The Science Team — along with Kohaku and Ginro — set out to a mountain that Chrome had mentioned had a beautiful lake far away from here.
With a silver spear already in hand, Ginro's task is to take on the role of bodyguard for the team.
To be honest, you had faith in this small, blonde guy to perform an excellent job, but his cowardly nature kept coming out. Nevertheless, it appears that he became too brave for his own good because he already had his silver spear.
He was in the front with the spear, but he spun it around when he wasn't supposed to.
"Ginro! Quit messing around and hold your spear steady and pointing forward." Senku took hold of the spear's end and pointed it directly ahead, giving a firm command, "This silver spear acts as a sensor. That's the whole reason why I made it in the first place. Pay close attention to the tip of it."
You gave Ginro a gentle shoulder pat, "It's very important, you know? You'll need to notice if that silver begins to turn black."
"Turns black? What do you mean?" Ginro furrowed his eyebrows.
"If that happens... You'll be dead in seconds." Senku's expression has turned somewhat serious, "You need to get away within 0.1 seconds. That's a signal for all of us to start running."
As you would have predicted, Ginro began to shake with fear. He was looking between you and Senku, almost like he was pleading with you to return to the Kingdom of Science this instant.
"The enemy you're guarding us from will kill us if we make just one mistake." You warned, "It's the greatest hurdle in making sulfa drugs. We could die very easily."
As you all continued forward to a river that was covered with moss and there were no more fish to be seen — like Chatsubomi-goke moss, Ginro continued to keep in the back as he trembled like a freaking Chihuahua.
"It's still okay. It's all still okay. It's still silver NOT black! Still okay, still okay, looking good..."
You were clearly amused with the sight, so you quietly moved up behind him and grasped his shoulders tightly.
In an instant, Ginro yelled so loudly that your ears practically bled before pointing the spear at you.
"H-HEY! (NAAMMMEEE)!!" Ginro whimpered, his hands trembling violently, "That's not funny! D-Don't laugh! Sto- NOT YOU TOO!"
You, however, continued to wheeze along with Chrome and Kohaku.
"Y-YOU-! HAHAHAHAHA! I CAN'T BREATHEEEE!" Panting, Chrome leaned on you for support. Even Kohaku laughed so hard that she could only hit the floor while holding her stomach.
"STOP IT!"
You honestly tried not to laugh. But as soon as you stopped, the picture of Ginro yelling like a female kept playing, so you just started laughing uncontrollably again.
"WE CAN'T! IT'S JUST TOO-" You let out a gasp, grinning broadly, "TOO FUNNY!"
"AGHHH! YOU ALL ARE HORRIBLE!"
All of a sudden, Senku abruptly touched Ginro's shoulder, causing Ginro to scream loudly once more. That made the three of you — you, Chrome, and Kohaku — wheezed again, leaning on each other for support.
"Hey! What the hell, man?!" Senku scolded, clearly exhausted of dealing with this, "You're holding the sensor, so you need to be in front of us!"
"Well, you told me that I was gonna die!" Ginro shot back, sweating frantically at the thought, "I'm terrified!"
Kohaku laughed a little to calm herself down before smirking, "You wimp. Then switch places with me and hand over the silver spear."
"Not a chance! I'll do it! I-I can be brave too." Like a switch, Ginro hurriedly stopped complaining and stood up straight. Soon, he took the lead in front.
After walking for several hours, you all eventually arrived at your goal — Senku had to be dragged by you since he was dying from exhaustion.
The view in front of you was a massive spring filled with a stunning emerald green liquid that sparkled in the sunlight.
To put it in one word, it was gorgeous.
Senku tried his best to gasp for air, speaking, "We 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." Kohaku gazed in awe, "But, it does look like a place where you'd find something important."
"It's absolutely beautiful." Chrome murmured, and you could not agree more.
Though you were fascinated that such nature existed, you merely sighed and turned the other way. In the meantime, Senku had a serious expression on his face as he observed the scenery.
"Something wrong, guys? Is this not it or what?" Chrome questioned in concern.
"No, this is it. There's no doubt." Senku briefly responded, "This green water is exactly the stuff we're after. But, the geography bugs me."
"Yeah." You let out a heavy sigh, "The poison gases that form here — Hydrogen Sulfite and Sulfur Dioxide — are heavier than air. They settle in low spots like this one."
Of course, Chrome tilted his head, unsure of what those two are. Fortunately you flash him a slight smile to show that you'll explain what those two are later.
"I get it now! That's what the silver spear is supposed to warn us about." Chrome hummed, clearly understanding.
"Yeah. Silver reacts with hydrogen sulfite. It blackens immediately."
It was then that you noticed, Ginro approached the spring from a distance, apparently hypnotized by its beauty.
You didn't think much of it at first, but your eyes widened the moment his spear's silver turned black.
"Get the FUCK away from there, Ginro!" You yelled harshly.
At that moment, thoughts rushed through your mind as did your body rushed towards Ginro.
You grab him by the collar and toss him towards Kohaku, before you quickly catched up from behind.
You then observed a few birds fly over the spring and die within seconds, their bodies dissolving as they sank to the bottom of the lake after inhaling the gas.
The sight send a shiver down everyone's spines while Ginrou shouted in pure fear.
He was curled up on the ground into a small ball with Kohaku sitting next to him to comfort him. You, on the other hand, could only hide your fear, not wanting to frighten anyone.
"A-Alright. What's going on with the water here!?" Chrome asked fearfully.
"It's got something that was discovered by an alchemist, way back in the 8th century." Senku explained as he softly patted your head to provide some comfort, "But during my time, it served as the foundation for a wide variety of chemical industries."
"Sulfuric Acid." You crossed your arms, hiding your shaking arms, "We can't make the medicine without it and we're gonna need it for all types of chemistry. It's essential for further advancement."
Kohaku scowled, clenching her fist, "We'll have to brute force our way through to gather some. I'm not afraid to risk my life if it'll save my sister's. I should be fast enough!"
Her devotion was genuinely amazing; You were taken aback little.
Simply, Senku shook his head, "Here's a story from back in my day. There was a research group that went to an area of Sulfuric Acid like that one. The man in front knelt down for a moment. That poor guy was dead instantly."
His eyes went blank, revealing how serious he was, which made even Kohaku — one of the strongest females — shudder.
"He'd knelt right into an invincible cloud of Hydrogen Sulfite." You continued to warn, "It sounds crazy but it's true. Humans don't stand a chance when Mother Nature wants us dead. You can be fast, Kohaku, but it won't make a difference."
"So what in the hell are we supposed to do?! I have to save Ruri, no matter what!" Kohaku shouted out.
Both you and Senku exchanged brief glances before beaming.
"There's still a way for us to do this." Senku spoke with calmness, "We'll make gas masks."
"The only way to fight a chemical enemy is by using some chemistry of our own." You smirked smugly, "Interesting, isn't it?"
With that, you all returned to the Kingdom of Science, where Kaseki and the Science Team went to work to create several masks in various sizes.
However, when it came to making yours and Chrome, Senku told Kaseki that it had to wait. He needed to think twice about it while he hoped no one noticed that he whispered such a thing to the old man.
But, you heard it.
So immediately, you grimaced and pulled him away, surprising him.
"Wha-" He was about to argue, but gazing into your eyes, he knew exactly what you were going to say.
Instead of your typical glare, your eyes expressed nothing but a serene stare that made him feel somewhat afraid.
"You want me to stay behind." You began in a tone that was almost whispery.
How could you not be angry? It feels like you've been betrayed right now. You two are like partners in crime; No matter how risky the situation, you two will go wherever adventure leads you. Together!
"Yeah."
However, this time, you were curious.
"Why?"
You took a determined stride forward, hoping he would explain.
"It's the most logical thing to do." Briefly, Senku answered, "There's no telling how effective this gas mask gonna be. With this experiment we can't simply rely on trial and error because you know what it means, right? Error equals deat-"
"Oh, don't give me that bullshit, you damn lettuce head." You scoffed, moving forward one more step till your faces were almost touched with one other.
It surely caused him to lean back slightly, startled.
"I know how to collect the Sulfuric Acid. You know that." You went on fiercely, "This means one of us can go; I'll go and you'll stay. Not the other way around! Sen... If you stay behind, science will continue to exist."
Undoubtedly, Senku was taken aback by this. You were never this insane. You are always thinking about what is best for everyone, and this is what he believes is best for you and himself.
But why are you refusing?
Senku frowned, "But if you stay behind, science will continue to exist too. If the two of us leave, we could end up unable to rebuild humanity. Think about the possibilities. You'll also be safe from harm."
"You don't trust me, huh? If I come with you, we have a better chance of protecting each other when we gather the acid. You can watch my back, and I can watch yours!! ...Oh, wait a minute." And with that, you forced out a sarcastic laugh, "Don't tell me the Senku wants to protect me?"
"What? No-"
"Exactly! You don't!" You snarled, pointing aggressively at his chest while gazing up into those ruby eyes, "Sen I know you know that we can avoid this fatal situation! We'd do anything to survive."
"(Name), what you said is completely illogical. I know you don't want to hear it but you have to face it. You ARE the Kingdom of Science's leader." Senku tightened his grasp on your wrist, arguing back, "You have to stay behind to lead and continue the project if this one fails. Every piece of knowledge stays within you, in your mind and heart. The Kingdom of Science can't afford to lose you!"
Your eyes widened as he spoke, too astonished to say anything.
You felt unqualified for that position.
You nearly let Ginro led to his own doom.
You felt unworthy.
Senku hesitated for a moment before exhaling, "I'm aware of the basics and theory of gas masks, and I can deal with acid. So it's most effective if I go alone."
"Alone?! That's even more absurd!" You sneered, "You know I can look after myself. You know I'm capable of anything. You and I both know that when we collect those damn acids, we are not going to die. You know we aren't going to let ourselves die that way. I won't let it happen! YOU won't let it happen!"
"I know that. Still, you're not worth risking your life for." Senku argued back.
"And you think you are?!" You asked in disbelief, "You know how I felt when Ginro came extremely close to that spring back then? I felt scared... and worried. At that point, it reminds me that no one is worth losing their lives; not Chrome, not Kohaku, not even you. This means that if one of us risks their lives, we will all do the same."
You slapped his hand away, frustrated, "It's not that I don't trust you all, but as stupid as it may sound, I don't want them to die... I don't want you to die."
Senku's eyes got bigger. He knew that you didn't want that, of course. But it was surprising that you revealed it.
'Still the soft-hearted person I know...'
"I'd rather have you by my side in this world — whether modern or stone — than not have you at all, you damn space-obsessed maniac." Your lips slowly lifted into a fierce grin, a thing Senku always enjoys seeing.
"So let me. Let me join you."
← ←
Thunder was falling heavily as the sky darkened along with everything else.
Up there, by itself, the sky was crying out and seeming to be grieving over it.
Senku, too, was alone down under the dirt, with no one to talk to.
His tree house was all that accompanied him, along with a few monkeys that were hiding beneath it.
Then, from the corner of his eye, he noticed the ocean far away.
Compared in the morning, the ocean was different. Once, it was peaceful and serene, but this time, the waves crashed into one another, competing to see who could push and pull the other the hardest. Not only that, but he witnessed dangerously high waves crashing into the beach.
Even though nature was going crazy, Senku sat inside his tree house with an emotion he couldn't quite express. Not that he wanted to admit it, but he was upset.
He located Yuzuriha's and Taiju's statues, but he failed to locate yours.
He searched everywhere.
He dug, climbed, and tried everything to find the location of your statue, but he was unable to find it at all.
Rage was all he felt.
He genuinely wanted to see you right now, just to feel the comfort you somehow gave. In this moment, when the sky and sea were angry, he was angry at himself.
He couldn't help but allow memories of you flood back like big waves; From the day you made fun of him, when you taunted him as he teased you back, the projects you created together, and even the mocking or teasing.
Gosh, he won't forget your grin, laugh, or the way your face beams with happiness when you see him.
The way you said his name was the thing he missed most about you. You rarely called him 'Senku', but when you did, his heart always melted.
Before he knew it, he had rested his back against the wall and looked up, fist clenched so firmly it bled. His thoughts only drifted to one thing — a pleading — hoping that it would give him strength to find your statue the next day.
"Please, (Name)... Where the heck are you? I know you're out there but where?!"
→ →
'I can't risk losing you.' Senku's eyebrows twitched at the thought before he finally let out a sigh, "Fine."
Turning around swiftly, he pretended not to notice that his heart was racing and that he had goosebumps all over his arms.
Your determination must have struck a chord in his heart.
"I'm not going to break the promise, by the way." He smirked softly, leading you to lift an eyebrow in curiosity.
What does he mean by that?
"I'll take you with me on every adventure that awaits and you will definitely do the same." He then slowly walked away, "You and I are equal, remember?"
"Yeah." In that moment, you merely laughed, "I'll always be by your side, and you'll be by my side."
"That's a promise."
The two of you spoke in a soft tone yet strong words.
It's a promise that both of you will never forget.
You just stood there, watching him walk away from you. This time, your emotions were mixed with happiness instead of fury.
Perhaps it's because he still remembers the lame promise you two made without considering the future.
Perhaps it is because you are able to convince him.
Perhaps it's because you felt your heart beating twice as quickly as before.
'That anti-gravity haired moron is so unpredictable and damn interesting.' Snickering to yourself, you felt your cheeks heat up slightly.
You want more, even if this feeling felt heavy in your chest.
You had no idea what it was, but you now have a better understanding of how Taiju feels.
With that, you strolled back to the storage room with confidence and a soft smile.
You knew that the two of you would be enough for this mission, but a certain primitive will forced himself to join.
Chrome is not the type of person who will refuse to participate in any scientific adventure. That being said, you're certain that Senku will try to convince him otherwise.
Then, in a tone as harsh as ever, you heard Chrome yelling at Senku, "Making me stay back here isn't logical at all! Are you just trying to protect me, like I'm your kid or something?! Don't you dare patronize me, asshole."
'Asshole?!' Your mouth dropped open in awe. Chrome just cursed Senku in his face! There is no greater feeling of satisfaction than the one you currently feel.
"You're making me so proud, Chrome!" You cheered from behind, making Senku and Chrome stare at you in surprise.
"Wha-? (Name), why are you here?" Chrome inquired in shock, but his lips curled into a grin.
"He tried to talk me out of it too, y'know? But, I absolutely refused!" You flashed a smug smirk, "Hey, lettuce head. You also have to trust Chrome. He wants to save Ruri just as much as we want to advance the world."
Chrome was clearly beaming like a fool and his eyes were a little teary to see that you agreed with him.
"Taiju and Yuzuriha — your friends; They're spies in the Tsukasa Empire, right? They're putting everything on the line. Your lives are in each other's hands. If I'm your friend, it means I'm not higher or lower than you!" Chrome balled up his fist and held it out to Senku, "I don't need you to protect me!"
You snickered, "Never forget that the three of us have each other's backs."
Senku sighed at that, yet there was a proud smile on his face, "This means more work for us because now we gotta make two gas masks. I hope you two are happy."
"Very!" You and Chrome both beamed enthusiastically, causing Senku to sigh once again and walk away.
The following day, you and Senku neutralized poison gas through the mask attached to its tube using steam-roasted bamboo, potassium carbonate, and crushed charcoal.
Once everything was ready for everyone, it was time to get the Sulfuric Acid.
[ GAS MASK ACQUIRED !! ]
"Time for the scientists to return for a tag team rematch!" Chrome spoke excitedly.
"Kukuku! We're gonna get over the greatest hurdle together." Senku declared, "We'll come home victorious, carrying jars of Sulfuric Acid."
Like a lunatic, you laughed, "We're coming for you, Sulfurina-channn!!"
That surely earned a deadpan from Chrome, 'Sulfurina-chan??'
"Come on, Ginro! Let's go." You then turned to face Ginro, yet he shrieked in fright.
"I won't go! The fury of the spring put a curse on me!" He whined, "My silver spear turned black and that bird melted! So, there is no way that I'm ever going back there again!"
"Don't be a baby, Ginro. Come on, we're going!" Chrome scoffed, annoyed with his friend's behavior.
Senku, on the other hand, left him be, "It'd be better if he just stayed here. He'll only slow us down." Then he looked directly at Ginro, "Listen. What happened in the spring wasn't a curse. It's science."
With a kind grin, you carefully remove the spear from Ginro and playfully winked, "No worries, Ginro. I'll make another silver spear for you."
That being said, he joyfully released his grip and allow you to carry his beloved spear.
Using an alkaline base, you rubbed the black Sulfuric Acid sludge to restore its silver color. Even rubbing it against warm ashes will work.
"Hey, Ginro." You called out from afar, catching Ginro's attention, "Take my word for it, alright?"
In an instant, his eyes went wide before his mouth opened slightly as well his heart tightened at the words.
He was a coward, he knew that.
He doesn't deserve another silver spear, yet you're willing to give it to him.
Without waiting for his response, the Science Team returned to the spring. The walk was long as usual and each step you took increased the beating of your hearts in enthusiasm.
You're genuinely interested in this adventure.
You stood in front of the group, gripping the spear to discover the point of no return. As you reached the lake, the spear gradually began to become black.
Chrome remained stuck in place, looking wide-eyed at the spear. Senku and you, on the other hand, continued on as if nothing had happened.
"The hell?! You guys seriously running up to it?!"
"If you stand around huffing and puffing in fear, the gas mask won't be able to keep up with purifying the air." Senku casually explained.
"Freak out too much and you'll die, Chrome. Got it?" You looked at Chrome in the corner of your eyes calmly, "Let's go."
Despite the fact that you both said so, Chrome noticed Senku's hands were slightly shaking.
He tried desperately to disguise it so Chrome wouldn't freak out. Meanwhile, you merely bit your lips until they bled slightly.
Sure, your limbs aren't trembling, but the grip on your bottom lip hurts too much to make you forget about the fear.
"Right!" Chrome nodded and followed the two of you, realizing that even the greatest scientists he knew could feel afraid.
The three of you drew closer to the spring, where Senku began collecting some of the stones from nearby. The slope he was on was less steep, making it easier to get to it.
But Chrome and you both saw it.
The acid was starting to bubble up toward him.
"Senku!" Chrome let out a cry, sprinting towards him, "The hose of on your gas mask is melting and it's about to bust open!"
Senku calmly looked down and thankfully tied it with a piece of cloth rope he had on hand right away, "Kukuku! That was close. It's a good thing we came out here as a team-"
"CHROME!"
In that moment, when Chrome was reaching out for Senku, the rocks had slipped beneath him. He was about to dive head first into the acid.
No.
You can't lose Chrome.
Not when he's the trigger for the reason you want to heal Ruri.
In a wave of adrenaline, you extended the blackened spear and pointed it at him to grab it. Luckily, he was able to latch onto it and wrap himself around it with his arms and legs.
However, there were some issues.
First of all, because of the extra weight on the spear, your body was unfortunately pulled forward.
Second of all—
SNAP!
'Holy shit!!'
Your lips quivered as you saw the spear splintering in half, leaving Chrome without something to hang onto anymore while you clutched half a stick.
You were going to risk your life by jumping down and tossing Chrome to the ground right there, when out of nowhere you noticed a familiar small blonde figure next to you.
It was Ginro! He came to the rescue, holding Kinro's spear for Chrome to grasp.
It was no joke — he was actually struggling. His breathing becomes heavier and faster, yet he continues to hold on to the spear.
"So heavy!" He whined, hands wobbling from the weight and anxiety.
"You gotta control your breathing! Your gas mask can't keep up with you!" Senku warned, telling the truth.
"I-IT CAN'T?!" That doesn't make Ginro feel any better; Tears began to trickle down his cheeks, "I-Is the poison gas gonna kill me?! A-Am I going to-"
"Ginro, calm yourself down!" You shouted behind him and he instantly looked at you with tears in his eyes.
At that moment, you seemed to be his only hope for he knew you would always be there to help him.
Quickly, you grabbed the spear with both hands to support him, "You'll be fine, Ginro. It'll be alright only when you control your breath."
Thus, despite your own fear, you tried to reassure him with a smile.
You hoped it'd work, and it did.
"I know that you can overcome your fear. That's why you're here, isn't it?"
Ginro became somewhat less fearful, but not completely.
"Yo, Ginro. Listen to this and think with this," Chrome pointed to his chest and forehead, "No matter how powerful nature may be, it doesn't have a heart to listen to or a brain to reason with. But humans are different. That's all we've got going for us!"
With Chrome's one last burst of inspiration, Ginro cried aloud for strength to pull Chrome up. As a result, he was able to bring Chrome back up from the spring to safety.
Senku began hurriedly pulling out several empty jars in order to gather the Sulfuric Acid, trying to disregard the situation entirely in an effort to get you all out of there as soon as possible.
"Chrome! You're alive!" You cheered, giving him a tight hug; Either to reassure yourself that he's still alive or because you wanted to choke him to death for frightening you.
You then included Ginro in the embrace, "And Ginro! You did it! You finally did it! You overcome your fear!"
"I won't do that again." Ginro stammered, becoming pale as hell, "Ever."
"Get excited, bodyguard." With a sly smile, Senku showed them a container containing the necessary liquid, "Because of you, our mission was successful."
[ SULFURIC ACID ACQUIRED !! ]