Clang!!!
"What's wrong!? Is that all!?"
"Tch...!"
As time passed, Rin's spear technique gradually became sharper and fiercer. Bazett, who initially held the upper hand in terms of skill, began to be pushed back helplessly. Rin's two eyes glowed blood-red as she thrust her spear.
"No choice. {Fragarach} (The Answerer Sword)!!!"
Bazett, who was being pushed back, unleashed Fragarach's true name, its power reduced as it wasn't a counter. Simultaneously, she strikes three orbs with her fist, and blue lights shoot from the blades that appear from the orbs.
But Rin, who had been dashing rapidly, swings her spear and, like a pole vaulter, strikes the ground with her spear and flies high into the air. Rin floating in the sky—the moment Bazett quickly takes out another Fragarach to intercept, her eyes meet Rin's cold expression along with blood-red eyes filled with killing intent.
*Grk...*
A killing intent of a different dimension felt momentarily. Her world stops for an instant. She was certain she would definitely win against the girl she was fighting, but now, it was no exaggeration to say it was a completely different person despite the same appearance. Bazett, her breath stopping as she received killing intent surpassing Setanta's.
*Thud!!!!*
Soon, a demonic spear shoots like a red meteor. Since it wasn't a decisive blow, it doesn't receive a counter judgment. The biggest weakness of Fragarach, the causality reversal counter. Even if it's a near-instant death blow to the user, if it's just a normal attack and not a decisive blow to the opponent, it won't activate.
"Ah──"
The demonic spear flies to right before the nose of the unmoving woman.
Death
Bazett seemed to see her life flash before her eyes.
Clang!!!!!
"Kuh... Uoooooooooo!!!!"
Setanta, running away from me and protecting Bazett's front, tries to cancel the spear with a full-power strike. Setanta, letting out a shout loud enough to hurt the ears, cancels and deflects the spear thrown like a meteor.
"Really... Teacher, can you just come out like that!?"
"... Shut up."
The voice was undoubtedly Rin's voice. But it was very cold, and even the tone was different. If before it felt like a tomboyish girl, this voice distinctly carried the feel of a cold adult woman.
"So... you came out after all, Scáthach."
"Did you expect me to just watch after setting the stage like this? It's not even the real me, just a temporarily weakened version appearing for a while. Even as a descendant of Ulster, you're still lacking."
"You're the strong one? Scáthach."
I stand beside her. Now Scáthach, borrowing Rin's body. So we meet after all... What should I say to her...
"You don't need to say anything."
"... Huh?"
"You can do it when you feel at ease. Before that, the fight isn't over yet, is it?"
"... You're right."
Really... No matter how much time passes, you're still you. Scáthach.
*Swoosh~*
"Hey hey... Are you serious now, uncle?"
"Ah, because my heart is a little more at ease now. There will be no holding back. I'll end it today."
Caladbolg changes into the form of a sword. Its form changed into a spirally twisted shape, the same appearance as Caladbolg.
"Then, shall we?"
"A joint attack after so long. My husband."
"Could you not call me that while using Rin's body?"
"Hmph, I decline."
"Hmph... That's so like you. My wife!"
We simultaneously stomp the ground hard, and with that impact, the ground shatters and a shockwave occurs. Bazett loses her balance and falls backward from it, and the moment Setanta quickly helps her up, we charge simultaneously.
Clang!!!!!!
My sword and Scáthach's spear swung simultaneously. Setanta grits his teeth and parries both our strikes. However, from that intense blow, his spear trembles and his arm is seen going numb. His whole body twitches and vibrates from the shock, and soon Scáthach dashes at Bazett while I clash weapons with Setanta.
Clang!!!
Setanta, repelled backward by my strength. He quickly kicks off the ground and charges like a beast, stabbing his spear at me. With my sword, clang clang...! I deflect his attacks and slash at his neck.
Whoosh~!
Setanta, quickly leaning his body back and jumping into the air, dodges my sword energy and rapidly spins his spear in mid-air for consecutive strikes. I leisurely parry all those strikes and launch a counter slash.
Kwa-gwa-gwa-gwa-gwa!!!!
"This is brutal...!"
"Haha, it's been a while, hasn't it!"
The park ground splits from the slash I launched, and trees in the forest are cut in two. Setanta sweats cold sweat and thrusts his spear at me.
Bazett uses all her rune magecraft, reinforcing her body to an extreme degree that strains it, narrowly dodging Scáthach's attacks and counterattacking, but Scáthach was still attacking leisurely.
"I'm holding back somewhat, but you're still lacking."
"It's an honor to be able to fight you! But, even so, I cannot fall!"
"Good spirit. Truly, Ulster blood flows in you. Then, prove it, young whelp."
Clangclangclangclangclangclangclang!!!
Setanta and Bazett consistently take damage from their battle with us. Wounds from blades all over their bodies. The two decide to settle it.
Tat!!!
"Then, let's end it with this, uncle!"
"Gáe Bolg...!!!"
As the two's Noble Phantasms deploy, we also decide to meet them head-on.
"Then, receive it."
"Demonic sword, draw..."
Keeeeeng...!!!
"{Gáe Bolg}" (Piercing Death Flight Spear)!!!
"{Fragarach}" (The Answerer Sword)!!!
As the two's strikes fly, Scáthach throws a spear with all her might. Even that, though, isn't a decisive blow. I place my sword over my shoulder, then unleash a full-power slash.
"{Caladbolg}" (The Gouging, Cutting Sword of Protection)
Chwa-aaaaaaaa!!!!!!
A red slash cuts through a huge explosion, and the matter is settled...
Whooosh...
"... Gurk."
Setanta's body is cut, and his spiritual core is severed. And his red spear has pierced my shoulder.
"A method to cancel causality reversal... It's possible if you have an Eye of the Mind or intuition that lets you intentionally get hit elsewhere."
"Really... having such a troublesome Noble Phantasm as an opponent..."
"... Still, it was good to see you after so long, Setanta. If we meet again someday... let's have a proper drink."
"Ha, saying that when you don't even like alcohol... Ah, I'd like to meet again."
The two of us bid farewell to each other with smiles, and Setanta turns to light and disappears. He could have persisted by continuing the battle, but since his spiritual core was pierced and the match was decided, he probably had no intention of continuing.
"That was fun. You're still lacking, but you use Fragarach well. For a human's scope, you handle it well."
"That's truly an honor..."
Bazett too was kneeling with a red spear embedded in her shoulder. Scáthach pulls out the spear and heals her shoulder.
"Our complete defeat... Still, it was a satisfying match."
Bazett admits defeat, and thus the Lancer faction is eliminated.
"Since the match is decided, I should go now."
"You're... leaving?"
I looked at her with somewhat bitter eyes. I can call her anytime. But... I didn't call her because of my own weak emotions. You must know that. Scáthach...
"... Yes, I should go."
".... Yes."
Scáthach, I... didn't kill you. I'm an irresponsible man who left you alone and departed. But... you...
*Smooch...!*
"...."
"I still love you. So, don't feel guilty. I was happy to have met you."
"Scá, thach..."
She kissed me and hugged me with a smile. Tears welled up and overflowed from me. I should know... I know she wouldn't resent me, that she still loves me... but I couldn't forgive myself. I couldn't forgive myself, the sinner who left you behind...
But you... were still looking at me like that, just like in those days.
"So, you too forgive yourself. You did nothing wrong. It's not your fault."
".... Okay!"
I answered with tears and a smile, and Scáthach smiled contentedly. Red light scattered and she disappears. And only Rin, her transformation undone, stood before me.
I wipe my tears and speak to her...
"That was my first kiss..."
"Ahem, ahem... Th, that, Rin...? I mean..."
"But... I'll forgive you. Just don't let there be a next time! Got it!?"
"... Yes, thank you, Rin."
Really... I'm overflowing with good fortune. Why are there so many good people around me?
Plip, plipplipplip... Pshwaaaaa~!
"Oh my, it's a shower."
"Uwah!? Ruby, umbrella!"
[Yes~yes~ Leave the pink love signals to this Ruby~]
"Hand over an umbrella if you don't want to die!"
Ruby transforms into an umbrella, and Rin quickly uses it. I create an umbrella with rune magecraft and use it. Did Shirou and Artoria not leave yet? I go to give them umbrellas too.
"That was amazing... Were Rin and Archer in that kind of relationship? They seemed to be talking about something, but I couldn't hear..."
"..."
"What's wrong? Saber."
"... No."
"It's nothing."
Bazett said she was leaving Fuyuki and returned to her lodgings, and the four had a modest feast at the Emiya residence before parting. Shirou went to bed...
*Click...*
"My, a reunion sooner than expected? Saber."
Saber went to Ryuudou Temple alone. Saber went to find Assassin guarding the mountain gate. She drew her sword without a word.
Her chest ached. For some reason, her chest ached. An inexplicable, frustrating throb echoing in her chest wouldn't stop. She wanted to resolve that frustration.
"Hmm... The atmosphere is completely different. Before, it felt like a knight from the Western regions, but now... it's completely different. A momentum like a beast, Saber. I'd like to have a satisfying match of equals like before... but this time, I must fight not as a swordsman, but as a gatekeeper."
"... I see."
As Assassin seriously draws his sword, Saber charges at him with all her might.
And...
Kwa-gwa-gwa-gwa-gwang!!!!!!
With a huge shockwave, a landslide occurs...
A few minutes later...
"What on earth!? Assassin! What happened!?"
Caster hurriedly protects the nearly collapsing Ryuudou Temple, restores the surrounding terrain, and rushes to the mountain gate... and what her eyes see is...
".... A dragon? You, are you really that Saber...?"
What appeared before her eyes was not the beautiful knight she had been watching from afar. It was as if a dragon starving for blood.
Behind her, Assassin's corpse, so mangled its form was hard to recognize, was gradually disappearing, and Saber, upon seeing her, walks toward her step by step.
"D, don't come!"
Feeling fear, she quickly summons dragon tooth warriors and summons a hide. It was the Golden Fleece. The goal with which the Argonauts began their adventure, the legendary treasure that became hers and Jason's possession.
"Buy me time.... [Argon Coin] (Golden Sheep Hide)!!!"
Something originally impossible to summon. For Caster, whose specialty isn't summoning magecraft, it was an impossible feat... but Medea, whose magical knowledge broadened due to some inexplicable phenomenon, making summoning magecraft possible. She quickly draws a Celtic summoning circle and begins summoning with the Golden Fleece. What is summoned is the golden dragon of Colchis.
"■■■■!!!!"
A mythical dragon. The Dragon of Colchis that guarded the Golden Fleece of Colchis. The dragon reveals its huge form and roars... but Medea flees, leaving the dragon behind.
The Dragon of Colchis was weak. Although a Phantasmal Species, it was among the weak and had power that would lead to complete defeat against a Servant, just flashy on the outside. Medea hurriedly takes her Master Sōichirō from Ryuudou Temple and flees.
Kwa-gwa-gwa!!!
And then, a subsequent wind strike slaughters the Dragon of Colchis.
"... Phew."
With no enemies left, Saber lets out a sigh and descends the mountain. Why she's like this, what this complicated feeling is... she doesn't understand at all.