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Illyasviel stared at the battle unfolding before her.
It was a brutal, elegant dance of death, a clash of legends brought to life.
Warriors clad in gleaming armor, their movements a blur of motion, steel clashing against steel, the air crackling with energy.
Diarmuid's footfalls pulverized the concrete beneath him, the slightest breeze sending dust swirling around him—a display of exquisite control.
The pressure wave from a swing of his short sword sliced through a lamppost twenty meters away, the cut clean and precise. And from the calm expression on his face, it was clear he wasn't even using his full strength.
If not for Haru's Boost, amplifying her senses, Illyasviel wouldn't have been able to follow their movements. But even with enhanced perception, she knew that a single blow from either Servant would mean instant death for her.
Swords tore through the sky, feet shattered the earth. Though their movements seemed effortless, the container yard was being reshaped, its very landscape transformed by their power.
"So this is a battle between Servants..." Illyasviel murmured, her eyes wide with a mixture of awe and horror. Sheltered by Haru, this was her first time witnessing such brutality.
"That sword—it's troublesome..."
Diarmuid cursed silently. Saber's blade, its form concealed by some form of magic that distorted the light around it, was nearly invisible.
With both of them moving at superhuman speeds, most of Diarmuid's focus was on predicting the sword's trajectory, and even then, he occasionally misjudged, receiving shallow cuts.
"Concealing one's weapon in a sword fight—how underhanded" he thought, pressing his attack, even leaving himself open deliberately, trying to bait Saber into revealing her blade's properties. He edged closer to the Gáe Dearg, the crimson spear he'd dropped earlier.
Saber, too, was struggling.
She was no stranger to battle, to the dance of death. As a warrior, fighting was as natural to her as breathing.
But she'd never faced an opponent like Diarmuid, a master of multiple weapons, his fighting style fluid and unpredictable, switching between spear, short sword, and long sword, his movements a blur of motion.
Every counterattack was met with a faster, more intricate maneuver, her attacks deflected and redirected.
She was adapting to his style, but...
She was losing ground. Diarmuid was slowly but surely making his way towards the Gáe Dearg.
Saber knew what he was planning. He intended to use the spear's anti-magic properties to dispel the illusion concealing her blade.
She had to stop him, maintain her advantage. But Diarmuid's Gáe Buidhe, combined with Gáe Dearg and Beagalltach, were a formidable combination.
If not for her A-rank Instinct, she would have been struck by the Gáe Buidhe countless times already. And he hadn't even drawn the greatsword on his back.
Five hundred meters away, a cloaked figure perched atop a crane, watching the battle.
The wind whipped at the figure's black robes, and a satisfied smile appeared beneath the white skull mask—Another Hassan-i Sabbah. (Hassan is a pseudonym shared by 19!!)
From this vantage point, he had a clear view of the battle, observing every move, every expression. The Servants below, engrossed in their duel, were oblivious to his presence.
And through a shared consciousness link, Kirei Kotomine, hidden within the Fuyuki Church's basement, saw and heard everything.
"...A battle has commenced at the container yard by the Mion River docks. One combatant, based on his speech, has been identified as Diarmuid Ua Duibhne, The other is a female knight, identity currently unknown."
Kirei, his eyes closed, his ears twitching, relayed the information to the ancient gramophone on the table before him.
Tokiomi Tohsaka's voice, calm and elegant, echoed from the brass horn. "Can you see their parameters?"
Kirei frowned, activating his Master's ability to assess a Servant's stats.
"Diarmuid's parameters are all B-rank or higher, with an A+ in Agility. The female knight's parameters are exceptionally high—all A-rank."
"I see. Have Hassan focus on observing the knight. And can you see her Master?"
"A silver-haired woman, standing behind Saber, with Command Spells on her arm."
"Hmm—Diarmuid's Master hasn't revealed himself. A cautious approach. Wait Kirei, did you say the knight's Master has silver hair?"
"Yes. A young, Caucasian woman with silver hair and crimson eyes. She doesn't seem entirely human," Kirei replied.
On the other end of the line, Tokiomi was silent, thinking.
"An Einzbern homunculus? Clever—Assassinating the Master is no longer an option. At least, not her. But it doesn't make sense. Homunculi eventually—break down. She wouldn't last through the war. And the Einzbern would never willingly give up the Grail..."
Tokiomi's voice was laced with confusion. With information about Haru suppressed by both Ahard and Haru's subordinates, Tokiomi was unaware of his presence. The Einzbern's strategy was a mystery. And that—could be a problem.
"Kirei, have Hassan focus on the Einzbern."
Hidden among the stacked containers, Kiritsugu Emiya set up his sniper rifle, the electronic scope allowing him to see clearly through the darkness.
Thanks to Zouken Matou's network of Crest Worms, which had been monitoring Fuyuki City for over two hundred years, Kiritsugu had learned of the battle and arrived quickly, finding a suitable hiding spot.
From his vantage point, he had a clear view of the entire container yard. He activated his communicator.
"Maiya, Kayneth's on the roof of the warehouse, northeast of the Servants. Can you see him?"
"...Negative. It's a blind spot from my position," Maiya's voice, cold and precise, came through the communicator.
Kiritsugu frowned. A simultaneous strike with Maiya was no longer possible. And against a seasoned Magician like Kayneth, a solo attack was risky. He'd have to abandon the plan to snipe Kayneth.
"Then—I'll target the woman." He looked through the scope at Illyasviel, her gaze fixed on the battling Servants.
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