Chapter 80: Ultraman Returns, Nations Are Shocked Once Again

When Zhang Kai appeared again, he found himself outside the mountain valley, beside the pool, gazing at the bright moonlight. It was night.

Checking his phone, he saw it was already past ten o’clock. His journey through the Netherworld had consumed more than three months. As soon as he emerged, Zhang Kai felt a pronounced suppression—an omnipresent pressure, not upon his body, but upon the millennia of cultivation within him.

It was the power of human taboos, locking away ninety-nine percent of his strength.

“So, the human world is truly the source of pressure. Such discrimination.”

He curled his lips, but had long prepared himself mentally. The suppression wasn’t a concern—as long as his lifespan remained unaffected, nothing else mattered. The strength left to him was still enough to deal with anything.

With this in mind, Zhang Kai departed swiftly.

First, he went to the underground lair of the three-headed beasts. Using sheer force, he shattered every slumbering monster. Having uncovered the truth, he would not allow any threat to exist in the human world—especially as the strongest among them.

The human world belongs to me.

After destroying all the three-headed beasts, Zhang Kai hauled dozens of large rocks to fill the entrance, sealing it off completely. He wanted to ensure no one would enter again, preventing remnants from affecting ordinary people.

Satisfied with eliminating future dangers, Zhang Kai left.

He transformed into Ultraman and soared skyward. Near the edge of the atmosphere, he stopped, took out his phone, and browsed through videos, settling on a science fiction film.

Elysium.

The most captivating feature of this movie was the colossal space station hovering above Earth—a city suspended in the cosmos, equipped with miraculous medical devices, almost mythic in nature.

But to Zhang Kai, the space station itself was most important.

His journey through the Netherworld had overturned many of his old beliefs. Like a frog at the bottom of a well, one’s vision is limited to the well’s mouth—now, having leaped out, Zhang Kai saw much more, and had better plans.

First of all, he would abandon Earth and develop new territories in space. Regardless of whether he was being manipulated by taboos, or what others expected of him—

Now, with abundant lifespan and strength, he’d simply forsake Earth and play in the universe. If spiritual energy was forbidden from reviving, he’d wait it out—see who grew anxious first.

Yet, his golden finger couldn’t be used outside the atmosphere. That was a problem. He’d need a transfer station. Cleverly, Zhang Kai decided to materialize items within the atmosphere, then transport them outside. It would be cumbersome, but workable.

His first choice: Elysium.

He focused on his phone, and in the instant he extracted it, Zhang Kai flashed away from the atmosphere.

The next moment, Elysium appeared in the starry sky of reality, expanding and restoring its original form.

There were some complications; all the inhabitants of Elysium were panicked and bewildered.

Zhang Kai paid them no heed, transforming into a hundred-meter giant and pushing Elysium through the stars.

This scene was quickly noticed by scientific bases around the world, monitoring the cosmos.

Countless people were stunned; the world’s leaders exchanged frantic calls, all attention fixed on one thing.

Ultraman had appeared again.

This time, there was a spacecraft!

Under scrutiny, it became clear: Ultraman was pushing the craft away from Earth, purpose unknown.

Finally, after moving tens of thousands of miles from Earth, Zhang Kai stopped. He turned to Elysium and addressed Lady Liu, who had emerged from the tent space in his palm: “Go, capture everyone inside this spacecraft.”

Lady Liu glanced around, then looked at the distant Earth, momentarily bewildered. But this time, she wasted no words, descending onto Elysium, transforming into her true form—countless tendrils swirling as she began her capture.

Within this space, apart from a few wealthy elites, most were robots.

With Lady Liu’s assistance, Zhang Kai swept through effortlessly. In no time, all were rounded up, and many robots destroyed.

Gathered together, Zhang Kai descended, facing the terrified crowd. Without a word, he seized them one by one, stuffing them back into the paused Elysium on his phone.

Dust returns to dust, earth to earth—those inside and outside the movie return to the movie. Perfect.

Once Elysium was cleared, Zhang Kai smiled with satisfaction at the vast space station.

From now on, he had a flawless base among the stars.

Then Zhang Kai began shuttling between Earth and Elysium.

In the observation rooms of various nations, tens of thousands of scientists saw:

Ultraman returned.

Ultraman left.

Ultraman returned.

Ultraman left.

What on earth is he doing?

We know now that Ultraman is real, can he stop showing off?

Scientists were utterly baffled by Zhang Kai’s actions—confused, left only to grumble silently.

But confirming Ultraman’s existence shattered their worldview.

Some were excited.

They had discovered a new species besides humanity, one that seemed orderly and benevolent—potentially with enormous impact on humanity’s future.

Some were afraid.

If Ultraman exists, do the monsters exist too? Those terrifying creatures capable of annihilation—if a few appeared, Earth would not survive the havoc.

Eventually, satellite watchers noted that, after returning the space vehicle, Ultraman disappeared again, sparking heated debate.

Ideas and opinions poured forth.

Ultimately, two questions tormented all scientists and leaders:

First, how can we meet Ultraman?

Second, what does Ultraman intend for Earth?

In the end, everyone pushed the matter onto Japan.

After all, Japan produced the Ultraman series, claimed Ultraman came from the M78 Nebula, and detailed his legacy extensively.

Now that the real Ultraman had appeared, and specifically the one portrayed as Diga Ultraman in Japan’s productions, who would believe Japan if they claimed Ultraman was fictional?

That little island nation—envied and resented—was the best candidate for first contact.

Seeing all the world’s nations shift the responsibility, Japan’s leaders were dumbfounded.

How should we approach him?

We know next to nothing about Ultraman—it’s all fiction!

Yet, facing united pressure, Japan had no choice but to reluctantly agree to try.

That night.

President Nagatake of Tsuburaya Productions was in the midst of an intimate moment with a young woman decades his junior, when he received a call from the top leadership, summoning him to a confidential meeting immediately.

He dared not delay, pulled up his trousers, and rushed out.

Upon arrival, Nagatake was stunned.

The leaders assigned him the mission: initiate contact with Diga Ultraman. He was chosen as representative. If he failed, he must commit seppuku.

Nagatake: ???