The Gate of All Worlds deposited the entire group directly onto the Bamboo Staff, dimensional light fading to reveal the familiar warmth of their floating sanctuary. Gustave immediately took charge, his instincts for crisis management kicking into overdrive.
"I can't guarantee my master will intervene," he said, already moving toward the stairs. "Find Tom first—he might be able to stabilize Riko's condition!"
Without waiting for acknowledgment, Gustave sprinted up the stairwells, taking the steps three at a time as he climbed toward the fourth floor. Behind him, the others carefully carried Riko's fading form toward the ship's medical facilities.
"Master! Master!" Gustave burst through the Moral Lord's door, then stopped short with familiar exasperation.
His revered teacher sat hunched over a gaming setup, noise-canceling headphones clamped over his ears while his fingers danced across a mechanical keyboard. The screen displayed what appeared to be an intense raid battle, complete with flashing spell effects and rapidly scrolling damage numbers.
"Master, a life hangs in the balance—please pause your game!"
When shouting failed to penetrate the audio barrier, Gustave simply reached over and pulled the headphones away.
"What's happened?" The Moral Lord saved his progress with practiced efficiency before turning to face his agitated disciple.
"Master, it's like this..." Gustave launched into the tragic tale of Komon and Riko, their love story, her death and resurrection as Dark Faust, and her final sacrifice to save the man she loved.
The Moral Lord listened with the patience of geological ages, his ancient eyes revealing nothing of his thoughts until Gustave finished his desperate plea.
"Birth, aging, sickness, and death represent the natural order," the sage replied with gentle finality. "Moreover, resurrection violates Heaven's will. If I granted every request from those unwilling to accept loss, where would it end? Should I fulfill the wishes of every grieving soul in the multiverse?"
His voice carried the weight of cosmic responsibility. "The universe possesses limited carrying capacity. Without death to balance birth, life would multiply endlessly until resource consumption collapsed entire dimensional clusters. Death serves the greater good—a harsh truth, but truth nonetheless."
Gustave felt his heart sink as the Moral Lord's reasoning crystallized with inexorable logic. His master had witnessed countless such tragedies across infinite worlds. Why should this particular couple receive special consideration?
Of course, Gustave thought with growing despair. In Journey to the West, even the King of Wuji required Sun Wukong to sacrifice tremendous face before Taishang Laojun provided healing pills. I'm asking for resurrection based on a simple story—naive doesn't begin to cover it.
But love and loyalty sometimes demanded impossible gestures.
"Master, please help this poor couple just once!" Gustave dropped to his knees, then fully prostrated himself on the floor in the highest form of supplication. "I know it violates natural law, but—"
"Ai ya, who made me accept you as my disciple?" The Moral Lord's sigh carried fond exasperation rather than true annoyance.
Though the Three Pure Ones had separated eons ago, they shared one consistent trait—fierce protection of their students. Yuanshi Tianzun had abandoned dignity to directly attack beings beneath saintly status when his disciples faced danger. Lingbao Tianzun had threatened to remake heaven and earth for his followers' sake. As eldest of the Three Pure Ones, the Moral Lord's protective instincts ran no less deep.
Seeing his disciple's genuine desperation finally melted the saint's reserve.
"Thank you, Master! Thank you!" Gustave kowtowed repeatedly, tears of relief streaming down his face.
"Rise, foolish child." The Moral Lord stood and lifted his horsetail whisk with ceremonial grace. "Let's see what can be done."
On the Bamboo Staff's main deck, the assembled group watched Tom work with increasingly frantic energy. The cartoon cat rummaged through his miracle bag, producing medical instruments that defied description—some gleaming with futuristic chrome, others carved from what appeared to be crystallized starlight.
But nothing satisfied his exacting standards. Each tool was examined, tested, then discarded with growing frustration.
Tom possessed miraculous healing abilities, capable of saving anyone who retained even a spark of life. The problem was fundamental: Riko was completely dead. Her body had been sustained first by Dark Faust's energy, then by Tiga's failing light. Though Tom could maintain the physical shell, the moment his influence withdrew, complete dissolution would follow.
Resurrection lay beyond even his cartoon-logic capabilities.
Komon knelt beside Riko's still form, her hand clasped in both of his as he whispered her name like a mantra. Hope and despair warred across his features with each shallow breath Tom's power allowed her to take.
"The Saint Grandpa is here!" Yang Chan's excited cry broke the somber atmosphere as the Moral Lord descended the stairs with measured dignity, Gustave following close behind.
"Komon, we're saved!" Jun immediately helped his teammate to his feet, pulling him aside as everyone made space for the approaching saint. "Stand back and let him work!"
The Moral Lord approached Riko's prone form with the unhurried confidence of absolute power. He gently touched Tom's head—a gesture of acknowledgment between miraculous healers.
"Tom, release her now. Allow me to proceed."
Tom looked up at the ancient sage, understanding passing between them. The cat nodded solemnly and withdrew his sustaining influence. Riko's body immediately began showing signs of dissolution—light bleeding through her skin like cracks in porcelain.
The Moral Lord simply waved his horsetail whisk once.
The effect was immediate and absolute. Riko's broken body reformed instantly, wounds vanishing, color returning to pale cheeks. If not for her closed eyes and absence of breath, she would have appeared perfectly healthy and whole.
But after that single gesture, the Moral Lord made no further moves. Instead, he studied the grieving Komon with calculating intensity, his fingers moving in subtle patterns as he performed some form of cosmic divination.
"Master?" Gustave ventured quietly.
"This child's opportunity for revival lies not with me," the saint replied, his gaze shifting between Jun and Komon, "but with both of you."
"Saint, why do you say this?" Jun asked with genuine confusion. "I couldn't even maintain her physical form without Daigo's help. How could I possibly—"
"The heavenly secrets must not be revealed," the Moral Lord interrupted gently. "I have stabilized her body permanently—she will remain in this state indefinitely. But if you wish her truly restored, the path lies with you alone."
He turned and walked away with the same measured pace he'd used approaching.
"Saint! Please wait!" Komon broke from his stunned paralysis, moving to follow, but Gustave's firm hand stopped him.
"Komon, my master spoke clearly—if Riko's chance for revival depends on you, then he won't intervene again. Disturbing him now might cost you even this stabilized state."
Gustave understood the Moral Lord's character perfectly. Further pleading would only risk withdrawal of the help already given.
The opportunity he mentioned has to be Noa, Gustave realized. When that ultimate light finally manifests, Riko will return. But Komon must reach that understanding naturally.
"Saint..." Komon's voice cracked as his legs gave out, despair and exhausted hope warring in his expression.
"Daigo, Jun," Gustave said softly, "why don't you both rest aboard the Bamboo Staff until you've fully recovered? The Gate's time dilation means you can spend weeks here while only minutes pass in your world."
"That sounds wise," Daigo agreed, studying his still-flashing color timer with concern. "We're in no condition for another battle right now."
"Mr. Jun, I should take Riko back immediately," Komon said, struggling to his feet with newfound determination. "If I'm gone too long, the Night Raiders will launch a search operation."
"Komon, let me explain about the Gate's properties," Jun replied gently.
After learning about the dimensional portal's time manipulation effects, Komon's relief was visible. He agreed to remain until both Ultramen had recovered their strength.
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