Chapter 192: The Cat is Out of the Bag!

Watching the nervous yet determined expression on Tohsaka Rin's face, an indescribable palpitation touched the softest part of her heart.

Matou Sakura finally couldn't help but put down her teacup, summoning courage she had never possessed before, and reached out to hold Tohsaka Rin's hand.

"Senior... no, Rin..."

"Why didn't you come sooner..."

Before the words had even faded, bean-sized tears rolled from the corners of her eyes down her cheeks.

Watching Sakura begin to sob and wipe away her tears, the surprise in Tohsaka Rin's heart hadn't even been released before she panicked, hurriedly scrambling around the low table in front of her, reaching out to pull the sobbing Sakura into her embrace.

"I'm here now, I'm here now..."

Tohsaka Rin knelt beside Sakura, reaching out to wrap her arms around her shoulders and back, her palms gently stroking that long purple hair, her own eyes red-rimmed as she began to choke up.

Seeing this scene, Medusa, the only one remaining in the room, felt her emotions stirred.

After a moment of hesitation, she finally stepped forward, knelt on one knee behind Matou Sakura, and gently pulled the pair of sisters into her arms.

Very good, the outcome is settled!

A satisfied expression appeared on Lin Yu's face.

The group members in the live broadcast room flooded the screen with comments, evidently very happy to see this heartwarming scene.

Only Bai Bai Zeming noticed that imperceptible silver light, immediately realizing the truth in his heart, and typed a comment in the live broadcast room.

【Bai Bai Zeming: Brother Lin, is the restriction on Sakura your doing?】

【Lin Yu: Correct.】

【Lin Yu: Before going to the Saiki family, I had a whim and met this girl once...】

It really was like that!

Bai Bai Zeming's face revealed understanding; he had finally confirmed his guess.

No wonder the Sakura that Tohsaka Rin saw was completely normal; with Lin Yu's methods protecting her, Matou Shinji couldn't abuse her, and Matou Zouken's Crest Worms naturally couldn't touch her body!

Ten minutes later, Bai Bai Zeming and Emiya Shirou also walked into the room.

The four sat opposite each other, with their respective Heroic Spirits standing behind them.

Emiya Shirou looked suspiciously at the slightly red eyes of Tohsaka Rin and Matou Sakura, then turned his head to look at Bai Bai Zeming, saying in a deep voice: "Can you explain now?"

"Of course!"

Bai Bai Zeming nodded, looked at Matou Sakura and said: "First is the restriction on Matou-san..."

Tohsaka Rin interrupted: "It's Tohsaka Sakura!"

Emiya Shirou was slightly stunned, looking at Sakura in surprise: "You returned to the Tohsaka family?"

"Mm."

Tohsaka Sakura blushed slightly and nodded somewhat shyly.

Emiya Shirou's face showed joy: "This is a good thing, I..."

Bai Bai Zeming rolled his eyes and said: "Do you guys still want to listen or not?"

The three finally reacted, hurriedly shutting their mouths, waiting for Bai Bai Zeming's explanation.

Bai Bai Zeming said: "First is the restriction on Sakura-san; if I'm not mistaken, this should be my big brother's handiwork."

Tohsaka Rin asked in surprise: "Your big brother?"

Bai Bai Zeming didn't answer, turning his head to look at Tohsaka Sakura: "Yesterday after school, did you meet a mysterious man who was handsome, wise and martial, graceful, and had an immortal-like temperament?"

【Lin Yu: Good choice of words, very fitting for reality.】

【All Group Members:?】

【Lin Yu: Why are you typing question marks? Isn't what he said correct?】

【All Group Members:...】

Tohsaka Sakura was slightly stunned, hesitating: "There seems to have been such a person."

Bai Bai Zeming asked again: "Did he also pat you on the shoulder?"

Tohsaka Rin nodded, surprised: "How did you know?"

"Then there's no problem!"

Bai Bai Zeming smiled and nodded: "In any case, with my big brother's protection, Matou Zouken's soul shouldn't be able to escape either!"

"What, Matou Zouken is still alive?"

Emiya Shirou looked shocked, unable to help but say: "Before leaving, didn't we already clear the ruins and wipe out all the worms inside and outside the mansion?"

"Indeed, but... one is still missing!"

As he spoke, he turned his head to look at Tohsaka Sakura.

Seeing this scene, the three were all stunned.

Tohsaka Rin stood up abruptly, her brows locked tight, saying in disbelief:

"You mean, there is also a worm inside Sakura?!"

"..."

Bai Bai Zeming sighed softly and nodded slowly.

Tohsaka Rin took two steps back, distracted: "How could this be..."

Bai Bai Zeming's expression was complex, hesitating whether to reveal the truth.

"Let me explain it!"

Just then, a sighing voice came from the air.

The next second, silver light burst forth, and a handsome man in white walked out of thin air, stepping into the live broadcast frame.

Seeing Lin Yu appear suddenly, Saber and Rider, who had never seen him before, were slightly stunned, then frowned, guarding their respective Masters as if facing a great enemy.

"... It's you?"

Tohsaka Sakura stared at him blankly.

Lin Yu glanced at her and smiled slightly: "Correct, it's me."

After finishing, his gaze shifted, looking at everyone in the room, his tone leisurely: "Matou Zouken's secret art is called the Crest Worm; it is a type of familiar similar to a man-made Three-Corpse Worm."

"It can parasitize the human body, relying on devouring the host's magic power to maintain activity, just like a biological surveillance device made with magic."

"After being cultivated and implanted into the human body, the Crest Worm becomes a nerve similar to a Magic Circuit, combining with the original nerves."

"Normally, the Magic Circuits formed by these Crest Worms are static, but once they start operating, they will invade the host, constantly feeding on the host's magic power to launch..."

This is the truth of the Matou family's magic?

Tohsaka Rin's expression was dazed; when she came back to her senses, she couldn't help but look at Sakura, who was hanging her head in sorrow, a complex emotion mixed with anger, self-reproach, and guilt surging in her heart.

Emiya Shirou and the various Heroic Spirits beside her were the same.

Only Bai Bai Zeming sighed in his heart, knowing that Lin Yu had still hidden quite a bit of the truth.

For example, besides magic power, the Crest Worm's preference for human blood, semen, and bone marrow...

Lin Yu continued: "And in this girl's heart, there is a special Crest Worm; that was cultivated by Matou Zouken using a fragment of the Holy Grail as a catalyst, possessing the ability to transform this girl into a Lesser Grail."

"What?!"

Tohsaka Rin was shocked and angry, unable to help but blurt out.

Lin Yu glanced at her and said indifferently: "Don't be excited; the Lesser Grail transformed through this method is incomplete."

"However, as a vessel for Matou Zouken's soul, it is already more than enough!"

Before the words had faded, brilliant silver light bloomed from Sakura's shoulder.

Everyone was caught off guard, only able to watch helplessly as the silver light traced an arc on her shoulder, like a silver arrow, instantly piercing through her heart!

"Pfft—"

Accompanied by the sound of flesh being pierced, the silver stream of light emerged from her back and returned to Lin Yu's hand.

Everyone was shocked; Medusa even appeared beside Sakura in an instant, pulling her heavily wounded Master into her arms while taking out chains and a short sword, looking at Lin Yu with vigilance and anger.

"You... hmm?"

Medusa was slightly stunned, then stared fixedly at the wriggling worm between Lin Yu's fingers.

"Is this the Crest Worm in Sakura's heart?"

"Correct."

Lin Yu glanced at the terrified, wriggling worm, and without any movement, scarlet flames ignited out of thin air, crazily burning the Crest Worm's body.

Hellfire!

A type of flame magic that only targets the soul.

It lacks lethality, but can bring the enemy extreme pain originating from the soul.

Lin Yu had long been annoyed by this old worm; now that there was an opportunity, he naturally had to torture it well.

He controlled this Crest Worm within the Hellfire, then walked to Tohsaka Sakura, who was clutching her chest, and gently placed his other free hand on her shoulder.

Accompanied by the blooming of red light, the blood on Sakura's body began to flow back, and the damaged heart and flesh also began to heal.

Gradually, Tohsaka Sakura's tightly furrowed brows slowly smoothed out, her pretty face relaxed, and she soon fell into a deep sleep.

"Alright."

Lin Yu let go and said softly in the eyes of everyone: "What happened today has exceeded her endurance limit; I took the liberty of soothing her spirit... let her have a good rest!"

Speaking the last sentence, Lin Yu turned his head to look at Medusa.

Medusa was slightly stunned, then nodded silently, holding her sleeping Master as she stood up and left.

Lin Yu turned his head back, glanced at the Crest Worm twisting in pain in the Hellfire, and said indifferently: "Makiri Zolgen, when you abandoned your human identity and used others' flesh and blood to extend your life, you should have thought that there would be such a day..."

Hearing this sentence, the twisted Crest Worm actually paused for a moment, seemingly quite shocked by Lin Yu's act of calling out his true name.

Lin Yu shook his head: "Forget it, torturing you is meaningless; just honestly go be the content of the Holy Grail for me!"

After finishing, he clenched his five fingers, and the worm in the Hellfire exploded instantly; a translucent soul emerged from it, and under Lin Yu's control, turned into a black mist that surged into the Command Spell on the back of Bai Bai Zeming's hand.

And this time, there were vague facial features on the black mist, and one could vaguely see a terrified face.

Tohsaka Rin and Emiya Shirou were both stunned, unable to help but say: "Is that Matou Zouken's soul?"

Bai Bai Zeming nodded: "Correct."

Tohsaka Rin frowned: "Why do you want to collect souls?"

Bai Bai Zeming said softly: "This is the other thing I wanted to talk about!"

As he spoke, he turned his head to look at Lin Yu: "Big brother, will you say it, or should I?"

Lin Yu smiled: "You do it; I won't steal the spotlight."

Bai Bai Zeming nodded, his gaze sweeping over everyone, finally stopping on Tohsaka Rin's face: "Tohsaka-san, you said before that the slaughter between the seven Masters and Heroic Spirits is a necessary ritual for the Holy Grail to descend, right?"

Tohsaka Rin nodded: "Correct, this is common knowledge."

Bai Bai Zeming shook his head: "No, this is the common knowledge they instilled in you."

"In fact, the Holy Grail doesn't need to be summoned at all, let alone any Holy Grail War ritual, because it had already descended long before the war began!"

"... How is this possible?!"

Everyone, including Tohsaka Rin, was horrified.

Even the usually calm Saber was full of disbelief.

"If the Holy Grail had already descended, then why hold a Holy Grail War? Isn't this redundant?"

"Who said that?"

Bai Bai Zeming glanced at her and said slowly: "Summoning the Holy Grail is indeed a lie, but the ritual is not redundant, because its purpose is not the Holy Grail itself, but the content within it!"

"... Content?"

Everyone stared at him blankly.

Bai Bai Zeming continued to explain: "Although the mages made the Holy Grail, they didn't prepare the content within it; if you want to truly exert the power of the Holy Grail, you must first summon the content within it."

"So now the question arises, what kind of existence is qualified to be the content of the Holy Grail?"

Tohsaka Rin's pupils shrank, blurting out: "Heroic Spirits?"

"Correct!"

Bai Bai Zeming said in a leisurely tone: "The highest purity magic power used to fill the Holy Grail is the Guardians located on the side of the world, on the Throne of Heroes!"

"Those souls known as the strongest are the content that the mages who started the Holy Grail War crave the most!"

"In their calculations, as long as there are the souls of six Heroic Spirits as filler, the Holy Grail's power might truly achieve the effect of an omnipotent wish-granting machine..."

(End of chapter)