Chapter 62: 60 The Ambush Predator

Ten minutes before dawn, the Earth received no starlight, no atmospheric scattered light, and no sunlight—darkness reigned utterly.

The newly hatched Double-Tailed Beast rampaged through the dense residential area, first smashing through an overpass, then crushing two buildings.

Some people asleep inside lost forever the chance to open their eyes.

“Shiiii…” At that moment, a rapidly expanding red glow flashed across the horizon.

“Boom!” A red giant hurtled down, landing heavily and causing the earth to shake violently, dust exploding upward.

Some slept so deeply that even after the Double-Tailed Beast’s rampage, they remained unconscious.

But the giant’s landing jolted them awake at once.

What’s going on? An earthquake?

The giant strode forward toward the Double-Tailed Beast, each step crushing a massive crater into the earth, making the ground tremble continuously.

“Oh my god, it really is an earthquake! Get to an open area fast!”

“No—look out the window! It’s a monster, and a new Ultraman!”

In the pitch-black night, Ultraman’s silver eyes and his chest’s blue-glowing Color Timer stood out sharply; the Double-Tailed Beast’s two “eyes” also emitted blue light.

The newcomer was, of course, Qi Ming transformed into Ultraman Gaia.

He stepped forward, seized the two whips on the Double-Tailed Beast’s head, and hurled it with force onto a nearby vast soccer field.

“Great! Ultraman’s taken the monster to an open space—now we’re safe!”

“This new Ultraman must be afraid of damaging our homes in the residential zone—he’s better than the last one!”

For Qi Ming, under conditions of assured victory, expending a little effort to perform a simple favor posed no problem.

“I’ll win for sure, but it’ll take some work…” Qi Ming thought as he faced the Double-Tailed Beast.

The Double-Tailed Beast was not humanoid; the techniques he had learned before were poorly suited to it.

He had to deal with its two whips above while avoiding the savage bites of its massive mouth below—making it hard for him to press an attack.

On the other side, members of the Victory Team watched the shifting battlefield through nearby surveillance cameras.

Kishida: “Captain, there’s another Ultraman!”

Nishijo Nagi remained suspicious: “Is he on our side?”

Megumi curiously asked: “This is already the third Ultraman—why don’t they all attack together?”

Moroboshi Dan’s expression darkened—he wished he could still transform, so Qi Ming wouldn’t have to struggle so hard.

He said: “Trust him, Nishijo. Believe in this Ultraman warrior who’s stopping the monster from destroying the city—go support him!”

Nishijo Nagi: “We’re on our way.”

At this moment, Qi Ming—exceptionally adaptable—had already cracked the Double-Tailed Beast’s “attack from above and below” tactic.

He stood atop the beast’s head, seized its two tails, and tied them into a tight knot.

The Double-Tailed Beast instantly collapsed; Qi Ming held its tails tightly, preventing it from shaking off Gaia, its head nearly crushed.

The outcome was decided—Qi Ming could kill the Double-Tailed Beast at any moment.

But he didn’t. He knelt firmly on it, pressing it down so it could barely breathe.

“Crack!” The next instant, the earth split open—the ancient dun, long vanished, reappeared, pulled by the Double-Tailed Beast.

There you are at last—I’ve been waiting for you!

Qi Ming immediately leapt off the Double-Tailed Beast, ready to watch the two beasts fight.

Fight all you want—I’ll be the referee, and while I’m at it, I’ll check Ultraman Gaia’s skill list to see if he has time-space teleportation.

But unexpectedly, the ancient dun, seeing the scene before it, angrily swung its twin whips and charged straight at Ultraman Gaia.

“?” Qi Ming grabbed its whips, utterly baffled.

Didn’t you come here just to eat the Double-Tailed Beast? I’ve already bundled it up for you—why are you attacking me?

Don’t you like the knot I tied?

Qi Ming struck back without mercy, elbowing the ancient dun aside and unleashing a brutal barrage of blows—turning the once-fierce creature into a shrieking mess.

While Qi Ming dealt with the ancient dun, the Double-Tailed Beast finally mustered the strength to untangle its own tails, which had been knotted into a dead knot.

Instantly, the situation became two-on-one.

Jack Ultraman fought two alone at sunset—I’m supposed to fight two alone at dawn?

No—they’ll never see the sun before dawn… Watch me take down two sheep with one tiger!

When the two Victory Flyer jets arrived, they witnessed a scene that left them stunned.

Qi Ming had bound the Double-Tailed Beast with the two whips of the ancient dun, bound the ancient dun with the two tails of the Double-Tailed Beast, and tied a dead knot at the junction.

The two mortal enemies, normally as incompatible as fire and water, now clung together like conjoined twins, unable to break free.

“W-what an artwork,” Kishida murmured in awe.

“Finally over,” Qi Ming clapped his hands, a deep sense of satisfaction swelling within him—he’d exerted real effort to reach this point.

The next instant, Gaia spread his arms, crouched in a horse stance, and gathered massive photonic energy at his head, forming a huge red ribbon-like blade.

Charging up [Photon Ice Blade].

Yamada: “So this is the new Ultraman’s finishing move? Interesting.”

Nishijo’s expression was grim: “Is it over? Then we’re not needed.”

Moroboshi Dan, inside the first jet, felt relieved as he watched Qi Ming swiftly resolve both monsters while minimizing city damage.

But the next moment, his Ultraman vision caught a sudden figure at the battlefield’s edge.

A woman in white, long hair flowing, her expression eerie.

She hadn’t evacuated—instead, she walked steadily toward the battlefield, watching the three colossal beings with a playful gaze.

The next instant, purple light flared from her body, transforming her into a fourth colossal entity that appeared behind Gaia, who was charging his finishing move.

Yellow eyes gleaming with malice, complex patterns of gray and red, wings like a gaping maw.

High-Dimensional Predator—[Balguru]—appears.

“What!” Qi Ming sensed the movement behind him instantly—but it was already too late.

Balguru’s assault was fierce, its ambush decisive.

Its tail shot out like lightning, wrapping around Ultraman Gaia’s upper body, releasing purple electricity that flooded Qi Ming with intense numbness.

The charge was interrupted; the massive energy condensed into a whip dissolved into scattered photonic particles.

“No good! Another monster!”

“Quick—support Ultraman!”

Victory Flyer One and Two opened fire immediately; twin lasers struck Balguru, making her shudder and release her grip in pain.

Seizing the chance, Qi Ming broke free, rolling away to create distance from Balguru.

“This guy… is Balguru from Ultraman Mebius!” Qi Ming recognized it instantly.

At the same time, the cloud containing the Lightning Man and Piken arrived.

Piken descended from the cloud, walking slowly toward Balguru.

“So that’s it—I understand now,” Qi Ming realized at once.

(End of Chapter)