This Is My Holy Grail War [65]

"Quite unexpected," Kuzuki Souichirou murmured, his voice low and detached. It sounded as though the remark wasn’t meant for anyone in particular.

"Tohsaka and Emiya... Not just Matou, but you two are also Masters. Unfortunate fates, even for magi." His tone carried a hint of a sigh, though his face remained as cold and stiff as a chalkboard.

The faint purple mist lingering in the air began to take shape. In response to Kuzuki’s words, the ethereal presence gradually coalesced into a humanoid form.

Butterflies made of mana fluttered gracefully through the air as Caster, the mage from the Age of Gods, revealed herself for the first time before the group.

"I had expected only Saber, but it seems there’s another Servant," Caster said with a calm smile, standing poised in front of Kuzuki. "It seems my plans will require some adjustments..."

The ability [Presence Concealment]—a skill unique to the Assassin class—had allowed Assassin to remain undetected, leaving Caster unprepared for his presence.

"Is anyone out there?" Matou Shinji whispered as he nervously opened the door, only to bump directly into Kuzuki.

Emboldened by his Servant, Shinji had become increasingly brazen. He was about to lash out, but as he recognized who stood before him, his bravado crumbled. Falling to the ground in a heap, he stammered, "You..."

"I was just about to discipline a disobedient student," Kuzuki said, ignoring Shinji’s outburst as he addressed Rin instead. "Even magi must follow the rules while attending this school."

Kuzuki cast a sidelong glance at Shinji, who recoiled sharply as though terrified.

"A student?" Rin paused, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "If you’re so intent on following the rules, then why, as a magus, are you involving others in this war?"

"Involving others?" Kuzuki’s voice betrayed a flicker of surprise, though his expression remained impassive. "What exactly do you mean by that?"

"So you’re unaware that Caster has been secretly draining mana from the townspeople?" Rin said pointedly. "To Caster, humans are nothing more than walking mana batteries—sacrificial pawns."

Even as she spoke, Rin’s sharp eyes darted around, analyzing the surroundings for any potential tactical advantage.

It’s bad… The corridor ahead is a straight line, and Caster’s position blocks any way around.

Without strong magical resistance, sending Assassin in a direct charge would be reckless. It looks like everything depends on Saber, Rin thought grimly.

"In essence, Caster’s actions amount to murder," Rin pressed. "Not just murder—but the slaughter of ordinary, defenseless people."

"I see. I wasn’t aware of Caster’s actions during this time," Kuzuki admitted. "This is the first I’ve heard of her deeds..."

For a brief moment, Rin suspected a rift between Master and Servant. But then Kuzuki continued.

"That said, the deaths of unrelated people are of no concern to me." His tone was unnervingly calm. "I am nothing more than a silent killer, unrelated to the Holy Grail War. If Caster chooses to kill, I bear no responsibility for her actions. Likewise, you have no obligation to show me mercy in this war."

"In other words, you’ll show no mercy and don’t expect any in return?" Rin asked.

"Exactly. The Holy Grail War may be a battlefield devoid of visible smoke, but it is still a war," Kuzuki replied. "On the battlefield, soldiers and commanders alike must prepare themselves for death. Caster, do as you wish. Whether you live or die is up to you."

"Actually, Caster hasn’t killed anyone yet," Assassin interjected.

"Is that so?"

"To be precise, Caster’s all talk," Assassin said nonchalantly.

"What did you say?!" Caster snapped, visibly agitated by Assassin’s remark.

"You’re not thorough enough," Kuzuki said flatly, as if chiding her.

"Hmph. Those people barely survived," Caster huffed, trying to maintain her composure. But her words faltered, betraying her nervousness. "If I went too far, the other Masters would catch on... and that would be... inconvenient."

"Hey... kid," Caster suddenly directed her attention to Shinji. "You saw it too, didn’t you? Two powerful Servants on the opposing side. Neither of us can take them on alone. Interested in forming an alliance?"

"An alliance, Caster? Do you really think it’s necessary to ally with him?" Kuzuki asked.

"Yes, yes. The enemy has two Servants, and one of them is Saber," Caster explained. "So... an alliance with Rider is necessary."

"Matou, do you accept a temporary alliance?" Kuzuki asked, turning to Shinji. "Your Servant should still have some fight left, correct?"

"O-Of course," Shinji stammered before pointing furiously at Rin. "But that woman! That damn woman..." he growled through clenched teeth.

"Kuzuki, even though we’re enemies, I respect your attitude. This is war, after all!" Assassin suddenly laughed, his shadowy form shifting and morphing into Saber’s likeness. Wielding the stolen longsword, he charged forward.

"If you’re participating, then be prepared to die!" Assassin declared, moving with lightning speed toward Caster. His A+ agility rendered Caster unable to react in time. As a mage, her strength lay in spellcraft, not physical combat.

However…

Before Assassin’s blade could reach Caster, Kuzuki Souichirou, an ordinary man by modern standards, intercepted the attack with nothing but his arm.

"You underestimated me, Assassin," Kuzuki said calmly, his tightly clenched fist stopping the blade mid-swing.

"No... This was expected," Assassin replied, raising his gaze to meet Kuzuki’s.

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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!