Chapter 931: with translation of chapter title

NO．54：Only one

「Xiang Yutai! Although I'm protecting you following Aomo's instructions, I still want to ask...... 」

The ferocious demon‑skull‑shaped metal front, dual exhaust pipes side‑by‑side, flamboyantly ferocious styling heading straight for classic religion, the motorcycle's instrument panel constantly jumping numbers, yet fully showing the convenience of modern technology.

Even the act of driving itself seems to have the woman in front gripping the handlebars, but in fact the motorcycle is driving itself automatically.

While following the pre‑recorded electronic route at high speed, it also perfectly copes with the cars that occasionally surge onto the street and the explosions encountered along the way.

The only problem is that occasional jumps are very bumpy, and the wind noise at high speed is quite loud.

Not to mention the sharp friction sounds from accidents along the way, mixed with the explosions of missiles falling nearby.

All these disturbances forced the seemingly rider, actually bodyguard badger, to shout at the top of his lungs:

「Are you really decided——to do this?! 」

Then came an equally loud response from the back seat:

「I've already decided!! 」

The same question, just phrased differently, but essentially it's still testing his resolve.

Why does he want to go up?

Why is he willing to go up?

With Sai Luo Ultraman, Gulite Knight and other 'tall ones' looming over him, what need does he have to rush out?

Isn't this just adding to the companions' worry and anxiety?

You clearly have heard the voices of Neihai and Liuhua, and seen their completely unsupportive expressions.

Moreover, what could you accomplish by going?

Even if no one directly voices these questions, his heart is very clear about them.

If you ask why he's so clear, it's naturally because……

——He has lost several months of memory.

People say humans are creatures living in the present; what happened in the past isn't important, or rather—even if it is important, they strive to convince themselves it isn't.

Because there is life in the present, and life must always go on.

As for Xiang Yutai, the present's biggest enemy is the several months of blank memory.

At the same time there's the inescapable academic gap.

Because he has always been an ordinary student.

Although his grades aren't top‑notch, he's certainly not a straight‑A student, yet he has never broken school rules.

His interpersonal relationships in class aren't outstanding, but he can still talk with everyone, and he has this friend Neihai.

Ordinary school life, ordinary interpersonal relations, even his appearance was once criticized by Liuhua's friend Naimeizi as: apart from his red hair, there's nothing else that leaves an impression.

Such an ordinary high schooler, with no outstanding talent or special skill that dazzles others, even his confession had to be agonized over like an ordinary person for half a day—then, on the day he decided to confess, he was possessed/taken over by Gulite, influencing each other.

And after such a series of non‑daily events ended, he, feeling no sense of participation, had to face the difficulty of his studies, the embarrassment of missing the confession timing, and the occasional subtle glances from friends.

That is a gaze trying to see another existence on him.

He isn't angry about it.

An easy‑going personality is also an important part of being an 'ordinary' high schooler, and frankly, his impression of Gulite is actually quite good.

How could a male high schooler not yearn for a hero who saves the world?

At most it's just slightly changing the color scheme to become a dark hero who saves the world.

But this doesn't prevent his heart from occasionally sprouting some unease.

Friends' care, family's concern—these occasional warm feelings in interaction, yet they all differ in detail from what his memory shows.

Moreover, there's the learning progress that he can't keep up with but everyone finds easy, which in the most straightforward way lets him face the cracks appearing in the ordinary life he's grown accustomed to.

Called cracks, but actually it's just that he couldn't keep up.

Everything is developing normally, only he himself has a big blank spot, gradually realizing he can't even hold onto the 'ordinary' piece.

Can he keep up?

Can he continue to stay in the same class with Neihai and Liuhua?

Compared to himself, among those who seem more familiar with Gulite, does he really have a place?

A monster—there truly is an invincible monster before him, that monster constantly looms in his heart, making him worse and worse, making him often zone out, and even when facing real danger he often zones out, failing to pay special attention to the tactics Aomo‑san and the others are discussing.

As if those things had nothing to do with him.

He's just an ordinary high school student; he doesn't need to get involved in the battles of those who are either monsters or Ultramen.

Last night, on the way home after being sent back by Aomo‑san and Sai Luo‑san, he also responded to Aomo‑san's question in the same way:

【Yutai classmate, have you recently heard any calling voices? Just like Gulite's shout, telling you someone is invading the world...】

【Eh? No.】

【No……】

【Moreover, I think if Gulite comes back… would he still choose me?】

【What do you mean? Yutai classmate, a hero doesn't go looking for qualifications to be a hero.】

【Hero… I haven't even thought of going that far?】

【In my hometown, even so‑called devils, demons, werewolves, etc., will imitate heroes when they're children.】

【Eh?】

Sai Luo: 'Oh, they still have this kind of pursuit?'

Aomo: 'Whether it's their predecessors or them, too much contact with humans makes them just like humans.'

【They will imitate heroes in childhood, doing some very foolish clumsy things.'

【Although from the perspective of uncles and grandmothers they seem merely to be playing house, playing, in their own view they are undoubtedly earnestly protecting their homeland, the federation, and even Earth.'

They were very serious, as if an invincible monster stood before them, worth them fighting again and again.

I think their world is not illusory; even if it is just the children's imagination, something truly remains from that battle.

Even if it is only a memory, it is better to say that memory is the most important, because whether human or non-human, we are all shaped by the past into who we are now.

Yuta: "But my memory..."

Aomo: "You're missing a piece, but you haven't given up, have you?"

Sai Luo: "Kid, how much of your life's length does that piece take up?"

Yuta: "..."

Aomo: "It's not a matter of length or importance, Yuta classmate; I said people are shaped by the past into who they are now, and this saying still works on you."

Sai Luo: "Hey!"

Aomo: "If you cannot recall that past, then you should recall the self before that past."

Think about who you were before meeting Gridman, and what mindset you stood there with.

Everyone's answer to a question is different; no one can answer your question, but you should understand yourself.

Then, at that time, you will discover...

——

I am HyperAgent/Super Special Agent, Gridman/Guli Te.

The computer screen on the desk, the armored agent appearing in its initial version, appeared on the screen, uttering that most classic line.

And in front of the school classroom, after gazing at the two monsters of sleeping on firewood and tasting gall in the distance, the third monster that followed, a narrow-headed dart-like monster resembling a relative of Sai Luo, the completely new and unfamiliar monster Aomo, would slightly narrow its eyes.

Repeating the words spoken last night.

It's not that you were chosen by Gridman, but that you chose Gridman.