Universe 11, Pride Troopers HQ.
The sky was just beginning to lighten, but Toppo, the team captain and God of Destruction in training, was already at headquarters handling various team affairs.
Just then, two figures suddenly appeared before him. One was the God of Destruction of Universe 11, Belmod, wearing his bright clown makeup, his expression one of resignation mixed with a hint of relief.
The other was this universe's Supreme Kai, standing just behind Belmod, a gentle smile on his face as he looked at Toppo.
Seeing these two deities arrive together, Toppo immediately put down his documents, stood, and bowed respectfully.
"Lord Belmod, Lord Supreme Kai, good morning to you both. How may I be of service?"
Belmod looked at the successor he had personally trained and placed such high hopes in. An even more complex expression crossed his clown-painted face.
He scratched his head, his tone hesitant:
"Toppo... ah... about that... The Lord Grand Priest has summoned you. You... you'll need to come with us."
"A summons from the Lord Grand Priest?"
Toppo's heart skipped a beat.
He had already clearly stated that he did not wish to become the official God of Destruction yet, wanting to continue honing his strength with the Pride Troopers.
Could it be that the Grand Priest... had changed his mind?
His heart was filled with doubt, but out of absolute trust in his God of Destruction and reverence for the Grand Priest, he didn't ask any further questions. He simply replied crisply:
"Yes, Lord Belmod!"
He quickly straightened his uniform and strode behind Belmod.
The Supreme Kai nodded with a smile and held out his hand, motioning for the two to place a hand on him.
"Well then, let's be off, Lord Belmod, Lord Toppo."
As soon as the Supreme Kai finished speaking, the three figures blurred and vanished completely from the Pride Troopers HQ.
...
The grand and vast Palace of Lord Zeno.
Lord Zeno, having just had his fill of playing with new toys, was sitting on his high-backed throne, swinging his short legs, enjoying the delicacies before him with an expression of pure bliss.
These were all specialties Whitley had brought from Earth, and after being meticulously prepared by the palace's head chef, their flavor had risen to another level.
After eating a piece of perfectly cooked, highest-grade Earth steak, Lord Zeno's small round eyes squinted into happy lines. His chubby cheeks were puffed out, completely immersed in the joy of his meal.
Nearby, the Grand Priest stood in attendance, his posture elegant and respectful. He had just reported to Lord Zeno about the need to appoint a new God of Destruction for Universe 10 and was awaiting Lord Zeno's opinion on the matter.
But Lord Zeno merely waved his small hand, his mouth full, and mumbled:
"Mmph... You can just decide that stuff, Grand Priest~ I totally trust you!"
The Grand Priest could only sigh inwardly.
His capricious superior had never had any interest in such trivial matters.
It seemed he would have to make the decision himself.
At that moment, a flash of light appeared in the center of the hall, and the figures of Belmod, the Universe 11 Supreme Kai, and Toppo appeared.
Upon entering the solemn hall and feeling the omnipresent divine pressure, Toppo immediately focused his mind, his eyes locking onto the transcendent figure standing beside Lord Zeno.
He dared not delay, stepping forward and kneeling on one knee, his voice loud and respectful:
"Universe 11 God of Destruction in training, Toppo, greets Lord Zeno! And Lord Grand Priest!"
Belmod and the Supreme Kai, standing to the side, also bowed.
"God of Destruction Belmod / Universe 11 Supreme Kai, greets Lord Zeno and Lord Grand Priest."
The Grand Priest shifted his gaze from Lord Zeno and nodded slightly. His authoritative voice echoed in their ears:
"There is no need for such ceremony."
After they rose, the Grand Priest's gaze fell on Toppo, and he cut straight to the chase:
"Toppo, it has been nearly a week since our last meeting. How is your progress in mastering godly energy?"
Toppo's heart tightened. He knew it would come to this!
He had previously declined the official appointment precisely because he felt his control of godly energy was severely lacking.
He answered honestly, not daring to hide anything:
"Reporting to the Lord Grand Priest... the time has been short, and I am truly dull. My control over godly energy... is still... not at the ideal level."
Hearing this, the Grand Priest turned his gaze to Belmod, his tone flat and unreadable:
"Belmod, training within the alternate dimension can accelerate one's comprehension of god ki. Did you not arrange this?"
Belmod's comical clown makeup nearly crumpled into a ball. He hurriedly explained:
"Reporting to the Lord Grand Priest, I did arrange it! Toppo did indeed enter the dimension once! But... I don't know why, his grasp of god ki... Toppo always feels it's just not enough, he still hasn't truly gotten the hang of it."
He seemed to remember something and quickly added:
"Even the Angel of Universe 11, Marcarita, offered her... opinion... after observing Toppo's training."
"Oh? And what did Marcarita say?"
The Grand Priest seemed slightly interested.
Belmod swallowed, somewhat embarrassed, as he imitated Marcarita's haughty and disgusted tone:
"She... her exact words were... 'Hmph! You old man, your control of even the most basic ki is so crude, and you have the nerve to be a God of Destruction candidate? Go master the fundamentals first!'"
After speaking, Belmod looked at the Grand Priest anxiously, afraid the high-ranking deity would be offended by the disrespectful words.
An imperceptible look of speechlessness flashed across the Grand Priest's face.
That kind of merciless criticism, with that distinct personal style...
That indeed sounds like something my high-and-mighty daughter would say.
He nodded, indicating he understood, and did not pursue the matter.
"Sigh. Kusu, you may enter."
The Grand Priest sighed lightly and turned toward the hall entrance, his voice carrying clearly.
Kusu, the Angel of Universe 10, who had been notified and was waiting outside, entered the hall with an exceptionally complex mix of emotions.
On one hand, she had heard her father had already selected a new God of Destruction for her, which brought some relief to the leaderless state of Universe 10.
On the other, she remembered her former partner, the God of Destruction Rumsshi, and his dying wish... that Whitley take his place...
She felt a strange sense of loss and regret.
It seemed she would be unable to fulfill that final wish.
As Kusu entered the hall, her gaze was first drawn to Toppo, who was kneeling on one knee.
She curiously sized up her future partner, then quickly composed herself and bowed elegantly to the Grand Priest.
"Lord Grand Priest, what are your orders?"
The Grand Priest nodded slightly. He pointed at Toppo and said to Kusu:
"Kusu, this is the new God of Destruction for Universe 10 I have selected for you. His name is Toppo. Your universe's Sacred World of the Kais has also selected a new Supreme Kai, who will take office after the ceremony. Afterward, you will take him back to Universe 10, help him acclimate, and assist him in mastering the power of a God of Destruction."
"Wh-?! Lord Grand Priest! I..."
Toppo's head snapped up, his face filled with shock and urgency.
He never thought the Grand Priest would make the appointment directly! But he had already refused...
The Grand Priest, as if seeing through his thoughts, gently raised a hand to cut him off. His tone was calm but left no room for argument:
"I know what you wish to say, Toppo. Your heart is filled with justice, and you worry your own strength is insufficient to serve as an official God of Destruction. This is a good thing. But it is precisely for this reason that you need this position to temper yourself. Kusu is an experienced... a gentle Angel. She will fully support you and guide you in controlling god ki. You need not worry."
He paused, looked at Toppo, and said finally, "Toppo, do your best."
With that, the Grand Priest gave Toppo no further chance to argue and turned back toward Lord Zeno's throne, clearly intending to look after the supreme being who was still enjoying his meal.
Belmod quickly stepped forward and clapped Toppo firmly on his broad shoulder, giving him a look that said:
The Grand Priest's decision is final. Just accept it.
He gave Kusu a friendly nod, then exchanged a glance with his Supreme Kai. The two blurred and vanished from the palace.
They had no choice. Since their universe's Angel, Marcarita, was currently running around time and space with Whitley, this kind of long-distance travel... had to be handled by the Supreme Kai.
Toppo looked at the spot where his gods had vanished, then at Kusu, who stood before him with a gentle temperament and a soft smile. He felt dazed.
He thought of his own universe's Angel, Marcarita—arrogant, sharp-tongued, and always calling people "small fry"...
It seems... my future partner... is a very gentle person?
This realization made Toppo's tense heart relax, just a little.
"Well then, Lord Toppo,"
Kusu said with a gentle smile, her voice soft.
"Shall we depart as well? As soon as we return to Universe 10, I will begin to wholeheartedly teach you about the mastery and application of god ki."
Toppo looked into Kusu's sincere and gentle eyes, and the last bit of resistance in his heart dissipated. He took a deep breath and nodded solemnly.
"...I am in your care, Ms. Kusu."
As he spoke, Kusu's staff flashed, and the two of them also vanished from Lord Zeno's Palace in a streak of light.
...
Meanwhile, in the future timeline, on that battlefield which had already endured so much devastation.
In the future sky, the battle between Broly and Fused Zamasu had entered its white-hot, final stage.
Broly, who had been fighting in his Super Saiyan form against the powered-up Fused Zamasu for a full day and night, was now at the end of his rope.
His body was covered in wounds, his golden-green aura was much dimmer than before, and his breathing had become heavy and ragged.
In contrast, Zamasu, though his mental state was still unstable—laughing one moment, roaring the next—was still wreathed in an immense and terrifying energy, a mix of scarlet and dark green.
"Hehehehehe!!!!! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!"
Zamasu spread his arms, laughing maniacally, his voice distorted and piercing:
"Do you see, insect! This is the power of a god! I! AM KAMI!! The greatest god of all time!!!! You filthy insects... urk... AAAAAAAHHHH!!!!"
Halfway through his declaration, the conflicting powers and wills in his body made him clutch his head and scream again, before his mad desire for destruction took over once more.
Down below, Whitley and the others were already used to Zamasu's "freak out every few sentences" routine.
Under the full-power clash of the two half-crazed titans in the sky, the entire continent below was in a constant state of agony.
Massive fissures spiderwebbed across the land, and nearby mountain ranges collapsed one after another from the shockwaves. The scene was apocalyptic.
"Tch!"
Whitley stood with his arms crossed, frowning at the battle.
He couldn't help but click his tongue.
"This Zamasu... even without wishing for immortality like in the original story, just this bizarre fusion is enough to keep Broly from suppressing him? That's a bit ridiculous..."
He truly didn't understand.
Based on the Dragon Ball Super plot, Broly should have had a decisive victory over Fused Zamasu.
But this Zamasu... maybe the Potara earrings and the Legendary Super Saiyan blood had some kind of bizarre chemical reaction.
He was simultaneously displaying the wildness of Super Saiyan 4 and the divinity of Super Saiyan God, and his power level had been freakishly boosted to a level approaching a God of Destruction.
It had forced even an all-out Broly into a bitter struggle.
Of course, if Whitley himself stepped in to take care of this unstable "stitched-together" monster, it would be no problem.
But seeing the desperate, all-or-nothing look in Broly's eyes, he felt he should give him a little more time.
Just as Whitley was completely focused on the great battle in the sky, the enticing aroma of black tea wafted over from his side, interrupting his thoughts.
He turned his head and couldn't help but be amazed.
Somehow, Marcarita had used her staff to conjure an exquisite set of table and chairs.
She was currently sitting leisurely, sipping a steaming cup of black tea.
That image was in complete, jarring contrast to the world-ending destruction around them!
Whitley's mouth twitched. He couldn't stop himself from speaking:
"Hey... Your timing for afternoon tea... is really something, isn't it?"
Marcarita lifted her beautiful pink eyes and shot Whitley a wary glance.
She subconsciously pulled the teacup closer to her chest and snorted.
"What are you looking at? Let me tell you, this is top-grade black tea that I had to... get... from Whis. The supply is very limited. I'm not sharing with you! Hmph!"
Whitley didn't know whether to laugh or cry at her protective gesture.
"Tell me, Ms. Marcarita, is there... a possibility...?"
"Hmm? What are you trying to say, you?"
Marcarita remained on high alert.
"That 'top-grade' tea you 'got' from Whis... is it possible he... 'borrowed' it from my house?"
Whitley pointed at the pastries on her table.
"And those snacks you're eating... my wife specially prepared those for me, and that guy Whis swiped half of them! And even that chair you're sitting on, and the table... if I'm not mistaken, those are the exact same models we bought for my estate!"
Whitley crossed his arms, his expression clearly saying, You're eating my food, drinking my drink, and using my stuff, and you still won't share?
Marcarita was stunned by his barrage.
She looked down at the fragrant tea, then at the cute pastries, then felt the soft cushion beneath her. An unnatural look flashed across her face as she stubbornly retorted:
"S-So what? Now that it's in my hands, it's mine! At... at worst..."
She hesitated for a long moment, as if making an extremely difficult decision.
Gritting her teeth, she pushed the teacup a tiny bit toward Whitley, her voice barely a whisper:
"...At worst, I'll let you have one sip! Just one!"
Whitley: "..."
He was so exasperated by this Angel's bizarre logic that he almost fainted!
While these two bickered over a cup of tea, the crazy, day-long brawl in the sky was finally about to reach its conclusion!
The traditional, time-honored Dragon Ball event—the beam struggle—was about to unfold!
"Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah!"
Broly panted heavily, blood trickling from his mouth. His body was covered in bruises, but his eyes, which were now almost entirely white, still burned with an unyielding fire!
He slammed his muscular arms together in front of his chest, and all his remaining power flowed like rivers to the sea, converging in his palms!
"GI!!! GA!!! TIC!!!! MEEETEEEOR!!!!"
He roared hoarsely, every word seeming to take all his strength!
VMMMMMM!!!!
An immensely powerful, dark-green energy ball of pure destruction rapidly formed and expanded!
Green energy crackled over its surface, emitting a terrifying hum!
Broly gritted his teeth, biting his lip so hard that blood dripped from his chin!
He locked this attack, which contained all his will and power, onto the still-unstable Zamasu!
"Hehehehehe!! I am Zamasu! I am God!!!! INSECTS!!!! YOU DAMNED INSECTS!!!!"
Zamasu was still raving. He waved his arms wildly, dark green and red energy conflicting and crackling at his fingertips. He seemed to be in utter chaos.
But just as Broly's "Gigantic Meteor" was about to fully form, his manic movements suddenly froze!
An even more bizarre, more enormous energy began to gather around him!
It was no longer just ki, but a complex amalgamation of divinity, resentment, madness, and destruction!
VMMMMMM!!!!
A blinding, pure white light suddenly erupted from Zamasu!
Behind him, a gigantic, ominous, pure-white cross of energy began to form!
The cross seemed to be made of the purest negative energy, radiating an aura of despair!
"CALAMITY!!! DESCEND!!!! MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"
Zamasu let out a final, hysterical laugh as he pushed the white "Calamity Cross" toward Broly!
"Whitley-san! They're... they're putting everything into this! Shouldn't we take cover?! The shockwave from that collision..."
Dr. Hedo looked up at the terrifying scene, which looked like two stars about to collide. His legs were shaking, and his voice was on the verge of tears.
He had no doubt that if even a tiny corner of that explosion touched them, they would all be vaporized!
Trunks, Gamma 1, and Gamma 2 also had grave expressions, and they all looked at the only person who could save them.
Whitley didn't turn. His eyes were still locked on the sky. He just glanced out of the corner of his eye at Marcarita, who was still calmly sipping her tea.
Marcarita caught his look, pouted in annoyance, and huffed. She carefully placed her half-finished tea back on the table.
"Hmph! I'm only doing this for the tea's sake, not because I want to help you!"
She grumbled, but her hands didn't slow.
She elegantly lifted her staff and tapped it lightly on the ground.
Ting!
A soft sound, as if a switch had been flicked.
A soft, yet incredibly tough, pale-white barrier of light spread out from the staff, instantly enveloping Whitley, Trunks, Dr. Hedo, Gamma 1, Gamma 2, and the entire patch of ground they stood on.
The barrier emitted a faint, holy aura, giving everyone an unshakable sense of security.
"There. The barrier is set. That's that."
Marcarita put her staff down, clapped her hands, and sat back down, picking up her tea. She said, in a mock-angry tone:
"Don't interrupt my tea time again!"
Watching her "I just did it on a whim" tsundere act, while feeling the solid barrier clearly meant to protect them, everyone's expression became a bit complicated.
They now had a much deeper understanding of this sharp-tongued, soft-hearted Angel.
A knowing smile touched Whitley's lips.
He said nothing more, just rolled his neck and wrists, his joints popping.
In the sky, Broly's "Gigantic Meteor" and Zamasu's "Calamity Cross," like two out-of-control comets, were about to collide with world-ending power!
At this last second, Whitley slowly shook his head and muttered to himself:
"The energy level is still a bit off... Broly's going to lose."
Before his words had even faded, he was already flying up toward the impending collision.
"You all stay here. Do not leave the barrier."
Whitley ordered without looking back, his voice calm but absolute:
"Marcarita, watch them. I'll handle the mad god up there."
"Whitley-san! I... I'll go with you!"
Trunks instinctively stepped forward and shouted.
He couldn't just stand by and watch Whitley face such a terrifying enemy alone.
Dr. Hedo was instantly scared out of his wits and dove, grabbing Trunks around the waist.
"Trunks-kun! Don't be rash! That's not a fight we can interfere in! Leave it to Whitley-san! He definitely has a handle on it! 2, quick! Help me hold him!"
Gamma 2 reacted instantly, grabbing Trunks from behind and dragging him back.
"Trunks-kun! Calm down! We have to trust Mr. Whitley! The Doctor is right, we'll only get in the way!"
Marcarita frowned. Seeing Trunks still struggling, she didn't hesitate. She picked up her staff and... BONK!... whacked both Trunks and Gamma 2 on the head!
"Ow!"
They both cried out, clutching their heads.
Marcarita scolded them irritably:
"What are you doing, you idiot boy? Getting in the way? Just stay down here! Honestly, if any of you go up there and get hurt, that annoying Whitley will definitely come back and mock me for not even being able to handle this! Hmph! I, Marcarita, will not suffer that embarrassment."
After getting hit and hearing her words, Trunks finally calmed down.
She's right... With my power, I'm not even cannon fodder in a fight like that. What can I do besides distract Whitley-san?
He lowered his head in shame. "S-Sorry. I was too impulsive."
Only Gamma 2, clutching the new lump on his head, looked at Marcarita with a wronged, mournful expression and muttered:
"I understand all that... but... why did you hit me, too? I was trying to stop him..."
Marcarita merely took an elegant sip of her tea, pretending not to hear.
At this moment, Whitley's figure, like a reverse meteor, had already shot toward the sky that was about to be consumed by energy.
Now, it was time to tag in!
...
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