Was Chen Yu Carrying Poison?

"So, what did you want to say, Mr. Gen?" Chen Yu stopped grinding the medicine and asked.

"After I was revived, Tsukasa told me my mission was to confirm whether Senku was still alive. Then, using what Tsukasa remembered, I went to the place where they'd encountered each other before. There, I found signs that someone had passed through." Gen stopped there, waiting for Chen Yu to say something.

"That? Taiju and Yuzuriha probably left those tracks when they came back," Chen Yu explained calmly.

"Oh, is that it? I thought I'd found a clue that Senku was still alive." Understanding dawned on Gen after hearing that.

"Since you mentioned Taiju and Yuzuriha, I've been observing them lately, too. They were Senku's companions, and after he died, they joined the Tsukasa Empire to survive. But I haven't seen any sadness in their expressions, not even beneath the masks they put on," Gen said, looking at Chen Yu seriously.

"So?" Chen Yu asked.

"So, I think... Senku... might still be alive." He kept watching Chen Yu, waiting for his reaction.

"If you think Senku's still alive, then go find Tsukasa and tell him. Wouldn't that settle it?" Chen Yu said calmly.

"Huh?" Gen froze for a moment. He hadn't expected one of Senku's closest friends to think that way.

"You'd better think this through. If I find Tsukasa and tell him Senku's still alive, he'll send out a lot of people to search for him, won't he?" Gen watched Chen Yu's expression after saying that, hoping to see a flicker of panic.

But even after watching him for a while, he saw no reaction, so he added, "If that happens, Taiju and Yuzuriha could be in danger, you know."

"Really?" Chen Yu closed his eyes as he replied, setting down the jar in his hands.

"Huh?" Gen was baffled.

"So, have you found any trace of Senku?" Chen Yu asked.

"There's a village on a small island by the coast, not far from here. I think I saw someone rather strange there, along with plenty of things that don't belong in a primitive world," Gen said after thinking for a moment.

"Then what were you planning to do?" Chen Yu asked, looking at Gen.

"Go into the village and ask around."

"Then let's go." With that, Chen Yu carved a few words into a piece of wood: "There's something fun down the mountain. I'm going to take a look."

Then he pulled Gen along and left.

When Tsukasa arrived and saw those words, he questioned the people nearby. Upon hearing that Gen had come to find Chen Yu and had taken him away, his presence suddenly turned terrifying.

Gen, oh, Gen. You'd better pray Chen Yu comes back alive. Otherwise...

Walking ahead of Chen Yu, Gen suddenly shuddered, feeling as though something terrifying was going to happen to him in the future.

Still, he had no time to dwell on it. Getting to Ishigami Village was their main priority.

The two reached the edge of the village. At the entrance, they saw someone busily preparing something, putting it into a pot, then scooping it out for others to eat.

"What are they doing?" Gen watched curiously.

"Making ramen?" Chen Yu said.

"Huh? How did you know?" Gen asked, looking at Chen Yu in surprise.

"Think about whose country has the longest history of noodles," Chen Yu said dryly.

Gen had no choice but to concede. After all, the boy before him came from the country with the longest history. Of the Four Great Ancient Civilizations, only one had survived.

And it had the longest history, too.

"Then let's go take a look," Gen said, pointing at the stall ahead.

"Sure. Let's go," Chen Yu said.

The two went over to Senku and ordered two servings, though Chen Yu didn't take one.

He knew Senku was using this to recruit laborers.

"Why aren't you eating?" Gen asked curiously, looking at Chen Yu.

"I know what he's like. I'm not eating that," Chen Yu explained before sitting off to the side to enjoy the show.

Gen paid him no mind and took a bite. It tasted bitter and astringent, but it was decent enough for this primitive world.

"Oh, my. Eating this makes me want a drink. Something like... cola!" Gen said casually.

Hearing that familiar word, Senku froze, his eyes widening as he murmured, "Cola?"

Kohaku also noticed Gen behind the rock and asked, "Senku, is he a friend of yours?"

"No," Senku said, putting down his chopsticks.

At that, Kohaku called out to Kinro and Ginro, who were still arguing nearby over whether to eat the ramen. "Kinro, Ginro, stop bickering."

Kinro turned his head and asked, "What is it? What happened?"

But when they noticed Kohaku's unusual demeanor and the stranger, both immediately went on guard.

"There's no time to explain. We have an enemy," Kohaku said.

In an instant, the three surrounded Gen in a triangle.

"Answer honestly, or I'll slit your throat right now!" Kohaku warned. "Are you one of the Long-Haired Man's subordinates?"

The three watched Gen tensely, ready to strike the moment he moved.

Seeing himself surrounded, Gen spoke calmly. "Oh, my. Being killed by such a cute girl wouldn't be so bad. But haven't you mistaken me for someone else? I don't know any Long-Haired Man. I've been alone ever since I was freed from petrification~ Still, aren't you forgetting someone else?" He pointed at Chen Yu, who was sitting nearby enjoying the show.

The three immediately noticed Chen Yu sitting off to the side, watching them.

Kinro and Ginro immediately swung their spearheads around to point at Chen Yu.

Recognizing Chen Yu, Kohaku was overjoyed. "Huh? It's you? The doctor?"

"The doctor?" Kinro and Ginro were a little surprised and curious that Kohaku knew this person.

"Oh, it's you? I thought you looked familiar. You're Gen Asagiri, right?" Senku said, looking at Gen.

Then he looked at Chen Yu and said, "You, too. Long time no see, Chen Yu."

"Long time no see, Senku. Looks like your injury's healed," Chen Yu said with a smile.

"Do you know him? This person?" Kohaku asked Senku. Of course, she meant Gen, wanting to know whether he was a friend or an enemy.

"No, I don't know him at all. He's a magician who writes trashy psychology books," Senku explained.

"You've read my books? That makes me happy, but isn't calling them trash a little harsh?" Gen Asagiri complained.

"Oh? Aren't they?" Chen Yu cut in.

"Shut up," Kinro and Ginro said, glaring at Chen Yu.

"Kinro, Ginro, I'd advise you to keep your distance from that guy. He might be carrying poison that can kill you without warning," Senku told them.

"What?" Gen, Kinro, and Ginro immediately grew frightened. Kinro and Ginro backed away at once, watching Chen Yu nervously.

Gen had it worse. He knew Senku and Chen Yu were close, and between Senku's words and the rumors he'd heard about Chen Yu before, he immediately began nervously checking his whole body, afraid he'd been poisoned, too.

"Hey, hey, hey! What kind of decent person researches poison?" Chen Yu said, looking at Senku speechlessly.

"Poison? Then what about that medicine from before?" Kohaku immediately grew anxious. If what Chen Yu had given her was poison, then what about her sister?

She hadn't used it yet, but...

"Don't worry about that. He would never do anything like that. When it comes to saving someone, he'll give it ten billion percent."