Chapter Twenty-Four: Creative Torment of the Novice

“Makoto!”
Tetsuya shouted desperately, “I can’t hold on any longer!”
Makoto’s mouth twitched, but then Tiga’s gaze shifted, landing squarely on Leshubas behind Gilogias.
Before Tetsuya could react, Tiga’s hands swept past the colored timer on his chest. The dark energy emitted quickly coalesced into a blade of darkness. Extending both arms forward, a violent surge of dark energy erupted. As his hands swung, a slicing technique burst from his wrists.
“Tiga Slash!”
The powerful dark cutting beam shot forth, slashing diagonally past Gilogias and churning the water into a turbulent frenzy, tearing a glaring scar through the sea currents.
Then, with tremendous force, the beam struck Leshubas.
“Boom!”
The sheer intensity of the dark beam startled Tetsuya. Had Gilogias been caught in its path, he would have been annihilated instantly.
Looking back, Tetsuya saw the once-invincible Leshubas freeze stiff.
Suddenly, a flash of black light burst beneath the sea, a tremendous explosion erupting and displacing the surrounding water for a brief moment.
Leshubas’s massive form was shattered by the blast, his flesh and blood dispersing into the water, staining it crimson.
Next, Tiga drew a portion of dark energy and delivered it into Gilogias’s timer, which was flashing an urgent red. Tetsuya immediately felt his spirit surge, his exhaustion swept away.
Such overwhelming power.
Gilogias now stood behind Tiga, and the gazes of both giants locked onto their adversaries.
“Ranger... We Deep Dwellers won’t hold your actions against you. Let all of this end here,” Dagon said, his gaze lingering on Tiga’s form. Tiga was neither brawny nor particularly tall, but his physique was balanced, and within that frame lay limitless explosive strength.
Makoto’s eyes swept disdainfully over Dagon and Hydra, then he shook his head coldly.
“This is only the beginning!”
Hydra’s eyes blazed with fury at these words. From her massive fish mouth, a bizarre roar erupted, sending intense energy waves surging forth—a stream of green energy shot straight at Tiga.

“This isn’t your battlefield. Stay clear!”
Tetsuya, already paralyzed by the A+ class power, did not try to act tough. Gilogias’s form sped away into the distance, stopping only a kilometer away. This rare battle among three A+ class beings was sure to offer Tetsuya many lessons.
No sooner had Gilogias withdrawn than a torrent of energy, as fierce as a volcano, erupted toward Tiga, its overwhelming pressure spreading rapidly.
Even at a kilometer’s distance, Tetsuya felt the crushing force, struggling to breathe. He had to push Gilogias even farther back, finally stopping where the pressure became bearable.
Meanwhile, Tiga faced the incoming energy beam calmly. Crossing his arms before the colored timer, he swiftly spread them apart. Instantly, a surge of energy radiated outward, forming a circular barrier of light from his hands.
Tetsuya stared intently at Tiga. The moment he saw the circular barrier, he recognized the technique.
[Ultra Barrier]—a circular shield deployed by crossing and then opening both hands before the colored timer, used for defense.
In the series “Ultraman Tiga,” Tiga in his multi-type form had used this technique to defend against Eboron’s electric attacks, Ainomena’s energy projectiles, to reflect the attacks of the Manon alien (Lingai), though it did not stop the water jets from Reilos.
But now, the gap between the true Tiga and Daigo was stark.
“Bang...”
A dull sound rang out as the mighty beam crashed against the barrier, held firmly at bay. Tiga withstood the energy assault behind the Ultra Barrier.
Meanwhile, Dagon, having failed at reconciliation once more, seized the chance to rush forward, cutting through the water.
Makoto was already prepared. From Tiga’s left hand, a black-gold paralyzing beam shot out, striking Dagon squarely. Dagon’s rage seemed to freeze, his massive body bound in place.
“Ultra Binding Beam...” Tetsuya muttered.
A golden paralyzing beam fired from the left hand to immobilize escaping enemies; in the movies, it had stopped Kirambo and Shuranos midair, and calmed the berserk King Morabu.
Taking advantage, Tiga drew both hands together and, with a powerful thrust of his legs, leapt high toward Dagon. In an instant, his knife-hand sliced across Dagon’s chest, a streak of black light flashing as a cutting beam left a long scar on Dagon’s torso.
“Knife-hand Slash...” Tetsuya was no longer surprised, having seen Tiga use it before. In the movie, Tiga had used it to rescue Rina from a capsule by slicing it from Guwame’s head.
As Tiga passed Dagon, barely settling on the ground, Hydra charged in, aiming to ram into Tiga.
Tiga stepped back two paces, Makoto’s eyes flashing coldly. A surge of dark power flooded from the colored timer, but this time, instead of forming a beam, it rapidly condensed around his body.

Surging dark energy gathered, turning Tiga’s form pitch-black. He spread his arms wide, bracing against Hydra’s oncoming body. In this close embrace, his arms released a torrent of dark energy, and with a powerful push, he hurled Hydra away.
[Ultra Full-body Strength]
In Tetsuya’s stunned gaze, Tiga’s arms gathered together, drawing up before his chest to concentrate ultra-high-temperature dark light particles.
Then, with a flash, a torrent of light shot at incredible speed toward Hydra.
[Delasium Light Stream]
As Tiga unleashed the Delasium Light Stream, the entire water domain erupted in sizzling, boiling sounds—the ultra-hot dark energy instantly vaporized the water.
“Boom!”
At the moment of impact, the scalding heat swept out at terrifying speed, raising the temperature of the entire area as if an undersea volcano had erupted, wreaking havoc.
Seeing the Delasium Light Stream surging toward her, Hydra screamed in terror. As the target, she could feel its overwhelming power.
Her fish-like face contorted, letting out a furious, savage roar. She swung her arms, gathering all her energy to form a defensive barrier before her.
But it was futile.
“Bang!”
Hydra’s barrier lasted only an instant before shattering into fragments of dissipating energy, and the Delasium Light Stream engulfed her completely.
A mighty A+ class monster, erased from this world by Tiga!
“Hydra!!!”
Dagon’s eyes were bloodshot with grief. He and Hydra had both been created by Emperor Karafal, one as the “Father God,” the other as the “Mother Goddess.” Together, they had lived through countless ages, founding the powerful undersea race known as the “Deep Dwellers.”
And now, his beloved had been obliterated before his very eyes!