"What other way?" Ryan gasped as he ran.
Debris crashed around him. Pieces of concrete slammed into the ground. Dust filled the air.
The system answered calmly.
"The host only needs to survive until tomorrow, when transformation ability returns."
Ryan almost tripped.
"You've got to be kidding!"
"That's your brilliant plan?!"
He ducked as chunks of rubble fell from above.
The monster's shadow swallowed the street behind him. A thunderous roar echoed through the air.
Forget tomorrow.
At this rate he might not survive the next ten seconds.
The system continued.
"In fact, the probability of success for this option is much higher than the previous one."
"Additionally, the process has already begun."
Ryan blinked.
"…What?"
Then something strange happened.
The shaking stopped.
The roar vanished.
The crushing pressure behind him disappeared.
Ryan slowed down and looked back.
Alien Zoruk stood in the middle of the street.
The monster moved strangely.
It staggered in circles, as if confused.
Ryan's eyes widened.
"…What?"
Then he understood.
Ultraman telekinesis.
Ultraseven
Commander Dan had used it again.
Ryan's chest tightened.
Ultraman telekinesis drained life energy.
Using it came at a real cost.
Ryan felt relief… but also guilt.
Zoruk continued stumbling around under the invisible pressure.
Eventually the monster's massive body faded from sight.
The danger passed.
Ryan stood there for a moment.
Then he turned and walked toward the sports club.
Dan would be waiting.
South City Sports Club
When Ryan arrived, Dan stood inside the building.
His expression was cold.
"Why didn't you transform?"
Ryan froze.
"Commander… I—"
Dan's face was pale.
He slowly turned and looked out the window.
The city outside was in ruins.
After a long silence, he spoke again.
"Because of you… at least three thousand people died today."
Ryan's heart dropped.
Outside, police had sealed off the damaged areas.
Families of victims gathered nearby.
Some cried as they were guided inside to identify bodies.
Dan continued quietly.
"Have you ever thought about what it feels like to lose someone you love?"
Ryan clenched his fists.
"I…"
He wanted to explain.
He wanted to say he couldn't transform.
But the words refused to leave his mouth.
The sound of distant crying drifted through the open door.
Dan finally turned back.
"Zoruk is stronger now."
"If you fought it with your old power… you would have lost."
He stepped forward.
"Come."
"Attack me."
Ryan blinked.
"Commander… your body isn't in condition to fight."
"Don't worry about me!"
Dan shouted.
"Do you think we have time to be careful?!"
"The monster will return!"
"People's lives depend on you!"
Ryan gritted his teeth.
"…Alright."
He stepped forward.
"Commander… I've learned the triple attack."
Ryan lunged.
He wanted to show the results of his training.
But the moment he got close—
BAM.
Two moves.
Ryan collapsed on the floor.
He stared up in shock.
How?
Dan had just used Ultraman telekinesis.
His body should be exhausted.
Yet Ryan couldn't even touch him.
"Too slow," Dan said coldly.
"Again."
Ryan stood up and rushed forward.
This time he blocked the cane Dan used as a weapon.
For a split second, Ryan thought he succeeded.
Then—
THUD.
Dan's fist slammed into his stomach.
Pain exploded through his body.
Ryan doubled over instantly.
Dan grabbed him by the collar and forced him upright.
"This is a monster's second strike."
Dan looked straight into Ryan's eyes.
"To defeat it… you must block both attacks."
"Then counter with overwhelming force."
"You must do it."
Ryan struggled to breathe.
"But…"
He had already mastered the third strike.
Yet he couldn't break Dan's two-hit attack.
Did that mean the last two weeks of training were pointless?
Ryan's vision blurred.
Maybe I'm just an ordinary person.
Maybe I was never meant to be the hero.
Tears formed in his eyes.
Dan saw it.
His anger exploded.
"What kind of look is that?!"
"What are those tears supposed to mean?!"
Ryan froze.
"Commander…"
"You're just short on time," Dan said after a long sigh.
His voice softened slightly.
"Learning a technique isn't enough."
"You must use it in real combat."
He looked at Ryan seriously.
"Ryu… you still have one day."
"Think about the people who died."
"Remember what you promised me."
Ryan lowered his head.
"Don't let the peace of this planet disappear."
Dan nodded.
"Good."
"Keep going."
Ryan didn't sleep until very late that night.
The empty club echoed with the sound of punches and kicks.
Again.
And again.
Ryan wiped sweat from his face.
"I don't get it," he muttered.
"I already learned Leo's basic combat skills."
"Why is this training still so hard?"
"Was my strength boost just an illusion?"
The system responded.
"The host lacks practical combat experience."
"Only real combat can fully integrate the fighting techniques."
It continued.
"Additionally, even if the host fully uses current strength…"
"You still cannot defeat
Moroboshi Dan."
Ryan blinked.
"…Seriously?"
Dan had already crushed his confidence earlier.
Now the system joined in.
"Why?"
"Because Ultraseven is a first-class Ultraman warrior."
"Even with his injured leg, his human form can still perform at eighty percent of his peak."
Ryan fell silent.
Right.
Even if he had improved…
Defeating Ultraseven would be ridiculous.
Ryan rubbed his chin.
"So the situation isn't as hopeless as Dan made it sound?"
The system answered immediately.
"Incorrect."
"The target monster has undergone dark corruption."
"Its strength has increased fourfold."
Ryan inhaled sharply.
"…Four times?"
At best, Ryan could reach three times Zoruk's original strength.
He thought he could crush the monster now.
But the real Zoruk had also grown stronger.
Everything returned to square one.
Ryan clenched his fists.
No more complaining.
If power wasn't enough…
Technique had to make the difference.
The triple attack wasn't as simple as it looked in the original story.
For someone like Ryan, who lacked years of experience, it was incredibly difficult.
The technique wasn't just one kick.
It was a combination attack.
Timing mattered.
Flow mattered.
Learning the leg strike was only the first step.
Ryan didn't expect perfection.
He only needed to replicate the version
Gen Ohtori used in the original battle.
Zoruk was powerful.
But even if its strength quadrupled…
Its fighting style wouldn't change.
That was its weakness.
Ryan's only chance.
The next morning—
Ryan woke up to violent shaking.
He sat up suddenly.
"…What?"
His head felt foggy.
He realized he had fallen asleep on the club floor.
The building continued shaking.
Ryan's heart sank.
"…It's here already."
Not even a full day had passed.
Alien Zoruk had returned.
And it came straight for the club.
"That bastard…"
Ryan swallowed.
"001."
"Can I transform now?"
"Transformation countdown in progress."
"Remaining time: two minutes."
Ryan laughed weakly.
"Two minutes…"
Normally that felt short.
Right now it felt like an eternity.
The doors burst open.
Takeshi rushed in, dragging
Omura behind him.
"Ryu!"
"The monster's back! Run!"
Omura stumbled beside him.
"Slow down! Slow down!"
"I haven't even finished putting on my pants!"
Ryan stared.
"…Seriously?"
Of all moments…
"Where's Momoko and the others?" Ryan asked.
Omura pulled his trousers up while running.
"After yesterday's disaster, I sent them to help injured kids."
"They didn't come today."
The three rushed outside.
MAC forces had already arrived.
Weapons fired at the monster.
Ryan watched the battle unfold.
It wasn't enough.
They couldn't stop Zoruk.
Ryan clenched his jaw.
"001."
"How much time?"
The system began counting.
"One minute remaining."
"60…"
"59…"