Deep Night at the Matou Estate

"Huh?" Emiya and Rin Tohsaka, still locked in battle with Cú Chulainn below, watched Yu Feng leave in a hurry.

Rin was bewildered, unable to understand why Yu Feng would take off when she was still right there.

"Hey, hey! Wait! Where do you think you're going!?" Rin called out a few times.

But Yu Feng didn't slow down at all, only leaving behind a single line: "Come to the Matou Estate once you're done here."

Hearing that, Rin quickly guessed that something must have happened to Sakura Matou or Shinji Matou—otherwise, Yu Feng wouldn't be in such a rush.

"Archer!" Rin urged.

Meanwhile, Emiya was locked in a fierce stalemate with Cú Chulainn, neither able to gain the upper hand. Cú Chulainn had shattered the projected Moxie Sword in Emiya's hand several times, but Emiya always managed to project the same blade in time, dragging their fight into a deadlock.

Cú Chulainn glanced at the departing Yu Feng and the anxious Rin, then suddenly stopped attacking.

"What's the matter?" Emiya asked, halting as well when he saw his opponent stop.

Cú Chulainn looked in the direction Yu Feng had gone. "Seems like you're in a hurry. We can settle this another time. My Master only sent me out to gather intel anyway—I just couldn't resist the urge to fight when I saw you."

Rin exchanged a glance with Emiya and gave a slight nod. Before leaving, she tossed a remark at Cú Chulainn.

"Your former Master is with me."

When she said that, Cú Chulainn's expression flickered noticeably—clearly, it was a sore spot for him.

Still, as he watched Rin leave, a grin spread across his face. "Hmph. Guess I owe you one."

Yu Feng raced swiftly through the buildings. The moment he realized what was happening, he had already sent Mordred ahead to the Matou Estate. Mordred was much faster than him, so he let her go first—besides, if anything went wrong, she could handle it.

At the Matou Estate, night had fallen. The already gloomy mansion during the day became even more sinister after dark, to the point where it could easily pass for a haunted house.

Inside, Shinji Matou lay slumped weakly against a corner, with Sakura Matou shielding him. Not far away, Kariya Matou was battered and bruised.

At that moment, Kariya was staring warily at Zouken Matou. "Doesn't your conscience ever bother you, you bastard?"

Zouken let out a sinister laugh, his voice so ghastly it barely sounded human.

"Conscience? I discarded that ages ago. Step aside, Kariya. If you hand Sakura over to me, I might still consider sparing you and Shinji—after all, you are my descendants."

Faced with Zouken's hypocritical act, Kariya didn't back down an inch. Instead, he spat bitterly, "I should have had him kill you back then!"

Zouken burst into laughter at that. "And what of it? There's no such thing as regret medicine in this world, Kariya. Now, barely clinging to life with that sword, you can't stop me!"

"Then I won't take a single step back! I will never hand Sakura over to you!"

As he spoke, a sword materialized in Kariya's hand—but it was clear he couldn't unleash its full power.

Zouken snorted disdainfully, and countless Crest Worms emerged from every corner of the room, surging toward Kariya.

Kariya swung the sword fiercely, sending a silver-white blade of energy rippling outward. A portion of the Crest Worms turned to ash on the spot.

But just that single swing left Kariya's face even paler with exhaustion.

Clearly, he couldn't wield this sword for much longer.

"Give it up, Kariya. You can't hold out much longer. Why bother? Heh heh~"

With that, Zouken sent another wave of Crest Worms charging forward, clearly intent on wearing Kariya down until he collapsed.

"A man like you will never understand! Living in the shadows day in and day out, you could never grasp this feeling!" Kariya swung the sword again, the strike weaker than before, but still enough to keep some of the Crest Worms at bay.

Zouken paused for a moment, a flicker of unfamiliar yet familiar images flashing through his mind.

"What... was that?"

"Kugh..." After that swing, Kariya finally couldn't hold it in and coughed up a mouthful of blood.

"Uncle Kariya!" Sakura cried out from behind him, her face twisted in pain.

"Heh, finally reached your limit?" Zouken snapped back to reality, a grin spreading across his lips as he looked at Kariya's even paler face.

But that grin was nothing short of terrifying.

"Tch, you old geezer are really disgusting. Nasty bugs, nasty aura."

Just then, a voice rang out, and a figure burst into the Matou Estate.

It was Mordred!

Mordred swung the Sword of Brilliant King in a wide arc, annihilating every Crest Worm in her vicinity.

"I'm not too late, am I?" Mordred retracted her helmet and glanced back.

Kariya stared in shock, but quickly recovered. "I... cough... I don't know who you are, but... thank you."

"Tch, if you're sick, just rest. Don't get in my way, yeah?"

Suddenly, Mordred noticed the sword in Kariya's hand.

"Is that... the Sword of the Holy Knight? You're pretty interesting, having that guy's sword."

"He's quick on the uptake. I'll let it slide this time. We'll meet again."

Seeing the situation turn against him, Zouken immediately decided to retreat. Countless Crest Worms once again wrapped around his body.

"Hah? Trying to run?" Mordred swung the Sword of Brilliant King at Zouken, but it passed straight through his body without effect.

"Useless, heh heh~"

Just as Zouken Matou was still speaking, a silver-white arrow of light pierced through his body.

"Ah!!"

The Crest Worms enveloping Zouken Matou scattered rapidly in all directions, and Zouken Matou himself vanished from sight.

Nearly a kilometer away, Yu Feng, standing on a rooftop, put away the Knight's Judgment Bow in his hands.

"Hmph, damned Old Worm."