A Core Ship From The Start
Chapter 1128 - Chapter 1128 Chapter 773 Round 2

Chapter 1128: Chapter 773 Round 2 Chapter 1128: Chapter 773 Round 2 The battle itself wasn’t worth mentioning, after all… even if CASTER and her Master combined, they were no match for this side.

It seemed that the witch’s MASTER had some knowledge of martial arts, but it was useless against Duanmu Huai. Although the man named Soichiro had grown stronger due to the witch’s power, Duanmu Huai didn’t care at all; after all, he was the God of Destruction. How could he ever be defeated by a human in hand-to-hand combat?

In fact, the attacks on Duanmu were like punching a tank with bare hands, completely suicidal.

Therefore, Duanmu Huai took the hit directly and then swung a punch that sent the unfortunate man flying dozens of meters away, smashing into a wall and dying instantly. CASTER, witnessing her MASTER’s death, was thrown into utter disarray and was persistently chased by Medea and Alice Phil. In the end, she died with a scream of unwillingness.

“I curse you… you too will meet an end marked by betrayal…!”

Within the agonizing curse of the witch, her remaining figure also vanished.

“Hmph, I’m not as foolish as you.”

Medea, who had personally killed the witch, clearly did not take the threat seriously.

“The MASTER wouldn’t betray me, nor would I betray the MASTER. You think everyone’s like you, a fickle witch?”

“…”

Is it fun to insult oneself?

Watching Medea sulk, Duanmu Huai shook his head helplessly and then walked over to her.

“MASTER?”

Seeing Duanmu Huai approaching, Medea’s expression became anxious. She cautiously lifted her head, looking up at Duanmu Huai like a child who had done something wrong. Duanmu Huai then reached out his hand and patted Medea’s small head, and looked at Alice Phil beside her.

“All right, both of you stop overthinking it. This is another world’s you, not yourself. Don’t think too much. Let’s go, we’re heading back.”

“Yes!”

“Okay, MASTER.”

Hearing Duanmu Huai’s words, Medea and Alice Phil’s expressions brightened, and they nodded vigorously, then followed behind Duanmu Huai, leaving Ryudou Temple.

Meanwhile, within Fuyuki City, the hidden Holy Grail War continued unabated.

“Ah–!!!”

The solid steel spike pierced into his chest, ruthlessly tearing through his body. The young man with seaweed-like hair blinked in astonishment, looking at the tall woman standing before him.

“Why… RIDER… aren’t you my Servant? Why…?”

The young man couldn’t understand why his Servant would attack him without any warning.

“Because I’ve found a Master more worthy of my service.”

To the young man’s confused questioning, RIDER responded indifferently.

“Impossible… I am your MASTER, how dare you defy me…”

“Ah, I don’t think you are her MASTER anymore.”

Just then, a cheerful voice rang out. Like being drawn to it, the young man instinctively turned towards the source behind RIDER. He then froze completely.

Even though his chest was pierced and intense pain was tearing at him, the moment he saw that figure, the young man felt as if struck by lightning–yes, as if he had experienced the affectionate first love for the first time.

It was a girl.

She looked to be in her teens, with dazzling blonde hair, so cute it was hard to believe, and shining like an Elf, her blue eyes gleamed like gems. Just looking at her made the young man feel as if everything else had vanished.

“You…”

“Hello there, my name is Aegean. As for your Servant, I will be taking her.”

The girl revealed a sweet smile–and that was the last smile the young man ever saw.

The next moment, his consciousness fell into an endless darkness.

“Pfft.”

Blood sprayed onto the ground, and the young man’s dismembered corpse lay there, while the girl named Aegean simply watched with a smile, like an audience member enjoying a play, unmoved by the emotions of the actors on stage, just objectively observing everything.

“MASTER.”

RIDER didn’t even glance at the body of her former master and knelt before the girl.

“Aww, have you decided to swear loyalty to me already? RIDER?”

The girl’s voice was friendly and cheerful, as clear and bright as a songbird’s.

“Yes, if it would help you, MASTER, to achieve your desire.”

RIDER lifted her head; even behind the eyepatch, she could see the brilliance radiating from the girl’s body. It was a light so dazzling that all Heroic Spirits should pursue, from the beginning and the end of everything, an incomparable existence.

“Then, MASTER, what is your wish?”

“I… uh…”

Upon hearing RIDER’s question, a hint of shyness suddenly appeared on the girl’s pale face, like a young girl in love.

“I want to meet SABER.”

“`

“…SABER?”

“`

Faced with the girl’s response, RIDER was somewhat surprised, remembering that SABER was…

“You mean the one who fought BERSERKER before…”

“Not that kind of vulgar fake.”

The next moment, the girl’s expression quickly became as cold as solid ice, and even the air around her seemed to freeze with her tone.

“That is my prince, my lover. To fulfill his wish, I am willing to spare no effort… Yet fate has played a cruel joke on me by bringing me here, separating me from my SABER, and what’s more, this world has produced a false copy of him… That detestable woman, it’s a desecration to my SABER!”

At this point, the girl’s voice grew increasingly colder with the chill, and although she was still smiling, as if joyfully, gently, that fear was enough to send a chill down even the Heroic Spirit RIDER’s spine.

“My SABER… is the great King of Knights, incomparable, the perfect knight. I still remember how he knelt before me, swearing his loyalty to me, offering his sword to me… The taste of love I felt at that moment…”

While speaking, the girl seemed to be relishing her sweet first love, closing her eyes and murmuring to herself.

Then she opened her eyes.

“That woman is not my knight. I want my knight, and I will sacrifice everything for him and fulfill his wish…”

Saying this, the girl looked at RIDER and once again revealed a smile of pure innocence.

“You will help me, won’t you? RIDER?”

RIDER bowed her head, expressing her subservience to the girl through her actions.

It was the peace and joy of serving a more powerful, absolute sovereign, relinquishing one’s own self and dignity, submitting to an unmatched strength without any feelings of unease or hardship.

Upon first seeing her, RIDER had resolved to betray her former master and offer her loyalty to her.

“Yes, MASTER.”

“Good child.”

Hearing RIDER’s response, the girl showed a cheerful smile, then turned away.

“Then let’s go. First is SABER, I want to completely eliminate her, and then summon the true SABER. But before that, I have to make her realize her sin–how dare she, a woman, impersonate the great King of Knights, Arthur Pendragon, and wield his weapon, that’s a grievous sin worthy of death. I will make this fake (FAKE) fully understand the enormity of her sin, and then… use her as a sacrifice to summon the true SABER…”

The girl’s voice faded, along with her figure, into the darkness.

“… After that, I shall fulfill his wish–to save Britannia.”

A night passed.

As the sunlight streamed in from outside the window, Sakura lying on the tatami mat opened her eyes, and at the same time, the voice of her Servant reached her ears.

“Good morning, MASTER.”

“Good morning, ASSASSIN.”

Sakura sat up and greeted her Servant.

“You had a rough time yesterday.”

“No, it’s nothing. Although the opponent was ARCHER, I’m not without strength to fight.”

“Either way, thank you. It’s just that I ended up being the weakest link.”

Saying this, Sakura showed a helpless wry smile. Her initial plan was to fight her sister, defeat her, and then use Imaginary Attributes to devour her sister’s Command Spell, forcing her to drop out of the Holy Grail War. Unexpectedly, plans couldn’t keep up with changes; BERSERKER, who was tangled with SABER, left for some reason, allowing SABER to break free from the battlefield.

Although SABER was not her sister’s Heroic Spirit, after observing for a day, Sakura noticed that SABER’s Master seemed to get along well with her sister; it was possible that she might order SABER to assist her sister. There was also a chance that SABER would be commanded to attack both her and her sister–considering their respective Heroic Spirits were not present, SABER’s move would be a threat to them.

Therefore, when SABER left the battlefield, Sakura also decisively chose to withdraw.

“Sorry, ASSASSIN, I know you are ASSASSIN, but I made you fight to accommodate my caprice.”

Sakura couldn’t help but apologize; typically, the Assassin class is intended to target Masters rather than Servants. But Sakura did not wish to kill, so she preferred ASSASSIN to confront other Servants while she dealt with the Masters.

As a result, ASSASSIN faced far more danger than Sakura herself.

After all, with Sakura’s current level as a Magician, not many could triumph over her.

But for ASSASSIN, there were far too many Servants who could defeat her…

“It’s nothing, MASTER. I am a warrior after all. To challenge a more powerful warrior is also a warrior’s pride. Please don’t mind it.”

“That’s good.”

“But… I have a question, MASTER.”

“Yes? What is it, ASSASSIN?”

“Will your sister truly give up on the Holy Grail War?”

“Ah, don’t worry about that.”

At this, Sakura revealed a playful smile.

“Of course, I know my sister is stubborn and unwilling to lose. However… I have prepared for this. In fact, I have a trump card; when I play it, no matter how reluctant my sister is, she’ll have no choice but to quit the Holy Grail War.”

Facing her Servant, Sakura gave her answer with a hint of pride.