Artoria Pendragon, known as Saber, found herself leaning against a cold wall, sighing deeply as she tried to regain the strength she had lost in her recent confrontation with Berserker. She had barely been summoned by her new Master, Shirou Emiya, and she had already been involved in a fierce fight that had not ended favorably. Shirou's lack of experience in the Holy Grail War had been evident; not only did he lack combat skills, but he also did not possess the mana necessary to maintain Saber in her most powerful form, as she had been during the previous war with her former Master.

The memory of her previous Master, Kiritsugu Emiya, flooded her mind, bringing with it the image of a Naruto who should have died ten years ago. Kiritsugu's pupil, the same Naruto who had helped them in the war, was alive after all this time and, to her surprise, he seemed not to have changed at all. This shouldn't be happening, as she was convinced that she had killed him with her sword Excalibur when Kiritsugu forced her to stab him in the back. That memory caused her deep disgust, as she was forced to act contrary to her honor as a knight, a cowardly act that went against her principles.

Despite this feeling, Saber knew that she had to put these thoughts aside for the moment. The most important thing now was that her new Master, Shirou, recovered enough so that his body could withstand another battle against an enemy Servant. But beyond her physical recovery, what truly worried her was the possibility of meeting Naruto again. She was sure that he would not hesitate to finish them off if they crossed paths again. If they had survived the last encounter, it was due to a mere whim of Naruto, since at that moment he had everything to win and he had let them go for reasons she could not understand.

Memories and worries swirled through her mind as she tried to regain her composure and plan her next move. The cold wall against her back reminded her of the reality of her situation. They were in a war, and her new Master, though inexperienced, was completely dependent on her to survive. She knew she must protect him at all costs, not only for her honor as a knight, but also because she was beginning to feel a strange connection to him, something she hadn't experienced with Kiritsugu.

Shirou, for his part, was doing his best to understand and adapt to the new situation that was presented to him but he had his determination and courage to try to face what he had been involved in, but Saber could clearly see that his lack of experience put him at a considerable disadvantage. She knew that she had to train him and prepare him for the battles that were coming, not only to protect himself, but also to be able to keep her in the best shape possible with the little mana in her body that her master could provide her to keep up.

But as time passed, Saber couldn't stop thinking about Naruto who she thought was dead. The possibility of facing him again was a constant shadow over her mind. What would she do if they met again? Could she herself face him after what she had seen in their brief confrontation and her new abilities? These unanswered questions tormented her, but she knew that she had to stay strong and focused on her current mission.

The situation was critical, and every moment of rest was an opportunity to reflect and plan. Saber closed her eyes for a moment, allowing her thoughts to calm down and her body to relax. She needed to be in her best shape to protect Shirou and to face any threat that might arise. The Holy Grail War did not allow for weaknesses or doubts, and she was determined to fulfill her role with the greatest dedication possible.

Continuing to lean against the wall, her mind wandered about how to deal with Naruto if they crossed paths again during the Grail War. She was sure that this scenario was not far from reality, since she knew Naruto's personality and he never left a loose end if he was planning something, which she did not doubt that he was doing. She knew that she had to be prepared for that inevitable encounter, since Naruto had every reason to consider her a threat. But before she could delve further into her thoughts, she was interrupted when the door to the room where she was resting with her Master opened and in walked Rin Tohsaka, another Master in this Grail War. According to Shirou, Rin was a trusted friend, but he doubted that claim because in a war, even your closest friends could betray you, something he had seen with his previous Master, Kiritsugu Emiya, who betrayed her and her own apprentice.

Rin got close enough to them to be in front of Saber, staring at her in silence for a few seconds before going straight to her question without beating around the bush

"What relation do you have with the magus killer?"

She made a confused face upon hearing that nickname, which belonged to her former Master, and she was sure that Rin had never met him, since Kiritsugu was already dead. Expressing her doubts, she asked what she meant by being related to the magus killer

"The damn madman who attacked us earlier is the wretched magus killer who hunts magus like me as if we were rabbits in a meadow!"

opening her eyes upon hearing this new information she didn't expect naruto who should have died ten years ago to dedicate himself to doing such a thing, but to a certain extent she understood his aversion to magus, since one of them, his former Master, almost led him to death

although rin's revelation gave her the chance to know this new information about naruto and what he had been doing the whole time he was supposed to have been dead, it partially explained why he hadn't killed them when he had the chance; perhaps he wanted to face them on their own terms, feeling a mix of surprise and understanding, she realized that she had to reevaluate her strategy. She couldn't allow Naruto, with his resentment towards the magi, to find a way to finish them off if the situation became more dangerous with each passing moment

"I don't know how to explain it," she began to explain, "but that one who attacked us shouldn't be alive. Ten years ago, during the last war, my former Master forced me to attack him by giving him a critical hit with the sword. I thought he was dead, but now I see that he isn't."

"So that's what that madman meant when I said that they have something in common."

"If he really is the one I remember then yes, we have some connection. But I don't understand how he survived or why he lied to himself just like ten years ago."

Rin, feeling a mix of frustration and curiosity, crossed her arms. "This crazy killer has been killing several magi in the past few years and I don't doubt that he plans to do the same in this war."

Shirou, who had been listening silently, finally intervened. "If he's as dangerous as they say, how can we face him? I can barely provide you with the mana needed to fight Saber."

Saber looked at her Master with a mix of worry and concern "We must find a way to increase your mana capacity and more information about what we will be facing"

Rin, still with her arms crossed "We can work together Although I don't trust you yet I trust Shirou, in this war, we need all the help we can get And if the magus killer is involved, we can't afford to face him alone."

Rin's proposal was sensible Saber knew that, despite her reservations, they should accept Rin's help this was an opportunity to strengthen their defenses and learn more about the other enemies they would have in this nine grail war.

"Okay," Saber said "let's work together But we must be cautious we know almost nothing about another master"

Rin nodded with a confident smile. "Then, let's start by doing more research on the other masters. And in the meantime, Shirou, you must train and strengthen your magical abilities. We cannot afford to be weak in this war."

The alliance between them was sealed, albeit fragile. Saber, Shirou, and Rin prepared themselves for what was to come, aware that the road ahead would be arduous and dangerous. Saber, in particular, couldn't stop thinking about Naruto. She needed answers, and more importantly, she needed to be ready to face him. The Grail War wasn't just about winning the ultimate wish, but also about facing the ghosts of the past and resolving unresolved conflicts.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Naruto found himself sitting on a bed, his body covered in bandages from his abdomen to his shoulders, thinking about the recent events that had left him in his current state and with his pride partially wounded. He had gone to the Einzbern mansion in search of Irisviel with the intention of ending her life at that moment, but there was a change of plans the moment they met again after ten years.

He could have easily ended Irisviel, but a better use for her would be to drive her to a point of desperation where everything she loved disappeared from one moment to the next, leaving her alone, to simply take the leftover remains of her and take her for himself. It would be cold revenge against her and his former master, a plan he had already started with simply by making himself present in front of her and showing that the embers of the past were difficult to extinguish no matter how much time passed.

But showing that had its price; He had to face Berserker head on, who caught him off guard while he was focused on Irisviel. The cursed rabid beast had attacked him with killing intent on the orders of that brat Irisviel, who was his Master. However, that didn't matter, although his pride was slightly hurt by having to flee from combat, he took one of Berserker's lives with him, which was no small achievement.

As he sat on the bed, he remembered how he had gotten to this point. After so much time, he had decided that the best way to get revenge on Kiritsugu and everything he stood for was to destroy everything he had loved and protected.

The first phase of his plan was to face Irisviel. He had infiltrated the Einzbern mansion with the ease that only a skilled magus hunter could have, evading the traps and guards with pinpoint precision. When he finally came face to face with Irisviel, the expression on her face had been priceless. The shock and fear mixed in her eyes were exactly what he had expected. He could have killed her right there, ending her life once and for all. But there was something much more satisfying about watching her world crumble little by little. He decided that desperation would be his greatest weapon, and it would begin with showing her that the ghosts of the past were still alive and full of resentment.

Irisviel, paralyzed by surprise, barely had time to react before he began his monologue to the cliché maybe but she didn't care. It was all calculated in her head, reminding her of the suffering she and her beloved husband put him through. Every word was calculated to inflict maximum emotional pain.

But then, Berserker appeared. The beast was on guard, having sensed his presence and, under Illyasviel's orders, attacked him with uncontrollable fury. The fight was brutal. Despite his experience and skills, facing Berserker was no easy task. Naruto had underestimated the Servant's speed and strength. In the midst of the fight, he suffered several serious wounds that were now covered by bandages. However, he did not let himself be carried away by panic. He used his cunning and knowledge of the terrain to escape, taking with him one of Berserker's lives as proof of his ability and strength.

Sitting on the bed, his mind went over every detail of the fight. He could feel the pain of his wounds, but that didn't bother him as much as the fact that he'd had to flee. His pride was hurt, yes, but he also knew that he'd achieved his initial goal, planting the seed of fear and despair in Irisviel. There was something deeply satisfying about knowing that she now lived in constant fear that he would return at any moment to wipe out everything she held dear.

As he thought about his next move, his thoughts turned to how his life had changed since the last war. He'd gone from being a pawn in the magi's games to becoming a feared hunter. He'd honed his skills, learning to move in the shadows and strike with deadly precision. The magi who had fallen before him were no small number, and his reputation as the magi-slayer had spread, causing fear among those who participated in the Holy Grail War.

But this fight had been different. Berserker was a formidable opponent, and facing him had reminded him that the current war would be even more dangerous than the last. Still, he couldn't afford to falter. Every step had to be precisely calculated, every move had to bring him closer to his final revenge.

He remembered the exact moment when the fight with Berserker had started to tilt against him. He had tried to keep his distance, using his ability for long-range attacks, but Berserker had caught up to him with surprising speed. The first blow had cut deep into his abdomen, and each subsequent attack had only worsened his injuries. He had to recover and plan his next attack more carefully. Irisviel and Berserker would not be the only obstacles in his way, and he had to be prepared to face other Masters and Servants. In the meantime, he needed to keep his mind sharp and his body fit.

His thoughts turned to next steps. He knew he must strengthen his alliance with those who could be useful, find allies who shared his goals or who could be manipulated to his ends. In the Grail War, alliances were fleeting and loyalty was a rare luxury. However, with the right strategy, he could use other Masters and Servants to achieve his goals.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. One of his few allies, a woman with whom he had formed a tenuous alliance based on mutual need, was one of them. She entered the room, her expression serious as she assessed his state.

"I see you are awake," he said, his voice neutral but with a hint of concern.

"Yes, I am awake," he replied, his voice firm despite the pain. "We need to discuss next steps."

She nodded, sitting down beside him. "The situation is complicated. The other Masters are moving, and we don't have much time. What do you have in mind?"

Naruto looked her straight in the eyes "We will go after them one by one. But first, we need to recover and plan. I will not make the same mistake twice. Berserker is a problem, but it is not insurmountable."

She nodded, understanding the seriousness of his words. "Alright. I will do what I can to help you regain your strength. But remember, this war waits for no one. We must be quick and precise."

Naruto closed his eyes for a moment "I know. But I am willing to do whatever it takes. I will not stop until Irisviel feels the same pain I have felt. And when that time comes, Kiritsugu's legacy will finally be destroyed."

The woman nodded, getting up to let him rest. "Regain your strength. Tomorrow we begin planning our next move."

As she left the room, Naruto lay back down, his thoughts returning to the recent battle and the sight of Irisviel. Every wound on his body was a reminder of the fight ahead, but also a sign of his resilience and unwavering will. The Grail War was a complex battlefield, filled with betrayal and challenges, but he was ready to face it all. With every step he took, he came closer to his ultimate goal, and he would not allow anything or anyone to stand in his way.

And end of the chapter