Duel, Trap, and Insect Nest

Shiki moved swiftly through the labyrinthine old house, his mind recalling the scene from half an hour ago when he exchanged information with Kariya.

"Mr. Kariya, the map of the Matou Old House is too simple. Are there no other secret rooms or mechanisms? You don't know much about your own home, do you?"

"Shiki, I left the Matou Old House a long time ago, and I'm not really aware of the changes here. When I returned a year ago, I just wanted to see how the people I cared about were doing, and participating in the Holy Grail War was out of necessity. As for the mechanisms and traps in the old house, I don't know much, I'm sorry."

"Ah, it's fine. Since we don't know much about the mechanisms and secrets of the Matou Old House, I'll take action when the time comes, and you can just focus on steadying your Servant, Mr. Kariya."

"...I'm sorry, Shiki, for not being able to help more. I wish I had paid more attention to these things."

"It's nothing, just a few traps."

Shiki's lips curved upwards into a confident smile.

At this moment, on the passage leading to the underground insect nest, Shiki, using his Magic Eye, easily detected numerous magical traps, modern mechanical contraptions, and countless insects, flying overhead and crawling on the ground, everything imaginable.

"Just a few traps... Hiss."

Shiki gasped, realizing he had spoken too boastfully earlier.

The traps here would likely kill an ordinary magus on the spot; they were not only numerous and dense but also incredibly malicious.

"But thankfully, I'm not ordinary either!"

Having eaten his fill and with his energy replenished, he could now do things that were unimaginable for ordinary people, like climbing walls.

This most basic ninja skill in the Naruto World proved incredibly effective for Shiki.

The traps on the ground instantly became mere decorations. Shiki used the walls and ceiling, like a streak of black lightning, to easily break through the layers of defenses and successfully infiltrate the underground insect nest.

However, the sight before him made his scalp tingle instantly.

Hundreds of thousands of insects writhed, like a massive carpet made of flesh and blood, undulating in waves. The rustling sound of the insects rubbing against each other, combined with the clicking of their mandibles, created a chilling symphony.

"While I've seen insect nests of the Aburame Clan before, compared to this, those were practically mild."

His voice echoed through the insect nest, immediately drawing the attention of the insect swarm. Upon sensing the boy's presence, the swarm immediately went berserk, surging towards him like a raging tide.

"Heh, useless!"

Shiki snorted coldly, and his dark right eye subtly changed. The iris, originally brown with blackish hues, transformed into a vibrant green, and red, ring-like patterns rapidly spread across the sclera. The "Reincarnation Eye," known to everyone in the Naruto World, reappeared.

"Oh, I almost forgot, it's considered a type of Magic Eye here. What should I name it?"

He frowned slightly, falling into brief contemplation. But the current perilous situation left him no time to think further; the insect swarm had already engulfed him.

However, as soon as these insects approached Shiki, they were repelled by the force field surrounding him, unable to get close.

"Never mind, I'll think about the name later. The priority now is not to let Kariya overexert his life force; I need to deal with that old monster quickly."

He estimated the time; if he delayed any longer, Kariya, who was struggling to hold on above in the old house, would likely be in mortal danger.

For the honest, trustworthy, and kind-hearted Shiki, he could never stand by and watch a companion fall into danger.

With this thought, Shiki spread his hands, and the Magic Eye in his right eye emitted a multicolored glow. A powerful force gathered in his palm, then erupted with a roar.

"Let me test the limits of my current strength. Almighty Push!"

In an instant, the force field in Shiki's surroundings transformed into a powerful repulsive force. Under his precise control, this force did not spread in three-dimensional space but surged forward, backward, left, and right horizontally at a rapid pace, forcefully repelling the insect swarm.

BOOM!!!

The immense roar was like a stone dropped into a calm lake, creating ripples. The insect swarm was flattened, countless insects crushed into pulp, eventually forming a black and red "mess" that was pushed to the corners.

Only a handful of insects, under the "cover" of their companions, managed to survive. But at this point, with their numbers drastically reduced, they posed no threat to Shiki.

However, just as Shiki thought the crisis was over, a green mist suddenly spread from a corner. Seeing this, the boy's expression froze instantly, and he cursed inwardly, realizing how quickly his words had come back to bite him.

However, after a brief moment of stiffness, Shiki quickly recovered, a hint of a mocking smile playing on his lips.

He unhurriedly pulled a gas mask from behind him and steadily put it on.

"Although I thought there might be toxins, fortunately, I'm cautious and prepared. And I've interacted with companions who raise insects, so I know how malicious you insect-raisers can be; toxins are like everyday fare to you. Am I right, Matou Zouken!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Matou Zouken slowly emerged from the depths of the insect nest.

Behind him followed dense swarms of flying insects, like a black cloud.

Zouken, who had been watching from a superior, detached position, was now forced to enter the fray personally. In just five minutes, he had gone from being the player to a piece on the board.

His opponent was a mere boy who not only ignored his meticulously laid traps but also effortlessly broke through his proud insect swarm. This left Zouken utterly shocked and bewildered, and naturally, his mood soured considerably.

Zouken's expression turned grim as he stared intently at Shiki and asked in a low voice, "Young man, I don't recall having an enemy like you."

He had, of course, seen Shiki's Magic Eye. The scene of Shiki obliterating the insect swarm earlier had genuinely startled him. He had never encountered such a powerful offensive Magic Eye before.

Most ordinary Magic Eyes possessed only mental abilities like charm, hypnosis, and suggestion, with limited effects, capable of dealing only with ordinary people.

High-level Magic Eyes, on the other hand, were diverse and varied in their functions, but they were extremely rare in the entire world of mystery, with pairs often not appearing for many years.

Now, a highest-level, rainbow-colored Magic Eye had appeared before him, igniting a greedy desire in Zouken's heart. He yearned to possess this Magic Eye.

With this Magic Eye, even if he couldn't fully unleash its power, it would become a formidable trump card for winning the Holy Grail War in the future.

With this thought, Zouken subtly reduced the size of the insect swarm behind him.

The Matou Old House was his lair. Besides the visible passages, there were also secret routes that he had prepared as a contingency.

In a direct confrontation, his current aged, host body had not yet fully adapted. Competing with the youthful Shiki in terms of physical ability would undoubtedly be seeking his own demise.

Magicians aren't just about direct confrontation. Right now, it's about stalling for time. His poison wouldn't be that simple to deal with, and the gas mask's effectiveness is limited.

In the Naruto World, the Reincarnation Eye can see chakra. So, could the Magic Eye that Shiki awakened see something special, like magic power?

Shiki subtly rotated his Magic Eye. Reflected in his pupils, the world before him presented itself as a deep azure.

Those tiny blue light spots were insects, and the aged Zouken before him was also a human model composed of light spots. This was entirely different from the blue human circulatory system seen on the Heroic Spirit and Kariya.

Shiki chuckled inwardly. This was merely a clone of insects.

Even outside the Naruto World, he could see through such familiar disguises. With just this, the old monster thought he could deal with him? It was like showing off to an expert.

The answer was already obvious. Since he could see the insect clone, it naturally indicated that Shiki could see the radiance of magic power.

Previously, it was also by using his ability to see magic power that he discovered Kariya and his Heroic Spirit.