As Major General Armstrong vows to show the power of the Homunculus to Lenh Briggs, the Buccaneer captain forcibly demands the help of Ed, Al, and 2nd Lt. Falman in Olivier’s plan. As they carry gallons of fuel up to a higher level, the major general orders his tank units to ram the monstrous intruder into a nearby service elevator. Once inside, the Homunculus is lifted to the outside deck where the Elrics, Falman and Buccaneer are waiting and douse him with fuel from the tank. However, as Ed wonders how they plan to get the huge monster out, the service elevator opens again to reveal Olivier inside with the tank. He opens fire on Sloth from the tank’s cannon, sending him through the gate into the snowy air. With one last push, Sloth falls to the snow-strewn ground as a fresh blizzard rages around him, and Buccaneer explains that the fuel in the tank is a cold-climate type to vaporize even at extremely low temperatures; quickly the homunculus in the cold saps it of its power and he falls unconscious. Armstrong declares that the beast will remain in hibernation unless it can die, and orders the Elrics to be brought to the brig, having made it clear that they had to appear to have been forced to cooperate. In addition, she declares that they will not be released until they explain to her what kind of monster it was.
The next morning, when Ed wakes up handcuffed and behind bars, the grateful Briggs soldiers thank him for protecting them and inform him that Major Miles has ventured to the hospital in North City to meet with an injured man who encountered Scar in the region. Down at the hospital, Miles talks to a bedridden Kimblee and informs him that Briggs’ forces will take over the search for Scar while he is indisposed, but Kimblee retorts that Ishvalan is his prey and demands that Briggs stay put. Miles removes his glasses to reveal his eyes and advises the Crimson Lotus not to get so cocky in Briggs’ territory or he may never leave the hospital alive. As Miles leaves, Kimblee remarks that the Ishvalans are scheming for him, but his thoughts are interrupted by a sudden visit from General Raven, who confirms that the Crimson Lotus still has the Philosopher’s Stones and reveals that he brought someone to have Kimblee. back in no time to sniff – the Goldtooth Doctor Who Created Wrath.
Inside the shack indicated on Scar’s map, May and Dr. Marcoh looks over the notes left by Scar’s brother, and Marcoh states that he doesn’t understand the parts about the alcahestra and the “Dragon Pulse”, to which May explains that the term refers to the flow of energy that permeates the Earth itself and powers alcahestra transmutations both material and physiological. Seeing May demonstrate her manipulation of this flow, Marcoh finally begins to understand how she is able to perform distant transmutations through the alkahestra, and May notes that amestric alchemy does not seem to depend on the dragon’s pulse. Marcoh explains that alchemy is powered by energy from tectonic shifts in the Earth’s crust, but May claims that this definition is incorrect. Judging from what she sensed when she was in Central City, the real source is something far more ominous, like people crawling underground.
Back at Fort Briggs, Armstrong receives word from her men that the hole the Sloth went through leads down into a massive tunnel; although no signs of other intruders have been found, it is noted that the tunnel appears to be slightly curved and extends further than they can estimate at this point. Olivier orders the horses to be lowered into the tunnel and requests that Elrics, Buccaneer and Falman be brought to her as well. The five of them ride into the tunnel together for quite a long distance before she orders them all to dismount, and when she says she doesn’t have to worry about prying eyes or ears that far, she demands that the Elrics tell her the whole story and leave nothing back. Ed and Al understand Olivier’s sincerity and explain the whole situation regarding the Philosopher’s Stone, the Homunculi, Central Command’s cooperation with the father of the Homunculi, as well as the hostages taken to ensure their satisfaction. When it’s all outside, Armstrong asks the alchemists what they think of the giant tunnel, and when he pulls out a map of the land, Edward replies that it doesn’t appear to have come from Drachma and that its shape and direction suggest it was dug in the shape of a giant circle , which wraps around all of Amestris. Realizing the alchemical implications, Edward circles Ishval on the map and asks the encyclopedic Falman to list all the major incidents in American history that led to the massive bloodshed. Beginning with the incident at Riviere in 1558, Falman pinpoints nine other locations across the nation as Edward circles each on the map, ending with the recent rebellion at Reola. The Elrics are taken aback by this, reminding Falman that they prevented destruction in Reola by deposing the false prophet Cornell and reporting the incident to Colonel Mustang, but Falman replies that – although a quick response from the Eastern Region forces managed to contain the rebellion. in Reola to a minimum – the Central Region military took over the operation almost immediately, and the city erupted into chaos shortly thereafter. After connecting all the points on the map, Edward reveals a five-point transmutation circle identical to the one found in Lab 5 spread across the land. Examining the fact that the Riviere incident occurred immediately after the formation of Amestris, Falman notes that each of these events involved the US military, prompting Edward to realize the real truth—that the Homunculi weren’t just using Amestris to create the massive Philosopher’s Stone, they had created Amestris from scratch with the sole intention of making it a Philosopher’s Stone. As the Elrics begin to realize why Hughes was killed, as well as the meaning of all the little clues that have emerged since their investigation began, Armstrong angrily interjects, pointing out that the shape of the circle indicates the next and final point where it will be possible see bloodshed. to be Fort Briggs. However, their discussion is interrupted by an approaching scout who informs them that General Raven has arrived for a surprise visit from Central. Seeing the noose tightening around them, Edward asks Olivier if she can try to get more information out of Raven.
Up in the fortress, Miles welcomes Raven and his cohort, a fully healed Kimblee. Armstrong meets with Raven in her office and casually mentions the incident of Sloth’s intrusion from a position of feigned ignorance when a hidden microphone picks up their conversation and transmits it to a secret room where the Elrics, Falman and Buccaneer are listening. Armstrong claims that she has the Elric brothers in her custody as they seemed to recognize the monster but denied it give her any information about it, and she will slyly bring the conversation to the topic of eternal youth and apparent immortality of the supposed Drachman monster, using bait. Raven takes the bait and asks the Major General if she would be interested in a legion of immortal soldiers.