Chapter Text
Date: March 12th Year 5756 (2 years after the Senku 11 rocket launch)
Location: Ishigami Village, Shizuoka, Japan
The sun set over the horizon, casting golden light upon Ishigami Village—or what was once a humble, thatched-roof settlement that once stood at the heart of humanity’s rebirth. In its place was a thriving town, a fusion of old-world tradition and cutting-edge science, built upon centuries of rediscovered knowledge.
Gone were the days when the village relied on crude huts and hand-woven bridges to connect its people. Now, a modernized architectural wonder stood in its place, weaving together glass, steel, and stone in a way that preserved the humanity's rebirth while embracing this new science future.
At the center of it all, just beyond the original village islet, stood the Kingdom of Science’s grand laboratory—a monument to human ingenuity and the largest research facility of the new era. Unlike the modest labs Senku had cobbled together over the years, this was a fully-fledged scientific institution, rivaling pre-petrification research centers in both scale and capability. The structure, reinforced with modern concrete and tempered glass, loomed like a fortress of knowledge, with vast solar panel arrays stretching outward to power the high-tech equipment within.
The lab itself was divided into multiple sections, each catering to a specific field of research:
The Chemistry Wing, stocked with beakers, furnaces, and precision instruments, where new materials and medicines were being synthesized.
The Engineering Bay, filled with mechanized tools, automated assembly lines, and prototype vehicles, where blueprints for future advancements were constantly in development.
The Life Sciences Wing, equipped with greenhouses, hydroponic systems, and genetics labs, dedicated to agriculture and medical research.
The Medusa Research Division, a heavily guarded section where the mysteries of the petrification device were still being unraveled.
Adjacent to the lab, a network of modernized buildings had been constructed throughout Ishigami Village, each carefully integrated into the natural landscape. Stone-paved roads connected multi-story homes built with a mix of traditional wooden exteriors and reinforced steel supports, ensuring they could withstand earthquakes and extreme weather. Water-powered turbines dotted the riverbanks, harnessing hydroelectric energy to sustain the growing town.
In the town square, an open-air marketplace bustled with activity, now featuring glass storefronts and vendor stalls with refrigeration, allowing for long-term food storage and trade. Street lamps lined the pathways, their electric glow illuminating the village even after sunset, casting warm light over the once-darkened streets.
Beyond the village limits, modernized aircraft runways had been completed, allowing large airplanes to take off and land in search of new resources and undiscovered lands. And yet, amidst the modern architecture and groundbreaking technology, there was something undeniably primitive about Ishigami Village. People still gathered around outdoor fire pits to share stories, still carved intricate wooden sculptures that lined the walkways, and still cherished the ancient traditions that had kept them alive for generations.
The golden hues of the setting sun bathe the village in a warm glow, casting long shadows as the day winds down. The science crew has gathered near the lake shore, a rare moment where no grand experiments, no pressing threats, no world-altering inventions demand their attention.
For once, they’re just people.
Laughter echoed through the clearing, voices blending into the warmth of flickering flames and shared stories. Senku sat slightly apart from the others, his back against a sturdy log, arms crossed as he observed the scene before him.
To his right, Taiju and Yuzuriha sit on a large rock, sharing a laugh as Yuzuriha playfully smacks Taiju’s arm for some dumb joke he just made. A faint glimmer on her left hand catches Senku’s sharp gaze. A ring.
They’re engaged.
Senku had known it was coming, obviously. It’s Taiju. The dude is as predictable as the laws of physics. But still… it’s official now.
A few feet away, Chrome animatedly explains something to Ruri, waving his hands around with enthusiasm. Ruri listens with a smile, her cheeks tinged pink every time Chrome leans in a little too close.
Senku smirks.That fool doesn’t even realize he’s flirting.
Across the clearing, something even more baffling—Xeno and Stanley, standing off to the side, sharing a rare moment of quiet. Xeno sips his drink, his usual sharp demeanor softened. Stanley, ever the silent shadow, simply watches the river flow, his posture relaxed, tranquil.
A pair of men who had once been at war with them, now standing together like they’ve been this way for years.
Senku exhaled through his nose. He wasn’t bothered. Not really. It wasn’t like he had time for that sort of thing. Love. Romance. Emotional dependency.
None of it was particularly efficient.
And yet, the emptiness sat there, just beneath his ribs.
He adjusted his position, hand brushing the small metal capsule secured to his belt. The Medusa device, the Why-Man construct, his greatest threat and most valuable tool, hummed ever so slightly beneath his fingertips.
"LONELY."
Senku’s brow twitched.
“Oh, shut it,” he muttered under his breath.
"YOUR VITALS INDICATE INCREASED BRAIN ACTIVITY IN CORRELATION WITH SOCIAL OBSERVATION. PATTERN ANALYSIS SUGGESTS EMOTIONAL ISOLATION."
Senku scoffed, but his fingers lingered against the cool surface of the device. “Tch. I don’t need a damn AI to tell me how my brain works.”
"QUERY: WHAT IS YOUR IDEAL PARTNER?"
His mouth flattened into a thin line. “Not answering that.”
"STATISTICAL ANALYSIS OF EXISTING HUMAN CONNECTIONS SUGGESTS LACK OF ROMANTIC SATISFACTION. DATA SUGGESTS DISSATISFACTION LEADS TO INEFFICIENCY."
He rolled his eyes. “You’re really out here telling me I’m inefficient just because I don’t have a girlfriend?”
"CORRECTION: OPTIMAL PARTNER WOULD COUNTERACT LONELINESS, INCREASING MOTIVATION AND COGNITIVE EFFICIENCY. BASED ON BEHAVIORAL PATTERNS AND SUBCONSCIOUS RESPONSES, A THEORETICAL MATCH CAN BE DETERMINED."
Senku scoffed. “Oh, this I gotta hear.”
The device pulsed.
"OPTIMAL CHARACTERISTICS:
1. INTELLECTUALLY STIMULATING. EMOTIONALLY RESILIENT.
2. ADAPTABLE. PERSISTENT IN THE FACE OF YOUR RESISTANCE.
3. STRONG-WILLED BUT UNDERSTANDING.
4. COUNTER COMPLEMENTARY TENDENCIES DETECTED IN SUBCONSCIOUS PREFERENCE. ARTISTIC OR EMOTIONAL INDIVIDUAL.
5. CAPABLE OF CHALLENGING YOU WITHOUT UNDERMINING YOU."
He stared at the fire, expression unreadable. The words pressed into him, wrapping around that quiet space inside his mind that he refused to acknowledge most days.
"CONCLUSION: YOU ARE LONELY BECAUSE YOU REQUIRE AN EQUAL. ONE WHO IS BOTH A CONTRADICTION AND A COMPLEMENT."
Senku let out a slow breath. “Hypothetical nonsense. There’s no one like that around here.”
"CORRECT. NOT OF THIS WORLD."
His head snapped toward the device. “...What?”
The wind shifted. The fire crackled. And the Medusa device fell silent.
Stanley, ever constantly assessing their surroundings, has kept his eye and ear on Senku from afar. He calls out to Senku from across the clearing. “You got a case of single genius syndrome, kid?”
Senku narrows his eyes at them all, shoulders tensing. “Don’t lump me in with you primitive, hormone-driven fools. I’ve got ten billion percent better things to do than waste my time on romance.”.
“Oh?” Xeno finally hums, raising an elegant brow. “How fascinating that you would say such a thing.”
Stanley smirks while taking a sip of Xeno's drink during the distraction, not denying it.
Senku groans, running a hand down his face. “I’m surrounded by besotted buffoons.”
Xeno shakes a finger stating, "Oh Senku, don't you remember? Even Einstein had a wife."
A uncharacteristic groan escapes from Senku.
Yuzuriha claps her hands together. “Maybe you just haven’t met the right person yet!”
Senku rolls his eyes. “If such a person existed, the likelihood of ever encountering them would be ridiculously low.”
“That’s what fate is for,” Ruri says softly, smiling.
Senku huffs a laugh. Fate. What a ridiculous concept.
Yet, for once, his thoughts weren’t entirely consumed by science.
Instead…
They drifted to a question he hadn’t consciously allowed himself to ponder before.
Companionship.
It was a fleeting hypothetical, but Senku couldn’t deny it. Could there ever be someone who matched him, thought like him, challenged him?
Someone who wouldn’t be exhausted by his constant drive, his relentless pursuit of knowledge?
Someone whose presence wouldn’t be a hindrance but rather…
A partner.
His lips curled into a smirk, amused at himself.
“Yeah, like that’s ever gonna happen. Ten billion percent unlikely.”
The thought was nothing more than a passing variable, an equation with no solution.
And yet…
As he stared at the moon, a strange feeling stirred in his chest.
A premonition perhaps? Nah that would be too sentimental but…
This strange feeling was like the universe itself was on the verge of setting something in motion.
Something big.
He exhaled, brushing off the thought.
Whatever it was, it didn’t matter. His focus remained on science. Always.
Tomorrow would just be another day of experiments, equations, and problem-solving.
Or so he thought.
Because somewhere, across the vast expanse of existence—
A woman he had never met before was typing an answer to a question she didn’t realize was a test.
----
Date: September 17th Year 2024
Location: Leonardo University of Art & Technology, United States
Professor Artemis Morgenstern tapped her fingers against her desk, eyes flickering over an email regarding a student’s absence due to the pandemic as well as the latest batch of student animation project submissions on her screen.
Most were impressive—some even showed real creativity—but one email notification at the top of her inbox kept pulling her focus away.
Inbox (1) – Unknown Sender
She exhaled sharply. Another one? “I should report this to IT.”
For the past few weeks, she’d been receiving strange, cryptic emails, always from an untraceable sender.
Most people would have ignored them. Most people wouldn’t have responded.
But Artemis?
She had a habit of going against the grain. She was an artist AND a scientist. Becoming a college professor at twenty six years of age was not of the norm but she took pride in that title. Countless hours of forging her own path in academia and work got her this far but at the expense of other more social aspects of her life. Her tendency of reading a book in the corner of a college house party was a direct correlation to her lack of relationships and friendships with others her own age. She was much better acquainted with her computers and her sketchbook than any other human being.
That being said, She lived for telling stories and she had to commend the tenacity of this sender.
Subject: The Future of Mankind
Sender: Unknown
Her brows furrowed as she read the latest one.
What is the true value of time?
If given a choice, would you restart or advance?
Is knowledge best preserved through memory or matter?
What would you sacrifice for humanity’s survival?
At the bottom, a single prompt blinked, awaiting her response.
Reply with your answer:
Artemis sat back in her office chair, thinking.
Something about these questions felt methodical, calculated—as if testing for something specific.
Most people would approach this logically, but Artemis had spent a lifetime balancing two worlds. Science and art. Precision and imagination. Logic and emotion.
She cracked her knuckles and began to type.
Time has no intrinsic value—it is simply the canvas upon which we paint our existence.
Advancing without understanding is destruction; restarting without learning is ignorance. True progress is both.
Memory captures essence, but matter physically endures. The greatest knowledge is that which can inspire both the mind and the world.
I would sacrifice certainty, comfort, even the known laws of reality itself, if it meant pushing humanity forward to a brighter future. A future for good.
She hovered over the send button.
Then—click.
The screen glitched.A sharp buzz filled the room, static crawling across her monitor like veins of cracked glass.Her reflection disappeared from the screen.
Artemis’s breath hitched. What the—?
Before she could react, a dull, mechanical voice echoed from her laptop.
“Response… satisfactory.”
A bright, blinding green light erupted, swallowing the room whole.
And then—
-----
Date: March 14th Year 5756 (Two Days Later)
The Kingdom of Science had never experienced a blackout this severe.
One moment, the lab was alive—Senku, Xeno, Chrome, and Kaseki were deep in discussion, analyzing blueprints for the time machine on a massive chalkboard. Ryusui was debating fuel efficiency, Suika tinkering at her desk with a prototype model, while Stanley was leaning against a wall off to the side of the room — off guard duty.
Then—
Total darkness.
The hum of generators, circuits, even the faint static of electrical activity in their lab — everything went silent.
Chrome panicking, “W-What the hell? Did we just lose all power?!”
“Impossible. Our power grid is decentralized. A total blackout shouldn’t be—”, Xeno rationalizes, ever calm and serious.
“OH HO! Now this is interesting!”, Ryusui exclaims despite the current crisis.
Senku, unbothered as ever, simply crossed his arms.“Tch. This wasn’t just a random failure. It's like... something drained our power.”
Without warning, the room shifted.
The air thickened, buzzing with a static charge that made the fine hairs on Senku’s arms stand on end. The temperature dropped by several degrees, and an unsettling pressure settled over the lab, as if the whole room itself was buckling.
And then—
A tear split open in the center of the lab.
Blinding, green-tinged light erupted from the fissure, casting harsh, flickering shadows across the walls. The portal was enormous, swirling with erratic, chaotic energy, tendrils of plasma curling outward like grasping fingers. Senku’s pulse skyrocketed. His breath came in short, exhilarated bursts as his mind immediately went into overdrive.
This glow… This appearance… No doubt about it.
It was the same light that had petrified the world centuries ago.
Before he could analyze further, something materialized in the center of the portal.
A heavy mass.
It fell.
CLUNK.
The impact reverberated through the lab floor, shaking instruments and sending scattered papers into the air. A fine layer of dust stirred from the force of the collision.
Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the portal snapped shut, imploding inward until it was nothing more than a pinpoint of green before vanishing completely.
The lights flickered back.
One by one, the machines rebooted, the generators roared to life, and the lab screens flashed back on. Then...
Silence.
Senku’s heart pounded, adrenaline roaring through his veins. Slowly, methodically stepping forward to examine what had just dropped into his world from another.
There, lying motionless on the floor, was a massive, human-shaped stone statue.
A female figure was curled slightly, as if frozen mid-motion. The surface of the stone was smoother than the usual petrification cases he had studied, with intricate vein-like striations running through the material, faintly glowing in places where the green light had yet to fully fade.
His fingers twitched. Every synapse in his brain screamed at him to analyze, to test, to experiment—
But first, he had to process the impossible.
Her form was detailed, her features focused —yet completely encased in the familiar petrification stone.
“Stand back everyone!.” Stanley orders, gripping his weapon.
Suika wide-eyed, whispering, “Someone was... petrified? Here? But… how?”
“GYAAAAHAHAHAHA! NOW THIS IS A DISCOVERY WORTH A FORTUNE!” Ryusui cackles with glee.
Chrome for once, dead serious, “Okay. That’s terrifying.”
“This…” Senku’s voice was hoarse from the sheer rush of scientific euphoria. “This isn’t just a standard petrified human we have encountered before.”
He let out a sharp laugh, half disbelief, half pure exhilaration.
“Heh, a solid 10 billion percent impossible occurrence but here we are.”
His vermillion eyes gleamed.
“This is the most exhilarating thing I’ve witnessed yet. Heh, get excited!”
Senku attempted to approach first, eyes sharp. Stanley shot out his arm and stopped him. Senku paused in response but kept his focus on the statue, analyzing every inch.
“No weathering. No erosion. This wasn’t underground or in the elements for long… It’s a recent petrification.”
His mind was already racing. Teleportation? No. That wasn’t feasible. The amount of energy needed…
He looked at Xeno, who had come to the same conclusion.
Xeno quietly, almost reverently, “This is not a coincidence.”
And then—
They noticed something else.
At the statue’s feet lay a small, metallic shard.
Senku bent down, picking it up. His breath hitched ever so slightly.
It was a fragment of Medusa technology.
Another Why-Man deviceand it had just delivered this person to them.
Chrome tense, glancing at the statue, “Uh… I don’t know about you guys, but reviving a random mystery person that got dropped into our lab seems like a bad idea.”
Ryusui grinning, as usual,” “Nonsense! What’s life without a little risk? For all my years of dreaming, I never thought I’d see something this incredible! I DESIRE IT!”
Senku, still in the midst of calculating probabilities, merely chuckled. “Figured you’d say something like that.”
“Of course! This is a moment that will be written in history!” Ryusui clapped a hand on Senku’s shoulder, grinning. Senku was unbothered by his antics and had already prepared the revival fluid.
Senku states, “If Why-Man left her here, there’s a reason. And I want to know why.”
Xeno nodding, “Agreed. We must determine the connection between her and this new Medusa device.”
“Nothing I say is gonna stop you huh Xeno?”, Stanley sighs in defeat.
Suika chimes in, “She could be someone important… maybe someone who knows something we don’t!”
With that, Senku quickly shrugs off his lab coat, wrapping the garment around her shoulders. Rysui noticed this uncharacteristic gesture from the usually pragmatic scientist but decided to keep quiet.
Senku crouched beside the petrified form, carefully running his hands over the stone surface over the statue’s head.
“This petrification isn’t like the ones we’ve seen before,” Senku murmured, tapping his knuckles against the stone, listening to the resonance. “It’s smoother. More refined.”
Xeno nodded. “And those striations… They’re still faintly glowing.”
Senku's mind was already running countless calculations. “If this is a variant of the Medusa’s power, I need to know what conditions caused it.”
Ryusui exhaled sharply, crossing his arms. Then, in a tone far more serious than before—
“Well, my dear scientist, it seems you’ve got your next great mystery.”
Senku nodded in agreement and then finally poured the revival fluid over the statue.
The stone cracked, the lab fell silent. The usual excitement of bringing someone back from stone was absent this time—this wasn’t just another human from their world. This was an unknown variable, transported by an intelligent, self-sustaining Medusa device.
As the revival fluid’s last drops evaporated off her skin, the stone cracked and she gasped in her first breath. As the stone crumbled away her eyes darted, blinking up at the unfamiliar faces surrounding her. Her mind struggled to process what just happened—one moment, she was in her office, preparing a lecture, and the next, she was naked in an unfamiliar, freezing cold lab, surrounded by strangers in white coats.
The air in the lab felt electric—charged with the weight of something utterly incomprehensible.
Her breath hitched.
And then—
She looked up—and met Senku’s vermilion eyes.
There was an intense expression on his face, one that bordered energized focus but also carried something more calculating.
And then he spoke.
“Tch. Oi Ishi no sekai e yōkoso”, Senku states grinning wide, crossing his arms.
And then she screamed.