When Zero asked which Tiga he was, Yuzhou nearly rolled his eyes.
Which Tiga could he be? Of course, the very one Belial hated with every fiber of his being!
But this wasn't the time to clarify. He suspected Fukude Kei might still be lurking in the shadows, listening.
If Belial and Kei discovered that he wasn't the "ancient" Tiga, but a traveler from another parallel world… that could complicate things.
As for making plans with Zero to deal with Belial? Yuzhou decided he'd rather do that later, and in private.
Zero, seeing that this aloof Tiga had no intention of sticking around, simply shrugged and flew off into the sky.
"Yuzhou, where did you run off to just now?"
Laiha and Riku both noticed him jogging back from the distance.
"I'll say I went to the bathroom—will you believe that?" Yuzhou scratched his head casually.
In truth, he didn't really care if Laiha and Riku found out who he was. But with that little boy around, it was inconvenient to reveal everything. One way or another, they'd eventually discover the truth.
"I see." Laiha nodded thoughtfully. "By the way, Ultraman Tiga showed up… and so did Zero."
"I noticed." Yuzhou replied flatly, not missing a beat.
With that, everyone dispersed—each returning home to their own routines.
Meanwhile, in a realm steeped in crimson shadows, violet light flickered faintly.
Floating within this void, clad in black leather, Fukude Kei bowed low.
"Lord Belial."
A pair of blood-red eyes, sharp and predatory, flared into view. The jagged outline of a monstrous head appeared—Belial himself.
"Report." Belial's laughter was low and cruel.
"The second Ultra Capsule has been activated. Because of it, Geed gained a new form." Kei spoke with reverence.
"My son… seems to be doing well." Belial chuckled darkly.
Kei's heart sank. To Belial, Riku Asakura was "his son," born from Belial's genetic essence. Kei himself, despite all his devotion, was nothing more than a tool.
Belial, of course, acknowledged no one. To him, Geed's potential was merely proof of his own superior genes.
"What else?" Belial's scarlet gaze burned like molten iron, washing over Kei.
"Yes…" Kei lowered his head, voice trembling. "Lord Belial—Tiga has appeared."
BOOM!
The entire crimson space shook violently as an explosion of raw power rippled outward.
"What?!" Belial's voice thundered like a beast's roar. "Say that again!"
"Tiga… Tiga has appeared!" Kei repeated, bowing deeper.
"After all this time…" Belial growled, voice dripping with fury and anticipation. "At last, he shows himself."
"But—is it the same Tiga who opposed me on the Land of Light? There are many Tigas across countless worlds, and not all are the same." Belial narrowed his eyes.
"That… I cannot confirm." Kei admitted, shaking his head.
"Then investigate!" Belial slashed a claw toward him, energy crackling. "Sturm alien, do not fail me."
"Yes, Lord Belial." Kei bowed deeply, then vanished from the blood-red void.
"Tiga…" Belial's voice rumbled across the realm.
"No matter which version you are—when I return, it will be the day of your death."
Back on Earth, in the underground Nebula Base…
"Achoo!" Yuzhou sneezed suddenly while sitting on a chair.
"What's wrong?" Riku asked. "Did you catch a cold?"
"No." Yuzhou shook his head. Ever since he became Tiga, his body had grown too strong for something as trivial as illness. Unless his nose itched, he never sneezed.
Which meant… by old Huaxia logic, someone out there was cursing him.
"Wdnmd!" Yuzhou snapped instinctively, hurling the insult at the air. If someone was cursing him, fine—he'd curse them right back.
Far away, at the edge of the galaxy, Belial suddenly felt an inexplicable irritation—as though someone had spat a curse directly at him.
"Eh, Yuzhou, what did you just say?" Laiha blinked, confused.
"Oh, that? It's a common greeting back in my homeland. Kind of like saying 'hello.'" Yuzhou replied, deadpan.
"Oh, I see." Laiha nodded earnestly. "I've learned something new."
"…Learned something new?" Yuzhou froze. What was she planning to do with that?
Then, with a sudden spark of mischief, Laiha turned to him and said with a bright smile:
"Wdnmd!"
Yuzhou: "…"
"How's my pronunciation? Pretty good, right?" Laiha asked sweetly.
"…Perfect. Flawless." Yuzhou sighed, defeated.
"I actually know some Huaxia too." Pega chimed in from the console. "I'm fluent in several languages!"
"And Yuzhou, you just—"
"What? Just what?" Yuzhou's eyes narrowed instantly.
"N-no, I mean—of course your pronunciation is authentic!" Pega quickly backtracked under his glare.
"Good." Yuzhou grinned. "Tonight, come over to my place. I'll cook a feast for everyone."
"Alright!" Riku cheered like a child, bouncing happily.
These days, Riku was finally learning to control his human strength. In the past, he'd often crash into ceilings without realizing it.
"Yuzhou's cooking really is divine." Pega murmured, recalling the unforgettable Ten-Ingredient Supreme Set Meal.
Of course, they didn't plan to freeload forever. Seeing Yuzhou live alone and always cooking for them didn't feel right. Riku had even started looking for work, though so far, nothing fit him.
As a temporary solution, Pega crafted paper carnations for them to sell on the street. With the money, Riku and Laiha decided to buy a bicycle for grocery runs.
"I'll go with you." Yuzhou offered when Riku mentioned it.
With Riku's impulsive nature, shopping alone could be… risky. In the original timeline, he once went to buy a vacuum cleaner and came back with a game console instead.
"With Yuzhou going too, that's reassuring." Laiha nodded. "Riku tends to lose focus when shopping."
"That's not true!" Riku protested, though he knew she was right.
Laiha gave him a look, then turned back to practice martial arts in the park's open space.
So, Yuzhou and Riku headed off to the mall together.
The moment they walked into the bike shop, Riku's eyes lit up at a sleek mountain bike.
"Wait a second." Yuzhou stopped him just as he was about to pay.
"What? Yuzhou, look at it—it's so cool!" Riku's face was full of excitement.
"Do you remember why you're buying a bike in the first place?" Yuzhou arched a brow.
"…To… buy groceries with." Riku mumbled, lowering his head.
As much as he loved that mountain bike, it wasn't exactly practical.