Seventeen stepped forward first, green barrier flaring open to meet Jiren's last, desperate explosion head on.
"This guy Jiren is going all out."
"Damn it."
Vance Hart moved up beside them, pressing his remaining mental strength into flame and weaving it into the barrier.
"Push your energy!" Seventeen shouted. The shield was already beginning to splinter.
"Quit yelling," Frieza roared, but still obediently forced his ki higher.
Crack.
A fracture snaked across the barrier and spread like a spiderweb over the entire dome.
Just as it was about to shatter, a soft blue aura surged in from behind.
"Goku? You can still move?"
Vance stared at him, stunned.
He had always known Jiren's final defeat would need Goku's hand, but after a fight like this, only the gods knew how much agony Goku was swallowing just to stand.
"Sorry I left you to take Jiren's attacks alone," Goku said with a strained smile. "This guy is seriously strong."
"In a bit, I'll need you and Seventeen to cover us. Frieza and I will go in."
"Oh? Maybe the two of you should just stay in the back," Frieza said lightly, still needling him.
"Frieza!" Goku snapped. "We have all pushed past our limits. If we don't work together, Universe 7 is gone."
"…Goku, do you remember our agreement about resurrecting me?"
Goku blinked at him. "Frieza?"
"I asked if you remember."
Goku paused, then nodded firmly. "As long as you keep your promise, I will keep mine. You know that better than anyone."
"Hmph. That kind of naivety is almost nauseating."
"Geez, could you two grown men save the heartfelt bromance for later?" Vance laughed, unable to resist teasing them.
Seventeen glanced over. "So, you two made up?"
"We will never make up!" Frieza bellowed, but his aura still surged higher.
All four poured everything into the barrier. Together, they forced Jiren's pressure back.
Watching the blue dome shatter in front of him instead of over them, Jiren's lips lifted. For the first time, a pure thrill of battle rose in his chest.
Boom.
The three of them crashed together and were blasted apart.
"Again," Jiren growled, a hint of a smile tugging at his mouth.
They clashed once more.
Back and forth, even Jiren, on his last drops of strength, barely managed to hold off the two frontal attackers.
Bang.
In perfect sync, Goku and Frieza slammed a fist into Jiren's face.
He staggered back a few steps, then threw himself forward with another flurry of blows.
"Goku… is actually fighting side by side with Frieza?" Piccolo muttered from the stands.
Jiren charged. Goku and Frieza slipped aside to left and right.
A streak of red cut across their vision.
Vance burst through, twin fireballs in his hands, and slammed them straight into Jiren, blasting him back.
Seventeen darted in, his blue blasts raining down from above and detonating around Jiren in midair.
Goku and Frieza followed, a punch and a kick connecting with Jiren and driving him deep into a stone pillar.
"You will not defeat me," Jiren roared, forcing out one last burst of psychic force that hurled Goku away.
His other hand clamped around Frieza's head, slamming him into the ground again and again.
"Enough!"
Vance shot in, punching Jiren square in the joint and knocking his grip loose.
Frieza flipped back out of range, saw Vance in danger, and suddenly shouted toward Goku.
"Quick! Throw me!"
Goku froze for a heartbeat, then understood. "Got it."
He twisted in midair, bracing his hands. Frieza stepped on Goku's palms and vaulted off, using the boost to rocket forward.
He turned into a purple streak headed straight for Jiren and Vance.
"Enough. This ends now."
Jiren snarled and swung a massive right hook at Vance, wanting to finish him first.
Hearing the rush of air behind him, Vance understood instantly.
As Jiren's fist came in, Vance dropped his center of gravity, ducked under his arm, and slipped through his armpit. His hands locked tight around Jiren's other arm from behind.
"Hurry. I can't hold him long!"
He roared, forcing the last of his spiritual power to the surface, Haki-like armor flickering faintly over his skin.
Frieza slammed into them, wrapping Jiren in a crushing hold. The two of them drove forward together, forcing Jiren toward the edge of what little arena remained.
"Frieza and Vance… they're going to ram Jiren off with their own bodies!"
"Finish him!"
Jiren was no passive victim. He reached back, grabbed Vance, and flung him away, nearly tossing him right off what remained of the ring.
They crashed onto a floating boulder instead. Jiren hammered Frieza into the rock again and again, trying to knock him loose.
"Do not underestimate your emperor."
Frieza gritted his teeth through the impacts.
"Ahhhhh!"
A shout came from behind them. Goku, his speed flaring one last time, hair flashing between black and gold, hurled himself straight at them.
All three bodies collided and drove toward the edge.
"…I understand him now," someone murmured in the stands.
"Goku! Frieza!"
"Push!"
The warriors of Universe 7 were on their feet, blood pumping, shouting at the top of their lungs.
At the very end, golden and purple light burned around them, carrying the last chunk of arena over the boundary.
"So this is comrades… this is trust…"
In the blinding glow, Jiren forced his eyes open. "The power of Universe 7…"
At the final instant, he stopped resisting. He had no strength left, and for the first time, he accepted the result.
Goku wrung out one last spark of power, forcing himself back into the very first level of Super Saiyan. His aura flared alongside Frieza's.
The former mortal enemies combined their strength and drove Jiren out of the arena.
The fragment beneath them crumbled. All three fell into the void.
"Universe 7 fighter Son Goku, eliminated. Universe 7 fighter Frieza, eliminated."
"Universe 11's last fighter, Jiren, eliminated. Universe 11 will now be erased."
White light flashed. The three of them reappeared in the stands.
"The Tournament of Power is over. Universe 11 will now be erased."
Light washed over the eleventh universe's platform. Jiren stood in the center of it, calm, already resigned.
Toppo came to his side, helping him up. "Jiren. Thank you."
"For what? I belittled you all for the sake of strength."
"No. You did everything you could."
"Jiren."
Goku, still barely holding himself together, limped over to Universe 11's section.
"The tournament's over, but I am nowhere near done fighting. Next time, let's meet again."
Hearing that, Jiren's mouth twitched. A faint smile crossed his face.
A heartbeat later, Universe 11 vanished.
"He really is something else," Vegeta said quietly, looking at the empty space.
"Yeah."
The Grand Priest turned, eyes settling on Seventeen and Vance. "Android 17, and Vance Hart. You two are the final victors. Have you decided on your wish? A reminder. The two of you only get one."
----------------------------------------------------
The deeper he goes, the more the truth unravels. Don't wait read ahead and witness Vincent's rise before the world catches up!
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