Chapter Ninety-Six: Slaughter

A violent explosion thundered out, blasting Sass and the others backward and stirring an invisible storm of force through the boundless void of space.

The three of them crashed heavily onto the surface of the planet, every bone in their bodies aching from the tremendous blast.

"Se... senior! Wake up, please...!"

Sass struggled to his feet from the planet's surface, his whole body smeared with soot, looking utterly wretched.

"Don't go over there, Sass!"

The Ultraman who resembled Jack stopped Sass just in time as he was about to rush forward again.

...

"Heh-heh-heh. The so-called senior you speak of is nothing more than trash. He has already been corrupted by my will!"

Alien Reiblood's sinister voice rang out from Yue Longze's body, creating an utterly discordant feeling.

"Still, this body truly is exquisite..."

Alien Reiblood kept advancing slowly toward the battered trio. Dense evil aura swirled around him, radiating a terrifying presence.

"All of you will die here today."

Alien Reiblood, occupying Yue Longze's body, spoke in a low, chilling voice.

At that moment, Yue Longze's consciousness had already been completely and firmly suppressed by Alien Reiblood's, yet he could clearly see what the latter was doing with his body.

But Yue Longze could not wrest back control. He could only watch helplessly as that monstrous Alien Reiblood ran amok in his flesh.

Yue Longze felt powerless, but even more than that, he felt the weakness of his own strength.

He was still far too weak.

....

By then, Alien Reiblood had already begun using Yue Longze's body to brutalize Sass and the other two with overwhelming force.

A pair of vicious, black, evil hands clamped down hard on the throats of Sass and the warrior who looked like Jack Ultraman, one on each side.

The tremendous pressure from those hands made the two of them nearly unable to breathe; it was agonizing, and they did not even have the strength to struggle!

....

"I shared my energy with you so you could do this kind of thing?"

The Ultraman who had previously given Yue Longze his energy shouted, crossing his silver forearms as a white beam fired from his wrists.

Spacium Ray!

"Wake up, damn you—!"

The warrior poured out all his strength, amplifying the power of the Spacium Ray, hoping to knock down Yue Longze, who had been taken over by Alien Reiblood, and then find a way to restore him.

But reality was always the opposite of hope.

The Spacium Ray struck Yue Longze's abdomen with perfect precision, yet it only sparked a burst of light and caused almost no damage at all.

Seeing that the Spacium Ray had no effect, the warrior clenched his teeth and surged forward like a tiger descending from the mountain, unleashing a rapid series of punches against Yue Longze's occupied chest.

Bang, bang, bang...

Those fierce fists hammered relentlessly into Yue Longze's abdomen and chest.

Cold. Hard.

That was the Space Patrol warrior's only impression.

Such formidable defense!

...

"I said, don't defile this perfect and sacred body with those filthy fists of yours!"

Alien Reiblood said with clear disdain, tossing Sass and the others aside with a sweep of his hand. They slammed to the ground and, as though finally delivered from torment, clutched their chests and gasped for breath.

Then, bending slightly at the waist, feet spread apart, he thrust out his right fist.

Whoosh!

The Space Patrol warrior shot backward as if launched from a jet.

"Farewell."

Alien Reiblood sneered, both arms snapping into an L-shape as an even more powerful Dark Zepellion Ray burst forth!

The Ultraman who had earlier shared his energy with Yue Longze was struck by the devastating beam while still tumbling backward.

Violent sparks exploded all over his body, and he let out a cry of agony.

Boom!

His body actually exploded on the spot, then turned into countless pale yellow points of light that scattered and vanished into the endless black of space.

"Eyesore."

Yue Longze's body, controlled by Alien Reiblood, brushed at the nonexistent dust on his hands, as though merely touching that warrior had left him disgusted.

Both Sass and the Ultraman who resembled Jack were stunned.

"No—!"

From within the chamber of consciousness, Yue Longze cried out, eyes splitting with rage.

That kindhearted Ultraman who had given him his energy had died just like that.

Killed by his own hand.

For the first time, Yue Longze felt such utter helplessness. He shouted and struggled.

But no one, aside from Alien Reiblood controlling his body, could hear his cries or see his struggle.

In the dark, boundless sea of consciousness, Yue Longze braced himself on both hands and knelt to the ground in despair.

"What am I supposed to do..."

He slammed a fist against the floor of the consciousness space. Camila still had not responded, and Yue Longze felt an unprecedented loneliness and helplessness.

....

"D-dead?"

Sass stood frozen in place, unable to move. It was the first time in his life that he had seen one of his own kind sacrifice himself before his eyes.

"Arghhh!"

The Ultraman who resembled Jack was enraged. This had been his life-and-death partner through years of patrol work, and now, as he watched his best companion die right before him, the fire in his chest blazed to an unprecedented peak.

"Alien Reiblood!"

The Jack-like Ultraman shouted in fury, leaping high into the air. His straight, powerful right leg shot out, then, under the pull of the planet's gravity, came crashing down.

Ultra Flying Kick!

Seeing this, Alien Reiblood made no attempt to resist, allowing that earthshaking strike to land squarely on him.

Whoosh—

The forceful right leg slammed into his head.

"Hmph. It's no different from an itch."

Alien Reiblood said coldly. Then he whirled around and slashed back with a claw, striking the Jack-like Ultraman just as he landed.

Another familiar burst of sparks sprang from the warrior's body. He groaned, yet still raised his fists and charged again at Alien Reiblood, who was controlling Yue Longze's body.

...

Crack.

Alien Reiblood's huge mutated claw clamped down on his fist, then twisted with brutal force. The wrist snapped cleanly, hanging at an inconceivable angle.

"You can die too."

Alien Reiblood pressed forward with several more claw strikes. Seeing this, Sass, who had finally snapped back to his senses not far away, hurriedly fired a Spacium Ray to save the only comrade left.

Alien Reiblood feared no ordinary Spacium Ray. Ignoring Sass's attack altogether, he gathered dark energy and unleashed the Dark Zepellion Ray at once.