Ultraman: It turns out this is the easy mode.

Earth has finally entered a period of temporary peace. Dorobon has been captured, the Magma aliens' revenge challenge has ended in a crushing defeat, and the space sea creature Basil has also become a victim of Cui Ming's sword. Those cosmic forces that have been lurking in the shadows have all restrained their small actions after witnessing the power of Cui Ming and EDF. The city has returned to its former order, and the streets are bustling with people again. Even the training grounds at the EDF base have a rare absence of the tense atmosphere that once held them together.

This peace, however, did not ease Cui Ming's mood in the slightest. On the contrary, he had been frowning lately, and the oppressive atmosphere around him made his teammates hesitant to approach him—Cui Ming was very unhappy, extremely unhappy. The reason for this was still that "door" that he could not open—he had tried countless methods, used EDF's most advanced space exploration technology, and even asked Father of Ultra to help him enhance his light energy, but he still could not enter the universe where Zetton, representing despair, resided.

Every night, when all was quiet, Cui Ming would stand atop the base's observation tower, gazing at the twinkling stars in the night sky, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the railing. He knew all too well that Zetton posed a far greater threat than any enemy he had ever encountered before. It was a terrifying monster that had once defeated Ultraman, and now it was absorbing the ethereal yet extremely destructive power of "despair." If it were to fully mature and break through the barriers of the universe to reach Earth, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Damn it, where exactly is this going on?" Cui Ming cursed under his breath, his eyes sharp as knives. It wasn't that he lacked patience, but Zetton's existence was like a thorn in his heart, preventing him from peacefully enjoying this brief period of peace. He also vaguely understood that perhaps Zetton's universe was in a special "protective state," needing to give Zetton sufficient time to grow before temporarily closing the entrance. But even knowing the reason, Cui Ming's displeasure didn't diminish in the slightest—the feeling of waiting was far more unbearable than facing the battle head-on.

After all, he was just a human. Even with combat prowess far exceeding that of ordinary people, and the ability to defeat powerful aliens and monsters through technology and skill, he inevitably felt powerless against something beyond conventional understanding—the "cosmic barrier." And Zetton? It was a born cosmic monster powerhouse, possessing strength that could crush Ultra Warriors, and now, constantly absorbing the power of despair, its strength would only grow stronger. Cui Ming knew very well that he had to find a way to enter Zetton's universe before it fully matured; otherwise, a direct confrontation could lead to an unprecedented catastrophe for Earth.

Unbeknownst to Cui Ming, in that universe shrouded in despair, the "troublesome enemy" he so desperately wanted to eliminate—Zetton—was huddled in a desolate cluster of meteorites, his usual ferocity gone, replaced by a hint of panic.

Since the accidental birth of "emotions," Zetton's world has completely changed. It no longer pursues power solely on instinct, but has begun to understand "fear," especially after sensing the intimidating power of Cui Ming, which is like a natural enemy. This fear has been amplified infinitely.

Just like a bird with a natural deterrent effect on insects, even across the vast universe, Zetton could clearly feel the oppressive aura that made its soul tremble. It had witnessed the scenes of Cui Ming tearing apart Magma aliens and slaying Basil with his sword (fragmentary information captured through energy fluctuations in outer space), and that ruthless cruelty made Zetton tremble from the bottom of its heart.

"How about... surrendering?" A thought suddenly popped into Zetton's mind, startling it. But when it thought of Cui Ming's power, and the inexplicable "killing intent" from Earth that it always felt when absorbing the power of despair, Zetton felt that the idea wasn't impossible. It even began to wonder if it would be spared if it voluntarily gave up absorbing the power of despair and showed goodwill to Cui Ming?
This terrifying monster, which once gave even Ultraman a headache, experienced its first thought of "retreat" after gaining emotions. It shrank its massive body, hiding itself even deeper, afraid that Cui Ming would sense its location. It could only silently pray: Please, please don't let that human named Cui Ming find a way in, and please, please don't let him target me…

On one side, on Earth, Cui Ming is frustrated because he cannot enter the Zetton universe and is worried about Zetton's growth; on the other side, in the Despair universe, Zetton, having developed emotions and fearing Cui Ming, is secretly plotting to surrender.

However, since there was no way to break through the barrier of the Zetton universe right now, dwelling on it would only be a waste of energy. Cui Ming took a deep breath, suppressing his dissatisfaction, and his eyes regained their resolve—rather than standing still here, he should deal with the matter at hand first. He turned around, no longer looking at the stars in the night sky, and strode towards the observation tower, a new goal already in mind.

Cui Ming turned his gaze towards Camilla's hometown—the universe that carries the legend of Ultraman Tiga. He realized it had been some time since he left. Now that Earth was temporarily peaceful, it was a good time to go back and take a look. Although he had already established a fairly large-scale EDF branch in the Tiga world when he left, with its defense system and personnel configuration complete, there were still many details that needed to be refined, such as the adaptation of newly developed anti-monster weapons and further cooperation with local forces. These were things he needed to personally finalize upon his return.

More importantly, there are still many things waiting for him to handle at TPC.

Of course, all of this was just "side note." What Cui Ming truly cared about were his old acquaintances from that universe—the Kirieloids. The thought of those self-proclaimed "messengers of God," who attempted to purify the world with flames, sent a chill down Cui Ming's spine. Back in the Ultraman Tiga world, he had clashed with the Kirieloids multiple times; their bizarre teleportation abilities and high-temperature fire attacks had left a deep impression on him. Now that Zetton was temporarily free from his restraints, it was a good opportunity to return and meet these old adversaries, to see if they had been behaving themselves during this time.

“Otherworldly beings… Ah… my old adversaries…” Cui Ming murmured softly, his tone carrying a hint of anticipation, yet also an undeniable air of authority. He knew very well that the Kirieloids had never given up their covetousness for Earth, and that the slightest lapse in vigilance could lead to their return. Rather than waiting for them to come knocking on his door, he decided to go back first to “give them a heads-up” and, incidentally, eliminate those lurking threats.

After all, Cui Ming had had enough of being forced to defend.
Speaking of which, I'll be bringing other people along this time, which will also be a good opportunity to set a trap and see what kind of monsters and demons will emerge while I'm away. (End of Chapter)