Ultraman cubs begin to wreak havoc.

Ring ring, ring ring, ring ring, ring ring.

No matter how long it takes, the funeral bells will never stop. Suddenly, he heard a gentle, lingering sound. That was for Hiroyuki Misawa. Then another sound, ending quietly with a clear, resonant melody, signaled the death of Yoichiro Matsunaga.

He covered his ears, trying to tear his gaze away from what he had lost. However, in the darkness below where he could see nothing from the start, desperately closing his eyes was pointless. He trembled sadly, making a "ringing" sound, before everything was sucked into the bottom of the dark abyss.

The feeling of helplessness overwhelmed the man, and he cried incessantly like a baby. As long as they remained in the amusement park, they would continue to be treated as inhuman garbage.

Even knowing this, they still rang the bell, glorifying the deaths of their companions. Even when forced into a life of slaughter, they didn't escape, instead offering the foolish reason that the underground cavern was a "comfortable haven for waiting to die." Despairing of their low points, their lives ending in laziness, they sought redemption through self-directed drama.

Even when working on the ground, he had to resort to deception to get through each day. Even when overwhelmed by the gray buildings and sky, he still had to visit his ailing wife, using occasional trips to Shinjuku for drinks as an excuse for feeling suffocated. Only now, the excuse had become a life of paradise. He had nowhere else to live.

In the underground cavities next to the sewers, they steal electricity from the utility tunnels, living like children raised by delivery companies, without having to work, enjoying a comfortable life. The inconveniences and unhealthiness are passable, and even give them an excuse to rot away peacefully.

That man named Jun Himeya, didn't he witness their heroic sacrifice? To be honest, Paradise provided a comfortable life, but before they could even tire of it, the one-sided "evil" of killing machines soon appeared.

Then, the machines, in a show of mercy, allowed them to die after suffering only a few seconds of agony. They reveled in the thrill of battle and the bare minimum of righteousness, which could even outweigh the pain of the final moments before death.

In the darkness, which seemed to be smeared with dried blood, the man, despite his fear of the underground cavern, still longed to return there. His inescapable obsession with deception, a desperate attempt to adapt to his most unfortunate fate, resonated tenderly with a heart overly accustomed to failure.

Jingle Bell.

Jingle Bell.

If you give up hope, then everywhere you go, there will be signs advertising "paradise." Even if you can't believe it, if you stop thinking, then there's no need to waver; this is your haven. As if refreshed, everything before him became clearer and clearer. If he had eyes as innocent as Hiroyuki Misawa's, he could be guaranteed happiness and peace until death; a joyful life awaited him.

Then, the mournful bells, with their lingering echoes that seemed to last forever, came to an end, but the distorted feeling in the air remained deep in the ears.

The man braced himself against the filthy wall and began to run. There was no more abyss of defeat, and his companions, who had gathered together because of the same weakness, awaited him.

Hurry... let's go back to "Paradise"!

Are you really going back?

! ? ! ?

Just as the man in the blue hat was about to leave, a voice filled with suppressed emotion rang out beside him. The man, whose thoughts were already in disarray, shuddered and turned his head in surprise. In the dim light, he saw that it was the man named Jun Himeya. He had returned, and he was even carrying the unconscious Yoichiro Matsunaga on his back. He had never imagined that this guy, who had just wandered in by mistake, could return here after escaping.

"Indeed, I still feel that we can't just leave you to your own devices."

Himeya Jun stared intently at the man in the blue hat before him and said in a low voice:

"'Paradise' is not a paradise at all. This is a terrifying abyss. You think you can live a carefree life here, eating and waiting to die, thinking this kind of life is just like living in the legendary paradise. But precisely because of this, this is definitely not a true paradise. This is a purgatory that is turning you into beasts. No matter what you have experienced that led you to decide to end your lives here, I have no reason to ask that, but!!!"

Jun Himeya silently took the camera from the man in the blue hat, his eyes shining so brightly that they were dazzling to the man in the blue hat.

“You are human beings, you are human beings with dignity. No matter who you are, no matter what your plans or conspiracies are, and no matter how you give up on yourselves, you should not trample on the dignity of a human being. So I will rescue you from here, at least let you die like human beings. I will also take away the records of this purgatory. This absurd paradise should not exist. Since you have already chosen a life that is fine no matter what, then don't worry about anything else, don't think about anything else, and leave with me!”

Himeya Jun spoke very quickly, and the man in the blue hat didn't hear him clearly. In fact, even Himeya Jun didn't quite understand what he was saying. However, he felt that he should do something. Under the bright sunlight, watching the deliveryman disappear into the light, Himeya Jun couldn't help but feel that those living in the amusement park shouldn't have such an end. They had fallen to that place because of the deliveryman, so perhaps he could pull them back into the sunlight.

Jun Himeya didn't know. He didn't know if he could do it, nor did he know if he could escape from those killing machines again. But one thing Jun Himeya was absolutely certain of was...

I need to do something. No matter what, I should face the fear I once had and confront the cruel reality. If I run away from here and do nothing, wouldn't I be falling into another kind of 'paradise'?

So, Jun Himeya returned. At this moment, even he himself was surprised that he had actually come back.

Just then, in a space unnoticed by Jun Himeya, a bluish-green light began to flicker...

"Never mind... never mind."

Faced with Jun Himeya's invitation, the man in the blue hat was momentarily tempted, but as the emerald light flashed, his initial excitement subsided. He shook his head dejectedly, squatted down, and, ignoring the bloodstains, whispered:

"It's useless. Even if you leave, so what? Even if you can report the situation here, so what? It's all meaningless. No, on the contrary, it would be a bad thing if you reported it. We absolutely cannot let you destroy the park!"

"Wake up!"

Without a word, Himeya Jun punched the man in the cheek, then grabbed his wrist and said in a low voice:

"Don't you have any dignity as a human being? Get out of here! No matter what... I'm going to change everything."

However, at that moment, a dull mechanical sound began to echo around the two of them...

Just as Jun Himeya was trying to change something in 'Paradise', on the other side of this island nation, a woman slowly woke up. Riko Saida shook her head. She didn't expect that this time when she fell asleep, she would fall into the same dream as before. It was a nightmare that she had repeatedly dreamed since she was a child. In the dream, she kept falling into the deep and cold darkness.

Even as she struggled to swim upwards, she was powerless. She sank deeper and deeper into the water. The surrounding darkness dragged Saita Riko down like a heavy lead weight. The viscous, tar-like darkness rushed into her lungs through her mouth and nose. She couldn't breathe. It hurt so much. I'm going to die if this continues.

Who will save me!

Riko Saito would always wake up suddenly here, her breathing rapid and her heart pounding in her chest. Once she confirmed that she was not in that dark world, but in her own room, on her own bed, she calmed down.

It's okay, it's okay...

She took a deep breath to calm herself and dispel the lingering remnants of the dream in her mind. Then, she finally realized that she was drenched in sweat, her whole body soaked through.

However, today's dream is different.

Suffering endless torment, Riko Saito had almost completely lost the strength to resist. The suffering was boundless. Perhaps it would be better to simply merge into the darkness; how easy it would be to find release...

At that moment, she felt a faint warmth. Riko Saito opened her eyes with trepidation. She saw the warm sunlight, like the rising sun, shining into the darkness. The light slowly intensified, and then the world was suddenly illuminated by light. The dazzling light made her cover her eyes.

What exactly happened? What is that...?

She slowly released the hand in front of her.

Bearing light upon itself, seemingly encompassing everything, standing there is...

Riko Saito opened her eyes at that moment. She lifted her head from her arm and saw the computer screen glaring at her angrily. Ignored, it asserted its presence by displaying a single word.

Ah, I'm finally fully awake now...

Riko Saito sighed. She looked around; the office was completely silent, except for the faint breathing sound of the neatly arranged computers. There were no other colleagues in sight.

She had intended to work, but somehow she became drowsy and her body was so sleepy that she was swaying back and forth as if she were rowing a boat.

Riko Saita finally remembered that she had stayed alone in the dark of the Ministry of Science to make up for the work delays, busily operating the computer.

However, despite being aware of this, she remained motionless, still immersed in the afterglow of the dream.

It was an incredible dream.

She's had this dream several times lately. In the dream, she suffers countless torments, only to be saved from danger by a mysterious being. What is this radiant being? She has no way of knowing. Every time she's about to see his true form, Riko Saito wakes up.

What did that dream mean?

She couldn't understand it. However, the dream gave Riko Saita a clear premonition that something might change about her in the near future.

Furthermore, at some point, Riko Saida began referring to the mysterious being who saved her in her dream as a savior, a being who illuminates the dark world with light.

While Riko Saida was thrilled by this transcendent existence, she resumed her tedious and monotonous work.

As evening fell, after finishing her work for the day, Riko Saito stretched like a cat, but the unfinished work displayed on the screen in front of her made her feel weak all over.

If you don't complete the work quota set by the computer, you can't go home; this is a perfectly reasonable social operating mechanism.

However, today, while operating the computer, Riko Saito suddenly thought of something—

What is the purpose of my work? This was the first question that arose in her mind. What use is my work to society?

Although I feel like I'm controlling the computer, could it be that I'm actually being controlled?

No way.

Riko Saita brushed the thought from her mind. Sure enough, something seemed off today; pondering such things was too abnormal.

After a while...

Alright, that's finally done. Riko Saito was just about to stretch.

Just then, she noticed the strange folder displayed on the screen. She blinked. Why was this folder still here?

The folder was named 'Poseidon,' and the so-called Poseidon Project was a new energy development plan undertaken by the Ministry of Science. This plan was revolutionary, aiming to convert water into entirely new energy sources by applying special fluctuations to it.

If this plan succeeds, it could solve the world's energy problem, easily ensuring a powerful energy source comparable to nuclear energy from readily available water.

However, the project was frozen during its execution. Even staff members of Riko Saito's rank didn't know the reason for the freeze. Rumors circulated that the experiment had failed, but the veracity of this claim was difficult to ascertain. In short, all data related to Project Poseidon was discarded.

If that's the case, then what exactly is this folder that's right in front of her? Curiosity naturally welled up inside her. Riko Saito slowly reached out and opened the folder.

The words seemed to be branded into Riko Saita's mind, and then she stared blankly at everything. What on earth have I been seeing? Riko Saita realized she was looking at something she shouldn't have, and the hairs on her body stood on end.

Suddenly, with a snap, the computer emitted a warning sound, and Riko Saito felt as if her heart was about to stop beating.

Found! ?

Without a second thought, Riko Saito kicked back her chair and stood up. She looked around but couldn't find anyone. The office was filled with a suffocating silence; the only sound was her own rapidly pounding heart.

It's probably just psychological...

But the feeling of being seen by someone truly overwhelmed her, sending chills down her spine.

Who is watching me, staring at me....

No matter what, I have to leave this place. Riko Saita wiped away her cold sweat, shut down her computer, and fled as if her life depended on it, leaving the Ministry of Science and Technology behind.

But even as they walked into the streets under the cover of night, that gaze did not disappear.

Riko Saito felt the gaze fixed on her, almost scorching her skin, closing in step by step. But when she looked around in fear, she couldn't find anyone.

Suddenly, a loud crash from the sky startled Riko Saito, and she shrank back.

"National labor productivity has decreased by 3.4% compared to last year. The government has introduced new systems to fully promote efficiency improvements. Citizens, let's work hard for the development of society..."

Above their heads, a huge floating display moved slowly.

What...?