Fortunately, the king did not seem to mind. He was clearly accustomed to such behavior.
With a gentle smile, he spoke. "You must be the winner of this tournament, correct? I am the king of this country, Kedoli Hadadi."
"King Kedoli, nice to meet you. My name is Rin Pandora. Just call me Rin," Rin replied with a slight smile.
"Good." Kedoli nodded approvingly before continuing, "Mr. Rin, you must be wondering about the first-place reward for this competition, correct?"
"Yes," Rin admitted. He was indeed curious about what the so-called grand prize would be.
Seeing this, Kedoli smiled. "In truth, the champion's reward is a Devil Fruit—one randomly chosen from the royal treasury of this kingdom. However, before you select your prize, you must first accompany me to meet someone."
Rin frowned slightly. "Who?"
Kedoli sighed before speaking in a measured tone. "A person in deep slumber, waiting to be awakened."
The cryptic response piqued Rin's curiosity, but Kedoli seemed unwilling to elaborate further. Instead, he simply waved his hand. "Come with me. You'll understand when we arrive."
Without another word, the king pressed down on the armrest of his throne. Suddenly, with a heavy mechanical click, a hidden passageway opened beneath the floor.
Kedoli stepped forward and gestured for Rin to follow. "Rin, come with me."
"Oh… alright," Rin responded, quickly suppressing his initial shock as he hurried after the king.
A man in deep sleep… waiting to be awakened…?
As he walked, Rin's mind raced.
"This kingdom isn't simple. Forget the mysterious sleeping figure—just the fact that they can afford to hand out Devil Fruits as tournament rewards speaks volumes. Not to mention, this competition has been held at least ten times before..."
That meant the sleeping figure had remained undisturbed for at least ten years, and this country had distributed at least ten Devil Fruits in that time.
"This kingdom isn't just rich… it's obscenely wealthy."
The thought left Rin both wary and intrigued.
Guided by Kedoli, the group ventured deeper into the underground passage, traversing dimly lit corridors lined with ancient stone. The air was thick with dust and the scent of old parchment.
After nearly half an hour, they reached a massive stone door.
Kedoli stepped forward and waved his hand. Several armored soldiers positioned at the entrance moved in unison, pressing their hands against the door. With a deep rumbling sound, the stone gate groaned open, sending a cloud of dust into the air.
Rin followed Kedoli inside—
And immediately froze in shock.
His breath caught in his throat.
For a long moment, he simply stared, unable to find the words to describe what lay before him.
The chamber was vast—an underground hall built with an architecture that defied time itself. But aside from the towering stone pillars and intricate engravings, the room was largely empty…
Except for one thing.
A crystal coffin sat in the very center.
Inside it, the cause of Rin's speechlessness lay in an eternal slumber.
A woman dressed in an elegant blue-and-white robe, her fair skin untouched by time. Her features were delicate, regal—her beauty otherworldly. Long, golden hair cascaded over her shoulders, and even in her dormant state, she exuded a noble presence.
And above her… embedded in the crystal coffin's groove…
A magnificent longsword.
A sword Rin recognized.
A sword everyone would recognize.
The Sword in the Stone.
And the woman…
Rin's eyes widened as realization struck.
"There's no way. But… no. It can't be anyone else. This is..."
"King Arthur!!"
The legendary knight, the ruler of Camelot—Artoria Pendragon herself.
Though Rin had speculated, he had never truly expected this.
Seeing Rin's stunned expression, Kedoli spoke slowly.
"This… is the savior of Arthur Island. The benefactor of our people. Without her, our kingdom of knights would not exist."
His voice was filled with reverence.
"According to historical records, Artoria appeared suddenly on this island centuries ago. Though she was but one warrior, her strength was absolute. No one dared challenge her claim over the land, and it was under her leadership that this kingdom was founded."
Kedoli sighed, gazing at the crystal coffin.
"However, shortly after ascending the throne, Her Highness Artoria fell into a deep slumber. We do not know why. But before she succumbed to sleep, she left behind one prophecy:
'One day, a person of great fortune shall come. They alone shall be able to approach the Crystal Palace. When they do, the sword will tremble… and I shall awaken.'"
Rin listened carefully, still processing what he was hearing.
"Since then," Kedoli continued, "we have searched tirelessly for the destined one mentioned in the prophecy. This is why we hold the Knight's Tournament—to find the individual with the fortune and strength worthy of waking Artoria."
He exhaled softly.
"But so far, none have succeeded."
Turning to face Rin, the king gestured toward the coffin.
"Try it."
Even as he spoke, his tone carried no real hope.
For centuries, no one had been able to awaken King Arthur.
Why should this time be any different?
And yet
Kedoli still gave Rin the chance.
To step forward and try.
....
(PS: Your vote will do alot )