Chapter 152 148: Longinus
Kiritsugu noticed the Command Seal on the back of Sakura's right hand.
That alone was enough to confirm his suspicions.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
The situation had just become even more dangerous.
Artoria, meanwhile, kept her gaze fixed on Arthur.
Not missing a single detail.
Arthur simply smiled at her calmly and without concern.
He showed no trace of tension—and that was exactly what made her even more cautious.
An enemy who displayed no nervousness in front of another Servant was, by definition, extremely dangerous.
"Kiritsugu, Illya, are you alright?"
Irisviel appeared, surrounded by dozens of maids nearly identical to her, her hurried steps contrasting with her ever-elegant posture.
She stopped beside them, slightly out of breath.
"We are. It doesn't seem like he's here looking for a fight."
Kiritsugu replied, but his weapon remained firmly aimed at Arthur.
The Holy Grail War had not officially begun yet, and unless it was absolutely necessary, he didn't want to turn this place into a battlefield.
His instincts were screaming that this man was extremely dangerous, so if a fight broke out here, the outcome would be unpredictable.
But he was certain of one thing:
He wouldn't be able to guarantee Illya's or Irisviel's safety.
Even with the protection of the Einzbern homunculi.
Because, in front of a Servant, they were irrelevant.
In the Holy Grail War, there was an unspoken rule—
Only Servants could defeat Servants.
"I am Irisviel von Einzbern."
Ignoring Kiritsugu's warning glance, she stepped forward, positioning herself beside Artoria.
"According to the pact of the Holy Grail War, we should not fight here. All battles must take place in Fuyuki City."
She showed neither arrogance nor fear—only rationality.
If a battle occurred there and a Servant was destroyed, the Greater Grail wouldn't be able to collect the necessary energy, and the ritual would lose its purpose.
From any perspective, fighting there was a mistake.
"I am a Berserker-class Servant."
Arthur replied casually, as if introducing himself in a formal setting.
"And these girls here are my… adopted sisters. Sakura, Kohaku, Hisui, Caren, and Fujino."
He indicated each of them with a small gesture.
"Hi~" Kohaku waved cheerfully.
"There's not much to say about my origin or where we came from," Arthur continued, ignoring Kohaku's antics.
His eyes then turned directly toward Kiritsugu.
"I'm here today not just to say hello, but also to propose an alliance."
Does he really think I'll believe that?
Kiritsugu frowned, clearly dissatisfied.
And that girl—he was certain she was Sakura Tohsaka.
The second daughter of the Tohsaka family, who had been adopted by the Matou family.
That alone made the entire situation suspicious.
His caution increased even further.
Arthur, however, simply ignored it.
His gaze returned to Artoria, and his smile widened slightly.
"I don't mind if you don't believe me."
He cracked his neck, relaxing his shoulders.
"So how about this…"
His eyes gleamed with a hint of excitement.
"It's cold here."
He extended his hand—
And a golden portal opened behind him.
From within it, a spear slowly emerged.
"How about we warm up a bit?"
Artoria didn't hesitate when she saw his actions.
With Kiritsugu's tacit approval, her own spear appeared in her hand.
"I accept the challenge."
Her body was already shifting into a combat stance.
Arthur chuckled softly.
"I like you."
He then looked at the girls behind him.
"Could you step back a little? Things are about to get… a bit chaotic here."
"Don't take too long." Caren turned away dismissively.
"You should've told me it was this cold," she complained, rubbing her arms.
"You shouldn't talk to him like that, Caren." Kohaku laughed, pulling Hisui along.
"Don't lose." Sakura said, staring at him intently.
Fujino simply looked at him in silence, but her gaze said everything.
Arthur smiled and gently patted their heads.
"Now go."
Once they stepped back, Arthur turned his attention to Artoria.
"Thanks for waiting," he said, taking his stance.
"It's nothing," she replied.
"Want to play in the snow?" Arthur said—and in the next instant, he charged at her.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The clash of spears rang out like thunder the moment they met.
The two weapons collided with overwhelming force, creating shockwaves that sent the surrounding snow swirling violently.
The ground cracked beneath their feet as they attacked each other faster and faster.
The smile on Arthur's face only grew wider as the fight went on.
How long has it been since I've enjoyed a fight like this? he wondered, savoring every exchange.
Obviously, neither he nor Artoria was using their full strength—neither wanted to destroy everything around them—but it was more than enough to entertain him.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Artoria advanced with absolute precision.
Her strikes were lethal, always aiming for any opening Arthur might leave.
It was clear how refined her technique was.
Her spear cut through the air in perfect lines, targeting vital points with terrifying efficiency.
Arthur, on the other hand, blocked all of her attacks with ease.
His posture was irritatingly relaxed.
Yet his spear responded to her attacks with flawless precision.
Is he… playing around?
Artoria frowned slightly as she saw the smile on his face.
She spun her body, delivering a sweeping strike—but Arthur dodged with minimal movement and immediately counterattacked.
Artoria blocked his strike, but she was pushed several meters back, her feet sliding across the snow.
His physical strength is absurd… she thought, planting her feet firmly.
Then she charged at him again.
This time, however, she was even faster and more aggressive.
Her spear multiplied into a barrage of high-speed, lethal thrusts.
A relentless, continuous assault.
Arthur laughed.
"A true dance beneath the snow," he said as he responded.
His spear moved like an extension of his body, countering her attacks with his own.
Their strikes collided midair in a chaotic symphony.
Kiritsugu watched everything without moving.
But his eyes were tense as he realized that man was truly fighting the Lancer on equal footing.
Artoria stepped back, her eyes locked on Arthur.
He was still smiling at her.
Not a single wound marked his body—not even a scratch on his clothes.
It was as if the entire exchange had meant nothing to him.
And, for the first time, Artoria smiled.
She raised her spear again, facing him.
"That's more like it. Women look much more beautiful when they smile," Arthur said.
---
"You know, I'm honestly surprised you didn't recognize my spear," Arthur said as he stepped back after another exchange.
"Your spear…?" she murmured, observing it carefully.
The blade was long, straight, and perfectly symmetrical, resembling an elongated sword. Its white surface emitted a soft, almost ethereal glow, as if it were made of something purer than metal.
Its edges were thin and deadly, and its tip seemed capable of piercing any defense.
At the center of the blade, a geometric golden detail broke its uniformity, giving it a noble elegance. Just below, near the guard, there was a diamond-shaped opening.
The guard itself was simple, seamlessly integrated into the design.
The black shaft, long and segmented by metallic rings, provided perfect reach and control.
At the base, a counterweight balanced every movement with incredible precision.
"I'm surprised you don't recognize the spear that once belonged to Percival, Second Seat of the Round Table," Arthur said.
"…Belonged to Percival… Is this Longinus?" Artoria's eyes widened in realization.
"Exactly. The spear that pierced Christ's side, confirming His death. A weapon that rivals Rhongomyniad in your hands, Artoria Pendragon."
The impact of that revelation was immediate.
"How do you know about—"
"We'll talk later." Arthur cut her off as he moved again.
"Let's finish our dance."
In the next instant, he appeared before her.
CLANG!
Their spears collided violently.
Artoria reacted instantly, twisting her body and dodging by mere centimeters a strike that would have pierced her shoulder.
She immediately countered with a thrust aimed straight at his heart.
Arthur leaned slightly, evading it.
Then he responded with a downward strike.
Artoria leapt back, but did not fully retreat.
Her eyes were completely focused now.
She advanced again—her spear carving multiple overlapping lines through the air, forming a sequence impossible to follow.
Arthur smiled and stepped into the storm.
He intercepted every thrust with his own spear.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Sparks burst with each collision.
Artoria spun and launched an upward thrust.
Arthur dodged by a hair's breadth and, in the same motion, rotated his spear and counterattacked—
BANG!
The shaft struck her flank.
She was sent sideways, but planted her spear into the ground to stop her momentum.
Without hesitation, she charged again.
Even faster. Even more aggressive.
She tightened her grip.
A white light began to glow along her spear.
Arthur noticed and narrowed his eyes.
"Now that's more like it…"
He vanished from his position.
CLANG!
Their spears clashed once more.
But this time, Arthur pressed with far greater strength and speed.
Artoria was forced back again and again. She tried to counter—
CLANG!
Her spear was deflected.
BANG!
Another blow struck her stomach.
A sharp pain coursed through her body—
But she didn't retreat. She advanced again, launching her fastest thrust yet.
Arthur smiled—and completely disappeared from her sight.
Artoria's eyes widened.
"Where—"
"Behind you."
The tip of Longinus stopped just millimeters from her neck.
"Do you accept defeat?" Arthur asked with a smile.
Artoria closed her eyes for a brief moment, then relaxed her stance.
"…Yes," she replied.
(End of Chapter)
A/N: Changing her from Saber to Lancer is proving much harder than I expected. I'm not very good at handling her personality like this yet, since I'm more used to her Saber version. She's very similar to Saber, but mentally more mature.