Invitation

Under Mirai Hibino's gaze, Hikari could not help turning his head away.

He had taken the name Hunter Knight Tsurugi precisely to bury "Hikari," along with all those medals, honors, and memories, beneath the dust of Planet Aarb.

A vengeful Oni needed no name, nor did he need the worshipful gazes of his kin.

"All right, you two."

"Can you take me to the Land of Light?"

"I need some equipment to analyze that thing I showed you earlier."

Seeing this, Masaki Keigo stepped forward and spoke.

"This—"

Mirai Hibino looked troubled.

He had only just been dispatched from the Land of Light. His mission was to investigate Earth's abnormal fluctuations and learn a few things.

Taking an unidentified, absurdly powerful Ultraman from another universe back with him now—

That was not procedure—

Hikari, meanwhile, raised his head. His lips moved, but in the end, he said nothing.

Go back? Did he still have the right to return?

And under what identity?

As Hikari, the failed scientist, or as Hunter Knight Tsurugi, the avenger whose hands were stained with blood?

Just as the three of them stood in the alley with different thoughts on their minds, and the air grew vacuum-like once more, the sky suddenly lit up.

It was neither lightning nor a searchlight.

It was a pure, warm golden radiance, like molten gold pouring down through a crack in the night sky.

The light gathered in midair, forming a line of magnificent, solemn Ultra script.

"That's—an Ultra Sign?!"

Mirai Hibino looked up. The instant he saw those words, he froze.

Because the coordinates indicated by the Ultra Sign were on Earth—

The three said no more. They simply followed the direction ultimately indicated by the golden sign and left the little alley that smelled of grilled chicken skewers