Chapter 116: Zagi: Who the Hell Is This Guy!

The Chrome Chester Alpha is a signature unit of the Chrome Chester series, and the Night Raiders logistics team keeps several of them in constant readiness. However, the specific fighter used today had undergone emergency modifications last night. Although Qiao Zhe had never piloted this type of craft before, he had no shortage of methods to handle it—after all, there was an artificial intelligence available. He had specifically sought out Gamu to obtain a PAL II unit to assist him. Since the data for PAL was stored on a computer, it was merely a matter of copying it. He had originally intended to call upon the Ultras for help, but both Gamu and Fujimiya were unable to enter the sub-dimension. Had they all been able to go, Qiao Zhe had prepared a "special move" just for the occasion. It was a pity it wouldn't be used now, but he had prepared other "gifts"; after all, Sara Mizuhara had once been a biochemical researcher. A few specially crafted bullets would be enough to make a Progenitor Space Beast suffer agonizing pain and leave it on the brink of death.

Even if Zagi was a Dark Giant, Ishibori Mitsuhiko was still, in essence, a human. To avoid alerting him to anything unusual, Qiao Zhe had carefully honed a skill to conceal his own energy signature, disguising himself as an ordinary person and even altering his facial features. His situation was remarkably similar to that of Maki. When Ishibori Mitsuhiko approached, he sensed nothing amiss with Qiao Zhe. "Hello, I am Ishibori from the Night Raiders. May I ask who you are?" Not having seen this man before, he couldn't help but ask with a hint of suspicion.

"Sit down; I'll get you there," Qiao Zhe replied, his tone neither cold nor warm. He cast a sidelong glance at Ishibori Mitsuhiko. "Don't ask questions you shouldn't." His words left Ishibori, now seated in the co-pilot's chair, feeling awkward, his eyes flickering with intent. He thought to himself that once they arrived, he would have to wipe the memories of this man and the others; it would be best if an "accident" occurred. Ishibori Mitsuhiko had been able to infiltrate the Night Raiders precisely because Zagi possessed the ability to alter memories. However, he did not know that his true identity had already been exposed.

As the Chester Alpha flew out of the Night Raiders base, Matsunaga returned to the operations area. "Captain Wakura, come with me. There are some things you may need to know the truth about." His words left Wakura looking puzzled. He stood up and followed him into the conference room, where Sara Mizuhara, Hayato Kaibon, and Soma, a high-ranking official from TLT Tokyo, were waiting. Once Wakura was seated, Matsunaga introduced him: "This is Special Inspector Sara Mizuhara from the North American headquarters. And..." Matsunaga looked toward Hayato Kaibon, pausing for a moment; in his position, he did not yet have the clearance to know about Hayato Kaibon.

"This is my subordinate, Kaibon," Sara Mizuhara said, providing a brief introduction. Seeing that everyone had been introduced, Soma said, "Let's get down to business. There is a spy within TLT, and it has been confirmed that this person is Ishibori Mitsuhiko of the Night Raiders."

Wakura: "?" Stunned by this sudden revelation, he sat frozen in place. "Ishibori? How could he be a spy?" His face was etched with disbelief; he found it impossible to accept. This was a man he had worked alongside for several years—to find out he was a spy was incomprehensible. Beyond those in the meeting room, Mitsuhira Kira, located in the secret operations room, was listening in via telepathy. Hayato Kaibon sensed his actions but did not stop him; Kira had every right to know. In a sense, both Mitsuhira Kira and Ren Senju were like sons to Hayato Kaibon. As one of the original psychics, Kaibon was able to communicate with the Visitors. The Prometheus Project had been designed to create more individuals capable of such communication, but most attempts had failed; few could match the level of Kaibon’s psychic abilities. Only Kira and Senju were truly exceptional, though Senju suffered from a genetic defect that limited his lifespan to eighteen years. Raphael was the only drug that could save him, but its development had been halted when the Prometheus Project was banned. Kaibon, however, had not given up and had continued to research Raphael in secret.

Soma explained the situation regarding the Visitors to Wakura, though they did not know the full story. Naturally, the Visitors would never admit the shameful truth that they had created Dark Zagi and subsequently destroyed their own homeworld. In their version of events, they were merely refugees who had fled to Earth after Zagi destroyed their planet. After Soma’s explanation, the reality set in for Wakura: "Ishibori... he is actually Zagi!?" Even knowing the truth, he found it hard to believe. The sting of betrayal by a subordinate was something he had to experience firsthand; with Mizorogi not yet having turned to darkness, it was Ishibori Mitsuhiko who gave Wakura this bitter experience.

Of course, Sara Mizuhara did not simply trust Qiao Zhe just because he claimed there was a mole in TLT. The crucial factor was that Qiao Zhe had restored the memories that Zagi had altered in Hayato Kaibon. Kaibon had been communicating with the Visitors since childhood, and Ishibori Mitsuhiko, possessed by Zagi, had been one of the researchers at the time. By helping Kaibon recall his childhood, it became clear that Ishibori Mitsuhiko was the problem, for back then, Ishibori’s original name had been Yamaoka Hajime.

Meanwhile, aboard the Chester Alpha, the fighter was flying in optical camouflage. It flew straight to the desert before disengaging the cloak and revealing itself. In the Night Raiders’ operations room, Sara Mizuhara and the others waited. Mizorogi and Nagi Saijo had also been called back by Wakura. Both were drenched in sweat, clearly having been training together. It was unclear if anything significant had occurred during their training, but their relationship had grown closer; they seemed almost inseparable. Wakura briefly explained the situation regarding Ishibori Mitsuhiko to them. Reflecting on the past, he immediately spotted numerous red flags. Why had he allowed Mizorogi and Nagi to enter that factory? Why hadn't he followed them? Why had he subconsciously stopped in his tracks after Ishibori spoke? Wakura felt he shouldn't have made such an inexplicable mistake; it was as if his intelligence had been dampened.

Nagi Saijo was left bewildered by the news. Having only just joined the team, she had no camaraderie with Ishibori; she only felt that the Night Raiders were terrifyingly dangerous, having a mole hidden in their ranks. She glanced at Mizorogi, then at Wakura and the others, wondering if there were more traitors among them. Mizorogi, meanwhile, recalled how he had recently sensed he was being watched by the darkness. "So, Ishibori Mitsuhiko is actually a Dark Giant?" His face turned grim, and he felt as though he had been played. Thinking back on Dark Mephisto, Mizorogi felt a sense of dread. According to the Giant of Light, Mephisto was a manufactured devil. It was highly likely that Ishibori Mitsuhiko had created Mephisto to tempt and manipulate him. But what was the purpose of such an act? Just as he was struggling to find an answer, the main screen in the base flickered with activity.