If the Baltans could be enlisted, perhaps it would be possible to replicate the Plasma Spark.
Returning to Earth, Yu Zhou didn't head home, but instead went to the TPC mountain base.
Asuka's failure to transform this time must have been a heavy blow. As a senior, Yu Zhou felt it was necessary to speak with him.
If Asuka sank into despair, there might never be Ultraman Dyna. Yu Zhou also planned to bring him along when he returned.
At night, near a cliff by the TPC mountain base, Yu Zhou and Asuka sat on the ground.
Moonlight fell across Asuka's face; his mood seemed low.
"What's wrong, Asuka? Is it because you failed to transform today?"
Yu Zhou reclined on the grassy cliff, hands behind his head, staring at the bright moon.
"Senpai Yu Zhou… why did I fail to transform?"
Asuka lay back beside him, looking at the sky.
"Why… you failed? I think it's because your mindset isn't mature enough," Yu Zhou replied.
"Not mature enough?"
Asuka mumbled, puzzled by those words.
Yu Zhou suspected that Asuka's failure was partly due to his father, Ichirō Asuka, secretly protecting him.
After all, Dyna's light might have originated from Ichirō. To prevent others from discovering Asuka's identity, his father blocked his transformation when Captain Hibiki was watching.
If anyone had realized that Asuka was Dyna, it could have caused trouble.
"In any case, Asuka, try not to reveal that you're Ultraman Dyna," Yu Zhou said, turning to him. "Even for Daigo, Masaki, and me, the identity of the Light Giants is TPC's top secret."
"I understand."
Asuka nodded, realizing he had been too impulsive—trying to prove his abilities to the captain without considering the consequences.
After spending another night at the TPC base, Yu Zhou returned to his home in the city the next day.
For now, he wouldn't intervene in monsters unless they were particularly troublesome. Dyna still needed to develop his skills; otherwise, when they returned to Yu Zhou's world, they wouldn't be ready for the crises awaiting them.
Yu Zhou's current task was to adjust his mindset, preparing for what would happen when he returned.
The best way to relax? Entertainment—playing games.
With new equipment, Yu Zhou controlled his in-game characters, slaughtering enemies effortlessly. In Dyna's world, there was little else to do besides being lazy.
Actually, Yu Zhou wanted to explore the universe. Ancient records suggested that the light of the ancient humans came from Orion.
Were there civilizations like the Land of Light in Orion?
But Yu Zhou was hopeless with directions in space. If he left the solar system, he might never find his way back.
He hadn't dared to use the wristband Hikari gave him either. Opening a portal without knowing the return route was too risky.
So, he decided to remain at home, relaxing and gaming.
One day, while Yu Zhou was playing, a strange screen popped up on his computer.
It was filled with the word "Goodbye", repeated to form the characters for "Humanity".
"W-what the—!"
Yu Zhou exhaled sharply, irritated—he had been about to start a team battle when the screen suddenly appeared, and no amount of closing would make it disappear.
Suddenly, the ground trembled as if an earthquake had struck.
Running outside, Yu Zhou saw countless massive, rope-like tendrils erupting from the earth, wrapping around a nearby skyscraper.
Gradually, the thick tendrils multiplied and twisted into a massive mushroom shape.
"So, it's this guy!"
Yu Zhou stared at the gigantic mushroom, recalling its capabilities.
This creature could hack into the world's internet and even manipulate TPC's missiles for attacks.
"So, my computer's been hacked by this thing, huh?"
Without hesitation, Yu Zhou drew his God Stick, transformed into Ultraman Tiga, and flew above the giant mushroom.
"Ultraman Tiga."
A voice echoed from the top of the mushroom. Yu Zhou looked up at a monstrous figure.
Its head was the colour of the mushroom, with pale blue eyes and a vertical, insect-like mouth lined with black fangs.
"Ultraman Tiga, stop siding with these lowly humans—join me!"
"I now possess a ten-square-kilometer brain, the greatest intelligence on Earth!"
"I will expand to the entire planet and become a supreme intellect…"
The monster attempted to recruit Yu Zhou, but he was far too annoyed to engage in conversation.
He flew into the sky and fired a scorching blast straight at the mushroom's core.
"You want to do what?!"
The monster panicked at Tiga's sudden attack.
"I want your life!"
With a thunderous boom, the blast pierced the mushroom's core, ejecting it along with the surrounding structure.
The monster dissipated into fungal strands on the ground as its core shot toward space, attempting to escape Earth.
Yu Zhou chased after it, when suddenly a light struck from afar, and the core exploded on the spot.
"Camearra?!"
Yu Zhou looked toward the source—Camearra had fired the decisive shot.
Unexpectedly, she had travelled all the way here to stop the monster?
"Camearra, you came to fight?"
Yu Zhou flew beside her, puzzled.
"Your technology is too weak. Computers get hacked so easily," Camearra said irritably. "I was using my computer when a string of messages popped up—it nearly drove me insane."
"Same here, this monster is so annoying," Yu Zhou agreed. "It even said it wanted to take over the Earth."
"Overestimating itself."
Camearra looked disdainfully at the dissipating mushroom.
"This monster really doesn't know its place."
Yu Zhou shook his head, trying not to laugh.
Aliens and monsters nowadays all want to conquer Earth. Yet on this planet, ancient evil gods from three million years ago still slumber, mostly at Gatanothor levels—these intruders couldn't handle them.
Not to mention the three ancient giants still in R'lyeh, including Camearra herself—these monsters and aliens were no match.
Why did they all think they could invade Earth? Did they have any idea who they were messing with?
They had provoked Camearra, and she came straight from R'lyeh to annihilate them.
"No problem, I'll head back now. Come visit me in R'lyeh sometime."
After glancing at Yu Zhou, Camearra flew south toward R'lyeh.
Yu Zhou didn't linger either—he soared into the clouds and disappeared.
Encased in light particles, Yu Zhou landed on the ground near where Asuka was still scanning the area.
"Senpai!"
Asuka quickly noticed Yu Zhou and waved happily. He had intended to investigate before acting, but Yu Zhou had already taken care of the mushroom.