The latest threat was Garura, another super-ancient monster, tough as stone and capable of spewing fire.
When Victory Team pressed Yuzhou for intel, he simply shrugged.
"Hard body, breathes fire. Pretty much a cousin of Golza."
And that was all.
He deliberately held back the key detail—Garura's weakness. If he handed them the cheat sheet, Daigo would one-shot the creature, and then the crucial encounter with a certain psychic wouldn't happen.
So the battle unfolded much like the "original story." Tiga defeated Garura, but failed to finish it off. And right on schedule, Kirino appeared.
At the shopping mall's café, Yuzhou quietly sipped his milk tea, pretending to be just another customer. Soon, a man with black-rimmed glasses walked in. Yuzhou didn't need confirmation—this was the esper, Kirino.
He didn't approach. Instead, he lowered his head, fiddling with his shoelaces. Moments later, Daigo arrived and sat down across from Kirino. Only then did Yuzhou glance up.
"You really came, Daigo," Kirino said with a knowing smile.
"I knew it was you," Daigo replied, meeting his gaze.
"You actually saved that girl… if it were me, I couldn't have done it," Kirino continued.
From his seat, Yuzhou recalled the scene: when the monster first attacked, Kirino had told Daigo that a woman was still trapped inside an office building. Sure enough, Daigo rescued her right from the monster's hand.
Daigo said nothing now, lost in thought.
"You're wondering what I am, aren't you?" Kirino pressed. "Maybe some invader from beyond the stars?"
Yuzhou stiffened. Crap. He's reading minds.
If Kirino dug too deep and realized Yuzhou wasn't even from this world… that would be a disaster.
Then again… something didn't add up. In the "original," Kirino's ability covered everyone nearby—even Rena, spying from a distance, had been caught. So why wasn't Yuzhou exposed yet?
"But no," Kirino smiled faintly. "I'm not an alien. I'm human—just not an ordinary one."
Daigo's eyes widened slightly. "You're… a psychic."
"You're the first person to say that out loud," Kirino said, slipping off his glasses. "I can hear people's thoughts, see things yet to come, glimpse what others cannot. Even… your true identity."
That made Daigo's heart jolt. Until now, only Yuzhou knew his secret. Now there was another.
"Yuzhou…?" Kirino suddenly asked aloud.
Both Daigo and Yuzhou froze.
Wait, what? Did he just say my name?! Yuzhou nearly choked on his milk tea. He hadn't even spoken to the guy yet!
Kirino shut his eyes, probing deeper. When he opened them again, his expression had shifted to disbelief.
"Impossible…" he muttered.
"What is it?" Daigo asked, unsettled.
"There are things in this world I cannot know," Kirino whispered. His voice carried both awe and frustration. "Tell me—who is Yuzhou?"
Yuzhou, watching from nearby, realized the truth. So his powers don't work on me at all. Maybe because I crossed into this world? That would explain it.
"Yuzhou? He's our Victory Team consultant," Daigo said, puzzled. "Don't tell me you've never sensed him?"
"Consultant…?" Kirino repeated blankly.
At that moment, Yuzhou finally stood and walked over, smiling. "That would be me."
Both men turned.
"Yuzhou-kun?" Daigo asked, startled. "You're here too?"
"When did you arrive?" Kirino demanded, eyes wide. "I sensed nothing!"
"I've been here the whole time," Yuzhou said mildly.
Kirino's disbelief deepened. "No… I can still hear the thoughts of others in this café. My power hasn't failed. So why can't I read you?"
He focused, unleashing his psychic ability. But when his awareness reached Yuzhou's mind, it slammed against a radiant barrier—a wall of light, impenetrable.
"I can't… I can't see inside you," Kirino finally admitted, breathing heavily. "Your heart is… shielded by a shining light."
Yuzhou tilted his head, feigning casualness while inwardly intrigued. A shining light, huh? Tied to Tiga, maybe? But then why can you see into Daigo, and not me?
"Light…" Daigo murmured, the word stirring unease. He looked at Yuzhou with new suspicion.
Breaking the tension, Yuzhou spoke directly to Kirino. "I came to tell you something important."
Kirino blinked. "What?"
"You've been bullied since childhood, but you never lashed out with your power. That makes you kind at heart."
Memories flickered in Kirino's mind—himself as a child, bloodied nose, surrounded by mocking classmates. He hadn't fought back, even then.
"You resent how the world treats you," Yuzhou went on. "Why is Ultraman Tiga praised while you, with your gift, are feared? The answer is simple. Tiga knows he's different, but still chooses to protect humanity. Because he isn't just light—he's also a person."
He turned to Daigo briefly. "And so are you."
Finally, Yuzhou's gaze locked on Kirino. "You too. You may have extraordinary powers, but you are still human."
His words struck like stones in still water, rippling through Kirino's heart.
"I… am human," he murmured.
Yuzhou smiled faintly. This was the turning point. In the "original," Kirino eventually realized this truth, which led him to aid Tiga in battle. Best to nudge him early.
"Think it over," Yuzhou said, standing. "Give me your number—I'll check on you later."
Kirino hesitated, then nodded, handing over his contact before leaving in quiet contemplation.
When he was gone, Daigo was still staring at Yuzhou, unsettled. He couldn't shake Kirino's words: shielded by a shining light.
Yuzhou waved a hand in front of him. "Hey, Daigo? Earth to Daigo."
"Ah?" Daigo blinked, startled.
"That monster isn't dead. Next time it shows up, aim a basic Zepellion Ray at its throat. That's its weak point."
Daigo frowned. "Why didn't you just tell me earlier?"
Yuzhou grinned, flashing white teeth. "Because you need training. Come on, Daigo—level up."
The monster would indeed reappear. And when it did, Daigo struck exactly where Yuzhou had said—down the throat, one blast, instant kill.
Victory Team stared in disbelief. For the first time, Tiga had come out swinging with a finisher right from the start, and the battle was over before it even began.