So in the end, you became a soldier.
As I thought, it's far too early to teach you the art of flame alchemy.
Still, sir?
You've only taught me the basics of alchemy so far.
Of course.
Someone who would sink to becoming a dog of the military is unworthy of being taught even the basics of alchemy.
Alchemy should be used for the benefit of the masses. Isn't that correct?
Master, we're currently under threat from neighboring countries. We're in an urgent need to strengthen our forces.
Alchemy is essential for protecting the people-
I'm tired of hearing that same excuse.
I just can't sit here and watch this.
Someone as talented as you suffering crushing poverty.
Please become a State Alchemist.
If you do, you'll be able to conduct other experiments-
I've already completed my experiments long in the past.
What did you...
The most powerful alchemy.
Though depending on how it's used, it could be the most deadly.
I perfected it...
...and became satisfied.
Alchemists are creatures who must continually strive toward the truth as long as they are alive.
They die as soon as they stop the process of thinking.
I had already died long in the past-
Master!
Master Hawkeye!
Take care... of my daughter...
Every detail of my experiment... is with her...
I'm sorry for having to rely on you for everything.
Don't worry about it.
It's my duty as a former student.
Don't hesitate to visit me at the military if anything happens.
Are you also going to judge me for becoming a soldier?
As everyone may say, there is a chance I'll end up dying like a piece of trash out on the street.
But even then, if it means I'll be able to protect this country, I don't mind at all.
Sorry if I'm boring you. It's a childish dream of mine.
No.
I think it's quite admirable.
A future where everyone will be able to live in happiness.
Can I trust you?
Can I entrust you with Father's dreams?
Hayate. No.
I'm sorry about that.
It's fine... It happens a lot.
I heard about it.
Assistant to the FÃ¼hrer President?
Yeah.
Looks like you had a rough time out there.
I didn't shoot anybody.
Didn't have to.
No... I couldn't bring myself to.
I'm worthless.
Because I'm not prepared, I end up troubling others.
Did something happen?
Scar was the one who killed Winry's parents.
I had a horrible feeling in my gut at that time.
In my mind, the gun suddenly turned into something horrifying.
And when I realized it...
I think she despised Scar enough to kill him.
I'd never seen her cry as much as she did after he left.
I'm so worthless.
I didn't understand her feelings at all.
You can only worry about something like that because you came back alive.
But you have to survive...
...for the sake of the people important to you.
You have to protect her, okay?
You love Winry, don't you?
N-No! I-I-
S-She's just a childhood friend of mine!
J-Just like family!
P-Protecting her is nothing out of the ordinary!
Umm...
Sorry.
Looks like this was a burden on you.
Have you ever thought of it as a burden?
I don't even have the right to complain about its weight anymore.
I've taken the lives of many people in the past,
and I'm also the one who chose this path.
Are you referring to Ishbal?
Do you mind if I ask you about it?
Let me hear it.
What did you wretches do in Ishbal?!
Ishbal was a rough place to live, full of rocks and sand.
So it's only fitting that a strict religion and a tenacious race of people reside there.
But some people were unhappy that they were annexed to Amestris.
And just then...
Because of one bullet, the unhappiness evolved into anger and spread throughout Ishbal.
The riot turned into a civil war and continued on for seven years.
Then, one document decided everything.
Executive Order No. 3066.
It began the Ishbal Extermination.
Just that one sheet of paper.
It was a living hell.
The air was choked with the stench of rotting corpses and gunpowder,
and the sand was soaked with blood.
An infantryman could fire at random, and if lucky, he might hit someone.
But sniping is different.
When you pull the trigger, someone dies for sure.
The two groups who were the most closely related in terms of that...
...would be snipers...
...and State Alchemists.
My name is Basque Gran, the Iron Blood Alchemist!
Iron and Blood.
In other words, Weapons and Soldiers.
Who else would be more fitting to stand at the forefront?
Damn you!
Ishbalan brats!
How... How dare you!
Roy!
Roy Mustang!
So you were here, too.
It's been a while.
But man,
your eyes look different.
Same with you.
We all have the eyes of murderers.
Yeah.
Didn't we all talk about the future of this country at the military academy?
Yeah.
A beautiful future.
Captain, a letter for you.
Thanks.
Whoa!
W-What?
My beautiful future!
Her name's Gracia!
She's waiting for my return in Central!
Alone...
What if other guys hit on her?!
No, there's no way Gracia would cheat on a handsome guy like me.
No, no, but still...
Hughes, let me warn you.
This happens a lot in both movies and novels.
The guy who talks about his lover on a battlefield...
...ends up dying right away.
Hey!
This is what keeps me alive.
This letter, and this letter only, lets me dream of tomorrow.
In this war that may never end.
You're right. There's no telling when this war will end.
No matter how many troops the country deploys, the desert just absorbs them like water.
We suffer, conquer, and what's left?
Nothing but sand.
Yeah. It's far too big of an operation for it to merely be suppression.
It's been a while, Major Mustang.
Do you remember me?
How terrible.
This woman...
...now also bears the eyes of murderers.
Please tell me, Major.
Soldiers are supposed to protect the people. Why are we killing them instead?
Alchemy is supposed to bring people happiness. Why is it being used for murder?
Because that's the State Alchemists' job.
Why are soldiers killing the people?
Because that's what we were ordered to do.
Am I wrong?
Are you telling us to look at this horrible scene rationally?!
Let's see... for example...
Girl, your face has the expression of "I'm doing this against my will".
Can you say for certain that there hasn't been a time...
...when you successfully sniped your enemy and felt good about your skill?
Miss Sniper.
That's enough!
From my point of view, it's you all who can't be understood.
A battlefield is a place for murder.
Did you put on that uniform without being prepared to kill?
Don't look away from death. Look forward to it.
When you kill, face them directly.
And don't forget them.
Your enemies will never forget you either.
Oh, it's time.
I need to head off to work.
I have to go, too.
Later, Roy.
Hughes.
Why do you fight?
Easy.
I don't want to die. That's it.
Reasons are always simple.
Then what is the reason behind this war?!
There...
...was a reason. A horrible reason.
You created a philosopher's stone using our blood?!
What did you do with that stone?!
It went to the hands of Major Zolf J. Kimblee...
...the Crimson Alchemist...
The man with cold eyes... who has his long black hair tied back?
Yeah.
Brother...
What else?!
Th-The war situation changed with just one intention.
Ah... Such beautiful sounds.
Such wondrous sounds ringing throughout my body...
My spinal cord dances with sadness. My eardrum shivers with joy.
This feeling can only be achieved here, where we lay so close to death.
What a wonderful career!
A beautiful sound!!!
Amazing! The philosopher's stone!
It was only a matter of time before the extermination was complete.
And then, the Ishbalan priest of highest rank, Roug Roa, stood before the FÃ¼hrer President to save his people.
Oh?
So you want me to trade the lives of the tens of thousands of Ishbalans in exchange for your life?
Correct. I'm-
Don't be conceited.
Are you trying to say that your life is worth just as much as the lives of the ones who are left?
Don't get ahead of yourself, human.
A person's life is worth as much as anyone else's.
No more, no less.
I won't accept the deal.
Nor will I call off the extermination.
You monster!
God will smite you!
"God"?
How strange.
After all this, I've yet to be smote.
How many more Ishbalans must I kill for that to happen?
You bastard...
God is only a figure created by humans; that's all there is to it.
If you want to bring an iron hammer down on me, do it yourself without having to rely on God, human!
And eventually, the war ended,
and we were allowed to go home.
In the end, we soldiers are nothing but trash.
Yeah.
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.
So you decided to take this path, even after what you experienced in Ishbal?
Yes.
If this world is based on the concept of equivalent exchange, as stated in alchemy,
then we must carry corpses and cross the river of blood in exchange for the new generation to live in happiness.
I'm appointing you as my assistant.
I want you to protect my back.
Do you understand?
If I'm leaving you in charge of defending my back, it means you can shoot me from behind at any time.
If I ever stray from my path, shoot me right away with those hands.
You have that right.
Will you follow me?
Understood.
If you wish, I will follow you to the depths of Hell.
But even if the Colonel becomes the FÃ¼hrer, it wouldn't change the militaristic element of this country!
You're right.
Congress pretty much exists as the army's puppet right now.
Someone would need to change that and turn this country into a democracy.
For this country to be reborn, all the faults that existed from the militaristic regime will have to be brushed away.
Faults?
For example, the government may have to pass judgment on those who committed atrocities during the Ishbal Extermination.
That's right.
The heroes during the troubled times are nothing but mass murderers during times of peace.
So the Colonel is reaching for the top while knowing about all this?
He's only on a path of self-destruction!
The Homunculi are the ones who were pulling the strings.
Even if the Homunculi were the ones who triggered it, we're the ones who committed the atrocities.
We mustn't turn away from death.
We mustn't forget the ones we killed.
Because...
...they'll never forget us, the ones who killed them.
But...
Don't you have something to do before you start worrying about us?
Both you and Alphonse need to return to your bodies.
I'm sure a lot of people are waiting for the day you reach your goal.
Yeah.
I'll definitely get my body back. Together with Al.
Thanks for letting us stay, Dr. Nox.
Umm... Mister Armor?
Really, thank you for everything.
I have a name, you know. It's Alphonse Elric.
Elric?
You remember Edward Elric, right?
That small alchemist.
I'm his younger brother.
I lost my body due to certain circumstances, though...
If you're that guy's younger brother...
...does this mean you look just like him?
How rude!
I'm much taller than him!
My face isn't that stern, and I'm much stronger than him!
But I'm not short-tempered, either.
I'm a gentleman!
Sir Alphonse!!
I hope you get your body back soon!
Yeah. I hope so, too.
Dr. Marcoh, I've brought your meal.
Huh? It's awfully quiet in here.
Could it be you're crying again, reminiscing about Ishbal?
The White Devil has been released into the wild.
The new fight begins now.
But the boy will not flinch.
He gets up and walks again, with hope as his landmark.
Next time, Fullmetal Alchemist:
Episode 31, The Promise Made For 520 Cenz.
The world which can only be understood by the ones who fought together is right in front of us.