The grand blueprint outlined, a moving alliance formed. Now it was time to turn ideals into reality.
Steve and young Archer's first target was clear: to rescue the soul crying in darkness at the bottom of Matou House.
Before reincarnation, Steve had read numerous fanfics about "saving Sakura by killing the worms," but could only scream "just save her already!"—now, faced with reality, things were different.
Night in Fuyuki was a stage for magi. Steve, having left young Master Ken under heavy protection in the temple's safest room, set off with young Archer, both shrouded as shadows in the cold night.
Their target: Matou family's mansion in Miyama Town. By familiar's report, Kariya Matou and Berserker were out searching for Tokiomi Tohsaka, rendering the manor emptier than ever—a perfect tactical window.
Silently, they arrived overhead. Archer's keen eyes swept the area as Steve extended his hand, weaving a net—"I Declare."
His voice resonated through space, as points of starlight fountained out like fireflies, drifting over the entire mansion. They linked, forming a mystic stellar map, finally enclosing the manor in a massive, translucent blue dome.
This was an isolation barrier, built on cosmic magecraft theory—its law preempting planet-based sorcery. No escape using earthly magecraft could break through. Sound, light, mana fluctuations—all sealed; not even a single worm could escape the starry prison.
"That's enough, Archer," Steve said calmly. "Let's begin the dismantling."
Instantly, dozens of magic bolts appeared behind him, streaking downward like a blue meteor shower, smashing the ancient mansion with pure might—no tricks, just overwhelming force.
Boom—!!!
A fierce explosion echoed inside the barrier, magical shockwaves obliterating the wooden construction, sending splinters flying everywhere. Steve and the young Archer, like specters, walked through the smoke and dust, landing in the ruined courtyard.
From the darkness below, a poisonous, cold voice hissed: "...Who dares interrupt this old one's 'banquet'? …Unforgivable…!"
Before the words ended, a hunched figure appeared out of the blasted basement—mummified, malicious-eyed: none other than the ancient sorcerer, Zouken Matou.
"Oh? Caster? A rare guest…" Zouken's gaze swept Steve, then Archer, a disgusting chuckle escaping his lips. "To bring a brat into my lair… do you have a death wish? Before Berserker returns, let the worms have you!"
He slammed his cane, and in an instant, a black tide of combat worms surged from every shadow—targeting mostly the seemingly weaker young Archer, perhaps hoping to grab a hostage.
Yet Steve only raised a finger in silent pity.
There was a spark—a star of light. An invisible shockwave erupted, sweeping out from him, whatever worm it touched instantaneously decomposing and evaporating into mana particles—completely "purified."
Gone in a flash. Zouken's forced smile froze, replaced by terror; he'd never seen such overwhelming, unreasonable magecraft.
Before he could react, Steve was right before him, a gentle hand on his head.
"Rest now, leftover of the old era. Peacefully."
No incantation, no ritual. Pure, concentrated stellar energy poured into his palm, instantly obliterating Zouken's body—a shell of worms already rotting. Zouken screamed, high and inhuman, as he slowly collapsed, finally exploding into a pile of dead worms.
It wasn't over. Abruptly, from the corpse-heap, a black, brain-exposed worm flew out and raced for the barrier at astonishing speed!
"Don't even think about running!" cried the clear voice of a child: Young Archer, who had projected a magic bow, unleashing a spiral arrow at the escaping worm. The silver line shot through the air, impaling the brain worm, which vanished completely in the silvery light.
One of the three founding families, the Matou, had been obliterated in an instant by Caster's lightning blow—all evil expunged.
It was almost anticlimactic.
"Hmph, pathetic," Archer commented, bow vanishing, but joy flickered in his eyes.
Ignoring the complaint, Steve strode straight into the ruined worm storehouse. There, deep within the writhing mass, they found a small form.
Sakura Matou.
She lay curled in a corner, naked, worms crawling over her. Her short purple hair clung messily to her face; once innocent eyes now hollow and vacant.
Archer trembled at the sight. Without a word, he projected a clean white cloth, carefully wrapping Sakura, isolating her from the filth.
Simultaneously, Steve floated over, gently touched Sakura's forehead. Starry light flowed from his hand, shattering every worm, their dust drifting away—while constantly restoring the body that worms had gnawed at for nearly two years, and slowly expelling the crest worm meant to make her a artificial lesser grail.
Yet he didn't take her away immediately, as though waiting for something.
…
Meanwhile, Kariya Matou, wandering Fuyuki City, suddenly felt a stabbing pain—an alarm from the crest worm inside Sakura! He whirled and saw a blue dome covering the mansion.
"Sakura!" All went white in his mind—only that thought remained. Terror and rage overwhelmed all reason.
"BERSERKER—!!" he roared. "Come back! Hurry! KILL THEM ALL—!"
"■■■■■■■■――!" The black-armored Berserker roared in answer, unleashing torrents of black magic, hurtling toward the Matou mansion at supersonic speed.
Within seconds, with a thunderous crash and a killing intent that nearly crushed the very air, Berserker landed in the ruins. His blood-red eyes locked onto them; the rebar in his hand vibrated with ominous power.
Soon after, Kariya himself arrived, tottering. Seeing his home in ruins and the two person in the center, his eyes reddened with blood.
"What—what did you do to Sakura? Unforgivable—!"
"Berserker! KILL THEM! TEAR THEM APART!"
The attack order had been given. Berserker started to charge—
—But Kariya saw what was before him.
He saw Sakura, wrapped in white, lying on the boy's lap, a blue-robed man laying a hand radiant with holy light on her. Life force streamed into her.
The "attackers"... did not leave.
"They're… helping Sakura?"
This illogical sight doused the furious Kariya's rage with the ice water of confusion. His order was caught in his throat, brutal expression instantly turning to shock and bewilderment.
"Wait—wait!"
Berserker, confused by his master's mixed orders, paused. Yet the killing intent still pressed down like a collapsing sky.
Thus, in the ruins lit by starlight, began a strange stand-off: between Steve Weis, young Archer EMIYA, and the returned Berserker camp, with Sakura at its heart.
...
PS: Bonus chapter at 300 PS
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