"...The restroom?" Eri froze for a moment. "But there isn't a toilet in this station. The restrooms are all outside the station."
Yu Zhou: "..."
"It's a portable toilet, invented on Dack's homeworld," Yu Zhou quickly improvised, keeping a straight face. "I just found a corner and used one."
"Portable toilet?" Eri blinked, completely thrown off. Who in the world would invent something so… trivial?
"Our planet doesn't—"
"No, you do," Yu Zhou cut him off immediately.
Dack almost blurted out the truth, but when Yu Zhou shot him a glare, he instantly changed his tune. "I—I mean, yes, that's right. Our planet totally invented it. Super convenient, isn't it?"
"Your planet really researches the most… unique things," Eri said with an awkward smile, deciding not to push further.
But in truth, he wasn't fooled.
The sudden appearance of the Giant of Light, Ultraman Tiga, and Yu Zhou's just-as-sudden disappearance—followed by his casual return the moment Tiga left—it wasn't hard for someone with Eri's experience to put the pieces together.
He wasn't some naïve youngster. He was a thirty-million-year-old survivor of the Ultra-Ancient Civilization. If he couldn't recognize Yu Zhou's identity from this, then he might as well throw away all those years of wisdom.
So, this was it: Tiga had reappeared on Neo-Earth not because of some random coincidence, but because the body Tiga left behind in the Ultra-Ancient had been awakened by a new human carrying the genetic spark of light.
And now, that "new human" was standing right before him.
But Eri harboured no hostility. On the contrary, he felt respect.
Back in the Ultra-Ancient times, the Giants of Light hadn't interfered in humanity's choices. They had returned to their own home, leaving Earth to decide its own fate. To many, it had felt like abandonment. But Eri understood—most humans back then had already lost their sanity to the lure of the monster civilization. The few who remained rational had chosen exile, abandoning Earth for survival.
Those who left had desperately hoped the Giants of Light would save their world. But the corrupted masses rejected them, shouting for the giants to leave Earth. Eventually, disappointment drowned out hope, and the giants departed. Then darkness came, and humanity fell.
What sealed that darkness afterward remained a mystery.
But Eri remembered his youth. He had once idolized the Giants of Light. Even after thirty million years, that respect remained.
He reached into his coat and produced a sleek card, handing it to Yu Zhou.
"This card contains universal currency. Use it freely."
If Yu Zhou was Tiga, then Eri would not let him go without support. Neo-Earth had been facing repeated incursions from alien forces. Who knew what kind of greater threats lurked in the future? If that day came, perhaps Tiga would stand with them.
Yu Zhou nodded and accepted the card. He remembered all too clearly how he had gone broke back on Dais Star, forced to sell spicy strips just to eat. No way was he going to repeat that humiliation.
Thinking of that, he shot another glare at Dack.
Dack: "???"
Eri, bound by his responsibilities as one of Neo-Earth's leaders, couldn't accompany Yu Zhou further. And Yu Zhou had no reason to ask him to.
So, after parting ways, Yu Zhou and Dack followed the crowd out of the station, planning to find a place to stay.
Above them, the battle raged on. The invaders' ships fell one by one under the fierce onslaught of Neo-Earth's advanced fleet. Within hours, the foolish Manon aliens had been annihilated.
Yu Zhou didn't feel an ounce of pity for them. Coming in guns blazing, mistaking him for someone else's enemy, and charging at him without listening—if that wasn't asking for a beating, what was?
As they walked the bustling streets, Yu Zhou studied the scenery.
Neo-Earth's architecture was nothing like the futuristic spires of Dais Star. Instead, it mirrored the reconstructed city of R'lyeh on Earth: grand European-style castles and palaces, intermixed with ultra-modern towers.
The medieval opulence didn't appeal to Yu Zhou. Castles were pretty, sure, but not comfortable. So, he asked around until he and Dack found the Interstellar Grand Hotel.
The building soared into the sky; its peak lost among the clouds. From ground level, Yu Zhou couldn't even tell how tall it truly was.
"Tch… If we had to take an elevator to the top, it'd take an hour at least," Yu Zhou muttered before stepping through the ornate doors.
"Welcome to the Interstellar Grand Hotel," chimed a warm AI voice as they entered.
"Would you like to check in?"
A service unit rose from the floor, its smooth chassis gleaming.
"Yes," Yu Zhou said.
"What kind of room would you like?"
"The best you've got. Two, side by side." Yu Zhou grinned. After all, Eri's card had to be loaded—he'd lived for thirty million years, right? And if not, well… they could always downgrade later.
"Confirmed. Rooms 9008 and 9009, on the 900th floor. Please provide payment."
Yu Zhou swiped the card casually. The unit beeped. "Payment successful. Please proceed to the teleport chamber."
"…Teleport chamber?" Yu Zhou muttered. But he and Dack stepped into what looked like an elevator.
There was only one button. Yu Zhou pressed it.
Shhh—
Light engulfed them, and in an instant, Yu Zhou found himself in a lavish suite.
"Identity-based teleportation tech?" He blinked, impressed. So much for that hour-long elevator ride.
Dack, presumably, had been sent straight to the neighbouring suite.
Yu Zhou admired the luxury for a moment. It was worth the price tag. From the floor-to-ceiling windows, he gazed down on endless white clouds. The 900th floor was literally above the sky.
After a quick chat with Dack via communicator, Yu Zhou finally stretched out on the plush bed. After days of travel, a fight with Manon aliens, and no real rest, he needed it.
He fell asleep and didn't stir until morning.
When he woke, he headed out, intending to grab Dack so they could explore Neo-Earth together.
But as soon as he stepped into the corridor, Yu Zhou froze.
Someone familiar was walking toward him, cane tapping, his gait exaggerated and theatrical. Black top hat. Black tuxedo. A cane in hand.
Yu Zhou's eyes widened.
"Charija?!"
The man in black turned, just as stunned.
"You?!"
Yu Zhou grinned. "Yeah, it's me. What are you doing here?"
He couldn't believe it. Of all places, why was Charija on Neo-Earth, the refuge of the Ultra-Ancient humans?
"I'm here to buy monsters," Charija said bluntly, without a hint of shame.
"Buy… monsters?" Yu Zhou repeated, baffled. There was monster trafficking here? On Neo-Earth?
(To be continued…)