The day after the Holy Grail War ended successfully.
The entire city awoke from this nightmare in a daze.
The dead were revived, the shattered city restored to its original state, and the light emitted by the Holy Grail smoothed over every trace.
This included the marks left behind by the Servants, who had quietly returned.
Since Tohsaka Tokiomi had let go of his obsession and left Fuyuki City early with his family, the chain reaction triggered by the Holy Grail War did not affect them. They enjoyed a few beautiful days on vacation in Kyoto.
Due to Proto Gilgamesh's appearance, Kotomine Kirei had not been swayed by him. Instead, he continued to live as an Executor, constantly searching for the meaning of his existence, still busily at work.
As for Kayneth, he was utterly speechless, overwhelmed by witnessing the miracle displayed by the Greater Grail firsthand.
Last night, he saw with his own eyes the city's rebirth and restoration, the reversal of life and death... an extraordinary power that only existed in myths had manifested once again in this era.
Afterward, he quickly found the recently resurrected Waver in the reborn city and hurriedly boarded a plane back to the Clock Tower with him, leaving Fuyuki City in the dead of night.
If they didn't leave soon, trouble would certainly follow.
...
The Matou Residence, which had been set ablaze and reduced to ashes by the Avenger, Count of Monte Cristo, just a few days ago, reappeared in the city thanks to the miracle of the Greater Grail.
In the pitch-black basement, the writhing pit of worms pulsated faintly. In the darkness, countless worms gathered and formed the dried-up figure that appeared in the mansion's main hall.
"Hehehehe... "
"I'm still alive... Is this the power of the Holy Grail? Has it resurrected me?"
In the empty mansion, Matou Zouken, mummified in appearance, crushed the cane in his hand and muttered darkly.
His memory was still clear. He remembered being completely killed by a Servant, with even his worms burned to ashes.
He didn't know who that Servant was, but their existence was his nemesis.
The hellish black flames, capable of igniting even souls, easily consumed his body and spirit. Under that scorching heat, he couldn't endure it. When he tried to escape by controlling his worms, that figure crushed him instantly.
"How did that person know my most secret life-saving technique? What's going on? Not even my useless descendants knew about my worms, yet that Servant not only called out the name I had long forgotten but also understood my technique completely. Was that person an acquaintance I had forgotten, or did they possess some clairvoyance?"
"That damned Servant, to think they killed me!! To make me suffer such pain, it's absolutely unforgivable!"
"And that worthless Matou Kariya... how dare he betray me!!"
Remembering the night he was attacked by the Servant and Matou Kariya's inaction, allowing the Black Knight to watch as he was killed, the veins on Matou Zouken's forehead bulged in rage once again.
The Holy Grail has already disappeared... the Fifth Holy Grail War won't happen again. That Servant must have returned to the Throne of Heroes, and some fool must have made the wish to resurrect everyone...
Along with his resurrection, even the magic crest stolen by the Servant had returned to his body. But compared to the now-useless crest, Sakura's body was of utmost importance.
"As long as I obtain that young, vibrant body, there's still hope. The Holy Grail War can't end like this. One day, I will obtain the Grail, I will!"
Matou Zouken muttered under his breath, and countless worms hidden throughout the mansion began to writhe, gathering around him, waiting for his command, "Go, find that worthless Matou Kariya immediately. He must know where Sakura is!!"
*Buzzing*
With Matou Zouken's furious roar, the swarm of worms rushed out the door. But just then...
"Who's there?!"
Sensing a powerful magical energy suddenly approaching, Matou Zouken widened his eyes and shouted toward the door.
*Whoosh*
In that instant, the swarm at the entrance, along with Matou Zouken's field of vision, was swallowed by an intense burst of light and heat.
With a thunderous explosion, a fiery blaze soared into the sky, accompanied by black smoke. The recently restored entrance to the Matou mansion was blown open once again, leaving a massive hole.
"FBI Open up!"
Amidst the billowing black smoke, a tall figure casually walked through the shattered door, still smiling as they glanced at the ruined mansion.
"Who are you?!"
The old worm, with half of his body blown apart by the magical blast, wasn't dead. More worms crawled out from the walls, quickly burrowing into his body, restoring his missing parts.
Seeing such an eerie number of worms wriggling into a mummified body before his eyes, Roy couldn't help but grimace.
Internally, he couldn't help but complain.
How disgusting... how did this guy fall from water magecraft to this grotesque form?
"Answer me! Who are you? Did Matou Kariya send you to kill me?!"
"..."
Seeing Roy remain silent, Matou Zouken's face twisted in fury.
This trespasser had invaded his workshop and killed many of his precious worms, enraging him beyond measure.
The Holy Grail War was over, the Servants had returned to the Throne, and yet these brats dared to come to his door. How dare they? He was still a magus of great standing, not someone to be trampled on by just anyone!
"Fool, no matter who you are, for doing this, you'll die here!"
Seeing Roy remain silent, Matou Zouken's bloodshot eyes issued a furious and cruel roar, "Blade Wing, cut his limbs off for me!"
At Matou Zouken's command, thousands of green, blade wing worms flew out of the nest, their wings vibrating rapidly, emitting a sharp buzzing sound. Wherever the swarm passed, everything was cut into pieces without resistance.
Watching the swarm of winged worms rushing toward him, Roy had no more patience to engage with this disgusting old man.
For someone like him, with an aversion to swarms, this was beyond bizarre.
From the start, he didn't want to waste words on this repulsive thing.
There was no need for any conversation between him and Matou Zouken.
Because this old worm was definitely going to die here today and in the most final sense.
Since you were once burned by the Count's flames, this would be the perfect way to finish the job.
"Old worm, let's help you relive the experience."
Roy spread his hands, channeling the seemingly endless magical energy within him to ignite the flame deep within his soul.
Fold, open, rotate, pull.
As he completed the final gesture, he flattened his left hand, and with two fingers on his right hand, he drew a flaming longbow to full tension, ready to fire!
*Roaring*
Accompanied by the sound of air being scorched, a black flame arrow quickly formed between his hands, the dark fire illuminating Roy's face, reflected in his eyes. This black flame was something that old worm Matou Zouken would never forget.
This flame, inherited from the Count's hatred, could not only burn the body but also ignite the soul. Even the Dead Apostle Roa once perished in its blaze. This black flame could be called the nemesis of monsters like Matou Zouken.
Even though his body was fake, his soul was real. If hit by this flame, his already decayed soul would instantly become fuel, suffering from both physical and spiritual torment.
"You… who exactly are you?!"
Seeing this hellish flame again triggered Matou Zouken's dying memories. The agony of being tortured to death by the black flame was something he would never forget.
Zouken's eyes widened in despair, his heart filled with hopelessness, as he lost all will to fight. His decaying body quickly transformed into a swarm of worms that fled in all directions, but it was already too late.
"Release." Roy whispered.
The overwhelming magical energy fully ignited the black flame, consuming everything in its path, whether buildings or living beings. In an instant, thousands of worms were completely annihilated by the flames. Zouken's all-out attack was laughable in the face of this fire. But the sweeping flames were far from finished and showed no sign of stopping.
The swarm ignited in an instant, and the terrifying wave of fire scorched Zouken's body. In that moment, Zouken once again experienced the excruciating pain of his soul being set ablaze.
"Aaaaaahhh!!!"
Zouken's screams echoed throughout the mansion, the agony of his soul being burned making him wish for death.
Physical pain could be dulled through modification or replacement, but the torment of the soul could not be escaped... it had to be endured. With his soul long decayed from constant body replacement, the fire burned even more fiercely, its effect against him even more potent.
Once struck by the flame, the battle was over in an instant, with no possibility of reversal.
Watching Zouken, now engulfed in flames and writhing in agony on the ground, Roy showed a trace of regret in his eyes.
However, the regret was not for the old worm Zouken but for a genius long since passed.
A once brilliant magus had fallen into this decrepit state, just as an ally of justice had turned into a wretched monster clinging to life.
Time and obsession truly could change a person's soul, twisting their will.
"Matou Zouken... no, Makiri Zolgen. As a magus who inherited your legacy, allow me to now ignite your decaying soul."
"You bastard! Who… who are you?!" Zouken roared, glaring at Roy with bloodshot eyes, gritting his teeth in one last desperate question.
"Why?! Why do you all interfere with me?! You crush my dreams, trample on my efforts… What's the difference between you so-called ally of justice and me?! I curse you all with blood, curse you... aaaaahhh!!"
*Roaring*
The flames ignited. Roy no longer wanted to hear any more of Zouken's nonsense. Raising his right hand, he ripped away Zouken's magic crest along with the piece of skin that hadn't yet been consumed by the black flame.
And then...
"Burn."
With that word, the black flame fully ignited, reducing Zouken's decayed soul to fuel and erasing his existence from the air.
Roy glanced back at the large Matou estate, then raised his hand, and in an instant, the flames erupted completely.
The hundred-year-old Matou family mansion was burned to ashes that night.
Along with the soul and past of Makiri Zolgen, buried in the sea of flames.
Goodnight, Makiri Zolgen.
...
"So, my old home was set on fire by you again?"
"There was no other choice. There was a huge nest of worms hidden beneath the mansion. If those eggs and worms were released, it would have caused a big problem."
"Burning it down was the best option."
In the afternoon, Roy and Matou Kariya were strolling through the park, chatting casually. Kariya's face no longer looked as pale as before, and even his complexion had improved considerably.
"That's true. That mansion had long been transformed into an worms nest by the old worm. Burning it down was indeed the best solution." Kariya said with a bitter smile, shaking his head.
"It's just a shame about all the valuable antiques stored in the mansion. My brother is probably going to lose his mind over it."
He didn't pay much attention to it, though. Compared to a mansion and wealth, what mattered more to him was that the old worm was finally dead, and now no one would disrupt his life or harm Sakura's future anymore.
"What happened to Berserker, Lancelot? Did he fulfill his wish in the end?"
"He also left on the same night you departed. But he had a smile on his face when he left, so he seemed quite content. It looks like both of you managed to fulfill your wishes in this Holy Grail War."
"I see... It's great that everyone accomplished their goals." Kariya said, letting out a sigh of relief.
"What about you? How does it feel to come back from the dead? Do you have any plans for what you want to do next? Travel the world or continue being a writer?"
"Well... I'm not really sure." Kariya said after a brief silence.
"The old worm is dead, and Sakura has returned to her previous life. After all this, that idiot Tokiomi should know better than to repeat his mistakes. Now, Aoi and Sakura should be living happily. I don't really have any regrets anymore. I haven't even decided if I want to say goodbye to them."
"Are you sure you have no regrets? Or is it that you just don't want to see Tokiomi again?"
Roy shook his head slightly and then spoke, revealing the inner conflict Kariya was grappling with.
"Are you worried that after leaving so dramatically and saying all those cool words, going back now would be awkward?"
"…Yeah." Kariya chuckled bitterly.
"I really can't hide anything from you, huh? While I'd love to see Aoi and Sakura again, I just don't want to face Tokiomi. Even though I beat him, thinking about all the foolish things he did makes me afraid I won't be able to stop myself from hitting him again."
"…Honestly, you've come back from the dead, and you're still hung up on things like this?"
Roy patted Kariya's shoulder and said, "But don't leave any regrets. You gave up your happiness to protect her. Now that you have no more worries, what's there to hesitate about?"
"Go say goodbye properly to your first love and to Sakura. At the very least, leave a mark in their hearts... one that shows a man named Matou Kariya existed."
"…"
After saying this, Roy smiled and left the park, leaving Kariya alone on the bench, staring blankly at the blue sky.
"Leave a mark, huh…"
"Honestly, I already did that a long time ago."
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