If the enemy were just an ordinary Servant, Sajyou Manaka wouldn't have had the slightest interest in them.
But from this Servant, she distinctly detected a very familiar aura.
...The White Dragon!
Why would the Lancer carry the aura of the White Dragon...?
Sajyou Manaka scrutinized Mordred carefully.
Though the latter was clad in silver-white armor, completely concealing herself, she still saw through Mordred's true nature.
A Servant with the "bloodline of the White Dragon," huh?
In that case, Lancer's true identity must be his child...?
To think she'd encounter both Artoria and his child in the same Holy Grail War... An amused smile couldn't help but surface on Sajyou Manaka's face.
"What're you staring at me for?" Mordred frowned, clearly irritated by the girl's undisguised gaze.
"Nothing much. I just find you... oddly familiar," The latter replied with a smile.
After all, she's Saber's child... If Saber could see her, he'd probably be happy, right?
And if her senses weren't mistaken, Saber's mentor, that Clock Tower Lord, seemed to be nearby as well...
It looked like this "bait" operation was quite successful... though it had also attracted some troublesome figures.
Sajyou Manaka's gaze inadvertently shifted to the towering, burly man in front of her.
"Waver, don't you have anything to say?"
Just then, the authoritative voice of Kayneth echoed through the street once more.
He was clearly hiding his true location, his voice seemingly ethereal, yet it still terrified Waver, leaving his face as pale as a sheet.
"It's over... I'm really done for this time... I never thought I'd run into my teacher here. If I'd known, I wouldn't have come to Fuyuki at all..."
Waver covered his face like an ostrich burying its head in the sand, utterly despairing.
The Clock Tower was a place that placed great emphasis on lineage and background, and Waver's family had only produced magi for three generations, earning him constant disdain from other families and instructors.
The reason he stole Kayneth's Holy Grail War relic was simply because he'd been criticized by Kayneth during a lecture.
Resentful of Kayneth's attitude, he desperately hoped to prove his worth by participating in the Holy Grail War and earning recognition.
But he never expected that this war would far exceed his understanding from the very beginning.
After witnessing the battle between Saber and Archer the previous night, Conqueror king had offered his evaluation: "Strong."
For this guy to give such an assessment... it was enough to imagine just how difficult it would be to emerge victorious in this Holy Grail War.
If Waver hadn't desperately held Iskandar back last night, the latter would likely have been drawn to the fight between Saber and Archer, sparking an epic battle even before the official start of the war.
Yet... even if he managed to restrain him last night, once the Holy Grail War officially began today, Waver could no longer control his Servant's actions.
And so, Conqueror King had forcibly dragged Waver to the heart of the battlefield tonight... only to be caught by his teacher.
At this moment, Waver felt like a mouse cornered by a cat, utterly terrified and helpless.
It was the same feeling as when you're playing on your phone or making noise in class, only to turn around and see your homeroom teacher peering at you through the window crack...
Undoubtedly, a horror story.
"Hahahaha! Are you scared, Master?"
At this moment, the Conqueror King, as if he had discovered something interesting, suddenly burst into laughter.
He patted Waver heavily on the shoulder and said, "Don't be afraid, Master, show the courage you had last night to stop me... You even dared to admonish me, so how could you be afraid of a guy who's been hiding in the shadows throughout the Holy Grail War?"
The Conqueror King made no effort to lower his voice, so his robust tone reached Kayneth's ears immediately.
To Iskandar, the one who summoned him was Waver, so it was only natural for him to protect his vassal.
However, these words sounded particularly garsh to Kayneth. Hiding in the shadows, he couldn't help but click his tongue silently upon hearing this, his gaze growing colder and the anger in his heart burning fiercely.
This time, he was participating in the Holy Grail War precisely because he had been rejected by his teacher and father-in-law, who even planned to cancel his engagement with his fiancée, Sola... At this moment, Kayneth was in an extremely sensitive state.
For someone as supremely arrogant as him, being compared to Waver...and this Rider even thinking he was inferior to Waver, was nothing short of a tremendous insult.
But for the sake of the bigger picture, Kayneth suppressed the urge to speak out.
The Conqueror King might seem rough and careless, but he had his subtle side.
If Kayneth continued speaking now, the other might detect his current hidden position.
Not everyone was as absurd as Saber's Master, wandering alone outside during the Holy Grail War.
Of course, based on her recent performance, she indeed had the capital to do so.
"Hey, were you just insulting my Master, Rider?" Although Kayneth was rational, he had clearly overlooked the temperament of the Servant he had summoned.
Mordred looked up at the Conqueror King standing under the cover of the night, her tone filled with hostility.
"As his Servant, I can't just pretend I didn't see that."
Perhaps it was the oppressive aura emanating from Mordred or something else, but Waver instinctively shrank back, while the Conqueror King sized up the girl in front of him for a moment, pondering, "Your aura seems quite impressive... Little girl, what's your name?"
Hearing this, even Waver, as an ally, couldn't help but retort, "Rider, who asks for someone's identity right upon meeting them?!"
In the Holy Grail War, the later a Servant's true identity was revealed, the more advantageous it was...
Because if the opponent's identity was unknown, certain unique Noble Phantasms could catch them off guard if no precautions were taken.
"It seems you have no intention of apologizing... If that's the case, let's settle this the orthodox way, according to the rules of the Holy Grail War."
Mordred ignored the Conqueror King's question entirely, slowly drawing a sword.
The moment she drew the sword, red-black blood surged from the blade, and blazing flames seemed to dispel the chill of the winter night.
—Clarent, the Radiant and Resplendent Royal Sword.
This was a sword once stored in King Arthur's armory, symbolizing the succession to the throne. In legend, it held value comparable to the Sword of Promised Victory (Caliburn).
Normally, it should have been a magnificent sword radiating silver light, but in Mordred's hands, it transformed into a demonic sword of calamity, filled with malevolent energy.
At the same time, her originally silver armor seemed to be covered in black scales, with an ominous aura faintly emanating from her feet.
Manaka Sajyou's eyes glimmered slightly as she whispered, "Dragon scales, huh?"
Although they seemed different from Saber's dragon scales, there was no doubt that this was one of the 'authorities' of the White Dragon.
Kayneth, hidden in the shadows, was equally surprised.
Even he was seeing Mordred take action in a true sense for the first time.
Possessing the blood of both the White Dragon and the Red Dragon, and with her helmet gifted by Morgan le Fay... As their child, summoning Mordred for this Holy Grail War was indeed the right choice.
Kayneth thought to himself.
After sizing up the Servant before him, the Conqueror King's eyes also carried a hint of gravity, but soon, a bold smile spread across his face.
"Lancer, I can roughly understand your thoughts."
His tone shifted as he continued,
"But right now, there are too many cowards hiding in the shadows, unwilling to show themselves.
Apart from Saber's side yesterday, the others are all too cautious, which is far too boring."
The Conqueror King tossed Waver onto the chariot behind him and said slowly, "If it's a duel, it's more interesting to hold it under the witness of all parties."
As he spoke, a weapon called the 'Sword of the Cypriot' quietly materialized in his hand, faintly shimmering with lightning.
"Rider... what are you planning to do?" Waver asked instinctively, his voice trembling unconsciously.
For some reason, he had a very bad feeling.
Since the Conqueror King brought him to this battlefield, the situation had completely spiraled out of his control.
Rather than saying that he was Rider's Master, it felt like Rider had been in charge from start to finish, and now it seemed he was planning something dangerous.
Sure enough, in the next moment, the Conqueror King's booming voice, laced with magical energy, resounded through the silent winter night.
"Cowards too afraid to show your faces, from this night onward, you will be despised by me, Iskandar, the Conqueror King."
"Heroes summoned by the Holy Grail, gather here now!!!"
After his voice rang out, it was initially like a single drop of water falling onto the surface, creating ripples.
But soon, those ripples multiplied, until finally, Masters and Servants from all sides felt the same presence.
Normally, on the first night of the Holy Grail War, it was a time for each side to probe the identities and trump cards of the others' Servants.
However, the Conqueror King unreservedly broadcast his magical energy across Fuyuki, essentially employing an open strategy.
His message was clear: I dare to reveal my identity and name, and I'm waiting for you here. If you want to keep hiding like cowards, go ahead.
Those who could become Servants were, in life, extraordinary figures with legendary feats.
To a Servant, this was nothing short of a provocation.
Sure enough, upon sensing this magical fluctuation, in the Tohsaka mansion, Gilgamesh's eyes glinted with a touch of coldness.
One Alvin was bad enough, but in just two days, he had been provoked repeatedly.
"Besides this King, there's actually someone else daring to call themselves a king, hmph..."
In the hall, sensing Gilgamesh's aura gradually fading into the distance, Tohsaka Tokiomi's expression shifted slightly as he said, "King—"
However, Gilgamesh completely ignored Tohsaka Tokiomi's admonition and turned to leave the Tohsaka mansion.
If it were any other Master, they might have already been furious enough to start cursing by now.
From the moment the Servant was summoned until now, barely two days had passed, and in those two days, his Servant had already acted on his own twice... The other party was simply doing whatever he pleased.
Only Tohsaka Tokiomi could still barely maintain a semblance of elegance at this moment... But even so, he couldn't help but rub his temples in frustration.
After all, Saber was still in his mansion... Wasn't this Hero King afraid that Saber might take the opportunity to attack him while he was gone?
Once a Master dies... a Servant cannot survive either.
"Tokiomi, plans often fail to keep up with changes... Your caution might only end up serving others in the future."
At this moment, Alvin stood up as well, smiling, "It's getting late... I might as well join in the fun."
If nothing unexpected happened, the commotion caused by the Conqueror King this time should draw out the Servants from all sides.
With the timeline having changed, which Masters and Servants would be in this Holy Grail War...?
Thinking of this, Alvin couldn't help but feel a bit of anticipation in his heart.
...
....
Clang.
In the streets, only two figures could be seen constantly clashing together.
Sword against sword, sparks of golden fire burst forth in their exchanges.
Compared to the Conqueror King, Mordred's speed was noticeably faster, but both seemed to be holding back, so no victor was determined quickly.
Manaka Sajyou stood to the side, watching the battle with great interest.
However, suddenly, as if sensing something, she looked up toward a nearby streetlamp, looking at the golden figure emerging.
"Hey, looks like this Holy Grail War isn't full of cowards after all."
The Conqueror King, who had just clashed with Mordred, which pushed each other back, looked up, immediately breaking into a hearty smile.
Gilgamesh stood atop the streetlamp, raising his proud head and casting a cold glance at the Conqueror King below, saying, "The only one in heaven and earth who can be called a king is this King alone."
"Rider, where does your courage to call yourself a king come from?"
The latter paused for a moment, then scratched his cheek as if somewhat troubled, "I didn't expect there'd be someone who hasn't heard of the Conqueror King's name... But alright, since you've said that, I can't ruin the excitement of tonight's gathering."
"Let me show you my true caliber."
The Conqueror King's fist slowly clenched, his tendons tightening, muscles bulging like steel as he raised his right hand high and let out a resounding roar.
At the same time, the surrounding magical energy seemed to undergo a subtle change.
Manaka Sajyou, who had been watching the spectacle from the sidelines, had a faint glint in her eyes, her fingertips instinctively twitching.
Gilgamesh remained silent, only watching coldly.
Mordred, who directly facing this surge of magical energy, felt her pupils slightly contract.
She could sense that the magical energy of the man before her had become overwhelmingly vast in that moment.
It seemed he was about to unleash some kind of Noble Phantasm...
Thinking about it, she took a deep breath, and the visor of her helmet quietly lowered, revealing a refined and striking face, with a proud and delighted smile.
"Alright, Rider... Since you're getting serious, I'll respond to your expectations—"
The sword in her hand suddenly erupted with even more astonishing magical energy, red lightning seemingly blooming across the blade.
Swoosh!
However, at that moment, a golden sword light flashed through the night, slicing through the sky, piercing the ground between Mordred and the Conqueror King in the next instant.
Atop the streetlamp, Gilgamesh's eyes narrowed, inadvertently glancing at the sword.
The Conqueror King, who was about to release his Noble Phantasm, paused his actions as a trace of surprise flickering in his eyes.
Mordred stared blankly at the golden holy sword blocking her path, momentarily lost in thought.
For some reason, the sword seemed vaguely familiar to her.
...As if she had seen it somewhere before.
Mordred fixed her gaze on the golden holy sword.
After a brief moment of scrutiny, she seemed to realize something and her body broke out in goosebumps, her eyes suddenly lighting up.
A young man cloaked in a black robe grasped the golden holy sword, slowly tightening his grip, then pulled the Sword of the Stars from the ground, smiling as he looked ahead.
"You guys seem to be having quite a bit of fun on your own... Couldn't you have waited for me, Conqueror King?"
.
.
.
.