The most shameless alchemist in history

"My power? It is naturally the ability to change this world that the times have bestowed upon me. This is proof from heaven, the best proof that I am the helmsman who changes the times!" Tama's words were filled with unparalleled confidence and arrogance. He had no doubt about the mission he shouldered!

"Stop joking. How could the times possibly choose a schemer like you? Stop using those glamorous words to whitewash yourself and find excuses for your ambition. No matter how high-sounding your words are, your behavior is despicable and shameful. You just want to satisfy your ambition for power. In that respect, how are you any different from those people you despise?" Du Lei chuckled, as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world and seen the most ridiculous thing in the world.

"You're talking nonsense! How could someone as insignificant as you possibly understand my grand vision and plans? How could you possibly understand the bright future I'm about to lead? You understand absolutely nothing; you're nothing but an ant in the dust!" Tama shouted, vehemently denying everything Dure had said. He clearly represented justice, brooking no questioning or slander. How could a mere ant possibly comprehend his feelings, his greatness, his light?

"When you choose to use the lives of innocent people to create your so-called era, you decide that your hands are stained with blood, and that your actions are even more shameless than those despicable schemers. You have no right to talk about people's fate. Your so-called era is nothing but a castle in the air, a phantom edifice built of playing cards. It looks glamorous on the surface, but it is actually very vulnerable." Dure looked at Tama with pity. Even though he was at a disadvantage, even though Tama could easily twist his head off with a wave of her hand, he still spoke, still mocked.

"No, you understand nothing, you fool! You understand absolutely nothing! Don't try to provoke me with these words; it's pointless. No matter what you say, it won't stop the arrival of that new era. You're nothing but a sacrifice; you have no value whatsoever. Ants should return to the dust, should be trampled to death. I will end your pathetic fate as an ant right here!" Tama was enraged. He could no longer tolerate the boy's mockery. Hearing the boy's voice and seeing his eyes was enough to fill him with utter disgust. He utterly rejected the boy, rejecting him from the very core of his being, from the very soul. At this moment, only one thing occupied his mind: to utterly destroy the boy, to make him despair, to make him submit, to make him perish!

In fact, the moment he roared, the huge black shadow above his head was indeed freed from the ceiling. It existed in the form of black smoke, its body was huge, its outline was ferocious, it was terrifying, it came from fear, from despair, from death, from illusion!

It doesn't belong to this world at all!

"So it's finally here? This is your trump card, Mr. Tamer. I'm curious, what price did you pay to acquire the power to control it?" Dure said calmly. He was not intimidated by the shadowy figure, even though it was only inches away from him, even though it could easily devour him with a slight exertion. He remained calm.

640 Selling one's soul

This wasn't because he was terrified, nor because he knew he was doomed and was giving up in desperation, but because he had something to rely on—something that ensured he would never die here and that he would definitely win!

"Since you're already facing death, don't ask such unnecessary questions. Even if you regret it now, even if you beg me, even if you kneel on the ground and offer your soul, it's all useless. Become an ignorant fool crushed by the wheels of time in your regret and despair... Huh, what's going on?" Tama thought he had victory in his grasp. He had the key to victory. Mere ants were not enough to withstand the crushing force of the wheels of time. But at this moment, an unexpected event occurred.

No matter how much the enormous shadow above his head pressed down, it couldn't touch the boy's body. This stunned Tama for a moment, because in his mind, that shadow should be omnipotent. This was not just wishful thinking on his part, but a conclusion he had drawn from witnessing its power firsthand.

"What, are you surprised?" The boy smiled mysteriously, as if he had expected Tama to have this expression.

"What did you do? What happened? Kill him quickly! Aren't you supposed to be very powerful? How come you can't even handle a mere teenager?" Tama said incoherently.

Dure made a very good point earlier: Tama is just a civil servant, a finance minister, not a general. He doesn't know any combat skills, nor is he a magic user. The reason he was able to completely suppress Dure in the previous dozens of exchanges was simply due to the power of the shadow hidden in the ceiling above his head.

But now, the two sides of the shadow were like punches to the surface of water, only able to splash a few water droplets, but unable to harm him in the slightest. This puzzled Tama, and also puzzled the shadow itself.

"Don't question me, I don't know what happened either. Damn it, you're just a high-level magic user, no different from an ant. How did you manage to block my attack?" A third voice rang out in the empty hall. This voice was somewhat deep and hoarse. Apart from Durei and Tamma, there was no other person in the hall. In fact, this voice came from the snarling black shadow.

"Little Black, come out and let it know the answer to the question that is puzzling it." The boy called softly, and soon a small whirlwind formed at his feet. At first, the whirlwind seemed insignificant and not worth attracting the attention of Tama and the shadow, but soon, the speed of the whirlwind increased, and it formed a cylindrical tornado that enveloped the boy's entire body, and a black outline appeared on the outside of the tornado.

"Hehehehe, finally I can come out? I've been holding it in for so long, I've been wanting to get some fresh air for ages. Oh, what a long time has passed, what a familiar scent! Brother, who are you?" With a sharp, eerie laugh, the equally enormous black shadow that emerged from beneath the boy's feet suddenly rose up. It constantly changed its form, like a wisp of mist, like a gust of wind, and like a snake.

A snake with wings.

"How is this possible? This is a demon! Have you sold your soul to a demon too?" Tama's eyes widened in shock at this sight. He was all too familiar with the black shadow rising from the boy's feet, for it was exactly the same as the shadow that surrounded him.

"A demon? Is that what Mr. Tamma calls it? Actually, it might be more accurate to call it a Void creature." Dure corrected Tamma's wording, because the incredibly arrogant black shadow rising from beneath his feet was none other than the Void creature he had previously released from the underground seal of the Ash Tower north of Maple Leaf Academy!

"Abyssal creature, what is this?" Tama was not a magic user and had never heard of these mysterious terms. He had found this shadowy figure by sheer chance. The shadowy figure offered him the power he wanted if he sold his soul to it. At first, Tama had reservations and did not fully accept its power.

It wasn't until the situation gradually spiraled out of control, to the point where it was a matter of life and death, that he made the most difficult choice.

"What it is doesn't matter, what matters is that you lost. You can't beat me." The boy said softly. At this moment, Tama had already released his collar and retreated to a place four or five meters away. In mid-air, the two dark silhouettes faced each other.

"Lost? You're saying I lost? Are you kidding me? The great era hasn't arrived yet, my dream hasn't come true, how could I lose? I can't possibly lose! Stop spouting nonsense! Hey, didn't you say you were amazing and could do anything? Then go kill him now, hurry up!" Tama pointed at the boy and shouted orders at him to the shadowy figure, hoping to use the shadowy figure to obliterate this guy who was hindering his progress and the arrival of the great era in his heart!

"You're really something. You think it can defeat me? Hehehehe, it probably doesn't even believe that itself, does it?" The little black creature coiled around the boy's body chuckled, its words filled with unbridled mockery and arrogant arrogance. It didn't take the dark figure opposite it seriously at all.

"Damn it, how dare you underestimate me like this? Do you really think I can't beat you?" The shadowy figure said in a hoarse and deep voice. It was extremely unwilling. It was about to succeed, but unexpectedly, a fellow creature appeared out of nowhere.

It was not afraid of other opponents. No matter how powerful the magic user was, it had the ability to fight back. However, when its own kind appeared, especially one of higher level and more prestigious status, it became a real problem. Even though its voice was loud and contained a hidden threat, any experienced old man could tell that it was just putting on a brave front.

"It's not that I think, brother, we're from the same place. To put it bluntly, we're fellow countrymen. Since we're fellow countrymen, you haven't forgotten the laws of our hometown, have you? The difference between us isn't just a matter of strength, it's a matter of bloodline. I'm in a good mood today, so I'll give you a chance. If you choose to end it all, I'll let you die a quick death. Otherwise... hehehehehe." Xiao Hei's words were extremely arrogant, completely disregarding his opponent, which led to a fundamental change in the situation.

641 Lion Hunts Rabbit

Dure, who was initially on the receiving end of a beating, suddenly reversed the situation, completely suppressing Tama and the shadow. The reason for this was quite simple: the appearance of the little black figure.

Before Xiao Hei appeared, Du Lei had been probing Tama's background, trying to figure out what Tama relied on to fight and why she was so powerful. After learning that Tama's source of power was a creature from the Void Abyss, just like Xiao Hei, Du Lei finally had a plan.

"But you need to understand, this isn't our hometown, this isn't the Void Abyss, this is the human world. Bloodlines and all that can go to hell, die!" The black shadow pounced on Little Black. Even though it knew Little Black was an extremely difficult opponent, it was already enraged by Little Black. Moreover, there was something else, which was exactly what it had just said. If they were in the Void Abyss, it would definitely have no chance of winning. But now it wasn't the Void Abyss, but the human world, which meant there were many possibilities.

"It seems you haven't grasped one thing: the difference between a complete idiot and a true genius..." Little Black didn't take the shadowy figure's attack too seriously, merely responding with arrogant words.

"Don't get too cocky. Despair in your regret, repent in your regret, and destroy yourself in your regret!" The dark figure roared angrily. His hoarse voice was filled with boundless rage and resentment. He looked down at Xiao Hei with the posture of a lion hunting a rabbit, determined to shroud Xiao Hei in endless darkness and despair.

"Brother, are you serious? If your opponent were someone else, you might actually have the last laugh, but don't forget, your opponent is me, whose bloodline and level are higher than yours. You said you would bestow despair and fear upon me, you said you would plunge me into boundless darkness, but if I am fear, if I am despair, if I am darkness itself, then how can you give me these things that I already control? Isn't this a huge joke?" Xiao Hei stood still, neither dodging nor avoiding. He simply stood in front of Du Lei. This was the agreement he had made with the boy. No matter what lay ahead of him, whether it was a raging flood or endless flames, he would not back down an inch.

Not to mention that the dark figure pressing down on him was no different from an ant in his eyes. No matter how strong the dark figure's aura was, or how arrogant and domineering his words were, they were just a joke in Xiao Hei's eyes.

The shadowy figure launched this desperate attack. He knew that his chances of success were extremely slim, but he still used all his strength to try to expand this sliver of hope infinitely until he had complete control of the victory. He was completely going all in, and Tama, who was standing next to him, saw it all clearly.

He clearly saw two dark figures clashing head-on directly above the main hall. In his understanding, darkness was darkness, and there was nothing different about it. But what was presented to him now were two completely different kinds of darkness. One darkness revealed despair and ferocity, with countless negative emotions mixed together, while the other darkness was always calm, like the calm before a storm.

Under normal circumstances, calm darkness cannot defeat vicious darkness. In terms of sheer force, the shadowy figure could completely overwhelm the little black creature and utterly destroy it.

But this was merely momentum. Standing in Tama's position, he knew that momentum alone was not enough to win a war. So when the much larger black shadow descended from the sky, about to completely crush Little Black, he discovered an extremely bizarre scene.

The attacking shadow was being devoured by Little Black. His system was clearly larger and more impactful, but it was being absorbed by the calm darkness. In front of him, it was as if there was a black hole, pulling everything in, including the darkness itself!

"No, please stop! Stop it now! If you continue, I will disappear completely! Please, I was wrong! I shouldn't have opposed you! I surrender to you! I don't want to disappear! I don't want to disappear!" A desperate wail echoed from the shadowy figure shortly afterward.

He had initially believed he still had a sliver of hope, that if he fought with all his might, he could still earn a chance at victory. But when he actually came into contact with Xiao Hei, he realized how naive that idea was. An unprecedented dark power was absorbing his body and devouring his soul. He could no longer maintain his willpower; his strength was rapidly dissipating. In that instant, a terrifying thought surfaced in his mind—a vision of a hopeless future.

What a joke! He was the one who should have brought despair, the one who should have carried out the will of despair. How come he's now completely at a disadvantage and has to beg for mercy? No, he didn't want to. He clearly didn't want to beg for mercy, which is why he left that place, that disgusting place. He believed that in this new world, with his efforts and his strength, he could definitely carve out a place for himself. When he became strong enough, he could return to that hateful place and take revenge on those who had bullied him. He had already planned everything. His vision was bright and open.

But all of this, all his future and all his fantasies, shattered completely like shards of glass. Only at this moment did he realize that even though he had rushed away from that place, he was still weak, cowardly, and fearful. He wasn't just afraid; he lived in fear. Even though he was far away from the Abyss, his soul was still imprisoned there.

"Fear? Despair? Trembling? This is no pleasant feeling at all, at least not for you. This rotten stench is truly unpleasant, worse than a stinking rat in a sewer. But even a piece of trash like you has value. Did you think that by escaping the Abyss, you could escape the pathetic fate of being an ant? So wake up! At this moment, you should be glad that you have finally met your end! Hehehehehe." Xiao Hei's eerie laughter was especially menacing in the hall. Outside the window, dark clouds churned, and lightning occasionally tore through the sky, swirling within the rolling clouds and emitting terrifying hissing sounds that sent chills down one's spine!

Boom!

An unprecedentedly massive bolt of lightning struck down from the sky without warning!

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642 The Curtain of the Era

While Dure and Tama, who were inside the main hall, might not have seen it clearly, Kotetsu, Winry, and the others waiting outside the parliament building could see it perfectly.

The dark clouds that had been tightly entwined around the parliament building finally showed signs of dissipating with the strike of lightning. Not only the clouds clinging to the building, but the dark clouds in the sky also gradually began to dissipate.

"Has the heavy rain stopped?" Wenli noticed that no more raindrops were falling from the sky, and the guards nearby all looked up at the sky.

"What's going on? What happened?" a soldier asked his comrade.

"I'm not quite sure either, but you guys saw the sun!" a soldier exclaimed in surprise. They hadn't seen a clear sky for more than half a month.

"The rain has finally stopped, and has peace descended upon the capital?" a soldier murmured to himself. They had gone to such great lengths to storm the capital, all for the sake of peace.

At the same time, at the entrance to the top floor of the parliament building, a third person, besides Dure and Tama, stumbled in.

"Damn it, Tama, what have you done? Didn't you promise me? You promised to start a war and let darkness descend upon this land, because only in this way can soldiers shine brightly. Those fools have lived in peace and comfort for too long. They only know how to respect nobles and capitalists, and they are increasingly disrespectful to us old-fashioned soldiers. Only when the land returns to darkness and order returns to chaos will they know fear and how to write the word 'respect'!" The person who broke in was none other than General Shanlong. At this moment, his clothes were riddled with holes, and his body was covered with wounds. He was still wielding that big sword, but the blade was already broken and tattered.

He questioned and roared angrily. On his way there, he noticed that the dark clouds outside had dispersed. He knew very well what this meant. As Tama's most steadfast and powerful ally, he knew exactly what Tama's trump card was. It was precisely because of his belief in this trump card that he chose to cooperate with Tama, even at the cost of betraying his closest comrade. What he wanted was a future where soldiers could shine brightly.

He wanted the military to stand at the top of the power pyramid, to dominate and control everything, rather than being hampered by his close ally, Speaker Varo, no matter what he wanted to do.

On the surface, he is a childhood friend of Speaker Varo. The two have an intimate relationship and work together seamlessly. It was their joint efforts that quelled the long-standing chaos in the Mountain Kingdom and laid the foundation for its current prosperity. Everything seems so perfect.

However, General Shanlong did not think so, because it was Varo who sat on the chair representing the highest power, it was Varo who was praised by the people, and it was also Varo who stood in the huge bronze statue that was one of the symbols of the city.

Varo was always so busy. He was busy attending meetings, issuing documents, and giving orders. He was always busy. But what about himself? Varo was clearly incompetent. He was the one who helped Varo conquer the Mountain Kingdom and put him in that chair. So why was he so idle?

He felt resentful and unbalanced. This was not the treatment he deserved. He should have received so much more. He should be celebrated by the people, and his bronze statue should stand at the top of the city. It was Varo who took away his right to enjoy all of this. It was all that guy's fault!

When countless grievances accumulate to a certain point, all it takes is a spark, even a seemingly insignificant one, to ignite them completely. And the appearance of Finance Minister Tamma ignited that spark.

Yes, Tama is right. As long as darkness reigns over this land again, as long as order returns to chaos, people will remember his goodness and who saved them from the darkness. And as a soldier, he will finally have a chance to shine and regain his former glory.

Only when he puts on his armor again can he not be a useless old man, but a majestic general. Only when he smells the gunpowder and blood on the battlefield again can he find his younger self. His heart can still beat and the blood in his veins can still boil. He can still be the invincible and invincible iron-blooded general on the battlefield!

But all these beautiful fantasies vanished as the dark clouds dispersed, which made General Shanlong so angry that he almost lost his mind. He staggered over, brandishing his greatsword, and loudly questioned Tama!

"Tama, what's going on? I need an explanation!" General Shanlong's chest heaved violently; he simply couldn't accept what had happened.

"Oh dear, grandpa, don't run away! It's rare to meet an opponent as formidable as you. I want to play a little longer." At the entrance of the hall, another voice came. This voice sounded somewhat childish. Soon, a boy who looked only thirteen or fourteen years old staggered up. He held a dagger in his hand, from which blood was dripping. His body was also covered in wounds, especially a huge knife wound on his chest that went almost from his left chest to his right rib.

"Hiccup, although it can't be called a delicious meal, it can at least fill my stomach. Hehehehe, kid, can I eat that fat old man?" In the hall, there were still shadows spreading, but compared to the two dark masses before, there was only one left now.

Xiao Hei approached General Shanlong, licking his lips as he asked. Although only an outline, a black silhouette, could be seen, it still possessed a captivating power.

"No, you can't. Now that you've completed the mission, you should go back obediently. Otherwise, I'll have to inform Xiaobai," Du Lei said in a negative tone.

"Huh? Going back so soon? I haven't had enough fun yet. Okay, okay, I know. You don't need to scare me with her. Going back is fine. See you later. Remember to call me next time there's something good to do, hehehehe." After letting out another strange laugh, Little Black quickly disappeared into the ground.

"Did I lose? My dream, that bright and great future, and my era have come to an end just like that?" Tama knelt on the ground, unable to believe the reality before him. It all came too suddenly, and he was completely unprepared.

Whether he is willing to admit it or not, the era he envisions has come to an end.

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643 Dispels the gloom

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"Tama, you coward..." General Shanlong rushed in front of him. Even though Tama had already admitted defeat, he was definitely not defeated!

"Shanlong, things have come to this point, why are you still so stubborn?" Another voice came from the hall. The voice was old and helpless, but everyone heard it clearly.

"Varo? You bastard, how come you're still alive? Tama, didn't you say you were going to kill him?" General Shanlong looked over and saw an old man with white hair walking out from the back of the hall.

The old man's hair used to be gray, and he could still give passionate speeches. But now his hair and beard are all white. Even though he is still wearing the same sky-blue evening suit he used to wear, anyone can tell that he is an old man who has reached his twilight years.

"Shanlong, why do you have to do this? I really didn't expect you to hate me to this extent." Varo sighed deeply. Shanlong was his best friend of more than 40 years. They spent their childhood and youth together. Shanlong was once his most trusted right-hand man. Shanlong stood behind him, supporting him steadfastly. He had persevered through countless difficult years with Shanlong's help. Several times when he faced life and death, it was Shanlong who helped him out of the crisis.

He trusted Shanlong completely, so when he sensed danger on that turbulent night, the first person he sent to warn was Shanlong, hoping that his old friend would come to his rescue, just as he had done countless times before.

However, when Tama launched the rebellion, he did see Shanlong, but Shanlong did not stand by his side. Instead, Shanlong turned his blade against him, which was almost the last straw that broke his heart. Nearly 50 years of friendship was thus completely shattered.

He knew that what awaited him was no longer the spirited young man who had made a pact with him years ago to save the country, but a schemer who had become riddled with holes by the passage of time and the corruption of power.

During the two months of house arrest, he thought a lot and reflected a lot. Memories are something worth savoring, with so many beautiful memories. How wonderful it would be if people could live in their memories forever. For a moment, Varo thought this.

But soon another voice in his heart told him that he couldn't do that, because he was not an ordinary person. He was the Speaker of the National Assembly of this country, and he had the future of millions of people on his shoulders. It was this belief that had been supporting him all along, otherwise he would have collapsed in the storms of the past two months.

"I hate you more than just, Varo. We fought together to build this empire, and half the credit is mine. Why are you the high and mighty Speaker of the Council, while I am forgotten by the world? Why?" General Shanlong roared angrily. Over the years, he had asked himself the same question countless times, but he could never find a clear answer.

“No, Shanlong, you’re wrong.” Speaker Varo gently shook his head.

"Wrong? Where did I go wrong? Are you kidding me?" Shanlong laughed loudly.

“The country does not belong to me, nor to you, but to the six million people of the Mountain Kingdom. Don’t you understand now?” Speaker Varo sighed softly.

"General Shanlong, you have already lost. Not only have you lost, but you have also made a terrible mistake. Lay down your weapons. This country has been shrouded in darkness for far too long!" Du Lei walked up to Shanlong. Even though Shanlong was still brandishing his broadsword and looking imposing, Du Lei had already seen that Shanlong was at his last gasp.