[Location: Dr. Stone – What Remains of Japan – Near Ishigami Village – Near Chrome's House.]
The sun descended toward the horizon, staining the sky a soft orange, as a group of people—the craft team—gathered around Chrome, who was eager to show his collection of materials to Senku Ishigami.
"These are the rocks I gathered from various caves! There's gotta be something here that can withstand the heat!" he exclaimed, bursting with his usual energy as a passionate amateur scientist, though tinged with a subtle thread of anxiety.
The group leaned over the collection, inspecting the rocks and minerals with curiosity, though to most of them, they were nothing more than colorful stones.
"Wow, this looks like a gem!" Ruby commented, holding up something shiny.
"It's a dead bug called Scutiphora pedicellata," Senku replied dryly.
"Eek!" she shrieked, dropping it instantly.
"What about this rock? It's super light and black," Ginro asked, as though he had actually found what they were looking for.
But just as he was about to test and demonstrate its hardness...
"It's raccoon shit," Senku deadpanned.
"Shit!" Ginro realized after crushing it in his hands.
Despite the group's efforts, none of the samples were what Senku needed.
The problem was clear: they needed a material capable of withstanding extreme temperatures to build a functional vacuum tube. Bamboo filament simply wasn't durable enough.
But why were they making it in the first place? Wouldn't it be easier to just buy one? The answer is simple.
They can't.
There is nowhere to buy it.
Over 3,000 years ago, everything humanity had ever achieved was stripped away. It happened because every single human being was petrified—turned to stone.
As millennia passed, the great structures, advancements, and technologies that defined human civilization were eroded away by time.
Yet, not everything was completely erased. Certain things endured, as did a handful of individuals who, through sheer luck, managed to escape petrification.
And then there was Senku, who, after thousands of years of petrification, finally regained his freedom.
With a brilliant mind and unwavering determination, he devoted nearly two years to rebuilding the bare essentials for survival. Using tools forged from stone, wood, and iron, he managed to create incandescent lightbulbs, cotton candy, hydroelectric power, batteries, and even automated the oxygen flow in a furnace to smelt iron.
These achievements, impressive as they were, were merely a fraction of his endless list of innovations.
However, he now faced a new challenge: the necessity of creating scientific weapons.
The reason behind this was an inevitable clash with a powerful, charismatic, and dangerous man—someone just a bit older than him.
Thus arose the need to manufacture a vacuum tube: a crucial step toward his true objective, which was constructing a long-range communication device.
In other words, something like a cell phone.
'Kukuku... Is this checkmate?' Senku suppressed an ironic smirk. 'After coming all this way...'.
For the first time in a long while, a sense of helplessness washed over him. He had overcome countless obstacles up to this point, but this one seemed insurmountable.
Even so, giving up was not an option. All the work and sacrifices made so far would be in vain.
However...
Ding!
[I guess that's it then. What a shame. It was truly fun.]
A strange sound shattered the silence, reminiscent of a notification chime.
Before Senku, a holographic text window materialized, floating in the air and partially obstructing his vision.
Senku froze, his eyes narrowing slightly as he processed what he was seeing.
"Is this...?!" he muttered, his voice barely audible. His brain was working at top speed, yet he couldn't determine the origin of the phenomenon.
'Am I hallucinating?' he thought, rubbing his eyes. But the window remained. He reached out to touch it, only for his fingers to pass right through.
His analytical mind quickly formulated a terrifying hypothesis: 'Could this be related to the petrification?!'
Though his face remained unreadable, his mind was a whirlwind of theories.
If that hologram had any connection to the event that petrified the entire world, the implications were staggering.
However, he rapidly cast aside irrational emotion and forced his brain to focus.
He looked around, noticing that the voices surrounding him had fallen silent. Turning his head, he saw expressions of shock and fear on everyone else's faces.
"Isn't that...?!"
"Sorcery! It's sorcery!"
"How scary!"
"Senku, get back!"
"Wahhh! Sorcery is incredible!"
"Eek, so creepy!"
"Whoa! What is that? Looks so bad!"
"Everyone calm down, it's just a hologram! There's no danger!" Gen said, attempting to soothe the panic. Though he maintained a serene facade, his mind was brimming with questions.
Meanwhile, Senku confirmed that this wasn't a personal hallucination. The others could see the window too, eliminating that possibility. Furthermore, the pain in his self-inflicted pinched arm was still present, proving he was wide awake.
"Don't be so loud. It's just a hologram," Senku declared in his usual tone, helping to ease the tension.
Ding!
[In that case... Do you want more materials?]
[Yes / No]
A new window appeared, overlapping the previous one. This time, the prompt was plain to see.
The message floated before Senku's eyes, and he read it intently while the others remained silent, staring at the strange window without comprehending its contents.
The deceptive calm on Senku's face concealed a mind processing countless possibilities per second. 'Materials? If this is real, it could solve the filament problem once and for all. But... at what cost?'
The young scientist knew that accepting something so mysterious and potentially advantageous without investigating would be reckless. On the other hand, he couldn't ignore the opportunity to push toward his goal.
"Gen, what do you make of this?" he asked, turning his attention to the mentalist, whose expression remained carefully neutral.
"Heh~... I'm glad you asked," Gen replied, bringing a finger to his lips while his mind analyzed the situation. "I'd say this is like a bargain at a bazaar: too good to be true. But if the question is 'should we take the risk?', I'd say it depends on how much you're willing to lose, Senku-chan."
Senku flashed an ironic smirk at the mentalist's response. It was precisely what he expected from him: a surface-level analysis that left the final decision squarely in his hands.
The others began to mutter, but Senku brushed their comments aside. He focused on the holographic window once more, his mind racing. 'If I accept, what does "more materials" mean? Will they appear like magic...? Is it a trade...? Or perhaps something even more complex...?'
Meanwhile Chrome, uneasy because he couldn't comprehend what was happening, leaned toward Gen and whispered, "What does that thing say, Gen?"
"...? Oh! It's something like, 'Do you want more stuff to do science? Yes or No.' Fufufu," Gen replied in an exaggeratedly theatrical tone, hiding his own misgivings from the group.
"That sounds awesome! Accept it, Senku!" Chrome shouted, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
"It's not that simple, Chrome," Senku replied, remaining composed. "We don't know what accepting entails, nor do we know who's behind it." As he spoke, his mind continued to explore the message's implications. An offer so specific and tailormade for his predicament couldn't be a coincidence.
"Kukuku... Fine then. We don't have any other options anyway..." Senku shrugged, a wry smirk on his lips. "If this thing can give us what we need to move forward, it'd be ten billion percent foolish to ignore it. But...".
Finally, with a resolute look in his eyes, Senku reached out toward the holographic window and selected "Yes."
"...Whoever you are, I'll be sure to remember you."
[Yes (Selected) / No.]
The group held their breath, waiting for a reaction.
[Great! Welcome to the "Part-Time Workers Group"!]
[Before continuing, if you wish, you may change your clothes.]
Suddenly, a folded set of clothes materialized out of thin air before dropping to the ground with a soft thud.
At a glance, it was a neatly tailored school uniform: shiny black shoes, crisp black trousers, a neatly ironed white shirt, a subtle black belt, and a red tie that added a pop of color. Topping it off was a high-collared lab coat, lending a distinct, scientific air to the outfit.
Senku scrutinized the uniform attentively, his piercing gaze examining every detail. It was unmistakable. The design, the texture, and even the peculiar fold of the red tie were identical to what he remembered from his life before petrification.
"Well, well..." he muttered with a subtle, sarcastic smirk. "Looks like someone's pretty creepy."
"Eh?! What does this mean, Senku?" Chrome asked, staring at the uniform, wide-eyed.
"Clothes?! It isn't some kind of transformation spell, is it?!" Ginro yelled, taking a step back.
"Fufufu, you're all so dramatic," Gen chimed in, attempting to downplay the abnormal situation. He brought a hand to his chin, inspecting the attire with interest. "Who would've thought magic could be so... practical? Though I must say, that lab coat has a style that gives me goosebumps—in a good way, of course."
Senku ignored their commentary and knelt to pick up the uniform. The fabric was exactly as he remembered, authentic enough that his scientific mind immediately began churning out questions.
'How on earth did they replicate this with such precision...? This shouldn't even be possible...' he thought as his fingers glided over the fabric. 'But... it's real. Ten billion percent real...'.
"Senku, what exactly is that?" Kohaku asked, eyeing the clothes with distrust, her hand resting on the hilt of her katana.
"Something that defies logic," Senku replied, keeping his eyes on the uniform. His tone was neutral, but his mind was a storm of theories.
"It's so weird! Appearing out of thin air... Is this... sorcery?" Suika asked, tilting her head.
"Sorcery, huh..." Senku let out a brief chuckle. "Sorry to disappoint you, Suika, but if something like this exists, it has a scientific explanation. We just haven't found it yet."
Then, with a playful smirk, he added, "Besides... if anyone thinks I'm going to accept something this convenient without dissecting it first, they're ten billion percent underestimating me."
As the group debated, Gen stepped forward with a strained smile. "Senku-chan, I must say that outfit is quite distinctive. If someone's offering high-quality clothes, why not take advantage of it? Maybe it'll even make you look more trustworthy to the villagers."
"Trustworthy, huh? More like a worker's uniform," Senku replied, half-joking, vaguely catching the underlying intent behind Gen's words.
The words "Part-Time Workers Group" in the holographic window reminded him that this was about more than just clothing.
Uniform in hand, he raised an eyebrow and muttered, "Part-Time Workers? Who on earth comes up with these names?"
Chrome, unable to contain himself, blurted out, "Come on, Senku! This looks awesome! Maybe it's magic that'll help us with the filament!"
"I already told you magic doesn't exist," Senku fired back, without taking his eyes off the message. "This is science, albeit insanely advanced. If someone has the ability to project a hologram and materialize clothing out of thin air, we're talking about a level of technology that makes even the cell phone I mentioned look like a wooden toy."
Senku frowned slightly. 'A uniform, an ambiguous name, and a tempting offer. This has to be part of something bigger. Someone is playing a game with me, and I hate being a pawn on anyone's chessboard.'
Gen smiled faintly, leaning toward Senku. "Fufufu... So, what are you going to do, Senku-chan? This feels like one of those offers you can't refuse, but we all know there's always a hidden catch. Speaking as a mentalist, of course."
Senku let out a dry laugh. "Of course there's a catch, Gen. But the key isn't avoiding the trap—it's using it to your advantage."
Setting the uniform aside for a moment, Senku sighed and spoke aloud, as if addressing whoever was orchestrating this from afar. "Fine, I'll play your game for now." He cast his eyes back to the outfit. "If there's anything special about this uniform, there's only one way to find out."
With fluid movement, he began changing right in front of everyone. Several girls hastily looked away, while Kohaku shook her head in a mix of irritation and embarrassment.
"Senku, at least show a little modesty!" Chrome yelled. After all, a whole crowd was watching.
"Modesty? Please. It's just clothes," Senku shot back, utterly unbothered.
Once dressed, he adjusted the lab coat and crossed his arms, striking his signature pose. "Well? How do I look?"
"Fufufu! Stunning as always," Gen commented with a grin.
"You look like... a sorcerer king!" Ginro said, awestruck.
"You look fine, but that doesn't make this any less weird," Kohaku added gravely.
Before anyone could say another word, a new notification chime resonated through the air.
Ding!
[Excellent. Now let us begin.]
The instant Senku finished reading, everything turned white.
To everyone else, however, Senku simply vanished in a flash.
The crowd froze, struggling to process what had just happened.
"SENKU?!" a collective shout echoed across the clearing.
Kohaku drew her sword in an instant, while Gen narrowed his eyes, a deep frown forming.
"Fuf~... Well, this just got ten billion times more complicated..." Gen whispered, his mind already calculating their next move.
_____
[Location: White World - Waiting Room.]
Senku took in the scene with a mix of surprise and barely concealed fascination. It was a scenario that defied all logic, but instead of being frustrated, his mind was already frantically cycling through theories, discarding them, and formulating new ones.
Before him stood a black glass table set with a variety of snacks, flanked by armchairs where three young men observed his arrival. Each maintained a relaxed posture, yet their eyes betrayed that they were evaluating him with the exact same scrutiny he was applying to them.
The first to speak was Light Yagami. His tone was calm, though his calculating gaze showed he was already forming an opinion on the newcomer.
"Certainly a striking hairstyle. I take it you're no ordinary student. Am I mistaken?" Light asked with a polite smile, lacing his fingers together as he rested his forearms on his knees.
Senku arched an eyebrow, shoving his hands into the pockets of his lab coat as he strolled forward.
"I could say the same about you three. It's not every day I run into strangers in a place that defies every known law of physics. But sure, my hair is clearly the most interesting thing here, huh?" he shot back sarcastically.
Lelouch Lamperouge, seated in the armchair across from Senku, offered a subtle smirk. He found the scientist's response intriguing.
"Curious. Someone with an analytical mind might view this place as a fascinating proving ground. Yet, rather than seeking answers, you seem more focused on deflecting superficial remarks. Is that a defense mechanism, or a distraction?" Lelouch asked, his tone laced with a hint of disdain, yet clearly intrigued.
Senku slumped into the single vacant armchair across from Lelouch, resting an arm on the seatback.
"Priorities, I suppose. There's no point philosophizing about the inexplicable until you grasp the basics. Though looking at your faces, I'd say no one here is planning on enjoying the snacks anytime soon. Am I wrong?"
Kiyotaka Ayanokouji, who had remained silent until now, spoke while leaning lightly on the armchair's armrest.
"A pragmatic answer. Though I'd say your initial reaction isn't much different from someone trying to hide uncertainty behind a mask of confidence," Kiyotaka remarked in his neutral voice, testing the waters.
Senku locked eyes with him for a moment, cracking a half-smirk before crossing his arms.
"Interesting observation. But if we're going to play the personality analysis game, I'd say you're the type who prefers watching from the shadows until the exact right moment to step in. Am I warm?"
Silence settled over the room as each of them sized up the others, scanning for weaknesses or behavioral patterns.
Finally, Lelouch leaned forward slightly, shattering the quiet.
"It's obvious that none of us are conventional. If we've been brought here together, there must be a reason. Perhaps it would be more productive to focus on that, wouldn't you say?" His voice, steeped in authority, left little room for debate.
Light nodded slowly.
"I agree. And before anything else, perhaps we should introduce ourselves. I'm Sosuke Tsubasa. As you can see, I'm a student, though I doubt that information is particularly useful here."
Senku nodded.
"Senku Oki. Scientist. I guess it doesn't matter much in a place like this either, but it's always good to know who you're talking to."
Kiyotaka and Lelouch exchanged a brief glance before following suit.
"Kiyotaka Horikita," the former said, not bothering to add anything further.
"Schneizel Lamperouge," declared the second, offering a subtle nod alongside his words.
Before Light could steer the conversation any deeper, something caught his attention.
New figures materialized a few yards away, every bit as bewildered as they had been just moments prior.