Chapter 63: Day 11 ⑦

The wind was strong and cold, howling as it swept past. We were on the rooftop of a building, far above the ground.

There, I stood with my sword readied, staring fixedly at Lancer, who had just appeared. In Lancer's hand, a red spear had manifested before I even noticed. He scraped his sole against the concrete, as if testing the feel of the terrain, all while keeping his eyes locked onto mine.

The space between us grew taut, centering around Lancer and me.

"Well, we can save the idle chatter for later. The sun is still high. But when two Servants meet in a place away from prying eyes, we might as well start with a spar."

Lancer glared at me, a fierce, predatory grin spreading across his face. A sharp whistle of wind reached my ears, blending with his voice. Red afterimages danced around him as the Demonic Spear, Gae Bolg, asserted its presence.

My throat tightened. Naturally, sweat began to bead in the palms of my hands. Along with the intense tension, memories of our clash at the school flashed through my mind—the time I was first summoned as a Servant, encountered another for the first time, and fought my first battle.

...Back then, Lancer, who was on a scouting mission, hadn't been going all out. That realization solidified into a cold fact in my mind.

Because I had managed to pull through that interrupted fight with the upper hand, I had—until just now—misunderstood Lancer's true strength.

Yes, it was a total misunderstanding. The idea that Lancer was a minor opponent among Servants was the ultimate misconception.

Lancer is strong. Terrifyingly so. In a one-on-one duel, combined with the nature of his Noble Phantasm, he surely possesses peerless power. If the current Lancer had fought me back when I was newly summoned, I would have lost.

—Without a doubt.

Berserker, Assassin, Gilgamesh... having crossed blades with several Servants since then, I finally understand. No matter how much I possess the physical parameters of the finest Servant, Saber, or how much I rely on her combat experience to mimic her movements, a Heroic Spirit is not something that can be overwhelmed by a mere makeshift imitation.

"Ha!"

Without returning a word, I dropped my center of gravity low and kicked off the ground.

My superhuman leg strength, bolstered by Mana Burst, gripped the concrete firmly. Power surged through my core, threatening to run wild. A sensation of acceleration, as if I had become a living cannonball, surged through my body.

"Whoa, you're quick to start, aren't ya!"

In an instant, the distance between Lancer and me vanished. Carrying the momentum of the charge, I swung the Excalibur with both hands in a fluid, horizontal sweep.

The sword lines unleashed from that "cannonball" tore through the wind and severed the space itself, aiming to cleave Lancer in two.

"Tch!"

Metal shrieked against metal as the blades were repelled. A piercing ring echoed in the air. The air clinging to my body was ripped away by the sudden stop, forming layers that flowed toward Lancer.

The next sound was the clicking of Lancer's tongue. My fastest possible strike had been effortlessly caught by Gae Bolg. If it had been the Lancer in my memories, that blow would have at least sent him flying along with his spear, even if it didn't defeat him.

But what about the real one before me? He parried the full-force strike, utilizing the spear's flexibility to absorb the impact.

"...As I thought. You weren't going all out during your scouting mission."

I retreated, widening the gap. I had spoken aloud because the result—being blocked—was so predictably expected.

"Nah. I was definitely 'going all out' for what it was worth. Well, except for the fact that I was told to lose once and come back, so that came with some 'restrictions' attached."

In response, Lancer moved his hands, making the spear flex as he replied. As he finished his sentence, the spear drew a circular arc and its tip was aimed directly at me.

"But, well... this is it! A long-awaited Servant battle—there'd be no point in being summoned if it wasn't like this!!"

Before his voice could dissolve into the air, Gae Bolg lunged at my face. It was a crimson trajectory, difficult even to perceive. Even including Saber’s dream-cycle memories, it was the fastest strike I had ever known.

Yet, for some reason, I was able to knock it aside with the Excalibur in my hands without a moment's delay.

Without time to process this startling fact, the next flurry of thrusts approached like shotgun fire. My body reacted before I could think. Without hesitation, I disengaged from the spot, circling around to evade the spear's reach.

A red trail grazed my cheek. Gari—my armor was scraped. In either case, my previous method of "reacting after seeing the attack" would never have been fast enough.

How to dodge, how to fight—though crude, an "experience" that didn't come from the "Sword" was beginning to move me.

With the "Sword's Experience" (Combat Memory), I could only deal with threats using the methods the original owner of the sword would have used. I would visually identify the threat, pull the most similar experience from the "Sword's Memory," and execute it.

As a defensive measure, it's excellent because it limits the conditions and options for instant response. However, when turning to offense, there are too many options, and I cannot judge which is optimal.

I am unfamiliar with the nuances of combat; I don't know the art of the feint. I lack overwhelming experience. This was something I felt deeply during my training with Lia. Furthermore, the "Sword's Experience" cannot cope with attacks using methods unknown to the original owner, nor can it fully handle attacks that are difficult to see due to specific procedures or physical limits.

This time, it was the latter. Since Lancer's attacks exceeded Saber's speed, there was a limit to relying purely on memory.

Even so, facing a Lancer who had likely been released from his restrictions, I was managing to hold my own. The fact that I, who couldn't overwhelm a restricted Lancer in our first fight, was now fighting a full-power Lancer like this was, theoretically, impossible.

Back then, I was certainly fighting with all the power I possessed. If that's the case, I should be losing now. Because Heroic Spirits are not supposed to be able to grow.

A Heroic Spirit is a completed existence. Their skills do not decline from how they were in life, but they do not grow further either.

What they can accumulate after being summoned is knowledge of other unknown heroes, which they can then manage and utilize as tactics. However, the combat methods rooted in them as Heroic Spirits are rigid due to their perfection; they lack flexibility and do not incorporate other fighting styles into their core strength.

They are permitted to exist during the Holy Grail War, and once their duty is done, they vanish, leaving only the power of their existence behind. While knowledge is supplemented when their power returns to the Throne, the "experience" itself is not inherited.

They are the reproduction of the highest peaks of history. Modifying such a finished product is something not even they themselves can do. Simply put, Servants are like short-lived clones of Heroic Spirits.

The techniques possessed by Servants are engraved into their very bodies, taking shape as their "assets." And those assets are, in essence, their way of life as heroes.

For a Servant who vanishes in a Holy Grail War lasting about a month, the development of new techniques cannot be expected. No Heroic Spirit would throw away their life's worth of pride to entrust their life to something learned through mere "tricks." Even if they did learn something, the technique they started engraving would vanish along with their body a few days later. There is nothing to be gained.

I am the exception to that rule. Because the Saber who serves as my vessel has not yet died, my knowledge and my physical form are an extension. And while I possess physical parameters that surpass most heroes, I had no combat style of my own.

In the first place, I am no hero. Therefore, I have not a shred of such pride, and the "canvas" that is me has only just begun to be dyed in Saber's colors. Because I am a blank slate, I can empathize with various weapons and take on their "colors." Because I lack a solidified combat technique, I can mimic other sword styles without resistance. Because I am a living body, I can engrave new techniques and develop them.

Thus, even while being a Servant, I have definitely grown since that first battle. I haven't just gained knowledge and increased my "stock" of Projected items; I have been given the method to follow that experience, the physical ability to manage it, and the time to engrave it into my being.

Of course, I haven't fully mastered Saber's physical potential. It's clear that without my precognitive "instinct" assisting my evasion, I'd be done for. Nevertheless, the fact that I can now at least hold my own in close-quarters combat against a Servant, even if I can't win, is the result of my brief but intense refinement and the experience gained from fighting other Servants.

"Kh!"

The clash at the school was actually messing with my senses. He was easily surpassing my expectations. The spear techniques I had partially memorized were coming from the same stances, but the speed, power, and overall quality were on a different level.

Furthermore, the fact that the advantage of Excalibur being invisible due to Invisible Air has been somewhat seen through is a blow. If he knows it's invisible, he has ways to deal with it. In fact, Lancer’s evasions were gradually being corrected from exaggerated, safe movements to more precise ones. He hasn't completely read my "blade zone" yet, but it won't be long before he grasps it.

But at the same time, Lancer's movements were being corrected within my brain. Simply put, I was getting used to him. No matter how much his speed exceeded Saber's, if I keep watching, I can memorize that speed.

The problem was that under the overwhelming number of attacks he unleashed at that speed, I was unable to turn to the offensive.

After dozens of exchanges, I finally parried Lancer back with a heavy blow to create a turning point. The sound of clashing metal rang out loudly, followed by the sound of heavy breathing.

No matter how much I practiced with Lia, a life-or-death battle against a Servant was more than I could handle. With my lack of combat experience, even if I could "fight," each exchange felt like a desperate, brute-force survival tactic. Even with superior physical parameters, defeating him in simple melee combat was difficult, if not impossible.

As the space between us widened, Lancer casually broke his stance and rested Gae Bolg on his shoulder. Seeing this, I stopped my low stance meant to counter his speed and quietly adjusted my breathing, returning to Saber's standard guard.

"————What is it, Lancer?"

Lancer remained silent in response to my question, resting his hand on his chin as he observed me.

Being stared at, I couldn't afford to move carelessly during this unexpected pause. After a few seconds, Lancer released his hand from his chin, as if he had reached a realization.

"...I see, just as I thought. What you said wasn't a joke after all."

"What are you talking about?"

"What? I recall you saying something when we crossed blades before. That 'I might not be Saber, but Archer.' I brushed it off then, but just as you said, you're the Archer, aren't you, missy? No wonder I couldn't find an Archer no matter how many days I searched the city. Makes sense. We'd already fought."

...I remember saying that. At the time, I had said it as a lighthearted quip to show I was composed, but it seems Lancer remembered it. Lancer, who said he was on a scouting mission, must have been running around the city looking for "Archer" afterward.

"That was simply a misunderstanding on your part. ...Supposing I am Archer, what do you intend to do?"

"Nah, I won't do anything. Now I know I've finished scouting all the Servants. I've officially fulfilled my duty. Though, it seems half of those Servants are already gone."

"What was the point of that scouting, then?" he sighed, his face breaking into a relaxed expression.

It seemed the "spar" was over. The fact that Lancer had shouldered his spear and was attempting conversation in front of a Servant was the best proof.

However, I didn't let that relax me. I couldn't afford to lower my guard. I didn't have the luxury of being careless.

"If you're the Archer, then I guess that Missy in blue is Saber. I only noticed because your swords were 'similar enough,' but if your appearances were that close too, I'd still be wandering the city. Well, to be honest, if it weren't for the colors, I wouldn't be able to tell you apart."

"..."

I couldn't find the words to respond. From a Servant's perspective, my way of fighting must still seem immature for a Saber-class. At the very least, my swordsmanship was inferior enough that Lancer could immediately conclude Lia was the true Saber just by comparing us.

...But then again, comparing me to Lia is admittedly a losing battle. Even if I trained for a hundred years to get as close as possible, I'd still be the one who looks inferior.

"In the end, Lancer. What is your goal?"

I already knew my sword was inferior to Lia's without being told. More importantly, it was unclear why Lancer had been pursuing me. If he had come with the intent to kill a Servant, it was hard to imagine him chatting leisurely, given what I knew of his personality.

When I asked, Lancer scratched his head vigorously and looked up at the sky.

"One is to identify Archer. Whether you're the one or not. I had a hunch, so the restriction from my Command Spell was gone, but it would've bothered me if I didn't clear it up. The sparring... well, that's just my nature. Like I said before, if my Master were here, we'd settle this right now. ...Ah, no, did I say that to the Saber missy?"

Lancer himself didn't seem to care about revealing this information, but it appeared his scouting had been enforced by his Master's Command Spells. Did Lancer rebel against his Master so much that they had to use a Command Spell just to order a scouting mission? If so, their bond of trust might be thin.

"You said 'one'—do you have other business?"

"...Yeah. The rest is information gathering. This Holy Grail War smells fishy. Something I don't know about is squirming in the shadows. You guys have noticed it too, right?"

That was likely something all the surviving Servants were feeling. On the surface, Shirou and Rin were progressing smoothly, but in the shadows, movements that could shake the very foundation were flickering in and out of sight.

Moreover, recently, I had begun to sense a strange presence in the middle of the night. A tiny trace that only a being contracted with the world, like a Servant, could perceive.

This must be what Caster called the "Black Shadow." No matter how you sugarcoated it, the presence felt like pure "loathing." I hadn't spoken of it, but since Lia’s presence clearly wavered whenever it appeared, the other Servants must have sensed it too. But—

"...Why are you telling me this?"

"Think about it. The remaining Servants are Saber, Archer, Caster, and me. Caster came out of her burrow only to move from base to base, running away; I doubt she even intends to participate in the war. That leaves only you guys acting like proper Servants, but you've got the Masters of Rider and Berserker tagging along too. To me, it looked like you were moving to prepare for 'something other than a Servant.' Your place is about the only one where I might get some info..."

I see. Come to think of it, while the number of gathered Servants was just Lia and me, if you count the Masters, four out of the seven were concentrated in one place.

Shinji only had Rider under him and wasn't actually a Master, but Lancer, whose goal was to engage Rider, probably wouldn't have noticed that.

"So, how about it? You guys haven't grabbed a lead on anything, have you? Well, the Holy Grail War is still ongoing. Since you and I are still enemies, I won't force you."

"..."

——What should I do? According to Caster, the "Black Shadow" is a common enemy for all Servants, so should I also warn Lancer?

Furthermore, speaking of something other than a Servant, there's also Gilgamesh. But he's the Archer of the Fourth Holy Grail War. Since the person sustaining him must be in Fuyuki, there's a possibility Lancer has encountered him somewhere.

...Either way, it's a problem for me to decide on my own.

"Ah, I know you can't decide this on your own as a Servant. You can consult with your Master. Mine says the same."

As if timing it perfectly, Lancer supplemented his previous words. Hearing this, I hesitated only for a moment. I focused my consciousness on the "Line." ——At the other end was the Emiya residence. I called out via mental link without delay.

<Rin, can you hear me? I've encountered Lancer. After a brief clash, he is asking for information.>

<—Lancer... Are you safe? And as for information, what kind of information is he looking for?>

Rin replied instantly. I peeked at Lancer; he had walked over to the edge of the building and sat down, staring out at the sea. There was no sign of him being on guard, at least within my visible range. I returned my thoughts to Rin.

<Yes, I am safe. Lancer... or rather, it seems it's actually Lancer's Master who wants it. The information they want is about the entity working in the shadows of this Holy Grail War. It's almost certainly about the 'Black Shadow.' But the conditions also fit Gilgamesh.>

<—I see. Did you ask why he's asking us?>

<He says that among the remaining Servants, only Lia and I are properly continuing the war, besides himself.>

<—............ Offer him a trade. Tell him if he answers our questions, we'll agree. But the only information you're allowed to give is about the 'Black Shadow.'>

With that, the mental link from Rin was temporarily cut. I took a step toward the distant Lancer, and he walked over.

"If you also answer our questions, we will agree."

"Well, I figured. It's not right to just take. I'm fine with those terms. I'm the one who brought this up. If you have something to ask, go first. Of course, I swear on my name that I won't give false answers. ...Ah, though I obviously can't tell you who my Master is."

<—So, did he accept the terms? Then, ask him exactly as I say. Report Lancer's words back to me, word for word.>

Rin's mental link reached me immediately after Lancer spoke. I gave Rin a natural confirmation and relayed Lancer's response to her exactly as it was.

Ten seconds later, Rin finally sent the question I was to ask via the link. But when I saw the content of that question, I involuntarily caught my breath. Was she asking the wrong person? Or even if he was the right person, shouldn't she have used a more indirect approach?

Despite my doubts, Rin had clearly grasped something from our previous exchange that I had missed. Without raising an objection, I opened my mouth to repeat her words.

"...First, a confirmation of the terms. Lancer. You cannot tell me who your Master is. And you will not lie. Is that correct?"

"Yeah."

"Understood. Then, here is our question. ——Who is the person currently acting as the Master for the Archer of the previous Holy Grail War?"

Why throw that question at Lancer? What was the basis for her conviction that Lancer had noticed Gilgamesh's existence and knew who his Master was?

Doubts remained, but I threw the question. I had expected him to reply with "I don't know" to such an out-of-the-blue question.

"————"

For some reason, Lancer didn't say a word in response to a question that should have been easy to answer. His eyes remained wide open.

After a long while, Lancer finally let out a deep sigh. After looking up at the sky, he turned back to me.

"Man, you got me. Where did that Master Missy of yours notice it?"

Despite saying "you got me," a smile was playing on Lancer’s face. "I guess even that guy will have to step out now," he said, laughing happily.

He cut his words and paused for a beat, and the expression vanished from his face.

"Listen. I don’t lie. This answer is based on that. —'I cannot answer.'"

<—I knew it!>

Rin's furious voice echoed in my head, cutting off the mental link through which I was relaying Lancer's words.

The meaning of Lancer—who had explicitly said he would answer questions—saying "I cannot answer." ...It meant Lancer's Master was the same as Gilgamesh's Master.

I understood that much, but I didn't know how she had deduced it. Apparently, there was a clue in my conversation with Lancer, but I hadn't been able to find it.

<—That's not all. I've also figured out the identity of that Master!>

<What do you mean?!>

<—I'll explain later.>

"Hey, are we done?"

Being called out like that, I finally realized I had to provide the information from our side.

"A-ah. The information you want is about 'something' moving in the shadows, right? Unfortunately, I only heard about it from someone else and haven't actually faced it myself, so I don't know the details. However, Caster retreating from that fortress-like place was its doing. A 'Black Shadow' has been appearing and targeting Servants—it ignores Prana-based projectiles, steals control of others' Familiars, and if a human touches it, their cells are necrotized and killed."

"————"

Lancer didn't move a muscle, likely relaying the information to his Master via their link.

I continued regardless.

"Caster judged that even if Saber and I encountered the shadow, we would have no chance of winning; she went so far as to call it the natural enemy of Servants. It is definitely not a normal existence. Lancer, the result would likely be the same for you."

"If that's the case, I'd usually say I'll be the one to do it, but if both the red and blue missies agree there's no chance of winning, it might actually be a bad match."

Even as he spoke, Lancer's eyes shone brightly, undimmed. Even if there was no chance of winning, the option of "not fighting" probably didn't exist for him.

"That's about as much as we know."

"...'I see. It’s a great shame I can't meet your Master in person, but I appreciate the useful information,' he says."

Lancer turned his back. His business here was likely finished.

"I hope our next meeting will be at the place where we settle things. That time, against you as an Archer."

"...Yeah, I guess so."

I managed to give that much of a reply to Lancer, and he thrust Gae Bolg into the concrete, using the recoil to leap from the edge of the building to the ground.

His presence faded. Within seconds, Lancer had left the range of my detection.

"..."

He ran up a building to pick a fight, asked for an information trade, and left without a trace. I looked around, feeling like I had been tricked by a fox.

—Nothing had changed. The only mark Lancer had left was the hole he’d punched into the concrete. The wind on the rooftop was the same as before I had sensed him. It was still strong, cold, and howling past.

After watching it for a while, I turned my steps toward the building’s stairs.