On a starless, moonless, pitch-black night, a small, agile figure moved swiftly like a nocturnal Spirit Cat from the deep mountains toward Fuyuki City.
Rin used Reinforcement Sorcery to enhance her body's agility, coordination, and foot strength, and applied the Lightness of Wind to herself. To avoid drawing attention, she did not activate Mana Burst additionally.
Even so, Rin's speed could still be described as lightning fast! The robust physical quality resulting from long-term Mana refinement was fully evident. Her feet, reinforced with "Adhesion" Sorcery, leaped over buildings and streets as if traversing level ground, rapidly approaching the Matou Residence.
Rin stopped atop a tall building and saw, a hundred meters away, a luxurious Western-style house emanating a sinister aura—that was the Matou Family residence.
Rin descended from the rooftop to the ground. She did not rush into action but concealed herself in the shadows, activating her Magic Circuits to recover her mana reserves.
Because she didn't want to reveal her identity, Rin hadn't carried any jewels. Furthermore, the previous tests of her cultivation results in the deep mountains had consumed a significant amount of mana, and combined with the high-speed sprint, her remaining mana was not abundant.
For ease of movement, Rin was wearing black sportswear, which she had secretly bought at a children's clothing store behind Aoi's back. As for the money... she projected it! (That's not the correct way to use it!)
The black sportswear concealed the glowing Magic Circuits. Her 473 Magic Circuits devoured the Greater Source Life Force from the atmosphere. The conversion efficiency of her long-refined Magic Circuits was now incomparable to the past, and her depleted mana reserves rapidly filled up.
The Magic Circuits once again disappeared beneath her skin. Rin raised her hand to look at the children's watch on her wrist (—||); it was about 1:30 AM.
She decided to wait another half hour. 2:00 AM was the peak time when her mana fluctuations resonated most strongly with the outside world. Even though she knew the Old Worm wasn't present, caution was paramount. One could never be too careful with a 500-year-old monster.
Rin muttered internally. She waited another half hour in the shadows, then circulated mana throughout her body again, confirming she was in peak condition. She undid her twin tails and tied her hair into a single ponytail suitable for movement, then projected a black, featureless mask onto her face.
Even if the Old Worm was a thousand miles away, she still had to take every precaution. The Matou Family was famous for creating Familiars, and the Matou Residence was likely filled with the Old Worm's Reconnaissance Familiars. Caution above all else.
She wondered where the authors of those YY fanfiction stories she read in her past life got their confidence; they all beat Matou Zouken as easily as spanking a grandson. He might be an Old Worm, but you can't actually treat him like an insect to crush! A 500-year-old monster—even a pig would have become a spirit by then!
Recall that in the Heaven's Feel route of the original work, he used magecraft to ambush Sasaki Kojirou, used his corpse to summon True Assassin Hassan, and then, with the newly summoned, irrational Assassin, ambushed Lancer Cú Chulainn, obtaining a Heroic Spirit's heart to reinforce Assassin. He also used magecraft to manipulate Caster Medea into mistakenly killing Souichirou Kuzuki, causing her mental breakdown, after which she was slain by the patrolling Saber. Afterward, he commanded the reinforced Hassan, who, cooperating with the Black Shadow, managed to defeat the strongest Servant, Saber, who was then swallowed by the Black Shadow. If it weren't for the unforeseen circumstances involving Kirei Kotomine and Sakura, the Fifth Holy Grail War might have ended in victory for the Assassin team!
The Old Worm, having lived for 500 years, is definitely at the level of a Grand Magus. Although his soul and body may have degraded due to his efforts to prolong his life, when it comes to cunning and treachery, perhaps no one in the Nasuverse surpasses him. He must be guarded against.
Taking a deep breath behind the mask to calm her slightly quickened breathing and heartbeat, Rin walked across the unlit street and stood before the gate of the Matou Residence.
The vicinity of a Magician family's base is always protected by a Mundane Repulsion Boundary, ensuring that ordinary people would never think of coming to look, regardless of what commotion occurred nearby. This saved Rin some trouble. However, Magus bases are also covered by automatically operating Defensive Barriers at night, and the Tohsaka Family residence was no exception.
I don't have the acrobatic skills of Assassin from the Fourth Holy Grail War; I can't silently slip through using technique and eyesight. But... but! What is Rin's main skill? Mana Burst! And what is Mana Burst? A Human Rocket Launcher! Why would a magnificent Humanoid Gundam bother with acrobatics? I'm going to face it head-on!
"Boom!" The invisible atmosphere was torn apart by the explosive mana fluctuations, emitting a muffled blast! Violent air currents circled Rin's body, causing her black clothes to flap loudly. Mana fluctuations, like lake water under the moonlight, reappeared on Rin's body!
Rin stepped back with her right foot, shifting her weight backward and lowering her body. Her hands were clenched into fists, one forward and one back, her posture resembling a half-drawn bow. Rin closed her eyes and silently chanted: "The concept of creation, the basic framework of the structure, the formula for the material composition, the technique of production, the experience of history..." It was still Projection Magecraft, but this time, Rin was not visualizing any divine weapon.
The fist strength that tears the atmosphere, the unparalleled fierce iron fist, the refinement of technique in every punch and elbow, the sublimation through skill... "Projection—Baji - Unmatched Strike!!!"
Her slightly closed eyes snapped open in fury. The small, poised figure instantly transformed into a roaring Divine Tiger! Heart, Skill, Body; Essence, Chi, Spirit—all merged into one in that instant!
"ROAR!!!"
A silent roar that resounded through her inner world, shaking her spirit, the projected peerless technique was an immense test for her inner psyche.
Reinforcement Magic: Strength, Resilience, Hardness.
Mana Burst: Full power!
The peerless martial arts made every muscle in her body condense into a single, unified force. Under multiple reinforcements, Tohsaka Rin transformed into a raging dragon!
Spreading its wings, it lunged forward, crushing all obstacles!
The asphalt pavement beneath her feet cracked and shattered, unable to withstand the immense pressure. The entire ground trembled with every step Tohsaka Rin took!
The ten-step distance was covered in an instant, and Tohsaka Rin threw her first punch on her path forward in this Nasuverse she had arrived in three years ago!
Baji Quan (Eight Extremes Fist) - Fierce Tiger Climbs the Mountain (Technique)!
"Boom!!!"
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