Chapter 60: Forever Brothers.
[Before you even have time to breathe a sigh of relief over Heracles's return, you discover a new problem.]
[The swimwear of the great hero Heracles has accidentally been swept away by the waves…]
"Good heavens, Greece Roland?!"
Eikou cries out in panic.
Watching Heracles, almost completely naked, step forward heavily one step at a time, holding a gigantic shark and Jason tucked under his arms respectively, each step stamping a huge footprint into the ground—the oppressive pressure is so intense it nearly makes one unable to breathe.
And this great hero, who has fallen into a berserk state, still has not realized his own awkward situation, calmly heading straight toward the beach.
"Oh…"
The three of them immediately feel their scalps go numb.
Damn it, what on earth are we supposed to do now?!
If he openly turns into Greece Roland in a public place, then the career of a great hero will probably be finished!
Thud, thud.
Before long, the tall and imposing Heracles has already walked straight up in front of them.
That massive, mountain-like shadow directly envelops Eikou and the two Round Table Knights, making cold sweat break out uncontrollably.
"Jason, are you alright?!"
Eikou hurriedly calls out.
"Ughh…"
Jason, who is clamped under Heracles's arm, opens his eyes in pain and looks around.
Very quickly, he notices the surroundings, as well as Heracles's current condition, and cannot help but freeze.
"What the hell is this, why is this sea cucumber so big…?"
Heracles: "?"
The great hero in a berserk state also stiffens, then lowers his head to look down, only now discovering that his swim trunks have been swept away by the waves.
Heracles: "Roarr...???"
Even this Greek hero instantly falls into an awkward situation.
"Roaaaarrrrrr—"
He looks around in all directions, sees the figures of people nearby, then glances at his own condition, and in panic lets out an angry roar, as if venting the shame and confusion in his heart.
Even after becoming a Berserker, he still has a sense of shame?!
"Stop roaring, Heracles—if you roar any more, everyone on the beach will look over!"
Eikou covers his ears and says anxiously.
"..."
Heracles obediently falls silent, but still looks extremely flustered.
His cloudy eyes turn toward Eikou, clearly revealing a plea for help.
"T–Anyway, hurry up and use Jason to cover the lower part first!"
Eikou says a bit awkwardly.
"Hey, are you telling him to use me as underwear?!"
Jason immediately panics. "Please, a thousand times no—don't do that! This will definitely leave me with severe psychological trauma!"
"Speaking of which…"
The gazes of the three unconsciously drop to the "Noble Phantasm" below Heracles, and they can't help but feel a sense of awe.
"Umu, this really is…"
Heracles: "?"
"Hey, why did all of you suddenly go quiet?!"
Jason yells.
"How should I put it—this really is the level a great hero ought to have… Sasuga Heracles."
Eikou says with deep reverence.
Heracles: "??"
"So this is the legend of [Shooting the Hundred Heads],"
Gawain reveals a look of respect and says in the tone of some Hero King, "At this moment, you are powerful!!"
Heracles: "???"
"Which 'Heads' are you people 'Shooting' exactly?! Don't go displaying Heracles's heroic bearing in such weird places! Are you guys middle school students in heat or something?!"
Jason can't help but complain. "This young master is speechless—what is there about this…"
At this point, Jason inadvertently glances over toward Heracles again.
Just that fleeting glance alone is enough to cause an enormous shock in his heart.
"Damn it…"
Jason looks as if he has been completely struck down. "It's just a fatal wound, that's all!"
"Where exactly is it fatal, just where on earth do you feel injured?"
Eikou asks.
"That can wait for later…"
Jason anxiously looks toward the tourists who have been drawn over by the noise, slowly approaching step by step!
This is bad, Heracles's lifelong reputation is probably about to become impossible to preserve!
Fortunately, it is already evening, and there aren't many tourists on the beach, so for the time being they haven't been discovered immediately.
"Isn't there any way?! Please, think of something to save Heracles!"
"If you're a man,"
Eikou reveals a sharp gaze, "then you should face it head-on and decide the winner fair and square."
"Who are you quoting just now?! What on earth is Heracles even dueling against?!"
Jason yells.
"Mainly because…"
Eikou glances around helplessly.
"His swim trunks were swept away by the waves and we have no idea where they went, and there's nothing else around. Where exactly are we supposed to find something to cover the body of a Greece man who's two and a half meters tall?"
"That statement isn't correct,"
Tristan, who had been squatting on the sand, suddenly springs up, "I found two seashells!"
"What are you trying to cover? His balls?! Those tiny shells couldn't possibly cover Heracles's Hydra, don't underestimate a great hero of Greece like that, you bastard!"
Jason roars.
Whoosh!
Before the words have even finished, Tristan, who is one meter ninety tall, leaps up and sticks the two seashells onto the two nipples on Heracles's chest.
Heracles: "!"
"Covered."
Tristan says seriously.
"Who told you to cover that part of him?! Heracles wearing a shell bikini like this is way too erotic, isn't it——?!"
"This is bad, we're really about to be discovered!"
Gawain glances at the surrounding onlookers who are steadily increasing in number. They're drawing closer and closer, and before long they'll notice the awkward situation here.
"Gaaaaahhhh…"
Jason is both troubled and hesitant, looking even more anxious than Heracles himself.
He grits his teeth, and finally shouts at the top of his lungs, as if throwing his life away.
"There's no other way, there's no other way, damn it, this time I'll let this young master use my own body to help cover him!"
"Huh?!"
Eikou reveals an expression of extreme horror.
"Don't, Jason… after doing something that humiliating, your spirit and self-respect will collapse instantly, and from then on you won't be able to see yourself as a Hero anymore!"
Jason hesitates for a moment, then grits his teeth even harder:
"Hmph, this young master is already a Hero with a stain on his record anyway, it doesn't matter if I lose face one more time! What's important is that, as Captain and best friend, no matter what it takes I must protect Heracles's Heroic dignity!"
"What, Jason, this guy…"
After hearing this, Eikou can't help but feel a sense of respect rise within him.
Damn it, so cool—even though it looks extremely disgraceful, it's still so cool!
Jason uses himself as a covering to protect his best friend's dignity. This courage, this resolve, this determination—it's practically identical to the scene of Mash Kyrielight standing alone to block Ars Almadel Salomonis of the Goetia at the Time Temple, a tragic and heroic sacrifice identical down to the last detail!
[You feel a slight sense of charm from Jason—the scumbag.]
[Witnessing the not entirely harmonious but incomparably steadfast friendship between Jason and Heracles, reward: one Encouragement Dice.]