Gun of Ashes-Chapter 551 - 123, Round 1

Blood and rain intertwined, under this hazy curtain of rain, light twisted into different shapes, demons one after another, resembling primitive beasts, moving purely out of wild instinct, completely unaware of Lorenzo’s strength, merely launching suicidal attacks against him.

The folding blade mechanically slashed, and while slashing, Lorenzo was also pondering something, looking at those rain-soaked faces, for the first time Lorenzo was no longer thinking with what the Demon Hunting Order taught him.

In the Demon Hunting Order, priests explained everything about demons from a theological perspective, but now, without a religious lens, viewing everything with pure rationality, Lorenzo had countless questions.

Why are demons so bloodthirsty?

Priests say these are enemies of God, evil anomalies crawling out of God’s shadow, yet these anomalies only target humans for slaughter, they don’t destroy other animals, it’s too abnormal, it seems they kill humans solely out of primal desire, even as Shermans proposed "phototaxis," humans are the light in demons’ eyes, light they will stop at nothing to obtain.

Amidst the wailing roars, severed limbs and crimson entrails scattered across the ground, under Lorenzo’s superb sword skill, these ordinary demons were effortlessly cut into countless pieces, blood rolled into the sewers along with the rain, it looks like the cleaners have work to do again.

"Moriarty... Moriarty of the new Order..."

Lorenzo whispered that name, Moriarty gave Lorenzo a very different feeling, Lorenzo found it hard to describe that feeling, or rather, Lorenzo couldn’t see through this person.

At first, Lorenzo was completely unaware of such a dangerous fellow beside him, until Moriarty revealed his identity himself, Lorenzo considered himself a very vigilant person, but this time he didn’t notice anything, it was as if that damn smile was still in front of him, but the next moment that face turned mad.

"Lorenzo..."

In the wind and rain came a calling voice, Lorenzo’s movements paused, then he gripped the folding blade tighter again.

All the demons were slain by him, the corpses piled on the ground, the rainwater underfoot also stained a dark red, mixing together, flowing beneath Lorenzo’s feet.

But at the edge of the rain curtain, blurry figures called Lorenzo’s name, they walked over the water step by step, until Lorenzo could make them out clearly.

"It’s... you..."

It was an outfit reminiscent, but now the holy robes were soaked by the rain, appearing quite disheveled.

They were demon hunters, approaching from beyond the rain curtain, their steps staggering, the closer they got to Lorenzo the more apparent this anomaly became, simultaneously the calling voice grew stronger, innumerable voices converging together, pounding on Lorenzo’s eardrums.

"You all should be dead."

There was not a trace of pain on Lorenzo’s face, only endless doubt.

They were dead, Lorenzo personally killed them, on that ship leaving Florence, he dealt with those last out-of-control demon hunters, rendered them completely powerless, tied the corpses to anchors, thrown into the silent deep sea, hoping they could find eternal rest there.

But now they returned, as if emerging from the sea depths through the rain curtain, as they approached, countless wounds burst open on their once intact bodies in an instant, viscous blood slowly seeped out, dyeing the robes red, dyeing the rainwater, turning the puddles underfoot dark red, this dark red continuously spreading.

As if something terrible was about to happen, the agitated noise began to subside, they seemed to possess life, rapidly fleeing, in the blink of an eye the sound of wind, rain, thunder, all vanished, in the endless silence only Lorenzo’s increasingly heavy breathing and heartbeat remained.

"Is it the Nightmare Illusion?"

Lorenzo immediately saw through these illusion-like things.

They are dead, and the dead shouldn’t appear here, but then he realized his mistake. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎

This is not some so-called Nightmare Illusion, Nightmare Illusions evoke the nightmares of its captives, but these things can’t be considered Lorenzo’s nightmares, and Moriarty from the new Order, he can’t control demons in a bizarre manner like Lawrence... this is his authority, or the authority of some demon hunter hidden behind the rain curtain.

Authority·Raphael.

Lorenzo had encountered this authority before, it’s the only illusion-type authority in the demon hunter factions, in fact, calling it "illusion" isn’t accurate, it seems more focused on mental misguidance, it can’t alter your will, but it can make what you see change, like eerie illusions.

"So this is the so-called ’deception’?"

Lorenzo looked coldly at those who had long since died, the next moment gruesome demons burst out of them.

This was Moriarty’s deception, Lorenzo couldn’t understand his intent, clearly adversaries, yet he deliberately reminded himself, and from his attitude, Lorenzo couldn’t sense any goodwill, more like an upper-rank’s pity.

Yes, Moriarty considered himself an upper-rank, while Lorenzo was a beast in the cage, he resided above, casually toying with Lorenzo’s mind, even believing that even if he revealed the answer to Lorenzo, Lorenzo would still be unable to break free.