Chapter 152: Death of Matou Zoken

The body deteriorates faster than the soul. To survive, one must find a way to replace their physical form. This is precisely what Zouken Matou did—he entrusted his soul to the Crest Worms and, whenever his flesh was damaged beyond repair, he would transfer into a new body. Thus, he endured for centuries.

This meant that even if his current body perished, Zouken could continue to exist in the form of a swarm of worms. Without a human shell, his presence became horrifying and grotesque—enough to terrify even children.

"Grandfather, you've survived this far. Your ability to cling to life is impressive."

"The damage to my body exceeds fifty percent. I'm merely surviving," replied Zouken Matou, his voice steady despite the circumstances. "Ah, is that Rider? So, Shinji has already failed, has he? I suspected as much, but I didn't think it would happen so quickly. Eliminated early in the Holy Grail War, and his Servant taken from him…"

As a cluster of Crest Worms, Zouken lacked a human shape, yet his tone remained calm. For a magus, producing sound without vocal cords was trivial; vibrations could be generated through other means.

Li Mo observed the "form" of Zouken Matou—a mass of writhing worms resembling a child about six or seven years old. Yet upon closer inspection, the worms continuously shifted under gravity, only to be replaced by others climbing upward.

Such a repulsive method of survival left little room for sympathy.

"Shouldn't you wonder whether Shinji defected to my side?"

"That boy wouldn't dare attack me, his beloved grandfather."

"True, he doesn't seem like someone capable of great deeds. He bullies the weak but shows cowardice before strength. However, Grandfather, why not attempt escape instead of staying here to chat with me? You're not the type to accept death willingly."

Li Mo smiled warmly, though his words carried an edge. From Zouken's perspective, there was nothing comforting about this exchange. In his experience, magi were ruthless individuals who stopped at nothing to achieve their goals. Even among such a cynical group, Li Mo's intentions remained suspect.

Could kindness mask something more sinister?

Zouken Matou wasn't willing to gamble with his life.

"Young man, your deployment of barriers and the presence of two Servants make escape nearly impossible," Zouken admitted reluctantly.

"Why don't you simply dig underground and flee as a swarm of worms?"

"And then get hunted down by your Servants? No thank you."

"Yet with your abilities, couldn't you disperse the worms? As long as one survives, wouldn't that ensure your survival?"

Insect-based magic, while nauseating, undeniably offered exceptional resilience. Magi themselves were often frail, their offensive capabilities sometimes inferior to modern firearms. However, Crest Worms thrived on adaptability; bullets could eliminate some, but never all.

"Ah, young man, you misunderstand my magic entirely," Zouken sighed.

"If so, then I won't hold back any longer."

"Wait! Can we not discuss..."

At that moment, the Crest Worms scattered instantly. Like ants protecting their queen, these creatures operated hierarchically. Through their conversation, Li Mo had identified the core worms controlling the rest.

Raising his hand, Li Mo channeled mana into projectile-like blasts. With precise aim, he obliterated several key worms. Deprived of leadership, the remaining insects fell into confusion, behaving like soldiers without a commander. Li Mo systematically eradicated the remnants, ensuring no stragglers lingered within the Matou estate.

It seemed Zouken Matou had chosen martyrdom.

Ordinary magi wouldn't question it. After all, Zouken had been subjected to overwhelming force—an assault by Noble Phantasms that no ordinary practitioner could endure. Few would expect him to persist in fragmented form [[6]]. Only those familiar with his methods might recognize the subtle signs of life lingering in scattered worms.

But Li Mo knew better. When Medusa detected residual life signals, he immediately erected barriers, trapping Zouken in a vulnerable state. Unable to evade under scrutiny from two Servants, Zouken resorted to negotiation as a last resort.

For magi, achieving objectives outweighed moral considerations. Cutting ties completely was always an option.

"Is he truly gone? The Master of Caster," Medusa questioned aloud.

"It seems too easy. Could Zouken Matou really have fallen so effortlessly?" she mused.

"He hasn't died," Li Mo stated confidently. "Remember the procedure I assigned to Medea?"

Before departing, Li Mo had instructed Medea to conduct a thorough examination of Sakura Matou—not just a routine check-up, but a magical ritual targeting the worm residing in her heart.

"Will Sakura be alright?"

"She will. By now, Medea should have neutralized Zouken's contingency plan."

Li Mo anticipated Zouken's revival mechanism: transferring consciousness into a dormant worm embedded within Sakura. His barriers had indeed detected an anomaly—an informational pulse attempting to activate the hidden threat. But Zouken underestimated Medea's competence.

"Was this deliberate?" Medusa asked curiously.

"More or less. I deduced Zouken's strategy and prepared accordingly."

On Mount Enzo, Medea's sanctum housed a stone altar where Sakura lay awaiting treatment.

"Miss Matou, do you trust my Master so easily?" Medea inquired.

Sakura responded softly, "There's nothing I possess worth deceiving me over… And somehow, he reminds me of Shirou-senpai. Doesn't Caster place similar trust in her Master?"

"Indeed," Medea acknowledged.

With practiced ease, Medea extracted the worm from Sakura's heart using ancient techniques. Despite its size, the creature radiated emotions tied to Zouken's soul.

"A remarkable technique, albeit unsettling," Medea remarked before cursing the entity to prevent further reincarnation attempts. She incinerated the remains, ensuring complete annihilation.

Thus ended Zouken Matou's reign of terror.