After Aha gracefully took a bow, his body blurred and dissipated from this space.
And Lin Nai—
because Asta had awakened—was bounced back into the real world.
Not long after.
Asta opened her eyes, touched the device on her head, and removed her helmet.
When she turned her head, she saw Lin Nai lying beside her, quietly watching her.
"Welcome back, Asta."
"I'm back."
Asta smiled and wrapped her arms around Lin Nai.
"Thank you..."
"No, I should be the one apologizing. After all, Aha came to the Space Station because of me."
"It's fine. No one could have expected it, and didn't you solve the problem, Lin Nai?"
"That's true... By the way, Asta, you're not going to make me wash my mouth with cement, are you?"
"..."
"Asta? You wouldn't, right?"
"Ahem, who knows~"
Asta's gaze drifted away.
Lin Nai's mouth twitched. This girl had definitely considered it...
"Wait, I'll go find... uh..."
Just as Lin Nai got up, a wave of exhaustion suddenly hit him.
It was as though all his accumulated fatigue had rushed over him at once.
His body... felt so heavy...
Thud!!
"Lin Nai!!!"
Aha: Lin Nai Had No Face! Hahahaha!
"Mm..."
"Here, Lin Nai. Time to take your medicine."
"?"
For some reason, hearing that gentle tone sent a chill down Lin Nai's spine.
He opened his eyes.
Coffee appeared before him.
Turning his head, he saw a Herta puppet looking at him with concern.
"Herta? When did you get back?"
"The moment I received your message, I logged in..."
"Is that so?"
Lin Nai checked the time. "I sent you that message four days ago, didn't I?"
He had not expected to be unconscious for an entire day.
"I know." Herta nodded. "The Youthful Passion Aeon used some method to block the signal."
"So I only received your message today and rushed online."
"Haha... So? Not bad, right? I took care of the Youthful Passion Aeon."
"Mm, very impressive."
Watching Lin Nai act like a child asking for praise, Herta reached out and gently stroked his head.
"You worked hard, Lin Nai. You did well."
"You're surprisingly gentle, Herta."
Lin Nai eyed her suspiciously. "You don't need me to do something for you, do you?"
"..."
Herta's mouth twitched. "What kind of person do you think I am...?"
"A heartless capitalist?"
"...You ungrateful little bastard!"
"Bleh."
Lin Nai stuck out his tongue and lay quietly on the hospital bed, a smile lingering on his lips.
He knew Herta cared about him.
He had known for a long time.
"Pah... So bitter."
After taking a sip of the coffee, Lin Nai's face twisted. This stuff had no sugar in it!!
Meanwhile, Herta revealed a triumphant smile.
"You did that on purpose."
"Doesn't it wake you up once you drink it?" Herta propped up her face with one hand. "All right, kid. I'm going to find Ruan Mei and the others. You get some proper rest."
"Mm... Remember to say hello to Ruan Mei and Screwllum for me."
"I will."
After saying that, Herta logged off.
The puppet also began heading back the way it came, returning to where it was supposed to be.
Lin Nai lay on the hospital bed and tried moving his body. It seemed there was nothing wrong with him.
Makes sense.
He had probably just collapsed from exhaustion.
It was not like he had been hit by anything.
"Lin Nai! You're awake!"
Asta's delighted voice came from the doorway.
Lin Nai looked over and saw Asta standing there.
Oh.
And there was also Peppy, wagging his tail happily as he looked at Lin Nai.
"How are you feeling? Is anything uncomfortable? Should I call a doctor?"
Asta hurried over, touched Lin Nai's forehead, and asked anxiously.
"Asta, I'm fine."
Lin Nai shook his head and smiled. "I feel great."
"Is that so... That's good, then."
Asta let out a sigh of relief. Seeing Lin Nai unconscious yesterday had truly frightened her.
Thankfully, he was fine.
"Oh, right, Lin Nai. I just saw that you had a package."
"A package for me?"
"Arlan!"
Hearing Asta call for him, Arlan walked in through the door carrying a box.
"I'm glad to see you're all right, Lin Nai."
"Me too, Arlan." Lin Nai smiled. "So what's in that box?"
"A researcher named Joy sent it to you."
Asta pulled over the table attached to Lin Nai's bed and had Arlan set the box on it.
Curiously, Lin Nai lightly sliced open the box with the Ultraman Disc Blade.
A button abruptly appeared.
"What's this?"
He lightly pressed it...
Beep beep beep—
"That sound... Could it be..."
Lin Nai's pupils contracted.
Arlan was also startled. He reached out to grab the bomb, intending to find a way to throw it away.
However...
Beep—!!!
Boom!!
Lin Nai instinctively slapped the bomb away, rolled out of bed, and hugged Asta, shielding her with his body.
Arlan picked up Peppy.
One minute later.
The faces of the three people and one dog were filled with confusion and bewilderment.
"Nothing... happened?"
"Seems so..."
"So what exactly was that?"
Lin Nai released Asta and walked toward the bomb he had knocked away.
A layer of white smoke rose from it.
Then...
"Hahahahahaha! Lin Nai has no face! Lin Nai has no face!!"
A masked clown sprang out from where the button had been, laughing wildly at him.
Veins bulged on Lin Nai's forehead. Damn it, that Joy bast—wait?
Lin Nai's expression changed again as he suddenly realized something.
No way...
At that moment, Lin Nai noticed that the masked clown was holding a note in its hand.
He picked it up and read it.
"Dear friend, this time, you were the victor. But being able to see your panicked expression at the end means Aha did not lose either."
"Aha sincerely hopes that you can bring even more joy to the universe."
"Regarding the matter of becoming an Emanator, if you change your mind, Aha will appear before you."
"By—the Youthful Passion Aeon."
"P.S. Joy is my incarnation. You didn't fail to guess that, did you? Idiot Lin Nai."
Before you continue