Gun of Ashes

In a dim and chaotic world, a cacophony of sounds reverberated, from different genders, different age groups, different emotions... they roared together, pounding heavily on Lorenzo’s spirit.

Once again, Lorenzo heard the sound of collapse, the darkness gradually shattering, revealing absolute void.

He reached out, struggling with all his might, but Lorenzo, like a drowning man, found it all in vain. He began to lose awareness, gradually becoming a numb corpse.

Light descended.

A dazzling world exploded before his eyes.

Lorenzo gasped sharply, springing up from the ground like a slingshot, as layers of dense armor overlapped around him, adding a slight sense of security.

It was a futile gesture, Lorenzo knew well that no armor, however thick, could withstand the invasion from the [Gap], but human instinct was just like that.

Still gripping the Staff Sword tightly, this made Lorenzo feel somewhat at ease as he looked around the ruins, searching for Roger’s traces.

But nothing remained in the ruins before him, apart from Lorenzo, most people lay on the ground, unconscious, while just a few struggled to stay conscious, their faces contorted painfully as they tried to rise, then fell.

The demons had fallen too, becoming corpses that no longer breathed; their flesh was still warm, but their demise was certain.

”Roger...”

With burning eyes, Lorenzo meticulously sensed the changes in erosion, only to suddenly find the surrounding corruption sharply reduced. The demons beside him had all lost their corruption. If he hadn’t seen their grotesque bodies, he might have doubted they were demons at all.

Some unknown force was suppressing the erosion, Lorenzo included, as the chaotic sounds in his mind grew louder.

He knelt halfway, pressing hard on his head, the black armor beginning to bulge inward as countless spikes pierced the skin, causing intense pain and forcing his consciousness to clear.

Blood dripped along the dark crevices.

Breathing heavily, Lorenzo could feel the pain on his skin and the tactile sensation of the black cube. The [Echo of the End] was with him, awaiting Roger’s appearance.

In such an unexpected situation, Lorenzo’s decision was always frenzied. He had plotted everything; if possible, he would fight Roger with all his might, at least not losing so easily, and gain some time.

Then, he hoped for Edron’s arrival. Lorenzo felt that as a Watcher, he wouldn’t miss this opportunity to hunt Roger.

But by that time, Lorenzo probably had no hope of survival.

Not to mention winning against the opposition, in a one-on-one situation, escaping against either of them would be lucky, let alone facing both simultaneously.

By then, Lorenzo would have only one thing left to do.

Detonate the [Echo of the End], becoming the vessel for this power, using the [Gap] to traverse, striking directly at the Well of Ascension.

It was a grand gamble, wagering Lorenzo’s life and this last hope. Lorenzo didn’t know the odds, but it was better than dying here.

”Holmes!”

Someone was calling him, not sure if it was an illusion or something else.

Lorenzo clutched the Staff Sword tightly, dense scale armor growing along his wrist, enveloping the blade to form a black Great Sword.

Flames soared, his expression furious.

Someone was coming; he shouted, ”Holmes!”

Instantly, Lorenzo swung the blade, swirling smoke and flame, this strike severing steel and iron.

A deathly sword slash, like a howling tornado, for a moment, Shao Liangye thought he was going to die. The Anti-Meme could withstand erosion, but not the sharp blade as chilling cold swept over his body, his vision shielded by swirling smoke.

The scorching afterheat finally halted in front of Shao Liangye’s neck. He swallowed, feeling a burning pain in his throat, and with Lorenzo’s breathing, he sensed the heat waves hitting him in waves.

The monster of black armor and white flame stood before him, beneath the savage face armor, seemingly enveloped by the blazing sun.

The Black Sword needed to move just a bit forward, and Shao Liangye would be beheaded by Lorenzo, but now it stopped steadily, then dropped, propped by Lorenzo on the ground.

”What... happened?”

The terrifying face armor split apart, revealing Lorenzo’s somewhat bewildered face. He glanced at Shao Liangye, almost having killed him just now.

In theory, Lorenzo would have sensed it, but it seemed like his reaction dulled for a moment, like a bird blinded, gliding chaotically.

”You’re regaining cognition; it might take a few minutes or hours.”

Shao Liangye clutched his throat, his legs twitching, not out of fear. He, too, lost ’recognition’, but from his demeanor, it seemed he was used to it.

”What happened?”

Lorenzo’s mind was in a haze, only remembering vaguely meeting Roger, then darkness.

”You detonated the Anti-Meme weapon, the one we placed below.”

Shao Liangye looked toward the other end of the ruins. After the silence, they could clearly hear the monotonous ticking sound.

Geiger index returned to normal values.

”It was a lucky mistake, I suppose? Your erupting erosion triggered it, causing the Anti-Meme to spread, instantly destroying all nearby demons. Now, before they regain cognition, we only need to finish them off one by one.”

Shao Liangye staggered, taking a few steps before turning back, ”Or we might not even need to finish them off. They’ll die in their lost cognition.”