Daigo saw the Kokakucho rushing out of the plasma mass straight toward himself and Yu Zhou. Without hesitation, he leapt upward.
The Sparklence caught the sunlight, flashing with brilliant rings of light.
In the next moment, a giant wrapped in radiance appeared in the sky—Ultraman Tiga—and drove a powerful kick into the monster's head.
Daigo had transformed. Meanwhile, Yu Zhou guided his flying craft upward, circling above the plasma cluster, ready to react to whatever came next.
The Super Victory Team had already returned to TPC's Deep Mountain Base with their jets. They were lining up to enter the hangar when Captain Hibiki's urgent voice came through the comms.
"Kokakucho hasn't been fully eliminated! Another one has appeared!" Hibiki sounded surprised, though not panicked. "Ultraman Tiga is on the scene, engaging the creature."
"What?!"
Asuka, who had been about to park his jet, froze. Then, with a sharp motion, he pulled the controls and launched his craft skyward again—just in time to avoid locking himself into the hangar.
"That was close," he muttered with relief. "Almost trapped myself in storage."
But his expression quickly hardened. "If Tiga is there, then it means either Yu Zhou-senpai or Daigo-senpai is fighting. If they need help, I have no choice but to go!"
He pushed the throttle, racing back toward Tokyo. Behind him, the other Super Victory Team members also turned back into the air, preparing to rejoin the battle.
Tiga's kick had landed squarely on Kokakucho's face—on the disturbing woman-like visage hidden within its bird's head.
"Aah!"
The human mouth opened wide with a pained scream, as if Daigo's kick had truly hurt.
"Shouldn't a bird-monster sound like a bird instead of a woman?"
From high above, Yu Zhou muttered as he looked down at the creature Tiga had just knocked off balance.
Kokakucho tumbled downward, but before it hit the ground, it hurled a red energy orb back toward Tiga.
Even in mid-air, Daigo didn't flinch. The crystal on his forehead gleamed—within half a second, he had shifted into Power Type. One massive hand caught the red orb cleanly.
Kokakucho steadied itself mid-air, glancing up in anticipation of seeing Tiga struck down—only to find its own attack clenched in the giant's hand.
Its face twisted. The danger was obvious.
And sure enough, Tiga hurled the orb straight back.
Boom!
The blast tore into Kokakucho's wings. Normally, light-based attacks had little effect on plasma beings. But when forced to endure its own power, Kokakucho staggered.
"Looks like that worked," Yu Zhou observed. He knew only Anti-Plasma Missiles could normally harm Kokakucho. Still, it seemed reflected attacks could too. "Guess I'll need to use Power Type as well. Easier to grab these things mid-flight."
Enraged, Kokakucho steadied itself again and charged headlong at Tiga.
Daigo didn't hesitate. That was just his style. Power Type embraced the brawl. He locked his arms around the monster in a crushing grapple, holding it tight.
"Kh… khhh!"
The human-like mouth wheezed a cough—as if it were genuinely being choked.
But then arcs of blue electricity burst across Kokakucho's body, surging into Tiga.
Even in Power Type, Daigo couldn't ignore the electric shocks. Muscles spasming, he released his grip, allowing Kokakucho to push free.
The monster screeched and flung more arcs forward, compressing them into crimson orbs of energy.
Tiga fired twin hand beams in return—but the shots sank into Kokakucho's body like stones into mud, absorbed without effect.
Daigo's eyes widened behind the light.
The monster then abandoned the fight entirely, soaring toward the Tokyo Bay Power Plant. Above, the vast gray plasma cloud followed it.
"That direction… the power plant?"
Yu Zhou's expression darkened. "No good. If Kokakucho reaches the plant, even Anti-Plasma Missiles will be useless!"
He pushed his flying craft into pursuit.
Daigo shifted into Sky Type, wings of silver and violet, and gave chase. But even in his most agile form, his instincts remained the same—reckless. Closing in, he grappled Kokakucho again and slammed it down toward the ground.
Boom!
The two titans crashed into the earth, kicking up a storm of dust.
When the air cleared, Tiga was standing tall, pressing Kokakucho's head into the ground beneath his feet.
"Only Daigo could make Sky Type fight like Power Type," Yu Zhou muttered, shaking his head. He wasn't sure if it was a compliment or a complaint.
But the plasma cloud above hadn't stopped. It drifted closer to the power plant, undeterred.
Yu Zhou reached for his transformation device—only for a sudden blue flash to burst across the cloud.
An Anti-Plasma Missile had struck, shrinking the cluster slightly. The shot had come from Asuka's jet.
"Nice one," Yu Zhou acknowledged—though his expression shifted quickly.
Because now the smaller cloud began moving faster. In moments, it was over the power plant, where blue lightning arced upward, feeding into it.
The plasma cluster swelled—growing past its previous size, expanding faster and faster.
"No way…"
Asuka gasped. He had meant to stop it—but had only accelerated its absorption of power.
He fired another Anti-Plasma round. It vanished into the cloud without effect.
"No good!" Yu Zhou cursed. He drove his craft straight into the white plasma mist.
By now, the rest of the Super Victory Team had arrived, unleashing volleys of Anti-Plasma Missiles. But none had any effect.
"Idiots," Yu Zhou muttered inside the cloud, peeking out briefly. "They could've just helped Daigo finish off the one on the ground instead…"
Tiga was still locked in a brutal melee with Kokakucho, unable to finish it.
Meanwhile, the plasma cluster above continued to grow until—
From its core, a new face emerged. A woman's face, eyes burning red.
Her voice echoed like a curse from the depths of hell:
"Perish… humanity!"
Another Kokakucho had been born.
It dove straight for Asuka's jet, moving so fast it seemed inevitable he would be struck down.
Asuka flinched but steadied himself, gripping the Flash Sword tightly, ready to transform if necessary—
But then, from within the cloud, came the crystalline sound of light clashing, followed by blinding flashes.
A giant's glowing leg shot forth, striking the Kokakucho squarely.
Crash!
The monster lost balance, tumbling toward the ground.
Unlike Daigo's earlier kick, this one carried far more force. Strengthened by the Plasma Spark, Yu Zhou's Tiga form was faster, stronger—more than a match.
Before the Kokakucho could recover, Yu Zhou closed in, seizing its leg and hurling it directly at Daigo.
Now, two Kokakucho were before them.
Even Daigo grimaced. One was already difficult. Two was a nightmare—especially since light had no effect.
"Two Tigas?!"
From above, Ryō's jaw dropped at the sight.
It was rare to see both giants at once. Knowing they existed was one thing—witnessing them side by side was another.
"So, both senpai have joined the fight…"
Asuka's heart raced. He wanted to join them too.
Ignoring Hibiki's orders, he landed his jet, hurried into cover, and raised the Flash Sword.
On the battlefield, Daigo felt a crushing pressure. Two Kokakucho, and both immune to light. But when Yu Zhou landed beside him, he breathed easier.
With Yu Zhou here, there was always hope.
"Daigo—Power Type."
Yu Zhou shifted into silver and crimson.
If beams were useless, then fists would have to suffice.
Daigo followed suit, transforming into Power Type as well.
Together, they charged.
The two Kokakucho mirrored one another, pulling crackling red orbs into their hands and hurling them forward.
Neither Yu Zhou nor Daigo slowed. Both giants caught the blazing spheres mid-run, spun, and hurled them straight back.
Boom! Boom!
The orbs detonated against their senders. Both Kokakucho shrieked, their eerie cries echoing with pain.
Yu Zhou almost laughed. "Crying like victims now, are you? Hypocrites."
Daigo didn't care. He charged forward, driving a fist into one Kokakucho's human-like face.
At the same moment, Yu Zhou slipped behind the other and locked his massive arm around its throat, dragging it into a chokehold.
From nearby, Asuka gasped in awe.
"Their teamwork… it's incredible."
He had to admit—his senpai weren't just powerful. They were clever. They had instantly recognized light was useless and switched to brute force tactics.
And with two Tigas working in perfect sync, even Kokakucho began to falter.