Chapter Summaries

Nexus easily killed Pedron and Nosferu, then overwhelmed the remaining Space Beasts with his enhanced power. When Gurantora launched a homing fireball barrage, Richard chose to face it head-on rather than evade.

• Nexus destroyed Pedron with one punch, using light and the R7 Factor to prevent it from regenerating.
• Nexus fought Nosferu, Galberos, and Guluglaim, knocking the Space Beasts back and sending Guluglaim crashing to the ground.
• Nexus killed Nosferu with a flaming Super Punch that pierced its body and shattered it into particles.
• Gurantora launched a barrage of homing fireballs at Nexus, alarming the watching crowd.
• Richard decided to smash Gurantora's attack rather than evade it.

Nexus fought the five Space Beasts in Manhattan, destroying Gurantora and Galberos before stopping Guluglaim from escaping into subspace. He dragged Guluglaim back into the open, leaving the final Space Beast exposed to his attack.

• Nexus charged through Gurantora's fireball barrage and knocked the Space Beast into a crater with a punch.
• Nexus broke Gurantora's claws and tail, then crushed its head with a diving heel strike that destroyed it in a huge explosion.
• Nexus killed the charging Galberos with a Nexus Hurricane that shredded the Space Beast.
• Guluglaim tried to flee by shifting into subspace, but Nexus pierced the subspace with a Binding Ray and dragged it back out.

Nexus defeated Guluglaim and all five Space Beasts, but Richard realized their attack had been a setup. The defeated beasts’ remains were drawn into Dark Field G, where they began forming the ultimate Space Beast, Izmael.

• Nexus broke Guluglaim’s phasing ability, destroyed the organ on its back, and blasted the Space Beast apart with Cross Storm.
• The crowd celebrated as Nexus’s five-kill battle ended, while Richard suspected the mastermind had planned something beyond the ordinary Space Beasts.
• Stark detected intensifying phase fluctuations as a black vortex opened in the sky and pulled in the Space Beasts’ scattered remains.
• Nexus fired Over Ray Schtrom into Dark Field G, but the beam vanished without affecting the vortex.
• Richard glimpsed a massive demon-like form gathering the particles inside Dark Field G and recognized it as Izmael, the ultimate Space Beast.

Richard explained that Izmael was a synthetic Space Beast built from multiple creatures, with The One as its foundation, and warned that Ultraman might not be able to defeat it. The chapter ended with S.H.I.E.L.D. confronting the threat posed by Izmael.

• Richard identified Izmael as a synthetic Space Beast formed from the molecules of multiple Space Beasts, including at least six from the recent battle.
• Richard explained that Izmael could absorb other Space Beasts’ body parts and abilities, and that its vibration waves contained patterns from many creatures.
• Richard revealed that Izmael’s central vibration pattern matched The One, whose molecular remains had been collected and used as its foundation.
• Richard attributed Izmael’s creation to an unknown, highly advanced force and explained that The One’s adaptability let it accommodate other Space Beasts’ abilities.
• Hawkeye suggested that Ultraman could defeat Izmael, but Richard warned that Ultraman might not win.

Richard warned the Avengers that Izmael could be vastly stronger than its television-series counterpart and left them without a reliable plan. He returned home to prepare for the coming fight, where Wanda eagerly dressed for battle before learning what he needed from her.

• Richard explained that Izmael might have inherited The One’s unlimited evolution and could be too powerful for the Avengers to handle.
• Captain America asked Richard for a countermeasure, but Richard said Izmael had no exploitable weaknesses and left the Helicarrier.
• Richard returned home and learned that Jessica was reporting from the blockade line while Spider-Woman was helping with disaster relief.
• Richard warned Wanda that the Space Beasts were only a prelude to more dangerous enemies.
• Wanda changed into her battle outfit and asked Richard who they were going to fight, leaving him bewildered.

Richard asked Wanda to protect his manor from possible collateral damage if the Space Beasts attacked New York, and Wanda insisted she could do it. He returned to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s helicarrier, where the search for the enemy continued, while he considered why other potential allies and the Cosmic Cube could not help in battle.

• Richard asked Wanda to protect his manor in case a battle with Izmael damaged New York, and Wanda agreed despite her uncertainty about the Darkhold's spells.
• Richard returned to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s helicarrier while S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers searched for Space Beast signals on high alert.
• Richard considered seeking help from Ancient One, Strange, and Odin, but Ancient One had retired, Strange was inexperienced, and Odin was forbidden from intervening in Earth's major affairs.
• Richard concluded he could not use the Cosmic Cube as a weapon or easily extract the Space Stone from it.

After Ultraman defeated the Space Beasts, the public grew confident in him, while Richard dismissed calls for Ultraman to rule humanity. Nick Fury warned the World Security Council that Izmael posed a grave threat, but the Council doubted his report and instead suspected Ultraman of plotting to seize power.

• Manhattan residents grew calmer after Ultraman easily defeated the six Space Beasts, and some eccentric protesters began demanding that he rule humanity.
• Richard laughed at the protesters’ slogans and thought he would rather watch anime and television than govern humanity.
• Richard had exaggerated Izmael’s threat to Nick Fury, who exaggerated it further when briefing the World Security Council and urged them to commit more resources.
• The Council questioned Nick Fury’s warning, recalling his earlier predictions and accusing him of exaggerating Space Beast threats to secure funding.
• Council members argued that Ultraman’s immense power and growing popularity posed a danger, and speculated that he planned to take over humanity while Nick Fury silently disagreed.

Twenty Space Beasts attacked cities around the world, and the composite beast Izmael appeared near S.H.I.E.L.D.'s Helicarrier. Richard admitted to Captain America and Stark that he was Ultraman and prepared to face Izmael, which he believed was part of a trap aimed at him.

• Twenty Space Beasts emerged from Dark Field G vortices and began destroying cities around the world.
• Governments sought help from S.H.I.E.L.D. and the Avengers as conventional weapons failed to stop the Space Beasts from regenerating.
• Fitz detected Izmael near the Helicarrier, and Richard left the command room with the Evolution Trust to confront it.
• Captain America and Stark caught up with Richard, and JARVIS's scan linked the Evolution Trust to Ultraman's vibration wave.
• Richard confirmed to Captain America and Stark that he was Ultraman and said he could not run from the battle against Izmael.

Richard revealed himself as Ultraman Nexus and flew from the Helicarrier to confront Izmael, the composite Space Beast. As their battle intensified, Nexus broke free of Izmael’s tentacles with Core Flash and charged at the monster with a golden-powered strike.

• Captain America told Richard that Ultraman had changed humanity and urged him to fight as a human, while promising that the Avengers would not abandon him.
• Stark asked Richard to come back alive so he could answer his questions, and Richard transformed with Evolution Trust and flew toward the vortex.
• Nexus clashed with Izmael, whose body combined the strongest features of numerous Space Beasts, while the Helicarrier crew watched from the command room.
• Izmael attacked with fireballs, lightning, lasers, and tentacles, eventually binding Nexus and shocking him with electrical currents.
• Nexus unleashed Core Flash, shattered Izmael’s tentacles, and charged into the Space Beast with a golden-powered fist.

As Izmael reached New York and began destroying the city, Nexus fought to stop the Space Beast from growing stronger by spreading fear. The Avengers set out to support him, but Izmael struck Nexus with a point-blank Meteor Light Bullet and blasted him hundreds of meters away.

• S.H.I.E.L.D. reported that Ultraman and the Space Beast were heading toward New York, and Stark decided to attack with Thor.
• Captain America called the Avengers to assemble and join Stark in supporting their comrade.
• Ultraman and Izmael crashed into the Atlantic, then Izmael emerged and began wrecking New York.
• Richard realized that Izmael was growing stronger by feeding on fear, and Nexus returned from the ocean to attack it.
• Nexus severed Izmael's tentacles and landed several blows, but Izmael opened its chest vent and blasted Nexus away with a point-blank Meteor Light Bullet.

Nexus fought Izmael, countering its arsenal of Space Beast abilities and inflicting severe damage. Izmael then used spatial rifts to extend tentacles that caught Nexus by surprise and bound his hands.

• Izmael bombarded Nexus with flame shots, beams, lightning, and scythes, but Nexus dodged and counterattacked.
• Nexus broke one of Izmael’s scythes and struck its chest with a Core Pulse, blasting it down and badly damaging its shell.
• Izmael healed and used Guluglaim’s phase-shifting ability, but Nexus matched its resonant frequency and punched through the defense.
• Izmael created illusions with Galberos’s ability, but Nexus found the real one and blasted it with Cross Storm.
• Izmael struck Nexus with a tentacle from a spatial rift, then opened more rifts and wrapped tentacles around his hands.

Richard recognized that Izmael was combining the spatial abilities of several Space Beasts to conceal its attacks and nullify Nexus’s beams. The Fantastic Four unintentionally locked Izmael’s shifting phase, letting Nexus break the beam-nullifying field, though Izmael’s back crystal organ was destroyed in the process.

• Richard freed Nexus from Izmael’s tentacles and dodged its attacks while aiming a particle light blade at its existing wound.
• Izmael used its phase-shifting ability to evade the blade, then combined Megaflash’s beam-nullifying field with Guluglaim’s shifting phases to block Cross Storm.
• Richard found that he could not correct the field’s changing phase and prepared to use the Cosmic Cube.
• The Fantastic Four interfered with Izmael’s phase shifts when Reed’s device resonated with its back crystal and locked it at one frequency.
• Nexus corrected the isolated space with an energy blast, shattering the rainbow field and causing Izmael’s back crystal to explode.

Nexus nearly destroyed Space Beast Izmael, but Richard discovered that Dark Mephisto had been hiding inside it and released Dark Field G. Mephisto fused with Izmael into a colossal new form and launched a devastating attack on Nexus.

• Nexus pierced Izmael with Gungnir and struck it with Over Ray Schtrom, tearing through its body.
• Darkness within Izmael swallowed the beam, and Richard recognized it as Dark Field G.
• Dark Mephisto III appeared, revealed himself as the one who had deployed Dark Field G, and said Izmael's battle had only been a test.
• Mephisto fused with Izmael, healing its wounds and transforming it into a giant creature with Dark Mephisto's features.
• The fused Mephisto vanished and reappeared before Nexus, whose defensive block was met by a tremendous impact that unleashed an explosion and a tornado.

Richard’s Nexus fought Mephisto after he fused with the Space Beast Izmael, but the demon’s overwhelming defenses and attacks left Nexus struggling to find a way to win. Mephisto trapped Nexus in midair and unleashed a torrent of darkness, plunging the city into darkness.

• Mephisto, fused with Izmael, sent Nexus flying more than ten miles, and Richard landed in Manhattan’s evacuated zone to limit casualties.
• Nexus attacked Mephisto with his arm blade and a spinning kick, but neither damaged or moved him.
• Nexus dodged Mephisto’s deadly claw strike with Quantumization and fired a Cross Storm, which Mephisto shattered with his claws.
• Mephisto attacked with a pillar of dark-red fire, and Nexus used Mach Movement to evade it and rise away from the city.
• Mephisto used Izmael’s Kuttura ability to snare Nexus’s ankles, then unleashed a torrent of darkness that swallowed the light.

Mephisto’s attack terrified people around the world, and S.H.I.E.L.D. determined that its concentrated blast could destroy Earth if aimed at the ground. With nowhere safe to flee and Ultraman still fighting, Fury ordered the Helicarrier toward New York.

• Mephisto unleashed a dark energy attack that frightened witnesses and viewers around the world.
• People in shelters and world leaders took comfort in the hope that Ultraman could defeat the enemy.
• Fitz reported that the attack’s power could destroy Earth, while its beam had narrowly escaped into space without striking anything.
• Simmons urged Daisy to trust that Ultraman would find a solution, but Daisy remained silent and stared at the sky.
• Fury considered calling Captain Marvel but doubted she could help, then ordered the Helicarrier to change course for New York.

Nexus faced Mephisto’s planet-threatening ultimate attack and countered it with his own finishing move. He survived the clash by containing its catastrophic impact in the Meta Field, but was left badly weakened as Mephisto praised him from above.

• Nexus recovered from Mephisto’s attack with his left shoulder and arm badly injured, while Mephisto took to the air and began charging a vastly amplified Dark Ray Storm.
• Mephisto warned that Nexus could dodge the attack but Earth could not, and Nexus chose to stand and protect the planet.
• Nexus fired Over Ray Schtrom Meteor against Mephisto’s Dark Ray—Ultimate Storm, and their attacks plunged the city into darkness.
• Nexus deployed the Meta Field to absorb the clash’s continent-level blast, but the impact shattered its subspace and drained his strength.
• Nexus knelt with his life force nearly exhausted as Mephisto praised his power, instincts, and resolve.

Mephisto mocked Nexus for holding on to his humanity while the Fantastic Four, Avengers, and Iron Man came to his aid. As Richard prepared a plan to fight back, ordinary people gathered to cheer for him, leaving him startled that they seemed to believe his earlier videos.

• Mephisto taunted Nexus, claiming his compassion made him weak and that he could have won by avoiding the last attack.
• Human Torch, Invisible Woman, and Thing arrived and attacked Mephisto, but their attacks had no effect.
• Thor, War Machine, and Iron Man joined the fight, while Stark urged Nexus to recover and return to battle.
• Richard assessed Mephisto's strength, formed several possible plans, and stood up to resume the fight.
• Civilians arrived from nearby neighborhoods with cars and flashlights, cheering for Nexus as Richard wondered whether they had really believed his videos.

Richard watched humans and heroes unite to support Nexus, realizing that reality could still resemble a fairy tale. As Wanda and the others held Mephisto back, Nexus evolved into his Blue Adult Form.

• Mephisto mocked the humans for trying to help Nexus with lights, while Richard reflected on how people could still produce light despite their flaws.
• Mister Fantastic returned with a device that focused solar energy onto Ultraman, and Nick Fury brought the illuminated S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier and Quinjets to help.
• Wanda attacked Mephisto with Chaos Magic, then trapped him with a powerful spell.
• Stark led the others in bombarding Mephisto while Wanda's magic kept him occupied.
• Nexus underwent a transformation and emerged in his Blue Adult Form.

Richard evolved into Blue Nexus and became a single-universe-level god, with protection as his anchor and Earth’s guardian god as his divine office. After drawing on Earth’s energy to restore himself, he prepared to face Mephisto, whose defeat marked the end of his chapter and the beginning of Ultraman’s new one.

• Richard realized that the hope people placed in Ultraman had triggered his evolution into Blue Nexus.
• His transformation let Richard perceive the world’s underlying particles and laws, and he understood that an anchor had been necessary for his ascension to godhood.
• Richard recognized protection as his anchor after choosing to face Mephisto’s Dark Ray Storm rather than dodge it.
• Humanity’s support led the universe to appoint Richard as Earth’s guardian god and grant him access to the planet’s energy.
• Blue Nexus absorbed energy from Earth, restored himself, and turned his attention back to Mephisto as the heroes fought him.

Wanda exhausted her magic to hold Mephisto back until Richard, transformed into Nexus, arrived and erased the demon’s devastating attack with a casual wave. Nexus rescued Wanda, then struck Mephisto before he could launch another attack.

• Wanda spent her remaining strength fighting Mephisto while the others and the Helicarrier attacked without breaking his defenses.
• Mephisto prepared a finishing attack, and Thor readied himself to meet it as Wanda could no longer fight.
• Nexus appeared in a beam of light and dispersed Mephisto’s attack with a wave of his hand.
• Nexus caught the falling Wanda in the Stone Wing and sent her away, thanking her in his thoughts for holding on.
• Mephisto attacked Nexus, but Nexus’s punch struck his cheek before Mephisto could bring down his claws.