Volume One, Chapter 42: Another Universe

The news of Tregear’s appearance in the Golden Galaxy naturally reached the ears of the Land of Light. Tyro had originally intended to investigate personally, but a dire message swiftly followed. Belial was not dead! Not only had he survived, but he had also forged a vast army in another universe.

This matter concerned the very survival of the Land of Light. Tyro could only temporarily abandon his search for Tregear and instead bestowed all his own light upon the hero who had recently saved the Ultra race—Zero Ultraman.

Zero, son of Ultraseven, had once been sent to Planet K76 for training due to his youthful indiscretions. It was during that time that Tregear left the Land of Light.

Watching Zero, now the focus of all attention, Tyro felt a deep bitterness. Both had erred—one became a hero, the other remained a fugitive. Having finally received a clue about Tregear’s whereabouts, Tyro was unable to pursue it. The very thought stung his heart.

“Let us give all our light to Zero Ultraman!” At the command of the Father of Ultra, every Ultraman raised their arm, unreservedly channeling their light to Zero.

The surging energy of light quickly filled Zero’s body, the excess forming a radiant barrier around him.

Many might wonder at the grand gesture from the Land of Light. It was for Zero’s daunting mission in another universe—its very name evoking the unknown and challenge. For an Ultraman who had never set foot there, caution was paramount; who could guarantee that other universe was devoid of aliens, or that its light could even be absorbed by Ultramen?

To prepare, Ultraseven had specially requested Hikari to craft a plasma bracelet for Zero—both as a backup energy source and as a compass to guide him home.

Unbeknownst to all, a pair of eyes watched them from outside the Land of Light. It was Tregear himself, who had timed his arrival perfectly, just before Zero’s departure.

He, too, intended to go to that universe. Lacking precise coordinates, he planned to follow closely behind Zero for convenience.

His goal: the legendary Noah Ultraman, known as the First Light of the Grand Cosmos. Even if Noah in that universe was merely a manifestation of the light, the elements it contained far surpassed any Ultra Warrior in the present world. If Tregear could absorb enough of these light elements and combine them with darkness, the true power of chaos would finally emerge.

Then, not even ten Noahs could stand against him! The prospect of obtaining a power greater than he had ever known made Tregear’s heart restless with anticipation. He pressed his hand to his chest, calming himself, though his gaze grew colder.

In this world, Ultramen are incarnations of light, symbols of hope and guardians for humanity and all cosmic races. But is destroying monsters truly an act of justice? From the monsters’ perspective, Ultramen had slain their kin. To them, Ultramen were enemies—executioners.

He had seen in the archives more than once how the Ultra Brothers, for humanity’s sake, had mercilessly killed innocent monsters. They had done nothing wrong, yet were eradicated for reasons laughable to humans—a fundamental injustice.

It was not monsters that brought calamity, but calamity that summoned monsters. Their appearance—whether subtly or overtly—reflected humanity’s deeds. But was this darkness?

No.

What is light? What is darkness?

Humans are born with a yearning for light, as all races long for sunlight. This is not wrong—without light, life could never exist. Light is hope, the spark, the noble ideal. Darkness shrouds the heart, plunging beings into pain, confusion, anger, hatred, harm, and inferiority. Darkness incites fear.

But darkness is merely a force! Why must it bear the blame for negativity? Evil does not equate to darkness, nor does light always represent justice. Even the strongest light can be corrupted by darkness, blinded by hatred. Without darkness, what meaning would light have?

Why divide them so sharply? This world does not distinguish between light and darkness. It is a realm of contradictions; the cosmos knows neither day nor night, neither good nor evil—only vacuum and unfathomable void.

Why can no one see this truth? Light and darkness are intertwined, both are nothingness. Light is not synonymous with justice; darkness is not synonymous with evil.

Tyro, I will prove it to you with my own hands.

A beam of light shot skyward, breaking through the barriers of space layer by layer. Tregear cast a deep glance at Tyro in the distance, then slowly vanished from sight.

When he reappeared, he was less than a hundred meters above Zero’s head.

Zero Ultraman, in his previous life, was Tregear’s most troublesome adversary—not only had he received the ultimate bracelet gifted by Noah, but he had also become one of the keys to unlocking the legendary power of Saga.

The thought of Saga made Tregear pause for a moment. He realized that since his rebirth, he had neglected that mysterious Ultra Warrior who had appeared only once.

Of Saga, he knew little—only that Saga had defeated Hyper Zetton, painstakingly created by the Alien Bat, but Saga’s true strength remained unknown. Perhaps Saga was even stronger than Noah.

After all, Saga’s birth required not only Zero and the ultimate bracelet, but also another embodiment of ultimate life: the compassionate warrior, Cosmos Ultraman.

As for Dyna, the last component, he seemed unremarkable—but to be chosen for Saga’s fusion was surely no simple matter.

Tregear shook his head, dispersing those chaotic thoughts. He was confident that once he perfected the power of chaos, he could surpass legend and become the supreme lifeform of all time. No matter how strong Saga might be, he would be powerless before him!

Bang—a collision jolted Tregear’s attention back. He nodded slightly, seeing Zero break through the spatial barrier and arrive in the universe ruled by Belial.

Tregear’s gaze sharpened, and he accelerated after him.

Bang—a muffled sound followed, and his field of vision widened. Countless galactic systems unfolded before him, shining with dazzling brilliance.

“So this…is another universe?” For Zero, who had never traveled to another universe, the sight was overwhelming. He froze in place for a few seconds, then regained his composure and flew forward.