"What are you all talking about?"
A calm, deep voice came from behind them.
A silver-and-black figure stepped into view—Tiga, now in human size—making Achilles and Herau nearly jump out of their skin.
"No need to be so surprised," Yu Zhou said, waving a hand casually. "We'll probably run into more monsters soon, so I'll stay transformed for now. It's easier this way."
"Walking around in normal size works too," he added with a small smile.
Hudra and Darramb, though familiar with Tiga's giant form, had never seen him reduced to human scale before. Their curiosity was plain as they studied every detail.
Even Camearra came closer, lightly brushing her hand across Yu Zhou's arm as if to "inspect" him herself.
Achilles let out a half-laugh. "To think that Captain Yuzare's friend would turn out to be the Tiga himself. That's… quite something."
Herau nodded rapidly in agreement, eyes wide with awe.
What stunned the two the most wasn't just that the legendary Giant of Light stood before them—it was that this towering being had once been human.
Yu Zhou then turned serious.
"By the way, the wasteland we're in now is the Dark Domain. We're moving deeper inside. Since you're from the Vanguard Patrol Unit, your task was to scout the area. If you'd prefer to return, I can arrange for that."
He paused thoughtfully. If Achilles and Herau wanted to leave, he could have Zoiger transport them safely out. After all, they were only scouts—not meant to enter the heart of darkness itself.
"Deeper into the Dark Domain?" Achilles asked, his brow furrowing. "That sounds… dangerous."
Yu Zhou nodded. "It is. Somewhere ahead lies the source of the spreading darkness."
Herau straightened, pounding a fist against his chest.
"Then let us go with you! We can help. We're not helpless, after all."
"Right," Achilles added, twirling his Plasma Convergent Blaster with a confident grin. "We've got firepower too."
Yu Zhou chuckled lightly and nodded. "All right then. If you're sure."
The two soldiers weren't weak by any means—after all, they had taken down two monsters earlier on their own. Their presence would be useful.
Hudra and Darramb carried powerful weapons designed by Keshiva himself, and Yu Zhou knew their strength well. Since they were assigned to protect Camearra, it was only natural their equipment would be top-grade.
Camearra herself, though, hardly needed protection. She possessed an arsenal of her own—she simply hadn't needed to use it yet.
With Achilles and Herau joining in, their team of four grew to six.
Together, they pressed onward across the endless black wasteland. Monsters came in droves, but each was swiftly dealt with—whether by blade, blaster, or dark energy.
Even so, Achilles and Herau soon realized their plasma guns were less effective here. The recoil was too strong, the terrain unstable, making it difficult to aim. The two monsters they'd shot before had been fleeing—easy targets. These ones weren't.
Still, with Yu Zhou—Dark Tiga—leading the way, danger was kept at bay.
After an entire day of trudging across the barren terrain, exhaustion began to show. Yu Zhou finally released his transformation, returning to human form.
"This wasteland… does it even have an end?" Achilles muttered.
The two soldiers exchanged uneasy glances. Everything around them looked the same—dark sky, black earth, a faint dim glow with no visible source.
Hudra wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked up. "Strange. The sky's pitch-black, yet we can still see. Where does the light even come from?"
Yu Zhou stopped walking and took a breath. "Let's rest here. If we go by normal time, it should be night in the outside world."
"Fine by me," said Achilles.
Herau agreed, as did Hudra and Darramb. Camearra, of course, sided immediately with Yu Zhou's suggestion.
With a graceful flick of her wrist, she opened her dimensional bracelet and produced three portable tents.
Yu Zhou blinked. He had his own tent prepared, but seeing Camearra already setting up hers, he didn't bother taking it out.
She handed one tent to Achilles and Herau, another to Hudra and Darramb. The third she kept—and with a faint blush colouring her cheeks, she tugged Yu Zhou's hand toward it.
Yu Zhou rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. It was still a little embarrassing to be so openly affectionate in front of others—but he smiled at her and nodded.
Then, taking out his travel cookware, he began preparing dinner.
Achilles and Herau, meanwhile, had each pulled out a large, dry ration biscuit. They broke the hard bread into quarters, intending to share it with the group. But when they saw Yu Zhou setting up pots and stoves, they froze mid-motion and sheepishly hid the biscuits behind their backs.
As members of the Defence Corps, they were used to eating rations on the move. Cooking meals in the field was a luxury they couldn't afford—nor could they spare space in their storage bracelets for cookware.
"Just a moment," Yu Zhou said with a grin as he stirred a pot. "Dinner will be ready soon."
Seeing their hesitant looks—and those broken biscuits—Yu Zhou felt a small pang of respect. Even with so little left, they had tried to share.
That's true discipline, he thought. That's the mark of real soldiers.
The ingredients Yu Zhou used were ones he had prepared long ago: coarse grains, canned meat, a few dried vegetables. He even took out bottles of fruit juice and fine wine.
Fresh meat was long gone—storage rings didn't preserve—but he had plenty of dried meat to make something hearty.
Multiple campfires were lit, their flames dancing against the shadowed plain. Yu Zhou set up pots over each, cooking soup, rice, and side dishes all at once.
Camearra laid out a soft blanket and arranged the food neatly, transforming the grim wasteland into the setting of a cozy picnic.
Achilles and Herau were stunned.
"Are we… actually camping?" Herau whispered.
"We're in the Dark Domain," Achilles said, wide-eyed. "Full of monsters and dark energy… and we're having a picnic?"
The two couldn't believe it.
Fragrant steam filled the air—spiced stew, sizzling meat, warm bread, the sweet scent of wine.
It was the kind of feast you'd only get at a high-end Hunter's Tavern—certainly not in a monster-infested wasteland.
Yu Zhou noticed their disbelief and smiled but said nothing.
Once the food was ready, he left the camp briefly to scout the surroundings and eliminate a few lurking beasts nearby. Then he returned and began frying the final dishes.
Before long, the camp was filled with bowls and plates of steaming food. Everyone gathered around, laughter rising softly as they ate beneath the black sky.
The scent of the meal drifted far—carried by the wind across the desolate plains of the Dark Domain.
And somewhere, deep within an ancient, shadowed palace, that faint aroma reached unseen halls.
For a moment, the great stone walls trembled.
Then—
From the heart of the palace, billowing black mist began to surge forth, rolling outward like a living storm, rushing toward the direction of that distant scent.