"I remember you have a Noble Phantasm that explodes," Cyd said, placing a hand on Jeanne's shoulder while pointing at the floating fortress. "Why not use it now?"
"Though our time together was short…" Mordred began, attempting a knightly gesture that didn't quite suit her, a rare hint of melancholy in her voice. "I enjoyed it."
"It's useless now," Kairi grumbled, kicking the car, which was beyond repair.
"You can't treat Mordred's ride like that!" Mordred protested, grabbing Kairi by the collar and lifting him.
"Cough! It broke because of your reckless driving!" Kairi shot back, his feet finally touching the ground as he struggled for air. "And get a grip on the situation!"
Nearby, Siegfried hesitated with his sword in hand, unsure whether to intervene or let them argue it out.
Their strategy was brutal but effective. The Red Team had sent only Lancer and Rider into battle, both formidable, but Vlad III's local fame gave him enough power to hold a one-on-one, and Chiron, with his knowledge of Achilles, could stall the other. This left their remaining Servants free to sweep the battlefield.
From what Darnic's scouts reported, the Red Team's Saber outclassed Frankenstein, and their Archer was the skilled huntress Atalanta, equal to Chiron in archery. Their whereabouts were unknown, making them wildcards.
Given the Lancer's mysterious power, even Vlad wasn't confident in a one-on-one fight. But this was a war, not a duel. A single victory didn't guarantee winning the war. With Lancer and Rider occupied, their strongest Saber, Siegfried, was free to find Red's Archer and Saber.
Now he had found them but wasn't sure how to approach them.
"Ah, you must be the Black Team's Saber," Mordred said, stepping forward as pieces of armor assembled on her body. "You look strong—nothing like that Berserker."
Frankenstein sneezed somewhere as she fought off dragon-tooth warriors.
Siegfried remained silent, not because Gordes forbade him from speaking, but because it was his nature. His sword was his way of communicating.
"What's with the silent treatment?" Mordred huffed, summoning her sword with a clenched fist.
"Well, I'll be off then," Kairi said, straightening his collar.
"Hey! I'm about to put on a perfect show here!" Mordred complained, pouting.
"I don't want to get caught up in it," Kairi pointed out, gesturing to the battlefield. " and I trust you."
And with that, Kairi ran away from the battlefield.
"Fine, fine," Mordred muttered, cracking her neck. "You've got some knightly spirit, Black Saber, not attacking me while I was distracted."
How should I respond? Siegfried thought, deciding silence was better.
Mordred, not one for subtlety, misread his silence as a challenge. "I'll make you scream!"
Red lightning crackled between her legs as she shot toward Siegfried like a cannonball.
Siegfried's eyes narrowed. He stepped back, bringing Balmung down to clash with Mordred's Clarent. The impact sent a shockwave across the battlefield, scattering dragon-tooth warriors, shattered golems, and lifeless homunculi like debris in a storm.
The ground beneath them trembled and cracked as Mordred's grin widened. Red lightning coursed through her arms, fueling her sword with increasing power. The earth beneath Siegfried's feet began to fracture.
Siegfried exhaled sharply, shifting his weight to the right. Mordred's sword followed, slamming into the ground as Siegfried sidestepped, a shadowy figure in the swirling dust, sword raised high.
"Tch!" Mordred gritted her teeth, choosing not to block but instead channeling the red lightning through her sword into the ground, triggering an explosion.
Siegfried quickly brought Balmung up, using the blast's momentum to distance himself from Mordred.
"Not bad, Black Saber," Mordred remarked, wiping dust from her face.
"You're strong too," Siegfried replied, lifting Balmung, his tone serious.
"You finally speak?" Mordred smirked, resting her sword on her shoulder.
"I'm not good at talking."
"Boring," Mordred scoffed, her eyes blazing with a fierce light. "But as an opponent, you're perfect!"
Mordred and Siegfried were opposites. Siegfried's swordsmanship was precise, almost inhuman, having slain the dragon Fafnir. Mordred, by contrast, fought on instinct, her style pure violence without finesse, a true killing blade.
"Has Saber shown up?" Shirou Kotomine, hiding in the woods, nodded to himself. "Where's Archer?"
"Still on the outskirts of the battlefield with Ruler," Semiramis replied from her throne, her legs crossed, scanning the images surrounding her. She relayed the information to Shirou via their contract.
"So, he's here," Shirou sighed, uneasy despite his expectations. Unlike Jeanne, Cyd was truly beloved by the gods, blessed by twelve Olympian gods and Hades. The exact nature of these blessings was unclear, even in myth.
The most troublesome aspect was Archer Atalanta's loyalty. The Red Team's position would become precarious if she sided with Cyd. Caster Shakespeare was only interested in playing his part, and Assassin Semiramis was focused on controlling her garden. This left Lancer and Rider to bear the brunt of the fighting.
Their Saber had engaged Black's Saber, but the situation hadn't improved much.
If Atalanta had interfered now, things could have unraveled quickly.
"Do we need to take out one of their Servants first?" Shirou's gaze fell on Frankenstein, who was cutting down dragon-tooth soldiers.