Chapter 28: Salvation of the Worm (Patreon)

Watching Shinji being instantly swallowed by countless insects and the alternate space Zōken had set up in the workshop, Sakura cried out urgently.

"Nii-san! Grandfather!"

"Don't worry, my grandson. I will receive all your secrets, for this old man's long-cherished wish..."

"Really? If it's truly for your wish, it's not that I can't assist, but..."

Shinji's voice came from within the dark, twisted alternate space, followed by a silent shockwave that shattered the entire space!

Countless ferocious insects were crushed into dust! Including Zōken!

And Shinji, standing in place, looked completely unfazed.

"It seems you've even forgotten your true wish."

"Hahaha, useless. They are just insects. This old man has as many as he needs."

Zōken's voice echoed throughout the basement. Then, dense masses of insects crawled out from every corner, quickly forming Zōken's new body.

Standing atop the innumerable insects, Zōken wore a strange smile.

"Is that so?" Shinji looked unconcerned, calmly extending his right hand from his pocket.

However...

Thud!

Looking down at the short sword that had pierced through his chest from behind, Shinji was momentarily stunned.

"No, it wasn't me, I didn't..."

Sakura, who had snatched the chain-linked dagger from Rider's hand in an instant and thrust it into Shinji's back, stared wide-eyed, desperately trying to explain.

"Hehehe, if you thought the enemy was only me, you were too naive, Shinji. My grandson, who held no killing intent and paid no excessive attention towards Sakura... you were careless."

"Nii-san, it wasn't me..." Sakura's eyes widened, tears welling up and finally streaming uncontrollably down her cheeks.

"Really now," Shinji sighed helplessly, scratching his head. "As expected of a magus who has lived for five hundred years. To remain calm in such an urgent situation and pull off such a scheme... I truly didn't expect it. However, whether it's useful or not is another matter."

As he spoke, Shinji took two steps forward, and the blade in Sakura's hand was slowly pulled out.

Watching the blood brought out by the blade, Sakura's entire world began to crumble.

An unexpected delight! An unexpected delight!

Sensing the change in Sakura's state of mind, Zōken was immensely excited and thrilled. He never imagined his grandson would be the catalyst to activate Sakura's function as the Lesser Grail!

"Sakura, hey, calm down." Shinji spoke without turning around. "Don't underestimate your brother. An attack like that is nothing to me, doesn't even itch."

It was then that Sakura noticed something: the wound on her brother's body was slowly healing!

"And, don't blame yourself. That was just a suggestion Grandfather implanted. That action wasn't your true will."

"Nii-san..." Sakura murmured. It was the first time her brother had been so gentle with her.

"To even have regenerative abilities... Shinji, you've hidden yourself very deeply."

"Grandfather, I actually hold no killing intent towards you either. Didn't I say? I just want to grant you salvation."

As he spoke, Shinji began walking step by step towards Zōken.

With each footfall, a portion of the insects in the worm pit was turned to dust by the silent shockwave generated by his step.

With Shinji's unhurried steps, the number of insects in the worm pit decreased at a visibly rapid rate.

Sensing the situation was turning dire, Zōken hurriedly shouted, "Sakura! Use a Command Spell! Make Rider stop your brother!"

Hearing this, Shinji stopped walking. He turned his head and looked at the bewildered Sakura with a hint of heartache.

At this moment, Sakura still didn't understand what was really happening. Why was her brother attacking Grandfather? How did he obtain such power? Her grandfather was actually the origin of the Matou family—Makiri Zolgen? Too many, too many questions...

Just as Sakura was overwhelmed by the flood of questions, Shinji's gentle voice snapped her out of it.

"Calm down, Sakura. I'll answer all those questions after this is over."

"Nii-san..."

Zōken seemed to grow impatient and roared, "Sakura! Mo—"

But this time, Shinji truly made his move.

Thud thud thud thud!

Clang clang clang clang!

Countless sword shadows, appearing almost without interval, materialized out of thin air and instantly flew towards Zōken, piercing through him and pinning him firmly to the wall!

"This... this is..."

Seeing the countless faintly glowing sword shadows piercing his body and pinning him to the wall, Zōken's first thought was that it resembled the technique of a certain former Heroic Spirit who should now be called a "golden" citizen.

However, upon sensing the dense, unprecedented, and unseen power emanating from the sword shadows, he instantly realized—this power was not magecraft! Nor was it True Magic!

"A barrier that can imprison the soul, and these swords materialized from the third element (reiki) that can imprison this old man's body... just what is your power..."

"Have you remembered?" Shinji softly interrupted Zōken.

"What?"

"Your wish."

"This old man's wish is simply eternal life. And my experience tells me you can help me achieve it. I promise you, as long as you help me, I can agree to any condition."

"Ha," Shinji sighed lightly, holding his forehead, and muttered under his breath, "Really now, does it really have to come to the final step? Can you truly not remember your original wish until the very last moment? The quest was just about salvation..."

As he spoke, Shinji raised his head, his gaze clear as he looked at Zōken, and continued, "I'm sorry, Grandfather, you're mistaken. I cannot help you fulfill that twisted wish. With your soul corroded and even incomplete, I am utterly powerless. And since you truly cannot remember, then I can only..."

Shinji raised his right hand and casually lowered it. The sword shadows pinning Zōken glowed intensely, and within the blinding light, Zōken turned to dust and vanished...

Along with Zōken, the remaining insects in the worm pit, which had been simultaneously crushed into dust by the aura erupting from Shinji, also disappeared.

"Finally, it's time to conclude."

Shinji turned around and looked at Sakura, who was staring at him with an incredulous expression.

Her brother had just... Grandfather...

Sakura didn't know how to describe her current feelings. For the first time in ten years, a complex mix of emotions surged within her, indescribable.

Watching Shinji approach step by step, Rider, without a second thought, moved to shield Sakura. Even without understanding the situation, the possibility that the man before them might threaten her Master couldn't be ruled out.

"Calm down. If I intended harm towards Sakura, I would have acted long ago. Don't add to her burden any further, youngest of the three sisters from the formless island in the far west."

"You... know my true identity..."

"The eyepatch, plus the snake-shaped mark on your forehead. Your identity isn't hard to guess." Shinji drew closer. "Wait, no need to remove the eyepatch. Leaving aside the fact that your Petrification Mystic Eyes have no effect on me, even if they did, I could completely avoid looking into those eyes, judging your movements and countering solely based on the other parts of your body."

Rider: ...

So you've been staring at my chest since the very beginning when facing me? Judging my movements by my chest?

Leaving aside whether it's impolite, isn't it a bit... imprecise?

Wouldn't looking at my feet or hands be more precise? Why specifically there?

And again, how exactly do you judge my movements through my chest?

Resonance?