Chapter 14
Although the earlier monster invasion had led to another explosive surge in the Ultra Empire's technology, it had also cost them more time.
For example, the original plans to test the fortresses' performance and move all citizens into them ahead of time had only been completed one after another over the past two years.
As the thousand-year mark drew closer, everyone began to grow nervous.
No matter how confident they had once been in the strength of their civilization, what they were about to face was a terrifying catastrophe that had already wiped out seven civilizations before them.
Even though they had spent seven hundred years preparing for this catastrophe, it would have been a lie to say anyone was unafraid or unworried.
This was true of ordinary civilians and the handful of people at the very top of the empire alike.
But as the time drew nearer, the Ultra Empire once again split into two extremes.
The ordinary citizens had all entered the fortresses. To avoid burdening the nation, and even make further contributions, they chose to shut themselves inside hibernation pods.
These devices had only been developed in recent years. Though called hibernation pods, put simply, they were just large iron boxes that could automatically feed their occupants and supply nutrients.
Simple as that sounded, equipping each of the nation's eight billion people with one was just as simple a matter.
But they were different from Earthlings. Once Earthlings lay down in hibernation pods, they could really only lie there and wait to die.
After they lay down inside, however, they could choose to contribute their biological brains to the nation to make further contributions.
So, despite how difficult it was to accomplish, Ultra V still announced that anyone who wished could receive a hibernation pod.
Precisely because of this, the young people who usually spent their days brawling, street racing, and drinking heavily on the fortress streets had all vanished.
All eighty-one fortresses of the Ultra Empire seemed unusually quiet.
In the past, they would never have been this peaceful, not even at night.
Yet this very stillness made people even more uneasy.
It was like the last calm before the storm.
Inside the Ultra Empire's highest research laboratory, the entire empire could be seen through the Eye of Ultra.
The eighty-one fortresses resembled eighty-one enormous bowls turned upside down on Blue Star.
Or perhaps burial mounds would have been a more fitting description!
And in this silent scene, the entire Ultra Empire seemed to have become a dead nation.
Watching the fortresses on the screen, Ultra V kept asking again and again whether there might still be problems anywhere in them.
Whether all their safety measures had been activated...
Across Blue Star, the high-tech fortresses were now enveloped in energy barriers.
Beneath each energy barrier lay a protective layer of transparent glass made from meteorites.
There were three full layers of this protection. If all three were shattered, the fortress would be destroyed by the flood.
Originally, they had not intended to make them transparent. But once a fortress was sealed, if its people could not even see outside and lost contact with the outside world as well, no one dared say what might happen inside.
Standing to one side, Zoffy urged, "Your Majesty, you haven't slept in seven days. Why don't you get some rest? We'll arrange for people to check."
Ultra V shook his head. "No need. I've already made arrangements for all that. How are things going on your end?"
Original Ultraman stepped forward. "Everything is ready. The five first-generation Ultraman Tigas and the small Giants of Light from all eighty-one fortresses are ready to depart at any moment!"
"Good. In that case, set out! This time, you must sweep through the entire area around our star domain. Make sure you eliminate every last Starry Sky Giant Mosquito. If that truly proves impossible, you must at least drive them out.
"Remember, you only have one month! Once that month is up, you must return, no matter how far you've gotten!"
"We guarantee we'll complete the mission!"
With that, Original Ultraman was about to link his mind to Ultraman Tiga's body, but Ultra V stopped him once more. "This time, don't use the mental link. Enter the Giants of Light in your own bodies."
Original Ultraman froze at those words, his body trembling almost uncontrollably. In the end, however, he gave a sharp nod and said again, "We guarantee we'll complete the mission!"
After Original Ultraman left, Ultra V turned to Zoffy. "Zoffy, go with them. Original Ultraman can be a little stubborn. If, if...
"Then don't come back. Those going out with you this time are the most promising young people in our Ultra Empire.
"But because they're young, they all lack experience to some degree, so you must look after them.
"If our home planet is destroyed, you will be the last embers of our Ultra Empire!"
"But, Your Majesty, you..."
Before Zoffy could finish, Ultra V raised a hand to cut him off. "I am the king of the Ultra Empire! Anyone here may leave, but I alone cannot! Go. Don't waste too much time. Besides, this is only the worst-case possibility.
"Perhaps, perhaps it won't be nearly as bad as we think."
With that, Ultra V turned toward the enormous screen behind him.
Zoffy clenched one fist and held it across his chest, gave a firm nod toward Ultra V's back, then turned and left.
Only long after Zoffy had gone did Ultra V finally raise his head. He still wanted to do more, to make things better, more perfect.
But he found that there truly was nothing more he could do.
After a moment of silence, he told the guard beside him, "Go fetch Liu Dajun."
Before long, Liu Dajun, who had grown increasingly sluggish of late, was brought in.
He was now like an elderly dementia patient, half a beat slower than everyone else no matter what he did. Even though he was already trying his hardest to respond, his body simply reacted.
He was like an old computer that kept freezing and displaying a message that the current application was not responding.
Seeing Liu Dajun in this state, Ultra V reached out and patted his shoulder. "You still haven't made up your mind?"
Liu Dajun said, "...I, want to stay, here... with... you, and, face it..."
"I told you, you have to go back. Return to your own world. You have a more important mission."
"...But..."
"No buts. Now, I'm giving you two choices. First, I grant you the title of duke, and you go to Earth to spread the culture of our Ultra Empire.
"Second, in my capacity as king of the Ultra Empire, I publicly announce that the monsters appeared entirely because of you.
"When that happens, not only will you become a criminal in the eyes of the entire Ultra Empire, but I will also strip you of all your positions and revoke your Ultra Empire citizenship!
"Make your choice!"
As Ultra V finished speaking, a line of guards approached carrying two trays.
On one tray lay a neatly folded scarlet cloak.
Not just anyone could wear a cloak in the Ultra Empire. Only those with noble titles were entitled to wear one.
On the other side was a badge signifying the rank of duke of the Ultra Empire.
On the tray, this badge representing the standard of the Ultra Empire gleamed beneath the laboratory lights.
The researchers and guards around them all gazed at the badge with burning eyes.