Obspera stood in place, staring at the Ultras who still kept their distance from them.
The slow footsteps of Father of Ultra broke the silence as he stepped forward slightly.
"Obspera," Father of Ultra said gently but firmly.
"You have told us many things. Therefore, we want you to stay here, in the Land of Light, for safety and supervision. This is not a command, but a request from us."
Obspera let out a light breath. Their face remained calm and expressionless.
"Thank you for the offer," they said flatly.
"But I must refuse. I must return to Malebrandes. There is something I must protect there, a place that… has become both my home and my burden."
The Ultras exchanged glances, uncertainty still lingering among them.
Father of Ultra took a deep breath, sensing the dark aura surrounding Obspera.
"We know… that your power holds dangers that could emerge from you. But I believe you have your own path," Father of Ultra finally said.
He turned to the Ultra Brothers,
"We must discuss this further."
"Yes," Mother of Ultra responded, her voice warm yet authoritative.
"You may go, Obspera. However, we will decide who will watch over your steps."
Obspera only gave a slight nod.
Their eyes stared straight ahead, giving neither the impression of submission nor arrogance.
The senior Ultras then departed, leaving behind heavy footsteps and quiet murmurs among them. They walked slowly toward the meeting room in the west wing, followed by Mother of Ultra.
.
Silence once again dominated the room, leaving the New Generation Ultras and Ultimate Force Zero still trying to comprehend everything.
Once the senior Ultras had fully disappeared behind the meeting room doors, Obspera turned to Geed. Their gaze was dark and piercing, yet not driven by emotion.
"Geed," they said in a low, firm voice.
"You will come with me to Malebrandes."
Geed immediately turned and looked at them with a startled and nervous expression.
"T–to Malebrandes? But… why me?"
Obspera did not answer. They reached for the Giga Battlenizer and swung it gently, creating a vortex of dark, slowly rotating energy.
The faint sound of rushing energy echoed softly, yet the pressure was strong enough to make several Ultras step back.
"There is no need for a reason," Obspera said flatly.
"This is my command."
Geed stepped back half a pace, staring at the portal.
"Wait… Obspera! I'm not—..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Obspera stepped forward and pulled him with one hand. Geed's body was forcefully dragged, causing him to fall into the vortex.
The portal's light swallowed him without a trace, leaving behind only a faint tremor in the air.
Everyone who witnessed it froze instantly.
Zero shouted,
"Obspera! What are you doing?!"
Obspera simply stood still, staring at the stunned Ultras. Their gaze was sharp and filled with mystery, as if conveying an unspoken message.
Without a single word, they stepped back into the still-open portal, then closed it with a smooth yet firm motion of their hand.
A suffocating silence enveloped the room. The Ultras exchanged looks, trying to understand what had just happened.
Zero stepped forward, angered.
"We can't just stand here! I'm going after him right now!" he shouted with raw emotion.
Orb immediately held Zero back with a hand to his chest.
"Wait, Zero. We need to think clearly. Acting recklessly will only make things worse," he said in a calm yet firm tone.
Victory immediately spoke up.
"We need to report this to the senior Ultras. They must know what happened."
Ginga turned to Victory.
"Sho, let's go together. We have to inform them right away," he said with urgency.
Victory nodded.
"Alright, Hikaru. We must move quickly."
Meanwhile, the Minato siblings appeared panicked.
Blu spoke to his older brother,
"Hey, Katsu-nii, what just happened? Where did Geed go?"
Rosso tried to calm his younger brother.
"Calm down, Isami. We'll figure it out and bring Geed back."
Grigio looked at her eldest brother.
"Katsu-nii… Geed will be okay, right? I'm scared something will happen to him."
Rosso slowly shook his head and gently patted his youngest sister's head to comfort her.
"Don't worry. We'll find him, Asahi. Together."
Orb turned to the whole group.
"We must stay united and focused. With teamwork, we can face this."
The other Ultras nodded, realizing that a great challenge awaited them.
But with determination and unity, they were ready for whatever might come.
Z, who had been silent all this time, finally spoke with his usual spirited tone.
"Master Zero-(ゼロ師匠, Zero shishō)! I know this situation is Ultra-dangerous and Ultra-difficult, but we must stay Ultra-calm and think Ultra-clearly. We'll save Geed together!"
Zero looked at Z, gradually calming down, before nodding slowly.
"You're right, Z. Forgive me. My emotions got the better of me earlier."
Z nodded enthusiastically.
"It's alright, Master… Now, let's plan our next move carefully."
The other Ultras nodded, aware that a great challenge awaited them.
However, with determination and unity, they were ready to face anything.
...
*(Point of View of the Ultra Seniors)
The atmosphere inside the main chamber of the Ultra Council grew heavier, the dim glow of the holographic lights adding to the solemn impression.
Father of Ultra stood at the center of the circle of Ultra Seniors, his voice echoing softly yet filled with authority.
Father of Ultra spoke while meeting each of their gazes one by one,
"We must not rush to conclusions. Obspera is not Belial, but Belial's blood flows within them. What do you all sense regarding their intent and actions?"
Mebius looked uneasy, yet he gathered the courage to speak,
"I… I don't think Obspera has any malicious intent," he said quietly.
"They arrived without causing any destruction… unlike Belial, whom we once faced. Even the ground where they landed didn't crack, despite the overwhelming power they possess."
Hikari, who had been bowing his head in silence, slowly lifted his gaze.
"What you feel, Mebius… aligns with mine," he said, his voice calm yet filled with consideration.
"I sense a familiar energy from Obspera. They… are not like Belial."
Taro turned toward Hikari with a serious expression,
"Do you mean Tregear?"
Hikari nodded slowly,
"Yes… The similarity cannot be ignored. Their energy… reminds me of a dark past," he murmured, as if tracing shadows forming in his mind.
"But… does that mean they are merely hiding darkness, or have they truly chosen a different path?"
Zoffy spoke with a deep and resolute voice,
"We must remain cautious," he said firmly.
"With the fact that they inherited Belial's legacy, we cannot forget that destruction always awaits the moment we let our guard down."
Ultraseven responded with a sharp gaze, though his tone stayed controlled.
"Zoffy is right… But we also cannot judge purely based on the past. We need to know what they seek. Obspera… they may have their own reasons."
Leo, who had remained silent all this time, finally spoke with a strong voice,
"In any case, I believe Zero is the most suitable for this," he stated confidently.
"Zero has faced Belial more than once, and he understands that darkness more closely than anyone. He can restrain Obspera… if there truly is ill intent within them."
Ultraseven looked at Leo for several seconds, as if weighing the weight behind his words.
"Why Zero?" he asked in a tone of a worried father, though his posture showed no hesitation.
"I know Zero's abilities… but this is not a burden to be taken lightly."
Leo exhaled, his eyes steady.
"Because he… more than anyone, understands what it means to choose his own path even with his mother's blood running through him. Just like Obspera."
"What do you think?" Father of Ultra asked Ultraseven.
Ultraseven fell silent for a moment, considering the decision before nodding,
"Very well, I trust him," Ultraseven said softly, yet deeply.
Silence followed. Then Father of Ultra raised his hand, signaling that the decision had been made.
"Very well… Zero will handle Obspera. Do we all agree?"
The Ultra Brothers nodded in unison.
"We agree," Zoffy declared firmly.
"I trust him as well."
.
Silence slowly enveloped the Ultra Seniors' council chamber.
The light from the Plasma Spark's radiance deepened the quiet, reflecting against the armor of the motionless Ultra Brothers.
Hikari stepped slightly aside, holding a data screen — an advanced projection displaying energy graphs, Obspera's movement patterns, and short recordings from the recent incident on the Land of Light.
The data screen glowed blue, showing slow pulse-like energy waves — energy he had once studied while tracing the remnants of Belial and Tregear. But on the screen, a unique and unfamiliar frequency appeared, sharpening his focus.
Hikari adjusted the position of the screen, his fingers brushing the holographic projection as he exhaled.
"Father of Ultra," he said softly but firmly.
"Before the next report arrives, allow me to say something."
Everyone turned toward him.
Father of Ultra looked at him closely, then nodded. "Go ahead, Hikari."
Hikari stared at the data once more, then deactivated the projection.
The blue light that had danced in his eyes faded.
"I know… Zero is the best choice to watch over Obspera," he said, his voice gentle yet holding conviction.
"But…" he looked at each of his comrades,
"I feel that I must… be there as well. As an observer. As a researcher who wants to understand… what is truly happening to a being like them."
He turned to Father of Ultra.
"On this data display, I found several anomalies in Obspera's energy pattern. A unique frequency that… I have never seen before. This indicates something greater — perhaps even… a gap we can learn from."
He took a slow breath, steadying his voice.
"I am willing to join… and serve as the link between Obspera and the Land of Light. If Father of Ultra and the Ultra Brothers permit, I wish to be there, observing and ensuring… that what once happened to Belial does not repeat itself."
For several seconds, the room returned to silence.
Taro looked at Hikari with a concerned expression,
"Hikari… are you recalling Tregear's fall into darkness more than Belial's arrival?.."
Hikari turned immediately, his body language revealing surprise.
But he soon regained composure, remembering how natural it was for them to understand one another without direct communication.
Taro continued,
"Are you truly certain of this decision?"
Hikari only nodded slowly, lowering the data screen to his side.
"I am certain, Taro. This is not only about supervision or command. This is about… the responsibility to understand and prevent the worst from happening again."
Hikari looked at everyone, his eyes conveying sincerity that could not be denied.
"I do not want… any of us to repeat the same mistakes as before."
.
.
.
A sound slowly approached, cutting through the tense silence.
Victory and Ginga entered in a rush, their breaths slightly uneven, showing the urgency of the news they carried.
The eyes of the Ultra Seniors shifted toward them, waiting for their explanation.
Victory spoke first in a serious yet respectful tone, bowing briefly in acknowledgment, his voice firm,
"Forgive our sudden arrival, Father of Ultra and Ultra Brothers. There is important news that we must report immediately."
Ginga followed with a worried tone, though trying to remain steady,
"That's right. We came with a report about Obspera and Geed, something that… just happened moments ago."
The expressions of the Ultra Seniors turned tense.
Hikari, who had been focused on the data screen, lowered the device slowly, watching Victory and Ginga with keen curiosity.
Zoffy spoke, his voice wise yet filled with urgency,
"Calm yourselves, Ginga, Victory. Speak clearly about what happened. This is no trivial matter if you arrived in such haste."
Victory glanced at Ginga briefly, as if confirming that he would speak first, before turning back to Zoffy,
"Earlier, when we were with the others, Obspera… forced Geed to go with them."
Ginga looked at each of the Ultra Seniors,
"Obspera opened a portal using the Giga Battlenizer and pushed Geed into it. We were all shocked… Geed didn't have the chance to refuse."
The shock on the Ultra Seniors' faces could not be hidden.
Hikari frowned slightly, while Leo clenched his fists, restraining his anger.
Ultraseven; Zero's father... remained silent, his sharp eyes analyzing the possibilities.
Taro spoke with a slightly raised tone, showing his concern,
"What? Geed was taken by force? Where did they go?"
Victory lowered his head slightly, his voice firm but tinged with guilt,
"To Malebrandes… at least that's what we heard from Obspera before they closed the portal."
Mother of Ultra, with a gentle tone carrying the firmness of a mother, calmed the situation,
"Remain composed, all of you. We must stay wise. Victory, Ginga… tell us in more detail what you saw and heard before Obspera left."
Ginga took a deep breath, then began explaining more clearly... how Obspera appeared calm, how Geed had no time to resist, and how the New Generation Ultras were stunned.
The atmosphere in the council room grew silent once more, everyone realizing the situation was far more serious than they had imagined.
.
The atmosphere inside the chamber now felt increasingly tense.
An aura of seriousness radiated from the expressions of the Ultra Seniors.
The holographic displays throughout the room presented the data collected by Hikari, along with notes concerning Obspera.
The faint blue glow from the projections intensified the tension.
Father of Ultra spoke more softly, yet with his characteristic firmness,
"We are here not only to judge, but also to protect. I want all capable Ultras to gather at the Space Garrison Headquarters. We must summon the New Generation members and Ultimate Force Zero to hear the situation directly."
Mother of Ultra looked toward Hikari, who still held the data screen in his hands.
Her voice was gentle, yet carried a clear command.
"Hikari, please ensure all the latest data on Obspera is sent to the Garrison Headquarters. We must make sure they have accurate information."
Hikari nodded slowly, his eyes still fixed on the screen. With a calm yet firm tone, he replied:
"Understood. I will synchronize this data immediately and send it directly. It will be crucial for them."
Ultraman Leo broke the tension with a determined voice,
"Don't worry! I will contact the Ultras on the front lines right away. They will arrive as soon as possible!"
Ultraman Taro spoke while looking at the other Ultra Brothers,
"I have already prepared the coordination room at the Space Garrison Headquarters. We will wait for them there and formulate a strategy."
Ultraseven exhaled deeply before speaking, his voice low and heavy,
"We must stay vigilant. Obspera has taken Geed to Malebrandes, and we all know how dangerous that place is. I trust Zero is the most suitable to handle this, but he will also need all of our support."
Father of Ultra nodded once more, his voice now carrying greater authority,
"Exactly, Seven. I want all of you at the Space Garrison Headquarters as soon as possible. We cannot afford to lose control."
Mother of Ultra added, gazing at the Ultra Brothers one by one with confidence,
"We have overcome many threats before. I believe in all of your strengths. Let us remain united."
...
*At Inter Galactic Defense Force Headquarters-(宇宙警備隊本部, Uchū Keibitai Honbu).
After the shocking report from Victory and Ginga regarding Obspera's abduction of Geed, the atmosphere in the briefing room of the Inter Galactic Defense Force HQ. became even more serious.
The Ultra Seniors exchanged glances, trying to piece together the information they had just received.
Meanwhile, the New Generation members and Tri-Squad stood with tense expressions, awaiting further instructions from the Ultra Seniors.
Father of Ultra spoke with a deep voice and undeniable authority,
"We cannot allow this to pass unnoticed. Obspera has gone too far and has shown that they are not merely an ordinary threat."
Ultraman Ace added with a heavy voice born from experience,
"We must formulate a strategy as soon as possible. Geed is part of all of us, and this is not only about him."
Ultraman Taro nodded seriously, his eyes fixed on the newer generation,
"Correct. We must act quickly before the situation becomes even harder to control."
Amid the escalating discussion, Hikari stood slightly apart, his eyes catching the restless movements of Taiga, who had appeared uneasy for some time.
The shifting data lights from the screen in Hikari's hand cast a faint blue reflection across his face, adding a mysterious air.
Hikari approached Taiga with steady steps, his voice gentle yet clear,
"Taiga, you seem different. What's wrong? What are you sensing? Are you hiding something?"
Taiga hesitated, bowing his head briefly before lifting his Taiga Spark, which emitted a faint, pulsing glow,
"My Taiga Spark… seems to be experiencing some kind of strange disturbance. I'm not sure what's happening."
Hikari extended his hand, carefully reaching for the Taiga Spark,
"May I examine it further?"
Taiga only nodded, handing the device to Hikari.
The faintly trembling blue light from the Taiga Spark projected more clearly on Hikari's holographic display.
Data and signals overlapped, showing traces of unfamiliar energy.
Hikari spoke while observing the screen, his voice layered with analysis,
"There is a signal that appears to be linked to another device. This is not just a normal malfunction."
Ultraman Titas approached quickly,
"Are you certain? Is this signal coming from Obspera?"
Ultraman Fuma muttered before speaking with a teasing tone,
"Hey, Titas… isn't the Taiga Spark supposed to be unique to Taiga? How could Obspera have the same device? It's literally called the 'Taiga' Spark."
Hikari continued his analysis, his fingers moving across the holographic control panel.
Data continued to appear, strengthening his suspicion.
"The internal system data… is identical. As if both Taiga Sparks were created by the same hands."
Ultraman Taro looked at Hikari with a serious expression, his voice trembling slightly with memories of the past,
"Hikari… Tregear and I only created one Taiga Spark, back when we still walked the same path. There was never a second."
Hikari turned quickly, his eyes sharp toward Taro,
"It is highly possible… that either Tregear secretly created more than one, or Obspera succeeded in replicating the technology Tregear taught them."
Ultraseven murmured with caution,
"If Obspera possesses the same technology, it means they have access to secrets even we are unaware of. This is far more complicated than it appears."
Father of Ultra spoke slowly, reinforcing his role as leader,
"We must investigate this further. The connection between Obspera and Tregear, and how this technology came into Obspera's hands. This may be the key to understanding their true objective."
The atmosphere in the briefing room grew heavier, as though a dark cloud hung over them all.
Hikari remained focused on the data screen in his hand, while the Ultra Seniors and the new generation stood in silence, trying to comprehend this new threat — one far greater and more mysterious than they had ever imagined.
________
*To be continued.