Hunter of the Three Stars

Asterios! Where's Asterios? Fujimaru! Mash! Help me look for him, too!

Fou! Fou, fou! Kyuuuu!

Fou found him! He'll bring him over!

I'll help! Ugh, so heavy!

...Ugh...

Don't worry, he's alive. But the wound he got during the battle against us opened up.

That's for being reckless before making a full recovery!

What kind of moron keeps swimming while carrying a galleon! You dummy!

...This kind...of...moron.

It's not something to brag about!

Did you forget your role of carrying me on your shoulders? Go on, clean your filthy body!

Mgh...

Drake, how about the ship

It's no good. Nothing can make it budge.

...Although I think we'll be able to fix the ship, thanks to Asterios bringing it to the coast.

But we don't have enough materials. Looks like this island has a forest, so I guess we can make some lumber out of those trees.

Don't you think it's better to slay the forest monsters first? See, over there.

Right. I'd like to reassess the situation.

Oh boy, when we're done, I want to ask you something... How to sink that huge fool of a pirate!

There wasn't much difference in the ships' performance. The issue was the thickness of their armor.

Yes. Our cannons had no effect. ...Doctor, please tell us about Blackbeard.

I have some knowledge, but I'm sure that Chaldea has more accurate data.

Right, Blackbeard was a pirate born 100 years after Francis Drake.

His real name was Edward Teach. He was one of the pirates who ruled over the Caribbean.

His policy was simple. He would kill anyone who showed resistance but spared the rest.

Based in Nassau, he rampaged through these waters on his beloved ship, from Virginia to Honduras.

His beloved ship... It had a name, right?

Yes. It was called "Queen Anne's Revenge." He had 300 men on board.

He built up a large fleet centered around his flagship, and reigned as one of the strongest and worst pirates.

However, he ended up losing his head.

...Even a pirate as fearsome as him... Unbelievable...

...Don't say any more. He's a Servant I'd rather not remember.

I erased the image of that thing from my brain. What? Has something happened?

Yeah, pirates are all trashy, but he is the trashiest of them all. The King of Trash. That's what he is.

Sorry, everybody. I apologize on behalf of all pirates.

？！

Fujimaru... You're a good guy... You'd be a great pirate!

As a pirate, I can guarantee it!

Doctor, are there any stories that could give us hints on his Noble Phantasm?

There are a few... Among them, I think his ship has the highest possibility of being a Noble Phantasm.

I was monitoring the magical energy levels during the battle, and his ship gave off the strongest readings.

Captain Drake's "Golden Hind" too. Maybe it's the Holy Grail, but it showed magical energy similar to a Noble Phantasm...

Even then, that ship was superior...

Fou...

Hmm... I don't quite understand, but are you saying that my ship is no match for his?

It seems that way...

Hmmm...

Wait a second... Nothing happened before you blasted the ropes and made your escape?

Did you inflict any damage to their side

Ah, at that time... I believe we defeated Eric Bloodaxe.

Right! Yes, we confirmed that he vanished completely on our end as well.

...Ah, so that's it!

What do you mean?

Simply put, Blackbeard's Noble Phantasmis that ship, "Queen Anne's Revenge."

Maybe it's a Noble Phantasm that powers up as "his subordinates get stronger and stronger."

!!!

The moment you guys defeated Eric, the magical energy surrounding the ship clearly weakened.

After that, it stayed in that state until they lost sight of us.

In other wordsthe more Servants it carries, the stronger it becomes?

There were five Servants including Blackbeard on that ship. With Eric defeated, it's now four.

Maybe the reason he sought Euryale...

...is because he gets stronger with her on board. His personal interests also play a part, of course...

If only we could pull those Servants away somehow... But I'm sure it will be hard.

Ah, I've never encountered a hindrance like him before. He knows nothing and still disturbs our Holy Grail search!

Well, we pirates are all like that. We take treasures from people, no matter how good they may be.

...If it's hard to pull them away, we'll have to slay them.

...And we better do it fast, before Blackbeard becomes even more powerful.

...Offense is the best form of defense. Hmm? I'm picking up couple life signatures on that island.

Looks like they're wyverns, be careful!

Oh, so this is a dragon? It really looks like a lizard!

More precisely, a wyvern. We fought many during our battles in France.

...Hmm?

Something the matter?

Oh no, I just thought of something...

？！

...That's it, Master!

Huh? You're going to fix my ship with dragons?

...Oh, that's brilliant. If you process it, dragon scales are even harder than steel.

We need someone really strong to process it, but...

Uuugh...

Oh, you're here. Can you handle it?

Yes.

Looks like it won't be a problem for Asterios. I'll try to strip their scales immediately!

Yeah, I feel reassured with this guy! But don't overdo it like before!

Hey, let's eat first! After that I'll let you meet our blacksmith!

YYe-ah... We...eat food...together.

Hmm... These scales are tough, but we still need more.

Technical Director Leonardo. How many more wyverns do we need to slay to fix the ship?

Considering the size of the scale and how it shrinks while processing... I think 30 more wyverns should be enough.

In that case, we should be able to do it in a day once we found a nest.

？！

We make pretty good adventurers, right, Master?

Hmmm, maybe I should change the ship's name to the "Golden Dragon"...

...All right. Uh, chop that up...and add some spices, and sauté...

Oh no, we need to add some vegetables too, right?

Will that grass there do? There!

Okay, now put it in that box... And stir... Done!

Darling, I made you a boxed lunch!

Wait. Do you even know how you made that?

It's just grilled meat with some plucked weeds sprinkled on top, you can't call it a boxed lunch.

Don't say that. Please try some? It's tasty, you know?

How are you so confident in a boxed lunch with that kind of quality?

You're asking so much, darling... What?

Hmm... Something's coming. Looks like a Servant.

Is it friend or foe?

If she's cute, I don't care which side she's

No, it's nothing. Don't scrape me on this tree trunk! Owww!

Actually, this is perfect. I'm getting bored of this island already.

I don't even know why we were summoned here in the first place!

Yes, you're right. Friend or foe, we need information.

...Well, it's not like I want to leave or anything, though...

Speak for yourself. These last two islands are way too boring.

And there weren't any cute girls?

No, there weren't.

...I'm sorry. I'm really sorry.

I forgot that I rely completely on you, and that I leech off you for everything.

I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please don't swing me arouuu

Ah... (slip)

Whaat!

Eek! Darling, I'm sorry!

You think apologizing is enough?! You moron!

...Be careful. I am picking up multiple wyverns. And... What is this?

It's tiny. Maybe like a familiar...

There's a familiar on an island like this?

Hmmm... Something different about it, though.

Looks like it doesn't have that much magical energy, so I don't think we need to be too concerned.

...Hmmm.

Huh?

It's nothing. I just had a bad feeling.

And, with your height, I'll be hitting my head on the tree branches.

Please, duck a little, or hold me in your arms. ...Yes, that's way better.

Geez... Comfy enough there, Princess?

Princess? I'm a goddess.

Please, stop. Stop! Don't chew, don't chew please! Not food! Not food!

Just now! I think I heard a voice... Master!

？！

Yes!

Wyverns!

Good timing, I'll turn you into materials!

That's the last one. But, I thought I heard someone's voice earlier...

I am not seeing the usual mess wyverns left behind, maybe they ran away?

Huh? That weak magic response I mentioned... Seems like it's right near you.

Well? Can you find it?

No, not really...

Hrrrnngh!?

？！

What? I stepped on something? Let's see... Could it be this?

What is it? A plush toy? It sure is ugly. Even I can sew something better.

Ah, that's it. The magical energy I mentioned is coming from that thing.

Is this the familiar you mentioned? ...Hmmm, it doesn't look like anything but a plush toy.

Kyun kyun♪

... I can feel a really creepy gaze.

Me too.

What? You too? So I'm not the only one...

...

(Stare...)

(Stare...)

(Stare...)

...

Wah!

Hyoo? What are you doing?

...Oh.

Senpai, Senpai. The unknown object is talking.

...I see, it does look pretty rare.

I'm not a plush toy, okay? Though I do look like one. I'll admit that.

Dissect... You're right. That's a pretty good idea.

No, it's not!

？！

...It really talks. Are you friend or foe?

Huh? That's my line!

...I'm sorry. I think we can be friends. We have no intention of harming you.

Ah!!

...A Servant?

Wait! They're not enemies... Pugyuru?!

Did you cheat on me again, darling?! Despite! Having! ME!

I'm at the limit of my patience! Come on, it is time to punish you!

What? How am I the first to get hit? Wait! Wait! There's a misunderstanding!

I really was staring at their breasts and legs, but... I'm sorr... Pugyuru!

U-Um...

What? Don't interfere in a lover's spat! It is a civil matter! Civil court!

Master, what do we do? This is the first time I feel at a loss.

Ah, no... When we met that Black-whatever earlier, I felt like this too. One bad feeling after another.

In this era, everyone has a few loose screws!

？！

Hmm? ...Wait, you're human? Are you a Master?

Fujimaru... Right. Okay, finally we meet a respectable Servant.

Let's see... This summon is for a Holy Grail War, right? Are we friend or foe? Is the busty girl single?

Don't casually mix questions up!

？！

...I see. Now I get what's going on, more or less.

Huh... So this world is endless? Eternal?

Even if this era is, I believe it will still vanish if its outer frame is gone.

And if that happens, we'll be defeated, and human history will come to an end.

Poo...

Hey, you were thinking that you wanted to live in this world forever and stuff, weren't you?

Oh! Guessing what's on my mind... It's like we're in love... How lovely...

If I have to live in an eternal world, I'd prefer to die in the hell.

Senpai, Senpai...

Those two people... Or one person and one thing? There's something weird about their relationship...

What is it? No matter how you look at it, Darling and I are the best couple of the Servant world.

Hmm, from a third party viewpoint, it must look strange for a woman to be talking to a plush toy...

I see, each person has their own tastes. That aside, could you help us?

Hmm, what do you think, Darling?

You ask what I think, but with humanity about to be exterminated. We have no choice but to help, idiot!

I'm not an idiot! I'm a goddess!

Quiet you useless goddess! (Slap, slap, slap, slap, slap, slap!)

Ah, it's DV! This is what you call domestic violence, right?

This is just too much, I can't see the end of it...

...By the way... Lady Goddess. What's your name?

What? I'm Artemis.

What!?

Fou?!

What?!

...

Uh?

A super famous one just appeared... She doesn't seem to be faking it... What do we do?

How about that plush toy right there?

He is my love, Orion.

...I knew that he was going to be summoned, and got worried so I came as his substitute!

I, I see... By lowering her divinity, it allows her to be summoned as a substitute Heroic Spirit...

It's not like there aren't previous cases...

I'm Orion. When I was summoned into this Holy Grail War, I got turned into a strange creature.

...Strange creature... Strange...

？！

By the way, I'm infinitely close to useless. I can't live unless I totally depend on her for everything.

Hehe. You can depend on me even more, Darling.

I want to be independent...

Ahem.

Then let's fight together. Artemis, Orion.

Now, we need dragon's scales to fix our ship. Let's pool our strengths and gather them!

Okay, this way... Dragon nests are usually hidden in bleak places like this.

Darling, so smart♪

It's just like Orion said. I am picking up multiple dragons nearby.

Okay Servants. Let's go hunting!

Finally, we're halfway.

So hot, so tired, so exhausted, need booze...

The captain is such a slacker.

Well, you've been leaving everything to Asterios for a while now...

That's fine. I give orders, and he acts.

Hey, hey, Darling.

What?

Are there male and female wyverns?

They have parents, but I've never heard about gender.

Parents?

Yes. Their parents are not of the wyvern subspecies. Wyverns are born from their superior species, dragons.

I guess they're more like minions than children.

...So... For example... They are way bigger than wyverns?

...Yeah. Indeed...

And if we keep slaying their wyvern minions, they will become excited or angry?

...Well, they probably won't forgive us...

Master...

I know nothing about such givens!

If we apologize, will they forgive us?

The dragons basically think we declared war against them when we entered their territory in the first place.

It's useless. Go, fight now. Like a hero, do your best♪

？！

...Understood. Mash Kyrielightheading in!

I've fought dragons before, but it never gets easier.

Why do I have to take part in this?

Ugh.

Oh well, you have enough scales now, don't you? That was quite fun.

It's easy to sit back and see how things pan out, but it's also fun to see people struggle up close.

Thanks for the god-like opinion. You sure got noticed by someone bizarre huh, big guy?

Ugh...