Gun of Ashes

”It’s all up to you now, Lorenzo.”

Bola, who had been following closely behind, suddenly spoke. He patted Lorenzo’s shoulder and then ran to the edge of the workshop.

A chain fell from above, Bola grabbed it, and with his foot on the protruding end of the chain, he was pulled up as the winch turned, drawing him into the sky.

”Sword Dancer is in position.”

Another Third Generation Armor appeared atop the dome. After the storm at Black Mountain Hospital, at Bola’s strong request, his ride was replaced with the safer Third Generation Armor, but since some armors were custom-made for the driver, Bola’s was still being crafted in the furnace. For now, he had to settle for this mass-produced Sword Dancer.

Two sharp Giant Blades glowed coldly, and all security arms were ready.

”’Red Signal’ begins.”

Merlin spoke into the communicator.

The surrounding lights turned to alert yellow, constantly flashing on and off, and the steel gates behind slowly closed together like interlocking fangs, biting hard against each other. Then, a gentle drizzle fell from the dome, and the Neutralizing Liquid washed over the dirty workshop.

”So, who is the final experiment target?”

The gentle drizzle cooled down the stuffy underground facility considerably. Feeling the refreshing chill, Lorenzo remembered to ask this question.

”William, the former chief of the Perpetual Motion Pump technology, a key figure in the Red Signal incident.”

Merlin said as he stepped forward. Medical personnel had been on standby nearby, and as the experiment began, they cleared the path, revealing the equipment at the center of the workshop.

It was a piece of equipment similar to an electric chair. Lorenzo recalled sitting in such a horrid device when he underwent a checkup at Black Mountain Hospital—back then, the doctors called the place where Lorenzo sat the ”birdcage.”

”He didn’t report it and privately initiated a secret experiment. Shortly after, the experiment got out of control, and terrifying erosion erupted from inside the Perpetual Motion Pump. Afterward, we investigated the defenses and found no traces of Demon invasion, meaning the erosion appeared out of nowhere. Subsequently, detailed information about the experiment vanished in the eruption, and the main participants either turned into Demons or, like him, went mad.”

Merlin arrived in front of the electric chair, where an elderly man with clouded consciousness was tied up. His appearance had been deliberately altered to make him seem not quite so haggard.

”So pitiful, once an incredibly wise soul, now imprisoned in such a wretched body...”

Merlin sighed.

”So you’re planning to expose him to the erosion again and carry out the unfinished transformation, thereby obtaining intelligence regarding the Red Signal? You should know what this means; after the experiment starts, William’s life will only last a few minutes, and the transformed him is doomed to be killed.”

Lorenzo asked. For a fleeting moment, he considered using Authority Gabriel, but recalled Watson’s warning, making him quite hesitant.

”What we need is a Wise Man who can lead us to trace the Demon origin, not a lunatic consumed by madness. In fact, William was already dead during the Red Signal incident; the current him is just a pathetic, walking corpse.”

Merlin was unwavering. Upon understanding all this, he had made up his mind resolutely. Now, he was extraordinarily rational.

”What we’re doing now is to bring William back to life, to bring back the William who was once a beacon of hope.”

”What about the Demon?”

Lorenzo said no more. With Merlin’s firm stance, all that remained was execution. He glanced around, unable to find any traces of Demon. Since the beginning, the workshop had been sealed.

”Demon?”

Merlin listened to Lorenzo’s words, turned around, and with absolute rationality, he was cold like a machine.

”Isn’t there one here right now?”

Merlin said, his empty gaze landing on Lorenzo.