Homurahara school. From the perspective of Shirou Emiya…
"Haa…? Why are they together? Did I miss something?"
"Didn't you hear? They're dating!"
"Really…? I don't know about that…"
"What's wrong with them? The school's most popular guy and girl walking together after classes. Obviously they're dating! You're just jealous!"
"You too, huh?!"
"Shh… Quiet, they'll hear us…"
Too late. Even without magic, all my senses are far sharper than a normal person's. I couldn't miss the surrounding whispers. Especially since there were REALLY a lot of them. Even if I were a completely ordinary person with partial hearing loss and no magic, I still wouldn't miss the negotiations accompanied by countless stares.
How did I end up in this situation? Well, as agreed the day before, I met Tohsaka at the school exit, and at her urging, we headed straight to her… home without delay. Which, in turn, raised a few questions.
For instance, doesn't it worry her that I might be dangerous? I'm a magus, after all. And according to Father, they rarely don't scheme behind your back. It'd be odd if Tohsaka, with her traditional education, didn't understand that. There's no reason for her to let me into her home. Unless she's completely confident in her safety within her own "territory"…
Does that mean Tohsaka anticipates a possible clash, leading me to a controlled bounded field? She wants the advantage? Hmm…
I sighed involuntarily at the rising questions.
Today promises to be extremely eventful…
I must remember I still need to go to Sakura's house. I'd already told her I'd have to meet Tohsaka after school and would come as soon as I was free. She was a bit surprised but nodded and said she'd wait. Her grim look worried me a little, but I decided to put it off. Especially since I'd resolve it today…
…Once and for all.
"What's wrong, Emiya-kun? You seem troubled…" Tohsaka asked, interrupting my thoughts.
I looked at the girl. She wore her usual dark school uniform, the only difference being a crimson coat thrown over it by the Heiress.
"Nothing serious. Just a bit embarrassed by all the stares our way. I'm not used to this kind of attention."
"Oh? Hmm…" Tohsaka said thoughtfully, glancing sidelong at the students leaving school who kept looking our way. "You're right. We're drawing a lot of attention."
"Well, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised." I said, shaking my head. "The school idol, top student and beauty, their ideal. First she personally comes to a guy's class, then they leave school together…"
"What are you implying…?" Tohsaka narrowed her eyes at me.
"Just that to them—ordinary hormone-driven teens—we look pretty… 'suspicious.' It'd be weird if your actions didn't provoke any reaction."
People love gossip in general. True or false, as long as the rumor or gossip is interesting, they'll pass it on until it dies out. I learned that firsthand when rumors of my exploits in Avalon spread across its lands and beyond, to borders I hadn't even reached yet.
Naturally, many rumors were a bit… "exaggerated," but I can't do anything about nicknames like "Hero in Black," "Monster Slayer," or "Noble Mercenary." I should be glad my old ones like "Little Hero" and "Young Jack-of-All-Trades Master" got lost among the more impressive ones. Only my closest neighbors and regular clients from the capital still remind me of them.
In short, I know how rumors and gossip work, and judging by Tohsaka's understanding face, so does she.
"Well, you might be right. Though it's a bit funny hearing that from you." Suddenly, Tohsaka flashed a teasing smile.
"Hm…?" I gave her a questioning look, and her grin widened slightly.
"You really don't get it? Let me enlighten you." Turning to me, Tohsaka stopped and struck a pose, counting on her fingers. "Emiya Shirou—top student, best athlete, always kind and polite to everyone. Overall, you're just as much a 'school idol' as me, but among the guys. From what I've heard, some girls even have photos of you straight from the locker room…"
"Pf! Kh! What?!" My face was a mix of shock and bewilderment as I glanced around, spotting several classmates in the distance whispering while looking our way.
No way I'm that popular, right? I didn't join any clubs or stand out in "social" achievements beyond equipment repairs, perfect grades, and a body far more developed than typical teens my age…
Does that make me as popular as Tohsaka…?
…
If I think about it, maybe…
"Haa…?" Tohsaka drawled in surprise, looking at my face. "You really didn't know…? Maybe I was wrong about you and you're just weird…?"
"Uh… Thanks?" I replied, unsure how to react to the new "revelation."
"You're welcome, Emiya-kun."
The brief exchange ended in another pause. I followed Tohsaka silently for a while until my questions demanded answers.
Today I have a meeting with the old Worm. I can't afford to get stuck with Tohsaka longer than a few hours…
"Tohsaka?"
"Yes, Emiya-kun?"
"So why do you need me?" I caught up to Rin, met her expectant gaze, and continued: "Do you really need an assistant? Or will you finally state the real reason for leading me to your territory?"
This was a question whose answer I should've gotten now, if not yesterday. And what's the point? Rin is a magus. A traditional one who'd jealously guard her "secrets" from prying eyes, even resorting to deadly force if needed.
In other words, such a person would never bring an outsider magus like me to her Workshop unless it was to kill me, leveraging home turf advantages. And since Tohsaka doesn't seem to want me dead, she needs me for something else.
It's annoying I didn't think of it sooner. Guess I got too caught up in other things to notice something so obvious. Father would definitely be disappointed…
"Oh…? I thought you might not ask." She met my gaze, then turned with a sly smile. "Fine, I admit—I don't really need an assistant. Especially not a magus I've known less than a week."
Then what is it? Research exchange? She wants to know what I'm working on? Wait—Rin might mean something else. Maybe she didn't believe my words about low "capital" and just wants profit. Better hear her out first.
Avalon's market taught me to haggle, but reading people's intentions is way harder than beating a price on veggies from a kind vendor. And this girl seems like a real two-faced type—combined with her traditional magus education and sharp mind, she could be real trouble…
"Tohsaka…" I sighed, then looked straight into her aquamarine eyes. "Can you just tell me what you need? Please?"
The Heiress of an old magus line held my gaze for a moment before a disappointed sigh escaped her.
"I need your 'special skills'…" She said in a bored tone. "About half a year ago, some gems hit the 'market'…" At that, my eyes widened briefly, not escaping her sharp gaze… "Oh… As I thought. You really do know where they came from."
My mouth opened on its own, but seeing Tohsaka's triumphant expression, I couldn't find words.
Damn! Who knew I'd screw up so stupidly! Maybe I shouldn't have trusted Raiga with selling the gems… The prices on the transmuted stones were low, and soon a client appeared, whom the old Yakuza boss's people handled without my direct involvement…
I just provided the gems on condition my name wouldn't surface anywhere. But who knew Tohsaka would learn about them. A magus whose specialty is literally Jewel Magecraft!
For Tohsaka, spotting the "artificiality" of my stones would be easy if she got her hands on them—unlike real ones, mine lack characteristic micro-cracks and chips. A simple Structural Analysis would lead her to the conclusion. Plus basic Hypnosis to learn their anonymous supplier is in Fuyuki.
Raiga could've casually mentioned this to his contact without naming me, calling the supplier—me—just a "friend" or acquaintance wanting to offload stones at a discount.
And even if Tohsaka learned nothing about the supplier's approximate location, she could start her search in her hometown. There are only a few magi there, none specializing in transmutation. That level is more like Einzberns or alchemists from Atlas. So, learning I'm a magus, Tohsaka just…
…Took a shot in the dark, and I immediately outed myself as the creator of her gems. Damn.
"What's wrong, Emiya-kun? I guess you finally get what I want from you?" The brunette's smile couldn't be wider, her victorious face full of superiority… And it pissed me off a little.
"I suppose so… But I'd love to… Hear it from you." Though her expression didn't change, her body language showed faint tension.
Guess I showed my displeasure too clearly. But what can I do? Too many things went against me over minor oversights. And it all dumps on me today! What next? Gilgamesh again? Or the Grail War starts years early?
…Fine, calm down. Don't act hot-headed. I'm just too worked up today, that's all.
"Fine… I need gems like the ones sold before. Naturally, at a discount… In exchange, I'll keep quiet about your existence to anyone and won't object to you living on land entrusted to my family." This time her face was serious, aquamarine eyes watching me expectantly.
…That's it? Honestly, I expected more. Even blackmail. But a deal? Mutual benefit…? Did she decide not to risk it and offer terms where I'd feel somewhat comfortable?
Hmm… Thinking about it, she doesn't know what resources my transmutation costs. Per Father, most magi crafts require huge investments, and Tohsaka's specialty is no exception. She probably thinks my magic needs at least heavy prep, so Rin hesitates to just blackmail me. If she wants steady gems, better to have me as a partner, if not friend.
Seeing no downsides to Tohsaka's offer, I said:
"Deal." …and smiled, extending my hand. The girl hesitated a moment but shook it after a few seconds of surprise.
"Good…" Tohsaka began, trying hard to hide her astonishment. "Since the deal's done, no point going to my house. When can you prepare a batch of stones, Emiya-kun?"
"I think… End of this month. After that, I can produce about that many roughly once a month." I finished, seeing Tohsaka freeze briefly at my words.
Blinking in shock a few times, she propped her right elbow on her left hand, chin on fist, and fixed me with a calculating gaze.
We spent several minutes discussing contract details and exchanged phone numbers. Tohsaka was surprised when I showed her my touchscreen device and said she only used a home phone.
After finalizing the agreement, we parted ways, but curiosity made me turn back.
"By the way, Tohsaka…"
"Yes, Emiya-kun?" She glanced back, raising her right eyebrow questioningly.
"Just curious, but what would you have done if I had nothing to do with the gems or refused the deal?"
Tohsaka blinked a few times, paused, smiled slyly, and said:
"Does it matter, Emiya-kun…?"
Leaving the question hanging, she turned and left, while I, for some reason, had no doubt that whatever Tohsaka planned—I wouldn't like it.
In the end, maybe I'm not so unlucky… Our meeting went much better than expected. Afraid from Russell's ongoing jokes about accidents, I might've seriously considered that scenario. Purely from worry about blackmail.
For some reason, I had zero doubt blackmail was what awaited me at Tohsaka's house if I hadn't been the gem creator.
…Evening of the same day…
As agreed with Sakura, I headed to her house for dinner. I threw on a warm jacket for appearances, since after all my training, Japanese autumn couldn't harm me.
At the exit, my gaze caught the shelf with winter items, where I spotted a scarf. It wasn't just any cloth for warmth. Sakura gave it to me last New Year's. She said red suits me, so I always tried wearing it in cold weather.
Leaving the house, I headed straight to my goal while my mind processed the "plan" details.
Enter the Matou residence, find Zoken, find Sakura, separate her from Zoken, kill Zoken.
Simple and clear plan. Without surprises, my "tools" would make it easy.
Today, the old Worm finally dies…
And here I stand before her house, a strange calm washing over my mind. In that moment, it felt like I was watching myself from outside. Like I was a machine driven by purpose alone, my body a mere puppet with strings held firmly by my own fingers.
Outwardly, I looked perfectly normal. But inside, a fire raged, growing harder to ignore with each second…
Standing at the residence gate, I closed my eyes briefly to gather my thoughts before reaching for the doorbell, but suddenly the gates opened on their own, revealing the mansion.
"Oh... I'm glad you came, young Emiya." A creaky voice sounded from somewhere inside the house. "My granddaughter has told me a lot about you. She's waiting inside right now..."
"Thank you for your hospitality..." I replied calmly to the voice, bowed, and headed toward the entrance to the residence. The head of the Matou family himself hadn't deigned to appear.
I stepped inside the old house. This was the first time I'd ever set foot on Sakura's home territory, but finding the main entrance wasn't difficult. The massive unlocked double door met my calm push, and soon I was in the foyer.
That's where I met him for the first time...
"Hello, young Emiya... Forgive me for not introducing myself right away. My old bones no longer allow me to walk as I once did. My name is Matou Zoken."
The hunched old man stood a few meters away from me. He looked so withered, as if he'd already lived a good hundred years—or more. His sunken dark eyes and sagging skin, which clung tightly to his worm-eaten bones and flesh, presented an especially grotesque sight.
Especially if you know what he really is...
"No problem. I can't exactly make you strain yourself, can I?" I smiled and scratched the back of my head.
Every one of my gestures was as friendly as possible, as calm as possible... The way it should be for a person—even a mage—who's come to have dinner with his girlfriend.
Steel calm enveloped me completely. My heart beat in its usual steady rhythm, and my thoughts flowed like water. No outward tension, no bright emotions.
Just the goal.
"Oh... I'm glad my granddaughter has such a friend... Sakura told me a lot about you, and as I see, she wasn't lying at all, speaking of you only in the most positive light." The hunched old man spoke in a thoroughly false tone and turned his back to me, gesturing for me to follow.
I headed right after him, matching his slow gait. Not even a minute passed before we stood before a massive wooden door, which an ordinary person would see only darkness behind upon opening.
But I could see—and hear—far more. The sound of scuttling insects echoed through the entire dungeon the old mage was leading me into, nearly cracking my "mask" of calm.
"What's wrong, young Emiya? You don't look well..." The old man asked with feigned concern, to which I immediately shook my head.
"I'm fine. I just don't visit often."
"Mm... In that case, let's go. Sakura is waiting for you up ahead..." The hunched old man smirked contentedly and beckoned me further.
I stepped after him, ignoring the almost triumphant gleam in the dark hollows of the old Worm's eyes. The horrific smell of decay and rot, which I'd ignored up to that point, assaulted my nostrils with renewed force, chilling my insides.
Ignore it.
When my feet had almost brought me to the open door, the old man, already inside, suddenly addressed me:
"By the way, I'd like to ask you... How is the daughter of the Einzberns doing?"
I froze for a moment. The old man's question nearly provoked me into action. To do anything, just to rid myself of the rotten creature before me.
It took considerable willpower to maintain my composure and reply calmly:
"...She's fine. You have nothing to worry about."
"That's good news. I'm sure she'll grow up to be just as beautiful as her mother." The old man chuckled smugly over his shoulder and continued walking as I bit the inside of my cheek until it bled.
Bastard!..
At the same time, the horrific smell intensified with every step I took, and when I crossed the threshold into the dungeon, it became especially putrid—but there was something else...
Endure...
A familiar sweet lavender scent...
"Come on, Sakura is already waiting..."
The old Worm led me to a place... Resembling some cursed man-made hive, from the depths of which my hearing clearly picked up the characteristic sound of the walls: the ceaseless scuttling of countless insects...
The scent... Her scent is there...
Endure!..
The old man continued down the cold stone staircase. I followed. By then, it wasn't even necessary to be a mage to understand that here, below, in the walls, in the darkness... Thousands of those little abominations lurked, permeating nearly every detail of the surroundings...
And Her scent was coming from somewhere below!..
Endure!..
Each step hammered in my own head like a mallet. A terrible premonition wouldn't leave me, and my heart seemed to stop beating. I descended step by step, following the old mage, who only occasionally glanced at me from the corner of his eye. And judging by the rotten smile, what he saw clearly pleased him.
Reaching nearly the bottom, the old man stopped on a wide landing that I would compare to a miniature stage, from which one could go straight to the dungeon floor. He stood sideways to me and directed his gaze downward. To the center of the buzzing mass, which I'd studiously avoided looking at until now.
"Look, young Emiya. Sakura is waiting there." The old Worm simply stared where he had before. A satisfied but equally rotten smile appeared on his face, as if after a job well done.
At that moment, I felt something inside me stretch like a string. A thread threatening to snap at any moment from the slightest stimulus. All my senses screamed, wailed. I wanted to writhe in agony, just to avoid looking in that direction, but I slowly, agonizingly turned that way anyway—from where I'd sensed the familiar sweet lavender scent since entering the Matou dungeon.
And what I saw seemed to stop time itself for me.
For there, in a sea of repulsive scuttling creatures, a grotesque multitude of the old semi-immortal Worm's magic spawn... She lay.
"Sakura..." I don't know what expression was on my face. I didn't care. All I saw in that moment was the girl's face frozen in horror—the girl I'd cared for for a long time. Sakura looked at me as if trying to say something, but any words seemed completely buried under the crushing emotions swirling in her eyes, until after some time she turned away, clearly avoiding my gaze.
"Sakura will finish soon. I hope it won't trouble you to... wait a bit. It won't take long." Matou Zoken said and, smirking, directed his gaze to the cave floor.
Endure...
And I waited... While the worms crawled over her body...
Endure!..
I continued waiting... While the old Worm enjoyed his show...
Endure!..
I waited... While Sakura gazed at me with empty eyes, buried in this nightmare.
How long had this gone on for her?.. How long has she lived... here?.. How... How can she even smile after all this?!..
"Sakura..." It slipped from my parched throat on its own.
Endure!.. And then...
I'll end this. Once and for all...
...
The amount of time that passed no longer mattered to me. Every muscle, every mental command was directed at holding back and not ruining my own plan.
If I rush, Sakura might die...
"You can finish, Sakura." The old Zoken suddenly said, glancing briefly at the invited guest. "You did excellently. As always." The satisfaction in the old Worm's voice once again sparked a feeling in me I'd long forgotten existed. No, even more so—I'd never felt anything like it before. I'd never imagined someone like me could even feel something like this.
Rage. Boiling fury that squeezes your insides like a vise. In such a state, maintaining a facial expression was no longer possible, but I still stood in place.
I just have to stand... If I want to save her for sure, I just have to stand still!..
So Sakura never has to feel anything like this again!
While my thoughts frantically battered the walls of my skull from rage, the girl with lilac hair slowly rose from the sprawling armada of insects without looking our way and headed to her discarded clothes, lying in one of the dungeon's "cells." Soon, dressed in her everyday clothes, Sakura approached us, still not daring to lift her eyes.
And then, as if breaking free from a chain, I began to act...
"Well, young Emiya... I hope you didn't get bored..." The old man hadn't even finished saying whatever he wanted when I rushed straight to Sakura, covering the few meters between us in a fraction of a second and enveloping her in a firm embrace without hesitation.
"S-Senpai?! W-what?.."
"Don't worry about anything anymore, Sakura." I cut off the surprised girl. "It'll all be over soon. I promise."
"Emiya?! What are you doing?!.."
"...Brat! What did you do?!"
"Just took her away. Far from you and this place, where you can't harm her..." I said, activating my Magical Circuits at full power...
My voice was cold, my body relaxed. The boiling rage had cooled before my steel will, becoming a blade. A weapon to strike my enemy.
"Ho?!.. You, ignorant brat who hasn't lived even a fraction of my time, think you can defeat me? What arrogance!.." The old man spoke threateningly, glaring at me while the sound of countless insects scuttling approached from all sides.
But his monologue was interrupted, as speaking with a dozen blades piercing your entire body is simply impossible.
"Kh-ha!.. What did you do?!" Correction. This creature is hard to call human anymore. Apparently, he can speak through his worm familiars... It won't affect my plans. The old Worm hasn't had his own body for a long time. He's long turned himself into this grotesque being. Someone might even pity him...
But after everything this "man" did to Sakura...
He deserves only death.
"And indeed, what did I do?.. Can't such an experienced mage unravel the mystery of an 'ignorant brat'?" I said with clear mockery and a strange satisfaction, looking at the flame of indignation and fear in the old Worm's gaze.
And the old man's reaction was obvious to me. After all, the blades I'd thrust into his wormy body were mystic codes specially prepared for today. They embodied a simple concept—Binding... They were simple white slightly curved blades with wide edges, their main feature being the ability to "bind."
Tendons, ligaments, bones, and veins—upon being struck by this blade, all of it would be "bound" randomly, severing any possibility of separation. Not just for physical body parts, but for the spiritual components of living beings as well.
Nameless blades. Made from my father's bones, their sole purpose was to prevent Zoken from transferring the active part of his soul to any other familiars while Russell dealt with his main "heart."
This weapon was the main reason I dared to kill Zoken at all. With it, it could be done for sure...
Sakura, I'll save you.
"You... How?.." The old man began muttering in surprise with his mouth split in two by the blade, before furiously exclaiming: "No! You still can't kill me! Sakura is still in my hands. She'll die if I wish it..."
"Are you so sure?" I cut him off in a cold tone, staring into the old man's bulging hollows that could be mistaken for human eyes.
My clothes transformed into the familiar black-and-red battle attire, and Kirishiro appeared in my hand, resting in its sheath. Zoken tried to direct his insect armada at me, but it was futile when they were all torn apart and incinerated by fiery blades orbiting me like an improvised barrier.
"Stop... Where am I?.. Why?!.." The old Worm suddenly muttered in surprise, then screamed in horror: "No... No!.. This can't be! How did this happen?!.."
His scream was my signal. It seemed Russell had completed his task and extracted his true "body"—a small hideous worm—from Sakura's chest.
Which means I just need to dispose of what's left.
"Accept your death. You've lingered in this world far too long..." The old mage's sunken eyes couldn't widen further. The binding blades were packed tightly into his "body," not letting him move even a step. I saw him trying to free himself from his bonds with both body and soul... But it was pointless.
My eyes... The operation Russell performed on them made my eyes special. Enhanced vision and reaction time were useful in themselves, but the best addition was another feature...
"Eyes of the Pursuer"—that's what Russell called them. A single enemy that enters their field of view can't escape me in any form. I'll "see" him wherever he is. Every muscle twitch, the slightest eyelid flutter. Even the soul of a person caught in these eyes' gaze can't hide from me.
He can't escape...
At that moment, the "sight" Zoken beheld was a mask on my face, from whose glazed eye slits two golden eyes coldly "gazed" at him, massive gears seemingly turning steadily in their depths...
I could clearly see the old Worm's soul flickering in that half-decomposed body. At least its "free" part, with which he moves his separate body. The other, main part was in the writhing worm of horror that Russell was holding in his hands somewhere in Avalon.
You'll harm no one else!
Kirishiro's blade, embodying the deadly concept of severance in all its splendor, instantly left its sheath, slicing the wormy body in two, then smoothly into four parts... Then eight, and then sixteen... Until the pieces were so small each could fit in a child's hand.
But it still wasn't over. HE, this old Worm, was still alive, clinging to his rotten existence... It was clear this being wouldn't die easily, but at the same time, he was completely deprived of the ability to leave the remaining chunks of wormy flesh—and with that came the plan's final stage.
I don't yet possess the tool needed for Zoken's complete destruction. At least not without significant risk to Sakura. But I have a Mentor, and knowing the whole situation, he gladly lent me something from his collection to help.
It was a silver disc with sharp edges. Seven rainbow-colored gems were inlaid in it. Russell had passed it to me from my own Reality Marble, and moments later the mystic code hovered over the "pile of meat" that was still trying to move despite its state. As usual, I couldn't "read" the history of the rainbow disc my Mentor created or know exactly how it worked, but there was no need—I already knew.
The disc began to spin, gradually gaining speed, and after five long seconds, it had built up enough velocity to be dangerous even to me if I touched it. Then the disc shone with rainbow light downward, straight onto "Zoken," causing the scattered flesh chunks to smoke immediately, then melt outright. That's when I saw with my own eyes how his rotten, already decaying soul began to evaporate.
Perhaps all my efforts were excessive. Gáe Dearg could sever magical bonds in the "pile of flesh," potentially killing him. Or simply isolate the Worm's remnants until they decomposed under time's influence and the old Matou died for good. I ran many experiments trying for the perfect result, but in the end, I turned to my Mentor for help despite the success of some of my ideas.
The old Matou had to die for sure. So he'd have no chance of survival. So he'd vanish from this world once and for all without any chance of taking Sakura with him—the one he held hostage, literally wrapped around her heart.
And I didn't regret my choice in the slightest as I watched the old mage's death for long seconds. I barely paid attention to the sounds of ceaselessly scuttling insects or the fiery blades flying around, relentlessly culling their population and creating a fiery barrier around me. I simply waited for the moment this monster would disappear.
And at some point, it happened.
He simply evaporated before my eyes...
Without a trace...
"Ha..."
The weight lifted from my entire body...
"Ha-a..."
I began hearing the surrounding sounds again as heavy sighs escaped my chest one after another.
"HA-a... Ha-a..."
I felt a few tears flowing, reliably hidden under the closed mask.
"Ha-a..."
Finally, Her nightmare will end... I managed to save her... I succeeded in freeing Her from further torment in this repulsive place.
Now only one thing remains...
"I need to clean up here..." The insects, unfortunately, hadn't gone anywhere. Losing their master, they'd lost their "leash." Nothing controlled the flesh- and energy-hungry familiars anymore, and with me as the nearest target, they decided to feast on me.
Nodding to my thoughts, I released even more prana to attract all the insects on the Matou grounds and projected an additional set of fiery blades, first activating a pre-prepared bounded field around the Matou Manor.
Can't let them into the city. Need to thoroughly clean this place.
It'll take a lot of time. But it was definitely worth it...
***
Read the story months ahead of the public release — early chapters are available on my Patreon: Granulan