Chapter Forty-One: The Heir to the Shadow

"This is..."

What met Yue Longze's eyes were two massive statues: one of an Ultraman, and one of a monster. The Ultraman statue was none other than the Evil Tiga, transformed by Keigo Masaki in the original story.

Yue Longze stood dumbly beneath the statues. Even though he had seen this giant's relic in the original work, witnessing the Ultraman in stone form with his own eyes was a strange, awe-inspiring experience. Moreover, there was also the statue of another monster.

"Heh, well? Even if you're an Ultraman, this sight must be overwhelming, right?"

Keigo Masaki crossed his arms, regaining his arrogant, aloof demeanor.

"It is quite astounding," Yue Longze admitted, calming himself as he took out the Divine Radiance Rod from his coat and stared at it for a moment.

"Are you ready?" Yue Longze turned to address Keigo Masaki behind him.

"See that device over there?" Keigo Masaki raised his right hand, his slender index finger pointing at a strange apparatus about ten meters away from the giant's feet.

"That's my invention—the Light Particle Converter!"

Keigo Masaki's lips curled into a proud smile. For humans to invent something like this was truly remarkable! In his mind, he could already picture Yue Longze gazing at him with wild admiration.

"Oh." Yue Longze nodded, only half understanding. He knew nothing about scientific gadgets like these. He showed not a hint of worship, nor even a few words of simple praise.

"Don't you have anything else to say?"

Keigo Masaki lost his composure, dropping his arms to question Yue Longze.

"What do you want me to say?" Yue Longze replied, a bit impatient.

Keigo Masaki: ...........

"Let's get started," Yue Longze said, ignoring Keigo Masaki's confusion, and walked straight toward the Light Particle Converter.

Keigo Masaki hurried after him, fearful that Yue Longze might tamper with his converter—his guarantee for evolving into a giant.

"I don't care what you're thinking now. If you do anything harmful to humanity after becoming a giant, I'll stop you immediately." Yue Longze's tone was calm yet carried a commanding force.

"Hmph, I won't do anything so foolish! I want to be the savior of humanity!"

After speaking, Keigo Masaki shifted his gaze to the giant's statue.

"To be a savior?" Yue Longze looked at him with a half-smile. Suddenly, he remembered when he first received the Dark Divine Radiance Rod from Camilla. Back then, he too had harbored similar ambitions—to be humanity's guardian, to protect this blue planet.

Later, he realized that being a guardian was not so easy. Yet this beautiful planet was still something he was duty-bound to defend.

"Here, take it."

Yue Longze handed the Dark Divine Radiance Rod from his coat to Keigo Masaki. He wanted to see for himself how this man would become a giant.

"This is the device that lets you transform into a giant?"

Keigo Masaki played curiously with the rod, reluctant to let go.

Click.

He embedded the rod into the Light Particle Converter he had invented, gripping it tightly with his right hand.

"Ah—let me evolve into a giant!"

In an instant, golden light particles danced in order, like sprites swaying to a melodious tune.

"Fascinating!" Yue Longze widened his eyes; even he had to admire Keigo Masaki's genius.

Suddenly, the lively golden particles vanished without a trace, as if they had never appeared, and all was calm again.

"What happened?"

Keigo Masaki felt as if he was about to become light itself. Warmth surged through his body, countless streams of heat coursing through him, making him feel wonderful.

But that wonderful sensation disappeared abruptly.

"Masaki, could it be that your invention isn't working?"

The cave's temperature was low and the air was chilly. Yue Longze tightened his coat, puzzled.

Just as Yue Longze spoke, light particles reappeared in the converter—but this time, they were purple-black!

Those purple-black particles—no, they could no longer be called light particles, but rather dark particles, or light particles tinged with darkness!

Like a clear spring, the purple-black particles flowed lightly along Keigo Masaki's arm.

"I want to evolve into a giant! Become a giant!" Keigo Masaki screamed, his eyes bloody red.

"Is this... the power of darkness?"

Yue Longze frowned. He sensed Keigo Masaki's negative energy, and his evil intent.

"The evil heart reveals itself?"

Yue Longze stared as Keigo Masaki transformed into a purple-black mass of light, merging into the giant statue's timer.

The giant shed its stone state, its body radiating intense light. The eyes gleamed with wickedness, the whole form exuding an eerie aura. The hatch at the cave's ceiling opened, and Keigo Masaki flew out. The hatch had been secretly constructed by Keigo Masaki after discovering the relic.

As the chief executive of Saedek Technologies, such a task was nothing for him.

"I understand now... I am both darkness and light... but above all, I am human!"

Yue Longze stepped forward and picked up the Dark Divine Radiance Rod from the converter. He had to stop Keigo Masaki.

He had thought he had persuaded Keigo Masaki, but unexpectedly, the dark power within his own rod awakened the other's evil thoughts, and in the end, Keigo Masaki became the Evil Tiga of the original story.

If Masaki had used Daigu's Divine Radiance Rod of light, the earth would have gained another warrior of justice. But if Masaki had used Daigu's rod, perhaps Yue Longze would not have had the chance to persuade him.

All of this made Yue Longze marvel at the mysteries of fate.

"Masaki, is this your destiny?"

Yue Longze gave a bitter smile, raised the Dark Divine Radiance Rod high, and transformed into Dark Tiga, chasing after Keigo Masaki through the cave's hatch.

Within Kumamoto City, the giant transformed by Keigo Masaki stood tall, his body silver and shining, radiating across the land.

"Is that a new Ultraman?"

People were bewildered, yet excited.

"This is the third giant to appear after Tiga and the black Ultraman!"

Among the crowd, some devoted fans had analyzed that the black Ultraman—who appeared briefly and looked like Tiga—was not a new form of Tiga, but a new giant altogether.

Bang!

In the eyes of the people, the just giant suddenly kicked out with his powerful right leg, sweeping across with force. In an instant, dirt and stones flew sky-high, and a tall building collapsed into ruins.

The crowd was stunned. Aren't giants supposed to be champions of justice?

This shattered their beliefs.

Boom!

A small purple ray struck Evil Tiga, sparking flames. The people watched with expressions of joy and surprise.