The Star (Dr Stone)

9

That night, Senku, Hoshi, Chrome, Kohaku, and Suika gathered inside the shed.

"So you see, Suika, this man called Tsukasa is the one behind Senku's murder," Kohaku explained.

Senku chuckled. "Though I'm not dead."

"He's seriously bad news. He wanted to stop scientific progress, and he didn't think twice about killing Senku to do it." Chrome said.

"I told you, I'm not dead." Senku deadpanned.

"I feel like I'm missing out on a lot of drama." Hoshi squinted her eyes as she put her fingers under her chin. "Oh right! Did Taiju and Yuzuriha get together yet?" she snapped her fingers and asked Senku.

"Unfortunately, no." Senku sighed and shook his head.

"So that Tsukasa person is a bad man, and Gen is with him? Then, Gen's a bad person!" Suika exclaimed. "Wait... But Gen saved us from Magma. He's a good person!"

"He's neither a good person nor a bad person." Hoshi glanced down at Gen from the door who was listening to the conversation. "This is just how he is. I've known him since I was a kid."

"Or he's just a thoroughly shallow bat of a man." Kohaku deadpanned.

"It doesn't matter whether Asagiri Gen is a good guy or a bad guy. We need him to be on the side of the kingdom of science." Senku said. "We'll have him make a bogus report to Tsukasa, saying 'Senku is definitely dead'. That's the only way we can win."

"Hear that, Gen?" Chrome opened the door and started shouting. "You saw it, didn't you? The electricity? The insane light of science? Who cares about who wins? Who gives a damn about whether Tsukasa or Senku has the edge? The kingdom of science is just way more fun!"

Gen smiled as he turned his head back to look at Chrome. "Gosh, you're so passionate, young man. Too bad, though. I don't have what you do, Chrome-chan. I'm the most superficial man on earth. All I care about is whether or not something will benefit me."

Back at the shed, Senku and Suika stopped Kohaku from murdering Gen while Chrome and Hoshi looked at Gen who walked away.

Hoshi sighed. "This is just how he is when we were kids."

"Aren't you close with Gen? Why not convince him to join us?" Chrome asked.

"No-" A sound of ruckus halted her words.

"What was the noise?!" The five of them heard the sound of stabbing and rushed out to see the incident.

Gen was laying on the ground, blood splurted everywhere around him.

"Hey, are you all right, Gen?" Kohaku and Chrome went to inspect Gen.

"It's no use... He obviously died instantly." Kohaku said.

"This is terrible! " Suika exclaimed.

"Gen-nii!" Hoshi gasped. "Don’t die on me!"

"No, hang on." Senku pulled out the spear from his chest and check under his haori. "He guarded himself with bags of fake blood."

"It's all over him!"

"This is nuts!" Chrome exclaimed. "He covered himself with these things, just in case!"

Senku chuckled. "Not bad, you're a magician through and through."

Hoshi sighed in relief.

Kohaku carried him back to the shed to treat his injuries.

"He may have blocked it with those bags, but he's severely injured." Hoshi checked his injuries.

"Damn it. We have to catch the attacker!" Chrome exclaimed.