Last Gun Alchemist

”That’s a lot of types of small organisms living inside our bodies.”

A female Non-Noble first-year student spoke with an amazed expression. She looked down at her own hands for a moment, as if she could somehow see the organisms Professor Nine had just been explaining.

”Who would have thought there were other creatures that our normal eyesight can’t see?”

A male Non-Noble first-year student added, wearing the same amazed expression as he looked toward the holographic screen.

”Well, that’s how we all reacted when we first learned about these organisms.”

Latisha said with a simple smile.

For a moment, her expression became distant as she remembered the first time she had heard about them.

”Nah...”

One of the third-year upperclassmen immediately shook his head.

”I remember you screaming in fear when you heard that your body was a host for living organisms.”

He pointed toward Latisha while laughing lightly.

”That was in the past!”

Latisha immediately turned toward him, her face becoming embarrassed.

The other upperclassmen laughed as well, and even some of the second-year students sitting nearby joined in.

”Puff... Latisha was such a baby.”

Professor Nine also joined the laughter.

”And whose fault was that?”

Latisha sharply turned toward Nine.

She narrowed her eyes at him while the professor was still trying to hold back his laughter.

For a few seconds, the two simply stared at each other.

Nine’s smile slowly disappeared.

”Hmm... hmmm...”

He cleared his throat and straightened himself.

”Let’s get back to class.”

He swiped his hand across the holographic screen before moving away from the side of the table where he had been standing since the beginning of the meeting.

The students gradually settled down again.

Professor Nine began walking slowly between the rows of the meeting room, his hands resting behind his back as he continued the lesson.

”As you can see, there is a whole massive world of the small that goes beyond every one of your imaginations.”

His eyes moved across the students as he spoke.

”A whole civilization of organisms that eats, reproduces, and releases waste, although they are not like us humans, so don’t mistake that.”

He raised one finger to emphasize his point.

”But it is still a much bigger world, just like how our own world is massive, and there is still much more beyond what we know.”

Nine paused.

The students remained quiet.

Some continued looking at the information displayed on the holographic screen, while others listened to the professor without taking their eyes off him.

”That’s why we call this small-organism world the Quantum Realm.”

Professor Nine’s expression became slightly more serious.

”But sadly...”

He lowered his hand.

”Because of the dangers behind the study of controlling these organisms, the study has been limited to us being able to learn how to breed the different types of small organisms while also learning about how they exist.”

He continued walking.

”So, in the end, our purpose is to better our understanding of the biology of the world.”

Professor Nine eventually stopped near the side of the meeting room.

The attendants serving some of the club members of the Research Unit were standing there as well.

They had been listening to the lesson while also watching the students.

Even though they were attendants, some of them were interested in the subject and were quietly following the explanation.

Professor Nine looked toward them before turning his attention back to the club members.

”So, that’s why you have to capture the monsters you have been assigned to catch. Neatly.”

He pointed around the Research Unit.

”The same goes for those groups who will pick monsters to catch for their research.”

His finger moved from one group to another.

”Their bodies also contain small organisms, and those organisms are important for study because who knows when the day will come that these organisms can be used more directly in the advancement of Britannia’s civilization.”

He paused.

”Perhaps they will become useful in medicine, perhaps they will help us understand the bodies of monsters better, or perhaps they will lead to something we haven’t even imagined yet.”

Professor Nine lowered his hand.

”For now, we simply don’t know.”

He gave the students a calm look.

”And that is exactly why my research exists.”

He finally concluded his lecture.

”That will be all for my explanation on small organisms.”

Professor Nine began walking back toward the front of the meeting room.

”You will all begin to fully grasp this field of study once you start joining your upperclassmen in taking care of the SOF.”

He stopped at the front of the table.

”That’s the abbreviation for Small Organism Farm., just to clarify.”

Latisha explained, noticing that several of the first-years were already looking confused after hearing the abbreviation.

Some students looked at each other.

Others glanced toward Professor Nine.

They had clearly heard the term for the first time, but Professor Nine didn’t bother explaining further.

”Latisha, pack my stuff and drop it in my office.”

He said, then he reached into his long coat and pulled out his pocket watch.

He opened the cover and checked the time.

”I’m off.”

He said simply.

Before Latisha could reply, Nine closed the pocket watch and placed it back inside his long coat.

Then he turned around and left the meeting.

The door closed behind him.

For a moment, the Research Unit remained quiet.

Then the conversations began almost immediately.

Several club members started talking about the uniqueness of small organisms.

Some were fascinated by the idea of tiny living creatures existing inside their bodies.

Others were still slightly uncomfortable with the thought.

A few students even looked down at their hands again, as if they expected something to suddenly appear on their skin.

Even Ezra, Vera, and Cyrus were deep in thought about the topic.

Each of them had their own thoughts about how the study could help them grow.

Ezra was already thinking about the possible uses of the knowledge in his own research.

Cyrus seemed more interested in the strange nature of the organisms themselves.

Vera remained quiet, her dull black eyes resting on the holographic screen.

She didn’t show much on her face, but she was clearly paying attention.

Diane, on the other hand, seemed completely unaffected by the lesson.

Her eyes remained closed, with her eyelids protected from the light of the meeting room lamps.

She was sitting comfortably with her arms folded while resting in her chair.

It was almost difficult to tell whether she was still listening or had already fallen asleep.

”Alright, guys.”

An upperclassman walked toward the table and took over for Latisha since she had gone with Professor Nine to drop his files at his office.

He placed both hands on the table and looked around at the different groups.

”So, what we are going to do for the remaining time is work with our groups on what you want to present.”

He paused to make sure everyone was listening.

”And for those who have been assigned duties, it is time for your groups to begin planning.”

He glanced toward the documents spread across the tables.

”The first month is already coming to an end, so we need to get started since the Academy is about to become livelier.”

His tone remained calm, but there was a clear sense that he expected everyone to take the work seriously.

After he finished speaking, the club members began moving toward their respective groups.

The meeting room quickly became filled with movement.

Chairs shifted across the floor.

Documents were picked up from tables.

Students gathered around their assigned groups and began discussing what they needed to do.

The seven groups gradually separated from one another and started working.

Inside the laboratory...

”So, guys.”

Jeremy dropped the documents concerning the Ghost Crawler onto one of the laboratory tables where the seven members of their group had gathered.

The papers spread slightly from the impact before settling across the table.

Jeremy placed both hands against the edge of the table and looked at his team members.

”How are we going about this hunt?”

He asked.

A female first-year student raised her hand.

”First Upperclassman.”

Jeremy looked toward her.

”Yes, Emily?”

He pointed at her, giving her permission to speak.

Emily looked down at the documents.

Then she looked back at Jeremy.

”Is the Ghost Crawler really that scary?”

She asked.

Her eyes moved toward the others.

”You reacted like that when the Professor gave you the document. I’m still worried.”

Her concern was clear.

She had noticed the expressions of the upperclassmen vividly when Professor Nine had assigned the Ghost Crawler.

Jeremy’s expression changed slightly.

He placed his hands together and looked at Emily.

He seemed reluctant to speak.

It was obvious that he didn’t want to frighten her more than necessary.

”How do I say this...”

He hesitated.

The other members of the group also looked toward him.

Jeremy finally sighed.

”Basically, they don’t call the Ghost Crawler an Arcanist-rank Monster for no reason.”

A female upperclassman sitting nearby replied before Jeremy could continue.

She was sitting in a relaxed posture with one leg crossed over the other while resting an arm against the table.

Her expression remained completely calm.

”Oh...”

Emily’s expression changed.

The worry that had been present before became even more obvious.

She looked down at the documents again.

The picture and information about the Ghost Crawler suddenly seemed much more threatening than before.

Jeremy turned toward the upperclassman.

”Now see what you caused, Agnes.”

He frowned.

Agnes didn’t seem bothered.

”At least it’s better for the truth to be told.”

She replied without changing her expression.

”Since we will all be signing our death letters once we enter the Black Zone.”

Emily’s face became pale.

”Agnes!”

Jeremy’s voice rose slightly.

”That’s going a bit too far.”

A male upperclassman from the same year spoke with a serious expression.

He looked directly at Agnes, clearly displeased with how casually she had described the mission.

Agnes simply turned her face away from his gaze.

”Humph.”

She crossed her arms.

The male upperclassman sighed.

Nobody in the group laughed this time.

The documents on the table had already made the situation clear.

They weren’t preparing for an ordinary monster hunt.

The Ghost Crawler was an Arcanist-rank Monster, and the Black Zone was not a place where a careless group could simply walk around and expect everything to go well.

Then Diane finally spoke.

She had been sitting with her arms folded, comfortably sleeping in a seat without a backrest or armrest.

It was nothing more than a simple rolling seat, yet she had somehow managed to sleep comfortably in it.

Her eyes remained closed as she spoke in her usual tired, soft tone.

”We just have to work properly together in order for everyone to survive and complete the mission.”

Her voice was quiet.

But the words immediately brought the group back to the real purpose of their meeting.

They weren’t here to frighten Emily.

They weren’t here to argue about how dangerous the Ghost Crawler was.

They were here to prepare.

If they wanted everyone to return safely, then every member of the group had to understand their role, prepare for the dangers ahead, and cooperate once they entered the Black Zone.

The documents remained spread across the table.

Seven students gathered around them.

And with the first month of the Academy year already nearing its end, their first real group assignment was finally beginning.