The final strike.
Yu Zhou gripped the Ultimate Battle Device tightly, soaring high into the sky before diving down with full force.
With a heavy thud, the Ultimate Battle Device pierced straight into Dark Lugiel's chest. Black mist gushed out from the wound as Dark Lugiel let out a roar of agony. His scarlet eyes gradually dimmed as life slipped away from him.
"What a brutal way to end a fight…"
Nagano muttered under his breath, staring at the scene under the flickering glow of the portable plasma torch.
Even after slaying Dark Lugiel, Yu Zhou didn't stop. He gathered a massive orb of black energy—nearly fifty meters wide—and hurled it down onto Lugiel's corpse.
The moment it struck, an immense explosion tore through the sky. Black flames shot upward, and a towering mushroom cloud rose over the ruins.
Nagano was nearly blown off his feet by the shockwave, clutching tightly onto the torch's handle just to keep his balance. Around him, the monsters that had lost Belial's control were caught in the blast—many killed instantly, others left broken and smoking.
"My god…"
On screens across the world, the image of the mushroom cloud filled every frame—obscuring everything else.
No need for any "rewritten script." No need for anything more.
Tiga had utterly obliterated his enemy.
But the cost… was Camearra's life.
Yu Zhou's chest rose and fell rapidly as the crimson in his eyes slowly faded, turning back to their normal pale hue.
He returned to where Camearra had turned into light particles. All that remained… was her golden whip.
"Why…?"
Yu Zhou lowered his head, filled with regret.
The world's crisis had been resolved, yet at the end, he had lost Camearra.
That strike from Dark Lugiel's steel claw—he had aimed to kill. It was a blow of desperation, a suicidal gamble.
He had only one chance to strike while Tiga was completely out of control, consumed by destruction.
If Tiga didn't die, then Dark Lugiel would.
And in the end—that was exactly what happened.
Yu Zhou picked up the golden whip, his heart shattering inside.
The towering black figure of Tiga slowly vanished, replaced by a young man holding the whip, now shrunk to a normal size at his will.
"Tiga! Pull yourself together!"
Nagano ran over, finally seeing Yu Zhou's face clearly.
He knew instantly—this boy was Tiga's current form.
There was no surprise, only sympathy. Watching your loved one die before your eyes… that pain was beyond words.
Yu Zhou looked up at Nagano, eyes lifeless, then lowered his gaze again to gently stroke the whip in his hands.
"Tiga, you're Tiga! You can't just end it like this!"
"If you fall into despair now, what will become of you in the future?"
Nagano's words fell on deaf ears. Yu Zhou kept walking forward aimlessly, like a hollow shell.
"You're Tiga! I know you can bring Camearra back!"
Nagano shouted with all his might.
This time, Yu Zhou's body trembled slightly—his steps halting.
"…Can I really bring Camearra back?"
"Can I?"
"She's already scattered into the wind… Can I still save her?"
Three thoughts circled endlessly in Yu Zhou's heart.
"I can't save her…"
His voice broke. No matter how he searched his mind, there was no ability he possessed that could revive Camearra.
"Tiga, don't give up! You can do it!"
Nagano pressed on, seeing a flicker of light return to Yu Zhou's eyes.
If the true Tiga himself were here—perhaps he could bring Camearra back.
"I'm so useless…"
Yu Zhou sighed bitterly.
The tangled relationship between himself, Camearra, and the original Tiga was far too complex.
Even if he wanted to ask Tiga for help, how could he even begin?
And that's assuming he could even find Tiga's true self.
Unless…
What if he brought Charija into this world—to help rewrite history and save Camearra before her death?
That thought suddenly reignited a spark of hope in Yu Zhou's heart.
He could use a time machine, go back to the moment before Camearra was killed, and stop Dark Lugiel's fatal strike!
But doing so would create a time paradox.
If he saved Camearra, it would only form a new, alternate timeline—parallel to the one where she still died.
In other words, the Camearra in this world would remain dead. The one he saved would be from another world entirely.
Nagano, seeing Yu Zhou deep in thought, chose not to disturb him further.
Not far away, on the ruined ground, lay another Ultraman—silver and red in colour.
Nagano froze. That Ultraman was… Belial.
It meant that after losing his dark power and the Reiblood soul, Belial had reverted to his original form.
The colour timer on Belial's chest blinked faintly, and his massive body began to shrink and blur—eventually becoming that of a middle-aged man.
"W-Where am I…?"
Belial sat up, dazed, looking around in confusion.
"This is Earth," Nagano said softly, extending a hand to help him up.
"Earth?"
Suddenly, memories began flooding back into Belial's mind—fragmented visions from his time consumed by darkness.
Nagano stood silently, watching as Belial clutched his head in realization.
Now that he had regained his true self, perhaps he wasn't the same malevolent being anymore.
After all, Belial had once been good—a warrior corrupted only by the Reiblood's possession.
Earth was still infested with stray monsters, even after the great battle.
If Nagano could convince Belial to stay and help eliminate the remaining threats, it would make things much easier.
Tiga—Yu Zhou—had other priorities.
Bringing Camearra back… that was all that mattered now.
That night.
Yu Zhou walked through the shattered city streets, not returning to the shelter.
Nearly every city on Earth lay in ruins, villages destroyed—there was nowhere left to call home.
And even if there were, he had no will to rest.
He stopped in a shadowed alleyway, eyes calm but heavy with resolve.
Facing the cracked wall before him, Yu Zhou whispered—
"Come out."