Chapter 29: The Down-and-Out Bear Grylls

Belial was a powerful warrior as well, but Cupid’s gaze locked onto Seven X first. For one thing, they were old adversaries; for another, fame had its own allure. A renowned warrior was always far more likely to draw attention.

“Seven.”

At the sound of the voice, Tetsuya, in his second personality, immediately smiled. He suddenly drove a fist into the Blue warrior before him, sending him flying, then turned around and found Cupid standing there. Beneath the contempt in the other warrior’s eyes, there seemed to be a hint of astonishment as well.

Indeed, Cupid was astonished.

He had no doubt that the figure before him was Seven. Yet those bulging muscles, that surging energy, and that gaze as sharp as a blade were utterly unlike the appearance of the man who had once been defeated by him.

“Cupid?” Belial turned to look as well, a trace of excitement in his eyes.

Among the ordinary Red Ultras, his strength was already considered outstanding.

But he still needed an opportunity—one that would make his name known throughout the Land of Light.

Apart from building a reputation through one battle after another, there was another excellent way to achieve that.

Defeat a renowned warrior.

Someone like Cupid, the hero of the Blue Ultras.

Belial slammed one foot into the ruined ground. His narrow eyes, stretching toward his ears, fixed upon Cupid. Then his enormous body leapt into the air and pounced at his opponent like a tiger.

“Bang!”

Cupid caught Belial’s arms and said coldly, “Get lost, little fry!”

As the words left his mouth, he exerted force in opposite directions with both arms and forcibly broke free of Belial’s grasp.

Then he drove a straight punch into Belial’s chest. The tremendous force sent Belial flying.

Belial halted himself in midair, his gaze ferocious and savage.

“You called me a little fry?!”

Cupid cast him a cold, disdainful glance. “You are not even qualified to fight me.”

Belial grew even angrier. Almost berserk, he charged at Cupid once more, the wind howling around him. His massive frame twisted slightly as he launched a flying kick.

“Someone from the Guardian ranks, nothing more than a second-line soldier who cannot even use beam techniques, dares to act arrogant in front of me?”

As he spoke, Cupid easily sidestepped the attack. The instant Belial swept past him, Cupid removed the Ice Axe from the top of his head with astonishing speed.

By the time the weapon was in his hand, Belial had only just passed him, leaving his back completely exposed.

Cupid gripped the axe in his right hand while his left hand remained free. He suddenly seized Belial by the shoulder and wrenched him backward, stopping his descending body. At the same time, he thrust the Ice Axe forward with his right hand and drove it into Belial’s chest.

An unbearable agony erupted in an instant. The Ice Axe pierced straight through Belial’s body, its razor-sharp tip protruding from his chest. The light energy throughout his body began to disperse wildly, and Belial’s consciousness gradually grew hazy.

Was I truly that far behind them simply because I could not use beam techniques?

But I had yearned countless times to master such a skill.

I want to become stronger too!

The moment that thought arose, a tearing pain ripped through his body. Cupid had already kicked Belial’s powerless form away, then calmly placed the Ice Axe back atop his head.

Dealing with a still-inexperienced Belial was absurdly easy.

In Cupid’s eyes, Belial really was nothing more than a little fry—hardly worth mentioning, the sort of opponent he could dispatch with a casual wave of his hand. Perhaps Belial was slightly stronger than the members of the Land of Light’s Guard, but that level of strength was still nowhere near enough.

“Thud.”

Belial’s limp body crashed down in front of Seven X. Tetsuya, in his second personality, stared somewhat strangely at Belial, whose light energy was still steadily dispersing. A mischievous thought crossed his mind.

Could Lord Belial actually perish in the civil war within the Land of Light? Could the future Galactic Emperor, who was supposed to shake the entire Land of Light, die here in such an obscure and unjust manner?

Ultras were composed of light, so they did not possess energy cores. It was much like being hit in a shooting game: the damage affected the whole body rather than a particular physical organ. They could be regarded as aggregates of light energy. Within such an aggregate, the light energy normally would not disperse. Yet when the body was injured, it was equivalent to disrupting the stable state of that energy aggregate—like puncturing a balloon. The energy would soon leak away.

Minor injuries, however, were like poking a tiny hole in a hydrogen balloon with a needle; they caused no real harm. What was more, light energy could heal its own cracks.

But the injury Belial had suffered was entirely different. Without an external force to seal the rupture, his energy would leak away in a very short time, and he would die with it.

Tetsuya, in his second personality—hereafter simply called Tetsuya—pondered for a moment, then smiled.

Belial would one day bring immense devastation to the Land of Light. He was destined to become the mighty Galactic Emperor. Though he would later be beaten mercilessly by one of the finest warriors of the third generation of Ultras—Ultraman Zero—he certainly should not die in this battle.

Without such a figure, the history of the Land of Light would be considerably dimmer.

Energy gathered above the forehead of Seven X. He then raised both arms and placed them atop his head. Everything seemed to be guided by instinct. Tetsuya naturally understood how to use Seven’s abilities. At the prompting of his thoughts, a beam descended from the energy indicator on his forehead and shone upon Belial’s body.

It was a beam with extremely powerful healing properties, used to treat the wounds of other Ultra warriors by employing its energy to mend the ruptures in their bodies.

Within the warm radiance, Belial gradually awakened. His previously dim energy indicator had turned blue, and color slowly returned to his narrow eyes. Yet after regaining consciousness, his spirit remained low. His face seemed to bear the word desolation in full.

Tetsuya could not help wanting to laugh. He had never expected to see the mighty Galactic Emperor Belial in such a miserable state.

“Being unable to use beam techniques is indeed a weakness of your Guardian ranks.”

“But battle does not necessarily have to be resolved with beam techniques.”

Seven X’s broad, massive body took a step forward. Looking down at Belial from above, he said:

“You are a warrior overflowing with vitality, but you have never experienced true battle.”

“Now watch carefully. I will show you how to deal with that arrogant bastard.”

(To be continued.)