The world shrank again.
Buildings. Streets. Cars. Everything looked small beneath Ryan's feet.
Just like last time.
But this time, he could move on his own.
And that turned out to be terrible news.
His body felt unbelievably heavy. Standing alone took effort. His head throbbed like it was locked inside a metal helmet. His vision was narrow and strange, nothing like before.
He could hear his own breathing. Loud. Rough.
His heartbeat pounded in his ears.
Why does it feel like this…?
Across the ruined street, the alien monster stood ready.
Alien Zoruk watched him without moving.
Ryan raised his arms slowly and slipped into a basic karate stance.
The movement felt awkward. Clumsy.
This is bad.
If he fought now, the truth would show immediately.
Last time, the monster backed off because the system scared it.
But this time?
Ryan only had minutes.
Ultramen could stay on Earth for a short time. Leo's limit was even worse.
Two minutes and forty seconds.
And his strength was already fading.
His legs trembled.
He might not even stay standing.
Outside the battle zone, people stared in shock.
"At least the giant showed up!"
"Then why isn't he fighting?"
Someone wearing thick black glasses frowned.
"Maybe the giant is working with the monster."
"Hey! Do something!"
"Why does he look… weak?"
Inside the MAC headquarters, Commander
Moroboshi Dan
watched the battle through a monitor.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Ultraman Leo's condition looked terrible. His strength had dropped drastically.
Why?
Last time, Leo had attacked with overwhelming power.
Now his movements were stiff. Unsteady.
Dan narrowed his eyes.
That fighting stance…
It looked unfamiliar. Almost like someone learning to move in the body for the first time.
After a moment of silence, Dan turned and left the command room.
Suddenly—
"YOU BASTARDS!"
The shout shattered the tense silence.
Ryan turned his head.
A boy had climbed out of the rubble.
Hirono
He held a wooden stick.
And he was charging straight at the monster.
Ryan's heart nearly stopped.
You idiot!
The boy swung the stick with everything he had.
"Damn monster!"
The stick struck the creature's leg again and again.
It did absolutely nothing.
Alien Zoruk frowned.
The giant in front of him looked weak.
Too weak.
That made him cautious.
Maybe it was a trap.
But then a tiny human dared attack him with a stick.
The alien's patience snapped.
He lifted his foot.
And stomped down.
Hirono had used up all his strength.
He fell onto the ground.
The monster's shadow covered him.
The massive foot came crashing down.
The boy shut his eyes.
So this is it.
THUD.
A heavy impact echoed across the battlefield.
But the pain never came.
Hirono slowly opened his eyes.
Everything above him was red.
A gigantic body stood over him.
Ultraman.
Ryan had forced himself forward and blocked the attack with his own body.
Everyone froze.
The giant had stepped in front of the boy.
Even though he could barely stand.
In the crowd,
Ayumi quietly wiped her eyes.
"He can barely stand… so why did he go out there?"
Alien Zoruk stared for a moment.
Then rage exploded inside him.
So the giant was just bluffing.
He had wasted so much effort being careful around such a weak opponent.
The monster raised his foot again.
And stomped harder.
BOOM.
The ground shook.
Even the safe zone trembled.
People stopped talking.
No one could say a word.
They watched in silence as the giant endured the crushing weight.
Despite the pain, Ryan slowly lifted the boy in his palm.
Carefully.
Gently.
Like holding something fragile.
Hirono stared up at the giant's chest.
The warning light had started blinking.
Red.
His lips trembled.
"W-Why…?"
Ryan's voice came slowly. Strained.
"Because… I'm… Ultraman."
He set the boy down far from the monster.
"Run."
Hirono stumbled back.
Then he turned and shouted with everything he had.
"YOU CAN DO IT, ULTRAMAN!"
"YOU CAN DO IT!"
BOOM.
Ryan didn't have the strength to stay standing anymore.
Another kick from the monster slammed him into the ground.
The impact shook the ruins.
So tired…
Is this the end?
Ultraman's eyes never blinked.
But Ryan felt like his vision was closing anyway.
"Leo…"
Suddenly—
A flash of light burst inside his eyes.
Don't give up.
The world changed.
Ryan felt like he was flying through a strange tunnel.
Light flowed everywhere.
Lines of glowing energy drifted through the darkness.
"Where am I?"
"Wasn't I fighting the monster?"
"…Did I die?"
He reached for one of the floating lights.
His hand passed straight through it.
What are these things…?
Time lost meaning.
Maybe seconds passed.
Maybe years.
Finally—
He saw the end of the tunnel.
A massive red figure stood there.
Ultraman Leo.
Ultraman Leo
But this Leo felt different from the one in the system space.
This presence felt warm.
Familiar.
"Ryu… I'm leaving this world to you."
A voice echoed in Ryan's mind.
"What?"
Ryan looked around.
"Leo? Was that you?"
No answer came.
Suddenly—
Blinding light erupted from Leo's body.
Ryan raised his arm to shield his eyes.
When the light faded, he stood on a quiet stone platform.
In the center stood a massive statue.
Ultraman Leo.
Nothing else existed here.
No endless space.
No other statues.
This place existed only for Leo.
Ryan frowned.
"What happened to that tunnel?"
A mechanical voice suddenly echoed above him.
"Congratulations. The host has successfully awakened the Light's Aura."
"Current activation level: ten percent."
Ryan froze.
Then anger exploded.
"You useless system!"
"Where the hell were you?!"
"I almost died out there!"
The voice answered calmly.
"System startup was blocked by unknown interference."
"Reminder: the system only provides guidance. The host must not rely on the system excessively."
Ryan clenched his fist.
"You—"
He stopped himself.
Arguing with a machine was pointless.
But one thing bothered him.
"Unknown interference…?"
"Was that Leo?"
He thought about the strange tunnel.
"Where was that place I just saw?"
"Scanning…"
The system paused.
"Detected traces of this world's will."
"Insufficient data. Unable to answer."
Ryan blinked.
"World's will?"
Before he could ask more—
The system voice cut in sharply.
"WARNING. External situation extremely dangerous."
"The host must return immediately."
Ryan groaned.
"Every time I start asking questions…"
But he knew the system was right.
Who knew how much time had passed outside?
Ryan clenched his fists.
His eyes burned with determination.
"Zoruk."
"I'm not done with you yet."