Gunfire in the Mirror

A deathly pale, shriveled hand suddenly reached out of the mirror and grabbed Alan's arm!

"Ah!" Alan cried out, instinctively trying to break free, but the hand's strength was astonishing.

"Let her go!" Seeing this, Edward immediately rushed forward, pulled out the Pure Silver Cross, and smashed it toward the ghostly hand.

"Sizzle—"

The Holy Light from the cross burned the hand, sending up a cloud of black smoke. Yet the hand did not let go. Instead, it pulled Alan toward the mirror even harder.

The demon seemed to have set its sights on Alan. It could sense that the girl's soul was special, exceptionally pure. If it could absorb her, perhaps it could break free from the mirror's restraints and truly descend into this world.

Seeing that half of Alan's body was nearly dragged inside, Edward anxiously wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled back with all his strength.

At that moment of stalemate, more hands stretched out from the mirror and wrapped around them both. An irresistible force seized them, and amid a dizzying whirl, Edward and Alan were forcibly dragged into the icy mirror surface.

After passing through a barrier like a curtain of water, the two of them crashed heavily onto the ground.

The sight before them made Edward suck in a sharp breath.

They were still in the mall, but it was now ruined and decayed. The walls were covered in mold and dark red stains, while the air reeked of rust and rotting flesh.

There were no lights on the ceiling, only clusters of ghostly green flames burning overhead, illuminating this twisted world.

The mirrors around them were still there, but they no longer reflected their images. Instead, they showed faces twisted in pain, despair, and agony.

"Welcome to my world," a hoarse voice echoed through the empty hall.

Edward and Alan looked up to see a blurry figure slowly taking shape in the large mirror at the center of the hall. It had no fixed form, like a mass of shifting shadow, yet the sheer malice radiating from it sent chills down their spines.

At the same time, figures began crawling out of the surrounding mirrors. Some wore tattered hospital gowns, their bodies bent at grotesque angles. Some were covered in needle marks and surgical stitches. Others screamed soundlessly, black blood streaming from their eyes, ears, mouths, and noses.

These were the souls of patients who had been trapped in the psychiatric hospital and tortured to death long ago. Now, they had all become servants of the Mirror Demon.

The Vengeful Ghosts let out guttural growls as they staggered toward the two of them.

Alan's face turned pale. Though she was a spirit herself, she still felt immense pressure facing so many Mirror Ghosts filled with resentment.

"Get behind me."

Edward shielded her behind him. Not a trace of panic showed on his face; instead, an excited smile appeared.

With a flick of both hands, two ornate black-and-white pistols appeared out of thin air: Ebony and Ivory.

"It's been ages since I've had any action. I was dying of boredom." Edward blew on the barrels, his chuunibyou spirit blazing fiercely.

A Mirror Ghost roared and pounced, opening its mouth full of rotten teeth to bite Edward's neck.

Bang!

Edward did not even raise his head as he fired behind him. A bullet gleaming with silver light struck the Mirror Ghost precisely between the brows. Its body was instantly ignited by Holy Light. With a shrill scream, it turned into a wisp of green smoke in midair and vanished without a trace.

If you can't find a book by its title, try searching for the author instead. It may have simply been renamed!

One shot each, clean and efficient.

This sudden scene made every Mirror Ghost freeze in place.

Alan stared at the twin guns in Edward's hands in astonishment. The pure energy they emitted was the natural bane of such sinister beings. She had never expected this seemingly carefree man to have such a trump card hidden away.

"What? Blown away by how handsome I am?" Edward turned his head, winked at her, and still had the leisure to joke.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

As he spoke, both hands moved at once. Ebony and Ivory seemed to come alive in his hands, becoming two deadly streaks of light. Gunfire played a magnificent melody through the deathly silent hall, and every shot marked the Purification and release of a vengeful soul.

At times, he slid sideways to evade slashing claws while delivering a bullet of "rest" in return. At others, he leaped into the air, twisted mid-flight, and blew apart two Mirror Ghosts attempting to ambush him at once. Enhanced Holy Light burst alongside the bullets, making the dark space flicker between brightness and shadow.

Rather than a battle, the entire scene was a one-sided slaughter, a gorgeous and violent solo performance.

Standing behind him, Alan watched that man's agile figure weave through the horde of ghosts and listened to the rhythmic gunfire. The shock in her heart was beyond words. That calmness, that power, and that... damned handsomeness left her briefly dazed.

So this was what he was really like.

The echoes of gunfire faded through the hall, and the last wisp of green smoke blended into the decayed air.

The entire Mirror World fell into deathly silence. Only scattered embers of Holy Light on the ground proved that the magnificent slaughter just now had not been an illusion.

Edward spun around stylishly and put away the twin guns still trailing green smoke. The entire motion flowed as smoothly as if he had rehearsed it countless times. He turned to Alan, who was still standing there in a daze, and grinned.

"The show's over. What did you think? No refunds on the ticket."

Alan looked away from him and swept her gaze across the empty hall, her expression complicated. She had seen many resentful spirits, but never such a swift and decisive method of laying them to rest. Violent and direct, yet carrying a kind of sacred beauty.

"Who exactly are you?" she finally asked.

"Just a passing high school student overflowing with love and justice," Edward answered solemnly.

Alan clearly did not believe him, but she did not press further. Instead, she changed the subject. "Don't celebrate too soon. You've cleared out the small ones, but the big one hasn't appeared yet."

"Then let's find it." Edward spoke as he took the lead deeper into the hall.

The two walked side by side through the ruined psychiatric hospital. Beneath their feet were rotting floorboards, and around them stood stained walls and tightly shut ward doors. The stench of rust mixed with decaying flesh grew heavier, so oppressive it was hard to breathe.

"Maria... is she alright?" Edward asked casually, breaking the silence.

Alan's steps paused. She turned her head to look at him as the dim ghostfire cast wavering shadows across her face.

"You seem to care a lot about her."

"She's a good girl. Just a little timid."

Alan fell silent for a moment, as though choosing her words.

"I am Maria, and Maria is me," she slowly said, her voice sounding faint and distant in the empty corridor. "Or rather, we were supposed to be one person."

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