The Gáe Bolg, the Noble Phantasm of Lancer, Cú Chulainn, pierced through Assassin's heart.
The reversal of causality, the magical spear of fate.
By reversing causality, the result of the attack is determined first—the heart being pierced—and the cause of that outcome is the strike of the spear. Once the result is determined, no defence or evasion can stop it. This effect is a curse that interferes with fate.
Because the result is already decided—the piercing of the heart—there's no way to prevent it, even if Lancer is defeated before using it. Thus, the trajectory of the spear is inevitable.
There are only four ways to counter it:
1. Destroy the spear before Lancer uses it.
2. Have a skill like Heracles' automatic resurrection after death.
3. Create a defence stronger than the spear's magic.
4. Possess enough luck of at least B rank to reverse the predetermined fate.
Though often joked about as the "spear that doesn't kill who it stabs," it still depends on who Cú Chulainn stabs. Someone with strong luck like Artoria, or a protector like Emiya, isn't easily killed by it. But this time, the spear pierced through Assassin's heart without hindrance.
Assassin's final words, as one of his bodies fell, dissipated into spirit particles.
Even though wounded, Kiritsugu Emiya heard Assassin's last words. Though risking angering the girl, the injured assassin muttered bitterly.
"A Caster using a spear... Just like her Master, they're both freaks. Well, not that I have a position to say so."
"Servant Assassin eliminated."
Said Miyu, unfazed. She simply twirled her weapon, deactivated it, and stored it away.
She glanced at Kiritsugu, a complex look in her eyes. She hesitated, then, seeing her attire, blushed and turned away.
Emiya Kiritsugu was left confused.
Elsewhere, while Caster killed Assassin once more, while on the battlefield, Caster's eccentric Master was locked in a fierce battle with Lancer.
The sound of blades meeting. Both figures were knocked back. In midair, Sakatsuki grabbed his white robe and tossed it into the sky, then tightened his grip on his dual blades, his arms slightly trembling.
In front of him, Diarmuid's pupils contracted. His red and yellow spears lowered, his body twisting, and he swung his arms!
Golden and red light intermingled, and magic exploded as they closed the distance. They exchanged strikes and then distanced themselves again. Diarmuid stepped back and raised his spear, thrusting!
Sakatsuki stepped sideways, advancing instead of retreating. His left hand wielded the black blade, narrowly grazing through the red spear, propelling Sakatsuki into a spin toward Diarmuid's body.
For most spear users, this would be a dangerous distance. However, Diarmuid had more than just the "Crimson Rose of Exorcism"; he also held a short spear!
The bright yellow spear streaked through the air, its brilliance turning into gold.
The spear's tip aimed at Sakatsuki's neck, a deadly blow for someone like him, who wasn't a Servant!
Sakatsuki scoffed, flipping his wrist, striking with a sword from behind. The cold gleam gathered on the blade, sharp like iron spikes, extending its blade into a thick, elongated form. It swiped away the deadly yellow spear in advance, while Sakatsuki's right-hand sword, slashed horizontally from left to right toward the same area on Diarmuid's body!
The red spear anchored to the ground, and Diarmuid used his legs to leap into the air, narrowly evading the strike. He then quickly pulled back using the spear's force, but a scratch was still drawn across his neck. The wound healed rapidly due to his magic.
Diarmuid said quietly, then looked at Sakatsuki, who had the upper hand.
"As a knight, I apologize for underestimating you."
With the grace of a leopard, Lancer fully unleashed his power. Facing Sakatsuki, he wore a serious expression as he prepared to fight.
"As a warrior, I will give my all to defeat you! Let's go, Master Sakatsuki!"
"Gladly, the Radiant Diarmuid."
Sakatsuki grinned with excitement, his movements fluid as he kept his stance with Kanshou and Bakuya at the ready.
After a brief clash of momentum, Diarmuid took the first step, throwing the Crimson Rose, Gáe Dearg like a spear!
A weapon capable of nullifying magical defences, even if Sakatsuki opened Rho Aias, the spear would pierce through them.
However, who could throw weapons better than someone with projection magecraft like Sakatsuki?
Sakatsuki lowered his gaze, running his fingers across the worn symbols on his dual blades. He didn't hesitate and threw them immediately.
The two blades spun, crashing with the red spear, both landing on the ground.
And as Sakatsuki lost his weapons, Diarmuid wasted no time in delivering a merciless horizontal strike!
Sakatsuki, prepared, leapt into the air, but Diarmuid's arm flexed. The yellow spear, like a dragon from the earth, shot up from below, piercing through Sakatsuki's body!
Irisviel yelled, and even Saber instinctively held her breath.
Had the battle been decided?
The look of shock on Diarmuid's face showed that the battle was far from over.
The magic spear, capable of cursing Saber with an incurable wound, passed through Sakatsuki as though it struck air, leaving him unharmed!
Though I inherited Emiya's power, that doesn't mean I'm merely Emiya.
I never represent him. Even as the guardian Emiya, that's just one of the powers I possess!
Golden eyes shining brightly, Sakatsuki grinned, looking at Diarmuid who had yet to recover his spear. The left hand's projected light expanded, and he gripped the black Kanshou and Bakuya. Both hands held it, and he struck!
"The magic particles are changing… Is he an Imaginary Number Magecraft practitioner?"
Kayneth, standing atop the roof, grimaced.
As one of the twelve Lords of the Mage's Association, even though Imaginary Number Magecraft practitioners are rare, he was familiar with them. He had briefly interacted with Trisha Fellows, an Imaginary Number Magecraft practitioner, and quickly recognized Sakatsuki's magic.
"Imaginary Infiltration… Tch!"
A mere Imaginary Number Magecraft practitioner isn't scary.
But an Imaginary Number Magecraft practitioner capable of fighting Servants in close combat and using magecraft against enemies? That's terrifying.
The bright yellow spear was raised to block Sakatsuki's heavy strike!
After Sakatsuki dodged the fatal blow using his magic, Diarmuid's momentum faltered. Forced to turn to defence, the spear fighter found himself in close combat with Sakatsuki, unable to use the Lancer class's speed advantage.
In terms of physical strength, Diarmuid, a Servant, was comparable to Sakatsuki. However, without the "Reset Stance" ability, he couldn't pull away, forcing him to endure Sakatsuki's relentless assault, desperately seeking an opening.
This opening, however, would be created by the other Servants on the battlefield.
In the blast from a Noble Phantasm, the Berserker in black armour was knocked back, his body colliding with Sakatsuki and Diarmuid!
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