Gun of Ashes

The next successor is Lorenzo, and during the next two activations of the Black Angel, there were also such bizarre occurrences.

”Continue trying to move, but keep the range smaller.”

Merlin said, experienced in adjusting the armor.

Lorenzo obediently moved his arm slowly, gradually becoming familiar with the foreign body until he felt as one with it.

The glow of the green light remained steady, as if everything had stabilized. Merlin took a note of the time and then said.

”Your synchronization rate with the Black Angel is approaching 100%, you should be able to use it fully.”

”What does that mean?”

Lorenzo was curious about this new term. The Armor of Original Sin was peculiar, but Lorenzo hadn’t had much interaction with it. The mobility of the Demon Hunters far exceeded it, and because of its size and uncontrollable nature, it required an efficient transportation system and Cleaners to wrap up.

This was the trump card of the Purification Mechanism, but after Lorenzo appeared, the Demon Hunters were more practical, resulting in fewer appearances of the Armor of Original Sin.

At the time, Lorenzo’s emergence was a significant blow to Merlin. The Purification Mechanism had been striving for years, but against the forbidden weapons of the Evangelical Church, it still fell short.

Fortunately, Merlin later understood that the Demon Hunters had strong single-soldier combat capabilities, making them ideal for silent beheadings in a complex city. Compared to them, the Armor of Original Sin was better suited for frontal battlefields.

”It’s like the threshold of your Secret Blood. Controlling the armor is essentially the consciousness taking over the body of a demon. Our consciousness must gradually synchronize with that flesh to drive it. But like you, there is danger. When the synchronization rate exceeds 100%, very bad things happen.”

Merlin paused and continued.

”The human consciousness might be seized by the demons... and that’s erosion, but we aren’t certain what exactly would occur. To ensure safety, we never let the driver’s synchronization rate exceed the red line. Beyond the red line is unknown territory for us.”

”Interesting, though different, it does share some similarities with Secret Blood.” Lorenzo responded.

”Yes, Lorenzo. To be precise, utilizing anything related to demons comes at a cost...”

The machine whirred, and the crane lowered an iron cable that slowly descended near the Black Angel. Despite limited vision, Lorenzo could see the approaching iron.

”Hold on to it.”

Merlin said, ”There’s clearly not enough space for you to stretch your legs here.”

With some hesitation, Lorenzo lifted his hand, his palm composed of flesh and machine tightly gripping the iron cable. The entire Black Angel was hoisted again, but this time Merlin jumped over as well. The Black Angel was covered with deadly Iron Feathers, but he chose a safe spot to sit, placing one hand near the face armor, ascending together with Lorenzo.

The entire Black Angel merged with the rails, moving slowly forward. Because the underground space was inconsistent, many passages couldn’t accommodate the size of the Armor of Original Sin, so it had to travel these cargo tracks.

”Where to next?”

”The workshop. There’s enough space and better security than here. You can be tested on more combat data. Of course, if you perform well and can ensure control, you can be allowed to the surface mines.”

Merlin spoke lightly, which made Lorenzo suspicious.

”How many times have you done this?”

”What? You mean the mines or the workshop? The Perpetual Motion Pump process is like this. Weapons stabilize in the lab, then are sent to the workshop for further testing. Once confirmed stable in the workshop, they are elevated to the surface mines. Anyway, the industrial zone is so big, the experiments here won’t leak out.”

Merlin frowned. He was actually this close because he wanted to personally test the strength of the erosion, as on data, the Black Angel seemed weaker than other armors. However, from the current sense of aversion, it’s quite normal.

”But Lorenzo, I have something to ask you.”

”Go ahead.”

Merlin glanced at the face armor beside him, knowing that beneath this steel is Lorenzo. If he had a sharp enough sword, he could easily pierce the gaps and kill Lorenzo with one blow.

”What happened during the time when you were unconscious?”

Merlin asked seriously. Earlier in the experimental field with many researchers watching, Merlin had many concerns.

After all, Lorenzo is essentially an uncontrollable lunatic, capable of unpredictable actions, especially after deploying this mysterious Black Angel.

Merlin didn’t believe everything went so smoothly; there must have been some incident.

”[Gap], [Gap] traversal.”

Lorenzo hesitated but ultimately spoke out. Merlin’s mind contained knowledge Lorenzo didn’t know, so he decided to see what surprises this Alchemist could bring him.

”That’s Lawrence’s ability.”

”But through using the Armor of Original Sin, I seem to be able to do it too. I don’t understand why.”

Lorenzo replied.

”Where did you go using [Gap] traversal?”

Merlin started to realize the gravity of the situation. He didn’t anticipate this result. Fortunately, Lorenzo wasn’t unconscious for long, suggesting he likely didn’t err much during that period.

”The Static Holy Temple.”

”The Static Holy Temple?”

Merlin was stunned, finding it hard to believe. ”Wait a minute, you returned to the Static Holy Temple? How could that be possible?”

”But that’s the truth. Despite the distance, I arrived, and it was as dilapidated as when I left during the Night of the Holy Arrival.”

Lorenzo didn’t mention the new pope. Sometimes, this information could be traded for more valuable stuff.

”After you lost consciousness, the Black Angel entered a bizarre state, expanding its erosion scope several times beyond our observation... Is this a method to extend transmission range?”

Merlin sharply noticed something but immediately thought of something else, flipping over and getting close to the cold face armor, trying to see Lorenzo’s face through the gap.

”No, Lorenzo, did you say Static Holy Temple?”

The Alchemist only now realized. He almost wanted to pry open the face armor and drag Lorenzo out to yell at him face to face.

”Did you reach there?”

Inside the armor, Lorenzo answered with a bit of fear.

”Yes, [Gap] traversal requires a beacon, an erosion process, and I hadn’t eroded there, yet I could return...”

Lorenzo pondered what it all meant.

”Unless my connection with it already existed, and thus the voice kept echoing in my mind, tracking my position through the Silver Binding Bolt...”

”No, none of this matters, Lorenzo!”

Merlin was somewhat panicked; he had never been this way. He thought after the Night of the Holy Arrival, all the mysteries of the Evangelical Church remained as only the Revelation, but now it seemed far more than that.

”While we’re unsure of the real principle of [Gap], we can confirm that it’s based on a certain consciousness, and consciousness requires a flesh body as its carrier,

meaning... the Static Holy Temple is alive.”

The sound roared, echoing in Lorenzo’s mind. He was in a daze, recalling everything from the traversal. It was apparent, yet he had missed it. At that origin site, more unknown secrets lay hidden.

The Evangelical Church... what were they hiding?

If before it was just a vague omen, now Lorenzo truly felt it. In this world, there was a gauzy veil shrouding its true form, and now a corner of it had been lifted.

Everything was so close, and then light poured down, the rails brought them into the workshop, a vast experimental field covered in iron armor. The platform moved slowly, and endless light fell from above, illuminating all things.