Hearts watched as Vegito (Turles) struggled to his feet, a frown deepening on his face. "Stop trying. You can barely even stand under this pressure. How do you expect to keep fighting me?"
Vegito (Turles) let out a strained chuckle. "If my current power isn't enough to let me move freely under this gravity... then I'll just have to increase it."
A faint red glow began to pulse from Vegito's body, causing the sense of foreboding in Hearts' heart to intensify.
Suddenly, a massive pillar of light—woven from threads of brilliant crimson and shimmering silver—shot into the heavens. Vegito's appearance shifted once again. His hair turned a vibrant red, yet his pupils remained the sharp, ethereal silver-white of Ultra Instinct. Wrapped in a dual aura of fire-red and stardust-silver, his presence underwent a total sublimation.
Boom!!
"It was just an experiment, but this power is incredible," Vegito remarked, his voice echoing with newfound authority. "Since it's a combination of Super Saiyan God and Ultra Instinct, let's call it... Ultra Instinct Super Saiyan God."
"Now, Hearts, your little gravity trick is over!"
"What?!"
Hearts was stunned. He hadn't expected Vegito to push his power to such an extreme, let alone step into a new realm while under the crushing weight of his gravity. It left a bitter, disgusting taste in his mouth.
"Is that a fusion of Super Saiyan God and Ultra Instinct?? Is such a thing even possible??"
CC Goku's eyes were wide as he stared at Vegito (Turles). The transformation was a massive shock. Both Ultra Instinct and Super Saiyan God were notorious for their high stamina drain. If Vegito combined them, how could his body possibly keep up?
"What a terrifying aura... and what a terrifying man," CC Vegeta muttered, his eyes narrowing in thought. "Combining Ultra Instinct with the God form... it's a brilliant tactical move."
Vegeta's mind began to race. If Vegito could do this, then could Super Saiyan Blue be pushed further? Could there be a Super Saiyan Blue 2... or even a Blue 3?
The thought made Vegeta's blood boil with excitement. He saw a path to finally surpassing Kakarot. Hmph. Just you wait, Kakarot. This time, I will leave you in the dust!
Hearts looked at the crimson-and-silver warrior and began to laugh again. "Hahahaha! Excellent! You truly are the one I've been searching for. Your talent is unmatched! Now, I shall break your spirit and make you mine!"
Hearts flickered, appearing beside Vegito in an instant—his speed far exceeding his previous limits.
But before he could even throw a punch, a wave of agonizing pain exploded in his midsection. Vegito's fist was already buried deep in his gut. The force made Hearts cough up bile, his body doubling over like a shrimp before he was sent hurtling backward at breakneck speed.
Vegito didn't give him a moment to breathe. He flickered behind the tumbling Hearts and delivered a heavy kick, sending the Tuffle-enhanced warrior spiraling. Hearts became a human volleyball, kicked back and forth across the sky by Vegito's relentless assault.
Just as Vegito prepared for a classic meteor smash to finish the combo, Hearts exploded with ki.
"ENOUGH!!"
Boom!!
Hearts let out a primal roar, his golden aura erupting with enough force to push back the encroaching Vegito.
"Hmph! I admit I underestimated you. But you cannot defeat me as long as I have the Universe Seed!"
Hearts' expression shifted from playful arrogance to deadly seriousness. He knew that if he didn't give this fight everything he had, he wouldn't be the one left standing.
"HAAAA!!——"
Hearts' muscles tensed as he began to power up once more. His aura expanded, his ki swelling to even more absurd levels.
"What? His power is still rising? This guy is a monster!" CC Vegeta gritted his teeth, his eyes burning with frustration and a desperate hunger for more power.
"Yeah," Xeno Gohan added. "No wonder Uncle Turles said he'd handle it himself. This guy is insane."
In the heat of the clash, Vegito (Turles) found himself confused. How did CC Goku and CC Vegeta—even as Gogeta—manage to beat this version of Hearts in the original story? Was it just a plot-mandated win? He didn't believe for a second that Gogeta was stronger than he was right now.
Sensing the peak of Hearts' aura, Vegito's expression turned grim. In the next heartbeat, both figures vanished.
Zip! Zip! Zip! Zip!——Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!——
The two blurred through the sky at high-speed. The only things visible to the onlookers were the violent shockwaves and tremors produced by their collisions.
"They're too fast! I can't even track their movements!" CC Gohan watched in shock. At this speed, he couldn't even participate, let alone fight!
"Yeah, they're incredibly fast. I have to focus with everything I have just to barely keep up..."
Piccolo looked at CC Gohan with a hint of disdain. The same question plagued his mind: You're both Son Gohan, so why is that one so much better?
Unable to contain his curiosity, Piccolo spoke up. "Hey, Gohan... how did you get that strong? Aren't you supposed to be a scholar?"
Xeno Gohan blinked, looking at Piccolo. "A scholar? I mean, I study, but I realized long ago that books won't save the Earth. If a terrifying enemy shows up, am I supposed to hit them with a textbook and talk about my feelings?"
"Besides, even if I study, can I ever surpass Aunt Bulma? My talent lies in martial arts. Some people just won't listen to logic; you have to speak to them through 'physics'—the physical kind."
CC Gohan lowered his head. "But... wouldn't Mom be upset? She wanted us to be scholars."
Xeno Gohan shook his head. "Mom didn't necessarily want us to be scholars; she wanted the life that being a scholar provides. Don't forget, Mom used to be a martial artist too!"
"After Dad found a bunch of treasure at the bottom of the ocean, Uncle Turles and Aunt Bulma helped us open a jewelry shop. We don't have to worry about money anymore. Mom doesn't mind me training at all now. In fact, she's actually quite happy about it..."
CC Gohan was stunned. Was that why his mother pushed him so hard?
It made sense. Three Saiyan appetites were a nightmare to fund, and his father wasn't exactly a breadwinner.
Piccolo narrowed his eyes, deep in thought. Treasure, huh? For the sake of Gohan's future, maybe I should go treasure hunting in the ocean too. I never realized Chi-Chi's obsession with studying had such a practical motivation.
Then again, raising three Saiyans... the financial pressure must be staggering.