Magma listened to Chen Yu in disbelief.
"How could we possibly share his bloodline?" Magma asked.
"Three thousand seven hundred years ago, a petrification beam descended, turning everyone on Earth to stone, including the swallows. That's why there are no swallows in this world. You're the descendants of the people who escaped that disaster by being up in space," Chen Yu explained.
Magma listened patiently beside him, his curiosity beginning to stir.
"As far as I know, there were six people in space at the time, including Senku's father-or something like that. They might have seen the petrification beam from space, but they didn't know what had happened. Even when they called the ground, they couldn't find out what was going on."
"I don't know whether they were petrified. If they were, then I have no idea where you came from. But if they weren't, and they ended up living on Earth instead, then with at least three families, they could probably have kept humanity going. It would have been very difficult, though."
"A virus, a cold-in those circumstances, either could very well have meant extinction," Chen Yu said slowly. His words shocked not only Magma and Shorty, but also Gen, who was eavesdropping nearby.
"Looking at your faces and hair colors, I could tell. This kind of thing only happens through intermarriage between different races. Blond hair, black hair, white skin, yellow skin... Heh, it really wasn't easy for you to survive." Chen Yu chuckled softly as he considered it.
"Even if you still have some blood ties to Senku, after three thousand seven hundred years, they would have long since faded away. If you really wanted to address him by that relationship, you'd have to call him your ancestor." As Chen Yu thought about this, he wondered how Senku would address the villagers once he discovered that they were probably all descendants of his relatives and family. He had suddenly woken up to find himself an ancestor.
For three families-or perhaps four to seven-to have the best chance of continuing humanity, they would all have had to intermarry.
That would increase the population, and their descendants could then marry the children of the other two families. Over time, the bloodlines would become diluted, greatly reducing the diseases that might arise in the early generations. After that, they could intermarry as long as they avoided close relatives.
"It wasn't easy for your people to survive, yet you're still thinking about hurting others. Can you face those who came before you?" Having finished, Chen Yu left Magma and Shorty to reflect.
He cast a sidelong glance at the eavesdropping Gen, found Senku and the others to say goodbye, then left with Gen.
Eventually, Magma returned to the village. This time, he put aside his usual bullying ways and became courteous instead. On a hulking man like him, though, it created a stark contrast-or rather, it felt awkward.
It was like Zhang Fei calling you "Onii-chan" in a squeaky voice.
Kokuyo was at a loss over the change in the two of them. He knew Chen Yu was responsible, but he couldn't figure out what Chen Yu had done. He asked Magma, but after thinking it over, Magma still chose not to tell him.
He couldn't forgive himself for the things he had done that endangered other people's lives. It had been so hard for their people to survive, yet he had wanted to hurt the humans who remained. He had let his ancestors down.
From then on, Magma became a different person. He was warm and welcoming, and sincerely helped everyone. Even Shorty put aside that usual sinister, scheming attitude.
At first, everyone found it strange, but they gradually got used to it. They also discovered that Magma showed the greatest respect toward the elderly and children.
He showered them with endless care.
They had all asked Magma about it, but he never said a word. He had a feeling that sooner or later, they would learn the truth.
"I can't believe we stayed here so long, only to have to go back," Gen grumbled.
"We had to go back sooner or later," Chen Yu replied.
"But, Chen Yu... was everything you said true?" After thinking it over, Gen finally asked.
"Of course. Otherwise, how did they survive? Even if some people weren't petrified, why have these been the only people on this land for three thousand seven hundred years?" Chen Yu countered with a few questions.
"That's true. Well, let's leave it at that. Once we're back, I'm going to get some proper rest. But what should I tell them?" Gen asked after a moment's thought.
"Just say you haven't found any sign of Senku yet. You couldn't get into the village at first, and it took you a long time to gather any information. You know how to explain the rest, right?" Chen Yu said after thinking it over.
"All right, all right. That's our only option. Oh, right, you said you had another gift. What is it?" Gen asked, remembering the gift Chen Yu had mentioned.
"Let's go look for it first. It should be near the cave," Chen Yu said after a moment's thought.
Chen Yu then led Gen in a search. After circling around several times, they finally spotted the stone tablet.
"This is it," Chen Yu said, wiping the stone tablet clean.
"What's this?" As Gen read the words recorded on the stone tablet, he suddenly remembered what Tsukasa had told him when he was revived. He hadn't thought much of it then, but now, seeing the stone tablet, something suddenly struck him.
"I told you, Senku is the most extraordinary one of all. Even the date we know now came from Senku counting it out, moment by moment. Do you understand? He counted out three thousand seven hundred years in that boundless darkness." After that, Chen Yu said no more.
Gen was stunned. He couldn't imagine the strength of Senku's mind. He also understood why Tsukasa had told him it was Year 5000. This was... Senku's timekeeping.
"I understand. Honestly, what am I even supposed to say to that? I know whose side I'm going to stand on now, Chen Yu," Gen said, wiping away his tears.
"Come on. Let's go home." Chen Yu waved a hand and left.
Gen hurried after him.
As they neared the cave, Tsukasa's people spotted them. Once they saw that it was Chen Yu, they escorted the two of them back.
They were taken to different places, however.
Chen Yu went to his dispensary, while Gen went to see Tsukasa.
On the way, Chen Yu saw a girl with her hair tied up, tight-fitting clothes, and a small mouth.
He had forgotten who she was, though she seemed familiar. Now that he was here, how much he could remember depended on his mental state back when he had been lying in that hospital bed.
I haven't seen Hyoga around. He must have gone out.
Just as he lifted the curtain at the entrance to his dispensary, someone behind him called out.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" The person behind him watched Chen Yu nervously. He knew this was the dispensary; he had learned that from the people who had been revived before him.
This place belonged to a terrifying doctor. He had no idea what this stranger wanted here. Was he injured? Sick? Here to steal medicine?
How could that be?
"This is my dispensary. If I don't come here, where am I supposed to go?" Chen Yu stopped, speechless.
The person behind him: (・・)
Before you continue