Knowledge is love

Part 7: Suflar and confession

You guys stop near a river where the scientists look inside.

"It looks to me like there isn't even a single fish in this river," Chrome stated.

"You're right," Senku agreed. "Nothing but green chatsumbomi-goke moss. This is it for sure. Our goal is just upstream from here."

"So it's coming up," Kohaku said. "That 'greatest hurdle' you mentioned before."

"Everything's okay," Ginro whimpered.

He held the spear at the very end as he tip-toed around the area, absolutely terrified. He had his eyes wide open and glued onto the tip of the spear. Senku got annoyed because since Ginro was the one holding the sensor, he had to be the one in the front. Ginro then admitted that he was terrified since Senku said he was going to die. You didn't necessarily blame him for his fear but that didn't change the fact that he was just being a total wimp right now. Kohaku then offered to be the one in front but Ginro didn't want to give up the spear. You rolled your eyes since the spear wasn't even technically his but he was acting like a toddler about it.

You guys continued to walk but despite his big words about being brave too, Ginro was tip-toeing which annoyed you guys. He eventually started to actually walk but it was still kind of slow. However Senku was so exhausted from all the walking.

"You guys? You might wanna check this out," Ginro stated.

"Well, Senku, we're here," Chrome said.

"What did I tell you," Senku said as he tried to catch his breath. "We've finally arrived at the source of our most killer component for the drug."

"I don't really understand what it is we're supposed to be gathering here," Kohakua admitted. "But it does look like a place where you'd find something important. It;s absolutely beautiful."

You look to see what they were looking at. It was a beautiful body of water. It sparkled and it just looked like the perfect place to swim. Your eyes widened as you realized what this was. You turned your head to Senku.

"Senku, tell me this isn't," you said softly.

Senku simply didn't say anything as he lightly chuckled. You knew you were right. Just like Kohaku, Chrome and Ginro were captured by the beauty of the water. Chrome put down the bag of jars he was carring as he noticed both you and Senku looked uneasy.

"Is something wrong you two," Chrome asked. "Is this not it, or what?"

"No, this is it,"Senku answered. "There's no doubt. This green water is exactly the stuff we're after. But the geography bugs me. The poison gases that form here, the hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide, are heavier than air. They settle in low spots like this one."

"I get it now," Chrome stated. "That's what the silver spear's supposed to warn us about!"

"You're exactly right Chrome," you said softly. "Silver reacts with hydrogen sulfide which is why it blackens immediately."

You guys then noticed Ginro walking closer to the water. The spear then starts to turn black.

"Get away, Ginro!"

Kohaku grabs Ginro by the back of his shirt and pulls him back as you take the spear out of his hands. Some birds then fly over the water and immediately drop dead which makes you all gasp. Ginro then starts to freak out as Kohaku tries to calm him down. The birds then land into the water and start to disintegrate.

"Whoa, that bird just melted," Kohaku pointed out.

"All right, what's going on with the water here," Chrome asked.