Cooperation

After leaving the Jaeger hangar, they passed through another long corridor lined with steel pipes.

They arrived in a room with screens, low tables, and yellow tatami mats covering the floor, giving it a slightly Japanese feel.

Steaming food had already been laid out on the rectangular low tables on either side of the room. There was a wide variety of dishes from all sorts of cuisines, gleaming under the lights. On one black griddle, squid tentacles still sizzled in oil, giving off a mouthwatering aroma.

"Please sit, Mr. Natsuki." Marshal Stacker took off his coat, hung it to one side of the room, and gestured to the tatami beside a low table.

Looking at the lavish spread, Natsuki felt a hunger he hadn't experienced in a long time. He walked over to a table on one side of the room and sat cross-legged.

"Now this is quite a feast," he said, rubbing his chin.

In an age of scarce supplies, their willingness to serve him so many delicacies clearly showed their sincerity.

"Mako Mori chose the decor for this room. She's Japanese." Marshal Stacker sat behind the low table opposite Natsuki and began chatting with him as casually as if they were discussing everyday matters.

"Make yourself at home. Have whatever you like."

"If the flavors don't suit you, I can have someone prepare something else."

The table had chopsticks, knives, and forks, and even spare disposable gloves, allowing for the possibility that Natsuki might not know how to use their utensils.

"Then I really won't hold back." Natsuki licked his lips as he looked at the table full of delicacies.

Whatever else might be said, he really was hungry.

On Earth, every transformation and battle consumed an enormous amount of stamina.

He picked up the somewhat familiar-looking chopsticks on the table, tried them a few times, then lifted some food from the dishes before him and put it into his mouth.

One bite, two bites... As he gradually grew accustomed to the utensils, the food vanished from the plates faster and faster. Then Natsuki simply picked up the plates and wolfed down their contents, one after another.

Within minutes, every dish on the table had been polished off. The chefs couldn't serve food anywhere near as fast as Natsuki could eat it.

During this time, Marshal Stacker had wanted to discuss business over dinner, but he couldn't find a suitable opening.

Every time he was about to speak and looked toward Natsuki, he saw not his face but the bottom of a plate. The words on the tip of his tongue went straight back down.

He couldn't help wondering whether someone from such an advanced civilization really found human food appealing.

At first, he had worried that Natsuki wouldn't be accustomed to Earth's food.

Clearly, those worries had been unnecessary.

Now, Natsuki set down the last plate. The next round of dishes hadn't arrived yet, and Marshal Stacker realized this was his chance.

"Mr. Natsuki, it seems our food is very much to your liking," he said with a smile.

"That's right."

"It's been a long time since I had food this good." Natsuki wiped his mouth with the low table's tablecloth and leaned back, speaking casually as a trace of satisfaction appeared on his face.

Now this is living!

In the Land of Light, nobody had any concept of eating meals. As long as their energy was replenished, they never felt hungry.

Whenever Natsuki wanted something delicious, he would use his time off to visit tourist planets specifically to sample the local cuisine.

But very few planets could compare with Earth when it came to food. The last time he'd eaten anything this good had been on Rikayana.

As for his previous life, Natsuki had already forgotten most of it by the time he was born into this one. After another nineteen thousand years had washed over those memories, he remembered even less, so this meal had genuinely left him delighted.

So much so that the more he looked at Marshal Stacker across from him, the more he liked him.

Humanity absolutely cannot be allowed to go extinct, if you ask me!

"Marshal Stacker, let's talk business." Before the marshal could speak again, Natsuki brought up the subject himself.

"Of course." Marshal Stacker was more than happy to oblige.

The business in question was, naturally, cooperation between the two sides.

"I came to this universe to investigate anomalous spacetime fluctuations. Based on my earlier observations, those fluctuations are very likely connected to whoever is controlling the monsters."

"That group you call the Pre... What was it again?" Natsuki rubbed his chin as he tried to remember.

"The Precursors?" Marshal Stacker supplied immediately.

"Right, the Precursors."

"My enemy is hiding among the Precursors, or perhaps all the Precursors are my enemies. But that doesn't matter anymore."

"What matters is that we have the same enemy."

A faint smile tugged at Natsuki's lips. His right hand rested on his knee as he sat cross-legged, and his golden eyes glimmered beneath his black hair.

"Having the same enemy means we can be friends."

"Share everything you know about the Precursors with me. In exchange, I can assist you with your upcoming plans against them."

Natsuki's words were exactly what Marshal Stacker had hoped to hear.

The reason he had sought this discussion with Natsuki was to get his help with their plan.

"I agree," Marshal Stacker said decisively.

Then, however, it suddenly struck him that all of this might be going too smoothly.

Had he really recruited a top-tier ally with nothing more than a meal?

That attitude made him wonder whether Natsuki had some other designs on humanity.

Their goals aligned, but the gap in their strength was enormous. By all rights, Natsuki should have demanded more.

"Do you have any other requests, Mr. Natsuki?" he asked next.

Any other member of the Space Garrison, particularly one of the Ultra Brothers, would probably have said they had no further requests. They were exemplary heroes overflowing with a sense of justice, treating it as their mission without seeking anything in return.

But who was Natsuki?

If Natsuki could disregard material needs, would he have been shipped off here?

"Of course." Natsuki grinned, thoroughly pleased that Marshal Stacker knew how to handle things.

Even if the marshal hadn't brought it up himself, Natsuki would have raised it next.

But the moment he said that, the bracelet on his right wrist vibrated, and a translucent panel visible only to him appeared.

[As a qualified member of the Space Garrison, you should always uphold the convictions in your heart. Remember, you are a hero of justice.]

[Choice mission triggered!]

[Option one: take back what you just said and, as a member of the Space Garrison, refuse all additional compensation offered by the other party. Reward: 3 hours of mind space training. (Note: choose this one.)]

[Option two: allow yourself to continue sinking into depravity and state the demands in your heart. Penalty: 1 hour of hell-level mind space training. (Note: absolutely do not choose this.)]

[Note: Natsuki, do you still remember those complaint letters? Give some serious thought to the Space Garrison's reputation across the universe! (Message left by Hikari, chief director of the Land of Light Space Science and Technology Bureau.)]

Again?

Natsuki raised an eyebrow at the text on the bracelet's panel.

"Fuck you, Hikari."

A moment later, he swept his hand out and dispersed the screen, refusing to give it another glance.

"Mr. Natsuki?" Marshal Stacker noticed his odd behavior and sounded puzzled.

"Who is Hikari?"

He had clearly heard Natsuki swear, but he had no idea who this Hikari was.

They were at a crucial stage of their negotiations, and every little movement Natsuki made drew his attention.

"Just an asshole. Don't worry about him."

As though nothing had happened, Natsuki skipped right past the subject.

"Let's get back to business."

He focused his gaze on Marshal Stacker again.

"In the battles ahead, I'll lend you a hand at critical moments."

"But I'm someone who likes to get something in return for his work."

"Of course, I'm not asking for anything unreasonable."

"I just need you to help me out a little with food, clothing, lodging, and transportation, Marshal Stacker," Natsuki said with a smile.

The highest form of slacking off wasn't stealing a little leisure amid work.

It was turning the entire assignment into a vacation, completing the mission while enjoying Earth's local customs and culture. That was what Natsuki was after.

Power and money weren't what he wanted. He wanted an easy, pleasant life, something that could fill the emptiness inside him.

"I understand."

"I'll make sure you receive the very best treatment in those respects, Mr. Natsuki," Marshal Stacker readily agreed.

Those were all minor matters.

He would do his best to fulfill any requests he could.

What he feared was Natsuki demanding to become Earth President or something of the sort. After all, based on his observations... Natsuki genuinely had the power to do it.

Fortunately, he seemed like a decent person. At least, their interactions so far suggested he was someone they could try trusting further.

By then, the next round of dishes had arrived, and Natsuki went straight back into eating mode.

Marshal Stacker also understood that the finer details would have to wait. It was already getting late, and Natsuki would probably need a while longer to finish eating.

"Mr. Natsuki, I'll have someone arrange a room for you to rest in later."

"Tomorrow, I'll have three of our outstanding scientists explain the details of the plan to you."

Natsuki nodded as he listened.

With his mouth busy, he could only give the marshal a thumbs-up to show he understood.