Am I the only one in this team who is not Ultraman?

"Yes." Daigo readily followed Leo into the car, and the others dispersed to investigate.

Leo grew up in this area, so investigating here would be faster. Leo straightened his new clothes, started the car, and began his investigation while chatting with Daigo.

"Thanks, Daigo. This outfit suits me quite well. I'll transfer the money to you later. You have great taste."

"Because a long time ago, when I went on a date with Lina, she complained that no matter what clothes I wore, I would only say they looked good, so I spent some time learning about this aspect after that."

As they talked, Daigo scratched his head and laughed, feeling embarrassed. Leo also smiled and said, "It's obvious that you two have a very good relationship. It's not easy for us to have a relationship like this. I heard you're planning to get engaged?"

Being in the defense force is an extremely dangerous job, as you have to face either ferocious and terrifying monsters or cunning aliens. Over the past ten years, the mortality rate of defense force members has been 76%, and the injury rate is 100%. Many people who choose to join the defense force basically never choose to date or get married again.

This makes Daigo and Rena's relationship all the more precious. Leo could tell from the expression on Daigo's face that he was very happy and sweet in this relationship.

"It's still too early for an engagement. Lina's father is on Delta Space Station and won't be back until the second half of the year. Besides, it's not really the right time to talk about these things."

The sudden appearance of King Joe, the ambiguous stance of Zetton, and the unknown identity of Ultraman have caused TPC a lot of headaches and put them under great public pressure. Leo and Daigo were driving to an intersection and waiting for the traffic light when they happened to witness a rather strange scene.

A simply dressed monk walked ahead, holding a sign that read "Salvation" in one hand and ringing a bell in the other. Behind him followed a dozen elderly and middle-aged people, their eyes numb but their expressions devout.

"Save the world!" the monk shouted, ringing his bell. The crowd behind him echoed, "Save humanity!"

"These guys...are they from the Church of Salvation?"

Daigo immediately recognized the group of people. The ten-year monster disaster had caused a huge impact on Earth and also gave rise to many troublesome organizations.

For example, there are monster enthusiast groups that advocate protecting monsters, believing that monsters are messengers sent by Earth to purify the planet, and that being killed by a monster is the salvation of the church that leads to heaven. There are also TPC opposition organizations that believe that all monsters are manipulated by the TPC.

In such an era, there is naturally no shortage of people who are desperate, confused, and unable to find their future. Therefore, there are quite a few people who join these organizations. Looking at the devout expressions of those people, Daigo couldn't help but frown, feeling uneasy.

Leo, however, only glanced at it before taking out his phone and dialing the police number. "Hello, I'm reporting an unauthorized gathering in Akihachi Street. By the way, I'm Leo, the vice-captain of the ESCG Defense Force."

Leo hung up the phone after saying that, leaving Daigo stunned. "Vice Captain, what are you doing?"

Faced with Daigo's confusion, Leo calmly spread his hands.

“TPC has regulations that require gatherings of more than ten people to be reported, but reports of illegal gatherings like this will not be approved. Since it is an illegal gathering, it should definitely be reported, and there is money to be made.”

Seeing Leo's matter-of-fact expression, Daigo was speechless. This vice-captain's thought process was even more novel than he had imagined. In fact, who in their right mind would have such a way of thinking?

But was there anything wrong with Leo's actions? Not at all, they were even compliant and legal. He even specifically mentioned his own position to prevent local officials from shirking their duties.

"Daigo, I know what you're thinking." Leo looked at his teammate, the good brother he would have to entrust with their future. "You must be feeling terrible, seeing so many people lose faith in the future."

“…Yes.” Daigo admitted that he felt hurt and even disappointed at times. The person he and many of his companions had risked their lives to protect had chosen to join such an unreliable group.

However, Daigo also understands very well that there are quite a few people who have lost their families and loved ones and cannot see the future. Whether they are young or old, they are afraid of death on the one hand, and on the other hand, they cannot see much hope under the enormous mental pressure.

"No matter how many monsters we eliminate or how many alien plots we thwart, people's spirits will always be confused, and we cannot promise them a day when true peace can come."

Daigo suddenly felt a little melancholy. He was a sentimental person, but also a strong one. Leo glanced at him, then looked at the people walking by, leaned back in his chair, and said with a touch of emotion.

"Daigo, actually, I used to think a long time ago that if Ultraman really existed in this world, we would be able to see the future if Ultraman protected us."

"Would the vice-captain have such thoughts?" This was something Daigo hadn't expected at all, especially since Leo had clearly shown his wariness and distrust of Blaze and Orb.

"Of course, especially in the year when the monsters first appeared, many people were looking forward to the day when Ultraman would appear to save us. There were even many Ultraman associations established. Oh, it's about time they started to emerge."

With the emergence of Blaze and Orb, two beings presumed to be Ultraman, Leo can foresee how many more organizations will appear using the Ultraman banner to win people over, keeping the Special Investigations Division very busy.

“But I don’t expect anything from those Ultraman, Daigo.” Leo suddenly changed the subject, making Daigo look at him, at that young yet resolute face, at those unwavering eyes.

“I’m not disappointed or sad. I understand people’s desire for a savior to save them. But Daigo, if even our defense force chooses to expect such a savior to arrive, then the Earth is truly doomed.”

Regardless of public opinion or how people view the two newly appeared Ultramen, Leo would never consider them his only hope. After all, their origins are unknown, and... they are no match for Miss Zetton.

Zetton's first battle was a month ago when Leo first awakened. Although his memory of that time was vague, TPC's recording showed that it only took Zetton a dozen seconds to appear and defeat Dimaga.

Just a few days ago, Zetton knocked down King Joe with three punches and kicked Blaze and Orb twice, leaving Leo dumbfounded. Powerful, simple and pure power.

Seemingly sensing Leo's trust in him, Zetton also felt a surge of joy. This feeling of telepathy was subtle; Leo could sense Zetton's loyalty, and Zetton could also sense Leo's trust in him.

After hearing Leo's words, Daigo's gaze inexplicably drifted to his chest, then he gave a bright smile. "I understand, Vice-Captain. Let's go."

"Okay, let's go. This clue is too vague, and the earthquake observation center hasn't given us any information yet, so it will be very difficult to investigate."

For some reason, Leo subconsciously thought of the little boy he had met at the traffic light earlier that day, and the thing the boy was holding in his arms that looked like a seed.

But before Leo could think any further, the sudden sound of a police siren interrupted his thoughts, clearly indicating that his phone call had significantly improved the response efficiency of the nearby police force.

The sirens at night were making people a little uneasy. Ida Mari, who was sleeping, frowned, opened her eyes, and raised her hand. An invisible wave spread out, shielding her from all the noise of the night.

Looking at her hands, Mari Ida pursed her lips. She had gained this power since the incident a month ago, but she dared not tell her parents and family. She herself did not understand where this power came from.

In the other room, Kazuya Ida simply covered his head with the blanket and continued to sleep soundly. He had a dream that his parents had returned home, that they didn't have to be busy all day long, and that they could hold parent-teacher conferences for him and go out to play with him.

I eagerly anticipate the seed I planted growing and blossoming. I'm sure it will be more beautiful than any of my classmates' flowers. The teacher said that whoever has the prettiest flower will get extra points, and my parents will be happy too.

In the Ida family's backyard, the seed that Kazuya had planted quietly sprouted and quickly grew into a beautiful flower. Then, countless yellow pollen sprayed out from it, and in the blink of an eye, the Ida family's backyard was full of these flowers.

Meanwhile, at the Dragon God Shrine, Renlong suddenly woke up, looking troubled.

"How could this be... what is this thing?"

Chapter 11 Eleven Giant Monsters Strike Earth

After a night of investigation, the ESCG team found nothing. They had checked every area of ​​the city. The instruments that Imu brought could detect underground changes and conduct probes. If there were any abnormalities, they should have found them.

"It's almost dawn."

Leo yawned, but didn't feel particularly sleepy. He glanced at Daigo, who had already fallen asleep, and then took out his communicator to contact the others.

"I dreamt, Fujimiya, have you made any discoveries over there?"

"Reporting to Commander, there have been no discoveries yet. There are no abnormal vibrations underground in the city, nor have any traces of large organisms been detected. This is very strange."

I'm a bit confused. If there really is a monster underground, then the device he developed should be able to detect it. Could it be that it's not a monster?

"The underground observation center said there was no unusual activity underground yesterday, and it wasn't a natural phenomenon," Fujimiya added immediately.

“Could it be that the information is wrong, and the person who provided the clue made a mistake?” Fujiwara Juri offered her opinion. Komon, who was next to her, was also catching up on sleep. The whole night of patrolling and investigating had been too exhausting.

“…No.” Leo thought for a moment. “I always have a feeling of unease. Besides, the fact that this vague message was delivered to us proves its reliability. Let’s slow down and you guys take a break.”

After hanging up, Leo dialed the command center again. "Captain Stringman, please inform the Victory Team to prepare for an attack. I have a feeling something big is about to happen."

“Okay.” Gento and Kai had both stayed up all night, and their dark circles were almost showing, but Gento still had no doubt about Leo’s judgment and promptly contacted Megumi, the captain of the GUTS team.

But no sooner had he finished speaking than a new call came in, before Gento had even hung up with Captain Iruma.

"Captain, the Monster Special Investigation Division SKIP sent a message saying there's an emergency." Hong Kai glanced at it, then clicked on the communication permission.

"This is the SKIP Investigation Department. We just received an emergency call two minutes ago. A little girl said that the flower seeds her brother planted bloomed overnight and filled the entire backyard."

"The entire backyard? Thank you for the information, we'll take action now." Gento immediately realized something was wrong and sent the message to Leo.

Upon receiving the news, Leo frowned. If he could, he truly hoped his premonition was wrong, but it seemed he was right after all. The flower seed... could it really be the one from yesterday?

"It can't be that much of a coincidence, can it?" Leo stroked his chin, then glanced at Daigo who was still sleeping, and reached out to shake him awake. "Daigo, get up and get down to business."

After sleeping for an hour, Daigo felt a bit better. He groggily opened his eyes, rubbed them, and asked, "Vice-Captain, what's wrong?"

“We’ve got a lead from the investigation we were talking about earlier, let’s go.” As he spoke, Leo took out a communicator. “Fujiwara, you’ll pilot Unit 1. Komon will pilot Unit 2. You two, Yume and Fujimiya, will arrange the evacuation routes nearby and contact the local SKIP branch to coordinate the operation. Be prepared for the worst.”

As the mission investigation location was sent over, Daigo noticed that Leo's expression became complicated, as if he had thought of something.

Rewind a few minutes, Inoue Mari woke up yawning and started making breakfast for her younger brother. Because their parents were often away from home, she, as the older sister, always had to learn to do some housework and take care of her troublesome younger brother.

Unlike her own relatively ordinary life as an older sister, her younger brother, Ida Kazu, is a genius in the eyes of the public. He excels in his studies and can learn anything well, which is why his parents have high hopes for him and he even has to attend tutoring classes every weekend.

"Kazuya, get up and eat!" After calling upstairs, Mari Ida returned to the kitchen and glanced at the flower bushes in the backyard through the window. Hmm, flower bushes?

"Where did we get a flower bed?" Mari Ida realized instantly and ran upstairs, bumping into her younger brother who was coming downstairs. "Kazuya, hurry up and pack your things! Something terrible has happened! Your flowers have bloomed!"

"Ah, my flowers have bloomed..." Kazuya Ida hadn't even realized what was happening yet, rubbing his eyes.

"These are the flowers you planted yesterday." Zhenli dragged her younger brother downstairs and pointed to the back garden. "Look."

Looking at the flowers that filled the entire backyard, Kazuya Ida couldn't help but gape. "...Oh my god, my flowers! My teacher said that these flowers only bloom once every hundred years, and when they bloom, people's wishes will come true and their future will be bright...Hey, what are you doing, sister?"

Kazuya Ida was speaking when he saw his older sister take out her phone and dial a number. Mari Ida looked up and rolled her eyes at her brother, "I'm calling Skip."

"why?"

Seeing her younger brother looking like he hadn't woken up yet, Ida Masashi sighed, "Silly brother, do you think there are flowers on Earth that can be planted and bloom into a whole field overnight?"

"TPC's promotional materials stated that such abnormal situations must be reported, and there is a reward for doing so."

At this point, Kazuya Ida finally came to his senses and realized that something was wrong. What Mari Ida didn't say was that when she saw the flower bushes, she instinctively sensed danger; something was hiding beneath the earth.

Perhaps it was this intuition that led her to wake up so early today, "to quickly pack her things and prepare for evacuation."

"I understand!" Ida Kazu wasn't some ignorant child, so he quickly ran to pack his things and prepared to run for refuge.

........................................................................

When Leo saw Ida Mari, his feelings were complicated; this wasn't the first time he had seen her.

Although the little girl might not remember him, Leo remembered it very clearly. He saw with his own eyes that when Grandma Asami appeared, she took the child's hand and ran with her. Even when Leo dug them out of the sand later, the old woman, who had already lost her breath, still held the child tightly in her arms.

Of course, Leo couldn't blame a child; it wasn't her fault. He was just somewhat...unable to accept it.

Perhaps sensing that his vice-captain might not be good at communicating with children, Daigo stepped forward and asked, "Little sister, did you call Skip?"

"Yes, it's me." Ida Marie nodded, glanced at Daigo and then at Leo, and for a moment didn't know what to say.

In Marie's eyes, the two people in front of her were two extremes. Daigo was radiating a warm and gentle light, and his words were like a gentle breeze, while Leo was surrounded by a deep and cold darkness, and his eyes were chilling.

But Marie remembers Leo. She remembers being buried underground, and the darkness before she lost consciousness actually brought her a chance to live.

Leo took out his phone and took a picture of the flowers in the backyard. He sent it to the command center for Hong Kai to compare and see if he could find something similar in the database.

Leo looked around, then stepped forward, squatted down, and looked directly at Kazuya Ida. "Little brother, you said these things to your teacher. What's your teacher's name?"

"Well, it's from Masakazu Oki, the math tutor at the Third Business District. He's the one who gave me this seed, saying it was homework he assigned to us."

"Homework... wait, you guys?" A bad feeling suddenly arose in Leo's heart. "You mean, the other students in your tutoring class besides you also got this kind of seed?"

"Yes."

Seeing Kazuya Ida nod, Leo couldn't help but take a deep breath. "How many people are in your class?"

"Thirteen."

Leo looked at Daigo, and Daigo looked at Leo. Their hearts skipped a beat at the same time, clearly indicating that they had thought of the same thing.

"Daigo, take these two children and leave immediately. I'll take care of these flowers!"

"Understood!" Daigo decisively led Kazuya and Mari into the car and drove away. Leo placed one hand on the Limit Breaker and the other on his communicator. "Kai, what are the investigation results?"

"We've found it!" On the command center, Kai and Gento's expressions were also grim. To avoid unnecessary trouble, all defense teams need to maintain communication during investigations, so they had also heard Leo and Kazuya's conversation and had just begun their investigation.

"Masakazu Oki, a physics professor and mathematics PhD graduate from the University of Tokyo five years ago, died in a car accident three days ago..."

"In addition, this flower is not recorded in the TPC database, but I just compared it with the system and found that it is almost identical to a flower called the Joguris flower that appeared in the Ultraman series of tokusatsu television dramas."

"If it's true, then every seed of this flower will bloom on a massive scale and eventually transform into the giant monster Astromus."

Leo wasn't particularly surprised by the first message, but what followed sent chills down his spine and that of all his teammates.

"I dreamt that I would hack directly into their cram school database, find the contact information of all the students under the supervision of Masakazu Oki, determine their addresses, and contact SKIP to assist with the evacuation!"

“Received!” Even if Leo hadn’t said it, I already knew what I had to do. “The highest emergency evacuation order has been issued for the three districts involving the relevant personnel. We are contacting SKIP for their assistance.”

"Captain, please send some men from Sky Base. We're probably going to have to fight a big battle this time."

Leo gripped the Evolution Fighting Device tightly. Although he didn't know who was behind it all, they were facing what might be the biggest disaster in the history of the Monster Age.

"The Victory Team has already been deployed, so you need to be careful on your end too."

"I will." Leo hung up the communication to avoid being distracted. He had already keenly sensed something lurking in the shadows, about to attack him. He placed his hand on the Hyper gun at his waist.

Suddenly, four or five thick vine tentacles burst from the ground and attacked Leo, but before Leo could draw his gun and fire, Miss Jetton had already stood in front of him, her eyes full of disdain.

A pale golden barrier blocked the attacking vines. Zetton stretched out his hand and released a powerful bolt of lightning, scorching the vines and forcing them to burrow back underground. It seemed that he also intended to burn the flower garden, just as Leo had suggested.

"Zetton, don't rush." ​​Leo stopped Zetton from unleashing a high-temperature fireball that was gathering power in its chest. "The evacuation order has just been issued, and many people haven't left yet. I can sense that this monster probably hasn't fully grown yet. Let's not provoke it for now and wait here for a while."

If we force the monster to appear now, there is a high probability that it will cause considerable casualties.

"Zetton, how does this monster compare to you?" Leo gripped his Limit Breaker tightly. Including the other monster, Demaga, which he hadn't used yet, his fighting strength was equivalent to two monsters.

"As long as you're here, I won't lose." Zetton's expression was calm, but her eyes were firm, showing no fear of any opponent, as if she was invincible as long as Leo was there.

"Then Zetton, lend me your power one more time."