Gun of Ashes

The Holy Angels fell from the firmament above, the edges of their wounds igniting in scorching white. As the flames surged, their bizarre bodies crumbled into ashes, with remnants yet unconsumed. Thus, blood poured like a torrential rain and filled the well’s bottom.

Under this meticulously imitated Well of Ascension, everything was now ready, only needing to substitute the Secret Blood with this vast Holy Grail blood for the soul’s ascension.

”Thank you, 042.”

The old man whispered, while at the same time, the Alchemy Matrix on the well’s walls and the old man’s body rhythmically emitted a brilliant light. The Holy Grail blood ceased its evaporation and was absorbed into the old man’s body, setting his aging form ablaze with a fierce flame.

He burned fiercely, like the descending dawn.

The fire seemed to possess a kind of magic power, as 042 silently watched all of this, suddenly feeling devoid of any so-called fear.

Broken bodies one after another fell down, the Demon Hunters collapsed into the blood pool, with Silver Binding Bolts melting within the crevices of their wounds.

They died as well. Indeed, humans fighting against these mysterious Silencers was somewhat too strenuous, yet there was no fear on the faces of the dead; it was the same expression as 042, a strange sense of yearning.

This was a crude ascension, for the old man had never undergone the Divine Favor Baptism, nor had he implanted the Silver Binding Bolt. It could be even said that his original body was on the verge of collapse under this massive erosion. But to reach that beautiful era, the will of mortals dominated everything.

This was also a magnificent ascension, the most perfect vessel was within reach.

Bizarre power roared and surged within his veins. The crude Well of Ascension began its final operation. Under the dazzling glow, the Holy Grail blood boiled once more into a crimson steam, drawn by an invisible force, poured into the old man’s body, igniting fierce white flames in his cloudy eyes.

Pressure and corrosion, the effects of the erosion felt like thousands of sharp blades repeatedly slicing through the old man’s will. His will was shattered, yet he stubbornly controlled it together, continuing his actions.

”Is this what a Demon Hunter is?”

The old man was somewhat obsessed with this great power. Although he had just come into contact with it, the pleasure brought by this power made him recognize the difference between a Demon Hunter and a mortal.

Perhaps... perhaps with such power, he could truly reach that beautiful era.

The Holy Grail blood gradually took over his body completely. Once it ended, he could activate the Authority, but the arrival of power also came with a cost. It was clear that the old man’s body had begun to subtly change, with malformed hardness growing on the bones, and blue veins protruding like a tangle of snakes under his pale skin.

It was close, the old man needed to act quickly before fully transforming after gaining the power during that narrow gap. He had to seize 042’s body in that brief moment; only then would it be considered a success.

His gaze fell on 042 standing before him. 042 knew he was about to die but gathered the courage to stand in the blood pool.

This time he was willing to believe in the old man before him, willing to believe in that beautiful era.

The old man smiled contentedly, then reached out, trying to touch 042’s head. It was at this moment a sharp buzzing rang out, followed by a slender silver nail piercing through the old man’s arm, nailing him to the well’s bottom.

The scene slowed at this moment: shattered flesh and blood scattering, the old man’s slightly confused gaze, and 042 falling backward from the impact.

As 042 fell into the blood pool, his gaze swept around, seeing the bizarre beings above the well’s mouth.

Unknown since when the battle had neared its end, the Shangdafeng Demon Hunters ultimately failed to withstand the Silencers’ onslaught. Countless Nail Swords like spears pinned those angel-like bodies to the well walls, yet pinned alongside them were the slain Demon Hunters.

Flesh piled on the well wall’s surface, various bloods mixed together, all pouring into the well bottom.

”Master!”

011’s roar echoed inside the well wall. He was the last remaining Demon Hunter, the whole person riding atop a Silencer, his sharp wings slashing into its flesh, while he drove a Nail Sword through the Silencer’s heart.

But that wasn’t enough to kill it, and due to the prolonged combat and the activation of Authority, 011 was already exhausted. The Silencers found an opportunity to break through the defenses.

He gritted his teeth as he twisted the Nail Sword, trying to forcefully split the Silencer’s body, but he no longer had much strength left, in the end flailing like a child’s powerless punches.

The old man stared blankly at everything, not hurrying to act but casting his gaze at the well wall above. Endless flesh still contains black arcs flickering faintly, drawing blood and bone, a new Silencer about to be born from those evil anomalies.

No, that wasn’t birth, but return. All this time, the Demon Hunters never truly killed the Silencers; they had only destroyed the shell, while the will beneath remained unscathed.

The glow of death swirled above, the old man’s gaze became vacant, then he laughed heartily.

”To combat the unknown, requires the cost of trial and error.”

He said, forcefully yanking his arm, tearing it off completely. With his other hand, he grasped the Spiral Long Nail pinned in front of him, unleashing the power within, hurling it like a spear towards the descending Silencers above.