Merus froze, his eyes behind the black blindfold seemingly widening as confusion filled his heart. Vegeta, meanwhile, felt his pupils shrink, his ears perking up as he listened intently.
"This is Super Saiyan 5. And next is..." As Goku spoke, a raging fire suddenly erupted around him, red flames dancing like living creatures.
Flash!
The color of the fur on Goku's body shifted in an instant, turning a fiery red. A layer of blazing crimson covered the silver-white base, looking like burning snow. He had stacked the power of Super Saiyan God on top of Super Saiyan 5. The divine aura and immense energy merged perfectly, creating ripples of power visible to the naked eye.
Vegeta: "..."
Vegeta's face turned an unsightly shade of black, as if a bucket of ink had been splashed over him. His mouth twitched. So this is Kakarot's true power? That bastard! You've been hiding it this whole time! You kept me in the dark so well! Dammit!
I should have seen it coming... If that kid Goten can stack Super Saiyan God on top of Super Saiyan 4, then there's no reason Kakarot couldn't do the same with Super Saiyan 5. It makes perfect sense.
However, in Vegeta's mind, he had assumed Goku would stack Super Saiyan Blue on top of Super Saiyan 4. What he never expected was that Goku could even transform into Super Saiyan 5. Furthermore, what Vegeta didn't know was that Super Saiyan 4 cannot be stacked with Super Saiyan Blue, as the latter is already a Super Saiyan form built upon the foundation of Super Saiyan God. Two Super Saiyan forms cannot be layered. At this moment, divine power and raw energy were becoming one, perfectly displayed through Goku's body.
Merus: "..."
Merus' mouth twitched as if pulled by an invisible string, and the smile on his face froze. What incredible divine power and energy! It feels like it's about to set the very air on fire.
"Merus, I'm finished transforming. I'm coming at you now!" Goku settled into a fighting stance, his feet shoulder-width apart and his fists clenched tight.
"W-Wait a moment." Merus waved his hands hurriedly, his tone urgent.
Goku stopped immediately, like a robot that had been paused mid-motion. Merus reached up and ripped the black blindfold from his eyes, tossing it aside with a crisp motion. The blindfold fluttered in the wind, spinning into the sky like a black butterfly. Whis looked up at the blindfold, a faint light shimmering in his eyes.
Pop!
The blindfold vanished instantly, as if it had never existed.
"Why did you take off the blindfold?" Goku asked, scratching his head with a look of confusion.
"Well... fighting with that thing on was starting to affect my performance," Merus laughed awkwardly, rubbing his hands together as a faint flush appeared on his cheeks.
"Alright then. Can we start now?" Goku grinned, showing his pearly white teeth. He didn't press the issue.
Merus nodded solemnly. He tapped his feet lightly on the ground and lowered his center of gravity, ready for battle.
Vegeta swallowed hard, his throat bobbing. His face grew even darker, looking like it had been smeared with soot. At this moment, Vegeta truly felt like a clown—dressed in a magnificent costume, yet performing on an empty stage. And here I was, thinking I could finally settle the score with Kakarot. I never imagined the gap between us would be this vast. There's no point in even comparing us! I've completely lost to him.
Against Merus, I wasn't even a match for him while he was blindfolded. But against Kakarot, he actually had to take the blindfold off. Vegeta's heart was a whirlwind of emotions, feeling a deep sense of sorrow. We're both reincarnated—why the hell are you so much stronger than me?
The battle between Goku and Merus officially began.
Whoosh!
Goku lunged toward Merus with incredible speed, kicking up a red whirlwind. He threw a punch, the force of it whistling as it tore through the air. Merus sidestepped the blow, his body moving like a willow leaf in the wind—light and graceful. He immediately countered, his palm striking toward Goku with a sharp crack.
However, Goku was faster. With a graceful spin, his body carved a beautiful arc through the air as he delivered a kick, his toes carrying a fierce, cutting wind. The kick aimed for Merus' back from a tricky angle. But it was as if Merus had eyes in the back of his head; he flickered away with fluid grace and struck back with a palm encased in a faint white light.
Goku raised his hand to intercept Merus' attack, their palms colliding with a dull thud. Both men shared a look of mutual recognition before simultaneously leaping backward to create distance, their movements perfectly synchronized. Then, they charged at each other once more, like two meteors on a collision course.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The two engaged in a fierce exchange on the ground. The sound of their fists and feet colliding was incessant, each impact generating a powerful shockwave. After several rounds—
Goku delivered a heavy punch, his fist wrapped in red energy like a miniature sun.
Clap!
Merus raised his hand to catch it. The veins on his arm bulged, and a look of solemnity appeared on his face. The storm of energy and divine power radiated outward, sending debris tumbling across the ground. Mixed with a hint of Angelic power, the energy shimmered with a faint golden light.
CRACK!
Suddenly, a rift appeared in the sky nearby, as if split open by an invisible giant axe, revealing the swirling chaos within. Goku froze, turning his head to look at the rift with a curious gaze. Merus secretly wiped the sweat from his forehead, his heart racing. I accidentally let some Angelic power slip just now. This is bad! We've actually knocked open a space-time rift. This Mr. Goku is even stronger than I imagined.
Whis covered his face as if to hide his helplessness, then shot a stern glare at Merus. Merus laughed sheepishly and nodded to Whis in apology.
"What's that?" Goku pointed to the rift in the sky, his voice full of curiosity.
"It's nothing... likely a space-time rift that was shaken open because our combined energy was too strong," Merus replied, trying his best to remain calm.
"Ah? That's the first time I've seen something so strange." Goku scratched his head, his thick fiery-red fur swaying with the motion.
"It was because I didn't control my power well enough. I'll be more careful next time," Merus said seriously, his expression growing more solemn.
Vegeta was beyond speechless, rolling his eyes as he cursed internally. This time, he truly felt the immense gap between himself and Kakarot. I couldn't even beat a blindfolded Merus, yet Kakarot is fighting him to a fifty-fifty draw. This isn't just a small gap.
Kakarot's current transformation is basically Super Saiyan 6, and he's only fighting to a draw? Vegeta couldn't help but look toward the space-time rift, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
However, as he looked, Vegeta's pupils shrank. Within that rift, a figure that looked exactly like him appeared. This figure was radiating a deep blue flame, like a burning sea. Isn't that... me from another timeline?
Vegeta was profoundly shocked, his heart pounding. Which timeline is this? The other me... who is your opponent? Vegeta shifted his position in the air, looking from a different angle. The opponent had short, pale green hair, like fresh grass in spring. He wore a strange eyepatch over one eye, leaving only one sharp eye visible.
Who is this guy? I've never seen him before! Who is the other me fighting? And this environment... it doesn't look like Earth.
As Vegeta stared in a daze, the other Vegeta let out a cold smirk and spoke: "I'm going to eliminate you, and your entire history along with you!"
The opponent simply looked at the other Vegeta with a calm gaze, his eyes like a deep pool without a single ripple. The other Vegeta spread his hands and slammed them toward the ground, his movements carrying an aura of destruction. Instantly, the earth shook violently as if a massive earthquake had struck, and deep fissures began to spiderweb across the ground. Many boulders rose from the earth, hovering in the air around the green-haired man as if controlled by invisible hands.
Vegeta was speechless, his lip curling in disdain. The other me... are you an idiot? What kind of weird move is that? Why the hell are you making rocks float? Is that even useful? I really don't get your style.
Just as Vegeta was expressing his deep contempt for his alternate self, he noticed the rift was rapidly shrinking, the chaotic colors at the edges fading. Vegeta wasn't particularly interested in his other self and turned to leave. However, at the moment the rift shrank, it generated a powerful suction, like a massive whirlpool.
Whoosh!
Caught off guard, Vegeta's body was pulled uncontrollably toward the rift. He was sucked inside instantly.
Snap!
The space-time rift closed like a zipper being pulled shut. Vegeta vanished, leaving only the empty sky behind. Goku looked up blankly at the spot where Vegeta had disappeared, his mouth forming an 'O' shape. He couldn't help but shout: "Vegeta!"
But Vegeta could no longer hear him; he had been completely sucked into the other side of the rift.
"Hey, Vegeta!" Goku quickly expanded his senses, closing his eyes as he pushed his perception to the limit, trying to find Vegeta's Ki. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't sense Vegeta at all—it was like a stone sinking into the sea.
"Well..." Merus covered his face, feeling a wave of helplessness. Mr. Vegeta, you were way too close to that rift. Now you've been sucked away!
"Old Kai, what happened? What happened to Vegeta?" Goku instinctively turned to ask the Old Kai, his voice full of anxiety. Since Goku was closer to the Old Kai, he usually asked him first whenever something happened.
"He was likely sucked into another timeline," the Old Kai sighed helplessly, shaking his head. He then looked at Whis. "Mr. Whis, is that right?"
"Yes, that is indeed what happened," Whis nodded lightly, his tone calm as if he had expected it.
"Ah? Is he in danger?" Goku felt a massive headache coming on, clutching his hair. He didn't even care about sparring with Merus anymore.
"That depends on whether the timeline he's in is dangerous," Whis gave an ambiguous answer, his eyes showing uncertainty.
"Can he come back?" Goku asked, his voice full of worry.
"Whether he can return depends on his luck," Whis sighed softly, his gaze fixed on the spot where the rift had vanished.
What a mess! At this rate, Mr. Vegeta likely won't be able to participate in the tournament against Universe 6, will he? There are only five days left—can Vegeta even make it back? He probably won't be able to return in such a short time. Unless he can find the Supreme Kai of that timeline; perhaps through a Supreme Kai, he could return.
It's a good thing I went to find Mr. Goku. If all else fails, I'll just have both of Mr. Goku's sons participate in the tournament. With Broly and Frieza, that makes five—just the right number. Actually, we don't even need that many... with just Mr. Goku and a few others, we should be able to win easily.
Whis looked up at the spot where the space-time rift had vanished, his mind racing as his gaze grew distant.
"Um... Mr. Goku, shall we continue?" Merus asked Goku, feeling somewhere between a laugh and a cry.
"Let's keep going! We haven't settled the score yet!" Goku nodded vigorously, his gaze becoming resolute once more. "Maybe if we have a really good fight, we can knock that space-time rift open again. Then Vegeta can come back, right?"
Merus: "..."
"Even if we open another rift, it might not lead back to the same timeline," Merus replied, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness.
"That really is a headache," Goku scratched his head, his brow furrowed like a child facing a difficult problem.
Merus didn't answer.
"Forget it! As long as Vegeta is okay, that's all that matters!" Goku shook his head, as if trying to toss his worries aside.
In the next instant, Goku and Merus' gazes collided in the air, sparks flying as their fighting spirit surged once more. The two lunged at each other with lightning speed, and the sound of their fists and feet colliding rang out across the training ground.
Another timeline.
Vegeta had been forcefully sucked through the space-time rift. His body tumbled through the air several times before he managed to stabilize himself. He looked around at the unfamiliar environment with a mix of shock and confusion.
Did I really end up in another timeline? And the other me! What the hell are you doing? Are you seriously just launching rocks into the sky to hit people? Can you please stop embarrassing me?
"Hah!"
The other Vegeta let out a thunderous roar that echoed through the clouds as he launched the boulders into the air.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Suddenly, the boulders exploded with massive force. The green-haired man was instantly engulfed in the explosions, fire lighting up the sky as smoke billowed outward. Even the Vegeta from the other timeline was caught off guard by the blast from one of the nearby rocks, the shockwave sending him flying.
Vegeta tumbled backward like a leaf in a gale, crashing heavily onto the ground and kicking up a cloud of dust. His mouth hung open in pure shock. He rubbed his injured arm, feeling a searing heat from the pain, and his brow furrowed in disbelief.
I actually got injured by a rock? You've got to be kidding me. How is that even possible?
The other Vegeta immediately looked in Vegeta's direction, his deep blue eyes filled with confusion. It was as if he were looking at himself in a mirror, and he instinctively touched his own cheek. What's going on? Why is there another me here?
"I see! You lacked destructive power, so you tried to make up for it with numbers!" the green-haired man suddenly spoke, his voice cold and sharp like ice hitting jade. He appeared silently behind the other Vegeta, hovering in the air as his clothes fluttered in the wind.
The other Vegeta spun around to face the green-haired man, his spine tensing as his expression grew more solemn. The very air around them seemed to solidify.
"Then let me show you what a true gap in strength looks like," the green-haired man smirked, his tone mocking. He reached out toward the space behind the other Vegeta and made a clutching motion with his fingers.
Instantly, a massive boulder the size of a millstone burst from the ground behind the other Vegeta, whistling as it rose into the air. Its shadow completely enveloped the Saiyan Prince. The other Vegeta's expression shifted from shock to alertness, his feet carving two shallow furrows into the ground.
BOOM!
With an earth-shattering explosion, the boulder detonated in mid-air. Fire and stone sprayed outward like a fountain, the force of the blast sending the other Vegeta flying.
The green-haired man seized the opening and struck with the speed of a pale green lightning bolt. He delivered a heavy punch squarely to the other Vegeta's gut, the impact letting out a dull, sickening thud. The other Vegeta doubled over like a shrimp, his eyes bulging as a choked sound escaped his throat. He spat out a mouthful of bright red blood, the droplets carving an arc through the air as he was sent hurtling backward.
However, he quickly dug his heels into the ground, sparks flying as his boots grated against the earth. He ground to a halt, several veins bulging on his forehead like twisting earthworms.
Vegeta watched from the sidelines, his mouth forming an 'O' shape as his fingers trembled unconsciously. The other Vegeta was immediately enveloped in a deep blue aura, like a burning sea. He gathered a dazzling flame of energy in his hand and launched it at the green-haired man with a sharp, air-tearing whistle.
The green-haired man flickered like a ghost, vanishing from the spot and leaving only a faint afterimage. In an instant, he reappeared hundreds of meters in the sky, looking down at the ground with a cold gaze.
"I don't know which timeline you crawled out of, but if you're just here to watch the show, you'd better get the hell away from here! If you get yourself killed, don't say I didn't warn you!" the other Vegeta snapped at Vegeta, his voice carrying an unquestionable warning. He didn't even look back as his blue aura exploded, and he shot into the sky to pursue the green-haired man.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The other Vegeta and the green-haired man engaged in a fierce clash high in the air. The dull thuds of their fists and the roar of exploding energy intertwined into a violent symphony.
"Hey! What's his name? Who is that guy?" Vegeta finally couldn't help himself and shouted toward the sky, his voice echoing across the open field.
"Granolah!" the other Vegeta replied mid-battle, his fist colliding with Granolah's palm and sending out a ripple of energy.
Vegeta: "????"
Never heard of him! I've never heard that name before. When did such a powerful character show up in the universe?
As they fought, Granolah's pupils suddenly shrank. His sharp gaze, like that of a hunting falcon, swept down toward Vegeta, his brow furrowing slightly. Why are there two Vegetas? How strange.
"Is the other one a clone?" Granolah smirked, his tone playful. "Are you copying my techniques now?"
SSB Evolved Vegeta: "..."
You really think I'm copying you? You were the one using clones when you fought Kakarot earlier. You think I'm using a clone to fight you too? That guy isn't my clone—he just popped out of another timeline. I have no idea how he got here!
The other Vegeta didn't answer. He simply huffed and gathered his power once more, lunging at Granolah with even faster punches.
WHAM!
Granolah caught an opening and landed a heavy blow on the other Vegeta's chest, kicking him straight down from the sky.
BOOM!
The other Vegeta crashed heavily into the lake below, sending up a massive spray of water that rippled outward. Droplets of water splashed onto Vegeta's face on the shore. However, the other Vegeta soon leaped from the lake, the water being blasted off his body by his energy as he stabilized himself, his gaze still sharp.
"You useless fool! Let me handle this!" Vegeta finally couldn't take it anymore. The fury in his heart burned like a wildfire, and he was instantly enveloped in a deep blue aura. He activated his own Evolved Super Saiyan Blue, the very air around him turning a brilliant shade of blue.
Whoosh!
Vegeta turned into a streak of blue lightning and shot into the sky, throwing a punch aimed squarely at Granolah's face. Watching Vegeta charge toward him, Granolah narrowed his eyes. He didn't dodge; instead, he raised a hand and precisely caught the incoming fist, their collision letting out a sharp clap.
"So this one is the clone? This clone of yours is remarkably weak!" Granolah mocked, his lip curling in pure disdain.
Vegeta: "..."
Vegeta's pupils shrank, and a wave of shock washed over him as his arm went numb from the impact. Is this guy Granolah really this strong? My punch didn't even break through his defense? What the hell is going on?
To be continued…
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