Chapter 118: 114 Let the Ultra-Beast Fight the Monster

This description sounds like... the balloon-ship ultra-beast [Badabaron] from Ultraman Ace?

It is a fusion of a balloon-ship and a cosmic monster, disguising itself as a balloon-ship to absorb the souls of children riding hot-air balloons and grow stronger.

Wait, absorb souls?

“Mountain, is this the energy-emitting balloon-ship you saw yesterday?” Qi Ming pulled Mountain over.

Mountain nodded: “That’s the one. And it makes riders obedient afterward? They’ll say anything for marketing.”

“Still emitting energy... Looks like this really is the balloon-ship ultra-beast. Got it!” Qi Ming excitedly slapped Mountain’s thigh.

The forceful blow made Mountain scream, nearly sending him off to ask Seijiro’s cane which brand to buy.

“What’s going on?” The commotion drew everyone’s attention.

After striking Mountain’s thigh, Qi Ming didn’t let up—he shook Mountain’s head violently:

“When I treat you like a person, can you at least pretend to be one?”

“You dare ignore something this important? I’d love to crush your brains out!”

Seijiro hurried over to mediate: “What’s happening?”

Qi Ming: “There might be a way to save Mayumi.”

He said he had a plan—though full of uncertainties—it was worth trying.

Seijiro’s eyes lit up: “What plan?”

Qi Ming: “Let the ultra-beast separate the soul!”

He had Kei-mi project the news images onto the big screen, pointing to the balloon-ship and declaring it an ultra-beast.

“Anyone who rides it has their soul devoured. Only after destroying it can those souls be released.”

“We can have Mayumi board the balloon-ship, let her soul be temporarily stored inside the ultra-beast, and use the ultra-beast’s power to sever her connection with Formig.”

“That way, when Formig dies, she won’t die with it.”

“After defeating Formig, we destroy the balloon-ship ultra-beast and rescue her soul.”

Kishida’s eyes brightened: “That’s actually a viable plan! Let the ultra-beast fight the cosmic monster!”

Nami Nishijo frowned: “But what if Mayumi’s soul is absorbed and Formig never appears? Neither the ultra-beast nor the monster is controllable—the risk is too high.”

Qi Ming: “I know, but right now we’ve got to try anything—even a dead horse.”

Seijiro nodded: “Do your best.”

He told everyone to prepare, then quietly pulled Qi Ming aside and asked if the same method could separate the three astronauts fused with Ligarudron.

Qi Ming sighed: “Do you think Ligarudron’s size can fit on a balloon-ship?”

On the other side, when Mayumi learned of this high-risk plan, she agreed without hesitation.

Fighting meant nine deaths out of ten; not fighting meant certain death. Anyone knew which choice to make.

“What about Takuma... I want to see him one last time before we go.” Mayumi feared she might not return.

Kishida: “We sent a private jet to pick him up, but it’s still far from Japan.”

Nami Nishijo didn’t want to wait any longer—every second, more children were losing their souls to the balloon-ship ultra-beast. She desperately wanted to destroy it.

“We can’t wait any longer,” said Kei-mi, walking over with a tablet. “The balloon-ship ultra-beast’s activity has drawn the Defense Force.”

“Let’s go,” said Qi Ming.

At this moment, none of them knew that besides the Defense Force, another far more significant presence had also been drawn to the balloon-ship ultra-beast.

When the Victory Team arrived beneath the balloon-ship with Mayumi, they found the area packed with people.

A group of women stood in line at the landing point with their children; as soon as the balloon-ship descended, they rushed to shove their kids aboard.

“Are these people even worthy of being called mothers? They willingly hand over their children’s vibrant souls to an ultra-beast,” Kishida muttered, staring at the eager women below with disgust.

Mountain, still rubbing his thigh, said: “To them, having children is just about gaining more slaves to control.”

Seijiro said they shouldn’t blame these mothers too harshly—they simply didn’t know the truth. Their desire for obedient, well-behaved children was understandable.

Nami Nishijo: “Clear the area first.”

Kishida pulled out a loudspeaker and announced: “Everyone, leave immediately! That balloon-ship in the sky is an ultra-beast!”

One woman laughed: “Ultra-beast? Are the Victory Team dreaming in broad daylight?”

Another woman sneered: “How could something so wonderful be an ultra-beast?”

“Are you just trying to trick us away so you can ride it yourselves?”

Seijiro hobbled forward with his cane: “Ladies, my team is telling the truth. The Victory Team’s analysis proves it.”

But no one listened.

In fact, many mothers sensed something odd about their children suddenly becoming obedient—but it didn’t matter. The most important thing was having obedient, filial children.

When the balloon-ship began descending, the mothers excitedly pushed forward with their children: “Hurry, or we’ll miss it!”

Kishida blocked one woman: “Madam, don’t go! That’s an ultra-beast!”

“Get out of my way, you idiot!” Kishida was shoved aside violently.

Nami Nishijo and Mountain were having no better luck.

“Don’t interfere with my parenting!”

“How could any parent ever be wrong? We’re doing this for our children!”

“The Victory Team stay out of our business—go back where you belong!”

Qi Ming watched this scene and thought: This feels painfully familiar.

In the original Ultraman Ace series, these Showa-era mobs treated the TAC team exactly like this.

Kishida came over to Qi Ming: “Qi Ming, you’re the only one who can handle this. After all... you have diplomatic immunity!”

Qi Ming pulled out his wooden baseball bat from last time: “No choice. For citizens with demands, physical and spiritual education must go hand in hand.”

Seijiro rushed forward to stop him: “What are you doing? Are you going to beat ordinary citizens in broad daylight?”

Qi Ming thought that made sense, so he removed his helmet and jacket, handing them to Mountain to hold.

“It’ll take about three minutes to handle these people. I’m temporarily resigning now—I’ll rejoin in three minutes,” said Qi Ming.

Seijiro was stunned: “That’s not what I meant! Can’t you reason with them? Appeal to their conscience?”

Nami Nishijo silently shook her head: “I don’t think you can reason with these people.”

Qi Ming sneered: “It’s not that I can’t play the part—I just refuse to waste my acting on these creatures.”

With that, he ignored Seijiro’s pleas and marched forward with the bat.

The woman who had shoved Kishida and shouted, “Don’t interfere with my parenting!”—believing herself a civilian and that no one would dare touch her with so many watching—had already pushed to the front.

Qi Ming showed no mercy—he swung the bat, striking her hard. She collapsed with a scream, eyes rolling back.

“What are you doing? Stop! It hurts! Help! Someone help me!” A pig-like wail erupted.

(End of Chapter)