Embers of Embers

Chapter 250 its purpose
As if it were some kind of evil sacrifice, the dark evil egg was hung high by iron ropes and machinery. Countless lights shone on it, showing every detail of the steel feathers as much as possible. In front of a person's eyes.
Lorenzo looked up at the stone sculpture-like existence. Under his focused gaze, Lorenzo could feel its vitality. As time went by, those steel feathers made subtle ups and downs as if they were breathing.
"After recovering the Black Angel, we did a lot of checks on it. The indicators were all normal, and we could never find the reason why it went out of control."
Merlin also looked at the dark egg with greater awe in his heart.
"It's...alive, it's breathing."
Lorenzo stepped on the unknown red liquid and got closer to the black angel.
"Yes, the flesh and blood of the Holy Grail are not only fused with you, but also combined with this forbidden armor of original sin, steel and flesh..."
Scarlet muscles extend and grow under the dark steel feathers, which connect every mechanical structure. They are wrapped in layers, guarding the core steam engine and the demon that has been processed by the perpetual motion pump. heart.
This is the original sin armor, a combination of demons and machines. The eternal pumps have cut off their own brains, leaving only the heart used to drive flesh and blood. To be precise, this is a walking corpse. It needs human will to drive, but When the fire fell, it lost control. Without the drive of will, the walking corpse started to move.
"It can be said that this is perhaps the most terrifying original sin armor we have ever created. After possessing the flesh and blood of the Holy Grail, its strength is far greater than other original sin armors, but the price is also very high. The erosion it endures when driving it is far more than ours. imagination."
Merlin said slowly.
"We have conducted several tests. As soon as the driver started the Black Angel, the Geiger index directly reached the peak. The driver only stayed awake for tens of seconds, and then fell into a crazy hallucination, and was subsequently eroded and demonized within minutes. change……"
In just a few minutes, a living person was dragged into the abyss of demons. The erosion of this purification mechanism was stronger than any other in its history. It was almost fatal in an instant, and it did not even have time to resist.
"What's next? Is it out of control?"
Lorenzo also knew a lot about the Original Sin Armor. They were somewhat similar to the Demon Hunters. When out of control, they would cause terrible damage. With this level of erosion, the Perpetual Pump must have paid a huge price to control it. .
"No... that's what's strange about it."
Merlin shook his head, his empty pupils staring at the dark object illuminated by the light. As an alchemist, Merlin had seen many strange things in his life, but there had never been anything that made him feel so troublesome. His whole body was filled with unexplorable unknowns.
"Do you know? When I was young and came into contact with a demon for the first time, my world was shattered and occupied by the fear brought by this abomination. But after years of contact, I have grown accustomed to the demon that devours my mind. Monsters, I feel like I'm used to them." Merlin said.
"It's like being with a tiger all day long. After a long time, you feel that it is just a ferocious big cat." Lorenzo replied, which is how he often describes monsters.
"Part of our common sense is based on habit. We are used to the sun rising in the east, so we think it is 'common sense' that the sun rises in the east. But on a certain... certain dim morning, it was called a demon. Evil things have appeared in our world, breaking our common sense about the world."
Merlin said and turned to look at Lorenzo, his stiff face showing a rare expression that Lorenzo could understand.
It was fear, awe and fear. Lorenzo became nervous for a moment. What could make this well-informed alchemist afraid?
"Mr. Holmes, are you still afraid of monsters? Or are you surprised by their existence?"
Lorenzo couldn't understand what he said, and he shook his head in confusion.
"I'm not sure what you mean... It's better to hunt down monsters when they appear."
"Yeah... Just hunt and kill as long as you appear, just like in those long-ago times, humans and beasts held up torches and spears... Haven't you noticed yet? Mr. Holmes, unknowingly We are used to a world where monsters exist.”
Merlin said with some difficulty, sometimes everything is like this, and if you are too attached to it, you will not be able to notice all the abnormalities.
"We have become accustomed to the appearance of monsters, and have become accustomed to all this horror over the long years. It has changed from 'abnormal' to 'normal', and turned into 'common sense' that cannot be known to others."
He pointed at himself again and said softly.
"'Common sense' belongs only to a few of us."
Lorenzo was silent, sometimes it was true, it was all too long, so long that people felt numb to the fear of monsters.
"Our common sense was broken for the first time due to the appearance of monsters, and the black angel is undoubtedly the second time that common sense was broken. I have searched through the alchemy notes that are about to be shattered. I have never seen such a phenomenon. Beyond Extraordinary 'exception'."
Merlin said and walked quickly, Lorenzo followed closely behind him. During this period, the machine made a harsh buzzing sound, and dazzling sparks fell from above. Also falling with it was the red liquid, which was not blood. , but some kind of alchemical potion that repeatedly washed away the solid surface of Black Angel.
"What exactly happened?"
Lorenzo couldn't help but be attracted by Merlin's words. He looked at the dark angel from the corner of his eyes. He was full of curiosity about this "savior".
"Let's take a look. This is a report from several previous experiments. We were already prepared for the loss of control and mobilized a lot of firepower. But strangely, the expected loss of control did not happen."
Going up the iron ladder, in an observation room in mid-air, Merlin picked up several documents from the table, including a few black-and-white photos.
"Look at this. After being activated, the pilots maintained their sanity for a very short time, and then were swallowed by the erosion. They began to be demonized inside the Original Sin Armor."
"It looks... normal."
Like those who had been corrupted before, they were demonized "normally," Lorenzo said.
But after saying these words, Lorenzo felt a deep chill. Just as Merlin said, he began to recognize abnormality as normal.
"No, that's not right. In the early stages of the development of the Original Sin Armor, we collected a lot of information that was out of control. This time is different from before."
Merlin was one of the earliest developers of the Original Sin Armor, and he knew the details of these experiments very well.
"After the driver is demonized, it will cause the original sin armor to lose control. This is because the human brain makes up for the lack of the original sin armor itself."
"These machines have no self-awareness, they rely on the driver's will," Lorenzo said.
"Yes, every time the Original Sin Armor loses control, the driver is backlashed. They begin to become demonized, and their flesh and blood proliferates and mutates, merging with the flesh and blood of the Original Sin Armor. Their consciousness is replaced by the madness, thus completing the evil demon. .”
Galahad's wounds flashed back in his mind.Galahad is the last pilot of the Black Angel. During the attack on the underground palace, he was eroded and lost control. When Merlin and the others pulled him out of the original sin armor, Galahad's back had mutated, and his flesh and blood proliferated and connected to the armor. Together, they spent a lot of effort to "cut off" him from the armor of original sin.
"According to our common sense about these things, when the driver is demonized, he will transform into the demon's brain, turning into bloated flesh and blood to fill the entire mechanical vacancy. At that time, the Original Sin Armor could also be called a demon... …Actually, it’s not much different. It’s not bad to think of it as a demon wearing mechanical armor.”
Merlin's eyes kept scanning over the information, as if he was looking for something.
"Let's take a look at this. This is a photo of the Black Angel after it lost control. Everything was calm at the time. The expected battle did not occur. The driver was decomposed directly in the cockpit. It was literally decomposed, like being buried in a tree. With the corpse underneath, all his nutrients had been devoured, and there was nothing in the small cockpit. He and the armor were integrated, but the armor did not lose control and seemed extremely calm on the surface."
Merlin handed the photo to Lorenzo. Due to the limitations of photography technology, the black and white picture was a bit blurry, but Lorenzo could barely make out everything in it.
It seemed like a monster was eating brutally inside. It ate very cleanly, with only bits of flesh and blood in some corners.
"This is a unique case, a very special case, one that we don't know about, just like one day when you wake up and realize that one plus one does not equal two, but equals three."
There was a bit of excitement in Merlin's empty eyes. At this point, Lorenzo had a clear idea of ​​what he wanted to do.
Lorenzo shouted loudly, shaking his head vigorously while shouting.
"No, no, no! Merlin, don't even think about it, I won't go in!"
"Lorenzo, you are dedicating yourself to scientific research! No matter how good you are as a demon hunter, after decades or even hundreds of years, you will be nothing more than a pile of dead bones. But technology! This knowledge can be passed down forever! "
Merlin said as he caught Lorenzo who was trying to escape.
He is an alchemist, a guy who is crazy about the truth. The reason why he is so normal is because Merlin is too far away from the unknowable truth. Just like you look at the mountain peaks hidden behind the clouds, you know it very well. The distance between you is not so urgent.
But this time is different. Merlin has found a breakthrough. This abnormal original sin armor, this mysterious armor that is out of control, may be a breakthrough point in technology.
Under such temptation, alchemists who are indifferent to fame and wealth will also go crazy. For them, the knowledge they have not yet mastered is the perfect bounty.
"Lorenzo, you have to help me! You survived this original sin armor, and even said that this original sin armor probably lost control because of you!"
In terms of strength, Merlin was obviously no match for Lorenzo. Just when Lorenzo was about to escape from the observation room, Merlin shouted loudly.
Lorenzo stopped when he heard this, and he looked at Merlin with some doubts.
"You said you lost control because of me?"
"Yes, this is the only inference. The Original Sin Armor will not activate on its own, unless something affects it and makes it have self-awareness, or the ability to act with a certain intention. Think about Lorenzo, at that time The Black Angel has a strong purpose on the battlefield!"
In order to convince Lorenzo, Merlin told all the things he had speculated.
"Think about the cause and effect here. The Black Angel is driven by some purpose!"
Lorenzo froze on the spot. For some reason, after that incident, he rarely recalled the scene unless necessary. Of course, this may also be related to the fact that he was seriously injured and unconscious at the time.
"Some purpose, what purpose?"
Lorenzo asked. This alchemist really knew a lot, and he didn't know what he usually studied here.
"You!"
Merlin said.
"Its purpose is you!"
It may be that he has been in contact with demons for a long time, and no matter who he is, he has a sense of madness in his body.
Merlin completely forgot about Lorenzo's attempt to escape, and he began to analyze everything about the incident for Lorenzo.
"The Original Sin Armor does not have the ability to think independently. In the final analysis, it is just a living armor! But at that time it acted, and it was very purposeful, and it even had a certain amount of wisdom!"
"Lorenzo, none of us have ever thought about using the flesh and blood of the Holy Grail to treat dying people. Have you, the Demon Hunting Order, ever thought about this?"
Listening to Merlin's words, the face of Watson flashed in Lorenzo's mind, the woman who had disappeared like a dream since the assassination of Lawrence.
"No... no."
"Yes, this is wisdom, or a certain ability to judge the scene! The Black Angel was developed by us, and there is absolutely no problem with it itself. If the Original Sin Armor we created was so powerful, we would have pushed it to Feileng Cui. It’s at the door!”
Although we have reached a harmonious society, Merlin still has no less resentment towards the Evangelical Church. This huge organization has put great pressure on the purification agencies.
"There must have been some variable on the battlefield at that time, an unknown variable. It was that variable that affected the direction of all this."
Merlin was confused.
"And your survival is the result of this variable."
Lorenzo took a long time and then said slowly, "Is there anything wrong with this?"
"There is a problem, but when I say there is a problem, it is not me who has a problem, but you!"
Merlin said, pointing to Lorenzo.
"You have a problem, Lorenzo."
"Think carefully about Lorenzo. It needs you to survive. Under the influence of variables, the Black Angel loses control, hunts for the Holy Grail flesh and blood, etc. All of this is for you, for you to survive."
Merlin coughed a few times and stood at the door, blocking all of Lorenzo's paths.
"Then the question is, Mr. Holmes, how can you come back from the dead?"
(End of this chapter)