Hello enjoyers of this book ^-^
As much as it sounds/seems like it, no, I do not intend to stop writing this book.
This is also a Wattpad, so maybe I should say something like: Oh, I was in hospital, so I couldn't upload...
Not really lmao. I just don't have a very great discipline even after 4 years of writing books.
Believe me that this book will never get cancelled. I am not heartless enough to do this to my child.
This whole time, I was working on other books, so...
if you enjoy my work, writing style, and fanfictions, then you can simply follow and be sure to expect other fanfiction books currently in progress on: Rodrick Heffley, Levi Ackerman
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The weird expression on your face incident passed quickly. Out of eyes, out of mind.
Which is literally meant at this point. You couldn't see Senku until the very evening. He closed himself in the Science Storehouse, doing some baaad science as Chrome informed when you tried to ask about it. It didn't help that Gen was sooo bored that he felt the need to ask y'all stupid psychological questions on the same level as the quiz you did in the laboratory back in the modern world (chapter 3). It escalated into an argument about psychology, how to write books, and love itself. It was obvious neither of you knew much about love anyway, as Kohaku stated, which only got her also involved in the argument. You guys literally shouted at the poor lioness, Ginro joining with small whisper about guys being more scared of her than they ever could be attracted. Which she heard, and the argument continued on until Chrome was brought to this, being asked about love since he is actually the only one who has a crush here. He shrugged, saying that he didn't know anything about having a crush, which got you all devastated by the reminder that Chrome is the definition of being oblivious. After that everything finally went quiet and you all just went your own way, though with your own thoughts from the argument.
Yet everything and everyone got reunited once Senku came out of the Storehouse with proud smirk, leaf in right hand and some weird black thing on it that looked like burned caterpillar that was about to eat the green leaf. You and Gen exchanged silent looks as if who should ask, which the Mentalist in the end gave up on and carefully came up to Senku, who as if already knew extanded his hand to give Gen more access to see. Mentalist only wrinkled up his nose. "Can that thing really make electricity?" he asked sceptically. Senku's smirk only grew, not in mocking way just being proud. "This is a bamboo fibre that I roasted." Oh, you remember that he did something like that. But when you wanted to look closer, he immediately retreated and instead gave you and Kohaku one... cable?! Yes, indeed it were a cables that when you looked behind yourself were connected to the only source of electricity you had. You looked back at Senku's hand at the burned caterpillar, and suddenly, your eyes widened at the very perfect idea of what was about to happen. Though, when your eyes met with Senku's smile and look of knowing exactly that your powerful fantasy figured it out once again gave you a silent message saying not to spoil it to others. "Do we need a high place?" Kohaku asked when you handed the wires to the scientist. "Kukuku, not at all, but I figured since we already went to the trouble of making it."
Chrome climbed up right after Senku to be at the first row of sorcery when it's happening. Senku carefully brought the two cables to the burned caterpillar, and suddenly, a spark could be seen, then brighter and brighter. "I see! Edison's light bulb! Made from Japanese bamboo." Gen exclaimed as you watched in awe. This was something that even your fantasy couldn't properly imagine, so much better, and it just gave this warm feeling of hope and fate in Senku's ability. No more fire is needed for the dark to disappear and your fears to hide away. It's not just the light that Senku provided you right now with. It's what it sparked inside all of you. From Senku having his nostalgic moment from childhood to Gen now really strongly thinking about choosing the side.
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That same evening Kingdom of Science decided to have a meeting as for a long time you acted as if you don't have an enemy between you. You're a bit skeptical to leave Gen out here by himself, but you decided it would be probably better to act careless about what he will do while you are up in Chrome's house as everyone did the same.
Chrome's just climbing up the ladder, Senku waiting to follow after, you going up after. Guess the mentalist really saw some good chance in the fact that you're the last one to climb up. From the not that far distance, he spoke, just enough for you to hear him and for him not to shout. "Oh, Writer-chan, won't you stay here with the poor little me? It's so dark outside, and I'm so scared to wander around all by myself." You just must immediately assume he is scheming something when he speaks with that sly tone. Yet what he said sure did startle you. "Too bad we are having a meeting." Senku called out with phlegmatic tone of voice visible on that tight grin. His finger in the ear. Only in the second that both of you turned to him and the two boys looked at each other his hand fell from his ear down next to his side. Narrowing his eyes, he suddenly held a whole new demeanour. "If anything, I'm sure you can smooth-talk yourself out of any situation you might get into, mentalist." Gen seemed surprised as he raised his eyebrows, and his hands quickly hide themselves in the long sleeves of his clothing. Although, more surprising was the sudden tension that, for some unexpected reason, wasn't created by mentalist. As much as you stared at Senku, in some weird attempt to get his attention, his gaze never left the poor mentalist. What are you thinking, idiot? How can we face this guy together if you do such unexpected stuff?
"Oh my... Such reaction." Of course, mentalist saw more into Senku's behaviour from the psychological aspect than you, but what did he see? Senku stayed quiet, better than making any wrong move. You turned to Gen, seeing a cunning grin forming on his face. "I just want someone to keep me some company while you and other fellow members will be deciding on my fate. You can only imagine how afraid I am of this unfamiliar place..." As much as you tried to read into the words uttered just now by Gen, nothing seemed to answer any of your questions. And he had more to say. "Of course you can imagine it. You are afraid, too, after all." He tilted his head, simple act of nothing but of an upper hand in this very situation. "Afraid that I might convince (Y/n) to join the Empire of Might."
Your eyes widened, and Senku flinched. Your head snapped in his direction, expecting something? Would anything help anyway? Your mind has already found the answer to those questions behind Gen's previous words. Senku took a moment to answer, silence more painful than ever. The whole time trying even harder not to look at you. Eyes no longer as sharp as before. He is afraid... I don't understand. "Ku ku ku..." A sudden crack of a laugh came from the science boy. His right hand went behind his neck, changing his demeanour into that phlegmatic one again as he stretched his neck. "I said that you can smooth-talk yourself out of any situation you might get into." Mentalist froze. Senku just turned towards the ladder and climbed up, leaving you to decide for yourself whatever you want to do now. Instant flashbacks from modern times started playing in your head. That time when you've once already chosen the wrong side instead of your newfound friendship. Although this situation is not something Senku might ever get upset about again, you can tell that somewhere in the back of his mind, he... doesn't trust you. Maybe a bit more than these people from Stone age or mentalist, but not enough. It never got to that point of enough. And Gen saw it all long before you could realize.
He said that we are friends and that we can work this together. Those weren't empty words. No. Senku doesn't know something like that. That idiot is blunt and honest in any case. What did I do? What changed his mind? Who-
"Writer-chan-" "Shut up." You immediately stopped him. That's what you should have done before. Stop him before any damn word could be said by that dangerous mouth of his. "You've said enough." Muttering you turn your back to him, it's not like you have anywhere to go either. "I said merely nothing. It's you two who have grudges since the modern word." He shrugs. Gen knows what he is doing, and it takes his every effort not to smirk when you turn back to him sharply. "You-" "But I must say that there's a mistake on my side. I didn't realize that your friendship was that feeble. As a mentalist, you can only guess how that piqued my interest." He speaks as if nothing bad happened thanks to him. You just need someone to be angry at. To throw the whole blame on someone because what was revealed is true, and that hurts more. "It was always feeble... Though he sounded so reassuring this time." Your shoulders slumped in defeat. Gen stayed quiet, night swallowing whatever words you wanted to shout at him as you came to the conclusion that he only pointed out the truth. Your vision was clouded by emotions, so only an observer could see Gen's unexpected concern. He usually is very careful of his body language, this time though his locked hands in his sleeves fell from the level of his chest to level where his stomach starts, his eyes trained for analyzing seemed to relax as if saying that they took some break. "He promised... He doesn't trust me, does he? If I was at that meeting and you stayed down here, he would trust you more on not leaving than he trusts me now." Your shoulders shook, and it was hard to tell whether from the chilly night or from the emotions of betrayal and confusion, which the second option got confirmed after hearing crack in your voice. Gen moved carefully closer to you. You are so confused. How can you both always balance on that same line of being or not friends? "I don't want to be the only fool here. I don't want to trust him that much. I don't want to depend on him either." Or maybe you are friends, but just don't trust each other? Or maybe you are friends, but everything just comes in to ruin it. And that hurts the most. All the assuring words uttered by both of you, however genuine and honest , seem like nothing will make you two to fully develop those promises and efforts. "I can only guess how stressed Senku-chan must be. Any second plays a role of life and death." He spoke unusually softly, not in a comforting way, but for once, it was obvious that here are no ulterior motives. Or so you decided to believe. Unable to hold back the first two tears roll down your cheeks. Before you could quickly brush them away in the embarrassment of crying in front of Gen, a purple fabric touched your skin. Gen wiped your tears with his long sleeves and sighed once done. Sighed as if not liking what he just did. "I should give you an advise, Writer-chan-"
"Yo, are you listening, Gen?!" Chrome's shout came from above you two. You quickly turned away from the boy poking his head out of the storehouse. You don't need another person to see you in this state. Thinking about it's starting to seem like a very ridiculous thing to cry over. "You saw it too, right? The electricity... It became that incredible scientific light!!" He took a deep breath to continue. "Whether who wins or loses. Senku or Tsukasa, who holds the advantage: All of that is painfully obvious!" Chrome grinned widely with his words. He is confident in science, faithful in the future that it will bring. "The more 'interesting' option is definitely the Kingdom of Science!!" You didn't dare to look up, but Gen's whole figure was visible to you. He was looking up at Chrome with amusement, carefully choosing his next words. Then, in a blink of an eye, he shrugs and, with all smiley face, changes his previously gentle persona to one of those most carefree. "My my~ A young man's conviction, how passionate~ Unfortunately I have none of that, Chrome-chan. After all, I'm the world's smoothest talker, I only look out for myself." Gen then turned back to you, your eyes meeting, and his smile turns into that sly one. He is like a chameleon, always changing according to the environment. "That is my advice." Mentalist whispered, only for you to hear. With no more words to be said, he started walking away as if no longer afraid of the dark, leaving you behind. At the end of the day, he is a manipulator.
Not long after you were left to your own thoughts, you heard a sudden grunt. An interrupted cry of pain and maybe help. Your first instinct was, of course, to run to the source as many possible explanations were flowing your head about what it could be, but only one topped the others. Gen went that way. "Gen!" You called out, and as if scaring some wild animals, you heard rushing footsteps fading into forest. Being protected by the night, you couldn't recognize whatever that was that ran away. Only 10 feet away from the supposed source, you had to come into a halt. A loud gasp out of reflex left your mouth as you saw a familiar mentalist laying on the ground, covered in blood and a spear stuck into his chest - the main source of the blood. The night's slowly turning into day, so it wasn't that hard to recognize his whole state. Although, you stood frozen, not moving. Is he breathing? Should I do CPR? Would it help?
You felt your breath speeding along with your heart that was far behind yet very loud in your ears. In that very moment of panic only one word came to your mind and although you swore not to trust him, to depend on him, your only comfort coming from the modern world, only faith that Gen will live was him. "Senku!" You turned around with a loud, cracking in the middle, shout. You didn't even gain the right stability of the turn when two arms suddenly landed on your shoulders. In your peripheral vision, three other figures were running behind you right to Gen, but your eyes locked only on those red ones full of worry. "Are you hurt? We heard some weird noises, and Kohaku recognized it as fighting." He immediately spoke quickly, seeing you in a too strong shock, his hands instinctively held a tight grip on your shoulders. You shook your head to quickly hide new tears forming in your eyes, today's too overwhelming. "N-no... But Gen..." You turned your head towards the mentalist. It strangely seemed like Senku only then noticed a laying body behind you. He took his arms off of your shoulders as he approached Gen to examine the scene. You hugged yourself, turning to Gen once again when Chrome started talking.
"Hey, say something, Gen...!" Kohaku standing above shook her head. "It's no good. He died instantly for sure. Who could have done something so cruel." You bite your lip. Only if I was a bit faster... "Hold it!" Senku suddenly spoke up as if he just figured something. He knelt down beside motionless mentalist, taking the spear out of his chest. You dared to step forward and look closely when Senku was holding something unrecognizable. "A blood filled pouch and a guard." Chrome opened Gen's shirt, grabbing more of those pouches. Suika also examining them spoke with fascination for the creative mentalist that Gen is. "He has them all over!" "This guy is incredible! He planned for the worse from the moment he came to the village and prepared to this extent!?" Chrome exclaimed. "Incredible... More like paranoid to me." You choke out, feeling totally relieved that Gen is still alive... Injured pretty badly, but still very much here with you all.
a+(+(=@
Only in a few moments, it was supposed to be morning, and you first needed to get Gen up into the Storehouse and take care of him. Y'all stayed by his side the whole time, Senku the longest after the rest of you went to get some sleep and Suika to do some interrogation -
"Shit. Gen, that bastard. disappeared!!"
You immediately sat up as the shock's enough to wake you up. You looked around seeing everyone already wide awake as it's only you, Chrome (also fully awake) and empty improvised bed where Gen was supposed to be laying in the Storehouse. You and Chrome came back down on the ground. Senku sighed, looking somewhere into the distance while having his finger in the ear. "Ah. He probably returned to Tsukasa." You look at him with shock, but Chrome asked first. "Isn't he going to tell Tsukasa?! That you are still alive, Senku?" The science boy turned back to you guys with irritating calmness given the situation. "If Gen was someone who has absolutely no interest in science after all, he probably wouldn't have cooperated with us from the start. By the time I used electricity, Gen has already decided. Who it was that he would follow." You cross your arms over chest. "Something happened last night, didn't it?" You ask with suspicion, to which Senku only gave you a small smirk without commenting on that. "However..." he continued his previous thought, "Even a frivolous man, has an appropriately frivolous way of following." Kohaku sighed, looking at you discreetly. Since this morning, you've been trying to hide your lasting feelings from yesterday, and as much as you were doing a great job, Kohaku noticed. Maybe her naturally sharper than average eye sight or maybe just the fact that she is a girl helped her figure out your true distress inside. She is also a smart girl, so putting pieces together, like your previous conversations and recent events. she came to one certain conclusion: "...What a pain. All men, no matter what the era."
Though... Last night wasn't hard just for you. This following event is what only Senku experienced. Alone in the Storehouse, while everyone was sleeping. Therefore, while far far in the future, you are telling this about you two story to Senku. He interrupts you with this part.
Inside the Storehouse, it was quiet. Senku almost allowed himself to relax a bit after a long time spent by overthinking the latest events. More like that certain one before Gen got beaten up. He remembers how comforted he made you feel only days ago when he assured you about making a book for you, working on finding out something special for you to be useful in this Stone world in your own way, getting throuth these struggles together... When was he ever so open before? Promising shit like that. Most disappointing is that this time, he was sure of it.
Shallow breaths cut through the air, even through Senku's train of thoughts. The Science boy turned around to find Gen not trying to catch his breath, but more like muttering something... "...You... You aren't afraid about her joining Tsukasa. Are you, Senku-chan?" Gen asked, almost out of breath. Yet he continued, almost as if really even in this state wanting to play his mentalist role. But Senku let's him, curious himself. "You are simply afraid of losing her, right?" Mentalist finally finished only to be met by silence as if he haven't even spoken.
Gen can only assume that it brought this devoted to only the science guy his answer. And it did. It's all too logical when he actually thinks about it. It was hard enough to drown in darkness for the past 3700 years. Finally being reunited with his friends, he wanted nothing more than to stay with them, the only visible connection to what was before, to who he was before. In the end, he had to let go of Yuzuriha and Taiju. (Y/n) is still the closest person to him even now that the Kingdom of Science was formed... Ah, he is just anxious. They already once proclaimed that they were friends. And unlike he thought, it never changed since then. His never understandable by science feelings are proof of it.
"Listen..." Gen interrupted Senku's thoughts. "In this Stone world, can you make it, Senku-chan? A bottle of Cola..." The Science boy smiled. "Yeah, I can make it. It's me, after all."
Yeah, he can fix this. It's his friendship. Him and the person that took a lot to be understood. He hates when he doesn't understand something, so he tries every way to learn to. In the end, it always paid off. He just has a lot on his plate right now, and that's something he hopes that you will understand.
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"Big news!" A distant yet very clear, ringing yell.
"I found out who it was!" Suika exclaimed, excited by her accomplishment after y'all gathered to hear the news. "Ooh, great detective Suika's been hard at work, huh?" Chrome grinned. Continuing brushing his teeth, Senku spoke bluntly. "So what didja find out? Try leading with that."
Suika nervously nodded and started explaining in a hurry not to forget anything. It turns out that the person who attacked Gen was also the same person who I encountered on the bridge when I needed a wooden plank. Your capable detective heard everything from Magma's conversation with his right-hand man, who literally follows him around, kissing his feet and being all flattering towards Magma's ego.
"I see..." Kohaku spoke, "Asagiri Gen made those flower disappear in front of their eyes. From Magma's perspective, Gen is rumored outsider sorcerer I brought with me." Chrome suddenly laughed. "So then Magma messed up. He stabbed Gen because he mistook him for Senku?!" Kohaku scoffed. Senku joined him in bursting into even bigger laughter. "Kukakakaka!!! That Gen's plan ended up working perfectly!!!" You and Kohaku look at each other. "You guys are laughing way too hard." You tried gently comment. "Yeah... Enough that you are making me to feel pity for him... And I am the one who hated him the most!" Kohaku said, to which Chrome turned to her and gave her a meaningful smile. "If he was dead, it'd be awful. But he is not. He's alive! All thanks to the power of Gen's magic! As far as I'm concerned, pity amongst men is an insult! And being able to laugh at each other is proof of being friends!" In that moment, Senku looked at him disgusted. "Geh?! Gen... A friend?! Something wrong in your head, Chrome?! He's just just an allied soldier, that's all." Kohaku grimaced. "Men are akways such a pain. It's a real insult that Magma believes that my strength is due to sorcery, though." Chrome twisted his face. Oh no, he is about to say something stupid. "Well, you have the raw power of an actual gorilla." Famous last words of Chrome before Kohaku made sure that he remembers not to ever insult her again.
"Though, why's this Magma guy scheming to to kill you anyway, Kohaku?" You asked. "Probably... No, definitely, because of the Grand Bout." And there y'all got a story about how Kohaku saved her sister on this Grand Bout that is a martial arts battle that is happening every generation in their village. The person who wins gets to marry the child of their village priest. It was supposed to be Magma, but Kohaku saw right through him. Risking a lot at that moment, it seemed like nothing compared to the love for her sister, Ruri. Catching Magma off guard, she defeated him, and since she cannot marry her sister, the marriage was postponed to another round. Of course, Senku had to add his own comment.
"Is that why your old man, the elder, disowned you?" Kohaku crossed her arms over chest and grimaced. "No... Well, that was the last straw, but..." Chrome continued as he knew the whole story. "Kohaku has cause a lot of trouble ever since she was little." The Lioness sighed, the atmosphere back to serious. "Of course, the tournament was rescheduled. It's set for next month." You frown. "Shit. So Magma killed Gen to win the Grand Bout?" Suika suddenly gasped. "What? So Gen is dead?!" You smile appologatically. "Well, not really."
"Having a chief like him would be baaad news for everyone!!" Chrome exclaimed. "If Magma becomes your new chief... finishing the Panacea for Ruri could be a challenge." Senku says with hand on his chin. "Hah! This could actually be our chance, though. If a member of your kingdom defeats Magma... he could marry Ruri and becomes chief." Kohaku points out, which sounds like a great opportunity, but also hard to imagine. Luckily, Kohaku has other plans as it seems.