The moment the Cosmo Pluck bloomed, Ye Feng felt as if he were being enveloped by an infinite ocean of light. This was his first sensation; what followed was even more profound...
The surrounding buildings and trees began to shrink rapidly. He glanced toward the evacuation zone and saw that his classmates had become tiny, like ants. He looked down at himself, noticing the azure, spiraling Color Timer and his body—a sleek combination of blue and silver.
"So this... is what it feels like to be an Ultraman."
Ye Feng never imagined that one day he would transform into an Ultra Warrior. Not just any warrior, but a unique entity: the Benevolent Hero, Ultraman Cosmos.
Ultraman Cosmos was not a native of the Land of Light; his origins were shrouded in mystery. Legend whispered that he was one of the manifestations of the Great Universe's Will, Ultraman Legend, split from that entity's light and entrusted with a specific mission: Order. He traveled the cosmos, maintaining the balance of the universe.
Though he didn't know why he could transform into Cosmos, being an Ultraman in a world teeming with monsters meant his survival was finally assured.
For a moment, Ye Feng was intoxicated by the feeling. The ground beneath his feet didn't feel like hard concrete anymore; it felt like soft, yielding sand. However, a series of unknown images suddenly flooded his mind, pulling him out of his trance.
After about three seconds, these images were etched deep into his soul. Clutching his head, Ye Feng exhaled, "Are these... combat styles? As expected of the Benevolent Hero, the techniques are almost entirely defensive."
Ye Feng had just received the complete combat data and skills of Ultraman Cosmos—or more specifically, those of the Luna Mode. This explained why the fighting memories leaned so heavily toward redirection and defense. At the same time, he received a cryptic message: he could currently only utilize the power of the Moon.
The power of the Sun—Corona Mode—remained dormant. His light had not yet fully awakened to that level. He didn't know who had left this message in his mind, but whoever possessed the strength to do so silently must be a powerful being. If they intended him harm, there would have been no reason to spare him.
"I can't switch to Corona Mode? Dealing with seven monsters like this is going to be a hassle."
Ye Feng was well aware of his situation. He was about to face seven monsters enhanced by the Chaos Header. Though he had the combat memories, how much he could apply in a real-life-or-death struggle remained to be seen. Furthermore, having watched the Cosmos series multiple times, he knew exactly how terrifying the Chaos Header's power could be.
"Hwah—!"
Assuming a Tai Chi-like starting stance, Cosmos looked warily at his surroundings. Led by Chaos Gadi, the seven monsters glared at him like a pack of wolves eyeing their prey, waiting for the perfect moment to launch a fatal pounce.
"GAA—!"
The two Chaos Sadora were the first to act. They thrust their arms forward like grappling hooks, launching a probing attack.
"Ya!"
Cosmos easily sidestepped the projectiles. He grabbed the four extendable limbs with one hand and quickly reached out with the other. Using the monsters' own momentum, he yanked the Sadora brothers upward, spinning them into the air like twin flails.
BOOM! CRASH!
Using the Sadora as improvised weapons, Cosmos deliberately swung them into the other monsters who were watching from the sidelines, sending the entire group sprawling to the ground.
However, one was different. Chaos Lithra spread its wings mid-collision, taking to the sky. It opened its beak and fired a thermal beam directly at Cosmos in the center of the field.
Noticing the aerial threat, Cosmos released the "ropes" in his hands, causing the Sadora to crash into the school's small forest. Facing Lithra's beam, Cosmos didn't dodge. He traced a circle in the air with his right hand.
Luna Barrier.
Bracing his hands behind the translucent shield, he pushed against the thermal ray, deflecting the energy.
"ROAR!!"
Behind him, Chaos Gadi had recovered. It charged toward Cosmos, kicking up clouds of dust and sand. Its heavy footfalls triggered a localized earthquake, collapsing the nearby administrative building. The sports field was already a ruin.
Sensing the tremors and the monster's shriek, Cosmos acted fast. He thrust the Luna Barrier forward with a forceful shove. The shield actually pushed back against the thermal ray, slamming into Chaos Lithra and sending the bird-monster crashing into a block of residential school housing.
By then, Chaos Gadi had arrived, lashing its whips. But the Cosmos in front of it was merely an afterimage. The real body had appeared behind the beast, lifting it high above his head.
"Heh!"
With a grunt, Cosmos hurled Chaos Gadi toward the spot where the Sadora were struggling to stand. The two unlucky monsters had just managed to get up when Gadi's massive weight sent them right back down.
"So cool!"
"Who transformed into that alien? He's so strong, so badass!"
"Did you see that? He teleported! He definitely teleported!"
"It wasn't teleportation; he's just so fast he left afterimages!"
In less than a minute, Cosmos had floored four monsters. The eighteen-year-old students in the shelter were buzzing with adrenaline, acting as if they were the ones doing the fighting!
It wasn't just the students. Outside the barrier, the crew of the GUTS Eagle watched in stunned silence. In the Hangzhou GUTS base, the command room was equally paralyzed. The Commander was the first to snap out of it.
"Lin Li! Analyze that new alien's data and energy level immediately! And tell the ground team: the moment the battle is over, find the kid who transformed into that giant!"
The first half was tactical analysis; the second was recruitment. This Blue Giant was a first-of-his-kind appearance on the global Awakening Day, right in their backyard. This was a "newcomer" talent they couldn't afford to lose to another city.
Back at the school, the middle-aged man watching Ye Feng remembered the alien's words again: "The answer you seek is on that boy."
Looking up at the Blue Giant—who was now fending off Gudon, Dada, and Valky simultaneously without losing ground—he whispered, "Is this the answer...?"
Chaos Valky's trident was a nuisance. However, thanks to his inherited memories, Cosmos parried the strikes with fluid grace, using the alien's own force to palm-strike him away. After Valky was sent flying, Dada followed shortly after, leaving Cosmos to contend with Gudon.
Gudon's greatest weapons were its whip-arms. Each crack of the whip sounded like a sonic boom; a direct hit would be agonizing. But with Cosmos' superior speed, Gudon couldn't land a single blow. Finding an opening, Cosmos seized the beast's arms and delivered a rapid-fire succession of over a dozen kicks before flipping away and landing gracefully.
"Phew..."
"I thought moving a giant body would be cumbersome, but it feels natural. My only problem is the lack of actual combat experience."
Having floored all seven monsters, Ye Feng breathed a sigh of relief. He failed to notice the "backstabber" lurking behind him. Alien Dada had pulled out a Shrink Ray gun and was aiming it directly at Cosmos' back.
"Watch out behind you!"
The middle-aged man's voice rang out. Cosmos didn't hesitate; he performed a sharp combat roll. A wave-like ray shot through the space he had just occupied, striking the two Sadora who were trying to get up again. The ray caused ripples to run across their bodies, and they instantly shrank to the size of a human palm.
'That was close.'
Recovering quickly, Cosmos funneled Luna energy into his palm and fired several Luna Extract light bullets, knocking the Shrink Ray gun out of Dada's hand.
Gadi attacked again. Cosmos turned to block its arms, but Chaos Lithra had returned to the air. Its talons raked across Cosmos' back, sending a shower of sparks flying.
"Hwah—!"
The sharp pain caused Cosmos to lose his balance, dropping him to one knee. Gadi seized the chance, pressing down with all its weight to pin him. Fortunately, Cosmos planted a foot and used a redirection toss, hurling Gadi over his shoulder.
BOOM—!
Gadi slammed into a dormitory building, howling in frustration. Cosmos flipped back onto his feet. Seeing Chaos Header particles fluttering in the air like predatory insects, he kicked off the ground and took flight.
"He can fly too?!" The middle-aged man was staggered. High speed, expert melee, ranged skills, and now flight? Flight-capable aliens and monsters were incredibly rare; less than one percent of the GUTS monster-user roster could actually fly!
Everyone, inside and outside the barrier, was mesmerized. This Blue Giant was becoming an enigma they couldn't solve.
Ye Feng knew he had to ground Lithra to win. As Cosmos soared, Lithra turned and unleashed a barrage of thermal beams. Cosmos didn't flinch. He used his palms like blades, slicing through the energy beams with practiced ease.
"Sorry, Qin Yuxin. This might sting a bit. Bear with me."
Cosmos adjusted his posture mid-air and delivered a powerful diving kick, sending the bird-monster plummeting.
CRASH!
Both landed nearly simultaneously, but the results were different. Lithra slammed into the earth, carving a forty-meter trench in the dirt. Cosmos landed elegantly, silent and unharmed.
"ROAR!!!"
Chaos Gadi let out a command. Gudon, Valky, and Dada rallied around the fallen Lithra, preparing for a final desperate charge.
"Perfect. Grouping up saves me some energy."
Cosmos reached down and scooped up the two shrunken Sadora. Luna energy pulsed from his hand as he gently tossed them toward the oncoming horde. As they flew, the light returned them to their normal size. Cosmos saw the monsters' eyes widen in a look that clearly said: "Don't you dare come over here!"
THUD!
The falling Sadora crushed Gadi and the others, pinning the struggling Lithra at the bottom of the pile.
"SCREE—!" Lithra cried out, muffled by the weight of six other monsters.
'I'll apologize properly when this is over,' Ye Feng promised mentally. He focused on the images in his mind, calling upon the core of his power.
Luna Struck. (Moonlight Smash is for calming; for true purification, he needed the Luna Struck).
"Hoh—!"
"Heng!"
Cosmos raised his palms, spreading his arms wide to gather Luna energy before thrusting his right hand forward. The energy transformed into a stream of soft, gentle light, which then broke into thousands of glowing particles that rained down upon the tangled mess of monsters.
Then, something happened that defied everything the TPC knew about the Chaos Header.
Under the shroud of the light particles, the monsters began to emit their own sparks—colored particles that were the signature of the Chaos Header. But unlike before, these particles were being expelled.
"Can this Blue Giant... actually purify the Chaos Header?"
The witnesses held their breath. As the Chaos particles fled, the monstrous traits began to fade. The molten skin on Gadi, Gudon, and Sadora vanished, returning to their original textures. The jagged armor on Valky and the void-black on Dada dissolved. Chaos Lithra's red eyes cleared, its spines retracted, and its claws shrank back to normal. They looked like docile lambs.
Cosmos lowered his hands. His eyes, like glowing lamps, scanned the seven creatures. Once he confirmed the Chaos Header was entirely gone, he performed a final gesture.
Full Moon Rect.
Under the influence of this soothing wave, the seven monsters closed their eyes and drifted into a peaceful slumber. Using his Ultra-Psychokinesis, Cosmos gently separated the pile of bodies.
DING-DONG! DING-DONG!
Suddenly, the azure gem on Cosmos' chest began to flash a rhythmic red. It was a warning signal, a heartbeat of exhaustion. The GUTS team noted this immediately for future analysis.
Ye Feng felt a wave of crushing fatigue. His knees buckled, and he dropped to one knee. 'So tired... is the transformation ending?'
He knew he had to finish the job. He had to bring Qin Yuxin and the others back.
Cosmos forced himself up. He raised his arms, drawing energy from the vacuum of space itself. He thrust his hands forward, turning that cosmic energy into a rainbow of light particles that bathed the unconscious monsters.
Cosmo Real. (Using his remaining energy to trigger a miracle of restoration).
Under the rainbow light, the six "human" monsters shrank further and further until the fusion was undone, leaving the students lying safely on the ground in their human forms.
The Color Timer was now a frantic red strobe. Cosmos didn't panic. He spread his arms one last time, a soft glow covering the ruined campus.
Miracle Realization.
The shattered buildings and torn-up field began to reconstruct themselves, returning to their pristine state. His work finished, the Blue Giant dissolved into a cloud of light particles and vanished.