Just as Yu Zhou was about to leave, the ground suddenly trembled.
Before everyone's eyes, a massive thorn-like sprout tore through the earth, shooting upward. Four thick roots twisted around it like writhing ropes, channeling their energy into the sprout. In moments, it grew higher and higher—
But this was no ordinary plant. It was a monstrous aberration, a nightmare with thrashing tentacles—the source body of Gijera.
At its chest bloomed a grotesque bud. When that bud opened, the entire world would plunge into chaos.
People gathered around the creature, each clutching an orange flower, gazing at it with vacant, fanatical eyes.
Yu Zhou frowned at the sight.
Back at the TPC base, only Daigo remained conscious. Every other staff member—Victory Team, Director Sezai, and even Captain Megumi—had fallen into obsession.
Beside Daigo stood two figures in blue garb: an adult man and a young girl.
The man was Luk, an ancient human from the Ultra-Ancient Civilization who had once left Earth in search of new lands. The girl was Dina, his daughter, a cybernetic being whose life was sustained only by Gijera's extract.
On the command hall screen, footage displayed Gijera's monstrous body forcing its way from underground.
"As soon as it blooms," Luk said coldly, eyes fixed on the screen, "humanity will believe this world is paradise."
He turned to Daigo. "And so, the Giant of Light will lose all meaning."
"Is that… how the Giants of Light left Earth before?" Daigo asked. Though Yu Zhou had told him of the past, hearing it from a true ancient human was different.
"Yes," Luk nodded. "To humans drowned in false bliss and fractured minds, the Giants of Light were no longer needed."
"And then… the final horror descends." His tone grew darker, recalling a nightmare from long ago.
"The final horror?"
Daigo's mind raced. Yu Zhou had told him of only one such thing.
"Yes," Luk said gravely. "A vast darkness. The nightmare demon that ends all things."
"Gatanothor," Daigo whispered aloud.
Luk's eyes widened. "You… how do you know that? No modern human should know of the Nightmare Beast."
"From a friend," Daigo answered simply.
"Friend?" Luk muttered, frowning. Was another ancient human alive on Earth?
Before his doubt could settle, the hall screen blazed with blinding light—
A silver, crimson, and violet giant appeared before Gijera.
Ultraman Tiga.
Luk turned to Daigo. Then back to the screen. Then back again.
"???"
Wait. Wasn't Daigo supposed to be Tiga?
Why was Tiga out there, while Daigo was standing right here?
Daigo, however, exhaled in relief. Yu Zhou had acted.
Yes. Yu Zhou had transformed into Tiga.
"Don't, Tiga!"
"Please, don't hurt Gijera!"
"Stop, we beg you!"
The entranced humans screamed in despair, believing Gijera to be precious beyond measure.
For a moment, Yu Zhou faltered at their cries.
Then he muttered under his breath, "I'm here to farm monsters, not babysit you idiots."
He raised his hands and unleashed twin beams of light toward Gijera's bud. Sparks burst as the shots struck, forcing a pained shriek from the creature. Tentacles lashed out—
But Tiga backflipped away, landing smoothly before firing another volley of beams into its chest-bud.
The shrieks sharpened. The soil heaved, releasing countless more tentacles. They whipped forward, faster than Yu Zhou could dodge.
In an instant, Tiga's waist and legs were bound tight.
"You dare wrap around me? Shameless!" Yu Zhou roared, cursing aloud as the tendrils constricted.
Thankfully, his arms were still free. The crystal on his forehead flared as his body shifted—Tiga's Power Type form erupted forth, silver and crimson blazing.
"Break!"
One hand seized a tentacle. The other chopped down like a blade.
Shhrrkt! Sparks flew, and a tendril was severed clean through.
"Haah!"
With brute force, Yu Zhou ripped and tore, shredding the remaining coils until they flailed helplessly around him.
"Beautiful!" Daigo shouted in the control room, unable to contain his excitement.
"The first Giant of Light to interfere with human choice," Luk murmured, staring in disbelief.
"No," Daigo replied firmly. "Because Tiga… is both Light and Human!"
Luk's confusion deepened. If that wasn't the true Tiga, then who—
Meanwhile, Yu Zhou charged again, slamming his fist down into Gijera's bud.
Crack!
The monster withstood the blow, and in retaliation, a spiked tentacle lashed out, striking Tiga's thigh.
"Son of a—!" Yu Zhou cursed, staggering. "A little higher and that'd have been catastrophic!"
He quickly disengaged, crossing his arms. His body shimmered and transformed into the sleek, silver-violet Sky Type.
"You want to play dirty? Fine. Two can play that game."
Wings of light carried him upward. From above, he rained beams down upon Gijera, well out of reach of its tentacles.
Zzzap! Zzzap! Explosions riddled its body as it shrieked in agony.
The tendrils flailed upward, straining, then sagged uselessly back to the earth.
Yu Zhou smirked.
"Can't reach me, can you?"
"Heh, down I come."
"Heh, now I'm back up."
"Heh, down again."
"Come on, hit me if you can. Oh wait—you can't."
From the skies above, Yu Zhou unleashed a barrage of beams while taunting the thrashing monster with mocking "peek-a-boo" feints, dancing circles around its futile rage.
The battle had only just begun.