LightInside the Garrison Headquarters room, illuminated by the soft glow of light panels, the data screen before Hikari shimmered gently, displaying a three-dimensional projection of the signal path emitted from the TaigaSpark.
The data looked intricate, as if becoming a bridge between two different worlds.
Hikari's eyes focused on the screen.
His voice was flat yet firm when he spoke,
"I detected that the signal from this TaigaSpark is resonating with a device not far from Planet Ialim."
Zero, standing beside Hikari, observed the screen closely.
"Planet Ialim?" he repeated slowly, as if trying to digest the information more deeply.
Taro turned to Hikari, his expression serious.
"Are you certain it's Planet Ialim? Is there any other possibility?"
Hikari nodded slowly, his finger tracing the projected signal route.
"There's no doubt," he said, his tone full of confidence.
"The frequency is stable and shows an identity almost identical to Taiga's. The data is also consistent with the energy patterns surrounding Planet Ialim."
Zoffy, who had been quietly monitoring the discussion, finally spoke, his voice deep and commanding.
"Planet Ialim… A place that once served as a center of technological records and history, as well as the home to many secrets of the past," he said, his gaze fixed on the screen.
Hearing the planet's name, Ginga turned to Victory who stood beside him.
"Then we need to head there immediately," he murmured, determination in his tone.
Victory responded with a nod.
"Yes, we can't wait any longer."
Mebius, standing not far away, seemed to be pondering something.
"So… Obspera intentionally brought Geed there? For what purpose…?"
Hikari placed his hand beside the projection, emphasizing his words.
"Whatever the reason, this signal is our main lead. We need to go to Planet Ialim right away. Perhaps there, we'll find answers about Obspera's connection to Geed… and about this Taiga Spark."
Taiga, who had appeared restless from the start, stared at the screen with a worried expression.
Taro responded reflexively, patting his son's shoulder to reassure him.
Zoffy scanned the room, his voice steady and authoritative.
"Alright. We've obtained an important clue. Begin organizing the plan and preparations. Our target is clear; —Planet Ialim."
All Ultras present grew more focused and determined.
They understood that Planet Ialim was not only the key to rescuing Geed, but also the doorway to uncovering the mysteries of Obspera that remained unsolved.
…
*(Geed and Obspera's point of view).
Within the darkness of the dimensional rift connecting the Land of Light and the eternal shadow of Malebrandes, Geed's body was thrown uncontrollably.
The ripples of light behind the sealed portal faded into silence, leaving only the echo of hollow gravity resonating through the fortress walls.
His body landed harshly on Malebrandes' obsidian floor, producing a scraping echo against metal chilled by long-standing silence.
He groaned softly, his left hand braced against the cold floor as if it had remained untouched for years.
"You're finally awake," said a flat but weighty voice, echoing from the shadow of a high throne surrounded by curved black pillars resembling the fangs of an ancient dragon.
Geed straightened himself. His eyes sharply met the tall figure descending slowly from the throne.
"Obspera…" Geed muttered, standing on guard.
"What's your intention bringing me to this place?!"
"This place…" Obspera paused at the final step, faint red light illuminating the silhouette of their jet-black armor.
"Is our father's legacy. You have the right to know… just as I did."
"My father?… Belial?"
Geed frowned, his hand clenching.
"Obspera… I don't care about a legacy that only left behind wounds."
Obspera turned away, then walked slowly toward the Main Headquarters, the spaceship sector.
They revealed the outer view that led toward Planet Ialim, another perspective of the Main Headquarters.
Behind the glass stretching from floor to ceiling, Obspera stood in complete silence.
Their eyes fixed on a single point among the sea of stars: a bluish-copper planet slowly rotating in stillness.
Planet Ialim-(惑星イアリム, Wakusei Iarim).
A faint sigh escaped them, nearly inaudible in the cold pressure of the room.
For a long time, they had been watching that planet.
Not merely watching… but claiming it:
Offering themselves for cooperation, in which they would become the planet's guardian under the agreement of placing Malebrandes nearby and granting access to it at any time.
Turning it into a sanctuary and a secondary command center for their ambitions.
Obspera did not hate the Land of Light, they simply never felt like part of it.
And because of that, a place like Ialim made far more sense to them.
Their footsteps echoed softly across the metal floor as they turned away from the observation window.
They approached the center of the room, toward a large holographic console to their left.
With a single motion of their hand, the air before them lit up... lines of light forming visual panels and complex input paths that immediately responded to their presence.
Obspera moved their hand with precision.
Their touches on the panel were not like typing, but like plucking the strings of an intricate instrument.
Before long, a low and solid signal tone sounded, followed by the emergence of a softly glowing sphere of light, shimmering with pale colors.
It was an A.I. (Artificial Intelligence).
The sphere floated gently into the air, vibrating lightly as if awaiting instructions. Its voice was clear yet calm, almost feminine:
"Control system reconnected. Welcome back, Your Majesty."
Geed stared at the sphere of light now drifting between him and Obspera.
"…What is that?" he asked, his tone suspicious.
Obspera paused for a moment, then replied without looking away from the control panel, their voice calm but flat, as if the explanation had long been prepared.
"An assistant — an A.I. directly connected to the Malebrandes defense system and Planet Ialim's data core. I found it abandoned in the ruins of an old city there, and… repaired it."
Geed flinched slightly.
"So… you have your own A.I.?" he asked.
The question triggered a memory in his mind.
He recalled RE.M., the A.I. that managed "Nebula House-(星雲荘, Seiun Sō ),"; the underground base that had served as his home and operation center all this time.
RE.M. was not merely a computer system; she was a friend, an advisor, and a loyal supporter who had helped him through countless challenges.
Though originally created by Kei Fukuide and once under Belial's control, RE.M. showed genuine loyalty to Geed, even protecting him from danger and helping uncover the truth of his origins.
The memory of RE.M. stirred mixed feelings within Geed.
He missed the presence of that A.I., who had always offered guidance and support without expecting anything in return.
But he also understood that the situation now was different... he was in an unfamiliar environment, under Obspera's watch, who had their own A.I. with intentions he still could not fully grasp.
Obspera, standing calmly near the holographic projector, observed Geed's reaction without speaking.
They realized Geed was lost in his own thoughts, revisiting a past full of struggle and growth.
However, Obspera chose not to interrupt, allowing Geed to process his emotions on his own.
After a moment, Geed shifted his gaze from the sphere of light to Obspera, his eyes reflecting a newly-formed resolve.
Even though he still did not fully understand Obspera's intentions, he knew that to face the challenges ahead, he needed to stay alert and ready.
...
Obspera returned to their earlier topic, this time with a faintly shifting tone; an ambiguous mix between pride and bitterness.
"You didn't think your father was the only one capable of building something, did you? …Or perhaps you assumed I became Emperor simply because I was his only heir?"
Without waiting for Geed's reaction, they began ascending the massive staircase toward the Malebrandes throne.
The stairs were tall and numerous, constructed like an altar rising toward the heavens.
Obspera's steps were steady, and the sphere-shaped A.I. floated behind them like a loyal glowing shadow.
The reflected light cast strange silhouettes across the walls, making the throne hall feel like a forgotten crown; cold, empty, yet full of unspoken meaning.
Upon reaching the top, Obspera turned, gazing down at Geed who still stood below, measuring the tension hanging between them.
"You don't need to be afraid," they said calmly, then took their seat on the towering throne, crossing one leg and resting their hand on the cold iron armrest.
Then, with a single motion of their hand, they lifted the Giga Battle Nizer from beside the throne.
The weapon's tip was now driven into the gap of the obsidian-marble floor directly before them, under the dim overhead lights.
From beneath their dark cloak, Obspera pulled out something; a TaigaSpark.
The device looked identical to Taiga's: a glowing crystal with a blue core pulsing softly.
They gazed at it briefly, as if weighing something, then... without a word, placed it gently atop the Giga Battle Nizer's tip.
As soon as the TaigaSpark made contact, a soft energy field enveloped it, causing it to float a handspan above the spear's point.
At the same time,
The crystal slowly rotated in midair, scattering faint blue sparks of light that illuminated Obspera's face from below.
Geed was stunned.
"That's… a TaigaSpark?"
Obspera did not answer immediately.
They stared at the rotating TaigaSpark, then murmured softly,
"I transmitted a signal linked to Taiga's TaigaSpark. They will see the code signal leading here."
"They… will surely come for you."
Geed asked,
"You want them to come?"
"You need to be seen, Geed," Obspera replied, still in a calm tone.
"So they will know what is truly happening to you here."
Geed's gaze shifted from Obspera's face to the TaigaSpark, to the Giga Battle Nizer standing firm and imposing like a memorial monument… or a warning of something far greater.
Inside him, there was an uneasiness difficult to define... but also, for the first time since being taken, a spark of genuine curiosity.
---
Geed stood before the throne, his eyes fixed on the TaigaSpark rotating slowly above the Giga Battle Nizer's tip.
The surroundings were silent, with only the faint hum of the floating sphere echoing through the vast room.
Obspera sat calmly, observing Geed from atop the throne.
"I know this is difficult for you," they said with a voice full of understanding.
"Being taken and brought to an unfamiliar place without knowing the true purpose."
Before Geed could respond, Obspera rose from the throne and descended with slow yet firm steps, as if forbidding Geed from understanding the intention behind all their actions.
Their eyes stared far toward the large window facing the darkness of outer space, where stars flickered faintly.
They turned their face back to Geed, standing before him, carrying a mix of emotions difficult to decipher.
"We can't stay here for too long," Obspera said in a cold but determined tone.
"There is still much you need to learn, Geed."
. . . . .
Inside the main control room of Malebrandes, Obspera stood before the control panel shimmering with a dim blue glow.
With practiced movements, they activated the navigation system of the massive warship.
A holographic screen displayed a star map, and Obspera selected one of the natural satellites orbiting near Planet Ialim as their destination.
Malebrandes slowly shifted from its stationary position in space.
With a grace that contradicted its enormous size, the ship glided toward the designated orbit, approaching Planet Ialim shimmering in the distance.
The claws of Malebrandes spread wide, releasing a large number of mining cables directly into the targeted orbit.
Malebrandes appeared to be attempting to seize the satellite with its five massive claws.
Once the ship reached a stable position, Obspera returned to their throne.
With a meaningful gesture, they removed the Emperor's cloak that had long symbolized their authority.
They folded it neatly and placed it on the throne, as if leaving behind a piece of their past.
"Come," they said to Geed, who stood a few steps behind.
"There is something you need to see with your own eyes."
Geed looked at Obspera with hesitation.
"Where are we going?"
"Outside," Obspera replied briefly.
"To the surface of another orbit. From there, you can see Planet Ialim clearly."
...
They walked through the corridors of Malebrandes toward the exit hatch.
As the doors opened, they were greeted by the vast view of open space and the barren surface of the satellite.
Obspera leapt lightly, attempting to fly, but their body wavered slightly before finally stabilizing in midair.
Geed noticed it.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
Obspera glanced briefly.
"Just not used to the gravity here," they answered shortly, trying to hide the discomfort.
They hovered above the satellite's surface, gazing at Planet Ialim; majestic in its distinct blue-green hue.
Light from the nearest star reflected softly across the planet's atmosphere.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" Obspera said, their voice softer than usual.
"That planet holds many secrets… including those about your father."
Geed fell silent, his eyes fixed on Planet Ialim.
Inside him, questions and emotions tangled together, but he knew that the answers he sought might lie on the planet before him.
….
The glow of distant starlight decorated the horizon of the universe.
Above the barren surface floating gracefully in the orbit of Planet Ialim, the shadows of two Ultras stood in silence.
Malebrandes now perched majestically upon the satellite, partially veiled by space-born mist.
Below it, Planet Ialim rotated slowly, its satellite's atmosphere shimmering a reddish-black tone... strangely as if holding millions of ancient stories yet to be revealed.
Obspera stood motionless, staring from atop a rocky ledge.
Their eyes were cold and deep, as though trying to call back fragments of time from the planet below.
Two satellites faced each other; one now occupied by Malebrandes.
Behind them, Geed walked slowly, approaching, looking at the same sight but with a heart full of questions.
Suddenly—...
A warm light slowly formed behind Obspera's back, almost soundless.
The glowing sphere floated upward, emerging as if awakened from silence at Obspera's back.
Geed instinctively stepped back a little.
"Are?-(*あれ?) Since when was it here…?" he muttered softly, almost to himself—
questioning the presence of Obspera's A.I., which had previously remained on Malebrandes but was now here.
Before Geed could ask further, another flash of light appeared in the air.
This time more colorful and less orderly.
Another sphere emerged, moving nimbly with a slightly uneven, rounded shape.
"I detected your signal."
The voice came from the second sphere as it slowly revealed its form.
The light pulsed briefly, then shaped itself.
Digital contours assembled into a humanoid A.I.
Its surface layered with metallic silver light, accented with blue across parts of its body.
Its eyes emitted a cold, yet neutral glow.
"Welcome back, Obspera."
"Ediom-(エディオム, Ediomu)," Obspera greeted shortly without turning, as if already expecting its presence.
Geed watched the two of them with growing curiosity.
Ediom tilted its head slightly, its gaze sweeping Geed from head to toe.
"You're not alone this time."
Its voice sounded light, yet analytical.
"No," Obspera replied emotionlessly.
"I brought an acquaintance. Ultraman Geed."
Geed turned slowly, looking at Obspera with questioning eyes.
"Acquaintance?", he thought silently.
As Belial's clone, Geed understood well that blood ties were no trivial matter.
But considering who their father was, and the weight of that name in the eyes of the universe...
he chose not to force an explanation.
He even gave a small nod, indicating that he understood… or at least was trying to.
Ediom responded with a single nod.
"Which data records do you require this time?" it asked directly, as though already aware of Obspera's purpose for coming to this planet.
Obspera shifted their gaze.
"I will search for it myself. Ai will assist me."
Ediom, as if understanding everything without further clarification, nodded.
"Understood. You will be given privacy."
It then bowed slightly, with an almost theatrical grace... before its form slowly dissolved back into a sphere of light, disappearing into the thin atmospheric haze.
...
Silence followed for a moment.
Geed exhaled.
"Ai?" he asked softly, as if repeating the earlier word.
There was hesitation; ambiguity.
The word hung in the air like a question unwilling to be spoken aloud.
Obspera, with a faintly amused glance, as though already reading his thoughts:
"As you're thinking," they said quietly yet firmly.
"I named it Ai. From the writing A.I.*("aïy", not "ē, aī"), Artificial Intelligence… but also referring to 'love'-('愛')."
Geed froze.
Obspera… gave it a name meaning love?
Geed almost didn't know whether to laugh or fall silent...
A striking irony.
A dark Ultra who carried the name of destruction… naming their digital creation 'Ai'.
Without giving room for further reaction, Obspera stepped forward.
"Don't waste time."
"Ai," they called,
"display all historical recording data of Belial stored within your system. Full projection."
"Processing," Ai responded, then slowly raised its hand.
At once, light bloomed from the empty air before them.
A hologram opened across the sky—forming a massive visual projection displaying fragments of time.
Historical archives.
Pieces of the past.
Recordings of Belial's life… from a perspective no one had ever seen.
Geed stood frozen, staring.
His heart began to beat faster.
The holographic projection emitted by Ai began to reveal glimpses of Ultraman Belial's life, forming a breathtaking visual narrative before Obspera and Geed.
---
*Belial's life story began to play.
---
The atmosphere shifted as the holographic projection slowly dimmed when the recording of Belial's life reached its end.
There was no sound except the faint hum of fading data dissolving into the air.
The air felt heavy, as if holding fragments of the past that had just been relived.
Geed remained frozen, unable to hide the shadows of sorrow and confusion on his face.
His eyes were fixed on the place where Belial had last appeared in the recording... not as a monster or a villain, but as someone wounded, alone, and defeated by the path he chose himself.
Obspera stood beside him, calm.
But calm did not mean untouched.
Their hand slowly lifted, dimming the lingering reflections of data still hovering before finally fading away.
"Is this… why you kidnapped me?" Geed finally asked, his voice faint, flat, yet clearly carrying restrained emotion.
"So I could see all of it… everything about him?"
Obspera did not answer immediately.
They lifted one shoulder slightly, then gave a small nod.
"Yes. I wanted you to know… that he was not only 'Belial the Villain.'
He was… your father. And mine as well."
"You think I don't know that?" Geed cut in, his eyes flashing.
"I've known all along that Belial was my father and that he suffered. But you… you want me to pity him?"
"No," Obspera replied, their voice low but steady.
"I want you… to understand."
"Even if you already do — I want you to understand deeper."
Silence hung between them.
Geed looked at Obspera, trying to read their heart, but all he saw was a gaze that didn't want to force him; a gaze quietly asking for understanding.
"I grew up without knowing what my father was like. Without knowing why I had to avoid the shadow of his name.
But after seeing all this…" Geed drew a long breath.
"…I realized. He did fall. But he wasn't alone. And he wasn't the only one who suffered because of it."
Obspera turned slowly.
"I know. That's why I brought you here... not to a battlefield."
Geed fell silent.
He couldn't respond to that. And for the first time, he didn't want to.
Something had changed; slightly, but undeniably.
The two of them gazed out toward the open sky, Planet Ialim still visible in the distance.
A gentle wind passed through the large stones and remnants of a silent civilization.
In that stillness, Geed finally spoke,
"I don't know what you're planning next. But… for now, I won't fight you."
Obspera only nodded once.
"I don't need you to believe.
I only want you… to keep watching."
And for the first time since their meeting—the two "children of Belial" were not speaking as enemies, but as two beings searching for meaning in the origins they shared.
. . . . .
The outer sky surrounding Malebrandes coiled into darkness.
The once-calm atmosphere suddenly turned foreboding.
The gates of Malebrandes stood wide open, yawning like a giant maw calling anyone into its depths.
At the mouth of the gate, Geed stood alone.
His silhouette was cast beneath the cold starlight, while his thoughts remained trapped between the shadows of his father's past.
Not far from him, Obspera stood upon a floating slab of black meteor stone suspended in the void.
The emperor's cloak they had discarded earlier was now worn once more.
They stared into the distance with an empty yet calculating expression.
Silence.
Then… it split.
A flash of light burst across the horizon—five streaks of radiance pierced the void, shooting forward like celestial spears.
Within seconds, all five figures landed with a thunderous impact, releasing shockwaves that shattered the stillness.
They stood in formation—Zero, Taiga, Hikari, X, and Blu.
Each carried a different aura, yet all of them focused on one target: Obspera.
No warning.
Zero launched forward first, followed by Taiga and X.
Obspera turned just as they leapt into the air.
They moved in a zig-zag glide, avoiding consecutive attacks, trying to make use of the anti-gravity waves from their legs like most Ultras would.
"Stop! Wait! They didn't attack me!" Geed shouted, but the wind and bursts of energy drowned his voice.
Obspera twisted mid-air, narrowly avoiding X's beam and the forceful strike Blu launched from behind.
*X/Xanadium Beam-(ザナディウム光線, Zanadiumu Kōsen).
But their body wavered as they tried to dodge faster.
They still couldn't control flight like other Ultras.
Their movements were hesitant, not as sharp as usual.
Zero, noticing the opening, hurled his Sluggers—two spinning blades of light like energy boomerangs.
One sliced through the air, while the other grazed Obspera's left shoulder.
A second Slugger struck another part of their body.
Instantly, a burst of dark red energy erupted from them.
Pain screamed through their nerves.
Obspera lost control.
"Tch…!" they hissed under their breath.
Their body fell... not by intent, but by gravity.
They were flung violently into a large floating meteor nearby.
The impact was strong enough to crack the rock in several places.
Cosmic dust lifted, drifting slowly around Obspera's body, now lying still, chest rising and falling in shallow breaths.
"Obspera!" Geed called out, stepping forward.
But Zero and Taiga moved at once, blocking Geed from approaching the fallen figure.
"We need to leave now! You have no idea how dangerous they are!" Zero snapped, eyes blazing with alertness.
"You've been deceived! They're Belial's child, Geed! That's more than enough reason!" Taiga shouted, voice burning with fury.
Geed shook his head softly.
"I know… But they never tried to hurt me. They showed me something. They have… a reason."
X and Blu remained on guard but didn't attack.
They turned to Hikari, waiting for the calmest and most experienced among them.
And Hikari; who had been observing with sharp, quiet eyes... finally stepped forward.
He said nothing.
He flew slowly toward the meteor where Obspera lay.
Geed glanced over.
"Wait, Hikari-san. You're going over there?"
"I want to see for myself… whether they are truly an enemy."
....
Reaching the meteor, Hikari knelt.
His glowing hand gently touched Obspera's injured shoulder.
Obspera's body reacted, clearly suppressing pain.
But there was no hatred in their eyes.
No intent to retaliate.
"They… didn't attack you first," Hikari said quietly.
"They defended themselves. And from the way they moved… they haven't mastered stable flight, have they?"
Geed immediately recalled the earlier moment when Obspera struggled slightly while flying out of Malebrandes.
"They… just recovered," Geed whispered.
"Or maybe they've never flown the same way we do. They're not… a typical Ultra."
Taiga still looked unconvinced.
"You're defending them now?! Geed, they're Belial's child! You know that better than anyone!"
Geed lowered his gaze, then looked at Obspera, held in Hikari's arms.
The wound on their shoulder continued releasing dark red light like blood, dripping slowly onto the meteor's surface in weightless motion.
"That's exactly why.
I'm also Belial's child…
But I'm not him.
So why shouldn't they have a choice... just like I do?"
The words hung between them.
Zero clenched his fist.
He said nothing.
Meanwhile, Obspera's body trembled slightly.
Yet they remained silent, not striking back.
For the first time, all five Ultras began to realize that this battle might not be about victory or defeat—
but about a truth they had yet to understand.
And from a distance…
Malebrandes remained silent, as if awaiting its master's next command.
________
*To be continued.