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Smoke filled the hill sector.
Jiren lay at the bottom of a massive crater.
Son Goku stood atop a nearby mountain and looked down coldly at the defeated figure below.
A light breeze blew a black headband towards him.
He caught it instinctively, revealing a black robe.
The moment he saw the robe, he recognized it.
His thoughts drifted back. Before the tournament began, every member of Universe 10 had been dressed in black robes.
Then Goku suddenly remembered the most important detail.
The leader of Universe 10 was not the God of Destruction, Rumshi.
It was Zamasu.
According to Beerus, this version of Zamasu was the model worker: diligent and hardworking, and the very picture of responsibility. He had successfully inherited Gowasu's position, becoming Universe 10's official Supreme Kai.
Beerus even described him as a conscientious and devoted Kaioshin.
However, for some reason, Goku had always felt that something was amiss.
After all, they had encountered many versions of Zamasu before, and every single one of them had been obsessed with exterminating mortals.
To Goku, Zamasu was nothing more than a monster who stole bodies.
And now, he was certain.
The man before him, the one called Jiren, was not the Jiren from Universe 11.
He was from Universe 10.
Truthfully, Goku had already been suspicious.
From the very beginning, he had sensed a faint trace of God Ki coming from this 'Jiren'.
After probing him, he could confirm it. This Jiren's divine aura belonged to Zamasu.
He had fought Zamasu more than once, so there was no way he could ever mistake that feeling.
This meant that the person standing before him was Jiren, whose body had been taken over by Zamasu.
Zamasu-Jiren.
Looking towards the crater, Goku slowly spoke.
"Zamasu… I didn't expect we'd meet again."
Meanwhile, in the bright and spacious spectator chamber of Universe 7, Beerus sat calmly in his seat, a faint smile spreading across his face.
"Goku actually noticed the problem at a critical moment," he said quietly. "Looks like he really does have some brains after all."
Rubbing his chin thoughtfully, Beerus suddenly remembered something and turned towards Whis.
"Wait, Whis... If Jiren is actually Universe 10's Kaioshin, then according to the tournament rules, Supreme Kais aren't allowed to participate, are they? If he broke the rules, shouldn't he be punished?"
His sharp gaze locked onto Whis, waiting for a clear answer.
Whis's expression turned serious.
"No, Lord Beerus. Based on my observations, this individual is not the Zamasu from our timeline. In fact, the Zamasu from our timeline is sitting peacefully in the spectator stands, just like Lord Kaioshin, watching the tournament unfold."
Whis glanced towards Supreme Kai Shin as he spoke.
"So it can be inferred that this contestant is actually a counterpart of Zamasu from another universe. Although, in a sense, he could still be considered a Kaioshin, the fact that the Grand Priest has taken no action against him suggests only one thing…"
"This arrangement has been tacitly permitted by Lord Zen'ō."
Beerus's mouth twitched.
"W-What?!"
Inside Universe 10's spectator chamber, Zamasu sat calmly among the audience, just as Whis had said with a faint, knowing smile curving across his lips.
"So… I've been discovered."
At that moment, Angel Kusu glanced at him sideways.
"Zamasu, aren't you afraid that Lord Zen'ō will hold you accountable for this?"
The God of Destruction, Rumsshi, also waited silently for Zamasu's answer.
Zamasu gave Kusu a polite bow.
"My apologies, Lady Kusu. But if we want to survive, I had no choice."
"A defeated universe faces erasure. Everything we know, every world, would cease to exist."
"Lady Kusu… you must have known about what I was doing long ago, didn't you? Yet you never stopped me. That means… on some level, you support me, too. Am I wrong?"
Kusu's expression hardened.
"No. You misunderstand. I didn't stop you because angels are forbidden from interfering with the course of mortal affairs."
Zamasu merely smiled before turning towards Rumsshi.
"And what about you, Lord Rumsshi? Did Lady Kusu never mention any of this to you?"
Rumsshi remained silent.
Zamasu had done so much for Universe 10 that Rumsshi had practically become a hands-off manager.
At that moment, Gowasu finally spoke up.
"I believe Zamasu made the correct decision. This concerns the survival of Universe 10. The fighters Lord Rumsshi gathered were simply too weak. They would never have stood a chance against the other universes. If we had followed Lord Rumsshi's original plans, Universe 10 would have faced annihilation."
Gowasu's words made Kusu frown slightly.
This didn't sound like the Gowasu she knew.
She looked him up and down.
"Lord Gowasu, you understand how dangerous this is, don't you? Openly violating the rules... If Lord Zen'ō decides to punish us, our universe will be in grave danger, and your disciple would bear even heavier guilt! Since when have you become so indulgent towards him? This isn't like you at all!"
Kusu puffed out her cheeks in frustration.
But Gowasu answered firmly.
"Lady Kusu, this is a matter of the survival of Universe 10. This time, I believe Zamasu did nothing wrong."
Zamasu immediately nodded in agreement.
"Master, your judgement is correct. Besides, Lady Kusu, if Lord Zen'ō truly intended to punish me, would I still be sitting here right now?"
He raised his head, revealing a meaningful smile.
Then he turned towards the giant screen and gazed at Son Goku and Zamasu-Jiren battling in the arena.
"That's right… this is my masterpiece. That Jiren… is my partner. I admit it. There was gambling involved. I was afraid that Lord Zen'ō might punish me."
"But everything I did… I did for Universe 10!"
"Lady Kusu! Lord Rumsshi! Do you understand? I did this for our universe!"
Zamasu's expression twisted briefly with intensity, though he quickly forced himself back under control, replacing it with a relieved smile.
"But fortunately… I won the gamble."
"Lord Zen'ō did not punish me."
The muscles on Zamasu's face twitched violently as he could no longer suppress his grin.
Throwing his head back, he burst into loud laughter.
"HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! Lord Rumsshi! Lady Kusu! Just wait and see! Universe 10 will claim victory!"
"And the Super Dragon Balls… will belong to us!"
(End Of This Chapter)