Chapter 22: The Monkey Might Not Arrive on a Rosy Cloud  

Broly slept soundly that night. The next day, around noon—under a sky heavy with dark clouds, threatening rain—he was awakened by a notification from the Crystal Palace.

[Alert: Sakura Matou's happiness value is decreasing.]

[Alert: Rin Tohsaka's happiness value is decreasing.]

...

[Alert: Sakura Matou's happiness value is increasing.]

[Alert: Rin Tohsaka's happiness value is decreasing.]

...

Waking up to see all his "stocks" plummeting—what did that feel like?

Although there was one increase, the overall trend was a sharp decline.

Sakura Matou, whose happiness value had previously been well over a hundred, was now down to just over twenty.

Rin Tohsaka, whose happiness value had reached seventy after making friends yesterday, had now dropped to single digits.

Broly didn't know what had happened, but he knew what he had lost.

In an instant, Broly's energy surged violently.

A tornado formed in the room, the tatami mats sank into the floor, the roof was blown off by the fierce winds, and debris flew everywhere.

The commotion drew the attention of the Fujimura household, but no one dared approach the room as its walls and doors were being torn apart. They stared in horror at the boy standing at the center of the storm.

"What's wrong, Broly?"

It wasn't until Taiga, who had taken the day off, came over to ask what was happening that the tornado subsided.

Debris clattered to the ground. Broly's eyes were red, his voice filled with sorrow and frustration: "Taiga, my happiness is gone."

"Huh?"

Taiga was confused. After questioning him, she learned that Sakura, whom Broly had brought with him, and Rin, his classmate and desk mate—both of whom had been recognized by the Crystal Palace as potential targets with high happiness values—had suddenly seen their happiness values plummet.

Knowing the life Broly had led before and understanding how crucial happiness points were to him—essentially allowing him to exchange for a normal, happy life—Taiga immediately understood why the boy was so distraught.

"Broly, don't panic. The most important thing when facing a problem is to stay calm. Panicking and losing your temper won't help. What we need to do now is figure out how to solve this."

Fujimura Raiga had just arrived when he heard his granddaughter using the same words he had taught her just two days ago to counsel the boy who had caused such a scene. His expression turned subtly complex.

"Okay, I understand."

Broly nodded, trying to calm the energy surging within him due to his emotions.

"So, what should I do now?"

"The drop in happiness values must have a reason. We should find those two girls and ask what caused their happiness to decrease.

Your desk mate is farther away, but Sakura is in Fuyuki City, right? We can go to her and ask what's going on."

Taiga suggested, but Broly shook his head: "Last night, I heard that Sakura and my desk mate are actually sisters. Sakura is now with her mother."

"Uh, then let's go to your desk mate's house."

"I don't know where she lives."

"Ah, this..."

As the two were at a loss, Raiga coughed and interjected: "Taiga, don't forget our family has connections. I can call the principal of that school and have him look up where Broly's desk mate lives."

Though Raiga didn't fully understand the situation, the destruction in the house made him realize how important this was to Broly.

While he no longer hoped to recruit Broly into the Fujimura group, maintaining a good relationship between his granddaughter and the boy was still crucial.

"Grandpa, your timing is perfect!"

"Thank you, Grandpa."

Broly, knowing to express gratitude when helped, bowed his head slightly.

"It's nothing, nothing."

Raiga waved his hand and quickly went to call the principal of Shinto Municipal First Elementary School.

"You two must be hungry. Go eat first. The principal isn't at school today, so it'll take some time to get the information."

While Broly was eating, the Emiya family came over to ask what had happened. Upon learning that Broly had caused the commotion, they left.

The earlier disturbance had startled them, making them think a Servant had attacked, but it turned out to be a false alarm.

By the time Broly finished lunch, Rin Tohsaka's address had been obtained.

"Miss, young master Broly, please buckle up. We're about to leave."

Ever since the day before yesterday, Broly's title in the scarred man's mouth had been upgraded from "kid" to "young master."

As the car drove on, Broly felt it was too slow. He could fly, but even with the address, he didn't know the way. He had no choice but to patiently let the scarred man drive.

Fortunately, Shinto Town wasn't far from Fuyuki City. Half an hour later, they arrived at the Zenjou family's villa, having sped the entire way.

"Is anyone home?"

Taiga went to knock on the door.

"Who are you?"

A man came to the door, frowning at the sight of the trio—especially the scarred man.

"We're here to see Mrs. Zenjou Aoi."

Taiga said. Although Aoi had taken her husband's surname after marriage, she had reverted to her maiden name while seeking refuge to avoid attention.

"What do you want with her?"

The man, a member of the Zenjou family, was aware of the Holy Grail War and grew wary upon hearing someone was looking for Aoi.

"Our child is friends with her two daughters and had planned to visit today."

Taiga made up an excuse.

"Huh?"

The man glanced at the dark, stormy sky. Visiting at a time like this?

"Sorry, they didn't mention this to me.

Besides, they left this place this morning."

"Where did they go?"

"Sorry, I can't say. If you really know them, you should have their phone number. Why not call and ask?"

"We tried calling Mrs. Zenjou, but couldn't get through. That's why we came here."

If they could have reached Aoi by phone, Taiga would have done so already.

"Then I'm afraid I can't help."

The man shrugged, sensing that the girl's earlier excuse was just that—a cover. For all he knew, they could be trouble.

As he was about to close the door, it suddenly wouldn't budge. Broly had extended a small hand, holding it open.

The man looked at the boy holding the door and tried pushing harder, only to find he couldn't outmatch the child's strength.

"What are you trying to do?"

He demanded.

Broly, losing patience, fired an energy blast at the mansion's facade, obliterating the entrance and part of the roof. He then aimed his palm at the man.

"Either talk, or die."

Though his voice was childish, the man didn't dare take it as a joke, especially with the entrance now gone.

"They went back to Fuyuki City this morning. A stern-looking man came to pick them up. As for why they returned to Fuyuki, I don't know. Please, don't harm me or the Zenjou family."

The man spilled everything quickly, not daring to hide anything.

A married daughter was like spilled water—Aoi, having married into another family, was only temporarily staying with her relatives. If powerful individuals came looking for her, the Zenjou family wouldn't dare interfere, knowing the horrors of the magus world.

Back in the car, the scarred man prepared to drive off but noticed Broly still standing outside.

"Young master Broly, aren't you getting in? We need to hurry back to Fuyuki."

"This is too slow. I'm going to fly back."

"Fly back?"

Before the scarred man could react, Broly ducked under the car, lifted it effortlessly with two people inside, and flew toward Fuyuki City.

Some parts of the car fell off mid-flight, forcing Broly to slow down, but they still reached Fuyuki in under two minutes, landing directly above the Tohsaka residence.

Setting the car down, Broly noticed the two passengers looked rather pale.

Though the flight hadn't been too bumpy, the intense G-forces had terrified them.

"Broly, next time you plan to fly with someone, give a heads-up first."

Her heart still racing, Taiga didn't even marvel at the fact that Broly could fly. Instead, she immediately scolded the boy.

"Uh, sorry."

Seeing Taiga's current unhappiness through the Crystal Palace, Broly knew he had messed up and quickly apologized.

"It's okay, it's not your fault. It's our fault for experiencing flying in a car for the first time."

Fujimura Taiga exhaled and comforted him.

She quickly calmed herself and returned to a state where she could generate happiness points.

"Let's go, ring the doorbell."

Taiga took the lead again, heading toward the entrance of the Tohsaka residence.

As she pressed the doorbell...

At the Emiya household, Kiritsugu Emiya, who had been monitoring the situation through modern surveillance, noticed their presence.

"Wait, why is that kid going to the Tohsaka residence?"

Irisviel, who happened to be nearby, was also surprised when she saw the trio on the monitor.

Kiritsugu remembered the first time he encountered the boy, who had been accompanied by the Tohsaka family's younger daughter.

Connecting this with the earlier commotion next door, Kiritsugu concluded that this matter might be related to the Tohsaka family's younger daughter.

"Seems like no one's home."

After ringing the doorbell for a while, no one came to answer.

*Bang~*

Without hesitation, Broly kicked open the iron gate and barged in.

"Ah, this... excuse us!"

Seeing this, Taiga wanted to say something but couldn't. She could only utter a polite remark before quickly following him.

But before she could get close to Broly, the defensive magic of the Tohsaka residence activated. The gems embedded in the statues lit up, and beams of energy shot toward the intruders.

Broly was hit. He glanced at the energy beams striking his body—too weak to even break his skin, but the clothes Taiga had bought him were burned.

Already in a bad mood, this only made him angrier. He raised his hands and fired two energy blasts to the left and right. With two loud bangs, the front yard of the Tohsaka residence was blown apart, and the magical defense system was obliterated in the terrifying explosion.

Taiga: "..."

Should she be grateful that she had rung the doorbell last time, or that Broly hadn't barged in and blown up the entire yard back then?

"If there were people in this house, they would definitely know about the commotion just now."

After searching the Tohsaka residence and finding no one, the scarred man commented.

"But if they returned to Fuyuki City and aren't home, where else could they be?"

Taiga frowned.

"There's one more place."

"Where?"

"The Matou residence."

Broly thought of the place he had first appeared in after crossing over. Though he didn't know the exact route, he remembered the general direction.

...

**[Today is a terrible day!]**

Young Sakura felt this way, not because of the bad weather, but because someone needed to return to that nightmare of a worm-infested house.

Late last night, her mother suddenly spoke to her and her sister at length. The gist was that their father wanted her to return to the Matou family, to continue as their adopted daughter and inherit the Matou family's magical path.

She cried and protested, but it was no use. Her mother tearfully explained that it was her father's decision, and as a daughter of the Tohsaka family, she had to comply.

Young Sakura felt despair upon hearing this and began to distrust her family. But she could feel her mother's love, as her mother wished to keep her and have her older sister take her place as the Matou family's heir.

Her sister also loved her. Despite her fear, she put on a brave face and, unable to change their father's decision, was willing to go to the Matou family in her place. Sakura felt the warmth of her family's love.

"Rin, you're a strong child. Don't run away from the Matou family like your sister did."

Tohsaka Tokiomi, dressed in a red suit, said this, reaching out to pat his eldest daughter's head, but Rin dodged.

The more she had once admired her father, the more Rin resented him after learning of his decision last night.

"Alright, I know you don't understand me now, but you will when you grow up."

Tokiomi sighed, understanding his daughter's emotions.

"So, Matou patriarch, Rin will—"

"Wait."

Before Tokiomi could finish his sentence, he was interrupted—by his younger daughter.

"Sakura, what is it?"

"I've made up my mind. I'll go back to the Matou family as the heir."

Young Sakura remembered the pain of being crawled over by worms. The thought of her sister, who was willing to take her place, suffering the same fate made her speak up at the last moment.

"Sakura, are you sure?"

Tokiomi was pleasantly surprised. He had always hoped his more mature eldest daughter would inherit the Tohsaka family, rather than his more delicate younger daughter.

"Sakura, what are you saying?"

Aoi Zenjou tugged at her.

"Yeah, didn't we agree that I would go to the Matou family this time?"

Sakura added.

"My sister loves me, but I can't let her cry. Compared to her, I'm already used to the feeling of worms crawling over me."

She could no longer feel her father's love. She could feel her mother's love, but also that her mother loved her father more. Only her sister truly loved her.

Young Sakura didn't understand what impulsiveness was, but she didn't want to see her sister lying in a pile of worms, crying. If someone had to cry, she had already cried once. Crying again wouldn't be so bad, right?

The little girl forced a smile on her face. She didn't know why the "grandfather" next to her, whose head had been blown off, was still alive and intact, but it didn't matter. Suppressing her fear, she walked over to him and said, "Grandfather, I'm home. There's no need for my sister to join our family."

"Sakura, you've become stronger."

Zouken Matou smiled, but it was a smile filled with deep malice.

"I suppose you'll be more accepting of my modifications now."

Tokiomi, hearing nothing amiss, smiled elegantly and praised his daughter, who was once again no longer a Tohsaka: "Sakura, though you are no longer a child of the Tohsaka family, I am still proud of your courage."

Young Sakura bit her lip and turned her head away. No longer naive, she didn't want to acknowledge the man who had once been her father.

The sky was overcast, threatening a storm. Sakura's mood had hit rock bottom. She thought no one would come to save her this time...

"Huh?!"

Suddenly, Sakura's eyes widened. What was that?

She saw a car flying through the dark clouds, speeding toward them.

*Boom~*

Amidst the flashes of lightning, Broly descended from the sky, carrying the car!