At the Beach.
The warm white sand felt soft beneath my feet as I landed smoothly on the shore. Atalanta, with her natural agility, landed lightly beside me without making a single sound.
Mash, as usual, was more methodical—she threw her round shield onto the ground first before jumping down, landing precisely beside her weapon with the precision of a trained knight.
And then… there was Fujimaru.
He jumped off the ship with enthusiasm but clearly miscalculated the height. Before he could fall awkwardly, Mash swiftly caught him in midair, securing her Master effortlessly like a knight rescuing a princess.
I couldn't hold back my laughter. "Pfft, seriously, Ohime-sama, you really need to learn how to land properly…!"
Fujimaru, still in Mash's grasp, immediately blushed and scrambled to stand on his own as soon as Mash carefully set him down.
"Don't call me Ohime-sama!" he shouted, clearly embarrassed, his face still slightly flushed.
I just laughed even harder while Mash looked between the two of us with an awkward expression. Meanwhile, Atalanta, who had been watching our interaction, simply let out a small sigh and shook her head, as if silently telling us we were wasting time.
"Enough playing around. We need to move," she said firmly before turning around and heading into the forest ahead of us.
Fujimaru and Mash quickly followed without much argument, while I glanced back at the ship for a moment.
My crew stood at the edge, waving enthusiastically. I could hear their voices cheering, urging me to be careful.
I smiled softly and gave them a nod before turning around and stepping forward to catch up with Atalanta and the others.
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Inside the Forest.
The forest we were walking through felt alive with the sounds of birds chirping and leaves rustling in the wind. Atalanta remained at the front, her movements swift and silent, almost blending into nature itself. I could see her ears twitch slightly, a sign of how sharp her hearing was at picking up the sounds around us.
I slowed my pace and started observing my surroundings. Brightly colored birds fluttered from branch to branch, while small rabbits and deer hid among the bushes. Mash and Fujimaru seemed to be enjoying the scenery too—Mash even attempted to approach a small white rabbit, which seemed curious but not too afraid of her.
Suddenly, a small blue bird fluttered down and lightly perched on my shoulder. I smiled, gently stroking its head, feeling the softness of its feathers beneath my fingers.
Fujimaru, noticing the interaction, chuckled. "You like animals, huh, Caster?"
I nodded, still petting the bird on my shoulder. "Yes, they're more honest than humans."
Unconsciously, my thoughts drifted to something—a new skill that had appeared after my character profile was updated. "The Chameleon."
This ability allowed me to alter or create certain parts of my body—or someone else's—to resemble animal traits. It wasn't just a cosmetic change but could be used for camouflage or adaptation. For example, I could turn a strand of hair into cat ears… or maybe rabbit ears.
I glanced at Mash, who was still fascinated by the small rabbit. A mischievous smile formed on my lips as the idea of testing my ability crossed my mind.
Slowly, I walked toward her. Mash looked slightly surprised when she noticed my sudden approach. "Huh? What is it?"
I gazed at her with interest. "Hey, Mash. Would you be interested in trying out cat ears? Or maybe rabbit ears?"
Mash blinked a few times, looking confused. "Eh? You can do that?"
I nodded confidently. "Of course. I am amazing, remember?"
Fujimaru gave me a suspicious look, rubbing his chin as if contemplating something. "For some reason, I feel like you just want to use Mash as a test subject…"
I feigned offense. "Oh, come on! This isn't some evil experiment! I just want to show off my cool ability! And this isn't just a fake accessory—the ears will actually become part of her body!"
Mash seemed even more intrigued. "So… this is one of your abilities?"
I nodded. "Yes. With this ability, I can transform human body parts into animal features. Not just ears, but other things if needed."
Suddenly, Dr. Roman's voice came through Mash's communicator.
"Wait a minute! Why do you have such a weird ability?!" His voice sounded half-panicked, half-curious.
I scoffed. "Weird? This isn't weird. This is a camouflage skill! Imagine, if I were in the forest and needed to hide, I could adjust my body to blend in like a chameleon!"
Roman seemed to consider this. "Hmm… that does make sense… Alright, go ahead and show me! I want to see how this turns out!"
Mash looked a little hesitant but then turned to her Master as if asking for permission. Fujimaru just shrugged and said, "Go for it. I'm curious too."
I grinned. "Alright, get ready, Mash. I'm giving you cat ears!"
As I started activating the skill, I stole a glance at Atalanta, who had been silent the entire time. Her expression remained calm, but her eyes narrowed slightly—there was a hint of curiosity in them.
Heh… A hunter like her must be interested in seeing this ability in action.
With a bit of concentration, I reached out toward Mash and began using The Chameleon. Let's see how this turns out…!
I closed my eyes for a moment, feeling the flow of magical energy coursing through me. The Chameleon wasn't a skill that required much mana, but still, I had to ensure the transformation was executed perfectly. Slowly, I extended my hand toward Mash, touching the top of her head with my fingertips.
Mash looked slightly tense but didn't back away. Fujimaru watched with an expression of both caution and curiosity, while Atalanta remained silent, tilting her head slightly.
In an instant, something began to change. Mash's pink hair trembled slightly, then, among the strands, a pair of soft, furry ears began to emerge—cat ears, matching the color of her hair!
Mash froze, then slowly raised her hands to touch her head. Her eyes widened as she felt the new ears twitching under her touch.
"Eh?! This… this feels so real!" she exclaimed, her voice filled with surprise and a bit of excitement.
Fujimaru stared at Mash with wide eyes. "Whoa… You actually did it, Caster!"
I smirked proudly. "Of course! I told you, I'm amazing!"
Mash blinked a few times before suddenly looking at me with a slightly red face. "But… how do I get rid of them?"
I froze for a moment.
"…Ah."
Fujimaru and Mash immediately turned to me with suspicious expressions.
"Don't tell me… you don't know how to undo it?" Fujimaru said, his voice full of doubt.
I quickly waved my hand. "O-of course I know! I just… need a little time to adjust the effect back. Don't worry, this isn't a permanent change!"
I spoke with a slightly shaky tone, trying to reassure them.
Meanwhile, Doctor Roman, listening through the communicator, burst into laughter. "Pfft—Mash, you look adorable with those ears! Ahaha, if I were there, I would have taken a picture!"
Mash turned even redder. "D-Doctor, don't laugh!"
I turned to Atalanta, wanting to see her reaction. She remained silent, but there was a flicker in her eyes that was hard to interpret. However, suddenly, she stepped closer to Mash and reached out her hand. With a light touch on Mash's ears, Atalanta spoke in a flat tone.
"This… is not just an illusion. These ears are real."
Mash nodded quickly. "Yes! It feels strange, but I can actually feel sensations in these ears!"
Atalanta took a few steps back and turned around.
Fujimaru looked slightly concerned, but before he could say anything, Atalanta was already walking away. "We've wasted too much time. Let's move on."
I watched her back as she walked away, then shrugged. "Well, that was interesting."
Mash was still trying to get used to her new ears while Fujimaru looked slightly confused by what had just happened. I patted Mash's shoulder. "Come on, let's go. And don't worry, I'll remove those ears later."
Mash nodded, though she still looked a bit embarrassed. With that, we continued walking through the forest, following Atalanta, who had already stepped ahead.
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Deeper into the forest.
The forest we entered felt different. The trees towered higher than before, creating a thick canopy that made it difficult for sunlight to pierce through. The atmosphere became quieter—too quiet. There were no birds or animal movements that had previously accompanied our journey.
I realized this silence was no coincidence. There was something here—or rather, someone.
Atalanta suddenly stopped. With a calm yet assured movement, she turned to face us.
"We've arrived," she said briefly.
Fujimaru and Mash exchanged glances, looking slightly confused. I also felt puzzled—if we had arrived, why didn't Atalanta call out the person she was referring to? But before I could ask, I felt something.
The presence of a Servant.
I immediately observed my surroundings with caution, preparing for whoever was about to appear. Mash also seemed to sense the same thing, as she quickly informed Fujimaru.
"Master, there is a Servant nearby."
And just as Mash spoke, a voice came from behind Atalanta.
"Oh? You brought guests, Atalanta? From what I can see, two of them are Servants...?"
A man emerged from behind the trees, walking with a calm yet confident stride. His short green hair was slightly messy, but there was an aura of tranquility in the way he carried himself. He held a shepherd's staff—an object that seemed more fitting for a priest or a shepherd rather than a warrior.
He gave a small smile, his eyes filled with curiosity as he looked at us.
"Seeing that you were personally brought here by Atalanta, I can assume you're not a threat. Very well, allow me to introduce myself."
He placed one hand on his chest with a relaxed posture.
"My name is David. I have been summoned as a Servant of the Archer class."
Silence.
For a moment, no one spoke. However, a few seconds later, a voice came from Fujimaru's communicator—it was Doctor Roman, sounding extremely shocked.
"Wait! Did you say your name is David?!"
David raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised at the voice coming from seemingly nowhere.
"Aren't you... the father of King Solomon?!" Roman exclaimed, his voice still filled with astonishment.
David blinked for a moment before giving a slight smile. In a calm tone, he replied,
"That is correct. And from the way you're speaking, it seems you are quite familiar with my name."
Roman still sounded uneasy through the communicator. "Of course I know! I mean, this is King David—the king of Israel, the hero who defeated Goliath, and also the father of Solomon, the legendary king of magic! I didn't expect to meet him in this Singularity!"
I remained silent… and laughed internally. Thinking about how absurd Roman's reaction was. Why? Because Doctor Roman himself is…
I glanced at Fujimaru and Mash. Mash looked slightly surprised, while Fujimaru was trying to process this information quickly.
Meanwhile, David merely chuckled. "I didn't expect such a reaction. To be honest, I'm more often known as a shepherd rather than a king."
He looked at each of us before saying, "Well then, could you introduce yourselves as well?"
Fujimaru, still slightly bewildered, finally stepped forward and spoke.
"My name is Fujimaru Ritsuka. I am a Master from Chaldea, and this is my Servant, Mash Kyrielight."
Mash gave a small respectful nod. "Nice to meet you, David-san."
David smiled kindly, then shifted his gaze toward me. "And you?"
I smirked slightly. "I am Caster. A pirate ship captain, for now."
David seemed somewhat intrigued. "Oh? A captain, huh? That's quite rare for a Caster."
I simply shrugged, neither confirming nor denying.
David appeared to ponder for a moment before nodding. "Alright. Since you've come this far, I will consider you trustworthy."
Fujimaru, now looking a little more at ease, finally asked the question that had been on his mind all along.
"Atalanta-san said she wanted to introduce someone to us. Was that person you?"
David glanced briefly at Atalanta as if seeking confirmation. Atalanta remained calm and simply nodded before speaking.
She briefly explained the events of a few hours ago—how she found us on the shore, how she observed us from a distance before finally deciding to reveal herself, and how she tested us before bringing us to this place.
Once the explanation was finished, David seemed to contemplate for a moment, then nodded. His expression showed that he now fully understood the situation.
"I see… so you want to learn the cause of this Singularity, correct?"
Fujimaru and Mash immediately nodded, showing their seriousness.
David gave a small, knowing smile, then calmly said,
"Very well, then I shall explain everything."
He took a slow breath, seemingly preparing to deliver a long explanation.
We all stood still, waiting intently. Even Atalanta, who had mostly been silent and observing, now looked slightly more serious.
"Do you know about the Ark?"
***
Author note:
If you're has questions just ask.