Gun of Ashes

”As for whom to fight for? I’m a scholar, you know. A scholar doesn’t need to go to the battlefield, and what do all these hodgepodge disputes have to do with me?”

The Plague Doctor murmured to himself.

The crisis of The Inexpressible meant nothing to him. As for reaching the end of Ascension to become part of The Inexpressible? The Plague Doctor had long dismissed that idea; doing so meant he would no longer be himself, and the persistence of all this time would lose its meaning.

So aside from death, it seemed the Plague Doctor truly had nothing else to do.

”What exactly do you want to say? Plague Doctor, are you begging for my mercy, seeking a reason to go on living? Or are you wishing to cleanse your sins this way?”

Lorenzo couldn’t understand the Plague Doctor, or more precisely, he couldn’t understand any of these seekers of Truth, whether it be Merlin, or Shermans, or even the Plague Doctor before him, Lorenzo always found it difficult to fathom their thoughts.

To be accurate, what Lorenzo himself pursued was fundamentally different from theirs.

Rather than pondering the Plague Doctor’s thoughts, Lorenzo at this moment would rather the Plague Doctor charge at him and have a fight. Killing was indeed the thing Lorenzo was best at.

As long as the sword swings, that’s enough.

”What do I want to say?”

The Plague Doctor seemed to have made a decision, shouting at Lorenzo.

”You go, Holmes, I’m not planning to leave.”

Lorenzo was taken aback, frozen in place.

”You are right, this is indeed the temple of Truth, and for me, it’s the best place for a burial.”

The Plague Doctor spread his arms, attempting to grasp all the knowledge here and shove it into his brain.

”What is the feeling after knowing the Truth? Holmes, in reality, it’s just nothing.

Finding it only so-so, it’s not enough...far from enough to satiate my greed.

Ultimately, Truth is just a goal, a goal that, once achieved, means we can die, completing this heroic feat.

But now I have a new idea.”

The Plague Doctor mumbled, then with a smile, loudly proclaimed.

”Holmes, I still really want to know what ’it’ is!”

”But ’it’ cannot be known outside of the room.”

The Plague Doctor pondered for a moment, then optimistically said.

”Then just stay in the room forever.”

Before Lorenzo could take any action, the Plague Doctor suddenly raised his hand and opened the Iron Coffin, a burst of white vapor surged, exposing delicate brain tissue.

”What are you doing!”

The Secret Blood surged, the blazing brightness like daylight replaced Lorenzo’s sight.

His speed was incredibly fast, akin to fleeting thunder, the Nail Sword with its chilling intent of death was hanging over the Plague Doctor’s head in the next second.

”Doing what I ought to do.”

The Plague Doctor gently picked up the brain tissue from the puddle, at the same time, scarlet tendrils spread one after another over the brain tissue, providing nourishment and maintaining life.

The sharp sword sound resonated.

The scarlet six eyes stared into Lorenzo’s pupils, the fatal Nail Sword had already fallen on the Plague Doctor’s head, a slight exertion by Lorenzo would split open the Plague Doctor’s skull.

The Nail Sword couldn’t slash down any further.

”The world outside no longer holds anything for me to yearn for, yet here it is still filled with treasures.”

Flesh entangled, pushing the Secret Keeper’s brain tissue into the Plague Doctor’s chest, the scarlet serpents wriggled, completely encasing it.

”Plague Doctor...you.”

Lorenzo held the Nail Sword high, during which he had countless opportunities to kill the Plague Doctor, because this guy had no will to resist.

But for some reason, Lorenzo couldn’t bring down the blade.

”Ah...this feeling is rather strange, it’s my first time trying it.”

The Plague Doctor moaned, a distorted tumor grew from his shoulder, twisted features emerged on it, then it ruptured, emitting cries like a child.

He completed the parasitism, or rather...symbiosis, with the Secret Keeper, the Secret Keeper’s consciousness crashed into his mind, arriving together with his memories.

It was a rather peculiar feeling, the Plague Doctor could hear the Secret Keeper’s voice, who was cursing inside his mind, unable to grasp what the current situation was.

”This guy seems pretty interesting, it won’t be too boring in the future.” The Plague Doctor said.

Lorenzo held his breath, he didn’t know what to say, nor how to describe his feelings at the moment, he merely stared intently at the Plague Doctor, while the Plague Doctor flashed him an annoying smile.

In the end, Lorenzo sighed, sheathed the Nail Sword, and silently watched the Plague Doctor, unwavering.

”After one goal ends, a new goal should be established...isn’t that what life is? Supported by one unforeseeable goal after another.”

The Plague Doctor, along with the symbiotic Secret Keeper, slowly retreated to the edge of the platform.

”You should go, Holmes.”

With a glance at Lorenzo, the scarlet six eyes turned to gaze at the darkness below, the Plague Doctor softly murmured.

”And I should go too.”

With a leap, he descended into the darkness.

During the fall, the flesh began to expand, shatter, proliferating countless scarlet tendrils that wove like a web in the darkness. Even the surging power of decay couldn’t halt the growth of the flesh; with the Authority of Yanar’s blessing, this would be nearly immortal flesh.

A massive and twisted lump of flesh swelled, filling the darkness below in an instant, enveloping the room along with dust and bones, until from one deformed mass of flesh to another, heartbeats of various frequencies echoed.

This is a tree cast from flesh, deeply rooted in the darkness, with two vague faces appearing on its wrinkled, crooked trunk.

They were graced by Ascension, continuing the duties of the sanctuary in a novel way.

”You truly are greedy, Plague Doctor.”

Lorenzo took one last look at the new Secret Keeper and turned to leave without looking back.