Ultraman cubs begin to wreak havoc.

Yes. The enemy I'm fighting is not my fellow human beings, but an aggressor. I shouldn't linger here fighting.

As Kazuki Komon felt the warmth of Riko Saida's hand, he gradually regained his true nature.

They wanted to move forward along the snow-white corridor, but the enemy, having witnessed Kazuki Komon's swift movements, took precautions and lay in ambush, firing bullets from around the corner. The relentless bullets hindered the two of them. At this rate, they would be hit.

no solution anymore.

He left those guys to Riko Saito to deal with, and Kazuki Komon placed his hand on the door beside him. Sure enough, the door wouldn't open. He fired two or three bullets at the key, knocking it away, and the door finally opened.

He pushed Riko Saita inside, then used the open door as a shield to fight the pursuing troops. Bullets kept hitting the door.

Komon Kazuki clicked his tongue inwardly. If they were to keep at it and use a war of attrition, even I would have no chance of winning. If things continued like this, it would only be a matter of time before I was finished.

"The Lone Gate!"

From inside came Riko Saida's cheerful voice.

"I've found the stairs here!"

That's wonderful! I'm still blessed by Lady Luck. She hasn't abandoned me yet.

Kazuki Komon fired a few shots haphazardly at the troops, then slammed the door shut and rushed to Riko Saita's side. Indeed, there was a staircase leading underground that stretched out in the darkness.

Komon Kazuki fumbled for his memories, frowning.

"It's really weird."

"what?"

"Such a staircase shouldn't be recorded on any map."

So, where does this staircase lead? However, when I got my hands on the map, something bothered me: as far as I could see, there was nowhere in this facility for the invaders to hide.

If that's the case, is this the secret entrance to those guys' headquarters?

Kazuki Komon turned his gaze to Riko Saida, who nodded vigorously in acknowledgment.

Footsteps approached from the other side of the closed door, and perhaps it was just my imagination, but it seemed like there were more people than before.

I have no time to hesitate.

Kazuki Komon gripped Riko Saida's sweaty hand tightly, then used all his strength to plunge into the deep, cold darkness.

Kazuki Komon has always referred to the invaders who rule this world as "those guys." But what exactly are these "those guys," where did they come from, and how did they come to rule this world? In fact, Kazuki Komon has no idea at all.

Those guys manipulated information so skillfully, playing the world like puppets; it was truly an idealized invasion, because the people of Earth became their slaves before they even realized their planet was under attack.

No one in this world has ever seen the ruler's face. Not even Kazuki Komon and Riko Saida, who are closest to the secrets of this world.

Next, I might finally be able to see what those guys look like with my own eyes.

Kazuki Komon had this almost unquestionable premonition.

The two of them were currently walking through a dark corridor. The staircase leading to the underground ended at this crisscrossing corridor. However, whether it was appropriate to call this a corridor or not, Komon Kazuki could not say for sure.

The reason is that this place is clearly not man-made.

So what's the best way to describe it?

It would probably be most fitting to call it a giant anthill. Although it was a roughly hollowed-out cave, it was as vast as a maze. The walls were not bare soil, but had a texture comparable to insect skin. The walls were also covered with a paste-like slime, which would occasionally drip onto the floor in strands.

From the beginning, Riko Saida had been clinging tightly to him in fear, never leaving his side. Even Kazuki Komon couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine at the sight.

He felt that it was more accurate to say he was forced to walk through the digestive organs of an animal rather than walking through a corridor, with a damp smell all around, like the stench of some creature rotting.

Inside this cave, there was nothing like an electric light. However, the walls emitted a faint, continuous glow, ensuring the possibility of seeing in the dark. As for what system supported its operation, it was impossible to deduce the answer.

Kazuki Komon firmly believed this.

This is their lair.

The footsteps of the pursuing troops disappeared at some point. They must have been swallowed up by some branch of this labyrinth.

"Is this enough? Once the detonator is installed, let's go out."

Despite Riko Saida's insistence while holding onto Kazuki Komon's wrist, he shook his head and refused.

"No. We can't go out until we've confirmed what those guys look like."

We must not turn back now that we have only seen the shadows of those guys and do not know their shapes.

I want to use these eyes to see clearly the true form of that thing that has caused us so much suffering and struggle until now, and then annihilate it. Komon Kazuki harbored this burning and unwavering thought.

"and......"

Kazuki Komon opened his mouth but then hesitated. "And even if the detonator is installed, I don't know if I'll get out of here alive, my Riko."

Above, a large number of assassins, just like before, were gathered, undoubtedly prepared and waiting for Komon Kazuki and his group. Escape would be extremely difficult. The worst-case scenario was to blow up the place and fight those guys to the death.

However, Kazuki Komon abandoned this idea. "Why are you giving up? You promised to protect Riko. I have an obligation to at least take her out of this nightmare alive, don't I?"

I would gladly sacrifice my life for it.

But it's okay, I have Lady Luck to protect me.

We've come so far, are we going to never be able to leave this maze?

As this sense of unease began to surface in their minds, a metal door appeared before them. However, it was only as tall as Kazuki Komon, but very wide. For some reason, a switch-like device was placed on the floor. When the switch was pressed, the door opened with a panting sound.

Inside, it resembled a spacious cave. The endless darkness ahead beckoned to the two.

"what is this?"

"This must be connected to where those guys are located."

Finally, it had come to this point. Komon Kazuki subconsciously tightened his grip on the detonator. As soon as he stepped inside, he could see something in the distance at the end of the cave. Komon Kazuki seemed to see a figure quickly passing by there.

What could it be? Could it be the figures of those guys?

As if manipulated by something, Komon Kazuki staggered toward the place.

at this time.

'Coo coo coo coo'

There was a sound. A sound was indeed coming from ahead of the road, carried by a faint breeze.

'Coo coo coo coo coo!!'

The closer you get, the more sources of sound you hear. It sounds like a multitude of things wriggling.

'Coo coo coo coo coo coo!!!'

Riko Saida was terrified and covered her ears, as if she would be devoured by the sound if she didn't.

"Riko, you wait here."

Kazuki Komon placed his hand on her shoulder and said calmly, "I am enough to bear the burden of the truth." After leaving Riko Saida there, Kazuki Komon walked toward the voice, mesmerized.

His breathing also began to become unbearable, intense and disordered, as something elusive and mysterious awaited him.

He will soon reach the end of the road that was initially no bigger than a football.

Just a little bit more.

By now, the gurgling whispers were so loud they almost drowned out our ears, surging in like a raging torrent.

We've arrived! This is the cave exit!!

However, what he saw there made Komon Kazuki freeze in place, shivering. He felt cold sweat trickling down his back, because in front of him, a huge hemispherical space had been opened up underground, an astonishing space of unknown size, thousands of kilometers in size.

Then... the walls, ceiling, and floor were crammed together with those monsters, each one a combination of a human-sized spider and an octopus.

There were thousands... no, tens of thousands. Because of their sheer number, the walls looked like they were undulating as they moved. At that moment, they all began to writhe, and to Kazuki Komon, it sounded like some kind of mournful howl!

In that instant, an ominous bluish-green light appeared, entering Komon Kazuki's ear, and then...

"Ughhhhhh!!"

Kazuki Komon screamed at the top of his lungs. Even he, who had fought countless battles against vicious invaders, could not bear this horrifying situation.

Countless pore-like caves were dug out of the space, and those creatures came and went in an endless stream. Komon Kazuki was in one of these caves. When those creatures noticed Komon Kazuki's screams, they turned their brightly colored eyes to him and made strange noises as if they were scratching glass, which confused Komon Kazuki's mind.

Is this the kind of guy who's manipulating us from underground?!

Komon Kazuki pressed his head, involuntarily backing away. His mind could not bear it, and his knees trembled uncontrollably.

At the same time, accompanied by strange noises, the vortex of those guys' mental energy rushed towards Komon Kazuki's brain. If this energy were to be described in human terms, it would be malice, malice beyond common sense.

Kazuki Komon felt a terrifying dizziness and staggered, almost dropping his briefcase, but this brought him back to his senses.

Yes, we have to wipe out these guys!

Kazuki Komon, recalling his mission, opened the box with trembling hands. "Throw this into those guys and blow them up!"

Just then, the personal terminal on his wrist lit up, indicating an incoming communication connection, and Kazuki Komon hurriedly called out.

"TLT, this is Kazuki Komon."

"Ah, Komon Kazuki."

The familiar voice of the commander echoed through my personal terminal.

"Now, I am observing the invaders of this world with my naked eyes. The operation to eliminate them shall now begin."