#659Chapter 659 This is the value of the Black Holy GrailAI Model: gemini-2.5-flash
Chapter 659: This is the Value of the Black Holy Grail Monarch
The source of the voice, which had been angrily berated by the Commander, was dressed in a manner completely different from the surrounding group of hunters.
A man in a long robe and hood, with half his face hidden in shadow, his most prominent feature was his right arm, which was deliberately exposed. It was an arm that had already suffered some kind of erosion, showing signs of mutation, and had begun to lose its proper human form, subtly revealing some characteristics of an "early Hiei" type.
This was the Demon Arm, Merlin's unique Demon Arm.
"Merlin…"
Cheng Tian chewed on this very peculiar name for a moment, and combined with "Avalon" which also came from the Commander's mouth, the identity of the other party was already obvious.
He had originally thought that this world was just the Monster Hunter world integrated with the Soul Sacrifice power system. He hadn't expected that even key figures would be incorporated, and it seemed they were in the same faction as the hunters, but likely had factional differences with the Commander.
One could only say that Japanese game developers truly loved using the Arthurian legend as the skeletal framework for some story content. Fate was like this, Knights of the Round Table was like this, and Soul Sacrifice was also like this.
This "Merlin" before him, who shared the same name as that great mage, was the most central key figure in the entire Soul Sacrifice story.
It was currently unknown what his positioning would be after being integrated into the Monster Hunter world, and whether he had been magically altered by the rules.
Facing the Commander's undisguised hostility, Merlin remained unperturbed, continuing to gaze at Cheng Tian through the shadows.
As the spokesperson for the Fallen/Sacrifice faction of the Astera, he naturally knew about the arrival of the Fifth Fleet members from afar and had taken an interest in them.
At least for now, all humans in the New World came from the Old World and were limited in number. Once factional differences arose, it was a typical zero-sum game: if the Purification and Redemption sect gained more people, it meant his Fallen and Sacrifice faction would lose some.
Not to mention, among this batch of Fifth Fleet newcomers, there were several particularly special individuals who absolutely had to be won over.
Especially the one who was the focus of the Commander's attention; even if he couldn't be brought into their faction, he should at least be made to correctly understand the essence of the Sacrifice sect, and not be misled by the biased views of those rigid Redemption sect members.
However, when Merlin's gaze settled on Cheng Tian, he involuntarily paused.
In his eyes, while Cheng Tian maintained his human form, a cup entwined by eight intertwining, flamboyant snakes slowly emerged from his chest. And a voice, seemingly mixed with Cheng Tian's voice as its base, resonated in his ears.
"If you wish to fulfill your desire, then offer that which you hold most precious."
Merlin shivered, instinctively swaying, but in the next second, both the cup emerging from Cheng Tian's chest and the voice lingering in his ears instantly vanished without a trace, as if they had never existed.
A hallucination…?
Clutching his right arm, feeling the eternal curse brought by the soul forcibly residing within it, Merlin was momentarily unable to confirm whether what he had seen and heard had truly existed.
Merlin shook his head, but his gaze towards Cheng Tian had changed.
Originally, he might have only intended to approach Cheng Tian with a 'nothing ventured, nothing gained' mindset, but now, he was determined to win him over!
Also, for some unknown reason, the skin hidden beneath his hood and robe visibly slackened slightly.
"I absolutely, absolutely will not agree with your ideology! Even for ecological balance, human lives cannot be sacrificed at will!"
Facing Merlin, the Commander gritted his teeth, his fan-like claws attempting to shield Cheng Tian behind him, preventing any physical contact between him and Merlin.
But as the Commander's words fell, an ominous magical power surged around Merlin, and a large eyeball even emerged from his right upper arm, staring intently at the Commander.
"You are denying the resolve of the sacrificers! You are also trying to erase the contributions already made by the sacrificers! You must apologize to them!"
However calm Merlin had been before, that was how angry he was now.
Not for himself, but for his fallen comrades.
In an instant, the atmosphere on the scene suddenly became tense. The groups of players and NPC hunters who were about to disperse also stopped moving, and even showed a tendency to gather closer.
Gossip, truly, at any time, any place, for any person, would not affect the fundamental motivation of the onlookers.
He also wanted to indirectly understand the dungeon positioning of Redemption and Sacrifice.
Facing Merlin's interrogation, the Commander's expression stiffened, and the aura around him immediately dissipated, far less firm than he initially appeared, which made Cheng Tian raise an eyebrow.
For a straightforward man like the Commander to react this way was enough to show that what Merlin had expressed must have been a past event, and even if it went against his will, the Commander couldn't refute it, indicating its significant weight.
So, at this critical juncture, Cheng Tian spoke.
"This Merlin is right."
As soon as Cheng Tian spoke, Merlin's eyes lit up slightly, and the strong Commander looked up sharply.
"Which faction I join is for me to decide. Now, you can try to convince me."
Cheng, turning the tables… Astera, Grand Canteen "Weapon and Felyne Tavern."
Inside and outside the huge kiln oven, various ingredients were being roasted and smoked, while the one-eyed Felyne Head Chef, whose physique was more robust and muscular than other members of his race, was grilling dragon steaks on an iron plate with his greatsword chef's knife.
Don't let its appearance as just a Felyne fool you; it was a genuine member of the First Fleet, and once fought alongside the Commander on the front lines for a long time. However, the Felyne race's bodies ultimately had their limits. Compared to a humanoid Golden Rathian like the Commander, the Felyne's physical deterioration was far more severe than imagined.
During a certain investigation of an Elder Dragon, the Head Chef's weapon was broken, and the accumulated injuries over time caused significant joint deterioration. Therefore, it chose to retreat gracefully, abandoning its career as a frontline combatant and instead began to provide comprehensive support to the hunters through culinary delights.
Among many types of cuisine, the Head Chef was most skilled in "roasting." Whether it was teppanyaki, kiln roasting, fruit wood smoking, and so on, it was highly proficient.
Moreover, with the long-awaited visit of the Commander, its former partner, the Head Chef, who hadn't needed to personally cook for a long time, wielded its greatsword chef's knife with renewed vigor.
Cheng Tian, Eileen, Bazett, Mina, the Commander, and Merlin were now seated around the largest dining table in the tavern, surrounded by the aroma of roasted meat.
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