Infinity, The Arcade Age

The clinking and clanging echoed nonstop as Qin Ming desperately hacked at the hardened earth beneath the Sword in the Stone with his pickaxe. Seeing the soil remain completely unmoved, he angrily hurled the tool to the ground.

Though he had managed to yank the sword free through unconventional means, it was clear the Sword in the Stone—bound by its own unique rules—still refused to acknowledge him as its wielder.

This infuriated Qin Ming. I've got territory, I've got followers—why the hell can't I be the Chosen King? Does this damn thing run on bloodline? DNA authentication or something?

He grabbed the sword and smacked it against the ground a couple of times. Just as he was considering whether he could simply break the thing in half and turn it into a broken sword, a knock came at the door.

Turning his head, he saw his newly appointed adjutant, Torretia, stepping inside.

"Your Majesty, the troops are fired up. Should we launch the siege now?"

Hearing this, Qin Ming spun around, brandishing the Sword in the Stone like a hammer. "Attack! Attack now! Chop off King Arthur's damn hands! Let's see if his fingers can unlock this thing!"

Torretia stumbled back in alarm at the sight of the wildly swinging sword-hammer, nodding frantically before scrambling out of the room.

Watching this unfold, Mature—who had been lounging elegantly on a desk in her secretary outfit, legs crossed and oozing charm—suddenly spoke up with a frown.

"BOSS, you're going to scare the poor girl acting like that."

Qin Ming shot her a dark glare. "If I were polite and refined, I'd be the one getting scared. Kasamoto Eri! Where's the saw? Hand me the damn saw!"

As Qin Ming took the saw and started ruthlessly grinding it against the Sword in the Stone, Mature, who had been watching the whole spectacle with growing disbelief, finally rolled her eyes.

"Hey, BOSS, ever considered that maybe you do meet the sword's requirements—it just doesn't give a damn about adventurers?"

Qin Ming's sawing came to an abrupt halt.

He stayed silent for several seconds before slowly looking up at her. freeweɓnøvel.com

"...Nationality-locked?"

"Could be. Definitely not bloodline-based, though—the last guy who pulled this thing out wasn't named Arthur."

Qin Ming sucked in a sharp breath. "Good point! Someone! Get Torretia and the other knights in here!"

With his order, the empire's thirteen high-ranking knights filed into the room. After some testing, Qin Ming realized Mature might be onto something—the sword really did seem to be region-locked!

I've got armies! I've got wealth! I'm the damn Pitchfork Emperor! So why can't I wield this thing?! Meanwhile, several of his knights—his subordinates—could lift it without issue.

The ones who could wield it shared clear traits: local residency, upstanding character, and combat prowess.

Now, Qin Ming had no doubts about his own strength—he feared no one.

And as for his character? As the Pitchfork King, his moral standing was unquestionable.

Absolutely unquestionable.

Which left only one possible issue: household registration. The Sword in the Stone only recognized locals!

"Goddammit! What kind of crap is this? A sword with regional discrimination? Torretia! It's yours! From now on, you're the Chosen King! And I'll be the King of Kings! Meeting adjourned!"

Realizing his adventurer status had screwed him over, Qin Ming stormed out, face dark with annoyance.

As he left, Kasamoto Eri and Mature exchanged a glance. Then, without hesitation, Kasamoto Eri grabbed the Sword in the Stone and effortlessly yanked it free.

She casually tossed it to Torretia, who stared in shock.

There was one thing Mature and Kasamoto Eri hadn't dared to tell Qin Ming—or more accurately, couldn't bring themselves to.

The truth was, the Sword in the Stone's unlocking mechanism wasn't based on household registration at all. It was moral character.

And the kicker? The moral requirement wasn't even that high. Just a bare minimum of decency would do.

As long as one had sufficient strength, passable ethics, and some level of prestige, they could pull the sword free.

Mature, being a certified villainess, couldn't budge it.

But Kasamoto Eri—despite her questionable tendencies—yanked it out like it was nothing.

Which meant Qin Ming's failure to draw it... well...

"Torretia, was it? Hold onto this sword. And don't tell the boss it's morality-locked. I can't guarantee what he'd do if he found out."

"Yes, Lady Kasamoto Eri!"

"Mm. By the way... free tonight? If so, I might reluctantly teach you a thing or two about wielding the Sword in the Stone."

Kasamoto Eri's eyes narrowed as she studied Torretia—her stiff posture, her earnest brown hair—and a mischievous grin crept onto her face.

Then, a sharp kick from behind. Kasamoto Eri yelped, rubbing her lower back as she turned to see Mature still perched on the desk, one leg raised. Clearing her throat, she hastily amended:

"Ahem—that is, General Mature and I will teach you together."

"R-Really? Thank you both so much!"

"Oh, don't mention it! We're all comrades here, aren't we? Comrades help each other out. Why, I've helped more people than the boss ever has~"

Slinging an arm around Torretia's shoulders, Kasamoto Eri laughed brightly.

The evidence was clear: the Sword in the Stone's moral standards were pathetically low...

Dawn, Next Day

The blare of war horns signaled the siege's commencement.

The Pitchfork Army, having already crushed King Arthur's forces head-on, now launched a full assault on his stronghold, determined to swallow every last scrap of his territory.

At the rear of the advancing troops, Qin Ming stood atop a high platform, clad in his NESTS combat suit, hands clasped behind his back. His hulking triceratops mount lounged nearby, while Kasamoto Eri and the empire's other elite generals flanked him.

Watching the chaotic battle unfold, Qin Ming's brow furrowed. He turned abruptly.

"Order the other units to fan out—hit the smaller towns first. Block all supply routes; starve them out. And—Torretia! Chosen King Torretia! Why the hell are you standing all the way over there? Get your ass next to me!"

He scowled at the silver-armored knight clutching the Sword in the Stone, who'd positioned herself a good five meters away. The whole point of crowning her was to boost my own prestige! If she's not even standing beside me, what's the damn use?!

Torretia stiffened at the barked order. Her eyes darted past Qin Ming—to Kasamoto Eri and Mature lurking on his other side.

A hand unconsciously drifted to her backside.

Gritting her teeth, she inched closer to Qin Ming, though her glare at the two women could've melted steel.

She hated them.

Noticing Torretia's death grip on her own armor—how she practically glued herself to Qin Ming's side to avoid the others—Kasamoto Eri smirked and nudged Mature.

"Look at her. Still naive enough to think the boss is the safe option."

Mature, still in her secretary outfit, flicked her golden bangs and snorted.

"Tch. Amateur."

(End of Chapter)