Chapter Sixteen: Entering the Land of Light

“Come on!”
Once again, under the blazing sunlight of that planet with gravity a hundred times greater than Earth’s, the rays struck the silver armor worn by Yue Longze, reflecting a dazzling glare.
Yue Longze, clad in the Dicuta Gear Armor that Zero used during his training on Planet K76, was sparring against Zero.
The training armor significantly restricted Yue Longze’s strength and speed. Zero stood with his arms crossed, his powerful legs planted firmly. He easily evaded Yue Longze’s attacks, simply shifting his body aside.
“This is the suppressing armor I used when I was training hard back in the day. Don’t shame its reputation, kid!” Zero said, effortlessly dodging a heavy kick from Yue Longze.
“Training hard?” Yue Longze couldn’t help but mutter inwardly. Wasn’t it because you tried to steal the power of the Plasma Spark Tower, got caught by Seven, and were forced to train under Leo? Yet you dare claim you trained diligently...
Ignoring Zero’s narcissism, Yue Longze continued to attack with calm yet swift strikes.
Hooks, straight punches, sweeps, and trips—his fierce offensives were dismantled with ease. Yue Longze couldn’t even touch Zero’s body.
He felt his power and speed weakened greatly. “Damn it, this armor’s suppressing ability is way too strong!”
He plopped down onto the ground, sending gravel flying. “Phew, I need a break,” Yue Longze said, panting in the heavy training armor.
“That won’t do, kid!” Zero pulled him up, resuming their sparring. “You can rest when you manage to touch me.”
“Master Zero, your training methods are downright ruthless!” Yue Longze raised his right fist, aiming for Zero’s face, only for Zero to dodge with a slight tilt of his head.
Just as Zero leaned aside, the sky suddenly turned pitch black. On this planet, day and night alternated at incredible speed, plunging the sky into darkness without warning.
It seemed Yue Longze had timed this moment perfectly. Seizing the instant Zero lost focus due to the abrupt darkness, Yue Longze concentrated his power and launched a swift left hook, aiming at Zero’s head just as it shifted left.
A dull sound rang out.
By the glow from the timer and their eyes, Yue Longze saw a blue hand blocking his punch.
“Well, you took advantage of my distraction, but I’ll count it—you pass,” Zero said, shaking the hand that had stopped Yue Longze’s punch.
“Now, for your next training: strength. When you can actually hurt me, we’ll head to the Land of Light.”
“So you’re just going to stand there and let me hit you?” Yue Longze scratched his head.

“For your training, to defeat Zod, and for the peace of the universe, I’ll endure, but...” Zero’s tone shifted. “No hitting my face, no hitting my rear!”
Yue Longze burst out laughing. “I wouldn’t dare ruin your handsome face, and as for your rear, let your father Seven take care of that!”
Zero: ...
———
At that moment, the crystalline perimeter of the Land of Light was shrouded in darkness, providing stark contrast to the gleaming architecture. From afar, it looked like countless ants writhing and climbing.
But they weren’t ants—they were monsters.
A dense horde of monsters: Ace Killer, Space Dinosaur Zetton, Ancient Monster Bemular, Magnetic Monster Antlar...
Over a thousand monsters surrounded the Land of Light, led by the Dark Five Kings.
Five bizarre aliens, their bodies cloaked in darkness, stood at the forefront. Despite their strange forms, their eyes were all a uniform crimson.
“The great King is about to fully awaken. Foolish Ultramen, prepare to die!” sneered the Hipporit Alien, one of the Dark Five Kings, whose face was marked by an elephant’s trunk.
“Light will never be defeated by darkness!” Mebius Ultraman, standing beside the Ultra Brothers, clenched his fist and cried out in anger.
“And who gave you the right to speak, you junior?”
The Hipporit Alien pointed at Mebius with a pig-like hand, making a comical scene—yet beneath that absurd facade, he wielded formidable power.
His ability to turn Ultramen into bronze statues was truly terrifying to every Ultraman present. But fear aside, a true Ultra Warrior never shrank from battle.
“You...” Mebius was furious but momentarily lost for words.
“Don’t let his words provoke you, Mebius,” Jack Ultraman, a senior, comforted him, placing a broad, reassuring hand on Mebius’s shoulder.
“And what right do you, clownish creature, have to speak?”
A familiar voice rang from above.

All the monsters and the Dark Five Kings, including Hipporit Alien, turned sharply toward the sky.
A pitch-black wormhole had appeared at some unknown moment, and two figures now emerged from its depths—one, an unfamiliar Ultra Warrior marked by black patterns, dazzling in appearance; the other, armored and defiant, was unmistakably Zero Ultraman, the source of the voice.
Having completed the final strength training, Zero had used the power of the Paragi Shield to bring Yue Longze to the Land of Light.
“It’s Zero!” Seven exclaimed with delight.
“And that one...” Jack Ultraman gazed at Yue Longze, full of doubts. “Could it be that Zero has really brought that warrior back?”
Before Jack or the others could ponder further, Yue Longze, led by Zero, truly entered the legendary Ultra Star—Land of Light.
“Monsters, riot!”
The leader of the Dark Five Kings, the Magician Sly of the Mephilas race, who had been silent until now, raised his longsword and commanded the thousand monsters to begin their destruction of the Land of Light.
“The time to defend our home has come!”
Zoffy, always at the forefront, shouted, casting off his cloak and charging headfirst at the monsters.
“Defend the Ultra Star!”
The other Ultra Warriors followed, flames of justice in their hearts, confronting the monsters!
In an instant, terrifying beams and rays of light filled the sky—like brilliant fireworks, yet deadly.
The monsters’ shrieks and the warriors’ roars echoed throughout the Land of Light, now a battlefield...
“This day has finally arrived,” far off on the battlefield, Father of Ultra murmured as he gazed at the chaos, Mother of Ultra clinging tightly to his side, watching anxiously. “Go forth, children!”