The smell of pencil shavings, worn-out erasers, and cheap convenience store coffee bitter, black, and brewed strong enough to wake the dead filled the cramped studio like a familiar blanket, wrapping around the chaos in a comforting haze. Sunlight filtered through the half-closed blinds in lazy golden shafts, catching dust motes that danced like tiny spirits in the air. The ancient air conditioner rattled valiantly against the summer heat, its hum blending with the distant traffic outside, creating a symphony of mundane life. Kaoru Kagami stretched his arms so far back that his joints popped like fireworks in a silent night sky, a sharp crack that echoed off the cluttered walls. He slumped over his drawing table with an exhausted sigh, his forehead nearly kissing the half-inked page before him a dramatic panel of a screaming protagonist mid-battle, frozen in eternal fury, ink still glistening wet under the desk lamp's harsh glow. His hand ached from hours of gripping the pen, his brain was mush from plotting twists and turns, and his eyelids felt like lead weights, threatening to drag him into the abyss of sleep.
Kaede was sprawled upside down on the sagging couch, her legs dangling over the backrest like limp noodles, her handheld console balanced precariously on her stomach as she blasted through some old FPS game. Pixels exploded in vibrant chaos on the screen, her thumbs flying with the precision of a seasoned gamer. Emi sat cross-legged on the faded tatami floor, her back against the wall, scrolling through her phone with that trademark indifference, her bubblegum popping softly like distant gunfire. Takeshi, ever the instigator, tapped at the back of Kaoru's chair with the same rhythm as a ticking bomb tap-tap-tap his foot bouncing idly as he nursed a can of soda that had long gone flat.
"Hey." Takeshi finally broke the silence, his voice cutting through the hum like a casual knife, "you've been drawing non-stop since morning. When's your next break? You look like you're one panel away from keeling over."
Kaoru lazily turned his head, his messy hair flopping over one eye like a defeated flag. "When I die. Or when the manga gods deem me worthy of respite whichever comes first."
Kaede flipped herself upright in a whirlwind of energy, her chaotic ponytail whipping around like a weapon, nearly knocking over a stack of reference books. "C'mon, big bro, just rest for a bit! Even D00m Killer takes breaks when there's no demon around. You can't keep grinding like this you'll turn into one of those zombie mangakas from horror stories!"
"D00m Killer doesn't rest." Kaoru mumbled into the desk, his voice muffled by the paper, though a faint smirk tugged at his lips. "He just reloads."
"Exactly." Kaede shot back smugly, crossing her arms with the confidence of someone who'd won a thousand online arguments. "And you're out of ammo, bro."
Aya calm, collected, ever the unflappable editor leaned forward from the opposite desk, where she was meticulously editing panel flow on her laptop, her sharp eyes scanning for inconsistencies like a hawk spotting prey. Her glasses glinted under the light, giving her an air of quiet authority. "You'll burn out at this rate, Kaoru. Take a break. Five minutes. Doctor's orders or editor's, which is basically the same thing in this madhouse."
Kaoru pushed himself up with a groan that echoed like an old man crawling out of a grave, his chair scraping against the floor with a protesting squeak. He rubbed his eyes, smudging a bit of ink across his cheek like war paint. "Fine. Five minutes. But if I don't get back to this panel, the whole arc falls apart. You're all witnesses to my impending doom."
Kaede's eyes sparkled like a child about to set off fireworks in a library, her grin widening to Cheshire Cat proportions. She bounced off the couch, rummaging through her backpack with frantic energy. "Then let's play a game! Something to shake off the brain fog!"
Takeshi groaned, sinking deeper into his spot like a deflating balloon. "Oh no. Not one of your 'games.' Last time, we ended up with glitter everywhere for a week."
Emi tilted her head slightly, her scrolling pausing as curiosity flickered in her eyes. "What kind of game? If it involves running, I'm out."
Kaede emerged triumphant, holding up a small, colorful box with a triumphant "Ta-da!" The label read "Science Showdown: Elements of Chaos"in bold, explosive fonts, complete with cartoon atoms and beakers bubbling over. "A science game! I bought it online! It's supposed to be super hard and educational! Perfect for frying Big bro's brain and proving I'm the smarter sibling."
The entire room fell silent, the kind of hush that precedes a plot twist in a thriller manga. Even the pencil on Aya's desk seemed to stop rolling, frozen in anticipation. Naoki, who had been quietly sketching in the corner his presence as subtle as a background character looked up with mild surprise, his recent hangout still lingering in his thoughts like a warm afterglow.
"…A what." Takeshi deadpanned, his soda can pausing mid-sip, droplets condensing like sweat on a nervous forehead.
"A science game!" Kaede repeated proudly, shaking the box like it held the secrets to the universe. "There's a wheel, cards, even mini-experiments! We spin, answer questions, do challenges. Winner gets bragging rights and the loser buys ramen for everyone!"
Emi's eyes lit up, a rare spark of excitement breaking through her usual cool facade. She clapped her hands softly, the sound muffled by her sleeves. "Sounds fun! I'm in. Could use a break from d00m-scrolling memes."
Aya leaned back in her chair, crossing her legs with elegant poise, a notebook already in hand as if ready to jot down observations. "This might be interesting. I've never seen Kaoru in a competitive mode outside of deadlines."
Takeshi leaned toward Naoki, whispering with a conspiratorial grin."Hey, how'd that hangout go? You bond with her or what?"
Naoki nodded slightly, his voice a murmur. "Yeah. It wasn't awkward… just normal. We talked about books and stuff. Felt… good."
"Good for you, man." Takeshi whispered back with a smirk, punching his arm lightly. "Finally stepping out of side-character mode."
Meanwhile, Kaoru stood, stretched again this time with a satisfying crack that made Kaede wince and walked to the center of the room where Kaede had unceremoniously cleared space on the floor, shoving aside manga volumes and snack wrappers. The game board unfolded like a map to hidden treasures, shaped like a rotating wheel with element symbols glowing in neon colors, equations scrawled in chaotic patterns, and stacks of "challenge cards" waiting like sealed fates. A small timer sat nearby, clicking softly like a heartbeat.
Kaede pointed at him dramatically, her finger extended like a duelist's challenge. "Kaoru Kagami! I challenge you in the name of SCIENCE! Prepare to be schooled by your little sister!"
Kaoru smirked faintly, his tired eyes sharpening with a glint of amusement and something deeper, like a hidden well of knowledge bubbling to the surface. He had forgotten how much he enjoyed this side of things, the raw thrill of facts and figures. Kaede had forgotten something crucial, too: back when they were kids, Kaoru wasn't just a artist; he was the one who memorized formulas and built contraptions from scrap, inspired by late-night anime marathons. But before she could back down or rethink her bravado, Emi clapped again, sealing the deal.
"Sounds like a showdown." Emi said, scooting closer to form a circle.
Kaoru crossed his arms, his voice calm but laced with that understated confidence. "Then… I accept. But let's make it interesting. If I win, you all help with inking the next chapter. No complaints."
Kaede's grin faltered for a split second, but she puffed up her chest. "Deal! But if I win, you buy me that new figurine set!"
The group murmured agreements, settling into a loose circle around the board. Aya positioned herself as the unofficial referee, her notebook open like a grimoire. Naoki joined quietly, his sketchpad tucked away, ready to absorb the chaos.
Kaede spun the wheel first, her energy making it whirl like a top. It slowed, clicking to a stop on a silver square with a bold number printed in the center: 8. She drew a card from the deck, her voice booming like a game show host. "List the first eight elements of the periodic table in order. Easy peasy!"
Kaoru didn't even pause, his response flowing like a well-rehearsed script. "Hydrogen, Helium, Lithium, Beryllium, Boron, Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen."
Kaede's jaw dropped, her eyes widening comically. "H-how did— You didn't even think about it!"
He shrugged nonchalantly, leaning back on his hands. "Periodic table. Basic stuff. Comes up in a lot of manga research Dr. Rock made it stick."
Takeshi raised a brow, impressed despite himself. "Bro didn't even blink. That's some savant-level recall."
Kaede shook it off, her competitive fire reigniting. "Fine! Lucky round! Let's spin again!"
This time, the wheel landed on a challenge marked with a blue atom symbol, glowing faintly under the desk lamp. Kaede snatched the card. "'Using only household materials, name one way to create a weak acid reaction safely.' Ha! Try that!"
Kaoru cracked his knuckles, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Easy. Vinegar and baking soda. Acetic acid from the vinegar reacts with sodium bicarbonate to form carbonic acid temporarily, which decomposes into water and carbon dioxide. Bubbles ensues harmless fun."
Kaede blinked, staring at the card. "...The card literally just said 'vinegar and baking soda.' Why'd you go full Einstein on me? You're overexplaining like a teacher!"
Kaoru's smirk deepened, his voice steady and calm. "Because it's fun. And accurate. Science isn't just answers; it's understanding the why. Plus, it's a gateway to more… interesting stuff."
Aya stared at him, her pen hovering over her notebook like she was seeing another layer peel back. "You've memorized reaction breakdowns? That's not casual knowledge."
He just scratched the back of his head, a bit sheepish. "Renku made it look cool, okay? Dr. Rock hooked me on the details."
Kaede growled, her cheeks puffing out in frustration. "You got lucky again! This game's rigged!"
"You're just mad because I paid attention about science." Kaoru replied mildly, his tone never rising, but his eyes glinting with quiet escalation. He was enjoying this pushing the boundaries without fanfare.
Kaede spun again, determined.
The wheel stopped on red: "EXPERIMENTAL ROUND." A card flipped automatically from the bottom deck, its edges worn like an ancient artifact. Emi leaned in to read it aloud, her voice laced with excitement: "Construct a mini-circuit using at least two components. Bonus points if it actually works."
Kaede's eyes widened in panic. "Oh crap— I didn't think anyone would actually do that part. It's supposed to be theoretical!"
But Kaoru was already moving, his steps deliberate and unhurried. He stood, walked over to the studio's junk pile in the corner a treasure trove of discarded props, wires, and gadgets from past cosplay disasters and rummaged with the calm precision of a surgeon. He returned with a set of AA batteries scavenged from an old remote, a spare LED light from a forgotten cosplay project, and a coil of copper wire they'd used for a prop sword hilt.
The group watched in hushed fascination as he twisted the wire around the battery terminals, attached it to the LED's legs, and with a faint spark the small bulb lit up with a soft, warm glow, casting flickering shadows on the walls like a miniature campfire.
Takeshi almost spat his soda, choking on a laugh. "He built a light bulb from garbage—"
"in less than 30 seconds." Emi finished, her eyes wide with genuine awe. "That's straight-up Dr. Rock wizardry."
But Kaoru clapped once, the sound sharp and resetting the mood. "Alright. Next round. But let's up the ante. If we're doing science, let's make it real. Not just trivia. let's talk about the stuff that's not in kids' games. The not-so-fun facts."
The room snapped out of the strange quiet, but a new tension crept in, like the air before a storm. Takeshi exchanged a glance with Naoki, who nodded subtly. Emi popped her gum louder, sensing the shift. Aya's pen hovered, ready to capture whatever came next.
Kaede, undeterred but intrigued, spun the wheel again. It landed on a green square: "Element Exploration." Shedrew the card. "Name three dangerous elements and why they're risky. Keep it simple!"
Kaoru leaned forward, his calm demeanor unchanged, but his voice took on a measured tone, like a storyteller unveiling forbidden lore. "Alright, but I'll do you one better. Let's talk about combinations things that seem simple but can turn deadly with household tweaks. Not-so-fun facts that only a few know, because they're too hazardous for textbooks."
Kaede blinked, her bravado faltering. "Wait, what? The card just said elements—"
He waved it off calmly, escalating without raising his voice. "Elements are boring alone. It's when you mix them that things get interesting… or lethal. Take dimethylmercury, for starters. It's made from mercury easy to find in old thermometers or cinnabar ore if you're scavenging like in Dr. Rock reacted with methyl iodide and sodium. Sounds complicated, but with basic lab setup, it's doable. One drop on your skin, and it penetrates gloves, binds to proteins, causes neurological failure. Delayed symptoms slurred speech, ataxia then death in months. Karen Wetterhahn died from a single drop in 1997. Obscure fact: it's 250 times more toxic than cyanide, and you won't even feel it at first."
The room went still. Takeshi whistled low. "Dude… that's not a game fact. That's nightmare fuel."
Kaoru nodded, his expression serene, like he was discussing weather. "Exactly. Not fun, right? But easily made if you know organometallic chemistry. Next: chlorine trifluoride. Chlorine gas from bleach and electrolysis, fluorine from fluorite heated with acid. Mix at 200°C in a nickel container boom, you've got a hyper-oxidizer that ignites glass, sand, even concrete on contact. No spark needed. A ton spill once burned through a foot of concrete. Inhale it, and it forms hydrofluoric acid in your lungs fatal burns inside out."
Emi shuddered, her phone forgotten. "Why would anyone make that? It's like summoning a Bleach villain."
"Rocket fuel research." Kaoru explained calmly, escalating further. "But in a Stone World scenario, it's a weapon. Obscure: N@z1s tried it in WWII but ditched it for being too dangerous even for them."
Kaede swallowed, her eyes wide, but she couldn't back down. "O-okay, that's creepy. But keep going. What else?"
Kaoru's voice remained steady, drawing them in like a folktale of hidden perils.
"Azidoazide azide, also known as C₂N₁₄ or 1-diazidocarbamoyl-5-azidotetrazole, is a highly unstable compound with 14 nitrogen atoms, making it the most explosive substance known. It detonates from slight vibration, light, or heat. using complex methods like from cyanogen bromide and sodium azide, not directly from airbag chemicals or ammonia and iodine monochloride. It has no practical use due to extreme sensitivity. A 2011 study confirmed its unpredictability, so labs avoid it. In specialized labs, it's made by reacting cyanogen bromide with sodium azide under controlled conditions to form azide groups, followed by precise chemical steps."
Takeshi leaned back, arms crossed. "You're calmly dropping explosive recipes. This escalated fast."
"That's science." Kaoru said, his tone even. "Not fun when it's real. Thioacetone next: acetone from nail polish remover, hydrogen sulfide from rotten eggs or sulfur reactions. Catalysis with acid or heat. Not lethal, but its stench at parts per billion causes panic, nausea cleared a town in 1889. Synthesis risks H2S poisoning respiratory failure at 500 ppm, even professional labs rarely work with it to this day."
Aya's pen scratched furiously, her gaze intense. "You know this from memory?"
"Research for mangas." Kaoru admitted, but his eyes distant. "Last: fluoroantimonic acid. Antimony pentafluoride from stibnite ore,hydrogen fluoride from fluorite. 1:2 ratio strongest superacid, 10^19 times stronger than sulfuric. Dissolves flesh, glass; releases HF gas on moisture, disrupts calcium, heart failure. Needs Teflon storage. Obscure: used for exotic carbocations, but one spill? Apocalypse in a vial. It is the strongest known superacid."
The group stared, the game forgotten. Kaede whispered. "big bro… you're scary."
Kaoru chuckled softly. "Just facts. Science is beautiful, such elegance.. and dangerous. Like manga: create worlds, but push too far, and it consumes you."
Aya's hands froze mid-note, her expression shifting from curiosity to quiet realization. "You could've been a scientist. Why manga?"
Kaoru didn't reply immediately. His hand hovered near the light, the soft glow reflecting in his tired eyes, illuminating a flicker of something deeper a memory, quiet and far away, of a figure in a lab coat, laughing under the sun. He forced a small smile, his voice soft. "Science is only one of my passions. But drawing… drawing lets me create worlds. Control my own imagination."
Kaede's grin softened for the first time in the game, her competitive edge dulling as she recognized that look the one he got when old ghosts whispered. She'd seen it before, in fleeting moments when he thought no one was watching.
The room hung in that revelation, the LED glowing faintly a reminder of potential untapped, paths not taken. Kaoru picked up his pen, the game evolved into something deeper, his heart steady amid the shadows of knowledge.
---
End Of Chapter Forty.