Chapter 21: Experiencing History

The Power of Seven X

Tetsuya manifested in the cosmos in the form of Seven X. His massive physique, broad shoulders, and clearly defined abdominal muscles radiated an explosive sense of power—a sensation that felt hauntingly nostalgic.

Last time, in the world of Tiga some 35 million years ago in the Ultra Ancient era, he had wielded the power of Gaias. Afterward, that privilege was stripped from him. It was only after painstakingly guiding his primary personality to make a choice within the world of Seven X itself that he finally earned the opportunity to obtain the light of Seven X.

The so-called primary personality and the secondary personality—it had to be said, both were ultimately Tetsuya himself.

(Author’s Note: In fact, I hold this view as well, which is why I refer to him as "Tetsuya.")

When he was in those dark, unfathomable depths, he had observed the battles of Seven X. Though it was merely a skirmish against Galberos, Seven X’s debut had concluded with near-perfect poise, the entire fight a display of power that utterly crushed his opponent. That scene was deeply etched in Tetsuya’s mind; it was not that the opponent was too weak, but that Seven X was simply too powerful.

He sensed keenly that, in the starry expanse not far away, a group of formidable energies was speeding past—a pure, radiant light energy.

Assuming the form of Seven X, Tetsuya extended his arms and surged toward that direction.

Despite his massive stature, his speed was not the least bit sluggish. Like a sharp arrow, he pierced the sky in an instant. Flight was a near-universal ability among Ultra warriors, though Seven’s propulsion was notably stronger. As for Seven X, his flight speed exceeded even that of Seven; the sudden, explosive burst of thrust was truly extraordinary.

Before him, the presence came into view.

It was an entire legion of Ultramen. They were moving through the stars at a steady, synchronized pace. Their forms were largely similar, differing mostly in body color, with silver or red being the predominant hues.

Seeing this, Tetsuya was momentarily stunned. He had never seen such a vast legion of Ultramen; this force was enough to sweep across an entire universe.

"Seven?" A warrior of the Red Tribe quickly spotted him. He broke away from the formation, descended beside Seven X, and asked, "Why are you here?"

Tetsuya looked at him calmly, yet he was taken aback. This guy...

This individual had a slightly lean build, though he appeared exceptionally capable, his body covered in red, flame-like patterns with a blue color timer on his chest. On his head, the crest was as sharp as a blade, giving him an aggressive appearance. His orange eyes were narrower and longer than those of a typical Ultraman, looking rather peculiar.

Why does this guy look so much like... that person?

As the figure continued to watch him, Tetsuya didn't answer the question, instead asking in return, "What is happening here?"

The Red Tribe warrior looked at him with a gaze of profound pity and indignation. "Seven, how can you still be unaware of this?"

"Zeke has led the scum of the Blue Tribe in a rebellion. They destroyed the Warrior Command starship; not a single warrior on that ship escaped."

"Alas, that was the strongest, most elite force of our Red Tribe! It was also the elite of your Seven clan. Your father, Big Seven, also met an unknown fate in that sneak attack..."

Tetsuya was stunned. His mind raced to process the information, and as he realized the implications, he looked with a strange expression at the direction in which the dense legion was advancing. "So, this is..."

"The Father of Ultra is leading our forces to punish Zeke and his new Space Garrison. Although it wasn't a mandatory order, how could I, Belial, be absent from such a thing!"

Belial.

Tetsuya’s lips twitched—though this was naturally impossible to discern on the face of Seven X. A sense of exhilaration stirred within him; this must be the world of the Land of Light, and the first person he had gotten to know was none other than Ultraman Belial. This was the very guy who would become such a headache for the Land of Light in the future.

With a wicked smile, Tetsuya immediately replied with a tone of feigned grief and indignation, "In that case, I must follow along as well!"

Belial nodded, following behind Tetsuya like a subordinate. At this point, he was not yet the legendary warrior he would one day become. He hoped to make a name for himself in the Land of Light, which was precisely why he had rushed to join this war as a newly commissioned soldier.

Warfare between Ultramen was remarkably simple. There was no need to consider setting up camps or securing supply lines; they only needed to reach the location and strike the enemy down. It was that straightforward.

Along the way, Tetsuya kept up a constant dialogue with Belial, gaining a deeper understanding of the so-called Land of Light.

The history of the Ultramen was far too complex and self-contradictory. For instance, the "Great Galactic War" occurred 30,000 years into the history of the Land of Light—roughly 6 million years ago in Earth time. The Dark Emperor of the Universe, Empera, led a legion of monsters to invade the Land of Light. The Father of Ultra and all the warriors of the Land of Light fought desperately, suffering countless casualties. During the conflict, the Father of Ultra was cared for by the Mother of Ultra, leading to a romantic bond between them. Finally, thanks to the miracle of the Ultra Bell, a golden radiance covered the entire Land of Light, causing the Empera army to retreat. The war ended, and the Ultra Tower was built to commemorate the victory.

After the war, the Father of Ultra assembled the warriors of the Ultra race to form a formal organization to safeguard cosmic peace—the Space Garrison. Zoffy was awarded the honorable Ultra Medal for his heroic conduct during that war.

However, there was another account claiming that Zoffy’s parents died in the Great Galactic War, after which Zoffy was adopted by the Father and Mother of Ultra—implying he was merely a child at the time. The two accounts were fundamentally contradictory and impossible to reconcile.

Through subtle inquiries, Tetsuya managed to grasp a few truths. The so-called Great Galactic War was not a single event, and the one that had passed was only the first of its kind. In reality, that initial war was led jointly by Ken (Father of Ultra) and Zeke, who succeeded in repelling the Dark Emperor Empera.

At that time, Zeke and Marie (Mother of Ultra) had developed feelings for each other—this had been the first intermarriage between the Red and Blue Tribes.

As for the Space Garrison, it had been established shortly after the founding of the Land of Light, and the one who had actually organized it was King Ultra, also known as Ultraman King.

As for the present, he was experiencing the history of the Blue Tribe rebellion.

He was living through history.

(To be continued.)