Location: Singularity Detected – Infinite Sea Under the Red Sun
A celestial glow streaked across the sky at blazing speed. Six lights fell from the heavens like shooting stars towards an immense ocean tinged red, with the horizon shrouded in mist and the ghostly silhouettes of ancient galleons sailing in the distance.
"AAAAAAAHHH, WHY ARE WE FALLING?!" screamed Leonel, the wind whipping his face as he spiraled downward.
"This Singularity is clearly a wet trap for my imperial hair!" shrieked Nero, dramatically clutching her crown.
"There's no land in sight! Nothing but sea everywhere!" warned Mash, activating Lord Chaldeas, which began radiating defensive energy.
"Is that... a ghost ship down there?" asked Artoria, pointing to a massive vessel with black sails cutting through the water below them.
"More importantly! We're going to crash!" exclaimed Jeanne, already praying as they fell.
Tamamo, pulling out talismans with grace and calm, yelled:
"Hug Mash! My adorable fox protection plus her shield will save us!"
Each received a talisman stuck to them with surprising precision, and they all lunged at Mash, hugging her as if their lives depended on it (spoiler: they did).
"Am I the human shield again?!" grumbled Leonel while Tamamo hung from his neck.
And then...
SPLAAAAASH!
The group violently impacted the water, protected by Mash's magical dome and Tamamo's talismans. They floated for a few seconds, soaked but alive.
As they caught their breath, floating like shipwrecked souls newly arrived in hell, the sound of creaking wood was heard just meters away.
"A raft!" exclaimed Mash.
"No..." corrected Jeanne, squinting her eyes. "It's a lifeboat."
Emerging slowly from the mist was a small boat with a skeletal pirate at the helm. Its empty eye sockets seemed to observe the group with interest.
"Welcome to the Sea of Lost Souls! Come aboard if you want to live... or at least try!" said the skeleton in a ghostly voice, giving a most courteous bow.
Leonel looked at him with a soaked face, still collapsed from the fall.
"...That's our guide?"
"It appears so..." replied Artoria, elegantly pushing the boat towards them.
"She looks like she has tragic stories! I like her!" said Nero, climbing aboard dramatically.
"Where are the magical hairdryers when you need them?!" huffed Tamamo, wringing water from her hair with her fingers.
"I feel like this is just beginning..." sighed Mash.
Leonel, now aboard the boat, looked at the misty sea, the shadowy galleons in the distance, and his wet, magical... and dangerously excited companions.
"...How bad can things get?" he said.
The sky thundered.
The boat creaked.
And on the horizon... a demonic laugh echoed among the waves.
The heroes of Chaldea eyed the rickety vessel floating before them with suspicion. It creaked as if about to collapse, adorned with rusty lanterns and a flag featuring a skull... with a mustache.
"Are we really getting on this?" asked Leonel, watching as the skeleton at the helm moved its bones as if giving them a 'come aboard, everything's fine' signal.
"It's either that or swim to the end of the red sea, and I didn't bring my holy bathing suit," said Tamamo, crossing her arms.
"I'm already on board," said Nero, dramatically standing on the gunwale. "The stage calls me, even if it's rotten and soaks my royal sandals!"
One by one they climbed aboard, soaked and hair dripping, when suddenly...
OOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHH!
An icy gust blew from the ship's hold. The atmosphere changed instantly. The skeletal helmsman slowly turned.
"Oh, I forgot to mention... sometimes there are certain unregistered passengers."
CREAK!
A trapdoor opened and three translucent ghosts floated towards them, with deformed faces and comically dramatic shrieks.
"KYAAAAAAAAH!!" screamed Jeanne, jumping directly into Tamamo's arms.
"GYAHAHAHAHA, NOOO, I HATE TRANSPARENT THINGS!!" shrieked Nero, pouncing on Leonel and hugging him as if he were her personal shield.
"Calm down, they're just low-level specters!" said Leonel, as a dark blue light emerged behind him.
Tezcatlipoca, his Persona, surged forth with an imposing presence, his eyes blazing with supernatural energy.
"Those entities are weak to divine light and fire. They also smell like mold... unpleasant," he roared with a deep, mocking voice.
"You heard him! Mash, with your light, and Artoria, ignite your sword! Let's clear them out!" ordered Leonel.
Mash raised her shield, channeling purifying energy.
"Luminosité Eternelle!!" she shouted, releasing a bright wave that made the ghosts recoil with cartoonish shrieks.
Artoria activated her holy sword, which sparked with sacred fire, stepping forward with authority.
"By the name of King Arthur... begone!"
ZAP! PLOP! FWISH!
Between Mash's light, Artoria's slashes, and Tezcatlipoca's analysis guiding Leonel, the ghosts were repelled one by one with ridiculously exaggerated sound effects, as if part of a school Halloween show.
When the last specter exploded into a cloud of spectral confetti (yes, confetti), the skeletal helmsman applauded with a sound of bones clacking.
"Very well! Now we can continue the journey towards the Heart of the Eternal Shipwreck. Hold onto something that isn't cursed!"
Leonel sighed while trying to peel Nero off his torso and Jeanne off Tamamo.
"This is going to be long..."
Tamamo, smiling mischievously, whispered in his ear:
"The good thing is ships have many cabins... private ones."
Leonel paled.
Location: Sea of Lost Souls – En route to the unknown
The ghosts were now just a bad memory (and some ectoplasm floating in the air). The group sighed with relief... just as a deep creaking sound resonated throughout the ship's hull.
"...That doesn't sound good," said Mash, looking down.
"MY FLOATING STAGE!!" Nero yelled as the mast began to crack like a soggy cracker.
The ship slowly began to fade into a cloud of black smoke, as if someone were erasing it with a magic pencil from another dimension.
"This vessel is tied to the ghosts' presence. As they fade, its anchor to this world dissolves as well..." explained Tezcatlipoca, appearing beside Leonel.
Leonel closed his eyes. He felt a pulse through his connection with his Persona. The sea's echo spoke to him.
"There's land nearby... to the northeast. A small island, but firm enough to land on."
"How do you know that?" asked Jeanne.
"Tezcatlipoca showed me. He senses it like a heartbeat in the mist," replied Leonel, as his Persona nodded solemnly.
"Then there's no time to waste," said Artoria, already taking the helm that still floated on the half-vanished deck. "If it's navigable, I can get us there."
With determined and majestic movements, Artoria maneuvered the remains of the ship as the sea beneath them began to glow with a strange purple light. Thanks to her innate skill to master any tool or vehicle, even a dying one like this obeyed her hands.
"As a proper knight, I shall bring this vessel to its destination!" she declared, her hair waving in the wind.
After a few tense minutes, the group managed to reach a misty shore. Just as the last foot touched the wet sand...
PLOP.
The ship dissolved into the air with a soft pop, like a giant soap bubble.
"NOOOOOO!!!" Tamamo and Nero screamed in unison, falling to their knees.
"My cabin with imaginary feather pillows!"
"My private bathroom full of nothing but it was mine!"
Both Servants made a comical pout, hugging each other on the shore as if victims of a great theatrical tragedy.
"...Was that really necessary?" asked Jeanne, sweating slightly.
"Let them be, they're... processing reality?" added Mash with a nervous smile.
Leonel, now more focused, observed the horizon. The island was covered by thick fog, but some rock formations and what looked like an old ruined tower further inland were visible.
"We're not alone. Something... or someone... is watching," he murmured.
"Scattered presences. Not human. Could be enemies, or mere echoes of the past. We must investigate," added Tezcatlipoca, floating nearby, his eyes flashing blue through the mist.
"Alright. We'll split into two teams, but maintain visual contact at all times," ordered Leonel.
The group nodded with determination. Jeanne, Mash, and Artoria took the lead along the coastal path, while Leonel and Tezcatlipoca investigated among the remains of an old half-sunken pier.
The mystery of the island had begun...
And with it, the true trials of this Singularity.
Location: Misty Island – Coastal Jungle Interior
The group had advanced quite a bit since landing. Palms and gnarled trees surrounded them, casting unsettling shadows as a humid mist caressed their skin like ghostly fingers.
Behind the group...
"Sniff sniff... I'll never have a portable dressing table with ocean views again..." Tamamo sobbed, dragging her feet.
"And I didn't even get to drink imaginary wine on deck!" added Nero, hugging a seashell as if it were a lost goblet.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Mash asked quietly to Jeanne, a bead of sweat trailing down her cheek.
"I'd say it's better to let them vent in their own way... even if it's extremely dramatic," Jeanne replied in a resigned tone.
Up front, Leonel advanced in silence, accompanied by the imposing silhouette of Tezcatlipoca, whose eyes kept glowing in shades of turquoise and jade as he scanned the surroundings.
"Nothing in the immediate vicinity. The island has residual energy, but it's not aggressive... for now," Tezcatlipoca informed, his voice resonating like an ancestral echo.
"We'll keep looking. Someone or something had to have left that tower we saw from the beach," Leonel said, his face serious.
Artoria walked beside Mash, her sword ready but still sheathed.
"The fog is too dense. If there are enemies, they could be watching our every step."
"Maybe more ghosts?" asked Mash.
"For the love of the King... no more ghosts, please..." Jeanne whispered, shuddering.
At least two hours passed as they walked in formation. They climbed small hills, skirted around old trees, and heard what sounded like the howling of the wind... or maybe something else.
Until...
Tezcatlipoca stopped abruptly. His eyes shone intensely.
"Living souls. Three kilometers away. Human energy. They don't seem hostile... they are static, relaxed..." he reported, looking at Leonel.
"Are they resting?" Mash asked, with a bit of hope.
"Or unconscious. Or dead... or..." Jeanne murmured.
"No, they are singing. And... drinking," Tezcatlipoca added, blinking.
"...What?" they all said in unison.
With a mix of curiosity and caution, the group hurried forward. They crossed an old rope bridge and followed a path through bushes until they finally saw a giant bonfire, several open barrels of rum, and a group of at least twelve pirates spinning in circles, yelling a strange version of "Yo ho, yo ho, a bottle with no end."
"...Pirates?" Artoria said, raising an eyebrow.
"Pirates. And drunk. Very drunk," Leonel confirmed, hiding behind a rock.
One of the pirates tripped and fell into an empty barrel, giving a thumbs-up from inside as a belch was heard.
"AHA! CHEATER!! YOU DRANK THE WITCH'S RUM, ALBERT!" yelled another pirate, before throwing a watermelon at him.
"...That wasn't a threat. It was art," murmured Jeanne, with an expression of confusion and fascination.
"What if they're friendly?" Mash asked with a glimmer of hope.
"What if they have cursed rum that turns people into fish?" Tamamo retorted from the back, still in a tragic voice.
Leonel turned to everyone.
"We don't know if they are enemies or allies... but one thing is sure: they have information."
"Or at least rum, which in this context is almost the same," Tezcatlipoca added sarcastically.
"So, plan?" Artoria asked, preparing herself.
"We approach carefully. Whoever has the best charisma speaks first," Leonel responded.
"ME!" Tamamo and Nero yelled in unison, jumping to the front with renewed energy.
"...This is going to go either very well or very badly," Jeanne murmured, pulling out her banner just in case.
From a nearby mound, hidden among bushes and palms, Leonel, Tamamo, Nero, Artoria, Mash, and Jeanne carefully spied on the disorderly pirate camp. Amidst laughter, off-key songs, and belching contests, the pirates seemed closer to a comedy show than a real danger.
"Alright!" Nero said, dramatically raising a finger and producing a fan from nowhere. "Hear my plan: We'll burst onto the scene like nautical deities! I, the immortal Empress, will make a glorious entrance riding a golden turtle summoned by the passion of my soul. Then, you," she pointed at Leonel, "will follow me dressed as Neptune, god of the sea! You'll speak to them in verse while drums sound behind you!"
Leonel blinked slowly.
"...And then what do we do?"
"We surrender to their admiration and demand a toast of peace and wine!"
Tamamo, smiling with sly eyes, stepped forward slightly.
"I have a more subtle idea. I would disguise myself as a wandering pirate, lost and in distress, with a tragic story... extremely convincing, of course. Then, with sweet words and a bit of magical charm, I'll convince them to let us stay. By the time they realize we're more powerful than them, they'll be too emotionally attached to say no. Subtle manipulation, my dears."
Leonel crossed his arms.
"...Yeah, no. Nero, your plan sounds like a theater play written under the influence of sake. And Tamamo... while technically it sounds logical, we'll likely end up surrounded by jealous or confused pirates starting fights among themselves."
The two girls looked at him with annoyance. Tamamo pursed her lips, and Nero let out a "You ingrate!" in a hurt voice.
It was Artoria who stepped forward then, with a calm expression.
"We have the advantage that they don't know us. Nor do they see us as enemies yet. My proposal is simple: we approach with no visible weapons, raise our hands in a sign of peace, and introduce ourselves as shipwreck survivors. If they ask too much, we let Mash and Jeanne speak," she looked at them, surprised. "They are the calmest. If they insist on knowing more... I'll handle it."
Leonel nodded with a half-smile.
"Rational plan. I like it. It's direct, unadorned, and has room for adaptation."
Mash timidly raised her hand.
"What if they don't want to talk... and just attack?"
"Then I disarm them," Artoria replied without batting an eye.
"How chivalrous!" Jeanne added, half-laughing, half-nervous.
With everyone in agreement, they put the plan into motion.
Location: Pirate Camp – Mid-celebration
Artoria led the group, with Mash and Jeanne at her sides. Leonel, Tamamo, and Nero walked behind. They raised their hands, showing they had no intention to fight.
The pirates stopped singing abruptly.
"Who... are... you?!" one shouted, a barrel under his arm.
Mash stepped forward, nervous.
"W-We are travelers who were shipwrecked. We just seek help... we don't want any trouble."
"We're hungry! And thirsty! And... we want solid ground under our feet!" Jeanne added in a sweet voice, though her posture ready to pull out her lance said otherwise.
An awkward silence reigned for a few seconds... until one of the bigger pirates, with a beard tangled with pearls and a scar across his nose, let out a loud laugh.
"HAHA! Finally something interesting! Bring them to the captain! Let's see if these fools can sing better than you lot!"
They surrounded them without aggression and escorted them to a large makeshift tent made of ship sails.
Location: Pirate camp, inside the boss's large tent
The tent's interior was more luxurious than Leonel had anticipated: ancient maps hung on the walls, a rum barrel served as a table, and various jewels and marine trophies decorated the corners. At the far end, seated on a large carved wooden chair, was the pirate captain. Her face hidden by a tilted tricorn hat and a long cape with golden edges, her voice resonated with a mocking tone.
"So... you want an alliance," she said, propping her feet on the table. "And what would we gain? Mysterious adventurers, well-armed, arriving out of nowhere and approaching with false smiles?"
Leonel didn't flinch.
"We offer help, protection, and knowledge. We are not mere wanderers. We are here for a greater cause. And that cause can benefit you if you join us."
The captain laughed, a rough, powerful sound that rumbled against the walls.
"Hmmm... that sounds boring. How about this? A duel. If you or one of yours wins, we'll consider your proposal. But if you lose..."
The captain leaned forward, letting the hat's shadow cover her eyes.
"You and yours will be part of my crew. Not for a while. Until death. What do you say?"
Leonel swallowed. It was a risky gamble... one he couldn't take lightly. He closed his eyes for a second and spoke internally with his Persona.
Tezcatlipoca emerged in his mind with a deep, firm voice.
"This is an opportunity worthy of a champion. Accept. But do not fight yourself... let the sword you have by your side speak for you. That woman, Artoria, is your best card in this game."
Leonel opened his eyes, determined.
"I accept the duel. But I will not fight." He turned to his companion. "Artoria... can you handle this?"
Artoria Pendragon nodded without hesitation.
"Of course. If this represents our cause, I cannot refuse."
The captain let out an amused huff.
"Interesting. I like your style. Then let's prepare!"
Just as the tension began to rise, the captain stood up... and slowly began to remove her cape, weapon belt, and hat.
Everyone's eyes widened instantly.
What stood before them was not a man, but a woman with an imposing figure, skin bronzed by the sea sun, wavy reddish hair falling over her shoulders like wild waves, and a scar crossing one of her cheekbones, giving her a fierce yet beautiful expression.
Her generous bust and upright posture left no doubt about her power or presence.
"Surprised?" she said with a confident smile. "I am Francis Drake, Queen of the Seven Seas... and it will be a pleasure to break a few bones before talking politics."
The atmosphere changed completely. Mash swallowed dryly, Nero whispered a "How beautiful!" with drama, and Tamamo crossed her arms, visibly annoyed.
Leonel narrowed his eyes with a half-smile. This was getting very interesting.
"Drake, huh? Then it won't be a simple duel. It will be a legendary one."
Drake snapped her fingers and the ground trembled slightly. Outside, the pirates gathered in a large circle around the improvised arena.
"Let the duel begin!" she roared.
Artoria walked with determination to the center, unsheathing Excalibur with a brilliant sound, while Drake raised a pair of gleaming pistols, loaded with magic and ancient gunpowder.
Sparks were about to fly.
Location: Improvised Dueling Circle in the Pirate Camp
The sky was covered in gray clouds, and the smell of sea mixed with old gunpowder permeated the air. The pirates had gathered in a circle, whistling and betting loudly. At the center of the improvised dirt coliseum, Francis Drake stretched her arms and cracked her neck, while Artoria Pendragon calmly unsheathed her sword, wrapped in a soft golden glow.
"Don't hold back, blondie," Drake said with a crooked smile, brandishing two pistols with silver filigree. "I promise I won't."
BANG!
Drake didn't wait. As soon as she finished her sentence, she fired twice.
But Artoria moved before the triggers sounded. Her battle perception was impeccable, her reflexes sharp as Excalibur's edge. She slid to the side, turning in a fluid arc that let the bullets strike the dust.
Drake whistled, impressed.
"Wow, your reflexes are better than Barbados rum..."
BANG-BANG-BANG!
More shots, more evasions. Artoria advanced between the bullets like a lion in a storm of arrows, each step measuring the distance, each movement cutting the air with lethal intent.
But getting close to Drake wasn't that easy. The pirate shot and retreated, used crates, rocks, and barrels as cover, and kicked to keep Artoria out of her zone.
Leonel, watching from the circle, clenched his fists.
"She's trying to close the distance, but Drake is skilled at keeping her away..."
Jeanne murmured beside him:
"Drake isn't just brute force. She's a veteran with years of naval and hand-to-hand combat..."
Drake, sweaty but still confident, reloaded the pistols with inhuman dexterity.
"I told you, blondie. I don't like being cornered."
But then... she staggered.
It was just a second. A misstep, a slight loss of balance. Her eyes opened a bit wider than normal.
Artoria noticed it.
"The alcohol...?" murmured Mash, watching as Drake breathed more heavily.
Drake tried to maintain her composure, but her pulse was no longer as firm. Her aim, once perfect, began to falter. Her movements became slightly slower, more abrupt.
It was the opening Artoria needed!
With a quick feint, she pivoted on her axis, dodged a bullet that whizzed past her cheek, and lunged at Drake with lightning speed.
Drake tried to fire one last time, but Excalibur was already at her neck.
"That's enough," Artoria said with calm and firmness.
Drake blinked. For a moment, she tried to stay on her feet.
"Heh... damn it..." she whispered before her legs gave way.
Artoria caught her body before it hit the ground.
Absolute silence.
The pirates didn't know whether to applaud, scream, or run. Leonel crossed the circle and approached Artoria, who was respectfully holding the unconscious captain.
"You did it..." he said with a light smile.
Artoria nodded.
"She was no easy rival. But the alcohol was her greatest enemy."
Leonel turned to the pirates.
"Your captain is alive! It was a clean duel. And she accepted the conditions. Now, keep your word!"
The crowd murmured... until one of the lieutenants shouted:
"The captain lost... but she lived! And by the laws of the sea, that means we follow them!"
Cheers and shouts broke the silence.
Leonel, Artoria, and the others had just gained more than a duel: they had just won the loyalty of a pirate fleet.
And the horizon... seemed more favorable than ever.
Location: Inside Francis Drake's Ship, later that night
The room smelled of rum, leather, and sea salt. A lamp hung from the ceiling, swaying slightly with the sea's motion. On a makeshift bed, Francis Drake let out a long groan, bringing a hand to her forehead.
"Ugh... I feel like I've been shot with my own cannon..."
"You're awake," said Leonel, who was sitting beside her with his arms crossed. Around him were Artoria, Nero, Jeanne, and Mash, who had been waiting for the pirate to regain consciousness.
Drake opened one eye and fixed it on him. Then she let out a hoarse laugh.
"Hahaha! Wow, I guess I lost. What a shame... but it was a beautiful fight. Your blond girl has guts, I admit."
Artoria nodded serenely, though somewhat proudly.
"You fought well. Just your... excess of alcohol worked against you."
Drake shrugged unrepentantly.
"Bah, if I don't drink before a duel, I'm not myself. But... a promise is a promise," she slowly turned towards Leonel with a mischievous smile. "So, my handsome commander... tell me. What do you want from me? My ship? My crew? Or... me?"
The atmosphere froze for a second.
Leonel opened his eyes in surprise, his cheeks blushing intensely.
"Wha?! Th-that wasn't my intention to ask for something like that!"
Jeanne blushed too, covering her mouth with her hand.
Mash was petrified.
" 'Or me'...? Huh? Huh?"
Nero, for her part, immediately frowned and stepped forward, placing herself between Leonel and Drake with a fiery gaze.
"What does this declaration mean?! Leonel is my Emperor! I will not allow a vulgar pirate to try to seduce him in front of me. Have more respect for his magnificence!"
"Your emperor, huh?" Drake said, raising an eyebrow with interest. "Well, well... the boy already has an armed and ready harem? I like how you play, Leonel."
"It's not a harem!" he replied, even redder.
"Then don't close the door so quickly, sweetheart," she winked at him. "I already said I'll do whatever you ask, and yes, I said it with all possible intentions."
Nero let out a huff and clung to Leonel's arm with a possessive attitude.
"I will not yield ground! The Emperor's heart belongs to me by divine right!"
Jeanne, blushing, avoided the others' gazes.
"This... is getting a bit out of hand..."
Mash murmured without processing anything:
"This... this wasn't in the mission manual..."
After several minutes of back-and-forth, flirting, and absurdly exaggerated declarations, Leonel cleared his throat to regain seriousness.
"Alright! Leaving all that aside... what I want is to use your ship to explore this area. This place... this era, this version of the world... is not as it should be. It's part of a temporal anomaly we call a 'Singularity'."
Drake blinked.
"Singularity? What kind of modern jargon is that?"
Mash took the word, switching to explanatory mode.
"Singularities are fragments of time altered abnormally. Their existence risks the natural flow of history. Our job is to investigate them and, if necessary, correct them by eliminating the causes of their distortion."
"And this area," Jeanne added, now calmer, "seems to be influenced by out-of-place forces. Heroes from different eras, impossible mixtures... and pirates like you, summoned out of your time."
Drake nodded slowly, her expression turning serious for the first time.
"So... this world is a kind of poorly made mix. And you are like... the trouble-fixers?"
"Something like that," said Leonel. "We need your ship to move around and track the key points of this Singularity. We suspect there are hidden enemies manipulating everything from the shadows."
The pirate captain crossed her arms and grinned broadly.
"Well of course you can use my ship. In fact... we'll sail together to the very end of the world if needed! As long as there are treasures, good company... and a bit of fun along the way."
"That last part worries me a little," Leonel said with a bead of sweat.
"Then it's official!" Drake stood up and raised her arm. "Welcome to the Golden Hind! Hoist the sails, because we're going to hunt a Singularity, my brave ones!"
The crew cheered. And so, the maritime journey of Leonel's band alongside the infamous Francis Drake... had begun.