This Is My Holy Grail War

In a sense, Lancer wasn't entirely wrong. He had guessed correctly—but only about Assassin's Noble Phantasm.

Now, could she deny the name of Lancelot?

Forgive Assassin, but she couldn't. There wasn't another figure more fitting to this situation: a cross-dressing knight, a close companion of King Arthur, and one able to fool even Artoria herself.

Gritting her teeth, Assassin decided to commit to the act.

Boosting her favorability with Saber might even win her an ally. After all, Assassin knew Artoria held no inherent hostility toward Lancelot.

"Yes, my king," Assassin admitted aloud, but inwardly, she felt helpless. She knew nothing about Lancelot and couldn't possibly emulate the Knight of the Lake's demeanor in Artoria's presence.

Yet, the crushing pressure of the Command Spell left her no time to address Saber. Kirei's order was a simple one: attack, leaving no room for conversation.

Under Saber's startled gaze, Assassin launched her next assault on Lancer.

Assassin's eyes caught the distinctive mole under Lancer's eye—a mark often said to bring misfortune in love. Yet, despite possessing a woman's body, Assassin had never felt the curse's influence.

Is it because of the soul? Or... because the concept of love doesn't exist within me at all? Assassin pondered. To her, love was meaningless—an empty notion. Even physical beauty held no appeal.

Love? What use is that? All Assassin wanted was to survive.

With that resolve, Assassin surged forward, lunging toward Lancer's right side. Her speed was astonishing, a streak of lightning tearing through the battlefield.

Lancer, calm and composed, raised the tip of his spear, pointing it directly at her charge.

I have to stop—otherwise, I'll be skewered! A vision of herself impaled on the spear flashed in Assassin's mind. She was close—too close. At the last moment, she twisted her body, agile as a swallow in flight.

She evaded the spear's thrust with ease, but Lancer quickly shifted his weapon, swinging the spear diagonally downward in a sweeping arc.

Lancer's movements were far from conventional. He didn't thrust his spear like an ordinary soldier; instead, he wielded it like a sword, or even a brush, slashing wide arcs that swept through the air. His attacks covered large areas, as though he were a seasoned hunter casting a net to ensnare the nimble swallow that was Assassin.

Bend lower... Assassin thought, ducking as the spear skimmed just above her back. She dodged it, barely.

But as she closed the distance, ready to strike, another threat loomed—the venomous thrust of Lancer's short spear.

Yet, this was what Assassin had been waiting for: the chance to force a counterattack. Only then could her [Mind's Eye (Fake)] identify Lancer's vulnerabilities and turn his attack into an opening for her own strike. This was her strategy—a deliberate invitation for him to strike back.

Assassin's longsword had already reversed in her grip, its edge angled to deflect the incoming short spear.

She had prepared for this moment before Lancer's counterattack had even begun. Her instincts and predictive abilities left Lancer's actions almost entirely exposed.

But just as she prepared to press the advantage, something triggered her intuition—a sudden flash of foresight. She leapt backward with all her strength, retreating before her sword could find its mark.

The vision had shown her what came next: Lancer had altered his fighting style entirely. The Celtic hero, known for his spearmanship, had chosen to wield his crimson spear as a blunt weapon, swinging it like a club to crush her.

Assassin's endurance, ranked at a mere E, couldn't possibly withstand such an attack. If her endurance had been even a C, perhaps she would have gambled on trading injuries for a decisive blow.

But her frailty left her no choice. All her careful maneuvers had been for naught...

The battle was a harrowing dance on a razor's edge. Every action Assassin took seemed perilous, her survival hanging by the thinnest thread.

Even with her ability to foresee Lancer's movements and devise countermeasures, she couldn't truly threaten him. In close-quarters combat, Lancer's offensive power far outstripped Saber's.

However, Lancer lacked what Saber possessed: formidable defenses. Saber's armor, reinforced by magical energy, offered unparalleled protection. Lancer had no such luxury.

This meant Lancer's margin for error was significantly smaller. He also lacked Saber's ability to unleash wide-area attacks, such as [Invisible Air] devastating shockwaves.

Drawing power from her Master, Assassin pushed her physical abilities to their limit. Her instincts and mental acuity guided her every move, while her unyielding determination sought any opening to secure victory.

Just one mistake... Just one opening...

Assassin realized her earlier mindset had been a grave error. She had been overly cautious, too fearful of failure to seize opportunities.

Ever since her summoning, she had approached the Holy Grail War with extreme prudence. She kept her interactions with Kirei carefully measured, avoided provoking other Masters, and refrained from unnecessary reconnaissance.

This careful strategy had preserved her position so far—but it offered no path to victory.

Now, as she studied Lancer's movements, she saw a chance—a slim one, but a chance nonetheless. If he faltered even once, if her sword could pierce his unarmored chest, she could win.

But Lancer was a legendary hero. Mistakes weren't his nature.

Even so, if one charge failed, she would make ten. If ten failed, then a hundred. Persistence would force an error, and in that moment, she would strike.

There's hope... there's still hope!

I need more!

Assassin began to greedily draw on Kirei's mana reserves, fueling her body with everything she could take. Her [Mana Burst] was an impressive A-rank, but her base mana pool was only D-rank. She needed every ounce of magical energy she could get.

Her strength surged, but the cost skyrocketed. She couldn't afford to hold back any longer.

Unlike a Berserker, Lancer had Kenneth as his Master—a Lord of the Clock Tower with vast reserves of magical energy to sustain him. A prolonged battle would only lead to Assassin's inevitable defeat.

The battle horn sounded once more as Assassin prepared to charge again. But before she could act, Kenneth's voice rang out, chilling her to the core.

"Lancer, I permit you to use your Noble Phantasms!"

The defensive stance Lancer had maintained shifted immediately. He transitioned into offense at Kenneth's command, launching his attack.

What happened next caught even Lancer by surprise.

As his crimson spear clashed with Assassin's sword, an unexpected effect occurred.

The cursed spear, [Gáe Dearg], dispelled the magical energy reinforcing Assassin's weapon.

Crack!

The sword, an ordinary one in truth, couldn't withstand the force of the impact. The red spear stripped away its magical coating, leaving a noticeable fissure in the blade.

Assassin's disadvantage was stark. Watching from the sidelines, Saber finally began to move...

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