Chosen Evolution: I can load the protagonist template

Chapter 657 Are you serious, you dragon knight?

[Detected that this is your first time entering a Monster Hunter + Soul Sacrifice related dungeon]

[[Game Master] is activated——]

[You have successfully loaded the enhanced protagonist template from the Monster Hunter Stories world—"Monster Knight/Nameless".]

Monster Rider: A supplementary protagonist template, modeled after the self-created protagonist from *Monster Hunter Stories*, known as the "Knight Hero." While both share a common setting and monster encyclopedia with other *Monster Hunter* titles, the Knight emphasizes building bonds with monsters and living together, unlike hunters who focus on hunting and maintaining ecological balance. This difference in philosophy has led to significant conflicts between the two groups.

When you select to load the "Monster Knight" template—

You will simultaneously receive the template-exclusive weapon, the "Bond Stone".

You will simultaneously gain the template-exclusive skills 'Humanoid Bird MAX', 'Inheritance Ritual', 'Weapon Master', and 'Beast Taming Master'.

There is a 60-minute cooldown period for loading and unloading this character template.

[Additional comment: This is the charm of the Dragon Knight!]

After Cheng Tian entered the instance, the "random" loading was the "Monster Knight" template, which was theoretically from the same source as Monster Hunter but had taken a completely different development path.

In the New World, hunters are everywhere, but there isn’t a single one who can be called a knight.

Where knights congregate, there are also pure hunters, but where hunters congregate, knights are nowhere to be seen.

In some ways, the ideological conflict between Monster Rider and Monster Hunter is even more intense than that between the redemption faction and the sacrifice faction based on soul sacrifice.

There was even a time when the hunters attempted to exterminate the knights in a "great purge."

The reason given was that they feared the knights would join forces with the monsters to wipe out the hunters, so they acted first.

But the result was that both sides suffered heavy losses.

Hunters generally have higher individual combat strength and are more experienced in hunting dragons. Knights have relatively lower individual combat strength, but the existence of bonded dragons can make up for some of this deficiency.

Therefore, Cheng Tian's current special identity, resulting from the template loading, is actually quite sensitive in Starry Sky Stronghold, which is mainly composed of hunters, especially for the older generation.

Unsurprisingly, the news that the famous Orange is actually a monster knight appeared on the high-level table of Star Base before the fifth generation members, inevitably causing quite a stir and discussion.

Moreover, if this were to involve Cheng Tian and the Crimson Deviljho, the whole situation would appear even more complicated.

Cheng Tian's "free-range" behavior has objectively affected the hunting operations at Starry Sky Stronghold, causing considerable trouble for many hunters. This was precisely the key reason why the hunters were worried about the knights.

In their understanding, knights could only bind and tame dragons such as dog dragons, bird dragons, and fire dragons, which were threatening but still within their control, and were far from being considered strategic threats.

Cheng Tian, ​​who successfully formed a contract with the Deviljho, shattered their preconceived notions with a single punch. Reason told them that even the renowned Cheng Tian had absolutely no chance of taming an ancient dragon!
impossible! Absolutely impossible!
However, for some people who know the relevant secrets, such as the information about the "Ten Dragon Knights", the knights who could tame ancient dragons did actually exist.

Once the knight's identity was revealed, the Starry Sky faction, which had initially been very welcoming of Cheng Tian's arrival, immediately adjusted their strategy.

We urgently recalled someone who could keep things under control!
Given the uncertainty surrounding Cheng Tian's specific intentions, the Starry Sky leadership's priority is to maintain stability as much as possible, using every means to keep Cheng in check and prevent further uncontrollable events from occurring.

Following one after another transport wagon driven by docile herbivorous dragons and loaded with various Old World supplies, the newly arrived fifth generation members were also about to arrive at the Starry Sky Outpost with the main force.

However, many people's eyes involuntarily lingered on Cheng Tian, ​​and on the crimson Deviljho under Cheng Tian's buttocks, which was trying to maintain its balance like a water bottle.

At this point, these people were finally completely convinced that the Crimson Deviljho was indeed this man's mount!
Especially the hunters responsible for the rendezvous, they had all been messed with by Crimson in some way, losing their prey or equipment, and some even watched helplessly as the dragon beasts they had painstakingly captured were swallowed whole in front of them... But the idea of ​​"finding Cheng Tian to take responsibility" was quickly forgotten after circling in their minds.

You can't even beat someone's pet, and now you're going to the owner to demand an explanation?
Hunters, when they set their sights on other prey, they inevitably become prey themselves – this is the balance of the ecosystem.

Instead of trying to improve your physique, it's more practical to admit you're not good at the game and practice more.

The landing point was indeed some distance from the official star base, and given the activity level of the creatures on the new continent, the journey should have been anything but peaceful.

However, due to the presence of the Crimson Deviljho, a land policeman, and the fact that it actively released its ferocious aura as an unparalleled hunter, the dragons that had been lingering around and attracted by the noise of the convoy all tucked their tails between their legs and ran away.

The traces left on the ground by the fleeing hunters, combined with the swaggering Crimson, stirred a ripple in the hearts of many fifth-generation hunters who had grown bolder.

As elites selected from the hunter community of the Old World by the Hunter Guild, they had at least eight or ten dragon lives under their command (large dragon beasts). Hunting dragon beasts had become their instinct. However, the fact that Cheng Tian led his people to ride on the backs of dragon beasts and could even intimidate and drive away wild dragon beasts was a complete subversion of the education and reality they had always received.

...How should I put it, I do seem a little envious?
And so, a seed of thought, "Maybe Monster Rider isn't so bad?" was quietly planted in their minds.

The younger generation is always more accepting of some "rebellious" ideas than the older generation.

However, when Cheng Tian arrived at the entrance of the stronghold, while he received a targeted welcome, he was also stopped outside the gate.

"It cannot go in; we need to consider the safety of our members."

The hunters on guard said to Cheng Tian.

"no problem."

Cheng Tian did not object, but instead patted the bond stone on his right hand that seemed to be integrated with the Ghost Eye.

"Come in and wait a while, I'll treat you to a big meal later."

Crimson responded with a roar, and then, to the astonishment of the NPCs, it burrowed into a rock no bigger than a palm.

(End of this chapter)