"Hurry! Fix it fast! The King'll chew us out!!"
"Yes, sir!!"
"Relax, Romani."
"Olga! So reliable, carrying Chaldeas on your back…"
"Give me the Singularity data. My Reality Marble will capture it all, then we'll connect."
"She's the most shaken—!! No way! You'll be crushed fixing the world! No, no, hide the Grail—!!"
"Sheba-Trismegistus pseudo-control… Reality Marble, activate—"
"Whoa, if I get serious—!! Two seconds, done! Comms up, Olga!!"
"Great! Contact them now!"
"Phew… I'd be dead if I turned Marie into a wreck…"
Blackbeard: Disaster, lol!
It appeared.
"Boss! One ship ahead! The pirate flag that's been chasing us!"
It emerged, disrupting their cheerful voyage.
"That's the one hounding us!"
Wearing down several minds.
"You know it, Boss?"
"Yeah, since we got here, that flag's been messing with us. Time to blast it beyond the horizon!"
The worst, most ferocious pirate revealed itself—!
"That flag… Even the most infamous pirate lurks in these seas."
"You know it, Gil?"
"Of course. Nothing on this star escapes me, Pioneer."
"Huh?"
"As investor and arbiter, I'll only lend minimal aid until we pinpoint this anomaly's cause. I won't intervene in this skirmish. Face it with just your and Master's tactics."
"Testing us, huh?"
"Indeed. Victory or retreat is on you. I'll deflect lethal shots, but your efforts decide the outcome. Burn that into your brain."
No scattering enemies until they find the Demon Pillar or Grail. He'd stay back.
Trials and hardships forge Master and Mash—Hero King's cheating would rob them of that, per his and the vessel's ruling.
"Haha, got it! Stay lofty!"
"Hmph, planned to. Ruling is a king's pride! Master, Mash! Struggle!"
"Absolutely!"
"Yes!"
"Kiyas!"
Soon, they saw the enemy crew: a bearded man in a blue coat, a small girl, a tall lady, a green-clad middle-aged man.
"Hm. A ship that's a Noble Phantasm? The more mongrels it carries, the grander it grows—a thief's tool, thriving on crowds."
The ship itself is a Noble Phantasm… Even Captain Drake might struggle in a ship-to-ship fight…
"Hey, you bearded jerk, listening?!"
'Gil! Rikka! Mash! You okay!?'
A familiar voice rang out.
"Olga Marie, nice work restoring comms."
'I helped too! No praise for me!?'
"Fool, stay sharp to prevent surprises and do your job."
'Yes! Scolding and pep talk received, damn it!'
'We've got the area's data! Be careful! That pirate's the world's most notorious!'
"World's most—"
"Notorious…!?"
As Marie reported—
"Huh? Can't hear that hag's voice at all!"
Blackbeard—or what seemed like him—spoke simultaneously.
"—What?"
"Huh?"
"Hmph. What a vile cur."
'His name's Edward Teach… What's wrong, guys?'
"Yeah… figured…"
Rikka nodded, the vessel glaring, arms crossed.
Mash and Drake froze. Understandable. His first words were too bizarre.
…Hag?
"What'd you just say?"
"I said, hags aren't welcome! What's with those useless assets? Joking? Oh, but the sword scar's nice. That vibe works. If you were half your physical age, you'd be in my strike zone, lol!"
"Fou…!? (Huh?)"
"——"
"Boss? Yo, Boss? …Oh, she's dead (mentally)."
Drake froze solid. No wonder—his words sounded alien.
"Pull it together, Boss!"
"Brace yourself. That wound's deep."
"That's him! The talking sea louse chasing me!"
Euryale leaned forward.
"Fool! Why's the treasure exposing itself? Not that I'd call a goddess 'treasure' or some mad nonsense—"
"Euryale-sama!? It's Euryale-sama!"
"Oh—"
"Told you, idiot…"
The vessel sighed; Blackbeard jumped.
"Uhyooo! Euryale-sama! It's me, Blackbeard! Loved you for ten thousand and two thousand years! Will love you a billion years more! Your Blackbeard!"
"Ugh…"
"Our destinies are fated from eons past! Or maybe 'fate' sounds cooler? Destiny's edgier! Me prpr-ing, you prpr-ed! It's—sentimental fate, undeniable—!!"
"I… can't…"
Tearful Euryale was shielded by Asterios.
"Grr…!"
"Hey! Big guy! Outta the way! Blocking my spotlight!? Move! Show Euryale-sama! Oh, if this novel's R18, Blackbeard x Euryale-sama love story's got a shot?"
"Gugyurururu!! (Who'd write that!?)"
"…That's… a Servant…?"
"Hm. I'm ashamed. Sorry, as a fellow hero, truly sorry."
"…Hm?"
Blackbeard's eyes turned to Mash.
"W-What?"
"…Pass! Purple eggplant girl! Name yourself, or else…"
"Or else what?"
"Tonight, I'll haunt your dreams♪ (wink)"
"Mash Kyrielight!! Demi-Servant!!"
"Nice… Purple Marshmallow… Unaware seductress in armor… IN-beauty… Who liked eyepatches? Bartholomew? Duf, dufufu… lol"
"Senpai, help! I'm getting a rash and can't breathe!"
"There, there… He's tough on normal sensibilities."
Rikka hugged and patted Mash.
"Thanks… You're okay with him, Senpai?"
"Hm? Fine, fine. Had a friend like that. Did song covers, dance vids, edited stuff. Greasy, sweaty, but considerate and skilled. We hit Comiket together sometimes."
"Impressive. You must've been popular in class."
"No boyfriends…"
"Stay strong, Senpai!"
"Master just spoke truth. Don't be swayed by false facades. He's no mere fool—a genius playing the clown, a hero in jester's garb."
Selecting treasures carefully, readying Harpe, guillotine blades, and scythes.
"A clown who fails at clowning. A true jester captivates with their life. A self-aware jester's existence is the joke. The author thought it'd sell, but it's branded as a flop."
Don't be fooled by his antics. The world's most famous pirate deserves fitting caution…!
"Thinking you're funny is the lamest thing…"
"Oh? Am I stealing the spotlight? Getting hot stares? No way… heroine Blackhibber!?"
Unconsciously, a golden tub flew at Blackbeard.
It hit!? No, he didn't dodge…!?
"Spewing foul breath is unbearable. Die or shut up and head to the underworld."
"Both are dead ends!? Yikes, AUO's scary!"
"Him or the goddess… which is worse filth…?"
"Hey! Comparing me to him is the ultimate insult!"
"Really? Seems a close match."
Use the 'retort tomato' from the treasure pile? No, too wasteful… Tomatoes are food.
"Blackbeard!!"
Master shouted.
"Hm!? Lively cute girl! Perfect childhood friend vibe! Nice design! Orange hair boosts spunk! So lovable, lol!"
"Yes Lolita—!?"
"NO touch!!—Huh!?"
"What was that…?"
"Gentleman's agreement! Euryale's safe now, yay!"
'Rikka, are you…?'
'One of us!? Wow, instant connection!'
"Master, here's candy. You've had it rough…"
"Thanks?"
"Don't buddy up with him, Rikka! Crew! Cannons! Fire! All of 'em! Or I'll stuff you in and shoot!"
"Y-Yes!"
"Duf. Hag mad?"
"Turn the ship!! Send that bearded fool to hell's depths!!!!"
Drake's fury ignited the sea battle!
"Fou! (Damn, I can't handle ugly things! Only see beauty! Hm!? Beast SMS post? Who's posting now—)"
'Doesn't Blackbeard kinda resemble Caspar League?'
"…Fou. Kyu (Hello, Tiamat?)"
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