"Aren't you afraid the Grand Priest will hold you accountable?" Bados demanded.
"This is exactly what the Grand Priest wants." Quitela let out two sly, ugly chuckles. "Beerus gets punished, and your ship just so happens to pass through my universe. Isn't that proof enough?"
Levos and the others' expressions shifted.
If Quitela's interpretation was true if this really had the Grand Priest's tacit approval then things were about to get extremely messy.
"I think you've misunderstood the Grand Priest's intent," Bados said. "I believe it's merely a coincidence. Or…"
She paused slightly, her eyes sweeping the entire gathering.
"Or the Grand Priest needs a reason… to punish you."
The gods froze, exchanging uneasy looks.
"Hahahaha!" Quitela burst into wild laughter. "To cover for them, you weave such a clumsy lie. And you expect us to believe it?"
"And besides, don't you know the rule of 'the law doesn't punish the masses'? With this many universes, no one can do without management from the Grand Priest."
Belmod bared his teeth in a grin. "Remember your place, Bados. Don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong. Angels are nothing more than servants to the Gods of Destruction."
"Oh my." Bados smiled sweetly. "It seems Marcarita's discipline hasn't been strict enough with you."
"You !" Belmod's face darkened, anger in his voice. "Hmph! You're a crippled angel. I won't bother arguing with you."
"Chi-chi-chi, Bados." Quitela sneered. "Being sharp-tongued won't change the situation."
"There's no need to waste words with her," Supreme Kai Roh urged. "Just eliminate the problem!"
That reminder lit a fuse. The energy gathering in the Gods of Destruction's palms swelled even further.
Levos exchanged a glance with everyone behind him.
"If they want our lives, then there's no reason left to retreat."
He stepped out of the cube ship first. The others moved to follow.
But Levos raised a hand and blocked them, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"Puar comes with me. Everyone else stays inside."
"Why?" someone protested. "We're strong too."
"This is exactly when we should fight side by side."
"No." Levos rejected them outright. "You can't contribute in this fight."
The group looked frustrated, but no one insisted further.
Piccolo, however, spoke seriously. "Levos. You can have Cell Max absorb me. It's the only thing I can do."
"That's right." Others echoed. "Absorb us. Even if it's just a little more power, it's still something."
"And as long as you remember our agreement," Frieza drawled, "I wouldn't mind if you did it."
"No need." Levos chuckled and shook his head, then added quietly, "All of you stay safe. Lady Bados, you too."
With that, Levos and Puar stepped off the ship.
Cell Max and the four little Cells followed behind them.
"Alright." Levos looked up, calm as ever. "I'm out. Who wants to fight me first?"
"Fight you?" The gods scoffed. "You, a mortal, think you're qualified?"
"So the lofty gods refuse a challenge from a mere mortal?" Levos lifted an eyebrow.
"No matter how you provoke us, we won't waste precious time on you!"
"Aren't mortals supposed to be something you can erase with a snap of your fingers?" Levos laughed under his breath. "Or is it that even gods tremble… when faced with human strength?"
The moment he finished speaking, Levos erupted.
Boom!
A column of green aura roared straight into the heavens.
For the first time, Levos used that special transformation unique to the new Broly.
His frame swelled violently. Slabs of muscle rose like armor. His hair shifted into a vivid, emerald green.
"Green again?" Sidra's eye twitched.
"He hid this in the tournament?!" someone snarled.
"But his ki lacks the madness Puar and Kale had," another assessed. "And his power won't explode upward the longer he stays transformed."
"Exactly. The only one worth taking seriously is Puar."
"Chi-chi-chi! Raw power alone means nothing. What matters is skill and experience and that Puar fellow has neither!"
"He's bluffing. He's cornered!"
"Levos, was it?" Belmod spoke with arrogant ease. "Your strength surprises me. But standing before you is a God of Destruction the peak of the universe. Have the one beside you transform too. Then this might be slightly interesting."
Puar was about to transform, but Levos pressed a hand to her shoulder.
"Puar. Just become a weapon."
"Mm!" Puar nodded fiercely.
With a soft pop, she turned into a gigantic battle axe.
Levos gripped the axe, his eyes narrowing slightly. "So who's first?"
"If we refuse a mortal's challenge, it'll sound bad when word gets out." Belmod descended in front of him. "I'll play with you. Though this fight is destined to be boring."
"Boring?" Levos blinked. "Then why don't you suggest a more interesting way to play?"
"Oh?" Belmod lifted his head, gazing up at the sky. The corners of his mouth slowly curled. "Fine. Then I won't hold back."
"We take turns," he said, voice smooth and cold. "Each of us endures one attack from the other until one side dies. How about it?"
Then he continued, almost kindly, "You can guess why. It saves time, and it prevents you from running."
"My suggestion is simple. Neither side holds back. Use your strongest power and end it quickly."
The proposal delighted the gods. They wanted nothing more than to display divine might before mortals then crush this eyesore with thunderous finality.
Levos hesitated, his expression troubled.
"By that rule… whoever attacks first becomes a key factor in deciding the outcome."
"You go first." Belmod's eyes were full of contempt. "A God of Destruction doesn't lose to mortals."
He gave Levos a mocking smile. "Don't hold back. This is the last time you'll ever have a chance to go all out."
"Alright." Levos agreed without hesitation.
Then he spoke to the axe in his hand. "Activate Super Saiyan power, Puar!"
Crack-crack-crack!
Bzzzt bzzzt bzzzt!
The axe ballooned in size. Space around it shuddered violently, and chains of lightning laced the air like a net.
The battle axe, wreathed in dense green flames that looked almost solid, poured out an endless, annihilating aura.
"Young Master Levos," Puar's voice rang from the weapon, fierce and unwavering, "I'll burn every last bit of my power!"
Boom!
Centered on the axe, the unleashed force nearly tore the entire planet into powder.
The Supreme Kais couldn't withstand the raging turbulence and retreated far out into open space.
The Gods of Destruction, after a brief appreciation of Puar's power, only wore even more amused smiles.
"If the wielder is weaker than the weapon," they mocked, "how much power can he really bring out?"
Belmod didn't take it seriously at all. "That axe is too big for you," he said lightly. "You can't handle it."
Levos wore a faint smile. "This? We're not even close yet. I haven't shown you everything."
As he spoke, he directed Cell Max behind him. Cell Max shifted into a mechanical form and began to approach Levos' main body, step by deliberate step.
"Hm? Right so that separated body is yours too." Belmod's tone stayed casual. "Doesn't look like much."
Even as he spoke, Belmod still raised his guard taking a defensive stance at last.
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