Chapter 29: Spear and Sword (4)

Lancer was the first to make a move.

Compared to the flashy and ever-changing techniques he had used before, this straight strike felt sluggish. It seemed as if he had no anticipation of Saber's next move or even any intention to defend against her counterattack.

Saber naturally blocked the thrust of the spear with her sword, lightly and skillfully.

But this seemingly harmless strike...

An anomaly occurred.

From the point of contact between the spear and the sword, a whirlwind suddenly emerged without any warning.

At the center of the whirlwind, a faint golden light is shimmered.

"Ah?!"

Saber exclaimed in surprise and took three steps back.

However, Lancer remained calm and composed, showing no intention of pursuing her.

"The sword you concealed has been exposed," Lancer gloated in a whisper, while Saber remained silent.

Among the parties involved, only Scáthach and Shinji understood what had happened at that instant. Scáthach relied on her keen eyesight and wisdom, while Shinji relied on his knowledge as a time traveler about the plot and settings.

The wind was emitted from Saber's sword, or more precisely, from one of her Noble Phantasms called "Invisible Air."

Noble Phantasms generally have two types of effects: one is to unleash a deadly power while shouting their true name, and the other is to utilize the inherent attributes of the weapon itself as a Noble Phantasm.

Saber's "Invisible Air" belongs to the latter category, and Lancer's long spear falls into the same category.

When Saber's sword clashed with Lancer's spear, compressed air within the Invisible Air, which was distorted to refract light, was released. Lancer caught a glimpse of the exposed edge of the true sword within the damaged Invisible Air. His previous words were evidence that his spear had torn through the Invisible Air.

"I have seen through the blade of your sword. I won't be deceived by you again!" Lancer roared as he charged forward.

Indeed, as he said, each subsequent strike was a deadly attack devoid of any unnecessary movements, each calculated with precision. Saber could only do her best to block each attack with her sword.

In an instant, the image of a golden sword flashed in the air.

The continually leaking air pressure gathered into a powerful hurricane, forcefully blowing Saber's golden hair away. There was no doubt that it was a red spear that nullified the Invisible Air. In the ongoing battle, the once-invisible Noble Phantasm was almost completely exposed.

However, the techniques employed by a single spear were not as difficult to deal with as the dual-wielding style. Although Lancer was a skilled spearman, the techniques he used with the long spear were ordinary techniques that Saber had seen before, making it relatively easy for her to parry and counter.

During the battle, Saber keenly detected a flaw in Lancer's movements. The next strike was aimed at Saber's abdomen, but she was clad in sturdy armor. This spear strike would not be blocked, but by relying on the hardness of her armor, she could withstand his attack.

This was a perfect opportunity for a counterattack.

Without hesitation, Saber swiftly changed her grip on the sword and thrust it towards Lancer's shoulder, disregarding the spear tip that grazed her side, intending to wound Lancer severely with a single strike.

"That's not a flaw, it's a trap. Saber made a mistake," Shinji sighed as he observed.

"It's not necessarily a mistake. Saber just didn't understand the effects of that spear," Scáthach crossed her arms. "Was it carelessness or impatience?"

As they spoke, the sword and spear clashed. At a critical moment, Saber retracted her sword, swiftly turned her body to the side, and performed a flip on the ground.

Blood stains appeared on Lancer's spear, and evidence of blood was drawn from Saber's waist.

Having narrowly escaped Lancer's pursuit, Saber immediately stood up to continue fighting her opponent. However, her face was filled with a pained expression, which she could not hide.

"Saber!" Irisviel immediately used magic in an attempt to heal the wound on Saber's side.

"Thank you, Irisviel. I'm fine. Your healing magic is effective." Saber said while holding her injury, but it seemed that the pain from the wound had not completely subsided.

"Looks like it's not so easy to hand me victory, huh?" In these words, Lancer shows no traces of disappointment. By contrast, he became increasingly excited.

Saber gritted her teeth and touched the area where the spear had cut her, only to be astonished—she couldn't feel the wound. Her armor remained intact without any damage.

"Have you finally realized? That spear does not cut through the atmosphere but through magical energy. Anything woven with magical energy will be nullified when it comes into contact with the spear." Scathact spoke and Saber arrived at the same conclusion:

The Noble Phantasm, which seemed to have little destructive power, proved quite troublesome for most servants. The quality of a Servant's equipment mostly depends on the magical energy and spells attached to them, but Lancer's spear can render them all ineffective.

"Your armor is generated by magical energy. If you're relying on it to protect you, you'd better give up on that idea, Saber. Before my magical spear, being fully armored was no different from being completely naked."

"What a lousy line," Shinji snorted. It's no wonder he ended up in such a situation with such frivolous words.

In the face of Lancer's mocking words, Saber scoffed, "I can take off my armor so easily. It will only be a burden for me."

The silver armor wrapped around Saber was suddenly scattered in all directions.

Irisviel was dumbfounded, while Lancer narrowed his eyes.

A piece was not left from the chestplate to the gauntlets and leggings. Saber automatically dispelled her armor. The armor fragments lost their supply of magical energy and gradually dissipated as smoke.

Shinji supported his chin and exclaimed, "Hmm, Saber having an average A rank attribute is no surprise but Lancer having the same A rank attribute is shocking. In comparison, it's better than Sensei who has average D ranks."

Undoubtedly, the evaluation of being worse than Lancer received immediate retribution as Scáthach-slapped Shinji, knocking him to the ground.

"If you keep daydreaming, I'll throw you down there."

"Agreed." Justeaze expressed her approval with an expressionless face, and it's worth mentioning that certain aspects of her are C or C+.

Down below, Saber dressed in lightweight clothing resumed the battle.

Without armor constraints, Saber's attributes received a significant boost. Her strength, speed, and agility increased by 60% compared to before.

Shinji knew that Saber had activated her skill, "Mana Burst."

Mana Burst: Gathering a large amount of magical energy in her weapon and limbs, Saber can release the magical energy as needed, instantly enhancing her physical abilities.

Although she appeared to be a delicate young girl, Saber could wield the large sword with ease and fight like a true power-based warrior thanks to this skill.

The amplification caused by Mana Burst is proportional to the magical energy used. With the dissipation of the magically generated armor, Saber can use her entire body's magical energy to combat. Logically, she would experience such a significant increase— it is a true case of trading defense for offenses.

From the disadvantage of being forced to remove her armor, she turned it into an advantage by abandoning it. This was her method of dealing with anti-magic spears.

"If I can't defend myself, then I'll have to strike you before getting struck. Be prepared, Lancer!"

Determination shone through Saber's beautiful face, as it synchronized with the roaring magical energy.

"Are you planning to go all-in? Your decisiveness and bravery are truly admirable."

Lancer, like a matador facing a bull, provocatively moved sideways.

"However, I must say, you've miscalculated, Saber!"

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