This Is My Holy Grail War [104]

The storm of Noble Phantasms began. Assassin caught sight of the first to approach—a spear streaking through the air. Her [Instincts] warned her that the spear would explode upon impact but remain inert in flight. Ignoring it, she sidestepped gracefully.

Without analyzing the trajectory with [Mind’s Eye (Fake)], Assassin relied on her natural intuition to determine the most efficient movement.

Tilting her head slightly, the spear grazed past her face, close enough that she could feel the surge of magical energy coursing through it.

If only I had a weapon like that, she mused briefly before dismissing the thought.

Ahead, a dense web of Noble Phantasms blocked her path. For most Servants in this Holy Grail War, escaping unscathed from the trap woven by Gilgamesh would have been impossible.

Yet Assassin perceived over a dozen routes through the barrage, each leading her safely forward without touching a single weapon.

No flaw escaped her eyes, no trajectory eluded her instincts.

The glimmer of swords drew closer, followed by the shadow of axes. Assassin spun effortlessly, weaving her way through the deadly storm. In this sea of blades, she danced like a swallow gliding through rain.

The closer she got to Gilgamesh, the fiercer the onslaught became. For the first time, she was forced to raise her longsword, deflecting an incoming halberd.

Her A-rank Strength sent the halberd flying, but the ensuing explosion tore through the air, sending debris scattering like shrapnel. The ground trembled with the force, dust and smoke rising in waves.

“You’ve grown quickly,” Gilgamesh remarked, watching her with faint admiration. “It seems my radiance has been stolen, ever so slightly, by you.”

The King of Heroes smiled, but instead of showing mercy, his praise only made him more serious.

“If you fought alongside me, you could shine even brighter,” he said with a regal confidence, his tone almost tempting.

The intensity of his attacks increased. Golden light blotted out the sky as wave after wave of Noble Phantasms rained down.

Hundreds of weapons were unleashed every second. The tranquil temple of Ryuudouji was obliterated, reduced to rubble. From the outside, it no longer resembled a building—only a battlefield shrouded in smoke and flame.

Assassin, you have to win!

From afar, her Master, Tohsaka Rin, prayed fervently. The last Command Seal on her hand glowed brightly, releasing a surge of mana into Assassin’s body.

With this newfound strength, Assassin’s movements grew faster, her progress accelerating.

Closer… closer…

The golden figure of Gilgamesh grew larger in her vision. She was on the verge of breaking through his defenses. But as her longsword prepared to deflect an incoming war hammer, a chilling image flashed through her mind.

Blood sprayed. Her sword shattered.

Through her instincts, she foresaw her trusted weapon—her companion throughout this war—shattering under the impact of the incoming weapon.

Good. I saw it in time.

Adjusting her stance, Assassin abandoned a direct confrontation, opting for a feint. However, the limited space offered by the barrage of Noble Phantasms left her with few options. She had to pick the optimal angle to deflect the hammer’s trajectory.

The hammer and sword clashed.

CRACK!

Her sword snapped, splintering into pieces, but the hammer’s momentum was diverted.

“Having regrets yet, fool?” Gilgamesh’s tone carried both disdain and curiosity. His anger flared briefly before he tempered it, speaking with an air of finality. “No matter. To see such brilliance on display… this Holy Grail War has been worth it.”

Now wielding only a broken blade, Assassin had to rely on her agility to evade the relentless onslaught. The closer she got to Gilgamesh, the harder it became.

No matter how fast or sharp her movements, there was a limit. Eventually, she had to parry, and her broken weapon could no longer offer reliable defense.

Every Noble Phantasm hurled at her was a masterpiece, a treasure unmatched by mortal forges. Even with her body protected by magical energy, she was nearing her breaking point.

A blade tore through her side. Blood sprayed into the air.

“Are you afraid, Assassin?” Gilgamesh asked coldly, his voice carrying a strange undertone of respect. For the first time, he spoke her name.

“I have no regrets. This is my only choice, isn’t it?” Despite the pain coursing through her, Assassin forced a weak smile, blood trickling from the corner of her lips. She could sense death drawing closer but pressed forward.

Her body, pierced and broken, moved with the resolve of a ghost dragging her foe into the abyss.

Without the [Battle Continuation] skill, her injuries under the guise of Artoria’s form should have rendered her incapacitated. Yet, even as Gilgamesh’s golden sword pierced her, she refused to fall.

Her steps were slower, her mind fogged with pain, but her bloodshot eyes locked onto Gilgamesh with unrelenting determination.

“You have no regrets? Hahaha! I recall you feared death,” Gilgamesh said, almost mockingly. Then, as though declaring a truth, he added, “But now, I see it. You are a hero.”

As he spoke, the heavens shifted. The space around them rippled with raw energy as magical circuits wove themselves into reality. Gilgamesh reached into his treasury and retrieved a weapon—a crimson sword, unlike any other.

“Sing your song, [Ea].”

“The stage is set.”

“Let the world witness your glory.”

For Gilgamesh, drawing [Ea] was the grandest honor he could bestow. To wield it in this duel was the ultimate acknowledgment.

“[Enuma Elish]!”

Crimson light spiraled out from Ea, tearing apart the fabric of space itself. The violent energy rippled through the mountain, leveling the terrain and erasing the remnants of the temple.

The air quaked. The ground crumbled. The world itself seemed on the verge of breaking.

Assassin stood amidst the chaos, her broken body illuminated by the sword’s radiance. Yet there was no fear in her eyes. Her bloodstained lips curled into a faint smile.

“[Avalon: The Everdistant Utopia].”

At her command, the sheath within her body disassembled, breaking into countless shards of light.

The world was severed. [Ea]’s destructive light vanished, leaving only stillness.

[Avalon], the utopia that transcended existence, isolated Assassin from reality. It shielded her from the world’s harm, whisking her into a mysterious realm.

Assassin blinked in confusion, trying to process what had just happened. She had no understanding of the Noble Phantasm that had saved her.

In this new space, she saw a figure—a radiant, androgynous being with white hair and feet resting upon a field of flowers.

Is this… an illusion?

—

This is a fan translation of 这是我的圣杯之战 by 向希望祈祷. All rights to the original work belong to the creator. Please support them by exploring their original work or sharing it with others if you can. Thank you for reading and supporting my efforts to bring this story to a wider audience!