Returning Welsh Dragon Hero - Chapter 28

"He survived!?" Vali blinked a few times.

"'Survived' is a... strong word." Issei gave a grimacing smile.

===x===

One Year Ago, Issei (POV)

"Teach!" I cried out in relief and joy through the pain of the stab wound.

At least the spear is not in my insides anymore. Or is it bad for the stab weapon to be removed?

"Ise-chan!" Teach said with equal joy, before his face turned to one of outrage and shock. "What the hell are you putting your hands on Euryale-chan for!? What happened to all that talk about loving big Oppai?" He cried. "I can't believe I've been betrayed again." He started crying.

"What? No! I'm not protecting her for that. I'm following the Bro Code!" I cried out.

"Bro Code? Aww, my Besto Friendo~! You were saving her for me." Teach blushed. Dude, please stop making that expression, it's kinda gross.

"Ew! Shut up both of you!" Euryale shouted. "You! Dragon idiot, fly us back to the Golden Hind already."

"You think I'll let—GAAH!" Hector coughed out blood in pain. Serves that shitty lazy old man right.

"Ah, ah, ah, not one move, not one twitch, Sensei~." Teach said with a bloodied grin.

Blackbeard... he wasn't in the best condition. Actually looking at him now, I'm wondering how is he still alive.

From below his neck half of his body was burned, and more importantly, their was a massive hole in his side. As in literally there was just a giant chuck missing, showing exposed muscles and bones from his ribcage.

"H-How the hell are you alive? How are you even here?" Hector said through gritted teeth. "I destroyed your Spirit Core, I was sure of it."

"Captain, you're alive!" Anne shouted in surprise.

"He really is like a cockroach, how did he follow us without us noticing. There was no other ship." Mary wondered.

"He probably stuck to the Hind like a fricking coral, or something."

"Aww, were you worried about me? I'm touched~." Teach said in his disgusting cutesy voice. "And ha! What'd ya saying hag boobs? Blackbeard never dies! Unless he is killed. As for how I'm here? Easy, I just swam after all y'all."

Fuck, that's badass.

"Holy shit, that's badass." Ritsuka echoed my thoughts.

"I used Euryale's armpit scent as a radar, and just homed in on that." Teach said proudly.

And any respect he gained was just lost.

"Bruh." Ritsuka deadpanned.

Before anyone could say anything else, Asterios had made it over to the Argo.

"Euryale! Issei!" Asterios landed on the classical Greek ship. He had literally cross the distance between ships over the sea, with sheer jumping power. Unreal.

"Asterios." Euryale jumped from my arms into his. I wanted to be annoyed, but truthfully? Yeah, Fluffy Boy deserves this favoritism.

It was a grant moment, a happy moment of the two reuniting again.

"Hey, what the hell? Let go of Euryale-chan, bull boy!" Teach had to ruin it.

"Bull..." Asterios growled but beyond glaring he didn't do anything to Teach, or let go of Euryale.

"Ignore him, Asterios. He's trash." Euryale said, as she was half-held in Asterios' arm.

"Aww, Euryale-chan, bully me more~." Teach blush.

"Teach, not cool. Seriously, don't break the Bro Code." I said.

"Eh, what are you talking about?" Teach looked at me confused.

I gestured with my head toward the contrasting couple. A gentle giant and a aggressive haughty loli to anyone but the gentle giant.

Teach looked at me confused. I shook my head toward Euryale fussing over Asterios a few more times. Teach kept looking at me confused.

Then slowly, like a clock finally striking midnight, it clicked in Teach's head, as his expression fell in despair.

"Him! The bull guy! Really!?" Teach screeched in virgin outrage.

"Bull... again..." Asterios looked down in sadness.

"Don't call Asterios that again, you filthy blackguard." Euryale shouted back.

"Dude!" I called out.

"What?! I'm not gonna accept this!" Blackbeard said back. "That my cute Euryale is into bara, that is a nightmare! I've been NTR'd!"

"Dude, there needs to be some kinda relationship or pining after her to be counted as NTR." I said back.

"She was my childhood friend, I was pining after her from the sixth grade." Teach said passionately.

The disturbing image of a Blackbeard on a chibi body in elementary school, running after Euryale as she is now with plucked flowers in his hands.

"I'm pretty sure that me in that delusion would have called the cops on you!"

And now the image is of Euryale shouting and pointing at chibi Blackbeard with the cops pulling him into a police car, while he's crying and trying and failing to reach out to her.

I shook my head of the disturbing image my brain conjured.

"Teach, regardless, Bro Code." I insisted.

"He's not my bro!" He whined.

"Bro Code," I said again.

"But—"

"Bro Code." I said firmly.

"That's, awwww..." Teach was dejected.

Then he sighed and pulled himself together.

"Alright, alright, sheesh. Let none say Edward Teach doesn't abide by the Bro Code." Then he started crying pathetically. "I wish you both happiness." He said with snot and tears running down his face.

"Aw... Thanks." Asterios blushed bashfully.

"Don't talk to me or Asterios again." Euryale said curtly.

 "Okay, all of you, enough with the comedy scenario, please come back over so we can escape and regroup!" Mash called out.

Ritsuka next to her looked tired, with sweat visible running down her face. She had used a lot of magic spells, and expended a lot of magical energy, didn't she? Yet throughout it all, she never lost her determined look, and devil may care grin.

My instinct screamed at me. I only had time to turn my head to see the focused look in Hector's eyes. Directed at me.

"Issei!" Asterios shouted.

The spear with the yellow colored blade shot out toward me. The handle extended like it was Goku's power pole.

The spear came faster than my body could react. My mind was faster, which only met I saw my death coming.

SKLINCH!

Blood hit my face.

Yet looking down, the spear barely stabbed me in the shoulder.

The blood was from Asterios' hand that shot out and managed to grab Hector's spear, blade first.

"You damn sneaky bastard!" Teach shouted, and Hector cried out in pain, coughing up blood as Teach stabbed him deeper with his hook and twisted it. "What the hell is with you, trying to stealth kill my bro!"

"CAAAH! Damn, figured I'd take out the wild card. Even with you holding me, Blackbeard, I'll still—" Hector coughed blood, while chuckling.

Asterios roared, as he dashed closed and swung his axe.

Hector cried out in pain, as his spear-arm was fell to the ground. His arm separated from his shoulder.

"Your role is done! Stop trying to get back into the spotlight, you annoying mid-boss!" Teach twisted his hook in Hector, then slash upward so deep, that a giant gash was visible in the Lancer Servant's body.

However Hector was the Trojan Hero, he wasn't idle. He swung his remaining elbow at Teach's head, forcing kick him away.

Toward Asterios.

"Shit!" Hector's eyes widened in panic.  

The Bull of Minos didn't lose this chance and swung his axes.

Hector, somehow against all odds, jumped from his place on the ground, spun in the air, digging his hands into the ship floor, ripped out a piece of floor wood, and used it to blunt most of the force of Asterios' attack.

"GAH! Dammit!" Hector cried out as his arm hurt. Yet he used the force of the swing to let himself be launched toward his fallen arm. "Lady Medea, if you'd be so kind."

"I'm busy keeping Lord Jason alive, so don't interrupt us again." Medea cried out.

Jason was busy shouting, complaining and hurdling curses at me. Heh, get fucked you blond delinquent.

"Thank you." Hector said as he attacked his arm back with a healing spell holding the stumps together, then healing them leaving only a scar. "Guess this old man has to give it his best effort once more."

"This time, it's a straight up fight, and you're not gonna get so luck, Hector-chan." Teach said.

"Really? Because from where I'm standing," Hector brandished his spear, taking a fighting pose. "Your group is the one that's gonna need all the luck."

===x===

"Please tell me you managed beat him for good in that battle. That strategist is annoying me just hearing about him, if he survived I'm just gonna be waiting to hear about his demise." Vali said. "And I know this is you still learning how to use your Boost Gear and all, but you are getting beaten way too much in that Singularity?"

"My opponents are literally heroes from history, what do you want from me?" Issei cried out with a laugh. "The fact that I was able to contribute at all is impressive enough." He said. "And yeah, we did beat Hector then. He was tired, injured, had his Spirit Origin damaged, and fighting three opponents, me, Asterios and Euryale. Well three and a half if you count the half-dead Blackbeard."

"Then what happened? You look like it wasn't a victory?"

 "He succeeded in his objective." Issei sighed in remembrance. "Buying time."

===x===

One Year Ago, Issei (POV)

"Damn..." Hector coughed. "Couldn't get any of you."

"Of course not! You can't overcome our Power of Friendship—AH!" Teach ducked, dodging an arrow by the annoyed eternal youthful goddess. "Euryale-chan, don't hit me! Although, even your arrows would be good. Licking them would be like an In~direct Ki~ss."

Euryale shuddered. "Please die already."

"Well," Hector spoke up. "Not like it matters, my work is done." He let himself fall back, letting us focus on the body behind him. Heracles, covered in smoke that as it dispersed showed the Berserker's restored body. "I'll leave it up to you, Heracles. Good luck with everything else, Medea."

With those last words, Hector's body broke magical motes.

The smoke dispersed from Heracles' head showing his raging face. Staring directly at us.

"▂▂▃▃▅▅!!!" Heracles roared, and dashed forward.

Aiming right at Euryale.

"NO!" Asterios roared back and blocked Heracles assault.

The two locked in place with seemingly equal strength, yet who knows how long this stalemate would hold.

Drake and the Pirate Duos' shots were offering support but they weren't doing any damage to Heracles.

"Asterios!"

"Euryale! Run!" Asterios growled out.

"I'm not leaving without you!" She called out.

"Issei..." Asterios said my name and I felt my heart stop. He smiled at me with the look of someone leaving their hopes and dreams behind for someone else to carry. "Please... protect Euryale." For me who won't be there.

No, this... this was too much to ask of me, I can't...

"Welp, Red Bull Dude said it. Time to scram." Teach casually said.

"Teach!"

"Blackbeard, if you dare take advantage of this moment, then I will—" Euryale through tears pointed her arrow at the Pirate Servant, yet, was hesitant as she wanted to support Asterios and aim at Heracles.

"Nah!" Teach cut her off.

"Wait, this reaction!" Roman's voice sounded out.

"Captain!" Bombe, one of Drake's men shouted out. "The Queen Anne's... The Queen Anne is coming right at us."

"What!?" Multiple shouts of surprise rang out.

"Of course!" Teach cried out. "A pirate and his ship are one. Why wouldn't I be able to call my Noble Phantasm to me?"

"Teach, we..." My throat was dry. "We can't leave Asterios behind."

Teach looked at me, and for a moment an unusual kind expression came to his face, before his mocking smirk was back.

"You really need to need to gain some courage if you want to impress the ladies, Ise-chan!" Teach said. "Me and Asty-chan will buy you time. A Pirate is only as memorable as his end. So while we go out with a bang, fly Euryale-chan away."

"I can't leave you both to die!" I shouted.

"Kid," Teach said in a serious tone that froze me in place. "It's already over for me. My Spirit Origin is shot to hell and back. I'm basically on fumes at this point. It's a miracle I'm still standing." He said. "And as I pirate, let me tell you, you don't waste miracles, Issei. You'll never be that lucky again." Then he smirked. "Until of course you are, hahahahahaha!" He pointed his hook hand at me. "So go forward. Use this chance me and Asty-chan are making to fulfill your dreams. You still haven't done that right?!" He shouted.

The words piercing my heart. There was still a lot of things I had to do.

I looked back at Ritsuka, barely standing. Mash, afraid but still holding on.

I looked back at Teach to see his confident, farewell smile.

"I couldn't just accept it." I said through gritted teeth "I couldn't just run away again!" I shouted.

Power surged through me. A new force emerged within me, and the Boosted Gear shined and changed into it's final and true form.

[Dragon Booster Second Liberation]

"Huh!? The Saint Graph is the same, but the Boosted Gear changed? How?" Roman cried out in confused.

"So this is God's Artifact?" Da Vinci mused with excited interest. "To be able to integrated in the Servant's body yet use it to release it's full function on its own. It's almost like an independent will."

"This power, this is..." The knowledge came to my head, I knew what I could do now.

[I know what you're thinking.] Ddraig spoke for what seem like after a long time. [You can't save everyone, kid. But you can make a difference here and now.] 

Heracles roared as he pushed Asterios back. Magical cannons of Drake fired at Heracles but he could now push through them, not even reacting to their force. Anne and Mary shouted in helplessness.

I looked up to meet Teach's gaze. Something passed between us, as his eyes widened in understanding, and a grin carved itself on his face.

[BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] 

I Boosted myself to the limit.

"Hey, Edward," I was by his side, hand on his shoulder. "Show me the Glorious End of a Pirate."

[TRANSFER]

"Woah, woah... WWWOOOOOOOAAAAH!" Teach cried out as magical energy exploded off of him.

[BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] 

I Boosted to the limit again.

[TRANSFER]

"WOAH! I'M OVERSWHELMING!" Teach shouted, almost like he was in ecstasy, creeping out everyone.

[BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] 

And again.

[TRANSFER]

"What the hell? This reaction, Blackbeard is returning back to full form." Roman cried out.

"His Spirit Origin is still damaged, but other than that, it's like his HP went back to a hundred percent.

Teach's body was healed up to look as his old self again.

[BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] [BOOST] 

And one final again.

[TRANSFER]

"Not just my HP, my fellow otaku!" Teach called out to Da Vinci. "But my MP bar is filled up multiple times over. Ise-chan," He looked back at me with a grin. "We would have made an awesome duo."

Teach dash forward, moving at speeds he'd never shown before.

Just then Heracle managed to crash into Asterios and shoulder bash him away.

"Hey, Red Bull! Tag in!" Teach shouted and Asterios understood, throwing him one of his axe.

CLASH!

The axe-sword boulder and giant axe crashed into each other. And Heracles was stopped into a stalemate once more.

"Wait, what the hell!?" Anne cried out.

"Captain actually doesn't look lame!?" Mary shouted.

"HAHAHA, I feel like I could do anything!"

Heracle shouted and began to sword fight with Teach.

"Oh!" Teach cried out. "Shit! Fuck! Dammit! SPOKE TOO SOON!"

Even if he could match the Greek Hero in strength, he couldn't match him in skill. Yet, through desperate determination. Edward Teach managed to keep Heracles back.

"Ise! Red Bull!" Teach shouted. "Take Euryale and go!" He said as he separated from Heracles sporting some injures that leaked magical energy.

"This magical reaction, he can't actually hold onto all that energy Issei gave him. If he doesn't use it, he's gonna blow." Roman warned.

"No, he's actively not using it. Storing it all for his Noble Phantasm." Da Vinci corrected.

"Then Issei, Asterios and Euryale need to escape right now." Mash cried out.

"Right!" Asterios nodded and moved.

He grabbed Euryale in one arm, and caught me with the other. I couldn't move, I was too tired. All I could do was call out.

"Teach!"

"This has been fun, Ise-chan!" Teach called out. "It's nice to be with the heroes for a while, even if unintentionally. Do you think they'll make a fan club of me now?"

"You cringy old bastard! I won't forget you!" I cried out.  

"HA!" Teach laughed as he clashed with Heracles once more.

This time Heracles' weapon went right through Teach's torso. But in doing so, Teach managed to stab Asterios' axe through Heracles' leg and into the ship floor, making the Greek Hero stuck in place, and then he held onto his body for further bondage.

"Captain!" Anne and Mary cried out.

"Mary, Anne!" Teach called out. "This is my last order!" He said to them. "Form a contract with the Master of Chaldea, she's hell of a better Master than I'd make." He grinned at Ritsuka who gave him a two finger salute. "And you are now under the command of Captain Drake." He looked at her this time. "Witness me, you old hag. The end of the greatest pirate in history."

Drake stood against her ship's guardrail. Asterios finally landed us on the Golden Hind, with some like Mash looking over us, while the rest of the pirates where turning the ship around to sail away.

"Stop trying to sound cool, you creepy bastard." Drake shouted. "Of course, I'm gonna watch. I won't tear my eyes away even if someone cut them."

"You... heh." Teach with teary eyes, looked back to the rest of the Argo with defiance.

"Hey, Oldest Pirates in History!" Edward "Blackbeard" Teach called out, challengingly. "Let see if you can withstand the might,"

We were sailing rapidly away, yet all our eyes were on the conclusion of the battle behind us.

Queen Anne was cutting through the ocean like a knife, moving as fast as a bullet train. The ship seemed to be glowing with magical energy.

"Heracles, end him!" Jason cried out.

Heracles roared and moved, finally one of his hands letting go of his axe-sword, and freeing it from Blackbeard's grip. He pulled his free hand back, and swung to punch the Pirate Servant.

"OF THE GREATEST PIRATE IN ALL OF HISTORY!"

Teach shouted.

Heracles punched.

Teach head went flying off his body. Blood spurt from the headless body.

For a moment Jason was relieved as he laughed and mocked Teach as pathetic.   

Queen Anne kept sailing at a crash course with the Argo.

"Wait! Wait, wait, wait, wait! Why the hell hasn't his ship disappeared yet? He's dead!" Jason cried out.

"No... He's not!" Medea shouted, realizing it too late.

Teach's head, his eyes snapped opened.

"QUEEN ANNE'S REVENGE!" The head of Edward Teach shouted his last words.

The glowing pirate ship crashed into the Argo, while firing all it's cannon and then exploded in a whirlwind of fire.

The blazing flames and smoke looked like a giant towering skull.

Thus came the end of the Legendary Pirate Captain Edward Teach.

===

AN: Okay, sorry for the long absence. I'm back to myself, health-wise. No more headaches like the past few days and settled back home without any chore or obligation hovering over my head.

Sorry this chapter is a bit short, I don't know what my schedule will be like, but hopefully I'll be more active here again like before.

There should be, let's see, two? Three maybe? Of the Okeanos flashback before we're back to normal present plot.