Gun of Ashes

”Did you kill him?”

Arthur nodded, speaking with a hint of threat.

”This is no longer an era governed by sword and shield; steel and fire are the new rulers.”

Ingwig’s industrial fires burned fiercely, and in that torrent, Lawrence was powerless to resist.

Anthony fixed his gaze on Arthur’s eyes, hoping to find some flaw within them. The atmosphere turned stiff, the carriage raced through the streets of Old Dunling, clearing away the mist it stirred up.

”No... You couldn’t have done it alone. A monster like Lawrence, he’s lived so long, the longer a Demon Hunter lives, the stronger he becomes...”

After a brief shock, Anthony regained his composure and spoke quietly.

”What do you mean? Aging?” Arthur clearly did not understand his words.

”Consider this my sincerity. This is one of the many secrets unknown to others. Demon Hunters never have a peaceful end. This is because they are secretly executed once they reach a certain age, but Lawrence is an exception. This monster has lived so long, no one can balance against him anymore.”

Seeing this, Anthony also appropriately revealed a certain amount of secret.

This time, Anthony’s attitude truly seemed like he wanted to have a good talk with Arthur as he continued.

”Due to the intensity of fighting demons, the casualties among Demon Hunters are high, but there’s always a portion who survive. Yet as they age, their will weakens, while the demon’s power grows stronger.”

”So what?” Arthur signaled him to continue, ”This is a good start, Anthony, this is what real intelligence exchange looks like.”

Anthony paused momentarily, hesitated a bit but continued speaking. He wasn’t calculating the pros and cons anymore.

”You’ve tried to replicate the Secret Blood technology as well, right?”

There was no need to deny it, Arthur nodded affirmatively. In fact, Ranger technology is horizontally compared with Secret Blood technology. It was born from secret research deep within Black Mountain Hospital, but was eventually halted due to numerous reasons.

”In fact, Secret Blood technology is about injecting demon blood into a Demon Hunter’s body. But we know that blood dies, like the blood in the human body. It dies, gets metabolized, then new blood comes from the body’s hematopoietic system to replace the old.”

Anthony tried explaining this to Arthur. He didn’t know all the specifics, despite his position as the new Dean, he might count as the most miserable Dean in the history of the Demon Hunting Order, taking office during such chaotic and difficult times in the Evangelical Church, and if he couldn’t retrieve the ’Revelation’, he might very well be the last Dean.

”So what?”

”So, no matter how bizarre and resilient the Secret Blood is, after the passage of time, it will also die and be metabolized out of the body of the Qualified.”

Anthony’s voice became fervent.

”Yet Demon Hunters do not lose their strength over time. This is precisely because while Secret Blood grants them power, it’s also transforming them piece by piece, until the body’s hematopoietic system starts producing small amounts of Secret Blood to maintain the existence of Secret Blood within.”

”This is the core of ’Revelation’, how to refine Secret Blood. But all of this can be completed within the human body with the transformation of Secret Blood.”

Anthony looked at the silently brooding Arthur. The speeding carriage seemed to turn into a rumbling train, heading towards some unknown place. They might reach there, or perhaps perish along the way.

”As they age, this transformation becomes ever more complete. It’s a form of... demonization, rational demonization.

Bones, viscera, muscles—all begin to deviate from the normal, the body gradually dominated by Secret Blood... Do you understand my meaning?”

Arthur nodded stiffly, then slowly began speaking.

”Lawrence betrayed you, initiated the Night of the Holy Arrival... It was his long-planned conspiracy, and your coercion, wasn’t it?”

Anthony replied with a blank expression.

”Demon Hunters did not lose control, but over time they continued to demonize. The longer time passes, the deeper their demonization becomes, until from inside out they’re different from ordinary people. And then, they pass the critical point, causing the Secret Blood within to fully awaken... It’s an uncontrollable disaster.”

”So the Demon Hunters have a lifespan, but Lawrence clung on with the power of Cardinal Medici. The longer he lived, the more dangerous he became, his aging will could not harness the body demonized by Secret Blood. We cannot tolerate such risks.”

Arthur could hardly believe it, and then felt some irony, he laughed.

”So this is all a consequence of your own doing?”

”Not exactly, just an old will fearing death.

Demon Hunters look stable, maintaining the human form we are familiar with. But under that shell lies completely different flesh and blood, a body corrupted and transformed by Secret Blood.”

Anthony’s calmness was chilling. Arthur couldn’t help but think of Lorenzo, Demon Hunters are like this, neither belonging to the human nor the demon, surviving resolutely in the gaps.

”I think you can understand this. Just like your Knights, when they become increasingly dangerous, you would do the same, wouldn’t you?”

Arthur was taken aback, he wanted to say something in rebuttal, but thinking of those who lie in Black Mountain Hospital, already lost their sanity, his voice weakened again.

He was old, nowhere near as decisive as when he was young. Once he might have been as ruthless as Anthony, but time cracked the solid walls he built.