Gun of Ashes

The raging fire burned brightly, dyeing the cold and silent night with a crimson hue.

The pitch-black armor gripped the Nail Sword tightly, leaning against the blazing flames, allowing the muscles stiffened by the cold to soften.

The Secret Blood was constantly boiling, inhuman power being applied onto this body. At this moment, Lorenzo was infinitely close to that forbidden threshold, heading towards the unknown fear.

Perhaps it was pain and excitement, a hoarse growl emanated from beneath the armor.

This feeling was really great.

Lorenzo could distinctly feel the power flowing within him, along with that melting heat.

The Silver Binding Bolt was melting away, gradually disintegrating as the Secret Blood awakened. Once Lorenzo’s power reached its peak, he would, like Ed, be slain by the Holy Silver Sword that pierced from within.

This was a penalty born within him, a sharp sword hanging high above his head.

Lawrence stepped forward slowly, the scorching breath exhaled from his mouth, his aged body vibrant with a scarlet life. The grotesque growths were trembling slightly; his tightly shut eyes quivered, seemingly on the verge of opening at any moment.

He held dual swords, flames flickering upon them. Old but strong, the lion might be aging, but he was still a lion.

For a brief moment, it was as if the two had returned to that wilderness in the Gap where Lawrence, like before, stood with his back to a sea of flames, as if bearing a blazing sun on his back.

Their fiery white eyes met briefly, both poised as Evil Ghosts, stirring up a howling gale.

The sword strikes grew faster and faster. In the end, all that could be seen was the trailing lights whirling wildly in the air, akin to the rolling Thunder Group within clouds, each clash producing a piercing crack, followed by sparks flying everywhere.

The bright white Nail Swords whirled and intersected, like a torrential storm.

Lawrence laughed out loud, wielding his blades with even more ferocity.

It had been so long since he fought like this, exhilarating and unrestrained. The Secret Blood surged within his aging body. The more he slashed, the more he felt that youthful power. It was as if in this deadly battle, time was reversing.

All seemed to revert back a century ago, an era where merely a sword in hand could win the world.

Lorenzo remained silent, the Nail Sword in his hands shifting its stance back and forth. He could block most of the attacks, yet a few sword strikes still bypassed his defenses, landing on the armor. Though rare, under Lawrence’s terrifying strength, the newly forged armor began to be riddled with holes.

Lawrence was too strong; the more Lorenzo fought him, the more he sensed a feeling of powerlessness. If Demon Hunters were the pinnacle of humans, then Lawrence was beyond any Demon Hunter’s existence.

Terrifying swordsmanship, the foresight of Shangdafeng, the near-immortal Holy Grail Flesh... He truly was a perfect Demon Hunter, without flaw or weakness. Just as he said, Lorenzo had no chance of winning.

But... is that really so?

Lorenzo shifted his stance, took a sudden step forward, his entire body stepping unreservedly into Lawrence’s attack range.

There is no invincible enemy.

Just like those Demons, before the Demon Hunters appeared, no one believed humans could truly combat such unknown fears. In that ancient era, humans could only kneel before descending thunders, yet who would have thought one day humans could grasp those dazzling thunders in their hands.

Yes! Lawrence could be defeated! The unknown fear could be slain.

As if releasing his own fury, Lorenzo roared, his sword slashing through the continuous storm, piercing through the blockade of the blades, exploding into a scarlet mark on Lawrence’s chest.

The wound nearly cleaved Lawrence’s body in half, blood and bone fragments flying, with a metallic sheen still within the twisted flesh.

Lawrence’s entire body arched backwards but did not fall. He slowly rose, wearing a sinister grin.

From the torn surface, countless tiny appendages grew, pulling at each other, stitching the dreadful wound shut.

Lorenzo did not pause, leveraging the recoil from the swords’ clash, swinging his blade once more, bringing it down. With a thunderous boom, as Lawrence angled his other hand’s Nail Sword.

Lawrence deflected Lorenzo’s swing, twisting his waist to strike again, the Nail Sword slashing across his side. Despite the armor’s protection, this strike still heavily injured Lorenzo, the armor shattering, pieces piercing directly into his flesh.

Lorenzo staggered back a few steps, his sturdy armor covered in cracks, with blood seeping through the gaps.

Lawrence did not pursue, standing his ground, his left hand’s Nail Sword parallel to his elbow pointing directly at Lorenzo, while the right hand’s Nail Sword raised high, poised to strike.

This was Lawrence at his peak form, with the Holy Grail Flesh drastically enhancing his body, enabling him in human form to reach a state akin to a Demon’s physique.

Each hand carried immense power, any casual strike could cleave through steel.

”What are you still contemplating?”

Seeing Lorenzo delaying his attack, Lawrence asked, somewhat perplexed.

Though, he remained highly vigilant of Lorenzo—this Demon Hunter was far more cunning than he had imagined. If not for Lawrence’s thorough integration with the Holy Grail Flesh, Lorenzo’s scheme might have indeed killed him just now.

Lawrence appeared unscathed in that explosion, but in truth, he was already nearing death. The instantaneous high temperature directly carbonized his body, yet the Holy Grail Flesh within him, given a moment’s respite, would heal Lawrence at an astonishing speed.