Chapter Thirty-Three: The Destruction of Consciousness

While the speech was just beginning elsewhere, steady footsteps echoed within a towering structure in the Land of Light.

Tetsuya surveyed the unique crystalline architecture of the Land of Light, feeling quite astonished. It was as if he were walking upon glass; the bright walls reflected the massive, muscular red form of Seven X as he gradually ascended toward the upper reaches of the building.

This was the most important structure in the Land of Light—the Plasma Spark Tower. It was the mutation of the Plasma Spark Tower that had led to the super-evolution of the inhabitants of the Land of Light, and it also functioned as an "artificial sun," making it of paramount importance to the realm.

"Halt!" A warrior of the Red Tribe stepped forward, joining another to block Seven X's path. Standing before Tetsuya, they declared, "Unauthorized access to this area is prohibited. You should—"

Before he could finish, Tetsuya offered a cold smile. Seven X’s arm hooked around the guard’s shoulder while his other leg swung out, kicking the second guard flying.

"What are you doing!?" the first guard shouted in shock, his reaction swift as he attempted to retreat.

However, Seven X pulled his arm back with force, causing the guard to stumble. Immediately following this, a heavy kick struck the guard’s knee, forcing him to his knees in submission. The movements were fluid and seamless; in mere moments, both guards were neutralized.

Clapping his hands together, Tetsuya let out a silent laugh, pushed open the doors, and stepped into an expanse of endless radiance.

Since he had arrived in the Land of Light, he held to the thief’s principle of never leaving empty-handed; he intended to obtain some power from the Plasma Spark Tower. The tower was, in essence, a supreme artifact. Its energy rays had even spurred the super-evolution of the Land of Light’s residents. Although the Baltan aliens had played a "role" in that event, the tower’s intrinsic function could not be overlooked.

The strength of an Ultraman’s combat prowess clearly relied on two aspects: physical combat skills and the power of their light-based techniques. In truth, light techniques were often the trump cards used as finishers. The reason the Guardian corps were relegated to a secondary, long-standing backup force for the Land of Light was because they were incompatible with the energy within the Plasma Spark Tower and could not comprehend their own light techniques.

The process for extracting energy from the Plasma Spark Tower was subject to extremely strict regulations. It required an Ultraman to interact with the Plasma Spark at a specific age, and most Ultramen could only do so once or twice in their entire lives.

Before him lay an elevated, narrow passageway that stretched into the distance. From there, intensely concentrated energy fluctuations surged, and endless light poured forth. As Seven X’s footsteps echoed here, Tetsuya felt a surge of excitement; ahead lay infinite light and boundless energy. If he could make contact with the plasma rays at close range, the boost to his own strength would be monumental.

It was just ahead.

Seven X reached out his hand, intending to touch the free-flowing energy.

Suddenly, everything changed. It was as if the stars had shifted in an instant. Tetsuya felt a moment of dizziness, but as he shook his head, his gaze locked onto a figure standing before him—the Ultraman King.

"Why do you seek to touch the Plasma Spark?" Though the King’s voice was aged, it carried a crushing pressure.

For a split second, Tetsuya felt as if his throat were being throttled. Facing the Ultraman King, he felt he possessed not a shred of strength to resist. He remained silent.

The King’s eyes were sharp as a hawk’s, fixed upon Seven X. After a long silence, he spoke abruptly, "So, that is how it is."

Tetsuya felt a sudden jolt. Seven X immediately shifted into a combat stance; he did not know what the King had perceived, but he would not go down without a fight. The massive form began to run, and after a few strides, Seven X leaped into the air, aiming a flying kick at the Ultraman King.

The King shook his head gently. "This is not your body. You should leave."

He raised his palm, his expression calm. Energy surged rapidly like dancing fire snakes. The suddenly swelling power tightly bound Seven X’s ankles, pulling him down at the peak of his jump and crashing him onto the passage floor.

Terrified, Tetsuya hurriedly snatched the Slugger from his head and spun around, severing the energy beams wrapped around his ankles. He scrambled to his feet, wasting no time, and turned to flee.

However, the Ultraman King gave a slight nod. The red gemstone on his chest suddenly flashed with light. He extended his right hand, then brought both hands to his sides before abruptly raising them toward his shoulders.

Following this, waves of red light, ripple-like, were emitted from the chest gem, striking Tetsuya square in the back. The immense thrust sent Seven X’s body sprawling forward. Almost immediately, Tetsuya felt his consciousness beginning to blur; a peculiar force was pulling his consciousness out of the Seven body.

This power acted directly upon his consciousness, and Tetsuya had no idea how to resist it. It was as if he were trapped in a whirlpool; he could not break free, and soon he felt his body grow light.

He looked on in alarm as he saw Seven fall to the ground, having reverted from Seven X back into the original Seven. Tetsuya’s consciousness had been forcibly extracted from the body by the Ultraman King.

"Old man," Tetsuya hissed.

As he looked on, he saw the King raise his palm again. A powerful force surged forward, pushing Tetsuya’s consciousness toward the King. Thoughts raced through his mind, and Tetsuya, bordering on madness, cried out, "No matter what, you won't catch me!"

His consciousness began to twist like boiling water. Suddenly, there was a faint, crisp sound, and countless specks of conscious light scattered in all directions, vanishing into the air.

The Ultraman King ceased his movements, looking heavily at the dissipating points of light. He thought with a sense of shock, "Have these evil consciousnesses already become capable of invading the bodies of the warriors of the Land of Light?"

"Ugh..."

At that moment, Seven felt his head spinning. He climbed to his feet, looking around in bewilderment until his gaze locked onto the Ultraman King.

"King."

The King nodded at him gently. "Seven, you must keep this in your heart: you must not touch the Plasma Spark Tower at will. The energy within is not something we can master."

Seven was puzzled, but he nodded earnestly nonetheless.

The King waved his hand. "Go now. The war is over."