Chapter 139: Invitation

Captain Sakomizu was well aware of the youth known as Geed.

His information came from two sources: the report submitted by Zero and the "dream" recounted by Hiroyuki. Once combined and cross-referenced, the cause and effect became clear.

He was a young man with a legendary journey.

The Captain held Geed in high regard. Based on Zero's report and Hiroyuki's story, he knew this was a mature and insightful youth. Despite his complicated origins, it had caused no interference with Riku’s sense of self.

He simply needed to firmly believe that he was the "son of Belial" and consolidate that conviction, refusing to be swayed by those with ulterior motives, and he would remain strong.

As for being called a "copy" or a "substitute," Riku treated such remarks like a light breeze passing by—nothing worth dwelling on.

Being able to achieve this alone was enough to make Zoffy look at this child with newfound respect.

At the same time, he knew that this state of mind was the result of later cultivation. His adoptive parents, his companions, his battles, and his enemies—these people and events were like catalysts, tempering Riku in the furnace of Earth into a shining warrior.

Did the Inter Galactic Defense Force covet such a warrior?

They certainly did, but they wouldn't put it that way. From the Captain's perspective, the official stance was: "Geed is still just a child; it’s not appropriate to have him wandering around outside."

However, there was no follow-up on specific arrangements.

They couldn't just drag him into the Defense Force, could they? It wasn't impossible, but both the Captain and the Ultra Brothers' Supreme Commander deemed it inappropriate.

The reason was the same as why Zero hadn't directly joined the Defense Force. The members of the Defense Force were warriors raised systematically through academies and reserves, organized into a disciplined, uniform army. Even if individual strength was mediocre, they could form battle formations capable of explosive power.

Throwing an elite warrior like Zero into that mix would be a waste. It was like putting a special forces operator into a standard infantry line; it wouldn't improve the formation’s strength and would instead hinder the operative's own combat effectiveness.

Therefore, it was better to pull him out and form an independent combat unit, acting as a scalpel for infiltration, sabotage, and decapitation strikes, which would maximize his potential. This was different from their attempt to recruit Orb. Orb was not a child like them, but a veteran warrior of many years with a wealth of combat experience. The Defense Force had intended to place Orb in a command role, not as a rank-and-file soldier.

So, the question remained: where to put Belial’s son? Should they slot him into Zero’s combat team?

Seven shook his head at the suggestion. "What a fine child; don't let Zero corrupt him."

Zero: "You really are my dear father."

Zoffy smiled when he heard this. It wasn't that he thought Zero would truly corrupt anyone, but rather that Zero’s team was already perfectly synchronized. Adding someone new wasn't a good idea; for a long time, the team’s coordination would likely suffer. These were turbulent times in the galaxy, and Zero’s team was in high demand. Impacting their combat readiness because of this would be unwise.

And so, the matter had been delayed until now, when the Captain finally decided to reach out. He had just coordinated with Zoffy, who agreed, so he would proceed without hesitation.

Riku’s distraction was due to the Captain’s earlier words.

The Captain had first informed him that an unstable element was spreading through the universe—something known as "Devil Splinters." These were, in reality, cells of Belial that had self-replicated after being nurtured by the cosmic environment. They had already caused many bizarre incidents, and the Inter Galactic Defense Force was already collecting intelligence to deal with these troubles.

"I... I want to help, too."

Riku expressed his stance immediately. After all, this was trouble caused (passively) by his father, and he had an obligation to help resolve it.

The Captain patted the boy on the shoulder and said, "Even so, you cannot continue to fight alone as you have before. That is gambling with your own safety. Furthermore, the universe is vast. Without reliable intelligence, you’ll just be wandering around and relying on luck; you won't find the Devil Splinters that way."

Riku nodded, having already experienced the vastness of the universe firsthand.

With the groundwork laid, the Captain earnestly invited him to join a newly formed team. "Team" might have been too strong a word; in the Captain’s description, it sounded like a loose, informal organization—hardly more structured than registering for a membership on a website, as far as Riku was concerned.

If Riku agreed to join, he would gain access to a reliable source of information. All he had to do was nod in agreement; there were no protocols, no contracts.

It seemed remarkably casual.

It was precisely because it was so casual that Riku felt even more confused. The Captain explained that this was a special emergency unit, one that was not usually activated and would only be called upon under extremely specific circumstances. It was to deal with these "extremely specific" situations that the Captain was extending an olive branch to special individuals.

And Riku was one of them.

"Riku is special?" Pega blinked his small eyes, looking curiously at his friend, while Riku looked down at him.

Immediately after, the Captain extended an invitation to Pega as well.

"Is Pega special, too?" Pega asked curiously.

The Captain nodded. "Yes, Pega is special, too."

Upon hearing this, Pega couldn't help but cover his face in joy, instinctively wanting to hide in Riku's shadow to enjoy the moment. The Captain quickly caught the shy child; he had to at least finish what he was saying, right?

Pega’s response was simple: if Riku agreed, he would agree; he wanted to be with Riku.

Hearing his friend say this, Riku became cautious. He could manage on his own, but Pega... honestly, Pega’s current combat ability couldn't intervene in battles that required an Ultra to handle. Perhaps in a few thousand years, when Pega had grown, he could assist, but for now...

Riku suddenly felt the weight of the pressure.

The Captain wasn't in a hurry for an answer. He simply smiled and told the boy to think it over and let him know when he had decided.

While Riku was still lost in these worries, the two groups met on the beach. Then, the two sides swapped conversation partners.

Taro pulled the Captain away, while Hiroyuki pulled Riku—who had just snapped out of his trance—and turned them around.