"What's happening to Tiga!?"
"Hudra, do something—fast!"
"Could it be the work of the Dark King!?"
"Let us go in there and destroy him!"
Hudra, Darramb, Achilles, and Herau all panicked as they watched Yu Zhou collapse in agony.
The sudden change could only be connected to what had happened inside the temple—
and there was only one person involved: the Dark King himself.
"Ca–Camearra! Let go of me!"
Yu Zhou's voice strained through gritted teeth as he struggled to pull free.
The burning pain ripping through his body was unbearable even for him—
how could Camearra possibly endure it?
But she held on tighter.
"No! Back in Frost City, I learned the art of Extreme Cold from its ruler.
I'm not very skilled, but I can use it to cool you down!"
Blue light began to form between her hands, spreading across her palms and onto Yu Zhou's body.
A mist of frost shimmered briefly over his burning frame—
only to evaporate almost instantly under the searing heat radiating from him.
"Lady Camearra, stop! You can't use that power recklessly!" Hudra shouted.
Unlike the others, Hudra and Darramb knew exactly what that technique would do.
When their mistress had trained in Frost City,
she had discovered that the Extreme Cold power came with a terrible side effect.
Once unleashed, it would slowly spread through her body,
filling her with uncontrollable frost that refused to dissipate—
until she herself turned into a statue of ice.
That same thing had happened before,
and only the intervention of Anmon, the Lord of Fuhuo City,
had saved her from a frozen death.
But now, Camearra ignored all danger,
pouring everything she had into her attempt to cool Tiga's burning body.
Meanwhile, Achilles and Herau dashed into the temple—
no doubt to confront the Dark King himself.
Hudra hesitated. Part of him wanted to follow,
but seeing Camearra's life force dimming as she used her forbidden power,
he clenched his fists in agony.
"Darramb—go with them. I'll stay and protect Lady Camearra and Tiga!"
Darramb gave a sharp nod before rushing after the others.
Camearra's cold aura surrounded Yu Zhou,
but the heat raging within him was like a storm of molten fire and magma,
devouring everything it touched.
It was a pain beyond comprehension—
as though his very being was burning away.
Camearra's freezing power helped, but only slightly.
The fire inside him refused to die down.
Through the haze of agony, Yu Zhou finally realized the truth.
"This power… it's the one Cthulhu gave me!"
There was something wrong with it—
something he hadn't sensed before.
He had checked carefully, found no abnormalities…
and yet now his very body was being consumed by it.
He tried to revert his transformation—
but failed.
"Camearra!" he gasped, forcing himself to stay conscious.
"Open the space bracelet I gave you—release the Plasma Spark inside!"
It was the only chance.
No one else could help him now.
If darkness was devouring him,
then only light could drive it back.
"Alright!" Camearra shouted.
Inside the Temple of Shadows,
Cthulhu sat upon his black throne, eyes half-lidded.
He too felt the disturbance from outside.
Truthfully, he hadn't expected Tiga to react this way.
But after a brief thought, he understood.
The energy he had given Tiga—
wasn't just any dark power.
It was a fragment of his own primordial darkness,
the essence of his being.
Cthulhu had been sealed within the temple for ages.
Even with the seal loosened, he could not leave in his true form.
He could only send out avatars—projections of darkness detached from his core.
But if his true essence were to be used outside his body,
it would ignite with Nameless Fire—a flame that burned even the dark itself.
Tiga had absorbed that essence.
Now, his body burned with the same destructive heat.
"Hmm?"
Cthulhu's eyes suddenly gleamed crimson.
From the entrance of the temple,
a torch blazing with brilliant light had appeared.
"Light…" he hissed.
"That detestable power."
He watched as the light from the Plasma Spark flowed into Tiga's body,
soothing his pain and pushing back the black flames.
A grim shadow passed over Cthulhu's face.
"Tiga… so you can still accept the power of light."
He could also sense intruders—three of them—rushing through the temple corridor.
With a single wave of his hand, he unleashed a pulse of energy,
throwing all three out of the hall as if they were nothing.
A moment later, his expression twisted in anger.
Even from afar, he could feel it—
those four outside the temple,
each one carried within them a heart of light.
"Disgusting."
The air trembled.
Cthulhu's body blurred—
and then vanished from the throne.
Outside, Yu Zhou's body stabilized as the light and darkness clashed within him.
The searing pain began to subside,
as the powers of light and shadow collided and neutralized each other.
Hudra, Darramb, Achilles, and Herau all stared in awe
at the torch that burned with pure radiance.
"What… incredible light!" Achilles breathed.
Even Hudra and Darramb could feel it—
a warmth unlike any other,
a power that both comforted and inspired them.
Camearra watched as Tiga's breathing slowed and steadied.
Her lips curved into a faint, relieved smile.
"As long as Tiga's safe… that's all that matters."
But her relief was short-lived.
From within the temple came a deep, rumbling roar—
a voice that shook the air and darkened the sky.
All eyes turned toward the massive gate
as an enormous figure emerged.
Its head was that of an octopus,
its body dark green and glistening,
a pair of vast wings unfurling behind it,
and a long, coiling tail trailing the ground.
Its eyes glowed blood-red.
"Light… must disappear!"
Cthulhu bellowed,
and a violet beam of destruction burst forth from his hand—
aimed directly at Yu Zhou, Camearra, and the shining Plasma Spark.
"Run!" Yu Zhou shouted, forcing himself to his feet.
Summoning what remained of his strength,
he raised a barrier in front of them,
shielding the others from the oncoming blast.
He had expected this.
He knew Cthulhu wouldn't sit still for long.
But his body was still unstable—
the inner conflict between light and darkness draining his energy fast.
Still, there was no choice but to stand and fight.