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"Damn it—are they all just waiting to swoop in and take the prize?"Kiritsugu Emiya cursed under his breath, adjusting his sniper scope toward Lancer's Master—Kenneth.
The distance was a problem. Worse, he didn't know if the enemy had any defensive tricks.One missed shot, and his position would be blown.
In the group chat:
Esdeath: "Seriously? You know the enemy has two spears and you don't even know what the second one does—so you take off your armor? That's just stupid."
Erza: "Agreed. Probably panicked after her first plan failed and got distracted when she was hurt."
Miko Yotsuya: "That Lancer guy is amazing though! He actually beat King Arthur!"
Misaka Mikoto: "I still think Saber's stronger overall, but she fought too cautiously."
Alex: "Stat-wise and skill-wise, Artoria does have the edge."
Luo Hao: "Yet she lost."
Hestia: "Not completely lost, okay? She can still fight—just a narrow defeat."
Roxy: "Still, with one arm crippled and no Noble Phantasm… if she keeps fighting, she'll lose for sure."
Tsunade: "Yeah, that's how it looks."
Alex glanced at Merlin and Morgan beside him, smiling faintly.At the start, they had been so sure that Artoria couldn't lose.Reality had proved them wrong.
Merlin frowned at him. "How did you predict this so precisely? Don't tell me you've got EX-rank Clairvoyance—can you see the future or something?"
This world's Merlin didn't have Clairvoyance like his male counterpart, so he couldn't glimpse what was to come.Morgan didn't either. She was absurdly powerful—her sorcery was nearly divine—but she only had Fairy Eyes, not foresight.
Alex rolled his eyes. "I'm not even a Servant. Where would I get Clairvoyance?"
Merlin scratched his head, confused. "Then how…"
Artoria had paid for her insight with wounds—two of them—but at least she'd uncovered Lancer's true identity:
Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, the peerless hero of the Fianna, raised under the blessings of the love god Aengus and the sea god Manannán mac Lir.
With his identity revealed, Lancer didn't bother to hide anymore. He admitted it openly and prepared to continue the duel.
Artoria gripped her sword with one hand. Even injured, she refused to back down.
Now that she knew his Noble Phantasm's properties, she had a fighting chance.One hand or not, she believed she wouldn't lose.
Just as the two were about to resume the fight—Morgan suddenly vanished.
In a flash, she appeared between Artoria and Diarmuid.
"What the hell is she doing?!" Alex blurted, completely dumbfounded.
This woman—why did she have to stick her nose into everything?
Roxy's expression turned pale. She'd been enjoying the show, and now her own Servant had jumped right into the middle of it.
Merlin, meanwhile, just chuckled. "Well, things just got interesting."
Morgan's sudden appearance froze both Artoria and Diarmuid in place.
Then everyone's eyes widened when they saw her face.
Irisviel gasped, covering her mouth. "She… she looks exactly like Saber!"
Artoria stood there in shock, her gaze locked on Morgan as memories came flooding back.
"M–Morgan?"
She could hardly believe it.Why was Morgan here—summoned into this Holy Grail War?
Had she come to stop her?Was she still so obsessed with the throne that she'd go this far?
All Artoria ever wanted was to use the Grail to rewrite Camelot's fate.Why was her sister always there to block her path?Was this… destiny?
Diarmuid didn't understand what was going on, but seeing Morgan's identical face, he instantly assumed they were allies.
He leapt back, putting some distance between them. "Saber! So that's your game—an ambush!"
Artoria opened her mouth to explain—she couldn't let anyone stain her knight's honor—but Morgan spoke first.
With an icy glare, she said, "Insolent, nameless third-rate Servant. Who gave you permission to speak?"
"Humph!" Diarmuid's face darkened. Insulted, he lunged at her in fury.
Morgan didn't even flinch.
Her staff flashed, transforming into a long cross-shaped spear.If he was a Lancer, then she'd beat him at his own game.
She swept her weapon, unleashing arcs of magical energy that slashed toward him.
It helped that her Master was a Saint-tier mage—she didn't have to worry about running out of mana anytime soon. Not infinite like a Lesser Grail, but way more than most Masters could dream of.
Diarmuid twirled his twin spears furiously, deflecting her strikes.
Morgan leapt high, hurling her cross-spear down at him.
"Damn it!" Diarmuid realized instantly he couldn't block it.
He tried to dodge—but Morgan's binding spell hit almost instantly, freezing his movements.
He had no choice but to take the blow head-on.
Just as the spear was about to pierce through him—thunder roared across the sky.
A massive divine bull burst through the clouds, pulling a chariot straight into Morgan's attack.
Boom!
The explosion shook the air. Morgan's spear returned to her hand as the smoke cleared.
And then, everyone saw him.
A towering man with fiery red hair and beard, muscles like sculpted bronze, clad in ancient armor with a crimson cloak billowing behind him—radiating sheer, unstoppable presence.
Standing proudly on his chariot, he spread his arms and bellowed,"Put away your weapons! Before a king's presence, there shall be no discourtesy!"
Everyone froze in stunned silence.But Morgan's expression soured, clearly unimpressed.
The red-haired giant continued, voice booming with authority,"I am Iskandar, the King of Conquerors! I have descended in this Holy Grail War as a Rider-class Servant!"
The self-introduction hit everyone like a thunderclap.
Meanwhile, Rider's Master buried his face in his hands, almost crying."What are you doing, you idiot?! You're blowing our cover!"
Iskandar flicked his Master aside with one finger, then turned to the trio—Morgan, Artoria, and Diarmuid.
"Though fate has cast us as rivals for the Grail," he said, grinning, "I'll ask you one thing first: will you serve under me and surrender the Grail to my conquest?"
He spread his arms wide again, waiting for their answer.
"..."
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