This Is My Holy Grail War [134]

The charging Rider smashed into the castle with devastating force, shattering the barriers and destroying the gates. His laughter echoed as he stormed in, exhilarated by the sheer chaos of battle.

Shrouded in his godlike invulnerability, he moved at supersonic speed, tearing through the castle as if his body were a battering ram. No barrier, no wall—be it stone or magic—could withstand his unrelenting assault.

“Well, well, Saber of Black. Waiting here just for me?” Rider of Red—Achilles—halted his rampage in the grand hall beneath the throne room, having bypassed every layer of defense.

“Ah, another glorious battle,” Achilles said, brushing his hair back with a casual flair and resting his spear on his shoulder. His devil-may-care attitude made his excitement almost palpable. “I came prepared this time. Just you and me now.”

In their last encounter, Achilles had suffered heavily, overwhelmed by sheer numbers in enemy territory. But now, with his allies engaged elsewhere, he had taken matters into his own hands. Drawn by Saber’s presence—and perhaps a desire for vengeance—he had charged headlong into the heart of enemy territory.

“Dismiss the homunculi and puppets. They’re pointless here,” Saber said calmly from the center of the hall, issuing a command to her Caster ally.

While the order reached Caster through their magical link, Achilles overheard it as well.

“Very good, Saber. Very good!” Achilles smirked, though his words carried a biting edge. “Abandoning your allies’ support so boldly—are you mocking me?”

“No. It’s simply that Caster can’t help here,” Saber replied bluntly.

“Those useless dolls, huh?” Achilles sneered. “Nothing but an eyesore!” He took a step forward.

The moment his words fell, Saber’s instincts screamed in warning. A flash of green light streaked toward her—Achilles moving at unimaginable speed. She barely had time to process the movement, let alone see his face.

Move! Right!

Reacting instantly, Saber leapt to her right. The ground she had stood on shattered a heartbeat later.

“Ah, dodged it? You’ve got some sharp instincts,” Achilles remarked, clicking his tongue as his foot smashed into the floor. “Don’t worry—it’s not a sneak attack. This is a fair fight.” He wagged his finger at her.

Despite her A-rank agility, Saber found herself struggling. Achilles’ speed was so extreme that even tracking him required relying entirely on her [Instincts] and combat experience.

Taking a deep breath, she focused intently. One mistake would mean catastrophe. She adjusted her footing, aiming to maximize her mobility.

She had already deduced Achilles’ combat style—he used his speed as his weapon, turning his entire body into a lethal projectile. His invulnerable skin rendered him impervious to most attacks, save for a single weak point: his heel.

The room darkened as the destruction wrought by Achilles left much of the lighting in ruins. In the dim, tense atmosphere, Saber could hear the faint sound of his footsteps shifting.

Left!

This time, she stood her ground, pouring magical energy into her arm.

[Durandal]’s blade ignited with a brilliant blue light, its edge crackling with power. With a battle cry, Saber unleashed a full-force strike, intending to test the limits of Achilles’ Noble Phantasm.

CLANG!

[Durandal] clashed directly with Achilles’ charge, the impact echoing like a bell. The sound wasn’t that of flesh being pierced but of two indomitable forces colliding.

Achilles was knocked back, his body flung like a ball struck by a bat. Yet despite the ferocity of the blow, he landed unharmed.

Saber flexed her wrist, feeling the sting from the recoil. Her own durability, bolstered by her Saber class, prevented severe damage, but the feedback from the strike had left her arm trembling.

Dusting himself off, Achilles stood from the rubble.

“Not bad. You’re good at reading my moves. Just like my sis said—there’s no attack you can’t anticipate,” Achilles said with a grin. “But so what? You still can’t hurt me.”

Before Saber could respond, he added, “Go ahead. Transform into Heracles if you want. Maybe then you’d have a slim chance.” His tone was taunting, but his eyes betrayed genuine excitement.

“Leave. I don’t want to kill you,” Saber said earnestly. Her goal wasn’t to waste resources in futile clashes. With Gordes as her Master, her chances of victory were slim. Winning this skirmish was just a prelude—there would be another battle against allies for the Grail itself.

Saber preferred to conserve her strength, avoiding unnecessary eliminations. She saw Achilles as a potential future ally, someone who might stand with her if the situation changed.

But Achilles interpreted her words as an insult. “Oh, you’ve really done it now—you’ve pissed me off!”

He surged forward again, his movements a blur. This time, he didn’t charge directly but began circling her at incredible speed.

“Let’s see who’s faster—your reaction or my speed!” Achilles shouted. His voice rang with confidence, his strategy seemingly simple but effective.

Yet Saber didn’t need to match Achilles’ speed. She wasn’t just a swordswoman—she was a mage trained in the arcane arts by Chiron himself.

Channeling the power of her C-rank [High-Speed Divine Words], Saber whispered an incantation. As Achilles continued to circle her, she invoked her magic.

The throne room shimmered, transformed by the creation of a new bounded field. Saber’s workshop became her temple, the heart of her power.

As Achilles darted around her, confident in his invincibility, Saber vanished from sight.

“What?!” Achilles exclaimed, caught off guard.

Saber reappeared behind him, her voice low and resolute. “Your heel is mine.”

[Durandal] sliced through the air with unerring precision, striking Achilles’ weak spot. Blood sprayed as the legendary hero staggered.

A swordswoman who wields magic—an opponent far more dangerous than either alone.

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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!