"Achievement unlocked: First confrontation with the mysterious person. Acquired Alchemy (Fullmetal Alchemist) LV1."
The long-unheard system notification made Dudley freeze for a moment, and his expression became strange. Alchemy? Fullmetal Alchemist? This was a series that was considered a masterpiece.
Then, an image flashed in Dudley's mind: a classic scene with a pipsqueak and a suit of steel armor, one tall, one short. The world of Fullmetal Alchemist had a highly advanced form of alchemy, completely different from the traditional alchemy of the Harry Potter universe. It was about understanding, deconstructing, and reconstructing the intrinsic laws of matter. For example, a fullmetal alchemist could turn a pile of iron into an iron sword with a transmutation circle. A shattered mirror could be put back together, and even a sliced apple could be restored to its original state.
However, alchemy in that world had to obey the principle of equivalent exchange. If you only used iron, you could only create things made of iron. You couldn't create something from nothing. The principle of equivalent exchange meant that in order to obtain something, you had to give up something of equal value. If the exchange wasn't equal, a part of you—a piece of your body, a memory, or something else—would be taken as compensation.
This type of alchemy couldn't do something like the Transfiguration Charm in the Harry Potter world, which can turn a button into a ladybug. But you shouldn't underestimate it. Theoretically, as long as you understand the intrinsic laws of matter and have the right ingredients, you can create anything. For example, by combining 65% oxygen, 18% carbon, 10% hydrogen, 3% nitrogen, 1.5% calcium, 1% phosphorus, 0.35% potassium, 0.25% sulfur, 0.15% uranium, 0.15% chlorine, 0.05% magnesium, 0.0004% iron, 0.00004% iodine, and trace amounts of fluorine, silicon, manganese, zinc, copper, aluminum, and arsenic, you could theoretically create a human. Of course, human transmutation was a forbidden art, and it was only theoretical. But you could take a block of iron and, by adjusting the carbon content, turn it into a steel knife.
In a way, the alchemy in Fullmetal Alchemist is for book smarts. If you aren't a genius, you can't be a great alchemist.
"Understanding the intrinsic laws of matter is the path to the Truth, and the only way to become a spellcaster," the system's explanation was as logical as ever. The alchemy legacy wasn't a single skill; it was a full inheritance, a transfer of knowledge.
Dudley closed his eyes, silently absorbing the new knowledge that had suddenly appeared in his mind. After a while, he slowly opened them, and a different kind of light shone in his eyes. After receiving the alchemy inheritance, the whole world looked different.
He quickly drew a few diagrams on the ground, then snapped off a corner of a wooden bed. He placed the piece of wood in the center of the diagram. A transmutation circle, the first step of alchemy.
A surprising thing happened. With a faint glow, the piece of wood turned into a wooden sword. Dudley didn't seem satisfied. The transmutation circle glowed faintly again, and the wooden sword turned into countless white, transparent crystals. Diamonds. Wood is made of carbon, and diamonds are also made of carbon.
Understanding, deconstructing, and reconstructing... This was the alchemy of the Fullmetal Alchemist world.
He grabbed the diamonds off the ground, and the transparent stones slipped through his fingers, making a clear sound as they fell. Dudley nodded in satisfaction. His first attempt at alchemy was a success. It was a system of power no less effective than the magic in the Harry Potter universe. This was quite a pleasant surprise. A small smile appeared on Dudley's face. Finally, he had a special ability. He continued to play with the diamonds in the transmutation circle, turning them back into wood, then back into a wooden sword, and then back into diamonds again. He was having a grand old time.
But the system's surprises weren't limited to just alchemy.
Ding...
The system notification sounded again.
"Forcing back the mysterious person, acquired the mysterious Zoldyck family's Assassination Techniques LV1."
No more drawing lots? Just giving out the rewards directly? Alchemy was fine, but why this?
The Zoldyck family comes from the eternally unfinished series Hunter x Hunter. They are the world's most feared family of assassins. Every member of the family, including the watchdogs, is incredibly powerful. They all live on Kukuroo Mountain, which is a very well-known tourist attraction.
Receiving this family's assassination techniques was a fantastic reward, but... if it's from the Hunter x Hunter series, why not just give me Nen? Nen is the most powerful technique in the series, a skill that anyone can master with enough hard work, and it can grant incredible power. For example, a powerful Nen user can stop a rocket with their face. The key point is that Nen and Hamon are both forms of life energy, and their fusion would undoubtedly create a qualitative change. With Nen, Dudley was confident that he could take on the entire world with just his body in a few years.
What use are assassination techniques? Dudley was displeased. He wasn't a fan of sneaky tricks; he preferred an open, head-on fighting style like boxing or his signature body slam.
However, after a quick look through the Zoldyck family's assassination techniques, Dudley's eyes started to light up. This is awesome!
He slowly closed his eyes and began to make adjustments based on the knowledge in his mind. In the next second, Dudley's body began to shrink at a visible rate, going from two meters to one point nine meters tall. Muscle control. This was the most basic ability of the Zoldyck family, allowing them to adjust their muscles and change their body shape. They could go from being a muscular brute to an innocent-looking person. They could also turn a slender arm into a muscular one. Killua Zoldyck in Hunter x Hunter could also do this. The change is limited, however, and the user's weight remains the same.
Right now, Dudley could only return to the size he was a few months ago, but that was enough. He had been worried about his ever-expanding physique.
"A spellcaster must always be cautious. The ability to hide yourself is essential." Dudley nodded again, agreeing with the system's explanation.
"That makes sense."
The Zoldyck family's assassination techniques were so much more than just muscle control. Every single one could greatly enhance Dudley's power. Their style of assassination was different from traditional assassins. Their methods were more like another character from Dudley's memory: King Hassan. To put it in the words of a wise man: "What is the perfect assassination? Killing every living person inside." That's why even though the Zoldyck family's home is a tourist attraction, a photograph of any of its members can sell for a hundred million galleons on the black market.
With all of this new knowledge, Dudley was confident that the next time he saw the "mysterious person," he would have a very big surprise waiting for them.
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