"Even if you still harbor doubts." "In the future, whenever that old worm appears, I will strike it down." With this, Kariya Matou was completely free of his worries. "Transferring Command Seals requires a specific spiritual medium surgery..." "No need for such trouble." Damien raised his hand, and the Command Seals originally belonging to Kariya Matou glowed with a dazzling red light. When the light faded, Kariya's Command Seals began to vanish. In their place, a red tattoo emerged on the back of Damien's hand... the three-stroke Command Seal he had just acquired from Kariya. Though Kariya had long left the world of magecraft, he still understood its basic principles. Chapters fırst released on n͟o͟v͟e͟l͟f͟i͟r͟e͟.net Command Seals are bound to a magus's Magic Circuits. To strip them away is a process akin to a medical surgery. In a mere instant, he had taken Kariya's Command Seals. Yes, taken, not transferred! This meant Damien had no need to waste words with him; he could have seized the Command Seals the moment they met. Kariya asked, "If you have a way to forcibly take the Command Seals, why bother talking to me so much?" "Because, of course, I am a man who follows the rules." Damien shook his head, offering no further explanation. Kariya Matou was not a bad person by nature, but his life was steeped in tragedy. A repulsive family, a childhood sweetheart who married another, and the daughter of the woman he loved thrown into a pit of despair. He chose to sacrifice himself to save Sakura. Yet, in the end, through Kirei Kotomine's machinations, he was misunderstood by Aoi Tohsaka. "You've never truly cared for anyone, have you?" When Aoi Tohsaka spoke those words to him, Kariya's entire existence was negated. To join the Holy Grail War, he had only three months left to live. He gave everything to protect the woman he loved, yet she never understood why he did it. Damien clapped Kariya's shoulder, thinking to himself, Is this what they call a simp who ends up with nothing? Kariya wasn't entirely wrong; it was all a matter of timing. "Just consider it my dislike for tragedies." By taking Kariya's Command Seals, Damien ensured he could no longer participate in the Holy Grail War. "Since you've already left the world of magi, don't look back." "As for Sakura, you needn't worry. I'll take good care of her." "And, of course, when Sakura wishes to return home, I'll make sure she does." Though his words carried no guarantees, Kariya felt Damien's sincerity. It was a strange sensation. Yet Kariya was certain the man before him was not lying. "Shuna, please escort Mr. Kariya out." Knowing Sakura was safe and relied so heavily on Damien, Kariya departed. No matter what, Sakura was better off with Damien than staying with the Matou family. As for Tokiomi Tohsaka? That man could hardly care about his daughter's fate. In his eyes, there was only magecraft and the Root. With these thoughts, Kariya took one last look at the villa before turning to leave. "Damien-nii, do you know Kariya-jiisan?" "No, it was our first meeting." Damien smiled and patted Sakura's head. "He's not suited to be a magus. Staying away from the mystical side is best for him." In that final moment, Damien used a mental suggestion on Kariya Matou. It would keep him far from the turmoil of the magical world, allowing him to live a peaceful life. "Alright, Onii-san won't abandon Sakura." As expected, Sakura's question about Kariya was really about whether Damien would send her back. With his renewed assurance, Sakura finally felt at ease. "So, Sakura, would you like to see a Heroic Spirit summoning?" "Heroic Spirit summoning?" Sakura looked at Damien curiously. As far as she knew, Damien himself was a Heroic Spirit and had formed a contract with her. "Is it for Sakura to summon another Heroic Spirit?" "No, that would be too great a burden for you." Supporting one Damien was already the limit for young Sakura. Another would be more than she could bear. Moreover, to unleash Damien's full power, Sakura's strength alone wasn't enough. His true goal was Ryudou Temple, the site of Fuyuki City's spiritual leyline. By claiming that location, Damien could establish a massive magic absorption array, providing him with the magical energy needed for the upcoming Holy Grail War. Soon, the day after Damien acquired Kariya's Command Seals arrived. It was night, with the full moon hanging high. Carrying Sakura, Damien ascended the final step to Ryudou Temple. Souei appeared before Damien, kneeling on one knee to report. "As per your orders, everyone in the temple has been moved to a safe location." "They've been placed under Shuna's sleeping spell and will not awaken during the Holy Grail War." Using specialized sorcery, the temple's occupants had been relocated. They were placed in a deep slumber. This sleep would cause no harm to their bodies, and they would recover swiftly upon waking. "Well done." Damien praised, then opened his status panel. [Stored Magical Energy: 20,177/1,000] [Recovery Rate: 100/hour] A recovery rate of 100 magical energy points per hour. Over three full days... 72 hours... Damien had recovered 7,200 points of magical energy. This was how he could summon entities like the Snow Empress and Ogerpon. First, manifest the strongest units, then gradually build up the army. Shuna approached gracefully. "The ritual magic circle for the Heroic Spirit summoning is complete. You may begin the summoning at any time." "Sakura, go stay with Shuna-nee for a bit, okay?" Sakura nodded obediently, running to Shuna's side as soon as she was set down, then quietly watching as Damien approached the magic circle engraved in the temple courtyard. "Heroic Spirit summoning… intriguing." "How does it compare to Ramiris's spirit summoning or Rimuru's daemon summoning?" As Damien traced the magic circle, he contemplated the summoning rituals of his own world. The Cardinal World also had Heroic Spirits. But those were surely different from the ones in the Nasuverse. Through this Heroic Spirit summoning, Damien aimed to analyze the fundamental laws of the Holy Grail system and, with Violet's power, claim it as his own. This was precisely why he had dealt with the old worm and made contact with Kariya Matou. 100 Power Stones = 1 BC 300 Power Stones = 2 BC 500 Power Stones = 3 BC 700 Power Stones = 4 BC 1000 Power Stones = 5 BC If you want to read up to 50 chapters ahead, don't hesitate to visit our patron: pat reon . com / XElenea (remove space)