Chapter Ten: Are You Ultraman Zero?!

“What was that?” Yue Longze gazed at the sky in confusion. The flash of light just now had swept across the sea like a swift swallow, dazzling for only an instant. Still puzzled, Yue Longze refocused on the operation concerning Obik.

In the shadowed corners of the town, Yue Longze and his companions searched tirelessly for any trace of Obik.

The sky grew darker, the sun’s presence fading away. The deserted streets hinted at people hiding in their homes, too frightened to venture outside.

Obik had succeeded in instilling a profound terror in everyone.

...

“Dragon, why are you so absent-minded?” Lina couldn’t help but snicker as Yue Longze accidentally walked into a tree.

“Ha! Ten minutes ago he stepped in dog droppings, and now he’s crashed into a tree...” Xin Cheng and Kuai Jing laughed so hard their eyes watered. Even Dagu was doubled over in laughter nearby.

“I keep feeling like someone’s watching me from the shadows...” Yue Longze pondered inwardly, his brow furrowing.

“Dragon, are you upset? Everyone’s just teasing you!” Lina saw his furrowed brow and thought he was angry, unaware that Yue Longze’s thoughts were elsewhere entirely.

“Huh? No, I’m not angry. We’re teammates, aren’t we!” Yue Longze quickly replied, brushing it off.

It was merely a minor interlude in their mission. Soon, following the original story, they used the well connected to the pot to locate Obik’s hiding place.

The sun had vanished completely, and the night sky was studded with countless stars.

At that moment, an eerie white figure stood with its back to Yue Longze and his group, beside a silvery pot.

“Do you see it? The old village has returned!” The white figure spun around and shouted excitedly at them.

“Obik, face reality! This is no longer the village it once was!” Xin Cheng raised his Victory Hyper Gun, unable to let Obik’s fantasy persist.

“Don’t try to fool me!” Obik stubbornly insisted this was still the simple village of old, pointing into the darkness.

“Look! It’s just like before—just as dark. That’s what the village’s nights used to be! There’s the watchtower, and a clear stream, and across the river, the lotus pond! The old village has returned!”

Obik clutched his pot—his only companion—and gestured wildly, growing more and more excited, like a child who has found his favorite toy. Yet beneath that aged voice lingered a deep sorrow...

“Come with me, Obik. I’ll help you find a quiet place to live; I promise we’ll find it!” Yue Longze reached out, speaking sincerely to Obik.

“I won’t go with you! If... if this isn’t my old village, then I’ll destroy it!” Obik stared blankly at Yue Longze, tears streaming down his face. With a furious roar, he transformed into a giant monster before their eyes.

“Sigh, there’s just no reasoning with Obik.” Yue Longze looked at Obik’s enormous, lonely back and sighed.

The gigantic Obik stood motionless among the mountains, like a stone statue, gazing for a long time toward where his memories told him the village once lay.

After a while, Obik’s body suddenly shuddered violently. Trees toppled beneath his feet, sending up clouds of dust that lingered in the air.

“Stop, Obik!” Dagu cried as he watched Obik crush the forest. He drew the Spark Stick, and with a flash of light, transformed into Diga.

“So this is the Ultra Warrior of this world...” a mysterious, indistinct figure murmured in the distance.

“Don’t hurt Obik, Dagu!” Yue Longze shouted at Dagu, who had become Diga. Dagu nodded in response and engaged Obik in “battle.”

“Who are you?” The feeling of being watched suddenly grew stronger. While keeping an eye on the fight between Dagu and Obik, Yue Longze scanned his surroundings, but found no clues.

“Looks like a rookie, can’t even sense an aura,” the mysterious figure remarked in surprise.

“Ha!” The battle between Obik and Dagu continued, with the Victory Team watching nearby, loading their Hyper Guns, ready to support Dagu if needed.

“Feel the aura with your heart.”

“What?” Yue Longze suddenly heard a young man speaking to him.

“Close your eyes. Use your heart to sense the aura.”

The young man’s voice came again. Yue Longze glanced at his teammates; they seemed oblivious to the man’s words.

“Is this telepathy?” Yue Longze wondered, though the speaker seemed harmless. He moved a safe distance from the battlefield, closed his eyes, and followed the instructions.

“Since you’re here, let me teach you how to sense an aura,” the mysterious figure muttered to himself, watching Yue Longze.

Yue Longze closed his eyes, tilting his head slightly. His brow alternately relaxed and tightened.

“Ah, this guy...” The mysterious figure shook his head in resignation, tapped the air with his fingertip, and a beam of light shot into Yue Longze’s body.

“Such intense light,” Yue Longze thought. He felt his limbs stretch, warmth flooding his body.

“So many life forces...” Still with his eyes closed, Yue Longze was amazed. Every blade of grass, every drop of water, even a stone by the roadside carried its own unique aura.

Suddenly, Yue Longze sensed a powerful aura of light, like basking beneath the morning sun.

“This aura... it’s behind me!” Yue Longze spun around and dashed toward the source.

Tall trees, fallen branches and leaves scattered everywhere—Yue Longze ran through it all.

“It should be nearby,” he said, pausing to catch his breath and scan the area.

“Hey, kid. To possess such pure darkness and remain clear-headed—that’s impressive,” the young man’s voice came again, this time not using telepathy.

“Who are you, really?” Yue Longze asked, full of confusion, almost convinced this was the world’s new villain.

A red-and-blue figure appeared, bearing a streamlined crest and a rebellious gaze. His arms were crossed, and the timer on his chest glowed a brilliant blue.

“Se... Zero Ultraman? You’re Zero Ultraman!” Yue Longze’s eyes nearly popped out. He never imagined he’d meet the strongest Ultra Warrior of the Land of Light, Zero Ultraman, in Diga’s universe!

“Huh? Wait, how do you know who I am?” Now it was Zero Ultraman’s turn to be stunned. He’d planned to make a dramatic introduction, but this young man already knew his name, leaving Zero somewhat baffled.

“You really are Zero Ultraman! The strongest Ultra Warrior of the Land of Light!” Yue Longze didn’t answer Zero’s question, swept up in the exhilaration of meeting him. Besides, he couldn’t explain how he knew—he was a traveler from another world, and only Dagu and his beloved Chi Chun Meixiang knew his secret.