King Arthur Won't Die by Accident

After a long silence, Arthur finally spoke, his voice heavy with complexity.

"You are foolish. You sold yourself to the power of inhibition. Anyone with a clear mind would never make such a choice."

Vortigern, however, seemed unfazed by Arthur's words. Perhaps this was a decision he had made long ago—back when he first met Arthur.

"But what Britain truly needs is not me, the White Dragon, but you—the young, passionate Red Dragon. I hope you carry on and lead our dynasty to prosperity."

"Vortigern—" Arthur hesitated, as if sighing.

"Why? Are you showing mercy to me, your Humble King, the White Dragon of Britain?"

Vortigern gave Arthur an amused look and shook his head.

He did not seek anyone's pity or sympathy.

On the contrary, he felt fortunate.

Most people wander their entire lives not knowing what they truly want—just like those knights who shouted slogans of glory and honor. How many died chasing such ideals? But was that glory really what they desired?

Vortigern was different.

He knew long ago what he wanted and how to obtain it.

Now, the future he desired was within sight.

And since he had built the foundation with his own hands, what was there to regret if he died for it?

If that isn't luck, then what is?

So he laughed, genuine and joyful.

"Haha— I do not need anyone's sympathy. But, consider it a kindness to an old man. I want you to help me solve a riddle."

Arthur glanced at the fading figure. With time running out, Vortigern had no reason to hold back.

He nodded silently, urging the old man to speak.

"Since you have such a powerful weapon that could have crushed me and the Saxons under my command from the start, why didn't you use it earlier?"

"Star Arrows?" Arthur's expression darkened. "It's not that I refused to use them—it's that I couldn't. The power of the Star Arrows is overwhelming. Even a slight strike would devastate the island's environment. If I had bombarded you as soon as you appeared, it wouldn't just have destroyed the Saxons, but all my troops as well."

After all, the Star Arrows were weapons designed to annihilate planets and meteors.

Initially, they lacked any power-limiting safeguards.

They were far too powerful.

Moreover, Britain lacked an accurate targeting system.

Much like modern missiles or nuclear weapons, no matter how potent, if you can't precisely target, the weapon risks destroying yourself or leaving the enemy's domain in ruin.

Originally, Merlin, Merry, and Arthur's own clairvoyance served as positioning aids.

But once Vortigern was possessed by the force of inhibition, a field of interference sprung up around him, disrupting clairvoyant signals.

Communication crystals, strained by the fierce battle and the king's control over the earth veins, became unstable in the wild ether.

The only option was to lure the magic dragon to a high altitude safe from ground damage and use the Holy Sword's brilliance as a signal.

Simply put, if the Star Arrows had been fired directly, the British Isles would have been shattered in half—and several nearby cities along with them.

"It would have been foolish to sacrifice the bulk of my forces to annihilate one enemy. Britain's population has always been a liability. I chose to absorb the Saxons early on," Arthur explained.

Vortigern's eyes flickered knowingly.

How could a man over fifty, seasoned by decades, not grasp the underlying meaning of Arthur's words?

In truth, it was kindness at work.

Suddenly, Vortigern's previously relieved expression darkened with worry.

Arthur had fought well. His bold orders and clear plans after learning the truth inspired awe in Vortigern.

Yet, one misstep could be fatal.

Not only for the soldiers but for Arthur himself.

Was Arthur unaware of this risk—or was his confidence absolute?

Either way, Vortigern could not feel at ease.

"My brother, 'Son' of Uther, you have protected the island, continued the Mystical Age, and restored what I wished to safeguard. That is good. But ambition is one thing, kindness another. When faced with an even greater crisis… you remain a young generation I cannot fully trust."

Before he could finish, the old man's cracked form crumbled to dust, returning to the earth.

With a mix of concern and awe, the White Dragon who had terrorized Britain for decades finally came to an end.

At the foot of the hill, Lancelot and Kikyo watched Arthur's figure—still radiant but now tinged with exhaustion.

The king was wise.

The king was invincible.

No enemy could halt his progress.

No adversity could turn the king aside.

Yet, in that moment, both realized: did the king truly want this?

Was he truly the legendary figure everyone believed?

Who could share the heavy burden upon his shoulders?

Who could touch the inner turmoil of their king?

Before they could dwell further, the space around Arthur suddenly twisted.

"My king!"

"Impossible! Vortigern has no strength left—"

Disbelief and alarm filled their voices as they stepped forward to protect him.

Of course, Vortigern had no real power. What they saw was a mere image, a projection of obsession.

Yet, the restraining force still lingered.

Though it could no longer directly interfere, it had possessed Vortigern once—and the two remained linked.

Using the image of Vortigern as an anchor, the force briefly disturbed the space.

This was not direct attack but an amplification of residual information—like a fan intensifying a breeze.

This alone could not kill Arthur.

When the dragon was destroyed, Gaia—the suppressing force—had lost.

It accepted total defeat, unable to kill Arthur anymore.

But just because it cannot act doesn't mean others can't.

Arthur's enemies are not limited to the Humble King.

Those who seek to destroy Britain have already begun to emerge.

Yes, I cannot kill you with my self-control.

But I can make others do it.

-End Chapter-

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