"By the year 2066, humanity has finally struggled past the turbulence of the first half of the 21st century.
In the 2020s, an unprecedented economic crisis swept across the globe like a storm, nearly igniting the fuse of a Third World War. Regional conflicts erupted one after another, and the economies of nations teetered on the brink of collapse amid warfare and recession.
Standing at the edge of that precipice, humanity finally awakened to a simple truth—division would only lead to destruction. Through difficult compromises among the world's major powers, the Earth Union Council (EUC) was established, symbolizing the first true unity of humankind. National borders gradually blurred, and the EUC evolved from a loose alliance into a global governing body, carrying the ideals of peace, equality, development, and exploration.
In 2050, the first scientific research base rose from the lunar surface, its silver dome gleaming in the desolate lunar seas. In 2061, humanity's flag was finally planted in the red soil of Mars, while the number of lunar bases had grown to twelve. On this journey into the vast ocean of stars, we stand united, and the future is certain to be bright…"
Removing his AR glasses, Shen Yong cut off the familiar voice of the AI announcer in mid-sentence. It had been recounting the glorious history of the EUC in a deep, solemn tone.
This was Earth in the year 2066.
Yangjibang—the heart of the Pacific region—was a sprawling coastal metropolis. Steel-and-glass skyscrapers reflected cold light in the ocean breeze.
Shen Yong stood before the Monument to Humanity's Heroes. The alloy monument, towering dozens of meters high, bore the engraved year of the EUC's founding. Surrounding it were holographic projections looping through historical presentations.
His personal terminal's AR function automatically activated again, attempting to feed him that same triumphant narrative.
But Shen Yong had no intention of lingering.
His destination was the Oriental Pearl Cinema next door.
More precisely, he was here for the soon-to-premiere Ultraman 100th Anniversary Special.
Shen Yong was thirty-five years old. Single. No children.
He stood 179 centimeters tall and weighed 85 kilograms, with a solid, muscular build.
Once a programmer, he had since become a freelancer, surviving on scattered development jobs. His life was simple. The only things he could truly call hobbies were working out and tokusatsu.
Tokusatsu.
By 2066, the term had largely faded into obscurity. In the overwhelming tide of CG technology and AI-generated content, traditional special effects had long been overshadowed.
AI-generated visuals had become indistinguishable from reality. Hyper-realistic digital monsters had replaced the clumsy movements of actors in rubber suits, and classic tokusatsu franchises had fully embraced CG production. Occasionally, a new tokusatsu project would appear—but they were usually just low-budget passion projects made by hobbyists for fun.
This time, however, was different.
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Ultraman's broadcast, Tsuburaya Productions had decided to return to tradition—announcing a remake of the original Ultraman using purely practical tokusatsu techniques.
Shen Yong's father had once been an obsessive tokusatsu fan.
Old hard drives in their home had been packed with Ultraman episodes from the Showa era. His father's passion had ignited Shen Yong's childhood like a spark to dry tinder.
Whenever Red King roared or the Baltan Alien flickered across the screen, he would imagine himself transforming into a giant of light, protecting the world.
But when Shen Yong was twenty-eight, his parents died suddenly in an industrial accident.
No amount of compensation money could fill the hollow that loss left behind.
He quit his job and sank into the emptiness of his apartment, letting day after day slip away in numb monotony.
Until one day, he discovered an old movie in his father's cloud storage.
Shin Ultraman.
The film struck him like lightning, piercing the silence of his lifeless heart. It reminded him of his childhood dream—the red-and-silver giant.
That day, he set himself a goal:
To become someone like Ultraman.
Kind. Upright. Strong. Compassionate.
Approaching thirty, he began working out seriously. He practiced martial arts and volunteered for charity work.
He drowned himself in sweat to numb the pain.
But he also understood a cruel truth.
This world had no Ultraman.
And no monsters.
His dream was nothing more than an unreachable illusion.
Shen Yong pulled himself out of his memories and put his AR glasses back on. A faint glow flickered across the lenses as streams of data flowed through his vision.
He walked toward the Oriental Pearl Cinema.
The building's glass façade reflected the colors of sea and sky beneath the setting sun.
A gentle female voice from his AI assistant sounded in his ear.
"You have arrived near your destination. The Ultraman 100th Anniversary Special premiere is located on the 5th floor of the cinema. Our records show you purchased a ticket for Hall 5-D. Route planning is now in progress.
Proceed forward 200 meters, pass through the main lobby, and take the direct elevator to the 5th floor. High crowd density detected on the 5th floor. Please follow venue instructions and queue in an orderly manner.
Would you like to connect to the venue guidance assistant?"
Shen Yong confirmed with a subtle eye movement.
A 3D map of the fifth floor appeared in his field of vision, a red line marking the path.
He stepped into the elevator.
Inside, it was packed with fans. Many carried paper bags filled with merchandise from Tsuburaya's premiere event, printed with the classic pose of the original Ultraman.
The doors slid shut.
Excited whispers filled the cramped space.
The fifth floor was a sea of Ultraman fans.
From toddlers just learning to walk to elderly fans with white hair—though most were children and teenagers.
"Before I knew it… I've reached the age where people call you 'uncle,'" Shen Yong thought with a faint sigh as he watched the lively crowd.
Outside the venue, some fans wore homemade Ultraman suits for photos. Red-and-silver helmets gleamed beneath the lights.
Shen Yong himself owned suits as well—the original Ultraman, and Lipiah from Shin Ultraman.
But he had never worn them publicly.
Deep down, he always felt he had not yet earned the title of "Ultraman."
He hadn't arrived particularly early, so the premiere was only minutes away.
Service robots began waving mechanical arms, guiding the crowd, while soft electronic voices urged ticketless fans to leave.
Shen Yong looked up.
The gate's iris scanner captured his pupil.
A green light flashed.
The gate opened silently.
A few minutes later, the audience had all taken their seats.
The theater lights dimmed, and the screen flickered on, playing a few scattered advertisements.
Shen Yong's heartbeat quickened slightly.
He was waiting for that familiar Tsuburaya logo.
But suddenly—
The screen went black.
The lights came back on.
A somewhat tense male voice came through the theater's broadcast system.
"Attention, audience members. We have received an emergency alert from the Public Security Department and the Disaster Response Department. A possible earthquake may occur nearby.
The premiere event has been canceled. Please cooperate with staff and evacuate in an orderly manner.
Repeat: The premiere event has been canceled. Please follow staff instructions and proceed to evacuation areas."
Service robots and security personnel quickly entered the theater, directing the crowd toward the exits.
Shen Yong was swept along with the flow of people and soon found himself outside the cinema in an open evacuation area.
Hundreds had already gathered there.
Everything remained orderly.
Although Yangjibang was not located on a seismic belt, the public was accustomed to following disaster-prevention protocols.
Security robots patrolled the area, their red and blue lights flashing through the dusk. Human staff quietly communicated over walkie-talkies.
Most people assumed it would just be a minor magnitude-2 or 3 tremor—like the one several years ago.
Many discussed the canceled premiere, their voices filled with regret.
Then suddenly—
A startled shout erupted from the crowd.
"A monster?!"
The unexpected cry stirred immediate commotion among the surrounding spectators.
Another voice shouted,
"Check the news!"
Shen Yong immediately switched his AR glasses to the browser interface.
The trending headline blazed across the screen:
"Monster Appears."
He opened the video.
The footage came from surveillance cameras at a river estuary.
A massive dinosaur-like beast crawled out of the mud. A single horn on its head flickered with faint electricity, and its scales reflected an eerie blue glow across the water.
Comments flooded the screen.
Some viewers were stunned. Others insisted it was just CG trickery.
Shen Yong recognized it instantly.
Neronga.
The electric-energy monster from the original Ultraman.
Yet as he watched the shocking footage, he frowned.
Logic told him that monsters could not possibly exist.
This had to be AI-generated imagery—or some kind of advanced CG fabrication.
Pranks like this had appeared occasionally over the past few years.
Although he had to admit…
This one looked astonishingly real.
The evacuees murmured among themselves.
Some people shouted "Neronga!"
Others scoffed.
"Just CG. The guy who made it is farming views again."
But Shen Yong noticed something unusual.
The security personnel had suddenly become noticeably tense.
Static chatter filled their radios.
One staff member raised a loudspeaker and shouted urgently:
"This disaster may affect this area. All evacuees must cooperate with relocation procedures. Repeat—please prepare to relocate."
Before he could finish—
A thunderous metallic roar split the air.
In the distance, the massive river bridge suddenly snapped in half.
Steel twisted violently as the structure tore apart like paper. Cars and pedestrians plunged into the raging river below, sending towering sprays of water into the air.
Then—
A colossal shadow rose from beneath the water.
A single horn broke through the waves.
Electricity danced across its scales.
A deafening roar echoed across the sky.
The monster—
Had truly appeared.