Investigating the train route by which Scar disappeared, Solf Kimblee is able to deduce the path of Ishvalan through the mountains towards the northern region through local reports of incidents and signs of recent transmutation. Now that he roughly knows the target of his quarry, he orders his soldiers to head further north.
Edward and Alphonse finally arrive in North City and marvel at the snowy conditions as they wait for the train to Briggs, unaware that Kimblee is a step behind them. When Kimblee arrives at the Northern Region HQ that evening, he receives word that Scar and a middle-aged man believed to be Dr. Marcoh, they were seen sneaking aboard a troop train bound for Briggs. Avoiding any military action that might alert Scar, Kimblee orders all of his men to stay behind while he goes to personally deal with the Scarred Man.
Aboard the aforementioned train, Scar notices that something is amiss and bids farewell to his hooded companion only to discover that their transport is being chased by a neighboring military train. Kimblee hops on the first train and casually wanders through the empty cars in search of refugees, soon encountering a lone hooded Marcoh. However, when he tries to arrest the fleeing alchemist, the hood comes loose, revealing that the middle-aged man traveling with Scar has been a Yoki all along. Surprised by this unexpected turn of events, Kimblee narrowly escapes when Scar himself bursts into the car and attacks. However, as the two alchemists turn away, a moonbeam illuminates the dark train, causing both Scar and Kimblee to recall their brief but significant previous encounter during the Ishval Civil War. Furious at the man who slaughtered his family, Scar goes on a rampage that completely destroys the wagon. He asks the Crimson Lotus Alchemist if he remembers this face, to which Kimblee says yes, going so far as to mention Scar’s home precinct, his family, and his older brother’s death from a wound to his left side. Further enraged, Scar continues his attack, but as Kimblee nimbly dodges each blow, the State Alchemist realizes that – still weak after six years in solitary confinement – he is at a disadvantage against his Ishvalan enemy – who has not stopped fighting and gaining strength ever since. the war is over. He notes that he may have a chance since Scar is only able to use Destruction Alchemy, but the Scarred Man catches Crimson Lotus off guard by deftly throwing a broken pipe at him, impaling his left side and pinning him to the wall of the front car. . As Scar is about to be killed, Kimblee laments his double failure to kill the same Ishvalan and uses the power of his Philosopher’s Stone to destroy the anchorage between the car it is attached to and the platform Scar is standing on, causing the Ishvalan and the rear train cars to fall off . As Kimblee escapes with the cars strapped to the engine, he promises an enraged Scar that he will settle the score another time. The conductors notice that the rear cars have disconnected and stop the train to investigate. But when they arrive at Kimblee, he angrily orders them to continue moving north to Briggs, gleefully raving that death is chasing him, noting that work that risks one’s life is the only kind of work worth doing.
In the northern wilderness, May travels with the real Dr. Marcoh, whose face was disfigured by Scar’s earlier action. Hoping that Scar’s diversion has managed to hide their own trail, they arrive at the Briggs Mountains and note that they should be approaching the location Scar had marked on his map.
In Rush Valley, Winry calls the boys at the hotel in Central to find out that they have gone to the northern region. The owner tells Garfiel, who ominously replies that the boys are in mortal danger of catching frostbite. After taking the trolley from Northern Area HQ to Mt.Briggs base, Ed and Al are dropped off and instructed to drive up the mountain road to the base, but before they leave, the escort makes two ominous statements. First, that automatic mail can be problematic, and second, that veering off a mountain road can result in death. Unfortunately, the boys quickly lose track of their path when a sudden blizzard blinds them halfway up the mountain. They are bemoaning their current state and arguing about the legitimacy of the danger when they are suddenly attacked by a large man dressed in a state military uniform and wielding an abnormally designed automatic right arm. Catching Alphonse with a web gun, the monster turns on Edward and orders him to surrender, accusing him or being a spy from the neighboring country of Drachma. As he tries to refute this claim, Edward feels a sharp pain in his right shoulder and notices that his automail hand is not moving as it should. Unfortunately, this momentary pause allows the large soldier to make his move; he traps Ed’s automail in the strange claw of his right arm, activating the chainsaw inside, which begins to cut into Edward’s arm. Desperate to escape to prevent his automail from being destroyed, Edward attempts destructive alchemy on his opponent’s pendant, only to find that it has absolutely no effect. Al breaks free and throws his helmet to Edward, who uses it to jam his opponent’s chainsaw and escape. The brothers regroup, but when a soldier tells them the battle is over, they realize they are surrounded on all sides by the infamous Briggs Mountain patrol. As the blizzard lifts, Ed realizes they’ve come right up to a massive fortified wall, from which a stern woman demands an update on the situation from a large man – whom he calls Captain Buccaneer. He greets this woman as Major General Olivier Mira Armstrong and the boys realize that this woman is the one they came to visit. General Armstrong demands to know the identity of the boys and Ed replies that he is the Fullmetal Alchemist and was sent by her brother to speak with her. Armstrong notes that anyone can claim to be someone famous and refuses to let her guard down, but when she orders the Elrics to be searched, Alex’s letter of recommendation is found and brought to her. She recognizes that the family seal is genuine, but tears up the letter without reading it, remarking that such things are meaningless to her, as she judges people by their eyes, not their word. He allows them to enter the massive wall-like fortress of Fort Briggs, but sternly warns them not to spoil themselves, as Briggs is a land where only the fittest survive.
Arriving at Scar’s designated location – a small shack – Marcoh and May discover a small buried box, inside of which lie notes left by Scar’s brother about combining Xingan Alkahestra and Amestrian alchemy. Marcoh wonders if this information will bring hope or despair, so he sets to work to crack the code.