The little girl was still trembling, but the motes of light drifting from the giant's body calmed her slightly.
Her father quickly came to his senses, rushing forward to scoop her up in his arms. Yet his eyes never once left the towering giant who had suddenly appeared before them.
Seeing the man's wary stare, Yu Zhou sighed inwardly. He lowered his massive head and gave a small, deliberate nod, signalling that he meant no harm.
The man wasn't foolish. Realizing the giant had acknowledged him, he quickly stammered out words of gratitude. If not for this luminous saviour, his daughter would already be dead.
Turning away, Yu Zhou fixed his gaze on Degouf—the Dark God he had knocked aside moments ago. He raised his arms into a ready stance.
The man didn't linger. Hugging his daughter tightly, he fled the battlefield as fast as his legs could carry him.
Around them, other villagers were also fleeing in terror. But when they saw the giant suddenly strike down the Dark God, many of them stopped.
There, in the depths of the suffocating night, stood a figure of hope.
"What is that…?"
"A giant?"
"Where did that giant come from?"
"I don't know, but he's shining with light!"
"Did he come to save us?"
"He must be… the Giant of Light…"
Their voices rose in awe and disbelief, but Yu Zhou paid them no mind. He was a passerby in this era, nothing more. Their admiration or fear meant nothing to him.
Degouf rose with a snarl, shaking dirt from his body. His hateful eyes locked onto Yu Zhou.
Yu Zhou dashed forward, swift as lightning. For all its fearsome title, Degouf wasn't truly strong. Better to finish this quickly.
He closed the distance in a heartbeat and unleashed two spinning kicks. One struck Degouf's chest, the other slammed into his forehead, forcing the Dark God backward in stumbling retreat.
Yu Zhou didn't even slow down. He leapt high, bringing a hand chop crashing onto Degouf's shoulder. The blow made the giant stagger, enraging him further. With a roar, Degouf swung his massive arms to crush Yu Zhou.
But Yu Zhou had already withdrawn, his reactions sharp and precise. The heavy strike missed, leaving Degouf exposed. Yu Zhou lunged back in, spinning once more—his foot smashed squarely into Degouf's face.
Boom!
The Dark God toppled, tumbling across the rocky ground in a storm of dust and sparks.
Yu Zhou's eyes narrowed. A thought flickered through his mind.
In the original story, an unnamed Tiga destroyed Degouf with a single kick. Maybe… I can try that too.
Since Degouf's armour was thick, striking the body wouldn't do. The best target was the head.
His gaze locked onto Degouf's skull as he gathered luminous energy into his leg, channelling light itself into the strike.
Degouf staggered back to his feet, weakened from the blows.
Yu Zhou leapt skyward. His body arced through the night, and then—like a meteor—he descended in a flying kick, all the power of light condensed in his foot.
Crash!
Sparks exploded as his kick smashed into Degouf's face.
Yu Zhou landed on one knee, frozen in a perfectly cool pose, back turned to his opponent.
A true man never looks back at an explosion.
Not even to check if it worked.
For a long moment, there was silence. Then—
BOOM!!!
The world erupted behind him. Degouf's body detonated in a storm of fire and light, scattering fragments across the plain.
Yu Zhou felt the searing heat at his back and finally let out a quiet sigh of relief. Worth it. That was one stylish finish.
He rose to his feet. As Degouf's body dissolved into nothing, the heavens began to clear. The black mists and oppressive clouds thinned, retreating with the darkness. The land shone once more under the light of dawn.
"The Dark God… is gone?"
"He's been defeated!"
"The giant destroyed him!"
"He's the Giant of Light!"
"Yes! The Giant of Light defeated the Dark God!"
Voices of astonishment and joy echoed through the ruined village. But Yu Zhou never turned to acknowledge them.
Instead, he walked slowly toward the mountains, his tall figure shimmering. Then, in a cascade of glittering particles, he vanished into the wind.
The villagers stared, dazed, as if they had witnessed a dream. A moment ago, the world had seemed doomed to eternal darkness. But the Giant of Light had appeared, saved them, and destroyed the terror they thought unstoppable—then disappeared without a trace.
He came like the wind, and left without a shadow.
"Pity, though," muttered Charija, watching the fading smoke where Degouf had exploded. "That monster looked pretty strong."
"Strong? And yet I crushed him in just a few moves."
Yu Zhou appeared behind him, voice calm, though there was a hint of pride in his tone.
"You're the strong one," Charija admitted, nodding. After all this time, he knew better than anyone just how powerful Yu Zhou was.
"That Dark God Degouf—there's no way you could've captured him," Yu Zhou added with a faint smile. "A being like that can only be destroyed."
"That was a god?" Charija blinked in disbelief. The so-called Dark God had just been kicked to pieces. He seemed far too weak for such a title.
"Wait… yesterday, the one who attacked R'lyeh—it was also a Dark God named… something-fu, wasn't it?" Charija asked, suddenly remembering. He had seen the attacker from afar, the silhouette resembling today's foe.
"Yes. That was also Degouf."
Yu Zhou nodded firmly.
"Hold on. You mean there's more than one?" Charija frowned. "But a being with a title like 'God'… shouldn't that mean there's only one?"
"Not necessarily," Yu Zhou replied. "Gatanothor, the Evil God, the Dark Zos galaxy… there are whole swarms of them. Even beings named 'God' aren't always unique. Like the Kyrieloids' so-called God—there's more than one of those too."
Charija fell silent, shaken by the thought.
The world was far larger—and far darker—than he had ever imagined.