Pulling Caliburn

Archbishop Canterbury stood to the side, watching as one hopeful knight after another approached, only to leave with disappointment etched on their faces.

His weathered old countenance remained impassive; this was all prearranged after all. The king had to make their entrance at the most desperate moment, to deliver the most powerful impact.

'However, it's getting close to time. If we delay any longer, it might backfire...' Canterbury thought in worry, observing the increasingly restless crowd.

Canterbury turned his gaze toward Artoria in the corner. To his surprise, it wasn't her who emerged but a young man with black hair and eyes standing beside her.

With his appearance, the crowd erupted in exclamations.

"It's the Black Knight!"

"I knew he'd come!"

"This is great! If anyone can pull the sword from the stone, it's him!"

'The Black Knight?' Canterbury scratched his head in confusion. He had spent years in Camelot, yet he had never heard of this new figure named the Black Knight. And it seemed like he was rather famous.

"Black Knight, you must pull the sword from the stone!"

"Is there anyone more fitting to be king than the Black Knight? If even he can't do it, this whole selection of the king day is a joke!"

"Black Knight, if you become the king, I'll give up all my glory and follow you!"

"That's right! I won't accept anyone else as king except the Black Knight!"

Watching the fervent crowd, Canterbury's eyebrows twitched slightly. The Black Knight's reputation seemed to exceed his expectations. What had this young man done to garner such passionate followers? Even during the reign of King Uther, it wasn't this excessive.

Amid the crowd's cheers, Arkhan ascended the stone hill. The knights in front of him suddenly parted, clearing the path leading to the mountaintop.

Arkhan paused for a moment, then smiled and nodded.

"Thank you, everyone."

"Camelot has been suppressed for too long. We need a king who can bring hope to the people. If possible, we all hope it will be you." One of the knights said.

"You believe in me this much?" Arkhan asked in disbelief.

"Because you're the one who ignited the flame within me." The knight replied earnestly.

Arkhan opened his mouth, struggling to find the right words. Overwhelmed by emotions he couldn't quite express, he finally settled with a simple response.

"Understood."

Arkhan continued up the path, with dozens of knights standing by the side, heads held high as if they were an honor guard welcoming their king's coronation.

"This is quite extravagant and excessive..." Kay couldn't help but gape. He had never seen anyone command such respect and loyalty just by standing there.

Without saying or doing anything, Arkhan had earned the sincere admiration of so many.

"Indeed, he's worthy of being my master!" Yulina said proudly, her face radiant with pride.

Artoria's eyes gleamed with hope. With one call, a hundred answered, and thousands revered him. This was the majestic presence she had longed to witness.

Despite receiving education about kingship from a young age, Artoria had never truly grasped the essence of a king. Even Merlin's illusions couldn't quite convey it. But today, as she watched Arkhan's silhouette, she finally understood what a true king should be like!

"Although I had known for a long time that Arkhan was not any ordinary man, seeing this scene with my own eyes still surprised me..." Ector said with a wry smile to Merlin, who was standing beside him.

"You actually mean to say that even the former King Uther couldn't achieve this level, right~?" Merlin chuckled and responded with his usual frivolous tone. 

Ector fell silent. As a knight of King Uther, he should have strongly rebuked Merlin for belittling the former king, but for some reason, the words seemed to be stuck on the tip of his tongue.

"Admit it, Ector. Both you and I are aware that if Arkhan truly becomes king, he will surpass Uther and create a whole new future for Britain."

"King Uther is irreplaceable..." Ector replied, his face stern.

Merlin shook his head with a smile, confirming that knights were becoming increasingly stubborn as they aged. He watched Arkhan's figure and a pleased smile crossed his face.

"Indeed, this is something only you can achieve..." Merlin muttered to himself as he watched Arkhan.

Morgan gazed at Arkhan, a graceful curve forming at the corner of her mouth beneath her thin black veil. 'Let me see if you can break through Merlin's two thousand seals. If you can truly do it, then I...'

Arkhan ascended the mountaintop, placed his right hand on his chest, and nodded slightly towards Canterbury.

"Greetings, Archbishop Canterbury."

Canterbury blinked in surprise. Since the start of the selection ceremony until now, no one had shown him such respect. This young man with black hair and eyes was the first.

"You've caused quite a commotion, young man." Canterbury coughed lightly and chuckled.

"They're not expecting me, but rather a new king who can bring them hope. I'm not sure if I can bear such a heavy responsibility." Arkhan replied humbly with a smile.

Although he spoke humbly, Canterbury could clearly sense a powerful confidence emanating from the young man before him. This kind of aura reminded him of the young Uther from years ago.

'If he's the one who truly becomes the king...'

In the depths of the Archbishop's heart, there was a hint of regret. If only it had been a dozen years earlier, he would have wholeheartedly supported this young man to become the king. But now, it was all too late.

"Tell me your name, young man. Our meeting today may be destined by fate."

Canterbury suddenly felt a sense of enlightenment, a feeling he was no stranger to. It was a gift from God he had received through years of devout prayer, known as 'Revelation'. Whenever facing important judgments, it would guide him.

This time, Revelation told him that he must bring this young man to the royal capital!

"My name is Arkhan, and I am a teacher and mentor of Artoria Pendragon..." Arkhan said with an unwavering smile.

Canterbury's pupils suddenly contracted. Everyone in Camelot knew that 'Pendragon' was the surname of the Camelot's royal family.

As was widely known, the only descendant of the House of Pendragon was Morgan le Fay Pendragon.

And now, this young man named Arkhan knew Artoria's true surname.

'Could it be...' Canterbury thought in surprise.

"Well, then, I suppose it's time for me to pull the sword."

Arkhan stepped forward, gazing at the golden sword deeply embedded in the rock. He took a deep breath, and amid the anxious and eager gazes of the crowd, he grasped the hilt of the sword.

And then...

The sword in the stone trembled slightly and slowly came out of the rock.

Caliburn had been pulled out!