The sharp sound of shattering glass suddenly echoed through the forest.
A streak of dazzling light shot upward, the colours shifting from red, purple, and silver to a radiant silver and violet, streaking straight into the sky.
"Eh?"
Asuka had just released his transformation when he sensed something strange. He looked up into the sky—but saw nothing.
Only a thin cloud trail, drawn by some unknown flying object, quietly floated across the heavens.
High above the ground, Yuzhou was flying at full speed toward the K3 District in his Aerial Form.
From the air, he could see people below—tiny as ants—scrambling in panic, fleeing in every direction.
At the district centre, not a single figure remained. Most of the citizens had already evacuated toward the outskirts of K3.
"Looks like Captain Megumi is really efficient," Yuzhou muttered in relief.
He had only just contacted her moments ago, yet the evacuation was already this far along—remarkably fast.
Of course, he knew that most people were hiding in K3's underground bunkers, which served as standard emergency shelters.
This kind of scene wasn't new. Back when Gatanozoa appeared, most of the population had also taken refuge underground to avoid Zoiger's fiery bombardment.
"But where did the Monera alien run off to…"
Yuzhou scanned the skies, the clouds, even the distant horizon—but there was no trace of the creature.
"Could it really be that fast?"
He was already flying at his top aerial speed, yet he still couldn't catch up.
"Attention all citizens! Please evacuate to the underground shelters immediately!"
The blaring announcement echoed across the streets—so loud that even Yuzhou, flying high above, could hear it clearly.
At least the warning was spreading fast. People knew now—a catastrophe was about to strike K3.
"Could it have escaped into space?"
A sudden thought struck him. Maybe the Monera alien had lost its nerve and fled.
It wasn't impossible. After all, Asuka hadn't fallen for the alien's psychological tricks this time. Instead, he'd completely destroyed the Prometheus battleship while it was still transforming.
Maybe Monera realized Dyna was too strong and decided to retreat?
With that in mind, Yuzhou adjusted his trajectory and flew toward outer space.
But before he got far—
BOOM!!!
A thunderous explosion erupted from the ground. The emergency broadcast cut off mid-sentence.
At the centre of K3 District, buildings began to explode one after another—flames, debris, and shockwaves engulfing everything.
The explosions came in waves, and Yuzhou instinctively stopped mid-flight, startled by the sheer force.
Then—
With a sound like cracking whips, three long tentacles burst out from beneath the ground, lashing upward toward him!
"It's been hiding underground!"
Yuzhou reacted instantly, dodging aside. In Aerial Form, his speed far surpassed Dyna's Strong Type, letting him evade the first strike.
The tentacles missed their target—but a far more terrifying sight followed.
The ground split apart, and from the ruptured earth, the true body of the Monera alien emerged.
It floated into the sky—a massive disk-like creature with twelve long, writhing tentacles.
From Yuzhou's position, he could see the blue-bodied Monera aliens that had been controlling Prometheus now turning purple, melting into the giant disk one by one.
As they fused, the creature's body grew—its limbs stretching longer, its mass expanding until it towered over the city.
Buildings crumbled under its bulk, concrete and fire raining down.
Within moments, the fused being had grown to over two hundred meters tall—bigger than three Ultraman Tigas stacked together.
"So, this is... Queen Monera."
Yuzhou fired a small light beam at its growing body, but the attack had no effect.
In the original timeline, Tiga and Dyna's combined attacks could easily slice through the queen's tentacles.
But now—nothing.
"Could it be invincible during its transformation phase?"
The thought flashed through Yuzhou's mind.
Just like a boss with temporary invulnerability—while transforming, it ignored all damage. Even the collapsing skyscrapers exploding against its body hadn't slowed it down.
"Figures. Must be a transformation shield…" he grumbled.
"After that last battle, Asuka's probably out of energy. Looks like this one's all on me."
Yuzhou clenched his fists, bracing himself, and dove toward the creature's lower section—where Dyna had once been trapped in the original story.
It should be a weak spot.
But before he could reach it, the red flower-like bulb on Monera Queen's head suddenly opened—two glowing petals splitting apart.
A terrifying surge of energy built up inside.
"Oh no—it's the ring-shaped bombs!"
Yuzhou's face darkened. He knew this attack well.
The queen was about to unleash her signature move—a circular wave of explosive fireballs radiating outward, annihilating everything within range.
"Damn it!"
He swore under his breath. Opening with an ultimate attack right away—this monster was infuriating!
What was worse, many civilians were still evacuating. If those fireballs hit the ground, the casualties would be unimaginable.
"Rampart Light Bomb!"
Desperate, Yuzhou launched his fastest ranged attack toward the incoming projectiles.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Some of the bombs exploded mid-air, intercepted—but many more curved outwards, escaping his counterattack.
The Rampart Light Bombs couldn't change direction.
The remaining projectiles rained down on the city—
KA-BOOOOOOM!!!
Half of K3 was obliterated in an instant.
The shockwave tore through the streets. Fire rose like a crimson sea. Screams echoed everywhere—people crying, wounded, dying.
"Damn it… DAMN IT!!"
Yuzhou's chest heaved violently as rage overtook him.
He had never seen such massive civilian casualties—not once since coming to this world.
Staring down at the devastation, at the people groaning amidst rubble and flame, Yuzhou clenched his fist tight against his chest.
His body erupted in radiant light—transforming into red and silver brilliance.
"Let's see you fire another one!"
He roared, charging straight at the queen's head.
Gathering blazing red energy into his fist, he drove it downward—
Slamming a devastating punch right into the open red petals at the top of Monera Queen's body.