A burning city, deserted streets. Lancer, dressed in a kimono, gripped his long staff cautiously as he searched for any possible survivors.
In his mind, no matter how intense the fighting was, even if there were no survivors, there should at least be some evidence of slaughter. What baffled him, however, was that there was absolutely nothing here.
No bodies, not even a drop of blood. It was as if every human in the city had simply vanished into thin air.
"What kind of hellhole is this?"
In a normal setting, he might have gotten a hint, but unfortunately, this was a "Bonus World." Aside from knowing there was a seven-day limit, he had zero clues. At this point, he was even starting to wonder if he'd wandered into a horror movie, if not for his Heroic Spirit Template reminding him that this was supposed to be the world of Fate/Type-Moon.
Lancer hoped to track down the "easiest target," Caster, but he couldn't find a soul, let alone a Servant.
The reason he was carrying a staff instead of his spear was to bait his opponents, hoping to catch them off guard and land a heavy blow when it counted. But he ran into the same wall—he couldn't find an enemy to hit.
Unbeknownst to Lancer, as he was hunting for "prey," the distant roar of an explosion suddenly echoed through the air.
An explosion? Finally!
He wasn't sure if it was the target he wanted, but he decided to check it out anyway. He needed to confirm his suspicions. However, just as he pivoted toward the sound of the blast—
Huh?
A sudden surge of danger spiked in his mind. He instinctively swung his staff, Atiesh, to his side to parry. Then—
Clang!
With a sharp metallic ring, a dull, lusterless dagger was sent flying. But it wasn't over. Almost the exact moment he deflected the blade, a massive hand wrapped in black bandages lunged toward his chest.
Only then did Lancer catch sight of a tall figure wearing a skull mask.
Assassin?!
Lancer never expected to be the one getting ambushed. After all, he was usually the one doing the jumping; he'd rarely been on the receiving end. But he didn't have time to dwell on that. As the hand closed in, Lancer felt his heart race, pounding so hard it felt like it was exceeding the limits of a normal human.
In an instant, he realized who he was dealing with. Unsurprisingly, it was "Cursed Arm." The guy was practically a ghost in the Fate/stay night anime—Lancer remembered not even noticing him the first time he watched it. It wasn't until he played the game that he discovered this "True Assassin" lurking in the shadows.
The guy's Noble Phantasm was that terrifying right arm—Zabaniya, the "Delusional Heartbeat"—which could snatch an enemy's heart in an instant. Even though it was an Anti-Unit Noble Phantasm, it was essentially a one-hit kill.
Without hesitation, Lancer threw his free right arm out to meet the attack. It was only then that the red "bandages" hidden beneath his kimono sleeve became visible.
Holy Shroud: Alucard – The Vampire's Salvation.
While it wasn't officially recognized as a Noble Phantasm, it functioned as default defensive gear, much like Archer shroud or Saber armor. And the primary function of Lancer shroud was simple: blocking curses!
As their arms collided, a sharp jolt of pain shot through Lancer limb, but the terrifying palpitations that had seized his heart finally vanished.
True, Assassin's Noble Phantasm was horrifying, but it was far from perfect. There were plenty of ways to counter it. Besides using special items like Lancer shroud, the simplest way was to have high enough Magic Resistance or Mana to tank it, or high Luck to dodge it entirely. And of course, there were those who could keep fighting even with a crushed heart—since a "heart" isn't always a definitive fatal point for a Servant.
Assassin didn't seem to expect his Noble Phantasm to fail so instantly. But you don't become the "Hassan" of your generation by spacing out in the middle of a fight. The moment he realized his attack had flopped, he yanked his arm back and flicked his left hand.
Several more black daggers flew toward Lancer, but he wasn't going to fall for the same trick twice.
He slammed his staff into the ground.
Clink! Clink! Clink!
A massive spike of ice erupted from the earth in front of him. The three daggers embedded themselves in the ice instantly but failed to pierce through. Assassin excelled at ambushes, not head-on combat; he had power, but not enough to shatter Lancer defense on such short notice.
Now that he had an opening, Lancer wasn't about to let him go. He could tell this guy's Agility was insane—a normal person wouldn't even be able to track his movements. Therefore—
"Kamaitachi! Bind him!"
At Lancer command, several whirlwinds whipped up behind him and tore toward Cursed Arm. They didn't just rush in blindly; they fanned out to surround him. Only when the winds closed in did they show their teeth.
Hidden within the gusts were several Kamaitachi. Their razor-sharp claws could shred a traveler's clothes in a heartbeat—and their bodies just as easily. These were merely "duplicates" recreated from Lancer mana, not the actual yokai he knew, which was exactly why he felt fine using them as disposable assets.
He chose them for their speed, knowing they wouldn't hold the enemy for long. Lancer goal was simple: buy time!
As he swung his staff, a long string of Runes began to manifest on the ground.
Lancer didn't expect the Kamaitachi to actually win. To his surprise, however, the enemy suddenly chanted a strange incantation. Lancer couldn't understand a word of it, but he saw a terrifying shadow flicker behind Assassin for a split second. That monstrous presence swept its hand, and the Kamaitachi surrounding him were instantly crushed back into pure mana.
Cursed Arm didn't hesitate, lunging straight for Lancer. This time, the bandages on his right arm were completely gone, revealing a hideous, otherworldly limb. But in that moment, he noticed the "Mage" in front of him was smiling.
Pshhh!!!
With a look of pure disbelief, Assassin looked down at the blood-red spear impaling his chest.
The man who had stolen countless hearts had, this time, been struck through his own.
But it didn't end there.
"Delusional—"
BOOM!!!
Terrifying flames erupted from the red spear and the enemy's chest, instantly engulfing him in orange-red fire.
"AAAAAAGH!!"
With a final wail, the enemy's body slowly dissolved into mana and drifted into the air. But before he vanished completely, Lancer caught his final words.
"Be... careful..."
Before he could finish, he was gone.