Chapter Six: Absorbing Light

Xie Jing’s body seemed to transform into a colossal black hole, drawing in all the light that once filled every inch of the pyramid’s land, as if the brilliance itself was eager to rush toward him. The three spheres of light were also stirred by Xie Jing; the two Ultraman orbs beside the Diga statue pulsed ceaselessly, as though cheering and leaping for joy. The Diga orb, however, only trembled faintly, holding on—waiting for someone’s arrival.

In a swift moment, the two Ultraman light spheres, apart from Diga, flew rapidly toward Xie Jing and then surged into his body. An overwhelming comfort washed over him; he couldn’t help but let out a groan. Instantly, he felt warmth enveloping his entire being, as though immersed in a perfectly heated spring, or returned to the embrace of his parents from childhood—safe, comfortable, relaxed.

Xie Jing sensed the immense power within these forces, yet also the peace they held. Both had once been warriors of the ancient past, devoted to protecting the planet all their lives. The two spheres gradually fused within Xie Jing’s body, causing the attraction emanating from him to intensify. The Diga orb now pulsed even more distinctly. Though Xie Jing had no intent of controlling this, the radiance he exuded was enough to sway the resolve of the once greatest warrior.

The fusion continued, bathing Xie Jing in shimmering light. He closed his eyes, silently feeling the transformation within. The change began with his blood; every red cell was completely stained, and light flowed through every connected vessel. Muscles and bones were being replenished and adjusted, bit by bit, by the light.

The comfort vanished in an instant, replaced by excruciating pain—far beyond what any human could endure, a deathly agony capable of causing instant suffocation. Xie Jing, though he had never experienced childbirth, was certain this pain was a hundred times more severe. It cut deep into his marrow. He dropped to one knee, his eyes shining gold, obscuring the bloodshot veins.

The veins on his forehead bulged, gradually transformed into golden threads. The pain was overwhelming—too much to bear! Xie Jing tried to endure it by sheer will, but found himself powerless. At that moment, a piece of jewelry on his ankle activated, flooding his mind with what could only be called spiritual strength.

Proof of true manhood! The pain persisted, but now, what once drove him to the brink of death became bearable. Xie Jing gasped for air, his fists clenched tightly, confidence rising that he could withstand it.

Every organ, every tissue was overtaken by the light. His five jet-black strands of hair instantly fell away, leaving a gleaming bald head that shone brighter than the rest of him.

The attraction grew ever stronger. The sphere of light within the Diga statue was now lured forth, visibly resisting the temptation of Xie Jing’s body with the willpower befitting a great warrior. Xie Jing wished to refuse, but had no idea how—the pain clouded all thought.

Outside the pyramid, Da Gu followed the urgent voice to this place, hesitating not a moment before rushing in. Inside, the Diga orb, already teased to its limit, saw Da Gu and, roused by its last clarity, darted straight into his body.

A blinding light burst from the three statues, then faded. Cracks appeared from their heads, and they dissolved into dust drifting through the air. The intense pain gradually subsided. Xie Jing’s lower lip was bloodied, and he leaned against the pristine white steps, watching Da Gu enveloped in light, the pyramid vanishing to reveal the sunlight outside.

The two forces had completely remade his body, now residing in every corner of his being. Light filled every inch of skin. Xie Jing clenched his fist—strength welled up, and light flashed forth.

At this moment, he no longer belonged to ordinary humanity; he retained their form, but in essence, he was light. Unlike other Ultramen, if Xie Jing transformed now, he could remain on Earth indefinitely! As long as there was light—even a flashlight—he could replenish his power.

This was formidable beyond belief.

Moreover, his human body had reached its pinnacle. As for transforming...

Xie Jing raised both hands; each palm bore a distinct golden symbol.

“Achilles.”

“Hercules.”

“Thank you for your power!”

These were the names of the statues. After the baptism of light, Xie Jing received a bit of extra information.

Beep beep beep.

The communicator at his waist sounded desperately. He answered, and a hurried, panicked voice came from Hui, “The monsters Golza and Melba are headed your way! You and Da Gu must return at once!”

Oh? They’re coming already?

According to the story, the two monsters weren’t scheduled to arrive until tomorrow. Melba has wings and crosses the ocean, while Golza was last seen on the Mongolian plains, and he has no wings. How did he dig all the way to Japan in just a few days?

What an incredible speed.

Could Golza be a tunnel boring machine reincarnated?

Casting aside such idle speculation, Xie Jing staggered to his feet, stretching his aching body.

The light around Da Gu gradually faded; he neither screamed nor went bald. He lowered his head, gazing at the divine light rod in his hand, lost in thought.

Xie Jing approached him, patted his shoulder, and said, “Stop staring. From today, you are Diga—Diga Ultraman! The duty of protecting Earth is yours!”

Da Gu looked up, fixing his gaze on Xie Jing. “And you?”

Xie Jing rubbed his gleaming bald head, coughed, and said smugly, “When you can’t handle things, I’ll step in.”

“That’s your Ultraman creed? You’re a member of the Victory Team!” Da Gu protested indignantly.

Xie Jing stared at him in surprise, replying in all seriousness, “Ultraman creed? Da Gu, you’re mistaken!”

“On this Earth, you’re the true protagonist. I’m merely a companion in your river of time. The planet relies on you for protection! This isn’t laziness—it’s training you!”

“But you clearly could…”

“If there’s anything you want to know, find me. Figure it out, understand it! This is for your own good!” Xie Jing patted Da Gu’s shoulder again.

Da Gu fell silent. From today’s words, he sensed something different. He said nothing more, only gazed at the divine light rod in his hand.

Xie Jing ran his hand over his scalp, and with a flash of golden light, two or three centimeters of black hair sprouted.

“Golza and Melba will arrive soon. In a moment, experience what it’s like to fight as a giant.”

Xie Jing knew that at this stage, Da Gu was a novice Ultraman. After transformation, the controller would likely be Diga’s residual consciousness, guiding Da Gu’s body in battle to hasten his growth.

Otherwise, why did Diga switch through three forms in the first episode, displaying nearly all the basic beam techniques?

A fierce sound echoed from the sky, and powerful winds forced both men to squint. The ground trembled. A colossal beast, dark purple and rugged, charged toward Xie Jing, while on the other side, sand and stones whipped through the air as a winged monster circled overhead.

The sky bird Melba!

The invincible tunnel machine Golza!

Both giants, over fifty meters tall, inspired fear at a glance. They saw the vanished pyramid, the missing giant statues, and instantly went berserk!

They were remnants of the ancient era, aware of Ultraman’s power. To avoid annihilation, they sought to destroy the statues first, preventing Ultraman’s revival.

The monsters, acting in concert, sped from opposite sides, only to find Xie Jing—an anomaly—waiting ahead of schedule.

The monsters were furious; the consequences would be dire!