01x04 - Fire the Smoke Signal

[bunniefuu]

[SENKU] Shishio Tsukasa
is an awesome guy.

Who happens to be a m*rder*r.

[chuckles] If we can make
some weapons of science

before he realizes
what we're really up to,

then victory is ours.

But if he gets wise
to us? Game over.

The race is on, you guys!

The g*n.

We're gonna make some gunpowder.

Time to get excited, you guys.

[gasps]

[TSUKASA]
Hakone.

If they make gunpowder,
I don't stand a chance.

Senku can do it.

So I have to stop him
before that happens.

[banging]

[chuckling]

Yuzuriha.

I think I should tell you
about what happened

while we were turned to stone.

On that day, long ago,

when I had asked you
to come and meet me

over at the camphor tree...

[TAIJU]
It's like this, Yuzuriha.

I've kept this inside me
for five years, and--

[YUZURIHA]
Well, Taiju?

You wanted to tell me
something back then.

What was it?

[TAIJU] Yuzuriha, for the
entire time I was a statue,

all I thought about
was finishing

what I started to say.

For hundreds of years,
thousands of years...

But things have changed.

And now, in this crazy Stone
World with nowhere to run to,

I just wouldn't feel right
as a man to tell you

what I was going
to say back then.

[TAIJU]
I-I'm sorry!

I realize that this is all
super vague and confusing

and you probably have no
idea what I'm talking about.

[YUZURIHA]
No. I'm pretty sure I do.

It's up to us to bring
back civilization.

But once we've saved humanity...

When that's been done,
will you let me say it then,

what I wanted to say
3,700 years ago?

Will you please?

Yeah. It's okay.

We are gonna bring the
world back. I'm sure of it.

[SENKU laughs]

We have the three components
we need to make gunpowder.

For real? We got all
of 'em already?

The only thing left
is to mix it up.

It's time for a gunpowder
cooking class

that'll be a total blast!

[SENKU]
Gunpowder ingredient number one

is sulfur, which there's plenty
of at this hot spring!

Number two: Charcoal.

And we can get as much of it as
we want just by burning wood.

As for number three,
it's not as easy to come by,

but we need potassium nitrate.

It takes a hell of a long time
to whip up a batch, so...

Ta-dah!

I took the liberty of making
a bunch of it beforehand

to save us some precious time!

[TAIJU screams]

[TAIJU]
Hmm...

Nitrate sounds familiar.

I feel like I've
heard it before.

Nitric acid! Miracle fluid!

Did you get that
stuff outta the cave?

Surprisingly enough, you're
right for once, simpleton.

You get ten billion
points for that.

So now, we'll blend
our potassium nitrate

in with the sulfur and charcoal.

Let's sweeten the mixture by
throwing in a pinch of sugar

to give it a little more oomph.

A bit of this glucose
I extracted from grapes

should do the trick.

What's up, guys?
My name is Mecha-Senku.

That recipe we just put
together is the real deal.

Meaning it can actually
create a b*mb!

So don't try this at home!

Finally, pound it down
till it's packed solid!

--[TAIJU grunts]
--[cracking]

Need a poundin', bro?

'Cause that sounds like the
perfect kinda job for me!

[YUZURIHA, SENKU scream]

Are you sure that's a good idea?

I'm scared if you use
all your strength,

you could make it
spark and go boom!

Like with flint!

Yeah, no.

Hitting stone with stone doesn't
actually create any sparks.

Oh. I didn't know that.

Hey. You're right.

That's because flint is not
your ordinary type of stone.

The metal in it is
what makes the spark.

Hot springs... volcanoes...
iron pyrite...

Iron pyrite?

[SENKU]
Wai--

[yells]

[ALL scream]

[BOTH gasp]

[SENKU screams]

No problem, you guys!

This just proves our gunpowder
cooking was successful!

That's scary stuff.
We need to be careful!

Yeah.

It's been involved in a lot
of experiments gone wrong.

Not uncommon for some curious
kid to lose a limb or worse.

[YUZURIHA]
Huh?

Don't forget, this is a lethal
substance we're dealing with.

And we're planning to
use it against Tsukasa?

No. We'll make a deal.

[TAIJU]
Huh?

Tsukasa isn't some sort of
random, mindless m*rder*r.

Think back.

When you two had your scuffle,
you remember what he said?

Let me make sure
I understand you.

You'll let me pummel
you as much as I like

so I stop breaking
those statues.

That's what you're
saying, right?

Yeah, exactly!

I don't understand. You aren't
making any kind of deal.

[SENKU] In other words,
under the right circumstances,

we can negotiate with him.

And with a little gunpowder on
our side, we'll have leverage.

[SENKU]
However,

if the negotiations don't
work out in the end,

then we'll have to...

[TSUKASA]
I know what Senku's doing.

If he's already successfully
made the gunpowder,

then I'll have to...

[BOTH]
...k*ll him.

[TAIJU] All right, just a
little more and it'll be out.

[SENKU chuckles]

[SENKU]
If Tsukasa's after us,

there's a ten billion percent
chance that he'll find us.

[gasps]

[YUZURIHA]
Hey, Senku, Taiju.

--[SENKU] Hm?
--[TAIJU] Huh?

[SENKU]
A smoke signal?

Is it Tsukasa?

[SENKU] No, he's in
the opposite direction.

And besides, he's got
absolutely no reason

to reveal his
location like that.

So what then? A forest fire?

I don't believe it's
a mere coincidence.

The timing suggests
it's a response

to the smoke we created.

[YUZURIHA]
You mean...?

Indeed I do.

[SENKU] It's time to
get excited you two.

Because it looks like

we've found someone else
in this Stone World.

Whoa. There's more people?
We're not alone?

Don't you think we should
finish putting out the fire?

Yeah, you're right!

[SENKU]
No, hang on.

As far as they know, our smoke
could've been caused naturally

by a small volcanic expl*si*n.

We need to send a signal back

before they decide to
give up and leave.

I think it get it now!

Are you sure? Won't Tsukasa
be able to see it, too?

We'll be broadcasting
our location to everyone,

including him.

[TAIJU growls]

[chuckles]

[SENKU]
The least logical part of me,

what some might call
"my gut," is talking.

Lighting the fire is risky.

I have to choose between
safety and our future.

What do we do, Senku?
Put it out? Or light it?

[SENKU growls]

Let's light it up!
Fire the smoke signal!

We're running outta gunpowder!

Grab anything that'll
burn and throw it in!

All right, I'm gonna go
get some firewood!

[SENKU]
This is a double-edged sword.

We're telling anybody within
sight exactly where we are.

And if Tsukasa's figured out
that we're making gunpowder...

[TSUKASA] Senku is definitely
making gunpowder.

That bit about the
shells tipped me off.

Check it out.

There are four super useful
things you can do with it.

I said three earlier, didn't I?

[TSUKASA] Senku hid one big
piece of info from me

because he realized I was
a potential thr*at.

Which means...

The fourth useful thing you
can do with seashells

is craft some kind of w*apon.

I can guess what that is.

Producing potassium nitrate
for use in making gunpowder.

[TSUKASA]
There they are!

From early on, Senku
knew he'd need something

more advanced to fight me.

[YUZURIHA gasps]

[SENKU chuckles]

[SENKU] When one uses
science to create a w*apon,

that's when the "strongest" man
is no longer the most powerful.

I'd say you're looking
especially grumpy today.

Tsukasa.

Yeah. I suppose that is an
accurate way of putting it.

If you go down this road
of developing weapons

and start reviving
older generations,

they'll begin fighting over
established interests,

and then we'll be right
back in a tainted world.

I don't mind getting
my hands dirty,

if that's what it takes to
stop that from happening.

And by that,

you mean k*lling Senku
the Science Man, right?

[chuckles]

I'm sure the whole world
would be moved to tears

by your merciful death sentence.

But before that, would you
mind giving me the recipe

for the revival fluid?

[growls]

Nope, sorry. I guess I'm
not as kind as you are.

I can only look at things
as being logical or illogical.

So, I don't care one millimeter
what you do with that girl.

There are plenty of
other females to revive.

[gasps]

[gasps]

[TSUKASA]
Don't try to negotiate, Senku.

[TSUKASA sighs]

[TSUKASA] You never buried
Yuzuriha, like you should've.

Your best move would've
been to take her

while she was still
covered in stone

and put her deep in
the ground somewhere.

In a place I couldn't find her.

And if I thought of that,
there's no chance in hell

it never crossed your mind.

But for some reason,
you didn't do it.

Was it for Taiju's sake,
or for Yuzuriha's?

No. I think it was
for both of them.

[gasps]

[growls]

[TSUKASA]
You call yourself logical,

but you have your precious
friends to care for.

I always had tons of admirers,

but there's no one I'd truly
say is precious to me.

And because of that...
this is my win.

[YUZURIHA chuckles]

[YUZURIHA] I really
appreciate the haircut.

It'll be a lot easier to
care for in this world.

[YUZURIHA] Please, don't give
him the recipe, Senku.

As long as he doesn't know
how to make it himself,

he'll have no choice
but to let you live.

He can't k*ll you.

I'm not important at all.

But you? You have to survive,
for everybody's sake.

To make sure they have a future.

[chuckles]

[SENKU] The revival fluid
is a combination

of nitric acid and alcohol.

First, you gotta filter the
miracle fluid from the cave,

then mix it up with alcohol
that's been distilled

to as close as 96%
as you can get it.

The ratio is 30% miracle
fluid to 70% alcohol,

and if you're off by
just a few points,

the reaction won't happen.

So you should fine-tune
it by testing it

on a petrified swallow feather.

Thank you so much, Senku.

And now, I no longer have
any reason to let you live.

Good. I think this
should be enough.

[gasping]

[screams]

Now there's three smoke signals!

[TAIJU] They must be
responding to the three sh*ts

we fired with the gunpowder.

There's no doubt about it.
We're not the only ones here!

Senku! Yuzuriha!

[WOMAN]
Three.

Let's say I did let
you live, right?

You would develop
civilization just like before.

Can you promise that
you won't do that?

[SENKU chuckles]

[SENKU]
The hell are you talking about?

I could promise anything
to stay alive.

No. You would never lie.
Not when it comes to science.

So will you promise me, here
and now, and for all eternity,

that you'll abandon science?

Because if you can make
that pledge, you can live,

and then I won't be
forced into k*lling you.

[TEACHER A]
All right, next up is Senku.

I'm going to space.

[CLASSMATES]
Huh?

So an astronaut, then?

That's an excellent
dream, young man.

Work hard, and when
you grow up---

No. I'm going there
as soon as possible.

[SENKU chuckles]

Then again, I'm just a
kid who doesn't know

the first thing about science.

[SENKU]
I'm gonna need to study.

Every last thing.

I'm gonna try everything.

[gasps]

[SENKU'S FATHER]
I can't help you all that much.

But if you're serious,

I firmly believe that you
can accomplish anything

through the diligent
application of science.

[SENKU'S FATHER] I've got a
feeling that this Christmas,

Santa Claus will give you
all the tools you'll need.

[SENKU]
Hm?

[gasps]

So you can burn things
with the point of light

from a magnifying glass.

What an adorable
little scientist.

[SENKU laughs]

Iron sand and aluminum
foil are awesome!

The thermite reaction is
melting the frying pan.

Not sure that's adorable.

The liquid oxygen for
the injector boils off

at ten billion percent at
a normal temperature,

but freezes when too cold.

I'll keep trying
with ethanol for now

until I switch to kerosene.

[ALL]
Huh?

[ALL chuckle]

[SENKU]
Huh?

[TAIJU]
Huh?

[SENKU screams]

[yelling]

[STUDENT C]
Huh?

[SENKU screaming]

[STUDENT C]
Huh?

[STUDENTS screaming]

[TAIJU]
Hey, what's that?

This thing's an ablator.

It keeps the chamber
from burning up.

[BOTH screaming]

[TAIJU]
Just a few things, sir.

A raspberry Pi, and a
transmitter module,

and something called a "gyro."

[TAIJU]
Huh?

[TAIJU]
Huh?

For the receiver,
we'll use a Yagi antenna.

Like on an old TV.

Whoa!

[TAIJU]
Yo, Senku!

Didn't you say you
wanted to test it out

with a light payload?

Well, I got some help
from Ogawa Yuzuriha.

Check it out.

She used her crafts club
skills and made us these.

[YUZURIHA] To be honest,
it's actually kinda embarrassing

to have a doll of myself.

So what are you gonna do
with these guys anyway?

[panting]

Exploded at high altitude.

We failed again?

[SENKU]
Heh. No, not entirely.

[BOTH gasp]

[SENKU]
I'm going to space.

As soon as possible.

[SENKU]
You can accomplish anything...

...through the diligent
application of science.

Senku, you know that I'd
rather not k*ll you.

I'll ask again.

Will you promise me,
right here and now,

that you'll give up on science?

No, I can't. I can't do that.

Of course not. I knew
that would be your answer.

[SENKU chuckles]

Now don't go givin'
me that crap.

No matter what I said,

we both know that you were
gonna k*ll me at some point.

You'd find a reason.

[TSUKASA]
Maybe.

Just k*ll me in one blow.

Because leaving me
to suffer till I die

is both illogical
and inefficient.

Don't worry, Senku.

I'm going to sever
your cervical nerve.

It'll be instantaneous.

You'll be knocked unconscious
and die without suffering.

I won't miss.

[gasps]

[YUZURIHA]
Taiju.

Something's wrong.

I gotta get back, now!

Senku, I have a feeling

that if we had met each
other 3,700 years ago,

before all this,

before the planet was turned
into a Stone World...

...I think that you might've
been my first real friend.

Maybe.

[yelling]

Senku!