Bighorn Bull is in charge of leading, and I, Beria, am in charge of raising it.

"A moment of carelessness? Do you think your opponent would show you mercy on the battlefield for that reason? You brat! You knew that even with the armor, the opponent could fight you to a standstill. But the opponent had already taken off the armor, and you still dared to charge forward recklessly? That's not carelessness, that's clearly reckless courage!"

He glanced down at Zero's defiant face, then at his still slightly trembling right arm, and let out a barely audible snort. While grumbling, he subtly released a healing beam, quickly stabilizing Zero's body, which was nearing its limit after a long battle.

Having confirmed that Zero was alright, Belial released his grip, casually tossing Zero's twin swords back into Zero's arms before striding forward. His hands kneaded together, his knuckles cracking, as he approached the waiting Darklops Zero.

"Watch closely, this is how a true Ultra Warrior should fight... I'll only teach you once!"

"What? Ultraman? Uncle, are you planning to go alone?"

Seeing this, Zero, who had always thought Belial was a non-combatant member of the Silver Cross Army, suddenly became agitated. Forgetting all about maintaining his stubbornness, he readily admitted his mistake and reached out to try and stop the well-meaning man's reckless actions.

“I admit I underestimated him, but that guy is really tough to deal with! Uncle, you're just a medical member of the Silver Cross, you have no chance against him... um?!”

Unexpectedly, what happened the next second left Zero, Belial, and even the Salome alien who was controlling Dark Lops Zero with a head full of question marks.

Before Belial could even make a move, Darklops Zero, amidst the sound of mechanisms turning, knelt down on one knee before Belial without hesitation!

Right knee on the ground, left fist on the ground, right fist clenched and pressed against the chest... It was the pious posture that a knight would show when he met the emperor to whom he had sworn allegiance! The movements were so standard that there was no room for criticism!

Even when she spoke, her tone was no longer as cold and ruthless as it had been when she faced Zero...

It was more like a child who had been away from home for a long time finally finding their parents, calling out with longing and admiration.

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

"Darklops Zero Prototype requests to return to the team!"

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It's my birthday today, so updates might be a little late. By the way, happy birthday to Lao Ji! Haha! ?(′ε′?)

Chapter 50: Zero's Nightmare of Academic Studies (for Physical Education Student)

"..."

Looking at DarkLops Zero, who stood before him respectfully awaiting his next command, Belial felt nothing but despair.

No way, who created this instant-explosive grenade for me?! It didn't give me any warning at all, it just opened my eyes with zero frames?!

Are you kidding me?!

However, thanks to Darklops Zero's words, Belial roughly realized something...

I may have been wrong from the very beginning.

He didn't "soul-transmigrate" into Belial's body in a parallel universe. Instead, after releasing the Ultra Bomb, he himself traveled to a parallel universe for some reason.

So much so that the Dark Lops prototype, created by the already corrupted Caesar Belial who was waging war across parallel universes, would mistake Belial for Black Belial and swear allegiance to him without hesitation, even though they were both "Belial"!

To draw an analogy, it's like in "Kamen Rider Zi-O," where Kamen Rider Woz's power returned to "Woz's" hands.

Forget about whether you were snatched away or not, I'm just asking you, is this the same person?

...Hmm? No, that's not right...

Thinking about it this way, a new problem arises.

If I hadn't possessed Blackbeard's body...

Why did I suddenly gain the power of Reiblood Alien after releasing the Ultra Bomb?

I've never heard of Ultra Bombs having such a hidden function before!

Ouch... no, my head suddenly feels so itchy...

It must be because I've been spending too much time with Ken and been assimilated by that stupid cow. That's why I'm suddenly feeling like my brain isn't working properly!

Yes, that must be it!

"Uncle... what does it mean that he calls you Your Majesty? Also... you wouldn't call this a warrior's fighting method, would you?"

While Beria was quietly going through a brainstorming session and fell into a long silence.

After a brief moment of stunned silence, Zero looked at Belial's retreating figure with an extremely strange expression.

It's not that Zero concluded Belial was an enemy rather than a friend based on just one sentence.

After all, Belial has already proven with his actions that if he wanted to harm Zero, he wouldn't need to go through all this trouble.

So at this moment, besides having the "Mother Gave Birth" background music constantly echoing in his head and going through a constant brainstorming session, Zero was simply, as the literal meaning suggests, genuinely curious about how this "ordinary" Silver Cross uncle in front of him managed to do all that.

I couldn't help but take a step forward, thinking the battle was over, and subconsciously reached out to put my hand on Belial's shoulder.

"Step back! You rude scoundrel! You mustn't offend His Majesty!" Zero was sent sliding back several steps by the punch. He rubbed his chest, where he had been hit twice in the same spot, and pointed at Darklops Zero, who was standing in front of Belial. His bright eyes were filled with anger and resentment: "Hey! You imposter, your face changes way too fast! You were beating me to a pulp when you were fighting me, and now you're acting like a loyal subject!"

Unexpectedly, before Zero's hand could fall, Dark Lops Zero, who was kneeling in front of Belial, transformed into a streak of light and stood guard beside Belial.

The single eye, gleaming with a dark purple light, coldly locked onto Zero's figure. His right fist lashed out mercilessly, striking the unsuspecting Zero's chest armor squarely and knocking him back once more!

"Wow, you're quite energetic... You keep calling me 'Your Majesty,' you imposter. Did you realize you can't beat me, so you quickly found a powerful figure to cling to? And you, uncle, I know you're a good person, but you can't be this gentle to everyone!"

This further fueled Zero's already resentful attitude towards the previous battle's outcome, causing him to become even more enraged.

While muttering a sarcastic remark, he reattached the head-mounted crests to both sides of the color timer. He was about to unleash his strongest attack, ready to fight Darklops Zero to the death!

"The reason this child calls me Your Majesty is because I tampered with his internal program when I approached him just now. Subduing the enemy without fighting is the highest level of military skill! Of course, if I remember correctly, this algorithm for rewriting the code is something taught in high school in the Land of Light; it's the most basic of the basics... Zero, don't you know this?"

Just as tensions were running high and another fierce battle seemed imminent, Belial spoke up leisurely.

His tone was so calm, like a teacher giving a lecture, stating a basic fact that couldn't be simpler. Every word exuded a natural ease and elegance.

As he spoke, he raised his hand to stop Darklos Zero, whose one eye was gleaming with a fierce light and who was about to rush out again.

The force was neither too light nor too heavy, but enough to make DarkLops Zero, who believed that the meaning of his existence was to unconditionally obey all of Belial's orders, immediately disengage from his fighting stance and stand obediently in place.

Then, in the brief moment before Zero had fully processed the meaning of those words, Belial took a few steps forward on his own.

Until he stood before Zero, looking down directly at the young warrior, his eyes filled with a clear, foolish naiveté, he asked, in an extremely "kind" tone, word by word.

"Then I'd like to ask you something, Zero... when you were in school, did you actually pay attention in class?"

"...Huh? That...that...I...I'm not...I...this..."

Upon hearing this, Zero froze on the spot.

He had already assumed the charging stance for Zero's Double Ray, his head-mounted boomerangs flashing with a cold, silvery-white light on either side of the timer, and he had already mentally prepared a scenario for another three hundred rounds of fierce battle with Darklops Zero!

The Silver Cross soldier in front of him not only casually explained why Darklops Zero suddenly addressed him as "Your Majesty," but also, at this crucial moment, unexpectedly checked his studies!

So much so that when faced with Belial's stern and serious expression...

Even in Zero's eyes, this "ordinary" Silver Cross soldier was definitely no match for him.

But the other party's casual words made Zero instinctively shrink back in guilt.

He inexplicably felt an immense pressure that was many times more dangerous than when he was facing Leo's one-on-one training, making him feel a little breathless!

So much so that, in his stammering responses, Zero, who was usually fearless, had become incoherent.

He even unconsciously took the headgear off the sides of the timer and put it back on his head, as if doing so would make him look more like a well-behaved student being scolded by his teacher.

He kept digging his feet into the ground, wishing there was a crack in the ground so he could crawl into it and hide away from this embarrassing situation in front of his elders!

No, all these years, no one has told him that after all these years of special training at the juvenile detention center... I mean, after graduating from K76 through physical examinations and being specially recruited into the Ultra Guard, there's still a second hurdle waiting for him!

After a long silence, Zero, feeling extremely uncomfortable under Belial's gaze, could only grit his teeth and mumble a reply.

"Um, sir, isn't studying something that the scientists from the Blue Clan value more...? For members of our Ultra Guard, isn't being able to fight enough?"

"Heh, so you're quite proud of yourself?"

"Eek! No... that's not what I meant! I meant that I'm not the only one who thinks this way! Even the captain of the garrison and my dad told me the same thing back then!"

"...Really? Great, that's wonderful... Ken, Seven, you two are really good at taking care of kids."

Initially, Belial did indeed want to conceal his identity, so he deliberately took advantage of Zero's honest nature to change the subject.

But upon hearing Zero's panicked, instinctive reply, a prominent vein bulged on Belial's forehead, and his tone, along with the rising anger in his chest, gradually became subtle.

He then patted Zero on the shoulder and glanced at the sky not far away, where the mechanical Ultra Brothers were attacking in large numbers again.

Belial waved his hand casually, speaking in a tone befitting an elder, and gave the order in a way that brooked no refusal.

“Zero, Darklops Zero, I’m giving you one hour to find out who’s hiding on this planet, and then come back to the Land of Light with me… There’s a score to settle with those irresponsible bastards who have seriously hindered the children’s growth.”

"Phew... No problem! Leave it to me! I guarantee I'll take care of them within an hour... no, half an hour!"

Hearing Belial say that, Zero, who had been tense and clearly on edge, gradually relaxed.

After feeling the oppressive aura emanating from the unfamiliar middle-aged man, which came from the elder class, Zero, who had been complaining about how exhausting the 336-hour hellish battle was, suddenly realized that it wasn't so hard after all.

They were eager to try, and happily made a boast.

As for whether this clearly ill-intentioned uncle will cause trouble for Dad and his family after they return, leading Dad to suddenly want to arrange "special training" for him and pamper his "filial son" or something...

At worst, I can just hide behind this old man!

He now realized that this seemingly fierce uncle actually cared more about the growth of the younger generation than anyone else.

If he wasn't lying and really was of the same generation as the captain...

My father, who always values ​​seniority and etiquette, would he really dare to beat me up in front of this senior?

Yes, that's it!

I'm so smart! Hahahaha!

"Ha, foolish and incompetent... Your Majesty, please rest assured, I will complete the mission perfectly in just twenty-five minutes!"

Just as Zero was becoming increasingly smug and vaguely realized that he might have found the perfect weapon to deal with his stinky old man,

Darklops Zero, who had also heard Belial's command, glanced coldly at Zero as he controlled his head-mounted crest to fly into his hand. The contempt and disdain directed at Zero in the synthesized electronic voice was almost palpable from his single eye.

"Huh? You bastard, what do you mean by that! Want to fight?!"

Zero's head crest popped out in the same instant, and he bristled like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, exchanging barbs with Darklops Zero without backing down.

"Incompetent indeed. I was merely stating the facts. In terms of efficiency, I am His Majesty's most capable tool."

"Hiss, you, you, you...! You're infuriating! I was just being conservative with my estimate! If things really get serious, it won't even take twenty minutes!"

"Ding, according to the revised action plan, this operation is expected to be completed in fifteen minutes."

"Damn it... I only need ten minutes!"

"I only need eight minutes."

"I only need five minutes!"

"Correction: According to the most efficient combat plan, it will only take three minutes to complete the combat objective."

"Hey! You insist on going against me, huh?! My temper is on fire...!"

"...Alright, alright, the enemy is almost at our doorstep, stop arguing. Why don't you have a race to see who's faster?"

Seeing the two of them bickering and vying for attention like kindergarten children, Belial felt both amused and helpless.

Then he reached out and, with one hand on each of them, pulled the two people apart, who were arguing and staring at each other fiercely, neither willing to give in, and made a suggestion.

"Zero, weren't you dissatisfied with your loss to Darklop Zero before, thinking that you were just careless for a moment? If you can complete the mission faster than Darklop Zero, wouldn't that prove that you are stronger than him?"

Upon hearing this, Zero's lips curled into a slight smile, clearly pleased with the suggestion.

Using this as proof, she concluded that the older man still favored her, and proudly made a face at Darklops Zero.

The latter, although seemingly unchanged, appears to have experienced a sudden increase in body temperature, judging from the hissing steam rising from it.

But before Darklops Zero could retaliate or swear his loyalty and competence to Belial,

Belial's next words, spoken so casually, were like a devil's whisper, freezing Zero's smile completely on his face.

"Of course, if the result is that Darklops Zero wins... Zero, since you lost even in terms of combat ability, you should just wait to go back to the Land of Light and go back to school to repeat your studies and catch up on the academic subjects you've missed."

"...No! This is the only thing I can't have—!"

In an instant, Zero's shrill and desperate wail echoed continuously under the dim sky.

Darklops Zero, who had previously been displeased by Belial's "favoritism" towards Zero, slightly tilted his head. As his body temperature rapidly returned to normal, he added in a gloating, synthesized electronic voice, delivering a chillingly malicious comment.

"Your Majesty is wise. To ensure a fair competition, I will record Zero's combat data throughout the entire process to provide irrefutable evidence, leaving Zero no room for excuses!"

"What are you saying! I always honor my bets, how could I possibly do such a thing!"

Upon hearing this, Zero, his face filled with grief and indignation, clenched his fist in the direction of Dark Lops Zero, emphasizing his reputation. He had already forgotten, under the elder's pressure from Belial, that he could have easily refused to participate in this dangerous bet.