The warehouse housing the Mass Production Models ahead exploded with a bang, and a white figure crawled out.
It was Darklops Mecha Zero.
Darklops Mecha Zero leaned against the rubble, propping his head on one hand, seemingly in no hurry to fight Zero.
"Heh, you've already regained the ability to transform, Ultraman Zero."
"What a surprise."
Hayato Noda's voice reached Zero and Shinji's minds without the slightest attempt at concealment.
Zero walked up to the warriors of the Zero Guard and stood before them, his back to them.
"Zero, let's take this bastard down together!" The injured Guren roughly ran a hand through his blazing hair.
Yet Zero's next words left him and the rest of the Zero Guard utterly shocked.
"You guys, retreat first..."
Guren roared, "What are you talking about? You want to fight this bastard alone?"
Mirror fell silent, however. He knew why Zero was doing this.
He had been defeated almost instantly by Darklops Mecha Zero back then, and he knew Zero must not want to see that happen again.
In terms of combat strength, Darklops Mecha Zero had instantly defeated him, Unit-02, and Pedanium Unit-03 last time as though merely playing around.
Even the Zero Guard at full strength could not have been a match for Darklops Mecha Zero, let alone now, when they were still injured.
That was why Zero wanted them to retreat first-to protect them.
Zero's voice was strained. "Forgive me. I can't bear to watch you face that kind of danger again."
"Jean-bot, Jean-nine, sorry for the trouble..."
"There are things neither Shinji nor I want to go through again..."
"Please. I'm begging you."
Hearing Zero's sincere plea, Jean-bot and Jean-nine exchanged a glance and nodded heavily.
"We understand, Zero!"
"Be careful!"
Jean-bot and Jean-nine grabbed Mirror Knight and Glenfire respectively,