The next target

Some time later -- in a coffee shop

Bai Mo looked at Illya, who was looking down, Sakura, who was eating cake, and Rin Tohsaka, who was looking at him with suspicion.

"So, Illya, don't you have anything to say to me?"

"Um, I suddenly got hungry tonight and wanted to go out and buy some cake. Thank you for the cake, Brother Bai Mo."

"I will tell Kiritsugu and your mother everything that happened tonight, so I think you'd better think carefully before you speak."

Upon hearing Bai Mo's ultimatum, Illya immediately stood up and bowed a perfect ninety-degree angle. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought Sakura along. Please forgive me."

Bai Mo said speechlessly, "So, you didn't even read the recent news about the murderer, just went out on your own, waited for a taxi for ages but couldn't get one, and then wandered around with Ying without even taking your phone?"

Seeing that Illya looked like she was about to cry, Bai Mo could only shake his head.

"So this is your new friend?" Bai Mo looked at Rin beside him. Rin, displaying the fearlessness of youth, slammed her hands on the table and demanded, "Are you the one who kidnapped Sakura?"

Have you ever seen a kidnapper bring a hostage to a coffee shop to eat cake?

Rin was momentarily speechless after being startled by Bai Mo's words, then continued pointing at him with the air of a spoiled young lady, saying, "If that's the case, why is Sakura by your side? Sakura, let's go. Mom misses you a lot." After saying that, Rin looked at Sakura beside her, but didn't get the response she wanted. She just silently ate the cake in her hand.

"According to the agreement between Tokiomi Tohsaka and the Matou Family, Sakura was adopted by them several years ago. Therefore, I'm sorry, legally, the Tohsaka Family does not have guardianship over Sakura."

"Then why is Sakura with you? Are you from the Matou Family?"

"No, I burned down the Matou Family. Zouken is probably already dead. I rescued Sakura from their house."

Rin Tohsaka slammed her hands on the table. "Then aren't you still a kidnapper? No way, I'm taking Sakura home. If you try to stop me..."

"What do you want? Call the police? And so far, has Sakura ever said she wanted to leave with you?"

Rin suddenly looked at Sakura with an incredulous expression, but Sakura kept her head down and remained silent.

"That's enough, little girl. She shouldn't be making this choice at her age. Her upbringing has been difficult enough. As her older sister, I shouldn't pressure her further. As for why she doesn't want to go with you..."

Bai Mo snapped his fingers, and the world around Rin changed abruptly. The damp basement, the dim lighting, and the once warm coffee shop vanished, replaced by a nauseating scene.

Insects, insects everywhere, swarming beneath the stairs. Rin suddenly realized she couldn't control her body. She walked to the edge where there was no railing and took a step out.

No... no!

Just as she was about to fall, the surrounding scenery disappeared. Rin couldn't stop vomiting, completely disregarding her previous ladylike image. The intense nausea stimulated her nerves, making it impossible for her to accept.

"That clip was taken from Sakura's memories."

Bai Mo's cold words echoed in Rin's mind, making it even harder for her to accept.

"What did you say?!"

"First of all, in this situation, you can communicate with me without even speaking. Secondly, I wasn't the one who sent Sakura to the Matou Family, nor was it her father who brought her out of the Matou Family, so I'm sorry, I won't let Sakura see that thing again."

Rin was stunned. This fact was too shocking for her. Her younger sister had been sent to the Matou Family, but this was her fate. Just thinking about the Mushimura incident made Rin almost vomit again.

It's not good to expose this child to these things at this age...

"Sakura was lucky; I arrived just as Zouken was about to make his move, so I'll be taking care of Sakura for now."

Hearing this, Rin was genuinely relieved. She couldn't imagine what would have happened if Sakura had fallen into that swarm of insects... But this was Bai Mo's lie. If the girl knew what had happened to Sakura, she would only live with nightmares for the rest of her life. She wasn't the one responsible for Sakura's accident. So, Bai Mo wove a false but not so bad ending for her in her mind. At least it would be better for her to come into contact with these things when she grew up.

"It's getting late, you should go home, Rin. I can arrange for your mother and Sakura to meet, but forget about Tokiomi Tohsaka."

After calling Rin's mother, Bai Mo left Rin at the nearest police station and then headed home with the other two. On the way, the system finally responded.

"Since the Holy Grail is completely useless, we have no choice but to activate Plan B."

Where are we going again?

"Hmm... There are two options this time. I can't go into the details, but each option corresponds to a specific person. Make contact with the target first, and leave the rest to me."

Two choices? Are they the same situation?

"No, they are vastly different. The two locations are Tokyo and Mifune City in parallel worlds. You have to choose one. You might not be able to complete the task with the former, but you are guaranteed to complete it with the latter. However, if you choose the latter, your current strength may not be sufficient. This time, the choice is yours."

Bai Mo's heart skipped a beat, a strong feeling rushing to his brain, a feeling that told him that if he chose the latter, he would die.

After a moment of silence, the system continued, "There's no rush either way. You can make a decision within a month." Bai Mo shook his head and refused, "There's no need for that. Let's go to Mifune City. I don't want to travel between worlds anymore. Besides, what's more interesting than anything that could threaten my life?"

Death is terrifying for every living being, but it is precisely by walking on the thorns of death that humanity has explored step by step and reached its current position at the pinnacle of life. If one retreats out of fear, then one's path will come to an end, possessing strength but accomplishing nothing, which is more tragic than death.

However, this meant saying goodbye to them. Bai Mo was quite satisfied with the current situation. Although there were some issues with the Banquet of the Three Kings, Artoria and Kiritsugu Emiya's wishes had been shattered. This way, Illya could continue living with her family, and he believed that Irisviel could take good care of Sakura.

Dangerous roads are best suited for solo travelers.

Just as Bai Mo was thinking about how to say goodbye to them, Illya let out a cry of surprise. The hotel where everyone had been staying was now almost completely in ruins. What was worse, Bai Mo could sense a significant energy fluctuation in the ruins.

"How could this happen? Leyritt and Sella are still inside!"

"They're fine; they're just staying in the room and there's absolutely no danger."

Bai Mo's senses easily penetrated the ruins. Beneath the rubble, Leyritt and Sella's room remained impregnable, not even the glass was broken—arguably the safest place at the moment. In a flash, he brought Illya and Sakura to the rooftop of another building. Bai Mo said to Illya, "Stay here. If you feel any danger, call my name in your mind, and I'll come right away."

Then, he leaped down, and the instant he landed, a crimson light burst forth from the dusty area in the center of the ruins—the call of the Command Spell.