Gun of Ashes

The Secret Blood had already surpassed its threshold, descending into deeper darkness and ascending towards a greater realm.

A raging fury of flames erupted from the wound, swirling and rising, burning Roger’s body to ash white.

The helmet was abandoned, revealing the crack between the face armor, Lorenzo saw Roger’s vacant gaze, but in the next second, light shimmered within the void, his eyes quickly moved, finally turning towards Lorenzo, a smile appeared on his hateful face.

Countless scarlet tendrils proliferated in the scorching flames, grabbing the about-to-be-thrown helmet and pulling it back to its place, flesh entwined, merging the long nails with the armor, the damaged flesh healed rapidly.

”At this level, you can’t kill me, Holmes.”

Roger raised his hand, catching the long nail that was about to fall, the nail pierced through his palm, pinning into his shoulder, but no matter how hard Lorenzo tried, it could no longer continue further.

”I can give you a chance for a fair fight, continue forward, continue this great ascension.”

Roger let out a sinister laugh.

He could feel the darkness swirling inside Lorenzo, in that deep shadow, countless menacing eyes opened, scarlet eyes peering at all existence.

[Continue.]

[Only then can you kill him.]

[Come on.]

The eerie voice echoed beside him, momentarily, Lorenzo saw scarlet pupils opening in the shadows, all staring at himself.

”The Inexpressible...”

Lorenzo froze at this sight, all of his muscles tense like iron.

In order to counter Roger, he continually ascended the Secret Blood, also ascending to an even greater realm.

He could kill a demon, with the condition that he becomes another demon.

Just like Roger, just like Ed, stepping into this seemingly endless cycle.

A loud crash resounded, Lorenzo was suddenly pushed back, smashing hard into the rear, as he just lifted himself, another long nail split the air towards him, fortunately, it didn’t pierce his body, instead, it struck hard on the side, slicing open a wound.

Lorenzo stood up, crashing through walls, widening the distance.

The Broken Dome became the arena for the two, at the top of this labyrinthine tower, they continuously clashed.

Roger lost sight of Lorenzo, but he could feel an invasive force like a scorching sun, with this perception, both clearly knew each other’s position.

”Here I come!”

Roger shouted loudly, the next moment his ethereal will crossed the limitation of matter, fiercely crashing into the shell.

The moving Lorenzo staggered a few steps, nearly falling.

A heart-rending pain echoed in his mind, Roger was attempting to invade him, just like Lorenzo did to Roger, but both had their flesh as a physical barrier, the invasion would face a certain degree of restriction, yet it still could bring influence.

His vision became chaotic with this blow, Lorenzo wiped his face, blood streaming from his nose, afterward he sensed the continuing approach of the invasion.

Roger broke through layers of walls, the burning long nail like a swiftly thrusting lance exploded before Lorenzo, pinning into the wall beside him.

Under such circumstances, it seemed there were no more choices, Lorenzo didn’t want to become a demon like them, this behavior just transferred the crisis from them, still not thoroughly resolving it.

He hoped they would hurry.

Lorenzo thought, his other hope was with the Anonymous ones, as long as he pinned Roger firmly here, buying time for the Anonymous ones to react, maybe there still could be a turn, even if he couldn’t kill Roger, he could force him to retreat.

As for what happens next... we’ll deal with that later.

Lorenzo once again drew out a blazing sun, surging flames erupted instantly, delivering heat streams, burning everything in sight red.

Fire streams flowed over the armor, Roger turned around, only to see Lorenzo retreating further, avoiding his edge.

”Are you afraid, Holmes!”

Roger laughed heartily.

After consuming the memories of a few soldiers, Roger roughly understood everything about Lorenzo, as the last Demon Hunter, the Purification Mechanism’s only hope, he bore too much burden, and now he was scurrying away right in front of him.

In Roger’s view, the glory of humanity was trivial, the more fragile Lorenzo was, the more it proved the significance of ascension.

Mortal bodies are ultimately weak, only great ascension could end all suffering.

”Haven’t you noticed yet, Roger.”

The voice echoed from afar, Lorenzo responded while running, ”You’re really a pitiful ghost.”

Mocking laughter slowly echoed, yet Roger wasn’t angered, his face was calm, steadily pushing towards despair.

The verbal dispute had no necessity, absolute reality would break down human arrogance.

The surrounding buildings creaked, under the successive slaughter and burning, even the Broken Dome could barely support itself, nearly collapsing.

They fought atop a precariously standing ruin, no one knew when the all-encompassing collapse would arrive.

Every encounter was a metallic clash, the mighty force numbed arms, the barely healed wounds also burst open, blood gushing forth, Lorenzo gritted his teeth, barely defending against Roger’s attack.

The vessel he possessed hadn’t been invaded for long, therefore the intensity was limited, but even so, it made Lorenzo difficult to handle, simultaneously, a worse matter brewed in the darkness.

Lorenzo didn’t intentionally guide it, yet under high pressure, the Secret Blood continued progressing instinctively, protecting Lorenzo.