According to the instructions of Illya who was sitting in the back seat looking at the map, the Mercedes Benz 300SL driven by Saber gradually left Xindu and drove eastward to a deserted area.

"If you go straight along this road, you should see an abandoned factory on the left. According to Kiritsugu, this is the Lancer's stronghold."

As Ilia spoke, she pointed toward an intersection ahead. However, what she stretched out was not her free left hand, but her right hand that was still holding the map. Now Ilia's left hand could no longer move due to the curse.

Already.

Although Illya did not tell Saber that the curse was deepened due to the 'transfer', and it was the 'price' paid by Illya to transfer the curse. But from Illya's performance, Saber could tell - Illya

The injury now is definitely much more serious than the injury I suffered at that time.

So Saber was distracted while driving while looking at Illya's left arm in the rearview mirror.

"Okay! Saber! Don't worry too much! If you want my left hand to recover, just wait and knock down the Lancer with all your strength! How about it, can you win?"

Illya was a little frightened by Saber's gloomy gaze, so she had to speak to divert Saber's attention to the upcoming duel.

"Yes! Saber, doesn't it matter? After all, you are just recovering from your injury."

Irisviel in the passenger seat looked a little worried at this time.

"No problem. In my current state, I can definitely win this duel, and I must win!"

After making the solemn declaration, it was Saber's turn to cast a worried glance at the passenger seat and back seat.

"It's you, Irisviel, are you okay? Although holy said it's okay, it keeps happening again and again...and holy, I..."

Although she said the words that had accumulated in her heart, Saber didn't know how to continue after saying the beginning.

"Okay! You don't have to worry about me anymore! You should just worry about yourself! It's your battle soon, and Lancer is not a weakling! Just focus more on that!"

Ilia waved her hand directly, indicating that the focus now should not be on herself.

"Me too! Saber, you don't have to worry anymore, as long as you are by my side, I will be fine!"

Irisviel shook her head slightly, and then looked at Saber and Ilia with soft eyes.

"We're here, it should be that building..."

At this time, Illya looked past Irisviel's soft gaze and looked forward.

A long time ago, when the Shinto area was not yet described as a new residential area, it was probably a place where lumber was made. That place was abandoned by the wave of development and forgotten by the new bustling streets.

Standing in the hinterland of the hills covered with lush foxtail grass.

Slowly passing through the open door and entering the open space, Saber turned off the engine of the car. There was silence all around. After getting out of the car, Illya's face was calm, without any sense of nervousness before the battle. And Alice Fei

Er carefully watched the surrounding situation and then nodded.

"...There are indeed traces of the magic barrier. But the strange thing is that it seems that it has not been carefully managed and has begun to show flaws."

"No, this is the place. Irisviel."

"Yes, come out, Lancer. I know you are there!"

After Saber's assertion, Illya looked towards the ruins ahead with certainty.

There, Illya searched for Lancer's magic power fluctuations.

Sure enough, a handsome figure holding two guns suddenly appeared in front of the silent ruins.

"It's not easy for you to find this place. Saber, and holy as a 'caster', right?"

This is the first time that Lancer calls out Illya's identity and nickname. He is also the last one among all the magicians and heroic spirits participating in the Holy Grail War to know Illya's identity and nickname.

"My... partner told me after investigation that this is your stronghold."

Because she subconsciously didn't want to admit that Emiya Kiritsugu was her master, Saber almost blurted out, but in the end she didn't say the word master.

"Don't worry! I will not participate in the duel between you and Saber, nor will I take advantage of it to trouble your master. My master will not order me to do this."

At this time, Illya also opened her mouth to give Lancer a shot of calming medicine.

"Thank you and your master for helping me..."

After thanking him, Lancer's expression looked a little heavy, which was very different from usual. He hesitated for a long time as if choosing words in his mind, and then asked the visitor a question.

"Where is my master's fiancée now?...Saber, you won't say you don't know, right?"

Both Saber and Irisviel looked at each other with confused expressions.

"I don't know...what happened?"

'Could it be...'

However, Ilia suddenly thought of a certain possibility at this time, and her expression suddenly changed, but it only returned to her original calm look in an instant.

Because all his attention was on Saber, Lancer didn't notice the strange moment in Illya's expression.

"It's okay. Just pretend I didn't ask."

Lancer let out a long sigh, which contained far more relief than disappointment. Originally, he had not planned to ask Saber this question. If someone from his fierce enemy resorted to such despicable tactics as kidnapping hostages, he could only imagine it.

Lancer felt disgusted by this matter.

"...Speaking of which, Saber, are you okay? I don't think you came here just to chat with me. But the injury you were stabbed by me can't possibly heal, right?"

"About this, I can tell you very solemnly, be careful Lancer, my injury has healed. Now I can deal with you in full condition!"

In response to Lancer's question, Saber warned him truthfully.

"What? How is it possible..."

Lancer was surprised, because as the master of the magic gun, he knew very clearly that the "Destroyed Yellow Rose" was not a curse that could be removed easily.

Facing Lancer's surprise, Saber glanced at Ilia behind her, then shook her head at Lancer, indicating that she didn't want to say it now.

"...You really have a good comrade-in-arms!"

After a little induction, Lancer sensed the cursed aura of the 'Destroyed Yellow Rose' from Ilia, and sighed with some excitement.

Saber didn't want to say any more words on this matter, so she nodded solemnly and silently expressed her agreement.

Then the two servants who were in a daze and were preparing for a duel fell into silence.

"Okay! In today's Caster crusade, almost all the Servants used a lot of magic power, so I guess everyone will not take the initiative tonight, but should take a defensive stance. Because of this, your duel tonight

You don’t have to worry about irrelevant people stepping in.”

At this time, Illya spoke up, breaking the silence of the two Servants. She also wanted to watch the absolutely wonderful showdown between Saber and Lancer earlier! So wasting time is absolutely not allowed!

Hearing this, Saber's whole body was filled with calm fighting spirit, and she took a step forward. Her slender and short body gave people a sense of majesty, and this momentum, accompanied by dazzling magic power, turned into a brilliant armor to wrap her whole body.

.

"Yes, and it's almost dawn... There is still a little time in the night. If we miss this great opportunity, I don't know when we will have the opportunity to compete like this without any worries. I don't know when.

I don’t think this opportunity should be missed – what do you think? Lancer.”

Lancer, who had lost his usual handsome expression due to inner worries, finally showed a smile.

"Saber...the only thing that can blow a refreshing breeze into my heart now is your fighting spirit without any distracting thoughts."

Then, as if Lancer wanted to drive away all the sorrow and lamentation in his heart, he waved the two magic spears, red and yellow. The tip of the red long spear was facing Saber, and the body of the yellow short spear was guarded in front of him.

Saber also unlocked the Wind King's barrier and revealed the golden sword in the center of the whirlwind. In front of Diarmuid's "Devil-Breaking Red Rose", there was no point in using air pressure to hide the sword.

And the most important thing is that the King of Knights firmly believes that this powerful enemy who was originally in a different time and space but accidentally met in this world is a heroic spirit who is qualified to receive the radiance of the sword that combines all the glory in him.

The morning light was slightly bright and the sky was reddish. In the fresh air, the two Servants concentrated all their fighting spirit in a silent and nervous attack. If you are a person with particularly keen senses, you will feel like standing in the middle of the whirlpool of the two people's fighting spirit.

It's as painful as being hit, and may even cause heart paralysis.

All the cells in Irisviel's body trembled with the premonition of death. Not to mention her breath, even her blood was stagnant.

So Illya took a step back, came to Irisviel's side and opened a protective barrier to block the oppressive wave of fighting energy for Irisviel.

However, just because of the weak magic power fluctuation caused when the protective barrier was deployed, it affected the vitality of the two servants.

To the two of them, this was like a signal for the duel to begin.

Then - driven by the Qi machine, both sides took a step forward at the same time, with momentum like a rainbow and a sound like a tear of silk.
Chapter completed!