Zouken Matou's hand hung in the air, waiting for Asuka's response.
Asuka could only believe half of what he said.
Did Zouken want to return to the World of the Living where Asuka came from? Definitely. That kind of yearning couldn't be faked.
But whether his true motives aligned with his words, and whether he was truly holding nothing back—only heaven knew.
Asuka didn't reach out immediately. He simply stood there in silence, trying to see through the old bug.
Unfortunately, the other party hid it perfectly. Aside from his own instincts warning him, Asuka couldn't spot any flaws.
'Coordinates...' Asuka chewed on the word repeatedly in his mind.
To this old thing, he was probably just a key.
The moment that door to the Root opened would likely be the moment he and Berserker were drained of their remaining value and completely sacrificed.
But just like the decision he made when he met Kariya, he had no choice right now.
Asuka glanced back at the exhausted and terrified Kamado mother and daughter, then recalled the other powerful Servants from that night...
Although Kayneth had fled with heavy injuries, the other participants were still observing from the shadows.
It was still too dangerous. It would be fine if it were just him, but wandering outside with Sumire and Haruri—two ordinary humans with basically no ability to protect themselves—was simply too risky.
At the very least, laying low for now was a good idea. Temporarily cooperating with the Matou family might be the best option.
Asuka's tense expression relaxed.
He grasped Zouken's withered hand. "Alright, old man."
"Since our goals align, having an extra friend is better than having an extra enemy in this unfamiliar place."
Hearing this, the wrinkles on Zouken Matou's face smoothed out.
"Hehehe... A wise choice, young man." He squeezed Asuka's hand firmly. "I knew that a... Soul Reaper like you, who possesses both power and an understanding of the times, would surely comprehend my painstaking efforts."
"Welcome to the Matou family. Although it looks a bit dilapidated, it is more than sufficient as a fortress to defend against magus attacks."
Zouken turned around, his cane striking the ground heavily.
"Kariya!"
"..."
Kariya Matou, who had been standing among them enduring the pain of the bug bites, straightened his back with some difficulty.
"Take our guests to the west guest room to rest." Zouken's instructions carried a casual tone, as if he were addressing livestock. "Remember to activate the Bounded Field. Don't let those ignorant little ones disturb our esteemed guests' sweet dreams."
After saying that, he took one last deep look at Asuka, let out a spine-chilling low chuckle, and slowly disappeared into the depths of the dark corridor, his posture hunched.
Only after he was far away did Kariya turn and speak. "Follow me."
His gaze was complicated.
The addition of this Avenger might truly increase their chances of winning this war... but he also felt a trace of pity.
He understood that old monster's methods far too well. Anyone who made a deal with Zouken Matou usually ended up with not even scraps of their bones remaining.
But he said nothing.
Right now, he was just a dying man burning his life away to save Sakura. He had no spare energy to meddle in other people's business.
Asuka motioned for Sumire and Haruri to follow. The mother and daughter looked around with vigilant eyes.
The air inside the manor constantly carried a faint, lingering musty smell, accompanied by a rustling sound like crawling insects, making them feel deeply uneasy.
"Bear with it for a bit," Asuka comforted them in a low voice. "Look at it from another angle: in a bug nest like this, it won't be easy for those magi to break in."
"...Haha, you have a point, Mr. Asuka." Sumire forced a smile.
The group walked down the long corridor and arrived at a guest room on the west side of the second floor.
Pushing the door open, they found the inside surprisingly tidy.
Although the furniture was old-fashioned and full of Showa-era style, at least it lacked that nauseating, putrid stench.
"You will stay here for the night..."
Kariya stood at the doorway, weakly leaning against the doorframe. "The bathroom is at the end of the hall, and the kitchen is on the first floor... Do not go to the east annex or the basement."
As for why, he didn't elaborate.
After leaving that warning, Kariya dragged himself away with heavy footsteps.
As his back disappeared around the corner, a few tiny, beetle-like things fell from his collar and quickly burrowed into the gaps in the carpet.
"Is this a magus's home...?" Haruri closed the door, leaning her back against it as she let out a long sigh. She then immediately began checking the windows and door locks. "Why does it feel scarier than a haunted house?"
Sumire was already so tired she could barely keep her eyes open. She collapsed face-first onto the soft bed, letting out a relaxed groan.
"I don't care anymore... Whether it's a haunted house or a bug nest, as long as I can sleep, it's heaven..."
Watching her daughter fall asleep instantly, Haruri shook her head helplessly and tucked her in, then turned to look at Asuka.
"Mr. Asuka, aren't you going to rest?"
Asuka stood by the window, observing the magical Bounded Field in the courtyard through the gap in the curtains.
"Heroic Spirits do not need sleep," he said calmly.
Haruri opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to say some words of gratitude, but ultimately just nodded. "Then I'll leave it to you."
These past two days had truly been far too harrowing for the Kamado mother and daughter.
As ordinary people, it was already quite a feat for them to maintain a stable state of mind after encountering such dangerous situations for two consecutive days.
But for Asuka, this long night was only just beginning.
3:00 AM.
The manor was dead silent, save for the occasional hooting of a night owl.
Asuka had maintained his Spiritual Body state, sitting cross-legged in mid-air within the room, resting with his eyes closed.
Suddenly, he opened his eyes.
A faint fluctuation of magical energy, filled with sorrow and despair, emanated from deep beneath the manor.
'An enemy attack? Probably not, but it doesn't feel like the aura of the Matou father and son either.'
'I hope that damn old man isn't messing with some black magic and dragging me into it.'
Asuka glanced at the sleeping mother and daughter. After confirming the doors and windows were locked, he decided to go see what was happening.
His figure phased through the wall, passing through the intricate corridors. Following the scent of the Crest Worms in the walls all the way down, he arrived at the basement entrance Kariya had mentioned.
It was a heavy iron door. A faint green light seeped through the cracks, along with a putrid stench so thick it made one want to vomit.
Asuka didn't hesitate at all, phasing straight through the door.
The sight before him caused even a warrior like him, accustomed to life and death, to involuntarily narrow his eyes.
It was a massive underground cavern.
Also known as the Worm Space.
The floor, the walls, and even the ceiling were densely covered with hundreds of millions of crawling bugs.
They had hideous, grotesque shapes, secreting viscous fluids from their bodies and making a skin-crawling squelching sound as they writhed.
And at the edge of this sea of bugs stood a tottering figure.
Kariya Matou.
He hadn't gone to rest; instead, he had dragged his broken body all the way here.
At this moment, he was looking toward the center of the Worm Space with a gentle yet despairing gaze.
Amidst that nauseating swarm of bugs, a tiny figure was curled up.
It was a little girl with purple hair.