It was merely a temporary body formed by Matou Zouken manipulating Magic Crest Worms with magecraft properties.
So Fu Yuan's senses had not been wrong.
And the real Matou Zouken had already become a Magic Crest Worm.
Matou Zouken, who had clung to life for over five hundred years, had housed his spirit and soul within his familiar, the Magic Crest Worms, completely transforming himself into one.
Next, Matou Zouken would cruelly parasitize other people in order to prolong his own life.
The reason Matou Zouken had been so eager to obtain Matou Sakura, who possessed excellent Mage Circuits, was because he intended to parasitize her body.
This old worm no longer belongs to humanity. The only thing keeping him alive must be that hideous obsession of his. Fu Yuan silently thought as he looked at Matou Zouken.
The Matou Zouken of the past had been an extraordinarily capable magus. Two hundred years ago, he had possessed a grand ambition: he wanted to become an "ally of justice."
Matou Zouken, the ally of justice, had wanted to eliminate all evil in this world, as well as humanity's wickedness.
Embracing that "great idea," Matou Zouken had joined the Einzbern and Tohma families two hundred years ago to create the Holy Grail War system.
But that great ideal had long since vanished from Matou Zouken's mind.
Through his cruel and disgusting methods of prolonging his life, Matou Zouken's original soul and mind had long rotted away like decaying wood, leaving behind nothing but a hideous obsession.
Now, two hundred years later, Matou Zouken's soul had already decayed. Only one obsession remained within him.
That was "not wanting to die," "wanting to live forever no matter what." Thus, the Matou Zouken of today had become a monstrous villain whose sole goal was immortality.
Matou Zouken had been someone worthy of admiration two hundred years ago, but now he had fallen to a loathsome and detestable state. Fu Yuan would show him mercy and send him on his way.
He would free Matou Zouken from his five-hundred-year obsession.
Simply put... the old worm had to die!
Like the Matou family, the Tohma Family was located on the quiet side of Fuyuki City, to the right of the Miyou River. After strolling for around half an hour, Matou Zouken brought Fu Yuan and Matou Sakura to the gates of the Matou family residence.
Hey! Up Ahead Is Hell!
The Matou family residence was an old Western-style house with a courtyard.
The old house looked somewhat aged, exuding an atmosphere of decline like an elderly man in his twilight years.
Even with ornamental trees and flowers filling the courtyard with green vitality, and the bright sun shining overhead, it was difficult to conceal the old house's age and decay.
This building was just like Matou Zouken.
Stopping at the courtyard gate, Matou Zouken turned around and extended his withered hand toward Matou Sakura. "This is my home, Little Sakura. Come here."
Holding Fu Yuan's hand, Matou Sakura pursed her glistening little lips. Reluctantly, she loosened her grip on his warm hand. This gentle big brother had already brought her to her new home, so it was time for her to let go.
But Fu Yuan clasped her little hand again.
"Brother Fu Yuan?" Matou Sakura looked at Fu Yuan in confusion, puzzled by his sudden action.
Fu Yuan did not answer Matou Sakura. He merely smiled faintly at the adorable little girl who was about to step into hell—the Matou family residence—then said to Matou Zouken, "Little Sakura has already been adopted into the Matou family. I assume you've prepared a room and everything else for her?"
"That is correct. I have already prepared Little Sakura's room, and her luggage arrived at the Matou family residence several days ago," Matou Zouken said hoarsely.
Fu Yuan narrowed his eyes and smiled. "As her brother, I am very interested in the room you've prepared for Little Sakura. If you don't mind, let me have a look."
As soon as he heard that, Matou Zouken frowned deeply. He had no desire to let Fu Yuan inspect Matou Sakura's room, because he was already impatient.
Matou Zouken could not wait to throw Matou Sakura into his underground workshop and have the Magic Crest Worms bred there perform "Magecraft Modification" on her.
So Matou Zouken bluntly refused Fu Yuan.
"I mind very much. Outsiders are not permitted to enter my Matou family residence."
"Is it that outsiders aren't permitted to enter, or is there something inside that you don't want others to discover?" Fu Yuan asked Matou Zouken meaningfully.
Matou Zouken immediately fixed his gaze on Fu Yuan. A trace of surprise appeared in his pitch-black eyes, deeply sunken in their sockets. Why did it sound like Fu Yuan was implying something?
"I only want to take a look at Little Sakura's room. What's the big deal, right, old man who plays with bugs?" Fu Yuan said with a smiling expression.
"You..." The look in Matou Zouken's eyes changed slightly as he stared at Fu Yuan, because Fu Yuan had just said the words "plays with bugs."
Plays with bugs?
Was he referring to the Matou family's magecraft?
But... how could an ordinary person possibly know that the Matou family's magecraft involved playing with bugs?
"So, are you really not planning to let me go inside with her? If you're still unwilling, I'll go back and invite the head of the Tohma Family over to take a look at the room you've prepared for Little Sakura as well."
Matou Sakura blinked as she looked at Fu Yuan's calm expression. This was not the Fu Yuan she remembered...
The Brother Fu Yuan in Matou Sakura's memories was gentle, reasonable, someone who could make her and her sister laugh happily, and someone who would never cause trouble for others.
So why was Fu Yuan being so unreasonable now? Why did he insist on seeing the room where she would live?
After thinking about it, a smile appeared on Matou Sakura's little face.
Because... the little girl had interpreted Fu Yuan's strange behavior as concern for her.
Fu Yuan was worried about what kind of room the Matou family had prepared for her.
But it was not as Matou Sakura thought.
Not only did Fu Yuan have no intention of looking at Matou Sakura's room, he even intended to destroy the entire Matou family residence.
Still, this was quite good for Fu Yuan, because Matou Sakura's mistaken guess caused her affection for him to rise by a great deal~
Matou Zouken glared darkly at Fu Yuan, who was "making an unreasonable fuss." Though he did not believe Fu Yuan had the ability to bring Tohsaka Tokiomi here, he did not want any unexpected complications when he was so close to obtaining Matou Sakura. So, with a gloomy expression, he nodded.
"Fine. You may enter with Little Sakura, but let me warn you..."
Matou Zouken slowly said, "Curiosity killed the cat."
Fu Yuan understood those words and laughed fearlessly. "But I'm not a cat."
"Hehehe, even the legendary cat with nine lives died because of curiosity. A somewhat strange fellow like you probably won't be an exception," Matou Zouken said maliciously. Then he pushed open the iron gate of the Matou family courtyard and stepped inside first.
Perhaps because Fu Yuan had mentioned "playing with bugs," Matou Zouken now felt that this "ordinary person" was somewhat suspicious.
But Matou Zouken was confident. What did he have to fear? He feared nothing! Once they entered the Matou family residence, no one could resist him.
Because hidden within the Matou family residence were the Magic Crest Worms Matou Zouken had cultivated over the years. Once tens of thousands of Magic Crest Worms swarmed forward, any magus would be drowned beneath them and gnawed clean by the worms.
Before you continue