209 God

Arkhan stood on the balcony, gazing at the wide and orderly streets in the distance.

Rows of neatly arranged houses lined both sides of the street, and pedestrians strolled along the sidewalks.

In the depths of his black eyes, an indescribable depth lurked.

Soon, countless colorful flower petals fell from the void, and Merlin emerged from among them.

"Any gains?" Arkhan asked casually, still gazing at the streets.

"Well, there are gains, but perhaps not quite what you had in mind..." Merlin said with a hint of helplessness. "According to those old folks in the secret realm, for Britain to continue, you must pull out the anchor of the planet, altering the underlying rules of this world."

As Arkhan heard that, he smirked.

"If I really did that, how would I be any different from Vortigern?"

Rhongomyniad was the tower of light that anchored the layers of the planet, the anchor of the planet that fixed the laws sustaining humanity's existence.

Once removed, it meant peeling the planet's outer layer, overturning physical rules, rendering humanity's progress impossible, and thus restoring the Age of Gods.

The outcome of such an act was hardly any different from Vortigern's plot to restore the Age of Gods.

If Arkhan went through with it, what would all his efforts over the years amount to?

Did he want to be the king who elevated humanity to the Seat of Primacy with his own hands only to pull them back down again?

It was absurd!

"I knew you'd react this way..." Merlin shrugged. "But I also think this plan is unreliable. In my opinion, it's just an excuse those old folks came up with to stir things up."

"Is there any other way?" Arkhan inquired.

"There is." Merlin surprisingly nodded. "Since you're unwilling to rewrite the world rules, then you'll have to create your own rules."

Arkhan rolled his eyes.

"If I could do that, why would I bother discussing it with you here?"

Creating world rules was almost indistinguishable from creating an entirely new world. Despite wielding the Second Divine Key, Cosmic Juggernaut, he could, at best, create a bubble world similar to the bubble world in Honkaiverse. In comparison to a genuinely perfect world, it was like night and day.

"I know it sounds unrealistic, but that's the reality. If you want Britain to persist, these are the only two paths. Otherwise, the gods wouldn't have disappeared so easily back then." Merlin explained patiently.

After his explanation, both of them fell into silence.

Arkhan contemplated for a while before saying, "If this world truly can't find a way to prolong Britain, then I'll have to explore other worlds to find a solution."

Merlin, deep in thought, stroked his chin.

"Hmm... Is that why you let Lily take over the governance?"

Arkhan nodded.

Actually, long before, he had considered this situation. That's why he had Artoria go kill Vortigern, all to establish enough credibility in the eyes of the people.

After the war, he consciously handed over administrative matters to her. Though a bit green at the start, she had a keen learning ability and good intuition. With his personal guidance, she progressed rapidly.

By Arkhan's standards, Artoria was now a qualified ruler. Credibility established and experience gained, all that remained was to have her ascend the throne and be crowned as king—no, queen.

At that point, he could peacefully explore other worlds, seeking ways to ensure Britain's continuation.

Having made up his mind, Arkhan stopped dwelling on it and instead chatted with Merlin about other matters.

*Buzz—*

Suddenly, an inexplicable ripple swept through the entire kingdom. Arkhan instantly grasped the source of this disturbance.

"The church?"

He looked at the distant church building, then turned to Merlin.

"Something's happening over there?"

Merlin's eyes flickered with a hint of mystery. After a moment, his expression became strangely awkward.

"I... can't see anything."

"Can't see anything?" Arkhan frowned slightly. "Could it be related to the Holy Grail?"

Merlin's clairvoyance covered everything except matters related to the Holy Grail.

Coincidentally, the Holy Grail was currently safeguarded in the church.

In matters concerning this miraculous relic, Arkhan never dared to be careless. His figure instantly disappeared from the spot, appearing immediately inside the church.

As it was a working day, the church was empty and eerily quiet.

Arkhan's gaze passed over the long-backed chairs on either side, focusing on the altar ahead. There stood a tall elderly figure in clerical attire, in front of him was an ordinary-looking golden cup.

"Archbishop Canterbury, why did you take out the Holy Grail?" Arkhan questioned, perplexed. He distinctly remembered instructing Canterbury to keep the Holy Grail at the bottom of the church when he handed it over, emphasizing not to casually bring it out.

Considering Canterbury's character and his devoutness as a believer, it seemed unlikely for him to scheme something with the Holy Grail.

"You've finally arrived..." Canterbury said in a calm tone, turning slowly to face Arkhan. His eyes were filled with chaotic depths, encompassing myriad realities.

Arkhan's consciousness exploded in an instant.

Countless images flashed through his mind—vast cosmic galaxies, crowds of people devoutly praying on their knees, a naked man nailed to a cross.

An unimaginable amount of information surged into his mind. Clenching his teeth, he used the last shreds of clarity to connect to the Void Archives, pouring all this information into it.

"Hmm?"

Canterbury raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of intrigued amusement on his face.

"Interesting."

"Hahh... Hahh..." Arkhan took deep breaths, rubbing his slightly swollen forehead. With a serious expression, he looked at the Archbishop ahead.

"You're not the Archbishop. Who are you?"

Although he asked like that, in his heart, Arkhan had already guessed the identity of the figure before him.

The Holy Grail, the church, the believers, and the fleeting images from earlier—such obvious hints had almost completely revealed the identity of the other.

But why would this figure appear here?

"I have many identities... You can call me the All-Knowing, the Almighty, Jehovah, Yahweh, Or..."

"God."

Canterbury—or rather, 'God', answered slowly in a calm manner.