Chapter Text
You quickly got up and rushed towards him as soon as you saw his figure. You couldn't believe what you were seeing. “Gen! What the hell took you so long?!”
He winced a little from your volume. “Calm down, Y/N-chan! Terribly orry-say about that, the thing is, Tsukasa-chan has been preparing a little something for this poor village, which explains my long absence.” He waved his arms in the air.
“Preparing? For what?”
He placed his hands inside his sleeves, his face mimicking a creepy look. “An attack. An attack on the Kingdom of Science.” He muttered under his breath.
“Ah, the news was successful?”
“Indeed! It was delivered, and now Tsukasa-chan will take over this village for the empire.” His tone was convincing enough for you.
“As long as this so-called army doesn't take too long, it's good enough for me.” You shrugged.
“You eriously-say won't even feel pity for them?! Not even if he kills them?!” He shrieked at your casual response, wondering how you could be so cold-hearted despite being a caring person — to certain people, though.
“Nope! They'll be fine, it's not like they're stone statues. He's definitely planning to expand his own kingdom for his whole purification plan.”
“That's too much trust in him…”
“Maybe 'cause he is trustworthy.”
He lets out a dramatic sigh, then turns away as he walks back to the forest where he came from.
“Oi, you just got here, and you're already leaving?!” You called out but followed him anyway, jogging to catch up. As you venture deep inside, the greenery envelops both of you.
“A guy like me deserves some washing up. A whole day travelling from Tsukasa's empire to here is a pain! Not to mention your azy-cray perspective about Tsukasa-chan adding to my headache.” He complained without looking back, focused on the direction towards a nearby river that he was sure was there.
“Geez, you should've just told me that.”
“Never mind that- why are you following me?!” He groaned and tilted his head behind to steal a glance at you. “Don't you have a sense of privacy?”
“I'm not staying there doing nothing.”
“So you're going to watch me take a bath like the pervert you are?”
“Not a pervert!” You yelled at his horrible accusation. “And I doubt you would shower. You look perfectly fine.” You studied his body, which showed barely any dirt or scratches.
“Too bad for me that you catch up on something like this. I would've gotten a beautiful chance to embarrass you.” He feigned sadness, placing his hand over his chest to emphasize it. “Woe is me, I just need to wash my hands and feet.”
“A child can catch on to that bullcrap. It's obvious. And you should mostly clean your feet. Who told you to walk barefoot?” You narrowed your eyes at his nonexistent shoes. His soiled feet padded softly against the ground.
“Never felt the need to have footwear! Adaptability is my greatest strength.” He shrugged playfully.
“You're trying too hard to be unique.”
“You're too harsh!” He whipped his head to you as he bit back.
“Honesty isn't harsh.” You scoffed.
His posture slumped, and his head turned away to its original position. “You're really playing the role of a mean person too literally.”
“I'm just saying, who on Earth in their right mind refuses to wear any shoes?”
“Forget about my feet for once! We're here now, so quit questioning my fashion sense.” He pointed to their destination, a peacefully quiet river. Only the hums of the birds and a few splashes of the calm currents against the rocks were heard.
His pace quickens as he steps over the edge first, dipping his hands and rinsing them in the water. A sigh escapes him as the cool temperature eases his fairly warm skin. “So, tell me, Y/N-chan, how are you and Senku-chan? Seems there's a lot yet to be unpacked between you two.”
“Oh we're doing great. Just as great as your attempt at making small talk.” Your voice is laced with obvious sarcasm.
“Come on, I doubt that's it. Don't you ever think anything else about him other than as a bastard you grew up to hate?” He didn't look your way and continued to rub his hands in the river, causing ripples and splashes.
You not only hate Senku, but also how uncomfortably right he is. You never stopped to think about what other aspects he has besides his love for science and his arrogant personality. And the past few days weren't much help for your relationship with him. Whenever Senku tries to talk to you, you would either dismiss or ignore him like he's not there.
Looking back at your observations closely, unfortunately, his ‘bastard’ title slowly dissolves into something else. You thought he used those villagers to get what he wanted — which is technically true — but his scientific creations actually benefit them at some point. For example, the ramen he reinvented, he took advantage of it, yet he allowed the primitives to experience the delicacy that the modern world once had.
And the time you found him having a serious discussion with Chrome about getting the sulfuric acid. You merely looked at them once, although you could tell their expressions between them suggested something emotional happened — especially Chrome's because he's more chalant than Senku.
You start to realize you never really gave a shot at digging deep into his persona. Never bothered to actually try to get to know him better.
“You being strangely quiet suggests you're starting to connect the dots,” He interrupted your train of thought; you nearly forgot you had a mentalist with you. He stopped washing his hands and moved onto his foot. He cleans out the dirt particles stuck to his skin and the tight spaces between his toes.
“It's quite surprising how, after all that time with Senku-chan, you only know the surface level of him.” He continued.
“What's your point?” You deadpanned at him.
“What I'm saying is, you should give him another chance. It's unfair that he still has to deal with your hatred for him after 3 millennia, don't you think?” He switches his foot to the other, giving it the same necessary hygiene care.
“And if I don't?"
He doesn't react or look at you. “Then you might not get an opportunity to improve your relationship with him. Having rivals is exhausting, you know. We're in the Stone World that depends on survivability, Y/N-chan. I think it would be better to call this whole illy-say prejudice off.”
You diverted from him, moving to the far left without wasting a second. “I'll think about it.”
“You're leaving me alone so you can reflect your feelings without an audience?” He joked.
“You can say that. I think better like this.” You waved off and kept your pace steady.
“I'll be waiting here then, don't get lost just because I opened your eyes!” He shouted out teasingly, clearly not giving a care that you would disappear for a while.
You rolled your eyes, but your lips upturned anyway. Using your time to stroll around, you decide to contemplate his suggestion. That thought didn't last for a second when you heard a screech in the area. Your ears perked at the noise and moved to a defensive stance, silently sneaking to check the source.
You use the bushes nearby to hide, crawling through them as leaves and sticks crush against your knees and hands. Propping your head up slightly, a bright green object that was almost camouflaged in its surroundings at the side of a tree trunk caught your attention.
Carefully, you get out of the bush and come closer. To your surprise, it was Suika, boundlessly tied to the bark for an unknown reason. “Suika?!” You called out to her loudly as you hurried to her.
She was startled at the sudden presence but quickly felt relief when she saw it was you. “Y/N! I'm so glad you're here!” She exclaimed brightly with tears.
You untie the knots with ease and rush to hug her as tightly as you can. Her small body felt the warmth of your huge embrace. “What happened to you? Who did this? Why were you out here?” You frantically asked questions all at once.
“I was trying to get ingredients, but Mantle saw me by the river and tied me up.” She snuggled onto your chest and reciprocated.
‘Mantle, you're so fucking dead. I may not know who you are, but I'll find you eventually.’ You cursed mentally. “You shouldn't be out here all alone, Suika.”
“I know Suika is sorry, but Senku said he knew I would be okay. Because you're here with us.” She whimpered.
You caught your breath from her words. Senku entrusted you. Despite being on different sides of the world-reviving situation and having a bumpy relationship, he trusted you. She basically pointed out the biggest evidence that proves that your rivalry with him is ridiculous.
For 3,700 years, you finally doubt your own grudge against him. Only with a push of confrontation from Gen and Suika's comment.
You chuckled heartily, making the girl feel slightly confused by your reaction. “You really believed him of all people?”
“Everyone does. He's the best person you can rely on, especially since he said he's gonna cure Ruri.”
You huffed and opened your arms to let her go. “Whatever you say. Now go tell that leek-head that he's relying on your safety on me too much.” You patted her helmet gently.
“Suika will go now!” She waved you off before popping inside her watermelon, rolling off with a gleaming energy.
Standing on your feet, you make your way back to where you came from and where you left Gen behind. “He's gonna annoy me like hell.”
…
Gen plopped down earlier under the tree to relax in the cool shade. His breathing was controlled and soft; his eyes were closed, paying attention to the natural hums of the environment, and his head, resting on the bark, was supported by his arms.
He hears your familiar steps and props one eye open in the direction of the sound, smirking as if he knew what just happened. “Let me guess, Y/N-chan. You finally realized you were stupid to be rivals with him, and you decided to make amends.” He snickered in his sing-song voice.
“Oh Gen-chan, I was so brainwashed because of how I grew up with him acting like that all the time to me. How could I be so wrong?” You mocked his talking style, and he snorted.
“That's not how I talk.”
“You can't deny the truth. It's how you sound all the time.”
He clicked his tongue playfully and removed his arms from his head. “You're horrible.” He got up with legs slightly trembling and dusted himself off
“You're the same.”
“Then we're the same. I have to take you down with me.” He corrected you before dragging his feet on the route back to the KoS, with you trudging behind him. “But seriously though, this means you'll be friends with him or what?” He continued.
“Friends is a stretch. And that's way too soon for me since I just saw him in a new light.”
“Too soon? Millennials have passed and you call that soon?” He stifled a laugh.
“Shut it, Asagiri. God forbid someone doesn't want to rush.” You bit back.
“How dare you call me by my last name! After everything we've been through, you're so ean-may!” His exaggerated whines were of a child that got their favorite toy stolen. You can't help but let your laughter echo through the forest, while he clutched his chest and acted hurt.
…
The tournament has been full of twists and challenges, especially for the KoS. Many of the physically capable members are out of the game, all of the hope for the title of village chief is on Chrome's, Senku's, and Ginro's shoulders.
Despite Chrome's disheveled and injured appearance, he still stands on the battlefield out of determination. The stick in his hands held Suika's helmet, willing to make a fire using the concave lens — which he turned into a convex one using his sweat and tears — attached to it. But the time yet to make said fire is unknown.
“Will that be enough to start a fire though? I onder-way.” A mysterious voice spoke up from behind.
“Of course it will, dummy.” Another followed.
“Yeah, it's called a burning lens. There's actually a pretty cool case about it once. Using air and a suction-” Senku blinked and froze in place for a moment before whipping his head back. He finds Gen standing at the pole of the bridge with you leaning against it.
“Y/N? Asagiri Gen?” He exclaimed in surprise.
“It's been a while.” Gen spoke up.
“I expected you to be here somehow, but not her.” Senku shifted his gaze to you.
You gestured your hands vaguely. “This unbearable guy managed to convince me.”
“Enough about this,” Gen interrupted. “What about poor little Chrome? I'd like to help him out but this woman might kill me for it, after all we're technically on Tsukasa's side.” He stares down at you. “Y/N-chan, what do you think?”
You put a finger over your chin to ponder. “Helping Chrome meant a guaranteed chance for the KoS to have this village to themselves. But, the reason for it is to cure Ruri. I don't see why you shouldn't help him.”
“Excellent. Exactly how long does it take to start the fire?”
“The math sounds easy but it's not, so leave that to me.” Senku held a finger in the air, brows furrowing as he calculates the time mentally with little trouble, mumbling incoherent words that not even an average modern person can grasp the complicated variables he's sputtering out. He grins when he figures out the approximate. “Sixty seconds on the dot.”
“Alright, time for the mentalist to do its job.” He jumped down and swiftly moved to the top of the priestess’ place in record time.
“We're doing this for Ruri, not for you Senku.” You reminded him and went over to his side.
“Kukuku, I know. Your loyalty to Tsukasa is quite impressive.”
“I wouldn't say loyal to him, rather I'm loyal to the ideal world our generation needs.”
“That's still the same thing if you look into it.”
You didn't argue with him this time and simply nodded, leaving him puzzled from this change. “Did the mentalist hypnotize you? You're not usually like this.” He gave you a sideways look.
“Eh, basically he opened my third eye in some things.” You dismiss it as you watch the whole interaction between Gen, Magma, and Chrome in amusement.
“The world is ten billion percent ending.” He joked.
“You're making me regret this.” You groaned but you still held a smile on your face.
“Nah, don't, I like it. Makes you ten billion percent more approachable.”
“Wow, so you're saying I'm scary?”
“Who wouldn't be scared of a woman that could take down ten men?”
“You're describing me like I'm a monster.” You both chuckled from the banter. “Speaking of taking down men, you know a guy named Mantle?”
“Ah, that idiot. He's over there.” He points out a man of short stature with physical appearance that speaks below average and unattractive, cheering on Chrome's opponent. You contort in disgust once the suspect enters your line of sight.
“You gotta be kidding me. Him?” You mumbled in disbelief.
“Unfortunate right?”
Your face shifted into something more serious and disturbing. Scanning your eyes around the area for the nearest object, a fighting stick left on the ground unattended was the only one available. You grabbed and held it firmly as you planted your feet on the ground, resting your weight on them. “A scum like you doesn't deserve to touch an innocent child.” Grumbling out words that were never heard to your target.
With the help of the built-up energy, you dashed forward with precise speed, the world around you passed like a blur. Your figure was approaching him so quickly that he didn't have a chance to react to your sudden arrival.
“Yo, Mantle.” You blurted out dangerously and immediately spun the weapon and jabbed it at his side, making him gasp from the heavy force against his ribs. The movement pushed him onto the edge of the village, causing him to fall into the water in his demise.
At the same time, Magma's clothes burst into flames like magic, following the similar fate of his companion when Chrome pushed his stick against Magma's crotch. The duo both fell into the saltwater for two different reasons, one for the sake of protecting a priestess, the other out of vengeance.
You skip back with an unusually bright grin to Senku and his crew as if you didn't push someone off.
“Kukuku, remind me not to get on your nerves again.” Senku commented with sweat running down his temple. “Satisfied?”
“Very satisfied.” Your eyes shone with relief and bliss that anyone would've thought you accomplished an achievement.
Well, for you, it is an accomplishment that you were able to get back at Suika's captor.