Chapter 108: The Statue Crisis
Under the overwhelming martial prowess of Yue Longze, numerous monsters infected by dark energy were instantly annihilated. Yue Longze advanced steadily amid the battle, closing in on the Hippolyte Alien. He vowed that this time, unlike before, he would not let it escape destruction.
“Hah!”
A mass-produced Dark Lops charged at Yue Longze, who immediately unleashed the Leo Cosmic Fist. With wide, powerful swings and fierce punches, he sent the foe flying with a single blow.
“Senior Leo!”
Drawing closer to the heart of the fiercest combat zone, Yue Longze called out, “Leave the Hippolyte Alien to me!” Hearing this, Leo, who was engaged in battle with the Hippolyte Alien, paused momentarily before nodding to his junior. He swiftly withdrew from the battlefield, handing over the enemy.
“You damned creature!”
Yue Longze launched a small palm-shaped light wave at the Hippolyte Alien, who hastily blocked it with his pig-hoof-like crossed hands.
“Kid! It’s you!”
At first, the Hippolyte Alien failed to recognize Yue Longze in his luminous form, but upon hearing his voice and comparing appearances, he realized who he faced.
“Hmph, turn into a statue for me!”
The Hippolyte Alien emitted his characteristic sinister laugh as a strange transparent capsule suddenly descended from above—a capsule capable of turning Ultramen into bronze statues!
“Whoa—”
A bizarre capsule shot straight toward Yue Longze, who reacted swiftly by hurling a small light wave. The seemingly invincible transparent capsule shattered into fragments.
A cold sneer escaped Yue Longze’s lips as he channeled energy into his feet, leaping skyward. Flames enveloped his foot as he gathered power for the Leo Flying Kick, ready to strike.
Fighting against two mass-produced Dark Lops, Leo Ultraman sensed this and glanced back toward Yue Longze soaring above.
Leo thought to himself: “Have my moves been stolen again???"
...
“Heyah!”
With fierce momentum, Yue Longze infused his Leo Flying Kick with the radiant power of his luminous form. His blazing right foot now emitted a subtle halo of light, making it appear even more sacred and amplifying the kick’s power.
Perhaps this should now be called the Light Leo Flying Kick!
“Whoosh—”
Like a fiery crimson meteor streaking across the sky, unstoppable and mighty.
The Hippolyte Alien’s bulky frame lacked speed; it couldn’t evade Yue Longze’s luminous Leo Flying Kick but prepared to counter nonetheless.
With pig-hoof-like palms, it absorbed a dozen or so dark energy-infected monsters resurrected by Zoda, instantly pulling them before itself as living shields.
But that was not enough. Suddenly, thousands, even tens of thousands of transparent capsules enveloped its body!
Its own weapon wouldn’t be used to turn itself into a statue; instead, the Hippolyte Alien wielded them as a defensive barrier.
Yue Longze remained untroubled. The external defense of those capsules was weak. No matter how many there were, the power of the Light Leo Flying Kick could shatter them easily.
“Arrgh—!”
Yue Longze shouted fiercely. In a flash, his kick pierced through the giant bodies of the monsters used as shields.
“Crack—swish!”
He then tore through the transparent capsules covering the Hippolyte Alien amid a chorus of shattering sounds.
Thousands upon thousands of capsules broke apart visibly. A massive silver foot, burning with fierce flames and exuding a faint halo of light, struck toward the Hippolyte Alien’s face!
The Hippolyte Alien remained calm, methodically increasing the number of capsules.
Yet the rate at which it added capsules could not keep pace with Yue Longze’s destruction. As Yue Longze closed in, the Hippolyte Alien sneered, crossing its arms to shield its face. A faint dark cyan aura suddenly emanated from its body...
...
“You disgusting creature—go to hell!”
With a furious roar, Yue Longze’s Light Leo Flying Kick struck the Hippolyte Alien.
Though the kick’s power was somewhat diminished by layers of defense, what could have been a fatal blow only left the Hippolyte Alien gravely injured.
Yet—
The Hippolyte Alien still sneered, displaying no sign of a grievously wounded being.
“Heh heh... haha...”
Yue Longze gazed at the alien’s malicious grin, puzzled.
...
“Kid, turn into a statue! Hahaha...!”
Yue Longze’s eyes sharpened as he noticed the faint dark cyan aura emanating from the Hippolyte Alien.
He clearly remembered that when he first arrived, the Hippolyte Alien bore no such eerie aura.
Something was amiss!
“Look at your right foot!”
The Hippolyte Alien forced itself to stand despite its severe injuries. “My wounds can be healed, but you will forever become a statue!”
Yue Longze glanced downward, seeing his right foot slowly turning to bronze—a coppery transformation creeping gradually over his body!
He immediately realized the dark cyan aura was the culprit.
His suspicion proved correct. The moment the Hippolyte Alien emitted that faint dark cyan aura, anyone who touched any part of its body would slowly turn into a bronze statue.
...
Yue Longze shook his head inwardly, recognizing his own carelessness.
He knew the Hippolyte Alien was a treacherous and cunning foe, possessing the strange ability to petrify Ultramen. How could he have been so complacent?
His right foot felt unbearably heavy, as if filled with lead. Even lifting his leg was a struggle.
At this rate, he would soon be completely petrified!
“Damn it!”
Yue Longze swung his right hand fiercely, instantly forming a blade of energy.
The energy blade in his luminous form differed from that in his dark form.
In the dark form, it was a purplish-black, but in the light form, it was a pleasing golden hue.
Much like the energy swords wielded by Max Ultraman or Mebius Ultraman.
...
“You treacherous and despicable creature! Don’t think I’m so easy to deal with!”
Yue Longze stomped his left foot sharply, using the tremendous recoil to spring upward. His right hand’s golden energy sword gleamed sharply as he charged toward the injured Hippolyte Alien.
“Shing—”
The golden energy sword traced a beautiful arc through the air. The Hippolyte Alien hadn’t expected Yue Longze to retain such offensive capability even in this state.
The alien’s grotesque, dark red elephant-like nose was severed cleanly and fell to the ground.
The Hippolyte Alien howled in pain, collapsing again as it clutched the wounded tip of its nose with pig-hoof-like hands, writhing on the ground.