Lancer panted heavily in deep gasps as he stared down at Soi-Fon. Not once letting her out of his sight. While the latter held an impassive expression that only showed the barest hints of amusement.

"I will admit you are definitely fast especially for a servant" she complimented. "However…"

As the captain of the 2nd division look down at her foe she gaze at her Suzumebachi, piecing deeply into lancer's right arm, as blood dripped down on the wound, while a black four pattern butterfly marking appeared on the wounded limb. Before pulling her stinger, jumping back and swiping the blood off of it with a single swipe of her arm.

"A Goddess Of The Flash you are not…"

Lancer then bared his teeth at Soi-Fon while immediately readying his stance. 'She's fast…faster then anyone I have ever encountered before' he admitted while tightening the grip of his spear and then a bloodlusted smile crept over his lips. 'Which means that since I no longer on my master's orders to hold back to hide my strength' his mana steady began to rise. 'I can finally go all out!'

Soi-fon then sensed the rise in the man's mana and rised her shikai in anticipation. "So you wish to continue this battle lancer?" She warn and taunted. "If you continue to fight me all you accomplish is get expose to the Nigeki Kessatsu of my Suzumebachi" she then narrows her eyes on the servant. "Already I have landed on Hōmonka on your body" she then lifted up the golden stinger and showed it to Lancer. "And all I need is one more strike at that exact same spot to kill you instantly!"

Lancer then looked over at the captain stared at her for a moment and then let out a loud laugh. "I have to admit if I wasn't so imitated by your speed I would of laughed a technique like that off" he then pointed the tip of his spear right at Soi-Fon. "But let you on a little secret about my spear…"

He then disappeared from sight in a manner eeerily similar to a shinigmai's flash step and to Soi-Fon's surprise the Servent was already above her head with his spear at that the ready.

"I only need it to hit you once to Kill you!"

Lancer shouted out menacingly before sticking the weapon down at the captain now had to use much more effort to dodge the red spear but even then. Lancer was not done as he rushed at the Captain like a mad beast as he rapidly stabbed and swung his sword at Soi-fon repeatedly in a seemingly endless chain od precise and nearly unavoidable strikes. With each intended to take her life in single blow.

Yet while Soi-Fon was pressured by the Servent's speed what truly made him a threat was his immense strength and skill on top of that. To the point that Lancer wasn't even bounded by the logical weakeness that come as a spear-man. Making it impossible for her to sneak through his guard and highly improbable to even put any distance away from him.

Meaning that the captain will have to get a bit more creative…

Lancer continued to slashed and stab at his nimble foe with with unrelenting speed and might without pause. For while she was still faster then him it was no longer at the point were he could barely read her movements. Pluse he knew that it was only a matter of time until the shinigmai made a mistake and leave herself vulnerable.

Then right at the corner of his eye he saw the captain using a flash step to give herself some distance by landing on the trunk of a tree. She used a second one to lung at lancer with her stinger, hoping to pierce her opponent's heart.

However Lancer smiled slyly and dodge to the side to avoid Soi-fon's attack much to her shock…and to her panic when the Captain realized she left herself wide open.

Within a flash Lancer piece through Soi-Fon's stomach with his spear, which tore through her intestines, spin and out through her back. As blood gushed out of the the wound and her mouth. Staining her white haori, while her eyes widened and dilated with pain abd fright, while the life within them gradually flicker out. With Lancer smirking in triumph.

Only to see the fallen captain turn into small pieces of white cloth in the next moment he he felt a slight weight on the back end of his spear…

Another sound of pricing flesh echoed throughout the forest as Lancer was gasping while cold sweet dripped face. While sporting a bleeding flesh wound on his left cheek…and in which familer black butterfly marking appeared over it.

Soi-Fon then gave a cheeky grin. "You know Lancer I must admit inferiority to you" she mocked. "Because if my Nigeki Kessatsu didn't require two steps to kill…" she then hold up her golden stinger that was still dripping with his blood. "This battle would have ended twice over by now"

Lancer then sneered at the captain while tightening his grip on his spear and then Soi-Fon darted her eyes at the castle.

'Don't make me regret counting on you…fool'

Meanwhile…

Ichigo stared blankly into space while being carried like a rug by the Omenda of all people as they run through hallways of the castle in a panic and then looked up to the frighten vice-captain.

'So…Soi-Fon decided to send you to rescue me instead of herself?' He asked deadpanned while Omenda tried to avoid Ichigo's gaze.

"Hey, don't blame her!" Omenda spat defensivly though it came out as more as a pout. "If that lancer guy didn't got in the way. I wouldn't have to follow this protocol to begin with. Especially since this place is crawling with servant!s"

Ichigo then let out an annoyed breath. "Couldn't you at lest bring in my badge or used that soul glove thing to get me into my shinigmai form?"

Omenda then spun a nerve and bared his teeth In frustration. "That was the original plan with me only needing to carry your body back to you hide out. But now I have to evade all these servants on top of that!"

The substitute then made a slight growl. "Well sense you are Soi-Fon's vice captain I am sure you'll be be get us back to home base right?"

Omenda then flash a toothy grin. "Heh, don't you worry" he boasted. "Because despite how I look there isn't any vice-captain faster then me!"

Ichigo then sweet dropped. "That is reassuring…"

However just when Omeda found a window and planned to escape he then he came across an amber hair boy and a woman with silver steel armor and blue dress who stand in his way.

Then upon seeing the Vice-Captain both them immediately ready themselves for fight. While Omenda's face winced in dismay and groan.

"Oh crap…"

Back at the forest Soi-Fon and Lancer continued to fight evenly against one another. With the former realizing that despite the nasty wound on the Servent's arm and and his cheek it barely did anything to slow the lancer down or make him any less unrelenting in his attacks.

"I will admit captain that was some net little trick you had there, faking your own death" Lancer commented while still slashing Soi-Fon with his spear and keeping her on the defensive. "But little tricks like that an't enough to take me down! He then raised his spear high before striking down at the captain.

Yet the Soi-Fon then swayed her body at the left to avoid the slash and then use a flash step to appear below at Lancer right side and then begin to cast kido spell.

'Hadō #33. Sōkatsui!

A massive blast of blue fire that was nearly the size of a house shot out from Soi-fon's left hand much to Lancer's shock, but luckly he was able to swing his spear at the torrent of fire and with a bit of effort, manged to cut right through it while the captain stood up on top of nearby tree.

'Geez…' Lancer thought in agitation. "Not only is this woman faster then me but she also knows how to cast magic as well…' he then chucked. 'Honestly if I wasn't on a mission she probably might have been my type…' he the stared into her stern eyes. 'Though…something tells me should wouldn't be interested'

Soi-fon then stared at Lancer for a moment, closed her eyes and then let out a silent breath before staring back at her opponent. "It seems that I have learn all I can about you Servent…"she announced much to the Servent's confusion. "And now…" she then striped off her Haori to revealing a black form fitting sleevless and backless uniform with the cloth fasten around her neck. "It is time to conclude this battle"

Lancer then let out a chuckle as if the captain let out a joke. "Conclude it?" He repeated almost mocking. "You think that just because you nick me twice with that little needle of yours. You can just finishing me off?" His expression then darken and tone of his voice lowered. "If anything the only reason this battle has gone long as it has. Is because I have yet to unleash the true power of my own spear!"

Soi-Fon then furrowed her brow. "It seems that you misunderstood…" she corrected. "I know full well about your noble phantasm Lancer or should I say…cu chulainn?

The Servent widened his eyes surprise and then Soi-fon continued.

"The renown Demigod of the Ulster cycle, who is known as the hound of Culann or the child of light. Who wields the curse spear of mortal pain and death Gáe Bolg' she went on. "The only thing that I was unsure about was your actual skills in combat"

Lancer then snorted. "And were you impressed?"

Soi-fon folded her arms. "You definitely live up to your legend of that I have no doubt and against most captains of of the gotei 13 I definitely see you triumphing over them, with your skills and abilities" Then before Lancer's eyes a massive whirlwind erupted from the Captain's entire back and arms like a malestorm. Making his jaw dropped and his eyes winded in bafflement. "Which why in the days before before I went into this war I perfect this technique specifically to counter that spear and…you"

Then in an instant soi-fon then rushes at Lancer much faster then before, who then tires to defend himself with his spear, but the very moment the captain hit lancer's spear it unleashed a whirl wind blast that knocked him off his feet and sent the servent flying serval dozens of feet across the forest as Lancer crashed through several trees and bouncing repeatedly up and down the on earth until he dove his spear into the ground to forcible stop his movement and carving a small trenching in the earth after doing so.

"Shit…" he cursed to himself. 'Not only is she much faster with that technique of hers but she is also much stronger then me on top of that' he then pulled his spear out of the ground and got into a defensive. 'It obvious that she is trying to overwhelm me before I used my noble phantasm' he then tightened the hold on to his spear and bared his teeth his teeth in competitive smile. 'Well…I am just going to have to disappoint you!'

The demigod hero then sense Soi-Fon appearing above him with her shikai striking down on his head which he tried to counter by stricking up with his spear, only for soi-fon to kick it away and attack with her stinger at her oppentent's neck. Which lancer narrowly dodged…but not fast enough to avoid himself getting cut and having a third butterfly marking on his body.

He then made a forcible thrust with his spear but Soi-fon battered it away with her wind covered arm that held her shikai and with such force that it cause lancer to lose his stance and left himself vulnerable to the captain punching him in the stomach for the Second time in their fight and making the Servent cough up blood from his mouth before sending him sky rocking nearly over a hundred feet across the forestz crashing through a countless number of trees befor slamming into the side of a cliff which then immediately collapsed on top of him.

Yet even after all of that Lancer still manages to get up and continue to face down Soi-fon who stood in front of him. Even as he was bleeding from head to toe, a few of his bones broken and his body and face covered in bruises and scars.

"I got to admit that is a pretty solid strategy you got there…trying to overwhelming me with your superior speed and strength. In order prevent me from using my noble phantasm…"He then glared at the captain with a menacing beastly face. 'But unfortunately for you...I don't need to actual throw my spear to active it!"

Soi-fon then winded her eyes in shock and immediately rushed at Lancer.

But by then it was too late.

"Gáe Bolg!"

Lancer scream out as his spear flashed red in hands.

Even when the captain already approached him and the Demi-god knew that he had already won this fight. For once his noble phantasm Gáe Bolg Barbed Spear That Pierces with Death activates within ranged her heart was already pierced by his spear and her fate already sealed. Even if the shinigami were to try to evade the spear or block it. Gae Bolg will bend and twist Causality itself in order to make sure her heart is pierce.

Combine with the fact that the spear negates regeneration and healing, the only way that Captain survived now is if she had literal divine luck. Which lancer severely doubts his opponent has.

But what he saw next was neither of those things.

For the shinigami placed her hand under the spear just when was about to pierce her heart…and then its affects were stopped cold and its crimson light extinguished.

Leaving lancer stunned by what he saw before him as he quickly grabbing his spear and backing away from Soi-Fon in what can only be discribed as fear.

"You...what…what the Hell did you do!" Lancer stuttered and barked while the captain looked on at the Servent passively.

'As I have said before-hand you are mistaken cu chulainn…" Soi-Fon spoke calmly. "Simply being faster and stronger then you wouldn't be enough to overcome the curse power of your spear…especially one that involves manipulating casualty to ensure a fatal strike, no… meaning that it can only be overcome by negating its power and Shunko has proven to have the means to so"

"Shunko…" lancer repeated as he gaze over the the wind that swirled over her arms and back while a cold bead of sweat dripped does from his right cheek to his neck "That is the name of that technique of your?"

"It is…' Soi-Fon confirms. "And among its techniques I used is Hanki which was originally invented to negate a user's Kido by perfectly spinning it with opposite speed and energy. Which I later modified to negate the magecraft and noble phantasms of you servants"

Lancer then stared at Soi-fon for a moment and then shook his head. "Fuck…' he cursed to himself. "You pretty much me played right from the start huh?"

Soi-fon then smirk at lancer. "As the commander of the steath corps it is my job to analyze an enemy and take them down. Her expression then harden as she readied her shikai. "Now die"

However before the captain could deliver the final blow a huge and menacing shadow cast over her.