This Is My Holy Grail War [191]

Looking outward from here along the River of Swords, all that could be seen was an endless expanse of ocean. Below the surface lay a shattered seabed—scars left behind by multiple Holy Grail Wars, a land reduced to ruin.

It was clear. Undeniable.

It wasn’t just a matter of good eyesight. While Saber was a Servant, she lacked high-ranked [Clairvoyance]. The real reason was that this river was straight as an arrow, offering an unobstructed view. The snowmelt flowing down from the ice fields was bitterly cold yet crystal clear. One could even see the sediment settled at the riverbed and the bulging contours of the land beneath the water.

The Holy Grail system, hidden beneath the river’s surface, had not been eroded by the water. Decades had passed, yet the Greater Grail continued to operate as if untouched by time. Or perhaps… had it been even longer?

A flurry of butterflies danced along the riverbank, coalescing into a graceful, alluring figure walking the banks of hell itself. Withered flowers lined both sides of her path, their decayed petals strewn about. Pools of blood gathered beneath her feet, and a row of stark white bones stretched ahead.

There was not a single trace of green in sight. Desolation extended as far as the eye could see—withered trees, shriveled leaves, pale gray thistles. Even the sun's light could not pierce through the thick, oppressive clouds.

Saber stepped forward with light, deliberate strides, silently making her way west along the river. Her destination remained the Greater Grail.

She could feel the rampant magical energy surging through the ley lines, along with spatial distortions left behind by battles raging in the distance. A faint smirk curled the corner of Saber’s lips—the witch’s sly smile. Amidst this land of bones, she advanced unhurriedly.

The Greater Grail was a fascinating system, both intricate and flawed. The Third Magic had granted the Grail a meaning beyond its original purpose, yet the system itself was riddled with holes. Anyone who studied it carefully could easily exploit its weaknesses—even a modern magus could find ways to take advantage of it. Sometimes, Saber couldn’t help but wonder if the Three Families had designed it this way on purpose, leaving low-level mistakes scattered throughout.

The simplest and most conventional way to activate the Greater Grail was to fill it with Servants’ souls, allowing it to manifest naturally. This required the deaths of most Servants, with the Grail revealing its true form only at the final stage of the ritual. Aside from this method, however, there was another: forced activation.

In Trifas, Saber had encountered the Greater Grail multiple times. Although she had ultimately failed to claim it, that had only been due to a vague misunderstanding of the concept of "victory." Now, she understood completely—victory meant seizing the Grail in her hands or making it function according to her will.

Achieving this didn’t require a desperate struggle against other Servants. Nor was it necessary to fill the Grail entirely with their souls. As long as a certain number of souls were present, the Grail could be used.

Berserker’s soul had long since been devoured by the Greater Grail, but the essence of a single Servant was far from enough. Forced activation required additional energy.

Saber, however, was in no rush—Rider, Caster, and Archer had already entered the battlefield. All she had to do was wait. It didn’t matter who won or lost. In the end, as long as she could grasp the Grail, nothing else was relevant.

In Saber’s eyes, only the Grail mattered. The final victor of this ritual would claim the omnipotent wish-granting device.

She had no need for a wish—only the outcome.

Thus, Saber walked slowly, taking her time. In truth, she was waiting for the other Servants to perish. Their souls would become nourishment for the Grail.

To be honest, the scenery along the River of Swords was far from beautiful. Just yesterday, it had been a breathtakingly picturesque waterway. Now, it had become a hellish Lethe. Nothing thrived beneath the surface. The suffocating aura of death hung thick in the air. The river reflected the sky above, its waters tainted with murky gloom.

Saber gazed at the river, then turned her head slightly—just as a dragon-toothed skeletal soldier suddenly leapt from thin air, plunging into the water. These familiars effortlessly located the Grail’s position for her and began guiding the way.

It was fortunate that the Greater Grail was concealed beneath the river. No one could establish a workshop here, which provided Saber with an opportunity. Many familiars were monitoring the area, but no one would likely realize what she intended to do.

Saber had assumed no one would care. After all, the Grail was still far from manifesting. But just as she was about to dive into the water, she sensed a familiar presence.

“Why are you here?”

It was Victoria’s voice. Her eyes glistened with tears, her face pale and drawn. If Saber had to guess, she would say Victoria had been vomiting just moments ago.

“And what does my presence here have to do with you?” Saber’s tone remained indifferent, but beneath her hood, her gaze had sharpened. Murderous intent lurked in the depths of her eyes—she did not wish to be interrupted.

“The Holy Grail War…”

“What did you say?”

“Is this how far everyone is willing to go for the Holy Grail?” Victoria asked. “Disregarding the lives of the sick, ignoring the order of the city, even sacrificing all the ordinary people—why?”

“This is war. There is no mercy.” Saber answered at a measured pace, showing no urgency. “To reach the Root, to claim the omnipotent wish-granting device, magi are willing to commit any atrocity, no matter how inhumane.”

“You’re just as shocked, aren’t you?” Victoria pressed, her question carrying a sense of inevitability. “Looking at this city.”

“I’ve been through more than one Holy Grail War, and I’ve witnessed more than one so-called apocalypse.” Saber shook her head. Though the scale of destruction this time was grand, she remained unfazed, accustomed to such sights.

In Fuyuki City, she had already seen the end foretold in revelations. The radiance of [Ea] and the dazzling [Excalibur] still burned vividly in her mind. In Trifas, she had watched the [Hanging Garden] plummet, had heard the earth’s mournful cries. Again and again, the land was ravaged by countless Noble Phantasms…

“At first, I thought you were a cruel witch,” Victoria admitted. “I even imagined killing you more than once.” Unknowingly, tears slipped down her cheeks. “But now, you seem… almost gentle.”

She touched the pendant hanging before her chest, her complexion pale and frail, yet tinged with an unhealthy flush.

“Gentle?” Saber repeated. True, she had shown restraint in her actions—but only out of caution, nothing more. If someone called her a witch, she wouldn’t hesitate to nod in agreement. Unlike Medea, Saber had no aversion to the title.

“Yes.” Victoria continued, “You’re here for the Grail, aren’t you? You’ve been fixated on it the whole time, paying no attention to the battle.”

Her words made Saber fall silent.

She wasn’t wrong.

“I want the Grail,” Victoria went on. “Is that allowed?”

“I want to win.” Saber didn’t answer directly, but her meaning was clear.

“But I have no other choice,” Victoria murmured, lowering her head. “I have to obtain the Grail.”

“Why?” Saber was puzzled. “I could lift the curse on you if given enough time. You don’t need the Grail.”

“That doesn’t matter.”

Victoria interrupted her without hesitation.

Saber was taken aback.

To say it didn’t matter, even when death loomed over her from the curse devouring her life… Surviving—wasn’t that important?

Saber had been fighting for that very reason.

“You’re lying.” Saber frowned.

“I’m not!” Victoria suddenly raised her voice. The girl who had initially hesitated to fight now stood her ground without retreating. “I need the Grail’s power—I have to obtain it… so I won’t let you pass!”

As she finished speaking, she summoned her Servant. Assassin revealed himself openly.

“You’re right—I don’t have a wish that requires the Grail, and I could yield it to someone else. But what I desire is the act of taking the Grail itself—the victory it represents.”

The hood draped over Saber’s head began to fade, revealing her pure, youthful face. But then, in the blink of an eye, her height diminished, her hair color changed—once again, she reverted to Artoria, grasping her knightly sword.

The voice that had once carried an intoxicating allure became crisp and resolute as she declared:

“I’m sorry, but if you insist on using the Grail to make a wish, it might jeopardize the outcome itself. And even if something goes wrong, as long as I have the Grail, I can remain in this world all the same."

“So I won’t back down."

“No one will stop me from claiming the Holy Grail.”

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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!