Chapter 151: Treasure Cleaning

From the outside, the Matou household appeared to be a well-landscaped villa. The garden was filled with a variety of plants, making it look like a botanical garden. Even the walls of the villa itself were covered in creeping ivy-like plants.

The environment was serene, the air fresh—a perfect place for retirement. That's how most people would see it.

But from a magus's perspective, it was a completely different story. The villa was filled with bounded fields, and the garden was undoubtedly a "foreign territory." Magi often used the concept of "foreign territory" to modify their workshops.

If he was a magus, he'd also prefer using "foreign territory." With just a few simple arrangements, it could prevent many forms of magical intrusion. To enter without the owner's permission, one would have to resort to brute force.

Li Mo looked at the meticulously crafted magical workshop. The bounded fields were glaringly obvious to his eyes. Even with the magical enhancements from Medea, it would be difficult to break in.

It was clear that Zouken Matou hadn't been idle over the past century or two.

But there was one truth that all participants of the Holy Grail War knew: magi were never a match for Servants.

"Ms. Koyanskaya, use your Noble Phantasm. Let's destroy the Matou residence outright."

"Understood, Master."

Koyanskaya's face revealed a feral smile.

As a Servant, her trump card was her Noble Phantasm, a weapon derived from the essence of her legendary deeds, often serving as a decisive tool.

A Noble Phantasm was a Servant's strategic weapon.

"Let's begin. This is the result of hard work, Master. Please watch closely! This is the masterpiece of Tamamo Heavy Industries.

**「Spiritual Radiance: 79th Type Disaster-Throwing Shrine」!**

In front of the Matou residence, a massive machine appeared, with Koyanskaya seated inside. Treads, mechanical quadrupedal legs, steel cannons, and a pink body—all exuded an aura of raw power.

**「Spiritual Radiance: 79th Type Disaster-Throwing Shrine」.**

This was Koyanskaya's Noble Phantasm, summoning a giant mecha-like machine for assassination.

What? You say such a large target is too easy to detect?

Well, isn't killing all the witnesses the same as not being detected? If no one is left to see, then it's as good as being unseen.

"A King Hassan-style assassination."

As everyone knew, Assassins came in two varieties: the ordinary Hassan-style stealth assassins, and the King Hassan-style, who attacked openly.

The goal of assassination was to kill the target; the method didn't matter.

Koyanskaya, summoned as an Assassin, was undoubtedly the King Hassan type. The massive machine she now stood on was impossible to miss, and the aftermath would be troublesome.

But that was a problem for the future.

Li Mo watched Koyanskaya's performance.

"Iz Tula Seven Drive!"

Koyanskaya roared like a warrior charging into battle.

Then, magical energy gathered. The giant machine reeked of gunpowder.

**Boom! Boom! Boom!**

Missiles erupted from the war machine, targeting the Matou residence. Japanese buildings were often made of wood to withstand earthquakes.

But no structure, regardless of its material, could withstand the sheer force of missiles.

**Boom! Boom! Boom!**

The thunderous explosions echoed like the wrath of the heavens. Missiles rained down one after another on the Matou property. The explosive force was contained within the bounds of the Matou estate, not spilling over into the surrounding area.

Dust and smoke filled the air. The relentless barrage of missiles turned the ground into fine sand, scattering it into the air as dust.

Visibility was completely obscured.

"Rider, could you sense if there's any life remaining inside?" Li Mo asked.

At this time, only Zouken Matou was supposed to be home. According to Sakura Matou, the Matou household had only three permanent residents: Zouken Matou, Shinji Matou, and Sakura Matou.

The cleaning was done by part-time workers, who wouldn't stay overnight. The head of the Matou family didn't allow non-family members to stay after dark.

The magus's adherence to the principle of "secrecy" made things much easier for Li Mo. When using a Noble Phantasm, he didn't have to worry about whether there were other people in the Matou residence. If only Zouken Matou was there, then he could strike with full force!

If there were still signs of life in the Matou household, it would mean Zouken Matou wasn't dead yet.

Of course, Li Mo knew full well that even if Zouken Matou died here, it didn't mean he was truly gone. He still had a backup plan embedded in Sakura Matou's body.

"I wonder if Medea's spell was successful? Also, Ms. Koyanskaya, you can deactivate your Noble Phantasm now. I feel like I'm about to be drained dry."

The magical energy Koyanskaya used was supplied by Li Mo himself. Normally, he wouldn't use his own magical energy, relying instead on the magical crystals crafted by Medea.

However… Koyanskaya's Noble Phantasm consumed an enormous amount of magical energy. The crystals she carried weren't enough, so she had to draw directly from Li Mo.

Fortunately, Li Mo had mastered the technique of drawing magical energy directly from the greater source. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to sustain Koyanskaya's massive consumption.

"Sorry, Master. I got carried away. But you saw it, right? The power of Tamamo Heavy Industries!"

What was once a villa had now been reduced to ashes. The peaceful ground was tainted with the smell of gunpowder, and charred debris littered the area. The Matou residence had become a wasteland.

Could this be explained away as a gas explosion?

Probably not. Well, let the Tohsaka family head and the Holy Church deal with the fallout.

As a magus participating in the Holy Grail War, the cleanup wasn't his concern. Stepping onto the scorched remains of the Matou estate, Li Mo used a spell to enhance his perception, searching for any signs of life.

After a Noble Phantasm's deployement, a magus had almost no means of resistance. But Zouken Matou had invested all his skills in survival. The Matou household had a basement, and it was possible he had managed to cling to life. He could also transfer his soul into the Crest Worms. In the face of natural disasters, smaller creatures had a better chance of survival.

Kiritsugu Emiya had once used bombs to destroy the Fuyuki Grand Hotel. Koyanskaya's Noble Phantasm was of a similar nature.

What a pity… My original goal was to obtain the Matou family's magical books, wasn't it? What a miscalculation.

As he walked through the ruins of the Matou estate, Li Mo realized this. His initial plan had been to ensure a one-hit kill by having Koyanskaya use her Noble Phantasm. Looking at the shattered remains of the Matou residence, the "library" was unlikely to have survived.

"Old man, won't you come out and meet me?"

After the Noble Phantasm's deployement, most of the bounded fields in the Matou residence were gone, allowing Li Mo to easily set up his own. Zouken Matou could survive by relying on his Crest Worms. If nothing else, the worms could burrow into the ground, where the thick soil would provide excellent protection.

The question was, did the Crest Worms have the ability to burrow?

"Young man, you've set up a bounded field. Are you worried this old man will escape?"

"Yes, old man. After all, you're the type who would turn yourself into a worm just to survive. To avoid any complications, I had no choice but to do this."

Li Mo smiled as he responded. In front of him, on the empty ground, dark worms began to appear, forming a humanoid shape.

That was Zouken Matou.