On one hand, the truth had to be concealed to prevent certain individuals among the populace from developing dangerous ambitions—
dreams of becoming Giants of Light themselves.
On the other, it was meant to deceive the extraterrestrial races living on Earth, ensuring they would never learn of the existence of the Light-Particle Conversion Device, let alone the Plasma Spark, those godlike instruments capable of reshaping civilization.
The radiance from Orion was indeed powerful.
But light alone was not enough to grant the power of a Giant of Light.
Naturally—
Guardie the dog was a complete exception.
A singular anomaly.
Which meant there was no real risk of cosmic civilizations setting their sights on Orion's light. Under normal circumstances, most aliens would simply assume that a few Orion stars had gone supernova, nothing more.
With the intention of converting more Giants of Light, Cain and Yuzare arrived at the plaza housing the Light-Particle Conversion Device.
The sight before them made their hearts sink.
"The conversion device… how did it end up like this?"
Yuzare stepped forward, staring at the scattered components strewn across the ground. Her expression darkened.
"Who did this?" Cain growled, clenching his fists.
"Who destroyed the Light-Particle Conversion Device?!"
They had never imagined that at such a critical moment, the device would be sabotaged.
"…I think I know who did it," Yuzare said softly after a long pause.
"Who?" Cain demanded. "I won't forgive them."
"…It was likely Keshiva," Yuzare sighed.
"And frankly, I don't have the right to blame him."
"When he desperately tried to stop me from harming Camearra, I ordered the Security Corps to take him away so he could 'calm down.'"
"I never expected…"
Yuzare truly hadn't expected Keshiva to place the blame on the conversion device itself.
Earlier, when he realized that Camearra was unharmed, he had finally allowed himself to breathe a little easier.
But the annihilation of both the Giants of Light and the Dark Giants crushed him with guilt.
And it was that guilt—
That drove him to dismantle, with his own hands, the Light-Particle Conversion Device he had personally helped perfect.
Cain fell silent.
"…Forget it," he said at last.
"Gijera will be handled by me and Guardie."
With no other choice, Cain steeled himself.
He gathered the remaining members of the Security Corps—
only a little over twenty were still unaffected by Gijera's hallucinations.
Several citizens from the royal city who remained lucid also joined the Earth Defense Force to face this calamity together.
Every single one of them possessed a Heart of Light.
Though they could no longer be transformed into Giants of Light, they could still contribute.
Among them were researchers—people whose expertise would prove invaluable.
"Can we locate Gijera's source?" Cain asked.
"Yes," one researcher replied.
"By tracking underground seismic waves along its roots, we may be able to find it."
"Begin the investigation immediately."
"Understood!"
To destroy Gijera, its origin had to be eradicated.
When Cain and the others realized that Gijera's roots extended endlessly underground, they were left shaken.
Several researchers were ordered to investigate the phenomenon.
Seismic waves were transmitted downward, following one of Gijera's roots.
On the display screen, a single root appeared—then stretched farther and farther.
"It's reached this length already…"
Cain stared at the image, stunned.
Under normal circumstances, a flower as small as Gijera should never possess such extensive roots.
Yet the display showed the root plunging past one hundred meters underground.
That alone was horrifying.
"Your Highness—this isn't over," a researcher suddenly said, brow furrowing.
On the screen, the root began branching.
Like a massive tree spreading its limbs, it extended in every direction—some strands thinning, others thickening, many linking with the roots of other Gijera flowers.
The scale of the image gradually zoomed out.
Until—
Before everyone's horrified eyes, a three-dimensional model of Earth appeared.
And Gijera's roots—
Had wrapped around the entire planet.
"…This is terrifying," one researcher whispered, a chill running through him.
Cain was equally shaken, but he noticed something unusual.
One region showed an abnormally dense concentration of roots.
"Where is this?" he asked, zooming in.
"That should be Xiongbeng Plateau, Your Highness," the researcher replied.
"There's definitely something wrong there," Cain said sharply.
He turned and began heading outside, Guardie at his side.
"Yuzare, I'll investigate. You take command here."
Two streaks of light burst forth—
Cain and Guardie shot toward Xiongbeng Plateau.
Their speed was incredible.
In no time, they arrived at the heart of the anomaly.
Cain had already made up his mind—
if he found nothing, he would burn the entire plateau to the ground.
After all, plants feared fire most.
"…What is that?"
The moment he hovered above the plateau, Cain saw it.
A gigantic plant, bearing an enormous bud, basking in the only remaining ray of sunlight in the sky.
Cain froze.
That beam of light—
It was the same one created when he had torn through the darkness earlier.
"Gijera… Gijera… Gijera… Gijera…!"
Before Cain could even confirm his suspicions, chanting echoed across the plateau.
Looking closer, he saw it—
Humans.
Countless humans gathered beneath the bud.
Yes. Humans. An immense crowd.
At such altitude, they had climbed the plateau in droves, cheering ecstatically.
What stunned Cain even more—
This wasn't everyone.
Down the mountain path leading upward was a vast human procession, stretching beyond sight.
Each person held a golden flower in their hands.
Gijera.
The flower that promised paradise.
"So, this is Gijera's true body…"
Rage surged through Cain.
Clenching his fists, he dove straight toward the unopened bud.
The source of this world-spanning catastrophe—
Had to be destroyed today.
Shrrrk—!!
Without warning, two thick, arm-like vines lashed out from Gijera's body.
Smack! Smack!
They struck Cain squarely.
With a thunderous crash, he was knocked off balance and slammed into the ground, sending dust and debris billowing skyward.