The Matou Family's mansion was almost cleaved in two by that single slash.
A blade of flame surged out of the earth, pushing the entire estate apart from its foundations. Brick, timber, and tiles instantly carbonized in the heat, even the process of burning compressed into a single instant.
The shock wave spread outward with crimson embers, toppling the courtyard walls, charring the trees, and exposing the underground worm chamber to the searing blade of flame.
Never mind the objects-even people were reduced to charcoal.
Shinji Matou, for instance, turned to ash before he could even scream.
Only the area around Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto remained beyond the heat's reach, and Sakura wept silently.
Though she had suffered Shinji Matou's bullying, deep down, she still longed for them to become ordinary siblings.
Of course, all that remained now was a lump of charcoal.
How could a mere little girl stop the Captain-Commander's will?
Even with Command Spells-sorry, there simply wasn't time.
Genryūsai Shigekuni Yamamoto swung his blade and cut, incinerating all things.
Gurgle, gurgle...
When Zōken Matou surfaced from deep beneath the magma-filled ground, a few worms that had failed to escape still clung to him.
His body was more stooped than usual, the wrinkles on his skin like bark baked dry by intense heat. A dark red light shone in his two sunken eye sockets.
He stood on the ruined foundations of the mansion, watching the old man approach through the thick smoke. His lips moved twice before he finally forced out a single word. "Shinigami?"
Why had a Shinigami been summoned?
Why was a Shinigami so hostile toward them?
Heroic Spirits resided in Heaven and willingly descended in response to the Holy Grail's summons. Generally, they obeyed the rules of the Holy Grail War and fought to the end.