Chapter 42: God
The green-haired young man was shot through the head. Without any head protection, being hit in the head by the Spider Empress meant only death, even for Su Xiao.
The headless corpse fell. The green-haired young man died from greed and hesitation.
Su Xiao had indeed been on the verge of death earlier, but there were too many contractors around. This green-haired contractor hesitated about whether to approach.
When he finally made up his mind, his first target was that dark purple treasure chest.
The green-haired young man was too greedy. He not only wanted the dark purple treasure chest but also coveted Su Xiao's equipment, especially the Dragon-Slaying Flash in his hand. If Su Xiao had been in this situation, he would have killed first and taken the loot later.
Anyone can be greedy; it's perfectly normal. Su Xiao has been greedy too at times, but before being greedy, one must have self-awareness, must distinguish what can be coveted and what cannot.
If something can be obtained, Su Xiao will definitely get it. But if the risk outweighs the reward, Su Xiao will turn and leave without hesitation.
After shooting the green-haired young man, Su Xiao immediately shifted his gun barrel, aiming to the left.
Bang.
Another shot. A contractor peeking out from a corridor was shot through the head.
The Spider Empress was extremely powerful at this range. By the time the gunshot rang out, the bullet had already arrived.
"This guy isn't dying! Run!"
A shout rang out, followed by hurried footsteps from the interconnected corridors around.
But after watching the show for so long, they had to leave a "ticket fee," didn't they?
Bang. Bang.
Su Xiao fired two more shots. One pierced a contractor's chest; that contractor was dragged away by his companion. The other hit the wall, scaring the nearby contractor half to death.
When the footsteps around faded, Su Xiao began to cough violently, spitting out several large mouthfuls of blood.
The Grand President's rapier was formidable. To recover from his current injuries, Su Xiao would need at least half an hour, even with the effects of the Elf Secret Medicine and the Snow Goddess's aura.
The Elf Secret Medicine's effect ended quickly; the potion only lasted two minutes.
Calculated numerically, the Elf Secret Medicine had restored 120% of his health, so Su Xiao should have been fully healed. But that wasn't the case.
Massive blood loss caused his health to continuously decline. After the potion's recovery effect ended, his health had only recovered to 60%.
Though not at full strength, Su Xiao now had the ability to continue fighting.
Rumble!
The ground suddenly began to shake. Red light surged up from the earth.
"What is this?"
Su Xiao looked around and soon understood what was happening.
The National Transmutation Array had been activated. It seemed the five Philosopher's Stones had been gathered.
If one looked down at Amestris from high above, they would clearly see a circular transmutation array enveloping the entire country.
The blood-red light emitted by the array dyed the whole nation red. Countless black arms reached out from the ground. These arms were like shadows, soft and boneless, yet they could grasp human souls.
Amestris had a population of fifty million. Doctors, workers, generals, farmers—all collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony.
At this moment, there was no distinction between high and low. They were all having their souls extracted.
The only safe point of the National Transmutation Array was beneath the Presidential Palace. The Homunculus had deliberately arranged this to "protect" the five Philosopher's Stones.
Before the Gate of Truth opened, the Homunculus would not kill the Philosopher's Stones.
Red light dots streaked across the skies of Amestris. These were the souls of the Amestrian people.
...
Underground, the Homunculus, now revealing its true form, was laughing wildly.
Its true form was extremely ugly. Its entire body was dark purple, like a humanoid figure made of shadows, covered in eyes all over.
Tens of millions of souls converged within the Homunculus's body, yet it seemed somewhat dissatisfied.
Only twenty million souls had gathered inside it. The remaining thirty million commoners' souls had not been successfully extracted. The transmutation array was incomplete, and the activation timing was off.
But it had to activate the array, or it would lose its chance.
Even now, the Homunculus didn't understand why its smoothly progressing plan had suddenly been interrupted.
After spending centuries underground, the Homunculus's thinking had become rigid. In its perception, humans = ants = energy = incapable of resisting it.
Twenty million souls entered the Homunculus's body and began transforming into Philosopher's Stones. The Homunculus's size rapidly increased.
It burst through the Presidential Palace's structure, standing like a giant under the night sky. The moon above had somehow turned into a round black sphere.
The optimal time to activate the National Transmutation Array was during a solar eclipse; night was the second best.
The Homunculus's size continued to grow. One of its purple-black arms reached toward the sky.
"Oh~, God!"
A deep, muffled voice came from the Homunculus's mouth.
"Answer my soul. Come forth."
A white line appeared in the center of the black sphere in the sky, and a rectangular door opened.
Inside the door was pitch black, except for a single giant eye with a white sclera and gray pupil.
This door was the Gate of Truth, the foundation of alchemy.
Black shadow tentacles extended from the Gate of Truth high above, attempting to drag the Homunculus inside. The Homunculus had gathered five Philosopher's Stones to activate the National Transmutation Array, which was similar in nature to human transmutation.
For an ordinary alchemist, the Gate of Truth could instantly drag them inside. But facing the Homunculus, which contained twenty million souls within its body, it proved powerless.
The Homunculus laughed arrogantly. It grabbed the shadow tentacles extending from the Gate of Truth and actually tried to pull the Eye of Truth inside the door toward itself.
"I'm going to drag you down to the ground and make you part of my body."
The Eye of Truth was slowly pulled out of the door. White light enveloped the Homunculus, and a powerful energy pulse spread outward.
Boom!
The energy swept through, causing countless buildings in Central City to collapse. It felt as if heaven and earth were about to crumble.
...
Beneath the Presidential Palace, Su Xiao's location.
Standing up somewhat dazed, Su Xiao had nearly been knocked unconscious by that energy pulse.
Fortunately, he had never planned to face the Homunculus alone, or he would have had no chance of victory.
The Homunculus had now become a "god." Of course, this "god" was a false god, merely the god of the Fullmetal Alchemist world.
Or rather, the Homunculus had dragged "God" into its body, becoming a vessel for God. But this god had no self-awareness.
The National Transmutation had just ended, and a second transmutation array was already being prepared.
This array was not set up by the Homunculus but by Van Hohenheim.
He had arranged the tens of thousands of Philosopher's Stones within his body throughout Amestris, waiting only for the Homunculus to activate the National Transmutation Array.
The second array was similar to the National Transmutation Array, but it was reversed.
In the deepest level beneath the Presidential Palace, the Homunculus sat relaxed on a steel chair, a white cloth covering its lower body.
Edward and the other four Philosopher's Stones woke up one after another.
"What's going on?"
"The National Transmutation Array has been activated."
"What?!"
The five stood together, looking warily at the Homunculus not far away.
At this moment, the Homunculus had obtained a perfect body, its appearance resembling a young Hohenheim.
"Everyone, you are no longer useful."
The Homunculus's expression was blank. Most of its emotions had been separated.
Edward and the others tried to use alchemy to attack the Homunculus, but they couldn't use alchemy at all.
"Alchemy has been sealed by me. Goodbye, everyone."
The Homunculus raised one hand, and a scorching red sphere appeared in its palm—a miniature sun.
Edward and the others were somewhat stunned.
"You, that is..."
Hohenheim feigned surprise. He was actually waiting, waiting for the second transmutation array to activate.
"For me, who has obtained God, making a sun with my hands is no problem at all."
Just as the Homunculus was about to eliminate them, its eyes suddenly widened.
"What is this?"
"Heh~, the moment you obtained God, you were destined to fail. Little man in a bottle!"
Hohenheim roared, and the second transmutation array activated.
"Ah!!"
Countless souls surged out of the Homunculus's body. Within just over ten seconds, the souls of the Amestrian people inside the Homunculus dissipated completely.
...
Su Xiao watched the massive number of souls soaring into the sky, his heartbeat accelerating.
It had succeeded. Although the Homunculus had obtained the power of God, it had lost the energy to use that power.
"Time to clean up some unstable factors."
Because the National Transmutation Array had been activated, all the contractors in the Fullmetal Alchemist world were hiding beneath the Presidential Palace.
Su Xiao didn't think he could kill all these contractors; that was impossible. But at least he needed to drive them out, or he might end up working for someone else's benefit.
He was only one step away from completing his promotion mission.