This Is My Holy Grail War

"Assassin, this is a battlefield. Put an end to your childish antics!" Saber called out firmly. "Our duel is not yet finished!"

"I understand!" Assassin's voice had shed its earlier uncertainty, now clear and resolute.

How could she not be excited? For the first time, she had a body of her own, with feet firmly planted in the world she so longed to feel.

Saber observed her opponent carefully. She noticed Assassin using Mana Burst, though she couldn't be certain whether it was a mimicry of her own skill or an ability Assassin had possessed from the start.

The ordinary knight's sword Assassin wielded wouldn't normally withstand a Heroic Spirit's strength, leaving Saber momentarily unsure of how to proceed.

With sword raised, Saber charged forward once more.

In Assassin's mind, the scene played out clearly: two blades colliding—her enchanted cross-hilted sword and Saber's invisible holy sword. Sparks flew as their weapons met, but her blade did not shatter.

[Instinct] painted this scenario in vivid detail.

Although Assassin's Mana stat was low, it wasn't nonexistent. While her [Mana Burst] couldn't forge armor as Saber's did or significantly enhance her physical strength, it sufficed to coat her sword with a layer of magical energy.

Assassin braced herself for Saber's attack, raising her sword to block. But the moment their weapons clashed, she immediately regretted it.

The sheer force of Saber's strike brought her to one knee, as though she were struggling to lift a crushing boulder. Her wrist throbbed with searing pain, and the overwhelming power left her gasping for air.

She was too inexperienced—too naive. A reckless decision had placed her in direct conflict with Saber's strength.

"Ah…" Assassin inhaled sharply, trying to steady herself. Her wrist trembled, the pain pulsating in waves.

I can't match her strength. My only option is to dodge.

With that thought, Assassin quickly withdrew, relying on her superior Agility to escape Saber's relentless assault. She darted toward the dense forest, where the terrain could better suit her abilities.

Saber, however, was relentless. Though her speed was slightly inferior to Assassin's A+ Agility, she pursued without hesitation, refusing to let her opponent recover.

Saber closed the distance with a ferocious charge, swinging her sword in wide, commanding arcs.

In mere moments, she had unleashed six strikes in succession.

Swish, swish, swish! 

Each slash carved crescent-shaped streaks through the air, deadly and precise. Yet Assassin evaded them all with ease, her movements graceful and fluid.

To an observer, Assassin's evasive maneuvers seemed almost like a butterfly weaving through the moonlight, each dodge an effortless dance.

Saber's swordsmanship was honed from countless battles—a style of grand, sweeping strikes designed for leading armies into combat. But one-on-one duels weren't her forte.

Taking advantage of a momentary opening, Assassin leapt onto a tree branch and sprang deeper into the forest.

Saber halted briefly to glance at Irisviel, who was observing from nearby.

"I'll stay here to protect you," Saber said firmly, her duty to her Master's safety paramount.

But then a voice came through her communicator: "Pursue her. I'll handle Irisviel's protection."

It was Kiritsugu Emiya's order.

Saber's eyes narrowed. Kiritsugu is here as well…

With no hesitation left, she surged into the forest after Assassin.

---

The chase was on.

Saber could tell that Assassin's strength was far weaker than it appeared. The supposed equality in their stats was clearly an illusion. If she could just catch up, she was confident she could deal a decisive blow.

Assassin must have revealed herself so her Noble Phantasm could take effect.

After a short pursuit, Assassin came to a stop deep within the forest.

The dense canopy formed a thick barrier, blocking out most of the moonlight. Exhaustion made Assassin's movements stiff; darting through the woods had drained her more than the battle itself.

Unlike Saber, whose magical reserves were vast, Assassin's low Mana meant she lacked the energy to sustain prolonged activity.

"She stopped?" Saber muttered, glancing at her surroundings. The towering trees formed a natural wall, their thick leaves creating an almost impenetrable darkness.

"This is a good hiding place," Saber admitted. "Go ahead—show me your trump card. Here, no one will spy on your secrets."

Saber assumed that Assassin held the advantage. With her superior Agility, she could dictate the flow of the fight. Saber could only chase her down and hope for an opening.

From the treetops, Assassin leapt down, unsheathing her knight's sword. This time, she didn't flee.

Assassin didn't engage in a full assault. Every strike she made was a test—quick, probing attacks followed by an immediate retreat.

No matter how Saber swung her sword, Assassin found a way to counter.

Saber's [Instinct] saved her repeatedly. Each of Assassin's strikes was so precise, so lethal, it felt like a venomous serpent sinking its fangs into a vital artery.

Sweat trickled down Saber's face. Her nerves were taut, her body coiled like a spring. Though Saber was a master of melee combat, she was being completely suppressed.

The combination of [Instinct] and [Mind's Eye (Fake)] was overwhelming.

As Saber prepared a strike, Assassin could already see the path of her blade, the potential follow-ups, and the openings they might create. With her analytical skills and unparalleled agility, Assassin could counter almost any move Saber made.

Even Saber's [Invisible Air], designed to obscure her weapon's length and trajectory, couldn't deceive Assassin's perceptive eyes.

Saber lifted her sword. In that instant, Assassin had already predicted the attack. Whether it was a feint or a genuine strike, she had identified the counter before Saber could complete her motion.

Saber couldn't discern any recognizable style in Assassin's swordplay. Her opponent's every move was reactionary—a perfect defense that seamlessly flowed into devastating counterattacks.

Is this Assassin's swordsmanship? Saber wondered. She didn't know for certain, but one thing was clear: if the fight continued this way, she would lose.

The clouds overhead began to part, much like the haze lifting from Assassin's mind.

As the thin veil of clouds scattered, the moonlight illuminated the forest floor, casting a gentle glow over the combatants.

The two warriors, illuminated by the pale light, moved like dancers on a stage.

Saber, fierce and unyielding, attacked with precision and power. Assassin, quick and elusive, wove through the strikes with an elegance that seemed almost otherworldly.

In the silence of the forest, under the watchful gaze of the moon, the two young women dueled with a grace that could only be described as a dance—a celestial waltz of blades.

---

T/N: MUAHUHAU ANOTHER FLUID GENDER MC YOU FOOLS!