Bighorn Bull is in charge of leading, and I, Beria, am in charge of raising it.

Even with a perfect starting hand, like a royal flush or a blindfolded, he still managed to mess things up like that.

They can even concoct a bunch of conspiracy theories about the Land of Light, making it seem like he suffered a great injustice, which forced him to turn evil.

Is that all?

That's it?!

Purely reaping what you sow!

"Haha... Hiss...!"

Belial laughed out loud without thinking, but in doing so, he accidentally aggravated his still-healing injury, causing him to gasp in pain.

But seeing the little guy in front of him, thinking he had hurt Belial by hugging him too tightly, he quickly let go. However, worried that Belial would kick him out, he put his hands on his head and drooped his head, looking all wronged. Belial couldn't help but laugh and reach out to tap Ken on the head lightly.

"Alright, alright, calm down, you brat. I'm the one who got hit, and I'm the one who's in pain, so why are you crying? It's not like I bullied you... I'm perfectly fine."

As he spoke, Belial laboriously raised one arm, waved it in mid-air, and then pointed at him.

"I was the one who told you to attack with all your might, and I never expected you to be so strong. You've been playing dumb all along... So, even if I'm lying in a hospital bed now, it's my own fault."

"But...but..."

"But what but? You were just listening to me. I told you to go all out, and you did it obediently, and you did it very well... If I had to say something, it was my own stupidity. You reminded me to wear the training armor, but I refused to wear it and just stood there and let you punch me first."

Fortunately, before Belial transmigrated, he had helped his family take care of the baby quite a bit. He had some experience in soothing children.

He didn't give Jian a chance to process his emotions at all. He endured the pain, patted Jian's shoulder, and put on a nonchalant look, half-joking and half-seriously saying...

"However, this kind of good fortune is a one-time thing, don't expect a next time... Now that I know you're actually quite formidable, I won't hold back when we spar again after I recover from my injuries. Be prepared!"

Jian froze upon hearing this, wanting to say something. But after stammering for a long time, he ultimately said nothing.

He stood there, and from Ultraman's perspective, his expression was exceptionally complex.

I felt guilty, touched, and a little bit uncomfortable.

Because of the other young Ultras he'd met before, although they all understood his difficulties and none of them stood up to blame him, Ken could see that ever since the day he lost control of his power and injured an Ultra, they had all felt a certain fear of him. And never before had an Ultra of his age, after being injured by his power, turned around and comforted him with a smile.

This made Ken even more grateful that he had chosen to train there alone, which allowed him to meet Belial and secretly make up his mind...

No matter what happens in the future, I will definitely be Belial's best friend for life!

As Belial looked at his dazed expression, he remembered something else.

The future Father of Ultra is steady and mature, remaining calm even in the face of a collapsing mountain.

Unfortunately, the timid little fellow in front of him was worlds apart from that dignified leader.

What exactly did Jian go through during those years?

……No.

The answer to this question is obvious without even thinking about it.

War, sacrifice, responsibility...

And countless losses.

Those things will gradually wear away Ken's naivety and innocence, layer by layer, until he becomes the reliable and powerful figure in everyone's eyes.

But is that really the life Jian wants?

Beria looked at the little horned bull in front of him.

He is still a little guy who cries easily, is afraid of being ignored by his friends, and is afraid to have too much contact with others because he feels too strong to control.

There's still plenty of time; everything can be done in time. There's no need to place that heavy responsibility and expectation on this child too early.

With enough effort, we might even be able to guide some tragedies that haven't yet occurred onto a better path.

As for where the future will lead...

Let's take it one step at a time...

……

Beria's Diary

That damn Jian, what did he eat to grow up like that?! We're doing the same training, how come he's always stronger than me?! And he doesn't even know his own strength when he fights... I'm practically becoming a regular NPC for the Silver Cross!

No, I have to find a way to get a set of cultivation armor to wear... It doesn't matter if it's heavy, it's better than getting beaten up and hospitalized every now and then, and being humiliated in public!

However, Jian, don't get too cocky. I've made quite a bit of progress lately too!

At this rate of practice, I might just be able to try stealing kills...

At least, I will never let you fight the Alien Empera alone again, and let that bastard cut off your kidney!

Wait, what if Ken hadn't injured his back...

Will Taro have more younger siblings and no longer be an only child?

Chapter 4 Time Flies

Time is a wonderful thing.

When you're counting down the days—like when you're a student at school, bobbing your head and glancing at the clock every now and then, hoping to get out of school early—it feels like every second is an eternity.

But when you look back, you'll find it's ridiculously fast. So fast that you think it's just a blink of an eye, and before you know it, a whole day has passed by in a blur.

This feeling was especially pronounced for Belial, who gradually integrated into his new identity as "Belial" over time.

For him, it felt as if his first encounter with Jian had just happened yesterday.

But in reality, ten thousand years have passed.

Yes.

a thousand years.

At this moment, Belial stood at the edge of the training field, looking at the center of the field where a group of young Olympians were practicing in pairs.

The light from the light skills rose and fell within the protective shield, exploding into dazzling bursts of light.

A few of the brats got really into a fight, wrestling and rolling around on the ground, yelling like mad. They only calmed down after the instructors pulled them apart and glared at them with sharp eyes.

This made Beria want to laugh a little.

This scene is strikingly similar to what happened ten thousand years ago when Beria first began sparring with Ken.

However, for them now, the protective shield at the training ground is no longer sufficient.

Therefore, Belial and his group rarely come to the training grounds anymore. When sparring, they usually fly directly to an asteroid not far from the Land of Light so that they can practice freely and to their heart's content.

Thinking about it this way, it seems that my strength and Jian's strength have indeed improved a lot.

"Senior Belial! Hello!"

Just then, a young Red Clan member, who had just finished sparring, ran past Belial. Upon seeing Belial, he suppressed his childlike liveliness and respectfully bowed to him.

The way he looked at Beria was filled with that undisguised admiration that is unique to young people.

Belial and Ken have gained immense popularity in the Land of Light thanks to their persistent hard work and visible growth in strength. They are even frequently mentioned by their instructors as role models to encourage young Omega.

"Hey kid, you've had a tough day of training... But next time, try not to aim for the eyes, you might accidentally hurt your friend! Also, when you throw a punch, you should swing it like this, it will make your punch faster and less strenuous."

At first, Beria was flattered by such a gaze.

Now, so many years later, Beria has long since become accustomed to it.

But what remained unchanged was that he did not exhibit the aloofness and indifference that the original Beria displayed.

Instead, he loosened his arms from his chest, bent down a few feet, and with a noticeable creaking sound, reached out and rubbed the little guy's head, responding patiently in a gentle voice, and thoughtfully pointing out the shortcomings in the other's training process.

"Yes, Senior Belial! I will remember it!"

The boy received a response, and his face lit up even more.

After a brief conversation with Beria, he skipped and hopped away to show off to his friends.

After the little guy's figure disappeared around the corner, Belial lowered his head and looked at his dusty training armor.

The silver-gray metal casing, weathered by time, gleams with a dull luster under the light of the plasma spark tower, with obvious wear marks at the joints.

Those are the marks left by years of high-intensity confrontation; every scratch is a mark of time.

Ever since the day he was discharged from the Silver Cross Army Hospital, Belial, with his survival instinct at its peak, has been constantly wearing his training armor.

All told, it has been worn for ten thousand years.

Belial's feelings about the training armor changed from feeling as heavy as Mount Tai at the beginning to feeling as light as a feather later on.

From initially being unable to retaliate due to the heavy burden, he can now fight back against Ken even with the training armor's limitations maxed out.

So much so that Belial, who was completely used to the existence of the training armor, almost forgot that he was wearing such a heavy set of equipment.

More than once, he wondered what level of strength he could reach if he were freed from the limitations of this cultivation armor.

"Belial—!"

Just as Belial was pondering, judging from the sound he had just heard, that he might need to maintain his training armor, a loud and energetic shout came from behind him.

Beria knew who it was without even turning around.

In the entire Land of Light, there is only one person who calls Belial's name in such a carefree, seemingly trouble-free tone.

That is Ken, who, as he grew older, gradually emerged from the shadows of his childhood with Belial's companionship and guidance, and whose personality increasingly resembled Taro's.

When Belial turned around at the sound, he indeed saw Ken walking briskly toward him, the ground beneath his feet trembling slightly.

His current size is vastly different from that of a tiny child ten thousand years ago.

He had broad shoulders, an upright posture, and silver skin that shone brightly in the light.

The little boy who used to speak softly and never dared to make eye contact has now grown into a reliable warrior whose mere presence can make people feel at ease.

Even the pair of horns, which were just sprouting tips when they were young, have become much thicker and are constantly developing into the image of a "big-horned bull".

"I just came from the administration office, and guess what?"

As Jian spoke, he stopped in front of Beria. His hand habitually rested on Beria's shoulder, and his tone was full of that signature憨厚 (honest and simple) smile.

"You're being chased by your advisor again, needing to submit the planetary observation data you missed?"

"No, that's not it! It's... wait, how did you know I was being chased by my advisor today?"

"I guessed, otherwise you wouldn't have come to find me so late... Also, don't lean on me. I'm wearing training armor, which is heavy enough. Don't you know how much you weigh?"

"Hehehe, so what? With your current strength, even if I were several times heavier, it would be a piece of cake for you~"

Beria responded with a look of disgust, but did not break free from Jian's arm.

Ken, on the other hand, seemed completely unfazed. He wasn't intimidated by Belial at all; instead, he put on a smug and self-righteous face, responding with a cheerful laugh.

Then, following Belial's gaze, he looked at the new generation training on the training field. His eyes softened as he recalled the past, and he continued speaking.

"Alright, let's get down to business. Do you remember the application we submitted for leaving the country?"

Beria paused for a moment, then his eyes lit up: "Approved?"

"Approved."

Ken turned to look at Belial, his clear eyes still gleaming with the light that had never been extinguished since his youth.

"In other words, from now on, we can leave the Land of Light at any time! We can freely explore the surrounding star systems, without mission restrictions or return time requirements, and arrange everything entirely according to our own wishes!"

Belial nodded upon hearing this, saying nothing more. But the heart in his chest, which had been quiet for a long time, suddenly began to beat faster.

It's been ten thousand years.

I stayed in the Land of Light for a full ten thousand years.

Ten thousand years!

Do you know how I've spent these ten thousand years...!

Oh, sorry, I mixed up my words.

In short, during these ten thousand years, because he didn't need to sleep or eat, Beria was basically working around the clock, running between the training ground and the school.

Yes, you heard right, the Land of Light has schools.

At first, Beria was devastated.

As a laid-back office worker, he has an ingrained resistance to returning to school.