[h1][center][b][color=f9da5e]Hero of Patience[/color][/b][/center][/h1]
[sup][center]Latin District, by the River Seine[/center][/sup]
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[i][b][color=f9da5e]"I understand."[/color][/b][/i]

When Rider moved to stop the incoming blade, he would find that his own movements were a tiny bit slower than expected, and although his block was successful, the sword ended up slightly closer to him than he might have been anticipating. That strange slowness, however, disappeared as he completed his defensive maneuver and began attacking.

This, of course, was the effect of Saber's crimson blade. He could clearly see that it had begun to take effect on his opponent, although it seemed that the man he was up against was particularly skilled in "defensive fighting" to the point where the vulnerability he had inflicted was no issue, at least for the moment. Still, the slight downgrade Rider had received only allowed Saber more time to guard against the attack made in response.

The last swing of Sauvagine had been a maneuverable one, in preparation for the broader movements of the spear. Saber clasped both hands onto the hilt swung his sword at the shaft to deflect the thrust, ducking his head in the opposite direction to be doubly sure he wasn't struck. From there, Lancer would likely be a bit surprised to see that while he was backing up to regain the advantage of his reach, Saber was doing the exact same thing. He stopped at a point a few feet beyond the range of the spear, weapon still at the ready.

[b][color=f9da5e]"I'm very impressed! Your dexterity and courage are commendable. Having experienced your abilities, I'm ready to hear you out. Speak up!"[/color][/b]

He didn't particularly trust Rider's Master, who had made light of their duel and tried to seduce him, but he accepted the pair as a single package, and the respect he had for this eastern fighter was enough to erase his misgivings about the magus.

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[sup]Commanding Contact ([@King Cosmos]), Diplomacy Duo ([@Indra][@The World]), and Spectating Shooters ([@Red Alice][@Phonic])[/sup]