"A knight?"
The boy halted his attack, utterly confused.
At that moment, he was truly lost. Raised as a child soldier, the only thing he had ever relied on was his comrades. Only comrades could help him survive. But now—all of them had betrayed him. The realization left him completely adrift, unsure of what to do next.
"Hehehe~!"
With a gentle smile, Arthur chuckled softly and said,
"Since they've already abandoned you… then become my knight. Be my guardian. I can teach you power, help you grow… and I will never betray you."
For this boy, the betrayal of his comrades was the most unbearable thing.
In this state of confusion and vulnerability, Arthur's words struck at the very core of the boy's shaken resolve.
"A knight?"
"A guardian?"
"Betrayal…"
His mind reeled. Looking into Arthur's calm, natural gaze, he hesitated. Could this man be trusted?
Arthur didn't rush. He had more or less guessed the boy's identity—and if his guess was right, then recruiting him would be a perfect move.
Because…
This boy's potential was no less than that of Roger, Whitebeard, or Shiki—monstrous figures in their own right. If nurtured properly, he could become one of the greatest powerhouses on the seas.
"I…"
"I don't know what the outside world is really like."
"Ever since I was a child…"
"I was abandoned by my parents and grew up on the battlefield."
"I…"
The boy spoke with difficulty, uncertain of what else to say.
Arthur asked gently, "Do you have a name?"
"Douglas Bullet!"
When he said his name, Bullet's eyes gleamed with pride.
"I have a name of my own. That name is my pride and my honor!"
Arthur nodded approvingly.
"A fine name. Then… Douglas Bullet, would you become my knight and follow me across the seas to witness the vast horizon?"
Arthur's tone was calm as he looked at Bullet. The boy stood there, silent, lost in thought.
Should he accept?
He didn't know. After all…
He didn't know if Arthur was truly trustworthy or just deceiving him. What would happen if he made the wrong choice?
"No problem."
"You can go. I'll wait here. If you decide, come find me."
Arthur didn't press further. He simply turned and waited patiently.
"Alright."
Bullet turned and left.
As someone who bore the name Douglas, a surname inherited from a powerful general, Bullet carried immense pride. He refused to believe he had truly been discarded. That was something he simply couldn't accept.
"Sigh…"
Watching Bullet's back as he walked away, Arthur shook his head and murmured,
"A boy raised like a machine… from the moment of his birth, his fate was sealed. People saw him only as a tool."
"But…"
"With Bullet's potential, he can surely become one of the Knights of the Round Table."
Arthur muttered to himself. No matter how he looked at it, Bullet's talent was astounding. As long as nothing went wrong, shaping him into one of the Round Table knights was entirely possible.
All along…
Arthur's goal had been to recreate Britannia, to restore the glory of Camelot in this world! And to do that, the Knights of the Round Table were essential. But relying solely on the system's summoning function?
That was far too time-consuming.
Summoning drained enormous amounts of energy—energy that was always in short supply! So instead, Arthur decided to personally recruit the geniuses of this world. If possible, he would mold them into true knights of his Round Table.
Nothing is absolute. What he was doing… wasn't wrong.
"Hahaha."
With a smile, Arthur shook his head. He would continue to wait. Based on what he knew about Bullet, it wouldn't take long for him to return.
In the future, Douglas Bullet would place his faith in his own strength alone, trusting no one. But for now, he was still reeling from betrayal.
And Arthur had offered himself as a new pillar of strength. So long as he never betrayed Bullet, the boy would become a loyal knight.
And sure enough—
The next day!
Bullet returned, staggering from afar, his body bruised and battered.
Bang!
He dropped to his knees and looked deeply at Arthur.
"What's your name? I—I want to become your knight! Will you ever betray me?"
It was clear what had happened.
Back in the army, Bullet had suffered yet another betrayal. He had been framed and punished. If not for his rare talent, he would've been executed—betrayed by the very captain he had trusted.
After surviving that punishment, Bullet escaped and made his way back to Arthur.
Arthur looked at him seriously and replied:
"As long as you never betray me, I will never betray you."
"Then…"
"Douglas Bullet!"
"Would you like my help in exacting your revenge?"
"No!"
Bullet shook his head firmly.
"I'll take my revenge myself—someday. Those who betrayed me… my captain, my comrades—they will all pay!"
Arthur found that a young Bullet was surprisingly easy to win over.
At this age, after such betrayal, it was easy to guide him and gain his loyalty.
This time, Arthur's visit to this island had brought an incredible reward.
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