"Well well well. Seems as if the cavalry as come." Jokingly said Greed.

Alex certainly came in with a bang as usual.

He took down one of Greed's men and not only busted into the room but also busted in and threw his men as he was beaten down.

"Alex!" Said IF as she was glad he has arrived.

"For someone as experienced as you, I'd never think it be possible that you'd get kidnapped." Said Alex.

IF gave a deadpan look for a bit before regaining composure.

"Alex! This man is a Homunculus!" Said IF which immediately caught Alex by surprise.

"No way. For real?"

"Wow. What a nice way to ruin the surprise." Said Greed.

"If you have any questions he might have the answers." Said IF.

Alex simply stared at Greed as he walked in front of him with a smirk and showed the back of his hand.

"An Ouroboros symbol."

"My my. Your quite observant. I was hoping I'd let little Ms. Brunette go with ease."

"Why don't you ask your other partners what you wanna know?"

"Partners?"

"Yeah. The other Ouroboros members from the 5th lab. They had a soul bonded to a suit of armor with em as well."

Greed was impressed for a bit that Alex had met two other Homunculi.

"Ya don't say? Well, it's a long story, but, we don't really talk anymore."

Greed chuckled a bit.

"I've got a proposal for you. I'm sure you want answers about us Homunculi and what we want right? Because I can teach you how to create your own Homunculus for all your questions. In return, you must teach me how to transmute a soul. Classic Equivalent Exchange."

Greed thought for sure he had convinced Alex to take his deal. Though risky it was the closest Alex could ever get to having the answers.

Alex stood quiet for a bit, processing what the future events could be.

After a bit, he made his choice.

"Equivalent Exchange?" He chuckled. "You kidnap a friend and you expect me to just let that slide by? Listen buddy, I'm not one to hold grudges, but, your someone who can't be trusted. So I'm afraid there won't be any Equivalent Exchange. Though, I'll gladly take IF back by force!" Said Alex.

Greed slow clapped as his human-dog chimera subordinate groaned. "Guess we gotta do this by force again." He said having a hand on his sword's handle as he stood in front of Alex.

"Don't kill him." Said Greed.

"Yeah yeah got it." His subordinate said.

He ran at Alex and attempted a slash but Alex jumped up as his whole body was in the air as he spun around and kicked him away in the face.

"For a dog chimera your real damn slow!" He said as he landed and clapped his hand bringing out his left wrist blade.

Greed stepped up as if he was next.

"Roa. Get the girl and leave. I guess we'll just see what makes her tick."

Roa nodded as he picked up IF and began to leave as IF trashed and tried to escape his grasp.

"H-Hey let her go!" Alex said as he ran at them and aimed his wrist blade for a stab only to be stopped completely by Greed's hand as it had turned dark and was impenetrable.

After deadlocking like that they separated as Alex went for more slashes only for Greed to block it with both his hands and wrists which had turned dark and were now impenetrable.

Alex transmuted the ground and made platforms for him to climb up as he jumped from above to strike Greed only for him to block it again.

"Nope. That hand sword of yours is neat but it can't even lay a scratch on my Ultimate Shield!"

Greed charged causing Alex to transmits the ground again making spikes emerge at Greed but he easily slashed one away but Alex pressed his hand against a spike causing it to blow up and send needles at Greed which distracted him and it allowed Alex to jump at Greed as he wrapped his legs around his head taking his down as blood spurted out from Greed's back.

"Guard your head next time!" Said Alex but he immediately got slashed right on the ribs by Greed as he stepped and jumped back holding as hand at the wound as Greed stood up, blood pouring from his head and mouth as he cracked his neck.

"Damn that hurt. That stunt you just pulled would've hospitalized most people."

"But you aren't like most people are you?"

"Well, my body is. The two things that separate me from other humans are my Ultimate Shield and my advanced healing powers." Said Greed as red lighting surrounded him as he healed his wounds completely.

"Nothing special but your never gonna beat me. So I suggest you accept the deal. Unless, oh."

Greed chuckled.

"Your one of those guys. You don't care how badly beaten you are. But the moment someone lays a finger on a close friend you lose your cool." Said Greed as he sighed. "What a waste. The more you lose your temper the more likely you'll lose my information and the brunette."

"IF's fine. She's just waiting for me to kick your ass. You already told us that you aren't immortal. And your Ultimate Shield doesn't cover much."

As Alex said that Greed just laughed and took of his coat.

"Sorry to say but I've been holding back!" Said Greed as Alex looked in awe as his Ultimate Shield covered his whole body.

"This covers up my handsome face so I try not to use it a lot! I wasn't kidding kid. Try all you like but your not gonna beat me."

[TimeSkip]

A beating was an understatement.

Alex was massacred and slaughtered by Greed new fully coated Ultimate Shield form.

"Come on. You still alive?" Said Greed.

Alex was bleeding from his head and mouth.

Even his right shoulder has gotten slashed open as the blood spattered on the wall.

Alex looked up at Greed and slowly stood back up.

"There ya go. Your chalk full of piss and vinegar."

Alex immediately ran up to Greed and was about to deck him with a punch under his chin but suddenly, a speed at super speeds came in and pierced right through Greed head as Greed shouted in pain.

Alex immediately looked behind and saw Green Heart.

"Sorry I took my time. Either way, your backup as arrived Alex."

"V-Vert?"

Greed groaned and immediately ran away.

Green Heart was about to chase after him before Alex stopped her.

"Alex. What is this?"

"I don't give a shit if I've been beaten badly. Listen, his men took IF. Please. Go find her. I'll chase him down get him to talk."

"You sure you'll come back alive?"

Alex kept quiet for a bit.

"You know my answer. I can't guarantee that."

Green Heart sighed before running off to find IF as Alex ran after Greed.

[TimeSkip]

He made it.

He found a secret back room to this place.

He walked into a weird big room with stairs on both sides of him and an upper terrace above him as well as 3 massive blue tinted windows.

"I found you Greed!" Shouted Alex as he walked in and saw a massive transmutation circle on the floor.

"What the hell? Explain this Greed. What is this?"

"Beats me. I was going to ask you that kid."

"You must've drawn this didn't you?"

Greed kept quiet and turned to face Alex.

"Well, are you gonna answer me?"

"Accuse me if ya want. I really don't care."

Alex sighed and closes his eyes for a bit before opening them.

"Tell me Alex Mustang. Why do you go so far to protect your friends and get your answers?"

"And what does that have to do with anything!?"

"Feelings can be here to explain."

"What do you mean by that? Where's IF!?"

"If you want her back then come on. You know what it takes." Said Greed who was completely confident now.

Alex got into a fighting stance as Greed removed his coat and entered his fully coated Ultimate Shield form again.

This time, Greed charged at Alex and attempted three punches.

Alex managed to painfully block all three before Greed decked the right side of Alex's face with a punch.

It cause blood to fly as Greed immediately decked the left side of his face as well.

Alex staggered but went low and attempted to punch Greed under his chin but nothing happened aside from causing his right hand to bleed and possibly break as Alex was shocked.

"You still don't understand what your dealing with do you?" Said Greed as he smacked Alex away as Alex violently had his back collide with the corner of a table as he fell onto the floor.

"Your sloppily fighting. Kid. You damn know well that the only way to beat me." Said Greed.

"Is to kill." Said Alex as he slowly got up.

"Correct. And you think your ready to do that?"

Alex turned to face him as he gripped his right hand.

"Thank god. May be battered as hell but it sure as hell ain't broken."

Alex smiled a bit.

"Let's go!"

Alex charged at Greed and attempted two punches which Greed easily dodged.

Greed grabbed Alex by the neck and picked him up.

Alex choked a little before clapping his hands and placed them on Greed's right arm.

Greed felt a tinge and immediately let go and dropped Alex as he rolled back.

"Your alchemy is worth nothing when fighting me!" Shouted Greed as Alex got on one knee and looked at Greed as he walked towards Alex.

"Now it's my turn for fun."

Greed got ready and aimed a punch at Alex as Alex clapped his hand and turned his left wrist blade into spiked brass knuckled as they collided with Greed's right fist.

Shockingly, Greed's right hand up to his elbow were exposed as his Ultimate Shield was transmuted away to reveal bone and meat out in the open.

Greed stepped back and held his right arm in shock.

"What? What the hell is this?" Said Greed as he looked at Alex. "What've you done to my shield you little shit!?"

"It's easy when you realize one thing. There are no unexplainable events. Everything results from scientifically measurable actions. Even your precious shield. It's been said that Homunculi have the same body structure as regular humans on an elemental level. And there's a key element in humans that serves to increase the body's hardness and resistance abrasion. Carbon. It makes up a third of every person. Carbon's degree of hardness depending on the strength of it's atomic bond. It can be the different between diamond and pencil lead."

Alex finished his explanation as Greed finally regenerated his right arm.

"Now that I know how to use it this shouldn't be too tough." Said Alex as he immediately charged at Greed.

Alex went for a punch as Greed blocked it.

Thankfully it was a decoy as Alex immediately transmuted the right side of Greed's abdomen and slashed it open exposing his ribcage and more meat.

Greed stepped back shockingly weakened as he hunched over on his knees.

"Now then, take me to IF. And while your at it give me the answers I want."

*Now why would I do that if I haven't lost?"

"Don't delude yourself this is over."

"I'm sure IF could tell you. I don't die so easily." Said Greed as he healed his wound.

"Then I guess I'll have to keep beating you down until you wish were." Said Alex as Greed laughed.

"What a relief. I was worried this stopped getting fun. I feel better for gambling so much on you."

Alex and Greed both deadlocked and stared at one another for a while before Alex clapped his hands and brought out his wrist blade again.

"Let's start." Said Greed.

"Let's finish!" Said Alex as he charged and ran at Greed going for a slash only for Greed to jump away.

Greed immediately lunged at Alex going for slashes and kicks as Alex jumped up to avoid the kicks and tried to kick Greed in the face twice as Greed blocked both.

Alex jumped off Greed's arm as Greed went for two low slashes as Alex dodge the first one by rolling over his arm and did the same over the second and this time kicked him hard in the face.

That dazed Greed as Alex clapped and and transmuted Greed's abdomen.

Greed groaned in pain and went for one last downward slash as Alex dodged by turning around.

Alex shouted and spun around before stabbing directly through Greed's abdomen ending the fight.

Alex pulled the blade out as Greed's Ultimate Shield went away.

"Damn kid. That, was good."

Greed swayed and fell onto his knees as Alex realized that was happening as he walked up to Greed and kneeled.

"Hey. What about IF? Where is she?"

"I'm pretty sure CPU Green Heart got to her a while back." Said Greed as he immediately vomited up a pool of blood.

"But I thought." Said Alex as he stopped talking.

"Us Homunculi, we're born, from a higher being. A man, named Father."

"Father?"

"We're weakened, once our Philosopher Stone's overexert too much energy. That's a Homunculus' weak point. That's how, we can be killed. Understand? And not, come back."

"But why? Why're you telling me this?"

"So, you can beat them, Alex."

"W-What?"

"They sealed me for so long. You can't let them live and complete their plans."

"But they're, like you."

"I'm greedy as hell. Only out for myself. They always said it would be the death of me."

Greed coughed up more blood as he fell over onto his back.

"G-Greed!"

"T-They pull the strings. N-Now you, cut them. I'm counting, on you, kid."

Those would be his last words.

Greed slowly went quiet before suddenly spazzing out and going completely crazy before being stuck in a dead position like a possum playing dead.

Though, Greed wasn't playing dead.

He was dead.

"H-Hey now. Greed cut it out." Said a worried Alex as he moved his corspe.

"T-This is a joke right? Stop."

Alex then stood up as he kicked his corpse.

"Hey! I thought nothing could kill you! Your the Ultimate Shield! Your indestructible right!?"

Alex began to form tears.

"Come on Greed! I can't kill you!"

Alex knew it was worthless.

He killed Greed.

As soon as he realized that, he brought his hands to cover his face.

He was in pure agony as he fell onto his knees and just wept and shouted all alone.

He had claimed another life.

Part 18: Greed: End