Once the Light Particle Converter completed the formation of the Sparklence, it activated fully.
Golden arcs of electricity burst forth from the four pillars of light, surging across the bodies of Achilles and Herau.
Just as during their earlier attempt at transformation in R'lyeh, neither of them felt the slightest pain.
The electric currents coursed through them as particles of light materialized out of thin air, spiralling around their bodies.
Two Hearts of Light ignited simultaneously, shining brilliantly within their chests.
Achilles and Herau were filled with uncontrollable joy.
The Hearts of Light had finally appeared!
What had failed to manifest during their first attempt… had now truly awakened!
Watching the transformation, Yuzare nodded slowly.
As expected—Achilles and Herau truly possessed Hearts of Light. They were, without question, capable of becoming Giants of Light.
Under the influence of the Light Particle Converter, the two men transformed into beams of radiance and flew into the two stone statues respectively.
At once, the colour timers on the statues' chests shifted to a deep azure.
Cracks spread across their stone forms—
—and then, the petrification shattered completely.
The Giants awakened.
"The two statues… they revived after receiving Achilles' and Herau's light!"
Witnessing this scene firsthand, Yuzare could not conceal her astonishment.
If that was the case… then perhaps Cain could also one day reclaim his form as a Giant of Light through a similar method.
"How does it feel?"
Yu Zhou asked calmly as he looked at the two newly awakened Giants.
"It really worked!"
"This feels incredible!"
Achilles and Herau flexed their limbs repeatedly, marvelling at their new forms. Their movements were natural—no different from using their own bodies.
Yu Zhou nodded and studied them carefully.
Achilles' form was silver and blue, and from his head shape to his overall build, he bore a resemblance to Tregear before his fall into darkness.
Herau, on the other hand, was silver and red. If the red were replaced with blue—and if his colour timer were shaped like the letter Z—he would look remarkably similar to Ultraman Z.
"Each of you find a monster," Yu Zhou said after a moment's thought. "Test your strength."
This was their first transformation. Throwing them straight into a decisive battle against the darkness would be too hasty.
The Earth was already in ruins—there was no harm in sparing a little time for them to gain combat experience.
"Understood!"
Achilles and Herau were already eager. They shot into the sky, scanning the wasteland below.
In the Dark Domain's plains, monsters were plentiful.
It did not take long.
The two Giants selected their targets and charged in opposite directions.
Yu Zhou did not follow to observe. He simply waited in place.
Roughly three minutes later—
Two explosions rang out from different directions.
Achilles and Herau soon returned.
"Target eliminated!"
"I feel amazing right now!"
Both Giants radiated confidence.
Despite it being their first real battle, fighting kaiju felt instinctive—as if countless combat techniques, energy skills, and close-quarters manoeuvres were engraved deep within their beings.
"Well done."
Yu Zhou nodded in approval.
Compared to them, his own first transformation had been far harsher—facing the Alien Hipporit, capable of wiping out the Ultra Brothers, and even clashing with Giga Khimaira shortly afterward.
"So… where are we heading now?"
Herau scratched his head and asked.
"To drive back the darkness consuming Earth," Yu Zhou replied, gazing into the distance.
"And to reclaim what was taken from me—my light."
R'lyeh Sea Region
Since Gatanozoa descended upon Earth, it had encountered no resistance whatsoever.
The black fog it released had already spread across the entire planet.
Earth itself had become a Star of Darkness.
Rampaging through the ocean, Gatanozoa opened its massive, fang-filled maw and unleashed a roar—part elephant's trumpet, part bull's bellow.
The oppressive sound echoed across the seas.
Even in the farthest corners of the world, every surviving lifeform could feel the suffocating presence of darkness.
Just as the darkness reigned supreme—
A beam of light descended.
It plunged into the ocean, sending towering waves skyward.
The crashing spray struck Gatanozoa's black shell, causing the monster to pause briefly.
The light took form before it.
A silver-blue-red Giant, with an azure colour timer upon his chest.
A crystalline gem gleamed upon his forehead.
"So, this is the cursed darkness?"
The Giant clenched his fists and assumed a combat stance, staring up at the colossal beast.
"Let me see just how strong you are—strong enough to plunge the entire Earth into darkness!"
With a shout, the Giant leapt forward, using half-submerged islands as footholds as he charged Gatanozoa.
A lone spark of light—
Like a firefly—
Collided head-on with an ocean of darkness.
After leaving the Dark Domain, Yu Zhou and the others rushed toward R'lyeh at full speed.
When they arrived, all of them were stunned.
"There's already a Giant of Light fighting Gatanozoa?!"
Yuzare was especially shaken.
In her understanding, all Giants of Light on Earth had already vanished.
And yet—there was one standing here now.
"Who is that?"
Achilles and Herau were equally bewildered.
They had not expected someone to engage Gatanozoa before them.
Yu Zhou, however, froze the moment he saw the Giant.
A name escaped his lips.
"…Dyna?"
He was certain.
Standing before Gatanozoa was Ultraman Dyna.
But that made no sense.
"Dyna's light should come from Kazuma Asuka… so why is he here in the super-ancient era?"
"Did Charija somehow bring Asuka into this world?"
"That doesn't add up either—Asuka was swallowed by the black hole created by the Sphere explosion…"
No matter how Yu Zhou analysed it, only one conclusion remained.
Dyna's light… might also originate from the super-ancient era.
And the Dyna before them—
—was a super-ancient warrior.
There was no time to dwell on it.
The immediate threat was Gatanozoa.
Yu Zhou launched himself forward in a flying kick, his body wrapped in brilliant light.
Slash—!!!
The kick struck Gatanozoa's massive shell, sparks flying.
The enormous creature was flipped halfway over, briefly exposing its underside before crashing back into the sea.
"Hm?"
The "Dyna" who had been fighting Gatanozoa turned in surprise as his opponent was suddenly sent reeling.
When he saw Yu Zhou appear—
His face lit up.
"Tiga! It's really you!!!"
"…Huh?"
Yu Zhou frowned slightly.
At that moment, he could completely rule out the possibility that this was Asuka.
Asuka would always call him senior—or Senior Tiga.
But this Dyna…
Had spoken his name directly.