Chương 390: Chapter 390: Shinji vs. Red Rider
Returning to the moment when Red Archer hit Siegfried, at that time, Shinji actually could help Siegfried dodge the sudden arrow—while others didn't know about Red Archer's presence, how could Shinji be unaware? He had been waiting for this round of long-range attacks all along.
There were two main reasons he didn't intervene and allowed Siegfried to get injured.
First, the Armor of Fafnir is an injury-reducing type of immortality. Even if it was breached, it would mitigate the damage. The arrow wasn't aimed at a vital spot, so it couldn't kill Siegfried.
Second, and most importantly, Shinji had a chance to ambush Red Rider. The best timing was when Rider was gathering strength, preparing to finish off Siegfried in one strike.
Thus, Shinji didn't move. Whether Siegfried and Red Rider were probing each other, Siegfried falling after being hit by an arrow, or Fiore questioning him, he stayed still, focusing on waiting for the right moment. He used the pretext of requesting reinforcements to prevent Gordes from causing any disruptions—if Gordes issued a Command Seal order for Siegfried to use his Noble Phantasm during the ambush, it would be disastrous. The enemy might remain unscathed, while he could die under an ally's sword.
After Fiore managed to handle Gordes, Shinji had no more concerns. When Rider was about to unleash his full-force strike, Shinji activated his signature "Noble Phantasm barrage."
Indra's Thunder led the charge, followed by Shinji himself wielding Ishtar's war spear. One attack came from the front, the other from behind, trapping Red Rider in a pincer movement.
In that critical moment, Red Rider remained calm despite the surprise. The instant he sensed the unfamiliar Servant's presence and magic fluctuations, he decisively abandoned his immediate target. He threw his javelin, charged with immense power, backward to disrupt the enemy Servant's assault and break the pincer attack. He then switched weapons, using his shield to withstand the rampant lightning. By the time Shinji dodged the javelin and advanced again, Rider had already assumed a defensive posture.
Despite using all his strength and deploying maximum "magic output," Shinji only managed to push Rider back and knock him down without causing substantial harm.
If not for the lightning strike's speed surpassing Rider's weapon switch, causing some damage before the shield appeared, the ambush would have ended in complete failure.
Not having killed Rider or even severely injured him, Shinji didn't feel too regretful. He knew Red Rider's identity. He was a hero on par with Siegfried, not easy to defeat.
Of course, there was no fear. Since the ambush failed to kill him, they would fight head-on. It's not like only Rider had reinforcements—Shinji had his backup too. As long as Rider didn't flee, Shinji was determined to defeat him today.
So, facing Rider's aggressive provocation, Shinji responded with equal intensity.
Red Rider looked at the wound on his shoulder, trembling. It wasn't due to shame but joy.
"Great, truly great! There's someone on your side who can hurt me."
The exuberant Rider laughed heartily, expressing his emotions just as he had said earlier—he was a hero who reveled in the battlefield.
The other hero, similar in physique but opposite in temperament, recovered from the ambush. He silently pulled out the arrow from his body, raised his greatsword, and prepared to continue the battle.
"Two on two? That's fine too. Bring it on, Black Saber, Black Assassin."
"Two on two, indeed, but not in this form." Shinji sidestepped a few paces to stand between Siegfried and Rider. "Saber, I'll handle Rider. You take care of Archer."
Siegfried looked at Shinji inquiringly.
Shinji glanced at the "eye" in the sky. "If I'm not mistaken, his immortality can be broken by divine power. You instinctively felt his restraint on you earlier, didn't you?"
Though he called it a guess, Shinji was certain. He knew Red Rider's true name and said this only to avoid suspicion.
Siegfried nodded in agreement.
Seeing this and hearing Fiore relay Shinji's analysis, Gordes broke out in a cold sweat.
He had almost wasted a Command Seal. Fortunately, Fiore intervened.
"Uncle, I think you should trust Saber more," Fiore said, releasing her clenched hands and smiling with relief. "Just as I trust Assassin."
Gordes did not speak. He took out a handkerchief to wipe his sweat while recalling his actions. Strangely, he remembered something Assassin had once said.
"Servants exist depending on their Masters, but they are not puppets. They have immense power and their own will."
"To unleash their full power, Master and Servant must reach a consensus. Otherwise, even the best class Saber, the strongest hero, won't have a good outcome."
Could I have been wrong?
Siegfried was unaware of his Master's thoughts. Realizing he couldn't handle Rider, he chose to trust his companion and went to confront another enemy.
Whispering "Be careful" to Shinji, Siegfried rushed towards the direction from which the arrow had been shot—he intended to find the archer hiding somewhere.
"No way—" Red Rider wasn't about to let Saber leave. He raised his shield and charged directly at Siegfried.
Shinji planted his war spear into the ground. The power he released through the spear shook the earth and tore the ground, halting Red Rider's advance.
"Your opponent is me!"
"Just an Assassin?" Red Rider glared at Shinji with a fierce expression, not hiding his intent to kill.
"An Assassin is enough. Haven't you heard that assassins counter-riders?" Shinji met Red Rider's gaze without backing down.
"You only have a couple of divine Noble Phantasms, don't get cocky!" Enraged, Rider brandished his javelin and roared as he launched his attack.
His style was entirely different from other Lancers they had encountered so far. It lacked the trickery of Diarmuid, the overwhelming presence of Karna, and the profound mastery of Scathach.
Red Rider's spear technique, like his spear, was simple and unadorned. There were no tricks or embellishments; every move was aimed solely at killing the enemy—this was a spear technique honed purely for the battlefield.
While this technique might not be visually impressive, it was highly practical.
Of course, it had its flaws. A spear technique focused solely on killing couldn't be as balanced in offense and defense as other techniques. The pursuit of killing power came at the cost of weaker defense.
However, this weakness wasn't an issue for Red Rider. He had a shield, a body tougher than most Servants—encompassing not only his immortality but also his strength and endurance. Additionally, he possessed unparalleled speed. Even Scathach, enhanced by primordial runes when fighting Artoria, was slightly inferior.
With speed and defense assured, Red Rider didn't need to worry about defense. He only needed to attack, attack, and keep attacking.
The pressure from this aggressive style was even greater than when facing Karna. In just a few exchanges, the simple javelin had grazed Shinji's vital points three times, each time closer and more lethal. The latest one nearly slashed his throat.
While continuously attacking, Red Rider kept taunting.
"Hey, weren't you the one who said you'd be my opponent? You're not qualified at all."
"Where's your momentum from earlier? Or can you only talk and not back it up?"
"You stirred my blood, and this is all you've got. Assassins should stay in the shadows. What are you doing in a frontal fight—how boring."
"Enough, let's end this quickly. Even though it's a bit unfair for an Assassin, it's not entirely without merit."
As he spoke, Red Rider put away his shield, gripped the javelin with both hands, and charged at Shinji like a meteor.
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