Stirred psychologically, Al finds it harder and harder to fight Barry. However, their battle is interrupted by the appearance of Scar. When Barry tries to kill Scar, he is easily defeated. Barry seems to have the uncanny ability to cast doubt into the minds of those he meets, and Scar is no exception.

All the explosions and disturbances seem to have broken a seal that has set free a monster after 130 years. He frees caged animals and men who are to become his subordinates.

Scar and Al head inside in search of answers as well as Barry. Already inside, Slicer tells Ed that the lab is laced with bombs designed to destroy any and all evidence regarding the Philosopher's Stone. In order to fulfill his promise, Slicer agrees to take Ed to where he can learn the secret of the Stone.

Worried about leaving Slicer's little brother behind, Ed can only watch as Slicer's little brother terminates his own existence. Ed cannot understand...even after being treated like human beings, he chose death.

In the prison, Kimblee, the former Crimson Alchemist, is wanted for research purposes along with many other men sentenced to life in prison sentences or death sentences. They are lead by Envy, disguised as Gran, who was sent by Lust to gather the ingredients to catalyze the reaction.

Lust and Gluttony are already inside the lab and have discovered that Greed has been freed. They now need to hurry before their plans are interrupted.

Elsewhere in the lab, Ed and Slicer head towards the place where all Ed's questions will be answered. Along the way, they are attacked by mutant chimeras. However, Tucker, who has also been transformed into a chimera, stops their attack.

Walking through the lab, Al asks Scar to stop chasing after his brother, but Scar replies that it is the will of his God, Ishbala, to punished all cursed State Alchemists. Scar also tells Al that Ishbal did not perish on its own, it was destroyed by the military.

One day, Scar's brother emerges from his house tattooed from head to toe claiming to finally realize what the Stone is and why it was forbidden by Ishbala. But he still believes that he can save "her" and Ishbal if he had the Stone.

Scar and Al are suddenly interrupted by the appearance of Lust and Gluttony. Scar asks Lust if he brother truly did succeed in his research and revive "her". It is then that Al first learns of the term, Homunculus.

Tucker has lead Ed and Slicer to another section of the lab. There, Ed learns that there are many research projects going on in the lab that cannot be announced to the public. He also wants to know who has the power to create chimeras who retain their memories and affix souls to objects. In this section, Ed finds Nina in the form of a chimera.

In the next room, Ed finds the incomplete Stone as well as a room glowing red and filled with marks similar to those on Scar's arm.

Al and Scar are busy fighting Lust and Gluttony as Ed makes the decision to try and create something out of nothing.