Gun of Ashes

In the blink of an eye, a group of people surrounded Lorenzo, and Abigail continued speaking.

”It might hurt a bit, these restraints are just decorative for now. If it gets too painful, I hope you can restrain yourself and not harm others.”

”What is this for?”

Lorenzo remained calm, but to be honest, after experiencing various tests of the Perpetual Motion Pump, he really didn’t trust Black Mountain Hospital, another research institution.

”To check the extent of your corrosion. Meanwhile, please talk to me about the Pseudo Holy Grail during the check. This will help you stay conscious during it.”

”Is that so...”

Lorenzo looked suspiciously at the medical staff surrounding him. They lifted his hair, brought out scissors, and snipped along the back of his neck. Along with a slight pain, electrodes were inserted under his skin.

Next to Abigail was the testing machine, her hand poised on the switch, controlling when and at what intensity the test would begin.

”It’s starting.”

She said, pressing the switch, and a faint prickling sensation spread from the back of his neck.

”What exactly is the Pseudo Holy Grail?”

”I don’t know either.”

”You don’t know? How is that possible?” Abigail pressed.

Lorenzo hesitated for a moment, but considering he might not be able to uncover the entire truth himself, he needed to utilize Black Mountain Hospital for research.

”I forgot, just as they said, my memories are jumbled, and there are blank fragments regarding the Night of the Holy Arrival.”

”Precisely the part about the Pseudo Holy Grail, right?”

”Yes.”

Lorenzo was a liar, skilled in cunning deceits, and he held reservations about what Abigail said, especially about the Pseudo Holy Grail.

He knew some information about the Pseudo Holy Grail, but it was fragmented. Lorenzo knew Watson was transformed from anomaly 016, but he couldn’t remember the reason for the transformation. When Lorenzo regained full consciousness, Watson already had an awareness of his own, becoming known as the Pseudo Holy Grail.

That feeling was really unpleasant, having a former friend turn into an unknowable monster, hidden deep within the recesses of his consciousness.

”This isn’t very good...”

Though he couldn’t see Abigail’s face, Lorenzo felt she was likely displaying a frustrated expression at this moment.

”What is it?”

”Don’t you find it quite a coincidence? You’ve lived so long, with so many memories stored in your brain, yet it’s precisely the most crucial part that you forgot.”

As Abigail said this, she took a brain model from the shelf on the other side and began fiddling with it.

”This is Black Mountain Hospital, a research institution specializing in mental studies. Amnesia, to be precise, is called amnesiac syndrome, induced by various factors, such as brain injury or strange substances. Of course, in this colorful world, who knows what might cause such a condition.

But these factors don’t apply to you, Mr. Lorenzo Holmes.”

”What do you mean?”

Lorenzo became serious. The Purification Mechanism wanted to know what the Pseudo Holy Grail was, as did Lorenzo. At this moment, their interests temporarily aligned.

”Haven’t you realized it?” Abigail looked at Lorenzo in surprise. ”You’re a Demon Hunter! Even if you were slashed by a sword, pierced by bullets, or drank poison, as long as your Secret Blood remained boiling, all you needed was enough time and a clear mind to heal up completely.

In other words, even if there was brain trauma, unless most of your brain was directly cut away, you should still be able to heal up, right?”

”I don’t know. Generally speaking, a Demon Hunter at that level is close to becoming a Demon, power and cost are reciprocal,” Lorenzo explained.

”So theoretically, yes. If someone wanted to make you ’amnesiac,’ why would he do so, and why take the risk of carefully removing part of your brain? Just one slip, and you could die.

Right, there’s no need for that. Also, poison can be ruled out. On that damned Night of the Holy Arrival, I can’t think of a reason you’d consume a large dose of poison, and the damage it caused was such that even Secret Blood couldn’t heal it.”

Abigail suddenly stepped forward and pressed down on Lorenzo’s head, prying open his eyelids with her fingers, revealing his gray-blue eyes.

”Unless you yourself don’t want to remember those things, Mr. Lorenzo Holmes.”

For a moment, Lorenzo forgot the pain in his eyeballs, his bloodshot eyes locked on Abigail.

”What did you say?”

”With Secret Blood, you are inherently difficult to interfere with from the outside. I suspect that segment of memory is hidden by your psychological defense mechanism.”

Abigail released her grip, then flipped open Lorenzo’s other eye to observe carefully.

”You probably aren’t familiar with these terms. Simply put, psychological defense mechanisms are suppressions of the self by the ego, a subconscious... a self-protective mechanism on a psychological level.”

”To put it this way, Lorenzo, your amnesia could very well be due to this reason. After all, that Night of the Holy Arrival was really quite harrowing, wasn’t it?”

Abigail suddenly leaned in close to Lorenzo, removing his respirator, her clear voice resonating in his ears with an eerie magic power.

”You Demon Hunters accept Secret Blood to transform into beasts in order to protect a rational world. You’re known only by cold, ruthless numbers, wielding sharp Nail Swords, fighting against those Evil Anomalies night after night.