Ultraman: A good pilot doesn't choose his own Ultraman.

Yamanashi Prefecture, at the foot of Mount Sukuna

Jiang Yu, travel-worn, stopped and looked at Su Nashan, who made him feel somewhat uncomfortable, with a slight frown.

"This is Sukunagami down there. Just looking at it makes me feel nauseous."

Despite his complaints, Jiang Yu showed no intention of backing down.

Sukuna-ki hasn't revived yet, so it doesn't pose much of a threat.

If things really go wrong, there's always the strongest human, Ida Iryu, to cover for them.

With Nexter's power, self-preservation should be no problem.

Thinking this, Jiang Yu felt the red light stirring within his body.

Unlike the feeling of borrowing power when transforming into Ultraman Tiga, Nexter's power seems to be trending towards merging with Jiang Yu.

"Is it just my imagination? Or is it thanks to this thing of yours?"

The Parageite shimmered slightly in Jiang Yu's hand, as if in response to something.

"Hey kid, what are you doing here? This isn't exactly a touristy place."

In the distant woods, an old patrolman in uniform rode out on his bicycle, looked at Jiang Yu, who was fully equipped, and shouted from afar.

Young people these days are incredibly daring.

Haven't you even heard of the legend of Sukunagami? How dare you travel to a place like that?

Thinking about what the village elders had been saying, the old patrolman became even more furious.

If Sukuna-ki is disturbed, the village will surely be destroyed.

Jiang Yu saw the patrol officers rushing towards him, but instead of dodging, he reached out and grabbed the bicycle, a warm smile on his face.

Just when I was wondering how to find a temple, a patrolman came to my door. It's like a pillow being delivered to my door when I'm sleepy.

"Sir, do you smoke?"

When you need something from someone, it's still necessary to be polite and courteous.

The old patrolman's eyes lit up when he saw the cigarettes Jiang Yu offered him; these cigarettes weren't cheap.

This kid may be reckless, but he doesn't seem to be a fool.

Never mind, I'll explain it properly later. He seems like a sensible child.

Convincing himself this way, the old patrolman accepted Jiang Yu's cigarette and tucked it behind his ear.

"Hey kid, you're a student at some nearby university, right? If I remember correctly, you guys shouldn't be on holiday yet, right?"

The veteran patrolman's daughter had just graduated from university, and he was sure he knew what university holidays were like.

It's only been half a month since school started, so there's no way we can give students a long holiday to go out and play.

"Sir, you have a good eye. But I've already graduated from university. I'm here to travel around and broaden my horizons."

Since they were complete strangers, Jiang Yu didn't care much. He would just make up whatever the other person thought, as long as they could lead the way.

"You should work hard after graduating from university, otherwise how will you support yourself in the future? Really."

The old patrolman kept rambling on and on, but Jiang Yu didn't stop him; he just listened with a smile.

Grandpa used to like this a long time ago, but I haven't heard it since.

"If you don't have to worry about food or clothing, you naturally won't care about so many other things. You can just do odd jobs occasionally to make ends meet."

As for danger, it's dangerous everywhere these days, so it's not a big deal.

The old patrolman was somewhat speechless, his face showing a hint of bewilderment, and he sighed as he said:

"That's true. I heard that a monster appeared in Tokyo recently."

Having lived for so long, I suddenly don't recognize this world anymore.

Jiang Yu remained silent. For ordinary people, Ultraman and monsters were definitely unacceptable.

You've lived a peaceful and stable life for decades, but suddenly a gigantic creature appears that can crush you with a single stomp.

Even if this were set on Earth, where Jiang Yu previously lived, and tokusatsu (special effects films) became a reality, very few people would be able to accept it.

"So, sir, do you know what kind of samurai temple is on this mountain? I heard that a samurai once suppressed Sukuna-ki here."

I haven't been feeling well lately, so I wanted to offer some prayers.

Jiang Yu made an excuse to inquire, and the old patrolman was clearly a veteran who had worked for many years; there was no reason why he wouldn't know.

The veteran patrolman glanced at Jiang Yu with some surprise. It was truly remarkable that an outsider would know about the legends related to Sukuna Oni.

"You mean Lord Ida Iryu, right? Legend has it that he was the one who suppressed Sukuna Oni back then."

"But you're being really strange. Shouldn't you go to a local shrine for peace of mind?"

The old patrolman looked puzzled. There were so many grand shrines in Tokyo, far more famous than their remote, impoverished village.

"Heh, what else can they do besides take my money?"

Jiang Yu wore a cold smile, as if he were mocking those famous shrines.

"That's true. I've already told my family that believing it is useless, but they just can't persuade me otherwise."

If you have nothing to hide, what are you afraid of?

The old patrolman seemed to agree wholeheartedly, explaining that his family spent a considerable amount of money every year on making offerings at the shrine.

Rather than letting him get ripped off, it's better to give him some good cigarettes.

"That's right, the old man asked you for a favor, so I'll go and pay my respects! I haven't had a good night's sleep in days."

This was no exaggeration; Jiang Yu had indeed been traveling for several days and hadn't slept well on the road.

"Okay, then I'll take you to see it."

"But I have another task later, so you can go back the way you came, right?"

The old patrolman frowned, mainly because he was worried that Jiang Yu had no sense of direction.

His daughter really impressed him with the fact that young people don't know their way around.

"Don't worry, I won't get lost."

Jiang Yu patted his chest and assured him, "What a joke! I'm planning to stay there! What's the point of coming out here?"

"Okay, come with me."

After saying that, the old patrolman led the way on his bicycle, and Jiang Yu jogged to catch up.

The two were gradually swallowed up by the forest, and the sunlit mountain path returned to tranquility.

Because the journey was not short and it was a mountain road, the old patrolman, who had been cycling for a long time, was panting heavily when he arrived at the Samurai Temple.

In contrast, Jiang Yu, carrying a large backpack, remained calm and composed, speaking with a strong and energetic voice.

"Thank you for showing me the way, sir. I don't smoke this cigarette, but you can have it."

The veteran police officer looked at the cigarette box handed to him and accepted it without hesitation.

"Well done, young man, you've got good stamina. Are you dating anyone? If not, I'll introduce you to my daughter; she likes guys with good stamina like you."

What do you mean by having plenty of stamina? Is it that straightforward?

Jiang Yu inwardly grumbled, but maintained a grateful smile on his face, saying:

"No need, sir, I'm not considering such a thing for the time being."

"That's true, you don't look like you're lacking anything."

The old patrolman, holding his bicycle, sighed with a hint of regret.

"You should have more fun when you're young. I was just as handsome as you back then, but I made a mistake and got stuck with it."

Over the years, it has aged considerably.

That's all I'll say. Once you've finished your prayers, hurry up and leave.

The village elders said that if you stay on Suona Mountain at night, something bad will happen.

Leaving behind a final word of advice, the old patrolman rode off on his bicycle.

Jiang Yu looked at the dilapidated old temple in front of him, lost in thought.

Is it something bad, like Sukuna-giri or something else?