Gun of Ashes

In everyone’s life, there is a moment when you are in darkness, in utter despair, and suddenly someone kicks open a door for you, filling the world with light.

For Eve, this was that moment.

The Radiant traveled across the land, its heavy body leaving a deep groove on the ground as blazing white flames fiercely burned upon it, resembling a blazing white dragon marching forward, carrying a scorching wind of destruction.

But this was not the end. The Radiant, relying completely on the inertia from derailing, charged madly; during its approach to the lighthouse, its speed began to gradually slow down, and the Demon Group noticed its presence, starting to turn back to heavily encircle it.

”Everyone, listen up. Destroy everything that moves, except us.”

Lorenzo’s voice echoed in the channel, so in the pitch-black carriage, the armed plate armor lifted one after another, countless gun barrels protruded, and then a series of firelights erupted from both sides of the train, suppressing all the demons that were rushing wildly.

This was the great feat of the industrial era. As long as you simply squeeze the trigger, you can send deadly iron flying, and as they gather like a tide, even fearsome demons would be brought to their knees.

With that blazing white flame, everyone’s heart began to countdown.

Three, two, one!

Everyone held onto whatever they could grab to stabilize themselves. At the moment the countdown ended, the Radiant plowed straight into the approaching Demon Group, steel crushing against blood, the blazing white flames rising and falling, followed by countless pieces of limbs and organs banging against the cold carriage, with the surging bloody odor permeating every corner.

”Brake!”

Lorenzo’s command came through the channel. Although the driver knew beforehand of the plan in its entirety, he couldn’t help but feel horrified by Lorenzo’s madness.

He forcefully pulled down the lever, and the gears of the emergency brake firmly locked the rapidly spinning machinery. The train could only run on the tracks; it couldn’t turn, but under Lorenzo’s ingenious ideas, there was a sliver of possibility. The outer armor plates fell off one by one, revealing the full armament from Borhans.

A pitch-black cannon tube extended out from it, then fiercely bombarded the encircling Demon Group.

This was a train cannon. During the Radiant War era, by virtue of the railway’s advantage, trains dragged artillery, becoming a high-speed mobile bombardment platform, causing great resistance to the Gaulunaro people’s landing.

But unlike the Radiant War era, after modification by the Mechanical Institute, the artillery was reduced in size to some extent. Although sacrificing firepower, it brought the ability to load more weapons.

A fiery tongue several feet long surged from the pitch-black cannon tube, and the dozens-of-kilograms projectile, like a racing iron sword, directly penetrated the demons’ bodies, causing a violent explosion at the drop point.

This was a one-directional firing. With the recoil of the train cannon cluster, the Radiant achieved a bizarre drifting maneuver, then stood like a fortress between the lighthouse and the demons. As it slowly came to a stop, hot steam gushed from the machinery’s crevices, followed by more plate armor lifting up, and countless gun barrels pointed towards both sides of the train.

Full firepower engaged.

In an instant, the world was filled with endless thunderous roars, with countless thunders exploding around, demons swarming in only to be ruthlessly shredded by shrapnel. This was the victory of the Industrial Revolution; each demon’s death was a sacrificial offering on the iron altar to the God of Industry.

This was a grand symphony, with the heavy shell casings hitting the ground making alluring soft sounds, the rich smell of gunpowder filling the nostrils, and the beautiful mechanical sounds clicking, then loading one steel shell after another into the cannon.

Lorenzo stood atop the train, the muzzle’s bursts of flame illuminate his face, the Winchester fired continuously, creating a blazing white barrage, he spun and surged, almost as if dancing.

Hundreds of years ago, people needed to build defenses, countless casualties were required to put demons to death; but today, with technological advancement, as long as there is a strategic position and sufficient firepower, no number of demons could shake humanity’s position on the food chain.

Humankind can no longer live in fear.

A new era has arrived, the relics of the old era still try to reclaim that past glory, they swarm like ants, braving the torrents of steel and gunpowder, accumulating blood and fire, dragging out a grim path.

”Lorenzo! Something’s wrong!”

Eve’s scream came through the channel as Lorenzo leisurely fired and reloaded, then asked.

”What’s up?”

”The sea... the tide is rising!”

Eve, stationed at the lighthouse, could see from that pitch-black edge, the dark blue seawater crashing onto the land layer by layer, encroaching with the passage of time, reaching the battlefield was merely a matter of time.

Lorenzo contained some of his excitement, remembering the marks on the map. The land here changes with the rising and falling of the tides. He wasn’t concerned about the water; he was concerned about what emerged from it.

Sure enough, he was not disappointed. In that tide, there were more wailing sounds, endless demons riding the waves, an even larger group, almost suffocating.

This was the final showdown of the night, that secret existence did not want anyone to obtain the Holy Coffin, for this, he hid nothing.

”Do we still have enough ammo reserves?”

He asked.

The difference between demons and humans is that demons will truly fight to the last one.

”It’ll hold for a while, but once that wave of demons gathers over, our firepower won’t maintain the line.”

It was Bola’s voice; the firepower line of the Radiant reached a strange balance with the demons, they couldn’t approach the train, as the ammunition reserve was enough to kill them; but once the demons from the tide gathered, it would present the direst scenario.

”And, Lorenzo, have you ever seen such demons?”

Eve’s voice, she watched the gigantic shadow rising from beneath the sea, with foamy seawater and countless fish and shrimp trickling down.

”It seems not.”

Lorenzo saw it too. Honestly, not seeing such a large figure would be difficult; it was a giant demon, slowly stepping out of the tide.

Secret Blood began to ascend, pitch-black iron armor exuded from beneath his skin, the armor gradually covering Lorenzo as he stepped off the carriage, tightly gripping his sword hilt.

It seemed tonight wouldn’t end so simply, but suddenly he noticed a change in the light, the entire area seemed a bit darker.

No time was left for him to ponder; the giant demon needed him to deal with it, otherwise, everyone would die here. Human technology was invented for human wars; such massive creatures weren’t considered.

Suddenly, a clear sound of the fierce wind echoed from the profound night above.

Lorenzo couldn’t help but lift his head, then he saw that giant whale stirring in the clouds, its cast glow reflecting its ghastly silhouette, afterwards a voice resonated in the channel.

”We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”

That voice was so calm, devoid of emotion, indifferently praying as if mechanically reciting.

In the endless sky, heavy machinery moved slowly, opening tightly shut doors, allowing endless gusts of wind to flood into the cabin, the Knight tilted his head down, completing the final prayer, eyes set on that promised war.

Behind him, countless people fully armed, red cloaks stitched with iron plates flapped in the wild winds, iron chains binding them together, red light communication devices turning green one by one, hence a voice echoed in the channel.

”Sailing Dawn has reached the battlefield, beginning descent.”

”Night Owl joining battle sequence.”

”Mystic Phoenix joining battle sequence.”

”Lancelot joining battle sequence.”

”...”

Every voice was like a chambering bullet, the Knight gently lifted his head, then leapt down; in the gale, Armor of Original Sin unfolded fiercely, blocking out the sun and sky.