Chapter 201: Are You Here to Save Me?
As Matou Zouken scrutinized Hachiman Hikigaya, who had just fallen out of the portal, Hachiman landed steadily on the ground and began observing his surroundings.
As if guided by some unseen force, his eyes immediately fell on Matou Sakura, huddled in the corner.
"She's the one from the previous scene…"
The thought flashed through his mind as Hachiman started walking toward Sakura.
"Stop right there, unknown entity!"
At that moment, Zouken's voice rang from above.
Unable to gauge Hachiman's strength, Zouken decided to act cautiously, trying to restrain him until he could confirm his identity and power, and then decide his fate.
But Hachiman ignored Zouken's warning and continued toward Sakura.
From Hachiman's perspective, the old man above clearly looked like a villain.
Moreover, the little girl was surrounded by those disgusting insects, and the man did nothing but watch from above.
In other words, he wasn't here to save the girl—he was the one who had thrown her into this place!
Reaching Sakura, the surrounding Crest Worms, as if sensing a predator, quickly scattered.
Squatting down and trying to show his gentlest expression, Hachiman looked at Sakura, whose eyes were swollen from crying, and softly asked:
"What's your name?"
"Sakura…"
She didn't say Tohsaka, because in her most dangerous moment, the family she had hoped for never appeared.
Sakura also didn't feel she should bear the Matou surname. Though adopted by the Matou family, after everything Zouken had done to her, she didn't feel she deserved the name.
Having lost her surname, Sakura raised her head and studied the newly arrived man.
At this moment, he was her only hope of rescue…
"Um… are you here to save me?"
Her voice was timid, yet filled with hope, as she asked Hachiman.
"Of course!"
Seeing the remaining glimmer of hope in her eyes, Hachiman nodded without hesitation.
"Phew…"
Relieved by his answer, Sakura's body went limp, and she fainted.
Her long crying had already exhausted her strength; the only reason she had stayed conscious until now was the faint hope that someone might come to rescue her.
"Then let's get her out of here first…"
Carefully lifting Sakura, Hachiman stood and began heading toward the stairs.
Zouken, who had been above, vanished after hearing their conversation.
That was fine; Hachiman didn't want to fight the locals immediately in an unfamiliar world, even if that local was a scumbag…
But Zouken certainly wouldn't let this newcomer simply take away his prized "tool."
Dense swarms of insects poured out from every corner of the basement, surrounding Hachiman and Sakura.
At Zouken's command, the insects, despite their fear of Hachiman, continued to rush toward them relentlessly.
"Disgusting insects…"
Frowning at the swarm, Hachiman held the fainted Sakura with one hand while summoning the Demon Slayer Sword with the other.
"This… is a magecraft artifact?"
Zouken, hiding in the shadows, frowned at the sudden appearance of the sword in Hachiman's hand.
But in the next second, a sharp pain shot through him, and he screamed.
"Ah!!!!"
Because he was fighting living creatures, Hachiman coated the Demon Slayer Sword with the Burning Flames of Purgatory and swung it, sending a wave of fire toward the insects.
The insects were densely packed, but the spectral flames spread even faster than Hachiman had anticipated.
Within seconds, the room was engulfed in a dark sea of fire.
Suddenly, Hachiman heard Zouken's scream.
Locking onto the source, a slashing wave of sword energy shot out, cutting Zouken's body in half.
But as the body hit the ground, Zouken transformed into countless Crest Worms, disappearing into the darkness.
"A fused monster?"
Seeing Zouken turn into a mass of insects, Hachiman was momentarily surprised, then continued carrying Sakura out of the basement.
Stepping outside, they found themselves inside a massive mansion.
As Hachiman pondered which way to go, a swarm of flying insects with hard exoskeletons suddenly attacked.
Hachiman tried the same strategy, using fire to burn them.
However, the flying insects broke through the flames, carrying spectral fire as they charged.
"Not afraid of fire now?"
That Zouken could quickly devise a counter to the Burning Flames of Purgatory surprised Hachiman.
"But if they're just ordinary insects, even in huge numbers, they're useless!"
To protect Sakura, Hachiman activated a protective barrier around their bodies.
Then he slashed out several sword strikes toward the flying insects.
Despite their bulk, the insect swarm split into smaller groups under the strikes.
The sword waves passed, cutting a few unlucky insects in half, but most remained unharmed and continued their attack.
"Controlled by mind, as I suspected…"
Hachiman had suspected after hearing Zouken's scream, and now seeing the insects evade his attacks confirmed it.
"Breath of the Sun—Dance!"
A blue circular wheel appeared before the insects.
Before they could react, Hachiman's Demon Slayer Sword cut them to pieces.
Hachiman continued handling the swarm while moving along the corridor into the courtyard.
This was Zouken's territory, but now that Sakura was rescued, he had no intention of lingering here.
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