Chapter 103: The Second Sword

Yue Longze gazed at the defeated Mechanical Ace and let out a long sigh of relief. Yet his expression soon grew grave again, for Mechanical Jack now stepped forward!

Due to his earlier overexertion during flight, Yue Longze was not in the best condition. Facing the relentless onslaught of the Mechanical Ultra Brothers, he could not muster much confidence. He knew that Jack Ultraman was not particularly renowned for his beam attacks, but he had always been called the “Weapon Specialist.” The wondrous Ultra Bracelet on his left wrist could transform into all manner of powerful weapons, catching opponents completely off guard.

But as for the specific abilities it held, Yue Longze was unsure. Nevertheless, he had already devised a possible countermeasure.

Since the Ultra Bracelet on your left hand is your trump card, I’ll simply sever your entire left arm and strip you of it!

Yue Longze fixed a cold gaze on Mechanical Jack, who had already adopted a fighting stance. With a single thought, he tried to summon the Cloud Cluster Sword, intending to use it to slice off Jack’s left arm.

Yet unexpectedly, no matter how he tried to summon it, the sword did not appear. In his mindscape, the Cloud Cluster Sword was emanating a silvery light, hovering above the spiritual form of the Reblandoan, suppressing him like a divine being.

Suddenly, Yue Longze realized—the sword could not be summoned because it was being used to suppress the Reblandoan’s spirit within him!

This was a serious problem...

Yue Longze gave a wry smile. It seemed another bitter struggle awaited him.

If only I could unleash the true power of Dark Tiga, he mused. As the favored child of darkness from thirty million years ago, his strength should not be this feeble.

But can I truly control that kind of pure darkness...?

Yue Longze’s mind began to drift, almost forgetting the danger at hand.

A fierce shout from Mechanical Jack snapped him back to reality.

Refocusing, Yue Longze prepared himself, wary of any sudden, powerful weapons the enemy might produce.

Come on then!

Drawing on the special footwork taught by Jing Long, Yue Longze’s movements suddenly grew so swift and elusive that his figure blurred. Facing Mechanical Jack, whose hand-to-hand abilities were average at best, Yue Longze was confident and nimble. Yet he knew this advantage would not last long.

With a sharp over-the-shoulder throw, Yue Longze slammed Mechanical Jack to the ground, then somersaulted into the air. Straightening his knee, he dropped down vertically, driving his tough kneecap into Jack’s abdomen. Mechanical Jack’s entire body convulsed uncontrollably.

This is the perfect opening!

Stretching his arms out horizontally before crossing them at his chest, Yue Longze gathered violet-black energy. Instantly, a surge of power radiated from the timer on his chest.

“Dark Zeperion Beam!”

A torrent of violet-black energy burst forth, like a barrage of arrows, surging toward the rising Mechanical Jack with overwhelming force.

Specium Ray!

The Mechanical Ultra Brothers possessed all the battle instincts and experience of their originals, and faced with crisis, remained composed. Lying half-prone, Mechanical Jack crossed his wrists and fired a Specium Ray to counter the attack.

But the ordinary Specium Ray stood no chance against the Dark Zeperion Beam.

With absolute dominance, the dark beam forced the Specium Ray back.

Could victory really come this easily? Yue Longze was astonished.

But just as he wondered if the battle was truly over, something unexpected happened.

Ultra Shield!

This was the power of the Ultra Bracelet—transformed into a marvelous shield, it could block all attacks, absorb them, and then reflect them back.

With a thunderous crash, the violet-black Zeperion Beam was instantly bounced back by the Ultra Shield. Yue Longze managed to dodge his own finishing move in the nick of time.

Immediately, Mechanical Jack sprang to his feet, producing a dazzling array of offensive weapons. Yue Longze was suddenly on the defensive!

Bracelet Shuriken...

Bracelet Spear...

Bracelet Whip...

Ultra Cross Spear...

Furious at the endless stream of weapons, Yue Longze gritted his teeth as he dodged.

What, are you bullying me because I can’t use weapons?

His frustration mounting, Yue Longze swore to himself that if he lacked a weapon, he’d simply create one.

He would imitate, he would innovate.

He remembered clearly—Agul Ultraman could condense an energy sword on the back of his hand!

Dodging Mechanical Jack’s attacks, Yue Longze channeled a portion of his inner energy into his right arm.

He was exploring—seeking a way to forge an energy sword of his own.

Energy gathered in his right arm, flooding the network of veins and meridians with violet-black power. The channels were like highways, and the energy, cars trapped in a traffic jam—chaotic and unmoving.

Yue Longze struggled, trying to find a breakthrough.

Suddenly, Ultra Fire Ring!

Mechanical Jack had transformed the bracelet into a blazing ring of fire. The flaming circle snapped tightly around Yue Longze’s waist, binding him fast.

The searing heat forced a cry of pain from Yue Longze as wisps of white smoke rose from his jet-black body.

Damn it! Don’t look down on me!

With a furious roar—whether from emotion or the pain—the energy in his right hand suddenly surged forth without obstruction. A slender, violet-black energy sword unfurled from the back of Yue Longze’s right hand.

With a resonant clang, he raised his right hand and slashed down. Attacking with seven parts force and holding back three, he sliced through the fire ring’s surface without harming himself. The severed Ultra Fire Ring flashed with fire, returning to Mechanical Jack’s wrist.

Now it’s my turn to strike back!

Having forged his own energy sword, joy lit Yue Longze’s eyes. He combined the Jing Long sword technique with ghostly footwork, and against the not-so-skilled Mechanical Jack, regained the upper hand. Even when faced with the endless barrage of weapons, Yue Longze could parry them all with the energy sword on the back of his hand.

Though he could not use the fierce draw technique with the energy sword, ordinary swordplay was sufficient. With a metallic screech, the blade severed Mechanical Jack’s left arm—the one bearing the Ultra Bracelet!

The outcome was decided. Mechanical Jack was nearly incapacitated.

With a sweep of his violet-black sword, Yue Longze hacked Mechanical Jack into pieces.

Exhaling deeply, Yue Longze dismissed the energy sword. The weapon consumed considerable power. He pondered whether he should craft an energy scabbard next, to make drawing the blade even easier.