"As expected of Dr. Rui Kisaragi, possessed by an alien," Yu Zhou sneered, his tone dripping with disdain.
That single line sent a wave of shock through everyone present.
Dr. Kisaragi, who had just been struck down by a light blade, was not dead. In fact, sparks flickered across her body where she had been hit.
Seeing was believing.
Everyone present could now tell—something was definitely wrong with her.
Still, the figure that drew the most attention wasn't the fallen doctor, but the mysterious black-robed man standing on the control platform.
He had conjured a light blade from nowhere—as if using magic. Clearly, this was no ordinary person.
"This light blade… could it be…"
From below, Asuka stared intently at the man's face, which was completely hidden under the hood, as if trying to see through the darkness.
But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't pierce the shadow that concealed the man's identity.
"His build… it's just like Senior Yu Zhou," Asuka muttered under his breath.
Even without seeing his face, the man's movements and physique were familiar. The ability to fire light blades and that body shape—there was little doubt who it was.
"Sir, could you show us your true face?" Commander Gondou had picked himself up from the ground. He glanced at the unconscious Dr. Kisaragi, then back at Yu Zhou, and spoke firmly.
"Why should I let you see?" Yu Zhou chuckled softly. "If I wanted you to see my face, I wouldn't have bothered wearing this robe in the first place."
"Enough of this." Commander Gondou twisted his sore back and barked, "Take him down!"
The factory's security personnel, obeying his order, rushed forward—hoping to subdue Yu Zhou through sheer numbers.
However, Captain Hibiki held out a hand, stopping the Super Victory Team from joining in.
For one thing, the black-robed stranger didn't seem openly hostile—he had even exposed that Dr. Kisaragi was possessed.
For another, the Super Victory Team wasn't under Commander Gondou's command.
Seeing the crowd charging toward him, Yu Zhou didn't even bother dodging. Instead, he raised his fists and launched a flurry of lightning-fast punches.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The sound of fist meeting flesh echoed through the hall. Within moments, the defence troops were sprawled across the floor, clutching their bruises and groaning in pain.
"He's too strong!"
Captain Hibiki's eyes widened as he watched Yu Zhou's seamless strikes.
"Who is this guy?"
Ryō, standing beside him, was just as astonished.
"Maybe… I know who he is," Asuka whispered quietly—but not quietly enough. Hibiki and Ryō both caught his words.
"Asuka, you know who the black-robed man is?!" Captain Hibiki grabbed Asuka by the shoulder and pulled him aside.
"Ah—?" Asuka froze for a moment before realizing what he'd just blurted out. "I… I do know."
"But I can't say it."
He wanted to tell them the truth, but if Yu Zhou had gone to such lengths to hide his identity, revealing it would betray his trust.
"It's fine, Asuka. You don't have to say it if you don't want to."
Captain Hibiki wasn't the kind to pressure his team. He patted Asuka on the shoulder with a knowing smile and returned to watch quietly from the sidelines.
After effortlessly defeating all his attackers, Yu Zhou turned toward the fallen Dr. Kisaragi.
He didn't believe for a second that the Monera alien possessing her would go down that easily.
"Finishing off the enemy—always a good habit," he said casually.
He reached out, grabbed a steel handle from the control console, and yanked it free, gripping it like a metal rod.
Then he strode toward the unconscious Kisaragi.
"You—what are you doing?!"
This time, Commander Gondou didn't dare charge forward. He retreated to the lower platform and shouted anxiously.
"Obviously, I'm finishing the job."
Yu Zhou smirked, then swung the steel rod down toward Kisaragi's body.
Buzz—!
Just before the strike landed, a burst of blue energy erupted from her body, halting Yu Zhou's blow in midair.
Feeling the resistance, Yu Zhou didn't push it—he simply released the rod and let it fall to the floor.
"I thought you'd play dead all the way to the end."
He brushed the dust from his hands and looked at the now-standing Kisaragi.
The Monera alien finally dropped its pretence. Blue light pulsed from within her, revealing the entity possessing her body.
Through Kisaragi's mouth, the alien spoke in a warped, echoing tone.
"Who are you… and why do you interfere with me?"
"I'm your father."
The Monera alien fell silent. "…"
"I think… I've figured out who he is," Captain Hibiki murmured, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
Asuka, meanwhile, was more certain than ever—the black-robed man had to be Yu Zhou.
"Impudent fool!"
The Monera alien unleashed a violent shockwave of blue energy, blasting outward in all directions.
Some of the onlookers were thrown off their feet.
The surge also tore the black robe clean off Yu Zhou's body, leaving it fluttering to the floor.
"Oh no! His disguise—!" Asuka gasped, realizing that Yu Zhou's identity was about to be exposed.
Captain Hibiki quickly turned his eyes toward the now-unmasked face, eager to confirm his theory.
"Eh?"
But when both of them saw the man's face, they froze.
"Who… is that? Asuka, do you know him?" Hibiki asked, bewildered.
"I… don't. I've never seen him before," Asuka replied, equally stunned.
Because standing on the platform was not Yu Zhou.
The black robe had fallen away to reveal a strikingly handsome man.
"Nice to meet you all," he said with a faint grin. "My name is Kurenai Gai."
"You can call me Gai."
"K-Kurenai Gai?!"
The others were puzzled, but Asuka recognized the name instantly—Yu Zhou had mentioned him before.
A man known as the King of Debt.
The transformation badge on Yu Zhou's chest flickered faintly with light as he smiled at the Monera alien.
Good thing he'd prepared this disguise ahead of time—otherwise, his real identity would've been exposed for sure.
"Monera alien," he said calmly, his voice filled with quiet authority, "your end has come."
With that, Yu Zhou—now appearing as Kurenai Gai—leapt forward, delivering a flying kick straight at the possessed Dr. Kisaragi.