"Scumbag!"
Yuzhou suddenly cursed at Daigo, then turned his head toward Camearra.
Daigo scratched his head in confusion. Even if he had just seen Camearra's illusion, why would that make Yuzhou call him a scumbag? What did he even do wrong to Rena?
"Scumbag!" Camearra snapped as well, glaring at Yuzhou with venom in her eyes.
"Eh, eh, eh! Sister, you can joke about food, but you can't throw words like that around!" Yuzhou waved his hands in panic.
"If you're not the scumbag, then who is?" Camearra hissed through clenched teeth.
"That guy." Yuzhou pointed straight at Daigo, stepping aside as if to distance himself from the so-called culprit.
"...Huh???" Daigo was baffled. He had always been loyal to Rena, so how in the world did he suddenly become the one labeled a scumbag?
"No. It's you!" Camearra lunged forward, grabbing Yuzhou and yanking down the zipper of his jacket.
Then, without warning, her hand slipped inside.
"!!!" Yuzhou froze, completely stunned. Camearra searched his chest for a moment, and then pulled out a black crystal rod—
The Dark Spark Prism.
"Now, what else do you have to say for yourself, Tiga?" Camearra shoved the rod into his hands with a cold snort.
"Wait, wait, Camearra, let me expl—let me explain!" Yuzhou felt like he'd just fallen headfirst into a dung pit—stained through and through, with no way to wash himself clean.
"There's nothing left to explain." Camearra folded her arms across her chest, eyes sharp with pride and hurt. "You, transform back for me."
"I'm ruined. I'll never be clean again..." Yuzhou clawed at his hair before glancing at Daigo, who was lounging in the corner with his legs crossed.
"Daigo, what are you doing over there?"
"Ahem... Don't be mad, Yuzhou-kun, but... I'm watching a domestic drama unfold."
"..." Yuzhou almost spat blood.
"Camearra, listen! This Dark Spark Prism—I got it from Daigo! It has nothing to do with me!" Yuzhou jabbed a finger at his so-called friend.
"No. This is clearly your own." Daigo's expression was dead serious as he betrayed Yuzhou without hesitation.
"Daigo! When did you become like this? You're not the pure, kind Daigo I once knew!" Yuzhou stared at him, heartbroken at this sudden treachery.
"Enough talk. Tiga, transform."
Camearra took Yuzhou's hand, wrapped it around the rod, and her eyes softened with unmistakable affection.
Daigo blinked in surprise. Wait... why does that sound so familiar?
"Camearra, I really am not the real Tiga." Yuzhou sighed, trying to pull away, but her grip only tightened.
"Tiga left Earth thirty million years ago."
"Then both you and Daigo are Tiga!" Camearra shot back, unwilling to accept otherwise.
"No." Yuzhou shook his head. "Daigo inherited the genes of light. He can become light itself and enter the battle body Tiga left behind."
"His... body..." Camearra's gaze shifted toward Daigo, her face flickering with mixed emotions.
"Then what about you?" She whipped her head back toward Yuzhou. "If his body is with Daigo, then you—you must be his soul!"
"...Huh. You know, that actually makes sense." Daigo nodded thoughtfully. "If the body is me, then Yuzhou-kun, you're Tiga's soul?"
"Daigo, shut up!" Yuzhou nearly exploded. Since when did Daigo get corrupted like this?!
"I'm not Tiga," Yuzhou repeated firmly. "I come from another world. At most, I'm... another world's Tiga."
"So in other words," Camearra tilted her head, "you are Tiga from another world?"
"Not exactly..." Yuzhou tried to scratch his head, only to realize her grip still trapped his hand. "More like... his vessel, I guess."
"I don't believe you." Camearra shook her head. "Unless you transform right now."
"Nope. Next." Yuzhou immediately pointed at Daigo.
"I'm not transforming either. Next." Daigo quickly waved him off.
"Whether you want to or not—it's not your choice!"
Camearra suddenly pressed Yuzhou's fingers down onto the rod. Instantly, purple-black lightning sparked to life. A rainbow-like aura burst forth with the sound of ringing chimes.
In the blink of an eye, a silver-and-black giant stood before them.
"Tiga," Camearra breathed, her face lighting up with joy. "I knew it. It really is you."
Yuzhou looked down at himself—indeed, silver and black. At least his consciousness was still intact this time.
"I told you, I'm not Tiga! Sister, are you seriously trying to cheat on your husband?!" Yuzhou groaned helplessly.
"Old friend, it's been a long time since we sparred." Hudra and Darramb stepped forward, their voices eager.
"Fight us, and I'll forgive what you did thirty million years ago," Darramb declared. "Afterwards, you'll still be my big brother."
"Nope. Goodbye."
Yuzhou canceled the transformation on the spot, leaving the two warriors with the feeling they'd just punched into cotton.
"Camearra." Yuzhou stepped closer, his expression heavy. "I know why you hate Tiga."
"What do you know?" Her face froze, voice turning cold again.
"You hate him because when he turned to the light, he didn't take you with him." Yuzhou sighed.
In the original story, Camearra admitted that she too longed for the light. Her bitterness came from Tiga abandoning her—and then sealing her and her companions away.
"You knew..." Camearra's eyes suddenly welled with tears. "You knew I wanted to become light with you. Then why didn't you take me? Why did you seal me after?"
"You're too cruel, Tiga! Why?!"
Her grief and anger stabbed straight into Yuzhou's chest. To his shock, guilt flared inside him—guilt that wasn't even his.
Wait. Why am I feeling guilty? I'm not even Tiga! What the hell am I apologizing for? Yuzhou shook his head, but the emotion lingered.
"Maybe... this is the burden of being Tiga's vessel," he thought bitterly.
"Camearra," he said aloud, "if you still long for the light, I'll find a way to help you. That's my responsibility—as Tiga's bearer."
"I knew it... you haven't abandoned me." Camearra's tears sparkled as she suddenly lunged into his arms. "Otherwise, you wouldn't have sealed me here thirty million years ago!"
"Whoa—nope!" Yuzhou sidestepped instantly, leaving her stumbling.
"Let's get this straight," he said, holding up his hand. "I am not Tiga himself. I'm just his vessel, doing what I can in his place."
"It doesn't matter." Camearra steadied herself and gazed at him tenderly. "One day, you'll realize the truth."
Yuzhou exhaled, then turned to Hudra and Darramb. "And you two?"
"Where Camearra goes, we follow," they declared without hesitation.
"Good. That's all I needed to hear."