Last Gun Alchemist

The group continued deeper into the forest.

After leaving the area surrounded by Silver Birches, the landscape slowly began to change. The thin white trunks disappeared behind them, replaced by tall Winter Spruce that stood much closer together.

Their branches carried layers of snow, and the weight caused some of them to bend slightly toward the ground. Whenever the wind passed through the forest, the branches moved against one another with a low rustling sound.

Snow continued falling from the sky.

It wasn’t heavy, but the steady stream of white flakes had already covered most of their previous footprints.

The sun was also beginning to descend.

The light between the trees had become weaker, and the shadows cast by the Winter Spruce stretched farther across the snow.

Jeremy looked toward the fading sunlight before checking the map in his hand.

”We should camp here for today.”

He stopped walking and looked around the area.

There was a relatively open space between several Winter Spruce, large enough for them to set up their tents without having to cut down any trees.

Jeremy removed the second Space Bag containing his own stash food and water from his shoulder.

Thud.

He dropped it onto the snow.

The bag sank slightly into the soft surface.

Without wasting any time, Ezra walked toward the middle of what would become their temporary camp.

He placed his Space Bag on the ground and began taking out pieces of prepared wood.

The others watched him for a moment before continuing with their own preparations.

Ezra arranged the wood carefully, placing the larger pieces at the bottom and smaller pieces above them so the fire could spread properly.

He then took out the tools he needed.

A few minutes later, the campfire was ready.

Fwoosh.

The flames rose between the pieces of wood, casting a warm light over the surrounding snow.

The contrast was almost strange.

Everything around them was white and cold, yet the small circle around the fire had become warm and orange.

”You really are something, Ezra Ashenlocke.”

Hugh looked at the completed campfire with an amazed expression.

”For a first-year, you already look like some expert explorer.”

He nodded as though he had just proven his own point.

Agnes, who was arranging her luggage beside her already built tents, glanced toward Ezra.

”Well, they did say you first-years are going to be the new Golden Generation of Britannia.”

Her tone remained calm.

She didn’t sound particularly impressed or surprised.

She simply continued arranging the things she needed for the night.

Diane was also preparing her tent.

Emily and Samuel did the same, each of them making sure their sleeping arrangements were properly set before the temperature dropped any further.

After the group finally settled down, they gathered around the campfire for dinner.

The flames moved gently whenever the wind passed through the open space.

The smell of warm food mixed with the cold air, while small pieces of burning wood occasionally cracked inside the fire.

Jeremy ate while reading through the map of the Black Zone.

His finger moved across the map as he compared their current position with the route they had taken earlier.

”It was my fault we got into the Dry Ents territory.”

He said, looking slightly frustrated.

”I should have checked the map again before we began moving.”

His hand tightened around the edge of the map.

He had already checked their route several times before entering the Black zone, yet the mistake had still happened.

”Dry Ents aren’t scary enough for us to worry too much about facing them.”

Hugh said as he sat beside Jeremy.

”At least it wasn’t a different monster, like maybe a Snowhide Bear.”

He paused.

”Now that would have been worse.”

Hugh turned toward Jeremy with a simple smile.

Jeremy looked at the map again.

”Well, now that I’m checking this map properly, I can say we’ll have better movement from now on.”

He folded the map slightly.

”I promise.”

His frustration seemed to ease after saying it.

The others continued eating.

The night was becoming darker.

The forest beyond the campfire was slowly turning into a mass of black shapes, with only the faint outline of the Winter Spruce visible through the falling snow.

Diane eventually finished eating.

”I’m off to sleep.”

She stood up after eating only a small amount and walked toward her tent.

She pulled the tent flap aside and entered without another word.

Samuel watched her disappear inside.

”Isn’t she always sleeping?”

He asked awkwardly.

Jeremy glanced toward Diane’s tent.

”So, night duty will be...”

He looked around the remaining group sitting around the campfire.

”You.”

He pointed at Hugh.

”Agnes, and Ezra.”

His finger eventually stopped on Ezra, who had just finished eating.

”It will be a two-hour watch before the next person takes over.”

Jeremy explained how the night shift would be arranged.

”Who will go first?”

He looked at the three people he had selected.

”I will.”

Agnes raised her hand calmly.

”I want to be able to sleep better, so going first seems better to me.”

She stood and stretched her arms.

”Ezra.”

Hugh called his name.

”You should go second. I’ll go last.”

He said it in a friendly tone.

”Okay.”

Ezra agreed without hesitation.

He wasn’t bothered by who went first or last.

At the end of the day, he wasn’t planning on getting much sleep anyway.

And even if he did sleep, his naturally alert state wouldn’t allow him to enter a deep sleep easily.

Jeremy nodded.

”Alright, then let’s quickly get some sleep so we can have enough energy for tomorrow’s movement.”

Everyone began preparing for bed.

Emily went into her tent.

Samuel did the same.

Jeremy and Hugh eventually entered theirs as well.

Ezra also returned to his tent.

That left Agnes alone beside the campfire.

The night settled over the forest.

For a while, nothing happened.

The wind moved slowly through the Winter Spruce, causing the branches to rub against each other.

Snow continued falling.

The campfire burned steadily.

Agnes sat beside it, reading while eating again.

It was her way of keeping herself company while she was alone.

At the same time, her senses were spread around the camp.

She didn’t need to constantly stare into the darkness.

Instead, she allowed her perception to cover the surrounding area, ready to catch any strange movement that came close.

The forest remained quiet.

Then there was another layer of security.

Ezra had prepared a thin string of bells around the camp before going to sleep.

The string was positioned around the perimeter, with small bells attached at several points.

It was a simple security method.

If something moved through the string, the bells would ring.

The other six members had been surprised by how prepared Ezra was when they first noticed it.

For a first-year, he seemed to have already considered things that many experienced explorers might forget.

The soft blow of the wind passed through the camp.

Ting...

One of the bells rang faintly.

Agnes glanced toward it.

She waited.

Nothing happened.

The bell stopped moving.

Agnes returned her attention to her book.

A few minutes later...

”Miss Agnes.”

Agnes’s body tensed.

Her hand immediately moved toward her sword.

Then she saw Ezra standing several steps behind her.

”Ahhh...”

Agnes sighed in relief.

”Don’t walk up on me quietly.”

She said while keeping one hand tightly around her sword.

”I thought maybe you were a monster.”

She stood up and looked slightly annoyed.

Then she picked up the empty plate she had placed beside her.

She walked toward the area the group had designated as their disposable pit, where they had dug a hole for throwing away food wrappers and other disposable waste.

”Sorry about that.”

Ezra said plainly as she passed him.

Agnes didn’t answer.

She simply continued toward the disposal pit.

The camp became quiet again.

The fire crackled.

The bells occasionally moved with the wind.

The forest remained dark.

”AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!”

A scream tore through the camp.

Ezra turned sharply toward the sound.

”Emily!”

Agnes immediately dropped what she was doing.

She ran toward Emily’s tent.

The other boys woke almost at once.

Tent flaps opened.

Hugh came out holding his spear, his eyes moving rapidly around the darkness as he searched for an enemy.

Samuel was already running toward Emily’s tent the moment he stepped outside.

Jeremy came out next.

He looked around the camp before noticing Ezra calmly walking toward Emily’s tent.

”What happened?”

Jeremy asked as he moved toward him.

”She just shouted.”

Ezra replied flatly.

”Why would you make that much noise in the night?”

Diane suddenly appeared from her tent.

Only her head came out at first.

She was still half asleep.

She rubbed her eyes before slowly crawling out and standing.

Jeremy looked at her for a moment.

He noticed that she had changed into her nightwear.

Before he could say anything, a voice came from inside Emily’s tent.

”Emily!”

Samuel’s worried voice pulled his attention back.

”Let’s go check on her.”

Jeremy pointed toward the tent.

The last three entered.

Ezra stepped inside.

The scene immediately caught his attention.

Agnes was sitting down with Emily’s head resting on her lap.

She was holding Emily’s hand.

Emily was sweating badly.

Her breathing was fast and uneven, and her body was trembling beneath the blanket.

Her eyes were still closed, even though she was saying something low voiced.

”I saw it.”

She whispered.

Nobody immediately understood what she meant.

Emily’s fingers tightened around Agnes’s hand.

”I saw it.”

Her breathing became heavier.

”I saw it.”

Again.

”I saw it.”

She repeated the same words over and over.

”I saw it.”

”I saw it.”

”I saw it.”

Her body suddenly shook harder.

Agnes placed her free hand against Emily’s shoulder.

”Calm down, Emily.”

She tried to keep her voice steady.

But even Agnes couldn’t hide the concern in her eyes.

Samuel crouched beside them.

”Calm down, Emily.”

He said, clearly worried.

”What did she see?”

Jeremy asked while looking toward Agnes.

His expression had become serious.

Agnes looked down at Emily.

”She said...”

She hesitated.

Even she couldn’t understand why Emily was acting like this.

Emily had been sleeping only moments ago.

There was no reason for her to be this terrified unless she had seen something inside her dream.

Agnes looked toward Jeremy.

”The Ghost Crawler, right?”

Ezra calmly completed the sentence for her.

The tent became quiet.

Agnes looked at him.

The others did the same.

Only Diane seemed unaffected.

She was already sitting cross-legged on Emily’s tent mat with her eyes closed, looking as though she could fall asleep again at any moment.

Agnes finally nodded.

”Yes.”

Hugh blinked.

”The Ghost Crawler?”

He looked toward Emily.

”She must have seen it in her dream.”

His expression became uncertain.

”We all saw it in our dreams too.”

Ezra added.

His words made everyone pause.

Nobody immediately replied.

The fire outside continued burning.

One of the bells around the camp rang softly in the distance.

Ting...

Emily’s trembling didn’t stop.

Her eyes remained closed tightly.

”I saw it...”

She whispered again.