This Is My Holy Grail War [179]

Saber’s workshop had been ambushed.

The message from the temple sent a chill through her heart. Who would be reckless enough to attack in broad daylight?

By the time she arrived, she could already sense Berserker’s presence. It’s him… of course. Only a madman like Berserker would dare something this bold.

She had deliberately left her Master behind while searching for the Greater Grail—because of Assassin. There was no way she would expose her blind Master to the blade of a hidden killer. The best option had been to keep him hidden within the workshop, where he would be safest.

But Berserker had stormed in, forcing Saber to intercept him. She had fought to protect her Master, confident in her own strength.

Yet she had not expected what came next.

Berserker had placed a curse on her Master.

An inescapable question—a command that William was forced to answer. A Noble Phantasm. Saber recognized it instantly.

She had always taken pride in her magecraft, a power inherited from the Age of Gods. To protect William, she had placed a talisman on him—one that enhanced his luck and granted resistance to most curses.

But Berserker’s curse had torn through that protection as if it were nothing. Worse still, she could sense traces of divinity within the madness that fueled his spell.

The curse had reduced her Master to a bloody wreck in an instant. When Saber examined William’s body, she realized the truth—this was not just a physical wound. The curse had ravaged his very soul.

The name "Nine-Thousand-Year Duke" burned itself into her mind.

Now she knew Berserker’s true identity.

A name that had terrified Ming Dynasty scholars. A eunuch who had wielded absolute power. The grand chamberlain who had ruled from the shadows.

Even if she had been decapitated, as long as her consciousness remained, Saber could have reattached her head.

But this curse—this curse had shattered her Master’s soul.

Saber knew that pain.

The agony of a soul being torn apart was beyond anything the flesh could endure.

Yet William had not lost consciousness.

After his first scream, he had gone silent.

And then—when he finally spoke—his first words had been an apology.

"I’m sorry… I dragged you into this."

His voice was frail, yet sincere. He apologized as if his blindness—his inability to see the path ahead—had been the cause of this disaster.

No… if anything, I was the one who failed you. If you could see, none of this would have happened.

"No… if anyone should apologize, it’s me."

Saber hesitated, then reached out and gently brushed her fingers over William’s closed eyes.

For the first time, light returned to them.

To modern magi, a hereditary curse was nearly impossible to cure. But to Saber, it was nothing more than an inconvenience.

To raise the dead and mend flesh and bone—such miracles were trivial to her kind.

"I could have healed your eyes from the very beginning. I’m sorry."

Her voice was filled with regret.

"I was afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

The unbearable pain had failed to draw a cry from him. It was impossible to imagine what kind of suffering this blind man had endured before.

Even a Servant’s Noble Phantasm had been unable to break his will.

His face was beyond recognition, his body decaying with every second.

"I was afraid you would give up on the Holy Grail."

She answered.

"Forgive me. Your wounds are too severe—I can’t save you."

"It’s okay."

William reached out weakly, his fingers brushing against Saber’s face.

"I’ve already seen enough."

A soft whisper.

"You’re even more beautiful than I imagined."

Saber invoked [High-Speed Divine Words], trying to counter Berserker’s curse.

But the Noble Phantasm was too powerful.

Even magecraft from the Age of Gods could not break it.

"Struggle all you like—it’s useless."

Berserker sneered.

"If I say he dies before dawn, then only His Majesty himself could grant him another night. Not even the King of Hell could save him!"

Saber clenched her fists tightly.

Her magic had not been entirely ineffective.

She had slowed William’s inevitable death.

But that only meant prolonging his suffering.

"Why don’t you use a [Command Spell]?!"

Saber demanded.

"I… don’t know how."

William forced his eyes open, his voice barely above a whisper.

Hearing that, Saber’s face flushed red. She quickly explained,

"Just invoke it in my name. Any command you give will be absolute. No matter where I am, I will obey it immediately."

"Is that how it works?"

William slowly lifted his trembling hand. His face was drenched in crimson, but his lips—deathly pale—quivered as he spoke.

"By the power of the [Command Spell]…"

"That’s right." Saber nodded.

"I command you, Saber—win."

With the last of his strength, he shouted.

One of the marks on his hand vanished in an instant.

A surge of energy filled Saber’s body.

"Idiot! A vague order like that—"

She growled, frustrated.

"The more unclear the command, the weaker its effect!"

"Then I’ll say it again."

Even as his muscles spasmed from pain, he forced a smile.

It was twisted and grotesque, barely resembling a real smile at all—

But Saber could feel his sincerity.

"By the power of the [Command Spell], Saber—you must win."

"By the power of the [Command Spell], Saber—you must win!"

As the words left his lips, William closed his eyes.

He had no strength left for unnecessary words.

At the moment of his death, he had exhausted every single one of his [Command Spells].

And if he had possessed a fourth, he would have used it, too.

Saber gently laid William’s body down.

Her hand passed over his lifeless eyes, closing them.

Then—

She stood.

"I will win."

This was her domain.

Even without a Master, she would not fall so easily.

Though her dwindling mana left her at a disadvantage—

She only needed to kill one Servant.

And the target was obvious.

Berserker.

Kill.

Kill.

Kill.

【Strength: B → A】

【Your actions align with the Command Spell. As a result, your Strength has further increased in this Holy Grail War.】

【Strength: A → A+】

With the release of her magical energy, even a dragon would be nothing more than a toy before her.

"Aaaahhh!!"

The moment [Durandal]’s blade lifted, a violent storm of battle energy erupted skyward.

She slammed it down—

The concrete shattered like paper beneath her feet.

Boom!

A massive explosion swept through the battlefield.

Saber surged forward, a storm of fury incarnate—

Fangs bared, she lunged at Berserker.

His minions scrambled to intercept her, but she tore through them like a raging tempest—shattering them into chunks, into fragments, into dust.

Splurt!

Fresh blood stained [Durandal]’s blade.

No finesse.

Pure, unrelenting force tore through Berserker’s defenses.

The sacred sword impaled him through the chest, shattering his Spirit Core.

"Hahaha! The scholar is dead! Dead! His Majesty will forgive me now!"

Berserker’s laughter rang out, mocking Saber’s failure.

"All scholars deserve to die!"

Swoosh—!

Durandal sliced clean through his Spirit Core.

The next moment, she swung again.

And decapitated him in a single stroke.

The temple still stood.

Even with her Master gone, this land remained Saber’s domain.

She could sense more enemies approaching.

Tonight would be long.

And without a Master—Saber would have to face an even greater battle ahead.

【Mana: D → C】

【Your actions align with the Command Spell. As a result, your Mana has further increased in this Holy Grail War.】

【Mana: C → B】

"Hah. I see…"

She chuckled bitterly, finally understanding the true power of the [Command Spell].

Saber gazed up at the sky, almost absentmindedly pulling out a cigarette. It was something Mordred had given her during the last Holy Grail War.

Saber needed to steady herself.

Mordred had once told her, "This stuff helps you calm down."

And right now—she needed to be calm.

Because spellcasting required absolute focus.

Even divine words were no exception.

"Strength of the dragon, grace of the cat…"

She chanted, invoking magecraft, but her mind never ceased calculating.

Without a Master, she was like water without a source—at her weakest.

The best course of action would be to flee and find a new Master.

But Assassin was still nearby, and his Master would never order him to help her. Saber had threatened Victoria more than once, though the talisman she had given the girl kept her in check—for now.

And if Berserker had been here, that meant Caster was present as well.

That meant she was likely facing three enemy Servants.

At the very least—two.

"Hahaha!"

The swordswoman threw back her head and laughed, utterly unfazed.

"Come! Come! Let the storm rage even fiercer!"

Bathed in bloodlust, she was no longer just a knight.

She was a tyrant—one who had crawled straight out of the depths of hell.

Slowly, Saber crouched down, reaching for the book lying on the ground.

William’s book.

An ordinary, unassuming tome with no trace of magical energy.

The only thing special about it—

Was the blood staining its pages.

Her Master's blood.

---

T/N: FUCKL FUCK FUCKFUFKTIYC FUCKL

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!