If she wasn't mistaken, the other will now descending… was surely Alaya.
However the thought made Ishtar's eyes widened in disbelief.
Ever since she'd known about the Holy Spear's existence, she had guessed vaguely that Gaia might use the spear, which anchored to the planet, to manifest its will.
But—
If it was only a White Dragon, how could it possibly make Gaia actively reach out like this?!
And more importantly… why was Alaya appearing now as well?
Was it trying to block Gaia from recruiting Alvin…?
Or… did Alaya share the same goal as Gaia?
While Ishtar's mind was spinning at full speed, their commotion quickly drew attention from others inside the palace.
Lancelot, with his son Galahad following behind, arrived in pursuit of that towering golden pillar of light.
He looked up, his eyes narrowing.
"…What in the world is that kid Alvin doing now?"
During the Round Table vote earlier, when the Holy Spear was released, he had already sensed that something was off on Alvin's side.
But even he hadn't imagined that after releasing the spear, Alvin would attract both forces of restraint at once…
Gaia and Alaya.
One stood for the divine side, the other for the heroic side.
Logically speaking, Alvin should have belonged to the heroic side after death.
But in this world, there was no absolute, after all, the White Dragon was a mythological creature, which meant he could belong to Gaia's domain as well.
It was purely his own choice.
Gawain, Agravain, and the others had also stepped out of the palace, catching sight of the distant golden pillar of light connecting heaven and earth, and of the two mighty wills descending through it.
"He's only just come back, and he's already made such a commotion…" Gawain muttered, feeling a bit speechless for a moment.
Although he'd agreed to the Round Table vote just now, he had only thought Alvin might have faced some powerful foe in the Imaginary Numbers World.
He hadn't expected that Alvin would quietly return to the palace, and then within a day cause this level of upheaval.
Alvin had brought two divine beings with him, something Artoria had deliberately kept hidden from everyone, so even the fact that he'd spent two days locked in the underground chamber was completely unknown within the palace.
Everyone had assumed he had just returned today.
Lancelot took a deep breath, murmuring,
"This is bad… I never thought Alvin would run into this kind of trouble."
Strictly speaking, the two forces of restraint didn't truly conflict with each other.
Restraint didn't possess anything like "emotion" — it simply acted according to the world's rules.
As for why Gaia was in such a rush to recruit Alvin this time…perhaps only the planetary will itself knew.
But one thing was certain, if Alvin chose Gaia now, it would mean standing on the opposite side of Alaya in the future.
After all, you could only pick one of the two.
"…I wonder who he'll choose," Bedivere whispered, raising his gaze to the tiny silhouette of the boy under that towering golden light.
"Right now, it's still unclear what Alaya's true goal is… maybe it doesn't want to recruit Alvin, it simply doesn't want Gaia to get him either,"
Kay said in a low voice.
The other Round Table knights fell silent at those words.
They suddenly realized something crucial.
…What if Alaya's objective wasn't to recruit Alvin at all, but to prevent him from disrupting human order?
After all, the Arthurian Britain they defended had always been in an awkward, borderline state.
If the Age of Gods were revived, many of Britain's people wouldn't survive in the dense "True Ether" magic.
But if the Age of Gods completely faded, crops, plants, and countless forms of life would wither, which would accelerate Britain's collapse.
That was a historical inevitability, one they had already heard about from other transmigrators these past days.
No matter what King Arthur chose to do, Britain was destined to decline in the end.
However, ever since Alvin's return, Britain had seen a sudden influx of transmigrators, and cooperation between them had begun, essentially preparing for the hardships that Britain was sure to face.
If Britain truly managed to escape its predestined ruin, affecting human history itself… then it was Alaya who would be furious.
While they discussed this, Mordred quickly rushed over, and as soon as she saw Alvin in the distance, she moved to rush forward, however, Lancelot immediately reached out to stop her.
"Lancelot, what are you doing? I'm going to him!" Mordred glared angrily at the chief knight of the Round Table.
"If you go now, you'll only make things worse. This choice is Alvin's alone." The latter shook his head gently.
"Or do you have some way to pull Alvin away from the influence of the two great forces?"
Those words stabbed straight through Mordred's heart as she looked up at Alvin with frustration and fury in her eyes.
"Those two don't look like anything good to me… my father isn't even dead yet, so why are they showing up so soon?!"
Mordred was practically the mouthpiece for the entire Round Table in that moment, voicing the same question everyone else wanted to ask.
In normal circumstances, someone only became a servant of Gaia or Alaya after death, whether as a divine spirit or a heroic spirit.
But Alvin wasn't even dead yet… what exactly did these two forces of restraint want?
Meanwhile, farther away, on the rooftop of a palace, a girl stood quietly as the summer breeze whipped her golden hair skyward.
Her deep blue eyes seemed impossibly profound at that moment.
It was none other than Manaka Saijyou.
"Both forces of restraint… under normal circumstances, they would never intervene so openly.
Looks like he's extremely important to both Gaia and Alaya, huh?"
She looked toward that tiny silhouette under the golden pillar of light, then let out a small laugh.
For the first time in her life, the girl felt something called curiosity.
Because of her omniscience and omnipotence, her entire life, even the future, had been spoiled beyond redemption, leaving no surprises, no mystery.
But Alvin… could not be read by her clairvoyance.
Which meant that every single thing he did was new and unexpected.
"Show me what you'll choose, Alvin…"
.
.
.
.
The magnificent golden radiance completely enveloped Alvin.
At this moment, not only were the onlookers outside stunned, even Alvin himself was a bit dumbfounded.
'I just released the Holy Lance — how did I end up summoning both Gaia and Alaya?'
'Don't tell me my "innate charm" even works on the Counter Force?'
Alvin quickly forced himself to calm down, trying to keep a clear head, then closed his eyes, attempting to communicate with Gaia.
"Why did you invite me?"
That was the biggest question in his mind right now.
Normally the Counter Force would never descend so casually, so if Gaia was appearing directly, it probably meant something at a planetary destruction level was happening.
Alvin considered himself strong enough to maybe save a country, but to save the entire planet?
That was definitely out of his league for now.
"Something will descend on Britain during the next transfer."
Silent words appeared quietly in his mind: "It will affect this planet."
As he expected…
'That's why Gaia showed up and even approached me…' Alvin asked,
"And Alaya? Why is it here?"
As he spoke, he glanced up at a hazy, dangerous-looking "orb of light" hanging in the sky.
— The Manifestation of Alaya.
It was clear that thanks to the Holy Lance, Gaia had more power in this era, and had found a way to temporarily block Alaya's manifestation.
It seemed like, it wanted to complete its own objective before Alaya could intervene.
"Alaya holds hostility toward you."
Gaia still made no sound, its "voice" continuing to appear as words:
"Your appearance was never recorded in history. In the future, you will become an enemy of the Manifestation of Alaya, an obstacle to human order."
"I can guarantee your safety… but you must first pass a test."
A test?
No offense, but you're starting to sound shady yourself… Alvin thought, right as he felt a sharp, blade-like pressure, carried by golden streams of light, roaring toward him.
RUMBLE—
A sword, purely illusory yet terrifyingly real, quietly materialized within the pillar of golden light.
It was a simple, almost unadorned blade, with a faint golden, impossibly gentle glow upon it.
Far away, several Round Table knights, upon seeing that sword, went completely wide-eyed.
"A Holy Sword…?"
Morgan's eyes also flickered with a trace of shock.
Wait — shouldn't the Holy Sword be in Lily's hands?
Why is there a second Holy Sword appearing here?!
Elsewhere in the royal palace, Skaha narrowed her crimson eyes, gazing toward the blade-shaped silhouette in that golden light, an unmistakable wariness on her face.
Even from this distance, she could sense how dangerous that weapon was.
And… it still seemed to be sealed.
It was impossible to imagine what would happen if that seal were broken.
At that same moment, in Avalon, Merlin seemed to sense something, and his eyes snapped open.
As if in disbelief, he jumped to his feet and hurried outside the tower, using his clairvoyance to peer toward the Holy Sword radiating its dreamlike glow in the royal palace.
"Is there something wrong with my eyes…?"
Soon, after confirming that there was nothing wrong with his eyes, Merlin murmured in disbelief:
"How could that possibly appear here…?"
In the brief moment of shock, as if realizing something, Merlin's expression changed dramatically. "Damn it!"
Could it be that Gaia wasn't here to oppose Alvin, but to recruit him?!
And the very first meeting, it had already offered him such a generous show of sincerity.
Fortunately, Alvin was not "Artoria" so, no matter what, he couldn't possibly draw that sword.
The White Dragon was already an unpredictable factor.
If he also became the wielder of that sword, then there would truly be no one in Britain left who could restrain him.
After a moment of panic, Merlin gradually regained his calm, and a composed smile soon returned to his face.
At the same time, his clairvoyance quietly watched Alvin stepping forward to stand before the pillar of golden light.
Alvin lifted his gaze toward that illusory, divinely radiant sword within the golden pillar.
At that moment, a silent system prompt appeared before his eyes:
[The strongest sword, able to sever threats from beyond the planet. Its blade is bound by thirteen restraints, only to be released in circumstances where multiple glories and missions are fulfilled.]
[Warning: upon touching this sword, certain extra-planetary existences will increase their attention toward you by 10 points (max 10).]
Reading the highlighted red text, Alvin felt a subtle chill run down his spine.
'As expected of that old bastard Gaia… on the surface it's inviting me and even handing me such a "gift" — but in reality, it's trying to tie me to its sinking ship.'
'Just by touching the sword, I'd be watched by… something.
Looks like this is the (Sword of the stars) True Excalibur, no doubt.
"What happens if I fail?" Alvin asked calmly, without a change in expression.
"Nothing changes, our cooperation continues, but you simply won't become its master," Gaia replied.
Alvin glanced at the other luminous orb in the sky—the one originating from Alaya—then raised his eyes toward the sword bathed in the golden pillar of light.
"Will you accept this trial?" Gaia asked again.
"Pull out that sword, and it will be yours."
A smile slowly crept across Alvin's face. "Of course… since you've gone through the trouble of descending in person, I can't exactly refuse such a gracious offer, can I?"
Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he stepped forward, one stride at a time, toward the golden radiance.
The Holy Sword radiated searing brilliance, flames exploding into ripples in midair, as if trying to keep Alvin away.
Morgan watched in silence, harboring a faint, dangerous sense of anticipation.
The same anticipation also burned in the hearts of the gathered Round Table knights, as well as the distant Manaka Saijyou.
They watched as Alvin stretched out his hand, gently touching the surface of the golden pillar.
"..."
"..."
Yet even after several seconds passed, the Holy Sword showed no response.
As expected…
Back in Avalon, seeing this scene, Merlin let out a faint sigh of relief and a calm smile.
Whether in this timeline or another, the Holy Sword holds a natural hostility toward the White Dragon… there's no way Alvin could become its master.
That had been his biggest worry… but seeing this, he realized there was no need to worry after all.
Lancelot frowned slightly, murmuring, "No response after all…"
"After all, legend says only the King can wield the Holy Sword," Agravain added darkly.
Though nobody knew from which timeline Gaia had pulled this Holy Sword… besides Artoria, there shouldn't be a soul in this world capable of drawing it.
…Not even the White Dragon.
"It seems you are not its true master," Gaia replied coldly, void of any emotion.
"This old fox… maybe it never planned on giving me this Holy Sword in the first place, it's just using it as bait to snag a free laborer,' Alvin inwardly complained.
However, he felt unwilling to accept that, and tried reaching deeper into the golden pillar, aiming to grasp the Sword.
Within the pillar, nine distinct layers of magical "barriers" were visible, each closer to the sword burning hotter and resisting him more fiercely.
Alvin was forced to circulate the White Dragon's core magic, eventually reaching the third barrier, the searing temperature nearly scalding his skin, but his powerful physique held on.
By the time he neared the fifth barrier, no one thought Alvin could endure any longer.
They saw the protective magic around him melting away, steam rising from his body.
Morgan watched intently, preparing to intervene if he collapsed, ready to drag him out of the sword's range at any moment.
"Enough! Even without the Holy Sword, you're already on Gaia's side, there's no need to provoke Alaya further!" Ishtar shouted, clearly anxious.
But Alvin did not answer,
At this moment, he was completely focused after all, even the slightest distraction could cost him dearly.
And then...
RUMBLE!
When Alvin's hand reached the sixth layer of the golden pillar, the holy sword erupted with even more terrifying resistance, blinding golden light surged toward him, enough to make one's heart tremble.
Morgan subconsciously clenched her fists, already on the verge of stepping forward.
But at this moment, a dark, mire-like substance began to seep out from within the White Dragon's Core,
swiftly enveloping his entire body.
It radiated a sinister, abyssal power—one that actually withstood the holy sword's scorching radiance!
"The Chaos Tide…?"
Morgan murmured instinctively, a flicker of doubt crossing her mind.
'…If I recall correctly, this should be one of the authorities of Tiamat, the Primordial Mother Goddess.'
'Why does he possess her mana?'
As the mastermind pulling the strings behind Britain's shadows, Morgan's reaction was swift.
Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly as she silently looked at the young man.
The White Dragon's Core was not a conventional Magic Circuit, so, external mana could not be directly transferred to him.
Unless… a certain kind of intimate mana exchange had taken place.
'Had Alvin and the Primordial Mother Goddess…?'
Realizing this, a shadow of something unreadable darkened Morgan's gaze.
"How… *favored* you are, Alvin."
Not everyone was as perceptive as Morgan.
Most of the onlookers held their breaths, watching with bated tension.
The seventh layer… the eighth layer…
To their shock, bolstered by the Chaos Tide, Alvin's hand had drawn infinitely closer to the Sword of the Stars—his fingertips even brushed against its hilt.
Finally, Alvin breached the ninth barrier and grasped the sword.
And in that instant—
The holy sword erupted with a brilliance that dwarfed the sun. Golden, scorching light engulfed the land, as if the blade had become the only radiance in existence.
Alvin vanished into the overwhelming radiance.
The White Dragon's Core roared at maximum output as he reached out against the tsunami of light—
And seized the sword.
BOOM—!
Sacred light flooded the heavens, turning the sky into a sea of fire.
The clouds themselves burned, a portion collapsing as if scorched away.
Then—
With the White Dragon's brute strength, Alvin wrenched the Sword of the Stars free from the golden pillar.
The very space seemed to shudder violently before the light faded as abruptly as it had come.
Silence reclaimed the world, as though nothing had happened.
CLANG—!
A resonant tremor echoed as the sharp blade plunged into the earth, landing upright before Alvin, shattering the eerie stillness.
Alvin looked up at the formless entity known as Gaia and grinned.
"You keep your promises, right, Gaia?"