Sasuke frowned instantly.
Judging by Lancer's stance, he was about to unleash his Noble Phantasm.
Rin Tohsaka had explained it to him before.
A Noble Phantasm was a Servant's ultimate weapon.
It could be called a materialized miracle, a proof of a Servant's heroism, and something similar to Magecraft.
It was a weapon, symbol, or finishing move belonging to a Servant. Of course, it could also be a superior weapon—or even a special skill.
Lancer's Noble Phantasm...
Shirou Emiya had used it as an example when explaining things to Sasuke, too.
When Shirou Emiya first summoned Saber, Lancer had been hunting him. If Saber hadn't fought Lancer, he would likely have been killed.
During her battle with Lancer, Saber had faced his Noble Phantasm.
[Gáe Bolg]
It was a technique that reversed cause and effect—the order of events. The instant it was unleashed, the result, [the opponent's heart is pierced], was created first.
The cause, [the spear struck because the heart was pierced], followed afterward.
Unless one possessed extraordinary luck, it was a sure-kill technique: once unleashed, death was all but certain.
Because the result—[the opponent's heart is pierced]—had already been established when the spear was thrown.
So even killing Cu Chulainn a moment earlier wouldn't change the outcome. The spear's trajectory couldn't be stopped.
If Saber hadn't been so lucky, and if she hadn't possessed both a high level of Instinct and powerful Magic Resistance,
then even working together, those three factors wouldn't have saved her from a fatal wound when she failed to completely evade Cu Chulainn's [Gáe Bolg].
That was how Saber learned Lancer's true identity.
The great demigod hero of Celtic mythology, the Child of Light of Ireland—Cu Chulainn.
But although Sasuke now knew what Lancer's Noble Phantasm could do, facing it in person was an entirely different experience.
Lancer charged at Sasuke, thrusting forward with the Gáe Bolg in hand, his face twisted into a savage grimace like a beast's!
"Pierce!"
"Gáe Bolg!!"
[Susanoo!]
Lancer was astonishingly fast, but in that same instant, Sasuke transformed Susanoo from its initial form into its third stage!
Susanoo's bare skeleton instantly filled out with flesh and sinew, then donned the armor of a Crow Tengu. Its defensive power increased dramatically!
Already halfway into his charge, Lancer's crimson Gáe Bolg released a powerful, piercing surge of magical energy.
The spear-shaped blast of magic streaked toward Sasuke like a blood-red dragon, its immense power crashing straight into Susanoo!
In an instant, the impact unleashed a tremendous shockwave!
Even Susanoo in its third stage was left with cracks by the thrust!
But that was all. The magical energy of Lancer's Noble Phantasm was already fading.
It looked as though Sasuke had dodged Lancer's Noble Phantasm, but in reality, the Noble Phantasm's true effect was only now taking hold.
The first strike had been no more than an exceptionally fast and powerful thrust.
In other words, it had to be blocked or evaded at all costs. Otherwise, Sasuke could die instantly, before the causality reversal even came into play.
But the moment he blocked it, causality would reverse. No matter what happened during the first strike, Gáe Bolg would pierce the heart of its opponent within range.
And Susanoo couldn't defend against the reversal of causality that Lancer's Noble Phantasm would now bring about!
Sasuke had only intended for Susanoo to stop the initial, judging strike. He had his own way to deal with the causality attack that would inevitably pierce his heart.
The moment Gáe Bolg's causality reversal took effect, time seemed to stop all around them!
The thrust that had struck Susanoo began to replay in reverse, like a film rewinding!
It was as though the strike had never happened.
But in the very next instant, Gáe Bolg treated Susanoo as if it weren't there, slipping through its defenses to stab straight toward Sasuke's heart!
With a tearing sound as flesh was pierced, the magical energy released by Lancer's Gáe Bolg struck through Sasuke's heart!
In an instant, the blast hurled Sasuke into the air. A column of crimson magic shot skyward like a beam of light!
But Sasuke, whose heart had just been pierced, was only a Shadow Clone. Even a fatal wound merely made him burst into a cloud of white smoke.
Lancer's expression was hard to describe, shock mingling with a hint of amusement.
He knew Sasuke had evaded the killing blow.
Sasuke emerged slowly from behind a nearby tree, but his Mangekyō Sharingan had now reverted to the Three Tomoe.
Just before his heart was pierced, Sasuke had used a Shadow Clone once again.
So even though Lancer had dispelled Sasuke's Shadow Clone, it hadn't made any difference.
In a sense, Sasuke had evaded Lancer's killing blow.
Or perhaps no one had ever been going to die in this fight.
Sasuke's real body wasn't even here.
"What an enviable kid."
"You've got powerful offense and defense, and all kinds of strange Magecraft."
That was what Lancer thought. Knowing he'd come up short, he gave a wry smile, though there was a hint of acceptance in it.
"Tch!"
"Looks like Rider didn't lose for nothing. You really are something."
Sasuke didn't know what kind of person Lancer's Master was, but Lancer himself was a straightforward sort.
At least for now, Sasuke didn't dislike him.
"Want to keep going, Lancer?"
Sasuke knew that if they kept fighting, Lancer would probably win. There was a limit to what a Shadow Clone could do.
Using Susanoo's third stage had already consumed a great deal of magical energy. But without it, Lancer's Noble Phantasm would probably have pierced the second stage of Susanoo.
If that had happened, Sasuke would likely have needed two consecutive Shadow Clones to survive.
Even without using Susanoo, the result would have been the same in the end.
Sasuke had only used one Shadow Clone this time, but even so, it had very little magical energy left. At most, it could barely enter Susanoo's initial stage and use a few ordinary ninja techniques.
And this was only one of Sasuke's Shadow Clones. The fact that it had managed to do this much was already terrifying.
Lancer knew that as well, so he rested the Gáe Bolg across his shoulder.
"No. If we get the chance next time, I'd rather have a real fight with your actual body."
"Though I know the one here isn't your real body."
"But I'll give you a friendly warning."
"The presence of another Servant is heading this way."
Before Sasuke could answer, Lancer vanished from the forest as a spirit.
If Lancer hadn't mentioned it, Sasuke would probably have dispelled his Shadow Clone right away. But since Lancer had warned him...
Sasuke wanted to see what kind of person this approaching Servant was.
Suddenly,
the distant sky seemed to tear open with a piercing roar!
Amid a powerful release of magical energy, a towering figure, as large as a small hill, slammed into the forest!
The tremendous impact of the fall sent several thick trees nearby flying!
As the billowing dust and fallen leaves cleared, a muscular man over two meters tall appeared in Sasuke's field of vision.
Clearly, this was the Servant Lancer had mentioned.
In the giant Servant's palm rested a girl with silver hair and red eyes, dressed in a purple dress.
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