Gun of Ashes

”James Moriarty...”

A voice sounded from behind Anthony. The name brought him some delight, but also a bit of unease, as it always made him think of those cunning serpents.

”I’ve always been curious about where you found this... strange madman.”

Samuel hobbled over with a cane, looking incredibly distressed, wrapped in bandages, his face pale.

He had been hit directly by a Lacquered Antimony Flying Knife and a bullet mixed with Cantrella. Fortunately, Samuel had already pushed the Authority of Yanar to its limit, becoming almost demonized, and since the bullet didn’t hit his heart, he survived the fierce explosion and poison.

But this was just barely surviving. When the Demon Hunters dug him out of the collapsed ruins, his body was in a bizarre state, with life and death simultaneously upon it. As it healed, the flesh necrotized due to the toxin.

That brief time was like enduring hell for Samuel.

Luckily, with his strong authority, Samuel finally survived, albeit a bit disheveled, but with the Demon Hunter’s physique, his injuries were rapidly healing, and he might be ready for battle again in a few days.

”I warned you, Lorenzo Holmes is dangerous, extremely dangerous. We still don’t know the exact effect of the Pseudo Holy Grail on him, and a reckless attack will only cost us dearly.”

Anthony turned around to look at his embattled deputy. He had always given off a sense of serene calmness, but now there was a hint of anger in his voice.

”We lost three Demon Hunters in this operation. Fortunately, they were pawns we had planted in advance, and the Purification Mechanism was unaware of their existence.”

After losing the ”Revelation,” every active Demon Hunter had become incredibly precious, and their Secret Blood was the most prized possession.

”This has nothing to do with us. We also don’t know why Lorenzo was there. It was a damned encounter battle,” Samuel said.

He had just woken from a coma and had come here to report to Anthony about matters related to the operation.

”Encounter battle?”

”Yes, we successfully infiltrated the place where Shermans was stationed, but when I found Shermans, he was with Lorenzo...”

”How did he find Shermans?” Anthony asked.

”I don’t know, but I think it has something to do with that letter,” Samuel analyzed. Although he had only woken up recently, he increasingly felt that this encounter battle was filled with coincidence.

”Didn’t we also find Shermans using that letter with Secret Blood? Perhaps the letter was not given to just one person,” Samuel said. ”But what’s important about Shermans? A Cardinal exiled for so long, even in the Seven Hills, he was on the fringes of power. Why suddenly pay attention to him?”

Anthony did not answer Samuel’s question, only feeling a sense of difficulty. It was a direct order from the new Pope. He needed Shermans to confirm some matters, although his questions had already been affirmed by the old Pope, Lorenzo’s sudden contact with Shermans made Anthony suspicious.

Who sent this letter?

The New Church Order seems unaware that the Purification Mechanism has long been in contact with Shermans. Lorenzo’s sudden behavior now makes him somewhat panicked. According to the new Pope’s indications, Lorenzo is very likely Lorenzo de’ Medici, the mysterious and terrifying old man who ultimately found a way to immortality.

Perhaps all the encounters with Lorenzo before, everything he showed was just a disguise. For the guy who once led the Golden Era, Anthony felt immense pressure.

Just like this hazy rain curtain, an unknown mist enveloped Old Dunling, as Hunters and monsters walked together on the city’s streets, ready to slaughter each other upon meeting.

”Our plan has already begun, once you are ready, new instructions will be conveyed to you.”

Anthony said to Samuel.

”Moriarty’s plan?”

Samuel brought up this unsettling name once again.

”You actually agree with the actions of that madman...”

Samuel knew his words wouldn’t change anything, and it was just lip service. He considered himself a rather pathological person, but compared to Moriarty, Samuel’s affliction felt curable.

But that guy was different.

”Although Moriarty is sometimes uncontrollable, at least he can indeed bring miraculous results,” Anthony said slowly.

”So where did he come from? I never saw him when I was with the Holy Hall Knight Order, and his swordsmanship is really awful.” Samuel was a bit curious. The Demon Hunters of the New Church Order basically all came from the Holy Hall Knight Order, but Moriarty was different.

”He was handpicked by His Holiness, someone who amused His Holiness,” Anthony said.

At first, he didn’t understand either, didn’t understand what qualifications such a person had to become a Demon Hunter, until Moriarty showed him his own bizarre talent.

The talent for deception.

Fr. Anthony was the confidant of the new Pope. In the eyes of the Exiles, it was his sudden defection that led the Holy Hall Knight Order, who originally served the Cardinals, to a reversal, allowing the new Pope to seize all power overnight and wear that majestic crown.