Tiga's Defeat

The Sky Curtain continued to show the scene.

Deep beneath TPC headquarters, thick black mist churned and rose. It spread upward like a living thing, devouring everything in its path, intent on swallowing the entire base.

Director Sawada's face darkened. He immediately gave the evacuation order: "Everyone out! Board the Artdessei and evacuate now!"

Just then, the ancient ruins of R'lyeh underwent a sudden change.

An unimaginably vast and terrifying behemoth emerged from the sea.

Its inverted features, massive ridged shell, and countless writhing black tentacles marked it as the ultimate darkness that had ruled the ancient world—the Evil God Gatanthor!

At the sight of the Evil God in his entirety, countless beings across Douluo Star drew a sharp breath.

Gatanthor's appearance alone sent chills down their spines, to say nothing of the sinister black mist surrounding him.

The instant Gatanthor appeared, the black mist engulfing TPC headquarters surged upward like a tide, eating through the base at terrifying speed. Before long, it poured into the GUTS command room.

At the same time, black mist erupted across the globe. It spread rapidly, swallowing sky and earth. Soon, the entire planet was wrapped in dense darkness, without a trace of daylight.

"Everyone, evacuate immediately!" Megumi Iruma ordered.

Only Daigo remained where he stood, motionless as he gazed out at the boundless darkness beyond the window.

"Daigo! Come on!" Rena hurried over and grabbed his arm.

Daigo did not budge. "I'm going alone," he said firmly.

Sawada and the others gave him puzzled looks. Megumi Iruma quickly said to them, "Go on ahead."

Before long, only Megumi Iruma, Rena, and Daigo remained.

Megumi Iruma walked slowly toward Daigo, who stood at the edge of the darkness.

"Daigo, you're under no obligation to face an enemy you can't possibly defeat."

Daigo turned back. There was no fear or hesitation in his eyes, only unwavering resolve.

"Can't possibly defeat? I don't understand."

Those simple words stunned every human and Soul Beast watching the Sky Curtain.

If they were in Daigo's place, most would have transformed into Tiga, fled Earth, and saved themselves.

Shrek Academy.

After Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, Tang San, and Xiao Wu left one after another, Shrek Academy returned to the way it had been.

No—there was one addition: Grandmaster.

Ma Hongjun curled his lip, his face full of scorn. "What an idiot. He knows he'll die, but he's still going in."

Dai Mubai nodded slightly, his tone mocking. "Utterly foolish. If I had an opportunity like that, I'd build an empire with it instead of throwing my life away."

Grandmaster's gaze remained calm. "He's acting on impulse. He doesn't know when to lie low. The wise choice would be to bide his time and wait for a chance at revenge."

Skywater Academy, Skywater Team.

The six women other than Shui Bing'er looked utterly smitten.

"Daigo is so handsome."

"Right? I want a boyfriend who'll stand up like that."

"Do you think Tiga can beat the Evil God Gatanthor?"

"Of course he can. My hero's unbeatable."

Shui Bing'er, meanwhile, lowered her head in thought. Why did the ruins of R'lyeh look so familiar?

On the Sky Curtain, Megumi Iruma smiled at Daigo. The tension seemed to leave her as she said softly, "You're right. When did I stop believing in so-called fate, too?"

"So you have to win. As a human."

With that, she took the reluctant Rena by the hand and turned to leave.

Rena kept looking back, her eyes red with tears, unwilling to go.

Daigo looked at her, his voice gentle but firm. "Rena, getting everyone out safely is your responsibility."

Rena bit her lip. At last, she forced down her reluctance and worry and turned away.

Before rounding the corner, Megumi Iruma looked back. "You have to win, Ultraman Tiga!"

After they left, Daigo was alone in the vast, dark command room.

Daigo raised the Sparklence in his hand. Golden light burst forth, and Tiga, the Giant of Light, appeared once more!

Tiga looked no different, yet many felt, for reasons they could not explain, that something about him had changed.

And they were right. Tiga was an Ultraman whose strength was profoundly shaped by his will and convictions.

There had even been a joke about it online in Su He's previous life.

Tiga was stronger than ever. Earlier, the Zoga had been able to hold their own against him and pose a serious threat. Now, all but a few that could survive a move or two fell instantly.

In no time, Tiga had nearly wiped out the hundreds of Zoga rampaging across the globe.

Seeing Tiga's power surge as he swept through the Zoga, the beings of Douluo Star felt hope rekindle. Perhaps the Giant of Light really could turn the tide and defeat the Evil God.

After eliminating the Zoga, Tiga wheeled around and flew straight for the ruins of R'lyeh.

Soon, Tiga and Gatanthor clashed.

In underground shelters around the world, every human survivor stared at the television screens, holding their breath as they watched the final battle that would decide humanity's fate.

The psychic Kirino watched quietly, then shook his head and murmured, "He can't win... There's no way."

Kirino's certainty and despair doused the hope that had just flared in many hearts watching the Sky Curtain.

Kirino's precognitive ability had already been amply demonstrated. He was no prophet who could glimpse only fragments of the future. He could predict the exact hour, minute, and second someone would drink water.

Calling him a god of prophecy would hardly have been an exaggeration.

But some of Tiga's and Daigo's devoted fans refused to accept it.

Ning Rongrong, never one to hold back, huffed in displeasure. "Just because Kirino can see the future doesn't mean he can say whatever he wants!"

"My hero's so strong now. Beating Gatanthor will be a piece of cake. Right, Zhuqing?"

After surviving two life-or-death crises together, Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing had grown incredibly close. They even slept in the same bed every night.

"Mm."

Zhu Zhuqing nodded lightly. Her expression was as cool as ever, but a hint of tenderness flashed in her eyes as she looked at Ning Rongrong.

Rongrong is so cute!

Yet the battle unfolded just as Kirino had said. Tiga was overwhelmed from start to finish.

Even when Tiga unleashed the Power Type Peri Ao Ray, a move he had never used before, it did not leave a mark on Gatanthor.

Gatanthor, on the other hand, fired a black beam that pierced Tiga's body in an instant.

Crackle—

Tiga froze. The next moment, his body began turning to stone, and he fell into the sea.

"Daigo—!!"

Watching the devastating scene on the screen, Rena let out an anguished cry that rang through the cockpit.

Megumi Iruma stared at the screen, rigid from head to toe. Her lips trembled as she murmured over and over, "No... It can't be... Ultraman Tiga can't lose."

Only then did everyone learn that Daigo was Tiga.

Gu Yuena stared blankly for a moment, then turned to Su He beside her. "The humans in that world are finished, aren't they? Gatanthor is far too powerful. They can't possibly stand against him."

Su He asked curiously, "How does he compare to the God Kings of your Divine Realm?"

Gu Yuena shook her head slightly, then said with certainty, "There's no comparison. Those hundreds of Zoga alone would have been enough to destroy the Divine Realm at its peak."