Chapter Fifty-Nine: The Power of Giants
Da Gu transformed into the Power Type, his form glowing red as he battled the grotesque monster Magnia. In an instant, earth and stone flew skyward, the shockwaves of their clash laying waste to the already barren trees surrounding them.
The monster ceaselessly drew life energy from the meteorite, energy it had stolen from the villagers, growing ever stronger and making Da Gu’s fight increasingly desperate.
“Hang in there, Da Gu!”
Yue Longze held Mei Huizi quietly in his arms, silently cheering for Da Gu in his heart. No matter which timeline Da Gu came from, he had always been Yue Longze’s childhood hero.
...
A thunderous explosion shook both Yue Longze and the shivering Mei Huizi in his embrace.
Turning, Yue Longze saw flames roaring skyward from a patch of forest behind them. The blaze lit up the sky, instantly melting the falling snow, the vivid red fire standing out starkly against the white landscape. Above, the Victory Team’s Swallow No. 1 circled in the air.
“It looks like Xincheng destroyed the meteorite with a missile...”
Yue Longze’s heart eased. With the meteorite gone, the outcome of the battle was no longer in doubt.
Another explosion echoed. Just as Yue Longze had predicted, Da Gu finished off the repulsive meteorite monster Magnia with a Deliassium beam.
Not long after the battle ended, Da Gu and his companions found Yue Longze and Mei Huizi, both soaked to the skin and trembling in the snow.
They borrowed blankets from the now-recovered villagers. Wrapped in warm, cozy wool, they felt much better.
Mei Huizi wrinkled her nose and sneezed, pressing gently against Yue Longze’s side.
“Azé...”
She murmured softly, her eyes full of deep emotion as she gazed at Yue Longze.
“Hmm?”
Yue Longze, who had been watching the Victory Team members laughing and playing in the snow, turned to look at the pale Mei Huizi, puzzled.
“Azé... do you really only see me as a sister?”
As Yue Longze turned his head, Mei Huizi lowered hers, her voice subdued, disappointment and dejection on her wan face.
“I...”
Yue Longze’s eyes flickered. At that moment, he didn’t know what to say. For this pure-hearted and kind girl a few years his senior, he couldn’t possibly say he felt nothing at all.
“I understand.”
Seeing his silence, Mei Huizi suddenly smiled, her beauty making Yue Longze momentarily dazed. From his reaction, she was sure he felt something for her.
“From now on, you must call me ‘big sister’!”
Mei Huizi giggled through her sneezes, looking adorably cute.
“All right, my dear Sister Huizi!”
Yue Longze reached out to ruffle her hair, smiling. “You’ll always be my big sister!”
They both laughed happily, though neither could say what truly lay in their hearts.
Yue Longze’s gaze drifted back to Da Gu and the others not far away.
He saw the girl with the oval face suddenly give Da Gu a light kiss on the cheek, as gentle as a dragonfly skimming water.
Everyone burst into laughter, especially Xincheng, whose eyes were filled with envy.
“Good thing he didn’t lose his future wife!”
Watching the plot unfold just as in the original, Yue Longze felt genuinely happy for Da Gu.
“Da Gu!”
Yue Longze stepped forward, smiling at Da Gu.
“Azé... I mean, Azé-kun!”
Da Gu almost blurted out “Azé-senpai,” but caught himself in time.
The Victory Team members all fell silent, turning curious gazes toward the mysterious young man called Yue Longze.
“May I ask, just who are you...?”
Rina looked at Yue Longze earnestly, her bright eyes full of curiosity.
“I’m just an ordinary person—perhaps a bit more capable than most.”
Yue Longze smiled, standing radiant as the sun against the snowy earth.
“Is that really so...”
Rina murmured to herself. A woman’s intuition told her this mysterious youth was the black Ultraman.
“All right, everyone here is a friend, aren’t we?”
Da Gu, ever the cheerful boy, stepped forward to smooth things over.
“Da Gu’s right!”
Da Gu’s friend joined in. Of the Victory Team, he and Da Gu had the most contact with Yue Longze.
“We’re all friends!” he said, though his gaze lingered tenderly on the oval-faced girl, Chizuru Eizaki—a beautiful name he had just learned.
Laughter broke out again. Yes, whatever their true identities, they were friends, and that would never change.
This was perhaps the first time since arriving in this world that Yue Longze had truly made friendly contact with the Victory Team.
While everyone chatted and laughed, Yue Longze drew Da Gu aside, standing a little apart from the group to talk.
...
“Although I already learned your identity from Masaki, hearing you admit it in person is still a shock!”
Da Gu’s hair fluttered in the cold wind, his handsome face and bright smile full of youthful vigor.
“Oh, don’t call me ‘senpai’! I’m not worthy of that!”
Wrapped in a thick blanket, Yue Longze waved his hand dismissively.
“In short, that’s how it is. If I’m to leave this timeline, I’ll need help from you and Masaki Keigo!”
Yue Longze sneezed as he spoke.
“Don’t worry, senpai! If you need anything, just call me!”
Da Gu thumped his chest confidently, flashing an OK sign.
“But I think you should go home, take a hot bath, and put on some warm clothes first!”
...
“Good idea! But—please, stop calling me ‘senpai,’ it makes me feel old!”
“All right, senpai!”
Yue Longze: …………
——————————
“He’s appeared again, has he? Tiga!”
In the TPC Far East Pacific Base, Director Miyazawa sat in his office, a sinister smile on his lips, his gold-rimmed glasses flashing with a cold, cunning gleam.
He was biding his time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
He would eliminate anyone who competed with him for the glory of being the world’s savior!
...
Elsewhere.
“Director! Please, tell me why!”
Captain Megumi stood at attention before Director Sawai, her posture perfectly military, head bowed.
“Ultraman’s power is beyond the realm of nature—it’s not something humans should possess!” Her voice trembled with emotion. “Besides, Ultraman is our friend, isn’t he?”
“Sit down, Captain Megumi,” Director Sawai said, taking a sip of tea and crossing his legs leisurely.
“No, please tell me why you made this decision!” Megumi was truly at a loss. Hadn’t peace always been Director Sawai’s goal? Why, then, this sudden interest in researching the giant’s power? That kind of power was terrifying.
“You’ve been with me for years—I promoted you myself. Don’t you know what kind of person I am?” Sawai uncrossed his legs and smiled helplessly, then stared in a daze at the steaming tea before him.