Gun of Ashes

The man stood like an iron wall before him, dazzling white light emanating from burning blood, with the sword blade like a meat grinder, preventing the Demons’ assault from advancing even an inch.

In that instant, Red Falcon thought of many things, or maybe nothing at all; his ears filled with void-like white noise, losing all rational thought, clutching a Flaming Bullet and charged forward in stride.

Despite not trusting this damn plan at all, which coming from Lorenzo seemed as arbitrary and unreliable as deciding what to have for breakfast, when Lorenzo’s roar sounded, Red Falcon instinctively stepped forward into the scorching white sea of fire.

”That’s more like a man!”

The detective loudly encouraged Red Falcon, slicing the heads off Demons that charged at him, the scorching white flames igniting their bodies, raining black snow of ash in the pitch-black night, mingling together and passing the only warmth onto their skin.

”Cover me!”

When Red Falcon realized all this, he had already reached the exterior of the carriage, clutching the Flaming Bullet as he climbed towards the top.

Lorenzo intercepted the Demons, swiftly swinging his sword without any technique whatsoever, as in this massive battle, technique was no longer needed; Lorenzo’s task was the efficiency of the slaughter.

The more he slashed, the fiercer he became!

The frenzied sword blades stirred up scorching white flames like a writhing snake swarm, effortlessly slicing through dirty flesh with pure Holy Silver, like red-hot iron falling into water; ghastly white smoke and ashen fire rose together.

This was the pitch-black night, Demons descended, and all light vanished, but like the Firekeepers sacrificing their lives in ancient times, in these dark woods filled with surging Demons, refused to live in fear, stubbornly lighting the flames in their hands and fighting against Demons drawn to the light.

Humans should not live in fear.

Thus, the most brilliant and conspicuous flames erupted above the heights, white phosphorous Flaming Bullets rising like celestial light, after reaching the apex, fully releasing, shattered flames blossomed like flowers, lighting up the entire night for that moment.

It was truly a breathtaking scene, tides of Demons froze like sculptures, momentary light elongating their shadows, shadows writhing and grotesque, as if souls trapped in Demon bodies were making their final resistance.

”Lorenzo Holmes!”

Red Falcon shouted the detective’s name, Lorenzo, sword gleaming, leapt to the roof, killing all Demons climbing from the sides of the carriages with swift sword strikes.

This was not murder but swordsmanship, although Lorenzo excelled at it; from beginning to end, it was merely the art of Demon hunting.

The scorching white flames flickered on the sword blade, burning each Demon to ashes with every strike.

Red Falcon caught sight of these in his peripheral vision, but just this glance filled him with terror, power he had never seen, unexplainable by science.

Perhaps the Demon Hunting Order had sealed their information too tightly, even deaths were only known six years later.

This eerie white flame was a trait every Demon Hunter had; when the Order’s Secret Blood was injected into their bodies, it altered the hunters’ blood, making it flammable when awakened.

Unlike ordinary flammable liquids, it required no flame to reach ignition point; it simply needed contact with Demons.

When the Demon Hunter’s blood touched Demons or sensed the ”pollution” within them, the blood erupted into anomalous flames called Purifying Flame.

Purifying Flame burned fiercely, as if Lorenzo emerged from myth, wielding dual swords, indulging in the scorching white flames, isolating countless demons eternally.

”Give me one!”

In the midst of the slaughter, Lorenzo turned and shouted to Red Falcon.

As the first Flaming Bullet ascended, the glaring light seemed to enrage the Demon horde; they became increasingly frenzied, fearlessly launching wave after wave of attacks on the train roof, like tides crashing against the shore, attempting to drag both lives into the deep sea of death.

To conserve ammunition, Red Falcon released a Flaming Bullet at intervals, counting down internally, while drawing his handgun to shoot at the Demons.

He thought he had enough experience combating Demons as an Upper-Rank Knight of the Purification Mechanism, but compared to Lorenzo’s skilled and swift actions, he was nothing but a fledgling sword wielder; with Lorenzo’s deadly skills, even claiming Knight Commander wouldn’t do; only Arthur could rival him.

”What?”

Red Falcon fired again at a Demon attempting to strike him, responding confusingly after hearing Lorenzo’s shout.

”Flaming Bullet!”

Lorenzo shouted again.

Though unsure what Lorenzo planned, in this brief period he undoubtedly won Red Falcon’s trust; at least in terms of combat prowess, Lorenzo was the pinnacle in the entire train.

Red Falcon threw the Flaming Bullet launcher to Lorenzo; with a swing of his sword, Lorenzo nailed it to the car roof, despite the steel entirely covering it. But under Lorenzo’s sword, it was embedded within the metal by some measure.

With a spare hand, he gently touched the sword blade nailed to the carriage, its sharp edge leaving a crimson wound on his palm. With his injured hand grasping the Flaming Bullet launcher passed by Red Falcon.

”What are you planning?”

For some reason, Red Falcon felt something ominous; though the tide of Demons hadn’t instilled this feeling, now Lorenzo’s actions gave him a sense something might crumble.

”To put on a firework show!”

Under fear and pressure, the detective turned back to Red Falcon with a wild grin.

[Secret Blood Awakening 21%]

Demon Hunter’s blood drenched the steel he held, seeping through metallic gaps and textures, permeating every structure and part, completely integrating within, scorching white flames surged from the cracks.

Lorenzo raised the flaming launcher up, endless Demons surged from the carriage before him, he was the sole light in the dark, the only lifeline escaping Hell; they all fought for this chance, striving to extinguish this sole hope.

It was a scene as if from an oil painting.

He raised the gun, fearless before the legions from Hell.

Pulled the trigger.

Purifying Flame boiled and burnt, white phosphorous Flaming Bullet pierced through the black tides, like water crashing against a reef, obliterating all obstructions ahead, it straightened forward, piercing several carriages, and after a brief few seconds, endless white flames erupted from within.

The Flaming Bullet, carrying the Demon Hunter’s blood, while burning fiercely, used the flames as a medium, Purifying Flame soared instantly, all Demons engulfed in its coverage were incinerated in the instantaneous heat.

”Do you know why smoking is prohibited on trains?”

Lorenzo turned back, gazing at the stunned Red Falcon, lightly stomped his foot, treading historically significant train, and asked.

The Radiant Steam Train’s steam engine was outdated for many years, yet it still represented one of Ingwig’s highest steam engine skills back then; even after so many years, it could reach an amazing speed of 70 kilometers per hour.

Seemingly stunned by the blazing spectacle, Red Falcon didn’t answer Lorenzo’s words, just dumbly staring at the scorching white flames filling the entire view.

Lorenzo, a bit disappointed, turned back; sometimes when someone can’t catch what you’ve thrown out, it feels somewhat disheartening; he gazed at the burning carriages, softly explained.

”Because the wind boosts the fire.”

Like an incantation, as those words fell, endless fierce wind rushed through shattered glass into the blazing carriages, a torrent of fresh oxygen fueled the wild combustion; Demons roared yet couldn’t stop their bodies from scorching and carbonizing, finally disintegrating like wind-blown ashes.

Like a giant serpent emerging from a sea of flames, burning and forging ahead on this desolate dark land.