Gun of Ashes

Edren hadn’t felt such emotions in a long time—joy and pleasure—as if his heavy shell were disintegrating, continuously becoming lighter.

The decaying, ancient soul seemed ready to break free from the body’s restraints, constantly soaring to the clouds.

Perhaps...

Perhaps this is what I’ve always wanted.

Edren suddenly thought.

In a life of deadly battles with demons, he had pursued for too long, until he was riddled with holes and utterly exhausted.

So when Watson hoped for his death, Edren wasn’t angry; instead, he felt an inexplicable sense of relief.

It must be this way because he had long been weary of it all; the so-called mission and duty had constantly bound him tightly, forcing him to continue onward.

He was too tired.

In the deepest parts of his heart, at the depths of his soul, he might have always been praying for these.

For someone to deny him, to release everything.

”What a nostalgic sight!”

Edren shouted with excitement. In his lightness, even the ceaseless whispers in his mind seemed to disappear briefly.

For Edren, this was the final war.

Like regaining youth, he strode forward powerfully.

Angels descended from the bright white lightning, the brilliant thunder light casting a ghastly white upon this battlefield of Purgatory. They were expressionless, like exquisite sculptures, spiral nails breaking open from the palms, wings sweeping down, delivering divine wrath to the grotesque mutated monsters.

From the moment Edren agreed with Watson, he rushed here, with all the Watchers mobilized, to end everything here.

Angels moved swiftly, their blank minds left only with actions based on instinct; fear and death were meaningless to them as they faithfully executed Edren’s orders.

The spiral nails left scars all over the monsters’ bodies, with large wounds splitting open, pouring out foul blood and entrails.

This was a war with no survivors, as Edren swung his sword repeatedly, the power of [Wangchuan] now filled the Death Row within, like a gas chamber, the deadly poison killing not only the monsters but solving the Watchers as well.

Edren was dying too, yet he felt no fear, just as Watson said; in the near or distant future, Edren would inevitably fall into the madness of gibberish, eventually swallowed by The Inexpressible.

He not only wanted to kill Roger but also himself.

As for what comes after...

After...

Edren smiled, casually slashing out once more, the Nail Sword shattered, the power of [Wangchuan] attached to it surging forth like a flood, engulfing the monster.

It was as if a strong acid corroded the monster’s body, scorching its skin into a blood color, then breaking open, accompanied by a bubbling hiss.

The same scorching occurred on Edren’s body; the sleeve burst open, and his exposed arm was covered with red cracks, like a doll about to shatter.

Edren didn’t think much about what comes next; he had long been resigned.

Edren had held on too tight to everything, grasping humanity firmly, arrogantly becoming a Shepherd, erecting fences, enclosing humanity within reason.

He always felt that without him, humanity would face a dark future, but now he realized it was only his arrogance.

Without him, humanity could continue; why not let go?

With this in mind, Edren drew the Nail Sword from the scabbard again; this Nail Sword, attached to the power of [Wangchuan], now emanated a fierce cold light, like an executioner’s knife ready to decapitate the criminal.

”How nostalgic, Roger; how similar all this is to before!”

Edren laughed.

”It’s also this deep, dark underground, battling abominable monsters, with these endless angels!”

The scene before him evoked Edren’s forgotten memories. Years ago, when they thought they could eradicate demons, he led these Watchers with Roger down into the Well of Ascension, facing those loathed evil anomalies together.

”It’s as if nothing has changed.”

The laughter ceased, Edren sighed, his eyes filled with deep sorrow, gazing at the monster.

”It’s just that everything can’t return.”

Angels, with flames, swooped down fiercely; each strike left massive wounds on the monster’s torso, with flames burning at the edges of the wounds.

Tentacles surged up, chasing angels, but then bone spears nailed them to the walls.

Like a forbidden ritual, the angels died in misery, pierced by jagged spears, but soon, new Thunder Groups were triggered, pulling the existing material to condense new bodies.

The monster’s counterattack was swift; some Thunder Groups hadn’t solidified but were shattered by bone spears, yet with Edren’s pressure, the strength of the Anti-Meme within Death Row constantly intensified, gradually slowing the monster’s response.

Die, then return again.

These angels, unafraid of death, repeated life and death, inflicting pain upon the monster’s body, weakening its physical reliance as much as possible, to open the door to [Gap] until one sword completely crushed the monster’s [Gap].

It’s like the scene depicted in the Gospel, where angels wielded flaming Fire Swords, slaying demons from the dark Abyss.