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)