Ultraman Legend of the Light Chaser

After finishing her conversation with Michiko, Hitomi Onodera was fiddling with something on her phone.

Aiba Yu stood to the side, while "Snow Summit" was playing whack-a-mole instead of fiddling with it. He couldn't tell if it had run to Onodera Hitomi's feet or to Aiba Yu's feet to lick its paws. He heard Onodera Hitomi mutter to herself as she rapidly flipped through the pages, "Hawaii, Hawaii... Oh dear, why didn't I go a few years ago?"

After finishing her coffee and playing with the "snow-capped peak" for a while, Hitomi Onodera slowly walked home. Her house was very close to the coffee shop, but even closer to the commercial area that had been turned into desert; it was now a construction site.

Aiba Yu watched as she first went home to put down her crossbody bag, then went back to the elevator and pressed the button for the top floor.

The moment Aiba Yu saw the furnishings of her home, she suddenly understood the source of the "sense of incongruity".

Hitomi Onodera's life is missing a few pieces: there's no one else in her house, and the shoes and coat rack in the entryway are all single items, clearly indicating that she lives alone. People living alone usually have entertainment options, at the very least a TV and computer, but in this house, there's not even a telephone, let alone a TV.

There were some things on the bookshelf. Aiba Yu counted them: five large notebooks and travel guidebooks for thirty-one countries. Some of the city road maps had markings on them, perhaps because she had been there and gotten lost, and needed to borrow the maps to confirm her direction.

As he looked up, his gaze piercing through the layers of ceiling to the rooftop, Onodera Hitomi had already exited the elevator. She skillfully navigated the clutter on the rooftop like a hopscotch game, opening the door leading to the rooftop.

The building where Hitomi Onodera lives isn't really suitable for single women. It can't compare to upscale neighborhoods with excellent security. The residents' quality varies, and the fire escape routes aren't well-managed. The lower floors are frequently inspected but kept clear, while the top floor has become a dumping ground for miscellaneous items that residents "don't want to throw away but don't really need."

She first spread her arms wide, feeling the breeze on the rooftop and the warm sun near noon. According to the local girls' custom, they should use an umbrella to protect themselves from the sun in such a strong sun, but she seemed to be enjoying a sunbath, not caring about getting dirty, and sat down on the ground in her usual resting spot.

Unaware that someone was watching her, she half-closed her eyes, enjoying the breeze and sunshine, humming a distant tune:

"Another day, I looked into the distance and saw my home in the boundless Milky Way, with the window reflecting the Milky Way and the sun as my pillow."

"The moon told me to go to the other side of her, where the ocean that nurtured us is."

"The time is just right. I have traveled thousands of miles, disregarding everything, just to end my wandering."

"I have crossed thousands of mountains and rivers, just to see you again, my dream girl, my hometown."

Chapter 43 Investigation of "Interruption"

While Aiba Yu is observing others, there is another pair of "eyes" observing him as well.

The "eyes" come from XIG and use the abnormal heat spectrum of the captured unknown life form No. 2, the silver giant, as an indicator to conduct a large-scale scan and comparison around the location of the monster attack.

At first, he was thought to be a life form similar to the abnormal heat source underground. Ishimuro Akio deployed Takayama Gamu to analyze his movement trajectory.

Later, it was discovered that the spectrum belonged to the Silver Giant, which delayed the comparison work. Takayama Gamu didn't know whether he should continue, and Ishimuro Akio seemed to have forgotten about it and did not urge him.

Gao Shanwomeng remembered the person he saw at Chengnan University. It was lunchtime, and he saw a student sitting on the rooftop not far from the cafeteria, with a "ghost" standing next to the student.

He was initially full of energy when scanning and comparing the location of Life Form Two, especially when it appeared to be approaching the Ariel base. But when Life Form Two made contact with the Silver Giant, and he saw the footage of Gob's arrival from the regular forces, his energy was suddenly drained.

Many windows were open on the screen, capturing the silver giant and the man in blue uniforms along the thermal spectrum; and capturing the corridor leading to the rooftop of Jonan University that day along the lines of the blue uniforms and the students with him.

Several students appeared in the surveillance footage. After further screening, Takayama Gamu easily turned her attention to Kinoshita Kei, whose resume stood out from the crowd and who was the only one among these students who had "self-studied".

Another window displays Kinoshita Kei's detailed resume—from within GUARD, the personnel registration form of the Astronomy Research Group.

The so-called "self-developed" was actually the addition of GUARD, and with the "ghost" who was by his side that day, namely the Silver Giant, Takayama Gamu easily concluded that the Silver Giant and his friends had also joined the front line against "Destruction".

If he were to hand over the information to XIG, it would inevitably expose Kinoshita Kei, who is his junior. He himself knows that he should keep the fact that he can become Gaia a secret to avoid trouble, so why would he hand over this crucial information?

So

On the day the comparison results came out, the spectral comparison of the unknown life form No. 2 encountered a "technical hurdle." Takayama Gamu deleted the conclusion data and unplugged the equipment. Even in his own room, he looked around nervously like a thief before turning the machine back on, reporting the damage to the experimental equipment caused by "unstable voltage" while trying to control his pounding heart.

Upon hearing this news, Georgie exclaimed, "What a pity! If we could contact the giants, we would have a much greater advantage in fighting the monsters."

Sasaki Atsuko first narrowed her eyes and coldly criticized Takayama Gamu, the "little kid who messed things up," before reminding Georgie: "He was undoubtedly protecting the monster in the battle against Bokuragu, and he even approached the Ariel base before being attacked by automatic artillery fire. Don't judge someone's stance based on just one incident."

“There are two things,” Georgie licked her popsicle and held up two fingers: “He may have removed the abnormal heat source underground, and he also defeated Mezad.”

“We can observe the Giants’ position further. What’s important is XIG’s ability to respond. Don’t rely too much on external assistance, Georgie.” Akio Ishimuro ended the discussion between the two operators. When Georgie saw him come in, she quickly turned around and tried to hide the popsicle where he couldn’t see it.

The latter, as if he hadn't seen it, continued, "What we need to analyze more right now is the Blue Giant's behavior. Judging from his battle with Bokula... he has bigger problems."

“Sigh,” Georgie finished the rest of her popsicle in two bites to destroy the evidence, her head throbbing from the cold. She covered her mouth for a while before saying, “There are clearly three giants. Apart from Gaia, who seems promising, we can’t be sure about the other two… If more monsters appear, we’ll be overwhelmed.”

Sasaki Atsuko immediately stopped this "tree flag" behavior: "You should just keep eating your popsicle!"

……

Like Takayama Gamu, who also masked his unease with a silly grin, Kinoshita Kei appeared preoccupied during the evening training session.

The salted fish's famous line was completely useless; instead, it made him curl up into a ball, covering his head: "Even though I know you're the salted fish king, I have this feeling of being cuckolded by a tough guy like Ichiro. I'm about to be hacked to death. Not everyone can do something like stealing a bride. Don't scare me, I have a heart condition..."

When Aiba Yu returned, this was the scene he saw: the salted fish was so angry that he was pacing around the room, his wooden clogs clattering like a tap dance, and Kinoshita Kei was sitting on the bed, trembling with his head in his hands.

Very good, the timing is perfect, and the fact that you have the strength to shake it means you can train.

Aiba Yu activated his domain, pulling the two of them into the snow. Kinoshita Kei trembled even more violently, but he didn't protest. Without a word, he got up and slipped away while the long-legged older woman was about to beat him up.

"Why are you running away again?! Huh! You spineless idiot!" Pito roared, "If you're a man, turn around and get back to me!"

"Southerners? What southerners? I am a successor to socialism!"

Kinoshita Kei huffed and puffed as she ran, with Pito chasing after her, calling her "old lady" repeatedly. It wasn't until she passed Aiba Yu several times that Kinoshita Kei suddenly remembered something:

"Where did you go? Let me tell you, even without your X-ray vision, I pointed to the right part this afternoon! I was just guessing, but I was incredibly lucky... oops, Magikarp evolved into Gyarados!"

Pito's eyes suddenly lit up like searchlights.

Aiba Yu replied, "I went to check on Onodera Hitomi's unusual behavior."

The latter slammed on the brakes, but the salted fish couldn't stop in time, and the two collided with a loud bang, becoming like wheels of fire on the ground.

Aiba Yu paused for a moment, then continued, "We've confirmed that there's something amiss about her, but... she doesn't have the same external energy as Gob, nor does she have the aura of an Earth monster."

"So, she looks like a normal person, but is a bit abnormal?" Kinoshita Kei pulled the stunned salted fish aside, first rummaging through his collar which was mixed with snow powder, before slowly sitting up: "Based on my experience of watching countless films, this kind of person might be able to summon monsters with a small gadget, like being stranded on Earth waiting for a monster to come and pick her up, or she might have inherited a special ability, or her hometown might have sealed away a legendary monster."

“Oh, and one more thing,” Kinoshita Kei looked up, “What’s the deal with Uranus? What are you hiding from me, aren’t you?”

The salted fish rolled on the spot, first smoothed his hair, then turned his legs to check if his feet needed cleaning, saying, "It's not that I'm hiding it from you... it's just too important, I can't let Uranus down."

“But now that you’ve discovered the problem yourself, come here, Xiao Jing,” Xianyu said, looking down and picking at his toes, but his tone was as serious as a magical girl making a vow: “Do you have the determination to defeat the enemy?”

Chapter 44 If You Don't Believe in Yourself

"The determination to win? Of course I have it!" Kinoshita Kei immediately replied, "You've heard me mention the reference 'script,' right? There'll be a guy named Zog later on, he's incredibly strong! He can beat people to a pulp with just a wave of his hand, but the Ultra Warriors will definitely win!"

"If there is anyone in this world who might have doubts, I, Kinoshita Kei, would certainly not doubt this point!"

The long-legged, mature woman's eyes were clear and bright, but Kinoshita Kei always thought of the dead fish eyes of a salted fish. He glared at this laughing and joking human form with those dead fish eyes: "I mean—the determination to fight with all my might in every battle, and to never, ever let any enemy go, even if it means death!"

Kinoshita Kei suddenly paused: "No, why are you making it so serious... We'll definitely win! Our teammates are so strong, and my fellow countryman has cleared several dungeons already. Even if the enemy is unexpectedly strong, I'll... I'll..."

Kinoshita Kei's voice grew softer and softer, while Pito leaned closer and closer.

The closer they got, the more it seemed as if they wanted to pierce his brain with their sharp gaze through his eyes: "That's it? So how can I entrust everything about Uranus to you?"

After a moment of silence, Kinoshita Kei looked down and saw his blurry reflection on the ice.

Seeing that they had stopped, Aiba Yu thoughtfully swept all the snow away, so at least for now they wouldn't have to worry about freezing into ice blocks. Kinoshita Kei should have felt like he'd been granted a pardon, but under Pito's, the dead salted fish he called him, he couldn't lift his head at all.

“I just feel,” he forced a straight face and finally spoke his mind, “that having me one more or one less won’t make a difference.”

"Although you haven't talked much about your affairs, I know that those who can clear the Nexus dungeon are all tough guys, those who can play with space are all big shots, and then there are the chosen ones Gaia and Agul. With three Olympians on Earth's home turf, any monsters that come are just easy targets. Actually... I feel like I'm holding you back. If you had the time to train me, you would have already dug out all the ferocious monsters underground and beaten them into submission, wouldn't you?"

The long-legged, mature woman grew increasingly enraged. Finally, she took off her wooden clogs, grabbed them, and almost slapped them across his face, but she didn't. Instead, she pounded the ground with her clogs, sending ice shards flying: "You're driving me crazy! Are you really trying to prove that Dad has Alzheimer's?! You worthless piece of trash, my judgment is never wrong!"

Kinoshita Kei nodded in a muffled voice: "It's definitely a useless snack... Actually, I used to have a lot of nicknames, like 'the invisible person of the grade' and 'the eternal Kinoshita,' which I gave myself."

The long-legged, mature woman flung her wooden clogs away, looking as if she wanted to pull out a knife or something to slice the idiot in front of her into frozen pieces.

"I just want to ask about that 'compatibility' thing you mentioned," Kinoshita Kei said quickly, already furious and ready to take a beating at worst. "I don't understand why the light of Uranus would be interested in me. It can't be because I'm not from this world, can it? Then he would have almost no choice, which is too tragic."

Kinoshita Kei knew he was different from the true protagonist. They were talented even without cheat codes, while those with cheat codes were practically gods. His "number one" was obtained through cheating during his rebirth. When he encountered unfamiliar territory, he reverted to his original state. After all, rebirth didn't give him a smarter brain or a system for accumulating points to exchange for items.

Moreover, his "first place" ranking is merely among ordinary people; compared to the powerful figures of the Alchemy Star, he would be utterly annihilated. They are on the first level, while the powerful figures reside in the atmosphere.

They may not be as smart as others, but when it comes to awareness... Kinoshita Kei had only ever seen such people who were willing to sacrifice themselves for others before, at award ceremonies. They wore medals and sashes, some of them were disabled, yet they still commanded respect.

Kinoshita Kei didn't consider himself to have such high moral character. Others might jump into the river in the freezing cold to save someone, but if Kinoshita Kei were there, he'd probably just call an ambulance and then blend into the crowd applauding the hero. Jumping into the river was out of the question; he was a mediocre swimmer, only good at doggy paddle, and if he went in, he'd just float along with everyone else, and might even need the hero to save him.

He couldn't imagine himself as a giant fighting monsters and saving people from dire straits.

That day, he saw Samuel dig people from the desert within a kilometer radius of the commercial street. He was shaken as if he saw a god descend to earth. Then the god returned and became a fellow villager. The villager grabbed him and said, "Hurry up and awaken, you are a god too."

If he hadn't actually been there in person, Kinoshita Kei would have definitely thought the other person was a fraudster or a madman, and would have sent them to the police station or a mental hospital.

What Nakai Ryoya and Nasiri said greatly shocked him. If he were in a different position, Kinoshita Kei didn't think he had such lofty dreams as Nakai Ryoya, nor was he as willing as Nasiri to return to his hometown to farm with his expertise in thermal insulation materials—even on an ordinary level, he seemed to be inferior to his colleagues.

Aside from completing the tasks assigned by his superiors in a routine manner and training with Aiba Yu and Pito in a routine manner, he didn't know what else he could do.

He longed for a change in his life, but when change actually came, he realized he might just be a nobody, drifting along with the wind. Kinoshita Kei would always be Kinoshita Kaname, that invisible, unremembered veteran "supporting actor." When he was offstage, he imagined himself shining brightly, spouting witty remarks to the endless cheers from the audience. But when he was actually called up to give a speech, his legs felt like cotton, and he couldn't utter a single word.

咸鱼气得又开始满地滚，长腿御姐不见了，剩下条鱼在扑腾。祂想蹦上来给这张废柴脸一顿连环甩尾，被相叶悠横空抱住，于是整条鱼便在他怀里拧巴：“别拦我让我揍他！打是亲骂是爱，爸爸爱死他了！”

Aiba Yu ignored him, only holding him tighter, afraid that the fish might slip away and whip its tail, giving him a concussion.

“The light of Uranus is being restored, as I told you before,” Aiba Yu said. “You are indeed merging with his power, you just can’t sense him.”

"Yes, Uranus tried his best. I'm just too useless. If you could have found someone else, maybe he would already be upholding justice all over the world! Just like the protagonists in the Ultraman series I've watched, cheerful, sunny, and handsome. When he turns on his transformation device, he becomes the coolest guy in the world. No matter how big the difficulties he encounters, he can overcome them and save the world."

After saying these words, Kinoshita Kei felt like he had become Kinoshita Jing again. The world of his imagination was vast, while his real self was small. Every day he longed to stand out from the crowd, but in reality, simply sitting next to someone powerful...

He was always on edge, and if a powerful figure were to say a word to him, he would remember it for the rest of his life.

Aiba Yu quickly covered the mouth of the whimpering salty fish, squatted down to bring his gaze level with his, and spoke clearly through the noise of the wind and snow: "Don't you know? In my perception, the light emanating from you grows stronger every day. Sometimes I follow you to the workshop, not just because I find you're having trouble."

"It's because you can't control the energy fluctuations on your body, so I'm suppressing them to prevent you from being detected by the monitoring equipment."

Chapter 45 I'll Believe in You

Aiba Yu's words were like a door suddenly opening a crack in a dark room, letting light shine in from outside, falling on the floor and walls, casting a bright line.

Kinoshita Kei recalled a mass text message he received after graduating and working at a small company, announcing a class reunion. A successful classmate had come from the CBD to host the gathering at a hotel he had never dared to go to. Even though it was a mass message, he was happy to think that someone still remembered him.