Am I the only one in this team who is not Ultraman?

Am I the only one in this team who isn't Ultraman? (Four-fold, not cooking today)

One day, facing his teammates, vice-captain Leo felt isolated.

"Tell me honestly, where are you every time Ultraman appears?"

As the two people most hated by the Arsenal, Ikki Komon and Daiko Madoka remained silent; as genius scientists, Gamu Takayama and Hiroshi Fujimiya lowered their heads; and Kai Kou and Juri Fujiwara, who dared to punch aliens when they saw them, even looked away.

Even the captain, Hiruma Kento, dared only hold his coffee cup and said nothing.

“Captain, why couldn’t I get through to you when Blaze showed up?

"Dagu and Gumen, why can't I see you two every time I go looking for you after a plane crash? Don't you know that combat equipment has video recordings?

"Yume and Fujimiya, if you two don't know how to turn off the microphone when you call out 'Gaia' and 'Aguru', could you please keep your voice down? The medical department told me to protect my ears.

"Hongkai and Fujiwara, your acting skills are really good, but next time you transform, please remember to find a place without surveillance."

"So am I the only one in this team who won't become Ultraman?" Leo clenched his fists in dismay.

"But Vice Captain, can't you transform into a monster and an alien?"

"Is that why you beat me?"

Volume: Volume 1

The prologue: This team is full of talented people.

It was a peaceful day, with no monsters suddenly appearing and wreaking havoc in the city, nor any aliens suddenly declaring their intention to conquer Earth. For ESCG, it was quite... well, not so wonderful after all.

At this very moment, in the TPC ESCG command room, Leo, the ESCG vice-captain and frontline commander, was looking at the report in his hand, his brows twitching uncontrollably.

"Daigo, Komon, you've lost thirteen fighter jets in a month, two fewer than last month. You two have made significant progress. Captain Hebikura of the armory asked me to tell you that he'll treat you to a meal and a couple of drinks next time."

Daigo Madoka and Kazuki Komon, who were called out, lowered their heads and dared not speak. They awkwardly picked at their shoes with their toes, feeling a little uneasy. If you were to ask who they feared most in the entire TPC, it was neither Director Sawai, who was the head, nor the hot-tempered Chief Yoshioka, but rather Captain Hebikura and Mr. Ye Hu, who were in charge of ordnance maintenance.

Have a couple of drinks? I'm afraid if I actually see those two armory managers, I'll be chased and killed.

Seeing the two team members in an awkward situation, ESCG captain Gento Hiruma felt it necessary to step in and help. "Vice-Captain Leo, actually I think..."

"Captain Stringman." Leo glanced at him coldly, sending a chill down Stringman's spine. "Captain Stringman, can you explain why I couldn't contact you when the monster appeared last time?"

"Ah... well, Daigo and Komon, you two were really too careless." Gento changed the subject, looking at the two with a regretful tone, "The crash is a small matter, but safety is a big deal. You two will have an extra hour of flight training time today, so get to it!"

Daigo and Komon breathed a sigh of relief, nodded gratefully to Captain Gento, and then looked at Leo, "Vice-Captain, we're going to training now!"

"What's the rush?" Leo reached out and pressed down on the helmets of the two men. "Anyway, it'll only be a short while of training, nothing will happen. Or are you hiding something from me?"

With a thud, not only Daigo and Komon, but also Captain Gento almost dropped their coffee, Kai and Fujiwara Juri nearly dropped their bread, and Fujimiya and Gamu's typing suddenly stopped.

As expected, Leo was not surprised by this reaction at all. After all, from the first day he joined ESCG, he realized that the atmosphere in the team was not right. Everyone in the team was talented. However, he also had something he was keeping from everyone.

Moreover, compared to others, his secret was far too significant. After all... he couldn't very well say that the absence of monsters and aliens today was probably because he had given those guys a holiday.

Who would believe that?!

To understand how all this happened, we need to go back to a few months ago when ESCG was first established.

Timeline from three months ago…… ...

Sometimes, Leo would have a dream in which a tall, cold throne stood in the center of a dark world. The throne seemed to be calling to him, and he would always hear a name, which was initially vague but gradually became clearer. However, Leo never responded to that voice.

Leo had a premonition that if he responded to that voice, his life would be turned upside down.

Even without responding, it seems his life isn't exactly peaceful. Leo shoveled a bite of breakfast while watching the news on TV.

"Good morning, everyone. Welcome to today's morning news. Tsuburaya Productions held a press conference to state that the monster Zetton that appeared last month, which looks exactly like one of their Ultraman works, has nothing to do with the company and is purely a coincidence."

"Why the monster Zetton suddenly appeared in our lives and why it helped us humans defeat Demaga remains a mystery. How should the future of Earth develop, and how can humanity better protect itself?"

"Therefore, we have specially invited Mr. Hiruma Gento, an expert of the TPC Special Operations Division, for an exclusive interview. Captain Gento, hello. We heard that TPC is planning to establish a special elite defense team in addition to the GUTS team?"

The news on TV was still reporting when Leo, who was eating, suddenly turned around and saw a beautiful girl with light blonde hair walking out of the bathroom. Her amber eyes were indifferent, as if she had no emotions.

"Good morning, Miss Ren. Come and eat. I've put all three meals in the refrigerator. Just heat them up and you can eat."

Leo pointed to the food on the table, and the girl called Ren nodded slightly, sat down opposite him, picked up her chopsticks and started eating without saying a word.

However, after spending more than half a year together, Leo had long since gotten used to Ms. Ren's coldness and knew that she just didn't like to talk much and was actually a very nice person.

"By the way, Miss Ren, I have to go to TPC today and may be back a little late. If you are hungry, you can eat in advance. You don't need to wait for me. Just heat up the food in the microwave."

"What are you going to do?" Ren didn't say much, but her voice was very pleasant, ethereal and melodious, making people feel indescribably comfortable. She rarely looked up at Leo, her eyes filled with a little confusion.

"TPC issued a notice a while ago saying that it was going to establish a new defense team. I participated in the assessment and I didn't expect to pass the selection. I have to report for duty today."

Miss Ren stopped eating abruptly, her amber eyes fixed on Leo, making him inexplicably nervous.

"So you're not staying here anymore?"

"No, that's not it. I still need to take care of the shrine, but I inevitably have to go out on missions unexpectedly." Leo scratched his head. "I'll just leave the shrine in your care most of the time."

"Okay," Ren agreed readily.

Leo put down his chopsticks, glanced at the time and guessed it was time to leave. He tidied himself up a bit and prepared to go out. When he passed by the ancestral hall, he didn't forget to walk over and look at the statue of the dragon god with eight tails and dragon heads. He picked up a soft cloth and gently wiped away the dust on it.

"Lord Dragon God, I'll be back late tonight. Please bless me."

After saying that, Leo turned and left, heading towards TPC, while Miss Ren, sitting at the dining table, had a hint of green light flash in her eyes.

In the 21st century, with the continuous development of the natural environment and the exploration of the universe, mankind has realized that the world they live in is not as safe as they imagined. Since the first confirmed monster, Golza, appeared ten years ago, Earth has officially entered a period of frequent monster disasters. At the same time, Earth has also begun to experience alien invasions.

In order to deal with the increasingly serious monster disasters and to deal with the malicious people from space, the nations of the world united under the leadership of TPC, which was established by former Earth strategist Soichiro Sawai, and formed a special defense force to protect the Earth. They have been protecting the Earth for a long time.

"Isn't this Leo? Good morning." Hokuto Seiji, the manager of Nanbei Bakery, greeted Leo with a smile.

"Good morning, Mr. Hokuto," Leo replied with a smile. "The weather is lovely today."

"Yes, take this with you. Nan Yuko knows you're going to work at TPC today, so she specially made lunch for you. Remember to eat it."

Beidou handed a rather large lunchbox to Leo, who didn't refuse. After all, they had known each other for many years and had a good relationship as neighbors.

"I will, I'm leaving now."

"Be careful on the road."

Waving goodbye to Leo, Beidou sighed as he watched his departing figure. Just then, Nanxizi came out of the kitchen carrying freshly baked bread.

"Leo just arrived?"

"Yes, I gave him the lunch you prepared. The kid was in a hurry to get to TPC today. It seems he finally made his choice."

Nan Yuko nodded in agreement, feeling the same pity for Leo. A month ago, an accident suddenly occurred. No one expected that a monster sleeping underground would suddenly emerge from the ground. At that time, Grandma Asami happened to be nearby visiting the grave of her deceased lover and was caught in the crossfire while trying to save a little girl.

Although the monster codenamed Zetton suddenly appeared at that time and defeated the monster named Demaga, it was still too late, and Asami-gakure could not come back.

Leo only appeared once at the funeral, and no one knows what decision he made after that.

Good morning, Mr. Moroboshi.

"Oh, Leo, you're up so early today. Good luck with your new job!"

"Okay, Mr. Moroboshi, do your best too."

Leo waved goodbye. He grew up on this old street, which was mostly inhabited by elderly people. Most of the people on the street were his elders. Apart from Miss Ren, there was only one other person, Miss Meifei, who ran a jewelry shop. However, Meifei herself was often away from home, sometimes for a week or two, and sometimes for more than half a year.

Good morning, Uncle.

Good morning, Leo. Want me to give you a ride?

"No need. Oh, Hayata-san is here too. Mr. Yato Takeshi, you're so old, please don't do such dangerous things as handstands. Good morning, Sakata-san."

After greeting all the elders, Leo hurried toward TPC headquarters. Today was his first day in the team, and he couldn't be late.

Thinking of this, Leo subconsciously touched his chest, where there was something, something that he couldn't easily show to others.

"Zetton, are you there?" Leo whispered, but there was no response. It was as if everything a month ago was just a dream. But he clearly remembered that he was commanding that powerful monster named Zetton at that time.

He remembers that during that anxious and angry moment, something did awaken within him.

Chapter 1 Leo's Very Reliable Teammates

The 21st century, also known as the Monster Century, officially heralded the arrival of the Monster Era with the appearance of the first monster, Golza. In order to face the increasingly severe situation, the old Earth Defense Force disintegrated, and various countries negotiated to establish various defense organizations headed by TPC.

TPC, the Earth Peace Alliance, is primarily responsible for space exploration and Earth's environmental protection, including responding to monster disasters, alien invasions, and other supernatural events. The most typical examples are the previously existing Storm Strike Team and the Victory Team, which took over the Storm Strike Team's mission a year ago.

For the past decade, these organizations have ensured Earth's safety. Now, in response to the escalating monster threat, the Earth United Defense Organization has decided to establish a new defense force outside of the GUTS team, namely...

"Welcome to ESCG, Earth Special Countermeasures Team. I am Captain Hiruma Gento, a former member of the Defense Force, and I will be the captain of ESCG from now on."

Looking at the dashing and reliable man in front of him, Leo unconsciously straightened his back. Although it was his own choice, he still found it somewhat unbelievable, since he was the only true newcomer among everyone present.

"My name is Leo, Leo Nix. I officially join ESCG today. My hobby is... well, helping others. As I am a newcomer, I lack experience, so please forgive me."

In conclusion, I look forward to your continued guidance in the future.

Joining ESCG was a decision Leo made three weeks ago. The accident that happened a month ago made him realize that he had to do something to better protect everything he valued.

Wearing the blue-black uniform that ESCG had modified from the Victory Team's uniform, Leo saluted the people in front of him. To be honest, he didn't expect that he, who had passed the test but had no actual performance before, would become the vice-captain of ESCG after joining the team. This arrangement was really unreasonable.

"Welcome. I hope you will take good care of me in the future, Vice Captain. My name is Yuan Dagu."

Looking at the handsome man facing the sun, who was instantly likable, Leo automatically recalled the man's information in his mind: Daigo Madoka, formerly of TPC Victory Team, was transferred to ESCG a month ago. He was skilled at piloting, had a gentle and thoughtful personality, and was good at easing the atmosphere in the team. The Victory Flying Swallow No. 1 that Leo saw when he came today was piloted by him.

"My name is Hong Kai. From now on, we're comrades-in-arms. Let's work hard together."

"Hello."

Leo smiled and nodded in response. Just like the information, the Red Kai member had an outstanding temperament and mature demeanor. He was not originally a member of another defense team, but rather a member of the Special Investigations Department who, like Leo, passed the selection process to join the ESCG. He was extremely capable, with perfect scores in close combat and shooting, but he seemed to be less skilled at piloting.

"I am Komon Kazuki, Vice Captain, just call me Komon."

Kazuki Komon has a youthful appearance but excellent abilities. He is reliable and kind-hearted. He used to be a member of the rescue team and was selected a month ago to serve as a fighter pilot at the ESCG.

Everyone else had already introduced themselves, and Gao Shan Gamu was not to be outdone. He hadn't spoken up earlier mainly because he hadn't expected the vice-captain to look even younger than himself.

“My name is Takayama Gamu.” Gamu stood up and raised his hand to Fujimiya beside him. “This is Fujimiya Hiroya. We both mainly serve as data analysts, and sometimes we also participate in combat missions.”

Takayama Gamu and Fujimiya Hiroya are both extremely famous scientists. The former was a genius scientist who was frequently featured in newspapers before he even graduated, while the latter was a core member of the famous academic organization Alchemy Star. With one being warm and the other cold, they were a perfect pair.

Because of his rather aloof personality, Fujimiya didn't show much enthusiasm. He simply nodded calmly to Leo and introduced himself.

Finally, there's Fujiwara Juri, the only female member of ESCG. Like Fujimiya Hiroya, she seems rather aloof and doesn't show much expression. No wonder the team needs someone like Daigo to lighten the mood.

"Fujiwara Juri is skilled in close combat, shooting, and driving. Nice to meet you."

For some reason, Leo always felt that there was something wrong with his teammates, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what was so special about them.

However, upon closer reflection, there's no need to delve too deeply into it. These people's backgrounds must have been vetted by TPC, so there shouldn't be any problems. Besides, they must have some exceptional qualities to be able to join ESCG. Hmm, not surprising at all.

"I am ESCG captain Gento Hiruma, vice captain Leo. You should familiarize yourself with the manual and procedures first, and then you will have a practice session with the team tomorrow."

Apart from Leo, only Hong Kai joined the ESCG team through an assessment. The others were all elites drawn from various defense teams. The two of them needed to familiarize themselves with the work process and the equipment they would be using.

“Yes, but…” Leo glanced at the people around him and decided to ask the question directly, “Is this really a good idea, Captain Stringman? I’m just a new recruit. It’s not appropriate for me to be the vice-captain. I mean, I’m worried that I won’t be able to handle it.”

Compared to Daigo and Komon, who are relatively experienced and have been trained for some time, Leo felt that he lacked experience in his work. For the ESCG, which is responsible for the defense of Earth, whether he could be accepted as the vice-captain was another matter. The most important thing was that the job itself did not allow for many mistakes.

"What? You don't know your own test results?" Gento looked at Leo, somewhat surprised.

"I only know that I passed the test, but I haven't been able to find out the specific results."

In fact, Leo didn't expect to join ESCG at first. Although he scored full marks in melee and shooting, he had no experience in piloting fighter jets, which was a weakness. Good simulation results do not mean good performance in actual combat.

"Oh right, your file was entered today. You weren't authorized to access the Earth Defense Organization's internal network before. Your assessment score was 690 points. You got full marks in combat, shooting, support, observation, and on-the-spot reaction. The examiners also gave you full marks for your extra points. Only your driving skills are a bit rusty."

Gento gently patted Leo on the shoulder to encourage him. He had been an examiner when Leo took the test, so he was not surprised by the result at all.

"Just like you said, you do lack experience, but otherwise you are fully capable of taking on this responsibility. Believe in yourself. If you are worried that you will not do well, you should focus more on your work."

Leo subconsciously glanced around. Putting aside Daigo and Komon, even Fujimiya and Fujiwara, who seemed the coldest and most aloof, showed no dissatisfaction in their eyes. The eyes of the others also revealed trust, as if to say: Brother, do as you please, I'll cover for you.

"I understand."

"Good to know. Although I would like to help everyone get to know each other better, we need to get back to work as soon as possible. I dream."

Gama Takayama made an OK sign, typed on the computer for a while, and then pulled up the surveillance footage of Dimaga causing havoc in the K region last month.

"This is surveillance footage from the K region last month. Dimaga was originally sleeping underground in that area, so we hadn't found any trace of him before. However, compared to Dimaga, what appeared later is the key."