Shinji opened his eyes. The first thing he felt was the Healing Beam washing over his body.
After Zero entered his Shining Form, Shinji had suffered almost the same pain and torment as Zero. He had felt as though the immense energy could burst his body apart at any moment, and he had finally lost consciousness amid the excruciating pain.
Barely a dozen seconds after he woke, the Healing Beam was exhausted.
Both his injuries and Zero's had eased somewhat, but the treatment addressed only the symptoms, not the underlying damage.
"You're finally awake, Shinji!" Little Zero's phantom stood up when he saw Shinji open his eyes, letting out a sigh of relief.
"Does anything still feel wrong?"
"You did great. Mirror Knight, Rei Ayanami, and all the citizens caught in the explosion have come back through the power of the Shining Form. We did it."
"Just focus on recovering now. You'll be out of the hospital soon."
But Shinji did not answer him. Instead, he reached up and pulled the oxygen mask off his face.
"Shinji, what are you trying to do? Don't tell me you're going to fight!"
"No. No matter what you say, I'm not agreeing this time!"
Zero had not chosen to stay out of the battle because of his own injuries.
After all, as an Ultra Warrior, the moment he understood the true meaning of the power to protect, he had already resolved to risk his own life to safeguard others.
Every warrior in the Space Garrison had been prepared to die in battle from the moment they joined. That was their resolve as an "Ultraman," and young warriors like Zero, Taiga, and Z were no exception.
If saving ten lives meant sacrificing one, an Ultraman would do everything he could to save both sides,