Gun of Ashes

”Honestly, when I received the order to return, I was extremely resistant. I even thought about fleeing with my family, escaping to a place where the Purification Mechanism couldn’t find us. I figured you all are so busy, you probably wouldn’t have time to come after me...”

The man spoke dejectedly, but Joey didn’t dislike him for it. Despite saying such dispirited things, the guy still showed up here.

”If you thought that way, why did you come anyway?” Joey asked.

The man paused for a moment, as if remembering something, then smiled.

”Why... does that need saying? Is there any reason that beats saving the world?”

That was truly a righteous reason, and for a moment, Joey felt the man’s figure grow much taller, yet it didn’t quite match with the man in his memory. Joey asked.

”Isn’t that a lie? I thought you came for your God,” Joey teased somewhat maliciously, ”It’s a pity your God is false.”

”Ha, I knew that sort of thing long ago. Who believes in Gods these days?” The man, always devout, now seemed exceptionally rebellious with the cross hanging on him, ”It’s just a habit to mention it, changing that would be too troublesome.”

All of this was engraved into his demeanor, although he didn’t care, it always resonated with echoes.

”But you’re right, reasons are indeed false. Rather than saying it’s to save the world, it’s to save the world where my wife and daughter exist.

I too want to share a lifetime with them. But if I don’t kill those lunatics, what I long for is just emptiness.”

Joey felt he had heard these words before somewhere; he stepped aside, the carriage dim and seemingly headed towards some unknown place.

”Then... welcome back to Hell, Bluebird.”

The Iron Serpent roared through the night, with more Iron Serpents and trains rushing forward, filled with souls leaving and returning. Their names recorded in retirement lists, responding to the recall of the Purification Mechanism after a long and peaceful time.

The flows all lean towards this city, as if something is biding its time in the darkness.

...

The fire roared inside the Perpetual Motion Pump, technicians working tirelessly day and night, collaborating with the Mechanical Institute above to produce tens of tons of Holy Silver which are melted down, poured into molds, and shaped into new weapons.

Sparks and smoke splashed out, like a frozen moment from an oil painting.

The gods hammered away in the furnace, forging iron, killing the vile and elevating greatness from carcasses, crafting the extraordinary divine.

The production of Holy Silver Weapons began to skyrocket under the blessing of industrial assembly lines, with boxes upon boxes of Holy Silver Bullets stacked in warehouses, waiting for Anonymous’ Anti-Meme enchantment, ready to resist erosion, and Protective Clothing with Holy Silver layers were stocked to some extent, before coating Armor of Original Sin.

Everyone performed their duties, preparing for the opening of war.

Doctors from Black Mountain Hospital also moved amidst the busy factory, connecting underground tracks to Black Mountain Hospital to care for the technicians, preventing them from working themselves to death.

”Supervisors” roamed high above, crossing corridors in the sky, reaching the brightest depths.

”The progress is swift.”

Merlin rested both hands on the railing, looking at the hot flames below, where a faint figure could be seen, tall like a giant.

”Yes, it’s Duke Stuart’s orders after all, the priority is high.”

Nikola followed beside him, Merlin had been with him for days, though no important research required their joint effort, the two advanced together just the same.

”We’ve reinforced the original central framework, reconstructed the external armor, all installed with Holy Silver.”

As he spoke, thick chains hoisted the red-hot framework from the fiery sea, the skeleton gaunt as if a corpse.

Other armor was displayed on nearby stands, freshly painted, waiting for the central framework adjustment for assembly.

”Now what’s missing is the implantation of Demon flesh, it’s being cultivated, probably needs a bit more time before installation.”

Merlin gaze fixed on the jagged skeleton, he asked.

”What flesh are we using, the ones we cultivated before?”

”Yes, the Holy Grail flesh, so this time the overall strength of Black Angel will rise again, with the Holy Silver Armor coverage, greatly restricting the flesh’s agitation.”

Merlin shook his head, denying.

”No need to accommodate Lorenzo, no need to limit the flesh, just as long as it doesn’t breach the armor’s framework.”

”How do we solve the erosion?” Nikola asked, the major threat in the Armor of Original Sin being the erosion by Demon flesh.

”Do you believe erosion of this level could still affect Lorenzo now?”

Merlin felt these underestimations of Lorenzo, ”The Silver Binding Bolt has been removed, and the Ascended will can easily achieve Critical Breakthrough; this thing is no longer a threat but a weapon to him.”

Nikola felt a bit uneasy, he said.

”Echo of the End, Holy Silver Armor... pouring so many weapons onto him, wouldn’t we be creating another monster?”

”Lorenzo’s already a monster; it’s just that he’s on our side. Even if such trouble arises, the issue is that we survive, isn’t it?” Merlin wasn’t worried, he grew tired of considering future matters, ”If that scenario occurs, I think Lorenzo would be easier to deal with than those two monsters.”

”And I believe Mr. Holmo can understand.”

Merlin’s stiff mouth corners slightly turned upward, as if smiling.

The harsh sound of friction rang out, metal fitting together, sparking slightly, more identical armor hung on the tracks, quite different from the Armor of Original Sin.

”Has the modification of Ghostly Floating Massacre begun too?” Merlin asked.

”Yes, Jiuxia brought a large amount of Ghostly Floating Massacre, our analysis shows these weapons are more suited for holding positions, and complement the more agile Third Generation Armor well, so we added Holy Silver Armor to them, but we’re unsure how many can be modified before the great battle.”

Nikola was quite worried.

”What’s most important is the initiative in this war lies with the monsters; before they reveal their fangs, none of us know when all this madness will begin.”

He laughed wryly.

”It could be months later, or it could be the next second.”

”Such things, don’t worry too much,” Merlin looked at the busy technicians below, ”They’re like sudden death, you never know what might happen the next second.”

Nikola’s expression was odd, he looked at Merlin, somewhat suspicious, ”Are you ’joking’?”

”Kind of, people need humor sometimes, what’s wrong?”

Merlin casually replied, ”I’ve come to terms with it, facing the pressure, instead of frowning, better to be happy, you wouldn’t want to die with a resentful face, would you?”

”Death is a relief, a farewell to the world; I think for a farewell, at least show a smile or something.”

Merlin said, raising his hand, tugging at his stiff mouth corners.

”Just thinking you... feel different from before,” Nikola said, the Merlin he knew was much more serious than this.

”Of course, back then I was pursuing Truth, now Lorenzo brought Truth back, making everyone see the truth,” Merlin sighed deeply, ”I witnessed my teacher’s lifelong wish, even that of all Alchemists.”

”I guess this somewhat fulfills my wish, right?”

Nikola did not answer, while Merlin spoke to himself.

”So my life is quite fulfilled, and with such a perfect farewell, shouldn’t I at least smile, right?”