Kiritsugu noticed the Command Seal on the back of Sakura's right hand.
That alone was enough to confirm his suspicion.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
The situation had become even more dangerous.
Artoria, on the other hand, kept her gaze fixed on Arthur.
Not missing even the smallest detail.
Arthur simply smiled at her calmly and casually.
He showed no trace of tension—and that was exactly what made her even more cautious.
An enemy who showed no nervousness in front of another Servant was, by definition, extremely dangerous.
"Kiritsugu, Illya, are you alright?"
Irisviel appeared, surrounded by dozens of maids nearly identical to her, her quick steps contrasting with her ever-elegant posture.
She stopped beside them, slightly out of breath.
"We are. It seems he isn't here looking for a fight."
Kiritsugu replied, but his gun remained firmly aimed at Arthur.
The Holy Grail War had not officially begun yet, and unless absolutely necessary, he did not want to turn this place into a battlefield.
His instincts were screaming that this man was extremely dangerous. If a fight broke out here, the outcome would be unpredictable.
But he was certain of one thing—he wouldn't be able to guarantee Illya's or Irisviel's safety.
Even with the protection of the Einzbern homunculi.
Because in front of a Servant, they were irrelevant.
In the Holy Grail War, there was an unspoken rule: only Servants could defeat Servants.
"I am Irisviel von Einzbern."
Ignoring Kiritsugu's warning glance, she stepped forward, positioning herself beside Artoria.
"According to the pact of the Holy Grail War, we should not fight here. All battles must take place in Fuyuki City."
She showed neither arrogance nor fear—only rationality.
If a battle occurred there and a Servant was destroyed, the Greater Grail would not be able to collect the necessary energy, and the ritual would lose its purpose.
From any perspective, fighting there would be a mistake.
"I am a Berserker-class Servant."
Arthur replied casually, as if giving a formal introduction.
"And these pipsqueaks here are my… adoptive sisters. Sakura, Kohaku, Hisui, Caren, and Fujino."
He gestured toward each of them with a slight motion of his hand.
"Hi~" Kohaku waved cheerfully.
"There isn't much to say about my origin or where we came from," Arthur continued, ignoring her antics.
Then his eyes shifted directly to Kiritsugu.
"I'm here today not only to say hello, but also to propose an alliance."
He really thinks I'll believe that?
Kiritsugu frowned, clearly displeased.
And the girl beside him—he was certain she was Sakura Matou.
The second daughter of the Tohsaka family who had been adopted by the Matou family.
Furthermore, he introduced himself as a Berserker, yet he displayed none of the traits of that class. That alone made the entire situation suspicious.
His caution increased even further.
Arthur, however, simply ignored it.
His gaze returned to Artoria, and his smile widened slightly.
"I don't mind if you don't believe me."
He cracked his neck, loosening his shoulders.
"Then how about we do this…"
His eyes gleamed with a hint of excitement.
"It's pretty cold out here."
He extended his hand, and a golden portal opened behind him.
From within it, a white spear slowly emerged.
"How about we warm things up a little?"
Artoria did not hesitate when she saw his actions.
With Kiritsugu's tacit approval, her own spear appeared in her hand.
"I accept your challenge."
Her body was already shifting into a combat stance.
Arthur chuckled softly.
"I like you."
He then glanced at the girls behind him.
"Could you step back a bit? Things are about to get… a little chaotic."
"Don't take too long," Caren said dismissively.
"You should've told me it was this cold," she complained, rubbing her arms.
"You shouldn't talk to him like that, Caren," Kohaku laughed, pulling Hisui along.
"Don't lose," Sakura said, staring at him intently.
Fujino said nothing, but her gaze spoke volumes.
Arthur smiled and gently patted the heads of Sakura and Fujino.
"Now go."
Once they stepped away, Arthur turned his attention back to Artoria.
"Thanks for waiting," he said, taking his stance.
"It's nothing," she replied with a faint smile.
Arthur smiled—and in the next instant, he rushed toward her.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The clash of their spears echoed like thunder as they collided.
The weapons struck each other with tremendous force, sending shockwaves that caused the surrounding snow to rise in violent spirals.
The ground cracked beneath their feet as they exchanged blows at increasing speed.
The smile on Arthur's face only grew wider as the fight continued.
How long has it been since I last enjoyed a fight like this? he wondered, savoring every moment.
Naturally, neither he nor Artoria was using their full strength. Neither wanted to destroy the surroundings—but it was more than enough to entertain him.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Artoria pressed forward with absolute precision.
Her strikes were lethal, always aiming for any opening Arthur left.
Her technique was undeniably refined.
Her spear sliced through the air in perfect lines, targeting vital points with terrifying efficiency.
Arthur, on the other hand, blocked every single attack with ease.
His posture remained annoyingly relaxed.
Yet his spear responded perfectly to every strike.
Is he… playing around?
Artoria frowned slightly as she noticed the smile on his face.
She spun and launched a sweeping strike—but Arthur evaded it with minimal movement and counterattacked immediately.
Artoria blocked, but was pushed several meters back, her feet sliding across the snow.
He's already this strong…? she thought, steadying herself.
She charged again.
This time, faster and more aggressive.
Her spear multiplied into a rapid sequence of lethal thrusts.
A relentless assault.
Arthur laughed as he responded.
His spear moved like an extension of his body, meeting her attacks head-on.
Their weapons clashed in a chaotic symphony.
Kiritsugu watched silently.
But his eyes were tense as he realized that man was truly fighting on equal footing with Lancer.
Artoria stepped back, her gaze fixed on Arthur.
Not a single wound on him.
Not even a scratch on his clothes.
It was as if the entire exchange meant nothing to him.
And for the first time—
Artoria smiled.
She raised her spear again, facing him.
"That's more like it. Women are much more beautiful when they smile," Arthur said.
---
"You know, I'm honestly surprised you didn't recognize my spear," Arthur said as he stepped back after another exchange.
"My spear…?" she murmured, examining the weapon carefully.
The blade was long, straight, and perfectly symmetrical, resembling an elongated sword. Its white surface emitted a soft, almost ethereal glow.
Its edges were thin and deadly, and its tip looked capable of piercing anything.
A golden geometric detail broke the uniformity at its center, giving it a noble elegance. Near the guard, there was a diamond-shaped opening.
The guard itself was simple, integrated into the design.
The black shaft, segmented with metallic rings, ensured perfect reach and control.
And at the base, a counterweight balanced every movement with incredible precision.
"I'm surprised you don't recognize the spear once wielded by Percival, the Second Seat of the Round Table," Arthur said.
"…Percival… Then this is Longinus?" Artoria's eyes widened in realization.
Why does he have Longinus? she wondered.
"Exactly. The spear that pierced Christ's side, confirming his death. A weapon that rivals the Rhongomyniad in your hands, Artoria Pendragon."
The impact of that revelation was immediate.
"Why do you have that spear—"
"We'll talk later," Arthur interrupted as he advanced again.
"Let's finish our sparring."
He appeared before her in an instant.
CLANG!
Their spears collided violently.
Artoria reacted instantly, twisting her body and narrowly dodging a strike that would have pierced her shoulder.
She countered immediately with a thrust aimed at his heart.
Arthur tilted his body and avoided it.
Then he responded with a downward strike.
Artoria leapt back, but did not fully retreat.
Her eyes were now completely focused on him.
She advanced again, her spear tracing multiple lines through the air, each strike overlapping the last in an impossible sequence.
Arthur smiled and stepped into the storm.
He intercepted every thrust.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Sparks burst with each impact.
Artoria spun and launched an upward thrust.
Arthur narrowly dodged—and in the same motion, spun his spear to counterattack.
BANG!
The shaft struck her side.
She was sent flying, but planted her spear into the ground, stopping herself.
Without hesitation, she charged again.
Even faster.
Even more aggressive.
She gripped her spear tighter.
A white light began to glow along it.
Arthur noticed—and narrowed his eyes.
"Now we're talking…"
He vanished again.
CLANG!
Their spears clashed once more.
But this time, Arthur pressed forward with far greater force and speed.
Artoria was pushed back further and further.
She tried to counter—
CLANG!
Her spear was deflected.
BANG!
Another strike hit her stomach.
Pain surged through her body—but she did not retreat.
She lunged again, delivering her fastest thrust yet.
Arthur smiled—and disappeared completely from her sight.
Artoria's eyes widened.
"Where—"
"Behind you."
The tip of Longinus stopped mere millimeters from her neck.
"Do you accept defeat?" Arthur asked with a smile.
Artoria closed her eyes briefly… then relaxed her stance.
"Yes," she answered.
---
(End of Chapter)