Gun of Ashes

Fear climbed into Ban’er’s heart, but he quickly suppressed it. This was the moment of life and death; Ban’er swiftly drew the short dagger from his waist.

His expression was furious. What of an Evil Ghost? He believed he could ascend to the Celestial Kingdom. If he didn’t have a foothold, then he would seize one.

The Exiled People didn’t need anyone’s shelter; they were enough on their own. This was what Ban’er had been striving for.

In the unbearably hot air, Ban’er swung the dagger with all his might at the unknown thing before him. Steel clashed, sparking dazzling flames. It seemed as if he was facing an Iron Armor Knight, and Ban’er’s attack had no effect whatsoever.

His arm numbed from the intense friction, he could barely grip the dagger, but a more violent gale suddenly arose. Although the attack had yet to land, the deadly intent was already terrifying enough.

The Death God raised its scythe, swearing to take his life.

Ban’er only had time to lean back, falling backward. This might avoid Lorenzo’s deadly strike, but it was merely a temporary reprieve; lying on the ground, he had no chance to resist.

The cold flash of the Folding Blade brushed past his cheek, drawing blood, but at that moment, dense gunfire erupted, bullets rained down like a storm.

This brought Ban’er a glimmer of life, but the Folding Blade suddenly attacked again. In the darkness, Ban’er could only see a faint glow streaking by, followed by a splash of blood from his shoulder.

The pain cleared Baner’s mind a bit. He stabbed out the dagger once more but was met with a heavy punch, as if struck by a war hammer on his chest. The impact caused Ban’er’s breath to stop momentarily, and his chest throbbed with unbearable dull pain.

One person advanced with a gun, the heavy bullets perhaps couldn’t break Lorenzo’s Armor, but the kinetic energy struck him like a sledgehammer.

Lorenzo fired at the fiercest point, broken bullets flying past taking life, yet more gunfire followed, echoing in the closed space, as if thunderclouds were gathering deep underground, the muffled thunder shaking everyone listening.

Officers temporarily withdrew from the tunnel after the steam’s impact; Pres was handcuffing Em, and at this moment, the sound of thunder punishment echoed back and forth in the deep tunnel, eventually spreading to the surface.

Everyone froze in place, looking fearfully at the pitch-black entrance as if it led to Hell, where monsters were slaughtering each other, the chaotic cries extending into the present world.

Donas also hesitated; he could confirm these people had escaped into the tunnel, but what was happening there now?

With this thought, he grabbed Em next to him tightly by the collar, furiously interrogating.

”Speak, what happened inside!”

Em had fled from within; he must know something.

But this child was clearly terrified, malnourished for a long time and deprived of sunlight, his appearance was sickly, he shook his head in fear, unable to say a word.

For a long time, he thought he would die in that dark stronghold, but now that he’s out, it seems he’s fallen into greater trouble.

”I... I don’t know! I know nothing!”

Em shouted loudly that he knew nothing; he simply didn’t understand how any of this was happening, even saying he shouldn’t be alive.

A few minutes ago, he almost died in that unknown darkness, surviving merely due to Lorenzo’s negligible mercy.

He didn’t know who that monstrous man was, nor what he intended to do.

At this moment, more intense noises came from the tunnel, steel clashed violently, followed by another surge of air waves, high-temperature steam carrying dust and iron scraps hitting everyone like raindrops, some too close even got scratched by the high-speed fragments.

Iron fragments pierced into clothes, cutting open skin.

Donas looked grim; he didn’t want to give up this chance but feared the unknown in the darkness. He glanced at the officers beside him; initially, their morale was high, but they were intimidated by the sudden anomaly, faces filled with fear and worry.

The unknown in the darkness always evokes fear. He cursed softly, yet mustered courage, drawing his sidearm.

”Keep moving, follow me.”

Donas walked ahead; the officers actually wanted to refuse, but due to pressure, they had to step in once more.

In the darkness, the slaughter continued, they fired wildly, bullets relentlessly striking that eerie figure. But just like before, bullets deflected off, leaving only small sparks barely illuminating the jagged monstrosity.

Hearing had grown fuzzy, in this thunderstorm, all anyone could hear was the booming gunfire, the constant flashing sparks turning into a confusing image in their vision.

They breathed heavily; although the high-temperature air was painful, they breathed deeply, even if it burned them. The residual heat seemed to roast their insides as if fire ignited within their bodies.

Someone emptied their magazine, then drew their dagger from their waist, and swung at the Iron Armor. He wasn’t sure if the attack was effective, but besides this, they had no other way.

The nightmare monster had come for them; to this day, they didn’t know what kind of monster they faced, but they knew one thing very clearly, under these circumstances, only one side could survive.