There was no need for deception—the information between these two Servants had long been laid bare.
Artoria knew just how sharp and dangerous Diarmuid's twin spears were, and Diramuid, in turn, was well aware of the blinding radiance emanating from Artoria's holy sword.
Clang! Crash! Boom!
Noble phantasms clashed, their fantasy-forged edges carving arcs of light and sparks into the air. The two figures engaged fiercely, their every step cracking the earth beneath them, their every missed swing sending gales that uprooted trees.
The dance of spear and sword traced the path of a butterfly's wings—yet even so, leaves from a hundred meters away tore free from their branches, caught in a sudden whirlwind that sent them spiraling into the sky.
This was merely a battle between two "people," yet the corner of the island they fought on seemed to crumble as if weathered by millennia.
Such were Servants—
Ritsuka clenched her fists, watching as two legends clashed and tore at each other.
Even after witnessing countless similar spectacles on her journey, her heart still raced uncontrollably at the sight.
This was the manifestation of legends, the power of heroes—something far beyond the reach of ordinary humans like her.
As a Master, she felt powerless, yet she still strove to chase after their brilliance.
Even without the earth-shaking might of Servants, even without the glory of Heroic Spirits that had shone for millennia, there was still something—something only she could do.
"Saber, I'm counting on you!"
With that cry, emerald light burst forth from Ritsuka's body.
Mystic Code Ability: Rumble Party—activate!
[Rumble Party: Increases Quick card performance of all allies by 30%]
For Saber, whose agility was already formidable, this was an immense boost.
"Thank you, Master!" Wreathed in verdant light, Artoria darted like a swallow through the storm of spears, weaving and flipping until she seized an opening. With a sharp cry, her holy sword swept out, golden radiance piercing through the rain of steel.
"Take this, Lancer!"
It was a strike too swift to defend against—Diarmuid understood this instinctively. Yet just as his guard rose, it fell again. Instead of retreating, he lunged forward, his crimson spear, Gáe Dearg, thrusting out with unprecedented resolve.
Clang!
"What?!"
The full-force slash landed, but Ritsuka's gasp of shock came at the same moment. Saber twisted her body at the last possible instant, narrowly avoiding the spear's tip—only for Diarmuid's ruthless kick to slam into her abdomen, sending her flying.
"Fa—no, King of Knights, what are you doing?!" In the distance, Mordred nearly exploded with fury, wishing she could take Saber's place. In contrast, Tamamo-no-Mae and Kiyohime remained far calmer, exchanging a glance before both turning their gazes upward—toward the space above Diarmuid.
There, a rectangular barrier shimmered with iridescent light. It was neither a projection nor a displacement—merely the simplest form of defensive magecraft any magus could employ. Yet, amplified by Sakatsuki's magical energy, its defensive power reached terrifying heights, capable of even withstanding Saber's strikes.
This was the essence of being a Master. Ritsuka had empowered Saber to launch an offensive, and Sakatsuki, in turn, had seized the moment—coordinating with Diarmuid to counterattack.
Clearly, in this round of the battle between Masters, Sakatsuki had gained the upper hand.
"Cough, it's alright, Ritsuka, I can still fight!" Protected by her armor, Saber's injuries weren't severe. She quickly regained her stance, wiped the blood from her lips, and gripped her holy sword with both hands.
Comforted by Artoria's words, Ritsuka took a deep breath, her expression grave.
'Rumble Party' had already been used. As a novice magus, she only had two remaining Mystic Code skills at her disposal: the healing magecraft 'Sea House Shower' and the decisive reinforcement magecraft 'Deadly Trident'—unless the battle dragged on for over a dozen rounds, she would completely lose her ability to provide support.
But the question was—would the enemy give her any breathing room?
"Well done, my lord!"
On the other side, gaining the upper hand against the King of Knights filled Diarmuid with exhilaration. He swung his twin spears with cautious fervor, the long-lost thrill of battle coursing through his veins, nearly making the warrior of Fianna roar with excitement:
"Come, King of Knights, let us continue our duel!"
"Gladly!"
In response, Saber took the first step forward. With just a glance exchanged with her Master Ritsuka, as the King of Knights charged forward, the starlight of the world began gathering around her holy sword.
"This radiance is the hope of the stars, the proof of life that illuminates the earth—"
A Noble Phantasm...
Diarmuid halted his advance, admiration flashing in his eyes.
This was his greatest weakness—lacking a decisive Noble Phantasm meant he couldn't oppose Excalibur.
Diarmuid didn't consider this unfair. This too was a display of his enemy's strength. If he couldn't surpass it, it meant he wasn't worthy of claiming victory.
Moreover, he wasn't entirely without options.
"Master!"
"I've already begun preparations!" As a Master providing support, Sakatsuki naturally wouldn't use his three extraordinary magecrafts. Instead, he rapidly chanted an incantation exceeding five verses before snapping his fingers.
"Dust of Osiris!"
The supreme defensive magecraft granting invincibility, learned from an Atlas Institute rare tome in the Clock Tower's archives!
Golden light cascaded down, soon enveloping Diarmuid's entire body, making him appear as untouchable as a deity.
"My gratitude once more, my lord!" With this supreme protection upon him, Diarmuid abandoned all defense, channeling all his strength and mana into his twin spears. The two rose-emblazoned lances gradually became shrouded in a hazy outline as they gathered power, their piercing howls through the air signaling their readiness.
Opposite him, Ritsuka struck her chest lightly, applying the Mystic Code ability 'Deadly Trident' to Artoria, wrapping her Noble Phantasm with the absolute truth that could pierce through all defenses.
Finally, Artoria's charging completed. With her battle cry, endless starlight surged across the heavens:
"Let us decide this—Excalibur!!!"
"Raaaaaah!" Diarmuid responded with an unflinching roar, hurling both spears forward. Crimson and golden dragons roared into existence, spiraling against the torrent of light as they shot toward the unprotected Artoria.
In that instant, Excalibur struck Diarmuid, while the two demonic spears pierced Artoria's body one after another—
"Damn it, displacement magecraft!" Sakatsuki was the first to react, breaking his Master's prohibition as he summoned a diamond-shaped space to rescue the figure teetering within the light stream. Simultaneously, Ritsuka panted heavily, decisively activating her final spell without hesitation.
Healing Magecraft · Sea House Shower!
The anti-magic red spear clattered to the ground. The wound on Artoria's side rapidly healed, yet under the effects of 'Gáe Buidhe: Yellow Rose of Mortality,' she was forced to kneel on one knee, channeling all her magical energy to prevent blood from flowing from her leg wound—lest she bleed out and fall into critical condition.
Artoria could barely fight anymore, yet Ritsuka stopped Mash from stepping forward. With resolute determination, she moved ahead to stand before Artoria.
The Holy Grail system showed no reaction—meaning the opponent hadn't lost their combat capability.
But if their side was in such a state, what about Diarmuid, who had taken Excalibur's full force head-on?
As the dust settled, the azure sky remained unblemished. The young man still stood tall and straight, but beside him, another man knelt on the ground, battered and bruised.
"My apologies. This was my mistake," Sakatsuki murmured softly, maintaining his healing magecraft.
In response to his Master's remorse, Diarmuid offered a sincere smile.
"No, this is not your fault, my lord. I was simply outmatched, and Ritsuka happened to find a way to defeat us—"
Before he could finish, the extraordinarily valiant spearman collapsed to the ground, slipping into unconsciousness with a heart full of exhilaration and faint regret.
After confirming Diarmuid's Spirit Core remained intact, Sakatsuki turned to Ritsuka, golden eyes gleaming with approval.
"The Servant battle—you've won," he said.
Yet Ritsuka didn't relax at this.
"But you haven't lost yet."
"Ah, indeed." Under the disbelieving gazes of those present, white robes materialized, the red Origin mystic code fluttering sharply. The handsome young man's twin blades traced fluid arcs through the air.
Their edges pointed directly at Ritsuka.
"After all, the rules state that to win, you must defeat both Diarmuid as a Servant—and me as the Master!"
Somewhere, the heavy beat of war drums resounded, deep and resonant. Frozen in place, Ritsuka stiffened under the undisguised battle intent radiating from him.
Stripped of her role as a Master, Fujimaru Ritsuka was just an ordinary human—meaning the defeat of her Servant would spell her own loss.
But Sakatsuki was different. Even without a Servant, he possessed the three supreme magecrafts and combat prowess rivaling that of a Servant.
This was power forged in the Fourth Holy Grail War, tempered in the Second Singularity, and honed through the illusions of the Grand Assassin—a terrifying strength that bowed to none!
"Keep up the healing magecraft, Master," Artoria said, rising with her sword despite the blood seeping through her armor. "Lord Sakatsuki's strength far surpasses our expectations. Even I cannot guarantee victory against him, let alone..."
Let alone in her current wounded state.
Ritsuka understood Saber's unspoken words. She nodded silently, yet her eyes showed little hesitation as she stood beside Artoria, channeling the last of her dwindling magical energy.
Saint Quartz, QP, victory or defeat—all of it was cast to the winds by Ritsuka.
The person standing before her was the ultimate victor of the Holy Grail War, a Master whose qualities far surpassed her own, and an opponent whose strength could never be found in Chaldea's simulated trials.
After traversing numerous Singularities, just how much had she, Fujimaru Ritsuka, grown—this battle would be the perfect test!
Her second battle had now begun, and this time, the opponent she and Artoria would face was the young man who once raised his sky-piercing sword to cleave the colossal demon boar in two.
Master Sakatsuki, entering the fray!
Suddenly, she recalled the Captain's divine maneuver of using celestial magecraft to overturn Chaldea and even adding an extra health bar to the boiling ram—oh Captain, my Captain...
***
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