The greed stirred by the Holy Grail drew countless ambitious schemers and opportunists to Fuyuki City in search of treasure.
Meanwhile, Flame Kingdom's counterintelligence department was in for a bumper harvest. After all, how could Flame Kingdom not think of the things those people could?
In fact, several of Flame Kingdom's civilian departments had already set up in Fuyuki City with the cooperation of Yingzhou's officials, ready to arrest every one of the people who had infiltrated the city.
As for the Holy Grail, Flame Kingdom had sent people to look for it, but hadn't invested much effort. They knew the situation in Fuyuki City well: there was no supernatural power there, let alone any so-called Holy Grail.
Sending people to search was simply a matter of trying their luck and seeing whether they could find any related clues.
Of course, if the Holy Grail really did exist, that would be another matter.
The scene on the Light Screen shifted from the Rider pair back to the harbor.
Saber spoke. "I think I understand your Noble Phantasm now. Does your spear nullify things made of magical energy?"
Lancer paused for a moment, then smiled unconcernedly. "I see. What keen Instinct and powers of observation! You've already figured out the abilities of my Noble Phantasm after such a brief exchange? So, do you intend to use your true strength and settle this with me now?"
"It's time to decide the victor." As she spoke, Saber casually glanced at the short spear lying at Lancer's feet, the one he had thrown away earlier. After their exchange, the two had somehow returned to where they had started.
No one would believe Lancer hadn't deliberately arranged things that way.
Saber, however, didn't seem to care. She acted as though she hadn't noticed a thing.
At that moment, she changed her stance. Gripping Invisible Blade with both hands, she held it at her right hip. The concealment of Wind King's Barrier was lifted. A fierce gale roared, magical energy surged, and the Golden Sword appeared amid the magical storm, shining brilliantly in the night.
At the same time, the narration began.
[Saber used another of her skills, Mana Burst, at Rank A. By releasing a large amount of magical energy in a short time, she strengthened her weapon and body, raising them far beyond their usual limits. Rank A Mana Burst is an exceptionally high level of power. Even a mere short stick would become tremendously powerful when strengthened by Mana Burst of this caliber.]
The moment the narration ended, Saber suddenly charged forward at a speed far beyond her earlier pace, pressing ahead without hesitation as she swung at Lancer. The Golden Sword gathered terrifying magical energy, ready to surge forth.
At that instant, Lancer flashed a Crooked Mouth Dragon King grin. The scene shifted into slow motion, every movement slowing so the audience could see each detail.
At the same time, Lancer's inner voice rang out: You've made a mistake, Saber. A Noble Phantasm doesn't have to be the only one!
His left foot suddenly hooked the short spear off the ground. In that instant, the cloth concealing it unraveled under the surge of magical energy, revealing the weapon's true appearance.
It was a yellow metal short spear, made of some unknown metal, with intricate engravings and patterns. It looked more like a work of art than a practical weapon.
But no one had time to complain. The tense, decisive battle had everyone on edge. Countless anxious, eager eyes were fixed on the Light Screen, not daring to blink for fear of missing a single moment.
The slow-motion effect let people clearly see every detail of Lancer and Saber, as well as the sand and stones flying around them. The scene felt almost dreamlike.
There was no denying that Saber was beautiful and Lancer was handsome. They were a classic pair of beauties, with their looks at their absolute peak. Watching people like them fight was a feast for the eyes.
Then, in slow motion, Lancer seized his yellow short spear with his left hand, taking up a stance with the red long spear in his right and the yellow short spear in his left.
At that moment, Saber reached him and swung the Golden Sword straight at him.
At the same instant, Lancer swept the yellow short spear in his left hand across the path of the oncoming Saber.
If Saber kept charging, she would run straight into the yellow short spear.
So, at this crucial moment, Saber had no choice but to dodge, delaying her slash by a fraction. Lancer used the opening to bring his red long spear around in his right hand and deflect the terrifying blow of the Golden Sword to the side. At the same time, the yellow short spear thrust toward Saber's left hand, the one holding her sword.
Boom!
The instant the slash landed, the magical energy released through Mana Burst erupted, forming a golden torrent that blasted the ground beside Lancer apart and sent sand and stones flying everywhere.
But Lancer escaped without much harm. Saber, on the other hand, was cut on her left hand in that instant. As soon as her slash was complete, she quickly moved past Lancer and leapt to safety.
A clear wound marked her right hand. However, her arm was protected by armor, so the cut wasn't too deep. Even so, bright red blood continued to flow from it.
At the sight, Irisviel's heart clenched, just like that of every viewer in the real world who cared about Saber. They were all deeply worried.
The viewers in the real world could only watch, but Irisviel could help Saber. She immediately called out, "Saber, I'll heal you!" Then she clasped her hands together, and a faint green glow appeared around her, clearly the sign of a healing spell.
At the same time, a bleeding wound appeared on Lancer's left arm. Green light glimmered around it, and the wound healed in the blink of an eye.
His Master's nasal voice rang out. "Well done, Lancer. Now finish Saber!"
Lancer smiled. "Thank you for your help, my lord. I'll win this for you!"
Seeing this, Saber realized her wound hadn't healed. She glanced at Irisviel, whose expression had turned anxious and conflicted, then thought for a moment before asking, "Irisviel, is healing magic ineffective?"
Irisviel replied, "Y-yes. It's no use. I already cast the spell, so it should have healed by now..."
"Is that so..." Saber turned to look at Lancer. "Then it must be because of your Noble Phantasm!"
Lancer smiled and held both spears, casually resting the red long spear on his shoulder. "You were clever to realize that magical objects would be suppressed by Gae Dearg. But you were hasty to think you'd already understood the whole situation and charge at me to decide the match."
"Even with your armor, you can't defend against Gae Buidhe!"
As he spoke, he raised the yellow short spear in his left hand, showing it off like a victor who already held the very principle of victory in his grasp.
At his words, Saber calmly raised her left hand and studied the wrist that was still bleeding, then looked back at Lancer. "I see. It's the cursed spear said to leave wounds that can never heal once it pierces its target?"
"A red spear that cuts off magical energy, a cursed yellow spear, a teardrop-shaped mole by the right eye that charms maidens—and you wield your spears with techniques more commonly used for swords. I know who you are now: the strongest knight of the Fianna Knights, Diarmuid O'Duinn, known as 'Shining in Beauty.'"
"I should consider myself honored, then. I never expected to cross swords with you."
In the real world, countless people were confused. Saber made him sound impressive, but few of them knew who Diarmuid was.
However, they had search engines and countless experts ready to explain, so many people learned the answer on the spot.
The fastest, without question, were the governments of various countries. Their professional teams had been prepared in advance, and they not only identified Diarmuid immediately but also compiled everything from his life and personality to the tales passed down about him. They analyzed him inside and out from the perspectives of history and mythology.
Of course, the uninformed watched the spectacle while the experts saw the finer points. Even though many people now knew Lancer's true identity, most remained focused on the injured Saber.
At the Supernatural Disaster Countermeasures Office, quite a few people thought Saber had been too reckless. She had launched a fierce attack without fully understanding her opponent, only to get hurt without achieving the result she wanted. It was a terrible loss.
They only held back because Artoria was there. Illya, who didn't know any better, couldn't help blurting out, "That King Arthur lady is way too impulsive, isn't she? Why did she suddenly attack like that? It feels just like those magical girls in anime who suddenly charge in without thinking about the consequences..."
Her remark hit the mark, and several people present couldn't help laughing.
But Artoria wasn't angry. She kept watching the Light Screen and said with complete conviction, "No. It wasn't impulsiveness or underestimating her opponent. If that king is who I think she is, she did it deliberately. Everything that king does is meant to secure ultimate victory."
Uh...
The others exchanged odd looks. Was she really that sure? And hearing those words from her made it sound like she was praising herself...
Artoria didn't elaborate. She knew how beautiful and glorious that king was. Having spent so much time with her in the dream world, Artoria had come to admire and revere her.
Well, she'd put on her fan goggles, so she believed everything that king did was reasonable and carefully considered.
Before you continue