Madison didn't know how long the trip had been going on, but judging by the repeated jolts felt in the vehicle, they had been off the road for a while already. She and Nami had been forcibly locked by the Alpha Breed men in the back of this van without windows, their hands still tied behind their backs and their ankles immobilized by chains to prevent any attempt to move. The two young women had been gagged to prevent any risk for them to call for help. Moreover, the guard who was with them to monitor them would surely not hesitate to use his weapon.

Having given up trying to free herself because she knew it would be in vain, Madison kept worrying about her friends remaining in the hands of the terrorists as hostages, especially Josh, who she hoped we would survive the injury caused by Jonah. Nami Kunigami, sitting across from Madison, though still in the grip of anxiety, had stopped shedding tears and glanced at her fellow sufferer. Her gaze showed a sense of guilt for having obeyed this alien and gathered the fragments of this tablet to lead these terrorists to the ancestral home of the titan King Caesar. Too late for regrets, what was done was done and all that remained was to find a way to limit the monumental catastrophe that was about to happen.

The vehicle finally came to a stop and after a few long seconds of waiting, the back doors of the van opened, the daylight half blinding Madison and Nami. Jonah was there, accompanied by three of his henchmen armed with assault rifles.

_"Here we are, ladies." he said with a smirk. "I hope the trip wasn't too unpleasant."

Madison stared at him with great contempt, his stupid humor only increasing her desire to kill him. The legs of the two young women were untied and they were made to get out of the vehicle, a sea breeze whipping their faces and the unmistakable sound of waves echoing in the air. The landscape that presented itself before them was breathtaking. They were now in the middle of nature, at the top of vertiginous cliffs with eroded and volcanic walls being struck by the powerful waves of the ocean that came crashing against them. Cape Manzamo. The alien Za'ar, still in the guise of the Japanese man Shinichi, stood at the edge and carefully observed the smallest details on the walls of the cliff as if to detect something, using the informations he collected in Nami's brain. He finally found it, pointing in a direction.

_"This way." he ordered.

Jonah nodded and signaled to his men that it was time to move. Held by the shoulders and under threat of weapons pointed at their backs, Madison and Nami had no choice but to follow the movement while a few of the terrorists stayed to watch the vehicles. The group first descended along very narrow, weathered stone steps that formed a sloping path along the side of the cliff. Forced to go in single file, they descended while being careful with each step, otherwise it was a fall of almost sixty meters high and ending on rocks. The descent proved perilous but all finally reached the entrance to a sort of cavern hidden in the side and sinking into the depths of the cliff.

Jonah's men took out flashlights that they shared and it was Za'ar who led the way, followed by the terrorists and their two prisoners. The exploration of the underground cave network began, the alien seeming to know perfectly well where to go without having a map. Rock and more rock for long minutes in this labyrinth, but as they advanced, everyone could notice that the walls and floors of the corridors were becoming less and less natural, the volcanic and irregular rock giving way to slabs and walls that were certainly old but undoubtedly shaped by a human hand. An old brazier abandoned for centuries located at the entrance suddenly flared up as the visitors approached, in a way that could be described as supernatural, which surprised everyone.

_"This is getting interesting." Za'ar commented, still leading the way.

The group entered a new series of corridors abandoned since ancient times, built according to ancient Japanese architecture, lit by these same braziers lighting up on their own and almost creating a ballistic path to follow. Frescoes, half erased by time and humidity, could still be seen on the walls of some corridors, all representing ritual ceremonies of offerings and the veneration of King Caesar by the Azumi royal family over the generations. In another context, Madison and Nami might have found this fascinating but forced to walk with guns pointed at their backs, they had other concerns at the moment.

After the series of corridors and following the path of braziers, the group finally arrived in a much larger space. Madison and Nami, like the others, could not hide their amazement at the spectacular size of this room. Nami, however, remained the most shocked, because she immediately recognized this place... these ancient Japanese structures supporting the vault of the cavern... these large columns decorated with torches that flared up in perfect unison... this immense fresco on the ceiling representing the forms of Godzilla and King Caesar together facing the armada of alien ships... Nami was certain, it was the temple she had seen in this vision, dream, whatever, where Midori's spirit entrusted her with her pendant. It was the same place, down to the smallest detail. Madison, right next to her, was amazed before the beauty and majesty of this temple. A heavy aura permeated the place, she could feel it all around her and Nami surely felt it too. A colossal and ancient force lived here.

But the two were quickly brought back to reality by being forced to walk further, Za'ar and the Alpha Breed heading towards the back of the temple, where at the top of large stone steps, was a ritual altar, and just behind an imposing gold and jade statue surely bearing the image of King Caesar, which Nami also recognized immediately and felt once again as if the statue was staring at her with its ruby ​​eyes reflecting the glow of the flames. But as everyone approached the steps, powerful vibrations were felt, making the temple shake slightly. Madison, Nami and the Alpha Breed were worried for a moment, fearing that it was an earthquake, but Za'ar remained perfectly calm.

_"Mr. Shinichi, what's going on?" Jonah asked, still calling the alien by his human name.

_"As I told you, my master would join us when the time came. Well, that's it... He just arrived."

With that, Za'ar looked up at the ceiling and spread his arms, as if preparing to welcome a superior being. Finally, everyone's attention was drawn to the appearance of blue electric sparks in the middle of the temple, increasingly numerous and intense, forcing the group to back away so as not to be grilled alive. The static discharges gradually formed a sphere, which in a few seconds evaporated in a cloud of smoke to make way for a large, humanoid shape that took a step forward. Madison, Nami and the Alpha Breed were disconcerted. The individual who had literally teleported in front of them was over two meters tall, with a stocky appearance, but above all was completely covered in a sort of highly evolved black high-tech exo-armor, resembling a mix of a knight and a cyborg, not revealing the slightest bit of skin. His head, or rather his helmet, looked like a very smooth glass dome and emitting a strong synthetic red glow. His hands, with six fingers, looked more like fearsome-looking claws.

The terrorists, like Madison and Nami, recoiled when this imposing armored alien approached, as if his mere presence was enough to intimidate them. He glanced briefly at the group of humans but quickly focused his attention on his servant Za'ar who came to kneel respectfully before him.

_"Lord Sek'Mor, welcome. We have been impatiently awaiting your arrival."

_"Rise on your feet, Za'ar." the black armored alien ordered, his cavernous, cybernetic voice fitting perfectly with his intimidating appearance. "I began to doubt your ability to succeed but I see that the opposite has happened. Good... It would have saddened me to have to punish you."

_"Indeed, master." Za'ar replied humbly. "And forgive this question but... Godzilla? Where is he?"

_"Oh, he shouldn't be long in joining us. I made sure to guide him properly." Sek'Mor replied, pointing to the device integrated into his wrist that he used to manipulate the mind of the king of monsters.

Immediately, Madison noticed the device and according to this armored alien, she understood very quickly. So it was him who was the cause of Godzilla's madness. The temptation to destroy this device was very strong but in the current state of things, she could do nothing unfortunately. Once his discussion with his servant was over, Sek'Mor turned his attention to the humans and approached, coming to particularly focus his attention on the two female prisoners, and especially Nami. Scared by this imposing humanoid creature standing right in front of her, Nami wanted to look away but the alien's powerful hand grabbed her chin to force her to look at him. Madison, right next to her, remained as calm as possible so as not to let her fear show.

_"So it's her." Sek'Mor said by looking at Nami. "The last heir and priestess of this cursed human lineage... I can feel her fear flowing through her veins... pathetic... And who is this other female?"

_"Oh she's just a bonus I gave myself." Jonah then intervened, stepping forward. "Nice to finally see you in person, sir... well I mean lord Sek'Mor. I hope you haven't forgotten the deal we made, once this is all over I mean."

However, Sek'Mor remained completely deaf to the terrorist leader's words, keeping his attention focused on Madison, and more particularly the look she was giving him. Towering over her by more than two heads, he leaned down, bringing his head closer to hers.

_"This one... I feel fear, but also... anger... anger so deep and devouring for such a young heart..." he said in an unhealthy voice.

He removed the gag to free Madison's mouth.

_"What is your name, human?" Sek'Mor then asked darkly.

_"Oh she's nobody, I assure you..." Jonah wanted to say.

_"I was not asking your opinion!" the cyborg alien then growled, his voice growing louder to the point of making bones tremble, before returning to Madison. "So, what is your name, you whose anger seems capable of crushing mountains."

_"Madison... Russell." replied the young woman who, although frightened, refused to look away.

_"Well... if you weren't so frail and small, you would certainly make a good Nebulean warrior. Perhaps I could consider making some modifications to your body when this is all over."

Madison's blood ran cold when he said that. These aliens, the Nebuleans as he said, seemed able to read the emotions of living beings. Jonah had stepped back, not daring to challenge the alien cyborg but could not hide his surprise, even a hint of frustration at the remark the latter had made about the possibility of taking Madison.

_"Okay, enough wasting time. Godzilla will be here soon. Begin the awakening ceremony, now! Bring the heiress!" Sek'Mor ordered firmly.

_"As you wish, master." replied Za'ar.

Nami was untied and ungagged and then dragged by two of the terrorists to the top of the stone steps, Sek'Mor following them after Za'ar gave him the jade tablet. The japanese woman tried to resist, but it was useless.

_"Nami, no! Leave her, you bastards!" Madison growled.

The young woman struggled this time, managing to kick the guard holding her in the parts, the latter screaming in pain but very quickly Madison was overpowered by two others who forced her to back up and then kneel, a pistol stuck behind the head and threatening to blow her brains out at the slightest other attempt to free herself.

Once in front of the ritual altar and the large statue of King Caesar, Nami was forced to take the jade tablet in her hands, facing the statue. Sek'Mor, with one of his claws, made a cut in the palm of the young woman who emitted a moan of pain and saw the alien grab her wrist to come and make drops of blood flow on the jade of the tablet. After that, he came to stand just behind her, placed his clawed hand on the back of her skull. Immediately, Nami froze, her eyes rolling back and entering a sort of trance against her will.

_"Now, it is time." Sek'Mor ordered. "Sing the song of awakening and call the ancestral protector!"

_"Nami!" Madison cried with concern.

But Nami, completely under the influence of Sek'Mor's power, remained deaf to Madison's call and then began to sing an incantation in her sweet and angelic voice that began to resonate throughout the temple in an ancient and lost language. As soon as she began to sing, Nami's blood was absorbed by the tablet and the engravings on its surface began to glow with a supernatural green glow, nourished by the blood of the heiress of the Azumi. Then, it was the turn of the eyes of the golden statue of King Caesar to shine with the same intense and blinding light. Once again, the temple began to vibrate with its entire structure, but this time in a much more brutal way, to the point that debris from the ceiling crashed to the ground. Nami's chanting grew louder and louder, accentuating the brightness of the ancestral energy that had visibly awakened and even the flames of the torches turned green. Everyone looked around, having never seen such a spectacle.

Meanwhile, in the deepest hidden depths of these caverns, where no human had ever been able to go or even find, in the heart of unfathomable darkness, a deep breathing, a heavy and inhuman rumbling was heard... then a pair of monstrous, feline eyes, glowing with a powerful yellow light, opened, piercing the darkness.

In the temple, the awakening ritual ended and Nami fell to her knees in front of the altar, panting and exhausted, but Sek'Mor didn't care at all. Everyone's attention was caught by the resonance of a monstrous roar coming from the depths of the earth and resembling a mixture of lion and dog, of such power that it made the whole Cape tremble and froze the blood of the humans. Sek'Mor, for his part, expressed an unhealthy joy at hearing this sound.

_"Yes... yes! Finally, he is awake! The last fight of the two kings will finally be able to begin!" the alien shouted.

Madison, although having felt shivers run through her body because of this roar, continued to worry a lot about Nami, seeing her pained and breathing with difficulty, the ritual seeming to have taken most of her strength. Violent and short tremors, at regular intervals, came to shake the Cape violently. Something very large and powerful coming from the depths of the earth was making its way to rise towards the surface. No more doubt possible... after centuries of sleep, King Caesar was awake again.

************

Meanwhile, Monarch's USS Argo was flying into view of Cape Manzamo, having managed to locate it thanks to their global satellite network. Meanwhile, Foster had ordered an elite Monarch strike team to be dispatched to the location of the Alpha Breed hideout with priority orders to free the hostages and authorization to take down any terrorists if necessary.

From the observation bay of the flying fortress, Mark, Foster and Ilene could see that the said Cape seemed to be in the grip of significant underground tremors, increasingly large cracks forming and entire sections of cliffs collapsing into the ocean. They were not stupid and suspected that this chaos had something to do with this unknown titan that would be in this place. Mark's heart strained, knowing that his daughter was out there, in this chaos, and moreover a prisoner of fanatical terrorists.

_"Madison..." he whispered, eaten away by anxiety. "Faster, we don't have much time."

_"Indeed, unfortunately... look over there!" Diane Foster then indicated.

Mark and Ilene looked towards the direction she was pointing and they understood her worried tone. Below, a massive shape had just emerged from the depths of the ocean with a furious and deafening roar, tearing the surface of the water with its dorsal spikes glowing with intense radioactive pink energy and heading straight for Cape Manzamo.

_"Godzilla..." Ilene gasped.

Mark gritted his teeth, fearing the worst to come with the arrival of the king of monsters still possessed by this murderous madness. The USS Argo continued its flight as fast as possible, heading towards the same location as Godzilla. A new titanic roar erupted in the bowels of Cape Manzamo, only increasing Godzilla's rage, who responded with his own equally bestial roar. Everyone suspected it now... a confrontation was inevitable.