Chapter Twenty-Nine: Reunion with Ultra

(1/3)

(Xie Jing instantly severed Yana Gaki’s absorption of his energy. The pillar of light being drawn from the energy crystal atop his forehead vanished in a flash.

For a moment, Yana Gaki’s brain, no bigger than a fist, failed to process what had happened. Why had the energy he was sucking so smoothly just now, suddenly stopped flowing?

Frustrated, it intensified its pull, eager to resume draining Xie Jing’s essence.

“Absorb, absorb, absorb—absorb your mother!” Xie Jing shouted, driving his elbow into Yana Gaki. Sparks exploded as a gaping wound opened in the monster’s belly, drawing pained howls.

Xie Jing seized the moment to reverse the momentum. Energy gathered in his hands, coalescing into two radiant swords that plunged into Yana Gaki’s abdomen. He pulled the blades apart, slicing deep gashes from which crimson blood gushed. Yana Gaki staggered back, wailing in agony.

Eiji Tsuburaya’s summoned sphere of light struck Yana Gaki’s head, detonating in a thunderous blast. Caught off guard, the beast crashed to the ground.

The red sphere floated to Xie Jing’s side, enveloping him in a blinding light, and slowly formed a giant—forty meters tall, clad in alternating bands of red and silver.

Xie Jing’s Ultraman form towered over seventy meters, a full head taller than the original. Stunned, he looked down at the diminutive first Ultraman.

The original Ultraman, too, was momentarily taken aback. He gazed up at Xie Jing, marvelling at the intricate patterns and dazzling starry glow of this newcomer.

“Let’s finish off the monster first!” Xie Jing called to the original Ultraman.

The other nodded, adopting a battle stance.

Although severely wounded by Xie Jing’s light swords, Yana Gaki’s formidable regenerative powers quickly sealed its wounds and staunched the bleeding. Fixing its reddening eyes on Xie Jing, it prepared to strike again.

Hovering in midair, Charlica watched the original Ultraman with a sardonic glint and a shrill voice: “Oh? Ultraman, it’s been far too long!”

“Heh, Yana Gaki! I command you to tear them apart!” A burst of green light shot from Charlica’s staff, engulfing the monster.

Yana Gaki’s aura steadied, then grew even more menacing. Spikes erupted from its back, elbows, and knees; its fearsome visage became even more terrifying. Two massive fangs jutted forward, and a gigantic, glittering horn sprouted from its head.

ROAR—

With a sky-shaking bellow, it charged at Xie Jing with all its might.

(2/3)

The ground trembled. Clods of earth flew as the monster thundered forward, its horn lowered at Xie Jing, blue energy flaring along its length.

“Hahaha! Go! Destroy the Ultraman!” Charlica shrieked with glee, capering in excitement.

Yana Gaki’s ferocity was truly daunting—perhaps even surpassing the Kyrieloid who once defeated Diga.

But who was it facing now?

An unreasoning Xie Jing, and beside him the battle-hardened original Ultraman with his mighty chest.

Unfazed by Yana Gaki’s onslaught, Xie Jing nimbly dodged to the side, flipped over, seized the beast’s tail, and with a flash of light, sliced it clean off as the monster tried to fling him away.

The original Ultraman, not to be outdone, leapt to Yana Gaki’s side. With an Ultra uppercut, he sent the monster howling, then followed up with another heavy blow, forcing it back again and again.

“Oh, my poor Yana Gaki!” Charlica lamented in the sky.

Xie Jing rose, and the energy sword in his hands suddenly extended. Gripping it with both hands, he placed one leg forward, the other back, body bent in a charging stance.

The glowing light around him blazed red, flaring like a firestorm. In a blink, his massive form vanished and reappeared before Yana Gaki.

The energy sword, seething with heat, swept lightly across the monster—like a hot knife through butter, cleaving its head, neck, belly, and legs in two before it could even react.

Seizing the opportunity, the original Ultraman spread his hands wide. The light within him gathered at his right hand, then burst forth.

(o|o)ノ――――――――――

The Specium Ray struck the immobilized Yana Gaki, its energy obliterating every cell and tissue.

BOOM!!!

A cataclysmic explosion reduced the so-called “most ferocious monster in the universe” to nothing but dust upon the air. Against the combined might of Xie Jing and the original Ultraman, Yana Gaki had not even lasted ten minutes.

Charlica bowed his head in disappointment, a note of despair in his voice.

“Oh, Yana Gaki! Curse you, Ultraman—you’ll pay for this!”

As he spoke, Charlica swept his hands, attempting to vanish—only to be instantly enveloped in a beam of light.

(3/3)

“What are you waiting for? Come at us now!” Xie Jing strode slowly toward Charlica, the very light he’d unleashed moments before now trapping the would-be escapee.

He’d had his eye on Charlica for some time. This arrogant alien had survived so long only because of his many escape tricks, never fearing capture.

So, as soon as the battle ended and—as Xie Jing had predicted—Charlica tried to flee, he was ready, trapping him in time.

But the original Ultraman shook his head and said, “It’s useless. Charlica is a notorious monster broker in the universe, with countless enemies. His tricks are beyond imagination. You won’t be able to restrain him this way.”

At those words, Xie Jing quickly looked at the light. Sure enough, the Charlica he’d trapped had turned into a lifeless puppet, drifting in the air, while the real Charlica had vanished without a trace.

“Damn it!” Xie Jing cursed, flinging his hand in frustration. Then he turned to the original Ultraman, drew a deep breath, and calmed himself.

“Ultraman from the Land of Light, there is something I must discuss with you.”

The original Ultraman, arms akimbo and chest thrust out, looked up at Xie Jing and said, “When my human friend summoned me and I saw you, I knew at once that the monster was no match for you. Speak, Ultraman of Earth—what is it you need?”

“I come from an Earth in a different timeline. There, our planet is besieged by terrible monsters, and from all I’ve learned, it’s the handiwork of the Land of Light’s own nemesis—the cosmic conspirator Autopes. But I know where Autopes is hiding. Ultraman, I need your help—and the help of the Land of Light!”

“Autopes?!” The original Ultraman’s voice was tinged with disbelief. “That vile enemy—my comrades and I have hunted him for fifty thousand years, always in vain. He hides too well; every lead has been a decoy, and we’ve lost many companions in the search. How did you learn his whereabouts?”

“With this!” Xie Jing opened his hand, revealing a small compass-like device.

“This is the Cosmic Compass. It can show us where Autopes is hiding!”

“The Cosmic Compass?” Clearly, the original Ultraman recognized it. “Wasn’t that lost to the universe for over a hundred million years? How do you possess it?”

“Ah—cough, cough!” Xie Jing hadn’t expected the original Ultraman to know of it and was momentarily at a loss.

After a moment’s thought, he replied, “It’s just a replica—and it can only be used once.”