-----
-----
An icy premonition coiled around her heart like a venomous serpent.
Even their Angel King… even the sacred Holy Keisha… might not be able to defeat those two.
The moment that thought surfaced, Angel Yan jerked her head violently, as if she could shake it out of existence.
Impossible.
That was the King of Angels.
The supreme judge who ruled the entire Angel Nebula. The embodiment of divine judgment itself.
How could her radiance ever be eclipsed by those grotesque, twisted monsters?
But the harder she tried to deny it, the clearer that dreadful possibility roared in the depths of her soul.
"Absolutely not!"
Yan's low growl burst out before she even realized it. Her gaze hardened. No matter how hopeless the scene before her looked, she would defend the angels' ideals and their justice to her last breath.
Anything that threatened the survival of the Angel Nebula had to be wiped out. Completely.
The Land of Light
"Zoffy, has that kid—Leo—arrived yet?"
The Father of Ultra kept his eyes locked on the energy screen, where a battle capable of shattering worlds raged on. Only then did he glance at Zoffy beside him.
"Reporting to Father, based on the Ultra Signature feedback, he's just reached the border."
Zoffy nodded.
After the last video sparked heated debate across the Land of Light, Father of Ultra had immediately exercised his highest authority. Ultraman Leo, who had been training under Ultraman King, was urgently recalled.
"I'm back!"
Before the words had fully settled, the heavy doors of the conference hall slammed open. A figure in a red cape strode in. Leo.
"Leo," Father of Ultra said bluntly, "how closely have you been following this footage?"
Leo removed his cape, explaining that he'd rushed back at top speed, but hadn't missed the platform updates. The terrifying close-combat skills displayed by Son Goku and Cell had completely captured his attention.
Among the warriors of the Land of Light, Leo stood at the peak of martial prowess. A true hand-to-hand specialist. And yet, even he had glimpsed something in that battle that could elevate his own martial arts to a higher realm.
"Can those techniques be refined," Father of Ultra asked, tapping his finger rhythmically on the table, "and integrated into the training manuals for the next generation?"
From the very first second the video began, he had seen its value for the Ultra race, a species born for battle.
Ultramen existed to protect the peace of the universe. That meant endless wars. Endless bloodshed. Every day, warriors were injured. Some never returned.
If new recruits could master that kind of ruthless, efficient combat style, their survival rate would skyrocket.
Leo nodded seriously. He himself had grown from a naive fighter into a king of martial arts under Ultraseven's brutal "devil training."
In the universe, every scrap of combat experience meant one more chance to live.
"Some of the core techniques and the pure combat philosophy are absolutely worth studying," Leo said, stroking his chin. "Transplanting experience directly is difficult. But give me time. I'll find a way to fuse it into Ultra fighting techniques."
Blending traditional Ultra combat with Goku's hyper-efficient Earth martial arts would be a massive undertaking.
Father of Ultra looked pleased. He slapped the table with a dull thud.
"Good. I'm entrusting this to you. But for now, sit. Watch the rest. Thinking can wait."
Leo bowed slightly and took a seat beside Ultraman Ace.
Ultraman, Zoffy, Ace, Ultraseven, Leo, Ultraman Taro—the Ultra Brothers and elite warriors all fixed their eyes on the light screen.
Even veterans like them found new inspiration in such high-level combat.
Battle was an endless process of surpassing oneself.
On a Distant Planet
Leaning against a ship, Gai Kurenai glanced at Jugglus Juggler in confusion. Ever since boarding, Juggler had been glued to the holographic screen like he was possessed.
"What are you watching?" Gai asked, stepping closer. "What's got you this hooked?"
Juggler shot him an annoyed sideways look.
"Gai, you half-baked martial artist. You should be staring at this even harder. What you learn here might save your life."
He'd long since given up criticizing Gai's free-spirited combat style. But Gai was still the opponent he valued most. The last thing he wanted was for the idiot to die in some random battle because his technique wasn't polished enough.
"Huh? My fighting's that bad?" Gai muttered, but he obediently shifted his attention to the screen.
Juggler sighed. Hopeless.
Another Universe — Earth
"Daigo, do you honestly believe humans can reach that level with just flesh and blood?"
Masami Horii stared at the screen, face filled with disbelief.
"I think it's just some over-the-top special effects," Shinjo said lightly. "No human could handle power like that."
But Daigo Madoka stayed silent.
A few days ago, inside the pyramid, he had awakened as the Giant of Light—Ultraman Tiga.
Why him?
Why should an ordinary man suddenly carry a responsibility heavy enough to crush stars?
He didn't understand fate's choice. But he knew one thing.
If monsters appeared, he wouldn't stand by.
Battle would become his daily life.
He had to grow stronger. Fast.
If his combat experience had been better back then, that monster called Golza would never have escaped.
Daigo took a deep breath. His confusion sharpened into focus. His gaze burned as he watched.
Back to the Main Battlefield
Cell stood with his back to Goku, letting out a cold smirk before bursting into wild laughter.
"This just keeps getting more interesting, Son Goku!"
Before he even finished speaking, his arms crossed in front of his chest in a starting stance that made Goku blink in surprise.
Tien Tenshinhan shot upright in shock.
"That stance… Don't tell me—"
Krillin's face went pale.
On screen, three identical figures split from Cell like mirages. Four Cells stood in perfect sync, assuming battle stances.
"Behold! My Four Witches Technique!"
"That's impossible!" Tien almost lost his composure. His trump card, his signature move, used so casually by this monster?
The four Cells flickered like phantoms, instantly occupying all four corners of the arena.
Goku's expression sharpened, but he still smiled.
"So it really is Tien's technique. Too bad… it won't work on me."
Cell didn't waste breath. All four charged at once, tearing through the air.
The nearest one punched at Goku's face.
Goku moved faster than light, raising his arm to block, twisting his waist to narrowly evade a side kick from another.
He stood alone against four, like a war god surrounded by an army.
Every strike was deflected with effortless precision.
But Cell's combat awareness was terrifying. The four clones moved in flawless coordination, steadily shrinking Goku's space.
Goku was forced backward. His heel nearly touched the edge of the ring.
At the critical moment, he exploded into motion.
A spinning kick launched one Cell into the air. He crossed his arms to parry simultaneous punches from the other three, blasting them back with a surge of ki.
Then, in a blink, one Cell appeared behind him and drove a lethal elbow toward the back of his head.
Goku grunted as it connected, but he smashed his forehead forward, slamming into the Cell in front of him and sending it flying.
The four Cells attacked in seamless rotation, leaving no blind spots.
For a moment, even Goku was suppressed.
Tien clenched his teeth, face dark.
"The weakness of this technique is obvious. Each clone divides the user's power. But Cell's speed and skill compensate perfectly… Damn it. He's using my technique better than I ever did."
His self-mocking words weighed heavily on everyone watching.
But the real Goku just grinned.
"I don't think I'd lose that easily."
No one knew himself better than Goku. Stronger or weaker, the core was the same.
Absolute faith in victory.
On screen, Goku erupted in a roar that shook the heavens. A shockwave burst from him. His fists and kicks became a storm, blasting all four Cells away.
They landed lightly at the corners. The original Cell smiled like a victor.
"After that exchange, you must understand my power now, Son Goku."
"…Yeah. I do."
Cell's strength was suffocating.
But then he laughed wildly, raising two fingers to his forehead.
"This still isn't my most flawless ability!"
Piccolo stiffened.
"Tch. That bastard stole my move too?"
Despite his scornful tone, his clenched fists betrayed his anger.
"Die! Special Beam Cannon!"
All four Cells unleashed Piccolo's signature attack at once.
Blinding beams crossed instantly, vaporizing the ground where Goku had stood. Space itself seemed to twist under the hellish energy.
But a blur shot into the sky, fleeing toward open space.
Cell pursued without hesitation.
That's exactly what Goku had been waiting for.
He vanished.
Reappearing right in front of one clone's face.
One punch.
A killing blow carrying the force of collapsing mountains and roaring seas.
He vanished again, reappearing before another clone with a rising kick.
It all happened in less than a heartbeat. The original Cell couldn't react before Goku sent him and his three clones crashing down together.
Cell smashed into the arena. The afterimages faded, leaving only his battered body struggling to stand.
But when he looked up at the descending Goku, there was no resentment in his eyes.
Only a sinister smile.
In his palm, a pink glowing ring condensed into existence.
With a sharp swing, the ring screamed through the air, slicing toward Goku at terrifying speed.
"....."