The Divine Armor of the Old Century（Book 1）

Chapter 169

"Plans? Wait! What plans?"

The Red Falcon was immediately bewildered. Wasn't there supposed to be a meeting? Aren't plans discussed during meetings? How did things escalate so quickly?

But Lloyd had no time to offer more explanations. He flicked open his folding knife, its weight feeling just right in his hand.

"It doesn't matter. For the sake of secrecy, you won't know much anyway. Just inform Arthur."

"What are you going to do?"

Red Falcon took a few steps back, unsettled by the murderous aura surrounding Lloyd.

"Do what I must."

He responded, his blood thrumming with a secret power. An unnatural strength surged through his veins, transforming his human form into something monstrous. His grey-blue eyes trembled, and from their depths, white-hot flames began to rise.

Lawrence's target was Celia. Though her true value was unclear, if he was invading, it must be for her. Laying in wait was the plan—assuming Lawrence didn't succeed first.

Lloyd sprinted down the corridor, his footsteps echoing like a beast's advance. This wasn't what Lloyd expected; Lawrence's rapid infiltration and ability to corrode this place were unforeseen. According to Medanzo, traveling through the Void required a beacon of corruption. Something or someone within this mechanical fortress was radiating Lawrence's corruption, a hidden infiltrator now revealed.

It was a testament to Lawrence's age-old cunning, his plans likely set in motion long ago. Whether it was Lloyd, the Purification Mechanism, or even the Gospel Church, all were mere players in Lawrence's script, moving according to his design.

An urgent alarm blared, echoing through the steel fortress. The large elevator shaft connected to the perpetual pump sealed shut, followed by countless gates dropping to lock down the fortress, cutting it off from the outside world. This was a countermeasure Lloyd and Arthur had devised. If Lawrence could use the Void as a stepping stone, he could spread like a virus among the populace. Now isolated, they could at least uproot his beacons within the Purification Mechanism, if not capture him outright.

Lawrence was now trapped in the fortress, likely inhabiting some unlucky soul's body. Dense scales formed on Lloyd's skin, black, impenetrable armor layering over him until he was enveloped in darkness, pale flames flickering from the seams of his divine armor.

He burst through the final corner, just steps away from Celia's room. Hearing his heavy footsteps, Celia stood at the door, looking curious. She saw the black knight raise his blade.

"Get down!"

He shouted. Celia instinctively obeyed as the blade sliced through the air, a metallic shriek mixing with the rush of wind.

She had no idea what had happened until the thunderous events ceased. Slowly, she lifted her head and saw a soldier near the door, stopped at the last moment by Lloyd. The black knight stood like a wall, shielding her. Without the blessing of secret blood, the soldier's human body was no match for Lloyd. The soldier raised his gun, firing at Lloyd. Bullets struck the black armor, sparking off harmlessly.

Lloyd's blade whistled down, the soldier barely dodging the first strike. But the second came faster, the blade severing the rifle, the impact knocking the soldier's arms wide. Lloyd seized him by the throat, lifting him effortlessly.

"Lawrence?"

A muffled voice came from behind Lloyd's visor, tinged with a savage smile.

"Well done."

After a brief silence, the soldier's voice twisted, yet remained recognizable. Understanding Lawrence's goal made his next move clear. With his current host being just an ordinary human, Lawrence couldn't do much. But with a strange laugh, the soldier summoned a mysterious strength, placing a hand on Lloyd's arm.

"Did you learn this?"

The next moment brought searing pain to Lloyd's mind, familiar from past encounters. Lawrence was behind it all. But amid the agony, Lloyd smiled.

"Just what I wanted, Lawrence."

The demon hunter welcomed the pain, embracing it. The corridor began to collapse, sounds stretching and distorting, reality warping. The scene fractured like a kaleidoscope, reflecting the world's bizarre nature, until a chilling wind swept everything away.

When sight returned, it was a vastly different landscape. A boundless wasteland stretched out, remnants of a recent battle scattered across it. Corpses lay strewn about, fires flickering among the ashes, half-burned grass swirling in the breeze before vanishing.

The blazing sun had set, half-hidden behind clouds, staining the sky blood-red. Lloyd, momentarily confused, tightened his grip on his weapon. He looked towards a figure in the dying light, their shadow stretching long, almost consuming the ground.

"So this is your Void?"

A voice echoed from within the black helmet. Lloyd asked. Lawrence didn't rush to answer. He admired the nonexistent scenery, as if mourning the past, sighed, then gripped his nail sword, eyes gleaming with approval.

"Indeed. I still haven't fully grasped the Void's power, or I wouldn't have been countered... How did you do it?"

"Inspiration, a spark of insight."

Lloyd replied.

"When you invaded, I realized I could also find your location, your Void."

"Like a fishing line, be wary of being pulled in by a big fish."

A mocking laugh came from the black armor. He raised his blade slowly, the woman's face reflected in its smooth surface. Watson smiled at Lloyd, always silent, like a curse by his side, a reminder of pain.

"This is the battleground I wanted."

Lloyd murmured. No soldiers, no Arthur, no Celia, just him and Lawrence, no one else involved, a pure one-on-one duel.

"Come, teacher, see what I've learned lately."

He said lightly, watching the old man approach, his back to the setting sun, carrying the blood-stained sky.