Shirou's Return from the Fae Kingdom

"I'll settle the score with you properly when we get back."

"...Eek!!!"

The female Magus's shrill scream echoed in the boy's mind.

"It's about time we prepare for battle. That monster is advancing towards the city."

She said this to both Lady Avalon and Saber.

Artoria nodded resolutely, "Understood, Shirou. Let's go together."

Shirou drew Excalibur Morgan, simultaneously feeling Lady Avalon's magic flow into him through the channel connecting them.

The previous battle and the use of "卑鄙之锤" had depleted Shirou's magic. From now on, he would rely on Lady Avalon's magic supply.

This was the combat strategy they had discussed beforehand: they would switch to a mode where Avalon provided the magic during battle.

Shirou put on his skull mask again, and with a glance at the black and red modified Command Spells on the back of his hand, he formed a plan.

Just then, a new voice rang out.

"King of Knights, did something good happen tonight? You have such a look of relief, I'm almost jealous."

"Lancer!"

A dashing figure in dark green appeared in the fog-shrouded forest.

Seeing the handsome man wielding twin spears, Saber and Irisviel both showed surprised expressions.

"Why are you..."

Lancer chuckled, "Are you thinking that Diarmuid should have died by your Holy Sword the night before yesterday? If you hold such a shallow thought, then I will be disappointed in the legendary King of Knights."

Saber shook her head, "No..."

Lancer, brimming with magic and wearing a relaxed expression, said, "I'm not someone who gets defeated that easily. Now that I have a Master worthy of my service, and with Lord El-Melloi's help, I have returned from the brink of death."

Although Saber didn't show much on the outside, she was inwardly shocked. Lancer had indeed dodged the fatal blow with his "Mind's Eye" back then, but that was by no means an injury that could be fully recovered from in just one day and night.

Of course, Lancer noticed Saber's reaction. He pointed the tip of the spear he held in his left hand at the golden-haired knight and spoke.

"What has allowed me to reach this point is the conviction to fight you again, King of Knights. I will not fall until I have settled things with you completely. However, let's call a temporary truce for now. There is an evil enemy that goes against our chivalric code and must be vanquished."

"!"

Upon hearing this, Artoria nodded in agreement, "Understood. I am always willing to fight you again, Lancer-- but that will be after we deal with that monster. Until then, let us fight side by side."

Wow! It's Diarmuid! We're saved!

Irisviel looked happily at the new addition to their forces, while the King of Knights' heart was filled with mixed emotions. This time, she had not only gained the best Master (Irisviel) and the best companion (Shirou), but also the best rival. There was nothing more she could ask for. Perhaps she was favored by heaven. Now, all she had to do was give it her all.

But.

Just as Saber's chest was filled with fighting spirit, and her Master was also happy about the arrival of reinforcements--

Only Shirou gazed at the figure of the Knight of the Spear, his brow subtly furrowed.

"Master, Lancer is acting strange."

"Ah, I understand."

That day, when Shirou had secretly infiltrated the Hyatt Hotel, he had happened to witness Lancer abandoning his chivalric code under the effect of the Command Spells and transforming into a demon under the effect of the wish-granting machine. The foul aura that Diarmuid had exuded at that time was vastly different from the disgustingly handsome appearance of the beautiful man he was now.

Had Lancer returned to his original state after that? How could that be? Shirou didn't believe in such fairy tales.

"Saber, who is this?"

Lancer noticed the boy in Hassan attire staring intently at him. Lady Avalon's magic of cognitive obstruction was working effectively, so he couldn't discern anything.

"Ah, he is..."

Shirou interjected, "Who I am is not important. What's important is dealing with the enemy at hand first."

With just that one sentence, he conveyed that he was not just a child caught up in the situation, but a capable fighter, and that he had no intention of revealing any more information.

Lancer paused for a moment, then walked up to Shirou and extended his hand.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance."

Shirou didn't take his hand, merely nodding.

Lancer wasn't embarrassed by the cold reception, just shrugging helplessly.

"Alright, let's get straight to business. Can you briefly explain the situation to me?"

Saber explained the situation to Lancer.

Upon hearing that Caster had been jointly eliminated by Saber and the boy in black, the handsome man's brow twitched almost imperceptibly.

"I see. I understand the situation now. So, how do we defeat that monster? Have you come up with any plans?"

Lancer gazed at the dark green figure stirring in the night fog and asked.

Saber replied, "Before you arrived, we had already fought its clones, so we are quite familiar with the habits of this otherworldly monster.

If my guess is correct, this monster, in its true form, should possess terrifying regenerative abilities.

As long as it isn't dealt a fatal blow, new limbs will grow endlessly, and any damage inflicted will likely be restored the next second."

She paused.

"If we want to defeat this monster, we must annihilate it completely in one go, leaving not even a shred of flesh.

My anti-city Noble Phantasm can eliminate that monster in a single blow."

"...Anti-city Noble Phantasm."

Lancer narrowed his eyes.

This was unexpected information.

Saber was hiding an anti-city Noble Phantasm?

No, if the Holy Sword that defeated him earlier, when its true name was unleashed, was rated as an anti-city Noble Phantasm, it wouldn't be strange at all.

"Although my Noble Phantasm is sufficient to destroy this monster, I will still need the assistance of you two.

It is currently moving towards the area where the residents are gathered, so we must first lure it away from there."

"I understand, Saber. Your intentions are clear."

Lancer nodded sternly. "Leave the task of luring the Sea Monster to me, and you will deliver the fatal blow."

Saber nodded, then asked with confusion, "How do you plan to do that?"

Even though Diarmuid was a top-tier warrior, he likely wouldn't have any good methods against a monster tens of meters tall.

"...Regarding that."

Lancer smiled. "Please observe with your own eyes, King of Knights.

I'll head over first. You wait here for my signal and then unleash your Noble Phantasm."

After saying this, Lancer turned to Irisviel and extended his hand to her.

"Although it's only a temporary collaboration, please take care of me, Saber's Master."

"Yes, thank you very much for your assistance, Lancer."

Irisviel nodded solemnly and then shook the handsome man's hand--

At that very instant, a crimson Demon Sword materialized in Diarmuid's right palm.

The scene was so sudden that no one, including Saber, could react. Her "Intuition" wasn't omnipotent.

"...Huh?"

Irisviel's expression turned blank as she watched the crimson Demon Sword thrust towards her heart.

The Demon Sword's name was "Mor-alltach".

If one were to choose the most powerful among the many weapons wielded by Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, it would undoubtedly be this Demon Sword.

This Demon Sword, bestowed by the Celtic sea god Manannán to Diarmuid's foster father, was fabled to be able to slay all enemies of the wielder on the battlefield with a single swing.

"One-hit kill, first strike victory."

The drawn Demon Sword would bring Diarmuid certain victory and bestow certain death upon his enemy (Irisviel)--

"Chiiiiii!!!!"

Gushing blood bloomed like flowers in the night fog, staining the ground red.

"Irisviel!"

Saber cried out in panic, but--

It wasn't Irisviel whose blood was gushing, but Lancer, who had launched the sneak attack.

"Hey, brat... When did you notice...?"

The handsome man staggered back a few steps, glaring with a ferocious expression at the boy who had blocked him and the Master of Saber.

Just as Lancer was about to succeed and the crimson Demon Sword was about to pierce Irisviel, Shirou suddenly charged between them and slashed him.

This was Shirou's specialty—launching a surprise attack the moment the enemy felt overconfident.

It was the same during his kendo match with Sister Fujiwara, the same when he cut Caster's hand, and the same now.

While this was indeed an effective tactic, it was impossible to say it didn't have a bit of maliciousness to it.

"I thought I had you cut in half just now, was it 'Mind's Eye' again... You really are a troublesome skill."

Shirou, also a wielder of "Mind's Eye (True)," remained unfazed: Too shallow...

In reality, this was just a bluff. He didn't believe Diarmuid would be killed by an attack of this caliber.

"Lancer! What is the meaning of this! Why did you attack Irisviel!"

Saber gripped her sword with both hands, assuming a stance, and questioned him loudly.

"Hm?"

Lancer tilted his head, glancing disdainfully at Saber.

"Why... Of course, it's to make you, the eyesore woman, disappear. Isn't killing the Master the most effective method?"

"Wh—"

Saber was dumbfounded.

She couldn't imagine such words coming from the mouth of that noble Knight of the Spear.

Wait, was he really Lancer?

Just then, a wild boar hide, radiating a strong demonic aura, appeared in the handsome man's hand.

"Lancer, what is that...!"

Lancer let out a sinister grin.

As everyone knew, Diarmuid died during a demon boar hunt in his lifetime.

However, the demon boar wasn't what truly killed him.