"That was just a slip of the tongue, a slip of the tongue!" Yuzhou hurriedly explained after hearing Zoffy's question.
"I see." Zoffy nodded, letting the matter drop.
The three Ultras welcomed Yuzhou warmly despite his being a visitor from another world. After all, "Ultraman Tiga" carried the reputation of an ancient giant of light—even if this one came from a parallel universe.
Before long, a silver-and-red figure descended from the sky, landing before them.
"I'm back!"
It was Mebius.
As soon as his feet touched the crystalline ground, he saluted his seniors.
"You've worked hard, Mebius," Zoffy, as Captain of the Inter Galactic Defense Force, nodded approvingly.
But Mebius's gaze shifted almost immediately. He froze when his eyes fell on the silver-red giant beside them.
"Tiga—the ancient warrior of light!"
"Hello, Mebius." Yuzhou greeted him with a smile.
That voice. Mebius blinked. His expression shifted. "Wait… you're Yuzhou!"
The words struck Yuzhou like thunder. This Mebius recognized him!
Yuzhou's heart leapt. "It's me!"
So it really was the same Mebius he had once met in the world of Ultraman Mebius & the Ultra Brothers.
"Unbelievable!" Mebius's tone carried excitement of his own. The memory of that adventure, of seeing two Tigas fight side by side, had stayed vivid in his mind.
Back then, Mebius's human host, Hibino Mirai, had even exchanged names with Yuzhou before vanishing. It had been brief, but they had once fought shoulder-to-shoulder.
"Since you two know each other," Seven interjected, "Mebius, why don't you show Tiga around the Land of Light?"
"With pleasure." Mebius agreed at once.
For Yuzhou, it was an unexpected blessing. The Land of Light was the safest place in the universe—few monsters would dare approach, much less attack it. This might be his most peaceful journey yet.
So he followed Mebius out of the Defense Force headquarters.
Behind them, though, the senior Ultras wore grimmer expressions.
"Negative energy is spreading," Zoffy sighed. "Monsters across the stars are growing more violent."
"I have a bad feeling," Seven muttered, his gaze lowering.
"Jack, Ace, and 80 are already investigating," the First Ultraman added solemnly.
"We must uncover the truth quickly," Zoffy concluded. "Otherwise, war will be unavoidable."
At that moment, the Father and Mother of Ultra approached.
"There are abnormalities near the Plasma Spark Tower," Father of Ultra warned. His tone was grave as his eyes swept the shining sky. "We cannot afford to be careless. I only hope…" His voice trailed off, but the implication was clear: hope disaster was not already at their doorstep.
Meanwhile, Yuzhou and Mebius walked across the crystal streets of the Land of Light.
Yuzhou's eyes darted left and right, unable to stop himself from imagining prying the shining crystals out of the walls to sell back on Earth. I must really be broke…
But of course, it was only a thought. Attempting such a thing here would earn him a fight with Mebius on the spot—if not every Ultra in sight.
There were so many of them: giants of all ages, some broad and tall, some lean and small, both male and female. The Land of Light was bustling.
"Yuzhou," Mebius asked as they walked, "how did you end up here from that other world?"
"Actually, I'm not the Tiga of that world at all," Yuzhou explained. "That Tiga was Daigu. I'm from another parallel universe, just like you."
"I see," Mebius nodded as the puzzle pieces fell into place. That explained why there had been two Tigas when they last fought together.
"Then this isn't your original universe either?" Mebius pressed.
"No. It's another parallel one."
"I understand now."
They continued, but Yuzhou soon asked a question that had been nagging at him.
"Say, Mebius—why don't you Ultras ever gang up on a monster? With so many of you here, you could just overwhelm anything with beams until it keels over."
Mebius shook his head. "It's not that simple. Many Ultras aren't warriors. In the Land of Light, the Red Tribe specializes in combat, like Seven and the First. The Blue Tribe are scientists and thinkers. And most ordinary Ultras don't have the strength for battle."
"Ohh." Yuzhou nodded slowly. He hadn't realized the Land of Light had such divisions.
Unconsciously, they had arrived before a towering crystalline structure.
"This is the Ultra Colosseum," Mebius explained proudly. "Here, young warriors train to hone their skills."
Yuzhou looked up at its massive walls with interest.
"My teacher is in charge of this place," Mebius added with respect. "The chief instructor of the Inter Galactic Defense Force—Taro."
So this was Taro's domain.
"Come on, let's go in."
Inside, the wide arena sparkled with crystalline floors. Dozens of Ultras stood in formation, launching beams at simulated monsters displayed on floating screens.
"High-tech stuff," Yuzhou muttered. "But does blasting a hologram really do anything?"
"It does," Mebius replied. "The simulations copy monsters' defenses, letting us measure the output of the young warriors' beams."
"Ohhh." Yuzhou nodded, though his eyes soon wandered to floating crystal platforms where Ultras sparred in pairs. "And that's for combat training, right?"
"Correct. Physical skill grows only through fighting."
"Got it."
Just then, a figure approached—red cloak billowing, twin horns rising proudly from his head.
Yuzhou's eyes widened. Taro Ultraman, the chief instructor himself.
"Teacher." Mebius greeted with a respectful bow before introducing his companion. "This is my friend Yuzhou—he is also Tiga."
"The ancient warrior of light?" Taro's eyes narrowed in surprise.
"Not exactly," Yuzhou scratched his head. "I'm a Tiga from a parallel world."
"I see." Taro nodded thoughtfully.
Yuzhou pointed at the simulated monsters with sudden eagerness. "Taro, can I try blasting one of those? I want to test how strong my light really is."
"Of course," Taro said without hesitation. "Go ahead."
Yuzhou grinned. "Thank you, Taro!"