Ultraman Legend of the Light Chaser

As everyone knows, the ground guard unit under the police department has an interrogation room. Every alien who goes in, whether standing or lying down, silent or talking nonsense, eventually fills the interrogation room clerk's little black notebook with information.

And their leader, Takuma Sato, never takes the initiative to approach anyone; it's never anything good.

“I didn’t come here to see you,” Sato said. Kubota immediately shut up, and the small cart in his hand became lighter.

Dr. Yuecheng stepped forward and said, "So you've come to see me. What's the matter? I'm in a hurry, so please get to the point."

“Aiba’s message is that the substance that caused the mutation is called ‘Alien Beast Factor.’ He will bring some samples when he returns,” Sato said quickly. “He said, ‘Alien Beasts are life forms that feed on fear. We should do our best in drug development, but the key is to pay attention to the mindset of the GUTS team.’”

“Hmm, maintaining a positive mood helps with recovery,” Dr. Tsukishiro said noncommittally. Sato’s words sounded like correct but meaningless, and his mind started to drift back to the next stage of the experiment: “The name ‘Alien Beast Factor’ is quite fitting. Thank you for his sample. Is there anything else?”

“A steadfast soul has the power to bring miracles,” Sato scratched his face. “To paraphrase.”

“If you spout nonsense again, I’ll kick you out. Aiba can stay since he brought the samples,” Dr. Tsukishiro told his assistant to write this down as a sign of respect. “If there’s nothing else, I’m going to the sterile room. You should tell the medical department’s psychological clinic about the patient’s psychological issues. They’re also involved in the healing mission for the GUTS members.”

Sato also struggled to articulate the metaphysical question. Dr. Tsukishiro turned and walked away. Sato sighed softly, "I knew no one would believe me if I said that, especially since they believe in science."

Tsukishiro gave him the order to leave, and Sato relayed the message before leaving the Life Science Research Center. Through the communicator, his "temporary commander," Aiba Yu, gave him a new task.

Aiba Yu's head appeared on the screen, but behind him was nothing but darkness, only occasionally lighting up to reveal a long, monstrous shadow.

“I forgot to tell you,” Aiba Yu said, “I have to go out again after delivering the samples. There’s a ‘package’ left at the Mars research station. I’ve already reported it to Commander Yoshioka.”

"..." It sounded like "I dropped a package on Mount Everest, I'm going to pick it up right away, I'll be right back," Sato took a deep breath. "How much longer will it take you?" he asked.

"Boom—" A deafening roar, like an explosion, suddenly came from the other side of the screen, startling Sato so much that his hands trembled.

The dark wall behind Aiba Yu collapsed with a crash, revealing a hideous shadow through the dust. The shadow roared, its shrill cry, a mixture of crying and laughing, causing the communicator's speaker to crackle under the strain. Sato quickly turned off the volume, only turning it back on when Aiba Yu opened his mouth to speak again.

At this moment, it was daytime again on the other side of the screen. It turned out that the wall was a cylindrical high-rise building, which was completely collapsing. Aiba Yu carried the communicator and ran hundreds of meters away in an instant. The billowing dust did not obscure the lens.

“The concentration of alien beast factor is too high, I’m in a bit of trouble,” Aiba Yu said, “but it won’t exceed the time limit. Prepare an isolation room for me, one that can hold that guy in the back.”

The charred charcoal tree in the scene began to recede rapidly, while the shadow that burst out of the smoke appeared steadily behind it, clearly maintaining a stable distance. Sato could clearly see his wide-open gums.

"Those fangs are really powerful, they could probably crush ten of my skulls," Sato rubbed his chin. "I need to check the material of the isolation chamber. Hope you... have a good workout?"

Chapter 166 Guidance

Sōsuke felt like he had many dreams.

In his dream, he was sometimes a grocery store owner who accidentally entered a demonic realm while buying goods; sometimes a child on a spring outing, pointing out the rainbow hanging in the sky to his parents in a childish voice; sometimes a young man who was having a hard time and came out to clear his mind, walking along the road without caring where he was going, only becoming curious when he heard the sound of water, and then stepping into a place of no return.

He awoke to a feeling of weightlessness and the low murmur of the wind, only to find it was late at night, the stars high in the sky, the barrier of the demonic realm gone, and ruins beneath his feet.

far away

A ring of twinkling lights illuminated the scene. He looked closely and saw that they were TPC indicator lights, their red and blue colors quite striking, reflecting off the neatly arranged artillery array on the ground and revealing a cold, metallic beauty.

"The Kirielod people built many underground structures, mainly for 'breeding' purposes, but they are almost gone now."

The voice was unfamiliar, but the tone sounded a lot like the captain's. Sosuke turned around and realized that he was actually lying on the back of the "friendly monster of Earth." This was probably how he felt weightless. The monster was carrying him and flying, with wisps of clouds drifting past him.

It must be the captain. Sosuke sat up and then slumped back down with a "thud." The wind in the sky was the most comfortable thing for his tough skin. If he could, he could sleep until he was woken up by the sun.

But the captain was clearly unhappy with his lazy demeanor.

“Once you’re awake, adjust to your body,” Samuel said. “You were a little too excited after the Kirielods’ ‘warehouse’ was destroyed.”

Sosuke touched the horn on his head, which felt even more solid, as if it could kill a rhinoceros. He thought for a long time but couldn't remember what the captain meant by "overly excited". He asked, "But I don't remember. I just remember that all the 'monsters' in the warehouse were gone and there were blue lights everywhere... and then I don't know anything else."

"Did you have a very long dream, in which you became many different people?"

"How did you know!" Sosuke perked up and quickly moved to shoulder height.

The scenery here is even better, with mountains and rivers in full view, and further away you can see the bright orange skyline, from which stars and clouds emerge. Sosuke suddenly remembered what Yota had said to him when he teased him about "the night view from the captain's position," and he couldn't help but glance at the position that looked more like the captain's position—the top of the "Great Monster's" head.

The "great monster" was staring at him.

Sōsuke felt he had been seen through, so he immediately shrank his neck and adopted a well-behaved posture of listening attentively.

“Those alien beasts are humans who were transformed. The alien beast factors extracted from them occasionally carry memories from their previous lives,” his golden eyes reflected his image. “You haven’t been having nightmares, have you?”

Sosuke shook his head: "It's not a nightmare. Actually, many people are quite happy to go on vacation and enjoy nature... Besides, they don't know what the Kirieloids are up to. It's just that when I woke up just now, I was unsure whether I should go to buy goods or continue climbing."

Samuel smiled. "That's good."

“You haven’t answered the question yet,” Sosuke said nervously. “How did you know I had a lot of dreams?” Either it was because it talked in its sleep or ground its teeth, or because of the relationship between the “monster and the mother” that the captain described, and the captain could see his thoughts!

Sosuke was shocked by his own speculation. If he were to slack off or pretend to be nice while secretly asking about his household registration, wouldn't he be caught red-handed?

“This is just the beginning,” Samuel did not answer his question: “The source of the power of the alien beasts is fear. The more afraid you are of yourself, the harder it is to control it. When you get back to TPC, especially when you are isolated, if you feel bored or unhappy, talk to Ralf and the others.”

"That's scary. Who talks to lizardmen for no reason? Ralph and the others have nightmares about my face all the time. If the plane crashes, logistics will tear Ralph apart, and you'll tear me apart too."

Sosuke was well aware of his appearance: "Don't worry, it's not like I haven't been put in solitary confinement before. This time, I don't even have to write a self-criticism or memorize the rules! Just treat it as a vacation."

"The purpose of isolation is simply to allow your body to adapt. Once you can walk without damaging the floor and clench your fist without breaking a glass, you can go out."

"That simple? I thought I was going to have to beat up some little monster and endure hellish interrogation and devilish training or something." Sosuke grinned, but as soon as he opened his mouth, he swallowed a mouthful of wind. The wind whistled through his fangs, and Sosuke closed his mouth again, swallowing the cool air.

The captain made it sound simple, but judging from his habits, trouble was definitely on the way. Cang Jie thought that once he left the beginner village, the next mission would be fraught with danger.

“You always have to see your friends,” Samuel said. “Once you can face yourself, you will find yourself again.”

"Captain, what you're saying is unclear and I don't understand."

"You understand, you're just too scared."

This is definitely more troublesome. Sosuke just wants to collapse again. Putting aside how difficult it would be to integrate into normal life at his height of two meters—no, even at the height of two stories after waking up—just the thought of meeting the air force personnel... scaring them away would be a good outcome. What if they don't understand the situation and think he's a monster?

And there's something he needs to figure out.

"Captain, do you have time to give a beginner's guide?" Following his own feelings, Sosuke sprawled out like a dried lizard again, the starry sky slowly rotating above his head.

Now, with his improved vision, he can see a more expansive and magnificent starry sky. He can see the bright red of Mars, Saturn and its rings, as well as the mysterious nebulae and clusters of stars.

The New Year had just passed, and it was winter, the time when Orion shone brightest. Following the Winter Triangle across the ecliptic northward, he easily found Cassiopeia's necklace, a string of not-so-bright stars, usually hidden by city lights, but its unique "W" shape made it very memorable.

Beside Cassiopeia lies Perseus, famous for its consistent meteor shower. Sousuke's wish last year was to "join the GUTS team," but unexpectedly, the team is no longer recruiting. The related mythology is the famous...

Perseus defeated Medusa, and the star map depicts Perseus holding Medusa's head.

Medusa's eyes corresponded to two stars, one of which changed brightness every few days. This unpredictable characteristic was associated with demons and tombs, and it became known as the "Demon Star".

If he encountered "Perseus," he would be doomed. The legendary female monster could still evoke pity. Sosuke felt that if he begged for mercy, he would be ridiculed until the earth was destroyed. So, no matter how he thought about it, it was better to be able to transform back into human form at any time like the captain before going out.

"When you first became... I mean, when your body changed, how did you do it?" he asked casually, but dared not sit up to look into her eyes again, focusing only on Medusa's eyes, the tomb and the demon star flickering through the atmosphere.

"I was far away from the crowd, walking on thin ice."

"Huh?" Sosuke had expected to hear some inspirational stories about heroes facing reality and overcoming themselves.

“So it wasn’t until he met Soruka and Paradia that he found the real opportunity,” Samuel said. “Now I’m telling you straight, if you’re still afraid of this and afraid of that, I’ll throw you off the boat.”

Chapter 167 A New Direction

We'll leave aside how Aiba Yu contacted Sato to settle Sousuke and then went to the Mars research station to retrieve the remains of Badab and Gobnew. After his brief errand, upon his return, he sensed some changes at TPC.

First, there's the atmosphere. This is most evident in the medical department.

To support the Life Science Research Center, the Medical Bureau assembled its most capable personnel to focus on researching healing methods for the GUTS members. However, the nature of the Alien Beast Factor filled every doctor who had delved into it with despair.

It is a tenacious parasite, a flexible mutator, and its observations can vary greatly even within a single day. Dealing with it feels like being ordered by your superior to stop an out-of-control train with your bare hands. You don't want to carry out the mission; you just want to turn around and crack open your seemingly demented superior's skull, and then let him try to stop it with his back, which is definitely not painful when he's standing.

Over the next few days, the atmosphere at the medical bureau grew increasingly somber, affecting even the doctors and nurses in the general wards. They were careful about their behavior and secretly watched the movements of the "industry leaders."

Aiba Yu had originally intended to inquire about the progress of the treatment, but he stopped at the door; the pervasive atmosphere within the Medical Bureau already provided the answer. He turned to find the Life Science Research Center; since conventional medical methods were ineffective, perhaps Dr. Tsukishiro would have a solution.

“I do have some clues. You’ve come to the right person.” Yuki Tsukishiro came out of the sterile room, took off his gloves and threw them into the trash can. He took off his mask and protective goggles, and the heavy bags under his eyes showed that his owner’s work and rest were not ideal.

But he was in good spirits. When he saw Xiang Yeyou arrive, he immediately grabbed his arm and said, "Since you're here, don't waste your time. Have your blood drawn before you leave."

Do you have time to investigate my situation now?

Yuuki Tsukishiro's hand remained motionless: "My clues are related to you." After saying that, he called his assistant to hand him a document, or rather, a draft.

Aiba Yu glanced through it and confirmed that it was about her research records. Tsukishiro Yuuki did not waste any samples she could get her hands on, from blood, scales, and even hair... Aiba Yu touched her hair.

“When I last drew blood, you had a human appearance, while the scales represented another aspect of you. I studied the two as a project for comparison. Later, when the GUTS team was infected, I took skin tissue samples from them that showed subtle changes and found that they all carried genes that were extremely similar to yours.”

"But you're not a monster, are you?" Yuuki Tsukishiro's eyes lit up, as if she had seen a gold mine lying in front of her: "A treasure! As long as we can figure out the mechanism by which you transform from another form into a human form, wouldn't the infection of the monster factor be contained?"

Aiba Yu didn't quite understand this research direction, but he remembered that the Night Raid Team had said that the fluctuations of Ultra Warriors and Alien Beasts were exactly opposite, so perhaps there was indeed a reversible connection between them. Tsukishiro Yuuki's statement was not without reason.

But how to transform from a monster into a human... Aiba Yu pondered for a moment, then earnestly said, "Then you can study the power of light."

"Huh?" I'm talking to you about science and you're talking to me about metaphysics? Yuuki Tsukishiro's temper was about to flare up: "Protestantism is prohibited within TPC."

"It's not the light of God, I'm telling the truth. Also, we need to pay attention to the emotions and mentality of the GUTS members. Sato should have told you this, it's very important. The more you fear the Alien Beasts, the stronger they will become."

Yuuki Tsukishiro took a deep breath. To be honest, he felt that his current emotions and heart condition really needed the attention of the medical department: "Okay, tell me exactly what it is, the power of light? My research direction is life science, not optics. The top scholars in optics are all in Dr. Yao's team, developing the Magus dynamic system."

“Perhaps…” Aiba Yu tried to translate the physical meaning of light into something that Tsukishiro Yuuki could understand: “You can start with the ancient genes.”

"Ancient genes?"

……

New Energy Development Center.

The Magus Power Systems project team is engaged in a heated debate over the next steps in research and development.

"Why can't it be used for weapons? A knife can kill or protect. You clearly possess the most advanced forging technology, yet you only use it to make armor. Are you hoping that your noble character will influence the enemy?" a researcher asked.

With his neck stiff and utterly fearless, he met the gaze of the project leader, Yao Meiban.

"The Magus propulsion system is just a propulsion system; this was the principle set from the very beginning of the project." Dr. Yao had faced his fair share of questions, especially during his conversation with Tetsuji Yoshioka of the police department. He stated calmly, clearly: "The Magus propulsion system will be installed on the Atdis, our next-generation giant aircraft carrier, designed for space exploration. It is humanity's pioneering mothership into space, not a weapon for any individual or organization."