"Mozu!" a member of the guard ran over in panic.
You didn't know who this man was, but you blessed him for saving you -well, not really but- saving you from this moment between you and Mozu, who was now the new face of your nightmares.
"We need you at the ship!" the soldier continued. "The invaders are attacking us!"
"I'm kind of busy right now." he coldly said, not looking away from you.
"B-But they're using their magic! And lord Ibara said-"
He groaned, rolling his eyes, and slowly put you down. He still kept a grip on the rope's end though. He sighed and started walking.
"U-um, but Mozu..." the soldier spoke again, pointing at you with a shaky finger. "What if she uses her powers again?"
He looked at him for a moment, then at you. He knelt down and torn off a piece of your cloak. He used it as a gag, making a tight knot behind your head.
"There." he began walking again. "Now let's go."
On the little boat towards the big ship. You saw soldiers jumping off the ship, screaming in fear. Among the power and science team, Magma and Gen were there which made you a bit relieved considering they were missing this morning. You did wonder where everyone else was. You figured because of a new plan, they must've split into two groups.
"Be right back." Mozu said.
As soon as he was close enough, he jumped aboard. Yo prepared his gun and your expression fell when you saw him being disarmed, it all happened too quickly for him too react. You watched in horror as your friends fled towards the ship's hold, Mozu and Ibara not far behind. Everything went silent after that.
And you were fucking pissed!
'I have to get in here!' you thought, your fists clenched. 'Somehow, I'm in a safer spot right now, it's not fair! There's gotta be something I can do!' you looked around the boat, the soldier had his back on you, fixing the ship. 'I'd have the element of surprise but...' you looked down to see what you had that could be useful. '...I have a rope. That'll do it!'
You quietly took a deep breath and suddenly jumped on him from behind, wrapping your tied up wrists around his neck. He began to struggle but you used your full weight to counter-balance his strength.
'Now what?!'
Your eyes darted around for anything you could do. You kicked him behind the knee as hard as you could, causing him to fall and drop the rope and his weapon. You quickly took both and got into a fighting stand, similar to Kinrou's, as to make it look like you knew how to use this thing.
He looked at you, terrified and bowed down, pleading you not to get the gods' anger upon him or whatever. Taking this as a go, you got on the ship and ran towards the hold, following the sound of voices. And you frowned when you recognized the path you were taking.
At some point, while you were going through a hallway, something weird happened.
You suddenly stopped as you saw Ibara running over. Just as you were wondering if you should run or take on his old ass, he pushed you aside and kept on running. You frowned in confusion, but believed that if he just left, then something must've happened. And it just made you panic even more, you ran to the direction he came from.
"I could team up with you," you heard as you got closer. "and take control of the Kingdom of Science. Or, I could team up with Mozu and kill the Kingdom of Science." there was a paused, you knew that voice! "The pivotal decision, rests completely in my han-."
"Mmhmhmm!" you ran in, out of breath.
Hyouga has apparently been revived and freed from his cell. A good move but you knew it would back-fire, he was a dick after all. And now he was sitting there, towering over the two parties like he was in total control of the situation. Which was just true.
"(Y/n)-chan?!" Gen exclaimed. "What are you doing with a weapon?!"
"Mhmhmmhm!" you looked at him before turning over to Hyouga, pointing at him. "Hmmhmhmmhmh-!"
"Would you stop already?" Hyouga coldly said.
You furiously shook your head.
'No! I have something to say!'
He hopped down, sighing as he walked towards you. With Kinrou's spear, he cut the rope.
"You really do do a terrible job." he quietly said as he untied the knot behind your head. "You should really just stick to music."
Mozu stared at him, trying to contain his possessive impulsion making him want to beat him to a pulp for just showing the least bit of gentleness towards what's his.
"Now you may speak."
"I know you'll join us!" you exclaimed as soon as he said that. "I know you won't kill us!"
"Oh? And why's that?"
"Because if you do, you'll eventually regret it!" you said, looking into his eyes.
"...hmm." he slowly brandished his spear. "Move to the left." he whispered.
Without really questioning it, you took a step aside. The spear went by, close to your head and straight towards Mozu, who blocked his surprise attack with great reflexes.
You glanced at Mozu, and seeing the enraged look on his face, you instinctively stepped back as the two of them started fighting.
"He'll be able to fight a lot better if we're out of the way." Senku said, rushing towards the exit with the others. "Let's move it! (Y/n)!"
You ran towards him. His smile fell when Mozu hit you on the leg with the other end of his weapon, making you fall right on your face. Senku tried to get to you, but Mozu grabbed your ankle and dragged you close to him. He towered you like a dog would protect his food.
"I can't stress this enough." he growled, glaring up at him. "Any of you touch her and your death will be slower than I plan it to be."
You were still processing the pain in your forehead and nose which started to bleed, so you didn't see the look of frustration on Senku's face. Meanwhile, Hyouga tried to strike him from the back, but his attack was blocked again.
"I'll take care of him." Hyouga said.
Senku nodded and ran out.
As soon as you could get up, you tried to get out of here again and again. But every time you were stopped by Mozu and were just pushed on the other side of the room. At least it gave Hyouga an opening every time.
"So focused on keeping her from escaping that you can't concentrate on the fight?" he said. "You won't be able to win like that. You need to fight properly."
One thing led to another, the three of you ended up on the deck. You were trying to catch your breath, looking at the two young men.
"Alright, let's do this properly then." Mozu said. "Indeed you are strong Hyouga. Unfortunately...I may have let you get the idea that you were able to hold your own against me in some way. If (Y/n) wasn't there to distract me, this fight would've probably been over a long time ago." you threw the weapon you had at his face, he caught it effortlessly. "Case and point."
He threw the weapon overboard and charged towards Hyouga, his movements quicker and more brutal than ever. Hyouga was getting out of breath, and it surprised you to see him like that.
"You are strong," Mozu kept going with his monologue. "but your technique reek of the sweat of hard work. It's all too obvious just how much you've slaved over practicing. And unfortunately, even if you spent your whole life training, you'd never be able to beat me. Because I am a genius."
'A prodigy?' you thought. 'And Hyouga isn't one?! That's the most shocking!'
"Unlike you with those fake fangs you created through practice and determination." he continued. "I was the strongest from birth."
From where you were, you couldn't see Hyouga's face. But at this moment, you really wanted to see what expression he had.
Suddenly, he ran over to the edge, grabbing you by the arm, and you both jumped off the edge, you yelling in surprise. Mozu quickly followed you and you began to run as soon as you were back on the island. He was still holding your arm so you could keep up with him.
"You could've left me on the ship!" you said. "Why-?!"
"To make sure he would follow." he simple said. "Now tell me where you can find bamboo on this island."
"Huh?-Right!"
You were confused at first, but then it made sense. Senku would've never went out of Hyouga's way to be nice! Not to him! So he must've had a plan in mind. He was looking for a way to upgrade Hyouga's weapon so he could do that spinning thing!
"Over there!" you pointed to the right.
As you were giving him directions, you were too focus on running and remembering the way to that one bamboo forest, that you didn't look back to see if Mozu was closing in or not. Spoiler alert: he was.
At some point, you heard a forth person running nearby, you looked up and saw Magma running along a line of mountain rocks.
"Magma!" you called out.
Hyouga turned over and pointed the end of his spear upwards as Magma threw a piece of hollow bamboo, which landed perfectly. Magma let out a big 'YES' before he kept running.
"Now," Hyouga said as he let you go. "stand back and stay still for once."
You figured it was best to listen to him this time. Your legs even took this opportunity to finally give up on you and you fell on your bottom.
"Let me show you Mozu," he said, getting into position. "the spear of science."
'Oh my god he's using our trademark!'
"Passed down and inherited through 500 years of history: the Owari Kan Ryu spear style."
He then proceeded to beat the shit out of Mozu, with Hyouga's technique, he was completely helpless. From where you were, it was spectacular to watch. Mozu's weapon got torn into pieces and he fell on his back.
"Damn it!" he exclaimed and for the first time, you saw a look a desperation on his face. "I can't...I can't lose to this sorcerous weapon!"
"Sorcerous weapon huh?" Hyouga said, looking down at him. "Tell me Mozu, what do you suppose humanity's ultimate weapon is? It's the privilege of being human. A race spanning across generations and accumulating knowledge. Over thousands of years they continue to be refined, straight-forwards, honestly and diligently. We further polish what we inherit, and as we die, we pass it down to the next generation." he paused. "Against that eternal, perpetual diligence, one lone genius cannot possibly hope to win."
Mozu groaned and hit the ground with his fist. You kept looking at Hyouga with slightly widen eyes.
You didn't know in what way yet, but you knew those words could be applied to you as well.
Hyouga then went to sit on top of a nearby rock, the one you were sitting agaisnt, keeping his eyes on Mozu.
"...Now what?" you eventually asked.
"For you, do as you like." he said. "But I must keep him from trying anything."
"Oh."
"...You can go now you know?"
"I...I'm good." you shifting you seating position. "I so tired I can hardly move my legs. I don't even know where the others went."
"I don't mind." Mozu smirked. "If I get to stay with you."
You didn't respond, too tired to tell him to fuck off. You just let out one long sigh. After this, no words were exchanged for a while.
Then, the three of you looked over at the mountain, where a big green beam of light shone and progressively swallowed the whole island. Now it all made sense to you as to why the villagers were being evacuated. They were planning to trap you all on the island!
"It's over," Mozu looked down. "for both of us."
"It would seem so." Hyouga said. "Both side consider us to be too dangerous as cards to play. It's unlikely they revive us again."
"Heh. This is my first loss ever, and right at the bitter end." he looked up at Hyouga. "But if we ever do break free... All those centuries of polishing that you mentioned... I'd like to take a crack at it."
"As you please. As long as you seek to do it well, the gates of the Owari Kan Ryu style will always be open to you."
'Aw, that's nice.' you thought.
"...Mozu." you said as the light progressively came closer.
He looked at you.
"Was I convincing as a priestess?"
"...yeah." he nodded, not really understanding why you'd ask that.
"Haha! Fuck you!" you turned towards Hyouga and pointed at him with a big smile. "I am a good double-agent!"
And, maybe it was because it was so out of the blue, but Hyouga puffed a giggle. And seeing such a thing, that you probably won't see ever again, it just made you smile as the three of you turned into stone.
'GOT 'IM!' you thought triumphantly.
Though you ended this on a light note, now that you were in the darkness again, you began to feel anxious.
'That must've been why Ibara was running away.' you kept thinking over the events, trying to piece them together. 'Shit! I should've gone after him! But wait, then whoever activated the petrification weapon must've also been petrified! It couldn't have been Ibara unless he's really that stupid.'
Hitting a wall there, you instead tried to figure out how Senku was going to get himself out of the stone.
'He has a bottle of revival fluid, that I know. So he just has to pour it on himself WHILE being petrified. And he can't pour it on himself before, it's nitric acid, that shit is highly toxic! Mmm~ maybe he just throws the bottle while being petrified and it drops down on his statue, but nah~ that's way too simple!"
Again, you didn't know how much time have passed, but at least it didn't felt as long this time.
Then, you could feel the top of your head again. Progressively, you were turned back to normal for the third time now. Senku was crouching down in front of you, smiling gently. Seeing him again made all your emotions flow over you.
You both stood up, Senku opened his arms, praising himself for a hug. But you thought 'fuck that'. You wrapped your arms around his neck and kissed him. Through this gestured, you expressed all your worry and relief. Senku, caught off guard at first, closed his eyes and kissed you back. And through this gestured, he unconsciously expressed the same feelings.