With Saber liberating the power of the Heroic Spirit and donning her armor, the prelude to the battle finally kicked off...
The moon was hidden in the clouds, and the scene of Warehouse Street, which was still dimly distinguishable in the moonlight, began to fade. Shirou mobilized the magic power in his body to strengthen his night vision, allowing him to see the battlefield more clearly.
Clang————!
As Lancer took the lead in attacking, the sound of fierce weapons clashing immediately began to ring out. The wind murmured, and the air around them created overwhelming explosions in a space that completely opposed the laws of physics. A frenzied storm raged through the deserted shopping streets, trampling and vandalizing everything. Thunder tore the sky, waves shattered the heavens and the earth, and the fantasy world was miraculously recreated.
...
After receiving the signal from Irisviel, Emiya Kiritsugu and Hisau Maiya followed the signal and rushed to Warehouse Street. They were greeted by a heavy silence. All they heard was the howling of the sea breeze, a deathly silence, and stagnant air. The night was peaceful.
"... It's already started."
Just by relying on the aura of magic emanating from all around, Emiya Kiritsugu correctly judged the situation. Holding a heavy sniper rifle in his arms, Emiya Kiritsugu began to evaluate his options.
According to the signal from the transmitter, he already knew the exact direction of Irisviel, but the question was how to approach and where to observe. He had no intention of entering the war directly, which is why he brought a sniper rifle. He wanted to stand in a suitable position to observe the battle and, if necessary, use a sniper rifle to intervene.
Servants aren't human, so only Servants can truly hurt them. No matter how powerful the guns of Emiya Kiritsugu and Hisau Maiya were, they would have no effect on a Servant. However, if it were the other Masters, the powerful sniper rifle Emiya Kiritsugu was carrying would come in handy. Saber's mission, on the other hand, was to fight against the opponent's Servant. As long as the opponent could concentrate on the battle and not be distracted by the safety of the Master, then this battle was Emiya Kiritsugu's home field.
"It seems this is a good place to observe the battle," Hisau Maiya said, pointing forward.
It was a crane towering in the night. After visual inspection, the height of the wheelhouse was about 30 meters. If one could climb to it quietly, it would be the best place to watch the battle. There was no objection to Hisau Maiya's opinion, but because of that, Kiritsugu shook his head.
"It's true that it's the best place to spy from, so I'm afraid we won't be the only ones there."
"..."
There was no need for Emiya Kiritsugu to continue explaining; Hisau Maiya already understood his intentions.
"Maiya, you sneak in from the east coast, and I'll go from the west. Find a vantage point where you can observe Saber's battle and monitor the crane."
"I see."
With an AUG assault rifle in hand, Hisau Maiya trotted away into the shadows of Warehouse Street. While confirming the transmitter's reaction, Emiya Kiritsugu cautiously moved in the opposite direction. He reached the top of a tall building and set up his sniper rifle from a perspective the other party could not notice.
Emiya Kiritsugu looked through the scope and immediately spotted the figure standing ten meters behind Lancer. It was a child with red hair, amber eyes, and a black coat. From the outside, the child appeared to be about 7 or 8 years old.
"A kid?"
Even for Emiya Kiritsugu, he couldn't help but make a puzzled sound. A dark suspicion welled up in his mind. The boy he saw in the scope was most likely Lancer's Master. The master of the local Servant was locked in his sights; the only thing left to do was shoot. As long as he pulled the trigger, he would win this battle.
It didn't matter if it was considered despicable; for Emiya Kiritsugu and his ideals, no matter what means he used or what sacrifices he made, it was acceptable. He had long been mentally prepared.
"Come on..."
Emiya Kiritsugu muttered, his index finger resting on the trigger of the sniper rifle. Suddenly, through the magnified scope, Emiya Kiritsugu saw an incredible scene. The kid suddenly turned his head and looked directly at Emiya Kiritsugu, who was at the top of the tall building and believed he was in a hidden vantage point.
At that moment, Emiya Kiritsugu felt a chill down his spine. His heart beat faster, fine beads of sweat oozed from his forehead, and a drop of cold sweat slowly swept across his cheek and flowed down his chin.
'He found me!'
This couldn't be a coincidence! Realizing this, Emiya Kiritsugu, whose index finger had originally wanted to pull the trigger, couldn't help but stop. He shifted his gaze to the battlefield between Lancer and Saber and decided to keep watching.
...
Clang————!
With the sound of striking iron, Lancer's scarlet spear was easily blocked by Saber's invisible sword. Seeing this, Lancer's body immediately turned, and the tip of the spear swirled with precision, hitting the armor on Saber's waist. Sparks flew brightly!
Saber took a step back and glanced at the armor around her waist, where the tiny notch was already being restored by her magic.
"Heh, you hid the sword. Good strategy," Lancer said, holding his two spears, one short and one long, in a state of readiness.
"Why are you wrapping your weapons in charms?" Saber wondered.
"Why are you hiding your weapon?" Lancer asked rhetorically.
"..."
Saber didn't say anything more and didn't hesitate to attack again.
Clang, clang, clang————!!!
The sonorous sounds vibrated one after another, and the sound of colliding weapons resounded throughout the street. Luckily, there was no one here at night, and a bounded field shielded the area from ordinary people; otherwise, the sound of the fight alone would be enough to disturb the city. In a short period, the two had exchanged at least thirty moves, but Saber had not landed a single hit on her opponent.
"..."
It stands to reason that because the spear is so long, there are inevitable flaws between successive attacks. However, Lancer wields two spears; every time the red spear misses, the yellow spear in his left hand immediately follows up to continue containing Saber.