The battlefield had been torn apart by the fierce fighting.
The sea wind howled through the ruins, carrying the stinging smell of smoke and scorched earth. A heavy aura of destruction hung in the air.
At the center of it all was a massive crater over a hundred meters across, like a gruesome wound carved into the earth.
Its walls were blackened by the blast, loose rocks littered the ground, and countless cracks spread outward like a spider's web, silent proof of the devastating battle that had just taken place.
Lying at the bottom of the crater, Black Z Broly was barely conscious. His body was battered beyond recognition, his clothes reduced to shredded rags hanging from him. His eyes were unfocused, his head hung crooked, and confusion filled his gaze as if he were a lone boat lost in a thick fog.
"...How did this happen?" His voice was so weak it was almost impossible to hear.
By all rights, this body possessed the Legendary Saiyan bloodline, enhanced by Zamasu's God Ki. It should have been overwhelmingly powerful. Beating Super Broly should have been easy.
After all, in other timelines, he had fought Super Broly several times. The battles hadn't been easy, but he'd always come out on top in the end. That was why he'd been so arrogant earlier, taunting Super Broly without restraint. He'd been completely confident that history would repeat itself.
But this Super Broly was different. It was as if he had been reborn. His power had reached an entirely new level, leaving Black Z Broly completely outmatched.
"Damn it! Why?! Why is this happening?! Why can't I beat him?!" All the frustration he'd been holding back finally exploded. He clenched his fists and repeatedly slammed them into the ground, sending dirt flying as he roared in helpless rage, venting every bit of his unwillingness and resentment.
What Black Z Broly didn't know was that the Super Broly of this timeline had trained inside the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, undergoing a complete transformation.
Not only had he brought the berserk power inside him under control, but he had also mastered entirely new fighting techniques. Meanwhile, Black Z Broly was still clinging to the illusion of his past victories.
Gritting his teeth, he struggled to stand. His cracked lips curled into a stubborn grin. Even if he had only a shred of strength left, he intended to fight to the very end.
But Super Broly had no intention of giving him that chance. He instantly appeared in front of him like a ghost. A fist the size of a cooking pot came crashing down with a deafening roar of wind.
'Boom!'
The impact hit like an exploding shell. Black Z Broly was blasted back into the crater like a kite with its string cut, smashing an even deeper hole into the ground as rocks and sand exploded everywhere, leaving him coughing violently.
"Because this body isn't yours! You can't control my brother's body! You can't even draw out its true power!" Super Broly's furious roar echoed across the battlefield, overflowing with rage and contempt.
He crouched down, then planted himself squarely on top of Black Z Broly. The crushing weight felt like an entire mountain pressing down on him, as though his internal organs were about to be forced out of place.
Then, bang! Bang! Bang!
Super Broly unleashed a wild, completely unrefined flurry of punches. Every blow was fueled by pure fury, raining down relentlessly until Black Z Broly's face was a bloody, mangled mess.
But Super Broly's eyes had turned crimson with killing intent. He had no intention of stopping.
The only thing on his mind was beating the man beneath him into oblivion. Black Z Broly screamed in agony, his miserable cries echoing across the battlefield, but they earned not the slightest bit of mercy from Super Broly.
---
Meanwhile, inside Universe 7's Observation Room, the atmosphere was tense.
Beerus covered his face with both hands, staring in shock. Super Broly's fighting style was unbelievably straightforward, simple, brutal, and utterly lacking in finesse. Yet somehow, it left his opponent completely helpless. It was honestly an eye-opener.
Watching Black Z Broly get beaten to the brink of death on the screen, Beerus couldn't help muttering, "...Is he actually going to beat him to death?"
Standing beside him, Whis wore a serious expression. Hearing Beerus's quiet remark, he nodded. "Lord Beerus, your concern is certainly a valid one. It's only natural. If Lord Champa were killed right in front of you, you would react the same way, wouldn't you?"
Beerus fell silent. Champa's face naturally came to mind. The twin brothers argued constantly and could hardly stand each other, but the memories of the days before they became Gods of Destruction were still vivid.
Beerus let out a quiet sigh. The Tournament of Power had always been cruel. Its rules were merciless. In the end, only one universe would remain. If Universe 7 won, every other universe, including Universe 6, where Champa belonged, would be erased completely. The thought weighed heavily on him.
After a long silence, about ten seconds later, he turned to Whis. "Hey, Whis. Let me ask you something." His voice was unusually subdued.
"Oh? Lord Beerus, you still haven't answered my question. Could it be..."
Before Whis could finish, Beerus cut him off. "The Super Dragon Balls... they can grant any wish, right?"
Whis paused for a moment. Looking at Beerus's unusually serious expression, a faint smile appeared on his face. "In theory... yes, Lord Beerus."
Hearing the answer, Beerus turned back to the screen and quietly muttered, "...Good."
Whis narrowed his eyes with an amused smile. "Oh? 'Good'? My, Lord Beerus seems especially thoughtful today."
Beerus shot him a glare. "Tch. Less talking. Watch the match."
...
...
Black Z Broly's screams echoed endlessly across the battlefield.
"AAAAAH!!"
His piercing cries came one after another as he endured the merciless beating. Super Broly wasn't holding back in the slightest.
"Damn you!! If you kill me, Grand Zeno will punish you!" Black Z Broly desperately tried to use the tournament rules to intimidate him. "Hahaha! Go ahead! Hit me! Better yet, kill me! I'll only die, but you'll be erased forever! That's the price for breaking the rules!"
At this point, all he could do was run his mouth and make one last, pathetic struggle.
Super Broly wasn't buying it. A fierce look flashed across his eyes as his punches came even faster.
"Shut up, you body-stealing thief!" He paused for a breath before continuing, "I know how tough my brother's body is. You won't die that easily. I know exactly how much force I'm using! I don't need you telling me!"
As soon as he finished speaking, concentrated energy rapidly gathered in his mouth. The light grew brighter and brighter until it became blinding, making Black Z Broly's eyes sting. A terrifying aura poured from Super Broly's body. If he fired this blast, even someone as hard to kill as Black Z Broly would suffer terribly.
Black Z Broly finally panicked. His eyes trembled and his hands shook as he raised them to shield his face, his whole body quivering. "Y-You... bastard! Th-This is what you call holding back?!"
The more he struggled, the faster Super Broly charged the blast, as though he wanted to stretch Black Z Broly's fear to its absolute limit.
"D-Damn it! You maniac! You're insane!!" Black Z Broly completely broke down, covering his face with both hands.
Super Broly had finished charging. He was just about to deliver the final blow.
Then, at that critical moment,
"Stop. It isn't worth the cost."
A firm, commanding voice rang out from the distance like the toll of a great bell, instantly drawing Super Broly's attention.
Black Z Broly felt as though he'd been granted a pardon. He lowered his hands from his face, confused. He had never expected someone to speak up for him at a time like this, and he let out a sigh of relief.
But Super Broly wasn't about to stop so easily. "Hmph. One of his accomplices?" he snorted. "I don't care who you are. No one's stopping me today. He has to pay for what he's done!" He tensed his muscles again, preparing to fire the energy blast.
Then the voice rang out once more, firmer than before.
"Spare him."
"Trust my judgment. If that attack lands, he'll definitely die."
"And you will be judged by Grand Zeno."
"...Besides, I can give you a reason not to kill him."
"Your brother isn't dead."
The words hit Super Broly like a bolt of lightning. He froze on the spot. The fully charged energy in his mouth instantly dispersed.
The next second, he sprang to his feet. The rage that had consumed him vanished, replaced by shock and hope.
Black Z Broly also breathed a sigh of relief, convinced he'd escaped death. He was just about to sneer. "Hmph. I knew you didn't have the, "
Before he could finish, Super Broly, thoroughly disgusted by the remark, stomped hard on his face, cutting him off. Super Broly turned toward the source of the voice, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings. "Why should I believe you?!"
The next moment, a figure slowly emerged from a distant island, becoming clearer with every step. A powerfully built man, nearly two meters tall, came into view. He stood straight, surrounded by a mysterious aura.
Black Z Broly also fixed his eyes on the stranger who had just saved his life, utterly puzzled. 'Why would this guy save me?' Then he suddenly noticed something strange. The aura radiating from this man was identical to the energy wave that had ambushed him earlier.
The mysterious man drew closer, crossing the distance in a few quick leaps before landing in front of them. His gaze remained calm as he looked directly at Super Broly.
"I can tell you with complete certainty..."
"Your brother is alive."
"Because..."
"I'm a Saiyan from Universe 6."
Super Broly's eyes widened in disbelief. For a moment, he couldn't say a word.
(End Of This Chapter)
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