Chapter 69: Entering the Password Again

Qiao Zhe wanted nothing more than to seize Meng by the throat and shake him hard.

“Seriously, why are you analyzing my data for no reason?”

So that’s why someone in the Geo Base could be so ridiculously skilled—it was this kid causing all the mischief!

“I was just curious, that’s all,” Meng replied, his face filled with embarrassment.

He really had only been curious at the time, so he’d taken a look at the data. Jojo’s performance was simply astonishing, and Meng couldn’t resist the urge to dig deeper.

For that impulsive behavior, Qiao Zhe could only look at Meng in speechless exasperation.

“Don’t analyze my data unless necessary. And yours, or Aguru’s—don’t store any of it ever again.”

Seeing Meng’s puzzled look, Qiao Zhe continued, “Among the Extinction Summoners, there are monsters specialized in collecting intelligence. The extradimensional beast Mezard, for example, was one of those. Combined with the metal lifeforms—since some monsters can mimic an Ultraman by analyzing data—if the enemy gets hold of ours, it’ll be a real problem.”

If he remembered correctly, there was still one metal lifeform yet to appear.

“Understood,” Meng answered awkwardly.

Meanwhile, as Mimos, transformed into a fake Jojo, appeared before them, everyone in XIG froze in disbelief.

The three Lightning Team jets hovered in the air. Okawara’s eyes widened. “Jojo?”

“What’s going on?” Kajio stared at the Jojo before them, uncertain what was real and what was fake.

Mimos had appeared in precisely the same manner as Jojo did when transforming.

On the Peacekeeper, Director Tei’s face was full of shock. “Where’s the monster? Could it be that Crisis can become Jojo even in the real world?”

He knew well that, during the previous battle between the blue Ultraman and Crisis, Crisis had taken Jojo’s form.

The Lightning Team hesitated to attack. Qiao Zhe contacted the command room over the communicator.

“Commander Ishimuro, Director Tei, that’s not Jojo—it’s Crisis mimicking him.”

Tei, confused, asked, “But isn’t this reality? Is Crisis really capable of that now?”

“To be precise, it’s not Crisis anymore,” Qiao Zhe replied over the channel.

He explained to Ishimuro and the others, “After Crisis fused with those fragments, it became a new metal lifeform.”

“I’ve named it Mimos. It absorbed data from Geo Base, and is now mimicking Jojo—a fake Ultraman.”

“Director Tei, attack the fake Jojo!”

Ishimuro was slightly surprised by Qiao Zhe’s decisive tone.

To strike at one’s own likeness—this young man was ruthless.

“Understood.” Tei was gradually becoming accustomed to Qiao Zhe’s commands, especially since Ishimuro had no objections.

He relayed the order on the squad channel, “Lightning Team, attack the fake Jojo!”

Kajio’s grip on the control stick tightened involuntarily at the command. “We have to attack Jojo… No, this isn’t Jojo!”

“Okawara! Kitada!”

“Attack Mimos! Expose its true form!”

At Kajio’s shout, he slammed the attack button.

Several laser blasts fired. Kitada, piloting Lightning Two, followed up immediately.

But the beams struck Mimos to no effect.

“Our attack was ignored.” Ishimuro’s face grew grim. “Has it copied even Jojo’s defensive power?”

Qiao Zhe’s voice came over the main channel.

“It’s not just Jojo’s defense. Its speed too. And it contains Gaia’s data.”

Chiba’s face paled. “Doesn’t that make it a combination of two Ultramen?!”

“Yes, that’s correct,” Qiao Zhe replied, glancing at Meng.

Meng looked deeply embarrassed. Feeling responsible, he reached into his jacket.

Back on the battlefield, Lightning Three flew past Mimos but did not fire.

Tei barked over the radio, “Okawara, what are you doing? Why aren’t you attacking?”

In the cockpit, Okawara gripped the controls, frozen.

“I know it’s Mimos, not the real Jojo, but looking at Jojo’s face… I can’t pull the trigger!”

“What are you saying? Follow orders!” Tei’s voice was stern.

Humans are emotional creatures. Okawara’s hands tightened on the stick.

“I remember Jojo saving me, and he saved Kajio too! Have you all forgotten?”

“Okawara, you fool,” Kajio’s voice came over the squad channel. “How could I forget what happened this morning? That’s exactly why we must tear off this impostor’s disguise!”

Hearing Kajio and Okawara’s exchange, Qiao Zhe snapped his communicator shut.

[Light Factor 92% → 93%]

[Sky Light 10% → 20%]

[Darkness Factor 9.2% → 9.3%]

“That’s enough…”

The blue sapphire ring shimmered on his wrist.

But as Qiao Zhe prepared to transform, Meng raised his own sapphire cone.

This time, Meng had learned his lesson and transformed directly without a word.

A clear chime rang out—silver-white light and red-white light flared at once!

The sudden radiance drew every gaze.

A towering silver giant materialized, Jojo hovering in midair. At his side, Gaia, clad in red and silver, appeared.

With two Ultramen appearing together, the members of XIG broke into smiles.

“That’s Jojo!”

“Gaia’s here too!”

“The one beside Gaia is the real Jojo!”

Transformed into Gaia, Meng prepared to face Mimos, but Jojo reached out to stop him.

“Let me handle this.”

“You focus on keeping the ground safe from damage.”

With these words, Jojo clenched his fist before his forehead, gathering crystal energy. As he swung his arm down, his body erupted in light.

With a single motion, he shifted forms. When the glow faded, Jojo had assumed his Storm Form—

His entire body now predominantly purple with silver accents, his speed dramatically increased!

The transformation made Gaia, standing beside him, freeze in surprise.

He glanced at his own red-and-silver form and thought, “Isn’t this making me look foolish?”

The transformation was observed by XIG, especially those on the scene, like Director Tei.

“Jojo’s appearance has changed!” Okawara exclaimed in excitement.

Kajio murmured, “His body color’s turned purple.”

“Lightning Team, pay attention,” Tei instructed over the squad channel. “The one in purple is the real Jojo!”

In the airborne command room, Ishimuro watched the renewed Jojo with wonder.

“A new form… What abilities will it have?”

Mimos, transformed from Crisis, had only copied Jojo’s previous state. The current Jojo was certainly stronger than ever!

Now, in the high-altitude arena—

Jojo nodded to Gaia, then fixed his gaze on Mimos. He raised his arm like an armored warrior, flicking his wrist.

“Platinum Star!”

With a whoosh—

A purple figure shot out, instantly appearing before Mimos. “Ora!!!”

With speed so great it seemed to halt time, even though Mimos saw Platinum Star’s strike, his body couldn’t react. He was punched straight into the sky!

Jojo followed, unleashing a Particle Feather from his hand!