"Didn't Father ever bring you here before?"
Camearra looked surprised. She had assumed Yu Zhou had already visited her home.
"No," Yu Zhou replied with a small smile. "I've met Lord Keshiva, but I've never actually been to where he lives."
"Then today, I'll give you a proper tour!"
Camearra's eyes sparkled with excitement. She finally had a chance to show Tiga around her home.
And so, Yu Zhou let Camearra lead him through the grand halls and corridors of the castle-palace.
The place was enormous—comparable to the royal palace of Zhongdu itself.
According to Camearra, her father had been granted this residence as a reward for his immense contributions to scientific research. The king had even ordered workers to renovate the building into the majestic palace it now was.
As Yu Zhou walked through certain corridors, a faint sense of familiarity crept over him. Some of the wall patterns and floor engravings looked exactly like the ones he'd seen among the ruins of R'lyeh in the future.
"No matter how beautiful it is," he murmured quietly, "one day it'll all turn to dust."
After finishing the tour, Yu Zhou sighed softly. However glorious it seemed now, everything would eventually fall under the wheels of history.
Camearra later arranged a room for Yu Zhou—right next to her own, just like how it would be in the far future.
When Keshiva found out, he didn't react as explosively as before. He merely sighed, muttered something under his breath, and seemed to let it go.
The next morning, after breakfast, Yu Zhou told Camearra that he needed to go to the city of Akaru to find a friend.
He promised he'd be back soon.
Camearra, of course, had no reason to stop him—but she felt an odd, aching sense of reluctance.
Whenever Yu Zhou left, she couldn't help but miss him deeply…
She wanted to keep him by her side all the time.
Keshiva, on the other hand, kept grumbling for Yu Zhou to hurry up and go.
And when Yuzare heard the news, she was already plotting how to persuade Yu Zhou into lending the Plasma Spark to Keshiva for research.
Yu Zhou set off in a small ship—it would have been too conspicuous to ride Zoiger, and people would definitely get the wrong idea.
Meanwhile, Camearra stood quietly by the seashore, watching the horizon, waiting for Yu Zhou's return.
While Keshiva muttered "better if he doesn't come back" under his breath, Yuzare came knocking at his door…
Yu Zhou didn't deliberately slow down, so before long, his ship reached Akaru City.
Once he arrived, he realized he didn't really know where to start looking for Charija.
He decided to stop by the Dragon Hunter Restaurant, ordered a plate of Southern Grilled Dragon Meat, and began to eat.
If there was one thing Charija loved as much as monsters—it was good food.
And the dishes from this restaurant chain were excellent. Even Yu Zhou, a seasoned chef himself, had to admit they were worth the praise.
If Charija was in Akaru, there was no way he'd skip a place like this.
Sure enough, by the time lunch rolled around, a chubby man in a black suit, top hat, and carrying a cane walked through the door.
After ordering at the counter, he turned to look for a seat—and immediately froze when he saw someone waving at him.
"Eh? He's back?"
Charija waddled over, quick and comical as ever, and plopped himself down across from Yu Zhou.
"Charija, how's life treating you these days?" Yu Zhou asked, smiling.
"Plenty to eat, plenty to drink, a comfy place to stay—and no Ultra-Ancient mosquitoes! I'd say life's great!" Charija said, snatching up a piece of dragon meat without hesitation.
"Did you manage to find the real Tiga?" he asked between bites.
"Yes… and no," Yu Zhou sighed, shaking his head with a wry smile.
"Speak normally!" Charija groaned. "You know my IQ isn't built for riddles."
"What I mean is," Yu Zhou explained, "I didn't find the real Tiga."
"Then why are you back? Keep looking! I was doing perfectly fine here—you could've just returned once you found him."
Charija chewed and swallowed, speaking casually.
"But I found out something else," Yu Zhou said quietly. "The truth is… I am Tiga."
Charija blinked, the words taking a moment to sink in.
"You mean—wait, you're saying you are the original Tiga?!"
Yu Zhou nodded helplessly. "Yes."
He went on to explain everything—from his arrival from Orion to Earth, to meeting Camearra, and all the events that followed.
Charija sat there dumbfounded.
"You're not pulling my leg, are you?"
"No. It's true." Yu Zhou's tone was calm but firm.
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's head back!" Charija said finally. "You came here to find the real Tiga, right? Well, you've found him."
"Charija," Yu Zhou said after a pause, "if you want to go back, you should go first."
He had thought it through. If he really was Tiga, there were still countless things waiting ahead—disasters, wars, the rise of Gijera, the awakening of the Dark God, the collapse of humanity, the shifting of continents…
All those things were still to come.
There was no need for Charija to stay and risk it all with him.
He could return to the future timeline, pick up the version of Yu Zhou who had already completed his journey, and take him home safely.
Charija thought about it for a moment, then nodded. It made sense.
Of course, he didn't leave before finishing the entire plate of grilled dragon meat.
"But if I go," he said, wiping the grease from his lips, "you won't have any way to come back later."
"I know," Yu Zhou replied, nodding. "When the Ultra-Ancient era ends—come then."
By that time, there would be no humans left. Those who survived would search for new lands, and the Giants of Light would fade into legend.
"Still," Yu Zhou added, "before you leave, there's something I need to ask you."
He hadn't forgotten the real reason he sought Charija out—to have him translate Zoiger's speech.
Or rather, to interpret the language of the Ultra-Ancient dark monsters.
"Let's talk in the mountains," Yu Zhou said, settling the bill.
They flew together to a desolate mountain range—the same one as before.
No paths, no villages, just empty wilderness.
Once they landed, Yu Zhou drew out the Dark Sparklence, pressed the transformation button, and summoned the Giga Battlenizer.
A dark Golza materialized before them.
Yu Zhou asked in a solemn voice,
"In the realm of darkness… what kind of beings truly exist there?"
"ROARRR! ROARRR!"
The monster bellowed back twice.
Yu Zhou turned to Charija, who was floating lazily in midair. "Can you translate that?"
Charija listened carefully, then shrugged.
"This Golza says… it's the one you caught in the ocean. It has no idea what a 'dark realm' is."
He gave Yu Zhou a look. "Tiga, did you maybe summon the wrong monster?"
Yu Zhou: "…"