The cosmic devastation was beyond comprehension. As Karnel and Beerus continued their reality-shaking battle across multiple star systems, entire sectors of space were being systematically annihilated. Only Whis, trailing behind them, understood the true scope of the destruction they were leaving in their wake.
'How much of this galaxy have they already destroyed? he wondered with a mixture of admiration and concern. At this rate, there won't be anything left to restore.'
100x Divine Kamehameha Wave!
Karnel decided to unleash one of his most devastating techniques. Since conventional energy attacks seemed to barely scratch Beerus, and his divine power was virtually limitless, he saw no reason to hold back. Concentrating his spiritual energy into both hands, he aimed at Beerus's position tens of thousands of kilometers away and released the most powerful shockwave he'd ever attempted.
BOOM!
A massive energy beam, easily a thousand meters thick, erupted from his palms and streaked across the void at incredible speed. But this was no ordinary attack, as Karnel raised his hands skyward, the energy wave underwent a spectacular transformation, reshaping itself into a colossal crimson dragon that writhed and coiled through space like a living serpent.
The divine construct moved with even greater velocity than the original beam, its massive form cutting through the cosmos with predatory grace. A thunderous roar echoed from the dragon's maw, and wherever the sound waves traveled, the fabric of space itself cracked and shattered.
Beerus's eyes widened as he witnessed the sheer artistry of the attack. This wasn't just raw power, it was power given form and intelligence, a technique that demonstrated mastery far beyond brute force.
'The Saiyan is going all out, he realized. I can't afford to hold anything back either.'
The God of Destruction's aura flared as he gathered his divine essence into a single point. An energy sphere materialized in his hands, pulsing with concentrated destruction. Within seconds, it expanded to massive proportions, thousands of meters in diameter, and radiated an aura so malevolent that nearby space began to warp around it.
"Take this!" Beerus hurled the sphere with devastating force. It tore through reality itself, leaving a trail of shattered spacetime as it hurtled toward the approaching dragon.
The collision was inevitable and spectacular. Karnel's crimson dragon opened its jaws wide and attempted to devour Beerus's destruction sphere whole, the massive energy construct disappearing into the dragon's gullet.
Karnel's brow furrowed in concentration as he sensed the chaotic energies within his creation. The sphere's destructive aura was incredibly resilient, his dragon's energy could only erode its outer layers, unable to fully digest the concentrated divine power within.
Focusing his will, Karnel poured more energy into the dragon's form, channeling power specifically into its crystalline fangs. The construct's jaws clamped down with tremendous force, and finally, CRACK, the sphere's protective barrier gave way.
Violent destructive energy began pouring out of the breach, flooding through the dragon's body in torrents of chaotic power.
Whis materialized beside Beerus just in time to witness this spectacular display. After quickly analyzing the situation, he turned to his companion with barely contained amusement.
"Lord Beerus, it appears your opponent has gained the upper hand. That full-power energy sphere you launched is being systematically consumed by his dragon construct! It seems you're finally going to experience the taste of defeat, how delightfully unprecedented!"
Beerus, breathing heavily from the exertion, shot his attendant a withering glare. "Impossible! I refuse to lose to anyone! At worst, this will end in a draw!"
With a surge of desperate determination, Beerus remotely triggered every remaining particle of energy within his sphere. The divine power, partially consumed but still potent, began condensing toward the center in preparation for a catastrophic detonation.
Karnel sensed the sudden energy shift through his dragon's connection to the sphere. His expression turned grim as he realized Beerus's intention, the God of Destruction was preparing to detonate his remaining divine power in a final, desperate gambit.
'Even knowing what's coming, I can't stop it, Karnel thought grimly. Without using my temporal abilities, my raw strength isn't quite superior to his.'
The explosion was instantaneous and devastating. The dragon's massive head was obliterated in the first microsecond, unable to contain the uncontrolled divine energy erupting within its form. A sphere of blinding white light expanded outward at incomprehensible speed, consuming everything in its path.
The destruction encompassed hundreds, then thousands of light-years. Multiple galaxies unfortunate enough to be in the vicinity were swallowed by the ever-expanding wave of annihilation, their billions of stars extinguished in moments.
"Lord Beerus," Whis said with mild reproach as he activated his protective barrier, "you've made quite the spectacle. The number of galaxies you've just destroyed doesn't meet the standards expected of a God of Destruction, this level of collateral damage is rather excessive."
The translucent cube materialized around them, providing sanctuary from the cosmic devastation outside. Karnel, observing their protective shelter with curiosity, teleported inside to join them.
Finding Beerus collapsed on the cube's floor, clearly exhausted from his final gambit, Karnel couldn't help but smile. "So even the mighty God of Destruction can be pushed to his limits. Though I notice you still refuse to admit defeat."
"Saiyan..." Beerus said between labored breaths, a genuine smile crossing his features, "you are extraordinarily powerful. I haven't enjoyed a battle this much in millennia. It's been far too long since I faced an opponent capable of matching me blow for blow."
"I enjoyed our contest as well," Karnel replied, though his tone grew more serious. "However, Beerus, I strongly advise against making any more threats about destroying Earth. Otherwise..."
He allowed a brief surge of temporal energy to manifest in his palm, just enough for both gods to sense its terrifying implications, before letting it dissipate.
Beerus snorted and turned his head away, though there was no real hostility in the gesture. In truth, he'd never seriously intended to destroy Earth anyway. The planet's culinary delights had already won his protection, and anyone threatening his new favorite dining spot would face his wrath.
Karnel turned to address their observer with a respectful bow. "Greetings, Lord Whis. I am the Saiyan known as Karnel. It's an honor to finally meet you."
"The pleasure is mutual, Karnel," Whis replied warmly, then tapped his staff against the cube's surface. With a melodic chime, their shelter began ascending through layers of dimensional space, rising to a vantage point where the full scope of their battle's aftermath became visible.
"Now then," Whis continued, his tone becoming uncharacteristically serious, "let's survey the damage from your little sparring match. You've managed to destroy approximately half of this galaxy cluster. The most concerning part, Lord Beerus, is that you chose to detonate your energy sphere even while facing defeat. Fortunately, Karnel's dragon construct absorbed most of the blast, otherwise, the entire Northern Galaxy would have been erased from existence."