Yu Zhou had settled into his new home near the observatory, which, coincidentally, stood directly above the underground base.
It was also the very place where little Riku had once been left behind, before being taken in and raised into adulthood.
Now that his house was furnished and complete, Yu Zhou didn't waste time idling. He began digging through online records about Fukude Kei.
Kei, after all, wasn't just anyone—he was Belial's most loyal servant, a zealot who had worked tirelessly in the shadows on his master's behalf. In this world, he lived disguised as a novelist, even enjoying quite a bit of fame.
Yu Zhou flipped through one of Kei's books, eyes narrowing.
"So that's how it is. This entire novel is basically Belial's story retold—with Belial cast as the noble hero, and the Ultra Warriors twisted into villains."
The more he skimmed, the more uneasy he felt. Whole sections mirrored the plot of Ultra Galaxy Legends, only… with certain alterations. One character in particular caught his attention.
A mysterious figure who stole energy from the protagonist, only to be savagely beaten down until nothing but ashes remained—ashes that were then scattered to ensure no hope of revival.
Yu Zhou's face stiffened.
"Wait a second… that's almost exactly what happened to me on the Plasma Spark Tower when I snatched the Spark from Belial's hands."
The further he read, the colder he felt.
"This character… this might actually be based on me! And in Kei's story, I don't just lose—I'm obliterated so completely not even dust remains."
The realization hit him hard. If this novel was Kei's coded message, then the Belial in this world was without doubt the same Belial Yu Zhou knew. And clearly, Belial's hatred for him ran bone deep.
"Good thing Belial hasn't revived yet," Yu Zhou muttered, relief washing over him. "Kei's probably waiting until Riku collects all the Capsules. Only then will he make his move."
He glanced at the Dark Spark Lens in his hand and sighed.
"Even if Belial did show up, I've got this… though honestly, what good is it?"
The truth stung. His Dark Tiga form was pathetically weak—barely able to last a few rounds against a monster, let alone against Belial himself. Unless he lost control again and went berserk, the Lens wouldn't help him much.
He rubbed his temples.
"Feels like I got scammed… this Dark Spark Lens is useless. I should've held on to both rods instead of trading one back to Daigo."
But then he shook his head. Two rods wouldn't have changed much. No point brooding. Whatever came, he'd deal with it. And besides, Riku was still the key—just as in the original story, it would fall on the son to make the choice no one else could.
Since the Galaxy Mart had been destroyed by a monster, the shopkeeper still hadn't reopened, leaving Riku technically unemployed. Yu Zhou didn't mind. He often invited Riku and the others to his house for meals, and he himself visited Nebula House frequently.
Money wasn't a concern for him anymore. Sharing food with friends brought warmth that gold couldn't buy.
"This is delicious!" Riku praised between bites, eyes sparkling like a child's.
Yu Zhou grinned and dropped a whole kidney into Riku's bowl.
"Eat more. It'll strengthen you. You looked drained after your last fight—so today I made a table full of tonic dishes."
"I'm not weak!" Riku protested quickly, though his cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
Yu Zhou ignored him and slid over more dishes—chives with egg, fresh oysters—before pouring him a steaming cup of wolfberry tea.
Pega ate heartily, showering Yu Zhou with compliments, while Laiha could only shake her head in disbelief at the absurdity of the "recovery feast."
By the time the plates were empty, everyone was too full to move. They slumped across the couches, lazily watching television.
Suddenly, the program cut to breaking news.
"An unidentified giant has appeared in Ogawamachi," the announcer reported, voice tense. "The being is destroying buildings and advancing steadily through the city."
The footage shifted to the scene: a towering figure with glowing crimson eyes, armored in gleaming gold and silver. On its head stood two blade-like crests, resembling rabbit ears.
Yu Zhou's eyes narrowed.
"That's DarkLops Zero."
"DarkLops Zero?" Riku turned toward him. "Is he connected to Zero—the son of Seven—you mentioned before?"
"He's a copy," Yu Zhou explained gravely. "A robotic weapon, built by Belial himself to mimic Zero."
"A robot?!" Laiha's brows shot up. "So his whole body is metal?"
"Exactly."
Riku clenched his fists, resolve shining through.
"Then I'll go! When danger strikes, we can't just sit back and do nothing!"
Yu Zhou rolled his eyes.
"Then you'll just be standing there waiting to get beaten. Against him, you can't win—not yet."
"But what else can I do? If I don't fight, the city will be destroyed!" Riku argued, panic in his voice.
Yu Zhou's expression softened.
"Listen. You don't have to defeat him. Just hold him off—stall him, keep him from causing more damage."
"Stall him?" Riku blinked. "You mean he has a time limit? If I drag it out long enough, he'll collapse?"
"No." Yu Zhou shook his head. "Because you can't win. What you can do is buy time—long enough for reinforcements to arrive."
That word made everyone freeze.
"Reinforcements? From where?" Pega asked, confused.
Yu Zhou only gave a small smile.
"You'll see soon enough. Riku, your job is to keep him busy. Leave the rest to me."
Riku hesitated, then nodded. If Yu Zhou believed in this plan, then so would he.
He sprinted up to the rooftop, raised the Fusion Rise device, and shouted:
"Geed!"
A pillar of light engulfed him, and in an instant, Geed Ultraman soared into the sky, flying straight toward Ogawamachi.
Within moments, Geed confronted the hulking DarkLops Zero.
Riku clenched his fists.
"Yu Zhou said to stall him until help arrives. Don't fight to the death—just endure!"
He lunged forward, driving a punch into DarkLops Zero's chest.
The sound was like striking steel.
"Tch!" Geed hissed, shaking his hand in pain. The blow hadn't even made the robot flinch.
The metal giant turned its crimson eyes on him, its focus shifting entirely. From now on, Geed was the target.
And DarkLops Zero was ready to crush him.