Chapter Nine: The Leak

“Is this true?” Zoffy stared at the Ultraman signature before him, hardly daring to believe it. He carefully read the message: the Warrior Command had lost contact, and it was highly likely that the entire unit had been sacrificed. Such a grave event—when was the last time something like this happened? It was during the Great Cosmic War when the Land of Light endured the painful trials of battle. In that war, Zoffy’s own parents had fallen.

Now, faced with this sudden news, Zoffy silently pondered—could this be the dawn of another war?

Moreover, the prime suspect was Jack Ultraman, leader of the Blue Tribe. This could escalate into a devastating civil war within the Land of Light.

Fully aware of the gravity of the situation, Zoffy did not hesitate. He swiftly used the Ultraman signature to summon his fellow members of the Universal Guard.

This was an investigation, and no one knew for sure if Jack truly intended to betray the Land of Light. Perhaps the investigation itself was a trap set by Jack. Time was pressing; he could not wait for all the Guard members to assemble. Only Ace, Xiser, Jack, and the original Ultraman arrived in haste. The five of them hurriedly set off toward the vicinity of Kirk Star.

Amid the vast cosmos, these five elite Ultramen departed from the Land of Light, transforming into radiant beams as they sped toward the site where the Warrior Command had gone dark.

The universe was dark and mysterious—no one could know how many enemies or ambitions lurked within, nor when danger might strike.

Recalling the message contained in the Ultraman signature sent by the Father of Ultra, Cain, Zoffy remained silent, refraining from speaking to his companions. The journey was quiet.

However, this silence was soon shattered.

Midway through, Seven streaked in like a shooting star from another direction, ultimately merging into the formation of Zoffy’s five.

“Seven? What are you doing here?” Zoffy asked.

Seven was desperate to reach the accident site immediately. On the flagship of the Warrior Command were his kin, childhood friends, and his father! His anxiety surpassed all others; his eyes glinted faintly red. The mysterious Ultraman’s message had chilled him to the core. He silently vowed that if the dreadful truth was confirmed, he would personally end that damned Jack.

Seeing Seven unwilling to answer and pushing his speed to the limit, Zoffy halted and intercepted him. Fixing his gaze on the reddened eyes, he said firmly, “Seven! What are you trying to do!?”

Ace and Xiser stood beside Zoffy, while Jack and the original Ultraman stayed close to Seven, attempting to calm his furious state.

Suddenly shrugging off Jack’s hand, Seven glared at Zoffy, shouting, “You know what happened, don’t you!? My father is on the Warrior Command’s flagship. What exactly happened there? Why didn’t you tell me? Why did you keep this from me!?”

Zoffy paused, his heart tightening. He asked in a low voice, “How did you come to know this?”

Seven yelled, “Does that even matter!? Isn’t the real concern their situation? And how I know is no one’s business!”

He tried to rush on, but Zoffy restrained him, pressing firmly on his shoulders. With a calm but fierce gaze, he nearly roared, “I’m asking how you know this information!”

Seven fell silent, stiff-necked, glaring angrily without replying.

Zoffy’s expression grew deep and grave. His tone sharpened: “No matter what, you must explain this to me here and now. If you can’t give me a clear answer, then we won’t depart!”

Seven saw in Zoffy, whom he had always admired, the embodiment of a merciless demon. He wished he could strike him down with an ice axe. Yet his urgency to investigate his father and his people’s fate made him relent somewhat.

Xiser observed the tense atmosphere, heavy and suffocating. Once comrades, Seven now faced them with rage. This could not continue—it was bad for any of them.

So he spoke up in complaint, “Zoffy, you’re being too strict. Even if Seven knows something, it may not be serious. The current status of the Seven Tribe warriors is unknown; it’s natural for him to be anxious. You should—”

But under Zoffy’s imposing stare, Xiser fell silent, his heart sinking. Zoffy already bore the aura of a leader, and Xiser knew he could not compete.

Still, the position of Universal Guard Captain was not something he would yield easily; as Zoffy’s rival, he harbored a strong desire to prove himself.

“If this were before, Seven, knowing might have been enough, and I wouldn’t have pressed you for details under strict rules.”

Seven lowered his head slightly. He knew Zoffy’s character well—always the kind, elder brother figure, gentle even to him. Whenever a member faced danger on Earth, Zoffy was the first to rush to their aid.

A pang of guilt stirred in Seven’s heart.

“But now, things are different. The Warrior Command’s status is unknown, and the new Universal Guard is operating near Kirk Star. The Blue Tribe is the likeliest suspect.”

Zoffy’s gaze swept over his companions’ faces. In a low voice, he said, “We can say the Land of Light is on the brink of civil war. Any battle here could ignite a war. At such a time, I cannot afford to be anything but cautious.”

His eyes rested on Seven, his tone softening slightly as he asked, “Seven, tell me—how did you learn the contents of the Ultraman signature passed to me by the Father of Ultra?”

“Who told you? What is their purpose?”

Under Zoffy’s piercing gaze, Seven realized the severity of the matter and answered, “A stranger—an Ultraman warrior, probably from the Silver Tribe or the White Tribe.”

The White Tribe had long been assimilating into the Silver Tribe; even Ultramen found it difficult to distinguish between unfamiliar White and Silver members. This was why the White Tribe elders had taken action—they were much like Jack.

They were all great tribal nationalists. Jack refused to let the Blue Tribe be oppressed and sought to lead them to gain status.

The White Tribe’s plight was even grimmer; they were fading into history. This assimilation was like a slow, painful amputation—most White Ultramen were unaware their tribe might vanish from the Land of Light.

But the White Tribe elders could not watch this happen passively.

They had once been leaders during humanity’s era of the Land of Light, ruling over scholars, warriors, and servants.

Now, facing the prospect of complete erasure, these aged elders decided to fight back—perhaps for power, perhaps for their race.

Who could say for certain?

Right and wrong—who could truly discern?

(To be continued.)