"Huh? Professor Kayneth, are we really going to do this?"
Waver, who had been hauled up and taken into the chariot with Kayneth, asked nervously.
"Of course. Now watch carefully and learn."
Seeing Kayneth's haughty expression and remembering what had happened when he undermined him at the hotel, Waver glanced at Rider's broad back and swallowed his words.
Although they had only just met, Waver instinctively felt that Rider's personality was worlds apart from Kayneth's. Although they had reached the same conclusion, their ideas of doing things openly and honorably probably meant very different things.
Sure enough, when the chariot raced into the harbor, Rider's booming voice rang out alongside Kayneth's furious shout.
"My name is Iskandar, King of Conquerors. I have manifested in this Holy Grail War under the Rider class. Will you join my ranks and share in the joy of conquering the world with your king?"
"Rider! You idiot!"
"The only ones to whom I can pledge my loyalty are my Master in this age and my homeland, Britain."
Standing before Iskandar's imposing figure, the knight of silver and blue showed no fear. Long ago, his teacher Mei Li had told him that, having been chosen by the Sacred Sword bearing the planet's radiance, he would become the world's guardian.
Faced with Rider's ridiculous remark that they could negotiate the terms, Saber waited for the opposing Master to step down from the chariot, then turned his wrist and leveled his planet-forged Sacred Sword. He planted one foot on the ground, leaving a deep footprint as immense magical energy erupted from his body and shook a web of cracks into the ground.
The surging magical energy coiled around him, whipping up whirlwind-like currents. As Saber raised his hand, that power had already begun spreading through his surroundings. With Irisviel supplying his magical energy and Mana Burst augmenting his strength, Saber now stood beyond even the ranks of first-rate heroes.
In a single instant, an invisible sword flashed toward Iskandar's body. Its speed surpassed anything ordinary human eyes could follow; beyond a blurred afterimage, they could perceive nothing.
Even Iskandar, who had been brimming with confidence moments earlier, now looked serious. Close combat was not his particular forte, especially against an invisible sword whose reach he could not judge. Coupled with his opponent's brute-force fighting style, it put him at a considerable disadvantage.
Yet even now, Iskandar did not lose his composure.
He held his longsword before him as a feint, then let out a cry.
"Hah!"
At his cry, the divine bulls standing quietly before the chariot suddenly reared up. Wreathed in purple lightning, they charged, while Iskandar stood rock-solid at the front of the chariot, surging forward with unstoppable momentum.
A Rider only fought at full strength with his chariot. A terrifying crash erupted, but Saber seemed to have anticipated it. At the crucial moment, he abruptly darted aside, evading the chariot's savage blow, which could have shattered an ordinary person to pieces. Surging magical energy shielded his body, holding back the scattered shock waves and rubble.
Yet even against Rider's ferocious charge, Saber did not retreat. As his opponent swept past him, he swung his invisible Sacred Sword sideways and smashed it into the chariot like a massive hammer.
Dazzling magical energy blazed in Iskandar's vision, outshining even the stars in the night sky. In an instant, the ground split again. The twin explosions of air and earth thundered through the surroundings, and amid the punishing winds, the silhouettes of Saber and the chariot slowly began to converge.
With nothing but his own strength and Mana Burst, Saber had halted the Gordius Wheel!
The divine bulls pulling the chariot snorted furiously, their powerful hooves pounding hard, yet their advance remained painfully slow.
"You're a Saber, but are you sure you don't have a skill like Monstrous Strength? If not, your endurance is truly terrifying! King of Britain, your strength matches your fame-no, it surpasses it!"
Even in the midst of this battle with their lives at stake, Iskandar voiced his admiration.
But Saber did not hesitate. He began pouring out all his magical energy, for he could already sense ever more violent lightning winding around the chariot like chains, even spilling toward him.
Rider's attributes were unquestionably inferior to his, but once magical energy flowed into the chariot, it possessed the ferocious strength of a gigantic beast. No, the figure standing atop the chariot was himself a powerful, ferocious beast.
In that case, I simply need to fight him like one!
Starlight flared in Saber's hands, making everything around him pale. As its outer disguise fell away, the Sacred Sword's true form was finally revealed to the world.
"Wind King Hammer!"
Fueled by his full output of magical energy, the raging wind swelled, engulfing the entire chariot in the blink of an eye before violently tossing it skyward!
Even as the chariot was flung into the air and lost its balance, Iskandar showed no fear. With a low roar, he braced his legs and forcefully hauled on the reins with his sturdy arms, bringing the bewildered divine bulls back under his control.
Amid the booming shock waves, Rider tumbled through the air several times before restoring the chariot's balance.
Their brief opening clash had already been fraught with danger. Despite the pain Irisviel felt as vast amounts of magical energy were drawn from her, both she and Waver were deeply shaken by this battle beyond their comprehension. Even Kayneth's expression grew grave.
Standing atop a rooftop swept by howling winds, Roland watched the duel between the King of Conquerors and the Wielder of the Holy Sword.
"In close combat, the King of Conquerors is no match for Saber at all. Does changing Masters really make him this much stronger? Or is Proto Saber himself a little more special?"
Roland pondered as he watched, as though the action that eluded human eyes presented no obstacle to him whatsoever.
"It's probably the boost to his abilities from Irisviel. Saber is already the strongest class, so this isn't surprising with a suitable Master. Kayneth is excellent too, but apart from Servants like Achilles, Riders rely on their Noble Phantasms. They're not suited to straightforward close combat."
"Still, now that Saber knows how much power the wheel can put out, unless Rider charges at full strength or releases his Noble Phantasm, Saber will probably send his wheels flying if he releases that Sacred Sword. He's already prepared for it."
Although the fight remained evenly matched for now, Roland could already make out faint hints of how a battle at this level might unfold.
His own combat experience fell far short of these heroes', but as an observer, the experience left over from Thousand Wisdom still allowed him to discern possible developments.
Just as Roland was watching the battle unfold with a serious expression, Caster, who had been waiting quietly beside him, suddenly spoke.
"Master, your servant has arrived."
A shadow spread into a thin line behind Roland. A Shadowkhan knelt on one knee and bowed his head, bringing his master fresh intelligence.
"Let's go, Caster." Roland's eyes filled with a sharp, blood-red gleam as he began linking to the Shadowkhan's vision.
"The Shadowkhan have found Darnic. He hasn't shown himself since the Holy Grail War began. Let's go see just what he's prepared for this war."
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