Gun of Ashes

It was a pitch-black object that darkened the entire night sky once again, with massive steam erupting from it, arriving with clouds and a howling wind.

The whirring propeller blades roared to life, as the new steam engine pumped power into every inch of this steel beast, and two rows of powerful searchlights descended, like the blazing eyes of an ancient giant opening, then it began to dive.

It was a War Airship. During the Radiant War, such behemoths traversed the White Tide Strait, flying at altitudes unreachable by ground artillery, and each time it appeared, it was an unyielding Death God. Enemies could only watch as it came overhead, then rained down divine punishment.

But this one was different; Lorenzo had never seen such a colossal War Airship, and in Ingwig’s official records, there was no mention of such a model of war weaponry.

Sturdy iron armor and rivets interwoven, with huge sails on both sides to change direction, heavy steel plates slowly lifting up, and the artillery fixed on both sides falling from their rails, extending their barrels outward.

It was the product of twisted craftsmanship, named Leviathan-class War Airship, Sailing Dawn, by those mechanicians after the miracle beast of the sea from the Gospel.

Its appearance briefly suffocated the battlefield, but then thousands of thunderbolts were unleashed from the behemoth, the artillery array fired freely, and from Sailing Dawn’s perspective, everything on the ground was a target. The apocalyptic fire rain scorched the earth, setting ablaze and blocking the tidal wave of thousands of forces.

It was a scene out of myth, with burning rain of bullets descending from the sky, dyeing the gloomy clouds an iron red, falling to the ground, creating one giant crater after another, finally releasing high-temperature explosions within, annihilating all demons within its lethal range.

This was the efficiency of the war machine. During the counterattack of the Radiant War, dozens of such War Airships leapt into Gaulunaro territory. Ingwig’s steel beasts occupied the sky, and they could only watch as the fire rain flattened city after city, eventually signing their names on the surrender treaty.

First, the artillery cleared the area, creating a safe zone amid the chaotic war through continuous bombardment.

The Aerial Cavalry descended from the clouds, hand Aluminothermic Rifles blazing, each descent trailing a burning path, slaughtering the remaining demons, skillfully establishing layers of firepower nets to protect the Radiant.

”Looks like we’re safe.”

Bola sat down relaxed in the compartment, slowly releasing the gun in his hand. Seeing his fully armed comrades, he finally felt the advantage of home-field combat.

His mission had concluded; they successfully delayed until Lancelot’s arrival. No matter what enemies lay ahead, the cold-blooded knight would slay them one by one, not to mention there was also a profound Demon Hunter here.

”Those demons are not all dead yet.”

Lorenzo’s voice rang out once more as he gazed at the airborne cavalry descending. Although their appearance had turned the battle, he didn’t think it would end so easily, striding forward, toward the burning rain and the demons’ wails.

”But Sailing Dawn has already arrived. The important thing is not the heavy firepower on the airship, but its master.”

Lorenzo was intrigued by Bola’s words, somewhat unsure.

”What do you mean?”

Bola lazily explained.

”I mean, this is his mount. The warhorse has arrived; how far can the knight be?”

He had arrived, so the sharp whistle of the wind came from above, as if something was rapidly descending. Lorenzo could only see a swift shadow tearing through the night sky, followed by a giant white parachute unfurling from it, slowing the knight down. But clearly in urgency, he cut the connection with the parachute before fully decelerating, accelerating downward again from the sky.

Like a meteor falling to earth, he aimed toward the giant emerging from the tides.

It was a massive entity formed by the convergence of thousands of demons. By biological logic, a creature of such size shouldn’t exist—it would be burned to death by its own heat before it could move. Yet anything related to demons brought an air of wonder, so this nightmare-like monster appeared in reality.

”Lorenzo, have you seen such demons before?”

Among those present, Lorenzo had the most experience with demons, so Bola asked him.

”No, demons have always been secretive creatures. They’ve never acted on such a large scale, let alone this large.”

Lorenzo sprinted across the burning ground. Honestly, what he saw tonight overturned many doctrines he knew from his time with the Order. The world was changing; more secrets were surfacing.

The beauty of the world lies in this: You think you truly understand it, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. Everyone is ignorant and trembling in the dark, pathetic worms.

Secret Blood began to rise. To avoid detection by the unrelenting Church, Lorenzo didn’t reach the critical value, just barely initiated it, and the black armor slowly enveloped him, with white-hot flames surging violently from the gaps.

[Secret Blood Awakening 17%, out of the stable value range, Silver Binding Bolt begins to melt.]

[STANDBY connecting Static Holy Temple.]

[Connection failed.]

[Reconnecting...]

The cold, neutral voice echoed in his mind again. Honestly, Lorenzo despised the eerie Silver Binding Bolt—the Church’s most precise mechanical creation, yet like a ghost living inside him, ready to kill him when breaking free of its bonds.

Ed died this way, his body utterly destroyed by the melting Holy Silver, sealing the eerie Secret Blood within metal.

Gripping the Nail Sword, Winchester in his hand elegantly swung in a half-circle, chambering a bullet, exhaling a white-hot dragon breath.

His gaze briefly rested on Winchester’s scarred barrel; a line of poetry from Florence was engraved on it, a nostalgic memento.

Do not go gentle into that good night.

The massive demon appeared within his line of sight. It stood several meters tall, with twisted flesh still streaming with seawater, grotesque patterns stretched across its swollen body, seemingly composed of countless demons crawling over itself, with strange eyes opening from the cracks in the flesh—not just on the head, but every part of the body gazed upon the world.

Purifying Flame surged as Lorenzo fired once again at the demon.

Wails and flames, steel with gunpowder collided with flesh, fragmented meat flying, hot blood gushed from thick veins like a torrential rain.

Lorenzo did not see that eerie knight again; as he plunged into the darkness, he seemed to vanish into the deep night, leaving no trace.

However, Lorenzo didn’t pin his hopes on that knight. He could accomplish much himself, facing the mountainous figure. Countless eyes fixed on Lorenzo. He raised his gun, aiming at the head.

But just as Lorenzo pulled the trigger to ignite the Purifying Flame upon the sinister head, a strange voice sounded in his ear, laced with eerie malice, familiar yet terrifying.

[Reconnecting...]

[Connected to Static Holy Temple.]

[Log-in status confirmed, Log-in ID...]

A mesmerizing sound rang in his mind, and Lorenzo’s actions stalled due to the voice. In this brief moment, the massive hand had already descended, carrying a heavy gale and ripples.

The sharp grinding sound caused Lorenzo temporary deafness, a high-pitched buzzing piercing painfully, making it difficult to comprehend the neutral narration in his mind—a mournful wail, indistinctly low.

Then a sharp grappling hook was driven into the descending palm. The knight named Lancelot burst from the other side of the darkness, the winch spinning swiftly, reeling him and the demon closer together, then slashing down with the blade.

Blood and splintered bone shattered before him. The Armored Knight wielded his heavy sword, glancing back at Lorenzo from mid-air, a gaze as if questioning why he was frozen.

Yet Lorenzo’s heart was churning with a stormy turmoil; after six years, his Silver Binding Bolt reconnected to Static Holy Temple.