"Woah, this stuff looks good!"

The crew members of the ship gathered together around a small wooden table with excited looks on their faces. Their plates were piled moderately high with food, ranging from soft bread and cooked fish, to fruit like cherries and pears.

Once Machaon had shown Shirou to his room, he then gave him directions to the kitchen. It had all the essential tools, but Asclepius was already there and voicing his displeasure with the sanitary conditions. Dust was everywhere and there were even some cobwebs in the corner. It was clear that they hadn't been cleaned periodically.

"Fools! Is this the den of Python? If there is any place that should be clean, it must be the kitchen! Shine everything until it is spotless! If not, I will prohibit dinner from being served!"

The crew members had initially protested against him, but Asclepius had something about him when anything involved health. It was as if some ancient god of madness would come down and inhabit his body because it was genuinely a sight to behold once he really got passionate when talking to people who protested against him.

"I hate patients who argue with the physician! If you want to live a long life, do not question my methods!"

In the end, the captain made everyone follow his orders mostly because Asclepius had been a huge help to them. His medical advice was sound, and he provided answers for any potential issue they brought up with him.

Or perhaps it was the fact that the metal snake on Asclepius's rod had been shivering dangerously in response to his annoyance. Nobody wanted to know if it was just as dangerous as a real snake, though no one doubted that it would certainly attempt to take a bite out of them if it had the chance.

The only person who seemed to be excited about the task was Machaon himself, strange as it was.

It had taken only 30 minutes and Shirou was left to his own devices to cook the food. Everything had been preserved nicely and he only had enough food to make simple dishes, so they were able to line the table quickly.

"By Lord Zeus, this food is magnificent!" A crewmate exclaimed with a smile on his face as he bit into his fish. He flashed Shirou a thumbs up. "Are you perhaps a god in disguise? Perhaps one who specializes in cooking?"

He smiled politely from his own little table with Asclepius. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I am not a god. You are merely exaggerating the taste of my food. There is nothing special about it."

"Nothing special about it, eh?" Another member echoed with a smirk. "You're too modest, boy! I haven't had anything this good since my mother's cooking back in Argos!"

"Here, here! It has been a while since we've tasted food this good! Captain, you made an excellent choice in allowing them on board!"

The captain shook his head from his spot at the end of the table. "Believe me, son, I'm just as surprised as you are. I had no idea that our guests would be a blessing in disguise. Perhaps Lord Zeus had decided to send us a blessing!"

Rounds of laughter echoed throughout the table and Shirou just smiled politely. Eventually, one member of the crew rose his jug of wine with a jovial smile on his face.

"Let us give a toast! A toast to the gods, and a toast to our two miracle guests!"

The table roared and touched their cups before digging into their meals. Soon, the table devolved into talks of past stories and other topics that men with more testosterone than necessary would talk about.

Asclepius watched them go at it with a distasteful expression under his hood.

"Look at them," He muttered as he speared his fish with far less gusto. "How unsightly. Fast eating leads to choking. In which case, it would lead to an embarrassing death. Even Heracles is guilty of the same sin."

"Let them have their fun, Asclepius," Shirou smiled in amusement as he picked at his own food. "Even you must admit that they are not bad for normal humans... though it's not as if you have much experience in that regard."

Asclepius only grunted before turning his attention to their only other tablemate. "And what about you? Shouldn't you be sitting with your crewmates?"

Machaon looked up from his food and gave a small smile. "Well, naturally, but they're a little bit too... rowdy. I have a hard time keeping up with them."

The two glanced at the other table where the sailors were in the process of beginning an arm-wrestling competition. Shirou just chuckled while Asclepius's scowl deepened even further.

"Muscle-headed brutes... you're better off not being like them," Asclepius grumbled.

"They're not all bad," Machaon defended his crewmates with a small smile. "They took me in when I was younger. Nobody else would hire me because of my dainty arms and such, but the captain was the only one who was willing to take me in."

"Hoh? Then what is your job? Surely the captain doesn't make you do physical labor?" Asclepius asked as he observed the boy, no doubt attempting to analyze how much physical stress his body could safely undergo.

"I work on navigation. I'm good at things like that. It saves the captain money on maps," Machaon puffed his chest out proudly. "He says that I'm the best navigator he's ever seen! I drew up all of our maps and memorized many of the safest routes!"

Shirou smiled and leaned back in his chair. "Well, we have no reason to doubt your claims. Isn't that right, Asclepius?"

"Indeed. At the very least, you are smarter than these oafs," Asclepius nodded. Though his expression didn't change, there was a shine of respect in his eyes.

"Well, well, that's some high praise from you," Shirou winked at Machaon. "It is not easy to get any form of compliment from this guy. He must really respect you."

At that, Machaon blushed and glanced shyly down at his food.

"Ah, well, it's not really important in the long run," Machaon stuttered while twiddling his fingers. "It's not as if I can fight a monster or defend the boat from pirates. When things like that happen, I'm as good as useless."

Asclepius shook his head. "Nonsense. Dealing with bandits, hoisting the sails, and rowing the oars is their job, not yours. Without you, however, I can guarantee that they wouldn't be half as successful as they are now."

Machaon glanced up at him, his expression surprised as if he wasn't expecting him to disagree.

"Really?"

Asclepius nodded. "Humans naturally extoll physical strength. When stories come along about men who can take down beasts, it amazes many. However, tasks which require using your mind is something just as important. My job as a physician requires me to rely solely on my mind. Great strength wouldn't benefit me in my line of work. It is the same as your duty as a navigator. You utilize your mind in order to chart out maps and guide the ship's path, and that is just as important of a job as a warrior. Without you, your crew would be sailing blind."

He leaned forward and stared directly into Macharon's eyes, making the boy fidget slightly.

"Do not underestimate your importance for those men who think with their arms and legs, or spears and swords. If you do, I'll have to stay by your side and cure such thoughts from your head."

"Asclepius, I know you're trying to be encouraging, but that phrasing is so..."

Shirou's mind wandered off as he stared at the two. As always, Asclepius never bothered to filter what he said. While the message came from a place of compassion and kindness, his cold demeanor made it seem sort of a threat.

Actually, scratch that, it really was a threat he'd carry out.

Macharon held his hands up nervously. "A-alright, I got it. I'll... remember that."

Asclepius nodded and settled himself back in his seat. "Good. Never forget that. There are few people like us in the world, so it is imperative that we remember our importance. Without us, civilization would crumble."

"While Asclepius is certainly being a bit dramatic... he is right. Being able to navigate the seas is a useful skill that can save lives. A person's worth isn't determined by a sword, but what they choose to do with the talents they were given."

"I-I see... thank you both for your kind words."

"Kind, huh? They are merely words of truth," Ascelpius then picked his knife up and began cutting into his fish. "Now, let us eat before the food gets cold. Warm food is best for the body."

"I would say that it is one of my better works. There were ample ingredients to work with this time around."

"W-well whatever it is, I'm sure that anything you make would most certainly turn out good! It smelled divine when you were cooking earlier!"

Shirou scratched his head with a sheepish smile. "Ah, you give me too much praise. This dish is something anyone can make with some practice."

"Humble as always..."

Celebrations and laughter continued for several hours as the men played games and told stories. When all of the food had been cleared from the tables and the men's bellies were full, only then did they begin to retire for the night. Some were so exhausted that they simply fell asleep in the dining room or passed out before they could make it back to their rooms.

Asclepius had retired early and Macharon left with him to show him to his quarters. Shirou simply retreated back onto the deck and gazed at the murky waters below in an effort to enjoy the peace and quiet. His fingers strummed against the wood rails in a small rhythm while his face carried a small frown. He didn't know exactly why, but he felt uneasy as he stared at the waves.

Perhaps it was just the innate fear of humans over what lay in the deep, but he had a feeling it was more than that. He never gave much thought towards the sea, but now that he was surrounded on all sides by water it was incredibly unnerving.

"Come on, Shirou, you're just being paranoid," Shirou muttered as he shook his head and walked off towards the stairs that head below deck. "You'll be fine after you get some sleep."

As he descended into the ship, if he had stayed a little earlier, he'd have seen the back of a serpentine creature break the water a few miles away before retreating into the deep below.

The next day was far different from yesterday.

Instead of clear skies and a sunny day, only storm clouds and rough waves greeted them for miles. While the waters weren't so violent that they needed to make an emergency dock, it was quite worrying nevertheless. Looks of unease were on each of the sailors faces as they went about their duties, but they decided to keep going until they reached Lemnos.

"These are not good omens," The captain muttered as he leaned against the railing. He studied several far off ships that were swaying dangerously amongst the waves. "Macharon, what say you?"

Macharon stood at attention by the captian's side, his face also displaying concern. "The sea is disturbed... perhaps Poseidon is displeased?"

"Perhaps that may be so," The captain scratched his chin. "Still, tell the men to be on guard. If there's any disturbance, any, then we need to be ready to make a break for land."

Macharon nodded. "U-understood, captain!"

"As for you two," He turned towards Shirou and Asclepius as Macharon ran off to carry out his orders. "I hope you boys won't be too bothered if we were to have some unexpected delays."

Shirou shook his head. "That isn't a problem, but may I ask why?"

"Read the mood. Chiron told us that this kind of weather at sea may herald an oncoming storm," Asclepius said as he glanced up at the sky with a smug look before adding under his breath, "Still, at least father's glory won't be shining down on anyone for the time being."

"That is true, but it's more than that," The captain said as he sat down on a bench. "While this weather isn't the worst I've seen, there's an ominous feeling in the air. It's something you pick up on when you've been out on the seas as much as I have."

He then gravely looked at Macharon as he scurried across the desk to each of the sailors.

"Not to mention... Macharon is getting quite worked up."

Seeing the confused looks the two gave him, the captain elaborated further.

"He's got a special gift, you see. It allows him to read the sea pretty well. It's what makes him such a good navigator for us."

Shirou and Asclepius got the feeling there was more to it than that, but the captain's demeanor and blunt explanation made it clear that was all they were going to get on the subject.

"Then let us pray that nothing unfortunate happens."

"Well, it's inevitable with you being here," Seeing his look Asclepius just shrugged. "What? It's not as if you can deny it. You attract danger to you. That's why I'm with you, after all. To make sure you are alive at the end of it all."

"While that's true, I wish you wouldn't say it like that," Shirou frowned. "It's not as if I attract misfortune-"

"CAPTAIN!"

Shirou's words were cut off as Macharon came running back up to them, his panicked face dripping with terror. He pointed with a shaky finger towards the several trading ships which were floating in the distance.

"There's trouble! We have to warn them!"

"What are you speaking of? Explain!"

Macharon looked nervously at the water below, almost as if he were peering past the surface to track something truly horrifying below.

"I didn't realize it because it was simply stalking us, but now it has decided to go on the attack!" The boy babbled. Meanwhile, the other crew members had stopped what they were doing and were now paying close attention to his words. "Its seen the other ships and has decided to go on the attack! We must warn them before it's too late!"

"A monster!" The captain pointed to several nearby crewmates. "Quickly! Hoist a black banner and send up a smoke signal! Warn the other ships!"

The crewmates quickly scrambled to fetch the wood and the banner, but Macharon suddenly wailed.

"We're too late! It's going to-"

In the distance, an explosion of water occurred where one of the trading ships were and completely obscured it from view. In the next second, however, it reappeared accompanied by a truly horrifying sight.

A scaly green body forced its way out from the depths, shooting into the air like fish jumping out of a lake. The head of the beast was similar to that of a dragon, its pointed maw containing a myriad of teeth sharp enough to rip a whale in half. Its were a bright yellow which seemed to paralyze all who looked at it.

In its jaw were the remains of the poor trading ship. The sailors that hadn't died instantly to the initial assault were left screaming as they clung to what remained of their vessel. Some had already fallen into the sea below and were swept away by the waves the monster's body was creating.

Once it finished chewing upon the remains of the ship, the monster let out an ear-piercing screech before it began turning its attention towards the other nearby ships which had begun taking emergency maneuvers, though it would ultimately prove to be useless as it quickly turned its attention towards them.

Meanwhile, the crew members on their ship could only look on in horror. Even Shirou and Asclepius had been shocked into silence by the sheer presence the beast held.

Their ship had been overtaken with panic as everyone scrambled around like headless chickens. The idea of getting away as fast as possible was the main thought which had overtaken them, but the panic which had consumed them was making it difficult for any headway to be undertaken.

Only the captain had the mental fortitude to remain composed.

"Get ahold of yourselves, men! Grab an oar and start rowing!" He barked sharply. "If you wish to see another day then we're going to have to head full speed towards Lemnos before the monster turns its attention to us!"

"B-but sir!" One of the crew members spoke up, his voice filled with fear. "What about the other ships?"

The captain glanced over at the other ships, where some of the sailors were attempting to put up a fight. Thrown spears and arrows were launched at the creature, but they merely bounced harmlessly off its scales.

He shook his head solemnly. "Only the gods can save them now. Now, let's go!"

Asclepius glanced at Shirou, noticing how his fist was tightly clenched. "Shirou," He began as he leveled a stern look at the redhead. "Don't be an idiot. The captain is right. There is no way we can help those people no matter how much we want to."

Shirou exhaled a slow breath before nodding. "I understand."

It was a move he hated to make. Saving people was at the core of his being, but he knew that there was nothing he could do. That monster was bigger and more terrifying than any creature he had encountered, even the satyr. This was a pure beast that operated as an apex hunter. It would take multiple high-end noble phantasms to defeat it, and even with his newly acquired body which allowed for effective management and transfer of magical energy, he'd be hard-pressed to unleash that amount of firepower so cavalierly.

Still, it left a bitter taste in his mouth. He didn't like the idea of abandoning those unfortunate sailors, but the captain was right that drawing the beast's attention immediately would make their situation even direr.

"If you understand then go grab an oar!" The captain barked as he removed his shirt and quickly descended the stairs to grab an oar of his own. "Time is of the essence! Macharon, navigate for us!"

"You're joining us too, captain?!"

"Fool! Did you forget that I too was one a mere deckhand? In times like these, titles are meaningless! Now just row the damn boat!"

Shirou and Asclepius turned to each other and nodded before joining the sailors below. Together with the sailors, numbering twenty on deck and another forty below, they began rowing in the direction of Lemnos.

Macharon stood at the front of the ship, making sure that they wouldn't run into any unfortunate obstacles in their haste to get away. They were making good speed, and whether it was a blessing from the gods or just mere chance, the wind was blowing at their back and adding to their speed.

The giant monster continued to ravage the trading ships with horrifying ease. It tore the rear off one boat before torching the sails of another with a blast of fire from its mouth.

Sailors were swallowed whole or were thrown off the ships due to the waves throwing them around. Some attempted to jump overboard voluntarily and swim rather than face the monster's gaping maw.

"W-we're making good time!" Macharon called out as he turned to see that the monster was growing smaller and smaller with each passing minute. "At this rate, we can surely make it to Lemnos in no time!"

It was a momentary victory, however, for the monster quickly let out another wild roar that shook the air. Around it lay the wreckage of the trading ships, the sea littered with both wood and flesh. Unsatisfied, it quickly turned its yellow eyes upon them.

Despite having become nearly a speck in the distance, it quickly dove under the sea and began racing towards them. A spray of water shooting into the air beckoned its oncoming approach.

"I-It's coming!"

Macharon's warning caused many of the sailors to go pale, but they luckily didn't freeze up. Instead, they began rowing even harder, their muscles straining as they fought to increase their speed.

Regardless, it was a losing battle. In a few moments, the monster would be upon them. Then, nobody would be left.

The highest chance now for their survival would be to stand and fight. Diving into the sea and swimming was obviously not an option.

Shirou wasn't certain that he could defeat the monster, but such thoughts were unnecessary for him. To protect the ones who stood behind him, he'd put his life on the line as many times as it takes.

The beast was fast approaching. In about a minute, it would arrive. Before then, he needed to plan his course of action.

What could he do against a divine beast like that? Hrunting could help, but this monster was on a scale far too large for the sword. Even with its anti-beast properties, there were monsters who could shrug off its effects. In Beowulf's legend, it failed against Grendel's mother, for instance.

In which case, he needed a large amount of power. Power strong enough to destroy beings the size of buildings.

Something great enough that it can strike fear into a beast or give it pause.

If his attack were to fail in slaying the monster, it must be grand enough to leave an impression. Predators will often leave their prey alone if it could show that it would not be worth it to attack.

"Boy, what do you think you're doing?!"

The captain stared at Shirou in shock as he stood up and began running towards the back of the ship.

"Asclepius! On me!"

"Argh! Damn it all!"

Asclepius followed after him. When they made it to the back of the ship, he quickly shot the redhead an annoyed look.

"So what's the plan? You're going to swing one of those swords of yours?"

"Yes, but this one will be a little bit different," Shirou admitted with a grim look. "I'm going to need a lot of power. More than usual."

"I expected as much," Asclepius lifted his hands, causing his futuristic staff to levitate in front of him. The metal snake uncoiled itself from it, hissing ominously as it began to glow. "I'll supply you with energy. Don't worry about the fee."

"Well, it's not as if I have anything to pay you with."

"Just shut up and hurry. This monster isn't going to wait for you to draw your sword, is it?"

The magical energy which radiated from the staff began to transfer itself to Shirou, circling within him waiting to be used. Reaching into his reality marble, he pulled out the weapon best suited for the task at hand.

A broad sword appeared in his hands, though just like Hrunting its appearance had been altered slightly. Taking the form of a spatha, where the blade would become shorter and thicker rather than longer, the sword of revolving victory was brandished. Its attributes of waxing and waning with the position of the sun remained, and though the darkness obscured the heavenly body from sight, its power rivals many strong anti-army noble phantasms.

Gathering the mana Asclepius was transferring to him and feeding it into the sword, he could feel the blade begin to heat up as the pseudo-sun core began to activate. Tendrils of light began to surround the blade, turning giving off light which could illuminate even the darkest days.

Normally its main usage would involve a wave-like motion that could eradicate whole armies. However, for the sake of the safety of the ship, Shirou opted for a different method of attack.

And just to enforce his status as a hero of Greece of which his weapons will be used in defense of, he opted to change the name in order to stay true to the roots of his new home. To bring out the true power of this blade, unlike Hrunting, it required its name to be invoked.

"Awaken and show your glory here, the sword of victory which clears away the darkness," Shirou chanted as he drew the sword back with his eyes closed, its blade pointed at the oncoming monster. "Thrust and destroy the obstacle in front of me!"

His eyes opened and he roared.

"PHOEBUS XIPHOS!"

Thrusting the sword forward, the newly named Galantine shed its old identity and took up its newly given designation. It wasn't a copy sword of a knight loyal to a king of a far off island, but a weapon which appears in the hands of a noble hero in defense against an unstoppable beast.

The light which surrounded the blade shot forward and pierced the water, causing steam to erupt forth from the sea. From the speed of its unexpected extension and how fast the beast had been charging towards them, it was nearly impossible for the monster to react in time.

There was an explosion of magical energy under the water before the monster broke the surface with a pained roar. From its head, golden blood fell into the sea like a waterfall from a wound just above its right eye. Were it any lesser beast it would have died instantly, and a wound like that was a mere testament to its inherent strength.

It writhed as its wound boiled, causing the sea to stir up angrily. Eventually, it dove back under the surface and retreated into the depths below.

Shirou and Asclepius waited for a couple of moments to see if the beast had truly gone. When it did not resurface to attack, the two let out a sigh of relief.

"You drew it off," Asclepius breathed in amazement as he allowed his staff to stop channeling magical energy. "If I were to be honest, I didn't think any trick of yours would work."

"Nothing reacts well to the unexpected," Shirou shrugged before grimacing. "But we were lucky. If it hadn't retreated, I doubt I could have pulled off more than two more strikes."

"Then we were lucky. Damn, if only Heracles was still with us. He probably could have wrestled with the damn thing in the water," Asclepius grumbled before he eyed the sword with a critical eye. "Also, what was that? Phoebus Xiphos? You trying to piss me off or something?"

"Hey, it's just a ritual of sorts. Invoking a solar god for a sword of flames just seemed fitting."

"Y-you two!"

The two blinked as Macharon came running up to them from the front of the ship. He gasped for breath as he looked around expectantly.

"N-no way, you actually drove it off! Whatever it is you did, it drew the monster away!" He shouted in amazement, eyes shining with hope and relief. "Incredible! A-are you a god or something?"

Shirou scratched his head awkwardly. "Ah, no. I'm not a god. I'm just someone who has too many weapons for their own good."

"It must have been an amazing weapon."

"Certainly is, but I couldn't have done it without Asclepius. If he hadn't been supporting me then I don't think I would have been able to act so efficiently."

"My, Asclepius is certainly useful..."

Asclepius waved him off. "Don't thank me. I'm just backup for this idiot. Fighting isn't my thing, not when there are more important things I can be diverting my attention towards like research."

Macharon smiled. "Well, even if you won't accept my thanks personally I shall simply do so in my heart."

Shirou blinked when Asclepius looked away, obviously trying to hide his embarrassment underneath his hood and strange mask.

He smiled in amusement before turning back to Macharon. "So hopefully it will be smooth sailings from here on out. With the monster gone, we can rest easy."

"Yes, everyone is quite pleased. Though just to be safe the captain has ordered us to keep on rowing until we reach Lemnos. At this rate, we should be able to make it a little bit earlier than usual-"

He stopped suddenly, his eyes opened wide with surprise. Shirou and Asclepius looked concerned, but they could note that the emotion they were seeing wasn't terror, but something different.

"What's wrong?" Shirou asked with concern before blinking in surprise when Asclepius moved past him and grasped Macharon's hands.

"Are you sick?" He asked as he stared into his eyes, trying to see if there were any other signs of something off.

"N-no I'm not," Macharon whispered. "It's... well... Perhaps it may be something to be concerned about? But..." His shoulder sagged. "Oh- oh no... He's coming."

Shirou and Asclepius traded looks.

"Who's coming?" Shirou asked as his hand gripped the handle of his sword expectantly. He then nearly jumped in surprise as the water behind him exploded into a fountain of salt.

"I AM."

Spinning around in shock, the trio was greeted with the sight of a man bursting out of the waters. He was shirtless and wore a mere sash around his waist which thankfully covered his privates. His skin was a flawless shade of caramel and his figure was well built and sturdy. His beard reminded Shirou of barnacles and his eyes were a shade of blue which seemed to reflect the sea.

In his right hand was a golden trident. Radiating power and strength, everybody felt as if they were staring at a truly omnipotent entity. Then again, considering who it was the stood before them, could they be blamed?

The person's identity was unmistakable. He was-

"L-lord Poseidon!"

"Indeed. It is I, the lord of the sea!" Poseidon bellowed, the sea seemingly reacting to his outburst as a small wave came up and sent water everywhere. "I come chasing after a great beast which had escaped my sight, yet imagine my surprise when it seems I have caught something else instead?"

He turned his attention towards Asclepius. "A son of Apollo," He then turned towards Shirou and his eyes narrowed. "And a mere mortal... blessed by my sister."

Shirou tensed. "You know?" Poseidon's eyes narrowed even further and Shirou hastily corrected himself. "...Lord Poseidon?"

"Of course I know, boy. I recognize what is embedded in that chest of yours. How could I not? And the only way for you to get that and survive is with my sister's blessing."

Duh. That was a stupid question. His head dipped. "Apologies."

"Hmph. She's too kind. I don't know what you did that convinced her you were worthy, but I shall at least refrain from turning you into a dolphin. Especially after the ordeal you just faced."

"T-thank you, Lord Poseidon!" Macharon bowed his head.

Poseidon then turned towards him with a raised eyebrow. "The boy can speak for himself, daughter of the waves. For you to be around mortals for so long, haven't you learned that they must represent themselves when addressed?"

Asclepius looked like he was about to speak and Shirou initially made a move to stop him from possibly saying something that'd get them killed, but then stopped as his mind comprehended what Poseidon said.

"Daughter?" He echoed.

"Of the waves?" Asclepius followed suit.

The two then turned towards Macharon, who was rubbing his- no- her right hand up and down her left arm bashfully.

Asclepius looked as if he had the wind knocked out of him. "I can't believe... no, how could I not have seen it sooner?" He mumbled in shock.

"I agree. I thought knowing Arturia would have prepared me for this," Shirou muttered quietly in agreement.

Macharon covered her face and blushed. "P-please don't look at me like that... I just found it easier to disguise myself as a boy in order to blend into human society... and prevent anyone from figuring out my true origins."

Poseidon raised an eyebrow at the two boys. "Seems as if both of your observational skills are lacking. She is the reason your ship managed to briefly evade the Cetus due to her nature."

Oh, perhaps that made sense. When Shirou thought about it, comments that the captain had offhandedly made about her and her ability to sense the Cetus before it had surfaced suddenly began making sense.

"You can sense what's under the ocean. And if that's the case, you must be a Nereid. One of the spawn of Nereus," Asclepius deduced.

Macharon's expression withered. "I'm a child of one of the Nereids. Compared to them, I'm nothing special. I'm just a sea nymph who was unsatisfied with her life beneath the waves."

Poseidon snorted. "And for that reason, you go and runoff, little one? In search of adventure? The world of humans can be quite ugly. Not like my own domain which remains untouched by man. Would it not be safer for you, born of the sea, to remain within my domain? It is no secret that you would only suffer up here."

"I know that, Lord Poseidon," Macharon bowed her head. "But it's the same thing every day. Being with my family is a great joy, but we do nothing other than practicing the arts every hour. It was not a terrible existence, but something in my heart yearned for more. Something that my family could not provide for me."

Poseidon was silent as she gestured around her. "Working on this ship and seeing the struggle of humans taught me many things. But it is the purpose it gave me that made me happy. For once I felt as if I helping something even bigger than myself."

She bowed her head even further. "Please forgive me if I sound blasphemous, Lord Poseidon... but I think I would prefer to stay on the surface for as long as possible."

Silence reigned over their spot at the back of the ship. Shirou and Asclepius had both tensed up nervously in anticipation as they kept an eye on the sea god's expression, of which it had not changed even an iota. He merely stared down at Macharon with a stony look.

His grip tightened on the trident and everyone expected the worst, but he suddenly sighed and loosened his hold slightly on the weapon.

"If that is your choice, I will not force you. I do not wish to cause discord with the nereids, for they are loyal followers of mine," Poseidon spoke softly before shaking his head. "I suppose it was inevitable that you would hold an interest in humanity... even now they have influenced me far more than I'd like."

He glanced down at her with a stern look. "However, I will be informing your mother about this. She will not be allowed to forcefully return you to the sea, but if you so choose it... I will allow it to remain open to you whenever you wish."

Macharon looked up in surprise, which quickly turned into beaming joy. "Thank you, Lord Poseidon!"

For a brief moment, a smile seemed to appear upon the aged god's face. Then, in the next moment, it had vanished as he turned his eyes towards Shirou and Asclepius with a stormy look.

"As for the two of you... It is in your best interests that you do not disclose what happened here... nor will you treat a daughter of the sea with any disrespect. If I were to find out that one of you were to do something in any way that hurts her... I'll drag you both into the depths myself the next time you're out at sea. Understand?"

Shirou and Asclepius nodded, the former not even chancing with opening his mouth.

Poseidon nodded, satisfied. "Good. Then perhaps a reward is in order. As it is not safe here and I'm sure that your ship's crew is already tired, I shall send your ship over to your destination personally."

Macharon gasped. "You'd do that for us, Lord Poseidon?"

"Indeed. I am a generous god, after all. And I must admit that perhaps some of the blame lies on my shoulders for allowing the Cetus to roam free. But I must recommend that you hold onto something."

Poseidon raised his trident and a wave suddenly rose up beneath them, causing the boat to rocket forward as if it had transformed into a speedboat, yet it also seemed to put the aforementioned vehicle to shame. The sudden increase in speed nearly threw everyone off and exclaimed yelling could be heard from the front of the ship.

"B-brace against the wall!" Shirou exclaimed as he clung to the wood desperately.

"I got you!" Asclepius shouted as he grabbed Macharon and pulled her with him to safety, though she seemed less concerned with the dangerous speed they were going and instead laughed as she waved to the sea god.

"Goodbye, Lord Poseidon! And thank you!"

"Are you crazy?! Just get inside already!" Asclepius exclaimed in exasperation as he tried to drag her below deck to safety.

Triton blinked as his father descended before him, a strange look on his face. Was that... amusement?

"Did something happen, father?" He asked. After not getting a response, he tried again. "Sir?"

"Hmph. It is nothing. I just encountered something interesting," Poseidon hummed before turning to him. "And what of the Cetus?"

"Delphin is on the hunt just like you asked. He has assured us that he won't fail again," Triton relayed.

"He very well not. I am in a good mood, so he can redeem himself if he can take care of the beast this time."

Trtion nearly did a double-take at that. His father, in a good mood? Just what had he seen up there that caused him to be like this?

Still, he decided not to question it. Why risk angering his father and suffering his wrath as Delphin did? That was something he'd rather not have to go through. He may end up pinned under a mountain for his troubles.

κῆτος (Cetus)

A legendary monster found in greek mythology. The term 'cetacean' would be derived from it as a word for whales. It was so powerful, so deadly, that it was said that even the sea god had trouble controlling them from time to time.

Three major instances of these beings were found in myth: The petrification by Perseus to save Andromeda, the slaying of another to rescue Hesione by Heracles, and the defeat of another by a nameless sword of fire by Shirou.

Despite it being known as a sea monster, nobody actually knows just what exactly it was. Was it a whale? A shark? Or maybe even something related to the draconic species? Nobody truly knows for sure. Whatever the case, it was something heavily associated with Perseus, and all other instances of it appearing in literature is merely a footnote in a greater history.

Again, sorry this took so long. With college around the corner and the transition from regular classes to online, it has been a hassle trying to make sure everything is ready.

Regardless, just note that even with the busyness of college and having to actually just study on my own now, I'll still continue to try and update this story to the best of my ability.

On a side note, for any of you who have a thorough understanding of greek writing and phonetics, would you be so kind as to tell me a way for Shirou's name to be Hellenized? I'm not an expert on the language if you couldn't tell.

That said, look forward to the next chapter!