Chapter 144: To Hell with Your Elegance

Kariya doesn't know how to use a war spear.

This is quite normal, as Kariya only began to learn martial skills after being trained by Scathach alongside Shinji. The three months that followed were less about learning martial arts and more about honing his body.

Among the four members of the Matou family, including Shinji, none of them would dare claim to have mastered any particular martial art. At best, they have a superficial understanding, and that understanding doesn't include the use of a war spear wielded by the Venus Goddess who was active over 4,600 years ago.

Under these circumstances, for the thrown spear to hit its target, it would either need an inherent "guaranteed hit" attribute or Kariya's luck would have to surpass even that of Saber. Unfortunately, the spear doesn't possess a "guaranteed hit" attribute, and Kariya's luck isn't exceptional, making it impossible for him to strike Tokiomi.

In reality, Kariya never intended to hit Tokiomi.

Ishtar's war spear is a Rank B anti-fortress Noble Phantasm. If it were to directly hit, Tokiomi would undoubtedly meet his demise.

Although Kariya despises the man who stole Aoi from him, he can't bring himself to kill Tokiomi because he doesn't want to make Aoi, Sakura, or Rin sad. He just wants to stop Tokiomi and, in the process, give him a good beating to vent his frustrations.

The black and gold war spear, held in Kariya's right hand, left his grasp under Tokiomi's astonished gaze. It traced a flat parabolic arc in the air before landing about five meters away from Tokiomi.

In that moment of impact, the magical energy stored within the Noble Phantasm flowed into the earth through the blade of the spear.

In the blink of an eye, the earth shook, and the mountains trembled.

The solid rocky surface of Mount Enzou began to vibrate under the destructive force of magical energy as if experiencing a shallow and localized earthquake.

The soil and stones on the mountain's surface tore apart, revealing one fissure after another. The intense shaking made it difficult for anyone to maintain their balance.

The trees near the war spear were uprooted and swayed by the cracks and tremors, becoming crooked, and some even falling flat on the ground. One large tree fell directly in front of Tokiomi, less than a meter away.

In such adverse conditions, Tokiomi dared not move freely. He could only find a relatively safe spot and deploy his magecraft to protect himself.

An earthquake caused by external forces was bound to be short-lived. In just a dozen seconds, the shaking ceased, and in less than a minute, the forest returned to calm.

Tokiomi, still shaken, muttered to himself in a frightened voice.

"What was that? A Noble Phantasm?"

Suddenly, a figure broke through the hazy dust and swiftly approached Tokiomi. A solid punch landed squarely on Tokiomi's face, and the assailant didn't forget to speak as well.

"That's right, it's a Noble Phantasm! And it's the one your Servant, Gilgamesh, discarded!"

"What?"

Whether it was due to being caught off guard by the sudden attack or because Kariya's response distracted him, Tokiomi's reaction was a beat too slow.

Before Tokiomi could regain his composure, Kariya's second punch landed on his left cheek, swiftly causing his once-handsome face that had captivated many women to swell.

Kariya showed no intention of stopping his assault as he lifted his foot and kicked towards Tokiomi's stomach.

The kick connected, but to Kariya's disappointment, Tokiomi didn't clutch his abdomen and fall to the ground as he had hoped. Instead, Tokiomi stood firmly on his feet and retaliated by striking Kariya's chest with a backhanded staff blow.

With just one strike, Kariya was forced to retreat repeatedly.

"Tokiomi, you—"

This time, it was Kariya who was surprised.

Before he could finish his sentence, Tokiomi swiftly closed the distance and grabbed Kariya, delivering a knee strike directly into Kariya's abdomen.

Kariya felt a tumultuous upheaval in his stomach and vomited a mixture of blood and saliva with a "bleurgh" sound.

Following that, Tokiomi used the same method as Kariya, kicking him in the stomach, and causing Kariya to collapse to the ground. Tokiomi then stepped on Kariya's chest and, with a slightly distorted voice, spoke.

"Shielding techniques are essential skills that every modern magus should possess. I've studied Bajiquan with Father Risei for a few years."

As he spoke, Tokiomi increased the pressure on his foot, making it difficult for Kariya to breathe.

"Farewell, Matou Kariya. I will make sure you depart without pain."

"Don't get too cocky!"

Kariya roared, and a hint of purple light flickered in his eyes. He forcefully pushed the ground with his hands, using his chest to push away Tokiomi's foot, and staggered to his feet.

"It's impossible!" Tokiomi took a step back to steady himself and raised his staff, bringing it down towards Kariya's head.

"There's nothing impossible!"

Kariya, with traces of blood at the corner of his mouth, revealed a sinister smile and firmly grabbed Tokiomi's staff with both hands.

"This level of punch is far inferior to my Sensei's! It's like the difference between heaven and earth, a gap of thousands of miles!"

Throughout history, Scáthach's disciples have endured countless beatings. Disciples trained in such a manner not only possessed formidable combat skills but also had superior resilience compared to others. Even if they coughed up blood, they could still stand up and continue fighting.

"You're asking for death—"

Tokiomi's anger wasn't due to Kariya's mockery. As a traditional magus who pursued the "Root," magic was his goal. Training in the Bajiquan was merely for self-defense and physical fitness. His combat prowess and experience were far inferior to true martial artists like Risei and Kirei.

His rage stemmed from Kariya's current actions. Kariya's hands were gripping the front end of the staff, where the ruby was located. It was one of the most precious heirlooms of the Tohsaka family, bestowed by their grandmaster, Zelretch. Such a treasure couldn't be touched by traitors who betrayed their responsibilities and the path of magecraft.

"—Flam—"

Tokiomi unleashed the stored magical energy within the gem. He intended to burn Kariya to death with his proudest fire magecraft.

However, before Tokiomi could finish chanting a verse of incantation, a tremendous force suddenly surged from the front end of his staff, catching him off guard. Tokiomi felt a searing pain in his palm, and the gemstone staff slipped from his grasp.

The man who had taken the staff twisted his mouth disdainfully and forcefully threw the staff far away.

"Idiot, don't think I'll give you the time to chant incantations."

Scáthach had taught her disciples like this:

"Magecraft is a very rigorous craft. If one step goes wrong, the spell cannot be formed. Therefore, when using magecraft, one must be cautious. Conversely, when fighting against a magus, one must find ways to disrupt their spells. Interrupting their incantations is the first choice, followed by destroying the vessel of their magecraft—magic tools or Mystic Code."

"What? The pride and elegance of a magus? What good is that? Can it bring you victory?"

"Listen to me carefully. Pride and elegance are only meaningful when built upon victory. Before achieving victory, don't waste your thoughts on these trivial matters. The ugliest victory is far better than the most elegant defeat. Remember, 'might make right' is a principle that holds in any era and any region."

Kariya heard Scáthach's teachings, remembered them, and acted accordingly.

As a result, Tokiomi lost his most important inherited Mystic Code.

The radiance of the ruby was swallowed by the vast darkness of the night, accompanied by Kariya's scornful laughter.

"To hell with your elegance!"

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