novelnext Chapter 137 Artoria Pendragon
Chapter 137 Artoria Pendragon
Uchiha Shiraha looked at the blonde girl who had almost emptied dozens of plates of kebabs and had piled up a small mountain of shrimp shells and meat bones in front of her. He tapped his temple helplessly with his fingertips, feeling an indescribable sense of astonishment.
He was well aware of the limits of his space-time ninjutsu, and also understood the boundaries of his own eye power and abilities. Let alone breaking through space to bring back the legendary King Arthur who wielded the holy sword Excalibur and the holy spear Rungomminiad.
Even forcibly tearing apart the dimensional barrier to guide beings from other dimensions requires a huge price and strange luck.
But everything before him clearly told him that this girl, who was eating grilled sea fish with a satisfied look on her face, her golden hair falling beside her delicate collarbone, and her cheeks slightly puffed out like a little animal stealing honey.
It was indeed Artoria Pendragon, whom he had brought out from the eternal wonderland called Avalon when he accidentally tore open the rift in spacetime.
The Mangekyou Sharingan could achieve this level of power? Uchiha Hakuba was speechless, but the awakened system had no interface whatsoever...
Meanwhile, no one could have imagined that a certain young girl, who had long resided in Avalon and should have been resting in eternal tranquility and paradise, had already had her last bit of patience worn away by the boundless peace and solitude.
Avalon's scenery is unparalleled in the world. It is spring-like all year round, with flowers blooming year-round, clear springs flowing, and ethereal mists swirling around. There is no strife, no war, no burden of royal power, and no worries about family or country. It is the ultimate paradise that all living beings yearn for.
But for Artoria, who had spent her entire life fighting, protecting, and bearing the fate of Britain, this eternal peace became the most tormenting prison.
There are no people to protect, no national affairs to decide, no target to wield the sword, and no comrades to fight alongside. Day after day, year after year, all that remains before my eyes is the unchanging sea of flowers and fairyland, and all that I hear is the gentle rustling of the wind through the leaves. Even the passage of time becomes blurred.
At first, she was able to calm down and sort out her past memories, reminiscing about the past years. But as loneliness continued to spread, even the memories became bland and tasteless. No matter how beautiful the ideal world in the sword sheath was, it could not compare to the longing in her heart for the vibrant life, for the real world, for even the slightest ripple.
Countless times she stood on the shore of Lake Avalon, gently stroking the invisible holy sword at her waist, gazing at the hazy spacetime turbulence beyond the dimensional barrier.
The long-suppressed desire to reconnect with the vibrant world within me grew wildly like weeds.
She no longer has any country or people to protect, as she is King Arthur in a certain timeline where everything is successful.
At this moment, she was already longing for the wind on the battlefield, the hustle and bustle of the capital, and the warmth of human life. Even a simple bowl of tea and rice, or a leaf falling in the wind, would be more appealing to her than this eternal paradise.
Just now, in order to stabilize the coordinates of his space-time ninjutsu, Uchiha Hakuha unintentionally activated his Mangekyou Sharingan, tearing apart a thick dimensional barrier. That barely perceptible space-time rift instantly opened a passage to the vibrant world in the deathly silent Avalon.
Beyond the gap, the salty smell of the sea breeze, the rich aroma of charcoal-grilled meat, the light laughter of young girls, the gentle sound of waves lapping against the hull of the ship... countless vivid and lively scents, full of the warmth of human life, surged into Avalon, which had been silent for thousands of years, like a flood breaking through a dam.
That was the scent that Artoria had longed for for countless years; it was the real, living scent.
Without the slightest hesitation, or even a moment to think, King Arthur's golden eyes suddenly lit up with a brilliant light. His eyes, which had long been shrouded in loneliness, shone with an unprecedented brilliance in the instant Merlin was not paying attention.
Almost instinctively, she leaped forward, like a bird breaking free of its shackles, and without hesitation, she passed through that fleeting rift in time and space, following the comforting scent of fireworks, and landed directly on the deck of the ship drifting on the Grand Line.
Once she had steadied herself, what came into view was Baiyu's sun-drenched deck, tables and chairs laden with delicious food, a sizzling barbecue grill, several strangers with different yet remarkably peaceful demeanors, and the rich aroma of food that wafted towards her, making her nose tingle slightly.
Artoria, who had spent her years in Avalon drinking only spring water and eating celestial fruits, had never tasted such rich and tempting smoky delicacies. The aroma of charcoal-grilled meat, the sweetness of seafood, and the richness of the secret sauce intertwined, instantly shattering all her reserve and regal composure.
Thus, the scene before Uchiha Hakuba's eyes unfolded: the legendary King Arthur, having abandoned all his majesty and constraints, sat at the table and chairs on the deck, holding a golden-brown, crispy grilled fish in one hand and a skewer of marbled meat in the other, eating with relish. He was completely unaware that a little bit of sauce had gotten on the corner of his mouth; only satisfaction and contentment were written on his delicate and beautiful face.
Matsumoto Rangiku noticed the suddenly appearing blonde girl and was initially taken aback by her outstanding temperament and exquisitely beautiful, almost otherworldly appearance. However, seeing the girl eating with such gusto, she immediately smiled broadly, showing no sign of unfamiliarity. Instead, she enthusiastically pushed a plate of freshly grilled sky island prawns in front of her, swirled the fruit wine in her hand, and cheerfully said, "Oh dear, where did this young lady suddenly come from? Since you're here, please join us! Don't be shy, Hana-nee's cooking is superb!"
Artoria looked up, her azure eyes still gleaming with the satisfaction of the food. Her gaze towards Matsumoto Rangiku showed no distance, but rather a pure sincerity. She swallowed the skewer of meat in her mouth, nodded gently, and said in a clear voice with a hint of barely perceptible joy, "Thank you. The food here is so much more delicious than the celestial fruits of Avalon."
Unohana Retsu flipped the food on the grill. She knew this must be the new companion summoned by Shiraha. Her gentle gaze fell on Artoria, and she nodded slightly. She gently grilled another skewer of tender beast meat and said in a calm tone, "Eat as much as you like. There's plenty of food, so don't be shy."
Nico Robin leaned against the ship's railing, observing the suddenly appearing girl with great interest. From the Avalon she spoke of and the faint divine aura emanating from her, she could tell that she was no ordinary person on this sea. However, she did not ask any questions and simply watched the unexpected yet harmonious scene before her in silence.
Uchiha Shiraha remained seated on the sun lounger, watching King Arthur's sudden change in style and his incredible speed of eating rice, finally giving up on thinking altogether.