Standing far away at a high point, Irisviel, as Saber's acting Master, could only stare in astonishment at the battle in the distant forest.
The battle before her eyes was raging with unusual intensity.
She knew this was a cruel duel that could only happen in that distant era.
Warriors in armor fought fiercely against each other amidst the clash of blades.
However, the surging magical power and the torrent of heat made her feel something different.
If it was merely a clash of cold weapons, then what was this powerful airflow that followed, as if to destroy everything?
Feet stepping on the ground crushed the earth.
The air pressure from swinging weapons snapped massive trees in two!
Irisviel could no longer clearly see their ultra-high-speed movements. She could only feel the aftershocks of their battle.
Stone dust, stirred up by the sword's edge, was carried away by the wind around Irisviel like flying dust. She couldn't understand why stone dust would be scraped off. Perhaps it was because Saber's sword or the unknown Servant's flag brushed against a spacetime anomaly nearby. Other than that, she couldn't think of any other explanation.
The wind moaned softly.
Facing a space completely at odds with the world's physical laws, the surrounding air let out a neurotic wail.
A chaotic storm raged in the uninhabited forest, destroying and trampling everything.
Just a close-quarters battle between two people would destroy the entire forest.
Holy Grail War... Irisviel was experiencing the legendary threat and astonishment. The world of legends and myths was now vividly appearing before her eyes.
This was simply a reproduction of mythology!
Thunder tore through the sky, and surging waves shattered the earth. A world of fantasy was miraculously brought to life.
"This is... the battle between Servants..."
Facing a world she had never conceived of, Irisviel could only watch motionlessly.
But even Irisviel, who couldn't fully see the battlefield, could confirm one thing: Saber was at a disadvantage.
The figure of the girl holding the battle flag waved the fierce flag, flying up and down, dancing freely, while the other girl, gripping the invisible sword with both hands, could only rely on her rich combat experience and powerful combat intuition skill, fighting and retreating to barely cope and parry.
At this moment, Artoria, in the midst of the battle, was already utterly shocked.
For her, the slaughter of the battlefield was as common as everyday life. As a warrior who had faced life and death on the battlefield, fighting enemies was as skilled as using a knife and fork.
But in her impression, a battle flag had always been merely a spiritual symbol in war, but she had never imagined that when a battle flag transformed into a weapon, it would be so sharp!
In the hands of the Servant who called herself a Witch, a battle flag over three meters long, its surface unfurling and closing, its edges as sharp as a blade! The tip of the flagpole was a sharp spearhead. In her hand, the battle flag sometimes resembled a staff, sometimes a saber, sometimes a spear, and its unfurling surface could even be used to entangle her weapon! The Holy Sword, capable of cutting steel and shattering silver, actually couldn't cut through that flag surface!
This battle flag was definitely a noble phantasm!
"Bang!"
An unparalleled strike broke the air pressure, forming an atmospheric fault and emitting a muffled sound! It was another collision between the flagpole and the sword's edge. Artoria once again had to buffer by retreating. Jeanne lightly swung the battle flag in pursuit, and the closely following tip of the battle flag swept horizontally with the force of wind and lightning, aiming at Saber's neck! The Saber-class girl could only grit her teeth, adapting on the spot by crouching and rolling with the inertia of being repelled.
"Boom!"
The missed horizontal sweep directly stirred up a storm in the forest! Within a hundred meters in front of Jeanne, all trees and vegetation within the sweep's range were instantly cut in half!
Jeanne did not pursue further. Looking at Saber, who was slightly out of breath ten paces away, she said with a wicked smile:
"Saber, you are known in legends as the 'Red Dragon guarding Britain.' Although I don't know why you possess dragon factors, let me tell you, I am the best comrade-in-arms for heroic spirits with dragon factors, but also their greatest enemy, because I am a Witch, the Dragon Witch!"
Saber vigilantly looked at the black Witch holding the evil dragon battle flag upside down in her hand, processing the intelligence gained from the recent battle. Combined, it simply spelled out the word '詭異' (eerie/詭異)!
Lancer's speed, Berserker's strength, Assassin's concealed presence, and the black flames that erupted when her spiritual attire unfurled looked like abilities only a Caster could possess. And up until now, neither of them had revealed their noble phantasms, their last trump cards, so no one knew if she still had riding or long-range attack methods. And... and every time I fought her, I felt an uncontrollable sense of powerlessness, and my own strength was also decreasing. This is... right, she said she was the Dragon Witch, so she should have the ability to tame dragons. She can constantly weaken my physique, and that feeling of powerlessness during the duel... is a dragon-slaying characteristic!
The Dragon Witch herself has a dual nature; she can both strengthen and weaken dragons. The dragon-slaying attribute is not inherent to Jeanne but is generated by the effect of the skill 'Oblivion Correction' automatically transforming into a characteristic that counters the opponent.
"Saber." Jeanne said calmly to Artoria:
"If this is your level, then you are nothing special, not worthy of the expectation and hope some people have for you. I will be a little more serious in my next attack. If you can't handle it, then please be the first to withdraw."
"Are you jesting?" Artoria, gripping the invisible sword with both hands, said seriously and solemnly, her confident and sacred posture, azure gown, and dazzling silver armor radiating an irresistible brilliance!
"In my past life, I experienced countless unfavorable battlefields, yet every opponent in every battle has become a merit under this sword! Dragon Witch, do you dare to be the next loser!"
"Ah ha ha ha! Slogans are enough with just your mouth, but whether you can cut off my head, the Dragon Witch, still depends on the sword in your hand! Little girl, who is revered as a king, let me see how much you're truly worth!"
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