"You are here."
Seemingly sensing Souya's intrusion, Vortigern's voice emerged from the giant white cocoon occupying more than half the space of the throne room.
Hearing this, a complex light flashed through Souya's eyes.
Although he had expected this, actually seeing that Vortigern no longer bore the image of that kind yet dignified old man still made Souya sigh with emotion.
But he knew this was not the time to express his feelings.
Without the slightest hesitation, Souya got straight to the point.
"The plan has changed. Merlin breached Avalon and told Arthur and the others about your condition."
"They will launch a full-scale attack on Londinium at dawn. Do you have enough time?"
Hearing this, the giant cocoon Vortigern had transformed into fell silent.
He seemed to be pondering something.
After a long while, Vortigern didn't answer Souya's final question, but instead asked him a question in return.
"Lamorak, are you certain that voice was Merlin? If it truly was him, does he know you are currently among the Round Table and possess the Holy Lance Rhongomyniad?"
Facing Vortigern's rapid succession of questions, Souya couldn't help but freeze, but he quickly reacted and answered them one by one.
"Of course. Although his voice sounded very weak at the time, it was undoubtedly Merlin. I imagine it was because he broke his vow that he sounded so erratic."
Souya recalled the scene as he spoke to Vortigern.
The owner of the voice was definitely Merlin, no doubt about it. But as to whether he had discovered Souya was currently among the Round Table, Souya felt that given Merlin's state at the time, he probably had no time to pay attention to who was present.
His purpose in sending the message this time was to tell Artoria that the final boss of the dungeon, Vortigern, was charging up his ultimate attack. If they didn't want to face a party wipe or mission failure, they needed to hurry and kill Vortigern in his lair before his evolution was complete.
As for the Holy Lance, it normally existed within his body in the form of light, so it naturally wouldn't be discovered by Merlin.
Having received a satisfactory answer from Souya, Vortigern smiled slightly, a hint of understanding in his tone.
"If that is the case, then I no longer need to worry about anything else. Let us proceed as planned, Lamorak."
"But Vortigern, your current state..."
Souya hesitated slightly but still asked the question.
He could feel that the aura of the Vortigern before him was very abnormal.
It was an aura that transcended the present and the era, majestic and vast. Although it was clear that he was currently only in the growth phase, the terrifying quality of his magical energy and his Dragon Aura far exceeded Artoria even when she was fully operating her Dragon Core.
But this was merely the surface. Anyone with Fairy Eyes like Souya, capable of seeing the flow of magical energy and ether, could easily tell that Vortigern's current aura was strong on the outside but weak on the inside.
This was already enough to explain his problem.
He still doesn't have enough time.
However, regarding Souya's doubts and worries, Vortigern appeared completely unconcerned.
"Rest assured, boy. After all, I have lived for this long. This isn't the first time I've encountered a situation like this."
"Although this time is different, and very likely the last time, you can still rest assured. I have my own ways."
Having said that, Vortigern seemed to think of something. He chuckled softly and said to Souya:
"Compared to an old dragon like me, you, who holds Rhongomyniad, are the true protagonist tomorrow. So, Lamorak, are you prepared to fight against the world?"
"Things have already reached this point. If I didn't have the resolve, how could I be standing before you?"
Exhaling slowly, Souya took one last deep look at Vortigern.
He knew this was the last time he would see this old man. Tomorrow, he would not be Vortigern, but the Demonic Dragon circling above Britain, bringing calamity to the world.
"Hahaha, truly someone who shares the same destiny as me! Lamorak, it seems I underestimated you."
Vortigern laughed loudly, his laughter filled with joy and appreciation.
For the Vile King, who had long prepared himself for a life of solitude, to find a fellow traveler before the end arrived—how could such a feeling not make one laugh heartily?
The Vile King might be vile, but at least he wasn't lonely.
[Thus, you completely bid farewell to the Calamitous White Dragon, the Vile King Vortigern, who had intimidated Britain for countless days and nights.]
[Before you left, Vortigern told you he would give the signal tomorrow, and when the time came, you only needed to hurl the Holy Lance as agreed.]
[Besides that, he also gave you something.]
[It was a spherical object enveloped in blood-colored crystal. Although you couldn't see the true appearance of the item inside through the crystal, you could feel the aura it contained.]
[Vortigern said, 'If you truly have the resolve to sacrifice everything for what you seek in your heart, then use it when the time is right.']
[You understood in your heart, yet you did not refuse, choosing to accept it.]
[This already explained your choice.]
[The next day, with the arrival of dawn, the final battle of Britain officially began.]
[Following Agravain's suggestion, Artoria commanded the entire battlefield, while the other Knights of the Round Table each led a contingent of the army, taking up various roles to advance towards the black city of Londinium.]
[And this time, Vortigern's Anglo-Saxon army did not choose to defend the city. In an uncharacteristic move, they marched out in full force, choosing to fight a decisive battle with the Celtic army on the plains outside Londinium.]
[Perhaps knowing that if they lost this battle they would no longer have the right to contest the land of Britain, the Anglo-Saxons' offensive was exceptionally fierce. They even brought siege weapons like catapults and ballistae into actual combat, causing immense trouble for the Celtic army.]
[Realizing that ordinary soldiers and knights couldn't possibly withstand the destructive power of such sharp weapons, Artoria immediately ordered the soldiers to disperse their formation to avoid excessive casualties. She also commanded the magi led by Tristan to use magical blasts to destroy the large-scale equipment deep within the enemy lines from a distance.]
[However, the Anglo-Saxons seemed to have anticipated this, so they had arranged a squad of magi in the rear beforehand to defend against the Celtic magi.]
[The situation temporarily fell into a stalemate. But for Artoria's side, the longer it dragged on, the greater the risk they faced.]
[No one could predict when Vortigern, transformed into a Demonic Dragon, would appear on the battlefield. If they didn't hurry to breach Londinium, they would fall into an extremely passive situation.]
[Right at this moment, a brilliant spear light broke the stalemate, opening up the dawn of victory for the Celtic army.]
['Releasing the second restraint of the Holy Lance. Manifest here! The Spear of Shining Destiny!']
[It was the Guardian Knight, Percival.]
[Protected by his surrounding comrades, this resolute knight seized the opportunity to unleash his Noble Phantasm. In the name of another Holy Lance, Longinus, he shattered the enemy magi's magical barrier, annihilating a large portion of the enemy's core forces while successfully destroying their large-scale weapons.]
[Like a signal, with Percival taking the lead, the remaining Knights of the Round Table no longer hesitated. They unleashed their own Noble Phantasms one after another, launching fatal strikes against the Anglo-Saxon barbarians.]
[In an instant, golden sparks scattered across the battlefield, and beams of light flowed. It truly reflected the ancient Round Table proverb: 'When friends come, there is Gawain's mashed potatoes; when jackals come, they are greeted only with beams of light.']
[Under the unified explosive output of the Knights of the Round Table, the Anglo-Saxons finally realized King Arthur's army was not something they could defeat. So they stopped defending to the death and fled towards Londinium, crying for their parents.]
[The Anglo-Saxon barbarians had gathered solely for profit; naturally, there was no loyalty to speak of. Facing the threat of death now, they naturally all chose to run away.]
[However, before the Celtic army could cheer, a sudden roar shattered the joyous atmosphere of victory.]
[Hearing this sound, the expressions of all the Knights of the Round Table present changed drastically. Only the ignorant soldiers showed blank and terrified expressions.]
[The next moment, under the gaze of everyone, a massive White Dragon soared into the sky from within Londinium, descending upon the battlefield with an endless wind pressure and sense of oppression.]
[The King descends from the sky, furious and ferocious.]
[Facing the terrifying Dragon Aura of the White Dragon, everyone's heart sank to the bottom.]
[And when you saw the White Dragon's ferocious and twisted figure, and the lingering aura of decay within its Dragon Aura, you finally understood what Vortigern's 'way' was.]
"To fulfill your promise even at the cost of devouring the corpse of the Dragon of Albion... Vortigern."
Standing on the earth, gripping the Holy Lance, Souya looked up with a complex gaze at the chalk-white dragon circling high in the sky.
Vortigern had underestimated Souya's resolve, but hadn't the latter also anticipated the weight of his determination?
Climbing forward in the dark night, chasing the black sun... the so-called pitch-black will is exactly this.