One human only has the power to do so much.
That's why I'm going to protect...
...even if it's just a handful of them...
...the ones most important to me.
A subordinate protects their subordinate, and so forth.
That should be possible, even for us puny humans.
Geometric progression?
Which means this.
If you want to protect this whole country,
you have to be at the top of the summit.
It must feel great up there, Hughes.
But I can't climb to the top with my own strength.
I'm sure of it.
What are you getting all worked up for?
Sounds interesting.
I'm in.
I want to see what kind of changes your naive ideals will bring to this country.
Colonel...
Colonel.
Why not head to the nap room if you're tired?
Yeah... sorry.
I wanted to finish up the documents I've started before I get transferred to Central.
I haven't slept much lately.
It seemed you were dreaming about something.
WHat? Just a boring flashback.
I don't remember anything after being kicked by this guy.
"Guardians with only souls", "precious sacrifices", "being kept alive".
"Tattoo of Ouroboros", and "transmutation circle for a philosopher's stone".
According to Dr. Marcoh, the stones were used in Ishbal, as well...
There are too many mysteries for it to be an ordinary experiment.
I'd like to look into it some more, but the research lab is in ruins now.
Hmm...
Seems like they're discussing something tricky...
I don't feel like getting involved in something dangerous again, so I refuse to listen!
Hey, you two...
Is this the Fullmetal Alchemist's recovery room?
Yes, he's in here...
We may be able to discover something if we look through the court-martial chamber.
I'll go and investigate the ones who were participating in the research of the stones under Dr. Marcoh.
Sorry to intrude.
F-FÃ¼hrer-President... King Bradley!
Quiet down. You can be at ease.
Your Excellency, may I ask why you are here?
Why I'm here?
To visit this boy, of course.
Are you fond of melon at all?
Oh... thank you.
Wait, something's wrong here!
Seems like you've been doing a lot of investigating of the military leadership, Major Armstrong.
Huh?! Well... that's...
How did you...
Don't underestimate my intelligence network.
And you, Edward Elric...
The philosopher's stone, right?
Just how much did you find out? Depending on that, I may have to...
I'm joking!
No need to get tense.
What?
I, too, was aware there have been disquieting activities within the military.
I've always wanted to do something about them, but...
Oh, that's...
A list of people who were researching the philosopher's stones, eh?
Every one of them has been reported missing.
What?!
They have been reported missing a few days prior to the destruction of Research Laboratory 5.
The enemy is always ahead of us.
Even with my intelligence network, we still don't know the scale of it all,
their objectives, or how close they are to achieving them.
So you're saying it's extremely dangerous for us to look into it.
That's right.
Lt. Colonel Hughes,
Major Armstrong,
Elric Brothers,
I've decided you all are trustworthy people.
I forbid you to continue investigating this matter or to disclose it to others!
You cannot trust anyone in a situation like this, when you cannot even distinguish friend from foe!
Regard all of the military as your foe and proceed carefully!
However...
When the time comes, I will have many tasks for all of you.
So be prepared.
Yes, sir!
Your Excellency!
Where have you gone, Your Excellency?!
Ah, drats! Here comes my annoying subordinate.
I snuck out of my office, after all.
Farewell!
Hey, Ed.
Huh?
What are you guys doing?
Let's just say... a storm just went by.
I went out and bought the tickets you asked for.
Tomorrow's afternoon train, right?
Yeah, thanks.
Why are you in such a rush? Your wounds haven't even healed yet.
I can't stay in a place reeking of antiseptics like this forever.
Where are you going this time?
Dublith?
Yeah.
After discussing it with Al, we decided to stop by our master's place.
I'm scared, Brother...
We're probably going to get killed!
C-Courage, my little brother!
I'm just as scared as you are!
What kind of person is your master...
Dublith is quite far from here.
Where is it?
Let's see... It's here. It's right in the middle of the South.
W-What?!
This place! Before Dublith!
The Holy Land of Automails, Rush Valley!
I've always wanted to go there!
Please take me! Please take me!
Take me! You better take me!
Why don't you go by yourself?
Who's going to pay for the trip, then?
You're planning on making me pay for it?!
Sure, why not? It's on the way, after all.
I guess it's okay...
Hooray!
I'm going to give Granny a call!
Yeah, she'll make a grand wife.
Don't tell me that!
Not as grand as my wife, though!
Well, Papa's going to be on his way!
Are you going to come home early today, Papa?
Hmm, I wonder?
Papa's got a lot of work to do!
But I'll come home as soon as I can!
You're going to be late.
You're going to be leaving today, right, Winry?
I can't see you off because of work, so...
Take care of yourself.
I'm truly indebted to you, Mr. Hughes.
Be sure to drop by if you ever come to Central again.
Think of it as your home.
And give my regards to those boys, too.
Okay!
Good luck at work, Papa!
See you!
Why did you decide to go visit your master all of a sudden?
Two reasons.
First off, we've kind of been on a losing streak.
What?!
You're going because you want to get stronger?!
What are you guys, muscleheads?
Idiot! It's not that simple!
We don't just want to get stronger physically, but should we say mentally, too...
Right?
Yeah.
Anyway, we feel like we'll be able to get stronger if we visit our master.
I want to become far stronger than I am now.
And your second reason?
I want to ask about philosopher's stones.
The real truth that is beyond truth...
We never found out the meaning of those words, after all.
Our master might know something about it.
We can't be caring about how we're going to look out there.
We're going to ask our master while being prepared to be killed...
Ask...
It was a short-lived life.
I wish I could have had a girlfriend, at least...
What kind of person is your master?
A riot in Lior?
Yes.
Apparently, the riot caused by some Leto cult deceiving the citizens has finally calmed down.
I see...
With Ishbal and other riots... the East sure have their hands full.
Not just the East, but there are riots and border wars sparking up in the North and the West.
Mountains of corpses everywhere, huh...
We may even get a coup soon...
Where are you headed, Lt. Colonel?
To the library.
Riots throughout Lior.
The ingredients of philosopher's stones are humans...
What we did in Ishbal...
Whoa now, who's the mastermind behind all of this?
I've got to hurry and let the FÃ¼hrer-President know...
Nice to meet you, Lt. Colonel Hughes.
Or should I say... farewell?
Cool tattoo you've got there.
You found out too much, Lt. Colonel Hughes.
Dammit...
That's something I should be saying.
Oh, Lt. Colonel Hughes.
If you're here to call someone about your family again-
Lt. Colonel, you're bleeding!
It's nothing. I need to use the phone...
I need to call the FÃ¼hrer-President building...
Sorry to bother you...
Lt. Colonel!
Hello? You've reached Eastern Headquarters.
Let me talk to Roy... Colonel Roy Mustang.
We're not permitted to relay direct calls from an outside line.
I'm Lt. Colonel Hughes from Central!
I'm calling from a phone booth because of an emergency!
Please give me the code.
What a bother!
Uncle-Sugar-Oliver-Eight-Zero-Zero!
I've verified the code.
One moment, please.
Hurry up!
The military is in danger!
Could you put down the receiver, Lt. Colonel?
The receiver, please.
2nd Lt. Ross... or not.
Who are you?
I'm 2nd Lt. Maria Ross. Have you forgotten?
No, you're not.
2nd Lt. Ross has a mole under her left eye!
Huh? Really?
I was careless.
How's this?
What the hell...
It's as if I'm dreaming.
Your quick-wittedness brought the end of you, Lt. Colonel Hughes.
Hey now, give me a break.
I've got a wife and a daughter waiting for me at home.
There's no way...
...I can die here!
Perfect staging, right?
Damn you!!!
Lt. Colonel Hughes from Central is on a public line.
Again?
Put him through.
It's me.
If it's about your daughter again, I'm hanging up.
Hughes?
Hughes...
Hey, Hughes!
Humans are so foolish.
Risking their lives for something so stupid.
Elicia... Gracia...
I'm sorry...
I don't think I can... keep my promise...
Wow, this is delicious!
These apple pies are awesome!
Miss Gracia is such a good cook!
I know that.
The quiche she made for us once was really good.
It's on my "list of things to eat when I get my body back".
She taught me how to make it, so I'll bake one for you when you get your body back, Al.
Yay!
Mr. Hughes and Miss Gracia are both wonderful people.
Lt. Colonel Hughes is such a doting father... and kind of annoying because he's so meddlesome.
He always came to poke fun at you in your hospital room, didn't he?
Seriously.
He's always saying he's busy with work, yet he paid me a visit every day.
We have to thank him next time.
Yeah.
Mama... why are they burying Papa?
Elicia...
Papa won't be able to go to work if they do that.
Elici...
Papa said he had a lot of work to do!
Stop!
Don't bury him!
Papa!!!
Specially promoted two ranks after being killed in the line of duty.
Brigadier General Hughes... huh?
You said you were going to work under me and support me.
What's the point if you surpass my rank?
Idiot...
Colonel.
Alchemists are unpleasant creatures, aren't they, Lieutenant?
I'm desperately putting together the theory of human transmutation in my head.
I feel like I know how those boys felt when they tried to transmute their mother.
Are you all right?
Yeah.
Ah, it looks like it's beginning to rain.
No, I don't think so...
No, it's raining all right.
You're right.
Let's go back.
We'll catch colds.
He left the room saying that he was going to go to the library.
That was the last I saw of the Lt. Colonel.
Did he fight with someone in here?
Most likely.
There were bloodstains from the room to the hallway.
And his next destination was...
Lt. Colonel tried to make a phone call, even while he was injured...
But... he left without doing so.
He realized something in the court-martial chamber...
...and took the trouble to contact me from the outside when he could have called from within the building.
The telephone operator in the Eastern Headquarters heard Hughes say, "The military is in danger".
What is it?
What was he trying to tell me?
Colonel, I've brought Major Armstrong.
We have an idea of the ones who murdered Lt. Colonel Hughes.
Then why don't you take them into custody?!
We have an idea, but we don't know exactly who they are.
What do you mean? Tell me in detail.
I cannot.
I, a Colonel, am telling you to speak.
Are you going to disobey a senior officer?!
I cannot speak.
Understood.
Sorry for calling you out here.
You may go.
Yes, sir.
Sir, I forgot to mention.
The Elric Brothers had been staying here until a few days ago.
The Elric Brothers?
Yes, the Elric Brothers.
Did they find what they were looking for?
No.
What they are looking for is almost legendary.
I see. Thanks.
We couldn't get much out of him, could we?
Seriously...
The Major is truly good-natured.
He said specifically, "ones who murdered Lt. Colonel Hughes".
Which means there were several.
It could be that they're working as an organization.
If he can't speak, even under order from a colonel,
that means someone higher ranked than me is imposing silence on him.
We can assume the top of the military is behind it.
And the thing the Elric Brothers are looking for...
In other words, the philosopher's stone.
An organization that has a hand in the military leadership, the philosopher's stone, and Lt. Colonel Hughes...
Just how does it all relate...
As for now, we don't know.
But once I get transferred to Central, I'll investigate the leadership and find out who killed Hughes.
It's unlike you to mix up private and public matters.
There are no "private" or "public" matters involved.
Aiming to become FÃ¼hrer-President and avenging Hughes' death...
...are both my will as an individual.
Our target will be the military leadership. You're coming with me, right?
Like I'll back down now.
Ed and Al run through Rush Valley, chasing after Paninya, a girl who stole Ed's silver pocket watch,
although they have no idea what's awaiting them.
Next time, Fullmetal Alchemist:
Episode 11, The Miracle at Rush Valley.
The words the boy engraved were words of resolve.
Or could they be...