Dr. Rui Kisaragi was currently possessed by a Monera alien. It was only natural that she could sense something unusual about Yu Zhou.
But before Dr. Kisaragi could say anything, Commander Gondou quickly gathered the defence personnel, surrounding the Prometheus to prevent the black-robed Yu Zhou, who was crouched atop it, from escaping.
As members of the TPC, the Super Victory Team also raised their guard against this mysterious intruder who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
"Commander Gondou, right?" Yu Zhou crouched on top of the Prometheus, speaking in a deliberately low tone. "I've long heard of your name."
"Who are you!?"
With so many defence officers surrounding them, Commander Gondou showed no fear and shouted back at Yu Zhou.
"Who I am isn't important," Yu Zhou said calmly, voice still low. "But do you know who the woman beside you, Rui Kisaragi, really is?"
"Dr. Rui Kisaragi is a brilliant creator!" Commander Gondou replied without hesitation, though he had no idea why this cloaked man would ask such a thing.
After all, the scientist who had designed the Prometheus was indeed someone who had made great contributions to humanity.
Yu Zhou chuckled softly. "TPC's biggest weapons factory already has a mole inside, and you don't even know it? What kind of commander are you?"
"An inside agent? Hahaha…" Commander Gondou laughed, as though hearing something ridiculous. "Dr. Kisaragi is the chief in charge of this entire project. And you're saying she's the mole? What a joke."
"Hey, I never said she was the mole," Yu Zhou replied, straightening up. "You're the one who admitted it."
Commander Gondou froze. "…!"
"Enough talk. Eliminate him!"
Suddenly, Dr. Kisaragi issued a sharp command to the defence team, her voice cold and decisive.
"Wait, Dr. Kisaragi! I think we should capture him first and interrogate him," Gondou said, frowning. Direct elimination didn't sit right with him.
"I also—"
Captain Hibiki of the Super Victory Team tried to offer his own opinion but was immediately cut off.
"I said," Dr. Kisaragi repeated icily, "eliminate him."
Her frigid tone made both Gondou and Hibiki uneasy.
Still, the factory's defence troops moved without hesitation, raising their weapons and firing a barrage of laser beams at Yu Zhou.
"Monera aliens… truly vicious," Yu Zhou muttered under his breath.
A flash of purple light rippled across his body—and in the next moment, he vanished.
"He disappeared!"
"What—how!?"
"I swear I saw a streak of purple light just now!"
"Me too!"
The soldiers, still holding their weapons, looked around in confusion. A full-grown man had just vanished into thin air—could he be an alien himself?
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Several bursts of sparks erupted—the missed laser blasts struck the Prometheus instead.
Commander Gondou scanned the area but couldn't find any trace of the black-robed figure.
"Forget it. Let's continue," Dr. Kisaragi said after glancing around and seeing nothing.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Captain Hibiki asked uneasily.
An intruder had just infiltrated their weapons factory, yet the doctor seemed completely calm, even insisting on resuming her presentation about the battleship. Something felt off.
Unconcerned with his suspicions, Dr. Kisaragi pulled out a remote and pressed a button.
From beneath the floor, a massive control platform slowly rose. Commander Gondou and Dr. Kisaragi stepped up the staircase, moving to the console.
After a few commands, several holographic screens appeared above them, displaying various data and schematics.
The two spoke enthusiastically, explaining the system like proud officials showing off an accomplishment.
——
Meanwhile, high above them, Yu Zhou lay lazily along a steel beam near the ceiling, hands behind his head and one leg crossed over the other.
"Guess I'll just deal with the Monera alien directly," he murmured.
It was clearly the simplest option—take out the Monera, and everything else would fall into place.
But there was a problem.
To fight, he only had two reliable methods: using Degel's technique to control light energy, or the Victory Hyper Gun stored in his dimensional bracelet.
Either would instantly give away his identity.
Asuka already knew he could fire light blades, and using the Victory Hyper Gun would make it even more obvious.
"There's got to be something else I can use…" Yu Zhou muttered, rummaging through his dimensional storage.
He immediately ruled out the frying pan and iron hammer—too iconic. Anyone who saw them would know it was him.
As he kept searching, his eyes fell on a small item he hadn't touched in a long time—a transformation badge.
He had brought it back from Ultraman Geed's world, though it had mostly just been gathering dust since then.
It could project a virtual disguise—perfect.
He pinned the badge to his clothes, pulled the cloak tighter over himself, and leaped down from the ceiling.
——
"…The Prometheus' power has already surpassed Ultraman Tiga."
Standing at the control platform, Dr. Kisaragi crossed her arms, a proud smirk on her face.
"Hey, it's just a battleship!" Asuka shouted, visibly agitated. "There's no way it's stronger than Tiga!"
But before he could finish, a sharp sound cut through the air above them.
Everyone looked up.
A cloaked figure descended slowly from the ceiling, landing squarely on the control platform—right before Dr. Kisaragi.
"He's back!"
Everyone was stunned. They had thought the black-robed intruder had escaped under the earlier barrage, but no—he had returned.
"He dares come back to die!" Commander Gondou snarled. Furious, he rushed forward to grab Yu Zhou himself.
But Yu Zhou sidestepped effortlessly. The slightly bulky commander stumbled, missing entirely and falling face-first to the floor.
Without hesitation, Yu Zhou extended his hand—and a brilliant blade of light shot forth, striking straight toward Dr. Kisaragi.
"What—?!"
"He can fire light blades?!"
"Doctor, watch out!"
Everyone cried out in alarm as the light blade hit the unprepared Kisaragi.
Bang!
The strike exploded into a burst of sparks, knocking her to the ground—but, to everyone's surprise, it didn't kill her.
The light blade had only scorched her outer shell.