Chapter 219
"Saber, what about Lancer of Red? Is he gone?"
Far away from the battlefield, Gordes clenched his fists and held his breath.
The idea seemed almost absurd, but Kiriya’s previous slash had been so overwhelming that even Gordes found himself entertaining an unlikely hope.
"I’m afraid not, Master."
Saber’s calm voice reached him through their connection.
"Lancer of Red is still alive. More importantly... he has retained most of his combat capability."
"Damn it. An attack like that still wasn’t enough to finish him?"
Gordes cursed beneath his breath.
"What kind of monster is Lancer of Red?"
Then a thought occurred to him.
"Saber, if you fought Lancer together with that human, could you defeat him?"
"If he could restrain Lancer long enough to create an opening for me to fully release my Noble Phantasm, then it should be possible."
Saber paused before adding,
"Assuming Lancer does not possess a Noble Phantasm of equal or greater power."
"I see."
Gordes drew a deep breath and made his decision.
"Then we’re going in."
"Join forces with that human and make sure Lancer of Red doesn’t leave here alive."
"Understood, Master."
...
Beside the highway leading toward Trifas, Jeanne stared silently at the enormous sword scar stretching across the landscape and disappearing beyond the limits of her vision.
’Who in the world is this boy?’
The saint was genuinely shaken.
That attack had possessed power comparable to that of a first-rate Servant.
For a human being to achieve something like that with a flesh-and-blood body was almost impossible to comprehend.
Yet even more astonishing was the person who had taken the attack directly.
Karna lay at the bottom of the ravine created by the slash.
A wound nearly half a foot long had opened across his chest, blood spilling down his golden armor.
And even that injury was already healing at an extraordinary rate.
"As expected of a legendary hero and the son of a god."
Even Kiriya could not help admiring him.
Karna’s armor was ridiculous.
It reduced incoming damage to a fraction of its original power while also allowing him to recover at an absurd rate.
Unless Kiriya unleashed an attack powerful enough to overwhelm the armor outright, his only realistic alternative would be to drag the fight out until Karna exhausted his magical energy.
Karna rose from the crater and floated into the air once more.
The way he looked at Kiriya had changed.
There was genuine respect in his eyes now—the respect reserved for a worthy opponent.
"If not for this armor, I may already have been placed at a disadvantage." Karna spoke sincerely.
"Human, your martial skill is remarkable."
"A Noble Phantasm is part of a Servant’s strength."
Kiriya shook his head.
"There’s no point pretending it doesn’t count."
He gave Karna a knowing look.
"Besides, you were only testing how much damage I could do just now, weren’t you?"
"A generous perspective and sharp perception."
Flames once again rose around Karna’s spear.
"Young warrior, give me your name."
"Kiriya."
He held his sword horizontally and prepared to open the Seventh Gate.
"Kiriya..."
Karna gave a faint smile.
"A fitting coincidence."
As the son of the sun god Surya, he could not help finding the name strangely appropriate.
"Then from this point onward, I will fight you seriously."
His gaze sharpened.
"Are you prepared?"
"Now that’s what I like to hear."
Kiriya bent his knees slightly, ready to open the Seventh Gate—Then suddenly stopped.
Something powerful had entered the range of his Energy Perception and was rapidly approaching.
Karna sensed it as well.
He immediately turned and raised his spear.
CLANG!
A holy sword crashed against the golden weapon.
The newcomer was revealed.
A tall male Heroic Spirit clad in heavy armor stood before Karna.
Wild white hair framed his head like a lion’s mane, while his eyes were a deep forest green.
His skin had a dark, almost bronze tone and gave off the impression of something as heavy as a mountain and as hard as forged steel.
That extraordinary toughness came from having bathed in the blood of the evil dragon Fafnir.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The moment they made contact, the two Servants launched into a fierce exchange.
One was surrounded by flame, resembling the incarnation of the sun itself.
The other erupted with magical energy, carrying the majesty of a legendary dragon-slaying hero.
Spear and sword collided again and again.
Both had been extraordinary warriors in life, heroes who had survived countless battles.
Every movement was polished to perfection, and sophisticated techniques flowed effortlessly from one exchange into the next.
Kiriya watched with undisguised delight.
At the same time, his Sharingan quietly recorded everything it could.
’Nice technique.’
’Its mine now!’
CLANG!
The divine spear and holy sword collided again, scattering brilliant sparks.
"Saber of Black."
Karna knocked the holy sword aside.
"You are clearly no ordinary warrior."
His expression remained perfectly composed.
"My name is Karna, son of the sun god."
He raised his spear.
"Saber of Black, give me your name."
"Siegfried."
The silver-haired warrior answered simply.
"Slayer of the dragon."
"What?! Siegfried?"
Gordes, who had only just reached the battlefield, nearly stumbled.
As a magus, there was no chance he would fail to understand the weight of that name.
Siegfried was one of the greatest heroes in human history, a first-rate Heroic Spirit even among legends.
’Damn it.’
Gordes’s expression darkened.
’I thought summoning the legendary dragon slayer meant we already had this war in the bag.’
’And the Red faction casually summoned Karna of all people?’
He clicked his tongue.
’The Church really does have access to ridiculous catalysts.’
Then his gaze shifted toward Kiriya and Jeanne.
An idea immediately came to him.
"Well, well!"
Gordes raised his voice dramatically.
"Lancer of Red, you actually dared to attack the Ruler overseeing this Holy Grail War!"
He gestured grandly.
"Then today you will face judgment at the hands of our Saber, Ruler herself, and this young hero!"
"Three opponents at once?"
Karna showed not the slightest trace of fear.
He simply raised his spear.
"Very well."
"Come."
The atmosphere instantly became razor-sharp.
Another battle seemed moments away from erupting.
"I’m sorry."
Jeanne suddenly spoke.
"Because of my role, I cannot interfere in the conflict between the Red and Black factions."
Gordes stared at her.
"But he just tried to kill you!"
He genuinely could not understand her reasoning.
The man had attacked her outright.
Why was she still worrying about neutrality?
This was not the time for honorable duels. They should simply gang up on Karna and eliminate him.
"His attempt to kill me is one matter."
Jeanne’s expression remained firm.
"The conflict between the Red and Black factions is another."
"I will not confuse the two."
Jeanne understood exactly what Gordes wanted.
She simply had principles and a mission of her own.
She had been summoned into this world for one purpose—to preserve the proper order of the Holy Grail War.
Everything else came second.
That unwavering commitment to duty was part of what made Jeanne d’Arc who she was.
"Then, young man."
Gordes quickly turned toward Kiriya.
"Have my Saber fight beside you. Together, you can eliminate Lancer of Red."
To his growing frustration, Kiriya refused as well.
"Stay out of it."
He sounded almost annoyed.
"I was just starting to get into the fight!"
Gordes stared at both of them in disbelief.
’What is wrong with these people?’
As far as he was concerned, the Holy Grail War was simple.
Use whatever methods were necessary to eliminate the enemy Masters and Servants, then claim the Greater Grail.
Yet these lunatics were standing around insisting on one-on-one fights.
It was incomprehensible.
"One at a time?"
Karna looked toward Kiriya.
"I have no objection."
He shifted his stance.
"Then I will begin with you."
Karna was about to charge when he suddenly stopped.
His gaze turned toward the distance behind him.
A moment later, disappointment entered his expression.
"My apologies."
He looked back at Kiriya.
"My Master is summoning me."
"It appears our battle will have to continue another time."
"I see."
Kiriya looked equally disappointed.
He released the Eight Gates, and his terrifying presence vanished almost instantly, leaving behind the appearance of an ordinary, harmless young man.
"Next time, I’ll use everything I have."
"I look forward to it."
With those words, Karna’s body dissolved into particles of light and disappeared.
Gordes secretly relaxed.
Against a Heroic Spirit of Karna’s caliber, he had never been confident that Saber could defeat him without assistance from Jeanne and Kiriya.
If they fought to mutual destruction—or worse, if Saber was eliminated—the loss would be catastrophic.
Still, even though Lancer of Red had escaped, Gordes had other opportunities before him.
"Ruler."
He turned toward Jeanne.
"Would you consider visiting the Yggdmillennia castle as our guest?"
His intention was obvious.
If he could establish a good relationship with Ruler, perhaps she would become slightly more sympathetic toward the Black faction and make certain future matters more convenient.
Jeanne understood that immediately.
"No, thank you."
She politely shook her head.
"For the sake of fairness, I cannot reside at the headquarters of either faction."
"But if you intend to supervise the Holy Grail War, our castle offers the best observation point in the region."
Gordes continued trying.
Jeanne shook her head again.
"My perception can already cover the entirety of Trifas."
"..."
Gordes clenched his teeth.
He did not dare lose his temper with Ruler, so he swallowed his frustration and turned toward Kiriya instead.
"Young man."
His tone became noticeably more respectful.
"Our leader would also like to invite you to the castle as an honored guest."
He forced a pleasant smile.
"Would you be willing to join us?"
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