Chapter 386: 381 Dark Lucifer and Emperor Karafal

In the original Ultraman Dyna series, the half-fish soldier Digon could block pistol bullets without injury and possessed astonishing arm strength.

They once forced Asuka Shin to his knees, compelling Dyna to engage in full-sized combat.

But here, with Qi Ming…

"Ora ora ora!" Qi Ming led the way, smashing every half-fish soldier blocking their path into the air—the scene was intensely satisfying.

Gagura slashed with the Snake Heart Sword, cutting down the half-fish soldiers closing in from behind until none could rise again.

"This is thrilling!" Agamus, shielded in the center, cried out: "After the underwater base was seized by monsters, were all the humans who worked here killed?"

The battle-hardened Kei remained calm, holding a tablet and studying the underwater base's blueprints retrieved from headquarters' archives: "Turn left at the next intersection and keep going straight—you'll reach the main control room."

Qi Ming: "If we go there, we can deactivate the Aurora Shield, right? Let's move."

The next moment, a voice crackled from the speakers above—Shiuum was speaking:

"Though you are lowly beings doomed to repeated extinction, your resolve at this moment is impressive."

"But it's not enough. Only the most superior intelligent lifeforms in the universe deserve to rule this planet."

"No matter how hard you struggle, it's useless. Death is all that awaits you."

Qi Ming was not provoked; he replied indifferently: "Is that so?"

The group fought their way through, reaching the main control room's door—only to find it tightly sealed.

Shiuum's voice taunted again: "This base is now my territory. Without my permission, you can only stare helplessly, huh… what a joke!"

Qi Ming settled his Qi into his dantian, then kicked forward with all his strength.

With a thunderous *boom*, the sealed door was blown clean off its hinges.

This stunned Shiuum and left Agamus gaping.

Agamus: "This… he's always this terrifyingly strong?"

Kei remained calm: "Just another door. The main control room door here isn't as sturdy as the commander's office door in our Victory Team base."

The group entered the underwater base's main control room—it was equally dark, lit only by flickering red emergency lights, all computers blacked out.

Agamus stepped forward to power up the mainframe, but discovered the entire system was completely locked—useless.

Recovering, Shiuum spoke again: "Not bad. I'll spare you one nuclear warhead."

Qi Ming froze: "Nuclear warhead?"

Gagura, searching the control room, spotted a safe. He smashed it open with the Snake Heart Sword—inside were classified paper documents.

"These are…" Kei examined them, her face paling: "Qi Ming, there are sixteen nuclear warheads in this base!"

Nuclear warheads!

Qi Ming took the documents from Kei, his pupils contracting.

The underwater base built by Tsuchibashi Yu was never for studying Antarctic climate—that was merely a cover. It was actually preparing for a possible world war!

Damn, who could've guessed? Building a nuclear missile base under the Antarctic ice—Tsuchibashi Yu was truly a supreme lunatic!

Shiuum continued:

"According to intelligence, humans are extremely fragile and sensitive creatures."

"If I launch these nuclear warheads at the capitals of other nuclear-armed nations, something very interesting will surely follow."

He intended to shatter nuclear deterrence and ignite a nuclear war!

Nuclear weapons? Useless against monsters—but devastating against humans.

*BOOM! * The entire base trembled—the sixteen nuclear warheads had begun their launch countdown.

Qi Ming pressed a button; the core of the arbitrary key rose: "You won't succeed."

He explained to the group: Shiuum was currently using his tentacles to interface with the underwater base. If Qi Ming could sever that connection, the link between Shiuum and the base's main computer would break.

Then they could use the mainframe to halt the missile launch and deactivate the Aurora Shield.

"I'm going in." As Qi Ming slammed his palm onto the watch face, a stream of dark light erupted beneath the Antarctic seabed—a towering black giant stood upon the ocean floor.

Dark Tiga appears.

Qi Ming used his prior experience transforming into Composite Tiga to pilot this body, adapting swiftly and skillfully.

"Found you!" The Ultra Eye glowed—he spotted a red tentacle, embedded deep in silt, firmly gripping the base's support structure.

That was Shiuum—connected to his true form behind it.

Without hesitation, Qi Ming lunged toward it, aiming to eliminate it first.

Shiuum: "Oh? You're one of Earth's guardian Ultra Warriors? You look remarkably like Ultraman Tiga. What's your relation?"

"But it doesn't matter. Die."

*CRACK! * The seabed split open—a monstrous creature emerged, resembling a hybrid of lobster and crab, with one large and one small claw, its eyes glowing red.

This was Lei Qiu, which had been melting the Antarctic icecaps from afar but returned at the critical moment to protect its master, now standing before Shiuum.

"Guess I'll have to deal with you first." Unable to fight effectively underwater, Qi Ming shot upward immediately—Lei Qiu pursued.

The two titans stood on the Antarctic continent, facing each other against the blizzard. With nuclear warheads moments from launch, Qi Ming launched a preemptive strike—Dark Tiga stepped forward and delivered a front kick.

Lei Qiu raised its massive right claw and blocked the kick.

"Strong defense… can't budge it." Watching Lei Qiu's body remain utterly unmoved, Qi Ming retreated, silently sighing.

Though Dark Tiga had no time limit, his physical strength was far inferior to Composite Tiga's—and vastly outmatched by a powerhouse like Lei Qiu.

But Qi Ming was not discouraged. Strength gaps could be bridged with technique.

Lei Qiu charged again, aiming to crush Dark Tiga with its claws. Facing an opponent with far superior strength, Qi Ming no longer clung rigidly to the centerline as he once had.

He shifted his torso constantly, seeking openings on the flanks.

"Heaven-Piercing Knee!" After dodging Lei Qiu's swinging claw, Qi Ming seized the opening, driving his knee into Lei Qiu's chest.

The monster didn't budge—it immediately spat a fireball. Qi Ming flipped backward to evade.

"No wonder its shell could fully withstand Dyna's punches and kicks in the original series. My normal attacks inflict no effective damage." Qi Ming sighed.

He recalled a man he'd faced in England at age nineteen, who called himself "Black Tiger Ah Fu."

Even with his sharp reflexes allowing him to read every move, the sheer power gap made defense nearly impossible.

The same applied now—the numerical disparity was too great.

"Damn, I wish those marketing accounts were telling the truth," Qi Ming muttered.

As a child, when Qi Ming searched for Ultraman videos online, he often saw marketing accounts posting outrageous claims.

Like: Dark Tiga was the strongest Ultra Warrior, capable of endlessly absorbing enemy energy, surpassing even the mysterious Four Ultras.

In truth, it was because domestic audiences of Tiga were the largest, so those accounts said anything for clicks, turning Tiga into a meme disaster.

Later, he learned the true powerhouse was Shining Tiga—far stronger than he'd imagined, truly "limitless."

Of course, those accounts didn't stop there—Dark Lucifer, stronger than Noah in abandoned drafts; Emperor Karafal… Qi Ming had actually believed some of those as a child.

Soon he realized he wasn't the only one fooled—a writer named "Chi Zha Luo Ba" believed them too. What an idiot author.

"Sigh, I wish I could just kick this ice-and-fire crab to death," Qi Ming sighed.

He changed tactics again, avoiding direct contact with Lei Qiu, maneuvering to lure out openings.

……………………………………

"Huh, wait—is that giant on the Antarctic continent Tiga?" A crewmember aboard the Atides squinted.

Though the Aurora Shield blocked all instruments and electromagnetic waves, his superhuman sharpshooter vision had spotted the battle from afar.

On standby, Kishida gasped: "What? Tiga's here?"

Yamaka: "Yes, judging by the face, it's Tiga—but he looks tanned."

Nami Nishijo: "Maybe he changed form. How's the fight going?"

Yamaka: "He's fighting a giant crab. Looks bad—he's constantly retreating."

Falling behind?

Nami Nishijo paused, then decisively pulled out her phone and messaged the group full of "insiders": "Captain, situation is dire. A monster has appeared. Qi Ming's Tiga can't handle it."

The next moment, Kei also sent a message: "That's bad—the main control computer is still under enemy control. The nukes are about to launch."

Moroboshi: "Nukes?"

Kei immediately shared the latest intel in the group—this world's Shiuum couldn't use Artificial Sun, so he'd cleverly opted for nuclear warheads to cripple human civilization.

Moroboshi: "I'm heading over with Hikari."

Fujimiya: "Then I should leave too."

Hearing this, Kei in the underwater base's control room immediately told the others: "Fujimiya has transformed into Agul Ultra Warrior—he's on his way."

No sooner had she spoken than a strange laugh echoed.

She felt a watching presence behind her—a malicious gaze made her spin around instantly.

There, in the shadows, a phantom figure materialized…

………………………………

On the Antarctic continent, Qi Ming, through relentless effort, finally seized an opening.

He swept his leg, catching Lei Qiu as it landed from a lunge, destabilizing it and knocking it to the ground.

"Now!"

Qi Ming gathered his energy and fired the Dark Zepellion Beam!

(End of Chapter)