I, Wang Ha, the Three Red Unparalleled Assassin

As it stands, the crimson spear hasn't shown any other effects besides dispelling the Wind King's barrier, which isn't enough to put her at a disadvantage in the battle.

Having cleared her mind of these random thoughts, Artoria perfectly displayed her swordsmanship skills.

Although the swordplay style may seem simple and straightforward, with bold and expansive movements, it is all a skill honed bit by bit on the brutal battlefield.

Even though Diarmuid tried to sneak up on her vitals several times, he was always able to deflect the attacks with his perfectly wielded two-handed sword.

Even though Artoria is no match for Diarmuid in pure martial arts, her intuition makes her invincible.

"This woman is a skilled Saber and should not be underestimated."

"This man is a skilled Lancer; his martial arts skills are comparable to Gao Wenqing in his normal state."

During their battle, Diarmuid and Artoria gained a preliminary understanding of their opponents and acknowledged that the other was worthy of a fight.

It can be said that: a worthy opponent meets a worthy general.

The air was thick with the sounds of swords and spears, and the killing intent was palpable. The two figures flashed back and forth like shooting stars, colliding fiercely, their speed even exceeding the speed of sound.

Their agility was at least A-level, and the rapid offensive and defensive battles made it impossible for Irisviel, who was staring intently at the battlefield, to see anything clearly.

All that could be seen were two orbs of light, one gold and one red, darting about. The sword and the demonic spear shone brightly, accompanied by deafening sonic booms.

Nearly one-tenth of the massive warehouse complex at the mouth of the Weiyuan River was forcibly demolished in the aftermath of the battle, and the goods stored inside were also destroyed to pieces.

Kiritsugu Emiya had stopped sobbing. He held Maiya Kuon's severed head and carefully wiped away the dust with his sleeve.

A relieved smile graced Kuon Mai's pretty face.

This was not only because she saw Kiritsugu Emiya before she died, but also because she believed that she could have died without regrets, having arrived at the last moment and sacrificed herself to take a blow for him.

"Maimi, it's me, I'm the one who's sorry..."

A flicker of emotion crossed Kiritsugu Emiya's cold eyes, but it quickly vanished again.

"However, it is impossible to avoid sacrifices in this war for the salvation of all mankind. I have long been mentally prepared for that."

Kiritsugu Emiya murmured to himself, turning his head to look at Irisviel, who was crouching beside him with her hands on his shoulders.

The man's expression was tender, but a bitter smile unconsciously crept onto his lips, filled with helplessness and reluctance.

Then, Kiritsugu Emiya shifted his gaze to the battlefield, as this was the first time he had witnessed Saber's power.

After fighting for nearly two minutes without a clear winner, Diarmuid and Artoria tacitly stopped and separated once again.

Almost six minutes have passed since the initial exchange, and it's time to make a final assessment.

“Saber, I’ve pretty much guessed your real name, though this result is still a bit hard for me to believe.”

"If one is fortunate enough to sit on the throne of heroes that transcends time and space, one will certainly not mistake that golden sword."

Diarmuid slung his spear over his shoulder, his sharp eyes fixed on Artoria's holy face, watching the knight girl's expressions change.

"It is a great honor for me, as a knight, to be able to fight against King Arthur, a paragon of chivalry and renowned throughout the land!"

Artoria did not panic when her real name was revealed.

While it is true that weaknesses can be found in a Servant's life story or legends through their true name, that is only applicable to characters with obvious characteristics.

For example, the famous dragon-slaying hero Siegfried, or Achilles, who shone brightly in Greek mythology.

Their weaknesses are mentioned in epic legends: one is in his back, and the other is in his heel.

However, in the legends about King Arthur, there is no such obvious weakness.

Perhaps a closer examination might reveal the answer, but it certainly won't play a significant role in the current battle.

"Trying to decide the outcome with the next strike? Lancer, aren't you underestimating me a bit?"

Artoria gripped her sword with both hands and pointed it at Diarmuid. Although she had already witnessed his Noble Phantasm, she still found it difficult to determine whether this highly skilled knight had any other means of victory.

"Let's let the results speak for themselves, Saber."

As he spoke, Diarmuid's spear once again emanated an astonishing magical aura, and with a stomp of his boots, he instantly flashed in front of Artoria.

"Hmph! Save your boasting for when you actually win, Lancer!"

Artoria fearlessly ran towards the demonic spear aimed at her throat, and with the help of her intuition, she turned her head to avoid the fierce thrust. She raised the invisible sword high and slashed down at Diarmuid's chest with all her might.

"What a pity, it seems my calculations were just right."

Seeing the longsword coming straight at him, Diarmuid sneered.

With a sudden movement, he swept the crimson spear horizontally, smashing it onto the invisible sword. After steadying himself on his left foot, he used his right foot to pry up the scattered pebbles on the ground between the two of them.

A yellow short spear, also wrapped in incantation strips, appeared in mid-air and was firmly grasped by Diarmuid.

An ominous aura of magic erupted from the yellow short gun, and the inscribed cloth strips were once again reduced to ashes.

"Goodbye, Saber. I've won this victory without any guilt!"

Diarmuid muttered to himself, his momentum undiminished as he aimed at the gap between Artoria's chin and the exposed neck between her armor, thrusting straight at her with his yellow pistol.

"Tsk!"

Faced with Diarmuid's seemingly inevitable and deadly attack, Artoria frowned in displeasure, and a gust of wind, comparable to a tornado, suddenly swirled around the invisible sword in her hand.

The knight girl's clear, low shout rang out, carrying an unwavering determination.

"Wind King Barrier!"

Chapter Twenty-One: I Am the Old Man of the Mountain

The battle between Diarmuid and Artoria drew all eyes from the dock area to the warehouse area.

Kenneth has rushed to the battlefield, and Hassan 2, under Kirei Kotomine's command, has had to abandon his plan to secretly protect Sakura Matou and continue to serve as a camera for the broadcast.

Weber and Iskandar remained standing on the Fuyuki Bridge, watching from afar, while Ryunosuke Uryu and Gilles de Rais, who were hiding somewhere, were also secretly observing through the crystal ball.

Gilles de Rais, who hadn't been stabbed by Joan of Arc, was in a state of extreme visual impairment and completely ignored the stark difference between A and the Great Hill, resolutely choosing to mistake the person for someone else.

In the quiet, empty dock area, Matou Sakura obediently crouched behind a large shield, waiting for the old man of the mountain to return.

The loud noises from afar could be heard even here, and the ground could even be felt trembling slightly, indicating the intensity of the battle.

Sakura Matou didn't know how the battle was progressing, but besides curiosity, she was mostly worried.

Will Grandpa be able to win?

The little girl was a little anxious as she waited. She knew that she would not be able to play any useful role in the Holy Grail War, and would only be a burden to her grandfather.

Just like before, if Grandpa hadn't had to step aside to protect me, he would have already eliminated that despicable enemy, right?

Young girls are innocent and naive, and Matou Sakura is the kind of sensible and obedient child.

"Won't Grandpa encounter danger if he goes to chase the enemy? Will he be surrounded and attacked? Will he be unable to defeat them? No, no, no, that's impossible."

Sakura Matou was lost in thought. Although she vaguely knew that the Old Man of the Mountain was very strong, she didn't have a clear concept of just how strong he was.

The little girl held her head and shook it from side to side, trying to clear her mind of all sorts of thoughts. She clenched her fists tightly and nodded her head firmly.

"Yes, Grandpa, he's the strongest! That's it!"

The old man of the mountain, who was strolling back with his greatsword, happened to hear Matou Sakura's mutterings. He deactivated his 'presence concealment' to reveal his presence and reached out to pull the great shield off the ground.

"Ah, Grandpa!"

Matou Sakura jumped up from the ground and pounced on the old man of the mountain, just like a granddaughter at home would react when she sees her beloved grandfather walking in through the door.

"Contractor, the villain who sought to harm you has been slain by this sword."

The old man of the mountain let Matou Sakura hug his legs. Compared to his towering 220-centimeter frame, six-year-old Matou Sakura could only reach this height for the time being.

Moreover, to prevent his contractors from getting hurt when they do this, the Old Man of the Mountain specifically removed all the spikes from his leg armor.

Anyway, this has no impact on him; as long as the contractor is safe and sound, that's enough.

After hearing the old man's words, Matou Sakura nodded blankly, then looked up and gave a cute smile.

"I knew Grandpa would protect Sakura."

"Don't worry, contractor. Although I am not currently a Grand Master, my assassination skills, honed over many years, have not diminished in the slightest."

The old man of the mountain spoke, casting his gaze towards the distant place where the battle had not yet ended, then looked down at Matou Sakura and asked:

"Would the contractors like to witness the duel between Saber and Lancer in this war?"

Sakura Matou hesitated for a few seconds, remembering what had just happened, and asked softly in return:

"Won't this cause trouble for Grandpa?"

"Of course not, I am merely a spirit lurking in the darkness, and I will only obey your will."

Upon hearing the old man's reply, Matou Sakura made a decision: since her grandfather was also a participant in the Holy Grail War, she couldn't miss the opportunity to observe others' battles.

"Then I'm leaving everything to you, Grandpa!"

On the Fuyuki Bridge, Iskandar, the Conqueror King, who had been watching from the sidelines for a long time, finally couldn't resist the urge to make a new move.

"Hahaha, the exciting battles between warriors always get people excited, but how can such a lively occasion be complete without the participation of the king?"

Iskandar stood up, shook off his cloak, and then drew his sword from his waist, pointing it at the dark, deep night sky.

"Hey, hey, hey, what are you doing, Rider!"

Amid Webber's exclamation, a bolt of lightning struck the Fuyuki Bridge from the sky, accompanied by a blue-white flash and a deafening crackling sound.

"Moo moo!"

A deep, powerful mooing sound came from the lightning, and an ancient chariot pulled by two magnificent black bulls appeared before Weber and Iskandar.

"Let's go, little Master. If we don't hurry, we'll miss the opening ceremony!"

Iskandar grabbed Weber by the back of his collar, lifted him up, and threw him onto the chariot. Then, he gripped the reins with both hands, gave them a shake, and drove the two divine bulls, accompanied by lightning, galloping through the air towards the battlefield.

In the warehouse district, the raging winds finally subsided, and as the smoke and mist cleared, Diarmuid and Artoria's disheveled figures were revealed.

Diarmuid nearly died on the spot after receiving the Wind King's hammer, but fortunately Kenneth arrived in time at the critical moment and used a powerful healing spell to save his life.

While Artoria avoided having her throat pierced, she was still slashed on the left upper arm by Diarmuid's 'Yellow Rose of Destruction' in a desperate attempt to save her.

However, she didn't think much of this injury, which was just a minor cut that didn't damage the skin or bones and only caused some bleeding.

It wasn't until Irisviel realized that she had already activated a healing spell but still couldn't heal her wounds that Artoria noticed something was wrong.

But before the two sides could regroup and fight again, a sudden change occurred.