Chapter Text
“I think I’d prefer you dead.” You spat the words with fury, almost launching them into the face of your relentless stalker. To cover the noise Kohaku had made when she dropped the rock onto the glass jars, you started tossing pots and dishes around as a distraction. It worked perfectly—until Moz showed up.
“And I’d prefer you underneath me…” You almost struck him again, but it seemed his recent encounters had taught him enough to know when you were going to attack—this time, he dodged it without issue.
“Leave her alone, Moz.” Kirisame appeared to defend you. The moment she lost sight of you, that creep was already on top of you again, trying to intimidate you. You were his latest form of entertainment.
“It’s not my fault this time.” He pointed toward the broken shards on the floor. “She went crazy and started smashing everything. Another second and she’d have jumped too.”
Your eyes focused on Ginro, who gave you a thumbs-up. They had gotten everything from the capsule without raising Ibara’s or his minions’ suspicions, and the mechanical rats were already on their way to the cave group.
“That was a moment of weakness. It won’t happen again…” You steadied yourself, turning your focus to the trouble in front of you.
“Ohh, really?” Every hair on your body stood on end, and cold swept through you when that man emerged from between the bridges. Ibara towered over you.
You couldn’t take on that bear.
Your lip trembled, your eyes burned, and your throat tightened painfully—you were spiraling into deep panic at the mere sight of him.
“I... I'm sorry… it won’t happen again… I promise…” You were on the verge of crying like a terrified little girl. Which, in that moment, you were.
“Seems like you’re moving around a little too freely, don’t you all think?” Before you even realized it, Moz and Kirisame were already kneeling with their heads bowed. This was getting worse.
“It’s my fault, Ibara. If you allow me, I’ll take care of—” Ibara raised a hand to silence Kirisame, who was sweating cold trying to pull you out of a hole deeper than the one you were already in.
What should you do now? How would you get out of this? Should you activate the petrification device?
If you yelled loud enough, it might activate—Kirisame always carried it with her. But what if she didn’t? What if she’d left it somewhere else that day? What if all you did was expose yourself as someone who understood how it worked? That would be far worse—you’d put the entire mission in jeopardy.
“It’s been a while since I’ve had any fun… that damn boat’s kept me busy…” Your lungs began to give out. You needed more air, everything spun, and your vision blurred.
“Yes… you should come see me later tonight.” His laughter crawled up your spine like ice. You were done for.
You were going to act. Now.
Things couldn’t have gone worse. Just when they’d finally received the minerals thanks to the mechanical rats and were about to start creating the miracle fluid, this enormous problem appeared.
Amaryllis, who had returned to the cave to explain the horrific situation you were going through, emerged from the water—followed by a completely dangerous man, fully prepared to kill them all without hesitation or remorse. Even Gen was too terrified to act.
“Maybe… should I just kill them?”
Senku swallowed hard. This wasn’t heading in a good direction.
Think. Think. What can you do?
But before he even had the chance to consider his near-zero options—
“Ugh, I hate swimming,” you emerged from the water right behind Moz. “Oh for all the gods’ sake, this has to be a joke.” You looked at him with utter disgust. He blinked a few times before letting out that familiar laugh of his.
“My little pet. Leave her off the leash and she runs around everywhere.”
He tried to throw an arm around your shoulders, but you dodged it quickly, utterly drained from the overwhelming day.
“Hi, darling…” You greeted your husband with barely any breath left, giving him a faint hug. He could feel how badly you were shaking from fear.
You entered the mobile lab, causing a racket inside.
“By the way, can we already make the miracle fluid?”
No one answered.
“Never mind, I saw Ryusui already.”
You came back out, carrying a cloth-covered box that Senku immediately recognized: the taser.
“Why so tense?”
You walked back toward the sea, catching Moz off guard as you grabbed his arm and pointed at the small boat nearby.
“Take me back.”
He chuckled, but turned his back, stepping into the water to reach the boat.
“Hey, by the way, remember what I told you about the gods’ punishment?”
You unwrapped the taser.
“Of course, sweetheart. The gods will strike me down with lightning for—”
The end of his sentence was cut off by a scream of sheer agony. You made sure to set the taser at full power.
You dropped Moz into the water.
Finally, you could breathe again. You’d been overwhelmed with panic, terrified of being caught mid-act, of your plan failing. But you’d done it. You took down that bastard who’d tormented you in the harem. Behind you, everyone jumped into action as soon as they saw you collapse onto the sand, tying Moz with every knot known to humankind—he looked more like a bondage experiment than a prisoner.
“You’re okay, you’re okay…” your husband whispered, caressing your hair. You were so shaken you hadn’t even realized when he caught you in his arms, cradling your head against his chest to calm you. You breathed deeply, clinging to his clothes, not wanting to let go.
“You bastard.”
Your voice was muffled against him.
“I know.”
He answered without hesitation.
“I told you I should’ve gone down with you on that boat,” you accused, thinking of everything you had to do without his help or support, afraid of not seeing him again.
“I know. It won’t happen again.”
He promised, hugging you as tightly as he could.
You laughed—knowing it wasn’t true. There would always be something forcing you two apart.
“I got it,” you said, pulling back from the embrace.
“What?”
You pulled a strange-looking necklace from your cleavage. It was a worn cord holding a highly unusual stone.
“It’s the petrification stone,” you said—cutting the air from everyone’s lungs. “I didn’t want to use the hemlock on Kirisame, but I had no choice. I saw Moz following Amaryllis and knew I had to do something or he’d kill them.”
Your husband ran a hand over his face, in disbelief over what he’d just heard. You had practically secured the ultimate weapon against any of their enemies.
“I’m going to petrify the entire island,” you declared with fierce determination. They had to make sure even allies were immobilized—Moz could not be allowed even the slightest chance to retaliate.
One look into your eyes told Senku you had a plan. He nodded.
“You guys take a small boat. I don’t want the light reaching you.”
You stood, stashing the necklace once again.
“Leave Moz on land so he gets petrified. I’ll go back to the harem and make sure Ibara’s the first to turn to stone. Then you come back and revive us—just be careful not to wake people like him.” You pointed at the prisoner.
“Will you be okay?”
Senku asked, placing a hand on your shoulder. Less than a minute ago, you were promising never to be separated again. Now, he felt useless for not having been able to help, for having left everything in your hands. You looked at him tenderly, caressed his cheek, and kissed him—letting your calm flow into him.
“Wake him up.”
You were ready to take revenge for every torment. You lowered the taser’s setting, and when the islander regained some consciousness, you said:
“I told you something would stop working.”
You smiled cruelly.
“And I keep my promises.”
That man may now be a eunuch because of you. A trained dog, trembling at your presence.
None of the other men present dared witness what you did to Moz that night in the cave. Every one of them turned their head away, quietly praying that the poor fallen soldier might somehow find a place in the arms of God.