Shinji Matou? Die!

The skyline was scorched crimson by the setting sun; nightfall was imminent.

The first-year floor was located on the ground level of the school building. Sasuke came to a slow halt in the silent corridor.

Class 1-B.

Sasuke looked up, his Sharingan fixed on the classroom sign with a calm expression.

This was Kaoru Sakura's class.

Upon entering the classroom, he saw a class photo hanging on the blackboard at the back.

In the photo, Kaoru Sakura was smiling brightly. It had been taken when they first entered high school; he and the old man had stood to the side as guardians while the class photo was being snapped.

In the picture, there was a beautiful girl whose appearance rivaled Kaoru Sakura's, possessing lustrous purple hair and a healing smile.

Sasuke, who had once come to pick Kaoru Sakura up to go home, had seen from afar this girl walking out of the school gate with her.

If he recalled Kaoru Sakura's words correctly, her name was Sakura?

A name he couldn't possibly be more familiar with.

From Kaoru Sakura's previous remarks, Sasuke could tell that she and the girl named Sakura seemed to have a pretty good relationship.

Sometimes Sasuke worried that Kaoru might not be able to find friends at school, but with her outgoing personality, it was nearly impossible for her to be friendless, right?

Indeed, one shouldn't judge others by one's own temperament.

There was a distinct discharge of magical energy within the classroom. With his three-tomoe Sharingan active, Sasuke quickly located the source.

It was in the middle of the room, on the underside of a desk's tabletop.

A scarlet spell crest was slowly pulsing, and Sasuke began to consider how to weaken its effects or excise it entirely.

Since his power source had shifted from chakra to magical energy, it should be feasible to destroy the magic crest with a potent burst of mana.

With that, Sasuke slowly reached his hand into the desk drawer and pressed his palm gently against the crest.

[Lightning Style: Chidori]

Accompanied by that sharp, piercing screech, violent lightning erupted from Sasuke's palm!

The spell crest was instantly obliterated by the ninjutsu Sasuke released!

Although Sasuke had controlled his strength, the wild lightning still punched a large hole through the desk board!

He hoped the student would be happy tomorrow.

The intense flow of magical energy in the classroom dropped significantly; the crest in this room had likely vanished.

However, the moment Sasuke stepped out of the classroom, he sensed someone emerging from the room behind him.

Sasuke turned his head with an indifferent expression and took in the person's appearance.

It was a male student with blue, seaweed-like hair. While his features were decent, his expression was incredibly arrogant and base.

If Shirou Emiya and Rin Tohsaka were present, they would have identified him immediately.

Shinji Matou.

A student in Class 2-C, the same class as Shirou Emiya.

The name Matou, much like Tohsaka, was a family of mages in Fuyuki with a long history.

Though, it appeared to have fallen into decline.

Shinji Matou's face was currently written with haughtiness:

"To think you'd destroy my masterpiece—you've got some nerve."

"You aren't even a Master, are you?"

"Did Rin Tohsaka send you, or was it Emiya?"

"...What are you laughing at?"

Facing this seaweed-head, the corners of Sasuke's mouth curled upward slightly; it was, without a doubt, a look of contempt.

"I thought you would keep playing the coward."

"But judging by your performance just now, you seem to have a bit of backbone."

"So, the one who attacked the female student yesterday was you and that so-called Servant of yours, right?"

Sasuke's disdain sent Shinji Matou into a fit of rage. He couldn't fathom how a mage without a Servant could be so arrogant.

Even if Shinji Matou himself lacked any aptitude for magecraft, he was a Master participating in the Holy Grail War!

With a Servant at his command, he could defeat any mage!

Though he was annoyed that Rider refused to listen to him, he was certain that it was Emiya and Rin Tohsaka who had stopped her from succeeding at the school yesterday!

With Emiya and Rin Tohsaka not here now, there was no one who could stop him!

"Rider, kill this arrogant fool for me!!!"

In an instant, in the void behind Sasuke, a woman appeared. She had long purple hair reaching past her knees, a snake-like mark on her forehead, and her eyes were covered by a blindfold for some unknown reason.

Clad in black clothes and black over-the-knee boots, she exuded a bewitching aura and possessed a stunning figure.

Wielding the short swords connected by chains in both hands, Rider manipulated the blades, the chains coiling through the air in a display that left his Master, Shinji Matou, dizzy just watching.

Shinji's eyes widened in fury, as if Rider were about to kill Sasuke the very next moment.

Yet, from start to finish, the corners of Sasuke's mouth never once dropped.

Facing the chained blades thrusting toward him, the skeletal frame of Susanoo erupted around Sasuke, accompanied by the sharp crack of bone!

Sasuke controlled the now-formed arm of Susanoo, snatching the chained blades Rider had unleashed in a single grasp!

In the next instant, Sasuke, encased within Susanoo, gave the chains a violent yank; faced with the sudden, rigid tension of the chains, it was a force Rider simply could not resist!

In an instant, Rider was hoisted into the air by the sheer power of Sasuke's Susanoo!

The very next moment, Rider's slender frame was gripped tightly by the skeletal hand of Susanoo.

No matter how Rider struggled, he could not break free from Sasuke's control.

Sasuke, who had already entered his Mangekyo state moments ago, wore an expression of cold indifference.

To think that a so-called Servant, a hero of the past, would be subjected to the control of such a petty villain—it was truly laughable.

So, let me be the one to grant you release.

Without a shred of hesitation, the power of Susanoo effortlessly snapped Rider's neck!

He then tossed the corpse, which had yet to dissipate, right in front of Shinji.

At this moment, Shinji Matou stood frozen in place, paralyzed by terror.

"This... how is this possible?"

"How could any magus possibly defeat a Servant!"

Unable to accept such a defeat, Shinji began his impotent rage, roaring at Rider:

"Who gave you permission to be defeated!?"

"Kill him for me!"

"Or is it that you've looked down on me as your Master from the very beginning!"

"You damn piece of trash!"

"Get up, damn you!!!"

Just as Shinji was beside himself with fury, Sasuke, still within Susanoo, slowly turned his head to glance at him.

[Amaterasu]

"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

Shinji's screams echoed throughout the entire school building as black flames engulfed his body; he rolled on the ground in a pathetic display, but the black fire could not be extinguished.

This was one of the abilities of Sasuke's Mangekyo: until the target was burned to ash, the black flames would never be extinguished!

"I was wrong! I was wrong!"

"Please, spare me!"

Watching the incredibly ugly posture of Shinji Matou, Sasuke felt no sense of satisfaction.

Because killing this seaweed-haired clown was even simpler than crushing a bug.

Perhaps because Shinji's screams were too piercing, Shirou and Rin, who had been checking the upper classrooms, rushed over!

Seeing Shinji covered in black flames, Shirou instinctively moved to save him.

But Rin grabbed him, holding him back:

"Don't go over there, or you'll die too."

"That black flame is a technique beyond our ability to handle..."

Shirou looked at Sasuke, somewhat bewildered:

"Why kill Shinji?"

Sasuke dispelled Susanoo, looking at Shirou and Rin with a blank expression:

"Isn't the reason obvious enough?"