Tetsurō Hoshino, a young boy from Earth, witnessed his mother's murder by Count Mecha, driving his quest for an immortal mechanical body aboard the Galaxy Express 999 alongside the enigmatic Maetel. In "Can You Live Like a Warrior!", the train arrives on a planet petrified by a fossil cloud, leaving only military pilot Urius unaffected. Urius attacks Tetsurō and steals his Galaxy Express pass to find a new body for his petrified lover, Deijya.

Tetsurō pursues Urius to reclaim the pass, encountering fossil bandits intent on looting the petrified population. Despite their conflict, Tetsurō temporarily allies with Urius to fend off the bandits, demonstrating his sense of justice and willingness to aid others in peril. The alliance dissolves when Urius refuses to return the pass, leading to a duel. Tetsurō prevails, and the dying Urius returns the pass, enabling Tetsurō to continue his journey.

This encounter reinforces Tetsurō's core traits: his determination to obtain a mechanical body, his instinct to protect the vulnerable, and his capacity for empathy, even toward adversaries. Losing the pass and confronting Urius highlight his resilience in overcoming obstacles. The planetary disaster and Urius's tragedy expose Tetsurō to the consequences of unchecked technological pursuits, subtly challenging his initial belief that mechanization guarantees a better life.