Chapter Twenty-Nine: Instructing in Combat

Tetsuya’s heart lurched with shock, as if once more he saw that beautiful smile from Saro Mizuhara in the Nexter World, just before he became light.

“Is this me? How did I end up like this...?”

“With myself like this... how can I ever go back to her...?”

“This power... is this really what I’ve craved so desperately?”

With a resounding crash, just as the torrent of purple energy was about to be unleashed, the giant’s left hand clenched suddenly into a fist and smashed down hard on his right forearm, knocking the energy beam askew. It grazed past Gaidy, slicing into a neighboring building and triggering a chain of violent explosions.

“Come on, I’ll fight you to the end!” Shinjo screamed, jamming his thumb down on the laser cannon’s trigger. Beam after beam hammered into the giant’s chest, sparks flying wildly, making the giant’s body shudder before he steadied himself under the barrage.

“What are you trying to do!?” Masaki Keigo’s consciousness bellowed. “Why not just finish off that troublesome pest?”

“This isn’t the power I wanted to pursue...” Tetsuya replied, his answer clear.

“Power? Is there such a thing as good or bad power? That’s laughable! Power is power. With it, we could rule the world!”

“But... I refuse...”

“You refuse! Now, after all this, you say you refuse?” Masaki Keigo sneered. “Look around you... these are the consequences of your actions, aren’t they? You think you can turn back now? That you can make amends? Stop kidding yourself! Walk this path with me—together we’ll own the world!”

“It’s never too late to turn back.”

“Fool! What do you think this is, a child’s game? Who will understand your repentance? The Victory Team, TPC, all of humanity—they’ll see you as no different from a monster. What possible difference could it make? There’s no way back for you!”

“You’re too noisy,” Tetsuya’s voice rang cold and steely. “The path I, Tetsuya Hayate, choose is for no one else to dictate. If I could choose to walk this road, I can just as well choose to leave it!”

“You—”

“You can shut your mouth now.”

A harsh, twisted laugh echoed. “Heh heh heh... we’re not human anymore. Admit it or not, your pity is just a useless impulse.”

“Perhaps so...”

The giant turned to face Diga, who was flying closer through the sky, and Tetsuya’s voice sounded again. “I only want to prove... that I’m stronger than Diga!”

“Hayate...” With Diga’s arrival, Daigu’s voice followed.

“Wake up... This isn’t the real you!”

The giant’s gaze fell upon Diga. “There’s no such thing as ‘real’ or ‘unreal’... Daigu, you’re still too naive.” He paused, then declared resolutely, “There’s no turning back now. Let’s fight!”

“What are you hesitating for!? Look around—look at Kumamoto City. Whether I meant it or not, the disaster’s already happened. There’s nothing left to say. Between you and me, there’s only this battle!”

Diga hesitated, not arguing. Clearly, Daigu was torn by inner conflict. The giant, however, was not. Unlike Daigu’s indecision, both Tetsuya and Masaki Keigo were men of swift resolve.

With a sudden leap, the giant launched himself into the air and lashed out a vicious kick. A burst of light flashed on Diga’s chest, and the sheer force sent Diga crashing to the ground.

“Evil Kick!”

“Daigu... fight back. It’s past the point of no return. Let’s have a real battle. Show me—can I defeat Diga?”

The giant pressed close, landing a sharp elbow to Diga just as he rose, driving him back several paces, then whipped a leg around to strike Diga’s back.

“Still can’t decide?” Tetsuya’s cold voice rang out.

“In that case, let me make the decision for you!”

Purple energy began to gather in the giant’s palms. Unlike when Masaki Keigo controlled him, Tetsuya’s will was tougher and stronger, enabling him to channel even more energy. Countless beams of purple light shot out in all directions, detonating around them. This time, the devastation spread outward from the city center, inflicting even greater casualties.

“You...”

“Come on... come on, destroy me! Diga!”

“Hayate...” Daigu’s voice now grew heavy and inscrutable. Diga’s fists clenched tightly, his gaze burning with inner fire.

Diga sprang forward, the two giants passing each other in a flash. Diga’s straight punch shot toward the giant, but Tetsuya was ready: the giant’s knife-hand struck Diga’s elbow, numbing his arm with the force. Before Diga could react, the giant kicked him away.

“This isn’t enough... How can you protect the Earth like this? Let me teach you something!”

As Diga turned, the giant lashed out with another kick. Diga dodged, moving behind him, spinning to strike at the giant’s back. But the giant, without turning, seemed to anticipate Diga’s move—his right elbow slammed into Diga’s back, breaking the attack and sending Diga sprawling.

“No... not like this. You’re just not enough...”

Unlike the wild, uncoordinated flailing when Masaki Keigo was in control, under Tetsuya’s will, the giant’s attacks were simpler but far more effective. Each move came at the perfect moment, often breaking Diga’s rhythm.

A dangerous light flickered in the giant’s blue eyes. He raised his right arm, elbow out, and let his whole body drop sideways onto Diga, driving his elbow into Diga’s abdomen. The pain made Daigu cry out, and Diga’s body shuddered, gravely injured.

“We’ll help you!” Rina called, piloting the Victory Swallow II across the sky. The laser cannon struck the giant’s back with precision.

“Wipe them out!” Masaki Keigo shouted.

The giant spun around, purple energy already gathering in his palm, but in the end, he refused to fire. Tetsuya, after all, was an outstanding fighter pilot—unlike Masaki Keigo’s wild, uncontrolled shooting, Tetsuya could easily have aimed the giant’s beam and shot down Victory Swallow II mid-air if he wished.

But...

“What are you thinking!?” Masaki Keigo shouted anxiously. “You can wield the giant’s power even better, but you’re always hesitating! Give up your pitiful mercy—now, with TPC and Diga, it’s kill or be killed!”

“Then let me be killed...”

“What!? Are you insane!?”

At the instant the giant’s attention wavered, Diga’s arms swept past the crystal on his forehead, where all the energy for form-changing gathered. In a flash, the crystal gleamed red, and Diga’s body began to shift color.

Power Type!

With overwhelming force, Diga knocked the giant aside, then swung a fist into his shoulder, staggering the giant as he struggled to keep his balance.

“Power Type, is it?”

Diga’s kick shot toward him, but Tetsuya gave a cold laugh. The giant dodged nimbly, and as Diga swept past, he rammed his body into Diga, knocking him over.

“Too slow... Daigu, you still can’t master the giant’s power.”

As he spoke, the giant fired a beam that struck Diga, sending him flying again. But as he readied another shot, Diga threw up a shield and blocked it, his red form advancing steadily.

With a heavy thud, Diga crashed his shoulder forward. Under the force, the giant braced himself, shoulder to shoulder, pushing against Diga with both hands, but was driven back step by step.

“Even so... it’s still not enough!”

The giant planted his right foot, stomping it deep into the ground to brace himself against the charge. Then, in a sudden twist, the giant spun aside. Caught off guard, Diga stumbled forward, crashing into a tall building.

“Power Type doesn’t mean relying on brute force alone!”