Anime: Fight Sukuna at the beginning?.

Chapter 321 Knife vs. Gun
Late at night, in front of the door of the Matou residence.

Diarmuid Odinah, with his long hair thrown back and a serious expression and two spears in his hands, appeared at the door of the Matou residence in a rather 'honest' manner.

His agility is at A+ level and his strength is at B level.

Excluding the explosive power brought by the + sign, the normal attribute level of the swordsman lady is stable and suppressed by Fang Yi.

Without additional skills such as [Shrinking the Earth] and [Natural Reasoning Flow], he is still a 'blank' servant with Lucky E.

He neither chose the stealth assassination tactic with a high chance of success, nor did he launch a surprise attack relying on agility.

He was just like a brightly colored "flag", openly sticking in front of the Matou residence.

He stood stiffly and stubbornly at the door, waiting for the Saber his master, Kenneth, had mentioned to accept the challenge.

[After waiting all day and no one responded to the challenge, I finally found a Servant who could demonstrate my strength near midnight.]

[I must defeat Saber to clear my Master (Kenneth) of my misunderstanding and prejudice.]

After all, the Master's magic power is very abundant, and the improved [Book of False Ministers] has not reduced his strength.

Naturally, he had no reason or excuse to lose this battle.

This was Diarmuid's first thought as he waited outside the Matou residence.

And after he saw the man wearing a light green haori and holding an ordinary long sword, walking out of the somewhat gloomy mansion with no sense of urgency.

This servant who believed in [Chivalry] couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed.

[Is this weak man really Saber? ]

This man did not exude the rather overbearing fighting spirit of an ordinary Saber [class], nor the powerful aura forged through countless trials and tribulations.

He was not wearing armor that indicated his extraordinary status like the Knights of the Round Table in King Arthur's legend or the warriors in various myths.

At first glance, this made the man seem to lack the extraordinary majesty that a heroic spirit should possess.

The knife held in the other party's hand was also somewhat mediocre.

It was a sword that was not gorgeous, not adorned with numerous ornaments, and did not exude any magical power. It did not even have the evil aura that would linger after killing someone.

Obviously, the knife could not be cursed like his spear, and it was even less likely to have any special effects.

That also means one thing.

That sword is not a [Noble Phantasm] that symbolizes the glory of a heroic spirit.
-
Thinking of this, Diarmuid relaxed his vigilance.

He first casually placed the long spear in his right hand on his shoulder, and then slightly moved the pistol in his left hand.

After doing all this, she asked probing questions to the man in front of her.

"Finally, there's someone who's brave enough to take up the challenge.

"Although it may seem a bit insignificant, it's still better than those cowards who chose to hide out after I challenged them to a battle at the port for a whole day."

Lancer Diarmuid praised Fang Yi in a low and loud voice, then asked frankly.

“You look a little weak.

"But since you're holding a knife, you must be the Saber that the Master asked me to kill."

Fang Yi tilted his head when he sensed that Berserker [Lancelot] was hiding not far away but did not attack together.

He used a calm tone, casually borrowing the words that the swordsman lady had said to him during sparring, to respond to the somewhat weak Lacner in front of him.

“Who knows?
"After all, who says the person holding a knife must be Saber? Maybe the person standing in front of you is an Archer.

“Also, since we’re going to fight each other, you’ve been talking too much nonsense.

"Those who want others to introduce themselves at this time are really too naive!"

Hearing Fang Yi's words, a trace of well-hidden anger flashed across Diarmuid's handsome face.

He gripped the spear in his right hand tightly, and a clear, cold, and tempered aura spread throughout his body.

"You heroic spirit!

"I don't see in you even a single trace of the glory and temperament that a heroic spirit should possess.

"In that case, then"

The Lacner responded with a sudden chuckle in his ear.

And the man's ordinary sword, which triggered the skill [Mind's Eye (True)], would find a glimmer of hope for the master in desperate situations and reverse the situation of the battle.

"If you only have this weak strength.

"Then being able to say so many words in front of me is the greatest mercy you can get from me."

Using the [Shrinking the Earth] technique, which he was not yet proficient in, Fang Yi easily approached the Lancer.

[Hmm, it seems a few magicians' familiars haven't arrived yet. There aren't enough spectators yet, and Miss Zhuang hasn't arrived yet.]

"For now, I'll hold back a bit and practice my skills with this Servant who's very strong in hand-to-hand combat. Let's kill some time."

He swung the sword at will, and it was a move that didn't have much value, but relied purely on skill, yet it put the opponent in a desperate situation.
-
It was not until Fang Yi's words reached Diarmuid's ears that he suddenly realized something.

The enemy was approaching him and launching a surprise attack.

After receiving this message in the brain, with the help of [Mind's Eye (True)].

Only then did he sense the man's ordinary but murderous blow, which made the air around him choke.

He subconsciously swung his spear to block the enemy's long sword that was trying to cut him in half.

The spear in his hand then exerted an overwhelming force, which caught him off guard and made him stagger and almost lose his balance.

Diarmuid was horrified.

[When? How did he deceive my perception?]

[Even Assassin can't pull off this level of stealth! How did he do it?]

After barely blocking the opponent's sword with the help of the lucky [Mind's Eye (True)], the skill [Knight's Military Strategy] was activated.

With the help of this skill, the 'true face' of a man's swordsmanship gradually emerged in his eyes.

I got a glimpse of the man's "iceberg" hidden beneath the "sea", which had not been revealed in this attack.

[Such a strong physique! Such honed and refined swordsmanship!]

[Even among the Saber class where monsters roam everywhere, he is the strongest.]

【Who is he? 】
-
Only then did Diarmuid realize that the information his lord had given him was wrong.

He barely blocked the opponent's sword, took a few steps back and finally found a chance to catch his breath, then began to feel the pistol in his left hand.

[It is necessary to use the [Noble Phantasm].]

[As long as you hit him with the [Yellow Rose of Certain Destruction] in your left hand, you can weaken him, and only then can you find a glimmer of hope!]

[You need to use the [Red Rose of Demon Breaker] in your right hand as a feint, use both together]

Before he could form a survival plan in his mind.

The next moment, the light laughter that made Diarmuid's hair stand on end was heard again.

"You want to use your Noble Phantasm, right?

"However, before using a Noble Phantasm, you should make sure it is intact and hold it firmly."

Fang Yi had just finished speaking when the servant didn't even have time to swing his spear.

An even faster blade light flashed and quickly approached Diarmuid's body.

Fang Yi's [Shrinking the Earth] has become more skillful than before.

[Faster than before! He is finally here.]

Diarmuid did not offer any effective resistance, and his left hand holding the [Yellow Rose of Destruction] fell down completely.

The smooth cut on his left hand stopped for a few seconds before the blood in his body reacted and began to gush out from the wound.

The spear, known as the "Noble Phantasm", broke into two pieces neatly after hitting the ground with the free-falling left hand!

Only then did Diarmuid suddenly realize something.

My assessment from seconds ago was wrong.

The man he had just glimpsed through the [Knight's Military Strategy] had a strength hidden beneath the 'sea', like an 'iceberg' that had never been revealed.

It's just a stupid act like the blind men touching the elephant.
The enemy has not yet used its full strength.
-
Thinking of this, Diarmuid's heart was suddenly filled with regret for his previous contempt for Fang Yi's strength.

"How could I have spoken such contemptuous words to such a powerful Servant? I truly betray the spirit of Chivalry!"

[Even though I am weaker than him, I must show him my Diarmuid side in this one-on-one battle!]

Just as Diarmuid was about to slide the spear in his left hand, seeking a glimmer of hope in the desperate situation.

As a sonic boom sounded, he could hear the sharp clash of a knife and a bullet. The bullet from a third party flying past his ear gave him a chance to retreat.

He turned his head to look at the street not far away, and felt the surging magic power gradually solidify and take shape, and then turned into a burly figure holding a sniper rifle.

It was the Berserker [Lancelot] who was used by Matou Kariya to activate [Knights Do Not Die Barehanded] and create the [Noble Phantasm] sniper rifle to assist his retreat.

Deep in his heart, a voice filled with shame and anger echoed in him as a believer in Chivalry.

[Move, Lancer.]

[After regrouping, he will wait for an opportunity to cooperate with Berserker to strangle Saber.]

Then a strange male voice, different from that of [Kenneth], came from the one named [Matou Kariya].

Diarmuid felt as if his limbs were twitching involuntarily as if they had been electrocuted.

In just a moment, he reluctantly disappeared from the battlefield.

I didn't have the chance to appreciate Fang Yi's graceful manner of wielding a knife to extinguish the bullet.
-
Not far from the Matou residence, in a dark corner.

Matou Kariya, holding the [Book of Treason] which had lost one third of its contents, looked at Diarmuid who appeared before him in a very disheveled but dissatisfied manner.

He glanced at Matou Zouken who was standing in front of him supervising the battle and repeated his instructions.

“Stop sniping and just kill him.

"Berserker! Make sure that Saber is completely destroyed!!"

After giving the order, Matou Kariya then asked Matou Zouken.

"Are you satisfied with this order, 'Father'?"

Matou Zouken closed his eyes and said nothing. He just poked the ground with his crutch.

As the sound of countless insects flapping their wings rang out, several [Marking Insects] that had just devoured several humans and were full of vitality drilled into the bodies of Matou Kariya and Diarmuid.

“Kariya, well done.

"In return, the transformation of that girl (Matou Sakura) that was originally scheduled to begin today will also be postponed for a while.

"I will also give you some more bugs to help you better seize the Holy Grail.

"But the one you used the [Marking Bug] to observe and kill was Saber [Okita Souji]. You must remember this."

Subject to the restriction of the clause "No vendetta against the other party in any form" in the "Self-Compulsory Certificate".

There was no spying on the battlefield to avoid 'noticing' that Fang Yi was being killed by Matou Zouken.

He repeated the extremely misleading words again, played a marginal role and began to "turn a deaf ear and dumb".

"The one you want to kill is Okita Souji, the 'Saber' who wields a sword and possesses extraordinary abilities, and who is standing in the Matou residence wearing a haori.

“Also, the swordsmen from the Shinsengumi are all handsome men, not women.

"Do you understand it?"

Although Matou Kariya was a little confused.

But he still followed the strange instructions agreed upon by his "father", just like dancing in a minefield, not describing the target of the battle, but only describing the injuries.

While retorting to the other party, he repeated the strategic objectives and the current situation on the battlefield.

"Don't be so hypocritical with me. I will win the Holy Grail and save Sakura.

"I also know that my target is that handsome man wearing a light green haori.

"It's just that Lancer seems injured."
-
Hearing Zouken Matou mention Lancer's injury, Zouken Matou immediately made a judgment based on his own experience.

The cherry-haired Saber took action.

Thinking of that extraordinary powerful Saber [Okita Souji].

Suddenly, a not-so-pleasant memory, mixed with a hint of blood, floated through his mind.

[Hmph, didn't [Sickness] strike? She's lucky.]

Although he was somewhat surprised by the speed of Lancer's defeat, he did not panic.

In his opinion, the one the other party defeated was not the complete form of Diarmuid, but a weakened version of him.

Using the knowledge of the Command Spells he researched to create the [Book of False Ministers] to control servants will reduce the servants' abilities to a certain extent.

Plus, that [Kenneth] seems to be asking his fiancée to provide magic for Lancer.

With the two factors combined, it is not impossible for the servant's attributes to drop by an order of magnitude.

Therefore, it was not surprising to lose to that Saber.

Unless that [Kenneth] is a one-in-a-million genius who can make improvements to circumvent the flaws of [The Book of False Ministers] while mastering his own skills.

His fiancée became the Master again, and because of some things, he took back the Lancer magic power.

The defeat of a Lancer like this would be something worthy of his horror.

Thinking of this, Matou Zouken gave instructions again.

"Wait until Lacner recovers a certain amount of combat power with the assistance of my [Marking Bug], then send it into the battlefield.

"The mission of strangling 'Saber' must be completed."

[Since that [Kenneth] wants to send this Servant to his death, I won't be polite! ]

[With Berserker and Lancer's combined strength, there's no way that Saber will survive!]

Looking at Diarmuid, whose wrist quickly healed under the effect of the [Marking Worm] but was not fully healed.

Matou Kariya once again raised the [Book of Treason].

After consuming one-third of the book's contents, Lancer, who seemed to be hesitant to speak and wanted to remind the two of them, returned to the battlefield at the speed of light.

Just as Matou Kariya was about to continue reporting the battle situation to his 'father', he noticed a strange figure walking out from the street not far away.

The visitor had a pretty face, long brown hair, wore [Agent Robes], and held a [Black Key].

It was just after midnight when I took a break from the battle to have a chat with Fang Yi.

After confirming the target through Fang Yi's [Insect Magic], Zhuang Zhengyan rushed here without stopping to kill the old insect.
-
Looking at [Lancelot] who had put away his sniper rifle, pulled out [Indestructible Lake Light] and stood quietly in front of him, without rushing to launch an attack.

Two prompt tones also rang in Fang Yi's ears.

【You have met some of the requirements for the assessment task. 】

【The space will issue some rewards to you. 】

You have earned 8000 points.

Fang Yi clenched the [California Clear Light] in his hand.

Obviously, if you want to get the reward of [Shrinking the Earth] to [Shrinking the Earth·Strengthening].

The injuries he had just caused to Diarmuid were not enough to satisfy the "appetite" of space.

He still needs to defeat some heroes and gain more achievements.

And this servant, who doesn't go crazy unless he sees [Altria], is very suitable.

But the Lancelot before him was as deep and black as the endless darkness and the bottomless abyss. Only in the deep cracks on his mask could he see a pair of eyes that burned like blazing flames.

It seemed as if he had realized his extraordinary strength.

This servant is different from Diarmuid, the weak "soft persimmon".

The opponent's strength and endurance are all A, and his agility has reached A+. After activating [Indestructible Lake Light], his abilities will continue to rise.

He is a rather tricky servant, whose strength is first-rate enough to fight with [Altria] and [Gilgamesh].

Looking at the calm Lancelot, Fang Yi felt that it was time to put in a little more effort to complete the task and hone his swordsmanship skills.

He just took the initiative to disable many skills and traits.

[Then let's see who is stronger, 'White Plate Fang Yi' or a first-class Servant.]

Fang Yi thought so.

　Note:

　　In the middle of the fifth battle, Rider [Medusa] controlled by Kirito Shinji was controlled by [The Book of Treason]
　　As a result, this fairly good servant was instantly killed by the human teacher who had added [Enhanced Magic].

　　But this article is obviously not the case, so Lao Chongzi made a misjudgment.

　　Besides, Kenneth is such a genius in the original work.

　　His three magic furnaces and [magic outfit] are also very abnormal.

　　He is just a "cushion character" who was directly given to Emiya Kiritsugu.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)