Last Gun Alchemist

”That’s our Zack for you,” Daniella said with a proud smile, folding her arms.

”So how do we line up for this fight?” Scott asked, leaning his back against the cage wall. The metal felt warm from the heat rising off the lava below. He crossed one ankle over the other, but his expression turned serious.

”Who goes first? And who fights last?”

”We can already guarantee three wins,” Nathalia replied calmly. Confidence showed in her eyes as she looked across the bridge. ”Daniella or Scott can handle the two boys over there easily.”

Scott smirked slightly.

”While I’m not sure about beating Aliya,” Nathalia continued, ”I’ve never defeated her before. But I’ll try.”

She glanced at Zack.

”My thought is simple. We win the first three rounds before Zack gets to fight the ranker in the final round.”

”I’ll take the green-haired boy,” Daniella said, pointing directly at Bobby.

Scott chuckled.

”You just want an easy fight.”

”Humph. I won’t sweat over something not worth my time,” Daniella replied lightly.

”Fine. I’ll take the other one,” Scott said, slamming his left fist into his right palm.

”Then it’s settled,” Zack concluded.

He leaned back against the cage wall, folding his arms, eyes closed. His teammates stood closer to the bars, staring across the bridge like hunters studying prey.

Inside Ezra’s cage, the atmosphere felt completely different.

Bobby was pacing in circles.

”I have to fight...” he muttered under his breath, biting his fingernails. ”One on one? How?”

His footsteps quickened.

”I’ve sparred before, sure. But this is different. What if I get seriously hurt again?”

His stomach twisted. He bent over slightly, one hand pressing against it.

”I just got through my first real injury in this trial,” he whispered. ”And now this...”

”What are we going to do?” he asked, voice shaking.

Aliya cut him off.

”The question isn’t what we do. It’s who goes first.”

Lime lifted his head. ”Ezra should go first.”

That seemed logical to him.

”Yeah!” Bobby agreed quickly. ”Instill fear in them!”

Lime rubbed his nose proudly. ”Sometimes I’m very smart.”

”That’s a big no,” Ezra said as he stood up and stretched his arms casually.

Bobby and Lime both froze.

”But why?” they asked together.

”Because it’s obvious,” Ezra replied, pointing across the bridge. ”The guy with glasses...Zack...will fight last and none of you can handle him.”

Aliya nodded slightly. ”You’re both ranked. So, it makes sense for you to fight each other.”

”So... who goes first?” Lime asked nervously.

Ezra stared at the two boys. Then he looked across the bridge again. He watched their posture, their confidence.

”Bobby,” he said, pointing at him.

”...Me?”

Bobby felt like his spirit left his body.

”Yes!” Lime raised his fist.

”You go next after Bobby,” Ezra added dryly.

Lime’s expression collapsed instantly.

”Aliya goes third.”

Aliya nodded.

”Honestly, from the presence of Cognis I can feel, coming from that side...” Ezra glanced again across the bridge at the other cage. Heat from the lava shimmered between them. ”They might actually defeat us before it even reaches my turn.”

Aliya frowned immediately.

”You don’t have faith in me?” She placed a hand on her chest, staring at him in disbelief.

Ezra shook his head slightly. ”It’s not about faith. I’m looking at the odds.”

She folded her arms.

”You and the three of them...excluding Zack...are all close to becoming Novice Alchemists,” he explained calmly.

”And?” she pressed, irritation in her voice.

”The one who will most likely face you is the girl with black hair and blue eyes.” He pointed subtly across the bridge. ”Her Cognis level is the same as yours.”

Aliya clicked her tongue softly.

”Tsk. I already know I’ll be facing Nathalia.”

She glanced across the lava pit at her old rival.

I’m sure she has improved a lot. I always won when we sparred before... but that was before this Trial.

Her gaze sharpened slightly.

Since the Trial started, everyone has grown stronger.

And Nathalia is definitely one of them.

Aliya lowered her eyes for a brief moment, feeling her confidence waver.

** First fighter, please make your way to the bridge **.

Both cage doors unlocked at the same time.

The heavy sound echoed through the cave.

Daniella walked out first. She stretched her neck casually and rolled her shoulders. A relaxed smile rested on her lips, as if she were about to attend practice instead of a real fight.

Bobby stood still.

His feet felt heavy.

He first looked at Lime.

Then at Aliya.

Then finally at Ezra.

He inhaled deeply and exhaled.

Finally Stepping forward.

”Take this.”

Ezra suddenly threw his coat toward him.

Bobby caught it instinctively.

For a moment, relief flooded his chest.

With this... I can block bullets at close range.

He forced a smile and waved slightly.

”I’ll win.”

His voice trembled a little, but he walked toward the bridge anyway.

”You can do it, Bobby!” Lime shouted.

Aliya cupped her hands near her mouth. ”Stay focused!”

Ezra gave him a simple thumbs up.

”Ah... ah...” Bobby swallowed and turned his head back toward the bridge.

The heat rising from below brushed against his face as he stepped into the center.

Daniella was already there, waiting, she looked him up and down slowly.

A smug expression formed on her face.

Bobby avoided her eyes, his heart pounded loudly in his ears.

”I’m wondering...” she said lightly, tilting her head, ”are we allowed to kill?”

The way she said it...casual, almost bored...sent a chill down Bobby’s spine.

The mechanical voice echoed again.

** Victory is achieved by knocking out your opponent **.

** Or if your opponent surrenders **.

** Killing is forbidden. Injuries are permitted **.

”Tsk.” Daniella clicked her tongue. ”Lucky you.”

”Phew...” Bobby wiped the sweat forming on his forehead.

The lava below bubbled softly.

** Fighters, get ready **.

Bobby immediately stepped back, widening the distance.

Okay.

I have gotten some experience training under Sir Veda, although as a Flora Alchemist, my family never focused on physical combat. Especially not direct fighting, but with the right herbs... I can prepare something.

I just need a second.

** Start **.

Bobby instantly reached into his space bag and pulled out several herbs.

He prepared to clap his hands...

Before he could...

A sudden force struck his stomach.

Daniella’s leg.

The impact knocked the air out of him.

He was lifted off his feet and thrown backward.

His body slammed against the stone floor. His teeth clenched as saliva spilled from his mouth.

”Argh...!”

He curled slightly, clutching his stomach.

”Did you really think I’d give you time to perform Alchemy in front of me?” Daniella said coldly.

She walked toward him slowly.

”If you want to use Alchemy during a fight, disable your opponent first.”

She flicked her wrist and tossed a steel bar into the air.

Clap!

Her hands met.

White sparks of lightning crackled around her gloves, as an Alchemy symbol formed between her palms, glowing briefly.

The steel bar twisted midair, reshaping itself.

In seconds, it became a revolver.

”Then,” she continued calmly, raising the gun, ”you perform your Alchemy.”

She aimed directly at him.

”Bobby!” Lime shouted from inside the cage.

Aliya covered her mouth, fear rising in her chest.

”Don’t worry. He’ll be fine.”

Ezra watched the fight without blinking. His eyes followed every movement carefully.

Bang!

The gunshot echoed across the cave.

Daniella aimed straight for Bobby’s spine. The bullet struck him... and bounced off.

The metallic sound rang sharply.

”...Huh?” Daniella’s brows furrowed.

Bang!

Bang!

She fired again in quick succession.

Both bullets hit him, but both got deflected.

”What’s going on?” Scott frowned from inside the cage, gripping the bars tighter.

”His coat,” Zack replied calmly, eyes fixed on the bridge.

Across from them, Bobby let out a shaky laugh.

”Hehe...”

He was still breathing heavily, sweat sliding down his face.

”This coat is really convenient.”

He forced a grin.

Daniella’s face twisted.

”What the hell are you smiling about?”

Before she could adjust...

Clap!

Bobby slammed his hands together over the herbs he had already prepared.

While she had been busy firing at him, he had seized the moment.

The herbs compressed under his Alchemy.

They merged, twisted, and solidified into a single dark pill.

”Normally...” Bobby said as he pushed himself upright, still hunched slightly from the earlier kick, ”since I’m not a Novice Alchemist yet... I can’t use certain Alchemies strong enough to gain a real advantage over you.”

His hand trembled slightly.

”But...”

He swallowed the pill.

For a brief second, nothing happened.

Then...

His veins bulged sharply under his skin. Muscles tightened. Sweat burst from his pores as if his body were overheating.

”I can at least make a stimulant,” he continued through clenched teeth, ”that doubles my physical strength.”

Cognis surged through him.

”And by enhancing my body with Cognis... I can triple my physical strength.”

He pulled out a dagger.

He lowered his stance.

Aliya and Lime stared in shock.

”He did that while she was shooting?” Lime muttered.

Even Scott and Nathalia looked surprised.

”This just got more interesting,” Ezra said softly, a faint smile appearing on his face.

Daniella stared at Bobby’s changed posture.

For a moment, she looked stunned, then anger replaced it.

The veins at her temple twitched.

”Don’t get cocky, weakling.”

Cognis flared from her entire body. The air around her seemed to tighten. ”I might actually beat you to death.”

The lava bubbled below.

The cave fell quiet.

Their eyes locked.

”Ahhhh!”

Bobby moved first.

He lunged forward and threw a right punch, the speed of it shifted the air slightly.

Daniella reacted quickly. She twisted her body left.

The punch missed, but the pressure from it sliced lightly across her cheek.

A thin line of blood appeared.

”Tsk. You Lowline.”

She fired one more shot on instinct.

Bobby tilted his body to the side. The bullet brushed past him.

Click.

The revolver gave a hollow sound.

Empty.

Bobby saw it immediately and with no hesitation, he rushed forward at full speed.

His footsteps echoed across the bridge.

He closed the distance and launched an uppercut toward her chin.

Daniella reacted instantly, flipping backward. Her body arced cleanly in the air as she escaped the blow by inches.

Bobby didn’t slow down.

He pressed forward.

Punch.

Kick.

Slice.

Another punch.

The stimulant was working. His movements were faster, heavier.

But she was no weakling, her eyes sharpened.

She understood one thing clearly... she couldn’t afford to get hit.

Not even once.

If even a single punch landed cleanly, the force would send her flying across the bridge.

So, she moved.

Dodged.

Shifted.

Her feet barely stayed in one place.

Both cages watched in silence.

Zack’s team leaned forward against the bars. Ezra’s team stood gripping their own cage tightly. No one blinked for long.

Lime’s face lit up when he saw Bobby pushing Daniella back.

”Get her, Bobby!” he shouted, throwing his hand into the air.

”You can do it! Keep up the pressure!” Aliya added, her voice tense but hopeful.

Ezra said nothing.

He simply watched.

Scott clicked his tongue in annoyance.

”Tsk. What does Daniella think she’s doing?” he muttered, arms crossed tightly.

”She’s getting pushed back by that boy,” Nathalia said, confusion in her eyes.

Zack, however, looked relaxed.

”Don’t worry,” he said with a faint smile. ”As long as she holds out, that boy will soon run out of strength.”

His tone carried quiet confidence.

On the bridge, Bobby didn’t slow down.

He launched punch after punch. Kicks followed then slashes of the dagger. His movements were aggressive, heavy. The stimulant still flowed in his veins.

But Daniella was always a fraction faster.

She weaved under a punch.

Sidestepped a kick.

Twisted her torso just enough to let another slash pass her shoulder.

Each strike Bobby threw barely missed.

She retreated a few steps.

Then suddenly she rushed forward.

Bobby reacted instantly and threw a straight punch.

Daniella jumped.

She planted her foot briefly against his extended arm and used the momentum to flip over him in a clean somersault.

Before landing, she pulled out a small steel nugget.

Her glove began to glow.

An Alchemy circle formed.

The steel reshaped midair—bullets forming one by one in her palm.

Bobby turned the moment he felt her land behind him.

He didn’t want to give her space so he rushed toward her again, aiming to grab her before she could reload, but she moved fast.

She took several quick steps backward. With each step, she inserted a bullet smoothly into the revolver.

One.

Two.

Three...

The cylinder snapped into place.

She spun it and aimed.

Bobby instinctively stepped back, bracing himself.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Gunshots rang sharply across the cave.

Bobby dodged left.

Then right.

One bullet scraped past his hand.

”Ah!”

He clenched his teeth as a thin line of blood formed across his skin.

”What are you doing, Bobby? Use the coat!” Lime shouted desperately.

”He can’t,” Ezra said calmly, eyes never leaving the fight. ”Right now, all his Cognis is focused on enhancing his physical strength to its limit, and the stimulant is already wearing off. His body isn’t strong enough to maintain it for long.”

Lime swallowed.

”Tsk... this is bad.”

On the bridge, Bobby’s breathing became uneven. ”Ah... ah... ah...”

Sweat poured down his face. His legs felt heavier than before.

Daniella lowered the revolver slightly, smirking. ”I knew it,” she said. ”You can’t use the coat again.” Her smile widened.

”And you’re running out of stamina.” She laughed.

”You look pathetic.”

Each word felt heavier than her bullets.

Bobby blinked; his vision began to blur, his heart pounded painfully.

Ah... I’m so tired.

His arms trembled.

Is this as far as I go?

He glanced toward his team.

Lime looked desperate.

Aliya’s hands were clenched together.

Ezra...

Ezra looked the same as always.

Calm and unreadable.

Maybe... I have tried enough, maybe it’s okay to...

His face paled.

Then a memory surfaced again.

Sir Veda’s voice.

’Move past your own shadow.’

Bobby exhaled slowly.

”...Ahhhh!”

He suddenly screamed, shocking even Daniella.

She narrowed her eyes.

”Did he lose his mind?”

Bobby reached up and untied the coat from around his shoulders, he wrapped it tightly around his waist instead.

His hands stopped trembling.

”Alright.” His voice steadied.

His eyes sharpened.

”Let’s end this.”

He clenched his fists.

Across from him, Daniella’s expression darkened completely.

”This stupid Lowline...”

Cognis flared around her again.

”I’m going to make sure I beat you almost to death.”