To become a king and a magician

"You flatter me. However, although it was called a battle, we didn't really fight seriously after we reached a consensus halfway through. If I had to describe it... it was more like a competition."

Weren't those intense battles the result of their full strength? Putting aside King Solomon, Natsukawa Tora's strength once again refreshed Marisbury's impression of him. According to intelligence records, ten years ago he was just an ordinary person who knew nothing about magic, yet he has grown to this level in just ten years.

Rather than attributing it to exceptional talent, it's more accurate to say that he had a constant stream of opportunities, leading to his meteoric rise.

"So, regarding the consensus you reached during the battle..."

"This is what I wanted to tell you, Master. In this Holy Grail War, we are the losers on the surface, but in terms of the actual outcome, we can still achieve our goal."

"Whether you want to obtain a large amount of money through the Holy Grail, or I want to become human, we can still achieve our wishes through the Holy Grail."

King Solomon's words made Marisbury frown: "You mean... no matter who the victor is, we can still get the Holy Grail in the end?"

"The final victor will undoubtedly be the Spirit Master; there is no doubt about that. He has a compelling reason to win, and for him, all he desires is the fact of victory. The Holy Grail is not what he craves."

"So, Lord Natsukawa promised that he would hand over the Holy Grail to us after his victory?"

“He didn’t say that, but I think he will, and it’s part of the consensus we reached. Of course, I think he will also accept your request to invite him to join Chaldea, but the form will be somewhat different.”

Marisbury paused for a moment: "Are you so sure that this is also part of the 'consensus' you've reached?"

"It's something we both understand without saying a word."

"What if something goes wrong?"

"No, even if something goes wrong, there are alternative plans." King Solomon recalled the figure that had repeatedly hindered him.

It doesn't matter if the Holy Grail in this Holy Grail War cannot be used by him.

There isn't just one Holy Grail.

————————————————————————————————————

At the same time, on this side of the battlefield.

"Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The holy sword and the demonic spear clashed fiercely in the air countless times, with thousands of sparks flying one after another, and the spear tip and sword blade constantly tearing apart the earth and everything around them.

Compared to the battle between Natsukawa Torama and King Solomon, the battle between Artoria and Scáthach didn't have so many special effects or blinding light pollution. If Natsukawa Torama's battle was a fantasy blockbuster, then what the two of them were performing was a pure, super martial arts movie without any special effects.

Scáthach did not use rune magic, and Artoria did not unleash the Holy Sword and its scabbard. The two simply engaged in a pure hand-to-hand combat using their own martial arts skills.

This is also the most pleasing to the eye.

And what's surprising and delightful about this battle is—

“Lia has the upper hand,” Morgan analyzed the battle. “Could it be that she’s benefiting from having an excellent Master, or that the return of the scabbard has given her unbridled confidence? Or perhaps she’s holding back a lot of anger, which led to this extraordinary performance?”

It's likely that all three are involved.

The ample magic power provided by Natsukawa Torata boosted Artoria's stats. The scabbard allowed her to ignore minor injuries and employ bolder tactics. The pent-up resentment and self-blame of the past few days had fueled her fighting spirit to an unprecedented level.

With all three factors combined, Artoria now has almost the complete upper hand.

"Clang—!"

The magic spear and the holy sword crossed paths once more. The spear blade swiftly grazed Artoria's cheek, shaving off a few strands of golden hair and leaving a wound on her face. Similarly, the holy sword then grazed Scáthach's waist, tearing her black bodysuit and the body beneath it.

It was still just abrasions. In the previous few minutes of their fight, the two had already caused each other abrasions no less than ten times.

But this time, things are a little different.

“Scáthach’s wound is shallower than Viria’s.”

Because he had a complete grasp of the surrounding situation, Natsukawa Tiger's understanding of the battle was more profound than that of the two people involved. He could feel that the wound on Scáthach's waist was about half a fingertip deeper than the one she had left on Artoria's face.

It was just a small difference, but it was still a difference.

Looking at the unharmed Artoria, Scáthach, who had already distanced herself and regrouped, smiled with satisfaction: "As expected of the world-renowned King of Knights, this is the first time I've ever been at a disadvantage in battle. It's quite a novel experience."

“Me too, Lancer. Among all the people I know, you are undoubtedly the most skilled with a gun. Even if you said you could rival a god with your gun skills, I wouldn’t doubt the truth of it. It is an honor for me as a knight to fight against such a formidable opponent as you.”

After actually fighting her, Artoria felt a sense of relief, thankful that she had a scabbard. If it weren't for the scabbard constantly healing her, she would definitely have more wounds than Scáthach.

In order to maintain her dominant position, she launched an offensive that neglected defense, thus creating many openings.

(But without the scabbard, I probably wouldn't have this style.)

She fought like this even when her sword was still in its sheath; it can only be said that she has returned to her roots.

"Well, while it's not bad to keep fighting like this, since it's a battle, it can't end without a winner."

Scáthach raised her magic spear, and a crimson vortex suddenly swirled around the spear, sending a chill down Artoria's spine.

This attack was—

[Lia, this is Lancer's Noble Phantasm. Its effect is to first use a close-range attack, pinning the enemy to space with the first magic spear, depriving them of their freedom, and then using the second magic spear to hurl them with full force, ending their life. Note that this Noble Phantasm is causal; if it kills, it will always pierce the heart.]

The voice of Natsukawa Tora echoed in his mind.

(Thank you for providing the information, Master.)

Artoria felt her luck once again, realizing that she probably wouldn't encounter a Master as excellent as Natsukawa Torato in any future Holy Grail Wars.

Returning the sword sheath, reconciling with Lord Mordred, reuniting with Morgan and improving their relationship, providing comprehensive combat assistance... Artoria didn't think she could offer a corresponding reward for such a great favor.

Therefore, even just once would be good, at least it would bring him one victory.

Scáthach has already charged forward with her spear, and the first thrust will pin her to the ground. In that case, dealing with her will be easy.

"Show yourself..."

A light shone from Artoria's chest.

"—【Avalon, a secluded and ideal place】!"

89. The Silver Saint who pilots a Gundam

Defeat.

This was a feeling Scáthach had never experienced before. Although she was determined to die, she was still a warrior and would want to conquer traps that could kill her. When she encountered a powerful enough opponent, she couldn't help but want to defeat them.

She wants to challenge anyone strong she encounters, which unintentionally makes her even stronger.

Therefore, Scáthach never truly died; she came close to death countless times, but never truly surrendered to it.

However, this time she experienced it firsthand.

The infallible and deadly magic spear, Scáthach's proudest spear-themed Noble Phantasm—[GaeBolgAlternative]—not only did its tip not pin Artoria to space, but it was also intercepted halfway before it could even touch her.

The light emanating from Artoria's chest disintegrated into countless fragments, forming a barrier of light that enveloped her. Outside the barrier, the tip of the demonic spear was relentlessly rubbing against it, as if desperately trying to break through it.

But that's impossible.

"A true absolute defense, a barrier that even King Gilgamesh's Ea could not break... This is the first time I've actually seen one."

Avalon has been in Natsukawa Tiger's hands for almost five years, but incredibly, Natsukawa Tiger has never liberated it once, basically using it as a mobile fountain.

After all, its true name release is generally not needed, and where it is needed, it has most likely been lent to others by Natsukawa Torato.

For example, Grey, and for example, Aoko.

Therefore, this was indeed the first time Natsukawa Torato had witnessed the liberation of Avalon.

Meanwhile, a hint of nostalgia appeared in Morgan's eyes as he gazed at Artoria, who held both the scabbard and the holy sword—that was King Arthur's most powerful form. How many years had it been since he'd seen her like that? Artoria, who seemed to never and could never fall.

(The scabbard of absolute protection... this is your trump card, Saber.)

As long as this scabbard remains, Artoria is an invincible being. Even if the enemy is the Magic King or the Hero King, they can only sigh and give up in the face of this barrier.

He couldn't break through the barrier himself; his only chance of winning was to defeat Artoria before she activated it, but that opportunity was gone.

Having realized this, Scáthach sighed helplessly and stopped her thrusting motion. And at the very moment she stopped—

"Sizzle—!"

The holy sword flashed by, and blood spurted from Scáthach's shoulder, leaving a huge and gruesome wound on her body.

The wound was so deep that it reached the heart, or in the case of a Servant, the soul core, the core that constitutes the Servant's body. Artoria's sword strike shattered it perfectly.

Once the spirit core is shattered, the Servant's departure is only a matter of time.

The excruciating pain she had never experienced before made Scáthach laugh uncontrollably. It was the first time she had felt such intense pain. Her strength was constantly draining from her body along with her blood, her legs were even so weak that she could no longer stand, and her consciousness was gradually fading away.

Is this what death feels like?

"They probably still feel defeated."

Natsukawa Tora said this as he approached Scáthach.

"Did you enjoy the fight, Queen Scáthach?"

"Enjoyed... Well, you could say that. Although I didn't get to fight you, being able to fight the Knight King at his peak is an acceptable result for me. And most importantly, I finally experienced death."

"Even if only this clone, this servant's body, dies, I myself am still alive in this world, but the real me will definitely feel the memory of this death and the feeling of this death."

To fight someone powerful enough to kill her, and to be killed. This is Scáthach's reason for responding to the Holy Grail and Aozaki Aoko's summons; she had no need for the Holy Grail, but now her wish has been fulfilled.

With her ruby-red eyes fixed on Natsukawa Tiger, Scáthach laughed, "It seems I'll have to save my duel with you for next time. Remember this well, little guy named Natsukawa Tiger. There's still an unfinished promise between us, and I will make you fulfill it, no matter what."

As soon as she finished speaking, Scáthach's body gradually dispersed into numerous specks of light, and she quickly disappeared from the spot.

Lancer Scáthach exits the stage.

"That makes three now, so there are four Servants left."

Artoria, King Solomon, Okita Souji, and Odysseus.

If we're just using the Holy Grail to make a wish, the three Servants' mana is actually enough. After all, neither King Solomon's wish nor Marisbury's wish would consume a lot of mana.

but--

"Looks like we've just arrived just as the previous actor is leaving the stage, a seamless transition indeed."

As if the sound came directly from the sky, the voice, clearly amplified by the loudspeaker, made the three people present look up. Then, as if a veil had been removed, a colossal creature gradually appeared in the empty Weiyuan River.

That was a horse.

A pure white steed, but it wasn't a real horse, because it wasn't a living creature. Instead, it was a high-tech mecha with the shape of a horse, something that would normally only appear in science fiction movies.

"This is......"

Artoria and Morgan both stared wide-eyed at the enormous being before them. It wasn't that they hadn't seen huge beings before; Artoria had even faced the white dragon Vortigern.

But in terms of size, this mech is even larger than Vortigern!