"Though there's hardly any honor to be found in a duel where neither side knows the other's True Name—"
Lancer said to Saber.
The killing intent in the handsome man's twin spears condensed, yet his eyes remained relaxed and carefree.
"In any case, accept my praise. You haven't even broken a sweat after fighting this long. You're truly remarkable, even if you are a woman."
"You don't have to be so modest, Lancer."
The sword-wielding girl replied.
"I don't know your True Name, but your Martial Arts are impressive as well. It's an honor to receive praise from a master like you, so I'll accept it gratefully."
The two knights, unaware of each other's true identities, expressed their respect for one another. That was—
"This game is over, Lancer."
A cold male voice shattered the atmosphere. It belonged to Diarmuid's Master, hidden in the darkness.
"Don't drag this battle out any longer. That Saber is a formidable enemy. Finish her off as quickly as possible—I authorize you to use your Noble Phantasm."
Saber's expression remained unchanged at those words, but Lancer's relaxed demeanor vanished. Both his aura and stance changed.
He discarded his short spear and released the seal on his long spear.
The crimson spear, brimming with magical energy, revealed itself beneath the moonlight.
"—You heard him. From here on, I'm giving it my all."
As Lancer declared that he had yet to take the fight seriously, he gripped the crimson spear with both hands and slowly narrowed the distance between himself and Saber.
The next moment, Diarmuid launched a surprise attack.
Compared to the freely shifting spear dance that had seemed almost divine, this straight thrust appeared overly simple and direct.
He seemed to have stopped worrying about the weapon hidden beneath the Wind King Barrier, abandoning defense completely.
Saber assumed a defensive stance and blocked with the invisible sword in her hand.
Then, using the intersection of sword and spear as the fulcrum—
The sword-wielding girl's Wind King Barrier was forcibly dispelled, revealing the sword hidden within—
That should have been what happened.
"What!?"
Diarmuid was knocked back by Saber's brute force. He barely managed to steady himself, his eyes widening in disbelief.
The Noble Phantasm he wielded, Gae Dearg, could sever magical energy upon touching an enemy's armament.
It possessed no particularly powerful destructive force, but it could produce miraculous effects in close combat.
No matter how powerful the magical energy contained within an enemy's weapon was, the instant it touched the spearhead, its magical effects would be completely nullified.
Normally, Saber's Wind King Barrier should have been dispelled... yet that had not happened.
There was only one possibility.
Saber's sword possessed a Mystery that far surpassed that of the crimson spear.
Lancer did not lose heart after one failed attack. Instead, he displayed even greater fighting spirit.
Without a doubt, his opponent was a formidable enemy who surpassed him.
If that was the case...
An even stronger aura burst from the crimson spear in Diarmuid's hands.
"Pierce! Gae Dearg!"
Lancer himself became a flying shadow, releasing the Noble Phantasm's True Name amid a roar.
Gae Dearg was a Demon Spear known as the "Noble Phantasm Killer."
At the cost of exposing his identity as a Servant, the spear gained a thrust far more powerful than before. Its Mystery surged, soared, and intensified!
This time, Lancer intended not only to pierce the Wind King Barrier, but to stab straight through Saber's magical armor!
But the future Diarmuid hoped for still failed to arrive.
Saber once again used the invisible sword as a shield, completely blocking the crimson spear's magical energy-nullifying effect.
"I finally understand this sword's true power!"
Lancer shouted.
"It isn't merely skilled at concealing its form—it specializes in defense as well. In that case!"
The Noble-Name-Released Demon Spear transformed into a raging scarlet rainstorm, stabbing toward Saber from all directions.
In terms of speed alone, Lancer was even faster than Saber. Now he exploited that advantage to unleash a fierce barrage.
Any Servant would collapse beneath the thrusts of this Demon Spear.
Any Noble Phantasm would disintegrate beneath this magic-nullifying barrage.
At last, the wind barrier wrapped around the golden-haired girl was destroyed, revealing its true form—
"Lancer, I can feel your fighting spirit..."
A flash accompanied her words.
"In return, I'll let you witness my full strength as well...!"
A beam of golden starlight burst from the raging wind and pierced through the chaotic crimson roses.
The tremendous flow of magical energy released from the girl's palm blew away everything around her.
Power and magical energy beyond all reason.
The Holy Sword of the Stars, still in its unreleased state, was merely swung once, yet it effortlessly crushed the "Noble Phantasm Killer" that the spearman took such pride in.
The victor had been decided.
Lancer collapsed silently onto the ground dozens of meters away.
Though the leading knight of the Knights of the Fianna had wagered everything he possessed, he had failed to injure Saber in the slightest.
All his desperate efforts had accomplished was to make the invisible sword of the Holy Sword Wielder reappear beneath the moonlight.
"..."
Every magus who witnessed the duel widened their eyes.
While they were stunned by the Saber's overwhelming strength, they also realized in shock—
What the girl held in her hands was not a blade overflowing with the radiance of the stars at all.
After the wind scabbard dispersed, what emerged was another exceptionally ornate golden scabbard.
Its name was Avalon.
A defense so absolute that even the Five Great Magics could not reach it—the strongest, untouchable defense in this world.
—Tonight, Saber had been beating people with a scabbard from beginning to end.
And among those who witnessed the duel—
Only one person was not drawn to the EX-rank Noble Phantasm in the Saber's hands. Instead, he kept his eyes fixed on her face.
Shirou stared blankly at the crystal ball and dazedly called out the girl's True Name.
"Could it be you... Morgan?"
P.S. Yes, you can directly beat people with a scabbard. See Old Saber's classic skin for reference; it's her second Ascension in FGO.
After all, the Wind King Barrier is essentially a scabbard. Even Yamato Takeru from the neighboring series got a water scabbard. Beating people with scabbards is a Type-Moon tradition.
After the Holy Sword and Avalon fuse, it still counts as Excalibur, but its Noble Phantasm type becomes "???" and its Noble Phantasm rank becomes "EX."
According to the setting, Aika used the scabbard to summon Arthur and then gave it to him to use directly. Kiritsugu, take a look at this.
Volume One 045: Morgan? Morgan!
Unlike the warehouse district, where the cold wind howled, the sitting room of the Amamiya Residence was filled with warm air.
"So strong~ So, so, so strong~! This Miss Saber is way too strong, isn't she?!"
Lady Avalon sat cross-legged in front of the crystal ball, delight and surprise shining in her dreamy eyes.
She grabbed Shirou's arm and shook it frantically. "Master, did you see that just now?
That little Saber easily defeated Lancer, who's also one of the Three Knights!
Amazing! Wow, she's really amazing! Super amazing! What could her True Name be? She's so hard to guess~"
"..."
Shirou ignored her and simply stared intently at the crystal ball.
Within the small nighttime scene reflected in the glowing orb, a petite figure stood motionless.
Shirou stared straight at that figure as though he had forgotten the entire world around him.
He had become like this from the moment he began monitoring the battle in the warehouse district.
No matter how much Lady Avalon made a fuss beside him, Shirou paid her no attention. From beginning to end, he kept his eyes fixed on a single person, his gaze moving along with her.
Flowing golden hair and a well-defined profile.
Her petite body was clad in chalk-white armor, displaying the imposing, heroic bearing of a knight against the night.
Her gaze was sharp, her bearing dignified, and her movements graceful yet clean.
Facing a warrior far larger than herself, her flawless features maintained their composure throughout.
More importantly, there was that familiar fighting style deeply burned into Shirou's mind.
Charging forward like a wild boar.
Fierce and ferocious like a lion.
For a girl like this, even if one searched through the Parallel Worlds of countless universes, it would be difficult to find a second one.
And then there was that gleaming Golden Holy Sword—
Shirou muttered, "Wait a second. Could it be...!"
"M...Master?"
Lady Avalon stared blankly at her Master.
What... what's wrong with Master? What's happening to him?
Shirou fell onto the tatami and gazed at the ceiling, muttering in confusion.
"My wish... the reason I was chosen by the Holy Grail... could it possibly be referring to this...?"
"Wha... What's going on!? Hurry up and tell Lady Avalon, Big Sis!"
The Flower Magus was frantic. "It sounds like it'll be something really fun, so stop keeping us in suspense and tell me already! Master!"
She had a premonition that some enormous source of amusement was waiting for her.
Shirou suddenly sat up and abruptly seized Lady Avalon's soft shoulders.
"Ow... That hurts..."
"You're Merlin's younger sister, right?"
"Ah, yes... That's right. I'm my brother's younger sister..."
Lady Avalon looked utterly bewildered, with no idea what was happening.
Could Master have realized the truth!?
Shirou's face lit up with excitement. "Since you're Merlin's younger sister, you must know Morgan, right?"
"Of course... Huh? What?"
Lady Avalon's eyes widened.
Why did that woman's name have to come up at a time like this!?
Before you continue