---o---
Outside the video on the screen, seeing this duo—the Master who didn't act like a Master and the Servant who didn't act like a Servant—many viewers felt a sense of secondhand embarrassment.
However, the bearded man's bold and majestic posture also won him a great deal of favor. Such heroes always make people look up to them unconsciously.
As for the young Waver acting as the Master, many people couldn't help but laugh, not knowing whether to find it amusing or pathetic.
Just how big is your obsession with your height, young man? Even if you look a bit thin, you're still young. Isn't there still room to grow?
"Rider? Judging from his appearance alone, it's difficult to determine his True Name."
In the shadows, Emiya Kiritsugu, dressed in black, watched the screen of light and continued to record information.
Saber's identity being revealed was not unexpected for him. From the moment the screen of light appeared, he knew it wouldn't be simple to keep her True Name hidden.
However, he hadn't expected her identity to be exposed so quickly. The strength of that Lancer was not to be underestimated.
He could only hope that the screen would expose the True Names of the other Servants as well, allowing him to formulate targeted battle plans.
And that Elysia... he needed to find out her weaknesses. If she didn't get involved in the Holy Grail War, all was well.
If she intended to participate, then... he would simply treat her as an enemy.
---o---
[In the video, the image shifted from the Rider duo back to the port.
Saber spoke: "I have a rough understanding of your Noble Phantasm now. Does anything shaped by magical energy become nullified before your spear?"
Lancer seemed slightly disappointed upon hearing this, but then smiled casually. "I see. You truly possess sharp intuition and powers of observation! To have already discerned the ability of my Noble Phantasm in such a brief encounter. So, will you take the gamble, Saber?"
"It is indeed time to decide the victor." As Saber spoke, she glanced inadvertently at the short spear that had been thrown to the ground at Lancer's feet. After their clash, she had unknowingly returned to her original position.
At this moment, she changed her previous stance, gripping the invisible blade with both hands and positioning it at her right hip. The concealing properties of Invisible Air were released as the wind roared and magical energy surged. The Sword of Gold appeared within the storm of mana, shining brilliantly in the night.
The moment she finished speaking, Saber charged forward with a speed far exceeding what she had shown before, slashing toward Lancer. The Sword of Gold also condensed a terrifying amount of magical energy, ready to be unleashed.
At that instant, Lancer grinned, the smile of a successful plan on his face. The video switched to slow motion, every movement decelerated, allowing the audience to see every detail clearly.
At the same time, Lancer's thoughts rang out: 'You've made a mistake, Saber. A Servant doesn't have to possess only one Noble Phantasm!'
In almost a single motion, Lancer kicked at the ground, but it wasn't sand that flew into the air—it was the short spear he had thrown away earlier. Its blade was now facing the direction of Saber's charge. The spell concealing the short spear had also been broken, revealing a golden shaft.
It was a short spear, golden all over, also crafted from an unknown metal. It too was inscribed with complex patterns, looking more like a work of art than an item for actual combat.
This Lancer... he possessed two Noble Phantasms. He must be a Heroic Spirit feared in his legend for his "two demonic spears."
Under the slow-motion effect, people could clearly see every detail of Lancer and Saber. The flying sand and stones around them were also crystal clear, giving the scene a dreamlike, cinematic quality.
It had to be said that Saber was truly beautiful and Lancer was incredibly handsome. They were a standard pair of beautiful people, with looks to spare. When such individuals fought, it gave the audience a pleasing aesthetic experience.
Then, in the slow-motion shot, Lancer reached out with his left hand and snatched the yellow spear from the air, achieving a stance with the long red spear in his right hand and the short yellow spear in his left.
At that moment, Saber reached him, bringing the golden holy sword in her hand down in a direct chop.
And at that same moment, Lancer swept his left-hand yellow spear across to intercept Saber, who was rushing him from the front.
If Saber continued her charge, she would crash right into the yellow spear herself.
Therefore, at this critical moment, Saber had to dodge, which also slowed her slashing motion. Lancer's right-hand red spear blocked the blow, deflecting the golden sword's terrifying slash to the side. At the same time, the yellow short spear stabbed toward the left hand Saber was using to hold her sword.
BOOM~~
As Saber and Lancer passed each other, a bright red flower of blood bloomed brilliantly—and then dissipated in an instant.
Saber, who had charged past, came to a halt, while the two of them turned to face each other again.
Both stood upright, their confrontational will unbroken. The heroic spirits of both warriors were still burning brightly.
It took a great deal of effort to knock the battle off the track of their mutual assault. It was at this moment that Saber analyzed the situation and made the decisive choice to postpone their duel.
As a result, the yellow spear that was meant to be a fatal blow did not pierce Saber's chest, but rather her left arm. At the same time, Saber's golden sword was gently diverted from Lancer's vitals, striking his left arm instead... Strangely enough, both were injured in the same area.
But was the extent of their injuries the same?
"You still won't allow me to win so easily... Very good. That unyielding expression of yours."
Lancer stared at Saber with a grim smile, as if trying hard to ignore the wound on his elbow. And Lancer's wound, as if watching a movie in reverse, healed without anyone touching it. Then, even the scar disappeared.
Even a Servant's self-healing ability couldn't recover that quickly. It had to be his Master, watching the battle from the shadows, performing healing magecraft.
In contrast to Lancer, Saber's demure beauty could not hide her pain and anxiety.
The power of Lancer's spears, wielded in a fluid battle, and Saber's sword, held tightly in both hands, were of course different. At least from the looks of it, the wound on Saber's forearm from the short spear was a minor injury compared to Lancer's.
Seeing this, Irisviel was heartbroken and quickly walked forward.
Because of their change in position, Saber also noticed Elysia, who had appeared on the field at some point.
But she had no time to worry about this sudden, fairy-like girl now. She spoke to the approaching Irisviel.
"...Irisviel, heal my wounds as well!"
"I am healing it! I did, but..."
Irisviel, who had come to her aid, looked even more distressed than the injured Saber.
As a magus, Irisviel was undoubtedly first-rate. The density and intensity of her training were beyond question. She was a special case in the world of magecraft, with a body that was "designed" or "created." She couldn't possibly go wrong with low-level tricks like healing magecraft. Even if she made a mistake, Irisviel herself would know how to deal with it.
But—
"It should have been healed without any problems. Saber, you should be in a fully recovered state now."
At the same time, a bleeding wound was also visible on Lancer's left arm, which then radiated a green light and was healed in an instant.
His lord's grating voice rang out: "Well done, Lancer! Now, finish Saber!"
Lancer smiled and said, "Thank you for your assistance, my lord. I will certainly win for you!"
Seeing this, Saber realized the injury on her arm was not healing. She turned her head to look at Irisviel, whose expression had become a little panicked and confused. After a moment's reflection, she asked, "Irisviel, is the healing magecraft ineffective?"
Irisviel: "Yes, yes, it didn't work. I had already used it, so you should have recovered..."
Saber: "I see..." She turned her head and looked at Lancer. "Then it's your Noble Phantasm!"
Lancer smiled and held his spears in both hands. The red spear was casually draped over his shoulder. "You could see that magical constructs are nullified when facing Gae Dearg, so you decisively abandoned your cumbersome armor. That was very clever. But to think you had everything under control and charge me for a decisive victory was simply sloppy."
"Whether you are wearing armor or not, you would have found it difficult to prevent the strike of Gae Buidhe!"
As he spoke, he raised the yellow short spear in his left hand, looking like a victor showing off his prize, as if the law of victory itself was held in his hands.
Hearing this, Saber calmly raised her left hand to look at her bleeding wrist, and then looked at Lancer again. "So, this is the cursed spear, said to inflict a wound that can never be healed?"
"The red spear that breaks through magical energy, the cursed yellow spear, the love spot beneath your right eye that charms women, and a fighting style that uses spears more like swords. I already know your identity—the strongest knight of the Knights of Fianna, Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, who holds the title 'Diarmuid of the Radiant Face'."
"I never thought I would have the honor of fighting such a knight."]