On the battlefield, Geed's eyes widened in shock—two more DarkLops Tigas had appeared out of nowhere.
His transformation time was nearly up. At best, he could take down one more enemy before his timer ran out and he reverted back to his human form. That would still leave two unopposed.
What now?!
"No matter what happens, I can't just sit and wait for death!" Riku clenched his fists, steeling his resolve. If I can at least destroy one more, that should be enough. I'll leave the rest to fate.
Surrounded by the three mechanical impostors, Geed summoned blazing energy into his hands. Steam hissed from his body as he gathered power, then he lunged forward with all his might.
"Boost Impact Ray!"
The torrent of fire-laced light shot forth and struck one DarkLops Tiga head-on. With a deafening explosion, the machine was obliterated, breaking apart into countless fragments that rained down.
But the victory came at a price—Geed's body flickered and dissolved into particles of light, collapsing onto the ground as his transformation ended.
The two remaining DarkLops Tigas, now unchecked, unleashed chaos without hesitation.
Booms and crashes echoed through the city as buildings crumbled, concrete and steel raining down in clouds of dust.
"This is bad," Riku muttered weakly from afar. "If this keeps up, the entire city will be reduced to rubble."
On an overpass, Leito watched Geed disappear. He frowned and spoke softly, as though addressing thin air.
"You're not going to help?"
A calm, heavy voice resonated in his mind. It was Zero.
"My old injuries limit my transformation time. Give him one minute. If he doesn't rise again, then we'll act."
Leito still remembered that near-death encounter—the excavator accident. Just like in the original tale, he had been saved when Zero used "Unity of Hearts," binding their lives together. From that day forward, this ordinary office worker had become Ultraman Zero's human host.
"...Alright then." Leito adjusted his glasses, gaze locked on the destruction. "One minute. But if you don't appear, I'll take the stage myself."
Meanwhile, Yu Zhou quietly slipped away from Laiha and the little boy. Finding a deserted corner, he drew out a shining relic from his pocket—the Spark Lens.
"Eh? Where did that big brother go?" Laiha looked around in confusion, turning to the boy.
"I don't know. He was just here a moment ago," the child replied, equally puzzled.
Time ticked by.
The one minute was up.
Leito exhaled sharply, pulled off his glasses, and raised the Zero Eye. Blue, red, and silver streams of light wrapped around him in a brilliant cascade. A flash burst outward, and Ultraman Zero stood tall upon the battlefield.
At that same instant, another beam of dazzling light erupted from a deserted alley. With a crystalline chime like shattering glass, a second giant emerged.
"I am Ultraman Ze—"
Zero's dramatic introduction cut short. He froze mid-pose, staring at the silver, purple, and crimson giant before him.
Inside Zero's body, Leito frowned. "Zero, what's wrong?"
"...T-Tiga?" Zero muttered in disbelief.
Yu Zhou had revealed himself at last—transforming into the legendary Ultraman Tiga. Seeing Zero appear at the same time, he felt a pang of regret. If only I'd waited a moment longer… Still, he kept his composure, simply nodding to Zero without speaking.
Riku, back in his human form, rejoined Laiha. His eyes lit up as he recognized the two Ultras now facing the mechanical impostors. One was the familiar Zero, whom he had met before. The other—according to Raim's stories—was none other than the ancient warrior Tiga himself.
"Tiga… actually appeared." Laiha whispered in awe.
The boy beside her was ecstatic, practically bouncing. "Two Ultramen at once! Amazing!"
Elsewhere, Fukude Kei, usually calm and collected, suddenly panicked. Watching both Tiga and Zero stand shoulder to shoulder, he realized things were spiraling beyond control.
"This is bad. I have to report this to Lord Belial immediately!" he muttered. After all, he knew the truth—long ago, Belial had been defeated by Tiga in his dark form. It was that very humiliation which had inspired Belial to create the DarkLops Tiga series in the first place.
No one had seen Tiga since that battle. He had vanished, as though erased from existence. Until now.
The two Ultras exchanged glances and wordlessly split their opponents. Tiga confronted one DarkLops Tiga, while Zero squared off against the other.
The mechanical impostor rushed at Tiga, but Yu Zhou met its charge with a thunderous punch to the chest. Unlike Geed's struggle earlier, this blow sent the machine staggering backward.
So it's true, Yu Zhou thought, narrowing his eyes. Even without the Plasma Spark's strengthening, I should still outclass this counterfeit.
And besides—destroying knock-offs is everyone's responsibility.
Switching into his rarely-used Power Type, Tiga's physique bulked with strength. With a burst of speed that rivaled his Multi Type, he launched forward again. His fist crashed into the impostor's chestplate, sending it flying and leaving its armor dented inward.
On the ground, Riku gawked. "He dented its chest with a single punch?! That's insane!"
"No wonder," Laiha whispered. "Yu Zhou told me—Tiga is an ancient warrior from another world. This kind of power is only natural."
Even Zero, locked in combat with his own opponent, couldn't help but comment. "Not bad at all… If you were my sparring partner, things might actually get interesting!" He kicked his foe back with disdain. "Shame you're just a fake."
The damaged DarkLops Tiga tried to counter with a beam, but its crushed chestplate sparked and failed to charge. Yu Zhou crossed his arms, light gathering at his chest.
"Delacium Light Stream!"
The swirling torrent of energy shot forth, engulfing the counterfeit in a massive explosion. Flames roared as the impostor disintegrated into fragments.
Zero quickly finished his opponent with his signature Zero Twin Shoot, erasing it in a similar blaze.
With the battlefield cleared, Zero turned back toward Tiga, still uncertain.
"Tell me," he asked seriously, "which Tiga are you? I've heard there are many remnants of your kind left across different worlds… but you…"
Zero's gut told him this wasn't just any Tiga. This was the Tiga—the one who had once stood against Belial himself.
But Yu Zhou gave no answer. He simply nodded politely in the Ultraman way, then lifted into the sky and vanished into the horizon.