Just as the group of hooligans was about to lay hands on Li Na, the ground suddenly began to tremble.
Cracks spread rapidly across the earth.
"What… what is this?!"
Even Brother Hu, a brute who usually lorded over everyone else, cried out in shock when he saw spiderweb-like fissures opening beneath his feet.
"Oh no—Mom! Dad!"
Seeing this, Li Na immediately dropped the supplies she was carrying and rushed into the tent.
But inside, it was completely empty.
"Mom? Dad? Why aren't you here…?"
The moment she realized this, Li Na turned to flee the tent.
Outside, the makeshift "street" and the surrounding camps descended into chaos. People shouted and scattered in all directions, fleeing in panic.
Earthquake or not—it didn't matter. Running was the only instinct.
The thugs cared only for their own survival now. They bolted in all directions. Brother Hu was no exception, sprinting toward open ground.
Then—
Boom!
With a deafening crash, the ground collapsed. Brother Hu instantly lost his footing and plunged into the abyss below.
Several of the fleeing thugs failed to escape as well and fell together with him.
The collapse spread further—cutting off Li Na's escape route.
As the sky above drifted farther and farther away, confusion filled Li Na's face.
"So… this is how I die?"
At that moment, countless scenes flashed through her mind—moments both vivid and vague, from childhood to now.
She even saw herself as a newborn.
Doctors surrounded her tiny body, sighing and shaking their heads.
Then, a ray of light entered her infant body.
The doctors stared in disbelief as her condition suddenly stabilized, joy spreading across their faces.
"Light…?"
As Li Na whispered that word, a ferocious roar echoed from deep within the collapsing ground.
Her falling body suddenly stopped.
She found herself lying in the palm of an enormous hand, radiant with light.
Screams rang out below. Brother Hu and the remaining thugs were swallowed whole by a massive, blood-filled maw. The screams ended abruptly.
Supporting herself with both hands, Li Na looked up at the owner of the luminous giant hand, stunned.
"Tiga…!"
She had seen Tiga from afar in the real world before—but never this close.
She never imagined she would be saved by Tiga herself.
Yu Zhou said nothing. He merely nodded to her and gently placed her down in a safe area.
Then he turned, gazing into the collapsed depths, where a monster was still chewing noisily.
The deaths of Brother Hu and those thugs meant nothing to Yu Zhou.
Parasites of the apocalypse like them deserved no better. Dying in a monster's jaws was almost merciful.
As for the creature that had emerged from underground, Yu Zhou briefly assessed it.
Two black antennae rose from its head. Its eyes were small, sharp, and blood-red, radiating malice. Its arms were not claws but two thick, powerful whips, and a long tail dragged behind it.
Gudon.
The name surfaced instantly in Yu Zhou's mind.
A carnivorous kaiju—brutal and vicious—one of the earlier monsters to appear. Its greatest weapons were those two long whips.
But no matter how strong it was, appearing before Yu Zhou sealed its fate.
He gave Gudon no chance.
Yu Zhou drove a single punch straight into its chest.
Gudon had just begun to swing its massive whips when the blow landed. Instantly, the whips went limp.
The red glow in its eyes faded. Blue arcs of electricity surged across its body—
Boom!
The monster that had only just emerged exploded on the spot, bursting into fragments that scattered across the ground.
"So… so strong!!!"
From the safe zone, Li Na stared in disbelief.
A monster that terrified humanity—destroyed by Tiga with a single punch!
Even television dramas weren't this exaggerated!
She wasn't the only one stunned. Everyone who had fled stopped and stared at the scene.
"My god… is that really Tiga?"
"One punch and the monster's gone—no way!"
"This Tiga has to be One-Punch Man in disguise!"
Amid the chatter, relief spread. The monster was gone.
Yu Zhou looked toward Li Na and nodded.
Light gathered in his eyes. He could clearly see it now—Camearra's intangible form, eyes closed, merging with Li Na's body.
Or rather, Camearra's form was no longer truly intangible. The density of light particles was nearing saturation.
"In that case," Yu Zhou murmured, "I'll give it a final push."
Light particles flowed from his hand, drawing in a trace of the world's power and guiding it into Li Na's body.
Li Na stared in shock, not understanding what Tiga was doing to her.
Suddenly, she felt something awaken deep within. Even with her eyes closed, she could see brilliant light.
Then her consciousness faded.
"Camearra, come back."
Seeing Li Na faint, Yu Zhou transformed into light and descended to the ground, returning to human form.
He caught her gently and called out softly.
As if responding to his voice, countless light particles flowed out from Li Na's body, gathering before Yu Zhou and forming a humanoid shape.
He carefully laid Li Na down; his eyes fixed on the radiant figure before him.
"Camearra!"
His fists clenched as his voice trembled with emotion.
A bell-like sound echoed as the light finished condensing.
The figure he had longed for day and night appeared before him.
Camearra—reborn.
"Tiga."
Still in the form of a young woman, unchanged from thirty million years ago, Camearra smiled softly and called his name.
Yu Zhou pulled her into his arms, breathing in that familiar presence, words failing him.
"I'm back, Tiga," Camearra whispered, holding him gently.
Yu Zhou's mind flooded with memories from thirty million years ago, guilt crushing his heart.
To him, it had been only a short time.
To Camearra, it had been over thirty million years.
Sealed away for so long—yet after her release, she harboured only the slightest resentment, no deep hatred at all.
Yu Zhou felt nothing but remorse.
And he did not know how to atone.
"Camearra… I understand now."
Holding her close, his nose stung as he spoke.
"Understand what…?" Camearra asked softly, patting his back.
"I, Yu Zhou, am Tiga," he said, slowly pulling back to look into her eyes, guilt filling his gaze.
"And Tiga… is me."