"Was the universe always this terrifying?"
Waver's pupils shook. Lord Ravagers who could string planets together like candied hawthorns, and legions whose grunts could slaughter entire civilizations...
"Heh, it's beyond terrifying," Xia Yu shook her head. "At their peak, the Iron Cavalry of Glamoth were enough to blot out the sky, yet weren't they crushed by bugs at their very zenith?"
"And the bugs that destroyed Glamoth... were just one ordinary swarm in the cosmos. During the Swarm Disaster era, a swarm of that scale wouldn't even have made the rankings."
"Then there's the Emperor's War, the cleansing of flesh-and-blood life by the droids, the Denizens of Abundance ravaging the universe... and those eccentric inventions from the Genius Society, like bombs that can obliterate a galaxy in one go, or the planet-sized Scepter Computer built by Emperor Rupert..."
"The universe really is far too terrifying."
Having said this, she changed the subject. "However, you guys don't need to worry all that much."
"Uh, why?" Emiya Shirou asked subconsciously.
"Because that's all in the future," Xia Yu shrugged. "As for you guys, you probably won't live to see that day. Based on the development speed of Earth's civilization, it'll be a miracle if your generation sees humans colonizing the Moon before you die of old age."
"The universe—at least at this stage—isn't quite that horrific yet."
"That's good, that's good," Fujimaru Ritsuka patted her chest.
"Oh, I was talking about them," Xia Yu glanced at her with pity. "You're the exception."
"Huh?" Fujimaru Ritsuka pointed at herself. "Me?"
"The current universe doesn't have that many eccentric things yet," Xia Yu smiled at her. "But don't worry, because as far as the zone within 13.8 billion light-years of Earth is concerned, you are the eccentric thing."
The old director's plan: at the cost of the surrounding 13.8 billion light-years of space, perform a cosmic-scale land-grab to completely stabilize Human History.
Mad and bold.
"What do you mean, us?" Fujimaru Ritsuka was completely dazed.
Meanwhile, the others looked at her and Mash with looks of pure horror. Everyone had thought you were just a companion playing happily with us on Earth, but you actually have the power to plot across such a vast expanse of starlight in secret?
Fujimaru Ritsuka, you girl...
"Yes, it's you, Chaldea," Xia Yu patted her shoulder gently. "Don't doubt it; you really do have that capability."
"But we haven't even overcome the Incineration of Humanity," Fujimaru Ritsuka said instinctively.
"Then have you thought about why the Incineration of Humanity happened?" Xia Yu asked, tilting her head.
"Why?" the Doctor finally couldn't hold back.
He had sensed a bit of that man's mad plan, though it was just a feeling, but...
"Oh, I don't know," Xia Yu shook her head. "I only know that for the mastermind, his goal seems rather noble. Well, at least to him."
"Firefly-jie, good sister," Fujimaru Ritsuka grabbed her shoulders and acted spoiled, "just tell me—!"
"Don't ask me, I really don't know," Xia Yu shrugged. "The script isn't omnipotent."
"It just let me know that you, Chaldea, are truly dangerous."
"To be honest, if Earth weren't the mother planet of humanity, I would have had to destroy this planet right after getting what I wanted upon learning about that plan. The power you hold is far too dangerous! Who would want their home star to be suddenly destroyed by a planet ten billion light-years away they've never even contacted?"
She was joking, of course. Even if the old director truly completed the plan and the surrounding 13.8 billion light-years turned into complete Nihility, it wouldn't be her business; this wasn't her universe.
Thinking of this, Xia Yu added another line, "However, looking at the course of history, that plan did not succeed."
Truly miraculous, when you think about it. Is this the difference between universes? A civilization that hasn't even left its home planet can cook up a "super-move" capable of exterminating life across tens of billions of light-years.
Even in Star Rail, such a feat would be top-tier. 13.8 billion light-years... the entire Milky Way is only about a hundred thousand light-years across. This is basically restarting the entire observable universe.
One can only say the dense parallel world structure of the Type-Moon universe deserves the credit.
"Don't look at me like that," Xia Yu said as Fujimaru Ritsuka continued to stare at her with wide eyes even after her explanation. The latter helplessly pushed her face away. "Fine, I'll give you a clue. Go seek answers from the A-Team members; they should know something."
"But the A-Team are all currently sealed," the Doctor said with a bitter smile. "We lack the necessary medical conditions; we can't release them, or they'd probably die in Chaldea before they could utter a single word."
"That's your problem," Xia Yu shrugged. "Alright, that's enough talk. The meat is getting cold!"
Then she lowered her head and began enjoying the rib feast.
Fujimaru Ritsuka and Mash looked at each other, feeling the mountain of pressure.
They thought the Incineration of Humanity was bad enough, but there was an even bigger player?
13.8 billion light-years... the entire Solar System is only about two light-years in size, the Milky Way a hundred thousand...
They couldn't fathom how tiny Chaldea, struggling even with crises on its own planet, could possibly influence the entire universe.
To this, Xia Yu could only say: don't underestimate any world, because you never know when it will pull out something massive to smear in your face.
Teyvat looks okay, right? But outside the False Sky is already a desperate pitch-black. Terra is in constant civil war, so it can be crushed overall, right? But who knows what that massive "Lumberjack" landmine really is. Besides, Terra has a subspace!
And things as eccentric as Kresson... heaven knows what lies behind them.
Coming to Type-Moon, don't look at how Xia Yu can use Firefly's power to instakill everything; when she encountered the super-move the old director pulled... she could only look up in awe.
It was just a pity his scheme lacked universal applicability. It could only be tested in a universe like Type-Moon's with its dense parallel worlds, and the process was too complex and prone to losing control. Even the man himself couldn't pull it off. Otherwise, Xia Yu really would have wanted to get a copy of that set-up.
It wasn't that she had to destroy a universe, but when traveling the worlds, one can't have too many tricks. You never know when you might need it.
After tasting the sweetness of threatening Kaschey with a super-bomb, Xia Yu had fallen in love with that feeling.
She had enjoyed the spoiler moment, but the Fujimaru Ritsuka duo was now sitting on pins and needles.
Everyone around was looking at them with strange eyes—not exclusion, mostly just amazement.
Even Tohsaka Rin, after being briefed on the concept of light-years, began to look at them differently.
Waver silently abandoned the idea of trying to coax information out of them.
Previously, he had thought that since they were from a subordinate organization of a parallel world's Mages' Association... maybe he could get some useful info, since their time point was 2015.
But now? Brother, don't say another word, brother. You have this kind of capability; how could the Mages' Association be worthy of being your superior...
Why don't you guys at Chaldea just take over as the boss? 13.8 billion light-years...
Why didn't you say you had this kind of skill earlier?
Facing this world-shaking "super-move," Waver felt that the magecraft maniacs he had seen were like raw recruits compared to Chaldea. Those maniacs at most did human experiments or, at worst, harmed some civilians; causing a major incident involving a whole city was considered top-tier madness.
Now let's look at what our colleagues in the parallel world are doing?
Oh, they are planning to exterminate all life within 13.8 billion light-years of Earth.
No, we're all Earthlings—how are you guys so capable?
Seeing his disciplined behavior, Ritsuka and Da Vinci exchanged a look.
Could Miss Firefly have said that... to intimidate the local Mages' Association so they wouldn't dare act against Ritsuka?
Most likely, Da Vinci nodded. Talking about 13.8 billion light-years and all that... it's too exaggerated.
On the other side, Fujimaru Ritsuka had a terrifying realization.
First, Miss Firefly said that to life within 13.8 billion light-years, we are the greatest calamity.
Second, Chaldea has the power and the plan—well, even if she couldn't see it herself.
Third, she said... that mastermind... carried out the Incineration of Humanity with a noble ideal, at least to him.
Adding these three points together... Oh my god!
Could it be that the guy was an alien who found out about the plan and decided to strike first to protect his home from being destroyed?!
It's highly possible!
So we are the big villains? The culprits destroying other people's homes? He's the righteous hero?
Fujimaru Ritsuka felt her brain trembling.
But... but...
She was completely dazed.
Mash, beside her, also fell into silence.
"Here," just then, Xia Yu stuffed a rib toward her mouth. Fujimaru Ritsuka instinctively opened up.
"Ah... mmm."
"Mash, you too." After filling Ritsuka's mouth, Xia Yu turned her target to Mash.
"Mmm—"
After finishing the feeding, Xia Yu said with a smile, "What's wrong? Do you feel like you're the biggest villain? Feel like your hands are covered in blood?"
"It's not that bad," Fujimaru Ritsuka shook her head. She wasn't so fragile as to be crushed by this, but the information did give her a bit of a shake.
"Oh, then let me tell you some good news," Xia Yu said while eating. "Actually, you are completely on the opposite side of that plan. In other words, you are not just the savior of Earth, but a cosmic-level Savior."
"Do you know why I trust you so much?" She smiled slightly. "This is the 'Strict Selection of History'. This is the advantage of being from the future."
"In my era, I've never heard of the universe experiencing such a disaster. That means that mad plan was ultimately stopped by you."
"So, if we ever meet again on your journey in the future, feel free to use my power, Savior."
She gave a thumbs-up and said, "After all, even for the sake of my future birth, I must stand firmly on your side."
"...Then it's a promise," Fujimaru Ritsuka immediately reached out her pinky. "If we meet again, you'll help me, right!"
Only a fool wouldn't take an advantage. Hearing she could get a free super-combatant, she didn't even think before doing it.
As the last Master, the pressure on her was mountain-high. Every bit of support she could get mattered, let alone a super trump card like this.
At this, Xia Yu also extended her pinky and hooked it with hers. "It's a promise."
But in the next moment, her finger slid through Fujimaru Ritsuka's pinky as if clipping through a model.
"This is..." The latter stared blankly at the finger that seemed like an illusion.
"They really can't wait, can they?" Xia Yu sighed.
The world was starting to kick her out.
It seemed she really had scared the Counter Force quite badly; usually, there was enough time in other worlds to say goodbye.
"A pity," she looked at the unfinished grilled ribs on the plate before her and said sadly, "I don't know when I'll get to taste your cooking again, Emiya."
"If we meet, I will definitely cook for you," Archer said solemnly.
"What if you don't believe me?" Xia Yu raised an eyebrow. "After all, with Servants and all that, you know how it is."
"...Don't you have plenty of ways?" Archer thought back to her methods of manipulating him, his mouth twitching. "I believe you'll definitely be able to do it."
Medea walked up to her without a word.
"Sorry, I didn't even have time to say a proper goodbye," Xia Yu said helplessly.
"I don't care about such things," Medea's voice was cold.
But in her heart, she cared immensely.
Though this Master had far too many secrets, she truly trusted her... She had even kept things from her own Master but hadn't kept them from Medea. One could say Medea was the only one who knew the plan from start to finish.
"Too cunning," she couldn't help but protest.
Because she understood Medea so well, it meant she definitely knew what Medea was longing for.
That's why she had trusted her so completely to manipulate her...
"You... you're really too cunning..."
"I don't understand, what are you talking about?" Xia Yu looked at her with a smile.
"That's exactly what I mean..." Medea turned her head away.
"Berserker..." Illya reached out toward her, but she could no longer grab her wrist.
"Illya," Xia Yu looked at her tenderly, "live a happy life."
"But..." Illya wanted to say more, but in the next moment, the girl before her turned into points of light and completely vanished between heaven and earth.
"Berserker..." Illya lowered her head, clenching her fists.
Emiya Shirou stepped forward and silently took her hand.
The entire mansion fell into silence.
On the other side, Xia Yu opened her eyes.
Before her was a small room devoid of human warmth.
The wonderful taste of Archer's grilled ribs still lingered on her lips, but the steaming feast was no longer before her.
I'm back again...