1novels Chapter 223 is named Gaia! The terror of inorganic matter!
Chapter 223 is named Gaia! The terror of inorganic matter!
(The name Fujimiya Hiroya originally designed for the localization was Fujihiroya, but now we're changing it to the two-character name Fujimiya, which is more acceptable to everyone... Although the author always seems to revert to the original version as he writes... some details might get problematic.)
(Also, I didn't check the backend for the past couple of days. Thank you to the generous sponsor! Thank you to the amazing [Okinawa Science Scholar] for the certification! Love you! Sorry for the delay!)
A week feels like an eternity to viewers who have been completely hooked on Ultraman Gaia.
Since the last episode aired, featuring the breathtaking "Thunder Landing" and the hardcore, realistic defense team setting, discussions about "Gaia," "Destruction Invitation Entity," and "XIG" have never stopped online.
Friday night at 8 PM.
Countless people waited in front of their screens on time. Without any pre-show hype or unnecessary delays, after the stirring symphonic opening theme ended, the title of the third episode slowly appeared on the screen—"Named Gaia".
In the very first minute, they immediately threw out a parallel montage edit with extremely high information density!
Accompanied by a slightly retro-styled news broadcast, images from around the world flashed across the screen.
About five years ago, a group of exceptionally bright teenagers from all over the world emerged...
"They used network communication to help each other with their research and made remarkable progress in the scientific field in preparation for the primordial extinction target they predicted."
"These boys call their group 'Alchemy Stars'..."
The scene then seamlessly cuts to the KCB television studio. Anchorwoman Jing Ling is giving a serious report to the camera.
"It has made a significant contribution to addressing the crises facing the Earth and humanity."
"This giant standing before the monster has become an even greater mystery in this series of events, sparking speculation and discussion from all sides... However, we only want to know one thing: is this giant Ultraman a friend or foe of humanity?"
During the broadcast, the footage was interspersed with extremely stunning perspectives of deep space.
The camera zooms in rapidly from outside the solar system, sweeping across Jupiter's massive gaseous surface, and finally focuses on a moon outside Earth.
Accompanied by a faint sound effect that resembles an electric current throughout, a chilling sense of oppression washes over you.
The screen instantly erupted with comments, and viewers began frantically exchanging information.
Holy crap! The opening is packed with information!
[Alchemy Star? Global League of Geniuses? There are so many settings! This world seems even bigger than Tiga and Dyna's!]
[They predicted the crisis as early as 2025? So all those advanced technologies used by the defense force were developed by them?]
[But what does this have to do with the perspective from outside the solar system? Approaching Earth from deep space, coupled with that electrical sound, is something coming?!]
So, does this mean there's no Ultraman in this world?
[To be fair, in just over a minute, the narrative efficiency is quite fast, explaining the world-building background, the attitudes of ordinary people, and even hinting at a new crisis.]
The scene shifts to the XIG air base at an altitude of 50,000 meters.
It was late at night.
Gao Womeng sneaked into the staff room.
He sat at the control panel and pulled up the Ultraman battle footage that had been captured by the aerial base during the day.
Attentive viewers immediately spotted the blind spot.
In the last episode, he was wearing a temporary team uniform with a blank back, but in this episode, his name is printed on the back!
This means he's officially a permanent staff member.
[Fighting monsters by day and staying up all night to review exams—is this the daily routine of a top science student?]
On the screen, I dreamt of the light blades emanating from the giant's head, my hands unconsciously gesturing as I muttered to myself, "I've unintentionally learned the method of combat... the power of photons... the blade of light! The energy of light!"
Just as he was immersed in the "live-fire exercise".
"What are you doing here?"
Suddenly, correspondent Li Muzi appeared at the stairwell, looking at Wo Meng, who was posing, with a suspicious expression.
I dreamt of raising my hands high, in an extremely awkward posture.
He could only scratch his head and say, "Sorry, I'm sorry..."
Mu Zi walked down the stairs, looked at the giant on the screen, and guessed, "Is that an alien?"
I immediately retorted, my eyes becoming extremely serious: "He appeared when faced with a fundamental crisis of extinction... I think it's possible that Earth called upon him to save humanity."
Mu Zi laughed: "According to you, it's as if the Earth is a living organism."
"Yes, you could say that."
I turned my head and looked at the blue Earth outside the window. "If Earth is a creature called Gaia, then the giant's name... let's call him Ultraman Gaia! Don't you think Gaia is cool?"
Mu Zi couldn't help but laugh out loud, and mercilessly retorted, "Only a child would come up with such a childish name."
Meng suddenly panicked, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on: "I... I'm only a year younger than you! Don't always treat me like a child!"
Hahaha, Mu Zi really treats my dream like a child.
[Official criticism is the most lethal!]
[My dream: I'm a PhD in quantum physics! How dare you call me naive!]
The name Gaia is quite simple and easy to understand; it represents the will of Mother Earth!
I dreamt I stood alone by the window, taking out the light-emitting tube. The light flickered slightly, as if responding to the name "Gaia".
The following day.
Sparks flew in the maintenance bay of the air base.
Lightning Team Captain Wei Weike was complaining to the maintenance personnel with a serious expression: "Could you please take a look at my fighter jet? That gear seems to be too tight. Could you please adjust it to be normal?"
Just then, Meng walked in and greeted me warmly: "Captain Weiwei of Team Lightning, you're still here. How come you didn't know? I've officially joined XIG as a scientific analyst. I look forward to your guidance."
Wei Weike didn't even glance at him, his tone icy: "This isn't a place for children to play."
I was rebuffed in my dream, but I wasn't angry. I just borrowed some tools and went back to my lab.
To prevent the light from escaping, he drew the curtains and began to demonstrate his hands-on skills as a genius scientist.
He wants to create a brand new, more stable container for the light!
With a series of extremely precise assemblies, a brand-new transformation device that looks like a gemstone cone appeared in front of the camera.
"Because it emits light, let's call it the Sapphire Cone. That way, it can stay with the light forever."
I dreamt I was holding a blue sapphire cone, my eyes gleaming.
[Holy crap! A hand-crafted transformation device?!]
[Everyone else's transformation device is either an heirloom or a gift from Ultraman, but I just made one myself!]
This is what it means to master math, physics, and chemistry—you won't even be afraid of transforming into Ultraman!
Meanwhile, on the streets of Jinghai.
KCB TV director Tabata is leading his team on a street interview, asking citizens for their opinions on XIG. However, Tabata himself is distracted.
He looked at the documents in his hand, his brow furrowed: "Gao Womeng, 20 years old. He already had a PhD in quantum physics at the age of 17. He was the one who founded Alchemy Star with the current Speaker Daniel and others... What exactly is his connection to the development of that aerial base?"
Just then, a piercing alarm suddenly blared throughout the entire air base!
"Emergency alert! Emergency alert! The air base is immediately placed on Level 3 alert!"
"Unidentified flying object has infiltrated the GUARD European surveillance network!"
The atmosphere in the command center instantly plummeted to freezing point.
The commander of the stone chamber strode up to the command platform: "What happened?"
"Send the data over from the European branch!" Li Muzi's hands flew across the keyboard.
The images transmitted from the European branch were extremely blurry, appearing as nothing more than a shimmering mosaic.
But Meng rushed forward immediately: "Excuse me! If it's just video footage, that's enough!"
He stared at the data on the screen, his mind racing: "Utilizing the refractive index of light, material, density, and precision..."
As he integrated and analyzed a series of data in his mind, he quickly came to a conclusion.
"This thing is a composite of metallic life forms!"
Holy crap! This can analyze material density?!
Is this the kind of overwhelming advantage that science students have?
Shouldn't we be marveling at the precision of their satellite imaging? They can capture images of high-speed objects with microscopic detail!
[This is what the Zenith technology in the special effects zone looks like~~]
[A metallic life form? Not a flesh-and-blood monster?]
Commander Shi turned to Director Di Cheng: "Director, how far can the fighter jets fly?"
"It has exceeded its limit up to the Atlantic Ocean."
Director Di Cheng immediately replied, "However, we can use the Peace to send it to the Indian Ocean!"
"XIG, deploy immediately! Take the fighters into the Peace!" Commander Ishimuro issued the order.
I volunteered, "Director, please! Take me with you. I can help if necessary!"
Commander Shi Shi nodded in agreement without hesitation.
Accompanied by an extremely impressive display of mechanical unfolding, the massive transport plane "Mir" is launched into the air, and three Lightning Squadron fighters are loaded into the hexagonal cabin and speed towards the battlefield!
In the command center, Staff Officer Ye Qian looked at the large screen and raised a question: "Commander, what do you plan to do with that child named Meng? If it's a scientific analysis, he should be sent to the Geo base."
Although this Geo isn't some technologically advanced, god-like defense force from the future...
Commander Shi Shi replied gravely, "The problem is, what exactly is attacking Earth? If we don't even know this, how can we continue the fight?"
"What the quantum computer can predict is only primal destruction. As a member of Alchemy Star and also a member of XIG, my existence must have meaning."
[The commander was absolutely right. The enemy is unknown; of course, we need to bring the smartest minds with us!]
Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated.
Wow, Gaia's aircraft and equipment are so cool!
The camera cuts back to the ground.
KCB reporter Jing Ling has just finished a broadcast about Ultraman.
As she walked down the corridor of the television station, a young man in a black leather jacket with an extremely cold and aloof look suddenly called out to her.
"Ultraman...that's a good name."
Jing Ling turned around: "Who are you?"
The man in black lowered his head slightly, a mysterious smirk playing on his lips: "Don't turn around. I've always wanted to tell the television media to spread Ultraman's heroic image throughout the world, so that everyone in the world knows."
After saying that, he turned and left with an extremely elegant air, leaving behind only a cold and aloof figure.
The live chat exploded a little here!
【What does it mean? ? 】
[So pretentious?]
Who is this person? Are there any aliens in this episode?
[Judging from this... is this the human form of another Ultraman?]
Why did he want the whole world to know about Ultraman? What was his purpose?
At this moment, the battlefield is in the sky.
The Mir has already detected the target's location.
"I understand! If we follow this route, we'll end up in... the Gansu Province in Northwest China!" I shouted from the Peace Ship's control panel.
"Lightning Team, prepare to attack!" Director Di Cheng ordered.
The three hexagonal cabin doors of the Mir opened simultaneously, and three fighter jets were launched out like arrows!
Just as the Lightning team was preparing to lock onto the target, a faint radio interference suddenly appeared on the screen.
"I sensed a faint electromagnetic wave being transmitted from the target! My dream, can you interpret it?"
My fingers flew across the keyboard in a flash: "This is...!"
Before he could finish his analysis, the metallic life form suddenly changed direction at high speed in the air and rushed straight towards Team Lightning!
"emission!"
Wei Weike decisively opened fire.
Several air-to-air missiles accurately struck the metallic lifeform, blasting it into the desert below.
Inside the air base, Mu Zi and Qiao Ji had already begun to cheer.
But the situation on the ground suddenly changed!
The fallen metallic life form slowly crawled and grew taller in the sand, eventually transforming into a humanoid monster over fifty meters tall, without facial features, with only a yellow light on its face, and radiating a cold metallic luster—Apate!
"What is this?!"
Apate raised her arm, which instantly transformed into an extremely sharp metal spear, and hurled it out!
"Bang!"
Lightning III didn't even have time to react before its wing was pierced by the spear!
"Lightning Three has been hit!"
"hateful!"
Weiweike piloted Unit 1 and fired wildly, but the lasers hit Apatee's metal armor and only produced sparks.
Apate waved her hand again, and another sharp metal blade flew out, accurately shooting down Lightning II!
"Lightning II has been hit! Bounce out!"
As the two fighter jets crashed one after another, I finally deciphered the radio signal from the Peace!
The screen was playing a news broadcast from KCB TV about Ultraman Gaia!
"I understand!"
My pupils constricted sharply. "I know why he disguised himself as a human! He must have seen Ultraman somewhere in the universe. That's why he came to Xia Country!"
He came for Gaia!
I dreamt I ripped off the communication headset from my head and, without any hesitation, rushed straight to the stern hatch of the Mir.
He pulled the emergency brake lever, and the hatch roared open in the gale.
Below, there is an altitude of 10,000 meters and rolling yellow sand.
"This planet...will not be destroyed!!!"
I let out an extremely powerful roar and, braving the gale, leaped directly from a height of ten thousand meters!
During his rapid descent, he suddenly pulled out the blue sapphire cone from his waist!
"Gaia—!!!"
A pure crimson light exploded in the sky!
With an extremely dull thud, the red and silver Ultraman Gaia crashed heavily onto the sand dunes in front of Apate like a shooting star.
The yellow sand that filled the sky was lifted dozens of meters high by the terrifying shock wave from the landing!
[Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap! Parachuting in without a parachute?!]
[It's so exciting!!]
Is this the romance of science students?! Skydiving with physics, transforming with light!
[Wow, you dared to use a transformation device that was just made and hadn't even been tested yet! You wouldn't have that kind of guts unless you were a human!]
[That landing! That sandstorm! Gu Laozei really spared no expense on special effects!]
[They've arrived! The main character has appeared! The monster has come to challenge Gaia to a duel!]
At the center of the sandstorm, Gaia slowly stood up and assumed a starting stance.
However, a chilling scene unfolded.
The metallic lifeform Apate opposite them mimicked Gaia's fighting stance perfectly, as if reflected in a mirror!
Gaia paused for a moment, then changed her posture.
Apate immediately changed to the same pose!
Without any probing, both sides launched a simultaneous attack!
The enormous bodies collided with a deafening roar in the desert.
Gaia, with his extensive fighting skills, seized Apate's weakness and slammed him to the ground with a beautiful over-the-shoulder throw!
But Apate felt no pain at all; it quickly got up, and the metal on its body surface began to frantically reassemble.
In the blink of an eye, an extremely thick layer of heavy armor covered its entire body with spikes.
Even on its chest, there was a color timer that looked exactly like Gaia!
In the original series, the metal lifeforms simulated an identical timer before encountering Gaia, but this was somewhat illogical. Therefore, this change better reflects the terrifying nature of the metal lifeforms.
Apate's right arm twitched and transformed into a huge spear that gleamed with a cold light.
[Holy crap! This monster can evolve?! And it can even mimic Ultraman?!]
[Not only did they learn the moves, they even learned the timer? This is the ultimate Frankenstein's monster!]
[The spear has appeared! An inch longer, an inch stronger—Gaia is in danger!]
[A robot? It can't even cause a freeze!]
The tide of battle turned in an instant.
Faced with Apatee, who was wielding a long spear and heavily armored, Gaia's melee attacks were completely ineffective. Instead, he was forced to retreat repeatedly by Apatee's spear, and was in grave danger.
Just as Gaia was locked in a fierce battle, Apate's spear suddenly split into eight extremely sharp metal spears, which, like a cage, pinned Gaia firmly to the sand.
A powerful electric current was released from the spear, violently shocking Gaia's body!
Painful screams echoed across the desert, and the life meter on Gaia's chest began to flash rapidly red!