Chapter 573: Ultraman Fights Little Monsters

Chapter 573: Ultraman Fights Little Monsters

But before the adventure, Himekoji needed to give a few instructions—

“Mashiro, listen carefully. Before we set off, you must firmly remember the notes I’m about to tell you.”

“Okay. Firmly remember.” Mashiro nodded hard.

“Don’t take a detour!”

“Won’t.”

Whether fired up or not, Mashiro’s reply was unusually firm.

Himekoji nodded with relief, then, like a mother reluctant to see her daughter travel far, carefully continued—

“When crossing the road, watch out for cars.”

“Will watch out.”

“When getting change, remember to take it.”

“Will take.”

“Don’t go with people you don’t know.”

“Won’t.”

“Good, remembered everything?”

“Remembered.”

“Then, say it all again from the start,” Himekoji tested.

Uncharacteristically, Mashiro gave a straightforward answer—

“Won’t. Will watch out. Will take. Won’t. Remembered.”

“You only remembered the weirdest parts!”

“Weirdest parts.”

“No need to repeat that!”

“No need to repeat.”

“Mocking me?!”

“Pffft hahaha, truly the Chosen Mashiro!”

Rikka heartlessly clutched her sides laughing nearby.

Akiko’s expression was ambiguous too, struggling not to laugh.

“I am… perfect.”

Mashiro declared this with unknown courage.

Himekoji doused her ruthlessly: “Perfect failure, yes!”

“Wumu!” Mashiro puffed her cheeks unhappily, demanding from Himekoji, “Akito, I need affirmation.”

“You are definitely a perfect failure!”

“Hmph!”

Mashiro tossed her little head, ignoring Himekoji. Spiritedly, she hoisted the shopping basket, clutched the list, and strode out the door.

“Off I go.”

Anxious, Himekoji saw her downstairs, only to discover—

“Hey! Mashiro, are you planning to circle the earth before the shopping street?!”

She was heading the complete wrong way!

Himekoji’s helpless shout echoed through the streets.

“No! I have to follow!”

That girl couldn’t be left alone for a second. Himekoji decided to tail her closely!

“Onii-chan, wait for me!”

“I’ll go too, I’ll go too! Chimera, move out!”

Akiko and Rikka hurried after.

Rikka also kidnapped the lazy Hikari at home into the tailing group, christening it “Chimera.”

The stalking squad crept stealthily in formation.

Mashiro walked ahead, absorbed, happy for her first solo mission outdoors.

Himekoji, Akiko, Rikka, and Hikari, hidden in the shadow of a utility pole ten meters behind, closely watched Mashiro’s every move—secretly observing in a human pyramid pose.

Himekoji alone bore three people’s weight. The exhaustion from overexerting himself the night before threatened his poor life now; his legs weakened, nearly tumbling and exposing them.

“Akiko, too heavy!”

Himekoji signaled his sister not to press down on him.

“I-it’s not heavy! And this isn’t just my weight!” Akiko blushed and hastily defended, shifting blame, “Rikka! That’s why I said, don’t pile all your weight on me!”

“It’s Chimera! Chimera’s pinning me down!”

“Meow…”

Hikari cleanly accepted the blame.

Akiko squirmed against Himekoji, those two soft, round objects constantly reshaping against his back.

Merely letting his mind wander slightly, his lower body immediately sent a warning—will power failing.

Hmm… It seemed he needed a disciplined, healthy new lifestyle soon…

“Mashiro’s getting away!” Rikka, atop the pile, warned.

Himekoji snapped back to business, looking ahead.

A crossroad lay before Mashiro. To reach the shopping street required a left turn, yet Mashiro ignored the junction splendidly, marching straight forward unwaveringly.

“She chose the wrong way without hesitation!”

“Truly the Chosen Child! Go, Mashiro! Walk your own path and let others talk!”

Himekoji fretted: “At this rate, Mashiro will never reach the shopping street!”

“What should we do?” Akiko brainstormed for ideas.

“Leave it to me!” Rikka volunteered, untying Hikari’s leash and commanding, “I choose you! Chimera! Go! Use the Path Guidance skill! Lead Mashiro down the right road!”

Finally freed, Hikari chirped happily, transformed into a runaway horse, bolted from Rikka’s control, then—dismissively flicked its tail at her—whirled home at light speed.

Hikari had a dream: returning home for a nap!

“How could this be?” Rikka was devastated. “What a useless Chimera!”

“No, you’re the useless one!” Himekoji had enough and decided to act.

Scanning around, he spotted a discarded “No Entry” sign by a trash bin diagonally ahead—his eyes lit up!

If they took a shortcut around Mashiro now and placed the sign on her mistaken route, even Mashiro should reach the shopping street smoothly… with their secret help!

Perfect!

Himekoji led Akiko and Rikka to the next fork ahead, set the barrier, and hid behind another utility pole.

“She’s coming! Mashiro’s coming!”

Next came the crucial test to see if their plan would work. Everyone held their breath, watching intently.

There she was—Mashiro, walking toward the intersection, utterly calm. She should have turned right here, yet her gaze remained fixed straight ahead.

Mashiro marched onward relentlessly!

Looking forward, only forward—that was Mashiro!

No matter how many mistakes she made, no matter what setbacks she faced, she never paused her strides!

“But could you at least learn the way!?”

Don’t know the streets? Well, don’t you see signs?

Can’t read those? Then surely you recognize big words like “Road Closed”!

Mashiro’s eyes indeed saw the sign. Yet she didn’t ponder its meaning. Instead, she avoided it like an annoyance and kept walking.

Further and further down the wrong path…

“Onii-chan, your idea totally failed,” Akiko sighed, shaking her head.

Rikka nodded in agreement. “Yep, yep!”

“’Yep’ what?! What right do you, an idiot like you, have to judge me?!” Himekoji argued. After all, he had to be more reliable than Rikka’s questionable Beast Taming skills. Reaching out, he tugged Rikka’s stray tuft of hair out of irritation.

“Oww! Stop!” Rikka cried, wincing in pain.

“Alright, Onii-chan, Rikka, stop fighting,” Akiko said, stepping forward calmly. “I have a solution!”

“What solution?”

“Onii-chan, look over there!” Akiko pointed toward the roadside. Someone in a monster costume was handing out flyers.

“Great plan!” Himekoji understood instantly.

“What are you talking about?” Rikka blinked, confused.

With no time to explain, Himekoji quickly walked up to negotiate with the “monster.”

“Akito?”

Surprisingly, the “monster” recognized him. Pulling off the hood revealed sleek, handsome pigtails.

“Nanami?!”

Working part-time again?

The workaholic extraordinaire!

Since the monster was Nanami, things got easy. After hearing the situation, Nanami readily took off the costume and handed it to Himekoji.

But a second later, hesitation flickered across her face.

“It’s pretty hot today… I sweated buckets inside this… So… Well… Actually, never mind, I shouldn’t lend it to you!”

Blushing, Nanami went back on her word!

Himekoji didn’t give her the chance. He grabbed the costume and pulled it on over his own clothes.

It was so warm inside—where Nanami had been!

She wasn’t exaggerating about the sweat. Even without trying, the scent enveloped him sweetly. Himekoji savored it for a moment.

“Okay, heading out!”

Himekoji transformed! Monster mode!

Fully geared! Making his entrance!

Dramatically, Himekoji gave chase after Mashiro.

However, Mashiro had already walked quite far while Himekoji was changing.

His phone was still on call through the headphones. Instructions came through from the command center.

“Onii-chan, hurry! You won’t catch up without sprinting!”

“Charge! This is it! Akito! Use High-Speed Movement!”

“Hey, easy for you to say! This thing weighs a ton! It’s hard to move!” Listening to their flippant remarks, Himekoji poured out his grievances.

Nanami agreed from afar. “Seriously! Don’t underestimate the monster costume! Also… really thirsty! I’m grabbing juice. Anyone want?”

“Water’s fine for me.”

“Wasn’t asking you, Himekoji!”

“How about some snacks too?”

“Sounds great! I want ice cream!”

Was he imagining things?

The three girls sounded like they’d settled into afternoon tea time!

Meanwhile, poor Himekoji sweated buckets inside the heavy costume, sprinting desperately under the blazing sun.

“Damn it! Sounds like you’re having way too much fun!”

Griping, Himekoji finally caught up to Mashiro.

“Sto-stop! Hey, you ahead!” His Voice Mimicry skill proved useful once more.

Mashiro didn’t stop. She didn’t even look back, seeming oblivious to the shouting as she paced forward leisurely.

“You! Yes, you!”

Finally pulling alongside, Himekoji gasped and managed to grab Mashiro’s shoulder.

Mashiro turned instantly.

In the blink of an eye, the horrendous monster and the ethereally delicate, beautiful girl faced each other. Fate’s unexpected encounter.

Mashiro blinked slowly. Her long lashes fluttered like butterfly wings. Her clear eyes seemed to see right through the monster suit, piercing into the very soul of Himekoji underneath.

Could it be?!

Was this… the power of love?

Then, Mashiro spoke—

“It’s Godzilla.”

“Huh? Oh… uh… Yeah, hi.”

She completely failed to recognize him!

Himekoji felt like facepalming, yet also breathed a secret sigh of relief.

Mashiro watched the suited Himekoji warily and asked—

“Are you here to invade the Earth?”

“Huh?”

“Won’t give you the Earth.”

“???”

As she spoke, Mashiro raised her shopping basket and slammed it hard into Himekoji.

In this shining moment, Mashiro became an Earth-guarding hero! She pummeled the little monster relentlessly.

Heh.

Only Mashiro would do this, right?

…

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