Chapter 162: Heracles, actually my Chaldea still has two beasts
"Hahaha! That bearded idiot finally tucked his tail and ran away! Even his flagship sank without a trace, that was so satisfying!!!"
Drake led her crew of pirates back to their base and once again raised her cup in celebration.
"There's no pirate in these seas who can compare with big sis! Now that she's got a few more comrades helping out, becoming the ruler of the ocean is only a matter of time!"
"That's right, that's right! Hey, lil bro, you're quite a drinker, huh? Have another cup!!"
A pirate in a short red jacket kept filling Ethan's wooden cup with wine from a barrel.
"Ah, umm… Senpai can't drink anymore..."
Mash helped Ethan block it, not allowing the pirates to force more alcohol on him.
Jeanne Alter, as usual, still sat alone in a far corner; no pirate dared disturb her.
"Although I don't quite understand what just happened… it seems like everything is alright for now."
A holographic image of Doctor Romani popped out from the wristband, a look of relief on his face.
"Right, Doctor, about Mordred and Johanna—can you determine their location?"
Ethan immediately asked about Mordred and Johanna's situation.
To be honest, it had been a while since they'd last met, and he was somewhat worried.
"Umu, I've located them. Ever since the rayshift, they've remained on a small island about 200 nautical miles southwest from your current position. But as for how to get there, you'll have to ask that great pirate Drake on your side."
"Oh!!! What kind of treasure is that thing on your hand!!!"
Drake, slightly tipsy, leaned in immediately, her eyes wide with surprise as she stared at the wristband device on Ethan's hand, where Doctor Romani's image was projected.
"Hey, where's that short guy from?"
"I'm not a short guy!"
Doctor Romani helplessly explained.
"Is that a divine treasure from some god? It can even talk back to me? Don't tell me it's your subordinate???"
Drake continued to scrutinize the holographic Doctor Romani from head to toe.
"I told you I'm not a treasure—"
"Captain Drake, tomorrow I want to board your ship and head out to sea to look for my comrades. Is that alright?"
Ethan cut in, directly stating his request.
"Ahahaha, of course it is!!!"
Drake, already quite drunk, slapped Ethan firmly on the back.
"But it's already late today, and we just finished a battle. Is it okay to set sail tomorrow?"
Drake replied cheerfully.
"Eh?!"
Ethan was slightly taken aback.
"What's wrong, judging by your expression… don't tell me you didn't plan to set off early?"
Drake asked with suspicion.
"No, of course the sooner the better, but don't you have to check the time, wind direction, weather, and all that to sail? Besides, you don't even know where I want to go...?"
"You helped us teach Blackbeard a lesson, so you're already our comrade! If you want to set sail, no matter where it is, Golden Hind will go full speed ahead!!!"
Drake raised her wooden cup high and downed it in one gulp.
"Well said, Big Sis!!!"
"That's right, a pirate needs that kind of spirit!!!"
"Uwaaah, oh mom, I'm so happy I get to go on an adventure with an amazing pirate like big sis!!!"
Ethan sighed as he listened to the excited cheers of the surrounding pirates.
If possible, he still hoped to... sail more carefully.
If you go out to sea without following the rules, your loved ones will only have tears to shed.
"This really is good wine! Hey, young boy, why aren't you drinking at all? That reminds me, I don't see the flying witch around, where'd she go?"
"About that, regarding Medea-san..."
"Mash, let me say it."
Mash was still hesitating to speak when Ethan stopped her.
Ethan simply recounted how Medea had been ambushed by Hector, leading to her Saint Graph being destroyed and her vanishing.
"I see..."
After hearing Ethan's words, Drake silently stared at the campfire under the moonlight.
"Honestly, my gut told me she was a good woman. Just unlucky to have met the wrong man. It's a shame, but it was her own choice—we have no right to judge right or wrong for her."
Sparks from the burning firewood flew into the endless sky, then vanished into the night.
"To be honest, I don't really understand what you guys mean by Servant or Holy Grail, but to us pirates, as long as we keep laughing and move forward, the treasure won't abandon us."
Drake gave a gentle, relieved smile.
"In short, I'll remember to give that bastard Jason a punch on her behalf. Maybe I'll even punch a few extra holes into him. That'll count as fulfilling my promise to her, right?"
"Yeah. In the end, we'll find Jason."
"Anyway, since it's been decided we'll set off tomorrow, then tonight we're not going home until we're drunk!!!"
Faced with Drake's enthusiastic invitation, Ethan had no choice but to reluctantly drink a few cups out of courtesy.
After a few rounds of liquor, some of the pirates, now tipsy, gathered around the bonfire, singing sky-shaking songs that barely resembled music in an effort to liven up the mood.
Drake had long been completely drunk, snoring loudly as she lay sprawled on the ground.
Ethan set down his cup, and looked toward Heracles, who was sitting beside a cliff not far away.
Since returning from the battle, he hadn't said a single word. On the ground next to him was the axe-sword left behind by Berserker, stabbed straight into the earth.
Ethan signaled to Mash, then walked alone toward Heracles.
Even though he was merely leaning against the cliffside, Heracles's body was still awe-inspiringly massive.
"…Master."
Sensing someone approaching, Heracles immediately turned his gaze straight toward him.
"Heracles, I'm sorry I couldn't do anything to help."
Because he couldn't directly provide him with magical energy, Ethan bowed his head in apology.
Heracles shook his head.
"There is already magical energy from the Age of Gods flowing within my body. Even a Master of the highest rank would find it difficult to provide enough for me. You need not blame yourself."
He clearly radiated overwhelming force and presence, yet the Heracles before him remained calm and collected in a strangely serene way.
There was none of the madness typically associated with Berserker.
"Let me go get the Holy Grail. You can use it for now to replenish your magical energy."
Surprisingly, Heracles shook his head and rejected Ethan's offer outright.
"I have no desire for the Holy Grail. To misuse it would only bring meaningless trouble."
"But what about your magical energy?"
Heracles pointed at the belt fastened around his waist.
"This is the Belt of the God of War Ares. The divine power sealed within can not only enhance my abilities, but also regenerate magical energy."
Considering this was one of the treasures from the Twelve Labors' Glory, it wasn't strange at all for it to possess such powerful abilities.
Hearing Heracles say so, Ethan no longer insisted.
"Master."
Heracles's expression suddenly turned serious.
"You summoned me to this era… What exactly for?"
There was an unmistakable pressure in his words, and his dignified gaze stared intently at Ethan.
"Of course, to take back humanity's future."
Ethan replied naturally, but after a moment of hesitation, he added,
"No, it's not such a grand goal. It's just… to survive, that's all."
Not out of some great ambition to save human civilization.
He simply didn't want to die in this catastrophe — that was the only reason.
"The will to survive, huh..."
Heracles continued to watch Ethan carefully.
"Even if it means using the power of a 'Beast', you wouldn't hesitate???"
Ethan could feel the pressure radiating from Heracles's entire being.
Clearly, his answer to this question mattered deeply to him.
After a short pause, Ethan replied:
"If 'Beast' is a calamity that humanity must overcome, then doesn't that mean it's part of humanity too? Carrying sin yet continuing to move forward — that's the true form of mankind!!!"
Facing Heracles's gaze, Ethan spoke those words.
The evil of humanity is also the love of humanity.
"To shoulder sin and keep walking forward…"
Heracles looked down at his own hands.
He, too, had been cursed and consumed by rage, and had killed those dearest to him… just as Master said.
Right now, wasn't he also carrying that very same sin, moving forward nonetheless?
Even if this Saint Graph was half divine, in the end, his blood still had half of humanity in it.
Thinking this, Heracles gave a slight nod.
"I understand. My strength — Master, you may use it as you wish."
"Thank you, Heracles."
Ethan quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed his answer had led Heracles to temporarily accept him.
However… if, after returning to Chaldea, Heracles were to discover that two Beasts still existed there—
How was he supposed to explain that?
…Oh well, he'd figure it out later. He could just blame Romani.
Ethan glanced around, but he couldn't see any trace of Draco.
Where had she gone???
...
Under the silver moonlight, a small figure appeared atop a rock on the other side of Pirate Island.
A little girl in purple robes, holding a staff, was silently observing the pirate camp in the distance.
"Oh? What are you doing here?"
No one knew since when, but a petite blonde girl had appeared in the shadows behind her.
Her glowing crimson eyes carried a sinister smile.
"Sorry, I just wanted to check out the situation a little."
The girl, who looked as pure as an angel, didn't seem surprised at being discovered. She simply spoke in a friendly tone.
"Then… why are you setting up such boring magic circles? To me, they're so weak they're not even worth noticing."
Draco, with her wicked smile still on her face, slowly walked forward.
"Speak. What exactly are you all plotting?"
"I'm very sorry, but I can't answer that part."
Medea Lily responded in a sincerely apologetic tone.
"It's fine, it's fine. I'm not really interested in your plan anyway… but if you're planning to lay a hand on my Master—"
A blood-red glint flashed in Draco's eyes.
"Swoooosh——————————!!!"
A crimson slash of energy tore through the air, hurtling straight toward Medea Lily!
Her figure instantly vanished from sight.
Moments later, a magic circle unexpectedly lit up beneath Draco's feet, sealing her in place.
"Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh——————!!!"
Three purple beams from Medea Lily's staff shot toward Draco!!!
"Hmph."
Draco sneered coldly with contempt.
The magic circle binding her was instantly shattered by the surge of magical energy erupting from her body. The three purple beams were also easily blocked by her dragonized arm.
"This is far weaker than that witch. Looks like you're not exactly a combat-capable Servant."
Draco immediately lunged forward, intending to capture Medea Lily.
But at that very moment, another magic circle — prepared in advance — suddenly activated.
"BOOOOOM———————————!!!"
A violent explosion erupted around Draco!!!
As the smoke cleared, Medea Lily's figure was gone, having vanished into a magic circle behind her. Only her voice echoed through the pitch-black night sky—
"Please relay this message to everyone on Pirate Island: Master Jason and I will be waiting for you all at the Argo."
And with that, she vanished completely without a trace.
"I don't know who my Master has gotten involved with this time, but things are definitely getting more and more interesting."
Draco looked down at the large magic circle on the rock, now ruined. With a casual wave of her hand, she destroyed the remaining traces completely.
"Draco?! What are you doing here?"
From the distance, Ethan and Mash came running toward her.
"We just heard a huge explosion — did something happen?"
"Nothing at all."
Draco answered lightly, as if there was nothing worth worrying about.
"Really? But on the ground here—"
"Just some silly tricks from a bunch of small fry. I think they even asked me to deliver a message or something, but I couldn't be bothered to listen."
"You could've at least listened to what they had to say…"
Ethan sighed in frustration.
However, judging by the remnants of the recent battle and the magic circles on the ground, Ethan could roughly guess who Draco had just clashed with.
Draco dispelled the dragonization on her arm, reverting to the petite blonde girl from earlier.
Then, right in front of Mash, she casually took Ethan's hand — and as always, flashed her familiar little devil's smile.
"Let's go home, Onii-sama~~~"
"————————!!!"
Seeing Mash turn to stone on the spot, Ethan tried to speak up and explain.
"Senpai…"
Mash looked at him with a deeply disappointed expression.
"So… Senpai's into that kind of thing…"
"Wait, no! Mash, that's not what you think!!!"
...
Early morning, Pirate Island.
"Ahahaha, after a good round of drinking and a great night's sleep, getting blasted by the ocean breeze in the morning really feels amazing~"
Drake shouted to everyone around.
"Boys, once you're ready, we're setting sail!"
"Big sis… urp… you're still as energetic as ever, gurp…"
The drunken pirates were still vomiting as they clung to the ship's rails.
"Don't be lazy! This time we're rescuing a new comrade, so get your spirits up!!"
Standing at the bow of the ship, Drake smiled as she looked at Ethan and the others who had already gathered.
"Welcome aboard the Golden Hind, Yorokobe Shonen!!!"