The Divine Armor of the Old Century（Book 1）

Chapter 178

"Who would have thought you could actually have normal friends?"

Seru followed closely behind Lloyd, weaving through the narrow train car.

"What's the matter?" Lloyd asked without turning around.

"It just feels like you don't fit into this world," Seru replied.

"Of course. I'm neither a demon nor fully human... I'm someone who lives in the gaps, between two worlds," Lloyd said with a self-mocking smile.

"Surprised? That I'm so clear about my own position?"

Seru didn't say anything, just nodded. She wasn't even sure if Lloyd could see her. To her, Lloyd was a magnet for trouble. His friends were either crime bosses or secret agents. It was hard to imagine someone like him having a normal social circle.

"You don't know a lot of things, Seru, like what's about to happen next..." Lloyd said, reaching into his coat.

"What?"

"Don't be afraid," Lloyd reassured her.

A white-clad attendant walked down the middle of the car. The space was actually quite roomy, but when two people passed each other in opposite directions, it became very cramped, requiring one to give way. But Lloyd showed no intention of yielding. The demon hunter's gaze fixed steadily on the attendant. As they drew near, a flash of white light burst from Lloyd's coat. With the metallic sound of a blade snapping open, a sharp switchblade flicked out, giving almost no time to react, and slashed down fiercely.

Seru was stunned, and so were the passengers around them. The blade cut diagonally down from the attendant's shoulder, slicing through his neck and throat. The gruesome sound of metal severing flesh and bone was unmistakable. Blood spurted like a small fountain, staining the pristine seatbacks red. The attendant's terrified eyes locked onto Lloyd. He clutched his horrific wound, as if trying to say something, but his throat was too mangled to produce more than frantic gasps.

"I could smell you from far away," Lloyd said coldly, wiping the blood off his face. The poor quality of the secret blood was evident to Lloyd even from several cars away. From the moment he realized the intruders were remnants, he had been on high alert. He hadn't expected that despite his evasive maneuvers, they had followed him onto the train. Finally, with a downward thrust, the switchblade pierced through both the head and heart of the attendant, preventing any chance of demonic transformation.

It was a brutal execution. The corpse twitched and collapsed, blood pooling at everyone's feet. After a moment of stunned silence, the car erupted into chaos. Passengers screamed, some fled to the next car, others wept, and a few brave souls attempted to confront Lloyd, but his icy gaze quelled their courage.

The scene became chaotic, the smell of blood heavy in the air. Seru clung to Lloyd's hand, her face pale. She didn't understand why Lloyd had suddenly gone berserk, but the trust built over years made her believe in him. Besides, following Lloyd seemed to be her only option.

"Let's go," Lloyd said.

Despite the chaos, no one dared block Lloyd's path. He held the bloody switchblade in his hand. People scattered, and in the midst of this, Lloyd easily found his target. He threw the switchblade, pinning a passenger who hadn't yet fled to his seat. Before the man could react, searing white flames erupted from his body, incinerating him with agonizing screams. Lloyd calmly walked over, retrieving his switchblade from the burning corpse.

"Stop hiding. Come on out," he said. In the demon hunter's vision, even poor-quality secret blood stood out like a beacon in the darkness.

Suddenly, Lloyd swung his switchblade, pulling Seru up just in time to slice down on a passenger who had snuck up behind him. The silver-coated blade cleaved through the skull and body, splitting it apart. Twisted organs and blood gushed out, resembling a slaughterhouse.

Seru tried not to look, knowing Lloyd didn't need to be so cruel, but he seemed to be venting his anger, ruthlessly killing every remnant. Lloyd didn't care about the reasons behind their actions or what the Reverend Lawrence had promised them. To him, they were enemies, and enemies needed to be killed.

The remaining passengers had fled, leaving the car spacious. More remnants poured in. Ordinary people were not their targets; Lloyd and Seru were. Lloyd held onto Seru tightly, swinging his switchblade in desperate combat. In the confined space, the blade's swings were restricted. After a moment of terror, one of the remnants pulled out a gun, aiming at Lloyd. Before he could pull the trigger, a crossbow bolt pierced his head, pinning him to the wall. White flames erupted from the wound.

"Such a nuisance," Lloyd muttered, raising his Winchester and pulling the trigger. The spread shot tore through the remnants, forcing them back. Those left in the car were likely enemies, so Lloyd didn't worry about collateral damage. The bullets' kinetic force pushed the remnants back, and with another shot, their heads shattered.

Even these remnants knew their place, which meant Reverend Lawrence wasn't far. Lloyd quickened his pace, but a sudden sword strike stopped him.

A man with a sword lunged at Lloyd. Lloyd parried with his shotgun, the blade clashing against the barrel. Lloyd cursed, trying to kick the man away, but he dodged and advanced again, swinging his sword.

"Troublesome," Lloyd muttered, sidestepping and letting go of Seru's hand. The man seemed furious, perhaps because Lloyd had killed many of his comrades. Lloyd didn't care. In fact, he found it amusing because now he was facing just one opponent. The remnants watched in fear, satisfying Lloyd.

"You're quite good," Lloyd said, swiftly grabbing the descending sword. His grip was like iron, the man couldn't pull the sword back. Blood dripped along the blade as Lloyd placed the Winchester against the man's forehead. Blood and brain matter exploded, the nightmare worse than any demon.

Desperate screams echoed, and gunfire erupted, but Lloyd used the man's body as a shield, charging towards the edge of the car. Pulling out his switchblade, he cut down the remaining enemies. Turning back, he extended his hand to Seru, standing in the blood.

"Time's running out, we need to hurry."

But Seru didn't move, staring at the bloody hand, fighting back nausea.

"You... are more like a demon than a demon," she said with difficulty.

"Maybe," Lloyd said, seemingly indifferent. He looked anxious, as if something was about to happen. Ignoring Seru's reluctance, Lloyd grabbed her and headed towards the rear of the train.

Pushing open the door, they entered the next car, where the passengers looked terrified. As Lloyd stepped in, fear gripped everyone. They were trapped with a monster.

"Move," Lloyd ordered coldly.

No one moved, but when Lloyd raised the bloody switchblade, a path cleared.

"Devil!" an elderly woman screamed in terror.

Whispers filled the car, discussing the monstrous figure among them. Lloyd ignored them, their words meaningless. They didn't understand what was happening, their world confined to the train car.

Among the crowd, someone moved. Lloyd sensed the killing intent. With his reflexes, he could have struck first, but he didn't sense any demonic energy. His hesitation allowed a sharp knife to pierce his side. Lloyd protected Seru, but more blades rained down.

"Ordinary people?" Lloyd was confused, then laughed at his naivety. Not everyone drank secret blood or knew of demons.

"Remnants?" he questioned, but got no response, only anger.

"Sometimes, you can't judge a 'demon' by secret blood alone," Lloyd whispered, unleashing his strength. The switchblade flickered, cutting throats with precision. Human bodies were fragile, unable to scream as death approached.

The elderly woman wept, condemning Lloyd's actions.

"You will go to hell!"

"That suits me fine, ma'am!" Lloyd laughed, dragging Seru through the carnage.

"I've killed many priests and knights. I'm on my way to kill a former cardinal. My greatest wish is to cover the Seven Hills in manure, and if I could burn down St. Nalo's Cathedral, even better!"

He pushed open the last door. The cold wind swept through, clearing the bloody scent. Lloyd smiled at the elderly woman.

"Thank you for your blessing, ma'am. Have a nice day."