"This magical signature..."
Deep within the thick fog, a powerful magical reaction surged from upstream, causing Diarmuid to falter for a split second in his exchange with Artoria.
"Lancer! Focus on the enemy before you!" Kayneth barked.
Due to Artoria's exceptional Magic Resistance, even attacks from the physically manifested mercury were stripped of their potency the moment they touched her, reduced to nothing more than a futile annoyance.
Kayneth was forced to use Volumen Hydrargyrum solely to support Lancer, acting as an auxiliary attachment to his weapons. Whenever the long spear closed in on Artoria, the mercury would automatically lash out, transforming into sharp spikes to disrupt her offensive.
Kayneth had considered moving upstream to assess Tokiomi's situation and decide on a strategy. However, in this unnatural fog, separating himself from his Servant was suicide. Encountering another Master was one thing, but if he ran into a Servant, he would be a sitting duck. It was simply not cost-effective to waste a Command Spell to call his Servant back to his side.
The best course of action remained coordinating with Lancer to eliminate Saber here and now.
After several more exchanges, Diarmuid's attempts to pierce Artoria's throat were still being deflected. Conversely, Artoria was finding it equally difficult to land a blow. Even with the support of Ludwig's Command Spell—which made her attacks more ferocious than usual—Diarmuid's martial prowess was easily her equal.
Artoria was not yet willing to reveal her means of resisting the curse of the yellow spear. If she were to play that card, it had to be at a moment where both sides were forced to trade life for life.
With his Master present, Diarmuid had the advantage of being able to heal vital wounds using Command Spells and Kayneth's mana. This was his strength, but it was also a potential source of complacency.
"You don't seem concerned for your Master's safety at all, Saber," Diarmuid noted. "That shockwave earlier was undoubtedly caused by a clash between your Master and Archer."
"To be honest, I am concerned," Artoria replied calmly. "However, the supply of mana from my Master remains uninterrupted. That tells me he is currently safe."
She didn't actually know the details of the massive magical fluctuation upstream; Ludwig hadn't sent her a telepathic update. Her only logical guess was that a new enemy had engaged him. Regardless of how much Ludwig and Gilgamesh had exhausted each other, fighting multiple Servants in succession was never ideal.
Her desire to regroup with Ludwig was genuine, but she trusted his strength. He was not a man who was easily defeated.
"Therefore, I cannot afford to drag this out any longer, especially with other Servants lurking nearby. Let us settle this here."
Artoria suddenly dispelled her armor, funneling all her magical energy into the Invisible Air surrounding her holy sword.
"A gamble of life against life?" Diarmuid let out a resolute laugh. "Master, your orders!"
To retreat now would mean exposing his back to her blade, drastically increasing his chances of defeat. He chose to meet her head-on.
"Very well. Seize this opportunity to kill Saber. Remember—show no mercy." Kayneth commanded the Volumen Hydrargyrum to wrap around Diarmuid, molding itself into the shape of armor.
In truth, against the Holy Sword of the Planet, the defensive value of such a Mystic Code was barely better than wet paper. Even so, Kayneth concentrated his mana at the front, hoping the mercury could at least slow Saber's blade.
"By your command, my Lord. I shall present you with Saber's head to prove my loyalty!"
A cold, piercing killing intent flared in Diarmuid's eyes. He lowered his center of gravity, staring down Artoria from a distance of a dozen meters.
The fog, buffeted by the wind, shifted in density. Diarmuid remained locked onto Artoria's silhouette. Both were covered in mud and river water from their hundreds of exchanges; filthy water dripped from their bodies as they stood in the sudden silence. The distant sounds of Berserker and Archer's battle drifted through the mist.
As a single drop of water fell into the river, the Servant of the Sword and the Servant of the Spear charged.
With tactics and martial skill reaching an impasse, they relied solely on their Noble Phantasms. Like two runaway trucks, they roared toward each other, thrusting their blades toward the other's vitals.
Without her magical armor, Diarmuid's spears could easily transfix Artoria. Likewise, the mercury armor failed to hinder Artoria's holy sword in the slightest. Both landed what should have been a killing blow, and both twisted at the last second to avoid immediate death.
"Gah..." Blood spilled from Diarmuid's lips.
The invisible sword had pierced through the area between his chest and abdomen; that was the best he could do to dodge. If he had moved any further, he would have missed his own strike, leading to another stalemate.
Similarly, blood welled up in Artoria's mouth. The red spear had pierced her side, and the yellow short spear had gone clean through her right lung.
It looked like a mutual kill.
"It is my victory," Diarmuid wheezed. "The curse of Gáe Buidhe will ensure you cannot continue this fight."
"It's not over yet!"
Artoria let out a sudden, thunderous roar. The Invisible Air began to peel away from her sword, surging into the wound she had inflicted upon Diarmuid. Then, it detonated.
Strike Air: Wind King's Hammer.
It was a penetrating attack that released the compressed air of the Invisible Air all at once. Diarmuid, who had carefully avoided a hit to his vitals, found this secondary blast impossible to dodge. The area where his neck met his shoulder was vaporized by the shockwave, a massive chunk of his upper body simply disappearing.
The pressure was so great that even Kayneth, standing behind Lancer, was caught by the wind. He was sent tumbling across the ground, struggling pathetically to get back up.
"Magnificent..."
Diarmuid used the last of his strength to offer praise. He finally realized that Artoria's decision to shed her armor had been a feint. She had lured him into believing the situation was identical to their first encounter at the docks, tricking him into a trade of lives. Without her armor, Gáe Buidhe could indeed deal significant damage—but that strike had merely been a setup for her true killing blow.
Artoria stepped back, pulling herself off the two spears that transfixed her. She sank to one knee, gasping for air as she waited for her wounds to heal.
His strength gone, Diarmuid slumped to the ground, a satisfied smile on his face.
Seeing his Servant defeated, Kayneth scrambled to his feet in a panic. He reached out his hand, preparing to use a Command Spell to stabilize Diarmuid before he faded.
"By my Command Spell, I or—"
Before he could finish, a fist slammed into his face from behind. Kayneth was sent flying toward the riverbank, where he crumpled into unconsciousness.
"Lud..." Artoria recognized the newcomer.
"Sorry, I got held up for a bit. Looks like you won your side too." Ludwig knelt down to check on her. "How are the injuries?"
"It's nothing. I just need a moment to recover," Artoria nodded composedly. "Go on ahead, Lud. I'll be right behind you."
"Got it."
Ludwig helped Artoria to her feet before sprinting toward the next battlefield. Clutching her slowly closing wounds, she watched with respect as Diarmuid's spiritual foundation dissolved into light before she finally turned to follow.
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Type-Moon: The A-Ray Knight's Holy Grail Journey(80 Chapter - Ongoing)
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