"Gáe Bolg: Soaring Spear of Striking Death"

Clang, clang—the sound of weapons clashing echoed through the air. The fierce battle tore the very atmosphere apart; Diarmuid, that great hero of Celtic mythology, was truly worthy of his reputation.

Even though the weapons in his hands were not his strongest, he was still able to suppress Uchiha Iori.

Cú Chulainn's spear techniques and Heroic Spirit Emiya's dual-blade style were, after all, techniques best suited to their original masters. While Uchiha Iori could use them to bully the weak with ease, his movements inevitably became stiff when facing a true master.

"Iori, you must transform Senior Cú Chulainn's techniques into your own; turn his instincts into your instincts."

"Your heights are different, your arm spans are different. Until you turn these into instinct, you have to readjust the parameters for every single movement."

"In front of a strong opponent, such a delay is far too obvious," Diarmuid reprimanded.

"If you merely copy these skills, you will never approach the level of the original masters."

"Let alone standing side-by-side or surpassing them. Mere imitation will never earn the recognition of the strong; you must carve out your own path."

Uchiha Iori parried Diarmuid's attacks while struggling to digest the combat experience he had copied earlier.

"My thanks, but I have already set my own path. First, I shall take the strengths of a hundred schools, then consider how to forge my own way. As I am now, I am not yet qualified to consider so much."

Though his tone was firm, his heart was filled with helplessness. If he could, Iori would also like to strike out on his own path immediately, but reality did not allow him much time to reflect or digest.

It was too short; it was only the third day, and he was either fighting or on his way to a fight.

He could barely adapt to his new power, so where would he find the time to absorb and internalize it?

"My apologies, I forgot that you must have only recently arrived at the Hall of Heroes. It was presumptuous of me."

Diarmuid's tone softened with regret.

He had forgotten that Iori had not been here long, treating him instead as a long-renowned Heroic Spirit.

Just then, Cú Chulainn's voice drifted over from the side, shattering the atmosphere of the battle.

"Hey, take it seriously when you're fighting, Diarmuid! Don't hold back."

"Give that brat a good thrashing. This kid is no saint—he took my spear and keeps trying to stab me with it."

Cú Chulainn had returned to the Hall of Heroes at some point.

He had brought back plenty of food and wine, along with a mat, looking as if he were camping.

He cheered for Diarmuid while eating and drinking.

"It's not like I did anything but stab your shoulder with Gáe Bolg and then try to stab you again with Gáe Bolg: Soaring Spear of Striking Death."

"Didn't you already stab me to death once before? Why are you holding such a grudge?"

Iori retorted, though upon reflection, he realized he was indeed being quite unscrupulous.

Cú Chulainn's eyes widened in anger, and he grabbed a bottle of wine, hurling it fiercely.

"Then what else do you want, you punk? To pin me to a stone pillar like in the myths?"

Knowing he was in the wrong, Iori offered a sheepish smile and nimbly dodged the bottle.

He took a deep breath, refocused his spirit, and continued his battle with Diarmuid.

Diarmuid grew serious as well, alternating between spear and sword in a relentless, dazzling offensive that left no room for respite.

The two exchanged blows repeatedly, both having grown accustomed to the other's fighting style.

"The probing ends here. Be careful, I'm going to use my Noble Phantasm now," Iori said, remembering the purpose of his arrival today.

If the power of Gáe Bolg: Soaring Spear of Striking Death met his expectations, he could perfectly replicate Minato Namikaze's legendary scene—letting his teammates watch from the sidelines while he carried the entire match himself.

"Beagalltach."

Diarmuid activated his Noble Phantasm, reinforcing his own defense. He held his spear and sword horizontally before him, intending not to dodge, but to take the projectile head-on.

Iori braced himself on one leg, one hand gripping his spear while the other touched the ground, stretching his body to its limit like a taut bowstring.

In an instant, he concentrated all his strength into his leg, lunged forward, and leaped high into the air.

Rotating his body in mid-air, he held the demonic spear with one hand and aimed it at Diarmuid. Massive amounts of chakra gathered at the tip, crimson energy flowing along the shaft and churning the surrounding air.

"Gáe Bolg: Soaring Spear of Striking Death!"

Uchiha Iori shouted at the top of his lungs.

He gripped the demonic spear tightly, veins bulging; the immense magical consumption made his face look somewhat savage and distorted.

He threw the spear with great effort, and the weapon streaked across the sky like a meteor, leaving a crimson trail in its wake.

Watching this scene, Cú Chulainn recalled the time he and his friends had seen a shooting star in his youth:

[Watching that burning star, without hesitation, decisive and swift, leaving only a faint trace before vanishing.]

[Many friends saw it as a tragedy, but a calm premonition flashed through my heart.]

["This body will eventually be like that star—shining brilliantly while still young, then exhausting everything and disappearing without a trace."]

[When I came to my senses, I couldn't help but smile. This is fine.]

[For a warrior, this is a truly excellent fate.]

He had accepted all of this in his heart since he was a child, and when death finally arrived, he accepted it with composure.

Diarmuid, facing the spear head-on, did not share Cú Chulainn's refined leisure; he felt a pang of regret for his own arrogance.

Even if it were a replica, and even if the user's power was far inferior to Cú Chulainn's.

This was still a genuine Noble Phantasm release, a trump card of a Heroic Spirit, and the crystallized sublimation of a heroic legend.

If he were wielding the magic sword Moralltach, he would not care about such an attack.

Because after releasing the magic sword, he could likewise unleash a beam of light, and in a direct clash, he would not be at a disadvantage.

But he only held the short sword Beagalltach and the yellow rose of mortality, Gae Buidhe.

He had no ability to counter this spear throw, nor could he escape the attack range before the damage arrived.

"Tsk, how annoying. It's the same situation as in my life—miscalculating the intensity of the danger and leading myself into a desperate plight once again."

Diarmuid sighed; since things had reached this point, he could only stake everything on it.

Diarmuid condensed his magical energy onto his short sword and slashed at the incoming magic spear.

After a moment of stalemate, Diarmuid was sent flying, and a violent explosion erupted from the spear's point of impact.

The powerful energy reaction destroyed the surrounding tens of meters of land, blasting out a deep crater.

"Cough, cough. Damn it, the food I brought over is ruined."

Cú Chulainn coughed, waving his hand to clear the dust in front of him.

"Instead of worrying about food, you should go check on Diarmuid. After taking that hit, his condition probably isn't very good."

Uchiha Iori sat on the ground, the depletion of his chakra leaving him without the strength to even stand.

He could only urge Cú Chulainn to inspect Diarmuid's status.

"I am still alive. Please send me to the Hall of Heroes for treatment.

This was my mistake; I should not have underestimated your power. Next time, I will bring my strongest armaments to fight you."

Diarmuid spoke up.

He looked truly miserable, the arm holding his sword twisted into a mangled mess.

Half of his body was cracked from the shock, and blood flowed continuously from his wounds, forming a pool of gore.

"Thanks to Beagalltach; if it hadn't reinforced my defensive power, I would likely be waiting for resurrection by now."

Cú Chulainn scooped Diarmuid up in a bridal carry and turned to say to Iori:

"It looks like there's still time. Come over for a drink later; I'll introduce you to the Heroic Spirits who have recently arrived at the Hall of Heroes."

"Alright," Uchiha Iori replied.

Gáe Bolg: Soaring Spear of Striking Death—it truly lived up to its B+ rank Noble Phantasm status; its power, range, and consumption were all beyond expectations.

Hmm, this experience will surely be useful for next time. As long as the Iwagakure Ninja who comes isn't Ōnoki, this round is in the bag.

I wonder who will show up at the Heroic Spirit gathering later, Iori thought.

My arsenal is already starving.