Chapter 140

Chapter Thirty-Four: The Ultraman Wouldn’t Know Either

Ash abruptly closed the distance with the Cure Heart in front of him; their noses were almost touching. Yet, no one was paying attention to the atmosphere. The flames burning in the man’s frightening eyes were nearly reaching the girl’s face.

The oppressive feeling caused a cold sweat to form, but少女相田爱 showed no intention of backing down.

She believes, or she seems to be able to feel—

Ash isn’t as indifferent to himself as he claims; otherwise, he wouldn’t have fought alongside her before, let alone taken her to school.

“Stop pretending you understand me. To me, you’re just a kid!”

I’ve seen heroes, more than you have transformed! I’ve died more times than you’ve defeated!

“The one who inexplicably gets angry and acts impulsively like Mister Ash is more like a child.”

“I don’t care!”

Their argument was so intense that others couldn’t interrupt them.

“Mana usually looks mature, and Mister Ash is also a proper adult, but now they seem like two kids fighting.”

“Fighting over who’s bigger is just something kids do.”

Arisu and Rikka whispered sarcastic remarks back and forth. Makoto, holding Ai-chan, couldn’t insert herself into the conversation.

“Q?”

“Don’t let Ai-chan learn from these two, or she’ll go bad.”

Makoto covered Ai-chan’s eyes, who kept peeking over curiously, because such scenes could have an unquantifiable negative impact on minors!

“Do you get it? You’re a Pretty Cure and I’m假 knight, not just different in systems but for different reasons.”

Legends tell, Pretty Cures fight to protect everyone. They want to save everyone they can see, even enemies if there’s hope to change.

Ash uses his power as he pleases, collecting Dark Echoes for the system or for fun against heroes or villains alike, saying it’s all for himself.

Two completely opposite existences.

“Or, maybe the belief you have is that fragile? Do you already think what I said is right?”

If your resolve is like this, then I’d be disappointed, Cure Heart.

“Hmm.”

Hardly hesitating, Ai nodded immediately. Ash was nearly caught off guard by her swift response.

“I don’t accept everything Mister Ash says, but not everything is wrong either.”

She neither denied nor fully accepted; she simply stated her own thoughts.

“Mister Ash, you once asked me if doing this was fun. Now I have my answer!”

“Yes! With Rikka and the others, Shalulu and the rest, as best friends and as a Cure Heart, this has been one of the best decisions!”

“Beating the Selfish Beast and saving people’s souls was joyful, and seeing environments rebuild after battles was also delightful. If I could help wicked children to change, I’d be even happier! Yes, helping others is a fun thing for me!”

Ai didn’t deny it nor confirm, craftily undermining Ash’s argument.

When one firmly knows what to do and gets into action, fear and terror fade away.

Facing Ash now, Ai, expressing her thoughts without hesitation, bravely looked him in the eye with her dark pupils until he looked away and took off his helmet.

“Go ahead. It doesn’t matter to me.”

After all, those words weren’t meant to change their mind anyway.

Otherwise, he would not stop at just talking about it.

No matter what Ash says, the main reason is he just wants to say it.

“Mister Ash, you fight for your own pleasure, so you’ve done things leading up till now, right? Me too, I want to help way more people than ever before. I want to convey the overflowing love to more people, and that makes me happy.”

“Mister Ash, perhaps we are the same type of being.”

Ash stopped, pale hands clutching onto the motorcycle’s helmet.

Under the beautiful moonlight, Cure Heart and Ai presented their sincerity along with perfect smiles to Ash.

“Exactly. We should become especially close friends.”

Ai extended her hand again. Ash remembered this wasn’t the first or second time; in fact, it had happened countless times.

Has he ever grabbed an identical hand in the past?

Without answering, Ash muttered something vague in a low tone.

“Just when obtaining something, eventually, one must release it…”

“No! I’ll hold onto everything and lose nothing!”

That’s exactly what I want to achieve! Thus, to you, Mister Ash, I also want to help!

The visor reflected Ai’s gentle smile, momentarily blocking the changing look in Ash’s eyes from view.

With a twist of the handlebar, just like during their first meeting, Ash silently drove away on the low-growling Diego motorcycle without a word.

This time, unlike the previous departure, he seemed to be missing one emotion.

“Gone.”

Regina left, and so did Ash.

Cured Ai watched the departing Knight’s silhouette, inevitably feeling somewhat sad.

“Ai truly cares about both Regina and Mister Ash.” Six flowers’ words carried some strange sentiment when she talked about others. “But, if Ai is going to make friends with enemies, is that sincere?”

Because of Ai’s proactive contact with Regina, her relationship with Makoto had been extremely strained, but even though Makoto has changed her mind, it doesn’t mean Ai’s choice justifies itself.

Her comrades still harbor doubts about this matter.

As for Ash…well, the girl wasn’t keen on talking about him either, so let’s leave it for now.

“I find it peculiar too, yet, from Regina’s smile, I feel she isn’t a bad kid.”

Ai remembers playing on the streets as friends with Regina, disregarding adversarial identities. Although Regina thought mainly of herself, she was at least willing to listen to Ai’s suggestions.

Smiling while shopping and enjoying ice cream together, Regina seemed completely like a cute innocent girl. Ai found it hard to imagine this Regina would really turn into an enemy, so she tried her hardest to be friends with her.

“Of course, I know Takina will be mad if I do that, but I just wanted to give it a try.”

“Even if she becomes Ai’s friend, I won’t forgive her easily.” Considering the lost nation and its people, Takina couldn’t yet release her resentment, although she began to understand Ai’s sentiments after this joint battle.

So, in response to Ai revealing her true feelings, Takina reciprocated honestly.

“This is my opinion as a friend who shares everything; right? But I will also try to empathize with Mana’s emotions—wait, don’t rush toward me in such a sentimental manner! My body is dirty…”

Teary-eyed, Ai lunged towards the others, creating a joyful commotion among them.

“So, how about Mister Ash?”

Arisu’s discreet question quickly froze everyone else except herself.

“Mister Ash, how should I put it… he seems to be hiding, sulking?”

Lacking any better words, Ai picked the closest one from her dictionary to describe the scene of Ash’s departure.

“I think, what he claims is not entirely accurate; he’s not purely an enemy.”

Ai has seen a side of Ash. Beneath his smiling face lies a little “ill-intent” devoid of malice, but possibly deeper, more complex thoughts.

Especially in the brief playful interaction with Regina, he genuinely laughed and seemed relieved. That moment revealed Ash’s rare sincerity and warmth, previously hidden under his unpleasant character.

Why hide your true self?

“Everyone could sense it, though. The light from Mister Ash possessed such warmth, he can’t truly be a bad person.”

“I wish to bring Mister Ash out from the darkness and let him bask in the sunlight.”

“Then show your genuine smile!”

Seeing Regina lying on the couch, eating ice cream while biting the spoon with her sharp fangs:

“Ash, you know? The ice cream he introduced to me last time with Mana—really delicious.”

“But, strangely enough, sharing it made me happier than eating alone.”

Biting through the spoon, Regina finally voiced her question.

“What truly makes a good friend?”

Even after returning, she continued pondering over it.

Still, no answer was found.

“Perhaps, someone one can trust utterly, to die for if it means protecting them? These matters Super Sentai or Ultraman teams might have clearer answers.”

Does she have true friends? Possibly, but she can’t recall.

Thus, who knows the answer?

Regina clearly wasn’t satisfied with this reply and asked another question.

“What about true love?”

This time, Ash did not respond. He sprawled lazily on the couch beside her, picking up a ragged guitar from the system’s storage and strumming its strings, playing solo.

“Wah wah, Dena Justice!”

“What is true love? Wah wah, Dena~♪”

“True love is ultraman~oh~!”