Chapter Twenty-Five: If We Are Companions

"Hayate... how did you know?" Supported by Hayate as he staggered along, Daigu looked deeply puzzled. He was certain he had hidden it well—no one should have known.

"Because, like you, I can hear Yurei's voice..." Tetsuya smiled as he gave his answer, but then paused and continued, "Only, in the moment I turned to light, I ultimately failed."

"Otherwise, you and I would have made excellent teammates..."

"Oh... you mean..." Suddenly recalling something, Daigu exclaimed excitedly, "The giant who failed to transform, who was then destroyed by Golza and Melba."

"Yes..."

"According to the investigation by the excavation team, that shark monster was manufactured on Earth." In the TPC Command Center, the stern faces of Captain Jujian Megumi and Director Zei appeared on the large screen.

"Manufactured on Earth..." Noriyuki lowered his head in thought. "The opposition possesses scientific capabilities surpassing even TPC..."

"Additionally, the excavation team discovered a special material used in the shark monster’s energy core," Captain Jujian Megumi’s expression grew more severe. "It seems to be... fragments from the Giant Statue!"

"Giant Statue!?" At this news, Noriyuki sprang to his feet in shock. "But all the fragments of the Giant Statue were already transported back to TPC for research!"

"What about the secure container holding the fragments—has anything happened to it?" Captain Jujian Megumi asked her final question.

"Let me check!" Noriyuki quickly operated his computer. The surveillance footage of the laboratory appeared on the screen. At a glance, Noriyuki couldn’t help but cry out, "No way!"

"What happened?" Director Zei asked sternly. He was highly concerned about this matter, as the appearance of the electronic shark, Geozaq, had already placed TPC under immense pressure from international representatives. Now, discovering that the electronic shark was created on Earth only deepened the mystery. What was the mastermind’s true aim? To eliminate the world's leaders in one stroke? Moreover, the latest intelligence indicated that the shark’s core was powered by fragments of the Giant Statue—items supposedly sealed away by TPC for secret research. All these threads, when woven together, pointed to a chilling possibility: their opponent might be plotting to upend the world order, and perhaps there was a traitor within TPC itself.

"The secure container is gone!" Noriyuki shouted. The lab was now completely deserted.

As Noriyuki panicked, alarms blared throughout the command room. He checked the alert and quickly reported, "The transport plane has also taken off without authorization!"

"Dr. Tango! What are you doing with the secure container?!" Noriyuki immediately established communication with Dr. Tango, the container’s researcher, and urgently demanded an answer.

At that moment, Dr. Tango was already piloting the transport aircraft, flying steadily away from TPC. He sounded quite pleased as he replied, "Someone has devised a more effective use for it than you have... I’m delivering it to them!"

"Is this what a scientist should do?"

"Of course..." Dr. Tango retorted angrily. "A person as talented as me, and yet you treat me so poorly? My position isn’t even as respected as that of Kenmura, that woman..."

At Captain Jujian Megumi’s request, Noriyuki quickly transferred the communication. Hearing this, Jujian Megumi asked sternly, "Dr. Tango, do you know what you’re doing?"

"Hmph! You’d better stop looking down on me! I can’t take it anymore!" With that, he angrily terminated the connection.

"This is a serious problem now..." Director Zei sighed. "He actually took advantage of the base’s lax security to steal the secure container!"

"No... I think someone is orchestrating a conspiracy behind this!"

Meanwhile, in Kumamoto City, the Victory Team members looked dispirited. They hadn’t found Daigu the previous night, and worry weighed heavily on everyone’s hearts. Although Daigu often found himself in danger, he always returned after a battle, waving and smiling at them. This time, however, he had vanished without a trace.

Shinjou approached Rina, who was sitting on the grass, handing her a cup of coffee.

"Thank you..."

"Don’t worry about Daigu..." Shinjou sat beside her, offering comfort. "Hasn’t he always been like this? Just when we think he’s doomed, he suddenly returns, waving and greeting us like nothing happened..."

"You’re right..." Rina held her coffee, gazing into the distance.

"You have to come back..."

"This is the place," Daigu said to Tetsuya as they stood on the bridge. "When I flew over here, the Spark Stick suddenly began to glow. There must be something nearby."

Tetsuya looked around. "Even if there’s something in the mountains, the satellites should have picked it up—unless it’s inside a cave."

He paused, then added, "There’s a famous cave nearby called Tongkararin. Its passages are labyrinthine; people who get lost inside often have no idea where they’ll eventually emerge. Let’s try searching there."

"I never expected I’d become Ultraman..." Daigu confided as they walked. "I’m just an ordinary person—a small, insignificant man..."

Tetsuya smiled. "If Ultraman chose you, there must be a reason. Besides, you carry the genes of an ancient warrior. You’re not ordinary at all."

Daigu shook his head and sighed. "Since you can also hear Yurei’s voice, you should be just like me. Why didn’t you succeed? Captain Hayate, you’re far more capable than I am. If Diga had chosen you, you’d have done even better, I’m sure."

After a moment, Daigu added, "Sometimes I wonder, if Diga had chosen you, maybe things would have turned out better..."

Tetsuya was taken aback. He turned to Daigu. "Do you really think so?"

Daigu smiled and nodded. "That man is just like us, but he’s much stronger than I am. Yet I know he doesn’t possess the same heart—the heart that longs to protect this world with all its might. If he were to possess the light, who knows what the consequences would be."

Tetsuya smiled and raised his voice. "That’s why we have to stop him—to stop his misguided heart."

"I think if you were Ultraman, and I was Ultraman, we’d make great teammates. Fighting side by side against monsters, I’m sure we could handle any crisis." Daigu laughed.

Tetsuya shook his head with a smile. "If only..."

"Woof woof..."

At the sound, Tetsuya searched around and soon spotted a small white dog crouching in the grass nearby. Seeing them, the little dog even leapt up happily.

"Hey there, little one... What are you doing here?" Tetsuya crouched down to stroke the dog’s head. The dog obediently stuck out its tongue, licking Tetsuya’s hand.

"So you like dogs, Hayate?" Daigu watched in surprise. "I thought tough guys like you wouldn’t be fond of little animals." Saying this, he knelt down to stroke the dog’s back as well.

"Everyone has a soft spot in their heart..."

At that moment, the dog gently tugged at Tetsuya’s pant leg, then released it and bounded off in a certain direction.

Tetsuya nudged Daigu. "It seems to want to lead us somewhere. Let’s follow."

"It’s just a little dog..." Daigu was skeptical, but was pulled along by Tetsuya nonetheless.

They followed the dog through the woods and across a stream until they reached a cave entrance. The dog barked at them twice, then ran inside ahead.