Konoha: Starting by giving Hinata the Tenseigan!

Uh, isn't this the toy I threw out when I was controlling the puppet? Choji actually picked one up.

Natsuki thought to himself, but casually responded out loud:

"Interesting, I can sense a tremendous power hidden within it."

"Hehe, Natsuki, you felt it too!" Choji held the transformation device somewhat carefully: "Don't tell anyone, okay? Lots of kids picked them up, but the village ninjas took them all away."

"They must want to secretly transform. I can't fall behind them."

"So, have you transformed?" Shikamaru asked abruptly.

The excitement on Choji's face froze: "Well, I haven't gotten the hang of it yet, but I think I'm close. I've shouted several times, and it feels more and more right."

Shikamaru examined the transformation device in his hand and frowned: "This just seems like a toy, right? Are you being tricked? None of us have heard of anyone transforming into Ultraman recently."

"How could it be a toy? I can feel the powerful energy inside, even Natsuki sensed it. As expected, Shikamaru, you're just a blockhead, how could you sense it?"

Ultraman was his faith; he wouldn't tolerate anyone refuting it.

As if to bolster his confidence, Choji turned and asked Ino.

"I..." Ino said, glancing at Natsuki's handsome face, confirming her feeling: "I sense it too, a very powerful…force?"

"See, Shikamaru, you're just a blockhead." Choji excitedly pumped his fist.

"..." Shikamaru rolled his eyes speechlessly, not wanting to argue with the silly nonsense.

"But, that Ultraman Zeta in the sky said, as long as you shout 'transform!', you can become Ultraman. Why haven't I been able to even though I've shouted so hard?"

Choji scratched his head, looking at the transformation device.

Seemingly talking to himself, he was actually trying to ask for his friends' opinions. After all, he'd had the transformation device for a while now and still couldn't transform. He was anxious.

He firmly believed he could transform.

"Because you haven't activated it."

Natsuki smiled, not wanting to dampen Choji's enthusiasm: "Remember what Ultraman Zeta said that day?"

"Only those with justice, hope, and courage in their hearts can activate it!"

"Ask yourself, do you possess these qualities?"

Choji's eyes widened at Natsuki's words: OHHH!! So that's how it is.

"I'll go home and test it right away. It's getting late, thank you for your hospitality, Natsuki."

"Thank you, Natsuki. We had so much fun today, we'll come play again next time."

The Ino-Shika-Chou trio bid farewell to Natsuki.

...

"Do you think Natsuki really almost summoned a creature from another world?"

On the way, Shikamaru stroked his chin, subconsciously replaying the scene from the morning in his mind:

"Back there, I observed carefully. It seemed like the magic circle had some glowing scales added to it. And those puppet toys, if you look closely, you can see thin strings connecting their hands and feet to the ceiling."

"Plus, there's all that strange inventions of Natsuki. The conclusion is, he controlled all of this with some mechanisms. There were no such things as otherworldly creatures."

"Still, it's impressive that he can make so many things at such a young age. He's worth getting to know. Don't you think so?"

Shikamaru excitedly slammed his right fist into his left palm, making a final conclusion.

As the strategist of the trio, despite always wanting to avoid trouble, Shikamaru often helped everyone solve problems when they encountered difficulties.

So, Choji and Ino had always cared about Shikamaru's opinion.

But this time...

"Natsuki is so cute! What should I wear next time we meet? Should I prepare a gift? I'm so excited!"

Ino's face was flushed, completely ignoring what Shikamaru was saying.

"Justice, hope, courage! I feel like I have them all.

"Justice against evil, hope to transform into Ultraman, and the courage to fight the Inuzuka clan's puppies."

Choji kept muttering to himself.

"Welp, they're hopeless."

Shikamaru helplessly covered his forehead.

Just then, an angry cry suddenly came from up ahead.

"I don't want your candy, I want my transformation device! Don't take my transformation device!"

"We're nicely offering you candy in exchange, and you still refuse. It's good enough you're getting candy, if you keep making noise, you won't even be get that."

Everyone looked up.

A ninja wearing an animal mask was holding a toy he'd snatched from a little boy in his right hand, while his left hand was stuffing a handful of candy into the boy's hands.

The toy was identical to Choji's Ultraman transformation device.

"What are you doing, robbing people in broad daylight? He said he doesn't want your candy!"

Ino couldn't stand it and questioned loudly.

"Hmm? Where did this little brat come from? Get out of the way, this is a dangerous item and must be retrieved."

The ninja responded coldly, and a powerful aura suddenly washed over them.

The Ino-Shika-Chou trio were frightened and took several steps back.

Even the crying little boy was so scared that he stopped crying, only whimpering softly.

Indeed, children are easily frightened. The masked ninja sneered.

Just as he was about to turn around and use the Body Flicker Technique to leave, a childish shout came from behind him.

"Stop! P-Please return the transformation device to him! That's his hope!"

The voice started weak but grew stronger, the last word, "hope," shouted with all his might.

Justice, hope, courage!

That's right, he had witnessed this kind of scene several times.

But that powerful ninja always used various methods to confiscate those transformation devices.

And he himself never had the courage to stand up.

That day, Ultraman Zeta single-handedly saved the village, standing above all others.

Did he want to be a coward?

He did not!

"Heh." The masked ninja glanced sideways at the chubby kid who had yelled, not wanting to pay them any more attention. 

What was the point of getting entangled with children?

But the next moment, his whole body stiffened.

Because in his eyes, the chubby kid also took out a transformation device.

"Very considerate of you to deliver it right to my doorstep."

"I said, give it back to him!"

Choji felt his whole body filled to the brim with passion.

Perhaps to embolden himself, perhaps for some other reason, he shouted the best way he could think of to eliminate fear:

"Transform!!!"

This shout, as if empowered by an unknown force, resonated in all directions.

A dazzling light shot out from the raised transformation device.

At this moment, everyone in the village saw a pillar of light soaring into the sky...