Fate/Zero:Act 3 Part 5
154:03:11
The confrontation between Saber and Lancer was still more like a competition.
Rather, as each was measuring the other's power thoroughly in a preliminary test, it had started to look like a display of strength.
Of course, even for a test, it's Servants we are talking about. The avenue was a miserable wreck from the scars carved in as a result. Two storehouses had already collapsed, and a hundred square meters of asphalt were torn up. Turned into a battlefield, it was almost as if an earthquake has just came and gone.
In the middle of that disaster, still without a single scratch, Saber and Lancer are glaring at each other, preparing their next move. Neither show any sign of exhaustion.
"There's no honor in battling unnanounced, but—"
Lancer starts speaking with Saber, a killing intent flowing into the tip of both of his spears, only his gaze keeping its freshness.
"Anyhow, I give you credit. Coming so far without a sweat, you're one heck of a woman."
"That's unnecessary modesty, Lancer."
Holding her invisible sword, Saber put a smile on her lips once more.
"Although I do not know your name, your spear play and your compliments... You honor me. I am thankful of that."
Neither knew the other's history, with no connection, from a different country, but the heart of the two of them surely was connected.
Both had pride in their trained skills and strength, and meeting an equal opponent, they freely pay respect to each other— They both have the pride of a warrior hidden in their heart, the two Heroic Spirits understand that much.
But—
"'Enough of this playtime, Lancer.'"
Both Saber and Irisviel are surprised by the cold voice resounding out of nowhere.
"Lancer's... Master!?"
Stiffening, Irisviel took a look around her, but there was no human form to be seen. With the unnatural echo of the voice, she couldn't make out whether it was a man's or a woman's, or where it came from. Perhaps there was a camouflage like an illusion. The enemy doesn't seem to be close to showing up in front of Irisviel anytime.
"'Don't drag the fight any more. This Saber is a formidable enemy. Make it quick. —You may unveil your Noble Phantasm.'"
Saber's face stiffens at the words of the unseen magus.
Noble Phantasm— He is urging his Servant to bare his fangs seriously.
"Understood, my master."
Contrary to what he had showed of his character up to now, Lancer dropped his voice quietly, and changed his weapons grip.
Without hesitation, he drops the short spear in his left hand at his feet.
'Then... Is it that long spear!?'
In front of Saber, Lancer peels off the amulet tightly bound around the long spear in his right hand.
It was a deep crimson spear. Totally different from before, prana starts rising from the tip of the spear like an ominous mirage.
"—That's about it. From here on, I'm out to do you in."
Lancer muttered with a low voice, changing his stance to hold with both hands his lethal weapon finally exposed.
Saber as well lowered her sword, measuring the distance between her and Lancer with greater caution.
Exposing one's Noble Phantasm can have two different kinds of effects.
One type is the demonstration of the large power of one's deadliest move as they announce its true name. Take Saber's ultimate secret move. She has "Excalibur • the Sword of Promised Victory" currently protected behind a bounded field of invisibility, but if she throws away the camouflage and shouting its true name, her sacred sword with shoot a stream of light that can mow down a thousand soldiers. As it truly is an anti-fortress Noble Phantasm that can turn the ground into scorched earth, it cannot be used just like that but as a last step.
Along with that, there can also be how the weapon already carries the nature of a Noble Phantasm. In Saber's case, her "Invisible Air • the Barrier of the Wind King" is an example. That alone doesn't have the capacity to annihilate the enemy, it is more a Noble Phantasm suitable in battle as a "sharp tool". It isn't particularly used for strength, but to put it differently, it is easier to use, and a trump card that can bring victory if used well.
And so, Lancer's red spear is—
Probably, the latter. So said Saber's intuition. Lancer will keep exchanging continuous blows with Saber. She doesn't suspect the next strike to be decisive for the fight.
"..."
The two closed the distance by sliding their feet, silently but with the tension doubling.
—Lancer made the first move.
Compared to the acrobatic freedom of his spear up to now, this was a much simpler stab in a straight line. A stabbing thrust that was guessing the length of Saber's blade hidden under Invisible Air, or rather, renouncing to watch out for it.
As a natural reaction, Saber repelled Lancer's pear with the arm that held the sword, ignoring the pain. Really, that was neither too serious nor sharp, just a common strike. But...
The disaster came like a squall.
Between the entangled spear and sword, an abrupt, unexpected gale rolled in and blew around.
"Wha!?"
Letting out a shocked voice, Saber takes three steps away from Lancer's spear. Lancer calmly resume his stance without chasing her. Watching over the scene, Irisviel can't understand just what is happening.
The gust of wind just now lasted only an instant, but it wasn't particularly gushing out prana. The origin of that wind was an enigma, but that definitely wasn't a threat from Lancer.
Nevertheless, Saber was the only one who was shocked. Lancer is smiling boldly at her astonishment.
"I exposed it. Your precious sword."
"..."
Silent, Saber doesn't comprehend Lancer's victorious mutter. They both understand the reason behind this mysterious phenomenon.
The wind had come from Saber's sword. ... More specifically, that was Invisible Air's doing.
The bounded field of condensed pressure that could refract light had leaked out in just an instant. The instant it had clashed with Lancer's spear— the prana controlling the wind around the sword had become loose.
And at that moment, Lancer had caught a glimpse of the shape of the "true sword" inside the torn bounded field. Lancer's murmur from before was the proof that it was definitely his spear that had exposed Invisible Air.
"I got the length of your blade. You won't get me with that invisible interval again."
Whether it was exaggeration or not, Lancer started flinging thrusts.
Just as he had said, the spear strikes suddenly gained in vigor, the attacks more severe and not vain anymore. Having certified the distance Saber's blade could go, he made no mistake in his aiming. Letting just one thrust pass meant a fatal wound— understanding that much, Saber kept moving her body and parried every single spear strike with her blade.
Flickering, there showed the afterimage of the shape of her golden sword.
'Kh...'
There was still pressure coming out of Invisible Air, but it was a continuous, random gale violently blowing Saber's blond hair in waves. There is no doubt left. Lancer's red spear is draining Invisible Air. Each time it comes with the tip of the spear, the golden blade is showing like a stroboscope.
'But... With that spear...'
There's still a way— Saber encouraged herself. Using a spear with both hands, that is a style Saber can deal with.
In the middle of the uninterrupted series of strikes, Saber looks for just one attack with a weak aiming. With just that, she can twist her body instead of parrying and rely on the hardness of her armor. A well-placed counter in a near-death situation can be a perfect opportunity.
In a swift movement, Saber struck at Lancer's shoulder. She ignored the tip of the red spear grazing her flank. It should be superficial on her armor, and meanwhile, she will be splitting her enemy from the shoulder—
Saber foresaw the pain, her intuition saving her from a lost cause.
Her sword droppin in mid-air, Saber turned over and threw herself on the side. It was hard to say if it had been a close call. Lancer's howling spear definitely seemed to have spilled blood.
There's no need to say whose blood it is.
Rolling on the ground, Saber escaped from Lancer pursuing her, and stood up immediately to keep track of her opponent. Her eyes betrayed her pain.
"Saber!"
Seeing that something had happened, Irisviel started sending out prana to heal Saber's flank.
"—Thank you, Irisviel, I'm fine, the healing is working."
Even saying so, Saber is still holding her side, as if there were still traces of pain left.
"It does seem like victory will not be gained that easily..."
Muttering, Lancer didn't seem too discouraged, and rather spoke with an amused voice.
Visibly, this man greatly enjoyed competing against a formidable enemy.
Grinding her teeth, Saber calmly assembled the puzzle in her mind, and the series of hardly believable circumstances pieced themselves together.
Her armor should have blocked Lancer's spear. Nevertheless, the tip of the spear had Saber's blood on it.
And— right now, Saber's armor is the same as ever, without a scratch. To make a practical guess, just with the spear coming in contact, the blade passed through the armor as if it had vanished.
Saber cannot dematerialize, but she can materialize her battle outfit and then cancel it. In other words, Saber's armor is knit out of prana, and that it is not material in the present reality like the clothes Irisviel bought.
Furthermore, it was incomprehensible that Invisible Air could be cracked... The contact with Lancer's spear had created a fissure in the bounded field that generated the wind.
"... I see. I figured out the mystery of your spear, Lancer."
Saber murmured with a low voice. She reflected once more upon the toughness of her formidable enemy.
That red spear can cut of prana.
Nevertheless, it's not so powerful that it could break or cancel the source of the magecraft. Saber's armor is still fine, and Invisible Air is still functionning correctly. The spear is effective only the instant it hits the blade.
Apparently, at that instant, it cuts off the flow of prana, and renders it powerless.
Indeed it is not a Noble Phantasm one could be proud of the destructive power, but it has an ability that can be quite a threat. It is not an exaggeration to say the quality of a Servant's weapon is determined on the prana or the magical abilities it carries. But in the hands of this Lancer, it can be predominant against a Servant who finds pride in the power of his armament.
"You'll have to give up on the protection of your armor, Saber. In front of my spear, you're as good as naked."
Saber snorted at Lancer's bantering words.
"It's a bother to see you triumph over just peeling off my armor."
Recognizing the threat of Lancer's spear, Saber had still no fear in her heart. The situation still hasn't been decided.
That moment, the silver armor covering Saber's entire body scattered in every directions in a splash.
Irisviel gulped in surprise. Lancer observed.
The chest protection, the gauntlets, the long tassets shaped like a skirt that protected the legs, nothing was left. Saber had removed her armor by herself. The fragments of the armor scattering in a metallic dust immediately disappeared like a mist as Saber had cut off her prana.
"If I cannot defend against your spear, I only have to strike instead. Prepare yourself, Lancer."
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