"I am an alien."
Hayata Shin didn't approach the two, who simultaneously stood up and drew their weapons with perfect coordination.
"Are you connected to the Lunar Surface Base incident?"
"In fact, that's precisely why I'm here," Hayata raised his hands in a gesture of goodwill.
These battle-hardened veterans didn't immediately lower their guard.
"What's your objective?"
"To investigate the truth behind the destruction of the Lunar Surface Base. I had companions who died in this incident."
"You mean your associates were hiding inside the lunar base?"
"No need for such speculation. We have no interest in invading Earth. My companions were last seen on the moon, and I need to discover the truth behind their disappearance."
"So that's why you came here?" Captain Anzhu asked sternly.
Hayata calmly replied, "I wanted to see if you knew more. Evidently, I was right."
Yumimura remained vigilant, wariness evident in her eyes.
Hayata sighed, "If possible, allow me to work with you. If you don't trust me, you can keep me confined."
He fully understood humans, knowing they would be extremely cautious toward any suspicious individuals at this time, especially an 'alien' who appeared so suddenly.
"Even with your proposal, we regretfully inform you that currently we only have this audio recording as our sole lead," said Yumimura, attempting to negotiate with Hayata to gain more intelligence. She had clearly begun to believe parts of his story.
Captain Anzhu glanced at Yumimura, hesitating to speak, seemingly thinking they shouldn't lower their guard so quickly.
"When I entered Earth's atmosphere, I saw people collecting something at the lunar base," Hayata mentioned.
"Those weren't our people," Anzhu replied with a serious expression. "They were TPC higher-ups, from the Space Analysis Bureau."
"We should cooperate," Hayata suggested.
"This information isn't important. We're not exchanging intelligence—I want to know your background," Anzhu pressed.
"My background?" Hayata paused momentarily, then smiled. "I'm from Planet Kannat. This is my third visit to the Solar System; the previous two times I was just passing through on a spacecraft."
"Why were your companions on the moon?"
"They were searching for uninhabited habitable zones, a necessary approach for civilization development."
"You've passed through twice before; your companions shouldn't have come here."
"It's an information gap. We conduct long-term exploration, and each person's return time to our homeworld determines how much information they can access."
Hayata's explanation wasn't flawless, but the two still seemed inclined to cooperate with him.
After a long silence, Captain Anzhu finally asked, "What abilities do you have?"
"In emergencies, I can protect you." Hayata concentrated a dark red energy in his palm. Seeing this energy, his brow furrowed slightly, but he quickly explained, "This energy is called Metalium, similar to the high-molecular energy particles found in the Spacium ore you've discovered on Mars."
Spacium ore was a well-known resource, with many companies exploring for it on Mars. Hayata understood this planet and had quickly grasped some publicly known information after arriving on Earth.
Captain Anzhu stated his conditions: "Although I still have my doubts about you, we also want to uncover the truth. I'll arrange for someone to keep you under a certain level of supervision."
Hayata nodded, "Completely agreed."
Satisfied, Anzhu continued, "Moving forward, you'll join as a member of Earth's Super GUTS, but you cannot reveal your true identity to other team members. Your cover story is that you're a criminal I've released from prison. I'll create a false identity for you; you just need to play your role."
Yumimura added, "I'll also push this matter forward on my end, trying to obtain more intelligence about the lunar base." She turned to Hayata with a serious expression, "We still haven't lowered our guard against you. You'd better truly be seeking the truth about your companions' disappearance! Otherwise, TPC will absolutely not let you off. After Ultraman left, humans are no longer easy targets. We've developed our own defense systems capable of handling any monster, alien, or even an Ultraman!"
With that, she departed with a heavy heart.
Hayata watched her disappear down the corridor, then turned to Anzhu, "Feels nostalgic."
"What?"
"I'm just reminiscing about joining this kind of team again."
"Huh?"
"Too bad I'm not the captain."
The next day at seven o'clock, TPC Far East Base, Earth Super GUTS Control Room.
This place had been home to two generations of GUTS teams. After Dyna's departure, the third Super GUTS team inherited this control room.
When Hayata arrived, he wore a laser bracelet that could restrain him at any time, currently deactivated, with control in Captain Anzhu's hands.
Five people were in the control room, all casting puzzled looks as Hayata entered.
Hayata surveyed them—four men and two women. One man, similar in age and appearance to Hayata, had been observing him since his arrival.
They wore uniform cyan-blue outfits emblazoned with the new GUTS emblem, noticeably different from Yumimura's uniform, making them stand out in a crowd.
Hayata averted his gaze, trying to appear natural.
Captain Anzhu laughed heartily and announced loudly, "Alright, you bunch of misfits, come welcome our new team member!"