Great, we're doomed now!

Carmilla asked, puzzled, "What did you say?"

“The power of Ligadron comes from two sources.” Ye Shou held up two fingers. “One is the alloy frame and energy system of the White Whale space station, and the other is the life force of those astronauts. It is a parasitic monster. Although it is powerful, it is not at its current level. It became so strong by plundering their energy.”

He paused, his gaze darkening slightly.

"But what if those who have been plundered start to rebel, refuse to provide it with energy, or even turn around and fight for the space station's energy system?"

Carmilla frowned, as if listening to a fantastical tale.

"Human will fighting against cosmic monsters?" She shook her head. "You're kidding, this isn't even in the same league."

Masaki Keigo couldn't help but turn his head, his face full of confusion.

“Captain, I know you're reluctant…” Masaki carefully chose his words, “but Miss Carmilla is right, those people actually have no hope of survival. The moment they were merged with this monster, their consciousness and bodies perished, leaving only biological energy… You're saying to let them stand up and fight back, this…”

"Impossible?" Ye Shou finished speaking for him.

Masaki did not nod, but his silence spoke volumes.

Carmilla was more direct, crossing her arms over her chest and raising her eyebrows slightly.

“When did you become so naive, Bayeri?”

"I've lived for tens of thousands of years, witnessed countless civilizations crumble, and seen countless lives devoured. Monsters like this specialize in fusion and absorption. Their internal structure is entirely designed to suppress and assimilate other life forms, leaving no room for their prey to resist."

She tilted her head slightly in the direction of Ligadron.

"Listen—it's not even allowed to let out a wail."

Those people were trapped inside it, unable to live or die, unable even to cry for help, more desperate than prisoners. Did you really expect such a being to turn the tide through sheer willpower?

"You think I'm delusional?"

"...That's right."

Carmilla felt a little uncomfortable under his gaze, but she didn't stop talking.

"I admit that the human species is indeed somewhat special, and this world's technological potential is not bad, but willpower—"

She shook her head: "A will without the support of strength is like a knife handle without a blade; no matter how tightly you grip it, it can't hurt anyone."

"My view is exactly the opposite of yours. A game is only truly over when a person concedes defeat."

"Humph~"

She paused, a slight smile playing on her lips, tinged with a hint of teasing.

"I never expected Bayeli to have such a naive side."

The night wind rustled the leaves, and Ye Shou and Carmilla looked at each other, neither able to convince the other.

Ye Shou suddenly laughed: "In that case, let's make a bet."

He didn't get angry or embarrassed; instead, his face showed a calm and confident demeanor.

Carmilla narrowed her eyes: "A bet?"

“Yes.” Ye Shou held up a finger. “If Ligadron makes it to the base successfully, I’ll consider it a loss. Conversely, if the person inside it really comes out to resist and paralyzes the monster, you’ll consider it a loss.”

"What about the stakes?"

"The loser must unconditionally grant the winner one request," Ye Shou said casually. "Anything."

Carmilla's expression shifted slightly: "No restrictions?"

"That wouldn't be interesting." Ye Shou curled his lip. "Of course, I believe you wouldn't make any requests that would disgust me."

"That's not necessarily true..."

To agree to do something unconditionally—this was a significant bet for Carmilla.

She wasn't the type to make promises easily, especially not to a man who had already won her heart, but this situation seemed to be in her absolute favor; the odds of winning were far too high...

She glanced at Ligadron again; the steel behemoth's steps were steady and powerful, each step leaving deep footprints on the ground, exuding an invincible and ferocious aura.

He looks to be in his prime, showing no signs of weakness whatsoever.

"Are you sure?" Carmilla asked.

"determine."

"No regrets?"

"No regrets."

Carmilla stared at him for three seconds, then the corners of her mouth slowly curled up.

"Okay, I'll bet with you!"

Her voice carried a hint of barely perceptible pleasure, as if she could already see the dejected expression on Ye Shou's face after she won the bet.

Ye Shouze secretly smiled slyly: "Don't try to renege on your promise later."

"Of course not, who do you think I am?"

"hold head high!!!!"

—No sooner had Carmilla finished speaking than a sudden change occurred!

Ligadron's right foot, which had been about to step out, suddenly froze in mid-air. Its entire body shook violently, as if someone had yanked it from behind. Its massive frame lost its balance, and its right foot, though planted heavily, failed to stay upright, causing it to stagger forward.

boom--!

The steel monster knelt on one knee, its forelimbs bracing against the ground, carving a trench several meters long. The energy lines on its chest began to flicker wildly, beating erratically like an electrocardiogram during cardiac arrest.

"What's going on?" Carmilla was dumbfounded. "This can't be... This is impossible!"

She suddenly turned to look at Ye Shou: "Are you secretly up to something? What a coincidence!"

"Am I the kind of bad guy who plans everything, has victory in his grasp, yet feigns weakness to lure others into a trap?"

Ye Shou's expression was serious: "You know me so well, you must know what kind of person I am."

“Indeed…” Carmilla said with some annoyance, “You’re definitely not that kind of person… Is it really just bad luck on my part?”

Masaki Keigo was stunned. He subconsciously recalled Ye Shou's "talking to himself" earlier...

Ugh?

Those words just now... the captain's theory of will... could it be that he deliberately argued with Carmilla just for that bet?

hiss!

Masaki Keigo's expression changed, and he looked at Ye Shou with considerable awe. Just then, Ye Shou turned around and put a finger to his lips—

"Hmm!" Masaki immediately looked away.

Silence is golden...

"Roar~!"

Sparks burst from Ligadron's body, from his shoulder armor to his arms, from his chest to his leg armor. Blue arcs of electricity crackled and popped between the gaps in his armor. The red light in his single eye flickered, as if he were fighting against something and struggling.

At this point, Carmilla was certain she would lose, and the corners of her mouth turned down, showing her great displeasure.

"Damn it...can't you just let me win once?"

Thinking about it carefully, she has hardly ever "won" properly since she met Ye Shou.

This man is practically her nemesis!

On the other side, Ligadron's chest heaved violently, and the dark red pipes beneath the armor plates began to twist and deform, as if something was churning inside. The bands of light no longer flowed evenly as before, but began to converge at a certain point, as if forcibly pulled by some force.

Roar--!

The steel behemoth let out a deep roar, a voice filled with anger, and also with an emotion that Carmilla had never heard from such a creature before:

panic!

But the converging light did not go out; instead, it became even brighter—as beautiful as the aurora borealis.

It wasn't the silvery-gray of Riggardron, but a warm, vibrant, colorful light... It emanated from the chest of the steel behemoth, starting as a tiny speck the size of a fingernail, then rapidly expanding, as if someone had lit a lamp inside it.

"What is that?" Masaki Keigo murmured.

Ye Shou didn't speak, but the expectation in his eyes shone brighter than the moonlight.

finally--

Roar! ! !

Ligadron let out a final roar, his entire body jerking backward.

A huge crack burst open in its chest, and a colorful beam of light shot into the sky, illuminating half the sky as if it were daytime.

At the center of the pillar of light, a figure slowly stood up.

The giant of light, predominantly red and blue, possesses sleek and powerful lines, resembling a warrior descended from the distant stars. Its eyes, bright as stars, gaze down upon the struggling steel behemoth at its feet, its posture upright and its awe-inspiring presence imposing!

——Ultraman Dyna!

"Human will... has turned into giants?"

Carmilla opened her mouth, her shock evident in her expression.

Masaki Keigo's mouth was agape. He looked at the newly appeared giant, then at Ye Shou, his mind reeling as if a thousand cars were running over him.

"Was this also within your expectations, Captain?"

Ye Shou let out a soft breath, as if he had let go of something weighing on his heart, and his smile carried a hint of relief.

"I told you, humans are not as weak as you think."

"..."

Carmilla did not respond. She stared at the towering, silver-gray figure, her expression slowly shifting from shock to complexity.

She remembered what she had just said—

Human will cannot outmaneuver monsters.

A night breeze blew by, and Carmilla's short silver hair fluttered gently... She took a deep breath and turned to look at Ye Shou.

"I concede."

...Ligadron, who had stood up again, stared intently at the uninvited guest who had broken free from his body with his one eye.

Dyna straightened up and glanced back at the direction of the hidden base. Several kilometers away, Ye Shou's gaze met his in mid-air.