"..."
Lost in a hopeful fantasy, Moroboshi Dan was jolted awake by Chen Yu's words.
Watching Chen Yu walk away without looking back, Moroboshi Dan suddenly felt a mix of frustration and disappointment.
However, after a moment, Chen Yu stopped under Moroboshi Dan's watchful gaze, which brought a smile to Moroboshi Dan's face.
Surely, as an Ultraman, this young man had a strong sense of duty to protect the Earth.
Chen Yu turned back, picked up his backpack at the edge of the beach, and continued walking.
Moroboshi Dan's smile gradually faded, and he tried to rush over to give Chen Yu a piece of his mind.
But he barely took a step before collapsing to the ground, crying out in pain.
Hearing this, Chen Yu stopped, sighed, and turned around.
He saw Moroboshi Dan clutching his bleeding knee, sweating profusely.
Putting down his backpack, Chen Yu ran back to help Moroboshi Dan up and carried him on his back, then said, "Mr. Moroboshi, let me take you to the hospital. Your injury shouldn't be delayed."
"What about the gas at your home? Didn't you forget to turn it off?"
Moroboshi Dan asked irritably.
"It's okay. I grew up inhaling gas."
Chen Yu responded.
At a loss for words, Moroboshi Dan found himself speechless in conversations with this young man.
Still, as Chen Yu carried him to the hospital, Moroboshi Dan couldn't help but lecture him about the importance of protecting the Earth.
Chen Yu didn't mind, merely nodding and saying, "Protecting the Earth is a given, but joining MAC... I'll pass. I'm used to my freedom and don't like being managed."
Joining MAC was a no-go for Chen Yu, known as one of the most disastrous defense teams in the Ultraman series, both in terms of member survival and effectiveness.
Most importantly, Chen Yu didn't want to endure Moroboshi Dan's temperament.
After all, Moroboshi Dan's training of Phoenix was notoriously harsh.
"If you join MAC, you could receive better, more professional training, and it would be more convenient for your activities..."
Moroboshi Dan hadn't finished speaking when Chen Yu interrupted him.
"Mr. Moroboshi, we've reached the hospital."
The hospital location was provided by Moroboshi Dan since it wasn't far from the beach. Chen Yu simply carried him directly there.
Wanting to say more, Moroboshi Dan was already being ushered into the emergency room by Chen Yu. The doctors, recognizing him as MAC's Moroboshi Dan, promptly arranged for bone-setting surgery.
Before leaving, Chen Yu told the doctors he found Moroboshi Dan on the beach and any further inquiries should be directed to MAC, who would also cover the treatment costs.
It wasn't that Chen Yu was stingy; he genuinely had no money.
Returning to the beach, Chen Yu picked up his backpack and checked the mission notification.
The task to eliminate the Magma Alien and save Ultraman Seven was incomplete, meaning Chen Yu couldn't yet return to the real world.
The Magma Alien, known for its vengeful nature and the title "Tyrant of the Blade," was likely to seek revenge the following day.
"I'll deal with the Magma Alien tomorrow, finish the task, and then see."
Chen Yu planned to linger a while in this world after completing the mission before returning to the real world.
Having booked a hotel room for three days and with an empty wallet, Chen Yu didn't want to waste the money and even considered acquiring something from this world to replenish his real-world funds.
As the sun set and the moon rose, Chen Yu spent the night sleeping on a park bench, eating the bread and water he had prepared.
With his martial arts training and physical conditioning, even sleeping outdoors posed no health risk to Chen Yu.
The next morning, Chen Yu found a man in a silver-orange uniform standing before him.
Recognizing the uniform from Moroboshi Dan the previous day, Chen Yu immediately knew the man's identity.
He was a member of MAC.
"What can I do for you?"
Chen Yu sat up and asked.
"Hello, I'm Suzuki, a member of MAC," the man said. "Our captain sent me to find someone in this area. You match the description our captain gave, so you must be Chen Yu."
"How did your captain describe me?"
Curious, Chen Yu asked with a smile.
"Our captain said you're very young, in your early twenties, with a noticeable air of vigor about you," Suzuki answered. "Most importantly, you have a black backpack."
Without responding, Chen Yu realized Moroboshi Dan sent a team member to persuade him to join MAC and protect the Earth together.
"Our captain asked that if I found you, I must get your contact information."
Suzuki continued.
"Is that all?"
"Yes," Suzuki nodded. "So, can I have your contact info?"
"If I had it, I would tell you," Chen Yu candidly said. "Didn't you see? I spent the night sleeping on a park bench."
"This..."
Suzuki was momentarily speechless.
"I have no money and nowhere to live," Chen Yu stated. "Go back and tell your captain I'll be leaving tonight. He should focus on his recovery, as the Earth can't afford to lose Moroboshi Dan."
Chen Yu remembered Suzuki from the series, his death causing a significant impact on Chen Yu's childhood.
"If you're homeless, you can stay at my place," Suzuki offered unexpectedly. "I have a spare room that just needs some tidying up."
"Thanks for your kindness," Chen Yu said. "But as I mentioned, I'll be leaving tonight."
Today, the Magma Alien would seek revenge. Once defeated, Chen Yu could leave the instance.
Chen Yu intended to do as he pleased after completing the mission.
"Alright," Suzuki nodded and prepared to leave.
However, Chen Yu stopped him, saying, "You can tell your captain I'll be in this park all day. If he really needs me, he can find me here."
Chen Yu didn't want Suzuki to face Moroboshi Dan's criticism, especially with Moroboshi Dan's changed temperament after his injury.