Belmod watched Jiren closely from the side, instantly realizing that the warrior before him was no longer the same.
As a God of Destruction, Belmod's senses for power levels were far sharper than any mortal's. Before, he could barely suppress Jiren—but now, he wasn't so sure who would win if they fought again. Even if he used his full power as a God of Destruction, Belmod doubted he could defeat Jiren once more.
A nervous swallow escaped him. What happened just now? he wondered. How could Jiren's strength soar so drastically in such a short time?
The truth gnawed at him, and though he hated to admit it, envy crept into his heart. For countless years, Belmod had remained stagnant, unable to find a way forward. Yet Jiren—through sheer will and the influence of Uchiha Chiga—had achieved what even the Gods deemed impossible.
Still, Belmod's cautious nature kept him from ever provoking Chiga as Jiren had. Chiga was not someone to test lightly, and Belmod had no desire to risk being erased.
Chiga, on the other hand, paid no mind to Belmod's unease. The God's clownish manner bored him. Now that their meeting was over, his thoughts were already set on something far greater.
Three separate universes were inefficient. He intended to erase the barriers dividing them and merge them into a single realm—the Dragon God Universe.
Standing in the divine expanse, Chiga raised his hand. His calm voice resonated through the void as he explained what was about to happen. Vados and the others showed no resistance. They were no longer Angels bound to individual universes—they had become Dragon God Guards, protectors under Chiga's direct command.
Lazuli tilted her head slightly, her expression curious yet confused. The idea of merging universes was far beyond her understanding. Chiga had once explained it simply to her: "The universe just gets a bit bigger."
That brief explanation summed it up perfectly.
Without hesitation, Chiga spread his divine energy. His golden eyes flared with brilliance so intense that even the Gods of Destruction had to avert their gaze. Across the farthest reaches of reality, invisible waves rippled outward. The barriers between the three universes disintegrated like fragile glass.
The merging was silent—no explosions, no tremors—only the faint hum of creation itself. Few Gods were even aware of what had just occurred. The cosmos had grown, reshaped, and gained a new ruler: the Dragon God himself.
---
At the Grand Zeno Palace, the Grand Minister already knew what had transpired. Bowing before Zeno's floating throne, he reported calmly,
"Your Majesty, the universes have been merged. Their new master is Uchiha Chiga."
Zeno blinked twice, then gave a small "Oh."
"Those universes were already his anyway," he said cheerfully. "Let him do whatever he wants! You don't need to tell me about those things anymore!"
The Grand Minister bowed again. Though he knew Zeno didn't care, duty compelled him to report it nonetheless.
He was about to withdraw when Zeno suddenly piped up, "Hey! How's the merry-go-round coming along? It's been so boring lately!"
The Grand Minister's shoulders stiffened as an unpleasant memory surfaced. Forcing a strained smile, he replied,
"It's… still in preparation…"
Zeno frowned, pouting. "Still not finished? Then make me a whole amusement park instead! When Chiga visits, we'll play together!"
The Grand Minister inwardly groaned, but his voice remained steady.
"Yes… as you command, Your Majesty."
---
Elsewhere, on a distant planet, two sinister figures plotted in the shadows.
A small, yellow-skinned creature with wrinkled features—Babidi—held a strange instrument nearly the size of his body. The needle trembled violently, hovering near the maximum mark.
Next to him stood a tall, demonic being—Dabura, King of the Demon Realm.
"This is incredible!" Babidi cackled. "Such immense energy! If we can absorb even a fraction of it, Majin Buu will awaken ahead of schedule!"
Dabura frowned, scanning the barren landscape. "But Master Babidi, every creature on this planet is dead. There isn't a single strong soul left."
Babidi sneered. "He's not here. The detector's range is vast—it's picking up power from another world."
"What!?" Dabura's eyes widened. "If it's that powerful from such a distance, we might not stand a chance."
"Heh-heh-heh, don't worry," Babidi said smugly. "We'll just take a look first. Don't forget my ability."
He pointed to the glowing 'M' mark on Dabura's forehead.
Realization dawned, and a cruel grin spread across Dabura's face. "Ah, of course. As long as he harbors even the faintest darkness, he won't escape your control, Master Babidi."
Flattered, Babidi puffed out his chest. "Exactly! Prepare the crew. Our next target is this one—this could be our biggest catch yet!"
With malicious laughter, the two floated toward their ship, eager to begin their hunt.
---
Back on Earth, Belmod had already departed. With the barriers between worlds gone, he could travel freely once more.
Jiren, however, remained. At Chiga's request, he stayed to guide Goku and the others. Their strength was still far from the level needed to face the threats ahead, and Chiga wouldn't want to handle every crisis himself.
Yet, even as he trained them, a new danger was already approaching.
At that very moment, Chiga was conversing remotely with Grand Zeno through Vados's staff. The orb at its tip glowed softly as Zeno's cheerful voice came through.
"Chiga! The Grand Minister's building the amusement park now! You must come when it's done—it'll be fun!"
Hearing this, Chiga couldn't help but picture the Grand Minister's expression. He knew the poor man despised the merry-go-round but was too dutiful to refuse.
Given the Grand Minister's abilities, constructing an amusement park would take mere moments. His talk of "preparation" was nothing more than a desperate attempt to delay the inevitable.
And, as expected, somewhere within the divine realm, the Grand Minister stood frozen with a strained expression—exactly as Chiga had imagined. There was no escaping this fate.
Marcarita, who stood beside Chiga, struggled to contain her laughter, covering her mouth with both hands.
Vados gave her a teasing glance. "Marcarita, if you want to laugh, just laugh. It must be exhausting holding it in."
Marcarita pouted and muttered, "Nonsense! I wasn't mocking the Grand Minister, and I'm definitely not gloating!"
"Oh? Did I say you were?" Vados replied lightly.
Marcarita froze. She'd just admitted guilt without realizing it.
Then, from the staff, the Grand Minister's calm yet dangerous voice came through:
"Marcarita, you really are my good daughter. I didn't dote on you for nothing."
Marcarita flinched and quickly ducked behind Chiga, pretending to vanish from sight.
Chiga sighed, a faint smile touching his lips. "You brought that on yourself."
---