"Who is that guy?"
Charija also noticed the strange man below, shouting arrogantly, and asked with a frown.
"He should be one of the Dark Apostles," Yu Zhou replied calmly.
The man's miner's helmet looked almost identical to Degouf's two glowing bulb-like eyes.
"Hmm?"
Just then, as Degouf obeyed the Dark Apostle's order and moved toward the stone giants inside the pyramid, a young man in a Super GUTS uniform rushed over from the riverbank.
Yu Zhou squinted. If he was not mistaken, that young man was none other than Daigo's son—Tsubasa.
"Your opponent… is me!"
Tsubasa stopped a short distance from Degouf and shouted with determination. He raised a bronze-coloured rod in front of him.
"That's the Bronze Sparklence…"
Even from high above, Yu Zhou's sharp vision allowed him to see what Tsubasa held in his hands.
Staring at the sacred rod, Tsubasa lifted it high and pressed the transformation switch.
With a flash of dazzling light, a giant of silver, purple, and crimson appeared between the dinosaur-like kaiju and Degouf.
As Daigo's son, Tsubasa carried the inherited genes of light. Though he could transform into Ultraman Tiga, his form was much smaller—only reaching Degouf's waist.
Yet, he showed no fear. Perhaps he had inherited his father's reckless courage, for Tsubasa charged directly at Degouf.
Because of his smaller size, his footing was not as stable. Mid-charge, Tsubasa leapt into the air and slammed against Degouf's body.
The impact, however, did nothing. Degouf did not even slow down, and with the force of the rebound, Tsubasa was sent flying backward.
Hitting the ground hard, Tsubasa quickly scrambled back to his feet and leapt again, delivering a fierce flying kick aimed at Degouf.
But Degouf swung one massive arm. Still in midair, Tsubasa was smacked aside with a thunderous blow, crashing into the dinosaur monster beside them.
Struck by friendly fire, the dinosaur monster roared angrily and toppled sideways, glaring at Degouf as though to scold him. But as it regained balance, it turned its fury toward Tsubasa, who had collided with it.
Tsubasa rose again, raising his guard.
The dinosaur monster charged, its claws scraping the ground. Tsubasa ducked low, seized its head, and drove a knee into its jaw before swinging it aside.
The monster howled in pain, dragging its chin across the ground.
Seeing the opening, Tsubasa ran behind it, grabbed its tail, and tried to hurl the beast. But lacking Tiga's Power Type strength, he could not lift it. Instead, the monster whipped its tail violently, slamming him to the ground.
Crash!
Seizing the chance, the monster pounded its tail onto him again, knocking the air from his lungs.
"Aren't you going to help?" Charija asked, watching nervously.
"Not yet."
Yu Zhou's hand was already clutching his Sparklence, ready to intervene at any moment.
On the ground, Tsubasa rolled away from another strike, gasping for breath. His chest's Colour Timer began to blink red.
Ding-dong, ding-dong, ding-dong…
His body flickered weakly, threatening to revert back into human form at any second.
The dinosaur monster opened its maw and spewed a torrent of fire at him.
Exhausted, Tsubasa still reacted in time, rolling across the dirt. The flames roared past, incinerating trees to ash where he had just stood.
He staggered up, dropped to one knee, steadied himself, and drew light energy into his body. Crossing his arms, pulling them back, then spreading them wide, he formed an L-shape with his hands.
"Zeperion Beam!"
The brilliant ray struck the monster squarely. With a shriek, it exploded into fragments.
"My monster…"
Charija extended a hand in despair, mourning the loss.
"Forget it," Yu Zhou patted him on the shoulder. "If it couldn't even handle such a small Tiga, it wasn't worth keeping."
The villagers hiding in the distance erupted in cheers.
"Yes!"
"We did it!"
"Wonderful!"
But Tsubasa was reaching his limit. After firing the Zeperion Beam, his Colour Timer blinked furiously.
He collapsed to one knee, gasping, his energy completely drained.
Then—thud… thud… thud…
Heavy footsteps echoed behind him. Tsubasa's heart sank with dread.
He turned. Degouf was approaching slowly, step by step.
Panic surged. In this weakened state, he was no match for the Dark God. Propping himself on trembling arms, he tried to crawl away.
Degouf stopped before him, lifted one massive leg, and swung it toward Tsubasa's head—like vengeance for being kicked apart by Tiga thousands of years ago.
The dark giant's foot rushed closer and closer. Tsubasa raised his arms in a desperate block, eyes squeezing shut.
But the impact never came.
Opening his eyes, he was stunned.
A massive silver hand had seized Degouf's foot in midair, halting the strike completely.
Following the silver arm upward, Tsubasa and everyone else froze in shock.
Before them stood another Giant of Light—larger than Tsubasa's Tiga form, gleaming with an overwhelming presence.
"Why… why is there another Ultraman?!"
All the villagers, the Dark Apostle, even Degouf himself, were stunned speechless.