"I'll leave the village for now. You wouldn't want to deal with an outsider who isn't even a contestant right, Kinro-chan the guard? We can talk about your end of our deal after you've captured the village, Senku-chan." Gen said and left.
"Sure." Senku muttered and walked over to Chrome then started to kick him.
"S-Senku, stop that. He's hurt." [Y/n] scolded and began to treat Chrome's wounds.
"Match two of the semi-finals will now begin. Senku versus Ginro. Both contestants, forward."
Once the match began, Ginro went crazy. "What the hell's gotten into you, Ginro?!" Senku yelled while dodging Ginro's attacked.
"I mean...Ruri-chan said she'll marry anyone! So maybe I have a shot at being village chief, too! Maybe it's finally my time to shine!" Ginro said with a crazed look on his face.
[Y/n] watched in shock from where she was sitting with Chrome's head in her lap.
"If I become the chief, I'll get to have ramen every day. And a harem! I'm going to turn it into a super awesome village!" Ginro said, and [Y/n] sighed. She was more disappointed than surprised at this point. [Y/n] looked over at the watermelon mask. She reached for it then hesitated.
'What if Senku does win, and he marries Ruri, what are you going to do then?' The voice of selfish greed rung in [Y/n]'s head.
'There's someone's life at stake here.'
'It doesn't matter who wins, they're all a part of the kingdom of science. She'll be saved either way.'
'But, we can't take any chances.'
'Don't you want Senku all yourself because you lov-'
'Shut up!'
[Y/n] looked at Kohaku then to Chrome. 'Ruri comes first right now.' [Y/n] thought and grabbed the watermelon then rolled it over to Senku.
Senku laughed. "I guess I don't have a choice." He said and propped the rod on the mask.
"You're about to use some crazy sorcery, aren't you?" Ginro asked and charged at Senku. "'No, you don't."
Senku stepped on the rod, causing the other end to launch up and hit Ginro in the groin. Ginro fell to the ground.
"Winner: Senku!"
Everyone cheered for him. "The village is coming together. " Suika cheered, and Chrome smiled, weakly.
"Now we can turn this village into a kingdom of science..." Chrome said, "And we can save...Ruri..." Chrome's eyes slowly closed.
"Chrome? Chrome?!" [Y/n] called, but he wouldn't wake up.
"All right, it's the finals now. Now I just need to lose on purpose, and Chrome, you'll marry Ruri and become the village chief." Senku said while walking over to [Y/n] and Chrome then laughed. "Happily ever afters all around!"
[Y/n] looked up at Senku. "He...He isn't waking up." She said, a bit panicked.
"He must be mighty relieved that Ruri-nee's going to be all right." Kohaku said, then realized. Senku was the only contestant.
"The new village chief, the husband of the priestess...is the winner of the Grand Bout, Senku!"
[Y/n] felt sick to her stomach.
"Well, this is a pain in the ass. So, I just have to marry Ruri, and the whole village is mine, right?" Senku asked then walked closer to Ruri. "I'll do it, then."
Which shocked everyone, and Ruri blushed. "Senku's married!" Suika announced with tears in her eyes.
Kohaku and Kinro looked over at [Y/n], and so her face turned completely pale.
[Y/n] wanted to celebrate the victory of science. She wanted to be happy that Ruri was save. But, the man that she adored and admired all her life was getting married to someone other than her.
[Y/n] stood up and pulled a blanket out of her bag. "[Y/n]..-chan..." Kohaku called out to her. walking closer to her. The [h/c] girl didn't say anything as she folded the blanket, placing it under Chrome's head.
"We'll go check on Gen..." [Y/n] muttered, voice cracking in the process, "Don't forget the alcohol." With that, she rushed off without another word.
Suika and Kohaku called for her, but they were ignored. They could see the tears streaming down her cheeks behind her short hair.
As soon as she was out of sight, [Y/n] ran and ran all the way back to camp, wanting to get as far away from her feelings as possible. Once she got there, [Y/n] tripped over a rock.
"[Y/n]-chan?" Gen called and rushed over to help her. Gen helped [Y/n] up and sat her on her knees.
[Y/n] sniffled and tried to wipe her tears while also spreading more dirt on her face. "He won...." [Y/n] muttered as more tears fell, "S-Senku won the Grand Bout. He agreed to marry Ruri."
Gen smirked. "Oh..."
"[Y/n]!" [Y/n] heard Senku's voice, and her eyes shut tight. She didn't want to hear him, she didn't want to see him, she didn't want to be reminded of her feelings for him.
Senku ran to camp with Kaseki and Kohaku, who was holding the barrels of wine and vinegar. Gen hummed while looking at Senku. Gen's hand went up and patted [Y/n]'s head like Senku would usually do.
"There, there, [Y/n]-chan. You'll be okay." Gen said while Senku glared slightly at him. Gen took [Y/n]'s hands and helped her up.
"[Y/n]..." Senku said while gently placing his hand on her shoulder. He could see her tear-stained cheeks.
[Y/n] smacked his hand off and took off deeper into the forest. She had to get away from him.
Gen went running after her. Senku stood in shock for a moment and stared at his hand. Gen caught up to [Y/n] and found her sitting next to a tree trunk.
"[Y/n]-chan... y'know, you can't run away from your feelings, silly."
"Looking at him hurts, Gen." [Y/n] muttered, and Gen sat in front of her. "I don't know what to do."
"You're heartbroken." Gen said, and [Y/n]'s eyes widened in realization.
"It's impossible. I'm not in love with Senku." [Y/n] said while looking at the ground.
Gen smirked. "Who said anything about being in love with Senku-chan?" He said with a shrug, "But, it was pretty obvious. The way you're always with him, always working with him. You're even willing to put yourself in danger to protect him. It's love."
More tears filled the young girl's eyes. "I don't want that." [Y/n] muttered and gripped the of her skirt with both hands.
"Did you not realize it yourself?" Gen asked, "The warm feeling-"
"Of course, I knew! I'm not an idiot! I continued to deny, but deep down I knew...This feeling is far from warm. I'm..." [Y/n] said and gritted her teeth, "I can't..."
"Perhaps, if you admit it to yourself, you'd feel more relieved."
[Y/n] looked to her left to see Kohaku was leaning on the tree. [Y/n] hated this feeling.
"It really hurts..." [Y/n] muttered as she continued to cry, "I'm in love with my best friend, who's trying to restore civilization with science. He has the weight of the world on his shoulders; I can't be with him, and it hurts." [Y/n] started wiping her tears, "I'm in love with a man who believes love and relationships are the most troublesome and illogical things in the world."
"That's no good. Who are you in love with, [Y/n]-chan?"
"I'm in love with Senku, okay! I'm completely and utterly in love with Senku." [Y/n] said and stared down at her lap. "But, that doesn't matter anymore. Senku's married to Ruri."
"Senku divorced Ruri-nee. You still have a chance, [Y/n]." Kohaku encouraged, and [Y/n] sighed then slowly stood.
"No, I don't, but that doesn't matter." [Y/n] said and started walking to the camp.
"Of course it does!" Kohaku said.
[Y/n] looked at her with dull eyes and somewhat emotionless expression. She was hiding her pain. "I feel better now, so there are other things to focus on now." [Y/n] said.
Once they got back to the camp, Senku was still standing there, lost in thought. Then, he looked at [Y/n], making [Y/n]'s heart rate speed up.
"[Y/n]..." He called out to her. [Y/n] took both of her hands and slapped her cheeks while Senku, Gen, and Kohaku looked at her in shock. [Y/n] smiled softly with her cheeks now rosy.
"I'm sure Ruri-san doesn't have much time. Let's focus on the task at hand." [Y/n] said and walked passed by Senku. [Y/n] lead the way, ignoring the stinging feeling in her knee.
They went to check on their bamboo device in the river water. "The river water is making the bamboo spin around." Suika said as Kaseki jumped into the water.
"I nailed in on my first attempt. Go, me. You can fall in love with me if you want, girls." Kaseki said, and [Y/n] giggled.
"You're very good at what you do, Kaseki-san." [Y/n] said, and Kaseki chuckled.
"Oh, please call me, Grandpa." Kaseki said. [Y/n]'s eyes soften at the old man who was grinning at her, and she smiled.
"Okay, Grandpa." [Y/n] said.
"Not bad. I usually botch my first few attempts at building anything." Senku said.
"Senku, you don't need to fall in love with me." Kaseki said.
"So what does this let us make?" Gen asked.
"That's the thing. I have no idea." Kaseki said.
Senku chuckled. "You'll find out tomorrow." Senku said.
"I'll keep my eye on it for a while. I'd cry if my child were to be destroyed by driftwood or something." Kaseki said, and Senku, Gen, and [Y/n] began to walk.
Kaseki grabbed Gen. "You! Are you leaving a weak old man to stand guard by himself?! Stay and help. I'm sure you have nothing better to do!" Kaseki said.
"Give me a break, Grampa." Gen whined and accidentally ripped Kaseki's top. Gen had seen how well built Kaseki was.
"Uh, sure. Yes. I'll help you." Gen said, nervously.
"Are you alright, [Y/n]? You've been acting a bit...off." Senku said, and [Y/n] smiled a little.
"I will be alright. There's no need to worry about me, Senku." [Y/n] said.
[Y/n] waited with Inosuke at the lab while Senku and Kohaku went back to the village to haul Chrome and the last barrel of alcohol back. Once they came back, Senku stuck two sticks up Chrome's nose. Chrome woke up and started screaming.
"Wake up and smell the ammonia! Get up and help out, science team!" Senku announced, "Now we just need to put it all together, and we're done. We're going to finish the ultimate cure-all sulfa drug by tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?!" Chrome repeated while Kohaku and [Y/n] smiled.
"First, we're using a burnable rock called coal to..." Chrome rushed out before Senku could finish. Senku and [Y/n] walked outside the lab. "Burnable rocks! Got it. I have some in my shelter." Chrome said and saw that it was gone.
"We used up all of it when we made the iron." Senku said.
"Damn it!" Chrome cried then Senku chuckled and climbed on the furnace.
"We can find plenty of the kind of cheap coal that you gathered from any mountain around here." Senku said while gathering coal tar, "Besides, it's not even the coal that we want. It's the coal tar that's left after it's burned."
Once he was done, Senku put the collected tar in a round-bottomed flask. "First, wash it with hydrochloric acid, then threw in ethyl acetate made from alcohol and vinegar, and we have anilin." Senku explained while [Y/n] and Chrome watched him.
"Hold it, hold it. I'm totally lost. That's step one?" Chrome asked, "How many of these complicated steps are we doing by tomorrow?"
"Oh, up to....25, maybe?" Senku said while wiggling around. [Y/n] giggled and walked over to help him.
｡･:*:･ﾟ★｡･:*:･ﾟ☆
By the next morning, [Y/n]'s eyes slowly opened to see that she was in Chrome's shelter with a blanket covering her body. All she remembered was staying up late with Senku.
Then, [Y/n] blushed and smiled a bit when she realized that Senku was the one that tucked her in. "Even when I tell him not to, Senku still takes care of me." [Y/n] muttered and climbed out of the shed.
[Y/n] yawned and walked to the lab. "Good morning, Gen." [Y/n] said, sleepily and looked into the lab to see an explosion had happened. "Senku?! What happened? What did you do?" [Y/n] asked while rushing to his side on the floor.
Senku chuckled. "We haven't done anything, really." Senku said while [Y/n] examined the bruises in his face, "We poured vinegar on some cooked shells, extracted glacial acetic acid using sulfuric acid, turned it into ketene in an iron pipe and put it back to make acetic anhydride."
"H-Huh. I see." Gen said.
"So I tried to drip that acetic anhydride into the aniline, but I poured way too much, and kaboom." Senku finished. "So that's what this wreckage was from." Gen said, and [Y/n] let out a sigh of relief. Senku and [Y/n] stood up.
"Please don't scare me like that again." [Y/n] muttered.
"Mix the chlorosulfuric acid into the acetanilide we just made, and we get para-acetamidobenzenesulfonyl chloride. Throw some ammonia in there to make para-acetamidobenzenesulfonic acid, cook it in hydrochloric acid, and you get that stuff." Senku said and pointed at what was boiling.
"I'm impressed you can say that without stuttering, Senku-chan." Gen muttered.
"Lastly, that carbonated water." Senku said and took the flask from Gen.
"Oh, right, Senku-chan. I'm not expecting anything, but..." Gen said with an innocent smile.
"That's right. You know what that carbonated water means..." Senku said with a smile as well.
"Carbonated water means...?" Gen repeated.
"We mix it with sodium hydroxide to make baking soda!" Senku said and poured the carbonated water into a beaker.
"Right. Of course. Baking soda. That's what I was thinking." Gen said with a fake smile.
[Y/n] giggled, knowing exactly what Gen wanted. Lucky for him, Senku and [Y/n]'s surprise for him was kept cool and hidden.
Soon, it was time to finish the drug. "Step 25. Finally, we wash this stuff with baking soda, and then we wait." Senku said.
"It's been a long time." Chrome muttered.
"Half a year..." [Y/n] said.
"It's been crazy." Chrome said.
Senku took the baking soda and began to add it to the mixture. "Sulfanilamide. Also known as...the cure-all sulfa drug! It's done." Senku announced, and everyone cheered.
[Y/n] suddenly felt Kohaku hug her with tears in her eyes. "Finally...Finally, Ruri-nee..." Kohaku muttered, and [Y/n] smiled, softly, then rubbed Kohaku's back.
"Don't start crying yet, idiot. Wait until she's actually better." Senku mocked, and Kohaku blushed.
"I'm not crying!" She yelled.
After packing away the drug, the team set out for Ruri's hut. "Too bad. I can't go inside the village, so I won't be there to see Ruri-chan take it." Gen said while stopping at the bridge.
"Have fun waiting at the lab by yourself." Senku said.
"Gen did lots and lots of work, too. I feel sorry for him." Suika said.
"Well, what can you do? It was hard enough convincing Kinro to pass [Y/n] as my healer." Senku said.
"I'm sure Gen would rather be at the lab, anyway. I left him a little surprise." [Y/n] said with a small smile.
Once they made it, the team stood in front of Ruri, Kokuyo, Jasper, and Turquoise. Senku looked the sulfa-drug and placed some on a leaf.
"Ruri, don't worry. that medicine is the power of life, born from stone. It's the cure-all of science. It'll knock out your sickness for sure!" Chrome said while [Y/n] and Kohaku nodded.
Ruri stepped forward and sat on a cushion her caretakers have provided for her. Senku fed the drug to her.
"All right, we finally get to see our patient. Time for a diagnosis. Senku said and pulled out a beaker. He placed it on Ruri's back with his ear listening through it.
"Say 'Ee'" Senku ordered while Ruri blushed.
[Y/n] face-palmed. "I'm not even surprised." She muttered.
"Eee!" Ruri said, and Senku listened.
"[Y/n], come here and listen." Senku said.
"O-Okay..." She said and walked closer to Ruri. [Y/n] placed her ear on the glass.
"It sounds like a goat bleating, doesn't it?" He asked, and [Y/n] nodded.
"It's evidence that there's fluid in her lungs. It's most likely pneumonia...meaning Ruri-sama's condition will get worse before it gets better." [Y/n] said to Senku, and he looked over at a dead rat. Then, went to pick it up to take back to the lab.
｡･:*:･ﾟ★｡･:*:･ﾟ☆
"What are you doing with that rat, Senku-chan?" Gen asked as they watched him tie his hair in a ponytail and a mask on his face.
"Are we eating it?" Kohaku asked, and Gen and [Y/n] looked at her like she was crazy.
"I like how that's the first time that comes to your mind." Gen said.
"Well, I don't eat rat, either." Kohaku said with a smile.
"I'm glad. "Gen said.
"Usually." Kohaku added.
"Usually, huh?"
"Kohaku-chan, are you hungry?" [Y/n] asked.
"A bit." Kohaku responded.
Senku chuckled. "Rats are a good source of protein. But unfortunately, we aren't eating this time. This is an autopsy." Senku said and cut into the rat. His eyes widened.
"What's the matter, Senku?" [Y/n] asked.
"Red inflammation all over the lungs." Senku said, and [Y/n]'s eyes widened in horror, "It's definitely not pneumonia. Even the mice are catching it."
"I...I was wrong...?" [Y/n] muttered.
"The real question is what species of bacteria it is." Senku said while taking off his mask and walking outside of the lab. Gen, Kohaku, and [Y/n] followed him.
"Even a cure-all has its limits. It's not ten billion percent guaranteed that it'll take down any bacteria. If Ruri has pulmonary tuberculosis... If the enemy is a tuberculosis germ...we don't stand a chance." Senku said, which scared the others.
"This is bad!" Suika came running toward them. "Ruri-nee is..." She said with tears in her eyes, "Ruri-nee is not doing well!" They rushed to Ruri's hut.
"Ruri!"
"Ruri-nee."
Senku's eyes widened as a kneeled with a frustrated look on his face.
"Senku, you bastard!" Kokuya yelled and grabbed Senku by the neck. "It's all because of that drug."
"Father!"
"If it weren't for that drug, Ruri wouldn't have taken a turn for the worse!" Kokuya continued to yell.
"Mister! Please, let him go!" [Y/n] said.
"You might be right." Senku said.
"I knew it!"
Senku pushed Kokuya's hand away. "The bacteria is getting serious. It's making allies by spreading its toxic genes into harmless bacteria all around. It's the pneumococcus bacteria's special move." Senku explained as he walked closer to Ruri and smirked. "[Y/n] was right. Ruri's disease is...."
"...Pneumonia..." [Y/n] muttered as a wave of relief washed over her as walked to Senku's side and sat next him.
"Don't underestimate pneumonia. It's a deadly disease that's killed hundreds of millions of people. But sulfa drugs absolutely destroy pneumococcus bacteria." Senku explained and smiled, "We won! Human science has won!"
[Y/n] smiled as well. 'Ruri-san's going to be alright.' She thought and let out a sigh of relief.
"Now that we know what it is, we have the upper hand. We just need the throw more sulfa drug at her." Senku said as he stood up.
Kukoya raised his fist. "Enough of this!" He yelled and attempted to punch Senku. Thankfully, Kohaku was able to block it before [Y/n] got a chance to get off the floor.
"Father, this is nothing like the fraudulent sorcery that you know. It's called science. It's the culmination of human wisdom. I believe in science, in [Y/n], and in Senku." Kohaku said.
"Yeah, so do I!" Chrome announced while Ginro, Kinro, and Suika nodded.
"I kind of do, too." Kaseki added, quietly.
It touched [Y/n]'s heart to know that...over only a few months she's met so many amazing people that call her a friend. Almost all her life, it's only been her and Senku against the world.
But, now...there were so many wonderful people on her side. [Y/n] could admit that she loved them. It was different from the love she had for Senku, but it was still love. She couldn't help but smile...genuinely smile for the first time in a long time.
｡･:*:･ﾟ★｡･:*:･ﾟ☆
Thanks to the drug, Ruri was able to make a full recovery. She and the citizens of the Kingdom of Science walked with her the meadow of flowers.
"Ruri..." Kokuya's eyes filled with tears, "Ruri!" Then he fell on his knees and started to sob.
Kohaku was crying as well, and Ruri hugged her. [Y/n] smiled while watching the family rejoice that Ruri was better. She looked at Senku, who was standing next to her with a small smile on his face.
"We did a good job." [Y/n] praised, and Senku's eyes softened when he looked at her. [Y/n] radiated an aura of pure happiness. Senku placed his hand on her head.
"You did good. Ten billion points for you." Senku said while stroking [Y/n] head.
[Y/n] blushed and continued to smile at the ground. Her heart was racing.
"I don't remember how many years it's been...since I left the village or been able to run." Ruri said and started running at full speed surprising her caretakers.
"Kohaku-chan's rambunctiousness must run in the family all along." Kaseki said.
After their peaceful time in the meadows, everyone went back to the village to hear Kokuya's announcement.
"Listen, all!" Kokuya announced and raise Senku's fist in the air. "From this day forth, this man, Senku, is the new chief of Ishigami Village!" Kokuya announced, and everyone cheered.
'Ishigami...?' [Y/n] thought with widened eyes. She rushed to Senku's side.
"Yes, Senku. I've known about you for a long time. Your name is Ishigami Senku." Ruri said while [Y/n] and Senku looked at her with widened eyes.