Dating Caster

"If that's the case, then it would be far too boring. I see, the magic resistance of the Saber class is truly extraordinary... Very well. If I were to kill a weak woman just because of this, I would lose my own honor. It seems I made the right choice in deciding to wait here for someone with the guts to show up. It's just a pity..."

Lancer said in a tone of regret, "To think I cannot even exchange names with the opponent I am about to fight to the death with; being so restricted is truly a buzzkill."

Saber agreed with this sentiment, her icy expression softening slightly: "This is something that cannot be helped. We were not born to fight for our own glory. You, too, must have offered the spear in your hand to your master."

"Of course!"

"It is my honor to meet a Heroic Spirit such as yourself."

Saber replied with a smile that was somewhat exaggerated. It was a transparent and tragic smile that only warriors who had faced life and death together could understand, "Then... let us begin."

Lancer lifted the long spear resting on his shoulder, spun it backhanded, and assumed a combat stance. His left hand slowly raised the short spear as well. The posture, with both spears spread and wielded like wings, was a fighting style never seen before.

Saber then released her surging battle aura. The erupting magical energy stirred up a whirlwind of air currents, enveloping the girl's petite frame. In an instant, her entire body was encased in silver armor, the magical energy manifesting as plate and gauntlets. This was the true form of this Heroic Spirit, the King of Knights.

"Saber..."

Irisviel swallowed nervously and called out her name. Pulled in by the intense battle aura radiating from the two, she had keenly sensed it. There was no room for her to intervene in this battle. However, she did not want to be a mere bystander. At the very least, she was the proxy for Saber's master:

"...Be careful. Although I can use some healing spells, as for the rest..."

Saber nodded before she could finish:

"Please leave Lancer to me. I am only concerned about why the opponent's master has not yet appeared."

Just as Saber said, Lancer's master, who had yet to show himself, remained an independent threat. Generally, a master would stay by their Servant's side to command them while providing necessary magical support. As long as Lancer's master did not fully trust his own Servant, he was surely hiding nearby, observing Lancer's battle. "Perhaps he has some scheme; you must be careful. Irisviel, I leave my back to you."

Her emerald eyes spoke silently, devoid of fear.

Trust the Heroic Spirit of the sword.

To believe in this Heroic Spirit who considered her the master was, in a sense, to believe in her own decision.

"...Understood. Saber, bring me victory."

"Yes. I shall."

Saber nodded firmly and took a step forward.

"Gulp—"

This was the sound of Wang Xiaoming subconsciously swallowing his saliva. Even though he had infinitely overestimated the battles between Servants, he was still terrified by the scene before his eyes.

This was a cruel duel that had long since vanished in the modern era, one that could only occur in that distant age when myths had not yet completely faded.

The armored knight and the dual-spear-wielding Champion were fighting with all their might amidst the flash of blades and shadows.

Although it was merely a clash of cold weapons, the surging magical energy and the resulting powerful air currents that seemed capable of destroying everything made the scene no less intense than a movie.

The feet striking the ground shattered the earth.

The air pressure generated by the swinging weapons sliced through streetlamps.

Wang Xiaoming's eyes could no longer keep up with the battle between the two Servants; the flickering blades and shadows had completely dazzled him. He could only judge the intensity of the battle from the occasional stray shockwaves.

The iron siding of the warehouse walls could not withstand the ravages of such invisible force and tangible spears; it peeled away and twisted, blown away by the shockwaves like tin foil.

Medea's staff tapped Wang Xiaoming on the head.

"Stop watching. With your current level, you don't even have the qualifications to be a bystander."

Although Medea's words were a bit harsh, Wang Xiaoming closed his eyes as she instructed. It was only then that he suddenly realized his eyes had become incredibly dry at some point!

Even wanting to blink caused his eyeballs to sting painfully! He didn't know how long it would take for his dry tear ducts to recover.

"If you insist on overestimating your own abilities, you won't be so lucky next time."

Seeing the pained expression on Wang Xiaoming's face, Medea retorted irritably before extending her right hand to touch his forehead.

A cool sensation flowed from his forehead to his eyes, and Wang Xiaoming was amazed to find that the dryness in his eyeballs had vanished.

"That's quite magical."

Reopening his eyes, Wang Xiaoming found that his vision was now vastly superior to what it had been moments ago. Unlike the blurriness that only allowed him to see the general picture, this time everything was crystal clear, from the swift footsteps of the two on the battlefield to their fluid, seamless techniques.

"If you want to watch, then watch properly. Scenes like this are rare even in the Age of Gods."

Medea had to admit that the detestable pretty boy had some real skill. But so what? In the eyes of Miss Medea, pretty boys must die!

"What's wrong, Saber? Your attacks are useless."

"..."

Facing Lancer's taunt, she had no room to refute. Dozens of exchanges had passed, yet she hadn't landed a single hit on her opponent.

Lancer lunged forward, wielding the spear in his right hand. The arc of the blade covered a wide range, its power and speed in no way inferior to a two-handed grip. No, precisely because he was using one hand, it contained many techniques absent from two-handed spear styles. The spear thrust fiercely at Saber from an unexpected angle.

Yet, a spear has its limitations. Because of its length, it inevitably leaves openings between attacks. It was at these moments that the short spear in his left hand would immediately follow up, continuing to pin Saber down.

And Saber's previous attack had been thwarted by the airtight defense of that short spear.

Wielding two spears simultaneously, yet not a single move was a feint. This Heroic Spirit, Lancer, coordinated the spears in his left and right hands flawlessly. What kind of dedication must it take to master such formidable techniques?

Wang Xiaoming, a layman, watched the battle between the two in astonishment. Suddenly, a thought popped into his head:

[You really are a man with a few tricks up his sleeve.]

I understand that this chapter is filler.

I will consciously add more chapters, I swear.

Chapter 16. The Crowd (Bonus Chapter)

The duel between Saber and Lancer was still ongoing.

If they had been using minor tricks to test each other's strength earlier, then it could be said that the battle between the two had now reached a white-hot state.

However, what they called "minor tricks" was merely the perspective of Servants. The road surface, destroyed by the shockwaves of these "minor tricks," was left with terrifying scars. Two warehouses had already collapsed, and the asphalt of the road had been churned up like a field of farmland. Looking at such a battlefield, one couldn't help but feel as if a massive earthquake had just occurred here.

Thud—

Medea struck Wang Xiaoming on the head once more.

"What are you doing?" Wang Xiaoming asked Medea with some dissatisfaction.

One hit after another—even if it didn't hurt, it was very humiliating. Reporter Wang was a man who cared about his dignity, after all.

"Has your brain regressed again?" Medea suddenly felt a bit weary. "Do you think our purpose in coming here was just to find you a front-row seat to watch the battle?"

"But my head..." Wang Xiaoming subconsciously wanted to say that his head didn't hurt, but the memories regarding the two people on the battlefield were laid out before him like an open book.

Seeing the expression on Wang Xiaoming's face, Medea could roughly guess what had happened.

It was likely that Wang Xiaoming's brain had developed an adaptability to the soul impact from earlier, and coupled with the fact that he was engrossed in the brilliant duel between the two, he hadn't noticed the changes in his memory at first.

So, would Medea give Wang Xiaoming a pleasant look because of this? Obviously not.

"You only remember things after being beaten; is your brain made of the same stuff as an ogre's?"

"Sorry." Knowing he was in the wrong, Wang Xiaoming said sheepishly.

"If you know you're wrong, then hurry up and tell me what you know!" Glaring at Wang Xiaoming, Medea said irritably.

"That Lancer's true identity is the chief champion of the Irish Fianna, hailed as 'peerless' in Celtic Mythology—'The Face of the Radiant' Diarmuid O'Dina. The Noble Phantasms in his hands are his two spears, Gáe Dearg (The Crimson Rose of Exorcism) and Gáe Buidhe (The Yellow Rose of Mortality)."

"Heh~ 'The Face of the Radiant'." Regarding this title, Medea let out a mocking snort and ignored it, continuing to press him: "Then what about Saber?"

"Uh..." Looking at the rekindled possessiveness in Medea's eyes, Wang Xiaoming silently prayed for Saber for a second:

"Saber belongs to the same era as Lancer. Her true name is Artoria Pendragon. Her identity is the most legendary great king of ancient Britain—King Arthur."

After revealing Saber's true identity, Wang Xiaoming could clearly feel Medea's breathing become heavy.

"That's your delusion."

Medea glanced at Wang Xiaoming and knew exactly what he was thinking. Before he could speak, Medea cut him off.

"..."

Wang Xiaoming gasped, nearly choking on his own internal injuries.

"Alright, let's continue to watch and wait." Medea didn't believe that such a commotion here wouldn't attract other Servants.

No sooner had she finished speaking than Medea suddenly turned her gaze in one direction and sneered:

"Speak of the devil, they really can't stand being ignored."

Wang Xiaoming also turned his gaze over, though even with his vision enhanced by Medea, he could barely make out a dark shadow.

However, no matter how well this person hid, they could not escape Medea's magical detection.

A black trench coat, cold eyes, and a strange weapon in hand.

Not a Servant.

This was Medea's first judgment of the person. It looked more like a thief trying to steal the fruits of victory from the two on the battlefield.

"That person is Saber's true Master."

After clarifying the general characteristics of the man from Medea and connecting them to the memories in his mind regarding Saber, Wang Xiaoming confirmed the man's identity:

The Magus Killer—Emiya Kiritsugu.

"Can you expand your detection range further?" Wang Xiaoming asked Medea based on his own memories. Medea didn't ask for the reason and began to expand the range of her detection magic.

Sure enough—

On the other side of the warehouse district, far opposite Emiya Kiritsugu, Medea discovered the trail of another person. A woman who could be called a beauty from any angle was also holding that strangely shaped weapon.

[Maiya Hisau]

"Hmm? There's more?"

Behind a shipping container, a man wearing a blue suit with his hair styled like a lemon was intently watching the battlefield, a smile of total control hanging on the corners of his mouth.

[Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald]

"Continue..."

Wang Xiaoming had just opened his mouth when his face suddenly turned pale, and he gritted his teeth, struggling to speak.

This damn side effect was starting again!

"It looks like there are quite a few rats here."

Medea expanded the range of her detection magecraft to its maximum. Shortly after, she discovered a familiar figure.

The strong wind blowing in from the sea billowed his black robes, and a satisfied smile emerged from beneath his white skull mask.

No one could have predicted that the Servant "Assassin," who had been eliminated in front of numerous witnesses last night, was now standing in this nighttime shopping street.

[Hassan of the Hundred Faces]

Assassin was hiding in an excellent vantage point for observing the battle—a crane towering beside the cliff wall. It was about 500 meters away from the battlefield. With eyesight far superior to that of a human, a Servant could clearly see the two of them fighting from there, even distinguishing their expressions with perfect clarity. As for the two on the battlefield, they had no time to concern themselves with whether they were being watched.

However, just because the two combatants couldn't detect him didn't mean that no one else could.

Even with the class skill "Presence Concealment," Assassin could not completely hide from Medea's magecraft, which was several levels above modern magic.

"Are you alright?"

After clearing out the [rats] in the surrounding area, Medea finally had the time to show concern for Wang Xiaoming.

"Haa... haa..."

Although the sharp pain had passed, Wang Xiaoming, panting heavily, had no strength left to answer Medea's question and could only manage a weak wave of his hand to signal that he was fine.

He reckoned that if a few more people showed up, he wouldn't be able to hold on.

Lancer brandished his spear, which was filled with killing intent, yet he spoke to Saber in a tone full of ease: "A duel without exchanging names has no honor to speak of. Regardless, I shall pay my respects to you for now; you haven't broken a sweat yet, you truly are a heroine among women."

"No need for modesty, Lancer." Saber swung the sword in her hand, a smile appearing on her face. "Although I do not know your name, it is my honor to receive such praise from someone with your level of spearmanship. I shall accept it with gratitude."

Both of them were filled with confidence in their own abilities, so when they encountered a true opponent, they offered their mutual respect.

The two were not only solitary warriors, but also Heroic Spirits who cherished one another.