Alchemists do not need self-cultivation

"you……"

"Don't even think about sending the remaining soldiers to their deaths. The Treaty of Versailles should have required you to limit the number of troops, right? It would be unwise for those remaining soldiers to die at my hands."

"...Are you...from 'Shambhala'?"

“Shambhala? What’s that? I remember it means paradise in Sanskrit, but that’s not the point,” Isaac said. “The point is, do you know where Hohenheim is?”

"Hohenheim!?"

Upon hearing this name, Haushofer's expression changed instantly.

“So you know. Can you take me to see him?” Isaac laughed. “I can let you take Envy away, but you must let me see Hohenheim.”

"...I can't let you see him."

"Don't you understand the situation? I'm not negotiating with you, I'm giving you orders."

Isaac stretched out his hand and waved it. The shadow beneath his feet quickly extended and transformed into blades, severing the heads of all the guards, including those holding Edward down.

Blood splattered on Edward's face as he stared in shock at the scene unfolding before him.

“Isaac…”

In his memory, the Corporal Isaac he knew would never do such a cruel thing.

"Haushofer, your time is limited."

"..."

After quickly weighing the pros and cons, Haushofer said with some difficulty, "Alright, I'll take you there."

"very good."

After he agreed to Isaac's terms, the soldiers recovered from their shock, took strips of cloth to cover the fallen Envy, and secured him with grappling hooks that had been lowered from the airship.

After everything was done, they used the grappling hook to return to the airship, where Haushofer and Isaac also planned to board.

"and many more!"

At this moment, Edward got up from the ground and walked quickly to them.

"I also need to go."

Haushofer: "You..."

“His name is Edward Elric, and he is Hohenheim’s son,” Isaac said. “Let him come along.”

"Hohenheim's son..."

“Isaac, what you just did…”

"This is the first time you've seen me kill so decisively, right? But this is normal."

Sitting in the airship, Edward was still somewhat moved by what had just happened.

“I am not the Corporal Isaac you know from your world, but Lieutenant General Isaac from my own world. I am fundamentally different from the person you know,” Isaac said in a low voice. “You probably don’t consider me to be the person from your world, do you?”

“No, I’ve heard a bit about your situation from Nona, and I know you’re not the person I know,” Edward said with a wry smile. “It’s just that it’s a little hard to accept that someone I used to know has done something unexpected.”

"If the Edward I know saw me trying to kill someone, he would have fought desperately to stop me. He doesn't want to solve problems by taking someone's life, regardless of good or evil."

"Actually, I feel the same way. I don't agree with what you're doing, but... based on what I experienced in Amestris before I came into this world, although I don't agree with it, I can understand what you're doing."

“It seems your experiences in your own world are a bit worse than Edward’s in my world,” Isaac laughed. “But you’re still a little short of understanding me.”

"I have a question."

"what?"

"How is Al doing in your world?"

"Your brother? He's still alive and well, always traveling and causing me trouble."

"Is that so... It's good that you're alive."

Chapter 973: I Have No Choice But to Destroy This World

The airship flew in the sky for about two hours, having already flown from the outskirts of Munich to Berlin.

Haushofer walked ahead, glancing back every now and then at Isaac and Edward, for Isaac posed a significant threat to him.

"Professor Haushofer, what is your purpose in capturing Envy? Would you mind telling me?"

"...in order to go to 'Shambhala'."

Where is Shambhala?

"It's your world."

“…I see, you want to go to Amestris.” Isaac laughed. “Amestris isn’t too strict with tourists, but you can’t just come and go as you please. You still need to have a passport.”

"..."

"I happen to have some influence in immigration matters. Tell me your purpose, and if it's just tourism, I can explain to my subordinates that the review conditions can be relaxed."

“…So you really did come from there,” Haushofer said. “Did you and Hohenheim both pass through the door safely?”

"Passing through the Gate of Truth is very easy for me; this is the third world I've been to."

"……I see."

Haushofer suppressed his shock and led the two of them into a building.

After meeting Hohenheim at the University of Munich, he became very interested in the other world Hohenheim spoke of. Upon learning that one needed to pass through the Gate of Truth to get to that world, he began to research ways to reach the 'other world' Hohenheim spoke of.

He also knew that passing through the Gate of Truth was by no means an easy task.

But he still had to go to that world.

Because of its defeat in the war a few years earlier, Germany was in an unprecedented crisis, and to get out of this predicament, it would have to start another war.

However, the Treaty of Versailles restricted their army to a very small area and forced them to pay huge reparations. Under these restrictions, they did not have enough strength to wage war.

So after learning about other worlds, they started to have wicked ideas.

They conquered another world, then replenished their troops and resources there for future wars; this world, as Hohenheim called it, was 'Shambhala'.

What he didn't expect was that Isaac was actually a powerful figure there, and it seemed that he could freely travel between the two worlds.

“Professor Haushofer, I wonder if you are aware that ‘Shambhala’ means ‘paradise’ in Sanskrit,” Isaac laughed. “You might be able to get there after you die.”

"...I don't want to die too soon."

"Is that so? That's a real shame. I could have kindly offered you a ride," Isaac said with a smile.

Of course, this smile looked very strange to Haushofer.

As they ventured deeper into the building, they encountered more and more people, and German soldiers carrying guns began to gather around them.

"Professor Haushofer, you've finally arrived."

A blonde woman in a white uniform came out and approached Haushofer with a smile.

"Have you caught the giant snake?"

"It's been detected, Chairman Ekater."

"That's good. The road to Shambhala will be opened today."

The woman known as Ekatert laughed.

Suddenly she saw Isaac and Edward behind Haushofer.

Who are these two?

“Edward Ellick, Hohenheim’s son,” Haushofer replied. “This Chinese man is Isaac; he has come looking for Hohenheim.”

"...I remember saying that the Shambhala plan is very secretive and cannot be revealed to ordinary people."

"This……"

“I’m no ordinary person,” Isaac suddenly said with a laugh. “I am Lieutenant General Amestris and Commander-in-Chief of the entire army. Shouldn’t you ask me first before making such a big show of trying to enter the country?”

"what?"

"President, he came from Shambhala, just like Hohenheim."

"……I see."

Eikaert's expression turned somewhat serious, but he still extended his hand and said, "Welcome to Berlin, visitor from Shambhala."

"Even though my world isn't called that, never mind."

Isaac shook hands with her symbolically.

"I heard you want to open a passage between here and Amestolis. As the Commander-in-Chief of the entire army in Amestolis, I cannot agree to this. This constitutes illegal entry."

You didn't have any entry procedures when you came to Germany, did you?

“But I have legal status in Germany,” Isaac said with a smile. “Take me to see Hohenheim first, and we can discuss your entry into Germany in detail later.”

"Okay, this way please."

After learning Isaac's identity, she became much more polite.

She bypassed Haushofer and led the two of them up the stairs.

When they reached the top floor, Isaac quickly saw Hohenheim, who was tied to a pillar and looked weak.

"Dad!"

Seeing this, Edward rushed over, wanting to untie the restraints on Hohenheim.

“Edward…you’ve shown me a shameful side.” Hohenheim struggled to open his eyes, his face still covered in cold sweat. “What are you doing here? They want…”

“I know they want to invade Amestris.”

Isaac walked up to Hohenheim and waved his hand, and all the chains binding him snapped.

"Cough cough..."

Hohenheim sat on the ground, coughed twice, and then took a few deep breaths.

“That’s right, they want to drag Amestris into the war of this world, and we must stop them.”

“If they really dare to do that…” Isaac said, “that would be a war across dimensions, a war between two worlds to the death.”

"So we must stop them..."