Fortunately, Ryougi Raku didn't have trypophobia; otherwise, the sight of these things would have drained him of all will to fight...
A few insects seemed to have detected the intruders and scurried toward Ryougi Raku with sharp squeaks.
"Hmph!" Ryougi Raku had no intention of letting these bugs touch him. Flames suddenly erupted, reaching temperatures of hundreds of degrees, instantly reducing the crawling insects to ashes!
At the center of the insect swarm stood an old man whose mere appearance was enough to turn one's stomach...
"Disgusting creature!" Ryougi Raku commented coldly.
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The old man's limbs were shriveled like a mummy's, his head bald, and his deep-set eyes gloomy. He looked utterly bizarre, and a foul odor emanated from him. The word "insect" came to mind at the sight of him.
"Hehehehe!" With a laugh like a screech owl, Matou Zouken addressed Ryougi Raku politely, though he knew the visitor meant harm.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit, distinguished guest?"
He shot a sinister glance at Matou Kariya and said in a strange tone, "Kariya, since you're bringing an honored guest today, you should have informed your father in advance so I could prepare a proper welcome..."
"You are not my father! You monster..." Facing Matou Zouken, Matou Kariya felt a surge of rage and spoke through gritted teeth.
Matou Zouken had long been aware of Ryougi Raku's intentions. The insects he had planted inside Matou Kariya's body were his eyes and ears. It could be said that Matou Kariya's life was in his hands. Killing him would be as easy as lifting a finger...
Even knowing Ryougi Raku's purpose, he wasn't particularly afraid. Though Ryougi Raku possessed a Servant—a being modern magi could hardly oppose—that only meant he couldn't confront him head-on. As a sorcerer who had lived for centuries, he had many secret arts that allowed him to cheat death. Moreover, he was no ordinary modern magus...
He didn't believe Ryougi Raku could pose any real threat to him. Judging by his appearance, he was just a young man, all talk and no substance!
"Enough nonsense, Lancer!" Ryougi Raku couldn't be bothered to engage with the old man. Another word from him would only shorten his lifespan!
Lancer understood Ryougi Raku's earlier words the moment he saw Matou Zouken. This old man was no human at all. The disgusting aura made him, a noble Heroic Spirit, feel revolted, as if the very existence of such a parasitic worm was a mistake!
Hearing the command, Lancer immediately materialized and thrust forward with his red spear. His spear technique was straightforward—a simple thrust. But Matou Zouken was no martial artist and had no time to react before the spear struck him...
Hit by the magic-breaking Gáe Dearg, Matou Zouken's body seemed to collapse, dissolving into countless insects that squealed and merged with the swarm on the ground!
His body broke down periodically, forcing him to constantly replace it, parasitizing others to achieve immortality. Over the centuries, his soul had steadily deteriorated. Thus, his goal was to use the Holy Grail to attain true immortality through the Third Magic...
Matou Zouken's aged body was merely a cluster of magical energy. Naturally, it shattered upon contact with an anti-magic Noble Phantasm, much like a precision instrument failing when a single component breaks...
However, Gáe Dearg could only negate magical energy upon contact; it lacked the ability to completely destroy established magecraft.
Matou Zouken's body reformed amid the wriggling insect swarm...
"Hehehe..." With a foul-smelling voice, Matou Zouken said, "...It's useless, Lancer and that Master. Even if I cannot oppose Lancer directly, there is no way Lancer can kill me..."
He glanced at Sakura and Kariya and continued, "Besides, I've already taken measures against them. At worst, I can simply kill them and go into hiding until the Holy Grail War ends..."
"Wha...what!" Matou Kariya stumbled back in panic and looked at Sakura. Suddenly, he felt he had brought disaster upon her...
Ryougi Raku felt a wave of disdain at Kariya's reaction. How naive! He'd lived all these years in vain. How could a cunning old fox like Matou Zouken not be fully prepared? Even without his past-life memories, he would have known they'd been tampered with...
"How about this? Let's make a deal, my esteemed guest. If you want Sakura, I'll give her to you, and I'll spare Kariya's life as well..." Matou Zouken spoke in a tempting tone. To him, as long as he achieved immortality, everything else was meaningless. The Matou family, Matou Sakura—they were all just tools in his quest for eternal life...
"I have no interest in making deals with insects! You bastard!" During this time, Ryougi Raku had sensed the range and number of all the insects and was now absolutely certain of his safety!
Crimson flames erupted from Ryougi Raku's feet, spreading along the walls and enveloping the entire basement...
They now stood in the center, surrounded by a wall of fire. Theoretically, Matou Zouken had no escape.
"Haha, it seems you refuse, sir? I may not be able to do anything to you now, but once the Holy Grail War ends and your Servant is gone, just wait for the vengeance of a sorcerer!" Though the crimson flames were peculiar, he remained confident!
Lancer was furious at the blatant threat to his Master. He was about to act when Ryougi Raku stopped him...
"Lancer, stand down!" Lancer obeyed his Master without question. Though enraged, he suppressed his anger for now.
"Old man, there's no need for vengeance. You have no tomorrow!" Before he finished speaking, crimson flames shot out as if igniting gasoline. The flames chased down every insect, enveloping them one by one amid their frantic squeals. Matou Zouken, standing in the center, did not evade but instead commanded the insects to attack Ryougi Raku. However, the insects couldn't cross the fiery barrier at all!
The flames instantly consumed Matou Zouken's body, but there were no screams, no wails—as if he felt nothing at the destruction of his body and all the insects underground...
"Hmm? This is... the power of Demon Breaker? It feels very similar to Lancer's spear from earlier..." As expected of an ancient monster, he analyzed the nature of the power in an instant. But even as the Demon-Breaking flames burned him, Matou Zouken's voice still echoed, "...If this is your trump card, then you will be disappointed. This level of power cannot kill me!"
The demon-destroying power raged through the house. The insects crawled and shrieked, but within the flames, they slowly turned to ash. Matou Zouken's body also vanished under the purification of the flames. The flames gradually died down, leaving the basement empty. Matou Zouken was gone, as if his earlier words had been nothing but bluster...
"Is he dead?" Matou Kariya asked doubtfully.
Ryougi Raku didn't answer but simply glanced at him. Suddenly, he grabbed Kariya, and flames burst forth, instantly engulfing him in fire! There were still quite a few insects inside his body...
But Matou Kariya felt that, just like before, this power didn't harm him but was purifying his body—only more thoroughly than last time!
Though the process was painful, Matou Kariya, already accustomed to being devoured by insects, no longer cared about such minor agony. It had to be said, this was also a form of growth for him...
After a while, Matou Kariya's body, once hollowed out by insects, was completely purified. His own power replaced the insects, replenishing his body and temporarily sustaining his life...
"You should be able to live a few more years, right? This is all I can do..." Ryougi Raku said without a trace of embarrassment or shame. They had only met by chance, and giving him a few extra years was already generous. He was no philanthropist...
"No, no! I'm already incredibly grateful for these few years of life..." Matou Kariya quickly expressed his thanks, then glanced at Matou Sakura and hesitated, "...Sakura?"
"It's fine, I'm sure..."
Hearing Ryougi Raku's assurance, Matou Kariya sighed in relief. At the same time, he secretly vowed that no matter what Ryougi Raku asked of him, he would do it! For he had given both him and Sakura a new lease on life!
Although the time spent analyzing Ryougi Raku's power was brief, and its demon-breaking properties couldn't compare to a Noble Phantasm, he had gained some insight. This faint trace of demon-breaking power made destroying magic-transformed insects effortless. And through frequent use on his own body, he had gained a deeper understanding of the human body's greatest mysteries, allowing him to use flames instead of insects to cleanse Matou Kariya's body!
Of course, if Ryougi Raku's power were greater, granting full life wouldn't be an issue, but his current strength was limited...
Ryougi Raku smiled slightly, waved his hand, and said, "Little Sakura, come here!"
"Yes!" Matou Sakura obediently walked over. She had witnessed everything that had just happened and looked at Ryougi Raku with gratitude. Though she hated her grandfather, who often abused her, she feared him even more. However, her feelings for Matou Kariya were genuine. Now, she knew that Uncle Kariya would no longer be tormented by insects, and neither would she. All of this was thanks to Ryougi Raku, so it was only natural for her to admire him...
As time passed, no one could predict what this admiration would blossom into at her age...
"Big brother, Sakura isn't afraid of pain!" As if sensing what Ryougi Raku was about to do, Matou Sakura said firmly.
Ryougi Raku secretly admired Matou Sakura's resilience. To grow up in such an environment at such a young age and still turn out well, one could only imagine her inner strength. In a way, she was much stronger than her sister...
After all, though Tōsaka Rin lived her final years alone, she still had what Tōsaka Tokiomi left behind and, to some extent, Kotomine Kirei's care...
But that was in another timeline. In this one, who could predict the future?
"Don't worry, Sakura, it won't hurt." As soon as the words left his mouth, Ryougi Raku moved with lightning speed. Except for Lancer, no one could clearly see his movements!
Two fingers plunged directly into Matou Sakura's heart, deftly avoiding the fragile blood vessels. The scene looked terrifying, but in reality, it caused no harm...
"...Sakura!" Matou Kariya cried out instinctively, then fell silent. He knew Ryougi Raku must have a reason for this and wouldn't harm Sakura. Otherwise, why go through all the trouble? Wouldn't it be quicker to just kill them outright?
"Hmph! If it were a few years ago, it might have been troublesome, but now..." With a cold laugh, Ryougi Raku withdrew his fingers. At the same time, flames erupted from the two finger-sized wounds on Sakura's heart, healing them instantly without a trace of blood...
Now, everyone could see a worm pinched between Ryougi Raku's two fingers!
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(TL : More Chapters @)[1]
[1] https://www.patreon.com/c/Gooberilla