Chapter 246: The Call from Another Dimension - The Red Sphere
Just as arrangements for Time City were being finalized, Waldo arrived to report that Masaki Keigo had requested an audience with Raven and the Emperor.
As the chosen patrons of this civilization, they had no reason to refuse.
"Send him in," the Emperor said.
Waldo withdrew. Shortly after, he returned, leading Masaki Keigo, Iruma Megumi, Daigo, Asuka Shin, and several others. The shock on their faces hadn't faded since witnessing the Empire's overwhelming technological and military might. Beyond the fleet's devastating firepower, the individual soldiers' capabilities were staggering.
Every golden-armored Custodian they'd passed in the corridors posed a serious threat to Daigo, Asuka, and the other human hosts of the Giants of Light. If it came to a fight, even transformed, their odds of victory seemed slim.
For Masaki Keigo, Iruma Megumi, and other high-ranking humans, the unease only deepened.
They'd always known Raven and the Emperor were extraordinary beings when they first appeared to guide their civilization's development. But they hadn't expected them to command a vast interstellar empire.
Besides the Giants of Light in their service, they'd seen metallic lifeforms, aliens wielding sophisticated magic, and a demonic legion that reeked of sulfur and radiated barely-contained violence.
The group was brought before Raven and the Emperor.
"Mr. Raven. Your Majesty." Masaki Keigo bowed respectfully, offering the aquila salute. Behind him, Iruma Megumi and the others followed suit.
Raven looked them over, noting that besides Daigo, both Asuka Shin and Takayama Gamu were present. Curious, he activated his Mist Authority to review how the two had become hosts.
The story unfolded clearly. After Raven and the Emperor's initial departure, humanity had mastered light under their guidance, forming armies of Giants of Light similar to the ancient civilization they had once been. That knowledge sparked widespread interest in light's existence and power.
Various organizations sprang up, using every method imaginable to explore and harness that power. Through their efforts, Dyna, Gaia, Agul, and other Giants of Light were born. Dyna represented cosmic light. Gaia embodied Earth's light.
"Wow, all three Heisei heroes are here," Raven thought, silently impressed after learning the whole story.
"You've done excellent work, Masaki Keigo," the Emperor said, his voice resonant with authority. Entirely enveloped in golden light, few would doubt he was anything less than divine.
"All of this is thanks to your guidance, Sir," Masaki Keigo replied sincerely.
The two sides spoke at length. Eventually, Masaki Keigo, representing the entire civilization, signed an agreement formally joining the Human Empire.
The Empire expanded once more.
…
The fleeing monsters were pursued for tens of thousands of light-years before the fleets finally withdrew. The war was officially over.
With Imperial assistance, people emerged from sanctuaries and began rebuilding. Humanity reclaimed former colonies and expanded rapidly outward.
Primarchs led systematic campaigns to eliminate remaining monster enclaves, forcing survivors to the universe's edge or into other dimensions.
Peaceful, harmless species were permitted to remain after rigorous screening, though they were required to obey human law and accept vassal status.
True peace arrived. People lived good lives.
…
One day, Daigo, traveling through the universe in his Ultraman Tiga form, suddenly felt an invisible summoning force. It yanked him through endless time and space to another world.
He arrived to find a terrifying monster rampaging through a city. Without hesitation, Daigo attacked, defeating it after a fierce battle. Before he could even process what had happened, he was abruptly sent back to the void.
"That wasn't normal," Daigo realized immediately.
He went straight to Raven to report the incident.
At that moment, Raven was leading renovations of Time City, eating fries while directing Mechanicus sages with the Imperial Guard's support.
He had them use spatial cutters to demolish decaying structures, reconstruct technological spires with liquid metal, and weave spacetime rifts into a honeycomb-shaped jump matrix for a dimensional travel platform.
Once modifications were complete, he planned to use it to transport "workers" across worlds, making them earn cosmic origin energy for him.
Simultaneously, they'd serve as scouts for Imperial expansion, gathering intelligence, altering predetermined fates, and creating conditions for the Empire's arrival.
"Another dimension? Sounds interesting. Hmm...Let me see what's going on."
After hearing Daigo's description, Raven activated his Mist Space Authority. Special runes drawn from the mist appeared in his pupils. Instantly, countless parallel world destinies unfolded in his consciousness, laid out as clearly as specimens on a dissection table.
He quickly understood the full story.
Long ago, a parallel universe's human civilization created a spacetime machine capable of fulfilling wishes, a device powered by human desire that took the form of a red sphere.
To extract maximum energy, it constantly tempted users, igniting their deepest wants. Because human desire is insatiable, users typically destroy themselves and their worlds through their own greed.
The Red Sphere would then move to parallel universes, repeating the cycle.
Now the sphere had fallen into a little boy's hands. When monsters attacked, he'd used it to wish for Ultraman's protection. That's how Daigo was summoned, and why he was sent back after the battle ended.
"This universe has so many good things," Raven said, practically drooling at the information about the Red Sphere.
A device that allowed free travel between parallel universes? Definitely a treasure. Combined with Time City, his Infinite Base would be complete.
"Will the Red Sphere destroy that world?" Daigo asked, concerned.
"Yes. It draws out the user's deepest desires. Even a child could be driven to destroy everything," Raven confirmed.
"Then what do we do? How can we stop this disaster?" Daigo looked anxious; he'd witnessed too much death in the recent war. He didn't want another world to fall.
"Simple," Raven said. "We just travel there and take the Red Sphere."
[End of Chapter]