Last Gun Alchemist

The cheers erupting throughout the hall gradually settled.

The applause faded and discussions softened.

Yet the excitement remained.

Everyone could feel it.

The atmosphere inside the Auction Hall had completely changed since the beginning of Ezra’s presentation.

What had started as curiosity had slowly evolved into anticipation.

And now...

After witnessing the first question being answered flawlessly...

The crowd wanted more.

Lara naturally noticed this.

As a professional broadcaster, reading the mood of an audience was one of her greatest strengths.

The moment the noise lowered to a manageable level, she immediately stepped forward.

Her smile remained bright.

"Alright!"

Her energetic voice echoed throughout the venue.

"Let’s move on to the next question!"

She pointed dramatically toward the second floor.

The cameras immediately followed her movement.

The audience also turned their heads.

Almost instantly...

Several yellow lights appeared.

One.

Three.

Five.

Then a few more.

The lights shone from different locations around the second floor.

The number wasn’t as overwhelming as the first round.

However...

It wasn’t small either.

Lara blinked slightly.

Even she looked surprised.

I honestly thought that after revealing that comparison table and the efficiency advantage, nobody would be able to ask another meaningful question.

Her eyes drifted toward Ezra.

The boy remained standing beside the Phantom Rolls.

Calm and expressionless.

As though he wasn’t standing in front of thousands of people.

You really can’t underestimate experts at the top of their fields.

Lara thought inwardly.

At that moment, information arrived through the communication device attached to her ear.

The technical team had already identified the next questioner.

"For our second questioner..."

She paused for effect.

"It’s Mrs. Candice Kane."

The giant holographic screen immediately shifted.

A woman stood from her seat.

Her posture was elegant with a pair of glasses resting neatly on her face.

The moment many scholars noticed her identity, several people nodded knowingly.

Candice Kane.

The wife of Count Kane.

A respected scholar.

Someone whose words carried weight.

Candice adjusted her glasses before looking toward Ezra.

"You have created a beautiful invention."

Her voice was calm and professional.

Yet sincere.

The compliment wasn’t forced.

Many people could tell she genuinely admired the Phantom Rolls.

"Thank you."

Ezra bowed politely, his response remaining simple as always.

Candice nodded.

Then her expression became slightly more serious.

"My question concerns the coolant system."

The atmosphere immediately shifted.

Many listeners straightened in their seats.

Several craftsmen narrowed their eyes.

Because this was another technical question.

And judging from Candice’s reputation...

Not an easy one.

"If the coolant pump suddenly stops operating..."

She paused briefly.

"...how long before the pressure chambers rupture?"

The hall immediately became quieter.

Many people exchanged glances.

The question sounded simple.

Yet it actually felt extremely dangerous.

Candice continued before anyone could react.

"I believe many of my fellow scholars, researchers, craftsmen, and Craft-Based Alchemists understand this concern."

She looked around.

"The more powerful an engine becomes, the more dangerous a cooling failure becomes."

Several people nodded.

Others murmured in agreement.

Even her husband, seated nearby, smiled with satisfaction.

It was an excellent question.

A very dangerous question.

Not because it attacked the invention directly.

But because it attacked something even more important.

Safety.

Lara immediately understood where the question was heading.

So, she chose the danger route.

Her expression remained professional.

Yet inwardly she felt pressure.

Using fear of a possible accident to reduce public confidence...

It’s a very effective method.

If people become afraid of using the invention...

Its value drops.

No matter how beautiful it is.

No matter how efficient it is.

Since we people still cared about surviving more than we care about luxury.

Lara glanced toward Ezra.

If he fails to answer properly now...

The value of the Phantom Rolls will take a massive hit.

And even if he answers correctly...

Questions involving safety almost always cause some reduction in value.

That is simply how investors behaved.

Nobody likes uncertainty.

Nobody likes danger.

At least...

That’s how things are supposed to go.

Lara sighed inwardly, then a helpless smile appeared on her face because she remembered something.

Another prepared answer.

Another prepared slide.

Another prediction.

"You really are ridiculous."

She muttered under her breath.

Meanwhile...

Ezra calmly looked at Candice.

There wasn’t a trace of panic in his black eyes.

Not even the slightest sign of nervousness.

"It will cause a terrible explosion if the pressure chambers rupture, but the time taken for this to occur is after sixty minutes."

His answer immediately caused whispers.

Many audience members nodded.

The honesty was refreshing.

He wasn’t trying to avoid the danger.

He acknowledged it directly.

"But..."

Ezra continued.

"Haven’t we already solved this problem for high-performance engines?"

The whispers stopped.

Candice blinked.

Several scholars frowned.

What did he mean?

Ezra turned slightly.

Then pointed toward the holographic display.

"To explain properly..."

The technical team immediately reacted.

The previous chart disappeared.

A new image appeared.

Detailed diagrams of the Phantom Rolls’ coolant system spread across the giant screen.

Pipes.

Pressure chambers.

Emergency systems.

Control mechanisms.

Everything became visible.

The audience focused immediately.

"I present the Phantom Rolls Steam-Engine coolant setup."

Ezra’s voice remained calm.

"Not only does the vehicle possess sensor systems capable of detecting warning signs..."

He pointed toward one section.

The highlighted area glowed.

"...but the coolant system also contains an Automatic Novarite Suppression System."

Several engineers immediately sat upright.

That got their attention.

The audience became even quieter.

"The moment coolant failure indicators are detected..."

Ezra continued.

"...the suppression system automatically activates."

The animation began moving.

Showing the process step by step.

"After activation, emergency pressure vents open automatically."

The corresponding components lit up.

"And the Thermal Reserve Coolant System immediately releases reserve coolant into the boiler and critical engine sections."

The audience watched attentively.

The emergency procedure continued playing.

The pressure indicators lowered.

The temperature values stabilized and the danger disappeared.

A wave of realization spread throughout the venue.

"As many of you already know..."

Ezra continued.

"This concept already exists in Steam Trucks, Military Steam-Carriages, Streamliners, and Dirigibles."

Many engineers nodded.

That much was true.

These systems were already proven technology.

"I simply adapted and refined them."

His voice remained calm.

"To create a safer system."

Candice stared at the diagram.

Her eyes slowly widened.

Meanwhile...

Several investors who had looked worried moments ago relaxed visibly.

The fear factor was disappearing.

Then Ezra added another line.

"Of course..."

He paused.

"I cannot explain more than this."

A few people immediately narrowed their eyes.

"Because part of that refinement belongs to the invention package."

The crowd laughed lightly.

Several businessmen smiled knowingly.

Naturally.

No inventor would reveal every secret for free.

"However..."

Ezra pointed toward the reserve system.

"I can reveal one thing."

Everyone focused again.

"The reserve coolant capacity exceeds the size of the primary coolant container."

Silence.

Then...

Whispers exploded throughout the hall.

Many people immediately understood what that meant.

A larger emergency reserve meant a longer reaction window.

Which meant more protection.

More reliability and more safety.

Candice stared at Ezra for several seconds.

The more she thought about his answer, the more impressed she became.

She hadn’t expected him to not only have a prepared answer ready for her question, but to also possess an entire presentation slide specifically designed to explain the coolant system in detail.

What surprised her even more was how he managed to answer the question while simultaneously creating curiosity around the Phantom Rolls.

Instead of merely defending his invention, he had made people want to know more.

His explanation had answered enough to satisfy the audience while carefully hiding the parts that truly mattered.

It was a delicate balance.

And he had executed it perfectly.

There were many mysteries hidden within the creation of the Phantom Rolls.

The invention itself wasn’t as simple as it appeared from the outside.

Many of the concepts used in its creation weren’t entirely new.

In fact, a large portion of them already existed within Britannia’s transportation industry.

The problem was that most people had never bothered looking in that direction.

Their eyes had been focused elsewhere.

For years, attention had been placed on decorations, expensive materials, and noble status symbols while the actual technology of ordinary Steam-Carriages lagged behind.

Many craftsmen had become too comfortable.

Too proud.

Too satisfied with what already existed.

Because of that negligence, they failed to notice how slowly certain parts of their technology were falling behind other transportation systems.

Steam Trucks.

Military Steam-Carriages.

Streamliners.

Dirigibles.

Many of those industries had already solved problems that ordinary carriage manufacturers continued struggling with.

It was surprisingly similar to the situation of the Gun Alchemists of Ashenlocke.

The path possessed enormous potential.

Yet years of arrogance and tradition had caused many people to stop looking forward.

Candice sighed inwardly.

Then she looked toward Ezra once more.

A thirteen-year-old boy had noticed something that countless professionals had ignored.

"That is my answer."

Ezra spoke calmly.

His voice remained flat as always.

His black eyes met Candice’s gaze directly.

There was no confidence in his tone.

No arrogance.

No excitement.

He simply sounded like someone stating a fact.

Candice released a slow breath.

She already knew the outcome.

The answer was good.

Far too good.

Trying to continue would only make her look stubborn.

Without hesitation, she raised the Light Rod in her hand.

Click.

The green button lit up.

Immediately...

The crowd erupted once again.

Cheers spread throughout the hall.

Applause followed shortly after.

Many investors nodded in satisfaction.

Several craftsmen exchanged impressed glances.

Even some of the representatives who originally wanted to lower the value of the invention couldn’t deny the quality of Ezra’s response.

Candice sat back down gracefully.

The faint smile on her face carried a hint of defeat.

Meanwhile...

Lara stepped forward once more.

The excitement in her eyes was becoming harder to hide.

The event was performing far better than she had expected.

"And now..."

She swept her gaze across the audience.

"Do we have any more questions?"

Her voice echoed throughout the hall.

Once again...

Yellow lights appeared.

One after another.

Although the number had dropped compared to earlier rounds, there were still enough people willing to challenge Ezra.

The sight caused many audience members to become excited again.

Like that, Lara received the information from the technical team and announced the next questioner.

"For our third question..."

She pointed toward the second floor.

"It comes from a representative of Silver Wheels."

A woman stood up from her seat.

Her expression appeared calm and collected.

Yet beneath that calm appearance, her thoughts were moving rapidly.

Unlike the previous question, this one wasn’t about technology.

It was about market positioning.

A question that could influence how the public viewed the Phantom Rolls.

She adjusted her sleeve before looking directly at Ezra.

"Where exactly would you place the class of the Phantom Rolls?"

She asked.

The crowd became attentive.

Many representatives from carriage production companies immediately focused on the stage.

Because this question concerned them more than anyone else.

The woman continued.

"You stated that the Phantom Rolls represent a new exterior concept for Noble and Royal Steam-Carriages."

She paused briefly.

"However, wouldn’t that still leave both categories fundamentally the same?"

She folded her arms.

"The only difference would be that they no longer resemble ordinary Steam-Carriages."

The representative looked at Ezra expectantly.

Several people nodded.

It was a reasonable question.

If every company adopted the Phantom Rolls design philosophy, how would Noble and Royal classes continue distinguishing themselves from one another?

Many eyes focused on Ezra.

Waiting, and anticipating his answer.

Then...

"That should be you Steam-Carriage production companies’ problem."

Ezra answered instantly.

Without any hesitation nor preparation.

Without any attempt to soften the blow.

The woman froze.

Her eyebrow twitched.

For a moment, she wasn’t even sure if she had heard correctly.

Around the second floor, several representatives from other carriage production companies immediately frowned.

A few looked visibly displeased.

Some even exchanged looks.

The answer sounded almost rude.

Lara nearly choked.

Even some audience members laughed nervously.

Yet Ezra remained completely serious.

Seeing their reactions, he continued.

"Don’t misunderstand my point."

His voice remained calm.

"My invention has opened the door to a new design philosophy."

He gestured toward the Phantom Rolls.

The holographic screen displayed the vehicle behind him.

"For the first time, people can clearly separate exterior identity from decorative identity."

Ezra slowly looked toward the representatives.

His dark eyes remained steady.

"My work creates the possibility."

He pointed toward the companies seated above.

"What happens afterward depends on you."

The representatives narrowed their eyes.

Listening carefully.

"If carriage manufacturers decide to use this ideology to create more specialized exteriors..."

Ezra continued.

"...then Noble Steam-Carriages and Royal Steam-Carriages can naturally develop unique appearances that properly represent their respective classes."

Several craftsmen immediately understood.

Many began nodding.

The Phantom Rolls wasn’t supposed to be the final answer.

It was the first step.

A foundation.

A door opening toward future innovation.

"As for the class of the Phantom Rolls itself..."

Ezra turned slightly toward the invention.

"It can belong to any class."

The audience became quiet.

His next words attracted everyone’s attention.

"We possess countless materials capable of increasing quality."

He pointed toward different sections of the vehicle.

"Different metals, different interior materials, different Alchemy engravings, different security systems and different luxury features."

His hand moved calmly.

"Those differences can naturally separate a Noble Phantom Rolls from a Royal Phantom Rolls."

The crowd immediately understood everything he was getting at.

The exterior concept remained, but the quality level could be differentiated.

Ezra finished speaking, then looked directly at the representative.

"Does that answer your question?"

His flat tone remained unchanged.

The woman stared at him.

Several seconds passed.

Then...

"Argh..."

She flinched slightly.

The directness of his answer had completely disrupted the direction she wanted the discussion to go.

She had expected a long debate.

Instead, Ezra handed the responsibility back to the companies themselves.

"Ahhh..."

She sighed.

A helpless smile appeared on her face.

"Yes."

Slowly...

She raised her Light Rod.

Click.

The green light appeared.

The hall exploded into cheers.

Applause thundered throughout the venue.

Several audience members stood up again.

"And that’s three green lights for three questions!"

Lara shouted energetically.

Her excitement infected the crowd.

The audience immediately cheered louder.

Some clapped.

Others whistled.

The atmosphere became increasingly lively.

"Honestly..."

Lara shook her head.

"At this point I was expecting at least one failed question."

She laughed.

"But seriously..."

She pointed toward Ezra.

"This is impressive."

Then she turned toward the second floor.

"Now!"

She raised her voice.

"Let’s not waste any more time!"

Her finger pointed dramatically toward the audience.

"Any more questions?!"

The hall quieted.

Everyone looked toward the second floor.

Waiting and watching.

Expecting another challenger to appear.

But...

Nothing happened this time.

No yellow lights appeared.

No one stood up.

Only quiet discussions could be heard.

The reason was simple.

Every scholar.

Every researcher.

Every investor.

Every craftsman.

Every Craft-Based Alchemist.

Every representative from the major carriage companies.

All of them were thinking.

Searching.

Trying desperately to find a weakness.

Trying to find a question capable of reducing the value of the Phantom Rolls.

But the task had become extremely difficult.

The first question had already increased the invention’s value by a huge margin.

The second question had strengthened public confidence in its safety.

The third question had transformed it from a single invention into an entire design philosophy.

Of course...

The Phantom Rolls still possessed disadvantages.

No invention was perfect.

Yet the advantages currently visible were simply too overwhelming.

Finding meaningful criticism had become increasingly difficult.

"Five minutes remaining."

Lara announced.

Her voice carried anticipation.

The audience shared the same feeling.

Many people leaned forward.

Some stared toward the second floor.

Others glanced at the VIP section.

A thought appeared in everyone’s mind.

Was this really the end of the Scholar’s Bombardment?

And in such a short amount of time at that.

The entire hall could feel it.

The Scholar’s Bombardment was reaching its end.

What started as an event meant to challenge, criticize, and pressure a new inventor had slowly turned into a stage where the Phantom Rolls continued proving its worth again and again.

Many of the people who had arrived hoping to see its value drop now sat quietly.

Some looked thoughtful.

Some looked frustrated.

Others simply accepted reality.

The invention was good.

Far better than they had expected.

Then...

Suddenly.

A yellow light appeared.

The light shone brightly from the top floor.

From the VIP section.

For a brief moment...

Everything froze.

Lara froze.

The audience on the main floor froze.

Even the scholars and company representatives seated on the second floor froze.

The cheers that had filled the hall vanished almost instantly.

Silence spread.

Then...

"A VIP Questioner!"

Lara exclaimed.

Her eyes widened slightly.

Even she hadn’t expected this.

The giant holographic screen immediately shifted.

The image displayed a Guard standing in front of the fourth VIP room.

The Light Rod was held firmly in his hand.

His posture remained perfectly straight.

His expression remained emotionless.

Like a statue standing guard over royalty.

The crowd immediately became excited.

Whispers spread across the venue.

A VIP had finally decided to ask a question.

And not just any VIP.

One of the mysterious guests hidden behind the curtains.

No one knew who was inside.

That mystery alone caused countless speculations.

Then...

A voice emerged from the room.

It was a woman’s voice.

Soft and pleasant.

Yet carrying a natural authority.

"My question isn’t a technical question."

The voice echoed gently throughout the hall.

Many people blinked.

A non-technical question?

That immediately caught everyone’s attention.

After all, every question so far had focused on the invention itself.

Its value.

Its performance.

Its safety, and its market position.

But this sounded different.

The woman continued.

"I simply wish to know..."

Her voice paused briefly.

"...whether you alone thought of this idea, Ezra Ashenlocke."

The moment the question was asked...

Many people became curious.

Some investors narrowed their eyes.

Several company representatives looked toward Ezra carefully.

Even the scholars paid attention.

After all, originality carried enormous value.

If the invention was truly his own idea, it’s worth increased further.

If it wasn’t...

That was an entirely different discussion.

Ezra lifted his head slightly.

His gaze settled on the fourth VIP room.

The curtains remained closed.

The figure behind them remained hidden.

Yet he answered without hesitation.

"Yes."

His voice remained calm.

"I was the only one who thought of this idea."

The audience listened carefully.

Then Ezra continued.

"But..."

That single word immediately caused many people to become attentive.

"I was helped by several people during the creation process."

His tone remained flat.

Honest and direct.

"They assisted me in bringing the invention into reality."

The answer wasn’t complicated.

Nor was it designed to impress anyone.

It was simply the truth.

On the second floor...

Rena smiled softly.

There was pride in her eyes.

Not because Ezra had mentioned her directly.

But because he hadn’t taken all the credit for himself.

Many inventors loved claiming every achievement.

Many people forgot those who helped them.

Yet Ezra openly acknowledged the people who assisted him.

That alone made her feel satisfied.

Beside her...

Her husband glanced at her once again.

He was completely confused.

Ever since the event started, she had been smiling more than usual.

At this point, he was beginning to wonder if she had secretly invested in the invention.

Meanwhile...

Lucy nearly teared up.

Her eyes became slightly moist.

She quickly looked away.

Master actually mentioned the people who helped him.

The thought alone made her chest feel warm.

To others, it might seem normal.

To Lucy...

It meant something.

Because she knew Ezra rarely expressed things openly.

Yet he still chose to acknowledge everyone who contributed.

Back on the stage...

Ezra looked toward the VIP room once more.

"Does that answer your question?"

His voice remained calm.

The audience immediately became quiet again.

Then...

"Yes."

The female voice replied softly.

The answer carried a hint of satisfaction.

The moment she finished speaking...

The Guard holding the Light Rod pressed the button.

Click.

The green light illuminated.

For a second...

The audience simply stared.

Then...

The entire hall exploded.

The applause that followed was even louder than before.

Cheers erupted from every direction.

The sound crashed through the venue like a wave.

Many people stood up.

Others whistled.

Several audience members even began chanting Ezra’s name.

"A fourth green light!"

Lara shouted excitedly.

"And it’s from a VIP!"

Even her professional composure cracked slightly from excitement.

The event had exceeded expectations.

Completely exceeded expectations.

The atmosphere was electric.

The audience’s enthusiasm had reached a peak.

Lara pointed dramatically toward the crowd.

Her smile widened.

"I think it’s safe to call this event a huge success, right?"

The crowd immediately responded.

"YES!"

Their voices merged together.

The answer shook the hall.

Lara laughed.

"Then I suppose..."

She looked toward the second floor, then toward the VIP rooms.

"...this is the end of the Scholar’s Bombardment."

Everyone waited.

Watching and expecting.

Perhaps another challenge would appear.

Perhaps another yellow light would shine.

But...

Nothing happened.

No yellow lights.

No new challengers.

Only quiet conversations remained.

Five minutes passed.

Nothing.

Seven minutes passed.

Still nothing.

The audience gradually began accepting reality.

The Scholar’s Bombardment was truly over.

Then...

Nine minutes passed.

Only a few seconds remained before the official ten-minute closing period ended.

Lara raised her hand high.

Her voice filled the hall.

"Everybody!"

She pointed toward the audience.

"Count down the final ten seconds with me!"

The crowd immediately became excited.

Thousands of voices joined together.

"TEN!"

"NINE!"

"EIGHT!"

"SEVEN!"

"SIX!"

"FIVE!"

"FOUR!"

"THREE!"

"TWO!"

"ONE!"

The final number echoed throughout the venue.

And immediately...

Boom!

Streams of colored smoke erupted from both sides of the stage.

Small bursts of fire shot upward.

Sparkling lights exploded into the air.

The audience cheered loudly.

Music by the orchestras erupted throughout the hall.

The stage lit up with dazzling brilliance.

Lara stepped forward.

Her voice boomed through the speakers.

"The end of the Scholar’s Bombardment!"

The crowd erupted once more.

Because everyone present knew...

They had just witnessed the successful birth of a new invention.

And perhaps...

The beginning of a new era for Steam-Carriage design throughout Britannia.