From the start, Lancer and the others hadn't expected to beat Saber with basic attacks. After all, her physical stats were high enough to go toe-to-toe with Berserker. The key to finishing her lay in "Noble Phantasms."
Lancer had forgotten exactly how Mash obtained her Noble Phantasm, but he knew hers was defensive. Therefore, the task of taking down Saber fell on him and Cu.
Lancer full-throttle bombardment had one purpose: to buy time for Cu to cast. After all, every Noble Phantasm is different, and some require a "charge time."
"My Magecraft is a Cage of Flames,
A flaming yet verdant giant,
Retribution,
A shrine that purifies the evil of human affairs,
The one who destroys...
Wicker Man!!"
Lifting his staff high, Cu Chulainn slammed the butt of it into the ground. Finally, the giant shrouded in flames made its debut.
This wasn't the ultimate secret of Rune Magic, but rather a Noble Phantasm granted to Cu Chulainn in his manifestation as a "Celtic Magus" who manipulates heat—a tool used by the Celtic Druids.
As the manifestation of one of the most famous myths in Celtic folklore, its power was terrifying.
The ritual itself involved placing "sacrifices" inside a "human" woven from willow branches and offering them up. The gods ancient Celtic Druids worshipped were essentially natural phenomena themselves; now, a sacrificial-less Wicker Man, wreathed in flames, was being summoned as "Divine Punishment" itself.
With the "Flame Giant" grabbing her by both feet, Saber couldn't immediately break free. So, she stopped struggling and instead raised her sword, pointing it at the giant holding her. Clearly, she intended to destroy it entirely. But having already experienced the horror of Saber Noble Phantasm once, how could Lancer and Cu not have a backup plan?
At some point, Lancer had put away his Combat Orbal. Now, his body was covered in a bloody aura. A blood-red single horn and his shredded shirt made him look more like a Berserker than a Caster. Even more striking was the "sea of people" behind him—no longer just a faint shimmer, but a crowd stretching dozens of meters.
Since ancient times, humans and monsters usually held separate territories—cities versus forests, day versus night. However, the first "Great Yokai, Aka-Oni" recorded in Japanese history to lead a massive parade of monsters through the streets broke that boundary.
The first battle leading the Night Parade of a Hundred Demons was against the messenger from the moon, the "Sage of the Moon, Eirin Yagokoro." That opponent possessed strength that rivaled or even surpassed many Heroic Spirits. Since Lancer had won then, he had the same confidence now. Because—he was not alone.
Even if they were just phantoms constructed of magical energy, Lancer could still feel those familiar auras from them... and they weren't all just illusions.
Click~
A suitcase opened. A young girl with long green hair opened her eyes sleepily, looking at Lancer with confusion before climbing out of the case and onto his shoulder.
"Zero, I'm counting on you."
The green-haired girl tilted her head. She didn't speak, but instead held up a chubby little hand toward Lancer. Five fingers were extended. The meaning was clear: she wanted five good meals.
Lancer just smiled and nodded.
It was a bizarre sight: a burly man nearly two meters tall (counting the horn) standing with a girl who wasn't even a meter tall. But the two of them were long accustomed to this.
Under Olga Marie disbelieving gaze, the little girl sitting on Lancer shoulder suddenly transformed in a halo of light into a spear no shorter than Lancer himself.
Snap~
Gripping the spear firmly, Lancer didn't attack immediately. Instead, he raised it high with one hand.
"Just like back then—lend me your strength! Everyone!!"
Because of the Caster class container, Lancer couldn't unleash Noble Phantasms even if he held them—such as "Bolg: Spear of Death Striking." However, "Zero" was a very special case.
Logically, she should be categorized as a "Lancer" Noble Phantasm—like "Quinque: Owl/Zero"—but Lancer had found a loophole. Zero herself was a member of the Night Parade, making her the perfect vessel for Lancer to unleash his own "Noble Phantasm." Thus, she appeared in this clever way.
Under the convergence of demonic power, the original Quinque grew longer, and the terrifying magical energy even caused the space around Lancer to distort.
Saber, who was about to unleash her own Noble Phantasm, instantly noticed the surge of magic from another direction. Without a second thought, she redirected the "Holy Sword" she had aimed at Cu Wicker Man toward Lancer.
「Excalibur Morgan」
Unlike the normal "Excalibur" which requires significant charge time, she—fueled by the black mud—activated the Noble Phantasm almost instantly. A black halo gathered on the blade. As the sword pointed toward Lancer, a terrifying torrent of magical energy swept forth.
Lancer originally planned to dodge, but glancing at Olga Marie and Fujimaru Ritsuka beside him, he prepared to tank it head-on. Just then, a purple figure came running from the distance.
Even with Lancer Orbal Art reinforcement, Mash had found it incredibly difficult to face Saber alone earlier. Covered in wounds and soot, she looked a mess, but thanks to the "Wings of Wind" Lancer had cast on her, she arrived just in time.
No words were needed. That fleeting, determined look in her eyes and the way she stood firmly in front with her shield proved her intent.
"I'll leave it to you."
After saying that, Lancer immediately lunged toward Saber position. Only then did he hear that crisp yet unwavering voice.
"Yes!"
Almost the moment Lancer moved, the black torrent of magic swept toward Mash and the others. The terrifying impact instantly buried Mash feet into the ground. Despite that, she just gritted her teeth and shoved her shoulder into the shield without a word. There was no doubt Mash was giving her all to block this move, yet as the ground cracked and her feet sank deeper, she was being pushed back toward where Ritsuka and the others stood.
Mash felt as if her arms no longer belonged to her, but she held on. Behind her were Fujimaru Ritsuka, the Director, and Fou. She had promised them—she would protect them!!
"Ngh..."
Almost all the magical energy in her body was being converted into physical strength, yet she still couldn't halt Saber Noble Phantasm. But right then, a soft body pressed against her back, and a hand rested over the back of hers...