"Yuzhou-kun… just how many Spark Lenses do you have? Did you buy them wholesale or something?"
Daigo stared, slack-jawed, at the third transformation device Yuzhou had casually produced.
"Wholesale? Why don't you try placing an order and see what arrives?" Yuzhou snapped back with no small amount of irritation. "Do you really think these things just grow on trees?"
That said, the Spark Lens from the X world really had been something he stumbled into. Almost like picking it up off the ground.
With no time for further banter, the two men readied themselves and boarded the Falcon, bound for the R'lyeh ruins.
After an emotional farewell with Daigo, Lina joined Captain Zongfang and the others aboard the Artdessei to head out as well.
Since Yuzhou couldn't fly, he reclined comfortably in the passenger seat while Daigo piloted.
"By the way, Yuzhou-kun, you actually look pretty sharp in that Victory Team uniform," Daigo remarked as he adjusted the controls.
"Oh, stop. You're making me blush," Yuzhou replied shamelessly, his face thick with mock modesty. "I've kept my handsomeness hidden all this time, and now you've uncovered my secret."
"…Yuzhou-kun, you're… impossible," Daigo muttered, unable to find a word strong enough for his friend's brazen attitude.
Soon, the Falcon descended onto the South Pacific ruins.
The R'lyeh ruins had risen fully from the sea, revealing their vast and crumbling form. Daigo landed the craft on a relatively flat platform, and the two men disembarked.
A heavy sea wind swept across their faces, tinged with an ancient, oppressive aura. Scars from the battle against Gatangieu were still etched into the stone.
"Yuzhou-kun," Daigo said quietly, gazing at the desolate remains of the ancient city, "why do you think this place is called 'R'lyeh'?"
Yuzhou tilted his head, thought for a moment, then answered with a completely straight face:
"My guess? Gatangieu named it."
"Huh? How's that possible?" Daigo blinked, clearly baffled.
"Think about it," Yuzhou explained, gesturing dramatically. "Every time the ruins resurface, Gatangieu revives. And when he does, he's so happy he shouts 'Yay!' So—R'lyeh. 'Lulu' for surfacing, 'ye' for cheering."
"…Do you think I'm illiterate, Yuzhou-kun?" Daigo deadpanned.
"Relax, I'm just messing with you."
Yuzhou chuckled and strode toward the towering gates of the ruin. Daigo shook his head, but the heaviness in his chest eased, and he followed.
The gates resembled those of a palace, flanked by two statues shaped like giants. A quick inspection confirmed they were just stone sculptures, not actual remnants of ancient warriors.
Inside, the ruins branched into a labyrinth of dim tunnels, faintly lit by an unknown glow. Yuzhou and Daigo exchanged a glance, then pressed forward.
Deep within the ruins, Camearra stood at a high vantage point, gazing over the shattered ultracivilization. A faint smile touched her lips.
"So… you've finally come."
But then her expression froze. Her smile twisted into confusion.
"Wait… another Tiga?!"
Her heart skipped. Impossible. She had felt a Tiga's presence upon awakening—Daigo. But now, there was another… with an even stronger aura.
Meanwhile, Yuzhou and Daigo entered a wide junction. A sharp, eerie laugh echoed from one of the tunnels.
"Heheheheheh! You've finally come!"
A thin, sharp-faced man with gaudy purple hair stepped into the light.
Yuzhou's eye twitched. "What the hell… a renaissance punk?"
Sure enough, the tall, wiry man looked like a reject from a glam-rock band.
A second figure emerged from the opposite tunnel: a burly man with a hulking frame.
"Hudra and Darramb," Yuzhou muttered after sizing them up. "Tiga's old brothers, no doubt."
"If you'd only stayed quiet, humanity might've had a century of peace," Hudra sneered—then froze mid-sentence as his eyes flicked to Yuzhou.
"Wait… who the hell are you? And why do you reek of his power even stronger than that one?"
He pointed at Daigo, visibly rattled.
Darramb, simple-minded as always, ignored Yuzhou entirely. He lumbered forward and thrust his fist toward Daigo.
"You crave power, don't you?"
But Daigo's focus didn't waver. "Where is Captain Megumi?! Where is our captain?!" His voice rang with desperation.
"Your complexion doesn't look good…"
The soft voice drifted from behind them.
Daigo stiffened. He knew that voice. He had heard it countless times in visions.
Camearra.
Yuzhou turned calmly, meeting the eyes of the dark giantess clad in black silk.
"…You—" Camearra faltered. The sight of him shook her.
"What about me?" Yuzhou answered coolly, lips curling into a faint smile. In truth, Camearra's beauty was undeniable, even in her dark garb.
"Your darkness… it's deeper than his," she said quietly, her eyes never leaving Yuzhou.
Yuzhou blinked. So originally she had been drawn to Daigo because of the faint trace of darkness within him—but now she was staring at him.
Of course, his stint as Dark Tiga in the Ultra Galaxy Legend must've left a lingering aura. He had literally beaten Belial bloody back then. Even if, in reality, he had no such power now… appearances were everything.
"Well, I tried to hide it," Yuzhou sighed, feigning reluctance. "But I suppose you saw through me."
Relief flickered across Daigo's face as Camearra's gaze shifted away from him. But he also realized: Yuzhou had just triggered another one of his strange "flags."
"Then come back, Tiga," Camearra said tenderly, her eyes brimming with longing. She stepped forward and gently clasped Yuzhou's hand.
"Wait—what?!" Yuzhou staggered back, flustered. "Hold it! Why is this turning into that kind of scene?!"
"Calm down, Camearra!" he pleaded, throwing up his hands.
"Calm?!" Camearra's composure shattered. Her voice cracked with fury and grief.
"You sealed us here for thirty million years! While you basked in the Light, we rotted in darkness! Do you know how I endured?!"
Her anguish cut deep. Even Yuzhou had to admit: the original Tiga had been… well, pretty scummy. He abandoned his comrades, sealed his lovers, and chased after the Light without looking back.
Worse, in the original story, Daigo—using Tiga's body—ended up killing them all. A family tragedy worthy of the most twisted soap opera.
Yuzhou's thoughts soured as he turned to glare at Daigo. You borrowed the guy's body, killed his brothers and his wife, and then went on honeymoon with Lina? How do you sleep at night?
"Yuzhou-kun… why are you looking at me like you're about to hit me?" Daigo asked weakly.