Gun of Ashes

Arthur looked at the trail of blood left behind by Owes as he crawled. Although Owes was just a child, like everyone else, he was living for something, willing to do whatever it took, even if it meant giving up everything.

As the hooks dragged the armor, the sharp gleam of a sword tore through the rain. Arthur didn’t know exactly what Owes was living for, but he knew well enough that now, Owes had obtained what he wanted.

”No, I didn’t destroy him. On the contrary, I saved him, Swift.”

Arthur’s voice was low; he never regretted this decision.

He gave that child a path to gain miracles, even though it ended in bottomless darkness, in chilling coldness.

Swift looked at Arthur’s back, unable to understand him for a moment. The others were also silent because of Arthur’s words. Eve looked at the leaping armor with a complicated expression. She didn’t understand her feelings at that moment, but thinking of Owes’ somewhat vacant and sorrowful face inside the armor, she seemed to feel the same sadness.

”Forget about all this for now! Figure out a way to retreat!”

Joey shouted at this moment. In this situation, anyone could be sacrificed. There was no time to feel sad for others; they had to figure out a way to survive.

”What about the King’s Curse? Owes is carrying the King’s Curse; he won’t last long!”

Blue Jade anxiously asked from the side.

”Believe in him.”

Arthur also sprang into action, replying.

”In fact, the easiest way to deal with the impact of the King’s Curse on oneself is to avoid getting hit. As long as he is not wounded, the King’s Curse cannot affect him.”

The most vile aspect of the King’s Curse was that wounds could not clot. Once injured, the body would become like a leaking sack, with blood continuously pouring out.

”Don’t worry about him. As he’s shown before, he knows very well that he can’t get injured, which is why Lancelot refuses to let enemies touch him.”

A difficult problem with a simple solution, many felt it was somewhat absurd, but when that howling sound arose, the advancing thunder shattered everyone’s perception and hearing.

Lancelot dashed beneath the dome. This armor was initially designed for high mobility using hooks. He was like a flash of lightning that was hard to catch, and the demons couldn’t touch him at all. They could only feel a cold breeze pass by, and as the phantom swept past, the sharp blade sliced through their bodies.

Also wearing the First Generation Armor, Lancelot exhibited far greater power than Percival. He could control the armor perfectly, as if it was an extension of his own body.

In a short amount of time, Lancelot cleared most of the demons around. This armor’s combat style was like that of a fierce swordsman, swift and deadly, never swinging a second time to kill a demon.

But at this moment, a commotion arose at the other end of the battlefield. The iron-armored demon abandoned its attack on Percival and turned its gaze toward Lancelot.

Almost simultaneously, a hook struck the iron-armored demon, but it failed to penetrate the dense armor. However, a second hook shot into the ground beneath it. With the pulling force, Lancelot moved like a gale, and the lightweight First Generation Armor showed incredible mobility.

During the spin, he slashed around the iron-armored demon. In the piercing sound of tearing metal, multiple layers of burning sparks and metal fragments blossomed on the rugged iron armor.

The movement of the iron-armored demon was restricted by the proliferating hard armor, and its twisted body wobbled as it tried to chase Lancelot’s figure. But he was so swift, like an untouchable whirlwind, only the sensation of his escape from all sides could be felt.

Another heavy strike came. Under the output of the Armor of Original Sin, Lancelot’s hook lodged into the ceiling above, and the sword blade ferociously hacked at the thick neck. However, it was clear the attack failed again, as the dense armor continued to grow recklessly with the boiling Secret Blood.

The iron-armored demon’s actions gradually slowed down. After complete demonization, the unrestrained Secret Blood was releasing its power without hindrance, and the massive iron armor grew wildly like weeds, becoming increasingly solid and terrifying.

Lancelot tried attacking from different angles, and at that moment, Percival also moved into action. Her armor was severely damaged, but luckily it could still function in combat. She swung the great sword, attempting to attract the demon’s attention and create an opportunity for Lancelot.

”Retreat, take advantage of the time Lancelot bought us, and go quickly!”

Red Falcon shouted from the side, directing medical personnel and the wounded to retreat into the research area. With Lancelot donning the armor, Arthur’s side had some hope of survival. They initially wanted to attempt breaking out from the ground, but the mysterious Plague Doctor guarded it, and nobody knew what other abilities the Plague Doctor hadn’t shown yet.

”This is... Cleaner, broadcasting to all survivors...”

In this critical moment, a crackling sound came through on the always-silent channel. Perhaps Lancelot’s slaughter of most demons had eased the erosion’s impact, and the previously interrupted communication had somewhat resumed.

Others’ eyes lit up. Once communication resumed, others would know what happened here. With the Purification Mechanism’s deployment capability, reinforcements would arrive soon. But unlike the others, Arthur couldn’t help but feel a chill when he heard that it was the Cleaners broadcasting.

”Please… quickly...”

The voice became intermittent again.

”What did they say!”

Red Falcon shouted. Now reinforcements were their only hope. Lancelot’s fight merely delayed their death slightly.

”I’m working on it! I’m working on it!”

Bluebird grasped the communicator, but he suddenly remembered that he couldn’t repair this kind of device, and it might not be broken; it could just be interference from the erosion again.

With a clenched jaw, he violently slammed the communicator, and miraculously, the blurry voice became clear, making everyone burst into tears. However, the content of the message soon dragged them back into the abyss.

”Purification Mechanism command layer lost contact, Cleaner Squad has taken over the battlefield. According to Disaster Response Plan No. 36, response measures are being executed. All survivors who hear the broadcast should find shelter nearby.”

What are they planning to do?

People exchanged looks, but no one knew. In retrospect, everyone realized they knew little about the Cleaner Squad, understanding only that they were responsible for handling the disaster’s aftermath left by demons and were a transitional department for those retiring.

When thinking about it, that seemed to be everyone’s understanding of the Cleaners. They always wore black, appearing at the end of events, presiding over funerals for the dead.

It was as if everyone’s knowledge of the Cleaners had been distorted by something, just like how the Black Mountain Hospital was protected by an Anti-Meme. Nobody knew more deeply about this department...

”Find shelter!”

Arthur shouted at this moment. As a commander, he clearly knew what the Cleaners actually were and what that disaster response plan entailed.

Just as known within the Purification Mechanism, to tackle different disaster scenarios, the Mechanism had different response plans, and now one of them had been activated.

Arthur dragged the wounded into the tunnel of the research area, Lancelot shot his hook to hide beneath the dome, while Percival tried to take cover in a corner, picking up the previously shed external armor of the Third Generation Armor to protect herself.

And then, the somber and dark sky ignited into blazing fire, endless rain of fire tore through the rainstorm, engulfing the entire surface of the research area, incinerating those demons completely.

On the other side of this storm, the Ascalons stationed on the tracks in Old Dunling, with their immense weight, had collapsed the rails after the bombardment. The ground was covered with cracks, and the twisted rails were deeply embedded within. Around them stood Cleaners dressed in black, like night ravens moving through the night.