Activating the aircraft, Yu Zhou shot into the sky, heading straight toward YPC's remote mountain base.
Of course, the aircraft couldn't fly directly into YPC's restricted mountain zone. As he approached the perimeter, Yu Zhou stopped and continued the rest of the journey on foot.
After presenting his identification, he was granted immediate clearance and entered the base without issue.
"Senior Yu Zhou, you got here so fast!"
In the main hall of the Super Victory Team headquarters, Asuka spotted him the moment he stepped inside and called out in surprise.
"I used an aircraft—so it's a bit faster," Yu Zhou explained. The aircraft's speed was something all S-VT members had experienced firsthand.
"Heh, next time we're out on a mission, I won't bother with cars either. I'll just take the aircraft," Asuka laughed, his mind already spinning with ideas.
It was convenient, fast, and—most importantly—it allowed him to slip away unnoticed to transform.
When using a car or jet, having teammates nearby often made transforming inconvenient.
"Is Daigo still with Captain Megumi?" Yu Zhou asked casually.
Since Daigo had returned as well, Yu Zhou planned to speak with him first before bringing up the matter of the Kokakucho with Asuka.
"Yeah, Daigo's still talking with Captain Megumi," Asuka replied.
"Alright, I'll head there first."
Yu Zhou left the hall and made his way to Megumi's office. Soon, he arrived outside the door. Through it, he could hear the voices of Megumi and Daigo from within.
"Daigo, didn't Rena and your daughter come back with you?" Megumi asked.
"Rena and Hikaru are both back," Daigo said with a warm smile. "They'll be here soon. This is actually Hikaru's first-time visiting Earth. Ever since she was born on Mars, she's only seen Earth through a computer screen."
"Daigo, that's where you went wrong," came a voice as the door opened.
"Yu Zhou! You're here!"
Daigo looked pleasantly surprised. He had been planning to find Yu Zhou after meeting Megumi—but it turned out Yu Zhou came straight to him.
"Yu Zhou," Megumi greeted him with a smile as well.
Back when she still doubted the human origin of Tiga, Megumi had suspected that Ultraman Tiga was once a person.
And now—two human Tigas stood before her.
"Yu Zhou, what do you mean by I went wrong?" Daigo asked curiously.
"Captain Megumi," Yu Zhou greeted her first before turning to Daigo. "Daigo, you shouldn't have kept Hikaru on Mars for so long."
"Huh? Why do you say that?"
Daigo blinked, puzzled. What was wrong with raising his daughter on Mars?
"You know Mars doesn't have many people—let alone children her age," Yu Zhou explained patiently. "If Hikaru stays isolated too long, never interacting with other kids, she might grow up… different."
"..."
Both Daigo and Megumi fell silent, contemplating his words.
He had a point. A child who grows up without peers might have issues with social and emotional development.
"The difference would most likely show in her personality," Yu Zhou continued.
A child raised on Mars—with no school, no friends, and only her parents for company—might grow up mature and sensible… but also lonely.
Best case, she becomes precocious and well-behaved.
Worst case, she loses her childhood entirely.
Yu Zhou remembered the Ultraman Tiga: Revival of the Ancient Giant movie, where Daigo's second child, Tsubasa Shinmado (or Madoka Tsubasa), was one of the protagonists.
Daigo's full name was Madoka Daigo, so his son Tsubasa shared that surname.
In that movie, Tsubasa—now a Super Victory Team member—was pulled into the ancient past during a mission.
His temperament there was fairly normal, though Yu Zhou always wondered how Daigo had raised him.
During the film, Tsubasa encountered a female warrior resembling his sister, a mysterious swordswoman with a peculiar personality.
It made Yu Zhou suspect that perhaps Daigo's daughter Hikaru, once grown, might end up much like that woman in temperament—though, of course, not the same person.
Also in that story, Tsubasa used a Bronze Sparklence to transform into Tiga.
However, because his inherited Light gene was weak, his Tiga form was small and drained energy rapidly.
Yu Zhou found that strange.
If the Light Gene was a gift from Earth's Will to Daigo, how did it pass down to his son?
Could Daigo have transmitted it genetically?
"If the Light Gene really can be inherited," Yu Zhou mused inwardly, "then maybe a future generation could be born with even stronger Light potential."
He half-jokingly imagined a child born from Daigo's and Masaki's bloodlines—perhaps the ultimate Light-born being.
After all, in the ancient era, another protagonist named Amui was the true heir of the strongest Light Gene.
That child's Tiga form had utterly crushed the revived Dark God. Clearly, Amui's Light was pure and potent—perhaps a direct gift from Earth's Will, passed down through generations.
Daigo, then, might have been one of Amui's distant descendants.
"Yu Zhou, are you suggesting Hikaru should live on Earth instead?" Daigo's voice pulled him back to reality.
"That depends on you," Yu Zhou replied calmly. "If you and Rena are willing to leave Mars and come back to Earth, it might be better for her growth."
"Leave Mars, huh…"
Daigo fell silent, deep in thought.
Megumi didn't offer advice—she knew this was a personal decision.
In truth, Daigo and Rena's work on Mars wasn't that demanding. They mostly cultivated plants in the Mars Botanical Garden, testing which could adapt to the environment.
The work was technical, yes, but well within reach for any trained biologist.
Yu Zhou even thought he could do it himself. After all, Mars' enclosed habitats were already designed to mimic Earth's environment closely.
"It's nothing you can't do on Earth," Yu Zhou added casually.
"I'll have to talk it over with Rena," Daigo said finally.
He agreed that returning to Earth might be good for their daughter—but it wasn't a choice he could make alone.
"If you do decide to stay on Earth," Yu Zhou said, "come find me. I'll recommend you for a position."
Having Daigo train new Super Victory Team recruits would be perfect—easy work, and with his experience, they'd all respect him.
Daigo smiled. "Alright."
Yu Zhou nodded, satisfied.
Though another thought had been itching in his mind—something about the rumour between Horii and Mayumi.
But since Daigo had been living on Mars, he likely knew nothing about it. If anyone did, it would be Captain Megumi.
"Daigo, do you need to use the restroom?" Yu Zhou suddenly asked.
Daigo blinked. "Huh? No?"
Yu Zhou insisted, "Yes, you do."
Then he grabbed Daigo and subtly nudged him toward the door.
If he was going to ask about gossip, it wasn't something to discuss with Daigo listening in.
Realizing what Yu Zhou meant, Daigo quietly obliged. Respecting privacy was, after all, good manners.
When he was gone, Megumi gave Yu Zhou a knowing smile. "So, what is it you wanted to talk about?"
"Captain, what I'm about to ask might shock you," Yu Zhou said seriously, lowering his voice.
Megumi nodded. "I'm ready, Yu Zhou."
Yu Zhou leaned forward. "So… what exactly happened between Horii and Mayumi?"
Megumi froze. "What?"
Of all the things she had expected, that was not it.
She thought he'd ask about missions or aliens—not personal gossip!
"You're surprised," Yu Zhou said flatly.
Megumi sighed, half laughing. "I'm just… curious why you'd ask something like that."
"Because the Kokakucho has reappeared," Yu Zhou replied.
That made Megumi straightens.
The Kokakucho—an entity of ionized floating life—had once killed Mayumi's boyfriend, Takuma. Everyone knew that story.
He had vanished afterward, but now he'd returned?
"Is it the same Kokakucho?" Megumi asked.
"I don't think so," Yu Zhou said. "They're not unique beings. They multiply under special atmospheric conditions. Think of them like free-floating plasma spirits."
Megumi nodded slowly. "Then this case should be handled by the Super Victory Team."
She paused, then added, "As for Horii and Mayumi… I only know a little. It's their private matter."
"It's fine, just tell me a bit," Yu Zhou said, trying not to sound too nosy.
"At one point, there really was something between them," Megumi admitted. "But later, Mayumi realized she couldn't forget Takuma. And since Horii was assigned to Jupiter soon after, it ended quietly."
"I see."
Yu Zhou nodded thoughtfully. That was about what he'd suspected.
Mayumi's heart was still bound to her late lover, and Horii's departure sealed their distance.
Still, Yu Zhou doubted she'd stay single forever. And Horii—still young—would surely find someone in time.
Having satisfied his curiosity, Yu Zhou left Megumi's office.
Daigo was waiting outside, pretending not to have overheard anything. When Yu Zhou came out, he simply joined him wordlessly as they walked back to the main hall.
Now, Yu Zhou needed to formally introduce Daigo—the former Tiga and legendary hero—to the new generation of Super Victory Team members.
That would make future cooperation much easier.