Rin swallowed hard, struggling to suppress the shock in his heart.
Staring at the beautiful woman inside the crystal coffin, Rin's mind raced. If this were a story, then according to the natural flow of events, I should be able to wake her up.
And after she wakes up… would she say, "Marry me, and we'll live happily ever after?"
The absurd thought made Rin shake his head violently, pushing such nonsense out of his mind.
Although… that wouldn't be the worst outcome.
But if he truly wanted to stand at the peak of this world, how could he allow himself to be distracted?
Taking a deep breath, Rin composed himself.
Steeling his resolve, he stepped forward.
Approaching the Crystal Palace, Rin placed his palm on its surface.
The structure was smooth and cold to the touch, untouched by time. Even after decades, there was no dust—clear evidence that it had been meticulously maintained.
Slowly, Rin stretched out his hand toward the legendary stone sword embedded in the groove above the coffin.
The moment his fingers brushed against the hilt
'Buzz!'
A brilliant golden light erupted from the sword in the stone.
The entire blade trembled violently, resonating as if responding to his very presence.
Rin's heart pounded.
At that moment, he knew.
He wasn't just some random outsider.
He was the one from the prophecy.
Behind him, King Kedoli was frozen in shock before his expression transformed into overwhelming joy.
To the people of Arthur Island, Artoria was not just a legend she was their unwavering faith.
Now, after all these years, the prophesied one had arrived.
The sword's golden light expanded, its radiance spreading across the crystal coffin, enveloping the slumbering figure inside.
And then
'Mmm…'
A soft murmur echoed through the chamber.
Artoria's eyelashes trembled before she slowly… opened her eyes.
Her turquoise pupils flickered with momentary confusion as she took in her surroundings.
With a faint creaking sound, the coffin lid slid open, and Artoria sat up.
Even after all this time, her noble aura remained untouched.
Though a woman, she carried herself with the presence of a king—the fierce dignity of a warrior.
She glanced at the figures before her and spoke, her voice calm yet commanding.
"This place… where is it?"
"Your Highness! Your Highness…!"
Overcome with emotion, Kedoli stepped forward before dropping to his knees in reverence.
His voice trembled with excitement.
"Your Highness! You have finally awoken! This is Arthur Island, and I am Kedoli, the twenty-third king of the Land of Knights!"
"Arthur Island…? The Land of Knights?"
Artoria blinked as she processed the information, murmuring to herself.
"So, I'm still in this world..."
She wasn't sure how long she had been here.
But she remembered why she came.
It was after the Holy Grail War—after she had claimed the Grail and made her final wish.
She had wished to find someone she could entrust her burdens to—someone who would ease the weight of her existence.
And then, she had been brought here.
Since then, one thought had lingered in her mind…
A vision of someone waiting for her.
A man.
A voice had whispered to her in that void—
"Wait. The one you seek will find you. And when he does… you will know."
Her gaze drifted across the room.
And then—
Her eyes landed on Rin.
The moment she saw him, her heart skipped a beat.
The face before her… it was the same as the one from her visions.
She knew him.
Even though they had never met before, she knew.
"You…"
Artoria's voice softened as she addressed Rin directly.
"Who are you?"
Hearing this, Rin quickly straightened up, scratching the back of his head in slight awkwardness.
"My name is Rin Pandora… but you can just call me Rin."
He had no idea how to talk to King Arthur.
But as he stood before her, another thought suddenly surfaced in his mind.
"I wonder… can I convince King Arthur to join me?"
If Artoria became one of his crewmates…
Her strength was undeniable—a warrior worthy of legends.
And if she learned Haki, her power would reach even greater heights.
This was an opportunity he could not afford to miss.
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