Fullmetal Alchemist Manga Chapter 38 : Signal to Strike

   

Summary:

After Ling explains to Alphonse and Winry the reasons behind Edward Major Armstrong's kidnapping, as well as Roy Mustang's plan to smoke out the Homunculi, he notices Lan Fan's signal flare in the distant sky and informs them that the light he sees is a "signal to strike". Alphonse, who sees this mission as vital to uncovering the identity of Maes Hughes' killer, decides to go along with it, promising Winry that he will return safely and convey to her whatever happens.Deep in the Homunculi's underground lair, Lust informs her father that the situation regarding number 66 will soon be cleanly resolved as she has sent Envy and Gluttony to hunt down the fugitive. However, her confidence in their abilities seems unfounded as Envy struggles against Lan Fan's fighting prowess, having been "killed" by her hand three times. Envy attempts to blend in with the crowd for a sneak attack, but is easily detected by the Xingese bellatrix's ability to sense the Homunculus' inhuman presence. In the tower, Lt. Hawkeye is equally desperate for Gluttony and apparent immortality as he fires several shots directly to the head with little to no effect. But when she runs out of handgun ammo and is about to be eaten alive by the monster, she is saved by the timely intervention of Black Hayate and Kain Fuery, who toss Hawkeye one of their pistols before both officers begin firing at the enemy again, to no avail. . Fortunately, Colonel Mustang appears in the stairwell behind them and shoots Gluttony out the window with flame alchemy, sending him crashing to the ground on top of Envy. Fearful of his opponents' apparent fighting strength, Envy attempts to flee the scene by donning a dog's disguise, but his escape route is cut short when he accidentally runs into Al and Ling, who are shocked to see the dog transform in human form. when Lan Fan attacks again. When Alphonse notices the Ouroboros mark on Envy's left thigh, Gluttony arrives as backup, and Lan Fan informs his prince that these strangely invincible enemies may hold the secret of immortality they seek.In the tower, Riza berates Roy for coming to the front lines and exposing himself to the enemy, but her anger at his disregard for protocol is cut short when Fuery informs the two that their quarry is on the move again. Mustang and Hawkeye order Fuery and Black Hayate to stay and remove all traces of the operation and head to their car to meet up with Havoc, who informs them that Barry has already gone after his errant body. Alphonse also appears on the scene and the four of them follow the trail of number 66, hoping that the fleeing attacker will lead them directly to the enemy stronghold. Roy catches up with Barry, who confirms that his soul will be able to follow his body no matter where he goes. Alphonse informs the Colonel that he believes their enemies are Homunculi, citing his encounter with Greed as proof, but Roy is skeptical that such monsters can exist until Riza confirms Al's claim by stating that Gluttony did not die even after being shot several times. vital areas.Their pursuit leads them to the Central Alchemy Laboratory #3, where Roy decides that even so much research gives them enough evidence to believe that their enemy is directly connected to Central Command, and orders everyone to withdraw. Unfortunately, against orders, Barry haphazardly rushes in after his human body, but Roy decides to cause confusion and orders everyone to follow him, misinforming the staff inside that they are chasing a dangerous fugitive and that backup is already on the way. After the Barrys' destruction zone into the facility's locked basement, the group decides to split up to find their quarry, Al with Riza and Roy with Jean.Mustang and Havoc make it to a series of underground labs that appear to be abandoned, and Jean comments that the labs reek of violence, while Roy notes that the strange bloodstains on the floor and operating tables with leather straps indicate that research is taking place there. could not be legitimate. However, their exploration of the facility is interrupted when Lust arrives and laments that Envy and Gluttony are unable to keep them at bay. Jean is shocked to find his new girlfriend in such a place, but understands the situation when Roy shows her the Ouroboros mark. After Jean assures the Colonel that he knew better than to divulge sensitive information to a civilian, Roy demands to know if Lust was involved in Hughes' death, and when she replies that she was but is not the killer of Maes, Mustang is shot. her in the leg and orders her to kneel for questioning. Unfortunately, Lust merely regenerates from the wound and coolly informs the Colonel that it will take a lot more than getting her to her knees, prompting the Flame Alchemist to launch a fire into her heart and head. Lust heals these wounds as well, confirming to both men that he is indeed the Homunculus, as Al claimed. She opens a shrinking wound on her chest to reveal that as a Homunculus, she has a Philosopher's Stone at her core to aid in her regeneration, but when Roy calls her a monster, she states that her thoughts, emotions, and physical appearance are identical to those. people.Before Mustang and Havoc can move, Lust goes on the attack, extending her bladed nails and disabling the Colonel's handgun, as well as rupturing the overhead water pipe, dousing both soldiers and eliminating Roy's flame alchemy as a threat. With the tables turned, Roy and Jean flee the room, but Roy reveals he has another trick up his sleeve; with a transmutation ring on the back of his gauntlet and a lighter borrowed from Havoc, he transforms the water filling the room into flammable hydrogen and flammable oxygen, which he then ignites and burns Lust in a makeshift furnace. Mustang and Havoc cautiously return to the devastated room to investigate, and although the Colonel comments that the Homunculus has been burned for good, he warns Havoc to be on his guard due to Lust's regenerative powers. Unfortunately, just at that moment the Homuncula's bladed claws shoot out from the rubble, impaling the 2nd Lt. in the stomach and causing him to collapse. Lust taunts the two as he regenerates his body, claiming that there's no way Roy can save Jean from bleeding to death, but the Flame Alchemist disagrees and plunges his hand into her chest to pull out the Philosopher's Stone, which he hopes will do the trick. expand his basic knowledge of bioalchemy enough to heal Jean's wounds. Without her supernatural core, Lust's body crumbles to dust, but quickly re-forms around the Philosopher's Stone in Roy's hand, and she stabs the Colonel through the stomach with her bladed fingers, berating him for being so rude as to touch a woman's breast.