Chapter Eighteen: The Choice Within

"Yasui, how much usable equipment do we have?" Now that their enemy’s attack method was clear, it was time for the Victory Squad to launch their counterstrike.

“I’m not sure… But the only thing that can reach underground is electromagnetic waves…” Yasui quickly consulted the data, providing an accurate answer.

“Immediately assign staff to mount the Microwave Cannon onto Victory Swallow One!” Upon hearing this, Captain Hiromi made a swift decision and issued her order.

“Victory Swallow One is still on a mission. Mount the Microwave Cannon onto my White Dragon instead,” Tetsuya said as he picked up the Rubik’s cube, glancing over at Captain Hiromi.

By the time everything was arranged, night had already fallen. As for the interrogation, the so-called “Prophet” from the Kirieloid finally broke under human hands and revealed the location of the next attack.

In the night sky, three fighter jets soared over the dazzling city lights, eventually circling above a designated area.

“Kujii, send me the coordinates for firing the Microwave Cannon,” Tetsuya murmured, gazing at the beautiful night. His thoughts drifted back to his first encounter with the Light, in the world of Next—under a night sky just as beautiful as this.

“I’m analyzing that guy’s movements now!” Kujii replied, eyes fixed on the screen.

Moments later, Kujii exclaimed, “I have him locked!”

“The target is at Point Thirty-Three, right at the intersection!” After a brief pause, Kujii continued, “Hayate, you only get one shot, and the window… is just 0.3 seconds!”

“Heh…” Tetsuya flipped open the safety cover of the launcher. “Watch. With human power alone, we can destroy it.”

“We don’t need Ultraman’s strength…” Tetsuya gazed at the night sky, silently declaring to himself: “We don’t need it at all. Even by my own power, I can do this!”

He cast a quick glance at Rina piloting Victory Swallow One. Though he knew Daigo hadn’t come along, being occupied verifying the Kirieloid “Prophet’s” identity, in the original story Daigo often transformed into Dyna when Victory Swallow One was in peril.

After a moment’s hesitation, Tetsuya turned his gaze away. The area near Point Thirty-Three had been completely evacuated.

“Countdown, five seconds!” Kujii’s voice came through the earpiece. Tetsuya exhaled slowly, guiding the White Dragon as it descended low over the city blocks.

“Three…”

Tetsuya could almost hear his own heartbeat. The energy surging up from underground seemed to echo within him.

“Two…”

His attention tightened on a spot at the corner of the street, where a disheveled vagrant lay on a bench, staring at him in shock. Tetsuya cursed inwardly—wasn’t this area supposed to be fully evacuated? Where had this damned fool come from?

Grinding his teeth, Tetsuya decided to ignore the vagrant. People had to be responsible for their own lives—especially such foolish ones. If they died, it was not the fault of others.

“But… do I really have to…” A hint of hesitation flickered in Tetsuya’s eyes. His thumb hovered over the firing button. With a simple press, he could prove—

But with that same simple press, a life would be lost by his hand.

“Wait!” Vice-Captain Munakata’s voice cut in urgently, “Abort firing! There’s still an un-evacuated civilian!”

“Even so… the shockwave from the blast will kill him!” Tetsuya raged inwardly.

“No!” Munakata barked with unyielding resolve. “Even so, we can’t! As members of the Victory Squad, we can never knowingly take the life of a single human being!”

Tetsuya clenched his teeth hard. He needed to prove himself, to prove his own strength—he could do it without relying on Ultraman.

He didn’t want to live in Dyna’s shadow, nor beneath Daigo’s brilliance!

His jaw locked, eyes reddening, Tetsuya pressed his thumb down on the firing button.

An invisible wave of microwaves shot out from the White Dragon. At that very moment, dazzling light erupted across the district. A giant hand caught up the human in its palm—Dyna’s form appeared amid the city blocks. The energy surging from underground was shattered and dispersed by the blast from Tetsuya’s Microwave Cannon, finally dissipating completely.

Dyna set the stunned vagrant gently down at the edge of the block. At that moment, a crazed voice rang out:

“Ultraman Dyna… I’ve been waiting for you!”

“So, you intend to be this planet’s guardian god, do you? Isn’t that laughable? Before your massive form ever appeared on Earth, humanity was waiting for the Kirieloids to lead them. Your existence is superfluous. I’ll show you the power of the Kirieloids. Let me show you… the wrath of our people!”

The ground suddenly split wide open, flames blazing up from beneath. Amid the fire, the Kirieloid rose higher and higher, until it matched Dyna in stature. Its body was shrouded in gray and black, a flame-like glow cresting its brow, and a huge, blood-red eye glaring from its chest.

“So that’s the Kirieloid’s true form?” Kujii stared at the towering figure.

“Most likely. Its body has grown to match Ultraman Dyna’s—enormous!” In the command center, Yasui answered while analyzing the data.

By now, Tetsuya had piloted the White Dragon high above. His feelings were strange—a confusing mixture of relief and regret, impossible to sort out. Relief that he hadn’t taken a life because of his actions; deep regret that Dyna had once again appeared in his place.

“Let’s go retrieve that person,” Munakata ordered. Victory Swallow One and Two began their descent.

Meanwhile, Dyna and the Kirieloid squared off. After a brief standoff, they sprang into fierce combat.

Tetsuya, circling in the White Dragon, searched for an opening. When Dyna caught the enemy’s arm and struck with his left elbow, Tetsuya seized the moment—he pressed the weapons trigger, sending a Spiked Missile with a blazing trail into the Kirieloid’s back. The explosion hurled the giant forward, its back torn open and bleeding profusely.

“This is to be a fair duel! Pathetic humans, you have no right to interfere!” The Kirieloid broke away from Dyna, glaring at the White Dragon, its voice booming.

“Pathetic humans…” Tetsuya sneered. I could have been an Ultraman, too!

Boom!

A jet of fire burst from the Kirieloid’s arm, streaking straight for the White Dragon. Tetsuya’s lips curled in a cold smile as he deftly maneuvered out of the way.

But suddenly, the Kirieloid leapt up, smashing into the White Dragon at high speed. Alarms blared in the cockpit.

Thud…

Amid the jolt, Tetsuya looked up just in time to see Dyna nod slightly at him, then gently set the malfunctioning White Dragon down and turned to face the Kirieloid once more.

Tetsuya gazed up at the unfolding battle, his fists clenched tight, his eyes never leaving Dyna’s figure.

“Daigo… I should have fought with that same power, with that same form!”