Fate/Grand Order: One-shot Collection

E Plubris Unum – Two Lancers:

The desert-like landscape was a perfect setting for a battle. For miles, no witnesses. The Mana present in the air was ripe for use, feeding their bodies for an intense brawl.

I must test my spear to see if it can reach the gods!

That's what he requested. Li Shuwen in his youth, Lancer Class Servant. No alliance within the Singularity. A legendary martial artist from China who, despite being born in modern times, carved many legends with his fists and technique with the spear. For Li Shuwen, "a second strike is needless, so long there is one it will suffice".

Interesting. I'll amuse myself in testing you.

That's what she responded. Scathach, Lancer Class Servant. Allied with the Resistance in the American Singularity. From the Ulster Cycle, a female warrior-queen, gatekeeper of the "Land of Shadows". Prodigy in spearmanship and Rune magecraft. Known for slaying Gods and, famously, the teacher Cú Chulainn, the most famous Irish Legendary Warrior.

She pondered about measuring him first by having Mash battle the Chinese Lancer. But on a whim, her mind changed. She'll test him herself. Her genuine fondness for battle, her warlust, prompted her to deceive herself into battling the enemy with scarlet hair and sharp eyes.

With his identity revealed, a curiosity within her perked up and came through. A man famous for being able to kill people with a single strike of his fists or a thrust of his spear. For a modern legend, that was impressive, to say the very least.

However, Scathach had seen heroes of old defeating entire armies by themselves. And she was capable of such as well. Even taking into account the Limitations and Advantages that came with the spiritual containers of Servants, the moment she incorporated Runes in her combat, she'd probably defeat the man in mere minutes.

But this was a proper due between spears. To kill the opposition with Runes so fast and easily would be against her objectives. Her pleasure isn't in the victory itself, but the battle that led to it.

It was hard to tell if Scathach was holding back. She fought with twinspears. The crimson Noble Phantasm were lethal weapons. But similar to a sword, dual wielding should hinder the user. There is less power put in attacks, and in the case of spears, less control. On the other hand though, it was clear that holding two spears was her preferred method of combat. In regular combat, it wasn't an odd to see her swap between single and twin weapons, but in this duel, she had been using solely the latter.

With a honed craft, perhaps it wasn't a way of holding back. Maybe, it was simply a way to enjoy the combat.

Li Shuwen's techniques were, in her eyes, excellent but predictable. While she wasn't familiar with his martial art of Bājíquán due to her isolation from the outside world for so long, it took little time to figure out the premise. Precise strikes to vital spots. With fists, it would be focused on destroying the insides rather than the outside body. With a spear, its reach grew longer, and the means of destroying the insides implied piercing the outside.

So, the method was simple: do not let the spear even so much as scrape her skin.

Whenever the tip of the Chinese spear approached, a crimson blade would throw it off track, while the other made its way towards Li Shuwen. The aura emanated from the red weapons yelled as much damage as his own lethal techniques, so Li Shuwen too was wary of being so much as touched by Scathach's spears.

Red streaks were blocked, white spikes were deflected.

Scathach gave one thing to Li Shuwen though: his footing was perfect. Probably an imprint from years watching them, but the image she got from Irish warriors had always appeared 'brutish'. Cu Chulainn and Fergus Mac Roich did not help in disproving it. The one closest to Li Shuwen's composure at such high-speed combat that she could think of was Diarmuid, a spear wielder that surpassed Cu Chulainn in combat technique but not in strength or weaponry. Li Shuwen's steps were precise and calculated, even if they appeared overwhelming natural. At this point, where to step, where to move to, how to evade, how to move in, all of those movement techniques had been imprinted into his bones and muscles to the point he probably does not even think about such thing. He can move while focusing on piercing through the opponent.

A spear that reaches the Gods, a man who did not need a second strike…

Maybe it was now.

For two thousand years, she had become isolated in a Land of the Dead. Her chance to die had long past. Even her star pupil Cu Chulainn was far too late to be the one to bring her death, to bring her salvation. She expected to only die once the whole World ceased to be. But with the incineration of humanity, she achieved a sort of Death that allowed her to become a Servant. In theory, she shouldn't have joined the Throne of Heroes from the simple fact that her soul never passed on. But here mere presence there and then meant that it had happened.

…But she did not feel satisfied. It happened in a blink of an eye. No pain, no pleasure, no combat, no words…

Her eyes widened. What was that sound? "Hm?!"

Li Shuwen's spear had been dropped to the floor. Not even tossed aside: the weapon was simply let go.

And he closed the distance.

There was a problem with spears: their advantage was also their disadvantage. Opting for a spear over a sword increases a warrior's reach. It avoids possible danger in close combat. It keeps opponents at bay while cutting them down just as easily.

But due to their length, if an enemy came too close, defending from an attack was nearly impossible. At least, if one lacked speed.

With fists resembling the fangs of a wild animal, Li Shuwen was ready to deliver a sure-killing move. And on top of that, they appeared to have become invisible.

Scathach's left spear vanished with a crimson glow and, while stepping back, brought the red spear on her right close to her body, utilizing its pole as means of defence, holding it with both hands to manipulate it as fast as possible. While she couldn't see his fists, it wasn't impossible to predict to an extent. His posture, his shoulders, his gaze. They gave away the trajectory.

One, two, three, four, five, six.

All strikes were successfully blocked, even if Scathach was pushed back away with the final one. However, her eyes widened. While she was undamaged, the enemy had managed to do something that, while not impossible, was feat hard to achieve.

Her spear snapped in half.

Li Shuwen let out a white-hot breath as blood dripped from his clenched fists. His own blood.

Scathach was still untouched. But even then, she let out a compliment. "Impressive."

The Chinese martial artist shut his eyes. "I hope you do not mind losing one of your spears. But you're strong in single spearmanship as well. Missing one wouldn't make a difference to you."

"You're not wrong. And that isn't an issue to begin with. Gae Bolg Alternative isn't a unique weapon. I can summon multiple ones. However, that doesn't matter. A man like you, to have managed to break my weapon…"

"I found the material odd. It sounded neither like wood or metal, but it became ever so familiar the more we battled. To think a spear would be made out of bone. However, if it was carved, I assumed there was a way to break through it."

Scathach's lips curled into a smirk. "You thought well."

"However, I wouldn't have been able to do it if not for you."

"Me?"

"I understand if you look down upon humans like ants. In a way, it is only natural. Even the pinnacle of the modern era must appear fragile to those of old times like you, let alone a God Slayer. However, allowing me to strike the same spot of your weapon multiple times over, even if it is a durable one, I have to assume you're not focused in our combat."

"…" Scathach remained silent, looking down at the two halves of her weapon. There were marking near the spot where it snapped. A focused assault.

"If my spear could not reach the gods, even if it cost me my hands, I'd at least attempt to disarm them."

"Valiant attempt."

"Very well." Li Shuwen stepped back and sat beside his dropped weapon, legs crossed and eyes shut. It was almost like he was meditating, but not quite.

This was definitely odd. He looked like he was admitting defeat, but there was no fear. Yet, there was a lack of satisfaction in his face.

"Do you expect me to kill you?"

"You have proven more capable than me. My hands have broken in my last attempt. I could continue fighting with my elbows and my shoulders, that is a fact. However, if my opponent is not focused in battle, then there's no point in seeing it through to the end. I will not mind if you slay me. I will not mind if you walk away. I understand either option. I have achieved what I had set in mind."

Scathach furrowed her eyebrows. This isn't how it was supposed to go down. "…Do you not wish to die in battle?"

"Hmph. For a woman of war, you question rather obvious matters. Of course I'd like to fall in battle rather than not. However, a battle for one to fall in has to be a battle with others, not with oneself. You're battling yourself, rather than me."

Scathach seemed composed and unaffected. However, she recognized that the Chinese Martial Artist was correct. The battle wasn't against him. It was with herself. And that much was obvious.

She took a few steps forward. He expected Scathach to kill him, even without feeling any sort of ill will or murderous intent. It was natural. Something akin to a Divine Spirit in the flesh, it was reasonable to assume she cared not for anyone's life but her own.

So it was a genuine surprise and she sat in front of him, not all that far, placing either half of her spear aside.

"Oh?"

"For a wolf hungering for battle, you're more perceptive than I expected."

"Even a wolf has to assess the hunt."

She let out a chuckle. "You're right."

Li Shuwen smirked for a second. "If you expect me to act as a psychologist, I'm afraid that's not my craft."

"Don't worry. I do not expect healing from a killer."

It was neither a compliment or an insult. Li Shuwen classified for the Assassin Class for a reason.

"Then why do you sit down?"

"I'm taking a little rest."

"From the battle?"

"Yes." Scathach leaned back, placing her hands on the sandy terrain and tilting her head back just enough to see the wide blue sky. "As I metamorphosed into something akin to a Divine Spirit, I was unable to die in battle."

"I see. So you seek honourable death."

"Honourable isn't the right word for it. But the idea is the same."

"I'll take a guess and say you've also lived far more than you should or wished for."

"Yes. The idea of living through many lifetimes may be appealing to some. But there is a reason why attaining immortality is considered taboo to many."

"Do you feel sorrow?"

"Not in the way that makes me shed tears."

"I see. Perhaps I've conducted myself as rude towards you."

"Understandably so."

There were a few seconds of silence before Scathach broke it.

"Lancer?"

"Calling me by my Class is a bit odd since we share it. Call me by my True Name."

"Very well. Li Shuwen, how did you die?"

"Karma."

"Hm?"

"It is not a tale of defeat at the hands of enemy in mortal combat, if you expected such tale. I was served poisoned tea by the family members of those I had killed. Regardless if those deaths were justified or not, if I killed them with or without malice, it did not matter. In the end, it was karma."

"So you too understand what it is to die outside of battle, despite all the honing of the body, mind and soul."

"I'd be lying if I said it wasn't a bother. However…"

"Hm?"

"While the hunger for battle remains unsatisfied, I can't see that death as something without positives."

"How come?"

"If others had to resort to methods such as poison, that should mean they recognize you as 'unmatched'. While death in battle is what we wish for, unable to attaining it means we have surpassed beyond what we or any other imagined. There is a small amount of pride in such accomplishments."

Scathach let out a sigh and shut her eyes a little. "Perhaps…" She didn't invalidate Li Shuwen's theory. But she felt unable to fully relate to it. Clinging to that sense of pride would not be enough to surpass her struggles. At least, she didn't think it would. "…Where did you learn to use your Od?"

"Hm? Od? Ahh, you must mean Qi."

"Did you practice Magecraft?"

"Not at all. To call me a Magus would be inaccurate in every sense. I do not know spells or arias. I trained my Qi enough to accomplish these feats."

"To blend with the environment, hm? Not many are capable of achieving that through sheer will and no formal training in Magecraft."

"You're well-versed in Magecraft, I'm assuming."

"You could say that, yes." She let out a short chuckle. "It's a useful tool. My star pupil managed to learn Runes properly, but he barely uses them. They 'throw him off', he says."

"Cu Chulainn, correct? Interesting. I'd like to have a match with him one day if that's the case. I'd like to see if you taught him well."

"I honestly expected that he'd be the one to kill me."

"By the tone of your voice, I'd assume not out of malice."

"Correct. But when he learned how to wield the Gae Bolg, it was too late. My immortality had been set."

"…" Li shuwen's smirk ceased. "I'm going to be blunt: did you consider that asking him of such could cause a burden in his soul?"

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

"To kill one's teacher… You expected him to feel pride in his actions?"

"In the sense of a warrior, perhaps."

"However, to kill one's teacher means to surpass them. Scathach, by any chance, did the possibility of passing on your fated immortality to Cu Chulainn by having him slay you ever occur to you?"

"…I see." Not in a literal sense like a transference power, but rather, if Cu Chulainn were to 'surpass' Scathach, wouldn't he have taken her place in a sense? Maybe not one-for-one the same role, but perhaps her burden would've gone to him instead. "I've never thought of such."

"So your chase for death made you inconsiderate towards the student you were so proud of. Hmm. Ruthless. A warrior for sure."

"Are you avoiding the word 'selfish' on purpose?"

"I'm no one to accuse others of selfishness. As my younger self, I take whatever I wish. If I wish to battle, I'll battle. If I wish to kill, I'll kill. It's as simple as that. However, that does not impede my true age from shining through from time to time. I myself was a teacher once. And while only out of curiosity, I wonder how your relationship with your student was."

"Hmm…" Scathach continued to stare at the sapphire sky. It had been so long, far too long, since she had seen a sky that wasn't a shade of dark grey. "I though he'd bring me salvation."

"Hm. Did you hold romantic feelings for him?"

"I'd like to keep that to myself." She let out a giggle of sorts.

"I can detect something in your voice whenever the topic relates to him. I wonder if it is a woman's love for a man she wishes to share experiences with, a teacher proud of her pupil to such an extent, or a mother proud of seeing a child grow and mature. I assumed it was the first."

Scathach's lips curled into a smile. "Perhaps. But like I said: I'll keep it to myself. That is a matter from the past, no matter how you look at it."

"I see. Very well."

Scathach leaned forward and traced the air with a finger in straight lines.

Li shuwen's eyes suddenly opened once he felt the numb sensation of his hands fade, replaced with vitality. In fact, his whole body felt rejuvenated. "You healed my wounds?"

"Perhaps I was unfair to you. Therefore, a second round is called for. Between you and me."

Li Shuwen's appetite for battle returned. "If you insist." The two stood up. Scathach took a small hop backwards, creating distance between the two, as the snapped spear vanished into dust.

The martial artist was about to raise his weapon with a foot, until he noticed something about Scathach. "…Ha. Ha! Hahahahah! Congratulations, Scathach! You've managed to amuse my entire being with a single stance!"

"I'll admit: I grew curious." Scathach did not summon a pair of red spears. In fact, she summoned no weapons. Instead, she clenched fists and raised them just enough. "Your technique is interesting. I'd like to give it a try myself."

"Very well!" The Chinese Lancer, full of bravado, kicked his spear aside and took his signature stance for fist-to-fist combat. "I'll warn you though;"

"Hm?"

"If you defeat me, don't become so convinced you've mastered Bājíquán! If you do, I'll demand a rematch, as an old man in the Assassin Class."

Scathach smirked. "I'll keep that in mind."

With the two sharing the same sense of anticipation, the Witch of Dún Scáith and the Eulogized Divine Spear exchanged looks of hunger for battle and warlust. A famished tiger and a savage wolf.

The distance closed and fists flew.