The three of them evaded the Mechanical Legion's pursuit and reached a cave.
"Found it!"
Nao used the gun in his hand to light up the ore on a stone torch, and he handed the torch to Ultraman Zero.
"Big brother, use this."
Ultraman Zero was observing the cave. Hearing Nao's voice, he glanced back, but instead of taking the torch, he showed Nao the Ultra Bracelet on his wrist, which was glowing to provide illumination.
Aria stood beside Ultraman Zero, also looking around the cave.
At that moment, Ultraman Zero found a passageway in the cave. "Come on, this way."
Looking at the Ultra Bracelet on Ultraman Zero's wrist, Nao asked in confusion, "What is that, big brother?"
Ultraman Zero did not answer, and Nao did not mind. The three of them continued deeper into the cave.
After looking around the cave, Aria's gaze remained fixed on Nao's necklace. She still couldn't understand why her eldest uncle's energetic aura would appear here.
Nao looked up at Ultraman Zero. "Grandma and the others should have gotten away safely by now, right? Right, big brother?"
As Ultraman Zero searched around, he started to explain, but Aria, who was standing nearby with her arms crossed, spoke first.
"You're Nao, right?"
"Yeah." Nao looked at the big sister who had been following them ever since, knowing she was another giant.
Aria raised a finger to point at Ultraman Zero, who was scouting ahead, and then said, "Him? He's your big brother, and yet he's not your big brother."
"Huh?" Nao looked doubtfully between Aria and his big brother.
Ultraman Zero, ahead of them, glanced back at the two of them and then explained, "I am an Ultra Warrior from the Land of Light, Ultraman Zero."
"Ultraman Zero?"
Aria watched the two of them go back and forth and fell silent.
Just now, hearing Nao call Ultraman Zero big brother, for some reason she felt a sense of unease in her heart, which made her very irritable. It seemed like ever since she came to this universe, nothing was going right.
Puzzles kept piling up one after another, yet she had no idea how to find the answers.
Why on earth was her eldest uncle's energetic aura here?
Who on earth was that Ultraman ahead?
And what did he have to do with her?
...
So many questions were making her head hurt.
"It should be safe here, right?" Ultraman Zero stopped in his tracks and looked around.
"What about Aran? My brother, what... what happened to him?" Nao looked at Ultraman Zero and asked anxiously.
Ultraman Zero looked back at Nao and tapped his own chest. "He is sleeping in here."
Nao asked anxiously, his voice laced with tears, "You mean he's already dead?"
Looking at Nao with his tear-filled eyes, Aria sighed, squatted down to wipe away his tears, and said in a gentle tone, "Don't worry, your brother isn't dead."
Ultraman Zero also turned back, walked over to him, squatted down, and said earnestly, "He's fine. The two of us share a single body and soul."
"A single body and soul?"
"Yes. You know what? The bond between you brothers really moved me, and I want to help you." For some reason, Ultraman Zero's mood dipped a little.
Watching him, Aria felt an unprovoked wave of sadness. It was as if a sorrow was welling up from deep within her soul, making her feel as though she had truly lost a part of herself—a very, very important part.
Beside her, Ultraman Zero raised his head and looked earnestly at Nao. "Trust me, Nao. Your brother will come back. I'll protect you—that's a promise between your brother and me. Trust me."
"Don't forget about me," Aria looked at the two of them. "I'll keep my promise and protect you too." She looked at Nao earnestly, radiant and full of spirit. "You have to know I'm Seiy—uh, Aria! There's nothing in this world I can't do!"
Anyway, her dad, uncles, and aunts would definitely have her back. Besides, who was she? She was Aria, the Light of Destiny of The Cosmos! As long as it was something she wanted to do, she could definitely pull it off. Protecting one person was a piece of cake, right?
Ultraman Zero looked at her with amusement, then turned back to Nao. "So, please trust us, okay?"
Nao stood hesitating in place for a moment. He clutched the necklace on his chest tightly, and then reached out his hand to the two people in front of him. "All right then! Since my brother can trust you, I trust you too!"
Ultraman Zero and Aria smiled at each other and simultaneously took Nao's hand. "Thank you."
Right at that moment, the Baradhi Shard on Nao's chest suddenly lit up.
"Huh?" Nao lowered his head, looking in confusion at the necklace hanging on his chest. "This has never happened before."
Aria and Ultraman Zero both stared at the necklace. "This..."