Japanese Terrorist: What? I'll fight Hellstar!

The air in the conference room was so thick it felt like it had solidified.

The shaky video was playing on a loop on the projection screen—a giant in red and silver, green rope beams, and finally, a beam of light tearing through the darkness.

After the video finishes playing, it starts playing automatically from the beginning.

"Can anyone tell me what this thing is?"

Tokugawa's voice was slow and hoarse, typical of an elderly person. His cloudy eyes swept across both sides of the long table before finally landing on Abe's face.

Abe's lips twitched.

"The video is real and has been verified by the technical department. There is no editing, no special effects, and no trace of compositing. After investigation, it was confirmed that around 8 pm yesterday, a life form known as the Giant of Light, Ultraman Seven, did appear at the Saeki Haunted House in Nerima Ward. The one who was fighting against Ultraman Seven was none other than the infamous Ju-on Kayako."

"So? You mean, there really are Ultraman? From Nebula M78? Here to protect Earth?"

Aso's words were laced with undisguised sarcasm.

"Ultraman Seven might be a psychic, but it's unlikely that Ultraman Seven is a psychic."

Sasakawa Ryo said in a deep voice.

It's common knowledge that psychics can't deal with curses.

Since Kayako's death, over the decades, at least eighty to a hundred psychics have perished. The powerful ones, like Inudou Ranko, escaped unscathed, but even she dared not act rashly; the less powerful ones simply became part of the curse.

The curse that no psychic could deal with has now appeared in the form of a gigantic monster. In a battle with a being resembling Ultraman Seven, it was defeated head-on. Moreover, while fighting the curse, the being resembling Ultraman Seven also caused the Saeki family home to collapse. After the curse spread, it protected thousands of residents in Nerima Ward.

If this hadn't happened, Ultraman Seven might have been a publicity stunt by Tsuburaya Productions. But since this has happened, they have to question whether Ultraman and the Land of Light really exist in the world.

"However... even if someone isn't a psychic, it's not impossible for them to suddenly gain the ability to transform into Ultraman Seven."

Takatsukasa, with a strange expression, proposed an even more absurd possibility.

Although it was absurd, everyone was speechless and no one refuted the conjecture.

Although it's absurd, it's not uncommon for ordinary people to be transformed into inexplicable forms due to mysterious events.

It is neither scientific, nor magical, nor supernatural; it cannot be explained by any theory and can only be described as supernatural.

"But we can't completely rule out the possibility of Ultraman? After all, extraterrestrial life and unknown creatures do exist."

The elderly man with the surname Saionji proposed an even more absurd possibility.

Ordinary people may not know, but those at this level are very clear that life forms from the universe do exist in this world.

Meanwhile, Kitano Tadashi, Saionji's former subordinate, founded a pharmaceutical company after his post-war rehabilitation. Ostensibly, the company was engaged in drug research and development, but secretly, its main purpose was to capture strange creatures for research into biological weapons.

The group exchanged bewildered glances, their expressions unusually strange.

In this absurd world, even the most ridiculous things have the potential to exist, which makes it difficult for them to get close to the truth.

Tokugawa remained silent for a long time, tapped his fingers on the table twice, and then spoke.

"Tsuburaya Productions... Let's start the investigation with Tsuburaya Productions for now, as well as Koji Moritsugu, the actor who plays Ultraman Seven, and those suit actors. Whether it's a real alien named Ultraman or an anomaly that can't be explained by common sense, I need a definite answer."

Tokugawa's brows furrowed deeply, forming a deep "川" (river) shape. He sighed silently and reluctantly assigned the initial investigation task.

The current focus is still on capturing Tomie Kawakami. As for Ultraman, who hasn't shown much threat yet, the investigation can only go this far.

The headquarters of Tsuburaya Productions, Setagaya Ward, Tokyo.

This is a building that is not very tall. The exterior walls are clean gray-white, and the glass curtain wall reflects the midday sun. A life-size Ultraman statue stands at the entrance. It is the original Ultraman, in the starting stance of the Specium Ray. The red and silver paint shines slightly in the sunlight.

A black Toyota Alphard was parked at the entrance.

The car door opened, and the Deputy Minister of Cultural Affairs, his secretary, and two VIPs got out of the car under police escort.

"It's so lively!"

Looking towards Tsuburaya Productions' office building, the Deputy Minister of Cultural Affairs remarked in surprise.

A crowd of at least fifty people had gathered outside Tsuburaya Productions. Some were taking photos with the original Ultraman statue, while others were children running around with Seven's headgear model. Quite a few were also shouting into the company lobby.

"What happened with Ultraman Seven last night? Does Ultraman really exist?"

"Is this a promotional campaign for the new project?"

"Is the Ultraman series going to be a documentary?"

"Hey! Give us an explanation! You can't just let us come all this way for nothing, can you?"

Two men wearing Tsuburaya Productions uniforms stood at the door, looking troubled, talking to the group of people.

Judging from his gestures, it seemed he was urging everyone to leave.

The Giant of Light incident happened in just one night and one morning. Although it has not yet fully taken off, many fans have already taken action.

Not just fans, but also reporters.

"Dear viewers, I am currently at the headquarters of Tsuburaya Productions. As you can see, a large number of fans and citizens have gathered behind me, all of whom came because of the Giant of Light incident in Nerima Ward last night. So, is this a promotion for a new Tsuburaya production, or has Ultraman really descended to earth? Let's try to find out..."

Before he could finish speaking, a middle-aged man in a Tsuburaya Productions uniform strode out of the automatic door with a standard public relations smile on his face.

"I'm sorry, the president will not be giving interviews today. We ask for your understanding, and we will release an official statement later."

"Just one question!"

"Is the Titan from last night related to Tsuburaya Productions?"

"Did the company president already know something?"

Upon seeing a senior manager emerge, reporters swarmed forward, nearly shoving microphones into the man's face.

"Let's go."

Seeing the situation at Tsuburaya Productions, the Deputy Minister of Cultural Affairs remained calm, said something to his secretary and two bodyguards, and then walked towards the company gate.

The two employees in work uniforms at the entrance were busy dealing with fans and reporters, and one of them saw the group of people walking over.

He was dressed in a suit and tie, with a calm demeanor, and was followed by two burly men who were clearly bodyguards. He was obviously not an ordinary person. I was slightly taken aback, but quickly came forward to greet him.

"Hello, may I ask how you are...?"

The secretary of the deputy minister of cultural affairs stepped forward and handed over his business card.

"We've already made an appointment with President Tsuburaya Productions at the Agency for Cultural Affairs."

The employee took the business card, glanced at it, and immediately became respectful.

"Ah, yes, yes, the president is waiting for you. Please come with me."

He stepped aside to lead the way, pushed open the glass door, and blocked the group of reporters and fans behind him.

"Excuse me, excuse me, this is official business."

The reporters tried to push forward, but the two bodyguards of important figures stood in the middle, their muscular builds and the aura of someone with years of experience in security work blocking the reporters and fans.

By the time they realized what was happening, the Deputy Minister of Cultural Affairs had already entered the hall, leaving them only able to watch helplessly as others smoothly entered Tsuburaya Productions. However, some observant individuals noticed the contents of the business cards, inevitably leading to further speculation among the crowd outside.

The glass door closed behind me, shutting out the noise.

The hall was much quieter than outside, but there was also a subtle sense of tension.

The young woman at the front desk was on the phone, looking a little flustered.

"Yes, yes... President, you really don't have time today... Please understand..."

In the nearby rest area, several employees in work uniforms were holding coffee and discussing the Giant of Light incident.

"...The technical department just said it again, that video really doesn't have any special effects."

"Then what exactly happened? It can't really be Seven, can it?"

"Who knows? Maybe Ultraman really exists in the world. Like Ultraman Tiga, which was filmed a few years ago. I think it was episode 49, 'Ultraman Planet'? In the movie, the alien Charika came to our Tsuburaya Productions company wanting to buy live monsters as pets. There was also a Tsuburaya Productions company in the movie, as well as monsters and aliens."

"Haha! So, according to you, Ultraman Tiga is just a documentary? Tsuburaya Productions is real, and the monsters and Ultraman are real too?"

"Maybe Grandpa Eiji really is a Venusian."

……

Several employees were talking about Ultraman with some skepticism when the Deputy Minister of Cultural Affairs walked by, overheard their discussion, and a thoughtful expression appeared on his face.

He didn't really believe that Ultraman actually existed in the world.

However, all the evidence currently available suggests that the existence of Ultraman is not unfounded.

The office on the sixth floor was spacious and well-lit. Several Ultraman models were on the windowsill, and the bookshelves against the wall were filled with documents, videotapes, and some DVDs released overseas.

Several photos are hanging on the wall, including a black and white photo of Eiji Tsuburaya, a group photo of the crew, and some behind-the-scenes footage from the special effects shoot.

President Tsuburaya Productions sat behind his desk, staring intently at the computer screen in front of him. The screen was playing the same video on a loop. He held a cigarette between his fingers, the filter already burned down to the tip, while the ashtray beside him was already stuffed with five or six cigarette butts.

Hearing the door open, President Tsuburaya snapped out of his daze, saw the Vice Minister of Cultural Affairs, quickly stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, walked out from behind his desk, and extended his hand to the Vice Minister.

"Hello, Deputy Minister."

"I apologize for the intrusion and for disturbing you."

The Deputy Minister of Cultural Affairs shook his hand and responded with a smile.

"Not at all, please have a seat."

The president of Tsuburaya Productions had a hint of weariness in his smile.

The two sat down on the sofa by the window. The secretary served tea, then left and gently closed the door behind her.

"Mr. Deputy Minister, you're here today because of that video from last night, right?"

The president of Tsuburaya Productions asked the question directly.

The deputy director of the cultural affairs department nodded, without beating around the bush.

"That's right, it's all over the internet now, with all sorts of opinions. Some say it's a promotion for Tsuburaya's new work, while others say it really features Ultraman. As the relevant department, we have to find out the situation."

He paused, observing the expression on President Tsuburaya's face.

"So I wanted to ask the president, is that giant of light from Nerima Ward last night related to your company?"

"No! The Giant of Light incident in Nerima Ward has absolutely nothing to do with the company. We had no filming scheduled yesterday, no promotional activities, and no related projects..."

The president of Tsuburaya Productions said firmly, but his eyes became somewhat unfocused.

"To be honest, although our company started with Ultraman, I don't believe in Ultraman's existence. At least before this, I knew very well that he was a fantasy hero."

"But now, you're starting to believe it? Because of the Giant of Light incident in Nerima Ward yesterday?"

The deputy director of the Cultural Affairs Bureau took over the conversation.

The president of Tsuburaya Productions nodded silently.

He didn't think the video was fake. According to the known evidence, a giant of light that looked exactly like Ultraman Seven did appear in Nerima Ward yesterday evening and defeated the vengeful monster that was threatening humanity.

"Is it simply out of hope and expectation for a better future, or is there more reliable evidence?"

The Deputy Minister of Cultural Affairs pressed on without any hesitation.

"I have never seen Ultraman, and neither has my father. At least he left no evidence of Ultraman's existence. His encounter with the original Ultraman is just a story that cannot be verified or disproven. If I had to say something, it would be that I wish Ultraman truly existed."

The president of Tsuburaya Productions was silent for a moment before speaking.

As many people know, in 1965, Eiji Tsuburaya was taking a walk in Lake Ryusei because he was suffering from insomnia. He witnessed a blue ball of light falling into the lake and then met the original Ultraman. After a brief exchange, Ultraman gave him the Ultra Star, a token of friendship. Later, he witnessed the original Ultraman and Ultraman Tiga team up to defeat the space dinosaur Yanagaki.

"We need a hero, Jin Cheng. A hero is necessary! A hero!"

This line reflects Eiji Tsuburaya's original intention in creating the Ultraman series.

However, that's just a story. Eiji Tsuburaya himself never claimed to be a Venusian in the stories and lines of "Ultraman Tiga".

"Is there no corroborating evidence?"

The Deputy Minister of Cultural Affairs frowned slightly, somewhat dissatisfied with the president of Tsuburaya Productions' answer, and then asked a question.

"without……"

The president of Tsuburaya Productions was about to answer when he suddenly paused, as if he had thought of something and became somewhat uncertain.

"Circumstantial evidence... I'm not sure if it counts as circumstantial evidence, Mr. Deputy Minister. Have you seen Ultra Q?"

"Of course, the predecessor to the Ultraman series was a black-and-white film series about monsters."

The deputy director of the cultural affairs department's eyes lit up, and he quickly said.

"Although the Ultraman series is a fantasy television series, I can guarantee that a significant portion of the monsters in Ultra Q were not made up out of thin air by my father and me."

"This is what Tsuburaya Productions President said in a deep voice."

"A real monster?"

The Deputy Minister of Cultural Affairs paused, his voice rising involuntarily. The two important figures beside him, upon hearing this reply, also widened their eyes and looked at President Tsuburaya Productions.