Gun of Ashes

Bola ran while responding, occasionally drawing the silvery Revolver to shoot at the shadows behind.

”Is this the fun you guys are talking about? You should try being stand-up comedians.”

Erin was also caught up in their pace.

”Not impossible, but that’ll have to wait until retirement; side hustles like this are against the Purification Mechanism regulations!”

As Bola continued speaking, burning debris hit his leg, causing him to stumble but he quickly caught up, cursing angrily.

Though everyone seemed at ease, their calmness varied. For Red Falcon, it was just his personality, naturally a bit absent-minded, while Bola felt a sense of desperation, as if resigning to fate in a hopeless situation.

So, where’s the assassination?

Look at the chaos in Maruri Port; this isn’t an assassination anymore—it’s a war zone. Not to mention, Nikola is committing atrocities against the city. If the Purification Mechanism’s ships cross Gaulunaro’s waters, tonight will be the opening ceremony of the Second Radiant War.

Bola’s emotions were extremely mixed; on one hand, he found himself entangled in such a wild event, on the other, he might find his name in textbooks many years later.

The teacher, smiling, stood at the podium, speaking to the children below.

”Decades ago, it was these brave warriors who initiated the Second Radiant War. Alright, everyone, recite some of their names.”

The children recited the names of this group, and the teacher watched satisfied before saying to the children.

”Then, in the afternoon, let’s go to the cemetery to lay flowers for these brave warriors.”

”What nonsense!”

A hoarse shout came from behind, seeming to find an outlet for these emotions. Bola abruptly stopped, turned around, and raised Funeral Bell decisively.

Even though he had mingled into management and ruled the Lower City District, no longer needing to fight, the experience of combat was always present in Bola’s blood, never fading.

The heavy bell tolled, bones and flesh shattered into countless fragments in the air, and the bullet accurately hit the enemy’s head, leaving a cold expression on the remaining half face, as if death was just a simple term to him.

”We have to hurry!”

Bola shouted loudly.

These warriors, blessed by Secret Blood, resembled fearless lunatics. The sea of fire couldn’t stop their actions; they survived under bombardment, their bodies ablaze, rushing forward. Some warriors had their legs blown off but continued to drive their arms, crawling on the ground.

The warriors’ intentions changed as Bola and the others joined in. They realized that doing this couldn’t stop the escape, so the warriors quickened their pace, pressing even further.

”Hey, Bola, isn’t this suicide?”

Red Falcon quipped about the figures emerging from the sea of flames behind.

”Shut up! You jinx!”

Bola cursed without even turning his head.

”What do you mean by jinx? I’m Lucky Red Falcon, see this wound, and yet I’m not dead!”

Red Falcon was somewhat disoriented, not seeing this as a battlefield, but more like an outing.

”Yeah, you might survive, but the rest of us are probably doomed—isn’t that a jinx?”

Bola regretted coming to save Red Falcon; he should’ve stayed with Nikola. At the dock, he could’ve sailed away directly if things went south, instead of this life-and-death chase.

”Whoa, they’re closing in!”

Red Falcon screamed.

The group was already exhausted, and while Hebdo was strong, carrying Red Falcon slowed him down. Moreover, the pursuers weren’t normal people but a group of warriors endowed with Secret Blood.

”Let me try!”

Eve once again revealed the Willow Blade; no one knew how many weapons this girl had concealed.

With silver light shining from her hand, Eve was about to confront the pursuers when a piercing whistle filled the air.

Almost at the same moment, a twisted, red-hot iron spear pierced a warrior, pinning him to the ground. The burning figure darted and leaped between the walls, throwing red-hot Iron Spears each time he rose, piercing one warrior after another.

”Don’t turn back, keep running!”

Lorenzo shouted at Eve, landing on the street and gripping a streetlamp. The extreme heat released from the flame easily broke the pole. With Lorenzo’s deftness, he forged a weapon from the flames like a divine craftsman.

It was a red-hot, yet-to-cool spear, twisted with a sharp spearhead.

”Oh oh oh! The savior has arrived! Hebdo, full speed ahead!”

Amid Red Falcon’s jubilant cheers, the red-hot Iron Spear was thrown with force, its dark red trajectory cutting through several people from Lorenzo’s hand.

Lorenzo was tired of figuring out what kind of madness Red Falcon was spouting—this guy never seemed normal anyway.

But something was off now; Lorenzo noticed the supporting gunfire had stopped, and over at the dock, he saw fierce steam rising on the sea, with moonlight outlining one menacing shadow after another.

”Lorenzo! Catch up!”

Eve shouted from ahead, worried as Lorenzo always engaged, creating distance from the team. She feared Lorenzo wouldn’t make it aboard if he kept getting sidetracked, despite his strength. Without a retreat, he’d surely fall.

”I know... Eve!”

Lorenzo turned to respond to Eve, but his voice was cut off by what he saw. Without any hesitation, he hurled the Iron Spear in his hand and accelerated forward.

The searing steel carried death with it, giving Eve hardly any time to think as it brushed past her, drawing blood and pain.

The Iron Spear pierced the oncoming warhorse, pinning it to the ground, brutally halting its charge, and causing the warrior atop to fall, getting crushed by the weighty beast.

”Watch out!”

Eve warned the others as Lawrence adjusted his strategy. Unable to delay Eve and the others, the final slaughter began. In this indiscriminate attack, Lorenzo would inevitably get distracted protecting everyone else.

The following warhorses surged out from the shadows of nearby streets, blindfolded and unable to see ahead, only advancing by command.

”Get outta the way!”

Hebdo had enough; he stopped, swung the Folding Blade, a warhorse grazed past him, blades clashed, and Hebdo bore an additional wound while the warrior lost an entire arm.

”Don’t stop!”

Lorenzo roared furiously seeing this; the current situation was so oppressive, he was running out of solutions to resolve it all.

Lawrence’s words echoed relentlessly at his ear, like a curse.

Lorenzo and Lawrence were different; for the lofty ideal, Lawrence could sacrifice anyone, even turning himself into a monster under this insane ideal.

But Lorenzo couldn’t. He might sacrifice himself, but he wouldn’t watch his friends die.

The melodic sound of a steam whistle echoed, and dazzling lights lit up on the sea where those warships emerged from the mist, fully revealing themselves for all to see.

Lorenzo remembered these things; they were once museum relics, now fully powered, likely with their cannons aimed this way.

The situation was worsening, and Lorenzo was nearly out of ideas...

Even the invincible Holmes might not fall, but his friends weren’t invincible; they’d feel pain, die, be hacked into cold corpses by chaos.

No... there was one more way, but should he really do it?

By any means necessary—forsake all ethics and morality, trampling on the humanity that binds oneself?

The situation left Lorenzo little time to ponder; he reached Eve’s side, reuniting with the escape team, yet frustratingly at an impasse, as the warriors with warhorses had intercepted the path ahead.

Just a bit more distance, and survival would be within reach.