Galactron's mechanical arm, detached yet still under its control, flew through the air, relentlessly chasing after Yu Zhou.
Of course, Yu Zhou—now in his Sky Type Tiga form—had no intention of taking that razor-sharp claw head-on. Dodging was the wiser choice.
Thus, Tiga soared through the sky, while behind him the iron claw pursued with unyielding persistence, occasionally firing yellow beams that streaked toward him.
"Sky Type isn't suited for taking direct hits like this," Yu Zhou thought. After weaving through the beams for a while, he suddenly shifted direction, cutting straight toward Galactron's main body.
The forehead crystal flashed. In half a second, Tiga shifted back into his red-and-silver Power Type. Using the acceleration from flight, he swung a massive fist into Galactron's chest cannon.
Crunch!
The chest cannon, extended outward just a moment ago, was hammered back inside. Judging from the snapping sound, the mechanism had been completely broken!
At the same time, the pursuing mechanical arm slammed into Tiga's back, scattering sparks across the sky.
"Hss…" Yu Zhou winced at the sting, but it was nothing serious.
Galactron staggered backward, toppled by the heavy blow, crashing into the ground with a thunderous impact.
Without missing a beat, Tiga spun around, seized the mechanical arm that had been harrying him, and charged at Galactron. With a savage swing, he dragged its own claw across the monster's armored body.
Schrrkk!
Sparks sprayed as the claw raked against Galactron's metallic frame. Whether the claw was damaged or the body was torn mattered little—either way, the pain was Galactron's alone.
"Not bad, Yu Zhou… As expected of Senior Tiga, your combat instincts are incredible."
On the ground, Riku could only marvel. If he had gone up instead, he knew he would have been hopelessly outmatched—the flying, detachable arm alone would've overwhelmed him.
Yu Zhou's tactic, however, was brutally efficient: using Galactron's own weapons against it. It was like pitting the sharpest spear against the hardest shield.
Seeing it worked, Yu Zhou pressed the assault. He drove the claw straight toward the red crystal embedded in Galactron's chest, the part that gleamed like a timer gem.
He didn't know its exact purpose, but chest gems usually meant something vital.
The claw stabbed down—sparks burst again. The gem remained intact, but even for a mechanical kaiju, the pain registered.
With a roar, Galactron's entire body went berserk. From every port, every cannon, streams of energy beams and shells erupted in a storm of firepower.
Explosions rained across the city as the monster rose to its feet, firing in every direction like a living arsenal.
Yu Zhou leapt back and raised an Ultra Barrier.
The wild barrage hammered the shield, dispersing into the air. After several moments, the barrier cracked and dissipated, but Galactron's firestorm kept on raging.
"What the hell's with this thing?!" Yu Zhou frowned.
Had stabbing its gem with its own claw sent it into a frenzy?
Suddenly, two light-bolts streaked toward him. Yu Zhou extended both hands and caught them mid-air.
In Power Type, Tiga had the strength to hold such blasts. Channeling his inner energy, Yu Zhou twisted them together, compressing their force. The twin bolts transformed into two burning-red spheres—miniature versions of the Delacium Light Stream.
With a sharp motion, he hurled them back at Galactron.
Boom! Boom!
Twin explosions erupted across Galactron's body. The monster stumbled, its wild barrage cut short.
But the devastation around them was already done. Entire buildings lay shattered, concrete and steel raining across the streets, smoke clouds billowing high.
Yu Zhou lowered his stance. Crossing his arms at his chest, he drew energy inward. Heat shimmered at his Color Timer, condensing into a glowing orb.
He hurled it forward, unleashing a blazing Delacium Light Stream.
Galactron raised its remaining arm, summoning a strange glyph, a protective rune that shimmered before it like a barrier.
The light stream crashed into the rune. For a moment it held, but then—crack!—it shattered like broken glass, and the torrent of energy surged through.
The monster braced with its last arm. The blast met it head-on, detonating in a massive explosion.
Smoke swallowed the battlefield.
Yu Zhou narrowed his eyes. "Heh. The old rule never fails: if there's smoke, there's no fatal damage."
Sure enough, when the dust cleared, Galactron was still standing. But not unscathed—its remaining arm had been blasted clean off.
"Good enough. At least it wasn't for nothing." Yu Zhou nodded in satisfaction.
"Now let's see how you block my next strike with no arms left!"
He crossed his arms again, drawing power. Then with a decisive motion, he unleashed a crimson ray—
Power Type Zeperion Ray!
This time Galactron had no way to defend. The beam struck its chest gem dead-on.
The gem cracked, sparks erupted, and in the next instant the mechanical giant exploded into a fiery wreck.
From a rooftop, Zero nodded appreciatively. "Tiga's style really is something else—constantly shifting forms, striking at weak points. Flexible, yet decisive."
As the smoke faded, Yu Zhou dissolved into glittering motes of light, descending gently to the ground.
Now wasn't the time to celebrate. The priority was still catching Fukude Kei.
"Yu Zhou—you're really… Senior Tiga!" Riku ran up, face lit with a mix of awe and excitement.
"Yes. I am Tiga." Yu Zhou smiled and nodded calmly.
"I can't believe it… All this time, the Tiga who guided me… was my own teammate." Riku's voice trembled.
"Enough about me. What about Fukude Kei? Did you find him?"
Yu Zhou cut to the point.
"No… not yet." Riku shook his head.
"Damn it. Where could he have gone?" Yu Zhou frowned. If only he had powers like Asakura's psychic senses, finding Kei would be so much easier.
Before he could think further, a green streak of light shot down from the sky, striking the very spot where Galactron had fallen.
From within a rune-circle, another Galactron materialized.
"What the—?!" Yu Zhou's eyes widened.
Of course—he'd forgotten. Kei had retrieved the monster capsule that Yu Zhou knocked aside earlier. In the original story too, there were two Galactrons.
"This must be his other capsule," Yu Zhou muttered grimly.
Zero landed nearby, ready to go in. "I'll handle this one. You just fought. Let me take it."
But Riku suddenly pointed. "Wait! I saw the green light fall from over there—Kei must be hiding in that direction!"
"What?!" Zero turned sharply.
"That's right!" Riku nodded. "Yu Zhou, Zero—you two go after Fukude Kei. Leave this Galactron to me!"