Saber and Lancer had been battling for over an hour straight without stopping. It was a marvelous battle between the two that I could keep watching for an entire night without getting tired or bored.
They fought for over an hour without causing a single scratch on each other, until Lancer managed to pierce Saber's shoulder, passing through her armor with his Anti-Magic spear.
But even so…
How skilled must they be to fight for over an hour without causing a single scratch on each other?
This battle was completely insane.
Each attack generated a gust of wind filled with Magical Energy that destroyed the warehouse street at the docks in the harbor.
Some warehouses were destroyed by the wind from their attacks. Even lampposts and metal signs were sliced just by the wind generated by their strikes.
And the metal clashing against metal sounded like thunder. Each clash of sword and spear was an incredible and surreal sight for ordinary people.
The waves of pure Magical Energy that spread for hundreds of meters across the entire harbor with every impact of Lancer's spears and Saber's sword were also incredible and shocking. And that strange sensation of warmth from the Magical Energy was something I never expected to feel on my skin in this way.
Every movement was calculated and precise. There wasn't a single wasted attack in their battle.
And… a single mistake could cost one of them their life.
Was this the kind of fight between two Servants?
Although, if I were watching Saber and Lancer's battle with my real body, which is in the Reverse Side of the World, it would probably be a dull and boring battle.
My main body in the Reverse Side of the World can easily keep up with one-third the speed of light. That was the maximum numerical speed of one meter per second that Zeus displayed in the *Shuumatsu no Valkyrie* manga before stopping time.
In fact, even the lesser gods in the audience could keep up with that speed.
A High-Level or Supreme God like me is far beyond the lesser gods.
But in the end, Saber's battle was still a beautiful and thrilling fight that got me excited. Watching the entire first real confrontation of *Fate/Zero* in person was very different from watching it in an anime. The anime condensed the entire fight into less than twenty minutes, cutting out scenes of the other characters.
Saber's Mana Burst was magnificent too. Her power grew tremendously the moment she used Mana Burst.
Some of her Parameters exceeded normal numerical measurements and entered the realm of a higher numerical scale.
But…
It was really strange. When Saber used her Mana Burst, I momentarily felt a Vibration from Saber's body.
The Vibration I felt from Saber was, at the very least, strange. My Parameters increased by one Rank when Saber used her Mana Burst.
Although this Parameter increase was temporary. It was strange and nonsensical for my Parameters to increase so suddenly like that.
I'd like to think more calmly about this. But I don't have time. It's time to head to the location of Saber and Lancer's battle.
Later, I can think about this Parameter increase I got because of that Vibration I felt during Saber's Mana Burst.
---
"Master, I'm going. Wait for me here."
"Tohsaka's Servant still hasn't shown up, Bel."
"He'll show up soon, Master."
"I see. When Tohsaka's Servant shows up… kill him, I want him dead at all costs, Berserker."
"Okay, Master. I'll see you after the Servants' meeting is over."
Leaving Kariya hidden outside that barrier and the battlefield, I headed to the location of Saber and Lancer.
Rider is heading there now too, so I'd better hurry and walk with faster steps so I don't get delayed.
---
At the moment Saber and Lancer passed by each other, bright crimson blood flowers vibrated and bloomed briefly before disappearing in the blink of an eye.
Saber, who had rushed past, stopped. The two turned around at the same time.
Both were still standing, without losing their will to fight each other. The two Heroic Spirits were still intact.
Finally, the battle had a slight chance of diverging from the path of attacking each other. At that moment, Saber realized the situation and made a quick decision that prolonged the duel.
As a result, the short yellow spear that was ready to pierce Saber didn't land in her chest but in her left arm. At the same time, the golden sword Saber raised deviated just slightly from Lancer's vital points, its tip aimed at Lancer's left arm… it's curious how they were injured in the same place.
But were they really damaged to the same extent?
"You still won't let me win easily… that stubbornness of yours is quite something."
Lancer looked at Saber with a desolate smile, as if desperately trying not to pay attention to the wound on his elbow. As expected, like a rewound film, Lancer's wound healed without anyone touching it and left no trace. A Servant's self-healing wouldn't recover that quickly; it was his hidden and observant Master who used healing magic to cure him.
Unlike Lancer, even Saber's refined beauty couldn't hide her pain and anxiety.
Lancer's airborne spear and the sword firmly held by both of Saber's hands had a definitive imbalance in power. At least, from the outside, the wound caused by the short spear on Saber's forearm seemed quite light compared to Lancer's wound.
"…Irisviel, heal my wound too."
"I healed it! I healed it, but…"
Compared to Saber, who was injured, Irisviel's expression seemed even more confused.
Irisviel was undoubtedly a top-tier mage. The strength and intensity of her craft are evident. She is, in fact, an exception in the world of mages, possessing a body that was designed and manufactured.
It would be impossible for her to make mistakes when using basic magic like healing. Even if a mistake occurred by chance, Irisviel would know how to handle it on her own.
And yet…
"No, the healing worked. Saber, your current state is full health."
"…"
Saber didn't dare lower her guard while cautiously assessing Lancer and, at the same time, looking at the wound on her left arm. The wound didn't bleed much and was quite superficial, but the problem was that her tendons were severed. The most important finger on her hand, the thumb, couldn't move, so Saber couldn't exert enough strength to grip the sword's handle.
---
Saber knew there was nothing wrong with Irisviel's healing methods, but her arm wasn't healed. Her left thumb seemed to have been born crippled, remaining completely immobile.
Lancer didn't pay attention to Saber or resume his attack. Full of confidence, he crouched down and retrieved the short yellow spear that had fallen to the ground with his left hand.
"In the face of my Noble Phantasm Gáe Dearg • Crimson Rose of Exorcism, it's good that you realized your armor is useless."
Perhaps he thought that after showing the effects of his Noble Phantasm, there was no point in continuing with the disguise. Lancer spoke the true name of his Noble Phantasm without hesitation.
"But you were hasty in discarding your armor. Otherwise, you would have had a defense against Gáe Buidhe • Golden Rose of Mortality."
Lancer, with the long red spear in his right hand and the short yellow spear in his left, began to swing them exaggeratedly, as if spreading a pair of wings, exactly as he did when the battle began. It wasn't a gesture to seduce, but a unique fighting style mastered after arduous training.
"I understand now… It's a cursed spear; the wounds it causes will never heal. I should have noticed it earlier…"
A crimson spear that cuts through Magical Energy, a cursed golden spear, and a love spot below the left eye that attracts women.
It was easy to determine once all this was put together. Based on legends, the glorious name praised by Celtic hero legends was, in fact, remotely related to King Arthur. It was quite unbelievable that this hadn't occurred to Saber.
"The first warrior of the Knights of Fianna… Diarmuid of the Love Spot. I didn't know the Grail granted you the honor of participating in the war."
"That's the beauty of this Holy Grail War… But the honor is mine. One who crosses time and space to join the Throne of Heroes at your invitation wouldn't mistake your golden sword for any other."
The Servant participating in the Fourth Holy Grail War, Lancer… the Celtic Heroic Spirit, Diarmuid ua Duibhne.
Lancer, whose disguise was carelessly torn off, narrowed his eyes with a renewed sense, despite it.
"Competing with the renowned King of Knights to avenge your sword strike… Hmph, I wouldn't give up that opportunity either."
As Heroic Spirits separated by time, they had no historical ties. Through the legends of the past era that invited them, they managed to learn about the heroes who came after them. Diarmuid also knew the legend of King Arthur, who brought fame to his homeland after his time.
"So, since we know each other's names, I challenge you as a knight to determine the winner of this mundane battle, though I've already wounded your arm. Do you feel this is unfair, Saber?"
"Don't mock me. It would be a shame for me if you worried about such a minor wound."
Saber declared resolutely, while at the same time clenching her teeth with hatred deep in her heart.
'Just one strike isn't a big deal…'
Saber gathered her Magical Energy once more to envelop herself in silver armor. Although it was a waste of Magical Energy in the face of Lancer's Gáe Dearg, it could still block the critical strike of Gáe Buidhe. Saber compressed the surrounding air and once again sealed her golden sword within Invisible Air • Boundary of the Wind King.
---
Her wound cannot be healed. Most likely, the curse of the golden spear won't be lifted until the spear itself is destroyed or its owner, Diarmuid, falls.
Saber must break Lancer's twin spears with her remaining right hand. With the help of bursts of Magical Energy, wielding the sword alone wouldn't be too painful. But the strength that could only be delivered with both hands was sealed, and she cannot use her ultimate attack, Excalibur • Sword of Promised Victory.
However, at this moment, far from shrinking back, Saber's fighting spirit soared.
It was a meticulous plan to use one of his two Noble Phantasms first and cunningly lure the enemy into carelessness. Saber wasn't angry at the trick; instead, she wanted to eagerly applaud Lancer's scheme.
'This enemy is perfect.'
She found a perfect enemy in the first battle of the Holy Grail War. As a warrior who lived by the sword, it was inevitable that her fighting spirit would soar to the heavens when facing a fabulous opponent. At the same time, Diarmuid ua Duibhne, the one opposing Saber, was also pushing himself to face her not just with tricks but by expending all his wits in this final battle.
Lancer would have sensed Saber's vigor without words.
A satisfied smile appeared on Lancer's lips. His heart felt exactly the same as Saber's. Lancer respected Saber for sacrificing her left arm to block the surprise attack of his Gáe Buidhe, which was unleashed to kill. It added an extra shine to the joy Lancer associated with the value of winning this battle.
As knights, the two Heroic Spirits even echoed each other's desire to fight in their souls.
"Prepare yourself, Saber. This time, I will win."
"Only if I don't win first, Lancer."
The two exchanged bold taunts while planning their next fatal attack, slowly and cautiously approaching each other.
The holy sword and the demonic spear were on the verge of an explosive situation.
The air, cold, clear, and full of tension… at that moment, was suddenly split by a thunderous uproar.
"…!?"
Saber and Lancer froze in awe, simultaneously turning to look at the southeast sky. The source of the sound was clear for all eyes to see.
A flying object traced a straight line in the sky and was heading directly toward their location, casting purple lightning sparks in its path. The sound was undoubtedly created by it.
Irisviel, stunned, said in shock:
"…A chariot…?"
By its appearance, it was an ancient chariot with two prows. Warhorses weren't harnessed to the shaft, but splendid bulls with muscles rippling like waves. Their hooves parted the empty space, pulling the luxurious and splendid chariot forward.
No, the chariot wasn't just floating in the air. Its wheels resounded loudly, not on solid ground, but on lightning that the bulls trod upon.
Each time the bulls' hooves and the chariot stepped on the empty sky, purple lightning spread like a web, rolling the air upward with deafening roars. The Magical Energy gushing from the lightning was probably something Lancer and Saber could only release if they used every ounce of their strength.
Only a Servant's Noble Phantasm could be so bizarre and emit such a vast amount of Magical Energy. Without a doubt, a third Servant decided to interrupt the duel between Saber and Lancer and was thus revealing themselves.
---
"…"
Saber and Lancer tensed and stared silently at the suddenly arriving chariot. Irisviel's alarm was obvious, and Lancer's invisible Master should have felt a shiver of fear as well.
To be enveloped by such an immense aura of lightning and thunder, the Heroic Spirit is likely some kind of thunder god. And if it were a thunder god associated with bulls, the first to come to mind would be the supreme god of Mount Olympus. Although this chariot cannot be called a Heroic Spirit in itself, even as an accessory of a Heroic Spirit, it was highly threatening.
The lightning-treading chariot circled menacingly above Lancer and Saber, then slowed and landed on the ground.
It positioned itself exactly between the two Heroic Spirits, blocking both the sword and the spear. The dazzling light that ceased when the chariot landed revealed the figure of a muscular man standing imposingly at the helm of the chariot.
"You two, lower your weapons. A king has arrived!"
That casual shout was almost as loud as the thunder emitted when he rode through the air. The blazing brilliance almost had the power to reflect back the blade of the sword and the tip of the spear facing each other.
Lancer and Saber are renowned Heroic Spirits; a shout or two won't scare them. However, this new Heroic Spirit didn't want to attack them, only joined because he wanted to intervene in the duel. The two began to hesitate because they didn't understand the reason for his action.
The imposing owner of the chariot first dampened the vigor of Lancer and Saber and then continued to speak in a stern tone.
"My name is Alexander, the King of Conquerors. I am participating in this Holy Grail War and have been granted the Rider class."
It was then that everyone was truly shocked. In the Holy Grail War, no Servant would want to declare their identity, as it could be a key component of their battle plans. Meanwhile, the most agitated person around was Waver, who was sitting next to Rider.
"What? … What the hell do you think you're doing, you stupid, idioooooot?"
With his fear of Rider's imposing size already forgotten, Waver shouted at Rider while grabbing the King of Conquerors' cloak.
*Bish*. The merciless tap of a finger echoed in the night, and the voice of protest died. Only the middle finger of Rider's right hand paid attention to it, and Rider asked, looking at Lancer and Saber on either side of him.
"You're killing each other to obtain the Grail… I want to ask you something before you get involved. I don't know what expectations you have for the Grail. But now, consider for a moment whether your desires are even greater than the desire to possess all the earth and sky."
Although Saber still hadn't understood what he meant, her instincts told her these words were full of danger. Her pupils widened unconsciously.
"You… what do you mean?"
"Hm? I was quite clear."
By this point, Rider had maintained his dignity, but his voice was much gentler and friendlier.
"I descended to the battlefield, so do you have any intention of handing the Holy Grail over to me? If you give up your claims to the Grail, I would consider you friends and share with you the joy of conquering the world."
"…"
It was such a random suggestion. Saber was stunned before she even had a chance to feel angry. On the opposite side, Lancer was also stunned and speechless upon hearing Rider.
---
Alexander, the King of Conquerors. He is indeed an extraordinary Heroic Spirit. There was no one like him in the history of humanity, so eager to manifest his ambition to conquer the world.
But even so, what about Rider's suggestion? Suddenly jumping in, proudly declaring his true name, demanding that others respect him before he had shown his worth in battle. All these actions made it seem like he had no desire to join the Holy Grail War.
It was the first time anyone had seen something like this. It was hard to say whether this was a wise decision or a foolish attitude.
"I admire your boldness in declaring your identity at that moment, but… I find it hard to agree with your proposals."
Lancer shook his head with a bitter smile, but there was no laughter in his eyes. A gaze as intimidating as a sharp sword clashed head-on with the disdainful look of the King of Conquerors, sparks flying.
"I will raise the Grail; that's the oath I made with the only new king of this era. The one who will have the Grail in their hands won't be you, Rider."
"…You interrupted my duel with Lancer just to declare all this nonsense?"
Saber asked, immediately following Lancer's words. Her expression was different from that of the handsome Lancer; there was no trace of a smile. Rider's suggestion was extremely irritating to someone as serious as her.
"Your joke went too far, King of Conquerors. This is an unbearable humiliation for a knight."
Lancer and Saber cast hostile glares at Rider. Rider murmured as if troubled, unconsciously massaging his temples with his knuckles at the same time. Although Rider seemed to be without plans, his majestic pose didn't change in the slightest. Thus, Rider is indeed someone quite rare.
"…Are you offering me conditions?"
"Enough!"
Feeling that Rider might make some attempts at flattery, Lancer and Saber rejected him simultaneously. Saber continued with disappointment written on her face.
"Besides, I am also the lord who rules the kingdom of Britain. No matter what kind of king someone is, they could never bow before another lord."
"Oh? The King of Britain?"
Rider showed interest in Saber's statements and raised his eyebrows.
"How surprising. The renowned King of Knights is actually a young girl."
"…And would you like to test the blade of that young girl, King of Conquerors?"
Saber raised her sword while lowering her voice. Her left hand was still powerless to grip the sword, her four fingers merely resting on the handle. The fighting spirit that surged, wavering in the blade, however, was more solemn and majestic than when she fought Lancer. Rider furrowed his brows and let out a long sigh.
"A collapse in my negotiations, isn't it? What a waste, that's a shame."
As Rider looked down and muttered to himself, he met the hate-filled gaze surging at his feet.
"Ri… der…"
He felt the pain from his swollen forehead, but his regrets were more tragic than that pain. Waver's deep cries pierced the air.
"Noooo, what? Talking endlessly about conquest, and people still don't like you… do you really think you can beat Saber and Lancer?"
---
The burly Servant faced his master's questions without any sign of remorse but began to laugh heartily.
"Er, well, isn't there a saying that actions speak louder than words?"
"And your action is just shouting your true name out loud like that!?"
Waver was so angry that his head started to feel dizzy. Using his two weak fists, he kept hammering Rider's chest, who stood there, and began to cry. Looking at this sad situation, Irisviel felt neither contempt nor sympathy. She simply felt she couldn't take it anymore.
The atmosphere that subtly relaxed…
"Ah? It's you, of all people."
…Suddenly grew tense again with the low, resentful voice crawling along the ground.
It was the still-hidden Master of Lancer. Since he ordered his Servant to use his Noble Phantasm, he had been very quiet.
Now he was interfering to question Waver's purpose in coming here.
It was a completely different tone from the one used before, something that exposed a heart drunk with hatred.
"And here I was, wondering why you stole my Sacred Relic, in your indignation… I didn't think you'd actually have the courage to join the Heaven's Feel on your own, Waver Velvet."
Waver heard someone calling his name with malice and knew he was the target of that hatred. Moreover, Waver could probably guess the owner of that voice.
"Ah… ah…"
How could he not have foreseen this? With his position so high as a lecturer at the Clock Tower, Sacred Relics for other Heroic Spirits could still be prepared even if Alexander's cloak was stolen. Therefore, in the land of Fuyuki, it's not surprising to have this man before Waver as his enemy.
"What a pity. Truly a pity. I really wanted my poor, beloved student to be happy. Waver, someone as mediocre as you only deserves to have the calm and stable life of commoners."
Waver was stunned with delusions, unable to determine where the voice came from. He no longer knew how many times he had experienced that nauseating feeling in his stomach. Lecturer Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald. The sensation of those crystal-blue eyes containing a mix of humiliation and pity, looking at Waver from the lecturer's mean and slender face somewhere above the boy's head… Waver felt it intensely once again.
Waver wanted to throw back some clever remarks at the lecturer. Before even his own professor could, Waver skillfully turned the Heroic Spirit Alexander into a Servant who obeys him.
Wasn't that the best revenge for the humiliation he suffered at the Clock Tower for so long?
'Yes. It's no longer a student-teacher relationship. He is now my enemy in the truest sense of the word. I can hate him as much as I want, even to the point of taking his life. Now, he is undoubtedly my true opponent.'
During the few years Waver spent at the Clock Tower, he always hated that arrogant lecturer in every waking and sleeping moment, even considering killing him a few times, yet it was the first time he encountered such enmity from his side. The young Waver experienced for the first time the gaze of a true mage filled with a desire to kill.
However, the reverse is also true.
The owner of the voice saw the petrified fear on Waver's face with his sharp vision. With a tone of icy mockery that made Waver's hair stand on end, he continued to speak as if toying with Waver.
---
"Well, I can't help it, Waver-kun. Let me give you some extra tutorials. The true meaning of slaughter among mages, I'll pass on the terror and pain of death to you without any reservation. You should be proud."
In fact, Waver was already trembling with fear, not even paying attention to the humiliation caused by those words.
To become a true mage, one must be prepared to be killed. A theory that was generally understood through books was deeply felt by Waver. The gaze that the man cast from who-knows-where was even more lethal. The moment a mage wants to kill is the moment the death sentence is pronounced. Waver didn't know this until now.
Then, something enveloped the slender and lonely shoulders of the trembling boy in a gentle and powerful embrace.
Waver was confused by the rough but gentle touch. The robust Servant's hand, with rough and calloused fingers, could only induce dread in the small Master.
"Hey, mage. If I understood correctly, you should be my Master instead of this kid, apparently."
Rider called out to the invisible Master of Lancer. In fact, his face was covered and contorted with a huge smile of malicious pity.
"That thought is more than ridiculous. The man who deserves to be my Master should be a warrior who rides with me into the battlefield, not a coward who doesn't even dare show his face."
Silence fell. Only the anger of the invisible Master could be felt spreading through the night air. Rider suddenly laughed at the empty sky, a booming laugh that exhausted the air from his lungs.
"Come out! There must be others. Friends hiding in the darkness and spying on us!"
Saber and Lancer were shocked.
"…What are you doing, Rider?"
Facing Saber's questioning, the King of Conquerors gave a thumbs-up accompanied by a sincere smile.
"Saber and Lancer, your frontal battle is excellent and refined. The clear sound made by the clash of sword and spear might attract more than one Heroic Spirit, don't you agree?"
Irisviel was trembling at the thought that Kiritsugu might have been discovered in his unknown hiding place, but Rider only had other Servants in mind. Rider wanted to spread the deafening sound to every corner of the surroundings and shouted once more.
"What a pity. Truly a pity! The heroes of power have gathered in Fuyuki! Seeing the prowess demonstrated here by Saber and Lancer, doesn't it invoke any feelings in you? Having a name worthy of praise but hiding and spying in secret, what cowardice. Even Heroic Spirits would be disturbed to hear this, huh?"
After another burst of laughter, Rider tilted his head with a fearless expression at the corner of his mouth and finished with a defiant look.
"Heroic Spirits invited by the Holy Grail, gather here at this moment! For those cowards who fear showing their faces, spare yourselves the humiliation that Alexander, King of Conquerors, would cause you. Prepare yourselves!"
Rider's enthusiastic speech even reached Emiya Kiritsugu, who was hidden in the distant container port conducting his observation. It was also heard by Maiya, opposite Kiritsugu's position.
The minds of the ancient heroes were so distant from Kiritsugu's that he couldn't even sigh in response.
"…That idiot managed to conquer the world?"
"…"
In front of the intercom, Maiya also seemed unable to understand the situation.
Like Kiritsugu and Maiya, the secret observer Kirei also saw all of Rider's actions and heard his nonsensical words through the eyes and ears of Assassin. At the moment, Kirei was in the distant Fuyuki church, and Kirei relayed everything he saw and heard to Tohsaka Tokiomi through the jewel communicator beside him.
"…This is bad."
From the distant Tohsaka residence, an exasperated phrase was heard.
Although Kirei knew the speaker couldn't see him, he furrowed his brows and nodded.
"Indeed it is."
Tokiomi and Kirei didn't dismiss Rider's foolish talk as Emiya Kiritsugu did. The reason was that both thought of a particular Heroic Spirit who would never ignore something like Rider's challenging words.
At the same time, Berserker, who was already inside the barrier, also heard Rider.
"Why do I feel so irritated? Is this some kind of Skill I don't know about from Alexander?"
Berserker truly didn't understand why he felt so provoked by the King of Conquerors' words.
Berserker shook his head, sighing.
Without thinking further, Berserker bent his knees and leaped hundreds of meters toward where Rider, Saber, and Lancer were.
The King of Conquerors' words were indeed not ordinary. For his words to have propagated loudly over half a kilometer from the center, they obviously carried Magical Energy to travel such long distances normally.
The A-Rank Charisma that was very close to a curse of the King of Conquerors also had its effects.