This Is My Holy Grail War [142]

Saber ultimately stayed her blade. She could sense the priest’s sincerity. This Ruler raised both hands, stepping toward her unarmed and unguarded.

“My true name is Amakusa Shirou Tokisada, and my class is Ruler. You may call me Amakusa,” he said through gritted teeth.

The searing heat of the molten ground had already melted away Amakusa’s shoes, leaving him to walk barefoot across the fiery terrain. If not for his Servant body, the flames would have reduced him to ashes. Even so, Saber could detect the scent of charred flesh.

The pain must have been unbearable, yet Amakusa advanced step by step, carrying a resolve as steadfast as if he were walking to his death.

“Why?” Saber asked, her tone calm but laced with curiosity. A single stroke of her sword could have ended him, but her goal wasn’t to kill—it was to win. “Aren’t you afraid of dying?” she tilted her head slightly.

“If death is all it is, then one should face it with a smile,” Amakusa stopped just within arm’s reach of her, lifting his hands higher to appear even less threatening. “However, I have a wish that compels me to live.”

The sacred radiance of [Durandal]’s edge glimmered with a prismatic glow, the sword seemingly hungering to strike. At that moment, Amakusa was like a sacrificial lamb, tempting Saber to cut him down.

“You live for your wish?” Saber paused, her voice tinged with intrigue. His existence stood in stark contrast to her own.

“Yes,” Amakusa replied simply. “And I’d like to invite you to join me.”

“The Red Faction?”

He nodded. “I need the Holy Grail. And I need your strength.”

“What drives you to such a decision?” Saber raised [Durandal], its edge now resting lightly against Amakusa’s neck. Karna, observing the scene, made to intervene, but Amakusa stopped him with a subtle gesture.

“Why are you so desperate to obtain the Grail?” Saber asked, her tone sharp.

“I want to save all of humanity.”

“You can’t.” Saber’s retort was immediate. “The Greater Grail may hold the power to grant any wish, but it’s still just a source of magical energy. If you want results, you must also define the process for the Grail.”

“What if I’ve already found that process?”

“Then it’s meaningless. Sorry, but I can’t join you.” Saber’s words carried finality. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to defect—she simply didn’t see the opportunity for it.

“You didn’t strike me down, which means there’s still room for negotiation,” Amakusa noted, seizing upon Saber’s hesitation. “If you have any doubts, speak freely. Here in this garden, your Master cannot interfere with you.”

“You must know every Master has three Command Spells that can compel their Servant to obey,” Saber explained. “I have no way to resist my Master’s orders.”

“That won’t be a problem. I can help you with that.” Amakusa’s confident tone made Saber frown. His words rang with an unsettling certainty.

“You’ve felt it, haven’t you? The severed connection to your Master,” Amakusa continued, pointing out the unique conditions of their battlefield. “This Hanging Gardens is the Noble Phantasm of Semiramis. Here, you can speak freely with me. Even the Command Spells are suppressed. No matter what your Master does, they cannot control you here.”

“You’re right,” Saber admitted, her eyes narrowing. She had attempted multiple times to contact her Master, only to find all communication blocked. “But tell me—what exactly is your wish? And who is your Master? What is their desire?”

“I have no Master,” Amakusa declared.

“You’re lying.”

“I’m not,” Amakusa insisted. “I am a remnant from the previous Holy Grail War, granted physical form. I have no need of a Master.”

Saber scrutinized him carefully but found no deceit. She knew such a claim couldn’t be fabricated—it could only come from experience.

“Go on,” Saber urged. Her voice carried a note of skepticism, but it was clear she was intrigued. “Tell me how you intend to realize your wish.”

“I plan to use the Third Magic to save humanity.”

The words struck Saber like a thunderclap. Materialization of the soul—the Heaven’s Feel. Amakusa’s plan became clear. He intended to elevate the souls of all humanity into an immortal, undying state.

The thought stirred something deep within Saber. Death was terrifying—she knew that fear intimately, having experienced it firsthand. A world where no one aged or died? It sounded… ideal.

Saber didn’t reject the concept outright. It was a noble cause, and Amakusa’s logic held no obvious flaws. She found herself lost in thought, her gaze wandering.

Even if the Black Faction emerged victorious, Saber doubted her side could truly claim the Grail. The Red Faction’s Servants were formidable. Among her allies, there was no one capable of countering Karna’s [Vasavi Shakti]. Likewise, Saber knew she couldn’t overcome Vlad III—his abilities clashed directly with hers in a way she couldn’t overcome.

If she joined the Red Faction, however, Enkidu would fight as her ally. Without reservations, she could count on someone as powerful as Gilgamesh. And then there was the Red Saber, Mordred…

“Don’t worry,” Amakusa pressed, sensing her wavering resolve. “Even if you betray your Master, no one will know. They’ll assume you fell here, that you died in battle.”

Betray her Master? Saber’s thoughts drifted to Gordes, his image flashing in her mind like the final straw breaking a fragile balance. Without hesitation, Saber extended her hand to Amakusa, sealing her decision.

“I agree,” she said firmly. Amakusa’s demeanor reminded her of Kiritsugu Emiya—relentless in pursuit of victory. It was a mindset she trusted.

“As long as you remain committed to victory, I will always be your blade.”

“I will,” Amakusa replied without hesitation, though the scent of sweat betrayed his tension.

Their hands clasped firmly, and with that, a new contract began. The bond with Gordes dissolved, fading away, as Saber became a Servant of the Red Faction.

—

T/N: Gordes would be my last straw too

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!