Chapter 998
Lightning Man: Oh no, it's coming for me!
In the cockpit of the Flying Swallow No. 1, Daigo's hand gripping the control stick was still slightly clenched. Through the porthole, he looked at the deep crater on the ground blasted by the beam cannon. Not even a trace of the intact remains of Gabaruga could be found in the black smoke. His throat moved, but he couldn't say anything—only the word "powerful" kept swirling in his mind.
The image of Cui Ming charging forward with the giant rocket launcher, the fierce effort he displayed climbing over the Gabaruga's shell, and the resolute order to "fry them in meat sauce" replayed in his mind like a movie. Daigo clenched his fist, his heart filled with admiration: The instructor is really... amazing.
He subconsciously touched the transformation device on his chest, and the cold metallic touch instantly brought him back to his senses—he could clearly transform into Ultraman and defeat Gebalga with just one Specium Ray, but Cui Ming had relied on human weapons and human tactics to fight head-on from beginning to end, and had not retreated in the slightest even when facing an electromagnetic monster that could suppress vehicles.
But Daigo never felt that Cui Ming's actions were "unnecessary." He recalled a conversation he had with Cui Ming at the training ground: back then, he had just experienced a monster crisis and couldn't help but ask Cui Ming, "With Ultraman's help, don't humans need to work so hard?" Cui Ming stopped his training, stared into his eyes, and said, "Daigo, Ultraman is a partner, not a crutch. If humans always think about relying on others, one day when Ultraman is gone, we won't even have the ability to fight back, and then extinction will be inevitable."
At the time, he was stunned and didn't fully understand the weight of those words. But as he fought alongside Choi Myeong time and time again—watching Choi Myeong deploy defenses against monster attacks to protect the people; watching him take the risks himself to prevent the mistakes of the higher-ups from escalating—Daigu gradually understood: Choi Myeong's "preparedness" was to fight for humanity's true right to survival.
"Humanity must rely on itself." Cui Ming had discussed this phrase with him many times, and each time it wasn't just an empty principle, but rather something embedded in real-world combat. Just like this time, even though he could have asked Ultraman to help, Cui Ming chose to fight head-on with his teammates, and even had the GUTS team finish off the threat to ensure its complete elimination—he was showing everyone through his actions that humanity can also protect its home with its own strength.
Megumi's voice came through the communicator, interrupting Daigo's thoughts: "Daigo, check the weapon systems and prepare to return."
"Received!" Daigo immediately snapped out of his daze, skillfully operating the equipment, a smile involuntarily creeping onto his lips. Although he sometimes appeared dazed due to his slow reaction time, he remembered everything Cui Ming had said and taught him, focusing on obedience—not just following instructions, but also remembering the belief that "humanity must rely on itself," following Cui Ming's footsteps to gradually grow stronger and become a guardian who could stand shoulder to shoulder with Ultraman.
As Flying Swallow No. 1 slowly ascended into the sky, Daigo glanced back at Cui Ming's receding figure on the ground, his resolve hardening: the next time he encountered a monster, he would fight with human strength, just like his instructor, and live up to this belief of "relying on oneself."
The wreckage of Gabaruga was still smoldering, but Cui Ming had already withdrawn his gaze, looking up at the gray sky—the direction of the ionosphere, where the Lightning Man was hiding. His eyes were as cold as ice, his fingertips unconsciously rubbing the dagger at his waist. He really wanted to give them a good thrashing.
"Lightning Man" Cui Ming murmured the name, his tone devoid of any warmth. Recalling how these creatures had lain dormant in the ionosphere during the rampage of Gabaruga, even taking advantage of the chaos while humans fought the monsters, his hostility surged—they were masters of infighting, but when it truly mattered, they were the first to flee.
Suddenly, Megumi's voice came through the communicator, tinged with concern: "What's wrong, Choi? Are you still thinking about the battle just now?"
Cui Ming paused for a few seconds before pressing the call button, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable resolve: "It's nothing, I just think it's better if these Lightning Men are dead." Silence fell instantly on the other end of the communicator, and Ju Jianhui's hand, gripping the device, paused. In the past, she might have advised Cui Ming to "try communicating first" and "leave room for each other," after all, the Lightning Men were also inhabitants of Earth, and resorting to force rashly wasn't the best solution. But now, thinking of the civilians ambushed by the Lightning Men, and their indifference during the Gebaluga attack, she felt only disappointment in the Lightning Men—their excessive actions had already exhausted any possibility of communication.
More importantly, the person on the other end of the phone was Cui Ming, her husband. Over the years, watching Cui Ming do everything in his power to protect Earth, facing not only the threat of monsters, but also the obstruction of his own kind and the covetousness of alien creatures, she had long since chosen to stand unconditionally on his side.
A few seconds later, Megumi's voice came again, less hesitant and more determined: "Do we need the Victory Team's cooperation? If we want to deal with Inazuma, we can formulate a battle plan in advance."
Upon hearing this, Cui Ming's tense shoulders relaxed slightly, and a faint smile appeared on his lips: "Not for now, let me figure out their habitat first." He looked up at the sky again, the coldness in his eyes undiminished—since these "neighbors" only bring trouble, it's better to eliminate them completely to avoid future disturbances.
Silence returned to both ends of the communicator, broken only by the sound of wind whistling through the ruins. Looking out the window at the gradually clearing sky, Megumi knew clearly: whatever Choi Myung decided to do, he would do it. And all she could do was stand behind him, offering him her strongest support. After all, for her now, nothing was more important than protecting Choi Myung and safeguarding the Earth they both cherished.
A certain realization in Megumi's mind is becoming increasingly clear—coexistence is never a one-sided compromise, much less an endless retreat. She used to think that Earth was the home of all living things, and even if there were conflicts with the Lightning People, as long as humanity was more tolerant and more accommodating, a way to coexist peacefully could always be found.
Humanity has made numerous efforts to address this: adjusting satellite orbits to avoid the ionospheric region where the Lightning People reside, limiting the use of high-frequency electromagnetic wave equipment, and even proactively evacuating nearby residents to avoid conflict when Lightning People's activities are detected.
It wasn't until the arrival of Gabaruga—this electromagnetic monster from outer space—that Megumi truly saw the true nature of the Lightning People: they weren't "victims" deserving of pity at all, but rather typical bullies among their own kind. Faced with the weak electromagnetic waves from humans, they could launch attacks with ear-piercing laughter; but when a truly threatening electromagnetic monster appeared that threatened the entire Earth (including their own habitat), they would hide in the ionosphere and vanish without a trace, refusing to offer even the slightest assistance.
This behavior—only baring its teeth at "easy-going" humans, but cowering before truly formidable enemies—completely wore down Megumi's last shred of patience for communication. She finally understood that some creatures never understood the meaning of "coexistence," and compromising with them would only lead to further exploitation. (End of Chapter)