"Whoosh…"
With a soft sound, the Great Goddess's right fist swiped through empty air. Goten had vanished from her view and reappeared in front of her. With his right fist charged with immense power, he struck her abdomen with all his might.
The Great Goddess let out a sharp cry as her body was hurled like a beam of light, crashing heavily into the sturdy walls of the Grand Zeno Palace.
"Great Mother Goddess!"
Amarula's voice trembled with shock.
"Goten!"
Even the usually composed Grand Priest was visibly alarmed.
Goten's strength had grown exponentially since their last encounter. The Grand Priest struggled to comprehend how much more terrifying Goten's power would become if given just a few more years to grow.
"What's wrong, Father?" Merus asked, noting his father's astonishment.
"Nothing," the Grand Priest replied, though his tone betrayed his awe. "It's just… Goten is far stronger than when he last fought me."
"Back then? Before the war even began?"
The Grand Priest nodded solemnly. "Yes. His power back then was remarkable, but now… it's beyond comprehension."
While they exchanged words, the Great Goddess pulled herself free from the wall's wreckage, her eyes blazing with fury. She shot toward Goten at superluminal speed, her fists raining down a barrage of blows.
Goten dodged, retreating with precision and grace. Their movements were so swift that the "sky" and ground of the palace were filled with afterimages of their battle.
"This… this is the Ultimate Ultra Instinct!" the Grand Priest exclaimed, his astonished gaze locked on the fierce combat.
"Ultimate Ultra Instinct?" Merus echoed in awe.
The Grand Priest nodded again. "The last time he fought me, he had only mastered the second level of Ultra Instinct. Somehow, he has reached the third level. The Saiyan race is truly a marvel of the universe!"
Merus could only nod, speechless.
Bang!
Goten's right fist connected with the Great Goddess's face, sending her hurtling through the air. She crashed into a massive stone pillar, which split in two under the impact. Her body tumbled to the ground amidst the shattered debris.
At nearly the same moment, Whis delivered a decisive blow to Galion, sending him sprawling to the floor.
The Great Goddess glared at Goten, her voice filled with anger and disbelief. "Why? Why are you just a mortal, yet possess such overwhelming strength?"
"Mortal?" Goten chuckled, his tone carrying both amusement and disdain.
"Why are you laughing?"
"You call yourself a god, yet your desires mirror those of mortals. Tell me, what truly sets you apart from us?" He paused, his Saiyan pride blazing in his words. "And I am no ordinary mortal. I am a Saiyan—a warrior born from the fighting race!"
"Saiyan…" The Great Goddess muttered the word as if it were venom.
"That's right," Goten continued, his voice firm. "Angels may be born with great power, but we Saiyans have limitless potential. There's a fine line between genius and fool. With hard work, even a fool can surpass the greatest prodigies!"
The Great Goddess sneered. "But you are no fool."
"Of course not," Goten declared with a confident smirk. "I am a genius among geniuses!"
Defeated and weary, the Great Goddess sighed deeply. "Goten… I concede this war. My life is now in your hands."
"Great Mother Goddess!" Amarula and the other angels, still locked in battle with Vados and the others, were stunned to hear her surrender.
The Great Goddess's voice softened as she addressed her followers. "Amarula, all of you… I am sorry. The choice is now yours."
"Great Mother Goddess…" Amarula's voice quivered with emotion.
Anger burned in Galion's eyes. "Damn it! If I must fall, I'll take everyone with me!" He began gathering an immense amount of energy, preparing to self-destruct.
"No! He's planning to self-destruct!" Vados cried out in alarm, turning to Whis.
Whis frowned. "I'll rewind time—"
Before he could act, Goten appeared in front of Galion, his expression calm yet commanding.
"Goten!"
A smirk played on Goten's lips as Galion's body suddenly froze in place.
"I… I can't move!" Galion's voice was tinged with panic.
Goten extended his left hand, and a crack in dimensional space opened before them. The rift pulled Galion in, his cries fading into silence as he disappeared.
"Galion!" Amarula shouted, rushing forward, only to be intercepted by Vados, who stood firmly in her path.
"Your opponent is me," Vados said coldly.
Amarula gritted her teeth in frustration.
The spatial crack closed, leaving no trace of Galion behind. Goten turned his icy gaze to the Great Goddess and her remaining followers. "Does anyone else wish to self-destruct?"
Silence hung heavy in the air as the angels exchanged uneasy glances.
Suddenly, a silver figure flew into the palace at lightning speed. It was Martinu, the angel of the First Universe.
"Lord Grand Priest!" Martinu cried, her voice urgent. "Something terrible has happened—five evil gods have appeared outside!"
"The Five Evil Gods?" The Grand Priest's face darkened with dread.
These were the rulers of the four demon realms, beings whose power rivaled even Salama. Their unexpected alliance could only mean one thing: a calculated plan to upend the balance of the universe.
"Whis, Vados," the Grand Priest commanded, his voice resolute. "We must leave immediately to protect the Grand Zeno!"
"Yes, Father!" the angels replied in unison.
Without another word, the gods vanished from the palace, leaving the Great Goddess and her angels behind.
"Great Mother Goddess, what should we do?" Amarula asked hesitantly.
The Great Goddess's eyes narrowed. "The timing of their arrival is no coincidence. We'll go and observe the situation."
"My Lord," one of the angels interjected nervously, "shouldn't we take this chance to escape?"
"Escape?" The Great Goddess laughed bitterly. "If the Evil Gods defeat the Zeno, do you truly believe they would let us go?"
The angel's silence was answer enough.
Outside the King's Palace, a fierce battle raged on.
Astrion and Celion were locked in combat with a towering black man clad in a golden God of Destruction uniform. This was Sebastian, one of the Four Evil Gods. His every move radiated immense power, shaking the very fabric of their surroundings.
As the Grand Priest and his companions emerged from the palace, their gazes fell on Beerus and his group, who stood protectively in front of the two Omni-Kings.
Before them stood a man with yellow skin and a visage eerily reminiscent of the Demon God Demigra. This was Delra, the weakest of the Four Evil Gods. Despite his rank among them, his power was nothing to scoff at.
To Delra's left stood a pink-skinned figure with sharp, pointed ears and a face that resembled a larger, more menacing version of Uub. This was Gujotes, the leader of the Four Evil Gods.
On Delra's right stood a black-skinned man donning white armor, his features bearing a resemblance to Janemba. His name was Mal, and he was the second-strongest among the Four Evil Gods.
"Gujotes!" the Grand Priest called out, his tone sharp and commanding as his eyes narrowed at the gathering of enemies.
"Well, well… Long time no see, Grand Priest," Gujotes said with a mocking smile, his voice dripping with malice.
The Grand Priest snorted coldly. "Gujotes, Mal—what is your purpose here?"
"Purpose?" Gujotes laughed, his chuckle echoing ominously through the air. "What else would we be doing here, Grand Priest?"
"I warn you," the Grand Priest said sternly, "even though you may outnumber us, if all the angels unite, your Four Evil Gods won't stand a chance!"
But Gujotes only laughed harder. "That may be true—if you were at full strength. But surely fighting the Great Mother Goddess has drained you, hasn't it?"
"You…!" The Grand Priest gritted his teeth, anger flashing in his eyes.
Before the tension could escalate further, Goten stepped forward. With a calm expression, he produced a small bag from his belt.
"Whis," he said, tossing the bag to him, "share these with everyone."
"Yes, Lord Goten!" Whis replied. Without hesitation, he distributed the contents—Senzu Beans—to the angels.
"What is this, Whis?" Kess, one of the angels, asked curiously as he examined the bean in his hand.
"This is a Senzu Bean," Whis explained. "By consuming it, your injuries will heal, and your strength will fully recover in an instant."
"Truly remarkable!" Kess exclaimed after swallowing one. The weariness and pain that had plagued him moments before vanished entirely. "I feel as though I've been completely revitalized!"
Whis nodded, continuing to hand out the beans.
Gujotes, watching this unfold, clenched his fists tightly in frustration. His gaze burned with anger as he muttered, "Damn it… What sort of tricks are these mortals pulling now?"
"Feeling bold enough to face us now, Gujotes?" the Grand Priest taunted.
But Gujotes sneered in response. "Don't think a handful of beans will make a difference. We came here fully prepared!"
"Prepared?"
"That's right!" Gujotes smirked before turning toward Sebastian. "It's time. Sebastian, Mal—activate the ultimate plan!"
"The ultimate plan?" The Grand Priest's eyes narrowed suspiciously as he watched Sebastian step back, removing a green earring from his left ear.
To the Grand Priest's shock, Mal and the others followed suit, each removing identical earrings.
"These earrings…" the Grand Priest murmured, his expression darkening.
"What is it, Father?" Merus asked, concern evident in his voice.
"These are Pandora Earrings," the Grand Priest explained gravely. "They allow for fusion—but these are far more advanced than standard Potara Earrings. They enable the fusion of not two, but four beings."
As the Grand Priest finished speaking, the four evil gods placed their remaining earrings on opposite ears. The earrings emitted a brilliant white light as they drew the wearers together like magnets.
When the light subsided, a new figure stood before them—a towering man clad in black armor, his physique massive and intimidating. His aura radiated an overwhelming, oppressive power.
This was Quanmo, the fused form of the Four Evil Gods.
"They've fused…" Merus whispered, his voice trembling with disbelief.
"Yes," the Grand Priest replied, his tone grim. "This level of fusion is unprecedented."
As the angels stood frozen in shock, Goten stepped forward. He watched the transformation unfold, his expression unreadable.
"Fusion, huh?" Goten muttered, his brows furrowing slightly. Then, to everyone's surprise, his body reverted to its base form.
"Lord Goten!" Merus exclaimed in confusion. "Why did you—"
Before he could finish, Goten roared, his voice shaking the ground beneath them. In an instant, his form changed.
Golden hair spiked upward as his aura blazed like an inferno. He had transformed into Super Saiyan Six.
The demons sneered, unfazed by the display.
But Goten wasn't finished. His power continued to rise, his aura growing more intense as he pushed himself further.
"AHHH!!!" With another deafening roar, Goten ascended to Super Saiyan Seven.
"What is he doing?" Amarula asked, her voice filled with unease.
"I'm not sure…" the Great Mother Goddess admitted, her eyes fixed on Goten.
As Goten's energy skyrocketed, the ground around the palace trembled violently. His ki expanded, reaching far beyond the boundaries of the palace to the eighteen universes.
Even Quanmo, who moments ago exuded confidence, now seemed unsettled.
Suddenly, Goten's hair turned a striking shade of purple, lengthening until it reached his waist. His pupils shifted to a deep crimson, and his body was surrounded by a swirling combination of golden and green ki. Sparks of lightning crackled around him.
"This transformation…" Merus gasped. "Could it be… Super Saiyan Eight?"
The Grand Priest nodded solemnly. "Yes. This is a transformation I had only theorized. It combines the power of the Great Ape with the refined energy of a Super Saiyan."
Goten wasn't done yet. A golden ape's shadow materialized behind him, its roar echoing across dimensions. The green ki surrounding Goten intensified—a testament to the Saiyan power buried deep within him.
"Green ki… It's just like Broly's," Whis observed.
BANG!
Goten's energy exploded outward, unleashing a powerful shockwave that forced everyone to shield their eyes.
When the storm of energy subsided, Quanmo sneered. "Have you finished your theatrics, Saiyan?"
Goten smirked. "I didn't want to use this power, but your fusion leaves me no choice. Let's see how you handle it."
Quanmo laughed darkly. "Then come! Show me your so-called power!"
In an instant, Quanmo lunged at Goten, his speed surpassing that of light. His fists struck out with ferocious force, but Goten dodged each attack with precision, retreating as he did so.
"What's wrong, Saiyan?" Quanmo taunted. "Is this all you've got?"
The gods and angels watched in tense silence, their hearts pounding as the battle unfolded. Even the Great Mother Goddess, who had once opposed Goten, now found herself silently rooting for him.
Though gods and demons were eternal enemies, in this moment, she too hoped for Goten's victory.