What Holy Grail War? Let's Play Cards! (Fate/Yugioh)

"Ah, how lamentable. Knightly etiquette dictates I should yield the first move. But My King commands swift action, so I shall take the initiative!"

Tristan immediately began his turn.

"First, I activate the Spell Card 'Round Table Knights' Gathering.' This allows me to add one 'Knights of the Round Table' card to my hand. If 'Artoria' is on the field, I can add an additional 'Knights of the Round Table' card. Alas, My King is unlikely to grace this battlefield, so I can only retrieve one. I choose to add 'Round Table Knight Tristan' to my hand!"

Most Heroic Spirits' decks understandably revolve around themselves.

"Next, I activate the Spell Card 'Enforcement Legion.' This allows me to Special Summon two 'Enforcement Knights' of different Classes from my deck!"

These artificial weapons, crafted by the Lion King using the Holy Lance's power\, were issued to every Knight of the Round Table. In terms of raw combat strength, they rival some third-rate Servants.

Two fully armored silver knights strode heavily onto the battlefield.

[ Enforcement Knight S ] (Saber): Attack Power 1000

[ Enforcement Knight A ] (Archer): Attack Power 1200

"The Enforcement Knights have an effect: for each card with the same name on the field, their Attack and Defense Power increase by 200. Alas, this effect is useless now. I Tribute Enforcement Knight S to Summon myself, Round Table Knight Tristan!" 

The Enforcement Knight was merely a stepping stone; the true purpose was to summon him.

Amidst the crashing waves, a handsome man with red hair strolled forward, plucking at the strings of his lyre.

Tristan: Attack Power 2000

"The sound of the waves?" Tristan murmured, listening to the sound effect that accompanied his summoning—a sound that had lingered in his ears before his death, an undeniable part of his life. His already furrowed brow tightened further. "Truly sorrowful. Heroic Spirits are such tragic beings, trapped in an endless cycle of their past. Ah, how utterly heartbreaking."

"Tristen, can you stop repeating those words? I'm getting sick of hearing them."

Tristan wasn't some goofy mascot meant to be endearing. "Try to cheer up. You should have Isolde in your Deck too. My Noble Phantasm allows you to reunite with loved ones from your past. Everyone who's used it raves about it."

Of course, there were those who preferred not to confront their past selves, and those whose Noble Phantasms were so terrible they had nothing to brag about. But those ones had already been eliminated. So, for now, the approval rating remained at 100%.

"Ah, Isolde."

Tristan knew Isolde was in his deck, but his situation was far from simple.

"But which Isolde is it? This agonizing uncertainty... Ah, it's so tragic! It's like clutching at a straw while drowning—unsure when it will snap, afraid to grip too tightly yet terrified to let go. There's no greater sorrow than that."

Jiang You suddenly remembered that Tristan's history involved two Isoldes. Tristan probably couldn't even be sure which Isolde he truly longed to see, and he had no way of knowing if the card game even differentiated between the two cards with the same name.

"That truly is tragic," Jiang You murmured.

Recalling Tristan's legend, Jiang You couldn't help but think, "Never settle for substitutes."

"It's heartbreaking—so close, yet I dare not meet her. Still, I'm immensely grateful for this opportunity you've given me," Tristan said, bowing deeply to Jiang You. "In return, I will defeat you with all my might!"

"If possible, I'd much rather you just handed over your deck as compensation," Jiang You replied.

He found the concept of history-generated decks to be a sign of bad civilization. If they were physical cards, he wouldn't need to collect them one by one. He could simply win and rip the entire deck right out of his opponent's hands.

"Tristan's effect activates! When an enemy servant with lower Attack Power than this card declares an attack, it is immediately destroyed!"

While Tristan isn't renowned for his martial prowess, his wide-ranging Vacuum Arrow attack makes him a formidable minion-slayer.

"Next, I invoke the Divine Protection of My King! I activate the Continuous Spell Card, 'Inverted Blessing'! This card's activation cannot be negated, and no effects can be activated in response to its activation!"

The Lion King's Blessing materialized as a Continuous Spell Card in Tristan's hand, radiating a powerful aura that signified its potent magic.

"This card can target one Knight of the Round Table on the field. While 'Inverted Blessing' remains face-up, the targeted Knight cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects, nor can it be targeted by card effects. Additionally, its Attack Power is increased by 500 points. Furthermore, as long as this card is on the field, any battle damage inflicted upon our Main Battler is converted into an equal amount of healing!"

In the game, 'Inverted Blessing' reversed Class matchups, dealing only standard damage except against Saber-class servants. Here, however, its effect aligned more closely with its name, converting damage into healing.

"One more thing," Tristan added, "this card cannot be targeted or destroyed by card effects. The King's Blessing isn't so easily dispelled! Of course, it will be destroyed if the targeted card leaves the field."

Tristan's explanation made perfect sense; a Blessing without a physical form couldn't be targeted.

Tristan: Attack Power 2000 → 2500

Being untargetable and immune to destruction by battle or card effects was a formidable defense. Currently, Jiang You only had two ways to overcome it: King Hassan's direct attacks and Sesshouin's ability to devour opponents.

"Finally, I'll set two cards in my back row and end my turn," Tristan announced, swiftly completing his preparations. He exuded the confidence of a one-servant army, ready to single-handedly dominate the battlefield.

"He's so strong!" Gudako exclaimed.

She mentally reviewed her deck. While she had a vast collection of cards, most operated independently. Tristan's unique effect left her temporarily stumped, unable to devise a way to break through. However, his lack of offensive punch suggested the match would likely devolve into a prolonged war of attrition.

"Mr. Jiang You, can we win?" Gudako asked, glancing at him.

Jiang You cast a sidelong glance at Gudako, hesitant to make any empty promises. Who knew what bizarre card Tristan might pull out next to finish him off?

"It seems your deck is more suited for solo combat," Jiang You remarked.

He had prepared to face multiple Knights of the Round Table simultaneously, but Tristan's performance and cards didn't suggest a team-oriented strategy. This aligned with the current storyline, where the Knights were challenging him one by one. "I'm afraid the Lion King's Blessing is utterly useless against me."

"How truly lamentable," Tristan said with a hint of pity. "You cannot possibly comprehend the true nature of My King's current existence. Her Blessing..."

"Admittedly, if you remained on the field, most decks I know would be crushed by your sheer power. Only Rin Tohsaka might stand a chance. But alas, you're facing me."

Even without King Hassan, Jiang You had a card perfectly suited for this situation. "My turn. Draw!"