"Ughh—! Is it my imagination? Why does it feel like it's been forever since I've sunbathed this comfortably!"
In the lush green backyard of the Briefs' estate, Bulma casually placed the glass of iced juice she had only sipped from on the small round table beside her. She then leaned back lazily on the lounge chair and stretched deeply.
The sunlight felt warm on her fair skin, instantly dispelling the chill she had brought with her from the lab.
Beside her, leaning just as lazily on another lounge chair, was Future Bulma.
She was idly flipping through a fashion magazine. Hearing Bulma's groan of utter satisfaction, she subconsciously looked up from the magazine at her younger self.
"You, you know, you dive right into the lab as soon as you get back and stay there all day, never seeing the sun."
Future Bulma's tone was partly teasing, partly the sigh of someone who's been through it all.
"A couple of days ago, in my timeline, didn't that Whitley guy discuss wanting a child with you? Shouldn't you, the 'mother,' prepare a bit? Like... taking care of your body, keeping a happy mood, that sort of thing?"
Bulma kept her eyes closed, wantonly enjoying the caress of the sun and the breeze.
Hearing Future Bulma's words, she replied almost subconsciously, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world:
"Prepare what? For that kind of thing... shouldn't Whitley be the one to take the initiative? I'll just wait."
Future Bulma let out a soft laugh, as if she had heard something amusing.
She put down the magazine, sat up a bit straighter, and looked the seemingly unconcerned Bulma up and down, making "tsk tsk" sounds.
"Just like me when I was young. So confident."
She paused, her tone turning playful.
"But, don't forget one thing. Whitley is surrounded by quite a few women now, you know~ Vados, 18, 21... none of them are simple. If I were in your position, I'd probably be in the walk-in closet right now, agonizing over which outfit is the most charming to wear tonight to keep my husband's attention locked firmly on me!"
"Hmph!"
Bulma finally opened one eye, shot Future Bulma a glance, and snorted.
She was about to say something more, but in the end, she decided to drop it, too lazy to bother.
Just as the two were chatting idly, enjoying the leisurely afternoon—
Swoosh!
A seven-colored streak of light appeared in the estate's front yard without any warning. The light faded, instantly revealing several figures within.
"Hm?"
Bulma and Future Bulma's attention was captured simultaneously, and they turned to look.
"Hubby? You're back."
Bulma recognized her husband standing at the front at a glance, and then noticed the silent, tower-like figure beside him.
"Broly-san is here too."
Broly nodded at Bulma as a greeting and then stood there, saying no more.
Bulma, knowing this was just Broly's personality, didn't mind. Her gaze was quickly drawn to the new woman standing behind Whitley.
She was a woman with an exceptionally outstanding aura!
She wore an Angel's attire, similar in style to Vados's but with more unique details.
She had beautiful, silver-pink twin-tails and a face as exquisite as a doll's, but her pink eyes held a look of seemingly unconcealed arrogance.
She just stood there, as if nothing in her surroundings was worthy of her attention.
"Let me introduce you. This is..."
Whitley pointed at Marcarita behind him, about to introduce her to the two Bulmas.
But he had barely started when Marcarita suddenly cut him off.
"Hmph!"
Marcarita snorted lightly, lifting her chin disdainfully.
"I don't need you to introduce me. I'll do it myself."
As she spoke, she took a small step forward. Facing the curious Bulma and Future Bulma, she revealed an elegant smile that befitted an Angel's etiquette.
"Greetings, you two beautiful ladies. I am the Angel of Universe 11, my name is Marcarita. You may simply call me Marcarita."
Bulma and Future Bulma quickly glanced at each other, both seeing a trace of relief in the other's eyes.
They had thought this guy Whitley had lost control of himself again and hooked up with a new member for his harem from who-knows-where.
But seeing that this Angel named Marcarita, despite her stunning beauty and extraordinary aura, didn't seem too fond of their husband—and even seemed faintly... disgusted?
This allowed the stone hanging in both women's hearts to be temporarily set down.
"Hello, hello!"
Bulma immediately put on a warm smile.
"My name is Bulma, and I'm this guy Whitley's wife. As for the one next to me... well, it's a bit complicated. You can also call her Bulma, or to tell us apart, just call her Future Bulma!"
Future Bulma also smiled and nodded at Marcarita in greeting.
After the simple pleasantries, Bulma finally had a chance to ask about business.
She looked at Whitley, her tone concerned:
"Right, Whitley, did Lord Zeno summon you for something important? It wasn't any trouble, was it?"
Whitley waved his hand, an "it was no big deal" expression on his face.
In his opinion, the things that happened at Lord Zeno's Palace really weren't a big deal.
He concisely explained what had happened: Zamasu murdering his master, taking over the body of a parallel timeline's Broly, and his own mission to arrest him.
When Bulma heard he had come back specifically to get the Time Machine and was about to leave immediately for the future, she couldn't help but frown slightly, her voice laced with worry:
"Is it really going to be okay? That guy you were talking about... he sounds very dangerous! And he stole the body of another timeline's Broly! What if... I'm just saying, what if he adapts to that body's power and becomes incredibly strong?"
"Relax, there's no 'what if'."
Whitley raised a hand, cutting off Bulma's worries, his face full of confidence.
He pointed to the silently standing Broly and said to Bulma with a smile:
"See? Didn't I bring our 'genuine' Broly along? When the time comes, we'll let Broly himself teach that bootleg a lesson! We'll let that Zamasu know that a bootleg is a bootleg. No matter how well he adapts or how similar he becomes, he'll never be a match for the original!"
Future Bulma, on the other hand, had almost blind faith in Whitley's strength.
After all, after truly becoming Whitley's woman, she had specifically gotten information from Vados about just how strong this guy Whitley was!
So, she wasn't actually that worried about the fight itself.
However...
She put down her magazine, stood up from the lounge chair, and walked to Whitley's side. She gently tugged on his sleeve and looked up at him, an unshakable worry clouding her brow:
"From what you said... that Zamasu used the Supreme Kais' exclusive ability and already went to a future timeline... Is it... is it the one... where Trunks is?"
Whitley looked at Future Bulma's azure eyes—identical to Bulma's, but now filled with dread—and his heart softened.
He didn't have the heart to say it, but under her nervous gaze, he still nodded gently.
"Yes. According to the information the Grand Priest provided, he did indeed flee to that timeline."
He saw Future Bulma's face instantly go pale. He immediately reached out and gently stroked her soft blue hair, comforting her in a firm voice:
"Relax, don't scare yourself. Trunks will be fine. That Zamasu just got his new body. No matter how great that body's potential is, he still needs time to get used to it. He can't possibly unleash its full power all at once. Besides—"
He patted his own chest and gave her a reassuring smile:
"You still have me, don't you? I promise you, I will definitely catch that troublemaker, and I will ensure that Trunks is safe and sound!"
Marcarita, standing to the side, looked at Future Bulma's worried expression. Although she didn't know who Trunks was, as a fellow woman, her arrogant heart couldn't help but feel a bit of sympathy.
She couldn't stop herself from speaking up. Though her voice still held its natural arrogance, her tone had softened considerably:
"Please rest assured. If this Mr. Whitley is no match for the criminal and gets defeated, am I not still here? I can also take action."
Whitley automatically filtered out the veiled insult toward him in her words, catching a key piece of information. He turned to Marcarita in surprise:
"Wait! You can take action? That's not right. I remember Whis once said that Angels are strictly forbidden from attacking others. That's a rule for your clan, right?"
He remembered it was during a time he was following Whis to inspect whether a certain planet still had value.
As soon as they arrived, the planet's native powerhouses attacked them indiscriminately!
They even used a final-resort move, preparing to self-destruct the planet to take them down with them!
At the time, Whis had just spread his hands and used that excuse to say he couldn't intervene.
In the end, Whitley had no choice but to imitate Beerus, firing an energy blast that plowed through half the planet to solve the problem!
Based on Whitley's own inspection, that planet's civilization, while a bit barbaric, was generally developing in a good direction and didn't need to be destroyed at all...
Could it be... that bastard Whis was lying to him back then?! Just to be lazy?!
Hearing Whitley's question, a strange expression appeared on Marcarita's face.
A moment later, a knowing smile, thick with mockery, slowly formed on her exquisite lips.
"Hoho~ So you do know the rule that we Angels cannot proactively attack within the universes."
She drew out her words, as if she'd discovered something amusing:
"Then let me ask you, we are going to a parallel timeline. By definition, that is already outside the scope of 'the universes.' So why can't I, Marcarita, take action there? You see, the rules don't apply outside, do they~ my dear Mr. Whitley~"
That final "my dear" gave Whitley goosebumps, but he finally understood.
And Future Bulma, after hearing Marcarita—an Angel of unfathomable power—personally promise that she could intervene, finally let out a true sigh of relief. Her tense body relaxed.
She looked at Marcarita and said with genuine sincerity:
"Thank you so much, Ms. Marcarita!"
"You're welcome. It's a small matter for me."
Marcarita smiled and nodded at Future Bulma, her posture still elegant.
Then she slowly turned and, with graceful steps, walked right up to Whitley.
Under Whitley's confused and baffled gaze, she stopped only when she was less than half a meter away from him!
They were practically face to face, their faces almost touching! Whitley could even clearly count her long, curved eyelashes.
Marcarita looked up at Whitley, who was much taller than her. A haughty smile played on her face, and her warm, fragrant breath almost wafted onto his.
She spoke in her unique, rhythmic voice, one word at a time:
"So, Whitley-san, listen closely, okay~ If, when we get to the future timeline, you still dare to intentionally provoke me as you did before..."
She paused deliberately, a sly and dangerous glint flashing in her pink eyes:
"I will have every reason and right to strike you down personally, okay~ The one our father sees as having such great potential, Whitley-san~"
To be honest, when Whitley heard Marcarita's seemingly threatening words, he didn't feel the slightest bit of worry or alarm.
On the contrary, because the distance was just too close, as he stared at Marcarita's exquisite face, watched her soft, moist lips open and close, and smelled that cool, alluring fragrance from her...
He was momentarily... stunned. And he even subconsciously gulped.
Bulma, standing to the side, saw this lecherous, dazed look on Whitley's face clear as day!
Instantly, a nameless fire shot straight to her head!
You've got some nerve, Whitley! Staring so blatantly at another woman right in front of me?!
She angrily stomped over to Whitley, extended two fingers, found that softest spot on his waist, pinched it hard, and twisted!
"HSSSS—!!!!!"
Caught off guard, a sharp pain shot through Whitley's waist.
He was instantly snapped out of his daze, jolted from his mesmerization by Marcarita's stunning beauty, and sucked in a sharp breath!
As the two of them had lived together longer and longer, Bulma had long since figured out all his sensitive spots.
Therefore, this pinch was fast, precise, and ruthless!
Marcarita, seeing Whitley first stare at her in a daze, and then seeing him make such a comical, pained expression under Bulma's punishment...
She was stunned for a second, then couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out laughing with a "Pfft."
And the more she laughed, the happier she got, until she was doubled over, shaking with laughter. The bit of annoyance she'd felt toward Whitley seemed to dissipate with her laughter.
This rare good mood of hers lasted all the way until they got the Time Machine and were preparing to depart.
Whitley once again patted Future Bulma's hand reassuringly, his tone firm as he promised:
"Don't worry! I promise, Trunks will be absolutely fine, won't lose a single hair!"
He then kissed both Bulma and Future Bulma goodbye.
By the time Whitley was seated in the Time Machine's pilot seat, running through the pre-flight checks, Marcarita, sitting in the co-pilot's seat, had for some reason returned to her high-and-mighty, annoyed expression.
She sat with her arms crossed, staring out the window, as if someone owed her millions.
Whitley, his head down looking for the ignition button, glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and asked casually:
"What is it now? How did I accidentally provoke you again? Making you pull this sour face... Oh, found the ignition, here it is."
Marcarita slanted a glance at Whitley. Her lips moved, seeming to hesitate, but in the end, she couldn't hold it back, her voice tinged with a petulance even she didn't realize:
"You... you and those two Ms. Bulmas... what is your relationship?"
Whitley didn't even look up. While pressing the ignition button, he replied in a matter-of-fact tone:
"A married one. You couldn't tell? Bulma is my legal wife. Future Bulma... well, she counts too, I guess. The Time Machine's engine is warming up... it's a bit loud."
Hearing this answer, Marcarita suddenly became agitated, her voice rising unconsciously:
"Your wife?! Isn't your wife supposed to be my sister Vados?! Why would it be other women?! Lord Zeno and the Grand Priest clearly..."
"Oh, you mean that."
Whitley finally finished the startup sequence, wiping a bead of sweat from his forehead with a sigh of relief.
Only then did he turn his head and calmly explain to Marcarita:
"Vados is my wife, of course. But she's not my only wife."
He even actually held up his fingers and started counting:
"Let's see... Bulma, Future Bulma, Vados, 18, and 21... Hmm, including Vados, I have a total of 5 wives. Is there a problem?"
"F... F-Five wives?!!"
Marcarita's beautiful pink eyes instantly went wide, as if she had just heard some unbelievable fairy tale!
Her body jerked backward, her face a mask of shock, contempt, and utter disbelief!
She pointed a trembling finger at Whitley, her voice unable to maintain its elegant composure, unconsciously becoming shrill:
"F-Five?! H! Pervert! Deviant! You... You stay away from me! Don't come near me!!"
As she shouted, she fumbled to unbuckle the seatbelt she had just fastened, as if Whitley were some highly toxic source of contamination.
"Hey! What are you doing?!"
Whitley was startled by her sudden, extreme reaction. Seeing her really about to unbuckle and move around, he quickly reached out to hold her down.
"Idiot! The seatbelt! Don't unbuckle it now! It's dangerous! The Time Machine is about to launch!!!"
Broly in the back seat: "..."
Amidst the chaotic struggle and Whitley's loud shouts, the Time Machine, parked in the front yard of the Briefs' estate, began to glow with an intense white light, its chassis vibrating.
SWOOSH—!
Along with an intense spatial fluctuation, the entire Time Machine instantly vanished into the sky above the estate in a streak of light.
...
The future timeline. Amidst a war-torn ruin.
"Ugh... cough cough..."
Trunks was on one knee, the longsword that had accompanied him through so many battles barely supporting his body, keeping him from collapsing completely.
He was covered in dust and blood, his blue jacket torn to shreds, his face full of exhaustion and injuries.
In front of him, the "Saiyan" with the massive body and wild blue hair—Zamasu—was floating in mid-air, letting out a wild and rampant laugh.
Energy blasts fired casually from Zamasu's hand rained down on the city ruins below. Countless, continuous explosions devoured the few humans who had been lucky enough to survive.
"Hahahaha!! Be destroyed! Wail! You filthy, ugly, cockroach-like humans!!! Be reduced to ash under this god's purification!!!"
Watching this hellish scene, hearing the desperate cries in his ears, a look of resolve flashed in Trunks's eyes.
He snapped his head up, using his last ounce of strength to madly pour his remaining ki into the sword in his hand. The blade began to glow with a faint blue light!
"You monster!!! Your opponent is me!!! I... I'm not down yet!!!!"
Trunks let out a defiant roar. He gripped the hilt of his sword with both hands and, with staggering but incredibly firm steps, charged forward!
He stared intently at the arrogant green figure in the air and, without a second thought, swung his final sword strike, imbued with all his belief and power!
CLANG—!
A crisp sound of metal breaking rang out.
Trunks's all-out strike didn't even manage to touch Zamasu's body!
Zamasu had simply, casually, extended his hand and caught the sharp tip of the blade between two fingers.
Then, under Trunks's disbelieving gaze, Zamasu squeezed slightly—
KACHA!
The longsword, a gift from Gohan, which had been with him as he grew and fought, shattered into two pieces before his very eyes like fragile glass!
The front half of the blade fell to the dust with a "clank," the entire sword instantly losing all its light.
"Hehehehe... MWAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!!!!"
Zamasu looked at Trunks's stunned, despairing expression and let out an even more maniacal, more gleeful laugh!
He spread his arms, as if to embrace this scene of despair.
"I am Zamasu!!! I am the emissary of justice!!! The god who has come to purify this universe!!! You, a lowly insect, dared to dream of defiling my perfect body with this scrap metal?! You're simply courting death!!!!"
Before his words faded, Zamasu waved his hand, and an immense force slammed heavily into Trunks's chest!
BOOM!!!!
Trunks didn't even have time to scream. He just sprayed a mouthful of blood!
His body curled up in agony as he was sent flying backward, smashing heavily into a pile of rubble, stirring up a cloud of dust. He didn't move again.
"Trunks-kun!!!"
From a distance, Gamma 2, who had just climbed out of a pile of debris, saw Trunks critically injured and shouted in panic.
"Number 1! Let's go!!! We absolutely cannot let him continue!!!"
2 roared at Gamma 1, who was equally battered beside him.
"Understood!"
1 replied concisely.
Swoosh! Swoosh!
Two figures, one red and one blue, shot out like arrows from a bow, instantly bursting forth at their top speed! They charged fearlessly toward the green demon in the sky!
The energy cannons on their arms fired at full power, attempting to disrupt Zamasu's destructive rampage!
However, the difference in power was a chasm!
In just one exchange, without even making Zamasu move, Gamma 1 and 2 were sent flying back as if they had hit an invisible wall, even faster than they had charged in!
"Uwaaaah—!!!"
Gamma 2's body spun uncontrollably like a top, flying toward the distant horizon, crashing through several dilapidated buildings along the way!
"2!!"
Gamma 1 had just stabilized himself when he saw 2 get hit. His heart tightened, and he was about to charge in for a rescue, consequences be damned.
But at that moment, Zamasu's figure silently vanished.
The next instant, he appeared abruptly in front of the moving Gamma 1, as if by teleportation, almost face-to-face!
Zamasu's eyes, filled with brutality and indifference, looked Gamma 1 up and down.
"Hm?"
He let out a slightly surprised grunt.
"I see... You... aren't human. You're... man-made scrap metal?"
Gamma 1's expression tensed. He knew his attacks likely wouldn't have much effect.
But with Trunks's life in question and 2 needing rescue, he had no choice but to engage, to buy his comrades even one more second!
"HRAAAH!!"
1 gritted his teeth, gathered all his energy into his fist, and slammed it toward Zamasu's massive body!
"Hmph! Scrap metal is scrap metal."
Zamasu felt the power surging within him like a vast ocean, and a disdainful smirk curved his lips.
He didn't even adopt a defensive stance, just letting 1's full-power blow land squarely on his own gnarled chest!
THUD!
A dull thud.
1's fist felt like it had struck an ancient planet!
Other than making a negligible sound, it couldn't even make Zamasu's body wobble!
"H-How is this possible!!"
Gamma 1 stared at the unharmed Zamasu, who hadn't even changed expression. Always the calm one, at this moment, an expression of near despair flickered uncontrollably in his eyes.
The gap... was too big! So big it made even resistance feel futile!
"Hmph hmph hmph... MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!"
Zamasu looked down at his unscathed chest, felt the almost negligible impact, and finally couldn't help but erupt in a deafening, wild laugh!
"Look!!! This is my, Zamasu's, power! This is the power of a god!!! I see! I see!!! Even if I let you ants attack me, you can't defile my perfect body in the slightest?! Hahahaha!!! This is SUPREME!!! This feeling is SUPREME!!!!"
"1! 1, can you hear me?! Retreat immediately! Retreat!!"
Just as Gamma 1 was sinking into despair, Dr. Hedo's extremely anxious voice suddenly came through his communicator.
"I've found both Trunks-kun and 2! I'm taking them to a safe point, you retreat immediately too! This enemy... this monster's power is too great! Far beyond our estimates! Our current power and tactics are completely useless against him! We need to retreat and regroup! Go, now!!!"
1 heard this and glanced at Zamasu, who was still laughing wildly, seemingly lost in his own power.
He turned without hesitation, cranked his thrusters to maximum, and shot off like a blue streak of light in Dr. Hedo's direction!
"Oh?"
Zamasu stopped laughing. Watching 1's rapidly retreating back, a cruel, playful smile appeared on his face.
"Running away? Like a frightened insect..."
He didn't chase him immediately. Instead, as if he'd found a new toy, he muttered to himself:
"Run... Just like that, run for your lives! Let fear spread in your hearts! Let despair devour your souls! And then... I will personally crush you, along with your ridiculous hope! Hahahaha! Now this is interesting!"
Zamasu suddenly flew higher into the sky, looking down on the shattered land below.
He slowly raised one hand. In his palm, a heart-stopping, destructive energy, flashing with black-green light, began to gather!
The energy expanded rapidly, emitting a terrifying vibration that warped the very space around it!
"Oh? Are you already starting to completely clean up these annoying insects?"
Suddenly, another voice sounded from behind Zamasu.
This voice was similar to his, yet carried an even deeper layer of indifference and evil.
And the person who spoke... was, shockingly, another Zamasu!
To be precise, this was the future timeline's Zamasu who had not swapped bodies!
He still retained his Supreme Kai appearance and clothes, but his eyes were filled with the same extreme hatred for mortals and desire for destruction as the Broly-version Zamasu.
At this moment, his hand was also glowing with destructive light.
The two Zamasus smiled at each other. As if they had reached a tacit understanding, they simultaneously aimed their hands at the area below.
"Hehe, be careful to control your power, Zamasu," the Broly-bodied Zamasu said with a light chuckle, his tone holding the playfulness of a cat toying with a mouse.
"We can't just let them die painlessly. For these filthy, vermin-like humans, a death without sufficient torture would be letting them off far too easily."
"Hehehe, don't worry, Zamasu."
The Supreme Kai-form Zamasu revealed a cruel smile.
"I'll control it perfectly. I'll make them feel the depths of hell in the moment just before their hope is completely shattered!"
...
Below, at the entrance to a relatively intact underground facility, Dr. Hedo clearly saw the two figures in the sky via the remaining surveillance equipment.
And he saw the terrifying energy they were gathering in their hands, which looked like it would destroy everything in the next instant!
Dr. Hedo's face instantly turned deathly pale, his forehead covered in cold sweat. His eyes filled with endless despair and helplessness.
Staring at the suffocating scene on the monitor, Dr. Hedo's lips trembled as he muttered:
"Trunks-kun... it seems... we're really... going to die here today..."
Beside him lay the weakly breathing Trunks, and Gamma 2, whose body was severely damaged, circuits exposed, finding it difficult to even twitch.
"D-Doctor!"
Gamma 2 struggled to open one eye, which was flickering with sparks. He spoke to Dr. Hedo, who had saved him, in a halting electronic voice:
"Don't... don't worry about me... R-Run... You... run..."
Swoosh!
A blue figure landed. It was Gamma 1, who had just returned.
He stood silently in front of Dr. Hedo, his own body bearing considerable combat damage.
Seeing 1 return, 2 felt no joy, only greater urgency. He used his last bit of strength to shout:
"1! Quick! Take the Doctor and... and Trunks-kun, and run! Don't worry about me!! I'm severely damaged... I'm already... Go, quick!!"
1 said nothing. He just looked at the unconscious Trunks, then at the incapacitated 2.
Abandon his comrades and flee alone? He couldn't do it!
That was not in his core programming!
"1, you go," Dr. Hedo suddenly said, his voice abnormally calm.
"Return to our base, activate that small Time Machine, and go back to the past! Go get help from Whitley-san! Only he... only he has a way to deal with this monster! You know where the Time Machine is hidden, you know the password... Go! Now!!!"
He practically roared the last two words.
But 1 turned a deaf ear to Dr. Hedo's words, as if he hadn't received any order.
He silently took a step forward, shielding Dr. Hedo, Trunks, and 2 with his own body.
He struggled to raise his arms, unleashing all his remaining energy without reservation, and materialized a shimmering green protective shield in front of them—one that already looked unstable.
He had shown his choice through his actions—
He would rather perish with his comrades than flee alone!
"GO!!! 1!!! THAT'S AN ORDER!!!"
Dr. Hedo looked at 1's resolute back and screamed in despair, tears finally streaming uncontrollably.
And at that very moment—
High in the sky, the two terrifying energies, brewed to their peak in the two Zamasus' hands, finally merged into one!
A black-green pillar of destruction, wide enough to cover half the city, descended like a spear of judgment cast by a god, carrying the power to annihilate everything as it hurtled toward their hiding place!!!
VMMMMMM—!!!!!!!!!!!
An ear-piercing hum of energy tore the air!
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!
The world-ending blow had landed!
Endless light engulfed the entire land like a tsunami, the intense glare instantly robbing everyone of their vision!
Dr. Hedo only saw an incandescent white, and then nothing!
His ears were filled only with the roar of rampaging energy and the thunder of the earth collapsing.
'Is it... over...'
Dr. Hedo's heart went cold. He despairingly closed his unseeing eyes, silently waiting for death to claim him.
But...
The tearing, agonizing pain he expected never came.
A second seemed to pass, or perhaps an eternity.
He was shocked to find that he... seemed to be... okay?
Other than his eyes stinging from the bright light, leaving him temporarily blind, and his ears ringing from the shockwave, his body seemed... completely unharmed?
Not only that, but even the deafening explosions and the roar of energy... seemed to have just... stopped?
The surroundings fell into an eerie, unsettling silence.
Is... is this an illusion?
Or am I already dead and in the afterlife?
Just as Dr. Hedo was lost in confusion,
"Number 1."
A calm, somewhat familiar male voice suddenly spoke from the silence not far from him.
That voice... was...?!
Dr. Hedo jolted!
He tried desperately to open his eyes, but his vision was still a blur of light and shadow.
When the afterimage of the destructive light finally began to fade, and the turbulent energy in the air gradually subsided, Dr. Hedo, enduring the stinging in his eyes and the tears that flowed, managed to blurrily force his eyes open.
He rubbed his eyes hard with his sleeve, wiping away the tears obscuring his vision, and tried to focus.
And then... he saw it.
Right in front of them, the pillar of light that should have completely annihilated them was now... frozen in mid-air, as if it had hit an invisible wall!
No, to be more precise... it was being nonchalantly... held... by a single hand covered in a golden aura?!
And the owner of that hand...
His jaw dropped, and a cry, thick with violent tremors and sobs, tore from his throat, as if to pour out all his emotions:
"Wha... WHITLEY-SAN!!!"
...
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