Gun of Ashes

The great fire rose.

Just like before, it was as if a blazing sun was hidden within Roger’s body. Blinding white flames spilled from his wounds, heating the sword blade until it was red-hot and slightly warped from the immense force.

Amidst the roaring flames, Ed did not get blown away as before. This time, he grasped Roger.

The flames destroyed the outer Iron Armor, charring his entire body. The crimson flesh tried to regenerate but vanished within the fire.

"Come on, Ed, use all your strength!"

Roger laughed wildly, having uncovered Ed’s secret, that dirty little secret.

"Or is it that you can’t do it anymore?"

Ed did not respond. He attempted to move his charred arm to sever Roger’s head with the heated blade.

Bit by bit, moving slowly, the blade cut through most of the neck. Just a bit more strength, a bit more strength...

The blade melted, along with Ed’s entire arm collapsing. It had been scorched to gray-black ashes, scattering into the air.

Ed could no longer hold onto Roger. He let out a low roar, and the crimson flesh exploded, morphing into countless tendrils, deeply piercing into Roger’s body.

"I... I’m going to kill you, Roger Cruz."

The fierce words spewed from the monster’s mouth. The blade that pierced the chest slowly pushed forward, melting and shattering. But soon, new metal solids proliferated, reinforcing the blade until Roger was split in two.

"You’ve truly gone mad, Allen, pretending to be rational is difficult, isn’t it?"

Surprisingly unafraid, Roger reached out with his broken hand, attempting to grasp Ed’s face.

"You and I are the same, we both faced the Inexpressible. I chose to step into Ascension, and you chose to refuse... Do you enjoy being mortal so much?"

The hand pressed against Ed’s face, fingers crushing the Scale Armor beneath the skin. Blood oozed but was quickly evaporated by the intense heat.

Roger exerted force as if trying to tear off the void mask on Ed’s face to see the true face of his dark heart clearly.

Blinding white eyes staring at each other, darkness growing in the heart’s depths.

To halt the continuation of the "path," Ed put himself into a deep sleep, using all his will to suppress the rise of darkness. But now, perhaps because of Roger, they started stirring again, countless sounds echoing by his ears, whispering softly to him.

[Join us!]

[Join this grand parade!]

[This great Ascension!]

In an instant, the stars flickered before his eyes, and Ed became dazed.

Then the flesh crumbled, and the crimson tendrils connecting them were severed by Roger. Under the rising flames, the distance between the two widened, both collapsing onto the ground, as if dead.

No, they weren’t dead yet. You could see in the charred corpulent bodies, the heart still pounding vigorously.

The heartbeat was like a war drum. As the drum sounded, the flesh revived, the drumbeat becoming increasingly intense, reaching the critical point.

Thump—

The two figures sprang up directly, as if knowing exactly where the other was, clashing together fiercely.

"I... refuse."

The sword blades intertwined, Ed’s voice indistinct.

Crimson reappeared, severed limbs regenerated, and with force, Ed slashed down, splitting the sword along with Roger’s body. Roger twisted his body, the thrust blade piercing Ed’s thigh, embedding completely within, pinning into the ground.

But this couldn’t stop the monster’s advance; Ed let his thigh twist off, newly formed arms lifted and then smashed down hard, pressing Roger deeply into the ground.

Punch after punch, Roger’s bones shattered inch by inch. He didn’t resist, continuously laughing and mocking Ed with a bloodied face.

"You can hear its mutterings, can’t you?"

Ed ignored him, lifting the sword and stabbing it again, piercing his heart. A slight vibration transmitted along the blade; that sinful heart kept beating. Ed tried to withdraw the sword, but layers of crimson entwined with the metal like coiled tree roots.

"Ed, you’re already under His gaze. He is cautious in using His power, fearing to advance further on this Ascension path and transforming into its ’path,’ right?"

Roger saw through Ed, thinking he could still kill him while hiding secrets, but in reality, he couldn’t.

Ed was powerful. As an original Watcher, Roger knew how formidable this guy was. But now, his strength was less than a tenth remaining, Ed not only had to fight him but also suppress the mutterings in his mind.

This is why the Authority he wielded always remained limited; Ed dared not summon more power, afraid of beckoning that dark calamity.

Listening to Roger’s words, Ed’s actions slowed.

It was like a hard-to-accept reality, and he finally stopped.

"So... why did it become this, Roger?"

Ed asked.

"Choices must be made by someone. You saw it; their choices were wrong. Rather than continuing this suffering, why not look towards the future?"

Roger’s smile waned slightly, but a faint glow shone in his eyes.

With his power, it would still take significant effort to kill Ed. After all, they were both Ascended Ones, elevated to a greater existence.

The ravaged flesh was merely a "vessel" for their will, a vessel that could be replaced at will, barely affecting their clash. The recent battle was less a struggle than an outlet for pent-up rage accumulated over endless time.

"So pitiful, Ed, look at yourself."

Roger continued to mock.

"Looking back, do you regret your original decision? Actually, it’s not too late now, as long as you..."

Roger’s words were cut short; the sword sliced him apart, most of his body flying into the air, crashing to the side, pouring filthy blood all over the ground.

His gaze turned vacant but quickly regained focus. Roger looked at Ed, who slowly stood up again, as if he could see the shadow inverted within this hunched figure.

Vast and sinister shadows.

"You are more suited to become the ’path’ than I am."

Roger said as the sword cleaved through the air, piercing his skull, bones shattering into a sticky mass.

Ed took a deep breath. He had already shattered Roger’s body; what remained was to pursue his will. Without the flesh barrier, his chances were high.

As long as Roger was slain.

As long as everything returned to silence...

A deep sound echoed in his mind. It was Ed’s narration, a creed firmly embedded in his heart.

Endless years were enough to deteriorate anyone’s will, and Ed was no exception, let alone having faced the Inexpressible.

To avoid falling into the same madness as Roger, he slept, excluding his emotions, making himself as mechanical as the other Watchers, executing the order to watch.

Unfortunately, Ed couldn’t achieve it. He ultimately had a free will, giving madness an opportunity.

The murmuring continued to echo, seeking Ed’s submission, wanting him to become one of it.

This torment lasted for an unknown time, almost eternal.

"I refuse... I refuse..."

Ed responded blankly, with lost, beast-like eyes.

He had been fighting on two fronts: not only to hunt Roger but also to suppress the growth of darkness. The exhausted will had long become numb.

Ed was eager to end all this so he could fall back into deep sleep, "freezing" himself to extend the impending cessation.

He dragged the sword wearily, chasing after Roger’s head, but soon, Ed stopped.

This body had reached its limit; it died.

The corpse knelt with the sword, half-grounded. After such violent erosion, the flesh began to shrivel and collapse segment by segment, leaving behind gray-white bones, as if burned by intense flames.

The void will rose, two forces swirling, clashing once more, ascending into the sky, to the depths of the overcast clouds.

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