Last Gun Alchemist

Ezra lowered Bobby carefully onto the cold tunnel floor. The stone beneath them was uneven and damp, and when Bobby’s back touched the wall, he hissed in pain. His fingers dug into the dirt as if he could grip the ground and stop the agony from spreading.

The arrow pierced straight through his leg.

The metal tip showed on one side. The wooden shaft stuck out from the other.

Bobby stared at it like he couldn’t understand what he was seeing. His breathing turned rough. Blood slid down his calf and dripped onto the ground, forming a dark pool that slowly widened.

”You’ll be fine,” Ezra said quietly.

His voice did not tremble.

He opened his space bag and took out herbs, a small grinding pot, clean bandages, a bottle of alcohol, and an unused dagger. He lined them up neatly on the floor beside him, arranging everything within reach.

Lime had already set up a small fire nearby. The flame flickered against the tunnel walls, stretching their shadows long and thin.

”What are you going to do with all of this?” Lime asked, frowning.

To him, Ezra already knew too much. Plants, animals, combat, alchemy—he was skilled in many fields. But medicine? That was different. Healing was for Flora, Wood, or Blood Alchemists.

”I’m going to remove the arrow,” Ezra replied.

He did not look up.

It wasn’t normal for an Alchemist outside those branches to know proper healing procedures. Cognis could be used for healing, yes, but only on oneself. No one could heal another person using their own Cognis.

And what if the injured person was the healer?

What if he was too shaken to focus?

Bobby was in shock. His body trembled. His mind clearly wasn’t steady enough to circulate Cognis.

Lucky for him, Ezra was different.

Those dreams—the memories that weren’t supposed to be his, had given him knowledge. Information flowed back to him now not as thoughts, but as instinct. First aid. Stabilizing wounds. Stop the bleeding. Prevent infection.

His hand moved without hesitation.

Ezra picked up the dagger and handed it to Lime.

”Put this in the fire. Leave it until it turns red.”

”Okay...” Lime looked confused but didn’t argue. He crouched by the fire and held the blade over the flame.

There was no time to question things.

Ezra pulled on a different pair of gloves—plain ones. He leaned closer to Bobby and gripped the arrowhead.

Then he took out a folded hand towel and pushed it gently toward Bobby’s mouth.

”Bite this.”

Bobby blinked at him. He didn’t understand, but he obeyed.

The moment Ezra snapped off the exposed arrowhead, Bobby’s body jerked violently.

”Mmm...! Mmmmmmm!!”

His teeth sank deep into the cloth.

”Aliya! I need you!”

She had been standing stiffly nearby, watching everything without speaking. Now she rushed forward and grabbed Bobby’s shoulders, holding him down.

After breaking off the arrowhead, Ezra carefully pushed the remaining shaft backward, pulling it out from the entry side. Blood surged out, thicker now.

The metallic smell filled the tunnel.

Ezra uncorked the alcohol and poured it directly onto the wound.

The reaction was immediate.

Bobby’s body arched. His muffled scream echoed against stone walls. Tears streamed down his temples as he shook his head in agony. Aliya tightened her grip. Ezra pressed down firmly to keep him still.

Lime hurried back, holding the dagger. The blade glowed red.

”What are you doing with that?!” Aliya’s voice trembled.

Ezra didn’t answer.

He took the dagger.

”Hold him.”

Lime dropped beside them, grabbing Bobby’s other side. Bobby was shaking hard now, sweat covering his forehead.

Ezra pressed the red-hot blade against one side of the wound.

The smell of burnt flesh rose into the air.

”Arghhhh...!! Mmmmm!! Mmmmmmm!!”

Bobby’s scream tore through the cloth. His fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white. His face, drained of color.

Ezra pulled the blade away, returned it to the fire, waited, then cauterized the other side.

The screaming continued.

It felt long.

But eventually, the blood stopped flowing.

Both holes were sealed.

When it was done, Lime and Aliya let go slowly. They both sank back, breathing hard. Bobby’s body lay limp.

Ezra exhaled once.

Then he reached for the herbs.

He crushed them inside the grinding pot with steady movements. The dry leaves turned into fine powder. He added a bit of water, mixing it until it formed a muddy paste.

He applied it carefully over the wound and wrapped the bandage firmly around Bobby’s leg.

Somewhere during that process, Bobby fainted.

”Ah...” Ezra leaned back, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead. ”He should be fine after some rest.”

Aliya stared at him.

”I can’t believe you just did that,” she said. ”What are you? A native healer? I heard only commoners use methods like this. Nobles just pay healing-type Alchemists.”

”I think it’s better to learn everything,” Ezra replied. His tone was flat. ”This trial taught me that.”

She blinked.

”Wow... I didn’t think of that.”

She hesitated.

”Hey, Ezra.”

”Yeah?”

”Do you think you could... teach me some things after the trial?”

Her head lowered slightly. Her cheeks looked faintly pink in the firelight.

”No way,” he replied quickly.

”Ehn? Why?” she complained, stepping closer.

”Don’t have time,” he said flatly.

She frowned. ”What do you mean you don’t have time? I only ever see you alone. What else are you doing that you don’t have time?”

”I really don’t have time,” he repeated. His tone did not change.

”Ehhh... you’re just stingy.” She puffed her cheeks, crossing her arms.

Ezra blinked at her. ”What does being stingy have to do with this?”

”I don’t care. You’re just stingy, idiot!” she snapped, turning away from him with a loud ”Humph.”

Ezra stared at her back.

Now I’m an idiot?

He felt a small twitch at the corner of his eye.

What is it with girls and randomly calling people idiots?

He remembered Vera saying the same word to him before. The tone had been different, but the word was the same.

He sighed quietly.

I really don’t have time.

He had to guide Gena—it was part of their deal while training every day and every night to be in shape and he had enemies watching him.

He sighed again, longer this time.

There’s too much to do.

The fire cracked softly beside them.

Lime suddenly stood up, scratching the back of his head.

”Ah... ah... I want to take a piss.”

He walked a short distance away from the camp, stepping over loose stones.

”You’re so dirty,” Aliya called after him with a teasing voice.

”Tsk.” Lime clicked his tongue but kept walking.

Ezra shifted his gaze toward Bobby, who still lay unconscious, his breathing steady now.

”When he wakes up, he should be able to use his Cognis to heal himself completely,” Ezra said calmly.

No one responded.

After that, silence settled around them. The tunnel felt larger in the quiet. The flame danced against the stone walls, casting faint shadows that stretched and shrank.

Since sleep refused to come, the three began circulating their Cognis.

Time underground was strange. There was no sun, no sky. Minutes could feel like hours. Hours could feel like nothing.

Maybe a day passed.

Maybe more.

Aliya washed her hair at some point. She used a small amount of stored water, crouching carefully behind one of Ezra’s blankets while the two boys turned around awkwardly, their eyes shut tightly. She cleaned herself with a damp handkerchief, dried her hair near the fire, then returned to her sleeping bag and resumed circulating her energy.

Lime followed a simple rhythm—sleep, wake up, circulate, check his equipment. His stash, which was getting low. He counted wood places. Checked his food and water stash. Adjusted tools. Each time, his expression grew heavier.

Ezra did not waste time.

He exercised in one corner of the tunnel, quiet and steady. Push-ups. Breathing patterns. Controlled footwork. When he was done, he sat down with his notebook, the one filled with alchemy formulas and fragments of otherworldly knowledge he had written himself.

Sometimes he read. Sometimes he rewrote parts of it from memory, making sure he would not forget.

Sometimes he closed his eyes and circulated his Cognis.

And then he realized something.

He was now on the threshold to begin forming a second star.

He was a step away into the rank of Binder.

The thought lingered in his mind like a small flame.

But he pushed it away.

His body was unstable. Advancing inside a trial was reckless. One mistake during breakthrough and he would not just fail—he might die.

Finally, Bobby stirred.

”...Guys.”

His voice was hoarse.

He blinked slowly and looked around.

Aliya was resting inside her sleeping bag. Lime sat by the fire tossing small stones into the flames, watching them crackle. Ezra sat cross-legged a short distance away, reading quietly.

”What are you people doing...” Bobby murmured as he pushed himself up. He winced and held his head. ”Ah... I have a little headache.”

”Oh! You’re awake!” Lime stood immediately; relief clear on his face.

”Nice to have you back, Bobby,” Aliya said, smiling as she sat up.

”How’s your leg?” Ezra asked, eyes still on the book.

”Boo! At least look concerned!” Aliya snapped at him.

Ezra did not react.

”Don’t be angry at him,” Bobby said softly with a small smile. ”I know he’s the one who treated my injury.”

”Tsk.” Aliya clicked her tongue and turned away again. ”Humph.”

Bobby looked between them, confused.

”What happened to the two of them?” he asked Lime quietly.

”They had an argument,” Lime whispered, leaning closer. ”She asked him to teach her something. He refused immediately. Since then, she’s been trying to find ways to attack him verbally, but he just ignores her.”

”Ahhh...” Bobby’s lips curved in amusement. ”I miss something this interesting?”

He laughed lightly.

”So, how is your leg?” Lime asked, crouching to look at the bandaged area.

Bobby rubbed it slowly.

”It doesn’t hurt much anymore. And now that my Cognis is fully recovered, I can use it to heal the rest...the inside injury and the burn scars.”

”Okay...” Lime let out a breath. ”It was because of me that you got injured. I’m sorry.”

He lowered his head.

”It’s fine,” Bobby replied gently. ”At least we survived. That’s what matters.”

He paused, then his expression changed slightly.

”This is actually the first time I’ve been injured this badly since the trial started. I was lucky. I joined Sir Veda early during the second trial, so I didn’t have to risk my life much.”

His body gave a small shiver.

”But now I know what it feels like.”

He forced a chuckle.

”I don’t want to experience that again.”

Then he looked toward Ezra.

”But that healing technique... it was unorthodox. More like a commoner’s method. Nobles don’t keep books about that kind of practice. It’s almost impossible to learn unless you’re taught by a commoner directly. I once tried reading about similar things, and my father reprimanded me.”

His eyes showed curiosity.

”How did you learn it?”

Ezra turned a page calmly.

”I just happened to know. I spent most of my time with my maids.”

”...Oh.”

Bobby accepted the answer without pressing further.

He stood slowly, limping slightly at first, testing his weight. After a few careful movements, he stretched his arms and shoulders.

”When should we move to the next stage, now that Bobby’s awake?” Lime asked.

Ezra glanced at Bobby briefly.

”After some more rest,” he said.

”Don’t worry,” Bobby smiled. ”I’ll be back in shape soon.”

He sat down again, folding his legs properly. He closed his eyes and began circulating his Cognis, guiding the energy carefully toward his injured leg.

The fire burned quietly.

The tunnel returned to silence once more.