16. Saber Vs Lancer (2)

At the same time, Saber was experiencing a similar wonder.

Slaughter at war was truly a piece of cake for her. As a knight that braved her life through countless battles, she fought with her enemies as smoothly as she would yield a knife and a fork.

In her comprehension a 'spear' should be a weapon that is wielded with both hands. It is common knowledge.

So she thought that for Lancer, using two spears is just a means to confuse the enemy.

As the Heroic Spirit of the Lance, the spear in his hands should be his Noble Phantasm. Whereas, revealing the true name of the Noble Phantasm in the Heaven's Feel equates to exposing one's true identity.

Therefore, the amulets bound onto Lancer's spears must be for the purpose of concealing the spear's real name. Looks like his Master and him were very prudent on the matter of hiding identities.

If that was the case, it would not be hard to explain why he was using two spears.

Because Saber does not know which spear is the true Noble Phantasm, she had to fend off the attacks made by both of them.

Even so, the long spear on the right, the short spear on the left — one of them must be Lancer's 'true weapon.'

Between one's habitual weapon and the weapon used to dazzle the enemy, 'feint' and 'solid' moves can be distinguished. So Saber paid close attention to each of his attacks. She believed that if she can recognise the true lance, her chances of winning would be improved immensely.

Yet —

Her own attack was deflected for the third time. Saber had to step back to wait for a better opportunity.

"What's wrong, Saber? Your attacks are not really working."

"…"

She could not argue back to Lancer's taunts. After about thirty exchanges, she still had not managed to hit her opponent even once.

Lancer swung the lance in his right hand and approached her in a straight run. The swinging shaft covered a wide area, its strength and speed equal to what would be achieved with both hands. No, precisely because it was used with one hand, there were many moves not capable when a spear is used conventionally with two hands. The lance was thrust towards Saber from an unexpected angle.

Nevertheless a lance has its own limitations. Because of its extended length, a gap would inevitably show up between two attacks. During that time, the shorter spear from the left can follow in and continue to hassle Saber.

Saber's attack just then was broken by the short spear's immaculate defence.

Simultaneously using two lances, yet making no feint moves. This Heroic Spirit, Lancer, merged the lances in his left and right hands in a seamless choreography. Just what kind of devotion and practice was needed to obtain such a strong fighting style?

… This man is good!

Lancer was as good as exhausted from fending off Saber's attacks since they first engaged. Despite his taunts he was also powerless to change the situation.

For Lancer, who is capable of using his lance with just one hand, dual-wielding two spears, long and short, at the same time would enable him to attack both long-range and close-range. Taking account of the supremacy in weaponry, he should not have been forced into his current predicament by Saber and her single sword.

However —

How did the sword…

Lancer complained silently in his heart. It was not only the observing Irisviel that could not see the movement of the high-speed sword. Even Lancer, a Servant himself, could not discern the trajectory of the sword in Saber's hands.

Lancer had no way of knowing. This too is one of Heroic Spirit Artoria's Noble Phantasms, the threat of Invisible Air • Barrier of the Wind King.

The air surrounding the sword was compacted together with immense amounts of prana, creating impossible refractions of light, rendering the sword invisible. Although it is not too much a support for the Noble Phantasm, its result was however very obvious in melee combat.

Saber's opponent is attacked with an invisible sword, and the countering attack is similarly blocked by an invisible sword. Lancer's worry was understandable. Even though he could decipher Saber's attacks by her movement, he could not make surprise attacks on her due to the inability to see the length of her blade.

Therefore Lancer can only approximate things and keep himself outside of Saber's range. Also, only then can his magnificent continuous attacks be used to their full extent. Despite him being able to block all of Saber's attacks, he had yet to find an opportunity to deal her a lethal blow.

This woman, is quite good…!

"'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 dropped the short spear in his left hand at his feet.

"Then... Is it that long spear!?"

In front of Saber, Lancer peeled 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 shouts its true name, her sacred sword would 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 • 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 spear 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 took three steps away from Lancer's spear. Lancer calmly resumed 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."