Gun of Ashes

”In order for the citizens to survive the winter, swing your sword to plunder; for the peace of the nation, declare war and swing your sword; for your own hatred, kill and chase.”

Lawrence broke free from the confinement of the Nail Sword, but simultaneously, the sharp blade severed his body into pieces, leaving him powerless and slumped beneath the stone pillar.

”And you? Is it just for revenge against me? Such a reason is too dull.”

Lorenzo looked at him expressionlessly, his voice cold.

”Eradicate the demons.”

Eradicate the demons.

Though simple words, they startled Lawrence, as he hadn’t heard such words in a long time, feeling a slight nostalgia, but then he laughed at the ridiculousness of the statement.

”For the so-called Golden Era? He often mentioned it to me long ago, supporting me to become a Cardinal for this purpose.”

Suddenly, there was a feeling of returning to years past, but regretfully, almost everyone familiar in memory was already dead.

”Do you remember our conversation on the train, Lorenzo?”

Lawrence’s voice weakened as the body was about to die.

”At that time, I mocked your ideal of eradicating demons, and you said it’s called an ideal precisely because it’s so unattainable.

Honestly, when I heard this, I was somewhat reluctant to kill you, after all, someone like you is quite nice, not to mention later finding out you were actually like me.”

Slowly raising his hand, he grabbed the Nail Sword embedded in the stone pillar, struggling with all his might to barely pull it out.

”Poetry, ideals, and far horizons, these things sound pretentious indeed, I’ve had similar thoughts as you before, but as you said, it’s too unattainable, sometimes one has to be practical.”

Lawrence supported himself with the Nail Sword, shakily standing up, pieces of flesh constantly falling off him like a dead man crawling out of the grave.

”Are you pleading for my mercy?”

Listening to Lawrence’s words, Lorenzo was utterly unmoved.

”Of course not, it’s just a rare opportunity to have a peaceful conversation with you; otherwise, we fight every time we meet, leaving no room for talk.”

”However... if those things hadn’t happened, I might indeed have joined you, Lorenzo.”

Lawrence’s tone suddenly changed, from joy to helplessness.

”I would try with all my might to persuade you to join me, or perhaps join you, but regrettably, I’m someone who struggles to trust others; the only ones I trust are myself... and the sword in my hand.”

With those words, Lorenzo resumed his motion towards Lawrence, unwilling to decipher his nonsensical rationalizations; Lorenzo intended to end everything.

”If those things hadn’t happened, if I hadn’t seen those things...”

Lawrence gazed at the murderous Lorenzo, forcing a smile.

”Perhaps dying at your hands wouldn’t be so bad.”

The sharp silver light suddenly appeared, slashing towards Lawrence’s neck.

”But... it’s not possible, Lorenzo Holmes.”

Lawrence whispered.

Although appearing like a dying man, at that moment, the remaining Secret Blood within his body ignited, a boundless fire surged from his wounds, swallowing him like a sinner receiving punishment.

”Without these damned twists, I wouldn’t mind being killed by you; but it’s still not possible! I can’t die yet!”

The blocking Nail Sword was easily shattered by Lorenzo, yet as the deadly blade neared Lawrence’s body, a withered hand emerged from the blazing fire, firmly grasping Lorenzo’s face.

”Lorenzo Holmes, take a look at my reason to swing the sword.”

His burning eyes locked with Lorenzo’s, instantaneously, a flood-like erosion engulfed everyone into a suppressive, frightening hell.

Authority: Gabriel.

The world in his eyes began to crumble, everyone froze like a mural, countless cracks ran through their forms, radiant brilliance emanated from the shattered gaps, tearing all obstacles apart.

Thoughts seemed shredded and re-forged, Lorenzo gasping, desiring action, only to find himself no longer at the theater square.

Slowly lifting his head, his body stiffened.

A boundless wasteland stretched beyond sight, flames flickered across it, wind lifting burning dry grass, countless corpses lying around, blood and wild grass mingled.

Lorenzo had been here before; this was Lawrence’s Gap.

At the distant horizon was the setting sun, hidden amidst heavy clouds, coloring the whole sky blood-red.

As he had seen before, Lorenzo looked under the remnants of the sun, seeing Lawrence as if bearing a blazing sun.

”Many years ago, Lorenzo de’ Medici mentioned the vision of the Golden Era to me; he wanted to witness that great era and sacrificed everything for it.”

Lawrence wasn’t in a hurry to attack, gazing at the blazing wilds, spoke softly.

”Lorenzo, what do you think is the most terrifying thing in the world, the hardest to understand? Is it death? Or demons? Or something else?”

Lawrence turned, silhouetted against the light, his shadow stretched long, covering Lorenzo.

Lorenzo gave no response, having little experience in Gap battles; facing Lawrence here, he was vigilant.

Demons, death, Silencer...

For a moment, Lorenzo’s mind flashed with many answers, only to hear Lawrence speak leisurely.

”Actually, it’s the human heart, Lorenzo.”

Lawrence smiled at him, then approached Lorenzo.

”Do you know the nature of the Gap?”

”Yes.”

Lorenzo replied, knowing the formation of the Gap fairly well, but after answering, he realized Lawrence’s implied meaning.

This was Lawrence’s Gap, a place forever memorable to him; at some moment in the past, what had happened here on the burning wilds, worthy of Lawrence’s eternal remembrance.

”This... this is...”

Upon realizing this, Lorenzo returned to consciousness, carefully observing the wilds.

This was a battlefield, everywhere were corpses and flames, countless weapons embedded in the ground; though Lorenzo had been here before, then it was for battle with Lawrence, leaving no time to observe surroundings.

But now it was different; Lawrence wasn’t eager to fight, and upon realizing he had Gabriel’s authority, his attitude subtly shifted; now Lorenzo clearly felt Lawrence was guiding him.

Lawrence wanted him to see something.

”Reason to swing the sword...”

Lorenzo repeated the words Lawrence had said.

Suddenly, Lorenzo realized something; he had never known Lawrence’s true motives, whether to usurp the Revelation or corrupt society and establish the Choir... from beginning to end, he hadn’t truly understood this great adversary.

Though yearning to kill Lawrence, in fact, he knew nothing about Lawrence, unable to uncover the truth beneath his mask.

Wandering the burning wilds, Lorenzo’s gaze drifted casually, then abruptly fixated.

It was Nail Sword; the weapons scattered across the wilds were Nail Swords, one after another, mottled, chipped Nail Swords.

Swiftly, Lorenzo surveyed the scattered corpses; unsurprisingly, they were Demon Hunters, one after another; hurriedly, he ran, more corpses came into view, without exception, all were Demon Hunters.

Wind lifted the yellow earth and wild grass, revealing decayed bodies beneath, as if the whole wild was a heap of countless Demon Hunter corpses.

”Human heart, human desire, human malice, human vile and filth.”

Lawrence’s voice whispered like a ghost by his ear.

”This is more frightening than demons, Lorenzo Holmes.”