"That's exactly what I should be asking," Karnel stepped forward, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. "Who are you, and what's y
"That's exactly what I should be asking," Karnel stepped forward, his voice cutting through the air like a blade. "Who are you, and what's your purpose in traveling to the original Earth?"
The black-clad figure froze upon seeing Karnel emerge from the shadows. His eyes widened in genuine surprise behind the strange mask covering his face. "How could there be another Saiyan in this timeline?" he thought, momentarily stunned. "That's... unlikely."
"Hmph!" The masked figure's surprise quickly transformed into disgust. "Another Saiyan, what a revolting mortal race. Original timeline? So you've traveled here from the past, have you?" His tone dripped with condescension and barely contained hatred.
Karnel studied his opponent carefully, analyzing every word for useful information. The way this being spoke revealed crucial details about his identity and motivations.
"This figure seems intimately familiar with Saiyans," Karnel reasoned silently. "His tone suggests a position of superiority, divine authority, perhaps. And that ring on his finger confirms he's likely a Supreme Kai of some kind. But from which universe did he infiltrate this one?"
Karnel immediately ruled out the Supreme Kai from this universe. He knew the remaining divine guardians well, and none would harbor such contempt for mortal life. The other three Supreme Kai had perished in battle against Evil Buu years ago, making their involvement impossible.
The masked figure's patience evaporated as Karnel remained silent in contemplation. Murderous intent flashed in his eyes as he snarled, "You cosmic vermin shouldn't exist in any reality. Die!"
A crackling sphere of dark energy materialized in his palm and shot toward Karnel with lethal velocity.
"This is what passes for divine power?" Karnel emerged from his thoughts with a cold snort, utterly unimpressed by this self-proclaimed god's theatrical display. "If this is considered divinity... pathetic."
"Let me see your true face!" Karnel declared.
Though the energy sphere moved with incredible speed, Karnel was faster. He sidestepped the attack with casual ease, his form wreathed in crimson light as he appeared directly in front of his enemy. His fist shot forward, aimed at the strange mask concealing his opponent's identity.
The masked figure had grown overconfident, never expecting a Saiyan in base form to possess such overwhelming power. Caught completely off guard, he barely managed to pull his head back, but the sheer force of Karnel's punch shattered his protective mask into several pieces.
Karnel seized the opening without hesitation. Following through with his initial strike, he drove his knee toward his opponent's midsection.
"You're stronger than expected," the now-unmasked figure admitted, his face contorting with cold fury. "I was careless, you caught me by surprise." He retreated several steps to avoid the knee strike, his feet digging small craters in the earth. Using the momentum from his backward leap, he launched himself forward like lightning, his fist surrounded by ominous black energy.
The enemy's strength was considerable, but Karnel felt no fear. He had been prepared for this level of combat from the moment he'd detected the intruder. Raising his own hand, he channeled his divine power into his fist and met the attack head-on.
The collision was devastating. Their fists connected with explosive force, tearing multiple knife-edge cracks in the very fabric of space-time. Dark voids opened where reality had been rent apart, creating terrifying suction that pulled stones, debris, and anything not firmly anchored into the endless darkness beyond.
Karnel's expression remained perfectly composed as their fists separated. In one fluid motion, he raised his leg and delivered a powerful kick that sent his opponent flying dozens of meters before he could recover his balance.
With the mask destroyed, Karnel finally got a clear look at his enemy's face, and what he saw made his eyes widen in shock.
"Goku?" he whispered, then immediately shook his head. "No... Although the appearance is identical, the aura is completely different."
The energy signature emanating from this being felt nothing like the pure-hearted Saiyan warrior he knew. This presence was twisted, malevolent, and utterly alien.
"Who are you?" Karnel demanded, his voice steady despite his surprise. "Why are you wearing Goku's face?"
The dark figure, now revealed to be wearing Goku's body, lowered his head and began laughing maniacally. "Haha... hahaha! The Saiyan race truly possesses remarkable potential. Every specimen I encounter displays such incredible power!" His laughter died abruptly, replaced by murderous conviction. "Which is precisely why the Saiyans, the greatest cancer plaguing the universe, must be eradicated first!"
"Oh?" Karnel's voice carried mocking disdain. "You seem awfully confident making such arrogant declarations. Do you feel superior simply because you're wearing Goku's skin?"
He continued his psychological assault with cutting precision: "Although I don't know your true identity, if you despise Saiyans so much, why did you steal his body?"
"Son Goku's body is far more useful than my original form," the dark entity replied with twisted pride, completely ignoring Karnel's taunts. "It possesses the power of a primordial beast. This sensation of wielding supreme strength is absolutely intoxicating!"
Karnel's frown deepened with growing confusion. "Where did you acquire Goku's body? The Goku of this timeline died over a decade ago. You couldn't have taken it then..."
The dark Goku sneered with sadistic satisfaction. "I obtained it by desecrating his grave, naturally. After traveling here from another universe, I excavated his corpse. Fortunately, his body showed no signs of decay, otherwise, this journey would have been completely wasted."
Disgust flashed across Karnel's features as he stared at this abomination. The thought of someone defiling a grave for such twisted purposes was utterly revolting.
"So you're a Supreme Kai from another universe?" Karnel said, suppressing his revulsion as killing intent flickered in his eyes. "You came to this world and switched bodies with the deceased Goku?"
"Very perceptive," the dark entity confirmed, clenching his stolen fists with evident satisfaction. "In order to obtain the supreme power necessary to completely eliminate all the cancer infesting the universe, I had no choice but to exchange bodies with the dead Son Goku." When he spoke of universal life forms, undisguised disgust flashed across his borrowed features.
Murderous resolve crystallized in Karnel's gaze. He was grateful that all his efforts to track down this madman had finally paid off. If such a deranged individual had been allowed to reach the original Earth's timeline, the consequences would have been catastrophic beyond imagination.
"Your twisted crusade ends here," Karnel declared, divine energy beginning to surge around his form like a crimson inferno. "I won't let you spread your insanity to another timeline."