Chapter 94: The King of Hell Should Be Tattooed on You

"Hey, wait! Jojo! You're not kidding me, are you?"

Gamu looked at him, utterly baffled. He remembered that waterfall being more than a hundred meters high.

The force of that crashing water alone was enough to make it impossible for an ordinary person to approach. Even standing in the pool below it was dangerous. And now he was expected to climb it?

"What, are you scared?" Jojo fixed him with a steady gaze and reminded him, "When the time comes, you're not allowed to transform. You have to take this seriously, or you could lose your life."

Gamu stared at him in disbelief.

No, wait. You know it's that dangerous, and you still want me to train like this?

What kind of devil was this?

"I'll teach you the Ripple first." Jojo was not quite that heartless; clearly he did not possess the same inhuman cruelty as the old commander.

"If, after learning the Ripple, you still fear something like this and cannot keep courage in your heart, then give up Gaia's power."

"As someone who is meant to protect the Earth, you must never retreat in the face of hardship."

"If you can't even do that, then what are you talking about when you say you want to protect the Earth, to protect humanity?"

Though his words were not especially fiery, they carried an iron certainty.

Gamu felt as if his heart had been struck hard. He lowered his head and fell silent.

Indeed, with his current physical condition, he probably could not even compare to Fujimiya.

Back when they fought Bokuragu, Fujimiya had transformed first and still been choked by Bokuragu until his energy gauge turned red.

But when Gamu transformed into Gaia, he had fought Fujimiya to a draw.

That should not have happened. The true reason was still insufficient physical strength, which in turn weakened Gaia.

Even after the battle ended and he reverted back, Gamu found that Fujimiya still had energy in reserve, while he himself was already exhausted.

In the recent battles, he had also come to understand his own problem.

Because his physical weakness held him back, Gaia after transforming revealed the flaw of poor defense.

Basically, every time he took a hit, he would consume a great deal of energy, causing the energy timer to turn red and shortening Gaia's active time.

Seeing that Gamu remained silent, Jojo was not worried. He believed Gamu would understand.

If he were to describe Gamu, he would call him unwavering, the sort who never gave up easily.

Sure enough, as if making a firm decision, Gamu lifted his head sharply, determination shining in his face. "I understand!"

The Ripple Jojo had spoken of, he had just felt it again.

If he could learn that power, what reason would there still be to fear?

Maybe he really could do it.

"Good! That's the spirit!" Jojo clapped Gamu hard on the shoulder, then turned and said, "For now, let's go take a look at the time-space displacement device."

With that, he went to the door and pulled it open, only to find Joji standing there, hand raised as if she had been about to knock.

His body reacted on instinct, almost striking back at once, but he forcefully suppressed it in time, or the girl would have been sent flying on the spot.

For someone like him, who was much like a martial artist, the body responded to attack before the mind did.

The two nearly collided head-on. Jojo glanced down at the hand on his chest. "What are you doing?"

Having touched it, she did not even pull her hand away, and instead seemed to let it linger there.

"Ah?" Joji came back to herself at last and hurriedly withdrew her hand, hiding it behind her back. "I-I came to give this to Gamu."

As she spoke, she shoved the massage gun in her other hand straight into Gamu's grasp.

All the while, her mind was still lingering on the sensation from just now: so, so solid.

Her hand, hidden behind her back, had broken into a slight sweat. Joji felt a little annoyed with herself. Why had she pressed it without thinking just now? That was far too embarrassing.

"Gamu, you'd better use this to work your muscles, or you won't be able to get out of bed tomorrow."

Trying to change the subject, Joji felt awkward under Jojo's gaze. "I-I still need to check the monitoring. I'm going!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, she hurried away, almost fleeing.

Gamu held the massage gun and watched Joji run off, his mouth slightly open.

"Does she like you?"

As he spoke, he looked toward Jojo beside him. Even Gamu, dense as he was, could tell something was off.

"Maybe." Jojo had long since grown used to this kind of thing, and he did not seem to care.

Seeing his unconcerned expression, Gamu immediately thought of Mirai Asano. "Then what about Mirai Asano? What do you think of her?"

His tone, as he said it, was unmistakably sour.

"What does she have to do with me?" Jojo turned and looked at him, puzzled.

Gamu froze. "Huh? But before, didn't you..."

"What nonsense are you imagining?" Jojo saw through him at once and corrected him with righteous certainty. "I only went to ask her a few questions. Nothing else happened."

Aside from learning about Gobu, anaerobic organisms, and whether humans turned into monsters through biochemical experiments could be changed back, there had been nothing else.

"Just that?" Gamu looked unconvinced.

Jojo gave him a smack on the back of the head and scolded him sternly. "Kids shouldn't keep thinking about unhealthy things. You can't handle it."

"All right. Where is the time-space displacement device being studied?"

After saying this, he walked ahead, while Gamu rubbed the back of his head and muttered as he followed after him.

"You aren't that much older than me. Stop always treating me like a kid."

"And if you really don't feel anything for Mirai Asano, then what about Joji? She's very pretty."

Walking beside him, Gamu wore an expression full of gossip.

"Why should I choose?" Jojo glanced at him and asked, spreading his hands. "It's not as if I have to accept someone just because they happen to like me."

"Huh? So you've never rejected a woman who liked you?"

At that, Gamu's expression stiffened, and then his lips pressed together in irritation.

Jojo, you really are unforgivable.

Seeing the look on his face, Jojo laughed and comforted him. "Don't worry. Maybe you'll meet someone soon enough."

In truth, Gamu had already met Atsuko, only Atsuko was currently nursing a secret crush on Kajio.

Thinking of that, Jojo gave Gamu a mysterious smile. "Gamu, take Kajio to meet Atsuko's older sister. Maybe then you'll run into someone who likes you."

"Really?" Gamu asked in surprise.

Jojo did not tell him the truth. "Try it and you'll know. When have I ever lied to you?"

After hearing that, Gamu fell into thought. Jojo really had never lied to him.

But was it really that simple?

While talking, the two of them arrived at the XIG Research and Development Center and stepped into a spacious test area.

"So this is the time-space displacement device."

Looking at the equipment ahead, Jojo could not help but exclaim.

He was sure of it. Though it currently consisted only of two wheel-like structures, this was indeed the time-space displacement device from the film version.

"I designed it myself!" Gamu said with pride, though a trace of regret followed. "But it still isn't assembled. It'll probably take a while longer."

Jojo was now certain of it: the parallel world from the film version would appear as well.

Just then, a beeping alarm sounded aboard the Sky Base, signaling everyone to gather in the command room.