"How could this be?" Cain asked, slightly surprised after hearing Yuzhou's explanation. "So that's why you've been staying inside the Temple all this time, Master?"
"That's right," Yuzhou nodded. "Not only me, but Camearra, Hudra, and Darramb as well — all of us have been affected by Cthulhu's dark power and cannot leave this Temple."
"I see!" Cain finally understood why he hadn't heard from Master or the others for so long. The seal on the Temple was the reason!
"But… why haven't I seen Camearra and the others?" Cain suddenly realized that he had only encountered Yuzhou so far. Camearra, Hudra, and Darramb were nowhere in sight.
"Turn around," Yuzhou said calmly.
"Huh?" Cain looked back — and nearly jumped out of his skin.
Behind him stood three giants, their bodies glowing with red, gold, and purple.
It was Camearra, Hudra, and Darramb in their Dark Giant forms!
"C-Camearra… long time no see!" Cain stammered, unsure how to address her. Considering she was the daughter of Keshiva, a top-class scientist, and also connected to his Master, he felt compelled to show respect.
"Oh? Who are you?" Camearra crossed her arms, her sharp orange eyes fixing on Cain.
"I'm Cain," he said. It was understandable that she didn't recognize him in his giant form.
"Cain… long time no see," Camearra said coldly, letting out a faint snort.
Compared to Yuzhou, the amount of dark energy absorbed by Camearra, Hudra, and Darramb was lower. Although most of the time they remained in their Dark Giant states, they occasionally regained some clarity.
Camearra's current state resembled the moment she first became a Dark Giant. If she had been fully consumed by darkness, she would not have been speaking at all.
Her attitude toward Cain was harsh, mostly because he reminded her of his sister, Yuzare.
Although Yuzare had used the Light's power to heal her when she was in danger, Camearra held no gratitude toward her. After all, women understand women. Camearra believed she knew Yuzare's intentions — that her help was meant to gain Tiga's favour.
Yuzhou, in a rare moment of clarity, approached Camearra and placed a hand in hers.
At that moment, Tiga noticed the golden whip that suddenly appeared in her grasp — a weapon she would leave behind when dispersing into light particles in the future.
Hudra and Darramb wielded their own weapons, a crossbow and a light shield, but Camearra had not yet acquired her golden whip. Yuzhou understood immediately.
Camearra had once mentioned that the golden whip was a gift from Tiga thirty million years ago.
Now, Yuzhou handed the whip to Camearra. She grasped it in her hand, examining the unfamiliar yet strangely familiar weapon.
"Tiga… did you give this to me?" Camearra asked, her consciousness briefly free of darkness.
"Yes, it's a gift," Yuzhou confirmed.
"Thank you! I really like it!" Camearra said, joyfully inspecting the whip.
Though the power within the whip seemed familiar, it was not Tiga's own energy. Still, Camearra did not dwell on this and began to practice with it.
Her movements were elegant, almost like dancing, rather than mere training. Yuzhou watched, fascinated.
Cain, unsure what to do, simply admired her performance as well.
From Cain's straightforward perspective, it wasn't a graceful dance — he merely stepped back when the whip swung close. Guardie, meanwhile, barked on the sidelines, seemingly overwhelmed by the scene.
After her practice, the whip vanished, its particles returning to her hand. Camearra looked at Yuzhou.
"My time is almost up," Yuzhou sighed, feeling the dark energy rising within him. "You should leave this place quickly, Cain. The darkness will soon affect my mind again."
The dark energy's influence was unstoppable — like when Ultraman Orb borrowed Belial and Zoffy's powers, entering Thunder Breaster form and losing control.
"Then Master, take care of yourselves!" Cain said, leading Guardie toward the Temple exit. "Once I'm out, I'll find a way to rescue you!"
"Woof!"
"Camearra, let's go back too," Yuzhou said, taking her hand and moving deeper into the Temple.
Hudra and Darramb followed, leaving the corridor together.
With Camearra sitting beside him on the blackened throne, Yuzhou's chest timer, once blue, became gradually overlaid with purple, web-like patterns, eventually returning fully to purple.
…
Cain and Guardie quickly exited the Temple.
Yuzhou could soon succumb to darkness again; if Cain had delayed, the consequences would have been dire.
Looking back at the abyss outside the Temple, Cain breathed a sigh of relief. The Zoigers and Melbas had finally left — if they lingered, Cain's situation could have been disastrous.
"Woof! Woof!"
Guardie sniffed the air, then barked urgently, pulling Cain toward a direction.
"What? Several dark presences coming this way?!" Cain realized what Guardie meant and froze.
Several dark auras were approaching the Abyss. Aside from the Zoigers and Melbas, who else could it be?
They had just left the Temple, and yet these forces were already in pursuit — relentless as ever.
"We have to move! Now!" Cain said, grasping Guardie and flying deeper into the Abyss.
Returning by the original route meant running straight into those monsters. Their only option was to escape in a different direction.
If Master Tiga could intervene, it would have been ideal — but he was still trapped inside the Temple.
"The two dark streaks of light originally emerged from the ocean near R'lyeh," Cain thought as he flew.
"That means the Dark Realm connects directly to R'lyeh!"
Cain adjusted his flight path, preparing for the incoming wave of darkness.