Gun of Ashes

”Lawrence has lived for so long, his power has surpassed our imagination. It is difficult for you to kill him unless with someone’s assistance.”

Anthony continued his analysis, recalling a name. From the report of the Static Holy Temple, another demon hunter appeared near Lawrence.

”It’s him, right? This demon hunter named Lorenzo Holmes... or should I say, detective.”

Anthony said as he took out several black-and-white photos from the file, each from a different angle but all sharing the same man’s face.

”Don’t be surprised. Although the Evangelical Church has declined, at one time we established a glorious era, didn’t we? Our techniques against demons are far more vast than what you have seen.”

Arthur took the photos, regathered his emotions, becoming cold and ruthless, ”It seems even the remaining ones couldn’t hide from you.”

”Indeed, it looks like with his help, you killed Lawrence, and you learned quite a bit about our Evangelical Church’s secrets from him as well.”

All this was within Anthony’s expectations. He was much younger and far more ruthless than Arthur. It could be said that the exiles were driven out of the place known as Seven Hills under his leadership of the Holy Hall Knights.

”So, are you going to capture this traitor?” Arthur asked with ill intent.

Lorenzo had already become a major asset to the Purification Mechanism. Without enough benefit, no one could shake the Purification Mechanism’s cooperation with Lorenzo.

”Just about. In any case, we can’t let him wander off like this.”

Anthony said emotionlessly. The secret orders continued, and the demon hunters who survived the Night of the Holy Arrival were still being hunted.

Arthur suddenly laughed. He couldn’t quite grasp Anthony’s intention.

”Revelation, Holy Grail Remains, Lorenzo Holmes... I suppose you’ll still want us to help hunt down those who have fled as well, won’t you?”

Any of these events wouldn’t be easy on their own, let alone all appearing together.

”So, Fr. Anthony, you and your Evangelical Church, that Sainy Loter behind you, what price are you willing to pay for all this?”

Arthur harbored a slight anger, but he gradually regained his old feelings. Both men were like cold machines, laying out all pros and cons, only pursuing the maximization of their own interests.

Anthony remained silent. Besides the sound of wheels spinning and colliding with the ground, there was no other sound. The cold wind poured into the carriage, stimulating their nerves.

Suddenly, Anthony laughed, with a sneer and disdain in his laughter, then he said.

”Sometimes, there’s no need to pay the price, as long as there is a common interest, right? Arthur, just like you and Lorenzo Holmes joining forces. Because you all stood against Lawrence, no price was necessary; he would help you.”

”You think we have the same interests and I will join you in capturing Lorenzo?”

Arthur found it quite absurd. Although Lorenzo was a bit neurotic, he seemed far more reliable than Anthony.

”That’s natural. Actually, there’s something I don’t understand about you. I came to meet you formally, yet you are extremely wary of me, even hostile. But what about Lorenzo Holmes?”

Anthony revealed his true intentions. More than the Holy Grail Remains, Lorenzo, the guy who keeps appearing in sight, is the best target.

”Lorenzo Holmes, a demon hunter who suddenly appeared before you. He just helped you hunt demons and gained your trust, and your understanding of him only comes from his own recounting.”

He asked, as if puzzled.

”Is it that simple for your Purification Mechanism to accept a stranger? What if what Lorenzo Holmes said was all lies? You should know him, right? He is a cunning liar, a master of misdirection and calculation. How can you be sure the Lorenzo you see is true and untainted by lies?”

Anthony said as he flung out a file. If it was Arthur pressing him hard before, now it was Anthony’s counterattack, only using words to confront in this carriage.

”Do you know who he is?”

Anthony picked up that black-and-white photo and presented it to Arthur, the photo showing the man leaning on the street corner, blowing smoke.

”Lorenzo Holmes.”

This damn face Arthur had seen many times, it’s impossible for him not to remember it.

But then Anthony coldly laughed and asked again.

”Do you know his name when he was in the Demon Hunting Order?”

Arthur fell silent. He didn’t know and wasn’t clear. At this moment, he realized that although Lorenzo provided much knowledge about demons, he never mentioned his name within the Order.

”Come on, Arthur, this file is full of intelligence related to Lorenzo Holmes, all from his time in the Demon Hunting Order. Compare it and see if he has lied.”

”Does it really matter if he lied? We at the Purification Mechanism have always been quite open about backgrounds.” Arthur countered.

Hearing this, the coldness on Anthony’s face intensified, and he directly handed those files to Arthur.

”But what if he is an extremely dangerous demon? What if he used any means to approach you, gaining your trust by killing Lawrence?”

Anthony clasped his hands together, leaning back on the chair, his voice cold, narrating that forbidden story chilly.

”The Night of the Holy Arrival brought not just destruction, but even more terrifying calamity. It was our mistake, and we are trying to make amends. My presence here is the best proof of it. On that night, although the Evangelical Church suffered heavy casualties, we successfully created an unknown weapon.”

”An unknown weapon?”

Arthur didn’t understand why Anthony had suddenly mentioned these things.

”Yes, unknown. We do not understand its nature, nor its form, not even to say its morality. Born on the Night of the Holy Arrival, the night of destruction, the participants all perished there. We only learned of its existence from the survivors’ accounts.”

”So what?”

”It is the evil born from the Holy Grail, a human attempt into the forbidden unknown.”

Recalling the intelligence given by the new pope, Anthony reflected that even reading those texts made him feel hell was before his eyes.

”According to Yanar’s intelligence, a demon hunter took it out of that hellish battlefield and thus escaped the Evangelical Church’s control.

According to the writing of those texts, it might rival the evil anomaly of the Holy Grail.”

Anthony stared straight at Arthur. This priest had come prepared from the start. Everyone misjudged his intent, their schemes, and everything in this story.

Arthur suddenly felt an unspeakable heaviness emanating from the man before him, pressing on his chest like a weight of mountains. In this narrow carriage, it suffocated him.

”Continue.”

Arthur’s gaze was equally cold as he began to understand Anthony’s words and actions, his view also freezing on that black-and-white photo, unable to move away.

”Who is the demon hunter that took the evil anomaly away?” he asked.

Anthony then slowly picked up the black-and-white photo, speaking as if the sound reverberated from eerie nether realms.

”We call him by the code number 047, the demon hunter bestowed with the name Medanzo.”

Arthur’s breathing suddenly halted. In an instant, all sounds vanished, except Anthony’s words echoing in his ears.

”And you know him as... Lorenzo Holmes.”

In the silent night, only the carriage gradually vanished into the darkness, the rumbling of its wheels crushing over mud and stones, over the passage of time, over every soul, so that evil ghosts might claw open their graves, bathing in the gentle moonlight.