Ultraman: It turns out this is the easy mode.

According to some novels, Masaki Keigo possessed an exceptionally high level of inspiration—so high that he could vaguely perceive fragments of ancient civilizations and see truths hidden in the cracks of time that ordinary people couldn't see. However, this "high level of inspiration" didn't bring him good fortune; instead, it drove him to the brink of collapse due to the chaotic information he received, until he met Choi Myeong.

Choi Myung was the first person to understand everything he saw. Unlike others who simply thought he was "mentally unstable," Choi Myung could accurately pick up on his casual mentions of "details of the ancient murals" and "unknown energy fluctuations," and even add more information that he hadn't seen. This finally gave Masaki Keigo someone to talk to properly, so he no longer had to confide those secrets to thin air that no one would believe.

Of course, the most important thing is that Choi Myung knows a lot about the ancient times. Previously, Masaki Keigo could only guess based on fragmented perceptions, but as long as he described the scenes he "saw," Choi Myung could give a clear explanation and connect those chaotic clues into a complete truth.

Just like that time, Masaki Keigo hesitated for a long time before finally revealing his most perplexing vision—he saw a gigantic monster emanating a dark aura, seemingly related to the destruction of an ancient civilization. But Cui Ming's answer left him stunned.

"You mean... that monster that destroyed the ancient civilization was beaten into self-sealing by Nexus?" Masaki Keigo stared wide-eyed, his tone full of disbelief. He had always thought that the monster was invincible and was the "doomsday symbol" of the ancient civilization.

“That’s right.” Cui Ming leaned back in his chair, his tone as calm as if he were asking, “What did I eat today?” “Back then, Nexus crippled it, and it had no choice but to find a place to seal itself away, which is now known as the ‘Gatanothor Ruins’.”

"..." Masaki Keigo's expression twitched instantly, his lips twitching uncontrollably—he had imagined countless times the tragic scene of "ancient civilization fighting monsters," but the truth was that "the monsters were driven away"? This did not match the "sense of despair" he had sensed at all.

After a long pause, he couldn't help but ask again, "Then why did the ancient humans still perish? Since the monsters were all driven away, shouldn't they have continued to live?"

“Qijera.” Cui Ming uttered two words and explained, “When Qijera bloomed, the ancient humans were immersed in the beautiful dream it created and were unwilling to wake up, and in the end, they slowly headed towards extinction. The Giants of Light will not interfere with the choices of humans, and to be honest, I think that’s quite right—even if it’s a dead end, you have to bear the consequences of the path you choose.”

"..." Masaki Keigo was completely speechless. He opened his mouth, but didn't know whether to refute or agree. He had previously thought that the ancient humans had "heroically sacrificed themselves," but now he realized that they had given up their chance to survive because they were addicted to dreams?
In that case, why does it seem like the ancient humans are a bit...absurd? A bit unworthy of sympathy? Countless complex emotions were stuck in his chest, leaving him unable to utter a single word for a long time. He could only maintain a "completely bewildered" expression, staring blankly at Cui Ming—it turned out that the truth behind the "mystery of the extinction of the ancient times" that he had been agonizing over for so long was actually like this, completely different from what he had imagined.

In Cui Ming's view, the Giant of Light's approach of not interfering with human choices was quite good.

It is precisely this "non-intervention" that gives them a divinity beyond "combat power"—they have the ability to change humanity's fate, yet they never forcibly intervene, but instead leave the right to choose entirely to humanity itself. If humanity chooses to immerse itself in the illusion created by Zigela and abandon its reality, they will watch quietly, neither blaming nor saving, but simply respecting humanity's final decision.

Choi Myung wholeheartedly agreed with this attitude: "That's good. This is what a 'guide' should be like, not a 'controller'."

He thought so too. Looking back on his time in the EDF world, the reason why Cui Ming was willing to fight monsters and aliens with all his might was not because of any grand goal of "saving the world", but because the humans in that world were "worth it" - they never gave up easily, and even in the face of annihilation, they would pick up weapons to fight back; no matter how harsh the living environment was, they would grit their teeth and persevere, fighting desperately to survive.

"Everyone is just trying their best to survive, that's all." Cui Ming recalled the scenes in the EDF world where ordinary citizens spontaneously organized defense teams, scientists stayed up all night developing weapons, and soldiers rushed to the battlefield with the determination to die. His eyes warmed up a bit. "People like these deserve for me to fight more battles and shield them from more dangers."

Conversely, if a civilization gives up on itself, indulging in comfort or despair, unwilling even to struggle, then no matter how powerful the external force, it cannot be saved. Cui Ming thought to himself more than once, "If you give up on yourself, why should anyone else come to save you?"

Just like the ancient humans, who could have defeated Gatanothor with the help of the Giants of Light and given a chance to live if they had just worked hard, but instead chose to become obsessed with Gijera's dream and personally ruined the future of their civilization—such a choice is something that even the gods cannot change, let alone need to interfere with.

When Cui Ming shared these thoughts with Masaki Keigo, his tone was calm yet exceptionally firm. Looking at him, Masaki Keigo suddenly felt his previous anxiety lessen considerably—perhaps, rather than dwelling on "why the ancient civilization perished," it was more important to cherish the present and prevent modern humanity from repeating the mistakes of the ancient times.

Therefore, Masaki Keigo is now in a much more normal state.

He used to always have a furrowed brow, cloudy eyes, and an indescribable sense of oppression about him. The only sounds in the lab were the monotonous hum of the instruments, and even his breathing seemed cautious. But now it's different—he occasionally greets his colleagues at TPC, his eyes light up again when discussing research projects, and he even sits on the base's terrace with Cui Ming during breaks, sipping coffee and chatting leisurely.

This state was better than ever before for him.

He himself knew that the key to this transformation was finally being able to have a proper conversation with someone about those "unspeakable secrets." Before, the fragments of ancient civilization and those perceptions that no one understood weighed on his heart like a boulder. He dared not tell anyone, fearing he would be seen as crazy; no one could understand, not even his closest colleagues could only comfort him with "work is too tiring." Over time, those emotions accumulated more and more, almost bursting his spirit.

But everything changed after he met Cui Ming. He could say without hesitation, "I saw an ancient, dark monster," without fear of being questioned; he could frankly say, "I always feel that humanity will repeat the same mistakes," without bearing the anxiety alone. Cui Ming not only understood him, but also gave clear explanations and shared similar views, letting him know that he was not an "outcast" and that his perceptions were not "hallucinations."

After all, keeping everything bottled up can really drive a person crazy. It's like a stuffy, dark room that breeds gloom; but as long as you open a window, let fresh air in, and let the sunlight in, everything will slowly get better. For Masaki Keigo, Choi Myeong was that "window," giving him an outlet for his long-held feelings and allowing his nearly broken spirit to find support again.

Now, he is no longer tormented by chaotic perceptions, nor overwhelmed by feelings of loneliness. Occasionally, when he recalls the past of the ancient civilization, he still feels a pang of emotion, but it is no longer the heavy burden of before—because he knows that some things are understood, and some things can be discussed with someone; that is enough. (End of Chapter)