Before long, a shadow that even Rider's eyes could capture slowly emerged from the depths of the forest. One person, one sword, carrying an unmistakable Servant aura.
"Yo. You're Saber, right?"
In response to the inquiry from the Red Rider, the Black Saber, Siegfried, nodded silently.
"I'm the Red Rider. Even though I'm a Rider, I don't ride anything, and my weapon is a spear. But don't worry about it. Your Rider over there isn't much different, right? More importantly—"
Rider declared in a playful tone as if saying, "If you want to see my true skills, then come at me all seven of you."
"Are you okay with this? Do you think you can face me with just one fighter? If you want to defeat me, the Red Rider, you won't stand a chance unless you all come at me together!"
His cold, mocking expression was filled with immense confidence. Even without using his original weapon, he exuded a vigorous spirit and immense fighting spirit.
However, the one standing opposite him was none other than the world-renowned Siegfried! The hero who slaughtered the evil dragon Fafnir seemed displeased, his eyes narrowing. Just feel this killing intent would crush the heart of an ordinary person.
Yet, even seeing that expression, the Red Rider remained calm. Even under the weight of a hero's pressure, he didn't retract his provocative smile.
This was the killing intent and hatred he was long accustomed to. For a hero who was satisfied as long as he had his one-of-a-kind friends and beloved women, this level of threat was like a breeze.
If anything, only the times and weapons had changed. It was no different from usual. And with one word of boredom, he discarded everything.
This was the way of life the Red Rider had loved during his lifetime.
"Come on. Let me engrave the name of a true hero, a true warrior, upon you."
He raised his spear.
In an instant, the heavy pressure of fighting spirit collided fiercely.
If an ordinary person were present, they would undoubtedly be mentally shattered by the invisible pressure. But the hero Siegfried managed to withstand it.
Three—The countdown began.
The forest was vast, surrounded by tall trees unsuitable for swinging a spear or a sword.
Two—The gradually freezing air felt all too familiar.
The spear possessed a thrust far superior to any weapon present. With the spear capable of piercing a heart in one strike and penetrating a skull in another, the Red Rider did not find the current environment disadvantageous.
One—On the verge of explosion, as if time had stood still.
Most importantly, with the support of the world-renowned Archer, the Red Rider's confidence was unshakable.
Zero—Everything present was swept away; those impure were mercilessly obliterated.
Someone stepped forward, someone raised their weapon.
Siegfried's greatsword sliced through the air like a bolt of lightning, its speed and power impeccable.
But the Red Rider coldly sneered at the Black Saber's fierce attack. His slender war spear traced an arc and easily parried the greatsword.
"Too naive!!"
Almost simultaneously, he delivered a kick. His fighting style wasn't based on knightly etiquette but was a combat technique thoroughly honed on the battlefield.
Siegfried remained unfazed by Rider's kick, taking it squarely on his abdomen and counterattacking with his sword.
Without a successful hit, the Red Rider also didn't mind, similarly enduring Siegfried's strike with his body, continuing the fierce exchange.
Both were more aggressive than defensive and within moments, their weapons had struck each other's bodies multiple times. However, neither showed a single scratch, as their attacks were essentially nullified.
After a dazzling round of offense and defense, the two unparalleled heroes simultaneously leaped back.
The Red Rider slung his spear over his shoulder, revealing a warrior's grim smile.
"As expected, Black Saber, you... my spear can't pierce you. Is this hardness an immortality or invincibility of some sort? Just like me."
Just like him? Siegfried readied his stance again, his sword-like brows furrowing slightly.
He had bathed in dragon's blood, bearing the "Armor of Fafnir," which meant attacks below B-rank couldn't harm him. But if the Red Rider used his Noble Phantasm, it might be effective.
However, the Red Rider didn't seem to have any attack capable of causing damage—his immortality was different from Siegfried's. It wasn't simply a protective force to be broken by sheer power but required specific conditions, like flames or lightning, or certain situational factors, such as being in a forest or at night.
No one in this world is completely immortal. Even as a Heroic Spirit, one remains within the bounds of "human." Those who transcend these bounds are extraordinary beings not typically called upon in the Holy Grail War.
Determining what kind of immortality the Red Rider had was crucial to securing victory.
Having made up his mind, Saber shifted his sword style from offense to defense and raised his eyebrows twice in quick succession. This was the signal Shinji had taught him earlier. Though Siegfried hadn't uttered a word, he remembered everything Shinji said that could be useful in battle.
The signal meant to hold their position.
As expected of Siegfried, he had sensed something was wrong. Unfortunately, his Master didn't have the same keen insight.
Using his Spiritual Form and "Presence Concealment" skills, Shinji stealthily approached the Red Rider from behind, ready to materialize two of his Noble Phantasms at any moment.
At the same time, Siegfried heard his Master Gordes' roar.
"What are you doing, Saber! That guy isn't even scratched! Use your Noble Phantasm, now!"
Not yet! The Red Rider wasn't serious yet. The mystery of his unscathed invincibility remained unsolved. If Siegfried's Noble Phantasm could penetrate his defense, fine, but if not, it would expose his true name and weakness.
Despite his Master's scolding, Siegfried refused to act foolishly and ignored the command.
Hope you understand, Siegfried thought. Normally, he would exert every effort to persuade him, but there was no time for that now.
The Red Rider, unaware of Siegfried's inner turmoil, continued, "We seem to be at an impasse."
"…"
Saber, adhering to his agreement with his Master, didn't respond. Seeing no reaction, the Red Rider's face showed a trace of displeasure.
"You're quite the cold one. Those who can't laugh on the battlefield will forget how to smile in Elysium. This world is already so gloomy it's rotting and festering. So, shouldn't we at least be happier as we fade away? Don't you think?"
—I don't. Laughing on the battlefield can sometimes insult the enemy. No, at least there's the danger of others seeing it that way. Enjoying the thrill of combat by acknowledging each other's strength is one thing, but laughing over corpses is just plain mockery.
Facing Siegfried's silent refusal, the Red Rider extended a finger and repeated his earlier words:
"It's better to be happier when you dissipate. Didn't I already say that?"
In the next instant, an invisible arrow, faster than sound, shot straight at Siegfried's chest.
The impact sent Saber crashing through several trees, tumbling to the ground.
◇◇◇
Fiore was becoming increasingly satisfied and impressed with her Servant.
To be honest, she initially harbored some wariness and dissatisfaction towards Shinji. Whether he genuinely forgot his true name or was lying, it indicated a lack of trust toward his Master, which made Fiore, who wanted to work in unity with her Servant, feel uneasy. She might be naive and lacking in worldly experience, but it didn't mean she had low emotional intelligence.
After all, she was the next head of the vast Yggdmillennia family, lacking none of the qualities of a leader. She hadn't forced the issue or used a Command Spell because she didn't want to overly pressure a newly summoned Servant and damage their nascent relationship. In this respect, she was entirely the opposite of Gordes.
After Shinji left, she did not immediately rest as he might have thought. Instead, she pondered how to get along with her Servant and how to make him lower his guard. In between her thoughts, she would occasionally sense Shinji's position to see if he was scouting the area.
Of course, she found nothing. Sensing his location across the whole of Asia was beyond even the Yggdmillennia's capabilities. If they could do that, they wouldn't need the Holy Grail to rebel; they could simply confront the Clock Tower head-on.
However, Fiore didn't doubt Shinji because of this. Instead, she saw it as a testament to his abilities as an Assassin. With a Noble Phantasm that could conceal his presence, it wasn't unreasonable that he could hide his location. If she, his Master, couldn't sense him, then neither could the enemy, which was a demonstration of his strength.
It seemed he hadn't lied about his capabilities; he was indeed very powerful, perhaps with a good reason for hiding his true name.
In this mutual misunderstanding, their bond paradoxically grew stronger—a curious situation, indeed.
With a good start, getting along became much easier.
From then on, Fiore discovered more and more of Shinji's shining qualities: his diligent effort during night shifts, his cheerful and engaging conversation that could last all afternoon, his keen insight into defensive weaknesses and Servant true names, and notably, his skill in beating Caules at computer games, which helped maintain her brother's dignity.
As their time together grew and his abilities became evident, Fiore stopped worrying about his true name, believing she would learn it eventually. Her trust in Shinji deepened.
So when Shinji suggested she and Gordes team up to observe the battle from Millennia Castle, she agreed first and asked for the reason later.
"Servants team up, Masters team up; it facilitates coordinated combat—that's the surface reason."
"And the deeper reason?"
"I'm afraid that fat guy will lose his head. He's your polar opposite—you respect and trust me, but he treats Siegfried as a puppet and a tool. What's worse is his egocentric nature. If his opinion clashes with Siegfried's, he'll undoubtedly think he's right and force Siegfried to comply. The problem is, in combat, ten of him can't compare to Siegfried. So I hope you can stop him when he makes a mistake."
"Uncle Gordes isn't as bad as you say. He's difficult to get along with, but fundamentally, he's not a bad person."
"You don't trust my judgment?"
"I do, but I also trust my own."
"Then let's wait and see. No matter what happens, I won't lose out. If things go as you say, all the better. If it turns out as I predict, then we'll rely on you. As for whose judgment is better, we'll have the answer after this battle."
Shinji's smile and confident tone aroused Fiore's fighting spirit. She was a genius on whom many had placed high hopes, and geniuses are always unwilling to lose. Even if her combat abilities couldn't match those of a Servant, she couldn't be outdone in everything.
"I will win."
"It doesn't count now just by saying it. How about this: if you win, I'll help improve your Mystic Code. If I win, you help me make two items. How about that?"
"Deal!"
"Deal."
To Fiore's surprise, her fighting spirit had barely risen when it was ruthlessly crushed by reality.
When she heard Gordes shout, "What are you doing, Saber! That guy hasn't even taken a scratch! Use your Noble Phantasm, quickly!" she knew she had lost.
Assassin is really impressive.
The young girl praised him while starting to dissuade Gordes.
"Uncle—"