"This attic was built using stronger materials, so it wasn't destroyed by the monster bird,"
Anmon explained as he walked.
Yu Zhou nodded. No wonder so many buildings were ruined, yet this tall attic still stood firm.
The two of them reached the top floor. Someone had apparently poured two cups of water on the table earlier. Yu Zhou and Anmon sat facing each other.
"I don't know why the Lord of the City would summon a humble traveller like me," Yu Zhou said, picking up the cup and sniffing the water. It had no smell, so he didn't drink it.
"Traveler?" Anmon smiled faintly and studied him carefully. "You don't seem so ordinary to me."
"Is that supposed to be a compliment, Lord Anmon?" Yu Zhou asked, waiting for his response.
"Traveler, I'd like to ask you something about the energy fluctuations coming from your body."
Anmon took a sip from his cup as he spoke.
"Energy fluctuations?"
Yu Zhou was slightly taken aback. He hadn't expected the city lord to ask about that.
He thought he'd be questioned about his identity or origin instead.
"The energy radiating from you makes me feel… uneasy," Anmon explained. "It's somewhat similar to the energy that came from the giant who appeared earlier."
Yu Zhou fell silent.
He hadn't expected the city lord to be able to sense someone's energy fluctuations.
But it made sense — Yu Zhou had just seen him use a power similar to Tiga's light to attack Melba in the sky.
That must be why Anmon could sense his energy.
"But there's something different about you," Anmon continued before Yu Zhou could respond. "You're also surrounded by a power of light even stronger than mine."
Yu Zhou sighed. "You really do have sharp eyes, Lord Anmon."
There was no point hiding it now. Since the man already sensed it, Yu Zhou decided to be honest.
"Yes, I have two kinds of energy within me," he admitted. "One of them, I believe you're familiar with — the Power of Light."
"Didn't expect that," Anmon chuckled, finishing the last of his drink. "To think I'd meet a fellow man of light."
"Yes… a fellow man of light," Yu Zhou echoed, playing along.
He knew exactly what Anmon meant — someone who could wield the Light's power.
But to conceal his true identity, Yu Zhou simply went with it.
"Lord Anmon, about that water…"
Just then, a guard rushed up the stairs. When he saw that Anmon had already finished drinking, his face turned as pale as paper.
"What's wrong with the water? It tasted fine, though a bit salty," Anmon said with a smile, turning toward the guard.
"T-that water… was used for the divine offering… It's, uh, the urine of a temple boy…"
The guard stammered, his face twisting with discomfort.
"..."
The entire attic fell silent.
The smile on Anmon's face froze. The cup slipped from his hand and clattered loudly onto the floor.
"Rua…"
Leaning over the railing, Anmon immediately vomited.
Yu Zhou quickly stepped back ten meters, horrified. He recalled that he'd even sniffed the cup earlier — the thought alone made his stomach churn.
He hadn't noticed the smell because it was fresh and faint.
But what kind of insane ritual used boy's urine to worship a deity?!
Did their "god" drink urine?!
"Ruaaa…"
Anmon was still retching violently while the guard stood nearby, trembling, not knowing what to do.
"W-water…! Water!"
Exhausted from vomiting, Anmon slumped to the ground weakly, gasping for breath.
"Here," Yu Zhou said, taking out a bottle of mineral water from his dimensional bracelet.
He twisted the cap open and handed it to him.
Anmon didn't even care about the strange packaging. He grabbed it and started rinsing his mouth desperately.
Gurgle, gurgle… pffft…
Pffft…
"Lord Anmon, are you all right?!" the guard asked nervously.
"Take these cups away!" Anmon barked after regaining a bit of composure.
"Yes, sir!"
The guard hurriedly gathered the cups and fled down the stairs, flustered.
Anmon sat weakly opposite Yu Zhou, his face still pale. "What a disgrace…" he muttered in embarrassment.
"It's fine as long as you're okay," Yu Zhou said, exasperated. "But tell me, Lord Anmon… do you always use boy's urine for divine offerings?"
"Normally, no," Anmon sighed helplessly. "It's just that since the monster bird appeared, the shaman consulted an old text that said placing such an offering atop the city might gain divine protection."
"I see…" Yu Zhou grimaced.
"Still," Anmon continued, "from this day forward, that black giant will be considered the guardian deity of Fuhuo City."
"Let's… not do that," Yu Zhou muttered under his breath.
He really didn't want to be worshipped with urine offerings.
"By the way," he said, changing the subject, "Lord Anmon, do you know anything about that monster bird and the giant?"
"I don't," Anmon shook his head. "But we're planning to assign them codenames."
"You don't?" Yu Zhou felt a twinge of disappointment.
He'd hoped a fellow wielder of light might know something about the Giants of Light.
But no such luck.
"As for naming them," Anmon said, "perhaps you have some ideas, traveller?"
Yu Zhou thought for a moment. "The monster bird… let's call it Melba."
"Melba? That works," Anmon nodded approvingly.
Naming things was always a pain. He even regretted the names he gave his children.
"And as for the giant…" Anmon pondered for a while.
"The one who defeated the monster bird in three minutes… how about codename Three?"
"Three… Tiga."
"Yes. The giant's codename will be Three — Tiga!"
Anmon nodded, looking quite satisfied with his own naming sense.
But Yu Zhou's eyes widened in shock.
Codename Three… Tiga…
Ultraman Tiga.