Chapter 85: Ch. 85: A Legend
POV ARTHUR
Under the rays of the sun in the Abyss.
Arthur left the inn. Buukk—the sound of the door closing. He tucked his left hand into his pocket, while his right hand covered his yawning mouth.
She was a bit sleepy. But sleeping now is not the right choice.
Charles and Furina... although I'm fully confident that they're good people, but I'd better keep my guard up. Especially... that guy—Charles. I feel something strange about him.
I hope it's just conjecture without certainty.
At this moment, Arthur, who was walking with a limp, suddenly stopped.
"Hmmm?" Arthur tilted his head. "What's wrong with these people?"
His pair of shining eyes fell on a group of people-citizens who were walking to some... place.
"...square?" Arthur squinted.
Their actions are very suspicious!
He slowly followed them, certainly not thinking of hiding. Why hide in front of mindless creatures like them? His presence was not even considered.
Soon, he stopped at a large field, located in the center of the village.
One of the residents was lined up, as if waiting in a long queue.
They were actually going to the square... and why were they queuing?
What really happened ....
It seems that in order to find out what they want to do, I need to join this queue.
Huh, what else can I do …?
As Arthur joined the queue, he also tried to peek over the shoulders of the people in front of him.
I still can't see what they're waiting for.
Their actions are so abnormal... no, forget it, even their existence can't be considered normal.
And precisely because of that... when abnormal beings are attracted to something, it must be that what attracts their attention is also abnormal!
What caused them to act this way. I have to find out!
What's going to happen if I take this zombie's turn?
Arthur shook his head.
It's best not to try.
I said I'd wait in line but... it's so long! It's so boring to wait without a smartphone.
Huh, it's been so long since I've played FGO.... would be lying if I said I didn't miss it. After all, even though the gacha was trash, it was the only game I played. So I couldn't help but miss playing it, even though... at the same time I also felt bored.
After two hours of waiting, Arthur stood up yawning—he'd fallen asleep in line, but none of the residents had jumped the queue. This gave him goosebumps in places.
If he looked back, he would definitely see a line of ants that were not moving because they were blocked by something that made them not allowed to move, namely: Arthur.
But Arthur didn't want to look—he didn't want to see their expressions. Were they angry? Sad? Upset? Could a creature like them show such an expression? It made him curious and on the other hand scared him.
Shortly after, he hurriedly headed to where his line should be.
Finally!
So what caught their attention... wait!
He peeked over the side.
At this moment, his eyes were surprised to see something stuck in the ground.
Isn't that a...
Sword?
And that sword... why is it so familiar—I've seen it before. NO, I'M SURE I'VE SEEN IT AND I'VE CERTAINLY NEVER FORGOTTEN IT!
EXCALIBUR!
Excalibur's sword is stuck in the center of the square!
…
POV Keqing
"Uh, did you hear? They said there was a murder around here."
"Huh? Seriously?! Where did you hear that?"
"Word of mouth. Heard that the culprit is a woman." A man—Reeve stared at Keqing.
The man named—Daw noticed Reeve's gaze in silence, he deliberately did not pursue the topic.
"Are you suspicious of that man?" he whispered near Reeve's ear.
"She always covers her face with a hood. But I'm sure she's a woman. If you had sharp eyes like me, you would have noticed."
"Oh? Is this the benefit of a bastard who always looks at a woman's body?" he said quietly, "Then, is there any evidence that she's the culprit?"
"Evidence? I don't need that-his appearance is suspicious at best. Isn't that enough?"
"You turned out to be someone who sees a book by its cover. I'm really disappointed in you."
After that, Daw left Reeve alone who continued to stare at Keqing suspiciously.
Even if you say so, but I can't suspect my instincts that are always right, can I? After all, I've survived until this moment because I only believe that.
Even I became friends with you because of my intuition.
So don't hate me.
Soon after, Reeve also left the place.
Leaving only silence. Something the hooded girl, who always hid her face in the other side of the light, looked forward to the most.
…
POV ARTHUR
There really was a sword stuck there! Were these people waiting for their turn to take the sword? What would happen if they managed to pull it out?
He continued to take one step while waiting for his turn.
Huh... it's boring just waiting, seriously.
Arthur paused for a moment.
Why couldn't any of them pull the sword out of the stone?
Suddenly something flashed into his head—the legend of King Arthur.
Wait a minute... isn't this similar to a legend in my world? Why would that legend apply here?
Did someone from Earth also land here besides me, Charles, and Lady Furina? But where is he or she now?
I'm short of information... asking them is useless—they were recently transferred here as well.
Arthur looked at the sword.
Maybe the answer lay ahead... or maybe not.
After all, does the legend that a sword that can only be drawn by a hero really exist in the otherworld—abyss?
Then there must be a hero who draws that sword....
Given my situation of waiting in line... never mind. This plot is too cliché.
Let me guess–-a hero, me, queued up among the residents, an ordinary person who was also a zombie and who certainly couldn't draw the sword, managed to draw the sword, and then... an anomaly occurred.
What a cliche!
If there's going to be a disaster in the end, I'd better not wait in line ....
But... isn't it a waste if I go now?
I've been waiting in line for 7 days and 7 nights!
No!
I won't give up my queue!
After all, if I manage to pull it off, surely the answer will come over time...? Let's just think that way.
I will follow the word of fate. Someone once said to me: man is born to take risks–-I am a slave to fate and will remain so until the end of my life!
Then, it came to his turn.
Why did these people fail to draw the sword? Perhaps this question had crossed his mind, and perhaps he already had the answer.
But now it was not important to Arthur who was standing in front of the sword—Excalibur, which shone like the rising sun.
Arthur swallowed. He repeatedly inhaled and exhaled. Then he placed his hand on the hilt of the sword.
The surface felt rough. But he didn't care anymore. Only one thing was on his mind—he had to pull it off!
"ARRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!"
At this moment, it moved slowly, attracted by Arthur's attractive force.
And at the same time, a light appeared at the tip of the sword that was slowly separated from the stone.
The sword was immediately pointed at the sky.
The light emitted by the sword illuminated the entire abyss as if it were the sun!
The sword was broken from its seal!
Excalibur had been drawn by Arthur!
"I-I... I managed to pull it!" Arthur let out a long breath.
On the road leading to the square, the people stopped their movement, they slowly looked up at the light with wide eyes.
In the queue, the people who didn't care about anything else suddenly looked up as if attracted by something that made their passions rise.
At this moment, the light coming from the excalibur gradually dimmed.
Then following that, the sun moved uncharacteristically—fast, downward.
The sun had set!
Arthur who realized this looked up at the sun, without blocking his eyes with his hands. His lips twitched.
Hahaha... alright, this isn't funny.
The night has come!
At this moment, these people suddenly looked down and then moved stiffly, their purpose clear—Arthur!
Arthur heard the voice and turned around hurriedly—the resident was alive.
Those people had red eyes!
Suddenly they quickened their pace and approached Arthur like hungry people, as if Arthur was a limited meal that could fill their stomachs for thousands of years!
"I knew it would end like this."
...
We meet again, friends!
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