Chihiro wasn't in the mood to explain everything in detail to the old bug. He simply said, "Alright, old bug, mark this day — it'll be your death anniversary next year."
The old bug sneered, "You little brat, do you think you can just waltz in here and finish me off because you've got a Heroic Spirit by your side?"
With a wave, the insects in the nest suddenly swarmed, forming a dark, seething tide that surged toward Chihiro and Zhang Jiao.
"So this is bug magic," Zhang Jiao observed calmly, summoning a few talismans. A golden barrier shimmered around them, blocking the advancing insects. More talismans flew out from his hand, sticking to the walls of the insect nest and sealing the space with a brilliant glow.
"This should prevent any escape," he added, watching the swarm intently.
"Bug magic, huh? I've heard of the southern tribes using something similar," Zhang Jiao remarked, "They call it Gu or Jiang."
Chihiro nodded. "Yeah, Gu magic still has practitioners in some parts of Southeast Asia."
The old bug's rage mounted as he saw the two of them discussing his techniques so casually. He sneered, "You think you've won just because you sealed off my nest? Can you really destroy all of my clones?"
As he spoke, his decayed form twisted and fragmented into countless tiny insects that scattered throughout the nest.
"Even if you seal me here, what good does it do? I can always return!" the old bug mocked.
"Hmph, flaunting your tricks in front of me?" Zhang Jiao scoffed. He flicked another talisman forward. "Wind-Raising Spell!"
A fierce wind whipped through the entire insect nest, filling every nook and cranny. The swarm of insects was swept together into a single mass, trapped and unable to escape.
Zhang Jiao's mastery was evident. Unlike Chihiro's basic wind summoning, Zhang Jiao could command the wind itself, a testament to the Taiping techniques he practiced. His connection with nature's elements allowed him to manipulate them with ease, summoning not only wind but also, when necessary, thunder from the heavens.
Without hesitation, Zhang Jiao threw another talisman. "Fire Curse!"
A blaze erupted, consuming the cluster of insects in an instant. The old bug's shrill screams echoed through the nest, then abruptly fell silent as the flames reduced every insect to ashes.
Chihiro stared in disbelief at the scene. "That's it? It's over?"
He blinked, feeling almost unsatisfied. It was surreal how easily Zhang Jiao had ended the ancient threat. For a moment, he thought, It's like using a cannon to swat a fly.
"If you're still unsure, let's do a thorough check," Zhang Jiao suggested, reading Chihiro's expression.
Chihiro nodded. Together, they scoured the entire Matou residence, leaving no stone unturned. Every last insect, even cockroaches, was incinerated in the thorough sweep. Only when every trace of the Matou's vile infestation was gone did Chihiro feel a sense of relief.
When they emerged from the basement, Rin hurried over. "How did it go?"
Chihiro gave her a reassuring smile. "It's all taken care of."
Rin sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. I'm glad we won't have to deal with that disgusting old bug ever again."
Zhang Jiao's expression turned alert as he looked around. "Careful — someone's approaching."
Chihiro frowned. "Looks like our little operation caught the attention of some of the other groups."
Moments later, the maze of fog Zhang Jiao had set around the Matou estate was dispelled, and several figures came into view. It was none other than the Rider and Lancer groups.
Chihiro immediately recognized the presence of El-Melloi II. As expected, he would be the only one among the Masters capable of dismantling Zhang Jiao's maze.
As the figures came closer, Chihiro's "True Name Discernment" skill activated, showing him El-Melloi II's status panel:
[Name: El-Melloi II (Zhuge Liang); Class: Caster; Gender: Male; Alignment: Neutral Good]
[Strength: E; Endurance: E; Agility: D; Mana: A+; Luck: B+; Noble Phantasm: A]
[Class Skills: Territory Creation A; Item Creation B]
[Personal Skills: Discerning Eye A; Tactician's Advice A+; Tactician's Command A+]
[Noble Phantasms: Unreturning Formation (Anti-Army, Rank C, Range: 50 meters, Maximum Targets: 500); Chu Shi Biao (Anti-Army, Rank EX, Maximum Targets: 1,000)]
Chihiro sighed inwardly. This was the one drawback of his True Name Discernment ability — each time he encountered a new servant, their status panel automatically appeared. Once a servant's stats had been displayed, however, he wouldn't see them again unless he called it up deliberately.
Iskandar, with his usual broad grin, stepped forward. "Oh, it's just you guys. I half-expected to find the Saber team here."
[Name: Iskandar; Class: Rider; Gender: Male; Alignment: Neutral, Good.]
[Strength: B; Endurance: A; Agility: D; Mana: C; Luck: A+; Noble Phantasm: A++. ]
[Class Skills: Magic resistance D; Riding A+. ]
[Personal Skills: Charisma A; Tactics B; Divinity C. ]
[Noble Phantasm: Via Expugnatio (Anti-Army, Rank A+, Maximum Range :2-50 meters, Maximum Target: 100 people); Ionioi Hetairoi (Anti-Army, Rank EX, Maximum Range: 1-99 meters, Maximum Target:5,000 people)]
Chihiro rolled his eyes. "You're not fooling anyone. Who in the Saber team could set up a maze like this?"
Iskandar let out a hearty laugh.
***
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