Watching Shinji Matou flee, Akatsuki glanced at Ayako Misuzu lying in the corner and, after a moment's thought, told Rider to take her home.
As for Matou Sakura, she would "enlighten" her personally.
Rider didn't move, still facing Akatsuki.
She didn't fully trust Akatsuki yet. Her Master was a Magician with magic talent but no formal training. If Akatsuki harmed Matou Sakura while Rider was gone, Sakura would be in grave danger.
"Don't trust me? I could have killed you all while Shinji Matou was here, but I didn't. You should know I have no intention of harming Matou Sakura."
Seeing Rider still hesitant, Akatsuki frowned and sneered, "Rider, I don't want to waste words. If Shinji Matou finds Matou Sakura first, what do you think he'll do to her after his defeat? He'll vent his frustration without restraint. You don't want Matou Sakura's heart to be hurt again, do you?"
Rider lowered her head, seemingly thinking, then walked to Ayako Misuzu and picked her up.
"By the way, now that the Book of Falsehood is destroyed, you should be able to sense Matou Sakura's location, right?"
Before Rider left, Akatsuki asked.
"Sakura is at the Matou Family home."
Having said that, she vanished into the night carrying Ayako Misuzu.
"At the Matou Family home?" Akatsuki couldn't calm down after hearing this; her mind was filled with thoughts of the Old Maggot not being dead and wanting to possess Sakura.
Occasional wild theories popped up: "The Old Maggot saw Shirou's high jump back then and remembered the justice in his heart, falling in love with Shirou at first sight. But since his body was rotten, he wanted to possess Sakura to be with Shirou and give birth to a child of justice to achieve his unfulfilled ideal. That's why Matou Zouken asked Matou Sakura to take care of Shirou after he was injured—to build an emotional foundation!" These were practically fanfiction-level thoughts.
At the thought of Matou Zouken residing within Matou Sakura's body, Akatsuki shivered. She instinctively quickened her pace, wanting to confirm her suspicions quickly.
And, she must never let fanfiction become reality!
Around 2 AM, Akatsuki arrived at a deep pit. She stopped and stood in silence. Another girl had already been standing there for several hours.
Honestly, she didn't expect to return to the Matou Family home so soon. But this time, she wasn't here to kill the Old Maggot; she was here to remove his influence on Matou Sakura.
Right now, Matou Sakura stared blankly at the bottomless pit in the night, as if she couldn't fully comprehend the scene. The Matou Family, which had been like maggots creating wounds and eating her flesh from childhood, no longer existed.
But there was no joy in her heart, only a sense of loss as vast as the pit before her.
After a long time, Akatsuki spoke.
"Are you not happy?"
"I don't know."
Matou Sakura's hollow eyes remained fixed on the pit. Her calm tone would make an ordinary person feel instinctively afraid.
"Why not? Did Matou Zouken break your brain, or is this scene not what you expected?"
"I don't know."
Even someone like her, who didn't know much about magecraft, knew the destruction of the Matou Family was tied to the Holy Grail War, and the person beside her was likely the culprit. Yet, for some reason, she couldn't muster any feelings or thoughts.
"Regardless, it has happened," Akatsuki said softly. "Now it's time for you to decide."
"Me?"
Matou Sakura slowly turned her head to look at Akatsuki, her eyes still showing no emotion.
"Yes. For the first time since coming to the Matou Family, make a decision of your own will. Will you continue living as Matou Sakura, enduring Shinji Matou's insults and being tortured by Magic Crest Worms, or will you win the Holy Grail War, seize the Holy Grail, and gain infinite magical power?"
"Is there a difference?"
"Of course," Akatsuki's lips curled up slightly. "In the first case, Matou Sakura remains unchanged and will likely die from the torture of the Magic Crest Worms. In the second, Matou Sakura gets everything she wants but ends up killing everyone, making this world one of the Singularities in human history."
"Of course, 'everyone' includes Shirou Emiya and Tohsaka Rin."
"Me? I would... Senpai... and Sister... Tohsaka-senpai?"
For the first time, Matou Sakura's expression changed—pain, confusion, disbelief. Akatsuki, like a demon tempting someone to fall, continued whispering in her ear.
"Don't doubt your ability. With your power as a Pseudo-Grail, you can certainly kill everyone with your own hands. First Fuyuki City, then all of Japan. Though, I might stop you if you go beyond Japan."
As a True Ancestor, Akatsuki could feel the thing inside Matou Sakura—a fragment of the Holy Grail destroyed by Saber in the Fourth Holy Grail War.
"W-Why?"
"Guess."
"I... I don't want to. I don't want to kill Senpai, or Tohsaka-senpai, or anyone..."
"Then there's no choice. For a selfish person like you, I'll give you a special third path."
Akatsuki opened her mouth, revealing sharp fangs. "Become my progeny! Offer yourself to me!"
"Eh? You're a Vampire?"
When Matou Sakura was still with the Tohsaka Family, a voice had told her stories about Vampires—how they increased their numbers by drinking human blood. That person's voice was gentle and kind, but she couldn't remember the face no matter what. The memory was like a persistent mist that wouldn't clear.
"If you're unwilling..."
"I'm willing."
Matou Sakura grabbed Akatsuki's hand and looked at her with absolute seriousness.
"Really?"
"Really."
"Even if it means forgetting Shirou Emiya?"
"Ugh... at least this way I won't hurt Senpai. Besides, the one Senpai admires is Tohsaka-senpai..."
"I see."
Hearing this, Akatsuki bit her lip and walked toward Matou Sakura.
"You won't regret it, right?"
"Yes."
The taste of blood spread in their mouths, and the soft sensation stimulated their nerves. Akatsuki felt a connection forming with Matou Sakura, whose life essence was being transformed.
A powerful force was attempting to alter her magic circuits, Magecraft Crest, and even her physical body.
The Magic Crest Worms hidden in her body were jolted awake. Sharp pains shot through Sakura as the worms sensed danger and tried to resist one last time. But against a True Ancestor, their resistance was utterly futile.
Soon, Matou Sakura calmed down. She lay weakly in Akatsuki's arms, letting Akatsuki taste her lips.
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