"What... what did you do?!" Zouken Matou felt as though his entire body were being scorched. His Magic Circuits were being destroyed, then violently tangled together, rendered utterly irreparable!
Even Kariya Matou had not realized that a single shot would inflict such devastating damage. His mouth hung slightly open as he instinctively aimed at the old worm on the ground and pulled the trigger.
Click. The sound was crisp.
"Stop pressing it. I only prepared one bullet for you." Sakutsuki stopped Kariya, his expression both helpless and smug. "Although the thirty-eighth shot missed, the thirty-ninth Origin Bullet crippled a three-hundred-year-old relic. It didn't disgrace the Origin Bullet's name."
The Origin Bullet, Kiritsugu Emiya's strongest Mystic Code.
Since he had already spent a week at Einzbern, how could Sakutsuki possibly not get his hands on something this good from Papa Kiritsugu?
Within the dazzling inferno, the golden-eyed young man looked at the old man collapsed on the ground. Beneath his icy gaze lay a trace of pity.
Before an Origin Bullet, the stronger the magus, the faster he died.
This time, Zouken Matou's life had finally reached its end.
"Two hundred years have passed. Nagato Tohsaka is dead, Einzbern has shut itself away, and the Winter Saint has vanished as well. Why did you insist on turning yourself into a monstrosity and betraying your original wish rather than die?"
The young man stared at him as though gazing upon glory that had already faded away.
"Answer me, Makiri Zolgen."
Why?
Why didn't he want to die?
Enduring agony every day, unable to stand beneath the sun, living in such an inhuman way—living was more painful than death.
Clearly, if it all ended, he could be freed from suffering. Yet why did he continue clinging to life, embracing every pain and refusing to let go?
He remembered.
That was right. In the beginning, it had been for a noble purpose.
To eradicate all evil. To seek a miracle.
"If humanity is beyond saving, if evil cannot be severed while remaining human..."
"If Avalon is a place humanity cannot reach..."
"Then seek that which surpasses humanity and search for a new form of mankind."
"That's right. To eliminate all the evil in the world, we shall devote our entire lives to it."
To hold all things in one's hands. To understand every truth and reach a realm no one had ever reached. To transcend the limitations of flesh and attain the infinity of the soul.
The species called humanity. Bound by predetermined limits, it wished to escape the endlessly turning spiral. All hatred and pain existed only to be healed and erased.
—He remembered now.
After learning the sorrowful truth that paradise did not exist. If this world was emptiness, if even the creation of a physical body was forbidden, then they would rise and head for the place where it was permitted.
It was not about creating an entirely new world, but about transforming themselves—transforming human life itself—into something new.
—For that.
For that, they sought the Holy Grail.
They sought a miracle beyond human power.
Until it was achieved, there was no reason to disappear.
So he had to survive.
"Yes, that was it, messenger of Einzbern." Zouken murmured. With his Magic Circuits utterly destroyed, he could not even preserve the last remnants of his soul. He could only watch as he scattered away like sand.
"So you finally remembered." Sakutsuki nodded faintly, the disgust in his golden eyes replaced by solemnity.
"I will inherit your tragic wish. I will pursue the Third Magic, the miracle of materializing the soul—but not for the salvation of all humanity. I will do it to live on, and while I'm at it, to see another possibility for the future."
"Ah... is that so..." His voice gradually faded. "Do as you please."
As his voice vanished, the vast swarm of insects fell still as well, completely annihilated by the flames.
The shadow that had hung over Fuyuki City for two centuries finally dissipated.
006: Zouken Matou Character Information: Original name, Makiri Zolgen... Hidden Information: The young Makiri Zolgen had been a close friend of Paracelsus von Hohenheim, the physician and alchemist of the sixteenth-century Renaissance. Although their research differed, Hohenheim considered Makiri an idealist worthy of respect. At the height of his power, Makiri Zolgen possessed combat strength sufficient to fight Servants, and under certain circumstances could even defeat a single Servant. Record Conditions (2/2): 1. Rescue Sakura Matou from Zouken Matou. (Completed) 2. Completely kill Zouken Matou. (Completed) Record Condition 1 completed. Reward acquired: "Detailed Explanation of Imaginary Numbers Magic"! Record Condition 2 completed. Reward acquired: "Detailed Explanation of Water and Insect Magecraft"!
The torrent of immense magical knowledge poured into Sakutsuki's mind, making his thoughts stall for a moment. By the time he came back to himself, Kariya's words were already nearing their end.
"Taking out that old vampire really did feel great, but won't the Tohsaka Estate discover what we did?"
The Tohsaka Estate and the Matou Estate were not far apart. Especially since that little bastard Sakutsuki had used an RPG to level the place—such a huge commotion, if Tokiomi Tohsaka found out, never mind the dirty dealings between magi, he might decide the Matou family had lost the ability to raise Sakura and take her away—
At the thought, Kariya Matou clenched his fists, once again overcome by a sense of powerlessness.
"Relax. I already used magecraft to hide the Matou Estate. From the outside, this place looks perfectly peaceful."
"More like creepy," Kariya retorted. Looking at the petite figure in Sakutsuki's arms, his eyes overflowed with tenderness. "Come on, let me hold her."
"Ooh—" Sakutsuki drew out the sound as he deftly turned away, preventing Kariya from seeing the girl he had been longing for. "Sakura is the one I worked so hard to save. Why should I hand her over for you to take care of?"
"Hey, you can't put it like that!" Kariya argued. "The Matou family and that Tohsaka bastard signed an agreement. This child should be left in my care!"
But Sakutsuki was having none of it. "Then do you know why Tokiomi Tohsaka was willing to let Sakura come here? It was so she could inherit the Matou family's Magic Crest."
The Matou Estate was still burning. Beneath Kariya's stiff expression, the golden-eyed young man wore a teasing smile.
"Now that I've destroyed the Matou Estate and the Magic Crest has been ruined beyond repair, tell me, Kariya Matou—what makes you think Tokiomi Tohsaka would be willing to leave his daughter in this place? Will you rush over and get beaten down like a dog, or kneel and beg the man who stole Aoi Zenjo's happiness to grant you his mercy?"
Hearing that, Kariya's fists clenched unconsciously. His nails dug into his palms, but he did not notice.
Sakutsuki continued without pause. "Don't fantasize that Sakura will find happiness after leaving here. To avoid wasting his daughter's talent, Tokiomi Tohsaka will absolutely send Sakura to another family. And those so-called mage families... Hmph. You know exactly what they're like."
Wasn't Kariya Matou the kind of man who had run away because he feared everything connected to magi?
"I... I can't let Tokiomi take Sakura away. I won't let Sakura lose her happiness." Kariya's eyes were bloodshot.
"But you don't have the ability to protect Sakura. Even if you fled far away, you might not escape the Tohsaka family's reach. You might even leave little Sakura living forever beneath the shadow of pursuit."
Kariya Matou fell silent.
He was not stupid. He understood why Sakutsuki was being so aggressive, but no matter what, Kariya Matou did not want to let go again.
"I know. You mean Sakura should follow you, right?"
"Exactly..."
"No, there's another option!" Kariya stepped forward, seized Sakutsuki's arm, and looked at him with absolute resolve.
"Hey, hey, let's get one thing straight—I'm straight, so don't try anything weird!" Sakutsuki's mouth twitched at Kariya's crazed gaze, and he involuntarily took a step back. "I already have someone I like!"
With a thud, Kariya Matou dropped to his knees. He performed the most proper dogeza before Sakutsuki. "Coach, I want to learn magecraft!"
"...Ah. Oh, so that's what this is." Sakutsuki quietly breathed a sigh of relief and finally returned to normal. "I do have a use for the Matou family, or I wouldn't have wasted so much time talking to you. But honestly, even if I teach you magecraft now, it'll still be difficult for you to defeat Tokiomi Tohsaka—understand?"
"Of course I know that." Kariya Matou raised his head, unconcerned with how humiliating his posture was.
For Sakura, he could disregard everything.
Looking at his expression, Sakutsuki finally understood Kariya Matou's purpose.
"...I see. You want to tie me to your chariot."
After all, how could someone ruthless enough to destroy the Matou family fear threats from the Tohsaka family?
Under the man's uneasy gaze, Sakutsuki thought for a long time before finally revealing a malicious smile.
"Though it differs somewhat from my plan, since one of us wants to teach and the other wants to learn, I won't hold back. I'll take your fates for myself."
"This is...?"
The next morning, led by Kariya, the group of three passed through rows of quiet houses and arrived before an antique Chinese-style building.
"Ah, just as you requested." Kariya walked ahead. "'Abandon the conspicuous Matou Estate and find a new base, but one that allows us to walk directly to the Tohsaka or Matou estates if necessary.' Aside from property owned by the Fujimura-gumi, this was the most suitable place. If that couple hadn't been so eager to return home, we couldn't have acquired it this quickly."
"Let me see." Sakutsuki was not interested in the house's history. In the future Holy Grail War, where covert conflict would be the norm, magical factors such as the quality of the leyline were what truly counted as advantageous terrain. "This place is right atop a Ley Line node. In ordinary terms, the feng shui here is excellent."
The young man crouched down and set down the little girl he had been holding the entire time.
The black-haired girl rubbed her eyes, still drowsy. "Mm... Brother Sakutsuki?"
"Sakura, do you like this house?" Sakutsuki asked gently.
Sakura timidly glanced at the house before quickly answering, "Brother and Uncle can decide. I'm fine with anything."
Her obedient appearance was both adorable and heartbreaking.
Kariya and Sakutsuki exchanged a glance. They smiled first, then quickly sighed.
"No helping it. We'll stay here for now." Sakutsuki picked Sakura up again and pushed open the gate beneath Kariya's envious gaze.
"At worst, we'll renovate the entire house from top to bottom."
"Of course."
Neither man noticed anything odd in their words as they led the princess they doted on into this new base.
This Chinese-style building was still in Miyama Town, at the very center of the future battlefield, yet it lay far from both the Matou and Tohsaka estates, like a quiet refuge found amid countless undercurrents.
Though he did not know why Sakutsuki had done this, Kariya Matou was more than happy to stay far away from the Matou Estate.
"Here, take it." A brand-new notebook traced a perfect arc through the air and landed in Kariya's flustered hands.
Kariya caught it. After instinctively flipping through a few pages, his expression changed. "Hey! Sakutsuki, this is..."
"As you can see, I spent all night copying down magecraft notes." Sakutsuki was making Sakura giggle as he casually waved a hand. "It isn't the insect magecraft you hate. It's the Matou family's original water magecraft, as well as the Imaginary Numbers Magic Sakura needs."
"..." Kariya's hands tightened around the notebook. Without question, the notebook in his hands, worth no more than a few hundred yen, contained magical knowledge beyond price.
Though he still felt repulsed by thaumaturgy, whether for the Matou family's continued existence or Sakura's happiness, he had to use his own hands to pick up the Mystery he had once abandoned.
"Later, I'll use magecraft to link this residence's Ley Line with the Matou Estate's." After playing around for a while, Sakutsuki stood and stretched lazily. "You don't need me to explain the disguises and such. As for teaching magecraft... sorry, but I'm only half-baked myself, so trust your own aptitude, Kariya."
"What kind of teacher says that?" Kariya shot his cheap teacher a resentful look before crouching down and gently calling to the girl. "Sakura, that guy has something to do. Come here, stay with me."
"Come to think of it, this child should be called Sakura Matou now, right?" Sakutsuki said pointedly, making Kariya's body stiffen as he hugged Sakura.
Matou. Sakura Matou.
When his own surname was placed upon the daughter of the woman he loved, even though Kariya Matou had prepared himself, his heart still surged uncontrollably.
Though this life was destined to have nothing to do with Aoi... at least he could keep something to remember her by.
Smack. Another notebook hit Kariya on the head.
Pfft. Seeing her uncle's miserable state, Sakura's eyes curved into crescents as she laughed.
"What was that for, Sakutsuki?!"
While Kariya Matou protested, the white-haired, golden-eyed young man somehow leaned close to his ear and whispered like a devil.
"Do you want to understand the meaning of life? Do you want to truly live?"
"Do you want to reverse your past mistakes and make the person you love... become your lover?"
Before you continue