Chapter 981: NO．104：What Is the Limited-Time Return Guy?

NO. 104: The guy who made a limited-time return—what is he?

The gilded and magnificent hall, its stone pillars covered in intricate patterns.

In that moment of racing against time in reality, under the explanation and guidance of Aisoku Miss, who called herself Ōmōsan and claimed to be a benefactor and friend, and Clara Thorn Miss, Yūta Kōritsu understood his condition and the state of the battle, traversing countless universes built from works, and finally grasped the glass ball that belonged to him.

That was the self he was meant to find, and also the dream hero drowned in the vast world-universe.

When he awoke in that strange yet familiar building, standing before him was the warrior in red-bottomed silver armor, whom he had become reacquainted with over the past half year.

But this time, he stood before him in the full-body form he had at their first fusion, offering an apology.

An apology for the fact Yūta already knew—that when he should have left this world, his guilt over 'taking' Yūta's precious time became the root of all crises, and gave that unknown entity an opening to exploit.

But clearly, for Yūta Kōritsu, this topic had already been laid bare long ago.

Compared to that already-resolved time, saving Shinjō Akane, fighting alongside her, and protecting the world—these are the achievements that make Gridman truly deserving of everyone's gratitude.

And now, it is everyone's turn to protect Gridman—but before that, there is still one thing worth asking.

One of them: during the two months the other spent in his place, did he also live happily in his stead?

Upon receiving an affirmative answer, there is also something even more worth doing.

At this moment, those in need of rescue are not only Gridman, but also Ōm. Linton, who similarly endured an alternate Gridman-like treatment.

Thus, when the two raised their hands and the Supreme Receiver collided with the Primordial Receiver, as the other's two months intertwined with his own half-year, their fused spirits also linked the bonds and wishes formed in their fleeting times.

The countless sticky notes Yūta had silently tucked into his clothing pocket flew up, turning into outlines of countless data, alongside the miniaturized Gridman within, transforming into a new radiance.

At this moment, not only are Soku and the Kogane Bridge Maiden, observing from a high-dimensional vantage point, watching the countless universes synchronously return.

But also, a certain caterpillar with many telescopes raises its hand—

The digital spirit of the digital realm acts as a guide, helping Gridman become more harmonious, more tightly connecting the data that became more diverse after Ōm, Kaihazaki Kō, and others intervened in its creation.

This is the synthesis of the many Gridman forms co-created by all, and also the final form forged from the data of countless Gridman-related universes.

But even this form still requires data release through inner-outer harmony.

Without keeping them waiting, under the blazing chest flames summoned by sacrificing an Ace Assassin, the power binding the universe instantly revealed an intuitive imbalance.

This is a rift in the universe, again difficult to solidify.

That universe, which had been infinitely expanding and infinitely destroying, reawakened, radiating the will named "Gridman."

In an instant, the endless universe recondensed, and the ultimate existence manifested!

Its name is—

GRIDMAN. UNIVERSEFIGHTER! / Gridman. Universe Warrior!

Returning from the universe, standing firm upon the earth.

Having borne countless universes, carried countless wishes, he is both a dream-weaving warrior and an embodiment of order—a super agent worthy of having the observers play "Yume no Hīrō"／Dream Hero at his debut.

But even so, can it truly be called resting easy? Ōm. Linton.

Redirecting his gaze to the youth who joined the battlefield as the universe warrior, the observer, who had long since become indifferent to his own name during prolonged observation, merely struck a pose of having made a trivial assist, leisurely standing beside Kurosei.

Gazing upon the shattered city, matching her perspective.

Cuckoo Terrace.

Having endured countless earthquakes of fluctuating intensity, typhoons, light beams, and even colossal, terrifying supermassive impacts, the city now bears no trace of its former self.

Especially that iron-blade slice, avoided by Ōm through separation, which directly carved a massive rift splitting the city in two.

As deep as a canyon, this is clear proof the stage is no longer sturdy enough.

And let's not even mention that at the canyon's origin, there lies an even vaster abyss, its edges scorched to barren wasteland.

"The rules have changed."

"Even in the Gridman universe, where even universal-scale conflicts should be confined to the city-stage's destruction… the moment Zero the Devil appeared, it ceased to be child's play."

At the depths of that abyss lies the entity that had already shown abnormal resilience earlier.

At this moment, It is still… well!

So well that even if thoroughly burned, It remains alive.

But this does not mean Its heart has found peace.

After all, the being It cherished most has already broken free from Its bonds.

Azure patterns emerge, indicating energy transmission should be, the raised wrist's tip—the Supreme Receiver—shows the synchronized posture of the fusionist shouting ACCESSFLASH! at that moment.

The rainbow-hued beam named "Gridman Beam" instantly collides with the golden torrent of light power—no surprise, no hesitation, just a gaze upward—!

BOOM！！！！Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The intense angular momentum, if seen in an ordinary Devil God mech's attack, would naturally unfold this way—but Devil God ZERO's light beam is not merely two straight beams colliding; it spirals and tangles, then scatters into countless glimmers.

It even causes the radiance to bloom along the ground, forming endless rings of light pillars that seal off all escape routes—a finishing move.

And this, too, is a form of 'respect' for the arrival of Gridman. Universe Warrior!

Thus, in the next moment, as the golden torrent spreads to the ground and erupts upward in successive waves of high-energy release—

As the pinnacle of the world's essence, Universe Warrior should have continued charging its thermal radiation to gain the upper hand.

But the fissuring earth, at its wound, burst forth with destructive heat flow, forcing him to cease fire, switch to a repair beam, to treat the city on the verge of total collapse.

He could not allow this city's utter destruction, for in the mere ten-odd minutes before and after the battle began, Hanako had barely managed to board the second-generation warship.

And the inland sea? It encountered the approach of Alexis Kellyf, who should have been active at the battle's center.

More precisely, it was Akane Shinjō's approach.

"Umi-kun~ I'm giving you a chance to become a hero! Interested in taking it?"

"What Shinjō-san said…"

"Alexis Kellyf…"

"That's me, you know—Akane really is overdoing it, shoving me around like this."

"Shut up, you've already been through this with Yūta-kun! Anyway, time's tight! Umi-kun, wanna try? This time, no passing out."

"That Shinjou Sawa you..."

"Of course I have somewhere else to go, I heard the call."

From Alexis kneeling on one knee with his head bowed, the police-badge-shaped light orb also in the dazed gaze within the inland sea, Shinjou Sai had at some point changed into a uniform resembling a monster eugenics ideology system, leaping out with extraordinarily agile and nimble movements.

That joyful, lively demeanor, those light and steady steps, also contrasted sharply with the cruelty and tension on the entire battlefield, leaving the inland sea completely bewildered, while Alexis's large hand drawing near made him realize he still shouldn't let his guard down.

"Inland Sea-kun, I heard you like those guys from the Ultraman series."

"Uh... uh..."

Standing in the cockpit of Alexis Kailifu's mind—something he never imagined, as remote as being unable to connect with an eight-foot pole—Inland Sea General, who had read countless tokusatsu and seen too many 'pilots' perform, appeared far more nervous, sluggish, and dazed than his brother's first transformation.

Of course, the main reason is obviously that Alexis was, in his impression, the most evil and wicked villain.

But actually...

"Oh, that's right—I actually welcomed them too, naturally enough, but now I just find them a nuisance."

"Ah..." Inland Sea made a sound as if wanting to leave but perhaps not quite convenient to do so.

No buts—he was indeed facing the truly nasty, dark thing that had tormented JK mercilessly.

Whether a thousand years ago or a thousand years from now, only that heart, restless from boredom, remains unchanged.

In this regard, there are actually far too many similar people here.

Whether it's high schoolers equally craving change, or dropouts from university, even a group of monster controllers, everyone shares the same essence.

The difference, and indeed the greatest divergence, lies in choosing chaos or order.

Inland Sea General, without a doubt, stands on the side of order just like his good brother, yet finds himself exceptionally ill at ease in the 'cockpit' of Alexis Kailifu, who is actually quite chaotic.

"Still, special times call for special treatment—I actually feel much the same, gazing at that MadOrigin and that MazingerZERO, feeling perhaps I'm not so pure, that true evil is an incomprehensible, terrifying presence."

"I still need to regain some of my former self..."

"What are you saying?"

Completely unaware of the other's developmental path, Inland Sea uttered the voice of a Death God's agent, then followed with the voice of a Guilman colleague: "The battlefield has already descended into utter chaos!"

"That is to say, just like your friend Yūta-kun, you should also shout that line, letting me use it as a self-hypnotic suggestion, which could also make us both feel somewhat better."

"I don't understand a word!"

"In short, just shout it out—shout OverJustice."

"OverJustice??? You?"

"You're really not as good as your friend, huh..."

"OverJustice!!!"

"Exactly, that's how it should be! OverJustice!"

At the moment of that loud shout, Alexis Kailifu, who had already been 'purified' by Shinjou Sai, was once again enveloped in black—only now, instead of the black robe covering his form, it was replaced by a tight-fitting uniform somewhat resembling his past battle stance against Ultraman, yet markedly different.

Its name is OverJustice.

Its position is the chief of the OGIKUBO branch of the Universal Police, guarding the galactic-designated immigrant special zone OGIKUBO where cosmic crime runs rampant.

Its power is 'Justice Beyond Justice—OverJustice/Absolute Justice,' and in this era—

——he indeed stands firm on the side of order.