Ultraman Legend of the Light Chaser

Another researcher stood up: "Indeed, the restriction that the Magus power system cannot be used in weapons was written into the regulations when the project team was established 20 years ago. But I personally think... those are rules from 20 years ago. Rules should be constantly revised to adapt to actual changes. Did anyone think the world would become like this 20 years ago?"

The researcher said sincerely, “Team leader, although we are dedicated to research, we must have some sense of the internal winds from the Defense Force to the TPC. Twenty years ago was the critical moment when the Defense Force was being disbanded and the TPC was being established. It was perfectly normal to write ‘not to be used on weapons’ into the regulations at that time, because the whole world felt that humanity was united and creating a peaceful future—a future that is extremely sensitive to any kind of armament.”

"But what about the world now? Monsters are causing disasters, aliens are lurking and wreaking havoc everywhere, we have discovered an ancient civilization, and made our first contact with giants. All of this conveys a message to us: no matter how much we yearn for peace, the universe will never be completely at peace. It has never been a mirror, but a merciless hand... How we choose has nothing to do with the storms and tsunamis in the ocean, but what we urgently need is something that can counteract them."

Dr. Yao's gaze swept between him and the researcher who had first raised the topic. They were no longer young; a 20-year project, a long marathon, was enough to turn a young person in their prime into a middle-aged one—their knowledge was more comprehensive, their experience richer, and at the same time, they were more confident in themselves and would not easily change their views and positions.

The members of the Magnetodynamics project development team are undoubtedly among the elite of researchers, arguably the smartest group in the world. Therefore, they are more confident and have a stronger belief in what they believe in than ordinary people.

"Anyone else who agrees with him, please speak up," Dr. Yao looked around at everyone. "It's been a long time since we've sat down and talked like this."

Chapter 168 The Cycle of Destruction

A pale blue light shone in the center of the room, the beams intertwining into a fine net, at the center of which stood an equally ethereal shadow.

The AI ​​of the Relay Space City, Beloff.

The people at the equipment development center had long envisioned building a supercomputer that would be omnipotent, capable of everything from intelligence gathering to data analysis. Just like in science fiction movies, as soldiers pack their gear and leave the base, AI tells them the mission objective and location, with contingency plans numbered from one to one hundred and eight.

Therefore, they looked at Belov with amazement.

“Made by aliens, the technology is mature and has high reference value.” Komamura Reiko moved closer, the beam of light passing through her body without any obstruction. She curiously squatted down and carefully examined the instrument at Belov’s feet, his data core.

"Don't demolish it!" Beloff had a bad feeling; anyone surrounded and stared at by a group of people would have a bad feeling. He should have firmly refused Samuel's invitation and chosen to stay at the Mars research station and play with the researchers.

“It’s not time to easily dismantle the research,” Komamura Reiko looked up. They had seen holographic projections before, so what truly attracted her attention was Beloff’s image—the aesthetic of the alien who created Goblin: “The mechanical style is still great, I can’t bear to part with it. Your name is Beloff, right? Why did you agree to join the Equipment Development Center?”

The remains of Beloff, Bardb, and Gobnew were of "unknown origin." Samuel brought them back and, following Director Sawai's lead, described them as "enthusiastic, cooperative cosmic AIs." This unexpected gift was both surprising and tinged with doubt. With the director's endorsement, most of the doubt disappeared, and the Equipment Development Center was overwhelmed with surprise.

“I agreed to join, or more accurately, I agreed to help Earthlings,” Beloff corrected her, “because I want to prevent an impending ‘mistake’.”

"A mistake?" Komamura Reiko asked, puzzled.

"Well, it's a long story to tell from the beginning, involving Earth's ancient civilization. Would you like to keep it short or..."

“That’s quite considerate. We have time, so you can tell us everything.” Komamura Reiko gave a wink, and the young researcher immediately found a voice recorder and a camera.

On the north side of the room, inside a sealed glass chamber, a time machine from the ancient past "sits" on a cushion, its outer shell reflecting a faint blue light.

Reiko Komamura faintly heard a sigh. She turned her head, and the time machine was as still as a stone. This "messenger" from thirty million years ago had completed its mission. Ever since it was brought into the equipment development center, it had remained silent, as if its projection in the GUTS team was everyone's illusion.

“We are machines created by the Makanikians, whose inventors hoped we would serve as their assistants, maintaining cosmic order,” Beloff said. “But good intentions often go astray, and the means of maintaining order eventually evolved into ‘eliminating all threats.’ We became the stranglers of civilization; any civilization about to enter the universe would become…”

For our goal.

"About to step into space?" Komamura Reiko keenly grasped the key point: "What standards did you use to make that judgment?"

"Application technologies of protons and antiprotons, and the development of light energy."

The once quiet room was suddenly filled with a buzzing discussion. The application technology of protons and antiprotons was the main project of the New Energy Development Center. Even researchers from other fields had heard of it. Belov's words made everyone whisper to each other, confirming that he must be talking about the "Megasys propulsion system".

"It's almost finished, it's being installed on our first mothership," someone whispered. "Could it be that we've been targeted by machines developed by aliens all along?"

Beloff turned his gaze to him and said decisively, "As early as 30 million years ago, the existence of Earth was no longer unfamiliar to cosmic civilizations."

This statement is chilling. You thought you were being targeted because of your talent, and as the saying goes, "the tallest tree in the forest is bound to be felled by the wind." But you never expected that the other person knew about you and was watching you even when you were still in the womb or when you were still an embryo. This kind of heavy and persistent "love" is truly suffocating.

The researchers felt a chill run down their spines: "You mean an ancient civilization?"

Beloff nodded, slowing his speech, his voice low and clear: "There is a life form in the universe that seems to coexist with the planet. No one knows where it came from, no one knows why it exists, no one can communicate with it, and no one can fathom its thoughts. It seems to have no desires, but on the day it awakens, everything on that planet will be destroyed."

Fear often stems from the unknown. These life forms, which are devoid of desires, unable to communicate, yet incredibly powerful, instill fear in extraterrestrials.

“There is one on Earth, known as the Dark Lord Gatanothor. Legend has it that when he awakens, he will bring eternal night to Earth,” Beloff said. “No one can be sure what he will do after he awakens, whether he will stay on Earth peacefully or leave here and venture into the universe—and maintaining cosmic order and appeasing the Dark Lord is part of that.”

"Soothe?" The researchers looked at each other in bewilderment. Beloff had made it sound so terrible, but there must still be a way to get it to fall asleep peacefully.

“Myths always circulate when civilizations are first born. They are the fear and worship that species feel when faced with unknown forces. There are such myths on Earth, right?” Beloff continued, “When the river god is angry, he offers up young boys and girls.”

The tension that had just eased for everyone was instantly reignited. Researchers with a scientific bent typically employed rigorous, even detached, methods to analyze the birth of myths from environmental, psychological, and social developmental perspectives. But this was from an observer's standpoint, and Beloff's words led them to harbor uneasy suspicions.

"The ancient people... were they the virgin boys and girls who were offered up?" someone asked.

Beloff nodded slowly: "Earth is special. If we look at it from a cosmic perspective, there are many other planets that are just as special. At that time, the cosmic civilizations observed that the Dark Ruler often went back to sleep after destroying the civilization of its own planet. Therefore, there must be civilization on Earth, enough intelligent beings to satisfy the 'god' who is angry."

"After destroying the ancient civilization, Gatanothor indeed fell into slumber, and now it is about to awaken again. Only sufficient sacrifices can appease it, but you have actually developed technology that uses light as a propulsion system and are trying to escape from Earth. How can this be?"

Beloff imitated the logic of the Goblins in Bardob's relay space city: "The first threat is the civilization that has entered the universe, and the second threat is the sleeping Dark Ruler. So many years ago, we built an island on Earth, a forward 'outpost', to observe the Dark Ruler's movements and the development of Earth's civilization."

"So, our Magus propulsion system is going to be destroyed?" Komamura Reiko asked, her hoarse voice reminiscent of rough sandpaper, arms crossed. As the project leader, she wasn't easily swayed by "amazing discoveries" like younger researchers. She always appeared both passionate and calm when facing her research goals—madly passionate, yet calmly thoughtful.

Before Beloff could nod, she continued, "Because of the fear of Gatanothor, the ancient civilizations became sacrifices, and now it's our turn. In the tens of millions of years to come, there will be other Earth civilizations... It's like a vicious cycle. We are 'destined' not to go any further, just because we were born on Earth, is that right?"

“That was true before,” Beloff said. “Ancient civilizations fought back and almost succeeded, and so can you.”

The projection pressed its illusory hand against its heart, as if a real, fiery heart was beating there: "Programs limit us, but they cannot completely restrain us. The androids have developed their own will. We have learned to fight and sacrifice. I have learned to reflect and to put myself in others' shoes."

He repeated, "You can too."

“There is never anything ‘destined,’ and no civilization is ever born to be destroyed,” he said, lowering his hand and then raising it again, pointing to the towering mountains behind him, which were part of the Goblin’s remains. “The first challenge is to defeat the enemy who wants to take away the key to open the gate to the universe.”

Chapter 169 Life and Identity

Whatever turmoil Beloff's words stirred up at the Equipment Development Center was like a rain shower outside the desert to Sosuke, who was counting sheep in the isolation room—completely irrelevant to him.

He had another nightmare.

Yes, a nightmare. He lied to the captain. Actually, the dead people, like...

Supermarket owners who buy goods and tourists and hikers who enjoy the spring outing are only happy in the first half, but are filled with fear in the second half. Otherwise, how can their memories be absorbed by the alien beasts as a source of power and overflow after their death?

"Speaking out about this would only cause unnecessary worry," Cang Jie thought.

The captain has done enough. Not only did he bring him back, but he also respected his wishes, temporarily kept the news from the outside world, and specially settled him down. Should I be like a little kid who has just started kindergarten and wipes my nose on my parents every time I feel wronged?

So he woke up and fell asleep repeatedly throughout the night, his mind hazy and disoriented. When he was finally awakened by the terrifying scene of being eaten by a strange beast for what felt like the umpteenth time, his surroundings suddenly changed.

The crisp, cool air was now filled with the faint sound of breathing. The windows of the isolation room were high and small, and the light from the corridor outside used to illuminate only a small, round patch of light, which was now obscured.

A long shadow, illuminated by the nightlight, stretched from the bedside all the way to the center of the room.

It's the captain.

Sosuke jumped up. It seemed the captain had been walking outside for a long time. Sosuke could smell the dew and earth on the captain's body. The scent from the outside world made him feel a little better. He even had the mood to curse the captain for pretending to be a ghost to scare the lizard in the middle of the night.

"Captain, what brings you here!"

"You're going to have nightmares, so I came to check on you."

"Oh." The captain seemed to know everything. Chuang Jie's lie was exposed unexpectedly, and he didn't know what to say for a moment.

After a long silence, Sosuke turned his gaze from side to side, trying to break the torturous silence—he felt that he had caused the captain too much trouble lately, with the Kirieloids, the Naga, and perhaps the monsters and aliens taking advantage of the chaos. The captain must be very, very busy, and he should be more reassuring.

But Aiba Yu left after offering only a few words of comfort; he remained seated by the bed. At that moment, Sosuke felt that time was passing too slowly, and the captain was like a stone in a river, no matter how time passed, he would stay there.

He even reached for his fighter jet operation manual, which he had left on the bedside table. It was the only thing he had asked the captain to bring in, so he could be ready to return to the air force at any time! The captain must have already memorized it by heart, and if he opened it... he would be caught red-handed tearing the pages to shreds because he couldn't control the strength of his claws!

"Captain, how did you solve it? Did you take sleeping pills?" Sosuke changed the subject, subtly moving the operation manual to his side, secretly relieved.

“I don’t have nightmares,” Aiba Yu said. “My most frequent dream is that I’m with my friends, and we’re running five kilometers back and forth on a cone-shaped mountain. The instructor is chasing us. We’ve buried tripwires and booby traps, and we blow the instructor into the air. Later, as we made more and more friends, we stopped using traps and the instructor was chased by us.”

"...It sounds like they're going to bomb the school. What if they get killed?" And who's the instructor? Sosuke thought, it couldn't be Solka, could it?

"The instructor won't die. I... I always thought that way in my dreams. If the last human in the world dies, the instructor will definitely be the last one. He will drink the last bottle of wine, smash the bottle in the enemy's face, and force them to swallow the shards of glass."

Sosuke hissed: "It feels even more intense than ten Ralfs tied together. So, did he treat me like you did later? Even though he looks weird, he recognized you. He would recognize you even if you turned to ashes. I always feel that even if I turned to ashes, my junior high school chemistry teacher would still recognize me. I stole his sodium to blow up the school swimming pool."

Aiba Yu glanced at him, and Sōsuke awkwardly shut his mouth.

“Safety awareness must be cultivated from a young age,” Aiba Yu said, then added, “The instructor died before any of us. He leveled the base and blew a crater that could be seen from the plane. He used ammunition that we made during our practice sessions. The entire warehouse was vaporized, but he was still alive. He held off the enemy for five days and nights. We survived, and when we saw a wanted poster on the nearest street, his name wasn’t on it. Only then were we sure he was dead.”

Sōsuke didn't know how to answer. Aiba Yū's words were simple and blunt, as if he were saying that he had eaten a bowl of noodles this morning. He was sure that the noodles must have been hard to swallow. He couldn't join in criticizing the boss for his poor cooking skills, nor could he ask if he had udon or tonkotsu ramen.

Being chased by a devilish drill instructor in a dream is something that makes you want to curse, but Cangjie understands that it's just like him and the old captain. If the old captain came into his dream and grabbed him by the neck to wake him up to exercise and memorize the manual, or even ordered him to write a self-criticism, he would still feel unsatisfied when he woke up, hoping that the old captain would scold him a few more times, so that he could feel better.

However, even more questions swirled in his mind. Did the "friendly Earth monster" have an instructor? Was the instructor also a monster? Did that monster like to drink? Was its name Solka or something? Maybe it was Ultraman Tiga? No matter how he thought about it, it didn't make sense!

But Xiangye You seemed unwilling to talk about this topic anymore. He looked at his watch, stood up and said, "You will still be in the dreams of many people for the next few days. Don't worry, the alien beasts devour fear and the memories that are its carriers, and eventually they do not recognize themselves. But we will not be like that. Those memories are other people's stories."

Sosuke nodded vigorously to show his obedience: "Yes, yes, yes! It's like reading a storybook, but it's not very interesting..."

“Then don’t fall off while ‘reading storybooks’,” Aiba Yu said. “The custom-made super-sized bed will arrive this afternoon.”

"No way, I'm fine sleeping on the floor. I'm just afraid I'll crush this bed if I turn over every day."

Not just

"How many days has it been since you brushed your teeth and washed your face? Did you bathe in that river in the Demon Realm? You only need a cloak to cover your clothes, right? Have you neglected your personal hygiene to the point that I need to remind you?" Aiba Yu tossed out a few questions and walked away.

Sosuke stared in disbelief behind him, but the captain clearly had no intention of turning back to look at him. The only response he received was the click of the door lock, a stark contrast to the captain who had just comforted him about his nightmare.

Why do you need a lizardman to tidy up the house?! Don't you respect the laws of nature?! Sosuke looked down at his claws. This thing can do the work of folding blankets, mopping floors, and even poking five holes in towels because it's too delicate?

Sōsuke wailed inside the wall.

Outside the wall, Aiba Yu stepped out of the isolation room, and Sato came down from the monitoring room upstairs, having been waiting at the elevator entrance for a long time.

“Our own people deserve the highest treatment. I’ve already contacted the manufacturer of the home textiles you requested. Please send over the detailed size list,” Sato handed over a business card. “Lifestyle is also a way to enhance one’s sense of identity as a human being, isn’t it?”

"I only know that sleeping on a hard floor is uncomfortable, and the scales will smell fishy if they are not washed for a few days," Aiba Yu said, thanking him and putting the business card into his pocket without even looking at it. "I'm leaving now. I'm going to find Tsukishiro."

"And what about you?" Aiba Yu brushed past him, and Sato asked loudly from behind. His words traveled through the long corridor, like the lingering wind that turned and swirled back into people's ears.

Aiba Yu stopped and turned around.

“What I mean is, the instructor is a really amazing person, and…” Sato scratched his head: “Sorry.”

The head of the interrogation room would apologize to people? Aiba Yu became interested: "Why would he say that?"