"Starting today, I will be teaching you alchemy. My name is Eva. I have a longer name, but just remember me as Eva."


    He was regarded as the god of alchemists, the father of alchemy, and the living embodiment of the alchemical revolution. Hoenheim, a man who had aplished remarkable feats, rising from nothing to attain nobility, was undoubtedly Davey''s alchemy master.


    Eva van Hoenheim was the esteemed title earned for his achievements, while the name Evanov remained unfamiliar. Nevertheless, there was no denying that the young boy before Davey bore a striking resemnce to him.


    As Davey followed the boy who introduced himself as Eva, he continuously checked his watch and suddenly a thought came to mind. <em>''Is he the one? Or is he rted somehow? Whatever it is, that''s not what is important now.''</em>


    Not everything could be understood through observation alone.


    <em>''Using high-level magic now would be premature.’</em>


    Not only magic, but an attack capable of inflicting fatal damage on creatures of the abyss was far too risky. A single failure would result in the entire deal falling apart.


    The flow of mana, the mechanics of air, spatial coordinates, density—everything was different and twistedpared to the world Davey was familiar with. He had attempted to unleash small-scale 9th Circle magic known as Quasar, but doing so would have significantly reduced its firepower or carried a small chance of wasting time without the magic manifesting.


    That''s why he dispersed the magic without hesitation. He needed a few more minutes to grasp the rules of this ce.


    <em>Bang!!! Bang!!!</em>


    "Grrrrrrrrr!"


    "Kiaaaaaaaaaa!"


    The horrific screams of the attacking zombie horde created a truly chaotic scene. Until a moment ago, zombies had been crawling up the quiet wall, not only chasing Davey and Rinne but also forcing them to change direction from their intended escape route. Thoughcking intelligence, their hunting instincts were unnervingly sharp.


    "Over here!"


    However, the boy leading Davey seemed surprisingly sturdy. At first nce, he appeared to be around 11 or 12 years old—a far cry from the age at which one would expect someone to handle such a situation with expertise.


    "Over here!"


    Eva swiftly entered the ruins, using the surrounding tools to block the zombies'' advance. He then broke a bottle from his bag, creating a toxic smoke that obstructed their path.


    "What''s that?" Davey asked.


    "It''s a toxic smoke that inhibits the viruses parasitizing the host''s body. It''ll buy us enough time to escape," Eva exined.


    The young boy, with determination in his stride, led Davey and Rinne toward a hidden entrance in a dpidated warehouse. It opened to a small basement. Though musty, Davey entered without hesitation, attentively observing and confirming the mana around him. Once Rinne and Davey were inside, Eva followed suit and firmly locked the door behind him.


    "Phew..."


    Descending into the basement via adder, Eva released a brief sigh and lit a nearbyntern as if it were a routine task. As Davey''s eyes adjusted to the darkness, he began noticing signs of someone having lived here. Artificially grown nts, filters attached to peculiar devices—it was nearly impossible to determine how long they had been taking refuge in this ce.


    "Have you eaten?" Eva asked. "It''s been a while since I''vee across another survivor, so I''m a bit excited. Just wait a moment, I''ll fetch some simple food."


    * * *


    Evanov crawled through a small hole and returned with two bowls of peculiar porridge. He exined to the pair, "It''s made from specially cultivated ingredients found here. It should suffice as a snack."


    Upon hearing his words, Rinne brought her nose closer to the bowl and her eyes lit up. She eximed, "I detect significant enhancements to taste data. Rinne greatly appreciates this!"


    Rinne''s reaction indicated that the porridge was either an extraordinary delicacy or an exceptionally potent vor that tantalized the taste buds. As the owner of an exquisite pte, Rinne possessed highly sensitive taste receptors.


    "So, where did you twoe from? This ce has been contaminated, even in the air, due to the recent bombings by the military..." the boy inquired, showing a maturity beyond his years.


    In response, Davey posed a question of his own. "Evanov, is it?"


    "And you?" the boy replied.


    "I''m Davey O’Rowane, and this is Rinne." Instead of responding, Rinne simply sipped the porridge, her eyes gleaming.


    "Davey... Davey O’Rowane. That''s a rather unique name. Where are you from? Kunts? Kelesedora? Shuprent?"


    "From the eastern continent of Tionis."


    Upon hearing Davey''s answer, the boy''s expression furrowed. "Tionis? Where exactly is that... You''re not experiencing memory confusion or any physical difort, right? I''m not sure if I''ve brought back someone infected with the RC Virus."


    "RC Virus?" Davey inquired.


    "That monster that was chasing you. Even if you destroy its vital organs, it keeps moving. It''s a savage cannibal that utilizes human muscle to its maximum capacity. Once it catches you, it tears you apart, gnashing and gnawing."


    As Evanoff spoke, Davey narrowed his eyes in quiet contemtion.


    "You''re not familiar with the RC Virus?"


    "Not at the moment."


    "Hmm... The RC Virus is a rage control virus. ording to the analysis of the samples, it was initially created for a noble cause, but something went wrong during the production process, transforming it into a deadly virus. It''s what has devastated the Yurgian continent."


    "I see. Yurgian continent..." Davey mumbled to himself, taking a spoonful of porridge into his mouth. It had a peculiar taste, simultaneously sour and sweet.


    "It tastes good, doesn''t it? I''ve been eating it here for so long that I''m getting tired of it, but the vor is quite remarkable."


    "...The quality of this grass porridge seems simr," Davey paused, pondering, his curiosity piqued by the enigmatic boy before him. "Do you happen to know someone named Eva van Hoenheim?"


    "Eva...van Hoenheim?" After brief contemtion, the boy nodded. "Of course. If I didn''t, that would mean I''m a spy for the RC Virus carriers."


    There was no way a zombie could be a spy.


    "Eva van Hoenheim, the most remarkable alchemist in the history of the Yurgian continent. He passed away at the age of 44, but his numerous achievements continue to exist and protect the survivors, giving them life," Evanov calmly exined, pointing to a flower bed reflecting on the side. "That''s also an invention of the great alchemist Eva van Hohenheim. And this, and this."


    Davey silently nodded in response to Evanov''s words. "How long ago did this person live?"


    "What... You don''t know that either? Even as an 11-year-old, I know that," Evanov remarked.


    "Well, it''s possible not to know," Davey replied.


    "He lived 2,000 years ago. Anyone aspiring to be an alchemist must know Eva van Hoenheim, the father of alchemy."


    Chuckling, Evanov poured out his story. In just a few minutes, he spoke so much that it made Davey think he must have had a lot pent up from not being able to converse with people.


    "It''s been like this since I was little. Eva van Hoenheim. And my name is Evanov Ban. Our names are simr, aren''t they? So, before this incident, people around me used to ask if I was the hidden descendant of the great alchemist. Ha. Funny, right? There''s no way a descendant of someone from 2,000 years ago would still exist," he said sarcastically.


    However, Davey could confidently affirm that Evanov was indeed a descendant. Everything about the boy—the mannerisms, gaze, appearance, and even the taste of the habitually prepared porridge—pointed toward his lineage.


    "And those things?" Davey inquired.


    "Ah... those are things I''ve created. It''s a bit embarrassing, but I''m also an alchemist," Evanov admitted.


    His innate talent for alchemy was genuinely impressive. Even if Davey were to mention that Evanov resembled Eva van Hoenheim so closely that he must be a descendant, he would likely be dismissed as a madman.


    <em>''Professor, your descendant is right here. I have had my share of misfortune because of you, right? Could I give you back a little trouble?’</em>


    He would obviously say no, but Davey had a desire to do so.


    * * *


    Evanov continued to chatter away, oblivious to the limited time Davey and Rinne had. He spoke about trivial matters, but he couldn''t seem to stop himself. Perhaps he longed for a conversation with another person.


    He shared his dream of bing a great alchemist like Eva van Hoenheim. Once the monstrous ck abyss creature wreaking havoc above vanished, he nned to leave this ce and make his way to a city of survivors. Despite the triviality of his stories, he appeared genuinely happy.


    <em>Beep.</em>


    [05:00]


    The deadline was slowly approaching.


    "Huh? Where are you going?"


    "It''sing."


    With Davey’s words...


    <em>Kaboom!!! Rumble Rumble!!!</em>


    A section of the underground hideout crumbled noisily.


    "Uh, aargh!" Evanov eximed in surprise, quickly reaching for a weapon resembling a holstered gun at his waist.


    "Run! There''s a secret passage that leads outside from within! The RC virus carriers may be fast and strong, but theyck intelligence! They can be dangerous in their instinctual actions, but ultimately, they''re just mindless brutes!"


    Evanov emphasized that the real dangery not in the virus carriers but in the colossal ck lifeform that had recently emerged. This abyssal creature was not supposed to exist in this ce, and its presence posed a far greater threat than the zombies.


    "That thing survived a massive hydrogen bomb attack by the military. If youe across it, consider death inevitable!"


    Even as they ran, Evanov continued to speak. Without hesitation, Davey reached out and grabbed the back of his head.


    "Ugh!"


    <em>Kabang!!!</em>


    Suddenly, several appendages burst through the wall, only to be repelled by an invisible barrier. Evanov stood there, startled, witnessing the giant ck lifeform with countless tentacles slowly approaching. His eyes widened in disbelief.


    "Uh-oh!"


    In a sudden burst of courage, he aimed the small gun-like weapon he had been holding for self-defense at the approaching creature. Huping nervously, he fired a burst of metal rounds at the massive tentacle. Whether they hit or missed, it was evident that such a weapon would have little to no significant effect.


    "Damn it! I don''t know what''s happening, but this is our chance! Run!"


    His cry was filled with desperation. Davey watched as Evanov fled for his life, silently checking the remaining time.


    [04:02]


    Only a brief moment remained. Just a fleeting moment to gather mana and once that time reached zero, Davey would fail toplete the trade. But was he going to let this opportunity slip away? Absolutely not, especially with a person who appeared to be a descendant of his alchemy master standing before him. If there was any debt he could repay to them, he could at least save their lives once. The priorities started to blur, and the scarcity of time caused his mind to whirl in confusion.


    <em>Kaboom!!!</em>


    "Arrrgh!!!"


    Evanov, who had been leading Davey and running at a rapid pace, froze in his tracks as he witnessed the massive ck tentacles bursting out from the front of the underground passage. He had never encountered a situation like this before, with abyssal creatures relentlessly pursuing him.


    Evanov had gravely underestimated the capability of these creatures, as they had the power to create such a dire situation at will.


    "Kyaaaaa!!!"


    "Kuhaaaa!!!"


    <em>Bang Bang Bang Bang!!!!</em>


    Soon, the RC virus carriers, or simply zombies, began flooding into the underground space. What was peculiar was that the abyssal creature had its tentacles embedded in their bodies. Something was amiss. It appeared that the creature was controlling the zombies, using them as its puppets. As they became surrounded on all sides, Evanov trembled uncontrobly. Despite surviving alone for a considerable time, this situation was unlike anything he had experienced before.


    "How... How could our fortified secret passage...?"


    In response to Evanov''s despairing mutterings, Davey gently patted his head.


    "Mr. Davey?"


    "Don''t worry. I can save more than just one person."


    Upon hearing Davey''s words, Evanov let out a cynicalugh. Laughing? This was noughing matter, kid.


    Observing Evanov''s resigned smile, it became evident that Davey needed to perform a miracle for him to regain hope. After careful calction, Davey extended his hands, ensuring a perfect oue. One hand prepared for spatial transfer magic—warp—and the other brimming with immense energy.


    Whether time rapidly dwindled or not, whether Evanov was taken aback by the sudden change or not, Davey locked his gaze on the abyssal creature''s tentacles and spoke with determination.


    "Rinne, countdown from 10 seconds. Incinerate everything that approaches during that time."


    "Executingmand."


    <em>Clink nk!!</em>


    As the forbidden technique was currently deactivated, utilizing transcendent ck magic was not feasible. In terms of sheer firepower, Davey concluded that the only option was to unleash the pinnacle of the 9th Circle transcendent elemental magic.


    Witnessing Davey''s transformation, Evanov''s eyes filled with horror.