Reborn with Steve Stand

"Archer, they're Jews!"

Rin Tohsaka suddenly turned and confidently pointed at Zouken Matou, shouting.

"...Huh?"

The unexpected outburst left not only Zouken Matou but also Shinji Matou completely stunned. Jews? Was she talking about him? Why would she bring up something so unrelated?

Before Shinji could even process it, a wave of terrifying malice descended upon them, suffocating in its intensity.

"Jewish descent..."

Fang Mo stared at the Matou family, a sinister smile creeping across his face. "I thought there was something repulsive about you. Now I see why."

"Hmm?"

Zouken Matou furrowed his brows.

It took him a moment, but then he realized what Rin was doing—throwing mud at him. Reflecting on history, particularly those who despised Jews, and considering Fang Mo's behavior, Zouken immediately deduced the Servant's true identity. He recognized him as a malevolent spirit of war from Europe, one of the most terrifying and deranged figures in modern history. How Tohsaka had managed to summon him was beyond comprehension.

Despite realizing Fang Mo's identity, Zouken didn't feel fear. After all, he had lived for centuries and had many tricks up his sleeve as the head of the Matou family. His trump card was Sakura, and he had confidence in her. Moreover, Fang Mo was only a Servant—a projection from the past, not a true being.

Zouken may have been unfazed, but his cowardly grandson, Shinji, was a different story.

"W-What...!?"

Shinji, overwhelmed by Fang Mo's suffocating malice, frantically started to explain, "I... I'm Japanese! How could I possibly be Jewish!?"

In normal circumstances, Rin wouldn't stoop to such lies. But seeing how Shinji kept yanking Sakura's hair, treating her like a toy, her anger burned too fiercely to care.

"In front of him, no Jew dares admit their heritage," Rin said coldly. "Don't try to hide. I've looked into the Matou family. Your ancestors were Europeans, weren't they?"

"Uh..."

Shinji froze, realizing he had no proper answer. His family's records did state that their lineage traced back to a European magus named Makiri.

"Shut up, useless fool."

Zouken shot him a disgusted look.

"!"

Shinji instantly stiffened.

"So what if it's true?" Zouken Matou responded, slamming his cane on the ground. The very earth seemed to boil and writhe as countless insects erupted from the soil. "Do you think you can challenge the Matou family with that?"

Indeed, Zouken wasn't wrong to feel confident. As an old and seasoned magus, and with this estate being his stronghold, he had spent years reinforcing its defenses. Beneath the ground lay a vast storehouse of worms, and while his age had reduced his own magical abilities, he believed he could still stand up to a Servant here.

"Eek!"

Shinji, terrified by the sudden swarm, collapsed to the ground.

But instead of fear, Fang Mo let out a chilling laugh, covering his face with one hand. The sound, though a laugh, was devoid of any warmth, making Rin's skin crawl.

"Attack. Kill them," Zouken ordered, and at his command, the swarm surged forward. At the same time, Lancer charged in.

"Archer!" Rin called out as she unleashed her gem magic to fend off the insects. "These bugs can drain mana—be careful!"

Before she could finish her sentence, strange metallic ripples appeared behind Fang Mo.

Out of nowhere, massive metal gun barrels emerged from the ripples. With a simple command, these weapons unleashed streams of thickened napalm. In an instant, the dark sky filled with black smoke as flames engulfed the entire area. The advancing swarm was set ablaze, the high temperatures charring the insects. The sound of sizzling flesh and popping insect bellies filled the air.

Within seconds, the yard was saturated with the nauseating stench of burning and decay.

"Th-This…"

Rin's eyes widened in disbelief at the sight.

"Why should humans fear bugs?" Fang Mo turned toward the shocked Rin, his voice calm. "Learn some history, Rin. The first to deploy flamethrowers in war was... Germany."

"You…"

Rin was about to respond when a blue figure suddenly leaped high into the air.

"Gáe Bolg!"

Frustrated by his inability to close in, Lancer finally unleashed his Noble Phantasm. His body was covered in burns, but he powered through and hurled his red spear with all his might.

The spear streaked through the air, its crimson light cutting toward Fang Mo.

Fang Mo narrowed his eyes at the incoming attack. He had to admit, Lancer was formidable, and the reverse-causality spear was no joke—nearly impossible to dodge.

After a brief moment of thought, Fang Mo made his move.

With a simple thought, his "custom Steve" ability activated, and a hole appeared in his chest.

Standing calmly with his hands behind his back, Fang Mo made no move to avoid the attack. The spear shot through his chest, continuing until it embedded itself deep in the ground behind him.

A deafening boom followed, shaking the earth with the impact.

"Archer!"

Rin cried out in panic.

"Hahahahaha!"

On the other hand, Zouken erupted in laughter, while Lancer, though gasping for breath, allowed himself a victorious smile. It seemed that, like many archers, Fang Mo couldn't withstand a direct hit.

But in the next moment, everyone froze.

Amid the rising dust and smoke, footsteps could be heard.

"?!"

Lancer's instincts screamed danger, and he leaped backward.

As the dust cleared, the group could finally see the scene before them. "What... is this?"

In the place where Fang Mo had been, a corpse lay pinned to the ground by Lancer's spear, dressed in a military uniform and clearly dead.

But right beside the corpse stood Fang Mo, completely unharmed.

"This…"

Lancer's eyes widened in disbelief. "How is this possible!?"

"It's called a decoy, kid." Fang Mo adjusted his military cap. "When did you start assuming I was the real me?"

"Damn it!"

Lancer gritted his teeth, wanting to continue the fight, but he was exhausted from using his Noble Phantasm.

With a wave of Fang Mo's hand, more heavy artillery appeared behind him. A massive shell roared through the air, and Lancer, despite his efforts to dodge, was too weakened to escape. The shell hit him squarely.

"Child of Light from Ireland, you've done your best," Fang Mo said as he extended a hand. "Until we meet again."

Lancer's body began to disintegrate under the force of the blow, his consciousness fading. But as he heard Fang Mo's words, a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips. Despite the fatal blow, he seemed content.

In the next moment, his form disappeared in a burst of golden light.

"Phew…"

Seeing Lancer finally defeated, Rin sighed in relief. The whole situation had nearly given her a heart attack, but thankfully, it was only a decoy.

"Hmph, useless fool."

Unlike Rin, Zouken Matou's face turned even darker.

"Now it's your turn, old man," Fang Mo turned his attention to Zouken, his face devoid of emotion. "Are you ready to become soap?"

"…"

Zouken didn't respond but immediately began his final attack.

His flesh writhed grotesquely as his crest worms went berserk. Activating every magical defense within the Matou estate, he unleashed countless insect familiars and magical attacks in a desperate last stand.

"A futile struggle."

Fang Mo shook his head before unleashing another round of firepower.

A deafening explosion shook the area as a mushroom cloud formed over the Matou residence. The sheer force of the blast obliterated all of Zouken's defenses in an instant.

The screeching of insects and the surging of magical energy fell silent.

As the smoke cleared, all that remained in front of Fang Mo was a massive crater. Zouken's body had been blown apart, with only his chest and head remaining on the ground.

Matou Shinji and Sakura had been flung into the distance by the shockwave. But Sakura, in particular, seemed to be in terrible condition. Curled up on the ground, she screamed in pain as something writhed beneath her skin.

"Sakura!"

Rin gasped in horror before turning to Fang Mo.

"It wasn't me," Fang Mo immediately clarified, raising his hands. "I held back. I wouldn't let them get off so easily."

"Hehehehe…"

Before anyone could respond, a sickening laugh echoed from the remnants of Zouken Matou's body.

"How unfortunate. You really thought you could kill me?"

Despite his shattered body, Zouken let out a chilling laugh. His body was not filled with flesh, but with swarms of bugs, flowing in and out of his torn frame like a bag full of cockroaches. It was an utterly grotesque sight.

"You're right. Part of my soul does reside within Sakura."

Worms wriggled out of his eyes and mouth as he spoke. "But my primary crest worm has fused with her heart. If you try to remove it, she'll die too. Your Master seems very fond of Sakura. Will she allow you to kill me?"

"What?!"

Rin's heart sank as she realized the truth. "You monster! How could you do that to Sakura?!"

"Why shouldn't I?" Zouken cackled. "She belongs to the Matou family. I can do with her as I please. Wasn't it your father, Tokiomi Tohsaka, who handed her over to me?"

"You…"

Rin was furious, her fists trembling with rage as she spat, "She's my sister!"

Nearby, Sakura, still in a daze, flinched upon hearing Rin's words.

At that moment, a familiar voice rang out.

"Sakura!!!"

Covered in blood, Shirou Emiya rushed onto the scene, his face filled with anger as he locked eyes with Zouken Matou. "You monster! You don't deserve to be her grandfather!!!"

Hearing his voice, a flicker of life returned to Sakura's empty eyes.

Rin, still furious, was about to say something, but Fang Mo suddenly raised a hand to stop her.

"Don't get worked up just yet. These self-righteous old men are my favorite," Fang Mo said with a smile before turning his gaze toward the ground where Zouken lay. "Old man, you've lived long enough to hear plenty of stories about me, haven't you? Then let me ask you one question."

"Have you ever heard of the Axis of the World?"