Chapter 33: Ultraman is both light and humanity

Inside the Three-Body Fleet Command Center, utter silence.

That officer's harsh judgment still echoed in the cold void of space.

Ultraman Seiji's actions will bring a catastrophic disaster upon their civilization!

The Supreme Leader's thought-form hovered silently.

Starting from the Nexus that dissipated in the bloody battle,

to this Ultraman Seiji before us, who willingly sacrificed his own star for an alien race,

These beings called Ultraman repeatedly struck against the Three-Body civilization's impregnable logical barrier.

This civilization possessed godlike power and mastered technology beyond its age.

Yet they continually selflessly sacrificed for those humble, weak carbon-based lifeforms, as insignificant as dust on the cosmic scale.

Why is this?

The Supreme Leader's thoughts fell into a genuine quandary.

He could not imagine what kind of environment or history could give rise to such a group of utterly unreasonable beings.

A group so selfless, willing to give up their lives, even their entire civilization's lineage, for the weak.

Just then, the thought fluctuations of that earlier hawkish elder, filled with strong aggression, surged again.

"Supreme Leader, forgive my frankness! According to my calculation model, after countless simulations, the conclusion is only one!"

"A civilization that selflessly sacrifices like Ultraman has a natural birth probability that tends infinitely toward zero—it can essentially be considered zero!"

His thought fluctuations were filled with sharp skepticism.

"In this weak-meets-strong, everywhere-dark cosmic forest, the sudden appearance of such a 'saint' civilization is itself the most unfathomable thing!"

"Therefore, I cannot help but suspect whether these seemingly towering, bright giants harbor ulterior motives!"

"This is not narrow-mindedness! It is simply the sole truth our Three-Body civilization has earned through countless blood and sacrifice: the universe is a dark forest!"

"The emergence of these Ultramen is contrary to reason! Utterly contrary to reason!"

"If we were to send them a broadcast, I believe it could plunge our civilization into a passive crisis!"

After its thought was sent out,

Some Three-Body individuals' thoughts fluctuated together, expressing support.

Just then,

The opposing dovish officer spoke up once again.

"What you say has some merit; admittedly, a civilization like Ultraman emerging in this dark forest is indeed unreasonable."

"But think—aren't there few unreasonable places in the universe?"

"If things were a bit more reasonable, our Three-Body star system wouldn't be three suns!"

"So I think the Ultraman civilization may not necessarily have ulterior motives; we'll have to see what the heavenly curtain reveals next."

The Supreme Leader nodded and said:

"What you say all makes sense."

"As for the Ultraman civilization, we should not rush to a conclusion just yet."

"I think the heavenly curtain will soon reach the core depths of their entire civilization."

Ninja Civilization.

Naruto World.

In the dark, damp underground cavern,

Uchiha Madara had his back to the heavenly curtain, gazing at the stone tablet before him inscribed with ancient characters.

On the heavenly curtain, Seiji's solitary, resolute silhouette was reflected in the depths of his eyes.

He finally let out a contemptuous snicker.

"Hah, it looks like this civilization called Ultraman is also full of fools just like Hashirama."

"Our ninja civilization has been accompanied by endless war and slaughter since its birth. To protect another utterly unrelated tribe, it chose to blow up its own homeworld—utterly foolish."

He slowly lifted his head; the kaleidoscopic Sharingan turned slowly, as if seeking to completely see through the secrets on the stone tablet.

"Only the Moon Eye Plan is the sole way out."

"Let all life fall into an eternal illusion. There, there is no birth, aging, sickness, or death; no bloodshed or pain—that is true eternal peace."

Earth, PIA Headquarters.

"Ultraman Seiji…… he…… he actually chose to blow up his own homeworld?"

Cheng Xin froze completely, her face filled with incomprehension and shock.

No matter how she racked her brains, she could not imagine that Seiji's final choice would be so cruel and decisive.

"Although…… although I very much hope humanity's civilization can survive…… but…… Ultraman Seiji's action is not simply a total betrayal of his homeworld and kin, is it?"

Her voice trembled slightly.

"He helped humanity, even though they were invaders, willingly accepting exile into deep space. Now he actually wants to personally blow up his own homeworld!"

"I cannot understand! I truly cannot understand!"

Beside her, Wei De merely gazed calmly at the heavenly curtain, speaking in a voice devoid of fluctuation.

"So I've long said, Ultraman Seiji, this is an unreserved, illogical fondness for humanity."

Cheng Xin instinctively shook her head.

"If it were me…… I…… I could never make such a decision no matter what."

Faced with such a life-or-death dilemma, she could not make any choice at all.

Wei De turned around and calmly looked at her.

"So this is where you still fall far short."

Cheng Xin, remember this: sometimes, when confronted with a desperate dilemma, the ability to make a decision itself is a kind of great resolve. No matter what that decision is, it ultimately leads either to survival or to destruction.

His words were like a cold blade, slicing open Cheng Xin's sentimental façade.

I ask you: if one day a button appeared before you, a button that could decide the life and death of all humanity, would you have the courage to press it and then bear the title of "civilization's criminal" while living on alone?

Cheng Xin shuddered all over and shook their head without hesitation.

No… I… I could never do such a thing!

A faint arc appeared on Wei De's face, barely perceptible.

And I am precisely the person who possesses this resolve and courage.

Just as they were talking,

Above the sky curtain, the scene of Sai Wen's choice slowly faded.

A new line of golden lettering, carrying an ancient and weathered aura, appeared before all civilizations.

【What is Ultraman?】

【They are light, and also humanity】

At the moment they saw this line of lettering, Cheng Xin's heart, which had just calmed, leapt up to their throat again.

What does that mean? Ultraman is both light and humanity?!

How is that possible? How could such mighty power possibly belong to humanity?

Cheng Xin was utterly shocked,

In their understanding, Ultraman is an existence like a deity; even if it briefly transforms into a human, it is still not human!

As a result, the sky curtain now tells them that Ultraman is both light and humanity!

How is that possible?

The perpetually silent Wei De finally became energetic.

They turned around, redirecting their attention to the sky curtain; in that usually unchanging voice, for the first time a hint of barely concealed anticipation crept in.

"The connection between Ultraman and humans? Interesting."

"Both light and humanity?"

"If that's really the case, then doesn't that mean I could also become an Ultraman?"