Ultraman Legend of the Light Chaser

Fujisawa Sosuke thought about the figure who knocked out the Lebik aliens and took their "loot" and ray gun in the end—he initially thought it was some alien double-crossing, but now the more he thought about it, the more he felt that the figure's figure and walking habits resembled Captain.

When you spend a lot of time with someone, even if you don't consciously observe them, you can still recognize them when they walk towards you from afar, even if you can't see their face clearly.

"Could it be that the captain is the one who double-crossed us?" Fujisawa Sousuke wondered, but then something else didn't make sense. The figure clearly had a tail and claws. Do exorcists have such things? Or perhaps, the captain was a monster in disguise?

Fujisawa Sousuke's thoughts, which he had just sorted out, became tangled again, so he seemed distracted during the training the next day. He kept glancing at the captain's office window with a furtive look in his eyes. Herbert, who was temporarily taking over the job, suspected that he had gotten into trouble again but was afraid to say anything.

Given his performance, Herbert told him to go to the sidelines for fifteen minutes to clear his head before returning, or he would have to do extra training. Sōsuke was dejected when a shadow blocked his way; the sudden darkness almost made him jump.

His mind was filled with images of the monster captain and exorcists. He constantly felt that if he spoke disrespectfully, he would be silenced, yet at the same time he was trying to convince himself that the captain wasn't that kind of person. So, his two minds were constantly at odds. The mere sight of the burly Ralf standing in front of him was enough to scare him half to death.

Ralph grabbed his shoulder and smeared an ice-cold mineral water bottle on his face: "Did you secretly watch a horror movie last night? You're so jumpy."

"No." Sosuke casually touched the water away.

"Do you know that you looked like a frightened chick just now?" Ralph gloated. "Did you dream that the Spider Woman crawled down from the ceiling backwards, or that you got your arms tangled up behind your head and strangled yourself while taking a bath?"

"I didn't watch those third-rate horror movies!" Cangjie shouted. He glanced at Herbert, who was watching Youta and the others taking notes in the training field, and whispered to...

Ralph said, "Hey, I have a question for you... about biology."

Ralph said solemnly, "You should ask your girlfriend. Although she works in aero-engines, she must have many friends who study biology—I only have friends who study women."

“No, no, no, actually it’s… not so rigorous, Yokai studies?” Sosuke lowered his voice: “Do humans have tails? And claws and stuff, like… claws that can shatter bones, I’m talking about alien bones, those sharp claws.”

Ralph didn't answer immediately. He hesitated for a moment and touched the temperature of Sosuke's forehead.

His skin, still chilled from the icy water, turned and shouted, "British! Sosuke has a low-grade fever; it's damaged his brain!"

Herbert looked away from Yang Tai, his face still expressionless: "Then take him to the medical department."

"No! You're the one whose brain is fried!" Sosuke was pulled up by Ralf and quickly said, "I was frozen by water! I'm fine, I don't need to go to the medical station!"

Ralph hooked his other shoulder: "How long has it been since you went to a therapist's office?"

Sosuke was stunned for a moment, still trying to break free, but Ralf dragged him toward the medical department: "I... I've long since let go of the old captain's matter. I've never made a mistake driving the β, so there's no need for me to go!"

"You encountered an alien, were saved by a stranger, and asked me a question about 'yokai studies.' Do you think... or rather hope, hope to see that yokai again? Or do you hope I answer, 'Yes, Earthlings can have unique forms and abilities like that yokai, and defeat all the aliens'?"

"How could such a thing be... Of course it is..."

"Then why did you ask? Or do you know it's impossible, but you still cling to the illusion?" Ralph cut to the chase: "I know you don't watch horror movies at night, and you couldn't have watched one last night. You were probably thinking about the Wood-Headed Alien and the Raven-Headed Guy... as well as the 'god' and 'monster' who saved you."

Sōsuke was being dragged forward. Ralph was as strong as an ox, and it was said that in his prime he was a strongman who could pull a small car with a rope. Sōsuke was much lighter than a small car, and if Ralph wanted him to go east, he absolutely could not go west.

He tried to dissuade Ralph from his plan with words: "Well, I don't want to work with crazy researchers to build sand sculptures of mammoth fur. It's true that I still think about the old captain and the others often, but that's not something that can be solved by talking to the doctor, you understand?"

"Then why can't you get on the Alpha?" The brown eyes turned around, so sharp that Sosuke dared not meet their gaze: "Because there are no teammates ahead of you, and you always feel that they have been evaporated by the beam of light from the sky."

Aside from the need to learn new things after aircraft upgrades, the mindset described by Ralph is the deeper reason why Sosuke went from an excellent student to a complete novice and could never get a solo flight permit.

Everyone in the air force knows, but they don't talk about it much.

Aiba Yu's return from the Carlo base on the moon and his request to transfer to the air force are also somewhat related to this.

He arrived too late when the former captain of the air force and his team members had their accident. In fact, those beams of light descended in just a few seconds, less than a minute in total. When he arrived at the Bering Sea, he only saw one team member who had been frozen stiff by the icy sea in winter and was beginning to sink into the water.

The team member, who was still holding a parachute, smiled when he saw the "big monster"—a smile that probably appears on the face of someone about to freeze to death.

He mistook the "great monster's" eyes for the sun, and desperately tried to open his arms as if grasping at a straw, making a hugging motion. His fingers were still curled up, tightly hooked onto the parachute lines; he couldn't separate his fingers from the lines.

In fact, Sosuke did not completely sink underwater at the time. The scene in his dream was just a hallucination caused by being frozen – he tried to keep his nose above the water, and all he could see was the vast sea, so he felt that he might have sunk into the water and was surrounded by the dark blue and tranquil icy ocean.

The white bubbles in the dream were actually hot winds blown by the "Great Demon." They evaporated into white smoke on the cold ocean surface, and Sōsuke's weak breaths blew them away, causing them to rise gracefully into the equally pale sky.

The "great monster" first stirred the water from a distance to lift him up, then came to his side and carried him away from the water. The heat from the black scales made Sosuke feel more comfortable, and the lying position allowed him to spit out the water he had swallowed.

Aiba Yu had worried about how to handle sending people directly to TPC. He couldn't explain how Aiba Yu, who was a tester at the Carlo base on the moon, could save the air force members who crashed in the Bering Sea, and he couldn't imagine what kind of reaction the appearance of monsters at the TPC headquarters would cause.

But this team member needed medical attention. Aiba Yu knew the importance of fingers to a person, and the hand gripping the parachute lines had turned purple. Aiba Yu dared not act rashly because at that time he hadn't realized he should read medical books like "Introduction to Anatomy," so he neither knew how to treat severe frostbite nor how to restore the vitality of a limb that was about to die without leaving any sequelae.

He could only quickly dry the other person's frozen clothes and try to keep them warm.

The issue of coordinating with the medical bureau was resolved by Staff Officer Nanbara. That day, when Sōsuke was put into the ambulance, Aiba Yū hid in Staff Officer Nanbara's field vehicle. The official statement was that Staff Officer Nanbara had returned from a field mission and found an air force member on the roadside; as for why he was on the roadside, Staff Officer Nanbara himself was puzzled.

He seemed to see something like a wormhole or a space-distorting portal.

Upon waking, Sosuke naturally couldn't remember what happened when he was so frozen that his brain was about to stop functioning. He only vaguely saw a dark "big monster" and its molten gold eyes.

This "abnormal time travel" incident thus became an unsolved case and was classified as a confidential document.

It was at that time that Aiba Yu realized his oversight.

On the one hand, he borrowed a whole bunch of books on human medicine and started studying them from the very basics: even the "omnipotent" light energy has things it can't do, such as you can't perfectly and scientifically reconnect severed neurons, tendons, and blood vessels in an injured person. Abundant life energy can keep someone alive and keep their heart beating tirelessly, but it may not be able to keep someone's brain cells from dying due to low blood oxygen levels.

It was only because Fujisawa Sousuke was lucky that he didn't swallow too much water; otherwise, Aiba Yu might have saved a former air force member who needed amputation, or a person in a vegetative state with brain damage.

On the other hand, even if they were to keep watch from the lunar base—theoretically the only route for extraterrestrials to reach Earth—it would be difficult to prevent the activities of extraterrestrials who have been hiding on Earth for many years. Instead of dealing with the anomalies after they are discovered, it would be better to arrange for preventative measures in advance, such as setting up warning stone carvings near the Night Raid Team's base back then.

Thus, we have the air force badges that were processed and distributed, the paperweight on Director Sawai's desk, and the pocket watch that Staff Officer Nanbara never takes off, and so on.

As an organization symbolizing the unity of Earthlings, the TPC naturally attracts the attention of extraterrestrials at all times. Those with ulterior motives wouldn't mind trying a "decapitation operation." Compared to the orderly human society, they prefer the environment of war, where chaos makes everything much easier.

In times of war, all you need to do is offer a piece of bread, and countless people will be willing to follow you.

Therefore, TPC, especially its leadership core and the heads of state of various countries that supported the formation of the Earth Union, became a thorn in the side of certain aliens. They hit a wall several times in succession, and Staff Officer Nanbara jokingly said that he was so broke buying pocket watches that he might as well "develop" a hobby of collecting stones. Director Sawai, on the other hand, worriedly said, "Won't doing these things all the time be too exhausting? Quickly write a leave slip; if your direct superior doesn't agree, I will."

Aiba Yuu replied, "A leave slip is indeed needed. All branches worldwide also need to be properly protected, as well as some core institutions in certain countries. My access level doesn't allow me to see the locations of TPC's various secret research institutes and storage bases. If possible..."

Director Sawai gave him a spare key and repeatedly instructed him: "We have our own defense forces and security agencies. No matter how much the aliens infiltrate, they can't completely figure out the location of important bases, the core institutions of various countries... You... Hey, if the dormitory conditions are not good, just say so. If the canteen's portions are not enough, I have plenty of quotas. Just tell me what you like. You should rest more during the holidays. I should prepare a map of hot springs... Or do you prefer the beach? Actually, you don't necessarily have to be on duty. Changing to a less demanding position would be good too."

"No matter how good the protective gear is, it can't prevent a plane from crashing at 10,000 meters altitude." Aiba Yu always said such things bluntly, and neither of them seemed to mind the ominousness.

Staff Officer Nanbara laughed at Sawai, saying he sounded like a nagging old man. Director Sawai frankly replied, "We're old men, to be honest!"

Aiba Yu felt it was impolite to talk about age with an elderly person, so he held back and didn't continue the conversation, only mentioning his desire to be transferred from the Carlo base.

“I remember you declined Captain Junichiro’s invitation,” Staff Officer Nanbara said. “Have you changed your mind? The Victory Team is in dire need of a tactical commander…”

“No,” Aiba Yu replied, “How is the air force?”

Fujisawa Sosuke wasn't the only one who couldn't forget the events of that day. Sosuke's vision was blocked by the beam of light, and he thought that his former captain and teammates had vanished into thin air. However, Aiba Yu looked down from the perspective of the lunar base and saw two spaceships quickly disappearing into the clouds.

An alien spaceship. It's very unfamiliar; Aiba Yu hasn't found a corresponding design yet.

The members of the air wing are elites selected by TPC through multiple rounds of screening. Although they are not as outstanding as the members of the Victory Team, they are at least physically superior to ordinary people. If the ability of the Victory Team members to withstand the acceleration of the Hyuga-1 at Mach 6 is considered "talent," then the members of the air wing represent the pinnacle that can be reached through training.

TPC-α and TPC-β were next-generation hypersonic fighters developed based on the technology of the old defense force. Once they took off at full throttle, they could knock out ordinary pilots on the spot. Therefore, despite exhibiting serious psychological problems, Fujisawa Sousuke was not immediately removed from the squadron.

Fortunately, Sosuke was not a cowardly fool. His hands trembled and he was sweating profusely when he first stepped into the cockpit. A month later, he was able to pilot the β and carry out missions normally—even those who could only pilot the β were extremely rare.

It's only natural that aliens would target them; researchers prefer healthy, strong mice, and aliens do too.

Ralf was unaware of the aliens' conspiracy; he only knew that Sosuke had finally agreed to talk about the former captain. He spoke so frankly, and Sosuke didn't try to evade or change the subject. Ralf saw this as an opportunity to press on and finally deliver a decisive blow by sending him to the psychological counseling room.

The two pushed and shoved each other as they walked out of the air force gate. A figure moved up to them, clearly having been waiting for some time.

"Have you finished training?" It was Aya Kamimura, who was sitting in a wheelchair.

It would be difficult for her to complete it on her own.

After going downstairs, exiting the research institute's access control, passing through the checkpoint, and crossing half of the base to reach the air force's "expedition," Ralph saw two grinning heads peeking out from behind the side wall.

Sosuke nodded and then shook his head.

Aya Kamimura paused, then held up a box wrapped in a cloth: "Um... this is your lunch. It's my first time making it, so please don't mind."

Chapter Ninety-Four: Change

"You all like being so humble?" Ralph watched as Sosuke opened the cloth bag in front of him, revealing a lacquer box.

The surface is inlaid with tortoiseshell to create water patterns, making it extremely exquisite. The contents of the box also live up to the beauty of the container. The upper layer contains what Aya Kamimura called "lunch," and there is a hidden compartment underneath. Pulling it out reveals neatly arranged round pastries, resembling a pile of rabbits curled into balls.

The taste is yet to be determined, but judging from the presentation alone, it must be of master-level quality.

“My ex-girlfriend would only invite me to eat out,” Ralph said, his teeth aching. “Later, she married one of the staff here, had a child, and asked me where to find a reliable children’s restaurant—she only had ‘amazing’ skills in making vegetable salads.”

When Sōsuke received the first meal cooked for him by a girl, he was momentarily at a loss for what to do with his hands. He carefully closed the box, afraid of disturbing the little "rabbit treats" inside, and then bowed deeply, using formal honorifics, and said loudly, "Thank you! Thank you!"

Aya Kamimura was startled by his sudden loud voice and polite language: "N-You're welcome?"

Sosuke gave a standard 90-degree bow, and Aya Kamimura, sitting in her wheelchair, also bowed to him. The two kept saying "thank you" and "you're welcome," their heads bobbing up and down, making Ralf's scalp tingle.

To "hold the line" for Aya Kamimura, her two research colleagues, who were hiding behind the wall, covered their faces in anguish.

Finally, Ralf reached out and elbowed Sosuke, who was about to lower his head further. He then covered Sosuke's mouth, which could only utter "thank you," and said to Aya Kamimura with a forced smile, "He's very happy... He usually says all sorts of nonsense, but now he's so happy that all he can say is 'thank you.'"

Kamura Aya pursed her lips and smiled.

She remembered that before she arrived, her "experienced" colleagues gave her a barrage of instructions, such as not showing her teeth when she smiled, maintaining a girl's demeanor, and absolutely not laughing heartily and showing her back teeth while patting the wheelchair like she usually did when she saw the Flying Swallow. If she really couldn't remember, she could just cover her mouth and laugh.

However, Aya Kamimura felt that she couldn't waste the lipstick she had carefully applied. She rarely dressed up like this, as she was usually unkempt. She listened to her colleagues' suggestions on the color matching of her eyebrow powder, eyeshadow, eyeliner, blush, and lipstick, and it was definitely the best combination available at the moment!

Her colleagues were amazed by her steady handwork as a novice. Aya Kamimura replied that it was related to her frequent use of standard components. She had a lot of strength, so her hand was steady and she was less likely to draw eyeliner in a shaky, wavy shape.

Unfortunately, Sosuke, that... young lad, only knew how to thank Aya Kamimura for the food she prepared for him, without mentioning a single word about her change in appearance today, leaving him both expectant and disappointed.

Aya Kamimura's pursed-lip smile became somewhat distorted again.

Sosuke remembered the advice Ralf had given him about "being a gentleman." He had never met a gentleman, but the deadpan Herbert was British and quite good-looking. Even though he always had a stern face, he had received chocolates secretly from girls.

Sosuke thought he could learn from this Englishman who had the advantage of being close to the water, so he tried to appear calm and composed, keeping his facial muscles still. However, he was so overjoyed with the lunchbox in his hand that he felt like he was floating on air. His self-control and the rapidly secreting dopamine were locked in a fierce battle in his brain, and he barely managed to restrain the urge to jump up into the sky.

Therefore, when Sosuke raised his head, his smile was distorted as if he was forcing himself.

The cycle of "thank you" and "you're welcome" came to an end. Aya Kamimura and Sosuke remained silent this time, staring at each other with strange expressions. In Ralf's heart, a deafening wail resounded.

……