On the Island Arena.
Super Broly and Sarada's auras kept climbing higher and higher.
Champa watched the whole thing with growing frustration. "When are these two idiots finally going to finish?! This doesn't even look like a fight anymore!"
Just as Champa was running out of patience, Super Broly suddenly closed his eyes on the screen. Then, without warning, he let out a deafening roar.
"AAAAAAAHHHH!!!"
His shout shook the heavens and the earth. At this point, the only way to describe Super Broly was transcendent.
Meanwhile, in Universe 7's Observation Room, Beerus watched Super Broly carefully, then quietly sneaked a glance at Whis. Whis was wearing a smile he couldn't hide.
Super Broly's aura was still rising, as if he were breaking through his limits. Across from him, Sarada's attention was now completely fixed on his opponent.
"Whoa... What an incredible aura!"
As he spoke, Sarada let go of the hand that had been pressing against Super Broly. The instant he did, the overwhelming pressure blasted him backward.
"Waaahhh!!"
"Oops! I forgot we're still fighting!" Sarada tumbled wildly through the air before splashing into the sea.
When he resurfaced, Super Broly's aura was still climbing. His expression had become terrifying; veins bulged across his forehead, his facial muscles twisted tightly, and he looked like he was enduring tremendous pain.
"You're really pushing yourself that hard?" Sarada frowned.
He fired an energy blast at Super Broly, but the immense pressure surrounding him deflected it before it could even get close.
"Whew... What an overwhelming presence." Sarada couldn't help but sigh.
Enduring the crushing pressure, he slowly walked back toward Super Broly. As he got closer, he noticed something strange. Mixed into Super Broly's pale green aura was a faint trace of blue.
"W-What's that?" He stopped in his tracks, staring intently. Then, he suddenly shouted, "Hey, Super Broly! I'm done fighting! I surrender!"
Somehow, Sarada managed to say those heavy words as casually as if they were nothing.
Super Broly immediately stopped powering up. His muscles, pushed to their limits, hadn't even caught up with what had just happened, spasming painfully all over his body.
Grimacing, he clutched himself in pain. A giant question mark practically appeared over his head as he stared at Sarada in disbelief, unable to process it for a long moment.
"Y-What did you just say?"
Sarada took a couple of steps closer. "I said I surrender. I'm not fighting anymore."
...
Inside Universe 6's Observation Room, Champa reacted exactly the same way as Super Broly. He stared blankly at the screen before asking in a trembling voice, "Vados... what did that guy just say?! I didn't hear him wrong, did I?!"
Champa shot to his feet, mouth hanging open in sheer disbelief.
"Lord Champa, you heard correctly. Sarada said he surrenders..."
'Bang!'
Champa kicked the chair in front of him, sending it flying as he shouted, "That useless idiot! You moron! Sarada! What the hell are you doing?! You surrendered before the fight even started?!"
...
Back in the arena, Super Broly looked at his opponent in confusion. "Why?"
Sarada answered simply, "No particular reason. I just don't feel like fighting anymore. I'm satisfied with what you showed me just now."
Super Broly blinked, completely unable to figure him out.
Then, out of nowhere, Sarada grinned and threw an arm over his shoulder.
"Hehe. Let's stop while we're ahead. No more fighting. We've still got a tough battle coming up, so let's save our strength."
"A tough battle?" Super Broly asked, puzzled.
Sarada smiled. "You'll see soon enough. There's no clear winner between us anyway, so there's no point wasting our energy."
Super Broly frowned. "So you're saying we're not fighting each other? Then who are we fighting?"
"The fighters from the other universes, of course."
"But if we don't decide a winner between us, how can we advance to the next stage?" Super Broly asked.
"Who says we can't? The rules never said alliances aren't allowed. So from now on, we're allies. Think of it as an agreement." Sarada said it as though he were just testing the waters.
'Whoosh...!'
A swirling portal suddenly appeared.
"Hm? What's this?" Super Broly pointed at the unexpected doorway.
"Oh, looks like I guessed right. Alliances really are allowed," Sarada said, pulling Super Broly along. "If I'm right, walking through this portal lets us advance. Come on, let's go!"
With his arm still wrapped around Super Broly's shoulders, Sarada led him toward the portal.
"I'm telling you, what's coming next is going to be really interesting. The two of us will have to work together. Those guys are unbelievably strong."
Super Broly wasn't sure whether to believe him. "How do you know all that?"
"A friend told me." Sarada's expression suddenly turned serious. He didn't look like he was joking in the slightest.
Super Broly blinked, his instincts telling him Sarada was telling the truth. As for this mysterious "friend"... he really wanted to know who it was.
"Who is this friend of yours?"
"Oh, him?" Sarada replied with a smile. "You'll meet him soon enough. I'll introduce you in a minute."
With that, the two of them walked side by side into the swirling portal.
...
At the seat of the Zen'ō, two figures suddenly appeared beside the Grand Priest without any warning. They were the angels Marcarita and Cognac. The two stood motionless like statues, heads lowered and posture perfectly straight.
The Grand Priest looked at them expressionlessly. After a brief silence, he finally spoke.
"Although your actions did not directly violate the rules established by Lord Zen'ō, you were, in essence, exploiting a loophole within those rules."
He paused before continuing. "For that reason, the rules will be relaxed slightly for the other universes, so that they may compete under relatively fair conditions."
His tone grew noticeably more solemn. "Never forget that, as angels, we are meant to remain neutral. I believe the two of you understand better than anyone what the consequences of excessive interference can be."
As soon as he finished speaking, Marcarita and Cognac raised their heads at the same time and answered in unison, "Yes, Father. We understand completely."
The Grand Priest gave a slight nod in approval. "Since you understand what's at stake, return at once."
The two angels respectfully bowed to the Grand Priest. Then, with a flash, they vanished from the spot.
(End Of This Chapter)
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