Chapter 51: The Meteorite Falls, the Three Cosmic Beings Strike to Seize It!

Hoshinaru Town, the setting of the *Ultraman Ginga* TV series.

Or rather, a setting of a small town.

It was essentially a tiny hamlet, boasting only an elementary school on the verge of abandonment, a single shrine, and a population of barely a thousand.

If memory serves, it probably had only one police officer.

Though called a town, it could easily pass for a village, and some translations indeed referred to it as Hoshinaru Village or Stardust Village.

One could say it was an utterly ordinary, mundane little town.

However!

In the *Ginga* TV series, a Spark War occurred in the cosmos, a chaotic melee involving countless Ultraman, monsters, and aliens from various spaces and times. You could witness Tiga battling Bemular, or Zoffy pounding the Destruction Apparition.

This massive battle drew in Dark Lugiel, and ultimately, everyone was transformed into dolls by the Dark Spark.

Ginga, who had once been one entity with Lugiel, arrived to fight Lugiel, leaving both severely crippled.

As their battle concluded, these dolls rained down upon Hoshinaru Town on Earth, and so did Lugiel and Ginga.

Or rather, they plummeted onto the mountain behind the town, Mount Hoshinaru.

Even the popular internet meme about the mountain behind Ginga was thus spawned.

"Could a Spark War actually have happened in the universe?"

Lin Yu glanced briefly in the direction of outer space.

Since arriving in this world, he had not yet ventured into the cosmos.

Whether a massive interstellar war had truly taken place was something he had no way of verifying.

Regardless, for the present moment,

the crucial question was whether Hoshinaru Town harbored any Spark Dolls, especially those of Ultramen!

And whether Ginga and Lugiel existed here!

What if those Ultramen were absent simply because they had all been turned into Spark Dolls?

Clinging to a sliver of hope, Lin Yu's mind raced.

"Pity that Zetton is still in a berserk state, otherwise I'd head straight into space and investigate the vicinity of that meteorite."

"For now, I have no choice but to head to Hoshinaru Town."

Lin Yu muttered inwardly, then turned his gaze toward Camearra and her two companions.

"You're all coming with me!"

He certainly didn't feel safe leaving the three of them behind at the HUD base.

They had to be kept close by his side.

"We'll go if you say so, but what on earth are this Ginga and Lugiel you keep babbling about?"

Camearra asked with curiosity.

This Lin Yu—who may or may not even be human—seemed to react strongly only to "Tiga," "Ginga," and "Lugiel." Even when facing Gatanthor, he had worn an expression of someone who had known all along.

He clearly wasn't a person from their era!

"Them? Just a couple of thoroughly shady bastards."

"Alright, I don't have time to explain it to you now. Let's move."

Lin Yu opened the nominal prison gate and stepped outside.

Camearra and Darramb followed closely behind.

Hittara, sprawled out on the ground, was on the verge of tears.

"B-Boss, surely I don't have to go, right?"

His entire body was riddled with comminuted fractures, rendering him incapable of even transforming at the moment.

All he wanted to do was lie down and rest!

"No can do, Hittara. You're simply too powerful, and I wouldn't feel secure leaving you behind."

Lin Yu looked at him with a deadpan expression and declared.

Hittara: "......"

Camearra, Darramb, and Lucia: "......"

Captain, do you seriously not blush when you say things like that?

"My friend, it seems you have no choice but to join us."

Darramb chuckled, hoisted Hittara onto his shoulder in one swift motion!

Though one of his arms was dislocated, with Darramb's immense strength, carrying a mere Hittara with a single hand was as effortless as snatching a chick.

Though it was perhaps a bit too rough.

"Ah—Ouch!!"

You brute of a Darramb, ease up, ease up!"

Hittara hissed in agony, cursing through his teeth.

"Hittara, how can a warrior make such an unseemly fuss over a few minor injuries?"

"Minor your ass! Why don't you try sustaining the exact same injuries as me, you bastard?"

"Stop chattering and hold on tight."

"What are you planning? No, stop! Let's just walk slowly, don't run!"

"Darramb, you just wait, sooner or later you'll fall into my hands!"

"Big D, Big D, I was wrong, okay? Slower, stop shaking, it really hurts!"

Hittara wailed, bouncing up and down with every stride on Darramb's muscular shoulders, replete with bulging biceps and triceps.

Those were the vibrations from Darramb's running pace.

"......"

"Two absolute idiots."

Camearra spat, her cheeks flushing slightly.

Being the big sister to these two fellows was just too embarrassing.

"They certainly seem energetic."

"Lucia, you should come along as well."

Feeling his tightly wound nerves relax slightly, Lin Yu smiled.

"Understood, Captain."

Before long, the group of five set off for Hoshinaru Town.

Since it wasn't far, they drove a pickup truck this time.

Lin Yu drove, Lucia sat in the front passenger seat, and Camearra occupied the rear.

Darramb chased behind, carrying the unconscious Hittara.

All was harmonious, with not a single objection raised.

Dozens of minutes of driving later,

a modernized small town came into view before Lin Yu and the others!

Personnel wearing the standard uniforms of the GUTS members were everywhere.

The shrill blasts of whistles and the crackle of walkie-talkies echoed endlessly as specialized vehicles and helicopters cordoned off this otherwise peaceful hamlet.

"Moving rather quickly, aren't they?"

Lin Yu murmured to himself.

Scanning the area, he duly spotted Shinjo, Rena, and Daigo.

"Captain Lin Yu."

Spotting Lin Yu as well, they walked over to greet him.

"Ah, Daigo, Rena, Shinjo, hello."

Lin Yu returned the greeting.

"We've sealed off Hoshinaru Town. No one is allowed in, and the residents inside cannot leave. Most of them have been cooperative, but a few have already started protesting."

"Captain Lin Yu, what on earth has happened here? Is it related to that meteorite?"

Rena asked with a hint of concern.

"Yes, it's heavily connected to that meteorite."

"This place is going to be very dangerous from here on out. It's hard to explain the details in a few words, so let's head inside and investigate."

Waving his hand, Lin Yu got out of the car and headed straight into Hoshinaru Town.

If memory served correctly, the Ginga Spark was in the possession of the old man who ran the shrine in Hoshinaru Town.

As for Lugiel's Dark Spark, it was held by the female principal of Hoshinaru Elementary School, who had been possessed by Lugiel.

The meteorite hadn't landed yet, so those items might not be in their hands quite yet, but finding the people first was the priority.

Ah, why did all these dark bosses love possessing women?

Belial did it, and so did Lugiel.

Wonder if Alien Empera ever possessed a woman.

"Captain Lin Yu, are these new members of the HUD team?"

Rena looked curiously at Lucia and Camearra,

and even at Darramb, who had arrived ahead of the pickup truck, lugging the unconscious Hittara.

"Those two ladies are so pretty, and the two guys are, um, so unique."

Such were Rena's inner thoughts.

"My friend, your muscles are huge! How do you train them?"

Shinjo's eyes gleamed as he patted Darramb's biceps.

"The scent...... is rather peculiar."

Daigo twitched his nose, observing Camearra and the others.

He always felt an indescribable aura emanating from the three of them.

"I forgot to introduce them. Her name is Lucia, a member of the HUD team. As for those three...... not yet."

Lin Yu casually offered an introduction.

"Oh...... Hello, Sister Lucia! I'm Rena, a member of GUTS, and these two are Daigo and Shinjo."

Rena greeted them with a cheerful smile.

She was just about to continue greeting the others when—

"Rumble!"

The sky suddenly exploded with noise!

Meteorites rained down one after another!

These were precisely the meteorite fragments that had broken off from the massive asteroid observed by GUTS!

Beneath a sky that was gradually turning into dusk, these meteorite fragments glowed with exceptional brilliance, looking breathtakingly picturesque against the setting sun.

"How beautiful, just like a meteor shower."

"If it were nighttime, it would definitely be even prettier."

Rena gazed dazedly at the spectacle.

However, alarm bells were already ringing wildly in Lin Yu's heart!

Sensing something as well, Camearra instantly narrowed her eyes!

"King Joe, claim those treasures!"

"Codaig, it's your turn to perform!"

"Black King, unleash your fierce might!"

Ultraman telepathy allowed Lin Yu to catch sounds imperceptible to human ears!

They were the voices of aliens.

They were...... summoning their monsters!

The ground violently quaked, and terrifying billows of black smoke surged in all directions!

The whirring of mechanical gears, the stiff, heavy footsteps of stone statues, and the deep, heavy breathing of monsters—

all sounded simultaneously,

shifting within the hazy black mist.

They resonated in a symphony, like a hymn from hell!

Lin Yu's expression completely collapsed!

It seemed the number of aliens hidden on Earth was far greater than he had anticipated.

"You lot have also set your sights on these Spark Dolls, or even the Ginga Spark and the Dark Spark?"

Lin Yu murmured.

No, these fellows might not necessarily know what these meteorites actually were.

Yet anyone with eyes could tell they were treasures.

However......

These things were not yours to take!

"Eleking, prepare for battle!"