Sato slowly came to his senses.
"Where… am I?" he muttered to himself.
He found himself lying on soft green grass at the foot of a mountain. He pushed himself up. Beside him lay the Asam Sword, still sheathed. Around him stretched rolling green hills — gentle, almost peaceful. Below, a dense cluster of trees lined a valley. In the distance, bathed in the golden light of the setting sun, stood an enormous white palace — majestic, surrounded by high walls of pure white stone. It looked like something born from the sun itself, beautiful and eternal.
Sato felt the weight of the moment.
Then he noticed someone sitting about ten steps away on a black stone boulder. The figure wore gray iron armor, short, smooth blond hair streaked with silver and gold. He sat facing the distant palace, completely ignoring Sato.
Sato gripped his sword tighter, instantly alert. He approached slowly.
The man spoke first — calm, clear, with a pleasant tone.
"It's very beautiful, isn't it?"
Sato paused. At first he didn't understand what the man meant, but seeing him gaze at the palace, he lowered his sword slightly.
The man turned his head.
His eyes were deep blue, his face sharp and noble — like a true aristocrat. He looked calm, almost serene.
"You can relax," he said. "I can't do anything to you anyway."
Sato stared at him.
"Who are you? Where is this place?"
The knight smiled faintly.
"I didn't think you'd forget me so quickly. We just fought, after all."
Sato froze. Recognition hit him like a wave. He lowered his sword completely.
"Arthur…? Arthur Pendragon. The black knight from before."
Arthur chuckled softly.
"Black knight… not a bad name. Though personally, I wouldn't have chosen black armor."
Sato looked around.
"This place… it doesn't feel real. Am I dead?"
"You're not," Arthur said. "I am. You defeated me."
Sato's eye widened.
"Then… where is this?"
"You're always in a hurry," Arthur said with a small sigh. "I was about to explain. Do you see that palace over there?"
Sato glanced at the distant white structure.
"That white palace?"
"Yes. That is Camelot. My home. The place I once protected with all my strength."
Arthur's voice carried a quiet sorrow.
"So this is… inside your memories?" Sato asked.
"Perhaps," Arthur said. "These are my last peaceful, happy moments — before I returned to Camelot and was killed there."
Sato fell silent.
He sheathed his sword and walked over. He sat beside Arthur on the boulder. Together they gazed at the palace in the distance.
After a while, Arthur's hand slowly turned to golden dust and began to rise into the air.
"Sato," he said softly.
"Yes?"
"I have one request. Can you do something for me?"
Sato looked at him.
"If I can… sure."
Arthur's voice became earnest.
"I spent most of my life for this kingdom and its people. I fought, lost, sacrificed, and sometimes won. I always tried to raise Camelot higher — to see its people smile. But in the end, when I finally thought I had succeeded… I never got to see it."
He paused.
"I don't know what Camelot is like now. So… if it still exists, can you go there for me? Bring back news — even just a little. And if possible… do something good for those people. Even a small thing."
Sato stayed quiet.
Arthur continued.
"I'm not asking for free. In return, I'll leave you all my knowledge, my abilities, my weapons… and my sword — the proof of my kingdom."
The golden dust from his hand drifted toward Sato.
Arthur looked at him with calm, tired eyes.
"Will you accept?"
Sato stared at the palace in the distance.
Then he nodded slowly.
"Yeah. I'll do it."
Arthur smiled — a real, gentle smile for the first time.
"Thank you, Sato. And again," Arthur said softly, his voice fading, "if you see my son… tell him I'm sorry. Tell him I couldn't be the father he deserved."
Slowly, bit by bit, Arthur's body turned to golden dust, drifting upward into the air like fireflies in the wind. The palace in the distance shimmered once, then faded to nothing.
Arthur was gone.
Sato's eyes snapped open.
He surged upward, bursting through a pile of rubble and stone. Dust rained down around him. He gasped for air, coughing as he stood.
He was back in the arena — the collapsed garden from his fight with Arthur. Cracked marble floor, shattered statues, deep scars in the walls from Camelot's Moon and Excalibur: Collapse. The air still smelled of ozone and stone.
System notifications flooded his vision.
[Congratulations! You have defeated Fallen King: Arthur Pendragon.]
[EXP gained: +30,000]
[Darkness Rune activated.]
[Darkness Rune bonuses calculating…]
[Congratulations! You have received 2x EXP bonus and level boost.]
[Congratulations! You have reached Level 85.]
[Congratulations! You have obtanied 120 bonus stat points.]
[Congratulations! You have obtained Excalibur (Legendary).]
[Congratulations! You have obtained Arthur Pendragon's Black Armor Set (Legendary).]
[Congratulations! You have obtained A-Grade Mana Stone x1.]
More notifications kept pouring in — loot, titles, hidden rewards — endless.
Sato exhaled sharply.
Sato stared at his status window, eyes scanning the numbers. Then his gaze landed on his class.
Reaper? What kind of class is this? he thought.
He tapped the description.
Reaper
A being who is no stranger to death, carrying it with them in every step.
"What does that even mean?" Sato muttered, confused.
He checked the skills that came with the class — Arthur's abilities, now his.
Reaper's Eye (Passive)
Hear and read the thoughts and conversations of those with ill intent toward you, even through barriers.
Death Energy (Passive)
Absorb special energy from defeated enemies to boost speed and strength.
Death Aura
Envelop weapons in a special aura that cuts through anything. Wounds inflicted do not heal.
Order (3 stacks)
Issue 3 absolute, unbreakable commands that must be obeyed forever. Cannot be changed or resisted.
"What kind of skills are these?" Sato said to himself.
More notifications poured in.
[Darkness Rune acquired. Special skills granted…]
Void Domain
Enclose an area in pure black energy. User and allies gain +15% to all stats and 10% faster regeneration inside.
Realm Cutting Strike
Send a black energy wave that ignores all rules. If it misses, it cuts space and time at a distance.
Erasing Energy
Applied to weapons or defenses — erases anything it touches.
Darkness Energy
Replenish the rune by offering defeated enemies' souls.
Sato blinked, staring at the screen.
"What the hell are these? How can abilities like this even exist?" he whispered to himself, disbelief in his voice.