Zamasu descended with the bearing of absolute divinity, his Supreme Kai robes pristine despite the apocalyptic wasteland surrounding them. His hands remained clasped behind his back—a posture of complete confidence, of superiority so profound he couldn't even be bothered to assume a combat stance.
Where Goku Black radiated violent aggression, this Zamasu projected serene certainty. His smile carried no malice, no anger—only the calm conviction of someone who believed themselves utterly, incontrovertibly correct.
"Humanity was a mistake," Zamasu began, his voice carrying the weight of religious proclamation. "The gods gave mortals wisdom, granted them autonomy, bestowed upon them countless gifts... and what did they do with these blessings?" His expression twisted with contempt. "War. Disease. Crime. Hunger. Endless conflict born from insatiable desire. Mortals squander everything divine grace provides, using their gifts to destroy the very order that sustains life."
He spread his arms, encompassing the ruined city around them. "I've witnessed this pattern across countless planets, in every universe. The details change, but the fundamental truth remains constant—mortals are a cancer upon creation." His eyes fixed on Raditz with penetrating intensity. "You're a Supreme Kai from another reality. Surely you understand. Surely you've seen the same endless cycle of mortal foolishness."
"So when you can't beat me in a fight," Raditz said with bitter amusement, "you switch to trying to recruit me with philosophy? How transparent."
"This isn't recruitment—it's an appeal to reason!" Zamasu's voice carried genuine passion now. "You possess wisdom beyond ordinary beings. Surely you can see—"
"I see a hypocrite," Raditz interrupted coldly. "You condemn mortals for their violence and cruelty, yet everything you've done makes them look merciful by comparison. Tell me, Zamasu—how many innocents have you slaughtered in the name of your 'justice'? How many children, how many families, how many people who never hurt anyone?"
"Destruction is the prerequisite for rebirth!" Zamasu shot back. "You cannot build a new world on the corrupted foundation of the old!"
"That's what Supreme Kais and Gods of Destruction exist to handle," Raditz countered. "The divine order already has mechanisms for managing universal balance. Your intervention isn't necessary—it's just your ego demanding you play god."
"They don't understand!" Zamasu's composure cracked slightly, passion bleeding through. "The other Kais, the Gods of Destruction—they all cling to hope for mortals. They believe redemption is possible, that given enough time, mortals will evolve beyond their base nature." His hands clenched into fists. "They're WRONG. I've seen the truth they refuse to acknowledge. And I will impose the justice they lack the courage to deliver."
Raditz shook his head, and when he spoke again, his voice had softened—not with agreement, but with something approaching sadness. "Master Roshi is a bit of a pervert sometimes. Goku can be naïve to the point of frustration. Vegeta's pride makes him insufferable. My own son gets into mischief that drives me crazy..."
Both Zamasus stared at him in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"I'm saying that the people I love have flaws," Raditz continued. "They make mistakes. They're not perfect beings of pure virtue and wisdom. But despite their shortcomings—or maybe because of them—they bring me joy. Warmth. Purpose. They make my existence meaningful in ways that cold perfection never could." His aura began to intensify, red light flickering around his form. "You want to destroy humanity? You want to erase all mortals from existence? Then you'll have to go through me. And I promise you—I will never allow that to happen."
For a long moment, silence reigned.
Then Zamasu nodded slowly, a smile returning to his face. "I see. Neither of us can convince the other. Our philosophies are fundamentally incompatible." He assumed a combat stance for the first time, divine ki beginning to swirl around him. "Then there's only one way to resolve this—through battle. May the righteous prevail."
"Finally!" Goku Black's grin split his face with savage anticipation. "Let me show you how much I've grown since our last encounter!"
There was something different about him now. The way he moved, the intensity of his aura—Zamasu's divine essence was clearly affecting Goku's Saiyan physiology in unexpected ways. The combination of godly consciousness and warrior instinct had produced something... new.
"You deliberately chose a timeline where Goku was already dead," Raditz observed with cold disdain. "You murdered the Supreme Kai to eliminate the God of Destruction. Everything about your strategy screams cowardice. For someone who claims divine superiority, you sure seem terrified of fighting opponents at your own level."
"SILENCE!"
Goku Black's aura exploded outward with tremendous force, several times denser than before. The sheer pressure made the air itself scream.
Interesting, Raditz thought analytically. The combination of divine intellect and Saiyan biology has created an unusual synergy. But Zamasu can't truly master Goku's body—he's relying on Saiyan instinct, repeatedly pushing himself to the brink of death to trigger zenkai boosts. It's effective... but that enhancement method has a ceiling. And that ceiling is still far below my current level.
BOOM!
They clashed in an explosion of force that shattered what remained of the surrounding structures. Their fists met with devastating impact—
And Raditz was driven backward.
What?!
"HAHAHAHA!" Goku Black's laughter rang across the wasteland as his aura transformed. Golden light shifted, darkening into something deeper, richer. When the transformation completed, his hair had become a brilliant rose pink, crackling with black lightning. "Don't think you're the only one who can evolve! I've achieved it as well—SUPER SAIYAN ROSÉ!"
Energy poured from him in waves, each surge more powerful than the last. This wasn't just a color change—this was a fundamental leap in power, divine ki perfectly synchronized with Saiyan transformation.
So he mastered it after all, Raditz thought, gathering his own strength. But if he thinks one new form is enough...
"SUPER SAIYAN FOUR GOD!"
Raditz's transformation erupted with overwhelming force. Red fur covered his body as his aura blazed orange-red, divine ki infusing every cell. The ground beneath him cracked and cratered from the pressure alone.
Among the watching humans, awe mixed with confusion. "They're... changing hair colors?" Mai whispered, struggling to comprehend what she was witnessing. "Is this some kind of rainbow battle?"
They couldn't perceive the astronomical shifts in power accompanying each transformation. To mortal eyes, it looked almost comedic—warriors cycling through various colors like a light show. But each flash of light represented forces that could obliterate planets.
Raditz surged forward, and Goku Black met his charge head-on.
CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!
They traded blows with devastating intensity—neither dodging, neither retreating. Pure head-on collision. Raditz's fist crashed into Goku Black's face at the same instant Goku Black's strike connected with Raditz's jaw. Both their heads snapped to the side, cheekbones cracking under the force, blood spraying from split lips.
They paused in mid-air for a fraction of a second—then immediately resumed their savage exchange.
BOOM-BOOM-BOOM-BOOM!
The sound of their battle became continuous thunder. Raditz's Super Saiyan 4 God form provided incredible durability—he could absorb punishment that would destroy lesser warriors. But Goku Black's Rosé transformation let him match Raditz's speed, weaving between attacks with fluid grace.
However, raw strength and endurance told the story. After dozens of exchanges, Goku Black found himself increasingly on the defensive. Raditz's attacks carried more force, his counters came faster, his stamina showed no signs of depletion.
"Yes!" Trunks pumped his fist, watching from a safe distance. "He's winning! We can actually—"
"Your opponent," a cold voice whispered in his ear, "is me."
WHAM!
Zamasu's kick caught Trunks completely off-guard, launching him downward like a missile. He crashed into the ruins below, his impact creating a fresh crater in the already devastated landscape.
Trunks coughed, tasting blood, and forced himself to his feet. Damn it! I let my guard down!
Zamasu descended slowly, his smile never wavering. "Did you really think I'd let you simply spectate?"
"Fine!" Trunks's aura blazed golden as he transformed to Super Saiyan 2. "You're just a Supreme Kai apprentice. I can handle you!"
He waited for Zamasu's next attack, reading the telegraphed movements with trained precision. When the corrupted Kai threw a straight punch, Trunks sidestepped effortlessly and drove his palm into Zamasu's exposed abdomen.
"KAMEHAMEHA!"
The point-blank energy wave erupted with devastating force, punching completely through Zamasu's torso. The beam continued past him, tearing through space itself, leaving rippling distortions in its wake.
Blood exploded outward in a crimson spray. The metallic stench filled the air.
Trunks prepared to follow up—then froze.
Zamasu was smiling.
Despite the gaping hole in his chest, despite blood pouring from the catastrophic wound, despite being clinically dead... Zamasu was smiling.
Something's wrong. Something's very, very wrong.
Trunks's instincts screamed danger. He immediately leaped backward, creating distance.
Zamasu's body remained upright despite mortal trauma that should have dropped him instantly. Then, as Trunks watched in growing horror, the gaping wound began to... close. Flesh knitted together. Organs regenerated. Within seconds, Zamasu stood completely intact, not even a scar remaining.
"Did you forget, Trunks?" Zamasu's voice carried smug satisfaction. "I am a god. And gods are IMMORTAL."
"That's... impossible..." Cold sweat broke out across Trunks's forehead. Zamasu's combat ability wasn't exceptional—Trunks was clearly the superior fighter. But if the enemy genuinely couldn't die...
How do you defeat someone who can't be killed?!
Trunks hesitated, tactical scenarios racing through his mind.
Zamasu didn't hesitate at all. Knowing he was invincible, he abandoned all defense and threw himself at Trunks with reckless aggression. Every attack was a suicide charge, trading damage without concern for his own safety.
CRACK-CRACK-CRACK!
Blue lightning crackled around Trunks as he unleashed his full Super Saiyan 2 power. Each strike pulverized Zamasu—shattering bones, rupturing organs, reducing the corrupted Kai to mangled meat.
But every time Zamasu fell, he simply... stood back up. Wounds healed. Bones reset. Within moments, he was attacking again, that infuriating smile never leaving his face.
This is a nightmare, Trunks thought desperately. I can hurt him, but I can't stop him. He'll just keep coming forever!
{Trunk being Supreme Kai of Time earlier is more of a title, he has not become a kai like Raditz}
Meanwhile, Raditz unleashed a massive energy beam that caught Goku Black square in the chest. The blast drove him backward, the force so tremendous it began tearing holes in the dimensional fabric. Space itself cracked like glass, reality fracturing at the edges.
The void slowly healed, sealing the tears with visible effort.
Goku Black wiped blood from his mouth, clutching his damaged ribs—and smiled. A feral, vicious expression that promised violence. "Not... enough... Raditz. You're still... not enough!"
"That's impossible!" Raditz's shock was genuine. "No matter how much you grow, Rosé shouldn't exceed Super Saiyan Blue's fundamental power ceiling. There's no way you should be matching my Super Saiyan 4 God form! The math doesn't work!"
Goku Black had been roughly Super Saiyan 3 level originally. Even accounting for multiple zenkai boosts and the Rosé transformation, he shouldn't have reached these heights. Something else was at play—some variable Raditz had failed to account for.
"Hehehehe..." Goku Black's laughter echoed with dark triumph. "Did you really think I sought out another Zamasu just for company? For moral support?" His aura began shifting, fluctuating in ways that defied natural transformation patterns. "We didn't simply team up, Raditz. We became ONE!"
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