Chapter Fifty-Eight: Encounter in the Water

Ninety-two meters... Sixty-three meters... Thirty-three meters...

The pool was drawing ever closer, but so too were the swarming pink lumps that pursued them. Yuelongze shielded Mihoko as they slowly edged toward the water, and in the course of their retreat, he slew almost two hundred of those grotesque pink growths.

But now his arms ached with exhaustion; even the Cloud Sword in his right hand trembled faintly. Still, he kept Mihoko safe.

Pressed close behind him, Mihoko’s pale cheeks were streaked with tears, overwhelmed by Yuelongze’s desperate protection. How could she not be moved?

Yuelongze watched with sharp focus: only a dozen or so meters remained between them and the pool.

Sweat the size of beans dripped onto the snow-laden ground. He swapped the sword from hand to hand, but even so, the weakness in both arms grew heavier and heavier.

Danger!

Eleven meters... ten meters...

Nine meters... eight meters!

Gritting his teeth, Yuelongze suddenly whirled, grabbed Mihoko’s delicate hand, and with a surge of energy leapt forward in great bounding strides.

With a shriek from Mihoko, the two figures crashed into the pool, sending up great splashes of water.

At that precise moment, a particularly revolting pink lump, which had always been at the forefront, sped up without warning. Yuelongze felt a sudden tightness at his throat as it latched onto him, delivering a sharp jolt of pain.

But the instant they hit the water, the pink tumor withered and shriveled away.

Submerged, Yuelongze realized they were safe for the moment. Yet, through the blurred surface, he could see that the pink growths still hovered above the water with the strange fog, refusing to depart. That meant he and Mihoko would have to remain below for now.

Bubbles rose ceaselessly to the surface. Mihoko’s dark hair drifted in the water like the graceful tail of a mermaid. But she felt herself slipping, the suffocating sensation growing, her consciousness ebbing away.

Is this the end?

Her slender hand clung tightly to Yuelongze’s, her gaze full of deep emotion as she looked at his blurred silhouette.

Sensing Mihoko’s distress, Yuelongze acted without hesitation. He pulled her into his arms, held her close, and pressed his lips to hers—not out of sudden romantic impulse, but to pass precious air from his lungs to hers.

Yuelongze’s lung capacity was remarkable, made even greater by his Ultraman training with Zero. His constitution was already far beyond ordinary.

For Mihoko, the sensation was wondrous, as if a piece of invigorating candy had entered her mouth, reviving her senses. Her awareness sharpened, and she saw Yuelongze’s closed eyes just before her.

Is this what a kiss feels like?

Strength returned to her slender arms; she closed her eyes and wrapped them around Yuelongze, responding with unexpected fervor.

My goodness... I only meant to share some air...

Feeling Mihoko’s passionate response, Yuelongze was suddenly struck with guilt toward Xiaoxiang.

He had no time to check whether the strange fog had lifted. He was nearly at his own limit, vision swimming with stars…

With a final burst of strength, he broke the surface, holding Mihoko close.

How marvelous was the air! The very breath they had always taken for granted now felt sacred and sublime to both Yuelongze and Mihoko.

The pink masses and the eerie mist had drifted away. Gulping down lungfuls of oxygen, the two felt their strength return, and Yuelongze led Mihoko back to the shore.

Snow still fell from the sky, swirling ceaselessly. Once on land, the chill cut to their bones. Mihoko shivered uncontrollably, her pretty face starkly pale.

After so long in the icy pool, Yuelongze was freezing too. He was not yet like Gai, the human form of Ultraman Orb, impervious to cold or heat, able to call on Ultraman’s power at will.

He stripped off his jacket, wrung it out as best he could, and put it back on. His second-hand phone, after its soak, was now utterly ruined—a painful loss, as it hadn’t come cheap.

Mihoko imitated him, removing her coat to wring it dry, but her strength was nearly spent and Yuelongze had to help her.

“Mihoko!” Yuelongze shivered, concern in his voice.

“Az...e…” Mihoko’s wet black hair clung to her neck and cheeks, strands plastered to her forehead. Yuelongze reached out with a trembling hand to gently brush the hair from her face, sighing inwardly, and pulled her into his embrace.

They pressed close, seeking warmth in each other, with no impure thoughts between them. The cold, though, was relentless, but Mihoko’s heart felt a warmth that nothing could chill.

“Aze-kun, will we... freeze to death here?” Mihoko’s shivering form began to calm in his arms, and her voice steadied.

“Don’t worry, we’ll be all right.” Yuelongze stroked her hair, his eyes full of confidence, comforting the girl in his arms as he gazed into the distance.

He couldn’t help but worry about Dagu and Ketsui.

...

Ketsui and the girl with the oval face, just as in the original story, hid inside the Space Observation Center. Dagu, attacked by the strange fog, had fallen into the water and drifted unconscious along the current.

Half an hour passed. Suddenly, a terrifying red light flashed in the distance, and a massive, hideous pink figure appeared in the sky.

The Meteorite Monster—Magnia—had arrived.

Its body was formed from countless pink tumors, its gaping mouth a revolting, blossoming chrysanthemum.

“What a disgusting monster!” Mihoko’s first reaction was not fear, but revulsion—a testament to just how grotesque the creature was.

As in the original plot, Dagu woke just in time and, in a blaze of light, transformed into Tiga, engaging Magnia in battle.

Yuelongze simply held Mihoko, watching in silence as Dagu fought the nauseating beast.

He couldn’t help but admire Dagu’s courage—facing such a monstrous foe.

Dagu... you truly are a hero!