Just a Guy and a Gate to the Multiverse - Chapter 2 (Patreon)

Chapter 2 - Apprenticeship

— Dublith, Early 1913 —

Stepping out of that rainbow-colored portal doesn't feel any different from stepping into it. It pretty much feels like walking through a door, just with a lot more colors and lights involved.

And just as I hoped, I emerge into an unpopulated back alley with no people in sight.

Hopefully, I'm also close to my target location like I envisioned while opening the gate. I didn't have a clear image in mind, since a work of fiction is quite different from the real world. There is no Google Maps or Street View to provide a perfect reference.

Sometimes I'll be limited to a vague location description without even having a proper name. It all depends on the source material I'm targeting. Literature, in particular, can be frustratingly vague when all I have are a few written descriptions.

But that's a problem for future me.

Sooner or later, I'll have to figure out the limits and possibilities of my ability.

For now, it seems like I've really traveled to a different world. Or at least through time, since the architecture of the surrounding buildings resembles what I would expect from Earth a century ago.

I prefer the different-world explanation, though. The architectural style matches the universe and time period I had in mind when opening the gate.

[ Your Skill has leveled up! ]

Already?

That was fast.

[ Multiversal Gate Lvl. 2: This Skill allows the User to open a Gate from their current location to any place and time period in the Multiverse that the User can think of. At its current level, the Skill has some limitations. It has a cooldown of one year, and only one person can pass through. ][ Multiversal Gate - Cooldown: 0:364:23:58:18 ]

Oh.

It just removed the forced activation.

Everything else is exactly the same as before.

Well, I'm not going to complain. I'd rather travel on my own terms than be forced to leave whenever my Skill decides it's time. There are definitely universes where I'd prefer to spend much longer than a single year.

Especially if there are things I want to learn or complete first.

What will the next level bring?

Maybe a shorter cooldown? I can only hope.

Well, I'd better get comfortable. I'll have to stay here for at least a year.

Now then, time to try my other Skill.

For a moment, I focus on my second Skill [World Attunement]. Suddenly, it feels as if my body is drawing something in from the world around me before a pleasant warmth spreads through my entire body.

The sensation lasts only a moment before fading away.

"That was strange..."

Letting out a slow breath, I try to get a feel for my body.

Honestly, I don't really feel different. I'm not stronger or faster or anything obvious like that. Yet there's still a strange sensation telling me that something has changed.

As if there's something more to me than before.

It's difficult to describe.

Admittedly, this world doesn't have anything like Chakra that would be immediately noticeable since it adds an entirely new energy system to the body. Maybe this is simply normal.

[ Your Skill has leveled up! ]

Again?

[ World Attunement Lvl. 2: This Skill allows the User to adapt their own body or another person's body to the current Universe they are in. It grants the User the average talent of the people living in that World, enabling them to use its corresponding power systems. This Skill has a cooldown of five years.Passive Effect: The User understands the local Language of the World he travels to. Modifier Effect: You may specify a variation of your current race that exists in your current Universe to attune to, but you will still only receive the average talent of that variation, even if they possess special properties. ][ World Attunement - Cooldown: 4:364:23:59:29 ]

That's useful. I think. At least it solves several problems I had for my long term plans.

Unfortunately, the cooldown remains just as long for the next use of the Skill.

Five whole years.

I really need some form of immortality, or at least a lifespan that allows me to remain young for much longer.

I'm seventeen right now.

The next time this cooldown expires, I'll already be twenty-two. Then twenty-seven after that if nothing changes. After that, the prime of my life starts slowly slipping away.

A method to stop aging isn't just desirable. It's essential.

Good thing I already have an idea for that.

But it requires a [World Attunement].

And some preparation.

Most importantly, I need a power-up first.

After all, I'm still just a normal human.

A bullet to the head, and I'm dead.

Any of the fun anime worlds I want to visit are beyond my current level of power. Even with a World Attunement, I would only have average talent in their power systems.

If I went to the Naruto world right now and used a World Attunement, I wouldn't suddenly become average among shinobi. What is the average human in the Naruto world? Exactly. Not even an Academy student. They are already an exception with enough talent to use Chakra on the level of an Shinobi.

Everyone in the Naruto world has Chakra, but the average person is a civilian with a mediocre Chakra Network.

I don't think shinobi count as a variation. As far as I can tell, a variation would be something like Muggles, Squibs, and Wizards in the Harry Potter world. Maybe bloodlines in the Naruto world count as variations too?

Something to try I guess?

But even an average Uchiha or Senju is still fodder. Most of them remain at Chunin level for the majority of their lives, although they would be elite Chunin thanks to abilities like the Sharingan. Some might eventually reach the three-tomoe Sharingan in adulthood and achieve Jonin status.

That is far from enough to guarantee my survival in the Naruto world or ensure that I would actually enjoy my visit.

No, slow and steady is the right approach.

I'll take my new freedom one step at a time and gradually build myself up. After all, every World Attunement stacks on top of the previous ones, increasing my total potential each time, even if not in all fields. All I need is enough time.

Altough this new modification to the attunement skill, gives me new possiblities. Maybe I should adjust my plan a bit first before stopping my aging. It doesn't matter if I stop aging the next attunement or the one after that, I would remain at the peak of my Life.

I need some actual power first.

It's a good thing that the first power system I chose to acquire is based on knowledge rather than raw talent.

And it's quite versatile.

Let's see where I ended up.

Leaving the empty side alley and stepping onto the main street, I immediately spot a building with a large sign reading "MEAT" hanging above the entrance. A smaller sign on the door informs customers that the shop is open.

I arrived almost exactly where I wanted to.

The hidden area where I emerged turned out to be just around the corner from my destination.

After making sure my cart is concealed behind three large trash cans and out of sight from the main street, I gather myself and enter the butcher shop.

As soon as I step through the doorway, a friendly voice calls out.

"Welcome!"

The speaker is a muscular black-haired man wearing a white headband and a black tank top. He stands behind the counter with a welcoming smile.

Yep.

I'm in the right place.

"Come in, come in! How can I help you?" the man asks warmly.

I understand him perfectly despite the fact that he's speaking a different language. It actually reminds me of my native language, German. It sounds like a regional dialect.

"Hello. Is Miss Curtis at home?" I ask politely.

"You're here for the boss's wife? Who exactly are you? Is it something important? She's currently feeling quite ill."

The man, whose name is Mason if I remember correctly, studies me with obvious curiosity.

"My name is Matt. I'm a traveler. I'm here to offer Miss Curtis an equivalent exchange. I possess important information regarding both the Elric brothers and herself."

Yep, I'm in the Fullmetal Alchemist Universe. The Manga continuity specifically.

Alchemy is a power system based primarily on knowledge rather than ones body talent. It can be incredibly powerful, versatile and still has a great deal of untapped potential.

At the same time, this world isn't especially dangerous yet, since I deliberately arrived almost a year before the story begins.

As long as I avoid certain hotspots, I should be fine.

And before things become truly dangerous, I'll already be gone.

"Did something happen to Ed and Al?" Mason asks with concern.

"Yes, but that happened almost three years ago. Some of the information I have is related to solving what happened to them and to Miss Curtis as well."

I answer honestly, knowing he understands exactly what I'm referring to: human transmutation and its consequences.

He is one of the few people aware of what truly happened to Ms. Curtis.

Mason studies me carefully for a moment before calling toward the back.

"Boss! There's a guest here for your wife!"

The atmosphere inside the shop changes instantly.

An imposing figure steps out from the back room.

Holy shit. I expected him to be huge, but seeing him in real life is something else entirely.

Sig Curtis is an absolute mountain of a man. Dressed in a butcher's outfit and radiating an intimidating presence, he looks every bit as formidable as I remember.

And right now, that giant of a man is staring directly at me.

"Good day, Mr. Curtis," I greet politely. The guy could literally break me like a twig.

I am still weak as fuck, so there is no need to accidentally offend this Hulk.

"Hello," he grunts as he stares down at me, looking as if he is glaring. Considering that he gave the Elric brothers a similar look when they visited, I assume this is just how he normally looks. He is really intense. "What do you need from my wife?"

There is no point in dancing around the truth. "I would like to become her student and learn alchemy from her."

"She doesn't take any students. Her health makes it difficult," he replies promptly.

"I am aware of that, but I still think she may accept me. After all, I am willing to offer an equivalent exchange. Her knowledge for mine. Especially since the Elric brothers attempted the same thing she did and paid a steep price. I know how to reverse the damage caused by a human transmutation."

The moment the words leave my mouth, he stares at me in disbelief and deep suspicion.

"You want me to believe that someone who wants to learn alchemy in the first place, knows how to heal the backlash of a human transmutation?" Sig asks, now actually glaring at me.

"Yes. I don't need a deep understanding of alchemy to know the answer to that. I swear my knowledge is genuine. How about you let me meet your wife? I can offer her my knowledge first, and she can decide whether it is worth teaching me alchemy. I know that you are honest people, and I trust you."

He thinks about it for a moment before replying, "Fine. But don't try anything stupid."

Soon after that, I find myself flying through the air and landing harshly on the ground.

"Those two idiots did what!?" Izumi Curtis shouts as she stands above me, having just thrown me through the door.

She is supposed to be sick... yet she still seems incredibly strong enough to throw me like sandbag, despite several of her internal organs missing after the backlash from a human transmutation.

Yep. Only minutes after meeting the dark-haired woman, Izumi Curtis, the teacher of Edward and Alphonse Elric, I find myself receiving her typical treatment: violence.

"I can't believe those idiots. One lost an arm and a leg, and the other lost his entire body. And you want to tell me that you know how to reverse that? Don't tell me you know how to make the legendary Philosopher's Stone." She narrows her eyes at me.

"Well, I know that too. A Philosopher's Stone would work, but if you seriously wanted to resort to that method, I would kill you."

The moment I say that, all three of them stare at me angrily.

Good job, me. I managed to piss off three people who are stronger than me.

Still, I want to establish myself as one of the good guys here.

"Oh? And why is that?" Izumi asks menacingly as she cracks her fist, ready to give me a beating.

"I'm only sharing this because I know you wouldn't do it. Do you know what the main ingredient is for creating a Philosopher's Stone?"

"Of course not, or I would have made one myself," she replies.

"No, you wouldn't. It's human lives."

"What?"

All three of them freeze as they stare at me in disbelief.

"You heard me."

She stares at me seriously now. "How do you know that?"

"Let's just say I know a lot of things. Please respect that as an answer. For example, the military performed Philosopher's Stone experiments on criminals and Ishvalans during the Ishval Civil War and successfully created one. Of course, the legends of the Philosopher's Stone are much older, originating from the great Philosopher of the East here in Amestris. Similar legends spread through Xing by the great Philosopher of the West. Interested in hearing more about that?" I explain as I stand up from the ground.

Am I worried about speaking so openly about the greatest secrets of this country? Especially the secrets the Homunculi do not want exposed?

Nah, not really.

After all, neither the Homunculi nor the military know about Izumi Curtis until they meet her through the Elric brothers, and that is still over a year away. There is no chance that Envy, the Homunculus who can transform into other people, is lurking around here to spy on us.

I just arrived, there can't be any Butterfly effect yet.

And all three of them are trustworthy people. Sharing this information is my gift to them in exchange for teaching me alchemy. I do not really plan to get involved, but giving them an advantage costs me nothing.

Keeping the information to myself does not benefit me either.Since she is hopefully becoming my teacher, I would rather have her live a long and happy life without constantly being in danger.

Spoiling the endgame of the story so they can solve everything without a problem is inconsequential to me. All I want is to learn from this world. That is what I am here for. If I can leverage my knoweldge, I will do so.

"Not really." Izumi shrugs dismissively. "You just confirmed what I already suspected. The military is scum. As for some ancient history about old alchemists creating the Philosopher's Stone and spreading stories about it, that has nothing to do with us. I would rather know how I can heal the backlash of a human transmutation without murdering people."

"I wouldn't dismiss ancient history. After all, that history is closely related to your students and still affects the world today. As for healing that backlash, it's simple. You just need to perform a human transmutation to face Truth and offer something of equivalent exchange. For example, that fancy Gate of Truth every human possesses. It's quite large, more than enough to pay the price of restoring the damage caused by a human transmutation." I reply with an easy grin on my face.

"Wait, that's it?" she asks in disbelief.

"Yes. It's obviously not a cheap price. After all, you will lose your ability to use alchemy. And no, it can't be used to bring a human back to life. There is nothing in this world that can be offered as payment to bring a soul back from the afterlife. If you want to revive a human, it has to happen directly after their death. I don't know the exact time frame before the soul passes on, but it is only a matter of minutes. After all, there is a short period before the brain cells actually start dying."

Well, that is mostly my theory based on modern medical knowledge about restarting someone's heart after death and the fact that Edward managed to bring back Alphonse's soul binding it to an armor. Restoring someone's body moments after death and restarting their heart should work in a similar way.

"I wasn't planning to!" she growls. "I learned my lesson. I just can't believe I didn't think of it myself. It's so obvious."

"Well, before you do anything life-changing and sacrifice your alchemy to heal your body, I would really like you to hear the rest of the information I have."

While I would love for her to be healed and maybe even try for a child again, her strength is kind of needed in the future to resolve the crisis this country will face.

"Fine, fine. What's this big piece of history related to Ed and Al? How are they connected to Xerxes?" she asks, rolling her eyes.

"So, you realized that the two philosophers are from Xerxes. Well, the Philosopher of the West is called Hohenheim. You would know him better as Edward and Alphonse's father. As for how he is still alive, a human Philosopher's Stone can survive for a very long time as long as it has enough life force. What do you think happened to Xerxes that caused it to disappear overnight more than four hundred years ago? Did you know there is practically no limit to how large a transmutation circle can be?"

"You can't be serious," Sig interjects in disbelief.

"Ed and Al's father did that?" Izumi growls angrily.

I shake my head. "No, he didn't. It's true that he is the only human survivor, but he mostly got lucky. He didn't turn the people of Xerxes into a Philosopher's Stone through a nationwide transmutation. That would be very difficult to accomplish alone. However, the promise of immortality is extremely tempting, especially for people who are already in power."

Izumi glares at me. "Stop speaking in riddles. Start from the beginning and tell us everything.""Okay. Well, the story begins with a slave. The slave of an alchemist known only as Slave Number 23. Although in the future he would become known as Hohenheim. He was put in charge of one of the alchemist's creations, a Homunculus known as the Dwarf in the Flask..."

And tell them everything, I do.

I reveal everything. The history of Xerxes and the nationwide transmutation. How the Dwarf in the Flask became the Homunculus Father. What both of them did after the destruction of Xerxes.

I explain the military leadership's plan for immortality by using a nationwide transmutation circle to sacrifice everyone in this country while being manipulated by Father. And, of course, I reveal the Homunculi's plans.

I give them every detail I know about the Homunculi, including their appearances, abilities, and weaknesses. I also tell them which members of the military they can trust if they want to change anything.

I gave them everything I had.

[ End of the Chapter ]