224 Lancer vs Saber (I)

Arkhan nonchalantly took a step forward, and a vast wave of magical energy swept up, neutralizing the oncoming wind blades.

*Whoosh—*

Seeing this scene, Artoria's eyes twitched slightly.

Just with his presence alone, he could thwart her attacks effortlessly. This unknown Servant was perhaps even more formidable than she had imagined.

But the experienced King of Knights wouldn't be discouraged by a momentary setback. Her gaze remained cold and unforgiving as she slashed her invisible sword down towards her opponent.

Arkhan stepped back, evading her strike without much effort. Seizing the moment when her previous force had waned, he swung his right leg like a whip, forcefully smashing into her waist.

*BOOM!*

With a resounding crash, she was sent flying, colliding with a nearby shipping container.

Every Master watching this scene through their familiars had their expressions change instantly.

Without using weapons or even entering a proper combat stance, this unknown Servant had managed to easily overpower the strongest class, Saber. The strength of this Servant was unbelievably terrifying!

Who on earth was he?!

Every Master couldn't help but be bewildered.

'Could it be Lancelot?' Kiritsugu's brow furrowed slightly.

Seeing that the unknown Servant seemed to know Saber and witnessing such powerful strength, there was only one Legendary Knight of the Round Table that fit the criteria—the Knight of the Lake, Lancelot.

Certainly not Merlin, a mage couldn't possibly possess such capability.

"Saber..." Irisviel tightly clenched her hands, and a clear expression of concern appeared in her crimson eyes.

After a while, Artoria emerged from the container, her armor dimming slightly, and her demeanor losing some vigor. However, the killing intent in her eyes only increased, while her aura became more ruthless.

"You can see my sword?" Artoria asked in a cold tone.

When she saw him stepping back, his body conveniently out of the reach of Excalibur's limit. She wouldn't believe it was a mere coincidence.

"Once, I had a similar sword in my hand." Arkhan replied dismissively.

Caliburn was actually created by Merlin as an imitation of Excalibur. There was almost no difference in appearance between the two, so he naturally knew the shape of Excalibur.

"If that's the case, I don't need to continue hiding it." Artoria's wrist trembled slightly, and the Invisible Air dispersed.

A pitch-black holy sword with red patterns appeared.

Similar to the good and evil sides of the Lady of the Lake embodied by Vivian and Morgan le Fay, the holy sword also reflected diverse aspects influenced by its wielder. Nevertheless, its essence as a holy sword remained unchanged.

"Saber, didn't I tell you not to casually reveal your sword in front of outsiders!"

Kiritsugu's voice which was filled with hidden anger echoed in Artoria's ears. The tyrant king who had completely abandoned the code of chivalry responded with a cold snort.

"Hmph! Enough with your nonsense. I know what to do. Instead of worrying about me, focus on what you need to do. Let me remind you, if you make a mistake, I won't hesitate to cut you down first." Artoria responded coldly.

Hearing her cold response, Kiritsugu's mouth twitched slightly.

Although he had successfully turned the noble King of Knights into a ruthless tyrant through the modified summoning incantation, her temper was undoubtedly awful.

But for the redemption of all humanity, these were trivial matters for him.

Kiritsugu shook his head slightly, discarding these useless emotions. He turned his sniper rifle, using the thermal imaging scope to search for the unknown Servant's Master.

When he turned the sniper rifle northeast, a figure suddenly appeared in his line of sight.

"Hmph." Kiritsugu's mouth curved slightly with a disdainful arc. As expected, these mages were as arrogant as ever.

"Maiya, in the northeast direction of Saber, atop a container near the warehouse roof, is that Servant's Master. As expected, it should be Kayneth from the Clock Tower. Can you see him?"

After a moment, a woman's cold voice came through the earpiece.

"No, it's a blind spot from my position."

"Understood. Let's observe for now. When Saber and that Servant start fighting, I'll find an opportunity to take care of his Master."

Kiritsugu's meticulousness led him to make a calm judgment. The unknown Servant was too powerful, and until now, he hadn't demonstrated specific abilities. If he acted now, he couldn't guarantee whether this Servant would instantly detect him and end his life.

So, he waited—for the best, most perfect opportunity.

He had patience because, for this day, he had waited a full 20 years.

Looking at blackened Excalibur, Arkhan shook his head with a hint of resignation.

"I mean, is it really necessary to go this far? Aren't you afraid of exposing yourself?"

"Since you already know my identity, whether it's exposed or not doesn't matter. I can't defeat you, and likewise, I will definitely get the Holy Grail." Artoria said with a cold tone.

*BOOM!*

Her iron-clad boots pounded the ground as she charged towards Arkhan, her sword slashing downward.

Arkhan sidestepped, avoiding the slash.

Her sword slash was followed by a dark magical beam, leaving a seven to eight-meter trench on the ground. Shattered stones scattered like raindrops, tapping against the metal walls of the cargo containers.

Artoria closed in, sticking to Arkhan's every move. The black holy sword relentlessly slashed, offering no chance for escape.

The dark magical beam surged, roaring like an enraged dragon with each of her slashes. Deep marks adorned the ground and containers as if an ancient dragon had clawed through.

Kayneth, nervously watching Saber's relentless assault, quickly contacted Arkhan.

"Hey Lancer, counterattack! If this continues, you'll really lose!"

Hearing his Master's panicked voice, Arkhan furrowed his brows slightly.

As a Servant, he was already at a disadvantage compared to his true form, let alone facing a Heroic Spirit like Artoria Alter, whose attacks were intense and ruthless, putting considerable pressure on him.

'No choice...' Arkhan sighed inwardly.

A powerful wave of magical energy suddenly erupted from him, creating violent turbulence.

Artoria narrowed her eyes, swinging her sword forward, intercepting the oncoming shockwave.

When the magical turbulence subsided, Arkhan's modern attire had transformed into a mysterious and majestic silver armor. He wielded a dark and profound spear, standing tall like a dragon.

His gaze was commanding as he stared at Artoria.

"Ready to welcome defeat?"

Arkhan spoke with a tone as calm as a still pond.