Is this guy really human?
Cú Chulainn once again found himself questioning Victor's true identity.
Of course, he wasn't the only one harboring such doubts. Chloe, who had witnessed everything from a distance, shared his disbelief.
The petite Archer's eyes were wide with shock, her expression utterly incredulous.
"He knocked Lancer back dozens of meters with just one punch," she whispered in amazement. "This terrifying strength is probably comparable to a Berserker-class Servant's, right?"
"Isn't it amazing?" Stelle crossed her arms with obvious pride, as if she were a child showing off her favorite toy to friends. "But this is nothing, Victor didn't even use his full strength just now."
"If Victor punched with all his power, that guy would probably turn into a cloud of blood mist."
The strength of a Golden Core realm cultivator was indeed terrifying. Even a casual punch thrown with pure physical force was enough to easily level an entire city!
On the battlefield, Cú Chulainn stood up and studied Victor with fresh eyes. The contempt that had previously colored his gaze had vanished completely, replaced by solemn recognition and genuine seriousness.
"It seems I truly underestimated you before," the Irish hero admitted, gripping his crimson spear with both hands as he assumed a proper combat stance. "You are incredibly powerful. Although you appear to be just a mortal, you possess strength that can compete with Heroic Spirits, so..."
His magical energy began to surge visibly around his form.
"I will use my full strength against you from now on!"
Victor beckoned to him once more with a casual finger. "Come on."
Bang!
Cú Chulainn rushed forward again, moving more than twice as fast as his previous assault!
When he drew close, he swept his spear in a wide arc. The weapon became a crimson blur as it sliced through the air toward Victor with devastating force.
Victor tapped the ground lightly with his toes and leaped backward, effortlessly avoiding the attack with fluid grace.
Just as he prepared to counterattack, the spear in Cú Chulainn's hands suddenly blazed with blood-red light.
A crescent-shaped wave of crimson energy erupted from the weapon, racing toward Victor with lethal intent.
"Sword energy? No, I suppose it should be called spear energy," Victor observed with mild amusement.
Faced with the crescent-shaped projectile that possessed enough power to slice through steel like paper, he simply extended a single finger and tapped it lightly.
Space rippled around the point of contact, like the surface of a lake disturbed by a fallen stone.
Crack!
With only a crisp sound, the red energy shattered like fragile glass.
Witnessing his attack being so easily neutralized once again, Cú Chulainn felt even greater horror wash over him.
Victor's strength continued to exceed every expectation he'd formed.
"It seems I must resort to my Noble Phantasm!" the Lancer declared grimly.
This opponent is so strong it defies all reason!
In pure hand-to-hand combat, I'm definitely no match for him!
With this realization, Cú Chulainn abandoned all restraint.
The red glow emanating from his spear grew increasingly brilliant, blazing like a miniature sun blooming in the darkness.
Seeing this development, Victor correctly guessed what the Irish hero intended to do next.
He made no move to interrupt the process.
Instead, he took several steps backward, giving Cú Chulainn ample space to activate his Noble Phantasm.
Victor was genuinely curious to witness the power of a causality-reversing weapon firsthand.
"Why didn't you stop me?" Cú Chulainn asked, his voice carrying a mixture of relief and shame.
The enemy had clearly recognized that he was about to unleash his most powerful attack, yet not only had he refrained from interference, he had actually provided space for the technique to be executed properly. Wasn't this the ultimate expression of contempt?
"You'll regret this decision!" the Servant snarled.
In an instant, an enormous surge of magical energy erupted from Cú Chulainn's body.
"I accept your heart!" he roared.
As soon as the words left his lips, Cú Chulainn leaped high into the air, raised the spear above his head with both hands, and hurled it toward Victor with all his might.
"Gáe Bolg: Barbed Spear that Pierces with Death!"
The weapon transformed into crimson lightning, twisting and writhing through the air as it flew straight toward Victor's heart.
At that moment, Victor clearly sensed the power of causality descending upon him.
More precisely, it was targeting his heart, attempting to retroactively ensure that his heart would be pierced by reversing cause and effect.
The Noble Phantasm sought to transform a perfectly healthy heart into one that had already been penetrated!
What a pity...
"Too weak," Victor said, lifting the corner of his mouth in a disdainful smile as he gazed upward.
"The natural laws of this world are still far too fragile. This minor application of causality manipulation is nowhere near sufficient to affect a Golden Core stage cultivator like myself."
Snap!
The binding constraints of reversed causality shattered instantly. Victor maintained his relaxed posture of looking toward the sky, but one hand moved with casual precision.
The supposedly unstoppable Gáe Bolg was caught bare-handed mid-flight, unable to advance even a single centimeter further!
Cú Chulainn's eyes widened in absolute shock. "W-what?!"
There existed individuals capable of deflecting or blocking his Noble Phantasm, but he had never encountered anyone who could catch it so effortlessly with their bare hands!
This was definitely beyond the realm of human capability!
"I command in the name of a Command Seal, Lancer, retreat immediately!"
Just as Cú Chulainn stood frozen in disbelief, that detestable voice suddenly echoed in his mind.
It was an order from his current Master.
"Damn that cowardly rat! I'm going to kill you eventually!" Cú Chulainn snarled in frustration.
He would have preferred to die gloriously in battle rather than retreat like this.
It wasn't entirely due to noble chivalric ideals, though that certainly played a part.
The main reason was his genuine hatred for his current Master.
However, Servants could not disobey direct commands enforced by Command Seals.
Despite his reluctance, he had no choice but to comply.
His form dissolved into spiritual particles and vanished from Victor's sight.
The Gáe Bolg held in Victor's grasp disappeared along with its wielder.
Victor made no attempt to prevent the withdrawal, simply watching quietly as the Irish hero departed.
"How strange! You didn't even use your abstract abilities on him. Has the sun started rising in the west?" Stelle remarked as she returned with Rin and Chloe once the battle concluded.
In the past, Victor typically dealt with opponents by forcing them to their knees and subjecting them to humiliating abstract attacks.
This time, however, Victor had actually engaged in prolonged conventional combat!
It was truly remarkable.
Victor smiled warmly. "It's refreshing to experience a passionate battle occasionally, and I don't dislike that particular opponent."
Using abstract abilities depended entirely on what kind of enemy he faced.
If confronting someone he truly despised, he would eliminate them without hesitation using the most efficient methods available.
But against an honorable enemy like Cú Chulainn, someone worthy of respect despite being an adversary, Victor naturally wouldn't employ such underhanded tactics.
"I didn't expect you to be so incredibly strong," Chloe said, her eyes shining with admiration as she gazed up at Victor.
"Are you really human? Or are you perhaps a Servant disguised in human form?"
"What are you talking about? Of course I'm human," Victor replied, gently patting the petite girl's head.
"Then why are you so powerful?"
"That's... complicated. I'll explain when we have more time."
"Where should we go next?" Rin Tohsaka inquired.
"Back home, naturally. It's getting late, and we should rest."
After that brief but invigorating exercise, Victor felt pleasantly relaxed throughout his entire body.
He anticipated sleeping very well after returning to the manor.