Saber and Lancer

Picking up the long spear on his right shoulder by spinning it at once, Lancer raised the tip of the short spear in his left hand. His stance, spreading both spears like wings, really was an unreadable style.

Saber's fighting spirit boiled as well and exploded. The prana surge enveloped the girl's slender dark suit in a swirl like a tornado—and the next instant, her body was wrapped in silver and azure armor. The armor and gauntlets created by magic were the true form of the beautiful King of the Knight, as a Heroic Spirit.

Then, everyone who observed this duel was welcomed by a soundless stretch of silence.

There was only the howling of the sea wind by their ears and an atmosphere as quiet and stagnant as death.

The night was so serene before the merciless duel started.

Warriors clad in armor, in single combat, battling with all the strength in their bodies amid the light reflecting off a sword and a spear and the shadow of swinging blades.

But the amount of Prana escaping prana and the intense heat was different.

If it was merely a clash between cold steel, what would be the mighty torrent of air that accompanied it and threatened to destroy it all within sight?

The foot that landed crushed the ground.

The wind that followed the swinging of weapons crudely severed the lamppost in half.

Everyone who watched could merely shut their mouths side and their eyes glued to the battle between the two.

Yet, unlike the Servants, whose might was beyond imagination, those Masters, such as Irisviel, Kiritsugu, Lancer's Master, and other Masters who observed this battle, could only see sparks of the collision between Lancer and Saber.

Nevertheless, Scheherazade, even though she could understand and observe this match clearly, she was full of fear. She didn't think that she could even get involved in this battle. The moment she entered, she would be shredded apart by Saber or Lancer. When she thought about Tamazuki's words, she couldn't help but sigh.

Was Lancer weak?

No way.

She could tell that the Lancer was strong!

As for Saber, was there even a need to question the strongest class among the seven classes?

Yet, when she peeked at her Master, she sighed in relief once again since she could tell that he was calm and this battle couldn't even frighten him even the slightest. Even his heartbeat was quiet, as if the battle of Saber and Lancer didn't even move his heart.

If Tamazuki came to this world first instead of the world of Gakusen, then he might be nervous as he realized he might underestimate the might of the Servants.

Even if he had said that Lancer was weak, it didn't mean that he was really weak. Among all the Servants, Lancer was the weakest, especially when Lancer's Luck had always been the worst. Even if they didn't want to, they would be involved in a problem outside of their expectations.

Among all the Servants, he didn't want to summon Lancer the most since this bad luck would even spread to the Master himself.

Nevertheless, he didn't need to worry about this as he had summoned Caster instead of Lancer.

However, even if Lancer would bring bad luck, it couldn't be denied that he was strong, especially when each of the clashes between him and Saber had broken the sound barrier.

If Amagiri Ayato or Nura Rikuo were forced to come to this world, then without a doubt, they would die.

"Master, can I ask you a question?"

"What's wrong?"

"Saber's weapon is a sword, right?

Scheherazade had been confused since Saber's weapon was invisible, so she couldn't see the real form of Saber's weapon.

"That's right. She has a skill known as "Invisible Air." It is a barrier to the wind that is capable of covering her sword and concealing it, so no one will recognize it."

"Hmm... that's a good ability." Scheherazade liked Saber's skill since it increased survivability. "But if she is capable of concealing her sword with that skill, then it should be possible for her to conceal her figure with that skill, right?"

Tamazuki thought for a moment before he nodded. "That seems to be the case." He didn't think that was impossible since Saber was a genius, and he knew that she could use "Invisible Air" to conceal herself.

Moreover, Tamazuki himself also had a wind ability, so he knew that it was possible to conceal one's figure with a wind.

"Then, why didn't she do that?"

"........"

He was speechless by this question, but he also understood that for Scheherazade, as long as something could increase survivability, she would use it without hesitation, so Saber, who faced Lancer without using such a means, was like an alien in her eyes. It was something that she was impossible to understand.

However, the answer is simple.

"Because she is a Knight."

"......."

Scheherazade wasn't stupid. Instead, she was smart. If not, then how could she stay alive under the cruelty of King Shahryar and become his Queen?

Yet, because of this answer, she sighed at the young girl known as Arturia Pendragon.

"I don't like this girl and that Lancer too."

Tamazuki only stared at Scheherazade speechlessly, but she hated anything that could threaten her safety and peace of mind, so whether it was Saber or Lancer, they were the two things that she didn't like.

Or rather, she probably hated all the Servants since this Holy Grail War; all of them fought and killed each other to get the Grail for their own ambitions.

So, because of this, she knew she needed to support her Master with her utmost capacity.

Still, Tamazuki could see the duel between Lancer and Saber hadn't reached the climax, and they were still playing, testing each other's capabilities, but even so, Lancer was at a disadvantage.

Then, as expected...

---

"Enough of this playtime, Lancer!"

Both Saber and Irisviel were 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 illusion. The enemy didn't seem to be close to showing up in front of her anytime soon.

However, what Irisviel didn't know was that her husband, Emiya Kiritsugu, and his assistant, Maiya, had located Lancer's Master and anytime, he could take down Lancer's Master with his sniper, but if he did that, he would expose his location to the Assassin, who appeared nearby.

This was something that couldn't be done, especially when Kiritsugu didn't even know who had reported him to the law enforcers. By now, he had become wanted by all the police within the prefecture, and the longer this battle continued, the more disadvantageous their position was.

So this was something that he didn't want to do; he put his hope on Saber to defeat all the other Servants as soon as possible.

However, Lancer or his Master wouldn't let Saber and her Master win so easily.

"Don't drag the fight anymore. This saber is a formidable enemy. Make it quick. You may unveil your Noble Phantasm."

Saber's face stiffened at the words of the unseen Magus.

Noble Phantasm—He was urging his Servant to bare his fangs seriously.

"Understood, my Master!"

Contrary to what he had shown of his character up to now, Lancer dropped his voice quietly and charged the grip of his weapon.

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 started to rise from the top of the spear-like ominous mirage.

"That's about it. From here on, I am out to do you in."