Chapter 19: The First Clash Between Spear and Sword
Saber had a strange feeling as she watched Shirou muttering to himself.
The boy gave her an extremely unusual impression; his eyes held a gaze that a child his age should never possess.
Just then, Karna forcefully thrust the butt of his golden spear into the ground, letting out a crisp sound that drew the attention of Irisviel and Saber.
"I cannot allow you to disrespect my Master like that."
Karna withdrew his smile, his expression turning cold. The two-meter-high golden spear in his hand spun at a dizzying speed, and the cold, sharp spearhead was then aimed at Saber.
Upon seeing the nearly two-meter-tall golden spear in Karna's grip, Saber immediately knew his Class without needing to guess.
"Your weapon is a spear, so you must be Lancer?"
"Yes." Karna nodded, not denying it.
After all, there was no need to hide the Class.
"Since that is the case, I shall also inform you of my Class."
As she spoke, a wind of prana surged around Saber, and her black suit instantly vanished, replaced by blue and white armor.
In her hand, she seemed to be holding a weapon, but it was concealed by something.
"Strange, an invisible weapon?"
That peculiar method felt novel even to Karna.
Saber noticed Karna's expression and showed a triumphant smile.
"I imagine that even so, you still can't tell my Class, can you? But since you have revealed your Class, as a Knight, I have no need to hide either. My Class is Saber!"
With that, Saber turned her gaze towards Shirou, who was standing not far behind Karna.
"I sincerely apologize. I only wished to express my chivalry and did not mean to look down on you."
"It's nothing, I didn't take it to heart." Shirou gently shook his head, replying with a smile.
Perhaps in this present world, no one understood what kind of person Saber was better than he did, aside from her.
But naturally, he couldn't say such a thing aloud.
While Shirou was thinking about these things, an atmosphere of confrontation had already brewed between Saber and Lancer, as if a battle was about to erupt at any moment.
"Show me your power, Lancer," Shirou said to Karna, recognizing his eagerness to fight.
"As you wish, my Master."
Karna smiled and nodded. Then, he spun the golden spear in his hand, pointing the gleaming spearhead in Saber's direction.
.
.
.
The battle began.
The moon, which had been shining its pure white light upon the city, was suddenly covered by dark clouds, and the world instantly grew darker.
But Saber and Lancer, locked in a fierce battle, seemed unaffected by such minor details.
Shirou, however, was affected. He felt like he was blind, and quickly mobilized his prana to make his vision brighter.
Clang—!
The golden spearhead and the sword briefly clashed, and a crisp, clear sound of metal on metal erupted, illuminating the surrounding darkness for an instant.
As the confrontation continued, more and more sparks burst forth intensely, causing the scene, which had darkened due to the moon hiding behind the clouds, to flicker between light and dark.
Neither side's offense felt flashy in any way. Both Saber and Lancer fought with absolute precision and unadorned effectiveness.
Battle is a struggle between people capable of delivering fatal blows to each other.
No matter how large the difference in ability, as long as there is a way to defeat the opponent, it is called a battle.
After another exchange, Lancer retreated a few steps, then flipped the golden spear in his hand, turned back, and thrust again!
This sudden return attack nearly caught Saber off guard, but because Lancer lacked specific information about her 'sword,' the prediction of the blow was slightly off.
Clang—!
Saber swung the 'sword' in her hand, deflecting Lancer's attack.
"You've concealed your weapon... I must say, that is a brilliant tactic," Karna complimented involuntarily.
Saber smiled.
It seemed that the power of 'Invisible Air' was having a very good effect.
Even that Lancer was somewhat at a loss for how to proceed, unable to gauge the shape and length of her weapon.
However, even so, Saber found it difficult to contend with Karna's combat ability.
Clang—!
After yet another ringing clash of weapons, sparks flew, and both sides retreated a short distance, scrutinizing each other and preparing for the next offensive.
"You are truly a fine opponent. I assume you were a famous figure who once campaigned on the battlefield in your lifetime."
Saber felt her body tremble slightly with excitement from meeting a strong enemy, and she couldn't help but praise him aloud.
"You think so... If you hold such a high opinion of me, then I certainly won't disappoint you. I will fight you with all my strength."
Karna answered with a smile while spinning the 'Undying Blade' in his hand. The sharp spearhead sliced through the air with a whoosh, and a golden stream of light instantly attacked Saber!
Whoosh—!
"Excellent!"
Saber confidently met the blow, swinging the 'Invisible Sword' in her hand. The spearhead, piercing the air, intersected with the invisible longsword, releasing a deafening, clear chime.
Clang—!
That strike was exceptionally fierce. Saber felt her arm go numb, barely managing to grip her sword, and she involuntarily retreated several steps.
Seeing Saber repelled by Lancer, Irisviel called out, somewhat worried.
"Are you alright, Saber!?"