Behind the Mask

A Different Kind of Battle

Operation save Kenji was in motion.

I took my time crafting out every single detail, ensuring that I accounted for all the possibilities and risks. The goal? To convince the KDF and the entire city of Tokyo that Kenji wasn't Ultraman, to discredit Rin, Kubo, and everyone else involved.

Step one: Analyze the public's opinion.

The public's love for Ultraman was born from years of witnessing his heroic deeds. They saw him as the savior who stood between them and the chaos of Kaiju attacks. He was their hope and strength in dark times. Their love for Kenji, on the other hand, was due to his charisma and success. He was a celebrated baseball star who had taken the sport to new heights.

Now, with the veil lifting and Kenji's supposed connection to Ultraman thrust into the spotlight, I needed to understand the depth of their affection for both personas. How strong was their allegiance to Ultraman compared to their feelings for Kenji? Had the revelation that he might be the hero they idolized shifted their view of him from a respected public figure to something more profound and personal?

If I was to sway them, I would need to understand all of this. In my mind, I mapped out the steps I needed to take.

I sank into the couch, letting the cushions absorb me as I tried to focus on the TV. The news was my only connection to the outside world right now. I hadn't gone to work since the article was released, and I tried to stay off my phone due to the number of calls and messages from strangers and reporters requesting interviews.

It wasn't time to give a statement. I had to be patient.

From somewhere in the apartment, I could hear Juri and Chiho whispering to each other as they did the laundry. In the kitchen, my mother made breakfast and the rich aroma of simmering sauce wafted through the apartment. My gaze remained on the TV.

"Nanako, there's a lot to unpack when it comes to this situation with Ken Sato and the KDF," the first host, a man with nearly combed hair said. "First, this recording was leaked by Takahashi media, the popular sports news website and company. We all know they've been posting a lot of content on Ken Sato because his girlfriend works for them, but this article is different. It really makes you wonder if this is what they're into now, exposing superheroes."

The second host laughed. I assumed she was Nanako. "Tobio, I'm going to be honest, when I read the article, I was confused. Has Takahashi media run out of sports news to cover? Are they more into exposés now?"

I smiled a little.

"But then there's this recording," Tobio said. "And it's really something. I'm not an expert, but the audio seems genuine to me."

Nanako hummed. "It's hard not to believe the recording. It's really him and his girlfriend talking about his Ultraman identity. Do you think she recorded it herself? I mean, she does work for Takahashi Media after all."

Kenji thought the same thing.

"Well, I doubt it's a coincidence," he answered. "It was released by the company she works for, and there has to be a reason for that. Still, we have sources who say that she was taken into custody along with Ken Sato a couple of days ago, so there's also that."

"Another thing we've learned is that although there's no other evidence besides the recording, the KDF is refusing to let Ken Sato out of their custody," Nanako said. "It's been two days since he was taken into their headquarters, and we haven't heard anything. There's no news about the investigation or how things are progressing. They're also refusing to let him have a lawyer. This is unprecedented."

"Unprecedented is an understatement," Tobio said. "People are calling it a conspiracy, and it's getting worse with each passing day. The Giants have an upcoming match soon and it doesn't seem like Ken Sato will be able to play or even be there for his team. And the fans, oh man, the fans are losing their minds."