Gun of Ashes

Under the continuous slaughter of these two monsters, even the sturdy Broken Dome could no longer withstand it all, and began to collapse amidst the burning flames.

The ground beneath their feet gave way, dragging Lorenzo and Roger into the dust and smoke.

Lorenzo lost sight of Roger but could feel the intense erosion still lingering around him; he wasn’t dead yet.

The two fell to the next level. Without waiting to catch their breath, Lorenzo swung the Great Sword again, dispersing the surrounding smoke, and saw Roger staggering; he didn’t dodge but stood not far before Lorenzo.

The massive wound on his chest was difficult to heal now, and countless tentacles could be seen flying about, as if his chest had turned into a giant, grotesque maw ready to devour life.

”You’ve advanced again, Holmes.”

Roger’s voice was hoarse; the sword Lorenzo had just swung nearly severed his spine.

”But then what? You should know this isn’t all my power. When the time comes, what will you do? Make more compromises toward the darkness?”

He laughed loudly, Lorenzo’s behavior once again proving the correctness of Ascension. In the face of unimaginable power, all humans can do is adapt.

Lorenzo didn’t respond. Amid the dissipating smoke, the pitch-black wolf dragged the Great Sword, and flames rose under his twisted Face Armor, as if his scorching gaze were fixed on Roger.

Roger widened his steps. In the next instant, the figures of both twisted into rapid black shadows, continually expanding the scope of battle, turning the burning Broken Dome into a bloody battlefield.

He had realized the new Authority Lorenzo possessed, which like extraordinary power could achieve such precise predictions. Yet similarly, this power also had corresponding flaws, and between two predictions, there would be a blank vacuum period during which Lorenzo could only fight by instinct.

Heavy metal clashed together once again; Lorenzo’s sword strike was blocked while Roger showed a smile, but then a sudden kick slammed into Roger, sending him spiraling into the air.

He crashed through the ceiling, continuing upwards, while Lorenzo at this moment clenched the Great Sword with both hands, hurling it upward like a spear piercing the sky.

A dual impact propelled Roger until he smashed through the last layer of barrier, the lead-gray sky met his eyes, winds and cold rain interweaving, and he fell heavily on the dome. The Great Sword began to fall, stabbing into the ground not far from him.

Roger had just stood up when a sharp claw gripped the damaged edge; Lorenzo climbed up along the path the battle carved.

He hunched his body like a frenzied beast, Lorenzo approached slowly and picked up the Great Sword once more.

Roger gasped blood, his figure nearly falling.

A golden light enveloped them both, forcing Lorenzo and Roger to halt and raise their heads, where something seemed to burn within the clouds before falling.

The stars descended.

Dozens of Spears of Melting disintegrated and burned in mid-air, evenly blessing the top of the dome.

The Iron Whale wandered through the surrounding clouds, and after exposing both of them to sight, they began suppressive fire, indiscriminate shooting through the sky.

Fire and iron rain scoured the dome, burning debris pierced the ground, clinking against the Armor before springing loose. The two ignored the unexpected noise, stepping forward toward one another again.

They drew close, swords drawn and bows strung, clashing in that moment, an invisible impact spread, pounding their spirits.

This time the influence directly penetrated through Armor and flesh, striking consciousness.

”Hey! It’s a hit!”

An old voice sounded from within the gale; Lorenzo looked up, and from afar saw not just one Iron Whale circling here but another already neared the dome; its hatch opened, and Left Garrison strapped with safety cords raised his weapon.

Anonymous had finally arrived at the battlefield after Lorenzo delayed, pouring ammo safeguarded by Anti-Meme Protection onto the dome. Invisible rumblings mixed with cold metal, further disturbing Lorenzo and Roger.

Cognition was slightly shaken, as if the soul was expelled from the body, but quickly Lorenzo regained awareness.

Roger was limited by his vessel, hence more affected than himself, undeniably enhancing his odds.

The moment of decision was upon them.

Lorenzo hoisted the Great Sword and charged.

...

”So which is Lorenzo, and which is Roger?”

Faced with such a deadly scenario, Left Garrison didn’t seem tense, smiling easily and pointing at the two in battle to inquire about their identities.

”I... I’m not really sure either.”

Next to him, Gawain also appeared hesitant. The two monsters fought fiercely, covered in heavy Armor, making recognition near impossible.

”Forget it; it doesn’t matter. They’re too close together. Even the most precise Anti-Meme strike would affect them both.”

Left Garrison spoke while reloading his weapon, a finely crafted piece of art, firing only single shots and needing to reload after each.

”The right sword fitting the right sheath, wouldn’t you say, Fallen Star?”

He aimed at the target, speaking softly to his weapon.

Pulling the trigger, the echoing voice shattered by the crack of gunfire, an elusive bullet track extended, connecting the muzzle to the target.

Lorenzo’s eyes ignited with a gray-white world again, ignoring the cascading fiery rain to focus only on Roger standing still.

He saw it.

Roger made no additional moves, exhausted, rooted in place, unsure how to combat Lorenzo, attempting to avert Lorenzo’s foresight this way.

Yet in the final moment of foresight, in those few mere seconds, Lorenzo saw.

Roger’s Armor shattered, flesh battered, seemingly struck by a high-intensity Anti-Meme weapon. All defenses crumbled instantly, and in that moment of collapse, he’d be at his most vulnerable.

”Yes, exactly like that, Holmes.”

Roger shouted loudly; as Lorenzo approached, Roger thrust spikes forth, yet Lorenzo halted abruptly at the peak of aggression before Roger.

Charging up, swinging up, striking down.

The Great Sword slashed downward, severing spikes and the arm that wielded them, blood splashing as the Great Sword pinned the ground, and Lorenzo swiftly lifted his body, leaping high.

Spinning and springing, the blade’s edge traced a pure white blazing sun.

Roger raised his other hand, rigid material wrapped heavily, constructing Arm Armor like a round shield, but in that second, the Arm Armor shattered.

The threads of death linked Arm Armor to Left Garrison’s muzzle, an Anti-Meme charge struck Roger, fragile metal bullets failing to penetrate Roger’s Iron Armor but immediately exploding as massive Anti-Meme erupted and spread.

Instantly solid Iron Armor fragmented, healing flesh halted as iron fragments scattered, revealing vulnerable but dying flesh.

The Anti-Meme’s influence continued spreading, also peeling away the armor from Lorenzo.

But it was enough.

The descending blade to be unstoppable, Roger’s defense falling apart, the Great Sword swiftly severing head and spine, cleaving the entire body apart.

The head flew high, through falling armor, revealing Roger’s slightly bewildered expression. He still tried to retaliate, but it was too late; under Anti-Meme’s influence, the eroding power was continuously constrained.

Scarlet gaze twisted, looking toward Left Garrison, who also saw him.

”What a troublesome enemy.”

Left Garrison sighed lightly while pulling the trigger again.

The bullet descended, turning the head into indistinguishable blood mired with unending cold rain, falling toward the tower below.

Simultaneously, a faint rumble echoed, Left Garrison gradually rose; with a crisp sound, the Holy Silver Crown adorning his head cracked before shattering and scatters amid him, touching his nose discovering his hand was filled with blood.

He understood precisely what transpired in that instant but felt no fear; he smiled still, gazing toward the burning tower top.

Lorenzo braced himself against the broken Great Sword, his Armor slowly cracking, with cold rain washing away the blood as if dead, unmoving.