Ryou immediately stopped the motorcycle.
"I'll drop you off here."
"Thank you."
Jeanne hopped off the bike with a slight smile. The two exchanged a look, a silent understanding passing between them.
With a rev of the engine, Ryou's Harley roared to life and sped off in a streak.
Jeanne's smiling face gradually turned serious.
A magical gleam enveloped her, and the school uniform she had been wearing transformed into a deep blue battle robe and silver-white skirt armor. In her hand, she held a white battle flag.
Clang!
Jeanne thrust the flag into the ground and shouted at a road sign ahead, "You are... the Red Faction's Lancer. What is your purpose here?"
Seated atop the road sign was a white-haired Servant clad in golden armor and draped in a flaming cloak—it was Karna.
"Oh~! It seems you've noticed, Ruler. Prepare yourself!"
The fierce warrior wasted no time, launching an attack after only a few words.
He raised his bizarre, monk-like spear and delivered a blow from above that was as swift as a falling star.
Boom!
Smoke billowed as a massive crater appeared on the poorly maintained highway.
Jeanne, however, had anticipated this. She deftly leaped backward, dodging the attack with ease.
"Son of the Sun God Surya, Karna, do you understand the significance of attacking me, the Ruler?"
Jeanne asked sternly, staring into the dust cloud where Karna stood.
"Spare me the rhetoric. My presence here is a declaration of war," Karna replied coldly, his face devoid of any expression.
Despite knowing from Ryou about the Red Faction's intentions to attack her, Jeanne still had doubts.
"Is this your own decision or a command from your Master?"
"I am following my Master's orders to eliminate you."
"Was it truly your Master who gave that command?"
Jeanne nearly revealed too much in her agitation.
Karna, however, caught the unusual tone in her words.
Normally unshakable, Karna's eyes now held a rare glint of curiosity.
"Ruler, it seems you know quite a bit of hidden information."
Jeanne opened her mouth but, mindful of Ryou who had confided in her, said nothing.
"It doesn't matter. My only task is to defeat you here and now," Karna said, positioning his golden spear across his chest, red magical energy swirling around it.
He was preparing to use his Noble Phantasm.
"Prepare yourself, Ruler! Given your special authority, I will show no mercy," Karna declared.
"Lancer..."
Beads of sweat appeared on Jeanne's forehead.
As one of the rare and exceptional Heroic Spirits, Karna's combat prowess was among the strongest. The pressure he exerted on Jeanne was immense.
Just as Karna was about to deliver his finishing blow, he abruptly halted and shifted to a defensive stance.
"Saber!"
With a loud shout, a figure in silver armor leaped from behind Karna, swinging a sword at his head.
Karna raised his spear to block. A resounding clang echoed as sparks flew. The figure flipped and landed in front of Karna, launching another horizontal slash.
Karna didn't even lift his foot. He thrust his spear forward, causing another explosion of sparks in the night, but he remained unmoved.
However, the road sign behind him wasn't so lucky. The sword's wind pressure sliced it cleanly, leaving a mirror-smooth cut.
The silver-armored figure was revealed to be none other than the dragon-slaying hero, Siegfried.
At that moment, a panting, rotund man in a classic white suit ran up to Jeanne.
The fat man lavished Jeanne with flattery, but she remained steadfastly neutral.
This man, named Gordes, was somewhat deluded.
Even without Ryou exposing the dirt on the Yggdmillennia clan, Jeanne's serious and fair nature—qualities that led the Holy Grail to choose her as Ruler—would have made Gordes's attempts futile.
Gordes lacked both charm and a halo of the protagonist. Winning over Jeanne was an impossible dream.
Despite his verbose efforts, Jeanne refused to join Siegfried in attacking Karna.
Frustrated and angry, Gordes directed his ire at Karna, loudly ordering Siegfried to kill Karna.
Siegfried, ever the loyal and obedient warrior, immediately raised his sword and attacked Karna.
Blue and red lights clashed continuously in the night, creating numerous craters in the wasteland beside the highway.
...
Let's leave the fierce battle for now.
Ryou was speeding along on his Harley when a gloomy voice suddenly reached his ears.
"Master~ You're quite skilled at charming girls."
Ryou turned to see Medea, her face clouded with dark energy, glaring at him, clearly on the verge of another dark transformation. She was rummaging in her pocket.
"Ahem! Medea-chan, could you listen to my explanation first?"
Ryou said as gently as possible, trying not to provoke her.
Medea gazed at him coldly but stopped rummaging.
"Alright, I admit it. I want Jeanne to become my contracted Servant, and I do have feelings for her..."
Ryou said, carefully watching Medea's expression.
"But whether it's Jeanne, you, Ais, or Scáthach, I've never intended to use any of you. I sincerely hope we can all stay together forever. If you hate me for this, I understand. After all, I am a womanizer..."
Ryou smiled bitterly.
The expected storm of anger and volcanic eruption didn't come. Medea unexpectedly fell silent, lowering her head in thought.
After a long while, Medea slowly raised her head.
"I'm not angry because you're a womanizer. You will inevitably become a great hero surrounded by many partners. I was just reminded of the man I will hate when I grow up, and it filled me with resentment... But since you've promised, I'll believe you."
Ryou's eyes focused. The man Medea mentioned was undoubtedly Jason, who used her to obtain the Golden Fleece, caused her family's ruin, and then discarded her when she was no longer useful.
As for his womanizing, it seemed acceptable to Medea, who came from Ancient Greece's mythological era, where heroes and kings often had multiple wives and lovers.
Thank you gods.
Just as Ryou felt relieved, Medea suddenly smiled sweetly.
"But I didn't expect you to be so bold, Master, to even have eyes on the Queen of the Land of Shadows... Should I tell her about this~?"
Medea's smile was so pure, but Ryou could almost see a grinning demon shadow behind her.
It must be that mischievous Ishtar who corrupted my innocent Medea-chan! Damn it! Give me back my sweet Medea-chan!
Thinking of Ishtar, Ryou suddenly remembered something very important.
He hurriedly said to Medea, "I have something very important for you to do right now."
"Master, what do you need?"
Seeing Ryou's serious expression, Medea also put away her playful demeanor.
"I need you to..."
Ryou immediately gave his instructions.
After listening, Medea nodded lightly and flew away.
The Dimensional Phasing state is convenient; even gravity can't affect it.
Ryou watched Medea fly further and further away, feeling a bit envious. He was not so fortunate. He couldn't dematerialize like ordinary Servants or fly like Medea. To maintain his energy and physical strength in optimal combat conditions, he had to ride his Harley at full speed.
Ryou veered onto another path, one that led to the town where Amakusa Shirou was located.
...
Meanwhile, Karna and Siegfried had been fighting for a long time, both holding back and not using their Noble Phantasms, resulting in a stalemate.
Siegfried had the protection of the Armor of Fafnir, while Karna had the golden armor granted by the Sun God.
Without using their Noble Phantasms, neither could inflict any effective damage on the other, and the surrounding ground became the victim, craters like the surface of the moon.
As the first rays of morning sunlight broke through, neither side had gained the upper hand, and the two great heroes, now respecting each other, agreed to fight another day.
Karna then switched to his spirit form and disappeared.
On the other side, Jeanne and Gordes, who had been observing the battle, approached as Karna withdrew.
Jeanne praised Siegfried for his excellent performance.
Siegfried modestly replied that it was just alright.
Still not giving up, Gordes tried to sweet-talk Jeanne into returning to the Yggdmillennia stronghold.
Jeanne remained resolute and unwavering in her stance.
Ultimately, they parted ways without a resolution.
...
Meanwhile, Karna, in spirit form, was speeding back on his route.
With his keen senses, Karna noticed that someone seemed to be watching him.
Remaining vigilant, Karna kept his golden spear in hand, not relaxing for a moment.
At that moment, a young man with an Eastern appearance appeared before him.
"Yo!"
Ryou greeted him with a raised hand, seeing that the person he was waiting for had arrived.
Realizing that the other could detect him even in spirit form, Karna immediately reverted to physical form.
"You were the one with the Ruler earlier," Karna said, scrutinizing him with a slight frown.
"It seems you are not just passersby."
Ryou shrugged.
"I've been waiting here, especially for you."
Karna's expression remained indifferent.
"I don't seem to know you."
"No matter. I just want to ask you one thing. If you agree, we can get to know each other slowly. If not, there's no need for introductions."
Karna remained silent.
Knowing that Karna, despite his seemingly cold demeanor, had his thoughts, Ryou went straight to the point.
"If I rescue your Master, would you be interested in joining me?"
Karna's eyes sharpened, and he coldly replied, "My Master is safe and sound. I don't need your concern, nor do I have any intention of serving another."
"Don't play dumb. I can't believe you haven't noticed anything suspicious. Your Master has been poisoned to the point of idiocy. That venomous woman makes him say whatever she wants. Do you call that 'safe and sound'? I never expected the renowned hero, son of the Sun God Surya, to be such a master of sarcasm," Ryou said with a playful smile.
Hearing this, Karna's already cold expression grew even colder.
"I will personally verify what you said. As for your offer, my answer remains the same."
"I figured. You and Siegfried are both so stubborn," Ryou sighed, showing a hint of helplessness.
"In that case, I'm sorry, but I'll have to ask you to leave the stage now!" His helplessness transformed into a bone-chilling killing intent.
As Ryou spoke, he somehow produced a card from his hand.
The bronze card depicted a samurai wielding a long katana.
Ryou murmured to himself.
"Descent Card Activate!" (Henshin!!!)
The card immediately radiated a brilliant light, outshining the morning sun.
When the light faded, Ryou's clothes had transformed. He now wore a blue-purple haori over a light blue hitatare, with matching hakama, and a giant katana strapped to his back.
"I am now Sasaki Kojirou's. Karna, let's fight!"
"Red Lancer, Karna, ready to receive your challenge!"
In an instant, the distance between them vanished as if by teleportation.
The golden spear and the giant katana clashed violently, creating a piercing noise.
They quickly separated, then collided again.
For a moment, the battlefield was filled with sparks, and only blurred figures could be seen clashing in midair.
The ground was scarred, and the sky was filled with flying sparks.
This was a battlefield reminiscent of legends, a realm where mortals couldn't intervene!
Facing the equally matched son of the Sun God, Ryou felt immense exhilaration.
Although this power was temporarily granted by the Descent Card for only ten minutes, it was the genuine power of a Heroic Spirit.
During these brief ten minutes, he not only gained all of Sasaki Kojirou's skills except for his Noble Phantasm but also had Kojirou's basic attributes added to his own, allowing him to contend with Karna, as an Assassin.
No, he was even stronger!
Ryou now possessed the true essence of a Heroic Spirit, combined with his basic attributes, while Karna was merely a Servant, a secondary embodiment. Ryou had already surpassed Karna in basic attributes to a crushing degree.
In terms of speed alone, Ryou moved like a lightning bolt, nearly impossible for Karna to track with his eyes. Karna had to rely on his honed, uncrowned martial skills and his sturdy golden armor to barely maintain his defense against Ryou's torrential assaults.
Realizing he couldn't match Ryou's extreme speed, Karna decisively abandoned using his golden spear to counter him.
Karna suddenly stood still, planting his golden spear into the ground.
"Equipment is inadequate. A true hero kills with a stare! Brahmastra!" Karna shouted, his eyes glowing with sunlight's brilliance.
Ryou was startled, instinctively dodging to the side as a searing red beam grazed past him.
A nearby mountain peak was instantly bisected by the laser-like beam.
Karna immediately fired a second beam. Prepared, Ryou sidestepped again, then used the opening to appear before Karna as if by teleportation.
At that moment, Karna seemed to foresee this, his gaze already fixed on Ryou's position, his eyes glowing with solar light.
Facing this dire situation, Ryou, empowered by Sasaki Kojirou's Vitrification,' remained unfazed.
With a sudden insight, he thrust his katana like lightning, aiming straight for Karna's eyes.
At that moment, Ryou's katana surpassed even the speed of light!
Unable to dodge, Karna tilted his head but still ended up with a long gash across his face from the katana.
Despite the wound on his face, Karna seemed unfazed. With a gesture, a dozen blazing fireballs appeared above his head and rained down.
Ryou, who intended to pursue, had no choice but to retreat in the face of the widespread attack.
The two once again stood facing each other.
Blood streamed down from Karna's forehead, forcing him to close his left eye.
"Well done, swordsman of the East. In this false second life of mine, meeting opponents like you and Siegfried is truly a gift from the gods."
Despite being at a disadvantage, Karna wore an innocent smile, like that of a child.
Perhaps this is what sets a great hero apart from ordinary people. Even bound by a contract to his Master, he still yearned for a battle against an equally matched opponent!
"I don't wish to be your opponent," Ryou shrugged helplessly.
Karna was not one to be careless or arrogant. Unlike the flashy and overconfident Gilgamesh, Karna fought with his full strength once he identified an enemy, never holding back or underestimating them.
As an ally, he was the most reliable; as an opponent, he was the most troublesome.
While Ryou admired Karna's character and conduct, he knew that to him, Karna was an enemy.
Ryou had to give his all to kill him!
And it was clear Karna felt the same way.
"In return, I will pierce your heart with this spear and kill you with all my might!"
Karna pulled the golden spear from the ground, grasping it with both hands, the spearhead aimed directly at Ryou.
Scarlet, fiery mana surged from Karna, turning him into a man of flames.
Suddenly, hundreds of fireballs and the phantom of his divine spear appeared behind him. With a wave of his hand, they rained down on Ryou like a storm.
In the face of this overwhelming attack, Ryou, aided by his 'Vitrification' skill, remained calm and composed. He moved with extreme precision, finding the tiniest gaps in the rain of fire, and when none could be found, his katana would cleave a path.
Ryou dodged and weaved, his katana either slicing or chopping, creating a way through the onslaught.
However, Karna had achieved his goal.
Ryou was not only held back by the attack but also forced away from Karna.
Meanwhile, Karna had gathered sufficient mana once again.
Karna leaped high into the air, pouring a massive amount of mana into his golden spear. The already golden divine spear now shone even brighter than the sun!
"Brahmastra Kundala: O' Brahma, Curse Me!"
Karna aimed at Ryou and hurled the golden spear with all his might.
In an instant, the sun fell...
Before the golden spear even hit the ground, the earth began to boil like a volcano.
This attack could not be blocked head-on!
Ryou's body moved instinctively, even before he had time to think.
Faster!
Faster!
Faster!
In the blink of an eye, Ryou had retreated a kilometer away, moving like lightning.
But the range of Karna's attack was far too vast.
The golden spear fell to the ground, and immediately a sun rose from the surface. Blazing white-hot flames spread outwards in a semicircle, scorching everything in their path. A large chunk of the earth was gouged out, the soil incinerated into magma, and a crimson mushroom cloud ascended into the sky.
Finally, the power of the strike gradually subsided.
Several kilometers away, Ryou was in a wretched state. His clothes were almost entirely burned away, with only a few parts left covering his vital areas. His exposed skin was red and covered with blisters of various sizes, clearly severely burned.
Gazing at Karna, who seemed like the sun god incarnate, Ryou revealed a bitter smile.
Even in the form of a heroic spirit, he still couldn't stand up to a true powerhouse head-on.
"This strike still wasn't enough to destroy you? It seems that this level of power is insufficient."
Karna didn't seem to think so. Looking at Ryou in the distance, his expression grew even serious.
"Very well, as a mark of respect, I will unleash an absolutely destructive strike!"
As Karna spoke, his golden armor suddenly vanished, transforming into flames that enveloped his entire body. Above his head, the flames formed an eye of the sun.
The golden spear turned into a black god-slaying spear within the flames.
As soon as this god-slaying spear appeared, the earth seemed to sense its power. Massive amounts of magma erupted from the ground like a volcano, turning the surface into a sea of magma.
The azure sky also seemed to catch fire, turning a shade of pink.
Looking down from the sky, rings of scorching flames continuously expanded outwards, as if a miniature sun were slowly being born.
Even before the Noble Phantasm was unleashed, its residual power was already terrifying. This strike could likely only be countered by a world-class Noble Phantasm. Even among heroic spirits of such caliber, only a few could withstand it.
And Ryou was certainly not among them!
Moreover, this strike had reached the level of certainty; no matter how far one ran, even if one fled to the ends of the earth, it couldn't be dodged.
But strangely, facing this unavoidable, unstoppable, and fatal strike, Ryou's face showed no trace of panic.