Ultraman Legend of the Light Chaser

The supermarket inside the base is like this, as is the commercial street closest to the base where supplies are frequently exchanged.

The work ID still showed a quarter of his face; he was a dry cleaner, a shy college student working part-time, pursing his lips for his ID photo. His smile was stiff, but he must have felt genuine joy when he received the work ID.

Aiba Yu's heart pounded wildly. He noticed the skeleton of the corpse—the white calcified structure wrapped around the organs like a fence entwined with vines, and the rib structure extending from the sides of the spine in the abdomen. Such a structure would have made it impossible for its owner to bend over.

Equally peculiar was the corpse's head. Aiba Yu's gaze pierced through the bones and found that most of it was empty, with the humanoid brain tissue curled up at the very bottom, and the skull, towering like a mountain, completely bare.

If you remove these unreasonable parts, what's left is... human bones.

Unsure if he was being overly sensitive, Aiba Yu pulled out a communicator that he shouldn't have been using at that moment and dialed a number.

"I've suffered a major setback and decided to go into seclusion. Unless you can provide me with new and valuable research topics, don't bother me!" Yuuki Tsukishiro yelled from behind the phone. "Don't tell me you're planning to ask me for advice on fishkeeping again?!"

“No, I want to know what the requirements are for the samples when you do DNA testing,” Aiba Yu said.

"What, are you planning to sequence your ancestors to find out which celebrities you're related to?" Aiba Yu was not joking at all. Tsukishiro Yuuki calmed down and became more serious: "As long as it's not too contaminated, such as soaking the sample in sulfuric acid, the analysis is just a matter of how long it takes."

"Okay, I have a sample that I need you to confirm."

Aiba Yu paused for a moment, then said, "If you have time... I'd appreciate it if you could do it yourself, and don't let anyone else know."

"I have time! I have plenty of time!" Yuki Tsukishiro's anger, which she had just suppressed, flared up again: "Right now, there's no one more free than me in the entire Life Science Research Center!"

After Ebloon cells were stolen, Yuuki Tsukishiro waited in vain for the investigation to be completed, so she reluctantly changed her research topic and studied suspected bacterial samples drilled from under the Antarctic ice sheet.

When he discovered that the bacteria could convert carbon dioxide into oxygen with extremely high efficiency, he felt that there was always a way out. Yuki Tsukishiro's top team would surely make another groundbreaking discovery after the stillborn Ebloon cell research project!

Before long, the "bacteria," which grew rapidly like a small cabbage, invaded the base system and began to talk! Yuuki Tsukishiro then realized that it had already been "claimed" and was actually an artificial creation from the planet Bizomo.

Bizomo shattered the petri dish, causing a huge mess, and was eventually wiped out—along with Yuuki Tsukishiro's research project.

Yuuki Tsukishiro, who had just climbed out of the freezer containing preserved specimens, never expected that she would be unemployed overnight!

The other team members can go to work in the next group, but Yuki Tsukishiro needs to find a new project to build a team!

The result was that when the tree fell, the monkeys scattered, leaving Yuki Tsukishiro with nothing to do all day, and he even considered keeping a turtle like the director did—it is said that tending to a landscaping turtle tank is a real time killer.

“DNA testing is such a small matter…” Yuuki Tsukishiro clicked her tongue: “Forget it, it’s a project after all, leave it to me.”

Aiba Yu thanked him over the phone, while Tsukishiro Yuuki scoffed, "I wouldn't have told anyone if you hadn't asked me. How could I have stooped to doing DNA tests to pass the time! I'd be ashamed if this 'secret' got leaked!"

Chapter 106 "Foreign" Genes

“If I hadn’t known you for so long, I would have sent you to the inspection office to find out where you got this sample from.” Yuuki Tsukishiro said with a grim face.

When a person is extremely angry, they often don't fly into a rage. Yuuki Tsukishiro wasn't this furious even on the day she discovered the stolen Ebron cells—undoubtedly, this DNA sample violated a taboo in the field of life science research.

“It can barely be called ‘human DNA’,” Yuuki Tsukishiro said, “but some genes have been knocked out and replaced with the genetic material of other species. I found no fewer than three abnormalities in the fragments I just read! These involve the skeletal system, nervous system, and blood. These alone are enough to create a monster with congenital deformities! Who is researching this kind of thing? And what species was it implanted with?!”

Yuuki Tsukishiro stared at Yuu Aiba with a scrutinizing gaze. He knew his friend was no ordinary person; how could a mere pilot have such close ties with the General Staff? The sample Yuu Aiba handed him was in a small plastic box, suggesting he had been in a great hurry when it was taken, and that he hadn't had anyone with him.

There are staff members with relevant professional expertise.

As for the condition of the sample... Yuki Tsukishiro has seen quite a few, and this small box of liquid is probably the fluid seeping out from the decaying organism.

“It’s standard procedure. You should report the discovery to your immediate supervisor, and then an investigation team will handle it. Private sampling and testing is against the rules.” Yuuki Tsukishiro carefully observed Yu Aiba’s expression. The other party acted normally, but after confirming that the sample was human, he kept his hands clasped together, his knuckles clenched tightly on the inside of his elbows. Yuuki Tsukishiro could notice that his forearms were somewhat stiff when he exerted force.

“I know the normal procedures,” Aiba Yu replied, “but the base was recently hacked.”

“You don’t know who you can trust in all the links,” Yuuki Tsukishiro exhaled a breath of stale air. After thinking for a moment, he took out a metal badge from his pocket and pushed it toward Yu Aiba: “You trust me, so I trust you too… This air force badge should be in your hands.”

Aiba Yu glanced down but didn't retract his gaze: "The sample was found in the shopping street near the base. Kamimura Aya's brother runs a dry cleaning shop there. I found a corpse in the shop and initially thought it was an alien... I reminded the surrounding shops to call the police if they notice anything unusual, as they can't stand the 'mysterious' stench anymore."

“Kamimura Aya, the missing researcher,” Tsukishiro Yuuki didn’t know much about her, only really noticing her at the briefing on the Hizoma incident: “I thought she was just unlucky, and the body was female?”

"No, the sample came from a dry cleaner employee. The body had a work ID that wasn't completely decomposed. His surname was Hojo."

Yuuki Tsukishiro's intelligence is all focused on scientific research, and she's really not good at solving cases. Aiba Yu keeps talking about Aya Kamimura one minute and a dry cleaning shop the next, and then brings up the shop employee who was suspected of being used for biological experiments, leaving him completely confused.

After pondering for a while without any clue, Yuuki Tsukishiro decided to give up: "Forget it, let you guys worry about this. I'm just an unemployed scientist with nothing better to do. I'll quickly compare the biological data that TPC has to find out what species' genes they mixed with human genes—do you need me to do anything else?"

"Is Group Leader Kubota of the Life Science Research Center also out of projects because he has lost his research subjects?" Aiba asked.

“Of course, all the giant statues and monster corpses in his group grew wings and flew away, just like our group had a traitor, Sanada Ryosuke. His was intercepted by Tango Yuji. We are in the same boat and agreed to play bridge tonight,” Tsukishiro Yuki said in a drawn-out voice. “If you want to join us, we can lower the difficulty a bit and play Turtle Draw.”

Aiba Yu shook his head: "I don't play cards, and I have things to do tonight. I suggest you ask Kubota, didn't they bring back a stone statue's powder back then? Is the powder they sent to other branches normal now? As for the external genes that were inserted..."

[The "Last Glow of Eternal Night" has ended; Samuel has fallen into the sea and disappeared. We only obtained some tissue samples... a failed clone, designated Sa... while the same technology succeeded on other Earth monsters.]

The Manon alien who encountered Aiba Yu during the Bizomo incident was clearly very unhappy with the Kirieloids. He revealed some important information, including a Kirieloid base and clones that they had previously researched.

When Aiba Yu discovered the work ID hanging on the dry cleaner's corpse and realized that the "strange" body might be human, he involuntarily took a half step back because he remembered that this type of corpse looked too similar to certain things.

Abnormal genes rampage through the body of a shop assistant named Hojo, completely disregarding the possibility of the recipient's survival, replicating indiscriminately, and ordering the parts of the body it can influence to proliferate wildly. This results in bone hyperplasia that twists like tree roots, an overly swollen torso, and overly thin limbs.

Normally, the decomposition of a corpse begins with the skin and internal organs. When the limbs are decayed to the point of being nothing but bones, the stomach is bound to be in bad shape as well. However, in Hojo's case, the hands were the first to decompose, while the torso and internal organs were kept in perfect shape.

Because the abnormally proliferating cells were extremely vigorous, they invaded Hojo's brain and torso, while forgetting his limbs.

Such domineering "invaders" are rare. On one Earth, it was called the "Alien Beast Factor," which once turned a timid student into a monster resembling a tall spider; on another Earth, it was called "Sweet Rain" or "Mad Spring," and anyone who accepted it would ultimately face an inhuman end, except for Aiba Yu, whose era name was "Tatsumi."

The aliens, who thought they were researching synthetic monsters, had no idea what they were spreading.

Aiba Yu rolled up his sleeves, revealing his arm. The scales had peeled off, leaving faint red marks that covered his skin like a spiderweb. He looked at the bewildered Tsukishiro Yuuki and said, "You can try comparing the genes of that 'species' to mine first."

……

Sea of ​​lion nose trees.

The entrance to the base was as beautiful as a dream. The "Fairy Forest" of urban legend is indeed real.

Fujisawa Sousuke first got into a car, which took a winding, circuitous route for an unknown distance. He felt that the car was going at least 160 km/h, enough to keep a long line of police cars chasing behind. However, apart from the whooshing sound of the wind, there was no sound at all – they didn't even stop at a traffic light.

The car finally stopped just before he fell asleep. The girl with bangs who had unlocked his handcuffs got out first, then turned around and...

He assumed a posture as if preparing to lift the princess off her horse, and laughed, "Be careful, don't fall into the water!"

Fujisawa Sousuke poked his head out, and his reflection in the water also poked his head out.

The girl stood on a small boat to greet him, and Sosuke was stunned: "This car flies on water?!"

Chapter 107 The Land of Demons

Lion's Nose Forest, a mysterious and unpredictable magical realm, is known in urban legends as "Japan's Devil's Triangle," on par with the legend of the Bermuda Triangle.

At its core is the hunting domain created by the monster Silvergon with a strong magnetic field. After accidentally "capturing" a human possessed by a Kirieloid, Silvergon lived a blissful life where everything was done for him, and he only needed to lie down to maintain the magic realm.

It used to be a lively monster, but as everyone knows, no matter how lively an animal is, if it encounters a kind person who feeds it continuously, it will eventually grow fatter and fatter, and eventually become a shut-in who is good at rolling around at home.

The Kirielod people carefully nurtured it and, relying on the magic mirror it created, built a "labyrinth" around it. This is the origin of the legend about the Lion's Nose Tree Sea, the "Fairy Forest".

The outer "maze" is not very large, but it is covered with towering trees whose branches and leaves are like clouds, blocking out the sun.

Fujisawa Sousuke followed the girl's example and jumped onto the boat. They sailed slowly in the small boat, leaving the giant tree, which would take several people to encircle, behind them little by little.

It was extremely quiet here, and the air was filled with a dreamlike warmth. Sosuke turned around; the car that had brought them had vanished sometime during the night.

“It’s actually a little spaceship disguised as a car,” the girl saw right through him. “It’s always busy, and it has a lot of people to pick up.”

"Are there other people like me?" Sosuke asked.

"No, to be precise... it's about bringing people to help you."

The girl's voice was beautiful, soft and gentle like the finest velvet, but Sosuke felt no comfort. He pressed the bruises on his hands, feeling a bitter pain in his heart.

"Come help me?" Sosuke muttered to himself.

The girl nodded seriously: "Yes, the Naga have been obsessed with bio-engineering for many years, such as turning dinosaurs into cyborgs, and creating dinosaur-human hybrids by combining human genes... In short, it's very perverted!"

“As for you, there are many unlucky people in the factory who were drugged and died. You are the only one who is still alive and kicking,” the girl comforted. “Although it is sad that it is difficult to see your friends, you have to live.”

"Live on..." Sosuke lowered his head, his reflection in the water showing the two of them. He thought he saw his captain and his teammates from the air force again. How wonderful it would be if Aya Kamimura were waving to him from the end of the line?

"You really didn't find Aya?" he asked. "So, she's still alive?"

The girl answered with difficulty: "You know, her brother has some ties with the Naga. You didn't find her amidst the chaos caused by Bizomo. I think... perhaps the Naga took her away early, only in this way can her brother be at ease."

Sosuke remained silent, only silently etching the name "Naga" into his heart.

At the end of the Fairy Forest was a simple dock, cut from a single slab of bluestone. Upon closer inspection, one could see that the bluestone was covered with crisscrossing patterns, its surface shimmering with a light that flickered like breathing. The girl told him that these "stones" were actually part of a defensive system, not real stones.

As Sosuke stepped onto the bluestone, a "snoring" sound came from afar. He looked up and saw a valley in the distance—two huge, sharp horns stood upright in the valley, and a monster was dozing in the forest.

“That’s Hilbargon, the creator of the magic realm,” the girl pointed to him. “It’s not afraid of strangers. You can touch it while it’s asleep. If it wakes up, just stand still. It can only see things that are moving. If it can’t find you, it will go back to sleep.”

There were many other people in the valley dressed in black robes like the girl; it was probably their uniform. Although the girl was very kind, Sosuke felt uneasy—all of them dressed in black didn't seem like good people, did they?

The girl reached out and pulled him towards the tallest building in the valley. Her body heat seeped through the fabric, and the real, living presence made Sosuke feel a little better.

“I haven’t even asked your name yet,” Sosuke said. “How do you know my name?”

“I knew it,” the girl turned around, her bright eyes more dazzling than the band of light on the horizon. “My name is Paradia.”

……

At the other end of the Lion's Nose Tree Sea Base, on the back of the valley, stands a tall, pointed tower offering panoramic views.

The tower truly "looks outward," allowing access to the outside world through its internal equipment, penetrating the magical realm and the "fairy forest" created by the Kirieloids.

A short man, sucking on a lollipop, stood by the stained-glass window. Sunlight streamed through the glass, casting iridescent patches on his body. The short man squinted uncomfortably.

“Hey, you ice enthusiast, I’ve told you before, I hate bright places,” the short man said. “You’d better hurry up and finish what you need to say.”

The guy he called "the ice-playing guy" sat behind a desk, wearing a thick woolen coat even in the warm magical world, his hair was neatly combed, and he wore gold-rimmed glasses—if you ignored the internal organ specimens on his desk, anyone would think he was a cultured scholar.

"You've taken on the body of a human child, and now your personality is becoming more and more like a child's," the person behind the table said. "I still prefer you in the body of a middle-aged office worker, making milk for your adopted son."

The way it looked when it was powdered.