Last Gun Alchemist

During the beginning of the third week...

The first-year academy district had become noticeably quieter, with most of the first-years now going through their own preparations for the coming Grand First-Year Combat Festival.

As already mentioned, many students had entered seclusion, while others were spending their time in private training rooms, pushing themselves through whatever method they believed would give them the best chance of standing out once the festival began.

However, now that it was Monday of the third week, the situation had slowly begun to change.

Many students had already completed the preparations they had planned for themselves.

Some were resting inside their residences, allowing their bodies to recover after weeks of training, while others were spending what remained of the month with their friends, relaxing before the time finally came for them to step onto the same arena and become enemies.

Snow continued falling over the academy.

The district still looked peaceful beneath the white layer gradually gathering along the rooftops, stone paths, and branches around the student residences, yet that peace carried a different feeling now. A competition was quietly building beneath it.

Everyone knew what was coming.

Even students who had spent the past few weeks laughing together, eating together, or training in the same facilities understood that things would change once the Combat Festival began.

Friends would have to face friends.

Faction members could be placed against one another.

And students who had spent an entire month preparing in silence would finally reveal just how much they had improved.

All the way in the Royal Academy’s Main Administrative Area...

Construction had already begun and was almost complete inside the academy’s Event Arena.

The streets of the Main Administrative Area had also been decorated for the upcoming festival.

Posters had been placed along the street lamps, displaying the symbol and design of the Combat Festival, while several standing signboards had been arranged around the busy walkways so that anyone passing through the area could immediately see what was approaching.

Above one of the larger streets, a huge screen billboard displayed the animated version of the Combat Festival poster. The image moved across the screen, repeatedly showing the design in motion as the name of the Grand First-Year Combat Festival appeared for everyone in the Administrative Area to see.

Workers moved around the area while continuing to place more decorations.

At the same time, those responsible for reconstructing the Event Arena were working without pause.

The entire Administrative Center was filled with noise.

Machine engines.

The heavy mechanical movement of Ironstride Walkers carrying heavy objects.

The repeated strikes of hammers.

The sharp sound of drills.

And the many other noises that overlapped with one another as workers moved between their assigned positions.

Some were carrying construction materials. Others were checking the decorations that had already been placed, while the Ironstride Walkers continued moving through certain sections of the area with their heavy mechanical legs, transporting materials that would have been difficult for ordinary workers to carry by hand.

The peaceful atmosphere of the academy was still there.

But the Main Administrative Area was preparing for something much larger.

Inside the arena...

The marketing team of BNC Broadcasting was discussing among themselves, together with several staff members of the Royal Academy, about which of the academy’s best first-years should be used as the face of the Combat Festival.

This discussion had already been going on for some time.

From the beginning of the month...

Many advertisements were posted throughout the entire kingdom.

The Grand First-Year Combat Festival had always been a major event for the people of Britannia.

For the Noble and Non-Noble citizens, it was an exciting opportunity to watch the future generation of young Alchemists battle against one another.

For the families of the students, especially the powerful Noble families and the rising families of the kingdom, the meaning behind the festival was even greater.

This was the moment when their children could show the whole of Britannia how powerful their family was.

It was also an opportunity to reveal the future strength their children might one day possess, and how that strength could affect Britannia itself once they had fully grown and developed on their respective Alchemy Paths.

But this year...

The anticipation surrounding the Combat Festival was even greater.

And that was because this generation of young Alchemists...

Was quietly becoming known as the New Golden Age of Alchemists.

***

Inside the top floor of the towering Royal Academy Administrative Office...

”The preparations seem to be moving well.”

The elderly woman’s voice sounded pleased.

The voice came from a holographic screen floating above the large meeting table.

”Yes, they are, Catherina.”

Vice Headmaster Godwin Fraser replied as he looked toward the elderly woman displayed on the holographic screen.

Around the large table where Godwin sat...

All the Professors stood and placed their hands against their chests.

”Greetings, Headmaster.”

They all spoke at the same time before bowing politely toward the holographic screen.

”Hahaha...”

Catherina laughed lightly as she looked at the Professors of her academy.

”Has it already been that long since I last saw your faces?”

She asked with a pleased expression.

Then her yellow eyes moved around the room before stopping on one person.

”Kent boy... you have grown well.”

She said while looking at Kent with a warm smile.

”Thank you, ma’am.”

Kent lowered his head slightly further as he replied in a calm tone.

”Professor Greg... you still look as stiff as always.”

Catherina teased as she turned her attention toward him.

Professor Greg simply bowed again.

His expression didn’t change.

”I normally tell him that if he continues that way...”

Godwin added in a teasing tone as he looked toward Greg.

”He will grow older than both of us.”

”Hahahaha...”

The Headmaster immediately laughed.

”Hoho... Hoho.”

Vice Headmaster Godwin laughed as well.

They’re bullying Greg.

Many of the Professors inside the room glanced toward Greg, who still looked completely unbothered, and almost all of them seemed to reach the same conclusion at the same time.

Although, even after being teased by both the Headmaster and Vice Headmaster, Professor Greg remained as stiff as ever.

His expression barely even changed.

”Please, all of you can sit down.”

Catherina waved her hand while maintaining her warm expression.

The Professors bowed once again before finally taking their seats.

”So, let’s begin today’s meeting.”

Godwin said as he placed both hands on the table and looked around at the Professors.

Professor Paulina Greenwood stood while holding her Zphone Tablet.

She tapped the screen several times before expanding a holographic screen large enough for everyone in the room to see.

”This is the new data I have recorded on the second-years’ combat training progress since the first semester started.”

Paulina pointed toward the chart.

Godwin, Catherina, and all the Professors focused their attention on the holographic display.

”The new training system I formed to develop a more proper use of their Cognis is going well...”

Paulina explained calmly as she looked over the information displayed before them.

”But the percentage of improvement doesn’t seem that different from the normal percentage.”

Professor Greg said in his deep, calm voice as he studied the chart.

”Sadly, yes.”

Paulina sighed.

She looked disappointed by the result, though her expression didn’t remain that way for long.

”But then...”

Her eyes moved toward the other Professors.

”The first-years feels like my hope, since I have some talented students who I have sensed are gaining a lot from my class.”

The way she looked at the others made it seem as though she had already found the answer she had been searching for and was simply waiting to see if her expectations would be proven right.

”Mm... that’s okay for now.”

Catherina said calmly.

”You can continue with your research on that matter, Paulina.”

”Thank you, Headmaster.”

Paulina nodded before sitting back down.

”Oh, before I forget...”

Catherina’s eyes turned toward Professor Nine.

Nine was seated in a relaxed position, with his hands resting against the armrests of his chair while he looked rather aimlessly at Paulina’s holographic chart regarding her second-year students.

”Congratulations, Nine, for winning the Club Tournament.”

Catherina said with a pleased smile.

”Thank you, ma’am.”

Nine immediately rose from his seat and bowed respectfully.

”Tsk...”

Professor Millicent Kane clicked her tongue.

”Any problem, Millicent?”

Godwin asked as he looked toward her, curious about why she was staring at Nine with such displeasure.

”I don’t like the fact that children had to risk their lives just for a Club activity. It makes no sense...”

Professor Millicent said, clearly displeased.

”And at least, even if you must send them on a mission for the sake of the Club, then let it be something in the level of a Colossal Ground Ape or something below the Meister Threat level.”

”Well, they did complete the mission safely, though.”

Nine shrugged.

”You! What if they had actually died?”

Millicent shouted as she pointed at Nine while glaring at him.

”Calm down, Milli... Have you forgotten where we are?”

Professor Liliana leaned towards Millicent whispering to her.

She was seated on Professor Millicent’s right side and quickly tried to remind her of the situation before the argument became worse.

Millicent paused.

Then she looked around the room.

Several of the other Professors were now looking at her.

Professor Greg simply stared at her plainly.

Millicent’s expression changed.

She immediately rose from her chair.

”I’m sorry, Headmaster and Vice Headmaster, for my outburst.”

She bowed respectfully as she apologized.

”It’s fine.”

Godwin waved his hand, completely unbothered by her actions.

Headmaster Catherina Brittan also looked unoffended.

Millicent and Nine both returned to their seats after the Headmaster waved her hand for them to sit down.

”Now, let’s resume back to the meeting at hand.”

Catherina said calmly as she looked at the Professors and the Vice Headmaster.

The meeting continued.