How should they decide?
Takumi subconsciously looked around, wanting to see other people's opinions.
If this was a time when Takumi needed to risk his own life, he might not hesitate much, but this was a matter concerning everyone after all. Even Euryale herself...
'No, I hate this!'
His gaze had just lifted, but Takumi's heart had already negated this decision. The confusion in his eyes was swept away, leaving only clear determination.
Why must innocent people be sacrificed just to conquer a Singularity and save a broken world? Why?
Yes, even if Euryale was killed here, it didn't mean the real Euryale disappeared; what was killed was just a copy.
In every sense, this was the optimal solution.
But was the optimal solution necessarily right?
Takumi could accept failure due to his own powerlessness, but he absolutely couldn't accept attacking a trustworthy partner for this kind of crap.
This hurdle in his heart was something Takumi could never ignore.
Just like a multi-ending game Takumi once played. After careful consideration of every decision, Takumi achieved the ending he was satisfied with.
But just when Takumi was full of fighting spirit to unlock another ending, listening to the heroine's hesitant voice still supporting his decision, Takumi hesitated.
Why should he force himself to play out an ending that wasn't particularly good when he himself didn't like it?
Takumi at that time asked himself honestly, then smiled in relief, giving up the idea of completing all endings.
Perhaps he was just the kind of person who, no matter how many times, would only choose to achieve the same ending, right?
Moreover—
'Why do you think I try so hard to protect everyone?
It's precisely because I hate the feeling of loss that I try so hard!'
So even if everyone agreed with Euryale's decision, I would absolutely never agree—
"I don't want, Eury, die. I will, protect Eury!"
Under Euryale's surprised gaze, Asterios suddenly stood up, protecting her with his large hand, looking stubbornly at everyone.
Takumi's speed in making the decision was already fast enough, but he was still a step slower than Asterios, a person with simple thoughts.
As mentioned before, as long as others treated him well, Asterios would treat them well.
Simple-minded as he was, after realizing what Euryale wanted to do, he didn't even think about it and stood directly in front of Euryale.
Seeing Asterios stand up first, Takumi smiled, a very relaxed smile.
A sentence he once heard surfaced in his mind.
"When you have the chance to make a decision, don't let yourself regret it..."
Takumi read the sentence in his mind softly, then looked up at Euryale.
"If I just listen to Goddess-sama like this and let Goddess-sama exit at our hands, I will definitely regret it."
"So, I will defy Goddess-sama's decision!"
"—After all, we've come this far. You should accompany us to the end no matter what, right, Goddess-sama?"
Hearing Takumi's words, the pirates felt a surge of hot blood and shouted one after another:
"Well said! I will also defy Goddess-sama's decision!"
"Me too..."
"+1!"
Ugh, seems I was overthinking...
Having finally made up her mind, only to be refuted on the spot by Takumi and the little bull, and then booed by a bunch of people, Euryale couldn't help but flush slightly.
It was both the annoyance of being directly opposed and the shyness of being cared for.
However, the redness only lasted for a short while on Euryale's face. If not looked at carefully, one wouldn't even notice her face had flushed.
"Defying a Goddess's order is one thing, but to actually dare demand me, a Goddess, to travel with you... truly greedy and bold, my Master."
Maintaining her demeanor, Euryale returned to her previous slightly tsundere appearance.
"But no matter what you say, with my power, I will only drag you down. So, want to go back on your words now?"
"This is the last chance~. Later, even if you beg me, I won't change my mind again."
Euryale said in a frivolous tone, smiling at Takumi.
Takumi naturally had no intention of changing his decision again.
He just looked back at the pirates, then said with a smile:
"Of course. We are pirates now. In a sense, isn't the treasure collected in our hands also a burden?"
"If we can't even protect our own treasure well, what kind of pirates are we?"
Drake, standing aside, heard this and excitedly hugged Takumi.
"Well said! Didn't expect you to understand this so well, Mimi! Could it be you are naturally material for being a pirate?"
Drake made a bold guess.
"Maybe? What do you think, Boss?"
Takumi blinked.
"Hmm, although your performance on the ship is very good, well... you are just a bit reserved. If you can change that, you'll be quite a qualified pirate!"
Drake pondered for a moment and said cheerfully.
After laughing for a while, the surroundings suddenly went quiet.
The smile on Drake's face slowly disappeared. Looking up, she realized everyone present was looking at her.
"Uh, you don't expect me to express my stance too, right?"
Drake pointed to herself, full of surprise.
"Euryale was invited onto the ship by me with great difficulty. No matter how bad I am, I wouldn't agree to my own crew member doing such inexplicable things, right?"
Drake spread her hands.
It could only be said that none of the people present capable of making decisions were the type to easily abandon their companions. Euryale's move was superfluous from the start.
"Actually comparing a Goddess to your own treasure... even bolder now, Master."
"But fine. Remember to protect me like protecting your most precious treasure."
Having said this much, if Euryale dragged on any longer, it would seem pretentious.
"Mmh, I will protect, Eury."
Asterios said with a firm gaze.
Even if he died, he would stand in front of Euryale!
After mental preparation.
Takumi, Drake, Little Bull, Euryale, Orion, and Artemis jumped ashore one after another.
The pirates, after waiting for them to go ashore, sailed the ship away from the shore to prevent becoming a weakness or being affected by the battle.
On the other end of the island, dazzling magical light flashed, and arrows fell from the sky like a rainstorm.
Obviously, the final battlefield was over there.
Without hesitation, everyone rushed over there.
"By the way, isn't Artemis also a Goddess? Is she fine touching that [Ark of the Covenant]?"
Drake couldn't help asking the question she had wanted to ask all along.
"Hehehe, although I am indeed Artemis, essentially I am actually Orion~"
"I don't even have the basic [Divinity] of a Divine Spirit!"
Artemis said with a proud face.
What are you proud of?!
Orion facepalmed with a paw.