Gun of Ashes

”If someone must bear the cost of all this, then I gladly accept.”

”But you cannot die.”

The person said angrily.

Suddenly, the tides pushed all the past back onto the shore once more, everything Lorenzo had forgotten flashed before his eyes, the calming peace was completely shattered, and the blazing fire took its place again.

Unfamiliar memories, unfamiliar scenes, unfamiliar people and things.

”Lorenzo Holmes cannot die yet!”

She angrily pulled him from the seawater, dragging him out from the land of death.

Lorenzo breathed heavily, filling his lungs with the cold air.

This was an initiation, a forbidden initiation, the unknown gate thus fully opened before those who ventured.

All this could barely sustain Lorenzo’s life, but still could not make him ”alive”.

He needed a more powerful force to sustain him, a more powerful force.

But was there not a force here potent enough to sustain him?

Thus, Black Angel slowly raised its head, its gaze went beyond Selyu, directly aiming at the twisted flesh behind the sea of fire.

”According to the Sword Scabbard Treaty, start execution now.”

The cold female voice echoed within the armor, almost instantly it spread its terrifying wings, swiftly flying and gliding briefly on the smokey battlefield, the sharp steel feathers reflecting all the flames.

The voice pierced through different boundaries, reaching deep into the mind.

”Clause three, priority for survival target.”

The grotesque face armor began to shatter, blood and flesh entangled with steel, slowly opening a huge blood-thirsty mouth like a real creature.

Black Angel began to transform, the mechanical parts constantly removed, the biological parts strengthened, like a mythical beast, sharp metals grew on the flesh.

The frenzied duel erupted instantly, it swung the steel feathers, along with thousands of swords, terrifying wounds instantly erupted on the Holy Grail Flesh.

The wind was sliced by thousands of swords, creating a long hum like a woman’s soft chant.

The giant mouth on the face armor bit forcefully, battling while devouring the flesh of the Holy Grail.

It roared hoarsely, the biological instinct driving it to ferocious attacks.

The extremely lively flesh began to extend, as sturdy as iron bone spikes protruded, colliding with steel feathers and bursting into brilliant sparks.

The two monsters fought against each other, deadly weapons carrying cold gleams, sketching lethal arcs in the air.

Metal roared with noise, the sudden offensive swept up howling winds stirring the sea of flame.

”He… He’s coming back to life.”

Someone screamed aboard the Sailing Dawn.

The scene just now was successfully observed, Black Angel consumed Lorenzo’s corpse, but now from the feedback numbers, the corpse inside the armor was coming back to life, all indexes started to rise.

But… But this was nearly impossible, that level of injury completely exceeded human expectations, let alone rescue; anyone’s first reaction would be to select a fine cemetery for Lorenzo, yet now that Demon Hunter was coming back to life.

This… This was simply a divine miracle.

Everyone collapsed into their seats, an unnamed pressure weighed upon them, at this moment other than waiting for everything to end, it seemed like they could do nothing.

Live!

In the pitch-black world, the first ray of light was cast.

Live!

More light fell, tearing the darkness into pieces.

Only by living can the furious flames continue to burn, only by living can Lorenzo Holmes eradicate the Demon.

The heart pulsated forcefully, eyelids quivered slightly, until the fierce gaze reappeared.

Flames ascended.

Black Angel fought fiercely, in truth it was no longer a duel, merely a one-sided massacre, steel repeatedly cut through flesh, while the Holy Grail Flesh itself could hardly do any harm to Black Angel.

It cried pitifully like a baby, but could not stop Black Angel’s madness.

The external steel plates were beginning to shatter, they could not continue to restrain the frantically growing flesh, bulging one after another, the abdominal plate armor split completely, translucent tumors squeezed out.

Rhythmically throbbing heartbeat echoed.

Along with that powerful echo, scorching white flames surged through the armor’s seams, burning all the sins.

”Yes, Lorenzo, you must live, this is my will, ours.”

Someone yelled.

Since ancient times, when humans first captured a Demon, first extracted Secret Blood, first ceased to fear fear.

Shattering steel feathers pierced down like execution spikes, pinning the Holy Grail Flesh layer by layer, it tried to escape, but was sealed inch by inch.

It had no way to retreat.

Black Angel gazed down at it, preparing for the final execution.

”Humans... cannot continue to live in fear.”

As if in a dream’s murmur, someone said.

Then a pale arm pierced through Black Angel’s abdomen, grabbing the Holy Grail Flesh, pressing that twisted head firmly.

It howled in pain intensely.

What hatred-filled visage, Lorenzo’s eyes were crimson, countless flesh adhered to his skull, like countless tiny hands clenched him tightly.

Countless wounds were healing, the entire lower body merging with the flesh of the armor.

The Demon’s flesh was still insufficient to keep him alive, he needed the power of the Holy Grail, the once-originated Holy Grail Flesh.

Terrorizing power erupted on the damaged body, he dragged that head bit by bit, pulling it toward himself, more limbs pierced it, they were assimilating, but more was Lorenzo consuming unilaterally,

just like Demons.

Lorenzo opened his mouth, forcefully rasping at the soft flesh like a beast, a large amount of blood surged along his throat, biological instinct’s desperation engulfing it, was originally the apex of the food chain, now sent onto the dining table.

Like Devils devouring, the dense cracking sound made every listener feel a never-before-experienced chill.

Gnawing on vibrant flesh, sucking that crimson blood, chewing on hardened bone.

Black Angel opened its arms, forcefully embracing the still struggling flesh, squeezing it tightly into its embrace.

It fought fiercely, fear exhaling from the abominable flesh.

It was afraid, it was frightened.

Like a dying man’s counterattack, flesh pounded the armor vigorously, yet still could not change the ongoing process, large hands pressed forcefully, shoving it into that deep darkness, then sharp steel feathers folded, wings enveloping everything tightly, forging a cage of death.

Apparently due to the fusion of the Holy Grail Flesh, crimson flesh rapidly multiplied, overflowing within the interwoven steel seams, slender flesh tangled together, covering the whole like a web, including surrounding things drawn into range.

Everything returned to calm, on the burnt wilderness, stood silent the black object like an egg.

Time passed unknowingly, initially inside the black egg there were beast-like roars, but soon calmed.

The swollen flesh began to deflate, blood retracted soon after, the concept of life on the armor was being slowly stripped away, while at the core, faint breath emanated.

This seemed to be a transaction, exchanging its death for his rebirth.

Within the interior at this moment a new life was being cultivated.

The bizarre sacrificial ceremony approached its end, the black egg faintly quivered, then a pair of hands forcefully pushed open the tightly closed wings, viscous liquid pulling out slender threads, as if pushing open a world so heavy.

Pale reddish liquid like amniotic fluid flowed out, the man stepped onto the soaked ground, body fair and all past scars disappeared, his steps staggering like a child learning to walk.

Naked, perhaps using up all strength, he did not walk far before collapsing onto the ground, at the night’s end dawn glowed faintly, heard someone saying indistinctly, welcome back.