"Heh, if it isn't the Tohsaka girl. How rare, you actually came here."
At the Matou estate, not long after Daniel Davis and Rin Tohsaka entered, an old, short, bald man whose face and limbs resembled those of a mummy emerged from the corridor. The dim lighting cast an eerie atmosphere, causing Rin to instinctively move closer to Daniel. This man was none other than Zouken Matou.
"And who might this be?"
Zouken spoke as his gaze landed on Daniel. It was late, and Rin arriving at the Matou house with a stranger made him suspicious.
But it was only suspicion. It never occurred to him that he had already been exposed. In the art of survival, Zouken was a master—after all, he had been hiding for over five hundred years.
He had once harbored grand ambitions, but now, all that remained was his will to survive. He had no other pursuits.
In the Moon World, there were several ways to attain longevity. Becoming a Dead Apostle was one of the less risky options, but Zouken feared the Church's pursuit and never dared take that route.
After discovering he could prolong his life by consuming his descendants, he hid within the Matou estate and rarely showed himself, fearing that the Mage's Association would uncover his secret and label him for sealing designation.
Given his current state, if Daniel were to report him to the Mage's Association, a sealing executor would likely arrive in the very next moment.
A sealing designation was essentially imprisonment under the guise of protection, used on mages with rare talents or those who violated taboos. People like Shirou Emiya, who could fight Heroic Spirits head-on, were typical sealing designation targets, along with Aoko Aozaki, Kiritsugu Emiya's father, and Sōren Araya.
Of course, that was only in theory. Whether someone was actually designated depended on their power. If a mage was strong enough, the Association wouldn't bother provoking them.
Take Shirou, for instance—if the Clock Tower seriously tried to capture him, it would cost them the decline of several Lord families. That said, few people at the Clock Tower even knew he could fight Heroic Spirits, so he was safe from designation for now.
"Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is that your crimes have been exposed. By the order of the Mage's Association, Zouken Matou—or rather, Makiri Zolgen—you have been designated for sealing."
"The Mage's Association… You..."
Zouken's expression immediately changed—not just from Daniel's words, but also because of what was happening around him. As they spoke, a translucent purple barrier surrounded the entire Matou estate.
This was the Four-Purple Flame Formation, a sealing barrier Daniel created with four shadow clones to prevent Zouken from escaping. After all, the old worm was highly skilled at running away.
"I didn't think I'd be discovered. Tohsaka girl, I underestimated you."
Zouken stared coldly at Rin. He believed his exposure was her doing—after all, the Mage's Association wouldn't bother coming to this remote land without someone tipping them off.
"But do you really think you two little brats can capture me here, in my workshop?"
As he spoke, countless bugs began to pour from the corridor walls—black and dense. Rin involuntarily moved even closer to Daniel, three different-colored gemstones appearing in her hand.
Though frightened, Rin didn't lose her will to resist. As a mage, she stood her ground.
"It's just a workshop. You think I'm afraid?"
Daniel activated the magical device that emitted a Servant's aura. Rin had warned him earlier about mage workshops. Since he wasn't a native Moon World mage, he didn't fully understand the rules of engagement.
Rin, on the other hand, was a mage born and raised in this world. She knew the unspoken rule: most mage family estates doubled as their workshops—including the Tohsaka estate.
Unfortunately, due to Tokiomi Tohsaka's untimely death and Rin's lack of expertise, the Tohsaka estate was just an ordinary villa now.
"A Servant? Impossible!"
Zouken's expression changed again when he sensed the aura of a Heroic Spirit from Daniel. If it had been an executor from the Mage's Association, he wouldn't have been as worried.
Sealing designations sounded impressive, but the Association had succeeded with very few targets. Most of them were incredibly dangerous. Kiritsugu Emiya's father, for instance, was killed by Kiritsugu himself. Sōren Araya was taken down by Ryougi Shiki. Aoko Aozaki was the least dangerous, and even her designation was eventually revoked.
"Nothing's impossible, Makiri Zolgen. All things return to ash—Ryūjin Jakka."
As Daniel spoke, a flaming katana appeared in his hand. In the next moment, scorching flames engulfed the entire Matou estate. Every bug Zouken summoned—Crest Worms, Winged Blade Worms—was instantly vaporized.
The sheer power of the attack forced Zouken's body to disperse into thousands of worms, desperately tunneling underground. Surrounded by fire, escape aboveground was impossible—his only chance was beneath.
Though the appearance of a Servant alarmed him, survival took priority.
"Trying to escape? Too late."
Daniel didn't mind his escape attempt. With the Four-Purple Flame Formation active, there was no way Zouken could leave. Daniel swung Ryūjin Jakka again, intent on burning down the entire estate.
The house, the land, the rocks, the pond—everything disappeared in the inferno. The ground grew so hot that magma began to appear.
"Keep running, Zouken Matou."
At one corner of the now-giant pit where the estate once stood, Daniel and Rin had Zouken trapped. He had tried escaping through the sewers, not knowing they were sealed by the formation. He attempted to escape from above, only to fail again. Now, Daniel had surrounded him with a circle of fire.
"You're not from the Mage's Association."
"Figured it out? That's right. I'm her summoned Servant. My goal is simple—your death. But I've got a better idea. Know what this is?"
Daniel held up a syringe filled with strange, violet liquid.
"This is something called the Superman Drug. It speeds up your perception. One second feels like hundreds of years. Can you imagine what that would do to someone?"
Zouken's face twisted. As a mage, he instantly understood how terrifying such a drug was. In the Moon World, magic and science were deeply intertwined.
For example, Rin—despite still being a high schooler—possessed knowledge of minerals and gems far beyond the average person.
"To think I'd die here…"
"Don't try to act noble. I know you've got backup plans. But don't you wonder why Shinji and Sakura haven't returned?"
"Goodbye, Makiri Zolgen."
Daniel hurled the syringe. Zouken tried to escape by scattering into insects again, but the surrounding fire circle erupted, incinerating them all.
"Now to deal with Sakura."
With Zouken eliminated, Daniel retrieved the unconscious Sakura from the containment sac. He carefully examined her body, then used the powers of the Surgical Fruit to extract all the Crest Worms inside her.
"Sakura…"
Seeing the insects pulled from Sakura's body, Rin trembled with clenched fists and a tense expression. If Tokiomi had been there, she would've punched him on the spot.
"Hello again, Makiri Zolgen. Enjoy your dose of the Superman Drug."
"No, stop—!"
"Can't handle fear, huh? I wasn't going to let you off anyway. Though the drug is a good punishment, I'd rather see you completely destroyed."
"I'll heal her body and alter her memories like we discussed."
After thoroughly eliminating Zouken, Daniel used the Black Abyss White Flower to completely heal Sakura's body, then employed Dust of Departure to modify some of her past memories.
"Another gas explosion? That excuse never gets old."
Watching the news coverage, Daniel shook his head. Though the Matou residence was in a somewhat secluded area, he had turned it into a giant crater. Even so, the incident was labeled a gas explosion, and apparently, no one in Fuyuki suspected otherwise. Maybe they were just used to it.
"Well, it makes sense. The massive destruction ten years ago was also pinned on a gas explosion. Compared to that, this is nothing."
That fire, caused by the black mud spill when King Arthur destroyed the Grail in the Fourth Holy Grail War, was also blamed on a gas leak.
"Gotta hand it to the gas company for their resilience."
"Good thing Sakura came home late, or else…"
On the side, Taiga Fujimura watched the news with lingering fear as she glanced at Sakura, who was helping Shirou Emiya cook. After healing her and altering her memories, Daniel and Rin brought Sakura to Shirou's home and stayed there for the time being.
"All right, dinner's ready. Let's not talk about that anymore."
Shirou brought out the food and gave Taiga a subtle glance, asking her not to bring up the matter again to avoid upsetting Sakura.
"Dinner's ready? Looks like I made it just in time."
As the food was served, Rin walked in, looking exhausted.
"Sis." Sakura immediately stood and fetched a set of utensils for her.
"Thanks, Sakura."
"Is it done?"
Daniel asked as he ate Shirou's food. He had to admit—Shirou's cooking was top-notch. No wonder Red Archer was a domestic powerhouse.
"It's done."
Rin nodded slightly. She had just returned from the church—after such a major incident at the Matou estate, Kirei Kotomine, who was in charge of the area, naturally summoned her for questioning.
Given Rin's personality, Daniel hadn't told her yet that her father, Tokiomi, had been killed by Kirei. He planned to reveal that when the Holy Grail War began.
"Shirou Emiya, there's something I'd like to discuss with you."
"Oh? What is it?"
"Something personal. Come with me."
Seeing Taiga and Rin's curious expressions, Daniel gestured for Shirou to follow him outside. The house Shirou lived in was huge—bought by Kiritsugu Emiya from the Fujimura family.
Taiga was a strange character herself. Her combat abilities weren't weak. The Emiya family's legacy of warriors wasn't just talk. In a way, she was part of the Emiya clan too.
"What is it?"
"It's about a Noble Phantasm Kiritsugu left inside your body."
They sat on the porch. Daniel briefly explained Avalon. He didn't lie—though a lie would have made things simpler.
"You knew Kiritsugu?"
Shirou wasn't too concerned about the Noble Phantasm, but he cared deeply about Kiritsugu.
"I didn't know him personally, but I knew of him."
"Can you tell me more about him?"
"Most of his life was tied to the mage world. You're not ready for that yet. If you truly want to know, I'll tell you later."
"Kiritsugu once told me I wasn't talented in magic."
Shirou nodded softly, recalling things Kiritsugu had said to him.
"If you're not talented, then no one is."
As a first-generation mage, he outclassed families with centuries of tradition. If that wasn't talent, the Clock Tower might as well shut down.
"You need that Noble Phantasm, right? Take it."
"Are you sure? I told you—it's priceless."
"You said you'd use it to save the world, right? I can't use it, so I'd rather it serve that purpose."
Shirou's kindness was remarkable. Anyone else would've doubted Daniel's words.
"Then I won't hold back. Don't worry—it won't affect you."
Daniel had more to say, but considering Shirou's character, he dropped it. If needed, he could always implant a few more magic circuits later. With the Surgical Fruit, it was easy.
"So this is Avalon—the Ideal Land Isolated from the World."
Daniel gazed at the golden scabbard in his hand, filled with emotion. In the Moon World, this was an artifact of miraculous power. More importantly, with it, he could summon King Arthur—Artoria.
"Next stop: the Clock Tower. Maybe I should try finding a relic of the Venus goddess."
With the Fifth Holy Grail War approaching, relics were crucial. Summoning without one was pure luck. Of course, compatibility mattered—like the cheerful Ryunosuke summoning Gilles de Rais.
Funny thing—Tokiomi Tohsaka's random summon in the Fourth War was arguably better than his deliberate summoning of Gilgamesh.
Rin was an exception. Her lineage could be considered a relic in itself. She could summon Red Archer, and theoretically even pull down a certain goddess—though the odds were low. With a relic, though, it would be much easier.
Since Daniel was here now, there was no need for Red Archer to appear. And if he really managed to summon a Venus goddess, he was curious how that certain "Lamp Post King" would react.
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