On the far side of the arena, Goku's body finally buckled under the crushing toll of Ultra Instinct. A harsh blast sent him skidding into a rubble-strewn corner. He lay there, forcing what little ki he had left to move.
"So strong…"
He tried to roll over to check his injuries. Pain screamed through every limb. Muscle felt torn fiber by fiber, and the ache in his bones was like being shattered from head to toe. He gave up and stared into the blank sky.
"Is this where it ends…"
Jiren was too strong.
A shadow fell across his vision.
"Well now, Son Goku."
Frieza stood over him, looking down with cool amusement. "I finally found you. Why don't we settle old scores and new at once?"
"Frieza…"
Goku struggled upright and noticed the red light forming at Frieza's fingertip. "Frieza, what are you doing?"
"What do you think? Fufufufufu."
Frieza's smile was knife-thin. "Do you still believe you can resist me?"
Goku said nothing. In his state, even swinging a fist was hard. Fighting was out of the question. He was meat on the cutting board.
The glow at Frieza's finger sharpened. He did not hesitate. The beam lanced out and struck Goku squarely.
Goku's face clenched, a cry catching in his throat. Then he froze in confusion. The shot did not punch a hole through him. Warmth surged instead. His torn muscles knit. His emptied ki pool began to refill, visibly rising.
Within moments Goku had recovered most of his strength. He stood, incredulous.
"Do not overthink it."
Frieza cut off the gratitude gathering in Goku's eyes. "After watching your little scuffle, I concluded that on this battlefield you are the one with the best chance of beating that monster. Only if you keep breathing can my plans proceed."
Arms folded, he glanced toward the center, where Jiren sat like a war god at rest.
"Thanks, Frieza."
Goku did not waste time. He headed straight back toward Jiren, who had settled cross-legged, eyes closed, meditating.
"A perfect opening."
From behind a boulder, several fighters poked their heads out. Seeing Jiren unmoving, they vaulted forward, gathering their strongest techniques for a decisive strike.
They reached him together and fired at point-blank range.
Every beam stopped an inch in front of Jiren, as if caught in amber. A ripple passed over the invisible field at his feet, and the attacks detonated in their owners' faces.
"Impossible!"
The backlash swatted them away like flies.
Goku's fighting spirit spiked. He set his feet to charge, but the same group abruptly veered and swarmed him instead.
A blast cratered the ground at his toes. Goku sprang up, dodging the flash. Another assailant flashed in behind him and punted him out of the air.
He crashed hard.
"If we cannot deal with Jiren, we can at least deal with you first."
The three closed in with sneers, looking to toss Goku out in one go.
Before Goku could counter, a figure wreathed in flame planted himself between them.
"Vincent!"
Goku's eyes lit up. "You are still in this? Your strength is something else."
Vincent Fox watched the trio approach and spoke softly. "Leave them to me. There is a stronger opponent waiting for you."
"Got it."
Goku did not argue. If Vincent said he could handle it, he would trust him.
"You alone against the three of us? Confident, aren't you."
Their leader's smirk deepened.
"No more talk," Vincent said, lifting his left hand and beckoning. "Come on."
"Die!"
They lunged as one.
Elsewhere, Goku had just cleared their cordon when a body blazing with golden light barreled straight at him.
"Caulifla?"
He recognized the Sixth Universe Saiyan at once. He twisted in midair and slipped past her charge.
"Hey, if you are alive then hurry up and teach me that Super Saiyan Three," Caulifla barked, hands on her hips.
"Too soon. Get a real handle on Super Saiyan Two first," Goku said, waving her off.
It was not that he feared her getting stronger. To him, she had only just stabilized at Two. Her foundation was nowhere near ready for Three.
"What did you say?"
Feeling slighted, Caulifla struck without warning. Goku, still in base form, took the kick full on and tumbled away.
Seeing him eat it, Caulifla only got bolder. "I will show you what I can do."
She streaked after him. Goku righted himself and blurred sideways at high speed.
"Afterimage Fist."
His outline split and split again until dozens of Gokus ringed Caulifla. She faltered inside the mirage and could not read the tells. Goku snapped a kick into her guard.
She flew.
"If you cannot even read that, forget Super Saiyan Three," Goku called. "Go polish the basics."
----------------------------------------------------
The deeper he goes, the more the truth unravels. Don't wait read ahead and witness Vincent's rise before the world catches up!
[email protected]/_theon
Change @ to "a"