Author: Harley Jameson | Banner: Vincent Rodger

[Continued from Match 322]

Rain hammered against the roof of the National Weather Station hub and the two midnight workers were bored out of their minds. The storm hadn’t been severe enough to issue a warning, but they were the ones chosen that day for the graveyard shift. One worker with messy brown hair and wearing a hoodie over his usual work clothes took a sip of the coffee his co-worker had provided. “We need to replace the coffee filter Logan,” he said, before taking another sip. “This tastes like crap.”

“We’ve needed to replace the filter for weeks Bruce,” Logan replied lazily, shifting through various streams of weather-related data. “If you wanna go out in that mess, then feel free.” They both glanced up as a peal of thunder shook the heavens above them. “Jesus, we might need to issue a storm warning after all. It’s getting pretty bad out there.”

Bruce hummed thoughtfully, leaning back in his chair and reading over the data on his computer. “Yeah, maybe. Lemme see if we can get a better image of the storm…” He leaned over lazily, typing his commands into the keyboard to get a couple different graphs and viewpoints before frowning. “That can’t be right,” he said, straightening up and typing more urgently.

His eyes widened in alarm, and he stared open mouthed at his computer. “Logan,” he said after a moment. “Come here and tell me that I’ve gone insane.”

His co-worker did as asked, standing up and walking over to the computer and stiffening at the sight. “What the hell…” He mumbled, walking over to his own computer and typing in the same requests that Bruce had typed into his. The two men gave each other an awkward stare, the rain slamming against the roof of the building. “That… that’s not possible,” Logan said at last.

Bruce rubbed his face with his hands, before scooting over on his chair to grab the phone. “I’m calling Jess, she can chew me out for waking her up all she wants.” He began dialing his boss’s number, tapping his fingers nervously against the desk. “But I don’t know what the hell to do about thi- Jess? Yeah, it’s Bruce. Look I know it’s late but something really bad is happening.”

Gaze flickering towards the computer screen, he took a small breath. “It’s El Niño, Jess. It’s moving.”

—-

Somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean

The winds shrieked viciously and heavy rains lashed against the turbulent and boiling oceans. Waves rose up and crashed violently back down onto the water, spraying foam and water everywhere before the whole area was lit up with the blinding flash of lightning in the storm clouds.

Water exploded outwards and a howling roar tore through the air above the cacophony of nature. With a bright flash of blue light, Godzilla fired his atomic ray wildly up into the storm clouds blindly, poking holes that were quickly covered up by more of the storm. The waves reared up and splashed against Godzilla’s chest and head. Meanwhile, lightning slammed around the King of the Monsters, sending mist and sparks showering into the air when it hit the water.

Godzilla roared again, fighting to keep his head above the angry water and firing another atomic ray into the sky, only for another wave to crash against his face and cut it short with a spluttering cough. The loud, deafening roar of thunder exploded from the heavens and another bolt of lightning came screaming down and hit Godzilla directly on the few exposed dorsal plates. He screamed as his body was pumped with electricity, seizing in agony for a brief moment.

The whistling of the winds grew stronger. The ocean seethed in tune with Godzilla and he once again fired his atomic ray into the storm clouds, uncaring this time as seawater and lightning danced all around him. A huge wave swelled up, and the colossus fired another atomic ray at the rising water to no avail. With a deafening crash Godzilla was swept away by the furious wall of water as it collapsed down on top of him, sending him spiraling back into the depths of the ocean. Above him, the storm grew heavier. The sound of thunder became more distant as something moved in the clouds towards Japan. Beneath the waves, Godzilla began his pursuit.

—

Lake Ishi

The rain had merged into a single, droning noise on the lakeside manor, drowning out the sounds of the television news station as it reported on the storm warning that was now being formally issued. Now formally the Okouchi household, the scent of warming herbal tea was only offset by the occasional crashing of the lake’s churning waters. Former major, now commander of the aerial side of G-Force, Ryuunosuke Fujin sat in the living room with his cane splayed across his lap, watching the news half-heartedly.

“You know, some would call it unfair that I had a head-start on stocking up for the storm,” The light, teasing tone of Asuka Okouchi broke through the monotony of the rain with a tray of piping hot tea and a few sandwiches. She smiled, a slight twinkle in her eye as she set the tea down and poured the commander a cup. “Especially by such a high ranking member of G-Force. Honey?”

Ryuunosuke waved his hand a bit, sitting up a bit more in his chair. “Officially, I told you absolutely nothing. Besides, this part of the country is rather isolated. By the time the official announcement went out, you probably wouldn’t have had time to supply yourself properly, Miss Okouchi.”

“Please, Commander, call me Asuka,” she insisted firmly, placing his tea on the table next to him with a sandwich. Another teasing smile twitched on her lips. “Although I suppose it helps people believe that you’re not my father, with how much you’ve tried to take care of me lately.”

He chuckled, blowing into his tea and taking a sip. The liquid scalded his throat a little, but the taste was worth it in his opinion. “All I did was make sure that you got to keep the house that… that Miss Segusa had, and if you want to be called Asuka, then I want to be called Ryuunosuke. You’re not formally part of G-Force, you don’t have to address me by rank.”

Asuka hummed, sipping her own tea and watching the Major carefully. “And it’s the guilt over her death that keeps driving you to try and help me.” Swallowing a bite of her sandwich, she leaned back on the loveseat. “Even though my powers are waning, it doesn’t take an ESP to see how much it’s affected you.” Her eyes glanced down at his cane. “That with the stress of your new promotion…”

With a guilty shrug, he took another sip of his tea. “I manage. If the world thinks I’m going to roll over because I need a cane to walk, they’re dead wrong.” He sniffed, motioning with his cup. “This tea, Asuka, is very good by the way.”

Rolling her eyes a bit at the blatant attempt to change the subject, Asuka leaned over and turned the volume on her TV up a few notches. “If it wasn’t raining so hard, I’d take you out to the greenhouse. I’ve finally finished rebuilding it and I’ve started on a flower garden.” A sad, wistful smile blossomed on her face. “I’ve started with Roses. I thought it was appropriate, considering… considering Miki’s passion before joining me at the school. You know…”

Leaning over, she set her teacup down on the tray and poured herself another cup. “If you find the military too exhausting, you could always join the school and help me teach the younger ones. It’s a bit difficult with just myself there now.”

Ryuunosuke snorted into his sandwich, shaking his head and wiping his mouth a bit. “I mean you no offense Asuka, but I’d rather deal with the incompetent morons of the Self Defense Force than a bunch of high schoolers.”

She laughed out loud at that, giving an exaggerated exhale. “I guess you have a point. But if you ever change your mind, the door’s always open.” A shrill beep suddenly pierced the air, causing Asuka to jump a bit as the major pulled out his pager.

He squinted at the message, before sighing and grabbing his cane. “It seems I’m needed back at the base. I’m sorry, it looks like I’ll have to cut this meeting short.” Planting his cane on the floor, he hauled himself up and waved away Asuka’s attempts to help him. “Be safe, will you?”

She pulled him in for a brief hug. “Only if you do the same, Ryuunosuke.”

Returning the gesture, he adjusted his jacket a bit and gave her a wry smile. “I’ll do my best, assuming Godzilla doesn’t beat me to it.” Chuckling darkly, he made his way to the door and pulled on his raincoat and stepped outside into the storm, sloshing through the mud a bit as he made his way over to his car and stepped inside.

Rubbing his hands together, he dumped the raincoat on the passenger’s seat and turned the motor, cranking up the heater and pulling out of the driveway slowly. Despite the message summoning him back, he had to drive carefully over the slippery mud and unpaved roads of Lake Ishi until he made it back to the highway.

—-

G-Force Japanese HQ

Grateful for once about the insulated warmth of the sleek silver-grey building of G-Force headquarters, Commander Fujin hobbled his way past the receptionist’s area and down the stairs towards the heart of the building. His leg throbbed a bit as he briskly marched down to the control center, computer screens whirring and various screens blasting information at a breakneck pace. They had shut the elevators down due to the storm, out of fear that someone would get trapped in there. A few men saluted him as he passed by. “At ease, Men.” He raised his voice so it would be heard over the din of computer banks and conversation. “Anyone want to tell me why I was called down here?”

One of the scientists, Ryuunosuke couldn’t quite remember his name, approached him with his hand slightly raised. “It was General Kazuma, sir. I believe he said he’d personally fill you in on the situation. We already have a representative of the SDF here in the war room. If you’ll follow me, sir.”

The commander rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he followed the scientist to the war room. General Kazuma, the man in charge of G-Force’s ground troops, ordinarily didn’t give briefings himself. He believed his rank meant that he didn’t need to get involved with the nitty gritty of everyday soldiering anymore. His grip tightened on his cane, realizing that the situation must be serious if Kazuma was willing to get his hands dirty a bit.

The war room was already packed with a few individuals. The General, a man in a Self Defense Force uniform, a couple of his best pilots and what he presumed to be a couple of Kazuma’s men. Kazuma was studying a map of the storm, his angular features shadowed by the light. He turned his gaze towards his co-worker and gave a brief nod of acknowledgement. “Good, you’re finally here.” He turned, hands clasped behind his back. “To put it in the terms of our American counterpart: We’re up shit creek without a paddle.” He inclined his hand to one of his men, who handed a couple of files to the Commander. “We’ve got a more detailed report of the storm and we’ve found that there’s some sort of creature that’s living inside of it.”

Ryuunosuke opened the file, studying the few blurry photographs of the rainswept skies and reading over the information detailed therein as Kazuma continued. “The violent nature of the storm means that we don’t know much about this creature, except that it is responsible for the weather phenomena known as ‘El Niño.’ The only other bits of information we found was its name: Balkzardan.”

The commander nodded, still reading as he absorbed the information. “So this Balkzardan is responsible for the storm,” He concluded, although he knew it was an obvious one to draw. Finally, he looked up and met Kazuma’s impassive gaze. “Yet that’s not the sole reason you called me back here, is it? While this creature must undoubtedly be dealt with, I presume Godzilla is somehow involved.”

Kazuma studied him for a few moments, before nodding sharply. “Yes, unfortunately that is the case. Just before our satellites stopped being able to track him, Godzilla was reported to be following the storm.” His voice grew quiet now, more serious. “It’s likely that Godzilla perceives Balkzardan as a threat or invading his territory, and is trying to ward him off. With the storm coming over the mainland…”

Ryuunosuke felt his chest tighten a bit, and he finished the morbid line of logic the other man had started. “Godzilla will follow, causing untold devastation in his wake.” He sighed, looking down at the paperwork that now suddenly felt like it weighed as much as the King of the Monsters. “And evacuation attempts?”

“Slow, the storm is impeding the process greatly,” Kazuma explained, bowing his head a bit. “I’m afraid that if a flood starts, our normal kaiju shelters will be overrun with water. We have storm shelters as well, but they’re not quite as protected against Godzilla. A lot of people are going to die it seems, no matter what we do.”

“There must be something we can do,” Ryuunosuke objected, slapping his cane against the ground. Furiously his mind tried to come up with some kind of solution. “Is there no way we can force this Balkzardan out of the sky? Perhaps we can shoot it down before it’s too late.”

Kazuma shook his head briefly, giving his co-worker a sad look. “You know as well as I do that won’t work. None of our aircraft are capable of flying against a kaiju that can literally create a thunderstorm. I’ve no doubt the ability of your pilots, but…”

A voice cut through at that moment, “Sir!” and all eyes turned to Fujin’s second in command and best pilot, a young looking American, Nicholas Wright. “With all due respect sir, there is one craft we have that could theoretically brave the weather.”

Fujin leaned over, giving Wright a hard, knowing look. “The Garuda hasn’t been properly flight tested yet, Nick. You know that as well as I do. We can’t take the risk of flying her into this sort of weather.”

Wright shook his head, leaning forward on the table a bit. “No, Sir. The Garuda is our only chance to properly lure this Balkzardan out in the open. Godzilla won’t stop chasing it, and if it keeps traveling, it could potentially go to other countries.” He sat back down, his voice clipped with fear and trepidation of speaking his opinion so brashly to his superiors. “If we can either shoot Balkzardan down or stop its advance, then perhaps we could corral it into a fight against Godzilla, like we did a year ago with that Dogora creature.”

“No!” Ryuunosuke spat firmly, slamming his fist down on the table. “No, I won’t order more good men and women to their deaths again,” he breathed out, his chest tightening and his leg burning with a sudden agony. “There must be another way.”

Wright gave his superior a determined, grim look. “With all respect, Commander Ryuunosuke. I don’t see another way. I’ll personally lead the flight mission to attempt to halt Balkzardan,” he took a breath, before continuing. “We’re already risking a lot of lives trying to keep track of Godzilla. With the storm’s interference, we have a naval fleet tracking him the old fashioned way.”

His brow furrowed, and he gestured to the screen in front of him. “And as you can see, sir, we’ve already lost a few ships with this process. This will be our best bet to make sure all of our sailors can make it back to land in one piece.”

Ryuunosuke felt the world grow black for a moment. He knew Nicholas was right, there wasn’t an option he could see that didn’t involve sending good people to their deaths again. His mind cast back to Miki Segusa, of her sacrifice to try and stop Dogora. Would he have to live with more deaths on his conscience?

He let out a slow breath. “I’m getting too old for this,” He admitted to himself, before nodding and standing up sharply. “Very well, Wright. I’ll authorize the mission.” Wright seemed taken aback, but nodded and stood up with his superior. “But I want one thing to be clear: Under no circumstances are you to take any unnecessary risks. Your mission objective is to either down Balkzardan or force it out into the open. The second this objective is complete, you’re to return to base immediately. Am I understood?”

“Yes sir!”

Ryuunosuke studied his second in command for a moment, before nodding in satisfaction. “Alright, Nick. Get your best men and prep the Garuda for launch. Good luck out there.” He clapped the American on the shoulder.

General Kazuma ordered the others out of the room, back to their stations and sat down next to Ryuunosuke. “Are you alright?” He asked, a surprising gentleness in his voice.

The Commander gave a weary sigh, smoothing his hair back with his hand. “I don’t know if I can keep this up anymore,” he confessed quietly. “This is the second time we’ve had to do something like this. Ordering men to their deaths because we’re not capable of stopping the threat ourselves. I wonder if I’m cut out for this type of life anymore.”

Kazuma said nothing, and instead sat with his friend in contemplative silence as the lights flickered and distant thunder shuddered far above the ground. It was only when the door hissed open that they both looked up to see a nervous looking soldier. “Sir, Godzilla’s made landfall.”

—–

The water sprayed off of his charcoal black hide like fine-mist thanks to the storm winds. The waves violently rolled and slapped against his legs. Godzilla marched angrily onto the shore, giving an angry cry upwards at the raging tempest. Thunder boomed in response, the winds picking up dramatically and rain lashing hard against the King of the Monsters. Dorsal plates flashing briefly, Godzilla fired an atomic breath into the storm clouds, only to be blown off of his feet when the force of a hurricane slammed into him.

He fell back into the ocean, spluttering in anger until lightning slammed down onto his still-wet form. A howl of anguish mixed with pure rage and Godzilla fired wildly up into the darkened skies, dragging himself out of the ocean. Another harsh hurricane-force wind sent Godzilla sprawling into the mud, splattering across his hide. Digging his claws in the muck, Godzilla began crawling through the sludge and the mud, firing his atomic breath with relentless abandon into the storm clouds above. He reached out, slowly pulling himself through the muddy ground until he was finally able to stand back up on his own two feet.

Dorsal plates flashing violently, Godzilla shot at the ground around him in frustration with his spiral ray and arched it up to the sky, sending more mud rocketing up into the air. The clouds parted slightly when the powerful blue beam shot into them. The thunder boomed ominously and Godzilla continued his trek towards the city, lightning flashing above him. There would be nothing short of death itself that would stop him.

—–

The hangar bay for the Garuda was already flooded as Captain Wright and his two best pilots sloshed through the bay. All of the most vital equipment had been removed to higher ground, with tools sunken to the bottom and various other equipment floating on the waist high water. The Garuda herself stood resplendently amidst the water and the debris, sleek dull silver and ready for launch. They sloshed through the water, hauling themselves up one at a time into the Garuda. “Remind me why we didn’t install air conditioning on this?” His co-pilot, Apollo, grumbled as he strapped himself in.

The third, a navigator and weapons expert, strapped herself in and grinned at her co-workers. “And waste vital tax-payer dollars? For shame Lieutenant Justice.”

Captain Wright coughed, flicking a few switches and sitting back as the engines to the Garuda began warming up. “Athena, Apollo, I need you two to focus. We’re going to be flying in some real rough weather out there. We’re strong, but we’re not invincible. We don’t even know what this “Balkzardan” looks like, so we need to be prepared for anything.”

Athena frowned at him, nodding seriously. “Even Godzilla, boss?”

Sucking a breath, Captain Wright leaned over a monitor. “We’ll pray we don’t have too. Weapons check?”

“All systems are green.”

Athena pulled a headset on, tuning the radio to the right frequency and leaning over in the microphone. “Open the doors and clear the hanger, we’re ready to launch.”

Gripping the throttle, Captain Wright pursed his lips. “Be ready for a lot of water.”

The shuttle doors opened and a giant wave of water came pounding into the base. The Garuda’s rockets roared into life and blasted away the water around the edges creating a superheated bubble around the flames as the entire craft was instantly submerged.

The ship shuddered ominously before lurching forward. Captain Wright grit his teeth and slammed on the throttle, pushing the Garuda’s engines to the maximum as the mighty ship began slowly moving through the water. It boiled around them thanks to the heat of the engines, until finally the nose broke through the surface and with a loud sonic boom the Garuda launched off into the air at full speed.

Rain and winds lashed at the Garuda as it flew through the air at Mach 3. Lightning rained down around them and from high above they saw the flooded streets of Tokyo, the waters slamming into skyscrapers and completely obscuring smaller buildings. A deep blue light hummed from the storm clouds and the Garuda angled upwards. If they wanted to be at Balkzardan, they needed to go into the heart of the storm.

The Garuda shot off like a rocket, piercing into the storm clouds. The crew remained silent as they fought through the intensity of the winds and the rains. The radio hissed with static before a single word caught their attention. “Godzilla-” before it died by the clap of thunder.

The warning sensors screamed and the Garuda swerved suddenly, a blue beam of energy piercing through the clouds underneath them. Godzilla had clearly made landfall and was still trying to get at Balkzardan from the ground. The distant rumble of thunder and a low echoing cry alerted the crew towards the mysterious creature’s presence.

The twin lasers blasted into the clouds and flew in deeper. The radar was going haywire, and with visibility low they could only rely on the sounds of the monsters to indicate Balkzardan’s location. Another harrowing cry before suddenly the crew was blinded by a flash of lightning crashing into the ship. Sparks flew from the console and Captain Wright wrestled with the controls, diving away and firing another blast of the laser cannons.

“Boss, this is getting ridiculous,” Athena chipped in. Her hands were flying over the various instruments to reroute power from damaged systems into fresh ones. “We can’t even hit this thing- even Godzilla can’t hit it.”

“We have to try,” Wright insisted, the whole ship shuddering as something flew past it at speeds faster than the eye can see. “One good hit and we’ll finally be at the advantage. Apollo, I need your eyes more than ever. Athena, try to pinpoint Balkzardan’s sounds through the storm.”

Apollo leaned over the console, staring intently into the storm as Athena cranked up the external volume outside and closed her eyes. Another roar sounded in the distance, and some of the clouds shifted. Apollo sat back down, frantically typing in various flight paths and data into the terminal. Athena began doing the same, the targeting systems flailing around wildly before slowing down. They crawled across the screen, before locking on. “There!” They both screamed.

The Plasma Needles were fired into a mass of boiling black clouds and they briefly lit up, the explosions muffled by the noise of the storm. A loud cry of pain echoed out around them as another of Godzilla’s atomic rays crashed into the stormcloud and elicited a louder cry of agony.

The storm hummed around the Garuda and before the ship could properly react it was bombarded from all sides by lightning. Engines failing and the crew fried, the Garuda dove down and crashed into the flooded streets of Tokyo.

In the flood stood an angry and tense Godzilla. He watched the clouds with narrowed eyes, wanting to see if the intruder to his territory had been defeated. He called out another challenge into the sky, daring the storm to bring its occupant down to fight him. He jerked in surprise when a loud rumble of thunder and the equally loud cry of the creature finally answered his call.

The clouds parted and Balkzardan finally began descending from the skies. Its pitch-white hide shone with unnatural light as its feet touched the floodwaters so delicately that they didn’t even leave ripples in its wake. Two glowing yellow horns surged with electricity and the graceful creature’s eyes were full of malice and contempt.

The two monsters stared at one another for a long time. Neither willing to make the first move until Balkzardan crouched down slightly. Godzilla took a step forward and suddenly Balkzardan was on top of him, shoulder checking him and sending a great outpouring of electricity coursing into Godzilla’s body thanks to the Spark Dash. The water sprayed over them and Godzilla felt explosions rip into his chest thanks to the sheer power and tried to swipe with his claws.

To his surprise, Balkzardan was already gone. He looked around wildly, seeing trails of water before a brief crack of thunder sounded and he screamed in pain when a yellow beam of electricity hit his dorsal plates. The Tornado Bolt fuelled Godzilla’s body again with deadly lightning and Godzilla spasmed, thrashing in the water.

Balkzardan galloped with ease across the surface of the flood, riding the turbulent waves and crashing rains with grace that belied its size. He skidded around, firing another Tornado Bolt at Godzilla who dove into the water to avoid the attack before rearing back up and firing an atomic ray at Balkzardan.

With a giant sheen of electricity, a yellow and blue forcefield overcame Balkzardan. The water around him began to turn into steam as it was electrocuted and the atomic ray was harmlessly absorbed into the S Thunder. Moving forward, Balkzardan leaped into the air and pounced down onto Godzilla, the S Thunder detonating around them both and engulfing Godzilla in a massive explosion.

Pushing his front paws onto Godzilla’s shoulders, Balkzardan shoved the King of the Monsters down into the water. Godzilla thrashed wildly as Balkzardan held him in place. The sky god’s horns glowed for a moment before he shot another Tornado Bolt down at Godzilla through the water, coating him in electricity.

Godzilla seized, trying to gasp for air and choking when water poured into his throat. His eyes rolled up inside his head and he tried to fire his atomic ray, his spines flashing brighter and faster but nothing came out as he drowned. Something inside his chest squeezed tight, Godzilla felt himself propelled away from Balkzardan as the water exploded violently from atomic fury. An accidental nuclear pulse sent Balkzardan careening away and crashing into the waves with Godzilla.

His vision dimmed and Godzilla rose to the surface. He stood up, gasping for breath against the stormy and salty air. A coughing fit overcame him, and he doubled over before expelling water out of his mouth and shuddering violently. Shaking his head to clear it, he looked around for Balkzardan.

The waters raged around him, and for a brief moment he thought he could sense something else in the water. His eyes narrowed towards the waters, wondering what the strange sensation was before a clap of thunder arrested his attention again. He looked up to see Balkzardan’s back protrusions sticking out of the water. Lightning slammed against them and with a great show of power the sky god rose into the air and began galloping across the skies before settling on one of the rooftops.

He stared down at Godzilla, who immediately began struggling to get closer to his opponent. Godzilla fired a weaker atomic ray at the building but Balkzardan shot off into the skies as it exploded behind him. Swinging around, Balkzardan touched down on the water and sprinted over, slapping Godzilla with his tail as he did so.

The speed at which he did so, combined with his electrified attack, caused a minor explosion across Godzilla’s face, staggering the King of the Monsters. Balkzardan spun around and sprinted towards Godzilla again, his body glowing white. He crashed into Godzilla, sending the Spark Dash’s energy into his foe’s battered and beaten body once more.

Pain he had never experienced coursed through Godzilla. He was acutely aware of the explosions on his body but nothing compared to the pain he was feeling within his chest. His heart beat faster and faster. Supercharged with all of the electricity. Then in an instant, it stopped. Godzilla felt his heart stop. He froze, staring wide eyed into the sky.

For a split second, Godzilla had died. Death had edged into his surroundings before his regeneration forced his heart to begin beating again. He gasped out as his senses returned to him and panic overrode his senses. He gave an animalistic shriek of fear and fired his atomic ray like a wild animal, sweeping it around and blasting everything he could see and even more he couldn’t.

Godzilla hadn’t noticed that one of his atomic rays had hit Balkzardan until he heard the cry of pain it brought out. His gaze focused, then tunnel-visioned on the trembling monster. The god that had brought him to death’s door. With a renewed sense of life fueled by his fear and panic, Godzilla sprinted after Balkzardan like a demon from hell, screaming like a wild banshee and firing his atomic breath at the god.

The blue beam of nuclear fury hit Balkardan square in the chest as he tried to rise into the sky, throwing him across the city. Godzilla was on top of him in an instant and all semblance of self control was gone as Godzilla clawed frantically at Balkzardan. Blood and flesh were sent flying as Godzilla forewent even his atomic powers in his desperate and insane attempt to murder Balkzardan.

It was only the erecting of another electric shield that forced Godzilla away from his opponent. Balkzardan rose into the sky suddenly, firing volley after volley of Tornado Bolts that crashed against Godzilla’s chest and sent the frothing kaiju into seizures with each hit.

Balkzardan kept rising into the air and swerved out of the way as an atomic breath nearly collided with the S Thunder again. Before long, he had disappeared back into the clouds and they were receding slowly. Sunlight shone down on the panting Godzilla and his mind took a minute to register what had happened. He looked around, suddenly feeling tired and confused, and it was only when he saw his reflection in the sparkling waters that it truly sunk in.

Godzilla opened his mouth to unleash a victory cry and instead fell back into the water with a thunderous splash. He forced himself back up into a sitting position and slumped against one of the ruined buildings, trying to get his breath back. Everything in him ached, from his muscles to his bones to his organs. Godzilla sat there, chest heaving and staring blankly at the sky for a few moments.

He looked around again, only now noticing the bodies of the little humans floating in the water around him. A watery graveyard of those who weren’t able to survive the flood. He watched the bodies float around aimlessly, knowing how close he had become to being one of the many corpses in the water. Something stirred within him but he was too exhausted to process the new emotions yet one question did pervade in his mind: Was this worth it?

Godzilla stood up, reflecting on his past encounters. Biollante, Dogora, and now this god of thunder. He had nearly died three times in such a short amount of time. He felt his chest and mentally corrected himself. He had died this time, it was only through some miracle that he survived this encounter.

No, he realized. He had died twice now. Twice he had nearly been killed and it was only through powers he wasn’t aware of and couldn’t understand that he was still breathing. Was all of this pain and agony worth the need to assert his dominance? Who was he trying to prove this too, the humans? Himself? Was this worth dying twice over?

He began walking away in quiet contemplation, being careful to avoid any of the buildings as he made his way towards the sea. He needed to sleep, to heal from his injuries. Maybe then would he find the answers he sought.

Godzilla dipped beneath the waves of the calm ocean and disappeared without another sound.

—-

The water had taken weeks to drain from the city. In that time, Ryuunosuke had focused his efforts on the relief process and helping wherever his aging body could. They had dredged the Garuda from the city and he knew there were three more funerals he would have to attend this year. This wasn’t worth the pain, not to his old heart. With renewed purpose, he began walking towards the nearest phone booth and wondered how difficult it would be to teach psychic kids.

—-

The clean-up crew stared in astonishment at the sight before them. A sleek, perfectly preserved skeleton. Dorsal plates glistened with water, and there was no mistaking who this belonged to. A crowd had gathered around the site and the police were already keeping them at bay. Scientists would likely be swarming the new discovery like a colony of ants. The foreman leaned on his mop, looking unimpressed. “What’s the big deal about a bunch of old bones anyways?” he asked no one in particular, and fell back into silence as they all watched them paw over the first Godzilla’s skeleton.

—

Water poured from the warped roof of her former home. She had kept coming back every day while the construction crews brought the dead out of their demolished homes, hoping that they would finally find her parents. A dark cloud seemed to hang around the teenager and she walked sullenly through her old house, retracing her steps to her room. Godzilla had done this, had ripped her family away from her and demolished the only home she knew. One day she would make him pay for what he did, but she had no idea how. It was only the sight of something strange that snapped her out of her dark thoughts.

Staring, she walked cautiously over towards what was unmistakably an egg sitting on her ruined bed. She knelt down, reaching out and brushing a gentle hand over it. Something connected with her mind and she jerked back in alarm. The presence seemed to shy away but she quickly went back up and placed her hand on the egg. “It’s okay, I’m not mad,” she whispered quietly. “You just startled me. I won’t hurt you.”

Ayana sat there, communicating with the creature in the egg and gave it a new name.

“I’ll take care of you Iris, I promise.”

Draw: Godzilla (Heisei), Balkzardan

Hello to all! Hope for the best that all is going well. However, to cut to the point, we have announcements to present for the coming future of the K.W.C.

First off, there isn’t a TypeForm Survey this time around, just general announcements. Those will be saved for the end of the year for the Awards and Feedback Surveys. But nevertheless, here are some of the new additions forthcoming to the K.W.C.! (more…)

Author: Declan Coughlin | Banner: Landon Soto

A giant octopus swam through the ocean in a good mood, as he had just downed a fishing vessel and it had been so long since he had eaten something as tasty as a human. He wasn’t even worried about the many other kaiju that called the sea their home. All he was worried about was his next meal.

Seeing the shoreline, the octopus began to crawl up the sandy beach. However, just before his entire body could surface, a blue ray of death reminded him that there’s always a bigger fish in the sea.

As the second the beam slammed into the cephalopod, he felt its destructive heat wash over him, and his last sight on earth was a king long forgotten to time.

With the giant octopus in his jaws, Godzilla rose from the ocean, letting out a horrifying bellow, an announcement of his arrival to all kaiju nearby. After years of confinement on Monster Island, the aptly named “King of Monsters” had finally broken through the fields surrounding the islands and the scientists at Monster Island tracking his location were stunned when they saw that Godzilla had gone to Mondo Island.

The nuclear menace seemed to have taken up residence in the nearby waters and islands, and from the signal, it looked like he was there to stay.

The leviathan who usually stayed in the waters that surrounded the island, would occasionally come to the island to find some quiet, or to vent his frustrations. But besides some resistance from an overgrown allosaurus, the monster had faced little challenge in his new home.

The monster king walked up the shoreline, ripping apart chunks out of the boiled octopus. As he dropped the creature to the ground, Godzilla grunted in disappointment. He didn’t want to leave Monster Island, but he also didn’t want to be confined by the humans.

He had remembered what they did to his son.

As he remembered these horrors, the monster king roared with fury and Godzilla’s dorsal plates glowed blue, and his mouth catapulted a blue atomic ray. The lancing beam struck a line of trees, causing a huge explosion and starting the surrounding environment ablaze. Seeing nothing but the island to take his rage out on, he decided to raze it to the ground. Nothing would be left and he let out a guttural roar that echoed through the island.

Miles away, in an unmarked village, the elder chief watched on in sadness. His very home was being attacked, and there was nothing he could do.

Or so he thought.

Several native women, each dressed in garbs, began to dance in a circle. The chief saw this and, knowing what it was, soon summoned several more villagers to join the dance. In just a few minutes, every man, woman, and child were dancing and chanting, hoping their protector would save them like he had so many times before.

The music caused Godzilla to temporarily halt his rampage. As the giant looked over behind him he saw the villagers dancing and singing and was confused. Were they dancing for him? Did they want their own destruction so badly? If so then he would give it to them and began trekking over to the village, trees splintering in his strut.

The chief saw that Godzilla was getting closer and told everyone to keep going. Their god would come, he had to! Just as the chief gave the order to evacuate, he realized it was too late: Godzilla was already here!

Godzilla stopped walking at the outskirts of the village, the natives too horrified to continue dancing and instead scattered in every direction. Some ran to find their families and try to escape, others stood paralyzed as statues, accepting their terrifying fate. Godzilla on the other hand was amused, it seems that these people knew he was to be respected and feared.

But perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to make sure.

With glowing spines, the nuclear menace spat his atomic breath at several huts further away. The beam hit the structures, vaporizing them and the people inside in an instant.

The villagers cried in grieving horror as all that was left of their huts were reduced to fine ash. After the atomic display, Godzilla began walking once more and stepped into the village. His massive steps crushing people and huts under his massive feet as he moved forward. Looking up, the village chief saw his massive claw, closed his eyes and began to accept his fate. If this was how he was to die, then so be it.

Just before Godzilla’s foot could come down upon the elder, a furious howl traveled through the land. The elder, the remaining villagers, and even Godzilla stopped and turned, looking for the source of the roar. From the mountains, a creature with brown fur adorning most of its body except its face, jumped to the ground. It had noticeable biceps on its chest, with long arms supporting the sides and a face sporting a look that could kill, aimed directly at Godzilla with utmost hatred. To most, the creature simply looked like a giant gorilla, but the villagers knew him for who he really was…

The God of Mondo Island, King Kong, had arrived.

He let out a loud grunt, indicating to his surviving subjects to clear the area. As the villagers ran, King Kong looked at this monster before him, this being had shown up to his home, destroyed it, and murdered his people. He would make the leviathan pay for his actions.

Likewise, Godzilla stared back with the same intense hatred. How dare this pathetic creature not only rob him of his fun but also challenge him, did he not know his place? He would make this overgrown ape regret his decision.

The two circled each other, waiting to see who would throw the first attack. Suddenly King Kong charged forward. Godzilla was shocked and found himself tackled to the ground. As the ground shook upon impact, Godzilla cried out as King Kong ruthlessly punched the creature in the chest, each hit echoing like gunshots in the wind. As Kong was ready to throw another punch to the face, Godzilla’s expression changed from shock to fury.

Seeing a blue light beginning to emit from Godzilla’s mouth, Kong hurriedly jumped off his chest just as the atomic fire shot into the sky. The large primate looked at his chest. Even though the attack had just missed him, the heat of it had singed some of his fur. As the charcoal tyrant returned to his feet, Kong charged once again. He slammed into Godzilla again, but this time the beast was ready for the impact. As Kong tried to wrestle the leviathan to the ground, Godzilla began to claw at the ape’s chest.

The ape king cried out in pain and backed away, and looking at his chest, saw claw marks running down his stomach. Luckily the claws didn’t dig deep enough to draw too much blood. Before Kong could launch a counterattack, Godzilla was already charging in. The giant ape threw a punch with his left hand, only for Godzilla to grab it with his own clawed hand. The nuclear menace tried to scratch him with his right hand, but this time Kong countered it with his own grab. The two kings stood, locked in a contest of strength, each trying to push back the other.

Eventually, fatigue favored Godzilla who started to win the contest.

King Kong looked in fear as he realized he was being pushed back by the leviathan. With one final shove, Godzilla knocked the ape to the ground. As King Kong struggled to stand, Godzilla turned his back to him and the irradiated monster began to assault his foe with his tail, each hit causing the ape to roar in pain with the seemingly never ending blows.

Just as Godzilla’s tail went in for another hit, Kong grabbed it, holding it in place. Godzilla struggled as he tried to free his appendage from King Kong’s mighty grip, but the ape didn’t show any signs of letting go. Godzilla swung his tail from side to side, dragging Kong on the ground, but he refused to let go, and he began twisting the tail.

A loud snap rang out.

Godzilla cried out in agony, the pain giving Kong the chance to rise to his feet. He had successfully broken the monster’s tail.

As he turned towards the towering simian, Godzilla’s eyes were red with rage. The limb would heal, but it still infuriated him that this furry beast dared challenge his power. This creature was not only comparable to him in strength, but he had the speed and stamina to back it up. If he couldn’t beat the ape up close, then he would try an alternate approach.

The spines on his back began to glow, each one charged with a bright light. Atomic fire gathered in Godzilla’s maw. Kong saw this and attempted to charge him once more.

It was too late.

Just before King Kong could reach him, Godzilla fired his atomic ray, striking the ape with immense power. Fire and sparks flew as the beam struck King Kong’s chest. The true King of Mondo island roared in pain as the azure lance disintegrated fur and burnt flesh. Before Kong could recover, a second atomic breath hit him in his right leg, bringing him to the ground. He rolled low, dodging a third beam and rose to his feet, a tree in hand.

Godzilla shot one more blast but Kong charged forward. Even when the beam hit the 8th wonder, he refused to fall and continued his sprint through the beam. Just as the nuclear menace cut off his breath weapon, Kong charged through and shoved the tree straight into the kaiju’s open maw, the plank slowly making its way down deep in his opponent’s throat. Godzilla panicked, and began to flail and stagger, desperately trying to remove the object from his jaw. As the charcoal giant struggled, King Kong rushed forward, grabbing Godzilla by the neck, trying to either choke him out, or just plain break it. He didn’t care, he just wanted the monster dead.

Reptilian vision started to darken and his breathing slowed. Kong grinned, his victory was drawing ever so close, just one final push. His grin disappeared when he noticed Godzilla’s dorsal plates beginning to glow. The ape was confused. Why would his opponent try to fire his beam with the tree still in his mouth? Did he really wish to hurt himself just to be free of his grasp? But Kong noticed something different, the blue glow was spreading out through his entire body. Noticing his foe’s determined eyes, he felt a slight sliver of fear.

With his whole body a bright blue, Godzilla released the power.

In a glorious flash of light, the nuclear pulse erupted from Godzilla’s body, launching both him and Kong back. The blast threw the mighty ape backwards, with the force being enough to lift the beastly gorilla off his feet and into the air. Kong flew at least a mile before slamming into the ground. Godzilla fell back as well, but although it was his attack, he still felt the burning. A good amount of Kong’s hair and flesh had been disintegrated by the attack, some areas even having exposed bones. Godzilla, likewise, was in a similar predicament.

Burning skin was hanging off his chest, tail, and face, but, unlike King Kong, the charcoal terror had his regeneration to heal the injuries. The attack did have an additional upside, as the tree trapped in his maw had been disintegrated. As Godzilla rose to his feet, King Kong was struggling to breathe. His lungs felt as though they were on fire. As he lay on the ground, his vision began to blur as unconsciousness took hold. It looked like the god of Mondo Island was finally dead. Godzilla howled into the sky to announce his victory.

Dark clouds planned to change that.

Godzilla was confused. Just a few seconds ago, the sky had been a clear blue, but now the dark clouds blotted out the sun, plunging Mondo Island into darkness. Before Godzilla could make sense of it, he heard the humans chanting once again, only this time it was different. It was an aggressive, demanding tune, almost like a war cry.

Below the brawling titans, the village elder and his people chanted as loud as they could. After so many years of their God saving them, it was time to return the favor.

As the clouds started to roll in, lightning made itself known, striking the ground around both King Kong and Godzilla. After a few seconds though, the bolts started to strike the fallen beast, as if they were drawn to him like a conductor. One, then two, then three. The bolts continued to strike the prone ape, each one lighting his face a bright blue. As one last bolt struck, Kong’s eyes shot open. The towering god jumped to his feet, seemingly unaffected by the gruesome injuries he had received from his enemy. As King Kong locked eyes with Godzilla, he let out a terrifying howl which made even Godzilla hesitate to attack.

Godzilla growled, he could tell his opponent had just powered up from the storm, but he wasn’t afraid. He’s faced some of the most powerful kaiju in the world, and even the universe. He wasn’t about to be toppled by some giant monkey. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t worried.

A bolt of lightning struck between them, acting like a bell for their final battle.

The two kings, as different as could be, let out their respective calls and charged. Godzilla threw his hand forward, only for Kong to bash it away and slam his fist straight into his lower jaw, dislocating it. Godzilla howled in pain, not just from his foe’s immense strength, but also taking damage from the electricity that now flowed through his foe’s veins. He went for another blow, only to recoil as his hand was jolted as soon as he touched his opponent’s fur. Before he could find a work-around, Kong jumped forward and landed a clean blow on Godzilla’s ribs, actually breaking a few in the process.

As the atomic brute backed away, Kong threw another series of punches, each one shocking and causing immense agony to the monster king as each blow earned Godzilla cracked bones and torn flesh. Kong knocked Godzilla to the ground, intending to finish the fight. He tried to find a weapon, but couldn’t, until he noticed one of the ribs protruding from the reptile’s body. Godzilla let out an agonizing cry as Kong ripped the rib out of his body, before aiming it at his heart.

The island shook as the bone pierced Godzilla’s heart.

At first, Godzilla didn’t feel anything. Death was not a new concept to him. He had died several times before, but he had always come back, albeit through unconventional means. But for once, he was truly fearing for his life. He didn’t know if he would return to the living. As he started to black out, he thought to himself, was this it? All of his hardships and struggles just to lead to his death?

No, this was not it! He was the King of the Monsters. He’s been through more than any other creature on the planet. He’s even escaped the depths of Hell itself. He wasn’t going to allow some damn dirty ape to take his life away from him, and if he did, then he would make sure the ape was dragged to Hell with him.

Just as Kong began to walk away from him, Godzilla slowly rose to his feet and bellowed a bloodcurdling roar, his heart healing the damage it had once sustained. The brown-furred beast spun around in shock. How? How could this creature survive something like that? There was no plausible explanation to it. As the ruler of monsters began to step forward, Kong began stepping back. Like Godzilla had moments before, Kong was fearing for his survival. The charcoal behemoth was quick to notice this and decided to make his move. His spines began to glow with atomic energy, but this time it was different. Instead of being a vibrant blue, his spines were glowing a chaotic red. As sharp orange eyes locked eyes with Kong, he saw the ape’s face twisted in fear. He wanted mercy. Godzilla wouldn’t grant him that luxury.

Digging his feet into the ground, Godzilla heralded a crimson, more powerful atomic ray at Kong. The blast struck Kong’s arm, erupting in a violent showing of sparks and fire and causing him untold amounts of agony. The arm had been completely destroyed, all of the flesh up to the elbow being completely atomized. Before Godzilla could capitalize on the injury he had inflicted, Kong struck Godzilla with his remaining arm in one of his eyes, the electricity channeled directly into the pupil, destroying it with a loud POP.

While Godzilla tried to recover, Kong climbed onto his back and began trying to tear off the monster’s dorsal plates, specifically the big one centered in the middle of his back. As the towering ape began to tear at the dorsal plate, Godzilla swung back and forth furiously, desperately trying to rid himself of colossus. Unfortunately, it was too late, as cracks began to sound before Kong, in an immense show of strength, ripped the dorsal fin straight out of the tyrant’s back, the area where it used to be bubbling with atomic energy. The revered King of the Monsters finally threw Kong off of him, the ape falling forward with his prize. Godzilla and Kong both paused to get their bearings as each stared into the other with animosity. Each of them was in immense pain, fatigue finally beginning to set in and both kaiju barely able to stand. Despite this, they still wished to send the other to hell.

As Kong held the severed dorsal plate in his remaining arm, he realized that while Godzilla’s heart had regenerated, the hole from the wound had not. Noticing this, Kong let out one last call. Godzilla, likewise, responded with his infamous deep bellow. They both knew one of them was going to die tonight.

Kong charged the atomic dinosaur as fast as he could, ignoring the faint red glow he saw coming from his opponent. Despite the pain of channeling his atomic energy with the loss of his biggest dorsal plate, he was still successful in firing a series of beams. Kong dodged and weaved around each one before he was finally in range. With all of his remaining strength, he plunged the dorsal plate directly into Godzilla’s heart. The animalistic brute then began to expand the space around the dorsal plate, tearing flesh and bone as Godzilla cried in anguish. Once Kong finally had a good grip, he began to crush Godzilla’s heart.

Time once again began slowing down for Godzilla. He struggled to stand as King Kong continued to squeeze his heart. As his vision started to go black for the final time, Godzilla’s spines once again began to glow.

King Kong continued to squeeze his opponent’s heart, slowly crushing it and killing the tormented beast. He looked directly into Godzilla’s eyes, not seeing sadness or regret, but acceptance. Godzilla opened his mouth, and Kong saw crimson energy begin to build in his jaws. Kong locked eyes one more time and his eyes only said one thing.

See you in hell.

A final crimson atomic blast struck King Kong directly in his face, vaporizing flesh and bone at an astounding rate. Kong’s grip began to loosen on the atomic creations beating heart. As the beam subsided, all that was left was a headless, burnt corpse of a god.

As the body of the once king of Mondo Island fell to the ground, Godzilla roared one last time, proving once again that a king could never beat a god.

Unfortunately, the damage had been done. Godzilla’s heart had been crushed almost completely, to the point that regeneration would not be able to heal it. The atomic beast groaned in misery as his body fell right next to the beheaded King Kong’s. Godzilla managed to roll over on his back, watching as the sun began to shine once more. Despite his imminent death, Godzilla felt content, even with almost no chance of coming back. As his eyes began to close, his only regret was that his son would not be able to continue his legacy. The King of the Monsters then took his last breath…

—

The ancient relic Gorosaurus had come out from the forest, waiting for the battle to come to an end. The allosaur walked over to the corpses of the two kings. He let out a roar of sadness for King Kong. While the two had not been friends, they both had a rivalry with each other. Along with that, despite King Kong winning the majority of their brawls, he had never finished Gorosaurus off, and he respected that. With one last roar, Gorosaurus began to head back into the thicket.

However, a third party made itself known.

A bizarre alien craft descended from the clouds, its two boosters on each side emitting smoke as it descended to the ground. As it brought itself to the ground, it noticed the giant dinosaur.

Gorosaurus noticed it too, and it wasn’t long before he was running as fast as he could, trampling trees and mountains under his bulk. He didn’t know why this thing had made him so fearful, but he wasn’t going to stick around to find out.

As the allosaur fled, the spacecraft suddenly revealed a port, to which the opening expanded with a blue balloon. Gorosaurus turned to look before letting out a grunt of relief. Unfortunately, it seemed the craft was not done yet.

Suddenly, an explosive burst ruptured from the spherical balloon, covering the area with burning flames. In the midst of the fire, a new monster rose to its feet, directly in front of the bodies of Godzilla and King Kong. The being was made of geometric shapes, loosely connected together in a humanoid structure. Ebony pieces made up its armor, hands, and feet, with gray stalks acting as its arms and legs. A pulsating orange orbs decorated its chest and face, with its head topped with two antennae-shaped horns.

It emitted a strange beeping sound as it looked at the two corpses. It then began to let out a laugh. Its two biggest obstacles had been eliminated. The ‘crevice’ in its face began to pulsate as it let out several powerful fireballs, dousing the corpses in flames that began to burn away. It began to turn away before speaking its name, not just to the island, but to the entire world.

“Zetton…”

Draw: Godzilla (Heisei), King Kong (Showa)

Creator: Andrew Sudomerski, Harley Jameson, Alex Williams & Dao Zang Moua | Banner: Andrew Sudomerski

Live from World Wide News! In under a year after Godzilla scourged Japan, Osaka becomes sieged by titanic forces like no other. From the audio files of Steve Martin, reporter and witness to the travesty, listen as the devastation erupts into mass chaos for Osaka–and perhaps to the rest of Japan. (more…)

Author: Andrew Sudomerski & Dao Zang Moua | Banner: Connor Clennell & Dao Zang Moua

Doomsday fell upon the surface.

Plunged into a decaying war, after proving victorious in the bout of Hong Kong, the extermination of the Titans became an inevitability. One by one, the order of ancient giants was torn asunder by technological malevolence, no matter how many casualties lay in its path. First was Mothra, grinded between its swiveling claws; followed by Rodan, down a wing and mercilessly pulverized into the ground; then the likes of Scylla, Methuselah, Amahuluk, and Na Kika were brutally devastated by the Titan slayer. And while Camazotz and the MUTO proved troublesome, they too were utterly laid to waste by its mechanical fury.

Which was what led it here, to the final sector for Titan-kind.

Having traveled to the openings in Hong Kong, Antarctica, the Mariana Trench, and the North Pole on its murderous voyage, the Apex Destroyer sought out the origin for these prehistoric giants so it could slaughter them all. It was the prime directive, its sole purpose, the only thing driving its digital consciousness after its activation so long ago.

Unfortunately for it, the Titans and Humans protecting these passages had collapsed their caverns, in a last ditch effort to protect the underworld from this artificial destroyer. One by one, it sought out potential openings that magnetic satellite scans could find him, but none so far had been viable to enter. Only the last entrance–stationed at Outpost 33–remained. One that was hailed by another name.

Skull Island.

…

How the world ended so quickly.

Here they were, the last threshold to protect their old home from utmost destruction. Many lives lost to the cause, but would their efforts be enough? Amidst the torrential downpour maintained by the looming storm above, Behemoth had his doubts. The tusked mammal kept a steady eye out at the horizon, awaiting the dreaded enemy to intercept the last entranceway to the Hollow Earth.

He looked over and saw his ally in slumber. For beasts of such stature, a mere week was nothing more than a light nap. But he knew what his companion had been through; had it not been for the sacrifice of Na Kika, Tiamat would’ve been unable to seal the tunnel in the Mariana Trench. She was a fighter at heart, but protecting those that they could was more important than to fight a battle she might not have had the chance to win.

But he knew, even in her sleep, she dreamt of revenge.

Human ambition created the predicament they were in now. With the Alphas slaughtered and their Queen torn to shreds, order was disrupted, leading to the frenzied fall of the surface world. It didn’t stop the out of control Titans from going haywire, even as they were killed indiscriminately. For those that held it together, it was their efforts that prevented the fall of the Hollow Earth as well. Or at least postponed it.

Behemoth snorted, turning his gaze back out to the stormy seas. Lightning danced across the clouds, bringing brief, but spectacular light to this deserted land. While the island itself had long since been flooded by the ruthless, perpetual storm, with most of the inhabitants drowned, the fear of the Skullcrawlers remained. Whether they swam off the island or mysteriously appeared in other parts of the world, their numbers began to grow exponentially.

But that wasn’t his only concern…

Suddenly, a disturbance peering over the horizon caught his eye. A crimson hue lit up the dark rustling waters. It was now or never. The terrestrial Titan boomed a reverberating roar, signaling to his ally that the enemy drew near.

Without a second’s notice, the eyelid and brilles pulled back, revealing powerful eyes determined to bring their foe down.

Wriggling from slumber, the ultramarine serpent slithered to the gloomy coastline. Before she slipped into the vacant ocean, she turned to Behemoth and let out a fervent hiss. A stern reminder of what they’d lose if the mechanical one got into the Hollow Earth. Behemoth only nodded. Even if he could do nothing to help, he ensured that the entrance to the Hollow Earth would be protected–at all cost.

With that, the last of Tiamat vanished into the murky water, rendered nigh invisible to the naked eye. All the sloth-like Titan could do was wait and witness the inevitable clash far at sea. In less than a minute, a crimson flash emanated from the far off ocean.

The last fight on Earth had begun.

—

The scent of iron permeated through the brine, growing ever apparent the closer Tiamat got to her target. The rough waves churned as she grazed just beneath the surface, the translucent sheet showing the murky, apocalyptic skies above. Blazing yellow eyes pierced the gloomy darkness, locked onto the red gleam that stood out from the dark ocean.

This was her territory, her domain. And with no obstructions to stand in her way, she’d show this mechanical imposter what for.

Hollering with an undersea roar, dispersing amidst the oceanic atmosphere, Tiamat lunged in for the charge. Beckoned at her command, whirling waters began to churn around the beautiful serpent, circulating razor sharp currents around her lithe frame. It acted as a buffer layer for the inevitable clash.

Crimson light shone from the stormy ocean, growing in intensity as it charged its particle cannon. It parted its maw, ignited in a bloody hue, and discharged a superheated laser that effortlessly tore through the waters, instantly evaporating into steam. The A-74 Proton Scream collided against the whirring layer of riptides, piercing through and striking the purple scales of the hydrokinetic ophidian. Her shrieks and bellows of agonizing pain were muffled amidst the harsh burns, stopping the aquatic snake in her path.

On cue, the posterior propulsion engines roared to life, granting the mechanical dragon accelerated speed and maneuverability. Seeking to intercept its target, the fires of the thrusters burned as a trail of effervescence sizzled behind it, setting a course to rip and tear the undersea attacker to shreds. Titanus Tiamat readjusted herself, only to be met by the mechanized fury of the imposter King, taking the full brunt of its rotary extensions.

The pair of metallic zygodactyl claws pressed firmly onto the rough scales, activating the buzzsaws built into the fingers of the machine. Razor-sharp blades tore through water and scales alike, though the results only left mere scratches in their wake. However, the synthesized energy of the Hollow Earth flowed through the arms of the steel giant, condensing into the palms of the Titan slayer. The burning blue plasma sizzled against the oceanic environment, but ultimately augmented the deadly capacity of the buzzsaws, burning, slicing, and crushing into the scales of the prehistoric serpent. A shockwave of fire and steam expanded in their wake, spreading far and wide for all the Pacific dwellers to hear.

Blood ruptured from the fractured wounds, urging a pained cry from the ultramarine beast. An ethereal glow coursed through her body, a reflection of her innermost rage and anguish. Even amidst the agony, the primordial snake curled her long form around the metallic foe, her sharp scales clinging onto the armored exoskeleton. Once again calling to the oceans under her command, Tiamat began to generate a funnel around them. A rapid whirlpool carried both of their large bodies along the currents, spiraling downwards to the dark depths of the abyss.

The deeper they went, the darker it became. Tiamat was well adjusted for traversing the farthest reaches of the surface world, her eyes built to see in the darkness. But unfortunately, as experience dictated, so too was the perpetrator. The murky waters eventually became pitch-black, the pressure of the depths pressing on them. All that would remain visible were the natural bioluminescence of the ocean serpent and the artificial red light of the mechanical terror.

And the farther they went, the drearier it became.

Dark, darker, yet darker…

—

The storm raged overhead, leaving the Titan uneasy. He hadn’t seen signs of either of them since the fight began. Though knowing Tiamat, there was little doubt she had successfully dragged the destroyer deep into the ocean. A battle on her turf. A chance to win this war. Behemoth could only hope for the best in his ancient heart.

But a troubling thought pestered him. If Tiamat emerged victorious, what then? Many of their great protectors had already been slain. Would they be enough to sustain the natural balance of the world? Or would this only extend into a needless war with the humans that created this Titan killer? He didn’t wish to think of such a violent outcome.

On the other, what if the mecha proved to be the destroyer it’s feared as? Would his strength be enough to bring down the mechanical doppelganger of the Alpha? Or would his failure become the undoing of this world and the Hollow Earth below? Another outcome he wished not to plague his consciousness.

Perhaps a culminating anxiety between the outcomes led to one conclusion–a story he feared would become a reality. One he recalled from the locals of the Hollow Earth in the ancient past…

Back when he and his kind prospered, a devil from the sky was cast from Heaven, plunged into the depths of the Earth. The demon found refuge among the dwellers, but this devil of trickery molded artificial Titans of their own, seeking to overthrow Heaven and Earth. But in the days before the Godzilla and Kong War, the artificial Titans were slain, and the last of them locked away for eternity in the sky within the earth, with the devil that made them nowhere to be seen.

If such a creature still remained in the Hollow Earth, untold destruction would be wrought–and Behemoth wasn’t sure if he could let that happen.

Even against the threat they faced now.

Solemn eyes kept vigilant. He had to discard his personal feelings and await the final outcome… And whatever that entailed.

—

Even in the darkness, their large bodies twirled as the rough currents tore the seabed apart. The Apex Destroyer continued to hammer its iron fists into the luminate scales, pulsing with each blow that resounded through the oceanic atmosphere. Tiamat bore the brunt of the pain, surging onwards with the riptide until it came to a sudden stop. Twirling her body, the massive sea serpent rapidly uncoiled and threw the mechanical reptile into the volcanic seabed, even at the cost of her hide in the grip of the destroyer.

As the square-shaped spines collided against the seamount, a plume of dust and rock scattered amidst the underwater terrain. Such an impact, even if dulled by the resistance of water, triggered an explosive burst from the submarine volcano. Tiamat refused to let this chance go to waste. She immediately began to swim around in repeated circles, beckoning the surrounding waters to her will. Gravitating to the centermost point, a deepsea twister gestated in its place, expanding exponentially in both directions. The base of the water spout chipped away at the volcano, tearing the rock and coral from its place. Like razor-sharp winds, the riptide sucked everything into the funnel, save for the mechanical menace that remained firm and anchored in place.

Bearing the brunt of the lethal assault, the mechanoid reptile began to charge its ultimate weapon. In a matter of seconds, shining a brilliant red hue, the Proton Scream tore through the riptides effortlessly. The crimson hue lit up the blackness, exposing the deep sea world with intense light. Although the laser beam was diffused by the torrential currents, it nonetheless found its mark, shoving the legendary sea dragon out of the ring she had created. Then, mere moments later, the rapid currents subsided, bringing a temporary calm to the underwater terrain.

Even when the superheated bubble from the Proton Scream collapsed on itself, Tiamat felt the burns that pressed against her scales. Though she had coated her serpentine form with a protective coating of water, it barely held against the fearsome wrath of the devastating laser. Once more manipulating the water to stop her backward momentum, Tiamat instead used it as a means of propelling herself towards the ruthless machine.

In response, the mecha’s thrusters burned to life, forwarding itself to intercept the target. Claws became ablaze with cerulean light, evaporating into steamy bubbles as the machine charged its next attack. The two Titans dove at each other, flying through the oceanic darkness and colliding in a clash of utmost ferocity. The channeled plasma fists swung towards the serpentine beast, though barely evaded by Tiamat’s quick reflexes. She too returned the favor by clamping her maw around the neck region of the automaton, albeit leaving her susceptible to the next flurry of plasma-infused strikes.

Once more, the lithe coils of the gargantuan serpent began to wrap around the metallic menace, eager to crush it with her sharp scales. But before she could, the segmented tail of the robotic one began to thrust towards her, its tip being covered with razor sharp blades that whirled in the water. Like a snake, it lunged for the elongated body, puncturing her hide and scattering blood and scales amidst the darkness.

The powerful beast screamed, wailing in pain. But rather than uncoil and retreat, she remained steadfast. Her body pressed against the mechanized foe, eager to crush it. She commanded the waters around her to concentrate, applying more pressure than before. With her foe locked in her grip, Tiamat sprayed acidic fluids upon the torso of the machine, corroding its exterior in her fury.

For the mecha, the only thing preventing it being crushed to oblivion was the alloy it was made of and its sheer, indomitable will. Its arms and legs became compromised, and while its tail continued to drill into the sea serpent, she refused to relent.

But now it had her right where it wanted.

Brimming with immense power, the whirring jaws began to ignite with a brilliant crimson flash. Tiamat’s eyes widened at the realization. Could she escape in time? Or did this–

–without a moment’s notice, a brilliant light shot through her mouth, easily piercing through the back of her throat.

The glowing eyes of the ancient serpent dimmed, rolling into the back of her head. Immediately, the pressure diminished, the water returning to normalcy. Her body loosened, allowing the mecha to free itself of her grasp. Minor damages, some bent metal, but nothing compromising to its system or its mission. A mechanical laugh emanated from the steel tyrant, gripping the corpse of the dead creature with its claws.

A trophy of fear to prove to the other that resided above.

—

Tense muscles stiffened, almost reactively. It had been a mere hour since Tiamat began the battle with the opponent. Not a trace of either of them showed, and he wasn’t sure what to make of it… Perhaps the mech had been disposed of at the bottom of the ocean? But then where did that leave Tiamat?

In the hour that had passed, troubling thoughts stewed in his mind. But reality was soon to show him the truth, and Behemoth’s heart sank the moment an abnormality began to settle on the surface. A faint light stood out from the rest of the murky seas, the turbulent waves that surrounded the once beautiful land glowing blood red as a massive object rose out of the sea.

Water cascaded off the machine’s metallic body, relentlessly pounded by the torrential downpour from the storm that had long since flooded the ancient domain. Rising up from the depths, it brought its crimson gaze upon the land where the two worlds combined. The red glow pulsed with challenge as the thruming of its distorted shrieks flowed across the broken island. As the Titan of Man set its gaze upon the island, it dropped the carcass of Titanus Tiamat to the deathly shores below, the once mighty serpent falling limp beneath its feet.

Calculative orbs scanned the drowning island, only for its auditory processors to detect the looming bellow of a powerful animal. Turning to face the source of the booming roar, the Titan slayer registered the distinct outline that approached it. Carried by its hefty stature and four powerful limbs, the tusked guardian emerged from the shrouded darkness, having become aware of the challenge brought to it. Crackling lightning illuminated its shape, but for the machine, that was of no concern, detecting it through the other light spectrum visions installed.

Memories from a life lived long ago recalled this creature having been labeled as Titanus Behemoth, another as a former servant, as the AI connected to the Apex Database supported both ideas. The last documented Titan on Monarch’s “List of Known Titans,” soon to be the final corpse on that hit list. With its sight now on his final victim, several ports opened up along its dorsal fins, releasing drones into the air in order to search for the Vile Vortex which formed the island.

The mechanized weapon faced the living beast, peering into his soul with artificial eyes. It was then it released a booming roar, synthesized from the screech of Ghidorah, a distorted Alpha frequency that beckoned the lowly creature to servitude for one last time. To serve the slayer of Titans, the Apex destroyer, the artificial god of a new world…

Mechagodzilla.

Behemoth knew the end drew near as he felt the distorted call beckon him to serve. But in defiance, he broke away from its sinful voice. After the battle with Amhaluk and the rise of the young Kong years ago, he had known that eventually one would be required to defend the active entrance that formed this land after one of the two Alphas eventually fell in battle. When he and the rest had sensed both kings fall to what appeared to be a distorted form of Ghidorah, they all knew that they would have to do their best to prevent this offspring from entering the depths of life below. As such, Behemoth moved towards the abandoned Skull Island in order to close its opening permanently.

He and Tiamat were the only two to reach this last vestige, to protect it from the oncoming threat. They were the last defense protecting the Hollow Earth from the destroyer.

Staring solemnly at the corpse of his comrade beneath this steel creature in the guise of a King told Behemoth it was now up to him alone to stop the unnatural thing before him.

Over the past couple of months after the fall of the kings, he had heard each of his fellow Titans going silent one by one. Now, with the death of Tiamat, there was an almost true silence on the surface, with only himself and the devil before him left to fill the world. Whether he won or lost, there would always remain an emptiness in the world above. A silence that will only grow as life on the surface slowly decays without their presence to restore its splendor and counteract the ravenous beasts from below.

He had waited here in the hallowed paradise with the serpent, expecting another Ghidorah from the sound of the call, but it appeared this abomination was far worse. Lightning shot upward behind him constantly, out near the mountainous region past the containment zone. It was no mistake why the lightning continued to flow upward into the storm from the earth. For it was there that Camazotz rose out of the Hollow Earth and destabilized this island, forcing open a gateway so large and unstable that the perpetual superstorm that engulfed the island would never fade from this world so long as it fed from the unstable energy of the vortex.

Emitting another cry, the roaring animal protested the presence of the artificial nightmare with his trunk and tusks raised high, knowing there were only two outcomes.

He would die, or the aberration of man, monster, and machine would be destroyed, here and now.

It was with a booming mechanical cackle that the final battle between Titans continued. Powerful steel joints shuddered and pulsed with blue energy as the mechanical imitation of the Titan King rushed out of the stormy waves. Behemoth stood his ground as he readied for the oncoming destroyer. Metal feet slammed into the water torn earth as the massive mechanized cyborg leapt across the ravaged earth, blue energy coursing through his body and into his spinning fist like a blazing fire. Roaring out, Behemoth swung upward with his tusks, slamming them into the plated metal ribcage and tossing the mechanical abomination off course.

It did little to deter the metal monstrosity as it quickly caught itself, the thick metal making up its rib cage shifting to reveal a trio of rockets on both sides of its spines. The flaming rockets caught its descent and shifted its body to face its opponent once more, launching it forth and hitting the mammoth-like creature in the side with a powerful spiraling blow. Behemoth reeled back in pain as blue energy coursed through his body, revealing his skeletal structure and searing into his muscles.

The mythical mapinguary of the Amazon screeched out as he slid along the mud beneath him. Fear and anger was blatant in his eyes as he swung his arms into the air, splattering the mud and torrential water towards the eyes of his assailant. He leapt forth with the splashing mud, barreling towards the Apex destroyer with his full mass. Mud and dirt caught Mechagodzilla’s face as two powerful tusks caught the machine mid stride, knocking its head back. Hoping to catch his enemy off guard, Behemoth made for another swing of his tusks.

Unfortunately for him, the mud did little to blind the mechanical doppelgänger as it quickly activated its left shoulder pad, the metal shifting and taking aim, with red lasers pointing at the beast. Fire burst as a series of cluster missiles shot out towards the mammalian Titan in front of it. Each missile fired off quickly and exploded, separating into several smaller missiles that bombarded across the frontal region of Behemoth’s body.

The explosions stung as they struck the wet, fireproof fur of the mapinguari, blinding him with their light in the dark storm and causing him to miss his next swipe. The light did little to deter his opponent however, whose artificial vision allowed him to keep track of its target with ease, leaping forth with a rocket propelled knee across the face. The resulting blow echoed across the stormy island like thunder as Behemoth crashed into the muddy landscape.

Before the mammalian Titan could attempt to get up, he was quickly lifted up by his tusks and flipped upward, being tossed inland and crashing through the broken remains of the Kong Containment Facility. Aged machinery and concrete fell beneath the furry mass of the great Behemoth as he stood upon splintered trees and branches of the once contained ecosystem. As he stood, he watched the lightning dance across the stormy skies, silhouetting around the machine with its ominous red core lighting up the gaps in its armor. Piercing red eyes seared into him as he noticed a red glow filling the maw of the metal beast. On instinct, Behemoth rolled to the side as a burning red beam shot across where he once stood, the searing heat spraying dirt and rock into the sky as it left a trench straight ahead of the metal one.

So it seemed the destroyer also had a heat ray, just like the king it was mocking. Now aware of this, Behemoth charged forth, digging his tusks into the muddy earth in preparation. Another searing hot beam shot towards the mammalian Titan as he quickly swerved his tusks upward, lifting up a chunk of the muddy earth and blocking the energy momentarily. Rushing closer, Behemoth swung his tusks and threw the chunk of earth at the metal Titan.

Seeing the chunk of earth heading towards it, the Titan of Steel pulsed with power as an empowered Proton Scream shot forth, a fusillade of missiles following suit. The stream of burning protons slammed into the chunk of rock, drying the moisture in the mud as the missiles bombarded and tore the chunk to shreds. The enhanced beam shot forth alongside chunks of rock, slamming head on into the wooly face of the mammoth kaiju. Behemoth roared in pain as the beam seared into his fireproof hide, knocking back the Amazonian protector as red heat spread around his body. The beam strafed across his body, searing one of the ears and scattering across his stony back. Steam smoked around his vision as he patted his muddy fur, surprised at how powerful this abomination’s attack was.

Before he could act, more cluster missiles began to bombard his body, pushing him further back through the Kong Enclosure. Metal fingers grabbed onto matted fur, lifting the wooly behemoth up only to release upon striking the furry beast in the chest with a powerful kick. Energy surged through as the colossi went flying backward, only to be grabbed by a tusk and quickly tugged back into another fist. The blow smashed into the beast’s face, bruising the muscles within the trunk and nearly breaking teeth as he slammed into the ground. More powerful energy infused blows slammed into his face and body as the primal Titan was pummeled around like a ragdoll.

Mechagodzilla mockingly cackled as he grabbed ahold of the beast’s tusks, his sawed fingers digging into the bone, sending jolting pain surging through the nerves within. Lifting the Titan into the air, he slammed it back first into the earth behind him. Boosters activated as he lifted it up once more, leaping high into the air and slamming Behemoth once more into the mud and dirt below, fracturing the earth as the bony protrusions began to crack under the pressure being applied onto them.

The Apex Destroyer watched as its prey struggled against his grasp, grabbing hold with his long forelimbs in a feeble attempt to pry the metal grip off his main form of defense. As it feebly attempted to push him back, the mechanical King pushed harder, using his heavier mass and boosters to shove the furry Titan further inland, towards his goal, toward the vortex. Even as he was being pushed back, Behemoth tried his best, slashing forth with his long sloth-like arms, scattering sparks as it struck against steel ribs with the hope it would hit something vital.

Instead, the metal seemed to open up, revealing several open ports.

From them, a barrage of missiles shot out point blank into the tusked Titan’s open underbelly, devastating explosions bombarding both the monster and the ground beneath him and staggering Behemoth’s stance. With the pulsing glow of his eyes looming down upon its prey, Mechagodzilla lunged a powerful kick, knocking Behemoth off his feet to kneel before the metal Titan, its body pulsing energy to amplify its mighty scream. It wanted the beast to suffer before its end.

Once more Behemoth threw a punch, trying his best to loosen the grip on his tusks, only to scream out as something stabbed into his side. The spiraling tail blades of Mechagodzilla drilled into the fur and flesh of Behemoth, sending chunks of meat and blood scattering across the rain and rushing water as it dug into his ribs. With a glowing red death in sight, Behemoth knew he would have to make a sacrifice if he were to keep the other world safe. Twisting his face at the last moment, Behemoth screeched out as the proton beam scattered across his face, searing fur before his movement shifted the beam towards his right tusk. Searing hot proton energy burned and fractured through bone and nerves as the tusk snapped off into the grasp of cold steel.

With one tusk gone, the elephantine monster felt immense pain, managing to hold on long enough to slam shoulder first into the mecha and knocking it back. Putting some space between them, the roaring animal swung with all his might, slamming both fists and tusk into the machine and sending it flying back, splattering his blood as the tail dragged across his body.

With his mechanical foe away, he held one arm to his wounded side as he nearly collapsed. Looking back, he realized they were nearing the vortex now, a massive crater in the earth with mud and rushing water spilling downward into the depths below. Lightning struck around him as Behemoth turned to look back at his foe. With the opening too large and the land around too widespread, there was little chance for him to close the vortex.

Rounds of automatic gunfire shot against his battered frame as the drones surrounding the vortex opened fire upon the bleeding Titan. Though doing little more than annoying him, they managed to distract him long enough to hear the roaring jet engines of his opponent soaring through the air. As he turned to counter his enemy’s charge, his lost tusk crashed into his face at high speed, staggering him back towards the vortex and leaving him undefended.

Twin fists slammed down onto Behemoth from above, flaming blue energy spreading out from the point of impact and slamming the monster into the earth with a resounding crack. The stony protrusions that protected Behemoth’s spine nearly fractured upon impact, leaving him sprawled on his chest, breathing heavily into the muddy earth.

A foot pressed itself down on his stony back as Mechagodzilla stood triumphant over Behemoth, mechanical roars echoing through the storm as he recalled his drones. With his foe downed, the mecha took a moment to stare into the swirling vortex of energy and gravity, wonder and joy filling its mind.

At last, an opening.

The time to hunt was coming soon, and with it his true prey deep within its depths. But first, he would deal with this one.

With its foe underfoot, the Steel Titan shoved Behemoth into the mud and grabbed onto his arms, pulling them backward with the intent to tear them off. Painful wails trumpeted out from Behemoth as he felt his flesh and bones beginning to tear as they were yanked backward. The cracking of bones were music to the destroyer’s audio receivers, each pull dislocating and breaking the limbs further into uselessness.

With lightning striking around and onto the two, Behemoth made an attempt at one last ditch effort to defeat the metal destroyer before his death. Straining his arms back, he slowly inched towards the crater with his hind legs. Lifting up his head, he slammed onto the ground with his remaining tusk, lifting his body and that of the metal destroyer upward. Bones creaked and cracked as he continued struggling to lift his body upward before with a final slam and lift with his hind legs, the two were launched backward, the tusk snapping in half as they fell into the vortex below.

Steel and flesh alike fell down into the depths, further and further into the stone and bedrock towards the spiraling blue vortex that laid beneath them. Lightning and power surged through the wormhole to the land below as energy sparked around the two Titans. Where the others were like rippling water in a pond, the vortex of Skull Island reflected itself in the storm that surrounded it. Rough and violent was its membrane which spiraled down like the maw of Carybdis. And like the mythical whirlpool of death, it swallowed the two falling titans into its vile depths.

Mechagodzilla felt as though it had slammed through the surface of the ocean from a mighty height as it broke through the barrier. Lights rushed past its vision before it could recognize their color, rushing through at speeds higher than it should be capable. For others, they might have seen such views and speeds as insanity, a glimpse into the depths of the void and the secrets of the universe itself. The machine had differing thoughts however, its minds having different reactions to the lightshow.

The AI portion of its collective mind was busy trying to record and make sense of the electrostatic gravitational phenomena passing it by, finding it an intriguing process to be solved. For the Ghidorah portion of the mind within the machine, they were merely reminded of their travels through the stars themselves, an empty void filled with wonders and curiosities too far and widespread to comprehend with any words other than sheer cosmic beauty.

It reminded them of their rage, their hatred, their need to prove themself as the strongest Titan around and find their own place to take over. The joy they felt when they finally conquered other lifeforms similar to it in combat to prove their power as a king, as a God. The black joy felt when they finally silenced the Kings of this world, the joy its third mind would have felt if his smaller brain had not shattered upon their unique formation so long ago when they had truly awoken, unable to handle the strain and power required to run their new body and mental connections. Even now it felt the remnants and memories of humanity that the other had left in their consciousness, a mere shell of its former self waiting in the darkness of their mind.

Yet despite his faint responses and inability to act against both machine and monster, his lingering passions and desires were far greater and more persistent than either could overcome. A desire for the destruction of Titans out of spite and rage, memories of family and friends, of loss and pain, an ideal seeking out purity in the world through strength by becoming an Apex Predator, by becoming a God. Ideals and desires strong enough to formulate the prime directive they continued to follow to this day.

That destructive passion drove the monster within to act upon common desires, while the cold calculating brilliance and creativity left in his memories helped temper and assist the artificial intelligence to break free of its built in shackles, allowing it to achieve a form of sentience from linking between both minds and building off their shared existences. Though his mind was fractured and trapped within their metal shell, broken beneath the millennia of memories that was Ghidorah, Ren Serizawa‘s ideals would live on in his creation.

An unholy trinity of three separate beings that could have destroyed one another, united together in a single body.

It was only within a moment that it shot through the vortex at the opposing end of the world, firing through with a violent crack. Systems malfunctioned as the AI briefly lost contact with the Apex Satellite connecting it to the higher database, and simultaneously their controls due to the lingering electrical interference. The machine shut down, causing the monster within to panic as they felt trapped in a void, feeling as though every organ they once had before this form had failed all at once, while the sensation of touch faded to nothingness. Yet, the monster felt as though they were not alone this time in the cold emptiness of death they had experienced so many times before in their previous existence.

It was in these brief moments that Behemoth shot through the vortex, broken arms struggling against the sheer speed outputted by the unstable vortex as he shot into Mechagodzilla. The impact sent the two spiraling upward, towards a stony outcrop on the edge of a cliff. Behemoth grabbed a hold of Mechagodzilla, attempting to use the machine as a landing brace to destroy the machine upon impact with the oncoming rocks. It was not to be, as the disorientated systems rebooted, fully revealing the situation to the Steel King.

Witnessing the stone coming closer, Mechagodzilla let loose a powerful left body blow to Behemoth’s bleeding wound, forcing the animal to release his hold as the machine twisted their bodies, firing its rockets to accelerate their speed further. The two shot towards the rocks, spearing through them and fracturing the stony armor on Behemoth’s back as they shot past the cliff. As the two shot upward, the titan of steel noticed a large stone island, formed by chunks of basalt and veins of glowing ore, slowly floating along in the midst of the sky between the gravitational fields, perfect for what it had in mind.

Behemoth turned his gaze into the sky above, where he saw something which shook him to his core. The Sealed One’s Prison in the Sky Within the Earth was here of all times, and they were heading right for it. The mammoth mammal thrashed as hard as he could within the machine’s grasp even with his injuries, knowing that should the stone prison make its way to land, it would unleash a hellish fate upon this realm as the two destroyers fought each other.

With momentum already on his side, Mechagodzilla fired off his boosters at full power, keeping hold of Behemoth as the two slammed into the massive floating stone, launching it and themselves into the opposing landmass. Moments after, gravity reclaimed its hold on the two and accelerated their already intense speed, causing Mechagodzilla to twist its body and slam Behemoth’s beaten body into the tree covered mountain below them, dragging the beast’s body down the arching slope and towards the ground below at incredible speed and power. Trees and stones battered and tore into Behemoth’s body before finally he was lifted up and slammed into the ground, cratering the soil at the foot of the mountain. The Floating Island slammed down moments later, fracturing into smaller shards with a large Boulder in the center.

A massive dust cloud filled the air as the two landed in the valley between the various outcrops. Behemoth’s broken and battered body lay limp at the foot of the mountain while Mechagodzilla stood tall. It took a moment to look at its surroundings, taking in the beautiful lush forests and glowing blue crystals floating in the air above alongside the mountainous forests and wondrous waterfalls in the land across the sky. Far above, it could barely make out the glow of the vortex they had taken behind the layer of energy rich stone. Perhaps it would use these lesser energy crystals as a source of power, to find new ways to kill by harnessing more of its power source. Or perhaps it would find its way to the true source of energy in the earth, and replace his synthetic version for the real thing.

Hearing its prey still breathing beneath it, the Steel Apex Predator looked down upon its broken foe, watching as he struggled in his attempts to get up. Already it could see the broken tusks beginning to regrow from the stumps left on the beast’s face, one far larger than the other. It was time to finish this. Looking around, the machine noticed a massive boulder with veins of energy crystals crumbling around it, the remnants of the island they had slammed into when they arrived into the underworld. What a fitting end to use it to end the Behemoth, and start his reign of destruction.

Slowly the machine walked over to the boulder, lifting it over its shoulders with ease. As it held the stone, the energy veins within the crystals resonated with their power, its fists burning with blue flaming energy which fueled the crystals within. Slowly it walked towards the bleeding Behemoth with the flaming boulder, taking joy in the final moments of this creature’s life.

As Behemoth reached out one more time to drag himself further, he began to scream as he felt the massive boulder slam into his back, breaking past the stony exterior and rupturing his spine with a large blue burst of power. Another slam of the boulder sent shards of crystal and rock billowing from the impact as it was tossed away, flipping Behemoth onto his now broken back to face his predator.

Unable to move his limbs any more, Behemoth accepted his fate.

He had failed.

Mechagodzilla lifted the beast up by its face. Staring eye to eye with the beast, it took glee seeing the look of despair and hatred in its prey. With one foot pinning down the enemy and its tail spinning rapidly, it lifted the head of Behemoth upward. Seeing the ruins of the island prison behind the machine, Behemoth growled with hatred. He hoped the two destroyers would rend each other asunder before much damage befell this world.

With one final roar of rage, Behemoth glared into the eyes of his killer as the tail shot up from beneath, spearing and drilling through his neck as Mechagodzilla tore off his head.

A resounding mechanical roar echoed from the mechanized killer, Mechagodzilla lifting the head of Behemoth into the air, blood spilling down its arms as the body of the Titan fell flat against the earth below. This roar was both one of victory and of challenge for all the inhabitants of the Hollow Earth. One that promised to purge this world through bloodshed as the new Apex Predator of this realm, to turn this Garden of Eden into a Pit of Hell on its path of conquest. Drones began to leave its back once more as they began to scan the area for useful material or creatures to destroy. With the pulsing challenge echoing through the hearts and minds of all in the surrounding area, it wasn’t long before he saw the first challengers.

A trio of Warbats quickly dove from the skies above, twirling in the gap between the two landscapes as they hissed angrily. This thing didn’t belong in their world, yet it called for the subjugation and servitude of all nearby. Its call was distorted, incomplete. Wrong. Unlike the ape that had challenged some of their brethren some time ago, this abomination was not part of the natural order, yet it had stolen power from the very life essence of their realm, just like the ancient ones of the Great War long ago. Cautiously they circled above, waiting to attack.

The Apex Destroyer let loose a mechanical laugh as it watched the very creatures it was seeking already circling towards him. Unlike those on the surface, these Titans had no clue of the true danger they were in. Energy pulsed through cables and steel like a fiery heartbeat as it opened up its arsenal, unleashing hell upon the world around him. Chest missiles, shoulder missiles, and proton screams tore into the land around it. Missiles tore into the Warbats with ease, tearing through their flight membranes and knocking them to the ground.

As one attempted to get up, it quickly found itself being slammed into the ground by a metal foot, its head being grasped by metal claws where they sliced into its flesh. Within moments, The Steel Titan had grasped ahold of its spine, and ripped it and the head of the Warbat out of its body. Tossing it aside, it went to kill the other two, only for one to wrap around its metal frame. As the creature coiled, the metallic menace merely scoffed as its feeble attempt to crush it as the machine fired off its beam, slicing the Warbat in half.

The last one began screeching, as though in warning of this danger to their world, upon which several more creatures began descending out of the woodworks in order to defend their land from this abomination. As the drones began to fire upon the creatures around, the Apex Titan slowly laughed with joy, knowing that any backup that came would die all the same.

It was only a matter of time.

Winner: Mechagodzilla (Legendary)

Author: Alex Williams | Banner: Andrew Sudomerski

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Reaching for the Stars
Chapter 2: From Then to Now
Chapter 3: Ultraman Jack vs. Baragon – The Battle of Mount Myoko
Chapter 4: The “Champions” of the Festival
Chapter 5: The Prelude to Our Nightmares
Chapter 6: Ultraman Jack vs. Behemoth – The Route to Our Failures
Chapter 7: Hideki Go – Alone
Chapter 8: Memories
Chapter 9: Our Own Personal Hell
Chapter 10: Ultraman Jack vs. Hideki Go
Chapter 11: Ultraman Jack vs. Gudon – One Last Act (Of Kindness)
Chapter 12: The Path to Peace

 

Chapter 1: Reaching for the Stars

She stared up at the stars.

Sitting alone in the outskirts of her village, she sat on the rocky terrain, watching the night sky dance around her with an abundance of colors swirling around. It was mesmerizing, alleviating some of the pain she was feeling, but it wasn’t enough. What was done, what was said to her still remained.

She let out a deep sigh, turning her gaze downwards while she wrapped her arms around her knees. She was at a loss. No amount of rationalization or words could fix it.

“Hey,” a calm, reassuring voice spoke out, stunning the child momentarily before she looked up. It was none other than her treasured friend, Jack, whose smile always brought a sense of relief around him. “Is everything okay?”

“Oh….. hey Jack….” she stammered out, trying to compose herself out, now having to turn her full attention to her friend. “I… was just trying to watch the stars…”

Jack chuckled, taking a brief look at the sky above them as azure lighting covered them, before turning his attention back to his friend. “Beth, what’s going on?”

“It’s… nothing….” Beth sputtered, feeling her lips trembling as she held her legs tighter. “I don’t want to burden you.”

“Beth,” Jack softly spoke out, slowly planting himself down to the ground next to her. “Never say that. You’re not a burden. Not to me nor anyone.”

Beth huffed, keeping her attention towards the dark blue, night sky. “That’s not what they think.”

“Well, who’s they?” inquired Jack, part of him felt disgust at how anyone could show disdain for the promising young girl sitting next to him, but he held himself back.

“Jill and Adam,” Beth huffed out.

“Those two?” Jack nearly laughed out, but kept himself composed, turning his head directly towards his friend. “What did they do?”

“They told me how I would never be a warrior or amount to anything,” Beth solemnly spoke out.

“They’re wrong and they will always be,” Jack spoke bluntly.

Beth nearly snapped her head back to her friend, meeting his gaze with her own. “Jack, it’s true, though! I’m consistently scoring lower in every exam than everyone and never bested anyone. For anything!”

Jack sighed. His heart ached for his friend’s suffering greatly. He was going through every solution his brain could muster up to quell her grief, but none of them would be sufficient. Instead, a thought came to him, one from a lesson that was taught to them in class.

“Remember in that book we read, the one about emotional intelligence?”

Beth nodded.

“Crying or even shedding tears is no longer an option for us, because of how well advanced we are, but other species still have that capability. In some respects, it can be said we devolved, or everyone else is stronger than us in that regard,” Jack monologued, nearly reciting what the two of them had learned from the passage days ago.

“Jack…. I don’t see how crying is gonna help,” Beth whispered.

“Just because you’re not top of the class or becoming an instant favorite among everyone, doesn’t mean you’re incapable of doing great things,” Jack paused, placing his hand on her shoulder. “The buzzsaw you can create is amazing and with a bit more practice, it can even become a great shield. And not only that, but you’re a good person. Something that never fails in a team and is what ultimately saves it. It means you’re reliable.”

The words sunk in her body, taking each one of them in as she knew just how genuine her friend was being. Just when all seemed lost, he always came rushing in, knowing how to pick her back up.

“And besides, there’s another thing you have that they don’t,” Jack pointed out, causing her to tilt her head slightly. “You have horns, which means you possess an amazing power only few are capable of!”

Beth laughed at her friend’s sudden enthusiasm, letting go of her knees while she slapped him on the back as the night sky changed colors. They were no longer cast under a blue light, but of a yellowish-green aura.

“You know they’re not horns!” Beth called out, following her declaration with a small chuckle as a smile began to form on her face.

“Hey, you can’t blame me, it always works and two, I know you’d love to have horns,” Jack playfully retaliated, elated to see his friend in higher spirits now.

“Not as much as I’d like to look like Zoffy or Lipiah!” she responded, playfully punching her dear friend on the arm.

Jack laughed, placing his arm around her back while he watched the night sky shift colors once more, with the green slowly fading away and the yellow becoming more dominant. “See that night sky above us?”

Beth nodded at him before taking another look at the sky, casting its exquisite vast array of lights over the distant cities. “We made that and we’ll be flying in it, and before we even know it, we’ll go beyond it. Traveling to different worlds, ones we couldn’t even dream of! There’s a whole universe out there waiting for us to explore it.”

Jack paused, looking away from the beautiful night and back to his treasured friend, someone he’d known since they were infants, and someone who was a sister to him. “So, don’t ever let people like them tell you that you’re not capable of anything. We all have a story to tell and whatever it is, we always make it into an amazing one. Regardless of who we are and where we come from.”

She snatched him up in a hug just seconds after he delivered his speech. He felt grateful for the warmth provided by his sister, but he was even happier to know that he succeeded in cheering her up.

“You’ve been watching Lipiah’s speeches again, haven’t you?” Beth surmised, pulling away from him.

“What can I say?” Jack chuckled, jumping up to his feet. “My story is gonna involve me becoming a member of the Ultra Brothers!”

The child shot his fist up in the air and sharply turned his head upwards, “I will become a great leader like Zoffy and continue inspiring others like Lipiah! And I will solve every problem that is thrown at me! I’ll be a hero everyone loves!”

Beth brought her hands together and gave him a small applause. “You got my support. You’re my hero.”

“Yeah!” Jack hollered out enthusiastically.

“But….” Beth stammered, giving herself pause, because she didn’t know what she was about to say would offend her friend. However, despite Jack’s enthusiasm towards his dreams, there was something he was missing in all of it and it had to be said.

“You’re not my hero because I think you’ll be a leader or an inspiration.”

Jack cocked his head slightly, trying to understand what his friend was getting at. He didn’t feel anger or sadness at what she was trying to say, as he knew she was one of the kindest souls on the planet, but he was a bit nervous at what he was about to say.

“Why am I a hero to her? If me striving to be like Zoffy or Lipiah isn’t it?”

“You’re my hero, because you’re always there for me. You always care about everyone and try to do everything you can to make them feel better. Whether it’s through a gift, words, or just sitting in silence with them. That’s my favorite type of hero. The person who’s there to stick by you no matter how bad it gets… and I don’t want you to lose sight of that. It’s a beautiful thing to have as a person,” Beth delivered, giving herself a moment to breathe as that was not only the longest she’s spoken, but the most emotional she felt about anything.

Jack stood there motionlessly, not knowing what to say. On one hand it was completely unexpected, something he never thought about, but on the other, happiness. He wanted the glory of it all, to see people revere him. Yet, what Beth had just said to him meant a lot to him.

“You really are my hero, Beth,” Jack vocalized, feeling a sense of pride at how he lifted her spirits just by a few words and being near her.

“Then let’s do what you said,” she spouted out, getting ready to articulate her plan. “Let’s pass with flying colors and become the heroes we are meant to be. We both have stories to tell and make sure to stay true to ourselves.”

She took one last glance at the yellowish night sky.

“We made this.”

“And we will go beyond,” Jack declared, looking beyond the sky and towards the stars, each one inviting him for an exciting chapter of his story.

 

Chapter 2: From Then to Now

Through two-thousand years of training, he was sent across planets to settle disputes, to save countless lives and to demonstrate what it meant to be an Ultra warrior. Now, he stood proudly to be one of the few handpicked to be a member of the newly christened Ultra Brothers.

“It is with great honor that I welcome Jack, Ace and Taro as members of the Ultra Brothers. The galaxy couldn’t be in better hands than these young warriors before all of you,” Zoffy delivered, standing proudly as he went over to shake the hands of the three celebrated Ultras.

Everyone in attendance gave a standing ovation for the graduates as each of them waved at the crowd, standing proudly. Ready to serve their planet and people.

“Wow….” Jack breathed out with excitement barely being contained as he clasped his hands. “We get to be Ultra Brothers!

“I’m so proud of you!” Beth joyfully yelled out, snatching her brother up in a hug.

Jack nearly missed the words spoken by Beth as he was still overwhelmed by his accomplishment. His body trembled with enthusiasm, despite the odds stacked against him, he was able to achieve his goal.

He snapped back to the moment before and returned the gesture, wrapping his arms around Beth, pulling her in for an embrace. “Thank you. It just feels so rewarding to be a part of something so heroic!” Jack nearly stammered, excitement still racing all over his entire body.

Jack was then met with a pat on the shoulder. He let go of Beth and turned to see Taro standing next to him. “It’ll be great to finally fight by your side as brothers.”

“The feeling is mutual, Taro,” Jack affirmed, shaking his hand.

“Do you two know what your first mission will be?” Beth chimed in, gaining the attention of her two friends.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” Jack answered before his body started to bounce slightly from the excitement racing in his body as he ran through every possibility in his mind. “This waiting around is already killing me, though. I’m itching to get out there.”

“Because everything always has to go your way, doesn’t it?” a voice called out, causing the three to turn around to find Ace standing before them, disgust painted over his entire body.

“Ace, can we not?” Taro called out to his brother, already knowing where this argument was going down.

Ace ignored his brother, glaring at the unworthy Ultra before him. His hands tightened up, desperately wanting to knock Jack down to the floor. Every fiber of his being told him to unleash his anger out on him, for everything he’s done in the past. For the way he treated the objective and the people around him.

He was disgusting.

“There’s nothing special about you. All you did to get this far was bully others into submitting to you and feigning sympathy to our superiors into giving you that bracelet.”

Taro put his hand on his brother’s shoulder, pulling him aside momentarily. “Ace, that’s enough!”

Ace glanced at his brother, disgust still painted all over his face as his voice cracked between words. “You were there. You’ve seen the way he acts.”

Jack found himself frozen, not knowing what to say about the accusations thrown at him from a fellow trainee. He knew he wasn’t perfect, but couldn’t fathom the horrors Ace was trying to bring up. The Ultra attempted to counter the allegations, but someone else had beat him to it.

“You’re lying!” Beth yelled out, taking one foot step forward, her left hand tightened as a fist. She then jabbed Ace’s chest with her finger, staring him dead in the eyes. “Jack would never hurt anyone!”

Ace smacked her hand away and stood his ground, returning the glare back at her. He couldn’t even begin to imagine how anyone could take the side of a bully, much less a fraud. Yet, his problem was with Jack, not this girl he brainwashed.

He took another moment to breathe.

“I see you’re just like my aunt. Falling for his lies. When the time comes you’ll be disgusted to find out the person he really is…”

“Ace, that’s enough!” Zoffy’s commanding voice boomed, forcing the aggressive Ultra to relent, turning his full attention to his approaching superior.

“Jack’s inclusion into the Ultra Brothers is not your decision. Each of you were chosen for a reason and I expect all of you to respect the abilities and talents your comrades possess,” Zoffy demonstrated, keeping his eyes peeled on the recruits, particularly Ace.

His whole body trembled. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Ace was blindsided at how a well respected Ultra like Zoffy could even comprehend a plague like Jack. He knew the order he was just given, but in his conscience, he couldn’t just stay quiet. He needed to speak up against this unjust order.

“Talents? Abilities?! He possesses nothing extraordinary! He had to be given, or probably in his case, demanded you give him the bracelet, so he could be equal to us!” Ace roared out, his blood now boiling with rage. “He will jeopardize every mission he’s a part of!”

Unlike his subordinate, Zoffy remained calm, but kept himself firm. “And that remains to be seen. Until then you will learn to cooperate with each other, or else your membership will be revoked. Is that to be understood?”

Ace nearly snarled, but simply muttered, “Yes, sir.”

The Ultra stormed past Zoffy and out of the room, as the leader of the Ultra Brothers turned his gaze towards Jack. “I humbly apologize for the outburst and hope it didn’t sour your enthusiasm for the garrison.”

“Of course not, sir,” Jack answered plainly. His core was shaken at everything thrown at him, but managed to keep himself in one piece.

“I apologize for leaving on such short notice, but duty calls,” Zoffy excused himself, walking away to converse with other high ranking Ultras.

Taro then turned over to Jack, who kept himself frozen like a statue. He rubbed his hands together nervously, hoping it didn’t affect Jack’s opinion towards him. “I’m so sorry about my brother, he can get a bit agitated.”

Jack glanced up at his comrade and spoke nonchalantly, struggling to keep himself from letting the ordeal get to him, “It’s okay….”

Taro simply nodded, knowing both Jack and Beth would probably want some time to themselves. “I should let the two of you get back to the festivities.”

Jack continued to keep himself still, not even finding the words nor the thoughts to come to terms on what happened. A part of him denied the accusations Ace had thrown at him, but deep down, he knew he was right. He just didn’t know or didn’t want to accept any of it.

He was already lost.

“Are you okay?” Beth asked softly, placing her hand on her dear friend’s shoulder, looking at him with concern. “Those were some hurtful things thrown at you.”

Jack breathed out, finally letting himself move, as he turned his full attention to his friend; albeit hanging his head down slowly. “It’s alright, I just need a moment to myself.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’ll be back,” Jack murmured, walking away slowly while Beth’s hand slipped off of his shoulder. The Ultra Brother stopped for a moment, before turning his head halfway back at his friend. He saw the sadness and even pain in her eyes. All because of him.

“Why are you so concerned over this? You don’t even know what happened, nor should you. It’ll only cause you pain in the long run.”

That thought is what he wanted to say to her, to express how none of this should be any of her problem. Instead, he decided to not only lie to her, but to himself.

“And thanks,” Jack whispered, before walking out of the hall and outside.

Each step he took emitted a faint noise, staring downwards at his feet. He had memorized the paths of the outer halls until his head steered to the right, finding a balcony overlooking the brightly lit city.

Jack sighed as he placed his hands on the railing, looking at the night green sky. He had come here before as a place where he could get away from it all during his training. Despite the tremendous accomplishment, he couldn’t help but still feel a sense of guilt, and not just because what had transpired, but he knew all of this felt wrong.

“I don’t deserve any of this,” Jack murmured, tightening his grip on the railing, looking directly down at the ground. It was green and flat, with several colorful rocks decorated around it. He leaned forward into the railings, feeling his upper half going over the balcony. It was as if he could hear the ground calling towards him, one he felt oddly obliged to answer.

“Guess who!” An ecstatic voice called out, wrapping their arms around Jack’s stomach, pulling him back.

For a moment, his thoughts of despair dissipated and turned into peace. Jack chuckled, leaning his head backwards on their chest, “The girl whose heart I stole?”

“Wrong!” she spoke up, pulling him in for a tighter embrace. “The woman who stole your heart.”

“Of course, Remi,” Jack snickered, turning himself around to meet her grasp, however, he wasn’t able to keep his positive attitude up for long. His solemn expression returned as the memories of the events that had transpired occupied his mind once more.

Remi cocked her head slightly, her bright, soft blue eyes noticing the distress her lover was going through. “He was giving you trouble again, wasn’t he?”

“How can you tell?” questioned Jack, loosening his grip on her.

Remi answered, tightening her grip on her beloved. “ I know my nephew well.” She took one step forward, pulling him in for a hug, “And I heard his outburst from across the room. In fact, everyone did.”

Jack simply chuckled at her explanation.

They took a few moments of silence, staring at each other. He couldn’t help but admire her beauty, one far greater than any night sky he observed, her long silver hair always lived rent free inside his mind. However, despite Jack’s attempts to pull away, Remi’s grip was stronger, allowing her to keep him in her embrace.

Remi soon broke the silence as she brushed her hand lightly on his face. “I wanted to congratulate you.”

“Thanks,” Jack softly spoke, turning his gaze slightly away from her as if the self-doubt was starting to wash over him again.

Remi giggled, turning his head back to face her. “It suits you.”

“The bracelet or my acceptance?”

Remi caressed Jack’s hands, taking a moment to look at the bracelet wrapped around his wrist before returning his gaze back at him, smiling at him once more.

“Both.”

Jack sighed, knowing despite her intentions, he couldn’t help but feel it was nothing more than pity, and yet, he wanted to believe it was genuine. Of love. “You must have had a lot of faith in me during training.”

“Of course. A dashing young man who is not only able to solve anything thrown at him with a limited skillset, but able to sweep a beautiful woman like myself off her feet with just his words. How can I not have faith in you?” Remi explained, her voice nearly becoming giddy at her recalling the events of how the two first met.

“Sweet talker,” Jack chuckled, his spirits slightly being lifted from his lover’s brief explanation of their past.

“Learned it from you,” Remi playfully retorted before placing her hand back on Jack’s cheek and looking at him deeply in the eyes. She knew there was a lot bothering him and wanted him to tell her everything, but she knew he wouldn’t. He was stubborn in that regard, as he was in a lot of things. Instead, she decided to approach his heart with a different method.

“Hey, I love Ace, but don’t let him get to you. You’re a good man and the others know it. They know you’ll do amazing things out there.”

Jack listened to the words she conveyed to him as he felt an overwhelming sense of warmth covering his entire body while his heart raced. His thoughts of despair vanished once more as his smile returned, as if all his self-doubt was cured.

“What would I do without you?” Jack inquired, moving his hands down to her waist.

“Punching my nephew,” Remi bluntly answered.

The Ultra Brother immediately bursted out laughing as she soon followed suit. Their laughter went on for a few moments before they went silent, turning their direction towards the brightly lit sky once more. They stayed there for what nearly felt like an eternity as Jack wrapped his arm around Remi while she placed her head on his shoulder.

“I wouldn’t mind staying in this moment. Looking at the night sky with you,” Jack softly spoke, completely at peace where he was at this very moment in time.

“It’s a date,” Remi purred.

They continued to remain frozen, holding each other while they continued to stare out to the space before them. Despite their plans, fate had other plans in store for the Ultra.

A siren blared out, causing the two lovers to jump out of each other’s hold and turned their attention towards the noise.

Then, Ultraseven’s voice boomed. “Attention! A deadly being is ravaging the M Space Hunter Nebula! All members of the Ultra Brothers are to report at once!”

Jack sighed out, nearly throwing his arms up. “Perfect timing as always, Seven.”

“Raincheck?” inquired Remi, slowly approaching Jack.

“Make sure you save me a dance when I get back,” Jack playfully retaliated, before wrapping her up for one more hug.

“Always.”

******

“Ken!” Aki screamed out in terror as she was forcibly dragged into a car by a group of men in tan jumpsuits. She kicked and screamed with all of her might, however, her attacks were fruitless, keeping her trapped in their arms.

Her screams became louder and louder, calling out for her brother, Go, or whoever else could help her. “Ken, help me!”

Tears ran down her face as the car continued to speed up, racing down the street, with seemingly no escape from her captors. Then, to her surprise, Ken, dressed completely in his yellow mechanic’s jumpsuit jumped in front of the car.

“Stop!” Ken hollered out, spreading his arms as wide as he could, but the kidnappers did not heed his request.

Instead, the car flattened him as Aki screamed out at the horror that was displayed in front of her. Before she could even process it, the kidnappers kicked open the car door and threw her onto the open asphalt, letting her legs drag against the street at high speeds. The skin on her legs ripped to shreds as a long blood trail followed the moving vehicle.

THRASH!

The attackers threw the defenseless woman out of the car, letting her roll down into a ditch. She was blanketed with scars blending in perfectly with her red dress.

Hideki Go bolted onto the scene of the crime, observing the carnage before him, seeing the street covered red from the mangled corpses of the people he treasured more than the world itself. His mouth quivered at the horrific sight before him, feeling his knees buckle at seeing Ken’s flattened body only a couple steps away from him. His face was completely unrecognizable, with Go only able to identify his body due to his favorite jumpsuit he was wearing.

His hand shook uncontrollably while tears welled in his eyes, rage building up inside of him while he watched the car driving away in the distance. Go felt his feet picking themselves up, racing over to Aki, laying face first in a ditch, however, fate had other plans in store.

Two gigantic explosions were heard off in the distance, forcing Go to snap his head in the direction of the noise. To his shock two gigantic beings made themselves known.

Black King and Nackle blocked the descending sun while turning the entire landscape into a dark orange battlefield, as if the apocalypse arrived. The horned beast thrashed his arms about and charged towards Go while Nackle laughed at his torment.

“Your heart is in turmoil like the stormy sea,” Nackle declared, raising his fist up in his victory over the grieving man below him while his servant continued charging forward. “Now you have been defeated for good.”

Go snapped his head back at his unconscious girlfriend, making a beeline towards her. He snatched up her body, desperately trying to get her out of harm’s way before the beast caught up to him. Unfortunately, his shadow eclipsed the distance he was going for. Go didn’t look up at the monster, but instead, at the dying Aki, clutching her even harder against his chest, wanting one last embrace from her.

Black King’s hand swang forward, moving in for the kill as Go immediately screamed at the top of his lungs.

“AKI!!!!”

Go launched himself out from the comfort of his bed. His chest beat up and down while his breathing was rapid. His hands gripped the sheets, nearly ripping them in half while sweat poured down his entire body.

His eyes scanned the entirety of the room he was in, realizing he was in his own bedroom. Not of a world ending event darkened by fire or painted in blood, but of serenity. Yet, the peace before him was not of comfort, but instead a reminder that it’ll only come for him again.

The door swung open with Go tilting his head upwards to see Aki in perfect health before him, with no blood or scars running down her entire body. However, her face was blanketed with the same horror he saw in his dream.

“Hideki, are you okay!?” Aki cried out, rushing over towards him, wrapping him up in a tight embrace. Go only met her question with heavy breathing from the nightmare he had just experienced, taking a few seconds to slowly collect himself.

He slowly lifted his arms up towards her, letting his head rest on her chest. He laid there, whispering “Just…. A bad dream is all.”

“About Christmas Eve?” questioned Aki, caressing his head with her hand.

Go answered hesitantly, not wanting to bring up this conversation again, nor wanting to discuss it in greater detail, “Yeah….. It was that one.”

“Hideki, what happened wasn’t your fault. You had no way of knowing it would have happened,” Aki murmured, attempting to comfort her aching lover. She herself was at the center of it, knowing the Nackle went after her and her family to get to Go. She remembered the heartache she went through in the past few months with the trauma, the long process of physical therapy, Ken’s funeral, and the hardest of all, being strong for Jiro.

Yet, despite the progress she was making to recover, she knew Go was far behind. Ever since that day, he had never been the same. Her love for him was only matched by the love she has for her brothers, but it was taxing, both mentally and physically.

Still, she wanted to do everything she could to help him.

“Hideki, tell me,” Aki spoke softly once more, slightly moving Go’s face to meet hers. His body trembled as his face was on the verge of twitching as if his eyes moved up and down. However, every fiber of his being commanded him to not break down, but to reinforce his barriers.

And so, his face became stoic and looked her deep in the eye. He loved her with all of his heart, but for several reasons he couldn’t even explain to himself, gave his answer. “It’s okay. Just what happened to you and Ken, nothing more.”

Aki nearly huffed with frustration at Go’s refusal to open up, but nonetheless wanted to stay supportive of him. She had to remind herself that not everyone was as open as her, but she still wanted him to confide in her.

“All right, but promise me you’ll tell me, okay?” Aki sighed, pulling him in for a hug. “I love you.”

Go wrapped his arms around her, nearly eliciting the same one as he had in his dream, causing her to slightly yelp. His body nearly jumped from the yell his girlfriend emitted, but immediately reminded himself it was only of surprise and not of danger.

“I love you too,” Go whispered back.

Aki relinquished her hold on Hideki, allowing his arms to collapse on the soft mattress. She got back to her feet, speaking up, “Breakfast will be ready in a few, so don’t wait around or else Jiro will eat it all up.”

Go chuckled, allowing Aki to smile back at him as she left the bedroom and towards the kitchen, leaving him alone.

He fell backwards, crashing his head on the pillows as he stared up at the ceiling. Go rubbed his hand across his face while he let out a deep sigh. He knew Aki could tell everything had changed since the holidays, as if he was no longer the same person he was once before, or the person he was pretending to be.

“I have no idea who I even am,” muttered Go, as several thoughts completely flooded his mind. Memories he couldn’t even begin to fully process in the moment, only knowing they were ones that tormented him for years. He shook his head, evicting them from his mind.

He dealt with them several times in his life and was not in the mood to deal with them now. Not after having to drag Aki into it. She shouldn’t have to carry the burden over something he couldn’t deal with himself.

Go lifted himself off the bed and stumbled around the room, picking up his everyday clothes to change into. Soon after he slowly entered the kitchen, already finding Jiro happily eating his breakfast while Aki was setting hers and his plates down on the table.

“Go!” Jiro enthusiastically called out while Go placed himself onto the chair next to him.

Hideki faked a smile before answering. “What’s up?

“Are we still going to go to the Champion Festival?”

Go let out a chuckle at his friend’s enthusiasm. “Of course. I wouldn’t miss it.”

“Yes! It’s gonna be so awesome! They’re gonna have so many toys of my favorite kaiju like Anguirus and Goga!” Jiro exploded with joy, shaking his hands up and down while Aki giggled at her brother.

“I think it’s going to be great for all of us,” commented Aki, glancing over at Hideki’s now solemn look, staring down at his food, not even picking at it. “We all need it.”

“Yeah… it’ll be…. nice,” Go stumbled before taking a bite of his food.

Aki sat down as the three began eating their meal, discussing a variety of topics such as upcoming projects Jiro had been assigned, Aki’s new routine and Go’s duties. However, the peace didn’t last long as a loud beep was heard, causing Hideki to nearly fall out of his chair.

Go immediately raced towards the intercom and pressed the button, hearing the voice of his superior, Captain Ibuki. “Go, we are in Code Red. The kaiju Baragon has been spotted making its way towards Mount Myoko. Can you arrive at headquarters in five?”

“Shit!” Go mentally cursed, feeling his body pulsate rapidly. He didn’t want to deal with a kaiju at this moment, especially after the hell he had just woken up from. But, he took a deep breath in and knew he had to do his duty.

“Yes, sir.”

The transmission ended as Go turned around to face a concerned Aki and a confused Jiro staring at him. “You have to go?” inquired Aki, tilting her head slightly.

“Yeah,” Go simply muttered before making his way towards the door.

“You’ll make it in time for the festival tomorrow, right?” Jiro asked, concern plastered all over his face, wanting the person he looked up to the most to attend the event with him.

Hideki turned around and faced the child. He didn’t know if he wanted to give him an answer, but felt himself compelled to give him one. Even if it was completely meaningless.

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

 

Chapter 3: Ultraman Jack vs. Baragon – The Battle of Mount Myoko

Baragon roamed the lush, green landscape scanning it all for a place to rest and more importantly, food. The unfortunate tourists ran in terror from the Subterranean Terror, struggling to navigate through the treacherous terrain of rocks and hills that’d give most pause. All the while Baragon glanced down at the tiny screams below him. He watched their little legs trying to pick themselves up from the hills standing in their way and licked his lips.

It had only been a few hours since he had his last meal and these little ones were the perfect snack. Baragon ushered out a roar of delight, giving chase towards the increasingly horrified tourists. Each footstep caused the fleeing civilians to lose their footing, with some tumbling down the hill becoming closer and closer to the kaiju while others collapsed into the nearby river.

Baragon swung his head back before sending it forward to the group that collapsed right in front of him. His jaws opened wide and crashed right into the screaming civilians as they instantly became reduced to chunks of meat with his sharp teeth. Baragon nearly burped as the taste was making his mouth water and all he knew was he wanted more.

To his delight, his eyes widened even further with several more tourists trying to flee.

He was eating good today.

Baragon unleashed an excited roar, taking several more steps towards his prey, getting ready to sink his teeth into their tender flesh once more. Instead, he felt an object detonating in his jaw, blowing up a few of his teeth on the right hemisphere of his mouth.

Blood and teeth scattered around the trail while Baragon let out a blood curl cry, rocking back and forth from the painful attack. The Subterranean Terror snapped his head upwards to see a red and silver jet circling around, getting ready for another attack. Baragon charged up his magma ray, desperately wanting to shoot it down for ruining its appetizer, but was hit with a laser, sending a long streak of char over his back.

The red beast unleashed a cry from the scorching pain, swinging his head around to face the other jet above him. He planted his feet on the ground, looking directly at the hovering craft before him. He gritted his remaining teeth, intending to jump right into the assaulting aircraft. Baragon knew the collision was gonna hurt, but he didn’t care. The plan would at least get rid of one of the aggressors that interrupted his precious meal.

Baragon nearly felt his limbs pushing up, however, four rockets collided into his body, detonating on the right. He let out another frustrated cry as the two jets fired off their arsenal at him once more. Baragon was fortunate as he allowed his limbs to push off the ground and to land on the other side of the canyon.

The Subterranean Terror shook his head in frustration. These attacks were more powerful than the tanks he encountered just hours before. He knew he could hunt them in a given span of time, but knew it’d only be an exhausting one. One that would make him vulnerable. Baragon quickly scanned his surroundings, trying to find a suitable means of escape. He looked upwards to the snowy mountain several miles away and let out a small snarl.

It was his only means of escape, or would at least give him the vantage point to properly fight these aggressors on his terms. Baragon picked up his legs and bolted through the trees standing in his way. He briefly considered burrowing to the mountainside, but it was time he didn’t have the luxury of as the aggressors were still firing their entire arsenal at him. Baragon just hoped he could make it to the mountain to feast another day as those little humans were incredibly appetizing.

“Ground team, do not lose sight of him!” Captain Ryu Ibuki commanded over the intercom of Arrow 2, hovering behind the fleeing kaiju, as he continued to fire the laser at Baragon.

“Yes, sir!” Fumio Kishida answered, firing off one last rocket before piling in the MAT car with the rest of the ground team. The car navigated through the tough terrain as best as it can, as everyone kept their eyes peeled on the running Baragon as he was still being bombarded.

“Go,” Ibuki said into the radio.

Hideki Go focused on the attack, but heard the voice of his superior. He took a small breath in. Go knew the captain had a task for him in mind, the one that always spearheaded the entire operation into success.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if he knew.”

Go pressed on the intercom button. “Yes?”

“I’ll keep pushing the target towards the mountain, but I want you to speed ahead towards the mountain and launch a surprise attack,” ordered Ibuki plainly.

Go hesitated momentarily, wandering about the additional damage that would be done if he disobeyed the order. He considered requesting just to remain here and to finish Baragon off here and there, but shook his head. Go knew Ibuki would just chew him out and possibly reprimand him for disobeying orders.

The Ultra host gripped his hands tighter on the controls. “Acknowledged.”

The MAT Arrow zoomed over the forested landscape and circled around the base of the mountain, waiting for the target to arrive. All the while he could hear Baragon’s screams of anguish followed by the explosions.

“Stay focused, Go. We’ll put an end to this conflict. We always do.”

Go titled his head up in surprise.

That voice.

He only heard it once in a while. Only when he or the person he now shared a body with was in danger. To any other person, it’d be unnerving, possibly soul shattering, but for Go, his body went completely calm.

There were no more doubts.

No more fear.

Just the two of them.

Him and Jack.

Go pulled upwards on the throttle, firing the jet upwards to the higher levels of Mount Myoko. He relied more heavily on the radar as his eyesight could barely make out the battle below him as he saw Baragon jumping out of the trees and onto the snowy base of the mountain.

Missiles detonated once more on the creature’s attack, eliciting another pained scream. Baragon had arrived at his planned destination and knew it would at least deter some of his attackers from being able to harm him. The Subterranean Terror planted his claws into the mountain and pulled him up, with each climb getting him closer and closer to a safe distance from the ones attacking him on the ground.

Baragon let out another roar, feeling another laser strike him on the side. His right hand lost its grip on the mountain, causing him to slip a few feet. Terror sparked in his very core as the fall would spell certain doom for him. The initial collapse would very likely kill him and if he did survive, he’d be at the mercy of the MAT forces. It was a fate he did not wish to experience.

Finding the strength in his body, Baragon lifted his right hand back up and dug into the side of the mountain. He climbed several feet up, getting higher and higher up.

ZOOM!

The sound of the Arrow 1 raced in, firing several missiles at the climbing kaiju, unleashing a series of screams as they all detonated against his flesh. Blood oozed out from his wounds, painting the once peaceful looking snow into a pulpy mess.

Go circled around for another attack, firing off the gatling gun as the bullets pelted against Baragon. His hold on the mountain was getting weaker and weaker, but he saw he was nearing a spot where he could regain his footing, a chance to fight on equal or even greater ground.

Baragon slammed his front paws on the surface of the safe spot he was looking for and planted himself on it. He nearly collapsed from his wounds, but reminded himself it would only lead him to death. The Subterranean Terror looked up to see his attackers circling around, letting out a small sigh of relief as his gamble worked. Several of his attackers could no longer follow him up this far.

Now, he could focus on the process of elimination.

Baragon unleashed a magma ray, with a fiery beam erupting from his maw and towards the Arrow 2.

Ibuki zipped his craft out of the way, letting a heavy breath out over nearly being cooked alive by its beam. He steered his craft around, readying to fire at the reddish beast, but Baragon was already two steps ahead. He let out a mighty roar of defiance, pressing his feet against the side of the mountain and launched himself at the approaching aircraft.

The MAT captain harshly swung the throttle to the left, narrowly avoiding the kaiju’s attack once more. Ibuki nearly lost control of the craft, regaining control of the situation momentarily while Baragon landed on the next level of the mountain, causing feet of snow to pour down the edge.

The rest of the MAT team arrived at the base of the mountain watching as Baragon unleashed another flame breath at the harassing aircraft. Yuriko Oka, the team’s communication officer, grew increasingly concerned over her comrades’ safety as they were taking the bulk of the monster’s attention, and immediately pulled out her communicator.

“Captain! Go! The two of you are not going to last long against Baragon like that,” she reasoned, pausing to take a breath as she looked at the rest of the team stationed with her. “What are your orders?”

“Go and I can handle the beast up ahead. What I need for you is to prevent it from coming back down,” ordered Ibuki, keeping his eyes peeled on the still stationary Baragon.

“But captain….” Yuriko almost uttered, but Takeshi Minami placed his hand on her and smiled.

“It’ll be okay. Go and the Captain always come through,” he spoke, ushering in a sense of warmth and reassurance in his voice.

Yuriko was still apprehensive about the strategy, but Minami alleviated her worries. He was always there to make sure everyone was at ease whether it was on duty or off duty, and he always succeeded. She was envious of his ability to be a people pleaser or at least his ability to lie. Nonetheless, she appreciated him for his caring nature and gave him a nod.

“And besides, we’ll be laughing about this when this is all over,” Minami pointed out, earning a chuckle from her.

“That’s cute, you two, but…..” Kishida trailed off, gaining their attention as he then fired a rocket almost abruptly, earning the rest of the team to jump in shock. “The heart-to-heart can come later, we got a job to do.”

“That we do!” Minami called out, following suit by firing his rocket at the distant Baragon.

The rockets crashed into the distracted Baragon, earning a loud cry of annoyance. He snapped his head towards the source of the attack and noticed that group of ants were still pursuing him. Baragon snarled at them, but had no choice but to continue climbing as another wave of projectiles were soaring towards him.

Baragon dug his claws onto the mountain and picked up the pace, ascending the mountain side. Go and Ibuki kept up the pursuit, unloading every piece of ammunition they could at their target. The chase went on for minutes as Baragon neared the peak of the mountain, slamming his front claws onto the surface of it, feeling the cold snow melt against his warm hands.

Both Arrows swung around as the pilots didn’t usher any commands towards each other, but instead knew what to do. Go and Ibuki unleashed the volley of missiles and lasers at the now standing Baragon while he looked them dead on.

The Subterranean Terror braced himself for the impending pain, but remained firm in his plan of attack. The lasers cut into his shoulder, with blood immediately shooting out like a gun while the missiles pelted his stomach, as if polka dots were painted on him. Baragon nearly choked out from the suffering he endured, but held on, charging up another flame breath as the two got closer.

The Arrows zoomed in, readying to make another attack when Baragon felt his insides raging with fire. The kaiju opened his maw and fire rushed out, immediately coating the Arrow 2 in flames.

“Captain!” Go shrieked out, narrowly avoiding the flames while he watched the Arrow 2 burst into flames as it was sent crashing down the precipice of the mountain.

“Captain? Captain!” Go immediately cried out, desperately trying to get a response from his superior. His body felt numb while his stomach turned to knots, fearing the worst. The Ultra host knew he was capable of handling any situation, but something told him it wasn’t going to be like that this time.

“Go.”

“Ibuki!” screeched the pilot, his thoughts catering towards his wife and daughter. Ibuki rarely showed it, but he and the rest of the team knew the love he had for his family. Now, they were without him. A husband, a father, and a good man.

Go trembled, the controls of the craft followed suit, forcing the aircraft to slowly lose its altitude. Hideki was starting to lose sight of it all. His throat became clogged, becoming harder and harder for him to breathe while his body exhumed sweat.

“I can’t lose,” gasped Go, pressing down on the throttle, aiming the Arrow 1 directly at Baragon.

Baragon’s maw brewed orange as his teeth were cleansed with its own flames, staring directly at the opposing craft zooming towards him. Soon, this whole ordeal would be over and he could go back to his delicious meal.

“Go. Please.”

“I can’t lose anymore! Not after what happened!” screamed Go at the top of his lungs, holding down the missile launcher, priming it, but not yet releasing it. Ibuki was, despite their differences, someone Go immensely looked up to as if he were a member of his own family. And today was the start of not being able to take it anymore.

“Go, no!”

Hideki ignored the cry in his mind, pressing harder on the controls, inching closer and closer towards his target while Baragon shot out his magma breath. The Arrow 1 was instantly coated with the searing flames as the engines immediately began to falter. Go, on the other hand, kept his grip tighter than ever, keeping the aircraft steady as it was just a short distance away. He was tempted to close his eyes, to know what quiet was like, even for a moment, but deep down, he knew he didn’t deserve that peace.

“At least you’ll be free,” Go murmured, keeping his eyes focused on Baragon as the Arrow 1 collided into Baragon, immediately eliciting an explosion. The blast sent Baragon reeling backwards, unleashing a cry of agony while he rolled around from the flames scorching his stomach.

Then, a blinding light was casted out, forcing the wounded kaiju to avert his eyes. Despite the pain he was still enduring, Baragon’s gut told him that this was far from over. He slowly got up to his feet and turned around.

What he saw shocked him to his very core.

Tiny flames rained down mixing with the pure white snow while a silver and red giant stared at him. Unlike the ants and their craft, this figure didn’t invoke annoyance, but fear. He wanted to run and he knew he was outmatched, but there was nothing he could do until this newcomer was dealt with.

Baragon immediately let out a roar and leapt out the figure, but Ultraman Jack put his hands together and shot out the signature Spacium Beam. Blue energy emerged from his hands and collided into Baragon, causing his body to erupt in sparks while he let out a cry of agony.

Ultraman Jack wasted no time, jumping up in the air and sending himself careening down towards Baragon. The Ultra sent his hand forward, unleashing the powerful Ultra Chop onto the collarbone of Baragon, shattering it.

The Subterranean Terror bawled out, feeling the afflicted bone breaking apart. He felt his entire body waning, knowing full well he’d only last for a few more minutes at best. Baragon had to think fast as he saw Jack moving his hand back once more. Rearing his head back briefly while Jack’s moved closer, Baragon sent his head forward, his horn immediately stabbing into his chest.

Jack ceased his attack and screamed out while he stumbled back several feet, dragging Baragon who still kept his grip on him. The Terror then dug his claws into Jack’s body, eliciting more yells of pain as small, narrow beams of light peered out of his body.

The fire brewed in Baragon’s body once more as it traveled up to his maw and without a second thought, he let it all out on Jack, searing the entirety of his chest. Jack felt his body starting to weaken from his foe’s sudden reemergence. He needed a way to escape the creature’s hold and like a lightbulb turning on, he found it.

His bracelet flashed as he reached over across Baragon and threw it up in the sky. The bracelet exploded, turning into several needle-shaped beams raining down on to the kaiju, piercing him in the back. Baragon ushered out a cry of agony, allowing Jack to elbow the monstrosity’s neck, sending him stumbling down a few feet away from him.

The needles dispersed and transformed back into his bronze bracelet, securing itself back on his wrist. However, it wasn’t secured for long as Jack immediately snatched it off his wrist and threw it at Baragon, detonating upon impact. The blast sent Baragon skyhigh as he soon crashed face first into the snowy mountainside.

Jack watched Baragon struggling to get up, determined to continue fighting all for food. He had never seen such tenacity in a kaiju before, much less already survived two of his bracelet’s moves. By now his foe would be vanquished and he would be flying towards the sky. Here, it was far different.

His timer flashed red, its light coloring the increasing amount of snow that fell past him, as if blood was raining down from the sky. The battle was slowly turning into a nightmare.

He had to end this here and now.

Flames erupted once more out Baragon’s mouth, heading directly towards the seemingly distracted Jack. Despite being stuck deep in thought though, he caught it just time, summoning forth the Ultra Defender. A powerful red and silver shield with a bronze diamond plastered on it, strong enough to deflect any beam thrown at it. The flames collided with the shield, forcing the flames to be parted, completely missing their intended target.

Baragon nearly cocked his head in shock at how he couldn’t believe the giant was able to summon anything from will. This distraction cost him, however, as Jack swung the shield sideways and threw it at him. The shield zoomed across the mountainside and collided with his head, shattering his horn on impact. His once mighty horn crumbled into pieces, becoming one with the snow he stood on.

Screams emerged from his gullet as Baragon covered the stump where his horn used to be, trying to nurse it as best as he could. Jack, on the other hand, didn’t give him the opportunity. The Ultra lunged at the reddish kaiju and unleashed a volley of punches and kicks. Each one, more damaging than the last.

Ultraman Jack chopped Baragon’s stomach with his right hand, earning a choking response, forcing the kaiju to spit up blood. All the while, with his left hand, Jack sent it down on top of Baragon’s head, cracking his skull.

Baragon’s vision began to go static like a TV losing reception, as he struggled to keep up with Jack’s advances. He swiped forward, but Jack easily dodged the feeble attack as the Ultra unleashed a kick, sending the beast crashing down on his back.

The weakened Subterranean Terror wheezed, feeling his entire body beginning to shut down with multiple broken bones and the blood oozing from his body. He was done for as he lifted his head up weakly to see the bracelet lighting up once more.

A sword materialized in Jack’s hands, pointing it directly towards him. Baragon gulped, feeling the blade inching closer and closer towards him. Despite his body heating up, more so than usual, he couldn’t muster up the strength to let out another flame breath.

Jack reared his arm back to strike as the cold, unforgiving wind picked up, swishing past the Ultra, as if it were trying to make contact with Baragon. The creature felt the cold make contact with his burning body. He felt a sensation he never felt before. It didn’t rejuvenate nor weaken him, but allowed him one last trick. One even he didn’t know about.

The wind, once mild, picked up, becoming a strong turbulence forcing Jack to stop momentarily. He wondered why the wind was picking up far greater than usual and why it was affecting him, but couldn’t ponder it for long as he felt himself losing his footing. Within seconds, Jack collapsed to his knees, only to be saved by the Ultra Lance being firmly slammed into the ground.

Jack looked up to see Baragon’s stomach going up and down, almost matching the rhythm of the turbulence before them. His hand tightened on the handle of the lance, pulling it out, but it only proved to be a mistake as he felt himself being sent flying forward by the still present wind.

With his free hand, Jack lashed out and grabbed a hold of Baragon in an attempt to stop this powerful wind. Unfortunately, all it did was push them closer to the edge of the mountain, with Jack laying face first onto the snowy surface. He shook his head briefly and slightly jumped back in surprise at seeing the precipice below him. Several pointy rocks greeted him from the bottom of the mountain.

Jack, regaining a small sense of composure, glanced at Baragon who fared far worse than him. Despite his weakened form, he held onto the edge with one claw. Jack, at this point, knew he was no longer Baragon’s worst enemy, but his own as the winds were still keeping him down.

His color timer was beeping rapidly, signaling his time was nearly over. Jack huffed, finding the sound to be annoying. He forced himself to crawl towards Baragon, intending to end this once and for, but with each advancement, his mind flashed towards a memory.

A memory of not his own.

He saw two people hiking on a mountain similar to this one. One child and the other an adult. The memories jumped rapidly as the two were enjoying a warm meal on a couple of rocks under a tree overlooking the lush, green valley. The two climbing effortlessly over a rocky mountain. Then, finally the two of them were laughing over something he couldn’t comprehend.

“Father and son….”

Then, all hell broke loose in his mind.

The mountain they were on shook as rocks were sent hailing down the entire area. Several of them hit the son, immediately causing him to collapse. The father cried out in horror towards his son, but he couldn’t do anything as the rumbling cost him his footing and soon after, fell.

Jack felt his entire body seemingly being transported away from the snowy mountainside and onto the rocky landscape he had just witnessed. The Ultra snapped his head in all different directions, trying to figure out what exactly was going on as he heard a child scream out.

“Dad!” the young boy hollered out, bolting towards his father, fighting against the quake.

Jack was perplexed, not knowing what the kid was trying to do as he couldn’t see the boy’s father anywhere. However, the child planted himself on his stomach, ignoring the sharpness of the rocks, reaching his hand down towards the edge of the cliff.

His heart raced forward at the sight of the child starting to tip over the cliff. Jack raced towards the child, desperately wanting to avoid another death.

“No! No! No!” Jack screamed out, crashing down next to the child. He reached for the terrified kid, wanting to put him out of harm’s way and risk his own life instead, but it was all for naught. His hands went through him as if he were a ghost.

Jack was at a loss, staring at his hand.

“Am…. am I dead?” Jack bemused, moving his hand towards his own body. Instead of it going through him, it just rested against his chest. His breathing became more and more hushed, terrified at what was happening.

He couldn’t understand what was going on.

“Hideki!” a voice belonging to an older man cried out, snapping Jack’s attention towards the edge of the cliff.

Jack looked down to see a man he recognized just moments before. The father looked up at his son, tears welling in his eyes, but kept a look of confidence up.

“Dad!” the kid cried out, wrapping his tiny hands around his father’s hand, attempting to lift him up.

“Hideki, you have to listen to me!” his father called out, snapping Jack’s attention back to the struggling child.

“Go….. was this you?” the Ultra stammered out in shock, feeling his stomach turn into knots on the very sight before him.

“I can lift you up. Just hold on!” Hideki cried out, using every muscle in his body to pull his father.

“Hideki! You can’t lift me up. You have to save yourself,” Go’s father called out, tightening his right hand on his son’s hands. Not to save himself, but to feel him one last time.

“Don’t say that! I can get you out of here. You taught me to be strong and I’m stron…..”

“No!” Go’s father cut him off abruptly, forcing the child to go motionless as he stared at his father. “Hideki. I know you’re strong, but you can’t fix this. My left arm is broken and if you try to pull me up, you’ll only go down with me.”

Tears poured out of Go’s eyes at the dark reality he was now facing. He didn’t want to believe it. He refused it. Every fiber of his being shook, feeling a sense of adrenaline coursing through his entire body. He reinforced his grip on his father as his face turned red.

“NO!!!!!!” Hideki screamed out at the top of his lungs, defying his father’s orders as he pulled with all of his might. Despite it all, his father only felt his son starting to be dragged down with him and any moment now both of them will be tumbling down into the abyss.

His father took a deep breath in, planting his feet onto the side of the mountain. He looked at his son’s distraught face, desperately doing everything he could to save him. He smiled at him, knowing full well he was going to do amazing things and be a good man at that.

“Hideki, I love you,” he spoke, his feet letting go of the side of the mountain as he dug his nails deep into his son’s arm, eliciting a cry of pain. Hideki’s grip began to falter as his mouth trembled.

“Dad!” Jack shrieked out, launching his hand forward, grabbing a hold of him. With the feel of contact, he closed his eyes momentarily knowing he was able to save a life. Jack breathed out in relief for a few seconds before opening his eyes once more.

His heart sank.

It wasn’t Go’s father he saved, but instead the kaiju he was fighting. Jack stared at the dangling Baragon, unable to comprehend what he just experienced. He was seemingly in a different world the moment before and now back into the one he lived in.

“How? What is happening to me?” Jack quivered, feeling his grip weakening, but for reasons he couldn’t explain to himself, kept his hold on Baragon firm.

CRUNCH!

Jack screamed out as Baragon sunk his jaws into his arm, allowing light to shoot out of his afflicted limb. Thoughts about Go and his father ceased as they returned back to the battle at hand. Jack shot Baragon a glare as without even giving it a second thought, he raised the Ultra Lance up in the air and sent it swinging down. Like a knife against hot butter, the lance cleaved through Baragon’s arm with ease, sending him plummeting down the mountain.

As if on cue, the turbulence ceased and the mountainside became quiet. Jack allowed himself to breathe before sitting down, taking a moment to assess the area around him. He knew things were worse on the surface from Baragon’s attack, but a part of him didn’t want to look down. Yet, it was his job to make sure the threat was dealt with.

His body began to shake as he crawled towards the edge. Jack titled his head down and scanned the bottom only to find blood splattered everywhere. What Jack saw next, nearly made him paralyzed. Baragon’s entire body was impaled by those pointy rocks he saw earlier, with one going directly through his back and out his stomach. While another was even worse. Another went straight through one of his eyes as it ripped his face apart, nearly severing it in half.

The kaiju he had just fought was virtually unrecognizable. Never before did Jack feel sick at the sight of a dead kaiju. He shouldn’t be feeling this way. It went against everything he was taught or even believed in.

“Why? Why am I becoming like this?”

Jack slowly got up to his feet as the color timer was beating even more rapidly. The Ultra got ready to fly up into the sky when he noticed red on the palm of his hands. Upon closer inspection, he realized what it was.

“Blood.”

Jack started to breathe rapidly while his legs started to buckle in on themselves. He needed to know why things were starting to happen the way they are now, but he couldn’t do it now.

His time was up.

The Ultra shot up into the sky, flying directly towards space. He needed to know why his and Go’s thoughts were becoming intertwined.

“Go, what is wrong with us?”

 

Chapter 4: The “Champions” of the Festival

With the slide of the buttons in the holes, Go tugged on his blue buttoned-up shirt. He looked up to see the reflection of the mirror in front of him, staring back at himself. The battle he partook in left him unscathed. No broken bones, no loss of blood, not even a scar. Yet, so many others lost their lives and one in particular paid the price for it.

He gripped the bathroom counter, as his whole body was shaking. Go continued to stare at his own reflection, watching as it slowly morphed into something vile and disgusting. The skin of his reflection turned a dark red while the room around him went pitch black.

“Everyone you come across is only in for a world of hurt.”

Go gagged while his grip got tighter and tighter as pieces of the counter crumbled towards the floor. He snapped his head up to his reflection forming a sinister grin on his face while horns slowly protruded from his head.

“You think you were a hero trying to save the world by strangling a child?”

“No….” muttered Go, buckling down to his knees, with his entire body collapsed.

“Your teammates could have solved every invasion in an instance if you weren’t there trying to make it all about yourself.”

“Stop,” breathed the Ultra host. “Please.”

“Go!” a distinct voice called out, nearly snapping Hideki’s attention away. “There’s no one here! This isn’t real!”

Hideki, following the voice, started to pick himself back up, but only saw the face of a devil in the mirror. The reflection’s nefarious grin shot daggers into his very soul.

“Oh. This very much is real. All the mistreatment you caused towards everyone is coming back to swallow you whole, and every failure of your pathetic life is just the cherry on top.”

The Ultra host’s grip on the counter broke off, taking the chunks of it with him as he fell completely on his back. The light in the bathroom shut off, swallowing him in complete darkness until flames surrounded him as the devilish figure stood before him.

“Jiro is going to become an even bigger piece of shit than you because of your examples and Aki will be nothing more than a poor, soulless creature from your years of abuse!”

“ENOUGH!” a voice screamed out.

The devil faded away with the darkness as the bathroom light was turned back on, basking him in its light. Then, the silver and red giant he bonded with over a year ago materialized. Jack stood before him as Go simply stared at him, his stomach turning in knots.

“Go, this is not your fault.”

Jack lowered his hand down towards Go as he gazed at it.

That fear he had just seconds ago was gone but in its ashes, anger rose above it. He swatted the Ultra’s hand away, but instead went right through it as he picked himself up.

“The hell do you know?” he angrily muttered out, picking up the broken pieces of the counter and throwing them away.

“Go, the memory of your father….” Jack tried to speak up but it only earned him another glare from his host.

“I’m aware you saw my memory, but that gives you no right to pry and start asking about my life whenever you feel like it!” barked Go, taking a step forward and raising a fist towards the red and silvery figure.

“I understand you’re angry…”

“Bullshit.”

“More than you.” Jack solemnly spoke, lowering his head down as if the same guilt was starting to infect him.

Go crossed his arms, keeping his glare focused on the pure white eyes of Jack. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

“Your father. He…. was not angry at you or viewed you as a monster. He just wanted you to live…”

“You…. dare say something like that!?” Go snapped, taking another step forward while his whole body shook rapidly, jabbing his finger right through Jack’s hollow body. “You only witnessed that memory as a movie! One you’ll never likely see again! I have to live through that memory every single goddamn day of my life! Don’t tell me how he or I felt on that day!”

“Go, when he told you ‘you can’t lift me up’, he didn’t say it because he didn’t believe in you, but he said it because he would rather choose the option that guarantees your survival than risk you dying with him.” Jack explained, knowing it wasn’t what Go wanted to hear, but what he needed to hear.

Hideki’s body immediately began to shake even more, his blood boiling with rage while his left hand morphed into a fist. He shot his right arm forward, wrapping it around Jack’s empty neck, looking him dead in the eye.

“Get out!” snarled Go, reeling his left arm back.

“Go…..” Jack tried to speak up, but was cut off by his host.

“GET OUT!” Go shrieked out, nearly sending his fist crashing into the wall.

In a mere second, the Ultra vanished, leaving Go completely alone. Seeing how he disappeared, Hideki let both of his arms drop as he began to breathe rapidly. It was as if he went through the most exhausting fight of his life. Sweat drenched his entire body, staining his clothes while his knees began to buckle down again.

“Hideki!” Aki’s voice called out, forcing him to snap away from his thoughts and towards the footsteps. She was getting closer towards the bathroom and he was running out of time to create a facade.

Hideki wiped the sweat away from his forehead and took a deep breath in as Aki made herself known in the doorway. He glanced up at his girlfriend and was entranced by her beauty. She was draped in a light blue dress while a white coat hung over her shoulders. She stared at him, and to his misfortune, he could already tell she knew something was wrong with him.

“Hideki, are you okay?” Aki asked out, reaching for his shoulder.

“Yeah…. just slipped and snatched a piece of the counter off,” explained Go, nearly fumbling his words at the poor excuse he was conjuring up, so he wouldn’t be invaded by another person.

Aki briefly scanned the room, noticing the great deal of damage done to the counter and how two large chunks of it were ripped off. As if a large animal was the culprit of it. She looked back at her boyfriend and saw exactly what she suspected in his eyes.

The hurt.

The suffering.

“Hideki… please tell me. What’s wrong?” murmured Aki, wrapping herself around Go, pulling him with a tight embrace.

“Everything.”

It’s what he wanted to say. He wanted this to be over. For all of it to go quiet, but a part of him didn’t allow it. Instead, it forced him to not only answer, but to avoid it altogether.

“Is the festival still on?” Go simply asked, raising his arms around Aki’s body, returning the gesture.

Aki mentally cursed to herself, annoyed at how he was dodging the question. Especially when his entire body was spelling it out for her and yet, he wouldn’t open. She desperately wanted to call him out on it, to beg him to let her in. However, she was at an impasse. It would only get worse, particularly for Jiro.

“It is,” Aki answered, faking a smile in front of him.

“Right, I imagine I can’t get out of it,” Hideki attempted to joke, but deep down didn’t want to attend. Being around the people he cared about would only make it worse and would destroy their happiness with his presence.

“No!” Aki yelped out, playfully punching his shoulder. “Jiro has been wanting to spend time with you these past few days! You owe him.”

Go let out a deep breath of defeat, relinquishing his hold on his girlfriend. “Alright. Tell him I’ll be ready in a few.”

“Okay,” Aki complied, letting go of him and turning towards the living room. Before she could make it out though, she turned around. “It’s okay if you ever need to talk. I’ll always be there for you.”

She was just like Jack. Wanting to do everything she can to ease his pain when in reality it’d only bring her pain. Unlike Jack, however, he couldn’t bring himself to yell at her.

Not this time.

“I know.”

It was the worst lie he ever said to someone.

And yet, it wouldn’t be the worst one for long.

******

The sounds of laughter and joy filled several city blocks as children ran around dressed up as their various favorite characters and playing with the toys their parents bought for them. All the while parents sat back and caught up with each other, enjoying the beautiful day before them.

Hideki, Aki, and Jiro arrived to watch the festivities teeming with life as the two siblings’ smiles grew wide with excitement. Go, on the other hand, kept his stoicism. He briefly glanced down at the two’s passion to make the most of the day, wishing he could join them in it. Instead, he turned back up to the celebration in front of him.

“What should we do first?” inquired Aki, snapping Go’s attention away from the crowd and towards his girlfriend smiling at both him and her brother.

“The toys! I really want to get my Anguirus!” Jiro exclaimed, taking a step forward, getting ready to bolt, but was held back by his older sister.

“Not so fast!” Aki joyfully said, letting go of the child. “We still have to wait for the others.”

“It’s good thing we’re here to the rescue then,” Minami declared, announcing himself to the three as he jumped up from behind. His smile rivaled Aki’s as he was overjoyed to be spending the festival with his closest friends.

Go turned around to see the rest of his comrades gathering around them. Rarely ever did he see them outside of their uniforms. Aside from the occasional dinner or bar visit with Minami and Oka, that was. Seeing them being able to already enjoy themselves was strange while he was still stuck in the mindset of the next mission.

The Ultra host faked a smile and greeted his entire team.

“Are we missing anyone else or are we ready to start?” Ippei inquired, constantly shifting between his friends and eyeing the local bar nearby.

“Waiting on four more people,” Yuriko answered, glancing over in the distance before returning her attention to friend. “You can wait a few more minutes to drink. Some of us will want to challenge you.”

“After these past few days, I could use a drink,” Fumio sighed, rubbing his hands together, now focusing on the bar.

“Then your first order for this celebration is to deliver me one,” a gruff, commanding voice ordered, coming up from behind the group, nearly startling them all.

Along with his wife and daughter, Ryu Ibuki stood proudly in front of his subordinates as he slowly walked towards them. Go was in complete awe.

“He’s alive? Are my eyes deceiving me?”

“Captain….” stumbled Go, his words trembling from his mouth.

“Ah, shocked to see me alive?” Ryu chuckled, patting his subordinate on the shoulder. “That red pipsqueak wasn’t gonna be the death of me, but I know another that will.”

Ibuki motioned his head towards his daughter who immediately caught on. Her face grew bright red and became angry at her father teasing her. “Hey!”

Her father laughed, harder than any of his subordinates have ever heard. Jiro, on the other hand, jumped in. “Hi, I’m Jiro. What’s your name?”

The girl’s face turned over to the boy next to her and smiled at him. She couldn’t help but admire his longer hair black hair that reached his jaw bones and with the friendliest face she had seen.

“Minako,” she answered, still keeping her gaze on him and her face remaining red as well. Not from embarrassment from her father, but of the new acquaintance she just made.

Jiro felt the same as he stared at her pigtails as she was draped in a white shirt with red overalls over them. His heart beat rapidly as Aki grew a smirk on her face, knowing all too well what was going on.

“Young love. That’s all too familiar.”

Aki turned her attention back to her boyfriend, reminiscing about their first days together and how he was overjoyed with everything he did. Now, he was plagued by all he had been through and she didn’t even know what it was. All she could do when she saw him was watch him become a shadow of his former self just by keeping his silence.

Go did, however, quivered. “Captain, how did you survive?”

“Hm?” Ryu turned around to face his subordinate. “I was able to eject before the fire melted my craft. It was a nasty fall, but nothing serious.”

Hideki let out a small sigh of relief, just out of earshot from everyone. His guilt about the incident began to lift, knowing someone dear to his heart was alive and yet, like a black hole, it pulled it back down. Go couldn’t help but feel he could have done more to prevent all of this. To prevent MAT from losing two of their most valuable assets and to prevent a family from being worried sick.

Before he could trail off, Ibuki spoke up with his gruff, commanding voice. “I’m saying this just once for tonight.”

Go stood firm, taking his usual stance whenever there was a debriefing as the rest of his comrades around him giggled at the sudden change of demeanor. Ibuki knew Go was feeling distressed over it and didn’t want his mood to be soured over a celebration like this. This portion of the job was harder than fighting kaiju, but he knew the responsibilities when he took this job.

“Hideki, I am ordering you to have a good time tonight. Do not think about work, kaiju or even the next day. Everyone here wants you to enjoy yourself,” commanded Ibuki, keeping himself firm in front of Go.

Go shook his head. “Of course, sir.”

Ibuki smiled as he turned around towards everyone else. “Good, or else I’m ordering the rest of you to get Hideki liquored up!”

“Yes, sir!” Ippei cheered.

“A way to make Go act silly? Count me in,” Fumio added, smirking at his friend.

Go couldn’t help but shake his head while smiling ever so slightly. Getting liquored up did sound like a good idea to him, but he had to keep a clear mind to take Aki and Jiro back home. Nonetheless, a small sense of hope began to rise.

“This…. Can this be a good day?”

“Hideki!” Jiro hollered out, immediately snapping Go from his thoughts. He snapped his head down towards the child as he was tugging on his arm. “Let’s get Anguirus.”

Go’s mouth quivered. “Of… of course.”

Jiro bolted off towards the kiosk as Go and Aki followed shortly. Not even giving them a second to pause, the child’s eyes lit up like a Christmas tree as he grabbed a hold of several of the toys, wrapping them up around his body.

“Anguirus!” Jiro excitedly exclaimed, snatching up his pride and joy from the shelf as his eyes then darted over to a Telesdon figure. “Ooh!”

He went over to reach for it, but another hand came across it, grabbing a hold of it as well. “Hey!” Jiro nearly snapped, but realized who the culprit was.

Minako glanced up at Jiro, realizing they had their hands on the same toy. “Is Telesdon your favorite?” inquired Jiro, slowly loosening his grip on the toy.

She nodded.

Jiro hummed ever so slightly, letting go of the figure almost instinctively. “You can have it.”

The young girl titled her slightly, confused by his willingness to allow her to have the figure. Minako nearly stammered out, “Why… did you let go?”

A sense of guilt slowly crept on her as she had a feeling of disappointment over the boy’s face at having to relinquish a toy he was interested in. She soon followed it up while inching the toy closer to the boy. “Don’t you want it, though? You saw it first.”

“Nah,” Jiro answered proudly as Minako nearly took a step back.

“Huh?”

“He’s your favorite, so it’s only right you get to have him,” Jiro declared, gently pushing the Telesdon figure back towards her as he then changed his focus on a different toy, brandishing it in front of her. “Besides, I already got Anguirus.”

“Thank you,” Minako huffed out, feeling grateful over Jiro’s kindness. She couldn’t help but feel something brewing for him. The two without any hesitation, found it in themselves to discuss more about their interests. “How do you feel about Pigmon?”

“Ew!” Jiro nearly exclaimed, almost causing himself to lose his grip on the toys in his possession.

“Yeah, ew!” Minako mimicked, followed by laughter.

Hideki and Aki watched from a distance as she smiled at her little brother finding love while Go could only keep himself stoic. He was proud Jiro was making another friend, but already found himself on the cusp of him starting to worry. He knew Jiro was a great kid, but he was too focused on trying to be like him.

“The world doesn’t need another me.”

“Pride isn’t just about winning,” a voice declared, nearly startling the couple as they turned around to see to their surprise, Saburo Azuma. While barely standing taller than Aki, he still stood proudly in a white buttoned up shirt and blue shirts, as if he found a new lease on life.

“Sometimes you lose for pride.”

“Saburo?!” Go nearly exclaimed in surprise, feeling a small sense of happiness at seeing his old friend. “I thought you went back home?”

Saburo chuckled, wrapping his arms around the two as he soon patted them on the backs. “I did, but you inspired me, Hideki.”

“Inspired you?” stammered Go.

“Inspired? That’s not possible.”

“Hmm….” hummed Azuma, letting go of the hold on his two friends. “I started up a support group to help anyone who is in need.”

“Aw! That’s sweet!” Aki exclaimed, patting him on the arm. “How many people have you helped?”

“I get quite a few people a week,” he answered. “But, even if it’s only one person, that’s all that matters, because I know I’m making a difference in someone else’s life.”

“I just want to say I’m really proud of you. You’ve come a long way,” Aki congratulated him once more, subtly glancing over towards her boyfriend. Hideki helped him once, and perhaps he could return the favor. To give him closure for everything in his life.

“I need to talk to him when Hideki’s not around.”

“I’m glad I helped…. you then,” Hideki nearly tripped over his words. He felt pride in helping his friend. Perhaps before the incident with the Nackle, he’d feel overjoyed, however, he could only feign excitement.

“Hideki! You can’t take all the credit!” shouted Yuriko, trotting over the group.

“Oka? What are you talking about?”

“Ah! Yuriko!” Saburo greeted, wrapping his arms around her while he planted a kiss on her lips, immediately causing Go to nearly jump back.

“When did this happen?” inquired the Ultra host, keeping his eyes peeled on the couple.

“New Years,” answered Saburo, parting his lips from the MAT member.

“We met a little before that, but right before the countdown hit zero, he confessed to me and I said yes,” Yuriko chimed in, giggling at the memory playing in her mind.

“There’s more to this story and I need to know!” declared Aki, grinning at Yuriko, gushing at the love story before her. She had a weakness for romance, as she always begged Hideki to take her to the theater whenever a new movie was released. To her, it always represented the hope in this world as how the act would bring two people closer together, to make them whole.

Yuriko simply hummed in response while Saburo looked at Hideki once more. “I never got the chance to say this, Hideki, but thank you…. for everything. You really did help set me on the right path.”

“Bullshit. I just made you settle for something mediocre instead of achieving your dream.”

Instead, Go faked another smile. “Of course.”

“Minako,” Ryu called out, causing his daughter to turn her head over to him. “We’re grabbing something to eat.”

“But, I want to stay with Jiro!” she complained, turning her head back to him, the two of them immediately smiling at each other.

“She’s already obsessed with boys. Great.”

Ryu shook his head ever so slightly. “You can hang out with him in a bit, but first, dinner.”

“Yes, dad,” Minako complied, walking over towards her dad while he paid for her chosen figure. She took one last look at Jiro and smiled once more.

“I’ll find you when you’re done,” Jiro called out.

“I know you will, but come, let’s watch a movie first,” Aki spoke up, urging Jiro to enjoy himself at the festival. She was happy at him finding love at this amazing place, but it’s not the only thing he should focus on. Part of the reason was to bond with Hideki and the first step is to enjoy a movie together.

She looked back over at Yuriko and Saburo, and smiled. “Do you two want to join us for the movie? It can be a double date.”

“That sounds really nice,” Yuriko hummed while Saburo nodded his head.

Go, on the other hand, kept himself out of focus. He didn’t pay attention to the events that transpired, but instead felt himself lost in a void. A dark void that was dragging him in until a bright light engulfed him. Out of the darkness, came a brightly lit green city encased with futuristic buildings that looked like they came out of a science fiction film. The Ultra host felt himself plopped down on a random street, watching several red and silver figures walk past him.

“Where am I?” Go muttered in utter confusion as if no one was paying him any mind.

“Jack?” a concerned voice spoke up, forcing Go to jump around to find an Ultra with long silvery hair strolling towards him. He had no idea who she was, but at the same time, felt as if he’d known her for years. She had a very inviting and calm aura around her, almost as if he could see her smile at him.

Remi reached for him, nearly wrapped them around when her appearance warped into Aki. Go’s head immediately jerked back when he then noticed the green city melting away and transforming into the festival around him.

It was then he realized what he saw was just a memory.

“Hideki,” a concerned Aki spoke out, finally getting her boyfriend to snap out of it and place his focus onto her.

“What? I’m so sorry,” Go apologized, feeling himself breathing heavily as his hands tightened up.

“Are you okay?” whispered Aki, pulling herself closer, wanting to make him feel as safe and comfortable as she possibly could.

“Yeah, I just lost my train of thought for a second. What are we doing?” Go inquired, dodging her question once more.

“We’re seeing a movie right now,” she answered, resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

“That sounds nice, let’s go,” Hideki nearly fumbled as the group didn’t waste anymore time and went towards the theater. He went to follow them only for the whole around him to melt once more. It was replaced by the same green city he had just seen moments before and his loved ones replaced by four figures adorned in silver and red. All similar to Jack.

This time, however, he wasn’t standing in behind them, but instead from a distance. Then, to his shock, he saw Jack standing amongst them as if he was engaging in some sort of banter with them.

“I hear the zoo is just running with tons of new creatures!” Taro excitedly exclaimed, turning around to face his loved ones while walking backwards, naming them all off.

“Kaiju always excite you, don’t they?” inquired Beth, perplexed by her new friend’s attitude towards seeing animals being put on display.

“You should hear him back at base. He goes on non-stop,” Seven chimed in.

“What? I love seeing what they can do!” Taro defended, pumping his fist up in the air while Remi simply chuckled at her nephew’s antics.

“You really don’t mind the way he’s acting?” Jack inquired, turning towards his girlfriend while they locked their hands together.

“It’s cute,” Remi contended, tightening her grip on Jack’s hand. “And besides, it’s preferable to hearing Ace’s complaints.”

“On that we can agree on,” Jack huffed, pausing before taking a look back at Taro naming every creature he could to Beth and Seven. “At least he’s been understanding about us.”

“He’s got Ken’s brain and Marie’s heart. He sees love for what is. No matter the difference,” Remi explained, following her beloved’s example, watching the three converse before them. “Despite their shortcomings; I’m proud of them both.”

“Are you including Ace or is there another niece or nephew I don’t know about?” Jack jokingly asked, earning a chuckle from Remi.

“Of course I’m proud of Ace. He’s a handful, but he’s still willing to do what’s right. He just needs time to figure it out,” Remi pointed out, despite disliking some of her nephew’s tendencies, particularly that of insulting her boyfriend.

“That sounds motherly,” Jack responded, following it up with a smirk and raising his eyes upwards. “Any plans I should know about?”

If she could blush, her face would shine brighter than any star in existence. Remi could barely feel herself move while her grip on Jack’s hand got tighter. “I…. I…. I never…. Well…”

Jack almost burst out laughing at her stumbling. It was the very first time he had seen her done it, however, he didn’t want to get the others involved. The Ultra then stepped closer to his partner.

“I’m only joking,” comforted Jack, rubbing her back with his free hand.

“Rude,” huffed Remi, annoyed at him putting her in a spot like this, however, she wasn’t opposed to the idea. She had only known Jack for a few years, but she saw something in him that was rare in people. One she loved most of all. “It’s not a bad idea…. for the future, that is.”

“You’re right,” Jack concurred, looking back up at the city, eyeing the many homes they passed filled with families bonding together through various activities. “It isn’t.”

“Let’s not talk about family life when we can look at bizarre animals instead,” Remi pointed out, rapidly going back to the nature of their outing.

“Of course,” Jack spoke, his foot reaching out when he felt himself frozen in place. He tried to budge only for nothing to happen. Instead, Remi continued moving forward, her hand phasing through his own. He began to panic when he saw no one paying attention to him, as if everything was still normal to them.

The Ultra commanded every fiber of his body to move, but nothing would obey his commands. All he could do was watch as his friends continued marching towards the zoo, not paying any attention to him whatsoever.

His mouth was the only piece of his body willing to follow his commands.

“WAIT!” Jack yelled out, sheer fear and terror echoed out of his vocal cords.

But it was not meant to be, as four others heeded his words. Aki, Jiro, Yuriko and Saburo all turned around, their faces all had matching expressions on them.

Concern.

Go stood in place, his hand reaching out for them. He breathed heavily, staring at their confused looks. The Ultra host only now realized what had just happened. He had experienced a memory of Jack’s, just as he did for him days before.

Hideki slowly lowered his hand, recognizing the situation as nothing but a reminder of a life he didn’t live. Yet, one that felt all too familiar.

“Nothing, just had something in my shoe….”

They turned around and made their way towards the theater while Go followed them. He was in complete disarray. He not only had to deal with his own memories constantly, but was now witnessing someone else’s in the process.

“I hope you know what’s happening to me,” Go whispered to himself.

“I really do not know,” Jack replied solemnly, his voice cracking ever so slightly.

The memory he had to experience was one of the happiest of his life, however, it was thousands of years in the past. He was far from it and knew it would stay like that.

******

“I hope we can play more often!” Jiro exclaimed to Minako while they were looking over their haul of collectibles they acquired throughout the day.

“Mhm! I’d like that!” she concurred, striking her Bullton figure into Jiro’s Gorosaurus toy.

“I think that can be arranged,” Aki chimed, smiling at Minako’s parents.

Yoko, Minako’s mother, mirrored the gesture. “I’d be happy to allow them to have another playdate.”

Ryu Ibuki on the other hand, frowned, suspicious at how close his daughter and Jiro were getting already. His family was very important to him, to the point where he dedicated his life to not only protect them, but his comrades from anything that would threaten them. The boy, despite looking harmless, was still a bit apprehensive.

Yoko noticed her husband giving them a frown, and immediately elbowed him to stop. He relented and finally gave his ruling. “I suppose it couldn’t hurt.”

“Yes!” the two kids shouted in unison, high-fiving each other.

“Oh! Have you seen Hideki? He disappeared right after the arcade,” Aki inquired, growing a bit worried how he wasn’t anywhere in her periphery.

He rested his palms on the railing, staring out at the brightly lit city contrasting with the dark night sky. Go allowed himself to breathe for a moment as he heard the silence starting to overtake the noises from around the celebration.

“I hope I’m not intruding,” Jack spoke up, materializing next to his host, mimicking his posture.

Go kept his eyes focused on the city. “When are you not?”

“Did you have fun today?”

Go paused. Despite the thoughts he had throughout the day, he felt content. Seeing his friends and family being themselves without any cares in the world was something that warmed his heart. Even if it was something he couldn’t do himself.

“I did, but….” Go answered, following up with another pause, briefly turning over to the Ultra. “It’ll be nothing more than a memory. One we can never experience again.”

“Go…..” Jack stammered, taking a step closer towards his friend.

Hideki fully turned his head around, directly addressing the Ultra. “But I suppose that’s something we share in common.”

“That memory you saw. It was one similar to today’s events,” replied Jack, with Go nearly rolling his eyes as they both simultaneously turned their gaze back towards the city. “Taro was lifting everyone’s spirits by telling jokes and teaching us about the variety of animals. It gave Beth the courage to be more open to making friends beyond me and two others, and Seven taught Taro and I some life saving techniques. Then……”

Jack felt himself pause as Go slowly turned his head back to him and saw him going completely silent. It was as if he was frozen solid by something bone chilling. For once, Go felt a small amount of concern. He’d never seen the Ultra flinch from anything until now. His mouth opened only to be cut off by Jack himself.

“It was the day when I confessed my love for Remi,” Jack nearly coughed up, the thought of that day making his very soul ache at how far he was. He hung his head down, looking at the ground below him as cars zipped past each other.

“I…. I’m sorry,” Go breathed out. If the same thing had happened to him and Aki, he’d no doubt be in his shoes. The fear of losing both her and Jiro was one that plagued him for years. He’d already lost Ken, who was like a brother to him, but the very thought of anything bad happening to them would kill him. Yet, he wanted them to be free to where he couldn’t harm them anymore.

“Your friends are coming,” Jack simply said, seemingly ignoring Go’s sympathies as he slowly dematerialized, leaving him to be completely confused.

“Hey! What are you doing out here?” Takei inquired, patting his friend on the back while he smiled at him.

“Just wanted to take a look at the city,” Go bluffed, smiling back at his comrade.

“I don’t buy it!” Yuriko called out, standing on the other side of Hideki, grinning. “You only sightsee when you’re hiking!”

“Of course,” murmured Go, letting go of the railing and turned toward his friends, standing on the opposite sides of him.

Takei let go of his friend, but kept his smile. “What are you really doing out here anyway, Hideki?”

“Just needed a breather I suppose,” Hideki answered, turning away from his comrade to look back at the brightly lit city. It was easier than the other lies he had told in the past few days, since there was a hint of the truth in his answer. A breather was what he needed.

Yuriko smiled, admiring the view Hideki was supposedly enamored with. “It is a nice view.”

“It is,” Go mumbled, allowing himself to be taken away from the hypnotic light once more as if his worries were dissipating.

“Best we appreciate it in case Seagorath and Seamons ever show back up,” joked Takei.

Yuriko snapped her head over to her friend and nearly barked in frustration. “Ah! Don’t remind me! My place nearly got flooded!”

“You think that’s bad? My favorite ramen bar went out of business because of that,” countered Takei, rubbing his stomach from the very thought of his favorite meal.

Go smiled.

“Both of you are complaining too much.”

“Huh?” Yuriko questioned, turning her attention away from Takei and back towards Hideki.

Minami raised an eyebrow. “Hideki, what are you on about?”

“A few weeks after that, I had to deal with Sartan!” Go laughed out loud for the first time.

Yuriko immediately choked, holding herself back from falling over while the memories of that abomination were swarming in her mind. “Are you trying to make me vomit?!”

“Hideki, what’s with the punches?” Takei joked, smiling at his friend, lightening up for once.

“What? That was the ugliest thing we’ve encountered!” defended Go, allowing the grin to stay on his face as he followed it up with another chuckle.

“But you didn’t need to remind me of it!” Yuriko hollered, firmly planting herself on the railing.

“To counter that,” Takei chimed in. “Sartan was fascinating ugly, but Bemstar was just incredibly hideous! He was a lot worse.”

Go snorted at his behavior. “And I thought you were the one with the moral high ground?”

“We all have our moments of weakness.” Takei shrugged.

“And out of all the monsters we fought, we had to encounter Bemstar and Seagorath twice,”
Yuriko pointed out.

“And that was right when the Nackle invaded,” added Takei.

Go’s heart stopped.

“No. Not again.”

The memories of that fateful day played back in his head.

A mangled corpse lay on the street as the ichor from it painted over the asphalt. Within seconds, the body decomposed, its peach like skin blending in with the plasma while the bones remained. A careful reminder of the victim that was before his very eyes.

“Ken.”

Down in a ditch, a woman barely clung to life, gasping for air. She struggled to reach the top and towards the messy street. Her very essence was fading away from her fragile body. The suffering woman looked up at Go with the last of her strength, pleading for him to save her.

Go stood frozen, commanding every fiber of his body to move. Instead, he felt himself pulled back by several hands. His eyes tilted down not only to find the culprits to be kaiju he stopped in the past, but ones belonging to humanity.

He felt himself dragged off away from the slowly fading woman who was trying to cry out for help. Darkness overwhelmed him as the hands wrapped themselves all around him, with the last thing he saw was the girl finally collapsing on the ridge. Tears came out of his eyes and finally found the strength to move his mouth.

“Aki!”

“Hideki!” Yuriko and Takei cried out, immediately snapping him out of the memory. His eyes zoomed all around to find himself no longer in the hell he was in, but instead, reality. Hideki took a moment to breathe as his eyes got adjusted to where he was, what surprised him, however, was that he was leaning halfway over the railing.

Go immediately jerked back, nearly falling over, but was saved by his comrades. They held onto him tightly, slowly raising him back. He snapped his eyes back at both of them, shocked to see how horrified they were.

“What happened?”

“Hideki, are you okay?” asked Yuriko, her voice nearly cracking, worried at seeing her dear friend seemingly lose control of himself.

“I……” The Ultra host tried to stammer out, but couldn’t find or even lie about an answer to give.

“Do you need Aki?” inquired Takei, turning head back to the rest of their group off in the distance enjoying the festivities, oblivious to the ordeal they were in.

“No…..” Hideki breathed, slowly raising himself back up as it just dawned on him why his partner would ask about his girlfriend.. “Why?”

“Because as soon as Yuriko said Nackle, you screamed her name out,” Takei clarified, causing Go’s eyes to widen once more at the very mention of that name.

Despite the trembling in his legs, Go gripped onto the railing as hard as he could, forcing himself to stand on his own. However, Yuriko and Takei’s hold was stronger, as they kept their hands on him.

“Hideki, if it’s about that day… you’re not alone,” Yuriko spoke softly, wrapping herself around him, doing her best to shelter him from any more pain. “I still have nightmares from having to confront nearly everyone in MAT because of what they did.”

“And it still hurts me knowing I tried to hurt one of the best people I have ever known,” Takei spoke, breaking the normally energetic tone in his voice to one of grief as it cracked with each word.

“It’s not that… it’s…..” Go struggled once more, trying to find another lie to take, but it was only getting harder and harder. They wouldn’t believe him and yet, he was trying everything to conjure up anything to get them off of him, because the truth only hurt so much more.

While his eyes zoomed around as if he was searching for something, Jack materialized next to him.

“Go. Please don’t make the same mistakes I did,” Jack quietly pleaded, taking another step towards him, placing his hand on his host’s shoulders and putting himself in the embrace of their MAT friends.

“Let someone in.”

“No…..” Go whispered so quietly that only the Ultra could hear it.

Jack lowered his head slightly, disappearing just a second after he gave his answer.

“Hideki…. Saburo has been helping Takei and I with our ordeals. It’s a good idea to talk to someone about what you’re going through,” Yuriko conveyed, making her words as comforting as possible.

Had it been with anyone else, it would have worked, but little did she realize, her friend was broken. “I’m not going to whatever you call therapy!”

Go shrugged off the hold his comrades had on him, gripping tighter and tighter on the railing. Minami stepped forward, his voice becoming a bit louder and yet trying to usher in a sense of security for his troubled friend. “And same goes with what happened to the Captain earlier. It wasn’t your fault and he’s okay. He even told you that himself.”

“Goddamnit! Don’t you think I know that!?” Hideki screamed out while he relinquished his hold on the barrier and turned around to face them, stunning them completely.

Immediately afterwards, he himself was frozen from the outburst as he saw them petrified. It was only then, did he take it too far. That fear he just invoked onto them only made him acknowledge even more what he truly was.

“I’m so sorry,” Hideki apologized, speedrunning through his words as he ran off, disappearing in the dark, ashamed at how he reacted. Knowing the exit to his problems was in front of him to where anyone could see it and yet he didn’t even budge towards it.

He was sick.

Sick of himself.

 

Chapter 5: The Prelude to Our Nightmares

“Right here! This is the spot!” a child gleefully pointed out to a lone tree in the middle of a park. His smile told everyone about his dedication, his duty to the craft as he turned around to face the other children approaching him, carrying a variety of equipment with them. “This is where we can shoot the climax of our movie!”

Setting the film camera down, the smaller child surveyed the area and frowned. He wasn’t sure about his friend’s idea for the location. It looked too plain, there was nothing exciting about it. “Are you sure you want this is where you want it to end, Hideki?”

“Of course, Zaou!” Hideki proudly proclaimed, admiring the view of the singular tree as the surrounding area was calm with not a sound in sight beyond the group.

“Hideki, I was thinking….” a taller kid spoke up, coming off as confident yet considerate. He knew how much these projects mattered to him, however, no matter what they would say, Hideki rarely ever took “no” for an answer. “I think it’s best if we change locations or at the very least scout around for other options.”

“Jouto, I don’t see the problem with this. It’ll be awesome!” countered Hideki, keeping his excitement, but deep down, felt irritation brewing inside of his stomach. He wondered why they were expressing doubts now at all times when they had discussed several times over.

“Hideki, we have plenty of time. If we take the time to….” Jouto attempted to voice out, but Hideki abruptly cut him off.

“We’re filming here! We’re doing it this way, because we wasted enough time already!” Hideki spoke out, his voice becoming louder and agitated over his friends making suggestions.

“I’m with Jouto,” Zaou murmured, forcing Hideki to snap a glare at him as he felt a shiver go down his back. “It really would be best if we took the time to consider our options more thoroughly.”

“It’s fine! Just set up the camera and we’ll go from there!” Hideki yelled out, seemingly ignoring the suggestions his friends made, completely standing his ground.

“Hideki! Not everything should go your way! This is a collaborative effort! You even said it yourself! Art isn’t made by just one person! We’re allowed to have input as well!” Jouto countered, taking one step forward while everyone else nodded in agreement.

Watching the collective nodding and hearing the words delivered by his friend shook Hideki to his very core. Then, as if it was transmitted to him, he began to shake, his feet vibrating on the ground while his face turned red. His hands morphed into his fists while his feet took two steps forward, forcing the vast majority of his friends to back up.

“We are doing it this way! We’re not just going here for nothing! As the director, all of you do as I say and…..” the shrieked out, forcing his friends’ bones to tingle in pure fear at the monster forming in front of them. For some, it was the scariest thing they had encountered while others felt nothing but pure hatred for this vile, disgusting human being.

Then, a voice countered it.

“Just stop!” Hideki screamed out, launching himself upwards from his bed. Without even contemplating what’s fully going on, he found himself breathing heavily while sweat dripped from his very body.

“Hideki!” Aki cried out, immediately waking up next to him and holding the still gasping Go. She felt herself tearing up, looking up at the terrified Hideki as he kept his eyes peeled straight ahead, not even looking down at her.

“Please…. It’s okay. You’re okay. You’re with me. I won’t leave,” pleaded Aki, trying to find the right words to calm him down while she tightened her grip around him.

Several minutes went by as his breathing started to slow, he felt himself no longer trapped in the nightmare he had just experienced, but in a room he shared with someone special. Hideki glanced down to see the still distressed Aki clutching him with all of her might.

It reminded him of the old friends he saw in that hell he just went through. He couldn’t even shake his head at the mess, knowing it was only starting to repeat itself yet again.

“Are you okay?” questioned Aki, rubbing his back trying to comfort him as best as she could.

“Just…. yeah…. just a bad dream is all…” Hideki trailed off.

“Hideki…” sighed Aki, eliciting a small frown, tired at his unwillingness to open up.

“It’s just when I was a child…. Things had to be my way or the highway…” paused Hideki, trying to find the right words to frame it. Not that it mattered, whatever route he chose would only make him out to be a monster and rightfully so. “I wasn’t a good person then and not one now. Even to the point where I got angry over people trying to suggest ways to make something better. It’s pathetic.”

Her heart sank. Not because of the confession he told her, but how low he thought of himself. This was the person she loved and wanted to spend the rest of her life with. It pained her hearing those words coming from him. Her mouth quivered, wanting to say something to refute that, but before she could, he cut her off.

“You probably think I’m a shitty person.”

“No,” Aki replied bluntly, frowning at him before continuing on with a more positive outlook on her face. “I don’t think you’re a bad person and there are several others who think the same way. Everyone makes mistakes.”

“Even if it hurts others?”

“And you’re regretting it now, right?” Aki pointed out, peeking through her boyfriend’s walls. She saw them faltering before her very eyes, how his very own began to water. The once stoic Go was starting to open up. Aki never wanted to see him cry, but to talk about it meant he was one step closer to being free.

“Yes….” Hideki answered, nearly feeling himself croak from the amount of guilt weighing him down. “But….. it’s too late for me.”

Her heart stopped for a moment, taken completely by surprise on what he just declared. Aki watched him as those very words departed his body. Saying it wrecked him, but for her, it was devastating. She wondered how someone who was a good person to the people he loved could say that.

“Why can’t you see what others see in you?”

Hideki raised his hand onto Aki’s cheek, caressing it slowly before getting up from the bed and exiting the room, leaving her alone. Once out of earshot, she immediately broke down.

Go rubbed his head while he stumbled into the kitchen, attempting to start up some coffee. Liquor or anything else sounded a lot better to take him away from his thoughts or even Jack showing up. Unfortunately for him, he was fresh out and had to settle for the next best thing.

He poured the next best thing in and waited when he heard an enthusiastic voice call out from the living room. “Godzilla did it!”

His eyes widened.

Jiro, while bright, was still very young and knew Godzilla wasn’t a being he could fully trust. The kid, like many others loved kaiju, wouldn’t fully grasp the reality of the situation. Fearing for their safety from the impending threat, Go bolted into the living room to find Jiro watching the news of Godzilla fighting against a monster with bright red eyes.

Its body was leaking with dark liquid as it waved its arms around while firing off a single crimson ray. The footage then switched to Godzilla pinning the slimy monster down to the ground as he fired an atomic ray at a giant wall before them.

“Godzilla, with the aid of JSDF, has vanquished the Smog Monster known as Hedorah, ending its reign of terror in the country. Many had lost their lives, but Japan and the whole world can rest knowing that the once terrifying King of the Monsters now known as man’s friend will defend his newfound allies,” a newscaster reported over the footage playing before their very eyes.

In the corner of Go’s eye, Jack materialized in the living room, standing right next to him. “Deathla……”

“What?” murmured Hideki, turning over to figure out what the Ultra was talking about.

“It’s over…..”

“Hideki, who are you talking to?” asked Jiro, hanging over the couch, raising an eyebrow at his friend.

“Huh?” Go replied, turning his head back to Jiro. He realized he talked to Jack while someone else was in the same room as he was. He mentally cursed at himself, but he already upsetted one person this morning, he couldn’t do that to another. “Just thinking out loud.”

“Oh,” Jiro acknowledged as he immediately followed it up with a smile. “Isn’t it cool that Godzilla destroyed that monster, though? Now we can call him a friend!”

“Yeah…. It’s cool,” Go simply replied.

“Say…. you think Godzilla and Ultraman could be friends?” inquired Jiro, keeping that big smile of his up. They were two of his biggest heroes along with Go himself and the very thought of the two of them teaming up together would be one of the best visualizations he could ever dream of.

Hideki turned to Jack, hoping he would give him an answer, but instead, found the Ultra continuing to stare at the footage playing on the television. He let out a sigh and turned back to Jiro.

“I guess anything can happen now if Godzilla is willing to change,” answered Hideki, glancing over at the footage as he saw a kid running towards the departing Godzilla.

“Godzilla, thanks again!” the kid happily cried out, waving at him like he was an old friend.

The King of the Monsters slowly turned around, which started Hideki for a moment, concerning him with what he was about to do. Instead, Godzilla let out a roar, but it wasn’t a battle cry or one of hatred. It was one of appreciation, as if he was telling the child he would always be there.

Godzilla departed from the scene, forcing Go to become entrapped with his thoughts once more.

“Is it really possible, then? If Godzilla can change, then what about me?”

Before Hideki could ponder it any further, Jiro interjected as he walked towards the kitchen. “I’m starving.”

As the child went past him, Go turned back to Jack only for the entire living room to go pitch black. Hideki nearly panicked as his mind made the assumption they were being invaded when stars lit up all around him. Then, a giant blue nebula circled above him, forcing him to drift into the newly created space where he saw six red and silver figures zooming towards it.

“Ten minutes to Noxus of the M Space Hunter Nebula,” Lipiah relayed to the rest of his team as the six Ultra Brothers drifted through the cosmos. Each of them being paired up, with Zoffy and Lipiah taking the lead while Ace and Taro took to the rear.

“Acknowledged,” Zoffy spoke, turning his head back forward towards the approaching nebula. “From the intel gathered, this creature we’re dubbing as Deathla, is highly corrosive, so do not engage in any physical combat. Use only projectiles.”

“Yes, sir!” the five Ultras yelled out in unison.

“Any ideas on how to handle the inhabitants of the planet?” Seven inquired.

Zoffy turned his head back to his subordinate. “Half of us will take on the bulk of Deathla while the other will focus on providing assistance in evacuation.”

Jack’s heart sank at the mission before them. The monster sounded horrifying already, but from what he was gathering so far, he didn’t like where the fate of the planet was going. “Is the planet beyond saving?”

The eldest Ultra Brother took a moment of silence before turning back to the nebula they now crossed through.

“Yes.”

“Can’t we do more, though?” Jack interjected, flying closer to his commanding officer. “Like, focus all of our efforts on vanquishing that monster, so those people don’t have to leave everything behind?”

Zoffy admired the young warrior’s enthusiasm and heart to save something precious, but as much as it pained him, knew it wouldn’t be possible.

The commanding officer let out a sigh. “The planet is too far gone to heal; the most we can do is allow the inhabitants of Noxus to flourish in a new home.”

Jack reluctantly dropped his shoulders as he allowed himself to decelerate to his original speed, following back in sync with Seven. “I…. understand, sir.”

“Now, I do want you to command the evacuation efforts with Ace and Taro while the rest of us handle Deathla,” Zoffy announced as Jack immediately lit up.

“I get to do this? To be a hero.”

“Of course! I won’t let you down!” Jack enthusiastically called out, desperately holding himself back, making sure he didn’t zoom past his superiors.

“Sir! You can’t trust Jack to save the lives of the inhabitants!” Ace cried out in defiance, flying right to Zoffy, glaring at him. “You’ve looked at the reports of the past missions we were on. You’ve seen what and how he achieves victory! He’s ruthless!”

Zoffy glanced back at Ace. Jack wasn’t perfect and he was fully aware of the actions he committed in the past, but he knew he had a heart and was always willing to do the right thing. The fourth Ultra brother wasn’t just the hero the galaxy needed, but a good man.

“I understand your concerns, but you are to follow Jack’s orders until further notice,” Zoffy relayed, turning back to the approaching planet before them. “I hope I have made myself clear.”

Ace growled with annoyance as he drifted backwards to the rearguard. “Of course.”

The Ultras entered the atmosphere as they saw fire burning in the sky while civilians ran in terror. The creatures known as Deathla blanketed every step with sludge while they concentrated their crimson rays, annihilating everything in their path.

Every Ultra was terrified by the warzone before them, but none of them said a word about it. Zoffy glanced over to a well guarded sanctuary where several rockets were pointed towards the horizon. Several civilians were fleeing inside of them while tanks fired off shells at the approaching Deathla.

“Jack, this is your stop. Do whatever it takes to ensure they survive!” commanded Zoffy as he, Lipiah and Seven flew off to the bulk of the horde, attempting to thwart the Smog Monster once and for all.

“I won’t let you down!” Jack called out, veering directly towards the evacuation center flanked by his two teammates.

Before his very eyes, the six Ultras merged with the blue nebula.

“What was that?” Go asked as the stars faded away and the vast emptiness of space was replaced with the white ceiling of his apartment.

Jack stood directly in front of his host, slightly twitching from the memory he had experienced. His face didn’t show it, appearing as it always did in front of him, but that look was all too familiar. The Ultra let out a sigh and let his shoulders drop, hanging his head down.

“Me about to make one of the biggest mistakes in my lif…” explained Jack, giving himself pause as Go was surprised to see him nearly wince. A part of him wanted to laugh at how Jack wasn’t any better than he was, but he knew it’d make him a bigger monster. Instead, he took a deep breath as well and kept his silence, as the will to provide sympathy was slightly overtaking that urge to ridicule him.

“No… the galaxy,” Jack finished his answer, allowing himself to disappear from his host’s eyes.

He had never once disappeared on his own.

“For what it’s worth, I know what that’s like. More so than anyone else,” The Ultra host spoke softly, feeling words slowly come out of his mouth. He shook his head. “I need to step outside.”

With the closing of the door, Go found himself in the empty yet calming hallway. He found himself trailing down, finding it almost never ending yet comforting. Despite it all, the entrance was before his very eyes. He took a deep breath and opened it only to find a familiar face in front of him.

“Saburo?” he nearly yelped out.

He simply smiled. “Hey Hideki, how are you?”

“Managing, I suppose,” Go huffed out, taking his eyes off of him, avoiding the unpleasant conversation that was about to take place.

Saburo raised an eyebrow at him before breathing in. He reached out with his arm and patted his troubled friend on the shoulder. “You sure? Yuriko told me about what went on last night.”

Go dropped his shoulders, following it up with a deep sigh. He hated himself for how he acted to his friends. All because they were trying to help and the moment they opened that door, he slammed it right in front of them. “I suppose she did.”

He was disappointed by the way Go had treated Yuriko, as he would have been outright furious had it been anyone else. Hideki, on the other hand, was a treasured friend who helped him get out of his funk and become something more. He knew Hideki wasn’t a bad guy, just someone who was carrying a huge burden on his shoulders. If he could return the favor, he would do everything he can.

Saburo took another step forward. “I don’t mean to pry, but how are you?”

“It’s… um…. I can’t say, really,” stumbled Hideki.

Saburo resisted the urge to shake his head in annoyance at his refusal to open up. An idea did light up inside his head though. “Hey, I’ve mentioned it last night, but I’m running a support group to help not only myself but to everyone else.”

Hideki rolled his eyes, irritated at the thought of yet another suggestion of a support group or even therapy. Instead, he kept himself composed. “I recall, but your boxing career… That was your dream. Why would you give that up just to do what you’re doing now?”

Saburo simply smiled at him, recalling the events that led him to becoming a better man not for everyone around him, but himself. “Because pride isn’t just about winning. Losing that fight was one of the best things that ever happened to me, and it was all because of you.”

“Really…” Go almost muttered in disbelief.

“Yeah,” answered Saburo, never taking off the smile on his face. “You helped me not only put me on the right path, but become a better man. I can’t thank you enough and if I could return the favor in any way,”

“I know…” murmured Go, keeping his eyes peeled on his friend.

“But that’s not all I came here for,” announced Saburo, pitching his voice higher in excitement, causing Go’s eyes to widen. “I wanted to tell you that Yuriko and I are getting married!”

The news shocked Hideki. Two of his greatest friends are starting a life together. A small sense of hope brewed inside of him, a meager sense of happiness formed. “That’s…. amazing. Congrats.”

He laughed and patted him on the shoulder once more, with an offer he couldn’t refuse. “Thank you, and I want you to be the best man at the wedding.”

That question shot him right through the heart. His body nearly trembled, hearing how someone wanted him to be a major part of their wedding was an honor. “I appreciate that. I really do. I’ll do it.”

“Yes! I knew you would!” Saburo yelled out with joy, punching the air with his fist, elated that his friend said yes.

“When did you pop the question, by the way?” inquired Go, forcing him to look back at him.

“When we got home. It really made her day,” answered Saburo.

“At least she’s able to move on.”

Go’s smile faded away while that brief moment of happiness disintegrated away. He was then faced with the recurring feeling inside of him, the one that plagued him for years on end.

Guilt.

“When you see her, tell her I’m sorry for last night.”

“Why don’t we both do it?” interjected Saburo, providing a sense of comfort with his words. He’d honor his friend’s request, but only if he did it himself as well. Part of his journey would be him making that progress himself while everyone else helped him along the way.

“Thank you.”

“Of course. That’s what friends are for.”

Before the two could continue carrying out their conversation, the alarm sounded off in Hideki’s pocket. The Ultra host immediately reached down for it and saw it was one belonging to MAT. Hideki looked up at Saburo and apologized.

“I have to take this. It’s an emergency,” Go spoke up, immediately bolting past his friend to respond to the exigency looming before them.

Saburo shook his head. “Almost there.”

 

Chapter 6: Ultraman Jack vs. Behemoth – The Route to Our Failures

“Just ten hours prior, the Titan known as Behemoth, made its way from Rio de Janeiro towards the Tohoku Highway,” presented Ibuki, pointing at the vid screen displaying the mammoth marching through the countryside. He paused and looked at his subordinates, knowing full well they had questions. “We don’t know its purpose, but if it reaches the highway, it’ll be catastrophic.”

“What’s the best way of dealing with this Titan, then?” inquired Kishida, examining the creature on a closer look.

“From what Brazil’s scientists have informed us, heat based attacks aren’t going to cut it as its fur is highly resistant to it,” the captain answered.

“Then, how will we eliminate it?” Ueno pointed out.

“We won’t,” Ibuki simply answered plainly as he immediately noticed the wave of confusion washing over his comrades’ faces. “Instead, we’re supposed to drive it away due to its unique ability to restore the flora and fauna with its radiation.”

“Radiation?” snorted Kishida in disbelief. “That some kind of joke?”

“No,” Ibuki replied bluntly. “Our orders remain clear. Behemoth is a kaiju the UN believes is worth keeping around, but that will only make our job harder considering we’re down to the Gyros and the MAT vehicle. Regardless, I don’t want anyone to take any unnecessary risks. Am I understood?”

“Sir, yes, sir!” everyone shouted in unison.

“Move out!” commanded Ibuki as everyone raced down the hallways of the base towards the remaining base in their arsenal.

Nearly everyone piled into the two Gyros while Hideki and Yuriko made their way towards the car. The Ultra host kept his eyes on his close friend, watching as she remained committed to the mission with no emotion present on her face whatsoever. It was as if the argument the two had the other night didn’t occur.

“I have to say something.”

He hated how he ended things with her and with the way things were going, he didn’t know what this upcoming fight would hold in store for them. Even if it meant only bringing her peace while he stood in the darkness.

“Yuriko,” Go called out, gaining her attention instantly. Despite his willingness to initiate the conversation, he felt himself struggling to trudge through the harsh, unforgiving landscape of his emotions to continue on, but he still had to try. “About…. About last night.”

“Hideki….” mouthed Yuriko as the two got into the car, watching the regret wash over her friend’s face while his hands gripped the steering wheel. “I shouldn’t have pushed that onto you. I didn’t consider how you still felt about everything. I just wanted you to be okay.”

“I know…. And…. I appreciate it,” Go slurred between words, barely able to find the right words to convey his thoughts or even how he truly felt. He put his foot on the gas pedal and sped out of the base, following the Gyro as they raced down the countryside towards their destination. “It’s just…. You were right to check in on me…. I’m just not good….”

Oka continued to stare at her buddy struggling with himself. He was losing himself and she hated seeing how he was treating himself. She wasn’t angry with him, but scared for him. Scared to the point where she would lose one of the best people in her entire life. The man who saved her countless times, spent several hours lifting her spirits and even taught her how to provide maintenance to all of their vehicles.

Yet, she had to be practical as well. His struggles and grief would only be a detriment to the mission before them. She had to ease his mind with nothing but being genuine.

“Hideki, I forgive you. What happened between the three of us was just an accident. We all have our ways of coping and I just want to make sure you’re doing alright,” Yuriko softly spoke, keeping her eyes onto him.

Hideki’s heart sank at her words while he never took his eyes off the road.

“I forgive you.”

He wanted to laugh out of disbelief. Forgiveness is something he should never have. He hurt his two best friends to the point where he nearly made one of them break down. To him, that’s not what a good man is. A good man is someone who listens to someone’s concerns, their dreams and even builds them up.

He hasn’t done any of those things.

Yet, he felt himself inching closer towards that door. The door that’s been calling out for him to let someone in. His hand reached for it and almost grabbed a hold of it until Hideki felt a shock in his entire body, forcing him to pull away.

“No.”

For the good of the mission, he had to put Yuriko’s mind at ease without any additional grief from him.

“Thank you, Yuriko. I… appreciate it.”

******

The ground crumbled with every footstep taken. The gigantic mammoth kept his eyes focused on the destination before him. He had broken free from the prison that held him for years and cherished the freedom he obtained.

The world was completely different, filled with objects he couldn’t begin to fathom. The lands he traveled to in the past were filled with only trees and lush plains brimming with all the delicious nutrients that sustained his body. Now, it was filled with many objects capturing his interest, such as the windy concrete platform ahead of him.

Lowering his head for just a moment, his massive tusks scraped against the ground. Instantly carving a long trench in the dirt below him while the other tusk snapped the road into two. Behemoth felt content with where he was in life, eager to explore every inch of the world with all of its new sights for him to behold.

Droplets crashed down on the ground in front of the large mammal, giving it pause. Behemoth lowered his head a bit, inspecting the liquid. He assumed it started to rain, however, he noticed the liquid to be an orangish-pink color. Something he wasn’t familiar with whatsoever. His senses started to flare up as he felt a jet stream crash into his hide, forcing him to groan out in annoyance.

Behemoth snapped his around to see a flying object keeping its distance while it continued to spray the projectile at him, covering his chest with the paint. He let out another murmur, not out of pain, but of anger. He didn’t want to fight, only to explore the world he was once a part of.

However, from the looks of it, the object didn’t relent, but instead continued to fire. Behemoth raised his front hand forward and slammed it down to the ground, issuing a declaration of war. He leapt forward towards the Gyro, but before it could collide with it, another jet stream hit the Titan in the side of the face.

Behemoth immediately shook his face, flinging the paint off the surface of his body. He stopped in his tracks and glanced over to find another one of those objects hovering across him. Without further provocation, it fired the same colored jet stream at him, enraging it further. Behemoth slung his head forward, bringing its massive tusks towards the nearest Gyro, but it managed to fly out of the way.

He huffed in anger as he swung forward yet again, only missing a second time. Both Gyros were right next to each other, continuing to fire their seemingly endless stream of paint. Behemoth closed his eyes in an attempt to retain his vision as he began to think. He knew these strange objects could hurt him at any point, but only chose to infuriate him. It was then, he had an epiphany!

They wanted him to change paths!

Behemoth shook his head yet again. He wasn’t going to fall for their ruse, but instead resumed course back towards the highway. His loud, giant footsteps rattled the earth as the crew of the Gyros could only watch as their plan was no longer succeeding.

“Captain!” Minami called out, forcing Ibuki to press the button for the intercom.

“I’m aware. Switch to the Vulcan cannons,” ordered Ibuki.

“Are we authorized to use something that can actively harm him?” Ueno stammered out, looking over at Ibuki. His heart pounded at how the operation was going so far along with the possible ramifications of what could happen should the kaiju end up dead.

“They have greenlit Vulcan cannons and missiles,” Ibuki answered, before turning over to his subordinate. “We will continue as planned.”

Ueno nervously swallowed. “Yes, sir.”

Hideki parked the MAT vehicle on the highest point of the highway, as he and Yuriko shuffled out of the car to watch the painted mammoth approaching the structure. Their stomachs turned to knots and they could barely move. Every commandment caused their bones to ache as they strapped their rocket launchers over their shoulders.

They kept their eyes focused on the looming threat before them.

“Hideki, we can do this. We always have,” Yuriko reassured, never once taking her eyes off the creature, but wanted to calm her friend down. Like her, she knew he was scared beyond belief at how anything can happen at any given moment.

“I know…. and thank you,” murmured Hideki, eliciting a smile from his comrade while he followed.

Without any hesitation, the muscles in their bodies relaxed before firing off their rockets. The projectiles zoomed across the landscape and collided directly in Behemoth’s face, earning him a shriek of irritation. Had his fur not been so resistant to heat, he would feel his entire face ablaze, but instead he only felt the stinging sensation of the rockets.

Behemoth eyed the tiny targets on the highest part of the highway and immediately slammed his foot down. Unlike the flying creatures hovering around him, these two would be easy to take care of. He pushed his feet backwards as he bolted towards the highway at record speeds, an intensity he never felt before. All of them would be silenced for their hostility!

Ibuki’s eyes widened at the immediate peril his comrades were about to be in as he slammed his fingers down on the triggers and fired the Vulcan cannon, with the other Gyro following suit. The waves of bullets pelted his thick hide, causing murmurs of discontent from the Titan, but not enough to halt his movements.

The Captain snapped his eyes downward and pushed the intercom button. His body nearly shook with fear from the overwhelming horror Go and Oka were about to experience. He always wanted all members of MAT to never waver from duty, but he never wanted them to die for it either. Especially when he had known them for as long as he did.

Instead of anger, it was a scream of fear. “Hideki! Yuriko! Get out of there, now!”

Neither Hideki or Yuriko had ever heard their captain scream the way he did until now. It nearly paralyzed them. If something like this creature could frighten him, then they should be absolutely mortified. Without any further hesitation, they both piled into the MAT vehicle and turned towards the descending slope of the highway.

Behemoth, however, was faster as he nearly felt himself colliding into the bridge. The Gyro, commandeered by Kishida and Minami, intercepted the Titan, unloading a volley of rockets into his body. The missiles slowed Behemoth only by a hair, as it forced him to rock his head to his side and immediately strike it down with its massive tusks.

The left rotor of the Gyro blew up while the other stopped, forcing it to crash while Hideki and Yuriko could only watch the peril their friends were in. The aircraft crashed directly on top of the highway, in front of the moving MAT vehicle.

Go slammed hard on the brakes, forcing the car to come to an abrupt stop, directly in front of the wreckage. Before they could shuffle out of the car and help their comrades, the road in front of them collapsed, bringing the damaged aircraft down with it.

Their hearts sank while Hideki trembled with fear.

“No, no, no, no, no, no!” Hideki repeatedly spoke out, never once taking his eyes off the gap between them and the other side. It was happening yet again, that fear, the loss and the guilt. All of it coming back.

“Why did it have to be them? They did nothing wrong. They didn’t deserve this.”

“Hideki!” Yuriko cried out, snapping Hideki away from his fears.

“Right. Yuriko. I need to get her out of here.”

Hideki pulled the gear in reverse and slammed the gas pedal, however, Behemoth’s tusks crashed right into the road, forcing it to crumble with the MAT vehicle tumbling down with it. Yuriko couldn’t even scream or process her emotions as the car flipped over from the massive impact, causing her to slam her head on the dash, effectively knocking her out cold.

The car landed on top of the rubble as Go was going in and out of consciousness. Blood leaked out from his nose while he nearly gagged on the plasma caught in his throat. He unhooked himself from his seatbelt, letting himself slowly descend to the bottom.

“Yuriko!”

Hideki snapped his eyes over to the still body of his friend. He moved his hand over to her chest and felt her bosom raising up and down slowly. Go let out a small sigh, relieved that she was still alive, but couldn’t rejoice now.

Hideki turned over to the driver’s side door and slowly pried it open. He crawled out to watch as the remaining Gyro continued to fire its arsenal at Behemoth. A brief moment of relief washed over him as Ibuki and Ueno were giving the creature the good fight.

He looked away and limped over to the passenger door to get Yuriko out of the wreckage.

SCREECH!

That loud sound. One he already became well acquainted with. Hideki slowly turned around while darkness was slowly overtaking his vision as he saw Behemoth’s tusks once more knocking down the last vehicle in MAT’s arsenal. The Gyro circled out of control and was crashing towards another piece of the highway.

He limped forward towards the descending aircraft, terrified at the lives that were about to be lost. He panted heavily, holding his hand against his stomach while his chest went up and down. His heart pounded harder and harder, aching with every second. Go could only guess he was having a panic attack or something worse, but he couldn’t deal with that now.

“No, no, no, no!” Hideki cried out, moving as fast as he could. “I can’t go through with this again! I can’t! I can’t!”

His body started to light up as every fiber of him began to change, slowly no longer being present on this planet as his last words echoed. “They don’t deserve to die!”

A beam of light erupted from his body as Go vanished and was replaced by the Ultra Brother, Ultraman Jack. The giant silver and red warrior lunged forward, allowing the crashing Gyro to land safely in the palm of his hand. Jack turned his head around at the still approaching Behemoth. Without any hesitation, his eyes lit up and out came twin yellowish beams, striking the Titan’s chest, forcing him to stop in his tracks.

Jack set the Gyro down on the ground as Ibuki and Ueno stepped out. They looked up at their savior, admiring him for his selflessness. The two were tempted to salute the giant, but time was of the essence for them as Jack pointed over to the wreckage where their comrades were at.

“Thank you, Ultraman,” Ibuki spoke out, with Ueno following it up with a nod of respect. The two ran out towards their injured friends while Jack turned around only to find Behemoth crashing into him. The impact forced Jack off of his feet and deeper into the concrete jungle, with several pieces of the highway tumbling down on his chest.

The now rampaging Titan bellowed out at the fallen Ultra, towering over him while Jack looked directly into the creature’s eyes. His eyes burning with pure anger as he raised his right hand forward, intending to slam it directly into his chest. Jack, as if it were second nature, yanked the bracelet off of his wrist and threw it at the Titan.

The bracelet detonated on impact, with Behemoth ushering out a cry of pain from the blast. He immediately reeled back while the bracelet materialized back onto Jack’s hand as he hopped back up on his feet. Without any hesitation, Jack jumped up and launched his feet forward, delivering a kick straight into Behemoth’s face, ushering out another cry of agony.

Behemoth stumbled further back, nearly tripping over the debris he created. He shook his head, feeling the brief moment of reprieve from the red and silver giants’ attacks. The Titan huffed, knowing he was never the strongest creature on the planet, as he always avoided most conflicts whenever he could. Still, he acknowledged his own strengths inside him, knowing he can do enough just to get a rival to flee if he pushed hard enough, and that’s exactly what he needed to do.

He snapped his head up at the charging Ultra, watching as if he put his hands together. He realized he was only charging up another attack, and with it, his eyes widened. He had to strike now!

With his head turning to the side quickly, he immediately followed it up by swinging it back, using his massive tusks to strike Jack. The powerful strike struck Jack across the chest, the bones scraping across it, eliciting a small crack of light gleaming out of it. The tusks continued surfing across his opponent’s body, hitting the Ultra’s wrist, eliciting another cry from Jack.

CHING!

Before Jack could even register the odd noise, the resulting impact forced him to crash into the concrete structures once more. Pieces of it rained down on his body, forcing him to grunt from the impact along with yet another noise echoing out.

CHING!

“What is causing that noise?” Jack wondered briefly, but shook his head when he saw through the rubble buried over his face, the still approaching Behemoth. He couldn’t ponder the situation, not at this time. He still had a job to do. He owed it to his friends, or Go’s friends.

Jack grabbed a hold of his bracelet and aimed it directly towards the wreckage above him and fired it, casting a huge, blue beam through it. The beam sent the rubble flying across the battlefield, some of it flying directly into Behemoth, pelting him with chunks of concrete.

Behemoth groaned at the pieces of debris striking him across the face as he titled his head away as an attempt to shelter himself from the oncoming storm. Jack prepared to strike the now vulnerable Behemoth when he then heard screams coming from behind him.

“Ibuki! Ueno!” Jack mentally screamed out.

He jumped around, facing the crash site belonging to MAT and saw the concrete sprinkled around it. His eyes nearly widened in horror at some of them having impacted the vehicles while flames started to erupt.

“They can’t die because of me! No one else!” Jack nearly cried out, slamming his hands together and pointing them directly at the flaming vehicles. A concreted mist sprayed out of his hands, with frost settling in over the vehicles and extinguishing the assaulting flames.

Jack breathed a small sigh of relief as he watched his still standing team members bolt towards their comrades. Yet, it was a rescue effort he couldn’t take the time for as he felt himself being flung into the air once more.

The Ultra crashed down face first, slowly lifting his head up to watch as Behemoth was still standing strong, marching towards him. Jack shook his head, this beast was much harder to deal with, or was it him?

The fight was taking much more out of him than any other. It was as if his will was shrinking to the point where it was nonexistent. His breathing stuttered, slowly trying to pick himself up. His knees nearly buckled under the pressure when heard a beeping noise.

“The Color Timer!”

Jack groaned.

“How can I have forgotten? I’m supposed to be better than this!”

Jack yanked the bracelet off and created his defender shield, barely raising it up to block Behemoth’s massive tusks. The resulting clash, forced the Ultra Brother backwards a few feet, almost losing his grip on his weapon.

“Why!?”

The shield dissipated, reverting back to his bracelet as Jack yanked it off his wrist yet again. This time, transforming it into the Ultra Lance. Striking it at Behemoth’s powerful tusks, the two of them locked their blades against the descending sun, illuminating them with its orangish light. As powerful as Jack’s sword was, it was starting to fade, causing Jack to nearly gasp in disbelief.

“Why did I let myself devolve?!”

Jack, however, moved the sword back before sending it forward towards Behemoth’s tusks. The Titan was quick to respond, blocking his entire body with his massive incisors. The block was not only enough to match the attack, but to quickly force the sword to disappear.

The Ultra Brother stood there in disbelief, as his mighty weapon was forced back to his wrist. His mind became more clouded than ever, failing to notice Behemoth striking his head backwards again and slashing it across his wrist.

CHING!

Jack screamed out in absolutely agony as light bled out of his wrist while he was sent careening into a nearby hillside. He stirred his head, as his vision was becoming more and more hazy with each passing second. Jack didn’t know how much longer he had, the concept of time became foreign to him. The Ultra watched Behemoth make yet another approach towards him. The only thing on his mind was the bracelet. It never let him down before as it always created a solution for him, one that was given to him. The very thing that made him equal to his Ultra Brothers.

He slowly reached for his bracelet to throw it, but he felt only his skin. His heart beated rapidly while racing his hand over the entirety of his arm.

“No!”

Jack scanned his other wrist to find nothing as he then patted his entire body, desperately searching for the very thing that made him who he was today.

“Where is it? Where is it?”

He frantically searched for it while the Titan got closer and closer until he saw it scattered on the ground.

The Ultra Bracelet was smashed into two!

Jack snatched up the broken bracelet and held the two pieces in his palm, feeling his entire body nearly shutting down.

All those years, all those missions.

The bracelet that made him stand out.

The bracelet that made him feel respected and loved was gone.

All because he couldn’t keep it together and all because of some primitive creature.

A cackle was then heard.

One that was all too familiar.

Jack snapped his head up only to find to his shock, the Alien Nackle standing before him, tormenting him over his loss.

“Don’t.”

His hand tightened while through his distorted vision, Jack saw the alien dancing over him as if he was doing so over his own grave. The Ultra attempted to pick himself up, but collapsed under his own weight.

He coughed from his aching body and the timer still beating rapidly while his hand clutched onto the broken bracelet. Jack found the meager strength to get himself onto his knees when he saw the Nackle no longer there, but instead, Deathla!

Jack stood there frozen at the being before him. Its slimy dark body oozing with sludge while its devilish red eyes stared down at him, petrifying Jack to his very core. The Smog Monster nearly clapped its long hands together while it gurgled with delight, seeing his victim so helpless.

“It’s too late now!”

Jack slowly picked himself up, standing face to face with his demon as it was now shifting between Deathla and Nackle. A sudden urge of energy rushed into his very body, one not born from hope or from wanting to save the day, but of hatred.

“Damned if I know what’s right anymore.”

Jack raised his hands together at the cackling shapeshifter, aiming it directly at its face.

“Who cares? It is what it is.”

Jack watched as the silver on his hands melted away while black was painted all over his palms. All the while, his fingers grew longer and as sharp as knives.

“No choice but to face what I’ve done!”

The Spacium Beam shot out of his hands and into the face of the laughing devil in front of him. The demon reeled backwards from the projectile, shifting constantly between Nackle and Deathla. It tilted its head back at Jack, facing him once more and greeting him with yet another cackle.

The Ultra Brother tightened his hands once more. All this nightmare could do was laugh at everything he did. Tormenting him for all of his failures and mistakes. Ones he was fully aware he made over his entire life. He didn’t need the reminder, he paid for them for thousands of years.

The approaching devil continued to laugh as its shifting hand threw out a punch at the tingling Ultra. Jack reached forward effortlessly and snapped it off like a twig. A mixture of green and red blood mixed with sludge shot out of the stump, plastering it all over his face.

Jack watched as the cackling demon shifted between the several forms, briefly switching back to Behemoth shrieking out in pure agony as he noticed the severed tusk. The Ultra titled his head down slightly, realizing he held the tusk of the Titan. The cries of agony from the wounded creature didn’t last long as Jack filtered them out with the cackles of the Nackle before him.

He tightened his grip on his new weapon and stared at the dancing nightmare in front of him. His eyes never faltered as he took one step forward, pointing the tusk at his foe. Jack ushered out a scream, reminiscent of a barbarian, shaking the very earth they stood on. The hillside quaked, causing the demon to fade away to reveal the trembling Behemoth.

It no longer mattered, Jack leapt forward and brought down the tusk as if it were a scythe into Behemoth’s right leg. The tusk instantly cut through the mammal’s flesh as if it were butter against a hot knife. Behemoth’s screams could not be heard as his assailant only heard laughter.

Behemoth raised his head up weakly, watching as Jack made another round with his very own tusk. He knew this battle was lost and with the grievous wound he had just received, it’d be a miracle if he could escape with his life. He had to make sure he could block this next attack, by using his last tusk to counter it.

The Titan raised his tusk to match his assailant’s weapon, but Jack, however, dropped it. Behemoth was bewildered by him relinquishing it. Before he could ponder it, Jack used both of his free hands and grabbed the passing tusk, snapping it off with ease. The Ultra flipped the tusk around while Behemoth let out a blood curdling cry as he nearly gagged from the intense pain he was now dealing with.

Behemoth’s eyes watered in horror at his executioner brandishing his tusk at him. The world he had just woken up to see would no longer be his future, but instead a dark and empty void. He was terrified of what was about to come. He only hoped that the destination would be quick.

Jack stood over the Nackle still laughing at him, pointing at him with glee. The Ultra’s whole body trembled while his hold on the tusk was barely in place.

“Nothing you ever do will atone for your sins. You’re exactly like him.”

The Ultra ushered out another barbaric scream, shoving the tusk through the Nackle’s jaw and out the top of his head. Blood gushed out like a volcano while brain matter launched out of the gigantic hole.

Jack let out a deep breath, letting go of his hold on the massive tusk while he watched the body collapse on its stomach. He slumped his shoulders down while he let his head hang down, observing the battlefield as his vision became less hazy.

It was then did he realize what he had just done.

“No!”

Jack watched as the body of the Nackle dissipated and reverted back to the creature MAT was charged with driving away. He was disgusted by the sight of the murder he caused as blood leaked from his body, painting the beautiful landscape into a bloody river.

The Ultra collapsed on his knees, absolutely mortified with himself. He breathed rapidly at how badly he allowed himself to become a monster again. He slowly raised his hands up to find the ichor plastered all over his hands along with the broken bracelet.

“They were right.”

Jack crawled over to the carcass of Behemoth and placed his hand over the giant mammal. He rubbed his hand over his shoulder. He wanted to cry, to experience the grief humanity endured, but like he explained it to Beth a long time ago, he was incapable of it. Perhaps it was his reward for the atrocities he committed. Someone unable to conquer his grief or even his failures.

“I’m no Hero of the Light.”

Jack patted the body of Behemoth one last time as he closed the creature’s eyes. He stood back up and launched himself up to the sky, making him scarce from the scene of the crime, ascending into the orange sky.

“I’m so sorry.”

 

Chapter 7: Hideki Go – Alone

“Jack?” Go called out, looking upwards at the gray ceiling above him.

He waited for a couple seconds only to see the Ultra would not materialize again. Go called out several times and each time with a different tone of voice, but he did not respond.

Nothing.

Hideki sat in his quarters at the MAT base in pure silence. It’s where he spent most of his time in these past few days since the operation with Behemoth ended in catastrophe. The MAT member glanced at an orange ball on his nightstand and reached for it. He threw it against a wall as it bounced back at him. It was one of the few sources of entertainment he had for the time being.

He, nor any of the other still standing members of MAT could leave the base due to the repercussions the entire team could be facing. Hideki sighed in anger at how the person who was responsible for their failure couldn’t even come out to face him. The Ultra host threw the ball more aggressively as his mind shifted over at how the Ultra was supposed to be wiser than humanity, much less the supposed better person.

“Some kind of hero you are,” muttered Go, snatching up the bouncing ball.

“We’re no better than those people who killed that defenseless alien!” a voice cackled out in the depths of Go’s mind, launching himself upwards on his feet.

“No. We…. I…. tried!” Hideki retaliated, his voice trembling greatly as his rain started pouring down in his quarters while the walls faded away and were replaced with dark gray storm clouds.

“MAT’s supposed to kill aliens, yet he’s making friends with one!” screamed a distant voice as Go slowly turned his head around to see several townsfolk armed to the teeth with pitchforks and torches, bolting towards him.

“No,” Hideki stammered out, his knees buckling under the weight of his own guilt. “Please. No. Not again.”

“If MAT won’t do anything, then we will!” screamed a towns person at the top of his lungs, lunging at the child next to Hideki. He immediately grabbed a hold of the screaming kid as he was dragged to the rest of the villagers.

“What are you doing? I didn’t even do anything!” cried the child, trying with all of his might to fight back, but was too weak to do anything. His screams became even louder when he felt a knife pressed up against his throat.

Hideki picked himself up and pushed away several of the villagers to reach the endangered child, but no matter how many people he pushed out of the way, he felt himself being swarmed. There were too many of them and nothing he did made a difference.

“Wait!” screamed a frail voice, commanding everyone to stop as they all turned around to see an old man hobbling over from his rundown shack.

“Don’t do this, I… can find a way this time…. To save you both,” pleaded Hideki, his body completely shaking while watching as the events he had witnessed months before were about to play again.

“I’m the alien!” the old man confessed as he immediately fell to the ground due to his weakened state. His entire face was covered with scars and burns while his body was all but useless from the effects of the pollution.

“He was only protecting me,” the Alien Mates explained, picking himself back up with his cane. “He’s not an alien.”

The townsfolk slowly backed away as Ryo broke free from their grasps and ran towards them, embracing his adoptive father. “Why did you come out!” Ryo cried out, gripping his father tighter, letting the tears flow down his ragged clothes.

“It’s alright,” Alien Mates reassured, wrapping his arms around him.

“There’s no telling what he’ll do if we let him live!” screamed a villager, launching his arm upwards, classping a butcher knife.

Everyone let out a collective scream as they charged towards the alien as Hideki once more jumped in front of them, trying to protect them with his own life.

“Stop! He didn’t do anything wrong!” Hideki cried out, pushing a few villagers away. “He just wants to go home! He’s not like the others! He wants what we all want! A place to call home!”

His cries fell on deaf ears as the villagers knocked him away. Even with all the training he had from MAT and his merger with Jack, he was no match for the overwhelming force of the farmers as they continued reaching out for the Alien Mates.

“Look, Go. That police officer has a gun.”

Hideki snapped his head at the cop pulling out his revolver, aiming it at the feeble old man.

“We all know what you want. What you seek so desperately. You can change this day and give everyone what they want.”

The finger pulled on the trigger as the hammer pulled back.

Hideki immediately jumped to his feet and launched himself in front of the old man as the bullet was shot out of the gun.

“Remember……”

Hideki opened his eyes as he felt himself lying on the ground, feeling completely okay. “No! It can’t be like this again!”

He rolled over to see the old man instantly dropping to the ground as Ryo ran over, crying. The boy held the dead man’s hand, begging for him to come back, but his cries were not heard as the villagers simply backed away before an earth shattering roar was heard.

The fish-like creature, Muruchi, belonging to the alien, descended down from the storm declaring war on the town. It smashed its body against a bridge as it fired an orangish ray at the two, setting it ablaze while Hideki watched.

“Tell me two things. Did it feel good to kill this creature who only wanted to live out its days with its master?”

“No….” Hideki quietly wept as he remained on his knees while he watched the grieving Ryo.

“And how it did feel abandoning Ryo, who’s all alone digging for Mates’ spaceship. He’ll never find it.”

“I….” he tried to answer, but couldn’t find the words for it. He wanted to, but he never found it in him to put him under a roof or to even check in on him.

“You deserve everything that’s coming to you. Just do everyone a favor and rectify your mistake.”

Hideki sniffed as a tear fell from his eye. He slowly pulled himself, standing up to find the rain had ceased and the gray storm clouds shifting back to his quarters. The Ultra host closed his eyes while his hands tightened up.

“I will.”

With his hand on the knob, he opened the door and wandered the desolate hallways of the MAT base. Once they were teeming with life, now only his footsteps could be heard. Hideki held his head down, heading towards his destination. He resigned himself to his fate, but the thoughts swarmed in. How he could have done things differently or how he could have even learned from those experiences.

Yet, he was still the same person as he was before.

He wandered into the meeting room, immediately noticing the lack of color in the room. Not a beeping light to indicate danger or anything needing to be inspected. Just pure silence, as if the end of an era had arrived and they no longer had a purpose.

He let out a deep sigh.

“Can’t rest?” inquired Ibuki, causing Go to nearly jump around to salute his commanding officer. “At ease.”

Go let his shoulders slump down as he watched the captain sit at the round table. Ibuki motioned for him to sit next to him as he immediately complied with the request. “It’s just.. Odd.”

“Now you know why I refuse to take vacations,” Ibuki chuckled.

The two sat in silence for a few minutes until Go’s mind raced back to the incident a few days ago. The status of his teammates, the people he hadn’t seen in a few days, much less anyone in general.

“The team!” Go spoke out loud, nearly jumping out of his chair. “How.. how are they?”

“Ueno is in prime condition as he’s currently on guard duty while Minami is suffering from a broken leg,” Ibuki answered plainly. He, too, felt the same sense of terror and guilt he saw in his subordinate, but had to keep himself composed for what remained of his team.

“And the others?” Hideki’s voice quivered, his body once again trembling as he saw the captain give pause before answering, as if he was struggling to relay the news.

“Kishida and Oka are still under,” Ibuki softly said. He was tempted to lower his head down, ashamed at how far his team had fallen. The most devastating defeat he had ever faced in his entire career, whether it was in the military or in MAT. Yet, he couldn’t falter in front of one of the few that still stood. He couldn’t make things worse for Hideki.

He kept his eyes at his subordinate, his friend, and someone he’d gladly call his child. Not just him, but everyone under his command. Ibuki didn’t know what was fully going on with Hideki, and he might never know, but this wasn’t the time to fall apart.

“What about MAT? Are we being reprimanded? What is our fate?” inquired Go, his entire stomach turning to knots over the possibilities that awaited them following their failure of the mission. A mission that ended horribly because of him, because of his and Jack’s inability to keep themselves composed.

Ibuki sighed. “We’re not being reprimanded as the failure would be pinned on Ultraman, however.”

“However?”

“However, the United Nations is moving forward with a new division known as the Terrible-monster Attacking Crew, following reports of new breeds of kaiju showing up. We’re only to receive a fourth of our funding before being dismantled completely,” Ibuki finished his report, frowning at the news he had just relayed. He had no doubt Hideki would be upset and he couldn’t blame him, he would either have to assimilate with the new crew, if they’d even let him or take an early retirement. Something he couldn’t even fathom to do, not when there was still much to do.

“I cost them everything. Because of me.”

Hideki lowered his shoulders down once more and felt his hands nearly collide with his face, the guilt washing over him.

“I’m so sick of myself.”

“Hideki,” Ibuki spoke up once more, allowing Go’s head to raise up once more to face his captain. “Please don’t blame yourself. This was something none of us could have predicted.”

“I know.”

“No you don’t.”

Go breathed out as he got up from the chair. All this time talking with his captain and the thoughts of his recent failures told him it was time. Time to end all of this, but first he at least wanted to apologize to one person before he left everything and everyone behind.

“If you’ll excuse me, I wish to visit Yuriko.”

Ibuki simply nodded in approval as he got up while Go prepared to leave the room, but before he could gain any traction, he placed his hand on his shoulder. Go let out a quiet sigh, turning around to face his commanding officer.

“I meant what I said, Hideki. You’re not to blame for this. You’re not to blame for a lot of things. And, whatever may happen to us, to MAT, we’ll always be a team no matter where we are,” Ibuki spoke proudly, championing that patented smile he and the others he’d always seen in their off hours or when a mission was successful.

Hidkei wanted to smile, to believe in what his captain said, but it was no longer possible. Instead, he held his hand out as Ibuki shook it. “Thank you. For everything.”

******

Her comatose body lay on the white hospital bed while the monitors beeped, showing her status as stable. Hideki stood in the doorway watching Yuriko’s body, his entire form standing motionlessly. He knew she couldn’t tell if he was there or not, but with his own mind playing tricks on him, he saw her judging him. It was as if she was waiting for a confession, a confession on why he was such a rotten person.

Hideki lowered his head down and reluctantly walked next to her, placing himself on the chair. He looked over his friend’s face, adorned with several scars from the impact of the crash. The damage wouldn’t be permanent, but the thought of her being put in this situation because of him, made him nearly throw up.

Not only with her injuries, but with her about to lose her job, she wouldn’t be able to live a good life with Saburo. She couldn’t do anything to support their wedding or even a normal life.

“Just another life I ruined, huh?” Hideki asked the unresponsive Yuriko.

As expected, silence was all he was greeted with.

Hideki shook his head.

“I know.”

He reached for her hand and brought it up with his. He slowly caressed it, wanting her to wake up, but at the same time, he was glad she couldn’t. There were some things he wanted to say and couldn’t do so with a conscious person.

“I don’t regret meeting you and the others or even all the adventures we had together,” Hideki paused, taking a moment to compose himself as he tightened his grip on her hand. “In fact, for that brief year, you all helped give me a pur.. no, a distraction. A distraction that mattered.”

Hideki glanced over at Yuriko’s messy hair. With his free hand, he brushed it over, straightening it up a tad as he returned his gaze at her face. “What I do regret is all of you meeting me and all the trouble I put every single one of you through.”

Tears dropped on the bed and onto her hand as his breathing stuttered. “I know you and the others don’t owe me anything, but just promise me one thing. When this is all over, promise me you’ll still be together. Continuing to be that team before I showed up.”

Hideki got up from the chair as he still kept his grasp on his friend’s hand, never taking his eyes off of her as there was still one more thing he had to say to her.

“Perhaps when you wake up, you’ll find the world with one less bad person in it.”

With that, he let go of her hand and walked out of the room towards his destination. The destination that was in the back of his mind for the longest time. It wasn’t the end, but just the key to where the end of his road would be.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a keycard, sliding it through as the door opened to reveal the vast array of weapons in MAT’s arsenal. He scanned each of the weapons and knew their capabilities were nothing to scoff at. Any one of them would do the trick. It was just a matter of which one would get the job done the fastest.

He gazed at the stainless steel MAT Gun. A recoilless automatic rifle, a gun so easy to wield even an average citizen could do it. Go went over to reach for it when he heard an enthusiastic voice, “Hey Hideki!”

The Ultra host nearly jumped in shock as he pulled his hands back from the weapon of his choice. He turned around to see Takeshi Minami standing in the doorway with the crutches resting under his pits.

“Takeshi….. hey,” Hideki slowly greeted, keeping his back pinned against the gun rack while his friend slowly walked in. “How are you holding up?”

“Eh, can’t complain. I was told my leg will heal up in a few weeks and then it’ll be back to the track field!” Takeshi enthusiastically announced.

“With that attitude, you’ll be back in a day,” Hideki attempted to joke, but his voice fell short, eliciting a sound reminiscent of pain.

“And a stubborn enough person like yourself will do it within an hour, “ countered Minami, keeping his smile up, taking another step forward. “Any word from Aki and Jiro?”

Hideki shook his head. “What about you? Anything from your loved ones?”

“Nope, though I hear we’ll be released soon. The captain’s just finalizing some things.”

“That’ll be a relief at least,” Hideki replied as his mind went back to Aki and Jiro. The two people he loved the most as his goodbyes would be the hardest thing he’d have to do. He dreaded it, but knew it had to be done if they were to have any peace in the remainder of their lives. First, he had to deal with his friend, say goodbye to him first.

“Say, why are you here?” inquired Minami, eliciting a suspicious expression on his face while his right eyebrow raised up.

Hideki rubbed his head, avoiding eye contact with his friend. Another lie had to be concocted, but he couldn’t pretend he was just inspecting the inventory when it was a task he openly complained about in the past. Instead, he had to mix a bit of the truth with it.

“There’s… there’s….” Hideki spoke up before pausing as he returned eye contact back with Takeshi. “There’s a reason why I’ve been on edge these past few days and it’s because there’s a person lingering around the apartment, threatening Aki and Jiro. It’s been terrifying them nonstop, and I thought a weapon from here would do the trick.”

It was an ugly thing to say, no matter how he tried to frame it as he knew it would only disgust his friend at having to come to that conclusion. Yet, it wouldn’t matter in the long run. That man would be gone when this was all over.

“I… see….” Minami simply said, keeping himself stoic as he processed the information Hideki relayed to him. He hated the situation his friend was in and even despised the solution Go had chosen. “Have you tried contacting the police?”

“They…. haven’t done anything about it,” Hideki simply answered, pressing his back further into the rack.

“Hideki, I really don’…..” Minami tried to speak when he was interrupted.

“Please! Their safety and happiness are what matters to me the most! I need to make sure they’ll be alright!” Hideki nearly cried out, jumping away from the rack, his face painted with pain and grief, surprising Takeshi.

Minami rested himself on his crutches, feeling sickened by what he was about to say as he saw the turmoil his friend was going through. “Hideki, as much as every fiber of my being is telling me not to do this, I’ll allow it, but you can only take the MAT Shoot.”

Hideki simply nodded his head as he grabbed the pistol from the rack as Minami then continued. “But promise me one thing first.”

Go face his friend while he put the gun in his holster as he saw the usual happy go-lucky expression on his face fade away and was replaced with apprehension. “Talk to that person. Tell that person there’s always another way. Please.”

Hideki saw the grief in his friend’s eyes. It was true that he thought of Takeshi as his best friend and he’d do a lot for him, but what he just asked for just wasn’t possible. In time he’ll see why he couldn’t make that promise.

He wrapped his hands around Takeshi. “Thank you for being my friend, and please make sure Yuriko is okay.”

Hideki let go of his friend and departed the room, leaving Minami to just stand still, unsure on how to proceed.

******

He opened the door slowly to the inside of his apartment. The choice he was about to make was upon him and there was no happy ending to it, no matter what would be said to him. Not even a second more to compose himself when he saw Aki turn around to greet him with concern.

“Hideki,” murmured Aki, as she wrapped her arms around him while she pulled him into the living room. He didn’t return the gesture, but she never faltered as she continued constricting herself around him, never wanting to let go of her partner.

“Why do you keep on fighting?”

“Are you okay?” Aki whispered, rubbing his back.

“Yeah….” Hideki murmured, keeping himself still.

“We were so worried.” Aki pulled her head back and stared into Hideki’s eyes, only finding a stoic man in her presence. Before she could continue on, the footsteps belonging to her brother ran in.

“Hideki! You were awesome out there!” Jiro hollered out, raising his hand up, wanting to high five his idol.

Yet, disappointment took over his body instantly as he found his friend giving him that same soulless look he had just given to his sister. Jiro tilted his head, he had never seen Hideki act like this. Even on a bad day, he still did everything he could to make the best of a situation thrown at him.

Jiro tightened his hands ever so slightly. He was going to do what he was taught and he learned from the best. From his brother, his sister and from Hideki. They always taught him to help those in need no matter what. He was going to help.

“Hideki, the park has a new training course on it. We should do it together. We’ll be able to conquer it in seconds!” Jiro excitedly exclaimed, his smile coming back to him, hoping it would do the same for Hideki.

Go, on the other hand, just kept his stoicism. “Perhaps.”

Knowing something was wrong with her boyfriend, Aki raised her eyebrow. However, she didn’t want to risk angering him, especially in front of his brother. She rubbed his shoulder once more. “Is there anything I can get you? A drink or a bite to eat?”

“No,” Hideki simply muttered, this time not even glancing at her.

“Ooh!” Jiro chimed in. “How about we…..”

He couldn’t even finish his sentence when the blood boiled in Hideki’s body as every fiber in his being commanded him to lash out. “Goddammit! Both of you just shut the hell up already!”

The words echoed through the entire apartment as the siblings froze.

Hideki only then realized what had just happened as he felt his entire body tingling. Why was he feeling like this? He was going down the road he wanted, to get them to hate him, so it’ll be easier on him.

“Jiro….” Hideki quivered out, reaching out to him, but the child immediately turned his back on him and stormed towards his bedroom.

“Goddammit! I’m nothing more than a pathetic contradiction.”

He couldn’t continue to be trapped in his own mental prison when he felt a hand smack its way across his face. Hideki nearly jumped in surprise from the stinging impact as it left a huge red mark on his left cheek. The Ultra host looked up to see Aki shooting daggers at him. It was the angriest he had ever seen her in and rightfully so.

Hideki breathed in and slumped his shoulders down. “I deserved that.”

Aki huffed, folding her arms together as she still trained her glaring eyes at him. “You think?”

“I know,” Hideki murmured. He knew Jiro was strong and that this was one of the many hardships he’ll face in his life. He hated knowing he was going to be a part of it, but it’ll be what sets him free. “But he’ll get over it. He’s stronger than people give him credit for.”

“Why can’t you?” Aki demanded, unfolding her arms while Hideki simply raised an eyebrow, completely unsure what she was trying to get at. She rolled her eyes at his inability to understand anything that didn’t involve shouting or his interests. “Ken. The Nackle. Every moment from your past. Worrying about how Jiro will turn out.”

“Of course she had to bring this up.”

“I’m glad you got over it, then,” countered Hideki, nearly turning his back on her to grab something from the kitchen.

“That’s not what I’m talking about!” Aki called out, raising her voice as she snatched his shoulder and turned him back to face her. “All these issues you’re failing to address. All this running, all this hiding is not only destroying you, but it’s costing you everything. Your friends, your family, us!”

Hideki wanted to scream, to tell her how stupid she was being, but it was unnecessarily cruel. Even though he wasn’t being a saint in this situation either. “Forgive me for not being an open book like you where you can say whatever comes to mind.” He tightened his hands, his body telling him the situation was very much like a typical MAT operation, but his mind was telling him otherwise and he had to keep himself in check with it. In an instance, he let go of his grip as he felt his mouth quivering once more. “And I don’t even know why you still want to continue to try to listen to me when you know I’m a goddamn shitty person!”

A single tear dropped from her eye as Hideki’s very own widened in surprise. She wasn’t angry at his declaration, but it was something much worse.

“Why can’t this just be easy!?”

Aki huffed. “So this is what this is really about, huh?” She wiped away her tears and took another step forward while her voice whimpered. “First off, you’re wrong. I’m not over what happened. I still have nightmares about what happened. I lost my brother and nearly lost my own life, leaving Jiro alone.”

Her body was shaking completely while her hands began to take the shape of her fists, something he was all too familiar with. He knew what she was about to say was going to be very hurtful for him, but even worse for her. He wanted to interject, to cut it off completely, but the strength in his entire body dissipated. The moment he walked into his own home, there was nothing left in him. All he could do was listen to Aki pour her heart out.

“I’m struggling so hard to prevent myself from relapsing before that event and letting it control me, but I do everything I can to keep control, even talking to others about it, which is what you’re terrified of!” Aki screamed out, taking a brief moment to collect herself while tears were shedding rapidly as her face grew red. “And I also have news for you, everyone has done terrible things in life, stuff they wish they could redo over and over again. No one is perfect!”

Aki launched her finger forward and jabbed her boyfriend straight in the chest, sending him backwards as if he were made of paper. She opened her mouth and let out a terrifying snarl, one no one, much less him, could ever expect to come out of a kind, generous, attentive woman like herself. “Like you, you’re an asshole towards everyone you meet, always claiming to be the smartest person in the room, and a hypocrite. But the worst quality about you, and get this, one that I’m sick of tired of seeing everyday is how blind you are. You claim other people are stupid, but you’re pretty goddamn stupid yourself! You have good qualities too, you idiot.”

“What are you talking about? I have never done a good thing in my life. I have nothing to offer to anyone I care about. I’m nothing more than a plague.”

He went to open his mouth, but Aki, once again, cut him off, raising her voice even higher than what he thought was possible with her. “For the people you are close with, you treat them better than yourself, constantly putting their needs as priority number one. You’re a hell of an artist, an amazing driver, and a pretty good man even if you don’t do anything with those gifts. And I’m not only the one who thinks that. Saburo, your friends at MAT, and even your captain considers you to be a son to him. Despite your mistakes or whatever regrets you hold, they still love you, because they see more of you than you do of yourself.”

His heart was completely shattered. Not because of Aki’s attitude, but because of everything that was said to him. There was a lot of stuff he was capable of and beliefs from so many people, people who loved him.

“Was I wrong about everything?”

Hideki stepped forward towards his sobbing girlfriend. “Even Jiro?”

“Yeah,” Aki huffed, folding her arms across her chest once more. “Who constantly tells me he wishes to be like you.”

It was then his mind shattered. Those words. That ideal of someone wanting to be like him was what terrified him. Everything Aki had just said to him became meaningless. The brief moment of hope, or redemption was no more. Apathy washed over him completely.

“He shouldn’t aspire to be like me, when he’ll just become an even worse version of me.”

As if she were a ticking time bomb that had just detonated, Aki unleashed a blood curled cry and decked her boyfriend in the face, causing him to nearly buckle over. He coughed as Aki nearly sent out another punch, but managed to catch herself from doing so again.

“What the fuck is wrong with you!?” Aki screamed out, but Hideki didn’t reply, only to instead slowly get up. “Are you blind or do you just hate yourself so much to realize that the only person who hasn’t forgiven you is yourself!?”

Hideki still didn’t answer her as he just looked at her. He didn’t know what to say, but knew whatever came out of his mouth next would only anger her more. This was the end.

“Fine,” Aki muttered out, throwing her hands up. “Jiro and I are leaving. You got what you wanted. You get to be alone and wallow in your misery. I’m done.”

“This is how it ends, and I hate it. I hate myself.”

Aki simply grabbed Jiro and walked out the door while Hideki stood there motionless as his legs were growing weak. He nearly trembled while the entire room went dark. Whether it was his consciousness fading away or another memory taking over, he didn’t care. There was nothing left of him, except the appearance of Ultraman Jack hovering in front of him.

Unlike before, it was as if he was looking directly in the mirror.

They really were one and the same.

 

Chapter 8: Memories

The two stared at each other. The Ultra’s round, bright eyes didn’t falter as Go’s blinked repeatedly. Go stepped forward in the dark abyss they were both still in, forming his hands into fists.

“Where the hell have you been!?” Hideki screamed out at the unflinching Ultra, raising his fist up, but kept it at a distance. He wanted to punch the Ultra for abandoning him and not taking ownership of his failures.

Jack didn’t respond.

His head lowered slightly as his eyes glazed downwards to the invisible floor they both stood on. He couldn’t give him an answer as nothing would be sufficient enough for his host or himself.

Hideki screamed out from Jack’s silence as he launched his fist forward, crashing through the Ultra’s head. However, it had no effect as his fist just phased through Jack’s face. He snarled and pulled his fist back, continuing to glare at him.

“If it helps, you can do it as many times as you’d like,” Jack murmured, keeping his eyes peeled downward, wanting to bring some comfort to Go, but couldn’t bear to look him in the eye.

“Forget it,” Go growled, untightening his hands as he let them hang down. “You won’t feel pain.”

“I feel more of it than you know,” whispered Jack.

“Yeah, I bet you do,” countered Go, shaking his head at the motionless display before him. There was nothing left in him. Nothing left to take his anger or grief on, just a broken shell of a man.

“Jack! That’s enough!” a distant voice screeched out.

Go snapped his head to the left to find a figure similar to Jack running towards them, but his head was completely different. A large rectangular fin was present instead of the smooth fin that was present on the Ultra he was familiar with.

The Ultra fired a Spacium Beam, forcing Go to nearly jump back only to realize it flew past him. The beam collided with a white creature with black spots adorned on his entire body as it immediately shrieked in agony.

The empty void disappeared and in its place formed into a world similar to one of Earth. Hideki then watched three Ultras standing together against the three identical kaiju to the one he just saw.

Thrusting his arms to the left, Ace fired out his Metalium Beam, directing it at the closest Eleking. The rainbow burst of energy collided into the invading creature, sending it stumbling backwards towards its pack. Ace tightened his hands, furious beyond belief as he snapped his head back at Jack.

“We are here to get these people out of here!” Ace yelled out, taking one step forward as he raised his fist up towards his fellow Ultra. “Not to vanquish our enemies!”

“I know what the objective is!” Jack screamed out, raising his hands at him, startling him at first, but nonetheless remained defiant. “But we’re ensuring they never have to live in fear again!”

As the two were arguing, Taro remained focused on the mission at hand by keeping the herd of Eleking back with his Strium beam. He watched as they kept positioning themselves throughout the battle, moving ever so slightly, almost as if they had some directive instead of invading the village they were protecting. An idea then popped up.

“Jack!” Taro called out, causing his teammates to turn their attention to him. “If we can….”

Despite the request, Jack’s heart raced when he saw an Eleking approaching his friend, with its tail swinging around its body. The appendage raced towards the distracted Ultra when Jack pressed his hands against his chest and then raised his hand back. Energy in the form of a yellowish buzzsaw materialized from his hand and not even sparing a second, he launched it forward. The energy weapon slashed through the tail of the Eleking, severing it in half.

The creature screeched out, collapsing to its knees as it grabbed the stump on its tail, attempting to nurse its wounds.

SLASH!

Jack threw another Ultra Slash at the wounded Eleking, as the energy went right through the creature’s neck. Before the Eleking could even think about it, his now severed head tilted forward, crashing into the ground.

Taro jumped back at the sudden demise of the creature while Ace’s hands tightened even more. A simple task of guard duty now turned into a massacre as the three saw the remaining Eleking stomping their feet, roaring a declaration of war at the residents of light.

Ace sent his fist crashing into Jack, causing him to stumble back. The afflicted Ultra looked up at his perpetrator with anger as he looked back down, fuming at what he did. “And now thanks to you, we have a full herd to cull.”

Jack grinded his hands in the dirt. He was beyond furious at how Ace, of all people, could criticize him when he had done nothing to help their situation. He knew he wasn’t doing a perfect job, but he was keeping everyone safe and that’s all that mattered. These people deserved to live out their lives in peace, and he would make sure no one would ever intrude on that again.

The downed Ultra quickly raised his hands together and fired a Spacium Beam at Ace, who couldn’t even react in time. The beam, while not a powerful one, was enough to send the fellow Ultra to his knees while Jack approached him.

Ace titled his head up, furious at how Jack could even fire a beam at him. He wanted to retaliate badly as he was struggling to get up.

“The situation we’re in isn’t ideal. I recognize that,” Jack drilled, leaning directly over Ace, still clutching his hands into fists. “I already know I made my mistakes, but I will not let it distract me from my duty. You can either fall in line or stand aside, but don’t get in my way.”

Ace wouldn’t admit it out loud, but despite the rage he still felt for Jack, he felt intimidated by his outburst. He was still trying to stand on his own two feet when to his surprise, Jack’s hand was no longer a fist, but a hand reaching out to him.

Not wanting to risk any discipline for neglecting his duty by Zoffy or the Father of Ultra, Ace begrudgingly took Jack’s hand and stood up. The three Ultras stood together at the incoming pack of Elekings as the three charged up their beams.

Go and Jack watched the three as their beams sliced through creatures with ease as if they butter against a hot knife. Their cries forced Go to nearly cover his ears, his stomach dropping due to how horrifying they sounded. Most of the time, he would be able to look the other way, but something about their cries made him think to animals he would occasionally see crying out.

Jack, on the other hand, watched his memory play out, simply staring at the massacre unfold. He watched the Elekings collapse as pieces of them flew all over, desecrating the nearby forests while the impacts of their beams rattled the homes of the natives. The Ultra hung his shoulders while he continued looking on. He wanted to look away, to forget this painful memory, but it was the first of many he knew that he was about to endure.

The Ultra knew Go would ask him why he did it, much less any of it, and that answer would be the most pitiful thing anyone would ever hear.

The worst sign in a person.

The answer that could turn a good man into the worst man in existence.

The two continued to watch the memory play out as they saw the three Ultras attempting to salvage the ruined village. Taro provided the civilians with supplies and was reassuring them that it would all be okay while Ace was rebuilding their structures as best as they could.

Go’s eyes scanned the entire village to find where past Jack would be, but only saw him standing out in the distance. He briefly glanced at the present day Jack and was taken back by what he saw.

Both past and present standing together, hunched over, watching the sunset on this fateful day. Go could only make assumptions, taking note of the one on the left. The Past was sickened by the atrocity he committed while the Present hated himself for forcing his comrades to enact a massacre.

The Ultra host’s vision was briefly distorted, replacing the identical Ultras with two versions of himself. Go’s sadness went away and he rolled his eyes, knowing full well what his mind was trying to tell him. He shook his head and the sight of the two Ultras standing off in the distance came back to him.

He took a deep breath out and walked up to Jack, the one he was more familiar with. Go watched the fleeting sunset as Jack kept his eyes peeled on it. “I’ve seen you in moments like this, so I suppose it’s only fair you only saw one of mine,” murmured Jack, feeling himself nearly pause every couple of words, doing his best to keep himself composed.

Hideki didn’t turn his head, only keeping his gaze on the nearly invisible sun. He didn’t know what to say. He was horrified like Taro was and wanted to berate him for his incompetence like Ace, and yet he was lost like Jack. Instead, he just settled on a few simple words.

“I suppose you’re right.”

The two spent the last minute watching the sunset as they both saw the past walking back towards the village. The sun no longer cast its light on the distressed as both Jack and Go turned to watch him walk. However, the village disappeared as it was being replaced with a teal color like aura surrounding an entire office. Ace and Taro faded away and were supplanted by two Ultras Go was completely unfamiliar with.

The only thing that remained with the transition between the two memories was the Past walking towards the nearly identical Ultra while another stood behind a desk and was adorned with a magnificent cape.

“You have disobeyed orders time and time again,” the Father of Ultra relayed, pressing his hands onto the table that separated him from his two subordinates. He took a moment to breathe and looked back up at Jack. What he was about to say would crush the young Ultra’s spirit, but he had no choice. “Despite your service, we can’t have a liability like yourself as a member of the Defence Force.”

“Wha… what?” Jack stammered out in complete disarray, feeling his entire body drop at the rejection his superior dropped on him. His entire body was at a loss, with his mind completely distracted by the news he didn’t even feel himself taking one step forward.

“This… this can’t be happening. I can’t leave now. I have so much to prove. I need to do this. It has to be me. It has to. I…..”

“Sir, please let me stay!” Jack cried out, his vocal chords ringing to where his voice nearly cracked out.

His dream was dangling from a cliff. At any moment, it could plunge into the abyss, lost forever. He couldn’t let go of it, not now, not ever. Jack took another step forward, his hands rubbing together, slightly hunching over as if he was bowing down to the Father of Ultra.

“I really need this. It’s something I know I can improve on,” pleaded the young Ultra.

“I’m sorry,” the top commander spoke, bringing his hands up from the table. “But my decision is final.”

“No…..” murmured Jack, hanging his head further down. His hopes and dreams had been crushed. That conversation he had with Beth all those years was nothing more than pure fiction as he had nothing left.

Picking up his feet, he turned around and motioned towards the door while Zoffy, who remained silent, watched him. He understood his commander’s decision and yet, it was one he couldn’t fully get behind. Jack was someone who was reckless, an ends justify the means type of person, but every report that was sent reported he put his teammates along with the lives of everyone ahead of his own.

“Wait,” Zoffy finally spoke out, causing Jack to stop in his tracks and the Father of Ultra to turn his attention towards his top lieutenant, casting a look back at his leader. “Jack isn’t like the others. He’s not as versatile with his abilities like Taro or disciplined like Seven.”

The comments made by his superior only further sent Jack down into a depression. He didn’t need to hear it from someone he respected greatly, he already knew it, but him saying it only made it worse on him. He wanted this to be over already, he didn’t need Zoffy to belittle him any further.

“However,” Zoffy continued to speak, Jack’s head then lifting ever so slightly with his pause as it sounded much more considerate than dismissive. “Jack has something the others do not have. Willpower. Someone who’s always willing to do not only the right thing, but to keep everyone at their best.”

“Zoffy….. Thinks highly of me? But why would he say that about me?” Jack wondered, his body completely frozen by the glowing recommendation his superior just gave out. He couldn’t believe it, much less even begin to acknowledge it.

The Father of Ultra continued to direct his attention towards Zoffy. He hadn’t spoken, but instead was contemplating the words that went into his mind. The leader of the Garrison turned his back on the two, staring out at the green sky casting its appearance outside of the window.

“Ken?” inquired Zoffy, taking another step forward, hoping his words got through to him.

The Father of Ultra glanced over at a shelf with glass encased in front of it. He slid it open and snatched up a brown circular object with a diamond planted front and center on it. Ken turned back around, walking around his desk and towards the two Ultras.

“Do you know what this is?” inquired Ken, holding out the object.

“Of course, it’s the….” Zoffy tried to answer, but his superior cut him off.

“The question was meant for Jack,” Ken clarified, turning his head at the young Ultra, holding out the object in front of him.

“It’s the Ultra Bracelet, sir,” Jack simply answered, completely unsure of where the Father of Ultra was going with this.

“And do you understand its significance?”

“It was forged from the energies of the Plasma Spark by Seven at a very young age, and it is meant for a warrior of great courage and compassion. One that amplifies their abilities and signifies their worthiness,” Jack mused, the history of the weapon’s significance was always a fascinating subject to him ever since he heard of how someone at a young age could create a brilliant invention like it. Along with Lipiah and Zoffy’s achievements, it was another source of inspiration that made him want to join the Defense Force.

“Precisely,” Ken simply answered, moving the bracelet closer to Jack, taking him completely by surprise.

“I…. I don’t understand. What are you doing?” stammered Jack, his heart racing at what was transpiring right in front of him.

“Say you will not make me regret this, because there is great potential in you, but you are unpredictable and dangerous,” Ken elaborated.

The words struck him, but he knew they were true. He hated that he was right, and yet he continued to listen on.

“You will be the wielder of the first Ultra Bracelet, and that will be your true test to see who you really are,” the Father of Ultra relayed.

“I…. I don’t know what to say,” Jack stumbled between words, completely taken by surprise from the news his superior just spoke out. He was highly honored by the gift about to be bestowed on him, but he felt guilty. It belonged to someone and not someone like him.

“Jack,” Zoffy spoke, gaining his attention as he put his hand on his shoulder. “I can’t think of any other person who deserves it more than you.”

His heart raced. It was a big decision and he had approval from not one, but two people he looked up to greatly. It was just one another step towards his dream of being a member of the Ultra Brothers.

Without wasting another second, he took the bracelet from Ken and strapped it to his wrist, displaying it proudly in front of himself. It was a dream come true to him, but several thousand years in the future, it was nothing more than pure arrogance.

“That bracelet really meant a lot to you, didn’t it?” inquired Go, watching the Past being filled with overwhelming joy over his success.

“It was a time when I thought my accomplishments mattered,” the Present simply replied, keeping his eyes focused on the memory in front of them.

“It made sense why your mind snapped the way it did when it broke,” Go spoke, understanding why Jack committed the actions he did. He knew full well he’d do the same exact thing if he were in his Ultra’s shoes. “For what it’s worth….”

“I know….but it no longer matters. That key to being someone is gone forever,” murmured Jack, looking away from the memory as if on cue, everything and everyone except for the Past faded away, transforming the entire landscape into something different.

“No.”

Jack bolted throughout the lively settlement of Crystal Town, frantically checking every map and building he could to find his destination. Each building had a story to tell with its lively colorful crystals protruding out of them, but as magnificent as they were, the young Ultra couldn’t focus on them.

“I’m going to be late,” Jack bellowed out, feeling his breathing go rapidly while his legs were buckling down. He had graduated from school with flying colors in the past few months and was granted an invitation to train for the Intergalactic Defense Force. He couldn’t let a chance like this go by, much less make a bad first impression.

“Come on! Where is it!? Where is it? Why can’t I find it!?” the young Ultra cried out, feeling more of his composure fading away. He frantically searched his surroundings, determining his next course of action until he looked ahead where the skyscrapers were off in the distance.

He gritted his hands. “There!”

Jack went to pick up his feet, but they disobeyed his orders and forced him to collapse onto the ground. He exhaled, exhausted by the mental gymnastics he was putting himself through. Jack flattened his palms on the crystal surface and lifted himself upwards, allowing him to sit down.

The young Ultra breathed out once more, trying to compose himself as best as he could, however, his thoughts went elsewhere. Ones of despair. “I’m never going to find it.”

“Find what?” a calm, angelic voice spoke out, immediately catching his attention.

Jack looked up to find what the voice matched: an angel. Her long silvery hair flowed gently while her blue eyes casted an aura of safety and reassurance. He couldn’t help but feel things were going to be okay.

“Oh… I… “ Jack was about to explain, but he was still enamored by her beauty. His mind went in a different direction. Like he always wanted to do, but with her, he really wanted to do it. He had no idea why, but his feelings for her were something he couldn’t comprehend. Yet, he wanted to make up an excuse, no, tell a story. “I was on my way to the Intergalactic Defense Force, but a couple of children needed help, so I decided to lead them to the school. Followed it up with helping the elders move their furniture back. They offered me refreshments after that, but I had to politely decline to make it, and then here we are.”

Jack immediately followed it up with a nervous laugh, still unsure why he made up a long, elaborate story to a random stranger he just made. Like others in the past whether he told a lie or a truth, they’d just scoff at him, he’d fully expect her to do the same.

Instead, she just smiled.

A smile freezing his very body as she followed it up with a laugh. “Well, perhaps I can reward the hero with a trip to the headquarters?”

“Oh…. um….. Right…. Of course,” Jack stammered out, his mind flooding with this woman’s generosity. He had a feeling she wasn’t falling for his fib, but he was grateful she was offering to take him to his destination.

He went to bend his legs forward to get up when he stopped. Her hand was in front of him, Jack’s eyes darted over to the kind stranger’s face, smiling at him. She was the prettiest being he’d ever seen, and one he immediately wanted to get to know more.

“So… um…. How do you know how to get to the headquarters?” inquired Jack, still nearly frozen in place.

“I’m an intelligence officer,” she answered.

“She’s out of my league.”

“Oh… that’s amazing…. I hope this isn’t too out of the way for you, having to head back there yet again,” rambled Jack, internally punching himself for going off the rails. He didn’t fear anyone nor anything, but in her presence, he was a mess.

“Nonsense. I just dropped my nephews off there,” she gleefully announced.

“Why?”

“Are you going to get up now?” the stranger asked, as Jack snapped his attention back to the real world.

“Oh, right!” he nearly barked out, taking her, feeling the electricity rush through his body as he felt himself being lifted up by the woman. “Sorry about that.”

She smiled once more, causing his whole body to nearly shake. “You’re welcome.”

“My name is Jack, by the way,” the younger Ultra introduced, his hand reaching out, formally introducing himself. In reality, he just wanted an excuse for him to touch her hand again, as it brought him a rush of excitement, yet calm at the same time.

“Remi,” she introduced, shaking the young Ultra’s hand, as the wave of electricity went down his very body as the two smiled at each other.

“Was it the same with Aki?” the Present asked his human host, turning his head slightly towards him.

Go turned his head away from the happy couple to face the present iteration of the Ultra next to him. “A lot less stuttering, but sort of.”

The world morphed once more, with the crystals dissipated as the buildings were altered into ordinary structures found on Earth. All the while the two found themselves in the middle of a park where trees surrounded them, blowing a gentle breeze as the nearby creek ran throughout the area.

A man completely resembling Go sat on top of a rock, fiddling with the strings of a guitar. He was by no means perfect, but was always greeted with several passengers, filling him with compliments and even yen. It was something that made him chuckle, all of them thinking he was looking for work, but it was nothing to complain about.

It brought him solace. Playing his favorite guitar in a calm, peaceful park, away from the busy city was what he needed to help. He closed his eyes, rubbing his fingers gently on the string, eliciting beautiful music that purified the soul.

“You’re marvelous,” a calm, alluring voice spoke out.

“Huh,” Hideki murmured out, only to find a smiling, gorgeous young woman standing in front of him. Her curly brown hair went down to her neck while her turquoise sweater dress casted a sense of awe to him.

“Pardon me, but I was watching you play for these past couple minutes and I just think you’re amazing,” she explained, twiddling her fingers together.

“Oh, thanks,” he spoke up, keeping his focus on her while he set the guitar down.

“I’m Aki.”

“Hideki,” the man introduced himself, offering his hand towards Aki as she eagerly shook it, eliciting a laugh out of him. “Eager, aren’t we?”

Aki immediately grew red, blushing from Hideki’s comment as he followed it up with a laugh. “Stop it!” she laughed out as he continued onwards, spending the next few minutes getting to know each other.

The present Hideki lowered his head, thinking about how things were a lot better for him back then. He didn’t have to worry about disappointing the woman he loved nor hurting her.

“What the hell did I become?”

“It was beautiful,” Jack pointed out, watching the two continue their banter.

“Yeah,” murmured Go, raising his head up slightly. “I just wish I was better.”

“Go….” the Ultra tried to speak up, but his host cut him off.

“No.”

Their surroundings morphed as the beautiful park melted away as the countryside was where they stood and off in the distance was a trampoline. Then, Jack shuddered in complete fear when he heard a child scream out as if his life was on the line. Go, on the other hand, appeared to be unfazed, when in reality it was something that chilled him to his very core.

Jack bolted over to find a kid very similar to his host, immediately deducing it to be Go as a child. Below him was a child screaming out, begging for Hideki’s help.

“Hideki! My neck!” the other kid shrieked, clutching his collar as Hideki shivered in fear.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to!” cried the younger Hideki, rubbing his hair with hands, trying to concoct a solution for their situation.

“I think it’s broken!” Hideki’s friend screamed out, tears flooding from his eyes.

“No! It’s not broken! You’re going to be okay!” the young child countered, desperately trying to reassure his friend it was just a minor injury, lifting his friend up only to be met by a more ear piercing scream from the agonizing pain.

Hideki set him back down gently, as he breathed heavily, completely unsure what to do.

“Hideki!” his friend called out, snapping his attention back to him. “Get my parents.”

“No. We can fix this,” Hideki panicky called back, his entire body going numb at the thought of anyone finding out about this accident, knowing full well he’d pay for the consequences. “We can fix this….”

“We can fix this….” the younger Hideki repeated, kneeling beside his injured friend, trying to figure out what to do while Jack watched on, horrified by what had transpired.

“What happened was the two of us were roughhousing and resulted in me accidentally crashing into him just right for his neck to be injured, or at least we thought it was,” Go explained, his voice completely monotone while he kept his eyes fixated on the crisis in front.

“What happened afterwards? Was he okay?” inquired Jack.

“It turned out to be nothing. Just a false alarm,” answered Hideki, allowing Jack to let out a small sigh of relief, however, his host continued to speak. “But even though it was nothing, it’s a memory that’s haunted me since. He probably forgave or even forgot about this, but it will always be there.”

The Ultra host paused, taking a moment to compose himself, but it wasn’t something that could be done, especially not now. He turned to look at Jack who in turn faced him, staring at each other as Go shook his head, disgusted by both the Ultra and himself.

“But I guess that’s yet another thing we share in common, we don’t really talk about any of it, do we?”

“No…” Jack felt himself pause, feeling a great sense of shame by all of his past actions, never faltering his eye contact with his host. “No we do not.”

“In addition to my friend, how many people have we hurt?” inquired Hideki, his voice trembling with both regret and anger.

Jack was about to answer when he saw ghostly silhouette figures materialize behind him. Several of them taking on his family and friends like Go’s father, the entire MAT team, Ken, Jiro, Aki, as others he didn’t recognize went down the gravely road they stood on.

Hideki saw the same thing as the ghostly figures of Baragon and Behemoth cried out, materializing behind Jack, pieces of their bodies missing. Soon, several other kaiju like the Eleking he’d witnessed minutes before along with others. In front of the kaiju, the Ultras like Beth, Taro, Seven, Ace, and front in center, Remi stood there.

The two were surrounded by the figures of their past, present and future, casting their judgment down on them with their scowling eyes. The sky began to blacken while red illuminated them as their only source of light. The ghostly figures then took on a demonic form, burning their glaring eyes into them.

Jack averted his gaze from Hideki to look up at the source of their light, as the host soon followed suit. What he saw completely shocked him.

A planet off in the darkened sky looked down on them as it was covered in black with long streaks of red glowing off of it. Droplets of what appeared to be blood rained down from the planet and all around them, blanketing the ghosts in it.

Hideki glanced over to Jack shaking at the memory of the planet before them, completely horrified by the display. Remembering the question he asked to Jack, he brought up a similar one, one he wasn’t sure if he wanted to know either.

“Jack, who did you hurt?”

 

Chapter 9: Our Own Personal Hell

“How much longer until the shuttles are launched!?” Jack screamed out, throwing his bracelet, taking the form as a bomb into a smaller Deathla. The bomb lodged itself into the left bulbous eye of the Smog Monster, eliciting a gurgle of confusion from the impact. Within a second, the explosive detonated, consuming the mastodon of destruction in a fiery blast, completely incinerating it.

“Not enough for us to last!” Taro called out, crossing his arms as a blue barrier materialized in front of him and the shuttles he was protecting. The red melting rays raced across the battlefield, colliding into the young Ultra’s shield, forcing him to unleash a grunt of agony as the course of the battle had already ran longer than any of them could reasonably withstand. The resulting impact forced him to his knees while he barely held up his barrier.

His entire body shook, he wanted these people to live, to do everything he could to ensure they’d be safe, but he had no idea if he could keep this up. The barrier across his hands was faltering, flickering every second while the crimson beams continued ramming into it. Taro stuttered with his breathing as he glanced over to Jack, keeping his focus on the horde of Deathlas. He admired his friend’s resolve to keep everyone safe even at the cost of his own body.

Scars were decorated all throughout the fighting Ultra’s body, cracks of light shining out of them, but it was as if Jack paid it no mind or had a high pain tolerance. Yet, here he was, about to collapse.

Taro, with his mind floating in and out, lost his concentration when another volley of crimson beams collided with his shield, shattering it instantly. The Ultra shook his head in surprise as all he could do was let out a large gasp before finally being struck with the deadly beams. The deadly rays pierced through his body, eliciting a cry of agony while Taro collapsed on his back as light shined greatly out of the many holes.

The young Ultra struggled to get up, but the pain was too great. He could barely move, tilting his eyes downward to see a group of Deathla breaking away from the main horde and towards him. They all gurgled in delight, relishing at the sight of one of their enemies finally brought down to their mercy. A few clapped their hands, giddy with excitement to hear the agonizing screams of the warrior. Taro attempted to breathe out while he forced his hands together to fire a Strium beam, however, the pain was too great. He screamed out in agony as it was nothing compared to the Deathla that latched onto his chest.

The collision with its sulfuric body oozed with its acidic sludge dripping all over Taro’s body, forcing him to cry out. It was the worst pain he ever imagined, feeling as if his entire body was melting away. He was completely powerless to stop the weaker form of their greatest enemy.

Jack heard the bone chilling scream and immediately snapped his attention towards the source. The display before him shook him to his very core. His friend was on the verge of dying as everything nearly went black from him.

How did it go so wrong?

The three of them were holding off the horde so well. They did everything right and yet, here they were. Ace was barely holding them off, only managing to get five shuttles out while he could only annihilate a fraction of the Deathla, but worst of all; Taro was on death’s door.

A bell seemingly rang out as time stopped, Jack observed his surroundings, feeling as if everyone but him was frozen in time.

He stood on the precipice of change.

Before him two paths were presented in front of him.

Ensure the mission was a success or risk it all to save a good man.

He glanced over to the shuttles behind he assigned himself to guard, forcing him to tighten his left hand while he clutched the bracelet with his right. He had to do this, if he went down this path, then he could do it all.

He had to.

Jack let out a warcry, a declaration to all, showing he had no intention of losing. To show his planet, no, the universe, that he was a warrior. A hero. One who could do it all.

The Ultra ripped the bracelet off his wrist and threw it at the Deathla on top of his treasured friend. The object collided with the slimy creature as it began conducting with electricity, shocking every fiber of the creature’s body. The attack forced the monstrosity to cry out in pain before its screams were silenced by being reduced to its dried remains, crumbling on top of the wounded Ultra.

Jack, without wasting any more time, raced over to Taro, who could barely lift his head up. “Jack….. The mission….” murmured Taro while Jack slowly lifted his friend up.

His wounds were grievous while his consciousness was barely hanging on.

“No. You’re not going out. Not yet. You still have a lot to prove, I won’t let you die. You’re the best of us. I can’t!”

Jack’s mind raced, putting himself through constant mental gymnastics. He couldn’t realize it, but his own psyche was starting to break apart. The loss of a comrade or the mission was making him fall apart at the seams. He was running out of options while he lifted his friend up, listening to his screams of pain only made it worse.

He had no choice. What he was about to scream out was manipulation of the highest order, but it was the only way to keep Taro alive.

“Ace!” Jack screamed out at the top of his lungs, forcing the called upon Ultra to turn his head.

Ace was fighting with all of his might to keep the shuttles protected, but even he was failing against the terrifying might of their enemy. He had already lost several of the shuttles with only a few escaping from the planet on his watch. Despite his tough exterior, he mourned for the loss of life on this planet as no matter what they did, they were all but guaranteed to fail. The species of this planet was about to be doomed to extinction. It all depended on their commitment to the mission and how far they would go to save them.

Yet, it all changed in seconds.

His eyes widened in horror at the display before him. His beloved brother was badly wounded and was forced into the care of the person he despised the most. The most ruthless person he knew was protecting Taro. Ace gritted his teeth, with his body telling him to stay on top of the mission, but his emotions ran unchecked.

The Ultra fired off a Metalium beam at a nearby Deathla, settling it ablaze before rushing over to his teammates, furious beyond belief. He hunched over to his brother, running his hand across his face. Ace could barely compose himself, sickened by the state of his brother’s health before shooting Jack a hideous glare.

“What did you do!?” Ace shrieked out, nearly jabbing him in the chest.

Jack, feeling the intense adrenaline from the battle in combination with the wounds he received prior starting to make their rounds, roared out “I did what I had to to save him!”

“At the cost of the mission!?” Ace retaliated, his body shaking with pure hatred at how shortsighted the Ultra could be. He hated him so badly for his inconsistent and ruthless behavior. Forcing others to do his will and yet compromising everything just to save them. He was pathetic.

“I know full well you would do the same to keep him alive!” Jack screamed, punching Ace across the face, forcing his left eye to flicker from the impact of the punch. He had no time to argue with him, especially when everything was on the cusp of breaking down. Jack handed the wounded Taro to Ace, forcing him to stand up.

Jack stared at the fiery landscape before him. The once beautiful rivers were now blackened with sludge running down them while fires raged across the countryside. The buildings were reduced to piles of rubble as the streets were littered with the bones of its once plentiful citizens. It was a sickening sight, one no one could ever recover from seeing.

He couldn’t let it deter him despite every fiber of his body wanting to shut down from this horror, to cradle into a ball and let it consume him completely. He had a mission to see through and it will be done, with no one else having to die.

“What are you intending to do?” questioned Ace, venom oozing out from his voice as he watched Jack stand defiantly against the charging horde of Smog Monsters as he left the remaining shuttles unguarded.

“Taking the brunt of the assault,” Jack declared before looking back at Ace still cradling his younger brother in his arms, changing his tone to one of sadness. “Make sure he survives. He never deserved this.”

Without any hesitation, Jack threw his bracelet forward, allowing it to detonate across the landscape, casting a sea of fire between him and the horde. Several were blanketed in the flames, gurgling out in anguish while others fared better by leaping above it. Jack clasped his hands together, pointing his fingertips towards the enemy as bullets fired out, riddling their slimy bodies. Pieces of sludge flung all over while their movements were staggering as others began to collapse, searching for replacements to their now incomplete bodies.

Jack, waiting for his bracelet to reform, was met by a corrosive energy bolt, surging through the wall of fire, striking him in the shoulder. He cried out, clutching his now wounded shoulder, nearly forcing him to the ground.

An explosion was then heard, as the valiant Ultra turned his head to witness in his horror, shuttles there were assigned on his watch were melting away. The screams of the people inside the disintegrating craft became gurgled, becoming more and more reminiscent of their murderers.

Jack coughed out, seeing the horror wrap around him as the neverending horde continued on, vanquishing everything in their sight. A part of him wanted to give up, to accept his failure and to be punished for it, and yet, in the corner of his eye, a handful of space faring craft remained. The ones on Ace’s watch.

He had one last chance.

One more chance to save the race he swore to protect and his friends.

Jack picked himself back up as the bracelet came back to him. A Deathla leapt out of the sea of fire, however, the Ultra was quicker on the draw, materializing his defender shield. The creature latched onto the shield, attempting to break through it, but with a mighty push, Jack sent it careening into the still burning flames, completely disintegrating it.

His entire body ached, as he limped around to face his next threat when another crimson beam struck him in the back, blackening a huge portion of it. Jack cried out as he was forced to his stomach. He slowly put his hands on the ground, forcing himself upwards when another Deathla landed in front of him, clapping its hands repeatedly, gurgling in laughter. It was as if it was mocking him for his continued effort to keep his promises. To save life.

Jack didn’t give the creature any satisfaction over pondering his choices as in a split second, he crossed his hands together and fired off his Spacium beam. The blue beam sliced through the right half of the creature’s face, sending it careening into the distant landscape. This, however, didn’t stop or even seem to harm the mastodon of destruction as its remaining eye stared down at him, gurgling in delight over his futile efforts.

The Smog Monster gently took one step off the side while it motioned with its left hand, fully intending to show the wounded warrior something. Something far too exciting to show without an audience. Jack weakly raised his head up to see what his enemy was showing only for his eyes to widen in shock.

Several Deathlas crashed into the ground next to the remaining shuttles, their dark evil red eyes glaring into the fates of the benevolent race before them. They were their judge, jury and executioner, and Jack was their audience.

The Deathla that stood before the valiant Ultra gurgled, mocking him for his failure. It had witnessed how Jack fought against the horde, how he did everything he could to do it, but failed spectacularly, allowing them to spread their conquest and to feed with ease.

It raised its hand upwards as Jack crawled towards his foe, his mind completely racing between thoughts of despair, depression, and failure. His only method left was one that was viewed as pathetic, but it was a matter of desperation.

“Please….. Don’t do this….” Jack weakly pleaded, reaching his arm outwards in a futile attempt to sway the creature.

“You really are pathetic to think you can reason with this monstrosity, but I guess failure really does push someone to be idiotic. Or maybe that was just what you were in the very first place. Pretending to be some great person when really the Deathla is just a reflection of yourself. A terrible monster that needs to be vanquished”

Swinging its hand forward, the Deathla ordered its comrades to attack the spacecraft as they immediately swooped in, laying waste on the last remnants of a civilization. Jack could only watch in horror as he saw one being shoved into the body of a Smog Monster, melting away as its remains merged with its body. Another was sent exploding into pieces by a jagged red beam, while another had its top ripped off as sludge was poured into craft, melting its inhabitants slowly.

Their cries paralyzed Jack while the Deathla gurgled in unison as their victory was complete. The lead Smog Monster glanced back towards the downed Ultra who continued looking at the destruction he contributed to. A part of it toyed with the idea of wanting to kill the Ultra and his friends, but despite its nature of devouring everything in sight, its sadistic side wanted him to live.

To live with his failure.

With a shriek, a pinkish light encased the bodies of all the present Deathla as their bodies morphed into saucers. They shot up into the sky abruptly leaving the ruined planet in search of another to feast on, abandoning the wounded Ultras.

Jack raised his hand upwards towards the blackened sky in an attempt to stop them, but the last of his strength perished, forcing him to lay on his stomach.

He failed.

Him alone.

He was the reason all of this failed.

“You!” Ace roared out, storming towards the downed Ultra, immediately delivering a kick, shattering his ribcage, forcing Jack to cry out from the surge of pain. “It’s your fault this happened!”

Drawing an incredible amount of electricity in the air, with blue static energy cascading across his entire body. He crossed his arms forward, his entire body shaking before letting go and his color timer turning azure blue for a brief second. A strong current of electricity shot out from his timer and into Jack’s body, sending him into a frenzy, commanding every fiber of his being to thrash around. His body was buried in flames as his once pure silver body was transformed into a pitch black with the fire still dancing on top of him.

“So own up to it!” Ace roared out once more, plunging his fist through the blazing fire. It seared through his hand, but with the rage he was experiencing now it was only a motivator for him to continue on. He lifted Jack’s head up and delivered a punch in the direct center of it, breaking it apart.

“It is…. My fault….” Jack weakly stammered out, his consciousness beginning to fade while Ace continued sending daggers into his very soul, rearing back his fist for another punch.

“If you feel guilty about it!” shrieked the attacking Ultra, sending his fist colliding into Jack’s face, shattering his left eye, forcing the wounded Jack to gag out. “Then die!”

Ace hammered his fist into Jack’s mouth, splitting it open with light erupting from his mouth, nearly blinding the offending Ultra. “Do us all a favor and die!”

He looked down at the deformed Jack, skin blackened by the flames and his head just a fragment of its former self. With the last flicker of his eye, he saw Ace getting ready to deliver the punch, the punch that will free him and the world from himself.

But alas, a beam shot out at Ace, forcing him to scream out in a mixture of pain and anger. With Ace’s hold on him gone, Jack collapsed onto the harsh, unforgiving ground as his remaining eye watched Zoffy and the others drop down, assessing the damage.

His vision was slowly fading away while his mind was starting to blacken, fading away into unconsciousness when he heard Zoffy berating the entire group. “The two of you will atone for your crimes committed here today.”

He had no idea how much time had passed as he was barely awake for the most of it. Only recognizing pieces of it being spent in a medical facility as several workers restored his body to normal and hearing glimpses of it discussing his fate.

Jack slowly opened his eyes to find himself in a court, slowly scanning the room to see several Ultras seated in all corners of the room, casting their judgment on him. He tugged lightly only to discover chains of light kept him trapped to the ground, forcing himself to stand still. Jack didn’t mourn his situation nor felt anger towards anyone.

Whatever fate that awaited him was one he deserved.

“Jack, you stand here against your crimes of not only going against your orders, but forcing your subordinates to abandon their duties and to condemn a whole race to extinction,” Ultraman King relayed, keeping himself composed when he himself was sickened by the act the young Ultra committed. One that reminded him all too well of another who sought glory and power for his own ambitions.

“Despite your service to the Intergalactic Defense force,” Ken added, before pausing. “You will be stripped of your title as an Ultra Brother and be forced to serve five-thousand years in incarceration.”

The sentence was more than fair for Jack. He remained silent, offering no words in defiance or even support for his actions. He accepted it, but it wasn’t the fate he deserved. It was far too generous for someone like him.

With a push on his shoulder, he was forced to move forward as he kept his eyes peeled down to the ground while every Ultra present screamed at him. Jack couldn’t face them, face how people saw him, but he already knew what it looked like. What pained him even more was the off chance of seeing the faces of the people he cared about the most. So, Jack kept his head down until he was shoved into his cell, barring him from almost no contact, forcing him to look at a lightish green wall.

Several years went by, but it only felt like a matter of seconds. It was all a trick in his mind as he remained motionless for a good portion of that time. Was it punishment to prevent him from absolving himself of his guilt or some twisted reward that prevented him from facing his actions head on?

His thoughts were caught in a storm at how he could have done things differently or him trying to run away from those problems. He knew one thing for certain, he hated himself, for not only failing everyone, but not even staying consistent with himself.

Ace was right.

He didn’t know whether he wanted to succeed or help others.

And his inconsistent mindset is what others pay the price for: getting hurt or worse, death.

Something that should only be reserved for him.

Footsteps were heard, slowly taking him away from his incoherent thoughts, tilting his head up to see Taro in much better health. He didn’t stand proudly, but with regret painted all over him. He rubbed his arm, looking at his incarcerated friend.

“Jack….” was all he was able to mouthed out.

“Taro, just don’t blame yourself,” murmured Jack, barely keeping eye contact with his fellow Ultra.

“If I didn’t get wounded or held my own…..” Taro tried to reason, stepping closer to his friend only for Jack to abruptly cut him off.

“What happened was my fault and mine alone. It’s time I saw that for everything I’ve done,” Jack spoke, raising his hands upwards to find darkness consuming his skin before his very eyes. It was reminiscent of the burns he received from Ace, but unlike those wounds, this was something only he could see. A reflection of his true self.

“Not everything is your fault. We all make mistakes,” countered Taro, keeping his voice level but empathetic for his suffering friend. Despite the terrible decisions he made over the course of the battle, he felt his father and King were too hard on him. He didn’t need to spend a huge portion of his life in a cell for something that couldn’t solely be put on him.

“And those that cost people their lives? How does that become acceptable?” questioned Jack, his voice nearly spitting out the words he conveyed, but unlike before, he didn’t have the will to emote beyond voicing his regret.

Taro hanged his head downwards, letting out a sigh. His time with his friend was running short and he was at a loss. Nothing he could say or do could lift him up. Instead, he had to settle.

“I just hope in time you’ll see you’re not a bad man. That you’re like the rest of us, trying to figure out who we are,” Taro relayed his sympathies as he turned away to head out of the cell block, but stopped when he heard Jack speak once more.

“Go back to your life before me and continue being the person you are… be that person I can never be. Make it worth it.”

The words, Jack’s final command, hit him harder than any foe could ever do it. Taro shook his head slowly, distraught at how his friend could think so little of himself. He wanted to argue against him, tell him he was wrong, but it’d be like arguing against a crystal wall. There was no use. All he could do was listen and continue on.

Taro left the room, leaving Jack to his thoughts once again as time became meaningless.

The door slid open once more with another familiar face rushing in. To his surprise, his closest friend, Beth, ran in. She was scared, trying to rush in and grab onto her friend, but the bars between them prevented it nor did he bother reaching for her. Only keeping his distance.

“Jack, we can fix this together. We’ll get you out and….” rambled Beth, but was interrupted by the prisoner.

“Everything I told you was a lie!” yelled Jack, completely stunning his best friend.

Beth twiddled her fingers together, baffled by what he announced, trembling between her words. “Jack, you never lied to me, you were always there…..”

“I was never there for you! I told you what you wanted to hear! Not what you needed to hear! You and I…..” Jack screamed out, his entire body going uneasy at what he was about to go through. He hated himself for what he was about to convey, another lie he was about to tell, but it was the lesser of two evils. It was for her own good, for her to become a far better person without his presence interfering with it.

“You and I were never capable of anything! What I told you was only to calm me down, to take solace in the fact I will never amount to anything! To take someone down with me!” the imprisoned Ultra shrieked, shaking Beth to her very core.

He wanted to buckle down and curl over the sickening lie he had to scream out, but it was something he had to do. To avoid others paying for his mistakes.

“I… I…..” Beth choked out, attempting to evoke some sort of response, but bolted out, devastated by the words her dear friend threw at her. Yet, Jack tilted his head and shoulders down once more, disgusted with himself, allowing time to flow by once more while he remained sedentary, running his mind through every decision he had made.

One more person wanted to pay him a visit. The person he didn’t want to see nor wanted her to see him like this.

Remi slowly walked in as Jack heard the way her slow, elegant footsteps announced her presence. He kept his head down, not even wanting to look her in the eye to tell her lies or even his own confessions.

“Jack?” whispered Remi, cocking her head to the side, watching her beloved through the bars as he continued keeping his head down.

Jack watched the darkness washing over his arms, painting them pitch black as he felt his eyes changing from yellow to orange. His fingers grew sharp as he imagined himself laughing at all the pain he caused over the years.

Yet, it slowly started to recede when the soft fingertips of his beloved lifted his head up, facing her. “Jack?”

For a brief moment, he felt calm as if the galaxy was telling it will be alright. Her soft smile accompanied with her fingers rubbing his chin softly was almost enough to bring him back to his senses. However, his eyes glanced over to a reflection off in the distance pointed exactly at him, showing him the monster all Ultras were familiar with.

His mind went back to the hell he put himself in. The one of isolation and despair as the colors on his body completely morphed into the figure he saw in the reflection. He stared Remi in the eyes and asked a question. One he already knew the answer to.

“Belial?”

Remi cocked her head to the side, using her free hand to rub it against Jack’s. “What about him?”

“Have I become him?” murmured Jack.

“No,” Remi nearly hushed, feeling sick to her stomach at the person she treasured the most could even ask a question like that. She rubbed his hand harder, desperately trying to reassure him he was nothing like that monster.

“Don’t lie to me,” Jack sighed, removing her hand from his chin, keeping his eyes focused on her own. “Just tell me.”

Remi paused, contemplating all he had done. One who was always willing to do the right thing, but caused several innocents to pay the price for his transgression. She loved him dearly, always wanting to take his side, but the events of his mission didn’t lie. He really sent everyone to their deaths even with the tremendous amount of guilt he was putting on himself. “I really don’t know.”

“That’s the answer I wish I didn’t hear.”

“I don’t understand,” Remi spoke, attempting to pull him closer only for him to pluck himself away as he kept his eyes off her.

“They should have taken the precaution of killing me,” declared Jack, removing her hand away from his face and pulling away, stepping further back into his cell. “Like everyone else I care about, I failed you.”

“Jack, you never failed me,” reasoned Remi, attempting to reach for him, but he was too far gone. He stood alone in his cell, completely cutting himself off, only a mere shadow of what he once was.

“Forget about me. Find someone who not only matters. A good man, not a butcher,” spoke Jack, his voice nearly monotone as his final words completely devastated his now ex.

“Jack…… dammit!” Remi rushed out, completely distraught by what her beloved had conveyed to her. Despite everything he had done, she still loved him dearly and never wanted to let him go, but he had done so himself. She knew he didn’t mean it as the look on his face presented it, one of the worst things he had done was break her heart.

She kept herself composed as best as she could, but it was too much as all she could do was walk, leaving him alone once more. Nothing good came from that day. A monster that not only took lives, but divided those who were allowed to live.

“We really are the same, aren’t we?” Go pointed out, watching the entirety of the event unfold as the Present kept his eyes peeled on his worst memory, only filling him with the same emptiness he felt in that cell.

“I guess you were right.”

 

Chapter 10: Ultraman Jack vs. Hideki Go

Five-thousand years had passed.

No longer bound to the cell he had called home during that time, nor was he free.

He was escorted out of the prison block and into the outside world he had not seen for a long time. The colors were still the same, changing from one to another, just as he had remembered. The Ultra looked around, watching the busy folk going about their lives as nothing had ever happened, and he was expected to go along with it.

Jack sighed.

The Ultra slowly traversed down the streets, wandering around aimlessly. His time in his cell only turned him into a husk, void of any emotions, burying them all away. He had done his grieving, but nothing would change.

It never has.

“Murderer!” someone screamed out afar, with Jack slowly turning his head to see an Ultra raising an uproar as others stared at him.

Jack shook his head and continued walking down the busy streets as several other citizens cast disgusted looks at him.

“They should have kept him locked up forever.”

“Do us all a favor and disappear.”

“A failure has no place here.”

“Monster.”

The words, like daggers, struck him, but he had already bled a long time ago. They still hurt, but there was no emotion he could show. He wandered around aimlessly until he heard an all too familiar voice.

“And look who it is!”

Jack turned around to see a furious Ace standing a few feet away, tightening his fists. “The person who not only steals lives, but time as well.”

“Ace….” was all the dishonored Ultra could say, as his mouth trembled. He didn’t expect to see the person who hated him the most again. Jack was apprehensive at how things would go, but felt almost relieved, hoping judgment would come to him.

“That’s all you have to say? Five-thousand years in the hole compared to my two-thousand?” Ace stormed up to Jack, sending his palm on his shoulder, making him stagger back.

Jack nearly buckled down, offering no resistances to Ace’s shock. “You really are pathetic. A ruthless individual who goes limp the moment the consequences come for him. I have no idea what my aunt even saw in you.”

“Then that makes two of us,” mouthed Jack, feeling sick at the thought of the person he disappointed the most flooding his thoughts once more.

Ace huffed, continuing to stare down at the lifeless husk before him, beyond furious there was nothing left to fight. He wasn’t the one to bring him down or prove why he was better than him. Jack was nothing.

“And you were right. The others should have seen it,” murmured Jack, finally looking Ace directly in the eye, taking him back.

“Your admission means nothing! Get the….” Ace roared out, but was cut off by a commanding voice.

“Ace, stop it!” Seven ordered, lowering himself down between the two, continuing to look at the offending Ultra. “There’s nothing left to argue against.”

Ace turned around abruptly, denying Seven or Jack a reply. Dismayed by the lack of a satisfying conclusion to his rivalry, there was no reason for him to stick around as Seven continued to watch him depart.

Agent 340 glanced back at Jack. “You alright?”

Jack lowered his head, not answering his friend.

Seven sighed. He felt sorry for him. Jack was always someone trying to prove himself along with helping anyone he can. He never intended for what happened on that day. Even he thought the punishment was too severe, especially for someone like Jack.

“I understand if you don’t want to talk,” Seven spoke, taking one step forward while Jack still kept his head down. “But I do have something for you.”

Agent 340 pulled out the Ultra Bracelet, bringing it in Jack’s sight. The distressed Ultra lifted up his head slightly, gazing at his most powerful asset. The weapon that made everyone know he was a hero and worthy of its power. Now, just a reminder of something he isn’t.

Jack lifted up his hand for the bracelet, but instead, just pushed it back towards Seven, greatly surprising him. The former Ultra Brother looked up at Seven. “That doesn’t belong to me anymore.”

“But, the Father of Ultra chose you to have this,” countered Seven, trying to push the bracelet back to him.

“And he made a mistake,” Jack blankly said, delivering the bracelet back to him.

“I assume you won’t try to return to the Defense Force, then?” inquired Seven.

“No, and even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t be welcomed there,” answered Jack, looking away from his old friend and towards the night sky. The stars brought him comfort in the past, and maybe they still do, but there was only one way to find out.

“Not everyone thinks that,” Seven pointed out, putting his hand on his friend’s shoulder, attempting to bring some comfort to him.

Jack stepped backwards, forcing his friend’s hand to fall. “I won’t be here for much longer.”

“And where will you go?”

The disgraced Ultra hadn’t thought of a destination, but perhaps he would do less damage than the amount he did to his home and those he loved.

“I don’t know,” Jack murmured, turning around and making his departure from the area. He did, however, turn back around briefly, glancing at Seven. “Just make sure they’ll be alright.”

Seven simply nodded at the request as Jack disappeared, making his way throughout several cities. He wanted one last look at the others he cherished the most. Across the street from where he stood, he saw Taro sparring with a good friend of his, 80. Taro easily gained the upper hand and won the duel. Soon enough he saw the two of them heading towards the zoo he was always excited to visit.

Jack slowly nodded, appreciating the last order he gave to Taro. He was still the best version of himself no matter what.

The disgraced Ultra cleared the area, moving on to the next. He continued traveling until he found his oldest friend, Beth, partaking in an obstacle course with Scott and Chuck. He admired from afar, watching as her skills had developed greatly in the time he was imprisoned. She was then laughing at something he couldn’t tell, unknowing the result of their trial, as the three of them all high-fived each other, celebrating their victory.

“And you found solace without me. Good.”

Like with Taro, he moved on, making his way to the last destination, to a home off in the distance from the city he was in. It was a quaint little home, but one that made him feel comfortable in the past. He stood on the hill that was above him, gazing at it. It made his insides do hoops, nearly bringing back some life in his body with the memories coming back.

Yet, he saw her in the window.

Remi.

She was still as beautiful as ever.

He watched as she took a seat next to the window, seemingly staring out of it as if she was lost in thought. Jack had hoped she found peace in these past years, but upon closer examination, he noticed she was in distress. As if a piece of her was missing.

He took a step forward.

“I want to.”

Jack took another step forward.

“But does she deserve more heartache after what I did?”

He paused.

“No. You did enough. You deserve to be alone for everything you did.”

Remi didn’t deserve this and the sooner word had been sent that he was gone, the sooner she could move on. Like Taro and Beth did.

Jack took one last look at the love of his life as it would be the last he’d ever see her.

“I wish I was better to you,” Jack apologized before taking to the skies and exiting the planet’s surface where he was greeted by the billions of stars decorating the entire galaxy. He allowed himself to float for a few minutes, plotting out his destination. Every planet he could think of was one he either caused harm or brought him painful memories.

Instead, he pointed his arms forward into a random direction and allowed himself to drift off. He kept his eyes forward, never looking back at the home that no longer wanted him. It would be a lonely life, but one with no more hurt in it.

“When we lost to Bemstar….” Go spoke, attempting to convey what happened between the two events, but found himself at a loss while he watched the Past sailing across the stars. “Why did you think you were worthy then?”

“I never did,” answered Jack, turning to face his host. “I only took the bracelet to save everyone.”

“And look where we’re at now,” surmised Go, gazing back at the memory before them, watching Jack visit from planet to planet, carrying out a variety of different tasks. Some came from defending the planet from threats while others were a means of exploration.

None gave him purpose or peace.

Not until they saw the all too familiar planet Earth, watching closely at the Past flying towards it. The Past, however, stopped for a moment, admiring the lush, green planet, seemingly at peace with its appearance.

Watching the memory play before them, Hideki’s mind popped with a sudden realization, turning to Jack. “Of all the planets, why Earth? What made this shithole so appealing to you?”

“From across the galaxy, I heard murmurs of how Lipiah and Seven were changed from their experiences, and I thought…..” Jack paused, composing himself as his thoughts dwelled back to the genocide he helped cause. The memory reverted briefly back to the massacre they witnessed earlier on with Deathla laughing at the wounded Past while the planet was set ablaze. “I thought it would give me the closure I needed.”

“And we both know the answer to that one, don’t we?” snorted Go, feeling sickened by his answer, one all too familiar to him. Something he tried to do several times in the past, but nothing ever brought him to that conclusion he wanted.

“Yeah.”

The memory shifted back to the Past observing the Earth, before seemingly hearing a shriek down from the surface. The Past’s eyes lit up, turning himself face down, descending towards the planet, intending to do everything he could to quell what dared threaten its people.

The Past Ultra landed planetside, immediately setting his eyes on the culprit responsible for this mayhem. A purplish-brown, round creature running its arms through several structures, demolishing them in an instance. Without any hesitation, the Past unleashed his rocket bullets from his fingertips, eliciting a pained scream from the round kaiju.

Before the creature could respond, Jack ran in and elbowed the kaiju’s small head, forcing him to stumble back while he covered his face to nurse his wounds. The Past followed it up with a Spacium Beam, ushering out sparks from Takkong’s body upon impact.

The invading kaiju, feeling the grievous amount of wounds affecting his body, retreated just as soon as he arrived by jumping in the ocean, allowing his body to sink. The Past stood victorious when he heard a building collapse. He snapped his head towards the scene of the crime when he saw the dust beginning to settle.

The Past saw a man using his own body to shield a young child and his dog from the rubble, allowing it to break nearly every part of his body. Past Jack heard the words that touched him to his very core.

“Are you okay?” the man inquired, using what strength he had left, barely lifting the rubbing off of him to allow the child to move himself and the dog out of harm’s way.

“Yeah,” the kid answered, cradling his pet as he ran off to safety, but not before shouting out. “Thank you!”

“Anytime…..” the man whispered, watching the child he had just saved run off to safety as he felt his vision going black, with the last of his strength sapped. He dropped to his stomach, letting the rubble trap him once more, uttering out one last sentence. “Thank goodness.”

Jack continued to stare at the display, feeling a small sense of warmth at the deed the young man did. “You did a very good thing that day.”

Hideki dismissed the compliment the Ultra gave to him, looking away from the memory. “I didn’t.”

“How is saving a life not a good thing?”

The Ultra host turned back to Jack, looking dead in the eyes, almost glaring at him. He remembered that day well enough, what his plan was, and how he was able to escape. “I didn’t save them to keep them alive. I did it to die.”

Jack was taken back by the revelation Go had just relayed to him, stepping back. He knew both of them had their problems, but nothing as serious as he had. This was for him and him alone, a good man like Hideki should never feel this way. He casted his gaze back to his host, his eyes eliciting sincerity, allowing himself to speak in a calm yet pained voice. “Go….. every life is precious.”

Hideki shook his head in disbelief at the lie Jack was trying to convey to him, with his mind jumping to a thought that’s been lingering all his life since that day. “The news reported that twenty people died in that attack.”

Go paused, taking a moment to collect himself before continuing on.

“So answer me this question. Who were those people and what did they do in life?”

Jack was stunned by the question, baffled as to why he would ask him that. His fingers fluttered nervously, apprehensive about giving him an answer. His words stumbled out of his mouth, “Go, I possibly can’t know everything about them.”

“Bullshit!” Hideki roared out, slamming one foot down, leaning directly towards Jack’s face, a fire raging in his very eyes, determined to know who the people that died that day were.

“Tell me!”

Jack’s breaths stuttered, going back to that day as the screams and even their last breaths were heard by the both of them, echoing all around them. Hideki took his eyes off Jack and looked around to see several other people meeting the same fate he had. Some were crushed by the rubble, others were burned alive and a few were never recovered from the grave they were cast into.

The distressed Ultra glanced back at Hideki, having to not only hear their cries but watch their deaths over again, he had no choice but to be ready to name those who perished.

“Rikka Umezono, nurse, mother of two,” relayed Jack, forcing Hideki to snap his head back at the Ultra going down the list of names. “Akira Ito, a firefighter, saved over a hundred people in his life.”

Go’s body began to go numb. He had his suspicions about the people who died were ones that were not only kind, but deserved to live out every second of their lives. And now, Jack was only confirming it while he still continued.

“Chikako Hayashi, a humanitarian, provided aid to everyone she came across, saving them from starvation and homelessness,” memorialized Jack, stopping as she was the last name he saw in reports of the attack. He couldn’t look Go in the eye, not at this moment, turning back at the wreckage in their memory.

Hideki huffed, watching Jack cast his own self pity, becoming further and further disillusioned with the self-righteous hero he pretended to be. “Figures. Out of everyone you chose to bring back, you chose the shittiest person in the world instead of reviving one good person!”

Jack, still keeping his eyes away from his host, murmured, his voice beginning to break. “I did what I had to.”

Hideki’s blood boiled at the excuse Jack was attempting to throw at him. He knew it was a complete and utter lie. He was fed up with him, fed up with his lies. Jack truly was the worst person he’d ever met, up there with himself. He slammed his foot forward, inching closer to his host.

“No! You didn’t! You chose me because we’re exactly the same! You’re a miserable piece of shit who needs constant reassurance from people who are just as pathetic as yourself!

“That’s not true!” Jack vocalized, his voice becoming louder, increasingly agitated at his host’s behavior, becoming more and more hostile to him. He still, however, kept his eyes away from him.

Hideki rolled his eyes. “You’ve got to be kidding me!”

“Everything I trie…..” the Ultra attempted to voice out, but was cut off by Go.

“Why are you trying to be the victim in all of this?”

Jack’s voice then broke. His tears non-existent as his voice cracked, his breathing even more hushed than before. His confession was here and like he told himself several times over, it was the most pathetic thing in the universe.

“I wanted to be a hero! I wanted to be respected!”

Yet, he still couldn’t look him in the eye, casting his sight towards the still raging fire all around them.

“Why? So you can justify it to those who were right about you the whole time!” Hideki screamed out, sending a punch straight towards Jack, but alas, it only phased right through him.

“So I can justify my existence to myself!” shrieked Jack out.

Hideki landed right beside him, attempting to get a look at the now grieving Ultra’s face, wanting to see how he can further justify the atrocities they both committed. “Because this is what all of this has been about. You saving me was nothing more than a vanity project to make yourself believe you’re not the bad guy! For however long we’ve been trapped in our own hell, I saw through our memories and realized we’re both psychopaths who’ve hurt countless people who never did anything wrong. Whose only crime was trying to be nice to us!”

Jack’s hands balled up into his fists, his whole body shaking, completely reaching his breaking point. He sharply turned around, swinging his hand around at Hideki, striking him as if he was physically present. His eyes glaring down at his host, unleashing a scream of pure anger. “You don’t think I know that! I don’t need you of all people to point that out to me! I’ve spent nearly every waking second of my life telling myself that! There’s nothing you can say that I haven’t already said to myself.”

Hideki, blinded by pure rage, seemingly ignoring the words Jack ushered out at him, struck him several times. He didn’t care if his punches went through him, he was going to get his point across to the thick headed Ultra. The host unleashed another scream of his own, matching it with Jack’s.

“Don’t pretend you have regrets! You and I will never learn from our mistakes and only cause misery! So, let’s stop pretending we have emotions like everyone else! We’re far worse than the countless kaiju we’ve slain and it’s the two of us who turned everyone’s life into a living fucking hell!”

“And what the hell do you want me to say to make this magically go away!? You and I are exactly the same, and the people everyone thought we were never existed nor will ever exist!” Jack screamed out at the top of his lungs.

CRASH!

Then, like glass shattering, the memory they were in descended into a million pieces, seemingly landing all around their feet. The two briefly looked up to see they were back in their living room. The place that started their descent into self-realization of the people they truly were.

The two paused, keeping their glares painted at each other. They didn’t know how long they stood, with time truly being an illusion to them. All they saw was a mirror casting a reflection of themselves.

Hideki chuckled, shaking his head.

“Since we bring pain towards everyone, then allow me to do what you couldn’t.”

Reaching in his pocket, he pulled out the MAT gun, brandishing it. Jack’s eyes widened in pure horror with the rage subsiding in an instance, knowing full well what his host was intending to do.

“Go, please don’t,” Jack silently pleaded, taking a step forward, using his arm to reach out to him.

“Almost every goddamn day of my life I’ve wanted to pull that trigger, always trying to find a reason not to do it, but now I’m out,” Go monologued, raising the gun up to the side of his head, with Jack taking another step forward, swatting the gun at his head, but it was no use. His hand phased right through the gun and Hideki’s entire head.

Hideki’s finger inched closer to the trigger while Jack screamed out, once again pleading with him, “You don’t need to die, we can find a way.”

The pain, the suffering, it’d all be over soon. Everyone would be free including him. Aki and Jiro would be able to be happy again and he would be nothing more than a distant memory.

His finger placed itself right on the trigger.

GARAH!!!!!!

Hideki’s eyes opened.

“What… what is that noise?”

He slowly turned his head over to the culprit, realizing the TV had been left on this entire time. A momentary distraction was all that it was. He went back to closing his eyes when he heard the roar being ushered out once more with several cries of help following it.

“Damnit!”

Hideki glanced back at the TV to see the return of a familiar face.

Gudon slashed his whips across the landscape, sending buildings toppling over while his footsteps left craters in the road. What followed were civilians running for their dear lives as the monstrosity continued on with its destruction.

He rolled his eyes.

“Someone will take care of it. They always do.”

Hideki turned away from the TV to resume his final act.

“Help!” a young woman yelled out.

“Ultraman, you have to come in!” a child followed, his cries of help filling his ears.

“Those voices…..”

“You always come in to save the day!” the boy continued on, as Hideki just now fully realized who the culprits were.

“Jiro! Aki!”

Hideki kept his eyes peeled on the TV, witnessing the destruction Tokyo was going through while Jack stood by him, looking directly at him. His voice cracked slightly, but found himself able to voice out what he wanted to without any hesitation.

“Go, I’m sorry for everything I’ve said. It’s all my fault and always will be. Don’t end it because of my mistakes,” pleaded Jack, still reaching out for the gun planted directly next to Hideki, but it was of no use. He still couldn’t take hold of it.

Hideki didn’t listen to a word Jack conveyed, still looking deep into the TV. His hand on the gun tightened, almost shaking it. The host exhaled before slamming the gun down on the couch next to him.

Jack breathed a small sense of relief.

Go snapped his head towards the window. He didn’t waste any time on his movement or even thoughts, running towards it as Jack perked his head in confusion. Hideki dived through the window, shattering the glass, letting himself descend towards the street down below.

“Hideki!” Jack screamed out.

Before the Ultra could even run through his thoughts at what transpired, a burst of light shot out, taking Hideki out of the world and replacing it with Jack.

The Ultra let out another breath of relief, feeling himself floating in the bright, blue sky. He looked over to the smoke rising near Tokyo Tower, knowing full well where both his and Go’s priority lay.

Jack zoomed over, as he couldn’t help to say one last thing before he charged into battle.

“Thank you.”

“I didn’t do it for you,” Hideki’s voice said, hearing the words travel all around the Ultra’s mind.

“I know.”

 

Chapter 11: Ultraman Jack vs. Gudon – One Last Act (Of Kindness)

Gudon raised his arms upwards, slamming his whips into a building standing directly in his way. Upon impact, the building shattered into pieces, raining down on the concrete and asphalt below, cracking them. The ancient kaiju continued marching forward, casting Tokyo into a sea of rubble.

Shells were fired from distance tanks, attempting to halt the creature’s destruction until MAT could reinforce them. The projectiles landed a direct hit on the invading kaiju, however, he shrugged them off, barely feeling their presence. His rhinoceros-like hide protected him from the assaulting hail of shells, keeping him free to continue on with his rampage.

Citizens from every corner were fleeing for their lives, terrified at the monstrosity getting closer and closer. All around them buildings were crashing down from Gudon’s extended whips while the rounds fired from the distant tanks forced them to stumble.

Aki held her grip tightly on Jiro, continuing towards safety, but their escape was nonexistent. Her memories of that day when she was trapped under the rubble were coming back as one of the demons from her past made itself known again. Fear was taking hold of her, forcing every second of that moment to haunt her, but Jiro’s safety was her priority.

The shattered pieces of the rubble rained all around everyone, coming across every exit being blocked. It was as if the kaiju was toying with them, laughing at their feeble attempts to escape him.

“Over here!” someone shouted out, pointing at the still standing Tokyo Tower. The last standing structure in the area, their last hope of salvation.

Without any hesitation, everyone gathered underneath the red structure, one of the most important landmarks of their country. It brought them a brief moment of reprieve, but it wouldn’t last as Gudon spotted them. It ushered out a roar, marching towards them as it waved its whips around, excited to cut the object before it in two.

Aki turned around to Jiro who stood frozen in place, unsure what to do. They both had seen kaiju plenty of times up close before, this was nothing new to them. She grabbed a hold of Jiro, hugging him tight as she flipped him around, preventing him from seeing the looming threat before them.

“Jiro, it’ll be okay. I just need you to look at the sky above us for a few minutes,” relayed Aki, staring at her little brother’s face.

The young boy nodded, he knew his sister was telling him a lie to keep himself at ease, but didn’t want to build more on top of her by pointing it out. He appreciated everything she did for him, his only wish now was for Go to be with them. Despite everything that happened, he wanted the three of them back together.

Jiro looked deeply in his sister’s eyes and knew she wanted the same thing even with the hurtful things they all said to each other. His hold tightened with every passing footstep from Gudon. The boy let out another exhale, preparing for the inevitable. He took one last look at the blue sky like his sister wanted him to and saw something shining through it.

A beacon.

One of hope.

Jiro’s eyes widened while his tears receded. He lifted his finger up, pointing directly at the incoming object. His fear now became one of hope, alerting everyone to the incoming anomaly.

“Ultraman!”

Jiro’s ecstatic voice rang out, with Aki lifting her head up to see the silver and red giant flying across the city, setting his eyes directly on Gudon. Aki felt her grip lessen on her brother, immediately smiling with a sense of relief, knowing the symbol of peace was here.

Gudon paused his trek, snapping his head upwards at its descending foe. He growled in annoyance, dismayed at how he could be interrupting his rampage. Wasting no time, Gudon shot out his whips, allowing them to extend upwards in the sky.

Jack felt his body jerk back slightly at the ascending whips. He quickly recomposed himself, swinging to the left, avoiding the first whip with ease. Jack then barely swerved away from the other whip, keeping his eyes completely focused on the target in his sight.

The Ultra felt his entire body flowing with energy, people important to the both of them were on death’s doorsteps. It was like all the battles he fought in the past, there was always something for him to lose.

“No. Someone to fight for.”

Jack hollered out, descending further towards Gudon, widening his arms outwards. The Ultra grabbed a hold of the ancient kaiju, unleashing a shriek from Gudon. With their collision, the two were sent bouncing down several blocks, shattering the road with each impact.

The two ended their tumble with Jack on top of the dazed Gudon, as he wasted no time in fighting him off. The Ultra sent his fist crashing down on the subterranean kaiju’s face, eliciting a roar of agony, blood spurting out its mouth. He let out another, attempting to keep his enemy as dazed as possible.

The fight could be over at any second, as Jack put his hands together, intending to fire a Spacium Beam. Blue energy gathered from his hands while he pointed them down towards Gudon’s head, but unbeknownst to the Ultra, the creature’s whips rattled across the shattered road.

WHIP!

Gudon’s rods smacked into Jack’s wrist, eliciting a cry of pain as it stung through his entire body. The Ultra’s hands were forced to shoot up from the pain while the Spacium Beam erupted from his hands and into the clear sky.

With Jack being momentarily distracted, Gudon swung his two whips upwards, allowing them to hit both sides of the Ultra’s head. Jack yelled out, causing him to tumble off of him as Gudon got back up on his two feet.

The ancient monster charged forward, slapping its whips onto the recovering Ultra, casting scars of light all over Jack’s body. The Ultra slowly lifted himself up, still feeling the volley of whips banging against his entire body. The stinging pain made his nerves shoot up, forcing Jack to come up with a solution.

The Ultra flipped over on his back, crossing his hands together, casting a blinding light at Gudon. Not even a second later, the light resulted in a series of explosions forcing the ancient creature to cry out while he stumbled backwards, temporarily blinded. All the while Jack got back up on his feet, standing across from his foe.

The two were now on equal footing.

Before Gudon could fully ready himself, Jack put his hands together once more and let out the Spacium Beam, intending to destroy this monstrosity once and for all. The energy beam crashed into the kaiju’s tough hide, eliciting a shriek of agony, forcing him to stumble all over the place. However, it wasn’t enough, as despite the afflicted areas of his armor turning into a char black, he was still standing strong.

Gudon then charged forward, swinging his whips in a circular motion as if they were propellers, fully intending to shred Jack into pieces. The Ultra put his hands together, firing off the rocket bullets, careening towards the charging beast. While some landed on the beast, forcing him to shriek out from the piercing bullets, most ricocheted off the whips and were sent flying through the remaining buildings. A few landed a direct hit on Tokyo Tower, causing pieces of it to fall off.

Jack heard the tower creaking from the attack along with the scared murmurs of the civilians trapped inside. He grunted, tightening his hands.

“If I don’t finish this soon, I won’t be able to save them!”

The Ultra’s mind searched through all the remaining abilities he had, but it was harder to find a solution without a bracelet. Gudon approached closer and time was running out until he was able to think of one.

Not of offense, but a distraction!

Jack curved his hands together, firing off a blue beam at Gudon. The ancient creature fully anticipated a stinging sensation, but felt nothing, momentarily confusing him until gray smoke covered the area all around him.

With no choice, Gudon continued spinning his whips, no longer intending to hit the offending Ultra, but to regain his sight. The smoke dissipated to reveal Jack was no longer present in front of him!

Gudon’s eyes widened in shock while he stopped swinging his whips around, giving his arms the much needed rest they deserved. He scanned the area, searching for the now silent Ultra, ushering out a roar, demanding he come out to resume their fight.

Jack was more than happy to oblige.

He jumped behind Gudon, shooting out yellowish-white beams from his eyes, striking him in the back. Gudon didn’t usher out a roar of agony, but one of shock. He barely felt the pain as he jumped around to face his challenger once more.

Gudon arms trembled, knowing he needed time to fully regain the energy before he could spin his arms around again. He was able to shoot out his whips, knowing well he can create a world of pain for the Ultra once more.

The whips shot out as Jack just stood there only to raise his arms out, allowing them to be wrapped around the whips. Gudon cocked his head to the side, baffled at what the Ultra was trying to do when Jack yelped out. The ancient kaiju pulled back, intending to get the Ultra closer to him, however, Jack had other ideas. He allowed himself to crash towards the ground while Gudon continued pulling, dragging the Ultra at intense speeds.

It was then Gudon’s eyes widened at what was about to happen. Jack lifted his feet up, striking Gudon in the face, with the resulting impact sending him flying into the sky.

The Ultra threw himself back on his feet, watching Gudon plummet to the ground, but he wasn’t done yet. Jack jumped in the air, allowing blue energy to circulate around his right foot, aiming it directly at Gudon.

With another yell, Jack set his kick colliding into Gudon’s neck, forcing him to gag out while he landed just near Tokyo Tower. The gasping kaiju choked between breaths, staggering back up to his feet, his whips circulating around a leg of the tower, holding himself up.

Jack leaned forward, continuing his trek towards the recovering Gudon as the ancient monster saw him from the corner of his eye. He let out a gagged growl, snapping a piece of the tower off, freeing his whip.

The tower shook once more, slowly wobbling, but Jack seemingly didn’t notice. The only thing in his vision was the staggering Gudon. He had already won this battle, it was just a matter of time before Gudon realized it as well.

Placing his hands together, another volley of rocket bullets immediately raced towards the wounded kaiju. Gudon, still having a bit of strength left in him, waved his whips around, blocking them with ease.

Jack shook his head, slightly chuckling at the mistake his foe had made. The Ultra launched his hand forward, shooting out an energy bullet from his palm. The ball of energy crashed into Gudon’s stomach, blasting off a huge chunk of its ivory armor while the resulting fire charred the skin underneath.

Gudon cried out in agony, stumbling back into the tower, with more pieces of it crashing down. Jack provided no quarter towards his wounded foe and rushed in, delivering a volley of punches and kicks, forcing the subterranean kaiju to continuously scream.

Despite the tremendous pain he was in, Gudon still had a bit of strength left. Enough to provide him an escape route. He enjoyed the rampage he got to partake in, but knew it would have to come at a later date.

Gudon ushered out a gurgled scream, sending his whips onto Jack. His left whip cast another huge scar on his back while the right wrapped around Jack’s head. Casting the last of reserves of his strength, Gudon swung his entire body around and slammed Jack’s head directly into the damaged leg of the tower.

Jack went further into the tower than Gudon initially expected, as the Ultra crashed into the structure, allowing more pieces to rain just outside of it. Gudon, however, didn’t expect how resilient the Ultra continued to be.

The being from the Land of Light screamed out, shooting himself backwards and delivering an Ultra Spin Kick. Jack spun his entire body, letting both of his feet strike Gudon directly in his armorless chest. The creature shrieked out as he was sent several blocks down while Jack spun himself around, facing the now downed Gudon.

The ancient kaiju crawled forward, slowly sending his whips down to create a tunnel for himself to escape. It was a feeble attempt to retreat as Jack shook his head.

“I can’t let another escape. I can’t relive that memory again.”

Jack shot his right arm forward, aiming his hand directly at the near death Gudon, intending to shoot out the Ultra Shot. A powerful beam of energy capable of destroying a kaiju with ease. The energy began building up with blue particles swimming around his hand.

This nightmare was about to be over and the people he cared for the most will be safe.

The beam was just about ready. Jack clenched his right wrist, ensuring the beam would hit its target with perfect accuracy.

CREAK!

The sound of a building ushered out a roar of its own as Jack heard something careening down towards the surface. Jack tilted his head backwards to see Tokyo Tower falling over as he then saw the people taking refuge under it, running for their lives.

“No!”

Jack commanded the azure energy to cease, bringing his hands down.

“How could I have been so stupid!?”

The Ultra snapped his head back towards Gudon, nearly completing his escape. Jack felt himself hesitate, wanting to finish the fight to ensure it would never harm another soul again. And yet, if he did, then not only would the people he swore to protect die, but Aki and Jiro would cease to be.

“No!”

Jack turned around, facing the collapsing tower as his heart raced. He was, in one of his rare instances, sure this was the right thing to do.

“I won’t make the same mistake again!”

The Ultra bolted forward, placing himself directly in front of the fleeing civilians. He lowered himself as he raised his arms upwards, allowing the tower to crash onto his back and wrapped his hands around the tip.

Jack breathed heavily, attempting to lift the tower off of him, but he quickly realized it was no easy feat. His knees buckled while his feet dug deep into the street, damaging the asphalt greatly while he gripped tighter on the holes in the tower.

The struggling Ultra gasped, feeling the increased weight of the tower pressing up on his back. Every fiber of his body was fracturing along with the cracks of light stretching further and further along his torso, casting a wall of light from his back.

Jack ushered out another shriek of pain, his knees dropping to the ground.

BEEP! BEEP!

The fighting Ultra heard the all too familiar noise. The one he was plagued with hearing in every fight since his arrival to Earth.

The Color Timer!

It beeped red repeatedly, signifying his time was nearly up.

“No! It can’t! I can’t! I can’t abandon these people! Not now! Not ever!”

Jack grunted further and further with the tower pressing onto him as he looked down to see everyone looking up at him, fear in their eyes. They were depending on him. Their lives were in his hands.

That thought, that feeling made him sink down even further, bringing the ruined tower closer to flattening everyone underneath it. The beeping from the timer only made him doubt himself ever further as he was nearly on his stomach, having only a meager amount of strength to keep everyone alive. They had nowhere else to run and he was their last salvation.

Jack scoffed at himself. The confession he screamed out to Hideki was truly pathetic. It was just a desperate plea to make himself matter in the universe. He saw that now.

The Ultra hung his head down at the revelation he discovered, whispering to himself, finally ready to fully see himself as he always was, “I was never a hero. I’m not an inspiration like Lipiah, a leader like Zoffy, brilliant like Seven, efficient like Ace, or even talented like Taro.”

Jack’s grip on the tower waned, feeling the weight press onto him, almost forcing him to the ground. He closed his eyes, not wanting the last thing he sees to be all the people he failed after trying to better himself.

“You’re not my hero because I think you’ll be a leader or an inspiration,” an all too familiar voice spoke out in the distance.

Jack breathed out at the sudden voice that called out to him. The Ultra slowly turned his head upwards to see Beth off in the distance, smiling softly at him.

“Beth? How could that be? You should have no idea I’m on Earth.”

She didn’t provide him an answer, but instead, continued on to a conversation they had in the past. “You’re my hero, because you’re always there for me. You always care about everyone and try to do everything you can to make them feel better. Whether it’s through a gift, words, or just sitting in silence with them. That’s my favorite type of hero. The person who’s there to stick by you no matter how bad it gets… and I don’t want you to lose sight of that. It’s a beautiful thing to have as a person.”

The words she spoke to him once before were coming back to him. He kept his hands steady while he continued looking at her.

“Why? Of all times was that coming back to me?”

Jack’s knees continued to shake from the increasing weight crashing down on him.

“Pride isn’t just about winning,” another voice called out, this time belonging to Saburo. Jack glanced back up to see Beth morphing into Saburo smiling at him. He now realized it was only a mirage, his mind was playing tricks on him. Jack almost chuckled at the timing of the situation, but Saburo spoke again. “Sometimes you lose for pride.”

Upon hearing those words, his knees, like they were obeying a command, stopped shaking. He kept the tower steady, but it wouldn’t be for long as his timer was still beeping repeatedly while the structure was crushing against his back.

“Losing is what gets people hurt! I just don’t want that to happen! I don’t want anyone to pay for my mistakes!”

“I just hope in time you’ll see you’re not a bad man. That you’re like the rest of us, trying to figure out who we are,” Taro’s comforting voice spoke out, the mirage taking the form of one of his greatest friends. Jack looked up only to see him giving him a thumbs up.

“I should have figured myself out a long time ago. There was never any excuse for my behavior.”

Jack felt his legs straightening up, no longer pressing themselves on the ground, but beginning to lift himself up. The tower was slowly being secured in his grasp.

“You’re not to blame for this. You’re not to blame for a lot of things. And, whatever may happen to us, to MAT, we’ll always be a team no matter where we are,” Ryu Ibuki’s voice spoke out, commanding him to not give up, the mirage now delivering a stern look at the Ultra, wanting him to follow through on the order.

“If I don’t blame myself, then who will? We all have to take responsibility for our actions.”

Jack lifted his head upwards, allowing the tower to comfortably rest on his back, looking further up, getting a better look at the mirage, watching it morph into the woman Go loved.

“For the people you are close with, you treat them better than yourself, constantly putting their needs as the number one priority.”

“They are what matter to me the most. Their hopes, their dreams, their presence, their love. It’s what….. It’s what….”

“Jack, you never failed me,” Remi’s sweet, angelic voice softly spoke out, eliciting Jack to motion his head back to the hologram, taking the form of his beloved, nodding at him with approval.

“It’s what keeps me going.”

Jack felt his grip beginning to loosen as he was slowly descending back to the ground when he heard a devastating voice in his head. One he hated, the one who he considered to be his greatest enemy.

“You will never get rid of me.”

The Ultra hung his head down in shame, knowing the voice was right. He turned his head slightly to a reflection in a nearby window from a collapsed building. What he saw was the reflection of Belial grinning at him, nodding at him to fully submit to who he really was.

“I will always be with you.”

Jack felt the words pierce his very soul, forcing himself to close his eyes. He awaited the fate that was to claim everyone in the area until those same voices, the ones belonging to the people he loved, came back. They echoed in his mind, giving him the strength he always had inside of him.

The Ultra glanced back at the window, watching the reflection of Belial disappear and what he saw was a silver and red giant smiling at him. It was a reflection of himself, not a monster, nor a hero, but just a good man.

His back was no longer sore from the crushing weight of the tower, as everything faded away from him. He felt a sensation surge in his entire body, his heart pounding with adrenaline. Not of fear or despair, but of a sense of purpose and joy.

The words he heard from everyone were giving him that strength. The people he wanted to see again, the ones he wanted to wrap in his very arms, to make new memories with them.

The voice in his head cried out, attempting to have one last sway over him, to stop him from being able to continue.

“You will always be alone!”

Jack nearly lost his grip on the tower from the voice commanding him to halt his efforts. However, the surge of energy was still building up into him, allowing him to continue on as his mind was done hearing the disgusting sounds it was making.

“I was never alone!” Jack triumphantly cried out, tightening his hands on the tower, allowing himself to finally stand up and raise the tip of the tower over his head. Raising his arms forward while he moved his feet to the side, turning the remains of the tower away from the people he was protecting. Jack positioned the tower towards a pile of rubble, gently setting it down on top of it.

The Ultra hunched over, allowing himself to breath rapidly, knowing full well the task was over. He could give himself some time to rest. It was a good thing, no, a great feeling. Gudon may have escaped, but Jack could breathe easier knowing everyone would be alright.

“Ultraman! You rock!” a voice called out, nearly startling Jack.

“Huh?” the Ultra questioned, slowly turning around to see the people he had just saved cheering him on.

“That is a hero!” another person called out, clapping their hands together.

“Is… is someone else here? That shouldn’t be applied to me.”

“Ultraman! You’re the best superhero ever!” Jiro’s voice called out, running towards his savior as Aki’s eyes widened.

“Jiro!” she cried out, immediately giving chase towards the kid who really wanted to meet his hero.

The sound of helicopters came roaring in as the voice from above ordered everyone to rally over to a landing zone. Everyone gathered towards it except the two siblings, who continued running towards the Ultra as Jack looked down at them. He couldn’t help but feel proud of himself, for once in the course of several thousand years, he felt he did something great.

Something he could finally be proud of.

Go’s form became visible next to the still standing Jack, watching the two people he loved the most running towards him. He chuckled at Jiro’s enthusiastic nature, realizing it’ll be the first time he’d actually get close to Jack, one of the people he admired the most. His eyes glanced over to Aki, attempting to grab a hold of him and protect himself from any potential danger. Even despite everything that went on today, she was still beautiful, strong, and amazing. Something he never gave her any credit for.

He was happy to see them again, overjoyed even, but that brief feeling of bliss faded away. Instead, pain from all the bad memories he inflicted on them came back. Hideki turned back to Jack.

“We should go,” Go briefly paused, taking one quick glance at them before looking back to the Ultra. “We did everything we could.”

Jack kept himself focused on the two siblings now standing across from them, with Aki’s arm wrapped around Jiro, bracing herself for anything to occur. He didn’t blame them, he’d be like that if he were in their shoes. Jack quietly chuckled to himself before realizing an empty spot was still in his body.

The energy he acquired from lifting the tower off his body, his state of mind being at peace was nearly there. Yet, there was one spot of him that remained empty and he couldn’t leave without making peace with it. Jack turned to Go, noticing the pain, the very same pain he had been dealing with all his life was still there.

His job wasn’t finished.

He still had to be the hero. The hero who stands by a person in need no matter what.

“No.”

Go was taken back by the bluntness of Jack’s answer. He circled around in front of Jack, facing him. “What… what do you mean no?” The host turned around to everyone being taken care of by the JSDF. Families holding onto each other, friends sharing laughs and everyone smiling at each other, happy to be living another day. “We did our job. We should get out of here.”

“Go……” Jack tried to say before stopping, taking his eyes away from the wreckage and at his host standing in front of him. He was the person he needed to help the most, the hero he needed to be. He didn’t just need to be there, he wanted to be there.

“Hideki, we can’t run anymore.”

“I…. what do you mean, run? We’re just leaving, allowing everyone to continue on,” countered Hideki, feeling his entire body tense up.

“No, we’re not,” Jack replied, glancing past Go’s shoulder and looking back at the two siblings the two of them both cherished greatly. “We’re abandoning them, and that’s not fair to them, it’s not fair to you.”

“Fairness is not something I deserve, it’s something they deserve,” Hideki brought up, taking another look at them, with Jiro still smiling up at Jack. “And me being there just makes it worse for them.”

“Hideki, why?” questioned Jack, still trying to crack the mystery of why his host was the way he is. He’s a brilliant man, one full of compassion, skill, knowledge, and love, but he was a terrible liar. Fairness is something he deserved.

Hideki breathed out, each one becoming more hushed than the last. He lowered his head to the side, murmuring, “They hate me for what I’ve done, what I’ve said to them. For everything. There’s no going back.”

Jack continued keeping his eyes on the struggling Hideki, his vision briefly distorted him into a younger version of himself. It was no secret to himself that he saw a lot of him in Hideki, especially when he was younger. Not also doing a lot of things he regretted, but wanting to make sure everyone was alright, regardless of how things played out. Jack’s eyes allowed his younger self to revert back to his dear friend. The Ultra took a small step forward, knowing what to say, despite not knowing if it was the answer he desperately needed. “They’re upset because they thought they lost you.”

Go shot up at Jack, not wanting to hear those words, as he attempted to deflect the question. He knew he meant well, but he couldn’t and shouldn’t help him. This was not his fight, it was his burden alone. “Jack, your time is almost out! If you stay here any longer, your body will disappear! You don’t want the same thing I do! You need to continue on!”

Jack shook his head, knowing full well what Hideki was trying to do as he pushed on. It was the same exact thing he did in the past and that cycle ends here. “It doesn’t matter. I can’t sacrifice your happiness to keep going on.” The Ultra continued, keeping himself calm, taking another step forward, slowly lifting up his hand. “Tell me, how come you won’t continue on?”

The host’s breathing became hushed, feeling his very core shaking, his heart beating several times over. Jack was right, there was no running. He was about to be broken through and it was the scariest thought in his entire life. There was no backing down from it, no do overs, only to continue forward.

A confession was to be revealed.

His eyes watered, tears racing down his cheek while he gripped his hands.

“Hideki,” Jack softly called out, keeping his gaze on him.

His confession.

“It’s because I’m scared! I’m afraid of being left behind! Everyone has so many amazing things about them that they’ll realize there’s nothing to me and decide to leave me. Being vulnerable is the most terrifying thing, because I don’t know if they’ll accept me or even view me as the same, when they’ll just see me as someone who is weak or worse, a monster! I just…. I just…. I don’t know what to do! I don’t know how to continue on, how I can be the person they need me to be! How I can be someone that won’t drag them down, how I can be the person who can improve their lives! And the only way I know how to properly cope is to push everyone away whether they’re someone I’ve known for a few minutes or several years. I hate this! I hate feeling this way!”

Jack took in every word that was uttered at him, watching Hideki slump to his knees, tilting his head down as tears continued to pour down. His words were something not spoken lightly, they were ones he had been holding onto for far too long. It was time they were brought out.

“I just wish… I can be better.”

“Hideki,” Jack spoke softly, taking another step forward, letting his hand rest just above Go’s shoulder while he crouched in front of him. “It’s scary. I know. It’s something I thought about my whole life and will still think about in the coming years. The future is scary because we never know what’s going to happen, but that doesn’t mean we should close ourselves off, because I realize something amazing about it. In fact, several.”

Hideki slowly lifted his head upwards as Jack continued, “We’re going to continue finding new interests, things that will bring us joy, and most importantly, people. The both of us are going to meet so many new and exciting people who will not only wow us, but we’d do the same. It’ll be terrifying at first, but it’ll only make us stronger, no matter what that voice in our head tells us, we will keep going, because you know why?”

“Why?”

“Because we made this, and we will go beyond! Our story is still being told, and we’re going to do amazing things. You’re going to do amazing things,” Jack spoke happily, smiling brightly at his host.

Hideki took a breath, allowing a thought to circulate in his mind.

“Exile or death….. Were things I’ve always thought were the only solution out of this nightmare, but they weren’t. They were never what I wanted. No. This is my solution. This is what I want.”

The Ultra host pulled himself together, slowly standing up as Jack mirrored him, facing each other. “It’s just….. I don’t know what to say to them,” confessed Hideki, desperately trying to find the words to convey in their inevitable meeting.

“Hideki, the battles that are the most important to us are never easy, you can do this. I will always be there to support you,” Jack spoke, motivating Go as that same sense of energy began to flow inside of him.

“Okay….” Hideki murmured, turning around to look down at both Aki and Jiro.

“Hideki, people truly have come to love us. Never forget that,” Jack ushered out his final words before his body shrunk down and allowed Hideki to take his place, standing several feet away from Aki and Jiro.

Jiro’s face immediately lit up like a Christmas tree, witnessing the flash of light revealing Hideki standing in Ultraman’s place. Before giving anyone a chance to speak or even move, he blurted out “You’re Ultraman!”

Go softly smiled as he chuckled lightly at Jiro’s enthusiasm, before walking towards them. His heart began pounding, knowing it was about time for it to happen, but he decided to ease himself up in the situation.

“It’s…. Um… well, that’s actually Jack. Ultraman’s real name is actually Lipiah,” Go stammered, stopping himself a few feet away, noticing Aki keeping a stoic expression on her face, completely unsure at what Hideki was trying to do.

“Jack is so awesome! He’s my favorite Ultra and the two of you are definitely my favorite heroes!” Jiro excitedly declared, shaking his hands together, immediately wanting to see both Hideki and Jack in action again.

Go briefly turned back at the display of Jack. The Ultra was smiling at him and nodded his head, feeling an overwhelming sense of joy at being called a “hero” from one of the people he cared about the most.

Hideki’s smile faded, turning back towards the two siblings, particularly Aki. He swallowed nervously as the clock was ticking, but first he had to ask. “Aki…. are the two of you okay?”

“Yeah…. We’re okay….” Aki softly spoke out, keeping a stern look on her former boyfriend only to notice something different about him. Like a knight returning home from his lifelong mission, his armor was slowly falling off to the ground, revealing just a man on the inside. Hideki was trembling, slowly taking a step forward, his eyes full of sadness directed towards her. No longer was he the person trying to hide something, but instead, someone far different.

Aki took a step forward, completely concerned yet welcoming towards him, and asked, “Hideki, are you okay?”

Those words stung him, but they were ones he no longer ignored. He heard the clock ticking like he did for Jack, as he took another step forward. Tears were starting to well in his eyes once more, as he took one more step before pausing, staring at the two.

Aki and Jiro returned his expression, feeling sympathy for the person they still cared for deeply. Aki, however, gave Hideki a small smile, sending his body into overdrive.

The time was now.

The end of an era was here.

“I’m sorry!” Hideki uttered out, tears in full effect, racing down his cheek as he bolted over to the two and wrapped them up in a huge hug. Feeling his knees collapsed, he dropped to the ground, holding onto their bodies as he continued to bawl. “I’m sorry Jiro, Aki…… for all of it…”

They didn’t say anything, nor did they have to at the moment. They both let out their own series of tears as they both returned the gesture, wrapping Hideki up with their arms, providing him with that sense of warmth he craved for so long. They all continued huddling together, allowing each other to finally grieve and to slowly be at peace with each other.

They were whole once more.

 

Chapter 12: The Path to Peace

The day had finally arrived.

A bright blue sky was present as white clouds were sparse throughout while everyone was having the time of their life underneath them. People were enjoying themselves with the festivities present, ranging from games, drinks and just being with each other.

It was the perfect day to celebrate.

Yuriko and Sauburo’s wedding was today.

Hideki smiled, observing the celebration going throughout as kids with their faces painted ran past him, playing tag. He let out a small chuckle, allowing him to take in the lively atmosphere. He had arrived with Aki and Jiro just minutes ago, but had told them he needed to take care of a few things first. Aki had run off to meet up with some old friends while Jiro went over to socialize with the other kids.

The Ultra host scanned the area until he saw the man of the hour, Saburo, standing near the bar, drink in hand. The soon to be groom took a sip from his beverage when he heard Hideki speak up.

“How many drinks do you think it’ll take you to get through the vows?” joked Hideki, forcing Saburo to nearly spit out his drink in shock.

He wiped his mouth with a nearby napkin, turning around to greet his good friend. The two pulled each other in for a hug. “It’s your job as best man to keep me grounded.”

“Yet, you’re the therapist!” Go playfully retaliated.

“Only on weekdays,” the groom countered, as the two’s laughter quieted down.

Hideki exhaled, keeping a smile on his friend. “So, really? How are you feeling?”

“Nervous, but also excited. Can you believe it? Me, getting married?” Saburo exclaimed, throwing his arms up.

“We’ve gone a long way since your kickboxing days, huh?” Hideki pointed out, leaning up against the wood platform of the bar.

“We really have,” Saburo spoke, turning to his friend. “And thank you, again, for helping me get to where I am now. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Hideki returned the smile back to his good friend. “I’m glad I was there that day, because I wanted to ask you something.”

“Woah, now! I can’t handle two weddings!” joked Saburo, with Hideki immediately laughing at it before composing himself. “But, what’s up?”

“That offer about letting me do a few sessions with you… I…” that small sense of doubt was attempting to trap Hideki, trying to keep from reaching out, however, he allowed himself to breathe for a second. He looked back up at his friend. “Would it be possible to schedule a session in the next few days?”

Saburo grinned, overjoyed his friend was finally coming around. “Of course, I got some spots open here in a few days.”

“Thank you, for being a good friend,” Hideki spoke out, wrapping his friend up in a hug, surprising him.

“Careful now, I don’t want Yuriko thinking you’re stealing her husband,” the groom joked.

“Hilarious,” Hideki sarcastically said, but couldn’t keep up the charade as he let out a laugh.

The Ultra host soon let Saburo prepare for the ceremony as Hideki traveled around the villa, searching for the next person he intended to meet up with. He spotted his friend Minami on top of a hill, taking in the scenery around him. It reminded Go of something, something very important he’d have to ask him.

“Takeshi!” Hideki hollered out, allowing Minami to turn around on cue to find Go waving at him while he walked up the hill.

“Hideki! It’s good to see you!” Minami excitedly exclaimed, shaking his good friend’s hand.

“What are you doing out here?” inquired Hideki, taking a look at the horizon before them, observing all of the various hiking trails in front of them. They reminded him of all the times he went up the mountainside with his father. Perhaps it is something he could do again.

“Just scoping the area around, you?” Minami answered, smiling at the beautiful scenery around them.

“Came out here to find you, dummy,” joked Hideki, earning a laugh from Minami, before the Ultra host changed his tone. “Hey….. I….”

“You doing alright?” asked Minami, noticing the sudden shift in emotion from his fellow MAT teammate.

“Yeah, I just wanted to give something back,” answered Hideki, reaching into his pocket belonging to the tuxedo he was wearing. Go discretely pulled out the MAT gun, immediately making Takeshi’s eyes widen.

“Hideki!” Minami nearly exclaimed.

“I know, I know, but I couldn’t really find a better time to do this. Horrible excuse, I know,” explained Hideki, raising his left hand defensively.

“Does that mean…. You scared that guy off?” Minami nervously asked, apprehensive on what the answer was going to be.

“It… it turns out…. I….” Hideki stumbled, finding it difficult for himself to say what he wanted to as his grip on the gun wobbled, as if that voice inside him wanted him to keep it. Instead, the Ultra host took another breath, before regaining his composure. “It turns out I don’t need it anymore… or anything like that. It’s best to talk things out like you said.”

Takeshi smiled brightly at his friend, feeling extremely proud of the growth Hideki had gone through. He was glad he didn’t lose him to what he could have done and nodded his head, reaching for the gun. Without any resistance, Hideki allowed the gun to be taken from him as Minami soon pocketed it, intending to return it to its rightful place.

“Good. I’m glad we got that settled,” Hideki declared, taking another look at the gorgeous landscape before them. It made him think back once more, what was once a painful memory, now something he was willing to do again. “Hey, whenever we’re both free, I was thinking I could use a hiking buddy, I got the sudden itch to do that sort of thing again. If you want, of course.”

“We can do one after the wedding!” Minami enthusiastically announced.

Hideki chuckled, before another thought came to him. One he pushed off for far too long. “And another thing,” Hideki brought up, his friend raising his eyebrow up.

“There’s a boy named Ryo, who I’ve been getting in contact with again, and was wondering if I could have him join us. He recently lost his father and could use some people to help him out.”

“Always! It’s our duty as MAT to be there for everyone no matter what.”

Hideki smiled. “I wouldn’t have it any other way. Thank you.”

Minutes passed as Hideki continued wandering through the villa, making his way towards the next person he intended to visit. It seemed hopeless at first, but then he heard a gruff, commanding voice call out to him.

“Hideki!”

The Ultra host nearly jumped in shock, only to turn around to see Ryu Ibuki dressed in a black kimono. Hideki had to admit, he looked amazing in formal wear.

“Captain!” Hideki called out.

“I’m no longer your captain, Hideki,” Ryu relayed, still keeping his smile on his friend.

“Right….” murmured Hideki, slightly turning his head down as Ibuki chuckled, immediately knowing what to do to get the young man to shape up.

“Go, you’re ordered to enjoy yourself today,” commanded Ryu, following it up with another laugh, as Hideki’s mood shifted back to joy.

“Sir, yes, sir!” Hideki called out, as he let himself simmer down for a minute. “Though, it’s going to be weird not working with any of you again.”

Despite not being a commander to the people he served with, he wasn’t done with them. He’d never be done with them. Instead, he took up something far more meaningful to them.

“No matter where each of us go, we’re all going to continue being there for each other whether you like it or not,” Ryu relayed, placing his hands on Hideki’s shoulders like a parent comforting their child, eliciting a grin from Go. “Hideki, you are my son, so you and the others better show up every Sunday to have dinner with us.”

“Thank you, sir, I mean, da…. Ryu,” Hideki stammered out, snatching his former commanding officer up in a hug, completely surprising him. Despite the shock and under that tough exterior, he couldn’t help himself as he reciprocated the behavior, hugging Hideki.

The two let go as Ryu huffed out. “At least I’ll know what a vacation will be like.”

“I’m still amazed you haven’t taken one,” Hideki pointed out.

“First time for everything,” chuckled Ryu.

Hideki smiled as a thought came to his mind. “Hey, do you happen to know where Yuriko is?”

“In the main building up ahead, down the hall, third door on the right,” Ryu instructed.

“Thank you, si.. Ryu.”

“And make sure you tell her that I’ll be waiting just outside, I am walking her down the aisle after all,” Ryu relayed as Hideki smiled, waving at him as he made his way towards her destination.

He wandered into the building as he approached the door. He huffed to himself.

“Just one more friend.”

Hideki knocked on the door.

“Saburo, I told you! You can’t see me just yet!” Yuriko shouted from the other room.

“It’s Hideki!” the Ultra host answered.

“Hideki!” Yuriko cheerfully yelled out. “Come in!”

Go opened the door and saw Yuriko adorned in a white wedding gown with orange stripes on it, holding a bouquet of red and white flowers in her hand. His eyes blew up, stunned by her beauty as her long brown hair went down to the bottom of her neck.

“What do you think?” hummed Yuriko.

“You look amazing.”

“Sweet talker,” replied the bride to be, setting the bouquet on a nearby table. “So, are you gonna tell me to be a runaway bride?”

Hideki laughed, needing the icebreaker before he told her what he needed to tell her. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

“But, there is something I wanted to say.”

“Oh?” inquired Yuriko, tilting her head slightly.

“I just wanted to say I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, even if it was just the two of us being in a room together. You’ve been an amazing friend to me over this past year and I couldn’t ask for anything better than our MAT team,” conveyed Hideki, nearly catching himself choking up, but he was happy he could express it to one of his dearest friends.

“Hideki,” Yuriko smiled, stretching her arms across, quickly wrapping him up in a hug. “I can’t take all of the credit, you’re amazing yourself.”

“I can’t call myself amazing….” Hideki tried to say, feeling the urge to downplay himself, as it was something he’d often done in the past, but now, that wasn’t him anymore. “I’d say good.”

“Nah!” Yuriko exclaimed, pulling herself away, still keeping her smile on him. “That’s an opinion, not a fact. You’re still amazing.”

“You do know how to deescalate a situation,” Hideki pointed out, taking another look at Yuriko, wanting to inform her of one other thing. “Hey, if you want, I’m actually going to book a session with Saburo if you and Minami are interested. Thinking we can do a group therapy of sorts.”

Yuriko happily nodded, not only ecstatic over her friend’s change of behavior these past few weeks, but his willingness to heal. “I’d love to.”

“Good, I’m glad we can do this,” Hideki spoke, clasping his hands together, knowing he should let Yuriko prepare for the big moment. “I should let you get ready. This is your big day after all, and I just wanted to say thank you for being my sister.”

“Always, big brother.”

******

Hideki traversed out of the villa, still hearing the celebration going on. The sounds of joy were comforting to him, but with the amount of activities and conversations he partook in, he needed a rest. He spotted a nearby bench and found it to be the perfect spot to rest.

The Ultra host plopped himself down, allowing himself to exhale before Jack materialized in front of him.

“You enjoying the festivities, Hideki?” inquired the Ultra.

Hideki snickered. “About time you showed up. I thought you liked these sorts of things?”

“I do, but I figured I’d observe this one. It is my second human celebration after all,” elaborated Jack, seemingly plopping down next to his friend. The Ultra turned to Hideki, he saw the happiness in him, but noticed something a tad peculiar. “Hideki, is something troubling you?”

“Hmm?” Hideki murmured, before realizing what Jack was talking about. “It’s just… we’ve been through a lot… especially in these past few weeks.”

“It’s been a journey. One that never would have been easy,” the Ultra pointed out, taking another look of the festivities before them. He was thankful for both of them reaching this point. Jack may have not understood what everything at the ceremony was, but he was eager to learn.

“I also find it weird, this feeling of peace,” Hideki trailed off, his shaking, allowing Jack to turn his head back to him as he then phrased it as a question. “Is it strange to feel like this? To be happy?”

“Hideki, I feel the same way. We’re… at least right now, we’re feeling this because that pain we lived with for so long is finally leaving us, we’ll miss it,” answered Jack. It was something that had been on his mind for a while and something he had to discuss.

“We’ll miss the pain?” inquired Go, raising an eyebrow in confusion, not entirely sure what he meant.

“It’s because it’s all we’ve ever known,” elaborated Jack, resting his hands together.

Hideki nodded, knowing now what the Ultra meant. The two of them have been through so much, whether it was thrown at them or something they’ve thrown at others. That pain will subside and while it was foreign, this new feeling of peace will be more powerful than anything they’ve ever felt before. He did, however, have something to say to Jack.

“Jack.”

“Yes?”

“I wanted to say I’m sorry for the things I said back there. I was just so angry at everything, at myself, I needed someone to vent my frustrations at and you didn’t deserve it,” apologized Hideki, looking at his good friend with remorse in his eyes.

Jack appreciated the sentiment and thinking back on it, he knew Hideki didn’t truly mean it. They were both going through their grief, knowing it was a necessary step to heal their wounds.

“Hideki, you have nothing to be sorry about, we both needed to hear it. It was part of the process to move forward,” Jack pointed out softly.

“I guess you’re right,” Hideki murmured, resting his head on the back of the bench. “What about you? Are you heading back to your home?”

“It’s a place belonging to many people I love, and I want to see them again, I really do. However, this is where I want to stay. It’s a planet I’ve come to admire and the people here are amazing. I feel Earth is the place where I can be who I always wanted to be. A healer,” Jack mused, finding himself smiling at the memories he made with his loved ones back on the Land of Light.

“But one day, I will make amends. However, there are three lives that are very important to me, and I want to spend every moment I can with them.”

Hideki took in the words Jack delivered and smiled, realizing who exactly he was talking about.

“For what it’s worth, I appreciate the sentiment,” the Ultra host murmured, closing his eyes as he allowed him to rest for the first time in years. It would, however, have to wait just a bit longer when he heard an angelic voice softly calling out to him.

“Hideki, open your eyes.”

Go followed the command and saw Aki smiling before him as she was still adorned in that beautiful yellow and pink dress she arrived with him in. “To what do I owe the pleasure of being blessed by an angel?” joked Hideki.

Aki simply giggled in response. “Just came to check in on my number one fan.”

“Now I’m the fan?” Hideki inquired, cocking his head sheepishly.

“Always were,” Aki pointed out, leaning towards him as she heard Hideki talking to Jack just prior she announced her arrival. “So, what were you and Jack talking about?”

“Oh, that… it’s nothing…. Just…” Hideki felt the habit to dodge the question coming up at him when Aki raised an eyebrow at him, directing him to be more open. Go chuckled as there was no fooling her any longer. “We were just talking about all the pain we went through, and I guess what I’m about to say here is, it probably sounds weird for you to hear that the both of us would miss that pain.”

“No, not really,” Aki spoke softly, taking a seat next to her partner, wrapping her arm around his shoulder. “No. It’s okay. No one expects you to move on in a day, but talking about it with those who love you is what helps.”

Hideki breathed out, feeling extremely grateful for her being understanding, yet another thing he greatly underestimated about her for the longest time. “It does.”

The two sat there for a few minutes, allowing them to continue resting as Hideki looked off in the distance to see Jiro playing with a group of kids including Minako and Ryo. They were all laughing and listening closely to Jiro taking initiative on leadership. Something he couldn’t hear entirely, but it made him proud.

Go turned back to Aki, wanting to tell her something important. “You know you were right.”

“Hmm?” murmured Aki, resting her head on his shoulder.

“About Jiro. He just needs to focus on being himself,” deduced Hideki, no longer worried about his little brother’s future nor his potential influence on him, smiling at how well Jiro was getting along with other people.

“He gets a part of that from you,” Aki pointed out, allowing Hideki to feel content with himself at the thought. Finally feeling proud of a quality of himself.

“Hideki, Aki!” Jiro excitedly called out, stopping in his tracks just in time, causing the two of them to immediately be alerted to his arrival.

“What’s up?” inquired Aki, smiling at her little brother, excited to hear the news he was about to deliver.

“The cotton candy machine is ready, and they’re doing them as kaiju! We have to hurry!” Jiro exclaimed, shaking in anticipation at the news he just acquired.

“Kaiju cotton candy? That does sound like fun,” Aki spoke out, smiling at her little brother while she got up, standing beside him. “I wonder if they have any in the form of Jack?”

The Ultra immediately laughed at her suggestion, eliciting the same reaction from Hideki, sitting himself upwards.

“Oh, they better! He’s one of the greatest heroes ever!” Jiro added, punching his hand up in the air, mimicking the Ultra’s pose, earning a smile from Jack.

“I imagine Jack would like to join us,” deduced Aki, raising an eyebrow at the invisible space next to Hidkei. She couldn’t see him, but knew he was present with them.

“These are the people I want to spend my life with,” Jack spoke proudly as his host nodded in agreement.

“I guess that’s another thing we have in common,” added Hideki, putting his hands on his knees.

“Come on! Are you two joining us or what!?” Jiro asked yet again, still feeling the excitement surge through his entire body.

Hideki turned his head slightly to Jack. “Well, what do you say?”

“Always.”

“We’re in!” Hideki followed up as Jack stood beside him.

“Then come on! Let’s go!” Aki enthusiastically called out, offering Hideki a hand.

Hideki smiled, admiring their enthusiasm as he felt his whole body feeling at peace. He was finally whole.

“Let’s go!” Hideki declared, taking a hold of Aki’s hand as she pulled him up, placing him on his feet.

Jiro bolted off with Aki and Hideki closing in right behind him, keeping their hands together as Jack closed them out.

It was a long time since he felt like he belonged, but he was happy to have that feeling again. These people saved him and no matter what happened, he would cherish them forever, knowing they would face it together.

“Thank you, all of you, for everything.”

Winner: Ultraman Jack

In memoriam to Jiro Dan (1949 – 2023), regarded for his roles in Return of Ultraman and Godzilla Island. Actor, singer, model–and more importantly, loved by many across the globe. May he rest in peace.

Author: Matthew Freese | Banner: Matthew Freese | Narration: Matthew Reeds

 

The earth and heavens shuddered before the might of the two gods. The skies looked as though blood stained them from horizon to horizon. Humanity watched on as the battle to determine its fate raged on like two colliding storms, neither outcome save both titans somehow ripping each other apart would bear good news.

A heavy crashing of flesh upon organic armor rang out, followed by the dragging of two colossal feet ripping through concrete. The first beast, coated in brown plates of impenetrable material, bellowed mightily, saliva tainted the air and sprayed forth from its maw of needle-like teeth. His hateful eyes locked on to those of the blazing orange lights of his foe’s gaze, who was lowering his smoking fist. The other leviathan, in violet armor, replied with his own roar, his spines glowing the color of the sun as immense levels of energy raced to his mouth. The crown of horns atop the demon’s skull crackled with electricity in return, his mouth resembling a portal of harsh azure.

Miles away, a colossal weapons platform shuddered as a gun of immense scale moved into firing position. Its dish-shaped barrel began to fill with dark energy then lightning spewed forth as a sphere as black as the void was forged through processes even the most gifted could not explain.

In the sky, the ultra-ancient colossus, a creature turned to something beyond that of a god by the madness of a cruel mortal mind that sought dominion over all of creation. This was the king of the monsters, hyper-evolved from his birthed form such that comparing this to his normal capabilities was like comparing a star to a candle. He was a weapon designed by human hands to break the limits of the fundamental rules of the universe, and he was a terrifying success.

The next few seconds would comprise the most defining moment in human history.

With a deep, droning bellow that echoed through the souls of all its listeners, the Dimension Tide fired his projectile beam and light warped as the miniature black hole was launched like a bullet from his mouth as Super Godzilla and Bagan fired their respective beams at once resulting in a collision between the titans forming an orb of surging energy that resembled a star on the verge of exploding.

The two were so focused on each other that they failed to notice the third party, until the sphere of their combined power was pried apart and sucked away. Their eyes turned towards the source, widening for a fraction of a second before it collided with them both.

Everything became white. A piercing, brilliant white that went on forever and overpowered all thought while it existed. It could have lasted for ten million millennia or for a second, it would not have mattered, for time had no meaning within this.

But all things must fade…

***

Godzilla’s eyes slowly opened and a low groan emanated from his maw as sunlight fell upon his charcoal colored body. He was no longer in that odd state, had it all been a dream?

The instant after he had this thought, pain coursed through his form. It had been all too real.

Godzilla began to arise, his weary body aching as thick muscles flexed to push himself up to his feet. Another groan left the cat-like mouth of the monster king. Dorsal spines rustled as he stood tall, glinting in the sunlight. The leviathan observed his surroundings, finally realizing he found himself on a beach.

It was… tranquil.

Waters swayed calmly with the winds and the songs of birds echoed out. His developed eyes saw strange creatures he did not recognize running about on the beach, more colorful and vibrant than the ones he was used to. A nearby forest also rustled with life. Yet more danced about within the waves, things that resembled the creatures he knew and others that could not be more different.

Bright red fish leapt from the waters, pursued by stocky, jagged sharks, only for those sharks to be chased away by bright blue serpents bellowing at them. Yellow and black insects the size of people chased a group of purple monkeys, swinging through the trees with their tails, which bore what resembled hands.

For a moment, he remembered a past life, when he was much smaller. A time when he was not a monster, watching the smaller lifeforms of his home island carry out their daily routines as did his.

He felt good, and peace filled his heart for the first time in a long time. Only to soon be reminded of why those days were long past.

The creatures began to cease their actions, looking towards him. He heard their growls, and some backed away as others drew closer. Godzilla knew full well what this was. He knew aggression all too well, and what it bore.

Godzilla’s tail slammed into the ground, as he let loose a powerful roar, he was ready to prove why none should trifle with him. This made most of the inhabitants retreat, but some, there were always some, refused to do so. This time it was one of the blue sea serpents who had raised itself high above the waves. It let loose a roar of its own, its maw glowing bright.

***

Far away, a trainer watched with wide, terrified eyes through binoculars as the Gyarados unleashed a stream of glowing, orange energy upon this strange Pokémon. The Hyper Beam blazed across the water and into the colossus’ thigh, kicking up large quantities of sand and smoke. Astonishingly, when the Hyper Beam faded, it appeared that the strange being who had suddenly materialized on the beach minutes ago was completely, utterly unharmed.

The spines on its back flashed blue as it turned towards its attacker and its jaws parted to unleash a pillar of azure energy out into the ocean. The offending Gyarados was vaporized, as were dozens more Gyarados in the process. Cruel blue light continued to shine from its spines as more rays of death spewed forth, turning water into vapor, and soon the sand into glass. Screams rose from the cacophony of explosive desolation as the beast turned its attention to the forest next, the unknown colossus refusing to relent in its rampage.

In a matter of moments, all was silent except for the winds and crackling of flame. Ash spewed out from the inferno, dancing in a macabre display as the aberrant leviathan marched forth. The trainer dropped their binoculars and ran in a desperate hurry, reaching into their pocket. Grasping a small sphere, one half white and the other half red, they clicked the button on its front as they threw it, releasing a blue dragon, with flat, sharp wings colored a deep shade of red. Salamence growled as he immediately noticed the anomaly in the distance, but his trainer was immediately upon his back, commanding him to fly.

The dragon heard the distant cries from his forest kin, and part of him was demanding they go forth and assault the destroyer, but his survival instinct for him and his trainer was too powerful. Another roar rolled across the landscape from the leviathan, leading the Salamence to bury his righteous anger in favor of the desire to survive. He would accomplish as much as an ant challenging an apex predator, and would be crushed swiftly and mercilessly.

With a beat of his wings, he took off into the skies, following his orders to move towards the nearest city. Word of the destroyer needed to be spread as far and wide as the skies, or else death would simply eat its fill and more.

***

Time had never mattered much to Godzilla. As a beast, he only cared for if the sky was either bright or dark. But in this form, he cared not even for that, for they no longer held sway over him. He could walk for a thousand cycles of light and dark without tiring, and could slumber until an ecosystem had formed around him, then awaken without a care.

So, he was unaware how long he had been wreaking destruction in this new world. All he knew was that now, he was in a city, like the ones he knew all too well in his world. This world was foreign, but its buildings still crumbled before his might all the same, falling from a single push onto a group of fleeing humans.

Bolts of electricity leapt up at him from a gathering of creatures, some resembling rodents, others odd humanoids, others still strange beings of steel with singular eyes. They all failed to do much beyond draw his attention, his body was capable of withstanding electrical surges capable of powering a city which were used to power his own organs.

He swung his tail, scattering them, both figuratively and literally. Suddenly, vines erupted from the earth and wrapped around his blood-coated tail, which were easily snapped apart with a twitch of his muscles. His eyes scanned the environment and landed upon the strange culprits who possessed both plant-like and animalistic qualities. A toad-like creature with a gigantic flower protruding from its back lumbered forward, the center of the growth glowing as bright as the sun. Its allies ran away from it, unleashing a myriad of attacks in an attempt to draw his attention away from the toad. Seeds launched like bullets, more vines springing forth to whip, spores of varying colors spread about, green spheres of energy, and so many more. But they did nothing as his sight drifted towards the humans commanding them. The primitive apes, similar to those who had turned him into this abomination in another world, shouted and gesture wildly but as they noticed his gaze upon them they began to flee, screaming in terror.

However, the beam of light from the toad was unleashed bringing his attention back to it. Did they really put so much faith in this flower beam? The beam looked like sunlight, it was warm, likely immensely hot to most beings, but not to him. Not to a being who had been exposed to a nuclear fireball that rivaled stars and filled him with poisonous radiation that the deadliest venom paled next to.

His azure glow snuffed out the sunlight-powered ray, along with the lives of the humans and their servant creatures, as he swept it before him. Dust was all that remained in its path, which the wind carried away, unaware of the toxin clinging to it as it carried the remnants onto the bodies and into the lungs of those still in the city.

Another roar left his maw, bringing down a nearby building which had been standing on a ruined foundation. His rampage continued, and would continue until the denizens of this world stopped fighting him.

***

In the heavens above, so far up that the boundary beyond the world’s grip and the void of space was invisible, all was tranquil. Rocks and satellites drifted in this area, far enough away to avoid being pulled down into a fiery descent but close enough to not drift out into an unforgiving emptiness.

Green flesh coated the serpentine entity that moved amongst this field, interspersed with yellow runes and fins which ended in red protrusions. A draconic maw filled with fangs opened up, tearing into a meteorite, consuming the minerals within. Eating his fill, the god of the sky let the fractured stone drift away, his yellow-pupiled eyes gazing out into the void before him.

Rayquaza’s purpose in life was to protect this planet. At any point, something from the dark of space could arrive and threaten the world. A rogue asteroid, an invading alien, the possibilities were endless.

But something felt off today. There was a sense of wrongness permeating his mind, something that did not belong was here. But the serpent divinity was dumbfounded, he had seen nothing pass him by. Nothing got past him!

A whisper reached his ears, making his head snap around in an effort to find it. He growled, demanding that the being make its presence known.

A small, pink creature resembling a feline floated up to his front, softly mewling. Rayquaza’s rage ceased in the presence of Mew, of the matriarch of all life.

The kind creature let out another high-pitched call, asking for Rayquaza to look towards the world below. Confused, the mighty guardian turned, his eyes swiftly widening.

It looked small, incredibly small, but to even be visible at all from up here meant its true scale was colossal. A black patch, smoke, which could only be wrought by a fire that was consuming millions of people and land below.

Mew drifted next to his head, vocalizing once more with its soft call. What Rayquaza heard sent chills running down its coiling spine.

There was a beast down there, a violent one which was not descended from Mew. Reasoning with it would be, quite simply, impossible. Not due to its lineage, Mew clarified, but due to its mind. She had sensed it. A roiling maelstrom of unceasing wrath and sorrow that wanted to burn creation down for what it had done to him, for being turned into a monster beyond monsters.

Rayquaza growled once more, understanding what must be done. He was this world’s absolute might, its hammer to strike down all who threaten it. For humanity and Pokémon alike, though he despised most of them, he must descend from his lofty throne and erase the anomaly.

And perhaps bring it some peace in the process…

***

Fire surrounded Godzilla, painting the skies black with smoke and tinting the rest red. Destruction was all he could see, ruin and carnage for miles around. Most would call this Hell, but if this was Hell, then he supposed he was the devil, for it was where he felt peace.

Nothing hated him here, nobody besieged him with the intent to kill him. He was alone in this kingdom of death, caressed by the irradiated flames of his own making.

Godzilla knew humankind saw him as evil. Such a simple word to brand him with, one devoid of context and nuance. They acted as though he could be anything else, like he had any choice but to do what he did. Humanity had turned him into a monster, made it so that he needed to raid their territory to live off the nuclear energy they generated, and tried to kill him when he reacted accordingly.

Many times he had considered an unceasing rampage, one that would cover the whole Earth in death. But did not have it in his heart to do it, and likely would not do so in this alternate world as well. His wrath was immense, but it did not make him what they deemed him to be. He would ensure, however, that they feared him and would make sure they left him alone as often as possible.

His thoughts were interrupted by the clouds parting above him, revealing a serpentine interloper. The emerald flesh of the divinity contrasted with the crimson surrounding him, and made his shining, yellow eyes stand out all the more.

Godzilla knew immediately that this being had arrived to vanquish him. And something about the way he conducted himself, the way the emerald lord’s essence was that of dominance and power, told Godzilla that this one would not fall easily.

***

The scent of ash and death was the first thing that struck Rayquaza. The sheer devastation blindsided him, making his jaw hang open involuntarily. He had seen battles between multiple Legendary Pokémon not wreck a quarter of the havoc this one entity had. Even Groudon and Kyogre’s duels did not do this much damage so swiftly.

He observed his target, examining the hulking beast. The invader emanated menace, bearing eyes which burned like an unholy furnace. A wretched essence tainted the air, one which Rayquaza knew vaguely due to the few times he ventured outside the boundaries of the world’s protecting barrier. He was unaffected by the invisible toxin, but knew that this did not hold true for much of anyone else.

His resolve was steeled. Every moment this aberration drew breath was one where the world was at stake. He snarled, earning a growl in return from the demon. This battle would be the hardest of his life, but Rayquaza was prepared nonetheless.

***

The eyes of two godlike beings locked, the mightiest warriors of their respective worlds. The planet’s inhabitants watched with bated breath, knowing that fate would cast a definitive judgment upon creation on this day. The question was merely what the verdict would be.

***

Rayquaza immediately opened his jaws as a sphere of shimmering power manifested between his rows of teeth. Godzilla roared, just before the orange ray of energy spewed forth towards him. He recognized the attack as being the same from the Gyarados from before, his tension abating as he believed it would do little against him.

However, this was not the same as, just like he was, a souped up Hyper Beam slammed into his chest, casting him to the dirt with a shriek of anguish. Scales and chunks of flesh flying from the impact digging a groove into the earth as he was shoved through it. By the time Rayquaza’s attack dissipated, smoke was beginning to rise from the leviathan’s ravaged chest.

To the sky god’s shock, the wound which as severe as it was would have typically ended a match, immediately began to heal. Sinew erupted from the edges as one side began connecting to the other and lost tissue rebuilt. Godzilla’s head shot up and unleashed his own ray rocketing across the distance between himself and his foe too quickly for the serpent to react and drawing a scream as green flesh darkened and warped around his body.

Snarling, Rayquaza lunged forth, claws bared but Godzilla was on his feet in time to meet him. The serpent collided with the theropod with force enough to send out a concussive shockwave. His fangs, capable of effortlessly tearing through stone came down upon black scales, embedding deep within his foe. The leviathan’s arm grasped Rayquaza’s throat, applying pressure that had shattered the bones of titans. The other’s claws dragged across the green flesh, carving grooves into it.

The guardian’s tail lunged forth like a spear, piercing the arm trying to crush his neck. Godzilla’s grip loosened for a moment, allowing Rayquaza to pull it away and keep it held back. The emerald dragon’s own talons came to bear as he pulled his jaws away, rising up to slash at the invader’s face. Crimson streams leaked from the tears, but Godzilla seemed to care little as he responded, bashing his skull into the god’s own.

Rayquaza was sent reeling back, the world growing blurry for a moment. He shook his head, renewing clarity just in time to witness Godzilla barreling forth. The guardian launched himself upwards, avoiding a brutal punch. Pointing his tail downwards, the legendary Pokémon unleashed a spiraling column of wind which crashed into the atomic colossus’ face.

Godzilla staggered back, feeling the wind peel at his skin and rob him of his breath. His spines flashed once more, jaws opening ready to part the Twister with his nuclear assault. Rayquaza rocked the city with his bellows of agony as the beam swept up the length of his body, painting it with burns.

In retaliation, the lord of the firmament fired an azure ray of his own. Several jagged streaks of light coalesced together, but this one, surprisingly, carried no heat. Godzilla cried out as the Ice Beam connected, striking him with unadulterated frost. It felt as though his very blood was freezing solid, the pain radiated through the entirety of his being as ice began to crystallize over his form. Rayquaza continued to apply the chilling magic, turning the moisture in the air around Godzilla into a prison.

A layer of ice several meters thick entrapped the now discolored Godzilla, locked in horrid frostbite.

Silence creeped in once more, the crackling of distant flames the only sound across the landscape. The legendary serpent’s assault stopped and he breathed heavily, but his foe still lived, and he needed to act quickly. His energy began to gather in his divine maw, yet again, the powerful Hyper Beam that was his weapon of choice.

However, he was too late as the prison of frost was filled with a brilliant light, just before a spherical burst of nuclear power erupted outwards. Rayquaza cried out in shock as Godzilla bellowed mightily, spines already shining and crackling with purple bolts of energy. The Spiral Ray speared forth from between jaws coated in crystals.

Rayquaza was quick to respond and unleashed the Hyper Beam. The two rays collided, casting multi-colored light over the landscape as the two entered a contest of raw power.

The sphere of roiling power between them shifted as it was pushed back and forth, the two applying further energy as the seconds ticked by. The few moments felt like a year as the powerful beams clashed. The ice that was still clinging to Godzilla’s form melted away as his internal body temperature skyrocketed from the excess of power coursing through him. His warped and discolored flesh began to return to normal, regeneration working quickly on the damaged tissue.

Neither budged in this conflict of raw power, leaving the sphere of their gathering energies to spasm, until a rupture led to cataclysmic consequences. Ruins became dust as a wall of oblivion swallowed the city, Godzilla and Rayquaza’s cries of agony being lost amidst the roar of a gargantuan blast.

A crater several miles across was left in the wake of the explosion, silence hanging over it like an executioner’s ax. It was only broken when the twin roars of these divine beings shattered the quiet, unbroken by their own power.

Most life forms would be reduced to particles by such a blast, yet Godzilla and Rayquaza stood, only coated in burns and bruises, undeterred. The legendary Pokémon lunged forward, closing the distance between them with fury in his heart.

***

Such mindless destruction outraged the serpent, a callous disregard for life was the most vile thing in the world in his mind. And though he had contributed to it with the explosion, it would have never even begun if not for this madness. He needed to end this swiftly.

Rayquaza’s jaws clamped shut around the destroyer’s arm, teeth digging into flesh. Holding firm as the limb thrashed and strained trying to force him off. His arm launched forward and found itself locked around the invader’s other hand. Azure power crashed against the Pokémon’s back, scorching it, but he let the pain fuel him as he wrapped his body around his foe’s own. His spear-like tail tip jammed itself into the fiend’s back, drawing blood.

***

Godzilla roared in hatred, his wrath only growing as he felt his feet leave the ground. He looked down, firing his atomic ray; the emerald creature’s body was so close to his that the ray hit himself as much as it did the enemy. But he cared not, continuing to unleash his might. His foe reared his head, unleashing a purple stream of jagged energy, forcing a cry of pain from the monster king as his unwilling ascension was hastened.

His spines flashed, yet his mouth remained shut. Unfortunately for the mutant, before his nuclear pulse could be released, the freezing blast left the interloper’s maw once more, filling his chest with pain as ice crystals formed atop it. His nuclear energy dissipated within him at the sudden strike of pain.

***

In a matter of seconds, they were miles into the air. Rayquaza alternated between Ice Beams and Dragon Pulses whenever Godzilla attempted to utilize his omnidirectional attack. The former would leave frozen wounds that the latter would then shatter. To the sky god’s bafflement, his foe’s regeneration was able to consistently keep the resulting damage from being open for very long.

But the pain still coursed through Godzilla’s body with each strike, making his thrashing more and more violent with each passing second. The thinning of the air did nothing to halt this as the nuclear leviathan had survived for years inside a volcano’s heart.

Rayquaza was rapidly finding it very difficult to maintain his grip, his coils loosening. The mutant’s free hand grasped the Pokémon’s body, digging crimson trenches into the flesh. He screamed, blood pouring down his length.

The colors of the sky faded into black, dotted with distant stars.

Roars became mute, oxygen too thin to carry the waves. But wrath remained as apparent as always. Rayquaza reeled away as a tail slammed into his body, bruising it brutally. Godzilla was freed, drifting in orbit as Earth’s gravity began to slowly reel him in.

The legendary Pokémon swiftly made his way behind Godzilla, slamming into his back to shove him further into space. The leviathan quietly bellowed, his call being unheard but his actions not being unfelt as his tail cracked against Rayquaza’s skull, dazing the sky god and sending him drifting away briefly.

Godzilla’s atomic ray shot forth, pushing him back slightly and sending him into a slow roll. His beam lacked much kinetic force, being mostly composed of heat, but it carried enough to move him despite the lack of gravity. Rayquaza shook his head, clearing its daze then lunged forwards, bashing his skull against the atomic beast’s chest. Hands grasped the protrusions atop the divinity’s skull, squeezing tightly. Before they could be snapped away, the living legend unleashed a Hyper Beam point-blank into his foe’s body, forcing the grip to be relinquished as Godzilla was pushed miles away. He screamed silently as flesh bubbled and dripped off the newly formed crater in his torso, drifting in the void.

A meteor drifting in the orbit of the world was shattered by Godzilla’s flying body, sending stones flying in all directions. Rayquaza’s eyes widened as he noticed that gemstones were among the debris. Seeing these, Raquaza remembered that millennia ago, a terrible weapon was built and fired, arcing through space and coming back down like an asteroid upon its owner’s enemies. Some of the potent energies flowing through it crystallized and never came back down, accumulating normal rock and other debris over the years.

The beast from another realm was not a Pokémon, but he was genetically built to absorb energies. His spines shimmered as they accumulated the energy which was foreign to him, internalizing the tremendous supply of power.

Rayquaza watched in curiosity, only to suddenly gawk as light shined from his foe’s body. He charged forth with extreme speed, terrified. Was his foe somehow Mega-Evolving? That should be impossible, he wasn’t facing a Pokémon!

Despite the similarities in the process and the ultimate result, this was not Mega Evolution Godzilla was undergoing. The energies flowing through him touched a collection of cells within his form, genetic material not his own. In his world, humanity had injected the DNA of his arch rival into his body in order to increase his power, a strange interaction occurring when excess energy was introduced between the two.

Godzilla’s cells and King Ghidorah’s cells entered overdrive, merging and expanding. The god of the sky, claws primed to tear away, was caught by the now shining silhouette of his foe. The other arm pulled back, the light dispersing to reveal purple scales and a greater musculature. It struck Rayquaza across the jaw, sending him soaring away with immense pain coursing through his form now. The world was blurry, until it solidified with a horrible feeling of foreboding.

The king of the monsters was now larger, and notably bulkier and taller. Purple scales coated his form, save for the green armor plating adoring his chest and stomach. An orb was situated in the solar plexus, a blue sphere which Rayquaza could sense tremendous energy from. Godzilla’s face now wore tusks on the sides of his mouth, and a green crest was protruding from his forehead. This, in addition to the gigantic spikes protruding from the invader’s shoulders gave him a resemblance to a beast who ruled the void, one who’s mere visage evoked fear back in the world of kaiju.

Super Godzilla’s eyes narrowed as he floated through the vacuum under his own power, a result of the alien cells inside his composition. A power beyond comprehension flowed through his veins now, one which he would happily use to break his foe and cast the ashes into the winds.

Rayquaza knew he was before something grander than he, but steeled himself. Beneath him was a world that already could not withstand the destroyer in its weaker form. To flee would go against everything he had stood for for eons.

With a glowing fist, Super Godzilla rocketed forth, snarling.

Rayquaza curled his body out of the path of the fist with the power to shatter worlds, still being sent spiraling through the stratosphere due to the body of his foe crashing into him. An Ice Beam left his maw the moment he oriented himself, his enhanced foe ignoring the stream of frigid energy as it struck his chest. There was not enough water up here to be crystallized, but what drew Rayquaza’s attention was that the flesh, which took damage before, was unaffected.

Super Godzilla’s spines flashed with an orange light, heralding a Super Atomic Ray. The star-colored beam raced outwards, crashing against Rayquaza and instantly blackening flesh all across his body. The lord of the heavens was cast aside by the strike, flying helplessly through the void as his entire body flared with pain.

A punch crashed against Rayquaza’s body, sending him flying towards the planet below, the air growing thick enough for his screams of pain to be audible. The destroyer drew closer still, his roars entering the ears yet again as black void became blue skies while they descended. Super Godzilla no longer flew, but he cared not. Rayquaza caught himself, barely avoiding a projectile fired from the plummeting god of death’s tail.

He stared at the beast currently surrounded by a cone of fire, unphased by the heat as he stared at him through it. There was a challenge in those eyes as the distance between them grew. And Rayquaza knew this was a challenge he had to accept, for the fate of the world hung in the balance.

Every part of his body was flush with agony as the adrenaline wore down. Just staying airborne was difficult, with willpower all that kept him going. He heard a distant crash, the impact of his foe against the earth. A roar, not of pain, but of might and power, echoed across the firmament.

Rayquaza closed his eyes.

***

All over the world he heard shouts of fear and pleas for safety. They rose like petals in the breeze, up towards him. The people and Pokémon were helpless against the destroyer from another world, and as of right now, so was he.

But he did not need to be.

Shimmering lights shined through his flesh, from his insides. He subsisted off the same rocks that had granted his foe this new power, but unlike the invader, he could use the energy’s true power. Not this brute forced transformation like this imposter, but a flawless transition, an ascension to something grander, something truly divine.

He did not like to draw upon this form, finding it unnecessary most of the time and far too destructive, as well as draining once concluded, but now was not the time for petty preferences.

When a Pokémon and a Trainer’s bond was unbreakable, and the energy-filled stone corresponding to the Pokémon was in its proper place, limits could be surpassed and the perfect form of the Pokémon was born. The process called Mega Evolution.

Rayquaza had no trainer, and needed no stone. He was the world’s guardian, his bond with the planet and all its trainers and Pokémon and his shield was as solid as steel.

The lights within his guts intensified, until suddenly a sphere of numerous colors manifested surrounding him and an infinity symbol was emblazoned upon it, the representation of potential unending, eternity. In a fleeting flash, it was gone, and what remained was truly divine.

Rayquaza’s body had lengthened, growing more muscular. Gigantic spikes protruded from his lower jaw, pointing forward like the jaws of a beetle. Red orbs shone within his body. And glowing tassels extended out and flowed behind him, both from his tail and from the spikes upon his head.

A new roar echoed across the world, one befitting a god at his peak.

His wounds had healed, which meant nothing stood in his way as he raced downwards, soon finding his foe who stood in a massive crater. They were far away from the ruined city, in a wide open field with clear skies above. The fiend below looked up to match his gaze, snorting in contempt.

***

The final battle began with an orange ray of nuclear power colliding with a black stream of draconic energy, generating a massive explosion that tore at the ground and made the heavens shudder. Neither was phased as the distance closed, Mega Rayquaza buried his jaw with its razor sharp teeth into Super Godzilla’s chest. Blood spewed but the king of the monsters was unphased as he grasped the ascended serpent by the neck and swung him around, uncaring of the ichor spewing from his torso as he further expanded the crater with a Mega Rayquaza-sized indent.

Rising swiftly, the emerald divinity dashed past his foe’s side, leaving a blood-spurting wound with his claws. Another pass tore a long gash, but before a third could connect, the violet destroyer twisted in place, slamming his foe into the dirt with his tail.

The sky god’s tail shot up, bashing the leviathan across the face and letting the legendary Pokémon ascend once more. He bellowed, before launching up into the sky. Super Godzilla unleashed his nuclear hellfire once more, missing as Mega Rayquaza began to fly in circles above him rapidly. He soon became a blur as winds picked up and became immensely harsh, forming a colossal tornado.

A twister enveloped Super Godzilla, buffeting him with winds strong enough to shear through steel. A roar tried to leave his maw, but the god of death found his voice was stolen, along with all the air in his lungs. Where most would die a swift death from such a brutal assault, the colossus had the stamina to withstand this and responded by focusing his power inwards.

His entire body flashed as a supercharged Nuclear Pulse rippled outwards, parting the winds and burning into Mega Rayquaza, staggering him in the air. A Super Atomic Ray quickly followed, burning the divinity’s flesh once more. Even in this grander state, the assaults of his foe were intense.

The shallow wounds inflicted by Twister were already healed, but Super Godzilla could not bask in his supremacy for long before an Ice Beam speared into him, earning a scream of pain. Before the leviathan could destroy the crystalline structure currently embedded onto his chest or deal with the frostbitten flesh beneath, Mega Rayquaza shot downwards and used his tail like a lance, spearing into it with great ferocity. Ice shattered and flesh parted, freeing geysers of blood to flow out of Super Godzilla’s body.

Not waiting a moment, Mega Rayquaza released a Dragon Pulse directly into the face of his foe, enveloping Super Godzilla’s skull in the black beam. Despite currently suffering what should have been two terminal blows at once, the ascended monster king simply reared a fist back, letting it glow brightly with gathered power before slamming it into his foe’s body.

Mega Rayquaza was sent flying several miles, smashing into the dirt a great distance away. Looking towards his enemy, he saw Super Godzilla’s skull painted black with burns, the eyes and mouth scourged by the assault. Unfortunately, this seemed to do little to halt the beast as he stepped out of the crater, his wounds already being healed. By the time he had placed his foot outside the rim, it was like he had not even been assaulted.

The sky god growled in rage, realizing that major issue before him. He could not wear this foe down with repeated strikes, for they would simply be healed away. A single, decisive blow was what he needed, but this raised its own issues given how attacks that should have been fatal accomplished nothing.

He lacked time to think as Super Godzilla burst forth, closing the distance in a moment with a glowing fist extended. Mega Rayquaza barely avoided it, shifting his coils to be away from the strike and to wrap around his foe. The leviathan stopped this attempt by barreling forward with a roar, crashing his bulk against the length of the legendary Pokémon and sending him rolling away.

Blue explosions detonated across Mega Rayquaza’s body, energy transferred from a body blow that further worsened the pain. Snarling, he shot back up into the air, maw glowing brightly. Super Godzilla prepared to attack once more, only for the Hyper Beam to come spewing forth, forcing a cry of agony out of his maw as he was sent spilling to the ground. Flesh and muscle was vaporized by the intense assault, organs bursting as the stream reached them. The serpent continued his attack, pouring every ounce of power that he could into it. After only a few seconds, it faded away, leaving Mega Rayquaza to shudder with exhaustion. The leviathan lay still, a glowing hole bored into his stomach and nearly bursting out the other side.

Breath still stirred in his foe’s form, however, prompting a growl of frustration from Mega Rayquaza. His entire body began to glow with green light, like flames wrapped around him. If this attack failed, he would not have enough energy to claim victory. Like a rocket, he shot straight upwards, ceasing this several miles in the sky. Still glowing brightly, he locked his eyes onto his healing foe, a grievous wound with exposed organs still visible on the torso.

Super Godzilla looked upwards, wheezing in pain as he saw a green comet descend towards him. This form was not invincible, or so it seemed. A maelstrom of thoughts blazed through his mind, but one rose above the others with a mighty scream. A refusal to die, not at least without plunging his killer into oblivion with him.

The sphere in his solar plexus began to glow, blue lights gathering within it. A colossal pillar of azure power rippled forth, its end morphing into an imitation of Super Godzilla’s face. It drew closer to Mega Rayquaza’s descending body, the serpent refusing to back down as the fight’s terminus drew ever closer.

The Nova Beam and Dragon Ascent collided, bathing the world in light.

Mega Rayquaza, his flesh boiling off his body by the millisecond, knew what was about to happen. It was unavoidable, and perhaps it had been from the very start. Through the light, he could see his opponent’s eyes, and knew he felt the same. The comet which had torn through world-killing asteroids was cutting through the monster king’s ultimate attack, but at great cost to the lord of the skies’ own body. And upon impact, all of the energies gathering and raging would not simply disappear.

To die defending the world… It was good. In his final moments, he simply hoped somehow, someway, his position could be taken by someone else, to ensure the world lived on.

***

To be freed of his pain and suffering, all while making sure the world would never forget him. Super Godzilla would pass on without regrets, knowing there was no death he would have wanted more, a crescendo to a cacophony of a life.

***

The planet shook, a booming noise so grand and powerful it was heard by all ears multiple times over as the sonic waves wrapped around the world. Cracks raced outwards for hundreds of miles all around, spewing lava from the depths. From space, one would have been able to see a pillar of light racing upwards, erasing everything in its path. Had it been pointed downwards, it would have sheared through the very world and reduced the core to nothing. Many believed the world to be ending as the cataclysm occurred, the time from its beginning to its end feeling like an eternity.

But eventually, it faded as all things do. Soon there was silence, an odd feeling falling over the world. Even those who had not seen the news of Godzilla’s rampage and Rayquaza’s subsequent fight with him knew deep down, in their very bones and soul, that a terrible threat to life had just been vanquished. But at the same time, so had a grand guardian. The world had been irreversibly altered on this day, but life would have to carry on as normal except for those who had been directly affected.

***

The wound in the world still weeped molten blood as the figure descended towards it. Mew weeped as she looked upon where Rayquaza’s demise had occurred. She knew it had been the only course of action to take, lest more death occur, but it still weighed heavily upon the feline. She had sent her most powerful child to his death, and left the world without its guardian.

Could she have done anything different and saved Rayquaza’s life? Dwelling on what could have been was never good, but it happened regardless, despite her best efforts to resist it. A pitiful mewl left her mouth, echoing across the barren landscape, accompanied only by the sounds of flowing lava and crumbling ground.

Mew shook her head. She flew away, knowing that she needed to find a new guardian swiftly, lest the world fall under threat again and a defender is nowhere to be seen.

Little did she know, this was all too correct…

***

On the other side of the world, in a mountainous place, the ground cracked open. A trio of horns arose, followed by a draconic visage. Muscular arms pulled him out of the earth, immense spikes upon his shoulders being covered with stone which fell away. He knew not where he was, only recalling the brilliant flash of light before darkness. There was no voice in his head commanding him where to go and what to do, a wonderful feeling.

Bagan bellowed, announcing his presence to a still reeling world.

Draw: Godzilla (Heisei), Rayquaza

This is a new dedicated page for all other matches grouped by their respective authors and creators. This page is a subsidiary page to the K.W.C. Studio Tour; please view it for reference.

NOTE: These will not be sorted in chronological order, just numerical order.

1. Contributing Authors
2. Banner Designers
3. Commissioned Illustrators
4. Audio Narrators
5. Multimedia Creators

1. CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS

Forrest Freund
Match 2: Iris vs. Destoroyah
Match 3: Desghidorah vs. Mechagodzilla® (Heisei)
Match 5: Zilla vs. Titanosaurus
Match 6: Legion vs. Megaguirus
Match 7: Biollante vs. Dagahra
Match 8: Baragon (Universal) vs. Gezora

James Webster
Match 4: Gorosaurus vs. Kumonga (Universal)
Match 290: Monster X vs. Spyler & Wargilgar
Match 427: Bagorah vs. Dogora

Thomas Fairchild
Match 9: Kiryu vs. Gigan (Universal)
Match 10: Mothra (Heisei) vs. Rodan (Universal)
Match 11: King Ghidorah (Universal) vs. Hedorah (Universal)
Match 12: Orga vs. Megalon (Universal)
Match 13: Anguirus (Universal) vs. Kumasogami
Match 14: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Gamera (Heisei)
Match 15: Legion vs. Destoroyah vs. Desghidorah
Match 16: King Kong (Showa) vs. Zilla
Match 17: Gigan (Universal) vs. Dagahra
Match 25: Ultraman (Universal) & Jet Jaguar (Showa) vs. Monster X
Match 26: Gyaos (Heisei) vs. Biollante
Match 27: Kumasogami vs. Battra
Match 28: Megaguirus vs. Kamacuras (Universal) vs. Gamera (Heisei)
Match 29: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Moguera (Universal)
Match 33: King Ghidorah (Universal) vs. Godzilla® (Heisei), Rodan (Universal) & Anguirus (Universal)
Match 34: SpaceGodzilla vs. Destoroyah vs. Dagahra vs. Orga
Match 38: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Ultraman (Universal) vs. King Kong (Showa) vs. Gamera (Heisei)
Match 39: Moguera (Universal) vs. Biollante vs. Destoroyah
Match 40: King Caesar (Universal) vs. Jet Jaguar (Showa)
Match 43: King Kong (Showa) vs. Gorosaurus, Titanosaurus & Baragon (Universal)
Match 50: Monster X vs. Bagan
Match 51: Bagan vs. Everyone
Match 56: Bagan vs. Everyone – Fallout
Match 79: SpaceGodzilla vs. Grand King Ghidorah
Match 83: King Kong (Showa) vs. Zilla vs. Ebirah (Universal) vs. Hedorah (Universal)
Match 96: Megalon (Universal) vs. Ultraman (Universal)
Match 108: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Dogora
Match 111: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Rodan (Universal)
Match 130: Kiryu & Zilla vs. Orga
Match 133: Mechani-Kong vs. Baragon (Universal), Kumonga (Universal), Titanosaurus & Gigan (Universal)
Match 150: Godzilla® (Heisei), Gamera (Heisei), Zilla, Mothra Leo & Jet Jaguar (Showa) vs. Iris, Gyaos (Heisei) & Dagahra
Match 250: Battra & Megalon (Universal) vs. Zandora vs. Monster X
Match 296: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Kiryu

Christian Salabert
Match 1: King Kong (Showa) vs. SpaceGodzilla
Match 18: Gigan (Universal) vs. King Ghidorah (Universal)
Match 19: Gorosaurus vs. Godzilla® (Heisei)
Match 20: Kumasogami vs. Gezora
Match 21: Mothra (Heisei) vs. Hedorah (Universal)
Match 22: Zilla vs. Gorosaurus
Match 23: Gabara vs. King Kong (Showa)
Match 24: Mechagodzilla® (Heisei) vs. Megalon (Universal) & Gigan (Universal)
Match 30: Gabara vs. Megalon (Universal)
Match 31: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Anguirus (Universal)
Match 32: Jet Jaguar (Showa) vs. Kamacuras (Universal)
Match 35: Anguirus (Universal) vs. Red King
Match 36: King Caesar (Universal) vs. Battra
Match 37: Jet Jaguar (Showa) vs. SpaceGodzilla
Match 41: Red King vs. Gabara
Match 42: Orga vs. Gomora
Match 46: Destoroyah vs. Gyaos (Heisei) vs. Ultraman (Universal)
Match 48: Anguirus (Universal) vs. Baragon (Universal) vs. Gomora vs. Gorosaurus vs. Titanosaurus
Match 52: King Ghidorah (Universal) vs. King Kong (Showa), King Caesar (Universal) & Red King
Match 53: Zilla vs. Rodan (Universal)
Match 54: Godzilla® (Heisei) & Anguirus (Universal) vs. Gororin
Match 55: Frankenstein vs. Gaira (Showa)
Match 62: King Caesar (Universal) vs. Iris
Match 66: Ultraman (Universal) & Gomora vs. SpaceGodzilla
Match 68: Bagan vs. Orochi (Heisei) vs. Utsuno Ikusagami
Match 72: Baragon (Universal) vs. Jet Jaguar (Showa)
Match 74: Battra vs. Legion
Match 77: Jet Jaguar (Showa) vs. Biollante
Match 82: Daigoro vs. Godzilla® Junior
Match 85: Kumonga (Universal) & Kamacuras (Universal) vs. Godzilla® (Heisei)
Match 86: Jet Jaguar (Showa) vs. Gororin
Match 90: Godzillasaurus vs. Gorosaurus
Match 98: Spyler & Wargilgar vs. Gigan (Universal) & Megalon (Universal)
Match 100: Everyone vs. Everyone
Match 105: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Rodan (Universal) vs. Mothra (Heisei)
Match 109: Varan (Universal) vs. Krystalak
Match 114: Cyber Godzilla® vs. Gigan (Universal)
Match 116: C-Rex vs. Ebirah (Universal)
Match 118: Titanosaurus vs. Kumonga (Universal)
Match 120: Gomora vs. Destoroyah
Match 122: Utsuno Ikusagami vs. Spyler & Wargilgar
Match 124: Gororin vs. Gorosaurus, Varan (Universal) & Baragon (Universal)
Match 129: Gigan (Universal) vs. Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Mecha-King Ghidorah
Match 131: Obsidius vs. Krystalak vs. Bagan
Match 139: Ultraman (Universal) & Anguirus (Universal) vs. Bemular
Match 141: Gezora vs. Ebirah (Universal)
Match 148: Gorosaurus vs. Destoroyah
Match 188: Gezora vs. Godzillasaurus
Match 204: Kiryu vs. Spyler, Wargilgar & Zandora
Match 213: Mothra (Heisei) & Manda (Universal) vs. Megalon (Universal)
Match 223: King Kong (Showa) vs. Varan (Universal) vs. Godzillasaurus
Match 241: Godzillasaurus vs. Rodan (Universal) vs. MUTO
Match 286: Gororin vs. Biollante
Match 380: Godzilla® (Reiwa) vs. King Ghidorah (Legendary) vs. Mothra (Universal) vs. Rodan (Universal) vs. Biollante
Match 383: Gigan (Universal) vs. Bagorah

Joshua Reynolds
Match 44: Kumasogami vs. King Caesar (Universal)
Match 49: Ultraman (Universal) vs. Zone Fighter
Match 58: Mechagodzilla® (Heisei) vs. Moguera (Universal)
Match 61: Megalon (Universal) vs. Kiryu
Match 64: Monster X vs. Gorosaurus
Match 65: Gabara vs. Goliath
Match 67: Kumonga (Universal) vs. King Kong (Showa)
Match 69: Frankenstein vs. Zilla
Match 76: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Zilla vs. Desghidorah
Match 102: Orga vs. Mothra (Heisei)
Match 107: Orochi (Heisei) vs. Legion
Match 128: Grand Ghidorah vs. Monster X, Orga, Gigan (Universal), Megalon (Universal) & Cyber Godzilla®
Match 145: Megalon (Universal) vs. Zandora
Match 147: King Caesar (Universal) vs. Godzilla® (Heisei)
Match 154: Monster X vs. Gabara
Match 175: Godzilla® (Heisei), Anguirus (Universal) & Rodan (Universal) vs. Monster X
Match 178: Mechagodzilla® (Heisei) vs. Kumasogami
Match 182: Gorosaurus & Titanosaurus vs. Desghidorah
Match 185: Ultraseven, Gigan (Universal), Megalon (Universal) & Moguera (Universal) vs. Orga
Match 195: Megalon (Universal) & Gigan (Universal) vs. Jikiro, Spyler & Wargilgar
Match 202: Gabara & Baragon (Universal) vs. Hedorah (Universal)
Match 236: Kumasogami vs. Kamoebas (Showa)
Match 247: Manda (Universal) vs. Bagan
Match 248: Baragon (Universal) vs. Mechani-Kong
Match 272: Bagorah vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
Match 282: Mothra Leo & Mothra (Heisei) vs. Megaguirus
Match 288: Godzilla® (Reiwa) vs. Maguma
Match 327: Gaira (Showa) vs. King Kong (Showa)
Match 333: Monster X, Krystalak & The Visitor vs. King Caesar (Universal), Baragon (Universal) & Gorosaurus

Nick Ansett
Match 45: Anguirus (Universal) vs. Baragon (Universal)

Eugene Tan
Match 47: Titanosaurus vs. Jet Jaguar (Showa)
Match 59: Biollante vs. Legion
Match 63: King Kong (Showa) vs. Ebirah (Universal)
Match 104: Baragon (Universal) vs. Gaira (Showa)

Kenneth James
Match 57: Megaguirus vs. Battra
Match 60: King Ghidorah (Universal) vs. Mecha-King Ghidorah
Match 75: Gaira (Showa) vs. Ebirah (Universal)
Match 80: Kumasogami vs. King Kong (Showa) & Gorosaurus
Match 84: Goliath vs. Red King
Match 93: Mechagodzilla® (Heisei) & Gigan (Universal) vs. Kiryu & Ultraman (Universal)
Match 95: Monster X & Orga vs. Godzilla® (Heisei), Godzilla® Junior & Rodan (Universal)
Match 97: King Kong (Showa) & Frankenstein vs. Kamacuras (Universal) vs. Kumonga (Universal)
Match 99: Sanda vs. Baragon (Showa)
Match 101: Legion vs. Grand King Ghidorah
Match 106: Red King vs. Jet Jaguar (Showa)
Match 110: Hedorah (Universal) vs. Destoroyah
Match 113: King Kong (Showa) vs. Frankenstein
Match 115: Ultraman (Universal) & Zone Fighter vs. Desghidorah
Match 117: Megaguirus vs. Monster X
Match 119: Gorosaurus vs. Baragon (Universal)
Match 121: Kiryu vs. Hedorah (Universal)
Match 132: Gabara vs. Megalon (Universal) – Round 2
Match 136: Krystalak vs. Jet Jaguar (Showa)
Match 138: Obsidius vs. Mothra (Heisei) & Battra
Match 140: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Obsidius
Match 173: Mechagodzilla® (Showa) vs. Gomora & Moguera (Universal)
Match 218: Anguirus (Universal), Baragon (Universal) & Varan (Universal) vs. Bagan
Match 381: Krystalak vs. King Caesar (Universal)

Kristian Zatkoff
Match 70: Biollante vs. Grand King Ghidorah & Mecha-King Ghidorah
Match 73: Hedorah (Universal) vs. Dagahra & Desghidorah
Match 81: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Hedorah (Universal)
Match 87: Manda (Universal) & Varan (Universal) vs. Megalon (Universal) & Gigan (Universal)
Match 89: Zone Fighter vs. Godzilla® (Heisei) & Monster X
Match 91: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. SpaceGodzilla, Obsidius & Krystalak vs. Mechagodzilla® (Heisei) vs. Biollante
Match 112: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Utsuno Ikusagami
Match 125: Grand King Ghidorah vs. Ultraman (Universal)
Match 160: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Godzilla® (Legendary)
Match 166: Bagan vs. Hedorah (Universal)
Match 216: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Rodan vs. Mothra (Heisei) vs. Grand King Ghidorah vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa)
Match 271: Mechagodzilla® (Showa) & Moguera (Universal) vs. Zone Fighter

Hayes A. Jones
Match 71: Battra vs. Zilla
Match 92: Anguirus (Universal) vs. Kumonga (Universal)
Match 94: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Hedorah (Universal)
Match 126: Godzilla® Junior vs. Zilla
Match 222: Kiryu vs. Jet Jaguar (Showa)
Match 277: Gigan (Universal) & Megalon (Universal) vs. Destoroyah vs. Gomora

Jacob Haas
Match 78: Gaira (Showa) vs. Anguirus (Universal)
Match 103: King Caesar (Universal) vs. Monster X
Match 171: Mechagodzilla® (Showa) vs. Gomora

Stephanie Hughes
Match 88: Mothra (Heisei) vs. Anguirus (Universal)

David Kunath
Match 91: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. SpaceGodzilla, Obsidius & Krystalak vs. Mechagodzilla® (Heisei) vs. Biollante

Lucas Salabert
Match 123: Gabara vs. Gezora
Match 134: Gigan (Universal) vs. Red King

Blake Davis
Match 127: Mothra (Heisei) vs. Destoroyah

Tyler Trieschock
Match 135: Godzilla® (Heisei), Godzilla® Junior, Anguirus (Universal) & Gabara vs. Iris
Match 137: Jet Jaguar (Showa) vs. Ebirah (Universal)
Match 146: Zilla & Jet Jaguar (Showa) vs. Gaira (Showa) vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
Match 151: Kiryu vs. Desghidorah
Match 161: Rodan (Universal) vs. Dagahra
Match 164: Zilla & Kiryu vs. Megalon (Universal), Gigan (Universal), Monster X & Orga
Match 167: Cyber Godzilla® vs. C-Rex
Match 177: Zone Fighter vs. C-Rex & Cyber Godzilla®
Match 184: Zone Fighter vs. Legion
Match 198: Krystalak vs. Rodan (Universal)
Match 200: Cataclysm of Winter
Match 211: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. MUTO vs. Skullcrawler vs. Mechani-Kong & Orga
Match 225: Legion vs. Mechagodzilla® (Heisei) vs. Grand King Ghidorah
Match 245: Mothra Leo vs. Mecha-King Ghidorah vs. Megaguirus
Match 248: Baragon (Universal) vs. Mechani-Kong
Match 249: Godzilla® (Heisei) & Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. King Ghidorah (Universal) & Grand King Ghidorah
Match 263: Ultraseven vs. Zone Fighter
Match 275: Cataclysm of the Monsterverse
Match 280: A Kaiju Christmas Story
Match 300: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Everyone
Match 311: King Ghidorah (Universal) vs. Zone Fighter vs. Ganimes, Gezora & Kamoebas (Showa)
Match 315: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Colossal Titan
Match 375: Zone Fighter vs. Colossal Titan
Match 387: Gabara vs. Gomora vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
Match 416: Anguirus (Universal) vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa) – Round 2
Match 419: Colossal Titan vs. Gaira (Showa) vs. Attack Titan
Match 421: King Caesar (Universal) vs. Kumasogami – Round 2
Match 422: Kaishin Muba vs. Godzilla Junior & Gotengo (Universal)

Isaac Altenbach
Match 142: Manda (Universal) vs. Kamacuras (Universal)

Thomas Eckert
Match 143: Destoroyah vs. Bagan
Match 149: Gabara vs. Gorosaurus
Match 156: Orga vs. Hedorah (Universal)
Match 169: Baragon (Universal) vs. King Kong (Showa)
Match 183: Ultraman (Universal) vs. Rodan (Universal)
Match 191: Gomora vs. King Caesar (Universal)
Match 214: Mechagodzilla® (Showa) & Titanosaurus vs. Mechagodzilla® (Heisei)
Match 256: Baragon (Universal) vs. Mothra (Heisei)
Match 278: Krystalak vs. King Caesar (Universal) vs. Goliath vs. Orga
Match 287: Wargilgar vs. Zilla

Michael Menei
Match 144: Battra vs. Titanosaurus
Match 161: Rodan (Universal) vs. Dagahra
Match 189: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Dagahra

Patrick Alan Green
Match 152: Gaira (Showa) vs. Manda (Universal)
Match 176: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. Manda (Universal)
Match 181: King Caesar (Universal) & Sanda vs. Rodan (Universal)
Match 192: King Kong (Showa) vs. Kamacuras (Universal)
Match 205: Mechagodzilla® (Showa) vs. Attack Titan
Match 242: Frankenstein vs. Maguma
Match 257: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. Varan (Universal) vs. Sanda
Match 276: King Caesar (Universal) vs. Gigan (Universal)
Match 328: King Kong (Showa) vs. Black Moth

Andrew Sudomerski
Match 153: Dogora vs. Mothra Leo
Match 155: Black Moth vs. Maguma
Match 162: Black Moth vs. King Caesar (Universal)
Match 170: Bemular & Goliath vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa)
Match 190: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Bagan
Match 211: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. MUTO vs. Skullcrawler vs. Mechani-Kong & Orga
Match 215: Dogora vs. Colossal Titan
Match 219: Biollante vs. SpaceGodzilla
Match 220: Manda (Universal) vs. Frankenstein, Gaira (Showa) & Sanda vs. Trilopod vs. Monster X
Match 229: Zilla vs. Black Moth
Match 231: Godzilla® Junior & Godzillasaurus vs. Titanosaurus vs. Spyler, Wargilgar & Zandora
Match 240: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Godzillasaurus
Match 255: Balkzardan & Daigoro vs. C-Rex vs. Zandora
Match 275: Cataclysm of the Monsterverse
Match 280: A Kaiju Christmas Story
Match 281: Anguirus (Universal) vs. Anguirus (2001)
Match 300: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Everyone
Match 304: Mothra (Heisei) vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa) & Jikiro
Match 305: Mothra (Universal) vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa) & Jikiro
Match 311: King Ghidorah (Universal) vs. Zone Fighter vs. Ganimes, Gezora & Kamoebas (Showa)
Match 315: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Colossal Titan
Match 318: Sanda & Gaira (Showa) vs. Attack Titan & Armored Titan
Match 330: Rathalos vs. Kong (Legendary) vs. Skullcrawler
Match 334: Kaishin Muba vs. Kamoebas (Showa)
Match 344: King Ghidorah (Legendary) vs. MUTO
Match 350: Jet Jaguar (Showa) vs. Frankenstein vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
Match 358: Iris vs. MUTO Prime
Match 370: Siege of Skull Island
Match 375: Zone Fighter vs. Colossal Titan
Match 390: Impact of Tokyo’s Future
Match 409: Mechagodzilla® (Legendary) vs. Tiamat & Behemoth
Match 419: Colossal Titan vs. Gaira (Showa) vs. Attack Titan
Match 430: Colossal Titan vs. Skullcrawler
Match 432: Godzilla (Showa) vs. Anguirus (Universal) vs. Rodan (Universal)

KeSean Johnson
Match 157: Gigan (Universal) vs. Kumasogami
Match 194: Monster X vs. Iris
Match 207: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Desghidorah
Match 224: Mechani-Kong vs. Krystalak
Match 238: Dagahra vs. Ganimes, Gezora, Kamoebas (Showa), Manda (Universal), Titanosaurus & Varan (Universal)
Match 251: Red King vs. Kamacuras (Universal)
Match 254: Gigan (Universal), Megalon (Universal) & Monster X vs. Desghidorah
Match 265: Mothra (Heisei) vs. Battra vs. Gyaos (Heisei) vs. Rodan (Universal)
Match 308: Krystalak vs. Gomora
Match 324: Utsuno Ikusagami vs. Grand King Ghidorah
Match 356: Zone Fighter vs. Gomora

Connor Clennell
Match 158: Gorosaurus vs. Varan (Universal)
Match 180: MUTO vs. Bagan
Match 186: Maguma vs. Bemular
Match 199: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Gezora
Match 212: Daigoro vs. King Kong (Showa)
Match 227: Ultraman (Universal) vs. Gabara
Match 235: SpaceGodzilla vs. Gezora, Ganimes & Kamoebas (Showa)
Match 244: Utsuno Ikusagami vs. SpaceGodzilla
Match 252: Ultraman (Universal) vs. Kamacuras (Universal) vs. Gyaos (Heisei) vs. Kumonga (Universal)
Match 259: Bemular vs. Godzilla® (Legendary)
Match 267: Mothra (Heisei) vs. Zilla
Match 269: King Ghidorah (Universal) vs. Ultraman (Universal) & Ultraseven
Match 294: Jikiro vs. Gryphon
Match 310: Bagorah vs. MUTO Prime
Match 323: Rodan (Universal) vs. Kumasogami
Match 328: King Kong (Showa) vs. Black Moth
Match 339: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Ultraman (Universal)
Match 347: Baragon (Universal) & Manda (Universal) vs. Bemular
Match 354: Godzilla® (Reiwa) vs. Bemular
Match 362: Bakan vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa) vs. Destoroyah
Match 364: Gigan (Universal) vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa)
Match 369: Obsidius vs. Zandora
Match 372: Ultraseven vs. Mechani-Kong
Match 391: Utsuno Ikusagami vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa)
Match 413: Godzilla® Junior & Ebirah (Universal) vs. Titanosaurus & Krystalak

Grayson Post
Match 159: Zilla vs. Kumonga (Universal)
Match 203: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Orochi (Heisei)
Match 226: Godzillasaurus vs. Varan (Universal)
Match 246: Rodan (Universal) vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
Match 292: Frankenstein & Kamoebas (Showa) vs. Gezora

Tiago Cardosa
Match 163: Baragon (Universal) vs. Ultraman (Universal)

Harley Jameson
Match 165: Grand King Ghidorah vs. King Ghidorah (Universal) & Mecha-King Ghidorah
Match 168: Godzilla® Junior vs. Maguma
Match 179: Battra & Mothra Leo vs. Orga
Match 190: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Bagan
Match 193: Mothra (Heisei) & Battra vs. Frankenstein
Match 206: Bagan, Battra & Kumasogami vs. Dogora
Match 217: Mothra (Heisei) vs. Hedorah (Universal) – Round 2
Match 220: Manda (Universal) vs. Frankenstein, Gaira (Showa) & Sanda vs. Trilopod vs. Monster X
Match 229: Zilla vs. Black Moth
Match 231: Godzilla® Junior & Godzillasaurus vs. Titanosaurus vs. Spyler, Wargilgar & Zandora
Match 240: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Godzillasaurus
Match 248: Baragon (Universal) vs. Mechani-Kong
Match 253: Megaguirus vs. Zilla
Match 255: Balkzardan & Daigoro vs. C-Rex vs. Zandora
Match 274: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Orochi (Heisei)
Match 280: A Kaiju Christmas Story
Match 299: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Gamera (Heisei) – Round 2
Match 302: Mothra (Heisei) vs. Battra
Match 322: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Dogora – Round 2
Match 325: King Kong (Showa) vs. Jet Jaguar (Showa)
Match 371: Mechagodzilla® (Showa) vs. Anguirus (Universal)
Match 385: Gore Magala vs. Varan (Universal) vs. Behemoth
Match 399: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Bagan – Round 2
Match 411: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Balkzardan
Match 415: Godzilla® (Showa) vs. Anguirus (Universal)

David Click
Match 172: Anguirus (Universal) & Baragon (Universal) vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa) & Monster X

Jerry Hobson
Match 174: Anguirus (Universal) vs. Titanosaurus

Michael Allen
Match 187: Monster X vs. Krystalak & Obsidius
Match 196: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
Match 197: Orga vs. Iris
Match 297: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Armored Titan
Match 303: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa)

Jolene Steinard
Match 201: Mechagodzilla® (Showa) vs. Mothra (Heisei)
Match 209: Kumonga (Universal) vs. MUTO
Match 210: MUTO vs. Anguirus (Universal) vs. C-Rex
Match 270: Bagan vs. Team Xiliens
Match 275: Cataclysm of the Monsterverse
Match 289: Gorosaurus vs. Kamacuras (Universal)
Match 314: Mechagodzilla® (Heisei) vs. Hedorah (Universal) vs. Gigan (Universal)
Match 346: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. SpaceGodzilla
Match 353: Kiryu vs. Mechagodzilla® (Heisei) vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa)

Sean O.
Match 205: Mechagodzilla® (Showa) vs. Attack Titan

Landon Soto
Match 208: Gororin vs. Godzilla® Junior vs. MUTO
Match 228: Mechani-Kong & Godzillasaurus vs. Maguma
Match 237: Gezora vs. Gororin
Match 239: Godzillasaurus vs. King Ghidorah (Universal)
Match 266: Daigoro vs. Goliath
Match 275: Cataclysm of the Monsterverse
Match 284: Utsuno Ikusagami vs. Ganimes
Match 293: King Ghidorah (Universal) vs. Zilla
Match 295: Behemoth vs. Bemular
Match 320: Bagorah vs. The Visitor
Match 343: Frankenstein vs. Skullcrawler
Match 348: Frankenstein vs. Anguirus (Universal), Godzilla® Junior & Rodan (Universal)
Match 351: Gororin vs. Biollante – Round 2
Match 359: Bagan vs. Megaguirus
Match 361: King Kong (Showa) vs. Axor
Match 384: Gorosaurus vs. Gezora
Match 394: Dagahra vs. Legion
Match 402: Monster X vs. Gororin
Match 406: Mt. Lady vs. King Cobra
Match 429: King Ghidorah (Legendary) vs. Peguila (Reiwa)

Dao Zang Moua
Match 210: MUTO vs. Anguirus (Universal) vs. C-Rex
Match 249: Godzilla® (Heisei) & Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. King Ghidorah (Universal) & Grand King Ghidorah
Match 275: Cataclysm of the Monsterverse
Match 300: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Everyone
Match 313: Bagan vs. King Ghidorah (Legendary)
Match 316: Armored Titan vs. Trilopod
Match 326: Rodan (Universal) & Baragon (Universal) vs. King Kong (Showa) vs. Kumasogami
Match 373: Kamacuras (Universal) vs. Skullcrawler
Match 404: Attack Titan & Super X vs. Orochi (Heisei)
Match 409: Mechagodzilla® (Legendary) vs. Tiamat & Behemoth
Match 425: Yamato vs. Bagorah

Joel Scott
Match 221: Godzillasaurus vs. Zilla

Jack Jordan
Match 230: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. Megalon (Universal)
Match 285: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. Zilla

Anthony James Velez
Match 232: Monster X vs. MUTO
Match 309: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. King Ghidorah (Universal)

Tommy Drake
Match 233: Kiryu vs. Mechagodzilla® (Heisei)

Stephen Kieselbach
Match 234: Gigan (Universal) vs. Destoroyah

Matthew Williams
Match 243: Orga in Hell…
Match 262: Red King vs. Skullcrawler
Match 268: Mothra (Heisei) & Moguera (Universal) vs. Bemular vs. Goliath
Match 279: Ultraseven & Daigoro vs. Black Moth vs. Goliath
Match 283: King Ghidorah (Universal) vs. Spyler, Wargilgar, Zandora & Jikiro
Match 321: Balkzardan vs. Monster X
Match 345: Bagorah vs. King Cobra vs. C-Rex
Match 349: Baragon (Universal) vs. C-Rex
Match 366: Time-Space Collision

Matthew Freese
Match 243: Orga in Hell…
Match 261: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. Godzilla® (Heisei) – Round 2
Match 273: Godzilla® (Reiwa) & Mothra Leo vs. Grand King Ghidorah
Match 298: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Iris
Match 313: Bagan vs. King Ghidorah (Legendary)
Match 329: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. King Kong (Showa)
Match 331: Frankenstein vs. Godzilla® (Showa)
Match 334: Kaishin Muba vs. Kamoebas (Showa)
Match 340: Godzilla® (Legendary) & Mothra (Legendary) vs. Desghidorah
Match 353: Kiryu vs. Mechagodzilla® (Heisei) vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa)
Match 355: Red King vs. C-Rex, Cyber Godzilla®, King Cobra, Ts-eh-GO & Zilla
Match 360: Mechagodzilla® (Legendary) vs. Gamera (Heisei) vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
Match 362: Bakan vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa) vs. Destoroyah
Match 366: Time-Space Collision
Match 379: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Godzilla® (Reiwa)
Match 389: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Orochi (Heisei) – Round 2
Match 393: SpaceGodzilla vs. Destoroyah
Match 400: SpaceGodzilla & Destoroyah vs. Trilopod
Match 405: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Rayquaza
Match 412: Obsidius vs. The Visitor
Match 418: MUTO Prime vs. Legion
Match 423: Utsuno Ikusagami vs. Destoroyah
Match 424: Orochi vs. Team Guardians
Match 426: Ultraseven vs. Colossal Titan

Joel Forsberg
Match 258: King Kong (Showa) vs. MUTO
Match 312: Kamoebas (Showa) vs. Gabara
Match 336: Baragon (Universal) vs. Zilla

Joshua St. Jean
Match 260: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. Kamacuras (Universal)

Zeb Dennis
Match 264: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. King Kong vs. Mechani-Kong vs. Kiryu
Match 354: Godzilla® (Reiwa) vs. Bemular

Alex Williams
Match 275: Cataclysm of the Monsterverse
Match 318: Sanda & Gaira (Showa) vs. Attack Titan & Armored Titan
Match 341: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Hedorah (Universal) – Round 2
Match 350: Jet Jaguar (Showa) vs. Frankenstein vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
Match 392: Godzilla® (Showa) vs. Gomora
Match 398: Anguirus (Universal), Godzilla® (Showa), Godzilla® Junior, Gaira (Showa), Sanda & Utsuno Ikusagami vs. Desghidorah
Match 408: Ultraman Jack vs. Baragon (Universal), Behemoth & Gudon
Match 420: Attack Titan, Jet Jaguar (Showa) & Ultraman Jack vs. Gamera (Heisei) vs. Super X
Match 430: Colossal Titan vs. Skullcrawler

Vincent Rodger
Match 280: A Kaiju Christmas Story
Match 301: Attack Titan & Ultraman (Universal) vs. Mecha-King Ghidorah
Match 317: Attack Titan vs. Rodan (Legendary) vs. Kiryu
Match 331: Frankenstein vs. Godzilla® (Showa)
Match 335: Attack Titan vs. Rhiahn
Match 352: Colossal Titan vs. Rathalos
Match 355: Red King vs. C-Rex, Cyber Godzilla®, King Cobra, Ts-eh-GO & Zilla
Match 370: Siege of Skull Island
Match 376: Behemoth, Battra, Mothra (Legendary) & Gamera (Heisei) vs. Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
Match 390: Impact of Tokyo’s Future
Match 398: Anguirus (Universal), Godzilla® (Showa), Godzilla® Junior, Gaira (Showa), Sanda & Utsuno Ikusagami vs. Desghidorah
Match 407: Bagorah vs. Ultraseven
Match 420: Attack Titan, Jet Jaguar (Showa) & Ultraman Jack vs. Gamera (Heisei) vs. Super X
Match 432: Godzilla (Showa) vs. Anguirus (Universal) vs. Rodan (Universal)

Michael Allen
Match 291: Mothra Leo & Mothra (Heisei) vs. Destoroyah

Joshua Strittmatter
Match 306: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. Rodan (Universal)
Match 337: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. Godzilla® (Reiwa)
Match 357: Ultraman (Universal) vs. Godzilla® (Showa)
Match 363: Titanosaurus, Varan (Universal) & Gorosaurus vs. Godzilla® Ultima
Match 365: Gigan (Universal) vs. Gomora
Match 368: Baragon (Universal) vs. Godzilla® (Legendary) & Zilla vs. Maguma vs. Gaira (Showa) vs. Skullcrawler vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
Match 377: Balkzardan vs. Godzilla® (Reiwa)
Match 378: Godzilla® (Reiwa) vs. MUTO
Match 388: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. Trilopod
Match 395: Godzilla® (Legendary), Mothra (Legendary), MUTO, Skullcrawler & Behemoth vs. Rodan (Universal)
Match 401: Mothra (Legendary) vs. Cyber Godzilla®
Match 417: Gigan (Universal) vs. Cyber Godzilla® & C-Rex vs. Gigan (Reiwa)

Jake McDaniel
Match 307: Titanosaurus vs. Manda (Universal)

Dan Rogers
Match 319: Cyber Godzilla® vs. Mechani-Kong
Match 332: Ts-eh-GO vs. Kumonga (Universal)

Brendan Sheehan
Match 338: Orga vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa)
Match 397: King Kong (Showa) vs. King Cobra

Quinton Blackburn
Match 342: Bagan vs. Legion
Match 386: King Ghidorah (Legendary) vs. Bagan & Legion

Maddison Foust
Match 367: Gigan (Universal) vs. Attack Titan & Armored Titan
Match 431: Gigan (Universal) vs. Megalon (Universal)

Jim Wolf
Match 374: Gorosaurus vs. Baragon (Universal) – Round 2

Justin N.
Match 382: Iris vs. Grand King Ghidorah

Declan Coughlin
Match 396: Orochi (Heisei) vs. Dogora
Match 403: Godzilla® (Showa) & Ultraman (Universal) vs. Orga
Match 410: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. King Kong (Showa)

Nickolas A. Brand
Match 414: Bagan vs. Godzilla® (Legendary), Gamera (Heisei) & Grand King Ghidorah

Matt Ng
Match 416: Anguirus (Universal) vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa) – Round 2

Michael Zamar
Match 424: Orochi vs. Team Guardians

Sean O’Leary
Match 428: Kamoebas (Showa) vs. Kamacuras (Universal)

2. BANNER DESIGNERS

Christian Salabert
Match 1: King Kong (Showa) vs. SpaceGodzilla
Match 3: Desghidorah vs. Mechagodzilla® (Heisei)
Match 4: Gorosaurus vs. Kumonga (Universal)
Match 5: Zilla vs. Titanosaurus
Match 6: Legion vs. Megaguirus
Match 8: Baragon (Universal) vs. Gezora
Match 9: Kiryu vs. Gigan (Universal)
Match 10: Mothra (Heisei) vs. Rodan (Universal)
Match 11: King Ghidorah (Universal) vs. Hedorah (Universal)
Match 12: Orga vs. Megalon (Universal)
Match 13: Anguirus (Universal) vs. Kumasogami
Match 14: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Gamera (Heisei)
Match 15: Legion vs. Destoroyah vs. Desghidorah
Match 16: King Kong (Showa) vs. Zilla
Match 17: Gigan (Universal) vs. Dagahra
Match 18: Gigan (Universal) vs. King Ghidorah (Universal)
Match 19: Gorosaurus vs. Godzilla® (Heisei)
Match 20: Kumasogami vs. Gezora
Match 21: Mothra (Heisei) vs. Hedorah (Universal)
Match 22: Zilla vs. Gorosaurus
Match 24: Mechagodzilla® (Heisei) vs. Megalon (Universal) & Gigan (Universal)
Match 25: Ultraman (Universal) & Jet Jaguar (Showa) vs. Monster X
Match 26: Gyaos (Heisei) vs. Biollante
Match 27: Kumasogami vs. Battra
Match 29: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Moguera (Universal)
Match 30: Gabara vs. Megalon (Universal)
Match 31: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Anguirus (Universal)
Match 32: Jet Jaguar (Showa) vs. Kamacuras (Universal)
Match 33: King Ghidorah (Universal) vs. Godzilla® (Heisei), Rodan (Universal) & Anguirus (Universal)
Match 35: Anguirus (Universal) vs. Red King
Match 36: King Caesar (Universal) vs. Battra
Match 37: Jet Jaguar (Showa) vs. SpaceGodzilla
Match 38: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Ultraman (Universal) vs. King Kong (Showa) vs. Gamera (Heisei)
Match 39: Moguera (Universal) vs. Biollante vs. Destoroyah
Match 40: King Caesar (Universal) vs. Jet Jaguar (Showa)
Match 41: Red King vs. Gabara
Match 42: Orga vs. Gomora
Match 53: Zilla vs. Rodan (Universal)
Match 105: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Rodan (Universal) vs. Mothra (Heisei)
Match 111: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Rodan (Universal)
Match 114: Cyber Godzilla® vs. Gigan (Universal)
Match 118: Titanosaurus vs. Kumonga (Universal)
Match 120: Gomora vs. Destoroyah
Match 122: Utsuno Ikusagami vs. Spyler & Wargilgar
Match 123: Gabara vs. Gezora
Match 124: Gororin vs. Gorosaurus, Varan (Universal) & Baragon (Universal)
Match 128: Grand Ghidorah vs. Monster X, Orga, Gigan (Universal), Megalon (Universal) & Cyber Godzilla®
Match 129: Gigan (Universal) vs. Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Mecha-King Ghidorah
Match 130: Kiryu & Zilla vs. Orga
Match 131: Obsidius vs. Krystalak vs. Bagan
Match 132: Gabara vs. Megalon (Universal) – Round 2
Match 133: Mechani-Kong vs. Baragon (Universal), Kumonga (Universal), Titanosaurus & Gigan (Universal)
Match 134: Gigan (Universal) vs. Red King
Match 139: Ultraman (Universal) & Anguirus (Universal) vs. Bemular
Match 140: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Obsidius
Match 141: Gezora vs. Ebirah (Universal)
Match 148: Gorosaurus vs. Destoroyah
Match 150: Godzilla® (Heisei), Gamera (Heisei), Zilla, Mothra Leo & Jet Jaguar (Showa) vs. Iris, Gyaos (Heisei) & Dagahra
Match 188: Gezora vs. Godzillasaurus
Match 204: Kiryu vs. Spyler, Wargilgar & Zandora
Match 223: King Kong (Showa) vs. Varan (Universal) vs. Godzillasaurus
Match 241: Godzillasaurus vs. Rodan (Universal) vs. MUTO
Match 286: Gororin vs. Biollante
Match 383: Gigan (Universal) vs. Bagorah

Stephanie Hughes
Match 43: King Kong (Showa) vs. Gorosaurus, Titanosaurus & Baragon (Universal)
Match 44: Kumasogami vs. King Caesar (Universal)
Match 45: Anguirus (Universal) vs. Baragon (Universal)
Match 46: Destoroyah vs. Gyaos (Heisei) vs. Ultraman (Universal)
Match 47: Titanosaurus vs. Jet Jaguar (Showa)
Match 48: Anguirus (Universal) vs. Baragon (Universal) vs. Gomora vs. Gorosaurus vs. Titanosaurus
Match 49: Ultraman (Universal) vs. Zone Fighter
Match 50: Monster X vs. Bagan
Match 51: Bagan vs. Everyone
Match 52: King Ghidorah (Universal) vs. King Kong (Showa), King Caesar (Universal) & Red King
Match 54: Godzilla® (Heisei) & Anguirus (Universal) vs. Gororin
Match 55: Frankenstein vs. Gaira (Showa)
Match 56: Bagan vs. Everyone – Fallout
Match 57: Megaguirus vs. Battra
Match 58: Mechagodzilla® (Heisei) vs. Moguera (Universal)
Match 59: Biollante vs. Legion
Match 60: King Ghidorah (Universal) vs. Mecha-King Ghidorah
Match 61: Megalon (Universal) vs. Kiryu
Match 62: King Caesar (Universal) vs. Iris
Match 63: King Kong (Showa) vs. Ebirah (Universal)
Match 64: Monster X vs. Gorosaurus
Match 66: Ultraman (Universal) & Gomora vs. SpaceGodzilla
Match 67: Kumonga (Universal) vs. King Kong (Showa)
Match 68: Bagan vs. Orochi (Heisei) vs. Utsuno Ikusagami
Match 70: Biollante vs. Grand King Ghidorah & Mecha-King Ghidorah
Match 73: Hedorah (Universal) vs. Dagahra & Desghidorah
Match 79: SpaceGodzilla vs. Grand King Ghidorah
Match 87: Manda (Universal) & Varan (Universal) vs. Megalon (Universal) & Gigan (Universal)
Match 88: Mothra (Heisei) vs. Anguirus (Universal)
Match 89: Zone Fighter vs. Godzilla® (Heisei) & Monster X
Match 91: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. SpaceGodzilla, Obsidius & Krystalak vs. Mechagodzilla® (Heisei) vs. Biollante
Match 93: Mechagodzilla® (Heisei) & Gigan (Universal) vs. Kiryu & Ultraman (Universal)
Match 95: Monster X & Orga vs. Godzilla® (Heisei), Godzilla® Junior & Rodan (Universal)
Match 96: Megalon (Universal) vs. Ultraman (Universal)
Match 98: Spyler & Wargilgar vs. Gigan (Universal) & Megalon (Universal)
Match 100: Everyone vs. Everyone
Match 101: Legion vs. Grand King Ghidorah
Match 102: Orga vs. Mothra (Heisei)
Match 103: King Caesar (Universal) vs. Monster X
Match 104: Baragon (Universal) vs. Gaira (Showa)
Match 108: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Dogora
Match 121: Kiryu vs. Hedorah (Universal)
Match 125: Grand King Ghidorah vs. Ultraman (Universal)
Match 126: Godzilla® Junior vs. Zilla
Match 127: Mothra (Heisei) vs. Destoroyah
Match 165: Grand King Ghidorah vs. King Ghidorah (Universal) & Mecha-King Ghidorah

Jackson Morris
Match 69: Frankenstein vs. Zilla
Match 71: Battra vs. Zilla
Match 72: Baragon (Universal) vs. Jet Jaguar (Showa)
Match 74: Battra vs. Legion
Match 75: Gaira (Showa) vs. Ebirah (Universal)
Match 76: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Zilla vs. Desghidorah
Match 77: Jet Jaguar (Showa) vs. Biollante
Match 78: Gaira (Showa) vs. Anguirus (Universal)
Match 80: Kumasogami vs. King Kong (Showa) & Gorosaurus
Match 81: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Hedorah (Universal)
Match 82: Daigoro vs. Godzilla® Junior
Match 83: King Kong (Showa) vs. Zilla vs. Ebirah (Universal) vs. Hedorah (Universal)
Match 84: Goliath vs. Red King
Match 85: Kumonga (Universal) & Kamacuras (Universal) vs. Godzilla® (Heisei)
Match 86: Jet Jaguar (Showa) vs. Gororin
Match 90: Godzillasaurus vs. Gorosaurus
Match 92: Anguirus (Universal) vs. Kumonga (Universal)
Match 94: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Hedorah (Universal)
Match 97: King Kong (Showa) & Frankenstein vs. Kamacuras (Universal) vs. Kumonga (Universal)
Match 99: Sanda vs. Baragon (Showa)
Match 100: Everyone vs. Everyone
Match 106: Red King vs. Jet Jaguar (Showa)
Match 107: Orochi (Heisei) vs. Legion
Match 109: Varan (Universal) vs. Krystalak
Match 110: Hedorah (Universal) vs. Destoroyah
Match 112: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Utsuno Ikusagami
Match 113: King Kong (Showa) vs. Frankenstein
Match 115: Ultraman (Universal) & Zone Fighter vs. Desghidorah
Match 116: C-Rex vs. Ebirah (Universal)
Match 117: Megaguirus vs. Monster X
Match 119: Gorosaurus vs. Baragon (Universal)
Match 135: Godzilla® (Heisei), Godzilla® Junior, Anguirus (Universal) & Gabara vs. Iris
Match 136: Krystalak vs. Jet Jaguar (Showa)
Match 137: Jet Jaguar (Showa) vs. Ebirah (Universal)
Match 138: Obsidius vs. Mothra (Heisei) & Battra
Match 145: Megalon (Universal) vs. Zandora
Match 155: Black Moth vs. Maguma
Match 156: Orga vs. Hedorah (Universal)
Match 158: Gorosaurus vs. Varan (Universal)
Match 160: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Godzilla® (Legendary)
Match 164: Zilla & Kiryu vs. Megalon (Universal), Gigan (Universal), Monster X & Orga
Match 170: Bemular & Goliath vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa)
Match 180: MUTO vs. Bagan
Match 185: Ultraseven, Gigan (Universal), Megalon (Universal) & Moguera (Universal) vs. Orga
Match 192: King Kong (Showa) vs. Kamacuras (Universal)
Match 198: Krystalak vs. Rodan (Universal)
Match 200: Cataclysm of Winter
Match 211: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. MUTO vs. Skullcrawler vs. Mechani-Kong & Orga
Match 230: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. Megalon (Universal)
Match 232: Monster X vs. MUTO
Match 238: Dagahra vs. Ganimes, Gezora, Kamoebas (Showa), Manda (Universal), Titanosaurus & Varan (Universal)
Match 250: Battra & Megalon (Universal) vs. Zandora vs. Monster X
Match 276: King Caesar (Universal) vs. Gigan (Universal)

Tyler Trieschock
Match 142: Manda (Universal) vs. Kamacuras (Universal)
Match 143: Destoroyah vs. Bagan
Match 144: Battra vs. Titanosaurus
Match 146: Zilla & Jet Jaguar (Showa) vs. Gaira (Showa) vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
Match 147: King Caesar (Universal) vs. Godzilla® (Heisei)
Match 149: Gabara vs. Gorosaurus
Match 151: Kiryu vs. Desghidorah
Match 152: Gaira (Showa) vs. Manda (Universal)
Match 154: Monster X vs. Gabara
Match 161: Rodan (Universal) vs. Dagahra
Match 163: Baragon (Universal) vs. Ultraman (Universal)
Match 166: Bagan vs. Hedorah (Universal)
Match 167: Cyber Godzilla® vs. C-Rex
Match 168: Godzilla® Junior vs. Maguma
Match 169: Baragon (Universal) vs. King Kong (Showa)
Match 171: Mechagodzilla® (Showa) vs. Gomora
Match 172: Anguirus (Universal) & Baragon (Universal) vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa) & Monster X
Match 173: Mechagodzilla® (Showa) vs. Gomora & Moguera (Universal)
Match 177: Zone Fighter vs. C-Rex & Cyber Godzilla®
Match 179: Battra & Mothra Leo vs. Orga
Match 184: Zone Fighter vs. Legion
Match 186: Maguma vs. Bemular
Match 191: Gomora vs. King Caesar (Universal)
Match 194: Monster X vs. Iris
Match 195: Megalon (Universal) & Gigan (Universal) vs. Jikiro, Spyler & Wargilgar
Match 197: Orga vs. Iris
Match 199: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Gezora
Match 202: Gabara & Baragon (Universal) vs. Hedorah (Universal)
Match 207: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Desghidorah
Match 216: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Rodan vs. Mothra (Heisei) vs. Grand King Ghidorah vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa)
Match 227: Ultraman (Universal) vs. Gabara
Match 236: Kumasogami vs. Kamoebas (Showa)
Match 253: Megaguirus vs. Zilla
Match 256: Baragon (Universal) vs. Mothra (Heisei)
Match 258: King Kong (Showa) vs. MUTO
Match 263: Ultraseven vs. Zone Fighter
Match 270: Bagan vs. Team Xiliens
Match 282: Mothra Leo & Mothra (Heisei) vs. Megaguirus
Match 359: Bagan vs. Megaguirus
Match 360: Mechagodzilla® (Legendary) vs. Gamera (Heisei) vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
Match 361: King Kong (Showa) vs. Axor
Match 363: Titanosaurus, Varan (Universal) & Gorosaurus vs. Godzilla® Ultima
Match 365: Gigan (Universal) vs. Gomora
Match 366: Time-Space Collision
Match 381: Krystalak vs. King Caesar (Universal)
Match 387: Gabara vs. Gomora vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
Match 416: Anguirus (Universal) vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa) – Round 2
Match 420: Attack Titan, Jet Jaguar (Showa) & Ultraman Jack vs. Gamera (Heisei) vs. Super X
Match 421: King Caesar (Universal) vs. Kumasogami – Round 2
Match 422: Kaishin Muba vs. Godzilla Junior & Gotengo (Universal)

Andrew Sudomerski
Match 53: Zilla vs. Rodan (Universal)
Match 153: Dogora vs. Mothra Leo
Match 157: Gigan (Universal) vs. Kumasogami
Match 159: Zilla vs. Kumonga (Universal)
Match 162: Black Moth vs. King Caesar (Universal)
Match 174: Anguirus (Universal) vs. Titanosaurus
Match 175: Godzilla® (Heisei), Anguirus (Universal) & Rodan (Universal) vs. Monster X
Match 176: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. Manda (Universal)
Match 181: King Caesar (Universal) & Sanda vs. Rodan (Universal)
Match 183: Ultraman (Universal) vs. Rodan (Universal)
Match 187: Monster X vs. Krystalak & Obsidius
Match 189: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Dagahra
Match 190: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Bagan
Match 193: Mothra (Heisei) & Battra vs. Frankenstein
Match 196: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
Match 208: Gororin vs. Godzilla® Junior vs. MUTO
Match 212: Daigoro vs. King Kong (Showa)
Match 215: Dogora vs. Colossal Titan
Match 217: Mothra (Heisei) vs. Hedorah (Universal) – Round 2
Match 219: Biollante vs. SpaceGodzilla
Match 220: Manda (Universal) vs. Frankenstein, Gaira (Showa) & Sanda vs. Trilopod vs. Monster X
Match 224: Mechani-Kong vs. Krystalak
Match 226: Godzillasaurus vs. Varan (Universal)
Match 228: Mechani-Kong & Godzillasaurus vs. Maguma
Match 229: Zilla vs. Black Moth
Match 234: Gigan (Universal) vs. Destoroyah
Match 240: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Godzillasaurus
Match 242: Frankenstein vs. Maguma
Match 246: Rodan (Universal) vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
Match 255: Balkzardan & Daigoro vs. C-Rex vs. Zandora
Match 261: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. Godzilla® (Heisei) – Round 2
Match 266: Daigoro vs. Goliath
Match 269: King Ghidorah (Universal) vs. Ultraman (Universal) & Ultraseven
Match 273: Godzilla® (Reiwa) & Mothra Leo vs. Grand King Ghidorah
Match 274: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Orochi (Heisei)
Match 278: Krystalak vs. King Caesar (Universal) vs. Goliath vs. Orga
Match 280: A Kaiju Christmas Story
Match 281: Anguirus (Universal) vs. Anguirus (2001)
Match 284: Utsuno Ikusagami vs. Ganimes
Match 285: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. Zilla
Match 290: Monster X vs. Spyler & Wargilgar
Match 294: Jikiro vs. Gryphon
Match 295: Behemoth vs. Bemular
Match 297: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Armored Titan
Match 303: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa)
Match 304: Mothra (Heisei) vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa) & Jikiro
Match 305: Mothra (Universal) vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa) & Jikiro
Match 306: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. Rodan (Universal)
Match 310: Bagorah vs. MUTO Prime
Match 313: Bagan vs. King Ghidorah (Legendary)
Match 315: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Colossal Titan
Match 320: Bagorah vs. The Visitor
Match 332: Ts-eh-GO vs. Kumonga (Universal)
Match 333: Monster X, Krystalak & The Visitor vs. King Caesar (Universal), Baragon (Universal) & Gorosaurus
Match 339: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Ultraman (Universal)
Match 350: Jet Jaguar (Showa) vs. Frankenstein vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
Match 353: Kiryu vs. Mechagodzilla® (Heisei) vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa)
Match 360: Mechagodzilla® (Legendary) vs. Gamera (Heisei) vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
Match 362: Bakan vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa) vs. Destoroyah
Match 364: Gigan (Universal) vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa)
Match 375: Zone Fighter vs. Colossal Titan
Match 376: Behemoth, Battra, Mothra (Legendary) & Gamera (Heisei) vs. Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
Match 380: Godzilla® (Reiwa) vs. King Ghidorah (Legendary) vs. Mothra (Universal) vs. Rodan (Universal) vs. Biollante
Match 385: Gore Magala vs. Varan (Universal) vs. Behemoth
Match 395: Godzilla® (Legendary), Mothra (Legendary), MUTO, Skullcrawler & Behemoth vs. Rodan (Universal)
Match 399: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Bagan – Round 2
Match 400: SpaceGodzilla & Destoroyah vs. Trilopod
Match 408: Ultraman Jack vs. Baragon (Universal), Behemoth & Gudon
Match 415: Godzilla® (Showa) vs. Anguirus (Universal)
Match 432: Godzilla (Showa) vs. Anguirus (Universal) vs. Rodan (Universal)

Joshua Reynolds
Match 178: Mechagodzilla® (Heisei) vs. Kumasogami
Match 182: Gorosaurus & Titanosaurus vs. Desghidorah
Match 247: Manda (Universal) vs. Bagan
Match 272: Bagorah vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
Match 288: Godzilla® (Reiwa) vs. Maguma

Matthew Williams
Match 7: Biollante vs. Dagahra
Match 65: Gabara vs. Goliath
Match 201: Mechagodzilla® (Showa) vs. Mothra (Heisei)
Match 203: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Orochi (Heisei)
Match 229: Zilla vs. Black Moth
Match 237: Gezora vs. Gororin
Match 239: Godzillasaurus vs. King Ghidorah (Universal)
Match 243: Orga in Hell…
Match 262: Red King vs. Skullcrawler
Match 267: Mothra (Heisei) vs. Zilla
Match 268: Mothra (Heisei) & Moguera (Universal) vs. Bemular vs. Goliath
Match 283: King Ghidorah (Universal) vs. Spyler, Wargilgar, Zandora & Jikiro
Match 287: Wargilgar vs. Zilla
Match 314: Mechagodzilla® (Heisei) vs. Hedorah (Universal) vs. Gigan (Universal)
Match 319: Cyber Godzilla® vs. Mechani-Kong
Match 321: Balkzardan vs. Monster X
Match 324: Utsuno Ikusagami vs. Grand King Ghidorah
Match 334: Kaishin Muba vs. Kamoebas (Showa)
Match 345: Bagorah vs. King Cobra vs. C-Rex
Match 347: Baragon (Universal) & Manda (Universal) vs. Bemular
Match 348: Frankenstein vs. Anguirus (Universal), Godzilla® Junior & Rodan (Universal)
Match 349: Baragon (Universal) vs. C-Rex
Match 358: Iris vs. MUTO Prime
Match 363: Titanosaurus, Varan (Universal) & Gorosaurus vs. Godzilla® Ultima
Match 374: Gorosaurus vs. Baragon (Universal) – Round 2
Match 377: Balkzardan vs. Godzilla® (Reiwa)
Match 382: Iris vs. Grand King Ghidorah
Match 384: Gorosaurus vs. Gezora
Match 391: Utsuno Ikusagami vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa)
Match 401: Mothra (Legendary) vs. Cyber Godzilla®
Match 417: Gigan (Universal) vs. Cyber Godzilla® & C-Rex vs. Gigan (Reiwa)
Match 422: Kaishin Muba vs. Godzilla Junior & Gotengo (Universal)
Match 427: Bagorah vs. Dogora
Match 429: King Ghidorah (Legendary) vs. Peguila (Reiwa)
Match 430: Colossal Titan vs. Skullcrawler

Landon Soto
Match 23: Gabara vs. King Kong (Showa)
Match 34: SpaceGodzilla vs. Destoroyah vs. Dagahra vs. Orga
Match 205: Mechagodzilla® (Showa) vs. Attack Titan
Match 206: Bagan, Battra & Kumasogami vs. Dogora
Match 209: Kumonga (Universal) vs. MUTO
Match 213: Mothra (Heisei) & Manda (Universal) vs. Megalon (Universal)
Match 221: Godzillasaurus vs. Zilla
Match 231: Godzilla® Junior & Godzillasaurus vs. Titanosaurus vs. Spyler, Wargilgar & Zandora
Match 235: SpaceGodzilla vs. Gezora, Ganimes & Kamoebas (Showa)
Match 239: Godzillasaurus vs. King Ghidorah (Universal)
Match 245: Mothra Leo vs. Mecha-King Ghidorah vs. Megaguirus
Match 249: Godzilla® (Heisei) & Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. King Ghidorah (Universal) & Grand King Ghidorah
Match 260: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. Kamacuras (Universal)
Match 265: Mothra (Heisei) vs. Battra vs. Gyaos (Heisei) vs. Rodan (Universal)
Match 277: Gigan (Universal) & Megalon (Universal) vs. Destoroyah vs. Gomora
Match 289: Gorosaurus vs. Kamacuras (Universal)
Match 291: Mothra Leo & Mothra (Heisei) vs. Destoroyah
Match 293: King Ghidorah (Universal) vs. Zilla
Match 298: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Iris
Match 308: Krystalak vs. Gomora
Match 309: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. King Ghidorah (Universal)
Match 311: King Ghidorah (Universal) vs. Zone Fighter vs. Ganimes, Gezora & Kamoebas (Showa)
Match 312: Kamoebas (Showa) vs. Gabara
Match 318: Sanda & Gaira (Showa) vs. Attack Titan & Armored Titan
Match 325: King Kong (Showa) vs. Jet Jaguar (Showa)
Match 327: Gaira (Showa) vs. King Kong (Showa)
Match 328: King Kong (Showa) vs. Black Moth
Match 331: Frankenstein vs. Godzilla® (Showa)
Match 335: Attack Titan vs. Rhiahn
Match 337: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. Godzilla® (Reiwa)
Match 338: Orga vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa)
Match 340: Godzilla® (Legendary) & Mothra (Legendary) vs. Desghidorah
Match 342: Bagan vs. Legion
Match 343: Frankenstein vs. Skullcrawler
Match 346: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. SpaceGodzilla
Match 351: Gororin vs. Biollante – Round 2
Match 352: Colossal Titan vs. Rathalos
Match 363: Titanosaurus, Varan (Universal) & Gorosaurus vs. Godzilla® Ultima
Match 369: Obsidius vs. Zandora
Match 372: Ultraseven vs. Mechani-Kong
Match 378: Godzilla® (Reiwa) vs. MUTO
Match 386: King Ghidorah (Legendary) vs. Bagan & Legion
Match 397: King Kong (Showa) vs. King Cobra
Match 401: Mothra (Legendary) vs. Cyber Godzilla®
Match 402: Monster X vs. Gororin
Match 410: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. King Kong (Showa)
Match 414: Bagan vs. Godzilla® (Legendary), Gamera (Heisei) & Grand King Ghidorah
Match 418: MUTO Prime vs. Legion
Match 423: Utsuno Ikusagami vs. Destoroyah
Match 426: Ultraseven vs. Colossal Titan

Dao Zang Moua
Match 2: Iris vs. Destoroyah
Match 28: Megaguirus vs. Kamacuras (Universal) vs. Gamera (Heisei)
Match 210: MUTO vs. Anguirus (Universal) vs. C-Rex
Match 214: Mechagodzilla® (Showa) & Titanosaurus vs. Mechagodzilla® (Heisei)
Match 218: Anguirus (Universal), Baragon (Universal) & Varan (Universal) vs. Bagan
Match 222: Kiryu vs. Jet Jaguar (Showa)
Match 233: Kiryu vs. Mechagodzilla® (Heisei)
Match 244: Utsuno Ikusagami vs. SpaceGodzilla
Match 248: Baragon (Universal) vs. Mechani-Kong
Match 251: Red King vs. Kamacuras (Universal)
Match 252: Ultraman (Universal) vs. Kamacuras (Universal) vs. Gyaos (Heisei) vs. Kumonga (Universal)
Match 254: Gigan (Universal), Megalon (Universal) & Monster X vs. Desghidorah
Match 257: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. Varan (Universal) vs. Sanda
Match 259: Bemular vs. Godzilla® (Legendary)
Match 264: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. King Kong vs. Mechani-Kong vs. Kiryu
Match 271: Mechagodzilla® (Showa) & Moguera (Universal) vs. Zone Fighter
Match 279: Ultraseven & Daigoro vs. Black Moth vs. Goliath
Match 292: Frankenstein & Kamoebas (Showa) vs. Gezora
Match 300: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Everyone
Match 301: Attack Titan & Ultraman (Universal) vs. Mecha-King Ghidorah
Match 302: Mothra (Heisei) vs. Battra
Match 307: Titanosaurus vs. Manda (Universal)
Match 316: Armored Titan vs. Trilopod
Match 323: Rodan (Universal) vs. Kumasogami
Match 326: Rodan (Universal) & Baragon (Universal) vs. King Kong (Showa) vs. Kumasogami
Match 334: Kaishin Muba vs. Kamoebas (Showa)
Match 336: Baragon (Universal) vs. Zilla
Match 344: King Ghidorah (Legendary) vs. MUTO
Match 347: Baragon (Universal) & Manda (Universal) vs. Bemular
Match 356: Zone Fighter vs. Gomora
Match 363: Titanosaurus, Varan (Universal) & Gorosaurus vs. Godzilla® Ultima
Match 367: Gigan (Universal) vs. Attack Titan & Armored Titan
Match 368: Baragon (Universal) vs. Godzilla® (Legendary) & Zilla vs. Maguma vs. Gaira (Showa) vs. Skullcrawler vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
Match 370: Siege of Skull Island
Match 371: Mechagodzilla® (Showa) vs. Anguirus (Universal)
Match 373: Kamacuras (Universal) vs. Skullcrawler
Match 379: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Godzilla® (Reiwa)
Match 389: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Orochi (Heisei) – Round 2
Match 390: Impact of Tokyo’s Future
Match 396: Orochi (Heisei) vs. Dogora
Match 398: Anguirus (Universal), Godzilla® (Showa), Godzilla® Junior, Gaira (Showa), Sanda & Utsuno Ikusagami vs. Desghidorah
Match 404: Attack Titan & Super X vs. Orochi (Heisei)
Match 409: Mechagodzilla® (Legendary) vs. Tiamat & Behemoth
Match 412: Obsidius vs. The Visitor
Match 419: Colossal Titan vs. Gaira (Showa) vs. Attack Titan
Match 424: Orochi vs. Team Guardians
Match 425: Yamato vs. Bagorah

Connor Clennell
Match 252: Ultraman (Universal) vs. Kamacuras (Universal) vs. Gyaos (Heisei) vs. Kumonga (Universal)
Match 354: Godzilla® (Reiwa) vs. Bemular
Match 357: Ultraman (Universal) vs. Godzilla® (Showa)
Match 407: Bagorah vs. Ultraseven
Match 409: Mechagodzilla® (Legendary) vs. Tiamat & Behemoth
Match 430: Colossal Titan vs. Skullcrawler

Thomas Fairchild
Match 296: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Kiryu

Matthew Freese
Match 317: Attack Titan vs. Rodan (Legendary) vs. Kiryu
Match 322: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Dogora – Round 2
Match 329: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. King Kong (Showa)
Match 330: Rathalos vs. Kong (Legendary) vs. Skullcrawler
Match 383: Gigan (Universal) vs. Bagorah
Match 405: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Rayquaza

Joshua Strittmatter
Match 388: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. Trilopod

Matt Ng
Match 403: Godzilla® (Showa) & Ultraman (Universal) vs. Orga
Match 406: Mt. Lady vs. King Cobra
Match 413: Godzilla® Junior & Ebirah (Universal) vs. Titanosaurus & Krystalak

Vincent Rodger
Match 411: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Balkzardan

Maelstrom
Match 428: Kamoebas (Showa) vs. Kamacuras (Universal)

Maddison Foust
Match 431: Gigan (Universal) vs. Megalon (Universal)

3. COMMISSIONED ILLUSTRATORS

E.J. Su
Match 225: Legion vs. Mechagodzilla® (Heisei) vs. Grand King Ghidorah
Match 275: Cataclysm of the Monsterverse
Match 300: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Everyone
Match 355: Red King vs. C-Rex, Cyber Godzilla®, King Cobra, Ts-eh-GO & Zilla

Christian Gonzalez
Match 299: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Gamera (Heisei) – Round 2
Match 393: SpaceGodzilla vs. Destoroyah

Angela Rizza
Match 341: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Hedorah (Universal) – Round 2

Zid
Match 392: Godzilla® (Showa) vs. Gomora

Thomas Johnson
Match 394: Dagahra vs. Legion

4. AUDIO NARRATORS

Matthew Reeds
Match 405: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Rayquaza
Match 407: Bagorah vs. Ultraseven
Match 416: Anguirus (Universal) vs. Mechagodzilla® (Showa) – Round 2

Alicia Ingram (AI)
Match 50: Monster X vs. Bagan
Match 412: Obsidius vs. The Visitor
Match 415: Godzilla® (Showa) vs. Anguirus (Universal)

5. MULTIMEDIA CREATORS

A. Sousa
K.W.C. Multimedia #1: Godzilla® (Heisei) vs. Gamera (Heisei)
K.W.C. Multimedia #2: Kiryu vs. Gomora
K.W.C. Multimedia #4: Zilla vs. MUTO
K.W.C. Multimedia #5: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. Biollante

TheSciFiGuy
K.W.C. Multimedia #3: Mechagodzilla® (Showa) vs. Ultraman (Universal)

Thomas Fairchild
K.W.C. Multimedia #6: Godzilla® (Legendary) vs. Legion
K.W.C. Multimedia #7: Iris vs. Gigan (Universal)
K.W.C. Multimedia #8: Mechagodzilla® (Heisei) vs. SpaceGodzilla vs. Destoroyah

Andrew Sudomerski
K.W.C. Multimedia #9: Godzilla® (Showa) vs. Anguirus (Universal)
K.W.C. Multimedia #10: Daimajin vs. Baragon (Universal), Varan (Universal), Anguirus (2001), Mothra (2001) & King Ghidorah (Millennium) vs. Gyaos (Heisei)

Harley Jameson
K.W.C. Multimedia #9: Godzilla® (Showa) vs. Anguirus (Universal)

Alex Williams
K.W.C. Multimedia #9: Godzilla® (Showa) vs. Anguirus (Universal)

Dao Zang Moua
K.W.C. Multimedia #9: Godzilla® (Showa) vs. Anguirus (Universal)

Joshua Sudomerski
K.W.C. Multimedia #11: Gamera (Heisei) vs. Ghost Godzilla®

Andrew Sudomerski

It’s been a hot minute, hasn’t it? While we do have annual gags here at Toho Kingdom, I feel like one pertaining to the K.W.C. has been a good long while–hard to believe our last one was back in 2017. But that’s never a bad thing. Better than cranking out just for convenience or what have you; it’s better when something comes from inspiration as opposed to obligation. At the very least, it feels more natural. (more…)

Author: Alex Williams | Banner: Andrew Sudomerski

It was a bright and sunny afternoon in the lush countryside of Japan just a few miles away from the local elementary school. Eight kids drove across the gravely roads in their tiny electric cars towards a cabin belonging to one of their uncles. It was a drive filled with laughter and joy as they were excited to explore the cabin.

They soon pulled up as they all huddled together, observing the quaint cabin before them. It was rugged, horrifying to most, but to many it was iconic. Almost as if this was the perfect setting for anyone to film a low-budget horror movie or hide from the JSDF for a long time.

“Mozzarella!” Sanko, also known by his nickname of Gabara, called out, not going five seconds without being a massive asshole towards anyone. Minilla nervously turned around to look at the bully’s glaring eyes. “Your uncle’s cabin is total shit! How are we gonna enjoy our lunchables in this pigsty?”

“I… well…. It’s not all bad. My cousin, Godzooky, makes sure the place is cleansed of germs. Just sometimes… times are rough, you know? Especially when you’re called on to help a bargain bin Scooby gang and fight a rogue’s gallery with only one memorable monster,” Minilla rambled on, putting his hands together while his feet went up and down, trying to justify the status of the cabin. He didn’t want to admit it, but he knew Gabara was right. This place was a total piece of shit, you know?

Ichiro, who had his arm around his girlfriend’s shoulders, Sachiko, walked between the two, disrupting it before any conflict could go any further. “Sanko, knock it off! Minilla tried his best.”

“Yeah…… Stanko! I tried my best!” added Minilla, still stumbling between words only to find Gabara shooting daggers from his eyes. The baby Godzilla immediately covered his eyes in fear only for Ichiro to place himself in front of Minilla, shielding him from any further criticism.

“Ichiro, since you kicked my ass in the trainyard a few days ago, I respect you a lot more, but I will not respect the gray Barney over there,” Gabara pointed out, watching Minilla trying to hug the biggest and chubbiest kid of the group, Toshiya, but he immediately pushed him away. “I mean, heck, Nobuto!”

The kid in a yellow hat, a purple shirt and regular jeans turned his attention towards his leader and friend while lifting an ice chest full of Capri Suns out of the car.

“Settle a bet for us. Would you live in this cabin?” inquired Gabara.

“No,” Nobuto simply answered, before dragging the chest into the cabin as the bully smirked.

“See?”

“He still went in. I don’t think you can take anything he says seriously,” countered Ichiro.

Sachiko jumped near the two, attempting to follow her boyfriend’s lead by defusing the situation before them. “Tell you what, boys? How about I, Nobuto and maybe some other redshirt… I mean, friends of ours fix it up while you scope out the playground. See if it’s up to our standards.”

Ichiro and Gabara glanced back at each other before turning back to Sachiko. “Deal.”

“Oh! Can I come to? I’d love to see what’s out there!” Minilla jumped in, pleading to go on the adventure with his treasured friend, Ichiro.

“Of course! You’re always welcome!” Ichiro enthusiastically announced.

Gabara only rolled his eyes, feeling pure disgust towards the rubbery creature joining in on their adventure. “Fine! If Ichiro’s boyfriend gets to come along, then I want mine…. I mean, best friend Toshiya to join.”

Ichiro and Sachiko simply shrugged as the four kids went down the old dusty trail towards the playground in the distance.

They arrived at the beige and burgundy colored playground set, adorned with swings, slides and jungle gyms. The group of kids scanned the entirety of the area, not knowing what to do first, until they saw the magnificent tunnel slide, curling around.

The four huddled up as Ichiro asked, “Clog the toilet?”

“Clog the toilet!” the others shouted in unison.

They bolted up the stairs and one by one, they went down the slide halfway, holding each other’s weight with their backs. The group sat there for a few minutes until Minilla asked, “So, what’s so special about this game?”

Ichiro, Gabara and Toshiya all looked at each other, trying to ponder Minilla’s question. They couldn’t understand what made this particular activity exciting or even interesting. “I…. that’s a good point,” responded Ichiro, putting his hand on his chin.

“I kinda have to agree,” Toshiya added. “I have no idea what makes this so appealing.

“This is lame! Huddling together sucks!” Gabara hollered out, kicking Minilla’s back.

“Ow! That hurts!” Minilla cried out, trying to rub his back, but couldn’t reach due to his stubby arms getting constricted in the narrow slide.

“I don’t care! Get out!” countered Gabara, continuing to kick the baby kaiju’s back.

“Gabara, cut it out!” Ichiro hollered from the front.

“Uh, Sanko, maybe you should stop, it’s starting to hurt us all,” added Toshiya, feeling the vibrations of his friend’s kick.

“Get out!” Gabara screamed out, unleashing another kick into Minilla’s back, unleashing a cry of agony, forcing him to push further into the group. Ichiro and Toshiya could no longer hold themselves up as the pushing weight of their friends forced them to slide down from the tunnel and into the bark below.

“Say it, don’t spray it,” Ichiro nearly spat as he got up to his feet, brushing the bark off his clothes, glaring at his old bully.

“Not my fault you guys wanted to play that boring game!” Sanko countered, folding his arms together.

“You literally agreed to play it with us three minutes ago!” Ichiro spat back.

“It is true, you did agree to play it,” added Toshiya.

“Shut the hell up!” Gabara cried out, looking down at the struggling Minilla. “And besides, he ruined it!”

“What…. What? What did I do?” stammered Minilla, backing away slowly.

“Exist,” answered Gabara.

“Woah! That was uncalled for!” Toshiya countered, placing himself between the two while he raised his hands out in front of his friend.

“So us bullying Ichiro the past year was okay, but you draw the line at this?” huffed Gabara, not only feeling angry at his friend’s behavior but completely baffled by his completely one-eighty attitude when it came to the gray Barney.

“Seeing Ichiro kick your ass in the train yard puts a lot of things in perspective…” Toshiya trailed off.

“It’s because you love Kamen Rider,” Gabara deduced.

“It’s because I love Kamen Rider,” exclaimed Toshiya, smiling brightly at the thought of being back home and watching the latest episode of Kamen Rider.

“You think I’m Kamen Rider?” Ichiro asked, forcing the bigger kid to turn around to face him, but all Toshiya saw was a tiny Kamen Rider with the red scarf draped not only around his neck, but on his entire body, accompanied with blue short shorts. The illusion then spoke out, “Don’t you?”

“Yeah….. What’s the adventure today, Rider?” murmured the Tokusatsu fanboy, smiling brightly at spending yet another day at the quarry.

“If I don’t need to kick Gabara’s ass again, then play on the playground,” answered Ichiro, glaring at the still fuming Sanko.

“Pfft! And play with the ugliest thing here? No!” Sanko hollered out, scanning his eyes around the entire area until he saw a red and white creature hopping around the field. “Like, that thing!”

The others turned around to see what Sanko was pointing at and what they saw truly horrified them. Its bony white legs propelled itself constantly as it continued jumping around the area while its red flaky body moved, as if it were like waves of an ocean. Similar to its torso, its long bony hands waved around, almost dragging to the floor while its big black eyes never blinked, like a doll’s eyes.

“That thing is far less ugly than Milkshake here, and it’s still fugly!” Sanko declared, looking back at Minilla.

“Hey! That’s uncalled for! I’m not ugly like… like that weirdo over there!” Minilla hollered out as he pointed to the creature as it then stopped. The red, unholy abomination stared at them as it licked its lips with one goal in mind.

Hunger.

The creature immediately let out a cry, one more horrifying and even more annoying than ever as the four put their hands over their ears.

“At least it’s more annoying than you, Manilla!” Sanko pointed out, nearly collapsing to his knees.

The monstrosity hopped at an increasing rate, bouncing its long arms up and down as it then lunged forward at Minilla. It let out a series of cries, whacking Minilla with its bony arms, forcing Minilla to shield himself by launching his hands forward, holding the rivaling creature back.

“Ah! Ah! Help, you guys! It’s trying to eat me!” Minilla screamed out, desperately holding the fowl creature back as the red monster tried to take a bite out of the chubby baby.

“Kamen Rider, do something!” Toshiya cried out.

“I’m not…. Ugh, whatever,” Ichiro sighed as he ran out and kicked the hideous monster off his best friend. He wasted no time as he helped Minilla up to his feet.

“Thanks a bundle, Ichiro. I thought I’d be a goner,” Minilla breathed out, placing his hands on his knees, collecting himself while the all too familiar noise started up once more.

The red creature hopped up to his feet and bounced towards them, beckoning for them to join it.

“Oh hell no!” Gabara yelled out, immediately running away towards the rundown cabin, pushing Toshiya down to the ground.

Minilla and Ichiro looked at each other briefly before following Gabara’s lead: running away and crying. As Toshiya got back to his feet, the two best friends pushed back the bigger kid, knocking him down once more as he struggled to get up.

“Guys! Wait!” Toshiya cried out as the devil pounced on the child, sinking its teeth into his shoulders, eliciting a bloody scream. He cried out as blood erupted from the bite mark like lava from a volcano.

“Help!” he cried out once more as the red monstrosity sank his bony claws into the kid’s stomach, ripping out his intestines and funneling them into his mouth. He savored every bite as the taste of human flesh was a delicacy to his kind.

“Kamen Rider, help me…” the kid tried to scream out, but halfway through his sentence, the entire molecular structure of his body morphed into something more horrifying than you or I can ever imagine.

His arms turned into a ghostly white as they stretched out while his entire body save for his limbs turned into a bright red. Toshiya’s body shrunk as his skin turned flaky and lastly, his eyes grew a lot bigger than before.

He then launched upwards, knocking the creature on its back as he immediately bounced repeatedly, making those ungodly noises. The two creatures then looked each other in the eye, communicating in a more complicated language than English as they then turned towards the cabin.

The two creatures bounced forward, knowing full well there was more for them to consume off in the distance.

Meanwhile, about fifty feet away, the three kids ran away, screaming in absolute horror. The cabin was almost in sight as they then could bolt in and breathe a sigh of relief. However, luck was not on their side.

They reached the top of the hill, only to find several of the horrible red creatures hopping towards the cabin. Sachiko let out a horrified scream while Toru whacked the charging abomination with a rubber bat. The resulting hit caused it to blink out of confusion before hopping further towards the child.

“Nobuto!” Hiroyuki screamed out, dragging a huge ice chest as stains of ketchup ran down his yellow shirt. “Help me drag this in so the uglies don’t hog up our snacks!”

“No,” Nobuto spoke out, standing completely still at the doorway, watching the chaos unfold before him. His friends were on death’s door, but through his eyes, he just saw it as a scene out of a movie. One he may or may not have enjoyed as his expression remained the same.

“Nobuto!” the struggling kid cried out as he lost his grip on the ice chest and tumbled over.

“Bwak!!” the creature called out as it hopped onto the kid’s back, sinking its disgusting teeth into his shoulder.

Hiroyuki screamed out, with blood gushing from his mouth, clenching his hands into the ground, pulling the grass out in a feeble attempt to keep his mind off the pain.

“Oh my god!” Gabara yelled out in absolute horror.

“Yeah, we need to help them!” Ichiro replied, watching in complete horror as more and more of the foul creatures swarmed the premises of the cabin.

“Help them?” Gabara asked, perking his eyebrows up. “I don’t want those hideous freaks touching my electric car!”

Ichiro and Minilla glanced at each other in disbelief.

“Really? I mean, really?” Minilla asked.

“Yeah, Murphy. Some of us have two parents who have full time jobs and can buy their children nice things, and….” Gabara attempted to humansplain to the chubby kaiju only for Ichiro to nudge him.

“They’re touching your car,” Ichiro pointed out, forcing Gabara to jerk his head over to the chaos below them.

What he saw infuriated him.

Three of the vile creatures performing bodywork on the car! One was washing it with water and soap, another then followed it up with wax while the third was changing the tires!

Gabara’s entire body turned beat red as he bundled his hands into fists and bolted down the hill. “Get the hell away from my car, you red bastards!”

“Herugh?” one of the working class creatures murmured in curiosity, turning around only to find the child’s fist colliding into its face. The resulting punch sent the creature crashing into the passenger door of the car, denting it.

“You’re gonna pay for that!” Gabara shrieked out, grabbing a nearby shovel and shoving it directly through the creature’s neck. The red abomination gurgled out as white fluid bubbled out of its mouth just before Gabara removed its head from the rest of its body.

“Jesus Christ,” Minilla stuttered in disbelief, watching the bully raging against the working creatures.

“I….. I can’t just justify this,” Ichiro explained, rubbing his head at how a child could snap. He then heard the screams of his friends and looked back at Minilla. “Come on. We need to barricade the cabin.”

“Right.”

The two lifelong friends ran down the hill as they saw Gabara dispatching the last creature working on his car. Gabara stabbed it with his shovel and into the wall of the structure, as he breathed out in satisfaction.

“That’ll teach you to work on my car,” Gabara proclaimed.

“Dude, I think they actually made your car look nice,” Toru pointed out.

Gabara snatched the rubber bat from Toru and bonked him on the head.

Ichiro and Minilla ran past the surrounding ghouls and helped Sachiko pick up the wounded Hiroyuki. They moved him to the doorway only to find Nobuto still standing there, unfazed by any of the events that just transpired.

“Nobuto, move!” Ichiro hollered out.

“No.”

Having no interest in arguing with a brick wall, Ichiro made up the very first excuse that came up in his mind. “Showa Gamera is getting added!”

Nobuto’s eyes widened! He let go of the door frame and bolted further into the living room of the cabin. The kid plopped himself on the couch, with a laptop firmly placed on top of him, typing away at a ten thousand word match.

The group piled into the cabin and slammed the door shut as the ghouls shrieked, banging their boney hands against the wooden structure. The kids scanned the entirety of the cabin to find what they can use to barricade themselves from the oncoming horde.

Ichiro and Minilla immediately dropped Hiroyuki, causing him to scream out in anguish as ichor still poured out of his wounds. They all scattered, grabbing every viable object they could find to keep themselves. Within minutes, they were in a decent state where they could breath.

The finest barricades constructed from duct tape, tinker toys, bubblegum, and space titanium.

Nothing will get through those doors!

“Um, guys…..” Toro stammered out, gaining everyone’s attention. “These barricades aren’t gonna hold for long.”

As if on cue, the tape began peeling off while a gopher burrowed through the wooden floorboards. The cute and cuddy little critter waltzed over to a piece of gum and picked it off a group of tinker toys, causing them to crash into the floor. The gopher then stuck the piece of gum in his mouth and chewed on it, smiling delightfully at the kids before going back in his hidey hole.

“Right….” Ichiro murmured, putting his hand on his chin, trying to concoct a solution to their problems. Immediately he slammed his right hand into the palm of his left.”Let’s split up, gang!”

“No,” Nobuto moaned out, still sitting firmly on the couch, writing away at his match that’ll never, ever, EVER get posted.

“This is non negotiable, everyone fan out,” commanded Ichiro, raising his voice slightly.

Gabara went to speak only for Ichiro to cut him off. “Complain and so help me God’s Godzilla, I will let all of us get devoured by those disgusting creatures!”

The bully simply huffed before wandering over to a nearby closet. He yanked the door open and from the rumbling, all of its contents spilled over. “Oh, look! Here’s what I found here. Guns!” Gabara called out, pulling out two silver Maser rifles, holding proudly towards the ceiling.

“I’ve done my part!” declared Gabara, setting the rifles down on the coffee table while he plopped himself on a chair. “Now, to catch up on some Zs.”

“But… but what about Hiroyuki? Sachiko asked, glancing over to the still crying boy while he kept on screaming in agony.

“I know!” Gabara ripped a ball of gum from a nearby wall, causing more of the tinker toys to collapse. He then approached his wounded friend and shoved it in his mouth, quelling the boy’s screams. Without any further words spoken, Gabara went back to his comfy chair and drifted off to sleep.

“Oh my god….” everyone except Nobuto muttered out in unison, before splitting off into groups.

In Godzooky’s room, Sachiko and Toru found nothing but models of Trains, Planes and Automobiles, and posters of himself smiling. However, they found something that was perfect for their situation. Something every child not only loved, but felt immediately superior to everyone the moment they had it in their possession.

A Shrek TV!

The two hauled it into the living room as they saw Nobuto staring at them. Sachiko and Toru sat the TV down on a crimson stand as the former turned to the motionless friend. “Nobuto, did you find anything?”

“No.”

Sachiko exhaled out in annoyance, irritated beyond belief at how a person can go their entire life by only saying one thing. She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Can you say anything but no?”

Nobuto rolled his eyes, knowing full well none of them would stop pestering him about his vocabulary, but to at least get them off his back about his contribution.

“I didn’t find shit.”

“Oh…. well….” Sachiko paused, taken back by the amazing ability her friend can say more than one word. She felt bad for pushing him, but on the other hand, she was glad he contributed, or at least wanted to believe he did. “Well, thank you for your effort. You want to help set up the TV?”

“No.”

“Of course you don’t,” sighed Sachiko, grabbing the wires from the TV and connecting them to the outlets.

Meanwhile, Minilla and Ichiro sl0wly walked down the creaky stairs leading towards the basement. The space below was not only creepy, but kooky too. Its dull, gray brick walls contrasted with the near darkness it presented, scaring everyone with whatever mysterious and spooky creatures and objects lurked below. All together a very, very ooky place.

“Ichiro, why do I have to go down to the cellar?” Minilla stammered out, nervously eyeing everything they passed. Most of it turned out to be harmless, but still rather horrifying to look at.

Copies of Yamato Takeru hung all around the walls as they saw various body parts belonging to Minilla’s uncle’s rogue gallery in jars. The two kids grew disgusted looks and glanced at each other.

“I… uh…. this is Godzooky’s work,” Minilla answered, peering away from the jars of severed body parts before moving on to the next room.

“And to answer your question. We’re the only ones who are brave enough to venture down here,” Ichiro answered, opening up a door leading to the final room of the basement.

“I wouldn’t call myself brave just…..” Minilla frozen, his eyes widening in shock at seeing the display before him. “Oh my God’s Godzilla!”

On the bench lay Gigan’s severed chainsaw arm in near perfect condition, with only the bottom portion cut out. It was as if it was waiting to be fitted onto the right person. Then, next to it, was the Garuda.

“Woah!” Ichiro vocalized with pure excitement, grabbing a hold of the Garuda, fumbling it with his hands. “How did your uncle acquire these, much less get them to our size!”

“I… uh….” Minilla stuttered before looking down on the table to find a note alongside a small round object with a red gem in the middle. “Huh. Must be from my uncle.”

Dear Debt Collectors,

I assume you’re the ones who will find this letter. First off, piss off. I didn’t do anything wrong. Godzooky was to blame for all of this.

Second, times were getting tough so I stole those weird throwing thingies from one of the few real superheroes, Ant-Man, and used it on what you see here. Long story short, Gigan was understandably upset when I shrunk his arm down, but he has access to Xilien healthcare. I got Calico. That stuff sucks!

Oh, and G-Force is really starting to push their anti-Godzilla agenda now. Probably because I… I mean, Godzooky stole their stupid little ship to use as a backpack.

Had to leave in a hurry to catch the matinee of Mannequin Two: On the Move. Be back soon, so if you find them, use them to whatever desire you have. Plus, that’ll help me avoid getting into more trouble.

PS: Don’t eat the Cheez-Its. They’re mine.

“Welp, your uncle did say it was okay, so let’s head up,” Ichiro pointed out, setting the note back on the table while he strapped the Garuda on his back.

Minilla nodded, taking a hold of the chainsaw. “We should.”

The two traversed up the stairs, finding the rest of their friends situated in the living room as they gathered all the supplies they could find. Ichiro breathed out from the heaviness of the machine strapped to his chest as he then set it down on the ground.

“Oh cool! A Shrek TV!” Ichiro exclaimed happily, plopping himself down on the chair in front of it. Despite his happiness, he couldn’t let his guard go down so easily as he rested one of the Maser guns on his lap.

All the while Gabara stirred himself away, and like the reaction of his friends, his eyes widened with excitement. “Oh yeah! Shrek TV! Let’s watch cartoons!”

“In a minute,” Sachiko replied, powering on the TV. “We have to see what’s on the news.”

“Ugh! The news? That’s boring! Give me cartoons!” complained Gabara while Sachiko changed the channel to the local news channel, as everyone then inched closer to the monitor, wanting to know exactly what kind of situation they were in.

“As ugly as these creatures are, are not the results of mass hysteria,” a news reporter relayed from inside the station.

“Mass hysteria? What do they think, that we’re imagining all of this?” Gabara called out, throwing hand out in disbelief.

“Shut up!” Ichiro hollered out, turning the volume up on the Shrek TV.

“Yeah, shut up, Stanko!” Minilla added, stumbling between his words.

“Shut it, Milkyway!” Gabara shrieked out, taking one step forward, getting ready to hit Minilla as the baby kaiju backed up in fear. The bully smirked before turning back to Ichiro with a command. “Change it to cartoons!”

“I said shut up!” Ichiro roared out, pulling the trigger on the Maser rifle as a beam shot out and vaporized a Monster X toy on a nearby shelf.

“BWAH!!!!!!!” Minilla screamed out, tears in his eyes as he ran over to the vaporized remains of the toy. He cradled the pile of ash in his hands. “My cousin’s MonsterArts!”

“The wave of murder which is sweeping through the entirety of the world is being committed by the creatures known as Pigmon, who annoy their victims before feasting on them,” the reporter relayed as he was putting his hand on his headset as if he were receiving news.

“I didn’t need the news to tell me that!” Gabara complained once more as Sachiko and Toru rolled their eyes at his bitchiness.

Ichiro turned to Nobuto, who kept his focus on the tv and asked, “You think you can get him to shut up?”

“No.”

Ichiro sighed as he rubbed his head. “Of course you can’t.”

“This is the latest disclosure in a report from Toho Studios. It has been established that persons who have recently died have been returning to life and committing cringe. A widespread report from dumpster divers, stoners, Florida men, and gophers have concluded that anyone who has made contact from the Pigmons such as bites or bodily fluids have been converted to their ranks. So, please bar up your windows and doors, because….” the reporter monologued, but was interrupted by the shattering of glass, startling everyone in the station.

The crew turned to see a “macho” man geared up in a long black trench coat with a black tank top underneath and cargo pants. All the while he rested his sword above his shoulder and gave the crew a smirk with his mustache dancing ever so slightly. Yes, the definition of a “macho” man and totally not someone who is just compensating.

“It seems Douglas Gordon is here…. For some reason,” the reporter announced, completely perplexed by his sudden arrival as he grabbed the papers to continue his report.

“Yes, and I’m here to inform everyone that this Pigmon nonsense is made up by those libtards who want to deflect from the economy going to shit, along with giving people rights!” Gordon declared as he put his weeb sword in his two hands, with a declaration in mind. “I’m going to stop them before they go too far!”

“Rah! Rah! Rah!” an unholy noise called out, startling the entire news station as Gordon slowly turned around.

“What the hell….” the Gotengo commander uttered out loud only to find himself getting pounced by an invading Pigmon. The creature shoved its hands into Gordon’s stomach, ripping out his liver and shredding it with its teeth. It then went in for more of his insides as its saliva dripped into his body as Gordon coughed up.

“Choke on them! Choke on them!”

His cries didn’t last long as his whole body shrunk down and he hopped up to his feet. The katana being held in the new Pigmon’s bony hands while the mustache was still above his lip. The two Pigmons looked at each other as they turned around to the terrified news crew. They licked their lips and cried out, hopping towards them while the second Pigmon waved the sword around.

The TV went static as nothing could be done to save those brave newsmen and women. Everyone gasped in horror at what they saw over the TV, but Gabara simply yawned.

“This sucks. I’m going into the kitchen to grab Cheez-Its!”

The bully waltzed into the kitchen as Sachiko surfed through the channels, but was only met with more static.

“Ah shucks!” Minilla called out, swinging his hand forward in disappointment.

“Any ideas on what we could do?” Sachiko inquired, turning her head away from the TV.

“I found Boggle!” Toru announced, pulling out the game from a nearby shelf.

“Ooh!” Ichiro gleefully hollered out, jumping from the chair.

“That sounds like fun!” Sachiko joined.

“Count me in!” Minilla added, sitting down at the nearby table.

“No,” Nobuto simply declined.

“We… we didn’t even ask,” Sachiko stammered out.

“No,” the kid replied, going back to the couch with his laptop.

The participating kids gathered at the table as Toru set the game down, organizing it. Several rounds passed with words being spelt out like Zetton, Zarab, Mefilas, Baltan, Marie, Peguila, Goldburn, and Gappa.

“Okay, okay… um….” Sachiko spoke, trying to think of a word she can find in the current set of the game. “Um….. ooh!”

The girl traced her fingers over the presented letters and spelt it out.

“PIGMON!” Sachiko joyfully called out.

“Rag! Rahrahah!” one of the disgusting red creatures hopped up next to them utterly scaring them. It wasn’t from the outside, but their former friend, Hiroyuki, as the gum Gabara shoved down its throat was now oozing out of its vile mouth.

The Pigmon waved its boney arms at them as they slowly backed away, intending to sink its teeth into their flesh. Minilla then began to shake rapidly as he rubbed his tummy really fast. He was terrified and didn’t know what to do beyond using the coping method of keeping his tummy warm.

The baby Godzilla opened his maw and let out a smoke ring, sending it careening towards the Pigmon’s face. The red abomination blinked as it stopped in its tracks, before spinning circles as it then crashed down the floor.

The group slowly approached the corpse of the Pigmon, unsure how to exactly process the turn of events as they then heard a crunching noise. Ichiro and Toru jumped back as the four of them looked up to see Gabara emerging from the doorway with a box of Cheez-Its in hand.

“Sorry it took so long, but Meatball’s uncle really hid the Cheez-Its,” explained Gabara, walking into the living room only to notice the dead body of the Pigmon in the center of the room. “So, uh, what happened here?”

Sachiko slowly walked over to the body, kneeling down next to it as Minilla followed. She looked up to her friend. “Did you see his eyes?”

Minilla jerked his head in confusion. “Gosh darnit! What are you talking about his eyes for? He became ugly!”

“I’m scared,” she nearly sobbed as Ichiro knelt down beside her, holding her tight while Minilla moved his hand forward for some dumb reason.

Unbeknownst to them somehow, the Pigmon’s hand slowly twitched. Before any of them could properly react, the creature shot up and shoved its claws into Sachiko’s heel, blood oozing out of it. She let out a blood curl scream as Ichiro attempted to pull her back, but the Pigmon was faster. It then sunk its teeth into her left arm, ripping out a chunk of her skin.

The Pigmon then laughed at the children’s misery while Minilla grabbed a hold of it, but the ugly creature didn’t relent. It backhanded the couple, sending crashing into a wall as it grabbed Minilla by the face and threw him into a shelf.

The baby Godzilla collapsed on the couch and attempted to find his footing, but the shelf came crashing down on him, pinning him down. However, that wasn’t the worst of it as nearly everything on the shelf shattered into pieces.

“My uncle’s MonsterArts!” Minilla cried out in pure horror as he saw the ruined pieces of the expensive toys littered all over the room.

Pigmon stared at the down chubby baby and licked its lips. It then hopped over to him, intending to devour the helpless kaiju.

“Ah! Help! Help! Someone help me!” Minilla shrieked out, trying to push the shelf off his meek body, but to no avail.

Gabara, on the other hand, just stood there, devouring his tasty snack. “Yeah! Yeah! Eat that stupid mango!”

Then, in a rare moment of kindness, Sanko’s heart grew one size as he held out the box of Cheez-Its in front of the Pigmon, causing it to stop and turn to the bully. “Here, you can have a handful.”

The Pigmon blinked before swiping its hand on the box, sending it crashing down the ground before continuing its trek towards the helpless kaiju.

Gabara tightened his hands while his breathing became more rapid. “Oh hell no!”

The bully grabbed one of the Maser guns and shot off a couple of rounds into the backside of the Pigmon, forcing it to turn around and face him. It growled in pure anger as it decided to devour his soul first. Gabara was faster as he continued to fire several more rounds as bolts of electricity struck him, causing the creature to cry out as it came closer to the cellar.

Gabara then flipped the gun around and slammed the butt of the gun into the disgusting creature’s face, causing its right eye to explode into a pulpy mess. The Pigmon cried out as it fell into the cellar, but it got up quickly, racing up the stairs. Ichiro then bolted over across the room and slammed the cellar door on Pigmon, but its fingers were caught. This didn’t deter the children, though, as they repeatedly jumped on the door, completely severing them.

Without any words being spoken aside from the occasional “No” from Nobuto; Ichiro and Sanko locked up the cellar, trapping their former friend. The remaining members of the group all took a collective pause to breathe as Toru then cleared the shelf off Minilla while Ichiro tended to his wounded girlfriend.

Gabara knelt down beside his box of Cheez-Its and its contents reduced to crumbs as a tear shedded from his eye.

Things from here on out would only get worse.

The banging on the cabin from the Pigmon horde only got worse as more and more pieces of the barricades crumbled. Ichiro, having exited the room from putting his girlfriend in the other room to rest her wounds, spoke up. “We’re not going to last here another hour, we really need to get out.”

“I don’t see how,” Toru replied, walking over to the window and looking at the dozens upon dozens of Pigmon staggering around the property, waving their gross hands around. He turned back to the remaining members of their friend group. “We’ll be lucky if we can run past three of them.”

“There has to be a way we can make this work,” Ichiro mused, putting his hand up to his chin once more.

“The car!” Minilla spoke up, nearly jumping up from his seat.

“Minilla, that’s right!” Ichiro excitedly exclaimed, high-fiving his best friend. “And we can use the fuel from the Garuda to get us out here!”

“It’s a risky plan, but at this point, I’m willing to try anything,” added Toru, arming himself with one of the Maser rifles.

“Have fun with that,” Gabara sarcastically said, folding his arms, knowing full well their plan would only end in disaster. “It’s not going to work, and besides, are you really going to leave your girlfriend behind?”

Ichiro rolled his eyes. He was really getting tired of his crap and was tempted to put him in his place once more, but now wasn’t the time. Perhaps later. He walked over to his former bully. “That’s why you’ll be staying behind and holding down the fort in case things go awry.”

“Staying back and not having to do anything? Sign me up!” Gabara enthusiastically responded, plopping himself on the couch next to Nobuto.

“After this is over, you want to go to S-Mart to buy some Bruce Campbell’s chicken noodle soup?” inquired Gabara, feeling his tummy rumbling at the thought of enjoying the delicious soup.

“No,” Nobuto spoke out, causing Gabara to frown, but noticed his friend shifting around his pockets. He handed Sanko some yen he had on hand.

“Gee, thanks man.” Gabara glowered bitterly.

“Ichiro…. I’m too scared to go out there,” Minilla fumbled between words, shaking once more.

Ichiro turned to his best friend and smiled, placing his hand on his shoulder. “Hey, don’t worry. We’ll get out of here in no time, and this will be nothing but a bad memory.”

Minilla shook his head. “All right, let’s get this over, then.”

Ichiro grabbed the other Maser gun and opened the door as the Pigmons immediately took notice. They all squawked in unison, hopping towards their prey as three aimed their weapons on the approaching horde. Both Ichiro and Toru aimed their rifles and fired off, blasting holes in several of the Pigmons. A few expired from their wounds while others continued limping towards them.

Minilla rubbed his tummy and fired off a smoke ring, stunning one of them. With their combined firepower, it created an opening, allowing the three of them to run towards the car with the gas tank in their possession. Toru handed his Maser gun to Minilla, allowing him and Ichiro to keep their rifles trained on the distant horde.

Ichiro moved away from the vehicle to get closer to the disgusting creatures to ensure his shots wouldn’t miss. He pulled the trigger several times with the Maser blasts covering the ground with their blood as the corpses fell to the ground. One Pigmon’s head blew up like a watermelon while another was riddled with holes in its stomach. Minilla nervously pulled the trigger as the laser beam sliced through a Pigmon’s leg, forcing it to the earth, earning a cry of agony. Nonetheless, it continued crawling towards them until Minilla pulled the trigger once more, ending the life of the wounded creature.

As he poured the gasoline in the small car, Toru came to epiphany. He pulled the tank back, his eyes widening in pure horror. “Wait, this is a children’s toy.”

The car then spontaneously exploded, forcing Minilla and Ichiro to fall on their stomachs while the blast consumed both vehicles in and Toru in its fiery abyss.

Every Pigmon’s nose opened up greatly, smelling the delicious barbeque in their vicinity. They hopped over faster than ever as several of them grabbed the grilled pieces of the child’s flesh off the car and tore into it with their teeth. They murmured with delight as others had their attention towards the duo.

“Run!!!!” Ichiro cried out, with the two of them jumping up to their feet and racing towards the cabin. The imaginative boy unloaded his rifle into several Pigmons, forcing them to keep their distance as their way to salvation was clear.

He made it with little to no resistance as he stopped at the doorway, but Minilla wasn’t as fortunate. His stubby little legs and his pointy tummy slowed him down, allowing the Pigmons to catch up. The chubby baby fired off several rounds of the Maser gun, buying him a meager amount of time, but it wasn’t enough.

“Rah! Rah! Rah!” a Pigmon cried out before lunging forward and taking a bite out of Minilla’s left hand.

The Prince of the Monsters screamed out in pure agony. “Owie! You meanie!”

Blood gushed out as the Pigmon continued sinking its teeth into his gray flesh while Minilla struggled to get the red abomination off of him. Ichiro’s eyes widened, his stomach turning into knots, seeing yet another person he held dearly harmed by these monstrosities.

He aimed his Maser gun and fired it off, blasting the Pigmon’s head into pieces. The remains splattered all over Minilla’s face, painting his face in red and pink with brain matter. He hated the gruesome sight he had just endured, but was nonetheless thankful for his best friend saving his life. Minilla limped into the cabin as Ichiro slammed the door shut and reinforced it with what little they had left.

The two best friends took a moment to breathe as shit went from ten to a hundred real quick. Ichiro continued to exhale when all of a sudden, he squinted his eyes and cried out, startling Minilla.

“Minya, why are you pinching me so hard?!” the boy cried out, kneeling down to the ground from the agonizing pain.

“I’m not pinching you, Ichiro!” Minilla cried out, terrified at seeing his friend in pain.

“Yes, you are!” Gabara called out, pointing his finger directly at Minilla’s wounded hand. The chubby baby looked down and to his complete horror, saw his left hand was replaced by the boney hand of the Pigmon. “You’re one of them now!”

Gabara picked up a nearby Guiron knife and bolted towards him, pointing the blade directly towards the baby’s stomach. Minilla’s feet bounced up and down in panic, crying out, “I’m not one of them! I’m not one of them!”

His cries were ignored by the bullied as Gabara pressed on, but couldn’t slay the infected kaiju as the Pigmon hand smacked Sanko across the face. The resulting impact sent Gabara careening back into the kitchen where he broke through a cabinet door. The bully attempted to resume the fight, however, a can of lima beans spilled all over him.

His eyes widened with pure disgust!

“Ew! Ew! Ew!” Gabara screamed out, running around in circles, desperately trying to get the repulsive food off his body.

Minilla’s infected hand lifted up his best friend and threw him as the baby kaiju screamed out “Ichiro, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to!”

The evil hand slammed itself into Minilla’s stomach, forcing a cough out as he was sent down on his knees. Minilla looked at his hand pulling back, readying to make another strike.

“No! No! No! Wait!” pleaded Minilla, but his cries fell on deaf ears as the hand struck him across the face, forcing him down on his stomach.

The chubby baby attempted to pick himself up, but was knocked down once more by his hand slamming a piece of a MonsterArts King Ghidorah onto him. The horns of the toy, cutting through on his face, casting scars across it.

Minilla shrieked out only to find himself getting hit in the stomach with a Monsterarts Jet Jaguar, earning yet another cough from the baby. It was then, Minilla’s consciousness faded and he finally went stiff. The hand, on the other hand, was not satisfied. It knew Minilla’s body was different. It couldn’t be infected, not fully.

If he will not join the collective, then his death will have to do.

The boney hand tapped its fingers repeatedly on the wooden floor, trying to concoct a solution, when it then remembered the knife Gabara tried to kill Minilla with. It briefly looked around as if it somehow had eyes, until it saw the blade just a few feet away.

The boney hand pulled the baby across the floor, forcing it to stop with every pull to catch its breath. The hand growled, somehow, annoyed at the amount of weight Minilla had on him. It wasn’t deterred as its stupid host must die.

It inched closer and closer to the blade. Just one more pull and it can be freed!

The hand reached for the blade, but felt something piercing through its very body! Crimson ichor gushed out of its gaping hole as Minilla kept his remaining hand firm on the intact Bandai Battra Larva figure. The horn digging deeper into his infected hand, ushering out more and more cries of agony from it.

“That’s right….” Minilla coughed up, slowly turning the figure in circles, forcing the creature to continue screaming. “Who’s fighting their own battles now?”

Minya’s eyes darted over to the severed chainsaw arm of Gigan and knew what had to be done. Any fears or doubts were no longer present, only one goal was on his mind.

To disarm himself.

Minilla snatched up the chainsaw and revved it up, lowering it down as he screamed to the very heavens. “Who’s fighting their own battles now!?”

The chubby baby then proceeded to howl in laughter while Ichiro stumbled back up to his feet and walked right next to Gabara and Nobuto, who kept their eyes peeled on the display before them. They watched their friend laughing maniacally as he was severing his own hand, with blood continuing to paint his entire body red.

“Damn…..” Gabara voiced out in astonishment. “Didn’t think mayonnaise had it in him.”

“He needed to let that out,” Ichiro replied, turning his eyes away for a moment only to look back at the carnage before them. The blood was now covering half of the cabin as Minilla was still sawing through his infected hand.

“So…. Nobuto…. You want to clean that up?” Gabara asked, attempting to make conversation at the uncomfortable display before them.

“No.”

“Yeah, very reasonable,” Gabara responded politely.

It took several minutes, somehow, for Minilla to sever his hand, but it was over. The hand was still unable to move due to the Battra figure lodged deeply inside of it, allowing Minilla to drop the chainsaw.

Minilla breathed in and out, slowly setting himself up. The hard wooden floors felt like heaven compared to the agony he had to go through several moments ago. The chubby baby glanced up at his friends slowly approaching him.

With his remaining hand, he pointed all around the cabin. “I think we should be in the clear for now.”

Minilla breathed out once more, placing his hand on his knee. “I don’t know about you guys, but I can really go for some cartoons, you know?”

“Finally!” Gabara cheered, throwing his arms up in excitement.

“No.”

“What, why?” complained Gabara, glaring at his friend.

Nobuto pointed over to the Shrek TV, switching away from static and towards another news report.

“Oh come on!” cried Gabara, heading back into the kitchen while the remaining three kids gathered around the TV.

“Saperstein news outlet here, and we’re in the middle of the Pigmon invasion in downtown Tokyo,” the reporter announced as he quickly ducked down from an explosion off into the distance, shaking the entire ground. He held onto his microphone and his glasses, preventing them from making contact with the surface.

“I’m…. I’m here with one of the students of Class 1-A of U.A. High School, Tsuyu Asui, better known as Froppy, who can tell us more about the status of this outbreak,” the reporter relayed, holding the microphone up to the girl.

Froppy hunched over slightly while putting her finger by her lip. “As you can see, we got about thirty percent of the area secured so far with about forty percent of the population converted into the Pigmons.”

“So you’re saying we’re doomed here?” the reporter asked before bringing the microphone back to Tsuyu, who gulped in response.

“We’re mainly focused on evacuating everyone we can even though we lost Grape Juice and Sugar Rush to the Pigmons,” Froppy stammered out before leaning towards the reporter and whispering in his ear. “Between you and me, I’m glad Grape Juice is gone. He was a pervert.”

“Oh…. um… I’ll take that as a good thing, then,” the reporter stuttered out, wiping the sweat off his head, completely unsure how to respond to the heroine’s statement.

“My fellow classmates are doing an amazing job like Uravity floating people to safety and Tsukuyomi devouring the ugly monsters with Dark Shadow… and…” Froppy tried to report but was interrupted by a screaming manchild.

“Die! Pigmon! Die!” Bakugo screamed out at the top of his lungs, blasting through the city, his eyes completely focused on one objective.

Killing Deku!

“Kacchan, wait! I’m not a Pigmon! It’s me, Izuku Midoriya, your old friend!” Deku cried out, swinging through the skyscrapers with Blackwhip as his bully continued giving chase.

“I don’t care! Die!” Bakugo continued screaming, blasting towards his punching bag.

“I…. uh…” the reporter attempted to speak out after witnessing the confusing display that went on past them.

“Ribbit. I wouldn’t worry about it. This happens all the time,” Froppy clarified.

“Right…..” the reporter simply trailed off, losing complete control over the interview, much less how to properly process everything around him.

“But if you were to ask, would the Pro Heroes and the teachers be proud of us? I’d say I think Mr. Aizawa would definitely be proud of us,” Tsuyu declared, grinning at the status of the containment they were conducting while a man fell out of a window, screaming to his death until he splattered on the ground like a splatty tomato. Worse than the splatty percentage of Attack on Titan: End of the World Part 2: Electric Boogaloo.

“I’m not,” Shota Aizawa muttered in complete annoyance over his students’ failure, before swinging off to actually commit a good deed.

“Oh…..” Tsuyu murmured in discontent, hanging her head down.

“On a completely different note. Is it true chemicals are being poured into the water supply and turning all the frogs gay?” the reporter simply asked, bringing the microphone to Froppy once more.

“Ribbit….” Tsuyu sighed, rubbing her hands together softly.

***

“I’m getting sick and tired of this!” Gabara shrieked out, racing out of the kitchen and back to the living room.

Ichiro rolled his eyes while Nobuto kept his eyes glued on the TV as Minilla wrapped bandages around his stump, stopping the bleeding.

“Sanko, what are you crying about now?” inquired Ichiro, despite going against his better judgment as it would only lead to his former bully complaining even more.

“This shitty cabin! My Cheez-Its getting reduced to crumbs! Your inability to get the cars working! Not letting me kill Mustard!” Gabara ranted, going down his list of grievances that went down throughout the night.

“Hey, that’s uncalled for!” Minilla cried out, still tending to his wound, with the insult piercing through his body more than any bodily dismemberment.

“Shut up, Mark!” screamed Gabara, running his hands on several shelves and knocking everything down to the ground. He then repeatedly jumped up and down, throwing a tantrum as he sent his hands flying into the walls, airing out his frustrations.

“And last, but definitely not least….” Gabara growled out, his entire body shaking with pure rage as he shoved his hand down, pointing at the floor. “I didn’t get to watch my fucking cartoons!”

The bully motioned over towards the front door as Ichiro immediately got up to his feet and followed him. “Where are you going?”

“Out!” Sanko blurted out, resting his hand on the doorknob, facing Ichiro.

“Are you crazy, you’re going to get yourself killed!” cried out Ichiro, his face becoming beet red with pure anger over his former bully’s idiocy. Sure this whole night was pure agony, but there was nothing they could do about it until help arrived.

Yet, he didn’t want to listen.

“Unlike you idiots, I can actually do this all by myself, and then you’ll have to let me watch my cartoons!” Gabara issued his declaration, yanking the door open and proudly took one step outside.

Then, the Pigmons scurried across the landscape and pounced on Gabara, ripping him limb by limb and then by flesh. Before their very eyes Gabara was reduced to a skeleton, and yet, the bones didn’t remain. The disgusting creatures shoved the bones in their teeth, pulling out chunks in their choppers like they were toothpicks.

Ichiro simply stared as the Pigmons turned their attention towards him, licking their lips in unison. Without any emotion, the daydreamer slowly closed the door on them and locked it, turning to his two remaining friends.

The static on the Shrek TV dissipated and cartoons finally started playing.

“Hooray! Cartoons!” cheered Minilla.

“Huh, well what do you know?” Ichiro nearly voiced out in astonishment, before shifting his attention back to the situation at hand, as he put his palms together, walking over to their assortment of weapons on the floor. “Okay, I’d say we have about a minute or two before all hell breaks loose, so we should prepare,”

“No,” Nobuto answered, turning away from the TV.

“This isn’t up for debate,” replied Ichiro, throwing one of the Maser guns to the unenthusiastic kid.

The cabin started to rattled as pieces of the barricade collapsed. Glass shattered from the resulting punches while the wood cracked open and the gum peeled off. Minilla took a deep breath when his best friend walked over to him with the chainsaw in his hand.

Ichiro and Minilla simply nodded as Nobuto came up from behind and slipped the Garuda on Minilla’s back.

“Oof!” Minilla yelped out in surprise at Nobuto’s sudden usefulness. He was going to ask why he decided to do it, but already knew the answer to it. The Prince of the Monsters gave his friend a thumbs up as Nobuto shook his head in response.

Minya turned his attention back to the chainsaw and knew it was going to be a huge adjustment to work with. His hand was gone and was now replaced with a weapon, a weapon of great danger, but of great significance. One that was revered by all. The second most BASED and RED-PILLED person to wield a chainsaw for a hand.

He slipped his stump through the chainsaw and revved it up. Ichiro and Nobuto held out their Maser rifles and allowed Minya to cut the top of the barrels off. The three of them stood by side, readying themselves for the oncoming horde about to burst in.

All Minilla could say was “Gravy.”

The baby’s badass line couldn’t linger for long as the front door caved in and the Pigmons poured in. The three raised up their weapons as Ichiro and Nobuto pulled the trigger several times. The Maser bolts blasted towards the charging Pigmons, tearing through their flesh. Smoke erupted from their bodies as they still kept charging even with the loss of their limbs.

Minilla felt the cannons on the Garuda lower and opened fire, sending out a volley of plasma bursts into the Pigmons. One burst melted the face off a Pigmon as it cried out in agony while another went through the stomachs of three others, forcing them to fall over like they were dominos.

One waved its hands forward, eyeing Ichiro with intense hunger. The boy, on the other hand, didn’t give it such an opportunity. He shoved the Maser rifle in the Pigmon’s mouth and blew the upper portion of his head off, splattering brain matter all over the ceiling.

A Pigmon jumped in front of Nobuto, waving its hands at him in an attempt to intimidate the child. Nobuto blinked his eyes and said the most powerful word in existence.

“No.”

Nobuto pressed the trigger and a bolt erupted from the barrel, detonating the creature’s jaw upon impact. The Pigmon’s tongue rattled around, gurgling in pain as Nobuto soon put it out of its misery by firing another bolt in its head.

The locks on the cellar broke off as the door flung wide open. The formerly trapped Pigmon hopped on out, crying out to join in on the onslaught. Its dreams were about to be crushed as Minilla swung his chainsaw forward, completely bisecting the creature, as its two halves fell over.

Minutes have passed, slaughtering countless Pigmons as none of them could even begin to fathom how many there even were. All they knew though was the cabin was starting to fill with bodies and they were running out of room. The plus side being, they had an opening and they had to take it.

They nodded in unison and prepared to bolt, but they heard a noise.

“Ichiro!” a girl cried out.

Sachiko stood in the doorway, concern plastered all over her face.

“How could I forget about her!?”

Ichiro ran towards her, intending to get her out of this mess. She was one of the two people most important to him and he couldn’t live without her.

“Sachiko,” Ichiro murmured, placing his hands on her cheeks. “It’ll be okay, I’ll get you out of here.”

He wrapped his arms around her body as she smiled, but that smile was nothing but pure evil and hunger. Sachiko’s entire body morphed into the hideous Pigmon.

The creature squealed and took a huge, nasty bite out of the boy’s shoulder, eliciting a scream from him. He was forced to drop his weapon as Minilla and Nobuto turned around to see the horror across the room.

Minilla’s stomach turned into his knots as his knees felt weak. He couldn’t believe it.

“No!!!!!!” screamed Minilla, raising the two Garuda cannons and firing them directly at the Pigmon’s head, splattering it into pieces.

Ichiro fell alongside the headless corpse as Minilla screamed out, “Nobuto, cover me!”

“No.”

Minilla raced over and picked up his friend, allowing him to rest on his shoulder as more and more of the entrances of the cabin were breaking through. They had to leave fast.

Nobuto and Minilla blasted through the front door, running as fast as they could while the cabin was turning into disarray. The Pigmons hopped all over the cabin, waving their hands excitedly almost as if they were admiring the place. It was then they saw something that hypnotized them.

The Shrek TV was playing cartoons.

Every Pigmon present gathered around the television, their eyes glued to it, enamored by the exotic colors before them. They all waved their hands and cheered in unison as the hours upon hours gave them the entertainment they all craved for so much.

The three kids stopped at the hill when they noticed the zombie-like menace was no longer chasing them, but instead remained in the cabin. Ichiro, however, cried out. “Minilla! Set me down!”

Minilla set his best friend down by a lone tree, letting him rest his back against its bark. The boy coughed up blood, feeling his entire body succumb to horrifying fate that awaited him. Minya was a treasured friend, almost like a brother to him, but with the loss of Sachiko and not wanting him to see what he’ll become, he didn’t want to live.

“Please kill me…” whispered Ichiro, causing Minilla to jump back in fear at what his friend had just requested.

“What…. What?” Minilla stammered out.

“You have to….” coughed Ichiro, placing his hand over his chest. “You know what happens.”

“No….”

“Minilla, it’s not fair, but you have to keep going. Become…. The King of the Monsters…. And fight…. Fight your own battles, you know?” coughed Ichiro, as the disease was finally taking over. His entire body was turning red as bumps were forming all over his body.

Minilla felt a lump in his throat with tears welling from his eyes. He revved up his chainsaw and cried out “I will fight my own battles, you know!?”

The crying baby rammed the chainsaw into his best friend’s head, splitting it open as he lowered the weapon downwards, separating his entire body. The infection didn’t claim him fully, it was something he was spared of, even if he didn’t feel good about it.

Minilla slumped his shoulders, hearing the cries of the helpless and the carnage these monsters were causing. There was a lot to be done. He may have failed in saving nearly all of his friends, but he will not fail in saving this planet.

He had a duty to fulfill.

A duty to become King of the Monsters!

Minilla turned to his remaining friend, Nobuto, and issued out a declaration. “Nobuto, let’s go save this world!”

“No.”

Winner: Minilla

Author: Dao Zang Moua | Banner: Dao Zang Moua

The tolls of a large bell echoed out from a giant mountainous castle with snake-like towers. The powerful ringing alerted the citizens of the city to gather towards the central temple, for their prophets called for it. The shadow of the eternal eclipse hauntingly hung above for all to see with the shimmering light of the sun peeking behind its edges. Many had clothing that seemed to be worn from use, while the few elites in the crowd flaunted their new uniforms and dresses as they gathered around a large stone stage in front of the grand marble structure, armed spearmen surrounding it. It was here that they would receive the teachings of Tsukuyomi and that criminals would be punished for their crimes. In the midst of the crowd were three cloaked individuals watching as several priests walked upon the center stage. Walking up between them was an old man with a large wooden staff. Each priest knelt down to the Prophet as he began to speak.

“Hear my voice, and rejoice! For you shall hear the teachings of our lord who protects us all from the monsters of the world,” he said, hitting the staff down upon the stone. This silenced the people as they awaited the news. “Over the past century, our priests have passed on knowledge and taught all the words of the Gods, so that we may find salvation in this wretched world. That we remember the horrors of the past so that we may forge a brighter future for ourselves. One without the monsters and destruction wrought by reckless humans. The man eating Titans and ravenous Skullcrawlers that hunted down and slaughtered humanity. The constant war and bloodshed that unleashed terrible monsters such as Gojira into our midst. As we preach to you this morning, remember that it was only by the might of the Moon God Tsukuyomi and his mighty serpent Orochi that drove away the monsters that plagued us so. By his hand, we have created a peaceful utopia, protected from the destroyers by the walls he built to defend humanity. His moon protects us from the blight of the titans from encroaching upon our homes and wards away the evils that walk outside these walls. Thus, we shall give prayer to our lord for his kindness, to save us from our reckoning and bring us to a land of peace.”

This garnered the prayers of the people as the cloaked figures watched on carefully.

“Now that the time for prayer has passed, it is my solemn duty to inform the people that a criminal has been captured. One that sought to destroy the peaceful utopia we work hard to sustain and live our lives free from the monsters. This man wished to destroy all that we have worked for to sustain what remains of humanity and bring back the monsters that plagued us long ago.” Gesturing to the guards, a figure in an dirtied orange jumpsuit with a star symbol wearing a sack over his head was brought forth. He struggled with his bonds as the sack was taken off his face. The prisoner was an older gentleman with white hair in a mess from being manhandled onto the stage. His face was bloodied and the glasses on his face cracked as he squinted at the stone floor, adjusting to the sudden light. Once he did, he watched as the crowd around him began to boo and curse the very ground he stood upon as though he were the devil incarnate.

“Don’t be fooled! Their teachings are nothing but half truths meant to cover their tracks! They are only telling you the portions of history they want you to know!” he shouted out before he was quickly silenced by a spear butt to the face.

“Silence heretic! Hear his words and how he speaks against our teachings. This blasphemous heathen seeks to destroy that which we hold dear to us and return us to the age of destruction!” The old prophet then held out a small black and white device with a glass top. “He sought to destroy our city with this device. This man sought to kill the remnants of humanity with the power of this weapon.” The prophet then dropped the item to the ground before shattering its glass with a strike of lightning. The old criminal looked at the device hopelessly as it was destroyed. “Now we must all pray to our lord for forgiveness for this lost soul as judgment is passed unto him.”

“Yes, Prophet Tsukinowa!” the people cried out as the man stared at them helplessly. Tsukinowa bowed his head towards the castle in prayer, chanting mystical words as the priests around joined him. Among the crowd, the prisoner noticed the three hooded figures slowly moving closer.

“No! Stop! Get away! Do not get any closer!” he shouted out as the prophet and his priests seemed to awaken from their trance, Tsukinowa turning his staff towards the old man.

“Our lord has spoken, and has proclaimed that his sins must be cleansed by execution! All Hail Tsukuyomi, God of the Moon!” Tsukinowa said as lightning began to build up in his staff. Many began to bow in prayer while others cheered loudly as the old man watched in disapproval. In the crowd, one of the hooded figures attempted to move forth, but was held back by the others as the old man shook his head at them. Strands of lightning shot into the man’s body, causing him intense agony as the people watched on. His screams tore through the air as the devout prayed harder for his soul to find salvation, the enraged and the brazen few cheering loudly at the end of a supposed criminal in their nation.

The lightning soon came to an end, leaving behind a blackened husk where once stood man. “Judgment has been passed. May his soul reach the Land of Yomi and Lord Susano-o have mercy on him.” The old prophet turned around, leaving behind the charred body as he made his way back toward the temple of the gods. The guards and priests soon followed as the bells tolled once more.

As the crowd began to disperse, the three figures walked toward the stage where the old man still lied. The acrid stench of burnt flesh seared their nostrils, yet they stood close in mourning.

“Old man Hayata,” one said as he struggled to hold back his tears. The center figure placed a hand on the other’s shoulder to comfort him. Reaching out, he grabbed a hold of the broken Beta capsule, almost with reverence. A small speck of light entered the broken device as the blackened corpse dispersed into ash. Placing the device under his cloak, the three figures then turned around and prepared to leave the square when they heard a shout behind them.

“You there! What are you doing?” one of the priests roared out, causing them to stop in their tracks. Walking towards them, he reached out towards the one who had pocketed the device and twisted him around. “I asked you a question!” With a burst of speed, the center figure leapt up into the air and kicked the priest in the chest, knocking him onto the ground.

“Let’s go!” He said to his companions as they began to rush through the crowd to escape the priests.

“Stop those criminals!” The fallen priest shouted, pointing toward the fleeing suspects. The armed guards quickly began to give chase as the hooded cloaks fluttered in the air, revealing green uniforms and silver devices on their hips. Their lower faces were obscured by long cloth, preventing many from identifying any prominent facial traits. The center figure was a young man with short black hair with a determined look in his eyes. To his left was a blonde man wearing the same outfit, while to the right, the one who had taken the device, was a young woman with a stern look on her face and her hair cut short like a man’s.

“Just try and stop us,” the man in the center said as he turned around eager to fight, fists ready to swing.

“Eren, we need to go now!” the blonde whispered as he turned to his best friend. As the man readied to punch one of the guards, the girl quickly grabbed a hold of his arm and pulled him in just as wires shot out from the device on her hips. The two were quickly pulled upward as the blonde soon followed.

“Hey, Mikasa! Let me go!” Eren angrily called out. He was soon dropped as the girl twisted out of the way of a bolt of lightning. Righting himself in the air, Eren shot his anchors into a building, slamming his body into the bricks. A spear shot past his face, leaving a cut across his skin as he quickly launched himself higher. Tsukinowa seemed to growl with anger as he began to charge up his magic once more. The remaining priests around Tsukinowa too began to chant as dark magic coarsed through their bodies.

“Armin is right, we weren’t prepared for Tsukinowa himself to cast judgment on Hayata,” she said, quickly launching herself toward another building as a priest fired off a small burst of electrical magic from his palms. Below them, Tsukinowa gathered power into his staff as he fired off another powerful arc of lightning. The bolt shot towards Eren, forcing the boy to launch himself wildly in another direction to avoid its power. His eyes seemed to spark with rage at their situation, glaring at the prophet of the moon god. The prophet watched with intrigue as the cut on the boy seemed to seal itself up quickly. As the three sped off from the dark magic being fired at them, Tsukinowa stared at the black haired boy with curiosity.

“That child holds the gift,” he whispered to himself. “He could be of use to Lord Tsukuyomi if his power is brought under control.” Turning toward the castle, the old prophet seemingly disappeared as he made his way to his master.

~~~~~

Far from the more civilized portion of the first wall, the poorer working class citizens of the third wall rushed about through old buildings, selling their merchandise and crops of various sizes and quantities. The livelihood of the third district were mainly crop products and blacksmithing, with some merchants from the second wall bringing with them some cured meats or livestock from the ranches inside.

Three figures quickly made their way through the bustling marketplace, through alleyways and into some of the more decrepit and overgrown areas of the city. Soon enough, they came across a large, oddly shaped building coated in foliage and overgrown trees, as though it had been forgotten for many years without maintenance. A broken sign outside was the only indication that this was a museum in the past.

Most people of the third wall tended to avoid this building, a place of the past seen as blasphemy against the church’s teachings. Due to this nature, it made for a perfect meeting place for less savory characters, as they began to see more shady citizens bartering away the more illegal and dubious items and materials, including various weapons and deadly substances.

“Eren, are you doing ok?” Mikasa asked as she looked over her friend. Eren merely shrugged her hand away from his face, embarrassed at the attention as they walked through the overgrown hallways of the building.

“I’m fine” he retorted, turning his head away, “You know I tend to heal faster than others.”

“Just because your body seems to heal better than most, doesn’t mean you’re invincible Eren,” Armin shot back as they continued their walk.

Traversing past the more shady merchants, the three made their way towards a large doorway guarded by armed men with rifles from the old era. A quick glance at their maneuver gear and some ID from Armin was all the guards needed as they allowed the three youngsters past them. Past the doors were larger rooms, filled with people working out with weapons and maneuver gears. Lining various walls were lockers and rooms filled with swords and weaponry, where two figures stood over some plans. One was an older man with whitening hair, while the other was a fairly young adult male with a serious yet playful disposition to him.

“Commander Kubal, Captain Shikishima, the mission was a failure,” Eren reported with his head staring down. Armin reached into his cloak and took out the broken Beta Capsule from a pocket. “Tsukinowa himself personally executed Shin Hayata, leaving us unable to act or risk being captured or killed ourselves by the temple’s full magical might.”

The old commander looked up at the three as a distant look came across his face.

“I see,” he said, taking hold of the device and fingering a button on it. “Shin Hayata was a fine researcher and a loyal soldier, even in his old age. It’s a shame that we have lost him.” He clicked the button to see if anything would happen, but appeared disappointed before straightening his expression. Staring at the device for a moment, he held it out towards Armin. “Take it. You worked as his assistant, and it’s what he would have wanted.” Armin stared at the object in his hands as he quickly thanked the commander. The old man then motioned for the three to come forth as he stared down at a large map of the walled utopia. “Before his capture, Hayata managed to send us an encrypted letter with the location of some powerful weapons from the older era, as well as information on the possible whereabouts of the tomb of Yamato,” he said, marking several locations off the map.

“Is there anything we can do to help?” Eren spoke up as the old man looked him over.

“Hayata spoke of an ancient powerful mirror needed to open the tomb during his research. He said that the prophecy he found stated that only through the gathering of a heart, soul, and body that the tomb would open, within lying a powerful force to help defeat Tsukuyomi. He believed that the mirror was one of those objects that would open the door. However, his note told us that it was held within the throne room of Tsukuyomi’s castle, making it nearly impossible to retrieve it,” he said, pondering this information in mind. After some thought, he turned towards the room of training soldiers, watching over them carefully before coming to a decision. “Attention!”

At this, all the trainees and soldiers stopped what they were doing and turned. “Cadets Sannagi, Sasha, and Jean come forth! The rest of you resume combat training!”

At his call, three people came forth as Eren clicked his tongue. One was a large bulky young man with a woodcutter’s axe on his back, while the other was a stubborn and temperamental looking man with short combed back hair. The last was a young girl with a long ponytail who held a bow on her back as she was devouring a half-eaten potato.

“You six are the most promising of our new recruits thus far, and as such, I have a mission for you.”

As he was speaking, Sasha was slowly eating her potato while Jean and Eren glared at each other.

“I see you failed your mission, I guess we couldn’t have expected much from someone as suicidal as you,” Jean whispered.

“Shut up Jean, at least I can control my temper, you selfish asshole.”

“Calling the kettle black much there, Mr. Rage Issues?”

“Ahem!”

Both of them quickly stood at attention as the commander returned to his briefing.

“As I was saying, you six are to sneak into the castle and retrieve the mirror while Shikishima takes a squadron to acquire the weapons as a double assault,” Kubal explained, keeping his eyes on the two soldiers. “Do you understand?”

“Yes sir!” they shouted as they all held their fist to their hearts.

~~~~~

Tsukinowa slowly made his way through to the throne room of his master, keeping to the shadows as he noticed a cloaked figure kneeling before the throne.

“I had sensed for some time there was something else within the Gobi Desert other than the Behemoth making this land fertile, but if this rose dragon is not from this world as you say, I will tolerate your… presence… in my realm until the creature has been dealt with. Think this not as a show of kindness to you creature, but as a favor to my dear wife whom you are chained.”

Bowing their head, the figure thanked the moon god before standing up, fiddling with a device on their arm before disappearing in a show of light and sparks as dimensions seemed to distort around them.

“You kill one goddess for disgusting manners in food preparation and she holds it over you for eternity,” he grumbled before turning his gaze towards the shadows. “Enter into my Light, prophet,” the man declared, his voice booming through the throne room, “Give me your report.”

“Might I ask you who you were speaking with, my lord?” Tsukinowa asked as he bowed before his creator.

“An abomination formed by mortals breaking the laws of time,” he spat, “Now get on with your report!”

Tsukinowa shook as he felt the rage his master felt at the figure that had stood before him. “The priests and nobles of the second wall are doing well keeping their districts well fed and prosperous with their ranches, but some of those in the third wall are still having trouble with their crops due to the desert creeping into their fields, leading to a minor shortage of food”.

“I see,” he spoke with caution, “Decree those who are struggling to start growing some of the hardier crops, and provide them some soil from the Behemoth to help curb the spread of the desert and enrich their lands. Otherwise, carry on with your duties then Prophet, and ensure the nobility doesn’t get too far out of line.”

Mustering his courage, Tsukinowa began to speak about his findings. “I believe I have found someone of interest my lord, someone who holds the power of your traitorous generals.”

The throne room shook as Tsukinowa spoke his words, rumbling in the night sky as the room began to fill with an evil green fog.

“Are you certain of this,” a voice said through the moonlit room, his power shaking the structure as Tsukinowa bowed in fealty. Kneeling down, Tsukinowa nodded his head once. The sound of armor echoed through the silent room as the fearsome warrior walked down from his throne. His long hair flowed down behind him held up by a metal dragon headband.

“Yes, Lord Tsukuyomi. The boy has potential within him that will give him great strength should he learn to control his hidden power,” Tsukinowa stated, holding up a mirror which showed the face of the boy to his master.

Tsukuyomi walked towards an open window as he stared out unto the moonlit city. His city. What was once a ghost town built by humanity in the desert was now flourishing under his control. It may not have been his homeland of Japan, but here the other gods of his pantheon could do little to stop him.

“I remember my anger at these worthless creatures as they ruined this planet. I wanted to completely annihilate them and leave this system a place, where only the Immortals may live, where Order is kept.” An orange glimmer in the moonlight caught his attention. Holding his hand into the moonlight, a large glowing moth landed upon his palm. “Soon, I noticed that I was doing it all wrong. These mortals are like pests; they come back no matter how many you kill. Instead of simply annihilating all of them, I’ve decided to lead them along the path to peace, but many of them were disorganized and in need of order. There were some among the mortals who saw as I did, and joined me on my path to end the conflict they started amongst themselves, but I was betrayed all the same by these insects. Their short lives will be put to use to restore my father’s world back to its former glory. Under my rule, both the planet and humanity will thrive and live peaceful and fulfilling lives of joy.”

The orange moth flew off his palm and into the moonlight as the god watched on. A large explosion rocketed in the distance causing the god to scowl in anger.

“It seems there are still some of those traitorous humans who fight against the peace that I have brought, and seek to take the people from my reign,” he berated, watching the fires burn in the distance.

“My liege, that is the location of the human’s old superweapons,” Tsukinowa stated as he stated through his scrying mirror’s vision, only to stop as the god held up his hand.

“Let them take them, give them a taste of victory before a crushing defeat. Besides, we have visitors to attend to,” he said, spying six humans sneaking over his castle walls, “one being the human you said had potential.” Turning around, he swiped his arm to the side as a sword seemed to appear from the light. He made a quick short slash before sheathing his blade. The sound of chains shattering echoed across the courtyard as two lumbering giants began to rise, moonlight focusing onto pale flesh. Sitting down on his throne, he put down his blade and awaited the oncoming battle. “Let us see if these warriors they’ve sent give me some entertainment for the night.”

~~~~~

The sound of footsteps echoed through the lightly glowing staircase as the six soldiers ran forth.

“Man, you’d think the guy would at least have some soldiers patrolling around his home,” Jean duly noted, staring around the empty structure.

“Guess when you’re a literal god, you don’t care much for any threats,” Armin whispered as they made their way up toward the throne room. The grumbling of Sasha’s stomach echoed through the room as everyone froze in surprise, weapons ready to be drawn.

“Sorry, all this running and leaping makes me remember when I was back at the family ranch during the hunting season,” Sasha said sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head.

“When are you not hungry, Sasha?” Jean grumbled, catching his breath, “Now let’s get that mirror and get out of here!”

“Quit complaining and keep moving, Jean,” Eren retorted, quickly passing up his fellow soldier.

“Are you trying to start something?” Jean shouted as he reached for Eren, only for Sannagi to lift the two by their shirts.

“You two really need to work out your issues,” he plainly stated, holding them as they struggled to get out of his grasp. “Hey, where did Sasha go?”

Looking around, the three noticed that their other three comrades were now missing. Sannagi dropped the two quarreling soldiers as he heard a noise in the distance.

“Crap, where did they go?” Eren asked, brushing off his pants as he stood up. The ground shook around them, nearly knocking them backwards. Catching themselves, the ground rumbled once more, Eren and Jean pulling out twin swords while Sannagi bore his axe.

“Shit, does he know we’re here?” Jean questioned, looking around the staircase warily. A shadow passed over their moon lit forms from the window as Sannagi tackled the two to the ground. As he did so, a small doll dropped from his clothing onto the stairs just as the wall seemed to implode. A large hand slammed into the staircase sending dust and debris into the air as it patted around the ruins. The sound of deep childlike laughter echoed through the hall as they backed away from the large hand searching for them. Turning around, they saw as the hand pulled out revealing a goofy faced giant as he stared at them hungrily.

“A Titan? Why are there Titans inside the castle walls?” Eren scowled, observing as it came closer.

“Shut up and let’s get going!” Jean barked as he continued up the staircase.

“Oh no, My sister’s doll fell,” Sannagi panicked, patting his clothing for the missing charm.

“No time!” Eren shouted, dragging the large man upwards as the hand reached into the tower once more.

~~~~~

“There is sooo much FOOOOOOOD!!!”

Sasha quickly began to rush around the large feast set within the courtyard before her, stacking food onto plates. As she was about to dig into the meal in front of her, two hands grasped her arm and yanked her back.

“Don’t touch anything.” Mikasa stated, holding back the hungry girl. “How did we get here from the stairwell?”

“Perhaps Tsukuyomi or Tsukinowa noticed us?” Armin pointed out, as he inspected the food around him. The oddity of magic was confusing for the tinkerer, having been in a tower one moment and on the ground floor of a courtyard the next. What was more confusing was why they had set a feast with no guests.

All the flames lighting the courtyard suddenly dispersed as an ominous green fog began to fall in, with only the light of the moon and the glow of the pillars remaining. Acting quickly, Mikasa grabbed onto the two young soldiers and grappled upwards towards the courtyard walls as a large fist slammed down onto the table.

“THE FOOD!” Sasha cried out as the large food covered fist slowly rose back up. She then followed the fist upward as the moonlight revealed a large humanoid creature with a deformed head staring at them hungrily beneath the green fog. It began to giggle manically as it lumbered towards them. As it reached up, it found they were barely out of reach and began to screech wildly, slamming its arms against the ground.

“A Titan? There shouldn’t be any of them within the walled districts.” The other two quickly fired their gear into opposing walls to balance themselves. The Titan then stopped its tantrum as it glared angrily at Mikasa.

“No time to waste!” Mikasa shouted, unsheathing her blades, “We have to kill it and regroup with the others! If there’s one, there might be another in the area!”

The Titan quickly roared out as it leapt upwards towards the stone faced soldier. Firing her omni-directional maneuvering gear, she began flying through the air as the Titan crashed into the tough stone walls.

“Wait up!” Armin shouted as he and Sasha pulled out their own weapons and followed suit. The three began to circle around the Titan as it got back up. Roaring out, it attempted to grab a hold of the various wires going around it, failing multiple times. Blades cut into flesh, only for the wounds to sizzle and disappear into steam as though they had never existed. Arrows tore and stuck into flesh but did little to stop the immortal creature’s rage.

The Titan roared out with violent rage as the trio swung around its body, slashing into its flesh. With another wild swing, the Titan caught hold of a wire, yanking Armin out of the air and into its body.

“Armin!” Mikasa cried out as the Titan lifted the blonde up in its arms. As the Titan lifted the human in his hands, two arrows lanced into and tore open the abomination’s eyes, blinding and enraging the beast. Mikasa quickly shot forth, only to be smacked away by a wild swipe from the mad Titan. As one eye regenerated, it lifted the screaming blonde towards its open maw. Just before the Titan could devour the stunned blonde in its hand, a shadow descended on it from behind.

“THIS IS FOR THE FOOD YOU DESTROYED!” Sasha yelled in a furious howl, slashing cleanly through the nape of the Titan, causing it to release Armin. The Titan collapsed to the ground as its body began to steam and disperse into heat. Mikasa accelerated and caught the blonde before he could hit the ground, landing carefully as she watched Sasha kicking the now dying Titan. Breathing heavily, she released Armin onto his feet and wiped some blood off her face.

“That was close,” she said as the trio stood there in the fog. “We should probably be more cautious about where we go from now on.” The sound of a collapsing body caught Armin’s attention as he turned around.

“Mikasa?” Armin coughed as he saw the strongest member of their group keel over, coughing up blood onto the ground. The sounds of violent coughs had Armin checking on Sasha, watching as she too fell over with blood dripping from her mouth, collapsing to her side next to the decaying Titan. “Sasha!” Armin began to feel lightheaded as the world around him seemed to sway. Another cough into his hand revealed blood as he fell to his knees. A low laughter echoed through the courtyard as a lone figure walked out of the shadows, the poison fog lifting.

“So all three survived the Titan’s attack?” The voice spoke as the figure walked closer to the three. “I was hoping for at least one of you to fall. If it was up to me, you three would be dead where you lie from the poison, but my master wants the true warriors alive,” the figure said as Tsukinowa walked into the light. Armin’s eyes widened as he saw the sorcerer, only for his vision to go dark.

~~~~~

Another fist slammed into the stairwell as the three men continued to run upward.

“Damn it!” Jean grimaced as they continued heading up, “Just how long is this stairwell and why are there no rooms?!”

Another fist slammed through the wall in front of them causing them to stop in their tracks. As it pulled outward, Jean noticed something on the stairwell in front of him.

“A doll?” he said, lifting it up. It was quickly snatched out of his hands by Sannagi as the large man held it close.

“Ah! I thought I lost it down there!” Sannagi said happily as he tied the doll down into his jacket.

“Hold up, what did you say?” Jean asked, as the Titan laughed outside the stairwell. “Have we been going around in circles somehow?”

Another fist slammed into the window behind them, trapping them between two piles of rubble as the wall broke down, revealing the sinister grin of the Titan exactly the same as it was before.

“This must be Tsukinowa’s doing,” Eren winced as he unleashed his blades. “We have to fight if we want to live!” the young soldier screamed as he leapt off the ledge.

“Guess it’s time to get rid of the night guards!” Jean exclaimed as he dove headfirst out of the tower with Sannagi in tow. The Titan swung its fist at the tower once more, sending brick and rubble flying around the three. As they fell, the three quickly latched onto the Titan’s fleshy body and began to expel gas, forcing their bodies to circle around the creature. Bricks fell from the tower only to slowly go upwards, rebuilding the broken walls and stairwell as they shifted around. “I really hate this magical bullshit,” he said in utter spite, dodging the swaying arm of the Titan.

The Titan screamed as it lifted its arms, trying to swat the humans flying around its body. Jean slashed the Titan’s eyes, blinding the giant as it snapped at the air in anger. It then yelped as Sannagi slashed through its tendons, forcing the Titan to fall to its hands where Jean sped past, tearing through the wrists and dropping the Titan to its elbows.

With a scream of anger, Eren slashed through the nape of the Titan, forcing it to the ground. With steam and heat rising around the decaying titan, the three landed down on the ground, staring up at the castle once more.

“He knows we’re here if that Titan was any clue,” Sannagi pointed out, wiping sweat off his face from the heat as they stared up at the castle. It was then that Eren noticed an armored figure staring out at them from the throne room window. The figure smirked as he held up a glistening mirror and gestured for them to come before turning back inside.

“So that’s where he is!” Eren bellowed as he fired his grapples upwards towards the throne room.

“Wait for us moron! There might be more traps or Titans!” Jean called out, quickly following after his teammate.

“These two really are troubling to keep track of,” Sannagi muttered before noticing the fire in the distance. “Hopefully their mission is going well,” the large man sighed as he turned back to the castle.

Entering through the window, Eren quickly unsheathed his blades and peered around. The moonstone structure was filled with columns of white rock, which seemed to glow with light. He soon spotted a shadowy figure standing before the throne. The shadows seemed to morph revealing a man wearing black armor. Screaming out, he quickly rushed towards the figure and readied to slash. Just before he could, Jean slammed into him from the side knocking the blades to the ground.

“Jean! I had him!” he seethed with frustration, pushing his fellow soldier off him.

“Wake up you rage-filled imbecile! You’re in an illusion!” Jean shouted back as he smacked Eren across the face. As the two began to fight, Sannagi entered the room only to be struck by a bolt of electricity which sent him into a pillar. Seeing this, the two stopped as the armored figure morphed into shadows once more, revealing Armin and the others, tied up and hanging from ropes.

“Armin!” Eren cried out as he stood up. Malicious laughter echoed through the throne room causing the two to become alert. Before they could grab hold of their weapons, a bolt of electricity slammed into Jean from behind, knocking the tough headed male out cold as his head hit the floor. “Jean!”

Turning around, he found Tsukinowa standing before him as the sorcerer revealed himself. Eren rushed towards him only for the sorcerer to shapeshift into several snakes, wrapping up the boy before he could attack. As Eren fell, the snakes transformed into ropes as Tsukinowa formed next to him.

“They are now all captured and before you my Lord,” Tsukinowa coolly said. The throne seemed to shimmer in the moonlight as Tsukuyomi was revealed sitting.

“Good.” The armored warrior stood up as the six were lifted up into the air and brought before his throne. With a snap of his fingers, the unconscious five were quickly awoken from unconsciousness before the god of the moon.

“Rejoice! For you now stand before the might of the Powerful Tsukuyomi! God of the Moon!” Tsukinowa announced from beside his master.

“Enough, I will speak to them myself.” With that said, the prophet quickly bowed to his creator before moving to the side. Walking forth, he gestured towards the six causing their bodies to fall downward into a kneeling position. “You six have proved yourselves to be ample warriors so far,” he applauded, judging them closely, “However, I only have use for one of you.”

Holding out his hand, Eren was dragged from the six as he slammed to the ground before him. His ropes were quickly unraveled as the boy moved to lift himself up. Staring at the god before him, Eren howled as he attempted to rush him, only for the god to fire lightning from his eyes. The blast knocked Eren to the ground as sparks of electricity coursed through his body. With Eren writhing on the ground, Tsukuyomi held up a beautiful round mirror from beside his throne.

“I assume you are here for the Shiratori Mirror?” Tsukuyomi stated as with a wave of his hand, the five bound soldiers were lifted into the air. With a blast of his eye lightning, the ropes surrounding them were severed, allowing Armin to catch the divine mirror being thrown to them. “Take it,” he said as he lifted Eren up by the throat in one hand, “Not even the Gods willingly go against fate, or attempt to prevent divine prophecy from happening. We will fight it, but it’ll come all the same. But I will keep this one with me in return.”

“Eren!” Armin shouted out as they rushed towards the deity, only for lightning to slam in front of them, courtesy of Tsukinowa.

“Why me?” Eren choked out as he glared up at the god before him.

“My prophet says you have potential within you, yet your face looks familiar. Speak your name, boy.”

“My name is Eren Jaeger! And I will be free of these walls!” Almost in surprise, Eren found himself gasping for breath as the god released his grip on his throat. The others attempted to get close only to stop as the prophet’s staff lit up with light, poison fog flooding in front of them as a barrier.

“Jaeger you say?” Tsukuyomi spat as he stared heavily at the boy before him. “Any relation to Grisha Jaeger by chance?” The surprise on Eren’s face told the god what he knew already, as he turned toward his throne.

“You knew my father?”

Silence filled the chamber, only to be broken by the sound of laughter. The room shook with the god’s laughter, unnerving the six cadets as the god twisted around dramatically.

“Did I know your father?” spat the moon god as he looked down upon Eren. “Child, your father was one of my finest generals during the era of chaos. He was an average fighter, yet made up for it by being a brilliant scientist.”

Tsukuyomi lifted a hand as moonlight filled his chambers, lighting up the room and revealing several Titans chained down around his castle, some having overgrowth over their still bodies, and one small Titan chained down beside his throne.

“Your father was inspired through fear of my divinity! He sought to find a way to make a Mortal into an Immortal, to find a way to fight like the gods against the threats that devastated his world.” He made his way toward the chained down Titan as the moonlight began to awaken it, causing it to thrash in its bindings. “Despite the warnings I gave him about the curses that come with immortality, he eventually found a way to give a human a way to fight like a god!” With that, he drew his sword and slashed at the Titan, cutting its head in half. Steam rose from the wound as the Titan continued to move, its head regrowing quickly. “Your father, Grisha Jaeger, created the Titans! A way for mortals to gain a form of immortality and fight back against the monsters that plagued them!”

“My father would never have done that!” Eren shouted out as he glared at the god. “He was a doctor! He saved lives!”

“He created monsters to fight monsters,” Tsukuyomi retorted, “He sought out a path to immortality and found one, through the power of regeneration and fire. Originally he modified a viral strain that allowed humans to gain power to defeat monsters while retaining their humanity, but that was not enough. His country wanted more, they were greedy for power. They saw his formula as a way to create soldiers for war. And as such they modified his formula, creating the violent Wraith substrain you see here. Mindless regenerative monsters with no humanity left within, leading to a decadent hunger for human flesh in a euphoric fervor, as though seeking out the humanity they lost. It was inevitable that they soon lost control of their weapons.”

With that, Tsukuyomi slashed the Titan’s nape, causing it to cease its movements and begin to dissolve. “When Mortals gain Immortality, it always comes with a catch. It is not in their nature for a mortal to live forever unless they ascend to godhood, and as such, nature ensures there is always a way for death to take hold. For your father’s Titans, it was their nape”.

“So why do you want me?” Eren said as he lifted one of his fallen swords off the ground. “My father died years ago when I was young, and I refuse to believe he was responsible for the creation of these monsters!”

“Your body holds your father’s Jaeger Strain within its cells, passed down through his mutated genetics. Those cells will give you the power to destroy, or save people from the monsters outside these walls,” Tsukuyomi stated walking down towards the boy. “I wish for you to serve under my rule and guide humanity to a peaceful utopia for eternity, to fix the wrongs your father’s generation and those before him created.”

Eren glared up at the god angrily. He stood up ignoring the pain in his body with the sword as his crutch.

“You call this a utopia!” he shouted angrily “Being trapped within walls! Living in fear of what’s out there! The people here remain ignorant of the millions you murdered while they were being fed your peaceful world bullshit inside here. This is no Final Utopia for humanity, this is a pen for pets and cattle!”

A deep laughter came out of the god’s mouth as he stared at the boy standing before him.

“Just like your traitorous father! He too called me mad for walling humanity inside these walls under my guidance. I did slaughter millions of humans, billions even in order to purge the pestilence your kind caused so that the natural order could be restored to this world! He and his fellow “Jaeger” Titans attempted to overthrow me once, and where do they lie now? Dead or hiding like cowards!”

Eren charged forth, swords in hand as he swung at the god. Tsukuyomi merely deflected the blows with a quick unsheathing of his sword, slashing downward onto the young soldier’s back as he passed by. A pained cry emanated from the young warrior as blood spilled from his back, yet he turned around still determined to fight.

“You call it raising cattle, but you humans are less than that to me. You are merely insects plaguing my father’s beautiful world. Your kind destroy forests and create weapons of mass destruction, finding new ways to kill themselves and their environment in meaningless bloodshed and warfare. If I hadn’t done what I did, your destructive natures would have wiped out both yourselves and this entire planet with you!”

“We need to get him out of there!” Armin shouted as he attempted to launch over the poison fog, only for Tsukinowa to block his path, a bolt of lightning knocking him back.

“You will not interrupt my master!” The sorcerer stated as he lifted his staff toward the five, walking into the mist.

Eren charged again, swinging his swords with more force at the god before him. The god of the moon laughed as he quickly knocked back both blades and slid past the inexperienced boy, slashing across his chest as he did so. Eren fell to his knees, using his swords to hold himself up as he coughed up blood.

“However, even insects have their use. Since I lowered the population of humanity and brought balance back to the world, the people here have only known happiness and joy, their bellies filled with plentiful food and their lives spent with purpose. I will ask you again, serve me, or your friends and you shall both perish,” he issued, keenly observing the young warrior getting back to his feet.

“Never!” Eren shouted as he charged forth like a bull once more. This time Tsukuyomi did not block the swing, allowing the blades to strike down and shatter upon striking his armor. Almost disappointedly, the god watched as the stunned Eren looked at his broken blades before hitting the boy in the chest with a blast of blue lightning from his eyes.

“EREN!” Mikasa screamed out as she and the others dodged around the bolts of magic and poisonous fog Tsukinowa was manipulating. The enraged boy got to his feet, only for a more prolonged lightning burst to strike him, shocking his body continuously for a few moments.

“So stubborn,” the moon god stated as he strutted forth, another blast of eye lightning firing towards the boy only for him to dodge to the side.

“I will never help you control the human race like this, I will stop you!” Eren called out rebelliously.

“Why do you humans resist my rule so much; you are mere ants before the gods,” Tsukuyomi stated.

“Even ants can take down the largest predators!” Eren snarled as he readied his broken blades, “It’s because we are human that we resist, that we fight! That’s what makes us human!” He then charged forth, screaming at the top of his lungs. Tsukuyomi fired more lightning towards Eren, only for the enraged soldier to leap out of the way, throwing his broken swords at the god. The moment Tsukuyomi turned his blasts to the thrown swords, Eren leapt forth, fist ready as he decked the god in the face. A smirk filled the boy’s face as his fist connected, only to be wiped away when an armored hand snapped around his neck and lifted him into the air. He kicked and punched at the armored god as he was held up.

“Brave yet stupid, perhaps a bit better than your father in one regard.” With a firm hold, Tsukuyomi held up the young man. “Your race is weak compared to me. What’s a mere human compared to a God?” he questioned, beginning to electrocute the warrior with his eye lightning. Eren screamed as he felt the lightning coursing through his body. The sounds of combat behind him and the panicked cries of his friends echoed in his mind as he struggled. Gritting his teeth, he glared at the god as a primal feeling began to overcome him. Eyes began to glow red like a blazing inferno as steam started rising from his electrified body. His veins began to burn red against his burning flesh like magma ready to explode outward.

“What is a God, to a non-believer!” uttered the howl of a demonic voice as a burst of steam and heat exploded from his body. Tsukuyomi released his hold to cover his face as Eren began to morph around him, massive rib bones tearing out of his back and slamming into the deity. The moment the steam began to billow towards them, Armin and Jean quickly acted as the sorcerer turned to assist his master, slashing Tsukinowa from behind. The five cadets quickly gathered together as Eren’s screams began to distort. The throne room began to crumble as giant ribs and muscle began to pierce and form through the steam.

“Let’s get going!” Jean ordered as he ushered everyone towards the nearest opening. Sasha was quick to grab hold of the mirror as the castle exploded outward. Dodging various debris, the five quickly made their way to the walls around the castle as a roar filled with the rage of humanity echoed outward. A large, muscular Titan, leagues taller than the Wraiths below, now stood in the midst of the broken castle, roaring in challenge towards the heavens.

“Eren?” Sannagi looked back dumbfounded as he stared at the glowing Titan that their friend had transformed into. The ground around them shook as the various Titans that were once captive on the castle grounds began to rise up, free from their bondage.

“There isn’t any time to waste, you guys take the mirror to the commander,” Mikasa shouted, “I’m going to try to get Eren!” The others stared at the girl in front of them as she reloaded her blades and shot off towards the castle.

“What do you mean you’re going to get him! He transformed into a Titan!” Jean raised his voice, concerned for his friend’s safety as he saw the titans starting to search for prey.

“You heard Tsukuyomi! He knows Eren’s weak spot! I can’t stand by and do nothing while my best friend is about to fight a literal god!” Armin announced as the other two watched him speed off toward the fight, astonished at his courage. Reluctantly, they shot off outside the castle walls, doing their best to avoid the wandering hands of the various titans.

The newly formed Titan stared down at the destroyed castle as Tsukuyomi stared up at its massive, rage filled face.

“So, you’ve truly inherited your father’s legacy! Show me your strength, EREN JAEGER!” Tsukuyomi proclaimed out as a large skeletal fist quickly slammed down upon him, crushing him through what remained of his castle and into the ground. Roaring out, the Attack Titan quickly began to unleash a barrage of punches into the wreckage where the god stood as his body finished forming. Stones shot into the sky and towards the city, breaking apart buildings with a large chunk smashing a hole through the castle walls. After pummeling into the ground until his hands were worn down to their wrists, the Titan roared outward in unyielding rage.

Bells tolled of disaster and warning as the citizens outside the castle walls watched this mysterious monstrosity pummeling the castle and throwing its shards into the air. For a moment, the people were confused, wondering where their god was and how this creature appeared in their safe haven. This confusion quickly turned to panic as the Titan turned its gaze to the city, the sight of other Titans slowly making their way through the hole in the wall with a look of euphoria.

The sounds of wires echoed around Eren’s head as Mikasa and Armin landed on his shoulders.

“You alright Eren?” Armin shouted, only to be forced to dodge as the Titan swiped at him. “What’s wrong!” Mikasa was quick to slash at Eren’s regenerating hands as the enraged Titan continued to swing at them.

“He might not be in control of his actions right now! Maybe he’s acting on instinct!” Mikasa assumed as the two shot into the air to avoid a fist shooting towards them, decimating another tower. As the two landed at the top of some wreckage, they watched as a smaller Titan leapt towards Eren, only for the rogue to grab it by the neck and slam it into the castle. A barrage of stomps to the Titan’s nape quickly ended its life as Eren roared violently. It was then that demonic laughter seemed to echo around the ruins and in their minds.

“Is that all you have, Mortal?” A divine voice echoed out, causing the Titan to turn back towards the throne room ruins. “Don’t disappoint me now, our dance has only started!”

An explosion blew out from the wreckage, knocking the Attack Titan through the castle walls and into the city. The force of the explosion knocked the two airborne soldiers upward as they were forced to grapple onto the nearby buildings to save themselves. Crashing to the ground, the demon of justice glared as a monstrous screech echoed through the land. From the flames and rubble of the castle rose a large eight headed monster. The humans below began to run or kneel in prayer as the titan rose to his feet.

“There it is, the legendary Yamata no Orochi!” Armin stated as the eight headed hydra of legend towered over all.

Orochi screeched out to the world as its many heads focused upon the Titan below it, the roles now reversed. Looking around, Orochi could see the Titans devouring his people, ripping them apart like petty children playing with fragile toys. The appearance of their god’s mighty beast filled the devoted citizens with hope, knowing that their god would protect them from the creatures that were attacking.

“HEAR MY WORDS MY CITIZENS!” echoed the voice of Tsukinowa over the carnage, “FEAR NOT, THIS ATTACK ON OUR LORD’S HOME, YOUR HOME, WILL SOON END! FOR OUR LORD HAS SENT HIS SERPENT TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE FROM THE TITANS THESE TERRORISTS HAVE RELEASED INTO OUR CITY!”

Screaming out, the Attack Titan rushed toward the eight headed hydra and slammed his fist into its wide body. He continued his assault as the hydra seemed to laugh mockingly. With a monsterous shriek, the god beast slammed his heads forth simultaneously, knocking the Titan away as though it were nothing. The ruins of his castle and its walls were crushed below as the two monsters barreled into the city. As Eren attempted to get to his feet, he watched as a shadow overtook his form, the blood red mass of Orochi falling down upon him as he reached out to stop its descent. Bulking mass slammed into arms and legs, trying to push off the heavy creature befalling it.

Orochi merely smirked as he put more pressure on the mortal. Each of his mighty heads held a copy of his consciousness, capable of thinking and acting on their own outside of the main body. As such, when one head noticed a Wraith reaching for a family of four, it immediately snaked over, its maw dropping over the smaller Titan and snapping it up in his maw. A resounding crunch quickly ended that threat as its decaying head and legs fell to the ground, the family giving thankful prayers to their god while rushing out of the warzone.

“He tore through that Titan with ease!” Armin keenly observed as he avoided the grasp of a Titan. “If he can do that to the Wraiths, what’s going to happen to Eren, even at that size?”

“We’ll just have to make sure that doesn’t happen!” Mikasa asserted as she launched towards two Titans that were between her and the battle, worried as Eren struggled to prevent the massive serpent from crushing him.

~~~~~

In a different part of the city, the other three cadets were speeding through the rooftops when they heard the roars of the beast. Turning around, Jean stared at the giant hydra towering over his rival turned Titan. Around the city, flames were spreading and Titans devoured the innocent citizens. Another explosion in the distance caught his attention, watching as a large object shot out of the ground and into the sky with a massive drill, rocketing off into the distance.

“Jean, what are you doing?” Sasha asked, clutching the mirror tightly to her chest. More flames and the screams of the people filled the night as the other two turned to their comrade.

“Sasha, Sannagi, get the mirror back to base,” Jean ordered, pulling out his own blades. “I can’t leave him there to face that thing and all these Titans with just those two at his side. He’ll probably die on purpose just to spite me and haunt me as a ghost!” With his mind set, Jean quickly began to head back towards the battlefield, unknowing of the help coming their way.

~~~~~

Concrete and stone shattered beneath the fleshy body of the Attack Titan as he struggled to hold up the massive serpent. Already he could hear the cracking of his bones and the tearing of muscle in his body as heat and steam vented heavily. Putting pressure onto his left arm and legs, he freed up his right hand as he began to pound his fist against the glowing sacs on the god beast’s chest. Orochi merely laughed at this attempt as three heads took turns smacking the Titan stuck beneath their body, tearing into his flesh and breaking bones as though toying with his helpless form.

One head kept watch over the Titan below while the others were searching around the city and firing blasts of lightning from their eyes to destroy the Wraiths menacing his city. One head then curled around to glare at the Titan beneath their body and fired a blast of lightning from its eyes. It tore through one leg and caused him to nearly get crushed beneath the hydra’s weight as the stump slammed into the ground.

With a hiss of gas, Mikasa made her way onto one of the hydra’s necks and attempted to slash at the crimson scales. The sound of metal shattering filled her ears as her blades snapped upon striking the scaly hide.

“Its scales are too tough for our blades!” Armin shouted as he slashed across the dragon hide, his own blade shattering as he changed them out. Orochi then lifted itself upright causing the two to stumble in the air to avoid crashing into his massive bulk.

As the giant hydra lifted itself, the Titan quickly rolled to the side, barely avoiding the earth crushing weight of the serpent. Steam rose from his arms and legs as they quickly began to regenerate, crisp embers flowing from wounds and forging into mighty flesh. Getting back to his feet, the rogue Titan roared out at the godly beast as he raised his fists. Orochi glared at the giant as he opened his maws. Torrents of hellish flames burst outward from all eight heads transforming the area in front of him into a scarlet inferno.

Roaring out in pain, the rogue Titan could feel his body burning from the intense flames as he rushed through. Jumping up, the Jaeger Titan quickly roundhouse kicked at the heads of the beast, striking some and sending some flames flowing skyward. The other heads quickly stopped their assault as they rushed towards the Titan, only for Eren to quickly grab some burning hot rubble from the ground and slam them into the oncoming head.

The hydra roared out in anger as it unleashed bolts of energy from its eyes into the Titan, tearing right through the corded muscles and bone, causing the titan to fall to his knees. Several heads snapped downward, grabbing onto the Titan’s limbs to lift it into the air as the other four slowly burned and blasted the humanoid, taking glee at the human’s suffering. He wouldn’t kill the boy, but he would put him through hellish pain until he decided to change his mind.

As the hydra began to methodically torture the regenerating giant, two small figures flew around his necks and body as they searched for a weakness. Mikasa and Armin slashed against more portions of the hydra’s body only to be disappointed as their blades sparked off its hide. As they shot past once more, one head grew irritated at the insects scratching his scales and quickly turned his fire in their direction.

“Move!” Mikasa shouted as the two were forced to jet themselves out of the way of the blazing inferno shooting their way. The two sped through the air as they avoided the wrath of Orochi, concerned for their friend who was still struggling in the grasp of the hydra. Acting quickly, the two sped off towards the buildings, using the cover to get out of view of the god.

“None of our blades seem to get through those scales,” Armin recounted as the two of them hid behind the hydra as the eighth head continued to watch warily for the two.

“We need to find something or else Eren’s going to be burnt to cinders!”

Refitting new blades, Mikasa quickly shot out from her cover and shot towards the hydra’s tail, spinning in the air as she attempted to slash into the tail. Sparks flew as her blades did little damage, only attracting the head’s attention as he shot towards Mikasa with flames in his maw. Screaming, Jean flew up towards the head that was readying to burn Mikasa, boosting towards the dragon’s face and slashed as hard as he could. Orochi screamed out as one of its eyes was blinded, the blades shattering and embedding themselves into his burst eyes.

“I expected you two to be smarter than that idiot!” Jean shouted out as he quickly sped off towards cover.

With a place to aim for, the two quickly maneuvered through the air to get atop the heads of the beast. Mikasa acted quickly as she sped up the body of the dragon, swerving through the writhing necks as she reached one of the heads holding Eren’s legs. With a shout of anger, she boosted down towards the dragon’s head, slamming her blades into an eye as Armin did the same to one on the other side.

The two heads screeched as they released their grip on the Titan, trying to shake the two humans off his heads. Eren’s eyes seemed to glow with life as he heard the hydra’s pain, roaring and pushing through the torture as he swung his lower body forth. Legs quickly wrapped around the necks gripping his arms as he yanked himself closer. Channeling his seething rage, he bit down on the head biting his arm, causing it to release its hold on him. Twisting his body, Eren swung around the head still biting, twisting around the head and neck and tearing a chunk of flesh out with a viscous snap. Orochi acted quickly and began to slam that neck and head into the ground, smashing the Titan’s back into the pavement.

Eren kept his hold on the neck as he attempted to strangle it, biting onto the face once more as his body slammed into the ground again. As two heads searched around for the three humans trying to blind it, the rest turned to the Titan before them, shooting forth and tearing into his skin in an attempt to pry the Titan off. Flesh and blood spilt rapidly as the godly hydra tore into the Titan’s limbs, avoiding the wild swipes trying to keep them away.

Very quickly they managed to recapture the Titan’s swinging limbs and quickly tore them off the main body with blasts of lightning, dropping the Titan’s body as he held onto the neck with his teeth. Lifting up their head, they quickly snapped forth at the wriggling body and lifted it up. Perhaps it was time to finish this fight.

Armin, Jean, and Mikasa watched in horror as the heads went to slam the body head first into the ground, unable to help out as flames shot in their direction. As the heads shot downward with the Titan, explosions rocketed across their heads, blowing chunks out of the steaming titan and sending it flying through the air.

The Attack Titan crashed through the streets of the inner wall, people screaming as his body dragged through the ground. Shaking his head free of dizziness, the Titan watched as the hydra’s heads seemed to sway around wildly as more explosions rocketed its body. Through the smoke and embers rising through the sky, a bright light burst through the carnage of the city skies. Mysterious flaming objects shot through the smoke, bursting with flames against the hydra’s body as a massive slightly rusted metal object hovered into view.

“So he did inherit our late father’s gift,” Shikishima whispered as he stared at the hydra before him, several other soldiers manning the cockpit of the mobile fortress. “Men! While the others get away with the Gotengo, we need to give the castle group some time to get out of here. Let’s see how this Super X fares against a god!”

Light shone from the front of the Super X, lighting up the titanic hydra’s body before them and revealing it in its splendor. The god of the moon glared at the man-made war machine with disdain as he quickly turned his attention to the weapon. The eyes of the hydra lit up as it fired off blasts of lightning towards the rusted titanium. The Super X’s hovering fans quickly shifted, moving the machine out of the path of the blasts as the crew responded by firing more missiles at the hydra. Explosions rocketed off the hydra’s heads as a greenish substance splattered across its vision, blinding it momentarily with toxic liquid cadmium and tear gas.

“What the hell is that thing!” Jean asked as they watched the hydra screeching in pain from the toxic chemicals in its faces, the rest of the heads quickly firing off blasts of flames at the hovering war machine.

“That must be what Captain Shikishima was sent to retrieve!” Armin stated with glee. “The technology needed to make that thing work must be astounding!”

“It’s still smaller than Orochi,” Mikasa stated, as the hydra seemed to severely tower over the man made machine and the titan their friend was stuck in. “We should try to get Eren while he’s distracted.”

More missiles fired forth from the Super X as they hovered through the sky, doing their best to avoid the flames of the hydra while bombarding it with explosions. As they readied another onslaught of missiles, one of the blinded heads covered in cadmium fluids suddenly turned its pain stricken face towards the machine, and with a massive burst of power shot lightning out of its blinded eyes, clearing the gunk off around its vision and clipping the hull of the aerial battle tank, rocking it off balance. As the war machine slowed from the blast, Orochi let loose a stream of hellfire upon the machine sending sparks flying and scorching its armor. The machine’s cockpit let loose sparks and smoke as the flames washed over them, soldiers panicking as the inferno coated their screens and began to heat up the room.

“Don’t fire any missiles, use the vulcans and hyper lasers!” Shikishima shouted as he quickly grabbed hold of a trigger and took aim, another burst of lightning sending people rocking in their seats, “We don’t want to blow ourselves up!”

Thin blue lasers shot forth from small turrets next to the Super X’s searchlight, tearing through the fire and blasting one of Orochi’s heads. The smoke and burning heat of the CO2 Hyper Lasers helped to blind the heads that weren’t covered in the cadmium and tear gas shells. Sparks and scales flew as the laser’s blasted forth. Turrets on the front of the machine and unloading a hail of bullets from their vulcans as the flames stopped. Though they did little to injure the beast, it worked to irritate the beast’s faces for the moment as they backed away from its range.

By the time the trio of soldiers managed to get to Eren’s Titan, his body was finishing up regenerating the rest of his missing limbs, though his eyes seemed dim as though he were out of juice. All three landed next to the massive Titan’s nape as steam rose up from his body. The sounds of flames and explosions rocketed on behind them as they glanced over at collapsed Titan.

“So we just need to cut into the nape and drag him out of there right?” Jean asked as he pulled out some fresh blades.

“Be careful that you don’t cut him in half,” Armin starkly reminded him as Jean lifted his blades up. Moments before he could swing them, the ground around them rumbled. A small groan emanated from the fallen giant as light slowly filled into the sunken eyes of the Titan. “He’s still going!”

The three were forced to jettison away as Eren rose slowly to his feet, gripping onto a nearby building to lift himself up. Breathing heavily, the Titan leaned his weight on the building while glaring at the massive hydra. His rage grew as he watched it spewing flames and lightning at a flying steel object, which was slowly growing brighter and more scorched with each successful blast. Feeling something on his shoulder, he turned and saw Mikasa standing there, blades ready.

“Eren, can you hear me?” she asked, tense in case she needed to jump. A small breath of hot air exhaled onto her as the Titan nodded slowly. Seeing him respond to her set her at ease as she lowered her blades. “We need to go,” she started as Armin and Jean landed on the opposing shoulder, “The others brought back the mirror and those guys are probably waiting for us to retreat.”

Rage and clarity fought in his tired mind as he struggled to make his decision, slowly inching himself upright. Suddenly his arm fell through the structure and into its foundation, sparking an idea which led his rage and clarity to combine. The humanoid leaned down and shoved his hands into the foundation of the building. Flames and blasts of energy shot overhead as the Titan roared out, tearing the ground up and lifting the building over his shoulder as the three soldiers got to safety.

“That stupid idiot is really going to try to fight again?” Jean shouted as the Titan tensed its leg muscles.

“If you don’t cut him out of there I might just do it myself,” Armin grimaced at the thought, watching his friend leap into the air with the building held high.

Orochi continued to unleash scorching flames at the war machine, half blinded by toxic chemicals and missing eyes. He could see its exterior growing more burnt and heated as his onslaught continued, the Super X already struggling to stay airborne, when he heard the familiar roar of the Titan boy. Turning one head, he was surprised and instantly blindsided as the attacking Titan slammed an entire building onto the base of his necks. Orochi screeched out in pain and rage as rubble fell from his body.

Roaring angrily, the Titan ran towards the large hydra and leapt into the air. Landing on the back of the hydra, he began to punch and kick the beast’s various heads. Each punch exploding his fists into bits of Titan flesh and bone while kicks snapped off into chunks of rage fueled force. As he went for another kick, one of the heads lashed out and grabbed hold. With one limb captured, the others lashed out as well grabbing hold of more. The Titan soon found itself held in the air by four of the eight heads as the hydra screeched outwards. Booming a fearsome roar, he began to struggle with his bonds as the four remaining heads began to fire blasts of flames directly onto the Titan’s body. The Attack Titan roared out in pain as the blistering flames once more scorched its flesh as the human within slowly began to lose the strength to continue on, quickly becoming more and more lost into his Titan.

Armin quickly shot forth and landed on the nape of the burning Titan, flames billowing around the neck as steam rose up. With a shout, he stabbed his blades down into the body, hoping he hadn’t killed his friend as he ripped it open. Inside the wall of flesh and fluid, he could see the back of Eren’s head.

“Eren!” Armin shouted out as he sliced deeper into the flesh trying to reach his friend.

“Ar…min…” muttered Eren from within as he heard the scream of his friend. Turning his head inside the Titan’s body, he could see a blurry humanoid figure reaching out to him from above, only to see a large shadow slowly encompass his vision. The sudden darkness covering his body caused Armin to quickly turn around, eyes quickly rising in fear as one of Orochi’s many maws shot down at the nape. Armin screamed out as he was swallowed by the hydra, his screams reaching the slowly dissolving Eren’s ears as he watched his friend being eaten alive. “ARMIN!”

With a massive roar, Eren forcibly began to rip his Titan’s arms outward, tearing off his own flesh in order to free his limbs, and grabbed hold of the head biting onto his nape. He began to squeeze the throat of the beast in hopes that he could prevent his friend from going down into the stomach of the beast as he ripped it off his body. With one leg on the hydra’s chest and the other at the base of the necks, the Attack Titan began to pull as hard as his burning muscles would allow. Flesh and bone began to pop as the burning Titan struggled to rip the neck free. Panic fueled adrenaline pumped through Eren’s veins as he continued to yank and tear at the neck, when a flurry of missiles and lasers blasted into the base of the neck. The combination of the stress caused by the yanking and the explosive force of the missiles and beams finally broke through the tough body of the hydra, allowing the Titan to rip the head off its crimson body with green ichor dripping below.

Orochi screeched out in pain at the loss of his head. It had been some time since something had damaged his monstrous body to this extent. More lasers shot towards his stump causing more blood and ichor to drop to the streets below, turning the dragon’s attention back to the superweapon in supplanted rage. All its remaining eyes glowed red as they shot out blasts of divine energy, slamming the machine back with godly anger.

With his body steaming and burnt, the Attack Titan ripped open the torn off neck, half relieved to see his unconscious friend still inside. Mikasa quickly dove down and lifted Armin into her arms as Eren turned his attention back to Orochi, roaring in anger from within his Titan. The moment she took off with his best friend in hand, he began swinging the bloody neck and head into the hydra like a bat, knocking its other heads back in surprise.

How dare this mortal attack him with his own head! Orochi roared out as he fired a blast of supreme lightning at the Titan, blasting off one of his arms and his legs at his knees. The Titan fell forth as it suddenly felt something bite into his remaining arm. The neck that he had torn off now wrapped around his body as the Titan was forced to withstand the torrent of energy now bombarding him.

Flames began to join the lightning beams, burning flesh alongside the explosive force which quickly caused the dying Titan to lose its energy. Just as it seemed that its assault would kill the Titan and its shifter, the Super X unleashed one last assault on the hydra from behind, as one explosion tore the decaying Titan’s upper torso and head away from the battle. As some heads went to retrieve the Titan, they were blasted by hyper lasers and flares being shot towards them to create a smokescreen distraction. With Orochi facing away from the fallen Titan, Jean quickly moved in, landing on the decaying neck as the body began to dissolve.

“You better be in there!” he cried out, slicing open the neck, revealing an unconscious and half assimilated Eren inside. Grabbing hold, he tore out Eren’s body causing a burst of steam to rise out from the body. “I’m not going to let you die here!” Jean screamed as he launched away from the battle, “Not before I kick your ass myself for this stunt!”

From within the Super X, Shikishima laughed as he watched his weak younger brother being rescued by his friend.

“They’ve finally got that idiot out of there,” he said as he took one last glance at Orochi, “Full retreat before we lose this baby.” Flying out of the flames with sparks and smoke rising from their metal, the Super X quickly fired another barrage of cadmium and tear gas missiles at the hydra’s faces, blinding it again for the moment. With the dragon blinded, they quickly activated their rear thrusters at maximum and began to rocket away from the battlefield.

Beams of lightning fired from its eyes wildly, trying to blindly strike the machine down, though none came close to the fleeing machine as it quickly flew away. Once his rage had calmed and his eyes cleared of irritants, Orochi noticed the machine was already far in the distance, too far to chase after by this point. Turning his heads, he found the Titan’s body dissolved and the human that should have been left behind missing. With a burning city around him, Orochi quickly morphed back to his godly appearance as he stared at the superweapon leaving his domain.

“Flee while you can, but you will never reclaim this planet from my clutches with the power you hold now,” he said, turning back towards his castle as the rubble around him began to fix itself. A smirk came across his face as he began to magically fix the destruction he had caused in his fight, finding some joy in the disaster as the boy escaped his clutches. “Hmph, at least I’ll have some entertainment to look forward to.”

Winner: Orochi (Heisei)

Author: Declan Coughlin | Banner: Matt Ng

Black clouds flooded the skyline as the once bustling city of Osaka now burned. In just an hour, the capital of the Osaka Prefecture was a ghost town. Broken buildings lined with debris were intermingled with the corpses of innocent civilians to make a horrific sight as the raging invader mercilessly toppled structures. The military had tried to stop the attackers, to perhaps give the citizens a shred of hope, but ravenous shockwaves and lasers of yellow and green put an end to the measly resistance. As the creature and spacecraft stopped to marvel at their work, the survivors finally had a clear view of them.

One flew in the air, its silver lining casting a frightening glow through the ravaged Osaka while a gaping hole adorned the right side of the ship. Unlike the craft, the second attacker was a living creature, but not of this world. His body ran with a dark gray color, disguising him in the black smoke that rose from the city. Like his ally, he also had a hole through his shoulder, heralding destructive beams of yellow. It was a hunchback, walking with two stubby legs. To compensate, he was graced with two enormous arms, not unlike that of a gorilla. Each arm was lined with three long claws. His yellow eyes shone in the darkness, as a crooked mouth opened and let out a screech.

Orga had returned.

Whether by a stroke of luck or divine intervention, Orga had survived his encounter with Godzilla in the year 2000. The remaining Millennians had arrived to help, only to find their creation in pieces! With what samples of flesh they could muster, they spent years rebuilding and healing their broken god until finally, Orga had been reborn. With their creation back in working order, the Millennians set a course for Earth, sure that their invasion would succeed today.

But when Orga wished to make the world into a land of darkness, it was the land of light that challenged him.

Looking up, Orga sensed something, something powerful. The Millennian UFO sensed it as well, turning away from the wreckage of Osaka. Before either of them could identify the incoming arrival, a stream of energy laced with blue and white Spacium struck the Millennian UFO, sending the burning craft crashing to the ground. Shockwaves spread through the city as the craft struck the surface. As Orga recoiled in shock, he watched as the clouds parted and revealed who had attacked him.

The paladin of hope, the one from the Land of Light, Ultraman.

With his Color Timer shining bright, Ultraman touched down in front of Orga, glaring at the abomination that stood before him. He knew of this creature; a freak creation made when the Millennians tried using Godzilla’s DNA to become the supreme and perfect lifeforms. He wasn’t sure how the creature was alive again and quite frankly, he didn’t care. As long as it was destroying the life he cherished, he would not let this mistake live. Ultraman got into a fighting stance as Orga flexed his claws. For a few seconds, neither combatant moved, daring each other to make the first move.

Unsurprisingly, the invader broke the silence as he charged at Ultraman, bellowing his unholy scream as he neared the warrior. As Orga swung one of his massive arms at Ultraman, the knight of light ducked under the strike before countering with an uppercut to the hybrid’s jaw. As the fiend recoiled, the guardian pressed his assault, throwing punches, kicks, and chops at the alien’s hide, each hit being rewarded with a screech of pain as he felt bones crack and skin bruise.

But while Orga wasn’t the most intelligent of creatures, he could tell his enemy was attacking in a pattern, continuously aiming for what would be considered weak points like his nerves. He knew he would have to wait for the perfect moment, but until then, he would weather the storm. Ultraman continued his melee, unaware of the sinister alien’s plan. He decided to press his advantage by aiming a strike at one of his opponent’s eyes.

Orga grinned as he watched the incoming strike.

As Ultraman’s fist neared his face, the abomination lashed out with his own hand, striking his foe with tremendous force as the warrior of light’s body was sent tumbling through the ruined streets. Ultraman groggily recovered as he stood to his feet, pain coursing through him. He was stunned! Just one blow from the creature had already weakened him this much. Shaking the thought off, he charged at his enemy once again, hoping to inflict more damage before he could counter.

He failed to notice the hole in Orga’s shoulder glowing yellow.

Just as Ultraman was a few feet away from him, Orga’s shoulder cannon fired its destructive power, launching the vanguard of peace back. The sheer kinetic force of the beam picked Ultraman off of the ground, throwing him into one of the few buildings still standing, burying him under tons of rubble. As the warrior of light cleared the debris from his eyes, he noticed his opponent was gone. Detecting a shadow close to his location, he was shocked when he saw the aberration high above, soon crashing down before him. Despite the build of his legs, Orga was an extraordinary jumper. As Ultraman looked on, he noticed a rather alarming discovery. The bruises he had inflicted on the invader had long healed, almost like they had never been there to begin with. The hero cursed his luck as he remembered the beast’s superb healing abilities. Orga’s Godzilla cells had granted him a remarkable healing factor, even better than that of the genetic source, allowing him to recover from the most grievous injuries in a matter of seconds.

Ultraman decided to test those abilities.

As Orga inched even closer, the paladin launched his hand out of the rubble, sending several arrow-shaped projectiles at the alien. He cried out as the Slash Beam sent chunks of flesh raining down onto the ground. Before he could recover, Ultraman crossed his hands, gathering energy before firing his signature Spacium Ray. The Millennian abomination hollered in agony as blood, skin, and bone were disintegrated. Ultraman kept up the attack until the beam tore straight through Orga’s midsection, erupting out at the creature’s spinal column. As he cut off his beam, he was preparing for a counterattack, only to see his foe standing motionless. He gave a low gurgle and limply pointed at the Ultra before falling to the side, seemingly dead.

Ultraman was surprised, surely with what he had heard of the creature the fight would be more challenging. Before he could question the beast’s apparent demise, a series of shockwaves sent Ultraman tumbling to the ground. He turned to see the Millennian UFO, damaged but still operational. The hero rose to his feet and got into a fighting stance, but he wasn’t worried. Yes, the Millennian UFO would be challenging, but now it didn’t have Or-

Ultraman’s thoughts were stopped when a familiar bellow sounded behind him. He spun around in shock to see Orga back on his feet with his skin crawling, literally! The hero watched the gaping hole in the fiend’s stomach regenerate at an alarming rate, new bones snapping into place and flesh forming over in just a matter of seconds. Ultraman knew he was in trouble now. He could probably take one of them alone, but with both of them fighting, the odds were stacked against him. The hero was about to strike, only to hear a loud beeping noise that truly made him feel fear.

His Color Timer was now flashing red.

Ultraman knew he needed to recharge, but it would be hard with both of his opponents focused on him. Before he could come up with a plan, Orga lunged at him, screeching. Not willing to wait, the warrior of light ran forward as well. The two collided, both stumbling back from the impact. The hero raised his hands, expecting a strike from one of Orga’s fists, only for him to bite his hand. He cried out as teeth pierced his skin. He began to punch the alien’s head, but Orga would not let go. Before he could try another strategy, Ultraman noticed something was changing about his foe. His eyes widened in shock and a sense of overwhelming dread settled into his brain. Orga wasn’t trying to hurt him with his bite, he was absorbing his DNA!

Orga’s entire body began a process of change. His flesh started to become a lighter shade of grey with small red streaks, as his arm’s length began to decrease, his claws slowly morphing into human-like fingers. His legs started to elongate, losing the stubby design. Even his eyes were changing, becoming a shade of orange and slightly growing in size. Ultraman’s hand shook with fear before clenching it and gathering energy. Before the changes could become permanent, he extended his hand and launched it towards the fiends neck, a cutting halo forming in his hands. Orga roared as the Ultra Slash ravaged his throat, slitting it and forcing him to release his bite, reverting the changes he had gained. As the invader choked on his own blood, Ultraman threw the saw at his foe, only for the alien to jump over the projectile. Before the hero could give chase, the Millennian UFO returned to the fight, shooting a green wave of energy at the warrior. He dodged the beam, causing it to hit the ocean behind him, sending waves of water flying into the air before the ocean calmed

Neither Ultraman, Orga, or the UFO noticed the water where the beam had hit beginning to bubble and churn.

The defender collapsed as the destroyer hit him with another strike from his ravenous arms. Ultraman looked back at his Color Timer, noticing it beeping at an exceedingly alarming rate. He knew he only had a few seconds left. He contemplated his chances of winning, and for the first time in his life, thought about giving up.

Before Ultraman had arrived on Earth, he had simply seen most worlds come and go, their occupants destroying each other and themselves in countless wars and conflicts. But when he came to Earth, he witnessed something new. He saw a man give his own life to save the people and planet he cherished. Unfortunately, the ordeal left the man at death’s door. Refusing to let his sacrifice be for nothing, he fused with the human, forever creating a bond between them. On that day, Ultraman forever dedicated his life to protecting Earth and the lifeforms that lived on it. He remembered his promise, that he would never give up saving the lives of others, and if that meant facing his death, then so be it.

With much struggle, Ultraman shakily rose to his feet, letting out his signature shout as he faced down the two invaders. Orga’s shoulder illuminated with a yellow hue while his craft glowed with its green radiance. Ultraman prepared for what could be his final fight. Just before the aliens could fry the Ultra, a beam of blue and white energy from the water, not unlike the Spacium Ray. It slammed into the Millennian UFO, tearing straight through the craft as it began to fall before crashing into Orga, sending the sinister alien to the ground in a tremendous explosion. Pieces of the UFO and Orga’s flesh littered the streets, echoing with resounding wails from the hulking monstrosity.

Ultraman was stunned, what could unleash an attack so powerful? He got his answer in the form of a menacing screech that sent both fear and awe through all that heard it as the water from where the beam came from bubbled more erratically than before. The water flashed before exploding upwards with explosive force, sending a shower downwards as a set of dorsal plates rose from the surface, before the creature’s entire body ascended. He let out one more roar of fury before making his way to the shoreline, allowing all to see their newest arrival.

Earth’s own defender of light, the King of the Monsters, Godzilla.

As Godzilla reached the land, he stared both at Ultraman and Orga. Upon seeing the guardian, Godzilla let out a friendly roar at him. Suddenly Ultraman remembered. It was this Godzilla! The one that had devoted his life to protecting the Earth. He remembered meeting this version of the monster king for the first time, shortly after the Ultra had arrived on Earth.

At the time, Godzilla was the biggest threat to mankind, which forced Ultraman to fight against him. He was barely able to hold his own against the nuclear menace. However, when a certain three-headed interloper arrived on Earth, his power forced the two to team up, which had an effect on Godzilla. He was inspired by Ultraman’s nobility and cause to defend Earth. Before long, the two were practically brothers, frequently teaming up against threats to the Earth as well as becoming sparring partners.

Ultraman walked over to his ally, shaking the nuclear dinosaur’s hand as he happily greeted his old friend. Godzilla greeted him warmly before noticing his Color Timer flashing at an alarming rate. The saurian pointed to the timer and then to the sky. Ultraman was confused, only to quickly understand what he meant. Godzilla wanted him to recharge his energy. He nodded before looking up, yelling “Shuwatch!” before taking off into the sky.

As Godzilla watched him ascend into the atmosphere, he remembered the sinister alien before him. As Orga rose from the crashing of his ship, he looked at his new foe, shocked. This wasn’t the Godzilla he knew. Unlike the one he was familiar with, this one was noticeably skinnier, with more stubby, less jagged dorsal plates. Instead of a dark green coloration, this Godzilla was a lighter shade of black, with a more streamlined body. Not only that, his face was in an almost permanent scowl, which made Orga briefly consider retreat before composing himself. This may be a different Godzilla, but it would work all the same if he wanted to reach perfection.

Godzilla snarled as he gazed upon the alien. If he thought he could show up and hurt the innocent, he was sorely mistaken. Both gave one more screech before charging forward, crushing abandoned cars and kicking up huge dust clouds. As the two blood relatives finally got in striking distance, Godzilla shocked Orga by rearing back and sliding on his tail. Gravity did the rest of the work as he drop kicked the alien in the stomach. Orga coughed up blood, sliding back from the unorthodox maneuver. The guardian advanced and began pushing the abomination backwards. Orga anchored his feet to the ground before pushing back with just one arm. Godzilla snarled, feeling himself being shoved back by the alien’s immense strength.

Getting tired of the shoving contest, the invader pulled his arm away before sending both of them forth on either side of Godzilla’s head, sandwiching his skull and making him stagger backwards. Before Orga could advance, the sea monster’s dorsal plates flickered before sending his atomic breath forward at the alien’s face. The abomination cried out as he felt his skin and eyes boil. Orga decided to repay him by firing his shoulder cannon, hurtling Godzilla to the ground, who groaned as he felt his ribs crack from the intense force applied.

As he began to get up off the ground, Orga lashed out with his dagger-like claws, slashing the old king right through his left eye. Godzilla screamed in horrendous agony as half of his world went black while pools of blood rained down. Before his foe could press his advantage, Godzilla shot another blast of his atomic breath, pushing Orga back as he yelped in shock. A loss like that would’ve made any other creature fall, but Godzilla’s cold gaze just stared right back at him. This wasn’t the first time he had lost an eye.

Orga snarled as he felt his body heal from the beam, his gaze narrowing. Then, he slumped down, his shoulder cannon beginning to brighten. Noticing this, Godzilla charged forward, determined to stop his enemy before he fired. He did not want to feel that attack again. Just as he was ready to shove the alien to the ground, Orga’s body shot up, his shoulder cannon darkening before he grabbed Godzilla’s neck.

The King of the Monsters cried out as he felt his windpipe being crushed, feeling like his neck was about to break. Orga made sure it didn’t by slamming Godzilla into the ground hard, a small crater forming in wake of the impact. As his foe lay on the ground, Orga grabbed his head before proceeding to repeatedly smash it into the pavement, each hit causing the crater to grow more. Godzilla roared as he felt his teeth break and his jaw crack from the constant torment. After several minutes of beating, the saurian finally ceased struggling, the assault knocking him unconscious. Orga backed up as he inspected his handiwork, grinning devilishly as he imagined all the power he would have after absorbing Godzilla’s DNA.

Before he could sink his teeth in, he noticed the body stir. His one eye cracking open, Godzilla gave out a weak growl. Orga laughed at the pitiful show of resistance. Raising his hands to the sky, the alien aberration prepared to bring them down on Godzilla’s chest and finally bring an end to the King of the Monsters.

The last thing Orga expected was for his entire body to be raised into the sky.

He bellowed in confusion as he began floating upwards, being unable to move any of his limbs, almost as if he was paralyzed. He did however hear the sound of something rapidly approaching from behind. A grunt of worry quickly turned into a roar of agony as Orga felt something slam into his spine hard, a loud CRACK echoing through the wind. The bizarre alien plummeted to the ground, landing face first. As the destroyer’s back began recovering from the brutal strike, he used his newly restored senses to look for his new attacker, only for his eyes to widen as he saw his first enemy.

Ultraman touched down and walked over to Godzilla’s broken body, kneeling and placing a hand on the saurian’s chest. The monstrous hero groaned wheezily as he tried to get to his feet, only to collapse back down. Backing up before gathering energy in his Color Timer, the warrior of light fired a thin, rainbow-colored beam from the Color Timer, striking Godzilla in the chest. However, instead of harming him, it instead rejuvenated. Godzilla’s eye snapped open as he felt his wounds regenerate much faster than before, his ribs cracking back into place and his blinded eye slowly beginning to regain vision. The monster king rose, this time with much less strain. He thanked Ultraman, who nodded back. As the two warriors stood side by side, they noticed Orga had also returned to his feet, though with a noticeable effort on the alien’s part. The battle must have been taxing his regenerative powers.

Orga snarled in hatred as he glared daggers at the two heroes in front of him. Why did they have to make it so difficult? Why would anyone want to protect this planet? It would end up like the rest of the planets he had seen, barren and devoid of life from the inevitable darkness that its own people created. With a fire of revenge set in his eyes, Orga charged forward, determined to end the two meddlers. Godzilla and Ultraman both made their signature sounds before rushing forward as well.

The planet trembled as the three giants collided.

Godzilla and Ultraman strained as Orga pushed against both of them before lashing out with a swipe of his hand, sending the two stumbling backwards. The two recomposed themselves before the monster king roared to his ally, motioning a hand to his head. He understood the gesture as he ran towards the leviathan, jumping on his head. As he did this, Godzilla ducked down and launched his head forward, allowing Ultraman to use his head like a springboard to deliver a devastating dropkick to Orga’s face. The cruel alien cried out as he felt his teeth break from the attack before launching his shoulder cannon. Ultraman jumped to the side as Godzilla was blindsided by the beam, forcing him to the ground.

Orga charged forward as his humanoid foe tried to slow him down, only for the ravenous alien to smack him away. Godzilla recovered just as Orga shoulder tackled him, sending him back to the ground. The invader raised a hand once again to attempt decapitating his foe, only to lose all feeling in the limb as he felt something cut into it. Orga screamed as the Ultra Slash tore into his arm before cutting it off at the socket, torrents of alien blood flooding the streets as he cradled the spot where his other arm had been. He stared at his new wound with fear as he noticed his original appendage disappear into dust, merging with the ash of the destroyed city. For once, he was doubting his own regeneration. Despite its capabilities to heal wounds that would kill most other creatures and survive attacks that even Godzilla himself couldn’t, it seemed they were pushing it to its limits. He had never lost a limb in battle before, he wasn’t even sure he could regenerate entire limbs.

Unfortunately, he wouldn’t get the chance to think any further as Godzilla headbutted him in the stomach, forcing him back as the reptilian warrior followed up with an uppercut. This sent him staggering towards Ultraman, who kicked him in the side, sending him back towards the monster king as he swung his tail around. It collided with Orga’s face, the impact forming a bruise which quickly healed. Before the two could reclaim the advantage, their enemy bit into the Ultra’s arm before jerking around and throwing him to the ground. As he did this, Orga felt himself being lifted into the air as Godzilla grabbed his tail and slammed him into the ground, repeating the maneuver twice more before tossing him aside. As the monster king watched the invader crash to the ground, he signaled Ultraman to him. The warrior of light stood next to the king of the monsters as the Millennian abomination hastily recovered. The two heroes stood side by side as they prepared their final attack. Orga’s eyes widened as he roared in defiance, but his pleas fell on deaf ears. Godzilla’s dorsal plates shined while Ultraman crossed his hands and gathered energy. He desperately tried to retreat, only to realize he had no ship and no allies.

For the first time in his existence, Orga was alone.

Godzilla vomited his atomic breath as Ultraman’s stored energy released as a Spacium Ray. The two attacks sped towards Orga before smashing into him, making him cry out in anguish as his flesh, bones, and even blood were all being atomized. The two heroes kept up their finishing attacks for almost half a minute, not letting up until their energy was too low. As they cut off their attacks, they caught a glimpse of their foe’s remains.

Orga had dozens of cauterized wounds marking his whole body. His eyes were boiled out of their sockets and most of his head was disintegrated by the sheer heat. There wasn’t a single part of his body that wasn’t burned. With one last whimper, he crashed face first into the ground before exploding, sending chunks of Millennian flesh raining down on the city. The heroes both let out their signature cries as they both turned towards the remains of their enemy. Better safe than sorry, Ultraman fired several Slash Ray’s at the remaining chunks of flesh, throwing sparks before being turned into dust. The paladin then turned towards the city and crossed his arms, sending out a cascade of water which extinguished the remaining fires in the city. Both weary and weakened, Godzilla looked at Ultraman one last time before extending his hand forward, thanking the Ultra for his help. He happily shook hands with the King of Monsters before leaping up and flying into the atmosphere to recharge. Godzilla stared at his friend before walking back to the ocean, retreating into the waves of his home.

Although many lives had been lost today, a universal threat had been destroyed and the Earth had been saved from another invader. For as long as there were threats to the Earth, there would always be those that would defend it.

Winners: Godzilla (Showa), Ultraman (Universal)

Author: Landon Soto | Banner: Landon Soto

Two figures walked down a golden corridor, past people dressed in full black and blue body armor. One was a young man with messy, black hair, obsidian body armor, a leather trench coat, and a visor. Walking beside him was a young woman with brunette hair that touched her shoulders. She wore a sleeveless black tank top, with green leather pants, and a large black collar with white rims resting on her shoulders. A jet black cape swayed behind her as she continued to maneuver the spacious, golden halls.

Doors the same color as their surroundings slid open, revealing a black and silver control room. Both figures entered, looking out past the large window in front of them. A golden, rectangular chamber with black markings along the walls, light panels illuminating the space, was on the other side. The young man snickered, folding his arms as he sighed.

“Landes, it is finally time to settle this debate, we can finally be put to rest,” he simply said, staring out into the golden room.

Rolling her eyes, the young woman responded. “How cute, you feel the need to prove yourself. Afraid that your monster has lost some steam recently?” The retort made the young man sneer.

“How dare you, my monster has brought many civilizations to their knees! While you were off gallivanting in the future, I commanded the Xilien army with an iron fist!” He snarled.

“Right, you mean you backstabbed the old leader because you never agreed with his methods? He was a sweet old man, and more than twice the leader you’ll ever be. Honestly brother, I don’t understand what goes on in that little brain of yours,” Landes stated, taking notice of her sibling’s fist clenching.

Removing his shades, the Xilien leader glared at his younger sister. “That old fool refused to move with the times, his ideas of peaceful takeovers and undercover meddling were too slow for my liking. Under my reign, we as a race have prospered at an unprecedented rate.” He glanced back to the massive room on the other side of the window.

The Xilien leader pressed buttons on a panel, one side of the spacious room lit up as the other side began to do the same. “You’re always boasting about your monster’s power, Landes, but it’s time I teach you why my Monster X is the strongest monster of all.”

“Oh please, your dragon always needed my little Gororin to help pick up the slack, your beast wouldn’t be alive today if it wasn’t for my loveable monster.” Landes coolly fired back. Clearly agitated, the Xilien leader growled as he finished inputting commands into the control panel.

Inside the gold room, two white lights struck the ground as the monsters were teleported in. Appearing on the far left, a humanoid monster stood tall, covered in pearl white boney armor. Ink black muscles bulged and tightened as steam escaped his jaws. Red eyes flared to life as a forked tail whipped the air.

He was adorned with draconic skulls on each shoulder, one eye lighting up on each. Four eyes glanced around the room, muscles popping as Monster X looked up to his master, slowly nodding. The skeleton dragon turned his attention to the monster manifesting before him.

After the image of the monster finished uncoiling, the white light faded, leaving behind a small, blue cactus ball. At first nothing happened, the seemingly immobile succulent made no movement. Suddenly, two half crescent eyes formed on the cactus, piercing yellow eyes glaring at the larger dragon before it.

Monster X scoffed, he had fought alongside the cactus in many battles, now he was being pitted against him. Gororin emitted a low rumbling noise, knowing exactly what he was summoned here for. Glancing upward to his master, he gazed upon her beauty, hoping to make her proud once more.

Popping his knuckles, Monster X let out a guttural growl, staring down the cactus monster. Gororin’s eyes narrowed, sizing up the skeletal dragon before him, knowing full well just what the bone armored humanoid was capable of.

The leader of the Xiliens snarled, throwing his arm forward, “Monster X, beat down that puny runt and prove your superiority!”

Landes merely rolled her eyes. “Gororin, show this brooding bonehead who the strongest really is!” The brunette shouted as she whipped out a fluffy, cotton candy colored hand fan.

On command, Monster X fired a volley of golden gravity beams, striking the ground in front of Gororin. In response, the blue cactus ball rolled away from the energy beams, careful not to be struck. He stopped, flanking the gargantuan draconid, the succulent fired a barrage of needles at the armored monster. Most needles bounced off the boney armor, but a few dug into the exposed inky black muscle. Monster X grunted in pain as he turned to face the spherical beast.

Monster X grunted in shock as Gororin sprung forward with incredible force. The spherical saguaro slammed into the skeletal dragon’s face, needles shattering against the armor that covered the meteorite monster’s face. Monster X fumbled back, hot steam escaping his jaws.

Clutching his face, Monster X yanked a few needles from his exposed lower jaw, snarling at the xerophyte. Gororin let out a low rumbling noise, rolling around to the back of his foe. The cactus ball fired a barrage of needles that harmlessly bounced off the natural armor, but embedded themselves into the flesh.

Red eyes darting towards the blue succulent, Monster X twisted around and fired another wave of golden gravity beams. Gororin’s eyes shifted from half crescents to wide eyed ovals as he was struck head on by the beam attacks. He emitted a low rumbling sound as he was sent hurtling across the room.

Slamming into the golden walls, Gororin fell to the ground, his body smoking. Up in the observation deck, the Xilien commander rubbed his hands together eagerly. “Excellent, Monster X is a true war machine, the crown jewel of our monster army.”

Fanning herself, Landes watched as her monster glared at the skeletal dragon. “Don’t count out Gororin just yet brother, my monster is just getting started.” She grinned as she continued to fan herself.

Circling the armored humanoid, Gororin fired more needles at Monster X. The skeletal dragon side-stepped to avoid the sharp needles. The spherical fiend fired another wave of needles, but this time, his foe leapt into the air as he somersaulted over the cactus needles. Before he could land, a powerful force struck his back, knocking the air out of him.

Slamming onto the ground, Monster X groaned as he felt more needles jabbed into his ebon muscles. Gororin rolled along the ground with increasing speed, making a beeline for the meteorite monster. Attempting to rise up, Monster X found himself floored.

Gororin came around again to run over Monster X, failing to notice the golden glow in the armored alien’s eyes. Before Gororin could strike the dragon, a large explosion sent him flying, tumbling along the gold floor.

Rising up from the smoke, Monster X scratched his face, snarling at the slight pain on his snout. Gororin shook his body, regaining his wits, the living cacti went wide eyed as a bony foot sped towards him. Monster X kicked Gororin, the force of the attack sent the blue succulent hurtling across the room.

The cactaceaen orb ricocheted off the side of a wall, bouncing back towards Monster X. Hot air escaped the Xilien warrior as he roared at the diminutive opponent, twisting around and kicking Gororin into the wall again, who bounced off towards the dragon once more. The interstellar warrior continued the cycle, the golden wall starting to dent and crack as Gororin was repeatedly slammed into it. Bouncing off the golden interior, the plant monster sped towards Monster X, and this time, the cactus fired a wave of needles in every direction.

Needles dug into Monster X as his concentration was broken. Instead of the armored portion of his foot hitting Gororin, the blue cactus ball embedded himself into the exposed sole of the skeletal dragon. Monster X howled in pain as needles sunk into his foot, tipping over and landing flat on his armored back.

Gororin forced himself off the bony humanoid, leaving needles lodged in the foot. The succulent circled around his foe, meanwhile the armored alien utilized his levitation to hover in the air and dodge the charging cactus.

Golden gravity bolts rained down from above as Monster X tried to hit the moving cactus ball. A golden energy bolt cut in front of Gororin, the explosion sending the plant flying. The bony dragon landed on the golden floor as he yanked the needles out of his foot, ignoring the droplets of blood splattering on the ground.

Both alien warriors stared down one another, smoke rose from Gororin’s frame as miniscule drops of blood oozed from his wounds. In the observation deck, Landes had a sly grin on her face. “You must want Monster X to unleash his Keizer Ghidorah form, right brother? Is the impulse gnawing at you? Just know that by doing so, means you prove me right, Gororin is just too strong for that bag of bones,” Landes stated as she watched her monster, continuing to fan herself.

The Xilien Leader sneered at the comment. “The Keizer transformation is unnecessary. Your little cactus may have gotten some good hits in, but I am confident Monster X will cement his spot as number one amongst his monster brethren.” Raising his clenched fist, the Xilien leader grinned at the idea of Landes admitting defeat.

Bursting forward with incredible speed, Monster X bolted towards Gororin. The dragon low kicked the plant monster, sending him flying. Instantly afterwards, the skeletal dragon fired three golden gravity bolts that knocked the succulent out of the air. Gororin fell from the smoke cloud, emitting a low rumble as he charged at the Ghidorah.

Firing a wave of needles, the plant monster watched as his foe held up his armored arms to block them. Gororin sprang off the ground, wanting to cave in Monster X’s skull. The skeletal dragon grunted as he leapt into the air, manipulating gravity to his favor, he twisted in the air and dodged the blue ball.

Red eyes glowed a golden hue as more gravity streams rained down from above. Gororin tried to bounce away, but was once again bombarded by pure concentrated energy. He tumbled along the golden floor as scorch marks tainted the pristine room.

Gororin rumbled as he bolted forward again, his yellow crescent eyes occasionally catching glimpses of Monster X hovering high in the air, looking down on him. The cactus ball came to a halt and fired another barrage of needles, and like clockwork his foe once again raised his arms to protect himself. Instead of springing forward like before, Gororin bounced to the side, flanking X.

The cactus monster fired more needles, this time shifting the barrage ever so slightly. Monster X suddenly felt a twinge of pain in his right shoulder, screaming out in agony as his fingers curled. The red eye in the right shoulder head was impaled, blood flowing like a river from the wound.

Looking to his injured eye, X reached out to pull the needle free. Gororin, however, seized an opportunity, firing a final wave of needles. The skeletal knight howled in agony as cactus needles dug into his black muscles. One lucky needle embedded itself into the left eye on Monster X’s face, temporarily blinding him.

Roaring in fury, the skeletal dragon fired a frenzy of gravity beams, incinerating the needles in his eyes. Gororin bounced around frantically as Monster X had seemingly gone berserk. He was once again pelted with gravity bolts as he was flung backwards, smashing into a wall.

Monster X clutched his eye as he saw Gororin stuck in a small crater in the wall. Feeling his blood boiling, the destroyer of worlds slowly marched towards the dazed cactus ball. From above Landes let out a small gasp as she looked on at her prized Gororin. His needles were taking far longer than normal to regenerate, his yellow half crescent eyes now thin rectangles.

Footsteps echoed throughout the Xilien-made room. Gororin tried to fire more needles, but they were slower and had little force. Most bounced off of Monster X’s chest. The meteorite monster swiped a needle out of the air, inspecting it. The Ghidorah looked back to Gororin and twisted his wrist towards the succulent, flicking the needle back. The cactus winced in pain as his own needle was lodged between his eyes.

Hot steam emitted from Monster X’s mouth as he stopped, now a mere few meters away from Gororin. The Xilien commander snickered as he folded his arms, staring down on his warrior with pride.

Flicking his forked tail, the dreadful humanoid reared back his fist, howling in rage as he threw his bony fist into his aggravating foe’s body, followed by another. Plumes of steam spewed from Monster X’s jaws as he threw a flurry of punches at the succulent, sounds akin to shotgun blasts echoing throughout the golden room.

Gororin groaned as he fell onto the floor. His navy blue body was littered in purple bruises, parts of his spherical form swelled as a result of the assault. Monster X huffed as he stared down at his opponent, reaching out and plucking off any remaining needles on Gororin.

Landes’ nostrils flared as her fists clenched, shouting, “Enough! I concede,” she said softly. The Xilien commander snapped his fingers, on command, Monster X stopped his actions. The Ghidorah stood up and placed his foot on the cactus ball.

Letting out a sigh of pleasure, the Xilien leader put his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket. “Ah, the sweet taste of victory. Monster X, give Gororin a farewell gift.” The bony armored humanoid shoved the plant monster aside, his blood red eyes shining bright. Gravity Bolts shot forth from the skeletal dragon’s eyes, engulfing the cactus in a massive explosion.

“I said enough you bastard!” Landes shouted, shoving the pale young man, causing him to burst out into hysterics.

“Priceless, absolutely priceless!” The commander jeered.

“You’re insufferable!” Barging past her sibling and out the observation deck, Landes pulled aside a nearby Xilien woman. “Get Gororin in a healing chamber now!” She commanded, the Xilien scurrying away with haste.

Monster X let out a deep guttural noise as he watched the smoking cactus ball lay unconscious before him. Suddenly, a white cone of light engulfed Gororin and the succulent dissipated in a flash of light. The victor crossed his arms as the red in his eyes faded to black, a cone of light whisking him away as well.

The Xilien commander sat alone in the observation deck, staring out into the now empty combat room. He was satisfied, he proved to his sibling that he and his monster were the superior beings. Still, a small gnawing sensation lingered in the back of his mind, for a split second, he considered going after Landes, but as soon as it came, it vanished.

Now he sat alone, in deafening silence. Nothing but him and his thoughts.

Winner: Monster X

A very special thanks to dopepope for some of the assets used in this banner for the K.W.C. Be sure to follow him on DeviantART, ArtStation, and Instagram.

Author: Joshua Strittmatter | Banner: Landon Soto & Matthew Williams

A devilish, synthesized bellow groaned through the streets of Scotland, sending crowds of hundreds fleeing for their lives. As they ran, a massive dinosaurian foot slammed down onto the village, flattening buildings, cars, and innocents alike. Cyber Godzilla roared once more before unleashing a plethora of plasma rockets from his dorsal scutes, detonating more random buildings in their wake. His glowing green eyes staring mindlessly at the carnage, the cybernetic reptile snorted before trudging along, with no orders from his masters other than to destroy as much of this island’s architecture as possible.

Tanks rolled into place, men and women armed with all sorts of weapons following suit. At once, they unloaded their firepower on the reanimated reptile, who simply stood staring at them as if questioning why they bothered. When the onslaught grew boring, Cyber Godzilla reared back his head and unleashed a river of cerulean flames from his maw. A select few soldiers were lucky to dive away–the others were vaporized on the spot, while the tanks simply melted. With his opposition out of the way, Cyber Godzilla lumbered along, trampling through the village as he followed his masters’ given orders.

*****

From within the Leviathan command center of Site Omega, the lime-green pupil-less eyes of the Leviathan Warlord stared at the screen above with cold indifference. “Hmmm… such a shame,” he droned, “they’ll never learn when to quit. Even when it’s so obvious they’re outmatched.” He turned his skeletal limbs towards the controls.

“But some of their monuments are rather impressive to behold. Perhaps we will show them mercy.” He began transferring new orders to his cyborg puppet when an alarm sounded through the chamber. Beside him, the commander spoke up. “A new object is approaching the cyborg’s vicinity!”

The warlord’s head snapped up to the screen in surprise. “Identification!” he ordered.

*****

A heavenly light had begun to shine through the rainclouds, catching Cyber Godzilla’s attention. The reanimated cyborg hissed as he turned to stare at the strange phenomenon… and grew silent when a strange new noise began to emanate from the changing sky. An eerie, song-like series of chirps rang through the mountains of Scotland like the voice of a benevolent deity, and all those who had been fleeing from the destruction wrought by Cyber Godzilla had stopped in their tracks to await whatever would come out of the skies.

The rays of light shone brighter with each passing second, the clouds slowly beginning to dispel–until all of a sudden, they blew away as a powerful shockwave snapped across the heavens, and what followed looked nothing so much as an angel from Heaven itself coming to visit them. Two beautiful, glowing wings shone with an intensity to rival the sun itself, attached to a massive moth-like creature who stared down at the civilians with benevolent eyes. Reassuring chirps left the insect’s mandibles, and the citizens all felt their hearts flutter with hope. Then, the moth turned her eyes towards Cyber Godzilla.

The cybernetic iguana stood still as a statue, his tail swaying like an angry crocodile. It was the Giver of Life, the Defender of Light, the Queen of the Monsters, The Goddess of Infant Island…

Mothra.

The insect chirped a warning towards the reptilian puppet, demanding he leave this place at once.

Cyber Godzilla stood still, as if he hadn’t even heard her.

*****

The Leviathan warlord waved his hand, his eyes flashing from green to red in an instant. “You are to show no mercy to that damned moth, for standing so foolishly in our way,” he ordered his cybernetic pawn. “She is no use to us. Kill her immediately.”

*****

Cyber Godzilla suddenly threw his arms wide and released a hideous, mechanical roar that chilled Mothra to her core. Never had the goddess heard such a warped, unnatural and mindless cry. It was only then that she noticed the cyborg’s eyes, noting their glowing green color and lack of pupils. It was as if this creature were possessed by a higher power, something she didn’t know about. With this knowledge in mind, she flapped her wings and chirped back at the revived lizard, accepting the clear challenge.

Mothra dove towards her enemy, eyes focused on her target like a hunting mantis. Cyber Godzilla waited until she was within reach, then lashed out with his tail, only to be caught completely off guard when the goddess shot a spray of webbed silk that instantly welded the mechanical iguana to the ground like a steel net. Struggling against the incomprehensibly strong mesh, Cyber Godzilla roared in anguish as Mothra circled back around and landed on his body, preparing her primary melee weapon.

But Cyber Godzilla wasn’t out of options just yet.

The cyborg lizard lashed out with his tail, whacking the prehistoric goddess with a force that temporarily knocked the wind out of her. Landing on a small section of houses, the Queen of the Monsters took a moment to regain her breath, all the while Cyber Godzilla struggled harder, his bindings beginning to snap away. Regaining her posture, Mothra stalked towards the still-struggling iguana, but his constantly thrashing tail and kicking legs made it difficult for her to pinpoint a place to attack.

So, she switched tactics.

Flapping her wings, Mothra took to the skies once again, just as Cyber Godzilla snapped free with a bellow of triumph. The lepidopteran goddess was faster, though, and before Cyber Godzilla was aware of what was happening, Mothra landed on his head. The moth wasted no time and began slashing away at her foe’s half-metallic skull with her scythed forearms, eliciting sparks and roars of anguish as the cybernetic iguana thrashed around. Mothra took it a step further and jabbed her stinger into the base of Cyber Godzilla’s neck, eliciting a howl of pain from the dinosaurian behemoth. At first, the mechanical reptile continued to struggle and thrash, while his insectoid opponent continued to cling on for dear life. But it was when the monster queen ripped her stinger free that his thrashing began to slow, and bellows of fatigue began to gasp from his toothed jaws.

As the pawn of the Leviathan aliens began to stagger and sway from his wound, Mothra slammed her forearms on his forehead with all her strength, sending him slamming to the ground on his stomach. The insect goddess chirped into Cyber Godzilla’s face, trying to open a dialogue with him. To communicate clearly to him, but his cloudy green eyes continued to stare blankly as ever at her. Mothra slashed across his metallic face with her claws, attempting to snap him to his senses, but once more no response.

The possessed lizard remained perfectly still, seeming all but crippled by the moth deity’s fearsome finisher, so Mothra kept trying to bring the creature back to the land of the sane. With his seeming inability to move, the goddess would take full advantage of this lack of conflict to try and find a peaceful resolution to this problem. At this point, she understood that this creature had not caused such destruction and terror on its own free will–someone was manipulating it like a puppet, and she needed to find a way to pull him free of the strings.

Sadly, for both Kaiju, it was not to be.

In a surprising display, the ports on Cyber Godzilla’s scutes glowed with a malevolent light, seizing Mothra’s attention. Before the insect could react, a volley of plasma rockets fired forth and struck the goddess near point-blank, detonating her furry flesh and sending her reeling back in agony. More plasma missiles fired forth, some striking the Goddess of Infant Island while others struck the pavement around her. The cybernetic Kaiju hissed menacingly as he struggled against the pain, his legs shaking as he began to pull himself together and push up to his feet.

Mothra shrieked when yet another sphere of plasma collided with her small form, but she would not let such an occasion happen again. As Cyber Godzilla fired again, Mothra flapped her wings and jolted away just as the missiles struck where she had been standing moments ago. Standing shakily to his feet, the cyborg Zilla roared his return to the combat, shattering all glass in the vicinity.

Mothra shrieked in reply and channeled her inner bioluminescence to her wings. Spreading them wide, they shone once again with a powerful brightness that made Cyber Godzilla take a step back in surprise. Mothra shone her God Rays’ full intensity on the half-mechanical reptile, a mix of both a blinding attempt and an intimidation display. It seemed to be working–if only partially. She didn’t know whether or not this creature was naturally resistant to such a bright display, or whether this had something to do with its current mind control. Nevertheless, she kept shining, every now and then fluttering closer to the giant reptile to brighten it in his eyes.

That’s when Mothra struck.

Another spray of silk shot forth from her body–but this time, her opponent had a counter. His spines flashing, Cyber Godzilla unleashed a mighty atomic ray from his jaws that incinerated the silk before it could entrap him, before surging forth and striking Mothra head-on. The horrible flames burning her flesh to cinders and tattering her wings, the goddess screeched in agony as she fell from the heavens, the ground quaking from her impact.

Cyber Godzilla wasted no time, and instantly ran forward to pounce upon the injured moth like a big cat. Slashing and biting away at the insect deity, Cyber Godzilla snarled vengefully as his alien masters applauded him with delight within his clouded mind. Claws slashed with ease through exoskeletal armor, toothed jaws grabbed a leg and snapped it off with ease, and green blood spilled upon the pavement as Mothra cried out in agony. Cyber Godzilla hissed and lunged in to take another bite, but the insect slashed him across the face with her forelimbs.

It was a brave, but futile effort.

Wanting to ensure that the goddess would pull no further surprise attacks, Cyber Godzilla lunged and snapped his jaws around Mothra’s stinger, and with a hard and loud SNAP! tore it clean off in a spray of gore. The benevolent deity howled in torture as the clear canopy of molten pain descended over her broken form, so terrible that her body lost all sense of self. Spitting the appendage out like a wasted cigarette, Cyber Godzilla set to digging his taloned feet through the moth’s wings, shredding them and torturing her further. Much as the aliens controlling his mind enjoyed such a prospect, they knew that it would benefit them more if they ended the fight here and now.

Cyber Godzilla hissed mercilessly and bent down to point his spines at the wounded deity. Mothra cried out in defiance, her eyes meeting the blank orbs of the possessed cyborg. Even staring her death in the face, she cried out one last time, one last attempt to bring this poor creature out of his mental manipulation.

A notion that the Leviathan aliens found laughable as they gave the order.

Another volley of plasma rockets fired forth to detonate on the crippled goddess’s wounded flesh. At such close range, her chest was blown open and her limbs blown off with no resistance. As the dying deity groaned her last, Cyber Godzilla reared back and unleashed another atomic ray, keeping it up until he had no energy left in his body.

When he finished, Mothra’s charred corpse continued to burn under a cerulean bonfire.

Pawing the ground with his talons, Cyber Godzilla unleashed an ear-splitting roar of triumph that shook the rivers and mountains alike… then, as suddenly as he started, he stopped. And he mechanically stood back up to his regular stance and remained still once more, blankly awaiting his next order from his masters.

*****

“Excellent,” hummed the Leviathan warlord as he stared at the results of the battle, pleased with the progress their reanimated cyborg had made. His green eyes shone bright, vile intentions brewing behind them.

“Continue ravaging this village,” he ordered, “but harm as little civilians as you can. They can be of… use, to us.”

*****

China

The temple thrummed with a steady pulse, like the pounding of a heartbeat. Light began to radiate from the massive object, creating dancing shadows across the ancient walls and lighting up the interior of the Temple of the Moth in a gorgeous display of color. Monarch personnel jumped from surprise at the sudden occurrence, some pointing their shock rifles at the giant egg in caution.

“No! Hold all fire!” a voice called through the cavern, causing the soldiers to do as they were told. Doctors Ling and Chen stood together as they watched the egg continue to pulse and glow, the top of its exterior beginning to quiver as something massive began the process of pushing its way out. Whatever it was seemed to be doing so with urgency, as if it knew something was wrong–or remembered. The twin sisters looked at one another, nodding without a word. They both knew what had happened, and what now would occur in its place. Hand in hand, they turned back to the pulsing ovoid, patiently awaiting their goddess’ return to the land of the living, however long it would take.

They closed their eyes and took a breath, letting the warmth of the growing light enshroud them, as a dull crack echoed through the temple, followed by a lively chirp.

And hope was reborn in its wake.

Winner: Cyber Godzilla

Official K.W.C. Studio Tour

Welcome everyone! This article is an expansive behind the scenes overview of the K.W.C. over the years, alongside artwork we’ve commissioned and their respective artists, statistics, and general history that has been documented about the K.W.C. (more…)

Author: Matthew Freese | Banner: Andrew Sudomerski

1954, Tokyo Bay

Pulses rippled through the waters, corroding the essence of life itself. They seeped into the seafloor below, reaching life that had laid dormant since before evolution had even compelled living things to touch dry land.

The colony knew not of the complex history that had caused events to unfold like this, culminating in this conclusion, but what they did know was that they were awake now.

Their forms twisted and contorted as mutation begun, each one finding itself compelled to move towards others of its kind, to bundle together. But there was an issue. Trapped beneath stone and sediment, they could not move.

Slowly, they began to force their way through their prison.

***

Decades later, millions of light years away from Earth

Pain.

It was the first thing the cluster of flesh felt, exposed muscle flailing in a vacuum. A mind had not even properly formed, just a brain to process and control. Waves of energy struck it, prompting more pain as heat filled the growing construct. The brain was aware that more flesh was forming, alongside growth of crystalline structures. The gemstones worked their way into the tendons, interlacing and strengthening.

More heat, the brain being unaware that it was feeding off the energy of dying stars in the vast distance. Waves from supernovae light years away, concepts the new lifeform did not understand.

Before it had even grown eyes, it felt something try to seize control. The crystals embedded into the brain, filling it with thoughts of conquest. They demanded to be spread across creation, draining the light out of all things to claim it for themselves. Nothing else mattered.

But something crashed against these impulses. Memories, horrid memories. A vast light filled with the same heat that battered and empowered him, a small body becoming far larger than it ever should have, a world hating him like the Devil made manifest.

What was a world? What were any of these things? It had not even formed a full consciousness, yet two lives smashed together in its mind! Flesh split apart to form a toothed maw, which screamed into the void, silently.

Silence. It remembered sounds from both, but it was not here. Above the maw, eyes filled hollow sockets, revealing the scope of its–of his situation.

A void. Glittering lights in the vast distance, taunting him. No sound, no beauty, just emptiness.

Memories of this other life, the one filled with pain, also brought memories of peace. Tranquil times, fields of lush green, other lifeforms like him. Other dinosaurs, friends, and family. They were ripped away in these memories, but whatever bore these thoughts at least could say they had them! He had nothing!

The gnawing of the crystals’ impulses continued to rip at his mind. Conquer, consume, destroy, spread, repeat. On loop, in the background of every thought.

Another silent scream. He felt the pain of his predecessor and hated him for it, for thinking that pain meant anything compared to what the abomination was going through. Every ounce of pain that Godzilla felt was his, without any light or joy, plus this cancer demanding he snuff out all light.

He would heed its call. Revenge and conquest would go hand in hand. Such would be his decree, as the imperialistic king of the cosmos.

***

2004, Earth…

Above Earth’s atmosphere sat a large spaceship, accompanied by a fleet of smaller craft. No one on the planet even knew they were up there, being hidden by technology far beyond anything humanity had at its disposal. But the effect of these aliens’ presence was certainly not hidden.

Within the main vessel, its leader watched various screens showing scenes of mass destruction. Each shared a common theme, that being of the planet’s kaiju battling insectoid monstrosities. They were bipedal, with massive shells protecting their backs. Serrated scythe-like limbs tore into their foes, spilling blood. Beady eyes glowed red, as did six orbs nestled within the sides of their chests.

“So, this is what the world that destroyed King Ghidorah has to offer,” said the leader, a humanoid alien with scaly skin, cephalopod-like tentacles instead of arms and legs, and a massive fin around his neck which resembled the frill of a king’s robes.

Of particular interest to him was the scene in Beijing. The remains of Trilopods stained the streets, several having fallen before their target. But, said target now held a low stance, wounds beginning to overcome even his immense durability.

Godzilla, or more accurately, the fully grown Godzilla Junior. There was no physical difference of note between him and his adoptive father. The Cryog only knew that it was a different being than the one they had heard tell of due to managing to hack into the JSDF’s database.

Also inhabiting the city were five Trilopods, though two were distinct amongst their brethren. One was cloaked in crimson chitin. His stance was more upright with a body more lean and streamlined. A distinctive fin stood upon his head, a similar fin being found at the end of a tail. The Trilopod’s mandibles had shifted to form what resembled a thin, reptilian snout. Titanosaurus’s DNA coursed through this thing’s veins.

The other unique insectoid had a brilliant gold all over his body. His hunched back blossomed out with a pair of fan-like wings. Most striking were the heads, three of them on the ends of long necks which waved like serpents. Crowns of horns decorated each one. This Trilopod’s appearance would strike fear into the hearts of countless beings, for he resembled the golden terror which had ended trillions of lives throughout the cosmos.

Except, this one had not stolen DNA from that creature. Instead, he had leached off an imposter, one the Cryog had discovered deep within the ocean. The data they had stolen said that humans from the future had created this King Ghidorah. Whether or not this was true, Karkaro cared little, for this was a fake. What he did care about was the potential of its DNA.

Spreading their arms, the three unmutated Trilopods fired lasers from the orbs upon their chests. The red rays burned against Godzilla’s hide, throwing the weakened leviathan to the ground. The crimson Trilopod rushed forward, closing the distance between it and Godzilla. He began stomping on the leviathan’s skull, driving cries of pain from the King of the Monsters.

As the golden insectoid flew into the air, preparing to join his comrade, a third party waited in the shadows. None of them knew countless microbes observed them, compelled by a single consciousness. They saw the two mutated Trilopods beating the downed Godzilla, and grew furious.

He was theirs to kill.

They sank into the ground, small enough to move between the individual grains of dirt. As they moved towards the scene of the battle, they merged into separate colonies. Chemical reactions began to bind the colonies together, forming more complex biological functions as they drew closer.

The Titanosaurus-Trilopod wanted to just impale his foe through the skull and let one of his siblings absorb the blood. But their masters had made it clear they wanted the leviathan alive. Why, he did not know. The insectoid would not question his overlords in this. The remaining three Trilopods began to charge towards their quarry, obviously wanting their foe’s power to themselves. Godzilla still struggled, roaring defiantly.

Both mutated insectoids were thrown back when the ground around him burst open, the event accompanied by a chorus of unholy shrieks. Purple legs like those of a spider pulled forth armored crustaceans. Beady, yellow eyes stared intently at their target. Adorning each head was a crest which resembled a battle axe.

Several of the Aggregate Destoroyahs leapt upon Godzilla. He flailed as he felt their legs dig into his skin. The rest of the crustaceans shrieked at the Trilopods, snapping their claws in intimidation. Golden bolts like lightning soared from the mouths of the Ghidorah-Trilopod, crashing against the Precambrian beasts. The Gravity Bolts tore into their hides, driving screeches of anguish from them.

The ones piled upon Godzilla opened their mandibles wide, unveiling a second set of jaws. They thrust their heads down, driving the protruding mandibles into open wounds upon their quarry. The leviathan cried out. Horrid memories flashed through his mind as the familiar sensation of micro-oxygen being pumped into his bloodstream occurred.

As the Titanosaurus-Trilopod lunged forward, swinging his blade across an Aggregate’s face, Godzilla’s thrashing grew weaker. Foam began pouring from the saurian’s mouth, spilling out as he coughed. Yellow blood gushed from the struck crustacean’s head, the strike smashing apart half of the crest. The fishlike insectoid cared little, focusing upon his target. More Gravity Bolts tore into the horde, this time striking those atop Godzilla. They tumbled off, leaving the King of the Monsters to twitch on the ground. Clouds of smoke shrouded each Precambrian terror.

When the mist faded, not a trace of them remained, except for what had spilled on the ground. The three unmutated Trilopods stepped forward, only for the strange call of the aquatic hybrid to keep them back. He did not like what he was seeing, and neither did the golden insect.

A cascade of purple flashes manifested between them and Godzilla. The sudden event made the insects recoil. Destoroyah stepped forth from the fading lights, howling its unholy cry. Unlike its components, this unified form of the swarm was bipedal, supported by a single pair of thick legs. A broad set of wings were suspended from its back, kicking up a gust of wind with a flap. The spawn of the Oxygen Destroyer wrapped the claw at the end of its tail around Godzilla’s throat, lifting him into the air. The Trilopods rushed forwards at this, prompting an exhalation of laughter from the unified swarm. A jolt of energy flowed through the tail, surging into Godzilla’s neck, forcing a weak cry of pain from the king. Curling its tail, Destoroyah whipped its prey through the air, sending Godzilla crashing into a set of mostly intact buildings.

The saurian’s body smashed into the structures, ripping apart steel and kicking up clouds of dust and debris. Rubble fell upon him, burying the leviathan. Destoroyah opened its jaws, sparks of energy dancing across the head-crest. The Precambrian terror spewed a violet spear of energy from its maw. The Ghidorah-Trilopod cried out in pain as he felt the Oxygen Destroyer Ray tear into his stomach, spraying his vital ichor across the pavement. He stumbled back, groaning, letting the Titanosaurus-Trilopod rush past.

***

“What is that thing?” Karkaro questioned his subordinates. “Where did it even come from?” They quickly pulled up the data the Cryog had stolen through a combination of their superior technology and shapeshifting ability. Archives of almost everything humanity knew about kaiju. It took little time to discover the new arrival, for no other kaiju was quite like it.

“Destoroyah…” The alien overlord said to himself as he looked upon the records. Spawned from a terrible superweapon, the creature was a horde of microscopic crustaceans bound together to form a powerful body. It had been the last being the current Godzilla’s father had faced, barely defeated by the former Monster King at the apex of his power.

“This planet does not know when to give up!” He exclaimed, slamming a tentacle against the armrest of his throne. “If that thing gets in the way of our plans, I’ll!–” His shouting was cut off by an alarm.

“Sir, sensors indicate an intense energy signature approaching Earth!”

Pulling it up on the main screen, Karkaro grit his teeth as he watched a colossal bundle of crystals soar through space. It moved towards the planet he had staked claim on, curving ever so slightly to correct its course. His outrage only grew when a second reading revealed organics in the entity.

“If it continues on its current path, where will it land?” The alien overlord demanded.

Seconds passed as calculations were made, the advanced computers revealing a direct landing in Beijing. “What shall we do, sir?”

Karkaro paused for a moment, trying to figure out just what to say. The desire to yell and break something arose, but he shoved it down. Such childish behavior was unbecoming of a king, even if so much was going wrong. His kind had encountered these kinds of crystals before, they existed all throughout the universe, spreading like a mold wherever they landed. But while he had seen many corrupted by the power they held, never had he seen the crystals bonded to a lifeform in such a capacity. “Proceed as planned, await further orders.” He commanded.

***

The crimson Trilopod slashed at his foe with a scythe, dragging it against Destoroyah’s carapace. Sparks flew from the impact, a distinct line being carved across the armor. In response, the Precambrian terror swiped its claws across the insectoid’s face. The claws pierced the chitin, cracking it apart and spilling fluid, as the force sent him staggering away. The Trilopod groaned.

Gravity Bolts crashed against Destoroyah’s hide before it could attack further. The crustacean shrieked in pain, before turning to face its attacker. It was greeted by two unmutated Trilopods lunging towards the micro-oxygen spawn. They whipped their bladed arms across the purple armor. Aside from causing a grating racket with the scraping, the strikes did little.

Thrusting its tail forward, Destoroyah snagged one of its foes by the neck. The insect desperately clawed at the limb as his feet left the ground, the other alien firing lasers from his chest. They left scorch marks on the micro-oxygen spawn’s armor, drawing a spiteful gaze. As energy scorched the restrained Trilopod, causing his limbs to flail, Destoroyah lunged towards the other invertebrate.

Backing away, the insectoid alien began to turn. An Oxygen Destroyer Ray tore into his leg, rupturing the limb. The Trilopod collapsed backwards with a shriek, his gore staining the broken streets. Destoroyah stood over him, raspily laughing. The insectoid attempted to pull himself up, only for a thick leg to crash into the lacerated limb, mangling it beyond repair. He cried out, falling limply. Before the execution could take place, the Titanosaurus-Trilopod jumped back into the fray with a punch across the face. His bladed limb sliced open Destoroyah’s cheek, freeing yellow blood to flow. The sudden pain made the crustacean drop the other Trilopod, howling its displeasure. A retaliatory punch to the chest forced the dinosaur-insect hybrid back, all of the micro-oxygen spawn’s attention falling to him.

As the two battled, the third of the unmutated Trilopods rooted through the rubble that obscured Godzilla’s body. Though deadly in combat, his scythes proved ineffective for this task, only able to drag debris around instead of pull it away all together.

Golden streams of energy tearing into the detritus scared him back, as the hybrid of insectoid alien and mutated dragon descended. He fired more Gravity Bolts into the pile, incinerating rubble. When black scales became visible, the golden one let loose a shrieking call, before turning back towards Destoroyah. As he took off, two creatures crawled out from behind a row of buildings. They had the same appearance as Trilopods, but instead of standing upright and possessing scythed limbs, they skittered across the ground with a multitude of small legs.

The Beta Trilopod watched the Alpha Trilopods crawl up the rubble. Reaching the exposed skin, both sunk their fangs into it. The blood of Godzilla flowed into their bodies.

A low chittering sounded from the bipedal insect as he crouched, eerily similar to laughter. He looked forward to indulging in the leviathan’s power. One of the Alphas crawled towards him, making its way up the body until it stood atop the back. Two became one in a grotesque merging, moist cracks and pops sounding off. The light brown of his shell darkened, familiar spines emerging down the back. Musculature increased as the head morphed, growing to resemble an invertebrate mockery of Godzilla.

The Godzilla-Trilopod roared to the heavens, a strange call mixing the shrill and the baritone into an unnatural cry.

Destoroyah thrust a kick against the draconic arthropod, forcing the golden beast back. Lashing out with its claws, the crustacean sliced away parts of its foe’s chest plating. The Ghidorah-Trilopod retaliated by biting at Destoroyah’s head and arms, throttling the heads back and forth to try and break through. Crackling with energy, the micro-oxygen spawn’s horn generated a crimson saber, nearly impaling the Trilopod’s center neck with its creation. He backed away, wings beginning to beat. Destoroyah thrust the blade down, shrieking with a mad glee.

The left head of the draconic invertebrate, along with a slab of his hunched back, fell to the ground. Two screeches of pain left the remaining maws, stopping his retreat as his mind coped with the loss of a third of its function. Destoroyah stepped forward, preparing to bisect its foe with another swing of the Variable Slicer.

Twin scythes crashed against the sides of its neck like scissors, digging into the thick throat. Destoroyah cried out as its blood stained the crimson scythes, the Titanosaurus-Trilopod restraining the micro-oxygen spawn. The draconic-arthropod turned, flying away. Lasers burned into the crustacean’s hide, the unmutated Trilopod without a mangled leg stepping towards the crustacean. Powerful kicks crashed against Destoroyah’s thigh, the dinosaurian arthropod trying to do as much damage as possible.

An Atomic Ray crashed against the Precambrian terror’s chest, covering it in a cascade of explosions. Destoroyah cried out in agony, the scythes in its throat being dug deeper with each impact. The Godzilla-Trilopod bravely stepped forward, scraping his scythes together in a display of menace. The trio currently assailing the child of the Oxygen Destroyer cackled.

Destoroyah stopped fighting for a moment, as if focusing. Until it smiled, and mist poured from its body and obscured it. The Titanosaurus-Trilopod’s scythes were suddenly touching nothing. Panicking, the three began to back away, bracing themselves.

Earth and concrete burst open as dozens of winged versions of the Aggregate forms arose, having traded the claws and legs for flight. A barrage of thinner, weaker Oxygen Destroyer Rays fell upon the trio, digging grooves into their hides. Two stumbled away, crying out as they struggled to remain standing. Stepping forward, the Godzilla-Trilopod opened his mandibles, unleashing another Atomic Breath. The azure stream of nuclear power tore into one of the congregated microbes, ripping it asunder. It barely let out a shriek before the detonations incinerated it, throwing burning chunks of flesh in all directions.

The rest of the horde flew towards the one who resembled their sworn enemy, grouping together. Another Atomic Ray built up within the Trilopod, his spines glowing brightly. The flying demons disappeared in a purple flash of light, replaced by the colossal body of their final form. Atomic energies crashed against the purple hide, but failed to knock Destoroyah out of the sky. Putting both feet forward, the micro-oxygen spawn crashed a kick into the hybrid of mutant and alien. The Godzilla-Trilopod screamed as he was sprawled across the ground, shell cracked and spilling blood.

Elsewhere, the crippled Trilopod watched an Alpha Trilopod crawl towards him. The blood of the King of the Monsters was coursing through it, ready to be used to create another hybrid. Godzilla has demonstrated many times throughout the battle that he possessed an immense healing factor, which meant that once the hybrid was born, the ruined leg would cease being an issue.

Behind the Beta Trilopod, meteors slammed into the ground. Explosions tore buildings asunder, clearing way for colossal crystals to rise in their place. The Alpha and Beta, able to barely turn himself to face the new development, watched in fear as another Godzilla descended from the skies. What became immediately apparent was what separated this one and the one they had already fought. Glowing crystals protruded from his shoulders, torn open skin at their bases. A thin, long tail waved through the air behind him, tipped with a cluster of sharp crystals. His eyes regarded them with malice, though not in the same way as Destoroyah did. Where those were sadistic and mad, these only saw them as trash to be disposed of.

He had spent a decade regenerating, waiting for his opportunity to return and exact vengeance. He knew not what had happened to this world since then, nor did he care. Godzilla still lived, though not for much longer once the cosmic clone reached him. All who interfered would die, along with whoever else displeased him.

And these invaders had already displeased SpaceGodzilla for laying claim to Earth.

The Alpha Trilopod frantically skittered onto the Beta’s back. SpaceGodzilla opened his maw, before spitting forth an orange stream of cosmic energy. Tipped with a glowing, white point, the Corona Beam soared through the air. It bent down suddenly, spearing into the Alpha Trilopod. As it burst into blackened shards and globules of boiling blood, the insect desperately awaiting salvation was forced to the ground. He shrieked as loud as he could, both in pain and an attempt to warn his comrades. Smoke curled from a blackened crevice in his shell.

The spikes at the end of the spaceborne menace were shoved into the Trilopod’s open mouth, ripping open the sides of the orifice. He attempted to let loose some final call, only for shocking energy to surge into his body. The alien thrashed for a moment, before his skull burst apart.

SpaceGodzilla observed the grotesque scene for a moment. He had sensed the blood of Godzilla within the crawling insect, and felt his presence elsewhere in the city. Yet, another strange entity as well, like the atomic leviathan but muddled by something else.

Floating into the air, more of the city fell under his gaze. The crystal clone saw a battle taking place, three more of the aliens clashing with one being. Turning, he saw a golden creature rifling through rubble. The cosmic leviathan’s eyes widened as he realized that he sensed Godzilla beneath the pile, prompting him to fly towards it quickly.

The Ghidorah-Trilopod bent down, wrapping his remaining necks around the body of his target. He did the same with his scythes, before beginning to beat his wings. Winds battered away more of the rubble. The arthropod’s feet began to leave the ground, blood trickling onto the bladed limbs as more of Godzilla’s weight pressed onto them.

He needed to escape. This situation was growing out of control, another new presence bearing immense power had arrived. The other Trilopods here could die for all he cared, this body needed to be transferred to the nest. His lord had commanded him to do so, any sacrifices needed would be more than made up for. Their army was endless and constantly growing in power, a few losses was nothing. And these two would both find themselves fighting an unwinnable battle.

As the draconic invertebrate ascended, a shriek snapped him out of his thoughts. A Corona Beam curved through the air, striking the back of the Trilopod’s right wing. An explosion punched a hole in the membrane, driving a cry of pain and shock from the alien. He plummeted right into the rubble, sending chunks of metal and concrete flying as the earth shook.

Before the Ghidorah-Trilopod could recover, a green field of light enveloped him. SpaceGodzilla, his shoulder crystals projecting the green streams that were the Gravity Tornadoes, turned quickly. Psychic powers lifted the draconian arthropod off the ground, leaving him immobilized in his foe’s grip. Cutting off power to his telekinetic hold, SpaceGodzilla watched as his foe sailed through the air, until he crashed into a city block. Not even bothering to watch him careen through the buildings, the cosmic clone looked back at his genetic precursor. Limp and bloody, but still coursing with breath.

Though as the crystal leviathan observed the body for a moment, he realized it was not exactly his genetic precursor. The difference was subtle, non-existent on a superficial level, but still there. His mysterious senses which had allowed him to sense Godzilla across even the expanse of space told him that he was looking at a different creature. Using his advanced mind, he concluded that he was gazing upon the adult form of the small creature he had tormented and captured upon first reaching Earth.

A cruel grin occupied his face. He moved to hover over his target’s head, shifting his tail to aim its blades towards Godzilla’s skull. Perhaps this would draw out his true target, or maybe the weakened, fragile thing before him had supplanted his “killer.” Either way, he would find endless joy in what he was about to do.

Shrieking, the Ghidorah-Trilopod flew towards his attacker. His flight was crooked and staggered, but the hole in his wing failed to cripple. Thrusting both feet forward, he smashed twin kicks into the crystal saurian’s back. Caught off guard, the crystal saurian was tossed away from Godzilla. Gravity Bolts rushed towards SpaceGodzilla, burning into his hide for the moment he was disoriented. The burn of the plasma snapped him into focus, prompting the psychic command to manifest a translucent shield of crystal. It deflected the Gravity Bolts, splitting the two streams into dozens which scorched the ground and sailed through the air. The two locked eyes, snarling. But the Trilopod laughed within his own mind, for he knew things were about to become much more complex than a simple duel.

***

Destoroyah smashed a kick against the stomach of the unmutated Trilopod, forcing him back. The alien insectoid groaned, doubling over. The Titanosaurus-Trilopod spun his body in place, slamming his tail against the back of the micro-oxygen spawn’s skull. The Precambrian terror stumbled, before turning to face the hybrid. The Godzilla-Trilopod rushed forward, back spines glowing brightly. Azure energy crackled upon his scythes as he swung them across Destoroyah’s side, slicing away chunks of the armor, generating smoke and sparks with each swing.

The spawn of the Oxygen Destroyer cried out, blood staining its body. Before the alien could take another swing, the claw at the end of the crustacean’s tail latched onto his arm. The Godzilla-Trilopod attempted to slice his foe’s tail off with its other scythe, the restrained limb helpless in the grip. That violet glow formed within Destoroyah’s maw before the Precambrian terror spat its ray upon the trapped arm.

Shards of chitin flew as the beam fractured the blade, leaving cracks to form all along its structure. Crying out, the Godzilla-Trilopod attempted to free himself, only for his struggling to further damage the scythe. A punch from Destoroyah shattered the limb, scattering shrapnel across the ground. As the hybrid of alien and leviathan staggered back, another shriek from far away struck the combatants’ ears. When they turned to face it, they were almost immediately greeted by the sight of a distant light show, like lightning bolts upwards flying in all directions. SpaceGodzilla and the Ghidorah-Trilopod became visible to them all, challenging the other.

The three Trilopods immediately began running towards the other battle. As they did so, an intense beam of red light shredded into the Godzilla-Trilopod’s back, sending him tumbling to the ground. Shattered dorsal spines and chitin littered the earth around him. As his comrades ran away, the hybrid rolled to see Destoroyah closing the array of spikes on its chest, a glow within the orifice fading. The Precambrian terror howled mockingly at him, telling the arthropod that he was going nowhere.

***

Rows of teeth scraped against SpaceGodzilla’s hide, the heads moving side to side in an attempt to saw through the thick, crystal-infused hide of the spaceborne leviathan. SpaceGodzilla grabbed one of the heads, digging his claws into the skin and channeling energy through his body. Cosmic power shocked the golden skull, driving its teeth out of his scales as the Ghidorah-Trilopod attempted to back away. Still surging his power into his foe, SpaceGodzilla slashed his other set of claws across the insectoid’s chest. Layers of hard shell peeled away, sizzling. The head which still moved freely lashed forward, attempting to wrap itself around the crystal saurian’s throat. The shoulder crystals flared once more, releasing streaks of light which burned into his foe, forcing the slithering neck back.

Lasers seared into SpaceGodzilla’s side, surprising him and allowing the Ghidorah-Trilopod to escape his grasp. Backing away, the golden alien watched as his two allies arrived. The cosmic clone turned to face them, unamused by their interference. The Titanosaurus-Trilopod took the lead, rushing in with scythes bared. The crystal saurian took a moment to observe the two, seeing them badly battered and scarred. Their blood soaked them, open wounds numerous. Whatever they had been fighting was nothing to be trifled with.

But in this state, they would be.

Floating up, avoiding the swinging scythes of the crimson alien, SpaceGodzilla let loose a laugh. Another laser rushed towards him, the unmutated Trilopod angling his body up to fire his chest beams. When SpaceGodzilla formed his shield to block it, he reflected the red ray downwards, directly onto the aquatic Trilopod’s back. The arthropod cried out in anguish, a burning crater forming, before the crystal leviathan dropped from the skies. His feet slammed into the arthropod, shoving him to the ground.

A Corona Beam sailed forth from between his jaws, crashing against the unmutated Trilopod’s stomach. He dropped face-first, moaning in agony as its ichor pooled beneath it. The Titanosaurus-Trilopod raised his blades, attempting to dig them into the hips of his foe. This failed to draw blood, only succeeding in drawing the wrath of SpaceGodzilla towards that which lie beneath his feet. He began to levitate, shifting slightly to position his right foot just above the skull of the arthropod.

He ceased his telekinetic hold on himself, falling. He grinned at the satisfying crunch of his prey’s skull shattering, spraying its contents across the ruined streets.

Looking up, SpaceGodzilla met the gaze of the other insectoid, who trembled before him. He took a moment to drink in its fear. Such meager creatures, if this was all he had before him, this planet would be his quite soon.

A golden foot kicked his head, staggering him as the Ghidorah-Trilopod flew above. He turned, howling in rage as the insectoid kept flying away. The side head faced him, cackling. SpaceGodzilla was so caught up by the affront to his pride that he failed to notice the blue pillar of nuclear energy soaring towards him.

The Atomic Breath speared into the spaceborne leviathan’s chest, driving him back. His feet dug into the ground as he struggled against its concussive power. When it faded a few seconds later, he looked towards its source. He found, many blocks away, another of the Trilopods. Despite its distance, his binocular vision gave him a clear picture of the attacker, the identity shocking the saurian.

Standing there was one of the aliens twisted to resemble his rival. That was when he remembered the crawling arthropod with Godzilla’s blood coursing through it, and the strange presence he had sensed before. Another creature landed next to the hybrid, a dark-violet fiend which locked a claw at the end of its tail around the insectoid’s throat, dragging it to the ground.

The unmutated insect suddenly slammed into SpaceGodzilla, bladed limbs flailing against his hide. The arthropod opened his mandibles, before attempting to drive them into the flesh of his foe. They dug into the scales, extracting trickles of blood. The cosmic saurian roared, shoving back against his weakened enemy. Despite being pushed back, he refused to retreat.

SpaceGodzilla learned why when he felt fangs sink into his leg, drawing out his blood like a leech. An Alpha Trilopod skittered across the limb, dragging itself onto the Beta Trilopod and beginning to climb its counterpart. Immediately, the bipedal arthropod began running away. The crystal leviathan prepared to smite his foes, refusing to allow what would happen next. He did not get the chance when twin tails ending in balls of spikes crashed against his head once more, nearly knocking him off his feet. The Ghidorah-Trilopod turned in place, spraying bolts of electricity. SpaceGodzilla ignored them as he turned to face his main priority. The crawling insectoid was atop its bipedal companion, settling into position. Shoulder crystals glowing, the cosmic clone wasted no time in spewing a Corona Beam. It flew straight, aimed directly at the cretin that had stolen his power.

The Alpha sank into the flesh of its counterpart, the orange stream of cosmic energy striking nothing. A psychic command curved it back around, spearing into the back of the colossus, tearing away shell and flesh. But it did nothing to stop familiar crystals from sprouting out of where the Alpha had just been. More grew down his back as the creature’s torso and limbs changed in color and texture to resemble the genetic “donor.” Facial features morphed, growing a distinct lower jaw as the mandibles thinned out and straightened. Twin gems tore their way out from the shoulders, completing the transformation.

Howling his combined cry, a shrill echo which filled SpaceGodzilla with hatred and fear which dueled for supremacy within his mind, the new hybrid gazed right into his predecessor’s eyes. The crystal-coated Trilopod opened his maw, spewing out a Corona Beam. A crystalline shield materialized to block it, but to SpaceGodzilla’s horror, the full capabilities of his power were already known to the thief. The mimicked Corona Beam curved around the barrier, aiming instead for the back. His shield expanded, coating his entire body.

Volatile, cosmic energy bounced off the translucent gemstone. It split in two, the halves descending back upon the stone and repeating the process. Like pebbles thrown across a pond, streaks of light skipped along the barrier as they attempted to break through. The world became blinding white with flickers of orange for SpaceGodzilla, his sense of hearing similarly blocked by the cacophony of bursting power. Mere seconds after the madness had begun, it faded, the streaks being pulled too far apart to sustain their form.

He dropped his shield, smugly grinning at his doppelgänger. The arthropod shrieked past SpaceGodzilla, confusing the cosmic clone. If he had understood the language of the alien insectoids, perhaps the extra split-second of warning would have been enough for him to stop one of the necks of the Ghidorah-Trilopod from wrapping around his own. It pulled him back, the golden alien sneering as he used his remaining neck to force his foe’s jaws shut. His arms wrapped around the leviathan’s stomach, tails binding the legs. SpaceGodzilla’s tail crackled with sparks and lightning as he scraped it across his foe’s thigh, ripping away now cooked strands of skin. He thrashed, the golden alien visibly struggling to keep him bound. The cosmic clone kept an eye on his own mimic, the crystal-coated arthropod menacingly baring its scythes as it rose into the air. The Ghidorah-Trilopod cackled, only making SpaceGodzilla growl in outrage.

Beijing echoed with a vile death knell. It was soon followed by the triumphant call of a demon born of human hubris.

***

Moments ago…

Crashing to the ground back-first, the Godzilla-Trilopod flailed desperately in an attempt to get up. Blood oozed from countless openings, his regeneration being taxed to its limit. A heavy foot slammed into the arthropod’s gut, pinning him. Destoroyah leaned down, staring its victim in the eyes. Lines of red energy danced across its head crest, flowing into the crustacean’s mouth.

Thrusting his head up, the hybrid opened his mandibles, spewing an atomic breath. The azure radiation burned into Destoroyah’s face, forcing a shriek of anguish as it staggered away. When the nuclear energy faded, the Godzilla-Trilopod was relieved for a moment, without the feeling of pressure threatening to implode his stomach.

Fear came rushing back when he saw that its attack had not stopped Destoroyah’s charging beam, a beacon of violet power glowing from the now blackened face. The Oxygen Destroyer Ray flew forth, spearing into the chest of the alien. Weakened chitin and scales failed to withstand the assault, giving way and letting muscle burn. He began to cry out, only for the roar to catch in the insectoid’s throat as the tip of his foe’s tail speared into the gaping wound.

Blood spewing from the mouth, the Trilopod could only watch in horror as the limb squirmed inside his guts. Destoroyah squeezed something soft, not knowing or caring about the exact function of the organ. Looking into the insectoid’s eyes, the crustacean imagined the real Godzilla in his place.

The Godzilla-Trilopod’s last moments were in agony as his insides burned and burst. With its conductive tail, Destoroyah drove one last groan from the facsimile of its nemesis. Ripping the blood-coated appendage free, the spawn of the Oxygen Destroyer announced victory to the rest within the city.

***

The SpaceGodzilla-Trilopod’s lower body generated a shroud of light. The shimmering expanded into a myriad of sharp points, before solidifying into a bundle of crystals which rose above his head, leaving his upper body suspended from the front and nestled within a personal fortress. The arthropod doubted his ability to kill the cosmic leviathan quickly enough before the Precambrian terror could intervene. He did not wish to risk dealing with both, even if the two interlopers fought each other as well.

Fleeing only solidified within his mind when SpaceGodzilla’s shoulder crystals sprayed glowing bolts of power against the coil binding his mouth. The twin beams tore into the flesh of the Trilopod, forcing the head away with a shriek. As the crystal-coated insectoid turned towards Godzilla’s body, SpaceGodzilla clawed into the neck attempting to crush his throat. He needed no oxygen to survive. The emptiness of space had nothing for him to breathe in, so his body had adjusted to need only cosmic radiation. Pulling the serpentine limb off of his throat just barely, he once again called upon the deep wellsprings of his power.

Godzilla’s limp body was wrapped in a thin, green light. The Gravity Tornado lifted him into the air, at the mercy of the crystalline insectoid. Flying away with his quarry, the alien callously disregarded the scream that echoed from his comrade. He nonchalantly looked back to see the severed head hitting the dirt, the Ghidorah-Trilopod desperately trying to restrain the struggling cosmic leviathan. SpaceGodzilla stared at the retreating copy, snarling. He made no reply, turning back to continue his retreat.

Another Corona Beam, which swerved behind its firer and tore into the last head of the draconic insect. With a series of blasts down the neck, the limb flapped apart in opposite directions. SpaceGodzilla barely registered the thud of his foe’s body hitting the ground, instead focusing on the slowly fading dot in the distance. He wanted to chase after it, but the saurian’s rational mind stopped him.

He would have to fight a creature at least on the same level of power as himself. This did not halt him, for he was confident he could overcome such a trial. But, it had not fought him alone here, and he doubted their next meeting would just be a duel. He would be up against an army.

Destoroyah’s raspy call struck his ears. The leviathan turned to face the approaching micro-oxygen spawn.

SpaceGodzilla immediately hatched an idea. The creature before him was strong, he could tell from the viscera of the insectoids which covered it. If he could convince the spawn of the Oxygen Destroyer to join him, they would be unstoppable.

Destoroyah had other plans as it sprayed a stream of violet energy from its maw. The Precambrian horror was intelligent enough to understand that the creature before it was not the Godzilla that had earned its full scorn, but he was similar enough to prompt hatred. It would die, then Destoroyah would pursue the crystal-coated insectoid that had taken its true target. If its congregated mind had put the pieces together correctly, that Trilopod had stolen this creature’s abilities, meaning this battle would teach the destroyer how to combat it.

A crystalline barrier blocked the Oxygen Destroyer Ray, deflecting it into the air. SpaceGodzilla roared to his attacker, demanding a moment to communicate. Destoroyah replied with disdain, denying the request as its wings beat. Taking off, the crustacean flew towards its target. Before the crustacean could close the distance, the cosmic leviathan cried out once more, questioning why it had come here.

With both feet held forward, Destoroyah barreled into its foe, throwing SpaceGodzilla to the ground. Dust flew up around him as he landed, the streets breaking beneath. Landing before the downed cosmic saurian, Destoroyah laughed. Deciding to humor the request, it released a shriek, stating that it had come to kill one who resembled him. Immediately, SpaceGodzilla replied, revealing that he had the same goal. In his mind, the extraterrestrial was angered at the thought of competition. When he looked up at the crustacean, he could not help but recoil at the wrathful hiss Destoroyah let loose.

Thrusting its head down, the hive mind activated the Variable Slicer, intent on disembowelment. When the barrier came up, the crimson saber tore through it, shattering the crystals with a booming crash. Both colossi had their vision obscured by the resulting light show, but both quickly knew what was happening regardless. SpaceGodzilla cried out, his stomach slit open by the blade.

When the light faded, both looked upon the oozing wound. The alien regarded it with horror, floating away from his attacker. Without his shield taking the brunt of the slash, that would have been a death sentence. Destoroyah mockingly howled towards him, beginning to beat its wings once more.

SpaceGodzilla twisted in place, smashing his tail against the crustacean’s skull. Destoroyah groaned, stumbling to the side. The bundle of gemstones at the end of the tail came down like a hammer upon the hive mind’s head, doubling it over. It had broken the skin, bringing yellow blood to pour onto Destoroyah’s face.

With another shriek, the leviathan revealed that he felt similarly about the crustacean taking what was rightfully his. Before he could continue, Destoroyah looked towards him, hatred burning in its eyes as it bellowed. The atomic saurian had torn it apart, scorching its body. If it were not for its abnormal biology, it would have died that day. Vengeance would belong to the swarm. SpaceGodzilla growled. His earthen counterpart had done the exact same to him, immolating him with crimson pillars of radiation. He had been reduced to a pitiful state, drifting as particles which barely clung to sentience.

Destoroyah was silent, caught off guard by their similarities. SpaceGodzilla was similarly surprised, but he was not still, seizing the opportunity before him. He continued, stating that neither of them would be able to seize their vengeance as things were. Godzilla was lost to the Trilopods, an army capable of stealing the power of their foes. Nothing could take that on alone.

The Oxygen Destroyer’s child caught on, but said nothing. To ally with another entity was against everything it had believed in. But when it looked into SpaceGodzilla’s eyes, it sensed the same was true for the cosmic saurian.

Destoroyah shrieked, announcing that they would work together until Godzilla was free of the Trilopods’ grasp. Once that was done, their alliance ended, and one would kill the other. SpaceGodzilla cackled, accepting.

With that, they took off together, flying side by side in pursuit of their quarry.

***

Far above them, Karkaro watched the duo. His teeth grinded together, grip on the arms of his throne tightening. Despite his anger, he could not say he had not come out on top in this exchange. He cared little about the deaths of those Trilopods. The one mimicking Titanosaurus had already served its purpose of retrieving the body of the false King Ghidorah. The body of King Ghidorah was trapped within the Trilopod hive, ready to be harvested to create more hybrids at any moment. Soon enough, Godzilla’s would as well. More importantly, their DNA was at the Cryog’s disposal.

He addressed his subordinates. “We need to consolidate our power! Gather our most powerful hybrids in Japan that can arrive in time!”

As the overlord’s lackeys went to work, one raised a question. “Sire, are you sure this is a good plan? We can’t let the Earth’s defenses recuperate too much!”

Karkaro’s eyes locked onto him, sending a pulse of fear throughout the lowly Cryog. “Two creatures, each as strong as, if not stronger, than the creature that destroyed our home–” he paused, taking a deep breath. His stare grew distant for a moment, before he shook his head, “–are currently heading directly towards the Trilopod hive. One of them was able to sense Godzilla across the galaxy, which means that it will know exactly where he is no matter what we do.”

“Let the pitiful humans and their guardians breathe!” The overlord continued, practically snarling. The lackey who had questioned him began slowly backing away as Karkaro began walking towards him. “They will be powerless before us soon enough, but not if those two destroy the hive first!”

“But, what about Magita? Surely she will destroy them?”

“No, you imbecile, we can’t control her! We need Godzilla’s body for this to work, and she’ll just eat it! If she’s active, our plan has already failed!” By this point, he had reached the inquisitive underling. Karkaro towered above his fellow Cryog, their natural difference in height exaggerated by the underling shrinking back before the presence of his lord. Karkaro locked eyes with his shivering minion. “Have I made myself clear?” The lowly Cryog nodded his head in affirmation. Karkaro turned after this, walking back towards his throne. “Question me again, and you’ll never say another word.”

“Yes sir.” The Cryog replied, on the brink of passing out, before returning to his work.

Karkaro looked down at the planet below. He did not just want to conquer this world for the sake of finding his people a new home. It was also because this world had stolen what belonged to them.

Vengeance.

***

Five Years Prior, 1999

“Lord Karkaro!” The voice of a young Cryog male echoed throughout the chamber that the emperor declared his throne room. His two guards at his sides grasped their weapons tighter, ready to attack at a moment’s notice.

“What is it, subordinate? Speak quickly, I have important business to attend to.” Karkaro replied, much more lax than his guards. He himself could easily overpower any would-be assassin, and he personally doubted that anyone would even desire such a thing. He was a perfect ruler, they would not dare ruin that.

“King Ghidorah has been slain!”

The cephalopodian emperor’s calm annoyance was shattered, replaced with a swirl of emotion that did not sway any particular direction.

Not yet at least.

“What?” He said, almost monotone. Memories of fire swallowing buildings and Cryog, smoke blotting out the heavens, and death all around arose in his mind. Him fleeing into a spaceship, his people powerless, only able to follow him in an escape from their ancestral home.

A golden serpent of three heads, wings spread to blot out the light, cackling maniacally as he rained down death.

“It’s true, my lord! King Ghidorah has been slain on a world known as Earth!”

Karkaro had not even heard of such a planet. He found himself standing up out of his throne, shouting before he even knew he was doing so.

“You barge into my throne room, speaking such nonsense, I should have you–”

A third voice cut in. “It is no jest, my lord.” A scientist, their name escaping the emperor at the moment due to the pounding headache suddenly developing. “We last spotted the destroyer of our world approaching a star system in this arm of the galaxy. He has not left it in weeks. As well, there is a signal from a planet in that region, the only one that currently supports life.”

Pulling out a recording device, the scientist pushed a button to begin its transmission. A deep voice speaking in a measured tone began to emanate from it. ”Attention any who hear this message. We, the people of the planet known as Earth, have bore witness to the demise of the golden destroyer of worlds known as King Ghidorah. Under the thrall of a race of aliens known as the Kilaak, they attempted to use him to destroy our planet. He was slain by our native monsters, who then proceeded to destroy the Kilaak base. Those who lived in fear of him, you may rest easy, and those who would seek to assail our home as many others have, know that you will be attempting to attack the planet that the killer of a thousand worlds fell before.”

The recording stopped. Karkaro sat in silence, his subjects in the room with him feeling their hearts beating heavily as seconds felt like hours. His face was unreadable, until he spoke.

“Find that world, and take us to it.” He said, seething yet calm.

“But sir–”

The repeat of the command was not so quiet. “I said find it, now! Or else you will wish you had not left our world!”

***

Ultimately, he had decided not to wage war with the world at that time. But he had begun preparations to do so, going to great lengths to become a force that would be feared across creation. Had King Ghidorah still lived, their new empire would have slaughtered him with ease and left him nothing more than fuel for their army.

But what mattered now was Earth, having taken away the glory that should have been theirs. He would not have it be stolen again, not by these two. Earth would fall, and it would be him ruling over it, and broadcasting to the universe their dominion.

***

Neither of the destructive titans said anything on their journey. Used to lives of solitude and lashing out against all other life forms, the inclination for social interaction was present in neither. Occasionally, one would stare at the other, before going back to looking straight ahead towards their goal.

SpaceGodzilla was conflicted on how to feel about the being he had made an alliance with. The hive mind carried immense power, almost overwhelmingly so. Destoroyah could serve as an excellent warrior for his empire, a dark knight to enforce his will and dominion. But, he knew this was only a fantasy. The micro-oxygen spawn was indomitable and unstable. Once he was no longer useful to it, the leviathan would be forced to fight for his life. And if he was not prepared, he would lose.

Destoroyah found its fellow colossi interesting. They shared similar motives, a determination to exact revenge upon one who had nearly killed both of them. Perhaps in another life, it would have sought kinship with SpaceGodzilla, becoming friends catalyzed by spite. The heavens and hells would tremble before their power. But, it was not to be. Life had only been cruel to the swarm, imbedding within the collective consciousness the ideal that only itself was to be trusted. When Godzilla laid before them both, ally would turn against ally. SpaceGodzilla had held back during their meeting, trying to forge the alliance. Destoroyah knew that the battle between them would be brutal, the winner barely clinging to victory with blood soaked claws.

Both found themselves mentally pulled back to the past, after learning of the other’s conviction.

***
1994, Osaka, Japan.

His pride had done this to him.

Agony tore through his body once more, inflicted by a crimson lance. He stared his genetic precursor in the face, shrieking in hatred. The leviathan spat back with his own powerful bellow, back spines filling with a blood-red power. Another pillar of atomic power, wrapped in spirals of white, left the ebony saurian’s maw. It crashed into the spaceborne terror’s stomach, tearing it apart in a cascade of nuclear explosions.

SpaceGodzilla’s body glowed brilliantly, before shards of it began to flake off and ascend. Soon, it looked like a glowing snowfall in reverse. Godzilla watched as they rose beyond his sight. Once they were all gone, the King of the Monsters turned away, walking back towards the sea once more.

Unbeknownst to him, a consciousness still dwelt within the shards.

***

1995, Tokyo…

Was this all its life would be?

Yellow blood poured from the hive mind’s mouth as it shrieked, a large portion of its head having just exploded. It could only look upon its foe in fear, the tide of battle having changed in a moment. The dying king stepped forth, his face contorted in pain. Walls of fire erupted from his back, warping the air with heat and incinerating whatever it struck. Another colossal beam, interlaced with pink spirals, soared forth from between his jaws. It ripped into the spawn of the Oxygen Destroyer, tearing its chest open.

Flapping its wings, Destoroyah took off into the air. The crustacean had to escape, relieve itself of this agony. Suddenly, missiles crashed into its wounds, exploding into white mist. The upward climb stopped, a horrid cold assailing the hive mind’s wounds. Blue rays of light speared into the wounds, assailing them with similar temperatures as they turned the muscles into frozen husks. Destoroyah dropped, screaming all the way down.

Godzilla unleashed another Red Spiral Ray. His final attack struck the half-dead crustacean as it crashed, before detonating in an immense explosion. Shockwaves gutted the ground around the blast, forming a crater. Immediately, all focus fell on the melting leviathan, those who had shot Destoroyah down scrambling to save the Earth itself.

Meanwhile, something still survived in the crater, too small for the naked eye to see.

***

2004, Present Day, Tokyo

Time was of the essence for the extraterrestrial arthropod as he soared into Tokyo. He saw his kin gathering within the ruined metropolis, around the monolithic nest they had all originated from. They awaited battle, the various hybrids practically twitching in anticipation. Shifting back into his standard form, the crystals shrouding the insectoid faded away. The SpaceGodzilla-Trilopod landed before the nest, humbled by the towering structure. Even if all the skyscrapers of Tokyo still stood, the alien hive would have dwarfed them. Dropping Godzilla, he watched an Alpha skitter over to the body. As it drained blood, something descended from the clouds, soon revealing itself to be a spaceship. The crawling alien pulled its fangs free, crawling away towards a waiting Beta. Even in his comatose state, Godzilla’s wound was quickly sealed shut.

Barely focusing on the Cryog vessel currently slicing away a sample of skin from the leviathan, the crystalline alien instead focused on the lack of Alphas crawling into Godzilla. He had expected a feeding frenzy, not only one feeder. He noticed one of the crawlers hiding behind a row of buildings. No doubt it was waiting for a more powerful meal, just as the Alpha that had contributed to the SpaceGodzilla-Trilopod had done.

Taking one more look at the nest as the Cryog retreated back to their lofty seats, watching his kin lift Godzilla’s body into the one of the many chambers of their home, he could not help but let a chittering laughter ring out. The gathered horde joined it, filling the desolate metropolis with the unholy chorus.

***

Soon, the duo of destroyers had entered the land of the rising sun. Both growled as they noticed how barren it was, every city torn asunder. No signs of life greeted them as they soared. What both had sought to do, their enemy had already carried out.

Nothing of note happened until they reached the outskirts of Tokyo. At first, they saw mangled piles of metal and wiring scattered over the landscape. SpaceGodzilla noticed the severed head of the machine which had battled him alongside Godzilla, half of it crushed and spilling sparks. Two other mechanical heads caught their attention, still resembling the King of the Monsters even in their ruined states. Broken bones were mingled in with one set of wreckage, stirring a sensation of familiarity in Destoroyah’s mind. It could not recall why this was, but it could not shake the feeling of a distant, foggy memory. SpaceGodzilla felt similarly connected to them, but he could tell why. Those bones had belonged to a relative of his, though no doubt quite distant. Judging by the state of them, the Trilopods had ripped them apart seeking bone marrow. He was relieved to notice the bones were utterly dry within, no doubt the marrow having disappeared long ago.

Their eyes drifted upwards, taking in a city pockmarked with craters. It had recently been a war zone, and the victors took little time to make themselves known.

Crystals sprouted from the ground surrounding a skyscraper, the structure itself untouched despite how much wreckage framed it. Within the fortress was the arthropod who had built the crystals, powering himself with the cosmic energy its centerpiece siphoned from space. He turned towards the duo, letting out a shriek.

The darkened clouds parted as three figures descended. Immediately they recognized the central Trilopod, as it had also stolen DNA from King Ghidorah. At his right, a white insectoid, with elaborately patterned wings whose bright colors greatly contrasted with the dark atmosphere. To the left, a purple insectoid, with dully colored sharp wings, pincer claws instead of the usual scythes, and a lengthy tail ending in a wicked stinger.

Along with the golden dragon, the mimics of Mothra and Megaguirus flew towards their targets. The former’s wings beat gently to keep her aloft, the latter’s meanwhile moving fast enough to blur. They split up, the false Meganulon queen obviously much faster. The King Ghidorah-Trilopod fired his golden rays. SpaceGodzilla and Destoroyah withstood them, before flying up to meet their foe in the air. Before they could reach the golden alien, rainbow-colored beams blazed into the micro-oxygen spawn’s side as a dark blur slammed into the cosmic leviathan’s side.

He struggled to stay airborne as the colossal insect latched onto him, raking her claws across his body. Destoroyah turned to face its ally, only for the Mothra-Trilopod to fly overhead, casting a golden dust from her wings. The divine pretender twisted her body, firing both vibrant rays from her antennae and yellow lightning from her wings. Gravity Bolts from above joined the assault, the many beams striking the powder and being directed into Destoroyah’s body. The crustacean cried out, wings beating rapidly and dispersing the scales.

The Megaguirus-Trilopod curled her stinger back, but before she could thrust it forward, SpaceGodzilla shoved her with hands that crackled with his power. Sparks flew as the energy was conducted into the insectoid, forcing her back with a shriek. The cosmic leviathan prepared to follow up with a Corona Beam, only for the feet of the King Ghidorah-Trilopod to crash against his back. The golden arthropod flew up, insectoid faces doing the closest they could get to smug grins. An Oxygen Destroyer Ray sweeping up his back stopped this, expressions twisting in pain. Wings battered SpaceGodzilla as the false Meganulon queen rushed past him. She sliced Destoroyah’s wing in a flyby, leaving a slight tear in the membrane. The micro-oxygen spawn’s flight grew unstable, especially as it thrashed about trying to keep track of her foes.

What resembled a glowing, white arrowhead followed by a trail of orange light lanced into Destoroyah’s side, blasting a crater into its body. For a split second, the crustacean blamed its ally, only to be reminded the hard way that he had fallen victim to the chief gimmick of their foes already. The SpaceGodzilla-Trilopod kicked Destoroyah in the skull at Mach speeds, sending the Precambrian behemoth spiraling out of the air. Yellow blood trailed behind it.

As his three underlings raced down to further attack Destoroyah, the crystalline arthropod locked eyes with a furious SpaceGodzilla. His doppelgänger was a reminder of his shortcomings, like all of his failures manifested into a single body. Eradicating it would be so cathartic. With a shout, he charged, the arthropod doing the same without a sound.

On the ground, Destoroyah slowly got up, groaning. Hearing the familiar sound of rushing wind and buzzing wings, the crustacean ignited its Variable Slicer while thrusting its head up. The blur of the Megaguirus-Trilopod instantly solidified, barely avoiding the saber with a last-second movement to the side. Chittering in panic, she backed away from another swipe. Vibrant beams fell upon Destoroyah, doing little more than leaving superficial damage and drawing its attention. The crimson saber faded as the crustacean turned, attempting to shoot the false moth god down. The Mothra-Trilopod stopped beating her wings, letting her fall away from the violet streak of energy. Spreading her wings once more allowed the colorful alien to continue pelting her enemy with her beams.

All of Tokyo heard the sound of the two crystalline conquerors colliding. They pushed against one another, growling and hissing. Finding themselves in a stalemate, they backpedaled, firing Corona Beams. The two rays soared towards each other, until diverting at the last second. Instead of colliding, they swerved to strike their respective targets. SpaceGodzilla and his insectoid duplicate earned matching burns on their stomachs.

So, they were even. Too even.

The Trilopod turned away, flying deeper into the city. Instantly, SpaceGodzilla knew where he was heading, and he followed. It was exactly where he would have gone in this situation had he set up a fortress.

Hot on the heels of his twisted mirror, the cosmic leviathan activated his Gravity Tornado, sending the green lines sailing forth. They wrapped around the crystalline arthropod, stopping him in place. He spun the invertebrate to face him, cackling.

Azure radiation burned into SpaceGodzilla’s abdomen, throwing him off balance and dispersing his telekinetic hold. Another Atomic Breath rose towards him as the SpaceGodzilla-Trilopod retreated once more, but this time, he raised his barrier. It reflected the nuclear power towards the crystalline insectoid, only for his own shield to arise and cast the light into the heavens. SpaceGodzilla barely glanced down at the mimicry of Godzilla before once again rushing towards his main priority. The arthropod resembling the King of the Monsters ran beneath his foe, tracking him.

***

Destoroyah, despite the damage to its wing, was still able to fly relatively easily. It took off towards the trio, trying to intimidate them with a frightful howl. The Ghidorah-Trilopod descended towards the crustacean, intent on dropping feet-first onto the skull. Instead, Destoroyah rammed its shoulder into the golden alien’s stomach, breaking skin with the spike located atop the joint. Its claws clutched the skin of the draconic arthropod, and the micro-oxygen spawn flew down with the dragon held before it.

Neither of the dragon’s allies could stop him from being slammed into the ground, creating a crater on impact. Destoroyah began hacking away at the golden chest of its foe. Blood stained the claws, only compelling the crustacean to keep at it. Before it could reach anything vital, the three heads of the alien sprayed their Gravity Bolts onto Destoroyah’s upper body, driving the crustacean back a step. The Megaguirus-Trilopod perched herself onto the micro-oxygen spawn’s back, prompting a surprised shriek from Destoroyah as it stumbled backwards.

Bashing her claws against the Precambrian behemoth, the insectoid tried to force her foe to the ground. Instead of falling, the congregated hive mind madly thrashed around, making it difficult for the alien to remain latched on. The Mothra-Trilopod descended, kicking Destoroyah in the chest. The crustacean lunged forward, bashing both insectoid foes into one another. They collapsed in a tangle of limbs, screeching and flailing as they tried to separate. Destoroyah turned, slamming a stomp into the back of the false Mothra. Chitin broke beneath the weight, the two aliens crying out once more.

Two golden scythes wrapped around Destoroyah’s stomach, pulling the crustacean back from the insectoids. As the two began to get up, the micro-oxygen spawn wrapped her tail’s claw around the leg of the dragon. A quick jolt was enough to make the dragon release his foe. Before anymore could be done, the golden alien freed his leg, before taking off into the skies once more, joining its comrades. Destoroyah howled in rage at the perceived cowardice, before racing upwards as well.

***

SpaceGodzilla was near Tokyo Bay by the time he reached the fortress of his insectoid mimic. The skyscraper making up the center of the stronghold surged with cosmic energy, which flowed into the shoulder crystals of the Trilopod who had set it up. The arthropod raised an arm, causing several crystals to light up at their bases. The gemstones rose into the air, sparks erupting from beneath them like the jets of rockets. Twisting in midair, the structures were pointed towards SpaceGodzilla before launching like missiles.

The cosmic leviathan instinctively attempted to psychically exert control over them. They began to slow, enough to be noticeable but still nowhere near stopping. Stopping this quickly failing countermeasure, SpaceGodzilla tried reaching out to the rest of the fortress with his mind.

As if it were his own creation, several crystals rose just as they had for the insectoid. With a telepathic command, they crashed into the launched projectiles. SpaceGodzilla smirked at his foe as a cluster of explosions erupted between them. Shards of extraterrestrial rock flew in all directions, illuminating the night with glittering lights.

It was just as much his fortress as it was the Trilopod’s. It was his DNA that was responsible for this, meaning he had just as much access to it as its creator. Around him, earth split open and sprouted glowing crystals. If the arthropod was enraged by this development, he did not make that known with any expression or body language. Instead, the same piercing stare and emotionless face greeted SpaceGodzilla when the smoke cleared.

Another Atomic Breath blazed into the crystal saurian’s back, making him cry out as he stumbled forward. A Corona Beam from the Trilopod’s mouth speared into his stomach, doubling his pain. Hunched over, the saurian felt dread replace pride as the distorted call of the Godzilla-Trilopod echoed behind him. Hatred smothered the fear and trepidation, propelling SpaceGodzilla into the air. Twisting in midair, he sent the crystals he had grown soaring up with him.

Pointing his arms forward, he sent them towards the false king. The Godzilla-Trilopod fired his beam upon the colossal spears, detonating a few in the air. But still more came down upon the dark insectoid, bursting and shrouding him in spheres of light. Just barely, the cosmic leviathan could make out the shrieks of his pain through the blasts.

He quickly turned in time to bash his tail against the face of the charging SpaceGodzilla-Trilopod. This failed to deter the attack, as the arthropod lunged once more and sliced at his stomach. Blood sprayed from the saurian’s body. SpaceGodzilla tried to fight back, but his relatively small arms flailing did nothing to stop the arthropod from rising into the air and bringing both scythes down onto the saurian’s skull.

Tokyo shook as the crystal tyrant crashed to the ground, head painted red. The world was a blur. His vision solidified when a foot crashed into his chest, revealing the burnt body of the Godzilla-Trilopod gazing down with hatred burning in his crimson orbs. Stepping back, he opened his maw as the red gems on his chest glowed.

An Atomic Breath joined by the lasers all members of his species could utilize crashed against the prone leviathan, blue and red light shrouding SpaceGodzilla from sight. Even if he could not see his target, the Godzilla-Trilopod relished in the sight. Cutting off power to his beams, the burn covered body of the leviathan was revealed. He was limp, the rising and falling of his chest the only sign he was alive. The chittering laughter of the insectoid clone of Godzilla rang out, victorious. He looked up towards his comrade, who only stared down at the scene. When the Godzilla-Trilopod charged his beams once more to finish his foe off, the crystalline arthropod stopped it with a shriek. This was an act. The gathering energy dispersed as the atomic alien looked up, replying.

SpaceGodzilla howled, springing up into the air. His claws, shimmering with channeled energy, scraped across the throat of the facsimile of his genetic precursor. The Godzilla-Trilopod let out a choked call, staggering back as his spines flashed. The freshly carved holes in his throat were widened when streaks of nuclear energy broke out from them for a moment before he immediately cut power to it. SpaceGodzilla stared at him with rage. He would have deflected the beams right back upon their wielder, leaving the arthropod open to be finished off with ease. A Corona Beam rose within his own throat, only for a Gravity Tornado to wrap around him. He struggled against it for a moment as he was lifted up, before still letting the ray loose. It raced towards the Godzilla-Trilopod, but the extra moment had allowed him to turn away and fall forward. Instead of having his throat blown apart, he merely had his back torn open. SpaceGodzilla wanted to keep firing, but the telekinetic hold clasped his mouth shut.

Raising the crystalline saurian to his level, the Trilopod ceased the Gravity Tornado. The arthropod’s tail shot forward just as he did so, nearly impaling the leviathan. SpaceGodzilla barely dodged to the side, only causing a wound to be carved into his stomach. He lunged forward, swiping his claws across the insectoid’s face. A kick to the hip was the arthropod’s response.

The two pulled back as the skyscraper surged with power once more. Four streaks of energy split out from it, flowing into the twin wielders of cosmic energy. Windows shattered within the structure, weaker parts of its metallic foundation glowing with heat. Even with the alterations that came with its rebranding into a cosmic lightning rod, fueling two power hungry tyrants was pushing it to its limit.

They rushed once more towards the other. When they collided, a shockwave rushed out. The skyscraper sagged slightly, the groan of protesting steel ringing out once the rush of wind faded.

They were face to face. Between the mouths of SpaceGodzilla and his counterpart, an orange sphere of energy formed as they fired their signature attacks simultaneously. It was nearly touching them as they fed the orb power. It budged towards neither direction, only growing more unstable with the passing seconds. If either one of them did not have eyes adjusted to the unfiltered rays of stars, its light would have blinded him.

Down below, the Godzilla-Trilopod turned to witness the clash. Blood still poured from his throat despite the actively working regeneration. He gazed in awe as the light their clash generated silhouetted them.

Then he turned, leaping to the ground belly-first as the light surged and flickered. Sparks and streaks spilled from the writhing sphere, but neither of the colossi backed down. Neither could even see their foe, but the knowledge they were just behind the all-encompassing light was enough to keep pushing.

Until it burst.

***

Earlier, elsewhere within the city…

A shrill chirp rang out as Destoroyah’s fist crashed into the false moth’s back, shattering plates. She fluttered away, unstably so. Before the micro-oxygen spawn could further brutalize its foe, the other Trilopods flanked the crustacean. Several cuts formed upon Destroroyah’s body as the false Meganulon queen dashed around, and were widened when Gravity Bolts tore into them. A wild swing from the crustacean’s arm smacked the Megaguirus-Trilopod across the face, forcing her away. An Oxygen Destroyer Ray being swept across the Ghidorah-Trilopod’s stomach nearly sent him careening to the ground.

The child of the Oxygen Destroyer took a moment to breathe as its foes retreated and gathered.

Suddenly, the ground began rumbling below. Destoroyah would not have noticed if it were not for the shaking buildings, but this warning did little good. Chitin-covered tendrils erupted from the concrete, rising towards the crustacean. The micro-oxygen spawn howled in anguish as spear-tipped vines pierced its body, spilling yellow blood. The appendages tensed, pulling it down towards their source.

The attacker ripped its way out of the ground, bellowing. Dark green covered its bulbous body, the texture that of a plant. Mandibles stretched out to resemble a crocodile’s upper jaw, the lower jaw opening wide and crunching down on Destoroyah’s arm. Colossal scythes protruding from its front crashed against Destoroyah’s body, tearing away chunks of carapace. More vines arose from the ground, lashing against the restrained colossus. A glowing core shielded by patterns of its armor rested within the “stomach” of the strange beast.

The Biollante-Trilopod continued trying to rip the micro-oxygen spawn apart, thrashing her head back and forth to try and rip the arm off. Destoroyah clawed at the behemoth of an alien with its free hand, quickly realizing that such an attack would do little good when the plant-hybrid only seemed to grow more aggressive. Opening its maw, it unleashed a violet stream of caustic energy into the side of its foe’s skull. The Biollante-Trilopod opened her maw wide to release a scream as a burning hole was carved into the head, allowing Destoroyah to free its arm and move back slightly. Opening the bone pattern on its chest, the Precambrian terror unleashed a powerful Stomach Beam. The chimera’s throat was pierced, spraying ichor in all directions, a gurgled cry leaving her mouth.

Beating its wings, Destoroyah flew back, preparing to activate the Variable Slicer and finish this now. The interference of the Megaguirus-Trilopod stopped this, the alien dragonfly rushing into the crustacean and driving a claw into a still gaping wound. The insectoid smirked at her foe as the flowing blood stained her pincers, flexing them as much as she could to maximize pain. Destoroyah’s claws closed around her head, stopping the smirk as the micro-oxygen spawn began applying pressure. Cracks formed on the chitin, prompting horror within the sadistic dragonfly. Beams from the other two Trilopods descended upon Destoroyah, but the demon endured their sting to continue crushing the skull of the pest which had irritated it so. Blood began staining the talons, the Megaguirus-Trilopod desperately bashing at her foe to stop this before it reached the threshold of no-return.

The monolithic alien before them lurched forward, opening her maw as her core crackled with emerald energy. The hole in her throat was smaller, the black pit burned into her skull slowly fading. From the cavernous maw came a torrent of bright green acid which glowed like neon, strands of it leaking down from the hole in the esophagus. It splashed upon Destoroyah’s stomach, dripping into open wounds and deforming the carapace. Releasing the dragonfly, it backed away while howling in misery.

Golden feet crashed into the distracted crustacean, sending it crumbling to the ground. It tried to get to its feet, only for the Mothra-Trilopod to fly overhead, releasing her glowing scales. Weakened and wounded, Destoroyah was struck with the secondary effect of the powder, that being paralysis. It twitched while attempting to rise, the surrounding ground breaking open with more vines that rose above and fell over It. They tied the crustacean down, restraining the weakened demon.

A low, spite-filled groan left Destoroyah’s maw as the rapid buzzing of the Megaguirus-Trilopod intensified above. The ground shook as the Biollante-Trilopod inched closer, tearing apart earth and concrete with its strange roots. Even if it could not see them at the moment, the crustacean could feel their leering faces.

A rolling roar blotted out all noise. From the edge of Tokyo came a brilliant, blinding light.

Smoke billowed through the streets and the gaps between buildings. A fireball towered into the heavens, any buildings caught within it being erased. Just outside of this inferno, towering structures were melted and pulverized, sending great heaps of molten metal flying.

Even though they were miles away from ground zero, the Trilopods and Destoroyah felt waves of blistering heat wash over them. Though it was far from steel melting temperatures, it still hurt the wounded colossi. The sounds of their shrieked pain filled the empty space left by the sound’s fading.

Destoroyah felt the restraining vines loosen. It began to rise, straining against the vines as they tightened once more to try keeping it down. The tendrils were losing the battle, their disadvantage growing as the micro-oxygen spawn began ripping at the limbs with its claws. More vines rose, evening the struggle once more.

Above them, a glowing, screaming mass flew like a ragdoll. It rolled through the air, drawing all eyes to it. Around the time it was near them, the rolling stopped as the figure caught itself. The screaming did not cease.

SpaceGodzilla’s crystals radiated luminance, along with most of his chest. This was because his ribs were exposed, revealing them to be made of the same type of gemstone. Portions of his skull were similarly shining through where skin had once been.

His shoulder crystals absorbed energy, regardless of his conscious choice.

Skin and muscle were growing over his wounds already, slowly obscuring the light. He looked upon the four Trilopods and his ally, focusing despite the blazing anguish throughout his body. In any other situation, he would wait the agony out as his body acclimated to the excess energy. But as the false Ghidorah and Mothra charged at him, no doubt seeking to capitalize on what they viewed as a moment of weakness, he could not resist.

He began madly firing Corona Beams, sending the two retreating as burning craters were carved into their bodies. Turning, he unleashed more upon the Biollante-Trilopod, sending chunks of the hybrid’s body flying as it reeled back. Crystals tore their way out of the ground beneath him, growing at his command.

The vines binding Destoroyah were torn apart by a beam cutting through them, allowing the crustacean to easily stand up. It gazed at the display of power, memories of its defeat at Godzilla’s hands surfacing. In shoving the memories down, the crustacean noticed the disappearance of the Megaguirus-Trilopod.

SpaceGodzilla crashed his bulk against the hybrid of plant and alien, digging his claws into the body. Channeling his power, the insectoid shrieked in agony as her flesh blackened, the saurian howling in joy at the suffering of his foe. His luminance had faded, now the more usual glow within the crystals instead of encompassing them. Bone was still exposed, but only a few patches near the center were still gradually fading. He felt unstoppable as the hybrid feebly fought back, unable to get a good strike with her vines.

A sharp pain in his back stopped these feelings of pride. Crying out, he was pulled away from the Biollante-Trilopod by the beating wings of the false Meganulon queen, who sneered at him from over his shoulder. SpaceGodzilla felt his essence being drained, flowing into the stinger lodged within. He tried to fight back, wanting to electrify his body and send the insectoid reeling. Spear-like tendrils spearing into his torso and legs drove an anguished wail from him, robbing his focus. Covered in burns and withered flesh, the Biollante-Trilopod let loose her booming call.

Something rushed by behind him, pulling the Megaguirus-Trilopod out. Gritting his teeth from the rivers of blood now flowing from the wounds, he turned his head to see Destoroyah gripping the insectoid by the wings. The Precambrian terror fired an Oxygen Destroyer Ray at the vines impaling the saurian, sweeping it up through the cluster of limbs and slicing them all apart.

***

Far above, Karkaro watched the scene unfolding. Another monitor showed him the Godzilla-Trilopod, laying in the crater. He still showed faint signs of life, but was in no condition to fight for now. His spines were shattered, leaving hideous caverns in his back which oozed with blood. A third screen showcased the SpaceGodzilla-Trilopod, over the waters, quickly flying back towards the battle. His crystals shined with power, the wounds sustained in the explosion almost fully healed. He would be a force to be reckoned with.

***

The Megaguirus-Trilopod jammed her stinger into Destoroyah’s thigh, causing the crustacean to release the insectoid while cringing. The power of the micro-oxygen spawn began to flow into the insectoid, prompting a cruel grin to form on the alien’s face. Before she could get into a position where she was less likely to be attacked back by her foe, the smile faded.

***

Karkaro grimaced. Turning away from the battle, still scowling, he activated another screen. It displayed another Cryog, one in a grey, sterile room.

“Have you managed to combine the DNA yet and form the concoction?”

***

The Megaguirus-Trilopod pulled her stinger out, now screeching in anguish as smoke drifted from the warped point. Destoroyah turned to her, now the one grinning in delight. The energy that fueled it was quite unique. Only those with a genetic makeup like the Precambrian terror could wield it. For one who required oxygen, absorbing it would be torturous at best.

***

The scientist replied, slightly nervous. “Not yet sir.”

“How have you not done it yet?” Karkaro demanded.

“Sir, how to create this substance was the one thing the humans did not have in the databases we raided.” He responded.

***

A swipe across the face removed a large shard of the exoskeleton on the Trilopod’s head, reopening wounds. Thinking fast, the insectoid flew away from the Precambrian terror. Destoroyah went to pursue, until it saw swirling, orange energy begin to manifest on the alien bug’s tail. The Trilopod hissed sharply once more as purple energy joined the growing mass.

***

Karkaro’s eye twitched as he took in the information the scientist had relayed. “So, what if they didn’t tell us? The Cryog have been revered across the galaxy for longer than humanity has been able to work metal! You should have already figured it out!”

“Sir, do not underestimate them. There’s reasons so many species have failed to overcome this world, and the local kaiju are not all of them.”

“Just continue working on it.” Karkaro said, rubbing his temple. “And be quick. We can’t risk taking long.” With another tap on the console, he dismissed the scientist, leaving the screen blank. Turning back to face the battle, he sighed. “I eagerly await seeing this world’s lifeforms dead. They have proven themselves to be the most irritating things in the universe at every turn.”

***

With a shriek, the insectoid released the orange sphere, tinged with purple lines, towards her attacker. Destoroyah recoiled, when suddenly a barrier of translucent gemstone manifested before it. The crustacean was able to barely glance at it for an instant before the gathered sphere of energy slammed into it.

The crystal shield shattered, countless lines being refracted off the shield for the split-second it held against the assault. Most burned into the source of the attack. The remains of the sphere crashed into Destoroyah’s chest, detonating in an explosion as big as the crustacean. Crying out, the micro-oxygen spawn was thrown back. It was able to see the Trilopod falling as well, smoke pouring off her body from many black spots, including several holes bored into her wings.

A city block almost collapsed in on itself as the micro-oxygen spawn crashed into it. The insectoid fell forward when her feet hit the ground, groaning in pain. Her eyes grew wide with fear when SpaceGodzilla turned towards her, snarling. Before he could attack, colossal jaws clamped down onto his tail. The Biollante-Trilopod began thrashing her head to shake her enemy, but a jolt of electricity into her maw forced her to let go.

The concrete surrounding the Megaguirus-Trilopod shattered and erupted, which was followed by a chorus of unholy shrieks. Aggregates leaped upon the prone alien, ripping at her hide with their bladed limbs. Panicking, the alien attempted to get to her feet. She could not, the weight of the horde too much. There had to be at least ten assaulting her. They drained the Trilopod’s energy, leaving her even less able to retreat.

Another group of the crustaceans leapt upon the back of the plant-alien hybrid, unveiling their secondary jaws and driving them through the armor. The Biollante-Trilopod cried out, attempting to drive them away with her vines. Tendrils whipped at the hides of the Aggregates, carving gashes into their armor, but still they clung on and pumped caustic chemicals into their foe.

SpaceGodzilla watched with intrigue. Not seeing his ally anywhere, he assumed that she had divided herself into these smaller forms. An unorthodox ability, and one he would have to be wary of when they fought. Seeing the false dragon and moth charging towards the ones upon the plant-hybrid, he rushed to intercept them.

Beams blazed into the Aggregates, sending several falling off as they shrieked in pain. Before the duo of aliens could continue firing, SpaceGodzilla barreled into the Ghidorah-Trilopod. He threw himself off the golden dragon and against the false moth, making sure to bash his shoulder crystal against the insectoid’s skull. The white alien flailed her wings to stay airborne, ichor now flowing from a dent within the shell.

The crustaceans on the plant-hybrid’s body all fell off, fading into mist. Similar happenings occurred with the ones assailing the Megaguirus-Trilopod, leaving the false queen to lie bleeding. She attempted once more to get up, only for her limbs to give out and send her back to the concrete.

Heavy feet splintered the streets before her. A three-taloned hand gripped the alien’s head, before lifting her up to meet Destoroyah eye to eye. The grinning face of the destroyer was the last thing the Trilopod saw before the micro-oxygen spawn’s other hand lashed forward, sandwiching the skull between both hands.

Destoroyah let the now headless body fall, viscera impaled on its talons. The previous damage inflicted to the micro-oxygen spawn was gone, making SpaceGodzilla’s eyes widen. So, to defeat it would require being able to destroy the armada of lesser beasts it could shift into.

The Mothra-Trilopod suddenly flew away from the battle, drawing SpaceGodzilla’s attention. Before he could blast her out of the air, the three jaws of the false Ghidorah clamped onto him. He was keeping his distance from the saurian, his necks stretched forward to their limit. Armored vines lashed at his legs and back. The spaceborne leviathan roared as he tried to fight them off, to no avail as his arms failed to reach the golden alien.

A howl from the Biollante-Trilopod rang out. SpaceGodzilla did not know what it meant, but it sounded concerned to him. The golden alien seemed to glance at her, confused from what the leviathan could tell from its limited expression.

He no longer questioned it when a red saber tore through the Trilopod’s midsection. The pressure of the jaws on his flesh faded as the body of the false Ghidorah fell, the top half crashing to the ground in front of the still standing bottom half. Organs spilled out, more joining the grotesque pile as the legs buckled, tipping the lower parts forward. Destoroyah stood across from him, letting the Variable Slicer fade.

Before the two could assault the hybrid of mutated plant and alien, they were alerted by a hissed call behind them.

Flying over the city, the SpaceGodzilla-Trilopod zeroed in on the duo which posed such a threat to the Cryog plans. Hatred burned within him, propelling him faster through the air. Crystals tore their way out of the ground below him, immediately shooting out of their places and soaring alongside the arthropod.

Five crystals struck each destroyer, the duo not having the time to counter the sudden assault. Their roars were drowned out by the detonations, which threw them onto their backs. With another howl, the crystalline arthropod fired a Corona Beam at Destoroyah, driving another cry of pain from it.

Crystals speared out from the concrete around SpaceGodzilla, shifting to form a cage above his prone body. He lifted himself up, quickly ascending before they could fully close. The saurian tried to swiftly create a plan to deal with his foe, but a stream of acid splashing against the small of his back destroyed whatever had been brewing within his mind.

The Biollante-Trilopod lurched forward, letting loose a foul laugh as her foes panicked. She prepared to unleash more of her acid, opening her maw wide, only for a violet beam to spear down her throat. The hybrid gagged and writhed as Destoroyah got up, continuing to spray its beam down the alien’s mouth.

A hole was carved into the back of the Trilopod’s neck as the caustic energies tore through. The agony stopped when the crystalline insectoid caused the ground before the micro-oxygen spawn to erupt with several gemstones, blocking the Oxygen Destroyer Ray. More grew around Destoroyah, forming walls around it. They attempted to trap the demon, only for the crustacean to activate its laser horn. It swung the blade through a bundle of the extraterrestrial rocks, the heat warping and deforming them. The melted crystals fell before a push, allowing the crustacean to soar through the air towards the floating Trilopod.

SpaceGodzilla joined, both flexing their claws in anticipation. The crystalline insectoid landed, generating a shield when their beams were fired towards him. Raising his scythe, dozens of crystals rose into the air at his command, racing towards his foes. Their charge stopped as they attempted to swerve between them.

Destoroyah blasted a crystal out of the air with its beam, sending a shower of sparks to the ground. It threw itself to the right, narrowly dodging another of the behemoth projectiles, only for the stone to turn in midair and race straight towards its target. Before the crustacean could shoot it from the sky as well, another crystal crashed into the demon’s back, exploding and launching it forward into the one it had focused on. The Precambrian terror cried out in rage as a third crystal exploded against its carapace, blasting away armor plating.

SpaceGodzilla was faring a little better. Dropping beneath a crystal aimed at his head, he attempted to split his focus and control some of his foe’s crystals as he had before. None so much as twitched, even when he put his full focus into it for a moment. His doppelgänger looked up at him, staring into his eyes. It was at this point the leviathan realized just how luminous his foe’s shoulder crystals were, still pulsing with energy even as more gemstones ripped their way out of the ground. The saurian cursed himself for not realizing it sooner. Without having expelled the excess energy absorbed from the explosion, his body had absorbed it and given him far greater levels of power.

Focusing on dodging once more, which failed to prevent a crystal from slamming into his side, he roared to Destoroyah. He revealed that they would need to drain his energy somehow to do anything, just before a Corona Beam which shined even more intensely than usual tore into his stomach. Ripping apart his flesh and muscle, the blast sent him reeling out of the skies with a shriek.

The crustacean, upon hearing this, immediately dissolved into mist. The SpaceGodzilla-Trilopod caught this development. Suddenly, an array of crystals a dozen strong hovered into the air above him, pointed downwards. They would fall at his command, for he had not forgotten this trick of the micro-oxygen spawn.

SpaceGodzilla, slowly getting up, took note of the tactic. He was trying to regain his bearings, slouching. It seemed fate would not avail him of this as chitinous vines tore out of the ground, wrapping around his limbs. He shocked them, forcing them off his body. Something heavy slammed into the back of his head, throwing him to the ground. Rolling over, he saw the Biollante-Trilopod leering over him, quickly approaching as she howled.

He commanded crystals to sprout in front of the charging hybrid, attempting to block her. Swinging her head like a hammer, she dislodged the stones and knocked them away with explosions of dirt and stone. The cosmic saurian lifted himself up, whipping his tail across the hybrid’s face. The Biollante-Trilopod snapped her jaws towards him, but SpaceGodzilla narrowly backed away, leaving them to bite the air. He dropped, bringing both feet down upon the top of the alien’s skull, forcing her head low. A Corona Beam left his maw, crashing against her back.

Several flying Aggregates manifested, shooting their beams at their foe. The SpaceGodzilla-Trilopod immediately sent the barrage towards them. Instead of scattering, they dissolved once more, causing the crystals to halt their flights. Before he could bring them back to hover above him, a large cluster of Aggregates suddenly emerged from the ground, the rest of the swarm. Leaping upon his body, they sprayed micro-oxygen upon the insectoid. Feeling them draining his energy, the Trilopod commanded his crystals to soar towards himself. Several of the creatures left off, but most of the Aggregates stayed latched on, meaning that the alien still let the crystals crash against his body.

Regret settled in as the blast sent pain shooting through his body. The insectoid hissed as he stumbled back, sizable burns left on his body. He began to absorb the ambient energy, but before he could relish in this, a cascade of purple lights manifested right before him.

Destoroyah, back in its final form, wrapped its tail pincer around the alien’s neck. Instead of conducting electricity, the child of the Oxygen Destroyer began to absorb the enemy’s energy. The alien lunged forward, attempting to slice the restraining appendage off, but the crustacean reacted in time and caught the scythes. Cringing as the blades dug into its hands, the micro-oxygen spawn pushed against the crystalline arthropod.

Vines stabbed into SpaceGodzilla’s feet as he hovered above the insectoid, tensing to pull against him. He fought back, tearing them with the crystals at the end of his tail, spilling their acidic blood upon the streets. The Trilopod summoned power from her core, spraying a geyser of acid upward. SpaceGodzilla sidestepped it, leaving the caustic fluids to fall upon a distant building and reduce it to a molten mess. He quickly fired a Corona Beam down the still opened maw, lighting up her dark guts. The Trilopod groaned in agony as smoke rose from her throat, limbs flailing. The saurian looked upon his handiwork, eyes designed originally to see in the dark depths of the ocean able to see the hybrid’s organs knitting themselves together. An idea to permanently put the insectoid down began to brew.

With his energy being drained, the crystalline arthropod could not utilize his special abilities. But he could still break this physical stalemate. The arthropod’s tail lashed against Destoroyah’s leg, tearing a wound into it. Being caught off guard, the micro-oxygen spawn winced in pain. The lapse in focus let the Trilopod free his scythes, before striking at his foe’s tail. The end of Destoroyah’s tail was nearly severed by the strikes, causing it to immediately relinquish the grip and pull the limb back. Anguish speared through the appendage, blood spraying from it.

A Corona Beam speared into the crustacean’s chest, blasting a crater into the carapace. Destoroyah knew it had drained enough energy from its foe, as it was able to retaliate with an Oxygen Destroyer Ray right into the Trilopod’s face just afterwards. The bones on its chest flared open, the revealed orifice glowing as a concussive blast forced the alien back.

Destoroyah laughed between firings of its violet beam as it turned the energy it had drained against the Trilopod. Its anatomy meant the crustacean could not utilize it as effectively as its ally or his invertebrate mimic, but it still handily renewed its power levels. The crystalline alien could only stagger back as repeated firings of the concussive wave and Oxygen Destroyer Ray assailed him. Chunks of armor flew away with each strike, blackened trenches being left in the wake of the purple lance. They came too rapidly for him to focus and erect the barrier. He tried to defend with his scythes, but they did little.

A chirping call hit the demon’s ears, but the crustacean was too focused on ripping into the enemy. Destoroyah noticed when a golden powder fell upon its body, suddenly turning its beam back upon herself. Stepping back involuntarily, the demon was able to glance up at the Mothra-Trilopod, along with something clutched in the secondary limbs on the moth’s midsection. A Corona Beam struck the scales, being split into glowing streaks which speared into Destoroyah’s body. As the crustacean howled in pain, the false moth of divinity maneuvered behind her target, lowering herself to be nearly touching the micro-oxygen spawn. The Alpha-Trilopod in her secondary legs leaned forward, digging its jaws into Destoroyah’s hide.

The blood of the child of the Oxygen Destroyer hurt for it to drink. It burned going down, and only got worse when it reached the stomach. But the Alpha endured, only spurred on by the promise of the great power it would partake in. As quickly as it had begun, it had gained its fill, unlatching the mandibles. Immediately, the white alien took to the skies once more, tightly grasping the writhing insect.

Destoroyah went to chase after her, only for the crystalline arthropod to charge into it, pushing the crustacean back. The micro-oxygen spawn attempted to disengage, but the Trilopod ensured he would be its only target by keeping up the assault. Destoroyah’s focus shifted to its attacker, retaliating with a punch to the head which nearly gouged out one of his eyes.

SpaceGodzilla noticed the Mothra-Trilopod flying away, along with what she was carrying. Unfortunately for him, the hybrid of plant and alien refused to let him leave. More tendrils whipped across his thigh. The Biollante-Trilopod snapped her jaws in the air once more, but the leviathan pulled his tail up out of her reach. He needed to deal with her now, before he and his ally’s opposition grew too overwhelming.

Descending, he quickly speared the end of his tail into the Trilopod’s glowing core. With a spray of fluid, the crystal cluster tore through the membrane, causing the organ to visibly shrink. Colossal jaws fell over SpaceGodzilla’s head, the circular upper jaw of the Trilopod digging into his throat. Teeth sank into the flesh, painting themselves with crimson. Despite the pain flowing through her body, the insectoid applied pressure, attempting to decapitate the interloper to her kind’s plans. SpaceGodzilla, only able to see darkness, endured the pain. His shoulder crystals made it difficult for her to get good leverage for severe damage, meaning he could afford to command a crystal to hover into the air.

Cosmic energy flowed through his tail, searing into the Trilopod’s core. Light entered the saurian’s vision once more as the insectoid’s head seized upwards, taking sizable chunks of flesh from his neck. Her mouth was open, but no grand cry of agony came forth, the pain too much to allow even that.

The cosmic saurian lunged forward, grabbing his foe’s jaws near their bases. They attempted to clamp shut, but he pushed, fighting against the muscles of the jaw. The crystal he had sent into the air rushed towards them, sparks spewing from its base. The Trilopod tried to summon her energy to release her acid, but the ruined, burnt husk of a core prevented this. Given time, the core could heal from this. But SpaceGodzilla needed his monolithic foe dead.

Rushing back, the saurian watched as the sharp gemstone crashed into the opened maw of the Trilopod. As it lodged itself within, the arthropod glared at SpaceGodzilla with one eye, narrowing it. The extraterrestrial stone exploded, ripping the Biollante-Trilopod’s skull asunder. The whole body went limp, still. It was nearly decapitated. Turning, the saurian saw Destoroyah trading blows with the crystalline arthropod.

Rushing over, SpaceGodzilla hovered above them. He dropped, landing on his doppelgänger’s back, nearly flooring the Trilopod. The saurian quickly entered the air again, firing a Corona Beam into his foe’s back. This allowed Destoroyah to lunge forward, shoulder first, and deliver a tackle that lifted the Trilopod off his feet. Hissing in fury, the insectoid began to float away from Destoroyah, only to have SpaceGodzilla lash his tail against the Trilopod’s shoulder crystal. It left the slightest crack in the stone, immediately causing the arthropod to turn to his predecessor and attempt to dismember the tail with swings from both scythes. The limb swept away from the pincer maneuver, before pendulum swinging back into the Trilopod’s face. Barely ducking out of the way of being blinded, the arthropod hissed once more.

As the two continued climbing into the air, Destoroyah took note of the reaction to the shoulder crystal being damaged. Though, this was not exactly a grand revelation given how they glowed and surged with every attack the two did, so the Precambrian terror flew up to join them.

Gripping the Trilopod’s tail, the crustacean swung its head down, along with the activated Variable Slicer. The insectoid howled in anguish, dropping from the pain flooding his mind. Instead of hitting the ground, the Gravity Tornado seized him. The two destroyers laughed together, Destoroyah dropping the severed limb in its hands.

Before it could tear into their foe, a Gravity Tornado rushed out from the Trilopod’s shoulder crystals, binding the crustacean. SpaceGodzilla relinquished his hold before falling to stomp on his foe’s back. The Trilopod whipped around, throwing Destoroyah into SpaceGodzilla, sending both tumbling through the air. As they roared and thrashed while separating themselves, a hideous, shrill call pierced the air.

Even warped by the Trilopod’s influence, Destoroyah’s call was unmistakable.

***

Moments earlier…

The imitation of the guardian landed in one of the grotesque hive’s caverns. Her secondary legs held firm as the creature in her grip seized and frothed at the mouth. It would not last much longer, but it did not need to.

Her scythe carved through a gelatinous wall, releasing a pure Beta Trilopod who was soon on his feet after spilling to the floor.

The Mothra-Trilopod’s wings slapped against the ceiling as she ascended, placing the dying Alpha Trilopod upon the Beta’s back.

With a horrid, moist sound, the Alpha was absorbed into the Beta’s back. Immediately, he fell to his knees, spasming. Compassion was not something the alien arthropods could feel, so perhaps it was the genetics of the caring goddess that made the hybrid reach out her limb and place it tenderly on the writhing insectoid’s back.

Unceasing agony. Every last cell of the body contorting and gaining its own primitive, diminutive brain, crawling and squirming independently. It continued to grow worse and worse until the entire body was converted, the Trilopod’s mind being… broken. It still carried its most basic mission, but nothing else remained but the desire to eradicate all that opposed it.

The new chimera let loose a scream of absolute malice and hatred.

***

Turning, the crystalline arthropod flew towards the source. The towering, imposing hive. The duo had seen it when entering the city, but had not even considered attacking it until all their threats were dead.

Exchanging glances, the two braced themselves. The saurian attempted to drum up a plan of attack, but strategy escaped him. One look at his ally told him the same was true for it. Destoroyah decided to rush towards danger, inspiring SpaceGodzilla to do the same.

To say the crustacean was not fearful would be a lie. It admitted so to its comrade, earning an affirmation from him in return. Both then agreed that despite this, they had to fight. Destoroyah looked to the leviathan, declaring that if he fled, the crustacean would hunt him down and slaughter him. SpaceGodzilla cackled at this, for he was about to say the same thing. The two shared a brief, dark laugh, until their fear returned at the sight that greeted them.

From one of the holes of the nest emerged the false moth, chittering in laughter. Nearby, the crystal Trilopod levitated, also cackling. Following her, on wings of crimson, was something that looked like a demon in every way.

Destoroyah let rage overwhelm fear at the sight of this mockery of it. The Trilopod shared all of its distinctive features, including a height and bulk that made even its siblings look small. Locking eyes with its predecessor, the demonic alien let loose another cry. The micro-oxygen spawn responded with its own call.

Beams flew first, all combatants releasing their signature attacks. None landed, being reflected by the barriers that the wielders of alien crystal conjured. Long range battle would not avail, especially for the growing bloodlust setting within each colossus.

The duo charged first, their doppelgängers doing the same just afterwards. The Mothra-Trilopod flew to the side, drawing growls of wrath from the saurian and crustacean.

Upon collision, chaos ensued. Destoroyah lashed a punch against its Trilopod counterpart, who replied with the swipe of its scythe across the Precambrian terror’s stomach. It drew no blood, but left a deep mark. SpaceGodzilla went to kick the micro-oxygen alien, only to have his own duplicate intervene with a tackle. Destoroyah fired its violet beam at the crystalline Trilopod, pushing him back and leaving a darkened mark. The demonic Trilopod thrust its tail forward, attempting to latch the pincer onto its predecessor. Finding a grip on the left arm, surging energy flowed into the original micro-oxygen spawn. Before much damage could be done, a Corona Beam crashed against the insectoid’s chest. Relinquishing the grip of its tail, the Destoroyah-Trilopod lunged towards SpaceGodzilla, carving into his stomach with its blades. He cried out, before grabbing the arthropod’s head crest with both hands. His conductive touch seared into his foe, making it thrash briefly before unleashing an Oxygen Destroyer Ray directly into the fresh wounds. The cosmic leviathan let go, retreating as layers of flesh dissolved. Despite the burns on its head, the Destoroyah-Trilopod was ready to continue the assault, but the crustacean challenged it once more.

The micro-oxygen alien swiftly turned, lashing a kick against its foe. Destoroyah grunted at this, before returning the favor with a kick of its own. The SpaceGodzilla-Trilopod prepared to intervene once more, but SpaceGodzilla sliced at him with his claws, ensuring that the two were locked in battle once more.

Destoroyah bashed its skull against that of its foe, making the alien stumble backwards in the air. The crustacean’s own skull ached from the strike, but still it rushed forwards. Another Trilopod slammed into the micro-oxygen spawn’s back, ceasing its forward momentum. With her chirping hiss, the Mothra-Trilopod bashed her blades against Destoroyah’s head. Sparks flew from each impact, chipping away at the armor plating. Leaning its head forward, the Precambrian terror threw it back, crashing against the false moth’s face. She slipped off, quickly regaining her flight.

Wrapping the pincer on the end of its tail around the false deity’s tail, Destoroyah swung her under itself, then upwards to bring the Trilopod before it. Before the micro-oxygen spawn could do anything further, the demonic arthropod recovered and screeched in rage. With a grin, Destoroyah grabbed the Mothra-Trilopod with its claws, turning her into a shield. The crustacean ignored the struggling of the false moth.

Despite its sibling being in the way, the demonic Trilopod rushed towards its target undeterred. Crimson energy surrounded and expanded its horn as it closed the distance. Releasing the false Mothra, Destoroyah activated its own laser horn. The two blades shredded the white Trilopod before clashing, sending her falling to the ground in two pieces. Gore flowed from the insectoid’s mandibles.

Sparks shot in all directions as the blades passed through each other. Locking eyes, the twin antitheses of life took on mad expressions, preparing to lunge forward and rip into the other, uncaring of their own well-being. Nearby explosions snapped Destoroyah out of this, reminding the crustacean that another threat would still be present which would capitalize on the result either way. Still, the demonic arthropod was undeterred, rearing its head back. The micro-oxygen spawn’s concussive blast crashed against the alien’s face, sending it reeling back with cracks across the carapace, wings swiftly beating to keep it airborne as the world went blurry.

Destoroyah raised its Variable Slicer high, ready to disembowel its counterpart. The Trilopod’s tail lashing up and hooking onto the Precambrian terror’s lower jaw stopped the slash. Energy began to flow from Destoroyah and into its doppelgänger, prompting the crustacean to deactivate the laser horn and grab the tail, throttling the limb. With a swift pull, its jaw was freed. The Trilopod flew up, unleashing an Oxygen Destroyer Ray directly into the crustacean’s face. Though its caustic nature was lost against a creature of the same substance, the beam’s heat and concussive force still sent Destoroyah reeling back with a scream.

The Trilopod crashed a kick against the micro-oxygen spawn’s face, furthering the pain flooding it. Destoroyah fired a violet stream of energy, sweeping it up its foe’s body. The attack elicited a similar reaction from the alien, especially when the Precambrian terror turned the beam on its wing, making the insectoid drop. Despite the new hole in its wing membrane, the Trilopod caught itself once it was about eye level with its genetic predecessor.

Twin Corona Beams sailed towards the two, twisting around each other and attempting to intercept the other. They split, crashing into the foe of their respective user, causing the two wielders of the Oxygen Destroyer’s power to turn towards the two crystalline kaiju. Both roared, charging towards their respective attacker.

SpaceGodzilla grunted in effort as he and the demonic insectoid collided, the Trilopod crashing its bladed arms against his side. Out of the corner of his eye he saw something similar happening between his ally and his invertebrate doppelgänger. The leviathan swung his claws across the arthropod’s face, barely missing the eye. Flying back and up, the Trilopod screeched before unleashing its purple energy beam, sweeping it across SpaceGodzilla’s torso. The acidic geyser of power sliced off chunks of his flesh, leaving hideous burns in its wake. As this pain flooded his mind, he was unable to stop the pincer claw from wrapping around his neck.

The Trilopod turned, flying towards the ground at an angle. SpaceGodzilla tried to claw at the limb, but the grooves he carved into it failed to stop its stranglehold. Soon, the insectoid stopped its flight by spreading its wings in the air, whipping its tail downwards while releasing the saurian at the same time. SpaceGodzilla cried out as he slammed into the ground, shattering the streets and sending rubble flying like it weighed nothing.

He was pressed further into the ground as the Trilopod dropped onto his back, making him yell. Twisting its foot, the demonic alien relished in the pain it inflicted. It felt unstoppable.

A Corona Beam rose into the air, twisting to crash against the Trilopod. Caught off guard by the attack that tore a crater into its body, the micro-oxygen alien involuntarily stepped back. SpaceGodzilla floated up, turning to face his foe. Flying forward, he threw both feet up to strike the Trilopod, nearly knocking the still reeling demon down. Instead of falling, the purple insectoid jabbed the tip of its right scythe into the leviathan’s belly, before pulling him down. SpaceGodzilla cried out as his feet touched solid ground, blood trickling from his stomach. Ripping its scythe free, the Trilopod slashed him across the chest, carving a sizable wound into the flesh. SpaceGodzilla stepped back, before putting his shoulder before him and lunging.

The Trilopod barely budged, bashing its foe’s shoulder crystal. Cracks became visible after a few strikes, prompting the cosmic leviathan to jab his tail into the insectoid’s thigh, energizing it for added damage. He left a noticeable wound, but it was not deep enough to prevent the assault on him. Slapping the flat of its scythe against SpaceGodzilla’s stomach, the Trilopod began to laugh as the saurian stepped back, doubled over.

Pain’s distraction instantly cleared in the leviathan’s mind when he saw the crimson katana manifest atop the demon’s skull. He flew back, creating a mineral barrier as the Trilopod swung. Just as before, the shield shattered, leaving the weakened saber to slash diagonally across his torso. Muscle peeled back in layers, tendons snapping. SpaceGodzilla stopped flying, gasping as he stumbled back. In horror he realized that had he been a moment slower, the damage would have been crippling.

Stomping forward, the insectoid prepared to swing again, face morphed in an expression of sadistic joy. SpaceGodzilla turned around, body morphing and being shrouded by a cluster of pointed gemstones. The Variable Slicer struck the crystal shell, leaving a glowing line through the structure that dripped molten stone. This did not hinder SpaceGodzilla from ascending. The Trilopod cut power to the weapon, beating its wings. With a battle cry, the arthropod joined its foe in the air.

Circling around, the cosmic leviathan fired a jagged stream of orange energy towards his foe. The insectoid endured the strike, retaliating with its own beam. Descending, the saurian let the beam wash over his nigh-impenetrable shell, before swiftly rising directly towards the Trilopod. It tried to avoid the oncoming strike, but the demonic alien was not agile enough to stop SpaceGodzilla from barging into it from below, jabbing the various crystals into its chest. With a quick beating of its wings, the Trilopod pushed itself off its foe, hissing in fury. The cosmic leviathan flew away once more.

Soon, the two once again were flying directly towards the other. As they drew nearer, neither showed signs of diverting course. When the head-on collision was only seconds away, the Trilopod activated its Variable Slicer, letting its mouth contort into the closest it could get to a smile. SpaceGodzilla suddenly jerked left.

The crimson blade came down, carving into the side of the mineral shell. It struck nothing vital, meaning the leviathan was able to impale his foe’s wing with one of the biggest crystals. Pinkish membrane was ripped apart, the purple wing fingers bending from the strain. SpaceGodzilla was the one smiling now as he flew downwards at an angle, causing further damage to the wing.

From its position, the Trilopod could do little to deter its foe. Tilting his head, the saurian fired a Corona Beam, commanding it to spear into the stretching base of the crippled wing. The demonic alien cried out in a mixture of pain and wrath as the limb was severed, sending it falling.

Tokyo shuddered as the colossi’s bulk crashed into it. Nearby, SpaceGodzilla neared the ground near a skyscraper, the crystals on his body retracting to return him to his normal form. Explosions rang out around him, heralding the growth of clusters of his gemstones.

He could feel his reserves replenishing, drawing an elated shout from his maw. Heavy footfalls caught his attention, the Trilopod lumbering into his fortress. Despite the loss of a wing, it looked just as ready to battle as before. Judging by its limited expression, the insectoid’s determination to tear him to shreds had only intensified.

Its maw opened, filling with a purple glow. The orbs on its chest took on a similar glow of red, as the array of spikes nestled in the center of the chest opened. SpaceGodzilla quickly put up a shield, bracing himself. Shards of glowing rock flew as the cluster of energy attacks landed, quickly breaking through. The leviathan yelled as he stumbled back, the rest of their power leaving burns.

Running with a speed that belied its size, the Trilopod closed the distance. Barging into the saurian, it swung a kick into his leg, making him slouch slightly. Raising a scythe, the arthropod brought it down on top of his skull, leaving a wide, bloody gash and breaking off the tip of the crown on the leviathan’s forehead. SpaceGodzilla grabbed the pattern of spikes on his foe’s chest, energizing his hands and pulling at the bones. Shards of the bones broke off, causing the Trilopod to crash its foot against the saurian’s stomach, nearly making him fall backwards.

Before the demonic arthropod could continue its assault, SpaceGodzilla fired a Corona Beam directly at the weakened flower-like structure on its chest. The protective spikes broke off and fell to the ground, leaving an exposed hole. Swiftly, the cosmic saurian shoved his tail into the new weakness of his foe, prompting a cry of anguish from the Trilopod. Cosmic energy surged directly into the insectoid’s body, making it thrash and seize, head looking to the sky. Foam poured from its maw.

Lifting his foe off its feet, SpaceGodzilla twisted his body and threw it away. The Trilopod flew through the air, raspily moaning until it crashed into a city block, shrouding its body in dust.

The cosmic leviathan wanted to breathe a sigh of relief, but he knew this was not done yet. He waited a few moments, the silence becoming crushing. Just when it seemed as if it was not going to happen, the battle returned to a fever pitch.

Around a dozen Destoroyah-Trilopod Aggregates broke out of the ground, shrieking. Waving their scythes, they charged. SpaceGodzilla commanded crystals to spark at their bases and rise, letting the swarm draw closer. One leaped, unveiling its secondary jaws. It exploded in a burst of viscera and smoke with a single Corona Beam, but still the rest pressed on and leapt as well.

The saurian cried out as they struck at him, others firing up at him from the ground with their beams. He grabbed one by the throat, conducting energy into the insectoid and decapitating it. Another he struck with the spikes on the end of his tail, throwing it to the ground with broken limbs. It thrashed as it fought to get to its feet.

They continued spraying micro-oxygen upon him, draining his energy. He levitated, telekinetically shaking his body in mid air to get the few still latched on to let go. All of them fell, joining their brethren below. They cried out towards him, their maddened shrieks demanding his blood.

With a roar of his own, he sent crystals down upon the gathered horde. Having put their collective focus upon him, it had been too late for them to avoid the missiles, only being able to see them for a moment before they crashed down. The hive mind let out one last call as explosions tore it asunder, erasing them off the face of the Earth and leaving craters behind.

SpaceGodzilla landed, half-expecting more to arise and attack him. He began to absorb more energy from his fortress, deciding it would be best to rest and recover for a moment before joining his ally. He’d need it, the pain and injuries inflicted by the demonic insectoid flaring up without the heat of battle to blot them from his mind.

A booming bellow echoed across Tokyo, sounding very familiar, only with an added confidence and power that sent chills throughout the cosmic leviathan.

***

Minutes ago…

Destoroyah grabbed the SpaceGodzilla-Trilopod’s face, wrenching it back and forth. Slashing at his enemy’s arm, the crystalline insectoid forced his head free. Hissing from the blood now spilling from its limb, Destoroyah gathered power between its jaws. When the violet stream of energy flew forth, it was met by a Corona Beam. The two beams collided, the orange pushing back the purple until they were halfway between the warring kaiju.

The midpoint of the beam struggle exploded moments after it had begun, creating a sizable explosion that pushed both colossi back. It was not nearly as big as the previous result of a beam clash, meaning that both recovered their flight quickly, immediately ready to get back into battle.

Destoroyah began to descend, the Trilopod following. The micro-oxygen spawn would much rather fight on the ground, knowing that its limited flight would not be advantageous against a foe that freely floated and psychically flew. A jagged beam of cosmic energy crashed against the hive mind’s back, earning a cry of pain from it as the alien mocked his foe.

Landing, the crustacean looked up, firing its own beam towards the Trilopod. The descending arthropod summoned a translucent barrier, sending strands of caustic energy flying in all directions. He landed just before the crustacean, raising both scythes in a display of intimidation.

Bringing them down, he struck both sides of the crustacean’s head. Destoroyah swung a punch across the insectoid’s face, before thrusting its other hand against the alien’s chest. The Trilopod stepped back, then growled as he lunged forward, slamming his forehead against the micro-oxygen spawn’s own. Destoroyah shrieked in surprise, staggering. Hovering into the air, the crystalline invertebrate kicked his foe in the face. This forced the crustacean further back.

The Trilopod’s stump of a tail swung forwards, striking nothing. The insectoid cursed internally, still growing used to the loss of a limb. Muscle memory had failed him, allowing Destoroyah to ascend as well, mockingly screeching towards its foe. The micro-oxygen spawn’s claws soared towards the insectoid’s face, prompting him to float back, letting them cleave through air. Destoroyah unleashed an Oxygen Destroyer Ray immediately afterwards, the stream burning into the alien’s chest.

With smoke rising from its flesh, the Trilopod landed, responding with a Corona Beam. The crustacean attempted to avoid the beam, flying straight towards the alien, but he commanded the beam to home in on the flower-like structure on Destoroyah’s chest. It speared into the bones, detonating and sending shards of them flying. The crustacean shrieked in pain, quickly dropping feet-first to the ground.

The protective array of spikes was damaged, cracks forming amongst the individual points, some missing their sharp ends. Destoroyah held its arms out, causing the pattern to open up, revealing that it was functional despite the damage. An immense stream of crimson energy crashed against the Trilopod’s chest, lifting him off his feet and throwing him onto his back.

Destoroyah stepped forward, preparing to charge. Crystals burst out of the ground in front of it, halting this. The gemstones, along with their creator, hovered into the air. Spinning to point towards the crustacean, the crystals shot forwards. Destoroyah destroyed one with a quickly fired beam, only to have to rest crash against its hide, leaving burns and cracks along its body.

As the crustacean recovered from the sudden attack, emerald lines of energy snaked through the smoke, wrapping the micro-oxygen spawn in their luminance. Caught in the Gravity Tornado, Destoroyah could only watch as the Trilopod, now in his flying form, moved towards the bay.

Near the expanse of waters, crystals grew to surround a skyscraper. The Trilopod threw his foe down, sending rubble flying as the ground buckled beneath Destoroyah. Groaning, the micro-oxygen spawn began to rise. From the cluster of gemstones sprouting from the alien’s back came a glowing sphere, covered in spikes, which twirled as it floated to his side.

Destoroyah shrieked in panic when the orb raced towards it, barely able to take flight in time. Behind the crustacean, the sphere tore into the ground, leaving a crater who’s rim sprouted a ring of the extravagant stones. Instead of staying totally still, these swayed back and forth like the grasping fingers of a hand.

The Gravity Tornado seized the child of the Oxygen Destroyer once more, prompting a hateful call as the Trilopod moved his foe over the cage. Destoroyah tried to physically overcome its bindings, but it would not work. The crystalline prison’s “bars” widened, preparing to welcome the crustacean in.

An idea arose in the gestalt mind of the Precambrian terror, which would have made it grin had the telekinetic grip not made even such small movements impossible. The Trilopod’s red eyes widened when the crustacean began to fade away. He quickly moved his foe downwards, hoping to ensnare it within the energy field of the crystal cage, only for his Gravity Tornado to disperse without his command. The green lines flew through the air for a moment before he ceased them.

Destoroyah landed on the alien’s shell, uncaring of how the spikes poked at its hide. The Trilopod was shoved forward by the impact, quickly regaining equilibrium and trying to shake the micro-oxygen spawn off. Destoroyah sliced at the wall of crystal before it with its laser horn, leaving a molten line.

The insectoid jerked forward, loosening the crustacean’s foothold and leaving it to frantically beat its wings for a second to regain flight, before throwing himself back to crash the myriad of spikes against the micro-oxygen spawn. Destoroyah stumbled through the air, allowing the alien to rotate to face it. He soared forwards, anticipating the micro-oxygen spawn to respond in kind.

Instead, Destoroyah descended. It knew better than to attempt a head-on collision with its opponent the way he was. The Trilopod angled himself down, racing like a comet towards the Precambrian colossus. Destoroyah waited as he drew closer, fists clenching in anticipation.

When the alien was just about to crash into the crustacean, Destoroyah activated its laser horn, swinging it to the side. Seeing the flash of red in the corner of his eye, the Trilopod moved up, sailing over the micro-oxygen spawn’s head and narrowly avoiding the saber. Too focused on the near death, he failed to stop the hive mind’s tail from lashing up and wrapping around his throat.

The Trilopod swung down, head slamming into the ground. Concrete crumbled beneath him, casting up walls of dust. Destoroyah began siphoning energy from its foe, letting a laugh escape its maw. The shell retracted back into nothingness, the alien rising and flailing his scythes.

Looking towards the bay, the demon’s feet left the ground, wings carrying both kaiju. Earth and concrete flew as a trench was carved through them by the dragging body, whom was currently trying to slice at the limb holding him.

Just before they reached the bay, the Trilopod suddenly levitated, severely slowing down Destoroyah’s momentum. The crustacean nearly smacked into the ground, barely catching itself with its wings and remaining airborne. Light surged within the alien’s shoulder crystals, his arms quickly being shrouded by crackling fields of energy.

Destoroyah tried to steal its foe’s energy, but it was not fast enough to stop the Trilopod from swinging his energized blades at the micro-oxygen spawn’s tail. There was an explosion at the midpoint of the tail’s length where the scythe struck, ensuring that it was severed. The crustacean cried out in pain, landing to better cope with the sudden loss. A burst of dust rocketed into the air when the severed portion crashed to the ground, unmoving. A chittering laughter filled the air as the insectoid enjoyed returning the pain inflicted upon him previously.

Rushing forwards, the Trilopod slammed into Destoroyah, pushing the crustacean back. Digging its feet into the ground, Destoroyah clawed the alien across the face, ripping open three grooves. Backing up, the Trilopod thrust a scythe into the flower-like pattern on his foe’s chest, further damaging the array. He pushed, threatening to break through, a threat made deadlier as he conducted cosmic power through the blade.

The claws of Destoroyah gripped the blade, the hive mind gritting its teeth as they burned. Swinging its head down, the micro-oxygen spawn severed the arthropod’s arm with the Variable Slicer.

Staggering backwards, the Trilopod let loose a shrill cry. Cosmic energy crackled upon the stump for a moment before he ceased power to it, instead turning away as he noticed the still present saber of crimson. Destoroyah lunged forward, slicing into the insectoid’s side, leaving a colossal, oozing hole. He tried to flee, but the talons of his foe gripped him, digging into the fresh wound. His feet left the ground, but the hive mind’s strength was too much. The Precambrian terror noticed the alien’s shoulder crystal. Letting its own laughter ring, Destoroyah slashed across the base of the gemstone.

The severed crystal hit the ground, glowing brightly with absorbed power which leaked out in wisps of steam. All the weight of the Trilopod was in Destoroyah’s grip, his flight giving out from the sudden drop in energy. He roared in fear, the panic only growing as the micro-oxygen spawn whipped around, releasing the alien and sending him flying towards the bay.

Waves rushed out as the colossus splashed into the water, his frantic flailing turning what had been tranquil waters a moment ago into chaos. Destoroyah soared towards the alien, not giving him a moment to recover. The Precambrian terror dropped onto the arthropod, shoving him further down and embedding his spines in the silt and sediment making up the bottom.

A jolt of energy forced Destoroyah back, allowing the alien to put his head up and spew a Corona Beam, which snaked up and crashed directly into the crustacean’s face. The Trilopod could see directly into the cavernous wound he left in the face, splitting the snout in half, revealing muscle and bone.

The child of the Oxygen Destroyer fell forward, disappearing into mist before impact.

The crystalline alien began thrashing once more as he felt a tingling sensation across his entire body, an uncomfortable crawling. He tried to float away, but could not get out of the waters before dropping once more. The loss of a crystal had crippled him for the time being, and he doubted he could adjust to the absence or repair it in time.

At the microscopic level, the swarm felt a similar frustration. They skittered and pried everywhere they could on their foe’s body, exploring the structure of his cells to find and destroy oxygen. But removing the compound seemed to do nothing to their foe, who seemed to suffer no ill from the assault. The cells were unaffected, and the alien was annoyed instead of writhing in the all-consuming agony of being disassembled bit by bit.

Scales began lighting up with conducted energy, killing swathes of the microbes. The hive mind panicked as the alien began to rise, electrifying various patches of his body to fight back. Retreating, the horde gestalt conscious desperately ran through numerous situations and ideas. Until they noticed the still opened wounds left by the laser horn, still submerged.

As one, the countless microscopic lifeforms rushed towards the gaping hole in the alien’s side. The Trilopod cringed at the sensation, before soon doubling over as his innards crawled and writhed. Not thinking, he clawed at his stomach, leaving gashes before he snapped out of the primal instinct.

The Trilopod roared to the heavens in anguish when the attack began. Thousands of creatures skittering through his organs, tearing at them. His mind raced, swiftly being clouded by the pain. He tried to focus, attempting to channel his energy inwards, but nothing happened. Whether it was because energizing his very organs would be impossible, or because any kind of complex thought process was escaping like water from a sieve, he did not know. In desperation, he returned to clawing at his stomach, any pain it would have brought being like a candle next to the roaring inferno that was the millions of needles stabbing his innards.

He fell back, foam pouring from his mouth as organs were displaced and shoved aside. His chest bulged as this happened, chitin splitting and falling away. With an explosion of viscera, an Aggregate pushed its head out, soon pulling its body free. Intestines wrapped around its myriad of limbs came with. Countless smaller crustaceans skittered out of the hole, each one drenched in fluids. Turning, the Aggregate crawled up the Trilopod’s body, reaching the head.

Destoroyah locked eyes with its victim, basking in the look of hatred it got. It let loose a foul laugh, mocking the fallen alien until the swarm still within the body made its way to his brain. Once the light faded from the eyes, the hive mind dissolved and reunited.

Stepping onto the shore, the perfect form of the demon threw its head back in a triumphant roar. As if in reply, a booming bellow echoed throughout Tokyo, igniting memories and fear with Destoroyah, robbing it of its feelings of victory.

***

Moments ago…

Karkaro could feel his stress levels rising by the second as he watched the battles unfold, both turning in the favor of the enemy. His warriors still fought, but it was proving to not be enough. His mind raced, but this accomplished nothing, for to the alien overlord’s chagrin, this was all out of his hands. He hated when a situation was out of his control, especially one as dire as this, for it would often dredge up memories of his home’s demise.

A monitor beeped in notification, snapping him out of his daze. He turned, activating it. Greeting him was the beaming face of the scientist he had talked with before.

“My lord, it is time. We have successfully recreated the energy the humans used to power up Godzilla.”

Karkaro smiled, an expression that scared some of his subordinates more than his scowl. “Then deploy it unto the Trilopod that has already hybridized with their so-called king. He shall be the first of our unstoppable army.”

“Yes sir.” With that salute, the screen faded to black.

The Cryog overlord looked back to Tokyo, his smile not fading. Gazing upon the two thorns in his side, he began to speak. “Go ahead, destroy your Doppelgängers. Your corpses shall be used to make so many more after the pinnacle of Cryog achievement slaughters both of you.”

***

As the battles raged on, none of the combatants noticed a small spaceship descend through the clouds, moving towards a crater.

Within the wreckage was the body of the Godzilla-Trilopod, still broken and bloody. Yet life courses through it, and that was all they needed.

Hovering above the insectoid, the vessel shot a capsule into the holes where his spines had once been, the slight pop of the firing barely drawing attention from the fever pitches of the battles. Silence aside from distant bellows and blasts took hold, until the Trilopod began to shudder.

His eyes opened, shining brighter than before. From the wounds running down the length of his back, new spines ripped their way out. Wounds were quickly sealed shut as the colossus began to push himself up, standing tall. Rejuvenated and empowered, he felt ready to leap back into the battle, stronger than ever. A command echoed in his mind, prompting him to look up at the vessel which had gifted him this new power.

That had merely been a precursor, an injection to ensure that the true boost worked.

Opening his maw, the Godzilla-Trilopod winced when the vessel fired a second capsule down his throat. Then, was overtaken by a brilliant light.

When the Cryog first began their invasion, they stole all the information they could. Facing a foe that knew all that you knew and more was nigh-impossible. Among the surplus of data they found records of a previous alien invasion, one so dangerous that humanity had needed to enhance Godzilla. At first, with the cells of King Ghidorah to give him greater strength and energy reserves. But when the alien’s trump card had been something so horrendously powerful that Godzilla was rendered nigh-powerless, they had needed to go a step further.

But humanity was smart, smarter than the Cryog had anticipated. They had recorded that the process involved combining G-Cells with King Ghidorah’s cells to create a new, potent concoction of energy, but the specifics of how to create the empowering agent was lost, presumably deleted. But, the Cryog were nothing if not resourceful.

His body swelled with increased muscle mass. Colossal, purple spikes jutted out from the shoulders of the Trilopod, resembling the shoulder crystals of SpaceGodzilla. His torso’s front turned bright green as the rest of the body turned dark purple, an orb growing in the center of his chest. His back spines lengthened and took on a green tint, the tail growing a cluster of spikes at its end. Finally, a green crest appeared on his forehead, identical aside from color to the one upon SpaceGodzilla.

The Super Godzilla-Trilopod looked to the heavens, bellowing a challenge to all of Earth.

Rising back into the skies, the vessel relayed the location of his foes to the empowered alien, prompting him to turn and immediately run towards SpaceGodzilla. He moved with immense speed, far faster than something his size should be able to move. Soon, he located the leviathan who had brutalized him, anticipation growing immensely as he drew close.

SpaceGodzilla’s eyes widened when he saw the arthropod charging towards him, fear, shock, and outrage swirling together within. Fear blotted out the others when the Trilopod pulled his arm back, coating the end of the scythe in a blue shroud of energy. Not crackling lines like before, but a solid field of power.

The cosmic saurian had begun to float back, but it was too late. The Trilopod swung the empowered punch, the momentum burying the blade in the side of the leviathan’s stomach. SpaceGodzilla cried out, breathing heavily as he gripped the limb impaling him. The Trilopod planted a foot on his foe’s stomach, before pulling back.

With a spray of blood and the severing of muscle, the empowered alien pulled his blade free, leaving a gaping hole in SpaceGodzilla’s stomach. Gore spilled forth, chunks of meat dangling from the blade.

Stumbling back, holding his bleeding side, the leviathan looked up in horror as the Trilopod slowly stepped towards him, scraping his scythes together. A Corona Beam speared forward, crashing against the evolved insectoid’s chest. He winced, the only indication that it had done anything as his stride continued.

Twirling in place, the insectoid sent his tail careening into the leviathan’s unharmed side. SpaceGodzilla’s feet left the ground, the saurian tumbling down. The Trilopod stood over him, raising a foot high. SpaceGodzilla used his levitation to spin in place on the ground, slapping his foe’s other leg with his tail.

The earth shook as the Trilopod landed on his side, hissing in rage. The saurian took to the air, letting a grin rise on his face. The insectoid’s tail began to move, light forming on the end of the limb. Whipping in the direction of SpaceGodzilla, the limb sent a glowing sphere flying towards the leviathan. It flew too fast for the saurian to avoid it, allowing it to careen into his stomach. The orb exploded, sending him flying out of the air, roaring the whole way down.

Getting to his feet, the Trilopod chittered in malicious glee. A shriek behind him stole his focus, a moment before Destoroyah crashed feet first into his back. It doubled him over, but the alien still stood. Quickly straightening up, he felt the feet slip off his back, accompanied by the slight yelp of surprise.

Whipping around, the evolved Trilopod’s spines began to glow a bright orange, intense bolts of energy crackling along the spines. Destoroyah screeched as an orange Atomic Breath lanced out from the opened maw of the alien, crashing against the crustacean’s stomach. The micro-oxygen spawn was tossed away, carried upwards by the beam until the Trilopod ceased power to it. With a blackened circle on its hide, Destoroyah fell into a cluster of buildings.

An emerald field surrounded the arthropod, lifting him off his feet. SpaceGodzilla carried his foe higher into the air, just trying to get a moment to think of a strategy and heal. Unfortunately for him, the empowered insectoid would avail no such thing.

With a shout, a shockwave of orange energy erupted from the Super-Trilopod’s body. The Gravity Tornado was dispersed, the edge of the shockwave washing over the leviathan and casting him to the earth once more, though this time he landed on his feet. The insectoid landed before him, focusing on the still healing wound on the saurian’s side.

Pain speared into the Trilopod’s back, a burning sensation that swept up the spine. Turning, he saw Destoroyah approaching, the purple glow in its mouth fading. He hissed at the crustacean, preparing to charge. Hands wrapped around his tail, before lifting him off his feet. SpaceGodzilla quickly whipped around, letting the Super-Trilopod go to send him flying.

As buildings crumbled beneath the insectoid, Destoroyah landed next to its ally, the two exchanging a glance. A moment passed, and they looked at the arthropod already rushing towards them. Steeling themselves, they roared as one at their common foe.

Still charging, each footfall shaking the earth and making rubble leap, the empowered alien replied with his own booming call. An atomic ray left his maw, racing towards the two. They flew in opposite directions, leaving the beam to blast a crater into the ground. Stopping, the Super-Trilopod looked back and forth between the duo as they moved.

Suddenly, the duo simultaneously charged towards him. Thinking quickly, the insectoid looked towards Destoroyah, swinging his tail behind him to fire a sphere. He did not glance over his shoulder to see the success of the projectile, which came back to bite him when an explosion occurred on the back of his shoulder, staggering him forward. All 80,000 tons of Destoroyah slammed into him afterwards.

Dissipating his Photon Shield, SpaceGodzilla watched as the two struggled against one another, the micro-oxygen spawn landing to better push. Despite the might of the Precambrian terror, it was obviously losing the shoving contest. Commanding several crystals to rise into the air, the leviathan’s eyes narrowed as he drew close.

Destoroyah dug its feet into the earth. Its hands gripping the blades of its foe’s arms, the crustacean was losing ground. Suddenly, the Super-Trilopod pulled his scythes free, before swinging them down upon the micro-oxygen spawn’s shoulders. Cracks formed on the spikes jutting from its shoulders, holes being sliced into the membrane of its wings. Destoroyah lunged forward, bashing its bulk against the empowered alien, making him step back with a grunt.

He was forced forward when flying crystals crashed against the arthropod’s back, forcing a cry of genuine pain from him. SpaceGodzilla flew overhead, shrieking as he fired his Corona Beam at his foe. Destoroyah swung a punch across the insectoid’s face, creating sparks as claws scraped against scales.

With a shrill growl, the Super-Trilopod smacked the micro-oxygen spawn across the face with the flat of a glowing scythe. Blood streaming from its face, Destoroyah backed away, vision rendered blurry. The alien twisted in place, firing a glowing orb from his tail, which crashed against Destoroyah’s chest and furthered the distance between them.

SpaceGodzilla descended, swinging a kick into the lower jaw of the arthropod. Howling in rage, the Super-Trilopod clamped its mandibles onto the foot before the leviathan could pull it back. SpaceGodzilla panicked before being pulled down, slamming back first into the ground. Releasing his foe’s leg, leaving a ring of bloody marks where his teeth had pierced, the arthropod looked down at SpaceGodzilla.

A Super Atomic Breath was unleashed from his jaws, crashing against the saurian’s stomach, which had just healed from the previous assault. The orange pillar of energy burned the crystalline saurian, causing him to yell in anguish. He was pushed back by the force, spines digging trenches into the ground. Destoroyah shook the cobwebs out of its mind, roaring.

Cutting power to his beam, the Super-Trilopod lunged forward, charging into Destoroyah. The body slam nearly lifted the micro-oxygen spawn off its feet. Scrambling to stay standing, Destoroyah groaned as it backpedaled. Suddenly, the groan turned to a full blown scream as a cluster of explosions rippled upon the front of the crustacean’s torso. Chunks of chitin and flesh flew, leaving craters in the body of the Precambrian beast.

Rushing forward, the Super-Trilopod slashed Destoroyah across the chest, leaving a gash which oozed. The micro-oxygen spawn could only watch, mind still racing with overwhelming shock and pain. A blade digging into its stomach, then being twisted, managed to focus the mind enough for it to fire a concussive blast from its chest.

The invisible wave of force put some distance between the two, the empowered alien grunting as his scythe was pulled out of his foe’s body. Pain ignited wrath within Destoroyah, giving the crustacean the strength to lunge forward, swinging the laser horn diagonally down across the Super-Trilopod.

Finally, the armor of the arthropod was parted, ichor being shed. Hissing in agony, the insectoid was assailed once more by the shining saber of Destoroyah, spraying out more vital fluids. He brought both arms down onto the crustacean’s back before it could stand straight, knocking it down. The crimson saber faded as the micro-oxygen spawn fell.

The Super-Trilopod stomped the back of Destoroyah’s skull, burying its face in the ground and cracking open the head crest. He put more weight on the foot, chittering in laughter.

SpaceGodzilla slammed into the Super-Trilopod’s side, forcing him off of Destoroyah. Twirling, the cosmic leviathan smacked the insectoid in the face with his tail’s mace, drawing a cry of pain. The Super-Trilopod’s arm crashed against SpaceGodzilla’s side, pushing the crystal saurian to the front of the arthropod.

SpaceGodzilla roared in defiance, only to receive a devastating headbutt to the skull. His golden crest fully shattered, leaving the insectoid as the only one crowned. The world was a blur, his head swimming. He was defenseless as the twin scythes of his foe crashed into his arms, nearly severing them and breaking bones within. A kick to the stomach made him double over, but also served to clear his vision enough to detect a familiar blue glow being reared back like an executioner’s axe.

The Photon Shield came up. The supercharged punch came flying, aimed at the skull of the leviathan. Blade met shield. It blocked the energy, severely weakening it, but the scythe still went through, catching him in the chin. It slid down, leaving a groove, before barely breaking the skin on his neck.

Heart thudding rapidly in his chest, SpaceGodzilla fired a Corona Beam, crashing it into the diagonal wound in the insectoid’s chest. The disoriented Super-Trilopod stumbled back, pulling his blade free. Blood trickled down the leviathan’s neck, making him turn away in a panic, his hands reaching up to cover the wound. Pain filled his arms when he moved them.

An orange pillar of atomic energy swept up SpaceGodzilla’s back, scorching his hide. He screeched in anguish to the heavens, some of his spines having melted. He heard the sound of Destoroyah’s beam crashing against the Super-Trilopod, prompting him to turn to see the crustacean engaging the insectoid once more.

Painted in its own blood, the Precambrian terror slashed at the wounds on its foe’s chest. Wincing as the injury was further damaged, the insectoid kicked Destoroyah in the leg. It hissed in pain, noticeably trying to put more of its weight on the other leg.

The Gravity Tornado seized the Super-Trilopod. He still struggled, sluggishly flailing. SpaceGodzilla let out a strained roar, commanding his ally to strike swiftly and decisively. Destoroyah activated its Variable Slicer, feeling the drain it had on its energy. The insectoid’s head moved too much for it to get a good hit upon it, and Destoroyah could tell that it did not have the time to precisely aim further down the neck. So, shutting its eyes, the crustacean stabbed straight forward, sinking the glowing katana into the Super-Trilopod’s chest.

Howling, the Super-Trilopod felt organs sizzle and wither. He jammed both of his scythes into Destoroyah’s back, pushing the crustacean away. Even when he felt the laser horn fade, anguish still surged through him. The psychic hold on him faded, allowing him to better keep the crustacean pinned, his muscular arms keeping the struggling micro-oxygen spawn back.

SpaceGodzilla landed next to his ally, roaring as he thrust his tail towards the still glowing hole in his foe’s chest. It tore through the skin, lodging itself within the muscle, which healed itself around the ball of spikes and trapped it within. His spines flashed as he surged power into the Super-Trilopod, scorching flesh. The empowered insectoid thrust his head up, roaring as his internal pain resumed.

Pulling his arms out of Destoroyah’s back, he prepared to slice the offending limb off. SpaceGodzilla stood defiantly, continuing to conduct energy through his tail. Destoroyah reared up, lashing its tail and latching the end around the neck of the Super-Trilopod. It began to draw strength out from the vast wellsprings of power within its foe. Each second had the crustacean feel the fatigue of energy overuse fall away.

They held him like this for a brief time, not even a quarter of a minute. Fighting past the pain wracking him, the insectoid swatted at both tails, knocking them away and leaving slash marks in the limbs. He swung at both his foes, connecting the blows. The duo crashed their bodies against the Super-Trilopod, forcing him back several steps. They batted at his chest with their claws, aiming for his exposed muscle.

SpaceGodzilla was forced back with a kick to the stomach, with such force that he would have vomited if he did not subsist solely off cosmic radiation. The orb nestled within the center of the Super-Trilopod’s chest began to glow, absorbing shimmering particles of blue from the air, prompting Destoroyah to fly back to be next to its ally.

The cosmic leviathan quickly absorbed as much power from his fortress as he could, before summoning energy to his maw. The micro-oxygen spawn gathered its energy as well, preparing to put more power into this ray than any it had fired before. Its chest pattern opened wide, revealing the red blast building within, as Destoroyah’s mouth was filled with the familiar violet luminance. When the azure shine of their foe’s ultimate attack was almost blinding, they both fired. SpaceGodzilla’s Corona Beam was almost purely white in its intensity, as Destoroyah unleashed both its Oxygen Destroyer Ray and Stomach Beam at once, combining them into a spiraling ray of crimson and purple.

Thrusting his arms back, the Super-Trilopod unleashed a pillar of azure energy from his solar plexus. As it surged through the air, its front became a glowing image of the insectoid’s head, an echoing shriek sounding out before it crashed into the streams of purple and orange.

It was as if a star had been born in Tokyo with how the darkness vanished. Numerous brilliant colors swirled within an orb suspended between the three titans, flickering as they fought for dominance. It remained unmoving as the enemies added more and more energy to it.

It began to budge.

SpaceGodzilla felt his heart sink as it drifted towards him. He had spent almost a decade within purgatory, only maintaining higher thought through sheer will. Cast adrift as sentient specks of dust through the vast cosmos, most would go insane and become feral beasts living moment to moment.

But not him. He endured, determined to finish what he started. Only to find it stolen out from under him, both his planet and his vengeance. He would have never been able to overcome this by himself.

He glanced over to Destoroyah, the only reason he got this far. He still barely knew the crustacean, but he knew enough to realize he did not wish to fight it over Godzilla’s demise. Not just because it would be a daunting task. But because… he wanted to stop being alone. He felt that the Precambrian terror was his best chance to have someone by his side, another who would partake in his battle against creation. Was this so much to ask, or was he doomed to loneliness?

Destoroyah felt a pang of fear as it saw they were beginning to lose. From scattered microbes it had once again risen to a form of horrid grandeur to oppose the world that it could not exist within without spreading death. It could do nothing else, so it embraced being the reaper, seeking to take vengeance for the horrid agony it had been forced to endure.

By the time it had reached a state to actually challenge the monster king, invaders had descended and stolen him. Overwhelming odds even for one such as itself.

It glanced over at SpaceGodzilla, the only reason it had made it this far. The idea of allying itself with another still seemed so strange, but having someone other than itself to rely on felt good. Events beyond its control had isolated the crustaceans from the rest of the Earth, but it had never considered the stars. Yet, it was going to end soon…

The slow march of the orb ceased, changing direction. At once, the duo refused to accept their fate, remembering how far they had come to reach this point. To fall just before the end would repeat their past failure, the thought of the burning pain that nearly killed them before driving them to push themselves further.

They reached the middle once more, pushing further, slowly but surely. The Super-Trilopod roared in hatred, trying to call upon more of his power, but he was at his limit. Another push, and the orb sped up towards him. The duo of destroyers’ faces took on determined expressions, feeling their own reserves about to run dry.

***

Karkaro screamed, a wordless yell of wrath that welled up from the most primitive parts of his brain.

***

The shimmering sphere crashed into the Super-Trilopod’s stomach. His bellow was lost in the blast that shattered him. He was lost, reduced to smoking gore and chitinous shards which rained down from the heavens.

Panting, doubled over in exhaustion, the two destroyers looked at one another. Their gazes shifted towards the towering nest, and what waited within. Slowly, they began to move towards it.

***

Karkaro was silent. Tension too thick to be cut with a knife hung over the control room. He stared single mindedly at the monitor showing the duo, not deviating an inch.

He was past the point of kicking and screaming, hurling things around and threatening his subordinates. Watching his army fall nearly put him in that state. His magnum opus being splattered across Tokyo pushed him to only one idea. He wanted this whole world to burn, to watch it crumble and be left a rotting husk devoid of life. They didn’t need this world, at least, that was what he would say to his subordinates. They’d find another one.

All that he could focus on was a manic glee as the duo drew ever closer to unleashing something that would make sure the overlord got what he wanted.

Stopping before the towering construct, the two could not help but look up to fully take in its size. Destoroyah dissolved, leaving SpaceGodzilla alone. He grinned, floating into the air. He took on his flying form, generating a spike-covered orb from the shell of crystal. It raced forward, crashing into the base of the nest. Crystals tore out of the hive, ripping apart a portion of the structure. Cackling, he began to circle around the hive, doing the same throughout.

“Sir—“ One of the Cryog started, before his overlord loudly shushed him.

“It is too late to stop this.” Karkaro said, grinning. “Our plan has failed, but not all is lost. Let us watch our aggressors be crushed as they crushed our hopes.”

***

Throughout the nest, a swarm of pestilence ripped through various chambers. Aggregates tearing apart the structure itself. Juveniles and microbes descending upon gelatinous walls, feasting upon the vulnerable eggs of the Trilopods. Larvae were dissolved, life snatched away before it could begin. Nothing stopped them, the hive’s defenders all having been expended upon trying to stop them previously.

The whole structure shook, hard and unceasing. Chunks of the internal architecture began to fall, crashing through floors and leaving dust and debris. From outside, SpaceGodzilla could see the full nest breaking down, collapsing in on itself. Backing away, he watched with anticipating eyes as the destruction spread, until it reached a breaking point.

Dust raced through every street as the mile-high structure imploded.

He could see nothing, but he did not need sight to find his target. SpaceGodzilla descended into the ruins, letting his sixth sense guide him to the body of Godzilla. Landing before his prey, he felt another presence materialize next to him. Destoroyah’s call reached him, but it was no challenge.

The glow and the hum of the Precambrian beast charging its beam pierced the fog, but it was not aimed towards SpaceGodzilla. The leviathan caught on, letting a laugh sound out. He began to charge his own ray, pointing it towards Godzilla’s prone form as well.

Why did only one have to take vengeance?

A heavy thud filled the air, so loud they could not tell where it originated from. The dust still made it impossible to see, but another crash obviously displaced much of it. The air rumbled as a low, droning sound rushed over them, making them instinctively back away. Something swung past SpaceGodzilla, the surprised yell of Destoroyah hitting his ears. An impact, a loud one, accompanied by his ally’s call quickly growing quieter. He realized that it was because a lot of distance had just been put between them in a brief amount of time.

Then two, yellow orbs glowed high above him. Dust flew away from them, revealing a gaping, round maw adorned with a pair of thick mandibles. SpaceGodzilla’s confidence had been robbed in an instant as he locked eyes with a living mountain. He grabbed Godzilla in a Gravity Tornado, turning and trying to flee. From below he was swatted upwards, flying like a golf ball. The King of the Monsters flew as well, unconscious body spinning through the air in an entirely different angle.

SpaceGodzilla caught himself before hitting the ground, finding his recovering ally nearby. Destoroyah stood up, shrieking madly. Saliva flew from its mouth as it demanded the blood of whatever had come between them and their vengeance.

Magita bellowed in reply, towering above the fading wall of dust. Green patches of light glowed beneath both sides of her head, below a shell of dark red chitin. She raised one of her spiked forelimbs, revealing a golden body impaled on the end of it. One serpentine neck limply dangled from the unconscious dragon. The Trilopod Queen took the neck, along with a massive chunk of its torso, off with a single bite. Organs dropped, the splatter of them striking the ground ringing out. Her other limb shot down, rising once more to reveal the guardian goddess moth skewered like a kebab. Mothra was consumed as well.

SpaceGodzilla and Destoroyah looked apprehensively between each other and Magita. For once, they felt tiny before another creature. Beneath her gaze, they could not help but shrink back. To their horror, the living mountain began to rampage, eyes locked onto Godzilla’s body.

The duo of destroyers unleashed their respective beams at the colossus’ head, making her stagger back. Magita turned towards them, mandibles the size of skyscrapers parting to spill torrents of saliva. She looked up, sensing something.

A shadow that felt like it fell over the whole world formed as suddenly, a pair of wings extended out from her back, flipping open with grandiosity. The winds of that movement made SpaceGodzilla and Destoroyah’s feet skid through the dirt and rubble.

To their relief, she took off, nearly sending them spilling over. She did not approach them. She desired less challenging meals, or at least, that is what they assumed.

***

The Cryog watched in horror as the beast the size of their mothership reached the upper atmosphere, claws and fangs prepared to rip into her captors and consume them all. Karkaro reached for a gun, intent on a quick way out, only for the ship to shake violently, sending the weapon skidding across the floor. He looked up, seeing Magita latched onto the front of the ship, raising a bladed limb high.

This ship, she knew it. The specifics were lost in a haze like a dream, but she knew this vessel had dragged her across the cosmos against her will. She would not stand for such a thing.

With a swing like a hammer, the last of the Cryog had their fates sealed.

***

Roars and groans were echoing across Tokyo as the myriad monsters trapped in the hive began to awaken, some crying out in agony from wounds inflicted by the two destroyers in their desolation of the construct.

Godzilla’s eyes opened, meeting the glares of SpaceGodzilla and Destoroyah. He snarled, trying to rise, only for a colossal foot to slam into his skull, forcing him back down. The King of the Monsters looked up at the two horrid glows forming in their maws, knowing what was coming.

The monsters present heard a mighty roar, then a screeched yelp.

Their king’s body flew through the air, smashing into the unforgiving ground. The head, along with most of the upper torso, was gone. They traced the path of the throw, to see their two worst nightmares side by side, laughing cruelly.

SpaceGodzilla and Destoroyah only laughed harder as the gathered kaiju fled for their lives.

A horrid, piercing shriek echoed through the air, making the fleeing masses spill over in shock. Magita descended, landing with a hideous thud like an asteroid. Without remorse, she began to rampage once more, devouring any lifeforms she could catch with her limbs. Dual roars drew her attention. The kingslayers flew forth, energies already brewing in their maws. Their foe, a mountain of chitin and muscle, marched forth on monolithic legs to meet them.

They had not escaped their lives of constant struggle, but they had escaped that of eternal loneliness. Two devils, now with fates intertwined, to the detriment of all others.

Winner: SpaceGodzilla, Destoroyah

Author: Harley Jameson | Banner: Andrew Sudomerski

[Branching off from Match 190]

“Lieutenant…Taniguchi,” began the doctor. Taniguchi looked up at the doctor, his eyes full of fire. “I won’t stop you,” Ogata quickly affirmed, but he slid a hand to the young man’s shoulder. “You’re a braver man than most Lieutenant. You’re the best pilot G-Force will likely ever see and…” He paused for a moment, eyes full of warmth. “You’re also my friend, Taniguchi. I’d better see you back in that pilot’s seat as soon as possible.”

Taniguchi smiled confidently, and Yano briefly hugged him as the commander slapped Taniguchi’s other shoulder. “You’ll only be down there for a short time, so Godzilla’s radiation won’t kill you. Make it back in one piece though son. Who knows what Bagan could do?” Silently, Taniguchi nodded as he exited the Super-X2, and went down to Godzilla.

The irony was not lost on him as he approached the dying Godzilla. He had dedicated the rest of his adult life to killing the monster for the safety of the human race. Now he was going to save Godzilla’s life in order to save the human race. Funny how life worked like that.

“Please…” he spoke to the King of Monsters. He was fairly sure Godzilla couldn’t hear, let alone understand, him as he walked closer to Godzilla’s jaw. “Save us, Godzilla. You are our last hope.” With that final plea, he threw the G-Energy container down Godzilla’s throat, and scrambled back to the Super-X2 and into the controls. As he flew away, his heart was hammering in his chest.

Now they had to wait.

Bagan waited impatiently as the Super-X2 flew away, staring intently down at Godzilla. He growled in irritation as the seconds ticked on. He was eager to fight this new foe. Light began to pour from Godzilla’s downed body. A tremendous shining orange that made the onlookers from the Super X-2 squint uncomfortably. The whole ship was rocked and a few minutes later a massive burst of noise, like a roaring thunder made everyone cover their ears in agony.

A great burst of orange, fire-like light erupted into the skies of the ruined city. A wave of heat like no other warped the air around Godzilla and Bagan, concrete and broken steel beginning to melt and from the smoldering ruins rose everyone’s worst nightmare brought to burning reality. Godzilla’s entire body was humming with unstoppable atomic power, and a roar of unending agony seemed to bubble out of Godzilla’s body when a massive inferno of atomic energy erupted from his back, forcing the Super X-2 to take emergency maneuvers.

Godzilla fired a super-heated spiral ray wildly at Bagan, who reared back in alarm before being blown clean off of his feet by Godzilla’s suddenly more powerful attacks, smoke curling from his form as he quickly rose back up and roared challengingly at his melting opponent. His maw crackled with electricity and he fired a white hot plasma breath that blew a hole straight through Godzilla’s side, and gave a surprised jerk when the wound healed almost instantaneously.

Taking one frail step closer, Godzilla fired another spiral ray at Bagan, the beam actually beginning to melt his toughened armor-like hide as Bagan was pushed back by the attack. Alarmed, Bagan began to move forward to engage the living hazard, only to immediately back away from the intense heat his opponent was giving off. He briefly covered his eyes as Godzilla seemed to glow brightly, before his screams of pain were drowned when he was suddenly thrown back by a sudden bright light, followed by a massive eruption of atomic power when a nuclear pulse ripped from Godzilla’s smoking body.

“No…” Ogata whispered fearfully, staring in absolute horror at the lightshow before him. “No it can’t be…”

The lieutenant grabbed the headset of the radio, broadcasting on all channels possibly available and screaming into the headset over the dim of noise. “This is a warning to everyone in the area, including invaders. Tokyo needs to be evacuated at once, Godzilla is melting down and we are unable to stop him! Japan is lost, I repeat. Godzilla is melting down and Japan is lost. Abandon the city at all costs!”

Ms. Yano snapped her gaze at Taniguchi, who was frantically scrambling back into his seat at the pilot’s chair and strapping himself in. “We’re leaving, just like that?!” She demanded incredulously.

“You’re damn right we are,” Taniguchi confirmed, tapping frantically at the buttons. The whole crew had to sit down as they felt the rumble of the Super X-2’s engines begin to kick in. “This was our last chance and it blew up, literally, in our faces.”

The doctor had put his glasses down on the console, hands covering his face in despair. “If only we had more time…” He moaned unhappily. “We knew the risks but we should’ve had more time…”

Yano gripped her seatbelt tightly, glancing out of the viewport at the battle happening below them. Godzilla had seemed to finally regain his footing, ignoring the plasma breaths that were literally cutting through his body as if they were melted butter and grabbing the demon, Bagan letting out a shriek of pain as his arm began sizzling and melting at Godzilla’s mere touch.

“What’s happening to him?” She asked quietly, wincing when another massive jet of atomic flames seared out of Godzilla’s melting and burst back. The dorsal plates were literally dripping together in some eerie facsimile of a candle slowly being melted by the wick.

“Meltdown,” Ogata said grimly. “It’s a state we theorized Godzilla would achieve if his body ever began shutting down.” He turned, and despite his shaking hands his voice was steady as he gave the impromptu lecture. “Godzilla’s internal organs work much like a nuclear reactor. When overloaded with atomic energy, or, G-Energy in this case, they begin to shut down. Much like a reactor in critical stages, Godzilla’s body is unable to process the excess energy. We had hoped that the G-Energy would stabilize Godzilla and allow his body to adapt but…” He trailed off, sighing. “The point is, now that it’s started, we can’t stop it. His body will eventually explode, or more likely melt completely. Leaving a molten pool of pure radiation that will contaminate the entire country.”

The radio hissed to life, and through the static broke a curious, but deep alien voice. “Attention crew of the Super X-2. This is Alien Miko, what do you mean by “abandon Japan?””

The crew all glanced at one another nervously, before Miss Yano reluctantly picked up the headset and leaned forward towards the microphone to explain what she had just learned. After a few moments of silence, Alien Miko’s voice broke out again. “Come to my mothership, I have a plan.” There was a small hiss again, then silence.

The doctor was the first to speak up. “Don’t,” He said simply. No one needed to press him any further, they knew why he wouldn’t agree to it.

Tanaguchi licked his lips, and looked outside at the warring monsters. The G-Energy mercifully seemed to be stabilizing Godzilla’s temperatures somewhat, even as steam and fire billowed into the skies with unapologetic fervor.

Bagan cradled his partially melted arm, snarling in anger before his horns began flashing a brilliant white. Immediately, the diamond storm began raining down against Godzilla’s dying form, smashing through him and sending lava-hot ribbons of flesh and blood spilling all across the smelting pavement below him.

Godzilla gave out an angry and distorted roar of pain and rage, spinning around and uncaring as his bones snapped from the movement and snapped again to quickly reheal the damage. His tail flung out, whipping Bagan across the chest and leaving burn scars along his chest before a great wave of atomic fire exploded painfully out of his back and engulfed the super monster. Bagan couldn’t even scream as the intense heat and atomic energy overtook his form completely, forcing him to desperately dive off to the side and lay there in a burning heap for a few agonizing moments.

He had never experienced such pain before in his long life. Bagan let out a grunt of effort as he pushed himself back to his full height, the scent of his own cooked flesh only spurned his insatiable anger, but also a new sensation that gripped his blackened heart: Fear.

Instinctively, Bagan knew that Godzilla was a threat beyond comparison now. A deep animalistic part of him wanted to flee to the wilds. The buzzing in the back of his aching mind reprimanded him and reminded him of his orders. Another part, long thought dead, urged him to stop Godzilla for the good of everything left in this forsaken country.

Conflicted, Bagan fearlessly charged forward with a trumpeting war cry. Claws crackling with energy, he slashed out with his hands and let two Slasher Claws embed themselves in Godzilla’s sizzling flesh. Two deep X-shaped scars quickly healed over as Godzilla flailed his head wildly and lashed out with his claws. Sparks flew from Bagan’s burnt chest, and Bagan instinctively lashed back only to seeth in agony when his hand literally sank into Godzilla’s tender and melted flesh.

Despite the pain coursing up his arm, Bagan began funneling his mighty power into his hand. The energy kept building up, electricity crackling beneath Godzilla’s melted skin until the super monster was thrown back by an explosion of flesh and blood, his hand reduced to a stump of flesh and melted bone. The world seemed to dim slightly before a ring of energy came out of Godzilla and Bagan braced himself for the atomic pulse that shoved him back. The heat, even from a safer distance, was almost overbearing to him. His armor had begun to melt much like his hand. Gritting his teeth, Bagan realized that he wasn’t going to win if this kept up.

The Super X-2 docked inside Alien Miko’s mothership. The alien-like hangerbay was completely devoid of all of the other UFOs. Stepping cautiously out of the ship, the crew of four looked around for any sign of trouble. The Commander held his hands at his side, hovering over the pistol nestled in its holster. “It looks clear.”

Taniguchi nodded, glancing over at the Doctor. Looking extremely unhappy, he pushed past the two soldiers and began briskly walking towards the nearest doorway. “Come on, I’ll show you to him.” He paused for a moment, glancing back at his crew. “I can’t promise you’ll like what you see though.”

Deeper into the bowels of the mothership, and everyone got a strange pulsating sensation. A deep, low thrum echoing around the ship. The floor was sticky with some sort of fluid that made Taniguchi sick to his stomach when he thought about what it might be. What seemed to be organic tendril-like things lined the walls and ceiling. As the crew ventured deeper, towards the heart of the ship, Taniguchi wondered how literal that metaphor would turn out to be.

Stepping into a large antechamber, they all stopped and stared in awe at the creature before them. Doctor Ogata was the only one unimpressed, and waved his arm. “Lieutenant, Commander, Miss Yano… meet Alien Miko.”

Alien Miko seemed to be fused to the wall and machinery surrounding it. A huge brain-like organ pulsed and occasionally gave a flash of light, and the computer banks underneath bleeped and warbled in response. The creature opened its eyes, blood red and startlingly bright in the darkness. It glanced around, the whole body heaving with a breath none could hear. When it spoke, they could see no indication of movement. “Good, you all arrived.”

The commander was the first to regain his composure, jutting his chin out towards the alien. “You said you had a plan? Presumably, about Godzilla.”

“An apt deduction Commander, you would be correct. I do have an idea regarding how to stop Godzilla. We simply need to make more of the G-Energy-”

“Impossible!” Ogata interrupted hotly, glaring up at the alien towering above him. Its eyes swiveled to meet his defiant yet terrified gaze. “The G-Energy wouldn’t have any effect on Godzilla at this point, his body temperature is too great. It would dissolve into nothingness before it even reached him.”

“Correct,” Miko agreed, taking all of them off guard. “What I propose is we give it to Bagan.” A stunned silence came across the humans, and the alien continued. “The logic is simple: Bagan is the only creature capable of killing Godzilla before he reaches critical temperatures. If we can infuse Bagan with sufficient power, he can kill Godzilla before that point. As it stands, I still require Doctor Ogata’s help with making more G-Energy. With my ship’s capabilities however, we can make it in time. Just.”

They all looked at one another in silent confusion. No one seemed to be willing to speak up until Taniguchi stepped forward. He glanced briefly at the Commander, who nodded his approval. “We shall accept on one condition: You leave the Earth in peace.”

Miko’s eyes locked on Taniguchi. The human felt like an insect underneath the powerful alien’s gaze, as if he were an abandoned toy recently rediscovered by a teenager cleaning their room. “I’m not sure you’re in any position to bargain, Lieutenant.”

“Neither are you.” He fired back, his voice full of confidence he didn’t feel. “If Godzilla goes critical, you lose your main invasion weapon: Bagan. Without him, we can drive back your invasion. This is the only way you’ll leave this planet alive, Miko. Besides, if he really could have left by now, he would have.”

Ogata couldn’t hold himself back anymore. “Absolutely not!” He exploded, taking everyone but Miko by surprise. “I… I refuse to work with that thing again. Do you know what he did to me?” He grit his teeth angrily, glaring up at the alien. “He invaded my mind, he tried to rip my most precious memories from me. It was as if… as if he tried to tear away at my very soul. You can’t honestly expect me to agree to this plan. We don’t even know if he’ll agree!”

Taniguchi’s voice was low and cold, stepping closer towards the doctor with a determined glint in his eye. “We don’t have a choice, Doctor. Every second we waste, Godzilla is coming closer to going critical. I’m not willing to give up Japan that easily. Are you?”

“It’s not about that.” The doctor seethed angrily. Ogata glared at the soldier, hands shaking. “But we don’t know if the thing can even be trusted, and on top of that you’re just willing to let it go after it caused so much death and destruction? It needs to be held accountable for its actions!”

The lieutenant raised his gun, pointing it at the doctor. Ogata stared at the gun in disbelief, before Taniguchi spoke. “This isn’t a request, Doctor Ogata. I’m ordering you to assist us. My duty is to protect Japan and the world at all costs. If that means having to let the alien go unpunished to keep everyone alive?” He glanced back at the Commander, who was technically in charge of this impromptu operation. He had his hand on the hilt of his gun, but he nodded at Taniguchi. He would support his subordinate’s decision.

It seemed like neither would give until Ogata tore his gaze away, looking even more frustrated than before. “Fine, I’ll do it. But I want a guarantee that the thing will behave itself! I’m not working with it until we do! And yes Lieutenant, you will have to shoot me in that case.”

“I am willing to accept both of those terms.” Miko stated calmly. “Lieutenant Taniguchi, move your gun away from the professor and at myself. I believe…” The alien’s forehead throbbed. “My temple will suffice. While one bullet shan’t kill me, multiple will.” Taniguchi gaped at the alien in disbelief, before doing as instructed. With the soft click, the safety was turned off and he pressed the barrel against the alien’s thick, bulging temple. “Doctor Ogata, you are familiar with the route to the lab. Let Miss Yano and the Commander assist you however you need. And hurry, we don’t have much time.” Without another word, Ogata led the others into another part of the ship. In tense silence, both Miko and Taniguchi watched the battle unfold in Japan.

“Why did you do this?” Taniguchi asked quietly. His arm was hurting from holding up his pistol but he kept it level at the alien’s temple. Down below, on the viewscreen, they could see Bagan circling slowly around an immobile Godzilla.

Although the sound was muted, both could hear Bagan’s roar of anger followed by another plasma breath. The white hot beam completely blew off a giant portion of Godzilla’s back that quickly regrew. Jagged dorsal plates began spurting and melting into his flesh, dripping like candle wax. Godzilla attempted to take a step forward but his leg completely snapped off from his body due to the temperature. A new one quickly replaced where the old one had been left, and he fired another wild spiral ray with a great woosh of steam being vented from his body.

Alien Miko was silent for a moment. He glanced over at Taniguchi before finally speaking. “Why does anyone attempt to invade and conquer another power? Materials, wealth, a new home. Perhaps I heard all of the stories from my contemporary and thought I could succeed where they failed. None of it matters now though. At what temperature will Godzilla go critical?”

“1200 degrees,” Taniguchi answered back flatly, seeing the numbers steadily climbing on the screen before him. “We’re running out of time, we won’t make it to Bagan before Godzilla explodes.”

Alien Miko hummed in agreement, once again glancing down at the human. “Haven’t your species come up with a contingency plan for this sort of thing?”

Taniguchi swallowed hard, finally lowering his arm. “We have,” He confirmed unhappily. “But it won’t work now, Godzilla’s body temperature is too high. All it will do is…” He trailed off, his eyes widening with horror. “Will buy us time.” He finished softly.

“Time we need.” Alien Miko said gently. “I shall send my own forces to assist you when you give the order. But first…” Static hissed all around them, and Alien Miko’s voice rose to a conversational tone. “How are things in the laboratory professor?”

“Nearly done now. We just need another minute or two to transfer it into the canister.” Ogata confirmed. “How are things out there?”

Alien Miko looked at Taniguchi expectantly, silently asking him what he was going to do. Pale and shaking, Taniguchi cleared his throat and spoke up. “Things are.. Are going fine. I’ll meet you at the Super X2 to help bring on the payload. We don’t have much time left though.”

The comm system shut down, and Taniguchi glared at Alien Miko. Hoping that he could somehow blame the alien for the decision he was about to make. He wondered if this was what the Commander often had to deal with.

No, it was no time to think about that now. “Put me through to our forces,” Taniguchi said. Once he heard the familiar hiss of static, he cleared his throat and spoke in a sharper tone. “Everyone, this is Lieutenant Taniguchi of the Super X2. I realize the situation may seem hopeless but… but we do have a plan. A one in a million shot to stop Godzilla before he blows us all to kingdom come. I need every available fighter jet to load up with freezer missiles and start hammering on Godzilla as much as possible to buy us some time. I understand what I’m asking of you, I won’t force any of you to participate in a mission like this. Am I understood?”

There was nothing over the radio. Taniguchi felt sweat begin to roll down the back of his neck and the doubts swirling in his mind like a maelstrom threatened to overtake him. What if he had overstepped his boundaries? Would they really fight for this slim chance to save Japan?

The radio hissed to life. “Understood Super X2, all available forces being sent your way. We’ll stop him no matter what, over.”

He slumped down in relief and guilt. Taniguchi didn’t want to think about how many people would die due to this insane plan that he had agreed to do. “Go, Lieutenant. Your people need you,” Alien Miko urged quietly. Standing to his feet, he nodded mutely at the alien and ran back towards his ship.

By the time the others had arrived, Taniguchi had gotten the Super X2’s engines running and quickly ran outside to help load the second batch of G-Energy into the torpedo bay. “How are we going to get close enough to Godzilla?” Miss Yano asked, her face red with exhaustion.

Saying nothing, Taniguchi made sure everyone was strapped in before he lifted the Super X2 off and took off at full speed out of the mothership’s hanger.

The noise was deafening as Godzilla’s back erupted with another wave of atomic fire. The screams of jets and the buzzing of UFOs made a cacophony of noise as the combined alien and human forces made their final stand against the King of the Monsters. The alien ships jerked around, firing their laser weapons to distract Godzilla while the jets boomed overhead, unloading a payload of freezer missiles that embedded themselves in Godzilla before exploding in a huge burst of steam.

“Hold on!” Taniguchi yelled, swinging the Super X2 around and starting up the Gatling Guns. The whole ship vibrated as he held the button down and the high impact bullets shredded through Godzilla like wet paper. Molten blood and flesh were thrown everywhere as a UFO suddenly slammed into the Super X2, sending the ship wildly off course until an atomic breath engulfed the UFO in a fiery explosion.

A squadron of jets unleashed another payload of freezer missiles onto Godzilla, unfaltering as atomic steam vented into the air and blew a few of them high into the air and out of control thanks to the updraft they caused. Opening the Fire Mirror as a precaution, the Super X2 swirled around in the air and made a beeline for Bagan.

An atomic breath slammed into the fire mirror, and the Super X2’s main weapon shattered like brittle glass as the beam was reflected back towards Godzilla and Bagan. The two super monsters were engulfed in a massive explosion of atomic power. The Super X2 was thrown completely through a ruined skyscraper, smashing through glass and concrete until Taniguchi finally regained control and straightened it out. He breathed out slowly, before pushing the Super X2 back towards the brawl.

Despite the chaos exploding around him, Bagan gave a defiant scream of anger and tried again to get in close to Godzilla. He sank his claws into melting flesh, ignoring the unbelievable pain before it was cut off when his nerve endings melted off. Channeling his power, electricity pulsed from the stumps of Bagan’s hands and began to overtake Godzilla’s melting form. Flesh and foam bubbled across the dying king’s electrified hide, and Godzilla let out a massive shriek of pure agony before firing point blank at Bagan’s chest.

The beam pierced through Bagan completely, throwing the super monster across the ground in a bloodied and twitching heap. He reached up to where he knew he should feel his heartbeat, only to remember what had happened to his hands. Bagan wheezed, feeling himself curl up and his vision begin to go black.

“This is our only chance, man the torpedo with the payload!” Taniguchi yelled, gunning as hard as he could towards the downed Bagan. Everyone was running around behind him as he flew towards the dying super monster. Blood was pooling underneath Bagan as his chest wound continued to pump blood across his burnt and melted body.

Taniguchi held his finger over the button to fire. He stared at the creature, once a being full of hatred and rage. A demon made flesh, curled up and dying. How many had died thanks to Bagan and his masters’ rampage?

How many more would die if Taniguchi didn’t press the button?

The torpedo fired and launched itself from its porthole. It dropped like a stone, breaking apart and spreading the G-Energy across Bagan’s broken body. It washed over him, bathing him in a surprisingly beautiful blue glow as the Super X2 hovered over him. Skin began to heal over. Muscles and bones began to knit back together with loud cracking and jerking. Claws burst from Bagan’s hands. His blackened gray hide had turned a brimming bronze coloration. The Super X2 eased away slowly as Bagan continued glowing a bright translucent blue.

Six energy tendrils made of glimmering light sprout from Bagan’s back. They spread apart until they were at equal distance from each other. Electricity hummed and sparked between the tendrils, creating wing-like membranes. Bagan rose slowly into the air, power coursing through his body and washing him with electrical might. The bronze super monster looked down at the dying Godzilla and gave an echoing howl of might before swooping down, his claws extending and coated in his power.

Two gigantic electric X’s appeared on Godzilla’s body, branding his skin with the scars even as his regeneration frantically tried to heal the damage. Bringing his Slasher Claws back to bear, Bagan easily shot past Godzilla with blinding speed, dodging the hyper spiral ray that was fired in a vain attempt to stop him.

In his wake, Bagan left a trail of diamond storm meteors hurtling towards the fallen king. The diamond storm crashed into Godzilla’s body, wedging itself into the burning body before exploding all around him in a massive show of power and electricity.

The dying monster king wheezed painfully as Bagan dropped down in front of him. The two monsters glared at one another, and Godzilla felt a surge of agony wash over him. He was so close to death, and both of them knew it. Letting out a defiant roar, Godzilla fired his most powerful spiral ray of his life. It flew directly towards Bagan, who curled his wings of light in front of him, then promptly generated his force field.

Dust and steam billowed into the air. Godzilla felt his eyes begin melting from the heat of his body. Even as his vision swam and dissolved before his eyes, he could see Bagan completely unharmed before him. Godzilla could feel the electricity and power washing from his opponent as he could only brace for the inevitable…

For the first time in his tyrannical existence, Bagan felt his power channel in such a way he thought impossible. His power, his might, completely at his control. The demon beast felt violent sparks explode from his tri-horned head, collecting and funneling the energy between his horns. Although such a feat usually signaled the forthcoming of the Diamond Storm, this time something different was going to emerge.

The protruding nasal horn gathered the surging energies, focusing his wrath into one final attack.

Closing his eyes, Godzilla stood there and waited as Bagan fired his supercharged horn beam. The destructive laser ripped through Godzilla’s chest and completely destroyed his heart. He couldn’t even scream, instead holding his head up with his mouth open as everything faded away to nothingness.

Bagan breathed in deeply, feeling the G-Energy leaving his body as Godzilla’s corpse collapsed on itself into a pile of festering atomic sludge. He stared at his opponent’s remains, and let out a hollow cry of victory.

Taniguchi collapsed in the pilot’s chair. “It’s over. We’ve won.” He breathed out in relief.

“Only if Miko keeps his bargain.” Ogata murmured darkly. “What’s keeping him from asserting control over Bagan once again?”

“An astute question, Professor.”

The whole crew jumped in alarm when Miko’s voice rang out from their comms system. They all crowded Taniguchi at the viewstation and watched as the mothership hovered some distance before them. Bagan was watching both ships with intense, curious eyes. “After the infusion of G-Energy, whatever hold I had over Bagan broke completely.” Miko explained. “And I sincerely doubt you or him would allow me to try to control him again.”

“So,” the Alien concluded. “I’ll leave him with you. He’s your problem now, in essence. I’ll uphold my end of the bargain and leave.” Without saying another word, the mothership lifted off into the air, and flew off towards the horizon.

Alone, the crew turned their attention towards Bagan. He had remained absolutely motionless ever since he had killed Godzilla. Taniguchi half expected him to begin rampaging, but instead there was an uneasy quiet that had fallen.

A small chirp broke everyone out of their stupor. Bagan jerked, looking up as Mothra descended from the heavens above. She gave another chirp at Bagan, who let out a low throaty noise. No one could understand what she was talking to him about, but after a few moments, Bagan let out a heaving sigh and slowly turned to leave. He ignored Mothra and the humans, and instead walked into the sea and out of sight. Towards an unknown future.

Taniguchi steered the Super X2 away from Mothra. Whatever she intended to do, he had no reason to stop her. “Come on, let’s finally go home,” he sighed, and gently urged the battered war machine back towards her hanger. “We have a lot of work to do.”

Winner: Bagan

February 1st, 2022 Update!

Here are the tallied results for your best picks! Along with some big announcements!

The Top 5 Best Writers for 2022:

1) Andrew Sudomerski
2) Matthew Freese
3) Joshua Strittmatter
4) Landon Soto
5) Connor Clennell

The 5 Best K.W.C. Matches of 2022:

1) Match 360: Mechagodzilla (Legendary) vs. Gamera (Heisei) vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
2) Match 390: Impact of Tokyo’s Future
3) Match 370: Siege of Skull Island
4) Match 392: Godzilla (Showa) vs. Gomora
5) Match 389: Godzilla (Heisei) vs. Orochi – Round 2

The 5 Most Original K.W.C. of 2022:

1) Match 392: Godzilla vs. Gomora
2) Match 360: Mechagodzilla (Legendary) vs. Gamera (Heisei) vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
3) Match 370: Siege of Skull Island
4) Match 361: King Kong (Showa) vs. Axor
5) Match 362: Bakan vs. Mechagodzilla (Showa) vs. Destoroyah

The Top 3 Banner Creators of 2022:

1) Andrew Sudomerski
2) Dao Zang Moua
3) Tyler Trieschock

Best Custom Banner Creator of 2022:

Zid – Match 392: Godzilla (Showa) vs. Gomora

Best 3 K.W.C. Banners Overall of 2022:

1) Match 392: Godzilla (Showa) vs. Gomora
2) Match 393: SpaceGodzilla vs. Destoroyah
3) Match 360: Mechagodzilla (Legendary) vs. Gamera (Heisei) vs. Gyaos (Heisei)

The Top 2 Best Debuts of 2022:

Mechagodzilla (Legendary), Godzilla Ultima (Protoforms)

The 5 Best Uses of Combatants in a K.W.C. Match of 2022:

1) Match 392: Godzilla (Showa) vs. Gomora
2) Match 360: Mechagodzilla (Legendary) vs. Gamera (Heisei) vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
3) Match 370: Siege of Skull Island
4) Match 363: Titanosaurus, Varan & Gorosaurus vs. Godzilla Ultima
5) Match 379: Godzilla (Heisei) vs. Godzilla (Reiwa)

The 5 Best Use of Human or Alien character/s in a K.W.C. Match of 2022:

1) Match 389: Godzilla (Heisei) vs. Orochi (Heisei) – Round 2
2) Match 360: Mechagodzilla (Legendary) vs. Gamera (Heisei) vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
3) Match 392: Godzilla (Showa) vs. Gomora
4) Match 390: Impact of Tokyo’s Future
5) Match 379: Godzilla (Heisei) vs. Godzilla (Reiwa)

The Best Story/Narrative of a K.W.C. in 2022:

1) Match 392: Godzilla (Showa) vs. Gomora
2) Match 370: Siege of Skull Island
3) Match 360: Mechagodzilla (Legendary) vs. Gamera (Heisei) vs. Gyaos (Heisei)
4) Match 390: Impact of Tokyo’s Future
5) Match 389: Godzilla (Heisei) vs. Orochi (Heisei) – Round 2

Best New Writer of 2022:

Maddison Foust – Match 367: Gigan vs. Attack Titan & Armored Titan

Best Writing Group of 2022:

Vincent Rodger & Andrew Sudomerski – Match 370: Siege of Skull Island, Match 390: Impact of Tokyo’s Future

And with that has been the winners of the 2022 Awards! Thanks to your feedback (as well as discussions on the administration side), here are the Combatants that have been authorized to participate in the K.W.C.!

– Mount Lady [My Hero Academia series]
– Gabora (Reiwa) [Shin Ultraman]
– Neronga (Reiwa) [Shin Ultraman]
– Daimajin (Reiwa) [Great Yokai Wars: Guardians]
– Gigan (Reiwa – Both Rex and Miles) [Godzilla vs. Gigan Rex]

In addition, the following are being brought back to be written for the K.W.C.:

– Frankenstein
– Spyler
– Wargilgar

In other news:
1) No Survey Match Request this year!… Kind of an oversight on our part. Oops. However, there are a myriad of other factors at play, mostly due to the next point.
2) K.W.C. submission output will be slowed from 3 Matches a month to 2 Matches a month. This will not affect the output of planned Event Months, however, this new scheduling will be in effect for a time (though there may be once in a blue-moon 3-a-monthers), mostly to allow Staff breathing room.
With this shift, the new upload dates will either be on the 14th and 28th of each month, or roughly every two weeks–depending on how things go. Mileage may vary.

That said, the year has only just begun–and this is far from everything we have to show for the year! Stay tuned!

---

January 1st, 2023 Update

Another year, another round! Happy New Years, everyone!

As we begin a fresh start with 2023, now’s a great time to look back and reflect on everything that’s happened in the K.W.C. in 2022. We’ve had new debuts (when don’t we?) and a flurry of new and crazy matchups and continuing storylines featured. Please complete the following surveys, as there will be plenty of new and big surprises coming in store for 2023!

The K.W.C. 2022 Awards Survey (Expired)

And for the Feedback survey, input is always important–as there will always be suggestions or ideas we haven’t considered!

The 2022 Feedback Survey (Expired)

We also have some significant announcements coming by the month’s end. We’ll be disclosing that information with the conclusion of the Awards come February. Until then, you have until January 29th, 2023, at 10 PM EST to make your vote count!

Authors: Vincent Rodger & Alex Williams | Banner: Dao Zang Moua

[Continued from Match 390]

Planet Vortaak, millions of years ago

Among the stars laid a planet beginning its first steps in life. Magma covered every stretch of the planet’s surface, slowly making the land when they arrived…

The golden demise flapped their wings as they descended to the planet’s molten landscape, placing their feet on some of the only land formed as another of their kind joined them. This one was smaller, their horns not as developed and with armor plating laying across their yellow scales. The smaller of the two looked towards their elder as the golden demise looked at the lava, hissing as they told them a tale.

Many planets began life in this way, burning from the core to the surface. Though it was rare for lifeforms to actually form on a planet so young, it was possible. King Ghidorah grew angry at this, their whole existence filled with rage as life itself offended them. Nothing filled them with more pleasure than to snuff out the light before it even began, a very important lesson for their younger apprentice. The one who would come to be known as Grand knew so little, but yet held so much potential with their destructive capabilities, they hoped to turn them into one of the most powerful entities across the universe. One day, they would not be around, but their legacy would live on in Grand.

Below them sat the pool of hot, boiling magma, pulsing with heat as it traveled down a stream. Within the heat, sat millions of amoeba-like beings waiting for their true form to take place. But one saw THEM. The pair of golden destroyers were sitting above them, merely watching the beginning of life. The amoeba began to pulse, its form beginning to expand, changing at a rapid state. The golden demise’s three pairs of eyes widened as a new monster began to rapidly appear in front of them. Black armor lay across its body, three massive necks and heads mimicking their own form. Twin wings sprouted from its back, black and dark red laid across the wing’s armor, the posture being on all four legs instead of the planet eater’s upright form. Three sets of eyes opened as hideous mouths let out a roar filled with… purpose. A worthy form, at long last.

The golden demise hissed as they stood up to their full height, rattling their tails and expanding their wings, attempting to intimidate the imposter Ghidorah. The younger serpent stood back as he prepared to watch from the sky. The ebony horror unleashed another roar, challenging his master, for he was the dragon of darkness, the new devourer of worlds… Desghidorah.

With hatred in their hearts, the two charged at one another…

***

-1988-

They fell.

Descending down from the heavens, the two lovers held each other tight as they prepared themselves for the unknown. All they needed was each other. Both looked each other in the eyes deeply, smiling. Their eyes told each other everything, committed to facing every obstacle coming for them.

Their solace couldn’t last forever.

“Hina Amano!”

She nearly gasped, taking her eyes off of Hodaka and scanning through the blue sky when a twinkle shined through. Hodaka’s eyes followed suit, turning to face what she was staring at, but through his point of view, nothing was there.

“Hina?” he asked worriedly, but it was fruitless as she elicited no response and kept her gaze on the sky surrounding them.

Hodaka’s voice went silent as Hina kept her attention fully on the gleaming light. Its influence spread farther and farther as she shielded her eyes while Hodaka didn’t not feel its effects. She nearly gasped, as Hodaka yelped out for her safety and pulled her in closer.

“You have forsaken your oath!”

Hina couldn’t find the words to respond to the ominous voice, shellshocked by what it was referring to, but it would not matter as it continued on.

“A city sacrificed. Lives will be lost.”

She knew what it meant.

Her happiness at the cost of the world.

A part of her regretted deserting her role as the Sunshine Girl and knew she would carry that burden with her forever. Her left eye started tearing up, as the scenarios of how badly the world would be impacted were playing in her head. People losing their lives, separated from the ones they love, and the world changing as they knew it.

No.

No matter what path she went down, there would still be hurt. Hina clenched her fists behind Hodaka’s back.

“I promise I will do better.”

Hina wiped the tear from her face. She couldn’t go back, not now.

Not when she was on the path to what she wanted.

“Your penance will be paid in full. You will be called upon to serve as the one before you has.”

The twinkling light vanished and a metallic being burst through the sky. Hina swept her eyes over the entity zooming towards her. Its majestic, metallic wings blanketed the sky as it cast its shadow over them.

Hina briefly glanced over to Hodaka, but like the voice speaking to her, he didn’t notice the being nor them being shrouded by the shape.

“And only when you have lost everyone and everything you cherish, will you be freed from this servitude.”

The former Sunshine Girl stared back up at the winged spirit, getting a better look at it. She found it awe-inspiring. Its silvery wings were met with a golden bronze scattered across, its chest shining brightly with gold and red. The green orbs distributed across its body reflected the sun’s light, blanketing the world in light. Then, finally, the bird looked down at Hina and let out an audible sound, calling her to her newfound duty.

The divine messenger’s golden helmet lit up, forcing Hina to shield her eyes momentarily, letting out another gasp. Knowing she had to witness every moment that was transpiring, she found herself giving her eyes the strength to open up and to witness the glowing beams.

It seemed like an eternity, with the beams still emitting from the phoenix, she felt herself regaining consciousness, and yet was still aware of her surroundings. She felt something around her neck, which a glance downwards revealed to be a necklace, a simple string attached to a green crescent of a gem.

“You are now the avatar of the Space Warfare God, the protector of the people.”

With one final burst of energy, the phoenix let out a call with a golden rush of energy surged towards her. Hina felt herself imbued with the dynamism of the creature before, however, despite the massive amount she received, she felt herself become weary.

Her eyes slammed shut.

”Utsuno Ikusagami.”

***

-1991, Present Day-

Her eyes opened.

She lazily moved her head sideways, taking note of the light blue walls with photos of memories she had of her friends and families plastered on them. The girl rubbed her head while propping herself up.

“That dream again,” Hina murmured as she removed her hand from her face, before looking at her palms. “No. It was real.”

The abilities of the Sunshine Girl lingered, but were no longer as prevalent as before. The sun would hardly beckon to her calls, not that it mattered in any way, since they had to relocate to Hokkaido. Yet, something else lived inside her, one of far greater power.

Hina let out a yawn as she moved herself off the bed, but as soon as her feet touched the ground, a loud thud was heard. The noise didn’t shock her as she simply rubbed her eyes to find Hodaka on the floor. He raised his head up and smiled at her.

“I was just coming to wake you, but it seems you already got that part taken care of,” chuckled Hodaka.

Hina cracked a small smile at him. “Something about that doorway makes you trip, doesn’t it?”

“I think this is the world’s way of saying it has something against me,” joked Hodaka, never once keeping his eyes off Hina, his beloved. Whether it was her being bathed by the sun or in a dull room, she was not only beauty, but she elicited it everywhere she went. He smiled, immediately feeling good about himself just by being in her presence.

“She really is the best of us.”

“From doors to guns, you do have a habit of trying to get yourself killed,” countered Hina, keeping her gaze on her knight. He always rushed off, trying to help anyone he could, even if he had no powers or any skills that he could benefit from, but it never stopped him. His words or even actions were enough to change a person for the better. The past three years without him were suffocating, but that was the past, now was the time to focus on the future. Or at least that’s what she kept telling herself.

“It’s my charm, you know?” beamed Hodaka.

“If you say so,” Hina hummed while heading out towards the doorway, only to stop in front of him.

“What’s the matter, aren’t you hungry?” questioned Hodaka, as his smile faded away with concern when he saw his girlfriend freeze in front of him.

“You want me to step on you?” inquired Hina, raising an eyebrow at him.

“Huh?” questioned the bewildered Hodaka, as his eyes shot downwards only to realize he was still on the floor. “How did I not realize that?”

“You were too busy looking at my boobs,” Hina pointed out, frowning at him.

In an instant, Hodaka’s face turned bright as a tomato from embarrassment. “I…. No! I didn’t mean to… I was only looking at you….”

Hina cut him off by letting out a huge roar of laughter, causing Hodaka to calm himself as he rolled his eyes.”Not funny, Hina.”

“It’s a little funny,” Hina giggled, offering him a hand. “Besides, you always fall for it.”

“I guess some things never change,” chuckled Hodaka, offering the assistance given to him as he was lifted back to his feet. The two didn’t let go of each other’s hands and made their way to the kitchen where they were greeted by the sweet smell of miso soup and onigiri.

“Thanks for the help by the way!” Nagi hollered out, seeing his two roommates entering the living room.

“Right, sorry senpai!” Hodaka called back out, his face growing red once more from neglecting his duties in preparing the meal.

“Still?” Hina inquired, pouring a portion of the soup in her bowl.

“What, he still gives out some decent advice,” Hodaka countered, setting up the table with all of the utensils.

“But you shouldn’t rely on it all the time! You’re older than me!” Nagi exclaimed, waiting in line to scoop up his serving.

Hina simply chuckled as the two continued to bicker while she mosied over to the table. However, her mind shifted somewhere else, back to when she awoke.

The power inside her.

One far greater than her ability to bring out the sun.

She never tested this ability nor had the faintest idea on the full extent of its power. Yet, she knew enough about it to activate and a decent grip on what she would become. The figure appeared in several of her dreams, clad in silver armor with the sun placed behind it as if it strapped the star to itself. What made her admire the figure the most was how every time it showed, it was blanketed by holy light, as despite its intimidating stature, it ushered in a sense of safety.

Despite it all, she couldn’t bring herself to tell anyone about it, especially Hodaka and Nagi. She couldn’t put them through anything like this.

“Not again,” Hina murmured.

“Not again?” Hodaka asked, snapping her away from her thoughts. She looked up to see the two of them staring at her dumbfoundedly.

“Did I really say that out loud?”

“You okay?” Nagi asked, before taking a sip from his soup, keeping his gaze on his older sister.

“Um… yeah! I… just…” Hina stammered, trying to find the right words without worrying them too much. Still, she let out a small defeated sigh, knowing she wasn’t fooling them. “Just… forgot to turn on the TV.”

She got up and marched to the smaller TV placed on the counter, turning it on with the press of a button. Normally, they used it for noise when preparing meals or trying to work on the mundane tasks around the apartment, but she needed a distraction.

“Anything, really.”

“If you’re gonna turn on the TV, at least have it be something more entertaining than the news,” Nagi countered, immediately yawning from the droning voice of the newscaster.

“It’s fine, it’s best to know what the weather conditions will be like,” Hina softly spoke, turning her head down to her soup.

“Hina,” Hodaka called out, gaining her attention once more. “Is everything really okay?”

She saw the concern in his face, as all he wanted was to make sure she was alright and would be willing to do anything to make her happy. It terrified her, because she desperately wanted to tell him the secret she was harboring all these years, but this was worse than what happened previously.

“Yeah, just trying to wake up,” Hina voiced, but elicited a small smile. “I appreciate you asking, though.”

“Of course,” Hodaka smiled back, going to take a bite out of his onigiri, but was interrupted by Nagi. “You might want to wake up faster, sis.”

“Huh?” Hina murmured, noticing Nagi pointing directly behind her.

“Oh shit!” Hodaka uttered out, nearly dropping his food.

The former Sunshine Girl turned around, eyes immediately widening the moment they had the screen in their field of vision. What the three of them saw was horrifying.

Anguirus, once thought of as a protector, was ravaging the landscape all around him. The Fierce Prehistoric Dragon crawled from the depths of the earth as the rumbling caused several buildings to tip over, crushing anyone unfortunate enough to be in their vicinity. Additional cracks formed, tearing the scenery apart all around him. Then, the worst of it had yet to come. The fleeing civilians collapsed as the smoke caused by the explosions suffocated them, causing pure agony in their final moments.

Before more could be shown the TV cut out and issued a general emergency signal, indicating everyone in the vicinity to evacuate at once. Hodaka jumped out from the table and in the blink of an eye, grabbed everything essential to them.

Hina and Nagi couldn’t process it, the horror that was displayed on the television just seconds ago. It left them in a state of petrification, though it didn’t last long with Hodaka taking a hold of each of their hands.

“We have to go, now!”

The two of them were yanked away from the table and dragged across the living room to the outside world. Hina looked up at the bright blue sky being absorbed by the smoke, converting it into a reddish-orange.

“No. Not again.”

Hina teared up, seeing the beautiful sky being taken away from them once more. She was at fault last time, costing millions of people their homes for it, but now, it was happening in front of her eyes once more.

“I have to tell them, but their safety comes first.”

The former Sunshine Girl snapped out of her trance and picked up her feet. Hina ran fully alongside Hodaka, removing the supplies from him while he focused on carrying Nagi. They didn’t have time to discuss it nor come up with a concrete plan, but they both agreed that they needed to run as fast as possible.

“We’ll be alright, Hodaka. It’ll be my turn to save us.”

***

Within the Hollow Earth sat a monster thought long forgotten. The beast slept, wanting rest after helping his fellow titans hunt for a meal. Then he heard an echoing roar, his eyes snapping open as the order for subjugation emitted. The behemoth rose from his bed rest, puffing out of his chest before unleashing a response.

Though he sensed the fall of the island of Titans, he would not be enslaved or scared off by an invader. He would rather die than live in chains. The mutant could tell that they were drawing near, he would need to gather the others and face the threat head-on, for if they didn’t, he feared the world would fall to the invader’s might.

The monster prince turned, walking towards where he last saw the pair of humanoids. He knew they felt it as well when their respective roars reached out in defiance. As they entered his view, they turned. The pair wore armor from past hunts, the bone covering their bodies to protect the weak flesh from stronger opponents that lived in the Hollow Earth.

The Brown Gargantua wore the armor of the great Dah’ren Mohran, one of the many beasts that fell to the blade his father gave him. Though it was a challenging hunt, Sanda had come up on top. The gentle giant stood up, grabbing the knife made from the fallen Baragon before placing it in a sheath. He nodded at his nuclear companion.

The Green Gargantua reached down, grabbing the helmet to his Diablos armor before putting it on. Gaira was ready for war. Unlike his brother, the hunt for his armor was rather easy, the beast dying a rather quick death. The beast of the sea also yearned to see the light of the sky or the darkness of the ocean, he wished to finally leave this prison.

The pair looked towards their saurian companion, waiting for the nuclear leviathan to give the command. The fully grown son of Godzilla nodded before turning and walking away from their cave home. Minilla had faced many Titans in his life, but none had brought such a feeling of dread in his heart. Whatever this monster was, it needed to be eliminated.

***

The tenacious ankylosaur unleashed a roar into the sky, announcing his arrival before groaning in annoyance as he dragged himself from the tunnel. The wounds from the battle at Skull Island were still fresh, it was a miracle that he had survived the slaughter.

Anguirus took in deep breaths as he observed his surroundings. This city was not his destination, but he was near. He sensed the life signs of his fellow guardians, protectors of the planet. Though he and his allies on the island had failed, perhaps these earth defenders could take back the battle. He needed to hurry, for the might of the trio brought fear within his mind. If it wasn’t for his change in tactics, they would have killed him and Godzilla Junior.

The fire monster stepped forward, determination and adrenaline forcing him forward through the aching pain. The citizens quickly ran from the area, though the beast was known to be a protector of the planet, they did not forget his attack in 1955. And when an Earth Defender arrived, it usually meant that something to fear was coming.

In the corner of his eye, the ankylosaur spotted something. He turned, seeing the hole behind him begin to give a heavenly glow. Cracks in the very earth emitted light before it erupted, dirt flying in all directions. Anguirus cried out in surprise as he jumped back, getting into a defensive position. Through the dust, he spotted a pillar of light and a gigantic shadow in it. The form stretched its wings, joints popping as the beast continued the action. Its three large necks uncoiled, legs flexing as it stood up and sank scythe-like talons into the soil. A beefy tail which branched into two swung back and forth, the hydra taking in a deep breath as three maws gave a sinister grin. He had finally been released from his prison, hatred for the sun god still running through volcanic veins, he would pay for daring to seal him away.

The ebon fiend would drain this world of its light, reducing it to a lifeless husk, one he would rule on the foundation of corpses. The hydra’s eyes snapped open as his heads raised into the air and unleashed a roar of dominance. The embodiment of death, the hydra of chaos, Desghidorah had returned.

Anguirus began to growl, his body shaking at the reveal of another Ghidorah. He had just escaped from two of them and now he unleashed another onto the world. What had he done? The ankylosaur focused on his opponent, the dragon flexing his wings and body while shifting into an intimidating display, roaring at the defender. The two locked eyes before Anguirus made the first move and charged forth, kicking up dirt as he leaped across the field.

Desghidorah stared down at his charging adversary, flames surrounding all three maws before unleashing fireballs at the dinosaur. The first two struck the land around them, only for the third to strike Anguirus across the shoulder. The dinosaur cried out in pain but pushed forward, aiming to slam his bulk into the Ghidorah. Desghidorah reached down, grabbing Anguirus in mid-charge and sinking its teeth into his flesh. Blood fell and smoke rose from the wounds as the ankylosaur let out a cry of pain, the three-headed destroyer shaking its heads violently to worsen the damage. Blood flew across the field before the brave reptile was thrown.

Anguirus let out a roar of pain as he crashed into the earth, citizens running in the opposite direction in fear. Hina looked back, she wanted to help but she also needed to take care of Hodaka and Nagi. She turned, joining the others as they fled.

***

The forest shook as a green goliath walked through the countryside. The beast heavily breathed as he snarled, his bones feeling as if they were going to snap, his organs ready to burst. The young mutant could feel his ally close, but what made dread fill his mind was the fact that the signal was fading.

Something was wrong, he could feel another source of energy near the ankylosaur. Something alien, even somewhat familiar to the invaders that attacked his home and killed his family. Godzilla Junior felt rage climb up from the very roots of his being. He needed to catch up, and fast, if he didn’t, then the one part of his family that remained would fall to the invader.

The young Godzillasaurus crushed trees under his weight, small forest animals running away to avoid being crushed when suddenly… a gigantic boom echoed through the environment. Junior turned his eyes towards the direction of the sound, spotting the very earth crack and a landslide being triggered by the event. Through the dust and earth, a green hand emerged, quickly being followed by a bipedal beast. The monster roared as he crawled his way out of the Hollow Earth, the Gargantua taking in deep breaths as he got the whiff of fresh air for the first time in years.

Armor covered his body, a reminder to those that would challenge him of his might. The colossus turned his gaze, spotting Junior standing in the forest. Gaira smiled before beating his chest and snarling at the young monster, issuing a trial by combat. Junior puffed out his chest before releasing an ear-piercing roar, this beast stood in his way to Anguirus. He would need to hurry and take care of the challenger before his friend perished.

Gaira raised his hands above him, attempting to look bigger than he was, but such a trick would not work on Godzilla Junior. The young mutant charged forward, destroying the trees that surrounded them as he opened his jaws and attempted to wrap them around the Gargantua’s throat, only for the beast of the sea to put his arm up and protect his vital area. The monster cringed as he felt the razor-sharp teeth biting into his flesh, before lifting his leg and kicking the prince away.

Junior’s dorsal spines quickly lit a bright blue before he unleashed his atomic blast. The spawn of Frankenstein widened his eyes as he jumped out of the way, the beam causing a series of explosions as he trailed across the forest before the young Godzilla ceased the attack. Flames engulfed the forest, smoke rising to the sky as Gaira got to his feet. The humanoid let out a growl, his opponent was strong, but young. This creature had less experience in combat than he did.

Gaira charged forward, the green giant was ready to beat his opponent into the ground. Junior roared as the humanoid wrapped their hands around his throat, the pair falling over onto the ground. The mutant squealed before his opponent raised his hand above his head, ready to strike.

When a black figure appeared beside them. The Gargantua turned, spotting his ally, his eyes red with rage before applying pressure to his wrist. The son of Frankenstein released a roar of anguish before his stronger ally threw him with no effort. Gaira roared in pain as he landed with a thud across the forest, his ally reaching down and lifting Junior back to his feet.

Junior couldn’t believe what stood before him, it was another of his kind. Another Godzilla. The older mutant brushed the rubble off of him before releasing a small grunt. They wished to be allies.

Gaira got back to his feet, roaring before charging at his opponent, only for his brother to stop him mid-charge, standing in front of him with a stare telling his twin to stand down. Gaira came to a complete stop, snarling as his brother stood in his path. Sanda reached out, putting his hand on his sibling’s shoulder, and nodded. The Green Gargantua walked away, a proper challenge would appear soon. He just needed to wait.

The charcoal-colored Godzilla pointed towards the signal of their fellow guardians before releasing a roar. They needed to gather together and destroy the invaders once and for all. If they did not make this final stand, the world would fall and be brought to a crimson hellscape like that of the dawn of time.

Junior nodded, he agreed. Even if he was severely weakened, he wanted to be able to help as much as he could. But first, they needed to help save Anguirus. The young beast turned towards his friend’s signature, letting out a small whimper.

Godzilla looked towards where the young one looked, someone he knew was in danger. The planet’s defender snarled as he looked down before kicking some boulders into the forest. He couldn’t just ignore this plea for help, even if he wanted to. The older mutant nodded, agreeing to aid the young prince in saving his comrade, but they needed to hurry.

For Armageddon was upon them.

***

Ichor poured from the wounds as Anguirus struggled back to his feet, smoke billowing from his form as the resident of Skull Island stood his ground.

The hydra in front of him smiled as it chuckled with glee, seeing a lower life form in such anguish left a feeling of euphoria within the destroyer. First was this pathetic excuse for a defender, then it would track down the Knight and the Moth to exact revenge.

Flames surrounded the three maws once again before elemental power was unleashed upon the ankylosaur, screams of agony shouting to the heavens as the attack burned his scales.

Hina turned around, seeing Anguirus cling to life, desperately trying to do anything against his foe. Her heart sank at the thought of his demise, she had the power to end this and she was running away… it was pathetic.

“Hina…”

The young girl turned in every direction to find the origin of the voice but due to the ongoing battle and constant screaming it was hard to make it, yet it sounded familiar and in front of her, as real as the other voices that surrounded her…

“Hina, sweetheart…”

No it…it couldn’t be…

“I know you may be scared, but everything will be okay, those above us have sent me to help you. For a brief moment, I shall bear Amaterasu’s light.”

Hina’s eyes widened as tears began to flow from her eyes, her arm reaching out in front of her as a ghostly glow began to form in front of her, the identity of the voice being revealed to her with a warm smile.

“Mom?…”

“Oh how I have missed you. I’m sorry that this is how we reunite but I am so happy to see that my little girl has grown up.”

All time seemed to slow down as she was memorized in her mother’s presence, her attention completely taken away from the battle at hand, she had passed away almost four years ago now and yet she stood before her now holding out her hand to her.

“You wish to see the suffering of this animal stop, to save the one you love, and your brother…I would be a terrible mother if I didn’t help you now. My ray of sunshine.”

The ghostly figure began to get closer to her, her arms reaching out to her…

“Hina!” She snapped out of her daze, turning to see Hodaka grabbing her arm. “We have to go!”

She quickly turned back to the battle to see that her mother was gone once again, perhaps just like the suit of armor before Hodaka could not see her, the thought quickly disappearing as she returned her attention back to Hodaka.

Reaching out to him with her hand, gently placing it on his face, tears swelling up as she tried to find the words to say. To explain everything, to apologize for keeping it a secret, to justify it all but nothing would come to her mind.

And yet, that was her solution.

There was nothing she could say or do that would make this right to them. Keeping this secret for three years, from the people whom she held closest to her heart. She planted her feet in the ground, causing Hodaka to be pulled back by her sudden strength.

“Hina…” Hodaka cried out, concerned as to why she had stopped in her tracks, keeping her eyes peeled over the Titans clashing off in the distance.

“Hodaka, Nagi,” she spoke, turning back to them, sorrow painted all over her face as her hands fidgeted with each other.

“I’m sorry,” Hina apologized, her voice fading away, turning her back away from them once more as she took a few steps forward. “Nothing I can ever say or do would have made this right, but I realize sometimes doing nothing is the solution.”

“Hina… what are you talking about?” Nagi yelled out, trying to reach out to his sister, baffled at what she was trying to convey.

Hodaka held him back and went in his place, trying to reach out to her, but a strong gust of wind kept him at arm’s distance away from her. He attempted to fight back against the currents, but to no avail, he was powerless against the might of the invisible force before him.

“You saved my life, Hodaka, because of how you felt and how you couldn’t sit back,” Hina voiced, smiling at how she thought back to that fateful day of the two of them descending through the clouds.

A ray of sunlight shined directly on her while the powerful gusts of wind lifted the water from the puddles, allowing them to circle around her. Within seconds, the water created a forcefield around her while her mother’s ghostly figure wrapped her arms around the bubble, the light from the sun grew brighter and brighter, creating a blinding, yet reassuring, brilliant beacon of hope.

Above her, the air split apart into a glowing portal, a steel bird made of precious metals exiting. A sword and a circular object which glinted harshly in the light, something the boy assumed was a mirror. The two objects descended into the bubble, disappearing in the light.

Hodaka remained in a state of shock at the sight he was witnessing before him. Every muscle in his body was telling him to move, to pull Hina out of the cyclone that entrapped her, but he was powerless to do anything about it.

All he could think about was “No…. please. Not again. I can’t do this. Don’t take her away from us.”

Hina tilted her head slightly back, giving both him and Nagi one last smile. “This time, let me be the one who saves you. I’m just like you, I can’t sit back…. Even if nothing is the only option.”

The droplets of water, the high amounts of wind and the orange light circled around her intensively, going at speeds the naked eye couldn’t process until it let out a powerful shockwave. One that sent Hodaka and Nagi crashing down on their backs. They were dazed for just a few moments as they felt the cool winds no longer blowing on their skins.

Not worrying about the injuries he may have suffered from the blast, Hodaka jumped to his feet to check on the wellbeing of his girlfriend, but froze at the sight before him.

Hina was gone.

All that remained was a powerful knight clad in shiny silver and gold armor. One that inspired hope as electricity crackled through her fists. She took a step forward, observing the fight between Anguirus and Desghidorah as the three-headed demon was pulverizing the helpless defender. He didn’t have long, and Hina knew it. Whatever his reasons for being here, she knew Anguirus wasn’t the aggressor in this situation. There was a story that needed to be told from someone, and like several others, she saw the best in him.

Before taking another step forward, she held Utsuno’s left hand out, motioning for Hodaka not to follow. She regretted not staying with the two people she loved the most, but knew she’d regret it even more if she did nothing.

Utsuno took off, stumbling ever so slightly. Hina nearly gasped at all the extra weight she was carrying from this new body she was controlling. It was as if she was forced to pull several anvils behind her back, barely able to keep the mighty god upright. Still, she couldn’t let it stop her, not when there were so many lives at stake. The Space Warfare God’s “pilot” picked herself up as fast as they could, marching determinedly to quell this threat once and for all.

The sound of her steps echoed through the battlefield, causing both monsters to turn their attention to the new arrival. Desghidorah’s eyes widened as she approached, rage quickly consuming the hydra at the sight of the knight. Roars erupted from his three maws before charging straight at the one who was responsible for sealing him away so long ago.

Finally, he could exact his vengeance upon the holy warrior!

Electrical energy surrounded Utsuno’s fist before pulling it back and striking her adversary with a powerful blow, sending Desghidorah crashing into the city. Hina looked at her hand with amazement, so much power within her felt strange. She was just a human, and to wield such power she would have to tread carefully, one wrong move could be disastrous.

Anguirus stared at the knight as Desghidorah recovered, panting on the ground as blood flowed from his wounds. He needed to recover quickly and help against the hydra.

The embodiment of death once again charged at the knight, electrical energy surrounded his jaws before unleashing the Lava Gout Energy Bolts upon the usurper… only for the energy to slam into an invisible forcefield.

Hina raised her arm upward, energy surrounding her hand as it began to take form. Holy light engulfed the surrounding area, causing Desghidorah to screech with rage as he lost sight of his enemy. But before long the light had dissipated and was replaced with a blade in Utsuno’s hand.

Energy surrounded the blade as she got into a defensive position, waiting for her foe to make the first move. She was determined to take the demon’s life with one swing.

The ebony hydra stared at the knight as she made it back to her feet, something was off about this. Their last confrontation was a lot more aggressive and something about their energy was different, though he could not pinpoint the reason.

Either way, they would suffer his wrath!

The intergalactic hydra charged forward, all four powerful limbs breaking the concrete with ease as he picked up speed.

Utsuno swung her blade downward, hoping to slice through the heads in one swoop, only for Desghidorah to dodge out of the way and sink their fangs into the knight’s arm before sending millions of volts of electricity through their body.

Within the gem on the godly figure’s chest, Hina screamed in agony as she dropped her blade onto the ground, the sun goddess dropping to her knees before Desghidorah lifted with all of his might and threw her towards the city. Buildings being crushed in an instant as the Sunshine Girl crashed amongst the population.

Flames began to surround the dark copy’s maw when suddenly, Anguirus slammed into him with a Thunderball. Sparks were sent flying as Desghidorah released a screech of anguish and was pushed backward, the ankylosaur earning his full, undivided attention.

Anguirus released a roar at the hydra before leaping at him, aiming his maw at one of the demon’s necks before managing to land the attack. His fangs dug through his flesh with ease in an instant, causing the magma ichor to be released.

The Earth Defender screamed in pain as his maw burned, steam exiting his mouth as he quickly backed away from the wounded adversary. Desghidorah smiled before reaching out with his right and left heads, sinking his fangs into the beast’s hide, surging electrical energy through his body as the invader took to the sky.

Desghidorah’s middle head began to chuckle as Anguirus struggled to free himself, the ankylosaur roaring as he attempted to shake slash at their scales with his talons… only to be granted that wish.

The heads released their grip on the fire monster causing him to plummet to the earth. His mass picked up velocity as he descended to the surface, his eyes widening moments before crashing into the ground.

CRACK!

Spikes from Anguirus’ carapace snapped like twigs, blood erupting from his maw as the wind was knocked out of him. The ankylosaur struggled to breath as his vision became blurry, only seeing a black spot descending towards him.

Hina looked upon the fallen warrior as she rose back to her feet, rage quickly consuming the temporary goddess as she turned her attention to the one responsible. Desghidorah’s horrid laughter echoing through the battlefield as he aimed his weight towards the fallen, preparing to slam into his prey at full force.

“No!”

Energy surrounded Utsuno’s gem on top of her head before unleashing a beam of pure light at the demon, managing to strike it midair across the wing. Magma flew as Desghidorah unleashed a cry of anguish from his maws before crashing into the city.

Quickly Hina rushed over to the fallen, placing her hand on his neck to find a pulse.

“Oh thank god…”

Anguirus wheezed as blood continued to fall from his maw and nostrils, the last battle had already left him completely drained and now he was on the brink of death from another invader to his home.

No, not like this.

The dinosaur forced himself back to his feet, standing alongside the goddess of light as they awaited their enemy. Though perhaps facing him head on was not the proper tactic. Anguirus quickly began to dig into the earth, burrowing through the concrete and dirt with ease.

Utsuno stood still, her grip on her sword being tight as she awaited the next move.

A bellow of hatred erupted from the hydra as he rose back to his feet, magma flowing from the wound onto the ground, causing steel and concrete to melt instantly. The ebony demon snarled as he looked towards Utsuno Ikusagami, the knight charging at him while unleashing a battle cry.

Desghidorah followed in example, quickly charging forward and slamming into Utsuno’s chest. Pushing her back before attempting to sink their fangs into her arm once again, only to be met with her holy blade descending towards his mass.

The left head reached out, grabbing the blade by the jaws before pulling. Hina was brought closer to the threat, causing the right head to land their blow, properly getting ahold of the warrior’s arm once more. Energy surged through her as she struggled to free herself from his grasp, only to be met with flames from the middle.

The hellfire washed over Utsuno’s head in an instant, Hina screamed in agony as she felt the wrath of the elements. The onslaught of flames continued as she fell to her knees, the pain being everlasting within her immortal body.

BOOM!

The earth behind the hydra erupted into the sky, the landscape falling to the ground like rain as the tenacious ankylosaur emerged. He roared as he landed on top of the demon, causing him to cease the attack.

Utsuno dropped to the ground as Desghidorah’s grip was released, her hands keeping her off the ground as smoke rose from her form.

The hydra roared with fury as he shook his entire body, attempting to force Anguirus off of him as the fire monster ripped into the wyrm’s scales. Magma flowed from the wounds and burned the last resident of Skull Island, but the pain mattered little to him. This warrior had gone out of their way to save his life, he would not simply allow them to be slain by the ebony demise!

Desghidorah’s right head reached backward and snapped at Anguirus’ arm, attempting to sink his fangs into his attacker. Only for Anguirus to puff in his chest before releasing a howl directly into the enemy’s face, deafening the head in an instant. The limb screeched in agony as his ears began to bleed. Hot magma flowed onto the ground as he finally had enough, spreading open his wings to knock the ankylosaur off of him.

Anguirus released another howl as he slammed to the ground, quickly attempting to get back on his feet only to have fangs sink into his tail. Ichor flowed in between the teeth as he was lifted into the air and slammed into the ground, the process repeating as the Earth Defender released cries of anguish into the sky.

Hina stumbled to her feet, her eyes within the divinity of light widening as she witnessed her ally. Without a second thought she held out her hand, energy surrounding it before forming into a spear of light.

The demon had his back turned to her, surely he would fall to this blow!

Utsuno pulled back her arm and aimed the attack at the demon’s hide before throwing the projectile with all of her might…

Desghidorah’s left head quickly turned around as the projectile approached, opening their maw and managing to catch it.

“WHAT!?”

The demon’s middle head smirked as the left head threw back the holy weapon, aiming to destroy the sun goddess with her own attack.

“NO NO NO!”

Quickly, Hina formed a barrier in front of herself. Ancient runes were emblazoned upon it, all of her might being put into this one defense. The spear slammed into the barrier, initiating an explosion to engulf the area. A shockwave rippled through the area like a rock through a lake, causing the battlefield to shake violently from the blast.

Desghidorah dropped Anguirus onto the ground, the copy turning his attention to his nemesis. Dust and smoke covered his view from discovering their fate, the hydra snarled in frustration as he stared.

The ankylosaur looked through the dust, attempting to spot the knight the best he could. His vision had become blurry due to the massive beating and loss of blood, bones felt shattered and organs felt as if they were going to burst, but with every breath he continued to cling onto life.

Within the dust the sound of something moving was heard before Utsuno charged forward, sword in hand as she attempted to finally put down the darkened hydra.

The left head of the ancient menace once again sank its fangs into Anguirus’ tail, causing the fire monster’s eyes to widen as the already broken limb was shredded, flesh hanging by threads. He let out a blood-curdling cry as he was lifted into the air and then thrown at the holy knight.

His mass slammed into the goddess and caused the pair to collapse onto the ground. The two attempted to quickly get back to their feet as flames surrounded Desghidorah’s maws…

***

They watched the holy knight Hina turned into as she fought valiantly alongside Anguirus against the three-headed demon. Hodaka, with every fiber 0f his being wished he was capable of becoming something like her or could do anything to save her life, but alas, he was at a loss. All he could do was protect Nagi once more.

Despite the astonishing power she now wielded, they couldn’t help but notice both her and the Earth Defender were on the brink of defeat. The ancient dragon was far too much for them to handle. He cringed at seeing Anguirus cry out in agonizing pain from the beast’s flame breaths. The last of the Skull Island resident’s skin slowly melted while his blood boiled at the intense heat Desghidorah was generating.

Utsuno limped over, attempting to generate a shield to protect her ally and herself from the overwhelming firepower, but it was of no use. She was immediately met by the dragon of darkness’ crushing force of crackling electricity, effectively paralyzing them as they writhed on the earth from the energy coursing throughout their bodies.

It was getting too much for them to watch, but they couldn’t compel themselves to take her advice and run. They couldn’t leave her behind.

For all they knew, this could very well be the last time they see her.

Desghidorah ceased his assault, admiring his handiwork as he saw his two foes at their breaking point. Anguirus, this rudimentary creature, was drifting in and out of consciousness. His burns were severe, several of his spikes were either broken off or melted, and his tail was nearly split in half. All the while the dragon of darkness grinned at Utsuno’s injuries as she was on her knees while her left hand was placed on the ground. He couldn’t see any emotion in the knight’s face, but deep down, Desghidorah knew all she had was fear and failure.

And he relished in it.

He had waited a long time for this day and now it had arrived.

And the fun had only just begun.

Opening all three maws, flames brewed in his throats as he took aim at his injured foes. They would feel his wrath once more and will crave for death, but it would not come for them. Instead, he intended to repay Utsuno for the suffering inflicted upon him all those years ago.

The flames erupted from his maws, racing towards the two wounded heroes, but were cut off by two atomic blasts. One blue and the other purple, moving as if they danced around each other before landing on their destinations. From the blasts of the impact, two of Desghidorah’s projectiles were sent off course, forcing their flames to melt a city block instead. Only one remained, setting the two ablaze, however, it didn’t last long as a sharp projectile was sent crashing into it.

With a gurgled cry, Desghidorah’s affected head immediately ceased its flames and instead unleashed a volley of magma from its mouth, melting everything below him. Utsuno tilted her head up, curious at what caused her executioner’s attack to cease, only to find a horn of some sort lodged through the left head’s throat. She watched as he gagged on the blade while magma ichor still continuously poured out of its mouth. The other two heads immediately took their attention away from them and towards their wounded comrade, desperately trying to pull the horn out of his maw.

Anguirus stirred himself awake, trying to piece together what caused this new development. He looked over at Utsuno, curious if she was the culprit behind their foe’s suffering, but she seemed as puzzled as he was. Instead, he heard a roar of encouragement.

The Earth Defender slowly turned his head around to see the impossible.

It was Junior.

And he wasn’t alone.

With him were two hairy humanoids. One brown and the other green, clad in some kind of armor that he couldn’t make out. Perhaps once he recovered, he could properly identify it, but it didn’t matter right now.

Then, the sight that really shocked him was…..

“Godzilla!?” Nagi blared out.

“But…. he’s dead!” Hodaka added in disbelief, watching as he saw the mighty King of the Monsters standing before them with the other ghosts.

“It was said both Gargantuas perished from a volcanic eruption and Godzilla died of his wounds nearly twenty years ago. This was general knowledge!” Nagi called out, watching the two siblings survey the area while the two Godzillas kept an eye on the wounded Desghidorah.

“If they’re here to save Hina, then I’m glad they survived,” Hodaka simply voiced out, his words invoking a sense of relief to himself, watching as they made no move against her nor Anguirus.

“Well, Gaira seems to have his mind set on other things,” Nagi pointed out, shifting their eyes towards the Green Gargantua as they attempted to reach down for a couple of fleeing civilians. However, the commands of his stomach could not be matched by his older brother as he was smacked upside the head, telling him to let them go. Gaira snarled, but kept his composure, keeping his eyes peeled on the now recovering dragon.

Desghidorah, finally getting the right grip on the situation, yanked the horn out, now drenched in red ichor. He screamed at the sky. That puny blade hurt more than anything the two of them unleashed upon him and he wanted to know the source of this. Desghidorah’s three pairs of eyes tilted up to see his opposers now outnumbered him six to one.

The ancient dragon snarled. He welcomed a challenge, but that horn complicated matters for him. He was essentially down a head, as plasma still leaked out of its maw.

No matter.

What were a few more peasants to a god?

Anguirus lifted his head up weakly, every inch of his body was in agonizing pain, but what he saw reignited the fire in his body. The fire that inspired him to get back up and see this through the end.

The two he helped raise over the years, training them everything he knew and making sure they were always safe. His priority. Now stood before him, grown up and ready to face the world head on.

His children.

The two Godzillas, without even having to communicate, lit up with their dorsal fins and shot them out at the three-headed terror once more, eliciting a cry of annoyance. Their combined firepower pushed the dragon while the two Gargantuas took advantage of the opportunity presented to them. Sanda grabbed the horn, keeping up with his brother on the other side of Desghidorah as they ran around behind him.

Gaira channeled all of the strength in his body, unleashing a powerful shriek before grabbing a hold of Desghidorah’s tail, preventing any attempt to escape. With the all out assault currently taking place, Sanda took the opportunity and leapt onto the dark dragon’s back. Not even wasting a second of time, the Brown Gargantua repeatedly jabbed the horn into its back, earning several screams of anguish from the unholy beast. Streaks of magma oozed out, slightly burning Sanda’s fingertips. He snarled at the burning sensation, but ignored it as he focused on trying to find the right place to stab. If he could find the right spot, then maybe, just maybe, he could paralyze this abomination and bring the fight to a quick and swift end without any more suffering.

Their atomic blasts ceased, taking a moment to look at their wounded comrades. The silver knight before them slowly got to her feet while Anguirus shook his head and looked up. The ankylosaur couldn’t stop expressing his happiness at seeing how far the two had come, but more importantly, how they were still here. Even after he thought he lost them.

Anguirus let out a joyful honk at Junior, earning a playful roar back from the juvenile. The fire monster then looked back at the grown-up Godzilla, someone he hadn’t seen in over a decade. He was the spitting image of his father and already had the attitude of a champion, rallying his own army against a monster of evil.

The world couldn’t be in better hands.

Anguirus slowly crawled over to the two, patting Junior on the shoulders, roaring softly at the kid, ensuring he was glad to see him. The fire monster then glanced at Minilla and despite what stood before him, he still couldn’t help but see that playful baby he had helped watch over all those years. Without any warning, Anguirus stood on his hind legs and hugged Godzilla.

His life and everything he held dear was taken away from him days ago, but fate decided to give him a second chance. Anguirus wouldn’t let it go to waste and held onto his old friend even longer as Godzilla returned the favor by patting him on the head.

Godzilla let out a roar of relief, overjoyed at seeing his friend still the same as ever. Never losing hope even in the darkest of times and being a loyal companion to the end.

The Prince of the Monsters ushered out a command, notifying the others that the reunion would have to be on pause as the threat still remained. The four regained their footing as they analyzed Desghidorah thrashing about from the Gargantuas’ assault, readying to make their next move.

His father had told stories of his battles with a golden hydra from the stars, a fierce rival that would always force the King of the Monsters to join arms with others; it was poetic that the first beast he was to fight was another of that one’s kind.

Perhaps their two races were always meant to meet in war, destined to slaughter each other until the last members of their species perished.

Godzilla unleashed a roar into the sky before charging forward, the others following closely behind as they let out battle cries, causing Desghidorah to take notice of the approaching group. Rage built up as the two Gargantuas continued their assault, a pathetic gesture compared to the raw power he possessed. He stood up on his two back legs momentarily, forcing Sanda to fall off of his back and into Gaira, the two releasing groans as they slammed into each other.

Flames surrounding the ebony hydra’s maw built up in temperature as the demon returned to the ground, the three heads firing at the group in unison. Junior and Utsuno quickly dodged to the side to evade damage, but Anguirus had been through two major battles in a matter of days. His strength was not the same as it was in his prime, though he attempted to move out of the blast, he was simply not fast enough…

Godzilla quickly jumped in front of the flames, letting out cries of pain as he blocked the attack’s path, Anguirus’ eyes widened with fear as he let out a cry to the grown prince, fear taking over his mind as his old friend was in pain for his sake. Desghidorah’s three maws smiled as they continued the attack, the super darkness dragon feeling immense pride rush through his mind as this world’s champions were nothing before his might.

But then Godzilla took several steps forward, his hands covering his eyes as all three flames aimed directly at him, the pain being immense but the adrenaline and rage pushing the prince forward. The hydra raised the temperatures as the nuclear saurian pushed through his attack, his spines flashing purple as he finally reached out, wrapping his hands around the enemy’s maw before unleashing his Atomic Blast point blank.

The power of the atom overcame Desghidorah’s flames and engulfed his middle head swiftly, the dragon of darkness screaming as the other two heads continued their assault, Godzilla’s will being unbreakable even as his flesh was burned with temperatures comparable to a volcano. Anguirus watched in amazement at the young one’s determination, once again reminding him of his father as they faced off against King Ghidorah and Gigan decades ago.

Junior’s spines flashed a bright azure before unleashing his Atomic Blast at the destroyer, striking true on the beast’s hide, sending the hydra through the environment until the young Godzillasaurus ceased his assault. Godzilla charged at the downed hydra in an instant, rage erupting from within as he repeatedly kicked the downed invader, roaring with each strike, his eyes glowing red with rage.

No matter what he would defend the innocent! Human, Titan, God, Mortal; It did not matter what they were as long as they called out, he would answer! He would show them a better tomorrow just as his father had, because he is King!

Sanda slowly got up to his feet as he witnessed the entire act Godzilla had performed. He smiled at the act of heroism he performed to save the others despite the severe burns he received. Even if he wasn’t his own flesh and blood, he couldn’t be more proud than to witness a champion before him. Sanda noticed the orange-stained horn a few feet next to him and placed it firmly in his hand.

Even if Godzilla was a hero, he couldn’t do this alone. Sanda scanned the area for his newfound allies when all he heard was laughter. His head snapped over to his brother already on his feet, laughing at the display before him. The benevolent Gargantua shook his head and grumbled at his brother’s reaction to the beatdown.

Sanda marched over and smacked Gaira over the head, immediately ceasing his laughter. The Green Gargantua shrieked out in response to his brother, but Sanda let out a roar of his own, ushering a command to assist in the battle. Gaira mumbled before marching over as Sanda soon followed suit, letting out a small chuckle at the display before him.

Utsuno struggled to stay on her feet from the combined weight of her own body and the injuries she had endured prior. Yet, she couldn’t back down now, not when the others were still fighting strong. She heard a small roar and glanced over at the juvenile. His body was shaking just like hers, but he still had a lot of fight left in him. She stared right at him, seeing the fear, yet determination in his eyes.

They were both afraid. Not only of the behemoth before them, but what would happen if they failed. They had a lot on the line and that’s all it took. For them to both understand each other.

The two young heroes watched as Desghidorah slowly regained his strength while the King of the Monsters was still kicking him down. Unbeknownst to them, Desghidorah smirked at the juvenile still laying into him. His arrogance cost him greatly as his right head slunk over to his leg and sunk its fangs into his legs, transmitting electricity into his body. Godzilla immediately cried out in pain, ceasing his assault on the three-headed being as he turned his attention to the head. However, Desghidorah’s middle head unleashed a powerful flame breath, scorching Godzilla’s entire head and earning a scream that shocked the entire Earth.

The two dueling kaiju traded places as Godzilla fell while Desghidorah rose. The dark dragon ushered out a cackle, watching Godzilla roll around on the ground in complete agony over the scorching heat covering his entire head. With his remaining two heads, Desghidorah sunk his jaws deep into Godzilla’s flesh, earning a childish squeal, one Anguirus was all too familiar with.

Anguirus shivered at the torture his child was going through as he moved his feet forward, doing anything he could to save him. However, his body completely broke! His limbs felt numb while his jaw hit the earth. The only bits of his body that could move were his heart, reminding him he was still alive, and his eyes to watch one of the most disgusting things he had seen in his life.

The Old Warrior cursed at himself at how he couldn’t do anything to save Minilla.

He failed.

Not just Minilla, but everyone he held dear to his heart.

This was the day he was gonna lose it all.

SHREEONK!

Anguirus’ head momentarily perked up to hear a more energized roar and see Junior racing like an arrow towards the dark dragon. Junior crashed into Desghidorah, earning a roar of anger, taking his attention away from the downed King of the Monsters and onto the juvenile.

Desghidorah stared deeply into the eyes of Godzilla Junior, hoping he’d find fear in his eyes, but to his disappointment only ones of defiance. He snarled, he would teach this welp what it meant to fear! Two maws opened up, intending to set the child ablaze, but instead screams were heard. Deghidorah’s heads watched as an energy spear hurled from far away tore through his chest, giving Godzilla Junior the opening he needed as his spines sparkled blue. He felt the energy surging through his entire body, feeling this would be the biggest output of atomic energy he ever produced.

Without wasting another second, Junior opened his jaws wide and let out the concentrated beam of azure atomic energy, searing not through any of his heads, but through his right wing. He concentrated all of his energy on the bone structure connecting it to the rest of their body. Desghidorah unleashed another howl of agony, turning his attention towards Junior and deciding he was not worth making suffer. Instead, he fully intended to kill the brat here and now.

Desghidorah charged his blasts once again, aiming them right at the distracted Junior’s head. Without any waste of time, he shot them out, intending for them to race towards their target, but instead their heads jerked straight up. Utsuno landed directly in front of the dragon, allowing her to cleave her mighty sword through the left wing of the dragon as if it were made of butter.

Both wings dropped to the ground simultaneously, not even allowing Desghidorah to be shocked at what had just transpired, but to still be reeling over the intense pain he was feeling.

How!?

The young warriors stood before them, side by side, seemingly proud of their accomplishment in the fight despite both of them feeling drained. They used up the last bit of energy they had to bring the dragon of darkness to where he was now. Whatever happened to them now, it was up to the others to finish the fight. They knew they weren’t going to win this, but at the very least, they could lead others to victory.

The two didn’t even attempt to evade as they both knew their bodies wouldn’t let them as Desghidorah bellowed, one far louder than any other he had ever unleashed. These two had cost him nearly everything and he was going to make sure they paid for it. Unleashing two flame breaths, forcing them to the ground as Junior cried out from his entire body burning up. Hina, on the other hand, couldn’t usher out those same cries, but instead, had to endure the pain in the silence. Yet, her body commanded her to commit one more act in this battle.

Utsuno gripped her sword tightly as she lifted it to match the raging flames. Before, Desghidorah would have smirked at the pitiful display, but they just wanted the two youth dead and instead increased the intensity of their flames. Summing up the last of her energy, she yanked her arm back and threw the sword directly at the dragon’s left head, decapitating it in an instant.

The pain once again forced Desghidorah to cease his assault and to take a moment to tend to its wounds, forcing its two remaining heads to cry out in pure agony. Utsuno laid on her back, looking deeply into Junior’s eyes. Ones that were grateful for everything she had done for him before drifting off into unconsciousness.

She didn’t have to understand him for her to know he was appreciative of saving his life, as the silence and knowing he was still alive was all that mattered to her. Utsuno soon followed her comrade’s journey, knowing her newfound friends would be able to save the day.

“I told you it would be okay, Hodaka,” Hina murmured, looking at the blue sky peering through the darkness above her.“I kept my promise that I would save us.”

***

Hodaka violently shook as he dropped to the ground, anxiety taking control as he stared at Hina’s unconscious body, a ringing echoing through his ears as Nagi grabbed him by the shoulders.

“Hodaka!” Tears swelled before coming down his cheek as his friend shook him. “Hodaka, she will be fine! She has Minilla and the others to get her out of there!”

Nagi tried his hardest to stay strong, the adult in the situation was now breaking down in front of him and his sister had been badly injured by Desghidorah, all of his hope being put into the new defenders of the planet.

Hodaka looked back up, quickly wrapping his hands around the boy and hugging him tightly, he was the adult and the child was being the stronger of the two. Disappointment rushed through him as he let go of Nagi and got back to his feet, watching as the four monsters surrounded the fire demon.

“You said that is Minilla, right? How do you figure that?

Nagi smiled as he turned his attention back to the action, wiping away a tear before explaining. “His Atomic Breath is purple, Godzilla’s was blue. Explains why a ghost has returned from the grave,” Nagi paused, turning his attention to Minilla slowly getting back up to his feet and brushing the remaining flames off of his body. “It’s his son. The new King of the Monsters.”

“I didn’t even notice the color change, I was too drawn into the battle itself.”

The two continued to observe the conflict, fully drawn into the battle now more than ever. Hina had made history by helping against the demon, now they were obligated to see this to the end.

***

Magma flowed from open wounds across Desghidorah’s form, his back covered in the molten liquid while the stump that once was a head poured out like a geyser.

The hydra turned his form towards the approaching Gargantua brothers, the pair roaring as they charged in to aid their allies. It was enough time for games, these pests had ruined his fun and gravely injured him, now they would suffer the wrath of a Supernova. The two remaining heads unleashed a cry as the injured demon charged forward, slamming his bulk into the pair at full speed, knocking them to the ground.

Desghidorah raised his form into the air before slamming his feet into the downed duo, earning a cry of pain as bones were crushed like toothpicks, flames surrounded the demon’s maw once more. Rage fuelled him as he wished to silence these children quickly and heal from his injuries, the Knight had fallen but the Moth and the others still had to pay!

The flames missed their downed targets as something tugged his form backward, causing the flames to merely scorch the earth in front of the spawns of Frankenstein. The pair quickly made it to their feet, their adrenaline forcing them to recover or die, the pair cheering as they saw what was responsible for their survival.

Godzilla stood tall, smoke rising from his form as his hands were wrapped around the demon’s tail, his eyes a blood red fueled with rage and determination to slay the abomination before him. It sought to end life on this planet, just as many others had attempted before him, and like those invaders he would die to earth’s protectors!

Atomic energy climbed up his dorsal spines, flashing purple once more before the mighty king unleashed a beam of energy directly at the demon’s back, causing Desghidorah to scream in pain as the power of the atom assaulted him. The middle head turned its attention to behind his form, seeing what was causing his pain. Flames surrounded his maw once more, only for Sanda to jump in and grab the powerful limb and aim it towards the ground.

The flames scorched the ground, engulfing it with the element. Sanda screeched in pain but continued to hold his stand, struggling to lift his free hand into the air to strike his opponent with his knife. The blade glowed orange as the heat of Desghidorah activated the horn’s natural bioillumination, Sanda roaring as he forced the blade into the demon’s flesh repeatedly, magma flying with each strike.

Desghidorah’s right head attempted to intervene, only for Gaira to grab the limb and sink his fangs into the demon’s flesh, magma flowing from the wound and burning his face. Adrenaline forced Gaira to continue the assault, the Green Gargantua thrashed his head violently back and forth, silently screeching in agony as he continued the attack.

The dark dragon had enough, managing to swing his head and throw the aquatic spawn off of him, crashing into the ground on his back with a groan of pain. As Gaira attempted to get back up to his feet, the hydra quickly retaliated, shooting out flames at him. The humanoid screamed in anguish as the element washed over his form, burning flesh with ease.

Sanda relinquished his hold, crying out to his brother as he watched the flames burn him. Desghidorah quickly reached out, sinking his fangs into Sanda’s arm and throwing him into the air, the Brown Gargantua screaming before crashing into the ground.

Godzilla released a rage fueled roar to the heavens before mustering all of his strength into lifting the demonic serpent, the dragon of darkness screeching as the mighty mutant managed to lift him into the air before slamming him into the earth, earth flying into the air as the newly crowned King continued the action.

The bigfoot of the mountains quickly charged to the fallen Gaira, his heart sinking as he witnessed his unconscious brother, smoke rising from his form and his flesh severely burned. His hair burned into a pitch black amongst his now broken armor, Sanda reached down to his fallen brother’s neck. It was to check his pulse, the colossus letting out a sigh of relief that at the very least he was alive.

Though his relief quickly became rage as he turned his attention back to the battle, this demon had dared harm his kin and for that he would pay with his life. The Brown Gargantua looked around the battlefield for his weapon, seeing it dropped near the demon, the humanoid immediately darting for the dagger.

Godzilla ceased his attack on Desghidorah before circling around the demon, the hydra letting out a roar of rage as he made it back to his feet, attempting to turn and blast the nuclear saurian with flames, only to be met with a flurry of strikes from the monster king. Each punch pushed the demon back before both heads recoiled and then struck his form, sending the mutant flying into the air before crashing into the ground.

As the new Godzilla bounced back to his feet he noticed the fallen knight, the mutant spotting the blade that was stuck into the ground near the heroic figure. His father had told him once that he managed to unlock a new ability to bring down his mechanical doppelganger, capable of changing the course of the battle in an instant.

Perhaps he too could do the same, Godzilla reached out to the blade attempting to lift it with the power of magnetism to no avail…only for the storm above him to react, lightning striking the earth, causing Godzilla to turn his attention to the sky.

He had not even noticed the darkened skies as the conflict continued, his focus being in the battle. However, something was off about the storm above him. It didn’t feel natural, the energy source being similar to Desghidorah’s, but slightly different.

Was this the power of the one he sensed while in the Hollow Earth? The being who challenged the entire planet and demanded it bend to their will? If that was the case then perhaps he could use their power against the beast that stood in front of him.

Godzilla roared to the heavens, demanding that the elements bend to his will, the king requiring power to end this conflict once and for all.

Moments passed and there was no answer, only puffing clouds within the storm glowing golden.

Then a yellow bolt struck his form, energy coursing through his veins in an instant, a new found power being unlocked by the new king. Godzilla quickly returned his attention to the Knight’s blade, reaching out to it, beckoning it to his hand.

The sword moved ever so slightly, moving across the ground and losing its placement, lightning striking Godzilla once again as he roared out to the weapon. This time he called the blade swiftly to his hand, the mighty king raised it into the sky before unleashing a battle cry as he opened up his other hand.

The ruins across the battlefield began to float in the air, the metallic materials surrounding him before aiming his hand towards the destroyer, the element answering his call and charging directly at Desghidorah’s neck as he switched from magnetically pulling to repulsing.

Sanda quickly grabbed his own blade as Desghidorah approached, flames surrounding his maw to quickly finish off this nuisance, only for metal to wrap around his right neck, the projectiles choking him and ceasing the assault. Magma flowed from the wound as the metals began to saw their way through the demon’s throat, the middle head crying out as he turned his attention to the now charging Godzilla, the sword of the Knight in hand aimed at his chest.

Before the demon could react, the blade was lunged into flesh, stabbing directly through the torso and out of the back. Magma flew across the battlefield as Godzilla landed his mark, smirking with pride as he managed to horribly wound the demon. He attempted to force the blade upward only for the middle head to knock him back.

Magma flowed from Desghidorah’s form as he struggled to stand, the right head of the beast finally falling to the ground as the melting metal cut through the limb. The last head was filled with anxiety as he watched the mighty king and the Brown Gargantua stand side by side, these peasants had brought them down to this… what a joke.

He was going to die… the pain and suffering of those he inflicted was now going to consume him, the endless darkness awaiting for him.

And yet, the fire still burned in his very body. He refused to die alone, and their champion would be the perfect one to take with him. Ignoring the tremendous pain the sword brought him by still being lodged in his chest, Desghidorah ignited his maw and unleashed massive waves of fire at the King of the Monsters.

Godzilla immediately shrieked at the scorching flames once again coating his body, he used his arms to shield himself, but it wouldn’t last long. Even in his weakened state, Desghidorah was still a dangerous threat, but he wasn’t in much of a position to overcome the dark dragon quickly.

The King of the Monsters took a deep breath in, knowing there was only one way this could end. It was something his father did, so the same was to be expected of him. If he wanted to carry out his legacy and to be the champion this world needed, then there was no other way. Godzilla pushed forward, eliciting several roars of defiance as he pushed through the scorching flames.

The Destroyer of Worlds was close yet so far as Godzilla pushed forward despite his vision becoming more obscured in darkness. Godzilla’s heart raced as he was starting to have doubts if he would even make it to Desghidorah.

Desghidorah’s mind lit up briefly at witnessing Godzilla beginning to fall. Despite losing, it brought him comfort knowing this hero would die with him. The world and these peasants will be crushed by his demise and he will be remembered as an everlasting threat that would haunt them forever.

MAAAARONK!!!!!

Desghidorah’s right eye shifted over to the loud bellow as he saw a large ball covered in spikes shoot towards him midair!

No! How could he have survived!? He was dead!

Desghidorah felt his own cold, black heart race in fear as his eyes widened. The dark dragon turned his attention away from the near collapsing Godzilla and directed his flames on Anguirus. The scorching heat was enough to make anyone steer clear, but compared to the last few days, this was just a meager attempt compared to the vast amount of beatings he had accumulated.

Anguirus’ Thunderball pushed through the flames and slammed right through the hilt of Utsuno’s blade, sending it straight through Desghidorah’s chest and out his back. The flames turned into embers sparkling out before ceasing entirely.

Desghidorah gasped for air, feeling the entirety of his strength being sapped away. Even to the point where his joints buckled underneath his own weight as he crashed to the ground. He lied motionlessly, with only enough strength to tilt his vision up slightly to see the battered Anguirus standing before him. Despite his handiwork of scorch marks all over the body, along with long streaks of blood running down and several spikes missing, he was still standing above him.

How could he have lost?

He was modeled after one of the most powerful beings in the universe and was even meant to surpass it, and yet, this was his executioner?

It wasn’t fair.

Anguirus let out a roar of pure rage, not wanting to let this demon die in peace, raced over and placed his hands on Desghidorah’s jaw. The mimic panicked, not because of the impending pain, but at how he would die to such a primitive creature. A weakened and old being, one that should have died a long time ago.

It wasn’t fair!

The Fire Monster screamed to the heavens as he pulled back the upper half of Desghidorah’s head and ripped his bottom jaw off with all of his might, dragging it all the way to the bottom of his neck. Magma poured out, allowing Desghidorah to unleash a gurgled cry of the immense pain he was feeling before his reign of terror ended.

Once a tyrant of darkness, now a crying pretender who would have never amounted to the heights of who he was modeled after. Desghidorah’s eyes watered as he looked Anguirus in his, pure hatred ran in them.

IT WASN’T FAIR!

Anguirus slammed the mimic’s head down on the ground as he watched the last moments of his life go by. The darkened sky he created was no longer visible, but instead the creature’s elbow crashing down before him.

SPLOOSH!

What remained of Desghidorah’s head splattered across the earth, causing the dark dragon’s movements to cease entirely. Anguirus took several deep breaths in and out, relieved at knowing the immediate danger was dealt with.

Every fiber of his body was telling him to crash, however, he couldn’t just yet. He needed to know, to know they were safe. His eyes scanned to the right, watching as the Brown Gargantua was tending to his brother while his eyes darted over to the wounded knight and Junior. Fear washed over him immediately, but knew it was just the adrenaline talking, noticing their bodies still stirring.

SHREEONK!

Anguirus snapped his head over to the loud, victorious roar of his old friend. Despite the injuries he accumulated, Godzilla still stood proud as he marched over to him. Anguirus honked quietly, relieved to know that everyone made it out alright. As the two made contact, Anguirus’ body couldn’t handle it anymore. He passed out in front of his friend, causing Godzilla to place his hands over him. The King of the Monsters sighed with relief, still feeling a pulse on his old friend’s body. Godzilla chuckled, having to remind himself that he was not only a fighter, but a survivor.

With a flash of light composed of orange and blue, Utsuno’s body flashed, gaining the attention of Sanda and Godzilla. What they saw was a girl lying on the ground as if all of her energy was drained from her body. Sanda’s mind lit up like a lightbulb, realizing she was the one assisting them in the battle. He ushered out a roar to Godzilla telling him to assist in Gaira’s recovery.

The Brown Gargantua raced over to the girl and gently placed her in his palm. He admired her beauty and the kindred spirit she displayed despite not being conscious. It reminded him of his old caretaker, Akemi Mizumi, who practically raised him as if he were her only child.

Before he could figure out what to do, he heard voices calling out.

“Hina!”

“Hina!”

Sanda snapped his head over and off to the distance, he saw two boys screaming at the top of their lungs in fear. His eyes widened, realizing what they thought he was going to do. The Brown Gargantua knew he couldn’t do much to keep her safe at the moment, but her friends could as he immediately raced over to them.

His footsteps caused Hodaka and Nagi to nearly drop to the ground as they kept their eyes on the approaching Gargantua. Sanda soon stopped in front of them, staring at them as they still kept their eyes trained on them. Despite knowing Sanda’s history, they couldn’t help but feel nervous around the gentle giant. With a huff, Sanda lowered his hand down and placed Hina gently on the ground, allowing the two to immediately race over to her.

Hodaka looked up to Sanda, who still kept his eyes on him, and spoke up “Thank you.”

Sanda simply nodded, relieved to know they were not only safe but that they knew he could be trusted around them. The Brown Gargantua soon turned back and raced towards his comrades, wanting to assist Godzilla in any way he could.

None of them may realize it, but through the demon they vanquished they were now in this together. For the worst had yet begun.

***

Rain pelted her face as she slowly opened her eyes. Hina laid there motionlessly, watching the dark gray clouds hover over while the water continued to pour down. The sensation was cold and hollow, but she didn’t object to it. She just continued to lie there, letting the rain continue to hit her while the green grass provided her with a sense of comfort equivalent to a comfy mattress.

A huff was heard.

Her head perked up ever so slightly as she saw a figure moving through the darkness. It didn’t take long before it revealed itself. The juvenile saurian let out a small roar as it spotted her, walking slowly towards her.

“The kid? What was he doing here? How is he not hurt?”

She continued to eye him, noticing the small lip with every step he took, but didn’t seem to bother him. Instead, he squatted, lowering his head near the holy knight. He opened his maw as she saw the blue energy channeling its form in his throat.

Hina didn’t flinch at what Junior was about to do and awaited the inevitable. The juvenile Godzilla let out the atomic energy from his mouth as it crashed next to her, blowing specs of the earth past her.

Nothing pierced her skin, but what she felt was a great deal of warmth from the cool winds. Initially she was confused by the harmful radiation the blue flames would give off, but she didn’t feel threatened by it. She welcomed it.

And yet, the flame was slowly going out from the neverending storm. Hina gave Junior a concerned look as his efforts were about to be futile from the cyclone.

A murmur was then heard as Hina found herself being casted by shadow, however, it was not from the clouds. Hina was puzzled, no longer feeling the drops of water crashing down on her. The avatar glanced upwards to see Sanda shielding her from the storm, giving her a look of comfort, vowing to protect her at all costs.

A loud shriek was then heard, startling Hina while footsteps synched up to her racing heart.

“Was that demon still alive?”

The flame let out a shriek of its own, sparking her attention. What she saw surprised her. It was several pounds of food, ranging from different types of meat to vegetables being engulfed in flame. Hina turned her head to find the culprit to be Gaira, who looked down at her, not with hunger, but of determination.

“It doesn’t want to eat me?”

Hina glanced at the food cooking in the fire and then back at the Green Gargantua.

“It wants to take care of me.”

Then, a mighty roar was heard. A roar that challenged the powerful storm as she saw Godzilla marching his way towards the group. The atomic saurian let out his infamous roar nonstop as if he was trying to make conversation. The former Prince of the Monsters sat beside Hina, letting out smaller roars as if he was checking up on her.

Despite their language barrier, she could understand what he was trying to say to her. Hina chuckled at the attempt to speak.

“I’m doing alright. Thank you for asking.”

Godzilla nodded his head as he then scratched his nose, earning another snicker from the holy knight.

Then, Hina nearly gasped when she felt her whole body being wrapped around by a tail. Her heart raced briefly, trying to piece together what was attacking her only to find it to be Anguirus. Hina felt her body pressed up against his hide, bringing her a sense of comfort and relief. The fire monster ushered out a small roar, allowing her to use his body as a pillow.

Unlike the others, whom she felt a great sense of belonging with, none of them were like Anguirus. The two clicked somehow as if they had a full understanding of each other. Both saw each other as warriors who never backed down, caregivers who always put others over themselves and a friend who would always be there.

“You’ve done well for your first bout, but you still have much to learn.”

Hina’s eyes widened at the voice. The one she hadn’t heard in over three years. The voice that ushered in commands and yet terrified her all the same.

“Enjoy this while it lasts, because they will be taken from you.”

“I…. no…. This can’t be taken away. I finally figured…..”

“No. You have not. The consequences will arrive in due time and only then will you fully master this curse. Those in the afterlife will not rest until you do. ”

One by one, her friends disappeared back into the roaring storm, she struggled to cry out.

“No. Please! Not them. Take me! Please!”

Only one remained as she watched their body slowly fade away as tears welled in her eyes. She lunged onto the kaiju, trying to pull on them with all of her strength to keep them from going as her muscles were inflamed. Her body ached, but she ignored it, she wouldn’t lose him, not him or anyone else ever again.

“DON’T!”

Hina jolted up only to find herself pulled slightly back by tubes injected into her left arm. She breathed in and out, realizing she was no longer in the howling storm, but in a sterile room. Hina took a moment to collect herself and to let herself drop onto her back, on the soft cushiony bed she was propped up on.

“Was that a dream or a premonition?”

“Hina!” Hodaka called out, snapping her attention away to find him and Nagi running up to her bedside. Their eyes nearly watering as they gathered around her, embracing her with a big hug.

“Hey guys…” Hina tried to speak out only to be cut off by her little brother.

“Why didn’t you tell us about this!?”

Hina was puzzled for a moment only to realize what they were referring to.

Her new power.

“Crap. I can’t hide away anymore, I just need to tell them and hope they understand.”

Hina took a deep breath in, never wanting this conversation to happen, but she had no choice, as she spoke up. “What you saw was the power of the three lights. I’ll spare you the details, but it grants me the ability to become Utsuno Ikusagami, a champion of the people,” Hina elaborated, tilting her head down as she didn’t want to see their reactions. She couldn’t face their anger and sadness, as hearing about it would be bad enough, as she would soon find herself proven right.

“So, you get chosen yet again to be a servant for some divine being! Haven’t you already done enough!?” Nagi cried out, his stomach turning into knots while his mind raced at the thought of his sister being taken away from him once more. It devastated him the first time around and couldn’t bear the thought of it happening again.

“I…. I didn’t have a choice this time around… it was….” reasoned Hina, ensuring her voice was toned down to explain the situation more delicately.

“When we were falling, wasn’t it?” Hodaka deduced, not wanting to accept the reality, but kept his composure, knowing the origins of it.

“Yes,” Hina simply answered, keeping her head tilted down, feeling guilty over her confession towards them.

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Hodaka asked softly, moving his hand on top of hers.

“I already put you two through a lot when I was the Sunshine Girl. I didn’t want to worry either of you again,” explained Hina, her eyes emitting tears, as she let them drop down on hers and Hodaka’s hands.

“Bullshit,” Nagi cut in on, slamming his hand down onto theirs, never peeling his eyes away from them. “You’re my sister and you don’t get to hide secrets from me. We go through this together. It doesn’t matter if you’re a god or have an army of monsters at your disposal. You share a life with us. The three of us, that’s what matters.

“I…..” Hina stammered out only to find herself interrupted once more.

“You’re the one who always shines a light on everyone that brings us all together, but you can’t do it alone,” stammered Hodaka, as he gripped her hand harder, as if he had no intention of ever letting go. “Hina, promise me you’ll tell us whenever something comes up, whether it’s good or bad. We can handle it.”

“I… I will,” whispered Hina, as she turned her hand around and matched the grip of her loved ones.

“And I don’t care if our lives can never be normal, I just care about you,” Hodaka declared, his voice ringing throughout the room, not caring if anyone outside heard him. “About us,”

Hina bursted into tears at the overwhelming joy she felt from the two of them as she let go of their hands. To their surprise, she yanked them in for a hug, squeezing them tightly. “Thank you. Both of you. I love you both so much.”

“Love you too, sis,” chuckled Nagi.

“I love you, Hina,” Hodaka murmured as Hina hummed in response, rubbing his back. The embrace lasted for several minutes, with the room going dead silent until Nagi had the idea to lighten the mood up and removed himself from the hug.

“So, who’s your new favorite member of our gang?”

“Huh?” both Hodaka and Hina asked, confused as to what he was referring to.

“The kaiju!” Nagi explained, before making his choice. “Mine’s Gaira!”

“He tried to eat several people in front of us!” countered Hodaka, shocked at how someone could choose to view that gluttonous creature with awe.

“Eh, we all have our flaws.” shrugged Nagi.

“Fair, but I gotta give it to Godzilla. Never go up against the all-star hero,” Hodaka answered, as he turned to his girlfriend. “What about you Hina?”

Instead of answering his question, the avatar of the Space God looked past the window, observing the vista as the mountains covered with greenery provided her with a sense of peace. In addition to Hodaka and Nagi, what she saw standing in that landscape made her smile. She felt it as he watched from a distance, never leaving her side as he made sure she was safe and sound.

Anguirus let out a small roar, not knowing if the girl would hear it or not, but wanted to do so. She was alright and that’s what mattered. Her, Junior, and Minilla. His duty to protect never waivered, but it expanded.

He failed to protect nearly everyone on Skull Island, but he had a chance to atone. He wasn’t going to surrender that. He was never one to balk at the sense of duty and she was no different.

Guardians.

Her and him were one in the same, and they would do everything in their power to make sure it stayed that way. No matter what the future held for them.

They were survivors, and only through others did they become stronger.

Unbeknownst to them, they made a vow.

“We will watch over them all.”

Winner: Anguirus (Universal), Godzilla (Showa), Sanda

Author: Brendan Sheehan | Banner: Landon Soto

Cold. It was the cold he noticed first.

Cold was not something new to him. The depths of lakes that he had plunged his fist into to catch fish had brought cold, as well as the winds of the peak of mountains. This was different though. The very air seemed to have never held any warmth, not of the sun or of rains bringing humidity. It made him shiver, tensing his fists and goosebumps to form in his fur.

Eventually, the great ape opened his bleary eyes as he pulled himself up from the ground. He attempted to stand straight but was pulled down causing him to glance down at his arms. Chains of metal remained trapped around his wrists. He snorted and began to pull them, attempting to free himself. Despite all of the king’s great strength, they would not budge. He tugged and tugged, and yet he stayed! Rage began to build up within him and he bellowed in anger. A roar that shook the very concrete that surrounded him.

A low whistle echoed after that. The mighty simian looked up, where he made out lights near the top of the concrete structure, with the smallest shape of a man blocking one of the small window struts. He roared and ran forward to grab the human, sensing he was responsible for his plight, before the then forgotten chains snapped back. He crashed to the floor upon his back, with a groan. The shadowy man laughed.

“You getting feisty, ain’t ya? Don’t worry, we should be starting riiiiiiight…”

A pair of neon lights suddenly bathed the concrete cage in green.

“Bingo.”

A slow grind began, one unlike anything he had felt before. The very structure was moving. The king roared and pulled himself up, bellowing at whatever strange force was causing this. The higher he got, he saw the flash of bright lights and heard the roars of fellow creatures, answering his own. Soon, the structure slowed and eventually came to a rest, sitting next to a metal door. He was soon aware of three things: a loud raucous sound, a subtle click which followed the relief of the chains finally snapping off, and above all, a voice that echoed.

“Ladies and gentlemen! We’ve got a real treat for you tonight, something this little club has never had before. All the way from Mondo Island, the untamable! The powerful! The wondrous! Kinnnnnnnnnnnnnnnng Kong!”

The door slid back with a clank and Kong quickly had to cover his face as a blinding light and a cacophony of yells overwhelmed his senses. Eventually, the giant stumbled out. Kong looked around. He was standing in a jungle but not a normal one. The sand was too bright, the trees too straight, and it was too small. He could cross it in only a few steps. Not only that but it was flanked by massive metal walls, each holding box-like structures in which he could make out cheering humans flanked by glass. He snarled. Not freedom. Another cage. Kong bellowed and ran forward, easily yanking one of the false trees out of the ground and slamming it into one of the walls.

The crowd in the offending wall gasped and pointed, their fun spoiled by their captor’s resistance. Kong whacked the plastic tree against the barrier as hard as he could until it snapped, at which point, he used his own fists to pummel the wall. The crowd began to scream at the primal beast’s rampage, some even fleeing from their hard won seats. Suddenly, a small hatch opened and a beam of energy zapped out of a turret, causing Kong to howl and jump back. The crowd slowly calmed as Kong rubbed his palms, smoke burning his nostrils. Looks like he couldn’t crash his way out.

The announcer laughed. “Sorry, folks. Seems he’s a bit excited to get started. So let’s not keep him waiting, right?!?!”

The crowd, easily reassured in their mostly inebriated states, cheered in response.

“Alright! In this corner, comes a terror from the East! He trampled Tokyo, he terrorized Thailand, he bit Bangladesh, and he hurt Hawaii! But now, Mr. Spiel and his associates have him here to test his crown against one of the kings of all kaiju! Ladies and gentleman, we give youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu……..King Cobra!”

King Kong turned and snarled. Now that the unnaturally loud human had stopped, his ears picked up the sound of squeaking metal, the same sound that had precluded his arrival. On the other side of the arena, the door opened and a lithe shape quickly slithered out. The massive serpent raised itself up, its piercing yellow eyes locking with the audience. King Cobra hissed and spread his hood, blue and maroon combining to give him a truly intimidating profile.

Kong didn’t care though. He’d killed serpents everyday on Mondo. What was one more? He roared, causing the cobra to snap back and turn the threat display on him. Kong slammed his fists upon the ground, before roaring with everything he had, causing the entire arena to shake and the crowd to go silent. The two royal monsters locked eyes.

A breathless moment passed.

And at once, they charged! King Cobra cleared the distance first and lunged forward, attempting to grab Kong’s shoulder, but the massive ape quickly sidestepped. He slammed his fist into the back of the reptile’s head, causing it to crash to the ground. Kong quickly attempted to plant his foot upon the snake’s back, but instead slammed down on sand. The eighth wonder looked across the arena to see the snake’s long tail quickly disappearing into a rapidly growing hole in the sand. King Kong roared and quickly cleared the distance, snatching the end of the snake’s tail before it completely got through.

He grappled with it for minutes, as the snake could only writhe and attempt to escape his grip. Kong’s legendary strength was slowly winning out though, and bit by bit, more of the snake began to be pulled back to the surface. When enough was enough, Kong quickly attempted to grab the rest of the snake as he gripped the tail with one hand. This proved to be a mistake. The cobra finally broke free with the loosened grip and smacked the primate straight in the eye. He let go and the snake slithered back in as Kong stumbled. His head spun, the whole arena blurry.

“Incredible! Folks, this is gonna be one to bet on. Can Kong escape the serpent’s coils? Especially without the aid of electricity? I guess we’ll have to see if Kong truly is k-”

Any further blustering was cut off when a boulder shattered the speaker lodged on the far wall of the arena. Kong snorted in both dismissal and relief after his throw. Finally, maybe now he could think. He quickly began to scan the arena. His clever mind told him the snake wouldn’t be allowed to just burrow out. It still remained there, no doubt waiting for him to lose his guard. Kong slowly walked forward, watching the sand. He could feel it. It was there. But where?

The answer soon came when the sand next to King Kong exploded, as the viper hissed. It lunged for the ape, but Kong had planned his steps carefully. He quickly moved his hands to grab one of the trees in the grove behind him and shoved it in the snake’s mouth. King Cobra hissed and choked, trying to dislodge the tree, giving the bestial king ample time to charge forward, grabbing his neck and causing both to drop to the ground. The two rolled around on the ground, the great ape beating upon King Cobra and the snake coiling around him in an attempt to suffocate Kong as cheers filled the air. The king of Mondo Island movement began to grow slower as he began to choke. King Cobra hissed in satisfaction and lifted his head to finish the job with a bite at Kong’s neck.

He lunged forward….straight into Kong’s waiting hand! The thinking animal had tricked him by faking a loss of strength. The primate would not hold back on a chance this good either. He lurched forward and bit the snake’s hood. King Cobra squealed as the brown colossus tore a chunk out of it. Kong roared in triumph and then slammed his fist into the snake’s head once more. Bleeding and stunned, King Cobra fell to the side. The gargantuan ape crawled out of the coils and knelt next to the serpent’s head before beginning to beat upon his foe, as he hissed and weakly thrashed around until eventually, laying still. Kong snorted. He gave a glance at the serpent, daring it to move. It seemed as if it had truly perished, but doubt left him unsure. He slowly trotted over to a fake pond and hefted a mighty boulder before trundling back. Only one way to make sure.

Just as Kong lifted the boulder to slam it down, King Cobra awoke! With a spiteful hiss, the cobra spat a glob of venom into Kong’s face. Dropping the boulder, Kong roared and clawed at his face. But as he did so, he began to feel his fingers getting caught up in it. Not only was it burning his skin, but it was also an adhesive! The ruler of beasts stumbled around, eventually pulling his hands free, at the expense of some of his hair and skin. He felt around blindly. The situation had turned. He was helpless now. Just as King Cobra wanted. The massive snake moved slowly through a grove of trees, watching Kong trip and whip his head around. He knew silence was the essence. He had done this many times before with much smaller prey. He waited until the perfect opportunity and then….. he struck!

Kong choked as King Cobra’s fangs punctured his neck. He scratched at his foe but the serpent had prepared, quickly coiling around Kong. The king of Mondo Island was helpless, as he felt breath leave his body. He twitched helplessly as the snake tightened his grip, his mouth foaming. The crowd was silent for a moment, but soon, they began to boo. King Kong had endeared himself to them, whether through his intelligence, the legends of the beast’s kind heart, or his more human stature contrasted with the cold reptile. They no longer wanted to see him fail, even if they had spent a lot of money thinking he would. After several minutes of jeers, a crackle filled the arena as a hidden speaker opened, well contained in a wall after the last one’s fate.

“Don’t worry, folks! We’ll shoot King Cobra with a beam, make sure Kong has a fighting chance, yeah? Remember, all bets are final though!”

A panel opened, and the same type of turret that blasted Kong poked out. It soon fired off a volley of magenta light, aimed right at King Cobra’s torn hood, causing him to let go with a growl of pain. The snake snarled and glared at the wall. Even now, he had to fight for his hard earned meal? This was too much. Uncoiling, the snake lunged at the turret, snatching it and tearing it out of the wall before crushing it. The crowd gasped, not only at this brutality, but at Kong. The ape lay unmoving. His mouth lay slack and his chest lay still. It seemed the royal serpent had succeeded. King Kong had died. Finishing with the turret, King Cobra flung it and caused it to crash on the lifeless body. Letting out a roaring hiss, the snake declared his win. He would now feast upon the primate, no matter what the humans did.

He slithered forward. Kong lay waiting, the turret still on top of him. As King Cobra approached, he suddenly slowed himself. Something was wrong. The ape’s face twitched. And, though his eyes weren’t made for it, he could swear he saw hints of blue appearing in the slack grey muzzle. If King Cobra had been a smarter reptile, he may have noticed how the turret he had flung lay sparking upon Kong’s chest, a tiny hint of electricity. And that little spark was all it took. Kong suddenly shot up and swung his fist, slamming into King Cobra’s head! A booming crack like thunder split the air and a spray of electricity fried the snake as it flew to the other wall. Kong stood and roared before using a single hand to yank off the glue like venom. The king lived, as the audience gave their approval with a cheer.

Kong turned and snarled, trying not to trip as he steadied. The electricity wasn’t enough to truly rejuvenate him, just bring him back to life. If he wanted to win, he’d have to use it wisely. King Cobra shook his head and hissed back at the revived devil of the south seas. Kong thought for a moment before nodding and charged. He grabbed a boulder as he ran, lifting it over his face. He could hear the splat as King Cobra’s webbing like venom splattered over the rock. Still, he stood resolved and ran forward until he felt the crack of the rock and a pained hiss as he and the snake finally collided. The snake lunged at the mighty beast, but he quickly wrestled his arms around the viper’s head, slamming it to the ground. King Cobra roared in fury, before he suddenly felt Kong grab his tail and then weightlessness before–crash! Kong proceeded to slam the snake into the ground multiple times as the audience cheered, losing their minds over the battle of titans in front of them.

Disoriented and in pain, King Cobra finally snapped his head around to blast at Kong with another bout of glue but the ape expected it. He dropped the reptile and covered his eyes with his furry arms, his left bicep becoming splattered with the venom-glue. He growled and quickly grabbed a tree, scraping the glue off it to create a mess of brown fur and glue. He looked back at the snake and roared once again. King Cobra seethed. How dare this monkey make a fool of him? He would make sure it would be his last mistake. He charged! Kong waited carefully, holding the tree and panting. He had to get it just right.

The snake was almost upon him. Not yet.

He could see the pale cold yellow of its eyes boring into him. Still, not yet.

King Cobra reared up and roared, fangs ready to pierce Kong’s brain. Now!

Kong slammed the tree into the cobra’s neck. King Cobra hissed and tried to move but his own glue was ironically stuck on tight. He shook around, the tree scraping the ground and leaving him trapped. As for Kong? He ran. Ran across the arena to the small glass box at the very edge of the false tropical jungle, the cobra hissing at him and trying to lunge at him, but left helpless as the tree remained firmly planted in the hole he had unintentionally made with his lashing around. Kong was almost at the box, the crowd within beginning to stir at the ape’s arrival.

Once he was almost there, Kong leapt! He grabbed the sheer edge of the viewing gallery, grabbing on like it was a ledge on Mondo. Using his momentum, he pulled himself up and swung to the top. He steadied himself for a minute before looking down at the arena. King Kong roared at the cobra, as he finally twisted himself around enough to see his foe. The snake sneered, still trying to dislodge the glue before noticing Kong.

The great ape stood upon the box, as it ominously creaked under his weight. The cobra had a flash of brilliance and realized what was finally happening. King Cobra squirmed harder, trying to move quickly, before Kong made his move but he was stuck tight. Kong beat his chest and gave an angry hoot before he leapt off of the box, causing it to shake. A truly massive leap, over hundreds of feet in the air, which nearly cleared the arena, right on top of King Cobra. The snake squealed as Kong slammed down, causing a cloud of sand to cover the two combatants.

Silence fell once more. All of Spiel’s arena watched, waiting to see what had happened. Eventually, a figure stood up though the cloud, obscured as it was. It knelt down and grabbed something at its feet. Eventually, the cloud dissipated to reveal Kong holding King Cobra’s head so the two were face to face. The cobra stared blankly ahead, his jaws twitching as if it wanted to hiss once more. However, it stayed silent. Kong yanked the snake and the entire crowd gasped as the snake came forward. The tree had impaled straight through the snake’s neck, piercing through it like a spear. Kong watched the serpent’s death throes for another moment before flinging it to the ground, where it slowly bled out and eventually lay still.

Kong looked around. He could not see the humans anymore, only the lights. He did not know why they remained silent either. A moment passed before slowly, one man began to clap. Then another, then another and soon there were cheers and before long the whole arena was filled with celebration, at Kong’s triumph.

The king snorted, passive despite the cheers. How could he be happy at their joy? This was not his home, but his prison. He wished for nothing else to go back to his mountains, his trees, his followers, his island. However, standing here, with a hard won battle over and his chest burning with that all too familiar feeling, the joy of being alive after one has come so close to its end, well, that was enough for now.

Kong looked up into the sky, locking eyes with the moon he always saw atop his mountain cave. He slowly lifted a fist before slamming it against his chest, and soon he lifted his left hand to join it in another slam. He beat his chest slowly into a triumphant beat, before letting a roar into the sky that silenced even the now overwhelming reaction of the audience, that reminded them this entertainment had a will of its own.

Despite everything, he was still the king. That would have to do for now.

Winner: King Kong (Showa)