Everyone on the scene was stunned.
"There's… a second giant?!"
Shinjoh shouted from the jet.
"And that second giant took out Golza in one move—so strong!"
Horii was just as shocked.
Daigo had been struggling just moments ago, almost defeated.
Yet the newly arrived Ultraman ended it in a blink.
Everyone was dumbfounded.
"You are…?!"
Even Daigo, still in red Ultraman form, was stunned.
The other statue was right behind him—so where did this new giant come from?
If it also came from the pyramid, then the only person who could've gotten there before him was…
Thinking back to Hajime's words before his transformation, Daigo immediately understood.
This giant… was Chief Hajime?
Seeing Daigo's reaction, Hajime knew he'd been figured out.
That was expected.
He had been the only one to reach the pyramid before Daigo.
Unless Hajime never transformed, it was inevitable Daigo would discover that he was Tiga.
So rather than hide it, it was better to reveal it now and take control of the situation.
As Daigo's superior in the Victory Team and a senior Ultraman, Hajime's authority would only grow.
With Daigo trusting and following him more than ever, it was a win-win.
Besides, Hajime didn't have any ambition to rule or destroy the world.
Having another ally and enforcer was a good thing.
Small-time monsters didn't even require his personal attention anymore.
And when it came time to face the ultimate world-ending threat, Gatanozoa, an extra pair of hands could make all the difference.
He gestured to Daigo to stay calm.
Then Hajime looked up at Melba, circling in the sky.
"…"
Melba had been preparing to dive in with Golza for a 2-on-1 beatdown.
But in a flash, the situation had flipped.
Golza was dead. A new Ultraman had appeared.
Now, Melba would have to fight two Ultramen alone?
That wasn't reasonable.
So—
Caw—!
Melba immediately flapped its wings and tried to flee.
I'm out!
No way I'm winning this.
But how could Hajime let Melba escape?
Especially not when—
"Turning your back to the enemy while fleeing? That's just plain stupid!"
Sneering inwardly, Hajime didn't hesitate. He crossed his arms, then slowly spread them apart to charge up.
Once his energy gathered, he placed both hands at his left hip, channeling power.
Whoosh—!
The Ranbalt Light Bullet fired like a piercing arrow into the sky.
Though this skill was slightly weaker than the Zeperion Beam, it was lightning-fast with excellent accuracy.
For a fragile, low-tier monster like Melba, it was the perfect choice.
In less than a breath, the bullet caught up to Melba and slammed directly into its body.
Boom—!
A monster that had once shaken the skies was now blown to pieces, utterly annihilated.
Within just a few short seconds of arriving on the scene, Hajime had taken down two monsters in a row.
After that stunning display, the two giants exchanged a glance and gave a nod.
Then, bending their knees, they leapt into the sky—clearly leaving Earth.
Only after they vanished did the Victory Team breathe a collective sigh of relief, as if they had just witnessed a battle straight out of myth.
---
At the TPC Far East Headquarters, on the offshore base—
Megumi Iruma held her forehead, face pale, as she watched the giants vanish into the sky.
"Hajime…"
Why did it have to be Daigo and Hajime whose plane went down?
The Victory Team members looked grim at her words.
"The Chief and Daigo…"
Just as they began to mourn—
Hajime's voice suddenly rang out through the team's shared comms channel.
"Daigo and I are at the mountain peak. Come pick us up!"
That familiar voice made everyone blink in disbelief. Then they broke into cheers.
"Ohhh! The Chief is still alive!"
"That's amazing!"
"I knew it! A man like the Chief wouldn't die so easily!"
"Uh… and Daigo too!"
Hearing that last part, Daigo almost coughed up blood in frustration.
He understood their admiration for the Chief, but—"And Daigo too?"
What was he, an afterthought?
...Fair enough.
Thinking back on his poor performance as an Ultraman, Daigo covered his face in shame.
He'd been completely overwhelmed by the monster—honestly, pretty useless.
"Let's go."
Hajime chuckled and patted Daigo on the shoulder.
"We'll talk about the giant stuff later. Once we get back, I think you need some serious training."
"Yes, sir!"
Daigo immediately accepted Hajime's order.
Whether as a Victory Team member or as a giant, Hajime far surpassed him.
Naturally, Daigo was more than willing to follow his lead.
Soon, a recovery team arrived and brought them back to base.
After comforting the worried Megumi—
Hajime returned to his office.
With a single thought, he entered the Fog Space.