Super 17 let out a mocking laugh. With his left hand, he grabbed Raditz by the long hair, while his right hand condensed a sphere of destructive energy against Raditz's chest.
BOOM~!!
With a piercing blast, the energy gathered in Super 17's right hand erupted forward, slamming directly into Raditz's chest.
Out of control, Raditz smashed through multiple Super Katchin pillars across the arena, reaching the edge of the stage in the blink of an eye...
BOOM~~!!!
The energy sphere exploded, sending blazing flames soaring into the sky.
Raditz's condition was unknown.
The battle seemed to have finally been decided.
"It's over. Next..." Super 17 confidently turned around, convinced the outcome had already been settled.
Next, he intended to head to another part of the arena, continue lying low while developing his strength, and absorb more energy to further empower himself.
But was the battle really over?
Obviously not!
"Hm?!" Just as Super 17 was about to leave, his footsteps halted.
His internal energy scanner detected an unimaginably powerful surge of energy.
Turning around, he saw Raditz standing at the edge of the arena, his aura soaring to unprecedented heights. Scarlet energy spiraled into the heavens like a blood-red tornado, while his overwhelming divine pressure visibly distorted the space of the World of Void.
Blood Qi Burst! One Hundredfold once again!!!
It was precisely because of this explosive increase in power that Raditz managed to neutralize the damage from the explosion.
However, the immense strain brought by One Hundredfold Blood Qi Burst made prolonged combat impossible.
"A quick battle! Either I break through and defeat you... or you completely defeat me!" A crimson gleam flashed through Raditz's eyes.
In the next instant, he charged out.
His speed had increased even further compared to before.
"Not good!!" Super 17 immediately sensed danger and instinctively assumed a defensive stance.
But before his guard could fully form, Raditz had already appeared in front of him.
With unstoppable force, a devastating punch smashed directly into Super 17's face.
The tremendous impact sent Super 17 flying like a kite with its string cut, crashing through more than a dozen Super Katchin pillars.
Damn it! What terrifying explosive power! Where did this guy get such strength?! Is this what a Saiyan is?! Super 17 was shaken by Raditz's overwhelming power.
The strength unleashed this time was on an entirely different level from anything Raditz had displayed earlier.
Whoosh~~!!!
A blood-red streak flashed through the air.
In an instant, Raditz appeared behind Super 17, delivering a powerful rising kick that smashed into his back.
The overwhelming impact launched Super 17 over ten thousand meters into the sky.
Raditz accelerated again, arriving directly above him ahead of time. Clasping both hands together, he brought them crashing down onto Super 17's chest.
BANG!!!!
The devastating blow landed squarely.
Super 17 plummeted straight into the arena, creating a crater over a hundred meters deep. Thick smoke spread throughout the battlefield before being blown away by a powerful gust.
At the center of the crater, Super 17's chest had been horribly deformed.
Raditz's previous attack had inflicted considerable damage upon him.
Yet strangely enough...
It had also strengthened him.
"Tch... I underestimated him. I never thought that burst of power could inflict this much damage." Struggling to his feet, Super 17 brushed away the shattered rocks covering him before looking up into the sky.
High above him, Raditz had no intention of letting him off so easily.
With both arms spread wide, divine power rapidly gathered around him.
As Raditz brought his hands together, a dark violet sphere of energy pulsed violently within his palms.
His divine power reached its absolute limit.
Countless arcs of divine lightning exploded throughout the sky, tearing open the void of the World of Void itself.
The sight once again shocked the contestants from every universe.
Another madman willing to risk everything.
If he fired an attack from that angle, more than half the arena would be blown apart.
"Aren't you supposed to be able to absorb energy? Then try absorbing this too!! Maximum Output: Ultimate Annihilation Cannon!!!"
Along with Raditz's furious roar, a violet lightning cannon carrying limitless destructive power burst from his palms, roaring forward like a colossal dragon toward Super 17.
Facing such overwhelming energy delivered right to him, Super 17's internal scanner immediately issued danger warnings.
But he paid them no heed.
As long as he could devour this energy...
His power would ascend once more.
He might even surpass his current dimension.
"Come!! Make me even stronger!!!"
Super 17 spread his arms without the slightest intention of defending himself.
Instead, he welcomed the incoming destructive energy head-on as the energy absorption device inside his body activated at maximum output.
RUMBLE~~!!!!!!!
The arena shook.
Space collapsed.
The terrifying destructive shockwave transformed into a raging hurricane that swept across the entire battlefield.
Every battle zone was forced to stop fighting as contestants searched for cover against the overwhelming shockwave.
Some of the weaker warriors even reached temporary agreements with contestants from other universes.
Joining forces, they released their energy together to form protective barriers around themselves.
Even so, despite their combined efforts, they could barely withstand the terrifying aftershock.
"HAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!"
Floating high above, Raditz desperately poured even more energy into the attack.
His output surpassed his own limits.
Only after more than ten seconds did the torrent of energy finally cease.
"Huff... Huff... Did I... kill him...?" Raditz lowered both arms, floating weakly in the air as he gasped heavily.
He couldn't help worrying about Super 17.
After all, this was the first time he had ever unleashed a finishing move of this magnitude.
If he had accidentally killed Super 17, he himself would also lose his qualification to remain in the Tournament of Power.
Raditz fixed his gaze upon the thick smoke continuously rising from below.
A confident smile appeared on his face.
But as the smoke gradually dispersed...
The scene before his eyes instantly froze him in place.
"Th-This... How is that possible?!!"
A chill ran down Raditz's spine.
Super 17...
Had not been eliminated!!!
Deep within the crater—
"Ha... Ha... Ha..."
After taking Raditz's full-powered attack head-on, Super 17's appearance had changed dramatically.
His body had become swollen with overflowing energy.
His muscles bulged grotesquely.
Drool dripped from the corner of his mouth as he gasped heavily.
At first, he had feared that his body would be unable to withstand Raditz's ultimate attack.
He had gambled with his life.
The result proved...
He had won.
"RAAAAH!!!"
With a thunderous roar, the surging energy within his body was rapidly digested.
His swollen physique gradually returned to normal.
After absorbing Raditz's ultimate technique, his strength had increased enormously.
The improvement wasn't slight—it was overwhelming.
"Hehehehe... HAHAHAHAHA!!!!"
Super 17 laughed without restraint.
The pleasure of absorbing energy and growing stronger...
It was simply intoxicating!!
Throughout his battle with Raditz, his strength had increased severalfold.
The ecstasy brought by such explosive growth made him feel invincible.
No matter who his opponent was—
Jiren of Universe 11...
Lin Chuan of Universe 7...
He now possessed complete confidence in defeating them.
As long as he absorbed enough energy...
Gods of Destruction.
Angels.
The Grand Priest.
Even Zeno himself.
Everyone would eventually be surpassed!!
Clearly, the sudden surge in strength had made Super 17 completely arrogant.
Raditz's expression darkened to the extreme.
His One Hundredfold Blood Qi Burst faded away.
His Super Saiyan Blue Third Grade: Divine Extreme flickered unstably, on the verge of disappearing at any moment.
Damn it... After so many high-intensity battles, my body has reached its limit... One Hundredfold Blood Qi Burst really can't be used recklessly... This situation is bad...
An overwhelming emptiness spread throughout his body.
Unable to maintain flight any longer, Raditz fell from the sky and landed heavily on the arena.
The severe exhaustion coursing through him prevented him from controlling his body.
Dropping to one knee, his breathing became chaotic as cold sweat poured from his forehead like rain.
Damn it... I've overdrawn myself too much...
Raditz struggled to stand.
But suddenly—
A violent gust of wind struck him from the front.
Super 17 had appeared before him in an instant.
Looking down from above, he wore a mocking grin.
"What's wrong? Is this all the so-called warrior race is capable of?"
Super 17 sneered.
Raditz had already reached the end of his strength.
Super 17 had no intention of eliminating him so quickly.
Humiliating him first...
That would be much more entertaining.
"You bastard...!!"
Forcing himself upright, Raditz dragged his exhausted body forward, throwing weak punches at Super 17.
His speed and strength had fallen off a cliff.
His attacks couldn't even touch Super 17.
And even if they did...
Those powerless fists could no longer injure him.
"It's useless. The difference between our strength is obvious."
With no effort whatsoever, Super 17 avoided Raditz's attacks before driving a punch into his abdomen.
The heavy blow sent Raditz's blood and qi into turmoil.
A mouthful of blood surged into his throat.
He nearly spat it out...
But forcibly swallowed it back down.
Super 17's torture had only just begun.
BANG!!
A single punch launched Raditz high into the sky.
It didn't end there.
Super 17 instantly accelerated again, appearing exactly where Raditz would fall.
Gathering the strength of his entire body, he unleashed a devastating roundhouse kick.
Raditz's body was sent crashing downward once again.
His body had reached its absolute limit.
Although Super Saiyan Blue Third Grade: Divine Extreme remained active, he could now wield less than one-tenth of its true power.
"Is... this really... my limit...? Don't joke with me... If Kakarot and Vegeta can do it... then so can I...!!"
Unwilling to give in, Raditz stood once more through sheer determination alone.
Seeing Raditz's incredible persistence, irritation flashed across Super 17's eyes.
"Persistent fool. You've lost all value to me. Time to eliminate you."
As he spoke, Super 17 brought both hands together.
Dark lightning crackled between his palms.
Moments later, a pitch-black sphere of energy wrapped in endless arcs of electricity appeared.
The power contained within this attack was no weaker than Raditz's ultimate technique under One Hundredfold Blood Qi Burst.
Raditz also sensed its terrifying might.
In his current condition...
There was no way he could stop it.
But as a Saiyan...
How could he retreat?
He would never simply wait for death!
The divine power that had nearly gone out flared once more.
His body, already pushed far beyond its limits, squeezed out the very last remnants of energy as he assumed the stance of his ultimate attack.
"Overestimating yourself. The battle is already over. Be eliminated! Electro Hell Bomb!"
With a loud shout, Super 17 thrust both palms forward.
The pitch-black energy sphere compressed to its limit shot straight toward Raditz.
"This is... my final... Ultimate Destruction Ray!!"
Raditz exhausted every last trace of energy within his body.
A violet beam of destruction erupted from his palms and collided with the Electro Hell Bomb.
The moment the two attacks collided...
Raditz's Ultimate Destruction Ray held out for less than a single second before collapsing completely.
The Electro Hell Bomb surged forward violently and struck Raditz directly.
BOOOOOOMMMMM~~!!!!!!!
The explosion unleashed unimaginable destruction.
Dark lightning ripped through the fabric of the World of Void.
The destructive shockwave spread like a gigantic tornado, swallowing everything in its path.
The entire arena trembled.
When the explosion finally subsided...
One corner of the arena had completely vanished.
A gigantic crater over ten thousand meters wide had been blasted into existence.
Countless arcs of lightning danced within the abyss.
And Raditz...
Had disappeared.
He was nowhere to be seen on the arena.
Nor had he appeared in the spectator stands.
Even through ki sensing...
No trace of his energy could be found.
It seemed...
He had been killed by Super 17's Electro Hell Bomb!
"So he died just like that? What a shame. I thought you'd be able to survive my Electro Hell Bomb. Looks like I overestimated you Saiyans. Still, your death wasn't meaningless. Killing you also means I've been eliminated under the tournament rules."
Super 17 spoke regretfully.
Even the high-precision scanner inside his body could no longer detect Raditz's life force.
He didn't care that he had killed Raditz.
The only thing he regretted...
Was that he could no longer remain in the arena absorbing energy without restraint.
Still...
Strengthening himself to this level was enough.
He now possessed the confidence to survive even against God of Destruction Arak.
The moment Raditz's presence vanished...
The remaining members of Universe 7 displayed different reactions.
"Raditz... was killed...?"
A blazing fury ignited within Broly's heart.
The power of the Legendary Super Saiyan exploded from within him alongside his emotions, forcing the nearby Ultimate Lifeforms to stay far away.
Broly's razor-sharp gaze locked onto Super 17.
After spending so many years alongside Raditz...
He had long regarded him as a true friend.
But now...
Raditz was dead...
Consumed by rage, Broly developed murderous intent toward Super 17.
Yet because of the tournament rules...
He could not make a move.
According to the rules, killing an opponent meant immediate elimination.
Super 17...
Had now been eliminated.