From the stands, despair spread as Universe 11's dominance became absolute. Their fighters were still frighteningly fresh after nearly forty-eight minutes of combat, while Universe 7 was running on fumes. The gap in stamina alone was a weapon. And towering over it all was Jiren.
"This ends now."
High on a broken spire, Jiren drew breath. His aura climbed by the second, doubling, then doubling again, a tidal wall of pressure that made even gods flinch.
Universe 7 regrouped by instinct, forming a shield around the wounded Vegeta. Every one of them felt the same thing. Whatever Jiren was about to unleash would be brutal.
"I didn't say you could run."
Dyspo bared his teeth and blurred forward, a straight shot for Frieza. Moments ago he had been toying with the tyrant. When Jiren powered up, Frieza had vanished at a speed even Dyspo struggled to track. Had Frieza been holding back all along. The thought burned like shame. Dyspo poured on everything to end it in one strike.
Boom.
Frieza sneered and flared gold. "I planned to save you for dessert, but since you're begging, who am I to refuse."
Golden Frieza's power, honed in a sleepless month, peaked again. He met Dyspo head-on.
"Don't kid me. You can't match my speed."
Dyspo's fist snapped out too fast to see.
Smack.
Frieza caught it clean.
"You… damn you."
Dyspo tried to yank free, but Frieza's grip was iron.
"In that case, I won't be polite."
His tail cracked like a whip.
Thwack.
Dyspo folded around the blow, but Frieza didn't let go. The tail fell again and again, a drumbeat of punishment that left the Pride Trooper striped with welts.
"Trash."
Above, Jiren flicked a crimson bolt toward them.
Vincent flashed in. "Serious Punch."
Armored in Haki, fist sheathed in living flame, he drove a full-power straight. The blast shattered midair. A fireball punched through the debris and streaked for Jiren.
"Parlor tricks."
Jiren swatted it aside.
"Enough toying around. Finish him," Vincent snapped over his shoulder.
The longer they dragged this out, the worse their odds.
"Fine, fine."
Frieza rolled his eyes, heaved the limp Dyspo toward the brink, and lashed him one more time for good measure. Dyspo sailed like a cut kite and vanished over the edge.
"Universe 11's warrior Dyspo has fallen from the ring and is eliminated."
The Grand Priest's voice floated down, then added, "Universe 7 has five fighters remaining. Universe 11 has only Jiren. Six minutes left."
No one in the arena heard that as an advantage. Not after what Jiren had shown.
He stood on high like an emperor surveying subjects. "If I'm the last from Universe 11, then… let me show you something worthwhile."
For once, his cold face twisted into a smirk. Every instinct in Universe 7 screamed danger.
"Ready."
Goku's low warning snapped them into motion.
Jiren roared. His ki condensed until it looked like matter, a scarlet flood rolling in from every direction.
A true area wipe.
Half the platform disappeared under the tide.
If he'd used this at the bell, the ring would have been empty inside a minute. He'd held it back for his own team.
"Behind the barrier."
Android 17 thrust both palms forward. A green dome snapped into place over the group.
"Look."
Goku pointed up. The red tide crested like a real ocean swell, a wall dozens of meters high about to crash.
"One hit like that and we're done. Feed the shield."
Vincent didn't hesitate. Hands shot out, pouring energy into 17's barrier.
Wham.
The first wave broke. A hairline crack ran across the dome. It held, and their power stitched the fracture shut.
"Another."
They shoved harder. The second wave hammered down. The shield exploded into motes, but the surge dissipated with it, buying a heartbeat. 17 rebuilt the dome on reflex.
"Final wave."
Jiren slashed the air. A breaker rose that dwarfed the rest and came roaring down.
Faces went tight. If that landed, even survival would be a miracle.
"More. Push."
Goku barked, but they were already at their limits.
"I'm tapped," Frieza snarled.
"Useless, the lot of you."
The voice came from behind. Vincent risked a glance.
"Vegeta."
"Tch."
Vegeta didn't waste words. Blue ignited around him.
"With the prince here, if we can't hold this, we can't show our faces back home."
----------------------------------------------------
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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