Shadow trail of the beautiful world

Chapter 597 6. Growth and Growth

In the box of Mick's Restaurant, Old Stan's buddy delivered freshly baked pizza, as well as some cut fruits and snacks.

The four people in the box were no different from other guests, but when the waiter put down the food, he still glanced at them curiously. On this big night, the three young people in the box were still wearing sunglasses, as if they were blind. This is somewhat odd.

But the guest is God, and how God wants to dress up is God's business. As a server, he will not take the initiative to ask.

After the waiter left, Merlin pushed his glasses, looked at the three young men in front of him, and said:

"It's still too conspicuous."

"Yes."

Leila, who was more lively, took off her sunglasses with her hand. Her pale yellow snake eyes looked very strange. She said to Merlin:

"Ms. Thalia has tested us several times, and she seems to be very interested in the heritage of the witcher. However, compared to sunglasses, we have found another substitute."

"this!"

Miss Victoria, who was sitting next to Leila, took out a small box from her pocket and said:

"When I was shopping with Leila yesterday, I found this in a cosmetics store. It should be able to help us conceal the variation of the pupils."

"Color contact lenses..."

Merlin took the box from Miss Victoria, and he opened it to have a look.

It was a kind of cosmetic derived from contact lenses that had become popular several years ago, and it could change girls' eyes into various colors.

This thing seems to be able to solve the problem of the abnormality of the demon hunters, but in fact, as early as the birth of the Aegis demon hunters, Merlin had considered using such a thing to cover up the distinctive eyes of the demon hunters .

Unfortunately, it turns out that this tricky approach is not feasible.

"It will affect the rhythm of your battle."

Merlin returned the contact lenses to Victoria, saying:

"And in many cases, it will interfere with your spiritual vision... When encountering enemies who can manipulate energy, whether it is scorching heat or cold, it is an unstable factor. I do not recommend that you use it in battle. wear it."

"No, master."

Sitting on the other side, Miles, the former down-and-out bartender, said to Merlin while cutting the pizza with an elegant knife:

"We're just using it to cover up the anomaly, and we'll take it off when we fight. And seriously..."

The guy picked up the pizza, took a bite, and said casually:

"As assassins, we should quietly take the enemy's head in the shadows. If the assassination fails and leads to chaos, it only shows that we are not good at learning."

"Are you okay to say that?"

Leila snorted dissatisfiedly. This lady with Arabic features picked up a berry and put it into her mouth. She said dissatisfiedly:

"Yesterday's mission, who was exposed at the last moment? Who carried a dagger and a pistol and fought a bloody way surrounded by more than 30 mercenaries? Hehe, assassin? I think Berserkers are similar!"

"Uh."

Miles' disguised elegance was broken at this moment, and he retorted with some embarrassment:

"I didn't do that to cover the retreat of the two of you? Besides, the assassin thing, how can it be called a berserker... Killing everyone who saw me is also a perfect infiltration!"

"Heretician!"

Miss Victoria, the military doctor, snorted unhurriedly, but even after going through the painful transformation, and the crazy training camp of the League of Assassins, she was still a bit afraid of Merlin after becoming a demon hunter and an assassin, so she didn't do it again. Say more.

"Yesterday's mission..."

Merlin looked at the three disciples in front of him, and asked:

"I smell the residual blood from you, Talia sent you to carry out the assassination?"

"Actually not."

Leila explained:

"We were on a mission to get a hard drive on a ship and accidentally hit the target abusing some imprisoned girls..."

"Well, needless to say."

Merlin waved his hand, he probably guessed what happened last night, but he didn't care.

The three young people in front of them belonged to the kind of young people with a stubborn sense of justice, otherwise they would not have been able to resolutely pursue the path of assassins under the pursuit of Abstergo Corporation.

The death of a human trafficker is not worthy of sympathy. From Merlin's point of view, he hopes that as many people as this will die, the better.

After all the dregs are cleaned up, a better order will come. Unfortunately, justice will not enforce itself, and someone must enforce it.

"You have been in the League of Assassins for almost a year, and your basic training is coming to an end."

Merlin slowly picked up a grape from the fruit basket in front of him, put the grape in his mouth, and then put the very complete grape skin on the table in front of him. He said to his three disciples:

"Tell me, how you feel about that organization, and your plans."

This question made the three young men in front of them stop their movements. They looked at each other, and finally Myers spoke first.This young man who always likes to wear white clothes said to Merlin with a serious expression:

"Under the leadership of Ms. Thalia, the League of Assassins is thriving. The Continental Hotel has already opened to South Africa and Brazil. They have changed their way, combining ancient traditions with modern business. With the secret support of the official, they are developing rapidly. speed to take back the areas they once controlled, but...they are no longer pure."

"It has morphed into a commercial organization."

Leila went on to say:

"Clients pay, assassins work hard, and the organization makes money. This is a complete business system. Ms. Thalia is a very good operator. Unfortunately, she is not a person of faith, and she is not a real assassin. What she did What they have done is incompatible with the duties and missions performed by the ancient Assassin Brotherhood."

"And even the traditional Assassins in the League of Assassins have changed over time."

Victoria whispered:

"We met practitioners who followed the ancient hidden way in the training camp in Nandarbat. We were very happy at first, thinking that we had found like-minded people, but in fact, it was not the case."

"They have power but no purpose, Master."

Miles sighed, and said regretfully:

"After the death of the former head of demons, master ninja Lars Al Ghul, the Assassin Alliance has split. Without the leadership of master ninja, those traditional assassins have experienced a split in belief. They also In the Fall, this is probably because Lars al-Ghul did not share the Brotherhood's philosophy of protecting freedom with those followers."

"They are also eager to do the right thing, and they are also eager to regain the noble creed. Unfortunately, they lack strong leadership, and under Ms. Thalia's money offensive, many old assassins have joined the new system middle..."

"After all, an assassin is not a saint who wants nothing."

Merlin just listened carefully to the feedback from the disciples, but didn't answer.

He never regarded the League of Assassins under Thalia's leadership as the basis for the resurgence of the Assassin Brotherhood.

He couldn't understand Talia that woman very well. Once Merlin revealed this idea, Talia would immediately fight to the death with Merlin and the S.H.I.E.L.D.

This woman's desire to control is too strong, and she is very realistic, decisive, and vicious.

Unlike her father, she belonged to the Assassin Brotherhood's thousand-year-old idealism of protecting freedom and the world, and never took root in Talia's heart.

As Layla said, Thalia is more of a businessman than an assassin.

"After the contract ends, we will leave the League of Assassins."

Leila said to Merlin:

"Master, we will look for other inheritances left by the Assassin Brotherhood in the world, follow the example of our ancestors, follow the trajectory of fate, and look for brothers who share our goals...We don't need to rely on the deteriorating Assassin Alliance, we No need to reignite the flame in a cloud of cold ashes."

"So, you chose the most difficult path."

Merlin crossed his hands on the table, looked at the three young men in front of him, and said:

"You're ready to start from nothing, you're ready to rebuild ancient traditions from scratch...I have to applaud your courage."

"But you have to understand that once you break away from the Assassin Alliance's protection, those Templar knights and Abstergo's pursuers can hunt you down like before, and you may die chasing your ideals You can't even see the darkness before dawn, after all... there are only three of you."

"We have made a decision, Master."

Miles stood up, he leaned slightly towards Merlin, and he said:

"The threat of Abstergo is terrible, but we are not what we used to be, thank you for your care and guidance, let us truly understand the meaning of darkness to assassins... We will respond to the Temple in the dark hunting ground The knight's provocation is just like our ancestors."

"I didn't teach you anything."

Merlin shook his head and said:

"You have learned the most basic skills in the League of Assassins, and you have acquired extraordinary bodies in the transformation of the demon hunters, but this is not enough, it is not enough for you to gain the upper hand in the fight in the dark night, surrounded by wolves Come on, there's not much you can do."

"From next week..."

Merlin says:

"You follow me for real training, and at that time, I will return your Animus to you."

"Grandmaster."

Leila whispered:

"After going through the brutal training camp of the League of Assassins, Miles and I understood the reason why you took back the Animus in the first place. Compared with the experience of brushing shoulders with death in reality, the 'training' in those memories is so insignificant. Not real...maybe, you're right, maybe, we don't need those illusory memories anymore."

"Staying in the illusion created by the Animus for a month can't learn more than actually performing an assassination mission. I now feel that our childish behavior in trying to use technology to defeat the Templars was all due to waste time."

"No, Layla."

Merlin shook his head, and said softly:

"The world needs innovation once in a while, that's right. But for you special ones, instead of going forward, blindly walking down strange roads that no one has ever walked, you need to go back.. .to seek out those ancient powers and wisdom."

"Only things that have been honed over time are the most reliable. That is the best blessing your ancestors gave to future generations... I took your Animus back then because you were not warriors, and you couldn't understand life and death. Did not learn to fear power."

"But now, those of you who have experienced real fighting, are eligible to re-enter the legendary assassin's life to find inheritance. That will allow you to truly understand those powers, those powers that are hidden deep in your blood and have not been liberated."

Merlin stood up, looked at Victoria, and said:

"As for you, Victoria, you don't have the ancestors of a legendary assassin, but that doesn't mean you're weaker than Leila and Miles. You came back alive from the training camp in Nandalbat with a mortal body, and you've already Proof that you, too, have a gift for walking in darkness."

"Therefore, I will train you myself!"

Merlin's serious gaze made Victoria couldn't help shrinking her neck. This girl has always been afraid of Merlin, but now, she may not be able to escape Merlin's private teaching.

This made Victoria a little frustrated.

"One more thing!"

Merlin propped his hands on the table, and he said to the three young men in front of him who were about to do something big:

"You are aware of the transformation of the Assassin's League, which is enough to make you realize how difficult it is to find a truly trustworthy friend. Therefore, I will give you a new mission."

"As far as I know, there are not many bloodlines left by the legendary assassins who were active in various eras in the past. The glory of the ancestors may have been forgotten, but those special bloodlines are still worthy of attention, because they are all your potential brothers and sisters .”

"They can't escape the Assassin Brotherhood and Templar wars, and even if you don't look for them, they will eventually be drawn into another camp by Abstergo."

"Your contract with the League of Assassins expires in one month. During this month, I want you to find someone like you among the outstanding assassins of the League of Assassins!"

Merlin says:

"He who has friends never fails...so, make friends, my disciples."

"The new Animus virtual instrument will be sent to you soon, to find more descendants of legendary assassins, and then guide them as I guide you."

"They will become your followers, your comrades-in-arms, and your sharp blades. In the end, they will be with you in this era, rekindling the raging fire to protect freedom and the world!"

A gleam flashed in Merlin's eyes, and he said:

"And this time, I assure you, my disciples, no one can put it out!"

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Calling and speech, incitement and guidance, these are the good qualities that a leader must possess.

Merlin was well versed in this, and he used slightly exaggerated words to push forward the ideals in the hearts of the three young people. Facing such an old fox, the three young people could not resist at all.

At night, on the streets of New York, three young men wearing sunglasses walked slowly in the darkness, their hearts full of expectations for the future and ideals.

"Miles, what are you thinking?"

Leila, who was holding Victoria's wrist, suddenly asked:

"You are very silent. You also heard the new mission assigned to us by the master... You seem to have a goal?"

"Correct."

Miles' fingers were moving, and a butterfly knife jumped around like a dancing elf in his hand. He reached out and put the hood of his white clothes on his head. He said to his companion:

"A few days ago, I met a man at the Continental Hotel...a young man, younger than us, he looks like a newcomer, but he has great potential, and has already completed several assassination missions alone."

"He is not good at communicating, but I can feel that he has a kind of temperament, a sharp temperament, just like us. I guess, he is probably the person we are looking for, just like us, a person with the blood of a legendary assassin .”

"What's his name? New York is so big, can you still find him?"

Leila asked with interest, Miles' eyes flashed a strange blue light, and he said softly:

"Don't forget that I activated Hawkeye Perception before receiving the training, I memorized all his characteristics, and I also know his name..."

"His name is... John Wick!"

(End of this chapter)