Preparations

When news of the impending invasion from the North reached the royal capital, it sparked a turbulent storm in Camelot's upper class of society.

No one could forget that it was Uther's defeat by Vortigern that plunged Camelot into a fifteen-year decline. Now, the same White Dragon that haunted them fifteen years ago was back. Would history repeat itself?

Even though the current ruler held the title of the Chosen King, Uther himself had a legendary undefeated record forged through countless battles. Yet, in the end, he succumbed to Vortigern. Moreover, the present king was still young and lacked experience in large-scale warfare. Could he bear such a heavy responsibility?

These concerns echoed in the minds of many nobles.

Especially during their informal conversations, these worries escalated, leaning toward public opinion.

Ferguson, as a seasoned politician, was quick to notice these signs, so he promptly reported to Arkhan.

Arkhan's response was simple.

"Let them say what they want. We just need to do what we must."

He had anticipated such a situation. The folk tales about Vortigern circulating among the people clearly conveyed the fear Camelotians harbored for that White Dragon. This was why he chose to temporarily restrict this news to only the upper class of society.

Despite Arkhan's remarkable victory against Ganna, which lifted Camelot's morale significantly, Vortigern's powerful presence was undeniable. As long as he lived, he remained the insurmountable obstacle in every Camelotian's heart.

This time, Arkhan had to win this war, dispelling the dark cloud that loomed over Camelot.

To achieve this goal, he took on a workload several times heavier than before. He supervised the logistics, prepared resources, and summoned soldiers, personally ensuring nothing went awry.

The matter that concerned him the most was his knight order.

After successfully developing the second-generation artificial magic circuit, he immediately applied the technology to his knight order. However, since only Morgan possessed the knowledge, progress was slow. Even with continuous operation, only up to six knights could be modified each day.

If calculated, at most two-thirds of the knights could complete the modification before the war began.

Arkhan had no choice but to take Merlin into the fray to keep things on track.

It wasn't that he didn't want the rest of the court mages to assist, but the skill was too critical. Arkhan couldn't entrust it to outsiders. Moreover, the artificial magic circuit itself was intricate and complex. Understanding it alone required a significant amount of time, let alone operating it.

In this situation, only he and Merlin could handle it.

It wasn't just them; almost everyone was fully engaged in preparing for the upcoming war. Even those like Artoria, Kay, and Lancelot, who lacked experience in this field, contributed their efforts.

As time passed, Camelot's atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Even the civilians, unaware of the details, began to sense the change.

Time flew by, and the day of departure drew near.

On the eve of departure, Arkhan once again convened everyone in the council chamber, inquiring about their preparations.

"Currently, the first batch of provisions has been fully loaded, and they will accompany us as we head north. I've already informed Mr. Karl about the next arrangements, ensuring a steady supply of food." Bedivere stated.

"The financial situation for the recovery looks quite promising at the moment. All the land has been sold, and we've managed to sell half of the luxury goods. With these funds, we're well-equipped to sustain our efforts in this war."

Artoria spoke on Morgan's behalf, as Morgan had been occupied with the artificial magic circuit matter, financial tasks had been entrusted to Artoria.

Although it was her first encounter with such matters, being the 'Ideal King' she was groomed to be from a young age, she found these financial responsibilities not overly challenging.

"Nearly two-thirds of Camelot's nobles have responded to the war, rallying almost thirty thousand soldiers. There will also be an additional fifty thousand soldiers heading to the northern border." Ferguson reported, his eyes reflecting clear confusion.

Honestly, he couldn't fathom why this was happening. Everyone seemed skeptical about the war's potential success, yet when he went to recruit soldiers from those nobles, they agreed willingly and enthusiastically without hesitation.

This didn't align with the usual profit-driven behavior of these nobles. Could it be that the previous incident had genuinely left a deep scar on them?

In reality, this was primarily due to the influence of the 'power of corruption' left in the nobles' minds by Arkhan during Morgan's banquet, utilizing Fenghuang Down and Jizo Mitama.

Thanks to the existence of these two Divine Keys, even if the nobles were not entirely optimistic about the war, they willingly pledged allegiance to Arkhan.

The swift sale of lands and luxury goods also had its roots in this influence.

So when their opinion was rampant, Arkhan paid little heed. After all, as long as they obediently provided him with money and soldiers, he didn't care what they said.

"The knights are ready to depart anytime!"

As the last one to report, Lamorak only said one sentence in a firm tone. 

"Umu." Arkhan nodded in satisfaction.

In this period, with the concerted efforts of him, Merlin, and Morgan, they managed to equip all the knights with artificial magic circuits just in time for departure.

Once every knight understood how to use magical energy, he distributed the Key of Domination to them.

Although the Key of Domination had the characteristic of infinite replication, Arkhan still retained the highest control over all of them. Without his permission, even with the acknowledgment from the Key of Domination, they couldn't be used.

The Key of Domination was directly related to the host's will, and after the hardships faced by the knights, their determination and willpower were unwavering. Therefore, upon receiving them, every knight immediately gained acknowledgment.

Especially Lamorak, who fully unleashed the Key of Domination's power to the highest degree.

With over three hundred 'B+ Rank' Noble Phantasms added, the strength of the knights had undergone a revolutionary change, getting closer and closer to the scene Arkhan had envisioned.

This battlefield was their best stage to prove themselves!

Arkhan's gaze slowly swept over everyone, and with a hint of pride appeared in his eyes, he stood up.

"Since everyone is prepared, I won't say much more. Return, rest well for a day, and tomorrow morning, we head north and face the war!"