What could you do in three minutes?

The question suddenly made the atmosphere in the laboratory tense.

Newton and Hermann looked at Natsuki with curiosity in their eyes. They also wanted to learn more about aliens.

Noticing the change in the atmosphere, Marshal Stacker wanted to have Albert change the subject, but he also understood that the information they were about to discuss would affect their subsequent plans.

Before Albert asked that question, he had never considered that the giant might have a time limit for fighting on Earth. After all, an Ultraman was a complete unknown to him.

[Across the vast universe, there are always planets with unusual environments. Members of the Space Garrison can maintain their combat forms for no more than three minutes on planets such as Earth. Revealing this weakness to others is undoubtedly extremely dangerous!]

[Choice Mission triggered!]

[Option one: find an excuse to evade Kony Albert's question. Reward: 7 hours of Mind Space training time. (Note: this is the safest choice.)]

[Option two: tell Kony Albert the truth in response to his question. Penalty: 2 hours of Hell-Level Mind Space training time. (Note: you will invite a great deal of trouble.)]

[Note: according to regulations, Space Garrison members must return to the Land of Light if their identities are exposed during a mission. However, I suspect that would only give you what you want. You must not reveal anything more, or you will face countless moral dilemmas. (Message left by Hikari, chief director of the Land of Light Space Science and Technology Bureau.)]

The text that popped up from the bracelet appeared clearly before Natsuki's eyes.

Before answering Albert's question, Natsuki stared at him for several seconds.

Just as the bracelet had indicated, he could only fight in his transformed state on Earth for three minutes. Once he reached that limit, he would be unable to transform again for a short while.

If someone wanted to capture Natsuki after his transformation ended and subject him to human experimentation or something similar, that was indeed theoretically possible.

But theory and reality were different things, after all.

Natsuki was no inexperienced rookie. Back when he went out on missions frequently, he had seen countless civilizations.

He could tell at a glance exactly what someone like Albert was after by asking that question.

"Three minutes," Natsuki said slowly after a while, his gaze remaining fixed on Albert. His golden eyes met the blue eyes of the mixed-race man behind his silver-rimmed glasses.

He truthfully disclosed that information about himself out of trust in Marshal Stacker.

"Three minutes... I see." Hearing the answer, Albert smiled and nodded, as though it matched his expectations perfectly.

Unless something unexpected happens... this is a windfall that has landed right in my lap.

Ultramen, a bunch of bleeding hearts, have no understanding of how treacherous people can be.

I don't know why this one is here, but this is my chance.

I have to seize it...

Albert's expression remained unchanged as those thoughts ran through his mind.

But Natsuki's next words slowly froze that expression in place.

"I can only fight on Earth for three minutes. That is my greatest weakness." Natsuki turned to Marshal Stacker. "Marshal Stacker, it is precisely because I felt your trust in me that I chose to extend that same trust to you."

"I also hope you understand that everything I am about to say reflects only my personal views and position."

Having given the Space Garrison's reputation a little protection with that disclaimer,

Natsuki turned back to Albert under Marshal Stacker's puzzled gaze. The laziness and casual air vanished from his expression, and his gaze sharpened. "Mr. Albert, what do you think someone can accomplish in three minutes?"

The moment he asked that question,

Albert froze briefly.

"What can someone do in three minutes?"

After a moment's thought, he answered, "I think... you can't accomplish much in three minutes. To put it humorously, it might not even be enough time for a trip to the bathroom."

For the vast majority of people, three minutes was far too short.

Even without finding something to pass the time, simply zoning out would make three minutes seem to fly by.

"Then how long do you think I would need if I wanted to destroy human civilization right now?" Natsuki suddenly asked, looking him in the eye.

"Well..."

At that moment, Albert hesitated.

Natsuki's pointed question had caught him completely off guard.

He had never imagined an Ultraman would ask something like that. As far as he remembered, Ultramen were all bleeding hearts, so why did the one before him... seem a little different?

Of course, he had even less chance of knowing that the Ultraman before him had been sent here as punishment.

"You wouldn't want to know the answer," Natsuki continued in a low voice when he saw Albert standing there, stunned.

As he spoke, he slowly raised a hand and pointed toward a corner of the laboratory.

"In the universe where I live, there are nearly ten billion civilizations. Across the vast multiverse, there are even more."

A globe in the laboratory slowly floated through the air into his hand.

As he watched the globe hovering above his palm, a faint light appeared in his golden eyes.

The next second,

Bang!

The globe exploded from within with a loud report. Its scattering fragments looked like the actual Earth bursting apart, like a supernova.

"If a civilization disappears from the universe one day, it makes very little difference to the universe as a whole."

"Don't ask me how I know."

The words left Natsuki's mouth coldly.

As they watched the fragments of the globe hovering in midair,

Dr. Hermann and Dr. Newton swallowed instinctively. Marshal Stacker's face was grave, while Albert had gone somewhat pale.

Only then did everyone in the laboratory realize that something more terrifying than the apocalypse was standing among them.

It's true that I can only fight on Earth for three minutes.

But that doesn't mean I can only fight on Earth.

With my current strength, I can't destroy a planet outright, but after transforming and flying into space, wiping out an entire civilization with a beam would still be easy.

Natsuki had once destroyed a civilization with his own hands.

But that incident had been extremely complicated, and it was a painful memory for Natsuki.

Saying these things now did not mean Natsuki actually intended to destroy human civilization. It was more of a warning.

A warning to those harboring ulterior motives.

-If you have any ideas you think are clever, you'd better put them away. Otherwise, be prepared for your entire civilization to suffer the consequences with you.

"Mr. Albert, I know you're a clever man."

"But sometimes, you need to take care not to be too clever for your own good."

Natsuki's low voice reached Albert's ears word by word, echoing inside his skull. A mountain-like pressure suddenly bore down on him, leaving him unable to speak.

Seeing that the atmosphere had turned utterly icy,

Marshal Stacker also feared that the situation he had previously envisioned might come to pass.

He hurried forward to reassure him. "Mr. Natsuki, we have absolutely no intention of infringing on your personal interests."

"What I hope for is cooperation on terms that satisfy both sides."

Natsuki treated different people differently.

He knew Marshal Stacker was a decent man, so his stern expression gradually returned to its usual casual ease.

"Of course. I know you have no such intentions, Marshal Stacker."

"I was only describing an extreme scenario."

"Don't take it seriously," Natsuki said with a wave of his hand, his expression much more amiable as he faced Marshal Stacker. Then he asked, "By the way, when will the plan be put into action?"

Can we really afford not to take it seriously?

Marshal Stacker asked himself.

He understood that this was a warning, as well as a reminder to keep his people in line.

He had decided how to approach Natsuki from the very beginning: they could only befriend him, never antagonize him. It seemed he would need to have a proper talk with Dr. Albert soon...

"The day after tomorrow."

"Time is short. We'll take action as soon as possible," he answered aloud.