"So… you finally understand."
Camearra felt genuine relief in her heart. She had not expected that after her revival, Yu Zhou would truly come to grasp his own identity.
"You didn't mistake me," she said softly.
"From the very beginning, you never did."
She gazed at Yu Zhou's face; her eyes filled with memories as she spoke.
"Who could have known that it was all a coincidence of fate? Who could have known that I would return to thirty million years ago—and become the Tiga who first met you?"
Yu Zhou held Camearra's hand and replied calmly.
When Camearra heard that he had returned to the distant past of thirty million years ago, she felt a surge of emotion. Perhaps this was destiny after all.
If she had never become entangled with Yu Zhou, he would never have known her.
If he had never known her, he would never have returned to the past.
And if he had never returned, he would never have met the version of her from long ago.
"This girl has had contact with you before," Camearra said, looking at Li Na, who lay quietly on the ground. "While I was dormant, I could sense it. I even influenced some of her actions."
"Li Na…"
Yu Zhou also looked at her, recalling his past interactions with Li Na. Now that he thought about it, it was indeed true.
Especially that time when he had held Li Na's hand—remembering it now, he felt that the one he had held back then was not Li Na at all, but Camearra.
"I left a trace of light within her," Camearra continued. "If she ever encounters danger, it will protect her."
"That's good," Yu Zhou said.
"Mhm."
The two of them remained hidden in the shadows, quietly recounting events from thirty million years ago, only leaving after Li Na finally awakened.
After waking, Li Na immediately went to search for her parents.
In the end, she found them at the medical station within the settlement.
After asking around, she learned that the person in charge of the camp had come to inspect the area, noticed that the couple were injured, and sent them for treatment.
…
Long before Yu Zhou entered the Tiga world, Nagano and Belial, at Yu Zhou's request, had gone to Yu Zhou's village to secretly protect the villagers.
When Yu Zhou returned from the Tiga world, things were different from before. What had once taken only an hour this time lasted several months.
Because he had forcibly chosen the world to traverse, the time discrepancy between the two worlds had changed.
Of course, this was limited to this single instance.
If every few days of travel meant several months passing in this world, Yu Zhou would not dare to travel again.
After the passage was fully stabilized, the flow of time between the Tiga world and this world returned to the same pace.
During those months, Nagano and Belial not only helped rebuild the village, but also secretly carved out a space inside a nearby hill.
Using Ultra power, they transformed the interior of the hill into a small base.
After getting acquainted with Daigo and the others, Nagano arranged for them to stay in this base.
In truth, most of the construction work had been carried out by Belial.
As a former veteran Ultra of the Land of Light, he simply knew more.
Belial was willing to help Yu Zhou and Nagano for two reasons.
First, he had once been an Ultra Warrior of the Land of Light. Though he pursued power obsessively, he was not completely devoid of conscience.
Second, Yu Zhou had promised Belial that upon his return, he would grant him greater power.
As for the power of being possessed by the Reiblood Alien, Belial wanted nothing to do with it anymore.
Or rather, he had never truly wanted that power in the first place.
Once possessed, he was no longer himself.
Belial could not accept having two souls in one body. Removing the Reiblood Alien's soul was no loss at all in his eyes.
At the very least, his true self had returned.
He was still the Belial who craved power.
Still the silver-and-white Ultra who wanted to stand out before all others.
"Belial is still too self-assured," Yu Zhou sighed.
Compared to this version of Belial, the one who had been restored in the Geed world was far better.
Because in that world, Belial had a son—Geed.
Having a child changes a person.
After everything he had experienced, having a son who acknowledged him as a father was already a tremendous blessing.
Thus, after returning to his white form, his ambition had gradually been tempered by Geed's existence.
This Belial, however, was different.
Though he had also returned to his white form, his edges were still sharp, and his obsession with power remained unchanged.
That was the difference between having a son and having none.
"Maybe one day I'll run into Riku again… and bring him to this world," Yu Zhou suddenly thought.
Perhaps learning that he had a son out of nowhere would finally change Belial?
"Still, a promise is a promise."
Since Yu Zhou had promised Belial power, he would not go back on his word.
After Belial's recovery, everything he had done in this world had been to help both this world and Yu Zhou himself.
If he wanted power, then Yu Zhou would give it to him.
But first, they needed to talk.
"Belial," Yu Zhou asked calmly, "after you obtain greater power, what do you intend to do? Is there something meaningful you wish to pursue?"
Standing before him, Belial appeared in human form—resembling Riku, but several decades older.
One could call him a middle-aged version of Riku.
"After I gain power, I will become the strongest Ultra Warrior!" Belial replied, his voice filled with excitement.
"But didn't you say you wouldn't go back?" Yu Zhou asked, puzzled.
"Well…"
Belial froze.
Indeed, after everything that had happened, returning to the Land of Light was no longer realistic. He could never reclaim his status as one of its members.
Let alone replacing Ken as the Captain of the Space Garrison—Father of Ultra.
That honour… Belial had wanted it.
But now, it seemed completely out of reach.
"Belial," Yu Zhou said, seeing him sink into thought, "I can give you the honour you desire."
"How?" Belial asked, confused. "I've already given up returning to the Land of Light."
"In this universe," Yu Zhou replied evenly, "we will establish a new Ultra Garrison—and you will serve as its commander."
The words struck Belial like thunder.
This universe?
This world?
Commander of the Ultra Garrison?
Was he serious?
"This world is currently being invaded by darkness," Yu Zhou continued. "It needs an organization like the Ultra Garrison. But to be its commander, you must learn restraint."
"You must control your emotions. Learn composure."
"You're not young anymore. It's time to become steady."
"I understand," Belial said after a pause, nodding slowly. Then he asked, "If we establish an Ultra Garrison… where will the other members come from?"
He did not reject Yu Zhou's proposal outright.
Instead, he wanted to see what Yu Zhou had planned next.