After taking a day to rest at home and having Riku request leave from work on his behalf, Yu Zhou prepared to depart with Zero for Belial's hiding place.
As for Geed, he would remain stationed on Earth, ensuring that Fukude Kei didn't stir up trouble while the two of them were away.
Still, Yu Zhou wasn't entirely at ease. Before leaving, he went to find Laiha, entrusting her with the Dyna and Tiga capsules—just in case.
After all, Riku was still too young. Fukude Kei was a cunning schemer, and Yu Zhou felt compelled to set up a second layer of protection for the boy.
It made him feel less like Riku's father and more like his grandfather, constantly worrying over and protecting this reckless child.
At this point, they already possessed both the Cosmos capsule and the Dyna capsule. Zero himself had also received the Fusion Riser from Hikari.
Yu Zhou had been wondering: could Zero perhaps try using the Cosmos and Dyna capsules with the Fusion Riser?
If Cosmos, Dyna, and Zero combined… they could transform into one of the legendary Four Supreme Ultras—Ultraman Saga.
If Zero used those capsules and performed a fusion rise… would he be able to transform into Saga directly?
Or at the very least, wield Saga's power?
"Zero, do you want to try fusing with the Cosmos and Dyna capsules?" Yu Zhou asked as they left the underground base at Nebula House.
"Hm?" Zero turned his head toward him. "Yu Zhou, why would you think of that?"
"Because I know you once fused with Dyna and Cosmos to become Ultraman Saga," Yu Zhou replied. "So I wondered—if you used their capsules with the Fusion Riser, maybe you could transform into Saga again."
"That's worth trying!"
Zero's eyes lit up as the thought clicked in his mind. If he could obtain Saga's power, defeating Belial would become so much easier!
"But Cosmos's capsule is still with Riku, and Dyna's is now with Laiha," Yu Zhou reminded him with a faint smile. "We'll have to test it after we return."
With that, he raised his Spark Lens and pressed the activation button.
In a burst of light, Yu Zhou became Tiga, soaring into the skies.
Possessing Riku, Zero put on his Zero Eye and transformed as well, quickly following Yu Zhou.
"Look—it's Ultraman Zero and Ultraman Tiga!"
"Yeah! But wait… no monster appeared today!"
"Then why are Zero and Tiga showing up?"
"Maybe there's a monster somewhere else?"
"…?"
Civilians pointed upward as the two Ultras streaked across the sky, whispering among themselves in confusion.
Why had Ultramen suddenly appeared when no kaiju were in sight?
"Heh heh heh…"
Fukude Kei stood watching as Tiga and Zero disappeared into the clouds, a cold smile curling his lips.
"The capsules have been gathered. It's time to end this game."
Muttering to himself, Kei turned and walked away.
With Tiga and Zero gone from Earth, it was the perfect opportunity to seize the capsules.
Belial's hiding place lay within a sub-dimensional pocket—its galactic coordinates: longitude 213°, latitude -13°.
Yu Zhou didn't understand such technicalities, but Zero knew the path, and Yu Zhou simply followed close behind him through the void of space.
On their way back to Nebula House with some shopping bags in hand, Riku and Laiha were chatting casually.
"From now on, I'll make time to visit Mr. Asakura every few days," Riku said, clutching his purchases. "After all, he's practically half a father to me."
"That's true," Laiha nodded, knowing the story between Riku and Asakura Sui. "Living alone must be very lonely for him."
"No worries. I already memorized his coordinates. With the Nebula House elevator, I can visit anytime." Riku smiled—the convenience of that elevator never ceased to amaze him.
Of course, what really tempted him was Mr. Asakura's game console—the very one Riku had always wanted but could never afford.
"Riku, let's head back to Nebula House. I'll stash these things in the Dark Zone first."
Pega popped his head out of the ground and offered to take the bags.
"Alright."
Riku handed the goods to Pega, who promptly vanished back into the earth to store them.
Just as Riku was about to summon the Nebula House elevator, he noticed a glowing laser marker appear on Laiha's forehead.
"What's this?" Riku frowned, bending down to examine the strange light reflecting off her skin.
"Eh?" Laiha blinked in confusion. Before she could react, her eyes caught a glint—her forehead had been targeted by a sniper's sight!
"Riku, run!"
Shoving him aside, Laiha leapt back just in time.
A beam shot down with a piercing crack, blasting a smoking hole in the pavement where she had just been standing.
"We're under attack!" Riku realized, eyes wide.
"Over there!"
Pega poked up from the ground again, pointing at a man sitting calmly on a public bench, flipping through a book.
It was Fukude Kei.
"You!"
Riku rushed toward him without hesitation. He wasn't the least bit surprised—Yu Zhou had already told him the truth.
He wasn't Belial's biological son, nor was he born of any Ultra mother. He had been created by Kei using Belial's genetic factors.
Yu Zhou had also revealed Kei's true plan: once Riku gathered all the capsules, Kei intended to steal them.
That was why Yu Zhou had taken Riku to Asakura Sui's home—to secure the Father of Ultra capsule and prepare for the coming battle.
"Fukude Kei!"
Laiha's hatred flared the moment she laid eyes on him. She wanted nothing more than to cut him down where he sat. Though the Ultra King had ordered Kei kept alive, subduing him here and now would be just as good.
But as she stepped forward, another beam lanced down, blasting the ground in front of her.
"Toba Laiha, the sniper has you in his sights," Kei said calmly, not even looking up from his book. "Try to flee, and he'll start shooting the civilians instead."
Laiha's hand went to her sword. She refused to be cowed so easily. But just as she drew, a shot seared past her head, slicing clean through her hair tie. Her long hair spilled free in the wind.
"Laiha!" Riku shouted, terrified she'd been hit.
"I don't intend to kill her… not yet," Kei said with a smirk. "For now, I simply want to have a little chat with you, Riku."
After all, Laiha still carried Ultra Capsules. Killing her outright would be a waste when he could claim them.
"Pega, are you there?" Laiha whispered quickly while Kei's attention was on Riku.
"I'm here!" Pega surfaced just slightly.
"Can you take care of the sniper?" she asked, eyes never leaving Kei.
"I'll try!" Pega dove back underground at once.
"Nineteen years already," Kei said wistfully, closing his book. His gaze softened, unnervingly gentle. "Time flies. It feels like only yesterday I left you at the observatory."
"You mean… nineteen years ago, it was you who placed me there?" Riku demanded.
Kei's smile widened, expecting shock, despair, denial. He wanted to see Riku break.
But Yu Zhou had already told Riku everything. His expression didn't waver.
"Hm?" Kei's eyes narrowed, genuinely surprised. "So you knew? No reaction at all?"
Riku gave a derisive snort. "Hmph. Did you really think I knew nothing?"