"Just leave everything to me," Xia Yu said, gently patting Fujimaru Ritsuka's back. She spoke softly, "Just treat this as a vacation. Don't feel any pressure; I'll take care of everything for you."
"Hmm? Um..." Fujimaru Ritsuka almost lost herself in that tender embrace, but she ultimately maintained a sliver of rationality.
"Sorry... Miss Firefly," she said, grabbing Mash's hand and forcing herself to calm down. "I... Phew, can I put it this way? If you truly consider me a friend, then you should know what my choice would be, right?"
"First of all, just call me Firefly," Xia Yu said, releasing her with a helpless sigh. "I knew a stubborn person like you wouldn't be that easy to manage."
Hearing this, Fujimaru Ritsuka felt a sense of trepidation in her heart and instinctively exchanged a look with Mash.
Usually, in these situations, the antagonist realizes they can't use someone and begins to turn hostile.
"I say, are you two making eyes at each other right in front of me?" Xia Yu knocked on her head irritably. "Don't worry, I won't lay a hand on you. Mash, you relax too; don't point that shield at me."
She added jokingly, "You're the person who killed Zeus with one shot. Keep that thing away from me; I'm scared."
"Huh? Me?" Mash was completely dumbfounded, pointing a finger at herself.
I fought Zeus? And killed him? For real?
"Not the current you, at least," Xia Yu gently patted her head. "But it's still terrifying, Mash. A girl who's usually so soft and delicate ends up firing a shot that blasts Zeus to pieces during the final battle. Tsk, tsk, tsk."
"Can I really do something like that?" Mash asked, her voice lacking confidence.
"Of course you can. Don't sell yourself short," Xia Yu said with a smile, then turned back to Fujimaru Ritsuka.
"Ritsuka, oh Ritsuka... In truth, I never expected you to agree anyway."
"After all, this is who you are. If you weren't this kind of person, how could you have crossed countless trials to stand at the gates of Human Order?"
"This is just you," she said, spreading her hands. "But I won't stop. Victory in this Holy Grail War is related to the completion of the Third Magic, and even more so to my life."
"If you want to stop me, first go to the Inner Sea of the Stars and dig out all those old relics, then go summon at least half the Throne of Heroes. At the very least, you'll need to gather the lineup used to face the White Titan back then."
She smiled while uttering the most terrifying words. "By the way, the Holy Sword in Artoria's hand is the very Star-Forged Construct that defeated the White Titan. Remember to convince her first."
"Miss Firefly, are you saying..." the Doctor spoke solemnly. "That your power can rival the White Titan, which nearly destroyed the Age of Gods and directly caused the separation of gods and humans?"
"Regarding that, shouldn't the Counter Force that sent you here know best?" Xia Yu smiled. "Through the Holy Grail, It has allowed my Master, Illya, to peer into my memories time and time again. Shouldn't It have seen it all by now? My full power."
"I'm not like Goetia or that Alien God; I don't need so many steps to destroy a Human Civilization."
She used her gentlest smile to say the most horrifying things. "I only need to go to the Moon and smash it to pieces. The resulting Gravitational Tides would be enough to leave modern Human Civilization paralyzed. Following that, I'd sink a few continents, and humanity could kiss itself goodbye."
"Is such a thing even possible?" Fujimaru Ritsuka looked at the fragrant, soft girl beside her with a face full of horror.
"I imagine that's why those two had the version of you from this time period contact me," Xia Yu smiled. "If it were the version of you I know, either they wouldn't be able to order you around, or if they did... given the strength of both sides, it would be easy to push things toward the most extreme situation."
"What extreme situation?" Fujimaru Ritsuka asked instinctively.
"We would have a massive fight, and I would win," Xia Yu said confidently. "But the aftershocks of our battle would be enough to make Human Civilization vanish from this universe."
Psh, isn't it just bragging? Brag as much as I want; nobody knows.
Besides, even if Firefly can't do it, Acheron definitely can!
"Am I really going to be that strong in the future?" Fujimaru Ritsuka was stunned.
"Have some confidence," Xia Yu patted her shoulder. "You're the Savior who blocks the gate of Human Order, making that fellow dare not even show His face."
"That doesn't sound like a good person, does it?" Ritsuka's lip twitched. "Me? Blocking the gate of Human Order?"
"Well, He wouldn't open the door for you," Xia Yu continued to stir the pot with a smile. "He even made you prove yourself. If you ask me, you're just too soft-hearted and nostalgic. Wouldn't it be better to just take Chaldea and smash that whole mess of His?"
"This..." Fujimaru Ritsuka swallowed hard. The more she heard, the less she sounded like a good person!
"Ahem, Miss Firefly, please do not reveal too much about the future," the Doctor interrupted, unable to listen any longer. He changed the subject. "Miss Furina reminded us last night that although our future won't be smooth sailing, we will reach the end even if we stumble."
"Since the journey will reach its destination, we should not easily change the things we are meant to experience along the way."
"That is indeed Fufu's style," Xia Yu nodded. "However, that is merely her way of thinking."
"After all, she is different from me. As the human half of the Demon God Focalors, she doesn't have such immense power, so her actions naturally tend toward caution. But I am different; I never have such qualms."
"Just like in the Faerie Britain, she would choose to help you against Morgan all the way to ensure a smooth journey. Whereas I, I sympathized with Morgan, so I chose to stand by her side. I still remember that face of yours full of grievance."
"But I won't force you to listen to it all," Xia Yu looked at Fujimaru Ritsuka. "Ritsuka, if you want to know anything, just ask me. I'll tell you everything."
"Faerie Britain..." Fujimaru Ritsuka gave a bitter smile. "Firefly, if you stood on the opposite side of us, how did I ever get past you then?"
"Oh, you forced Oberon to temporarily ban me," Xia Yu shrugged. "I'm impressed you could do it, actually convincing that mastermind who was painstakingly setting his stage to work for you... Hmm? Wait, could it be because you heard me talk about it now that you'll choose to do that in Faerie Britain?"
Xia Yu looked as if she had suddenly realized something. "I was wondering why you saw through Oberon's identity at a glance when he hid himself so well that no one suspected him."
"Does this count as me坑ing myself? Tsk, what should I do, Ritsuka? I'm starting to understand Furina."
"To think such a thing happened," Fujimaru Ritsuka said with a wide, teasing grin. "I'll have to make a good note of this!"
"Sigh, can't you just pretend I never said any of that?" Xia Yu sighed, her face full of grievance.
"Ahem, so what exactly is this Faerie Britain?" Fujimaru Ritsuka changed the subject. "And Morgan? Is it the Morgan I know? You sympathized with her plight?"
"Yes and no," Xia Yu shook her head. "A savior who was betrayed numerous times by the world she saved numerous times, finally losing heart and turning into a total tyrant to rule."
"You might not agree now, but you must remember my words: the vast majority of faeries are not worth a shred of sympathy. Their best end is to be drowned in a toilet!"
"Morgan... or rather, Savior Aesc, I truly admire her for being able to endure those ghostly things."
Faced with her undisguised loathing, Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash exchanged a look, feeling their illusions instantly shattered.
Are faeries really such disgusting species? To make the usually polite Firefly show such an expression?
"By the way, when you reach the Faerie Britain in the future, if you encounter someone named Aurora, just have Mash fire a shot... oh, I think Mash was separated from you at that time. Regardless, whichever Servant is by your side then, just have them blast her with their Noble Phantasm at full power."
"If all else fails, you can come find the me of that time," Xia Yu narrowed her eyes. "Even if our positions are hostile then, you can ask me to kill her. You only need to say the four words 'Stellaron Hunters' to me."
"I will understand."
"Uh, we'll see when the time comes," Fujimaru Ritsuka laughed awkwardly at her blatant disgust.
Xia Yu looked at her and Mash, feeling that she had finally managed to fool them.
Can't be helped; I really don't want to fight them. They are my youth!
What? You ask what I'll do if I don't end up going to those worlds I told her about?
Simple, just watch me work.
"Sigh, I think I'll stop asking," Fujimaru Ritsuka sighed. "From the Grand Temple of Time, which sounds incredible, to fighting through global mythologies—Zeus, Arjuna, Morgan... just thinking about it is heart-wrenching."
"Is this really something I can do?"
"Don't sell yourself short, Ritsuka," Xia Yu patted her shoulder and affirmed, "You can definitely do it. Even if you don't have confidence in yourself, have some confidence in me."
"Then Firefly, since we're so close now," Fujimaru Ritsuka turned to look at her, a gleam flashing in her eyes as she said with a smile, "Can you tell me your plan?"
"Sure," Xia Yu smiled readily. "I plan to slowly nurture the Corrupted Holy Grail inside Matou Sakura until it matures and hatches. Using Matou Sakura as a vessel, it will completely leave the Greater Grail System and descend upon the world as a newborn Beast."
"This way, I won't have to rack my brains to purify the Greater Grail. Once I kill that Beast, I'll win the Holy Grail War, use the Third Magic to stabilize my soul, and cure my illness."
"But if you do that, Miss Matou Sakura..." Fujimaru Ritsuka hesitated.
"I'll keep her alive," Xia Yu said with a smile. "She won't die; she'll just suffer a little."
"If Chaldea has a better plan, feel free to suggest it. As long as it achieves my goal, I don't mind the process."
"If not, and if you don't trust me, then you'd better bring more people, Ritsuka."