Gun of Ashes

The shattered figure slowly stood up.

”Lorenzo... your understanding of Demons and Secret Blood is still too shallow...”

The voice was hoarse, intermittent.

The firelight illuminated Lawrence.

Countless red threads covered the hideous wound, connecting the severed edges, pulling up the collapsed half of the body bit by bit, stitching it back together.

The flesh and blood inside the body twisted forcefully, resetting the broken bones to their original positions.

Lawrence raised his hand and grabbed the Nail Sword piercing through his neck and chest, slowly pulling it out. The trachea was no longer compressed by the metal, and his voice became clearer.

”It seems as Dean, I still need to teach you some new knowledge...”

His voice carried an eerie smile, his body still engulfed in flames, like a revenant crawling out of the lava of Hell.

”This... how could it be possible.”

Lorenzo’s pupils nearly froze; the Dragon Breath Bullet had shattered his heart, even the flesh turned to ashes, and the Nail Sword pierced through his neck, destroying the spine and flesh together.

But Lawrence hadn’t died; he was still alive, exceeding the threshold enhanced by the Silencer’s flesh and blood.

This... this is...

Critical Breakthrough.

Countless red threads wildly danced around Lawrence like tentacles, greedily devouring the surrounding material, as he slowly walked towards Lorenzo by the high wall.

There was only one answer left, Lorenzo whispered anxiously.

”Authority·Yanar.”

Simple yet pure authority, under the circumstance of Critical Breakthrough, the power of immortality was granted to this body.

”This is impossible, the burden of dual powers would cause a Demon Hunter to collapse!”

Lorenzo still remembered the knowledge learned in the Demon Hunting Order, the Alchemy Matrix would be engraved on the back of the Demon Hunter, channeling the power within the Secret Blood, allowing the Demon Hunter to grasp this extraordinary authority.

But power comes at a price, when a Demon Hunter uses authority, they are awakening the forbidden Secret Blood, and once the authority used exceeds multiple, the awakened Secret Blood becomes increasingly terrifying, with the corrosive pressure also multiplying.

Sanity would be instantly devoured, turning into a frenzied Demon.

”Yes, dual powers are forbidden because mortals cannot harness this power... but I’m different, Lorenzo, I’ve already obtained the [Credentials], I’ve been [Ascended].”

The voice beneath the mask was calm yet mad.

”Are you afraid, Lorenzo?”

Lorenzo did not reply, only feeling a profound suffocation.

Is this Lawrence’s trump card? Does he have other tricks? How could he be defeated?

Countless questions flashed through his mind, but no answer came forth.

”Monster...”

Through gritted teeth, a resentful sound emerged, Lorenzo again tightened his grip on the Nail Sword.

Everything seemed to return to that snowstorm-covered train, facing this insoluble foe like Lawrence, feeling that deep despair.

No... no despair yet.

Even Lorenzo didn’t notice, an eerie smile emerged on his face, as though the familiar soul within his body had been replaced by some viscous, contorted, and dark entity.

”Monster?”

Lawrence halted, looking at Lorenzo in puzzlement, then as if realizing something, began to laugh uncontrollably.

”Lorenzo Holmes!”

Lawrence laughed, his voice echoing in this dreadful Hell.

”Lorenzo Holmes, haven’t you noticed yet?”

Beneath the mask, Lawrence’s expression mirrored Lorenzo’s, a twisted, bizarre laughter.

”You call me a monster? But you are too! You’ve also obtained the [Credentials], achieved [Ascension]!”

Lawrence spread his arms, sword pointed at the sea of flames.

This boiling, burning sea of fire, seemingly never extinguishing, though all combustible materials had turned to ashes, they cling like the undead to rocks and dead things, releasing light and heat.

”Such captivating blood...”

Lawrence breathed heavily, inhaling the scent of blood permeating the air.

All power originates from the Secret Blood, even after endless ages, Lawrence still didn’t understand its essence.

”Monster...”

Gazing at the Black Armor Knight on the high wall, endless flames boiled and surged within the armor’s gaps, soon the Scale Armor would shatter, no longer able to restrain the raging flames, at which time the light of judgment would destroy everything in the world.

Authority·Michael.