"Daigo, why are you asking about Tiga?" Rena tilted her head, looking at him curiously.
"It's nothing." Daigo's gaze followed the retreating Tiga, his expression gradually settling into calm. "I just wanted to confirm… whether Tiga has existed since ancient times."
But in truth, his heart whispered another question: since that monster had been born from someone's dream, could this Tiga have been the same?
After all, only he possessed the Sparklence. Only he should be able to transform into Tiga.
With no clear answer, Daigo returned to the base and went to consult Yu Zhou.
Listening quietly, Yu Zhou's expression remained calm.
"Since you already know that monster was born from someone else's dream, then you shouldn't need to ask me about Tiga."
Daigo blinked. He hadn't expected Yu Zhou to answer so plainly.
"So… it really was the same thing."
Relief washed over him. If that Tiga, like the monsters, was just a dream construct, then there was no need for further concern.
The next morning, Noris reported in at the base. He patched into the video feed of astronauts Kiyoshi Qian and Hitoshi Shirozaki, who were on their way back to Earth.
These two were among the first pioneers of space exploration in this world, though compared to other civilisations, their technology was far behind—they hadn't even left the Milky Way yet.
Today marked their return.
On the big screen, the two men in their red-and-white uniforms appeared, smiling broadly. Shinjo burst into hearty laughter.
"You two! Still the same as ever!"
Shinjo was especially overjoyed—Qian and Shirozaki had once trained alongside him. Since their departure, they'd had little contact. Now, at last, they were home.
Yu Zhou, however, frowned at the sight of them. He pulled Daigo aside.
"Eh? Yu Zhou, what's the rush?" Daigo asked, confused.
"Daigo, we don't have much time." Yu Zhou's face turned solemn. "In a few moments, their spaceship will be invaded by aliens called the Irudo. You must leave immediately, or it'll be too late."
Yu Zhou remembered well the original events: the Irudo had boarded the ship to test whether humans could be assimilated into their hive, turning Qian and Shirozaki into experiments.
"What?!"
Daigo trusted Yu Zhou without hesitation. He immediately drew out the Sparklence, transforming into Tiga and shifting into Sky Type before soaring into space.
Yu Zhou returned calmly to the control hall. Rena, noticing Daigo was missing, turned to him.
"Yu Zhou, where did Daigo go?"
"Oh, Daigo said his stomach wasn't feeling well. He went to the restroom." Yu Zhou offered smoothly.
Rena blinked, then nodded. "Oh, I see."
On the screen, Shinjo and his two comrades were joyfully singing, celebrating the homecoming.
But then—a long tendril slithered into view, striking toward Shirozaki's back. Shinjo shouted from the control hall:
"Behind you!"
At that instant, a blue energy blade sliced through the tendril, severing it.
The Irudo revealed themselves, grotesque and menacing. Standing protectively in front of the astronauts… was Tiga, now in human-sized form.
Yu Zhou nodded in approval. Right on time.
"Aliens… and Tiga?!" Qian and Shirozaki were stunned, though they had heard of Tiga's existence from Earth transmissions during their voyage.
In the command centre, Shinjo exhaled in relief.
Captain Megumi turned sharply to Yu Zhou. "Consultant, do we have any information on this alien?"
Yu Zhou nodded. "They're called the Irudo—a parasitic species. They assimilate humans through brainwashing, erasing personal memories and fusing them into the Irudo's collective mind. In that state, humans feel no fear or sorrow… but they're nothing more than puppets."
"Understood. Victory Team, mobilise!" Megumi ordered.
But on screen, Tiga had already acted. With ease, he struck down the Irudo invader.
"Daigo—check their ship! The Irudo's collective brain should be nearby," Yu Zhou called toward the screen.
Tiga nodded, blasting off into the void.
Before long, he located a cylindrical spacecraft drifting nearby. He gathered energy and unleashed his Zeperion Beam.
The vessel erupted in a silent inferno, fragments scattering into the endless dark.
"Captain, I don't think we'll need to sortie after all…" Horii muttered, watching the display.
Megumi allowed herself a small nod. "Seems so."
The Irudo were not powerful foes. In the original events, even armed humans could handle them when they landed on Earth. For Tiga, the fight was almost trivial.
And by destroying the hive ship before they could merge into their giant form, Tiga eliminated the threat at its root.
The astronauts Qian and Shirozaki safely returned to Earth, and Daigo quietly slipped back into the control room as if nothing had happened.
That evening, after work, Daigo found Yu Zhou.
"How did you know the Irudo were coming? Don't tell me… you can see the future, like Kirino did?"
Yu Zhou smiled faintly. "No. I don't have any superpowers. As for how I knew… let's just call it a secret. Someday, I'll tell you."
Daigo paused, then nodded. Everyone had their own secrets. He couldn't push Yu Zhou for his.
Once Daigo left, Yu Zhou reclined on his bed and pulled up the Tiga episodes on his phone.
"Episode 41: The Irudo. Next is the Game City incident with Faybus… and after that, the subterranean shark, Geozark."
He stopped scrolling.
Geozark—a bio-engineered subterranean shark monster, created by none other than Keigo Masaki.
In the original story, Masaki used Geozark to locate the ancient ruins and the petrified Giants of Light. Releasing the monster had been his way to test Tiga's strength—and confirm Daigo as his human host.
After Tiga defeated the creature, Masaki stole the Sparklence. But corrupted by his own heart, he transformed into an evil Giant of Darkness.
Yu Zhou muttered to himself, "A man with the genetic light factor… able to build a particle converter by himself. Dangerous, but brilliant."
Masaki was detestable, yes, but in the end, he had tried with all his might to help Tiga rise again.
"Should I warn Daigo about this?" Yu Zhou wondered. Then shook his head.
No—he wouldn't spoil the flow of events. When Daigo lost the Sparklence, Yu Zhou could find a way to help him recover.
And so, with the Game City incident resolved under his quiet guidance, Yu Zhou waited.
It wasn't long before news broke: on the road to Kumamoto City, the subterranean shark monster Geozark had appeared.