Shinji Matou at Your Service

— Evenly Matched.

The surging twilight-colored extreme light and the equally formidable crimson flames could not invade each other's realms, dissipating into the night.

This scene had occurred not just once, but many times.

It wasn't just a clash of Noble Phantasms; the collisions between sword and spear, sword and golden armor, spear and dragon blood armor had long been countless.

However, no matter how fierce the clashes or how savage the cuts were, they could not bring an end to the battle between the two.

Karna was certain he was using his full strength—his true full strength, unlike in his previous life.

Though he had treated every battle seriously in his previous life, never underestimating any opponent or holding back, he had always been bound by layer upon layer of restrictions before the battle even began.

The curse of the gods, the blessings of the gods, the way of the warrior, or the interpersonal relations.

Just as in the past, when he promised his mother not to fight anyone other than Arjuna among the five Pandava brothers.

It was unavoidable because that was his fate as a warrior.

Sometimes it transformed into strength, other times it became a burden, but for purely fighting, it was undoubtedly superfluous.

Now, however, as a summoned Servant, the only expectation placed upon him was strength.

The only thing weighing on his mind, his Master, was already taken care of. Thus, the remaining vow was just one, and this vow was also his deepest wish.

Battle.

Competing against each other, seeking victory through pure strength. It was an incredibly simple yet beautiful way of fighting.

Of course, he did not deny that battles arise from fate. Everyone's life contains stories of various necessary battles.

However, the pure and unsullied mutual slaughter, completely unrelated to such matters, unexpectedly made him feel exhilarated and comfortable.

Perhaps his warrior instincts were stimulated, and the divine spear in his hand now wielded precision capable of piercing a needle's eye, while the radiant flames he scattered continuously scorched the surroundings with intense heat.

If this wasn't full strength, then what was?

Facing his full strength, his opponent, the great hero Siegfried, bore it like a rock.

That was skill surpassing human capabilities.

That was the immortality of the Armor of Fafnir, similar to the golden armor.

That was the great fantasy sword forged by the Nibelungen, embodying all their essence, comparable to the divine spear.

Everything spoke of the opponent's strength.

But these alone were not enough to equate him with Karna, the strongest hero.

The key to maintaining the balance of victory and defeat was the support from his Master, which Karna lacked.

Healing Mystic Code, enhancement Mystic Code, and more importantly, mutual mental support. Whether by his side or not, it didn't affect the bond between them. It might seem insignificant, but at crucial moments, it could unleash remarkable power.

However—

"Brahmastra Kundala!"

"Balmung!"

Once again, the ancient magic radiated brilliantly.

If Karna's spear was a presence pointing towards the sun, then Siegfried's sword was the twilight that destroyed all life.

With a slight advantage, the sun finally overwhelmed the twilight, leaving scorch marks on Siegfried's body. Though protected by the Armor of Fafnir, the injuries were not severe, but the healing Mystic Code on the spiritual armor could not withstand the intense burning and turned to ashes.

So, has the balance tilted—?

No, not yet.

The Mystic Code was destroyed, but the healing magic still shone. The shallow wounds healed visibly.

"Ha, ha, ha."

A sweaty, short, and stout man came running, gasping for breath.

"Made it... Did I make it in time? Are you okay, Saber?"

"I'm fine."

Siegfried gave his Master a faint smile.

"Perfect timing, Master."

"Haha, I thought so too. The protagonist always appears at a critical moment. Red Lancer, I've taken care of what you asked. Your Master and the others have been moved outside. They should be under our protection by now."

"Thank you, Saber's Master."

Upon hearing Gordes' words, Karna bowed deeply.

This was Karna's prior arrangement. During a break in the battle, Karna had asked Siegfried to convey a message to his Master: to find a way to remove the five former Masters, who had been poisoned and trapped in an illusion. For this, he had even provided a specific spell that would transfer them outside the courtyard and ensured that the process would be unhindered.

Siegfried agreed, and Gordes did not object—they were underground magus working secretly for the Mage's Association, with one of them being a highly promising young talent at the Clock Tower. By saving these individuals, future negotiations between the Yggdmillennia clan and the Clock Tower would become significantly more favorable.

Of course, Siegfried was unaware of Gordes' ulterior motives. He agreed to Karna's request partly out of mutual respect as warriors and partly due to his considerations.

"Red Lancer—no, Karna, I have a request for you as well."

"Please, go ahead."

"You must feel it too. This war will soon come to an end, and if we continue fighting like this, we won't be able to determine a winner before it does."

Siegfried looked up at the sky, where red and blue lights continued to flash.

Karna instantly understood his meaning.

"That's right. Your sword and my spear are evenly matched. Even if we manage to break through, the attacks would almost cancel each other out, lacking the power to defeat either of us. If we don't want this to end in a draw, we need an attack with absolute destructive power that neither can counter."

"I know you have a spear—the God-Slaying Spear you gained in exchange for your armor. Use that to decide the outcome."

Even the great hero Karna did not always wield a spear from the beginning.

Originally, he rode a chariot and shot arrows—praised as a warrior possessing traits of both Archer and Rider. Of course, this did not mean he was unfamiliar with using a spear or sword.

So, why was Karna summoned as a Lancer?

Before his final battle with the Pandava brothers, specifically Arjuna, a Brahmin visited Karna, who had become the commander of the opposing army.

The Brahmin asked Karna for his golden armor while he was bathing.

The Brahmin did not need for the armor. However, Karna had already vowed to grant whatever the Brahmin requested while bathing.

Knowing this vow, the great god Indra, disguised as a Brahmin, asked for the golden armor, as Karna's nemesis Arjuna was Indra's son.

Knowing Karna's immense strength, Indra did not want to see Arjuna die at his hands.

Thus, despite being fully aware of the situation, Karna immediately stripped off the golden armor fused with his body and presented it to Indra.

Witnessing this noble act, Indra felt deep shame for his actions and gave Karna a spear.

In exchange for the golden armor, Karna received the legendary spear said to kill even gods—the strongest spear.

It was because of this spear that Karna was recognized as the strongest Lancer.

"Siegfried..."

Karna's piercing gaze met Siegfried's unwavering eyes, filled with resolve to defeat him.

"I understand. Let's decide this with one final strike. Saber's Master, do you have any objections?"

Gordes gritted his teeth.

"No objections. Saber's decision is my decision."

"I see. I envy you."

Karna closed his eyes and sighed softly.

If he could, he too would want a Master like that—to entrust his back to, to fight alongside, to grow together.

Maybe one day he would meet such a Master.