Knowledge is love

Part 9: Let the first rounds begin with a bang

The sound of drums echoed as the Grand Bout was about to start. You guys stood by the bridge as Kinro stood in the center. The final you guys wanted was now going to be the first fight.

"Here's the plan," Ginro said to Kohaku with some sweet flag still in his mouth. "Everything'll be just fine as long as you make it to the final match, you got that?"

Almost on cue a shorter man came running up, worried and panicked. This was the guy always around Magma who was basically his lackey who apparently was named Mantle. He was the one who was going to be up against Chrome in the second fight.

"No! This is horrible," Mantle yelled.

His panicked screams caught your guys attention.

"Suika went to pick herbs and fell into the river," Mantle exclaimed panicked. "I'm afraid the poor thing's gonna drown! Kohaku, you're the fastest one here, so you need to go down and help her before it's too late!"

"It's ten billion percent obvious he's lying through his teeth," Senku pointed out.

"Well duh," you said.

"No. I'm telling the truth, I swear," Mantle claimed. "I just happened to be walking by the river when I saw her, and then she fell in!"

You approached Mantle and kneed him in the chest. He groaned as he fell to the ground. Senku and Chrome then came up and put their feet on Mantle and basically stomped on him.

"If you just happened to see her fall into the river, how do you know she was there to pick herbs in the first place," Chrome said, pointing out the flaw in his statement.

"Plus if you saw her fall, why the hell would you come all the way back here instead of helping her yourself," you said. "Suika would be dead by the time you got back here."

"Come back in ten billion years if you really wanna have a battle of wits with the kingdom of science you slimy, pea-brained idiot," Senku said.

Kohaku tapped Senku's shoulder which made you guys stop taunting Mantel.

"I'm almost positive he's lying," Kohaku said. "But there's a slim chance that he's not. I can't risk it and let Suika die."

"You realize you're our last line of defense against Magma," Senku pointed out. "So if you bail on us now..."

"Look, I'm fastest out of all of us," Kohaku stated. "So I'm the only one who can save her. I know it's a little risky but I have to go see for myself!"

Kohaku looks at Mantle still on the ground. He chuckles which irritates both you and Kohaku.

"You're disgusting, Mantle," Kohaku said. "A despicable person."

Kohaku took off running to save Suika. Ginro and Chrome call out to her but Kohaku was already running.

"No way! She's leaving us," Ginro said, shocked.

You heard Mantle chuckle and you kicked him in the stomach. He groaned and you grabbed him by the hair. He whimpered a bit as you had a death glare

"You better hope Suika is drowning because I will kill with my bare hands if you lie or try anything," you stated.

Mantle gulped as it was clear you were not kidding.

"Scary," Ginro whimpered.

"She's not serious is she," Chrome asked as he was also getting scared.

Senku chuckled. "Oh, she is deadly serious. Y/n is the person who keeps her word no matter how dark or stupid. That's one of her many charms and things to love about her."