Ultraman Legend of the Light Chaser

"Bang." The gate opened a crack, followed by a hoarse, low sound.

The outside was extremely quiet. The thing that had been making muffled noises finally stopped moving, and she turned her attention to the person who was climbing out of the gate.

"Hoo—" Masaki Keigo looked around. The smell here was much stronger than down below. He endured it and asked, "Tsurugi, have you really turned into a beast?"

The creature he called "Tiaoyue," which was entrenched in the center, flicked its tail, and the flesh stuck to the ground made a muffled "plop" sound.

Tsune Ayase did not answer; at this moment, in Masaki Keigo's eyes, she was no better than a hyena.

“I remember you were very clean, and you especially disliked the blood of aliens,” Masaki Keigo recounted. “The time you killed the Crow Man, you took a three-hour bath. Tango thought you had drowned yourself in the bathtub. I was glad you died, but I didn’t think the bathtub was suitable.”

"..."

The air was eerily silent, and Masaki Keigo slowly clenched his fist.

At this point, Tiaoyue Xuansha was no longer recognizable as human. Its muscles and scales covered its steel-like bones, and its head was almost touching the ceiling. Occasionally, it would shake its head, and sparks would fall from its bones.

When the dancers take their final bow, the stagehands rack their brains to scatter boxes and boxes of sequins onto the stage. In the early days, this was mostly done manually, with strong young men waving their hands frantically, scattering sequins and whistling as they went. They also worked as part of the atmosphere team. Later, they used hair dryers, which also served multiple purposes, such as spreading out dry ice mist. Later still, they set up equipment on top of the stage. With more money and technology, they started using not only ordinary sequins but also fireworks.

Tiaoyue Xuansha stood behind the beaded curtain woven from fireworks, surrounded by dazzling light and the cheers of the audience—today.

There were no cheering spectators, only sparks drifting down from the sky.

"'He's' back," said Tsune Aya in a hoarse voice, her thick vocal cords making her voice rival the truck's: "I can feel 'his' call..."

Her mountain-like body suddenly trembled. She frantically pounded on the wall, causing cement chunks to crumble like foam boards, and dust and gravel rained down. Masaki Keigo covered his mouth and nose with one hand and slowly moved towards the exit. He wasn't sure if the potion he possessed was still effective; the strange behavior of the alien beast was clearly unusual.

"No, no, no! I don't want to leave! Get out of here! Why me?!" Tsukishiro Ayaka whipped the air with her long tail whip, as if she had seen an "enemy." She relentlessly tore and charged at the illusory target, and the ground beneath Masaki Keigo's feet trembled like an earthquake of magnitude eight.

"This place is going to collapse," Masaki Keigo thought. He wasn't interested in what had happened to Tsutsuki Ayase; he was more concerned about the neutron bomb underground—detonated by a mentally unstable alien beast, the radiation killing all living things was a ridiculous record.

"Do you want to use the transformation device?"

Amid the chaos, a voice suddenly pierced through.

Like an icicle piercing boiling water, Masaki Keigo turned around abruptly. The owner of the voice was looking at him with a kind expression—yes, kind. The leader of the "New Human Project," an old man who was featured in textbooks and should have been dead a hundred years ago with his grave overgrown with weeds, always showed a kind expression when looking at his juniors.

He was accompanied by another person, Yuji Tango, Masaki Keigo's collaborator. Together, they had spent countless days and nights working tirelessly to study the relationship and evolution between humans and Titans.

Masaki Keigo, a researcher of exceptional talent, quickly grasped the crux of the matter: "You know that Tsune couldn't control herself in the face of aliens, yet you still sent her... The inhibitors won't work because the mother of the alien beasts has appeared. You know this, so... shouldn't we add someone else's name to the list of founders of the 'New Human Project'? For example—the Kirieloids!"

“It’s not entirely the work of the Kirieloids. These things always require collective effort. When we conduct experiments, you know, we always test more than one extreme condition. Those who are willing to accept aliens go to the church, and those who are willing to believe in themselves come to be ‘new humans’,” said Tango Yuji, a former collaborator. “I regret the energy I’ve invested in you and Tsuneki. Masaki, new humans don’t need another ‘god’ or an uncontrollable beast.”

"So you're going to 'recycle' it?" Masaki Keigo felt the energy flowing between the transformation device and his body. They had found the optimal frequency in tens of thousands of experiments, like a kind of "resonance." The ancient genes and the power of the giants echoed each other. When a certain critical point was reached, he could "see" a sun flowing into his palm, as if his blood was being evaporated—but it wasn't enough, far from enough.

Keigo Masaki never believed in aliens or TPC, but he was willing to lower his guard a little with his collaborators who were cooped up in the same lab as him, fostering what was called "friendship".

This has backfired. Who else could tamper with the transformation device?

“You are a rare genius,” Tango Yuuji said. “I guarantee that there is no one like you in TPC. But why do you have to be some kind of ‘god’ for all mankind? Do you know how disappointed I was when I heard you say that?! My collaborator! Ancient genes, diluted through countless generations, are present in almost everyone! You have researched the means to activate them, so why are you selfishly focusing only on yourself?! You have disappointed me so much, Masaki!”

The old man in the textbook glanced sideways. Tango Yuji was very quiet in the organization, and most people thought he was holding back his energy to research something earth-shattering and get revenge on the blind TPC. They never expected that he would also have a moment of explosive energy outside the experimental table.

“When I first saw the Alien Beast, it was a defective product, used as a power source for a spaceship by foolish aliens, but I was deeply attracted by its beauty… How wonderful it is that something so illogical and beyond imagination! I asked the team leader for leave and came to find you first because I thought of the Titans,” Tango Yuuji said. “What did I tell you that day? ‘I’ve discovered a second way,’ but you disagreed, only obsessed with how to squeeze yourself into the statue. The concentration of ancient genes varies from person to person, and I know that only someone with your extraordinary talent can succeed. So I had to conduct inhibitor experiments on Tsurugi, hoping that someone with a low concentration of ancient genes could master the power of the Alien Beast.”

He spread his arms wide and raised them high, as if embracing the clear sky after the rain: "Thank you for your favor! In an experiment, I discovered that there is a connection between alien beasts, ancient genes, and the power of giants. Their connection is closer than anyone imagined! I am very happy, and I am happy to tell you about this discovery! I still have high hopes for you. You are my collaborator, so of course I have to tell you!"

Masaki Keigo's expression turned somewhat strange; he naturally remembered that day. Tango Yuji, still in his protective suit, rushed out of the sterile laboratory, bouncing around like a snake had gotten into his clothes.

Tango Yuuji's discovery was indeed surprising, but at the time, their research on transforming into Titans using a self-made converter had been successful. Since the results were similar, why abandon the established research and turn to explore another path? Besides, the Alien Beast Factor was something spread by the Kirieloids, and Masaki Keigo had always kept his distance from it, as well as from Tsutsuki Ayasa, who had suffered greatly from it.

“I’m disappointed,” Tango Yuji repeated, lowering his hand and looking at him coldly. “You only want to become a ‘god’ yourself, but we can create countless ‘gods’, that’s the original intention of the ‘New Human Project’… As a pioneer, the first person to embark on the path of evolution, you only want to be a dictator.”

"The 'god' you speak of, is it someone who has fallen to the point of being controlled by others, like Tsuneki?" Masaki Keigo was indeed a selfish person, but he did not agree with Tango Yuuji's claim: "What did the Kirieloids promise you?"

Behind them, Tsuneyuki Ayaka had already smashed a large crater in the wall—this air-raid shelter was about to be abandoned, and Tsuneyuki Ayaka was clearly restraining herself. She didn't want to leave. Once this place was connected to the outside world, the connection between the alien beasts would constantly drive her to reunite with her kind.

“There were no promises,” it wasn’t Yuji Tango who answered him. The old man in the textbook tapped his cane. “They just conveyed the truth, about the alien beasts, about the giants, about the journey from the ancient past to the future.”

Chapter 202 The Colony Looks Up at the Sky

the truth?

Masaki Keigo was curious about the truth he spoke of—when you face an old man from a textbook, an old man who should be long dead, whose birthday is commemorated by students every year, and he speaks of "the truth of the world," it's hard not to be curious.

But Masaki Keigo knew even better that the so-called truth was nothing more than what he wanted him to hear. It might all be true, but there was definitely something being hidden, and what was being hidden was the most important key.

Maybe it's a secret that even the old man himself doesn't know.

"This planet is a 'petri dish'," the old man said, making a startling statement.

No one present was surprised. Masaki Keigo's research on the ancient past was unparalleled in the academic world; no one else had successfully completed the light particle conversion experiment. Naturally, he had doubts about the existence of ancient humans. When a scientist has doubts, it means he has touched the beginning of the unknown. Tango Yuuji, on the other hand, had already accessed this data; he was no longer shocked, though he still felt a chill in his hands and feet. As for Tsuneki Ayase? Perhaps she could still understand human language.

"Ancient humans appeared and disappeared suddenly in history. Their level of evolution cannot be explained by biology, and their level of civilization cannot be answered by sociology. No one can explain how mammals suddenly evolved from the posture of burrowing mice in an era when reptiles were everywhere. We cannot find any intermediate species that evolved from small mammals to ancient humans. They quickly, almost instantly in biological history, gained ecological dominance, and reptiles seemed to have taken some kind of magic pill, and their size increased dramatically."

The old man said, “When I was young, I discovered a large number of fossilized remains of monsters in the strata of the Himalayas. These fossils were also obtained without any basis. Even for existing living monsters, such as Golza, no one has been able to give a reliable theory about their birth and evolution in nature. There is only one explanation for these problems, which is that they were also active in the ancient universe.”

Even an old man who has come back from the dead has a tendency to be a know-it-all. He leaned on his cane and talked at length, but unfortunately the two young men beside him were too smart and knew too much, so they didn't show any shock as if the sky had fallen.

“The aliens sowed the seeds of life and civilization,” Masaki Keigo said, deliberately drawing out his words in a “praise” tone, “and then they were destroyed in one fell swoop by the rulers of darkness, and everything started anew.”

"No, no, no, it wasn't Gatanothor that destroyed the ancient times. It was a product of the 'petri dish,' born specifically to nurture it."

It was born specifically to raise it.

No one has ever said that what's in a petri dish is necessarily the final product the experimenter needs, right?

Masaki Keigo was finally moved: "The entire ancient era was an experiment. They were born to be fed to the ruler of darkness. No, this cannot be explained. If they were only meant to be sacrificed, why give them a civilization that transcends generations?"

Would you teach your pigs to read when you raise them? Or do you think that the pork from pigs that can read and build time machines is of better quality?

“A strange ‘tiger’ has come to your backyard,” the old man said. “You don’t know its tastes. It may eat people, it may eat its own kind, or it may even eat grass. All you know is that its kind once destroyed a mountain. Now this ‘tiger’ in your backyard is sleeping. When it wakes up, it will eat. And you can’t beat it. No method is effective.”

"So, regardless of anything else, we should prepare the best food first? There is no evidence that the Dark Ruler favors food from highly civilized societies."

"Food in one hand, a big stick in the other," the old man smirked. "You can't beat it before, or even now. Take advantage of its sleep to learn more about it. Maybe you'll have a chance in the future?"

Masaki Keigo didn't answer immediately; the only sound in the air was the resounding crash of Tsukigami Ayase against the wall—the intoxicating dancer was now like a truck with broken brakes, determined to keep going until she hit a brick wall. Even as the people around her discussed information that could reshape the worldview of most, she couldn't hear a single word.

"This is the plan of the aliens, but certainly not all aliens have such a plan. As you and I both know, these extraterrestrials that have appeared on Earth may have already killed each other several times outside the solar system," Masaki Keigo said after a while. "Uncertainty also brings opportunities, which is why the ancient humans were able to acquire the technology and civilization of the aliens."

Whether out of good intentions or ulterior motives

There will always be some aliens willing to leave behind remnants of civilization. It's just that this "rural" planet on the edge of the Milky Way happens to be home to Gatanjeer, which has made it a well-known "tourist attraction".

The old man smiled and said, "The destruction of the ancient civilization was a failure and an apocalypse for the ancient humans, but a small step towards success for the aliens. Gatanothor ate the offerings and, as they wished, fell into slumber again."

"So, in order to deal with the Dark Ruler, the aliens have been preparing for thirty million years..." Masaki Keigo pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, "Did they evolve from monkeys all over again?"

"Pfft." Tango Yuji chuckled. Masaki Keigo was an arrogant bastard, but his attitude towards aliens was precisely why Tango Yuji had previously been willing to cooperate with him. Unfortunately, this bastard not only looked down on aliens, but he also always treated Earthlings with disdain.

The old man tapped his cane: "Of course not. The only thing that can delay the plans of one, or even several, interstellar civilizations is another interstellar civilization."

This is the most crucial point.

Masaki Keigo realized this, and he suppressed his disdain for the aliens' research work and held his breath.

“The aliens don’t care about the microorganisms in the petri dish. When things get really desperate, the microorganisms don’t care about themselves either,” the old man said. “But someone does care about them.”

There are always some fools in the world who seek harm and avoid benefit.

So foolish it's awe-inspiring.

In Masaki Keigo's mind, an image of a group of glittering fools appeared.

"giant."

Masaki Keigo gripped the transformation device that hadn't responded to him for a long time and whispered, "The Titans care about them."

“Yes, using a planet and an entire civilization for experiments, even aliens themselves would have their complaints.” The old man didn’t understand what Masaki Keigo was thinking. In his eyes, the war between the giants and other aliens was like a dog-eat-dog fight that he found entertaining.

People like him, who seem to have crawled out of history books, rarely trust others, let alone aliens, especially those who help others without expecting anything in return, as if they were born to be such kind and righteous aliens.

“I know why you’re unwilling to hand over all the data and why you’ve refused to expand the trials,” the old man said. “You know we still have dealings with the Kirieloids.”

“It’s you, not ‘you all’,” Masaki Keigo corrected him. “I’m not blind. Tango must not have known about this before, as well as Sanada Ryosuke, and…” His gaze drifted to the back.

“Cooperation doesn’t mean approval. I can tell you with certainty that no one on Earth knows the location of the ancient ruins better than them, from tombs to any unknown battlefield. You can even get clone samples of ancient creatures,” the old man said. “Why don’t you think about how we also cooperate with the Naga?”

To survive in a cutthroat environment, one must naturally know how to be agreeable to all sides. Time not only matures young people but also teaches a scientist buried in the lab how to greet and welcome others. He clearly understands his strengths and limitations, and even more so, he knows what he can sacrifice to achieve his goals.

“I thought you were just being evasive. The Naga possess weapons that other universes are wary of,” Masaki Keigo said. “Besides, the monitors they sent are dead, just now.”

"So they died."

Masaki Keigo was stunned.

“Thanks to the work of the tomb keepers, the Kirieloids finally couldn’t hold back anymore. When the balance is broken, it is of course the best time to purge. So the monitor sent by the Naga must die. She…” The old man finally turned his gaze to Tsuneyuki Ayase, who was trying to open up a new passage: “As a fellow human, I think she would not want to live in this way either.”

……

"Of course I want to live! Living is more important than anything else! How can I take revenge if I die? How can I shove the aliens' heads into a meat grinder?!"

If Tsuneyuki Satsuki were still conscious, she would definitely sweep this old geezer into the sea with her tail.

But the instincts of the alien beasts are terrifying. They can drive the infected to eat the flies and rats they once despised, and any living thing they can see, including their own relatives. They also drive the infected to devour each other, or rather, to merge—only in this way can Beelzebub be born. It's as if they were born to spread and reproduce, to complete the final evolution and bring Beelzebub back to the world.

The luckiest thing about infected individuals like Tsuneyuki Ayase is that the factors that infected them did not come directly from the "gift" of Dark Lucifer; otherwise, the world would have been in chaos long ago, and a "biohazard" would have been a greater threat to human survival than aliens. They still retain a considerable degree of rationality, and if they are ruthless enough, they can restrain their bodies from attacking their relatives and friends.

But when you reject one wish, it always makes the other wish seem even more agonizing.

The sight of the dinosaur-men's flesh and blood greatly aroused Tsuneyuki Ayaka. She rammed into the air-raid shelter to distract herself, trying to forget that there were still three people standing beside her who could kill her with a single bite. Meanwhile, she found it increasingly difficult to suppress her desire to find her own kind.

The creatures created by the Kirieloids always have a repulsive smell. They haven't given up on their experiments to fuse alien beast factors and ancient genes. When Tsune Ayase encounters these alien beasts, it's like eating a spicy cake. The creators must have lost their minds!

The one outside was different—although there was still an unpleasant aura, it was like a beautiful woman in a burlap sack; as long as she was pretty enough to make everyone unable to look away...

Who cares whether she's wearing a flowing dress or a snakeskin bag?