Lancer didn't realize where they were at first, taking it for mere ruins. But when he noticed the trace of nostalgia and sadness in Kyoko Sakura's eyes, he guessed the answer. Unsurprisingly, this was likely her former "home," though it was now a thing of the past.
Lancer didn't want to disturb her. To him, "home" was also a very special term. He had found his family now, but he didn't know when he would truly have a "home" of his own.
One was moved by the scene, the other was lost in thought; both remained silent for several minutes after getting out of the car. It wasn't until Kyoko snapped out of it first—after all, a long time had passed and she had come to terms with many things... No, maybe she hadn't; she had just learned to bury things deep in her heart. Besides, she hadn't forgotten that this battle was "betting her life."
It could be said that Kyoko Sakura had no fondness for Lancer. Their first meeting hadn't been friendly, but the fact that Lancer hadn't disturbed her just now definitely improved her opinion of him. In her impression, Lancer was just a pushy jerk.
But when she turned around to tell him she was ready, she froze. The Lancer before her looked very... strange.
The pressure he exerted hadn't lessened, but his expression was incredibly gentle, as if he were remembering someone. It was the same look she saw in the mirror... No, there was a difference. His eyes held more nostalgia than sadness.
Meaning the person he misses is still alive? I'm... jealous...
Before Kyoko could finish her thought, that unusual look in Lancer eyes vanished, replaced by his usual overwhelming pressure.
"Are you ready?"
His voice made Kyoko doubt if she had just had a hallucination, but she ultimately shook her head to cast the stray thoughts aside.
"I'm ready."
She pressed her right hand down, and a metal spear appeared in her previously empty hands. Lancer gave his right hand a sharp flick, and the "Gáe Bolg Alternative" wrapped in "Alucard" fully revealed its true form. As for Alucard, Lancer wrapped it around his neck.
"In that case——let's begin!"
As the word "begin" left his lips, Lancer let out a sharp, low shout. Kyoko, who was holding her spear down with one hand, instantly felt a massive sense of threat, as if she were being stalked by a giant predator. She thrust her spear toward Lancer almost by reflex, but the moment she made the move, she regretted it.
In melee combat, unless one specializes in defensive counterattacks, seizing the initiative is common practice. It's not just to prevent one's momentum from being crushed, but also because allowing an opponent to attack first can compress one's fighting space. If you retreat to try and gain space, you might be chased down and expose an even bigger opening.
Her strike was decent, but it was a rushed move. Unsurprisingly——
Clang!
The dull sound of the spears clashing rang out sharply in the quiet night. Kyoko couldn't help but furrow her brows; when the weapons collided, she felt a throb of pain in her wrist. Without a doubt, though they seemed evenly matched in that exchange, she had taken a silent loss.
"Tch~"
Letting out an annoyed click of her tongue, she sharply retracted her spear and thrust it toward the space between Lancer brows. She didn't know why Lancer had goaded her into moving first, but since she had the initiative, there was no way she was giving it back!
The red spearhead continuously made sharp whistling sounds against the air, and spear shadows blurred around Lancer. Sparks flew as the spears collided repeatedly. The battle had entered a fever pitch, but Kyoko felt a deep sense of unease.
Because the man in front of her was simply too calm.
She had clearly seized the initiative, and she was attacking several times more often than he was, but those eyes—which had seemed devoid of emotion since the start of the fight—made her blood run cold. It was as if he saw through everything.
Every attack was parried; every strike she thought was a guaranteed hit was easily dodged...
Fighting Lancer was not just a test of skill, but a test of the heart. Not everyone can calmly face repeated failure, especially when falling into the abyss from a perceived "advantageous" position.
The fight had only lasted about ten minutes when Kyoko realized the gap in their spearmanship. The moves she was so proud of were useless against Lancer.
The casual, cynical look on her face had long vanished, replaced by a visible earnestness.
When Kyoko realized her conventional combat power couldn't gain a single advantage over Lancer, she had to change her tactics. After all, she was a "Magical Girl" at heart, not a true Spearman. Her spear was just one of her tools for combat.
She gave her hands a sharp flick, and the metal spear—which had been strong enough to withstand "Gáe Bolg"—instantly broke apart. However, the sections were connected by several iron chains.
Holding the tail of the spear—or rather, the chain handle—Kyoko gave it a sharp yank——
Clatter!
Amidst the sound of metal grinding, the spearhead instantly bypassed the shaft of "Gáe Bolg" and whipped toward Lancer head.
She intended to catch him off guard, but that only works if the opponent is unprepared.
Snatch!
Like a seasoned snake catcher, Lancer instantly used his left hand to grab the section just below the spear blade. Simultaneously, he flipped his hand, coiling the spear shaft around his arm, and gave it a violent yank toward him.
At this point, his body was positioned sideways toward Kyoko due to his own movement, but this was already within his expectations. He trailed his spear with his right hand, clamped the rear of the shaft under his armpit, and swept it toward Kyoko head.
Normally, this move should sweep the blade toward the enemy's throat, but Lancer intentionally shifted his grip forward; the part that would hit her was the shaft.
Being hit by Lancer heavy, powerful sweep would undoubtedly cause serious injury, but it was better than being decapitated on the spot. However, Kyoko didn't seem to have given up.
She grabbed a part of the "spear" in each hand, and the chain between the two sections met Lancer attack.
Clank!
The sound of the metal rings colliding was incredibly piercing. Her entire face scrunched up because she hadn't completely blocked the strike; the crimson spear shaft slammed hard against her left shoulder.
The intense pain in her shoulder made her instinctively release her left hand. Lancer eyes brightened, and he applied sudden force with his left hand.
Rip!!
The spear was instantly snatched from her hands. Kyoko hurriedly prepared to summon her weapon back, but it was too late. Lancer spear was already pressed against her throat.
The outcome of the battle was decided.