Chapter Twenty-Three: The Power of the Ultra Enthusiast (Please Recommend)

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(Happy New Year, everyone! While you're all cozily reading novels at home, I'm still out on a business trip... Exhausting! But the good news is, my trip is almost over, and updates will soon return to normal. I even plan to stockpile some chapters over the New Year since I'll be busy visiting relatives and won't have time to write then!)
P.S. Many thanks to Yu Zhi Hua An Han from QQ Reading for the generous reward of five hundred book coins!!!

When Xie Jing returned to the small shop, Kasumi Kamiji was still lying on the lounge chair, sleeping soundly. Not even the commotion outside could rouse her; it seemed her days with TPC had left her completely drained, body and soul.

Quietly tidying up the hotpot, now little more than a dried-up pot, Xie Jing—his hair having grown out again—stepped out to buy some quality ingredients, intending to prepare a good meal for Kasumi.

Outside the supermarket, Xie Jing realized his cooking skills left much to be desired. Aside from hotpot, he could manage to stir-fry some dishes, but whether they were edible was another matter entirely.

So he turned and headed for an upscale restaurant, ordered some gourmet dishes to go, and brought them back.

Along the way, all he heard were discussions about the new Ultraman. Most people debated whether the new Ultraman was stronger than Diga; some even speculated that the new Ultraman might be Diga’s lover. Such wild talk left Xie Jing speechless.

He paid these rumors no mind. When one truly holds power in their hands, idle gossip is nothing more than the curiosity of the weak toward the strong.

Yet one thing did worry him. In the course of saving people earlier, countless eyes had seen his face. Xie Jing only hoped no one would connect him to the new Ultraman; he had no wish for his peaceful, lazy life to be upended.

Back at the shop, Kasumi had groggily woken up. Xie Jing hurried over to comfort the young lady, who had no recollection of what had happened. Then, bringing out the food, the two of them enjoyed a hearty meal together.

The next day, as sunlight streamed in and Xie Jing lingered in bed, Kasumi, already up and dressed in workout clothes, had finished her morning run; she was once again the energetic young woman he knew.

The new Ultraman continued to be the talk of the town. Compared to the endless discussions about Diga, the buzz around the new Ultraman seemed even louder.

It was mostly due to his dazzling appearance, the sparkling aura that enveloped him, and his effortless way of defeating enemies—all of which made him even more captivating.

As for the question of who the new Ultraman’s human host was, no one had reached a conclusion. Thanks to the subtle control of the authorities, Xie Jing’s life remained undisturbed.

Not long after, Daigu came alone to the shop, sitting down with Xie Jing for tea and conversation.

Daigu was exhausted; the monsters appearing now were growing stronger and more cunning. With Xie Jing refusing to fight, Daigu could only work harder to improve himself to meet the challenge.

For this protagonist of the original show, who always held out hope for humanity and fought tirelessly for the world’s safety, Xie Jing felt genuine admiration. Such a person was truly suited to be the world's hero.

Persistence, kindness, a strong sense of responsibility—these were the true qualities of a protagonist, not someone like himself, always looking for ways to slack off, to avoid action, content to nap on a lounge chair all day.

So, whenever he could help Daigu, Xie Jing did—he wished he could pour all his wild ideas into Daigu’s mind.

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Ultraman’s fighting style was just too old-fashioned—always a brawl of fists and kicks, finishing with a special move when the monster was almost defeated. Against tougher monsters, even that wouldn’t work right away.

Both the Heisei and Showa series of Ultraman had this same pattern; it wasn’t until later Ultramen that things improved and they finally wielded weapons.

Xie Jing told Daigu that, if energy permitted, using conjured weapons was far more reliable than fists and feet. After all, force is mutual: hit someone with your hand, and it hurts you too.

The two sat in the little shop, sipping tea and chatting for a long time. Daigu was amazed by Xie Jing’s ideas—though many were impractical or too energy-consuming, some were worth adopting.

As for Xie Jing, what he saw most in Daigu was a sense of duty—an embodiment of the hope of billions. That kind of force, if gathered together, was enough to shake the world.

A true protagonist! Destiny incarnate!

Watching Daigu drive away into the distance, Xie Jing couldn’t help but sigh.

In this world, though he was strong enough, if their fates ever clashed in life and death, the appearance of Shining Diga would mean certain defeat for him.

“Better keep playing the slacker,” Xie Jing muttered gloomily, forcing a bitter smile as he shook his head, returning to the shop to savor the delicate fragrance of his tea while reclining on the lounge chair.

...

As a devoted Ultraman fan, Kasumi Kamiji had recently made a bold declaration to Xie Jing: though she still admired Diga, she liked the new Ultraman even more.

Xie Jing gave her an approving look and even gave her a thumbs up.

You may be a big softie, he thought, but I admire your taste!

What he didn’t know was that after this recent battle, society had split into two camps: fans of Diga and fans of the new Ultraman.

Girls, after all, are drawn to shiny things. When Xie Jing transformed, the lights sparkling around him became an irresistible lure. Combined with his appearance and patterns, his Ultraman was undeniably more attractive than Diga, causing many female fans to switch their allegiance.

Meanwhile, Diga’s fans clung to his perseverance, his indomitable spirit even in the face of defeat. Besides, Diga’s human host was handsome, and his name sounded great too.

As for the new Ultraman—who knew if his human form was even remotely attractive? He didn’t even have a name; how lacking in presence was that?

The two camps argued endlessly online, until one day, Xie Jing happened to see Kasumi engrossed in her computer, fervently typing away, and realized what was happening.

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“What? Star-Light Ultraman?” Xie Jing scoffed at the name, thick with sarcasm.

“If it were up to me, I’d call him Giant Mountain Super-Power King!”

“Ugh...” Kasumi gave Xie Jing a look of utter distaste, refusing to indulge him further.

Scratching his head and clicking his tongue, Xie Jing still thought the name Fatty Ketsui had come up with was both imposing and apt.

As massive as a mountain, with superhuman strength—any monster he fought would have to call him ‘Daddy!’

Giant Mountain Super-Power King!

Alas, women just don’t appreciate greatness. Hmph~

...

While chaos reigned online, Xie Jing was raking in profits. His was the only merchandise shop in Golden Plaza, and many were drawn by his exclusive designs and unique styles.

Taking advantage of the trend, Xie Jing launched a line of new Ultraman merchandise, including a self-recorded promotional video of his own battles, and even a sparring match with Diga.

He had too much time on his hands—he’d rather waste it shooting videos than actually fighting monsters.

With all these new products, business in his shop was booming—he could barely keep up.

When Tsuburaya Productions released the Dyna tokusatsu series, his shop exploded in popularity.

After all, his was the only place in all of Neon City to carry Dyna merchandise, and rumor even had it that Tsuburaya had bought the Dyna design from his shop.

The power of official merchandise spread like wildfire, and Ultraman fans flocked in droves, nearly working Xie Jing to death.