---o---
[At the same time, Saber and Lancer were engaged in a fierce battle.
With the restrictions on his Noble Phantasm lifted, Lancer's true power began to manifest.
The moment their weapons clashed, Artoria was shocked to find that the crimson long spear had actually broken through her Invisible Air.
Under the power of Gae Dearg, the concealing effect of Invisible Air was instantly nullified, revealing the Sword of Gold hidden within the barrier.
Because they were locked in a stalemate, even as the two clashing weapons sent sparks flying like colliding chainsaws, the people of the multiverse were still able to catch a glimpse of the sword's true form.
At that moment, Saber suddenly exerted her strength, pushing Lancer away with immense force. The two created distance, and the Sword of Gold was quickly concealed once more within the light-distorting wind.]
---o---
Eriri Spencer Sawamura: "N-No way! It couldn't possibly be him, could it?!"
Utaha Kasumigaoka: "Although I have no interest in history and have no British blood... can the Holy Grail War really summon an existence like that?"
Uchiha Madara: "Oh? It seems this little girl is quite the big shot."
Conan Edogawa: "Without a doubt, this is the legendary holy sword wielded by King Arthur. But... how can King Arthur be a girl? She can't be an imposter, right?"
Uzumaki Naruto: "What are you guys talking about? What can you tell from a sword?"
The moment the Sword of Gold, symbol of the Once and Future King, truly manifested, the shock it sent was explosive.
Across the comment section, countless people who knew of King Arthur's existence stared at the scene in disbelief.
Of course, not every world in the multiverse had the legend of King Arthur, so many were confused by the comments scrolling across their screens.
What kind of existence could possibly attract so many comments? But one thing was certain: this King Arthur's power was not to be underestimated.
In Gensokyo, Magical Girl Meili, who had just finished her livestream—ah, no... it should be King Arthur's mentor, Merlin—was peeking at the screen.
Ara, ara, Artoria's identity has been exposed. But it was bound to happen. Her opponent this time happens to have an ability that counters a pure mana barrier like Invisible Air. Once the sword's true form was revealed, her exposure was inevitable.
Hmm, it really is inconvenient without Clairvoyance. While I can still do some casual scrying, I can no longer foresee the future.
Merlin thought with a sense of helplessness. Even a magus of his caliber couldn't analyze the screen of light, let alone anyone else.
But perhaps this is for the best. It's nice to have some anticipation for the future. It's just... in the Fourth Holy Grail War, no matter which future it was supposed to be, Saber was meant to be the victor.
And this time, an unplanned variable has appeared. An existence that not even Gaia and Alaya can or will stop. Will her appearance change the predetermined future?
Merlin was very curious. Since there was nothing he could do now anyway, he might as well sit back and quietly watch how the situation developed.
---o---
["Wow, how intense."
While King Arthur and Diarmuid were fighting, Elysia had already successfully taken Irisviel's hand and was now spectating with her from the side.
"Saber...!"
The moment the holy sword was exposed, Irisviel couldn't help but clench her hand tightly.
Compared to Elysia beside her, she was far more worried about Saber, who was caught in the vortex of the war. At this moment, Saber was clearly at a disadvantage.
Feeling the force from her hand, Elysia looked toward the center of the battlefield. She rested her other hand on her chin, seemingly lost in thought.
Elysia naturally didn't recognize the holy sword, but... Saber was indeed at a disadvantage right now.
Strange. My intuition tells me that the blonde female knight should be far stronger than the handsome guy in the bodysuit. And my intuition is rarely wrong.]
In truth, Elysia's sixth sense was not wrong. As the legendary Once and Future King, Saber's power was not to be underestimated. When the holy sword in her hand was truly released, Lancer's strength would be utterly unable to stop it.
It's just that… as is well known, the Holy Grail War is conducted in secret. The holy sword is an Anti-Fortress Noble Phantasm, and once released, the destruction it would cause is unimaginable.
Although it was already night, in a modern city, many ordinary people are still active outside.
The disturbance caused by the holy sword would be impossible to hide. A massive beam of golden light appearing in the city—how could you possibly cover that up? You couldn't just say it was a gas explosion.
Therefore, Saber could only rely on her physical strength and swordsmanship to fight Lancer for the time being. And since Lancer's martial skill was not much weaker than Saber's, coupled with the release of his Noble Phantasm, Saber was naturally being pushed further and further onto the back foot.
Just as Saber and Lancer were locked in a desperate struggle and Irisviel was anxiously observing the battlefield…
The video on the screen of light shifted its view to a large bridge—the Fuyuki Bridge, a landmark of the city.
---o---
[Atop the steel frame of the great bridge, two men appeared.
To be precise, a muscular hunk and a pretty young boy.
The muscular man stood atop the steel frame, hands on his hips, a broad smile on his face.
He was tall, his body a mass of knotted muscle, extremely strong. He had short, fiery red hair and a matching red beard that connected to his sideburns.
His eyebrows were short and thick, also fiery red, and his pupils were red. He wore a red mantle over his shoulders. On his arms were reddish-brown bracers, and underneath he wore brown battle armor with a battle skirt. On his feet were leather sandals.
The man's face was brimming with a hearty smile, giving him the heroic air of a frank and open-hearted strongman.
As for the youth beside him, he was a stark contrast to the hearty giant.
Not only did the youth lack the giant's frankness, but he was also extremely timid and meek, clinging to the bridge's frame with a terrified expression.
The youth had medium-length, center-parted hair that reached about his neck. He looked to be around seventeen or eighteen, and was not tall, perhaps not even 1.6 meters. His pretty face had a weak, submissive look, as if he would be easy to bully.
The youth was wearing rather ordinary green clothes and trousers, both cheap, but they were clean and tidy, showing that he was someone who paid attention to his appearance.
With a trembling voice on the verge of tears, the youth said, "R-Rider! W-what's the situation over there? A-Also, w-when can we go down?"
The muscular man called Rider grinned and laughed. "Splendid! Truly splendid! Saber and Lancer are engaged in a magnificent contest, and neither can gain the upper hand!"
"But if this continues, Saber might be eliminated... That would be a shame."
The youth continued to tremble. "I-Is that so? Th-Then can we go down now? I-It's too high up here, and it's a little cold."
Rider roared with laughter. "Hahaha~ Lad, don't be so timid! A man should stand up tall and proud! Isn't your goal in seeking the Grail to grow taller?"
"If that's the case, then you should start standing tall and proud right now! Otherwise, even if the Grail makes you taller in the end, you still won't be able to straighten your back! Hahaha~~"
Hearing this, the youth pursed his lips, his voice finally a little less shaky. "T-That's easy for you to say..."
Rider's Master didn't object. His purpose in joining the Holy Grail War wasn't just to grow taller, but to become stronger and gain the recognition of others.]