This Is My Holy Grail War [106]

This was no ordinary Holy Grail War. The alliance of the seven Masters had fundamentally altered the rules. The Grail summoned an additional seven Servants, transforming the war into a battle royale between two factions: red and black—fourteen Servants in total!

But that wasn’t the end of it. The surviving Servants would eventually have to restart the Grail War, turning former allies into foes in the fight for the omnipotent wish-granting artifact.

These details flowed ceaselessly into his mind. In the darkness, he opened his eyes to a new light.

Summoned by the Master of the Black faction, he was brought into this war as the brightest star of all—the mightiest class, Saber!

Saber could feel the surging magical energy pulsating around him. He wasn’t the only Servant manifesting at this moment; he was one of four. The magic coursing through his body filled every corner with such overwhelming potency that it even surpassed the famed Tohsaka Rin’s reserves.

He understood immediately—no ordinary Master could supply him with such boundless mana. The source had to lie elsewhere.

It’s probably something akin to what happened when Kayneth was a Master, he speculated. The contract must have been altered, redirecting the mana burden to another source.

“With this summons, we are now the Servants of Black,” came the sonorous declaration, as Saber materialized alongside three other Servants.

Servants themselves are self-sustaining magical energy sources, but the presence of these others—so close to him—set Saber on edge. He remained vigilant, particularly wary of his uneasy surroundings.

Dense black mist began to spread, unseen eyes opening within its depths. Saber stood at the forefront of the summoned Servants, locking eyes with a figure seated regally upon a throne—Lancer.

“My king, these are the Servants summoned by our Black Factions Masters!”

The other Servants knelt, bowing their heads in allegiance. All except one. He stood apart, silent, his form like that of a specter, hovering in the air.

Initially, Saber had considered mimicking the others and kneeling as well. But then, Gilgamesh’s voice echoed in his memory: A hero must never lower his head so easily!

So, he remained silent, standing tall, unbent. His gaze pierced through the mist, locking onto the throne where Lancer sat. Behind him, the three other Servants knelt deeply, yet Saber stood proud and unyielding.

There was no hesitation in Saber’s eyes, nor did he feel any pressure from the figure on the throne.

This was already his third Holy Grail War. He had grown accustomed to the unspoken games played among Heroic Spirits. Moreover, Gilgamesh’s words of acknowledgment resonated deeply in his mind, unshaken.

Of the four Servants, only two voices echoed in the vast hall: Berserker was bowed in silence, and Saber stood aloof without uttering a word.

Saber was not adept at seeking out hidden enemies, yet he sensed the presence of six Servants in total. One was missing—likely Assassin, lurking in the shadows. This realization heightened his mistrust of his surroundings.

In this Holy Grail War, victory would first go to the faction, after which the surviving allies would vie for the Grail themselves. Allies today, enemies tomorrow. Saber cast a wary glance around the room, his sharp gaze landing on his own Master.

His Master was a stout, heavyset middle-aged man with a solemn face. Though his appearance didn’t inspire much confidence, Saber sincerely hoped he was dependable.

“All units, attention!”

“Hm?” Following the voice, Saber turned to see a lively female Servant. Her long pink hair flowed behind her, and her petite, adorable face was so cheerful it made one want to pinch her cheeks.

“Let’s introduce ourselves!” she chirped excitedly. “We’re allies now, right?”

“I’ll go first! My name is Astolfo, one of Charlemagne’s Twelve Paladins. I’m currently assigned the Rider class.” She puffed her chest out proudly, even revealing her true name without hesitation.

Charlemagne’s Twelve Paladins? So… he’s a man? Startled, Saber remained silent.

“Hey, you there, in the black mist—what about you?” Rider bounded up, curious, and reached out to touch Saber’s unformed body.

Her hand passed through him without resistance, feeling only a faint chill.

“I have no name,” Saber replied curtly.

“Oh, come on! We’re allies now. Sharing our true names would make cooperation so much smoother! Please, Black Mist-san?” Rider persisted, clearly mistaking Saber’s statement as a refusal to disclose his name.

“Do you really want to know that badly?” Saber’s tone shifted as he prepared to offer an answer that would satisfy.

“Of course!” Rider’s eyes sparkled with anticipation.

“I am merely a faceless Saber, summoned for the Holy Grail War—a Servant with only one goal: victory.”

Saber’s form suddenly shifted, his silhouette dissolving into shadow. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared behind Rider. His speed was startling, catching Rider off guard as he leaned in to whisper in her ear:

“Maybe I’m Astolfo, too?”

“What?! How can you—”

Before Rider could finish her protest, Saber’s appearance changed again, his visage now an exact match of Rider’s. The shock in her eyes was evident.

“I am a faceless Saber, as you can see. I possess no true name, only the title granted to me by my sword. Perhaps the Assassin class would suit me better, for I was once but a nameless killer,” Saber explained with feigned regret.

While Rider stared in disbelief, Saber transformed again. His lack of knowledge about this war’s participants, their Noble Phantasms, and their abilities compelled him to test the waters. Using his Noble Phantasm, he assumed the appearances of every visible Servant, one by one.

His Noble Phantasm required little mana, but the repeated use could have been wasteful. Yet Saber felt no strain—mana continued to pour into him without end. His Master, too, remained unaffected, offering no signs of alarm or protest.

Observing the throne-bound Servant, Saber noted with intrigue that he could not copy a single skill or ability from the regal figure. If he dares sit there so confidently, his power must be immense, Saber deduced. His Noble Phantasm must be extraordinary.

Eventually, Saber settled into the form of Artoria, the King of Knights. In this guise, his power was at its peak due to the abundant mana flowing through him.

With calm composure, Saber prepared to extract intelligence from his surroundings. But then, an unexpected surprise dropped like a gift from the heavens:

[Due to Avalon, your Endurance has significantly increased.]

[Endurance: C → C+++]

The scabbard of [Excalibur], gifted to him by Artoria, remained with him. By channeling mana into it while in the guise of the Knight King, Avalon’s effects could activate.

Saber smiled softly. Perhaps this Holy Grail War would not be as arduous as he initially feared.

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T/N: YES REMEMBER GILS WORDS! Also author had another intermission chapter, let me know if you’re interested in seeing it all translated! (it’s just his thoughts about the story and such and possible story lines he could have gone with its long enough to be a chapter by itself)

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!