I work as an editor at Marvel.

In the adjacent meeting room, Guan Zhen was already a little too full to drink anymore. Tru was being a bit too enthusiastic, refilling his tea every time he took a sip.

Tru may not know that tea is served to guests, but they can't pretend they don't know at all, so even if it's just to stay a little longer, they have to drink it!

Chapter Seventy-Nine: The Lion King

"Hiccup~" Guan Zhen hiccuped, holding the teacup in his hand for a long time without putting it down, because Tru couldn't add tea if he didn't put it down.

In the midst of this stalemate, Guan Zhen saw Lin Zhengying walking over and immediately stood up. The tea in his stomach sloshed around and around, and the sound of the water was clearly audible.

Tru blinked and turned around. "Uncle Nine? What happened to your head?"

"I bumped into the door frame," Lam Ching-ying said casually.

Did you bump into the door frame?

Tru turned to look at the door outside the reception room. These were ordinary household doors. If Lin Zhengying's head had been hit so hard that it left a mark that hadn't faded, the door frame would probably have been completely shattered.

However, Tru looked around and found that all the doors he could see were in good condition and there was nothing wrong with them.

"Gentlemen, let's go first."

While Tru was puzzled, Lam Ching-ying left Old Man's Antique Shop with Kwan Chun and Cheng Yin.

"True~" came the old man's voice.

"I'm here, Master." Tru cleared his mind of distractions and quickly walked over.

"Call Jackie Chan and tell him to come back right away!"

"Yes, Master."

"Wait, there's one more thing. Get me a new cup of tea."

"Yes, Master."

"There's one more thing..."

While Tru was busy with his own affairs, an abandoned manor in London, England, was about to welcome its guests again after hundreds of years.

"King, who are we meeting this time? Will we both be in trouble if we leave Russia?" Ivanvanko whispered to Kim Bradley.

“Nothing will happen. Right now, the entire mystical side is focused on the Kamar-Taj Order. In this situation, invading us would mean starting a civil war, and they won’t do that.”

Kim Bradley strode forward, his back ramrod straight. "As for the person I'm meeting today, you should have heard of her before. Her name is Artoria Pendragon."

“Artoria!” Ivan Vanko exclaimed in surprise. “If King Arthur were alive today, he would be thousands of years old…”

“If you’re only surprised by her age, there are many more things that will surprise you in the future. A few thousand years is nothing on this planet.” Kim Bradley said, stopping in front of an iron gate.

Clang... Clang...

The sound of armored figures moving echoed from behind the door.

Ivan Vanko's eyes were fixed on the gate; if he wasn't mistaken, the figure behind it was King Arthur...

Such immense magical power, such an oppressive aura…

As Ivan Vanko's mind slowly formed the image of a brave, fearless, and valiant square-faced man, whose armor was perhaps stained with blood—the marks left by time on the enemy's resentment, and also a supreme glory.

With a hiss, the iron gate slowly opened. Ivan Vanko was completely absorbed in the moment; if he weren't afraid of being impolite, he would have loved to record the scene with his camera.

My first meeting with King Arthur must be a very valuable keepsake.

“Nice to meet you, I am Artoria Pendragon.”

Following the light, melodious voice were light blue robes and silver-based armor with blue patterns. Above that was a sweet and beautiful face, with long, flowing golden hair cascading down her shoulders like a waterfall, and snow-white skin beneath the golden hair resembling a flawless pebble in a river.

King Arthur was a woman?! No! He was a girl?!

Ivanvanko found it hard to accept. He turned to the side to see if there was another person behind him, but there was nothing there. Artoria was not the maid Ivanvanko had thought she was.

It really is her…

Ivan Vanko looked away and straightened his body. During this process, their eyes met briefly.

Ho ho ho! ! !

The roar of a huge, ferocious lion exploded in Ivan Vanko's mind. He vaguely saw a giant lion king walk up to him and look down at him, this ungrateful daring to provoke him.

Under this mental shock, the alchemical array that had been maintained around Ivan Vanko's body began to explode.

Kim Bradley stepped to the left front, blocking Ivan Vanko's path.

The invisible sword light dispersed the remaining aura around him, freeing Ivan Vanko from his mental illusion.

“I apologize, my disciple has only recently joined the mystical side, please forgive my rudeness,” King Bradley apologized.

Ivan Vanko's actions went beyond mere rudeness; if one had to define it, they could be called insults.

If Artoria hadn't always been good-tempered and now needed their help, Ivanvanko's punishment wouldn't have been just a mental shock.

"I'm so sorry!" Ivan Vanko said, covering his head behind Kim Bradley, still recovering from the scene.

"It's alright, gentlemen. Please come with me, let's talk inside."

Artoria nodded and led Kim Bradley and Ivan Vanko into the yard.

Upon entering the yard, Ivan Vanke knew that it had been neglected for a long time. It had become a haven for insects, with spider webs of all sizes everywhere and weeds completely taking over the spaces that should have been used for flowers.

Ivan Vanke even saw several exaggerated cracks, appearing vertically and diagonally on the surrounding walls, giving the impression that these walls might collapse at any moment.

Da da da…

When Artoria took her first step, everything changed.

A pale green ripple spread outwards from the soles of her feet.

Under the influence of this fluctuation, flowers sprouted from the soil, intertwining to form clusters of blossoms, while weeds adjusted their shapes, settling peacefully beneath the flower clusters, serving as green leaves.

The branches of trees beside the courtyard wall continued to grow, eventually growing directly into the cracks.

These branches, like top-notch craftsmen with their own materials, repaired several cracks, and then the remaining cracks intertwined, transforming into various lion shapes.

When the shockwave swept over Ivan Vanko, he felt his headache instantly disappear, and the injuries he had sustained during the mental shock healed completely in an instant.

Kim Bradley had a similar feeling; the scar on his eye twitched as the vibrations caused it to move.

However, whether the injury was too stubborn or the recovery ability was far from sufficient, the scar returned to its original state after just a little movement, without any fundamental change.

“Ivan, you stay in the yard. This is a good opportunity to reflect. Don’t waste it.”

Kim Bradley paused at the doorway of the inner room and spoke to Ivan Vanko behind him.

If he wasn't mistaken, the scene in this courtyard was the power of Avalon, a mysterious piece of equipment that even alchemists at their peak couldn't perfectly replicate.

"Yes, teacher."

Ivan Vanko nodded in agreement, adding that he also felt very comfortable in the yard, where the air seemed to be filled with the scent of life.

Chapter Eighty: Rebuilding the Glory of the Knights

Kim Bradley went in and talked to Artoria for over an hour, during which time Ivan Vanko wandered around the yard, looking very bored.

What? Why not study the special energy that permeates the entire courtyard?

Ivan Vanko could only say that Kim was overestimating himself; it was completely beyond his capabilities.

Whether the energy in the yard was too inert or too high-quality, Ivan Vanke tried for a long time but couldn't mobilize even a trace of it, and finally had to give up.

“Come on, stop squatting there studying spiders,” Kim Bradley’s voice came from behind.

Ivan Vanko turned around and was dazzled by the crown on Artoria's head.

Kim Bradley sighed as he looked at Ivanvanko, then chatted with Artoria for a few moments before leaving the courtyard with Ivanvanko.

"Master, the negotiations didn't go well?" Ivan Vanko asked.

“Not ideal.” King Bradley didn’t know what to say. Artoria’s Knights of the Round Table were practically defunct, but the alchemists were even worse off, with only the two of them left, and they were the kind of solitary figures who existed in name only.

The unequal status is one thing, but the unequal strength is the biggest problem.

With Avalon, Excalibur, and the Crown of the Sun, Artoria is more than just a legend; these weapons grant her an absurdly powerful boost. Aside from the very top echelons, every single one of the publicly known mystical figures on Earth is completely subdued by Artoria.

"Master, if you'll forgive my bluntness, do the two of us really have anything to talk to her about?"

Ivan Vanko had had this question in his mind for a long time. Whether it was cooperation or employment, there had to be some capital involved. Their capital was not even close to that of the other party.

"The Knights of the Round Table are actually quite similar to us in some ways; there aren't many of them left either." Kim Bradley felt a little heavy-hearted. He had come here on his own initiative hoping to find a group to rely on, but now it seemed that at best he would just be working for someone else.

"They also got so arrogant that they took on the entire mystical side single-handedly?" Ivan Vanko said in surprise.

Kim Bradley stopped and turned to look at Ivan Vanko. "They're not that stupid."

"It's just that they couldn't accept the gradual decline of the once-mighty British Empire, so they chose to break the rules and forcibly intervene. They were dealt with by the Sorcerer Supreme at that time, and coupled with serious internal historical conflicts, the Knights of the Round Table were basically scattered after that conflict."

"The only reason they can still maintain a stable position on the mystical side is because of King Arthur's personal military strength. However, their influence has also declined significantly. The current British mystical side has a higher level of recognition for the Clock Tower than for the Knights of the Round Table."

"King Arthur has returned this time to raise the flag again and, incidentally, to take revenge."

Ivan Vanko sighed inwardly. He thought that only the Russian side of the mysticism had weakened to this extent, but he didn't expect that it wasn't just them.

"Shall we go back now?" Ivan Vanko asked.

“No, let’s find a place to sit down and wait for King Arthur’s message.” Kim Bradley spoke with a hint of reluctance, but now he had no choice but to accept reality.

"Wait for notification? Didn't we not reach an agreement?"

"The cooperation didn't go through, so we're currently employed by them. She came back alone this time and is short-handed. She doesn't want to borrow manpower from the Clock Tower or Ouroboros, so she has no choice but to come to us."

As King Bradley and Ivan Vanko slowly walked away, Artoria walked step by step through the dilapidated house in the courtyard, her eyes filled with memories of its former glory.

When I saw the banner of the Knights of the Round Table gradually fall apart, and the Knights of the Round Table die or leave, completely disintegrating, I knew that the scene would forever remain in my mind, unforgettable.

At that moment, I thought, if I could have another chance, I would definitely win everything!

The opportunity is right in front of you!

I must consider whether this might be the last chance in centuries to revive the Knights of the Round Table!

As the leader of the Knights of the Round Table, and as the King of ancient England, I bear the responsibility for all the decline and must shoulder all the blame!

Today! I, King Arthur! Artoria Pendragon, hereby declare!

To restore the glory of the Knights of the Round Table! It is my duty!