For some unknown reason, both Servants summoned by the Einzbern family this time were subjected to restrictions that a Servant should not have.
The most important one was that they could not dematerialize into spirit form.
As a result, the Einzbern family had no choice but to charter a plane, disguising Irisviel and Saber as "ordinary tourists" on their journey to Fuyuki.
Irisviel was dressed in a simple white outfit, with a knee-length winter coat made of silver fox fur, and a silk shawl draped gently over her shoulders. She had made every effort to blend in as an ordinary person, but in her eyes, the commoners around her were far from her definition of ordinary.
The treasure that the Einzbern family had so meticulously nurtured was simply too dazzling.
Her silver hair flowed down as she basked in the soft sunlight that she could never experience in Einzbern, and her mood lightened.
In contrast, Saber wore a European-style suit, her demeanor pure and solemn, resembling a noble young man.
The two, both well-mannered and refined, arrived in Fuyuki like a princess and her knight.
Meanwhile, Kurumi Tokisaki was wandering through the city.
She wasn't gathering information; instead, she seemed more like the young couples strolling arm-in-arm, lingering on the colorful streets. Compared to the bustling Tengu City, Fuyuki was far more peaceful.
Her winter uniform, still somewhat formal and reserved in Tengu City, seemed provocative in Fuyuki of the 1990s, especially with her black stockings.
The girl's astonishing beauty, accentuated by the blue skirt that hugged her hips and the shapely, slender legs beneath, was alluring and captivating, drawing the frequent glances of passersby.
But her noble, almost aristocratic aura deterred any ill-intentioned individuals.
If there were an organization like "Ratatoskr" overseeing all of Fuyuki, they would have noticed that several such elegant girls were wandering around the city at the same time.
Het—Eighth Bullet.
It allowed her to summon manifestations of herself from previous points on her timeline, each with its own consciousness and Spirit Dress. This was a power that was in no way inferior to Assassin's Delusional Illusion.
During her stroll, she also noticed a certain silver-haired girl with a noble aura, along with the handsome young man linked arm-in-arm with her.
Kurumi gave them a friendly smile before moving on.
What amused her was that the strand of hair on top of Saber's head, standing straight up like a compass needle, seemed to constantly point in her direction, radiating the words "archenemy."
"Such a peaceful Fuyuki," Kurumi remarked with some resignation.
She had squandered a great deal of time back in Tengu City, leaving her reserves somewhat depleted. She had hoped to find a few thugs to replenish herself, but after wandering for half the day, she couldn't find a suitable target.
Suddenly, it felt as though she had stepped into a dangerous domain, and an overwhelming pressure like a mountain locked onto her. The space around her seemed to ripple under her perception, like the prelude to a spatial quake.
"Mongrel."
Bordeaux-red eyes met with proud, crimson ones.
Before Kurumi stood a young man with a majestic, arrogant demeanor. His soft, golden hair fell gracefully, and he was adorned with overly lavish gold ornaments. Simply standing there, he exuded an air of dominion over the world, brimming with confidence.
"Gilgamesh," Kurumi silently mouthed the name of the Servant before her, the King of Uruk.
With a slight smile, she curtsied, her demeanor neither humble nor arrogant.
"Good day, radiant King of Gold."
"Oh?" Gilgamesh responded with an amused smile. He detested the prattle of commoners, but fortunately, Kurumi's composed demeanor and nearly flawless beauty were worthy of appreciation.
Moreover, her greeting had pleased him.
It was clear that the girl before him was also a Servant, but confident in his unmatched power, he paid it no mind.
"A fascinating little kitten."
Kurumi moved slightly closer and noticed that what had captured Gilgamesh's attention was a game titled "Sumerian Myth."
It seemed that he was curious about how he was perceived in the eyes of later generations.
Gilgamesh possessed a skill called [Golden Rule A], which ensured that fortune always followed him, allowing him to win any game with ease. This was evident from the disheartened faces of the crowd behind him.
However, "Sumerian Myth" required two players to begin.
One player would assume the role of "Gilgamesh," while the other would play—"Enkidu."
Under his imposing presence, no one dared stand beside him.
Kurumi quickly understood this and gracefully offered, "If you don't mind, may I accompany you?"
Gilgamesh scrutinized the girl before him, who seemed somewhat unaware of her situation, and to his own surprise, he agreed.
Kurumi glanced at the panel, where the task "Path of the Noble" was highlighted in the "-Pride" mood category. She sighed inwardly, how useful.
However, upon entering the game, she encountered an awkward situation.
In "Sumerian Myth," Enkidu was depicted as a barefoot girl in a white dress. The more critical issue was that due to the character selection, Kurumi was playing as Gilgamesh.
She let out a soft, amused laugh.
The sun had finally set completely, casting the city in a dazzling array of colors, as neon lights flickered and blurred.
Having bid farewell to Gilgamesh, Kurumi leisurely made her way to the side of the Fuyuki Bridge, which spanned the Mion River. There, a large seaside park stood.
The pathway was deserted, and the icy sea breeze was bone-chilling.
Yet no wind could be as piercing as the sharp aura of the Servant lying in wait.
He had spent the entire day flaunting his presence without restraint, like a longspear piercing the heavens, awaiting challengers.
Kurumi knew that was Lancer.
And she understood that what was about to happen would be the first true battle of this Holy Grail War.
Lancer versus Saber.
In the dimly lit, desolate warehouse district by the seaside park, the empty streets appeared eerily void under the night's faint light.
Irisviel followed closely behind Saber as they walked openly down the center of the four-lane road.
The Servant before them stood in the middle of the road as well, his surging magical energy overwhelming. He and Saber were separated by about a dozen meters, and a playful smile danced on his lips.
This Servant was strikingly handsome, with long hair tied back and a beauty mark under his left eye. His entire presence radiated an unusual charm, especially appealing to women.
He carried a spear over two meters long on his right shoulder and held a short spear in his left hand, about one-third the length of the other. Both spears were covered with dark runes from blade to handle.
There was no doubt—he was Lancer.
"Finally, you've arrived."
"I've been waiting a long, long time, and you're the only warrior to respond to my challenge." Lancer's voice was clear and bright.
"With such sharp battle aura... I assume you are Saber. Am I correct?"
"Yes." Saber responded, her mind recalling the intelligence that Kurumi Tokisaki and Emiya Kiritsugu had shared with her before the battle.
"The peerless champion of the Knights of Fianna in Ireland—'Radiant Face' Diarmuid Ua Duibhne."
The calm and steady tone in Saber's voice as she spoke caused a chill to run down the spines of Lancer and his Master.
What the hell???
She had seen through his true name.
-154:12:20
The so-called Holy Grail War is a battle between Heroic Spirits, legends who once made their names known on the battlefield.
The myths inherited by Heroic Spirits often contain their tactical strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, in Servant battles, it's crucial to keep a Servant's true identity a secret.
But this girl, who seemed to be Saber, effortlessly called out Diarmuid's true name, leaving Lancer's Master, Kayneth, hesitant. Kayneth was one of the Twelve Lords of the Clock Tower, a brilliant magus with numerous accomplishments. Although arrogant, he was not reckless.
Kayneth began to entertain thoughts of retreat.
Saber and Lancer faced off in the seaside park with their overwhelming auras fully unleashed, while every faction in the war kept a close eye on the scene.
"I shall offer my spear and honor to my Master," Lancer declared, pointing his spear at Saber, undeterred by his true name being revealed.
"You are indeed a peerless warrior," Saber praised him. She felt some regret for this unfair fight, but she had to win.
Because a knight must protect the princess.
She began to walk toward Lancer and his magic spears.
"Lancer, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne," the words of Emiya Kiritsugu's advice seemed to echo in her mind. "He wields two magic spears: the long spear is 'Gáe Dearg, the Crimson Rose of Exorcism,' and the short spear is 'Gáe Buidhe, the Yellow Rose of Mortality.'"
"The long spear has the ability to cut off magical energy, but you must be cautious of the short spear when fighting him. In the last war, he pretended that the long spear was his Noble Phantasm, then used the short spear to injure Rider."
"That short spear inflicts wounds that cannot be healed."
From the very beginning, this battle was never fair.
The ground seemed to crack beneath Saber's feet as she advanced, wrapped in a powerful magic aura and winds that seemed capable of destroying everything in her path, cutting toward Lancer.
Clang—
Swords and spears clashed, the two warriors both unmatched in their skills, fiercely fighting amidst the flashes of blades.
Unlike Saber, who seemed to have full knowledge of Lancer's abilities, Lancer appeared to be at a disadvantage.
The girl before him was a skilled swordswoman, he acknowledged. The sword in her hand was wrapped in an unknown barrier, making it impossible for him to discern its length, width, or nature.
In Saber's hands, it was as if she wielded the wind itself.
But thanks to his skills [Eye of the Mind (True)] and [Knight's Tactics], he was still able to keep up the fight.
The sword wind generated by their weapons alone was enough to tear the earth apart, trampling and destroying everything in its path.
This was the battle between Heroic Spirits.
Irisviel could only clasp her hands in front of her chest, praying for Saber.
Meanwhile, Emiya Kiritsugu and Maiya Hisau had also arrived at the warehouse district.
Sensing the deathly stillness of the magical energy around them, he judged that someone had already set up a barrier to prevent ordinary people from being caught in this magus duel.
To preserve the secrecy of magecraft, it was an iron rule among magi not to expose their actions.
"Kayneth," he surmised. Kayneth was not someone to be trifled with—a genius magus, the youngest lecturer in the history of the Clock Tower's Department of Spiritual Evocation.
Holding the heavy sniper rifle in his hands, Kiritsugu and Maiya split up, each seeking a vantage point from which to monitor the battle.
Among the mountains of shipping containers, Kiritsugu searched for a target through the electronic scope.
Using the thermal imaging sensor, the entire battlefield was laid bare before his eyes. He saw the two red-hot combatants locked in battle and Irisviel, standing slightly to the side with a dimmer heat signature.
Kiritsugu spotted the enemy Lancer's Master, hiding on the distant rooftop of a warehouse. But his tense heart did not relax, for there was still one more dangerous individual.
Finally, he found it—perched on a crane with the best view, a black-clad Servant with a ghastly skull mask, silently observing everything.
It was Assassin.
"Found them," he said through the communicator.
The forces he could command did not include just Maiya—he had another trump card.
Evil! Resentment! Hatred!
As the black and red seductive Spirit Dress once again covered her body, the girl named Kurumi Tokisaki took on the guise of an Avenger.
A near-maniacal smile spread across her bewitching face as she greeted the noble magus before her.
"Hello there~"
"Mister Kayneth."
Kayneth scrutinized the girl before him.
Without a doubt, this was a Servant. Judging by the long and short guns in her hands, she was most likely an Archer.
But her stats were pitifully low.
Strength: E
Endurance: E
Agility: D
Mana: C
So pathetically weak it was laughable. Kayneth could boast that in his magecraft workshop, he could take on ten such worthless Servants at once.
"Don't worry, Lancer," he commanded with confidence. "This is just a nobody. Go and claim victory for me. I permit you to use your Noble Phantasm."
"As you wish, my Master." The dark runes dissolved, and Diarmuid pointed his spear at Saber, a confident smile on his face.
Kayneth was indeed a genius among magi. In a short time, he had set up three layers of barriers and summoned several wraiths. Combined with his living Mystic Code, the "Volumen Hydrargyrum," it was challenging for Kurumi to defeat him with just her manifestations.
Emiya Kiritsugu did not rush to assist. He couldn't afford to expose himself so easily. Besides, more and more spectators were being drawn by the sound of clashing blades.
He realized that this war was beginning to unfold along a different path, but he had to win. He had to destroy that black sun when the Grail descended. He had considered blowing up the Greater Grail buried under Mount Enzō ahead of time, but he feared that the black mud would pour out uncontrollably.
Tightening his grip on his rifle, he continued to observe both battlefields.
Kurumi unleashed a barrage of attacks on Kayneth's defenses. Although her long and short antique rifles should have been single-shot, they fired with the rapidity of a revolver. This was another of her cheats—the guns in her hands were just for show.
What she was truly wielding was a weapon named "Dark Blood Destruction."
The endless barrage of gunfire and Kurumi's mad laughter echoed through the night sky as Kayneth was completely suppressed.
"Hehehehehe."
The summoned wraiths were riddled with holes, and sparks flew from the "Volumen Hydrargyrum," which was struggling to hold its ground. Kayneth was desperately defending, but his attacks were completely ignored by the girl.
"Can a Servant with such low stats really be this powerful?" Kayneth was dumbfounded. "Is this the difference between humans and Heroic Spirits?"
He was experiencing a deep sense of defeat.
What Kayneth didn't understand was that it was only Kurumi who was strong.
Thunder roared in the sky, and faintly, the sound of a cow's moo could be heard.
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