Gun of Ashes

042 faintly became aware of something and slowly retreated, but at that moment, the blood pool beneath his feet began to boil, and radiant light filled the walls of the well, with countless inscriptions shining, surrounding him.

”Our time is running out, to replicate the Well of Ascension and collect so much Holy Grail blood... this is the last thing I can do.”

The old man said as he released the wine cup, all the blood mixing together, his aged gaze deepening, then he picked up a short dagger and removed his shirt.

The aging body was imprinted with the same Alchemy Matrix as on 042’s body. Similarly, the Alchemy Matrix on the old man’s body was also incomplete, and he did not contain Secret Blood within him.

”I’ve reflected on my failure and attributed it to the aging of humanity. Humans are really too fragile; I am already this powerful, yet still cannot resist the erosion of time. Such a Golden Era is not long-lasting. With my death, it will also come to an end. Therefore... I need immortality, child. I need to make this wonderful Golden Era eternal.”

The old man reached out and grabbed 042’s wrist, speaking to him emotionlessly.

”You understand, don’t you? You and I are alike; you also yearn for that golden era, right?”

Faced with the old man’s words, 042 could not say anything, only feeling deep fear.

Lorenzo de’ Medici is human, a pure human, with a pure will.

He is really terrifying. Everything that is happening here is within his plans, just as he said; he is too keen to witness that golden era, using any means necessary to lead to this situation.

Lorenzo de’ Medici is not a Demon, but far scarier than a Demon.

”To kill a monster, one must become a monster scarier than it.”

Lorenzo de’ Medici said this and then swung the dagger heavily at his own neck, blood spilling out, covering his chest.

As he moved the blade, the engraved scars connected the intricate Alchemy Matrix together, and at that moment, the Alchemy Matrix was truly completed, with a strange glow emanating from the dark patterns.

”You must become a Demon Hunter.”

Now, 042’s mind was blank, with no fear or panic at all.

”Yes, but unfortunately, I couldn’t undergo the ’Divine Favor Baptism.’ This ritual was monopolized by those guys; otherwise, I would have been curious to see what kind of scenery I would witness.”

Lorenzo de’ Medici looked into the void, speaking softly, but then he issued a hoarse laugh.

”However, missing this part of the ritual doesn’t matter, right? I am Lorenzo de’ Medici, I don’t need any ’Deity Baptism.’

042 stiffly nodded, of course the old man didn’t need it, he was a pure human with a pure will, willing to forsake everything for what he desired.

Lorenzo de’ Medici was too old, too old for his fragile body to endure a regular Secret Blood Implantation, so he planned all of this; now the only prerequisite left for becoming a Demon Hunter is the Secret Blood, and isn’t the boiling blood beneath their feet even stronger than Secret Blood?

”As long as I drink these ’keys’ of Ascension, I will become a Demon Hunter,” he said.

042 looked at the blood-soaked old man as if he were about to vomit his own organs; his voice trembled.

”So, the next step is to seize my body, huh?”

042 already knew what Lorenzo de’ Medici wanted to do; his aged body and mortal will could only sustain for a short time; he could only pin his hopes here, using Authority to escape that mutant-aged body at the moment of becoming a Demon Hunter; this way, Lorenzo de’ Medici would gain immortality, continuing to chase that Golden Era.

”Yes.”

”Will I die?”

”To be precise, your will will be obliterated by me, although from the annotation it appears that your consciousness will somewhat remain and slightly affect me, so the more bodies I take over, the more this Authority will cause one to lose oneself,” Lorenzo de’ Medici answered and then asked, ”Are you afraid?”

”Of course, after all, you’re going to die... It’s a weird feeling, thinking that, over these two years, I was bred as livestock to you in a way?”

”Pretty much so. Are you going to resist me, 042?”

Their gazes locked onto each other, the expression on Lorenzo de’ Medici’s face indifferent, without any expression at all from this moment, while in his pupils, the trembling child mustered the courage to force himself into calmness.

Silence hung between them for a while, yet now it seemed incredibly long.

”Is the Golden Era really that beautiful?” 042 broke the silence, asking.

”Perhaps, but I have also not seen it. However, Demons had no place in that era,” Lorenzo de’ Medici answered.

”Really? What about my friends? Reflecting on my life, there’s nothing much to hold onto, after thinking repeatedly there’s only them.”

”047 and 016?”

”Ah, you still remember.”

”Mm, naturally, but... if a truly Golden Era arrives, then perhaps everyone’s wishes could come true, since Demons no longer exist, and the Church no longer needs you, you can do what you want, freely chasing what you desire.”

”Really?”

”I don’t know, but what I do know is that if Demons aren’t eradicated, then the Golden Era cannot come, resulting in more and more tragedies, just like that fool.

If there weren’t Demons, you should be running along the Tiber riverbank with 047 and 016, without Demons, that fool wouldn’t have died, and I could’ve been his friend. Without Demons, so many tragedies wouldn’t unfold.

If there weren’t Demons...”

”So killing all the Demons can stop these tragedies?”

”I don’t know... but one must give it a try, otherwise how are you different from those despairing swine?”

Everything fell silent again, the boy lowered his head, his face mirrored in the boiling blood pool—sadness, fear, joy… the boy did not know what to think, until he raised his head again with unwavering iron-like determination.

”If the Golden Era truly is that beautiful...”

”If...”

The boy yelled angrily, as if the roar could chase away the fear within.

”Take everything you want!

Lorenzo de’ Medici!”