Chapter 2: You Aren't Qualified, Not Qualified at All

[3rd POV]

"Lloyd, you can definitely pull the sword from the stone and lead the Celts to defeat that Usurper King."

Kyouya listened to the man in front of him, casually agreeing but not taking them to heart. 

At this point, he finally understood what kind of era he had landed in.

The legend of the Sword in the Stone, the story of King Arthur—such universally known stories from around the world.

What confused him was the current situation.

He still remembered that he was Fujimaru Kyouya, a transmigrator from Japan, but the memories of his current life as Lloyd seemed real.

"What's going on?"

He had asked himself this question countless times over the years.

If it weren't for the panel that only he could see, he might have believed that the memories of his previous two lives were fake.

Name: Lloyd

Gender: Male

Strength: B

Endurance: A

Agility: B

Magic: B

Luck: E

Noble Phantasm: None

Magic Resistance: A

The remains of the Age of Gods manifest upon you, making post-Age of God's magic less effective against you.

Riding: A

Your riding skills are exceptional, allowing you to master any mode of transportation, old or modern, without formal training. However, you are unable to ride Phantasmal Species or Divine Beasts. 

Instinct: A

The ability to always instantly identify "the best personal course of action" during combat, even to the extent of 'predicting the future' in some cases.

Divinity: A+

The final counterattack of the end of the Age of God. You have gained incredibly strong physical abilities, and both the quality and quantity of your magical circuits have reached the level of a God."

Holy Sword Blessing: None

Rival: You consider the young man named Artorius as your rival. Your attributes are enhanced when you fight against him.

...

Kyouya checked the panel once again to make sure that it was visible only to him. 

This was the proof of his existence as Fujimaru Kyouya.

This was merely a scene simulated by the "Hero Simulator." He should be able to return once this script is done. 

He slowly walked toward the Sword in the Stone. 

He wasn't King Arthur and knew he wouldn't be able to pull the sword out, but since he was already here, he figured he might as well give it a try.

[You approached the Sword in the Stone. Even though you already knew the answer, you still decided to give it a try.]

[You grip the sword, but you are unable to pull it out.]

[You aren't qualified. You have no qualifications, and you can't pull it out because you have no qualifications.]

It wouldn't budge.

Kyouya, based on his experience, should have been able to draw the sword, but something was missing from him, something that the sword simply did not acknowledge.

In the end, it wasn't a big deal. After all, he wasn't King Arthur. 

However, the tone of this simulator, what was up with that? 

This was truly unbearable.

He focused his magical energy and directed it toward the Sword in the Stone. 

[You refused to give up and used all your magical power. During this process, you felt a change in the way your magic is flowing and unlocked the skill "Mana Burst (Water)".]

["Magic Release": The technique of releasing magic externally to control flowing water. The sharpness of rapidly flowing water exceeds anyone's expectations.]

[You used all your strength, but the Sword in the Stone still didn't budge.]

Alright, it's time to leave.

Kyouya saw that the Sword in the Stone remained completely on the stone and decided not to stay any longer. 

The sun was already setting, and he figured King Arthur wasn't going to show up today.

Although the Sword in the Stone was a good weapon, he already had the Holy Sword Blessing. 

He was bound to obtain a Holy Sword in his lifetime, and there was no need to force pulling this one out.

"Too bad, I didn't get to see that King Arthur."

Kyouya didn't deliberately try to learn about King Arthur, but he had heard some stories about him, like the battles between the Red Dragon and the White Dragon, the downfall of the Round Table, and the choice of sword and sheath.

He truly couldn't imagine what kind of hero King Arthur must have been.

"Huh? That tuft of hair?"

While Kyouya was lost in thought, a tuft of hair swaying in the wind caught his attention. 

He remembered a small, skinny person who was unexpectedly strong and had defeated him.

"Artorius?"

"Lloyd? Have you seen my brother? He forgot to bring his sword."

The "boy" named Artorius heard his name being called and quickly spotted him in the crowd.

"Kay? I didn't notice but just look for the more chaotic place. That guy has a foul mouth and will surely get into trouble."

Kyouya couldn't help but feel a strange sense of disgust when he thought of Kay. 

When he first encountered Kay's foul mouth, he even wondered if they were in Britain or if this was actually Zaun.

"Thank you, Lloyd. Then I..."

"Artorius, are you just delivering the sword?"

He looked at the "boy" in front of him, who clearly had a feminine appearance, but for some reason, he always subconsciously thought of him as a man.

In addition to this strange feeling, Kyouya also understood what kind of power was hidden inside this "boy."

This "boy" was essentially a humanoid dragon.

Artorius said nothing, but his emerald-green eyes fixed on the Sword in the Stone, and the meaning behind his gaze was clear without a word.

"As expected, it's you."

Kyouya left those words and then walked away.

[You realized Artorius's true identity, but this didn't discourage your fighting spirit. Instead, it made you more determined to grow stronger.]

[You felt a force drawing you in like it was always a part of you, and now it was calling to you, influenced by your determination.]

[You enter the forest, walking through a creek. You feel it is drawing closer to you.]

[You reached your hand into the water]

On his way back, Kyouya could clearly feel a force pulling him. He became increasingly aware that the Holy Sword was calling to him as the distance shrank. 

"I found it."

He grasped something and pulled it out of the river—a sword that had been buried in the mud finally emerged.

"Flowing water doesn't rot, and a door hinge doesn't rust?"

Kyouya looked at the Celtic writing on the blade. 

It was a long, slender sword, and it felt almost like an extension of his own body when he held it.

[You have obtained the "Ryūka." You now understand the true meaning of flowing water. Noble Phantasm unlocked.]

["Ryūka": The sword attacks like an unbroken flow of water and never stops until either you or your enemy is defeated.]

As Kyouya found his Holy Sword, in front of the Sword in the Stone, a "boy" grasped the hilt and pulled it free. 

King Arthur ascended onto the stage of Britain.

To be continued...