The day after Jinbe departed with Hachi and the surviving fishmen, the time had come for the Bamboo Staff to bid farewell to Cocoyasi Village. They'd lingered far longer than originally planned, but the peaceful interlude had done everyone good—especially their recovering guests.
"Take care of yourselves," Bell-mère said warmly, embracing each crew member in turn. "And don't be strangers—you'll always be welcome here."
"We'll miss you, Brother Gustave, Brother Po, and Tom!" Nami called out, though her sadness was somewhat mitigated by the massive crates of premium oranges Po was loading aboard their ship. The ongoing business arrangement between the Bamboo Staff and Bell-mère's orchard would ensure regular visits, much to everyone's satisfaction.
As they prepared to cast off, Gustave noticed an interesting coincidence—both Daigo and Chu Zihang had recovered from their respective injuries at almost exactly the same time. Perhaps shared adversity created some kind of synchronicity.
The Bamboo Staff now sailed without fixed destination, its white sails catching whatever wind the sea provided. When the breeze filled their canvas, they moved forward with purpose; when it died, they drifted peacefully, content to let the ocean dictate their pace. Gustave felt no urgency—after years of relentless schedule-keeping, this aimless wandering was a luxury worth savoring.
It was during one such peaceful afternoon that Daigo approached him on deck.
"Gustave, my injuries have completely healed," the GUTS member said, his tone carrying the weight of impending farewell. "It's time for me to return home."
Over the past weeks, the formality between them had gradually dissolved into genuine friendship. Daigo had integrated surprisingly well into their eclectic crew, even developing an amusing rapport with Shin-chan and Kazama during their frequent visits.
Gustave still chuckled remembering their first encounter between the boy and the dark warrior:
"Uncle Gustave, you're here!" Shin-chan had bounded onto the deck with his usual energy, immediately spotting Gustave lounging in a sunny spot.
"Hello there, beautiful big sister!" The five-year-old had zeroed in on Camearra with his trademark lack of subtlety.
At the time, Camearra had been quietly observing Daigo and Chu Zihang's chess match, having traded her dramatic black robes for more contemporary attire that made her look like any other attractive urban woman. The transformation was remarkable—gone were the intimidating regalia and crown-like ornaments, replaced by simple clothing that somehow made her appear more approachable.
"My lovely lady, might I ask—" Shin-chan had begun his practiced routine, but the words died in his throat when their eyes met.
"Gah!" The normally fearless boy had scrambled backward seven or eight steps, his face pale with genuine terror.
"She's even scarier than mom!" he'd whispered, pressing a hand to his racing heart. In all his adventures, few things had ever intimidated Shin-chan quite so thoroughly.
Camearra had simply glanced at him with mild irritation before returning her attention to Daigo, apparently finding the child beneath her notice.
"Camearra, I think you frightened him," Daigo had said with a helpless smile.
"Oh," she'd replied with complete indifference, as if terrorizing kindergarteners was merely a natural side effect of her presence.
Daigo had learned to navigate her moods with surprising skill. Among the entire Bamboo Staff crew, only he and the Moral Lord received anything approaching warmth from her. Everyone else was treated with icy politeness at best.
The memory had been punctuated by Shin-chan creeping back to the stairs, making exaggerated scary faces at Camearra when he thought she wasn't looking, then bolting upstairs with delighted giggles. Even cosmic entities, it seemed, weren't immune to playground politics.
Now, as Daigo prepared for departure, Gustave felt genuine regret at losing such pleasant company.
"Of course," Gustave replied. "Your duties must be calling. Will Camearra be accompanying you?"
The question hung in the air with obvious complexity. Camearra's origins in the sealed ruins of Luluye meant she technically had no place in the modern world, while her immense power made her a walking catastrophe waiting to happen.
"I... think so," Daigo said uncertainly. "I can't just leave her here, and she seems determined to stay with me."
When the time came for actual departure, Daigo made his way to the third floor where the Gate of All Worlds awaited. Camearra followed silently, but her usual composed expression carried hints of underlying anxiety.
Standing before the dimensional portal, Daigo found himself paralyzed by practical concerns. How could he possibly integrate someone like Camearra into modern society? She had no legal identity, no understanding of contemporary customs, and enough raw power to level city blocks if sufficiently provoked.
He turned to establish some ground rules, only to find unexpected vulnerability in her expression.
"Camearra, what's wrong?" he asked gently.
"Nothing," she replied, but the slight tremor in her voice betrayed her fear. For someone who'd been imprisoned for thirty million years, the prospect of freedom must feel almost too precious to believe.
Seeing that fragility, Daigo abandoned his planned lecture about restraint and proper behavior. Instead, he simply sighed and activated the Gate.
"Let's go together."
As the portal shimmered to life, Camearra's hand shot out to grasp his with desperate intensity.
"Daigo," she whispered, her voice carrying the weight of eons, "please don't leave me behind."
In that moment, she looked nothing like the terrifying warrior who'd nearly beaten him to death in space. Instead, she resembled an abandoned kitten, terrified of being cast aside once again. It was perhaps the first time he'd seen her display genuine feminine vulnerability.
Daigo's feelings toward her remained frustratingly complex. Did he hate her? Impossible—despite their violent first encounter, he found himself unable to harbor genuine resentment. Did he love her? That was harder to answer. The mysterious memory fragments suggested a connection that transcended their current incarnation, a bond that felt both ancient and inevitable.
Rather than attempt to parse such complicated emotions, he simply squeezed her hand reassuringly.
"Let's go," he said, pulling her gently through the dimensional doorway.
The familiar sensation of interdimensional transit gave way to harsh fluorescent lighting and the antiseptic smell of public restrooms. They'd emerged exactly where Daigo had first discovered the Gate—in a shopping mall bathroom stall, of all undignified places.
The irony wasn't lost on him. He'd been browsing electronics when the mysterious door had manifested in his consciousness, curiosity driving him to seek privacy before experimenting with the strange phenomenon. Now he was returning with a thirty-million-year-old cosmic entity in tow, facing the challenge of explaining her presence to modern society.
Camearra looked around in wonder, hardly daring to believe she'd avoided returning to Luluye's sealed darkness. The simple fact of standing beside Daigo in the fluorescent-lit bathroom felt like a miracle beyond her wildest hopes.
"Daigo!" Her joy overwhelmed restraint as she threw her arms around him, holding on as if he might vanish at any moment.
"Camearra, please—I can't breathe," he gasped, her superhuman strength making the embrace uncomfortably tight.
"Young people these days have no shame!"
The disgusted voice made them both freeze. An elderly man stood in the bathroom doorway, shaking his head with obvious disapproval before shuffling away with muttered complaints about declining moral standards.
"Wait! It's not what you think!" Daigo called after him desperately, but Camearra's grip prevented any pursuit. The misunderstanding would undoubtedly spread through the mall within hours.
"Camearra, we need to leave—this is the men's restroom," he explained with burning cheeks.
Her face flushed crimson as the impropriety struck home. She released him immediately, stepping back with uncharacteristic bashfulness.
After confirming the coast was clear, Daigo carefully escorted her from the bathroom, his mind already racing through the logistical nightmare ahead. Camearra had no money, no identification, and no legal existence in this world. Leaving her to navigate modern society alone would be disastrous for everyone involved.
"Camearra," he said seriously, taking her shoulders and meeting her eyes, "I need you to promise me something. No matter what happens, you won't lose your temper or hurt innocent people. Can you do that?"
She nodded solemnly. "I understand. I won't cause problems for you."
The sincerity in her voice suggested she'd been contemplating this exact challenge during their time aboard the Bamboo Staff. Whatever second chance she'd been given, she was determined not to waste it.
"Good. I'm going to take you to my old apartment—somewhere you can stay while I figure out your legal status. But you'll need to keep a low profile until then, all right?"
Another nod, this one carrying the weight of sacred vows.
Daigo pulled out his phone and dialed his former landlord, explaining he needed temporary accommodation. Luck was with them—his old student apartment remained vacant. Within an hour, they were standing before a modest door in a quiet residential building, about to begin the delicate process of integrating a cosmic entity into mundane human society.
As he turned the key, Daigo couldn't help wondering if this was how Ultraman Tiga himself had once felt—caught between two worlds, responsible for powers beyond ordinary comprehension, and somehow tasked with protecting both the people he loved and the civilization they called home.
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