Chapter 111: The Intruding Maiden

After the trio reached an agreement, Lancer unleashed the true name of his sword, the Blade of Thirst, making it his primary weapon. Although the speed of his swings dropped significantly, making the chance of landing a fatal blow nearly zero, this tactic successfully diverted the opponent's attention toward him. It was a trade-off: the attacks were easily avoided, but if one were to actually connect...

A cold shiver ran down Lancer's spine at the thought of being paralyzed and then ganged up on by the three of them. He felt a tightening in his gut, especially seeing that two of his opponents were armed with spears.

Suddenly, Lancer noticed his opponent becoming uncharacteristically hesitant. Recognizing an opportunity, he gripped his sword with both hands and launched a fierce assault, disregarding his own stamina consumption.

After parrying the opponent’s strike upward, he followed with a violent downward slash from the top right to the bottom left. He left himself completely defenseless, but Lancer didn't care. He was certain his opponent would choose to defend rather than counterattack. In a one-on-one duel, this would be a desperate gamble, but with three against one, this seemingly reckless move was nothing more than a lure.

The opponent hesitated over whether to strike, but the thought of the two spearmen lurking nearby forced him to choose defense. This cost him his best opening. Lancer, having adjusted his rhythm, pressed the attack. His movements were wide and sweeping, lacking his usual graceful swordsmanship; he looked less like a master of the blade and more like someone wielding a halberd or an axe.

"Is this guy insane?" was the only thought crossing his opponent’s mind.

It had only been a few seconds since the fight shifted from an exchange of blows to the opponent being completely suppressed. Seeing Lancer gain the upper hand, Zhao Kuo and Vlad’s eyes glinted with intensity.

In an instant, both spears struck—one aimed at the throat, the other at the heart. Either hit would be fatal. But at that exact moment, the thing they dreaded most manifested.

The points of impact turned pitch black, and a dark shield of light materialized before the opponent’s vital areas.

"So, there really is a weakness!" Lancer could feel that although his own attack was blocked, the shield wavered noticeably when Vlad and Zhao Kuo struck.

"Increase the output! This thing can't be used repeatedly in a short time. Every time he uses it, the defense is localized, so use wide-area attacks!" After saying this, Lancer ceased his assault and leaped backward.

"Sword of the Thunder Demon, drink your fill of blood, transform into lightning, and strike with the weight of a thousand tons!" As a Noble Phantasm, this sword was far more than a simple conduit for lightning. Beyond its standard abilities, it possessed a technique Lancer had always been reluctant to use: Blood Sacrifice. The weapon was called a "Demon Sword" for reasons far beyond its former service to a witch.

Although the Lady of the Lake had bestowed the sword upon him, the essence of a demon sword could not be erased by time. It possessed the blood of ghosts and gods, and though it had once been tainted by black mud, Lianhua had preserved it, preventing his mind from being corrupted. Yet, his blood was the very tonic this demon sword craved most.

After Lancer sliced his middle finger against the blade and the sword tasted his blood, the lightning began to dance frantically, crackling with golden sparks.

"You want it? Fine, if you want it that badly, help me take down the guy in front of us!" Lancer didn't want to rely on the weapon’s power, but if he relied solely on his own strength, he risked suffering grave injuries—and he could not afford to miss the climax of this story.

"Hum—hum—" As Lancer spoke, the weapon became noticeably more excited. Within the isolated space, the air grew thick with a restless, frantic energy.

"What's happening?" As the only human present, Zhao Kuo was the first to sense that something was wrong.

"The moisture in the air is being ionized by the weapon in that guy's hand. Naturally, you'd feel uncomfortable as a human. Of course, I find it quite unpleasant myself," Vlad said, fluttering his bat-like wings and pulling at his collar.

"What is he planning? If it's just a lightning strike, the opponent will surely block it with his weapon, and that won't put much pressure on the shield." Although Heroic Spirits inherited knowledge of the modern world, it was mostly basic. Zhao Kuo, however, realized something.

"No! He’s trying to trigger an explosion..." Before he could finish, the figure of their opponent became a blur.

"Get down!" Even knowing they were Heroic Spirits, Zhao Kuo shouted a warning before shielding Tianyi with his own body. He was stronger than Zhao Kuo, but he couldn't rely on those bat wings to deflect the shockwave. Zhao Kuo’s armor wasn't just for show; it was time to play the tank.

It happened in a split second. By the time Zhao Kuo finished speaking, the explosion had already begun.

The ionized air ignited at first, and then the chain reaction swept through the entire space, detonating all the hydrogen in the area.

"Is he dead yet?" Zhao Kuo asked, knowing full well it was a futile question, but it was a hopeful wish nonetheless.

Reality, however, proved cruel. Amidst the scorched earth, which had been gouged out by nearly half a meter, the opponent slowly rose, his armor in tatters.

"Hahaha!" The opponent laughed like a madman.

"What are you laughing at? Do you intend to face your death with a smile?" Lancer, despite being the initiator, had been caught in the blast. Blood dripped from his right hand, but strangely, it flowed toward his weapon, leaving no trace on the ground.

"What am I laughing at? You'll find out soon enough!" The opponent looked up, revealing eyes stained blood-red and filled with madness.

"What do you mean?"

"This world was isolated when our battle began. People from the outside world shouldn't be able to enter, but there are exceptions—like when a forced tear is made in an unstable world like this." He rambled on, but Lancer felt a subtle, gnawing unease.

"Look—who is this?" He laughed again, his expression wild and uninhibited.

"Asuna?" Lancer had never expected to see Asuna here.

"How is this possible?" Lancer had checked for tails when they entered; he was certain no one had followed them. Judging by the opponent’s words, Asuna must have been pulled into the space by the explosion he had just triggered.

"Damn it!" Lancer clenched his fists as he looked at the unconscious Asuna.

"Well? I don't believe you don't know who this girl is." He stared at Lancer, who was clearly the one in charge.

"So, do you still feel like you have this victory in the bag?"