The establishment of the Time Travelers Alliance began in the first year of Conan

Chapter 355 [The Distant Ideal Land]

In fact, Lancer was also slightly taken aback.

"...Such a keen intuition."

In Lancer's opinion, Saber shouldn't have made the right judgment so quickly.

Although the [Moon Spirit Essence Liquid] itself was just a bluff, it was far less deadly than it appeared on the surface.

But Saber shouldn't know this.

He even deliberately misled her by claiming that he was "controlled by his lord," creating the illusion that the mercury could freely devour everything.

She should have been more wary of the mercury.

What surprised Lancer even more was—

Saber's sword blocked the attack precisely in the right spot.

He had clearly used the more agile short gun to engage her first, disrupting her rhythm with his faster and more flexible gun skills.

Therefore, logically, the enemy should first parry the short gun to deal with the most pressing threat at hand.

But what Saber parried with her sword in the first instant was her own spiel of destruction.

"She saw through it...?"

Faced with an enemy who could react instantly even when ambushed or attacked, Lancer couldn't help but feel a sense of respect and admiration.

He could even tell that this wasn't just a simple reaction speed, but an almost instinctive intuition.

Otherwise, when you turn your back to yourself.

Saber, who had hesitated before because of her apparent "struggle," shouldn't have turned around and made such a move.

"So, you mean you have an ability similar to [intuition]?"

Such a thought only flashed through my mind for a fleeting moment.

On the battlefield, Lancer has no time to indulge in contemplation.

So the attack continued.

With his intense focus, time seemed to slow down around Lancer.

A cold smile appeared on his face.

The mercury probe has completed the most crucial step.

In an instant, it determined the length and swing range of the longsword in Saber's hand and relayed the information back to its master.

"The blade is about 3 feet long, and the guard is 4 inches wide."

"Now, I have the upper hand."

His arms, gripping the gun, tensed slightly with excitement.

At this moment, he had the opportunity and confidence to kill Saber with his next strike.

……

It can only be said that "long-range weapons" naturally have such a great advantage when facing "short-range weapons".

Unlike ordinary people who still need to consider certain factors, after transforming into a "Heroic Spirit," the "weight" and "sluggishness" that originally limited the use of long-handled weapons completely disappeared.

At this moment, even when Lancer is wielding the spear with one hand, his strength and speed are in no way inferior to those with two hands; on the contrary, he is even more agile and versatile.

In Lancer's eyes, the moment Saber rushed back to defend and rescue Irisviel, the opening had already appeared.

The Knight's Strategy worked like a divine revelation at this moment, and Diarmuid seized the opportunity without hesitation.

With a flick of the spear, the seal on the Noble Phantasm was released in an instant.

The mercury that had previously adhered to the gun, along with the spells that concealed its power, flowed downwards like real water.

As the "dusty cloth" fell away, crimson and golden light immediately shone forth.

Lancer flicked his wrist, and the runes engraved on the gun barrel, symbolizing "God of War," "Binding," and "Purple Robe," displayed their power.

The divine light of the [Red Rose that Breaks the Demon] manifests.

With a chilling sharpness, the crimson gun, using the recoil from Saber's earlier block, not only did not retreat, but instead slid and circled around, like a swimming dragon turning around.

The "disadvantage" of being thrown into the air was instantly transformed into an advantage under Lancer's wrist strength.

The spear drew an incredibly sharp arc from above, its edge in the spearman's hand almost as sharp as a javelin, piercing straight down from top to bottom.

Meanwhile, another [inevitably extinguished yellow rose] was not left idle either.

The yellow light, carrying the "curse of certain destruction," pierced out several times in an instant as Lancer danced, weaving the spear tip into a dense defensive net.

Saber was spinning under Intuition, intending to force him back with a sweeping attack.

But the yellow rose now transformed into a sharp barrier, aiming to completely trap her sword strikes within its net.

……

The attack from the two spears came just as Artoria had predicted.

Artoria knew this all too well.

"I can't compete with Lancer, who is known for his agility. Otherwise... I won't be able to save Irisviel in time."

If Saber didn't know Lancer's identity, just like with "historical inertia," she would never have made such a judgment.

But now that she knows Lancer's real name is Diarmuid, she understands very well—

【The Crimson Rose of Exorcism】is enough to kill a magician in two hits in any encounter.

"As soon as Lancer throws the red rose at Irisviel... everything will be over immediately."

Therefore, the key is not the outcome, but the distance.

“I must force Lancer to retreat here and make him wary, otherwise there will be no time to save Irisviel.”

"What's more... there's also the magician hiding behind the scenes."

The best retreat is to avoid revealing your intentions to the other party beforehand.

The same applies to attacks.

Taking advantage of a fleeting moment, Saber let her thoughts and her soul roam freely, allowing her ability called Intuition to reveal a way to break the deadlock.

It's a very strange feeling.

For Artoria, this ability has never betrayed her in countless battles throughout the past.

It allowed her to identify the enemy's weaknesses and enabled her to always choose the most suitable path of action in the chaos of battle.

However, this ability undoubtedly has certain limitations.

Even if it is taken to its extreme, it only reaches the realm of "predicting the future" when the enemy attacks briefly.

Perhaps in just a hundredth of a second, or even a thousandth of a second, Saber saw Lancer's next attack.

But then, she realized with some despair that she had no way to dodge both shots at the same time and force Lancer back.

But then, something impossible happened.

The anxious look that had been on her face because of her concern for Irisviel's condition suddenly disappeared.

The imposing aura revealed in his emerald green pupils shifted instantly. In its place came a calm, stillness, and beneath that calm lay a hidden anger.

At this moment, Saber not only found a way to force Lancer to retreat.

She even intended to defeat him in one blow.

The skill called "Intuition" was incredibly given to Artoria, providing her with a way to escape this predicament.

It's as if the future is already in our hands.

It was as if victory was something they were entitled to.

It was as if another version of herself, or a familiar and authoritative voice, whispered in her ear just as she was about to turn around.

"—This road leads to victory."

……

It was a sea of ​​flowers that had not yet turned blood red.

The air is filled with eternal joy, and the sea of ​​flowers swaying gently in the wind is like an eternal wave of happiness.

In the immaculate paradise, feasts are held that never cease.

Even, to fulfill the king's wish.

Beyond that towering tower, the people of the old kingdom, no matter where they came from, were guided by the king's glory to enter this sacred place that was originally not to be desecrated by mortals.

Until that day...

On that day, however, a minor argument broke out after the banquet.

"My king...do you really intend to embark on the path of confrontation with him?"

“You do not crave so-called correctness, and you have long since broken free from the suffering of the past…”

"...This shouldn't be your responsibility."

No, that wasn't a whisper to myself at this moment.

Instead, it should be directed at another person.

Even the voices offering advice didn't seem to come from just one person.

Behind the figure named Merlin, with his long, flowing white hair, more figures knelt in unison.

—The Knights of the Round Table.

The armor on his body looked dull and lifeless in the glow of the sea of ​​flowers.

His face no longer held the fervor and determination of the past, only intense sorrow.

impossible.

That shouldn't be the case.

Their expressions conveyed this meaning, as if they were in despair over the king's decision.

Even Merlin, the nightmare demon who always wore a sly smile, looked so bitter at this moment that he was almost about to cry.

It seemed as if a helpless sigh could be heard.

"If...this is your decision..."

“[Artoria], my king... how can you suffer even the slightest harm before this despicable wretch dies?”

For Saber, any sadness or anger would rise uncontrollably from the depths of her heart along with these vague words of advice.

Then, a ray of light appeared at the end of the sea of ​​flowers.

It appeared to be a magnificent weapon, with dazzling gold and pure lake blue intertwined, as if reflecting the sky and the sea.

—A sword sheath far removed from the mortal world.

The blood-stained knight offered up his sword sheath, a distant ideal land that held their last hope.

To ensure that this miracle protects their king, the knights embark on a new journey together with the nightmare.

Even with all that knowledge gained and a power far exceeding that of the past, this is still no easy feat.

This "expeditionary" knightly order even ventured into the [Inner Sea of ​​Stars].

They want to force the planet itself to repeat the impossible miracle.

In the endless "memories" of the planet, fighting against those gods or strategists is truly a bloody battle.

But in the end, they did it.

So, the fairies were made to have "identical" sword sheaths.

But the knights were not satisfied with the result.

Before those terrible demons, the fairies cried out in terror and knelt down, begging for forgiveness:

"But... but the power of this scabbard is ten times greater than that of [The Distant Ideal Land]!"

The knight then mercilessly beheaded the fairy.

Blood splattered on the petals of the sacred garden; that must have been the first flower to be stained red.

His voice was firm as iron: "The order is—to create something exactly like that scabbard."

As a result of unfulfilled desires, many of the branching regions were conquered. One after another, the fairy territories were wiped out in blood.

finally--

The knights, riding on white horses named Time, with unwavering loyalty to the king and terrifying power, marched towards the moment when the sword sheath was lost.

Its immense magical power is so great that it can even cause mist to rise in the Inner Sea of ​​Stars, and the array it forms can even reach the outer reaches of the world.

The glory of this paradise was thus forever shrouded in the shadow of bloodshed.

This can be described as a miracle created by the knights' "loyalty"—a miracle brought about by destruction.

At the end of blood and mist, the sea of ​​flowers returned to silence.

And the knight of the sun presented the scabbard before the king:
“My king…we have retrieved it for you…”

……

For Artoria, the solution lay in these strange images, which appeared before her eyes like a dream.

Although many questions arose in her mind, she clearly had no time to get any answers in the face of the barrage of gunfire that came rushing towards her.

But she may never get the chance to answer.

Because that radiance, like gold and lake blue intertwined, only flashed by within Artoria's body.

Those strange images were as if they had been brutally taken away, instantly erased from Artoria's mind.

All that remains is an unforgettable, brand-like "premonition".

— [Merlin] will never let that happen again.

Within the branches that this universe has branched out, Merlin immediately lowered his expression.

No, to be precise, his figure immediately appeared in front of the old man with the gemstone.

Now, the title that once called "Great Merlin" has finally shown its power.

Driven by anger, he unleashed a terrifying illusion with all his might, to the point that it could even affect magic.

“If you can’t give me an explanation, Zelrich…”

Amidst the [Gemstone Elder's] wry smile, the surrounding [Illusion] began to interchange with the real [History] of the past.

"You'd better end that war immediately."

Yes, it's quite obvious that Merlin is extremely angry at this moment.

[Jeweler] even had to confront [Merlin] first before trying to find time to explain.

He knew that Merlin was clearly out of control.

This guy is now playing a completely suicidal strategy.

We really want to recreate that period of history.

They're all finished.

……

For the people at the harbor, the situation seemed to have completely reversed in an instant.

Even a fleeting moment of manifestation is enough.

"What--?!"

Now, it was Lancer who exclaimed in surprise.

A sense of foreboding flashed through his mind.

Saber paused in her act of turning to retreat, and then—

She actually loosened her grip on the sword with her right hand!

“Now we’re even in terms of weaponry.” Those calm, emerald-green eyes conveyed this meaning.

The longsword, which was originally about to fall into the trap of the short spear, was now held only by the left hand, with the blade extending diagonally horizontally.

The longsword, which should have been tightly restrained by the short spear, changed its swing trajectory at this moment.

Although it was held in his left hand at this moment, the invisible sword used the blade rather than the edge to actively meet the demon-slaying short spear.

The force of the wind generated by the sword's movement and the arc it drew through the air made the blade sever the silver threads drawn out by the Demon-Slaying Spear as easily as cutting through a hair.

—The disadvantage in weaponry was reversed at this moment.

Saber's right hand is now free.

If the [Red Rose of Exorcism] can ignore armor made of magic, then the [Yellow Rose of Inevitable Annihilation], although it can cause unhealable injuries, can be blocked by a defense made of magic.

Using the residual force of the sword's swing, Saber's right arm guard actually met the rapidly thrusting yellow short spear head-on!
The sound of metal clashing echoed through the night sky.

That was by no means a simple block.

At this moment, the arm moved even faster in response to the force, attempting to stop the pistol's movement.

The demonic spear, seemingly aware of the enemy's intentions, hastily retreated, attempting to withdraw.

However, it was already too late.

At this point, Lancer had already missed his chance.

The yellow spear tip had pierced the arm armor, and Artoria endured the pain of her flesh being torn open, forcefully pressing the deadly spear blade downwards.

That weapon is no longer capable of defending!

"Now!" he roared in his heart.

The moment the sword in his left hand met the Demon-Slaying Spear, the strong winds bound by the [Wind King Barrier] overflowed along the broken opening.

But that's exactly the effect Saber wanted!
At that moment, the magic power in his body surged through that breach.

Instead of roaring forward as usual, the howling wind spewed out through the breach.

Although the [Wind King Barrier] was only used as a disguise to conceal the true name of the Holy Sword, it has been used in other ways as well.

For example, it once liberated and concentrated the air, which was then used as a long-range weapon called "Wind King Hammer" to sweep away the enemy.

However, this is different from the usage of "historical inertia" which involves releasing a storm forward all at once.

At this moment, a powerful airflow surged at the point of clash between the holy sword and the demonic spear, and the bound air could only burst out from the point of contact with the spear tip.

This is the result of Saber deliberately "enlarging the gap"—

Using the gap in the barrier as a nozzle, the concentrated wind pressure is released and retaliated against the direction from which the enemy attacks.

Rather than a "hammer," it's more like a high-pressure water gun, using extremely high pressure to respond to the direction of the enemy's attack.

The wind howled in the night, and the cold night was filled with continuous thunder.

With a mere fingertip-sized opening, its destructive power, enough to sweep across the entire battlefield, was about to be revealed.

Artoria shouted loudly—

"Strike Air!"

With the Knight King's furious rebuttal, the barrier was broken.

Driven by extremely high flow rates and magic, the air seemed to be compressed to its limit in an instant, and then exploded in the next moment!
Even to other observers, the air in the center of the battlefield appeared to be ionized, and a ball of white-hot light, like a nuclear explosion, even appeared!
Following the intense flash of light was a deafening roar.

The expanding atmosphere was pushed outwards, and the aftershocks swept in all directions.

The barrier set up by Master Lancer was blown away as if dust had been swept away.

Even though the dispersed air currents were not as intense as those in the center, they still emitted a piercing shriek.

The surrounding steel containers were scratched like fingernails scraping through a soft cake, leaving cracks as if they were scraping away cream.

The asphalt roadway was violently ripped up, shifting to both sides like tectonic plates breaking apart, with the Lancer's frontal position suffering the most damage.

His warehouse and a row of connected containers were squeezed together like cardboard boxes, then scattered and fell like a light, floating pile of paper, leaving only a cloud of dust to be swept around them by the aftershocks.

Even Saber hadn't anticipated this.

However, he didn't know why his hasty attack suddenly had such terrifying power.

The important thing now is not the shock.

Even now, despite having completely destroyed the barrier set up by Lancer's Master, Saber remains wary of a possible sneak attack.

Facing the dispersing cloud of dust, she quickly retreated to Irisviel's side, her face showing tension and anxiety.

"Irisviel! How are you feeling right now?!"

"I'm fine, the bleeding has stopped." Irisviel's voice was slightly weak, but she still managed to force a smile.

With Saber's help, she stood up and spoke with a hint of pain in her eyes.

"The enemy may continue to attack... Saber, if we cannot heal you, we will eventually be defeated."

As she said this, Irisviel's gaze fell on the gash on Saber's right arm.

"Come, Saber, let me heal your wounds."

Saber shook her head; she knew perfectly well it was a waste of time.

"No need. If it's the [Yellow Rose of Certain Destruction], the wound from its piercing will never heal."

That's why she would rather risk having her arm pierced than try to hold the gun with her right hand.

"With injuries like this, although my [Strength] will probably drop by one level, my Noble Phantasm—"

Saber was speaking when she suddenly stopped.

"Saber?" Irisviel noticed her unusual behavior and called out softly.

Artoria frowned, a rare hint of doubt in her voice.

“Irisviel…I don’t think I’m hurt…”

Although there was no obvious pain in the arm after it was stabbed.

However, considering the effects of the [Yellow Rose of Destruction], Saber always thought it was the result of even the nerves that transmit pain being erased.

She raised her hand, her fingertips tracing the edge of her shoulder armor, and subtly channeled her magic, causing the armor to unlock and disappear.

What came into view was a scene that even made her hold her breath slightly—

I was indeed not injured at all.

Even the blue dress she wore when she arrived, the outermost layer of fibers, seemed undamaged.

It was as if that previous stabbing attack had never existed.

"Really...that's great."

……

A faint joy appeared on Irisviel's face, but a certain heaviness made her even more tired.

"In that case, I'll have to trouble you, Saber... to take care of me."

"Irisviel?!!"

Seeing Irisviel fall unconscious, Saber grabbed her tightly to prevent her from collapsing to the ground.

Just as Saber was about to pick up Irisviel and leave, a cold voice rang out from somewhere.

“If you leave now, Saber, your Master will die immediately.”

Saber looked in the direction of the sound but found no trace of the enemy.

Under the cover of magic, Kenneth's figure was difficult to pinpoint, and his form was even invisible.

Although Saber's previous attack destroyed all the spells carved on the ground and on the containers.

But as the monarch of the Clock Tower, the spells he buried underground could not be so easily eradicated.

—Those underground barriers can be communicated with using the [Moon Spirit Essence Liquid], which can easily cut through metal.

At this moment, the barrier specifically designed for the human body attempted to control Irisviel's body using the mercury that had been deposited within her as its base.

"If you take her away from the barrier, what will happen to the mass of mercury that has spread within her body?"

Kenneth's sinister voice continued.

"Maybe it'll turn into a hedgehog right away?"

(End of this chapter)