Ultraman: I am really just a human.

Chapter 278 Underground

"Welcome to the Sonozaki Wakana Healing Princess program brought to you by Fengdu Fengwang..."

It's another morning.

The wind awakens the city with Wakana Sonosaki's energetic voice, and the post-rain sunshine gives the whole city a fresh look. Windmills with the unique characteristics of Fuuto turn in the breeze, and commuters walk more lightly on the streets.

The terrifying scene caused by the Quetzalcoatlus seems to have been just a dream, with only a few destroyed buildings silently telling the story.

Radio station.

As usual, Wakana Sonozaki read the daily news and chatted with her fans online.

"Kamen Rider? Our city is indeed protected by Kamen Rider, and there have been more and more sightings lately. The monsters still seem to love this city. But Kamen Rider will definitely be able to protect us..."

"Next, please change your mood and listen to my debut single, which has been number one on the Fengdu charts for three consecutive weeks!"

The cheerful and rhythmic singing echoed through the air above the windy city.

"It's Princess Wakana!"

"That sounds so good!"

The young police officer, who had finally managed to fill his stomach in the noodle shop, raised his eyebrows slightly, looked at the diners around him who were showing infatuated expressions, and snorted coldly.

Princesses... He's not buying it at all.

To put it bluntly, it's just a persona; who knows what their real personality is like in private.

Women are terrifying creatures.

All that talk of innocence, cuteness, angels, and princesses... it's all just a mask.

It is precisely because he saw through these things that he has been able to get to where he is today.

"Sir," the noodle shop owner called to the young policeman who was about to leave, "you're 10 yen short."

"How is that possible? It's clearly..."

The young police officer glanced back at the menu, his expression gradually turning grim.

"I don't have any money right now, can I wait a day?"

"Wait a day?" The burly boss spat as he spoke. "Are you kidding me, customer?! Ten yen? You can't even come up with ten yen?"

"I really can't get it out today..."

"I noticed something was off about this guy earlier; he seemed to really dislike Princess Wakana."

Quiet whispers arose among the diners.

"Then we absolutely can't let this guy get away with it! Boss, let's teach him a lesson!"

"I'm not particularly difficult to talk to," the boss said, his face grim. "Just apologize to everyone!"

"Why should I apologize?"

The young police officer frowned, gripping the ace memory chip tightly; his expression grew even more sour.

"It's only 10 yen. I'll pay you back tomorrow... tonight. I keep my word!"

……

The Sonozaki family.

After finishing work and returning home, Wakana Sonozaki personally cooked a fruit pudding using the techniques taught by the pastry chef.

"Mr. Kaminaga, please try some!"

After suppressing her usual bad temper at home, Sonozaki Wakana completely adopted the princess persona, waiting softly for Natsukawa to taste the food.

"I heard that Mr. Kaminaga is also a pastry chef, so..."

"I just know how to make some pastries."

Natsukawa glanced at Sonozaki Wakana again.

I don't know which side of this woman is the real one.

The smile was genuine, not feigned.

He's had a lot of experience, but this is the first time he's seen this type of person.

Perhaps both are true, but the negative aspects are amplified by the Gaia Memory.

"How does it taste?" Wakana Sonozaki asked with concern.

"Still a little short, but I can already be called a pastry chef," Natsukawa thought back to the pudding, "Keep working hard."

"Very good!"

"This girl..."

As Sonozaki Ryubei passed by the entrance, she sighed and shook her head repeatedly, her expression showing a hint of helplessness.

The daughter of the Sonozaki family, the future Earth Shrine Maiden and even Earth Queen, looks like this.

That's absolutely outrageous.

However, it was probably because of this that he was able to choose his second daughter with peace of mind.

His eldest daughter was too shrewd and capable, making it difficult for her to gain his trust.

On the surface, Saeko's betrayal was due to the doctor, but in reality, it was driven by ambition.

They simply foolishly pinned their ambitions on doctors.

"Mr. Kaminaga, may we talk alone?" Sonozaki Ryubei called out, his hands behind his back, while giving his second daughter a warning look.

The second daughter has no ambition, but she always feels that she will truly fall into the hands of a man.

Shaking her head again, Sonozaki Ryubei turned and led Natsukawa deeper into the Sonozaki house, where they turned the switch on a floor lamp at the end of a corridor.

"Whoosh!"

The floor lamp display cabinet slides open to reveal a hidden secret passage behind it.

"here it is……"

"Mr. Kaminaga really doesn't know?"

With a smile, Sonozaki Ryubei stepped into the elevator, leading Natsukawa further underground.

"Wakana found you right here."

After the elevator descended to the bottom floor, a mine tunnel filled with lights appeared before Xia Chuan.

This is an ancient site located below the Sonozaki family mansion, connected to the Hoshifutani excavation site next door, but later isolated due to an earthquake.

The Earth's Well, "Fountain," is also hidden here.

Xia Chuan walked through the passage toward the glowing wellhead surrounded by instruments and equipment, and some blurry images flashed through his mind again.

This is the closest place on the Earth's surface to the planet's will.

If this were in the Ultraman universe, there would be a high probability that a Giant of Light would be born.

And the world of knights...

He could sense the immense power within it, but unlike the light he was familiar with, this power was derived from Earth's memories and knowledge, and could only be borrowed.

Whether it's Kamen Rider or a Doppelganger, they all just treat Earth as a "server".

Gaia Memory is simply an information storage device.

Xia Chuan gazed quietly at the light of data emanating from the wellhead.

The biggest difference between him and the World Knight is probably that his "server" is on himself.

"It was here that we obtained the memories of Earth, which led to the development of the Gaia Memory."

Sonozaki Ryubei strolled to the Well of the Earth and checked the information on an electronic screen.

"After the people of Fuuto become hybrids, the massive amounts of data we collect will be transmitted into this control device. It's all for the final Gaia Impact plan."

"The power of the Earth is immense," Xia Chuan said calmly, "but getting too close isn't necessarily a good thing. Just like the sun, if you get too close, people will die."

"What does death matter when it comes to the future of humanity?"

Sonozaki Ryubei spoke with great emotion.

"If the Gaia Project is realized, humanity can coexist with Earth and there will never be another crisis of extinction..."

"Living as a puppet?" Xia Chuan shifted his gaze from the Well of Earth. "Is the curator still the curator now? The so-called Gaia Impact is nothing more than a premature demise of humanity, and a self-destructive one at that."

"Are you truly an envoy of the X Foundation?"

Sonozaki Ryubei had already put on her belt driver at some point, and turned around to stare coldly at Natsukawa.

"Unfortunately, I've already met the real envoy, Mr. Kato. Foundation X didn't send any other personnel into Fuuto! What exactly is your purpose? Is it for the Well of the Earth? Or for our Sonozaki family...?"

"I'm curious too."

A figure in white emerged from the corner, smiling as he scrutinized Xia Chuan, a golden memory chip in his hand.

"What exactly do you want by impersonating our X Foundation?"

(End of this chapter)