"Ken!" Moro shouted across the battlefield. "I've already defeated them. Isn't it time you kept your promise?"
"Not yet." Ken smiled as though there were still plenty left to watch. "Merus is going to entertain you for a while."
Moro glanced toward the Galactic Patrolman and scoffed. "Him? He's nothing but a lowly patrolman."
Merus answered by charging.
A long staff appeared in his hands as he closed the distance, and he swung it down at Moro with enough force to make the air crack. Moro caught the strike on his forearm, but instead of countering immediately, he stared at Merus more carefully.
"There's something strange about you," Moro said. "I can't sense any life energy from your body. Were you disguising yourself before? Are you actually some kind of god?"
Merus offered no answer. He twisted the staff and struck again, forcing Moro to block as the two moved into close combat. Moro tried to rush inside the weapon's reach, but Merus leaned back, planted one end of the staff against the ground, and pressed a switch built into its shaft. The weapon suddenly extended upward and caught Moro beneath the chin, flipping him through the air.
Moro recovered before landing, surrounding himself with a barrier and righting his body in midair. He wiped a trace of blood from the corner of his mouth and grinned.
The two rushed each other again.
Merus spun the staff rapidly in front of him, turning aside Moro's punches until the wizard's eyes flashed gold. Twin beams shot toward Merus, who brought the staff up to block them, but Moro used the opening to kick the weapon out of his hands and follow with a brutal headbutt to the face.
Merus was sent flying. Moro immediately fired several ki blasts after him, but Merus rolled through the air and slipped between them before regaining his balance. When Moro charged again, Merus swept both hands forward and caught him with an invisible force that froze him in place.
At the same time, the staff Merus had lost came spinning back down from above.
Moro broke free just before it reached him and punched the weapon away.
Merus exhaled quietly.
Moro's suspicion only deepened. "You're holding back. Why? You clearly have more power than this, yet you insist on fighting with those ridiculous tools."
Merus remained silent.
"Goku," Ken called.
Goku looked over, confused, then flew unsteadily toward him. He was still exhausted from his earlier battle, but Ken simply raised his staff and swept it once through the air. Angel power flowed over Goku's body, healing his injuries and restoring his depleted energy almost instantly.
Goku flexed his hands in surprise as his strength returned. "Whoa... I'm completely recovered!"
"Go help Merus," Ken said. "You know he can't fight freely."
Goku's expression became serious. "Right."
He immediately headed back toward the battlefield.
Jaco stared after him. "Ken just restored all of Goku's energy!"
Vegeta, who had only barely managed to stand again, looked toward Ken with a deeply offended expression. "I could use some of that too."
Ken turned on him at once. "You've talked enough, Vegeta! You had every chance to erase Moro earlier, but instead you waited around until he used his magic and escaped. Stay there and think about what you did."
Even if Kakarot was back at full strength, he still didn't see how that solved anything. Moro had become stronger than before, and Goku had already failed against his previous form.
Piccolo helped Vegeta over and lowered his voice. "I think Ken is planning something."
Vegeta frowned. "What kind of plan?"
"Maybe it has something to do with Goku."
Gohan looked between them. "What would Ken be planning for Dad?"
Kale thought about it for a moment. "Maybe he wants Goku to complete the real Ultra Instinct."
Piccolo's eyes narrowed. "That would explain a few things."
Vegeta said nothing, but his expression showed that he was considering the same possibility.
By then, Goku had reached Merus.
"Merus."
Merus turned and smiled. "Goku."
"You need to stop before this goes any further," Goku warned. "If you keep fighting, you'll disappear."
"I'm still fine for now."
"Then let me handle Moro."
Silver light erupted around Goku as he entered Ultra Instinct Sign once more.
Moro stared at him, then slowly looked toward Ken with an expression of utter disbelief.
"Ken... you restored him?"
"Yes." Ken smiled. "Is there a problem?"
Moro ground his teeth. If Ken was going to refill Goku every time he ran out of energy, the entire battle was beginning to feel increasingly unfair.
Still, he refused to show concern.
"It changes nothing. Even at full strength, he couldn't defeat the weaker version of me."
Goku attacked immediately.
His speed returned with Ultra Instinct Sign, but Moro's new body was on an entirely different level. He avoided Goku's strikes with far less difficulty than before, and after several exchanges, a single counterpunch sent Goku flying across the battlefield.
Merus raised both hands and caught Goku with telekinesis before he could crash into the ground, lowering him safely.
"Sorry, Merus..." Goku muttered as he forced himself upright.
Moro laughed. "What did you expect? You couldn't beat me before, and now I'm even stronger."
Goku clenched his fists in frustration. "Damn it... I finally mastered Ultra Instinct Sign this far, and I still can't use it properly when it matters."
"Your training wasn't the problem," Merus said.
Goku looked at him.
"You're simply missing the final trigger."
"A trigger?"
Merus's smile became faintly more meaningful. "I'm missing one too. I need something to push me beyond where I am now."
Goku only looked more confused.
Before he could ask what Merus meant, the ground behind them split apart.
A huge hand shot upward and clamped around the back of Merus's neck.
Merus did not dodge.
Moro's laughter echoed from below as he emerged from the earth. "I still don't know exactly what you are, but I might as well copy your abilities and find out!"
His fingers tightened.
Then Merus moved.
A staff appeared in his hand—not the Galactic Patrol weapon he had been using before, but his Angel staff.
With one effortless sweep, Merus severed Moro's arm.
Moro recoiled in shock, staring at the stump before his gaze snapped toward the staff in Merus's hand.
Then he looked at Ken.
The resemblance was impossible to miss.
Moro's eyes widened as the truth finally fell into place.
"So that's it..." His expression twisted with anger. "You're an Angel too!"
[End of chapter]
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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