This Is My Holy Grail War [44]

At last…

Assassin broke through the ranks and reached Rider, who sat astride his warhorse.

There was no longer a need for instinct to guide her path. What she needed now was pure offense.

Her mana reserves were nearly depleted, her body battered with grievous wounds. Death seemed inevitable at any moment, yet Assassin stubbornly switched forms, shedding her usual guise in favor of Berserker’s appearance—not for her own glory, but as an act of defiance.

[Acquired A-rank skill: Protection of the Spirits. ]

[Acquired A(+)-rank skill: Eternal Arms Mastery.]

[Acquired E-rank skill: Magic Resistance.]

[Acquired A-rank skill: Mana Reversal.]

With every ounce of strength she could muster, she leapt high into the air, releasing a guttural roar as her shadowy figure descended on Rider like a storm.

Faced with this ferocious attack, Iskandar, the King of Conquerors, did not act like a king commanding his army. Instead, he met her charge as a warrior on the battlefield. Raising his Cypriot sword, he readied himself for the clash.

The blade’s edge narrowly missed Assassin as she deftly evaded his strike, countering with her own. The longsword she wielded plunged into Rider’s body.

Unlike her earlier defensive counterattacks, this strike flowed with precision and power, landing true.

Blood stained Rider’s armor and cape, dripping steadily to the ground.

Yet, even such a desperate attack failed to kill him. Rider’s A-rank endurance, second only to Lancelot among the Servants of the Holy Grail War, was legendary. Not even Archer’s [Gate of Babylon] had been able to fell him, despite several direct hits. Assassin’s strike, no matter how well-placed, couldn’t achieve a fatal blow.

Assassin left the sword embedded in Rider’s body. She knew her time had run out. Unlike willpower, which could carry her beyond her limits, mana depletion spelled the inevitable extinguishing of her existence.

Gripping the hilt with both hands, she twisted the blade violently, trying to tear through Rider’s body.

Blood spurted out, and Rider retaliated with a crushing blow to her shoulder, his sword coming down like a hammer.

Now, it was a contest of strength and spirit. Unfortunately, Assassin was severely outmatched—not only in mana but in sheer mental fortitude.

“Why didn’t you run?” Assassin gasped. “You could’ve taken your chariot and flown out of reach. Your army—what kind of farce was that?” She coughed, her voice rasping as she forced out a bitter laugh. “It’s like you wanted to leave me an opening. Aren’t you afraid… that I might actually kill you?!”

Through her instinct, Assassin had seen the truth. Rider’s army had left a clear path open to him—a mistake far too obvious for a seasoned commander like Iskandar. It could only have been intentional.

“Haha, I was more afraid that you wouldn’t reach me at all,” Rider replied, blood dripping from his lips. Despite his injuries, he laughed heartily. “Only by allowing this, could I witness your unparalleled brilliance. If I had fled, wouldn’t I be ungracious as a king?”

“You’re a good king… We’ll meet again, someday. You might forget me, but I’ll remember you forever.”

“A soldier’s fate is to die in battle. Though I am a king, I do not escape that fate,” Rider said, his voice resonating as Assassin’s form began to dissipate into black mist.

So this is the fate of an Assassin… she thought as she closed her eyes, her body evaporating into nothingness.

Everything had unfolded right before Waver Velvet’s eyes. Moments earlier, he had been riding on the same horse as Rider.

The sight of Rider’s blood left him paralyzed with fear, his entire body trembling. He was on the verge of fainting when Rider’s firm, reassuring hand landed on his shoulder.

Waver looked up to see Rider removing his crimson cloak, now soaked with his own blood. Though the fiery red was darkened by the stains, the cloak exuded an overwhelming presence that filled Waver with dread.

Yet Rider’s calming presence dispelled his terror. Somehow, being near Rider made him feel safe.

“Take this cloak, boy,” Rider said, his tone oddly light. “If, one day, this king forgets Assassin, remind me—with this bloodstained cloak.”

Even with death so close, Rider behaved as though nothing had happened.

“Understood.” Waver nodded, trembling as he accepted the cloak.

The moment Waver touched it, Rider’s Reality Marble dissipated.

It was as though nothing had ever occurred. The battlefield was gone, leaving behind only the King of Heroes, Archer, still seated and quietly drinking.

“King of Heroes… what do you think of Assassin?” Rider asked.

“Assassin? That woman was nothing more than a thief coveting my treasures—a mongrel.” Archer’s gaze betrayed disdain, but for a fleeting moment, a trace of regret flashed across his face.

Was Archer truly as indifferent as he appeared? A pure soul, one that began the war wearing another’s face, had gradually regained her humanity, even sharing wine with him in her final moments—only to be driven to her death.

“Goldie, you seem angrier about her death than I am,” Rider teased.

Perhaps not even Tokiomi Tohsaka realized that his actions had struck a deep, unhealed wound in Gilgamesh’s heart.

“Silence, mongrel! You dare meddle in my affairs?” Archer snapped, rising abruptly. A golden glow enveloped him as he prepared to leave.

“What will you do now?” Rider pressed, sensing Archer’s frustration.

“What I do is no concern of yours!” Archer retorted, disappearing into the night as a radiant streak of gold.

---

Meanwhile, in a suburban house on the outskirts of Fuyuki City, Caster watched everything unfold through his crystal ball.

He couldn’t see what had transpired within Ionian Hetairoi, but he knew one thing: the saint he loved most was gone forever.

His precious Jeanne d’Arc… His tears, like broken pearls, rolled down his cheeks as anger and grief consumed him.

Excalibur had failed to kill Caster. Before its light enveloped him, Ryuunosuke Uryuu had used a Command Spell to recall him, saving him from certain death.

“What’s wrong, Master?” Ryuunosuke asked nervously. This time, he could sense Caster’s fury.

“I was ready. I prepared everything for you, my masterpiece. Why did you leave me? Jeanne! Jeanne!” Caster’s voice rose to a frenzied roar. “I’ll make this entire city your grave!”

He turned to Ryuunosuke, his eyes gleaming with madness. “We’ll turn this city into a work of art! A funeral for my holy maiden… Jeanne…”

Assassin was gone from the Fourth Holy Grail War in Fuyuki City, but the war was far from over. With only three Servants eliminated, more than half remained to continue their bloody struggle.

This city would face even greater tribulations.

---

In the void of death, memories began to fade.

The once-vivid scenes of battle and dialogue with Heroic Spirits dulled, losing their color and shape.

Desperately, the boy fought to hold onto them. He couldn’t allow these memories to vanish. But no matter how loudly he cried out in his mind, the images slipped away, leaving him adrift in a dark, silent void.

[You have successfully killed Berserker and earned entry into the next Holy Grail War. Now, draw one skill or Noble Phantasm at random.]

The familiar voice of the nameless entity spoke again. The boy no longer felt fear—only hope for a powerful reward that would bring him closer to victory.

[You have obtained the D-rank skill: Oblivion Correction.]

Oblivion Correction? The skill took him by surprise.

[A fine skill. No matter how many times you die, your memories will remain intact. But beware—the obsessions tied to them will cling to you, driving you toward madness, rage, hatred, and vengeance until you succeed.]

As the voice spoke, the boy’s memories solidified. The colors returned. His fading recollections stopped disintegrating.

[Due to the madness of Oblivion Correction, you have gained compatibility with the Berserker class.]

Oddly, he had not gained compatibility with the Avenger class. Perhaps it was because the skill had activated after his death, long after he had forgotten much of what had come before.

Status:

• Strength: C

• Endurance: E

• Agility: A

• Mana: E

• Luck: D

• Noble Phantasm: B

• Skills: A

...

...

...

[As an Assassin-class Servant, you have been summoned by Rin Tohsaka. You have gained the C-rank class skill Presence Concealment, increasing your agility by one rank. Additionally, due to your Master’s aptitude, your Strength increases by one rank, and Mana by two ranks.]

Strength: C → B
Agility: A → A+
Mana: E → C

[Continue forward. Win, and live.]

With that, the conversation ended. Like a program executing its commands, the voice vanished, leaving the boy to tread the path of the Holy Grail once more.

---

T/N: wow... that was honestly great now the author spends an entire chapter talking how about decisions and the story if you want that translated let me know!

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!