After the King of Conquerors unleashed his Bounded Field, he and Arthas disappeared from the courtyard.
Feeling the receding chill, Waver breathed a sigh of relief. He'd been genuinely worried about freezing to death.
However, his relief was short-lived; a powerful magical presence approached, leaving him flustered and disoriented.
"Wh-what's happening? Has another Servant attacked?"
Waver's face showed his alarm. If another Servant had attacked, he, alone, would be in considerable danger.
He quickly considered the remaining Servants and found his fears somewhat unfounded. Besides Berserker and his own Rider, only Saber, Lancer, and Archer remained.
Whichever of these three Servants attacked at this time would be unlikely to target him, their Master.
Saber and Archer, as Kings, wouldn't stoop to such an act, and Lancer, bound by chivalry, wouldn't either. His worry seemed excessive.
Waver breathed another sigh of relief, and at that moment, he saw who had arrived.
"It's Saber… Is she targeting Einzbern at this hour?"
Flandre's revelations at last night's gathering made this a plausible target. Knowing she was a vampire made her an easy target; Saber's holy sword would pose a significant threat.
Lost in thought, Waver watched Saber stop before him.
He'd intended to greet the King of Britain, but her appearance left him speechless.
What… is this?
The girl's appearance was largely unchanged from Waver's memory, but her aura had drastically shifted; she no longer resembled the righteous King Arthur.
For some reason, Waver sensed an evil aura from Saber, filling him with deep unease.
Saber didn't notice Waver's expression; she stood beside the young Master, frowning slightly.
The powerful magical fluctuations didn't escape her notice as a Servant; undoubtedly, only Rider's Bounded Field could cause such a disturbance.
"I see… trapped in a Bounded Field?"
Waver's anxiety grew as Saber murmured to herself.
He didn't know Saber's intentions—to defeat Berserker, or to ally with him? If the latter, would she help Berserker against Rider?
That seemed unlikely; as a righteous King, Saber wouldn't interfere in a fair one-on-one duel.
Like her duel with Lancer—a display of admirable chivalry.
"My Servant is fighting Berserker's Master, Arthas. Saber, what are you doing here?"
Summoning his courage, Waver asked. His words caused the knight-king to visibly change.
"What?! You say Arthas is fighting Rider?!"
"Yes… it's Arthas, Berserker's Master. What's wrong?"
Waver was taken aback by Saber's sudden agitation.
As he wondered, a fierce wind pressure surged around Saber; the invisible holy sword materialized in her hand.
"Wh-what are you going to do?!"
Waver panicked; was Saber about to attack him?
Ignoring Waver completely, Saber took a deep breath and, without hesitation, unleashed her most powerful Noble Phantasm.
Waver's feeling was correct; Saber was no longer the Saber of before. Since resolutely plunging her sword into her Master, Kiritsugu Emiya's back, Saber had broken.
The idealistic, righteous, supremely noble King Arthur was dead. Standing here was not a King, nor a righteous knight, but a girl acting purely on her whims.
Free from the long-held constraints, Saber felt unprecedented exhilaration. She didn't regret her actions or choices.
To endure for the Grail, ignoring Kiritsugu's actions, would have been the ultimate sacrilege and betrayal.
Even if she won the Grail War and had her wish granted, she would likely be condemned by her people.
What would their faces look like when they learned their King had resorted to such methods to save them?
Why she'd come here after leaving Kiritsugu, Saber herself didn't understand. Perhaps because she felt Arthas was the only one who understood her, perhaps because she felt she should have been Einzbern's Servant, or perhaps something else.
Saber didn't care about her feelings; she only wanted to follow her heart.
Just as now, upon learning Arthas was trapped in Rider's Bounded Field, she unhesitatingly raised her invisible golden sword, activating her strongest Noble Phantasm.
Light gathered.
As if illuminating this holy sword was her ultimate purpose, the light intensified, forming a blinding beam.
This intense, clear light turned the night into day, leaving Waver speechless.
The heroic figure who had illuminated the darkest of ages.
Unwavering for ten years, undefeated in twelve battles. This unparalleled achievement, this unmatched glory, transcended time and would forever endure.
This dazzling sword was the lifelong dream of every warrior who had perished on the battlefield—a prayer made manifest as "Glory."
Taking pride in upholding this will, upholding this belief, the King of Knights now invoked the true name of this miracle.
Its name…
"Sword of Promised Victory!!!"
____________________
for more advance chapters visit my p@treon
p@treon.com/kane45
Casual Reader - 20 Advance Chapters
Intermediate Reader - 40 Advance Chapters
Expert Reader - 60 Advance Chapters