Following a terrifying explosion, a colorful, shimmering crystal sphere shot into the sky. Kaminoren's presence, however, had completely vanished.
"Are they dead? But what is that?"
Beast Gohan sensed that Kaminoren's ki had disappeared, but he saw the flash of colorful light streaking upward.
In the next moment, Hearts reached out.
Snap!
The shimmering crystal sphere flew straight into his palm.
"Has the energy collection finally finished??"
Hearts stared at the sphere with burning eyes, a look of manic intensity flickering in his gaze.
"Hahahaha! The power to strike down the gods! I finally have it! Zeno, your reign ends now!"
"Hah!"
Hearts let out a thunderous shout, unleashing a massive golden aura. He pressed his hands together, and the Universe Seed began to slowly merge into his body.
The sudden spike in Hearts' power immediately drew the attention of those fighting Cumber. "What is that?? Such terrifying ki! Hearts' power is still skyrocketing!"
"Hmph! Distracted while fighting me? You're underestimating me way too much!"
Cumber moved like a blur, kicking Trunks aside and driving a heavy elbow into Hit. Just as he lunged toward Vegeta, Beast Gohan suddenly appeared in front of him.
"What?"
Cumber's pupils shrank. He hadn't sensed Gohan's movement at all. In the next heartbeat, a wave of agonizing pain erupted from his gut—Gohan's fist was already buried deep in his midsection.
"I have to deal with the one up there in a moment. Before that, I need to take you out of the game!"
Gohan's cold voice rang out, followed by a heavy kick that sent Cumber hurtling away.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!——
Cumber's body smashed through several buildings before becoming embedded in a reinforced wall.
Nearby, Son Goku—who had been swatted down by Hearts earlier—pushed aside a pile of rubble. He stared intently at the transforming Hearts in the sky and then at Gohan, who was currently humbling Cumber. Wiping blood from his lip, Goku coughed. "We're completely outclassed. I wonder if Gohan can actually beat him?"
Vegeta and the others were also staring at Beast Gohan in disbelief. They had been struggling just to hold Cumber at bay, yet this Gohan was treating the Evil Saiyan like a child. How was this possible?
Jiren watched Gohan's movements with shock, glancing over at the CC Gohan nearby. He was baffled. Based on their ki, they were clearly the same person... so why was the gap between them so astronomical?
Piccolo was equally stunned. He looked back and forth between Beast Gohan and CC Gohan, eventually letting out a helpless sigh. "Gohan... you're falling way too far behind."
CC Gohan lowered his head in shame. Compared to this other Gohan, "falling behind" was an understatement. There was simply no comparison.
Boom!
With a final strike from Beast Gohan, Cumber was hammered into the ground. He reverted to his base form, his eyes rolling back as he lost consciousness.
Gohan looked up at Hearts in the sky and muttered, "This must be the guy Uncle Turles wanted me to beat. This ki... it's strong. This might be tricky."
By now, Hearts had completed his transformation. Having absorbed the full power of the Universe Seed, his appearance had changed drastically. His skin had turned entirely gold, and six jagged spikes protruded from his back. Twelve green orbs of light hovered behind him. His frame was now more massive and imposing, radiating an aura of absolute dread.
"Hahahaha! Excellent! This is the power! A power that transcends the gods! With this, I can overthrow their rule and liberate all of humanity!"
Hearts shouted in ecstasy, feeling the boundless energy coursing through his veins. As his aura flared, the very fabric of space began to tremble and crack. Dangerous dimensional rifts flickered around him.
"Tch. Angel Tier 3. If my main body hadn't broken through and 'updated the account,' this clone might have actually struggled."
Vegito (Turles) sensed Hearts' power the moment the transformation finished. He had officially stepped into the Angel Realm. "Tch. I miscalculated. I didn't think Hearts would reach the Angel Tier just by absorbing the Seed. Looks like it's time for me to step in!"
In a flash, Vegito appeared in front of Beast Gohan. "Gohan, this guy is beyond you now. Leave the rest to me; he's entered the Angel Realm."
Gohan blinked. "Understood, Uncle Turles."
That single sentence left the nearby Piccolo in a state of stunned silence. He looked at the fused warrior with total confusion. Wait, that's Vegito, isn't it? Why did Gohan call him Turles? Despite his confusion, Piccolo stayed quiet. He'd ask Gohan about it later; for now, Hearts was the priority.
Vegito (Turles) took a deep breath. A blinding flash of silver light erupted as he entered the Mastered Ultra Instinct state. A terrifyingly serene godly ki surged outward, and a silver-white pillar of light shot into the heavens.
The surge of power caught the attention of Hearts, who was still basking in his new strength. "Oh? You're finally stepping up? I thought you'd wait until I'd finished off the rest of them."
"But is this the extent of your strength?"
Hearts felt Vegito's power and was slightly surprised. He hadn't expected a mortal to reach such heights.
However, he felt no fear. He was the man who would overthrow Zeno and liberate humanity, after all—and he was the one who had fused with the Universe Seed.
"Heh. They're no match for you right now. Come on then, Hearts. Show me this power you think can topple Grand Zeno!"
Vegito's lips curled into a smirk as he taunted Hearts with a flick of his finger.
"Heh. You'll see it soon enough!"
Boom!
Their fists collided instantly. The impact shattered the surrounding space, and concentric shockwaves rippled outward, obliterating everything in their path.
"Oh no!" "Danger!" "Everyone, get back!"
Goku and the others immediately powered up and flew toward a safer distance. If they stayed too close, the shockwaves alone would vaporize them.
Even so, the following air pressure forced them to throw up energy shields as they were sent tumbling backward.
"Oh? Impressive. You actually have the strength to block my attack."
Hearts looked at Vegito (Turles) with genuine admiration. If he hadn't fused with the Universe Seed, he wouldn't have stood a chance against this level of power.