Chapter Summaries

Meruem removed Apsu from Aria and defeated Mars, sealing both gods’ souls after noticing they seemed far weaker than expected. With the Little Sanctuary’s forces defeated, he planned to return and see whether the gods could help him reach the Ninth Sense.

• Meruem trapped Medea and Eden in a barrier, pulled Apsu’s soul from Aria, and sealed it in a container.
• Meruem warned Medea and Eden not to cause trouble, then headed toward the battle between his clone and Mars.
• Meruem defeated Mars, sealed his soul, and wondered why both Mars and Apsu were weaker than he remembered.
• Meruem suspected Yoma might be behind the gods’ diminished power and decided to disrupt the gods of the heavenly realm instead of following Yoma’s script.
• Meruem and the Saint Seiya defeated the remaining forces at the Little Sanctuary, including Pisces Amor, who fell to Ikki.
• Meruem set off with the sealed souls of Apsu and Mars, hoping they could help him reach the Ninth Sense.

In Elysium, the Twin Gods celebrated their growing power while Yoma watched and planned to strengthen both sides of the coming conflict. Meruem formed an alliance with Lucifer, dealt violently with other sealed monsters, and turned to Apsu and Mars’s souls in pursuit of the Ninth Sense.

• Thanatos and Hypnos celebrated their new strength and anticipated Hades absorbing Apsu’s power to lead the Hades Army to rule the earth.
• Yoma watched the Twin Gods from Heinstan Castle and planned to balance the conflict by drawing out another mighty god’s power.
• Meruem met Lucifer, who recognized his strength and agreed to a temporary alliance against the gods of the heavens.
• Lucifer left with his Saint Demon Angels to recover, while Meruem killed hostile sealed monsters and assigned their remains to the Chimera Ant Research Unit.
• Meruem prepared to use Apsu and Mars’s souls to try to reach the Ninth Sense.

Meruem chose to enter the Type-Moon World as a Heroic Spirit, hoping that victory in the Holy Grail War would help him reach the Ninth Sense. In Fuyuki, a despairing child of the Matou family failed to summon a Heroic Spirit before Sakura was taken, then found a tome titled "Taboo of Flesh."

• Meruem failed to gain insight into the Ninth Sense by consuming Apsu and Mars, and gave their godhoods to his subordinates.
• The system told Meruem that a world connected to branching realities might help him reach the Ninth Sense through the Holy Grail War, but warned that his power would be limited and death would be final.
• Meruem decided to travel to the Type-Moon World, leaving the Saint Seiya World without time stopping in his absence.
• A child of the Matou family lamented that he could not use magecraft or summon a Heroic Spirit, and feared that an old man would take Sakura that night.
• The child struck a bookshelf and found an ancient tome titled "Taboo of Flesh."

Matou Shinji sacrificed his own body to summon a Servant, hoping to save Sakura from Matou Zouken and the Crest Worms. The summoning succeeded, but Shinji had lost his limbs and eyes by the time a tall figure appeared before him.

• Shinji found a book describing how a caster could use their own flesh and blood as magical power, and resolved to make amends by protecting Sakura.
• Matou Zouken prepared to torment Sakura with Crest Worms while she pleaded for help from her family and Matou Shinji.
• Shinji cut off his left arm and used his blood and body as a sacrifice in an attempt to summon a Servant without a Holy Relic.
• As Shinji continued the summoning chant, he sacrificed his feet, eyes, and remaining hand, and the Magic Circle shone with powerful white light.
• A tall figure emerged before Shinji as the summoning succeeded.

Meruem was summoned by Shinji, who sacrificed himself and used all three Command Seals to order him to save Sakura. Meruem reached Sakura just before Matou Zouken could assault her, rescued her from the Crest Worms, and confronted Zouken.

• Meruem appeared before Shinji, learned the situation through the knowledge granted to him as a Heroic Spirit, and agreed to save Sakura.
• Shinji used all three Command Seals to command Meruem to save Sakura and let her live well, then crumbled to ashes.
• Meruem sensed Matou Zouken and rushed to Sakura, destroying the Crest Worms surrounding her before Zouken could harm her.
• Meruem comforted Sakura and insulted Matou Zouken, who regarded the newcomer with wary anger.

Meruem rescued Sakura from Matou Zouken's attack and took her away from the Matou home. After Sakura woke in a borrowed room, she begged Meruem not to take her back, and he decided to protect her while seeking magical energy.

• Matou Zouken demanded that Meruem hand over Sakura, but Meruem promised her he would not abandon her.
• Matou Zouken sent Crest Worms against Meruem, who froze them and forced Zouken to flee after misleading him into suspecting Tokiomi Tohsaka.
• Meruem carried Sakura away from the Matou home and vowed to settle his debt with the Matou Family later.
• Sakura woke the next morning in a borrowed room, ate bread and milk, and heard Meruem say he would take her home.
• Sakura begged Meruem not to send her back, and Meruem felt compelled to protect her.

Meruem decided to keep Sakura with him despite the danger, but his dwindling mana left him close to disappearing. When Sakura begged him not to abandon her, he revealed that Mana Transfer could save him.

• Meruem considered returning Sakura to the Tohsaka Family but kept her after she refused to leave him.
• Meruem collapsed from mana depletion and realized he needed a way to replenish his strength.
• Meruem ate enormous quantities of food to absorb trace energy, but learned he would still dissipate within about a day without more mana.
• Sakura begged Meruem not to leave her, and he told her that Mana Transfer could keep him alive.

Meruem completed a mana transfer with Sakura and accepted her earnest wish to become his bride when she grew up. Three months later, Sakura had become his Master, greatly strengthening Meruem, who planned to use his power against Matou Zouken.

• Sakura agreed to transfer mana to Meruem through a kiss and told him she wanted to become his bride.
• Meruem reassured Sakura that he could never hate her, and she repeated that she would marry him when she grew up.
• Sakura followed Meruem and learned magecraft, becoming a qualified Master after only a few days.
• Three months later, Meruem's parameters had risen dramatically under Sakura's contract, though the world's restrictions limited his abilities.
• Meruem concluded that his power was enough to deal with Matou Zouken and decided that the old worm had to die.

Meruem brought Sakura back to the Matou estate to confront Matou Zouken and free her from the trauma of her past. After destroying part of the residence and facing Zouken’s worms, Meruem began an icy attack against the swarm.

• Meruem comforted Sakura as they approached the Matou estate, explaining that he had returned to resolve the painful past haunting her.
• Meruem unleashed Rozan Rising Dragon Force, breaking the estate’s barrier and destroying one-third of the building.
• Matou Zouken emerged among the Crest Worms and taunted Meruem about Sakura and Shinji, prompting Sakura to angrily defend Shinji.
• Meruem challenged Matou Zouken and caused the surrounding Crest Worms to retreat, but Zouken ordered his insects to attack.
• Meruem countered the swarm with Diamond Dust: Zero Light, forming a crystalline snowflake in his hand.

Meruem destroyed the Matou residence and burned nearly all of Matou Zouken’s Crest Worms after rescuing Sakura, then left with her. Zouken’s true body survived and escaped, while a hooded man arrived at the ruins searching desperately for Sakura.

• Meruem froze the Crest Worms, then used Titan Nova to demolish the Matou residence and crush most of the worms in its basement.
• Matou Zouken sent his remaining Crest Worms fleeing, but Meruem trapped them with Phosphorus Gas and burned them with Sekishiki Ghost Blue Flame.
• Sakura thanked Meruem with a kiss, and Meruem spared Zouken before leaving with her.
• Matou Zouken’s true body crawled from the ruins, vowed revenge, and flew into the forest to seek a new vessel.
• A hooded man found the ruins, rejoiced at the Matou Family’s destruction, and searched frantically for Sakura as Zouken approached him from behind.

After taking control of the Matou Family, Meruem established its power and raised Sakura in a new villa near Fuyuki City. When a visitor tried to spy on them, Meruem recognized him and bristled at his arrival.

• After Matou Zouken and Matou Shinji died, Matou Sakura inherited the Matou Family's assets and became its head.
• Meruem defeated the heads of ten mage families and silenced other challengers, earning the name Devil Butler and drawing intervention from the Clock Tower.
• Meruem moved Sakura to a new villa, dressed her in a princess outfit, and shared breakfast with her.
• The villa's barrier detected a visitor who tried to spy with a familiar, and Meruem recognized him and resented how late he had come.

Meruem told Sakura that Tokiomi Tohsaka had come to visit, and Sakura struggled with whether she wanted to see the father who had sent her to the Matou Family. Meruem reassured her and went to meet Tokiomi while Sakura watched from inside.

• Meruem tried to hide Tokiomi Tohsaka’s arrival from Sakura, but she saw through his excuse.
• Meruem told Sakura that Tokiomi had come, and she fell silent before shaking her head and then nodding.
• Sakura trembled as she remembered her suffering in the Matou Family and wondered whether to face her father.
• Meruem showed Sakura Tokiomi through a crystal ball and told her to let him know if she wanted to see him.
• Meruem reassured Sakura, then appeared before Tokiomi and asked why the head of the Tohsaka Family had come.

Tokiomi Tohsaka visited the Matou estate, but Sakura realized he had not come to take her home. Meruem drove Tokiomi away and promised a devastated Sakura that he would always stay by her side.

• Tokiomi Tohsaka demanded to see Sakura, whom he addressed as Matou Sakura, and crushed her hope that he had come to take her home.
• Meruem sensed Sakura's sorrow and told Tokiomi she did not want to see him.
• Tokiomi attacked Meruem with a Fireball Spell, but Meruem crushed it, broke Tokiomi's Magic Wand, and forced him to leave.
• Sakura cried in Meruem's arms and said she was a bad child nobody wanted.
• Meruem comforted Sakura and promised they would stay together forever.

As the Fourth Holy Grail War approached, Tokiomi Tohsaka focused on winning while blaming Meruem for keeping Sakura from him. At the Clock Tower, Waver Velvet was humiliated by Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald, who dismissed his thesis.

• Tokiomi Tohsaka assumed Meruem had seized the Matou Family’s assets and kept Sakura from him, but left them alone while he prepared for the Holy Grail War.
• Tokiomi had arranged for Kotomine Kirei to obtain a Command Seal and become one of the Fourth Holy Grail War’s Masters.
• At Einzbern Castle, a dead-eyed man warned a silver-haired woman that Kayneth El-Melloi Archibald might be a troublesome opponent.
• Waver Velvet submitted his thesis criticizing magus bloodline theory, but Kayneth dismissed it and called Waver delusional and unsuited to magecraft.

Weber stole Kayneth’s Holy Relic and headed to Fuyuki City, while the other magi prepared for the Holy Grail War and Meruem watched the first Servants appear. Meruem detected an unexpected presence and recognized that an old worm had taken over Matou Kariya’s body.

• After Kayneth publicly tore apart Weber’s thesis, Weber learned about the Holy Grail War, stole the relic of Alexander Iskandar, and set out for Fuyuki City.
• Kiritsugu Emiya found Avalon at Einzbern Castle and resolved to summon King Arthur Pendragon to save the world.
• Tokiomi sent Aoi and Rin away for their safety, while Meruem took Sakura from the Tohsaka mansion after she said goodbye to her family.
• As the Holy Grail War began, Meruem sensed Gilgamesh and the Conqueror’s Servant appearing in Fuyuki City and anticipated the arrival of the remaining participants.
• Meruem detected an unfamiliar presence, realized the old worm had taken over Matou Kariya’s body, and declared that he would win the Holy Grail War.

Matou Zouken, having taken over Kariya’s body, summoned CASTER to pursue revenge against Meruem and seek the Holy Grail. CASTER revealed himself as Abe no Seimei, while Weber struggled to assert authority over the Conqueror Alexander.

• Matou Zouken’s surviving body parasitized Kariya and spent nearly a year turning him into a vessel for the Crest Worms.
• Zouken summoned CASTER and declared that he would use the Holy Grail and his Servant to take revenge on Meruem.
• After Zouken threatened him with Command Seals, CASTER gave his true name as Abe no Seimei.
• Weber tried to assert himself as Alexander’s master, but Alexander intimidated him before explaining that they had already formed a contract.
• Alexander examined the world map and enthusiastically discussed the Holy Grail War with his Queen Consort.

Weber and Iskandar tentatively accepted each other as Master and Servant, while Kiritsugu summoned the young King Arthur and left Irisviel to greet her. In Fuyuki, Ryunosuke accidentally summoned Gilles de Rais as a Berserker, and they formed a contract.

• Weber chose not to use a Command Seal against Iskandar, and Iskandar silently accepted his Master.
• Kiritsugu and Irisviel discovered that their summoned King Arthur was a young girl, and Kiritsugu left the castle while Irisviel welcomed her.
• Ryunosuke Uryu drew a summoning circle from an old book using a captive child's blood and accidentally summoned a Servant.
• Gilles de Rais appeared as a Berserker, repeatedly called for Jeanne, and reached out to Ryunosuke.
• Ryunosuke introduced himself to Gilles, and the two clasped hands to form their contract.

Bluebeard began killing children with his alchemy, and his summoning announced that the Holy Grail War had officially begun. Meruem saw through Tokiomi and the priest’s plan, while Weber learned that assassin had been defeated and Artoria arrived with Irisviel.

• Bluebeard killed a bound boy and extracted blood-stained gold coins from his body, astonishing Ryunosuke Uryu.
• The chapter explained that Bluebeard’s Alchemy could turn a tormented child’s organs and blood into gold coins, and his summoning marked the start of the Holy Grail War.
• Meruem recognized that Tokiomi and the priest planned to fake assassin’s withdrawal while hiding assassin and displaying Gilgamesh’s strength.
• Weber celebrated after learning assassin had exited, but the Conqueror told him not to mistake assassin’s defeat for the end of the war and flicked his forehead.
• Artoria told Irisviel that her Riding skill let her pilot an airplane, leaving Irisviel laughing at the image of the King of Knights flying one.

Irisviel and Artoria went shopping and met Meruem and Sakura before parting at sunset. Later, Artoria and Irisviel answered Lancer Diarmuid’s challenge in the Warehouse District, while Meruem watched from above.

• Irisviel persuaded Artoria to go shopping with her, and Artoria agreed to escort her through the city.
• Irisviel and Artoria met Meruem and Sakura, chatted with them, and went shopping together.
• At sunset, Irisviel said goodbye to Meruem and Sakura, and Meruem predicted they would meet again soon.
• Artoria and Irisviel went to the Warehouse District after sensing Diarmuid’s hostile Servant aura.
• Diarmuid appeared with his two spears and his charm ability affected Irisviel, while Artoria challenged his use of it.
• Meruem appeared in the sky and watched the confrontation below.

Meruem watched Artoria and Diarmuid battle, studying their swordsmanship and spearmanship until Diarmuid wounded Artoria with Gae Buidhe. Iskandar then arrived in his chariot to stop the duel, and Meruem vanished from the sky to join the gathering heroes.

• Meruem admired Artoria and Diarmuid's fighting and studied their weapon techniques from above.
• Diarmuid tricked Artoria and struck her with Gae Buidhe, severing her tendon and crippling her thumb.
• Iskandar drove the Gordius Wheel onto Fuyuki City Bridge and forced himself between Artoria and Diarmuid, declaring himself the Conqueror and Rider.
• Meruem disappeared from the sky, eager to join the battle.
• Weber tugged at Iskandar's clothes and anxiously questioned his actions.