Chapter 57. Was Merlin deliberately making things difficult?!
"Leon, tell them to cut the livestream immediately! Don't give others a chance to exploit this. At all costs, we must persuade Lord Merlin to return."
Inside the magnificent royal hall, Elizabeth II gave the order anxiously.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
The dignified attendant in a well-tailored suit replied earnestly, then turned—striding quickly out the door.
However...
Not long after—
The young man Leon returned, looking crestfallen.
And he brought back some... rather troubling news.
It seemed something hidden in the darkness was interfering with the cameras. They had clearly shut the feed down, and yet the livestream continued.
The Queen took a deep breath.
It's alright, the advantage is still ours.
No matter how many top officials she had to promise wealth and glory to—so long as they could keep Merlin in Britain, it would be worth it.
This was the man who had created the legendary King Arthur Pendragon. On top of that, he could move freely between two worlds. He was practically an untapped gold mine...
No, a walking mountain of gold!
That immense value made people drool. And the more power one had, the more greed followed.
If she could gain Merlin's aid, Elizabeth II herself would be the next King Arthur.
In life, she would conquer and expand, victorious in every battle!
In death, she would ascend and become a [Heroic Spirit], forever immortalized in the Throne of Heroes.
One might even call it another form of immortality!!
Just thinking of it made Elizabeth II tremble with excitement.
If only she were still young—she could've used both her authority and beauty to win over that handsome Merlin…
Tsss~
The mere thought was thrilling!
...
Over the Pacific Ocean.
Under the gaze of all humanity—eager, breathless, and focused.
"Lord Merlin, are you have a girlfriend...?"
As the fighter jet skimmed the ocean currents, the excited blonde reporter began to gossip.
The pilot beside her couldn't take it anymore, lit a cigarette with shaky hands, and took a long, miserable drag.
Absurd.
This was way too absurd.
Why did everyone have romance on the brain right now?
No infiltrators, please—just give me a single normal teammate.
People across nations: one face confused, two faces confused, facing confusion, function confused, advanced calculus confused, mitochondria confused, everything confused...
At a time like this, that's what you're asking?!
Countless history grad students pounded the floor in frustration. Just how thirsty was she?
Such a waste!!
"Stupid women aren't fit to handle important matters!!"
An old, hot-tempered professor exploded on the spot, cursing straight out loud, his whole body shaking with fury.
Then he immediately popped two heart pills, trembling as he continued watching.
Goddamn it.
If it weren't for the historic spectacle unfolding, he would've turned off the TV ages ago.
People with high blood pressure can't take this!!
Of course, some young women smirked, slightly amused by the question.
This was a hero from legend, after all. He had lived for at least two thousand years by now—who knew, maybe he had a rich romantic history worthy of an entire thick novel.
Something like: "Tales That Must Be Told Between Merlin and Vivian"...
Ahem, ahem...
Got off track there.
"I'm still single at the moment~."
The silver-haired man raised his brows, answering with a playful tone.
His demeanor was that of one who had seen through the world—refined by countless years without ever losing himself, calmly and serenely facing everything.
An observer of the world, yet one who could descend to the mortal realm for his own amusement.
That kind of bearing stunned all who beheld him—drawing people deeper under his spell.
And yet...
Everyone scratched their heads, puzzled.
Why did he seem like someone who totally deserved a punch in the face?
They wanted to see Merlin full of regret, shedding bitter tears.
Not that they'd ever get the chance…
"Fuck, ask something actually important!!"
From the jet's speakers suddenly came the furious roar of the Queen of England, deafening everyone listening.
Instantly, countless people burst into laughter.
Exactly.
That's more like it.
The blonde reporter snapped out of it in that moment, panic creeping into her voice as she turned to Merlin:
"Lord Merlin, could you stay in Britain?"
"Our country has already fallen into decline… we need a hero like you to restore it!!"
As she spoke, her eyes turned red, and she even burst into tears on the spot.
That moment tugged at the heartstrings of many British viewers.
They once had a glorious empire, a time when every land the sun touched was under their dominion.
The title—The Empire on which the Sun Never Sets!!
It symbolized the eternal strength of Britain.
But glory always comes with a sorrowful dirge—history's dust had long buried all that.
So what if they cried?
So what if they grieved?
Before the massive waves of time, everyone was powerless.
But now... it was different.
Great Magus Merlin had appeared.
He wasn't just a powerful, mobile nuclear deterrent—he also represented abundant resources from a parallel world. More than that, he had the power to train warriors of King Arthur's caliber...
If they could get him to stay and help Britain—
Doubling the national happiness index would be nothing! They might even stand a chance of contending for global dominance once more!
And yet...
"My time in this world is almost up—sorry, I'll have to decline~."
Merlin smiled without a hint of guilt, spreading his arms.
As if to prove his words, his figure began to blur and fade.
A hazy light radiated from his body—imbued with a sense of withering, as though he might vanish in the blink of an eye.
"Of course..."
The reporter murmured in disappointment, wiping away a tear from the corner of her eye.
Crossing worlds… was never going to be easy.
People around the world let out a collective sigh of relief.
Then, knowing there was only a little time left, the reporter scrambled to think—until finally, she remembered the most crucial thing to ask.
——Celestial Curtain!
Even nuclear bombs couldn't breach it. Many of the recent real-world upheavals had all stemmed from its appearance.
It was like something out of ancient Greek mythology—a modern reenactment of Prometheus stealing fire!
A revelation that shook humanity, boldly opening the doors to a new era!!
Even Merlin's descent from a parallel world might have something to do with it.
Though a little nervous, she summoned all her courage and asked:
"U-um… Lord Merlin, do you know what Celestial Curtain is?"
"Who's behind it?"
In that instant—
Countless people nearly popped their eyeballs out — she actually dared to ask?!
That could've been a slope so steep, you'd fall to your doom just by looking at it!
Then came the gentle, elegant voice.
"Nuh-uh~ I'm just a tiny little flower, I don't know anything about that~."
The silver-haired man smiled casually, his steps gradually retreating backward.
Exactly like how he had appeared the first time:
Mysterious, graceful, magnanimous...
But...
We believe you're full of shit!!
You rotten old bastard! You're shady as hell!!
Citizens of all nations and races collectively erupted in curses.
If they truly bought into that load of crap, they might as well throw their brains out the window.
Brain: Thanks. I'm overloaded anyway.
And yet—no matter how little they believed it, no one had a way to grab Merlin by the collar and force answers out of him.
After all, Celestial Curtain hadn't caused any direct disasters yet.
On the contrary, it was the "divine-demonic" catastrophe on the Pacific—along with the blood-red whirlpools in the ocean—that sent chills down everyone's spine.
People inhaled sharply.
If Merlin hadn't shown up to take care of it, not only would the Sword in the Stone have been lost...
This disaster could've spread from Japan to the entire world. Millions—tens of millions—dead might've even been considered a lucky outcome.
Goddamn it.
Just how much have the governments been hiding from us?
They could only hope—
That more Heroic Spirits would descend in the future…
At the very least, it would make things a little bit safer.
...
Time flowed on.
Merlin was still smiling, but his figure grew increasingly thin and transparent—like a bubble that had lost its color, stirring a strange sense of sorrow in everyone watching.
It was like the little princess in The Little Mermaid.
"Lord Merlin, do you have any last words?"
The pilot sighed, snatching the mic from the blonde reporter.
"Ehm… make sure to support Land of Steel, and don't forget Lunar Coral~."
The silver-haired man hesitated for a moment, then gave a somewhat sheepish smile as he said that.
Shamelessly plugging his own works. Seriously.
In that instant, countless diehard fans of Merlin-sensei sprang up from their seats in disbelief.
"It really is him!!"
At a digital library, Kasumigaoka Utaha's eyes widened. Reflexively, she bit down on her upper lip and angrily muttered a string of curses. Whatever fleeting compassion she'd felt a moment ago evaporated on the spot.
Goddammit.
How dare he drop such a blatant ad right now?
Go and finish the damn Land of Steel cliffhanger first!!
And yet—it was as if Merlin actually heard the black-haired girl's furious complaints.
He turned his head ever so gently, casting a calm glance straight through thousands of kilometers of space—
WTF!!
Kasumigaoka Utaha began trembling like mad. She instantly raised her precious light novel to cover her face, curling up like a frightened quail.
You can't play like this!
Normal people at least need a fiber optic connection to reach someone. You? You just stare right into my soul?! Offline?!
Don't hold a grudge, okay?!
I was just joking, handsome!!
Wait—maybe it's not too late to fix this...
"Land of Steel is the greatest masterpiece in the universe!!"
Ignoring the weird stares from everyone around, the girl with black stockings blushed and screamed toward the sky.
Mostly for peace of mind.
At that moment, the Flower Magus finally withdrew his gaze in satisfaction.
Everyone knew: Kind-hearted Merlin never held a grudge.
...
Over the Pacific Ocean—
Silence fell once more, as if the world itself had gone still.
The fighter jet hovered mid-air, the only sound being the ocean waves slapping against the aircraft's body.
The silver-haired man had a trace of nostalgia in his eyes as he slowly raised Caliburn, gazing at it quietly for a long, long time.
Under the light, the sword's body looked utterly sacred.
The sword of selection, the divine blade.
A weapon steeped in history, having endured countless glorious battles—its blade was already chipped in places.
And yet, it still yearned to dance upon the battlefield.
Merlin let out a soft sigh, tinged with regret:"Though it's very similar… in the end, it's not her sword."
Everyone immediately pricked up their ears.
Her?
Was that the King Arthur from a parallel world?
Why did he sound so wistful? Was there… guilt in his voice?
Merlin—what did you do to Artoria?!
The flame of gossip blazed furiously within the masses. The blonde reporter's eyes lit up.
Holy crap—this is a huge scoop!!
She was about to rush forward with her mic when the pilot beside her practically froze in terror, his hands cold as ice. He instantly switched the jet to autopilot.
Before anything could happen, he lunged forward and hugged the reporter tightly, pinning her down.
Feeling his colleague struggling beneath him, the pilot wanted to cry.
Woman...
Please stop, please just stop.
Keep digging into a big shot's secrets and we're seriously gonna die!!
Suddenly—
"Now that Merlin's leaving… what's he going to do with that sword?"
Someone scratched their head, realizing this was actually a very serious question.
21st-century netizens immediately sneered.
You don't get something that basic?
They started typing with smug looks:"That's easy, obviously he's gonna—wait, huh? WHAT?!"
Cries of confusion rang out across the globe.
Many people's fingers froze above their keyboards as they stared blankly at their TV screens.
No one saw it coming.
Merlin still wore that faint, serene smile as he gently raised the sword in his hand.
His calm, flowing voice echoed through the television broadcast—instantly resounding across the globe.
"Whosoe'er pulleth out this sword of this stone is rightwise king of all England."
Wait, what?! We can do that?!
People all around the world froze for a moment—then erupted into thunderous cheers.
After all, who hasn't dreamed of being a main character?
Pull out Caliburn, and you're king of a nation. Winds obey your command, rain falls at your word.
And let's not forget—superpowers.
So good it's orgasmic!!
Across the Earth, countless netizens smirked with confidence. Deep down, they truly believed they might be the one to pull out the Sword in the Stone.
And then—
In that brief moment, under the hopeful gaze of humanity, the silver-haired man casually swung his arm and threw the sword.
He hurled it past the coastline—
Farther. And farther still.
The sword expanded as it flew, eventually transforming into a towering greatsword the size of a skyscraper.
And then—
SLAM!!
It pierced straight into the heart of a city.
"BOOM BOOM BOOM…!!"
Miraculously, no one was harmed.
But the deafening crash thundered like the voice of heaven, shaking the world and spewing thick, pitch-black smoke.
Audience: What the actual fuck!!
Everyone's brains short-circuited at once.
People stared blankly at the colossal sword jutting into the sky, piercing the clouds, grinding their teeth in despair.
Pull the sword?
Pull your f*ing mom's sword!!**
Arthur, how the hell did you pull this thing out back then?!
Were you even human?!
Amidst the rising tide of collective anguish, the Flower Magus Merlin quietly smiled and took his leave.
His form grew fainter—
Until finally, he scattered into countless glittering flower petals, drifting away on the wind.
...
People felt a trace of sorrow…
But also, deep down, a bit relieved.
Humans are drawn to change—but we also cling to comfort and the familiar.
Lately, the world had been shaking with apocalyptic-scale transformations. Every day brought new upheavals, breeding anxiety and dread.
That ominous feeling had peaked the moment Merlin descended.
As if the very fabric of space-time had cracked open—a feeling of utter unease.
But now… it was over.
It was finally over.
...
...
The Sengoku Era.
In a remote wilderness on the frontier—
A massive white dog strode beneath the moonlight, gazing coldly at the horde of demons below with majestic disdain.
"Sesshoumaru, no matter how strong you are, you won't be able to wipe out all of us…"
One trembling demon mustered up its courage and stepped forward, teeth chattering audibly.
It's over, it's over...
Why the hell did we have to run into him?!
The great white dog didn't answer.
It suddenly lunged downward.
With a flash of blinding light, the beast transformed—into a tall, imposing man in a white kimono.
He had long, silver-white hair, a crescent moon on his forehead, radiant golden eyes, and two crimson stripes on each cheek—his entire being radiating a noble aura too overwhelming to describe.
At first glance, he looked like a cold, elegant young master from a painting.
In reality, he was none other than the rightful firstborn son of the Great Dog Demon Inu no Taishō—a pureblood daiyōkai born with pride and power in his very bones.
"Get lost."
Sesshoumaru uttered coldly.
The horde of demons froze, staring at one another in confusion as he turned and walked away.
"Crack—"
A sharp shattering sound rang out.
The giant white dog halted immediately.
He glanced over—and froze.
It was a swirling black vortex, pitch-dark and bottomless.
A mysterious aura surged from it… as if it came from another world.
Ancient, powerful energies—waves of battle aura—came crashing out, one after another, roaring with intensity.
Powerhouses.
So many powerhouses…
Sesshoumaru hesitated for a moment—but his desire for strength quickly overwhelmed all doubts.
He stepped forward.
But the instant his foot crossed the boundary—
The black vortex was suddenly smothered in a cascade of beautiful flower petals, sealed away by their overwhelming force.
...
...
Not long after—
On a street in Tokyo.
A certain area abruptly erupted in confusion. A young man in a white kimono had appeared, brows furrowed, his entire presence steeped in an old-world style. In his hand—an elegantly lethal weapon.
Cosplayer?
Passersby turned to glance, surprised by his appearance.
Honestly, this Sengoku-era samurai look? Immaculately executed.
But while the crowd buzzed with curiosity, Sesshoumaru himself was visibly bewildered.
Where… is this?
Why are there only humans?
The strange and intricate buildings, the self-moving iron boxes…
Sesshoumaru had originally intended to just grab a human and interrogate them, but the overwhelming sense of modern civilization gave him pause.
He decided to observe… for now.
But soon enough—
BOOM—!!
A divine greatsword, thousands of meters long, slammed down into the heart of the city.
The sheer spectacle immediately caught Sesshoumaru's attention.
Such a weapon…
Even mightier than Tenseiga…
He clenched his fist.
If I could possess such a weapon… maybe I could surpass even Father—Tōga.
Without hesitation, Sesshoumaru exploded forward with the fastest speed he'd ever reached in his life, dashing straight toward the Holy Sword.
But something was wrong.
He clearly reached the vicinity of the blade—yet he couldn't get any closer.
During that time, he had felt fury, resentment, regret, despair…
But eventually, he calmed.
And began to think.
It was as if he had entered some profound, transcendent mental state.
Sesshoumaru slowly closed his eyes and sat down cross-legged.
His back facing the sword, his posture silent and unmoving—like the Buddha in meditation beneath the Bodhi tree for seven days and nights.
And around him—
Faint threads of divine sword light began to shimmer, radiating from his body, as if he had begun to comprehend something beyond mortal grasp.
A metamorphosis—like a butterfly breaking free of its cocoon—was quietly underway…