Gun of Ashes

”Target is conscious, condition is stable.”

Amidst the drizzling rain, the security squad that rushed in subsequently quickly detained Lorenzo, and then medical personnel began examining both men.

Lorenzo obediently sat on the wreckage of the steel, allowing these people in white coats to examine him thoroughly, with some occasionally pulling down his eyelids to inspect his pupils. Meanwhile, Night Owl was lifted onto a stretcher, the heavy burden finally lifted, and he fell unconscious, not knowing where these white coats would take him.

Heavy cables gradually descended from the rail, attaching one by one to the Black Angel, lifting this eerie armor while the rain washed away the blood, gathering into a pale red fluid that dripped down.

As if something had triggered, the Black Angel moved once more, its broken wings slowly closing, completely enveloping itself, transforming back into that pitch-black egg shape.

During this process, the proliferated flesh also withered and died, retracting beneath the steel, and the scarlet eye on the face armor shattered, leaving only a hollow black gap, like an iron shell that had lost its soul.

”How are you feeling, Lorenzo?”

The lift platform descended to the ground as Merlin and Nikola walked over one after another.

Merlin had once again adopted that cold, hollow demeanor; in pursuit of that beautiful ideal, they all lived suppressing their emotions.

”Not bad, the erosion does exist, but it only somewhat affects my judgment, not enough to control me.”

Lorenzo answered directly and in detail.

”Like this thing here.”

He said, patting the wreck of the Sword Dancer beneath him.

”I just wanted to make it lose mobility, but that kind of...”

”Amplification of negative emotions, those unspeakable malices, right?”

Merlin replied directly, knowing all too well. Even though the power of the demon remains bizarre, that void of power has gradually gained a vague outline with deeper understanding.

”Hmm... more or less, it makes me more belligerent, angrier, but it’s only a degree of guidance that I can ultimately control.”

Lorenzo looked up at the Black Angel gradually disappearing on the rail; it was a double-edged sword, but Lorenzo could hold it firmly.

”We’ve collected a lot of data. In fact, you’re considered the most suitable pilot for the Black Angel.”

Merlin glanced at the records on the paper, then said intentionally or unintentionally.

”Me? No, I think I’ll pass.”

Lorenzo declined directly without much thought.

”Why? I thought you would like it, after all, it is indeed powerful.”

Merlin was a bit surprised by Lorenzo’s straightforward refusal; he had expected Lorenzo to be infatuated with it.

”Powerful is powerful, but it also has its drawbacks. It’s not like a sword or a gun that I can carry with me at all times, right? Plus, I’m already strong enough; Medanzo’s authority protects me, and my mobility and stability aren’t any weaker than it.”

Lorenzo thought carefully, then said with some seriousness.

”Even when facing the Sword Dancer again, I’m confident I could deal with it in the way of a Demon Hunter.”

If the propulsion system is destroyed, the threat of a Sword Dancer would be greatly reduced, and without mobility, its bulky body couldn’t keep up with the agile Demon Hunter. The external armor might seem tight, but it would only be so against another piece of armor or another group of demons.

Just like in a duel between knights, the gaps in the armor would be the most fatal weakness, and Lorenzo was confident he could drive a sword right through the gap into the cockpit.

”In terms of portability, it certainly can’t compare to those weapons. Of course, that’s also why we’re heavily developing the Midcourt Serpent system; elsewhere I won’t say, but at least in Old Dunling, we’re very confident about rapid deployment.”

Merlin continued, raising a point.

With the development of the Purification Mechanism over so many years, Old Dunling had essentially been transformed into a fortress, though the residents there never realized it.

The giant serpent surrounding the Midcourt had already wrapped its massive body around every part of Old Dunling, and even Ingwig, paired with the Peeping Tom System, forming the basis for the rapid response team headed by Lancelot to quickly deploy into the field when demons appeared.

The mysterious Cleaner Squad subsequently handled the aftermath of battles, perfectly resolving damaged sites, littered bodies, or panicked crowds, as if it all were but a strange nightmare, leaving nothing but void upon waking.

”Indeed...”

Lorenzo agreed with these words, recognizing the vastly different approaches of the Purification Mechanism and the Demon Hunting Order, one edging towards the modern, while the other grew increasingly ancient.

”However, the Black Angel still has those tempting features, like gap traversal.”

Lorenzo said softly, a secret currently known only to Merlin and him.

Merlin nodded, ”I’ll have the Black Angel sealed up. We’ll discuss the enhancement plan for you and the Black Angel later, and as for those gaps...”

The gains from this test were too numerous, not only initially determining the future direction of armor development but also confirming the strangeness within the Evangelical Church, proving they were far from as simple as they appeared.

”These things we need to discuss carefully, though that’s a matter for later. For now, take a break, Lorenzo.”