"Where did it go?"
Daigo frowned in confusion. The little dog had vanished into thin air, yet all that lay ahead was a dead end. There was no way it could have simply disappeared… right?
"The dog didn't vanish," Yuzhou said calmly. He turned off his flashlight and slipped it into his spatial bracelet.
Then, placing both hands on the stone wall at the dead end, he closed his eyes. Golden light spread from his palms, seeping into the wall. Slowly, the rock dissolved into glowing particles, revealing a hidden passage.
Daigo's eyes widened. "This…"
"Let's go." Yuzhou waved him forward, stepping toward the new exit.
They emerged into a vast cavern. Dim light of unknown origin revealed two towering statues: one of a monster, the other unmistakably a giant.
"So this is the 'ancient ruin' Masaki Keigo mentioned…" Daigo murmured, staring at the stone figures.
Yuzhou's gaze lingered on the giant. "It looks a bit like Tiga. Same head shape, and a crystal set in the forehead."
No wonder people called it the 'Evil Tiga.' It really did resemble him. But in truth, this statue wasn't Tiga's corrupted form—it was another ancient giant of light, one whose real name had been lost to time.
Between the two statues sat a glowing device. Yuzhou immediately recognized it: Masaki Keigo's photon particle converter.
The little dog was there too. As soon as it spotted the giant's statue, it bounded eagerly toward it.
"Wait! Don't go up there!" Yuzhou shouted. He knew this part well—Masaki had set up an electric barrier.
But the dog ignored him. It looked back once, then charged ahead anyway. A spark of current shot out, and with a yelp, the dog collapsed, stunned.
"Damn it…" Yuzhou muttered, frustrated. But he wasn't too worried; the dog was no ordinary animal. As Gai's vessel, it wouldn't die from a mere shock.
A voice rang out from behind the giant's statue.
"So you actually managed to find this place."
Daigo and Yuzhou turned sharply. Stepping into view was Masaki Keigo, one hand in his pocket, the other swinging casually at his side, his posture dripping arrogance.
"You and I are the same," he said with a smirk, fixing his gaze on Daigo. "It's not just you who's special."
"That's not true!" Daigo snapped back, eyes hard. "I'm not some special being. I've only ever done what I could—together with everyone on this planet—to protect our world!"
"People?" Masaki laughed dryly. "Humans worship Ultraman as though he's a god. You should abandon such naïve illusions. Ultraman's true mission is to force humanity's evolution!"
He waved a hand, and a holographic projection flickered to life. It showed the moment of Daigo's first transformation into Tiga, the crash before he became light and merged with the statue.
"This is from the TPC archives," Masaki said, his tone triumphant. "That was the moment you were converted into photons and entered the stone giant. And this—" He raised a hand, revealing a Spark Lens. "—this is the device that triggered it."
Daigo's chest tightened at the sight of the artifact.
"I know exactly what you're planning!" he shouted. "No matter how smart you are, no matter how much you claim to understand the power of light—you can never become Ultraman Tiga!"
Masaki burst into laughter, as if Daigo's words were the funniest thing he had ever heard.
"Hah! You really do think you're special." He stepped into the photon converter, placing the Spark Lens at its center. "But you and I—we share the same genetic factor. We're like brothers."
"Daigo. Let him try."
Yuzhou's voice cut through the tension.
"What?!" Daigo turned to him in shock. "Yuzhou—you too?!"
"I don't support him," Yuzhou said firmly, his expression calm. "But in the future, an enemy will come—so powerful that Tiga alone cannot defeat it. For that reason, letting him attempt this may be necessary."
Daigo exhaled, the knot in his chest loosening slightly. At least Yuzhou wasn't siding with Masaki out of trust.
"But Yuzhou," Daigo said, voice heavy with concern. "His heart is twisted. If he transforms with that kind of darkness inside him, the result could be catastrophic. And with the Spark Lens in his hands, I wouldn't even be able to transform to stop him!"
"That's why I'll need you to stop that darkness when the time comes," Yuzhou replied. "But avoid damaging the giant's body if you can."
"I understand," Daigo nodded, determination returning.
Masaki, overhearing them, chuckled. "So you know too, huh? You've seen the same visions I have. One Tiga isn't enough to face the endless darkness." His eyes gleamed. "That's why I'll evolve. Humanity is far too small—I'll transcend it!"
Because of his genetic link to light, Masaki too had recovered fragments of ancient memories, appearing to him in dreams. In those dreams, he had seen the revival of Gatanozoa—an evil so immense Tiga alone could never triumph.
That was why he built the converter, why he ordered Professor Tango to steal the sealed relic from TPC, hoping to mass-produce giants.
"Honestly, his logic isn't wrong," Yuzhou thought grimly. "If you can't win alone—fight as a team. Gang up on the enemy."
But Masaki's heart was the problem. With his twisted ambition, even a perfect experiment could only be half a success.
"Maybe one day he'll change," Yuzhou murmured under his breath. His eyes hardened as he looked at Masaki in the converter.
"Ancient power," Masaki declared, raising his arms to the heavens. "Turn me into light!"
Electricity arced through his body as the Spark Lens blazed with energy. His figure dissolved into radiant particles, flowing into the chest gem of the stone giant.
Light engulfed the statue. Slowly, colors spread across its surface: gleaming silver and black armor, crimson stripes, eyes glowing blue.
"It… it actually worked!" Daigo gasped, stunned as the giant came to life before them.
The cavern ceiling rumbled and split open. The newly reborn giant raised its arms and shot into the sky, disappearing into the night.
"The Spark Lens—it's still there!" Daigo shouted. The converter still held the device, glowing faintly. He moved to grab it.
"Wait, Daigo!" Yuzhou caught his arm.
"Yuzhou, let go! I need the Spark Lens—I have to stop him!"
"Don't be reckless! There's an electric barrier!" Yuzhou warned.
"I don't have time to care!" Daigo snapped, eyes blazing. "Every second we waste, the danger grows!"