Gun of Ashes

The two fell together, fleeing Heaven, into the swirling thunderclouds.

The dazzling golden world had vanished, replaced by a dark, cold storm. It swung its claws, sparking brilliantly on the armor and creating deep indentations. The next moment, piercing white flames erupted from beneath the shell, pushing the armor away in an explosive blaze, casting it off far away. It broke free, gaining its freedom once more.

”Pitiful mortal...”

It gazed at the falling Flame Holder, the flames on its back almost igniting but ultimately dying out powerlessly.

To sustain its journey here, the fuel in the tank was already depleted, but it had a backup fuel tank. Yet, this was prepared for a safe landing, and once used, regardless of the outcome of the battle, the Flame Holder would plummet to the ground.

Continue the battle or escape?

It awaited the Flame Holder’s response, witnessing its fall and death. Its flickering face showed a mocking expression, but the next second, a tremendous force pulled at it, pain from the tearing flesh and bone spreading through its limbs.

Unbalanced, leading to a fall.

Amid confused vision, it saw a line piercing through the clouds.

In the clash just now, not only had the Great Sword penetrated its body, but embedded cables also did, with the Flame Holder pulling them tight, shortening the distance between them as the cables were retracted.

The same piercing white flames ignited on the Flame Holder’s body. It gripped the cables, firing at it, wave after wave of flames released in the rapid descent—some narrowly missing it, others precisely striking its chest, igniting a new round of flames under the wounds left by the Great Sword.

Meaningless, such an assault was meaningless, merely destroying its shell.

It also roared like thunder, its claws severing the cables, freeing itself from the Flame Holder’s bindings, but the distance was already enough for the Flame Holder.

The fuel tank on its back fell, dropping beneath the clouds, the backup fuel tank activated, burning fiercely, slowing the Flame Holder’s falling figure, immediately triggering a counterattack.

”Fighting with life?”

Its gaze ultimately settled on ”Roger Cruz,” flashing its sword-like claws, flying towards the Flame Holder.

To its view, the Flame Holder before it was merely the same shell. Lorenzo was hiding somewhere on the ground, remotely controlling this shell through the [Gap], otherwise, it wouldn’t abandon the backup fuel so readily, fighting high above, fully giving up everything.

The two crashed back and forth, the Flame Holder clearly aware of fuel consumption, only activating the thrust when necessary, mostly gliding using its wings, controlling its silhouette while pursuing it.

The Great Sword quickly became covered with indented scars, and after another spark-filled cleave, it could no longer maintain its integrity, completely shattering. Yet, the Flame Holder stubbornly lifted the Broken Sword, hammering it fiercely.

Separated again, lightning whistled by, composing the symphony for this splendid duel.

Another lightning bolt streaked across, like a blazing white serpent roaming the sky, as the Flame Holder hurled the Broken Sword, the cold metal spinning, soon linked by lightning, the glowing serpent followed the steel, slicing into its flesh, as the lightning roared throughout the sky.

Entangled light emitting sharp cries, as if thousands of ravens were soaring and lamenting.

The scale armor scorched black, leaving dense, red-hot textures. It spewed blood and smoke, casting blazing fire towards the Flame Holder, igniting its steel armor, tearing through layers of sturdy metal.

This was an unknown duel, under the pouring rain in Old Dunling, some lifted their heads, trying to track the Flame Holder’s figure. They could only see flames shooting into the sky, then vanishing.

Now, only thunder rumbled among the clouds, light flickering against the dark clouds as a canvas, white lightning as a brush, outlining the figures of monsters amid the harsh cold.

They chased each other like depicted in ancient frescoes, wielding claws and fangs, trying various ways to put the other to death.

Ultimately, they crashed through the dense thunderclouds, appearing once more above Old Dunling, the rain falling on the hot armor, emitting clouds of white smoke, but quickly dispersed by the whirlwind triggered by high-speed movement.

Both followed, descending, almost crashing to the ground before suddenly ascending.

Another cable held it tightly, the Flame Holder right behind it, the blazing fire on its back caught between its wings, resembling burning light wings.

They swept across the streets, shattering glass along the way, the gusting wind wrapped the broken shards, then stirred the accumulated water on the streets, creating towering waves.

In the struggle, it crashed into a tall building, with the Flame Holder following it into the building, flames flickered on the floors, the structure slightly shook, then another end was ruptured as the Flame Holder wielded a short knife, cutting deeply into its body, dragging it out of the building.

Yet, in turn, its claws easily penetrated under the Flame Holder’s armor, slightly twisting it into disarray, the broken metal resembling twisted human bodies, unidentifiable liquids seeped from power tubes, pouring over itself like the Flame Holder’s blood.

The Flame Holder attempted to counterattack, but a Secret Sword, hidden beyond the battle all along, struck out at this moment.