Thanks for the invitation. I'm in Type-Moon, inheriting the legacy of Zi-O.

"click"

When a lion hunts a rabbit, it uses its full strength.

Meanwhile, in a sea unknown to Nian Zhuo and the others, there was a ship they did not know about.

A girl dressed in light gauze, with long purple hair tied in a ponytail hanging down her back, was walking lightly on the deck, holding a magic wand that was almost as tall as herself.

When she reached the cabin door, she took a deep breath and gently knocked on the door.

"Excuse me, I'm coming in, Master." The girl's silvery voice was exceptionally alluring, and she boldly walked in without waiting for a reply from the person inside.

"Oh!" A blond young man was sitting in the chair in front of her. He stood up in surprise when he saw the girl come in. "What's wrong? My dear."

"Hector's Spirit Origin reaction has disappeared. It is speculated that he was destroyed by an unknown Heroic Spirit." The girl spoke in a gentle voice, saying something completely unrelated. "In addition, Euryale is still safe and sound on Drake's ship."

"Is that so! Is that so! Is that so! Is that so!" With each "Is that so?" the blond youth's expression grew increasingly grim, and he even slammed his fist on the table. "That useless Heroic Spirit! He can't even do something this simple! What right does he have to call himself the strongest hero of Troy? What an idiot!"

"Damn it, damn it, damn it—!" The blond man gritted his teeth, his outburst catching the girl's eye. "According to what that lord said, as long as I offer up Euryale, I can gain even greater power! I, the great one, will become an invincible being stronger than anyone else! Don't you think that's wonderful?!" He turned to look at the girl with a gentle smile.

“Yes, that’s right. I think it’s wonderful, Master.” The girl nodded gently, flattering the gold-haired youth.

"What a beautiful smile! Your smile is like the sun!" The blond youth gazed at the girl's smile, admiring it while pressing his hand to his chest. "It always fills my heart." But then, he noticed a barely perceptible hint of fatigue on the girl's face.

"Oh, but you seem a little tired? Are you alright?" He patted the girl's shoulder reassuringly. "After all, you've been working as the power source for this ship for a long time. If you feel tired, be sure to tell me, okay?"

"Oh, right." As if on a whim, the blond youth smiled and stroked his chin. "It'll only be for a little while. If it's just a short while, I'll consider letting you rest."

"Thank you so much...!" The girl blushed, seemingly moved by the young man's kind words. "But I'm fine. As long as I have your kindness, I will definitely continue to work hard!"

“Ah—that’s right.” Picking up a strand of the girl’s pale purple hair, the blond youth praised her charm. “You should be like this, so genuine and adorable, destined to be my wife! Now, once we get Euryale, let’s go find ‘that.’” Gazing at the girl’s face, the blond man impatiently scratched his head again.

"Seriously, where is it?" He looked at the girl behind him. "Hasn't the divine decree arrived yet?"

"Yes." The girl who was asked nodded. "Presumably, when we obtain Lady Euryale, the divine oracle will arrive, indicating the direction we should take."

"What the hell, why is it so troublesome... always holding me back..." However, the blond youth tapped the table lightly with a dissatisfied expression, then looked at the still calm girl and shrugged as if explaining, "Ah, no, sorry. I didn't mean to slander them."

“But I should also have the right to receive divine pronouncements, why is it only you who can—” The young man, his back to the girl, gritted his teeth and his face became extremely ferocious.

"...? What's wrong, Master?" As if sensing the young man's displeasure, the girl asked with concern.

"...No, it's nothing." The man composed himself the instant he turned around, still smiling as before. "This is what they call 'haste makes waste,' isn't it?" Rather than comforting the girl, the young man's words seemed more like comforting himself.

He nodded. "Yes, that's right. For now, I'll trust your divine decree and fulfill my duties as captain!"

“Yes, that’s more like my master.” The girl gripped her staff and nodded happily. “Then let’s go and continue our pursuit of Lady Euryale. The members of my Argo ship are invincible heroes; those rabble can never win.” The girl said confidently.

“Yes, that’s right!” Even the blond youth’s spirits rose. He spread his arms and said proudly, “We are the strongest! Without a doubt, without a doubt, the strongest! After all, we have the world’s strongest and greatest hero and witch!” Then, as if remembering something, he put on a wicked smile, “Ah, although there is also an ungrateful woman.”

"Hmph, she actually said she swore to the moon goddess (Artemis) to remain chaste and refused my invitation." The young man's face darkened again. "She's probably shark food by now, huh. Serves her right!" Then, as if his expression had changed, he walked out of the room and shouted at his busy underlings.

"Alright, everyone! Let's prepare to depart!" His words reached the ears of everyone whose eyes gleamed with fervor. "The Ark! Obtain the Ark! It's the ultimate treasure that even the Golden Fleece cannot compare to! With the Holy Grail and the Ark, I will become the king who reigns supreme over the four seas!"

Meanwhile, on the calm sea, the Golden Deer was also moving forward at full speed...

"Proceed at maximum speed!" Drake said, patting the mast and reminding his men, "Watchman! Keep an eye on the front! Shout it out if you spot any unidentified vessels!"

“Yes, sir!” A small head popped out from the mast, and the underling loudly assured Drake.

“…But speaking of which, our ship’s speed… doesn’t seem very fast.” Drake stroked his chin, looking at the sea parted by the ship. “If the enemy comes looking for us, we’re already a step behind in terms of departure. If they don’t stop, it’s uncertain whether we’ll be able to spot them first…”

"Ugh...ugh..." Asterius, who was squatting on the deck, made some sounds because of the pain from his wounds.

"...Are you alright?" Euryale and Nianzhuo both turned their gazes to Asterius, and then Nianzhuo pressed down on Asterius, who was trying to stand up.

"Alright, alright, standing up and joining the fight in your current state is just suicide. Go and heal your injuries." With that, Nian Zhuo pressed Asterius down onto the deck.

“…Hmm.” Finally, Asterius gradually quieted down.

However, at the same time, the shouts of the observer on the mast broke the silence once again.

"Boss! The pirate ship is approaching!" The monitor shouted anxiously as she watched the ship gradually approaching in the distance.

"What a hasty decision, especially at a time like this." Without another word, Drake drew his dual pistols, ready for battle.

"Let's take them down quickly, Mash and Nencho." Ritsuka stood up, walked onto the deck, and watched the ship approach.

They were then drawn back into battle.

Unending sorrow

After sinking the enemy ship, everyone returned to the deck.

Then, everyone saw Nian Zhuo sitting on the deck of the boat, who was looking at them with a serious gaze.

“Nianzhuo…sir?” Mashu tilted her head curiously. “What’s wrong?”

"Let me tell you something first. I found this in Blackbeard's pirate hat." Nian Zhuo waved the parchment in his hand, gesturing for everyone to sit around him. He then spread the parchment out. "I initially thought this parchment was just a sea chart or something, but after reading it carefully, I realized I was wrong, terribly wrong."

Everyone's eyes were focused on the parchment in Nian Zhuo's hand, which was covered with many tiny characters.

“This contains…” Nian Zhuo rolled it up and shook it, “an analysis of whether Hector will rebel and the forces behind him—written by Blackbeard.”

"...Huh?!" Drake was the first to stand up, looking at him with a "you're kidding me" expression. "That Blackbeard...? He actually takes writing down intelligence... no, I mean a diary. Who is he showing it to?"

“I’m not showing it to anyone.” Nian Zhuo recalled Blackbeard’s actions before he jumped down and felt that it was more correct. “Maybe, that guy wanted to leave something behind in the end… After thinking it over, he realized that the only thing of value was this.” Nian Zhuo steered the conversation back to the parchment scroll.

"...I think he believes that only if I confront Hector head-on and win will this information be of any use...probably." Even Nian Zhuo wasn't sure what the captain was thinking. "But, I have to admit the value of this diary."

"As the only person Blackbeard can't see through, both Hector and Blackbeard are wary of each other. And based on Hector's behavior, Blackbeard deduces that his target is... [Eureka]." After reading the conclusion aloud, Nian Zhuo suddenly realized that he seemed to have even used Blackbeard's usual verbal tic, and quickly looked at Euryale.

"..." No rebuttal? Not even a disgusted expression, Euryale just gave a soft hum.

"The target is... Miss Euryale?" Mashu asked in surprise, turning her gaze to Euryale.

"But... what good would it do them to target Miss Euryale?" Ritsuka raised her hand, looking completely bewildered.

"...It's actually the little goddess?" Drake also shifted his gaze to Euryale, then shrugged. "No way...although the young lady is indeed very tempting."

Just as everyone was completely confused, Mashu's communication device flickered a few times.

“Speaking of Euryale…” Mary’s voice hesitated slightly, “I actually think her special feature right now is her status as a Servant.”

"Hmm? What do you mean?" Drake raised an eyebrow. To her, these so-called 'Servants' looked much like herself, so what was so special about them?

“Actually, we used to be part of her community… no, that’s not right.” After thinking it over, Mary changed her identity. “Should I say… my older sister? Anyway, we encountered a girl who was a goddess, but was summoned as a Servant. Euryale wasn’t a hero, nor was she a historical figure. In Greek mythology, she was revered as a goddess, the so-called ‘Daughter of Flight’ refers to Euryale. She was also seen as a monster, as the second daughter of the Gorgon sisters.”

"...So that's possible." As she spoke, Mary seemed to dismiss her own doubts, tilting her head. "What's wrong?" "Medusa, the youngest of the Gorgon sisters, is very famous. It's indeed possible for her to be summoned to the Holy Grail War as a Servant. But Euryale is different." Mary quietly looked at the screen, comparing Euryale's Spirit Origin reaction, which was slightly weaker than Mash's.

"She is merely a goddess, and while she embodies an ideal, she is undoubtedly also a weakling. It's quite a strange phenomenon that she would be summoned as a Servant." Mary then shifted her gaze to Nian Zhuo and murmured to herself.

"...However, there are indeed other Servants who are just as strange." Nodding her chin, Mary once again flipped through some of the documents preserved in the Chaldea storage room. "Under normal circumstances, unless there are some special reasons, it is very difficult for gods to become Servants. Not to mention that pure divinity is transformed into a Servant, which should be an impossible thing in the world of magic."

"Hey, who are you referring to?" Artemis chuckled and pinched Orion's cheek in her arms, only to have it slapped away by Orion's soft paw.

"You mean us? Can't you use your brain, you idiot?" He gently tapped Artemis on the head with the stick.

"Simply put, does that mean Euryale's combat strength isn't strong enough to warrant being kidnapped?" Drake looked at the goddess with a "well" mark above her head and nodded.

“But—” Drake suddenly patted the deck, “that doesn’t justify not protecting her, besides, her singing voice is really beautiful. I really like people who can sing well, you know? That’s the most important quality for a crew member, don’t you think?” He turned around and loudly asked his busy underlings.

“That’s right!!” The pirates shouted in unison, “For us who live by wandering, songs can heal the soul!” However, Nian Zhuo noticed that these pirates seemed to have been infected by Blackbeard and had picked up some of his shadow.

"In conclusion, don't worry, Big Guy and Euryale are still here." Drake proudly pointed to the cheering pirates behind him. "There's no one on this ship who doesn't intend to protect that little girl."

"..." There was no reply, but the upturned corners of Asterius's mouth silently revealed the berserker's inner elation.

"Really... this should have been expected... but thank you anyway." Euryale smoothed her light purple twin tails, but still managed to convey her gratitude in a very soft voice.

"..." However, Mashu still seemed to be deep in thought, her brows furrowing and relaxing intermittently.

"What's wrong, Mashu?" Nianzhuo approached with concern, glancing into the girl's hesitant, amethyst-like eyes. "Is there something you can't figure out?"

"...Hmm? Is Mash alright?" The voice caught Ritsuka's attention, and she came to Mash's side without saying a word.

"...No, I'm fine." Mash's gaze lingered on Drake, who was laughing heartily to the side. "It's just that I find Captain Drake's character a little hard to understand." Seeing Nianzhuo and Ritsuka's curious expressions, Mash quickly waved her hands. "...I don't know how to express it, but I feel she's a lot like her senior. She bravely faces difficulties and helps those around her. Those are strengths, or virtues, that humans possess. Yet why—" Mash didn't finish her sentence, but Nianzhuo already understood what she meant.

Historically, Drake should have been known as the devil of the sea, a notorious pirate who committed all sorts of evil deeds, including burning, killing, and looting. But is the woman in front of him, who has sworn to protect Euryale, a woman who loves to drink and laugh, really the same person as the historical Drake?

"Why is Francis Drake a villain? Whether it's the current her or the her from human history." Mash still seemed puzzled. Recalling Drake's care throughout the journey, Mash sighed in distress, "...Sigh, she's such a good person, yet her actions are lawless. I can't understand this contradiction—"

However, perhaps even the heavens didn't want Mashu to be bothered by such a trivial matter. Suddenly, dark clouds began to gather, accompanied by purple lightning flashing within them. The once cloudless sky instantly transformed into a harbinger of an impending storm.

Then, a strong gust of wind blew in, abruptly interrupting Mashu's thoughts.

"Damn it!" Drake squinted at the sky, struggling to hold down his captain's hat. "Why did this have to happen at a time like this?" He then opened the hatch behind him and threw ropes accurately to each of his pirate crew members. "Everyone, quickly secure yourselves to the ship with these ropes! A storm is coming!"

Then, large raindrops fell from the dark clouds, pattering against the deck.

Purple lightning roared, and even the waves grew higher and more violent under the force of the gale.

Like a small boat caught in a storm, the Golden Deer swayed and rocked its way forward with the current.

However, the violent rocking of the ship and the constant crashing of the waves made everyone's hearts leap into their throats.

"Boss, what do we do?!" With ropes tied to the mast, the underlings could only huddle under boxes to protect themselves from the rain, pleading for help from the figure still standing in the gale.

"Shut up! I'm thinking!" Drake used the power of the Holy Grail to avoid the rain and flipped through the sea chart in his hand. "Hmm... according to my calculations, the maximum distance of the storm should be here..." With a pencil in his mouth, Drake muttered something as he drew something on the paper.

“It seems this storm… its affected area is relatively narrow.” Drake then drew another dark line on the nautical chart. “Based on the distance, if we're looking from this direction, it might just be a tailwind…”

Then, another huge wave crashed against the ship with a loud noise.

“…The ship’s armor… Ah, right.” Drake seemed to have just remembered. “We used that when we were repairing it before…” Then she put the skeleton in her pocket and slammed the rudder down. “Alright!” She looked at her underlings who were trembling under the box.

"Hey you guys! Good news or bad news, which do you want to hear first?" He pointed at his underlings.

"Well, let's start with the bad news..." The underlings raised their hands, trembling.

“Hmm—” Drake hesitated for a few seconds. “If someone tries to ambush us, we’ll most likely run into them. And their direction probably won’t be greatly affected by this storm. But if we just stay here and wait for the storm to pass, it’ll be too late for them once they’re fully prepared!”

"...Um, what's the good news?" The underlings twitched their lips, eagerly anticipating the good news to come.

"Hahaha! Cheers, everyone!" As if he'd been waiting for that, Drake gripped the helm tightly. "We're going to raise all the sails and race at full speed through this storm! Why don't we have one last exhilarating cruise on this high seas!"

"What kind of good news is this?!" The cries of the underlings seemed to outweigh the flashing lightning.

Asterius! Tear that man's mouth apart!

Drake raised an eyebrow as he looked at the troubled expressions on his underlings' faces.

"Stop making so much noise, or I'll kick you to death!" He gestured to urge them to get moving. "Stop nagging! If you don't want to be shoved in the face by the enemy as soon as you step outside, get moving!" He glanced at the people sheltering from the rain in the cabin.