24 de julio de 5739.

"What kind of name is Joe?" Senku asked with a look of superiority on his face.

"There's a river nearby, Senku. Don't push your luck," he threatened while bringing a finger to his neck to simulate cutting it.

If you somehow ignored the sound of two young adults arguing like children, the day was calm, perfect for swimming and searching for minerals in the riverbed. Minerals that would be used in an ambitious and revolutionary plan to bring modern medicine back to the stone world.

In preparation for the day, Kohaku had politely, and at spear-point, requested her father to collect the necessary hot spring water for her sister's treatment.

"Are you going to answer the question? Or are you a chicken?

"Nice reference. I thought you were the typical nerd who barely has time to have fun," he replied, giving a thumbs up. "Joe is just a nickname, not my real name. For a genius, you sometimes seem like an idiot, you know?"

"Just for that, you deserve to work a few hours more than the rest."

Kohaku rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time that day. It seemed like the men of 3700 years ago were all children. Taking a glance at Chrome, who couldn't stop laughing at the interaction, she changed her thought. All men seemed to be carefree children.

"Since you insist, my real name is Joseph. Happy?" he replied, complaining about his companion's persistence.

"Anything is better than being called Joe," Senku replied, laughing as he scratched his ear.

Chrome stopped laughing to address the doubt that had been bothering him since the two contemporaries started arguing. "Do names have meanings?"

Joe looked incredulously at Chrome, thinking that Senku was an idiot for not answering all the boy's questions during their conversation about the modern world. On the other hand, it was comforting to see Chrome's face of pure innocence, as if he were a child asking why the grass was green.

"In theory, names should mean something, Chrome. Or at least they should have an origin. Unless you're named Senku, then there's no forgiveness from God."

The scientist ignored the low blow and continued walking.

Chrome turned to look at the pair with eyes that betrayed his excitement. "What does my name mean?"

"Chromium," they both replied.

"Your name literally means Chromium, a metal," Senku explained with indifference. "Which is strange considering that your culture barely knows metals." He added.

Joe's eyes widened as if they were plates. The fact that the village was in the Stone Age at the level of the earliest human ancestors, but named one of its members after a metal that was clearly unknown to them, was strange, confusing, and too convenient. He couldn't think of anything to explain such a situation.

Nothing except a crazy idea; at least one person from his time must have awakened on their own, to found and transmit humanity's collective knowledge.

"And if Senku wasn't the first to wake up on his own?" he murmured to himself as his throat dried up. "Had humanity already failed in its first attempt to rebuild civilization?"

Senku, noticing his contemporary's expression, raised an eyebrow. It seemed that Joe suspected the same as him. There was much more to the origin of the village than met the eye. For his curious nature, that was nothing but excellent news; he was eager to discover the secrets of that strange tribe.

After all, he would not fail in his task.

Chrome, unaware of his comrades' situation, just smiled and walked quickly to stand at the same height as the blonde in the group.

"How cool! Did you hear that, Kohaku?! I'm a metal!"

The blonde just smiled at her friend's antics. Although deep down, she felt concerned after noticing the expressions on the faces of the two revived individuals.

After a couple of hours of walking, they reached a small stream with pristine water, clarity impossible during the modern era. After all, the stone world also had its good things.

They worked for hours collecting every piece of iron sand they came across, no matter how small. According to Senku, it was better to have excess material than to lack it.

By noon, the leanest of the group, Chrome and Senku, decided to sneak away and rest on a large rock. Or at least, that was their initial idea.

"Hey, you damn bastard! Get to work, or I'll smash your damn head against the rock!" Joe exclaimed angrily, raising his threatening fist.

"I'm not a gorilla, Chrome! I'll cut your head off if you don't start working right now!"

"Only Chrome?" Joe asked with a raised eyebrow. "You won't do anything to the professor?"

Kohaku looked at him as if he had been caught committing a crime.

"Oh! Oh! I see. I get it now. You're quite a rascal, aren't you?" he turned around while smiling accusingly.

The embarrassed Kohaku picked up a rock and threw it to silence him.

"Hey! Easy, easy," he raised his arms to calm her down. "I won't say anything. I promise. Just don't throw any more rocks. Maybe I can help you conquer the grass hair." He added when he saw that the rocks stopped.

He misjudged, as one hit him in the side, throwing him into the water.

"Are you okay?" an odd and high-pitched voice asked Joe, and a small hand took his to help him up.

The newcomer was a little girl with a lacquered watermelon helmet with a couple of holes for her eyes.

"Thanks for helping, but don't worry, I can get up on my own," Joe explained as he stood up.

Once on his feet, he gave a small smile to the strange little girl.

"Suika!? What are you doing out here?" Kohaku asked with concern, completely forgetting about Joe and his nonsense.

"I followed them to help, Kohaku. I want to be useful. Can I?" she asked, making the cutest face she could manage, considering she had a watermelon covering half of her face.

"Why couldn't you?" Joe responded with a reassuring smile. "How about you go with those two slackers and put them to work with you?"

Suika looked up at him with tears in her eyes. It was the first time someone wanted her help and didn't ask about her problem or why she wore that helmet. She couldn't understand how that young man, who was almost twice her height, asked for her help and didn't push her away like almost everyone in the village.

Noticing the concern on the face of that guy, she tried to hold back her tears and showed him a big smile.

"I'll do it! Trust Suika!"

With a little jump, she performed an almost impossible move and completely entered her watermelon, floating freely in the small stream towards the pair of lazybones who were still resting peacefully.

Seeing that there were no problems, Joe approached Kohaku to clarify his doubts.

"That hurt. I told you I wouldn't tell anyone your little secret. But about helping you, that's still on the table." He said, giving her a small elbow poke.

"Maybe later."

Joe was dumbfounded. He had expected a rock to the head, a refusal from Kohaku, or even being ignored, but never confirmation. Putting aside his surprise, he asked another question.

"Hey, that girl. Is she your little sister? I mean, it makes sense that you got mad at finding her here considering her condition."

Kohaku looked at him with confusion and surprise. Joe was somewhat perceptive, as despite not being blood sisters, Kohaku protected and cared for Suika whenever she could.

"No, Suika is not my sister. It's just that I care about her. Her parents died a few years ago in a famine, you know? And since that day, everyone in the village looks out for her."

She replied, recalling a certain selfish and arrogant individual. "Well, almost everyone."

"I see, that's why you were so surprised that I sent her to fetch those two idiots. Surely, almost no one in your village wants her help and sees her as a burden rather than what she really is. Isn't that right?"

Kohaku nodded sadly while paying attention to the little girl, who was helping Senku and Chrome.

"And the fact that she has an eye problem only multiplies that indifference." Joe murmured.

An uncomfortable silence invaded the pair as they delved into their own thoughts. After a few minutes, Joe broke the silence.

"That girl is very brave, you know?" he said while turning to look at Kohaku.

"The easiest thing for her would be to stop trying and live off your village's charity. But she doesn't seek the easy way; she has the courage and determination to keep going, enduring indifference and resentment, hoping that someone, even if it's just one person, sees her worth."

Kohaku smiled as she nodded.

"That's why I thought she was your little sister. After all, you and she look much more alike beyond having blonde hair and blue eyes."

"Who knows? Maybe little Suika will end up saving our asses someday. Don't you think?" he added, smiling from ear to ear.