"Mysterious serial murders!"
"New giant suspected as the killer!"
"According to reports, five citizens were brutally killed last night. Strange objects bearing the giant's emblem were found at each scene…"
"Experts claim the metal found at the crime scenes does not exist on Earth, confirming the involvement of the giant…"
"The giant saved people before. Why is it killing them now?"
"MAC denies the accusation and calls the situation a conspiracy…"
"Families of the victims curse the giant…"
"Why didn't the giant appear last night?"
"Government officials suggest the incident may be a conflict between aliens…"
…
Ryan tossed the newspaper onto the table.
He took a long breath.
Those were only a few of the papers published that morning.
There were more.
But he couldn't bring himself to read them.
"How did things turn out like this?"
Ryan knew how media worked.
But seeing the entire city turn against Leo overnight still shocked him.
Only half a month ago, Leo had saved Tokyo.
Now one piece of planted evidence and a carved symbol were enough to make everyone blame him.
Ryan looked around the room.
No one in the club spoke.
The atmosphere felt heavy.
Ryan started to speak.
"President, do you—"
"I believe the giant."
Ayumi suddenly stood up.
Her voice shook with anger.
"That giant saved us!"
She glared at everyone in the room.
"So why is everyone attacking him now?"
Ryan swallowed the rest of his words.
"…What do you all think?"
Omura scratched his chin.
"Well… the newspapers might be biased," he said slowly.
"But some of their points make sense—"
Ayumi's fists clenched.
Omura immediately changed his tone.
"Still! That doesn't mean people should talk about him like that. It's too much!"
Ayumi's sharp gaze swept across the room.
"What about the rest of you?"
Everyone nodded quickly.
No one wanted to argue with her.
Omura sighed.
"Even if we believe in the giant, it won't change anything."
He spread his hands.
"Unless the giant shows up and explains things himself."
Takeshi frowned.
"Explain? How?"
Omura shrugged.
"If the alien started this mess, the giant has to find it and defeat it. That's the only way to shut everyone up."
Ryan quietly stood up and walked outside.
The sky above the city was bright.
But Ryan felt none of that light inside.
"Leo… what should I do?"
His chest felt heavy.
Thoughts piled up until it was hard to breathe.
"The system… where did it go?"
The only chance Ryan had against monsters was transforming.
As Leo, he might still lose.
He might get hurt.
But at least he wouldn't die instantly.
If things went badly, the system's protection mode might activate again.
Even if it shortened his transformation limit.
Even if it had side effects.
Ryan didn't care anymore.
He just needed something to deal with the crisis in front of him.
But the system remained silent.
As if it had disappeared.
If Ryan hadn't saved Tokyo earlier, he might have believed the system never existed at all.
And the worst part—
He didn't even know how to transform.
Without Leo's transformation item, the Leo Eye, he had no idea how the process worked.
"Leo…"
Ryan looked down at his hands.
When Ryan entered the training hall, he saw Dan standing near the edge of the room.
The children were practicing.
Dan watched them quietly.
"One!"
"Ya!"
"Two!"
…
"Captain," Ryan said as he walked over.
Dan raised a hand.
He motioned for Ryan to keep watching.
In the center of the room, Hirono was training.
He kept getting knocked down.
But every time he fell, he got back up.
Again.
And again.
"Ryu," Dan said softly.
"Look at that boy's eyes."
Ryan stared.
Hirono's small fists swung wildly.
His voice was hoarse from shouting.
His eyes were red.
But no tears fell.
Ryan understood immediately.
The pain.
The anger.
The grief.
Ryan nodded quietly.
"I understand."
Dan turned toward him.
"What did you decide about yesterday?"
Ryan opened his mouth.
"Captain, I—"
Beep.
Dan's communicator suddenly sounded.
He answered immediately.
"Captain, an alien has appeared in sector BX104 in Tokyo."
Dan's expression sharpened.
"Understood. MAC team, move out."
He turned back to Ryan.
"It's Alien Zuruk."
Ryan and several people from the club rushed toward the scene.
From a distance, they could already see the battle.
MAC fighter jets circled the alien.
"Stay here!" Omura shouted. "It's too dangerous!"
The city block looked like a war zone.
Buildings had been sliced apart.
Ryan stared at the smooth cuts in the concrete.
Those blade arms were terrifying.
"Is that the one responsible?" Omura muttered. "Those weapons are unbelievably sharp."
MAC attacked relentlessly.
But the missiles from the Mac-1 fighters barely affected the alien.
The monster slashed at buildings while firing back.
Within minutes, one fighter exploded.
The pilot never even had time to eject.
Dan watched silently.
Then he gave the order.
"All aircraft withdraw."
"Captain?!"
"Withdraw!"
"…Yes, sir. All units retreating."
"Damn it!" Hirono suddenly shouted.
Before anyone could stop him, he ran straight toward the alien.
"Hirono!" Omura yelled. "Stop! That's dangerous!"
Everyone panicked.
"We have to bring him back," Ayumi said through clenched teeth.
She stepped forward.
But someone grabbed her arm.
"I'll go."
Ryan.
"You?" Ayumi snapped. "Are you crazy?"
Ryan gave a faint smile.
"I told you before. I was going easy on you."
Then he ran.
"System… please," Ryan prayed silently.
"Don't let me die."
Ayumi shouted after him.
"You idiot! You better come back alive!"
Ryan ran through the rubble.
Hirono had already disappeared deeper into the destroyed area.
"That kid has no sense of self-preservation…"
Ryan dodged falling debris as the ground shook.
But before he could find Hirono—
A massive shadow covered him.
Ryan froze.
The alien's gigantic foot dropped from above.
The creature had jumped.
Ryan's eyes widened.
The impact slammed into the ground beside him.
The shockwave launched Ryan into the air.
Pain exploded through his body.
The alien could jump.
Ryan screamed.
"001!"
Only the monster's roar answered.
Ryan stared at the ground rushing toward him.
This is it.
He would shatter on impact.
"Leo!"
In the rushing wind, Ryan thought he saw Gen Ootori smiling.
A voice echoed in his mind.
"Don't give up."
Through the rising dust—
A faint light flickered.
MAC Headquarters
Dan had just ordered all remaining aircraft to double their engine output.
But deep down, he knew it wouldn't matter.
Without Ultraman, the battle was hopeless.
He stared at the broken transformation glasses in his hand.
Pain filled his eyes.
If he could still transform…
So many lives might have been saved.
Dan tightened his grip on his cane.
"If only I could still become Seven…"
Footsteps suddenly rushed toward the command room.
Dan quickly hid the broken glasses.
A soldier burst in.
"Captain!"
He was breathing hard.
"It's appeared!"