One Piece : Wild Hunt

Contrasting Thomas's expectations, Caenis didn't remain silent after taking a seat. Instead, after taking several bites of her fish, she asked, "So, what's the deal? Seeing how I was summoned as a Shipwright, I expected to be on or around the water. Why are we in the middle of the jungle...?"
Recovering from his momentary stupor, Thomas answered, "I'm training under Chiron to become stronger. Have you-"
Before Thomas could finish speaking, Caenis perked up slightly, asking, "Chiron? That old horse fucker is here? Well, at least I won't be the only Greek Heroic Spirit among our crew."
Although she had never trained under Chiron, Caenis was aware of the famous Centaurian Sage. She had even sailed aboard the Argo alongside nearly a dozen of Chiron's most celebrated students, serving the same function she had been assigned now, Shipwright.
Instead of asking how someone who lived in the same era as Chiron knew him, Thomas nodded his head, explaining, "My goal is to stand near the pinnacle of this world with my own power, so I'll be doing my best to get stronger so that you all can attain your wishes..."
"Oh, so that's how it is..." replied Caenis. Then, catching Thomas more than a little off guard, she added, "Then I'll help you. I don't have the patience to be a teacher, but I can serve as a training partner. My body is functionally indestructible, and I won't die even if you somehow manage to pierce my heart or head. Feel free to test your limits against me during your training."
Not expecting Caenis to be so...amicable, Thomas found himself at a loss for words. He knew she wasn't as bad as the community made her out to be, but she actually seemed kind of nice. Unfortunately, he was busy with personal matters around when the Atlantis Lostbelt event was running on FGO, so his understanding of her character was based on things he had skimmed on the Type-Moon wiki. All he remembered with absolute clarity was that she had EX-Rank Mad Enhancement, making her one of the few Heroic Spirits that could murder her Master. Once she went on a rampage, not even Command Spells could stop her...
Noticing Thomas's disbelief, Caenis furrowed her brows slightly, asking, "You don't believe me?" in an audibly hostile tone.
Shaking his head quickly, Thomas answered, "Oh, no, I'm fully aware of your indestructibility. I just didn't expect you to offer to help out with my training. In the world I originate from, you and the other Heroic Spirits are just fictional characters. Whenever I summon one of you, it takes me a bit of time to accept that you're actually 'real'..."
Though she could tell Thomas was glossing over something, Caenis could also sense that he was being truthful. Thus, instead of getting upset, she casually retorted, "As real as a Heroic or Divine Spirit summoned through the Throne can be. Anyways, is there any more fish? If not, I can go catch some."
As she wasn't the type that liked sitting around, Caenis rose to her feet even before Thomas could respond. In contrast, she then waited patiently to hear if he approved of her proposition.
Since it wouldn't be him preparing the fish, Thomas turned to Benienma, asking, "Do you mind, Beni...?"
Shaking her head, Benienma replied, "Cooking is my responsibility, dechi. If someone on our crew is hungry, Benienma will do her utmost to ensure their bellies are full and content."
Returning his gaze to Caenis, Thomas said, "Well, you heard her. We're on a fairly small island, so you shouldn't have any issues locating the sea. There's also a stream nearby, but the fish are smaller and apparently have more parasites..."
Manifesting a predominately red spear with a large, flat blade on the end, Caenis snappily replied, "I am familiar with the differences between fresh and saltwater fish. Just leave it to me. I'll catch something big enough to fill all our bellies."
As she had already received permission, Caenis surprised Thomas by abruptly jumping into the air, bounding over even the tallest of trees. Her Strength and Agility were both A-Rank, so she could leap upwards of 5km or land from virtually any height without so much as spraining an ankle.
Seeing Caenis disappear, a relieved sigh escaped Thomas's throat as the tensions drained from his body. The white-haired horse-woman was nicer than he expected, but he still felt like he had a spear at his neck the entire conversation...
Shaking away his discomfort, Thomas pulled out his two remaining tarot-like cards and gave them a look. Only the Sniper and Musician remained, so, with the hopes of encountering his Goddess, Ishtar, Thomas selected the Sniper's Card and immediately began channeling his Mana into it...
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Though he had gotten a taste of it the day he summoned her, Thomas had underestimated just how 'chatty' Caenis was. She didn't have anything to do back at the ship, so she spent the entire day following him around and asking him random questions about his previous world, personal life, One Piece, and anything else that happened to pop into her head.
While he didn't mind Caenis's intrigue, Thomas couldn't help feeling like he had summoned the wrong version of her. She seldom got angry, and when Benienma gave her chocolate, she practically gushed like a girl over a name-brand handbag. When Thomas asked if she enjoyed sweets, she adopted a smile that could rival the Sun's radiance, followed by a lengthy monologue about the various kinds of sweet bread, fruit jams, and honey cakes present in ancient Greece...
When she wasn't busy pestering Thomas, Caenis was either chatting it up with Musashi or swimming in the ocean. She seemed to enjoy everything about the sea, from its appearance to the temperate breeze that carried with it the fragrance of salt, fish, and 'adventure.' What surprised Thomas was her initial attempt to dive in completely naked, seemingly uncaring if she was seen in the nude. Drake and Musashi had a similar temperament, but they at least feigned decency when Thomas was around.
Though he burned the image of Caenis's naked, incredibly toned frame into his mind, Thomas asked Musashi to at least convince her to wear a swimsuit. Caenis refused at first, arguing that it would get in the way, but eventually relented when Chiron later said something to her. Shortly after that, she emulated Musashi by manifesting a black bikini that left little to the imagination...
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Four days after the summoning of Caenis, giving Thomas greater hope that he would summon Ishtar, the Sniper's Card abruptly activated while he was taking a break. Since even Caenis had taken five days to appear, Thomas immediately knew he hadn't summoned Ishtar. He wasn't even remotely disappointed, however, as the individual who popped out easily made his Top 10...
Under the watchful and curious eyes of Thomas, Caenis, Musashi, and Benienma, a slender woman with inordinately long and unkempt hair that was green near the bangs and transitioned into wheat near the tips slowly emerged from the summoning circle. She had delicate yet 'wild' features, including angular eyes, gauntlets fashioned into claws, large, cat-like ears atop her head, and a similarly feline tail poking out above her butt. As for her outfit, she appeared in a form-fitting green and black dress with puffy shoulders, a two-layer pleated skirt, and thigh-high boots that ran nearly the full length of her long and slender legs.
As the light from the summoning circle faded, the cat-like woman opened her piercing green eyes, immediately locking gazes with Thomas as she asked, "You're my Master?" in a terse, no-nonsense tone.
Earning a slight furrow, Thomas adopted an awkward smile as he replied, "Welcome to the world of One Piece, Atalanta. Please, feel free to call me Tom or Thomas..."
"You know who I am?" asked Atalanta. However, before Thomas could reply, Caenis adopted a massive grin as she said, "Holy shit! Is that you, Atalanta!? Why do you have those ears? And that tail...! Hahahahahaha~!"
Turning away from Thomas, Atalanta's eyes narrowed further as she practically growled, "Caeneus...back to being a woman?"
Snorting through her nose, Caenis retorted, "Better a woman than a cat. Tell me, which God did you piss off to receive features like those...?"
Instead of answering Caenis's question, Atalanta focused on the horse-like ears atop the former's head, nearly sending the white-haired woman into a rage as she remarked, "It appears Poseidon's obsession with you transcended your death..."
With her usually sky blue eyes abruptly turning red, the air around Caenis began to tremble as she said, "Choose your next words very carefully, you shitty cat. You know I'll fucking kill you..."
Though she was confident in her ability to flee, Atalanta knew Caenis would never rest until she managed to hunt her down. Her stamina would eventually give out, while Caenis's was functionally unlimited. Thus, while she wasn't afraid of the white-haired horse-woman, she responded with a curt, "My apologies." before turning her attention back to Thomas.
Clicking her tongue, Caenis was tempted to press the matter further but ultimately decided against it. She didn't like dealing with anything related to the errant God that had ruined her life, not even her own thoughts on the matter. Her mood was still terrible, however, so she rose from her seat and walked off into the jungle to blow off some steam...
Waiting until Caenis had departed, Atalanta exhaled a faintly relieved sigh before regaining her previous edge as she stared into Thomas's eyes and asked, "What is your desire? Why do you seek the Holy Grail...?"
Shaking his head, Thomas replied, "My wish was granted the moment I entered this world. My 'goal' is to stand near the pinnacle with my own strength. As for what you're really asking..."
Since Atalanta's wish was one of the few that was 'known' to everyone in the Fate community, Thomas added, "I will readily support your desire to create a world where children can be raised with care and love. As far as wishes go, it's a pretty phenomenal one..."
Blinking in surprise, Atalanta asked, "You're familiar with my wish...?" while also casting her gaze to Benienma. She could tell the latter wasn't a child, but she also felt a sense of 'kinship' toward the petite sparrow due to their similar affinities with guiding and protecting children.
Believing Atalanta was seeking her input, Benienma firmly asserted, "Our Master is a good man. Even though I am much older than him, he regards me with care and respect because of my appearance. If Lady Atalanta wishes to create a world where children can live happily, I believe Master will support you wholeheartedly, dechi."
Losing a bit of her edge, Atalanta replied, "I see..." before returning her gaze to Thomas and adding, "Then I will also support you to the utmost of my ability. Let us work together to make both of our dreams a reality."
Adopting a significantly less nervous smile, Thomas replied, "Glad to have you, Atalanta..."
Nodding her head and adopting the faintest of smiles, Atalanta responded with a curt, "Likewise." as her cat-like tail swished and curled behind her. Thomas didn't know if this meant she was pleased, but he presumed, at the very least, that she didn't hate him. With Atalanta, like any other cat, that was a pretty significant step forward. Who knows, she might even let him touch her ears in the future...
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(A/N: Ceanis gets a pretty bad wrap in the community at times as a 'man-hater.' While pretty brash and extremely violent at times, she isn't really a 'bad' guy. And her fondness for sweets...well, let's just say she will lose her shit when she learns about the existence of Whole Cake Island xD...)

With only the Musician Card left, Thomas was only one Servant away from completing 'his' crew. Drake was the Captain, but even if he didn't have them refer to him as such, he was still the Master of each of them. Thomas didn't mind taking detours if someone had a specific destination or purpose in mind, but unless their reasons were compelling, he would be the one determining most of their destinations and goals.
Fortunately, even without vocalizing these thoughts aloud, most of the members of the 'Wild Hunt,' the name Drake had given their Pirate crew, had similar thoughts to Thomas. They were there to help him achieve his goal in exchange for the chance to have their wishes granted, so unless he went of his way to antagonize them, they would abide by his decisions and support him...
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Expecting the process to take several days, Thomas was surprised when the Musician Card activated in the evening of the same day he summoned Atalanta. What made this especially awkward was the fact he was lying in his bed, the summoning circle appearing beneath him.
Passing through Thomas's bed and body like a phantom, his final Servant appeared to be a young woman with amber eyes and ashen grey hair that grew wild and untamed near her scalp and formed an extraordinarily long ponytail that fell past her butt. Her attire consisted of a white blouse that loosely clung to her petite frame, a black overcoat with a red checkered pattern near the bottom, a red scarf, thin black shorts that clung to her hips in a manner resembling spats, and black boots with large outsoles, golden adornments, and red heels.
As the unknown, androgynous-looking Servant fully materialized, she ended up stepping directly on Thomas. Fortunately, he had 'gained' a lot in the past couple of weeks, so her 45kgs of weight only caused him a bit of discomfort in the brief moment before she lost her footing.
Falling onto her butt, the ashen-haired Servant fell into a pseudo-m-pose that made it 'very' clear she wasn't a man in disguise. She quickly righted herself, but instead of getting off of Thomas's body or the bed as a whole, she outright straddled him, observing his befuddlement with an apathetic look on her face.
Just as Thomas was about to ask the girl to get off of him, for numerous reasons, she preempted him by materializing a white notebook and a quill, writing something down before turning the pad around so that he could read, 'My name is Ludwig van Beethoven. Apologies, for I cannot hear or speak.'
After blinking several times in surprise, Thomas gradually came to terms with the fact he had a girl seated on his lap, asking, "Can you read lips...?" out of curiosity.
Nodding her head in approval, Beethoven wrote something down on her notepad before turning it around, revealing, 'I can also feel what people are saying through the vibrations of objects I am in direct contact with.'
Adopting a wry smile, Thomas asked, "Is that why you're seated on top of me? Also, just to be certain, you 'are' a woman, right...?"
Raising her brows slightly, Beethoven looked down at herself and their current position, a very faint shade of red coloring her cheeks as she scribbled something down rapidly, revealing, 'Forgive me. My heart is not prepared for such things...'
After waiting for Thomas to read what she had written, Beethoven got off him, standing at the side of the bed with a gradually deepening blush. Her expression didn't change in the slightest, but it was fairly easy to see that she was embarrassed.
Rising to a seated position, Thomas adopted an apologetic smile as he said, "Sorry. I honestly didn't expect you to pop out when I was getting ready to sleep. Also, while it's a little late, my name is Thomas. Welcome to the Wild Hunt, Beethoven."
Adopting the faintest of smiles, Beethoven used her notepad to convey, 'The pleasure is mine.' and 'Will this be where I stay from now on?'
Shaking his head, Thomas answered, "No. Each member of the crew has their own private quarters. Come on; I'll give you a quick tour of the ship and introduce you to anyone still out and about."
Since he was the type that slept fully clothed, at least when he was alone, Thomas just had to slip on a pair of sandals before he could show Beethoven around the ship. Most of the crew had already retired for the night, but that didn't stop Benienma from surprising Beethoven with her usual appearing act, asking, "Is Master going on an evening stroll? Then Benienma will accompany you, dechi."
As he had largely gotten used to Benienma's apparent teleportation, the combination of her extreme speed and A-Rank Presence Concealment, a Skill typically reserved for the most skilled Assassins, Thomas just smiled as he replied, "I'm showing our Musician, Beethoven, around the ship. She is deaf and mute but can read lips. I'm unsure how your Ventriloquism will work on her, so you'll need to speak directly to her."
Blinking in surprise, Benienma directed her gaze to Beethoven, remarking, "Deaf and mute? It's a wonder you're able to be a Musician at all, dechi..."
Adopting a faint smile, Beethoven scribbled something down on her notepad before turning it around to reveal, 'Music comes from the heart and reverberates through the soul. I may have lost my hearing, but there is nothing that can take away my passion for symphony and song.'
Punctuating her words, Beethoven placed her hand over her heart and closed her eyes. To the surprise of Thomas and Benienma, the faint yet growing sound of symphony could be heard, emanating from Beethoven but quickly spreading to her surroundings like an echo. More surprisingly, Thomas actually recognized the song, muttering, "Symphony Number 9, Ode to Joy..."
Though she had her eyes closed, Beethoven's smile broadened when she 'heard' Thomas's words. When utilizing her Skills, she became one with the sound in her surroundings, tuning in to the symphony of the 'world' itself. When used as a weapon, she could paralyze or at least reduce the mobility of her enemies. When utilized for support, she could boost the morale of her allies, diminish the effects of fatigue, and, most importantly, incite the masses to action through song.
Understanding that it wouldn't be proper to allow her symphony to grow to its loudest in the middle of the night, Beethoven gradually restrained her zeal, regaining an apathetic look as she wrote something down on her notepad. When she eventually turned it around, Thomas was surprised to read, 'Thank you. It made me happy that you recognized my symphony. If you ever want to hear more, please let me know. I am always delighted to share my music with others.'
Punctuating her words, Beethoven adopted a happy smile that pierced through Thomas's heart like an arrow. The former had never appeared as a Servant in any media he was familiar with, but her words managed to secure her a position in his Top 10 female Heroic Spirits. He hadn't been into classical music since his time as a member of his High School Band, but he was more than happy to listen to Beethoven's music if it made her this happy...
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After escorting Beethoven around the ship, introducing her to Atalanta in the process, Thomas helped her get situated in her room before returning to his own. Now that he had summoned all nine of his Servants, he had a fair amount of thinking to do.
Though it had only been twenty-eight days since his arrival in the world of One Piece, even fewer since he started training, his strength, speed, and endurance had increased 'tremendously.' Even without the enhancement of Magical Energy, he could already pump out more than a hundred push-ups without issue, a stark contrast to a few weeks prior when he couldn't even do twenty without 'cheating.'
While he initially wasn't sure if Zelretch had given him the physique of someone from One Piece, Thomas's rapid progress and cartoonificiation led him to believe that was the case. Even when he went through Basic Training at Camp May, training for eight weeks to get into the best shape of his life, he couldn't do more than a hundred push-ups without slowing down or taking a break. Now, he could complete a full circuit of the island, navigate through the jungle, and race through the increasingly evolving obstacle course that Chiron had prepared as if he had been doing so for several years.
Unfortunately, even though he had explained the existence of Haki to Chiron, the latter didn't hesitate to inform him that it was 'impossible' for him to teach. His Personal Skill, Wisdom of the Divine Gift(A+), could not grant him knowledge of Skills outside the 'domain' of Greece's Mythic Era and the Skills derived from it. In other words, he couldn't teach things like Computer Programming or Advanced Robotics. Furthermore, as a Heroic Spirit, neither he nor the others could enhance their Parameters or learn Skills outside the scope of their Class. It was one of the many reasons he was teaching Thomas Reinforcement Magic, as the latter was one of the only known ways to empower a Servant outside of killing, ritual, and blood magic.
Though Thomas was initially concerned by the revelation, Chiron assured him it wouldn't be an issue. Even the weakest Heroic Spirits were already exceptionally powerful, and so long as they killed strong foes, particularly those with high bounties, their existence would be strengthened.
Like Magic itself, much of the power of a Heroic Spirit was derived from perception and belief. By defeating powerful foes or performing feats that would increase their reputation, either positively or negatively, their power would grow accordingly. With enough belief, they could even be elevated from Heroic Spirits to Pseudo-Divine Spirits. If the masses then began to worship them, they could develop a Divine Core and become literal Gods.
Unsurprisingly, the process of a Heroic Spirit becoming stronger based on feats, merit, and accumulating beliefs was known as Ascension, just like in Fate Grand Order. To that end, each of Thomas's Heroic Spirits had Three Stages of Ascension, their 'base' form representing their First Stage. If he wanted to Ascend them further, they would either need to kill Pirates with high bounties or perform grand feats on the world stage.
Since he wasn't 'really' a Pirate, despite what his BitTorrent history might imply, Thomas had come up with the idea of having the Wild Hunt act as Bounty Hunters or Mercenaries. It was only a matter of time before the World Government classified them as Pirates, but they could potentially secure the status of Shichibukai if they continuously hunted famous and powerful Pirate crews. That would make things much easier for them, as the Shichibukai, also known as the Seven Warlords, were globally famous and allowed to operate with relative impunity.
As he had no intention of tagging along with the Straw Hats, only getting to know them, becoming a Shichibukai seemed the most sensible course of action. It allowed them to travel about freely, hunting down infamous Pirate groups while also affording Thomas the time he needed to become more powerful. He only had around 3-4 years to become strong enough to contend with monsters that had dominated the seas for decades, so he would like to be able to focus on his training without fear of Cipher Pol or the Marines hunting him down...
With such thoughts in his mind, Thomas gradually succumbed to the sweet embrace of unconsciousness. There was so much he wanted to do in the world of One Piece, but nearly everything required him to be strong enough to 'survive.' Thus, while he had grand ambitions that involved the destruction of the World Government and space exploration, his absolute highest priority was becoming stronger...at least strong enough to deck Kaido hard enough to impress Yamato...
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(A/N: Beethoven's design is based on the character from Honkai Impact. I'll post the image here and in the comments.)

After sleeping more soundly than he had in his entire life, Thomas awoke to find himself in his bed. More concerningly, he didn't have so much as a single strand of clothing on his body...
Popping up out of nowhere, Benienma revealed what Thomas already suspected, explaining, "I took the liberty of removing Master's clothes and cleansing your body, dechi. Once you have completed your morning routine, please make your way to the kitchen. Breakfast ended hours ago, but I made sure to save your portion."
Though his expression morphed into an emotionless deadpan as he imagined Benienma stripping him down and giving him a sponge bath, Thomas consoled himself with the knowledge that, at the very least, it wasn't Astolfo. He had held out hope that the pink-haired Paladin was a woman, especially when she appeared without a visible bulge in a bikini, but the truth became 'very' apparent when Astolfo invaded his shower...
Recalling the incident, a powerful shudder ran through Thomas's body, prompting Benienma to crawl onto the side of his bed so that she could feel his forehead with her palm.
"You don't seem to have a fever, dechi. Still, if Master is feeling unwell, please take the day off. It's fine to push yourself when you're healthy, but doing so when you're unwell will do more harm than good."
Retracting her hand from Thomas's head, Benienma hopped off his bed and departed the room without further comment. In her wake, Thomas just exhaled a tired sigh, briefly considering staying in bed before forcing himself to get up. Strength wasn't born from complacency, so he couldn't afford to laze about unless he was genuinely sick. Then again, even if he was, Asclepius could probably treat him in an instant...
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After dragging himself out of bed, getting dressed, and washing his face, Thomas went to the kitchen to find Musashi and Benienma waiting for him at the dining table. Benienma considered herself his Kosho, so she did her best to care for his needs. As for Musashi, she had purportedly reached a point where no amount of training would help her grow stronger. The only way to increase her strength further was through live combat, so most of her 'training' revolved around meditation and visualization. In other words, she had nothing to do until a strong opponent appeared. In the meantime, she followed him around to ensure his safety.
Though she had sensed Thomas long before he reached the kitchen, Musashi feigned pleasant surprise, adopting a smile as she said, "You've finally awoken. Rest after exhausting yourself is the best kind. Just make sure you don't overdo either."
Emulating Chiron, Thomas did his best not to lower his gaze to Musashi's perfectly sculpted breasts as he replied, "I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Thanks..."
Noticing Thomas's attempts at restraint, Musashi narrowed her eyes in amusement as she remarked, "Well, would you look at you...a single day of training, and you're already behaving more like a proper man. Keep it up."
Smiling wryly, Thomas took his seat and focused on eating the meal Beni had warmed up for him. Even reheated, it was exceptionally delicious, so he was in high spirits despite his impending shift in the Engine Room. He had an agreement with Drake, but more than that, he still had three more Servants to summon before he could focus fully on his training...
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Though he wasn't sure why they needed a Shipwright when Drake could repair the Hind using the Mana stored within the Equivalence Engine, that wouldn't stop Thomas from summoning them. As someone that had been a fan of the Fate Series, spending hundreds of dollars on games like Fate: Grand Order, there were a lot of Heroic Spirits he would like to meet.
While it was undeniably wishful thinking, Thomas held out hope that he would summon the remainder of his Top-3 Waifus. He had already hit the jackpot with Musashi, but if he could get Ishtar as his Sniper and MHX as his...anything, he would be over the moon. Of course, the biggest jackpot of all would be receiving the female version of Merlin, one of the greatest Mages in existence, but that was 'beyond' wishful thinking. If any version of the dick-wizard were to appear, it would most likely be the male...
Interrupting Thomas's shift, Chiron entered the Engine Room, followed closely by Drake. The latter had been spending most of her time within her quarters since she dispatched Astolfo to map the region, so Thomas was more than a little surprised to see her. Even more surprising was the fact that she was covered in sweat and had a slightly ruddy complexion...
Seeing the deadpan expression on Thomas's face, Drake gave him a playful wink and adopted a cheeky smile as she mused, "You summoned a good one this time. The two of us just had a nice long 'chat,' so you're free from Engine Room duties for the time being. Good luck with your training."
After stating her piece, Drake caused both Thomas's and Chiron's brows to furrow when she squeezed the latter's ass on her way out. When she was gone, Chiron exhaled a slightly exasperated sigh as he remarked, "If you had intentions toward our Captain, I apologize. Know that I harbor no feelings toward her."
As he was already well aware of the type of woman Drake was, Thomas just shook his head, adopting a wry smile as he said, "Don't worry about it. The six of you might be my Servants, but you're ultimately individuals with your own wants and needs. Besides, I would rather she sleeps with you than some random guy she picks up at a bar..."
Despite Thomas's words, Chiron exhaled another sigh before walking over to give the former a few claps on the shoulder. He could tell Thomas was more than a little bothered by what had occurred between him and Drake, so he adopted a kind expression and tone as he said, "Once you become stronger, you will find a woman worthy of your devotion. Captain Drake is a beautiful woman, but she is not someone you should entrust your heart to..."
Blinking in surprise, Thomas met Chiron's gaze as he asked, "Did you read my mind...?"
Shaking his head, Chiron replied, "While it is a capability I possess, I've never once peered into the mind of another without their consent. I just have a sense for these kinds of things."
Giving Thomas's shoulder one final clap, Chiron removed his hand and asked, "Now, shall we discuss your training? I believe I've come up with a method to help you realize your ambition of 'reaching the pinnacle of this world.' If you're still willing to trust me, that is..."
As he had already anticipated Drake sleeping with whoever she pleased, Thomas managed an awkward smile as he replied, "I'll do my best..." in a half-hearted tone. He didn't have much of a choice but to rely on Chiron if he wanted to grow stronger, so as long as the horse-like man didn't begin sleeping with every female member of the crew, he wouldn't 'completely' lose his shit...
Though he could sense Thomas's awkwardness, Chiron could also feel his sincere desire to grow stronger. Thus, after an approving nod, he began to lay out his plan for Thomas's training...
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As it would take literal decades to master something like swordsmanship and most traditional forms of Magecraft, Chiron set Thomas on the path he had been considering from the start, overwhelming his opponents with raw, in this case, magical power. More specifically, he would be teaching Thomas Material Transmutation, starting with basic Reinforcement Magic, Alteration, and eventually Projection Magic.
Though Reinforcement Magic sounded like it simply enhanced the user's strength, speed, and endurance, it was actually one of the 'fundamental' Magecrafts, one of the schools closest to 'True Magic.' Rather than simply strengthening the user, it reinforced the 'existence' of any person, place, or thing that could contain Magical Energy. In the case of a knife, it would enhance its durability, sharpness, and edge retention. Food would have its nourishment increased, plants would grow stronger, faster, and healthier, and animals could be driven to 'evolve' into far more powerful, potentially even mythical creatures.
Fortunately for Thomas, consuming the Mana-Man-no-Mi placed him in a position to benefit 'drastically' from Reinforcement. His body was already saturated and constantly producing Mana, so he just needed to learn how to convert it into Magical Energy. Once he mastered the basics, he would be able to 'reinforce' his physical parameters in the same way as a Heroic Spirit.
While there were no clear limitations to the amount of Magical Energy something could receive, everything from its internal structure to how it was perceived determined the effectiveness of the Reinforcement Magic. The same amount of Magical Energy channeled into an ordinary wooden sword would have a 'significantly' greater effect when conducted into a famous katana. In that same vein, someone that had never trained their physique would struggle to empower themselves as they lacked a proper 'understanding' of what it meant to be strong.
When broken down into its most simplistic form, Reinforcement Magic was effectively a modifier applied to an existing object. In the case of a person, it was akin to abilities such as the Kaio-Ken or the Super Saiyan Transformations. They were remarkably powerful transformations, but if your 'base form' was weak, they weren't nearly as effective.
To ensure Thomas wouldn't be helpless if he exhausted or started to run low on Mana, Chiron had him focus primarily on improving his physique and learning how to survive by tasking him to move from one side of the jungle to the other.
While the creatures within weren't a threat to even the weakest of Heroic Spirits, they were extremely perilous for someone at Thomas's level. The fear of death was a powerful motivator, so even if he 'knew' someone like Musashi or Benienma would step in to save him, Chiron informed Thomas that he would 'benefit' greatly from being hunted and forced to survive on his own...
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During the afternoon of his fifth day of training with Chiron, Thomas was enjoying some grilled fish prepared by Benienma when the Shipwright's Card abruptly activated. He had been pumping Mana into it whenever he had spare time, so, after five days, Thomas was expecting another God or a powerful Caster to pop out. Instead, someone he never expected, not in a million years, made an appearance...
Standing 174cm tall, nearly as tall as Chiron but markedly shorter than Thomas, was a fierce-looking woman with bronze skin, aquamarine eyes, white hair, and tiny, rabbit-like ears sticking out of her heard. As for her outfit, she wore predominately white, black-trimmed armor that hugged most of her incredibly feminine form, the only exceptions being a small gap above her breasts and the region between her thighs, exposing black fabric and a part of her voluminous ass.
By instinct, Thomas raised his hands to show that he wasn't a threat while keeping his gaze firmly fixed on the fierce woman's face. The other Heroic Spirits he had summoned had the same personalities as the characters he was familiar with, so he didn't want to make the bronze-skinned woman's shit list. She was famous for hating all Deities and the majority of men, so there was a real possibility she might attack him if he managed to piss her off...
Narrowing her eyes at Thomas, the white-haired woman, Caenis, asked, "Are you my Master?" placing extra emphasis on the word 'master.'
Instead of answering in the affirmative, Thomas replied, "Please call me Tom or Thomas..."
Looking away from Thomas, Caenis passed her gaze over Benienma before shifting her attention to the jungle where Musashi was lurking in the shadows of a tree. The latter gave her a 'very' dangerous feeling, so she restrained herself a bit as she stated, "My name is Caenis. And while I &nbsp;may be your Servant, I am not your slave. I will obey your orders if it's to fight, but if you try to have me serve you in other ways, I'll tear 'it' off and force you to eat it. Never forget that..."
Understanding what Caenis meant by 'it,' Thomas's forced smile became even wrier as he replied, "While my thoughts might wander, I would never do something like that..."
Since he couldn't lie in front of Benienma, Thomas had to be 'very' careful with his words. The truth was that he would jump at the opportunity to be with a woman of Caenis's caliber. However, even if his life and manhood weren't on the line, he would never try to force her...not after knowing her past...
Sensing no falsehoods within Thomas's words, Caenis gave an approving nod before turning her attention to the campfire they were seated around. Fish was a staple food during her era, so the aroma of Benienma's grilled skewers had been tickling her nose since her summoning. She could tell from the fragrance it was going to taste phenomenal, so she immediately took a seat when Thomas asked if she would like to join them...
...
..
.
(A/N: Reinforcement is op, but Projection is borderline omnipotent...Chiron set our boy on a terrifying path. Also, for those who are upset/annoyed by Drake's behavior, you have a fundamental lack of understanding about the character. I'm not going to make her act like someone she isn't just to pander to the egos of Thomas and those who would supplant him within their minds. Drake just isn't a one-man kind of guy, and she would never, ever, be in a committed relationship. It would go against everything she stands for/believes in.)

Chapter 11: Kemono Girls Abound