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Inside the cramped confines of the Hummer, Maiya Hisau, her gaze fixed on the rearview mirror, watched Kirei Kotomine's approaching motorcycle, her hand never leaving the Colt pistol pressed against Kayneth's temple.
Kayneth's face was slick with sweat, his body tense. Anyone with a gun pointed at their head would be terrified.
He instinctively tried to lean away from the pistol's barrel.
"Stay still," Maiya said, her voice cold, a sharp rap of the pistol's butt against Kayneth's forehead punctuating her words.
Kayneth winced, his face contorting in pain.
Lancelot, who had been in his ethereal form within the vehicle, materialized instantly, his hand flashing out, striking Maiya's neck with a swift chop.
Maiya's eyes rolled back in her head, and she slumped against the seat, unconscious.
Lancelot gently lowered her body, ensuring she was comfortable, his movements silent and efficient.
Kayneth's eyes widened, and he was about to scream when Lancelot's hand clamped over his mouth, muffling the sound.
"Don't worry. I'm here to help," Lancelot's voice, deep and reassuring, echoed in Kayneth's ear.
Kayneth's eyes, filled with a desperate hope, met Lancelot's.
Lancelot glanced out the window.
Kiritsugu, his attention focused on Saber, who had just appeared, hadn't noticed the commotion inside the jeep.
Lancelot turned his attention to the device strapped to Kayneth's waist—the bomb. This was the reason Diarmuid hadn't joined him, the biggest obstacle to rescuing Kayneth.
Created by Kiritsugu Emiya, the explosives expert, it was a Laden No. 3—named, according to Kiritsugu, after his explosives instructor—a device that would detonate 0.02 seconds after being detached, its blast radius encompassing five hundred meters.
The short detonation time and the wide blast radius made it exceptionally dangerous.
Lancelot's expression, hidden beneath his helmet, was grim.
He placed his hand on the bomb, activating [Knight of Owner: A Knight Does Not Die with Empty Hands]—imbuing the device with his power.
The bomb, now shrouded in a black aura, pulsed faintly.
Lancelot sighed in relief. Knight of Owner granted any object he deemed a "weapon" the properties of a D-rank Noble Phantasm, allowing him to control it.
And while he wasn't sure if his subconscious considered a modern explosive device a "weapon," it seemed to have worked.
He extended the detonation timer to three seconds, ripped the bomb from Kayneth's waist, and hurled it towards the nearby forest.
BOOOOOOOOMM!
A fiery explosion, a flash of orange light against the night sky, rocked the area, the shockwave sending debris raining down.
"What was that?!" The explosion and the sound of a car door being kicked open startled Kiritsugu. His instincts, honed through years of combat, made him hit the ground, avoiding the shrapnel.
Kirei, nearby, also dove for cover.
As the explosion echoed through the forest, Lancelot, Kayneth tucked under his arm, leaped from the jeep. He was about to head towards the nearest gas station, a place to safely—deposit Kayneth, when he saw her—Saber, standing in the road.
He hurried towards her, gently placing Kayneth on the ground before kneeling, his head bowed in a knightly salute.
"My king. Your unworthy servant, Lancelot, greets you."
"Lancelot..." Saber's voice was soft, a hint of sadness in it as she looked at the knight, his demeanor as respectful as ever.
"Lancelot," Kiritsugu, still on the ground beside the Hummer, his brow furrowed as he watched Lancelot's display of loyalty.
He cursed silently.
He hadn't expected Lancelot, the knight who'd betrayed King Arthur, to still hold such reverence for her.
He'd hoped to use Lancelot against Saber, to buy himself time to escape. But now, it seemed, he'd have to use a Command Spell.
"Is that Kayneth? Did you cause that explosion to rescue him?" Kirei, having gotten to his feet, looked at Kayneth, lying beside Lancelot, his voice filled with confusion.
Kayneth, with Diarmuid dead, was no longer useful. Why had Lancelot gone to such lengths to save him?
"It was my friend Diarmuid's dying wish," Lancelot replied, his gaze fixed on Kayneth.
Kirei nodded, remembering Hassan's report of the two knights' conversation earlier—a bond of friendship forged in the heat of battle.
Kayneth's eyes widened. He'd been suspicious of Diarmuid, distrustful of the knight's past betrayals. And yet, his final act had been to save Kayneth's life.
He thought of Diarmuid's wish, to serve a worthy king, and his own petty suspicions. Shame washed over him.
Saber, her gaze softening, looked at the kneeling knight. "Rise, Sir Lancelot."
Lancelot, his face hidden beneath his helmet, felt a pang of guilt. Saber's kindness, her unwavering faith in him, only amplified his shame, the memory of his betrayal—his love for Guinevere, which had led to the fall of Camelot—a heavy weight on his heart.
He remained kneeling, his head bowed, believing himself unworthy of her forgiveness.
An awkward silence hung in the air as Saber, her hand outstretched, looked at the kneeling knight, her expression unreadable.
Then, Kiritsugu Emiya's cold voice broke the silence.
"By my Command Spell, I order you, Lancelot, attack Saber. Kill her."
Lancelot's body stiffened as the power of the Command Spell surged through him. His low Magic Resistance meant the command's effect was—significant. He reached for his sword, then, with a surge of willpower, resisted.
"Kiritsugu Emiya!" Saber's voice was a roar, her eyes blazing with fury as she turned towards the Magus Killer. For a knight, being forced to betray their king—it was the ultimate humiliation.
Kiritsugu's face paled—not because of Saber's anger, but because Lancelot had resisted the Command Spell. A Servant defying an absolute order—with their already strained relationship—this wasn't good.
But his immediate concern was Saber's wrath.
"By my Command Spell, I order you, Lancelot: kill Saber."
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