Ritsuka didn't pay too much attention to the strange old man. He might be strong, but he bore her no ill will.
Her current primary goal was to win the Holy Grail War and then find a way to utilize the power of the Divine Child that might be awakening within Miyu to make a wish.
Miyu herself was equivalent to a Holy Grail and could grant anyone's wish without discrimination. If that was the case, then such a wish could also be realized—to restart this regrettable and sorrowful world.
If it succeeded, Sakura would also be able to be resurrected in another way... "It should be here."
Standing on the roof of a building at the edge of the harbor, Ritsuka looked at the unloading pier a hundred meters away, a few hints of reminiscence appearing in her eyes.
She remembered when she first landed in Fuyuki from here with Kiritsugu, starting a new chapter in her life. Unfortunately, they had arrived in Fuyuki a bit early back then, and being tired and somewhat sleepy, she hadn't had the chance to observe the scenery. Looking at it now, the sea was quite beautiful.
She still owed Miyu a promise to go to the seaside.
"—Lancer."
Across a distance that wasn't too far, Ritsuka saw that lemon-headed man standing on a shipping container.
A crimson demonic spear rested on his shoulder. A turbid liquid swirled around the blond man's arm, and a beast-like killing intent wafted freely.
It was because she felt this man's arrogant aura that Ritsuka had come straight here. After sensing the aura of the Archer class card, this fellow had actively released his own aura to invite her over.
A bounded field made of magical energy had been set up. Although it was the time for unloading at the pier, not a single worker could be seen.
"A magecraft for dispersing ordinary people?"
Narrowing her eyes, a faint blue light flashed in Ritsuka's eyes. She was quite interested in this bounded field. When she fought that hooded Rider earlier, she wouldn't have acted so decisively if it hadn't been for the early hour and the lack of people, along with the suggestion thaumaturgy.
She wasn't some bloodthirsty butcher; if she could avoid hurting uninvolved people, it was better to be careful.
Therefore, she developed some interest in this magical bounded field. If she had the chance, she would like to learn it.
Without actively approaching the guy using the Lancer class card, Ritsuka lowered her gaze slightly. The bow of the hydra was already drawn, instantly locking onto that lemon-head—
"Nine Lives!"
As a divine technique that could be called a school of its own, Ritsuka didn't use the Pseudo-Spiral Sword this time, nor did she use arrows coated in hydra venom. Instead, she drew the bow to its full extent and used a variant of the Noble Phantasm achievable with the bow as a weapon.
Nine beams of anti-fortress light roared out. The ground beneath Ritsuka's feet cracked inch by inch, and the surrounding air was completely blasted away.
Black and crimson intertwined, as if the aura of a demonic snake was rolling, flying toward the pier. The blond lemon-head, who had already noticed Ritsuka, curled his lips into a smile.
"Boil, my blood (Fervor, mei Sanguis)!"
A chaotic silver liquid substance began to churn at the lemon-head's command, subsequently wrapping around half of his body, which also became bloated.
With a stomp, his figure vanished from the spot. The man in the blue skintight suit rushed out of the pier, his eyes fixed on the nine light beams in the sky. He dodged left and right with exaggerated speed, and the condensed mercury struck the ground violently to provide leverage for him to leap up.
A thunderous explosion tore away a corner of the pier. Countless shipping containers exploded, and for a moment, a scene like a nuclear blast swallowed the entire pier.
A rolling sea of fire and a surging heatwave covered that person's figure. After firing her bow, Ritsuka did not sit and wait for death; it was clearly impossible to solve a high-agility Lancer so easily.
While retreating to the roof behind her, she continuously drew her bow, sending dozens of arrows through the smoke and dust.
"Wha—?!"
Ritsuka let out a startled sound.
The arrows all missed. Her god-tier archery was successfully evaded. The blond lemon-head, his body wrapped in mercury, rushed out of the explosion and used his crimson demonic spear to deflect several arrows that were sure hits.
Ordinary arrows had little effect on the opponent. After determining this, Ritsuka came to a sudden halt, while holding the bow in her left hand and lowering her body.
Qiang—!
The man, who had leaped slightly, smashed his demonic spear downward with force. The projected Pseudo-Spiral Sword instantly met it, the sound of clashing metal being somewhat ear-piercing.
Closing in, Ritsuka delivered a side kick to the demonic spear, forcibly pushing back her opponent with a booming sound. She then drew her bow and notched an arrow, instantly firing a shot of incredible power.
Broken Phantasm!
The arrow landed on a rooftop, and the explosion directly submerged the man on it in smoke and dust. A rising fireball swallowed an entire building from bottom to top, and the aftershock blasted several large craters into the ground.
Suddenly, a viscous liquid thrust out from the smoke, the mercury spreading toward Ritsuka's feet.
"Tsk."
Ritsuka clicked her tongue and jumped back.
The opponent was a bit difficult to deal with. Whether it was the light beams, which were at least high-level anti-fortress Noble Phantasms, or the arrows released at close range, they were all ineffective. The opponent's strength was not much weaker than hers.
He was much stronger than the previous Caster and Rider.
The crimson spear light followed her like a shadow. Ritsuka quickly tilted her head, and the demonic spear grazed her face, leaving a thin trail of blood.
"...Hahahahaha!"
As if he had sensed the taste of blood, the lemon-head laughed wildly, the demonic spear in his hand displaying extreme skill.
Lifting, thrusting, smashing, swinging... the man threw out countless spear flowers, wanting to continuously suppress Ritsuka, while her gaze slowly narrowed.
The divine beast cloak didn't work!
That demonic spear wasn't a Noble Phantasm from a human origin; it carried a staggering aura of blood and ferocity. It was likely crafted from the bones of a beast—and a magical beast at that.
The Nemean Lion skin used to create the divine beast cloak could not grant immunity against a spear made from the bones of a magical beast.
Ritsuka took a deep breath and immediately swung the great bow in a wide arc, smashing it violently against her opponent, clashing with the demonic spear.
The moment they touched, they separated. She instantly withdrew the Hydra Bow. As the man was forced to lean back, his pupils constricted. In the next heartbeat, Ritsuka stepped forward boldly, her left hand clenched into a fist as she threw a punch at him—
"Trace On!"
A long blade manifested in her hand, briefly forcing Lancer back. Ritsuka chose to continue her fierce assault.
Blade and spear flashed in tandem, sparks flying from their collisions. The divine energy surging from her belt was poured into the blade, causing the strength of the projected weapon to increase drastically.
The long blade swung down from above, only to be blocked by the demonic spear held horizontally. The two pressed closer, locked in a contest of strength. Then, Ritsuka raised her foot and kicked the blonde Lemon-head's knee directly. The immense force caused Lancer to lose his balance.
Pulling her right hand back, Ritsuka twisted her body and swung in a full circle, lunging forward relentlessly. In an instant, the long blade in her hand delivered a god-speed nine-hit combo.
Squelch—!!
Blood splattered. The sudden burst of speed was beyond expectation. Kayneth's left arm was severed. Holding the spear with one hand, he tapped the tip against the ground, using the leverage to leap backward and avoid the follow-up pursuit.
Mercury covered the wound, filling in the missing section. After pulling back to a safe distance, Kayneth looked at Emiya Ritsuka warily.
"Cough, cough... How strange, Emiya... That form of yours is far too strange."
Despite being at a disadvantage, the lemon-headed man suddenly began to laugh, as if he had seen through something.
With an inquisitive gaze, he scanned Ritsuka's attire. His vast knowledge played a crucial role at this moment, and a sense of pleasure began to fill his eyes.
"A sacred cloth? From what I can see, your appearance is that of your future self? But that sword technique just now... and the likeness of the Ancient Greek Demigod, Heracles."
"It is impossible for one person to use two class cards simultaneously. Could it be that you used some method to reach your own future?"
Being stared at like an experimental subject made Ritsuka feel slightly uncomfortable.
Without responding, she simply gripped her weapon tightly, leaning her body slightly forward and spreading her stance.