Chapter 35: There Is a Reason the Armor Is So Thick
Agul felt his neck being squeezed painfully, the massive blue hand gripping Bokuragu’s pincers, trying to pry them apart.
But Bokuragu’s twin pincers were locked tightly around Agul’s neck, and no matter how he struggled, he couldn’t break free.
Bokuragu let out a guttural roar, still clearly unsatisfied. The pincers clamped around Agul’s neck glowed with a luminous blue light, releasing crackling currents of electricity!
Agul was instantly paralyzed by the shock, his energy being absorbed by Bokuragu. His entire body trembled violently.
From a distance, Qiao Zhe, who’d expected Agul’s arrival to spell trouble, fell silent at the sight. On second thought, it seemed only natural—Agul was always like this...
Fujimiya, always the one to put on the biggest airs, took the hardest blows; no wonder he wore such thick armor.
But even with Agul’s formidable defenses, he couldn’t withstand having his energy drained. The energy timer on his chest began flashing red, chiming urgently.
Witnessing this, I dreamt no longer simply watched. I hurried to a corner, pulled out the Lapis Cone, and raised it overhead. “Gaia!”
A blaze of red and white light erupted! Gaia’s form appeared in midair, and as he landed in a crouch, a shower of earth exploded around him.
“Bokuragu! That’s enough! Let Agul go!”
I had previously studied carefully and knew the Ultraman’s voice was entirely different from my own while transformed, so I wasn’t worried that speaking would reveal my identity.
Gaia clenched his fists, clearly ready to reason with his fists if Bokuragu didn’t heed him.
Gaia’s sudden appearance startled Bokuragu, whose confidence faltered at the sight of his imposing presence. If he provoked this one too, wouldn’t he be beaten up by two Ultramen?
So, with a sweep of his massive pincers, Bokuragu hurled Agul away.
With a crash, Agul tumbled across the ground in a sorry heap.
Seeing this, Gaia strode forward and reached out a hand to help Agul up. “Are you hurt?”
The red light flashing on Agul’s chest made the offer sound almost like mockery. He brusquely brushed Gaia’s arm aside.
He sprang to his feet, eyes fixed on Bokuragu, and crossed his fists to gather energy.
Seeing Agul still wanted to fight, Gaia grabbed his arm. “You idiot! Is violence the only way you know to solve problems?”
Agul’s face flickered with surprise, but stubborn as ever, he drove an elbow straight into Gaia’s abdomen.
With a dull thud, Gaia staggered back, clutching his stomach in a half-crouch.
As he looked up, Agul was already gathering energy again.
Crossing his arms before the crystal on his forehead, he swept them apart, channeling photon energy between his palms to form a destructive blue sphere—the Reckoner Destructive Photon Bomb, as powerful as Gaia’s Quantum Stream. Bokuragu would never withstand such an attack.
Agul thrust his hands forward, launching the blue sphere—but in that instant, Gaia leapt forward!
He dove between Bokuragu and the attack, and with no time to raise a shield, he blocked the photon bomb with his own back.
A wave of searing pain tore through Gaia, sparks flying as he cried out.
“Aaah!”
Bokuragu roared in surprise, seeing Gaia take the blow for him, and immediately charged at Agul, pincers raised.
“Bokuragu! Stop!” Gaia’s shout made Bokuragu hesitate, looking back in confusion.
“Stay right there!” Gaia gritted his teeth through the pain, struggling to stand. “Leave the rest to me!”
The energy timer on Gaia’s chest began to chime, warning lights flashing. Taking such a finishing move head-on had pushed him to his limits.
Agul paused, stunned—he hadn’t expected Gaia to shield Bokuragu with his own body.
Guilt welled up inside him, yet he spoke coldly: “Move aside!”
“You—!” Gaia’s eyes blazed as he clenched his fists. “I will never let you hurt Bokuragu!”
They locked eyes, stalemated. Remembering what I had said earlier, and the accidental injury just now, Fujimiya decided to back down. Compared to Bokuragu, the Enzan Machine was the greater threat.
With that, Agul pointed dismissively at Bokuragu. “You’re not even worthy to die by my hand.”
He turned toward the Enzan Machine.
Though, just moments ago, he’d been the one nearly strangled and drained by Bokuragu.
As Agul prepared to act, Gaia once again blocked his path.
“Don’t get in my way!” Agul snapped impatiently.
But Gaia punched him square in the face. “I won’t let you run amok any longer!”
Agul staggered back from the blow, fists clenching in anger. He couldn’t fight this one, couldn’t fight that one—whose side was Gaia on, anyway?
Fury mounting, Agul launched himself at Gaia, who met him head-on.
Red and blue, ever at odds—two giants grappled and wrestled fiercely on the ground.
Bokuragu watched, fish eyes wide in astonishment.
While Agul was held back, trouble flared elsewhere.
Even though the Lightning Team kept deploying dry ice bombs during transport, the Enzan Machine’s temperature continued to rise!
After all, this machine, built by future humans to melt an ice age, was naturally resistant to freezing. Its surface was covered in coolant, yet its energy gauge had already filled one bar—two more, and it would activate completely!
In the command room of the airborne base, Atsuko reported the situation to Captain Ishimuro. “The Enzan Machine’s temperature is still rising—dry ice bombs don’t seem to be working!”
“How can that be?” Staff Officer Chiba stared tensely at the large screen.
On the screen, two images were displayed. One showed Gaia and Agul locked in a fierce struggle with Bokuragu watching nearby. The other showed the Peace Carrier transporting the Enzan Machine.
Ishimuro eyed the distance between them and asked, “Director Tsutsumi, how long until they reach the coast?”
“We’re moving as fast as possible—about one more minute!” Tsutsumi’s voice crackled over the main channel.
“Will we make it in time?!” Chiba’s face beaded with sweat at the reply.
Ishimuro’s expression was grave, anxiety tightening in his chest.
The Enzan Machine hovered directly above Oilfield Town. At such extreme temperatures, if it fell now...