This is the capital of gas explosions, Fuyuki... ahem, sorry, wrong channel.
Fuyuki City—this emerging coastal city located in the Kanto region of the Japanese archipelago—has, in the eyes of many older residents, always been a disaster-prone place.
Roughly every sixty years, there would always come a stretch of time when accidents occurred with unsettling frequency. If it was not a gas explosion, then it was a robbery-murder case. If not that, then children being abducted and killed, or cult ritual activities, or entire groups of teachers and students fainting at school...
Among all these incidents, the most impactful was the inexplicable great fire that occurred in Fuyuki City ten years ago. That blaze claimed the lives of many citizens and ultimately reduced half of the urban district—including Fuyuki Station—to ashes.
Because of that, the local energy supply companies and the authorities endured no small amount of scolding and blame.
However, misfortune and fortune go hand in hand.
From another perspective, it was precisely thanks to the "Great Fire Incident of 1994" that Fuyuki City Hall no longer needed to worry about preserving old buildings or arguing over relocation disputes. In the aftermath of the disaster, everything could be torn down and rebuilt from scratch.
In just ten short years, skyscrapers rose from the ruins of Fuyuki Station. Renamed Shinto Station, the area experienced rapid economic growth and became a highly modernized, bustling city.
Divided by the Mion River, which separates Fuyuki's old district (Miyama Town) from the new district (Shinto Station), the contrast is stark. On one side stands a forest of steel and glass—a modern metropolis. On the other, the town is built along the mountainside, slopes everywhere, ancient in style, as if one had stepped back into the last century.
Under the night sky, white-collar workers who had finally found a moment of respite flocked to izakayas, venting the exhaustion accumulated throughout the day.
Once sufficiently drunk, the conversation inevitably drifted toward the recent rumors circulating around Fuyuki City.
Inhuman roars heard in the suburban forests. Strange lights glowing from Ryuudou Temple. People in bizarre attire sighted near the Fuyuki Church... and so on.
Meanwhile, within the wooded area of Fuyuki Central Park.
Boom!
"—Rock Breaker!"
In an instant, violet light burst forth. A figure still materializing in spirit form charged out of the summoning circle, knocking away the crimson spear Lancer had thrown.
Lancer was not surprised that his attack had been intercepted. With a flick of his wrist, he caught the spiraling Gae Bolg as it fell. The beast-like combat instincts within him issued a warning—and thrilled him in equal measure.
"Yoho. If I remember correctly, all seven Servants should have already descended. In other words, Mage, what you're doing is an illegal summo—"
Boom!
The explosive roar of a stomp tore through the smoke and dust rushing toward him from the front. Lancer chuckled and made a split-second decision, shifting from a thrusting stance to a sweeping strike.
"That's more like it!"
"I prefer a straightforward fight like this."
Clang!
Lancer swung the crimson spear of death, slashing fiercely through the air before him. The next moment, a piercing sound echoed throughout the entire park.
Dust erupted everywhere.
Centered on the point of collision, the atmosphere churned like a tidal wave. The air itself seemed to grow viscous, transforming into tangible shockwaves that rattled the ground.
Unable to withstand the strain, the earth split apart at once. Black cracks spread outward like a spiderweb, whipping up a violent storm.
So heavy!
Feeling the immense torque transmitted through the spear shaft, Lancer thought to himself, This is far more exciting than that annoying dark-skinned Archer and the half-baked nobody Saber I ran into at the school.
Master, you were the one who told me to go out on patrol and relax. So don't blame me if I enjoy myself.
By nature, he was a warrior who loved fighting with all his strength.
Yet the reconnaissance mission assigned by his current Master, Kirei Kotomine—"engage everyone in battle and then withdraw once"—had been incredibly stifling.
Still, who would have thought that after fighting Archer and Saber, he would discover something new while patrolling the streets?
Well, the Master's order was merely not to get overly entangled with the traditional seven Servants of the Holy Grail War. Illegal summons were not included in that restriction.
Without pause, Lancer pivoted his body using the force transmitted through Gae Bolg. His leg whipped through the air with a howling wind, crashing down toward the attacker's head. Only then did he catch sight of flowing gray hair and bright, luminous green eyes.
A woman?
This was not contempt.
In Lancer's era, women who became warriors were either weaklings—or terrifyingly powerful.
And the woman before him was clearly the latter. From her, Lancer sensed a trace of the same presence as that purple-haired old hag who always called him "doggy" and loved putting him through brutal training.
Whoosh—!
The heavy, powerful leg strike stirred up a gale.
Yet the seemingly lethal kick was deflected by the gray-haired woman with a side-arm block. In the next instant, a surging punch filled Lancer's vision, smashing toward his head, which was still suspended midair.
Good!
Lancer twisted his spear, snapping his arm sideways to divert the force of the punch. Seizing the opportunity, he suddenly stepped forward.
Thud! Clang! Boom!
Several more exchanges followed, fist and spear colliding again and again. With every impact, the ground beneath their feet shattered.
As the two gradually accelerated, each exchange blurred into afterimages. Their movements were no longer something the naked eye could track.
Clang! Bang! Boom!
Their speed skyrocketed. Armored gauntlet and spear blade unleashed torrents of force. Both possessed extraordinary skill. Explosions of pressure detonated in all directions, waves of air surging layer upon layer.
Boom—boom—!
The two figures rampaged wildly through the forest park. Weapons intertwined. Shockwaves burst outward. Only two streaks of light could be seen colliding again and again.
Like a demolition crew, wherever they passed, trees collapsed and concrete flew apart.
As the battle continued, Lancer's expression grew increasingly grave. He could clearly feel that the opponent was becoming stronger before his very eyes. Her power continued to rise.
It was as if she were transitioning from unfamiliarity to mastery... gradually adapting to her body.
Good grief. She's using me as practice.
At the thought, a smile tugged at Lancer's lips—slowly twisting into something feral.
To think I'd live to see the day I became someone's sparring partner.
The demonic spear in his hand glowed red in the darkness. A chilling killing intent rose from him.
With a flicker, Lancer became like a raging gale, precisely evading the force of the opposing Servant's fists and kicks.
In the blink of an eye, he was already directly in front of her.
His spear swept out, releasing a violent vortex of wind.
At the sight of this, the gray-haired woman formed a palm with one hand. A red glow lit up from the gemstone set on the back of her gold-and-black armored gauntlet, crimson mana gathering within it as she brought her palm down.
A series of buzzing tremors rang out. The ground shattered like tofu beneath the force, pitch-black cracks spreading outward in a spiderweb pattern.
The two separated instantly.
Bang!
Lancer reacted almost on instinct. His entire musculature tensed in an instant as his toes lightly tapped the ground. The earth fractured immediately, and using that force, the blue spearman slid backward a step, narrowly brushing past the incoming punch.
But then Lancer saw the gray-haired, green-eyed woman complete her recovery in a flash. Her waist and abdomen twisted halfway, power coiling through her body. The punch transformed into an elbow strike, her forearm whipping downward with a thunderous boom, the back of her hand lashing through the air like a cannon shot.
"Ki · Impact!"
Boom!
The moment they made contact, Lancer's far more robust body was blasted away like a cannonball. He became a streaking afterimage. Within the forest park, only a flash of blue could be seen as the ground along his path crumbled visibly.
Heavy impacts echoed one after another. Lancer's body snapped several ornamental trees in half at the waist before finally slamming violently into the earth. The ground could not withstand the force. Rings of cracks spread outward at visible speed.
"Kh—!"
That Strength parameter is monstrous.
With a pained grunt, Lancer knelt on one knee, gripping Gae Bolg. He clenched his teeth and swallowed the blood frothing in his throat, his expression thick with wariness. Is this flat-chested woman some kind of magical beast gorilla?
Could she be Berserker?
If he had not used Gae Bolg to absorb and redirect part of the force, that blow might have punched straight through him.
Lancer was in terrible condition. The silver shoulder guard on his right side had already fallen away. A clear abrasion marked his forehead. Even his flowing blue bangs had been shaved down by the force of the punch.
His chest and abdomen were a mangled mess of flesh and blood. The spear shaft rebounding against his body had shredded a large section of his tight-fitting outfit. Bone was visible beneath torn muscle, and one could faintly see internal organs ruptured by the condensed force.
"Master Hua, who is this person? Why did he attack us the moment he showed up?"
There's someone else?
Hearing that soft, innocent, slightly trembling girl's voice suddenly intrude upon the murderous atmosphere, Lancer instinctively turned toward the source.
Then—holy hell!
At the sight of multiple figures stepping out from the crimson six-pointed summoning circle drawn in obscure talismans, Lancer's red eyes widened.
"Impossible! That's a serious violation—multiple summoning!"
Right now, only one thought echoed in the hound's mind.
Damn it! Someone's cheating!
"Eh? Your eyes are really pretty!"
The graceful girl who had suddenly appeared beside the gray-haired woman blinked at him.
Whoosh!
Lancer dissolved into an afterimage and instantly widened the distance, assuming a guarded stance.
Resting her chin in her hand, Li Sushang studied the man in the blue bodysuit with bright curiosity. His blue hair was tied into a long ponytail that reached his waist. A pair of cyan earrings hung from his ears. Paired with those crimson eyes...
"Hehe, quite handsome, aren't you, sir..."
"Many thanks for the compliment, beautiful lady."
At that moment, Lancer's figure flickered. Sensing that his Master was using a Command Spell to recall him, he lowered his demonic spear and offered a hearty compliment in return.
Then his gaze moved past Li Sushang to Lev, who had already completed the summoning yet, for some reason, still stood with his eyes closed in the summoning posture.
"Didn't expect such a large-scale illegal summoning this time. Master's going to be busy."
Truly, he held nothing but disdain for Kirei Kotomine. The man spoke in high-sounding rhetoric, yet the things he did in private were utterly revolting.
The Holy Church, neutral?
Neutral my ass. Wants to play both sides and still come out righteous.
As far as increasing Kirei Kotomine's workload and ruining his plans went, Lancer could only say—he was more than happy to see it happen.
After all, his wish in participating in the Holy Grail War was simply to challenge the strong. Though he would never hold back in battle, regarding Lev's illegal summoning he had only one comment—well done.
If it could summon someone on the level of his mentor—or even a Servant formed from a descending god—that would be even better.
"You are a formidable opponent. May I ask your na—"
Mid-sentence, Lancer stopped and slapped his forehead lightly.
"Apologies. I was ordered not to reveal my true name. That was presumptuous of me."
"No matter." Placing a hand at her waist, Fu Hua shook her head slightly. "From Shenzhou, School of Taixuan—Fu Hua."
"Lancer, you are a formidable opponent. Battling you has benefited me greatly as well."
At that, Lancer let out a few bitter laughs.
"Unfortunately, my employer is a coward. Fu Hua, was it? Next time, we'll settle this properly..."
In the instant of his transfer, Lancer—Cú Chulainn—ultimately defied Kirei Kotomine's order.
"Cú Chulainn."
"A bold and forthright warrior," Raiden Mei commented after the show had ended, turning to Kiana. "From what he said, he seems to have quite the grievance with his Master."
As per usual, the moment Heroic Spirits accepted the Holy Grail's summoning, the Grail system implanted into their minds certain fundamental knowledge they needed to know—including the rules of the traditional Holy Grail War, in which seven Servants fought across seven classes.
"Seven Servants fighting... Will our appearance look like cheating to them?" Kiana stretched her arms, testing her strength as she spoke. "Will they join forces to eliminate us?"
"I rather hope they do. Wipe them out all at once—much more efficient."
After speaking, Durandal turned toward Lev, who had finally completed his actions, and asked calmly, "Master, what is our next plan?"
"Summon the Holy Grail."
Opening his eyes, Lev tightly gripped the twin-headed eagle holy relic capable of summoning an otherworldly deity. A grin split his face.
"I have already reached a deal with Her Majesty. When the Holy Grail descends, it will serve as the sacrifice to summon Her Majesty."
Scanning the surroundings, Lev continued, "We will go to Ryuudou Temple first. It is one of the nodes of the underground ley lines. The people from Chaldea should be arriving soon... Once we confirm the locations of all Servants participating in the Holy Grail War, we will act immediately."
...
"Tohsaka, what happened here...?"
Not long after Lev's departure, a young man and woman finally arrived, both breathing heavily. Aside from the forest park looking as though a demolition squad had swept through it, there was no one in sight.
"That's... a summoning circle? And this is... human blood? Still fresh... No, wait!"
"Emiya, wasn't the Saber you summoned the seventh and final Servant?!"