Important notice at the end.

Enjoy!

While not once taking her eyes off the opponent in front of her and observing his every move with utmost attention, Saber couldn't help but feel a tinge of regret well up from the bottom of her stomach.

With his masterful skills at simultaneously handling two spears as if they were his own limbs, Lancer was able to parry her slashes with relative ease. Even while knowing this, Saber's prejudices, her stubborn belief that "the true way to wield a spear is to grasp it with both hands" had still managed to misguide her judgment.

Which is the "false" strike and which is the "real" strike? Such discernment was meaningless from the start.

The cost of not coming to the correct conclusion that both spear-strikes were "real" and that both were capable of delivering the final stab, was too great.

The wound inflicted by 'Gáe Buidhe: Yellow Rose of Mortality' would not heal until either the spear is broken or the wielder of the spear dies. Her left arm, whose thumb had been severed by Lancer's sharpened blow, was now as good as dead when it came to holding a sword.

It's not like Saber was going to lose her will to fight over something trivial like that, of course. However, if a sword that should be supported with two hands is wielded with one, the amount of mana consumption will increase while the power and speed will decrease. In other words, it is inevitable that her physical capabilities will be weakened in every aspect.

The one who's been wondering why Lancer wouldn't hold his spear with both hands was now forced into a position where she must wield her sword with one hand. Saber had to admit it was rather ironic.

Nevertheless, the turmoil in her mind quickly subsided, and she turned her attention back to Lancer. The situation was indeed unfavorable. Though as a knight, Saber was rather pleased to be able to fight against someone who also had the pride of knighthood in his heart.

The fighting spirit of the two facing each other turned the chilly evening air around them into a boiling inferno imbued with condensed mana, interfering with the material world and making the very space shimmer and twist like a mirage.

Without uttering a single word, they both sprinted forward at the exact same time, both fulfilled with the special sense of those who agreed to an honorable duel on a battlefield.

While Lancer had the advantage in terms of simple agility due to his class, Saber also had an unparalleled amount of momentum due to her own skill of 'mana release'. If they collided at high speed, it was obvious that at least one of them would be fatally injured, regardless of who prevailed.

Of course, both of them were prepared for this.

This time, however, the clash was averted by the intervention of an unexpected third party.

The man came barreling down from the sky with a mighty roar, navigating his giant chariot through the air like it was nobody's business.

"Both sides, lay down your weapons! You are in the presence of a King!"

Like a thunderbolt cutting through the night sky, - in fact, the hooves of the two bulls towing the chariot were galloping through the air, stepping not on earth, not on wind, but on crackling bolts of lightning. With each step, the purple lightning spread like a spider web, illuminating the darkness with the sound of faraway thunder.

The man that was carrying a boy who looked like a master in his chariot, one that was instantly recognizable as a masterpiece made in the age of gods, was now about to intervene in the duel between the two by literally sticking his head out and barging in between before they could collide, all the while boldly ordering them to stop.

If they were to collide, it was most likely that they would both be run over by the tank. The chariot bulldozed into the gap created by both of the warriors jumping away as quickly as possible.

And so, the giant of a man who had flown down from the sky skillfully manipulated the reins of the bull and brought the chariot down to the ground. With the momentum of its gallop still evident, it skidded across the earth and came to a halt, crushing the asphalt roads in its wake.

Then a silence fell over the place. With all eyes on him, the man looked first at Saber and then at Lancer. He nodded in satisfaction and opened his mouth.

"Saber, and Lancer. I was watching from the other side of the bridge and saw that your swordsmanship and spearsmanship are superior to that of any warrior I know. I see that you two must be warriors of great renown."

There was no one to respond to his words. To be frank, they were not sure what this man was trying to do by interrupting a knight's duel. The two servants, as well as their masters and the bystanders who were secretly watching the fight, all failed to grasp the true meaning behind his actions.

The red-haired man spun his words without regard to the suspicious silence, and of course without regard to his own Master, who was cowering in his tank in embarrassment.

"So, I have a proposal for both of you: Would you be willing to wield your weapons, your skills, for my cause? I will welcome you as part of my army and we shall share the joy of conquering the world together!"

The burly man said this with a smile on his face, as if to say, "A great idea, eh!?". The boy inside the chariot had finally curled up into a ball with his face completely hidden in his knees.

Lancer answered first.

"What if I say no?"

"Hmm, well, I don't really care. But if you have any complaints about your treatment, we can negotiate..."

"Then no. The only person I should serve and offer the Holy Grail to is the Master who summoned me. Not you, by any means."

When Lancer finished, he looked sideways at Saber. Saber also opened her mouth with a frown.

"Isn't it proper to first identify yourself before you ask others to become your vassals?"

"Hm?"

The man opened his eyes wide at hearing Saber's angry words. He stroked his beard for a moment as if pondering something. Suddenly, he let out a low chuckle.

"Oh, that's right, that's right! I haven't introduced myself yet, come to think of it. It's no wonder you didn't want to follow me!"

The man scratched his head with a shy smile while saying "Forgive me, I forgot".

"This is not the reason why I refused", Lancer said with a sigh, though he also cracked a smile.

After he had regained his composure, the man tightened his face, straightened his bearing, and threw out his chest with a proud huff.

"My name is Iskandar the Conqueror, and in this Holy Grail War, I have taken on the class of Rider."

Without the slightest hesitation, he announced his true name he should've most definitely kept secret. His Master, who had been trying hard to turn away from reality, screamed out his pent-up frustration in the most heartbreaking wail the world has ever heard.

"How dare he..."

In the darkness of the night, Kayneth, who was observing the battlefield from a warehouse a short distance away from the main battlefield between the Servants, let out a low hiss. His mind was on Iskandar, the man who had suddenly intervened in the duel between the two.

The result of the battle between Diarmuid and Saber itself was satisfactory. Although Lancer was forced to expose his noble phantasm, Kayneth had already taken that into account. The single fact that the heroic spirit of Saber's class which was known as the 'best' servant, was wounded in the arm which is essential for wielding a weapon, held far more significance than revealing a secret.

Of course, Kayneth would have preferred for Lancer to take out Saber before the secrets of his twin spears were revealed, and he also felt some annoyance at Lancer's inability to end Saber at the most opportune moment.

But even Kayneth, who was not very experienced in hand-to-hand combat, knew from what he learned from observing the battle that the swordsman was by no means an easy opponent.

This is why the real battle starts after Saber's left arm was taken. Before the other Servants and Masters could intervene, he had to take out Saber. Only then would he have been able to give all his enemies the impression that Lancer's camp wasn't to be taken lightly.

However, this plan was thwarted by Rider's intervention. With the arrival of the third Servant, defeating Saber became no longer a priority. There was no guarantee that Rider wouldn't join Saber, and even if they were to defeat Saber without incident, what awaited them next would be a disadvantageous match between a well-prepared Rider and a mana-depleted Lancer.

In fact, there is no disadvantage for Lancer if he let Saber go at this moment. In fact, Saber might think that she missed her chance to get her left arm back.

But even if you judge it only in terms of combat, it was an undesirable result for Kayneth. After all, the main purpose of Kayneth's participation in the war was to add the title of 'victor of the Holy Grail War' to his many honors as a mage.

If he only wanted to win, or if he only wished to obtain the Holy Grail, he should be satisfied with the fact that Lancer wounded Saber. All he had to do next was let Lancer retreat and wait for the wounded Saber to be hunted by other camps. Hiding and attacking weakened or exhausted enemies safely was the most logical tactic to victory.

However, the moment he obtained the Holy Grail by such means, he would be ridiculed as a loser. If he were to be described as 'the man who hid like a mouse and snatched the chalice with the cunning of a snake', he wouldn't know himself why he had traveled all the way to an island nation in the Far East in the first place.

Nevertheless. The rational part of Kayneth admonished himself for his heated thoughts.

In reality, it is no longer possible to defeat Saber here and now.

If that's the case, he should postpone getting the credit for defeating the best servant and prioritize getting as much information as possible. Kayneth suppressed his frustration for the time being as he cast a simple spell of vision to observe the situation more precisely.

Then, inside Rider's tank, he saw a familiar boy yelling at the servant. The moment he saw the boy's face, an uncontrollable rage rose up within Kayneth yet again.

"So it's you...!"

There was no way he could have not recognized him. Kayneth had wondered why a third-rate sorcerer like Waver would risk his career to steal such a rare catalyst, but now he understood the reason.

Waver was planning to participate in the Holy Grail War himself. Kayneth didn't know where Waver got this information, but since he stole the relic from Kayneth and is participating as a master, there was no other way to interpret it.

Without himself realizing it, a vein rose on his forehead. His frustration, his ire was even stronger than when the catalyst was first stolen.

This was because Kayneth has been harboring a certain suspicion ever since he summoned that spearman to replace Iskandar.

It was about Sola-Ui Nuaba-Re Sophia-Ri, his fiancée and the woman he loved. To put it bluntly, Kayneth suspected that Sola-Ui had fallen in love with his servant.

There were a number of reasons. First and foremost, there was the legend of Lancer's enchanting beauty spot that was a blessing from the fae. And then there's Sola-Ui's frigid attitude towards Kayneth, and in contrast, her gestures of affection towards Lancer. The list goes on and on.

Just recalling these things caused a black flare of jealousy to sear through Kayneth's veins. And when he thought about the cause of this, the circumstances that led to the summoning of the man named Diarmuid, it was only natural that his ire would flare up against Waver as well.

To put it simply, if Waver hadn't stolen the relic, Kayneth would have summoned Iskandar as planned, and thus Sola-Ui would not have been charmed by a man other than Kayneth.

Because he was so in love with Sola-Ui, Kayneth was unable to direct his anger at his smitten fiancee. Instead, his anger was directed at the various men who surround her.

Adding Waver to his list of pitiful targets, Kayneth attempted to speak to him by using a sound spell that would amplify his voice and send it farther.

While losing some of his composure, Kayneth did not forget to disguise his whereabouts by using a formula that deployed hallucinogenic effects.

Then, just as he was about to speak-.

"...You got a pretty skilled servant with you. I like it."

A heavy, muffled voice of a demon more than that of a man echoed into the night. It seemed to resonate from the depths of the earth, and it rang from behind Kayneth's back, as if it was an ill omen that promised certain ruin.

"What...!?"

Kayneth turned around at the unexpected voice by reflex. And oh, how he loathed his decision.

There was a man standing there, with no sign of life neither a trace of presence. He stood there like a ghostly shadow with the moon shining upon his back, and he was looking directly at Kayneth.

No. It may be too early to declare it a man. He certainly had the tone of a man's voice and the body of a man. However, there was one crucial part that thing was missing, a part that could conclude it as a man.

In short, it had no face. Rather, the middle of the neck was cut off by a sharp blade, and the head itself was completely missing. It had lost its head, and only part of its neck, which could no longer fulfill its role of supporting the skull, was still attached to its body with lingering regret.

'It's not human', Kayneth thought, looking at the miserable headless creature in horror. It's not human. On the other hand, it didn't look like a mage either. The concentration of mana that composed his body was too thin to be that of a servant.

In other words, it's a ghost, a demon, a grudge taken shape as an evil spirit.

The demon in front of him, perhaps noticing Kayneth's fearful gaze at its damaged head, made a series of horizontal chopping motions with his hand at the remains of its head, and began to speak while tapping it vigorously.

He spoke fluently, but of course, he had no mouth. The voice seemed to seep from the stump on his neck.

"These are the scars inflicted by that damned -. He used a sealing sword to cut off my head so that I would never be resurrected again. Since then, my head has not come back. I don't even know where it is. It was a... a long, long time ago. It's been - years."

It was a voice filled with resentment and hatred that gave chills to the depths of Kayneth's soul. And in several parts of his speech, the words were muffled by static, as if his brain refused to understand, or as if the world itself censored and forbade the thing's words.

As Kayneth was too stunned to say anything, low laughter abruptly began to pour out from the thing's neck. It was laughter that sounded like the growls of a tiger, guttural and savage.

"But I'm standing here now. He must have never imagined that I would be summoned by a human instead of coming back to life on my own. I once said to him this; 'I will be resurrected time and again by the malice of man'. I was right!"

The loud laughter continued to echo, and just as the eeriness reached its peak, the spirit in front of him abruptly changed its attitude yet again. It suddenly stopped laughing and started striding towards Kayneth without an ounce of hesitation, composing itself in an almost elegant manner.

Of course, Kayneth would not want to be approached by such a horrible creature. When he was about to reflexively unleash his magic, Kayneth noticed something was terribly wrong with his body.

His body would not, could not, move. Not even a drop of mana was flowing through his circuits. It was as if he was frozen in time, and all his functions had stopped. In spite of this, his consciousness was crystal clear, and he could clearly see the headless monster approaching him, step by step.

And when Kayneth got close enough to clearly recognize the smell of foul blood dripping from his neck and the writhing of his decayed veins, the monster started to whisper in his ear.

"I'm quite inconvenienced, you see, without my head. It's as if I'm constantly dying. Furthermore, my mana is also leaking out from the wound, and I can't store it within me. It's not good if it stays like this. Not good at all. You understand, don't you?"

The sound of its voice, being almost gentle, frightened Kayneth even more. He now knew what this monster wanted.

He wanted to yell at it to stop. He wanted to scream at him to stay away. But he could no longer move his mouth. Not anymore.

"Don't worry. I won't kill you. Lancer will disappear if I do that. Your servant, your spells, your body, all of it is worth using."

Once he spoke that, he cut off his words and stroked Kayneth's cheek. It was then that Kayneth realized that this monster, which should have no face, had a hideous smile plastered onto its face.

"Not just your head...I'll take it all!"

Then, the headless demon hugged Kayneth. It wasn't an embrace at all, but more like the way a snake would wrap itself around its prey. It slowly sank into Kayneth's body, in the same way a parasite devours its host.

There was no pain. Instead, there was a maddening sense of dread of something obviously harmful dissolving into his body and soul. Kayneth screamed inaudibly. But no matter how much he tried to use his command seals, or how much he prayed to Sola-Ui for help from the bottom of his heart, nothing answered.

Until he was at last dragged into the bottomless swamp of murky darkness, Kayneth could do nothing but suffer in silence as his consciousness eroded away.

I decided to pause my update on this story until I finish 'Fate help me, my sister is Heracles!'. Check it out if you haven't, and drop a review! No, it doesn't mean I'm abandoning this story, but I would be most pleased if you check out that one.

Pls don't pester me to update this story because that does NOT help my motivation at all. I thank you for all your kind support.

Again, drop a review! X-kalibuuuur, over and out!