After the violent storm finally subsided, the battlefield was left eerily quiet. The once deafening roars of power and crashing energy waves faded into the distance, replaced by the faint hiss of dispersing ki.
Rayden still stood firmly in place, his grip locked tightly on Beerus' shoulders. His breathing was heavy, his clothes were torn in several places, and his body bore countless wounds from the intense battle. Despite his injuries, his aura remained fierce—no, it was growing even stronger, like a wildfire refusing to be extinguished.
Beerus, however, was in far worse shape. The God of Destruction's once-pristine form was battered and broken. His skin was scorched from head to toe, torn in places where the relentless blasts had burned through flesh. His breathing was ragged, and his usually sharp, confident eyes had dulled under the weight of defeat.
"Cough—!"
Beerus spat out a mouthful of dark blood, his chest heaving. The divine purple aura that had always surrounded him flickered for a moment before vanishing completely, leaving him looking almost… mortal. His oppressive presence was gone.
Rayden's lips curved into a faint smirk. "Do you think… this is enough?"
Without warning, he yanked Beerus upward and hurled him into the air like a rag doll. His right hand extended, fingers gathering a razor-sharp point of condensed energy. The atmosphere rippled under its deadly pressure.
"Death Beam!"
The thin, blazing beam of energy tore through the sky, aimed straight at Beerus' helpless body. The God of Destruction had no strength left to dodge or block. His eyes widened, watching death rush toward him.
Four rapid blasts followed in quick succession. Bow! Bow! Bow! Bow! The beams pierced directly through Beerus' shoulders and legs. The cat-like deity's body twitched as blood trickled from the wounds, leaving him unable to even lift a finger.
Swish!
In a flash of light, Gotenks used Instant Transmission to appear right in front of the falling Beerus. His dragon-patterned spear materialized in his hands, gleaming dangerously. He raised it high, aiming to end Beerus with one decisive strike.
Beerus' eyes went wide with something unfamiliar—fear. He had only just been resurrected; to die again now would be an unimaginable humiliation.
"Gotenks! Forget it!" Rayden's voice cut through the air, stopping the boy cold.
"Okay! Uncle Rayden!" Gotenks withdrew his spear, though his eyes stayed fixed on Beerus with open disdain.
Rayden's mind was made up—killing Beerus now would be far too merciful. A swift death wouldn't teach him anything. No, this god would live… but with the memory of this day carved deep into his soul.
"Beerus," Rayden said coldly, "I'll let you go this time. But if you dare to cause trouble on Earth again… you won't be so lucky next time."
Beerus' mouth opened slightly, but no words came out. His pride, his energy—everything had been stripped away in this fight.
Two sharp gusts of wind swept through as Vegeta from the main timeline and Vegeta from the future approached, both of them having sensed the battle's end. They hovered nearby, eyes darting between Beerus and Rayden.
Rayden reached out, gripping Beerus by the neck. "It's settled. We're going back to Earth."
The two Vegetas exchanged glances. There was still a spark of frustration in their eyes—after all, they hadn't even had the chance to exact revenge for Bulma yet. But seeing Beerus reduced to this pitiful state was almost enough. They smirked faintly at each other, silently agreeing that Beerus' life would be far from easy from here on.
With a sharp motion, Rayden performed Instant Transmission, vanishing with Beerus in tow. Gotenks and Prime Vegeta quickly followed. Future Vegeta placed a hand on Prime Vegeta's shoulder before disappearing as well.
Tch… I have to learn Instant Transmission, Future Vegeta thought bitterly.
---
Earth – Moments Later
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Rayden, Gotenks, both Vegetas, and the broken form of Beerus reappeared before the gathered fighters on Earth. Beerus looked like a lifeless rag, dangling limply from Rayden's grasp.
With a sharp kick, Rayden sent Beerus sprawling at Whis' feet.
Whis' face was unreadable, though his eyes held a faint shadow of disappointment. Without a word, he lifted his staff, summoning a soft green light that washed over Beerus. Slowly, the god's wounds closed, his charred skin restored to its usual sleek purple. His tattered garments were replaced by fresh attire befitting the God of Destruction.
When Beerus finally stood again, the stares from those around him were like daggers. Without realizing it, he edged closer to Whis, seeking silent protection.
Whis shook his head slightly. "Now that everything has been resolved, we'll take our leave." His voice was polite, but there was a distinct edge to it. The embarrassment of watching a God of Destruction—his student—be so thoroughly defeated was not something he would soon forget.
Rayden's voice rang out one last time. "Beerus. Do you remember what I just told you?"
Beerus clenched his fists, teeth grinding, and gave a stiff nod.
Rayden flicked his hand in dismissal. "Good. You can go."
"Goodbye, everyone," Whis said, his usual cheer muted. With a wave of his staff, the two vanished into a stream of light that shot into the heavens.
The moment Beerus was gone, Gotenks split apart, reverting to Trunks and Son Goten. Future Chichi and Future Bulma rushed forward, pulling the two into tight embraces and showering them with praise.
Broly stepped up to Rayden. "They came here to find out what happened in the universe just now."
Rayden nodded. "Goku, you don't need to fear the Gods of Destruction. If he dares to set foot on Earth again, just beat him half to death. The Angels can't attack you freely, and if things get bad, come to the main timeline and find us."
The fighters from the future nodded solemnly.
Future Trunks stepped forward, eyes filled with determination. "Uncle Rayden, I'll train harder. I'll surpass the Gods of Destruction and protect everyone!"
Rayden smiled faintly. "I believe you can." He knew Trunks well enough—once he made a vow, he followed through.
---
Farewell to the Future Timeline
After more words of encouragement and gratitude, Rayden turned to Goku. "It's time to head back to the main timeline."
He bid farewell to each person from the future timeline. With a wave of his hand, a shimmering dimensional wall appeared before them. Future Chichi and Future Bulma reluctantly released their main-timeline sons.
"Goodbye, everyone!" voices called from both sides as Rayden led Broly, Paragus, Cell, Goku, Gohan, Vegeta, Piccolo, Trunks, and Goten into the portal.
---
Main Timeline – Earth's Heavenly Temple
The dimensional wall opened high above Earth, spilling the group back into their home timeline.
"Rayden! You're finally back!" Dende rushed toward them, his face alight with relief.
Rayden chuckled. "It's only been a few days, Dende. No need to act like I've been gone for years."
If he didn't know better, Rayden might have thought the young Namekian was about to lay an egg out of joy.
Gohan suddenly tilted his head, sensing something unusual. "Uncle Vegeta, do you have other relatives?"
Vegeta frowned. "Relatives?" The question confused him. Planet Vegeta was long gone, destroyed by Frieza. The only family he had left was a younger brother, Tarble, who had been exiled long ago for being too weak and unwilling to fight. Whether Tarble was even alive, Vegeta didn't know.
"That's not it," Dende interrupted quickly. "Rayden, not long after you left, Frieza and his henchman Tagoma came to Earth with a large force."
The mood shifted instantly. Everyone's expressions darkened. Frieza, once again, had decided to stir up trouble while they were away.
"Frieza didn't cause destruction himself," Dende continued. "Instead, he sent a group of unknown humans to Earth. They're at Bulma's house right now."
"Unknown humans?" Piccolo's tone was sharp.
Vegeta's face twisted in anger. Without another word, he used Instant Transmission and vanished from the Temple.
"Bulma… you'd better be safe," he muttered as he disappeared.
---
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