Manaka: “The Subcategory Holy Grail?”
Saber: “Yes. It’s a false Holy Grail, which was copied from the Greater Grail; a wish granting device that was made as the center of the Einzbern’s Third Great Magic.
Manaka: “Fuun, is that so? I wonder if it is different from the Imitation Holy Grail.”
The two of them Saber and Manaka proceeded cautiously through the <labyrinth>.
In the poor light――――
While Saber was continually vigilantly attacking hostile beings.
While, Manaka was walking following just a bit behind her.
There were almost never any sounds of footsteps between the both of them.
I honestly thought that Saber who was clad in metal armour which had been built with prana, as one would expect, was the only Heroic Spirits who surpassed human wisdom.
I was separately surprised, about Manaka.
Would this girl who might’ve been younger than me probably have something impossible?
No.
At least in here, I could declare that she had.
In reality Manaka, didn’t even know what this <labyrinth> was.
She didn’t even know about the Subcategory Holy Grail, because she was questioning Saber like this.
Although she could manipulate magic equal to a brand, surely, she wasn’t omnipotent.
Manaka: “Does the Subcategory Holy Grail, function like the one in the Holy Grail War?”
Saber: “Yes. But, the Heroic Spirits never surpass 5 Servants. In this Subcategory Holy Grail War, there are only 4 Servants.”
Manaka: “Should we destroy it?”
Saber: “No, Master.”
She stops once at the corner.
Saber, while carrying a crystal which emits simple light―――― which Manaka had put magic into as a magical catalyst which she had obtained in the previous room forward as a substitute lantern, confirms the presence of traps.
Although she said “I not very good at this sort of searching, on a Heroic Spirits’ battlefield that is dedicated to victory with many battles” seemingly apologetically, she was becoming quite good at it.
If I spoke of my individual experience, although the mirror was useful at corners, I who was no more than a bit of awareness left in a corner of her body had no way to convey it to Manaka and Saber.
Saber: “This time the victory conditions of the Subcategory Holy Grail War, is to reach the centre-most room, on the bottom-most level. Find the Subcategory Holy Grail, and the person who obtains it becomes the winner.”
Manaka: “And then, does the winner get their wish granted?”
Saber: “…….Supposedly.”
Saber shook her neck a bit.
Saber: “The Subcategory Holy Grail is an imitation. Its function as a wish granting device is inferior to the true Greater Grail.”
Manaka: “Is that so?”
Manaka answered like she was whispering.
Saber: “It’s probably impossible for a Magus, to reach the whirlpool of the Root, and fulfil their great ambition. The wishes of us Heroic Spirits who have been automatically summoned, may not granted in all respects too.”
Saber: “Although I hate to say it.”
Certainly, there was a gap that I was hesitant to say.
Is it because I thought that my words may lead to discouragement?
Surely, I thought so too.
The current Manaka who had settled into my body was losing her function at this point where it was “as usual” to her.
For example, right, did she have eyes that could see through everything?
Manaka: “I think your wish can’t be granted. If you and the Saber that I know, hold the same wish, and are the same Saber even if your appearances are different……”
Saber: “…….It’s odd or even, huh Manaka. I also have the same feeling. If that’s the case…..”
Because, she stopped her words once.
Saber quietly declared to Manaka.
With her voice.
As it echoed into the cold stone passageway, a bit.
Saber: “I’ll destroy the Subcategory Holy Grail.”
Manaka: “……..umm, that’s true. I’ve tried to think about it; however I think I’m also the same way. Saber”
Was Manaka’s voice reaching her?
The pretty echo which was like the ringing sound of a bell was completely drowned out by a roaring sound just now.
Manaka: “It is insufficient to grant my wish. Even so, it has a volume of prana enough to manifest a Servant, I hate doing stuff halfway somewhat.”
Like I could hear it properly.
Although Manaka, was doing it like she was speaking into Saber’s ears.
I wonder how.
Were they probably hearing this?
I could see it, like I wasn’t at that spot.
In front of them where there were many curved corners――――
A thing appeared in front of them.
Traps.
First the traps in that place would’ve certainly crushed them to death if they were normal humans, there was no helping it if they had been activated now, by someone who had tried their arm at being an explorer, or rather a grave robber who couldn’t have activated it.
I myself had a real experience where I saw that countless times.
In other words, it was something which hindered Manaka’s voice with its roar.
The huge rock which she had magnificently calculated couldn’t have come to a stop in the centre of the passageway, and yet――――from the centre of the passageway, it was approaching strumming an unpleasant sound which shaved the surrounding stone walls and pavement with a scratching sound.
It had overwhelming mass and speed.
I shivered just by imagining the origin of this kinetic energy.
Escaping from the approaching huge rock, Saber floated an impatient expression from what I can see, it’d probably wasn’t difficult to receive it, because I heard that if it was a massive attack which hadn’t been charged with prana then a Servant could endure it.
She was running.
As she held Manaka with both arms.
Aah, I see.
I got consent.
If Saber was by herself even if it was safe, Manaka who was her Master is different.
At least, Saber concluded “that she couldn’t endure the huge rock.”
Manaka herself, and my current self which was becoming one with my body that hadn’t changed from just a human, must’ve understood somehow if we’d been crushed by the huge rock.
Perhaps.
Probably.
Although.
Manaka: “Saber, did you hear it?”
Saber: “It’s impossible Manaka! I will stop this conversation now!”
Manaka: “However I thought that it was strange, because it’s become somewhat like an uphill slope.”
Saber: “You can’t explain that speed with just that, I’m starting to accelerate with my prana.”
Manaka: “Wah. A dead end, Saber, see, over there.”
Saber: “――――I’ll push my way through!!”
Manaka: “We’ll be flattened, if it catches up!”
Did she have no heart?
Manaka’s expression, was this a thing to be cheerful about?
Sure enough, the huge rock didn’t destroy Manaka’s (and my body).
Saber who had kicked into the wall of the dead end, had successfully adjusted her posture while carrying Manaka under her arms, splendidly.
Due to a single blow of her invisible sword which was clad in accumulated wind, the huge stone was smashed up into small bits; the countless fragments came flying along with the lethal kinetic energy, and most of them were brought down by the sword wielded with one hand by Saber.
The remaining bits of fragments were brushed off quietly by using magic, which Manaka released with a single word.
Manaka’s voice which cheerfully said to her “I wonder since when I could chant seriously like that!!,” could be heard as a very, lovely thing, if all life forms in this gloomy space forgets the reality called this tormenting <labyrinth>.
She was unintentionally shocked.
After a while, I was assuredly relieved.
Together with my understanding.
There was no mistake.
In this situation where I’d be still raising sounds of “I hate it” “I want to know” if it was me, the girl called Manaka Sajyou might’ve held an entirely different deep emotion.
This situation where my power has been limited.
All of my surroundings said that I didn’t understand the situation.
Manaka was――――
Saber: “Master. Behind me!”
The air in the passageway shook with a snap.
My obscured thoughts were completely stopped by Saber’s voice.
Next.
Through my eyes which had become Manaka’s, I grasped it.
Beyond Manaka’s gaze, there was an abnormality in the opposite stone wall a number of metres ahead of Saber.
While making sounds of separating and cracking, the surface of the wall in the passageway changes.
Was it probably for the current owner of this body Manaka, the one who I think is a prana being to the point that I could feel it with my body.
The stone wall, changes.
Into a human shaped stone; the size of it was surely almost touching the ceiling of the passageway which was probably no more than 3 metres.
It was different, from a Phantasmal Beast.
Different from a Chimaera.
It was a stone golem which was left by the magus who created this <labyrinth>.
An artificial guardian by magic.
Although I wasn’t knowledgeable about that field, surely, this was his forte which must have been equal to Kabbalah.
A human type which was created by people.
It was a magical existence with specially made functions roughly only for combat, however it was different from a Homunculus which was moulded with the same human shape.
I thought of some memories.
For an explorer who preys on ruins related to magic, it was an opponent that you must not meet!
An absolute device which eliminates trespassers, a slaughter device without feelings.
As a conditioned reflex, I stiffened the fragments of my awareness.
With a mere part of my body which was controlled by Manaka, I trembled.
I’m scared.
I’m scared.
That was no good.
In there, any kind of plea or any kind of scream couldn’t be let out.
Despite looking here with its faceless head, it could pulverize anything and everything!
Manaka: “I’m fine. Because, Saber is with me.”
Manaka’s whispering voice.
It was like; it could totally reach just me.
It must be an illusion.
Manaka couldn’t read my thoughts, awareness or my existence.
After all, it was because I was just barely existing somehow――――
Saber: “I will crush it, Manaka.”
Leaving just one word.
I became unable――――to see Saber’s figure.
Fast.
I who was too fast couldn’t read the visual information.
Even so, Manaka didn’t have a slight tremor as her gaze was still faced straight ahead.
To her, what was she probably seeing?
First, there was some sound.
After that, a rough wind.
It was a few seconds later that I knew that there were after effects of the shockwave that was released towards the front.
If I notice it, the golem that just arrived was being bisected.
Into two equal parts in length.
Its right arm which was raised over Saber’s head to smash her up is collapsing.
Amazing.
Amazing!
These were the combat actions by the most exceptional Servant.
Manaka: “Like I thought, you really are a Saber, aren’t you. You’re very strong.”
Saber: “They’re still coming!”
Even as she responds to Manaka’s small mumbling voice, Saber’s figure appeared.
At about the same time.
From the left and right passageway stone walls, a second, a third golem transformed, appeared, and activated.
We couldn’t possibly finish two of them.
3, 4, 5 bodies.
During this mere short pause, an approximate number of the huge statues which couldn’t be sighted flooded the front of the passageway.
Even if Saber was a bit powerful with this, if we knock down one of them during this there will be other bodies that will come and advance on us
It’d be better if we left this passageway――――and, the more that I think it, beyond that.
Manaka: “―――――”
Manaka’s lips emitted a sound that resembled a melody.
She simultaneously invoked magic to increase Saber’s strength parameter, and, increase her stamina parameter.
It didn’t end with just that.
All of the golem’s ankles which were rushing over here, and his “stone arm” which had changed into the stone paving stopped, connected and seized her.
Although it resembled snare magic which was my forte, no, the prana it was using and the skill it was using were similar but also different!
Manaka: “Fufu. How about that, a stone in a stone.”
Even her laughing voice was at its height.
Like a bullet――――
No.
Surely, she was far faster than a thing like that.
Saber’s blade which was attacking to the front, cut and laid down all of the many huge statues, in one go.
I didn’t know whether Manaka’s gaze had adjusted to mine, or whether her eyes which were in high speed combat till it got weird adapted to mine.
But, certainly, I was clearly aware of the consecutive attacks.
It was such a majestic and beautiful sword dance.
I, up till now hadn’t seen it even once.
Originally Posted by Hawkeye
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