Last Gun Alchemist

Everyone had fully recovered. In fact, this was the longest time they had spent resting since entering the maze. Their bodies felt lighter. Their breathing steadier. Even the dull tension that had been sitting at the back of their minds had eased slightly.

Now, they stood before the tunnel once again.

”Finally!” Lime tightened his fist and grinned. ”My Cognis is full. It even rose a tiny bit.”

”Same here,” Bobby said with a bright smile. The two slapped hands together in excitement, their palms echoing softly in the stone corridor.

”It’s to be expected,” Ezra said as he adjusted the straps on his space bag. ”After life-and-death situations, constant usage, and circulation, growth is natural. Even if it’s small.”

He started walking forward into the dim tunnel. The others followed.

”Yeah,” Aliya added, stepping closer to Ezra. ”I also feel like my Cognis percentage rose a bit.”

Ezra said nothing. His steps were steady. His eyes remained forward.

”Tsk. Why did I even talk to you? Humph.” She jogged ahead, pretending she didn’t care.

Behind them, Bobby and Lime exchanged amused looks.

The group eventually reached a massive door carved into black stone. The surface looked scorched, as if it had once been exposed to intense heat.

”The fourth stage...” Bobby muttered. He stared at it like it might suddenly come alive.

”Just three more after this,” Lime sighed, rubbing his head. ”I thought I’d feel more confident by now. But I don’t even know what I feel anymore.”

”You’re just scared,” Aliya said, flipping her hair back with a small smile. ”We’ve survived worse. What could possibly happen that we won’t be prepared for?”

Bobby and Lime narrowed their eyes on her.

Show off.

Ezra pushed the door open.

A wave of hot steam rushed out.

Aliya, who had been standing closest, quickly stepped back as the heat brushed against her face.

Ezra walked in without hesitation.

”Heh. Confidence?” Lime smirked at Aliya.

Bobby passed her, trying to hide his laugh. He failed.

”Tsk!” Her ears turned slightly pink. She clenched her fists before walking in.

The door shut behind them with a heavy thud.

***

The room looked like a cave carved from dark rock. A narrow stone bridge stretched across a wide pit. Beneath it, lava bubbled, glowing orange and red. The air shimmered from the heat. The sound of popping lava echoed softly.

At each end of the bridge stood a large cage.

One behind them.

One across the bridge.

There was no visible exit.

”What are we supposed to do here?” Bobby turned in a slow circle.

”I don’t know either,” Ezra replied calmly, scanning the layout.

”Don’t tell me...” Lime’s face paled. ”We have to leave someone behind in a cage?”

His voice cracked slightly.

”I don’t think that’s it,” Aliya said. She pointed toward the cage behind them. ”There are two cages. A bridge connects them. And look at the size... each cage can hold four people.”

”So?” Lime demanded.

”I... don’t know.” She frowned at the arrangement.

”But you’re sure it’s not about abandoning someone?” Lime pressed.

”I’m not completely sure...” she admitted.

Bobby swallowed.

”No. Aliya’s observation is correct,” Ezra said quietly.

She looked surprised. ”It is?”

”Yes. But I also don’t know what this stage truly involves.”

Before anyone could speak again, a mechanical voice echoed through the cave.

** Please make your way into the cage across the bridge as the first team to get here **.

Silence followed.

”I guess that’s our cue,” Ezra said.

He stepped onto the bridge. The stone beneath his boots felt warm.

The others followed carefully, glancing down at the flowing lava below.

Ezra pushed open the cage door across the bridge and walked inside.

”This place is wide,” Bobby said as he entered, looking around. ”Just like you said, Aliya. It’s built for four.”

”What good does that do?” Lime grumbled as he stepped in.

Aliya entered last.

Click.

The cage door slammed shut.

Lime rushed forward and grabbed the bars.

”Tsk!” He channeled Cognis into his hand.

”I wouldn’t,” Ezra said calmly from where he sat against the wall.

”Why?” Lime frowned.

”That’s Adamite,” Aliya snapped. ”Do you want to lose your arm?”

Lime blinked and pulled his hand back quickly.

”Oh.”

He walked back and sat down with a frustrated sigh.

”So, what now?” he muttered.

”I guess we, wait” Bobby replied.

Ezra took out ten daggers from his space bag. Then he placed a sharpening stone and oil beside them. He began sharpening each blade one by one, steady movements, soft scraping sounds filling the cage.

Bobby and Lime stared.

Why does he even have that many daggers?

Bobby eventually took out herbs and glass bottles, checking his remaining supplies. Lime did the same with his tools. Aliya pulled out a mirror, comb, and hair cream, casually grooming herself.

Time passed.

The heavy stone door behind them creaked open.

The sound echoed across the cave, mixing with the bubbling lava below the bridge.

Aliya, Bobby, and Lime immediately stopped what they were doing. Bobby nearly dropped the herb bottle in his hand. Lime straightened from his crouched position. Aliya moved first, stepping toward the bars of the cage to see who had entered.

Ezra did not move. He remained seated against the wall, one knee slightly raised, his dagger resting on his lap.

Footsteps echoed from the entrance.

”This place looks scary, Zack,” a girl’s voice said from the doorway.

”Not as scary as the last stage,” a calm male voice replied.

”People?” Aliya frowned, her fingers tightening around the cold Adamite bars.

The four figures stepped fully inside, the steam from earlier drifting around their legs.

”Zack!” Aliya called out.

The boy pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and focused on the cage across the lava.

”Aliya?” His brows lifted. ”What are you doing inside there with your team?”

He walked a few steps closer to the bridge, confusion clear on his face.

”That’s what the voice told us to do!” Aliya answered quickly.

Bobby and Lime stood slightly behind her, eyes sharp, watching the newcomers.

”Hey, Aliya! You’re alive, I see!” A girl with black hair and blue eyes leaned from behind Zack, waving brightly.

”Nathalia!” Aliya waved back with equal energy. ”You teamed up with Zack?”

”Scott and Daniella are here too,” Nathalia said, pointing beside her.

Scott gave a casual wave. Daniella nodded once.

”Wow, it’s really good to see you guys,” Aliya said, smiling.

Bobby and Lime glanced at each other.

She’s really comfortable with them...

”So, what do we do now?” Nathalia asked. She grabbed Zack’s sleeve lightly. ”Any idea?”

Zack did not answer immediately. His gaze moved carefully. First, he examined the cage behind his group. Then he studied the bridge. Finally, his eyes settled on the cage across from him—the one Aliya stood in.

He adjusted his glasses again.

”Aren’t they from Lady Vera’s group?” Bobby whispered under his breath.

”Yeah,” Lime replied quietly. ”And they’re all Highlines.”

His eyes moved over them carefully. Their posture. Their calm. Their confidence.

”This is bad,” he muttered.

He glanced back at Ezra, who still hadn’t changed position.

”How can you still be calm?” Bobby leaned closer and tapped him lightly.

Ezra looked up at him once.

”It’s not like anything changes just because I look,” he said flatly.

Before Bobby could respond, the mechanical voice echoed through the cave once more.

** New contestants, please make your way to the cage at your back **.

The sound rolled against the cave walls.

”Oh,” Nathalia said softly.

Zack nodded. ”Alright. Let’s go.”

They turned and walked toward the cage behind them. Their footsteps echoed against the stone floor.

”Why a cage, though?” Scott muttered with a small sigh as they stepped inside.

”Who knows,” Daniella replied calmly.

The moment all four entered...

Click.

The cage door slammed shut.

”Huh?” Scott grabbed the bars and shook them. ”Do they expect us to stay here?”

The Adamite did not even tremble.

”I don’t think so,” Zack said thoughtfully.

He turned his head toward the opposite cage again.

That was when he noticed Ezra properly.

The boy sitting against the wall.

Calm.

Detached.

”That boy...” Zack murmured under his breath.

He adjusted his glasses once more.

”Boy?” Nathalia leaned slightly, trying to follow his line of sight.

Before Zack could respond, the voice sounded again.

** In the next one minute, you must pick in order **.

The cave went silent.

Even the bubbling lava seemed quieter.

** One person from each team will face each other in a one v one fight **.

The words echoed heavily.

** One win means one point **.

Bobby’s throat felt dry.

** If a team wins three times in a row... **

The pause made Lime’s heart pound.

** The losing team will be locked here until another group enters this stage **.

Bobby and Lime felt their stomachs sink.

Across the bridge, Zack’s team reacted differently.

Scott smirked slightly.

Daniella’s lips curved.

Nathalia looked intrigued.

Zack remained composed; his eyes thoughtful behind the lenses.

The voice continued.

** While the winning team advances to the next stage **.

A small pause.

** Additionally, if both teams win two to one, the last fight winner gains two points **.

Silence returned.

The lava bubbled.

”So... we’re going to fight Aliya’s team one on one?” Daniella repeated.

A slow smile appeared on her face.

”That sounds easy.”

She shifted her weight slightly and looked across the bridge at Aliya’s cage.

”Only Aliya looks strong there.”

Her eyes moved toward Bobby and Lime.

”The two boys? I’ve never seen their faces before. They must be Lowlines.”

She let out a light laugh.

”Weak asses.”

”That’s mean,” Scott said, but he was already laughing with her.

Nathalia didn’t laugh. She tilted her head slightly, watching Aliya’s side more carefully.

”I feel a little bad for Aliya,” she said. ”But they did clear the previous stage. With how difficult that was, I’m not surprised they’re at least somewhat strong.”

”Well, that’s true... but...”

Daniella’s pupils flickered.

A faint glow rose in her eyes as she circulated her Cognis. The energy sharpened her vision. She focused across the lava pit, scanning each of them carefully.

”The energy I’m seeing from them isn’t impressive,” she said after a moment. ”They’re just Half-stars.”

A smirk curled on her lips.

”But the last guy...”

Her gaze paused on Ezra.

He was still sitting against the wall inside the cage. One leg bent. A dagger resting loosely in his hand. His face, calm.

”...Wait.”

Her smile faded slightly.

Her expression darkened.

”Doesn’t he look familiar?”

She lifted a finger, pointing subtly toward him.

Scott narrowed his eyes.

”The boy sitting like the world doesn’t matter?” he asked.

He crossed his arms, staring harder.

”I’ve been watching him since we entered. He hasn’t moved much.”

Scott scoffed.

”Acting calm like that... he’s either arrogant or stupid.”

He glared at Ezra.

”With that appearance, I’m sure he’s just another Lowline like those two.”

”That boy is ranked seventeen, Scott.”

Zack’s voice was calm. Flat.

All three of them froze.

”...Huh?”

They reacted almost at the same time.

Nathalia blinked twice.

Daniella’s brows tightened.

Scott turned slowly.

”Ranked seventeen?”

”Wait...” Nathalia’s eyes widened. ”I remember now!”

She clapped her hands lightly.

”That’s the boy Lady Vera stepped on!”

Scott’s mouth opened slightly.

”And Lady Pamela wants him dead.”

The pieces clicked together.

For a brief moment, silence filled their cage.

”No wonder they survived this long,” Zack said quietly.

Scott frowned again.

”Wait, but... he doesn’t look strong,” he protested. ”His presence feels weak. He’s not intimidating at all.”

Nathalia nodded slowly.

Daniella crossed her arms, still watching Ezra.

”His energy output isn’t overwhelming,” she admitted.

Zack kept his eyes locked on Ezra.

”You were all there with Lady Pamela when I first met him.”

His voice lowered slightly.

”I’m telling you now... none of you can beat him in a one-on-one fight.”

Scott’s jaw tightened.

”Not even two of you together.”

Daniella’s expression shifted.

”And now that he’s awakened...”

Zack paused.

”I don’t know if even three of you could handle him.”

The words felt heavy.

Scott swallowed once.

Nathalia stared across the bridge again, this time more carefully.

Ezra still hadn’t reacted.

He looked like he wasn’t even listening.

The lava below continued to bubble.

”So... what about you?” Nathalia asked after a moment, forcing a small smile.

Zack adjusted his glasses.

The faint reflection of the lava light flashed across the lenses.

”Of course,” he said calmly. ”Only I can beat him.”

His gaze sharpened slightly.

”It’s a must.”

His fingers tightened briefly at his side.

”Either I kill him here... or I defeat him.”