Chapter 36: A Weak Man’s Self-Redemption

Kariya Matou was a man born of a bitter fate. Zoran's impression of him was not necessarily bad.

As the Master of Berserker, his mana was far from adequate. He had only been able to participate in the Holy Grail War by forcibly boosting his capacity through the use of Crest Worms. Yet, Zoran felt no true sympathy for him.

Everyone knew this was a cruel and realistic world, whether in a low, medium, or high-magic setting, or even in the ordinary world of Zoran's past life. Weakness, in itself, was a cardinal sin. This was especially true when a person's weakness was the result of their own past indulgence and inaction. For a weak person to harbor grand visions for the world was, in its essence, a pitiful expectation.

Zoran did not reach this conclusion simply because he was the Moon Demon possessing overwhelming power. He never viewed himself as an all-powerful being, nor did he believe that the "strong" should judge all things. That was a fallacy in its own right. There would always be someone stronger in this world. Even he had opponents he could hardly contend with.

He respected the knightly spirit of Diarmuid and the kingly heart of Iskandar. People with an unyielding inner core were different.

Take Tso Lan, for example. Thousands of years ago, he was sealed by the Eight Immortal Sages. When he finally found the chance to return to his peak, a single misstep nearly cast him back into the Netherworld to repeat the cycle. He Xiangu's unexpected appearance had almost brought his efforts to naught. Though he eventually escaped the world of Jackie Chan Adventures, was that a failure?

Of course it was. Zoran never hid his own shortcomings.

It was the same for Shendu. He was a King, but he was also a Demon. Compared to mortals, his power was incomprehensibly vast. Yet, even so, his crown was struck down by Lü Dongbin, his power was scattered by Lo Pei, and his martyrdom was thwarted by Jackie Chan.

But, as Zoran believed, a demon possesses a demon's heart. One can lose, but one does not give up. Accepting failure is a demon's prerequisite, but refusing to be consumed by that failure is a demon's ultimate core. As villains, they often carry a heavier burden than the "heroes." This world has never known the meaning of the word "fair." Justice can fail a thousand times, but if a villain fails once, the consequences are often immeasurable.

The Netherworld was a living testament to that truth.

Zoran's thoughts drifted back as his gaze shifted toward the man slumped before him. Looking at Kariya Matou, he said in a low voice:

"I am surprised that you came to find me."

"Surprised? Didn't Tokiomi Tohsaka already pay you a visit? Heh." Kariya clutched his body, his face contorted in pain.

This was the drawback of using Crest Worms to force a mana increase: he had to endure near-constant agony while accepting the reality of his dwindling lifespan. Zoran could easily sense the worms crawling inside him; the pathways of his mana flow were as clear as day. Kariya's face was hideous with pain, yet he struggled to maintain his composure. This was the necessary respect he had told himself to show when facing Zoran.

He endured the pain and said hoarsely, "I am willing to withdraw from this Holy Grail War."

The moment the words left his mouth, Zoran guessed his objective, yet he remained silent, waiting for the man to continue.

"But in exchange, I hope you can grant me a favor."

As expected.

Zoran said flatly, "Let me guess. You witnessed my power, and it gave you a glimmer of hope. You want to use my hand to save that girl suffering in the pit of worms beneath the Matou manor?"

Kariya's entire body jolted. His pupils trembled as he stared blankly at Zoran. It seemed he held no secrets before this being. The realization sent a chill down his spine.

"Ah... so you've guessed it all," Kariya gave a dry laugh. "I now believe you truly have reached the ultimate truth desired by all magi."

Zoran waved a hand dismissively. "Flattery is meaningless to me."

"From the very beginning, my only purpose for entering the Holy Grail War was to save that child..." Kariya said with a bitter smile.

Aoi, the woman he loved most, had married Tokiomi Tohsaka and borne him two daughters: Rin and Sakura. But Kariya had been an unreliable man in his youth; he loathed his family's dark sorcery and chose to run away, making him utterly unfit as an heir.

With no hope for a successor in the Matou line, and since the Tohsaka family followed the tradition of passing their magecraft to only one child, a child was sent to the Matous for adoption. That child was Sakura. Now, she had been cast into the basement worm pit by the Matou patriarch, Kariya's father, Zouken Matou, to endure the agony of being devoured by worms, a "remodeling" of her body to adapt to the Matou family's water-element magecraft.

"That child never did anything wrong. She shouldn't be like this..."

"She used to smile at me. Ever since she entered that pit, she's changed completely. It's as if she's lost her soul... the light has vanished from her eyes..." Kariya murmured in agony.

Zoran tapped his finger on the table, his expression impassive. "You could have done it yourself. You have Berserker, do you not?"

If it were him, the moment he summoned Berserker, that old man Zouken Matou wouldn't have lived another second. To ordinary people and magi, Berserker was powerful, powerful enough to potentially exterminate an entire clan in a single night.

"You seem to lack the courage to rebel against your father," Zoran observed.

"No, that's not it!" Kariya said urgently. "That child's entire body has been remodeled by the Crest Worms. Even if I rescue her, I have no way to fix what has been done to her."

His eyes burned with intensity as they met Zoran's calm gaze. He pleaded, "If it is you, you who possess such magnificent power, you must have a way, don't you!"

"Show me your sincerity," Zoran said coldly.

"I can order Berserker to commit suicide!" Kariya said without hesitation. He displayed the three Command Seals on his hand as if clutching a lifeline. "If one isn't enough, then two! If two isn't enough, then three! As long as you are willing to help, I will do anything!"

He could not stand by and watch Sakura descend further into the abyss. It was more painful than death itself.

"Whether it is Saber or Rider, I can have Berserker stand in the front! He will be your vanguard!"

Zoran glanced at him. The man was nearly on his knees. Zoran let out an imperceptible sigh.

This was the cruelty of this world. It was so realistic; everyone had to atone for their past choices. If Kariya hadn't run away in his youth and had instead become the Matou heir, Sakura wouldn't have fallen into such a tragic fate.

But regardless, the destiny of the Matou family was unchangeable. Zouken Matou, that old man who had lived for hundreds of years... from beginning to end, all he ever wanted was a vessel that could realize his own immortality.

Whether it was Kariya or Sakura, someone had to bear the weight of that karma.