Gun of Ashes

This terrible situation didn’t last long. The Nail Sword pierced through the gap and turned forcefully, easily severing the Plague Doctor’s long tail. The next moment, both of them fell to the bottom.

Only two dull thuds were heard as they fell onto the cold ground. Blood soaked the ground, pooling into two puddles of blood. Not far from them was the emptied pool, and from the pitch-black bottom, the Demon let out bloodthirsty pants.

”Authority · Yanar? No, the so-called Authority is just a term the Demon Hunting Order uses to mythologize demon characteristics.”

Lawrence stood up from the pool of blood. His other arm was completely broken, with bone piercing through the skin exposed outside. Even the Secret Blood healing such an injury needed some time. He used the only arm he could move to prop up the Nail Sword, wobbling as he stood.

Opposite him was the Plague Doctor’s grotesque mutated body. Most of his upper body’s flesh and blood had been cut off by Lawrence. They rolled into the darkness below, with sounds of the demon devouring the Plague Doctor’s flesh and blood, greedily enjoying the meal.

The Plague Doctor slowly stood up as well, his figure undoubtedly taller than before. His powerful arms hung down, and on the hideous wound, countless pieces of flesh were rapidly proliferating, bit by bit covering the translucent diaphragm, protecting the still-beating heart.

”That was a long time ago, so long I can hardly remember. Probably in some unknown place, a remote village.”

The Plague Doctor slowly retreated. Although he had conducted many experiments on himself, compared to Lawrence, he was slightly inferior. He leaned against the wall tiredly, then sat down powerlessly.

”At that time, an epidemic broke out in the village. I think it was called... the Black Death...”

Recalling, the Plague Doctor rarely reminisced about these things, logically they should have long been discarded into the trash heap.

”Ah... many died, bodies exposed in the wild or something... everyone lived in terror. Villagers carrying torches examined each household, and when they found slight symptoms, they would capture the person, throw them into a big pit together, and bury them when they died. I seemed very scared then, hiding in the closet, watching through the gaps.”

”They took many people, maybe my parents; I can’t quite remember. In the end, it seemed only I survived, everyone else died.”

The Plague Doctor’s voice was filled with uncertainty, unsure whether he was narrating his own story or making it up. But from that puzzled attitude, it might truly be his own story, just forgotten for too long, nearly erasing his memory.

”Since then, I’ve been thinking, is the human body too weak? Many things can easily kill us, we get hurt, feel pain, die... perhaps we need to evolve, evolve towards a higher direction.”

The Plague Doctor coughed blood painfully; under these repeated collisions, his newly replaced lenses were also shattered. The mask’s lens holes were dark, with blood continuously flowing from inside.

”Then you discovered demons?”

Lawrence asked. During his first cooperation with the Plague Doctor, he noticed the Plague Doctor had unique insights into demons, and he continuously researched these creatures.

”Yes, demons are powerful and bizarre, terrifying yet full of miracles.”

The Plague Doctor spoke while looking at his grotesque body, seemingly gathering strength, and stood up again, raising his head to face Lawrence.

”Look at these, everything we have—strength, life, power—almost all gifted to us by demons... maybe demons are our higher direction, the endpoint of evolution.”

This seemed to touch Lawrence; he murmured.

”Ascension...”

This loss of focus did not last long. Lawrence recalled the history known within the Church, then said.

”Black Death? The last major outbreak of the Black Death was at least a hundred years ago...”

Lawrence asked.

”How long have you lived, Plague Doctor?”

The Plague Doctor did not respond, seemingly finding it somewhat dull. He tore off his bird-beak mask, breathing in the air directly after a long time.

”Ah... hard to remember, just like you, like me. When we become such non-human existences, does the restricted mortal time still hold meaning for us?”

A shattered face revealed a cruel smile.