Chapter 4

[Strategy Task:]

[Target: Matou Sakura. Progress (Favorability): 25%]

[Target: Tohsaka Rin. Progress (Favorability): 15%]

When Shinji saw the second target, he stopped and wondered to himself: Why did Rin's progress suddenly increase by 5 points? Wasn't the initial value 10? I haven't even met her yet.

[Grandpa doesn't know.]

Shinji exploded: Damn! Enough is enough! How much have you taken advantage of me in the past three years? Isn't it enough already?

[How do you speak to your grandpa like that?]

Damn it! I'm done! If I become a vegetable, so be it!

[Even if you become a vegetable, you can't unbind from me. You'll still hear my voice, grandson.]

Aaaahhhh!!!

Shinji jumped out of bed in frustration and started hitting the bed with a pillow, venting his anger.

Just then, Matou Byakuya, who had just finished his work, walked past his son's room. Hearing the sounds of smashing and Shinji's grinding teeth, he shook his head helplessly.

No magic circuits? So what? Just give up early and inherit the family business with me. Why risk your life?

This foolish son really doesn't take after me at all.

After venting for a while to no avail, Shinji decided to go out for some fresh air. But as soon as he opened the door, he saw Sakura standing outside, holding a little rabbit doll, her eyes empty and lifeless.

She must have been tormented again.

He felt a pang of heartache. After all, he was a mature adult, and he couldn't stand seeing a child being abused.

Many times, Shinji wanted to shout out.

—This is not how you treat a loli!

She should be dressed in cute little dresses, made pretty and sweet-smelling, that's the right way!

Of course, he could only think this to himself.

"Brother."

"Hm?" Shinji frowned, clearly showing some displeasure on his face.

"Good night."

Sakura bowed slightly, then turned and slowly walked away, still holding her little rabbit doll.

Only after Sakura returned to her room and closed the door did Shinji move.

Bang!

Clenching his teeth, Shinji punched the wall hard, as if to say: What is this? Showing off or mocking?

Of course, this was just an act. After all, Zouken had a god-like perspective. If Shinji slipped up, it would be bad. Acting needed to be convincing.

While running at night, Shinji's face showed resentment and anger, but images of Sakura's face kept flashing through his mind.

That was a face that had given up all hope of any salvation, resigned to despair.

In three different storylines, the only one who brought salvation to this poor girl was the protagonist of the HF route, Shirou. In the other two routes, where Sakura had less screen time, she only appeared briefly at the end. As for her future in those two routes, Shinji didn't know. It might be better, but it wouldn't be perfect.

Shinji felt helpless. He could only hope that the girl could hold on until he completed the first main task.

In short,

Tokiomi! Come out and take the blame!

Time flies.

Two and a half years passed in a flash.

Now in his first year of middle school, Shinji hadn't changed much. He still skipped classes, exercised for daily tasks, and practiced cultivation.

There was one thing that made Shinji happy, something different from the original story.

He had almost reached the height of the original setting for the second master, just seven centimeters short. He estimated that he would surpass it before high school!

Teachers described him as— a handsome, popular student who loved to skip classes but was unexpectedly friendly and well-liked!

Though his actions were sometimes odd, like on the first day of middle school when he went to the wrong school, confessed to a girl at the gate, got rejected, and got beaten up.

Or during swimming class, wearing a pink swimsuit with a cute anime girl on it without feeling embarrassed at all.

In October, with the cultural festival approaching.

As a well-known student who had skipped no fewer than sixty days in the past half year, Shinji was stopped by his homeroom teacher after school the day before the festival.

Seeing his teacher, a serious-looking woman in her mid-twenties with glasses, dressed in a purple professional suit, standing with her arms crossed at the classroom door, Shinji brushed his hair back.

"Oh my, Yukiko-sensei, I can accept this forbidden relationship, but can you give me a bit more time? Blocking students after school will lower your score with me."

Ignoring Shinji's antics, Yukiko, his homeroom teacher, said with irritation, "Matou-kun, do you remember how many times you've attended school since enrollment?"

"Teacher, have you been thinking about me all this time?" Shinji looked surprised, then frowned with a bit of reluctance, "I'm sorry, teacher. I didn't notice your sincerity. I'll think about it and get back to you. See you tomorrow, no, the day after tomorrow."

Yukiko didn't give Shinji a chance to escape. She grabbed his collar and dragged him to her office after adjusting her glasses.

"Teacher, where are you taking me?" Shinji finally got serious, asking with a bit of helplessness.

"Grades aren't everything! Matou-kun! Your absenteeism is too serious! The student council has approached me more than once! Today we need to have a good talk! If this continues, I'll have to call your parents!"

Hearing this, Shinji sighed, "Teacher, if you can get my parents here, I'll promise not to skip class again. But I don't think you can. They don't care about me that much."

When Shinji came out of the teacher's office, it was completely dark.

In the dim corridor, he walked towards the stairs, hands behind his head, bored. He hadn't remembered much of the conversation with his homeroom teacher.

As he checked his system panel while walking, Shinji reflected on his progress. After two and a half years of relentless daily tasks and personal cultivation, he had finally broken through the initial stage of Qi absorption to reach the Soul Condensation stage.

The levels of a Daoist were roughly divided into Qi Absorption, Soul Condensation, Body Refining, Mind Integration, Spirit Gathering, River Formation, Mountain and Sea, Sun and Moon, Dao Illumination, and Universe Mastery.

Each level had several sub-levels. Each small advancement brought a qualitative leap. For example, Soul Condensation involved solidifying the three dispersed souls within the body, and Body Refining involved tempering the seven spirits.

According to the dog system, to "redeem" Zouken comfortably, one needed at least a level-three Body Refining. But Shinji felt that reaching such a level from the initial stage of Soul Condensation in four years was a pipe dream.

Of course, one thing Shinji hadn't realized yet, as he had never used his powers openly for fear of being discovered.

Perhaps the magic and sorcery of this world were considered Lovecraftian horrors in his original world. But what he was learning now was the true Lovecraftian horror for this world, or rather—the ancient and mysterious Eastern nightmare.

Friendly reminder, the previous system is not the protagonist's true golden finger, hence the lack of detailed description.

The protagonist's true golden finger will come online after the Fifth Holy Grail War.

In simple terms, after the Fifth War, the protagonist will transform from being a mere pawn to becoming the scythe.