This world was nothing more than a hazy chaos. Humanity lived upon the last scraps of habitable land remaining within that chaos, using every ounce of its strength to push the [Boundary] of chaos farther and farther back, carving out more room to survive and gaining a little more understanding of the unknown.
"Lloyd, this is an entirely new discovery. Perhaps if we follow this line of research, we may eventually uncover the true nature of the demons." Merlin was visibly excited.
"No, Merlin... Put this research on hold for now. This knowledge is cursed. Your instincts were right."
Lloyd interrupted him.
"What did you say?"
Merlin looked confused.
"Knowledge is cursed. It seems that humanity's understanding of this world has a certain [Boundary]. Once we touch that [Boundary], or even cross beyond it, disaster follows."
Lloyd made no mention of the Silencers. He could not determine the exact nature of the [Boundary], so all he could do was carefully obscure the truth behind his words.
Merlin stared into Lloyd's serious eyes. After a brief silence, he asked, "You remembered something, didn't you?"
Lloyd nodded.
"You remembered a great deal more, things that could completely overturn our understanding of demons. But because of that so-called [Boundary], you can't tell me. Because the moment you speak those things aloud, I could be subjected to some unknown attack. Am I right?"
Lloyd nodded again. He clearly knew the secrets that had been concealed, yet at this moment, all he could do was speak to Merlin in riddles.
"I don't know exactly how far the [Boundary] extends... Too many people have died because of it."
Looking back now, even Schielmans' death had perhaps been inevitable, as though it had already been written into some dark fate. If he had not died from Canterella's poison, then would another Silencer have simply appeared from nowhere and driven a long nail through his body?
"So... the Night of Advent happened because of that thing too, didn't it? I always felt that something about it was wrong. But you were the only survivor, and the information you provided left us with no choice but to believe it."
For a moment, Merlin seemed to understand everything.
Before the Night of Advent, the Demon Hunting Order had been far more powerful than the Purification Bureau. They had fought demons for centuries. How could such a powerful organization possibly have been wiped out because of a mere laboratory accident?
"During the Night of Advent, the Demon Hunting Order's research into the [Grail] touched the [Boundary], and then calamity descended and destroyed everything..."
It was Merlin's speculation.
And it was the correct one.
As Merlin spoke, Lloyd's thoughts involuntarily returned to that burning night. Suddenly, he realized that perhaps all of this had been part of Lloyd Medici's scheme.
The old man could no longer control the Church, so he had deliberately leaked the existence of the [Grail] to his enemies. While they conducted their research, he had carried out his own Ascension within the dry well.
A profound chill rose from the depths of Lloyd's heart.
This had not been an accident.
It had been planned long ago.
On that night, while Lloyd Medici performed his Ascension, an Ascension ritual had also been taking place within the Silent Temple. Both sides had drawn the attention of the Silencers. Lloyd Medici had intended to use this method to ease the pressure his own side would face when confronting them.
No...
It went even further than that.
At the time, the only person within the Church who possessed any real understanding of the Silencers had been Lloyd Medici.
He had never abandoned the [Grail].
The [Grail] itself had always been one part of his counterattack.
Lloyd could almost imagine the expressions of shock and terror on the faces of those people within the Silent Temple when countless Silencers suddenly appeared from thin air.
Lloyd Medici had intended to use the Silencers to directly destroy the war faction of the Gospel Church. Once they were all dead, he would descend upon the Gospel Church once more in a new vessel, taking everything back into his hands after this night of complete upheaval.
The thought sent a bone-deep chill through Lloyd.
Lloyd Medici had been dead for so long, yet even now, remembering him brought nothing but fear.
And beneath that fear was his stubborn obsession.
His obsession with the Golden Age.
"Probably... Perhaps that was the truth behind the Night of Advent. Or at least, part of the truth."
Lloyd covered his head with one hand, once again trying to unravel everything that had happened long ago. It was like being caught within a spider's web, with countless threads tightening around him from every direction.
Once again, he could not help but think of that old man.
He had been an interesting man. A strange man.
He had been so obsessed with the Golden Age that he was willing to construct such a terrifying conspiracy, dragging everyone into his deception. And yet, when he realized that he had failed, the man had not gone mad. He had not screamed or wailed.
Lloyd Medici had chosen him.
When faced with failure, the old man had barely hesitated, as though he had rehearsed that moment countless times in his mind.
He had entrusted the flame to Lloyd.
"Merlin, what's happening now?"
Lloyd ran his hand through the water pooled on the ground, then forcefully wiped his face, trying to clear his head.
There was no time to dwell on those things.
Solving this disastrous situation came first.
"Demons. The demons have invaded. We suspect they're remnants of Lawrence's faction. They're the only ones capable of creating demons on this scale... Those demons were all patients from Blackmount Hospital."
Merlin answered immediately.
"And Arthur suspects that under these circumstances, the New Church won't let this opportunity pass them by. They may have already taken action as well... Their target is you."
"I see... Where are the railway tracks leading out of Blackmount Hospital?"
Lloyd suddenly asked.
"The railway?"
"Yes. I arrived here aboard the Iron Serpent. So where are the tracks? I'm leaving."
"You need to get out of here as quickly as possible. You can't let the New Church capture you. But the Iron Serpent isn't safe either. Because of the storm, transportation throughout Old Dunling has practically ground to a halt. You'd stand out far too much."
Merlin tried to advise him.
"You don't need to worry about that, Merlin."
Merlin fell silent.
Then he raised his folding knife and pointed toward a direction beyond the rain.
"Keep going straight. That way leads to Blackmount Hospital's main entrance. It's the way you came... But, Lloyd, you're leaving, aren't you? You're going to leave Old Dunling."
There was hesitation in Merlin's voice.
If he were Lloyd, he would probably make the same decision. Neither the Purification Bureau nor the New Church was particularly friendly toward Lloyd at present. The only thing Lloyd could do was flee as far away as possible.
Still, given the detective's abilities, Merlin did not need to worry too much about him.
What made him hesitate was something else.
If Lloyd wanted to disappear, the Purification Bureau would have a difficult time finding him. Merlin was not particularly reluctant to lose the great detective himself.
What he wanted was the secret Lloyd carried.
The knowledge that lay beyond the [Boundary].
"Run? I'm not sure. But if I really am going to leave Old Dunling, there are still some things I need to do first."
Lloyd stood up and looked toward the direction Merlin had indicated.
"What are you going to do?"
"Fight back."
Lloyd's gaze hardened.
"Things are a little unpleasant right now, but as far as I'm concerned, the game has only just begun. And didn't you say it yourself? I'm their target. If I leave this place, I can draw some of their fire away from you. After all, things don't look particularly good for you right now."
Even through the curtain of rain, Lloyd could clearly sense several terrifying bursts of corruption in the distance.
Not one.
Several.
The thunder of gunfire echoed through the storm, accompanied by the massive silhouettes of old-world God-Armors flashing through the rain.
The battle at Blackmount Hospital had erupted in full.
A suffocating stench of blood permeated the freezing rain.
"Then can you handle things here by yourself, Merlin?"
Lloyd asked again.
He was about to do something extremely dangerous. He could not drag Merlin into that danger with him, yet leaving Merlin here alone seemed equally reckless.
"No problem."
Merlin waved the folding knife in his hand. Blood still stained its blade.
No one knew how many secrets this mysterious alchemist still kept hidden.
"But, Lloyd, if you don't come back..."
"If I don't come back, I'll write you a letter. I'll tell you about that cursed knowledge. But I want you to be prepared, Merlin. Because if you truly intend to continue pursuing it, you may very well create another... Night of Advent here in Old Dunling."
Lloyd found even saying those words difficult.
When it came to dealing with the [Boundary], he had fallen into the same dilemma as those who had come before him.
The truth was right there before their eyes.
But if they failed, everything could once again be dragged into that burning nightmare.
"Is that so... I understand. But if there really is a terrible nightmare waiting beyond that door, would you still continue searching for the truth, Lloyd Holmes?"
Merlin asked.
"Of course."
Lloyd answered without hesitation.
The two men looked at one another.
Neither said another word.
Lloyd turned and plunged into the curtain of rain.
At the same time, the Mystic Blood within him began to stir. Boiling flames erupted as he advanced, their scorching heat vaporizing the freezing rain. Billowing steam wrapped around him, twisting and coiling like something alive.
The Mystic Blood continued to awaken.
Until it reached its critical threshold.
Critical Breakthrough.
In an instant, it was as though a colossal stone had plunged into a tranquil lake, raising waves that seemed capable of swallowing the heavens.
The surge of the Mystic Blood lasted no more than a single breath before settling once more.
Yet within that brief moment, the violent corruption continued spreading outward, sweeping through most of the surrounding area and transmitting that heart-pounding power to everyone caught within Lloyd's range.
Like a flame burning in the darkness, Lloyd had completely revealed himself to those who had been watching from the shadows.
As expected, those people should already have changed direction and begun advancing toward him.
Lloyd did not know how much fire he could draw away from the Purification Bureau, but he knew one thing.
That man would never allow such an opportunity to pass.
"Moriarty..."
This was no longer a war between Demon Hunters and demons.
This was a deathmatch between Lloyd and his old adversary.
Killing a man was easy.
What Lloyd wanted was to defeat him.
And he intended to defeat him in the one place where Moriarty was most proud.
Beneath the torrential rain, everything within Lloyd's vision began to twist into chaos. It was as though he had stepped into another world entirely.
A vast ocean had been overturned by divine power and suspended above the heavens. Countless tons of water cascaded downward from the inverted sea.
And at the very edge of his vision, a man stood beside the railway tracks, holding an umbrella.
He had been waiting there for a long time.
...
"Ah... How tempting..."
Merlin watched the figure gradually disappear beyond the curtain of rain, his voice carrying a trace of envy.
Truth.
The truth that every alchemist spent their entire life pursuing.
Merlin could feel it now.
He was getting closer.
Closer than ever.
Almost within reach.
He had a premonition that the door leading to Truth lay beyond that so-called [Boundary].
All he needed to do was take one more step forward.
All he needed was the courage to face the threat of death.
For a moment, many things suddenly became clear to him.
Alchemists had once possessed their own glorious age. But as time passed, their numbers dwindled, while the so-called Truth remained concealed behind a hazy veil.
But what if...
What if an alchemist had actually touched the Truth long ago?
What if that person had crossed the [Boundary]?
And at the very moment they comprehended the Truth, they had died.
If that were the case, then the gaps in the transmission of knowledge and the countless lost technologies suddenly had a reasonable explanation.
Someone was deliberately influencing the course of this world.
Merlin began to tremble.
On the precipice within his mind, countless versions of Merlin stood along the edge.
They were afraid.
But they were also exhilarated.
The Truth they had pursued all their lives was right before them.
They no longer wanted to continue sacrificing themselves for the sanity and survival of humanity.
A somewhat "selfish" thought slowly began to take root.
Why not go and see?
Go and see that beautiful Truth.
Even if the price was his own death.
No.
He could not die yet.
The war between humanity and the demons was not over.
Merlin could not selfishly throw his life away like that.
Upon the precipice, the countless Merlins began to stir.
Then suddenly, heavy footsteps echoed.
Before the Merlins could understand what was happening, blades descended upon them.
They screamed.
They cried out in panic.
But nothing could stop what was happening.
One Merlin after another was cut down, then thrown from the cliff.
Their bodies crashed against the unyielding rocks below, reduced to bloody ruin.
It was the rational Merlin.
He gripped his blade and continued hacking.
Again.
And again.
Until every terrible thought had been cut down.
Every selfish impulse.
Every thought that might interfere with his judgment.
In the end, only the rational Merlin remained upon the precipice.
He looked down.
Countless corpses had piled up below like a sea of dead selves.
"No. I cannot do this yet."
Merlin whispered.
He forcibly suppressed his desires and extinguished the thoughts within his heart.
He could not be this selfish.
The Perpetual Motion Pump still needed him.
The Purification Bureau still needed him.
Then footsteps sounded again beyond the curtain of rain.
A strange creature approached, carrying a stench of blood so thick that even the rain could not wash it away.
Merlin slowly turned his gaze toward it.
His fingers tightened around the folding knife.
"A demon..."
He watched the monster approaching, following the scent of living humans.
Almost at the exact moment Merlin saw it, the demon launched itself forward.
And then steel tore through the curtain of rain.
In the burst of radiance, metal sang with a low, resonant hum.
Blood and shattered bone exploded outward.
A gigantic, grotesque wound tore open across the demon's chest and abdomen. Its heart and the spine connecting to its skull were shattered together, while steaming organs spilled into the cold water pooled across the ground.
Merlin slowly folded away his knife.
His expression remained utterly calm.
Few people had ever witnessed the age when alchemists stood at the height of their glory.
Back then, in their pursuit of Truth and miracles, many of the materials they required had to be obtained by the alchemists themselves.
Sometimes that meant hunting demons.