Summoned from another world, the hero is Ultraman Zeta.

"What exactly is going on? Qingxuan, what's wrong with you? Why do you suddenly want to quit?"

This was a brightly lit room, arguably the best room in the entire medical facility. Of course, as the son of the Earth Manipulator and the head of the Magician Guild, Qingxuan was entitled to stay here. Even if he shouted and yelled in this room, few people would dare to come out and say a word.

“I failed, Sean, completely failed… I couldn’t beat Luo Yi at all. To be honest, I even feel scared when I think about what he looks like.”

Unlike the bright interior, outside the window was an endless darkness. The sky was covered by dark clouds, with no moonlight or stars. Even Tu Yu, who had been patrolling the mountains with shining eyes, was nowhere to be seen, making everyone feel as if he too had been shrouded in this darkness.

"What's the big deal, Qingxuan! Luo Yi is the kind of guy who only knows how to take advantage of others through tricks and schemes. He's not that great at all! Besides, you still have Yaohui and Zeta to help you, right? If all else fails, I can help you catch Luo Yi."

"No, it's not everyone's problem, it's my problem. I don't dare to fight Luo Yi anymore. If I encounter Luo Yi again next time, I will definitely implicate everyone. I can't let more people get hurt because of my weakness."

The Earth Summoning Stone and the Light Magic Stone were placed on the table to the side. The magic on the summoning stone was still fluctuating, indicating that the Earth Contract was still operating normally. However, this magic did not have its usual brilliance. It was only a one-sided giving or taking, and had no vitality.

"If you have weaknesses, then you should overcome them as soon as possible. How could this be difficult for you, Qingxuan! And if it really doesn't work, I can help you..."

"No! I can't hurt you anymore, Sean! Today... I almost killed you today! I couldn't control my emotions and strength, I fired a shot at the spot where you fell with the Earth Shield, if it weren't for Zeta... I, I will never forgive myself for the rest of my life..."

After a shout that echoed through the hallway, there was a suffocating silence. There were no footsteps to pass on the message, and the greetings ceased. Everything seemed to have frozen in time, with only the clouds outside the window moving slightly.

Pushing open the door, Sean didn't know what to say to Qingxuan. He never expected that the truth of the matter was actually like this.

Moreover, Sean could hardly imagine how distressed Qingxuan must have been to say those words. He could hear a hysterical obsession in Qingxuan's words, a torment that he shouldn't have to endure.

The outdoor scene was more spacious than the indoor one, but the atmosphere was not much more relaxed. Yaohui and Ajiu were standing outside Qingxuan's room, and judging from their equally solemn expressions, they had heard what Qingxuan had just said.

"What should we do, Yaohui? I really don't know what to do."

It was precisely because he understood Qingxuan's terrible mood that Sean chose to leave and let Qingxuan be alone for a while. It was also because Sean understood Qingxuan that he knew just how serious this blow was for Qingxuan.

Having already lost a family member once, Qingxuan cherishes the people around him dearly, but today he almost caused the death of his friend.

“I know this is very painful. I can understand how Qingxuan is feeling right now. The psychological trauma is what really made Qingxuan this way, and there is no medicine to treat this kind of damage.”

After hearing Qingxuan's story, Yaohui recalled some unpleasant memories. Having had similar experiences, he understood even more how fragile Qingxuan was now. Any blow or pressure could cause further trauma to Qingxuan. Perhaps giving him some space to rest quietly was the best way for him to recover.

"We've had enough tonight, everyone should go back and rest. I'll temporarily take over the work that Qingxuan was in charge of, and I'll be protecting everyone in place of the Earth Tamer for the next few days."

Having finished explaining himself, Haruki concluded the night with that statement. He and Zeta would now take over Tsuchiya's duties, patrolling the area around the town to ensure everyone's safety.

Furthermore, to be on the safe side, it's best not to appear in Zeta's form, so as not to let Qingxuan see it and cause him further distress. However, the workload for Haruki and Zeta will be slightly increased.

Night had fallen, the clouds had dispersed, and the moonlight had returned, shining through the window into the room and illuminating the previously darkened space, though only a small patch of it. The spot by the bed was bathed in the pure white moonlight, while everything else remained hidden in darkness, including Qingxuan, who struggled to fall asleep.

Unable to see his own body, even slowing his breathing and heartbeat to minimize noise, Qingxuan was satisfied with his current state, because only in this way could he briefly forget his own existence and forget the memory that had caused him such intense guilt.

Looking at the surrounding darkness, Qingxuan calmed down and recalled the scene when he saw Tsuchikage again during the day. It was also pitch black then. Although the dimness in the room was not as oppressive as the shadow of the monster, Qingxuan still felt very uneasy.

Without the Earth Control Summoning Stone, Qingxuan is just an ordinary person. Even when he was an Earth Controller, he couldn't defeat the Earth Shadow. Now, he is even more worried about the danger that the Earth Shadow might bring.

"What if the Tsuchikage attacks the town again... What if Haruki and Zeta lose too? If even the hero can't defeat that monster, then I'm..."

The restlessness and panic in his heart made Qingxuan's whole body agitated. Even just thinking about these problems made him feel timid. Qingxuan was afraid to actually imagine that scene of complete failure.

Reluctantly, Qingxuan stood up and looked at the Earth Summoning Stone and Light Magic Stone on the table in the distance. He witnessed the magical energy shimmering in the moonlight, but he found it difficult to take a step closer to them.

"Since you don't want them, then let's just destroy them?"

A strange voice suddenly came from behind Qingxuan, startling him so much that he quickly ran away and turned around to be alert. An unknown black shadow appeared out of nowhere inside the room, revealing scarlet eyes and a huge mouth that was emitting hellfire.

The Shadow Claw materialized, its blade-like energy slashing towards Qingxuan. Qingxuan hastily dodged, but the energy sliced ​​through the wall, leaving burn marks. Qingxuan trembled with fear, his legs gradually buckling as he staggered backward. The shadowy figure approached, hovering and rising, staring at Qingxuan with a mocking smile.

"If you get out of here now, I'll spare your life. But if you tell anyone about this, I'll find you again and kill you. I advise you to be sensible. You've already given up on these things, haven't you? These stones terrify you, don't they? Well then, let me eat them, hahahaha!"

"What? No way! These are the things that protect everyone. There are still monsters lurking outside. Without these summoning stones, the town and everyone will be in danger!"

"What's it to you? Aren't you a second-generation official? Why don't you just run away before the monsters attack? You have plenty of resources and connections to make yourself back on your feet. Why do you care so much about the lives of the people here?"

"This is impossible! I will never run away!"

"Then you will die!"

The sudden burst of the dark figure filled the entire room with mist, and the strange gas made everything around him pitch black. At the same time, it made Qingxuan extremely uncomfortable, and he could hardly control his breathing. He could only force himself to stay conscious.

"How ridiculous! You clearly can't beat the monster, yet you're still acting tough. Do you really think you're a hero? Without your father, do you think you could have achieved what you have today? Oh well, you'll never have the chance to know anyway that the monster will kill all its enemies when it attacks the town. Your father won't live to see that day, hehehe!"

"Impossible, Zeta will protect everyone..."

Suddenly, a dark shadow rose up, shattering the windows inside and revealing a raging fire outside. In the distance, a monster was trampling the land that Qingxuan cherished.

"No, no... please don't hurt them, please, please let them go..."

"Beg me? Beg me! Hahaha, you're so funny. Let me think... I feel like I've seen you somewhere before... Oh, right, your dad was like this before he died."

"Shut up!" The suppressed anger erupted in an instant. Qingxuan unleashed a burst of magic that scattered all the surrounding shadows. Then, he charged towards the shadow with all his might, channeling all his magical power into his fist.

With a disdainful snort, the dark figure slapped its paw and pressed Qingxuan to the ground, letting him witness the true difference in strength.

"Your father, just like you, always murmurs his hopes at the end. He says his son will protect everyone, that he was chosen by everyone to be the Earth Master. I just laughed. Is that all the Earth Masters are capable of? They're not even as good as that kid named Sean. At least he didn't beg for mercy before I finished him off."

"What? Sean too? You bastard..."

"What are you yelling for? Don't you understand the situation yet? You're the only one who's not prepared! Because you're the only one who treats everything you do in battle as just a job, not a mission, a mission worth risking your life for!"

The others resisted to the very end, believing even in defeat that someone would triumph over evil. They were not afraid of death; it was because of their hope that they were able to sacrifice themselves for their mission.

The oppressive aura of the shadow swept in once more, this time stronger and more terrifying than before. The massive, dark maw burst open the entire room, setting the surrounding space ablaze with flames.

"You want to live? Then kneel down. After I swallow the stone that you gave me hope, I can savor the despair of humanity. Hmm—it will be delicious!"

The giant maw of hellfire opened wide, sucking everything in the room into its mouth. The Earth Shadow Stone, which had been within Qingxuan's reach, was now out of reach. Everything changed so quickly, yet so predictably.

It was the same scene again: the land was engulfed in flames, the environment was pitch black and impossible to see, and unknown horrors were wantonly ravaging the people of the world. Everything was just like what Qingxuan had experienced in his childhood, but this time, he was the only one left in the world.

But Qingxuan still remembers the encouragement and care from his friends, and the blessings and support from his family. Those memories are so clear that they can give Qingxuan courage even when facing destruction.

Yes, it was courage. Qingxuan was still afraid, afraid of the terrible consequences of his failure. But even so, he would still muster his courage because he wanted to prove something, to prove that his life was not so fragile, and to prove that the people he cherished had not misjudged his importance.

Another all-out run, not out of anger, not out of sadness, but simply to prove that I will keep my vow to protect, even if I fall into purgatory alone without fear.

Qingxuan rushed toward the Earth Shadow Stone and grabbed it with all his might, then fell into the giant maw of the shadow with it, allowing himself to be completely buried by the firelight.

When Qingxuan opened his eyes again, he found himself still in the same room as before, the surrounding scenery exactly as it had been before he got up, without any damage. In a daze, Qingxuan immediately rushed to the window to look at the outside world. Everything was peaceful, without any fire or destruction.

Everything seemed unchanged, except for Qingxuan himself, because he was holding the shining Earth Shadow Summoning Stone in his hand. It was precisely because Qingxuan could clearly feel the intense heat in his hand that he believed that everything just now was not a dream.

"It's too early to rest now. My battle and mission have only just begun!"

The moonlight still illuminates the entire earth, falling into the forest and leaving behind tranquility, shining brightly in the eyes of the young man.

As the sun sets and the moon rises, yin and yang alternate. One side is full of fighting spirit, while the other is tired and listless. Belial Twilight drifts out of the town alone. He has been busy for so long and has exhausted a lot of energy. Now he just wants to find a comfortable place to lie down and sleep. But before that, he still has to deliver on his promise to someone... no, to Ultraman.

With a slash of his sword, Belial Twilight entered the subspace to meet Zeta. Before Belial Twilight could even speak, Zeta impatiently asked a question first.

"How is Qingxuan, Belial-san? Has he been injured again?"

"What do you mean, brat? You don't trust me to handle this personally? Everything's settled. That kid's just a bit timid because he hasn't been beaten enough. But he'll definitely learn a lesson this time. After all, that guy has real skills."

Hearing Belial's words, Zeta felt relieved. He had been worried that Qingxuan would fall into self-doubt like Haruki had before. If that were the case, then the battle against the Tsuchikage would be much more troublesome.

Back on Earth, Haruki mistakenly used Zeta's power to kill Red King due to a misunderstanding, and felt guilty for a long time. For a while, he couldn't even fight alongside Zeta properly, which troubled Zeta for quite some time.

So ever since then, Zeta has always been very concerned about the emotions involved in the use of human power, and has been thinking about how to help humanity in such special times. Now it seems that Zeta's previous efforts have not been in vain.

"Thank you so much, Belial-san!"

"I wouldn't have worked for nothing without this, Zeta. You owe me one, and I'll get it back later. Remember that!"

"Of course, Belial-san! If you ever need my help in the future, I will do my best! But I am quite curious, as a demonic sword that roams through time and space, what else is on your mind?"

"Hmph, what do you know? My desires are sure to be earth-shattering and awe-inspiring! Don't be afraid or regret it when you hear about them!"

"If you don't know, you just don't know. Why pretend like that..." Zeta muttered to himself.