air. While the Spartan infantry helmet offered a wide area of protection, it also had the drawback of narrowing one's field of vision. Without it, Leonidas could see farther and wider.

An indescribable power filled his body, making Leonidas feel exhilarated, an unprecedented sense of joy. In fact, what he didn't know was that this was his Mana, a protective power granted by the "Holy Grail?". The more he was injured, the stronger his combat power became, an ability that perfectly suited his nature.

"Ready?"

Lu Fengxian's provocative shout echoed across the chilling ice, seemingly laced with the cold air of the ice field, making it sharp as a blade. Leonidas raised an eyebrow disdainfully, spat, and replied, "You can attack anytime! You're the one who needs to rest!"

This wasn't mere provocation; Leonidas was well aware of his own strength.

If Lu Bu could block Leonidas's kick with one hand, he couldn't have emerged unscathed. That left wrist had first blocked several of Leonidas's powerful kicks, and then his short sword swung with full force. Such a powerful collision would naturally place a considerable burden on the body.

The Fangtian Halberd used for mounted combat was too long; only by wielding it with both hands could flexible maneuvers be employed. It was likely that Lu Bu hadn't charged because he was recovering from the numbness in his arm.

Lu Bu chuckled, but the veins on his forehead clearly bulged. Leonidas's guess was spot on. Lu Bu valued profit more than honor. While he respected Leonidas, winning was another matter. His failure to press the attack was simply because he judged that a surprise attack would yield no benefit.

His thoughts being exposed by the opponent made Lu Bu furious, causing his eyelids to twitch uncontrollably. His beast-head armor shifted with the movement, the small plates of armor creating the sound of clashing metal.

"Then, round two!"

Gathering all his frustration into that single sentence, Lu Bu urged his warhorse forward, grasping the halberd with both hands and raising it above his head!

Leonidas dared not be careless. Holding his spear with both hands, the Servant who appeared as a Lancer for the first time wielded his spear alone. Along the extension of the cold spear tip was the crimson, strongest cavalryman on the ice field, like a red lotus.

In the blink of an eye, the crimson cavalryman crossed the three hundred meters. Leonidas clearly saw the rhythmic movement of the crimson warhorse's muscles. Man and horse as one, he utilized the cavalry's high-speed charge to its fullest.

Leonidas secretly praised his speed, and at the same time—

"Hah!"

He leaped sideways!

A small jump was faster than walking when moving laterally and more agile than a full leap, with a greater displacement. He used the small jump to create distance to the side, his feet landing heavily on the ice. With power coursing through him, his feet sank into the ice sheet, providing full support for Leonidas. The Servant holding the spear with both hands quickly brought the spear to his neck, using his neck as an axis. The muscles in his waist bulged, and his legs drew power from the ice sheet, transferring it through his obliques to his arms. With a roar, the spear whipped out like a whip! The sharp sound of air being cut, a full-power swing with the force of thunder, was enough to compensate for the difference in their stats.

Lu Bu, meanwhile, spurred his warhorse to jump, naturally aiming to utilize the potential energy generated by his descent at the apex of the jump!

A downward swing inherently carried more power, especially when combined with the potential energy from falling and Lu Bu's superior strength stats compared to Leonidas…

Both were fired up. Preferring direct confrontation, they both unhesitatingly chose a full-power strike to decide the victor.

Boom!

An explosive roar!

Spear and halberd collided with full force, the clash of Mana igniting a tornado-like storm!

The ice sheet, already cracked by Leonidas, could not withstand this blow. With a crack, their attack became the direct cause of the ice sheet's shattering. Pure white ice shards broke into irregular shapes, revealing the deep blue lake water beneath, which shimmered darkly under the night sky, faintly reflecting the moonlight.

"Hmph... all tricks and no substance!"

Lu Bu immediately understood Leonidas's intention: if he insisted on grappling with him here, the most likely outcome would be Leonidas being injured, and himself falling into the water.

Can horses swim? Of course not.

Even the famous Red Hare was still a horse, not a mystical beast. Once in the water, Red Hare would lose its ability to gallop, and Lu Bu's superior horsemanship would be rendered useless.

I see, he calculated that my first strike would be a high-flying downward slash? Forcing me to reduce my power and find a footing!

Being outmaneuvered was never a pleasant experience. Lu Bu grunted unhappily, gradually reducing the strength in his hands, carefully adjusting his position in mid-air. He pushed his weapon forward with full force, deflecting Leonidas's spear, and using the recoil to descend onto a large ice floe.

The battlefield... has changed!

A [Plain] is far too advantageous for cavalry!

Therefore, this intelligent warrior immediately thought of a way to disrupt the terrain! How wise!

The terror of Servants isn't just their combat power, but their [Experience]. As long as they aren't beings who have lost their sanity like Berserkers, the combat experience accumulated over a lifetime of fierce battles is a Servant's strongest weapon!

"A cheap trick? Heh, say that after you win!"

Leonidas also chuckled mid-air, using the force of his weapon being parried to adjust his position. He landed on a glacier, and the two were locked in a stalemate once more.

However, this time... the plains that Lu Bu could freely gallop across were gone! In their place was a river, a special kind of terrain!