Gun of Ashes

”Railway tracks?”

”Yes, I arrived here on the Iron Serpent, so where are the tracks? I want to leave this place,” Lorenzo said.

”You need to escape from here quickly. You can’t let the new Order capture you, but the Iron Serpent isn’t safe. Due to the storm, all transportation in Old Dunling is almost at a standstill. You’ll be very conspicuous,” Merlin advised Lorenzo.

”You don’t need to worry about that, Merlin.”

Merlin was silent, then raised his folding blade, pointing in the direction after the storm.

”Straight ahead, that’s the main entrance of Black Mountain Hospital, the way you came... but, Lorenzo, are you running away? Leaving Old Dunling?”

Merlin hesitantly asked. If he were Lorenzo, he would make such a decision. The Purification Mechanism and the new Order are not friendly toward Lorenzo. All Lorenzo can do is flee far away, yet with this detective’s abilities, Merlin need not worry much.

What made him hesitate was that if Lorenzo wanted to hide, the Purification Mechanism would find it hard to locate him. It wasn’t that Merlin missed this great detective; he longed for the secrets Lorenzo carried, those insights beyond the Boundary.

”Escape? I’m not sure, but if I really leave Old Dunling, I have some things to do first.”

Lorenzo stood up, gazing in the direction Merlin pointed.

”What are you going to do?”

”Fight back. Although the situation is bad right now, for me, the game has just begun. Besides, didn’t you say their target is me? If I leave here, I can also draw some fire away from you, especially since your situation seems quite dire now.”

One could clearly feel the heart-chilling erosion outbreaks beyond the rain, not just one, but several, accompanied by fierce gunfire and the large figures of Armors of Original Sin flickering.

The battle at Black Mountain Hospital had fully erupted, revealing an unbearable scent of blood amidst the cold rain.

”Can you handle it alone, Merlin?”

Lorenzo promptly asked. He was about to undertake something very risky, creating a danger he couldn’t bring Merlin into, nor leave him in a perilous setting.

”No problem.”

Merlin waved his folding blade, still stained with blood. No one knew how many unspeakable secrets this mysterious alchemist still held.

”But, Lorenzo, if you don’t come back...”

”If I don’t come back, I’ll write to you about that cursed knowledge. But I hope you prepare yourself, Merlin. Because if you truly continue exploring, it may likely trigger another... Night of the Holy Arrival within Old Dunling.”

Lorenzo felt the difficulty of this as well, finding himself trapped in the same predicament as his predecessors concerning the Boundary. The truth was right before him, but if he failed, everything would be dragged into that burning nightmare.

”Really? I see... but if behind this door lies a terrifying nightmare, will you still continue exploring, Lorenzo Holmes?” Merlin asked.

”Of course.”

Lorenzo answered without hesitation.

The two exchanged glances briefly without further conversation. Lorenzo turned and charged into the rain, the Secret Blood igniting with fervor, as the fiery heat evaporated the cold rain, engulfing him in steam.

Secret Blood was awakening, reaching its critical value.

Critical Breakthrough.

In an instant, it was as if a massive stone fell into a calm lake, stirring enormous waves.

The ascent and breakthrough of the Secret Blood lasted only a breath before calming down again. But within this brief time, the spreading erosion kept sweeping across most of the nearby area, conveying the intimidating force to everyone affected by Lorenzo.

Like fireworks burning in the night, Lorenzo became completely exposed to those watching. As expected, those folks should now redirect their focus here, unsure of how much firepower could be relieved for the Purification Mechanism. Nonetheless, Lorenzo knew that particular one would not miss this chance.

”Moriarty...”

This was no longer a war between Demon Hunters and Demons; it was a deadly struggle between Lorenzo and his nemesis. Killing a person was easy, but Lorenzo wanted to defeat Moriarty in the area he prided most.

Under the rain, everything within sight became chaotic, as if Lorenzo had entered another world, where a vast ocean was inverted by Divine Power onto the sky, thousands of waters falling, and at the horizon, a man awaited with an umbrella beside the railway.

...

”Ah... so tempting...”

Watching the silhouette gradually disappear into the rain, Merlin spoke with a somewhat envious tone.

Truth.

All alchemists have pursued the truth throughout their lives, and now Merlin could feel he was getting closer, within an arm’s reach. He had a premonition that the door leading to truth lay beyond the so-called Boundary, as long as he dared to step forward, as long as he dared to face the threat of death.

In a daze, he understood many things. Alchemists had flourished once, but over time, fewer alchemists remained, and the so-called truth had always been shrouded in a hazy veil.

If... what if an alchemist had touched upon the truth long ago? What if he had crossed the Boundary, and upon realizing the truth, he perished?

Speaking thus, the segmentation of knowledge and the lack of technology seem to have reasonable explanations. Someone in this world deliberately influences its path.

Merlin began to tremble involuntarily, as countless Merlins stood at the edge of an inner abyss trembling with fear and joy. The truth they long sought was right before them, and they no longer wished to continue the irrational pursuit of human continuity. At this moment, a somewhat ”selfish” idea slowly surfaced.

Why not go see, see the beautiful truth, even if the price would be one’s own death?

No, he couldn’t die yet. The war between humans and demons was not over; Merlin couldn’t die so selfishly.

On the edge, Merlins stirred restlessly, but suddenly, heavy footsteps sounded, and before they knew what happened, a sword blade slaughtered them. They shouted, but could not stop the unfolding events. Merlins were massacred and thrown into the abyss below, crushed against stone in a bloody mess.

The rational Merlin held the blade, crazily cutting, until all bad and selfish thoughts were killed. Only the rational Merlin remained at the cusp, looking down upon countless corpses piled into a sea.

”No, I can’t do this yet.”

Merlin muttered softly, suppressing the desire and dispelling those thoughts, knowing he couldn’t be so selfish; the Perpetual Motion Pump needed him, as did the Purification Mechanism.

From the rain, footsteps sounded again as strange creatures arrived, carrying the bloody aura even rainwater couldn’t wash away. Merlin slowly shifted his gaze to them and tightened his grip on the folding blade.

”Demon...”

Merlin watched as the creature tracked the scent of living humans, and almost at the same moment he saw it, the demon attacked. Then, amidst steel cutting through rain, the metal’s low croon vibrated.

Blood and broken bones exploded as large, hideous wounds ripped open along its chest and abdomen, with the heart and link to its head crushed. The steaming viscera scattered across cold puddles.

Merlin sheathed his folding blade slowly, expressionless. Many had never witnessed the era of alchemists when, for the pursuit of truth and miracles, alchemists had to personally gather various materials, such as hunting demons.