One Piece : Wild Hunt

Alongside food, water, and other supplies, the most important thing Thomas or, more accurately, Astolfo acquired from Coniston was their approximate location within the South Blue. The World Government strictly regulated accurate maps, but it was possible to purchase hand-drawn charts that gave you a rough idea of where you were in relation to nearby islands.
According to the information Astolfo was able to acquire, they were only around 1200 kilometers from one of the few named places in One Piece, Baterilla Island, the birthplace of Portgas D. Ace. More importantly, they were only 2500 kilometers away from Reverse Mountain, the intersecting point of the Four Seas and one of the two entrances to the Grand Line.
With the Golden Hind's exceptional speed, they could theoretically reach Reverse Mountain in around twenty hours. The same journey would take an ordinary caravel around 10-15 days, depending on whether they sailed for 24 hours a day, so it wasn't an exaggeration to say the Hind was one of, if not 'the' fastest sailing vessels in the world.
After learning how close they were to Reverse Mountain, a lot of the pressure that Thomas was feeling abruptly disappeared. He originally expected it to take months to reach any significant destination in such an expansive world, but the Hind's speed, auto-pilot functionality, and ability to fly were bound to make even the most treacherous seas fairly easy to cross. Even the Calm Belt wasn't much of an impediment as it was only 200km wide. So long as Thomas could store enough Mana within the Equivalence Engine to sustain two hours of flight, they could cross over the usually impassable stretch of sea and enter the Grand Line whenever they pleased.
Based on Drake's calculations, it would take the current Thomas around three days to store enough Mana within the engine to sustain two hours of flight. Broken down into a quantifiable value, that meant they could fly five minutes for every hour he spent charging the engine, assuming they didn't have to operate the cannons. With no upper limit to the amount of Mana the Equivalence Engine could store, this meant they could store an average of twenty hours of flight per month, enough to travel more than 2400 kilometers without landing.
With the width of the Grand Line known to be precisely 1400 kilometers, 1800 if accounting for the two Calm Belts, Thomas only needed to store fifteen hours of flight for the Hind to span the entire strip of sea. In other words, he would only need to pump Mana into the Hind for 22.5 days, and they could simply fly over the Grand Line and into the East Blue. With well over a year to reach the Conomi Islands before Luffy, that gave Thomas a surprising number of options...
Though he was fairly certain that Benienma, Astolfo, Drake, and just about any Heroic Spirit could fodder someone like Arlong, Thomas didn't want to leave everything to his Servants. Arlong's Bounty was a mere 20,000,000 Belly, so if Thomas couldn't defeat someone like him, he would struggle to defeat even the henchmen of more powerful Pirate crews. Fortunately, he had at least ten months to train and prepare himself. Thus, after returning to their private island, Thomas focused his efforts on filling the Equivalent Engine and summoning his remaining five Servants. Everything else would follow after that...
...
..
.
Heeding the suggestion of Drake, the fourth Servant Thomas focused on summoning was fated to be their Doctor. Heroic Spirits couldn't contract normal illnesses, but they could still sustain injuries, fall victim to poison, and bleed to death. Thomas, on the other hand, was susceptible to colds, viruses, and all manner of parasites that might be lurking within the food they consumed. Benienma was very thorough, especially with fish, but it was better to be safe than sorry in a world like One Piece.
To Thomas's surprise, it took nearly seven full days before the Doctor's Card to trigger a summoning. According to Benienma, he was gradually increasing the amount of Mana he channeled into the cards, so Thomas wasn't too surprised when a man whose very existence screamed 'Caster' popped out from the magic circle. What did surprise him was the man's identity, as Thomas 'immediately' recognized the witch-doctor-like man as Assypuss(Asclepius), the literal God of Medicine...
While Thomas was staring at him with a look of utter disbelief on his face, Asclepius took a moment to take in his surroundings, remarking, "I'll need a sterile working environment..." before narrowing his eyes at Benienma. The latter had been watching over Thomas to ensure he didn't overexert himself, so she was sitting off to the side with a large picnic basket and a thermos filled with tea.
Though she sensed the power of an opposing Pantheon within Asclepius, Benienma just gave a slight bow as she asserted, "Benienma is pleased to meet a new comrade, dechi. Welcome to the Wild Hunt Pirates, mister...?"
Revealing what Thomas already knew, Asclepius replied, "Asclepius, Son of Apollo and Coronis..."
Completing Asclepius's remarkably deep, borderline baritone introduction, Thomas recovered enough of his senses to add, "He's also the Greek God of Medicine, the man who 'cured' death. No wonder it took seven days to complete the summon..."
Though it was difficult to see the changes in his expression due to his mage-look hood and his beak-like mask, Asclepius frowned as he stated, "I did not become a God by choice, nor do I care about such insignificant labels. I am a Doctor, nothing more, nothing less. Now, bring me a patient or tell me where I can find one."
Adopting a wry smile, Thomas replied, "I'm familiar with a few diseases that desperately need a cure, but we need you here as our Ship Doctor. I could also really use your help learning how to properly utilize my Mana..."
In response to Thomas's words, Asclepius's peculiar green and gold eyes started to glisten. As they did so, Thomas had the uncanny feeling he was receiving a full-body CT scan. It felt uncomfortable but luckily only lasted a few seconds before Asclepius stated, "How peculiar...your body has no signs of Magic Circuitry or Mana Pathways. By all rights, you shouldn't be able to channel, much less contain Mana. And yet it saturates your entire body..."
Nodding his head, Thomas explained, "I consumed a Devil Fruit known as the Mana-Mana-no-Mi. At the cost of my ability to swim in the sea, I can generate and emit Mana from my body..."
Raising his brows ever-so-slightly, Asclepius muttered, "How curious..." before abruptly manifesting a golden, branch-like staff entwined by a mechanical black and gold snake. He then tried to point it at Thomas, but Benienma appeared between them, hand on her katana as she said, "You forget yourself, dechi..."
Instead of getting angry or upset, Asclepius uttered a faint "Ah..." before retracting his staff and calmly explaining, "I merely wished to perform a more thorough examination. I assure you, my methods are non-invasive, and I would never willfully harm a patient..."
Understanding Asclepius's nature much better than Benienma, Thomas stated, "It's okay, Beni. Despite looking like the Grim Reaper's nephew, Asclepius's only interests are advancing medicine and curing all diseases. He might even be able to find a 'cure' for my inability to swim, so I don't mind letting him examine me in exchange for lessons..."
Furrowing his brows slightly, Asclepius remarked, "I am not a patient man, nor do I have any interest in teaching. Also, while I may be a Caster, I am not a Mage. My Artes are singularly focused on producing medicines and curing diseases. You are free to peruse my notes, but I will not teach you anything. I would rather spend my time researching and developing cures than teaching someone less capable than myself how to do the same job, only worse..."
"..."
Though he knew what kind of person Asclepius was from his event and Bond dialogue, Thomas had underestimated how abrasive the man could be in real life. Unfortunately, while it was possible to use a Command Seal to try and force Asclepius to teach him, the silver-haired man's status as a God made him uniquely resistant to compulsion and control...
Exhaling a defeated sigh, Thomas replied, "Fine...just make sure not to run when no one is looking. I don't mind if you take time to research and cure diseases during our journey, but your reason for being here is to serve as our Ship's Doctor. If you leave, you'll be violating the contract you agreed to when you answered my call..."
As 'most' Gods within the various Type-Moon franchises were unable to tell lies or break contracts, Thomas just wanted to remind Asclepius that he hadn't been summoned to become a wandering Doctor. If he wanted to travel around and cure every disease in the world, he would need to do so 'after' they reached Laugh Tale.
Seeing through Thomas's intentions, Asclepius's eyes showed a moderate amount of contempt as he coldly asserted, "I will not break my vow. Now, stand aside, Demon. Anyone who gets between a Doctor and their patient is deserving of a fate worse than death..."
Instead of responding to Asclepius's words, Benienma turned and looked up at Thomas. When the latter gave a slight nod, she eased out of her Iai stance and returned to her original position. However, instead of putting her sword away, she kept it at her side, closely monitoring each and every one of Asclepius's movements...
...
..
.
Following Asclepius's summoning, Thomas decided that his next focus would be summoning the First Mate. He suspected he would have better odds of summoning a Caster with the Second Mate and Musician Cards, but failing to find a Magic instructor wasn't the end of the world. So long as he had a powerful swordsmanship or martial arts instructor, he should be able to gain more than enough strength to defeat Arlong.
Fortunately, Thomas's fifth summoning took considerably less time than Asclepius's. More importantly, the person that popped out was easily one of his Top-3 waifus from the Fate Series, Miyamoto-fucking-Musashi.
Standing at 167cm tall, Musashi was a fairly petite yet remarkably well-endowed woman with fair skin and silvery, slightly pink hair styled in a wild ponytail. Her predominately blue eyes flickered with pink, green, and purple specks. As for her outfit, it consisted of a sleeveless blue kimono with a very short skirt, a red obi bearing a sakura pattern, predominately black leg and arm warmers, and a headpiece that resembled a pinwheel shuriken. She also had on a pair of modified, high-heeled ninja tabi, but the things that stood out most, besides her breasts, were the two katana on her hip. One was a full-length katana with a blue and golden hilt, while the other was a slightly shorter wakizashi. Even while sheathed, the set of swords gave the impression they were being held to your neck...
Waiting until Thomas was finished checking her out, Musashi surprised him by tapping her shoulder with her katana. Not even Benienma saw her draw it, so the atmosphere 'froze' despite the playful smile on her face as she said, "The name's Shinmen Musashi-no-Kami Fujiwara no Harunobu. However, as my Master, you are free to call me Musashi."
Swallowing hard, Thomas eyed the sword in Musashi's hand as he asked, "Mind telling me what you drew your sword...?"
Without any hesitation, Musashi replied, "Oh, this? I was curious to see how you and the little bird girl would react. You were both staring at me so intensely that I thought you might want to fight. Guess I jumped the gun a bit..."
Following Musashi's words, the lower half of Thomas's shirt promptly fell. He had no idea how she had done it, but she cut cleanly through the front and back of his shirt without him noticing. It was an unfathomable display of skill that simultaneously frightened and excited Thomas as he eagerly inquired, "Can you please, please, please teach me swordsmanship...?"
...
..
.
(A/N: Assypuss? A fitting name for an indignant cunt xD...)

In the face of Thomas's earnest plea, Musashi didn't hesitate to reply, "No. I don't mind teaching you the basics, but it would be a waste of time to instruct you traditionally. You don't have any talent for swordsmanship."
"..."
While he didn't expect Musashi to jump at the chance to teach him, her words were like a punch in the gut to Thomas's enthusiasm. In response, Musashi adopted a wry, slightly apologetic smile as she added, "Trying to master something you lack a genuine interest in is impossible. From what I can tell, you've never wielded a sword despite being fairly old. Not old-old, mind you, but far beyond the age people start learning skills such as swordsmanship."
Sheathing her katana, Musashi surprised Thomas by giving him a firm pat on the shoulder. She could tell he 'really' wanted to learn from her; he just lacked the talent and the conviction of a true swordsman. It took years, if not decades, to achieve a reasonable degree of mastery. If Thomas had a genuine interest in mastering kenjutsu(sword techniques), he would have picked up a blade in his childhood and never let it go.
Adopting a radiant, borderline breathtaking smile, Musashi added, "As I said before, I don't mind teaching you the basics. I can even teach you a few tricks that would make fighting against other swordsmen much easier. However, if you truly wish to become strong, you'll need to follow the path in your heart. I'm not sure what that is, but it clearly isn't swordsmanship."
Retracing her hand from Thomas's shoulder, Musashi directed her gaze to Benienma, narrowing her eyes slightly as she asserted, "You, on the other hand, seem to have at least a knack for the blade arts. Despite your small size, I can sense a powerful sword intent within you..."
Recovering from the stupor prompted by Musashi's smile, Thomas made introductions and gave a bare-bones explanation of the situation. Musashi was a little surprised to learn that Benienma was an Oni from Hell, but she was also relieved to know she wouldn't be the only Servant of Japanese origin in Thomas's service...
...
..
.
Though his expectations were tempered after Asclepius's and Musashi's refusal to instruct him formally, Thomas didn't lose hope that at least one of his Servants would be willing to teach him. If nothing else, he was fairly certain that Benienma or Astolfo would help him...
With such thoughts in mind, Thomas focused on summoning the Second Mate next. He was just going in order of the ship's hierarchy at this point, so, following the Second Mate, he intended to summon their Shipwright, Sniper, and Musician.
Fortunately, while Musashi refused to teach him, that didn't prevent the faintly pink-haired Yojimbo(bodyguard) from sticking around. She viewed it as her duty to keep him safe, so even if Drake hadn't asked her to keep an eye on him, she would have. More importantly, she had swapped out her already skimpy kimono for a significantly skimpier bikini. Heroic Spirits could effectively swap out their outfits at will, so, after learning she would be spending a considerable amount of time out at sea, she adopted an ensemble virtually identical to her Berserker counterpart's start-spangled bikini from FGO.
Though he did his best to be 'respectful,' Thomas couldn't help sneaking glances at Musashi as he focused on filling the Hind's Equivalence Engine with Mana. She noticed whenever he did so, but instead of getting angry or upset, she just carried on her conversation with Benienma as if nothing had occurred...
With nothing happening for nearly five full days, Thomas, Musashi, and Benienma perked up when the Second Mate's Card finally dissolved into motes of bluish-white light. What popped out of the resultant summoning circle was a fairly tall and muscular man with wild, free-flowing brown hair that formed into a ponytail near the small of his back. He had calm yet piercing blue eyes and wore a rather archaic-looking outfit with elements of Greek, Persian, and Celtic cultures. Beyond his peculiar form of dress, the thing about him that stood out the most was the horse-like tail that stuck out from the back of his kilt-like armor...
Immediately recognizing who the man was, Thomas's eyes practically lit up with excitement as he exclaimed, "You're Chiron...!" with a massive grin on his face.
Though he was a little taken aback by Thomas's sudden outburst, Chiron placed a hand over his heart and gave a slight but unsubservient bow as he replied, "That is indeed the name I was vested at birth. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, my Master..."
Shaking his head, Thomas insisted, "Please just call me Tom or Thomas. Also, I desperately need a mentor to help me grow stronger, so please consider accepting me as your student. If even you decline, I honestly don't know what I'll do..."
Providing Thomas considerable relief, Chiron adopted a faint smile as he replied, "I will gladly accept you as my student. The thing I enjoy most is teaching others, so, as long as you are willing to learn, I'm willing to teach you."
Though he didn't actually tear up, Thomas felt as though he was on the verge of doing so after hearing Chiron's words. The latter was one of the most famous teachers in Greek mythology. In the lore of the Fate Series, he was the one responsible for training heroes such as Heracles, Achilles, and even Asclepius. His forte was archery, acting as the inspiration for the Sagittarius Constellation, but he possessed a unique Skill called Wisdom of Divine Gift that allowed him to use 'all' Skills with B-A-Rank proficiency. With the singular exception of Scathach, he was the best possible teacher Thomas could have hoped for...
Inhaling a deep breath, Thomas's smile and tone were genuine as he said, "Thank you. You have no idea how relieved I am to have someone like you appear. If I had to figure out things on my own..."
Shaking away his self-deprecating thoughts, Thomas's smile became even more sincere as he reiterated, "Seriously...thank you..."
Feeling the sincerity in Thomas's words, the smile on Chiron's face broadened as he replied, "As I said before, I enjoy teaching more than anything. It is a genuine privilege to have someone so eager to receive my instruction. I look forward to &nbsp;both working with and instructing you, Thomas."
Catching Thomas a little off guard, Chiron extended his fist as if he were expecting a fist bump. When he eventually reciprocated, Chiron gave an approving nod before asking, "Would you like to start now? I'll need to get a basic grasp of your capabilities if I am to instruct you properly. It would also help me better understand the direction your training will take. There are more paths in this world than stars in the evening sky. Finding the one that best suits you will save you considerable time and frustration."
As he had already been pumping Mana into the Equivalence Engine for more than four hours, Thomas didn't hesitate to reply, "I would greatly appreciate it. So far, I've mainly focused on proper dieting and simple exercises, so I'm more than ready to move on to some actual training..."
Nodding his head in approval, Chiron was prepared to teach Thomas everything he was willing to learn. Before that, he turned to Musashi and Benienma, his eyes widening noticeably when he saw how the former was dressed. Unlike Thomas, however, his gaze didn't wander in the slightest as he asked, "Will the two of you be joining us? I can sense tremendous power and potential lurking within each of you."
Dismissively waving her hand, Musashi replied, "I'll come along, but I'm the type that likes to figure out things on my own. Besides, as far as I can tell, you're weaker than me. I don't doubt you could teach me a few tricks, but there's a reason I'm the First Mate, and you're the Second."
Instead of refuting Musashi's words, Chiron gave a slight nod before directing his gaze to Benienma. In response, the petite sparrow replied, "Benienma will assist Master in any way she can, dechi."
Though he could sense that Benienma was a Demon, Chiron could also tell she was being sincere. Thus, with an approving smile, he said, "That will make things easier. It will take some time for our Master to reach our level, but having more opponents to face will prevent him from developing bad habits. I'll be counting on you, Miss...?"
Puffing out her non-existent chest, Benienma stood with her arms akimbo as she answered, "Shita-kiri Suzume no Benienma. Sir Chiron may refer to me as Benienma, dechi."
Following Benienma's introduction, Musashi added, "And I'm Miyamoto Musashi. Since we'll be allies for the foreseeable future, you can call me Musashi."
Similar to when he greeted Thomas, Chiron gave a courteous bow, his right hand over his heart as he said, "It's a pleasure to meet you both..."
Following affirmative responses from both girls, Chiron raised his head, turned to Thomas, and asked, "Shall we get started...?" with a friendly, disarming smile. It was the type of smile that made other feels as though they could entrust everything to him, yet, the moment he adorned it, an involuntary shiver ran through the body of a nearby God of Medicine...
...
..
.
To get a sense of Thomas's capabilities, Chiron had him perform a series of physical exercises until the point of exhaustion. Then, instead of letting him rest and recuperate naturally, he would use a type of Recovery Magic unique to the Centaur tribe to replenish his stamina. He wanted to test the limits of Thomas's willpower and drive, so the evaluation would only come to an end once the latter had 'given up.'
Unaware of Chiron's intentions, Thomas kept pushing himself even after the Sun began disappearing over the horizon. He felt incredibly stressed, but, desperate to overcome his weakness, he managed to pick himself up and keep going every time Chiron healed him. The twenty minutes he was allotted for dinner even gave him a second wind of sorts, allowing him to continue until nearly 3 AM before the humanoid centaur stopped him, an approving smile on his face as he calmly asserted, "You have significant room for improvement. However, if you continue with the same resolution you showed today, it's only a matter of time before you become powerful enough to stand proudly among the Pantheon of Heroes."
Exhaling a profound sigh, Thomas abruptly collapsed onto the sandy beach, a slightly pained laugh emanating from his throat as he replied, "What a relief..." before falling unconscious. Once he learned that Chiron could heal him, he did his best to push himself as much as his mind and body could endure. There were several times when he just wanted to say fuck it and stop, but his fear of staying weak and helpless kept him going long after his mental anguish transitioned into something that could best be described as resolute indifference. His pain and feelings of frustration didn't lessen, but he gradually stopped caring about both...
Staring down at the unconscious Thomas, Chiron's expression softened as he began drafting the former's training regimen in his mind. Because of Thomas's age, there weren't too many specialized paths he could pursue. Mastering swordsmanship, spearmanship, archery, magecraft, and most martial arts were completely out of the question. However, while he might not be able to master any particular art form, that didn't mean he couldn't become powerful enough to contend against even the world's strongest. He just needed to become strong and durable enough to endure virtually any attack...
...
..
.
(A/N: Though Thomas won't be able to benefit from Scathach's 'friendship of the thighs,' Chiron's guidance really is the greatest boon he could have possibly received in the form of a Servant xD...)

Though he made sure to lock his door the previous night, Benienma still managed to pop up within Thomas's room as if she had teleported inside. Fortunately, unlike the previous morning, Thomas made sure to cover his crotch with a pillow, so he didn't have to suffer the indignity of a little loli commenting on his morning wood.
During Benienma's original life as a human, before she had wandered into the mountains and died, she had been a young girl living and working in a brothel. She had apprenticed under an Oiran, a high-ranking courtesan, and the Enma-tei she operated offered various 'services' to their more prestigious clientele. As a result, she was scarily blase regarding matters of a sensual nature.
While he may have delved into some dangerous tags on websites such as nhentai, Thomas 'vehemently' refused Benienma's offer for assistance. He might become a pirate in the future, but he had no intentions of becoming a 'monster.' Even if Benienma was a demonic loli-baba with a three, maybe even four-digit age, it didn't change the fact she looked like an 8-10-year-old girl. If Thomas gave into her 'temptation,' he was absolutely certain he would go to one form of Hell or another...
...
..
.
Before Thomas had even finished eating breakfast, Drake had weighed anchor and set the Hind on a course with their destination, a small Port City known as Coniston. The increasingly futuristic-seeming ship had a literal auto-pilot mode, so unless they encountered a storm or needed to navigate rough terrain, the Hind could operate independently of a crew. The only requirement was that it had enough Mana within its engines to sustain its many mystical functions.
Since she didn't want Thomas wandering off and getting shanked by a random thug, Drake said, "When we enter the port, try not to wander off or leave my sight. The current you might die if you get mauled by a stray dog, so do us all a favor and stay on your toes. If you do as I say, I'll take you to a tailor once we've finished our resupply. I would normally charge 300% interest for any money I lend out, but I'll make an exception for you since you're essentially our fuel source."
Though he assumed Drake was teasing him, Thomas took a deep breath and exhaled through his nose. At the same time, Astolfo remarked, "Hey, don't be too hard on our Master, Drake. He might be super weak and next to useless right now, but my instincts tell me he has a lot of room to grow. We should be helping to build his confidence, not break it down."
Nodding her head in approval, Benienma added, "Lady Astolfo is correct, dechi. To sustain three Heroic Spirits without any obvious signs of fatigue, Master's Mana Capacity is already beyond the scope of an ordinary Mage. Once he learns to control his power, he will make a fine Lord. Benienma is certain of it, dechi."
Hearing Benienma's supportive remark, realization donned on Thomas like an epiphany. He had forgotten about it, but there were actually a number of instances where Masters lacked the necessary Mana to support even a single Servant. Even Tohsaka Rin, a genuine prodigy and the heiress of a prestigious Magus family, needed to supplement her Mana with expensive gems. Yet, even after pumping Mana into the Equivalence Engine for five and a half hours, Thomas never felt exhausted...
Noticing the glimmer of realization in Thomas's eyes, Drake adopted a teasing smile as she said, "Don't get too excited. While it's true that you have an abundance of Mana, it's not a power that belongs to you. If you encounter someone with the capacity to strip it away from you, you're not even remotely special."
Though Drake's words were a little harsh, Thomas gave an approving nod, asserting, "I may have been given this power, but I'll work hard to make it my own. I finally have the chance to make my dreams come true. There's no way in Hell I'm going to remain weak..."
Clapping 'her' hands together, Astolfo exclaimed, "Well said~! Brava~! Magnifique~! As expected of my Master~!"
Smiling wryly, Thomas was about to reiterate that he didn't want to be called anyone's Master, but he was a little too slow. Immediately following Astolfo's words, Benienma gave an affirming nod, adding, "As Servants, it is our duty to ensure our Master has everything he needs to reach his full potential. Benienma will do her best to ensure he has adequate nutrition and never succumbs to an unhealthy lifestyle, dechi. Captain Drake and Lady Astolfo must support him in ways I cannot."
Understanding the 'implication' of Benienma's words, an enormous grin developed across Astolfo's face. However, before she could 'volunteer' her services, Thomas interjected to say, "For now, let's wait until the rest of our crew has assembled before making any important decisions. I've yet to decide on the 'path' I intend to walk, be it brawling, marksmanship, swordsmanship, magic, or a combination of the four. Until then, my main focus is getting healthy and trimming away my excess body fat..."
Nodding her head yet again, Benienma firmly asserted, "Leave it to me, dechi! Benienma won't tolerate unhealthy and destructive lifestyles as long as she's around! The key to happiness is a wholesome and fulfilling lifestyle, dechi...!"
Emulating Benienma's vigor, Astolfo jumped to her feet, shouting, "That's right, dechi! We may only be together for a short while, but that shouldn't stop us from making the most of things~!"
Though even Drake nodded her head in approval, Thomas's mind blanked as another realization donned upon him. Everyone seated around him was a Heroic Spirit seeking to have their wish granted by the Holy Grail. Once they reached Laugh Tale, their crew was fated to disband. In other words, even if he grew close to the people in front of him, their time together was limited...
Noticing the change in Thomas's expression, Drake raised her brows and asked, "What's got you so gloomy all of a sudden? Need to take a shit...?"
"..."
Shaking his head, Thomas confessed, "I just realized how short our time together would be. I don't think Zelretch will pull me out of the world the moment we obtain the Holy Grail, but I can't imagine many of you sticking around once you're presented with the chance to make your wishes come true..."
Rolling her eyes, Drake stated, "Fretting over separations and departures is pointless. People come and go; it's a natural part of life. Even close-knit members of the same family must separate to pursue personal aspirations and form families of their own. Unless you still lived with your parents and siblings back in your previous world, you shouldn't expect that 'everyone' you come to care about will stay at your side. You're not the center of the world, Tom. You're barely in control of your own life."
"..."
Losing his appetite, Thomas rose from his chair and said, "I need some fresh air..." before turning around and walking away. In most of the stories he read, especially fanfiction, the protagonists would be given more than enough power to make their every dream a reality. They could collect girls like Pokemon, outsmart Gods that have lived for millions, if not billions of years, and never had to worry about anyone leaving or abandoning them. Even if their harem reached into the hundreds and the protagonist could no longer feasibly spare time for the girls he initially collected, they rarely, if ever, departed the harem...
As someone who hadn't been in a committed relationship ever since his fiancee cheated on him, Thomas would be happy to have even a single woman he could entrust his heart to. Sure, he might dream of having a harem, but that was just part of being a guy. As a seasoned Otaku, he had more waifus than he could realistically name, and, if given an opportunity, he would probably have sex with each one of them. However, that wasn't love, and, in many cases, his fantasies only made sense if he removed the woman's agency and she behaved according to his desires...
After hearing Drake's words and coming to the realization it was only a matter of time until he was left 'alone,' Thomas began rethinking each of the plans he had drafted the previous two nights.
While it was exceptionally scummy to consider, Thomas had 'assumed' he would eventually be able to have sex with each of the female Servants he summoned, excluding Benienma. Many of Type-Moon's series were eroge, Japanese porn games, so many historically male characters, such as King Arthur and even Drake herself, had been converted to females. There was also a concept known as Mana Transfer, a process by which the Master of a Servant empowers them through intercourse. Thus, even if he ordinarily wouldn't have a chance with someone as beautiful as Drake, Thomas was fairly sure they would eventually have sex.
Now that he knew it was only a matter of time before Drake and the rest of his Servants left his side, Thomas needed to consider what he would do following their departure. He would eventually lose his entire crew, so unless Zelretch yeeted him away to carry out whatever unspecified task he had in mind, Thomas would eventually need to depend on his strength and the fellowships he forged during the journey.
With the Strawhats scheduled to reach Laugh Tale within the next five, maybe six years, Thomas had a 'very' limited amount of time to achieve his goals. There was a reasonably high possibility that he could make a wish upon the Holy Grail, but, as he had already been given a chance to transmigrate, it wasn't an exaggeration to say his dream was currently in the process of being actualized. Being too greedy could spell his end, so he made a decision that would invariably shape the rest of his life...
While he would probably have sex with his Servants if presented with the opportunity, Thomas resolved to settle down with just a single woman. He would readily jump at the chance to sleep with others, but the moment he managed to woo someone like Nami, Yamato, Robin, or just about anyone from the central cast of characters, he would focus all his efforts on them. Any one of them would ordinarily be out of his league, so if he could reach the end of his journey with one of them at his side, he would be more than content...
...
..
.
After reaching the Port City of Coniston, Thomas silently accompanied Drake ashore, observing as she made a fool out of various merchants and haggled shopkeepers to the point they were practically handing over their merchandise at the manufacturing cost. Afterward, she all but picked out his clothes for him, focusing on apparel and equipment that would hold up during expeditions and long trips at sea. This included a dozen breathable white shirts with open collars, several pairs of brown pants, two pairs of leather boots, a pair of sandals, and a vest. Nothing special, but infinitely better than the t-shirt and boxers he had been running around in...
...
..
.
(A/N: For those that would point fingers, feel free to search the Type-Moon wiki, specifically the articles related to Benienma and her adoptive mother, Datsue-ba. The former mentions that she was a young girl living in a brothel, while the latter directly states that she was a prostitute. This is possible as, before 1903, there were no consent laws within the penal code of Japan. Even today, the age of consent in many regions is only 13 years old, so, being from an era at least 500 years in the past, Benienma being a prostitute isn't surprising. It was the only way many young and orphaned girls could survive and elevate themselves above the status of a commoner within Japanese society...)

Chapter 8: A Vast Yet Surprisingly Small World