I once believed light could dispel all darkness.
I once believed that kindness and courage could solve all problems.
I once believed that if everyone had kindness in their hearts, a beautiful world could be created.
But the rules of the universe are not like that!
Objective laws do not waver due to individual will.
I once thought that in this world, there was nothing that could not be achieved through effort.
But when the truth was revealed, I realized that even light has places it cannot illuminate.
Even Ultraman has things beyond his power, let alone a tiny human.
If this universe demands that I abandon my principles, that my hands be stained with blood, that I become cold and ruthless, in order to protect the innocent, what should I do?
The cruelest thing in this world is not facing a terrifying enemy, but having to pay an unimaginable price to protect those poor people!
Fighting does not lead to despair.
Choice does.
In the vast and boundless starry sky, only coldness and darkness are eternal.
Even the largest objects appear minuscule in the void.
A planet capable of sustaining billions of humans is merely a speck of dust in the universe.
Daigo, in his form as Tiga, flew alone through the dark void. The truth revealed to him by Ultraman Titus was truly shocking.
Endless evil, wars spanning countless years.
Mountains of corpses and seas of blood; even Ultraman would become a casualty of war.
In that endless void, countless wreckage floated.
Among them were not a few powerful Ultramen. They possessed power comparable to gods.
But in the end, they could not escape death, nor could they always defend what they wanted to defend. The Land of Light was destroyed by traitors, and the survivors scattered, leaving the light in the universe hanging by a thread. The dark tide would sweep across the entire universe.
How could he protect humanity?
Even if everyone in the GUTS team gave their all, how long could they endure against that terrifying dark tide?
One second?
One minute?
One hour?
One day?
One month?
Even if he and GUTS could defeat one monster, two monsters, three monsters, or even a hundred monsters.
But from the darkness, a thousand monsters, ten thousand monsters, would emerge.
In such a battle, could they still win?
Could they fight against countless monsters?
Even more terrifying, besides the monsters, there were also those Ultramen who wielded the power of darkness and sided with the traitors of the Land of Light. Their power was so immense and terrifying. They also possessed cunning intelligence and malicious hearts.
Confusion arose in Daigo's heart.
Could he truly protect humanity?
Could love and kindness resist that terrifying darkness?
Could love and kindness make those monsters give up on destroying humanity?
Could love and kindness allow those who longed for happiness to live?
Upon returning to Earth, Daigo deactivated his transformation, returning to the size of a normal person. The time he could remain active in the void was much longer than on a planetary surface.
It was possible that planetary gravity hindered the power of light, preventing Ultraman from remaining active for extended periods.
Daigo's research on this was not deep.
He only knew how to use the power of light to transform into Ultraman Tiga and defeat monsters.
Daigo chose to land in a bustling city.
His heart was filled with vexation.
Ultraman Titus had revealed a cruel truth of the universe to him.
And it had put him in a dilemma.
He wanted to seek enlightenment from Captain Iruma, but doing so would likely lead him to the side of the Imperium.
In that case, he would be betraying GUTS. They were still waiting for him to bring Ultraman Titus back, to let the power of the Land of Light intervene, and to restore peace to this world.
Even if Daigo told them that the Land of Light had been destroyed and the dark tide was coming, they wouldn't believe him.
Currently, the various detection instruments in human society only allow humanity to maintain vision within the light cone.
In other words, only when light enters observation equipment can humans know what is happening in the universe. There's a saying in the scientific community that aptly describes humanity's current state.
Within the light cone is destiny. The speed of light propagates in a cone shape on the time axis, which physicists call the light cone.
People outside the light cone cannot understand what is happening within the light cone.
If a star explodes, the light from that event will spread in all directions.
Only when this light enters human eyes will humans know that a star has exploded.
If they don't receive that light, humans won't know the star exploded and will think it's still there.
Countless events in the universe are currently traveling towards humanity at the speed of light.
If it's within a planet's range, they would only need a few seconds to know.
But the universe is too vast, so vast that light itself takes years, or even decades, to cross the boundless void.
Daigo didn't know how to convince the GUTS members.
Nor did he know how to explain this matter clearly to them.
Directly conveying those terrifying messages to the GUTS members.
Would their fragile minds be able to bear it?
Would that all-subverting, terrifying darkness poison their minds?
It wasn't that Daigo deliberately belittled the GUTS members.
Having spent so much time together, he knew very well that the GUTS members were just ordinary people. Their vision was limited to the solar system, or even just Earth.
Such a level was already excellent compared to ordinary people. There are too many people in this world who live in their own small worlds, immersed in the virtual network. This small world might just be a small city, or even a few streets. They might not even know how many small towns are in the city they live in.
Now, humanity is facing an unprecedented dark tide.
Humanity is as fragile as a small boat in a storm; a slight misstep, and it will be directly capsized.
Daigo''s face showed a worried expression.
He now had two choices.
Either betray Rena, Munakata, and Horii, and assist Captain Iruma.
Or turn a blind eye to the impending disaster and maintain his original intentions.
Daigo walked aimlessly. The bustling city was enveloped in night, neon lights flickering. The people walking on the streets were filled with joy. There were also various fireworks and firecrackers in the sky. The brilliant fireworks illuminated the entire sky.
People were celebrating an ancient festival. They laughed and talked excitedly about various activities.
Everyone smiled and played with their companions.
"Uncle, why are you so sad?"
A four or five-year-old child looked at Daigo.
Cute and adorable, with eyes as lustrous as black gems.
In them was innocent purity.
Soft, short-cut black hair.
A chubby little face, delicate and lovely, making one want to pinch it. The child held a bunch of balloons in their hand.
"Don't be sad, I can give you a balloon."
The child clumsily took one balloon from the bunch in their hand and offered it to Daigo.
"This is my favorite hairdryer pig, it can make you happy."
"No, thank you, little one." Daigo smiled at the child, declining the gift, "Why are you here alone? Go find your mommy and daddy quickly."
"I can't find Mommy and Daddy. Grandma said they were trampled to death by a monster. Ayun can't find them anymore."
The child's words were so pure.
Yet they brought an unspeakable sorrow to Daigo.
Just as he was about to say something, he saw an elderly woman running over from a distance in a hurry.
Clearly, she was looking for her troublesome child.
She saw the child in front of Daigo and quickly walked over.
"I'm so sorry, I caused you trouble."
The woman was very polite.
Most of her hair was gray, mixed with light gray tones.
Her skin was loose and full of wrinkles.
Her body looked very thin, and her mental state was not good.
She was wearing a gray sweater and black trousers. The fatigue and sorrow on her face could not be hidden.
"Is he your grandson?" Daigo asked. The old woman nodded, "Yes, he's my grandson. This child always wants to come out and look for his parents and grandpa. I've told him many times that they can't be found, but he still doesn't believe it."
"They all died at the hands of monsters?" Daigo asked. The old woman's face showed sorrow, "This child's parents were caught in a monster attack during a business trip and couldn't escape. His grandpa, upon learning the news, had a heart attack and also passed away."
"I'm so sorry," Daigo apologized to the old woman. "Please forgive me for asking such a rude question."
"It's alright," the old woman said. "It helps to talk about sad things."
After a brief conversation, the old woman led the child away. The balloons floated after the child.
Daigo stood there, watching the old woman and child depart.
Which was more important: his morals or these innocent people?
A moment later, he gave up the idea of wandering around the city and decided to seek the final answer.
If this world needed a ruthless Tiga, then he would become one. To be a kind person is what I desire.
But protecting kind people is also what I desire.
If I cannot have both,
Then I can only choose the latter. The sound of rushing water filled the bathroom. The steam condensed into mist on the bathroom glass, making everything appear hazy.
Megumi Iruma shed her soft, silky, delicate pajamas. Through the hazy glass, her perfect figure could be vaguely seen.
Curvaceous, sexy, and slender.
Her exquisite features were delicate and fair, exuding a mature and sensual charm. There was no hint that she had ever given birth.
Her fair, long legs slid into the bathtub along the edge, and the perfectly warm water gave her a comforting sense of acceptance.
Megumi Iruma leaned against the edge of the bathtub, enjoying the comfort of her bath.
She was also contemplating her next move.
After Director Sawai's incident, the doves were too battered to raise their heads. The hawks had seized most of the power and would soon be able to push for the establishment of the Imperium. The glory of the Holy Emperor would soon protect this world. They would participate in a great endeavor, one that could change all universes. To be honest, Megumi Iruma felt some guilt about doing such things to her former friends.
But for the sake of all humanity, she had to do it. The compromise and benevolence of the doves would only lead humanity to death.
Humans must realize that coldness and cruelty are the norm in the universe.
"Captain."
A sudden voice made Megumi Iruma jump like a startled rabbit.
She quickly covered her chest and looked towards the source of the sound.
A figure stood outside the bathroom.
Megumi Iruma frowned slightly, then recognized the person.
"Daigo?"
"It's me, Captain." Daigo stepped out of the shadows, the light illuminating his bewildered face. "I have something to ask you."
"Do you think this is a good time to ask questions?" Megumi Iruma said. "Breaking in while a lady is bathing—that's not like you."
"I'm very sorry, but this was my only chance to sneak in. Your usual security is too tight; only at this time do you send them away." Daigo's voice held a hint of helplessness. If he had a choice, he wouldn't have chosen such a time to see Captain Iruma.
Although Captain Iruma was very beautiful, had a great figure, was well-endowed, had a natural body scent, and her skin was fair and smooth, like a lustrous pearl.
But he was a person who had received professional training and had high moral standards.
He would never fantasize about doing anything to Captain Iruma. Things like nurturing, uniforms, or whips were not even in his thoughts.
He certainly wouldn't think about making the Captain remember his shape.
He scoffed at notions of widows, dementia, or depravity.
"Then what do you want to know?" Megumi Iruma asked.
"Why are you helping the Imperium?"
"That question seems meaningless, doesn't it? You've already asked it."
"Is it because of those unspeakable things? The torrent that can devour everything and reduce civilizations to ruins."
Hearing this, Megumi Iruma looked at Daigo, who was standing outside.
"It seems you already know, don't you? Let me think, Titus Ultraman must have told you something! I received a report earlier that Tiga went to find Titus Ultraman."
Daigo nodded.
"Yes, I got the answer. I guess that's why you gave up the GUTS team and Director Sawai to choose the Imperium! You were just looking for a better way out."
"Turn your head away," Captain Iruma said.
Daigo obediently complied. The sound of rushing water came from behind him.
Clearly, Captain Iruma had gotten out of the bathtub. Thanks to some enhancements from the Ultraman power, his hearing was very sharp.
He could hear the sound of silk pajamas gliding over delicate skin.
A moment later, Megumi Iruma's voice rang out.
"You can turn around now."
Only then did Daigo turn his head.
Captain Iruma, who had just finished her bath, had a delicate, smooth face with a blush.
Her eyes were misty, looking somewhat dazed.
Her wet hair draped behind her.
"You want an answer?" Megumi Iruma walked out of the bathroom, her fair, jade-like feet stepping onto the soft carpet.
Daigo nodded.
"Yes, I want an answer. Titus Ultraman told me a lot. Those terrifying things are coming, the Land of Light has been destroyed, the universe is being swept by a dark tide, and human civilization is on the verge of collapse."
A hint of imperceptible surprise flickered in Megumi Iruma's eyes.
She hadn't known about the destruction of the Land of Light. This was important intelligence that needed to be conveyed to Magos Sigma.
She concealed her emotions well, playing the role of an older sister in front of Daigo as always.
"It's hard for you to make a choice, isn't it? The GUTS members trust you greatly, and if you publicly side with the Imperium, they'll surely be heartbroken. But the truth can't be told to them, because they are just ordinary people. They can't imagine how a war raging tens of thousands of light-years away could affect them."
"Their understanding of destiny and truth is still shallow, almost nonexistent. If you tell them that humans, who currently live in peace, are on the brink of an abyss, they won't believe you. They think that as long as everyone in GUTS stands united, maintains courage and kindness, all problems can be solved."
Seeing Daigo stunned, Megumi Iruma smiled.
"Don't ask me how I can guess your thoughts, because I've been through it too. When I was enlightened, I also fell into confusion. I regarded you all in GUTS as family, and Director Sawai as a friend. Joining the Imperium would be tantamount to betraying you."
"But after much deliberation, I still chose to do so. Even if you don't understand me, I have to do it."
"As I said before, Daigo, you also have to make a choice, a choice that follows your true heart. To become a cruel person for the sake of innocent people, or to pretend nothing has happened and continue to maintain your pitiful kindness."
Megumi Iruma walked towards the floor-to-ceiling window.
Her soft bathrobe accentuated her graceful figure, and the hem of her gown trailed on the floor. The city lights outside shone through the floor-to-ceiling window onto her exquisite face.
Her eyes were filled with a faint melancholy, revealing the sadness of the dark scenes she had witnessed during the enlightenment ritual.
"We all need to understand our insignificance. I know you are Ultraman Tiga. But even as Ultraman, how much can you do? Those terrifying things can easily tear worlds apart, let alone one Ultraman."
"Then I'll join you," Daigo said. "No matter what, we absolutely cannot let that dark, cruel fate befall humanity."
"Are you truly ready, Daigo?" Megumi Iruma didn't show joy at Daigo's decision to join the Imperium. Instead, she turned and asked, "The Imperium will bring hope to the people of this world, but its essence is cruel. It is not as kind as you imagine, nor will it show any mercy. Its mission is solely to protect humanity's survival. Any being that dares to disrupt this will be mercilessly annihilated."
"The Imperium's cruelty and indifference are beyond your imagination. In its eyes, any cost is worth it to maintain humanity's development. If you want to join the Imperium, you must be prepared to abandon your conscience. Because you will be participating in a war, and any weakness or impractical kindness will lead to more deaths."