Chapter 38 Aguru: Huh? I didn’t say anything at all.

"You’re wrong! Your thinking is mistaken! Fujimiya! There’s something wrong with Crisis! Stop believing those predictions!"

"Eradicating most of humanity to save the Earth—that’s just the easy way out. You’re running away!"

"You’re the one who needs to wake up!"

I retorted against Fujimiya’s argument; I could never agree with such a method.

"What do you know!" Fujimiya was irritated by my words, annoyed by my interference. "Do you have any idea how many times I’ve calculated this! Crisis’s predictions are never mistaken!"

"This is the only way! Only by following the Earth’s will and acting on the hints Agul gave me can we save humanity!"

"You’re avoiding it!" I keenly seized the weakness in Fujimiya’s words and pressed on, "You don’t dare use your own efforts to change the future!"

"I—" Fujimiya was momentarily speechless. Seeing he couldn’t convince me, he gave up arguing altogether. "Enough! I don’t care to explain!"

He changed the subject, bringing up Jojo.

"Don’t tell me you think that Jojo is on the Earth’s side."

"What do you mean by that?" I frowned at his words.

"Ha, what do I mean?" Fujimiya seemed to regain his confidence, laughing lightly. "Didn’t you feel it after becoming Gaia? Can’t you sense it?"

I was taken aback, then strode angrily toward Fujimiya. "Explain yourself!"

"I don’t have time to chat with idiots," Fujimiya said, turning his back to me. "Use your brain and think—what’s the opposite of light?"

As he spoke, a blue aura shimmered around him.

"You’ll regret this, I promise."

The words had barely left his lips when his Blue Sapphire Bracelet activated, enveloping him in a teleportation field.

"You—stop right there!" Seeing this, I rushed toward the blue light, reaching out to grab Fujimiya, but was too late. Frustrated, I swung my fist.

"Damn it, what kind of power is this! How does Fujimiya have it too!"

I stomped the ground in annoyance. The abilities these transformation devices granted left me envious.

Our conflicting ideals had ended our conversation in discord.

Footsteps approached from afar. Turning, I saw Jojo walking toward me. The reason Fujimiya had left was clearly because he sensed someone coming.

Looking at Jojo approaching, I couldn’t help but recall Fujimiya’s words.

Now that I’d become Gaia, I could sense that Jojo carried not only the radiance of light, but another presence as well.

It was faint, barely perceptible under normal circumstances. But in my Ultraman state, my senses were heightened, and I could detect it.

‘The opposite of light…’

I pondered this, my expression thoughtful.

Jojo came to stand beside me, scanning the surroundings as he asked, "What’s on your mind? Where did Fujimiya go?"

"Ah? It’s nothing." I didn’t mention Fujimiya’s words, my face gloomy. "I couldn’t persuade Fujimiya. Sorry."

In truth, I didn’t want to believe Jojo approached me with ulterior motives. After all, everything Jojo had done was clear to me.

If not for Jojo’s reminder, I wouldn’t have realized that the Earth monsters were humanity’s allies.

I never would have discovered the Flame Mountain Machine hidden in the oil field hills; I might have transformed and killed Bokuragu without ever knowing the truth.

Such a reliable, steady person—I regarded Jojo as a mentor. But that presence was undeniably there.

It was no surprise to Jojo that Fujimiya remained unconvinced. "Looks like Fujimiya won’t awaken unless we expose Crisis’s flaws."

"By the way, have you found out who the traitor in the Alchemy Star is?"

"I have some clues. I suspect Klaus Eckhart," I said, recalling the suspect and looking troubled. "But he disappeared a few years ago."

If I wanted Fujimiya to come to his senses, it would have to begin with this.

"I see." Jojo observed my thoughtful expression, then remarked quietly, "By the way, the XIG ground investigator—that was you, wasn’t it?"

"Uh…well," I was caught off guard, feeling guilty. "Commander Ishimuro said he wanted to pay you, so that’s how I got the role."

"I didn’t have time to refuse, so it ended up like this."

Seeing my nervousness, Jojo patted my shoulder. "So that’s it. It’s nothing to worry about. Come on."

He turned casually toward the Takayama home.

"Are you eating with us tonight? Your mother misses you."

That Ishimuro from XIG probably guessed my identity, and Jojo figured his own secret was out as well.

But since Ishimuro never brought it up, Jojo had no intention of meddling.

I followed Jojo, hesitating, but then decided to ask, "Um, Jojo-san, what is that dark aura around you?"

Of course, the opposite of light is darkness. I felt uneasy about it.

"Dark aura?" Jojo halted, turning to look at me, his expression uncertain. "You sensed darkness around me?"

"You didn’t know?" I asked in surprise. "After I became Gaia Ultraman, I could sense another presence besides your radiance."

"I think I understand," Jojo realized, knowing the cause.

"So after I grew larger, not only did my light essence amplify, but my dark essence did too. No wonder Fujimiya is so hostile toward me."

I was bewildered—light essence? Dark essence?

"I’m evolving right now." Seeing my confusion, Jojo explained simply.

"Humans have a shining side, but also a base side. That’s probably why darkness exists."

Jojo would not let misunderstandings take root.

Of course, he hadn’t told the whole truth.

The real origin of the darkness was the information he’d seen in previous lives, and all sorts of chaotic memories.

It was a matter of social embarrassment, like never telling a friend about the dozens of gigabytes of videos in your phone.

In short, alcohol and women have led me astray—starting today, I quit drinking!

Jojo resolved fiercely in his heart, chatting with me absentmindedly.

Returning to the Takayama home, we had dinner together.

While my parents nagged me, Jojo watched and laughed.

Compared to their happy family, Fujimiya, on the other hand, was so angry he couldn’t eat.

"This guy, I can’t believe he won’t trust me!"

"So naïve! How can he save Earth and humanity like that!"

Fujimiya was furiously working out, lifting weights as he recalled my rebuttal, growing even angrier.

Suddenly, a thought seemed to speak in his mind.

‘It’s definitely that guy influencing him. If I get rid of him, he’ll realize he’s been deceived!’

Fujimiya paused mid-workout, thinking it was his own idea. "That’s it! All I need to do is deal with Jojo!"