Gun of Ashes

The Static Holy Temple has once again descended into long-lost tranquility, yet beneath this peace lurks ominous disasters.

The new Pope leaned on his sword, retreating bit by bit, finally sitting powerlessly on the steps, his eyes warily gazing at the deep wellhead.

With a trembling hand, he raised the Nail Sword, the new Pope watching the blade, striving to stop its slight shaking, but he could not. Under the pressure of will, his body was no longer as agile as before, now it was sluggish, and only after a while did the trembling blade gradually stabilize.

”Am I... almost at my limit?”

He muttered to himself, with a hint of doubt.

Unlike Lawrence and Lorenzo, the new Pope was only an ordinary Demon Hunter, the only special aspect being he was crowned with the holy name of Angel, and relied on his willpower to resist the influence of corruption, which continued from the Night of the Holy Arrival until now.

He had not obtained the credentials for ascension, and with the intensification of the corruption, he would only sink deeper into the whirlpool, unable to extricate himself.

Once resisting the influence of corruption on his own was enough to cause the new Pope headaches, but now he faced another greater trouble.

The creatures from below the well.

The new Pope was not sure exactly when it became like this, but he guessed perhaps it was after the Purification Mechanism dealt with Allen and Roger.

Following the death of these two who were closest to the end of ascension, most likely to become the ”path”, the Well of Ascension, which had been quiet for endless times, showed a rare trace of unrest.

The new Pope was also unsure if this was the so-called ”unrest”. After receiving a letter from Old Dunling, when he learned what was actually imprisoned below the well, he never rashly ventured deep into the well anymore.

But he could clearly feel the strength of corruption, forged by Holy Silver beneath the Well of Ascension, was slowly increasing, like the spreading mist gathering within the well, attempting bit by bit to crawl outside silently.

Now the forces within are not completely awake, but the entire Seven Hills is clearly affected by it, believers in the city are falling into nightmares one after another, some cannot even sleep. They stubbornly continue to praise their faith, but the new Pope knows this is futile.

The once glorious faith cannot save anyone; rather than folding hands in prayer, it is better to grasp the sharp sword.

End it, or...?

The new Pope’s heart was conflicted, by now he wasn’t sure if the Evangelical Church could continue in history. As technology progressed, ignorant faith was gradually being dragged into the shadows.

He wasn’t very concerned about this. The new church may have had faith, but all that disappeared entirely with the eruption of the Night of the Holy Arrival.

Yet now, he hasn’t found the courage to announce all this to the believers, even if the faith ends, he guesses it would take decades or even centuries, as this faith is so deeply rooted.

The new Pope believed if he ended all this, it wouldn’t be faith’s exit from history; rather, it would be another group’s madness. They would see him as a heretic, clamor that the Pope was bewitched by the Devil; they would destroy the former church, and establish their own Celestial Kingdom.

Just like Orthodoxy.

He ceased his thinking; this was something the new Pope couldn’t comprehend for now, furthermore, there was a more urgent matter at hand.

The Well of Ascension.

The new Pope could not imagine the day when the forces within the well fully awake; it could perhaps be the second Night of the Holy Arrival.

”But why, why do you awaken at this time?”

The new Pope was very puzzled.

Back then, Lorenzo, in order to persuade the new Pope, straightforwardly revealed all the secrets to him—be it the Secret Keeper, or the Devil below the well, everything was displayed before the new Pope.

So he was also aware, what was imprisoned beneath the Well of Ascension was actually the heavily damaged Inexpressible, and during the subsequent times, it always remained silent, as if dead, until a few days ago...

Was it because the ”path” was eradicated?

Suddenly the new Pope thought so, the Inexpressible was just in a slumber, but such terrifying existence could interfere with the world with merely a mumble.

It is the embodiment of disorder and chaos, its only purpose being endless ascension and expansion.

To accomplish this purpose, it can even generate the so-called ”reason” from disorder and chaos to execute all this.

Perhaps it would sooner or later fully escape due to the existence of the ”path”, as long as it lurks in darkness; but now the ”path” was eradicated, humanity retrieved the final Echo of the End, preparing for the ultimate exile.

So it couldn’t help it, it’s in unrest, trying to break out of its cage.

”Another night of Holy Arrival.”

Thus the new Pope evaluated it. Perhaps because he has experienced once, this time he wasn’t too afraid; instead, he felt a certain sense of peace.

He wasn’t seduced by the Inexpressible, because the new Pope still remembered his mission.

This is a destined ultimate battle, and if won, all this evil will be concluded.

He looked forward to the world after ending evil, though he was uncertain if he could live to witness it.

But whenever he thought of this, the new Pope felt the pressure within him lightening quite a bit, even the seething pain in his mind grew weaker.

”Your Grace.”

A voice emerged from the deep dark, followed by crisp footsteps continuously approaching.