"Tom! Tom!"
Gustave had been enjoying his usual afternoon nap in the sunshine when Daigo's urgent shouts shattered the peaceful atmosphere. Looking up, he saw the young man stumbling toward him, his face still bearing the colorful bruises from Chu Zihang's training, with an unconscious stranger draped across his back.
"What happened?" Gustave immediately grabbed Tom by the scruff of his neck, startling the cat from his own comfortable doze.
Tom was prepared to deliver a sharp claw to whoever had dared disturb his beauty sleep, but one look at Daigo's burden changed his priorities entirely. The ship's resident doctor instantly switched to medical mode, producing his first aid kit with cartoon-logic efficiency.
"Put him here," Gustave instructed, quickly clearing a nearby table to serve as an impromptu examination surface.
As Daigo carefully lowered his patient, Gustave got his first clear look at the unconscious man's face. Recognition struck him like a physical blow.
" un?" he whispered in shock.
The weathered features were unmistakable—this was Himeya Jun, one of the most tragic heroes in any universe Gustave knew. A man who carried burdens that would have broken lesser souls, fighting endless battles with no recognition, no support, and precious little hope.
"How did you find him?" Gustave asked as Tom began his examination with professional focus.
"I was heading back to my room when I spotted him collapsed in front of the Gate of All Worlds," Daigo explained. "I called out several times, but he wouldn't respond. He was just... lying there."
Daigo reached into his jacket and withdrew a strange device. "This fell out of his coat when I lifted him. I could feel something familiar about it—the same kind of power that flows through my Spark Lens."
Gustave accepted the Evoltruster, watching as its internal light pulsed with the rhythm of a struggling heartbeat. The device seemed to recognize his touch, responding with faint warmth that spoke of desperate hope.
"You're right about the light," Gustave confirmed, handing the precious item back to Daigo. "Keep this safe—it's probably the only thing keeping him alive right now. As fellow bearers of light, you two might understand each other in ways others can't."
"What's happening over here?"
Camearra's voice carried concern as she approached from the beach, having noticed the commotion while playing with Yang Chan. After entrusting the child to Po's care, she'd hurried over to investigate.
Daigo quickly explained the situation while Camearra listened with growing alarm. When he mentioned sensing Ultraman power from the stranger, something flickered in her ancient eyes—a recognition that went beyond mere curiosity.
"This man has been gravely wounded by an extremely powerful darkness," she said after a moment of supernatural examination. "His physical body shows no external damage, but internally... it's as if he's been torn apart and forced to heal repeatedly. Worse, his very life force has been drained to dangerous levels. In all my millennia of existence, I've never encountered such systematic destruction of a person's essence."
"But that's impossible!" Daigo protested. "If he's truly an Ultraman like me, shouldn't the light have strengthened his body? How could he be in such terrible condition?"
"I'm afraid I know the answer to that," Gustave said grimly.
Both Ultra warriors turned their full attention to him, sensing the weight of revelation in his tone.
"His name is Himeya Jun, and he's the human host for Ultraman Nexus. But their relationship is fundamentally different from yours and Tiga's, Daigo. When Nexus sustains injuries in battle, every wound transfers directly to Jun's human body. When he pushes himself to fight while injured, he literally burns years from his lifespan to fuel the transformation."
"What?!" The concept of consuming one's own life force for power horrified both listeners.
"Under normal circumstances, Nexus hosts have access to a healing sanctuary called the Stone Wings," Gustave continued. "Time spent there can restore both physical damage and lost vitality. But Jun's situation..." He paused, choosing his words carefully.
"In his world, the monsters are called Space Beasts—creatures that feed on human fear and despair, growing stronger with each emotion they devour. They appear far more frequently than the kaiju you face, Daigo. Sometimes multiple times per week."
Daigo's face paled as he began to grasp the implications.
"But surely Jun has allies? A defense organization like our GUTS team?"
"He does—The Night Raiders. Unfortunately, they don't trust Nexus the way your teammates trust Tiga. In fact, they initially classified Nexus as just another alien beast and actively hunted him. Even now, their cooperation is grudging at best."
Gustave's expression darkened further. "Their parent organization, TLT, openly covets Nexus's power. They've repeatedly attempted to capture Jun for experimentation. They view him as a resource to be exploited rather than a protector to be supported."
"That's monstrous," Camearra breathed, her own dark past giving her unique insight into betrayal and isolation.
"It gets worse. TLT operates under a policy of absolute secrecy. After every alien beast incident, they deploy agents to erase the memories of all witnesses—including the people Jun saves. He fights to protect humanity, but humanity is never allowed to remember his sacrifice."
The revelation stunned both listeners into silence. Daigo, who had struggled with doubt even while surrounded by supportive teammates and grateful civilians, couldn't imagine facing such systematic erasure of purpose.
"So Jun battles increasingly powerful enemies with growing frequency, while the very people he protects hunt him and erase all evidence of his heroism," Camearra summarized with bitter understanding. "Even with the Stone Wings' healing power, such relentless pressure would eventually overwhelm any recovery system."
"Why?" Daigo's voice cracked with emotion. "Why does he continue fighting under such impossible conditions?"
The question hung in the air like a challenge to the very concept of heroism. Daigo had once questioned his own worthiness when faced with much smaller burdens. The smiling faces of those he'd saved, the unwavering support of his GUTS teammates—these had been the foundation of his strength. But Jun possessed none of these sources of hope.
"Because that's what defines a true lone warrior," Gustave replied quietly. "Jun fights not for recognition, not for gratitude, not even for hope of victory. He fights simply because it's right, because someone must stand between innocent people and the darkness—even if those people never know his name."
Gustave looked down at the unconscious figure on the makeshift medical table, profound respect evident in his expression. "I've always considered myself someone with a strong moral compass, but I know my limits. If I were forced into Jun's situation—asked to sacrifice everything for people who would hunt me in return—I'd probably walk away. Maybe even fight back against such ungrateful treatment."
"But Jun keeps going. Day after day, battle after battle, he endures pain that would kill most people and comes back for more. He's a warrior worthy of the deepest respect—and perhaps the loneliest hero in any universe."
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