Gun of Ashes

”It seems there’s no other choice.”

Lorenzo muttered to himself, meanwhile, the Secret Blood surged within him like a restless flame, continuously roaring and rolling until the ominous power completely permeated every inch of his body.

The Iron Armor did not continue to grow but instead began shedding continuously, until Lorenzo’s original appearance was exposed. It was as if he had given up resisting, shedding all his armor, but in the next moment, he moved swiftly. Amidst the interference of rain and gale, in the dim vision, the Demon Hunters found it momentarily difficult to discern his direction.

[Secret Blood Awakening 31%, has exceeded the critical value.]

This world was far more complex than Lorenzo had imagined. His once naive fantasies about the Night of the Holy Arrival now seemed laughable.

The truth veiled behind the curtain was far more complicated and terrifying than he had imagined, and he should not just perish here; he still had so much to do.

On the road to that Promised Land lay fragile floes, and only by forsaking something could one avoid falling into the chilling deep sea.

Thus, to combat this evil anomaly, humans must always forsake something, stepping willingly towards the forbidden unknown, pushing open that dark door.

In an instant, the burning Purifying Flame flared up a bit further, and every Demon Hunter felt the oppressive force before them; first came panic, then astonishment.

Being Demon Hunters themselves, they naturally knew what Lorenzo was doing. More rationally, the new Order’s Demon Hunters didn’t have the restraints of the Silver Binding Bolt, whereas Lorenzo before them was different. He was from the already destroyed old Order, like a dead man excavating his grave, stubbornly seeking revenge on this world.

The Silver Binding Bolt began preheating to melt, bringing power along with deep pain.

Lorenzo’s gaze was more serene than ever; he broke the shackles he set upon himself, not only to destroy the Demon Hunters before him but also to understand what kind of existence Watson truly was.

The erosion expanded outward as if, at this moment, he too had become something akin to a Demon.

He was waiting for something, but in the end, nothing happened.

”So, Watson, did you really manage to escape?”

The lost memories were gradually being reclaimed, leaving only the last locked door in the Memory Palace; perhaps hidden behind that door was Watson’s secret.

However, there was no need to overthink now; with burning eyes, he looked at the surrounding Demon Hunters, who were watching Lorenzo’s every move with vigilance, albeit with a touch of relief in their hearts.

They knew what a Critical Breakthrough represented for a Demon Hunter from the old Order like Lorenzo. To them, Lorenzo seemed like a hunted beast, making a last hysterical stand.

As long as they continued to delay, Lorenzo was certain to lose. Moreover, they had nothing to fear; without the constraint of the Silver Binding Bolt, the new Order’s Demon Hunters could achieve a Critical Breakthrough without any concerns.

He slowly raised two Nail Swords, holding them horizontally by his sides. The metal surfaces were washed by the heavy rain, occasionally reflecting the burning brilliance.

Lorenzo assumed a shape akin to a cross, yet somewhat like a scarecrow in a field. In the moment when thunder split across the sky and the bright white light traversed the firmament, Lorenzo moved.

After shedding the armor, his actions were incredibly swift, tearing through the wind and rain. Lightning and torrential rain disrupted the Demon Hunters’ vision, making it temporarily difficult to judge Lorenzo’s attack direction.

The Shangdafeng Demon Hunters crossed their gazes, attempting to glimpse that brief future.

Yet in that chaotic future, they could not see Lorenzo.

No, it was merely that Lorenzo did not appear in the future they saw, which was one of the flaws of the Authority·Shangdafeng. According to the Demon Hunters’ expectations, Lorenzo would attempt to break through the encirclement, and in his eyes, Michael Demon Hunter should be the priority target. Although the flames were terrifying, Lorenzo had already proven from the previous attack that he was capable of killing him.

However, under the gaze of the Shangdafeng Demon Hunters, the Michael Demon Hunters were not attacked, and meanwhile, ”the future” became ”reality.”

Scorching blood spilled into the rain curtain, the gaze under the face armor carried a tinge of terror and surprise. Medanzo Demon Hunter never anticipated that Lorenzo would ultimately choose to attack himself first; the sharp Nail Sword pierced along the gap of the armor, injuring the body beneath it.

The blade swung up, trying to slash Lorenzo, but now he had shed the armor and, together with breaking through the critical threshold, his strength and speed had reached new heights. Moreover, Lorenzo himself hadn’t realized his current difference.

Under that rain of fire, reconstructing his body was the flesh of the Holy Grail and Silencer.

With swift movements, Lorenzo didn’t retreat; instead, he stepped on the Nail Sword thrust beneath the armor, sending the blade deeper as he drew close to Medanzo Demon Hunter and leapt high.

The Nail Sword struck again upon the face armor, the weighty force crashed from above, like a massive hammer pounding on the head, Medanzo Demon Hunter only felt a wave of dizziness, and that high-pitched buzzing in his ears.

After a brief lapse of consciousness, the dense hardness reconnected the shattered iron armor, while Medanzo Demon Hunter couldn’t help but elevate the Secret Blood, fully aware of what such an action represented. He too would fall into that dark Abyss, yet the unease within urged him to make such a decision; it seemed as if by not doing so, he wouldn’t be able to withstand Lorenzo’s subsequent attacks.