Chapter Ten: Swift Resolution
Within that space, it was daytime—or rather, here, there was no distinction between day and night.
Yet, beneath the shroud of night in the city, a battle was on the verge of erupting. Jin knew nothing of the so-called "Ship" project, nor did he realize that the master of this world was preparing to strike against him. He was unaware even of the existence of such an adversary.
His resolve only firmed for a brief moment as he gazed at Garukimes, utterly fearless.
Garukimes swung his arms, and overhead, a dark cloud drifted above him. At that instant, his entire body tilted forward, arms stretched back, and with enormous strides that shook the ground, he charged ahead. Just as he reached Seven X, he leapt up, aiming a powerful kick at Seven X's body.
Seven X stepped back warily, and Garukimes spun once midair before landing, immediately swinging a heavy fist at Seven X’s head, his arm cleaving the air with a fierce rush of wind.
Yet, in the blink of an eye, Seven X’s body paused sharply, and he bent low, deftly evading the blow.
Then, that gigantic form retreated a step, leaving enough distance for a counterattack. As Garukimes’s arm came crashing down, Seven X swiftly raised his left arm—clad in armor up to the elbow—and blocked Garukimes’s attack with a hard, unwavering defense.
Before Garukimes could react, Seven X stepped back, then hammered his right fist into Garukimes’s arm, the force driving him back several steps.
Seven X twisted slightly; Jin felt an overwhelming surge of power coursing through him. Seven X struck out with his left fist, smashing it into Garukimes’s chest.
Bang!
The arm’s swing whipped up a fierce wind, and the fist landed with a sonic blast on Garukimes’s chest, sending ripples shimmering from the impact.
A single punch, like the crack of a sonic boom.
Gone was Garukimes’s earlier arrogance; his flashy moves had brought him no advantage. His massive body was hurled backwards, tumbling through the air before crashing down.
Fortunately, Garukimes managed to steady himself upon landing, his feet scraping against the street as he slid nearly a hundred meters away.
No sooner had Garukimes regained his footing than the enormous aircraft hovered between them, its energy emitter slowly aligning with Seven X’s towering figure.
Jin felt not the slightest panic. Though it was his “first time” wielding the power of an Ultraman, it felt as if he had long been accustomed to it—utterly at ease.
The explosive energy within him made him believe he could shatter the earth with a single blow!
He was fearless.
Seven X slowly straightened from his punching stance, abdominal muscles bulging, his red-orange eyes quietly fixed upon the aircraft.
Green destructive energy gathered in the emitter below, visible to the naked eye as a glowing emerald radiance. With a resonant pulse, it shot straight at Seven X.
No retreat. No evasion.
Seven X simply stood firm. Jin’s heart brimmed with absolute confidence.
No one had ever told him how much energy Seven X could withstand.
But Jin felt certain: Seven X could endure it.
He needed only to harness this immense power.
Crush!
Crush all evil and darkness before him!
The green beam arrived in an instant, a torrent of destructive energy carrying a force of annihilation, bearing down upon him.
Yet Seven X merely raised his left arm, intercepting the green destructive ray.
Energy exploded against the surface of his crimson skin, dazzling with brilliant light.
Seven X lowered his hand; he sustained no injury, only residual warmth lingering on his arm from the blast.
The green beam vanished...
The middle-aged man finally grew anxious; he had not anticipated that the giant before him possessed such formidable power.
“Again! Again!” he roared in fury.
“Destroy the obstacle before us! This will be our world!”
The massive aircraft paused briefly, then unleashed another surge of green energy.
Jin smiled faintly; Seven X simply raised his right hand.
Again, the same warmth washed over him. The energy struck his arm, eliciting no reaction. Ionized energy flickered through the air, green sparks dazzling with blinding brilliance.
In an instant, the beam faded.
Seven X gently lowered his right hand, his arms slowly extending by his sides. Then, suddenly, he raised them overhead, palms joined, trapping the ice axe between his hands above his head.
He hurled it skyward; the spinning axe sliced through the air with a piercing shriek!
In the night sky, it streaked as a shining light, flashing swiftly.
“Ascend!” the middle-aged man shouted.
The giant aircraft nimbly climbed higher, evading the whirling ice axe.
The aircraft escaped, but Garukimes behind it was not so fortunate!
In the blink of an eye, the ice axe smashed into Garukimes’s chest, and in the next moment, a dazzling white light flared.
It was nearly the brightest glow in the night sky!
Then, tremendous force sent Garukimes’s body flying, and in that instant of collision, the ice axe had utterly severed Garukimes’s life.
Boom...
Garukimes’s massive form crashed onto the street, shaking the ground all around!
From the point where the ice axe struck him, a crack rapidly spread across his body.
Thud...
A muffled sound echoed; Garukimes’s colossal form dissolved into droplets, vanishing from the city, water flowing across the street before draining into the sewers.
The temporal lifeform Garukimes, in his battle against Seven X, lasted less than a few minutes, exchanging only a handful of close-range blows and executing a spectacular 360-degree spin.
He never even managed to launch his destructive green energy blast before vanishing quietly and without a trace.
Whoosh!
Seven X lifted both arms, catching the returning ice axe, placing it atop his head.
He slowly lowered his arms, his gaze rising sharply, locking onto the giant aircraft.
The middle-aged man stared in silence at Seven X on the screen, his right hand trembling uncontrollably.
The outcome was already sealed.
“Chua!”
Seven X raised his hands, thumbs and forefingers touching, resting against the multicolored timer light upon his brow!
“Merium Ray!”
From Seven X’s version!
On the screen, a cerulean beam erupted forth.
It grew larger and larger, until it filled the entire screen.