Seeing the new person, I can’t help but sigh in annoyance. Of course, now we’d find another philosopher’s stone person… I can feel the same sickening feeling of screams coming from them but this one is slightly different, they are full of fear and begging... I Stand a bit straighter to hide how injured I am, one arm dangling at my side a bit any attempt to flex it causing searing pain in my shoulder.

Surprisingly the moment they see us they also groan in annoyance before throwing a small fit. “Damnit! I told them that Gluttony should have come with me but noooooo~ He’s too busy crying his pathetic eyes out over Lust going missing.” They squint looking at Edward. “And of course, it’s the full metal pipsqueak, how did you even find this place?” They dramatically facepalm for a moment hand slowly sliding down.

Edward who had also started getting prepared for a fight immediately charges. “Who the hell are you calling pipsqueak!” He lashes out with his blade first missing as they quickly duck down.

“Oh my, raring to go aren’t you munchkin, I don’t want to hurt you.” He ignores them and attempts to knee them in the face with his metal leg. A dull thud resounds as they don’t seem bothered, they don’t even budge. “I just need you to be out of here. So how about you just agree to leave before I have to hurt you?” Their hand wraps around Edwards’s leg like it’s a boneless snake binding his metal arm to his leg together. That’s a little different from the last one.

My best option right now is to stall for time while tending to the wound in my shoulder.

Taking in our group Zig looks ready to fight but his hands are a mangled mess of cuts but they seem to be healing with small crackles of red lightning just like the last homunculus we faced… questions for later.

For now, we have to keep them talking. “But what if we want more answers first?”

Using analyze and my miniature human transmutation circle I begin the process of fixing the artery that was cut and reconnecting the cut muscle.

They just sneer at me and Zig, holding Edward out like a piece of trash. “Hmm, I don’t need to keep any of you alive, just the brat and his brother…” Edward just starts elbowing them in the face repeatedly, but they ignore it. The blows do little more than to cause Edward to wince in pain.

“Then again, if I fight you, one of them might get hurt and die… humans are just so fragile you know?” I can hear the groan of metal as the automail being held starts to bend and warp from being crushed by their arm.

Shit, they are strong and durable… the last one could cut anything this one seems to not take damge? They dodged the blade though… so rather than durable perhaps they are just dense.

They drop Edward to the ground. Smiling wide while they loom over him. “There we go! How are you feeling pipsqueak? Need a pillow?”

At least they are a bit of a talker. Edwards doing a good job distracting them too. “I just got these repaired! What the hell am I supposed to tell Wenry? That a crazy rubber lady in a basement crushed them?”

With that, I’ve healed my arm enough to move somewhat more normally. It’s still a bit tender but I’m able to move it.

They seem to be satisfied with Edward being broken. “Now, are you all willing to leave and take the brat with you? I can’t have him dying on me in the crossfire. He’s an important resource.” The ending comes out a bit creepy as they smile to themselves.

I start walking closer wincing slightly but I’m not in the worst fighting condition. One hand slowly moves to my belt keeping a hand on my dagger.

He’s important to them. I can’t help but smile at that, they made a mistake. “Sure, I’ll drag him back.”

They seem to cackle in glee. “Lucky me! A reasonable bottom feeder human! Just get him out of here quick it’s quite dangerous down here. Especially after I blow it up.”

“What the hell are you doing Jiang?” “Don’t! Why are you giving up!” Both Edward and Al start yelling but Zig seems to notice my plan.

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Bending down I pick up Edward despite his protests. Practically dragging him a few steps away before I stop and turn back towards the homunculus. “Oh, that’s right… I still want answers.”

They just tilt their head sideways. “Huuuuuh? Why the hell should I tell you?”

With my free-hand draw, I place my knife to Edwards’s neck. Much to most of everyone's surprise. “Because he’s my hostage.”

The whole room seems to pause for a moment before several things happen at once.

First, Al starts to yell at me. “Why! Why betray us now? We’ve been so nice to you!”

Next Edward seems to catch on. “I’m important right? Can’t let me get hurt so you better start talking!” He happily stays at my side holding on still… he doesn’t realize I’m willing to cut him. He’s my friend but I don’t care about him that much.

At first, they seemed to frown at the development but seeing Edward act like that they laugh. “You’re bluffing! Humans might be scum but he trusts yo-“ Before they have the chance to finish their statement with a level gaze I drag the blade over part of his shoulder. Not cutting anything important but it does draw blood.

“The next cut will be somewhere a bit more important. Now, are you going to risk it? I’ll warn you I met this guy less than a month ago and I’m from a country where my family tries to kill each other daily.” Edward starts to look a little more nervous in my grasp. Likely starting to question if I’d really kill him or not.

“Brother!” Al starts to move closer but gets restrained by Zig. “G-get off!”

They just look at us in wonder for a moment. Before laughing into a deep bellow. Whipping away a few tears they finally find their words. “Woooow! I wasn’t planning for that… Well, I can’t really do anything then can I? What do you want?”

What do I want? Answers to a few questions would be good. I can probably get some more information too. “Let’s start with who you are?”

They just tsk and sit cross-legged on the ground. “I go by Envy, I’m just your run-of-the-mill Homunculus.” They start stretching and set their hands on the ground while looking up.

Doesn’t seem like a lie, the other names they gave are sins so that sort of makes sense. Lust must have been Solaris’s name. “Alright… who is your leader?”

They smile at that. “Father.” Oh… so that’s who I need to stop.

I point the knife at Edwards's face. “Why is he important?”

They look back at me. But their skin is slowly taking on a somewhat green tinge. I get it now, green with envy. “The Pipsqueak? Well like I said he’s an important resource. A sacrifice if you will. I don’t understand anything about alchemy though so I couldn’t answer that even if you asked.” Alright, so they are performing something related to alchemy that requires a specific sacrifice.

They are doing something, but I can’t tell what exactly. Their skin seems to throb with that green tinge slowly becoming darker. “What makes him special though?” I can feel something, but it doesn’t make sense. Like the sickening feeling is expanding from them.

They make an annoyed face. “He performed the ultimate taboo. Not once, but twice! Do you realize how rare it is to find someone stupid enough to even do it once? I figured you humans would be dumb enough to try it more but surprisingly that’s one of the few things you all don’t try.”

Edward gets defensive. “Hey! We tried to bring back our mother! You can’t blame us for that!” Dumbass.

She chuckles again at that. “Your kind breeds like locus! Devouring and eating like bugs. Your mother is just one of many that die every day. What makes her so special compared to all the others? They are all worthless. At least you can contribute to something more in your life because you couldn’t figure out how pointless it is.” Edward seems like he wants to say something but after a moment just stops and thinks.

I feel that sense of vile chi expanding beneath the ground. I pull up the knife and point it at them. “Stop what you’re doing or I’ll cut him!”

They just smile at me, the grin extending just a bit too far for a human. “Too late, I’m calling your bluff.” Their form seems to dissolve into a green liquid and flow towards a large crack where they had been sitting. From beneath me I feel the ground shift and crack as a massive green hand reaches towards me destroying the floor… I quickly apply Chi to my legs and jump to the side. Shit… they are going to attack ayways and if I kill him they will have no reason to stop. A hostage only works for as long as they are more scared of losing the target than they believe you are scared of dying. At least I got some answers first, what the hell are they?

Where I once stood the floor is completely destroyed and more crumbles away shifting the ground towards the hole kicking up dust everywhere. Within the dust, I can see dozens of glowing eyes taking the shape of two large eyes. As we back up towards the staircase we hear what sounds like hundreds of crying voices screaming for help seem to mold into a voice. “You should probably get him out of here. Not sure how long the building will hold up after all!” The voice just starts cackling madly and a massive green tail smashes into a side wall speeding up the process.

Zig lets go of Al and grabs Slashers helmet. I start rushing up steps pushing myself to skip steps.

"At least without your arm and leg you're pretty light." Edward just gives me an annoyed look but doesn't say anything.

Before long we manage to make it outside. Looking around there are military soldiers with guns pointing our way... Shit... I guess we were just a little loud.