Matou Kariya stared at the two little girls who had suddenly appeared in his home and asked with confusion, "Rin, Sakura, why are you two here?"

Zenkichi didn't flinch. His tone was casual, almost indifferent.

"From today onward, the three of us will be living here."

He paused, then added calmly, "Also, I should inform you—your ancestor has been eliminated by me."

Matou Kariya's brows furrowed. "What do you mean by that? Rin, Sakura, what is going on?"

Tohsaka Rin's face was full of irritation.

"This bastard just appeared at my doorstep and took the two of us!"

"And by the way he's acting now, it looks like your house is going to be his next target."

Hearing that, Kariya's expression twisted in anger. He turned to Zenkichi. "Is what Rin said true?"

Zenkichi shrugged. "Of course it's true. That bastard Tokiomi Tohsaka..."

His words were suddenly interrupted when he glanced down and saw Rin glaring up at him. Without warning, he gave her a light flick to the forehead.

"Why are you looking at me like that, little girl?"

"Anyway, back to what I was saying. Tokiomi Tohsaka made a deal with your ancestor, Matou Zouken."

"Yes, Matou Zouken is the patriarch of the Matou family. You don't have to act so surprised."

"That disgusting old man relies on insects to survive. He should've been put down a long time ago. I was simply correcting a mistake."

"If Sakura had really been handed over to him, her fate would have been miserable."

"Matou Kariya can confirm that. Isn't that right? The Matou family's magecraft is practiced through parasitic bugs."

As Zenkichi explained, both Rin and Sakura turned toward Kariya, their eyes filled with disbelief. The reality of the Matou magecraft was far worse than anything they had been taught.

Kariya could only sigh.

"Yes... everything he said is true. Honestly, I'm grateful he stopped it. If not, I wouldn't be able to face Aoi."

Zenkichi's gaze shifted.

"Who's that?"

He raised his hand, and with a snap, a golden beam of light shot out—piercing the wall and striking a boy hidden outside.

"That was Matou Shinji, my nephew!" Kariya exclaimed, stunned. "You... you killed him?!"

Zenkichi looked unimpressed. "That brat? It was a mercy."

He turned back to the girls. "Come with me, Rin, Sakura. We live here now."

Then, glancing at Kariya, he added, "As for you... well, I'm a kind person. I won't kick you out."

Matou Kariya blinked.

"Wait a second. Isn't this my house?"

Zenkichi gave him a deadpan stare. "What's with that look? Listen here—I'm Whitebeard, more dangerous than any demon."

"You know what I do? I'm a pirate. Robbing people is literally part of the job description."

"This place? It's mine now. Respect the hustle."

There was a strange energy to Zenkichi, like he was here not to win anything, but just to enjoy himself. Maybe collect a few godchildren, unlock a few new titles. That kind of vibe.

As he looked at Rin and Sakura, he shook his head a little.

"Too early for goddaughters..."

Tohsaka Sakura suddenly spoke up quietly. "Your name is Whitebeard?"

Zenkichi replied without missing a beat.

"No. That's just one of the many nicknames I've earned from those trembling in awe across the seas."

"I go by many names, but my birth name is Arakawa Zenkichi."

Kariya was watching him closely. "You're not a Servant, are you? No human can use abilities like that."

Zenkichi nodded with conviction.

"Don't underestimate humanity. Of all the races on the sea, humans still rule the top."

Kariya sighed.

"I feel like we're not on the same wavelength here... this conversation is exhausting."

Then he spoke cautiously. "Still... you should be prepared. Tokiomi won't let this go. He'll find you, and it won't end peacefully."

Zenkichi waved him off. "So what? I'm not afraid of him. You're not thinking of sending these two back to Tohsaka Aoi, are you?"

Kariya hesitated.

"Aoi will be heartbroken if she can't see her daughters."

Zenkichi's voice turned firm.

"If she wants to see them, she can come here. But they're not going back. That's non-negotiable."

Kariya lowered his head. He knew he didn't have the power to argue.

Zenkichi turned toward Rin and Sakura.

"From now on, Tohsaka Rin and Sakura Matouare the daughters of Whitebeard."

"In life or death, they are my people. They won't be handed back to Tokiomi under any circumstance."

"And don't even talk to me about that scumbag raising them. He didn't even manage his own marriage properly."

"Just look at what he did to Aoi. He handed her to hell and didn't blink. That's the kind of man he is."

Zenkichi smirked slightly.

"When you see Aoi, tell her she can come here anytime. I wouldn't mind having another daughter."

"Yeah, let her come. I'll fix her broken heart and bring her back to the light."

Rin immediately snapped.

"You perverted lunatic!"

Kariya winced. He was starting to seriously question the wisdom of letting these girls stay with this madman.

Was it really safe?

He fell into deep thought.

Though frankly, it wasn't going to make much of a difference.

Zenkichi had already decided—and no one was changing his mind.

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