I really didn’t want to lead Ultra Star astray
Chapter 9 - Tsundere Zero

Chapter 9: Tsundere Zero

Mu Yang had no idea that casually introducing radio calisthenics would catch the attention of these big shots, let alone be considered for promotion across the Land of Light. This was… too amusing! He used to think radio calisthenics was lame, but seeing Ultramans do it? That changed everything!

Watching the Ultramans follow his lead in radio calisthenics, Mu Yang couldn’t help but laugh inwardly. The only one not joining in was Zero, that rabbit. With Young Master Sai’s prickly personality, he probably wouldn’t bother, right? If he wanted to try it, he’d likely sneak off somewhere to practice in secret.

“Hey, Boss Ultraman!” After things settled down, Zero finally spoke to Mu Yang.

“Hm? What’s up?” Mu Yang looked at Zero, somehow sensing a spark of “bromance” in those diamond-shaped eyes.

“I’m Zero, Zero Ultraman. You’re pretty strong. I want to spar with you!” After a pause, Zero added, “Don’t worry, I won’t use beam techniques!”

He knew this guy couldn’t use beams yet, and his pride wouldn’t let him resort to cheap tricks, even if beams were part of his arsenal.

“Did you hear that? Zero’s challenging Boss!”

“Who’ll win? Zero’s the top genius of our generation. Even Mebius and Max aren’t his match.”

The Ultramans below buzzed with discussion. They knew Zero was strong, but how strong? He had few rivals in the training grounds, and other Ultramans didn’t bother challenging him. Mu Yang’s performance was impressive too—so who was stronger?

“Spar with you, Zero?” Mu Yang nodded slightly. “Alright, I’m in!”

He glanced at his system panel.

Host: Mu Yang

Main Template: Light Creation God 19% (+)

Skills: Cosmic Boxing LV3, Ultra Punch LV2, Ultra Kick LV2…

Treasures: None

Shock Points: 3,418,821

When did his shock points hit over three million? What was going on? Was showing off in front of everyone that effective?

He’d spent plenty of points on skills already, yet they kept climbing.

Maybe earning shock points wasn’t as hard as he thought.

After a moment’s thought, Mu Yang tapped the Light Creation God template again, pushing it to 20%. This was Young Master Sai, after all! Boosting his energy and physical stats was a safe bet.

“Alright!” Zero swung his arm, loosening up. The surrounding Ultramans cleared a space for their spar.

“You go first!” Mu Yang didn’t dare underestimate Zero. He knew Zero’s potential—this guy would become the Land of Light’s undisputed top dog. Sources said Zero’s talent was exceptional. Right now, Zero hadn’t been recognised by the Plasma Spark or trained by Leo, so Mu Yang wasn’t sure of his strength, but it probably wasn’t bad, right?

Zero let out a fierce shout, accelerating toward Mu Yang. His fist, charged with power, swung toward Mu Yang’s chest.

Boom! Zero’s heavy punch was caught by Mu Yang’s palm, while his other hand swung a slap toward Zero’s face.

“Damn!” Even the pure and kind Zero Ultraman couldn’t help but curse. This guy was going for a slap?!

He quickly retreated several steps, barely dodging the slap, then said irritably, “How can you do that?”

“When fighting monsters, they won’t care about etiquette! In battle, you must adapt and use any means to win. Fū zhàn zhě, yǐ zhèng hé, yǐ qí shèng,” Mu Yang said with a light chuckle, recalling that some moves were useless against Ultramans. Their reproduction involved combining parts of their light to create new light.

Thinking of this, Mu Yang felt a bit disappointed. Otherwise, a groin kick would’ve been fun, right?

He hadn’t fought much, but that didn’t mean he was clueless. Foolish Ultramans, you’re too naïve!

Zero, true to his name, was slightly stronger physically, even without cheats. But combat skills? His were good, but no match for Mu Yang’s cheat-enhanced prowess.

Zero rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “Fū zhàn zhě, yǐ zhèng hé, yǐ qí shèng. I don’t quite get it, but it sounds impressive!”

The surrounding Ultramans once again showered Mu Yang with shock points!

Zero’s eyes gleamed as he said, “You’re really strong. Now I’m getting serious!”

He charged again, delivering a fierce kick. Mu Yang dodged swiftly, throwing a punch at Zero’s chest. Caught off guard, Zero took the full force of the blow.

He staggered back two steps, rubbing his chest. That punch hurt! But instead of being discouraged, he looked excited.

FOOTNOTE

赛大少 (sài dàshǎo): Literally “Young Master Sai,” a fan nickname for Zero, highlighting his confident, somewhat arrogant personality, akin to a privileged young heir in Chinese pop culture. It reflects his tsundere (prickly yet endearing) character.

基情 (jīqíng): A slang term derived from internet culture, literally “base affection,” often used playfully to describe intense camaraderie or bromance, especially among male characters. Here, Mu Yang humorously interprets Zero’s intense gaze as such.

夫战者,以正合,以奇胜 (fū zhàn zhě, yǐ zhèng hé, yǐ qí shèng): A quote from Sun Tzu’s Art of War, meaning “In battle, engage with the orthodox, triumph with the unorthodox.” Mu Yang uses it to justify his unconventional slap, emphasizing strategic flexibility in combat.