You Can Do That Too?

(That reply left me feeling pretty helpless. You're right: thirteen years to study science while also learning the properties and formulas of tens of thousands of Chinese medicinal herbs and how to identify them by appearance. Senku's IQ is No. 1.)

"How much paper this size can we make?" Senku asked, looking at the sheet in his hand.

He could make it himself, but since Chen Yu had produced this paper, he might as well ask him. After all, Chen Yu had identified the main materials, so he would definitely know how much they had, how much they lacked, and how much paper they could make.

"For the size you're holding, probably only a few hundred sheets for now. We'll be able to make more later," Chen Yu said thoughtfully as he looked at the paper in Senku's hand.

"A few hundred? Then can you make ink?" Senku wasn't particularly surprised by the answer.

"Ink? Don't ask me. I don't know how to make that stuff. If you really made me find some, I'd probably end up catching octopuses in the sea," Chen Yu hastily refused when he heard that Senku wanted him to make ink too.

"Come to think of it, can't we use the stuff we have in the village?" Kohaku asked curiously, looking at the paper in Senku's hand.

"We can, but paper is more convenient," Senku replied.

(My own setting: the village uses coarse cloth and some colored paint for writing. I don't know whether they have paper.)

"Is this stuff easier to use than what we had before?" Suika asked, looking up at Senku.

"Definitely. It's a bit of a hassle to make right now, but it's much better than the cloth we used before. Just touch it lightly with ink, and it'll leave a mark." As Senku spoke, he pulled up a few weeds from the roadside, rubbed them between his fingers, and smeared them on the paper. A faint green mark appeared.

"You can't wash that off, because the paper will fall apart if it gets wet. But it'll keep for a long time," Chen Yu explained.

After all, if they wrote something on the materials used in the village, perhaps a few days of drying in the sun or a wash would let them rub it off, or scrape it away bit by bit.

(I just took a quick look. Paper was invented in season two, so this isn't really a discrepancy. It's just appearing earlier.)

"Paper..." Senku gazed at the sheet, deep in thought.

It seemed paper could also be used to make that thing.

"Ruri, could you go find some grass? We might be able to make something that lets us shrug off attacks from Tsukasa's people," Senku said to Ruri as an idea came to him.

"Will any kind of grass do?" Ruri asked curiously.

"Any kind will do," Senku confirmed.

"Grass... You want to make paper out of grass? Right, the fibers..." Senku's words reminded Chen Yu of something.

His paper hadn't been made from grass, but from scraps in the village. Making paper from grass might work too, but winter was almost here. He didn't know whether the grass available in this weather would still be usable.

"Of course. As for whether it'll work, we'll just have to try. I'll leave the paper to you and get back to making the telephone," Senku told Chen Yu before getting up and leaving.

There were still plenty of steps involved in making the telephone. If Chen Yu could handle the paper, that would save Senku a lot of time.

He recalled what he'd seen on the suspension bridge, and how fast Hyoga's attacks had been. If they could make shields that were easy to mass-produce, they might be able to stand up to Hyoga and his people head-on.

"All right, all right. Old man Kaseki, I'll leave this to you. I've got something else to do. Kinro, Ginro, come to the river with me to find iron sand." Chen Yu handed the task to Kaseki, who had already made paper before, while he planned to make a set of wearable protective gear.

He just wasn't sure who would get the most out of it.

Kohaku specialized in close combat, and when she studied martial arts with him, he taught her punching and kicking techniques. Making knee guards and other protective gear could keep her from getting hurt. As for why he wouldn't make a whole suit of armor?

Although armor would keep Kohaku safe, it would rob her of her agility. It would be ridiculously cumbersome and prevent her from making full use of her strength. Light armor might work, preferably something flexible.

As village guards, Kinro and Ginro would be suited to a full suit of armor for head-on combat. But he could forget about Ginro. The guy was an E-rank card, the sort of fodder card you got nine of in a ten-pull.

Perhaps Ginro's greatest use was standing guard, or activating his passive skill: count on Ginro when it matters.

After all, he'd sent word while his life was in danger, and when Chrome was about to fall into the lake, he'd arrived in time to hook him.

Still, he wasn't reliable...

With the spear techniques Chen Yu had taught him, Kinro might be able to advance from an SR card to an SSR.

In that case, Chen Yu would have to make something tailored to Kinro. For now, he could probably only afford to equip that one warrior.

He wouldn't consider Magma for the time being. The man was too big. When he had time later, making him a suit of heavy armor might produce surprisingly good results.

Finally, they reached the river. Chen Yu sent Kinro and Ginro to collect iron sand while he worked on the model he'd left unfinished.

He had originally intended to make a mold for weapons, but after some thought, he decided to modify it. There were plenty of things he'd need to make later.

He hadn't been working long when he noticed an argument breaking out over where Senku was.

He put down his work and went over to take a look. Only then did he learn that the thing they'd made had dents and wasn't suitable.

"You spent the whole afternoon arguing over this?" Chen Yu stared at them, speechless.

"Can't you just make a gear?" Chen Yu asked in exasperation.

That's weird. Senku should know this. How could he not think of it?

"Isn't old man Kaseki making paper? He wouldn't come over, and that started the argument," Senku said helplessly.

He had wanted to ask Kaseki to make a gear, but Kaseki was busy making paper and had refused. No matter how much Senku pleaded for help, he wouldn't budge.

Whenever Senku asked, the answer was that he would come when he had time. But time waited for no one.

"A gear? How big?" Chen Yu asked, speechless.

"About this big." Senku gestured.

Chen Yu took a look, picked up a carving knife, and went back to where he'd been making his model. He found a piece of wood, hefted it in his hand, then carved away with a few quick strokes. Once it was finished, he handed it to Senku. "Done. If the size isn't right, come find me and I'll adjust it."

Senku took it and examined it. The longer he looked, the more astonished he became. That shape... That depth...

"What's wrong? Can't you use it?" Magma asked when he saw Senku staring blankly.

"Chen Yu, you really do keep surprising me," Senku said, thoroughly pleased as he looked at the carved piece of wood.

How had he never known Chen Yu could do this? The pressure of every cut was just right.

"What's wrong?" Chen Yu asked in confusion.

"How come I never knew you were this good with your hands?" Senku asked him.

"When I was little, I'd sometimes get tired of reading, so I'd find something to do to pass the time and tinker with whatever I found. Anyway, can you use it?" Chen Yu answered after a moment's thought.

When he got tired of reading as a child, he'd look for something to pass the time. He'd tried plenty of things, like puzzles and games, but none had interested him much. Then he'd happened to come across wood carving, given it a try, and gotten hooked.

Eventually, he'd even tried miniature carving. Once he became familiar with it, he'd challenged himself by carving on grains of rice. Over time, he'd gained complete control over how much pressure he applied, never damaging anything unintentionally. He hadn't expected it to come in handy now.

Later, once he started school and had more things to do, he hadn't had much time to devote to carving.

However, he'd once sold wood carvings anonymously online, and someone had kept messaging him, asking him to carve wooden ship models for a hefty price.

At first, it had been fine, and he'd made a few. But then the orders had grown larger and the demands more numerous. Eventually, he'd lost interest in dealing with the man, deleted his contact information, and cut ties.

Luckily, he'd stayed anonymous online. If that guy had used his money-powered superpowers to track him down, Chen Yu would have had his hands full.

"Of course I can. This is far more precise than what I had in mind." Senku carefully examined the wood in his hand. The more he looked, the more it resembled a mass-produced machined part.

"Good, then. If that's all, I'm leaving. Find me if you need anything." Chen Yu waved and prepared to leave, only for Senku to stop him.

"Wait. If you're not busy right now, why don't you help me make the things Master Kaseki was supposed to make too?" Senku looked at Chen Yu, determined to put his craftsmanship to good use. Seriously, we've been classmates this long, and I never knew you could do this? You've been hiding a skill like that from your good buddy?

"What things?" Chen Yu asked.

Then he saw Senku staring at the shield set off to one side, the one Kohaku often carried on her back.

"The shield?" Chen Yu asked in confusion.

Then everything suddenly went quiet...

Kokuyo: "..."

(Sometimes it's really strange. I clearly hadn't planned out all these things or plot points, yet they always end up fitting together.)

(Going forward, unless there's a major breakthrough, it'll still be one update a day. Please don't mind. I'm in good health, and thanks for everyone's concern. Also, don't jinx me. I'm starting to wonder whether someone jinxing me caused the bleeding last time.

Something suddenly came up at eight. I'm going to the hospital. Look forward to tomorrow.)