Last Gun Alchemist

The moment the time reached one hour and thirty minutes before curfew, the six guards who had been standing like unmoving statues finally stepped forward at the same time.

Their boots struck the ground in unison, the sound echoing slightly across the training grounds, and with calm but firm authority, they stopped the remaining candidates from entering the tower.

No one argued nor complained.

Since, the rule about night curfew had already been drilled into everyone’s mind, and after everything they had gone through in the trials so far, no one was foolish enough to challenge it.

So, one after another, the candidates began to leave.

Groups gathered together, speaking quietly as they walked away.

Vera left with most of her group, her posture straight, her expression calm as if nothing in the day had surprised her.

Priscilla’s group followed soon after.

Henry’s group moved out in an orderly manner.

Veda and Bale also left with their members, their groups quieter than before but more stable.

Still, not everyone left immediately.

A few candidates remained behind, standing near the tower, their eyes fixed on the doors as they waited for those still inside to come out.

Thirty minutes later, the last batch of candidates exited one after another, their expressions tired, some relieved, some frustrated.

Only then did the training grounds truly empty.

Long before the guards stepped in, Ezra had already left the place.

After spending two full hours on footwork training, moving back and forth between the practice dolls with careful steps, he returned to his room.

Washed up quietly, letting the cold water run over his face and hands, then changed into clean clothes.

After that, he walked to the café, took a light meal without drawing attention as always, and then headed straight to the library after letting his food digest a bit.

There, he sat down and continued studying, flipping through pages slowly, his focus steady.

The day passed like that.

Calm and routine, but beneath that calm air...was a wave of excitement.

Everyone was joyfully waiting for the next day.

The next morning came.

Ezra opened his eyes slowly, for a moment, he did not move.

He simply stared at the ceiling, his mind quiet, his breathing steady, as if giving himself time to settle.

Then, without hesitation, he sat up.

He wore his exercise clothes and stepped out to begin his routine.

At the same time, other candidates had already begun climbing the tower again without wasting time.

The progress this time was faster, much faster.

Most of the candidates had already understood their limits.

Instead of trying to force their way higher, many focused-on speed, aiming to finish quickly even if it meant failing at the third or fourth floor, because of that...

Losses became frequent in the Third floor and Fourth floor.

Again, and again.

During that time, a few members from Felix’s group appeared again.

However, Felix himself was nowhere to be seen and Gareth was absent with Freed, who was also missing and Page, who remained in the infirmary, still recovering from the effects of her own poison powder.

Ezra, on the other hand, continued his routine without paying much attention to the tower.

At least, not yet.

He trained in the morning, watched how the others progressed in climbing the tower briefly in the afternoon, then returned to his usual cycle...

Room, Café and Library.

Days passed like that with the same pattern repeating until it became almost natural.

The first week ended, then came the middle of the second week.

And finally...

Ezra decided he was ready to take on the tower.

The crowd around the tower was larger that day.

Many injured candidates had recovered.

Linda stood among them, fully healed and ready, Page had also returned, along with more members of Felix’s group.

The atmosphere felt a lot different.

More serious and focused with the weeks to the ending of the sixth trial, now close.

”Hey, Veda.”

Ezra walked toward his group and raised a hand slightly in greeting.

”Wow,” Nickolas said immediately, his lips curling into a mocking smile. ”I thought you had forgotten about this trial.”

Ezra did not respond, he didn’t even look at him as he reached their side.

”Tsk...” Nickolas clicked his tongue, clearly annoyed at being ignored.

”Seeing you here,” Veda said with a gentle smile, his tone calm as always, ”does that mean you want to climb the tower today?”

”Yeah,” Ezra replied simply.

”I want to get this over with once and for all so I can focus on other things.”

”Oh...” Veda nodded.

”Humph...” Nickolas crossed his arms, staring at Ezra as if he had figured something out. ”So, you were waiting for others to go first... so you could analyze them. Haha... What a sneaky boy you are.”

Ezra turned his eyes slightly toward him.

”Say’s the person who hasn’t taken the trial yet.”

Nickolas stiffened.

”Mine is different,” he said quickly, waving his hand. ”I’m waiting because it’s proper for the vice-leader to let his comrades go first... then I go.”

He turned to Veda with a proud look.

”Isn’t that what you’re doing too?”

Veda and Ezra stared at him in silence.

”Well... he’s not totally wrong,” Veda admitted.

Ezra gave a small nod agreeing with Veda.

”See?” Nickolas pointed at Ezra; his face bright with victory.

”What are you guys even talking about?”

Linda’s voice cut in as she and Tracy walked over.

”Nothing much,” Nickolas replied with a grin on his face.

Both girls looked at him strangely.

”What got him smiling like an idiot?” Tracy whispered to Veda.

”I don’t know,” Veda whispered back.

During Tracy and Veda’s silent whispers, Linda shifted her gaze toward Ezra.

He was already facing the tower again, hands folded, as if nothing else around him mattered.

”Tsk...”

She turned away, annoyed.

”I knew it... I really can’t bring myself to like this jerk.”

Tracy and Veda both looked at her, then at Ezra, then back at her again.

Nickolas, meanwhile, still looked satisfied for no clear reason, not even focused on what was happening around him.

”He didn’t even ask how I was!” Linda suddenly snapped, turning back to them.

”At least say something like... ’Oh Linda, how are you? I heard you were injured. Are you okay now?’”

She waved her hands as if acting out the scene.

”But no... nothing.”

She pointed sharply at Veda.

”And why is it only you he greets? What about the rest of us? After everything we went through together in the castle! Did that mean nothing to him?”

She crossed her arms tighter.

Tracy glanced at Ezra again, watching for a reaction, but there was none.

”Wow... that’s some serious ignoring,” she muttered quietly.

Veda, however, smiled even wider, staring at Linda.

Linda frowned.

”Why are you smiling like that?” she rolled her eyes.

”I’m just happy,” Veda said, wiping a small tear from the corner of his eye, ”to see you finally accepting him into the group like the others.”

Linda stepped back.

”Ugh... stop looking at me like that.”

”Sorry, sorry,” Veda raised both hands, his palms showing the sign of peace. ”I’ll stop.”

”Sir Veda.”

Bobby called out, approaching with a few others.

He handed over a list.

”These are the names of the remaining members who are to take on the tower today.”

Bobby spoke while handing the list to Veda, his eyes briefly shifting toward Ezra as if confirming something in his mind.

I haven’t seen him since the fifth trial ended...

The thought passed quietly through his mind before he stepped back.

”Oh, I almost forgot.”

Veda snapped his fingers lightly, as if something had just come back to him.

”Ezra.”

”Yeah.”

Ezra turned his head toward him and walked over at a steady pace, his hands resting calmly at his sides.

”We made a list,” Veda began, lifting the paper slightly, ”so that those who wants to take the trial today can write their names down. That way, no one feels pressured to go and we don’t have to be picking randomly.”

His tone was gentle, but firm enough to show that the decision had already been made.

Ezra looked at the list for a brief moment before speaking.

”So, I won’t be able to take on the trial today?”

His voice was flat, without complaint, clear enough to show he had already accepted the outcome.

”Yes.”

Veda nodded immediately.

”Well...”

Ezra exhaled softly, shifting his gaze away from the paper.

”It’s a good idea to make a list like that, even though I did want to do it today.”

His tone remained calm as always.

”I’ll just wait until tomorrow. At least I’ll be able to write my name then.”

He pointed lightly at the paper before turning his body slightly.

”Yes.”

Bobby replied quickly, almost as if afraid Ezra might change his mind.

”Alright.”

Ezra gave a small nod and began to walk away.

”Wait!”

A small, trembling voice suddenly broke through the noise of the group.

It was not loud, but the way it shook made it stand out more than a shout.

Ezra stopped mid-step and turned back, his gaze moving toward where the voice had come from.

The people standing in that direction slowly parted, stepping aside as if pushed by an invisible force.

At the center stood a girl.

Her hands were pressed tightly against her chest, fingers gripping the fabric of her clothes.

Her head was lowered, and even from where Ezra stood, it was clear she was struggling just to speak.

”M... m... my name... is... p... part of... the... the... list...”

Her words came out broken, her lips trembling with each syllable.

She could not even raise her head to look at him.

”Wow... she’s finally talking... again”

Some of the members around her whispered to themselves, their voices filled with surprise.

”I... I... want... to give you... my... my place...”

She forced the words out at once, squeezing her eyes shut tightly as if afraid she might lose the courage if she hesitated.

The moment she finished speaking, she turned and ran back into the crowd, disappearing between her teammates before anyone could stop her.

Ezra watched the space where she had stood for only a brief moment.

Then...

”So, when do I get to go?”

He asked immediately, his tone unchanged, as if the situation had not surprised him in the slightest.

He didn’t even ask who she was nor didn’t ask why she gave up her place.

Veda lowered his gaze to the paper again, scanning through the names carefully.

”Hmm... she’s number ten...”

He traced his finger down the list, then lifted his head and pointed toward a boy who had just stepped out of the tower.

”And he’s number eight. So, lucky you.”

”Alright.”

Ezra nodded once and turned back to his original spot, standing quietly as he waited for his turn.

Time passed.

The noise of the crowd rose and fell repeatedly as candidates entered and exited the tower, everything going peacefully and like that two hours went by without anyone noticing how quickly it had moved.

Ezra stretched his arms slowly, the joints in his shoulders giving a faint sound as he loosened them.

He stepped forward; his gaze settled on the tower door ahead of him.

This time...

It was his turn.

”Youuuu!!!”

Nina’s voice rang out sharply, cutting through the air as she pointed directly at him.

”I actually thought you were dead!”

Her voice was loud, almost accusing.

Ezra turned his head slightly toward her direction and was actually amused why she would say that, but his amusement didn’t she on his blank expression.

Vera stood beside her and once she saw him, she raised her hand and waved at him with a faint smile, her expression calm, as if she had already expected to see him again.

Behind her stood Nathalia, Scott, Daniella, and Gena. All looking at Ezra too.

Gena lifted her hand just a little, waving in a small, careful motion.

”Good luck...”

Her lips moved silently, making sure her voice did not carry while Nathalia stared at him for a long moment.

There were questions in her eyes...many of them, but her look never gave off any resentment he had expected from her.

Scott and Daniella, on the other hand, reacted differently.

The moment their eyes met his, their bodies stiffened slightly.

Memories from the fourth trial surfaced instinctively, and it showed in the way they flinched without meaning to.

From Vera’s side, there were two more gazes fixed on him, from other groups, even more followed but Ezra didn’t stop to look at them again.

He just ignored all of it and simply turned back and continued walking toward the door.

”It’s nice seeing her talk now,” Veda said, watching Ezra’s back as he moved forward to the door of the tower.

”It’s been that long,” Linda replied, glancing over her shoulder toward the girl who had given up her spot.

”Since the second trial ended,” Veda added calmly.

”Tsk... he didn’t even say thank you to her.”

Linda clicked her tongue, folding her arms tightly.

”Hahaha...”

Veda laughed softly.

”But I did hear she spoke to him during the fifth trial.”

”Really?”

Linda turned back to him.

”Yeah. Something about asking him how Aliya’s last moments were.”

”Ehhhh...”

Linda’s expression shifted slightly, almost stiffing upon hearing her name.

”But I don’t think he even remembers the girl he saved during the second trial.”

Veda let out another quiet laugh.

”Humph... what a jerk.”

Linda muttered.

Ezra stepped closer to the door, reaching into his space bag and brought out his silver card, holding it between his fingers.

I didn’t get to thank her...

He thought quietly as he looked at the card.

Well, she did run too quickly before I got the chance.

His eyes lowered slightly.

That was Mary...

The name surfaced in his mind.

I thought she would have died around the second trial... but I’ve been seeing her face from time to time since I joined Veda’s group.

He paused for a brief second.

”He really takes in the burdens, huh...”

He muttered under his breath, though it was unclear if he was talking about her...

Or another person.

He raised his hand and placed the card against the lock with a soft click sounding as the door opened.

”WAIT!!”