Gun of Ashes

He had some doubts about himself.

Frankly, Lorenzo wasn’t very confident about the upcoming battle. With his current strength, he was sure he could kill Lawrence, but killing his physical body would only destroy a mere shell.

He needed to kill Lawrence’s soul, utterly annihilate his Gap.

This inevitably required fighting within the Gap. Although he mastered the Authority of Gabriel, due to his reverence for this power, Lorenzo hadn’t used it frequently, let alone fought inside the Gap.

The only memory he had of fighting Lawrence in the Gap was with Watson’s help, and even then, he failed to kill Lawrence, allowing him to easily escape.

”Lawrence, just how many secrets do you still hold?”

Lorenzo gazed into the depths of the fire, whispering softly.

He realized he might never have truly understood Lawrence as a person. Lorenzo knew nothing of his past or his future, and even Lawrence’s goals remained a mystery to him.

Stealing the Revelation, creating Secret Blood, founding the Choir.

The old Order had already been destroyed, so why was he so obsessed with the power of Secret Blood?

”What exactly are you trying to do?”

No one answered Lorenzo’s question, only the sound of gravel rolling echoed amidst the burning flames.

A swaying silhouette gradually came into focus. Lawrence leaned on the Nail Sword, slightly burned red, raising his head. The pitch-black mask faced Lorenzo on the dome.

”You haven’t improved much, Lorenzo, still using these meaningless tricks even now.”

Lawrence tore off the flaming crimson robe, burning away the other fabrics with it.

He stood bare-chested, his torso covered in scars left by Lorenzo. Most had healed, but some faint red marks remained. He wielded dual swords, and in the next moment leaped like a meteor.

Lorenzo didn’t make a sound; in truth, the questions he pondered weren’t really questions. As long as he could kill Lawrence, he would find all the answers in his shattered Gap.

Thinking this, his previously oppressive mood suddenly felt a bit lighter for some unknown reason.

Lorenzo let go, allowing himself to fall into the sea of fire.

The two met mid-air, their swinging swords moving beyond ordinary observation speed, countless sparks flying in the void, resounding once more the symphony of steel.

”Awaken, the monsters within my body...”

Lorenzo murmured, surrendering his body to the darkness.

[Secret Blood Awakening 31%.]

Critical Breakthrough.

Furious erosion erupted from beneath the pitch-black armor, while more intense flames surged from the crevices, as if what’s wrapped inside the armor was no longer flesh, but a scorching sun.

At this moment, the Nail Sword made of Pine Iron displayed its advantage. Under the blessing of Mountain-Opening Power, it tore through with Purifying Flame, pulling out a burning crescent.

The cold moonlight completely swallowed both of them.

Lawrence’s Nail Sword shattered; it couldn’t resist against Lorenzo’s slashes.

A terrifying scar burst from Lawrence’s left shoulder, slicing diagonally down, severing his ribs one by one, bones shattered, flesh splattering. The Nail Sword kept slashing down to the waist and abdomen, just a bit more force and it could even cleave half of Lawrence’s body off.

The blood hadn’t yet spilled before being evaporated by the scorching heat, the air filled with a boiling bloody scent, the terrifying wound ignited like a tree hit by lightning, flames roaring from within Lawrence’s body.

The trajectory of the slash veered dangerously close to Lawrence’s heart, almost severing it. Looking through the burning wound, a membrane of flesh covered it, barely allowing a view of the beating heart within.

This was an unexpected strike. Who would have thought Lorenzo would choose Critical Breakthrough at this moment of combat, bringing forth power that shattered Lawrence’s expectations of Lorenzo.

Winchester pushed into the gaping wound without hesitation. Lorenzo pulled the trigger.

Even more intense flames erupted from the wound, as if almost hollowing out Lawrence’s body, the Dragon Breath Bullet’s metal casing sliced into flesh, fracturing Lawrence’s spine into segments.

Yes, just like that.

Lorenzo repeatedly pulled the trigger, utterly destroying the broken body.

At the moment of Lawrence’s physical death, he would definitely activate the Authority of Gabriel to find a new body, but at that moment, without a host, he would be most vulnerable.

Lorenzo prepared to invade Lawrence’s Gap at this moment, just like the ferocious strike right after the Critical Breakthrough, this unexpected assault would definitely catch him off guard.

Finally, the Nail Sword pinned into his neck, Lawrence’s head twisted at a bizarre angle, like he was dead, and the shattered body fell into the sea of fire.

Lorenzo stabbed his sword into the wall, fixing himself to the high wall nearby.

Sensing the invisible force, Lorenzo sought to intercept Lawrence’s Gap traversal.

But nothing happened. His gaze then fell into the fire. He didn’t know, could it be that Lawrence just died like that, abandoning Gap invasion? No, it’s impossible, that kind of guy wouldn’t give up so easily.

A spine-chilling sound arose from the fire, like countless insects gnawing on flesh, or the intricate sound of threads weaving through.