Blackbeard's Courage

The surging waves of magical energy around Hijikata Toshizo did not cease with the sound of that female voice. His Noble Phantasm was about to be unleashed!

"I said—stop right there!" The female voice sounded furious. After she spoke, a beautiful song drifted over from the end of the road.

Lawrence reacted at once. "It's mental magecraft!"

But no matter how quickly one reacted, it could not compare to the speed at which sound traveled.

But—

Though Lawrence was on full alert, all he felt was that it was an ordinary song, merely somewhat pleasant to hear.

Likewise, Fujimaru Ritsuka, Mash, and even Francis Drake, who possessed only a mortal body, were unaffected.

Only Hijikata Toshizo, who stood at the front and was in the midst of unleashing his Noble Phantasm, suddenly had hearts appear in his eyes. The vast magical energy he had gathered for the Noble Phantasm seemed to spring a leak and vanished with a soft pfft.

"Th-This..." Lawrence was a little dumbfounded, but after thinking it over, he realized. "Charm magecraft targeted at men?"

A series of crisp footsteps rang out, and a petite yet sharp-eyed girl appeared before them.

Her lustrous pinkish-purple twin tails trailed all the way to the ground, while her black-and-white gown was exquisite and airy, enough to leave anyone utterly enchanted.

Lawrence, Mash, and Ritsuka cried out at the same time, "Goddess Stheno!?"

Even Euryale was at a loss. "Huh?"

Other than Hijikata Toshizo, who lay sprawled on the ground with his eyes spinning in circles, and Minotaur, who lay on the ground with his expression hidden behind his mask, the entire labyrinth had fallen into an immense, all-encompassing awkward silence.

A good while after nightfall, Oceannus finally spotted Blackbeard's ship in the distance.

"That ship is powered by magical energy