Last Gun Alchemist

Vera slowly tilted her head to another side, her pitch-black eyes resting quietly on Fatima.

For a brief moment, she didn’t say anything.

She simply looked at her with the same plain expression she always wore, as though she were carefully confirming something before speaking.

Then...

"So..."

Her voice rose just enough for the surrounding students to hear clearly.

"You’re admitting that House Drakes is aligned with House Evergrey."

Unlike her usual calm tone, Vera deliberately raised her voice a little. There was still no anger in it, nor was there any emotion that suggested she was trying to start an argument. Instead, she spoke with careful clarity, making sure every student standing around the corridor heard every single word.

She paused for only a heartbeat before asking again.

"Is that really true?"

The hallway immediately fell into an uneasy silence.

Then...

"So, the Evergrey’s are actually backed by the Drakes?"

A student spoke in disbelief.

"Was that ever really a surprise?"

Another student replied, folding his arms.

"Maybe not... but we’ve never actually seen both Houses working together before."

"Now that you mention it..."

Someone else’s eyes widened.

"I always wondered how a Count House suddenly became bold enough to openly challenge the Ashenlockes."

"It makes sense now."

A third student nodded slowly.

"You do realize House Drakes gained the largest share of the mining rights after House Ashenlocke lost part of those rights."

"And wasn’t that around the same period the Evergrey’s started rising?"

"You’re right..."

"I completely forgot about that."

The whispers spread through the corridor like ripples across still water.

One realization quickly led to another.

Students who had never connected those events before suddenly began piecing everything together, each conversation adding fuel to the next until the entire hallway buzzed with speculation.

None of them noticed the faint curve that almost appeared at the corner of Vera’s lips.

Almost.

But it disappeared before anyone could truly notice it.

She remained exactly as expressionless as before.

Ezra quietly watched the scene unfold.

His gaze moved across the gathering crowd before briefly settling on Vera.

He understood immediately.

She wasn’t arguing with Fatima.

She wasn’t trying to win a verbal exchange.

She was planting an idea.

One sentence.

One carefully timed question.

That was all it had taken for dozens of students to begin drawing their own conclusions.

Beside him, Cyrus continued staring at the crowd with obvious surprise.

"...Who would’ve guessed?"

He muttered under his breath.

"I never knew your family had beef with the Drakes’s."

Ezra didn’t reply.

He had already seen enough.

Turning away from the commotion, he calmly walked toward the General Studies classroom.

The matter behind him would continue whether he remained there or not.

Cyrus noticed him leaving.

"Huh?"

He looked between Ezra and the confrontation.

For a moment, he hesitated.

"...I’ll stay."

His curiosity won in the end.

There was no way he was leaving before finding out how everything concluded.

Meanwhile...

Fatima’s eyes never left Vera.

"Vera."

She finally called out.

Her voice remained calm, but there was a trace of confusion beneath it.

She had finally understood.

Vera hadn’t accidentally spoken loudly.

She had done it deliberately.

Every word.

Every pause.

Every question.

She had intentionally revealed something that most students had never seriously considered before.

To be more precise.

It was something many noble and non-noble families didn’t know about clearly.

Fatima slowly turned her head.

Her eyes landed on Logan.

Several members of House Drakes had already helped him back onto his feet and were supporting him as they carried him toward the classroom.

Seeing the miserable state he was in only made the headache growing inside her feel worse.

"...Tsk."

She clicked her tongue softly.

Not because Logan had been defeated.

But because everything had become far more troublesome than it had been only a few minutes earlier.

"What do you want from the Evergrey’s?"

Fatima looked directly at Vera. Although she managed to keep her voice calm, there was a trace of helplessness hidden beneath it.

"What has happened... has already happened."

She paused briefly, carefully choosing her next words before continuing.

"The only thing I can say is that they should apologize to Fay Ashenlocke. Although, I know an apology won’t make up for everything, but it’s a place to start."

Her gaze shifted toward Grace and the other Evergrey members for a brief moment.

"I’ll personally deal with them myself."

Silence followed.

Many of the students around them quietly waited for Vera’s response.

Some believed she would accept the proposal.

Others didn’t.

They had already seen enough of Vera Ashenlocke to know she wasn’t someone whose decisions were easily changed.

"No."

Her reply came immediately.

There wasn’t even the slightest hesitation.

Without saying another word, Vera calmly stepped forward.

Tap.

Tap.

Her footsteps echoed lightly through the quiet corridor until she stopped directly in front of Fatima.

Only a short distance separated the two girls now.

Fatima frowned slightly.

"No?"

She looked at Vera with growing confusion.

Vera’s expression remained as plain as ever.

"Right here."

She paused.

"And right now."

Her pitch-black eyes never left Fatima’s.

"All members of House Ashenlocke..."

She spoke a little louder, making sure every Ashenlocke present...and every student standing nearby...could hear her clearly.

"Will follow my order."

The corridor became even quieter.

Even students who had been whispering among themselves slowly fell silent.

They instinctively realized something important was about to be said.

Vera continued without changing her expression.

"During the Grand First-Year Combat Festival... No Ashenlocke is to show mercy."

Her voice remained calm.

"Not to any member of House Drakes."

She paused for only a heartbeat before finishing.

"And especially not to House Evergrey."

There wasn’t the slightest hint of emotion in her words.

She wasn’t shouting.

She wasn’t threatening anyone.

She simply declared the order as though she were announcing an unquestionable fact.

The weight behind those calm words settled heavily across the corridor.

Several Ashenlocke students quietly straightened their backs.

None of them objected.

Not a single one.

Even Felix and Gareth of all people didn’t argue.

Fatima remained silent for several seconds.

She stared at Vera, trying to understand whether there was still room for negotiation.

Unfortunately...

She couldn’t find any.

"Is that a threat, Vera?"

She finally asked.

Her expression had become noticeably more serious.

Vera looked at her quietly.

Then she answered with the same flat voice she had used from the beginning.

"It’s a declaration."

Simple.

Direct.

And absolute.

No explanation followed.

No extra words were needed.

After saying that, Vera turned around as calmly as she had arrived.

Her long black hair swayed gently behind her as she walked away.

Nina immediately fell in beside her.

Zack followed shortly afterward.

One after another, every member of House Ashenlocke quietly left the corridor and entered the General Studies classroom.

None of them looked back.

Only the stunned crowd remained.

"Wow..."

One student finally broke the silence.

"So, House Drakes and House Ashenlocke are really going to become complete enemies during the Grand First-Year Combat Festival."

Another student’s eyes shone with excitement.

"This festival is going to be incredible."

"I already can’t wait for it to begin."

Excited conversations quickly spread throughout the corridor once again.

Some students discussed the coming festival.

Others debated whether House Drakes would truly stand alongside House Evergrey.

Several simply couldn’t stop talking about Vera’s declaration.

As everyone continued discussing what had just happened, they gradually entered the General Studies classroom.

Like that...

The short break came to an end.

Only a few seconds after the scheduled class time, Professor Isolde Croft entered the classroom with her usual composed demeanor.

Smith calmly placed Professor Isolde’s teaching materials on the desk before she beginning the lesson.

The lesson proceeded as though nothing unusual had happened between two of Britannia’s greatest Duke Houses only minutes before.

Time quietly passed.

Several more hours slipped by as one class ended and a long break began.

Eventually...

The academy bell announced the beginning of the self-study period.

Students immediately began leaving their respective classrooms.

Ezra packed his books without any unnecessary delay.

Cyrus naturally followed after him.

Unlike their usual routine, however, Ezra didn’t head toward one of the academy pavilions to relax, nor did he make his way toward the Central Library to continue studying.

Instead...

He changed direction completely.

His destination this time was the Mixed Arena.

More specifically...

The Craft & Research Seekers Club.

The afternoon sunlight filtered through the academy buildings as Ezra and Cyrus crossed the broad academy pathways.

Students moved in every direction around them, some heading toward clubs, others returning to their residences, while several groups gathered beneath trees to discuss the day’s lessons.

Ezra paid little attention to any of it.

His thoughts were already focused on the research he intended to continue.

After arriving at the club building, Ezra stopped at the entrance.

He took out his Student Identification Card and signed himself in through the registration panel beside the door.

Only after confirming his attendance did he step inside.

The familiar reception hall greeted him.

Few students quietly walked through the building carrying books, tools, and research materials.

The atmosphere was noticeably calmer than the busy academy corridors outside.

Ezra walked through the reception area before entering one hallway after another until he finally reached one of the laboratory rooms.

He gently opened the door.

Click.

"Oh..."

Luke looked up from the large worktable he shared with several fellow third-year students.

A surprised smile appeared on his face.

"That’s a face I didn’t expect to see."

Several of the older students also looked over.

Upon recognizing Ezra, they smiled warmly.

"Good afternoon."

Ezra greeted them politely.

Unlike his usual plain tone, there was a hint of respect in his voice.

"Good afternoon."

"Good afternoon."

"Afternoon, Ezra Ashenlocke."

The greetings came one after another.

Their voices carried the easy familiarity that had gradually developed through the time Ezra had spent researching in the club.

Ezra gave a small nod before walking toward an empty worktable near the side of the laboratory.

He carefully placed his space bag onto the table.

Then, one by one, he began arranging everything he would need.

A Biology related textbook.

A reference book on Flame Alchemy Circles.

Several course books containing today’s assignments.

Finally...

He took out his Zphone Tablet and placed it neatly beside the stack of books.

Everything was arranged in an orderly manner before he even considered beginning his research.

That habit had long become part of Ezra’s routine.

A clean workspace made it easier for him to organize his thoughts.

"I didn’t think you’d jump straight into your personal research that quickly."

Luke looked over from his group’s workstation with a faint smile. He had expected Ezra to begin the personal research he spoke of during the club briefing a bit later after some weeks had passed, yet the boy had barely joined the club before beginning his research.

"It must be something important."

"It is."

Ezra replied simply as he arranged the last of his materials on the table.

Luke chuckled.

"Well then... have fun."

With that, he turned his attention back to the project his group had been discussing. The third-year students quickly resumed exchanging ideas, occasionally writing calculations onto large sheets of paper while comparing different Alchemy formulas.

The laboratory gradually became quiet again.

The only sounds that remained were the scratching of pens against paper, the occasional turning of pages, and the faint clinking of small Alchemy instruments resting on nearby worktables.

Ezra didn’t immediately begin his personal research.

Instead, he first completed the responsibilities he had for the day.

He opened the course books from the three classes he had attended earlier and calmly worked through each assignment one after another.

His pen moved steadily across the pages.

Whenever he reached a calculation, he stopped to carefully verify every answer before continuing. If he found even the smallest mistake, he crossed it out neatly and solved it again rather than accepting an uncertain result.

Time quietly slipped by.

Only after finishing the final assignment and reviewing everything once more did Ezra finally close the last notebook.

He neatly stacked the completed work to one side of the table.

Then...

He reached for another book.

The Biology of Humans.

Ezra slowly flipped through the pages until he arrived at the section he had been searching for.

Red Blood Cells.

His eyes immediately became more focused.

Every sentence was carefully read.

Every diagram received the same amount of attention.

Rather than skimming through the information, Ezra studied the Chapter piece by piece, making sure he understood not only what the red blood cells did, but why they functioned the way they did inside the human body.

He needed to understand the entire system.

Only then could he begin thinking of a proper preservation method.

After all...

He already knew the truth.

A complete cure simply wasn’t realistic.

At least...

Not with his current ability.

His condition wasn’t something ordinary medicine or low-ranking healing Alchemy could permanently solve.

If such a solution truly existed, someone within the Alchemist Path would have already developed it long ago.

Ezra quietly lowered his gaze to the page.

His fingers gently tapped the edge of the book as he continued thinking.

The only complete solution he knew of...

Was reaching the Philosopher Alchemist Rank.

At that stage, an Alchemist could reconstruct their own body on an entirely different level.

His damaged system could be rebuilt.

His body could be restored completely.

In theory...

Even the illness destroying his red blood cells would disappear.

Unfortunately...

That possibility belonged more to myths than reality.

Reaching the Philosopher Rank was something countless Alchemists throughout history had chased without success.

For Ezra...

Thinking that far ahead served little purpose.

Even if he lived long enough...

The chances of reaching such a rank were so small that it was almost meaningless to rely on it.

Instead...

He needed a solution he could actually create.

His thoughts gradually shifted.

The Banges...

Ezra quietly recalled the Alchemy tool.

It was commonly used as a long-term healing device for patients suffering from severe injuries that required continuous treatment.

He remembered Bobby attaching one to his body.

The Royal Hospital had also used the same tool while treating him.

Its healing effect wasn’t instantaneous.

Instead, it continuously supplied healing Alchemy over time.

Ezra’s eyes slowly narrowed.

What if...

Instead of using the Alchemy Circle for healing...

I redesign the entire system.

His fingers lightly turned another page.

If I convert the healing function into a heat-generating function...

He silently compared that thought against the biological information he had just read.

...then the constant drop in my body temperature should be greatly reduced.

His illness became worse whenever the cold accelerated the destruction of his red blood cells.

If he could maintain a stable internal temperature...

Perhaps he could reduce part of the burden placed on his body.

It wasn’t a cure.

But it might buy him more time.

Ezra continued thinking.

Then another possibility appeared.

Or...

I could imitate Nano-like technology.

His eyes remained fixed on the diagrams inside the Biology textbook.

A miniature system capable of continuously generating heat...

If something like that existed inside my bloodstream...

He slowly followed the illustration showing the movement of blood through the human body.

The heat could circulate together with my blood.

His thoughts became increasingly focused.

The ideas gradually connected together instead of appearing randomly.

Then...

Ezra suddenly paused.

His eyes remained on the page.

Several seconds passed.

Wait...

His fingers slowly stopped moving.

A heat-generating system...

If something that small could remain inside the bloodstream...

His pupils narrowed slightly.

Couldn’t I also use it to strengthen the red blood cells themselves?

The thought struck him so suddenly that even he momentarily stopped breathing.

His mind immediately began calculating the possibility.

Would it interfere with blood circulation?

Could the cells withstand the modification?

Would the body’s natural functions reject it?

Would Cognis react to such a change?

Question after question surfaced one after another.

Ezra quietly leaned back against his chair.

His gaze remained fixed on the open Biology textbook.

"...Would that even be possible?"

He murmured softly to himself.

The laboratory remained as quiet as ever.

No one noticed that another research idea had just begun taking shape inside the young Alchemist’s mind.

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