Typemoon: Starting Out as the Lion King's Personal Knight

"So—Merlin, are you a Beast of Humanity?" Alaric asked in astonishment, drawing this conclusion from Merlin's explanation about the unique ability of Independent Manifestation, which is exclusively associated with the Beasts of Humanity.

But how could Merlin possess such an ability?

 If Merlin were a Beast of Humanity, being able to use Independent Manifestation would be expected.

However, if Merlin was not a Beast, could it prove that Independent Manifestation could be obtained through other means?

"Well, Big Brother Merlin is a Grand Caster, how could he possibly be a Beast of Humanity?"

Merlin, with his usual smile, firmly denied the possibility of being a Beast.

However, his words, meant to clear himself of suspicion, only sparked Alaric's curiosity:

"Grand Caster? Is that a classification from the Clock Tower's ranking system for magus?"

In Alaric's mind, anything associated with the term "Grand" would likely be tied to the magus rankings of the Clock Tower:

Grand

Brand

Pride

Fes

Cause

Count

Frame

"Was Merlin officially certified by the Clock Tower?" Alaric wondered. But before he could dwell too deeply on this idea, Merlin responded:

"Nope! My 'Grand' title refers to being a Grand Servant summoned specifically to oppose the Beasts of Humanity."

Merlin explained further:

"Unlike the standard Holy Grail War summoning system, true Heroic Spirit Summoning operates on a much larger scale. You could say the Holy Grail War is just a simplified and degraded version of the real thing.

The relationship between Beasts of Humanity and Heroic Spirit Summoning is akin to that between humanity's mechanism for self-destruction and its safety measures.

Grand Servants are guardians of humanity. They stand at the pinnacle of their respective ages and are selected by the Root as the apex of the seven primary classes. They serve as humanity's countermeasure against massive disasters threatening the species—namely, the Beasts.

To qualify as a Grand Servant, one's abilities and legend must reach an exceptionally high standard, standing at the peak of their class.

However, there isn't just one candidate per class. Multiple individuals may qualify, and the final selection depends on the needs of the era and the specific target that needs to be overcome."

Having said this, Merlin glanced proudly at Alaric, his meaning clear.

And Alaric, not one to disappoint, clapped enthusiastically in response.

Clap. Clap!

The crisp sound of applause brought a look of delight to Merlin's face.

"A Grand Servant—" Alaric thought. "An existence meant to counter the Beasts of Humanity… That must mean they're the most brilliant heroes in history, shining brightest in the annals of time."

Who would have thought that even someone like Merlin could count as a Grand Servant?

At this moment, Alaric began to understand why Merlin had manifested in Mesopotamia. It was to oppose the primordial goddess of creation, Tiamat—or more accurately, the Beast of Humanity, Tiamat.

Then, could it be King Hassan is also a Grand Servant?

If anyone deserved such a title, it would surely be the originator of the Assassin class, whose unparalleled assassination techniques had reached the realm of divinity.

Thinking of this, Alaric couldn't help but ask, "Merlin, what's the difference between a Grand Servant and an ordinary Servant?"

If Grand Servants were humanity's countermeasure against the Beasts, what kind of power did they possess? Alaric was deeply curious.

Merlin, thoroughly enjoying the applause and attention, decided to elaborate further:

"If the pinnacle of Magus is the Grand Magus, then the pinnacle of Servants is the Grand Servant.

The biggest difference lies in their Saint Graph. A Grand Servant's Saint Graph is so powerful that it can even withstand the full divinity of the highest gods. It's essentially a super Saint Graph!"

"So, even stronger than Xuanzang's top-tier Saint Graph?" Alaric thought. "If someone had a Grand Saint Graph, would they even be able to withstand the power of Quetzalcoatl, the Feathered Serpent God?"

At this moment, Alaric finally grasped the concept of a Grand Servant:

A nearly perfected form, capable of maximizing the potential of a Servant's power.

"Simply put," Alaric mused, "it's like a Gundam. Whoever has a Grand Saint Graph is the strongest."

If a Grand Servant with such a Saint Graph appeared in a standard Holy Grail War, even Gilgamesh would likely lose.

But in that case…

"Merlin, you—"

Alaric continued clapping as he looked at Merlin with curiosity.

The presence Alaric could sense from Merlin was just that of an ordinary Saint Graph. It was far from the super Saint Graph Merlin had just described.

"Such a shame!" Merlin chuckled. "Big Brother Merlin only qualifies as a Grand Caster. I'm just the kind of guy who lounges in a chatroom, chatting idly until the end without anyone noticing me. I haven't been summoned with a Grand Saint Graph!"

"So Merlin isn't a Grand Servant… In that case, who is the Grand Servant meant to oppose Tiamat?"

Alaric wasn't particularly surprised by Merlin's lack of a Grand Saint Graph. However, this realization made him recall King Hassan, whom he had met just the day before.

"Merlin, could the First Hassan be a Grand Servant?"

If Merlin wasn't the Grand Servant, could it be the Old Man of the Mountain, humanity's countermeasure against the primordial mother Tiamat?

"That old man?" Merlin nodded thoughtfully. "If it's him, then yes, he must be a Grand Servant!

Unlike other classes, which have multiple potential candidates for Grand Servants, the Assassin class's Grand title has always been reserved solely for the First Hassan. There isn't even a substitute."

Having already heard from Alaric about the Old Man of the Mountain's manifestation, Merlin spoke of him with a touch of reverence.

As the origin of the Assassin class, the First Hassan was someone even Merlin held in high regard.

Alaric nodded in agreement, sharing Merlin's sentiment.

"A Grand Servant with no substitutes…"

This elevated Alaric's view of the Old Man of the Mountain even further, filling him with admiration.

The recognition of the Root, the true pinnacle of the Assassin class, the strongest.

After his admiration subsided, Alaric's curiosity about Grand Servants came to a natural end. He seamlessly shifted the topic:

"So, Merlin, as a Grand Caster candidate, how did you manage to obtain the ability of Independent Manifestation, which is supposed to be exclusive to Beasts of Humanity?"

"Stealing the competition's patented technology, are we?" Alaric joked.

If Merlin could obtain Independent Manifestation without becoming a Beast, Alaric figured he might have a chance to do so as well.

If I had that ability, I could keep moving forward, couldn't I?

Even with the Holy Lance in hand, Alaric felt it wasn't enough. If he could acquire the powerful effects of Independent Manifestation, his survival odds would increase dramatically.

And if it wasn't possible to obtain Independent Manifestation in his current state, then he'd simply become a Beast of Humanity!

Having learned of Independent Manifestation, Alaric couldn't let go of the idea. Whether Merlin could teach him or not, Alaric was determined to obtain it by any means necessary.

Seeing how Alaric forcibly steered the conversation back to this topic, Merlin sighed and scratched his head helplessly.

"Ah, well… How should I put this—

I stole it from Cath Palug. Combined with my Beast attribute, I was able to acquire Independent Manifestation."

"?"

Alaric asked curiously, "So can I learn it too?"

Alaric had heard of Cath Palug before: Merlin's familiar, a three-eyed cat-beast born from a pig demon in Arthurian legend, who had once fought with Artoria or her foster brother, Kay.

If Merlin had stolen it from Cath Palug, then it implied Cath Palug might also be a Beast of Humanity—

Whether Cath Palug was a Beast or not was irrelevant for the moment. What truly intrigued Alaric was the Beast attribute Merlin himself seemed to possess.

Merlin, the child of an incubus and a human, had the characteristics of humanity while hiding away in Avalon, observing human affairs.

If he were to become a Beast, wouldn't he be something akin to a Star Beast?

"Can I… give it a shot?"

Merlin's smile froze slightly. He wanted very much to refuse Alaric, but upon seeing the determination in Alaric's eyes, he understood the young man's obsession with Independent Manifestation.

If Merlin rejected him, Alaric might very well turn to the worst possible path: attempting to become a Beast of Humanity.

PS: Did he lose some memories? Why he did not know about Grand Servant? Weird...