Ryan Vale managed to stay at the club in the end.
Ayumi clearly didn't like the idea, judging by the look on her face. But Ryan had bigger concerns right now.
Food.
Nothing mattered more than filling his stomach.
After finishing a free meal at the club, Ryan was brought to meet the club's president.
"President!" someone called.
Ryan looked up.
A large man with a friendly face walked over and slapped him hard on the shoulder.
"Oof—"
"So you're Ryu!" the man said with a grin.
This was Omura Shoji, the president of the Jonan Sports Club.
Omura looked Ryan up and down.
"You're a bit thin. Need more training."
"Well…"
"But that's perfect!" Omura continued. "We're short on staff. You can stay here and help out."
Ryan blinked.
Just like that?
Then Omura leaned closer and lowered his voice.
"Tell me something."
"Huh?"
"Did you offend the princess?"
Ryan stared.
"The princess?"
Omura gave him a meaningful look.
"You know who I mean."
Ryan slowly turned his head.
"…You don't mean—"
Omura didn't answer. He just patted Ryan's shoulder again and walked away.
Ryan stood there in silence.
Wait.
The club has a princess?
Then he remembered Ayumi's expression earlier.
Ryan felt a chill.
"Don't tell me…"
Leo was missing.
Ultraman Seven couldn't transform.
At this point, nothing would surprise him anymore.
Still…
When exactly did I make that girl hate me?
"Why are you standing around? Get changed!"
Ryan turned.
Ayumi stood in front of him wearing a training uniform.
Now Ryan understood what Omura meant.
He picked up a practice uniform from the side.
So this was just sparring?
Ryan relaxed a little.
He had never trained before, but it was only a girl. How bad could it be?
Ryan started changing clothes.
"HEY!"
Ayumi's face turned bright red.
"What are you doing?! Who said you could change here?! Use the locker room, idiot!"
Ryan froze.
"Oh. Right. Sorry."
A few minutes later, Ryan walked back onto the dojo floor, sweating from the awkward rush.
"There. Good enough?"
Ayumi crossed her arms.
"Don't think we let you stay here out of pity."
She stepped into a fighting stance.
"This club doesn't need weak people. If you want to stay, prove you're worth it."
Ryan frowned.
"Hey, this is a club. Not your house."
He folded his arms.
"Don't act so proud just because people call you a princess. With that temper, nobody's going to marry you."
Ayumi's eyes widened.
"You—!"
Her knee bent.
Her leg shot forward.
"Wait—!"
Too late.
Ryan saw the sole of her foot rushing toward his face.
His footing slipped.
Pain exploded across his nose.
Before he could react, he crashed backward.
THUD.
The sound echoed across the dojo.
Everyone inside turned to look.
"Oof…"
Ryan covered his nose.
Blood trickled down his hand.
"Man… that hurts."
Luckily he had taken hits to the nose before.
Otherwise tears would already be running down his face.
Ryan gritted his teeth.
"Don't think I'm scared of you," he said stubbornly. "I just don't hit girls."
Ayumi stared at him for a moment.
Then she relaxed her stance.
"Fine. You pass."
Ryan blinked.
"…What?"
But she had already turned and walked out of the dojo.
Ryan watched her leave.
"That girl hits hard…"
He tried to stand.
Then pain shot through his backside.
Ryan hissed and sat back down.
A few club members walked over.
"Hey," one of them said, shaking his head. "You're lucky."
"Lucky?" Ryan asked.
"Last time someone angered the princess, he spent two weeks in the hospital."
Ryan's eyes widened.
"Seriously?"
"Dead serious."
Ryan looked toward the door where Ayumi had left.
A bad feeling settled in his stomach.
If this girl kept "training" him like that, life here was going to be rough.
I need to get stronger…
Not to fight aliens.
Just to avoid getting bullied by a teenage girl.
That afternoon, Omura showed Ryan his room.
It was small.
A few boxes sat in the corner. A narrow bed stood against the wall.
Still, it was a private room.
"Another guy used to stay here," Omura explained. "His name was Takeshi. But he moved out recently."
He scratched his head.
"It's not much space, but you'll have to make do for now."
Ryan nodded quickly.
"This is great."
Compared to his old school dorm, this was luxury.
At least he didn't have to share.
Omura hesitated for a moment.
"Ryu… you might be upset with the princess."
Ryan waved a hand.
"I get it, I get it. No need to explain."
He forced a smile.
"I'm not mad at her."
Of course I'm mad.
I'll get that kick back someday.
Omura sighed.
"You see… when she was little, a monster attack killed her mother and her brother right in front of her."
Ryan paused.
"She's been training here ever since," Omura continued quietly. "She acts tough, but…"
Ryan nodded slowly.
"I understand."
Then he smiled.
"Besides, I was holding back earlier. That kick wasn't anything. If I had been serious—"
Ryan stopped.
Omura was staring behind him with a strange expression.
Ryan's smile froze.
"…She's behind me, isn't she?"
Omura didn't answer.
Ryan sighed.
"Years of experience tell me there's a ninety percent chance the person I'm talking about is standing right behind me."
He slowly turned around.
Cold air.
That was the only way Ryan could describe it.
Ayumi stood there.
Silently.
Staring.
Ryan forced a painful smile.
"President… can I take a day off?"
Several seconds passed.
No response.
Then Omura coughed.
"She already left."
Ryan blinked.
"…Oh."
He scratched his head awkwardly.
"I guess I didn't say anything bad."
Through the window, Ryan watched Ayumi's figure disappear down the street.
Another sad story.
But honestly, that wasn't unusual in the Ultraman world.
Still…
Why did she target him so much?
Ryan rubbed his chin.
Did she fall for me or something?
He shook his head immediately.
"No way."
They had barely met.
Then Ryan remembered Black Tide Island.
All he did was faint.
Was that enough to annoy her this much?
Thinking about the island reminded Ryan of something important.
According to the original story, the two monsters that attacked Black Tide Island would return soon.
And the next time…
They would sink the entire island.
Ryan sighed heavily.
"This is bad."
He looked toward Omura.
"For her sake… and everyone else on that island… I need to do something."
"President, is there a phone here?"
Ryan remembered something Moroboshi Dan had told him a few days earlier.
'Earth will always need humans to protect it. This is my private number. Call me if something happens.'
Ultraman Seven couldn't transform anymore.
Ultraman Leo was nowhere to be found.
For now, Earth really did have to rely on humans.
Ryan didn't know if the Land of Light would send another Ultraman.
But honestly?
He doubted it.
In the original story, Seven faced many crises on Earth. No one came to help him then.
Still…
Ryan couldn't shake one question.
Why had Moroboshi Dan treated him so well?
He was Ultraman Seven.
Captain of the MAC team.
A man with enormous responsibility.
Yet he had trusted Ryan almost immediately.
Ryan stared at the phone for a moment.
Then he picked it up and dialed.
The call connected.
A calm voice answered.
"Hello. Moroboshi speaking."