The castle, after all, was constructed of ordinary brick and stone, and not every part could be reinforced with magecraft. This strike tore through the surrounding walls. The wall on the left opened directly to the night sky, and its collapse immediately let in the cold outside air.
Amidst the whistling wind, dust and rubble from the shattered wall swirled. Seizing the momentary chaos, Ryougi Raku rapidly closed in on Saber!
"Shinkage-ryū Secret Technique: Zankanken!" As the close-quarters ultimate technique of the Shinkage-ryū was unleashed, Ryougi Raku secretly activated his Origin power, imbuing the strike with boundless strength!
It was a simple, unadorned overhead slash. In their previous exchanges, Ryougi Raku had rarely engaged Saber directly, leading her to assume his inherent strength was unremarkable. Thus, she naturally raised her sword horizontally, believing that if she could block this one strike, the momentary stalemate would grant her an opening to counterattack!
Clang! The loudest sound of their battle so far erupted, sparks flying in all directions. Saber hadn't expected Ryougi Raku's strength to be so immense, and coupled with her hasty defense, she was momentarily overwhelmed!
The floor tiles beneath her feet, already weakened by Ryougi Raku's earlier 360-degree indiscriminate attack, Hyakuretsu Ōka Zan, could no longer bear the strain!
With a sharp crack!, the entire floor gave way… Both of them plummeted rapidly to the level below. This height was naturally no issue for either, but they seemed to have forgotten one person…
Emiya Kiritsugu, who had been resting behind Saber, was caught off guard by the collapsing floor. Falling from one story to the next would have been manageable if he were intact, but in his current state, he landed heavily. Combined with the falling debris, he couldn't dodge and immediately sustained internal injuries, vomiting a mouthful of fresh blood… However, judging by his appearance, he wouldn't die anytime soon…
"Hahaha! How exhilarating!" Ryougi Raku exclaimed excitedly, though it was unclear whether he referred to the thrill of battle or the pleasure of seeing Kiritsugu's misery… "Saber is truly amazing, to block all my attacks with just one hand!"
"No, it is you, Raku! Though I used only one hand, I am still a Servant. Yet, you pushed me to this extent. It seems your performance against that golden Servant earlier wasn't merely due to his carelessness!" Saber praised sincerely, also feeling a thrill facing such a formidable opponent.
In their rapid exchange, Saber hadn't sustained any significant injuries, though the chaotic scene left her somewhat disheveled. Nevertheless, her dignified and unassailable demeanor remained unchanged!
"Thank you for the compliment! So, Saber, prepare to receive my next move! Be careful!" With the mindset of a warrior who rarely finds a worthy rival, Ryougi Raku spoke solemnly. It was a technique he hadn't used since its development…
Though injured, Emiya Kiritsugu's mind never ceased working. During Saber and Ryougi Raku's battle, he quickly analyzed the situation. He could see that while they fought, it wasn't a life-and-death struggle, and Saber lacked the ruthless intent to kill.
Kiritsugu had initially considered using a Command Seal to force Saber to deliver a fatal blow to Ryougi Raku. However, he had already used one Command Seal, and using another would leave him with only one… A single Command Seal was insufficient to effectively control a Servant, and the risk was too great.
At this moment, Kiritsugu deeply regretted summoning a Servant like Saber, so unsuited to his methods, making her exceedingly troublesome to utilize!
Yet, the subsequent developments made him grateful for his earlier hesitation. He hadn't expected Ryougi Raku to dominate Saber from the outset. Even if he had used a Command Seal, and Saber erupted with a fierce assault, trading blows, she likely couldn't have killed Ryougi Raku instantly…
Once Ryougi Raku was free and summoned Lancer, Kiritsugu knew his opponent would certainly not spare him… But inwardly, he was also perplexed. Such a powerful individual could easily kill him, yet hadn't. He simply couldn't fathom Ryougi Raku's intentions!
Just then, a lightning-fast figure appeared—it was Lancer, who had rushed over. His demeanor made it clear he was worried about his Master and had moved at top speed.
"Master!" Seeing Ryougi Raku completely unharmed, Lancer finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Lancer, what do you mean by that? Do you think I would take advantage of someone's peril?" Saber, seeing Lancer's relieved expression, said with displeasure. Indeed, Saber's chivalry would prevent her from truly killing Ryougi Raku, for her battle with Lancer was unfinished. To do so would betray the path she upheld!
Lancer naturally understood Saber's thoughts and quickly replied, "No, Saber, you misunderstand. I trust your character implicitly, but…" As he spoke, Lancer glanced at Emiya Kiritsugu behind her. Clearly, Lancer had no such confidence in Kiritsugu.
Meeting Lancer's gaze, Saber fell silent, feeling a pang of shame. She couldn't vouch for her own Master either…
"Since you're here, Lancer, watch carefully! Though she is your opponent, I am truly enjoying myself!" Ryougi Raku interjected suddenly.
"As you wish!" Taking a position to guard against any unfavorable moves toward his Master, Lancer responded. He had come to understand Ryougi Raku's eagerness for battle. Since his Master wished to fight Saber, and Saber seemed equally pleased, he naturally wouldn't interfere. He could also use this opportunity to better gauge his Master's strength.
"Saber, one more warning: be careful, or you may truly die!" Ryougi Raku said solemnly once more, raising his katana.
"I am not holding back either, Raku!" With a dazzling smile, Saber's holy blue eyes fixed on Ryougi Raku as she replied.
That momentary grace captivated even Ryougi Raku…
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Irisviel and Hisau Maiya continued through the forest after leaving the castle.
They walked in silence, as if they were strangers. Irisviel attempted to speak several times but remained quiet, unsure what to say.
"I really am not good at dealing with her, am I?" Irisviel sighed.
"What's wrong, Madam?" Hisau Maiya, walking ahead, noticed Irisviel's pause and turned to ask.
"Ah, nothing!" Shaking her head quickly, Irisviel dismissed the thought and prepared to continue.
Her raised foot hadn't yet landed when Irisviel froze again.
Hisau Maiya looked at her in confusion.
"—There's a new intruder!" Sensing a fluctuation in the barrier, Irisviel said with concern.
"A new intruder?"
"Yes! It's not Raku or Caster; it's someone new," Irisviel repeated.
"They're not far ahead. If we continue this way, we'll meet them soon…"
Hearing this, Hisau Maiya halted her forward steps. After a moment's thought, she decisively said, "Then let's take a detour, Madam! We don't know who the new intruder is; proceeding directly would be too dangerous!"
"Mm!" Nodding, Irisviel naturally wouldn't argue.
"Oh? It's Kirei Kotomine!" Irisviel, who had been using magecraft to search for intruders while walking, discovered the newcomer's identity and exclaimed in surprise.
"Kirei Kotomine!?" Hisau Maiya's typically impassive face showed anxiety and unease upon hearing the name. A sense of crisis arose spontaneously.
This was the first time Irisviel had seen an expression other than calm on Hisau Maiya's face… Hisau Maiya hesitated, uncertain what to do… Irisviel immediately understood her thoughts, for she felt the same…
"Maiya-san, your mission is to protect me, isn't it?" Irisviel asked with a smile.
"Yes, Madam, you…" Hisau Maiya looked at her in surprise.
"—You're thinking, 'That man absolutely cannot be allowed to reach Kiritsugu, right?'" This left Hisau Maiya even more astonished.
Seeing Hisau Maiya's expression, Irisviel knew she had guessed correctly.
"Ah, I didn't expect our opinions to align," Irisviel said with a smile, her eyes revealing a certain resolve.
Yes, in Hisau Maiya's heart, the greatest threat to Emiya Kiritsugu was Kirei Kotomine. Of course, had she seen Kiritsugu's current state, she might not have thought so…
"Let's stop Kirei Kotomine here, shall we, Maiya-san!"
"Forgive me, Madam, but please be prepared!" Hisau Maiya said earnestly. For her, Irisviel's life likely couldn't compare to Emiya Kiritsugu's at all…
"Don't worry about me. Aren't you merely fulfilling your duty?" Irisviel shook her head and smiled.
Hisau Maiya said no more, simply lowering her head to check her weapons and equipment…
"Saber, are you ready?" Ryougi Raku pointed his long sword, his expression devoid of any smile.
"Of course, Raku!" Saber stood poised and ready.
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(TL : More Chapters @patreon.com/c/Gooberilla)