Chapter 83: Unworthy or not
The man clapped his hands together, a bright smile spreading across his face as he said, "Exactly."
The clear, ringing tone of his clap echoed through the vast void, confirming the mind-boggling truth that Leon had been so hesitant to speak out loud.
Leon’s eyes widened in complete astonishment, and he frantically looked all around him to make sense of his sudden surroundings.
He turned his head from side to side, trying to find any familiar landmark or structural detail from the ruined guild building he had just been standing in moments ago.
His surroundings were still filled with darkness in every single direction, with the only visible thing being Arthur, who was sitting grandly on the golden throne in a pool of brilliant light.
There was no floor, no ceiling, and no walls—just an endless, void-like abyss anchored only by the legendary king’s divine presence.
He struggled to process the sheer impossibility of the encounter, shaking his head slowly as he muttered, "That isn’t possible... King Arthur’s a legend... and he’s dead."
His voice sounded hollow in the vast expanse, clinging to logical reasoning against the overwhelming supernatural reality staring him in the face.
Arthur nodded casually in agreement, leaning back against his throne with a easygoing grin as he said, "Yeah, I’m dead... probably died hundreds of years ago. Haha."
He let out a light, airy laugh, treating his own centuries-old demise as nothing more than a minor historical detail.
Leon stared at the laughing legend, his mind racing with a dozen frantic thoughts as he said, "Then why’re you here... what is all this supposed to mean? Where the hell am I? Am I... dead? That can’t be possible..."
The questions spilled out of his mouth in a frantic stream, his heart hammering against his ribs as he feared his abrupt displacement meant his life had ended during the fight.
Arthur waved his hand nonchalantly through the air, dismissing the barrage of anxious inquiries with a casual flick of his wrist as he said, "Too many questions."
He clearly had no interest in explaining the intricate mechanics of spirit realms or cosmic displacement to the bewildered young man standing before him.
He leaned forward slightly and gripped the hilt of Excalibur stabbed into the ground in front of him, his ethereal golden eyes narrowing with a sudden, heavy intensity as he said, "What matters is that you’re unworthy. Guess... I expected too much from you."
The casual tone vanished from his voice, replaced by a weight that pressed down on Leon’s very soul.
Leon looked down at the duplicate weapon held tightly in his own grip, his throat feeling tight as he muttered, "You mean unworthy... of Excalibur?"
The word tasted bitter on his tongue, striking at his pride directly.
Arthur nodded firmly, his golden crown catching the brilliant light as he looked down at the young hunter and said, "Excalibur is a holy blade, it was never meant to be used to fulfill selfish desires of revenge and hatred."
His voice resonated with moral authority, scolding the path Leon had chosen to tread with the weapon.
Leon gritted his teeth tightly in pure anger, his jaw locking hard as resentment welled up inside his chest against the legendary king’s judgment.
He glared directly into Arthur’s glowing eyes, raising his chin defiantly as he said, "So what’s it? That’s why you summoned me here? To lecture me on what and what not to do with Excalibur?"
"Yes. Your mind is impure, filled with so much bitterness, revenge, and hate... your hands are not worthy to touch the holy blade." Arthur responded.
His deep voice resonated through the vast expanse, carrying a firm judgment that left no room for debate or negotiation.
He slowly stood up from the grand golden throne, standing at an impressive height of about 180cm with an imposing, majestic posture.
Every movement he made was smooth and regal, radiating an undeniable aura of dominance that filled the entire space around them.
He looked down at Leon, who was still completely surrounded in darkness compared to him, who had a grand, shining throne glowing brilliantly right behind him.
The contrast between the two was sharp and undeniable—one stood engulfed in shadows, barefoot and consumed by wrath, while the other stood bathed in pure, divine light as a true ruler.
He clicked his tongue softly in disapproval, shaking his head as he looked at the angry young man and said, "Look around you... you’re just confused."
He spoke with pity, seeing straight through Leon’s fierce, vengeful exterior into the deep, turbulent mess of emotions driving him forward.
Leon pointed his glowing sword directly at him, his arm rigid and shaking with pure fury as he shouted, "Confused or not! Unworthy or not, send me back now!"
He didn’t care about Arthur’s ancient wisdom or moral lectures; his entire being was fixated on finishing the battle he had started in the real world.
Arthur only sighed softly though, shaking his head at the boy’s stubborn defiance as he said, "No. Not yet, you have to prove you’re worthy of Excalibur first."
His tone was smooth and resolute, making it clear that Leon would not be leaving this mysterious realm on his own terms.
Leon felt like he would literally explode in rage, his jaw clenched so hard his teeth throbbed with intense pressure.
His blood boiled in his veins as he stared at the legendary king, completely trapped and powerless against the overwhelming cosmic authority locking him in this dark space.
He didn’t know what was happening back in the Roaring Lions headquarters at this very moment, whether his body had been killed during the freeze, or if he was now lying unconscious at the mercy of Teon and his remaining guards.
The agonizing uncertainty of his situation ate away at his mind, threatening to drive him mad with anxiety.
He had simply been forced here by Arthur without a single warning, yanked out of his fight with no explanation or preparation whatsoever.
He glanced down at his hands, realizing with a surge of relief that his other two legendary items were still equipped with him in this realm.
’At least I still have Aegis, and Heracles’ gauntlets.’ he thought.
Knowing that he still possessed the green shield and the godlike strength of the gauntlets gave him a fighting chance.