"Hah... hah... hah..."
On the future timeline's battlefield, the two Zamasus, who had been so arrogant and looked down on Broly, were now panting heavily, their chests heaving like bellows.
They stared at Broly, who was standing not far away, clearly holding back his strength and not even breathing heavily. Their eyes were filled with disbelief and a faint, imperceptible... fear!
"Is... is this some kind of cosmic joke!"
The Zamasu occupying Broly's body was so shocked his voice cracked. He felt the surging power within his body, which he still couldn't control, and his mind was starting to crack.
"This... this mortal! How can he still have so much strength left?! What... what kind of monster is he?!"
The other Zamasu's (from this timeline) expression was just as ugly.
He clenched his fists so tightly his nails nearly dug into his palms.
They were noble gods! They had thought that with their divine control and this powerful stolen body, taking care of a mere mortal insect would be child's play. Who could have imagined that two gods would hit such a hard steel plate!
Broly looked coldly at the so-called gods, who couldn't even get a word out. The savage smile that had curled his lips from the battle gradually faded, replaced by an expression of near indifference.
He slowly, deliberately, advanced toward them. The sound of his heavy breathing seemed to stomp on the hearts of the two Zamasus.
"W-Wait!"
The Zamasu in Broly's body watched Broly approach, feeling the primal, beast-like aura from him. His mental defenses finally cracked.
Zamasu took a deep breath. He could clearly feel the mad, primitive, and violent power deep within his body stirring, tempting him to completely let go.
"I can't hesitate any longer..."
He gritted his teeth, a look of resolve in his eyes.
"For the dignity of the gods! To purify this filthy world! I must... obtain even greater power!"
"Hehehe... AAH!!! HAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!"
He snapped his head up, letting out a series of maniacal laughs. The raging green aura around him, as if doused in gasoline, whooshed and exploded outward again!
Its color became deeper, almost turning a dark, inky green!
The reason in Zamasu's eyes receded like the tide, replaced by a pure, all-consuming madness!
"W-Wait! Zamasu! Get a grip!"
This timeline's Zamasu's heart skipped a beat when he saw his other self about to completely lose control.
He had seen what this body was like when it truly rampaged—that indiscriminate desire for destruction terrified even him, its ally!
In his desperation, he yanked on the Potara earring on his right ear!
A bold, even insane, idea flashed through his mind!
"I have no choice! I can't let him lose his divine reason!"
This timeline's Zamasu made a split-second decision. He tore the Potara earring from his ear and threw it with all his might toward the "self" who was about to be consumed by madness, shouting:
"Put it on! Zamasu! Do not abandon our pride and wisdom as gods! Let us become one and unleash the power that truly belongs to the gods!"
The Broly-bodied Zamasu, his gaze already scattered as he was about to devolve into a beast, froze at the words "divine wisdom."
He instinctively caught the flying earring. The cool touch seemed to grant his chaotic mind a moment of clarity.
He looked at the gleaming earring in his hand, then at his other self's cold stare. Without hesitation, he put the earring on his left ear!
Instantly, the Potara earrings on both of them lit up with a dazzling light!
"Hmph... hmph hmph... MWAHAHAHAHA!!!!!"
The Broly-bodied Zamasu, now wearing the earring, let out an even crazier laugh!
He felt the new power surging within him... and the mind of his other self. He faced the waiting Broly and proclaimed:
"Mortal! Do you feel this divine tremor?! Your strength is impressive, this god acknowledges you! But what you will face next is the power of two supreme gods fused into one! Now, kneel! Beg me devotedly, swear to be my most loyal slave, and I might consider sparing your life! Or... after we've completely crushed you, I'll remake you into a mindless puppet! Hahahaha!"
Broly still said nothing, but his calm eyes finally ignited with an even stronger battle flame.
He could feel the auras of the two opposite him undergoing a strange change, a more powerful sense of oppression gradually forming!
But Broly felt no fear. In fact, he was faintly... expectant?
Under the guidance of Whitley and Goku, he was no longer the madman who lost all reason in battle.
He also had absolute confidence that he could defeat any enemy before him, no matter what tricks they pulled!
Down below, Whitley rubbed his chin, watching the dramatic scene in the sky, and couldn't help but "tsk."
"Tsk, tsk, fusing already? If I'd known, I would've called Goku and Vegeta. We might have seen a duel between fused fighters! That would have been interesting!"
A hint of regret crossed his face, but he immediately looked back up with interest.
"But now... getting to see Broly take on a fused warrior... isn't bad either, I guess?"
Marcarita, standing beside him, snorted in disdain. She commented in her elegant, Angelic tone:
"Hah! Your thinking is a bit too optimistic. This Mr. Zamasu... or rather, these Mr. Zamasus... their current state is not good at all~"
Her staff tapped the ground lightly, her gaze piercing through the surface, straight to the essence of their fusion:
"Forcibly merging two independent individuals whose consciousnesses are already unstable, especially when one is heavily influenced by that berserk bloodline... Look. His sanity is like a candle that could be snuffed out at any moment. He can't possibly control this sudden surge in power perfectly. Right now, he has power but no control. It's just a bluff."
As if to prove Marcarita's words...
In the sky, the newly fused Zamasu's body suddenly swayed!
The expression on his face began to change rapidly, like a lantern!
One moment, it was Broly's savage, wild rage; the next, it was Zamasu's arrogant, cold condescension. The two completely different expressions flickered back and forth, looking exceptionally bizarre and twisted.
"I... I am the supreme god..." "Kill... Kill all mortals...!" "No! Must maintain divine elegance..." "Power! More power!!! Hahahaha!!!"
Conflicting thoughts and wills battled wildly in his mind, making it hard for him to even float steadily. His body trembled.
Broly stood quietly, his dark golden pupils reflecting his opponent's unstable state.
A flash of disappointment crossed his eyes. He thought he'd get a decent opponent after they fused, but it turned out to be this mess that couldn't even stand straight.
His patience was at its limit. He was done waiting. His dormant aura exploded once more! A thick green-flamed ki shot into the sky!
BOOM!!!!
With no fancy techniques, Broly's figure vanished!
When he reappeared, he was in front of Fused Zamasu! A simple, unadorned straight punch, yet imbued with terrifying power, planted itself firmly on the other's chest!
"GAAH—!"
Fused Zamasu had no time to react. He just felt an indescribable force, and his sternum seemed to groan under the pressure!
He was sent flying like a meteor, smashing through several already crumbling mountains in the distance, before finally disappearing into a massive, rising cloud of dust.
"Hm?"
Broly frowned instinctively, holding his punching pose as he stared at the dust-filled area.
He didn't believe that a fusion that had made such a grand entrance would be that fragile.
The scene fell into an eerie silence, with only the wind whistling through the ruins.
Suddenly, even that faint wind died.
The world fell silent, and a heart-pounding, oppressive feeling spread like the tide.
The dark clouds that had gathered overhead began to roil, casting a heavy darkness over the land. The air was thick with an agitation that made it hard to breathe.
KRA-BOOOOOOM!!!!
A pale bolt of lightning tore through the dark sky, its deafening thunder like a war drum heralding the end!
"Wh-What is that?!!"
Trunks, standing next to Whitley, was dumbfounded by the sudden celestial phenomenon. He pointed into the distance, his voice trembling.
From the ruins where Fused Zamasu had crashed, a figure was slowly rising into the air... It was Fused Zamasu!
But his appearance had undergone a heaven-and-earth-shattering change!
His originally wild, white-ish short hair was now a flaming scarlet!
His aura had become extremely bizarre. At times, it was as wild and violent as a volcanic eruption, filled with the desire to destroy everything.
At other times, it was as deep and peaceful as an abyss, carrying the indifference and majesty of a "god."
These two completely different auras flickered around him, making it impossible to know if he would explode or become calm the next moment.
"This guy... he managed to pull off Super Saiyan God? No! This feeling..."
Whitley frowned, carefully sensing his opponent's aura.
His expression gradually turned grave, and even held a hint of surprise.
"It's not just God Ki... there's also... that primal, wild feeling... Is that Super Saiyan 4? This guy... he actually fused the traits of Super Saiyan God and Super Saiyan 4?! How is that possible?!"
This scene left even the well-informed Whitley baffled. This Zamasu was a real piece of work, always pulling out some new trick!
A flash of astonishment also crossed Marcarita's pink eyes, but she quickly saw the truth of it, analyzing calmly:
"I don't know what you mean by 'Super Saiyan 4' and 'Super Saiyan God,' but this Mr. Zamasu's current state... is extremely peculiar and dangerous. The energy waves he's emitting now are approaching the level of an official God of Destruction!"
"God of Destruction level?!"
Whitley sucked in a sharp breath, the playful look on his face vanishing, replaced by deep worry.
He looked at Broly in the sky, who was still calm, but whose gaze was now more serious than ever. Whitley began to gather his own ki, preparing to intervene at any moment.
Even if Zamasu's state was bizarre and unstable, a God of Destruction's power level was no joke.
Broly was strong, but against an opponent of this caliber... the outcome was uncertain!
If Broly really couldn't win, he, Whitley, might have to step in personally and teach this bootleg what a genuine God of Destruction looked like!
(A trainee still counts as genuine!)
"Th-That kind of... powerful enemy..."
Dr. Hedo, hearing this, felt his legs go weak. His voice held an unconscious sob.
"Wh-Whitley-san! This Broly you brought... c-can he really handle it? We were beaten senseless by that guy before! And now he can fuse and get stronger... Th-This is just against the rules!"
Whitley took a deep breath, his gaze locked on Broly, his voice firm:
"Don't worry, Broly... is much stronger than you imagine. I believe he can solve this problem on his own. Besides..."
He paused, a sharp glint in his eyes.
"If there really is an accident, I'll step in!"
As if in response to Whitley's determination, the two in the sky finally moved again!
"HAAAA!!!!"
Broly let out a roar, his ki flaring again as he seized the initiative and attacked!
He tore through the air like a green bolt of lightning, charging at the bizarre Fused Zamasu!
"MWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!! AHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!"
Fused Zamasu returned an even more chaotic, insane laugh. His dark green aura pulsed, and he charged forward to meet Broly head-on!
BOOM!!!!!!!!
The two, like humanoid meteors, smashed into each other!
In that instant, an energy storm, even more terrifying than before, erupted from their center!
The dark clouds were instantly blown apart, leaving a giant hole in the sky. The ground below, as if plowed by an invisible hand, began to tear apart, layer by layer!
BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!
The dense sound of physical blows rained down from the sky. The two were moving at their utmost speed, leaving countless afterimages!
Trunks, Gamma 1, and Gamma 2 could no longer follow their movements, seeing only a green streak and a dark-green streak colliding, separating, colliding, and separating again!
Every clash unleashed a heart-stopping roar and shockwave!
"Too fast... I can't see them at all!"
Trunks rubbed his eyes, his face a mask of helplessness.
He thought that after all his trials and training, he had become pretty strong. But in front of a battle of this level, he was still as small as a toddler.
Suddenly, during a fierce exchange, the crazed look on Fused Zamasu's face vanished, replaced by the cold, cunning smile of the god Zamasu.
He raised his hand in a seemingly casual gesture, yet he perfectly parried Broly's heavy punch!
Broly's assault faltered, his center instantly exposed!
"Hahahaha! Got you!!!"
A cold light flashed in Fused Zamasu's eyes. His other fist, wreathed in dark, mixed energy, shot out from a tricky angle like a venomous snake, slamming into Broly's abdomen!
"Gak—!"
Caught off guard, Broly felt a sharp, domineering energy invade his body. The pain made him grunt, and his body instantly curled up like a shrimp!
He was sent flying like a cannonball, carving a long arc through the sky, before finally embedding himself deep within a distant, massive mountain, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"Hmph! Hmph hmph hmph!!!!! HAHAHAHA!!!! Did you see that?!! This is the power of a god! In my presence, you are utterly weak!"
Fused Zamasu floated in the air, looking at the heavily injured Broly, a triumphant, victorious smile on his face.
"Get ready to be my sla—... Urk... AAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!"
His taunt wasn't even finished before his triumphant look was replaced by pure agony!
He clutched his head and let out a blood-curdling scream!
The light of reason in his eyes was completely extinguished, leaving only boundless chaos and madness!
"I... I am the perfect god! I am the truth! I am... EVERYTHING!!!! KILL!!! KILL!!! KILL EVERYTHING!!!! HAHAHAHA!!!"
Fused Zamasu began to rave, flailing his arms. His aura became even more violent and unstable!
His dark green and red aura began to mix with an ominous, dark black light.
In the distance, Broly's body, embedded in the mountain, jolted, shattering the surrounding rock. He staggered to his feet, wiping a trickle of blood from his mouth.
Feeling the sharp, twisting pain in his abdomen, his dark golden eyes finally ignited with true rage!
The calm mind he had honed at Kami's Lookout was, at this moment, completely set ablaze!
An aura far more terrifying, more suffocating than before, like a slumbering beast, slowly awakened from within him!
"GRRAAAAA....!!!! HAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!"
Broly let out a primal roar that seemed to echo from ancient times! His aura exploded as if a nuclear bomb had been detonated!
The color of his ki became deeper, and the arcs of electricity crackling within it became thicker and more violent!
BOOOOM!!!!!!
A physical shockwave of energy radiated from him, instantly leveling the half-mountain he was on!
After witnessing Fused Zamasu's true power and feeling the threat, the Legendary Super Saiyan, Broly, finally stopped holding back and unleashed his true strength!
It was a legendary power capable of dimming the stars and making gods tremble. The Legendary Super Saiyan had, at this moment, formally arrived!
Meanwhile, at Lord Zeno's Palace in the past timeline.
In the depths of the solemn palace, the Grand Priest, having just finished attending to Lord Zeno, appeared silently in a side hall.
Kusu, the Angel of Universe 10, who had been waiting for a long time, quickly bowed in greeting.
Looking at his eldest daughter, whose large, bright eyes were now red and swollen, her gaze listless—clearly having cried for a long time—the Grand Priest let out an imperceptible sigh.
"Kusu."
He called, his voice calm but carrying a father's authority.
"Ah? O-Oh... Here! I... I am here, Fath—... Lord Grand Priest..."
Kusu snapped back to reality, answering in a fluster.
But when she raised her small, tear-stained face to meet her father's deep, calm eyes, her voice became smaller and smaller, thick with guilt and grief.
Seeing his eldest daughter, Kusu, appearing so weak and lost, the Grand Priest sighed inwardly again.
"Kusu, you are the first daughter I bore. As the eldest Angel, how can you lose your composure like this when faced with a setback? You..."
The Grand Priest had wanted to say, "It's just one God of Destruction who has fallen, we'll just train another, why are you like this..."
But seeing Kusu's teary-eyed expression, as if she might burst into tears again at any second, he swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue.
Forget it... She is my daughter, after all. And although that fellow Rumsshi was a bit of a rogue, he and Kusu were partners for so many eons. It's impossible for there to be no feelings.
"Forget it."
The Grand Priest waved his hand, his interest waning. His tone softened. "Kusu."
Hearing her father call her name again, Kusu quickly sniffled, trying to stand up straight. "F-Father! Please, give me your orders!"
The Grand Priest looked at Kusu, who still couldn't hide her grief.
"My original plan was for you to return to Universe 10 yourself and, using your own abilities, find and train a new, qualified God of Destruction as soon as possible."
Hearing that she would have to bear the heavy responsibility of training a new GoD alone, Kusu's heart tightened, and a look of difficulty and helplessness crossed her face.
The Grand Priest took in her reaction and changed his tune:
"...But seeing your current state, I fear you won't be able to focus on this. Very well. I will arrange this matter for you personally."
Kusu's heart instantly relaxed, as if a great weight had been lifted.
But the thought of Rumsshi still made her speak, her voice thick with sobs:
"F-Father... then... then Lord Rumsshi... is there really no way..."
"Kusu!"
This time, the Grand Priest's voice was tinged with an unquestionable severity.
Kusu jumped, instantly straightening her back, not daring to show the slightest hesitation.
"Yes! Father! Pl-Please, speak!"
The Grand Priest looked at his suddenly obedient daughter and shook his head. His tone returned to calm, but it was final:
"Kusu, you must understand. Rumsshi has fallen. This is a fact no one can change. Even if you were to beg Lord Zeno to use his supreme power to revive him, he would no longer be suitable to serve as the God of Destruction for Universe 10."
He paused, his gaze deep.
"In our divine system, the God of Destruction symbolizes the absolute apex of martial power in a universe, a vital part of maintaining balance. A God of Destruction who has fallen, regardless of the cause of death, means he is no longer indestructible. This is a fatal flaw to the authority and symbolism of a God of Destruction. A universe does not need a God of Destruction with a record of defeat. Do you understand?"
"Y-Yes... I... I understand..."
Kusu's little face instantly fell, the last spark of hope extinguished by her father's calm, cruel words.
The Grand Priest looked at his aggrieved eldest daughter and rubbed his brow, exasperated.
"Alright. No more pointless grieving. Return to Universe 10 and do your best to stabilize the situation. I will personally see to selecting and arranging for a new God of Destruction."
Kusu opened her mouth, wanting to say something more.
Like how Lord Rumsshi, before he died, seemed to mention he hoped that Whitley, the one Father thinks so highly of, would take over as the God of Destruction for Universe 10...
But seeing that her father had already turned his back, clearly unwilling to continue the topic, she swallowed the words and bowed deeply in submission.
"Yes... I will obey your command, Father. Please, take care."
As the Grand Priest's figure vanished into the depths of the side hall, Kusu slowly straightened up.
She walked with heavy steps out of the great hall, onto the vast, empty palace platform.
Beyond the platform lay the birth and death of countless universes, the magnificent spectacle of flowing galaxies. But Kusu was in no mood to admire it.
She leaned on the cold railing, looking down at the starry domain of Universe 10—now dim, having lost its two most important gods. The tears she had held back finally, shamefully, began to fall again.
"Ooh... Lord Rumsshi..."
She whimpered, her shoulders shaking with her sobs.
"I'm sorry... Your final wish... Kusu... Kusu couldn't relay it to Father... sob... Kusu... Kusu is such a useless Angel..."
...
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