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"What...do you mean?" the mummy asked after a moment of silence.

“To leave a seed for the alchemist, and to make him stronger, for weakness is the root of suffering in this world,” King Bradley said, pointing at Ivan Vanko.

Why would you think that?

"It's a matter of teaching or not teaching."

"I'll teach you."

The mummy suddenly came to life, looking at Ivan Vanko as if he were a priceless treasure.

“Learn his knowledge, and ignore everything else. If you’re unsure about anything, come to me. Study hard and study diligently,” Kim Bradley instructed.

"Get out of here! Don't waste any more time!"

The mummy urged, and after Kim Bradley left, it looked at Ivan Vanko and said very seriously, "Today's first lesson is the most important principle of alchemy! Equivalent exchange!"

Chapter 50 The Alchemist of Thunder (Seeking Recommendations)

More than ten days passed in the blink of an eye. The development of Script Eight went very smoothly, with only the final moment of public display remaining, allowing the alchemist to demonstrate his power in this world. Yang Qiu's goals were then achieved.

"The Dance of Magnet Sand!"

Ivan Vanko clasped his hands together, the alchemical array in his hands shimmering with light. Relying on this alchemical array, Ivan Vanko controlled the iron sand around him to form a sandstorm!

A figure was moving quickly through the sandstorm.

Kim Bradley saw through the flaw in the Dance of Magnetic Sand and precisely carved a path through the sandstorm with his longsword.

Lightning strikes!

Ivan Vanko changed his attack method, and violent lightning, under his control, shot towards Kim Bradley.

The electric light bounced between the iron filings, forming a terrifying electric grid. This was a combination technique he had invented himself, and today was the first time he had put it to use.

Before Ivan Vanko could even check the situation, Kim Bradley's figure vanished from behind the power grid.

The next instant, the longsword fell to King Bradley's neck. King Bradley didn't even catch his breath; his breathing remained steady.

Ivan Vanko gave a wry smile, released his hands, and deactivated the alchemical array. Despite studying for so long, he still couldn't withstand King Bradley's attacks for long.

"Don't underestimate yourself. Many alchemists stronger than you can't last as long under my sword."

Kim Bradley offered words of comfort, though they sounded more sarcastic to Ivan Vanko; this kind of praise and consolation was unique to Kim Bradley.

"Jin, I have a question. Is it really that dangerous outside? Is everyone hunting down and persecuting alchemists?"

Ivan Vanko asked in confusion. These words were the mummy's own private opinions. In its mouth, the other members of the mystical side were all more evil than the last, and all murderers who persecuted alchemists who pursued justice and truth.

“Listen to both sides and you will be enlightened. Let me tell you another story.” Kim Bradley sheathed his sword and spoke slowly.

"On this land, there is a group of alchemists who love research, and they have always had a good relationship with the other members of the mystical side."

"Until one day, an alchemist discovered that the human soul was far more valuable than imagined, and considering the difficulty of obtaining it, it practically broke the principle of equivalent exchange."

"Because of this discovery, some alchemists began to slaughter civilians to create the Philosopher's Stone in pursuit of the truth they claimed to possess. Other alchemists tried to stop them, but unfortunately, the Philosopher's Stone's enhancement was too great, and they failed to stop them."

"Not only did they fail, their actions also made those madmen realize that the souls of professionals are more valuable than those of ordinary people. After killing the vast majority of their opponents, the madmen turned the civil war into an external war."

"They raised the slogan of 'flattening the mystical side,' and the mainstream mystical world, which was already extremely disgusted with these madmen, immediately launched a counterattack after they took the initiative to start the war."

"At that time, the top professional, the recognized strongest mage, the founder and leader of the Clock Tower, the mage Kilan, joined forces with the Heavenly Emperor of the Heavenly Court, a mysterious organization in China, and wiped out all the alchemists who were obsessed with creating the Philosopher's Stone within three days."

"From this point on, the profession of alchemist completely declined. The one who taught you alchemy was the only survivor at the time. His shroud was imbued with time magic and immortal magic, completely severing his connection with the alchemical array."

"As for the evidence for this story, the fact that the guy and all the books in the room are still alive and well in this storage room is the best proof."

Kim Bradley stated it simply.

“But he can also use some simple alchemy…” Ivan Vanko said, as the mummy had demonstrated it to him during the lesson.

"As one of the strongest alchemists of his time, the fact that he was able to perform those demonstrations using the Philosopher's Stone, which was transformed from his own soul, speaks volumes."

Kim Bradley said that if his opponent were in his prime, he wouldn't last five minutes before being taken down.

"If that's the case, why don't those alchemists who refuse to compromise seek help from other professions?" Ivan Vanko then countered.

"There are two reasons. One is that the Ouroboros Association had not yet been established at that time. The mainstream idea in the mystical world was to mind their own business, and most mystical forces would not participate in the civil war of other forces. The second is that, although they are crazy, their execution ability is indeed strong. Before the opposing side had even reached a consensus, they directly destroyed their base."

Kim Bradley shook his head and said, "There was already a gap in strength, and they weren't united or vigilant enough. Some even wanted to resolve things through negotiation. How could they not be wiped out in one fell swoop?"

After hearing King Bradley's story, Ivan Vanko sighed. If it were true, he felt that many alchemists deserved to die.

Slaughtering ordinary people is tantamount to slaughtering the future of all professionals, and what kind of skill is it to bully ordinary people?

"Jin, what is this Ouroboros Association you're talking about?"

Ivan Vanko then asked.

"It is a loose organization, mainly responsible for preventing similar incidents to those of the alchemists from happening again. In the absence of such incidents, its main task is to resolve some mysterious events and keep the mystical side hidden from the sight of ordinary people."

Kim Bradley explained, "The last one was proposed by the Sorcerer Supreme at the time, and after being agreed upon by several faction leaders, it was extended to the entire mystical side. As for why, I don't know."

"I see. So, apart from Russia, the mystical side is actually quite vibrant in other places, right?"

Ivan Vanko felt a lot of pressure. He had only been learning alchemy for a short time, and suddenly he seemed to have become a representative figure.

“That’s one way to put it,” Kim Bradley nodded. “You’ve been talking for so long, hurry up and go study. I think that guy’s soul is almost completely depleted. Once it dissipates, you’ll have to study on your own.”

"I can teach you combat awareness and how to better protect yourself when facing enemies, but I can't help you much with the study of alchemy."

"I understand!"

Ivan Vanko nodded and quickly returned to the storage room.

After Ivan Vanko entered, the mummy quickly entered teaching mode, even faster than before. However, Ivan Vanko could sense that the teacher in front of him was already in his final moments.

"Today, I will teach you a major discovery in alchemy: the Philosopher's Stone."

Before Ivan Vanko could comment, the mummy began drawing an alchemical circle. "I know Jin must have told you something, and you probably think this thing isn't good. You don't have to use it, but you can't be ignorant of it. It signifies that the alchemist has officially entered the realm of the soul..."

Chapter 51 A Rescue That Absolutely Surprised Tony (Seeking Recommendations)

A few days later, Kim Bradley was released from the Russian military and returned home, during which time he maintained contact with the military.

The military didn't want to detain him; it's just that once the operation to capture him alive began, an entire battalion was wiped out by Kim Bradley alone.

Even after eliminating a large group of soldiers, Kim Bradley was not even injured. Under these circumstances, the Russian military had to admit that it was impossible to capture Kim Bradley alive with minimal disturbance.

If things escalate, they fear Kim Bradley might flee to other countries, and they might not be able to stop him. Kim Bradley's special status also ensures that other countries' governments are willing to accept him.

With no other option, the military had to negotiate with King Bradley, exchanging information for him in exchange for certain conditions and resources.

After learning some information about the mystical side, the military dared not and did not want to touch it. The mystical side had been wiped out throughout Russia, leaving only this one survivor. They did not want their country or region to be without its own mystical forces.

However, since Kim Bradley brought Ivanvanko home, the Russians seem to have seen a glimmer of hope in coercion.

They have no choice but to accept that Kim Bradley is single, but things are different once he has ties to others. Kim Bradley is aware of this, and his political acumen is not bad either.

Kim Bradley also guessed that the other party would definitely try to subtly probe first, and taking action would only be a last resort, which is why he left Ivan Vanko at home.

However, he cannot stay at home for too long; the longer he stays, the more dangerous it becomes for Ivan Vanke.

The U.S. military has officially disclosed that Stark Industries CEO Tony Stark went missing in the Middle East… Stark Industries is seeking global assistance and will offer a reward for even limited leads…

Upon entering the house, Kim Bradley noticed that Ivan Vanko was unusually not practicing alchemy.

"Planning to take a break?" Kim Bradley asked.

"..." Ivan Vanko paused for a moment, "It just left, its soul completely consumed, unable to sustain its life."

“Okay, I understand.” Kim Bradley wasn’t surprised. In fact, the mummy’s ability to survive this long was already beyond his expectations. It just so happened that his teacher was dead, and it was time for Ivan Vanko to leave.

“Ivan, pack your things,” Kim Bradley suddenly said.

Ivan Vanko was a little confused. "We're moving? Is it not safe here?"

"It's not us, it's you."

As Kim Bradley spoke, he took a piece of paper with a strange pattern printed on it from his pocket and placed it in front of Ivan Vanko.

"I used the remaining favors I had to get you a chance to join the Ouroboros Association. I also found you a temporary tutor who will teach you some basic knowledge of the mystical world and the key points of the Ouroboros Association's assessment. He will come to see you when he has time after you arrive in New York."

“I understand.” Ivan Vanko agreed instinctively at first, then hesitated before asking, “Why aren’t you coming with me?”

“I cannot leave here,” King Bradley said calmly. “It’s one of the rules. As long as I’m here, the major powers on the mystical side won’t openly occupy this place, and the alchemists’ resurgence will still have a place to develop.”

Having said that, Ivan Vanko didn't ask any more questions. He wasn't stupid; he knew why he wanted to leave.

During recent training sessions, Ivan Vanko detected through electromagnetic field sensing that there were more and more people monitoring him around. They hadn't rushed in yet, probably because they were still wary of Kim Bradley.

“I…I want to go to the Middle East…” Ivan Vanko suddenly looked up and said.

Kim Bradley was a little surprised. "What are you going there for?"

“My father harbored resentment towards Howard his whole life. He felt inferior to Howard in every way. Now that they are both gone, my father can't continue to be suppressed in the afterlife. I must at least prove one thing to him: his son is better than Howard's son! He is better than Howard in terms of education!”

Ivan Vanko said very seriously that although he didn't particularly like his father, there were some things he cared about more than his father did, and he wanted to prove that he was smarter and stronger than Tony Stark.

"The best way to prove it is for me to go and rescue that guy who's most likely been kidnapped!"

Upon hearing this, Kim Bradley gave Ivan Vanko an appreciative look. Although competitiveness wasn't a good thing, he actually admired people like that.

But... can Ivan Vanko now be considered someone his father groomed? Isn't that absurd?

If Howard were to meet his father down there, he would probably laugh at him. After all, Kim Bradley steered Ivan Vanko's thinking and future down a different path in less than a month. Ivan Vanko's feelings for Kim Bradley might even be deeper than his feelings for his own father now.

"Suit yourself, but I must tell you, once I have one teleportation opportunity and I'm in the Middle East, you'll have to figure out how to get to New York yourself," Kim Bradley concluded.

“I know! I’ll handle it myself! I absolutely won’t give it to you, and I won’t bring shame to alchemists!” Ivan Vanko nodded and said.

Immediately afterward, Kim Bradley flicked his wrist, and the paper stuck directly to Ivan Vanko's arm. After a sharp pain, the paper fell off, leaving an ouroboros mark on his arm.

[User has been connected and identity verification successful. Welcome to Ivan Vanke, prospective employee.]

“Go, pack your things, take a few books with you. After you leave, I will reopen the seal on that room. The next time it will be opened will be after you reach the intermediate professional level,” Kim Bradley said to Ivan Vanko, who was pondering the information transmitted by the ouroboros in his mind.

Ivan Vanko nodded, then bowed deeply and turned to walk towards his room.

Sensing the situation here, Yang Qiu had a headache. He originally wanted Ivan Vanko to arrive in New York and then have Fina or Genomi take care of him for a while, after which the script should come to an end.

Unexpectedly, Ivan Vanko found a place he wanted to go, and Kim Bradley agreed. It seems that the script might take a long time to develop.

However, the final result will not change much; it doesn't matter where Ivan Vanko demonstrates his alchemist powers.