Shadow of the Beautiful World

In the hidden cave below the Parthenon Temple ruins, Merlin was having a conversation with the first assassin in human history, the demigod Cassandra, during the paused time.

This is a woman who lived from the 4th century BC to the present, a woman who has lived for 2400 years.

The mysterious and powerful Cassandra proposed a condition that Merlin could not refuse, but her request made Merlin a little confused.

He asked:

Why don't you do it yourself? As the first assassin, you should know better than anyone how to train a new successor, and I just heard the little girl Leila say that she tried to gain power from your memory. It also makes me wonder, how did they do it? Back in time?

I have a mission of my own, Merlin.

Cassandra said to Merlin:

I have persisted for 2,400 years just to wait for a qualified successor to appear, and then pass on to him or her a secret that can affect the world, but now is not the time, and I still cannot escape from the tiresome curse of longevity.

The Brotherhood of Assassins was born because of me, but it has nothing to do with me. In theory, I am not a member of the Brotherhood of Assassins. I just paid attention to it for a long time.

She walked over to Layla and Miles over Merlin, picked up their spilled package from the ground, and took out a black eye-mounted device from the package, which she waved at Merlin. , and then say:

This thing originated from the 'forerunners', that is, the alien technological power of the ancient Greek gods. They called it 'animus', a virtual machine that realizes consciousness transfer based on the information inherited in genes. Through this device, It allows those descendants with the memories of legendary assassins in their genes to return to the era when their ancestors were active in a virtual and realistic way.”

It sounds incredible.

Merlin took the animus from Cassandra's hand. He looked at the gadget, and Icarus also quickly began to analyze the structure of the thing. Soon, the artificial intelligence came to a conclusion.

The internal structure and mode of operation of this instrument are not the same as the basic theory of human science and technology. It is a product developed based on another scientific and technological theory. It does not have the ability to spread in a broad sense. The information processing chip has an extremely advanced identity. Verification is bound by genetic characteristics.

Icarus' voice sounded in Merlin's ears, and Merlin asked in a low voice:

Can it be cracked?

It's hard, but I can try.

Icarus says:

However, for Master Merlin, even cracking this technology is meaningless. Ms. Cassandra is right. This device can only be used by people with specific gene fragments.

What is that talking?

Cassandra asked with great interest:

I feel like a soul bound in a machine. Is this the artificial intelligence that is developing and advancing in your era? She reminds me of the things left by some pioneers I have seen before.

Her name is Icarus.

Merlin pointed to his eyes and said:

It is currently the most advanced artificial intelligence in the world, and it is also my good assistant.

Icarus?

Cassandra was a little surprised, a look of nostalgia appeared in her eyes, and after a while, she smiled and said:

I also had a good assistant named Icarus at the time. It was the best and best falcon. It acted as my eyes and my best partner.

What a coincidence.

Merlin stretched out his left hand, and in the beating of the dark red light, Victor, the spirit of the raven, appeared on his arm. This dark red raven spirit has grown very powerful now, which is very suitable for the scout in Merlin's heart image.

However, it was a raven after all, not an eagle, which made Merlin a little regretful.

You see, I also have a bird, which is also my good companion.

it's beautiful.

Cassandra stretched out her hand and stroked the spirit body Raven. Logically speaking, this kind of spirit body cannot be touched, but considering that standing in front of her is a demigod with great powers, so she can touch the spirit body. This kind of thing is not worth surprising.

And Victor seemed to feel the power contained in Cassandra's body, it squatted obediently on Merlin's arm, and let Cassandra stroke its feathers.

A cowardly look.

You are really like me.

Cassandra looked at the raven on Merlin's arm, and she said:

If you were born 2,400 years ago, maybe we'd be really good friends.

It's not too late now.

Merlin says:

I like to make friends, Ms. Cassandra But let's talk about the Brotherhood of Assassins first. I inherited the status of the Brotherhood of Assassins from Lars al-Ghul , he told me that the Brotherhood is a great organization, holding on to the future of freedom for human civilization in the dark, I thought it was a huge and powerful organization, but

He said with some disappointment:

But I didn't expect that when I really came into contact with the Brotherhood, it had already perished. It seems that it is not as powerful as I thought.

The Brotherhood has been weakening, Merlin, there is no need to be disappointed, this is just an inevitable law. The Templars are eager to use all available power to build a perfect world. Order is the most important thing to them. Others All human nature can be discarded, and the Brotherhood believes that even if the world is not perfect, people should have the right to choose freely.

The battle of ideas between us has lasted for millennia.

Cassandra sat on the broken stone, and she said to Merlin:

The strength of human civilization is getting stronger and stronger. The overall thinking of the people is no longer as easy to be deceived as before. Freedom has become one of the foundations of modern human existence. It can be said that the future that the Brotherhood has always wanted to see has already When the time comes, the existence of an organization that protects free thinking is no longer as important as in the Dark Ages.

And with the Brotherhood, their enemies, the Templars, fell.

After successfully annihilating the Brotherhood, the Knights Templar has come to the final stage of lingering, just like two old men who have fought for a lifetime. After trying their best to kill their opponents, they are only one step away from dying There is one last step left.

So it's not a victory or a defeat. It can only be said that the era that belongs to us has passed.

Cassandra spread her hands and said to Merlin:

But they haven't given up yet. They want to build a 'perfect world' and implement a 'perfect order'. In the dark ages, maybe this is a good thing, but in this era, this has undoubtedly become a Paranoid terrorism, unscrupulous to promote order, but its purpose is no longer as pure as their predecessors.

I mean, the corruption within them is staggering.

The demigod said softly:

Their so-called perfect order is also very likely to become the tyrant rule of this era. In the final analysis, it is nothing more than some conspirators eager to benefit from it.

Cassandra blinked, she looked at Merlin, she said:

But the most wonderful thing is that you have to know that the Templars of this era have another identity besides the disguise of Abstergo, a shadow company, and it is an identity that you are very familiar with.

Blindly pursuing perfect order and doing whatever it takes to achieve it, this really reminds me of the style of some 'old friends'.

Merlin looked at Cassandra, he said:

Hydra?

Yes, Hydra.

Cassandra crossed her legs and put her hands on her knees. She fiddled with her braids and said to Merlin:

Let me tell you some secrets that only I know.

Hydra was once ruled by the commander of naui, the head of state, Hitler during the Second World War. You should know this, and know that Hitler is an incorrigible Hydra element, but what you don't know is , Hitler has another identity, he was the leader of the Templars in Germany and even the whole of Europe at that time.”

During the period when he led Hydra, the thinking and style of the Templars were unstoppably integrated into Hydra's organizational thinking, even if the Red Skull Schmidt finally realized that something was wrong and sent Hydra Control was wrested from Hitler, but it was too late.

Cassandra spread her hands and said to Merlin:

Since then, the faction of the Templar Knights has taken root in Hydra. The Templar Knights' thinking and slogans of chasing absolute order are very tempting, and there is a fearless spirit of sacrifice. It was completely eliminated, and to this day, that dangerous thought still occupies a very important position in the Hydra organization.

Even if those hydras who promote the new order don't know the origin of this thinking, it can't change their hidden identity.

Demigod said:

They're Hydra, and they're Templars!

This is really a surprising fact.

Merlin thought about Cassandra's words, and finally he found that the secret described by the demigod could not find any mistakes in terms of logic or Merlin's cognition of Hydra.

This is very likely to be true.

So, you help them.

Cassandra pointed to the three young people who were locked in time, and she said:

It is actually helping you and your organization. If you can find more people with the legendary assassin gene, maybe the Assassin Brotherhood can really reappear in this era, but it reappeared, and we in the past, It doesn't matter much anymore, the times are advancing, and an organization must also keep pace with the times, but these, I leave it to you and them to control it.

However, Merlin, with all due respect, from my point of view, S.H.I.E.L.D. seems to have some signs of Templarization. I mean, you are also promoting a 'new' order, and it also has The color of power and confinement, although it is currently aimed at aliens, is a bad sign.

The demigod warned:

Maybe your insides are not as pure as you think.

I never thought S.H.I.E.L.D. was pure, Lord Cassandra.

Merlin said softly:

Maybe 2-3 out of 10 people in my organization are hidden Hydras and I've known this for a long time. We're looking and waiting for an opportunity to catch them all.

This has nothing to do with me, you don't need to tell me this.

Cassandra stood up, and she said to Merlin:

So, the transaction is established?

Um.

Merlin looked back at the three rookies behind him, and said:

I'll train them, but I'll do it my way. Also, you don't mind if I give them a little, little makeover?

The transformation of a witcher?

Cassandra pursed her lips and said:

No, I don't mind at all. A mediocre body and mind can't support a great cause, and ordinary people can't resist Abstergo's pursuit. If these young people intend to inherit the behest of their ancestors and rebuild the Brotherhood , then they cannot be mortals no matter at the level of will or body.”

In addition, since it is a commission, there must be some compensation.

Cassandra took out a rolled note from her pocket and threw it to Merlin. She said:

After you complete my commission, I will agree to Geralt's request and introduce you to the organization behind us together with him. As my personal thanks, you can go to the place where the master assassins have hidden treasures and get Take the items there, maybe they can help you, but after so long, there may only be one or two things left in the treasure house I left behind.

And I want to remind you, Merlin.

Cassandra said seriously:

Some of these things are quite special. Once you take them away, it means that you will be targeted by some people.

The ancient Greek gods are not completely withered, and some descendants of Zeus are still active

Some of them are hard to deal with

The demigod elder sister gave some instructions, then turned around and walked into the darkness. Merlin asked behind her:

Ms. Cassandra, we'll see each other again, right?

certainly.

Cassandra turned her head and smiled at Merlin. She put her hands on her chest and said to Merlin as if saying goodbye:

Remember that everything is false

Everything is allowed

Merlin also put his left hand on his right shoulder, and leaned slightly towards Cassandra. When he raised his head, the demigod had disappeared as if he had come.

For a person who can control time, this kind of disappearance couldn't be easier.

A few minutes later, Leila, Miles, and Victoria woke up from that intermittent state. They looked around blankly, only to see Merlin standing in front of the broken sculpture, looking at them.

In the faint light of the cave, there seemed to be a dark red eagle standing on his shoulder, and the cloak and robe on his body had also become the ancient and solemn style that the legendary masters of the Assassin Brotherhood would wear. The wide sleeves hung down under Merlin's wrists, like spreading wings, and at his feet, Gu Gu also tried his best to put on a majestic appearance, like a miniature cheetah sculpture.

Merlin folded his hands on his stomach, and the black hood covered his face. He said softly:

Young people, I have known all the past and future, I have known your ideals and your enemies, you want to fight against Abstergo and the Templars, you need to be trained, strict and cruel training, a An impossible training for the cowardly and weak, one that forges you into a deadly weapon.

He said:

I will help you complete it, I will help you become real assassins, help you find more like-minded people, until I help you complete the rebuilding of the Assassin Brotherhood that has withered in time, this is my respect to my old friends The promise is also my mission and responsibility as an assassin.

Now

Merlin raised his head, those dark red eyes frightened the three young people in front of him, and then they heard Merlin say:

calls me

tutor!