"Go to find the Ultra King?"
Both Riku and Laiha were stunned when they heard Yu Zhou's words. Did Yu Zhou actually know where the Ultra King was?
"That's right." Yu Zhou nodded. Though he himself couldn't hear the Ultra King's voice, Laiha could. That made her the perfect medium.
At the center of the Impact Crisis—where Belial had once detonated the Super Space-Time Bomb—was the place where the Ultra King's residual energy lingered most strongly.
If they brought Laiha there, she would be able to speak with him directly.
Hearing this, Zero also agreed to the plan. After all, the Ultra King possessed immense power, and perhaps they could finally learn the truth from him.
So, the very next morning, Yu Zhou and Laiha set out. Their destination: an abandoned hospital.
"This is the hospital where I was born," Laiha murmured as she stood before the crumbling building.
Yu Zhou knew the story. This was indeed Laiha's birthplace. Her mother had faced a dangerous childbirth, and it was the Ultra King who had saved Laiha's life in answer to desperate prayers.
That was why Laiha could hear his voice, and why the Ultra King's capsule resided within her.
The moment she stepped inside, countless motes of light gathered from all directions. Laiha felt herself drawn into a space made entirely of radiance.
Out of that light, a towering figure appeared—red eyes, a crown-like crest upon his head, and a silver cloak draped over his form.
It was the Ultra King.
"You've come, Laiha Toba. And you too, Tiga."
The Ultra King's voice carried majesty as he addressed them.
Yu Zhou could neither see nor hear him. All he felt was the sudden surge of power in the light around them, as though they had stepped into another realm.
"So you're the Ultra King…" Laiha whispered, gazing up at him.
Yu Zhou watched her speaking into thin air, and understood—she was now conversing with the Ultra King.
"Yes. I have been waiting for you," the Ultra King replied with a solemn nod.
"Why am I the only one who can hear your voice?"
Laiha couldn't understand it. She could hear every word, yet Yu Zhou beside her seemed completely oblivious.
"When your mother carried you, she nearly miscarried," the Ultra King explained slowly. "But your parents' prayers reached me."
"And so, I saved the child who was on the brink of death."
"I see… I was saved by my parents' prayers." Laiha lowered her eyes, thinking of them.
"Yes. That is why you alone can hear my voice," the Ultra King continued. "Even your Litru Star awakened earlier than others, because of this."
Laiha gave a small nod, thoughtful and silent.
"Hah… not being able to hear or speak with him directly is irritating."
Yu Zhou sighed as he watched her converse with empty air.
"Does Tiga wish to say something to me? Laiha Toba, you may relay my answers to him," the Ultra King said.
"All right." Laiha turned to Yu Zhou. "He says you can ask him anything. I'll pass along his replies."
"What? He can hear me?" Yu Zhou blinked, then faced the space before him. "Ultra King, long time no see. Have you eaten yet?"
The Ultra King: "…"
"Tell Tiga I do not require food."
"Yu Zhou, he says he doesn't need to eat," Laiha repeated, baffled that he even answered such nonsense.
"Ahem… just making small talk." Yu Zhou chuckled awkwardly, then his expression hardened. He spoke into the light. "Ultra King, can you give me a reason why Fukude Kei must not be killed?"
Laiha's face grew serious as well. Both of them wanted to know the truth.
"There are quite a few reasons," the Ultra King sighed.
"He says there are many reasons," Laiha relayed.
"I'm listening," Yu Zhou replied, eyes narrowing.
"Fukude Kei created Geed. And Geed himself has chosen not to follow Belial into corruption. This I know well."
"Fukude Kei is Belial's servant. If he remains alive, Belial's resurrection and invasion of Earth are far easier."
"But in the end, this is the bond between Geed, who carries Belial's genetic legacy, and his own creator. It is their conflict to resolve."
"The reason I stopped Laiha was so that Geed could prove himself—so that he could defeat Belial with his own strength. Belial must be ended by his own offspring."
The Ultra King spoke at length, and Laiha repeated it faithfully for Yu Zhou.
Yu Zhou considered this. "For Geed, perhaps it truly is a chance to prove himself. But have you thought of Laiha's feelings?"
He looked toward her. "Fukude Kei murdered her parents. In the moment she finally had the chance to avenge them, you stopped her."
"Do you think that was right?"
Laiha trembled at his words. He had voiced the pain buried deep in her heart.
To see her parents' killer escape death at the last moment—it was agony.
The Ultra King fell silent.
"And besides," Yu Zhou pressed on, "you know very well who Belial will come for first after his return."
The answer was obvious.
The one who had once beaten him down and saved the Land of Light—Tiga.
"This…"
The Ultra King shook his head. He knew it too. But once Fukude Kei had created a being with Belial's genetic factor, the King's intent had been for that lifeform to end Belial himself.
At that time, Tiga had not yet reappeared in this universe.
"Sigh…" The Ultra King looked at Yu Zhou with weary eyes. "In truth, there is another reason I let Fukude Kei live."
Laiha quickly repeated this.
"What reason?" Yu Zhou frowned. "Don't tell me you've taken a liking to him…?"
A ridiculous thought crossed his mind—had the Ultra King found Kei too handsome to kill?
"Within a Strum Alien's body lies a special organ," the Ultra King explained gravely.
"The Phase Inversion Organ. It can polarize power—transform light into darkness, and darkness into light."
"A force that can switch justice and evil itself. Perhaps, with this ability… Belial can be restored to what he once was."
"Because of the Strum Organ?!"
Yu Zhou's eyes widened at Laiha's translation.
He knew of it. In the original story, Belial had forced Fukude Kei to inject Ultra Capsules into his body, the Strum Organ twisting that energy into darkness.
It was eerily similar to Dark Tiga's ability.
After all, thirty million years ago, Dark Tiga had absorbed the dark powers of Camearra, Darramb, and Hudra, and converted them into light.
But the idea that the Ultra King wanted to purify Belial back into his former self… that had never crossed Yu Zhou's mind.
For Belial had long since merged with the Reiblood parasite. In both death and resurrection, his form remained corrupted. They were fused as one.