Ultra Ego Vegeta wasted no more words and charged at Granolah. His speed was like a phantom as he delivered a heavy kick to the remains of Granolah's protective barrier.
CRACK!
The remaining barrier shattered completely. Ultra Ego Vegeta's foot followed through, slamming into Granolah's face with a clear sound of bone cracking. Granolah's body flew backward like a broken kite, smashing through several ruined walls before collapsing heavily into the rubble, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Ultra Ego Vegeta rushed over immediately, his violet-red figure weaving through the ruins, giving his opponent no chance to breathe. The observing Vegeta followed to watch the spectacle, arms crossed, his eyes full of scrutiny as he silently observed the other self's fighting style.
"Dammit! I haven't even defeated Frieza yet, how could I lose to you?" Granolah crawled out of the ruins, his face bruised and swollen. Filled with indignation, he roared, "You're just a mere Saiyan combatant! Why are you stronger than me?!"
"I don't know what you've heard," Ultra Ego Vegeta said flatly, his tone calm and steady. "The disappearance of our home, Planet Vegeta, wasn't because of a giant meteor. That was a lie fabricated by Frieza."
"What?" Granolah was stunned, stopping his attack, his eyes filled with bewilderment. Why are you talking about Planet Vegeta? What does that have to do with our fight?
"It was Frieza who destroyed our planet," Ultra Ego Vegeta replied, his voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible coldness.
Granolah was dazed, his mouth slightly open, his mind a blank.
"We Saiyans were also wiped out by Frieza. Now, the remaining Saiyans can be counted on one hand; we're nearly extinct." Ultra Ego Vegeta's expression was indifferent, his eyes showing no ripple of emotion, as if he were speaking of something that had nothing to do with him.
"Could it be..." Granolah's pupils shrank.
"Hey, Granolah, this is different from what we heard," Oatmeal's voice sounded in Granolah's ear, carrying a hint of confusion. "The Saiyans seem to be victims too."
"So what if they are?" Granolah roared, suppressing the wavering in his heart. He launched a powerful punch at Ultra Ego Vegeta once more, his fist wrapped in dense energy. "The Saiyans exterminated the Cerealians; that is an unshakeable fact. Blood must be paid with blood!"
Ultra Ego Vegeta didn't dodge. He didn't even change his expression, directly using his forehead to tank the incoming punch.
BAM!
With a dull thud, Granolah's fist slammed into Ultra Ego Vegeta's head. Blood flowed from Vegeta's forehead, sliding down his cheek and dripping onto the ground, blooming like red flowers.
"Suit yourself. I'm merely stating facts; I have no intention of trying to gain your sympathy." Ultra Ego Vegeta gave a cold laugh. He raised a large foot and, with the sound of whistling wind, kicked Granolah high into the sky.
Granolah tumbled through the air countless times like a spinning top. Finally, he grabbed onto the steel reinforcement of a high tower, swinging his body violently before coming to a steady stop, his face as pale as paper.
Following that, Granolah broke into a fit of heavy panting, his chest heaving like a bellows, clearly exhausted.
"Granolah, the Saiyans really were victims too. Perhaps we truly misunderstood them," Oatmeal said to Granolah, his tone persuasive.
"So what if we did?" Granolah snorted, a flash of struggle in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by determination. "The Saiyans exterminated the Cerealians; that is an unshakeable fact. Even if they were wiped out by Frieza, it doesn't cancel out the sins they committed!"
"But looking at the situation... those two seem unaware of it. They really don't seem to know about the Cerealian incident," Oatmeal continued to persuade, hoping Granolah would calm down.
"You're too noisy, Oatmeal!" Granolah was extremely annoyed. He snatched off the eyepatch covering his eye and tossed it away. "My revenge doesn't need your interference!"
"Hey..." Oatmeal was speechless. The eyepatch traced an arc through the air and hit the ground below with a "thud," kicking up a small puff of dust.
"I am already the strongest in the universe; I don't need your assistance. Your presence only interferes with me," Granolah said flatly, revealing the eye that had been covered.
The pupil of that eye emitted an eerie red glow, forming a sharp contrast with the other green pupil, radiating an ominous aura.
The observing Vegeta looked on from a distance and noticed Granolah's heterochromia—one red eye and one green. His heart suddenly stirred. I feel like I've seen this race somewhere before. Or heard of them. This dual-colored pupil trait is very unique.
Vegeta fell into deep thought, his brow furrowed as he tried to search his memory for related information.
"Hey, you came from another timeline, didn't you?" Ultra Ego Vegeta asked the other self, his tone inquisitive, his violet-red aura subsiding slightly.
Vegeta nodded, not denying it, and admitted frankly, "That's right, I indeed come from another timeline."
"The fact that you can turn 'Deep Blue' (Super Saiyan Blue Evolved) means you've already experienced the Tournament of Power?" Ultra Ego Vegeta asked.
"What is the Tournament of Power?" Vegeta was stunned, a look of confusion on his face. He had never heard the term before.
"You... you haven't experienced the Tournament of Power yet?" Ultra Ego Vegeta was a bit surprised, as if he had heard something incredible. He asked again, "Then what period is your current timeline in?"
"Beerus has just awakened, and we're preparing for a match against the Sixth Universe. It's happening in the next few days," Vegeta answered truthfully, a hint of vigilance in his eyes, wondering why the other was asking.
Ultra Ego Vegeta: "..."
Ultra Ego Vegeta fell silent, looking at Vegeta with a complex expression, unable to speak for a long time. This guy has already unlocked the Deep Blue transformation in this period? Your strength is a bit ahead of its time; you're progressing even faster than the me of this timeline.
"What period is it now?" Vegeta asked, full of curiosity, wanting to know how much the other self had experienced.
"In short, it's at least 10 years ahead of your timeline. Many things have happened that you can't even imagine," Ultra Ego Vegeta said solemnly, his tone carrying a hint of reflection.
Vegeta: "..."
Vegeta immediately felt much better, his tense nerves relaxing. At least 10 years ahead of my time? The me of this timeline doesn't seem like such a big deal after all. It took 10 years to reach this height; I still have plenty of time to catch up, or even surpass him!
"How did you get here? Through Trunks's Time Machine?" Ultra Ego Vegeta asked again, his tone guessing.
"No," Vegeta shook his head and replied. "It was a battle between Kakarot and a guy named Merus. The energy collision was too intense, and a space-time rift appeared. I was accidentally sucked in and ended up here for no apparent reason."
"Merus? Kakarot?" Ultra Ego Vegeta was stunned, raising an eyebrow, a flash of realization in his eyes. "So it was that guy."
"You know Merus?" Vegeta asked quickly, full of curiosity.
"That guy is a Trainee Angel, training with the Galactic Patrol, pretending to be an ordinary person," Ultra Ego Vegeta snorted, giving the answer.
"You... what did you say? He's an Angel?" Vegeta was briefly shocked, his mouth hanging open wide enough to fit an egg. Then, it all clicked. No wonder he's so strong; I couldn't beat him no matter what. Now the mystery is finally solved. He's actually an Angel! No wonder he has such immense power and can even use Ultra Instinct.
"That's right, he's a Trainee Angel training with the Galactic Patrol." Ultra Ego Vegeta gave Vegeta a flat glance. "Don't you know? It's not a secret in our timeline."
"I only just found out from you," Vegeta's mouth twitched, his heart full of complaints as he cursed Whis. Whis, you've gone too far! You actually called an Angel over to fight me! And didn't even tell me his true identity. No wonder no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't beat him. No one could beat an Angel!
"Why did Kakarot end up fighting Merus? Was it a sparring match?" Ultra Ego Vegeta asked casually.
"Yes," Vegeta nodded.
"Hmph, no matter how hard Kakarot tries, he can't be a match for Merus. He's just asking for a beating; an Angel's power isn't that easy to surpass," Ultra Ego Vegeta smiled slightly, his tone certain.
"Kakarot can already turn Super Saiyan 6," Vegeta lowered his head and said softly, his tone carrying a hint of unwillingness.
"Like I said, of course he can't be a match for Merus, no matter how he transforms..." Ultra Ego Vegeta was speaking to himself, but before he could finish, he suddenly choked, as if something was stuck in his throat.
Ultra Ego Vegeta's eyes widened as he looked at the other self in shock, as if he had heard a fairy tale.
"You... what did you say? What did you just say Kakarot turned into? Super Saiyan 6? What on earth is that?" Ultra Ego Vegeta was aghast, his voice trembling slightly, unable to believe his ears.
"Super Saiyan 6!" Vegeta clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white, his tone carrying a hint of gritted teeth. "I'm not afraid to tell you, my Super Saiyan Deep Blue couldn't even last one round against him before being defeated. The gap is too large."
Ultra Ego Vegeta was stunned, his mouth slightly open, unable to speak for a long time. His aura became unstable due to the shock. Super Saiyan 6? You've got to be kidding me! There are so many forms after Super Saiyan 3? How is that possible!
"What does Super Saiyan 6 look like? Is there anything special about it?" Ultra Ego Vegeta suddenly became interested, leaning forward slightly, his eyes full of curiosity.
"It's a transformation into a Super Saiyan God based on Super Saiyan 5. Both power and speed have achieved a qualitative leap, and the aura is completely different," Vegeta answered, recalling Kakarot's appearance when he transformed.
Ultra Ego Vegeta: "..."
Ultra Ego Vegeta fell silent again, feeling his worldview had been shattered. Super Saiyan 5? Super Saiyan 6? What are all these? I haven't even seen Super Saiyan 4.
"By the way, you probably haven't seen Super Saiyan 5," Vegeta suddenly realized. Seeing the other's shocked expression, a strange sense of superiority welled up in his heart.
Ultra Ego Vegeta's face darkened, a flash of displeasure in his eyes. Forget Super Saiyan 5, I haven't even seen Super Saiyan 4. Are you showing off on purpose?
"There's also Super Saiyan 4!" Vegeta replied, as if afraid he hadn't hit the other hard enough. He continued, "It's actually turning into a Super Saiyan while in the Great Ape form. It's a rather ancient transformation, and its power is also very formidable."
"Super Saiyan 6! Interesting. Is it as strong as I am now?" Ultra Ego Vegeta looked indifferent, his eyes full of confidence as his violet-red aura surged again. "My Ultra Ego is a power that surpasses all Super Saiyan forms!"
"Hard to say, I'm not sure either," Vegeta shook his head, not knowing which was stronger.
"If that space-time rift appears again, after I've handled things here, I could swap identities with you and go over there to see for myself just how strong this so-called Super Saiyan 6 really is." Ultra Ego Vegeta smiled even more brightly, his eyes full of a desire for battle.
Vegeta: "..."
Vegeta's mouth twitched, his heart full of resistance. As the two were talking, Granolah descended from the sky, landing heavily beside the two Vegetas. The ground beneath his feet cracked; he had clearly recovered some strength.
"Chatting with your own clone? Just how lonely and bored are you?" Granolah chuckled, his tone carrying a hint of mockery, yet his eyes were full of vigilance.
The two Vegetas were speechless, both frowning at the same time. Why do you think we're clones?
"We are two independent individuals from different timelines!"
"Is that red pupil a characteristic of your race? It looks quite unique," Ultra Ego Vegeta noted Granolah's red eye and asked with a smirk.
"You said earlier that I can't draw out my true power, right?" Granolah chuckled, ignoring the question and bringing back the previous topic, a strange light flashing in his eyes.
"That's right. You lack combat experience. You have raw power but don't know how to use it; you're full of openings," Ultra Ego Vegeta nodded, pointing out his flaws without mercy.
"Then I'll use this battle to gain that experience. I'll show you my growth!" Granolah's expression turned serious, his eyes filled with resolve.
"Oh? Is that so? I'll be watching," Ultra Ego Vegeta paused, then let out a playful smile.
"Getting stronger as the fight goes on! I'm the same! Whatever you can do, I can do too!" As Granolah spoke, he let out a series of roars like a wild beast. He raised his hand, telekinetically seizing the high tower he had grabbed earlier. The tower groaned and creaked under the invisible pressure, looking as if it would collapse at any moment.
Ultra Ego Vegeta's brow furrowed, his expression turning grave.
With a violent wave of Granolah's hand, the suspended tower was propelled by an invisible force, crashing toward Ultra Ego Vegeta with destructive momentum, blotting out the sky as if to crush him completely.
Ultra Ego Vegeta simply raised a hand. Violet-red energy converged in his palm, and he effortlessly caught the falling tower.
Then, Ultra Ego Vegeta spread his arms, the muscles bulging. With a low shout, he split the tower in two from the middle. The break was smooth and clean, and rubble rained down like a storm.
"What? Even if you destroy this city, it doesn't matter to you?" Ultra Ego Vegeta snorted, a hint of mockery in his eyes.
"AHHHH!"
Granolah let out a furious roar, veins popping on his forehead as he pushed his hands forward violently. He seized control of the tower's ruins again; countless chunks of steel and concrete hovered in the air as if controlled by invisible hands, then hurtled toward Ultra Ego Vegeta with a whistling wind.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The ruins of the tower exploded upon impact, flames soaring into the sky as shockwaves rippled outward. Ultra Ego Vegeta was enveloped in thick smoke, his figure obscured.
As the smoke gradually cleared, Ultra Ego Vegeta's body was revealed, still standing firm. However, his armor was shattered, fragments hanging off him in a disheveled state.
CLATTER!
Ultra Ego Vegeta stripped off the broken armor and tossed it aside. The shards hit the ground with a sharp metallic ring. He cracked his neck, the sound echoing "click-clack."
"Starting to play dirty, are we?" Ultra Ego Vegeta chuckled, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. "Fine. That means I can fix you up without holding back anymore."
BAM!
Ultra Ego Vegeta struck swiftly, appearing before Granolah like a phantom. A heavy punch slammed into Granolah's face, the wind from the strike carrying immense force. Granolah's head snapped to the side, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth, but his reaction was lightning-fast. He launched a kick into Ultra Ego Vegeta, forcing him back several steps.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
The two traded blows in mid-air, their figures blurring as they engaged in a fierce exchange. Every collision generated powerful energy ripples.
After several rounds of combat—
Ultra Ego Vegeta landed a heavy blow, his fist glowing with violet-red flames, smashing Granolah out of the sky and sending him crashing into the ground.
Immediately after, Ultra Ego Vegeta rubbed his chest. Looking down, he saw blood spraying out, staining his clothes red. He gritted his teeth, clenching his blood-stained fist, his gaze becoming even sharper.
"Hey, are you alright?" the observing Vegeta asked, his brow furrowed. Seeing the other self injured made him feel a strange unease.
"How could I not be? I'm going to get even stronger! This wound is nothing!" Ultra Ego Vegeta snorted, forcing himself to stand tall.
WHOOSH!
As they spoke, a blast of energy whistled up from below toward Ultra Ego Vegeta. Startled, he lurched to the side, narrowly dodging the attack. The energy grazed his body and shot into the high sky, exploding like a firework against the horizon.
"So you do know how to dodge," Granolah mocked, a cold smirk curling his lips. "Or are you finally reaching your limit? Can't take it anymore?"
"Don't underestimate the combat instincts of the Saiyan warrior race! A little wound like this won't bring me down!" Ultra Ego Vegeta snorted, his eyes full of disdain.
PEW! PEW! PEW!
Granolah fired energy blasts from his hands, the projectiles raining down on Ultra Ego Vegeta like a storm, so dense there was nowhere to hide. Ultra Ego Vegeta tanked the attacks with his body for a while, adding several more wounds to his frame. Feeling he couldn't take much more, he gritted his teeth and swung his hand forward, condensing a massive amount of energy.
A colossal blast of energy erupted from Ultra Ego Vegeta's hand like a violet-red dragon, instantly engulfing Granolah. A massive explosion occurred at Granolah's position, a mushroom cloud soaring into the sky as thick smoke blanketed the area.
"This guy is persistent," Ultra Ego Vegeta panted heavily, his chest heaving, his face pale.
"Hey, you've lost too much blood. You won't hold out much longer at this rate," the observing Vegeta said solemnly, a hint of worry in his voice.
"Dammit! I really am heavily injured! My vision is getting blurry," Ultra Ego Vegeta nodded, forced to admit his condition was dire as his sight began to fail.
The observing Vegeta: "..." I thought you'd be stubborn and refuse to admit it, but you're actually quite honest this time.
The smoke gradually dissipated, revealing Granolah's figure. Though he was also wounded, he remained standing. Granolah took a sniping stance, energy condensing in his hands, his eyes fixed on Ultra Ego Vegeta.
"Bastard! You still want to keep going? Then let's settle this!" Ultra Ego Vegeta shouted. A dense violet-red glow erupted from his body once more, brighter than ever before. He raised both hands, palms facing each other.
SNAP!
Instantly, a massive sphere of Destruction energy condensed between his hands. Violet lightning crackled around the violet-red orb, radiating an aura of total annihilation.
The observing Vegeta watched in awe, his eyes wide. The Destruction energy the other me condensed is truly massive.
"This is Destruction energy; it can destroy anything," Ultra Ego Vegeta gave a cold laugh, his eyes full of threat. "If you want to protect this planet, you'll have to take this power head-on."
Granolah said nothing, his expression becoming even more grave, his hands trembling slightly as they held his own energy.
"Quite the guts!" Ultra Ego Vegeta smiled, surprised that Granolah hadn't backed down. "Then vanish along with this Destruction energy!"
WHOOSH!
Ultra Ego Vegeta swung his hand downward. The Destruction energy hurtled toward Granolah like a falling meteor, its speed staggering.
FLASH!
Granolah's other dark-green pupil suddenly turned red. Both eyes now glowed with an eerie red light, and his aura surged violently.
"What? The other eye turned red too?" Ultra Ego Vegeta was aghast, not expecting Granolah to have such a transformation left.
"HA!"
Granolah fired energy from both hands. Two golden streams of energy shot out like lasers, striking the descending Destruction energy. The two forces collided.
BOOM!
The Destruction energy exploded violently, the force rocking the entire area. The ground shook fiercely, and countless rocks were hurled into the sky.
When the smoke finally cleared, Ultra Ego Vegeta was sitting on the ground, his clothes in tatters and blood spilling from his mouth. He had clearly been injured by the blast, unable to even stand steadily.
"Dammit! What's going on? How did he suddenly get so strong?" Ultra Ego Vegeta gritted his teeth, looking at Granolah with frustration.
To be continued…
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