Chapter 2: Noah: Huh?

The evolution speed of the Progenitor Aberrant Beast was completely beyond the Defense Force's imagination.

The area that had been evacuated in advance was now nothing more than a couple of steps for a creature of its current size.

Meanwhile, from the massive crater where the Progenitor Aberrant Beast had just emerged, a ten-meter-tall Ultraman leapt out.

Next, or rather, Noah—no one knew what exactly the old priest had done in this universe.

Perhaps it had been an act of self-sacrifice, vaccinating the entire universe against the Aberrant Beasts. After all, the sudden appearance of the R7 factor in humans on this Earth was anything but normal.

But the reasons behind all of this could be set aside for now.

At present, Noah's situation was dire; his strength had plummeted so sharply that he could only fight in his devolved, further regressed Next form.

The result was plain to see: he and the Progenitor Aberrant Beast were locked in a back-and-forth struggle, and he was even forced onto the defensive from time to time.

Meanwhile, at the base of a building, a little girl in a red checkered dress was still crying loudly—until, in the next instant, her feet left the ground, and the collar of her fate was lifted.

The abruptness silenced her cries; she looked up, utterly bewildered.

Qiao Zhe paid the girl no mind, ignoring her confused gaze. His eyes scanned the panicked, fleeing crowds.

A woman clutching a bag was running frantically against the flow of people, her face full of anxiety as she shouted, “Miku! Miku!”

Hearing the name, Qiao Zhe glanced in surprise at the little girl. Though the pronunciation differed, he couldn't help but think of a certain cat-faced Ultraman. He wondered if that one had taken Leo's flying kick by now.

His mind was racing, but his hands didn't falter. In a few quick steps, he handed the little girl to the woman, urging, “Leave here quickly!”

But just as the words left his lips, an earsplitting crack sounded from above and behind him!

The woman hadn't heard what Qiao Zhe said, but as she witnessed the scene unfolding before her, she let out a terrified scream.

The top of the building was collapsing, hurtling straight down toward the three of them!

Sensing the imminent danger, Qiao Zhe was about to hoist both mother and daughter and make a run for it. But Next moved even faster.

It so happened that the Adapted One’s desire to protect others perfectly matched the nature of the Light.

Thus, the incomplete unity between the two suddenly edged towards completion.

As Next rushed in, light began to radiate from his body, and he activated Mach Movement!

A luminous afterimage streaked by.

As Qiao Zhe and the two were shielded, the light from Next shone at its brightest.

He evolved again.

As the radiance faded, Next had succeeded in growing to gigantic proportions. He knelt, supporting the collapsing building on his back, both arms braced to keep it from crashing down.

The silver-and-red giant’s chest bore a Y-shaped energy core. Crimson stripes ran across his body like veins, while the silver parts gleamed like armor.

Next—Youth Form!

Neither the little girl nor her mother had ever seen anything like this; they stood frozen in shock.

But Qiao Zhe did not linger. He hoisted the mother onto his shoulder.

“Hey!” She yelped in surprise as she was suddenly lifted. “What are you doing?!”

Qiao Zhe ignored her protests, scooping the little girl under his arm. He gave Next a quick glance, then dashed away with swift, practiced steps.

This Next, however, was surprised as he watched Qiao Zhe’s retreating figure.

A human on the verge of evolving into Light.

Wait—something’s not right!

To prevent the rampant spread of the Aberrant Beast Factor throughout the universe, Noah had dispersed his own Light Factor everywhere.

In other words, the R7 Factor in humans was the Light Factor.

But this “vaccine” was only meant to make humans resistant to the Aberrant Beast Factor, not to alter their genes.

Yet Qiao Zhe was different; he was nearly evolving into pure Light!

Judging by the genetic trend, full evolution was only a matter of time.

Once the transformation was complete, Qiao Zhe would become an Ultraman juvenile.

Moreover, Qiao Zhe’s Light Factor was closely connected to Noah himself.

For everyone else, it was just a vaccine; for Qiao Zhe, it was almost like Geed.

How could this be...

Next gazed after Qiao Zhe, a complex tangle of emotions flooding his heart.

What was his relationship to this soon-to-be-born Ultraman child?

Disbelief, astonishment, and other mixed feelings surged within him.

There’s a dark power in this child, faint but present. I can’t just ignore this.

No matter how he looked at it, Next felt a certain responsibility and fell into deep thought.

He even forgot that the building was still on his back.

At that moment, the Progenitor Aberrant Beast, having spotted Next, unleashed a devastating Super Fire Blast!

Boom!

The building on Next’s back exploded, flames roaring outward.

The Progenitor Aberrant Beast wore a look of triumph.

But when the flames cleared, Next stood tall, fists clenched, the rubble of the building falling from his back—unscathed.

Seeing this, the Progenitor Aberrant Beast was momentarily stunned.

It looked at Next, now as massive as itself, and its expression grew complicated.

A deafening roar, fierce but tinged with fear, tore from its throat.

Haunted by bitter memories, the Progenitor Aberrant Beast felt panic rising within.

An Ultra battle cry rang out. Next decided to end his foe!

Boom! Boom!

Titan and beast clashed, trading blow for blow.

Ultraman and monster fought amid the towering city blocks, as the sun began to sink toward the western horizon.

A perfect, absolute homage.

Elsewhere, Qiao Zhe set the little girl and her mother down in a safe zone, watching the distant battle with tense concern.

Knowing his own limits, he didn’t rush in recklessly.

But deep within, a heavy sense of unease took root.

If he had to face an enemy like the Progenitor Aberrant Beast himself, he stood no chance at all.

No, he would inevitably have to face such foes!

On this Earth, the Aberrant Beasts would only grow stronger.

Even if there were no more Aberrant Beasts, there was still Zagi!

Too weak! Right now, I’m far too weak! I can’t do anything!

Thinking of the enemies he would have to face in the future, Qiao Zhe’s fists tightened.

Watching Next battle the Progenitor Aberrant Beast from afar, his desire to grow stronger surged all the more.

Qiao Zhe entered the password, and it was correct.

In the world of Ultra, conviction was everything; an unshakable will mattered above all else.

Thus, the password he unwittingly entered instantly accelerated his evolution!

[Light Factor: 89→91%]

[Dark Factor: 8.9%→9.1%]