Fuyuki, 8AM — The Ruins of the Matou Residence
The morning light trickled through layers of silver-gray clouds, casting a faint glow over the wreckage — remains of a once-proud clan now reduced to ashes.
At the very heart of that debris — amid the cinders and cracked stone — Zoth lay sprawled out on a shattered concrete slab like it was some five-star resort. His crimson eyes, dulled by sleep, blinked slowly as sunlight hit his face.
"Hmph… First time waking up on a battlefield in this new life... not too bad, actually."
He yawned like a cat, stretched, and a series of satisfying cracks echoed from his spine. A good night's sleep among the ruins of Japan's premier trauma factory — formerly known as the Matou household.
Zoth turned his head to the side.
Little Sakura — his adorable Master — was curled up on a scorched, half-burnt sofa that looked like it survived since the Edo period. Sleeping tight, lips puckered in what must be a takoyaki-fueled dream, she looked like a kitten hugging a pillow.
Zoth winced.
"Aiya~ Lil' Sakura, it's time to leave the battlefield— I mean, the survival sofa…"
He bent down, about to gently shake her awake.
But when he saw how deeply she was sleeping — unshaken even by the autumn breeze — he sighed and stepped back. Beneath lowered lashes, his eyes softened.
"…Alright, five more minutes. Big bro's on watch."
And right at that peaceful moment—
a piercing scream tore through the air from somewhere beneath the rubble.
Zoth tilted his head slightly.
Then— his brow arched in amusement.
Below, through the lingering smoke and scent of death, two figures stood frozen like badly posed statues:
A disheveled middle-aged man, hair like he lost a fight with a blender. Wrapped head to toe in bandages like a rejected Egyptian mummy cosplayer.
Next to him, a chubby-cheeked boy with light blue hair, blank eyes blinking like he was still trying to render reality in 480p.
"Wh—what the hell…?! Where's the Matou Mansion?! It was a whole-ass estate! Where did it—how did it—vanish?!"
The screamer? None other than Matou Byakuya — father of the future "Great Delusional Shinji-sama." The man trembled, sweat pouring down like rain, eyes darting left and right as if hoping this nightmare was just the tail end of a hangover.
Zoth propped his chin on his hand, eyes glinting.
"Oh? Isn't that… our very own 'Shinji-kun, Harmless Civilian'?"
The corner of his mouth curled into a crooked grin — the kind you see on villains right before they test out a new toy.
"Hehehe~ Looks like things just got interesting…"
Zoth stood up, brushing the dust off his shoulder as the wind tousled his messy black hair. He stretched his arms and rolled his neck like a stage actor making his grand entrance, then gave an exaggerated, theatrical bow.
"Ah~, sorry 'bout last night~ I may have… gone a little overboard."
His voice was sweet—dripping with sarcasm, like honey coating a dagger.
"But hey, who told that ancient cockroach to bully my adorable lil' Master, huh?"
He waved his hand through the air as if introducing a dessert dish.
"So naturally… I served him sliced."
Byakuya squinted, face dumbfounded.
"Eh? What… what did you say?"
Zoth raised one hand, casually twirling his fingers like he was dancing on Broadway.
"Name's Zoth. Last night I pulverized the roach named Matou Zouken. Crushed. Vaporized. Not even a leg left."
The air seemed to freeze.
Byakuya's eyes nearly popped out.
He staggered back a few steps, jaw flapping like a broken hinge, finger trembling as if pointing at the Grim Reaper himself cosplaying as a chill dude.
"You… you… are you serious…?!"
Zoth nodded, tone as flat as a morning news anchor:
"Dead serious. No joke~. Old Roach Zouken's toast. If you want revenge, then—"
Before he could finish, Byakuya threw his head back and laughed like he'd won the international lottery.
"ZOUKEN!!! YOU ACTUALLY GOT WHAT YOU DESERVED?! HAHAHA!! FINALLY! TIME TO RETIRE, YOU OLD MUMMY!!!"
Zoth: 🧍♂️ (flat face, stone wall expression)
Sakura: (˘ω˘)💤 (still dreaming of takoyaki, zero involvement)
Shinji: 🐣 (unhatched egg, already boiled)
Lil' Shinji looked up with soup-bowl eyes, staring at his dad like he'd just discovered the last relic of a fallen civilization.
"Father… Grandpa died… isn't that a sad thing? Why are you—?"
[SMACK!]
Before he could finish, Byakuya clamped both hands over his son's mouth with the skill of a veteran dairy farmer mid-milk. He grabbed Shinji's shoulders and shook him like he was trying to squeeze sense out of a sponge.
"SAD?! LISTEN CAREFULLY, BOY!!! HE'S DEAD—THAT MEANS WE'RE FREE!!! FREE, DO YOU UNDERSTAND?! HEEHEE! HAHAHA! TOMORROW WE'RE GOING TO A HOT SPRING, MY BOY!! ONSEN!!"
Zoth folded his arms, watching them with a face full of… complicated feelings.
In his mind, a subtitle appeared, like a documentary voice-over narrating some bizarre foreign culture:
"Mmm… yes. This world is truly one of 'devoted father and filial son'… So filial, in fact, that the moment grandpa dies, they wanna throw a parade, light fireworks, and sing karaoke to his ashes. Truly a bond that digs into the soul… and buries it with the enemy."
Zoth cleared his throat. This time, his tone carried a faint air of homeroom teacher lecturing rowdy kids:
"Ahem… chit-chat's nice and all, but have you considered… finding a place to stay? My lil' Master's a young girl, and sleeping on broken concrete next to some leftover maggots is… not the most feng shui friendly environment, you know?"
Byakuya nodded rapidly like a chicken pecking rice… then suddenly froze.
A flicker of doubt crossed his face as he eyed Zoth cautiously.
"A… and… what did you just call Sakura…?"
Zoth raised an eyebrow, answering with the calm of someone sipping tea at a murder scene:
"What? I called lil' Sakura my Master. Problem?"
Byakuya's eyes bulged. His voice cracked like a Wi-Fi signal on a rainy mountain:
"D-Don't tell me… you're…"
Zoth flashed a wide grin — the kind of grin people wear on late-night talk shows while pretending to be normal:
"Yup. Servant. Got summoned. So what?"
Byakuya flinched like someone dumped ice water down his back in the middle of winter.
He stiffened — full system error.
"S-Sakura… summoned a Servant?! And… not even a normal one!"
He gulped, voice trembling like a half-dead modem:
"Then… your class is…?"
Zoth stroked his chin, eyes half-lidded like he was buzzed and casually solving a sudoku:
"Ruler. Judge of this whole circus. Surprised?"
"…Ruler… NO NO NO, HOLD UP—RULER?!?"
Zoth nodded slowly, like a rice stalk bending in a typhoon:
"Yep. The real deal. Not some bootleg 1:1 replica. Triple-lifetime warranty. Official seal of approval."
Byakuya started shaking all over — like a washing machine on its last leg, mid-spin cycle.
He practically stammered:
"B-but… how is this possible?! The Holy Grail War doesn't even start until next year! How did you—?!"
Zoth snapped his fingers with a crisp click, waving his hand like he was dusting off life's nonsense:
"Bug in the game. Take it up with the devs."
"Besides… I don't need mana to exist."
His tone dropped — not loud or angry, but cold.
Not fire, not thunder — but the chill of a dagger tracing your spine.
Silent. Sharp. Deadly.
"One more question… and I'll remove your head."
He raised a hand, gently squeezing Byakuya's jaw like crushing a soda can — just enough to remind the man who was holding the leash in this conversation.
A second passed.
Felt like a thousand years.
Byakuya took a shaky step back, voice as soft as steamed flan:
"T-then… may I ask… who are you really? I mean… your real name…"
Zoth rubbed his chin again.
This time his eyes glazed over, as if recalling an era buried under ash and glory.
Then… he suddenly chuckled.
Slapped his chest with the confidence of a contestant on Who's That Hero?
"Me?
Name's Solomon."
Byakuya: 💀
Shinji: ❓
Sakura (still dreaming): Takoyaki no jutsu… 🍡
And just like that…
On a perfectly ordinary morning in Fuyuki, the Matou family officially surrendered to history.
A bored Ruler… leading a tiny loli…
flattened their trauma HQ into rubble…
then casually dropped "Solomon" like he was placing an order on UberEats.
---
10:00 AM – Central Park, Fuyuki City.
Matou Kariya — manga editor, caffeine-fueled deadline chaser, hair like a bird's nest, and eye bags deep enough to qualify as national heritage —
was sprinting like the world was ending.
In his trembling hands was a half-finished manuscript.
But screw the deadline.
Only one sentence was stuck on repeat in his mind:
"Please take care of Sakura… truly."
Aoi Tohsaka, one night before.
Kariya grit his teeth. His footsteps hit the pavement like he wanted to shatter the very concrete.
'Tokiomi… YOU BASTARD!!
You handed little Sakura to the Matou clan… knowing damn well what that monster would do?!'
His chest burned. His legs moved like machines fueled by rage.
He ran through traffic lights, ignored honking horns.
Sweat poured down his back, his heart pounded like war drums.
"No… I have to save Sakura…
Even if I have to burn that entire insect nest down—!"
But then—
He turned the corner into the Matou district…
Called out: "SAKURA—!"
And—
Stopped.
Like hitting a mental brick wall.
In front of him was not the decaying, cursed Matou manor he remembered.
No moss-covered walls.
No rusty gates creaking like the cries of ghosts.
Only—
Ashes.
Crumbled stone.
A dead zone of dust and silence.
"…Huh? Where's the Matou manor…?"
He blinked.
Once.
Twice.
Still nothing.
No hallucination.
The house was gone.
Just then—
[BRRRR–! BRRRR–!]
His phone buzzed.
Caller ID: 📞 Matou Byakuya
Kariya's fingers trembled as he picked up.
His voice cracked like someone walking barefoot on glass:
"…I-it's me. Byakuya-nii… what… the hell happened…?"
On the other end—
A storm of laughter. The kind of laugh that belongs to someone who just escaped a lifetime sentence.
"KARIYAAAAA!!! HOT NEWS!!!
THAT OLD BUG ZOUKEN IS DEAD!!! I'M DEAD SERIOUS!!! AHAHAHAHAHA!!!"
Kariya: 🧍♂️
His brain short-circuited.
It was like someone swung a sledgehammer into his skull.
All his thoughts screeched to a halt — hard drive fried.
Zouken…
Dead?!
His hand trembled holding the phone:
"…Byakuya-nii… repeat that… what did you just say…?"
Byakuya practically screamed through the phone:
"IT'S TRUE! I SAW IT WITH MY OWN EYES!!
HE GOT SMASHED — K.O'd — BY SAKURA'S SERVANT!!
YES, SAKURA SUMMONED A FREAKIN' SERVANT — AND HE DELETED ZOUKEN!!!"
"WE'RE CELEBRATING TONIGHT! HOTEL ROOM 705 — WEST DISTRICT!
PARTY STARTS AT 8!! I'LL TEXT YOU!!"
Click —
Call ended.
Ding!
[– Fuyuki West District – Room 705]
Kariya stood frozen in the middle of the park.
The wind blew through his wild hair like a Studio Ghibli scene.
Leaves drifted around him in perfect cinematic slow motion.
And then—
He let out a scream of pure, primal joy:
"HAHAHAHAHA!!! ZOUKEN!!! YOU FINALLY GOT WHAT YOU DESERVED!!!"
"CONGRATS, HOUSE OF MATOU!!!
THE BUG REIGN IS OVER!!!"
"I DON'T HAVE TO GO BACK TO THAT HELLHOLE EVER AGAIN!!!"
His triumphant roar echoed across the park.
A flock of pigeons took off in a panic.
Passersby turned to stare — some thinking he'd just won the lottery, others assuming he'd survived divorce court with full custody of his cat.
---
Fuyuki – Some Hotel, Late Afternoon
Matou Kariya pushed open the hotel room door — and froze in place for a few seconds.
The sight before him was... bizarre. But oddly, not unpleasant.
Two children — one with black hair, one with blue — sat huddled in front of the TV. Their laughter rang out like soap bubbles, drifting through the room.
Unbelievable. Just yesterday, this place had been a battlefield. Death, fire, screaming, the stench of blood and cockroaches.
And now…
…It was so peaceful it felt unreal.
In the left corner of the room sat a black-haired teenager, cross-legged on the carpet like he was about to start meditating. He looked like he'd stepped out of an Otome game: jet-black hair, eyes sharp like electricity, and that aura of a "final boss who's surprisingly chill."
He was holding an absurdly large bag of potato chips, eating like he was training for a world championship. Each time he shoved chips into his mouth — they vanished. No chewing, no swallowing — it was like his stomach was an A+ grade spatial warp gate.
…Was this guy a bottomless pit?
[Smack!]
A hand lightly tapped Kariya's shoulder from behind. He turned — it was Byakuya, rocking a floral shirt, shorts, and flip-flops like he'd just flown in from Hawaii.
Byakuya grinned from ear to ear:
"So? Feels good, huh? Being free, no more cockroach grandpa riding our backs all day?"
Kariya let out a dry chuckle, eyes still glued to the teenager devouring chips like a war machine:
"Yeah… It still feels like a dream. Like the Matou clan's curse has finally been lifted…"
He tilted his head toward the boy:
"And that guy is…?"
Byakuya shrugged:
"Better if he introduces himself."
The teen, hearing that, set down the (now-empty) chip bag, wiped his mouth with… his sleeve (?!), then stood up.
Calm stance, composed air — like he was about to declare his vision for saving the world.
"I am Zoth Vari-El. Servant. Class: Ruler."
"Or if you prefer the casual version… Kamen Rider Solomon."
Kariya: "…"
"…Wait. Solomon? As in the Solomon Solomon?"
Zoth gave a sly grin, shaking his head as if denying all relation:
"Nah, you got it wrong. I'm not that undefeated king of Israel with the 72 demon pillars or whatever."
"I'm the high-end bootleg version of Solomon — Type-Moon's finest knockoff. Full cosplay. Full action. Bonus: rapid weight gain if you eat chips regularly."
Kariya: "???"
Wait what…? Israel king martial arts? Bootleg Solomon? And this bootleg was strong enough to demolish the Matou manor with one strike?!
Just as his brain was starting to glitch — Zoth stepped closer, and his vibe suddenly shifted.
The room went silent — as if the air had been sucked out.
Zoth stood in front of Kariya. Eye to eye. Calm. Sharp. Like he was about to say something profound.
Kariya straightened up instinctively, face serious, and spoke like a true samurai:
"How may I be of service to you, Zoth-dono?"
Zoth blinked a few times.
Then held out his hand — eyes innocent, voice gentle:
"Can I borrow some cash? I… wanna buy more takoyaki."
Kariya: 🧍♂️
Is this guy… a Holy Grail Servant?
Or a talking black hole in human form?!
As Kariya stood there stunned, Zoth casually pulled out… a toothpick. He picked his teeth like it was the most natural thing in the world, grinning with the face of a mischievous kid:
"A~h, I got no dreams of conquest. Don't care about the Grail. Don't care about world peace."
"All I want: eat takoyaki every day, watch anime, feed little Sakura, and maybe squish a few cockroaches on the side… That's enough to satisfy me."
Kariya turned to Byakuya:
"Bro… I just figured out why the Matou manor exploded."
Byakuya sighed:
"Who the hell could've guessed… that Sakura would summon this thing…"