Chapter Eight: The Elders' Conspiracy

The matter concerning the Warriors’ Command had swiftly reached the desk of Ultraman Father Kane. He suddenly stood up, fixing a stern gaze upon the young white Ultraman who had long managed his paperwork, and asked gravely, “Is this true? The Warriors’ Command has lost contact!?”

The young Ultraman hesitated briefly, but Kane’s anxious urgency left no room for delay. He replied, “Yes, the loss of contact occurred near Kirk Star.”

“Immediately dispatch members of the Space Patrol to investigate!” Kane paced briskly within his office, his eyes betraying an unmistakable anxiety. He spoke hurriedly, “The Warriors’ Command’s warship is the finest vessel in the Land of Light. How could it possibly lose contact? What kind of being in this universe could threaten such a warship?”

Pausing, he muttered to himself with a hint of hope, “Perhaps it’s merely a malfunction. The Warriors’ Command is the strongest institution in the Land of Light. The elite warriors of the Seven Clan would never—”

At that moment, the young white Ultraman hesitated again before stating, “At the time of the incident, the Battle Star was nearby, launching an attack on Kirk Star.”

A sharp intake of breath escaped Kane. He halted in his tracks, turning to the young Ultraman with disbelief. “Impossible. Zeck wouldn’t do such a thing. It couldn’t have been him.”

Though he spoke those words aloud, his heart sank. For throughout the universe, the only known entity capable of obliterating the Warriors’ Command warship in one strike was Zeck Ultraman’s flagship—the Battle Star.

The Battle Star was a masterpiece of defense systems, having been upgraded to carry four Miracle Laser Cannons on its hull.

A single volley from all four would utterly destroy even the Warriors’ Command warship.

Kane then asked, “Kirk Star falls within the jurisdiction of the Warriors’ Command, does it not? Why would Zeck lead his new Space Patrol there?”

The young white Ultraman shrugged. “In truth, it’s not surprising for the new Space Patrol to act this way.”

Kane’s expression shifted as realization dawned. Indeed, ever since the King of Ultras appeared and offered Zeck hope for the rise of the Blue Clan, Zeck had led the new Space Patrol and the Blue Clan’s Ultraman legion in sweeping operations against the forces of darkness.

“Do not direct that fierce fighting spirit against the warriors of the Land of Light. Lead your new Space Patrol, lead your Blue Clan, and prove yourselves to all Ultramen of the Land of Light. Should the Blue Clan warriors demonstrate their strength under your leadership, I guarantee they will earn the respect they deserve!”

From that point forward, Zeck ceased wasting time on internal strife with the Red and Silver Clans, instead focusing his spearhead on the dark creatures scattered throughout the vast cosmos. His new Space Patrol and the Blue Clan’s legion had become the sharpest sword of the Land of Light.

Could it be that this sword was now being turned inward?

The young white Ultraman hesitated and then asked, “Shall we inform Ultraman Seven upon his return to Earth?”

Kane paused, a flicker of hesitation crossing his face.

Logically, the loss of contact with the Warriors’ Command implied that many elite warriors of the Seven Clan might have met misfortune. Since Seven himself is a member of that clan, and his family’s fate was uncertain, it seemed necessary to inform him. Most importantly, the Commander of the Warriors’ Command, Big Seven, was his father.

This was an unavoidable truth.

But could Seven suppress his anger? Might he act rashly without a full investigation?

“For now, keep this information confidential,” Kane decided.

The young white warrior nodded and left the office, a cold smile briefly flickering at the corner of his lips.

In a dim chamber, several elderly white Ultramen sat silently in conference chairs, their silence heavy with anticipation.

Soon, a message arrived.

The eldest among them stroked his white beard, his gaze sweeping across the other aged Ultramen before he spoke in a hoarse voice, “Our agents report that Ultraman Father has already dispatched Space Patrol members to investigate. Leading the team is Ultraman Zoffy.”

He paused, then added, “Ultraman Seven, who recently returned to the Land of Light, has not been sent.”

One elder asked, “Are there any survivors in the Warriors’ Command?”

Another scoffed, “Stop indulging in such unrealistic hopes. We exhausted all our resources and rebuilt a warship identical to the Battle Star. To make it authentic, we even installed all four Miracle Laser Cannons.”

He continued, “The four cannons fired in quick succession. The Warriors’ Command warship was almost entirely disintegrated. No Seven Clan warrior aboard could have survived such a blast.”

The eldest nodded in agreement. “The restoration of the Battle Star is perfect. Even the four-shot volley fits Zeck’s violent temperament. Everything aligns.”

“But if Seven himself, as a warrior of the Seven Clan, did not appear, the situation will hardly unfold as we anticipate,” another elder remarked.

One elder patted his knee and said sternly, “Zoffy is a calm Ultraman warrior, arguably the most capable leader among the new generation of Silver Clan Ultramen. He does not act on anger, but considers all aspects and is adept at detecting even the slightest clues.”

“If Zoffy investigates thoroughly, given that the Battle Star was nearby at the time, he will surely sense something amiss.”

The eldest white Ultraman made a resolute decision. “We cannot prevent Zoffy from going, but we can ensure Seven goes as well.”

“Many elite warriors of the Seven Clan have perished, even his father, Big Seven, was scattered into light ions by the Miracle Laser Cannon’s immense energy. Once Seven learns this, he will certainly go.”

“And once he goes, he will be unable to contain his fury. The entire plan will be set in motion!”

His gaze swept over his brothers-in-arms, excitement shining in his eyes. “So that our Council of Elders may regain control!”

The others exchanged glances and echoed in unison, “So that the Council of Elders may regain control!”

(To be continued.)