Knowledge is love

Part 56: Drones, guns and planning

"Love the enthusiasm Gen but don't celebrate just yet," you said.

"Huh? What do you mean y/n-chan," Gen asked.

"We need a detonator to ignite the stuff," Senku stated as he grins. "We aren't creating matchlocks here. So what else can we use? How about some good 'ol Mercury fulminate."

Gen gets a panicked look as Senku's words and sinister grin were making him nervous. Not to mention, bring back so painful memories of the other times he's seen that grin.

"You're already back to words and concepts far beyond me. I like to edtract-ray my last statement," Gen said.

"We can potentially get blown up from the smallest mistake," Senku admitted. "That's why I'll be doing the honors."

Senku mixed some nitric acid, mercury and alcohol. Then let the concoction dry and done. The only thing that was left was to hit the home-brewed detonator with enough force to cause the boom.

Everyone had different reactions about the gun.

"At the very beginning of it all, we journeyed to Mount Hakone and made gunpowder because we had no choice," Taiju said. "How many years have passed since then?"

"About three years now," Senku said. "Took a while but humanity still made it here after all. And I bet they're keeping my spot in hell nice and warm."

Senku frowns a bit which makes you sad. You gently touch his hand and he takes yours into his. He caresses your hand with his thumb and you lean your head on his shoulder.

"This isn't just any creation as some of you know. This is what allowed homo-sapiens to conquer the natural world," Senku stated, making everyone look at the gun. "An invention of Gods and Demons."

"Tools aren't divine or demonic. It's the wielder who chooses how they're used," Ukyo said. He looked up to see you all looking at him. "Sorry. I'm sure old platitudes are the last thing any of you want to hear right now. Bottom line is, I don't want to see anyone die. So please, think hard..."

"A platitude," Ryusui said, catching Ukyo's attention. "Ha-Ha. That wasn't mere lip service. Not killing isn't just cliche and ethical. It prevents people from bearing life long grudges too. Which of course includes us. To avoid that, we avoid killing others." He snapped his fingers. "It's only logical."

Ryusui's words made Ukyo smile a bit as it put a few of his worries at rest.

"Well said captain," you complimented.

"Yeah but there's no way this gun can kill anyone," Senku admitted. "We didn't even put rifling in, so aiming is gonna be a heck of a chore. With its lack of power and precision it's essentially a good luck charm. I guess it can be a tranquilizer gun in the best case."

"Um, it shoots darts then," Gen asked.

"No, but it doesn't really matter what we hit him with, right," Senku said with a sinister expression. "Because we'll have the petrification device. We'll petrify, set him free, and he'll be healed. It's no different than a tranquilizer gun in that sense."

"Seems like a stretch but I guess so," Ukyo said, not really sold on the idea.

"The way you said that so problematically, you're starting to sound like a mad scientist just so you know," Gen said, a bit nervous.

"He's always been mad," Taiju said.

"That is true. People at school used to call him Frankenstein Jr," you said.

Ryusui grabs the gun and examines it.

"You made it pistol size so it wouldn't track unwanted attention. Question is, who will be the Stone World's first gun slayer," Ryusui asked. "Y/n?"

"As much as I would love to, I don't really have any experience with guns," you admitted. "As you're aware, few Japanese people were even allowed to carry a gun, let alone train with one. Closet thing I got to practicing with a gun was a bow-a-arrow."

"I'm sure with time, you'd be able to be a female-John Wick but unfortunately we don't have time," Senku said. "So that leaves one option left."