This Is My Holy Grail War [78]

When Assassin had been summoned by Tohsaka Rin in the Assassin class, she had wondered just what kind of twists fate had woven into this world.

Despite exchanging information with Rin, she remained confused. Some details in her memory aligned with this reality, while others contradicted it entirely.

Now, she only needed to gauge Kotomine Kirei’s reactions to determine whether this world was the one she had existed in or a parallel version—or something else entirely.

Though curiosity tugged at her, she wasn’t about to prioritize it over more pressing matters. Assassin silently followed Kuzuki Souichirou until Kirei issued an ultimatum:

“Hand over your Command Spells and leave this city,” Kirei demanded, his sharp gaze unwavering. “I won’t allow a murderer like you to remain here and cause further harm.”

As he spoke, delicate snowflakes began to fall from the sky. It might have been the last snowfall of the year, and yet the chill spreading with the snow’s descent was anything but gentle. On the deserted streets, the pure white crystals melted as soon as they touched the ground.

“I have no Command Spells to give you,” Kuzuki replied, his tone cold and even. He paused deliberately before adding, “I’m not a magus, nor was I chosen for the Holy Grail War. Naturally, I have no Command Spells to offer.” He raised his hands, revealing his bare, unmarked palms.

“Then abandon the Holy Grail,” Kirei sighed, though his voice carried a weight of warning. “It’s no treasure. Those who pursue it invite endless calamity.”

“I never joined this war for the Grail,” Kuzuki answered firmly. “I won’t interfere with Caster’s ambitions for the Holy Grail, nor will I oppose her pursuit of it. But since I was chosen by Caster as her Master, I will fulfill my responsibilities as one.”

“This Holy Grail War…” Kirei’s expression darkened. “It’s not some traditional magecraft competition. It’s a war—brutal and bloody. If you truly want to fulfill your duties as a Master, be prepared to die in battle.”

“There’s no room for naïveté in war,” Kuzuki said calmly.

“Then let the war begin,” Kirei replied, his hands clasped behind his back, his demeanor suddenly relaxed. “Lancer, kill him.”

“Tch, as usual,” Lancer materialized with a sigh, his tone tinged with annoyance as he lazily twirled his crimson spear. “Always giving me the dirty work, huh? Cleaning up after you is such a pain.

“Well, nothing personal,” Lancer said as he stepped toward Kuzuki. “Orders are orders.”

“Caster?” Kuzuki murmured under his breath, barely audible. Assassin understood immediately—he was confirming whether she was present.

“Master Kuzuki, leave Lancer to me.” Assassin revealed herself, adopting Caster’s appearance as she began to chant an incantation.

With a flick of her hand, a black, blue-trimmed grimoire appeared, floating in midair.

The book opened on its own, its pages turning to reveal the battle spells it contained. Though Assassin hadn’t had time to study them before, her mimicry of Medea had also copied the skills of the legendary magus.

Her flowing blue robes billowed around her as she took to the air like a bat taking flight.

Three magic circles formed in the air, their shapes pulsating with energy. Unlike Caster, however, Assassin lacked the vast reserves of mana needed to summon a deluge of projectiles.

The grimoire continued to turn its pages as Assassin read the incantations, her voice weaving [High-Speed Divine Words] to activate the spells.

She fired her first magic blast. It wasn’t perfect—the action felt unfamiliar and clumsy in execution. Even though Lancer was close enough to be an easy target, the blast missed, landing just short of him in a ground-shaking explosion.

The deafening roar shattered the campus’s eerie silence, its echo rolling across the empty schoolyard.

Still, the attack served its purpose: it halted Lancer’s advance toward Kuzuki. Assassin had no intention of letting her Master’s Master fall. Such a failure would betray Caster’s trust in her.

But her gaze kept returning to Lancer’s crimson spear, its presence oppressive and unnerving. She had felt a similar discomfort when facing Diarmuid’s red rose spear, but it paled in comparison to the aura of Lancer’s [Gáe Bolg].

“Well, well, Caster. We meet again,” Lancer greeted her casually, his tone almost neighborly. “I got caught up last time thanks to that dark figure. Not that I minded him much, but it’s time to settle things properly.”

Assassin descended from the sky, her movements graceful as snowflakes fell alongside her. She had no choice but to land; unlike her, Lancer couldn’t fly. If he became angry, she would have to contend with the devastating power of his cursed spear.

To avoid forcing him to resort to his Noble Phantasm, Assassin deliberately left an opening, enticing Lancer to engage her through conventional means.

“Go deal with Caster,” Kirei instructed Lancer.

“A Servant against a Servant, and a Master against a Master, huh? Interesting, interesting,” Lancer remarked, mildly surprised. “I thought you’d be the type to hide in the shadows.”

With those words, Lancer charged. His speed was breathtaking—a streak of blue lightning, a shooting star tearing through the night.

Assassin’s grimoire flipped its pages rapidly, and she unleashed a barrage of magic blasts.

The violet beams crackled with energy, resembling crystalline pillars forged from lightning, each one hurtling toward Lancer. Yet even as Assassin fired spell after spell, aiming carefully while reading the incantations, her attacks failed to connect.

Lancer dodged effortlessly, weaving through the magical onslaught without breaking stride.

“Caster, your aim could use some work!” Lancer taunted, his voice ringing with mockery as he closed the distance between them.

Before Assassin could react, Lancer was already upon her—so close that even aiming was no longer necessary. The spear’s crimson tip gleamed menacingly, its deadly intent palpable.

—

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!