Tall and handsome, with an air of mature warmth about him—if anyone had imagined what the legendary King Arthur would look like, then the man before them perfectly embodied that image. This was exactly how King Arthur should appear.

Unlike Ethan, who immediately recognized his former comrade despite his more mature appearance, it took Arthur a moment to recognize the man before him as Ethan.

He was different from Merlin. Merlin could use magical means to identify someone from multiple perspectives. Arthur, however, relied solely on his own eyes and memories from more than a decade ago to make his judgment.

"Ethan?"

After observing for a while, he finally confirmed that the young man before him, now taller, stronger, and even more handsome, was indeed the companion from back then.

"You've changed so much."

"Adventuring alongside a handsome guy like you gave me quite the complex. So over the years, I tried everything I could to make myself more good-looking."

Ethan was slightly older than Arthur in age. Although more than ten years had passed in Arthur's world since they parted, Ethan had also been busy in multiple worlds. Factoring in everything, many years had passed for him as well, so their actual ages hadn't reversed.

However, after undergoing enhancements, Ethan had stabilized his appearance at the golden age of about twenty-four or twenty-five, while Arthur was now truly in his early thirties.

"Did you ever try the magical channeling technique we talked about back then?"

Arthur instantly knew what Ethan meant. Even after all these years, that relatively short period of adventuring was still deeply etched in his memory.

"I've been practicing consistently, but unfortunately, I've had fewer and fewer opportunities to use those abilities."

As he spoke, Arthur lightly ran his hand along the hilt of the sword at his waist. His tone carried a mix of nostalgia, frustration, and a hint of pride.

The fact that the combat techniques he had painstakingly developed were no longer needed meant his kingdom had developed well, without the need for him to personally take action. That was the source of his pride. However, not having a chance to display the skills he had spent so much time and energy mastering did leave him somewhat disappointed.

Ethan, however, wasn't focused on that. Arthur had traveled with him after all, and even if he could only apply a small portion of what he had learned and seen to his kingdom, it would be more than enough to build a powerful nation. That was not surprising.

What drew his attention was the sword at Arthur's waist.

"Is that the Sword in the Stone (Caliburn) or the Sword from the Lake (Excalibur)?"

Arthur paused, glanced at the sword at his waist, and instantly understood why Ethan was asking the question.

To know how Arthur had been doing, one simply had to see which sword he was carrying.

"This is the Sword in the Stone."

In King Arthur's legends, both swords were of great importance.

The Sword in the Stone was the one Arthur pulled from the stone, which led to him being crowned king. That sword later broke in a duel, and under Merlin's guidance, Arthur obtained the Sword from the Lake.

Ethan's question was meant to determine whether Arthur had altered his future.

Upon learning that the magnificent sword at his waist was the Sword in the Stone, Ethan knew that Arthur's future had changed completely.

Because the Sword in the Stone represented the status of a king. Its appearance featured intricate and ornate patterns, clearly indicating that it wasn't a weapon meant purely for battle. It was a symbol of power and authority. The breaking of the Sword in the Stone had once seemed to foreshadow the end of King Arthur.

The original King Arthur hadn't understood this. Even after obtaining the Sword from the Lake, Merlin had specifically reminded him that the scabbard was more important than the sword. But the original Arthur had ignored that advice, continuing to follow his own path, ultimately meeting his downfall.

The Arthur before him, however, had long since grasped that principle. Especially after learning about the existence of many powerful beings in the world, he had made the right choice—even without Merlin's reminder. He had poured all his effort into building a strong kingdom, rather than obsessing over his own martial prowess.

Even though he rarely had a chance to showcase his ever-growing combat strength, he didn't casually draw the sword at his waist. He allowed it to rest quietly in its scabbard, using it only when necessary to assert royal authority.

The two exchanged simple greetings. They didn't say much, but from just a few sentences, they both understood each other's general circumstances. It seemed the understanding they shared back then hadn't faded, and that realization brought a sense of quiet relief to them both.

Arthur had been worried that, after all these years and so many changes, Ethan might have become a stranger. That would have been a heavy blow to the memories he cherished, and he didn't want their long-awaited reunion to end up like that.

Ethan, on the other hand, was concerned that Arthur, having become a king, might have undergone dramatic changes in personality or behavior. Being in a high position for too long could alter someone fundamentally. He wasn't sure if he could accept that.

Fortunately, though their appearances had changed, their core personalities hadn't. The two quickly regained the feeling they had back then.

At this point, Arthur turned his attention to the people standing behind Ethan. He remembered Ethan often saying he wanted to find more companions for his ship. But considering over a decade had passed, this number wasn't large at all. It seemed Ethan had very strict requirements for choosing companions.

Arthur was curious why these individuals had earned Ethan's approval, but since he didn't recognize any of them, he only glanced at them briefly. Only Diana caused him to pause, because she had taken the initiative to greet him.

"Long time no see, Arthur."

If Ethan's appearance and physique had changed greatly but remained somewhat recognizable, then in Arthur's eyes, Diana's transformation was simply too drastic—he didn't realize at all that this was the little girl who had once learned basic swordsmanship from him.

"Diana?"

Luckily, he didn't have many acquaintances from other worlds. Besides Ethan, the one he had spent the most time with was Diana. So his first guess was indeed Diana.

Seeing her nod, Arthur sighed. "You've really changed a lot."

Diana's transformation wasn't just significant, it was like she had become an entirely different person.

Only Ethan knew the real reason. She was a different person. And not just once, either, three actresses had portrayed Diana at different ages. Of course, he wouldn't say any of this aloud.

Fortunately, there was another acceptable explanation: the optimization and transformation of her body by divine power had caused Diana's drastic change.

"I almost forgot you're a demigod."

Afterward, Arthur personally greeted each of Ethan's companions. In the presence of the legendary King Arthur, Evelyn and a few others appeared slightly nervous and excited, while the rest remained relatively calm.

Regardless of how they reacted, Arthur maintained a perfect smile and friendly demeanor throughout. There was no trace of a high-and-mighty ruler in his behavior.

Interacting with him felt like chatting with a warm-hearted neighbor. His enthusiasm was genuine, but never overwhelming or uncomfortable.

In short, Arthur made a perfect first impression on everyone. Evelyn and Jonathan quickly let down their guard around the legendary king. When Arthur asked about Ethan's experiences over the years, Jonathan even enthusiastically helped answer a few questions.

After a hearty lunch, Arthur had gained a general understanding of Ethan's adventures over the years. He also learned that Ethan had evolved his life form to the level of a demigod—not only becoming vastly stronger and more handsome, but also maintaining his peak physical condition around the age of twenty-four.

"Interested in becoming immortal too?"

"Of course I'm interested," Arthur answered directly, without trying to conceal his true thoughts. "But not just yet."

"Oh?"

Arthur was currently in his prime, but human physiology begins to decline after peaking around the age of twenty-eight.

Even if Arthur could make this decline incredibly, incredibly slow through training and magical maintenance, a decline was still a decline. No matter how slow, it continued.

A drop in physical fitness affects everything. Ethan didn't believe this king, burdened daily with state affairs, hadn't noticed these changes.

He had expected Arthur to gladly accept enhancement. So he was surprised by Arthur's lack of urgency.

"I'll only accept the enhancement when the kingdom is fully on the right path and I've found a suitable heir."

Ethan understood. Arthur currently needed to rule like a normal king. If the king suddenly became ageless and immortal, it might stir up unnecessary trouble.

But once he passed the throne to an heir, then it wouldn't matter anymore.

"Then I can go on adventures with you across different worlds again and witness all kinds of new and amazing things."

When Arthur said that, it was obvious he truly missed that life. Even though back then, Ethan only had a small, simple boat and their living conditions were far from ideal, nothing compared to the fine food and drink in the royal palace now.

"If you're willing, there will always be a place for you on my ship."

Arthur nodded, then shook his head. "That's thinking too far ahead. It could be decades from now. It's not likely I'll pass the throne any time soon."

Speaking of his kingdom, Arthur suddenly seemed to remember something.

"Before I came out, I instructed my attendants to prepare accommodations. Judging by the time, if we head back now, we'll arrive just in time for dinner."

He had been notified by Merlin and had used the magic circle to teleport between the palace and Merlin's residence. Before leaving, he had specifically ordered the preparations for accommodations and a lavish dinner to host Ethan and his companions.

(To be continued.)