Ultraman Belial.
The Land of Light's darkest and most powerful dark Ultra Warrior.
As a classic workhorse villain of the Ultra universe, his strength was significantly nerfed by the loss of the powerful staff he wielded during his great rampage, but he remained a rare powerhouse in the cosmos.
---o---
Light Curtain Barrage
Yukino Yukinoshita: "A… a Dark Ultraman? Do such beings exist among the Ultramen?"
In the common perception, Ultramen were overwhelmingly benevolent and righteous, embodiments of punishing evil and promoting good. Now, this black-and-red Ultraman, brimming with a malevolent aura, clearly defied that impression.
Father of Ultra: "Belial! You're out of your cell? And you chose this specific time… If you join the fight against the Swarm, then the combat power on the Land of Light itself will be…"
Even Belial without his Giga Battle Nizer was not to be underestimated. As Belial's former comrade-in-arms, the Father of Ultra knew clearly how powerful Belial, who had participated in that great war, truly was.
Jing Yuan of the Luofu: "Mm-hm, this fits my image of a Lord Reaver perfectly. As an Emanator of [Destruction], she truly cannot rest for a moment. I imagine she will never stop her destruction of the universe until she witnesses its end with her own eyes."
Haruki Hiruma: "A Suiyang… what a troublesome energy lifeform. If we can't find its weakness, this could be extremely dangerous…"
Ruan Mei: "A Suiyang is a typical pure-energy lifeform. In a sense, it shares many similarities with the Giants of Light. After all, light… is also a form of energy…"
The essence of life was something Ruan Mei had always pursued. The Suiyang was one form of life, so Ruan Mei had conducted considerable research on them.
As pure energy beings, Suiyang were virtually immortal. Combined with their special abilities, they were almost invincible to most organic lifeforms…
---o---
Light Curtain
In the Space Prison of the Land of Light, the returned Belial was stretching his body.
He cracked his neck, the sound of joints popping echoing as he savored the feeling of freedom regained.
Though slightly hunched, Belial's wicked eyes and red-and-black body still exuded a pressure that sent a shiver down one's spine.
"An alien from another dimension, Yapool?" Belial asked uncertainly, looking at Phantylia, who had freed him.
Since when did Yapool have a physical body? This was truly a rarity.
He had no prior dealings with Yapool. Why would he come to the Space Prison to release him? And how did he manage it?
Setting aside the distance of the Space Prison from the Land of Light, the prison itself, created by that old fossil Ultraman King, was not something a mere Yapool could break.
To undo Ultraman King's seal, one either needed power surpassing the Ultra Brothers or a divine artifact like the Giga Battle Nizer or the Ultra Key.
Although Yapool had a talent for creating Choju, his actual strength was average at best. Moreover, as an interdimensional being, destruction was never his forte.
As for equipment, that was even less likely. He stood before Belial empty-handed, with no adornments on his body, ruling out that possibility.
"Hmm?"
The more he observed, the more a strange sense of dissonance grew within Belial.
His sixth sense told him that the Yapool before him was abnormal. There seemed to be a peculiar power within his body.
It was a power Belial had never seen before, a type of energy unknown in the currently known universe.
"You're not Yapool. Who are you? Where are you from?"
Belial pointed his claws at Phantylia, a hint of astonishment in his voice.
"As expected of the Land of Light's strongest and darkest warrior. To think you could detect my presence."
Phantylia showed no surprise. If she wished, she could have perfectly disguised herself as Yapool, inside and out.
Acting was her greatest skill. It was precisely through her superb acting and the unique nature of the Suiyang that she had repeatedly achieved miraculous feats under Nanook, the Aeon of [Destruction].
However, Yapool's body was clearly not that important. In the end, it was just a temporary vessel for Phantylia. A body composed of resentment was far too weak for her tastes.
As for the Belial before her, if it weren't for the other dangerous presence already dwelling within his body, Phantylia would have seized it the moment he was unsealed.
"Phantylia. That is my name. As for where I come from, that is not your concern."
"You need only do what you wish to do. For example… destroy the Land of Light."
Phantylia spoke slowly, making no effort to conceal the malice in her heart.
"Hmph, Phantylia, is it? What an arrogant creature. Do you think I can't kill you just because you're an energy being?"
Although his tone was threatening, this was exactly what Belial wanted. He had little interest in the creature before him; she was just another being similar to Yapool.
The universe was full of strange things, and she wasn't special. More than anything, Belial was simply disgusted by Phantylia's condescending tone.
While he dearly wanted to tear apart the Phantylia possessing Yapool, it would likely be meaningless to Phantylia herself.
More importantly… without his Battle Nizer, he stood little chance against Ken and the rest of the Ultra Brothers, to say nothing of that old fossil.
If trouble brewed in the Land of Light, the old fossil wouldn't just stand by and watch. As long as Ultraman King was around, destroying the Land of Light was an impossibility.
"The destruction of the Space Prison made quite a stir. The Ultra Warriors remaining in the Land of Light should be here soon."
Phantylia crossed her arms, a slight smile gracing her lips as if she had guessed Belial's true thoughts.
"No need to worry, Belial. Although I couldn't find your Battle Nizer, the Father of Ultra and most of the Space Garrison members are not here."
"The Land of Light is currently filled with the old, the weak, and the infirm. With your power, you will face no resistance."
How strong was Belial? Phantylia didn't know.
His power was only described in Yapool's memories. To Phantylia, Belial was just a disposable tool.
The baseline for all her actions was to satisfy her own wicked tastes and serve Lord Nanook's "Destruction."
But one had to admit, this universe was not simple. The Swarm Disaster, which had once affected two-thirds of the living regions of the cosmos, was now hitting walls everywhere in this universe.
Kaiju, Choju, aliens, and Ultramen had all become obstacles to the Swarm's expansion.
In a universe where even the legendary Swarm King Tayzzyronth could not roam freely, how deep were the waters, and how strong was its foundation?
Phantylia was a smart woman. She knew when to be arrogant and when to tuck her tail between her legs and behave.
How did Nanook compare to the Swarm King? Though it was disrespectful to Lord Nanook, the disaster caused by the Swarm in the cosmos was arguably more terrifying than that caused by Lord Nanook, the personification of [Destruction] itself.
---o---
Light Curtain Barrage
Yukino Yukinoshita: "Nanook, the Aeon of [Destruction]… Phantylia seems to hold him in high regard. Is he an existence on the same level as the Swarm King?"
Screwllum: "Yes and no. The Aeons are very similar in their level of existence and nature, but there are differences in strength. However… that is not something we can comprehend. Conclusion: The Aeon of [Destruction] and the Swarm King are similar in nature, but not identical in power."
Belial: "Aeon? Hmph, a bunch of mystical nonsense. What bullshit levels of existence and nature? In my opinion, they're nothing special."
The Most Unfilial Son in the Universe: "Father… I seem to recall you were one-shotted by the great Ultraman King. And that Aeon is an existence that even Ultraman King would have to take seriously…"
Overseer of Schicksal: "A Dark Ultraman? How arrogant. No wonder he was sealed. Weakness and ignorance are not obstacles to survival, but arrogance is."
---o---
Light Curtain
"Swoosh swoosh—"
As Belial and Phantylia conversed, several beams shot from outside the prison, hurtling toward the two.
"Belial! Get back in your cage!!"
A powerful voice echoed from space as an Ultraman wearing a red cape sternly rebuked the newly freed Belial.
While most of the Ultra Brothers had gone to support Earth, there was still one Ultraman who had been active on Earth remaining in the Land of Light.
His unique facial features, coupled with the diamond-shaped pattern on his waist, allowed the audience to quickly recognize who it was.
The "Almighty King" 80, the only Ultraman who had never been defeated in his TV series.
As both a teacher and an Ultra Warrior, 80 was flawless in both character and strength.
Leaving him to guard the Land of Light was absolutely the right decision.
"80? Are you the only one here?"
Belial's wicked voice rang out. He carefully scanned the surrounding cannon fodder, a murderous aura spreading from his body.
It seemed that creature named Phantylia hadn't lied. Ken was indeed not in the Land of Light. Without him, the Land of Light could be destroyed with a wave of his hand.
"Everyone, attack—!"
With a command, 80 threw off his cape and charged forward first.
The next moment, a dense, overwhelming barrage of beams shot toward Belial. Unlike Taro in Mega Monster Battle: Ultra Galaxy, the number of warriors 80 had brought with him was far greater.
Compared to the endless rain of light, Belial looked like a lone boat on a vast ocean, in danger of being swallowed by a giant wave at any moment.
As for Phantylia, she had long seen that the situation was turning against them and had used Yapool's power to hide in another dimension.
A Suiyang's combat power was directly tied to the body it possessed. Yapool's fragile little body would probably disintegrate with a single touch.
However, facing such an attack, Belial was completely unfazed. He simply raised his arm and, without hesitation, fired a beam technique he hadn't used in who knows how many years.
—Deathcium Ray!!!
A powerful beam shot from Belial's hand. The very same beam technique that had once clashed with Alien Empera and saved the Land of Light and the universe multiple times was now unhesitatingly used against his former comrades.
The attacks fired by the ordinary Ultra Warriors were swept away by Belial's beam, exploding violently in the air like shimmering fireworks.
In an instant, the distant Ultra Warriors suffered heavy casualties, falling one after another in space.
Having dealt with the small fry, Belial didn't stay put. He charged directly into the formation of 80 and the other Ultramen.
His target was clear: 80!
His powerful body was so durable that the ordinary Ultra Warriors brought by 80 couldn't even scratch him. If anyone present could harm him, it was probably only 80.
"Belial, have you abandoned your Ultra Spirit?"
Inside the Space Prison, the figures of 80 and Belial flashed continuously, the surrounding ground being battered into a cratered mess.
Pinning Belial's hands, 80 spoke with a grave tone.
No matter what, Belial had once been a hero of the Land of Light, yet now he had fallen to such a state.
Even though he knew it was impossible, 80 still hoped to reawaken the last vestiges of the Ultra Spirit within him. This was the mission and duty he had learned as a teacher on Earth.
"What damn Ultra Spirit? I threw that away tens of thousands of years ago!"
Belial executed a sweeping blow, sending 80 flying with a tone full of disdain.
The blasted-away 80 slammed hard against the wall of the Space Prison, the violent impact even knocking loose rubble from above.
It had to be said, Belial's strength was truly astonishing. Even without the Giga Battle Nizer in hand, he could still overpower 80, the "Almighty King."
But by the same token, without his Battle Nizer, Belial's combat power was severely weakened.
Defeating 80 was clearly no simple task, especially with so many other Ultra Warriors around.
Under the continuous entanglement, the number of Ultra Warriors standing around 80 dwindled. Unlike the Swarm, when an Ultraman fell, he was gone for good. They didn't have a perverse ability like splitting.
Seeing his comrades fall one by one, 80 waved his hand, placing both hands on the diamond-shaped buckle in the middle of his waist.
"Hyaaaah—!!!"
A concentrated beam technique erupted from the diamond buckle. This was one of 80's proudest beam attacks, its power equal to or even greater than his Saxium Ray.
And then…
BOOM!!!!!
A massive explosion bloomed in space, its brilliant sparks dancing in the dark cosmos.
Belial naturally didn't dare to take that hit head-on. In the next moment, he flew out of the beam's attack range.
And just as 80 was about to give chase, Phantylia, who had been hiding in the shadows… made her move!
---o---
Author's Note:
ps: FGO has a new banner, damn it, there are so many things I want to roll for!