The battle on the dock between Rider and Saber resumed with an intensity that made the air vibrate. Perseo, with his characteristic calm smile, lunged toward Saber in a swift motion, taking advantage of the speed granted by his winged sandals. The golden gleam of his Noble Phantasm flashed briefly with each new assault, a detail that didn't go unnoticed by any of the observers.
Saber, for her part, maintained her composure, her invisible sword tracing precise arcs to block Rider's attacks. The British knight slowly retreated, evaluating each of her opponent's movements while trying to find an opening to counterattack.
At one point, Perseo launched a downward strike aimed at destabilizing her, but Saber slid her sword upward in a fluid motion, deflecting the attack and forcing Rider to step back.
"Not bad, knight," said Perseo, his tone a mix of respect and amusement.
"But let's see if you can keep up."
With a flash of light, Perseo vanished from Saber's sight, reappearing at her side with a spinning kick aimed at her right flank. Saber, trusting her instincts, swung her sword to block, but the impact forced her to take a step back, leaving a mark on the dock's surface.
Meanwhile, Lancer watched from his position. With his arms crossed and a carefree expression, he couldn't help but notice the flashes from Rider's sandals.
"Ah, of course! That explains a lot," he murmured to himself before communicating with his Master through the magical link.
"Master, Rider has been using a Noble Phantasm from the start. It's his sandals; they grant him exceptional speed. I think I know who he is, hmmm... I believe it's Perseo, though it could be someone else, but I doubt it. No hero other than Perseo received those sandals from Hermes."
Kayneth, who had been carefully analyzing the battle, frowned upon hearing Hector's words.
"Why didn't you tell me that earlier?!" he snapped mentally, his tone filled with frustration.
"Because I wasn't in a hurry," Hector replied with a calm and slightly mocking tone.
"But now that you know his identity, perhaps you can use that information to your advantage."
At that moment, Saber also began to notice the flashes from Rider's sandals. Her previous suspicions were confirmed, and without hesitation, she turned to Irisviel.
"Irisviel, inform Kiritsugu. Rider is using a Noble Phantasm that grants him this speed," she said firmly as she prepared for the next exchange.
Irisviel nodded and, using the magical communicator, relayed the information to her husband. Kiritsugu, from his elevated position, listened intently.
"A Noble Phantasm that allows him to move at that speed... What kind of hero could have such an ability?" he thought as he analyzed the situation. But his doubts quickly dissipated when Kayneth's voice echoed across the battlefield, brimming with confidence.
"So you're Perseus, the hero who defeated Medusa! Interesting, but you won't be an obstacle for my Lancer," Kayneth declared, aiming to destabilize Rider and his Master.
Kiritsugu furrowed his brow upon hearing this. A single, immediate thought flooded his mind.
"If he really is Perseus, then he might have the head of Medusa. If that's true, we're all in danger here."
Meanwhile, in the cabin, Waver Velvet turned pale as he listened to his Servant's identity being revealed. His breathing quickened, and for a moment, he considered using a Command Spell to summon Perseus back. However, he decided to wait.
"Just a few more minutes," he thought, clenching his fists. "If things get worse, I'll call him back."
Waver's momentary relief came from the fact that he had used one of the ampoules Edmund had provided him. It had temporarily enhanced his magical circuits, allowing him to withstand the amount of energy Rider was consuming to keep his Noble Phantasm active. Without this boost, Waver would have been completely drained.
In the hotel, Edmund watched the situation with a look of fascination.
"So they finally know his identity," he murmured, taking another sip of wine.
"Let's see how far this spectacle goes."
The dock was enveloped in an atmosphere of anticipation. Saber adjusted her stance, Irisviel remained alert, and Rider smiled with his confidence unshaken. Lancer, with a calm expression, simply observed, while his Master began planning the next move.
The atmosphere on the dock grew even tenser after Kayneth's declaration. He had spoken with clear intent, proclaiming Rider's name for all present and those observing the battle to hear.
"Rider, also known as Perseus, the Greek hero who defeated Medusa! Your presence here is a threat I cannot ignore!" Kayneth exclaimed, his voice firm and filled with authority. Although he had initially planned to focus Lancer's efforts on defeating Saber, the revelation of Rider's identity forced him to reconsider.
The change in plans was immediate. Saber remained a significant threat, but the possibility of facing Perseus's Noble Phantasm outweighed any other danger.
Kayneth had quickly deduced that the real issue did not lie in the Greek hero's parameters. Like the other Masters present and those watching from the shadows, he could see that Perseus did not particularly excel in strength or endurance. His highest attributes were agility and luck, but that could only mean one thing: his Noble Phantasm were the key to his power.
Kiritsugu, from his elevated position, was also analyzing the situation quickly. Kayneth's declaration had confirmed one of his suspicions about Rider, but the real problem now was determining which of the mythical objects associated with Perseus had been turned into Noble Phantasm.
"The Helm of Hades to turn invisible," Kiritsugu thought, his mind racing through the tales of Greek mythology. "The winged sandals of Hermes, which he's already using, Harpe, the weapon he used to behead Medusa... and, of course, the sack that held her head. I can't rule out Athena's shield either—it could also be a Noble Phantasm."
With each item he mentally cataloged, the danger of facing Rider became increasingly clear. Kiritsugu's frown deepened as he tried to calculate the odds of victory against an opponent armed with so many potentially devastating tools.
"We don't know which of these artifacts have manifested as Noble Phantasms," he muttered to himself, adjusting his scope to get a better look at Rider. The gleam of the sandals was unmistakable every time Perseus moved with his inhuman speed.
Near Saber, Irisviel received a clear order through the magical communicator.
"Irisviel, retreat with Saber immediately. We can't face Rider under these conditions," Kiritsugu said firmly. "And we can't afford to fight Lancer while he's still here. A strategic retreat is our best move for now."
Irisviel, though concerned, nodded. She knew that Saber safety, as well as her own, was crucial to the overall plan. She turned to Saber and relayed Kiritsugu's instructions.
"Saber, we need to retreat. Kiritsugu believes Rider is too dangerous to face right now."
Saber, though reluctant to leave the battlefield, understood the logic behind the decision. Her eyes briefly fixed on Rider, who still maintained his relaxed stance, and then on Lancer, who was calmly observing from his position.
Meanwhile, Kiritsugu was also analyzing Lancer. Though he still didn't know his identity, Lancer words had revealed that he was a hero from the Trojan side. Kiritsugu quickly ruled out several heroes from the Trojan War based on the skills and combat style Lancer had displayed so far.
"If he's from the Trojan side and has that level of combat skill, he can't be one of the lesser heroes. He must be among the top warriors," he thought. "Hector is a possibility, but I need more information to confirm it."
Though he had narrowed the list of potential identities to fewer than ten, Kiritsugu knew he couldn't act on speculation alone. The presence of Lancer and his Master further complicated the situation. It was too risky to face two enemies at once, especially when one of them possessed an unknown set of Noble Phantasm.
"Retreat," Kiritsugu concluded to himself. "It's the only logical option."
Meanwhile, Waver Velvet, watching everything from the cabin, felt fear slowly consuming him. The revelation of Perseus's identity had exposed his lack of preparation. His breathing was uneven, and his hands trembled as he considered using a Command Spell to summon Rider back.
"This is too much..." he muttered to himself. "But... what if I call him back too soon? What if he can handle this?"
Doubt paralyzed him, but a thought momentarily calmed him: he had used one of the ampoules Edmund had provided.
From his hotel suite, Edmund observed everything with a mix of amusement and curiosity. His smile was serene as he held a glass of wine, his eyes gleaming with fascination as he watched the pieces on the board move as anticipated.
"A strategic retreat... Wise decision, Kiritsugu," he murmured to himself. "But this is only the beginning. Rider and Lancer still have much to show, and I will be the one to witness it all."
The confrontation on the dock continued, but the tension had shifted in nature. Saber and Irisviel began to retreat slowly, while the remaining Masters and Servants assessed their next moves.
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I need power stones... so that this can reach more people, can you help me with this request?
This is the only thing I ask for.