Rider Combination Appears (2nd Update)

On the Light Screen, the two sides clashed once again.

With the restrictions on her Noble Phantasm lifted, its true power was finally revealed.

The moment they crossed blades, Artoria discovered that the red spear had actually pierced through her Wind King's Barrier.

The concealment effect of the Wind King's Barrier failed the instant the two weapons collided, exposing the Golden Sword hidden within the gale.

Because they were locked in a stalemate, even as the clashing weapons showered sparks like a chainsaw, the people in the real world were able to catch a glimpse of the sword's true form.

Immediately, many recalled the scene from the very beginning of the Light Screen footage, where Saber—that is, King Arthur—was reviewing her legions on the Scottish Plains; the Golden Sword she held then was the very same one revealed now.

At this moment, Saber exerted a sudden burst of strength, pushing Lancer back with immense force. As the two gained distance, the Golden Sword quickly vanished back into the distorted light of the wind.

Seeing this, Saber narrowed her beautiful eyes, then, without a word, took the initiative to attack Lancer.

Clang! Bang! Clang! Shing!

Accompanied by a series of metallic rings, the two exchanged over a dozen blows in the blink of an eye.

Every time Saber's Invisible Blade collided with Lancer's, it would manifest for a split second, allowing people to gradually piece together the full appearance of the Golden Sword.

In fact, with high-speed, high-definition cameras, the Invisible Blade had long since been captured by various capable factions, and professional modelers had already begun reconstructing it.

Perhaps they wouldn't even need to wait for the battle to end before a 3D model of the Golden Sword was finished.

After a round of confrontation, Saber had gathered sufficient combat intelligence and immediately put distance between herself and Lancer once more.

At the same time, the narrator's voice rang out.

[Saber has probed Lancer, and the Knight King, possessing the highest A-rank skill 'Instinct', has already grasped the nature of the enemy's Noble Phantasm through these few exchanges.]

[Now, this former King Arthur, a girl who has experienced hundreds of legendary battles, has already simulated dozens of potential combat developments in her mind and holds the law of victory in her hands.]

Simultaneously, a subtitle appeared on the screen, explaining what Instinct actually was.

This left many in shock, as this predictive Instinct seemed like such a cheat; to be able to foresee the future, even if only short-term predictions during combat, was an ability that could be called heaven-defying.

Moreover, short-term foresight in battle could change one's fate, and the ability to judge crises allowed one to avoid lethal damage.

Possessing such an ability, Saber naturally held the advantage in combat.

Instantly, countless people began shouting "My King is the strongest," "My King is invincible," and "My King, take down that spandex-wearing pervert," gaining her even more fans.

However, others had different focuses, noting that Instinct was a "skill," and the text explanation mentioned that all Servants had their own skills, which were also categorized by rank.

It really did look more and more like a game setting; if this were a film, the screenwriter must have played too many games.

Just then, the scene on the Light Screen changed once again.

This time, the view shifted to a bridge—the Fuyuki Bridge.

At the top of the steel frame of the bridge, two men stood.

To be precise, a muscular powerhouse and a young, delicate boy.

The muscular man stood on the steel frame with his hands on his hips, his face full of smiles.

He wore leather armor in the style of ancient Greece, draped in a large, red, furry cloak, with a sheathed greatsword hanging at his waist. Because he stood over two meters tall, the greatsword looked like a mere dagger on him.

The man's face, brimming with a hearty smile, featured a red beard the same color as his red hair, giving him the air of a bold and heroic warrior.

As for the boy beside him, he formed a stark contrast to the hearty giant.

The boy lacked the giant's boldness; instead, he looked incredibly weak and timid, cowering in terror on the bridge frame.

The boy had parted long hair reaching about to his neck, looked to be about seventeen or eighteen, and was not tall—perhaps not even 1.6 meters. His face was that of a delicate youth, looking very easy to bully.

The boy wore ordinary green clothes and trousers, cheap items that were nonetheless clean and tidy, clearly showing he was someone who cared about his image.

However, keeping one's clothes clean on the bridge frame was impossible; the boy would likely have to find a way to clean them afterward.

The boy said in a trembling, tearful voice: "R-Rider, wh-what is going on over there? And, when can we get down?"

The red-haired giant grinned and laughed: "Splendid, truly splendid! Saber and Lancer are engaged in a magnificent duel, neither giving an inch. However, Lancer's Master lacks patience and has interfered in the duel between two excellent warriors, forcing Lancer to use his Noble Phantasm."

"Lancer's Noble Phantasm seems capable of disrupting Saber's method of hiding her weapon. In the subsequent exchanges, every time it collides with Lancer's weapon, the concealment ability temporarily vanishes. Saber is actively seeking these collisions, likely to probe him."

The boy continued to tremble: "I-is that so? Th-then can we go down now? It's, it's too high here, and a bit cold."

Rider laughed heartily: "Hahaha! Kid, don't be such a coward. A man should stand tall and proud. Isn't your goal in seeking the Holy Grail to grow taller? If so, you should start standing tall right now; otherwise, even if you grow taller through the Grail, you'll never be able to straighten your back. Hahaha!"

Hearing this, the boy pursed his lips, his voice finally less shaky: "Y-you say that so easily..."

It was clear he had taken the words to heart and was trying to make himself stronger.

As the two spoke, their identities were labeled via subtitles showing their surnames.

The bearded powerhouse was none other than Rider, one of the seven Servants of this Holy Grail War, and the other was his Master, Waver Velvet.

In the real world, people were stunned to see this new pair, finding the combination truly strange—the Master didn't act like a Master, and the Servant didn't act like a Servant.

However, the hearty and grand demeanor of the bearded giant won over many; such heroic figures always command a certain level of respect.

As for the boy Master, Waver, he left many unable to help but laugh, or even feel a mix of amusement and exasperation.

To think that someone who obtained the Holy Grail, the omnipotent wish-granting machine, would actually want to use it to grow taller!

Young man, just how obsessed are you with your height? Even if you do look quite frail, you're still young, after all; there's plenty of room to grow, isn't there?

Many people—especially those driven by ambition and desire—felt deeply dissatisfied with Waver's wish, some even wishing they could take his place to vie for the Holy Grail.

After all, something like an omnipotent wish-granting machine is practically designed to stir up the darkest desires of humanity. If it weren't for the fact that it was merely a Light Screen, many would likely have charged in to seize the Holy Grail for themselves.

In fact, many people were already on their way to Fuyuki City or had already arrived, and even though they knew the situation in the Light Screen differed from the real world, it still fueled unrealistic delusions in many.

After all...

What if it were real?

If one could only obtain the Holy Grail, then...

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