Last Gun Alchemist

Ezra’s eyes moved away from the Biology book resting in front of him and toward the empty portion of the table.

He didn’t really see the table anymore.

His mind was already somewhere else, going through the same thought from several different angles while he tried to figure out how he could use nanotechnology to preserve his condition for a longer period of time.

The idea itself wasn’t impossible.

At least, not in theory.

The only main problem is bringing Nanotech from that world into this world.

Ezra lightly tapped his finger against the edge of the Biology book.

He already knew that the technology wasn’t something he could simply recreate by following a few instructions from his memories. Since the knowledge he possessed wasn’t complete, and even if the Book of Memories had given him information about the subject, knowing what Nanotechnology was and actually creating the tools required to make it were two completely different matters.

From what I’ve read from the little information the Book of Memories showed me...

Ezra closed his eyes.

His awareness moved inward.

The familiar sensation of entering his mind realm followed almost immediately.

The Book of Memories appeared before him.

Its old pages shifted on their own before the book opened directly to the section containing the information he had about Nanotechnology.

A simple heading appeared across the page.

***

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[Nanotechnology]

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Classification: Advanced Material Engineering

Information Status: Partial Record Unlocked

Basic Principle

Nanotechnology is the science of manipulating matter at an incredibly small scale, where atoms and molecules became the primary building blocks of construction.

Instead of taking a large piece of material and gradually shaping it into something smaller, Nanotechnology focused on arranging matter from its smallest components in order to create entirely new structures.

At that scale, even the smallest change in the arrangement of atoms could affect a material’s strength, weight, conductivity, durability, and other properties.

Ezra’s eyes moved slowly across the information.

Fundamental Concept

Conventional engineering reshapes existing materials.

Nanotechnology reconstructs them.

By understanding how atoms bonded together, engineers could design materials with properties that went beyond what naturally occurring materials could provide.

Lighter.

Stronger.

More efficient.

The Book of Memories continued.

Known Characteristics

Nanotechnology allows matter to be manipulated with extraordinary precision.

Materials could potentially become much stronger while remaining lightweight. Microscopic damage could be repaired before it became visible, and components could be manufactured with a level of accuracy that conventional machinery couldn’t easily achieve.

Its greatest strength isn’t in creating larger machines.

It is in perfecting the smallest ones.

Summary

Nanotechnology is the discipline of manipulating matter at the molecular level.

Although invisible to the naked eye, its influence can extend far beyond its size, allowing ordinary materials to gain extraordinary properties through precise atomic arrangement.

***

Ezra stared at the information for several seconds.

Then his attention returned to the main problem.

The good news is that manipulating matter is something we Alchemists already do every time.

His expression remained plain.

The only difference is that we do it through Alchemy principles.

That was the part that made the idea worth pursuing.

The foundation wasn’t completely foreign to him.

Since, Alchemists already manipulated matter.

They already altered structures.

And they already used formulas to control how materials behaved.

The scales, tools and knowledge were the problem.

But the basic concept...

That was something he could understand.

Ezra opened his eyes and reached for his Zphone Tablet.

The tablet had been placed neatly beside the stack of course books he had arranged earlier.

He picked it up and activated the screen.

The familiar white interface appeared.

Ezra opened the note application.

It was one of the most commonly recommended writing applications among students, researchers, craftsmen, and Alchemists because of its ability to organize information through highlighted sections and headlines.

Whenever an important point was marked, the application could also connect the highlighted information to related research published across the Skynet, allowing the user to use those materials as references.

It was one of the special features included with the Zphone Tablet.

That feature alone was one of the reasons the tablet is so expensive.

Ezra opened a new page.

A keyboard materialized across the lower portion of the screen.

His fingers began moving, as he carefully wrote down the important information he had just read from the Book of Memories.

Atomic manipulation.

Molecular construction.

Material reconstruction.

Precision.

Strength.

Lightweight structures.

Microscopic systems.

He didn’t write everything.

Only the information he considered important enough to become part of his research.

Once he finished recording the main points, Ezra leaned back slightly in his chair.

His eyes remained on the notes.

Like I already guessed...

His gaze slowly narrowed.

Bringing this technology from that world into this world isn’t going to be easy.

He rested one hand against his chin.

We don’t even have Nanomachines.

His eyes moved across the laboratory.

The tables around him were filled with the products of Alchemy, but none of them were capable of performing the kind of work Nanotechnology required.

And we don’t have any manual method of engineering machines that small either.

Ezra leaned back farther.

The chair gave a quiet creak beneath his weight.

Time continued moving whether he paid attention to it or not.

The sunlight entering through the laboratory windows gradually shifted across the floor.

Several upperclassmen entered the laboratory during that time.

Ezra briefly looked up whenever someone arrived.

He still greeted them politely, even though most of his attention remained on the research displayed on his Zphone.

Some students left after finishing their own work.

Others arrived to continue theirs.

The laboratory remained active around him.

Yet Ezra stayed focused on his own table.

He returned to his notes and began writing again, although this time his subject wasn’t Nanotechnology.

It was the biology of the red blood system.

He wrote down possible methods that could help preserve his condition.

Some ideas were practical.

Others were little more than possibilities that would require much more research.

He marked the main focus of his research clearly.

Nanotechnology.

Then his thoughts returned to the problem.

The materials.

Ezra stopped writing.

That was one of the biggest problems.

Even if he understood how Nanotechnology worked, he still needed materials capable of becoming the foundation for his creation.

He looked at the information he had written.

Materials for creation...

His finger tapped lightly against the table.

Then another thought appeared.

Crytalix does exist, though.

Ezra’s finger stopped.

He quickly wrote it down.

Crytalix — possible component.

He stared at those words.

Then...

Wait.

Ezra paused.

His eyes narrowed as another possibility began forming.

Can’t I actually utilize Nanotech as a new form of Alchemy instead of thinking about making it manually?

His breathing became slightly slower.

The idea was simple.

If he couldn’t recreate the machinery through conventional engineering...

Why did he need to?

He was an Alchemist.

And Alchemy already allowed him to manipulate matter.

Even the Nanomachines required for engineering the Nanobots would be more possible through Alchemy.

Ezra’s fingers moved again.

His thoughts accelerated.

The only problem is that the formularization would take me a very long time to complete.

He stared at the empty section of his notes.

My knowledge of its main manufacturing features is still too limited.

He knew what Nanotechnology could accomplish, and he knew the basic principles behind it.

But that didn’t mean he possessed every detail needed to build the machines.

He would have to figure out the missing pieces himself.

He would have to experiment.

He would have to research.

And he would have to create formulas capable of reproducing something that his current Alchemy knowledge had never been designed to produce.

Ezra slowly clenched his fingers.

But I can do it.

The thought came with a strange certainty.

Not because he already knew how.

He didn’t.

But because he could see a path toward it.

His eyes moved toward another part of the laboratory.

There were small organisms being studied and cared for inside this place.

Living things.

Small systems.

Complex structures.

Things that functioned naturally without needing machines designed by humans.

The small organisms being taken care of in this place could give me a better understanding of how I should approach this Nanotech Alchemy.

A faint excitement appeared in Ezra’s eyes.

It was unusual.

Since he rarely became excited over something simply because it was difficult.

But this...

This was different.

It was only the second time he had ever felt this kind of excitement toward something involving Alchemy.

Because this wasn’t simply another weapon.

It wasn’t another accessory.

It wasn’t another improvement to something that already existed.

He was trying to create something completely new.

Ezra looked at the notes covering his tablet.

His eyes slowly moved from one line to another, then he realized what made the idea so different.

I’m about to make my own Path.

The thought remained in his mind for several seconds.

A faint smile almost appeared on his face.

Almost.

But Ezra quickly returned to the other problem he had been considering.

For now, I should make use of the bandage heat-stimulating idea as a combat feature.

He thought to himself.

Or I could add it into my light body armor.

He imagined the system inside the armor.

A heat-generating function.

Something that could help deal with the cold.

Something that could potentially be used during combat as well.

Then...

Ezra’s expression changed slightly.

No.

He shook his head.

It won’t work.

His gaze became more focused.

Especially because I already added circuits into the armor.

He remembered the structure of the armor and how its different systems had been integrated.

Alchemy Circle integration on materials and weapons can’t work together with circuits.

Ezra stopped.

His eyes remained fixed on the ceiling.

A few seconds passed.

Then his expression slowly changed again.

What I’m I thinking...

It’s not that it can’t work.

His thoughts corrected themselves.

It’s just that no one has thought about how to blend both together.

That was the real problem.

Not an impossibility.

It was because of a lack of proper research.

If he could figure out how to make Alchemy Circles and circuits function together without interfering with one another, then the possibilities would become much larger.

His gaze remained on the ceiling as his thoughts continued moving through different possibilities.

Then...

”Mr. Ezra Ashenlocke.”

A familiar voice called his name.

Ezra’s eyes moved toward the laboratory entrance.

”President Luke.”

Luke was standing close to the exit.

The laboratory was now almost completely empty.

The upperclassmen who had been working earlier had already packed their belongings and left.

Ezra glanced toward the windows.

The light outside had already changed.

He looked back at his tablet, then at the books spread across his table.

”It’s closing time, huh?”

He said it plainly as he finally stood from his chair.

”Yes, it is.”

Luke replied calmly.

He watched as Ezra began packing his research materials.

The Biology book went into the Space Bag first.

Then the Flame Alchemy Circle book.

The course books followed.

Finally, Ezra placed his Zphone Tablet inside before closing the bag.

Luke folded his arms and leaned against the wall beside the door.

”You must have really enjoyed your research.”

Ezra paused briefly.

He looked at the now empty table.

He had entered the laboratory intending to research one problem.

Instead, he had found several more.

”I did.”

Ezra replied simply.

He lifted the Space Bag and placed it over his shoulder.

Then he walked toward the door.

Luke moved aside to give him space.

Ezra stepped out of the laboratory.

The hallway outside was quiet now.

Most of the students had already left the club building, leaving only the faint sound of footsteps somewhere deeper inside.

After Ezra exited the Craft & Research Seekers Club building, the evening air met his face.

He stopped for a moment.

His gaze moved toward the academy buildings in the distance.

The day had been long.

Classes.

Assignments.

Research.

And now another problem had been added to the growing list inside his mind.

Ezra lowered his gaze.

Just how much more do I have to do to achieve my goal?

He quietly adjusted the Space Bag over his shoulder before continuing down the path.

The answer didn’t matter.

No matter how many things were added to the list...

He would have to deal with them one by one.