Gun of Ashes

Severe blood loss and corrosion interfered with his judgment, and his once firm will began to waver. As the Plague Doctor narrated, more and more images surfaced before his eyes.

At some point, Lancelot’s world became confined to the wheelchair. He was imprisoned in that ridiculous chair, requiring assistance for everything he did. Although he was the Knight Commander, bearing Victoria’s surname, as the Plague Doctor had said, he possessed far too little.

Imprisoned by the King’s Curse, he had never traveled to the distant lands of his dreams nor seen the beauty people spoke of, let alone experienced any unforgettable romance.

Indeed, the Plague Doctor was right, the world was too cruel to him. Why not choose an easier path? If he just accepted this forbidden miracle, he could survive and rid himself of that damned wheelchair like an ordinary person…

He really wanted... really wanted to stand on another continent himself, to see things he had never seen before...

Lancelot raised his head and looked at the Plague Doctor. All he needed was to say those words, to plead for a miracle from this Devil.

”Owes!”

Someone was calling his name. A sharp Willow Blade smashed through the rain and landed in front of the Plague Doctor. Eve had aimed at the Plague Doctor’s head with all her might, but due to the strong wind’s interference, it diverted considerably.

The large elevating platform had reached the ground. The survivors were all here. Upon seeing them, Lancelost’s heart suddenly throbbed, and his consciousness cleared a bit.

”No.”

He growled lowly, trying to move, but it was then he realized his dire state. Lancelot no longer had the strength to command the Armor of Original Sin. His face was pale, and the Geiger Counter had long turned red, emitting high-frequency screeches.

”Oh? I thought you would accept all this?”

The Plague Doctor said with interest. He lowered his body, his lenses reflecting Lancelot’s pale face.

This is truly fascinating, like humans observing an experiment. By now, it’s no longer just a study on the King’s Curse. The Plague Doctor wanted to know whether human will was trustworthy, whether a proud knight would bow in the face of survival.

”Or are you unwilling to accept all this in front of them? This manner can be resolved entirely. I can help you kill all of them, so no one would know Lancelot betrayed the Purification Mechanism.”

The Plague Doctor seemed to have discerned Lancelot’s thoughts. As he spoke, he moved and picked up the misaligned Willow Blade, directly slashing his wrist open.

Scarlet blood flowed down the Armor of Original Sin, merging into the waterlogged ground. This blood seemed to possess magic power, its sweet aroma attracting the Demons. In the rain that had barely calmed down, the roars of the Demons echoed once again.

”No, no, no!”

Lancelot screamed hysterically, his eyes bloodshot. He tried to stop all this, but at that moment, the armor he trusted the most would no longer move. The steam engine had unknownly ceased, and sharp scales pierced into the gaps, where the rampantly growing Demon flesh had heavily entangled the core.

Lancelot couldn’t tell whether it was tears or rain. He felt cold liquid streak across his cheek, his enraged cries finally turning into low, mournful howls.

He struck powerlessly until he pulled the valve, causing the armor to crack open. Scorching white steam gushed out, and soon it collapsed as if dead, tossing Lancelot out. His body was covered in contaminated blood, still adhered with flesh, like chains binding him to the armor.

A shadow enveloped him as the Plague Doctor looked down from above. The mighty knight had ultimately turned into such a ridiculous figure, all he held dear crushed into powder and scattered around.

The Plague Doctor placed the syringe containing the Holy Grail’s blood in the puddle before him, letting him make the final decision himself. Meanwhile, the remaining Demons drew near. Though they were few in number, for these exhausted survivors, they posed immense pressure.

...

”Owes...”

Eve looked at the fallen armor. Due to the sound of wind and rain, she couldn’t hear what they were saying. But judging by the situation before her, it seemed Owes had already lost the ability to fight.

”So is Lancelot actually called Owes? Still just a kid?”

Red Falcon couldn’t help but shout, while simultaneously swinging the Folding Blade to cut down the approaching Demons.

Now, Red Falcon felt extremely exhilarated, like an overloaded machine, full of energy yet on the verge of collapse.

”It’s truly unbelievable...”

Red Falcon sighed, reversing the Folding Blade to sever a Demon’s arm.

Eve looked curiously at Red Falcon beside her. Under the dome earlier, this guy hadn’t unleashed such combat power, but now he was like experiencing some strange awakening, firing on all cylinders.

”So were you conserving strength just now?”

This seemingly unreliable guy was actually conserving strength? Eve didn’t really believe it.

”To be precise, it was a surge of survival instinct!”

Red Falcon howled.

”The situation was so awful earlier, I thought if I died, I died. It wouldn’t change the circumstances anyway. But who would’ve thought I actually survived? I barely climbed out of Hell! Barely had a chance for life! And then more Demons appeared!”

While hacking away, Red Falcon tried to get closer to Lancelot, shouting loudly along the way.