In terms of pure spearmanship, Lancer Artoria was no match for the purple-haired hag, Scáthach.
But her Instinct more than made up for the gap.
With Instinct guiding her, every move Scáthach made fell within Artoria's predictions, allowing her to respond with composure.
No matter how fierce Scáthach's assaults were, she couldn't overpower Artoria.
The problem, however, lay in this: while Artoria could deftly counter Scáthach's attacks, Scáthach's spearmanship had reached the realm of the divine.
As a result, Artoria found it difficult to mount a counteroffensive.
The two were locked in a stalemate.
Neither could defeat the other.
Morpheus wasn't the only one who noticed—Scáthach and Artoria saw it too.
So, Scáthach shifted tactics, moving away from her storm-like assault to unleash magic.
And not just any magic—Primordial Runes.
Under the dual onslaught of magic and spearmanship, Scáthach quickly gained the upper hand. Artoria was pushed back, no longer able to maintain her earlier calm.
Realizing the dire situation, Artoria didn't hesitate to unleash her holy lance.
Boom!
A surge of overwhelming power erupted from the lance, forming a terrifying hurricane that instantly tore Scáthach's magic to shreds.
Even Scáthach herself was forced to retreat.
She understood immediately—the warm-up was over. Now, it was a battle to decide the victor.
Without hesitation, she gripped her weapon tightly, aiming at Artoria.
Gáe Bolg!!!
Her magic spear shot forward like a streak of light, reaching Artoria in an instant.
But Artoria's Instinct had foreseen this. It wasn't her body that met the spear, but her holy lance.
Rhongomyniad!!!
Two vastly different forces collided with a thunderous crash. The air shattered in an instant, transforming into a cataclysmic storm that swept outward in all directions.
If not for the terrifying durability of Morpheus's arena, the shockwave alone would have obliterated the entire structure.
The power was simply too immense.
It even surpassed the clash between Abe no Seimei and the Nue.
When the storm subsided, both Artoria and Scáthach stood unscathed, neither bearing a single injury.
Seeing that both still had the intent to continue, Morpheus clapped his hands. "That's enough."
In an instant, an invisible force bound both Artoria and Scáthach.
Though they broke free a few seconds later, those seconds were more than enough for Morpheus to kill them several times over.
Both Servants realized this.
Scáthach gave Morpheus a meaningful look. "You truly haven't disappointed me, Master."
Morpheus replied, "If you really want to challenge me, at least raise your strength to the point where you can obliterate an entire continent with one strike. If you can't even destroy a continent, you're not qualified to face me."
If Morpheus got serious, he could shatter the Earth itself.
A mere continent? Child's play.
Without continent-level destructive power, he wouldn't even bat an eye.
Realizing this, Scáthach quietly reined in her aggression, acknowledging she might have underestimated her Master.
At the same time, Lancer Artoria spoke up. "Master, there's something I'd like to discuss."
"Go ahead, what is it?"
Artoria said, "I became your Servant because Alaya told me that by doing so, I could resolve Camelot's food crisis."
Morpheus frowned, suspicious. Could this Lancer Artoria be the one from Fate/Grand Order's Sixth Singularity—the undead spirit who, unable to return the Excalibur, became the goddess Rhongomyniad, corrupted by the lance's divinity?
But something didn't add up.
If Morpheus remembered correctly, the goddess Rhongomyniad had yellow-green pupils and wore a white helmet and cloak.
Lancer Artoria, however, had emerald-green eyes and no such helmet or cloak.
This was clearly Lancer Artoria.
But if she wasn't the goddess, why did she need food to save Camelot?
Morpheus was puzzled but didn't refuse. "Don't worry about the food. As long as you're my Servant, I can provide as much as you need."
"And it'll be the finest quality."
Artoria's face lit up with an unprecedented smile. "Understood, Master. I look forward to working with you."
Morpheus nodded, dispelling the Domain Expansion and returning to Ryuudou Temple. "You two must be tired after that fight. Let's rest for now. Tomorrow, we'll officially begin the Holy Grail War."
Neither Scáthach nor Artoria objected. The three found separate rooms to rest.
Time passed quickly, and the night flew by.
The next morning, Morpheus rose early and woke the two women.
He also prepared a hearty and delicious breakfast: five whole roasted boars, each weighing several hundred pounds.
Morpheus ate one, Scáthach ate one, and the remaining three disappeared into Artoria's stomach.
Yet her belly showed no sign of bloating, leaving Morpheus in awe. Truly, the legendary King's Stomach—what an appetite.
Was Camelot's food crisis caused by her?
Of course, he'd never dare say that to her face.
After the meal, the three discussed their plans and left Ryuudou Temple, strolling through Fuyuki City's streets to gather information on the other Masters participating in this Holy Grail War.
Thus, Morpheus's first stop was the Fuyuki Church, one of Japan branch of Holy Church.
In the Nasuvere, the Holy Church is a massive organization with clearly defined divisions.
It oversees numerous departments, including the Eighth Sacrament, responsible for collecting and managing holy relics. Kirei Kotomine and his father, Risei Kotomine, belong to this division.
There's also the Chivalric Orders, an elite force tasked with eliminating heretics, led by the Maiden of the Holy Shield, Riesbyfe Stridberg.
And then there's the Burial Agency, a semi-independent group under the Church's banner, comprising the strongest Executors. Ciel, for instance, is its seventh-ranked member.
***
Hi everyone, I hope you're all doing well. I just wanted to let you know that right now I'm working on a really good and promising fate fanfic. If you're interested in reading it, feel free to give it a try:
[Fate/Max Level Returner]
Synopsis:
What if you took your max-level account and replayed the entire story from the beginning?
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