You all stared at Kinrou and Ginrou in disbelief, who were presenting their spears. They said that if they each got a golden and a silver spear, it'd help them fight better or something. Judging by their character, you had your doubts on those statements.

"Just look at all this glass!" Ginrou exclaimed. "You made such a wonderful laboratory! Surely you can make a silver spear."
You sighed and shook your head. Wondering how long he's gonna keep this up until he accepts that he won't get his precious silver spea-.
"Kukuku! That's right!" Senku smirked. "Now that we have glassware, now's time to get the hardest ingredient for the cure-all. And the only way to get it is to buckle up and dive right in!"
"What...are you getting at?" you asked.
Senku turned towards his glassware to gather what he needed.
"Very well, I shall make you a silver spear."
"Oh my god." you mumbled to yourself while Ginrou was ecstatic.

"Ooooh too bad for you Kinrou!" he trolled the shit out of him, with the smuggest of expression. "I guess I'm just the type that people feel sympathy for!"
"I don't even have one millimeter of sympathy for you." Senku said. "The price for it is high, high enough to die." he looked back at him with a smirk. "And truly, you may very well die. In this maximum-level danger area, your gonna put your life on the line!"
You smiled, happy to see Ginrou's smug expression fall into worry.

"At last!!! At long last!!!" he cried of joy admiring his new silver spear. "Thank you Senkuuuu!!!"
"Pfff. I don't give one millimeter of a damn about your thanks, after all I didn't make it for you." Senku put a bag full of empty jars on his shoulder. "We need to hurry up and get hurry already." he looked at him. "Ginrou, your job is to protect the team."
The blond boy gasped, loving the title of 'The Protector'. Senku looked over at you, who was preparing your on bag of jars.

"(Y/n)..." he said. "You have music to do right?"
"Not really no."
"Yes you do."
You looked up at him and you locked eye contact. You knew exactly what he was doing, and you didn't like it.
"You want me to stay here." you frowned slightly.
He didn't respond, because it wasn't a question. You both knew what was happening.

You recalled the road map, that plus the 'maximum-danger', you figured that you were after sulfuric acid. And though you didn't know how he plans on getting it, you were sure as hell not gonna sit back while everyone has all the fun.
Your eyes went bigger, as if to assume dominance over this argument. Not looking away from his eyes, you put the final jar inside your bag, stood up and put it around your shoulder. Then you walked passed him.
"Onward team!" you exclaimed.
Senku sighed, smiling at the dumb face you made, and followed you.

"Now Ginrou," Senku took the other end of his spear and pointed it forward. "walk with your spear like this. It's our sensor, that's the reason I made it. Look veeeeery carefully at the tip of the spear. If the sparkling silver should change color and become black..." his expression became dead serious. "Then within a few seconds, you will die."
Ginrou's whole body became tense.
"So you'll have to book it in a flash." he continued. "When that happens, we'll be running our asses off too."
You gulped, a bit nervous, but you knew nobody was gonna die. No way~.

You went along the river and even passed the hot springs Kohaku went to everyday to get hot water. At some point, you noticed that there was no more fish in the river and the moss on the rocks were more and more of an emerald green as you walked.
"There's no doubt about it." Senku said as he examined one of those rocks. "Upstream is where lies out goal."
"Goal?" Kohaku repeated, not knowing what you guys were searching for.

Your gaze wandered around until you saw something that made you wheeze loudly. Senku followed your gaze and saw Ginrou walking as carefully as humanly possible, trembling like a chihuahua and lifting his spear at the very end so has to gain the most space possible. He was so tense it was so hilarious.
"Look at this fuckin idiot!" you managed to say.
"The hell are you doin walkin in the back Ginrou?!?!" Senku shouted at him. "You're supposed to be out sensor!!!"
"But you said I was gonna die!" he cried like a kid. "I-I'm scraaaared!"

"Jesus, isn't he supposed to be a warrior or something?" you asked Kohaku.
"Well he's always been more of a scummy coward than anything really." she sighed. "Do you want me to take your place Ginrou?"
"No way!" he quickly responded before quickly walking ahead.
You both sighed before following him.

Around an hour of walking later, Senku was exhausted, which lade you giggle. Ginrou suddenly stopped.
"Guys..." he said.
The four of you looked ahead and where amazed by a large spring full of a beautiful emerald green liquid, sparkling in the sunlight.
"Damn." was all you could say.
"Even me who has no idea what we're here to get," Kohaku said. "can well enough said that this is our goal. This place is divinely beautiful."

You couldn't disagree, but with the fact that it was sulfuric acid, you didn't know if it just made it more terrifying. Looking over to Senku, he had a similar bothered look.
"What's wrong dude?"
"I'm concerned about the landscape." he said, still looking ahead. "The poison gas that comes from the green spring area, hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide, are heavier than air. So they would collect and accumulate in a bassin like this."
You gazed at the green spring for a moment before realizing.
"Oh! Then we can't collect it!"
"Yeah." he turned around. "We'll have to come back another time."
"Ow man..."

You noticed Ginrou approaching the spring, almost hypnotized by its beauty. You shouted when you saw the silver of his spear turning black.
"Ginrou! Get the hell out of here!"

The spear turned completely black but Kohaku was quick enough to grab him by the collar and pull him back. A few birds flew over the spring, they fell dead in it within second, their feathers and body dissolving with a hissing sound. A cold chill went down everyone's spin while Ginrou screamed in pure terror.

"Wh-What the hell?!" Chrome exclaimed. "Just what is this spring water?!"
"Sulfuric acid." you simply responded.

Back in the Kingdom of Science's HQ, you all stood around Ginrou, who was in fetal position on the ground, still shaking like a leaf.
"Can we still make Ruri's cure-all even without that sulfuric acid?" Chrome asked.
"No, it's impossible." Senku shook his head. "And on top of that, we won't to progress with any chemistry either."

Kohaku grabbed a bag and started to walk away.
"Then the only way we can get it is by force! If it's to save my sister, then I'll risk my life if I have to!"
"Wha-Kohaku! No! You can't!" you rushed after her.
"With my speed I should be able to handle this!"
"That's not how it works!" you stood in front of her, stopping her in her tracks. "No matter how fast you are! You can't be faster than science!"

"Back in the era (Y/n) and I are from," Senku said, making her turn around. "There was a group of people that went out to investigate a similar sulfuric acid area. The man that was taking the lead needed to fix his shoelace, so he knelt down to tie it... And he died."
You gulped, you heard of that story, but it still was as unsettling as the first time.
"Beneath where he knelt down, the hydrogen sulfide had accumulated." he explained. "If mother nature was so inclined, she could wipe out humanity in an instant. This is regardless of what kind of speed you may have."

A moment of silence passed before Kohaku spoke again.
"Then what are we supposed to do?! I have to save my sister!"
"It's obvious isn't it?" he smiled. "We're gonna make gas masks!"

It took you guys a few days to make one gas mask. With the danger of the situation plus the time it took to make just one plus the fact that you didn't know how much those gas masks could take it, you figured it would be best for only a few of you to go on this mission.
Yet, when it was time for Chrome's mask to be made, Senku told him he wouldn't need it.

The night has fallen. While Senku was talking to Chrome outside, you were lying in your futon, tossing and turning unable to fall asleep. Something bothered you.
Eventually, you sat up. You've made up your mind and your heart was going crazy over it.
You went out and looked for Senku. You found him parting ways with Chrome, a satisfied expression on both of their faces,
'They had a heart-warming moment without me!' you thought.

Senku noticed you and stopped in front of you.
"So...He's coming along after all?"
"Yeah." he sighed. "Wouldn't take no for an answer."
You smiled, but it soon faded.
"You... You mind if we talk in private?"
"Uh, sure."

'Okay! It's happening! It's now!' you freaked out on the inside as the two of you walked somewhere where no one would hear you.
Now that you stopped, you turned towards him, your face blushing.

You were planning on confessing to him on your death bed, right before you died. But it might be his after all.

"There... There's something I gotta tell-."
"(Y/n) do you not trust me?"
"What?" you blinked twice, taken aback by his bothered, almost annoyed expression.
"You say this as if I won't be back. Do you not trust me?"
"Of course I trust you!"
"Here you go then." he turned around. "Whatever you want to tell me, you'll tell me once I'm back."
You opened your mouth, but closed it right after. You nodded.
"Okay."

He started walking away.
"You better come back then!" you exclaimed.
He laughed.
"Goodnight (Y/n)." he waved his hand.

He smiled. You were right, maybe he needed something else to go back to. A true motivation to stay alive.
Now he kind of understood how Taiju feels.

Senku left with Chrome a while ago. Ginrou was still here in his corner being a little bitch, and you mentally judged him for it.
"Damn it, how did I end up getting tricked into helping out again?" old man Kaseki asked himself as he worked, surrounded by his tools.
"Because you get super passionate about any of our project." you smiled, assisting him in his work.

"There's something wrong with Chrome and Senku." Ginrou said. "I mean, of course I'm scared to go! I might die! Aaaahh! I can't stand those type of guys! They're just being reckless but they're going like they're all brave!"
"...Running away whole saying nothing, and then trying to paint them in a bad light for it?" Kaseki said. "Shows more of your weak nature as you ist in fear."
You clicked your tongue and shook your head in disappointment.
"Th-That's not it at all!"

"Don't worry Ginrou," he said. "you're not weak at all. Rather, being afraid is the secret to survival. I was always afraid to. So if an old man like me has lived this long, that means I must've done something right..."
"For the record, I do think that what you're doing is pathetic." you casually said.
"Easy for you to say! You modern world people aren't afraid of anything!"
"Are you serious?" you looked at him. "My friends are risking their lives, I might never see them again and there's nothing I can do. They're scared. I'm worried sick. Kohaku may lose her sister. Are we in our corner blaming the ones who actually move their asses?"

Ginrou looked down, thinking.
"Yeah that's right, think about it!" you turned towards Kaseki. "Also for the record, I don't think you're pathetic Kaseki, I'm sure you did your very best."
"One time, I hid from a bunch of lions."
"And that's amazing."

"To add to what you said (Y/n)." Kaseki looked up at the sky. "I don't exactly know what's going on but... For the sake of what's precious to you, with a reason and with your heart, you can try to beat fear. That's what I think."
"Preach man." you nodded, though he didn't understand that expression.
"Well would you look at that." he looked at his finished work. "I was so busy working, I lost track and happen to make another gas mask." he stood up. "I don't have any use for it so I'll just leave it here."

He started to walk away and you saw Ginrou staring at it in silence.
"Just take it and go dude." you said after a moment.
He gulped and stood up, then ran towards the green spring after gearing up.

"Not much of a coward after all." you smiled. "Oh! Kaseki!"
You rushed to catch up with him. He turned around to look at you.
"Yes?"
"There's uh..." you played with your fingers. "There's another thing I'd like to ask you to make."
"What is it?"
"A drum. But like a tinier one. Like this weight and this in diameter."
"Your hands won't be enough girl. I need measurements."
You didn't know them.
"Oh please~?" you joined your hands together.
"Mmh, fine. I can try." he sighed and walked back to his workplace.
"Thank you~!"

It's been hours now. You gave Kaseki as much details about the instrument as you could. And now you were sitting there in silence, looking up at the sky. Suika was playing with her dog and Kohaku was staring at where the boys' have gone. You could tell everyone was worried.

"Man." Kaseki said. "It's definitely not as fun as making that other thing."
"The array mbira?" you said. "Hehe, sorry."
"Would you mind playing it again? To pass the time."
"Oh, uh, sure."

You went to get it and sat back down with the instrument on your lap. You noticed the three of them were now staring at you. You took a deep breath and thought of what you could play. Something to cheer you up. Then, you got it.
You started to play, captivating your little audience. After a while, you inhaled and sang, not greatly but decently.
"Take me home~ Country road~ To the place~ I belong~!" a large smile formed on your face as it reminded you of everything this song is assimilated with. "West Virginia~ Mountain momma~ Take me home~ Country road~!"

"What was this language you spoke in?!" Kohaku asked after you were done.
"It's called english." you explained. "Back in my world, there was so many people in so many different places, people speak in a different language depending on where they're from."
"That's...incredible."
"Ans this song was so beautiful!" Suki exclaimed with such sincere admiration, you loudly wheezed and laughed.
"Ow fuck I needed that one!" you whipped a tear away.

"We've acquired the most difficult material!" you heard. "Sulfuric acid!"
You all turned to see the three young men walking back with a bunch of jars full of the green liquid, alive and in one piece (except maybe for Senku who looked dead on the inside carrying one single jar), and your heart exploded with joy and relief. You put your instrument away and ran towards them with the others.

"You're back!" you exclaimed, standing in front of Senku.
You waited for him to put the jar down, and while he was regaining his breath, you hugged him tightly. You let out a deep sigh and let him go.

"Did I really hear you playing Country Road?" he quietly asked after swiping the sweat off his forehead.
"They said it was beautiful."
You both laughed.

"So," he looked at you. "what did you want to tell me?"
Your whole being froze.

Right, THAT plot point.

"Uuuuuuuuu-."