Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons - spiritgamer102 (2025)

Chapter 1: The Evil Deity

Chapter Text

My writing has improved so much since making Dragon Ball Aftermath chapter one. The difference is like night and day. This story will focus on retelling the story of Dragon Ball Aftermath but is given a rewrite to vastly improve the plot, pacing, and character development. Let's begin.

In an alternate timeline to the events of Broly, Moro, and Granola, things went differently after the Tournament of Power. In this story, months after the tournament, two powerful beings fought in a small world.

Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

Chapter One

Shock waves shot across the land as a muscular man with black, spiky hair ran, avoiding multiple purple blasts headed toward him. He leapt up, smirking. This figure was known as Son Goku, one of the most powerful mortals in the multiverse.

The God of Destruction squinted at him before launching a Hakai blast at Goku. Goku leaped out of the way just in the nick of time, stumbling back.

"Enough games, Goku," Beerus, the God of Destruction of Universe Seven, demanded. "I'm not in the mood for playing around."

"You got it, Lord Beerus!" Goku clenched his fists as the ground broke under him. He yelled, his hair flashing blue. With one last roar, a large blue aura shot around him, illuminating the landscape with a bright light.

Goku opened his eyes, now in Super Saiyan Blue. He got into a stance as Beerus beckoned him forward. In a flash, he shot toward Beerus, swinging a heavy punch. Beerus clashed with him for a bit before getting bored and whacking him with his tail.

Goku was sent spiraling back, spinning around in the air. He yelled, launching a Kamehameha at Beerus, who tapped his finger on it right before it hit him and destroyed it.

Seeing this, Goku immediately decided not to hold back any longer. He yelled, red lightning shooting around him. His aura burst even bigger, almost covering the entire area.

"KAIOKEN TIMES TEN!" He yelled as he launched forward much faster than before, landing a punch on Beerus's face. He got sent back a bit. "Hmph... That's what I was waiting for!"

The two shot forward and clashed, creating a massive explosion. Whis watched from below, eating some curry. "It looks like Goku's improved. For a mortal to achieve this level of strength in such a short time is remarkable." He took another bite.

Goku ramped up his Kaioken to times twenty, rapidly barraging Beerus, then elbowing him in the gut, sending him flying toward the ground. Right before Beerus hit the ground, he stopped himself, a purple aura shooting up around him.

"He managed to complete Ultra Instinct in under the time span of forty-eight minutes," Whis said, still talking to himself. "I wonder if he'll be ready for that anytime soon..."

Beerus yelled, mauling Goku to the ground, using more of his power now. Goku cried out, crashing into the ground. He grunted as he got on his knees, blood dripping on the ground in front of him. "Heh... as expected of the God of Destruction. I forgot how strong he was."

The God of Destruction hovered down toward him, giving him a sinister smile. "Why don't you use Ultra Instinct? It would prove to be a better challenge than you are in your current form. Anything you throw at me, I will erase with no second thought."

Goku managed to get up, panting. "Yeah, I know. I wish I could enter that form, but I forgot how to."

Beerus's smile faded. "What...? You're telling me you went through the entire Tournament of Power, using Ultra Instinct three times and completing it, and you're telling me you can't use it...? BULLSHIT!"

Goku raised his hands, laughing nervously. "Calm down, Lord Beerus! I just... completely forgot how to. It's not like my other forms."

"All your forms thus far have relied purely on your raw power," Whis said, chiming in. "To be honest, you've been doing the opposite of what I've wanted you to do."

Goku paused, turning toward Whis. "The opposite?"

Whis nodded. "Your Kaioken ability has indeed amplified your power to greater heights, but it causes a great toll on your body. Just remember how you felt when you lost against Jiren and the fusion of Caulifla and Kale."

Goku recalled the events of the Tournament of Power. Kefla would have just knocked him out of his form, leaving him with little to no remaining power. He remembered his energy being completely calm before he entered the state again.

He found himself powering down, and his energy became steady. Whis raised his eyebrows, his lips slowly curling into a smile. "He's figuring it out..."

Suddenly, Goku's stomach rumbled, and it distracted him. He opened his eyes, scratching the back of his head. "Man, this battle has made me hungry!"

Beerus's eyes twitched, his face red with rage. Whis sighed, placing a hand on the side of his face. "Goodness..."

The God of Destruction grabbed his ears, yelling. "GOKU!"

Goku flinched, sweat going down the side of his face. "Sorry, Beerus! I can't focus on an empty stomach."

Beerus sighed, plopping himself down on the ground. "Fine... If you don't enter Ultra Instinct after eating, I will destroy you."

Whis turned toward his master. "What would you like to eat, my lord?"

Beerus thought about it for a second. "I want cheese pizza."

Goku shrugged, sitting down on a stump. "Sure."

Whis nodded and raised his staff, materializing pizza in front of the two. Without a second thought, they began digging into the pizza, wolfing down slices in seconds. Whis stood back, seeing scraps flying everywhere.

"You two really don't have any manners, do you?" Whis muttered to himself. Suddenly, he got a call from his staff and looked at it. He saw Bulma waving at him.

"Hey, Whis!" she said, greeting him. "I finally found a food you haven't tried yet! You should come down to Earth before it gets cold."

Whis smiled widely. "Oh! What a delight! What is this new food you speak of?"

Bulma winked. "It's a surprise! It's absolutely delicious, though. It took me hours to make the perfect batch."

"I cannot wait!" the angel said. "We will see you there."

He lowered his staff, ending the transmission. He turned toward the two, who were still eating pizzas. "You two, I think you should save some room. Bulma-san just told us she has a new food we haven't tried yet."

Beerus paused right before taking another bite. "Well, that's a surprise. I figured we had already tried everything on the planet." He tossed the slice to Goku, who quickly munched on it.

The two of them got up as Whis tapped his staff on the ground, a light surrounding them. "Well, let's get going, Goku-san, Beerus-sama." A light engulfed them and sent them shooting toward the Earth.

While they were heading away from Beerus's planet, Goku decided to ask Whis a question he had on his mind for a while. "Hey, Whis."

"Hm?" the angel replied.

"Why does it take you so long to get to Earth and back? Even I can go faster than this."

Whis chuckled. "Because I simply like the slow pace. I rarely need to rush."

Beerus, who was drinking soda, would spit it out. "What?!"

"Hm?" Whis glanced at him. "What's the matter, my lord?"

"What do you mean, 'what's the matter'?!" the cat yelled. "You realize how impatient I get?!"

"No need to make a fuss, my lord," Whis replied, still chuckling. "I'll speed it up, but I'll warn you, Goku... It's dangerous for the mortal body."

Goku clenched his fists. "Let's give it a shot!"

Whis smiled as they shot off at intense speeds, galaxies shooting by. Goku barely managed to hold on, his face feeling like it was peeling off. He was yelling, but his voice was unheard.

A minute later, they stopped on Earth, and Goku stumbled forward, his eyes looking like spirals, while Beerus and Whis were unaffected by the velocity.

"Not bad, Goku," Whis said. "Velocity like that would've vaporized you if you weren't this strong."

"Let's go get the food," Beerus said impatiently. "That pizza wasn't enough to satisfy me."

They walked across the streets, people looking at Beerus and Whis with dumbfounded expressions on their faces. After a while of staring, Beerus got irritated and turned toward them, glaring at them with intimidation. "Scram."

Without hesitation, all the people, including the police, hurried away, continuing with their business. They arrived at Bulma's place and Goku rang the doorbell.

Bulma answered a moment later, letting them in. "I just saw people running away from where you came from. You better not have scared them again, Beerus."

Beerus yawned, waving her off. "Yeah, yeah. Where're my dumplings, woman?"

A tick mark appeared on Bulma's forehead, but she managed to keep her composure. "They're in the kitchen... Still warm. Still piping warm."

Beerus nodded, and the three entered the kitchen, opening a box. Immediately, an intoxicating smell hit them as the juicy dumplings were revealed. They gazed at them, amazed.

Bulma walked in, her anger replaced by a smirk when she saw their reactions. "Enjoy."

Immediately, Beerus dug in before Goku and Whis could thank her for the food. They quickly started digging in as well, and it was absolutely delicious to the three of them.

"This is delightful!" Whis exclaimed, barely able to contain himself. "Sublime! Bulma, you have done it once again."

Bulma chuckled. "Yeah... Thanks, Whis."

After their meal, Goku and Beerus headed outside, hovering on top of a building. They were standing across from each other. Goku smiled, getting into a stance. "Let's start where we left off, Lord Beerus. I want to push you to your full power."

While they were talking, an ominous figure slowly descended into the atmosphere, concealing his power. Whis glanced up, sensing something was off. "Hmm... That's strange."

Bulma, who was sitting down next to him, gazed at him. "What's wrong, Whis? You rarely act like that."

"It's probably nothing," Whis replied, but he was on guard now.

Beerus squinted. "You really think you are even close to my level, Saiyan? At most, you could push me to ten percent, and that's being generous."

"We'll see about that." Goku prepared to leap forward, but an angry voice from below stopped them. "Oh, no, you don't! You are NOT about to fight on top of Capsule Corp!" Bulma yelled.

Goku laughed nervously as Beerus looked down at her with distaste. "Fine. Whatever."

Whis squinted at the sky. "Bulma-san, please get as far as you can."

Bulma scrunched her eyebrows. "Whis...?"

Whis didn't reply, but she decided to listen to him. She rushed inside to warn her parents and prepare to evacuate.

Right as Goku and Beerus were about to leave, suddenly there was a strange feeling consuming the entire planet. Goku felt a lot of weight, falling on his knees. "Gck... What is this...?"

Beerus felt the effects as well, but was still standing. "Whis, what the hell is this?"

Whis moved at a speed Goku and Beerus would've thought impossible, as a massive lightning strike then slammed down and hit the city, completely obliterating it. The smoke faded, and Whis created a barrier around Capsule Corporation, protecting Goku, Beerus, Bulma, and her parents.

All the Z-Fighters on the planet sensed this powerful presence. A muscular figure started walking toward them, his aura blasting all the smoke away. He had short gray hair, tan skin, and a black robe.

His irises were glowing red as he stopped. He examined all of them. "Well, well... If it isn't Whis and... Zydis...?"

Beerus glared at him. "It's 'Beerus'. Kindly explain why you ruined my mood before I destroy you."

The figure snorted and then turned toward Whis. "Ah, you must be Whis, my father's mentor."

Whis slowly stepped forward, dispersing the barrier. "Your name is Abysus, son of Zateus. Am I wrong?"

Abysus smirked, a malicious gleam in his eyes. "I see you're well informed. As expected from an angel." They stopped in front of each other, locking gazes.

Goku and Beerus were stunned by this. They had never seen Whis this serious before.

"Beerus, do you know who that is?" Goku asked.

"No clue," Beerus replied. "If Whis is acting like this, then he must be a huge threat."

"You are an enemy of the gods, Abysus," Whis said. "Why do you choose to come to this planet specifically?"

"I simply wanted to meet my father's mentor," Abysus replied. "But that's enough talk. Prepare to die, Whis."

Out of nowhere, Beerus vanished in front of Whis, his hand pointed at Abysus. "You're gonna have to go through me to fight Whis. Hakai."

A pulse shot from his hand, and Abysus yelled. "Nooooo!~... Just kidding."

Beerus's eyes widened. "What?!"

Abysus grabbed his hand, squeezing it. "You're nothing. Leave the business to the real gods." He threw the destroyer into a distant mountain, collapsing it in the process.

Seeing this, Goku snapped to his senses and yelled, entering Super Saiyan Blue. He shot forward and swerved around Whis, swinging a punch at Abysus, who took it. The landscape cracked, with rocks flying everywhere.

The evil god didn't budge, Goku's fist on his face. "A Saiyan...? What's a Saiyan doing out here...?"

Goku then entered Kaioken at times twenty, barraging him rapidly. Abysus was stopping his punches with his hand. "A blue and red aura... How unlike what he was many years ago."

He glared at Goku, sending the Saiyan flying and crashing through the landscape, completely leveling it. Goku coughed up blood, falling to the ground. He grunted and launched a Kamehameha at Abysus, but the evil being just flicked it back at him.

Goku barely managed to dodge it, his eyes widening. "This guy... He's not even trying... Could he be stronger than Beerus?"

He roared once again, a red aura enveloping the area. Goku shot forward at full power, straining his body. He swung one more punch, but Whis took a step toward him and stopped his punch with his staff.

Goku paused and turned toward him, surprised. Whis stared at him with a serious expression. "Goku, that's enough. Stand back. This being is on a level far beyond your own."

Just then, Piccolo, Krillin, Android 18, Yamcha, Tien, and Vegeta arrived on the scene, having sensed Abysus.

"Kakarot, who is this?" Vegeta asked.

"Stand back, everyone," Goku said to them. "I couldn't phase him. He's even stronger than... than Beerus."

Vegeta's eyes widened. "What?! That's impossible!"

Beerus landed next to them, his attire torn up. He was furious, sweat going down his face. "Stand back, you fools. I'm going to fight this bastard."

With reluctance, the Z-Fighters backed up as Beerus clenched his fists. He yelled as a massive purple aura shot up around him, illuminating the solar system. His muscles bulked up a bit as his aura turned darker, now being a darker purple. A ray of light emanated from him.

He opened his eyes, and symbols just like Toppo's destruction form appeared on his chest. His eyes glowed a faint red. All the Z-Fighters were shocked, and Whis glanced at him.

"This is the form you've been hiding?!" Goku asked, his eyes as wide as quarters. "Man, I've been hoping to see his full power, but this is crazy!"

The ground under Beerus vanished, forcing the Z-Fighters to move further away. Beerus screamed, his aura growing in size. The sky flashed as small objects gravitated toward him.

He slammed his foot on the ground, and part of the earth cracked as he launched forward at an insane speed, swinging a punch at Abysus's face. Abysus grunted, the punch having caused him to flinch.

Beerus then slammed him into the ground, causing a massive crater. Lightning struck the ground everywhere, destroying parts of Earth. All the Z-Fighters took cover from the wind.

"His power... It's like it's manipulating the weather itself!" Vegeta yelled over the sound of the explosion. "Is this the true strength of a god?!"

Abysus got up, no damage having been done by Beerus's attack. Beerus then kicked him away, launching a barrage of Hakai orbs at Abysus. They surrounded Abysus and combined, forming a sphere around him.

Abysus waved his hand, shattering it. Beerus's eyes widened. "He broke out of it with pure strength?!"

The God of Destruction blinked, and Abysus was already in front of him. Beerus was unable to perceive it. "What-"

"I'll show you strength," Abysus said. He yelled and slammed a punch into Beerus's gut, making the god vomit out blood. The wind force traveled all the way to the moon and made an enormous crater on it.

Beerus fell to the ground, panting heavily. Not once in his life had he been pushed this far. Goku was a fun battle for him, but even the Saiyan couldn't push him this far.

Abysus stepped on his back, forcing him to the ground. "Hm. At least you're stronger than the average God of Destruction, but you cannot hold a torch to my power."

Beerus raged and his aura burst to greater heights than before, forcing Abysus off him. Beerus roared before raising his hand. It glowed, causing the entire planet to shake to where it was tilting.

Whis's eyes widened. "My lord, you cannot use the Hakai in that state! It is forbidden!"

"Shut up!" Beerus yelled, his hand glowing brightly. "Whis, stand back! That is an order!"

Abysus raised an eyebrow. "You're going to risk losing your position as a God of Destruction by using that, maybe even leading to erasure."

Beerus was too angry to listen to him. "I am the authority of Universe Seven, God of Destruction Beerus. You will be erased from the rest of the cosmos. Judgment will now be passed onto you, Abysus."

He flickered as Earth's atmosphere started to fade away. "100%... Absolute Hakai... Disappear."

To Be Continued in Chapter Two

Here we go again! It's been a while since I wrote a story on this website. Just know, the frequency of chapters coming out will be very inconsistent and could take days or even months to come out.

I greatly am already improving Dragon Ball Aftermath's plot. I don't know how far I'll remake the story, but the odds of me redoing ALL of it are kind of slim. If it did happen, it'd take a long time to do.

Anyway, I will see you later!

~ Scruffy

Chapter 2: The Massacre

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

After receiving a call from Bulma, Goku, Whis, and Beerus headed to Earth, enjoying their meal. Goku and Beerus were about to resume their battle when an unknown, powerful figure named Abysus arrived and pushed Beerus to his very limits, forcing him to use a forbidden technique.

Chapter Two - The Massacre

A bright light consumed Abysus and a massive shock wave shot out across the entire multiverse, alerting the other gods. The ground shattered as Abysus yelled, a blinding light appearing.

Beerus leaped back, panting heavily. He fell to his knees, coughing. He powered down. "Never have I been pushed to my limits... He's erased..."

[Music: Thomas Bergersen - Demon Rider]

"Is that so?" Suddenly, Abysus moved forward, part of his robe gone. "I must admit, you are without doubt the strongest god of destruction. You ruined my robe, which pisses me off."

In an instant, he flickered forward at speeds only Whis could keep up with. The angel shot in the way, blocking a punch from him. Whis skidded back, managing to stop himself.

Abysus stared into his eyes. "Move. My business is with him."

"I'm afraid not," Whis said. "Ordinarily, this would break my father's rules, but you are an enemy of the gods." He raised a finger, and multiple blows hit Abysus, sending him skidding back.

"Hm... Fine..." Abysus brushed himself off. "I'll entertain you before I absorb you."

The two vanished, and massive explosions appeared constantly everywhere, leveling parts of the planet. Magma spewed out from the cracks in the earth, and all the Z-Fighters were sent flying back.

Whis rapidly barraged him so fast that it looked like multiple fists were flying out of him, sending Abysus flying. Whis was in Ultra Instinct, a glowing trail following him.

"Is this Whis's true power?" Goku yelled in utter disbelief. "I know he was stronger than Beerus, but this much stronger?!"

"We can't do anything to help," Piccolo grunted. "We can only just watch."

Abysus landed on the ground, and Whis did the same in front of him. "Goku, I apologize for the damages done to your planet, but it's for the sake of the multiverse."

He moved forward. "Let us continue." They continued to clash once again until Abysus finally started showing off some of his true power. He caught Whis's staff and snapped it in half, glowing dust going everywhere.

He then swung a kick, which Whis deflected, and then the angel went to counter it with a hit with his palm. Abysus kicked his hand away and then slammed him in the gut, sending him flying back.

Whis then raised his staff, and it glowed brightly. A massive anti-matter blast shot out from it and connected with Abysus, causing a massive explosion. Abysus leaped out of it and punched Whis, sending him flying once again.

[Music: Thomas Bergersen - Hurt]

Whis stopped when he was in front of Goku, feeling his internal organs damaged. "Goku, what you are about to see is a level only a mortal can dream of achieving. You must understand that this battle is far out of your league. You must stand back."

Goku watched in awe as Whis got into a stance, and he glowed. The angel's hair glowed white, his aura becoming smaller and more concentrated, becoming a light red with purple in it. His irises glowed white as well.

"This is... a stage beyond Ultra Instinct," Whis revealed. He took a step forward as the light bent around him. "Let's finish this, Abysus."

He went at a speed only beings on the level of an angel could see. It was instantaneous for even Beerus. Whis swung a punch into Abysus's gut, and Goku heard a loud crack.

Abysus coughed up spit. "You bastard..."

Whis then barraged him, sending him spiraling back. Abysus managed to stop himself, spitting blood on the ground. "Hm, you broke one of my ribs. I guess that's what I deserve for not taking you seriously."

He stood up, and a golden aura appeared around him. The power completely weighed Goku and Beerus down, even making Whis struggle a little. "How did you obtain this power, Abysus? You've grown much stronger since the first time you've attacked the gods."

Abysus smiled, slowly walking forward, while everything slowly vaporized around him. "I am above even you, Whis. I was trained by them..."

Whis's eyes widened in shock as Abysus was then behind him. "No hard feelings, Whis. This is for what you did to my father."

Suddenly, an energy spear stabbed through Whis's chest, causing the angel to fall to his knees. His halo disappeared, and he powered down. His hair turned darker, now being forced out of even Ultra Instinct.

"My father will not allow you to succeed in your plans," Whis said weakly. "You might have beaten me, but my father... Zeno's guards, even Zeno himself... They won't let you win."

Abysus turned toward him and summoned a dark staff, sucking Whis into it. "None of them matter. If I absorb your father, nobody will be able to stop me."

He then turned toward the remaining fighters. "You have no hope left. Your God of Destruction and angel are out of commission. I will show you mercy by killing all of you instantly."

Out of desperation, all the Z-Fighters powered up into their maximum form, all launching a combined attack. Goku with his Kamehameha, Vegeta with his Final Flash, Piccolo with his Special Beam Cannon, and Tien with his Ki-Ko-Ho.

Abysus simply glared at the blasts and dispersed them. "Your efforts are useless. Farewell." He shot up and charged a massive, dark blast. Everybody tried desperately to stop it.

"You Saiyans are far from ready to face true gods," he told them. "Perish."

He threw it down, and it connected with Earth, digging deep into it. It exploded, as Piccolo, Krillin, Tien, Yamcha, and the others were vaporized along with it.

A massive explosion consumed the Earth, and it blew into many fragments. Goku and Vegeta opened their eyes, expecting to be in the afterlife, but they saw a barrier around them.

Goku slowly got up to see Champa and Vados, the latter having saved them at the last second. "Ch... Champa...? Vados?"

"Are you alright, Goku-san? Vegeta-san?" Vados asked him, healing him and Vegeta.

"I'm fine," Vegeta replied, looking at what's left of the Earth. "Bulma... Trunks..."

Goku felt saddened at the sight of his home once again being obliterated. "Damn it... We have to go to Namek."

"We don't have time to be doing that!" Champa growled, irritated. "Be grateful we saved you. Where's my brother?"

"Perhaps he perished in the blast, my lord," Vados suggested.

Champa's eyes widened. "WHAT?!" He paused, then cleared his throat. "Hmph. That idiot, getting himself killed."

"I'm right here, fatty!" Beerus yelled, slowly coming over, blood running down his chin. "I'm sure you wish for me to die, but I don't give a shit, fatty!"

A tick mark appeared on Champa's face, and he glared at his brother. "Shut up!"

"We must get going," Vados told them. "You three are the only survivors of the explosion. We'll handle that matter another time."

Vados shot off at full speed, Goku and Vegeta getting the same experience the former had earlier. After minutes, they arrived at an old yet familiar location, and Goku, Vegeta, and Beerus were now fully healed.

The three of them stepped forward, now in the old universe six and seven tournament. It had been a long time since they fought here. Goku was surprised it was still here.

"Why are we here, Vados?" Goku asked her.

"This area has a protective barrier," Vados explained. "The barrier protecting you from the vacuum of space back then is now protected with a far more powerful barrier, created by us angels. Since Abysus has prevented us from manipulating time, we have created a safe place in universe six."

Goku nodded, turning toward Vegeta. "We have to get stronger, Vegeta. Right now, we are too weak to take on Abysus."

Vegeta sighed. "Finally, you say something that makes sense." He stepped forward and noticed familiar beings from Universe Eleven. "Look."

Goku glanced to where the Saiyan prince was looking, and his eyes widened. Right there were Dyspo, Toppo, and Jiren. "It's them!"

He strolled up to them, and the Pride Troopers turned toward him. Jiren lowered his head, staring at him. "Son Goku."

Goku nodded. "Long time, no see, Jiren. Did he come to your universe as well?"

Jiren closed his eyes. "Yeah. He destroyed everything. We are the only Pride Troopers left."

One Hour Ago

[Music: Naruto Shippuden OST 1 Track 12—Hisou (Tragic) Extended [HQ]]

Abysus was in universe eleven before he went to universe seven. He was going down toward the planet, his powerful presence weighing everybody down. It alerted most of the Pride Troopers, and they flew over to where Abysus was going to appear.

A lightning bolt crashed onto their planet, and it damaged it, sending cracks along the surface. He was letting out an ominous aura, making some of the Pride Troopers nervous.

Dyspo got into a stance. "Who are you?!"

Abysus walked forward, the ground cracking beneath him. "Universe eleven's strongest warriors... What are you supposed to be? Are you playing hero?"

Kahseral created an energy blade, pointing it at him, but Toppo pushed his hand down. "Don't. I will handle this. He's too dangerous."

Abysus paused. "You're the candidate God of Destruction. Show me your power. Do not disappoint me."

Toppo cracked his knuckles, a red aura flaring up around him. "With pleasure."

He rushed forward, rushing toward Abysus. He yelled, swinging a punch. Abysus just stood, Toppo's punch being stopped by an invisible force. Toppo leaped back, raising his fingers and launching blasts toward him.

In an instant, they were scattered, similar to what Goku did to Kefla in Ultra Instinct. "So far, I'm not impressed," Abysus told him. "You're not even at the level of a god of destruction. If you end up the God of Destruction, then I have even more reason to destroy the gods for how low their standards have fallen."

"Don't underestimate me!" Toppo roared, flying at full speed. He barraged Abysus with a flurry of punches, but the evil being stopped them with his finger.

"Perhaps you could have a better chance if you worked together," Abysus taunted.

Dyspo got into a stance, closing his eyes. He entered his Light Speed mode, a calm purple aura around him. "Sorry, Toppo. You can't do this alone." He dashed forward at full speed, becoming a blur.

He leaped up and spun around, swinging a kick. "JUSTICE... KICK!" It connected with Abysus and a massive shock wave shot out, shattering the ground. Abysus took it, completely unphased by it.

Abysus raised his hand and swiped it in an instant, cutting Dyspo's chest open. Dyspo coughed up blood, falling to the ground. When that happened, the rest of the Pride Troopers went to attack the evil being.

Kahseral yelled, forming an energy blade with his hand. "JUSTICE SABER!" He swung it at Abysus, who vanished in an instant. Kahseral's eyes widened as a slice went through his body and blood spewed out, making him fall to the ground.

Vewon leaped above him and swung his whip, trying to grab Abysus. "Justice Whip!" Abysus channeled energy through it and into Vewon, frying his insides. Vewon fell to the ground, close to death.

Tupper and Zoiray combined into one twister, heading toward the god. "Double Pride Spin!" Abysus raised his hand and stopped it before closing it and crushing the two Pride Troopers, annihilating their bones.

Suddenly, a bunch of energy threads wrapped around Abysus, as Kunshi and Kettol then launched a combined blast. It connected with Abysus, an explosion consuming him. Moments later, he moved out of the smoke, not a scratch on him.

Abysus raised his finger, then two beams immediately shot through their chests, knocking them down. He turned toward Toppo. "You are the only one left, candidate. If you are truly the next god of destruction, then show me."

Toppo clenched his fists, his eyes hidden by the shadows. "Fine... There's no point in pursuing justice any longer without my comrades." He roared, the planet cracking. Yellow lightning shot out from him as a pillar of energy formed.

Abysus smirked, as Toppo was now in his god of destruction state, glaring at him. Toppo raised his hand, a purple orb appearing. "Hakai."

He launched a giant Hakai orb toward Abysus, which connected with the evil being and expanded before bursting, and sparkles flew out. Abysus was unphased. He walked toward Toppo, who was shocked.

"Beings on my level are immune to destruction," Abysus explained. "Here's a word of advice: don't fight an omnipotent being."

He raised his hand, a giant, pure black blast forming. It started to vaporize everything around him. "I won't even use a percent of my power against you. You're nothing. Perish."

Abysus launched it toward Toppo, who created a massive barrier of destructive energy to try to block it. The black blast started to overpower it, and Toppo was left with no options.

Accepting defeat, he closed his eyes, bracing for his demise. However, he heard an impact and looked up. No one other than Jiren stood there, the black blast swerving around them. Jiren was standing there, staring at Abysus.

The evil warrior squinted. "The multiverse's former strongest mortal... I see. You have arrived just in time to save your comrade."

Jiren glanced over to see all the other Pride Troopers on the ground, bleeding out. He turned toward Abysus, an angry look on his face. He stepped forward, and so did Abysus.

Suddenly, Jiren's eyes flickered, and a blast of wind hit Abysus, but he walked through it. "The mortal who's said to be stronger than their God of Destruction. Show me what you can do."

Jiren shot forward in a dash, swinging a punch. Abysus blocked it, his arm shaking. He went to knee Jiren, but his opponent moved out of the way, launching a blast at the god.

An enormous blast of wind sent Toppo back as Abysus flew up toward the atmosphere, with Jiren following him. Jiren yelled, swinging a punch that sent a concentrated burst of wind.

It slammed into Abysus, stopping him in his tracks. Jiren then vanished above him, mauling him to the ground. Abysus landed and split the area, sending debris everywhere. He got up, laughing.

"Seems you're not all talk. I'll try not to hold back too much from now on." He flickered above Jiren and slammed a kick into his gut, causing him to cough up blood. He then rapidly barraged him before grabbing his head and slowly crushing it.

Jiren cried out in agony, struggling against the evil god. He tried to punch Abysus in the face, but he barely budged. "I release a little of my power, and you're already done? What a shame."

Suddenly, a giant red aura shot up around Jiren, forcing Abysus off. Jiren panted, and Abysus leaped back. "You have more to show me?"

Jiren roared, his aura turning wavy. It consumed part of the planet, with tons of energy emanating from him. Abysus watched with interest as Jiren's top ripped off, his muscles becoming bulkier.

He finished the transformation, and everything was on fire. Jiren opened his eyes and launched forward in an instant, slamming his knee into Abysus's gut. "Tch..."

Abysus skidded back, his feet digging into the ground. Jiren then shot forward, kicking him, forcing Abysus to block it. Abysus then grabbed his leg and threw him. Jiren skidded back before launching forward once again, the two clashing attacks.

Explosions destroyed more of the planet and even affected some of the universe. Jiren yelled, barraging him at full speed. Abysus had enough at this point and started dodging his attacks. "Enough... I don't have time for this any longer. You are a remarkable fighter, I'll give you that, but I am far above your level."

He then caught Jiren's punch before stabbing his finger into his chest, shooting a blast inside of him. Jiren's eyes jittered as he fell to his knees, his organs fried. He collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

"That takes care of that," Abysus muttered as he flew above the planet, raising his hand. "Mortals are so fragile, easily broken, as if they are glass, both physically and mentally."

He raised his hand and sent a giant blast toward the planet, aiming to destroy the entire star system in an instant. He was about to leave when the blast was immediately dispersed.

He paused and turned around, seeing Belmod and Marcarita, the gods of this universe. "Hmph... I have no further business with any of you for the time being. Neither of you can stop me."

Abysus turned and flickered, disappearing from the universe. Belmod glanced at his mentor. "Marcarita, we need to take Jiren, Toppo, and Dyspo and leave. The rest are already dead."

Marcarita nodded. "As you wish, my lord." The two flew away with the remaining alive Pride Troopers.

All of them were silent after hearing this story. Goku closed his eyes. "Damn it... He went to your universe too. What are we going to do about this...?"

"We lost our family in our universe as well," Vegeta added. "Jiren, I'd ordinarily want to beat your ass for what you did to me in the tournament, but we have to fight together."

Goku looked at Vados and Champa. "What about the others...? Hit? Caulifla? Cabba?"

"Before the attack on your universe, Abysus must've killed the remaining mortals," Vados replied, her face dead serious. "He's afraid of them."

Vegeta growled, angered at his student's death. "What do you mean? We stand no chance against him!"

"That may be true under normal circumstances," Vados said. "However, the difference between us gods and you mortals is that he cannot absorb you like he can with us. If we can somehow find a way to hit Abysus with a powerful mortal attack, he could die."

"Is that so?" Dyspo gazed toward Jiren. "What do you think, Jiren?"

"We must train as hard as we can," Jiren replied. "We have only one chance at this. Son Goku, have you mastered that form you used against me in the tournament?"

Goku shook his head. "If you mean Ultra Instinct, then no. I haven't figured out how to use it since then."

Before Jiren could reply, Beerus cut in. "Goku, don't forget what Whis said during our battle."

The Saiyan's eyes widened. "That's right! I must achieve the next step." He remembered Whis's transformation against Abysus.

"Achieving that level will not be a simple task, Goku," Beerus told him. "Only the angels and above can tap into that power. You must be crazy."

"Maybe," Goku replied, "but I have to try. We must continue to get stronger and prepare for the ultimate battle."

"Goku-san is right," Vados agreed. "We must train you, mortals, as much as we can before he returns. I have an idea in mind that could potentially be useful. I will tell you about it later."

Goku raised his hands and punched his palm, his hair waving in the wind force created by it. "Alright. Let's do this!"

To Be Continued in Chapter Three

Things are getting intense. You might notice that I've extended the first Abysus arc to have more build-up and slow down the pace a little. There will be major story changes in the future, so stay tuned for that.

~ Scruffy

Chapter 3: The Prodigy

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

After Beerus had lost to Abysus, Whis stepped in, activating a great power beyond even Ultra Instinct itself. Unfortunately, he had failed to put an end to the evil god, resulting in Earth's destruction. The Pride Troopers had also experienced a humiliating and brutal defeat by Abysus, and now they all have to work together to figure out a way to take him down.

Chapter Three - The Prodigy

Beerus went over and grabbed Goku by his arm, yanking him backward. "Wagh! Lord Beerus, what's the big idea?" the Saiyan complained.

"Save the training for later," Beerus answered. "Daishinkan-sama has called an audience with us."

"But—" Goku protested, but the god of destruction yelled at him, agitated. "No ifs, ands, or buts!"

"I can walk on my own, Lord Beerus," Goku grumbled. Beerus threw him, and the Saiyan stumbled, stopping in front of the Grand Priest. Goku looked up, then bowed. "Uh... Pleased to meet your acquaintance, Daishinkan."

As Beerus walked over, Daishinkan waved his hand. "No need for formalities, Goku-san. Beerus, would you please not throw him in my presence?"

A bead of sweat went down the god's face, and he bowed down. "My apologies, Daishinkan-sama."

The Grand Priest cleared his throat. "With that out of the way, I've called you over to interrogate you. I've already done so with Jiren-san and the others, but I need to hear your side."

Beerus proceeded to tell him the entire story until they arrived, with Goku occasionally adding in some details. Daishinkan nodded, indicating that he was listening closely.

After they finished explaining, Daishinkan stood there in silence, then closed his eyes. "I see... So Whis has fallen to Abysus. How unfortunate." He glanced up at them. "That's enough for now. Thank you. You are dismissed."

Goku didn't want to ask him anything since he was clearly distraught, so the two of them moved away as Daishinkan vanished, leaving the area. "What will you do, Lord Beerus?" the Saiyan inquired.

"I'm going to talk to the other gods of destruction. I want you to go train with Vados and Champa," Beerus replied. "Go."

Goku nodded, and the two of them parted for the time being. He approached Vados and Champa. "Vados, Lord Champa, I'm ready to train."

The angel smiled. "Very well. You will be sparring with Lord Champa, then you will spar with me. You must further master your power, especially Ultra Instinct."

The Saiyan grinned and got into a stance in front of Champa, entering Super Saiyan Blue. "Alright! Let's see how strong you are compared to your brother, Champa!"

Champa scoffed. "You'll find out I am clearly superior to that fool! Bring it on!"

Goku yelled, launching forward in a flash. He swung a kick, which Champa blocked, his arm shaking. "Not a bad kick, hehehe... " He then wound back his fist and slammed it into Goku's gut, sending him spiraling back.

Goku managed to stop himself, skidding across the ground. "Wow, Champa! I didn't expect you to be so strong!"

Tick marks appeared on Champa's head. "What do you mean by that?! Are you saying that because of my weight?!"

Goku raised his hand, smiling nervously. "N... No! Of course not!" Vados giggled in the background, finding their antics amusing.

Champa then raised his hand, charging a Hakai orb. "Well, let's see just how much better I am than my brother..." He launched the orb, and Goku moved out of the way, but it followed him.

In a panic, Goku quickly flew around, trying to lose it, but it started gaining velocity. "Crap! How do I get out of this?!"

Champa glanced at him with a smirk, having no stance. Goku launched toward him, using Kaioken times ten. He launched an energy blast at the god, but Champa deflected it with his tail.

The Saiyan then swung a punch, but Champa parried it, then grabbed Goku in a full nelson, the Hakai orb heading toward him. "Rookie mistake, Saiyan."

Goku grunted, trying to get out of his grip. "How are you so good at fighting?"

"Don't let my looks deceive you, boy," the god warned. "Beerus might surpass me in power, but I surpass him in skill."

Goku growled as the Hakai orb was about to consume him. His aura flickered as he roared, a powerful wave sending Champa and the orb back. "KAIOKEN... TIMES... THIRTY!"

His body was heavily strained, as this was the first time he tried a higher level of Kaioken. His body had barely gotten strong enough for it from the Zenkai boost post-Abysus fight. Goku shot toward Champa, kicking him in the chest.

The attack sent Champa crashing back, slamming him into a wall. He'd coughed up spit, as this attack had caught him off guard. "You little…!"

Goku then flew toward the god, launching a Kamehameha at him. Champa smirked and raised his hand, a Hakai orb appearing in it. He casually strolled forward as the blast was erased upon contact.

Champa then flickered behind him. Goku tried to react, but it was too late. Champa kneed him in the back, then wrapped his tail around the Saiyan's neck. "This match is over, Son Goku! You cannot take on a destroy—"

Suddenly, Champa howled in pain as Goku bit down on his tail, forcing him to let go. The Saiyan then took the chance to blast him, sending him back. Champa was getting furious now. Was this what his brother had to deal with?

He stomped his foot on the floor, cracking it. A large purple aura flared up around Champa. "So, did Beerus lose against that guy?"

"Yeah," Goku confirmed. "I saw his full power for the first time. It was unreal."

"You won't be able to push me to full power, that's for certain," the cat god stated. "Let's start getting a little serious now..."

Goku's eyes widened. "You weren't seri—" Champa was suddenly in front of him, kicking him in the air. He tossed the Saiyan around like a rag doll before slamming him on the ground, sending a burst of wind that distracted all the other fighters.

The warrior was knocked out of his transformation, panting heavily. Champa hovered down and landed in front of him. "Give up. You are still below us."

Goku closed his eyes, concentrating. Remember what Whis said, he thought.

Champa tapped his foot impatiently. "Hey! Are you listening?!" Goku didn't pay attention to him, though.

[Music: Thomas Bergersen - Ocean Princess]

All your forms thus far have relied purely on your raw power, Whis said. To be honest, you've been doing the opposite of what I've wanted you to do. Just remember how you felt when you lost against Jiren and the fusion of Caulifla and Kale.

Goku lowered his head, recalling everything that had happened in his life until now. Despite all the advice his mentors had given him, he had forgotten what some of them had said. He remembered what Mr. Popo had taught him twenty-seven years ago.

Stay as calm as the sky and strike quicker than lightning, Mr. Popo had said, having demonstrated how to clear one's mind and move faster than lightning. All this time, Goku was doing the opposite. He was obsessing about raw power instead of going back to the basics.

He did what Mr. Popo had advised him to do all those years ago by clearing his mind, and his hair stood up, shining. Champa's eyes widened as Goku opened his eyes, now glowing silver.

A light blue aura calmly flared around him. Goku stared at Champa calmly, getting up. "Hmph... Looks like you finally re-obtained the form of the gods," Champa grunted.

Goku had entered Ultra Instinct Omen. He stepped forward and suddenly barraged the destroyer with a bunch of punches without moving. Champa blocked the attacks, grunting.

Fists flew out of Goku, barraging Champa. The god retaliated by clashing with the attacks, sending more shock waves in every direction. Jiren took notice and turned around. "So, he is back in that form."

Energy built up in the center of their clashes and exploded, sending the two back in opposite directions. Goku skidded back, his expression unchanged. He then shot forward in an instant, swinging a kick.

Champa barely managed to dodge it, shocked at how fast he was. He then got even more furious, and he barraged Goku with punches, who dodged them. "Pesky ant!"

The Saiyan let out a demonic roar, kneeing Champa in the gut, sending him spiraling back and crashing into the wall. The destroyer coughed up spit, starting to fall. Goku moved forward, charging a Kamehameha.

"KA... ME... HA... ME... HAAA!" He launched a massive blue blast toward the cat god. It connected, and a smoke cloud covered the entire tournament. When the smoke dispersed, Goku's eyes widened to see Champa holding the Kamehameha's energy gathered into one ball.

The God of Destruction got up, brushing himself off. "Ultra Instinct, huh... I didn't imagine a damn Saiyan getting that without training for millions of years. Now then... Time to show you twenty percent of my power."

A massive purple aura shattered the ground, sending wind everywhere. Beerus and the other gods looked over to see Champa powered up. The god was instantly in front of Goku, faster than even Ultra Instinct Omen.

He brutally barraged Goku, each punch to Goku causing a massive impact, until he heard a crack. Goku's jaw was dislocated as he fell to his knees, panting heavily.

"To push me this far, I'll admit that you're pretty good," Champa admitted. "Vados, this match is over."

He walked away as the angel approached Goku, healing him. "You've done pretty well, Goku-san. You're almost at the level of an average god of destruction."

Goku stood up, now fully recovered. "I'm not gonna stop there. I'll surpass Beerus, and maybe even you, Vados."

Suddenly, the angel's smile faded, and she had a stern look on her face, recalling bad memories. "Goku-san, you wouldn't turn on us gods, would you?"

This question completely confused the Saiyan. "What do you mean, Vados? Where did this come from?"

Vados gazed at him for a moment, then her smile returned as if nothing had happened. "It's nothing. You will be sparring with me next. I will be training you to perfect Ultra Instinct to its full potential."

Goku was skeptical about why Vados didn't trust him after all this time, but he let it slide for the time being. "Yeah. How long will it be until Abysus arrives?"

"I'm not sure, Goku-san," Vados replied. "It could be any time. You'll find I'm an even more effective trainer than Whis. Just know it will be very harsh, but we don't have time for luxuries. I do have a plan, though."

Goku nodded in understanding. "What's the plan, Vados?"

The angel smiled. "It involves you and Jiren. It may not be possible, but it could prove to be a powerful warrior."

All the warriors continued to train for hours without end, improving their skills. Because of the reinforced barrier the angels had set up, time was slowed down on the outside. Six hours passed outside, and six days passed on the inside. And now, the Warriors have gotten stronger.

Abysus was in the corner of Universe Six, discovering the location of the refugees. He raised his hand, seeing a projection of everybody's training. He squinted, confused. "What are they planning...? Training mortals at a time like this? Laughable. Are they trying to make beings like my father and uncle?"

He raised his hand, and a bunch of dark figures appeared in front of him. "Go and die for my sake."

Goku sparred with Vados, rapidly barraging her with attacks. He was in Ultra Instinct Omen, but had no aura. At this point, he was able to conceal its heat.

Vados was stopping the attacks with her finger, smiling. "I am impressed, Son Goku-san. You managed to improve this much in just a matter of days. Perhaps after all of this conflict, you could stop by my universe sometime and train with me some more."

"That sounds like a great idea," Goku replied calmly, leaping back. He powered down into his base form, panting. Vados took notice of this and lowered her staff. "I think you should take a break, Goku-san. You've been attacking me for two hours straight. I would heal you, but Zenkai boosts are important for Saiyans."

Goku listened to her advice and sat down, resting his body. He watched Jiren finish up his training as well, now being even bulkier and stronger than before. He closed his eyes and quickly fell asleep for a bit.

One hour later, he woke up to see everybody had stopped training. He got up and stretched, yawning. "Back to full energy!" He saw Jiren meditating and approached him. "Hey, Jiren!"

A moment later, Jiren opened his eyes and glanced up at the Saiyan. "What is it, Son Goku?"

Goku grinned. "You know what I'm about to ask." Jiren nodded and got up. The two moved to the other side of the arena and stood across from each other. Vegeta noticed this and also got up, going to watch the battle.

Goku went into a stance, a white, glowing outline around him. "I've gotten even stronger than before, Jiren. Things won't go the same."

Jiren, this time, had a stance, having learned to not underestimate the Saiyan after the Tournament of Power. "Come."

The Saiyan roared, entering Super Saiyan God. He leaped forward at a quick pace, swinging a kick. Jiren blocked it with his arm, slightly trembling. His eyes then pulsed, sending a burst of wind at him.

Goku grunted, managing to keep his ground. He launched a ki blast at Jiren, who knocked it away, following it with a giant red blast. Goku was sent flying, grunting.

The pressure was immense, and Goku tried to diffuse the blast. He yelled, powering up into Super Saiyan Blue and scattering the blasts across the area. He flew toward Jiren, and the two clashed back and forth, the energy getting the other fighters' attention.

The Saiyan swung a punch at Jiren's face, but it was stopped in midair. Jiren then nailed him in the gut with his knee, sending him skidding back. "Tch... I forgot just how strong you are, Jiren," Goku grunted.

He yelled, powering up. "KAIOKEN!" He activated Kaioken times two, launching forward. Before the two could clash with a punch, the wall suddenly exploded, sending debris everywhere. This alerted everyone, and they went on their guard.

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Timebomb]

Luckily, the angels had expanded the barrier, so nothing was sucked into the vacuum of space. Goku gazed up and powered down a little, still remaining in Super Saiyan Blue. "Who's there?"

Suddenly, a small army of alien soldiers leaped from the smoke, landing and surrounding everybody in the tournament. Their energy readings were surprisingly insane.

They had red and black armor and a large aura around them. Goku looked around, a bead of sweat going down the side of his face. "Who are you?"

Beerus narrowed his eyes. "These guys... Their power is sort of comparable to that of a god of destruction... If I had to estimate, they are each two percent of my power."

"I see," Vegeta said. "That explains it. These guys must be servants of Abysus." He yelled, powering up into Super Saiyan Blue. The other gods of destruction and angels were on standby, waiting to interfere if necessary.

All the soldiers started attacking, and it was chaos. Goku flew forward, clashing with many of them. Explosions shot around the former tournament, slowly tearing it to shreds.

Goku blocked a punch, his arm shaking a bit. "Only two percent of Beerus's power, and they're still this strong. Time and time again, I underestimate the gods..."

He roared, launching a Kamehameha that shot through many of the soldiers' chests. They fell on the ground, and Goku thought that was the end, until they got up and regenerated, surprising the Saiyan.

"Everyone, they can regenerate like Majin Buu!" Goku informed his allies, shocking both Vegeta and Beerus.

"What a pain!" Beerus growled, raising his hand. "That means we need to annihilate them completely. No holding back."

Goku looked over to see a bunch of soldiers charging toward Jiren. The gray alien remained calm, bringing back his fist. Just before they were about to collide, he swung it, and a gigantic red beam shot out, annihilating all the soldiers coming toward him.

Goku smirked. "As expected from Jiren. Even he has gotten stronger." He shouted, powering up into Kaioken times twenty. Since he had trained, the strain wasn't as bad as it used to be.

He flew forward, plowing through the soldiers and sending them flying back. Vegeta landed next to him, and the two got into a stance.

"You might've been training your Kaioken ability, but I have also been training in my new form," Vegeta revealed. He clenched his fists and roared, his eyes glowing brightly. His aura turned wavy and dark blue.

Sparkles formed around him as he entered Super Saiyan Blue Evolution. Twenty soldiers shot toward them, all charging a combined attack. The two Saiyans nodded toward each other.

They started charging their own attack in retaliation. "FINAL... KAMEHAMEHA!" The two Saiyans launched their strongest combined attack to date. The soldiers also fired their attacks, and the beams clashed.

Electricity spewed everywhere as the beams pushed each other back and forth. Goku shouted, his aura growing in size. "KAIOKEN TIMES THIRTY!" The beam got bigger and overpowered the soldiers, incinerating a majority of them.

The two Saiyans powered down back into the ordinary Super Saiyan Blue. Jiren, with a red aura surrounding him, took down many of the soldiers. Beerus stepped forward with his hands behind his back, the rest of the soldiers coming for him.

He was visibly angry, remembering what happened with Abysus beating him and absorbing Whis. A giant purple aura flared up around him as he raised his hand. In one attack, he released his built-up anger. "HAKAI."

A massive pulse shot from him as the rest of the soldiers were erased. The god lowered his hand, sighing. "I suppose this was an attack by Abysus to wear us down, but he severely underestimated us."

There was silence between the three before the entire arena suddenly shook. No, the entire universe. Vegeta's eyes widened as he looked around. "Shit... He's here."

"It must be all part of his attack," Quitela said, getting into a stance. Suddenly, something crashed into the barrier, knocking Goku and Vegeta to their feet. The figure managed to get in after the barrier attempted to stop them for a moment.

The barrier repaired itself as the wall collapsed and a dark figure walked forward. Vados glanced at the figure while clenching her staff. "It's no mistake. He's here. Goku-san, Jiren-san, we need to perform the ritual."

Abysus walked forward, raising his hand. Suddenly, the soldiers reformed and gravitated toward him, being absorbed in his hand. "These soldiers were not made to weaken you, if you were wondering. They were created to absorb traces of angelic and mortal power."

He glowed brightly. "Now I am familiar with the power of the mortals. Seeing how weak they are, I have nothing to worry about."

To Be Continued in Chapter Four

Things are heading toward the final battle of the first arc. Things are going to get spicy, so stay tuned!

~ Scruffy

Chapter 4: The Breaking Point

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

After meeting with the Grand Priest, Goku had an explosive battle with Champa, allowing him to access Ultra Instinct Omen at will. They had spent days in the former tournament, training and honing their skills in preparation, when suddenly, Abysus's soldiers arrived to gauge their strength and absorb some of their energy. After being taken down, Abysus himself arrived, thinking he had nothing to worry about.

Chapter Four - The Breaking Point

Goku raised his fist, shouting at the deity. "Don't underestimate our potential!"

Abysus cackled before suddenly being behind him. Goku's eyes widened as he slowly turned around. "When did he...?" Abysus stared at him, smirking. "You can't even keep up with a speed that low? Pathetic."

Goku growled and spun around in Super Saiyan Blue, swinging a kick at him. It landed, but the evil god didn't budge. "I have no desire to fight you anymore, weakling. I'm here to fight somebody far higher than you in power."

He swiped his hand and sent Goku flying, tumbling across the ground and smashing into the barrier outside. Abysus glanced toward Vados, raising his hand. He summoned his staff, as Vados sensed familiar energy in it.

The angel got in a stance, enraged. "You will release Whis, Abysus," she demanded coldly.

"You waste your time training mortals," Abysus replied, resting his staff on the ground. "Why is that? Why not train your own kind?"

Vados tapped her staff on the ground, bringing Goku and Jiren to her. "You will see why, Abysus." She and three other angels surrounded the two warriors, as the rest of them acted as a barrier to defend them.

[Music: Thomas Bergersen - A Storm Is Brewing]

Abysus's smile faded. "What are you planning?"

Vados raised her hand, and two potara earrings manifested. "Goku-san, Jiren-san, we are going to perform a ritual to grant you great raw power temporarily, and then you will fuse into one powerful mortal being."

Vegeta's jaw dropped, trying to imagine a fusion between Goku and Jiren. Goku turned toward Jiren, then Vados, then back and forth, blinking rapidly. "Wh... WHAAAT?!"

"Ridiculous," Jiren scoffed, closing his eyes. "I refuse to fuse with him."

"Jiren-san, if you two do not fuse and we lose, not only will your universe be at stake, but the entire multiverse as well," Vados reminded him. "On behalf of us angels, we ask that you please listen to us."

Jiren opened his eyes, then grunted. "Fine. Make it quick, though."

The surrounding angels raised their hands, and a pattern appeared underneath the two warriors. Suddenly, Goku felt his Ki exploding. His eyes widened, as he had never felt this much raw power within him at once.

He looked at his hands. "Amazing. This power you gave us... It's intense."

Vados smiled. "No, Goku-san. What we have done is temporarily unlock your energy limiters and add some of our own raw power. Now, power up to your full power. Don't use Ultra Instinct, as that contains hints of angelic power."

Goku nodded and yelled, releasing a bunch of power. He entered Super Saiyan Blue, his aura massive. "KAIOKEN TIMES... FIFTY!" A shock wave shot across the room as Abysus stepped toward the angels, who got on guard.

"I see now," he mused. "Very well... I could use a good warm-up before I get to the main course."

Goku put a potara earring on one ear, and Jiren put it on the other. They were drawn toward each other as they converged, and a bright light consumed the entire universe.

A new figure was born, looking like Goku but more muscular, paler, and with darker blue eyes. Abysus raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? I wasn't expecting such power coming from a mortal. Very well... Show me."

Vegeta was completely shocked, the raw power of the fusion bringing him to his knees. "This power... How is it possible?"

Jirku, the fusion of Goku and Jiren, dashed forward at an insane pace, slamming into Abysus. Abysus coughed up spit, being sent back flying. "What the...? This power... It's like on the level of an angel... No... Greater...?"

Jirku was around the level of Vados, being stronger than Whis. He was extremely powerful, surpassing all the gods of destruction. He shot forward, the two of them clashing with a punch.

An explosion tore the arena apart, now unrecognizable. Jirku roared, clashing with Abysus rapidly, before kicking him and sending him crashing through the barrier. It started repairing itself, but he flew through the hole that was created.

Abysus raised his hand, launching white blasts at the fusion. Jirku maneuvered around the attacks before swinging a kick at Abysus, forcing him to block it. "This much strength, and you aren't even using Ultra Instinct."

Jirku fired a one-handed Kamehameha at point-blank range, sending Abysus spiraling back. In retaliation, he yelled and shot up, kneeing Jirku's stomach. The fusion coughed up spit before punching the deity in the gut, making him spit as well.

Vegeta watched from below, sweat going down his face. "You must do it, Kakarot..."

The two divine warriors exchanged attacks, currently on equal footing. The two of them flew through the air as the gods watched from below. Jirku and Abysus clashed back and forth, the latter laughing.

"You're the strongest I've fought thus far," he yelled, clashing elbows with the fusion. "However, you're still not even close to Daishinkan's level, so you won't last long."

The fusion smirked slightly before kicking Abysus, sending him flying into a planet. He then shouted, launching a giant red Kamehameha, causing the planet to explode. "It's over!"

Just to make sure, the fusion fired another massive attack, making an even bigger explosion. When the smoke faded, Abysus hovered there with burn marks on his arms.

He was no longer smiling and now had a serious expression. "That hurt, you mortal prick..." He was instantly in front of the fusion, shocking it. Invisible punches hit Jirku back and forth, sending him flying.

The fusion managed to stop himself, looking up at Abysus with a shocked expression. Abysus had the silver eyes of Ultra Instinct, now in its Omen state. "Surprised I have access to this form? I only use this against a worthy warrior. I was saving it for Daishinkan, but I'll make an exception."

Abysus swung a punch, and an incomprehensibly massive, concentrated force of wind slammed into Jirku, making him cough up a lot of blood. He was sent flying to the tournament, shattering part of it.

He panted as Abysus hovered toward him. "You've pushed me to ten percent of my true power. However, I have the upper hand now..."

Jirku got up, blood dripping on the ground in front of him. "I have to end it in one attack at full power..." He roared, powering up to full power, his muscles bulking up and his gi ripping off.

He entered Jiren's side of full power. "KAIOKEN TIMES... ONE HUNDRED!" The entire tournament was split in two, even surprising the angels. He roared, the space around them turning a dark red.

All the fighters were sent tumbling back, unable to keep their footing any longer.

Abysus went into a stance, the fusion being able to see a trace of fear in his eyes. Jirku roared, raising his hand. "HEATWAVE... KAMEHAMEHA!"

He launched a massive Kamehameha, which glowed like a fire. It flew toward Abysus. In response, Abysus growled, launching a blast toward the Kamehameha. The two attacks clashed, causing cracks in reality to form.

Jirku grunted, starting to lose the clash. He yelled. "THIS IS THE END FOR YOU!" His power grew even higher, plowing through Abysus's blast, who cried out, raising his arms to block the attack.

"FULL POWER!" Jirku's eyes flashed silver for a second. Abysus roared in pain as a massive explosion nearly wiped out everything in the area. Goku and Jiren then immediately defused, falling back toward the tournament, now exhausted.

Vados raised her staff, slowing them down. "Well done, you two, but I'm afraid it's not over yet."

"T... That's impossible," Goku muttered weakly. "No one can su... survive that kind of attack..."

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Earth Rising]

He slowly gazed up to see the explosion fading, and Abysus was panting slightly. "Son of a bitch... I need to stop underestimating these fools. It's time to end this."

He raised his hand, charging a massive energy ball. He entered more of his power than before, now at 25 percent. "All of you mortals, gods, and angels... DIE!"

Abysus launched the blast as all the gods of destruction entered their full power, pressing their hands against the blast to try to stop it. They all yelled, but the blast didn't slow down.

Three angels raised their staffs, trying to slow down the blast, but it still wasn't working. The blast got closer, its gravity tearing apart everything.

Vados stepped forward. "Brothers and sisters, we must go full power to defeat Abysus together. Our mortal plan has failed, so we only have one option left until Father gets here."

Her hair glowed, and her aura turned a light red with purple particles in it. Goku's eyes widened at the sight. "That's... the same form Whis used..."

"This is the true power of Ultra Instinct," Vados confirmed, as the rest of the angels entered the same form. "Goku-san, you must stand back." All eighteen angels dispersed the blast with ease together.

Abysus got into a stance, a massive golden aura erupting around him. "Finally, the angels come forward... Come!"

In an instant, all the angels launched forward, creating a sparkling trail. Everybody from below witnessed the sight, entranced by the power of the angels.

The angels worked together perfectly, each of them barraging Abysus. The evil god darted around, doing his best to keep up with each of them. However, even he was struggling.

Abysus raised his staff, launching light beams toward the angels, but they dodged the attacks. Mojito vanished above Abysus and brought his staff down, sending him flying.

Cognac took the chance to grab Abysus from behind, stopping him from moving. This gave Vado the opportunity to grab his staff, which she did before leaping back and snapping it in half.

It shot out energy as Whis reformed in front of her, panting. "Oh, dear, I'm finally out..."

Vados hugged him before going past him. "We'll handle this, brother."

All angels launched toward Abysus simultaneously, sending him shooting back. Abysus roared as each angel barraged him, knocking him back and forth. The angels then gathered above him, aiming their staffs.

They all launched a combined anti-matter blast, wrecking the fabric of reality in front of them. Abysus was now angry. How could these mere angels disrespect him like this?!

"Enough..." He opened his eyes as his hair turned silver. He entered Mastered Ultra Instinct as his golden aura flared up to the maximum, causing the universes to shake. They were all lucky Zeno hadn't noticed yet.

Marcarita's eyes widened. "He's entered full power!"

Abysus yelled, a pillar of energy shooting up and down, flooding the universe with his energy. Explosions occurred everywhere before he raised his hand, stopping all the angels in place.

"Once I kill all of you, he will appear..." He raised his other hand, charging a blast so powerful that he might as well have created an entire universe. Sparkles shot from Abysus, slightly dimming the stars.

"Disappear..." He launched the massive blast, and it was as big as a planet. All the angels braced for impact. Vegeta cried out, raising his hand. "WHIS! EVERYONE!"

Music: Two Steps From Hell - Realm of Power (SkyWorld)]

Suddenly, a familiar figure appeared, causing the blast to disappear, before a massive, distant explosion happened. Abysus smirked. "You've finally arrived, Daishinkan."

The Grand Priest was hovering, having teleported the blast light-years away. "Abysus..." He was angry. "I will not tolerate such acts. Killing the angels of the multiverse will cause Zeno-sama to come out."

Abysus cracked his knuckles. "I'll deal with him after I deal with you. I've absorbed energy from your angels, making me even stronger."

Daishinkan raised his hand as he summoned his staff, allowing Goku to see it for the first time. It glowed brightly, its energy making the ring on the back of Daishinkan's head glow as well.

Abysus shouted, launching toward the Grand Priest. Daishinkan took a stance, waiting for him. Abysus swung a kick, which he dodged, swinging his staff. Abysus blocked it, as the force from it exploded on many nearby planets, distorting the galaxy.

The evil god leaped back and yelled, launching a barrage of red orbs toward him. Daishinkan was on guard, not knowing what they were.

They all surrounded him as lines connected them, creating a transparent red cage around the Grand Priest. Abysus closed his fist as they exploded, sending a shock wave towards the fighters.

All the gods of destruction, still in their full power, raised their hands, creating a combined barrier to protect themselves from it. The barrier cracked, just barely being able to contain it.

Abysus glanced at the cloud of smoke fading away. At that moment, reality tore behind him, and the Grand Priest flew out, having escaped to a different plane of reality for a moment.

He swung his staff, and it hit Abysus, sending him back. Abysus stopped himself, growling. "Damn you..." He clenched his fists and roared, his aura getting even bigger. "Don't think you will win against me! My purpose is to kill you!"

He yelled, raising his hand, creating a giant energy sphere—a vortex of energy surrounding him. The cosmos slightly distorted as he roared, absorbing the sphere into himself before he closed his eyes.

Daishinkan's eyes widened to see him being even more powerful than before. Abysus opened his eyes and smiled. "I have absorbed the energy of this universe and the surrounding ones... This battle is over."

In an instant, Daishinkan went to punch him, but Abysus caught it, his hand shaking. His eyes and hair glowed brightly as he sent out a massive pulse that sent Daishinkan light-years away.

All the fighters, even the angels, watched in shock as Daishinkan returned, panting. Abysus vanished in front of him, grabbing him by the neck. "You've gotten stronger than my father anticipated. The amount of shit they had to put up with... You and Zeno are corrupt!"

Abysus slowly crushed the Grand Priest's neck, making him wince in pain. "Now you understand... the real truth... Die, Daishinkan."

Suddenly, a massive blast hit him from behind, catching him off guard. He let go of Daishinkan, who vanished. Abysus turned around to see the Grand Priest and all the angels gathered together.

"It's useless. Even if all the gods, all the angels, and you fight me at once, I'll take you all down," he told them.

Daishinkan turned toward his children. "My children, it's time for union. Not once did I believe this would happen anytime soon, but we must."

He raised his hand as all the angels placed their hands on his. There was a bright light that was eerily calm. Abysus's eyes widened to see an unknown figure in the center. "You..."

The new angelic god turned toward him, having multiple rings surrounding him. He had a staff made of pure energy. Abysus laughed. "I didn't think you had it in you to absorb your own children, Daishinkan. That energy... White divine energy, is it not?"

"What's he talking about?" Vegeta asked from below, confused.

"We don't know much about it, but it's something even greater than the likes of God Ki," Beerus replied. "Only the angels have access to it. Remember the blast that Whis shot out?"

Goku remembered when Whis shot out an anti-matter blast at Abysus, as did the other angels. "That's what it was... I wonder if I can learn that."

The Grand Angel raised his staff, launching a beam so large that it darkened the area. Abysus blocked it, yelling. He was sent flying past many stars, barely managing to stop himself.

Daishinkan shot forward, chopping him and sending him spiraling down. Abysus gazed up and blocked another attack, his arms shaking. "This energy... Tch... How is this possible? It's like he's almost comparable to Zeno's guards!"

"That's right," the fusion replied. "If you cannot beat me, you certainly cannot get close to Lord Zeno." He swung his staff, but Abysus caught it, nailing him in the face. "Don't get ahead of yourself, Daishinkan. I'm not done getting stronger. The more you fight me, the more I will absorb yours and the multiverse's energy." They disappeared and clashed across the galaxy, sending stars, nebulas, and everything else flying back.

"This is insane," Vegeta said, his eyes twitching. "They are tearing apart the galaxy with every punch... Even the entire universe..."

Goku clenched his fists as Daishinkan and Abysus rapidly barraged each other, the destruction being immense. They halted right above them, a shock wave knocking everybody down.

The two of them panted, the battle slowing down. Abysus clenched his fists, getting enraged. "You..."

Goku raised his fingers to his head, and Vegeta noticed this. "Kakarot! Don't do anything stupid!"

Beerus tried to grab him, but Goku vanished in front of Daishinkan, entering Super Saiyan Blue. "KAIOKEN TIMES THIRTY!"

His aura flared up, shocking Daishinkan. "Son Goku, get back! This being is too powerful for you! You cannot win against him!"

"I know!" Goku replied, charging up a Kamehameha. "I'll buy you time to charge up your most powerful attack!"

Daishinkan's eyes widened, and then he put on a serious expression. "Should this work, you will be greatly rewarded." He leaped back and raised his staff, lightning shooting up.

Goku yelled, launching his full-power Kamehameha. Abysus smirked and walked through it, not feeling it in the slightest. "What do you hope to achieve, Saiyan? Letting your Grand Priest charge up an itty bitty attack that I will ultimately absorb?"

Vegeta cursed and flew up next to Goku, entering Super Saiyan Blue Evolution. He added to the blast, making it a Final Kamehameha. This still didn't phase Abysus, as the gods of destruction and the Pride Troopers also joined in the blast, making it a bright purple.

Abysus moved closer and closer, his mere presence making Goku almost throw up. "Tch... This pressure... I can't... lose everything I have!"

Daishinkan suddenly vanished behind them, placing his staff on the blast. Suddenly, it became incredibly powerful. Daishinkan shouted, firing his most powerful attack.

It mixed with the beam and hit Abysus, sending him back a little. He grunted and trudged through the blast, trembling. "It's useless! Once you run out of energy, you will be out of options!"

"EVERYONE, FULL POWER!" Everyone yelled, powering up even further. The blast started to send Abysus back. "NO! STOP IT! You... MORTALS! All of you will die under my father's hand if not me!"

Goku roared, then glanced at Vegeta, who was yelling, his hair flickering white for a split second. His eyes opened. Ultra Instinct? No... It's different.

Vegeta didn't transform, but he was getting close. All of them poured all their energy into the blast, and Abysus cried out, his limbs breaking off in chunks.

"I can't believe this... I was supposed to be stronger than Daishinkan," he muttered to himself. He was disintegrating, clenching his fists so hard that they bled. "This isn't over... BASTARDS!"

The blast finished, and he screamed, exploding. A massive explosion blew everybody back, being as large as a supernova. Abysus had lost.

To Be Continued in Chapter Five

I was excited to make this chapter. The first Abysus arc is nearly over. It was fun to re-imagine this while also sticking to the original concepts for the most part. The fight reached its climax. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

~ Scruffy

Chapter 5: The Close Call

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

After the fusion between Goku and Jiren failed to subdue Abysus, the angels managed to fend him off just in time for their father, the Grand Priest, to arrive. After fusing with the angels, Daishinkan proved to be a great challenge for Abysus, but even that was not enough until Goku gave him the distraction he needed to charge up a final attack. Thanks to the support of the fighters, Abysus was promptly eliminated. Or was he?

Chapter Five - The Close Call

Lightning struck across the cosmos, sending shock waves everywhere. The two Zenos looked up from their palace, confused by the shaking. "Huh? What's that?"

All fighters landed on the remaining bits of the tournament, completely exhausted. Daishinkan coughed and split himself from his children, and so the angels started to heal him with their remaining energy. Goku got up on one knee, trembling. "We did it... Daishinkan truly is amazing... To think I wanted to fight him once... Heh..."

Vegeta's body was paralyzed, completely unable to move. "Tch, my body... That power I used... What the hell was that?"

Ten minutes went by, and the Grand Priest was almost completely healed. He got up and raised his staff, launching a beam at the rest of the gods and mortals, healing them completely.

Goku stood up, stretching his body. "Much better! That was a tough fight! I still have lots of room to get stronger!"

Vegeta crossed his arms, scoffing. "Of course we do, moron. We are Saiyans."

Whis flew over to Beerus, helping him up. "Goodness, I'm glad you all made it out alright. I hope it wasn't too hard for you without me, my lord."

The god of destruction's face went red with embarrassment. "Shut up. I handled it perfectly."

Vados walked over to her brother. "Whis, I'm glad you are alright. I must say, your students have exceptional potential."

Whis smiled. "I know. I might have to proceed with the next step of training sooner than I anticipated."

"Surely you know what power I just tapped into, Whis," Vegeta said. Whis smiled and winked at him, not saying anything. Goku went up to Whis and asked him a question he had been curious about.

"Whis, what was that form you used?" he asked. "That power... It's unlike anything I've seen before."

"This form is far too advanced for even the strongest mortals," Whis replied. "You believe you are able to achieve it?"

Goku nodded, raising his fists. "Of course! I'll keep getting stronger until I do!"

Some gods would get up. Quitela looked over, and his eyes widened. "Wait... That's..."

Suddenly, electricity shot everywhere as Abysus stood there, half his torso gone. Blood splashed on the ground as he trembled. "He... Dai... Shin kan..."

He cried out, his energy growing a bit, being stronger than an angel but weaker than Daishinkan. "Damn it... I can't..."

Goku was shocked, taking a step back. "He... He's alive!"

"No need to worry!" Vegeta told him. "He's weakened. He can't do anything."

Abysus vomited blood, falling on one knee before forcing himself up. "I will not fail my... purpose!"

Out of pure willpower, he roared, his muscles bulking up and part of his body starting to regenerate. He raised his hand, charging an energy blast. Suddenly, Beerus yelled, his eyes as wide as they could be.

"No... Not now!" He was sweating buckets. All the angels, and even Daishinkan himself, looked over and got nervous. Right there, behind Abysus, was one of the Zenos, with two guards next to him.

Zeno glanced at Abysus, then the others. "Huh? What's happening?"

Daishinkan did his best to keep his composure before vanishing in front of Zeno, bowing his head down. "Lord Zeno, it is a pleasure to see you."

"What's going on?" The Zeno asked, having a blank expression. "That guy is creepy." He pointed to Abysus.

Abysus turned around, and his eyes widened to see Zeno and his guards. He started to sweat. "Damn it... Why is the brat here...?"

Daishinkan tried to make an excuse. Taking a deep breath, he looked Zeno in the eyes, putting on a fake smile. "There is no issue, my lord. A friend was hurt very badly, and he is scared."

While the Grand Priest was distracting Zeno, he gave one guard a look, and the guard immediately understood. He looked up to see Abysus charging at him at insane speeds, being even stronger than he was during the battle with Daishinkan.

The guard vanished in front of him, creating a barrier to stop Abysus. The evil god yelled before launching a beam out of his mouth, which the guard deflected with the back of his hand.

Vegeta watched in astonishment. "Those guards... They're on a completely different level!"

The other guard appeared and swung a punch, sending Abysus flying back. "AGHHH!" He fell to his knees, the punch having injured him. "That's impossible... I've gotten this strong, and those damn guards... If it weren't for them, I'd be able to destroy that little shit!"

The two guards vanished in front of him, towering above him. "Stand down. You will not harm Grand Zeno."

Abysus laughed maniacally. "No matter... I can absorb your angelic Ki!" He shouted and tried to power up, but couldn't. "What...? No, it can't be... You guards don't possess angelic ki?! What are you?!"

The guard grabbed him by the neck, holding him up. "We are the guardians of the Omni King. We are the strongest in the multiverse." The antenna on his head glowed, and Abysus yelled, trying to break out of his grip.

A beam shot from the antenna and hit Abysus, vaporizing him and creating a shock wave that stopped the conversation between Zeno and Daishinkan. The Omni King leaned his head to the side to see what was going on, but his guards were next to him by the time he looked.

Goku and Vegeta quickly got nervous and pretended to spar, acting as if that was the source of the shock wave. Zeno smiled at the sight. "Goku and Vegeta are getting stronger and stronger and stronger! So cool!"

Daishinkan felt a load of relief wash over him. "Yes, my lord. I will show you a new game you haven't tried yet. You can play it with your friend."

Zeno leaped up in excitement. "Okie Dokie! Let's go back home!"

Goku ran over, raising his hand. "Wait!"

The Saiyan's boldness scared Beerus. "GOKU! Let Lord Zeno leave!"

Zeno turned around, still smiling. "It's okay. I can wait."

Goku approached Zeno, smiling nervously. "Hey, Grand Priest, could you pleaaase restore Earth for us? I know it's a lot to ask."

Daishinkan glanced toward Goku for a moment, then smiled. "Well, you did allow me to charge... I mean, err..." He looked at Zeno for a split second. "You allowed me to 'help' our 'friend'. For that, I'll reward you by restoring your planet."

He raised his staff, and it glowed for a moment before he lowered it, dispersing his staff. "Everything on your planet is back to normal as before our 'friend' arrived. Would you like me to send you back?"

Goku pressed his palms together, smiling. "Yes, please! I'll see you later, Zen-chan!"

Zeno waved at the Saiyan. "Bye-bye!" Goku and Vegeta vanished, leaving only the Pride Troopers.

The Grand Priest turned toward them. "No worries. I will restore the damages and... err... 'tell' warriors on your planet about your heroic acts." He meant he'd resurrect them, but he didn't want Zeno to know.

Jiren bowed to him in appreciation, as they were teleported away as well. Goku and Vegeta found themselves back on earth, everything back as if nothing had happened.

Bulma sat on the ground, her eyes as wide as quarters. "What... just happened?"

"Long story," Beerus replied behind her. He and Whis stepped forward. "In the meantime, let's go finish those dumplings. The battle made me hungry."

Bulma, still shocked, followed him. "How many times has our planet been destroyed now...?"

An hour later, Goku and Beerus had a standoff in the wasteland. Goku stood there in Super Saiyan Blue with Kaioken times thirty, panting heavily.

Beerus glared at him with disapproval. "Don't tell me you haven't improved one bit, Goku. I want a real challenge. You're making me impatient."

Goku chuckled and powered down. "Don't worry, Lord Beerus. I still have something else to show you." He closed his eyes and emptied his mind. Beerus smirked as Goku entered Ultra Instinct Omen, a glowing blue aura around him.

He shot forward instantaneously, shocking the god of destruction. Goku punched him in the face, sending him flying back. Beerus managed to stop himself, grunting. "That was the hardest punch I've ever received from you, Saiyan."

The two shot at one another, and explosions traveled across the area, tearing it apart. They were clashing rapidly, with Beerus struggling to keep up with him. He yelled, powering up, as he slammed Goku to the ground.

Goku managed to land safely, getting up. Beerus hovered in front of him, cracking the ground. "Alright, that's enough warm-up. Enter your completed state."

A bead of sweat went down the Saiyan's face. "About that, Lord Beerus... This is the furthest I can achieve."

The god of destruction shouted in anger. "WHAT?! Only the omen state?!"

"Don't worry, Lord Beerus," Goku assured him. "I'll be sure to give you a good fight." He let out a demonic roar, a large heat wave sweeping the area.

Whis observed from a distance, smiling. "You may not have fully mastered Ultra Instinct yet, Goku-san, but you are definitely close to doing so. Just give it a little more time."

Goku clashed back and forth with Beerus, sending strikes of lightning everywhere. The angel sighed. "Maybe you'll even surpass the angels and beyond. Maybe you'll even... No, surely that is too far-fetched."

The two warriors darted across the sky, going into outer space. Shock waves shot from them, disturbing the balance of the universe. Beerus roared, launching a Hakai orb, which Goku dodged and sent a Kamehameha in return.

Beerus blocked it and was sent above the atmosphere. He yelled, dispersing it. The two launched at each other and collided, an explosion from above lighting up the land.

The god of destruction decided to use more of his power, now being above Goku in terms of power. He rapidly barraged the Saiyan, but Goku dodged most of the attacks—the ones that were landing heavily damaging him.

Goku leaped back and swung his fist, sending a string of particles toward Beerus. The destroyer dispersed them and launched forward, swiping Goku and sending him flying to Earth.

The Saiyan collided with the ground, being forced out of Ultra Instinct. He coughed up spit as Beerus hovered down above him. "That was an even better fight than our first one. I am impressed, Goku."

Then he did something that shocked Goku. He casually strolled over and helped the Saiyan up. It impressed even Whis. "My lord, you never have such manners. Where is this coming from?"

Beerus scoffed. "Is it wrong to respect a strong warrior? Honestly..." Goku laughed. "Thanks, Lord Beerus. Looks like I still have a way to go before I can surpass you."

"I'll be waiting for our next rematch," the god of destruction replied. "The next one will decide who is ultimately the strongest. It will be our greatest battle yet."

"Sure thing!" Goku agreed. "I'll be looking forward to it." He walked over to Whis, who healed him. "Anyway, I'm going into the Time Chamber. See ya!"

"Just a moment, Goku-san," Whis said, stopping him in his tracks. "I'm actually rather curious about this time chamber. I have actually never been on the lookout. Would you mind if I tagged along?"

"Sure thing, Whis!" Goku replied. "Maybe this will be even more effective than training in Beerus's world."

The angel smiled and tapped his staff, instantly sending them to the lookout. Dende and Mr. Popo flinched, shocked. When the god of Earth realized who it was, he bowed down. "Err... Pleased to meet your acquaintance!"

Whis waved his hand. "No need for formalities with me, Dende-san. My Lord is the one you need to worry about. Anyway, I was wondering if I could join Goku-san in the room of spirit and time."

"Of course," Dende replied, smiling. "But why do you want to go there?"

"It has intrigued me for a while now," the angel said. "I want to see how it works and maybe... how I can improve it myself."

Dende was surprised. "That's amazing! Alright, the entrance is this way."

After they entered, Whis looked around at the empty white place. "Interesting. This is sort of like that place I sent you during our God Ki training, though it definitely is a lot more stable."

Goku cracked his knuckles in anticipation. "If I could train with you in here for one entire year, who knows how strong I can get? Maybe even stronger than Beerus!"

Whis raised an eyebrow. "I never agreed to train you here for that long, Goku-san. I would get quite bored."

Goku pointed his finger next to them, and Whis glanced over to see a large supply of delicious food. "On second thought, I want to stay here and train you, but there's also the problem that I'm supposed to be with Lord Beerus."

"It's only one day," Goku argued, and Whis pondered this for a moment. "Hmm... Well, the threshold for how long an angel can be away from their god of destruction is a little more than a day, so I suppose I could train you. A year is merely a blink of an eye for us angels, anyway."

Goku leaped up in excitement. "Alright! Let's begin our training! I will master Ultra Instinct and maybe even surpass it!"

"Not so fast," a voice said behind them, interrupting their conversation. The two turned around to see Vegeta walking toward them. "If Kakarot is going to train with you in here, then I'm going to train as well."

Whis sighed through his nose. "Alright, alright. I'll train both of you. Vegeta-san, I'm sure you remember the power you accessed for a split second against Abysus?"

Vegeta recalled the divine power he felt for a moment, looking at his hands. "Yeah, I remember. What was that, Whis?"

"It was white divine power," the angel explained, surprising the two Saiyans. They remembered Vados explaining it to them.

Whis smiled. "Judging by your expressions, an angel told you about it. That's right. White divine power is the raw energy of us angels. If you can master it, you will ascend to our level, maybe even higher."

"Alright, let's go!" Vegeta exclaimed and entered Super Saiyan Blue Evolution, damaging the time chamber. Whis scrunched his eyebrows after seeing how weak the chamber was.

"Just a moment," he said. He tapped his staff on the floor, and everything glowed. When the light faded, the time chamber was a lot more stable, with their powers not affecting it. It also now had extreme gravity.

He then put heavy weights on the two Saiyans, adding to the intensity of the gravity. They immediately struggled to move, even Vegeta. "Your intense training starts now. Just know, Vegeta-san, you cannot rush into obtaining white divine power. It took us, angels, millions of years to perfect it."

Vegeta raised his fist, determined. "That doesn't matter. I'll obtain it in two, if not one year! However long it takes!"

Days later, in the time chamber, Goku was asleep in his bed, but something was wrong. He was shuffling around, grunting, and having a nightmare. Whis observed him, raising an eyebrow.

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Freedom Fighters (Invincible)]

Goku was in the middle of a strange place, with many dots in the distance. A figure more powerful than anything he had sensed towered in front of him, even putting Daishinkan to shame.

Goku fell to his knees, trembling, unable to comprehend a being of this level. He was completely paralyzed. The figure approached him, looking kind of like Abysus. "What's wrong, Daishinkan? You killed him... I will not make the same mistake..."

Goku gazed down at his hands and realized he was looking through the eyes of the Grand Priest. The figure raised his hand, but suddenly two familiar figures grabbed him, yanking him back.

The Saiyan looked over to see the figure of Zeno with glowing red eyes, and the figures that had grabbed the unknown figure were his guards. The figure shouted and destroyed the guards before launching toward the Omni King himself.

Goku/Daishinkan tried to stop it, but they connected, and a bright light appeared before he found himself in a different place. He looked at his hands, now being himself again.

He then glanced up to see a different being, far more powerful than the figure he had seen a moment ago, but somehow he could withstand the pressure this time.

The being had many earrings. They were on Earth, but it was mostly destroyed, with lava covering most of the surface. Goku looked up, the sky darkening, only faintly being able to see the sun in the fading cosmos.

Most of his friends were dead when he looked over them, while others were likely erased from existence. He trembled and turned toward the figure, feeling an unfamiliar power stirring up within him. The figure looked surprised, and Goku could've sworn he said something along the lines of "Sensei?!".

He launched toward the figure, and a bright light consumed them. He grabbed the figure and slammed it to the ground, creating a massive shock wave. Suddenly, he felt something hit his chest, and he woke up.

Goku was in the time chamber, somehow holding Whis on the ground. A massive glowing aura was around him as the angel was struggling in stage two. "GOKU!"

It took a moment for the Saiyan to register what was happening, but he quickly let go of Whis, the surrounding aura disappearing. "Wh-Wh-Whis?! What's... happening?"

He glanced over to see Vegeta in Super Saiyan Blue Evolution, a trail of blood going down his body. "Kakarot... What did you..."

Goku shook, paralyzed from shock. He slowly averted his gaze toward Whis, who stood up, powering down. In an instant, the angel surrounded him with multiple barriers.

"Goku, do you realize what you have done?" Whis asked, looking visibly angry and on guard. "What was that power you used?"

The Saiyan didn't know how to respond as Vegeta approached Whis. "Whis, he was unconscious when it happened. It couldn't have been intentional."

The prince turned toward Goku. "I'll explain what happened, Kakarot. You nearly killed me and had Whis pinned down."

To Be Continued in Chapter Six

Things are getting even crazier than before! I normally was going to do a rewrite with most of the plot elements still there, but why don't I go all out and change some major things about the original, making it even better? Maybe even better than After Broly.

~ Scruffy

Chapter 6: The Visitor

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

After the guards eliminated Abysus and the cast had a close call from Zeno, Goku fought Beerus, but even with his Omen state, he stood no chance at beating him. He went on to train in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber with Whis, and after a day's worth of training, he fell asleep, only to have strange visions. Goku entered a strange power-up and ended up taking on both Vegeta and Whis while unconscious. He was only woken up in the nick of time.

Chapter Six - The Visitor

According to Vegeta, this was how it happened:

Goku was asleep in his bed, but something was wrong. He was shuffling around, grunting while having a nightmare. Whis watched, raising an eyebrow. Sparks then flew from the Saiyan and the angel walked over, shaking him. "Goku-san, are you okay?"

Vegeta woke up in another bed and turned toward Goku. "Kakarot, what the hell are you doing?"

Goku got out of bed, his eyes still closed. He turned his head around and then yelled, starting to glow. The other two took a step back as part of the entire time chamber was destroyed, sending chunks everywhere.

The angel's eyes widened. "He is destroying it?"

Goku's hair changed, slowly spiking up and glowing white, then it grew a bit, glowing a bright neon purple. Whis raised his arm to block the wind, sending him skidding back. "Goku-san, snap out of it!"

Vegeta powered up into Super Saiyan Blue Evolution, barely able to keep himself up from this level of power. "This power... What's gone into him...? What is this Ki?"

Goku raised his hand, and the quantum energy of space and time gathered into it, charging up a massive blast. He fired it at Vegeta, who launched a Final Flash to try to counter it.

The blast cut right through his Final Flash like butter, almost reaching him. Whis vanished in front of it and hit it with his staff, struggling. He managed to send it over the distance. "Goku, wake up!"

Goku, in an instant, was behind him, swinging a kick at him. Whis blocked it, being sent tumbling back. He got up and closed his eyes, entering stage two. He shot forward at an incredible speed, launching an anti-matter blast at Goku.

Just Goku's aura alone dispersed it. His power grew to such heights that the dimension itself wasn't able to keep its form. Lightning struck the ground everywhere, sending massive shock waves.

Vegeta grunted, barely able to keep his footing. "How is this possible?!" He growled and clenched his fists, launching forward. Whis raised his hand, yelling after him. "Vegeta, don't!"

Vegeta shouted, swinging a full-force punch at Goku. The Saiyan stopped it with his palm, unmoving. After a moment, Goku raised his other hand and charged a finger beam. The prince got nervous but then continued to press, yelling.

He roared, his aura getting even bigger. "KAKAROT, SNAP OUT OF IT!" Goku didn't falter as Vegeta realized he needed to back away. As he did, Goku launched the beam toward Vegeta at blinding speed.

Something clicked inside Vegeta, seeing his life in danger. His hair flickered white for a brief second before he roared, scattering the blast. He then fell to one knee, that one power-up having drained his energy. "Damn it... If only I could master that..."

Whis flew forward, swinging his staff. Goku caught it, his hand shaking. He turned toward Whis and grabbed his neck, slamming him on the ground. The angel tried his best to stop him, grimacing.

In retaliation, he struck Goku's chest with his staff, catching him off guard. Goku's eyes shot wide open, staring right into the angel's eyes.

It took a moment for the Saiyan to register what was happening, but he quickly let go of Whis, the surrounding aura disappearing. "Wh-Wh-Whis?! What's... happening?"

Goku looked over to see Vegeta in Super Saiyan Blue Evolution, a trail of blood going down his body. "Kakarot... What did you..."

Goku shook, paralyzed from shock. He slowly glanced toward Whis, who stood up, powering down. In an instant, the angel surrounded him with multiple barriers.

"Goku, do you realize what you have done?" he asked, looking visibly angry and on guard. "What was that power you used?"

The Saiyan didn't know how to respond as Vegeta approached Whis. "Whis, he was unconscious when it happened. It couldn't have been intentional."

The prince turned toward Goku. "I'll explain what happened, Kakarot. You nearly killed me and had Whis pinned down."

After Vegeta finished explaining, Goku turned toward Whis. "I'm sorry, Whis. I don't know what got into me. You know I wouldn't do that on purpose!"

The angel glared at him for a moment, but then his expression softened as he released Goku from the barriers. "Goku-san, I'm only going to ask you one thing, and that is to tell me what caused you to do this."

The Saiyan explained everything that he remembered from the dream. The mysterious figure who was even more powerful than Abysus, the moment with Zeno and his guards, the figure that had killed all his friends, and anything else he remembered.

After he finished explaining, Whis looked visibly concerned. "A being even more powerful than Abysus, capable of defeating Lord Zeno's guards? This is not good. I must warn Father of this."

Goku sighed. "If you do that, who knows what he'll think of me? This power, being this strong... He'd want to kill me."

The angel nodded. "I'll leave that detail out and explain that it was simply a nightmare. I do agree with your point, Goku-san. Mortals have affected us, gods, in negative ways in the past."

The Saiyan bowed down in gratitude. "Thank you, Whis. I'm sorry about hurting you."

Whis smiled. "Us angels are durable. I will be fine. But listen, Goku-san, I, unfortunately, cannot train you for a little while. It might be half a year for you, but it'll be half a day that I will be gone outside."

"That's fine," Vegeta replied. "If I can train with Kakarot, I'll be able to enter a new form capable of even surpassing you. Just you wait."

The angel nodded. "I'll be looking forward to it. Farewell, you two." He opened the chamber door and closed it.

Goku turned toward Vegeta, tossing him a Senzu bean from the food storage that Korin had provided. "Here, Vegeta. We'll be needing these."

Vegeta popped it in his mouth, chewing on it. "This is going to be our most intense training yet, Kakarot. We will prepare for future threats."

The two powered up to Super Saiyan Blue, launching toward each other.

Half a year later in the dimension, Whis returned and helped train them, making them even stronger. They stayed in the time chamber, continuously powering up.

After six more months in the time chamber, they finally came out and walked into the sunlight, breathing in the fresh air. Nothing had changed outside, but they, themselves, had definitely changed in the time chamber.

As they were eating their meal, they suddenly felt a strange Ki, one of them being familiar. A ship descended into the atmosphere, alerting everyone who could sense Ki.

Goku and Vegeta looked up at the sky to see a glowing dot heading down toward the atmosphere. The former narrowed his eyes. "That's..."

"It's that damn Frieza," Vegeta growled. "What the hell does he want at a time like this? He's making a mistake coming here at this time."

"Let's go check it out." Together, the two of them flew off the lookout, being much faster than before. They shot across the landscape, heading into the Arctic, where they saw a ship landing, cracking the ice.

A moment later, the hatch opened, and the two Saiyans got on their guard, as Frieza himself was the first one to walk out of the ship, along with two other people. It was an old man with a tail and a buff warrior.

Goku and Vegeta flew down to meet Frieza face-to-face. "You've arrived quite quickly, you two. I'm impressed. It's almost as if you were ready for my arrival." He chuckled. "I do appreciate the good manners, but I am not here on good terms."

Vegeta raised his fists, getting angry at just hearing him speak. "What the hell do you want, Frieza? Are you going to try to destroy the planet once again? Try to get revenge on us?"

The emperor smirked. "Precisely, but not as you might think. You see, I'm not the one who is going to fight you."

"Come on, Frieza!" Goku chimed in. "Whis brought you back to life after the Tournament of Power, and this is how you repay us?!"

Frieza scoffed. "Don't get the wrong idea, monkey. I did say I wouldn't stop my evil ways, and I will not give up until you two are dead."

"Who are those two?" Vegeta inquired as he looked at the old man, his eyes widening. "That's a Saiyan! That buff guy must be one, too! His power is absurd."

In response, Paragus strolled up behind Frieza, raising his fist. "I will get my revenge on your damn bloodline, Vegeta!"

Vegeta scrunched his eyebrows. "What the hell are you talking about? I haven't seen you before in my life."

The old man ground his teeth in anger. "You look just like your father. You disgust me!"

The prince gazed at him in the eyes with an intimidating expression. "Your power can't even touch me. What do you possibly hope to do?"

"I'm not the one who is going to fight," Paragus replied. Frieza smirked, walking to the side as a buff warrior moved forward, each step cracking the ground. He was glaring at Goku and Vegeta.

"That guy looks insanely strong!" Goku said, raising his fists. "What's his name, old man?"

"His name is Broly," Paragus replied. "I have no qualms with you. Get lost."

Goku raised his fist, releasing a bit of his aura, which caused some pebbles to rise above him. "And miss out on a good fight? I don't think so! I'm not letting Vegeta have all the fun."

"So be it," Paragus grunted as he raised his hand. "Get them, Broly!" he commanded.

Broly shouted, launching forward and swinging a punch at Vegeta. Vegeta blocked it, skidding back. "What kind of power is this?!" The buff Saiyan roared and swung a punch, but it missed the prince and slammed into the ground, making a crater.

Vegeta leaped up and kicked him in the head, barely causing it to budge. "What the?!" Broly grabbed his hand and yelled, slamming him on the ground. The prince coughed up spit before entering Super Saiyan to force him to let go.

The two leaped toward each other and clashed with a punch, making the crater even bigger. They went back and forth, with Broly having the upper hand. He mauled Vegeta, who entered Super Saiyan 2 to block it. "Damn it!"

Vegeta flew back and launched a Galick Gun, sending Broly back. The legendary Saiyan dispersed it, and the two continued to clash, sending strikes of lightning in every direction.

Goku observed the fight from below, smiling. "Good thing we've trained beforehand."

Vegeta uppercut Broly, causing him to flinch. Broly grunted before slamming his fist in his face, sending him crashing through glaciers. A moment later, the area Vegeta landed in exploded as he got in a stance. "I'm not done yet, you damn brute."

Vegeta's putting up more of a fight than I thought possible, Paragus thought. No matter... My son will kill him.

Vegeta charged up a Final Flash, sending it toward Broly, who raised his hands to block it as it slammed into him head-on, sending him flying a mile back. The aftermath could be seen from outer space.

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Bastion]

A moment later, Broly got up and roared, a white aura flaring up around him, powering up his base form to the maximum. Goku and Vegeta landed next to each other, watching this happen.

"We're going to need to work together, Vegeta," Goku said, powering up into Super Saiyan two as well.

"Fine!" Vegeta growled reluctantly. The two of them shot forward and punched Broly at the same time, making him flinch.

He looked up and shouted, launching a mouth beam at them. They maneuvered out of the way and attacked Broly, working together in sync. The legendary Saiyan struggled to keep up with their attacks, his eyes darting around.

Finally, after relentless attacks, Broly started to get angry. He yelled, his eyes flickering yellow for a split second. He then grabbed Goku and Vegeta's heads and smashed them together before throwing them with full force in opposite directions.

He followed Vegeta and grabbed him by the arm, slamming him on the ground back and forth. In response, the prince got mad as a fiery aura surrounded him. He yelled, entering Super Saiyan God.

Broly went to swing another punch, but the prince caught it before grabbing him and spinning around, throwing him into the ground and shattering the area. The brute got up, his eyes flickering yellow again. He growled and leaped up toward him, trying to attack him, but Vegeta was dodging all of them.

Goku powered up into Super Saiyan God as well and kneed him in the back from behind, the force making the Saiyan cough up a bit of blood. Vegeta did the same before kicking him toward the ground. Broly yelled and launched a Ki blast at Vegeta, sending him flying.

On contact, a massive explosion consumed him, sending wind blasting everywhere. The force sent Paragus flying back, as he could barely handle the pressure.

When the smoke dispersed, Broly was on the ground, panting. Vegeta landed in front of him, towering above him. "Is that all you got? Fine..." He taunted, smirking. "I'll kill you and then kill your father."

His plan to anger the brute worked a little too well. Broly roared, a burst of wind sending Vegeta back. His hair stood up, and his irises turned yellow, a green aura flaring up around him.

Vegeta flew forward and yelled, swinging a punch at his face. It landed, but he didn't budge. Broly glared at him and kicked him in the gut, causing him to cough up spit. The brute then elbowed Vegeta into the ground, sending debris flying upward.

Goku raised his fingers to his head and teleported behind Broly, swinging a kick. The brute flinched slightly, then turned around and tried to swipe Goku. Goku barely dodged and tried to find an opening.

The Super Saiyan God yelled and rapidly barraged him, but his attacks had little to no effect. If anything, it made Broly angrier. He shouted, sending a shock wave that sent Goku back.

Vegeta broke out of the ground behind Broly. "FINAL... FLASH!" He launched a giant yellow blast, but Broly turned around, opening his mouth and eating the blast before spitting it back out at him.

The prince raised his arms to block it and was sent flying again, a massive explosion outshining the sun for a split second. Broly turned toward Goku, who yelled, entering Super Saiyan Blue.

Then, he did something new—something he had been training for in the time chamber. Goku inhaled and closed his eyes, his aura disappearing as he entered Perfected Super Saiyan Blue.

Broly launched forward and swung his fist, but the Saiyan dodged it before front-flipping and kicking him, sending him crashing back. Broly skidded back, part of his armor torn off.

Goku smiled. "Come." The legendary Saiyan roared, launching forward faster than before. He launched a green energy blast toward Goku, who deflected it with ease. He then leaped forward and vanished behind the brute, kicking him forward with both legs.

Broly coughed up blood and was sent tumbling forward. He crashed through many glaciers before finally stopping. Vegeta vanished next to Goku, entering the same form as him. "Kakarot, I don't know what kind of power he has in store, but we need to be careful."

Paragus watched from the distance, his hands twitching. "It can't be... My son would never lose to the likes of them! Never!"

Frieza scoffed and glanced toward him. "That better not be all your boy has to offer. Otherwise, this would have been a complete waste of time."

The old Saiyan clenched his fists. "If he gets even more angry, who knows what he'll do? But I cannot let that prince survive! I have no choice..."

Broly got up from the ground, panting, as Goku and Vegeta landed a fair distance away from him.

"Give up," Goku told him. "I've seen how you fight. I know this isn't like you. You seem hesitant to kill us. You don't have to listen to your father."

Paragus grabbed his remote and pressed the button twice, setting his maximum power to ten percent. Broly grunted and yelled, an explosion of energy forcing the two Saiyans back.

A vortex of pure power surrounded the buff Saiyan, tainting the weather. Broly roared as lightning struck the surrounding ground. The vortex dispersed, as he was now in Super Saiyan.

Goku slammed his foot on the ground, shooting forward at full speed. Broly did the same, and the two clashed with a punch, the ground shattering under them. The force rattled Goku's body. "Tch... He's strong."

Vegeta launched forward as well, the two clashing with Broly. They vanished rapidly in every part of the Arctic, destroying chunks of the ice. The legendary Saiyan started to adapt to their attacks, blocking and countering their punches.

Goku shouted, launching a Kamehameha toward Broly, but the brute ran through it, grabbing Goku's face and throwing him down with full force. Goku barely stopped himself before hitting the ground.

Vegeta landed a couple of punches on Broly's face, but it angered him more than damaged him. The brute grabbed his leg and rapidly punched his stomach as he bounced back.

The prince coughed up a lot of blood before yelling and entering Super Saiyan Blue Evolution, punching Broly, and sending him back a little. He spread his arms, then pressed his palms together. "FINAL... FLASH!"

Broly yelled and launched a mouth beam, the two beams clashing. Paragus was blown back from the collision, digging his feet into the ground. "To think... Broly is capable of this kind of power..."

Frieza smirked. "And this is only ten percent of his true power? I am impressed."

Broly's blast easily overpowered Vegeta's as it consumed him. He yelled as he was sent flying into the atmosphere, the attack tearing his upper armor off.

To Be Continued in Chapter Seven

I hope all of you older and newer readers have enjoyed this latest chapter! People who have read the og story before the rewrite might be confused about why I changed the order of the arcs.

You'll see. It's to improve the story overall. Also, this isn't DBS Broly, like the movie. In the original story, I created this arc before the movie itself came out, when the trailers were a thing. Things won't go the same as in the movie.

~ Scruffy

Chapter 7: The Legend's Wrath

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

After clearing things up with Whis, Goku and Vegeta trained together in the Time Chamber, also being helped by Whis, until they had substantially powered up. They left the chamber just in time to confront Frieza in the Arctic, who had brought Broly and Paragus, the former going to fight them in an attempt to eliminate them.

Chapter Seven - The Legend's Wrath

Goku watched, surprised, as Broly turned toward him, growling. He went into a stance, watching the brute walk toward him. "I shouldn't hold back any longer against you. That would get me killed."

Goku yelled, a red aura flaring up around him. "Good thing I trained with Whis for this!" Even then, it was still tricky to conceal the power of Super Saiyan Blue while also amplifying it with violent power.

"KAIOKEN TIMES TEN!" He shouted, now being a hundred times stronger than the normal Super Saiyan Blue form.

Frieza's eyes twitched at the sight of this. "The monkeys developed faster than I thought..."

Goku roared, launching toward Broly and slamming a punch in his face, sending him flying. He'd then shot behind him and kicked him up before slamming Broly down onto the ground. He then followed it with a Kamehameha, the land completely exploding, now unrecognizable. When the smoke dispersed, Broly was kneeling on the ground, bleeding. He got up and roared, launching toward him once again, even faster than before.

The two clashed back and forth, with the shock waves shaking the surrounding galaxies. The two were even in power, confusing Goku. He then looked at Broly's aura, and it was now sparking with electricity.

Goku's eyes widened. "He's... entered Super Saiyan 2! Damn it..." He yelled and kicked Broly, sending him flying back, but he launched back forward, striking him with an equally powerful blow.

He coughed up blood, continuing to clash with the brute, their attacks becoming more and more powerful. Energy gathered up in the center of their fight and resulted in an enormous explosion, sending them both flying back.

Broly roared and then looked up to see Vegeta flying toward him at extreme speeds in Super Saiyan Blue Evolution with no aura surrounding him. The prince shouted, slamming a kick into the brute, sending him crashing through the ground.

He was in perfected Super Saiyan Blue Evolution, being even more powerful than Goku in his current state. Broly tried to get up, but then the prince slammed down on him and cracked his ribs.

Vegeta went to beat down on him to subdue him, punching him back and forth. Paragus moved forward, but Frieza wrapped his tail around his legs, causing him to fall to the ground. "What are you doing, Frieza?! My son is in danger!"

He raised his remote to press the button, but it exploded into pieces before he even had time to react. "What the?" He turned toward Frieza, who had destroyed it. "I'm afraid not. We cannot end the fight until those two are dead."

[Music: Sōsuke Aizen battle theme song]

The frost demon raised his finger, charging up a death beam. Broly slowly looked toward them, his vision foggy. He then saw Frieza killing his father, and he halted, staring at him. "Father...? Father?! FATHER!"

Goku spun toward the emperor, getting angry. "FRIEZA! Why would you do that, you bastard?!"

Frieza smirked, pointing toward Broly. "You might want to worry about him first."

Broly twitched uncontrollably. "No... NO!" He grabbed Vegeta and threw him, sending him tumbling back. The brute roared as loud as he could, his hair flashing green. Parts of the earth crumbled, with lightning striking everywhere.

Explosions shook the area, sending Frieza stumbling back. The tectonic plates of the land split apart, revealing lava building up on the surface. Goku and Vegeta tried to block out the wind, skidding back.

Broly roared, pillars of energy breaking out of the ground as he transformed into his final form—the Legendary Super Saiyan form. He glared at the two Saiyans, barely having any form of consciousness left.

Faster than the blink of an eye, he grabbed Vegeta and slammed him on the ground, completely imploding it. He then smashed his fist into his chest with full force, shattering his ribs.

Vegeta cried out in pain, blood spewing out of his mouth. Broly then slammed him on his knee, trying to break his spine and tear him in half. Goku powered up into Kaioken times twenty, launching toward them.

Time seemed slower in Broly's eyes, seeing nothing but black and white and spots in his eyes. He could barely hear anything. He grabbed Goku's neck and started to crush it; the Saiyan struggling to breathe.

He then grabbed Goku's arm and bent it in an unnatural direction, breaking it. The Saiyan's cries were unheard by Broly, and he then punched him with full force, sending him miles away.

Broly had nothing to love anymore. All he wanted was to kill everything he saw and destroy what was left. He punched the ground, and it broke another layer, forcing Frieza to fly up.

The emperor cackled, spreading his hands. "This power... It's truly amazing!" Then his smile faded as the brute turned toward him. In an instant, he had Frieza by the throat, slamming him onto the ground.

Frieza coughed up spit before the Saiyan landed on him, his knee in his stomach. Frieza yelled in agony before going into his golden form and swinging a punch at Broly. It landed, but he didn't budge.

He tried to grab the emperor, but Frieza barely managed to get out of the way, panting. "You bastard... You weren't supposed to attack me, but attack the monkeys! Now I will kill you myself..."

He roared, his body starting to shine some more. He turned a whiter color, powering up to a form beyond his golden state. Frieza opened his eyes, and they shun, now being in a state more powerful than his previous.

"Behold! This is... Platinum Frieza!" He shouted and launched forward, kicking the brute in the gut. Broly skidded back, but not very far. Goku watched the fight, barely able to move. "Damn... Frieza's gotten even stronger..."

The emperor launched toward Broly, and the two exchanged attacks. They were extremely fast, seemingly on the same level of power. However, Broly was still stronger.

The buff Saiyan punched him in the face, breaking his nose. The emperor slid back, trying to stop his momentum. Then Broly vanished behind him and launched a massive beam, consuming Frieza.

Frieza yelled, the blast searing him. He was sent flying up into the atmosphere before a catastrophic explosion illuminated the entire sky. Goku tried to get up but couldn't. "Tch, I was too careless... I should've gone full power from the start..."

[Music: Joseph William Morgan - Conquer The Fall (Epic Heroic Powerful Trailer)]

Vegeta managed to get up with just pure willpower, blood dripping out of his mouth and nose. "You bastard... You piece of shit..." He clenched his fists as the brute launched forward and launched an energy blast.

The prince barely dodged it before launching toward Broly in his base form, desperately trying to attack him, but it didn't do anything. Broly laughed maniacally before flicking him and sending him crashing back.

Vegeta fell to the ground, unconscious, and Goku was the only one left to fight. He panted as Broly moved toward him, laughing like a maniac. "Everything... dies..."

He watched as the brute inched closer and closer to him. "Move... body... Move!"

Broly stopped as he was in front of him, then picked him up by his broken arm, making him grunt in pain. "Die!"

He yelled and swung a full-force punch toward Goku's chest, but he then vanished, confusing Broly. He turned around to see Goku in a different state, but something was off. His aura was now calmer.

Goku then turned around, and his eyes and hair were now glowing silver, the calm nature of his aura making Broly falter. He had finally entered the Completed Ultra Instinct form again.

He got into a stance as the legendary Saiyan roared, launching forward. He rapidly barraged Goku, who was dodging all the attacks. Goku then brought his fist back and swung it.

It hit the Saiyan and sent him crashing back. He grunted as Goku walked forward, his face expressionless. Vegeta slowly woke up, looking at the battle. "Looks like... Kakarot... did it again..."

Broly roared and launched a beam at Goku, but he dodged it. The legendary Saiyan then dashed toward him at full speed, rapidly barraging him. Goku avoided all of his attacks before vanishing behind him, a bunch of blows hitting him from all directions.

Broly was sent flying through the landscape, tumbling across the ground. The brute felt even more rage as he powered up further and electricity flared around him, shattering parts of the planet once again.

Goku narrowed his eyes, preparing himself. "His power has doubled... He's ascended that green hair form..."

Broly raised his hands and charged a giant green energy ball, charging his most powerful attack. Goku went into a stance, charging a Kamehameha. "KA... ME..."

A glowing blue sphere formed in his hands, and this soon became his most powerful attack to date. "HA... ME..."

The legendary Saiyan brute roared, launching a massive green attack toward Goku, who did the same. "HAAAA!"

The massive Kamehameha shot forward and clashed with the attack, a bright light flickering between the attacks. A shock wave shot out and vaporized a large chunk of ground under them, even bigger than the damage the Spirit Bomb caused in the Tournament of Power.

Goku shouted as both attacks were even at the moment. He was putting most of his energy into the attack. "Shit... I can't do this forever... The damage from the battle is too much..."

After he muttered that, he slowly started to lose the clash. "Everyone... If this blast hits Earth, it's over... Maybe even the entire universe will be destroyed..." He gazed up, his silver eyes shining. "I cannot allow that to happen!"

He roared, his eyes turning white. His blast slowly started to overpower Broly's blast. The brute yelled and powered up even further, launching an energy ball that was even bigger than before.

It fused with his previous one and evened out the clash. The two Saiyans yelled, the clash becoming even more intense. Broly was growing in power, but Goku was weakening.

Goku kept the beam going, but it started to grow weaker. He panted heavily as the energy ball got closer and closer. "I... I can't... I'm getting low on energy..."

His hair flickered, now getting close to losing the state once again. Suddenly, Vegeta vanished next to him, his arms and head limp. "Vegeta, you're too injured! Stay back!"

The prince slowly glanced up shakily, his face expressionless. "No... Kakarot... It's always you that takes the win..." Goku's eyes widened in response. "I'm always the one being sidelined..."

Vegeta raised his fists. "You killed Frieza twice... You saved the planet and sacrificed yourself... Your attack led to the defeat of Majin Buu... You became the first Super Saiyan God... And your blast defeated Abysus..."

He entered Super Saiyan Blue Evolution, his massive aura flaring up. "I am not done yet... I am... the PRINCE OF ALL SAIYANS!"

White sparks flared around him as parts of his hair started to glow, flickering in different parts of it. Goku watched in awe. "Vegeta, that's the same power you used against Abysus!"

Goku grunted and fell out of his state, the green energy ball dangerously close to them. He fell to the ground, panting heavily. Vegeta glared at the blast, his wavy aura stabilizing.

He raised his hands and yelled, catching Broly's blast. The brute was confused, as Vegeta then yelled, a black light encasing it and dispersing it. Goku smiled. "That's... It's like Whis's attack..."

The prince cracked his knuckles, glaring up at Broly. The two launched toward each other and collided, sending Goku back. "AGH!"

The two Saiyans rapidly clashed, faster than Goku could see. For every attack Broly landed, Vegeta landed two more. He was winning the final standoff. They shot across the air, their auras intertwining with every clash.

Frieza slowly stood up, glancing at Goku. He limped over. "No matter... If I can't beat them, then I will... kill you..."

Goku was completely unable to move. "Crap... Vegeta's occupied... What am I going to do?"

The emperor raised his finger, charging a beam. "Finally... You die, monkey!" He launched it, but two familiar figures landed and stopped the blast with a combined effort.

Goku slowly looked up to see Gohan and Piccolo. "Y... You guys... You came here to help..."

Frieza clenched his fists, enraged. "The Namekian and half-monkey... If you weren't here...!"

Piccolo looked up to watch the final battle between Vegeta and Broly. "Do it, Vegeta... This time, it's your time to shine."

Broly slammed a kick into Vegeta's already broken ribs, and he grunted in pain, twitching. "BASTARD!" He then grabbed Broly and darted down, slamming him into the ground. "Now for payback!"

He slammed his foot on the brute's ribs and shattered them, making him yell in pain. He then raised his hand and charged a dark blast, somehow subconsciously able to create it with no explanation.

"Disappear." Vegeta fired the blast, and a dark blast consumed the brute, with a massive bright light consuming the area. When it faded, Broly was in his base form, unconscious.

The prince spun around and smirked, pointing to himself with his thumb. "I win this time, Kaka... Kaka..." He powered down and fell forward, completely out cold.

Piccolo started to approach the prince, but Frieza shouted, launching toward Vegeta. "I will KILL THE DAMN MONKEY!"

Gohan leaped forward and grabbed him by the tail, slamming him to the ground. "I'm not done with you, Frieza. You are the reason this whole thing started."

The namekian leaned down and picked up Vegeta over his shoulder. "Goku, what kind of power did he use?"

"I don't know," Goku replied weakly. "But I do know Whis knows what it is... It's extremely powerful, even more so than Ultra Instinct."

This shocked Piccolo. "Stronger than Ultra Instinct?! Isn't that the form of the gods?"

Gohan walked over to help Goku up. "Dad, are you alright?"

Goku grunted. "C... Careful. My right arm is broken." Gohan looked down and cringed at the sight of Goku's misplaced arm. "I'll fix it, but it's going to hurt... a lot."

"Alright," Goku replied. He braced himself as Gohan grabbed his arm and snapped it in place. Goku cried out in agony for a moment before the pain slowly lessened, but it still hurt a lot.

"We'll get you a Senzu bean. That'll fix your injuries," Piccolo assured him. "Same for Vegeta."

"Wait, what about him?" Goku pointed to Broly with his other arm.

"He's our enemy," Piccolo replied, raising his fingers to his head. "I'll finish him off."

"Don't!" Goku protested, confusing both Gohan and Piccolo. "Why not?"

Goku slowly limped over to Broly. "He didn't want this. His father has forced him to fight and get stronger. Now that his father is dead, he has nothing to turn to." He glanced up. "He could also be a powerful ally."

Gohan sighed. "I'll trust your judgment, Dad, but if he acts up like this again, we can't be so forgiving. We'll need to use the dragon balls to repair the damage done to the planet."

He moved over and picked up the buff Saiyan, grunting. "This guy's heavy... You're going to have to fly on your own, Dad. I can't carry both of you."

"That's fine," Goku replied. "What about Frieza?"

As if on cue, the emperor stood up, clenching his fists. "No matter how long it takes... I will kill all of you monkeys, all of you earthlings, all of you namekians!" He flew off at full speed, gone in seconds.

"We'll let him go for now," Piccolo said, watching this happen. "Even in his current state, he can still take us on with that new power of his. We'll need to put an end to him before he gets too strong, though."

Together, the rest of them flew off, carrying Vegeta and Broly. Frieza went back to his ship, which was in ruins. He shouted in anger and stomped his foot on the ground, cracking it. "Damn them all!"

He walked around and saw a spare, cracked scouter on the ground that came from his ship. He picked it up and tapped it. "Hello? This is Lord Frieza. Bring me a new ship at once on planet Earth!"

He heard no response for a second, but he then heard a familiar voice, and his eyes widened. "I'm afraid you're on the wrong frequency, brother... Are you lost?" The voice then cackled.

The emperor roared in frustration, smashing the scouter. "That damn... Cooler! Fine... I will fly back to my empire." He powered up and headed out of the atmosphere at a quick pace.

A dark blob vaguely in the shape of a buff figure was floating in the middle of space, but not in a familiar place. They were in a different universe from the others.

It coughed, reforming one of its arms. "I nearly died to those fools... I managed to escape before they caught me."

Dark red eyes formed as the being looked down at their hands. "This time, I won't be so careless. I will annihilate all the mortals and gods and allow my father to become the Omni King."

He roared, energy shooting out from him. "I, LORD ABYSUS, WILL RETURN TO MY FORMER GLORY! No, even greater. I will be even stronger than Zeno's guards..."

To Be Continued in Chapter Seven

I hope you enjoyed the conclusion to the battle. This rewrite is definitely taking some different turns from the original. So far, in terms of story, I personally believe it surpasses After Broly.

I gave Vegeta the win this time. I will see you all later!

~ Scruffy

Chapter 8: The Unchanging Fate

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

The fight with Broly continued, with Goku and Vegeta showing off their newly evolved Super Saiyan Blue transformations. Paragus wanted to stop Broly from getting even more powerful, but Frieza killed him to keep the battle going. This led to Broly unlocking his true power, brutally dominating Goku and Vegeta in the battle. Goku managed to enter Ultra Instinct's complete form once again, but even that wasn't enough, until Vegeta managed to tap into the unknown white power, able to finally claim his own victory for once.

Chapter Eight - The Unchanging Fate

After Goku and Vegeta ate a Senzu bean, they went to check up on Broly, who was in a healing pod similar to the ones used by Frieza, developed by Bulma.

There was a short supply of Senzu beans during the season, so the brute had to recover normally. Goku watched him slowly breathe, only his head and shoulders visible in the small window.

Bulma typed on the computer, looking back and forth. "He's sustained a lot of injuries, but his vitals are stable. He should be fine as long as he rests here for about a week without disturbance."

Goku smiled. "Thanks, Bulma. I owe you one."

She sighed. "Considering I'm healing the very being that nearly destroyed the planet and forced me to evacuate the city into a massive underground bunker, hell yeah, you do!"

Bulma closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Look, you two, your battles on Earth have gotten extremely dangerous. Can you try not to keep causing this much damage? I know it's hard with a powerful enemy, but can't you bring it to another planet?"

"Sure thing," Vegeta grumbled. "We'll just kindly ask our enemy to fight to the death on the next planet over." In response, Bulma smacked him on the head.

"We'll try our best," Goku assured her. "It's not like we want our home to be destroyed. It's as Vegeta said. I can't just simply teleport them away since I'll end up endangering other lives."

"Why don't you learn that one technique the Kais used?" Vegeta asked him. "The... Ki ki...? Kai..."

"It's pronounced 'Kai Kai'," a voice said behind them. They turned around to see Whis and Shin, the Supreme Kai.

"Oh, hey, Whis, Shin!" Goku greeted them, waving his hand. "What are you guys doing here?"

Whis gazed at him, his face expressionless. "We aren't here on good terms, Goku-san. Father is calling a meeting to determine Lord Beerus's fate as the god of destruction."

Goku's smile quickly faded. "What?! What happened? Why him?!"

"It's because of that dangerous technique he used against Abysus," Shin replied. "Absolute... Hakai."

The Saiyan's eyes widened as he remembered the battle. He could recall what Beerus had used.

Abysus raised an eyebrow. "You're going to risk losing your position as a God of Destruction by using that, maybe even leading to erasure."

Beerus was too angry to listen to him. "I am the authority of Universe Seven, God of Destruction Beerus. You will be erased from the rest of the cosmos. Judgement will now be passed onto you, Abysus."

He flickered as Earth's atmosphere faded away. "100%... Absolute Hakai... Disappear."

Goku snapped out of his mind. "But that's not fair! Beerus was doing it to protect the multiverse from being destroyed by this guy! Why teach it to him if he can't even use it?"

Whis closed his eyes. "I did not teach him that technique, Goku-san. Over the millions of years they trained, some gods of destruction developed their own techniques that are far too powerful for the safety of the universe."

"That's why the Grand Priest ordered the angels to tell them those techniques are forbidden," Shin continued for him. "We're lucky his attack didn't erase the entire universe. Whis-san prevented it from causing too much damage, but the higher-ups still took notice of it."

Goku glanced down at the ground. "This still isn't fair. He had no choice."

"He did have a choice," Shin said. "He could've left this dangerous situation to his attendant; his angel. This is the problem with the gods of destruction. They are far too brash."

"I have to admit that he's right," Whis agreed. "A being of that level of power should've been left to an angel."

"Why tell me all this?" Goku asked. "This isn't any of my business."

"Because we need to consider the next person to be the god of destruction, should Lord Beerus be eradicated," Whis explained.

"I won't let that happen," Vegeta stated, walking forward. "While I do one day want to become the god of destruction, I'm not ready to..." He turned toward Bulma, who smiled. He looked away, his face red with embarrassment. "I'm not powerful enough."

The angel smiled. "Oh, I see now. Very well. Goku-san, you are a possible candidate."

"No one's going to replace Beerus anytime soon," the Saiyan stated, raising his fist. "I'm going with you guys. I'll convince Daishinkan to forgive him."

A beat of sweat went down Shin's face. "Goku, do you realize what you're saying?! That could lead to grave consequences, maybe even erasure of you or us!"

"Let's consider the fact that Goku-san bought time for Father to injure Abysus severely," the angel chimed in.

The Supreme Kai looked over, his jaw dropping. "You too, Whis?"

Whis nodded. "Yes, Shin. Father trusts Goku-san, at least for now. But Goku-san, why do you wish to save Lord Beerus so badly? The first time he met, he nearly killed you and nearly destroyed Earth."

Goku looked down, remembering how Beerus's attitude had changed the longer he'd been around them. During the battle with him earlier, he had respected him as a warrior.

The angel knew what he was thinking and smiled. "You have quite the kind heart, Goku. Very well. Remember, I do not go against my father's wishes, but there won't be a problem if I let you do all the talking." He winked.

"Alright, let's go," Vegeta said. Whis tapped his staff, and they arrived at Daishinkan's palace shortly after. Goku and Vegeta saw all the gods of destruction and angels gathered together, plus some others.

He looked over at the newcomers and realized they must've been from the erased universes. Whis and Shin bowed down, so the Saiyans decided to follow their lead. Vegeta slowly glanced up and muttered, "Look."

Goku looked up as well to see Beerus walking forward before bowing down to a throne high up. There, Daishinkan stood up and stepped down, stopping on the second-to-last step.

There was tension between the gods for a moment until he spoke up. "Beerus, the god of destruction of universe seven, it is now time to decide your fate for using a strongly forbidden destruction technique."

He levitated in the air. "As you know, using such a technique could've eradicated not only universe seven but possibly even some of the surrounding ones. Would you explain why you did not leave the matter of Abysus to your angel?"

Beerus glanced directly at Goku, Vegeta, Whis, and Shin, then back at the Grand Priest. "There is no justification for my actions, sire, except for the fact that I wanted to protect the universe from harm as its destroyer."

There was muttering among the other destroyers until Daishinkan raised his hand, silencing them. "I see. I understand your intentions, Beerus, but according to Goku-san, Vegeta-san, and your explanation back then after the battle, you used that technique on an angelic-level being, knowing that it wouldn't work, with Whis himself warning you to not engage. Not only wasn't your technique successful, but it caused massive damage."

Beerus remained silent as Daishinkan continued. "You received my message millions of years ago not to use that technique, or it will lead to erasure. Do you have a candidate to replace you?"

"No, my lord," the god of destruction replied blankly. The Grand Priest closed his eyes. "Very well. I will personally appoint a replacement for you. Your fate has been decided."

Goku got up and walked forward. "Hold on a minute, Daishinkan."

All the gods, even Beerus, looked up in shock but didn't dare say anything. "There has to be another way, rather than eradicating him."

The Grand Priest turned toward him, staring him in the eyes. "Son Goku, I assume you were brought here by Whis for reasons I do not understand. Tell me, why did you interfere?"

Vegeta then joined in on the conversation, walking forward next to Goku. "Beerus shouldn't be erased. I know he didn't admit it himself, but he didn't just do it to protect the universe." He turned toward Beerus. "He also did it to protect us and Whis."

Daishinkan hovered on the ground, walking forward. "Goku-san, Vegeta-san, I understand your point, but I have already decided his fate. I warned him not to take such actions many years ago, yet he continued. Disobeying us is unacceptable. I do appreciate you helping us defeat Abysus, Goku, but you have no leverage against something of this importance."

Vegeta raised his fist. "And Abysus wasn't important?! You were losing against him, even fused with the angels! It was Kakarot here that bought enough time to charge your ultimate attack!"

Sidra, the destroyer of universe nine, blurted out. "Do not disrespect Daishinkan! He-"

Daishinkan raised his hand to stop him from speaking. "As I previously stated, Beerus's fate has already been decided. Abysus was defeated thanks to Zeno's guards, not us."

He strolled toward Beerus and raised his hand toward him, charging a blue neon orb. "Worry not, Lord Beerus. You will not feel any pain. My apologies, but you should have heeded my warning."

Goku slid his foot back and entered Ultra Instinct Omen, shooting in front and pushing Beerus out of the way. "That's enough! If I cannot save Lord Beerus, then I will save him using force."

Daishinkan glared at him and then raised the blue orb toward Goku. "You have made a mistake, Goku. You will also be erased for interfering."

"How about this, Daishinkan?" Goku asked, lightly grabbing his hand and lowering it away from him. "I will vouch for Lord Beerus, so Vegeta and I will fight you two on one. If you win, Beerus and I will be erased. I don't want Vegeta to be erased, since I'm the one dragging him into this. If I win, then Beerus is set free."

Everyone, including Whis and Shin, watched in horror as Daishinkan stopped charging the blue orb. "Very well. We are not in the presence of Lord Zeno, so I will entertain your idea."

Vegeta clenched his fists. "Kakarot, I hope you know what you're doing."

Goku remained silent as Daishinkan raised his hands, creating an arena similar to the exhibition match before the Tournament of Power. All the gods watched above as Goku and Vegeta stood across from the Grand Priest himself, getting into a stance.

Goku sweated, knowing he was facing somebody leagues above him, even above Whis. "Vegeta, full power right off the bat." He closed his eyes and entered Ultra Instinct Omen. He then started to glow brighter and entered its completed state, his hair turning silver. Goku had mastered it during the battle with Broly.

Vegeta shouted and entered the perfected Super Saiyan Blue Evolution, having no aura around him. Daishinkan stared at them blankly, observing their powers. He had his hands around his back. "Come."

Goku yelled and shot forward at blinding speeds, swinging a kick, but an invisible barrier stopped it as the Grand Priest didn't budge. Vegeta vanished behind him and attempted to maul him to the ground.

Without turning around, Daishinkan reached his arm back and stopped it with his finger. "Is that all?"

Goku roared and rapidly barraged him, shock waves shooting across the universe. He then leaped back and launched a Kamehameha. Daishinkan raised his hand and stopped it, completely unphased.

The Saiyan powered down from Ultra Instinct, narrowing his eyes. "I need to use as much power as possible, rather than just speed." He yelled and entered Perfected Super Saiyan Blue. "KAIOKEN TIMES TWENTY!"

A massive red tint illuminated the aura, sending bursts of wind everywhere. He darted forward at full speed, bringing his hand back. He roared, launching a one-handed Kamehameha.

It exploded. Before the smoke faded, Goku and Vegeta launched forward and saw the Grand Priest's figure. They swung full-power punches, and they landed, but... they didn't do anything. The smoke dispersed from the force, and Daishinkan gazed up at them, not having a single scratch on him.

"It's my turn now," he replied. He raised one finger and then stopped moving before a bunch of slices went into Vegeta, blood spilling out. He twitched and fell to the ground, coughing.

He did the same to Goku, who also fell, grunting. "What... happened?" He felt everything going dark around him for a second, struggling to get up. "I didn't see anything... I've already..."

There was silence for a moment as Daishinkan raised his hand. "As you wish, I will not further harm Vegeta, but as for you..." He raised his hand and charged a blue orb. "You and Lord Beerus will now be eradicated."

Goku suddenly woke up in a dark place, his vision blurry for a moment. "It's cold... I'm going to die here..."

Suddenly, reality altered around him. He was on Earth again, in the same place as his dream. "I'm dreaming again..." He got up to see a different figure looking similar to himself.

He raised his fist. "Tell me who you are! Zamasu?!"

The figure laughed, sounding just like Goku, but with more malice. His voice sounded like it was coming from the shadows. "You've known me all this time..."

The figure moved forward, still shrouded in darkness. "You're a Saiyan, aren't you? You are meant to be the strongest. Don't let those... foolish gods get in your way."

"I'm asking you who you are!" Goku demanded. "Why am I having these dreams?!"

The figure chuckled again. "You've lost me for a long time. Spar with me, Goku. Use that power."

Goku felt himself powering up. A strange aura surrounded him as his hair glowed a bright neon purple. He looked at his hands. "That's the same power as last time... What form is this?! It's not like the form Whis used..."

The figure laughed as it glowed, using the same power. "You'll learn in time... You'll also remember my name when the time comes..." The dreamscape disappeared as Goku found himself in the same state in front of a shocked Daishinkan.

This time, he was conscious enough to see it. "This power... My body can't contain it..."

A massive shock wave of energy shot out, sending the gods back. Daishinkan raised his hand to block it. "What is that extreme power, Goku? What have you done?"

Vegeta slowly glanced up, trembling. "That's..."

Goku felt this power start to tear his body apart. "I have to settle this in one punch... With one final attack..." He raised his fist and concentrated the energy. The skin on his fist began to peel, starting to bleed.

Daishinkan went into a stance as the Saiyan dashed forward at speeds Goku's mind could not comprehend, but he swung the punch. The Grand Priest barely managed to block it before being sent flying back.

Goku powered down, the remaining energy escaping and shattering the arena. He panted heavily, his vision blurry. "I... did it..."

Daishinkan reappeared, holding his arm. A green glow emanated from the hand holding his arm. "You injured my arm..." He was barely able to form sentences, not understanding what had just happened.

Goku chuckled weakly before falling to his knees, blood spilling out of him. He coughed up blood. The form had severely damaged him. "Heh... Guess I tried..." He fell onto his stomach, panting.

The Grand Priest stared at him for a moment, then turned around. He stepped forward, then paused for a while. "You have one last chance, Beerus." He vanished away, leaving the gods speechless.

Whis flew over and tapped his staff on Goku, healing him. "That... That power was the same one you used against me. To think it could damage my father..."

Goku stood up, still feeling a little tired. "I met someone in my mind who looked just like me, but it wasn't Goku Black. It felt familiar."

Whis nodded slowly. "I'm not sure, but I have a feeling we'll be seeing it again in the near future."

Shin walked up to him. "Technically, this made you a god, even for a moment. I think I'll be able to teach you Kai Kai. It could be useful for battles and getting anywhere you'd like."

"Sure thing," Goku agreed. Whis moved over and healed Vegeta, who got up. "Kakarot, whatever kind of energy you used, I will learn it as well."

"I wish I knew how to use it," Goku said. "It just... happened."

"Let's leave," Shin interrupted. "I don't think the gods will be stunned for long. The destroyers might try to kill us."

Beerus walked over, staring at Goku in silence. After a moment, he closed his eyes. "Dumbass... You fought the Grand Priest to save me, the destroyer. I'm not going to thank you."

"You're welcome!" Goku replied as the four of them went back to Earth. Beerus turned toward Whis. "Whis, let's go. I think I've had enough excitement for one day. Shin, train the Saiyan your technique."

"It should work," Shin replied. "We'll give it a shot."

Whis and Beerus shot out of the atmosphere, and Shin teleported away, leaving Goku and Vegeta. The two Saiyans stood there in silence, a light breeze in the air.

"Kakarot—" Vegeta began, but Goku raised his hand to stop him.

"I don't know, Vegeta," Goku replied. "That form... I managed to injure Daishinkan. I don't know what's going on." He sighed. "Anyway, we saved Lord Beerus from certain death, so we should get back to training. Maybe I can eventually master that power."

The prince nodded. "Fine. We'll go to the gravity chamber. Bulma told me she upgraded it."

Two days later, the Saiyans were training intensely, having a limited supply of Senzu beans to restore them when they got tired. They continued to do this for a while until they got a visitor.

Whis strolled into the gravity chamber with Beerus, and they turned off the intense gravity. Goku launched at Vegeta, but the lower gravity suddenly made him lose balance and smash into the wall at high speeds, rattling the chamber.

"Ow!" He got up, turning toward them. "What are you guys doing here?"

"I have bad news, Goku-san," Whis said, a deadly serious expression on his face. "Let's go to Bulma's to discuss it."

Reluctantly, the two Saiyans followed them. They sat down at the table, a plethora of food prepared for them. They all ate for a little while, until Whis set down his plate, looking at Goku and Vegeta.

"Abysus is alive," he revealed.

To Be Continued in Chapter Nine

What a crazy chapter! Goku used this strange new mysterious power again. Who is this new figure? I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter, and I will see you soon.

~ Scruffy

Chapter 9: The Lockdown

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

It was time for Beerus's fate to be decided for using a forbidden technique that risked the safety of the universes. Daishinkan was about to incinerate him, however, Goku stepped in and challenged him to fight both him and Vegeta. The fight went poorly, until Goku was able to tap into that same unknown power, able to damage Daishinkan. Daishinkan decided to give Beerus one more chance. Later, Whis gave them some alarming news: Abysus was alive.

Chapter Nine - The Lockdown

Goku and Vegeta nearly spat out their food as soon as Whis said that. Goku swallowed his food and stared at the angel with a shocked expression. "That's not possible! Zeno's guards destroyed him!"

Whis raised his hand. "Calm down, you two. This is recent news. We've found traces of Abysus's energy around the same area where he was presumably killed. There was a trail that led outside universe six, but it stopped."

"I see," Vegeta muttered, slamming his fist on the table. "Damn it all! That guy will get stronger and maybe even kill Zeno!"

"That will not happen," the angel assured him. "Zeno's guards are the strongest fighters in the multiverse, far above even Daishinkan himself."

Goku remembered the dream he had before he nearly killed Whis. He clenched his fists, and Whis took notice of this. "We cannot let that dream happen, Goku-san. We don't know if that was Abysus in the dream in the first place."

"I hope it wasn't," Vegeta said. "He mentioned he had a father. If that's true, he might be even more powerful."

The angel's expression stiffened. "Zateus and Omesus... You two must never encounter them. They are dangerous."

"How are we gonna fight those guys?" Goku asked. "If Abysus is truly returning, what are we going to do about it? Abysus was afraid of mortals in the first place, but he can absorb angels. Not only that, he'll get even stronger than before, possibly."

Whis smiled. "I have a plan." He raised his hand, and a glowing orb appeared, causing the room to vibrate. The two Saiyans stared at it in awe.

"What is that?" Vegeta inquired, sweat going down the side of his face. "This power... It's insane!"

"This is much less than a percent of an angel's power," the angel explained. "I am going to give it to you to boost your power to greater heights. To be precise, about a million times."

"That will make us stronger than our current Super Saiyan Blue state," Goku said, his eyes wide. "That'll be amazing!"

"Prepare yourself," Whis warned, raising his hand. A glowing stream from the orb went into the Saiyans, and they yelled, a bright light consuming them and being visible across the city.

When it faded, a large aura was around them, sparkling with energy. Goku glanced at his hands, trembling. "This power... It's insane..."

Whis tapped his staff and reversed the damages done to the place. "That's right. If you adjust yourself to this new level of power, you'll easily surpass the level of a god of destruction."

Beerus, who was eating, perked up. "Easily? Don't make me laugh, Whis. It'll take much more than a million times to defeat me."

"Let's find out then, shall we?" the angel teased. "Let's go to a safe place, and you can fight all out."

The two Saiyans stepped up, and the destroyer cracked his knuckles. "I won't lose against you two."

Whis tapped his staff, and they were suddenly in a massive wasteland. The two sides leaped back and got into a stance, releasing their base form energy. It was massive, breaking the ground under them.

Beerus smirked, a faint purple aura flaring around him. "I have a good feeling about this..."

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Magika]

"I'll go first," Vegeta said. He dashed forward, and the two clashed with a punch, going back and forth rapidly. Bursts of wind shot everywhere as the two flew across the air, explosions destroying parts of the landscape.

Beerus blocked a punch from him, then kicked him in the gut before elbowing him to the ground. "Not bad, Saiyan. You're certainly stronger than you were before."

The prince smirked and entered Super Saiyan 2, launching up at him at full speed. He yelled and kicked him in the gut, catching him off guard. The destroyer coughed up a bit of spit before punching him as well.

The two went back and forth quickly, bursts of wind shattering the ground under them. Beerus roared, launching a beam at him. Vegeta blocked it and was sent flying back. "GAHH!"

He managed to stop himself, but part of his armor was shaved off. He closed his eyes and entered Super Saiyan Blue, a pillar of energy drilling into the earth. The power was felt across the universes, alerting some gods.

Vegeta shouted, launching forward, and punched Beerus in the face, sending him crashing through many mountains. He vanished behind the destroyer and slammed him to the ground.

For the first time, he drew blood from Beerus, making him cough up blood, before Vegeta flipped around and swung his foot down. Beerus managed to block it, glaring at him with a deadly, serious expression.

He blasted Vegeta, sending him back a bit. He got up, grunting. "That hurt, prince... THAT HURT!" He roared, his aura becoming massive. He entered more of his power, an enormous chunk of ground being erased under him.

He zoomed forward, and the two clashed with a kick. Goku watched from below, smiling. "This might be it. My final match with Beerus!" He exclaimed. "Hey, Vegeta! Let me take over!"

Vegeta landed next to him, nodding toward him. Goku powered up into Super Saiyan Blue and launched up, clashing a headbutt with the destroyer. "You finally decide to step in, Goku. I think it's time we have our greatest match."

The Saiyan nodded as they vanished, shooting across the atmosphere at a rapid speed. They zoomed across the Earth, crashing into cities. Vegeta crossed his arms and smirked, blocking the force of the wind. "You get all the fun... Damn you, Kakarot."

Beerus caught Goku's fist and slammed him in the face, the wind force breaking a chunk of land under it. Blood spewed out from the Saiyan's mouth as the destroyer then slammed him into the ground with a lot of force.

Goku grunted and got up, entering Perfected Super Saiyan Blue. "KAIOKEN TIMES TWENTY!" In an instant, he vanished above Beerus, grabbing him. He flew up out of the atmosphere at full speed, bringing him along.

Beerus elbowed him in the gut, but he didn't let go. Goku roared and slammed him into the moon, cracking it. Beerus coughed up blood, clenching his fists. He launched forward and rapidly barraged Goku, but the Saiyan dodged all of his attacks, being much stronger than him in his current state.

He yelled, launching a Kamehameha. It slammed into the destroyer, consuming him. A massive explosion, almost as big as the moon, happened as a result. Beerus panted heavily, blood going down his arm.

"Go full power, Beerus," Goku told him, getting into a stance. The level of Kaioken had little to no strain on him now. The destroyer now had no choice. He roared, the sky flashing brightly.

He yelled as a massive purple aura shot up around him, illuminating the solar system. His muscles bulked up a bit as his aura turned darker, now being a darker purple. A ray of light emanated from him. He opened his eyes, and symbols just like Toppo's destruction form appeared on his chest. His eyes glowed a faint red.

Beerus shouted, his aura growing in size. The sky flashed as small objects gravitated toward him. He darted forward at shocking speeds, now in front of Goku. The Saiyan tried to back away, but the destroyer then simply raised his fist.

He slammed it into Goku's gut, making him spit out blood. "This... is how it is to fight Beerus at full power?"

He yelled and swung a punch, but Beerus blocked it, his arm shaking. The two clashed with a punch, cracking the ground again. The destroyer swung another punch, but the Saiyan dodged it and uppercut him, sending him back.

Beerus launched back down and grabbed him, bringing him to the ground with him. They slammed into it, drilling through the surface. Goku grunted, trying to break out of his grip.

Finally, he had enough. Goku yelled, and his red aura shot up, sending Beerus flying back. He got up, looking at Goku with his eyes wide. "His energy levels are rising! Fifty times... Sixty times... SEVENTY TIMES?!"

"KAIOKEN TIMES... ONE HUNDRED!" Goku roared, the sky turning a red tint. A massive explosion shot out, sending Vegeta back. Goku yelled, a vortex of blue and red energy mixing into a purple color.

The energy of the Kaioken grew so high that it overlapped his blue power and turned his hair into a pinkish color. "ONE HUNDRED TIMES!"

Beerus got into a stance, but then Goku dashed forward at speeds he couldn't keep up with. He slammed a punch into the destroyer's gut, and he vomited up blood, his ribs cracking.

He tried to launch a Hakai blast, but he didn't get the chance. Goku brought his foot back and kicked him with full force, sending him flying forward. The Saiyan then ran behind him and kneed him, stopping him. "GAHHH!"

Beerus panted heavily before powering up once again. "I AM NOT DONE YET!"

He zoomed forward, slamming a punch in Goku's face, causing him to flinch. He then uppercut him, sending him stumbling back a little. Goku looked down and wiped the blood off his mouth.

He yelled and kicked Beerus in the chest, sending him skidding back. The two continued to go back and forth, swerving around each other. Explosions filled the landscape, searing everything.

The destroyer raised his hand, glowing purple, but then he realized what he was doing and stopped. If he used it again, he'd be erased by the Grand Priest. "Hmph... Fine. You win this round, Goku."

The Saiyan panted for a moment, but then stopped. "I... I don't feel that tired. What the heck?"

"Everything about you has improved," Whis told him. "You have a faster recovery and might even have bigger Zenkai boosts in the near future."

Goku smiled, clenching his fists. "That's awesome!"

The angel moved over to him. "Goku-san, I think it's soon time for you to enter the next stage of Ultra Instinct."

The Saiyan's eyes widened. "You mean..."

He nodded. "That's right. The same transformation I used against Abysus. It won't be easy, but if you manage to master it, you might be at the level of an angel."

"At the level of an angel..." He tried to process it but struggled to. "That's insane. You think I'm ready for that?"

Whis nodded. "That's correct. You have fully mastered the first stage of Ultra Instinct. Perhaps one day you'll enter stage two. I'll teach you how to."

Goku smiled widely. "I'll be looking forward to that."

The destroyer walked over to them, yawning. "That battle made me hungry. Whis, let's go eat at that taco place back in the city."

The angel got all giddy. "Yes! I've been wanting to try that place." He tapped his staff, and the two vanished. After that, the two Saiyans parted ways, doing their usual thing for the rest of the day.

After the massive power boost they received, they decided to take it easy after the battle with Beerus for once. Goku did his job to help make money for his family, while Vegeta went into Capsule Corp. to see Bulma.

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Inferni]

The next day, things were about to take a turn for the worse. Daishinkan stood in his palace as all the gods of destruction, Kais, and angels were summoned. They bowed down as he turned around.

"I've called all of you here once again because the situation with Abysus has gotten much more dangerous," he explained. Some gods shifted uncomfortably and were getting nervous.

He closed his eyes. "The timing could not be any worse. The other two are returning..."

Some gods gasped, muttering among themselves. They knew who he was talking about. The Grand Priest tapped his staff to get their attention again. "That's right. Omesus and Zateus are likely on the move as we speak."

He remained silent for a moment, clenching his staff. "Should Abysus, Zateus, and Omesus come together, there would be no stopping them. The only way we'd have a chance at beating them is with Zeno's guards, but we cannot let Lord Zeno know of this."

He turned toward them with a deadly serious expression on his face. "As all of you may know, Omesus is the weakest out of the three of them. He's the very first... Saiyan God."

Beerus clenched his fists, trembling slightly. "I've heard tales of that monster... He's said to be the strongest mortal warrior of all time... Said to be the level of an angel."

Daishinkan nodded. "As a result of this, the gods are going on lockdown immediately. Beerus, Whis, you will be exempted from the lockdown. You must return to universe seven to assist Goku and Vegeta. Knowing Omesus, he'll visit them first."

The two of them nodded as the Grand Priest went down the steps toward them. "Zateus is arguably the worst of them. He's a mastermind, and even I have no clue how strong he's gotten. He must have a plan to reunite with his son Abysus."

"Do we have any chance?!" Quitela blurted out. "We need to take them down together, starting with Omesus!"

Daishinkan gazed at him. "I've already considered that, but the issue is that either Abysus or Zateus could attack Lord Zeno at any moment. We must be on guard. My palace isn't too far from the Omni King's. If either of them approaches him, we will interfere quickly."

"So we must rely on those two Saiyans, huh?" Belmod ground his teeth. "Damn it... They don't have a chance against a beast like Omesus, even if they fuse."

"I am well aware of that," the Grand Priest replied. "That is why I have asked Whis to provide them a very tiny portion of my power, about less than a percent of an angel's power."

Champa's eyes widened. "That much?! They're probably stronger than a god of destruction now!"

"They are," Beerus confirmed, and everybody looked at him. "I fought them, and Goku was able to overpower me. I don't think he was even full power."

"That's good," the Grand Priest said. "We must count on Goku-san and Vegeta-san to defeat Omesus. I have faith in them. We'll take care of Abysus and Zateus, even if it means a Grand Fusion."

He cleared his throat. "You are dismissed, Beerus and Whis." The two of them vanished, heading back toward universe seven. With how much distance they had traveled, it took at least an hour.

An unfamiliar figure flew into the Milky Way at insane speeds, their power absolutely massive. Goku and Vegeta sparred as usual, explosions riddling the air.

The figure quickly approached the solar system, then Earth itself, and stopped above the atmosphere. "So, this is where my remaining kin are residing... How unexpected."

In an instant, he darted down through the clouds, blowing them away. He landed on the ground a mile away from Goku and Vegeta, shattering part of the land. "Hmm... A peaceful area."

The two Saiyans were immediately alerted to this immense presence. They quickly flew toward the figure and landed a fair distance in front of him. Vegeta went into a stance, grunting. "Who are you?"

The figure paused before reaching down and grabbing a handful of soil, examining it. "Interesting planet you two have here." He looked up at them, and they saw him clearly.

It faintly reminded Goku of his brother, Raditz. The figure had long, slightly gray hair, armor that wasn't like that of a traditional Saiyan, a tail, and a buff stature.

Goku got into a stance, with a storm cloud passing over them and thundering. "You're a Saiyan, aren't you? I haven't seen you before."

"That's correct," the being confirmed, walking forward. "So, you two are my kin. This planet houses almost all the remaining Saiyans in this universe. Might I ask, how were they reduced?"

Vegeta crossed his arms. "An emperor by the name of Frieza wiped out Planet Vegeta, our home. The rest isn't any of your business."

The being chuckled. "You have an attitude. I like that. Tell me your names."

"I'm Son Goku," Goku replied.

"I am Prince Vegeta," Vegeta replied.

"Odd names," the figure said. "Son Goku and Vegeta... I will remember your names. I am Omesus, the father of all Saiyans... The first Saiyan."

This shocked Goku and Vegeta. The first Saiyan? Why is he here?

Goku smirked. "So, you're the first Saiyan, huh... Your power is insane. I can barely comprehend it."

Omesus smiled. "I am impressed. Your power exceeds my expectations for my descendants. How would you two like to join me in our conquest of the multiverse?"

"Cut the crap," Vegeta replied, raising his fist. "You're just another enemy. Why would we work for you?"

"I can be your friend or foe," Omesus replied. "The choice is yours... If you join me, we will guarantee your survival from the extinction of all gods."

The two Saiyans didn't reply, and his smile faded. "I see... Then I'll just kill you two right here. What a shame."

Goku growled. "Don't underestimate us. We've gotten stronger than even the destroyers." He yelled and entered Super Saiyan, a massive golden aura surrounding him.

The Saiyan God examined his form, then laughed. "Interesting! It seems my genes have changed over the generations. My kind has gotten weak."

"We'll see about that," Vegeta replied. He entered Super Saiyan, and the two launched toward Omesus, yelling.

To Be Continued in Chapter Ten

I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter. It was fun to make! The story is going to become even more intense from here on out. Get ready for some surprises in the near future.

~ Scruffy

Chapter 10: The Saiyan God

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

After learning that Abysus was alive, Whis gave Goku and Vegeta an extreme power boost, allowing the two of them to fight and for the former to finally defeat Beerus the destroyer. The next day, Omesus, the original Saiyan god, arrived at Earth and offered for Goku and Vegeta to join his cause. However, they refused, and now the fight had begun.

Chapter Ten - The Saiyan God

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Decimator Extended]

Goku and Vegeta shouted and swung a combined punch at the brute. It landed, a massive shock wave shooting out, sending rocks flying everywhere. The punches did nothing to Omesus, but instead he stood there, glaring at them. "Didn't feel a thing."

He didn't move, as the two Saiyans were sent flying, his aura alone being almost as tall as a skyscraper. "Is that all you two have to offer? No, I have a feeling you have more to show."

Goku powered up into Super Saiyan two and yelled, launching a Kamehameha toward the brute. The brute opened his mouth and ate the entire blast. Omesus chuckled and licked his lips.

Vegeta stood up, watching this happen. "He's strong, Kakarot. We need to power up."

Goku nodded and entered Super Saiyan 3, leaping forward. He used a technique he hadn't tried against Beerus yet. He used Kai Kai and vanished behind Omesus, landing a punch on his back.

The brute took it, but his expression was unchanged. Goku continued to barrage him, but his attacks didn't do anything. "Fine... If you don't want to reveal your real power..."

Omesus turned around and grabbed Goku by the shirt. "Let me show you why I'm the all-time strongest mortal in the multiverse." He clenched his fist and slammed it into his gut. Goku cried out in agony, coughing up blood.

The force from the punch alone shot across the landscape, tearing it apart. It obliterated distant mountains one after the other. Finally, there was a massive explosion, sending a gust of wind.

Vegeta skidded back, his eyes twitching. "Just one punch in his base form... Impossible..."

Goku went limp, and Omesus dropped him to the ground. He glanced toward Vegeta. "I knocked out your friend. Now you will learn not to underestimate me."

Suddenly, the ground broke behind him as Goku leaped up while in Super Saiyan God, blood going down his chin. He spun around and kicked Omesus, sending him skidding forward.

Omesus tried to grab Goku, but he moved out of the way, mauling him to the ground. Vegeta entered Super Saiyan God and roared, the two launching toward him. The two warriors rapidly barraged Omesus.

Omesus growled, and his aura burst, sending them flying across the land. "Finally... You should learn not to underestimate your opponents before you get killed."

He raised his hand and fired a massive blast. The two Saiyans launched their own blasts in retaliation to try to stop it, but it barely slowed it down. "Well done for achieving God Ki, but your attacks won't work against me."

Vegeta cursed and yelled, entering Super Saiyan Blue. Goku did the same, and their blasts immediately consumed his, heading for him. Omesus's eyes widened in surprise. "What?"

The two Saiyans shouted, their blasts mixing into one. Omesus raised his fist as it sparkled with energy. He yelled and hit it, stopping it in its tracks. "I don't think so..."

He brought back his other fist and sent it back toward them. Goku and Vegeta dodged it, and it traveled into outer space, away from the entire solar system. The resulting explosion shook the galaxy.

Omesus hovered down to the ground, crossing his arms. "Now we are back to square one. My strength rivals the gods. You cannot beat me. On top of that..."

He yelled, and his hair stood up. A green glow surrounded him as his eyes turned golden. "This is the Ikari state. All of my kin should have this."

"That's the same state Broly used," Goku told Vegeta.

Omesus nodded. "Good... At least one of you knows this state. It multiplies your power by ten times."

The two Saiyans leaped toward him, zig-zagging around. They attacked Omesus, who blocked, dodged, and caught their attacks as if they were flies. "If you had gone all out a moment ago, you could've killed me right then."

He inhaled, then roared, his aura becoming even bigger. It was so dense that it acted as a force field. The sheer force of it sent Goku and Vegeta back. Omesus swung a punch toward them from a distance, and a burst of concentrated wind shot out.

Vegeta raised his arms to block it, but the force broke his guard and slammed into him. He coughed up spit but stood his ground. "The sheer power... It's unbelievable..."

Omesus raised his hand, charging a compressed blast that gravitated small objects toward it. "If you don't want to die from this attack, stop holding back. It's pathetic."

He launched the small blast, and it quickly grew into a massive green blast at least 1/10th the size of the moon itself. "Die."

Goku watched from below, then shouted, entering Perfected Super Saiyan Blue. "KAIOKEN TIMES TWENTY!" Red lightning danced around the area, confusing Omesus.

"Kaioken? What kind of technique is that?" Omesus wondered.

Goku roared and launched toward the blast. He brought back his hand and launched a blast that pierced it, heading toward Omesus. The brute brought back his fist and slammed it into the blast. However, the blast was too powerful for him to resist. He yelled, being consumed by the blast—a massive explosion consuming him. Omesus fell to the ground on his knees, part of his body scorched.

[MUSIC STOP]

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Velocitron (Invincible)]

Vegeta entered Perfected Super Saiyan Blue Evolution, and the two Saiyans flew over in front of Omesus. "Well done... But pain is merely an obstacle I can overcome," Omesus complimented, getting up and staring down at them.

He yelled and lightning arced into the sky, blowing the clouds away once again. The Saiyans were forced back as he roared, his hair turning green. He transformed into an unfamiliar state.

"This is the true Saiyan power," he revealed, walking forward. "This is what you should've had, but my blood was unfortunately diluted."

Goku and Vegeta darted forward, and he did the same. They clashed at extreme speeds, each attack sending ripples across spacetime. It was far more intense than Goku and Beerus's first battle.

Planets in the solar system started to disintegrate, with a bright light shooting out. The three zoomed into outer space, their powers causing distortions in reality. The entire universe was in jeopardy.

Omesus cackled, clashing back and forth with the two Saiyans. "I underestimated the two of you, truly. You're able to give me a fun fight in this form. However..."

He brought back his fist, and it sparkled with energy. Goku's eyes widened in horror. "WATCH OUT! HE'S GONNA-"

The Saiyan God roared and slammed it into Vegeta's gut, making the prince's irises disappear for a moment. The pain was unbearable for him. He clenched his gut, trembling, before coughing up blood.

Goku turned around as Omesus tried to do the same to him, but he barely dodged it. It grazed his cheek, and the wind force sent him flying back. He managed to stop himself, wiping blood off his cheek.

He yelled as the red aura around him got bigger. "KAIOKEN... TIMES ONE HUNDRED!" The galaxy took on a slight red tint as he zoomed forward at shocking speeds. Omesus tried to counter it, but Goku slammed his knee into his gut.

The Saiyan God vomitted out blood before Goku then rapidly barraged him with every punch that connected tearing apart galaxies. Omesus cried out, his nose breaking. He got angry and dove under one of his attacks.

He brought back his fist and swung it, but Goku blocked it, grunting. Even in this state, the attack hurt him. "TIMES... TWO HUNDRED!"

Goku's body would feel like it was tearing itself apart as he darted around Omesus so quickly that the acceleration created a spiraling sphere reminiscent of the Rasengan from Naruto.

He built up acceleration, then shot toward Omesus, slamming him with a punch. The Saiyan God yelled, being launched extremely far back. He crashed through Jupiter, then Neptune, going unconscious for a moment.

Goku fell back to his base form, panting. Omesus opened his eyes and flew in front of Goku, panting as well. "You little shit..."

Goku chuckled weakly. "Shit... I'm low on energy..."

Vegeta vanished in front of Goku, charging a Final Flash. He shouted, launching it toward Omesus. Omesus glared at him, the rage feeling like it was towering over the both of them.

He grabbed the Final Flash in his hand and crushed it. "Enough games..." His hair shifted to a dark aqua color. "This is the evolved state of God Ki combined with my form. I am unstoppable."

He yelled, unleashing his full aura, and making Vegeta unable to move, the sheer energy paralyzing him. The prince was unable to form words as Omesus towered over him with cold eyes.

He raised his arm as an aura surrounded his fist. "This punch will send your skeleton flying right into Daishinkan's palace, so he'll see the mistake he's made in giving me such power."

Omesus brought it back, then yelled, swinging it toward Vegeta. Suddenly, Beerus vanished in front of Vegeta in full power. He raised his hand, destruction energy forming in his palm.

Omesus stopped before leaping back. "The god of destruction... You're weak compared to me. What makes you think you can take me on?"

Whis appeared as well with his staff raised against Omesus. Omesus raised an eyebrow. "An angel isn't allowed to interfere in mortal matters, Whis..."

"My father has given me permission to assist Goku and Vegeta," the angel replied. "The five of us will take you down."

"Five?" Omesus narrowed his eyes. "Who's the fifth one?"

He turned to see a buff Saiyan in a similar form to his. He raised his eyebrows. "Oh? Did you achieve my form? Interesting."

Broly had arrived with Beerus and Whis, now in full power thanks to the help of the angel. The five beings surrounded the Saiyan God, getting into a stance. Omesus shot up instantly, as Broly was the first to attack.

He roared and swung a punch, and Omesus blocked it. His arm shook, and he growled as he tried to kick Broly, but the brute blocked it. Goku watched the exchange with surprise. "Broly must've gotten a massive Zenkai ever since our battle. He's gotten even stronger..."

Omesus roared and kicked Broly back, but the brute retaliated, and the two continued to clash. Beerus launched toward Omesus, raising his hand. "HAKAI!"

It didn't work, and Vegeta's eyes widened. "That's right..." He remembered his fight against Toppo in his destroyer form. His aura was resistant to the power of a god of destruction.

The Saiyan God spun around, slamming Beerus with the back of his hand. The sheer weight of the punch sent the destroyer flying back, blood spewing from his mouth. Whis caught him while watching the battle between Omesus and Broly.

Broly shouted, launching a mouth beam, but Omesus deflected it. He then zoomed forward and uppercut Broly before kicking him across the solar system, sending him into the sun.

Whis healed Goku and Vegeta, and they powered up. Goku entered the completed state of Ultra Instinct, getting into a stance. Vegeta entered Perfected Super Saiyan Blue Evolution with white specs appearing in his hair for a moment.

Goku flew forward, and everything became a blur around him. Omesus turned around and swung a punch, but he barely dodged it. "What speed..." He rapidly barraged the Saiyan God, who took it, the attacks barely making him flinch.

Vegeta launched behind the brute and used the opening to kick him. Omesus didn't budge as he tried to grab Vegeta, but Goku kicked his hand away. "Now, Vegeta!"

The two shot back and charged a beam. "FINAL... KAMEHAMEHA!" The Final Flash and Kamehameha mixed into one and launched toward Omesus, who brought back his fist.

Omesus swung it into the blast, splitting it apart. The force hit Goku and Vegeta, sending them flying back.

"He really is the strongest mortal in the multiverse," Vegeta grunted, clutching his gut. "He's beyond all the destroyers... How can we defeat him?"

"We just have to put our trust in Whis," Goku replied, powering down. "He's the strongest out of the five of us."

Omesus turned toward the angel, smiling. "It's been a long time, Whis... If I recall, we won against you and your father a billion years ago."

"I will not let that happen again," Whis replied, getting into a stance. "Us angels have perfected Ultra Instinct and ascended beyond."

The brute ground his teeth. "You mean his technique?! You stole it from him and claimed it as your own... This time, I'll put you down for good."

He launched toward Whis at speeds Goku and Vegeta couldn't keep up with. He yelled and swung a powerful punch. Whis dodged it before spinning his staff and hitting Omesus, sending him spiraling back. "GUH!"

He managed to stop himself, growling. "If you didn't have Ultra Instinct, I could've defeated you... Bastard."

Whis's eyes shone silver, and a blue aura surrounded him. "Come." Omesus darted forward, rapidly barraging him. The angel dodged all of his attacks with a calm expression.

He then spun around and slammed his staff into Omesus's gut, sending him flying back as he spat out blood. Whis went into a stance once again. "Give up, Omesus. This battle is decided."

"Is that so?" Omesus smirked and powered down before closing his eyes. He then opened them and entered Ultra Instinct as well, becoming even more powerful. "I'm not a stranger to that technique, Whis."

The angel smiled. "I know." The two launched toward each other and clashed back and forth. Whis dodged his attacks, still being above him. "I've perfected Ultra Instinct far more than you have, Omesus. You know you cannot defeat me with that."

He leaped back and raised his staff, a dark blast shooting from it. Omesus tried to dodge it, but it was too fast for him. It hit him and sent him flying back. He yelled, unable to resist Whis's power.

An enormous explosion consumed him, the anti-matter reacting to the matter. Omesus panted heavily, part of his armor torn off. Whis hovered toward him, raising his staff. "It's over, Omesus. I must bid you farewell."

"It's not over yet, Whis," Omesus replied. A burst of wind forced Whis back. His energy remained still as Broly flew back, panting. Vegeta's eyes widened in shock as Omesus's hair flickered white. "That's..."

[Music: Symphony of Dreams - PPMusicUK]

Goku clenched his fists. "The same power you used against Broly."

Omesus inhaled, then roared, the universe nearly splitting apart. Goku, Vegeta, Broly, and Beerus were sent flying back by the force. The Saiyan God's hair turned white, and an explosion destroyed many galaxies.

A pillar of energy shot from him, even forcing Whis to block. Electricity danced around him, a white aura flaring up. He looked up, having white hair and irises. "This is... true power."

Behind him, a glowing angelic being with wings formed for a split second before dispersing. Vegeta was stunned. "This is... that power?!"

Omesus glanced toward them, glowing brightly. "This is... my full power." He zoomed forward, being extremely fast, even for Whis. He swung a kick, and the angel blocked it, being sent far, far away.

He smirked, turning toward the remaining fighters. Goku powered up into Ultra Instinct, Vegeta powered up into Perfected Super Saiyan Blue Evolution, Beerus powered up into his full power, and Broly powered up into his Legendary Super Saiyan form.

Beerus and Broly launched forward, firing a beam. It consumed Omesus but did nothing. He raised his fist, and an explosion sent them flying back. Goku zoomed in front of him, rapidly barraging the brute.

Even in Ultra Instinct, his attacks did nothing. Omesus raised his hand, grabbing Goku by the arm. He closed his fist, and Goku's entire arm exploded, making Goku cry out in agony.

The Saiyan God went to reach out with his other hand, but Vegeta tried to stop it, kicking his arm. He didn't budge, as he then grabbed the prince. "The prince versus the king..."

Whis appeared and yelled, hitting Omesus with his staff and making him drop the two Saiyans. Whis then inhaled, entering the ascended Ultra Instinct form. "All four of you, stand back."

He flickered forward and punched Omesus, sending him flying across the galaxy. Whis pursued him, the two clashing rapidly. Omesus shouted, kicking the angel. But he launched back, kicking him.

Omesus coughed up spit as the angel rapidly barraged him before sending him flying back. He panted, wiping blood off his mouth. "Damn it all... If only you didn't master that form, you'd long be dead..."

Whis lowered his staff, having a saddened expression on his face. "You chose the wrong path, Omesus. I wish it didn't have to be this way. You brought this fate upon yourself."

"CUT THE CRAP!" Omesus yelled, enraged. "You're full of shit, Whis! He killed our closest friend!"

He launched forward, rapidly barraging Whis, but the angel dodged his attacks. "Your rage has blinded you. Your form isn't effective any longer." He then deflected his punch and pressed his staff into the Saiyan's chest.

"You shouldn't have interfered in that trial," Whis said. "You could've lived a peaceful life." His staff then glowed. "Farewell."

Omesus cried out as a massive dark blast consumed him, resulting in a massive explosion.

To Be Continued in Chapter Eleven

Two chapters in one day? I'm on a spree! I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter. It was fun to make. It is definitely a lot different from the original version. How will things continue from here on?

~ Scruffy

Chapter 11: The Conquest

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

Goku and Vegeta managed to hold off Omesus as they continued to power up, both sides constantly changing the tide of the battle. However, the Saiyan god's almighty strength proved to be too much for them. Luckily, Whis and Beerus arrived just in time, with the former taking on Omesus, able to defeat him even when he transformed into a white-haired form—the same form Vegeta was striving to achieve.

Chapter Eleven - The Conquest

When the smoke dispersed, Omesus was gone. Whis lowered his staff, powering down. "Are you four okay?"

Goku was shocked, but he managed to speak. "Y... Yeah. I can't believe how strong you are, Whis. You saved us."

The angel smiled, restoring Goku's arm. "You are welcome. That form Omesus used utilized the white divine power. Vegeta, that is what I want you to achieve. We'll call it Super Saiyan White."

Vegeta's expression tightened. "Super Saiyan White...? I see. I must master that power."

"That guy was insanely powerful," Goku said. "Whis had to go all out to take him down. If only I could use that form I used against Daishinkan..."

Whis nodded. "I don't know what kind of power you used, but it would help us greatly against Abysus and Zateus. However, you must obtain the next stage of Ultra Instinct. I'll teach you the basics soon, but I need to report back to my father. Lord Beerus, let's go."

The destroyer nodded, powering down. Whis tapped his staff, and they flew off, leaving Goku, Vegeta, and Broly. Together, the three of them headed back toward their planet, which was a long trip.

Universe ?

A tall figure with spiky black hair stood in a dimly lit palace, looking up into space. He gazed at the mere hundreds of stars in his view, in a dying universe. The doors opened, and he turned around to see a familiar being walking toward him. "Who are you?"

The being chuckled, raising his hand and illuminating himself. "It's been a long time, father."

The tall figure paused, looking closer. "Ah, hello, Abysus. Was your mission successful?"

"I failed you, Father Zateus," Abysus replied to the figure. "I was careless. One of those mortals bought that damn Daishinkan time to charge an attack. I survived, but then Zeno's guard appeared."

"That's fine," Zateus assured him, walking over to him. "We still have a chance to destroy the gods. It seems your power has significantly weakened. You are only at the mere level of a god of destruction."

Abysus grunted. "I know. Those damn guards are too powerful. Why didn't we fuse before you sent me?"

"Because it would be unwise," Zateus stated. "It would grant us amazing power, but if we aren't careful, Zeno can erase us in an instant. Even fused, his guards could be an issue."

Abysus got up. "Train me once more, father. I need to get back to my former glory."

"Unfortunately, I don't have time for that," Zateus replied. "However, your ability to absorb White Divine Ki can be... altered, in a way."

"What do you mean?"

He raised his hand, placing it on Abysus's shoulder. "I've been working on this ability for a while now. Your ability will now be able to absorb god ki as well, so those mortals should no longer pose a threat to you. You will go through a lot of pain, but it will be worth it in the end."

Abysus glowed and smirked. "Good. I'll go kill them shortly. Where's Omesus?"

"He's alive," Zateus replied. "I watched him nearly get killed by Whis. I warned him that he wasn't ready to fight, but he didn't listen. He overestimated his own power. I managed to save him just in time."

"What will you do about Zeno's powers?" Abysus asked.

"I will confront him when the time is right," Zateus explained. "If he can pull it off, we will do a fusion and... be unstoppable."

Abysus nodded and flew off, disappearing from the palace. Zateus's expression darkened as he looked back up at the remaining stars. "... What would you have done, sensei? Is this the right path?"

Abysus flew across the multiverse, entering universe six while concealing his power. "I will pick off all the mortals first, then I will be strong enough to kill Daishinkan and allow my father to succeed..."

He zoomed toward a planet and landed on it, destroying parts of the landscape. It was Planet Sadala. Moments later, a bunch of Saiyans surrounded him cautiously.

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Requiem for Destruction]

"Who are you?" an elder inquired. "You are destroying property! Do you have no self-control?!"

The evil god smiled. "Excuse me, old man. I have absolutely no self-control, which is why you are dead."

The elder paused, confused, and then he exploded into many body parts, blood spewing everywhere. The Saiyans were shocked for a moment before they got angry and started to attack Abysus.

Their attacks did absolutely nothing, and Abysus raised his hand, vaporizing all of them. He raised his power for a split second, alerting the rest of the Saiyans. Not long after, an army of Saiyans arrived, including Caulifla, Cabba, and Kale.

Cabba's eyes widened, and he got nervous. "That's... the guy that killed us before!"

Caulifla yelled and powered up, entering Super Saiyan 2. Then her hair grew longer, and she entered a new form: Super Saiyan 3. "Cabba, Kale, we need to go all out against this guy. He won't catch us off guard again."

Cabba entered Super Saiyan Three as well, getting into a stance. Kale shouted and entered her Berserk Super Saiyan form. The three of them darted forward toward the evil god.

They yelled and began to barrage him rapidly, who blocked their attacks. Abysus was only at the level of an average god of destruction at the moment, but that was more than enough for these Saiyans. He clashed back and forth with them, destroying parts of the terrain.

The remaining Saiyans watched from a distance, waiting to step in if needed. They shot across the air and clashed at quick speeds. Abysus laughed, but then stopped, sending an energy wave at them.

It would hit Caulifla, Cabba, and Kale, sending them flying back. "That's right. I can't get careless. I have a mission," Abysus reminded himself.

Kale shot behind Abysus and tried to kick him, but he caught it, his arm shaking a little. He shouted and slammed a punch into her gut, knocking her out of her form. He continued to barrage her before grabbing her arm and slamming her onto the ground.

He launched toward her, going to finish her off, but then Cabba got in the way, dashing toward him and blocking the attack. It sent him flying, but it bought enough time for Caulifla to get Kale out of the way.

Cabba stood up, but the evil god vanished behind him, swiping his arm and cutting into his back. The Saiyan coughed up blood as Abysus then mauled him into the ground continuously before slamming his foot on his back.

The Saiyan cried out in agony, losing consciousness. Abysus continued to kick him, waiting for him to die, but then Caulifla grabbed his arm before trying to throw him. The god grabbed her arm and twisted it, tearing its skin.

Caulifla screamed as Abysus kicked her in the chest, breaking her ribs. He threw her before launching an energy blast that consumed her and sent her crashing through the mountains.

She fell to the ground, clinging to life, while the rest of the Saiyans stood there in shock as Abysus raised a finger, charging a massive blast. "Die."

He launched it toward all the Saiyans, but suddenly vanished. Abysus paused, raising an eyebrow. He then felt a ton of force hit his back, and he almost coughed up spit. Turning his head, he saw Hit. "Who the fuck are you?"

"I'm an assassin sent to kill you," Hit replied.

Abysus clenched his fists. "And who sent you?"

"I cannot disclose that information." Hit suddenly was in front of Abysus, swinging a punch. The evil god dodged it and swung a kick, which the assassin blocked before being launched back a bit.

Abysus launched toward him, swinging his fist, and Hit barely dodged it. "Tch..." Hit time skipped behind him and went to unfreeze it, but Abysus spun around and caught his fist.

The assassin remembered Jiren doing the same back then as Abysus kicked him in the gut, making him cough up blood. The god then leaped up, launching a massive blast at Hit.

Hit used time skip to avoid it, the resulting explosion causing a massive crater. Abysus turned toward Hit, spitting on the ground in front of him. "What a cowardly way of fighting! None of you even have god ki. What a disappointment."

He then sensed something behind him and turned around to see Kale getting up, panting. "What?"

Kale then roared, a bright glow enveloping her. "I didn't want to show my sister this so soon, but I have no choice!"

She entered a berserk Super Saiyan God form, yelling. She dashed forward and vanished above Abysus, kicking him to the ground. He crashed into it, grunting. She yelled and slammed a kick into him.

Every attack broke the ground, and Kale yelled, a bright red glow enveloping the planet. She bulked up, no longer having control of herself. She mercilessly continued to attack Abysus.

Hit observed from a distance, his hands in his pockets. "Something's off... He's not resisting her attacks."

Kale grabbed Abysus and threw him up, launching a mouth beam at him. It landed, and a massive explosion forced Hit to block the wind. "What power!"

Abysus fell to the ground and landed on his feet, panting. Smoke curled off of him as he looked up, smirking. "Looks like it's working..."

Kale found herself powering down, her god ki disappearing. She then passed out from the fatigue, falling to the ground. Abysus yelled, a red glow enveloping him as his power level rose exponentially.

He turned toward Hit, his eyes glowing for a moment. "It's your turn, assassin. If only you had god ki to spare."

"I see..." Hit went into a stance. "You can steal god ki, and you said my time skip was cowardly."

This struck a nerve as Abysus growled, launching forward at insane speeds. Hit tried to time skip away, but he was too slow. The evil god grabbed him and slammed him to the ground.

Hit yelled, swinging a punch. A compressed force hit Abysus, making him flinch a little. "What the hell was that?"

Suddenly, a purple glow enveloped him as Hit leaped back, raising his hand. "You've lost. Reinforcements are on the way."

Abysus slowly stepped forward, the time cage barely slowing him down. "Something this weak isn't enough to contain me, assassin. I do applaud your time abilities, but it's over now."

He shouted and launched a massive blast, but it was deflected toward the horizon. A buff gray figure stood there, along with many others. "Ohh... If it isn't the universe eleven fighters... Here to brutally die once again?"

Jiren strolled forward, a red aura around him. He yelled, then entered full power, a massive pillar of red energy going up into the stratosphere. His uniform didn't rip off since he had gotten a more flexible one.

Toppo roared and entered his destroyer form, and Dyspo entered his Maximum Light Speed Mode. The rest of the Pride Troopers behind them powered up, preparing to attack.

Abysus raised his hand, charging a massive blast. "As much as I would like to go for round two, I don't have time for your games." He launched a gigantic blast that was as wide as the Grand Canyon.

It seemingly consumed the Pride Troopers, resulting in a massive explosion. He followed it with another barrage of energy blasts, then launched toward the location, dispersing the smoke.

Jiren and Toppo had created a barrier to protect them, and they looked up to see Abysus shatter the barrier with a punch, going after Toppo. The other Pride Troopers were helping Caulifla, Kale, and Cabba in the meantime.

The evil god tried to grab Toppo, but Dyspo kicked his hand out of the way. "JUSTICE—" Abysus grabbed Dyspo's leg and threw him with such force that it sent him out of the atmosphere.

"DYSPO!" Toppo growled and shouted, raising his hand. "Hakai!" He launched a Hakai orb at the evil god, but he caught it, crushing it.

"You haven't learned your lesson... Destruction energy doesn't work on me," Abysus reminded him, sneering. "However, the god ki within your attacks benefits me. I am your worst possible opponent."

A glowing aura flared up around him as he punched Toppo, sending him spiraling back. "Guh! Damn it!" He raised his fingers and launched a Justice Flash, or just a "Flash" in this case.

Abysus charged right through the attacks toward Toppo, but then Jiren kicked him, and he coughed up spit. He was sent forward, managing to stop himself. "You... You're annoying. You don't have god ki."

Hit went over to Toppo. "He can absorb god ki. Don't use it against him."

Toppo nodded before powering down. "We'll be fine. Jiren doesn't have god ki. He can win."

Abysus and Jiren launched toward each other, clashing elbows. They clashed back and forth, being nearly equal in power. Jiren, with his intense training, had the upper hand.

He pushed the evil god back, kicking him to the ground. He grunted, getting up as the gray brute launched down toward him, slamming him into the ground. Abysus coughed. "I can't believe it... I'm losing against the likes of them..."

He kicked Jiren and leaped back, gaining some distance. He paused, feeling a strange sensation. Abysus turned to see Caulifla and Kale fusing, a bright light consuming the area. Kefla stepped forward, entering Super Saiyan God. In this state of power, she was even stronger than Jiren.

In an instant, she kicked the evil god around like a rag-doll, not giving him a chance to retaliate. Abysus was getting angrier and angrier, but he was absorbing some of their god ki.

"STOP IT!" Toppo yells out. "He's going to absorb your god ki!"

Kefla didn't hear him as she continued to knock him around. Jiren joined in, and the two pummeled him to the ground, resulting in a massive wave of debris. The evil god lay there on the ground, unmoving.

The two of them leaped back, thinking they had won. However, the evil god stood up, and his eyes darkened in the shadows. "I will not be defeated... BY A BUNCH OF MORTALS!"

A pillar of energy erupted from him, illuminating the galaxy. He roared as a godly aura surrounded him, plus a golden aura behind him. Jiren, Kefla, Dyspo, and Toppo flew toward him, launching a combined beam.

Abysus opened his eyes as he punched it back at them. It consumed them, sending them flying. "I have reawakened my white divine energy—the energy of the angels."

Jiren dashed forward and swung a full-power punch, but Abysus caught it, his hand shaking. The evil god yelled and slammed his knee into the Pride Trooper's gut, making him cough up blood.

He then kicked Jiren back, sending him flying into Toppo. Kefla vanished behind him and swung a punch, hitting him and making him flinch. Abysus turned toward her, grabbing her by the neck.

The fusion suddenly found herself powering down to Super Saiyan 2. "I have absorbed your god ki... You're of no use to me now."

He blasted her, breaking her Potara earrings and forcing her to split back into Caulifla and Kale. Dyspo tried to kick Abysus, but he grabbed it, crushing his leg. The Pride Trooper cried out in agony as he kicked him into a mountain.

"All of you have lost," Abysus said, raising his hand. "I will destroy you once again. Maybe next time you will learn not to cross me, however strong you may be." He shouted and launched a massive beam that headed toward the rest of them.

Suddenly, a familiar figure zoomed forward, having glowing blue hair. He punched it back, sending the evil god flying back. "What the hell was that?"

Vegeta had arrived with Whis, Goku, Beerus, and a couple of other Z-Fighters. The prince powers down to base, smirking. "You're out of luck, Abysus."

Toppo managed to get up, panting. "Son Goku, Vegeta..." He coughed. "He can absorb god ki. Don't use it by any means."

"That's going to be a problem," Goku replied. "We'll have to rely on the base Super Saiyan forms in that case."

Abysus growled. "You two... I will have my revenge for what you've done to me." He launched another beam, which the Saiyans dodged.

Vegeta powered up into Super Saiyan 2, launching toward Abysus. Goku did the same as they rapidly barraged Abysus. The evil god dodged, blocked, and countered them. They went back and forth, sending shock waves across the galaxy.

Abysus yelled, and his aura burst, sending the warriors flying back. Goku yelled, charging an attack. "KA... ME... HA... ME... HAAA!" He launched a massive beam toward the evil god.

Abysus blocked it, skidding back. He growled as the prince vanished behind him, kicking him into the blast. It exploded, and Abysus fell to his knees. "Hm... Not bad."

Jiren watched in amazement. "How have... they gotten so strong?"

Abysus roared, his aura flaring up again. He grabbed Vegeta, slamming him to the ground. He then darted toward Goku, kicking him in the gut. The Saiyan coughed up spit, being sent flying back.

Goku yelled, powering up into Super Saiyan 3. He slammed his foot on the ground, cracking it, as he flew forward, bringing back his fist. He uppercut Abysus, sending him flying up. "GAH!"

The Saiyan vanished above him, mauling him to the ground. He followed it with a Kamehameha, leveling the landscape. Vegeta observed the battle from a distance, a bead of sweat going down the side of his face.

Abysus got up, wiping blood off his cheek. He growled and suddenly was in front of Goku, grabbing him by the neck. "No more games. It's time to die... I'll make it painful."

Vegeta tried to intervene, but he was sent flying by a blast from the evil god. Abysus slowly started to close his hand, crushing Goku's neck. Goku cried out, finding it hard to breathe.

The Saiyan then glowed red. "This will be risky, but I might be strong enough to do it..." He roared, his power multiplying. "KAIOKEN... TIMES TEN!"

He slammed Abysus in the gut, a wave of wind resulting from it. The evil god coughed up blood, tumbling into a mountain. Goku had combined Kaioken with Super Saiyan 3. "It worked. I don't even feel that much strain."

To Be Continued in Chapter Twelve

Surprise! Goku uses Kaioken with Super Saiyan 3? It isn't as strong as the likes of his god forms, but he doesn't want to allow Abysus to absorb his God Ki, making him stronger.

Will fighting without the power of gods be enough to conquer Abysus? Find out next time on Dragon Ball Aftermath: Rewrite.

~ Scruffy

Chapter 12: The Reawakening

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

Abysus reunited with his father, Zateus, who provided him with a new ability—the ability to absorb God Ki. Determined to get his revenge, Abysus ended up in Universe Six's Planet Sadala, promptly destroying the weaker Saiyans. Caulifla, Cabba, and Kale tried to fend the god off, but they stood no chance, until Hit arrived to help them, followed by Jiren and Toppo. During the battle, Caulifla and Kale fused to create Kefla, entering Super Saiyan God to easily take on Abysus. However, this was part of his plan, as he grew stronger from absorbing their God Ki. This allowed him to change the tides of the battle in his favor, able to easily take on even Jiren.

Before Abysus could kill them, Goku and Vegeta arrived, with the former combining Super Saiyan 3 and Kaioken to take on Abysus without using God Ki.

Chapter Twelve - The Reawakening

Abysus got up from the rubble, panting slightly. Goku stepped toward him, the red aura overlapping his golden one. Abysus roared and launched forward at full speed, and the two clashed with a punch.

He grunted and kneed Goku, but the Saiyan barely budged. Goku then brought back his leg and kicked him, sending him flying once again. Goku continued to barrage him as he was flying backward, not slowing down.

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Neverdark]

Abysus shouted, launching a mouth beam. Goku dodged it before teleporting behind him, grabbing him in a Full Nelson. "NOW, VEGETA!" Vegeta yelled and launched forward in Super Saiyan 2, bringing back his fist.

"DAMN IT ALL!" the evil god yelled, a burst of his aura sending the two Saiyans back. He grabbed Goku by the arm and slammed him on the ground with full force, flattening the surrounding mountains.

Goku grunted, his red aura getting even bigger. "TIMES TWENTY!" He kicked Abysus up, knocking him around. He went back and forth at a rapid speed, giving him no time to retaliate.

Finally, the Saiyan launched a full-power Kamehameha. The evil god glared at him, his expression unnerving him, but he kept firing. "TIMES... THIRTY!"

Abysus raised his hand, summoning his white divine energy. "Fine. I'll use my full power if you won't use God Ki. I'll simply eradicate you with this next attack..." The energy turned black, and the landscape darkened significantly.

Vegeta realized this was a similar attack to the one he used against Broly. "KAKAROT! RUN!"

"Don't get too cocky, Saiyan brat," the evil god growled. "Despite me not being as strong as before, I have far more experience than you... Dark Abolition!"

A massive black beam shot toward Goku, making a silent sound. It collided with Goku's Kamehameha, causing a massive explosion because of the interaction between matter and anti-matter, easily starting to overcome it. "Mere Ki cannot compare to the raw energy of anti-matter."

Goku cried out as it collided with him, immediately sending him out of his base form. He fell to his knees, coughing up a lot of blood on the ground. Abysus strolled toward him, raising his hand to create a Ki blade. "Die!"

He launched forward but was suddenly hit by a massive Final Flash from the side. He grunted, knocking Vegeta's attack away. "You..."

The prince yelled, launching a barrage of Ki blasts that collided with the evil god but did nothing other than tick him off. Abysus glared at him, and the mere presence alone made Vegeta almost power down in shock.

Abysus vanished in front of him and sliced him with the Ki blade, blood spewing out of his chest. Vegeta grunted as he tried to attack the evil god, but it wasn't working. Abysus went to slice his neck off, but was suddenly stopped an inch away.

A purple hand was shakily holding Abysus's hand. It wasn't Beerus, but it was his brother, Champa, alongside Vados. Vegeta's hands shook. "You..."

The destroyer yelled and slammed his fist into the evil god's gut with full force, sending Vegeta flying with the wind force. Abysus yelled, being launched back into the planet's moon.

Beerus landed as well alongside Vados. "Looks like we made it just in time. You're trying to steal all the glory, Champa!"

His brother growled. "Shut up, asshole. You're just too slow."

Abysus launched back down to Salada, landing in front of the fighters. Suddenly, his power spiked up, and he chuckled, looking up. "Finally, the real gods arrive. I am surprised you're still in this reality, Beerus."

The destroyer growled, clenching his fists. "I will not make the same mistake of holding back, you bastard."

Toppo got up, limping over. "Lord Beerus, Lord Champa, that man can absorb God Ki."

Champa narrowed his eyes. "I see. Then we'll have to use brute force."

Beerus smirked, getting in a stance. "It's been eons since we last fought together, brother. As much as I hate working with you, I hate Abysus even more."

His brother smirked back, also getting in a stance. "Fine. I'll make an exception this one time."

Abysus cracked his knuckles. "Come!" Suddenly, the two destroyers dashed forward in a blur, their speed being faster than Ultra Instinct Omen. Beerus kicked Abysus's gut, and then Champa elbowed him to the ground.

The evil god growled before vanishing in front of Beerus, slamming a punch in his face, and sending him back. For some reason, he smiled after his fist made contact with the destroyer's face.

None of them except for Whis and Vados noticed, but Abysus's power spiked up after this. The two parties clashed back and forth, with flashes traveling across the air. A combined punch from the two destroyers sent Abysus flying out of the atmosphere.

He yelled, launching a massive energy blast, but Champa spun around and kicked it back, forcing him to dodge. This gave Beerus an opening to kick him in the side.

Abysus tried to grab him, but he vanished out of the way as Champa uppercut him, damaging him further. "UGH!" As he was flying up, Beerus went to maul him to the ground, but Abysus blocked it.

The evil god then kicked Beerus with full force, sending him flying back down to the planet. Champa vanished in Beerus's path, catching him by the arm and throwing him back toward Abysus.

Beerus shot toward him at insane speeds, slamming into Abysus. The two flew away from the planet, with Champa following them close behind. The evil god managed to get Beerus off of him, but then Champa placed his hands on his chest.

A pulse shot from his hands, sending Abysus flying into the star of this system. He roared, darting from the surface of the star toward the destroyers at a blinding speed.

He grabbed them by their necks, launching back down to Sadala and slamming them into it, going almost to the core with the velocity.

Goku, Vegeta, Caulifla, Kale, Cabba, and the rest of the Pride Troopers were sent flying as a stream of purple energy went into Abysus as he held both their necks. "Fools... this isn't my only way of draining your god ki."

Beerus and Champa looked at each other and nodded before they roared, a massive pillar of destructive energy shooting out. The evil god was forced back, smiling. "So, I've drawn out your rage. Show me."

A gigantic purple aura flared up around them, lighting up the galaxy. Their muscles bulked up as their auras turned darker, now a darker purple. A ray of light emanated from them as symbols just like Toppo's destruction form appeared on their chests. Their eyes glowed red.

Goku weakly glanced up. "No! Those... fools! That's what he wants!"

Abysus shouted, his white aura reappearing. "Now we will fight as equa- " The two destroyers flew forward at speeds he could hardly keep up with, tossing him around like a rag-doll.

They went incredibly fast, with trails of energy shooting across the entire planet's atmosphere in seconds. Whis watched from below, observing Abysus's abilities. "He grabbed them by the neck and was able to absorb their God Ki... He could also do the same with a punch to the face. Could it be that if he grabs you, he can drain your God Ki, regardless if he's using it or not?"

Goku stood up as Whis tapped his staff, healing him. "Goku-san, Lord Beerus and Lord Champa aren't in the right state of mind right now. You must stop them immediately."

The Saiyan nodded and yelled, powering up into Mastered Super Saiyan Blue, then adding Kaioken times twenty on top of it. The two destroyers kicked Abysus down and launched toward him, but Goku vanished in the way.

He yelled, creating a huge barrier to stop them in their tracks. They punched the barrier, and it quickly started to break. Beerus glared at him, ticked off. "Move, Goku! What the hell are you doing?!"

"Beerus, Champa, you have to stop attacking him!" Goku told them, struggling. "God ki will only strengthen him!"

"Shut up!" Champa yelled, cracking a hole in the barrier. "You're in no place to order us around!" The two broke the barrier and knocked Goku to the side, stunning him. They continued to attack Abysus, who was starting to keep up with them.

"Fine, then I will have to use force," Goku said. He closed his eyes and slowly inhaled, a ton of heat radiating off of him. The sudden spike in power stopped the fight as the two destroyers and Abysus looked up at Goku.

The Saiyan entered Mastered Ultra Instinct, a faint energy avatar appearing around him before dispersing. "That's enough, you two." He dashed forward at insane speeds, kicking Beerus and Champa to the ground.

Abysus shot toward him and rapidly kicked him, but he dodged them with ease. Goku sent a wind burst that knocked Abysus back before he flew to the ground in less than a millisecond, powering down.

Beerus and Champa were on the ground, forced to power down. They were slightly irritated but noticed Goku was right and that Abysus had gotten a lot stronger than before.

The evil god hovered down to the ground, landing a fair distance from them. "You have no way to defeat me. You're too weak without god ki."

A thought suddenly crossed Vados's mind, and she smiled, walking over to Goku and whispering something in his ear. The Saiyan's eyes widened, then he smirked. "Alright. Guess that's what I'll do."

Vegeta glanced toward Goku, squinting. "What is he planning?"

The Saiyan turned toward Vegeta. "Vegeta, I'm going to use the Genki-dama. I need for you, Beerus, and Champa to hold him off."

The prince scoffed. "Just like the old days against Buu. Fine. Make it quick, though." He powered up as the three warriors launched toward Abysus, starting to fight him. Goku closed his eyes, raising his hand to the sky.

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Everlasting (Archangel)]

"Everyone, please lend me some of your energy!" He called out as Whis amplified his voice across multiple galaxies. "Please, raise your hands for the sake of the multiverse!"

A moment later, he started to gather lots of energy, with Beerus, Champa, and Vegeta giving some of their energy when they could. Whis and Vados also raised their hands, as this matter was on the level of the gods, so they were allowed to interfere.

The Pride Troopers, Caulifla, Kale, Cabba, and Hit lent their remaining energy. The Spirit Bomb quickly grew to be even bigger than the one at the Tournament of Power, almost triple.

Abysus noticed the growing Spirit Bomb and started to get nervous. He pushed back the three warriors and launched toward it, bringing back his hand. He charged a white divine energy blast. "I don't think so!"

Suddenly, Vados vanished in front of him, stopping him. He tried to attack her, but an invisible force stopped him from getting closer. "Damn you!"

The Spirit Bomb finished charging, and it was five times the size of the Tournament of Power's Spirit Bomb. Goku launched it, and Vados vanished out of the way, only for Abysus to be met with the massive energy ball.

The evil god yelled and caught it, skidding back. He growled, trying to push it back. "What kind of technique is this?! I can feel so many energies... What the hell is going on?!"

He raised his hand and fired an anti-matter blast, starting to cut through the Spirit Bomb. Goku shouted and powered up into Mastered Super Saiyan Blue with Kaioken times twenty, slowing it down. "Son of a..."

The weight of it started to crush Abysus, but he continued firing the white divine blast, making it even bigger. "Once this reaches you, you'll be destroyed! No matter how strong one is, they cannot stand up to this power!"

Vegeta powered up into the mastered Super Saiyan Blue Evolution, joining in to try to slow it down. "HAAAAA!"

Beerus and Champa powered up to full power, as the blast had nearly stopped. Jiren and Toppo joined in, powering up as well. Goku roared, pushing his limits. "KAIOKEN TIMES FORTY!"

The anti-matter blast was dispersed as the Spirit Bomb began to crush Abysus. He grunted, crashing through the floor. "It's so heavy! I... I have to risk it all on one blast! I have to use the accumulated God Ki!"

He raised his hand and summoned all of his white divine energy and god ki into one blast. He roared, a catastrophic anti-matter beam starting to pierce through the Spirit Bomb even quicker this time.

"DIE!" Abysus roared, his irises disappearing. The blast became even bigger, almost reaching Goku.

Goku yelled, his red energy consuming everything. "KAIOKEN... TIMES ONE HUNDRED!" His hair turned red, and electricity danced across the land. The blast slowed down, but not by much. "Damn it!" He roared, pressing on with full force. The blast was about to break through and hit them, as Vegeta observed silently.

Time slowed down around him as he stared at the dark blast slowly surfacing. "Everything I've built up until now... All my power... If we die here, it'll all be for nothing." He let out an ear-piercing yell.

White flashed across his hair, almost completely overshadowing the dark blue. His eyes glowed white for a split second as suddenly the Spirit Bomb turned black, now being white toward the center.

Goku's eyes widened. "Is that... Vegeta's done it again! He's used that same energy against Broly... He put it in the genki-dama!"

Immediately, Abysus's anti-matter blast was dispersed, and he watched with fear. "How can this be?! A mortal achieving white divine energy, the angelic power?! SHIT!" He tried to stop the blast, but it consumed him.

A massive explosion wiped out part of the planet, a blinding light overshadowing all the stars in the sky. Whis and Vados put a barrier around the fighters as tons of particles hit it.

Vegeta tried to obtain the power and got close, but he ultimately powered down to his base, panting. "Tch. We did it..."

The smoke cloud was blown away, and Abysus was there, half of his body gone. He shook, falling to his knees. "I survived..."

Whis gazed down with concern. "This is not good." Abysus clenched his fists as his body began to regenerate. The fighters watched on in shock as he healed before roaring, an explosion blowing everything back.

The white divine energy from the Spirit Bomb had made him even stronger. He yelled, a massive glowing aura around him. He looked at his hands. "I'm getting closer to my prime as each second passes... I thank you, Saiyan prince."

Vegeta growled, enraged. "That's impossible..." Whis and Vados dispersed the barrier, healing everybody. Goku powered up into Ultra Instinct, and Vegeta powered up into Mastered Blue Evolution.

Cabba, Kale, Caulifla, Hit, and the Pride Troopers powered up as well. The evil god stepped out of the crater, looking at all the fighters. "Show me what you have left, if you can."

They all yelled, launching toward him. They barraged him from every angle, utilizing their attacks. Abysus took their attacks, barely moving. "That is tasty god ki, but I've had enough now."

He swiped his hands and sent them flying, knocking them out of their forms. "Now... who do I kill first?"

Whis and Vados prepared to launch toward him, but he raised his hand, summoning his staff. "You two cannot attack me. All angels can be easily absorbed into it."

He raised his finger and looked at each of the fighters, spotting Cabba. Vegeta noticed and tried to stop it, but he was too late. Abysus launched a massive blast, and it consumed Cabba.

Vegeta flew over to him, and Cabba was on the ground, shaking. "Master..." Part of his upper body was now gone.

The prince turned to Goku. "KAKAROT! SENZU BEAN!"

Goku felt guilty. "I never brought any, Vegeta..."

Vegeta roared in frustration, turning toward Cabba. "Cabba, stay with me! You're a proud Saiyan warrior of Universe Six!"

Cabba smiled weakly. "I'm losing... too much... blood... I can... can barely see.."

The prince tried to give as much energy as he could, but it didn't help. Cabba coughed up blood as he stopped shaking. He closed his eyes, smiling. "Sorry, master... I failed you. I'm too weak. You had to help me during the tournament... Forgive me..."

He stopped speaking, and Vegeta set him down, getting up. He clenched his fists, and Abysus cackled, walking toward him. "I didn't know you had such a connection to the brat..."

The prince's hair waved in the air as the evil god's words went unheard. He gazed at Cabba's lifeless body, then turned toward the evil god. Abysus laughed before raising his fist and swinging it toward him.

Suddenly, it was caught by the prince, his expression unchanged. "I will fucking kill you for what you've done to my student..."

Abysus's eyes widened as Vegeta then exploded with energy, his hair flashing white.

To Be Continued in Chapter Thirteen

What a crazy chapter! An anti-matter Spirit Bomb, Cabba's death, and Vegeta's new power! What will happen in the next chapter? Find out next time on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons!

~ Scruffy

Chapter 13: The Grand Sage

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

As Goku and Vegeta were fighting without using God Ki and struggling to take on the evil god, Beerus and Champa arrived and started to fight Abysus, which only made things worse, as he was absorbing their God Ki. Goku had to enter Ultra Instinct to stop the two destroyers from powering him up even further, then created a Spirit Bomb in hopes of eradicating Abysus for good. He started to overpower it using white divine energy, but Vegeta stepped in, turning the Spirit Bomb into an anti-matter Spirit Bomb that completely consumed Abysus. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough, and it only made him stronger. After killing Cabba, Vegeta became enraged and exploded, summoning a new power.

Chapter Thirteen - The Grand Sage

[Music: Naruto Shippuden OST I - Tragic]

Wind burst everywhere, leveling parts of the planet. Vegeta clenched his fists even tighter, yelling. White flashes went through his hair as he entered Super Saiyan, then Super Saiyan 2, Super Saiyan 3, Super Saiyan God, Super Saiyan Blue, and Blue Evolution.

He grunted, turning toward Cabba. He roared once more, black lightning crackling around him. "GRAHHHH!"

The wind burst and hit Abysus, sending him skidding back. "What the hell is that?!"

Vegeta's hair turned from dark blue to bright white as he levitated up in the sky, a bright light forcing everybody to look away. Lightning hit the ground around the prince as he gazed down at the evil god.

He roared, powering up some more. The light faded as Vegeta stood there in a new transformation. "I have finally unlocked it, and now you will die, Abysus. This is... SUPER SAIYAN WHITE!"

His hair, eyes, and aura were white, with black electricity surrounding him. He was pulsating with the power of the angels. Everybody, even Whis and Vados, watched on in awe.

"N-No way," Goku muttered. "He's even stronger than Omesus was... The Zenkai and the rage must've boosted his power even further. This means... He's the strongest Saiyan in existence."

"He's unlocked it," Whis said. "The energy of the angels. I didn't think he would obtain it so soon."

The very pressure coming from Vegeta shook parts of the multiverse. Abysus looked up at him angrily. "So, you are trying to copy the power of the gods?" He raised a finger, charging an energy blast. "This is the attack that killed your brat, right?"

Vegeta ground his teeth, his aura getting even bigger. Abysus laughed and launched it at him, but the prince easily dispersed it. "You're mocking Cabba's death... YOU BASTARD!"

Beerus or Goku couldn't keep up with the speed as he shot toward Abysus. He slammed a punch into Abysus's gut, tearing through it. Abysus yelled, vomiting out blood, and the prince glared at him coldly.

The evil god swung a punch at his face, but it barely budged. Vegeta then tossed him to the ground like a rag-doll, then launched down, beginning to thrash him.

Every punch sent tremors across the universe. He broke both of Abysus's arms, taking his time to make him suffer.

"Vegeta, stop playing around, you fool!" Dyspo shouted. "He's going to absorb your power!"

The prince ignored him, continuing to beat the evil god. He was giving him no time to regenerate. He noticed his energy was slowly depleting. "You're draining my energy? Pathetic. Reminds me of a certain android."

He kicked him in the face, sending him flying. Abysus healed his limbs, roaring. He powered up, getting into a stance. "You will pay for that!"

Vegeta took a stance, spreading his hands. He began to charge a Final Flash while the evil god charged an attack as well. Vegeta then pressed his hands together, forming the energy blast. "Time to give this new power a shot!"

Suddenly, Vegeta's blast turned black and dark red around the edges. "This is... my Anti-Final Flash!" He roared, launching the massive blast. The evil god did the same, with the two blasts clashing.

The prince's blast easily overpowered him, and it consumed him. "AGHHHHHHHH!" Abysus cried out, being sent flying out of the atmosphere. Vegeta powered up and followed him.

Beerus's eyes twitched. "He... In such a short time, he surpassed me this far..."

"We must have faith in Vegeta-san," Whis told him. "He's far surpassed even you, Goku."

The Saiyan nodded and smiled. "Not for long. I'll evolve to the next stage of Ultra Instinct."

"Evolved Ultra Instinct isn't like Vegeta's form," Vados explained. "It utilizes God Ki, which is normally weaker than the white divine power, but, if fully mastered, it could be extremely powerful."

Abysus felt helpless, as not even his siphoning ability was fast enough to allow him to defeat Vegeta. The prince vanished behind him, grabbing him by his neck. "You're foolish to attack us so early, Abysus. You were too impatient, and that led to your downfall."

The evil god grabbed Vegeta's neck, laughing, as white divine energy started to pour into him. He started to regenerate. "It's useless, Saiyan! I'll absorb all of your energy and become even stronger than before!"

Vegeta smirked at him before grabbing his hand and crushing it, shattering it. Abysus howled in agony as Vegeta then raised his hand, forming a barrier of divine energy around Abysus. "You have nowhere left to go. It's time to end this. I'll end you the same way you ended my student."

He raised a finger, charging a massive blast. The evil god watched in fear as he launched it through his chest, causing a massive explosion in space. When it faded, Abysus was floating there, shaking.

"Damn it, I've lost..." He coughed up blood. "I'm... losing too much blood. I have to escape..."

He closed his eyes as a portal opened behind him. He limped through it, giving Vegeta a death stare. The Saiyan smirked. "You won't make it far, even if you can regenerate."

The portal closed, and Vegeta flew down toward Cabba, instantly in front of him. He gazed at him sadly, then powered down. He stood up, turning toward Goku. "Kakarot, we need to find the dragon balls of Universe Six. They must have their own Planet Namek."

Goku nodded. "Good job, Vegeta. You've far exceeded my expectations. How are you feeling?"

The prince panted slightly. "I'm fine. It took a toll on my body, but I'll be fine. Abysus's life force is draining fast. I can sense it."

Whis raised his eyebrows. "Oh, you're now able to sense energy from across the multiverse? Impressive, Vegeta. I must report this to my father. You are right that Abysus is dying, so that is one less problem to worry about. Well done, my student."

The angel stepped over to the Pride Troopers, Hit, Caulifla, and Kale, and healed them before leaving the planet. Jiren got up, having witnessed the whole thing. He turned toward Goku, and the two locked eyes.

"We'll fight later," Jiren told him. "I must catch up to you."

Vados walked forward, tapping her staff. "I'll get you back to your respective universes now. I thank you for your assistance, Pride Troopers." They flew off in a beam of light, leaving Champa, Goku, and Vegeta.

The destroyer looked toward them, then scoffed. "I could've handled that myself! Hmph!" He dashed up toward Vados, joining her. Goku turned toward Vegeta, gesturing toward him. "Put your hand on my shoulder. I'll teleport us there."

Vegeta nodded as he placed a hand on the Saiyan's shoulder. Goku closed his eyes, focusing. He uses Kai-Kai to teleport them to Universe Six's Planet Namek. Many blue namekians glanced toward them, dumbfounded.

Goku waved his hand. "Hello! Do you guys have dragon balls?"

The namekians stared at them suspiciously as a sort of familiar figure stepped forward. It was Pirina from the Tournament of Power. "You're Universe Seven's warriors. What are you doing here?"

"We're curious if you have dragon balls," Goku replied, smiling widely. "My friend Vegeta's student died. We need to bring him back to life."

The namekian approached him cautiously. "My name is Pirina. I'll bring you to the grand elder since you don't seem to have any malicious intent. If you attack us, I will be forced to take you down."

He gestured for them to follow, and as he took off, the two Saiyans followed him. Goku glanced at the alternative Namek, which was not that different from the one he visited long ago. It had a light purple sky and more green foliage, but not much else was changed.

"Our grand elder's name is Seji," Pirina explained. "He holds great power and wisdom. You guys have your own Namek, right?"

Goku nodded. "Yeah. It's a long story. Maybe I'll tell you later."

They sped up, quickly flying across the planet toward where the elder resided.

[Music: Tom Player - Horizon]

Abysus walked through a portal, falling to his knees in front of his father while coughing. Zateus immediately got up and rushed over, trying to heal him. "Abysus, what happened?!"

The evil god heaved, trying to stay alive. "The Saiyan... He... Angel power..." He coughed up blood, and Omesus ran over as well, pumping energy into Abysus.

Abysus raised his hand, a powerful compressed orb manifesting in it. "I did everything... I could, father... This... is what I gathered from them."

Zateus reluctantly took it, and the evil god spat out more blood. "I failed my mission twice. I... am a failure."

Abysus fell forward, and Zateus gazed toward him with a pained expression. He turned away, clenching his fists. "Abysus... You weren't a failure. I was for raising you to be like this."

He looked up at the dying universe. "I raised him to be a cold-blooded killer because I didn't want him to be soft like I was back then. Now that they've killed my son, the time for waiting is over."

Omesus moved over to him as Zateus handed him the orb. The Saiyan absorbed it, becoming many times stronger than before. "Together, we will avenge him, my friend."

"We will handle this ourselves," Zateus replied. He began to glow as he let out a burst of power, alerting all the gods and angels. The entire multiverse quaked for a moment. "Grab the earrings, Omesus."

The Saiyan's eyes widened. "Those?! Are you mad?!"

"We will become stronger than even my son was in his prime," Zateus explained. "However, we will not immediately fuse. We will only do so if necessary."

Omesus closed his eyes. "Alright. With my new power, I'm around the level of an angel, if not greater. When do we attack?"

"Soon," Zateus answered, looking up at the stars. "There's one thing that will need to be done first." He turns toward Abysus's corpse, his expression softening.

The two Saiyans and Pirina arrived at the Grand Elder Seji's home, landing in front of it. As they walked in, they expected someone as big as Guru, but it was one smaller, elder namekian with glowing eyes.

Seji glanced up at them. "It seems that I have visitors. Goku and Vegeta, Saiyans of Universe Seven, am I wrong?"

Goku was just about to introduce himself before he said that. "Err, yes. You must be the grand elder."

"I am more of a grand sage, but that's acceptable," the namekian replied. "I also know why you're here, as I know everything that happens on this planet. You want to use our dragon balls, am I right?"

"That's right," Vegeta replied. "I want to resurrect my student. Where are they?"

Seji smirked. "You should learn to ask nicely, prince... I am far older than you. I am millions of years old."

Goku's jaw dropped. "That old?! Who exactly... are you?"

"That isn't important," the elder snapped. "Now... dragon balls won't be necessary for revival."

Vegeta raised an eyebrow. "What are you saying?"

"A forgotten legendary ability only a few namekians have allowed them to fuse with their dragon balls, in a way," Seji explained. "Konton, our wish dragon, has been a part of me for hundreds of years now."

He raised his hand, and his eyes glowed while a figure started to form. "I am Seji, son of Zalama. I am the sage of dragons."

A young figure reformed, confused. It was none other than Cabba, who had been brought back from the dead by Seji. He looked around and then noticed Vegeta. "M... Master! I'm... alive?"

Vegeta smirked. "Welcome back to the living world, Cabba. Abysus has been taken care of."

The Saiyan teared up, then wiped away his tears, bowing down to the prince. "Thank you for everything, Vegeta!"

"I should be the one thanking you," Vegeta replied. "Thanks to you, I've been able to unlock a new form." He raised his fist, and his aura exploded, shaking the universe. He entered Super Saiyan White, the house cracking.

Seji observed him, intrigued. "The power of the angels. I would've never expected a Saiyan of all to unlock such power."

The prince powered down. "Let's go, Cabba. Thank you for bringing my student back, namekian." He prepared to fly off, but he suddenly found himself unable to move. Vegeta slowly turns his head to see Seji having an odd-looking staff.

The staff had two golden dragons curled around it, almost like Whis's staff. "I never said the deed was without a price, Vegeta. You're not leaving yet."

The prince turned his body around. "Then what do you want?"

"I want to fight you," Seji replied, confusing the Saiyan. "I've never fought a being on your level in eons."

Vegeta was skeptical, but the sage did bring back his student, so he decided to comply. Goku and Pirina followed them outside, as Seji and Vegeta stood across from each other.

"Don't go easy on me, because I'm old and frail," Seji said, getting in a stance. Vegeta narrowed his eyes, as the sage's stance had no openings. His presence was intimidating.

[Music: Thomas Bergersen - A Storm Is Brewing]

The prince shouted, powering up into Super Saiyan. He launched forward toward the sage, swinging a kick to test him. The sage dove under it, going to grab him. Behind him, Vegeta saw a giant golden energy projection of the hand going toward him.

He leaped back, the hand barely missing him. "What the hell?"

Seji's expression went unchanged. "I told you not to go easy on me, Vegeta. Power up in your blue form."

The prince was shocked that he knew about it, then complied. He yelled as a blue, wavy aura surrounded him. He entered Super Saiyan Blue, launching a Galick Gun at him.

The sage raised his hand again, the energy projection of his hand appearing behind him. It grabbed the blast, then crushed it. He then swung a punch, and the energy projection headed toward Vegeta at a blinding pace.

The prince barely blocked as the giant, glowing fists barraged him. "Guh... This force...! It's so heavy!" He roared and tried to clash with one fist, but his hand went right through it. "What?!"

The energy then formed into a bind, grabbing his hand and pulling him toward Seji, who raised his staff, hitting Vegeta with it. It didn't hurt much, but then Vegeta found himself powering down from blue, panting.

He fell to his knees, sweat dripping on the ground in front of him. "My energy...!"

Seji placed a hand over the tip of his staff, pulling out a glowing blue energy ball. "This is your energy, is it not? I'll give it back." He raised his hand and turned the ball into a beam, sending Vegeta flying.

All of Vegeta's godly power exploded out at once, creating a massive beam that sent the prince flying across the planet. "AGHHHH!"

Seji turned toward Goku. "I want to see your power in person as well, Son Goku. Don't hold back against me."

The Saiyan stepped forward and closed his eyes. His hair glowed as he entered Mastered Ultra Instinct, a glowing aura surrounding him. "This is my full power. Ultra Instinct."

The sage smiled as the Saiyan zoomed forward at incredible speeds, appearing in front of Seji. He swung a punch that was blocked by an energy projection. Even then, the barrier started to crack.

Seji's smile immediately disappeared as it shattered. Goku launched wind projectiles at him, and Seji deflected them with his staff, but it was a distraction. The Saiyan then shouted, launching a full-power Kamehameha.

The namekian grunted, skidding back. Pirina ran forward. "Grand elder! Don't resist it! You'll die!"

The sage then paused before growling. "Don't underestimate ME!" He redirected the Kamehameha up in the air, and it exploded. He glanced toward Goku, who was walking toward him.

"I don't want to hurt you, grand elder. Please back down," Goku warned him.

"I am not the grand elder," Seji replied, crossing his arms. "I am the grand SAGE!" He powered up, and an explosion of energy knocked Goku back.

"This power... No way..." Goku muttered in awe. The sage was standing there in a new form, now looking more like a dragon than before, with his antennae spiked up like horns.

"This is the true namekian power: Dragon God," Seji revealed.

"That's amazing," Goku replied. "That's what Piccolo could get in the future."

"Your namekian is powerful, but he's unaware of what he can truly do," Seji stated. "We'll talk after the battle. Let's finish this."

The two launched at each other at incredible speeds, bringing back their fists. They clashed with a punch and a massive explosion knocked Pirina back. After a moment, Goku powered down and fell to his knees, panting. "This energy... It's insane... You're even stronger than me!"

"I'm not as strong as I was in my prime," the sage replied, smiling. "Now, it looks like Vegeta's coming back for round two."

Vegeta flew over, landing in front of Seji. "Don't think this battle is over yet. You might've defeated Kakarot, but I have THIS!" He roared, entering Super Saiyan White. The entire planet trembled.

Energy flooded the universe, and he took a stance before launching forward. The two clashed with a punch, a shock wave sending Goku flying. "AGHH!"

They clashed back and forth at insane speeds, becoming a blur. They shot across every inch of the planet's atmosphere, then went into space, flying across the solar system and across planets.

Goku sensed their energy in utter disbelief. "They're equal... Even with Vegeta's new form, Seji is keeping up. This is amazing."

To Be Continued in Chapter Fourteen

Things have taken an interesting turn. I wasn't originally going to have Seji be an interesting character, but I decided it would be cool if Zalama actually had his own son.

I will see you in the next chapter!

~ Scruffy

Chapter 14: The Getaway

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

After entering Super Saiyan White for the first time, Vegeta was easily able to dispatch Abysus, causing him to die right in front of Zateus and Omesus, the latter still alive. This greatly upset Zateus and Omesus, and they were soon ready to retaliate by attacking the gods. Meanwhile, Goku and Vegeta headed to Universe Six in hopes of reviving Cabba, where they met Seji, the sage of the namekians. Seji revived Cabba for them, but in exchange, he wanted to fight Vegeta, who had to enter Super Saiyan White to keep up with him.

Chapter Fourteen - The Getaway

The two of them flew across the vast vacuum of space, shooting across the solar system at blinding speeds. They clashed rapidly, with explosions destroying parts of reality.

Goku entered Ultra Instinct, shooting out of the atmosphere. He tried to follow and keep up with them, but he was too slow, even in his current state. Plus, the mere force kept him away.

Seji yelled, his robe flying back and forth. He raised his staff, sending a massive beam of light at the prince, who swatted it away. Vegeta fired an Anti-Final Flash, and a giant explosion consumed the sage.

He grunted, bleeding a bit. "You have the upper hand in power, but I have more experience than you do, Vegeta. Utilizing the anti-matter properties of white divine energy is clever, I must admit."

He closed his eyes, and a bunch of orbs were summoned. The prince glanced around as all of them began to glow. He immediately darted back as they exploded, sending a massive shock wave.

As he was getting out of the way, Seji vanished behind him, kicking him into the star in the center of the system. Vegeta roared, exploding out of the star and launching toward him at full speed.

He was no longer holding back, now going full speed, a massive, sparkling trail following him. "HAAAAA!" He swung a punch, sending Seji flying into a planet and causing a massive crater on it.

"GALICK GUN!" He launched a massive blast toward the planet, but it dispersed. Suddenly, he felt a massive explosion behind him. "GACK! What the hell?!"

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Amaria] [Start at 1:27]

The orbs that had exploded earlier split into smaller orbs, able to cover more ground. They split once again, surrounding him. They detonated again, sending him flying back.

The explosions were weaker, but there were more of them. The sage dashed up from the planet, vanishing in front of the prince. "Let's finish this, shall we?" He roared, a massive aura surrounding him.

Vegeta did the same, bringing back his fist. They launched at each other, clashing with a punch. Reality cracked around them and it broke, sending them into a colorful dimension.

The prince looked around in shock, and Seji smirked. He dashed forward, kicking the prince, but he caught it, punching the sage in the face. "GRHH!"

He rapidly barraged the sage, sending him flying back. The sage chuckled, wiping blood off his chin. "I haven't had this much fun in ages. Now, it's time for my greatest attack."

He raised his hand as the entire galaxy glowed. Vegeta glanced up in shock as a massive energy fist formed, being bigger than the entire star system. "FIST OF ZALAMA!"

The energy fist came crashing down, surrounded by exploding orbs. The prince anticipated the attack nervously, then growled, raising his fist. He clenched it, reality breaking around him with the force of his energy.

Goku saw them again, seeing the massive energy fist. "Vegeta, get out of the way! That'll kill you!"

Vegeta watched it get closer and closed his eyes, bringing his fist back. "Screw that. I just obtained this power, and I will not lose!" Suddenly, dark energy surrounded him, warping space-time around him.

He roared, clashing with the punch. The entire universe slowly warped, electricity dancing across the cosmos. Suddenly, Vados teleported in, using her Evolved Ultra Instinct form. She raised her staff, swinging it and stopping the attack.

"That's enough!" She shouted angrily. Alongside her were Whis, Beerus, and Champa. "Your destructive tendencies have nearly doomed the multiverse."

Seji powered down, turning toward the angels. "Tch... It's the gods."

Champa and Beerus vanished behind him, raising their hands. "Don't move or we'll Hakai you, sage," the latter warned.

Vegeta was still in his Super Saiyan White form, surprised. "What the hell's going on here—"

Suddenly, Whis vanished behind him, restraining him. He tried to break out, but wasn't quite strong enough. Suddenly, he felt his energy being drained. "What are you doing?! Let me go!"

"Forgive me, Vegeta," Whis said. Vados went over to Goku and restrained him as well.

"H-Hey! I wasn't involved in this!" Goku protested.

"That isn't entirely the reason you are being restrained," Vados replied. "The Grand Priest demanded an audience with you two, and now the damage to the universe has angered him. You'll be coming with us."

Seji sensed Beerus and Champa charging up their destruction energy behind him. He smirked, as suddenly he spun around, swiping them back, sending them flying. Whis let go of Vegeta to go restrain Seji, but he vanished out of the way.

"What the?!" Vegeta thought. "How was he able to dodge Whis's attack?"

A strange aura surrounded the sage, and he smirked. He was in the same Evolved Ultra Instinct state as the angels. "I lied, Saiyan. This is my true power. You'll need to trust me on this."

Seeing as he had no option, Vegeta flew next to Seji, with the sage restoring his energy. He yelled, powering up into Super Saiyan White. "Whis, cut the crap. Why are you doing this?"

Whis gazed at him with a sad expression. "Father wants you in his palace. He is going to erase the two of you."

Goku stopped struggling and his eyes widened. "What? But why? We helped against Abysus!"

"I'm not sure, but we have to follow his orders," the angel replied. "Forgive me, Goku-san, Vegeta-san."

He zoomed forward at insane speeds. Vegeta was able to see it in his new form, but it was still incredibly fast. Whis vanished in front of him, going to grab him, and he barely managed to duck.

He then went to kick the angel, but it phased through him, revealing an afterimage. He reappeared behind Vegeta, shocking him. "This... new Ultra Instinct is fast!"

Whis went to chop him in the neck, but Seji caught it, his hand shaking. "Sorry, Whis. I've taken a liking to these Saiyans."

He grabbed Vegeta and leaped back, a bunch of orbs surrounding Whis. They detonated, resulting in a massive explosion. He then zoomed toward Vados, going to grab Goku.

She let go, getting in the way and going to attack him, but he dove. The sage then spun around, swinging a powerful kick, forcing the angel to block it. He grabbed Goku and Vegeta, teleporting away.

Whis flew over, having put up a barrier around him. "We missed them. I didn't expect the son of Zalama to be this powerful."

"I cannot sense them," Vados replied. "This is a problem. We must report back to father."

The two of them vanished, as Seji teleported Goku and Vegeta to an unfamiliar area. They glanced around and realized they were on a strange planet in an unknown galaxy. One side of the sky was dotted with stars, and the other side was pitch black.

"Welcome to the edge of the universe," the sage revealed. "This is one of my hideouts."

Goku's feet slowly sunk into the ground, struggling a bit. "What is this? This planet's gravity is immense!"

"So you've noticed," the sage replied, smiling. "This planet is also the densest in the entire multiverse. Plus, I've used my magic to make it heavier around you, too."

"Great, now we've made an enemy of the gods," Vegeta grumbled. "Just what we needed. Even Whis and Beerus are against us. What the hell is going on?"

"Something isn't right," Seji stated. "Would Daishinkan act that way? Perhaps he doesn't want a repeat of those two..."

He turned around, looking at them. "I need your permission to go through your full memories. I need to know everything that has happened."

"It's not like we have a choice anyway," Goku replied. The namekian nodded and moved over, placing a hand on their heads. He closed his eyes, faintly glowing. After a moment, his eyes shot open, sweat going down the side of his face.

"What is it?!" Goku asked, now getting nervous as well.

Seji had seen the memories of Goku using the strange power against Whis and Daishinkan. "Impossible... What kind of energy is this? Son Goku, who is that being in your mindscape, and how did you do that?!"

Vegeta glanced toward him as well. "Someone in your mindscape? What did they look like?"

"I don't know what that power I used was," Goku replied. "It was anything far beyond my comprehension... But... that person... That person in my mind was... He looked like me."

"Like you?" the prince replied, narrowing his eyes. "Was it Black?"

"No, it was different," the Saiyan replied. "I could sense evil from him, but he also didn't have any intention of hurting me. He also mentioned that I've known him and lost him for a long time... What is he talking about?"

Vegeta thought about it for a moment. "Could it be... I recall a certain Saiyan from Planet Vegeta. His name was..."

"Bardock," Seji interrupted. "Aka, your father. Could that be him?"

"Bardock? That's my father's name?" Goku was intrigued, but also didn't really care about his father. Ever since he hit his kid and forgot about them, he hadn't felt any desire to know who his parents were.

"Yeah." Seji stepped forward, the gravity of the planet not affecting him. "Either that or it is somebody else we don't know about. How could your father know about the gods, though? Something isn't right."

"Enough talk," the prince cut in. "Daishinkan had plans to erase us for reasons I don't know, but we have to train here. It's our only shot at surviving against even the angels."

"You're correct," Seji replied, smiling. "I was planning to train you two. Goku, you must evolve your Ultra Instinct to be on par with the angels. You two must learn the Fusion Dance and potentially fuse in your current states."

"Would that even work?!" Goku asked before Vegeta could respond. "Ascended Ultra Instinct and Super Saiyan White... How could those mix?"

"Theoretically, it should work," the namekian stated. "One uses white divine energy combined with Super Saiyan, which you have long since mastered to the point it can be in your base form, and one uses god ki mastered to its maximum. White divine energy may normally be above god ki, but if you can fully master it, it can be deadly."

"So, combining those two could lead to something greater," Vegeta pondered. "I don't know if it would be enough to defeat the Grand Priest. He's incredibly powerful, far above every angel."

Seji smirked. "We'll have to find out. You two will train under me. I will master not only your God Ki but your base Ki as well to allow you to get an even greater grasp on your true potential."

He turned toward Goku. "This technique isn't quite like the normal Ultra Instinct you are used to. Sure, it is far superior in every way, but it also has interesting properties to it. It has more dangerous energy. It has heat like that of the core of a star. You will ascend beyond the stars, beyond the galaxies, beyond even the universes in this state."

"Then, let's get to training." Goku closed his eyes, entering Mastered Ultra Instinct. The planet glowed from his energy, and he walked forward. Vegeta smirked, entering Mastered Super Saiyan Blue Evolution, the ground shattering under him.

He looked below him, seeing the planet hardly affected. "You weren't wrong. I'll be able to let loose without worrying about where I am. I WILL GO FULL POWER!"

He roared as a massive aura surrounded him. Goku did the same, the heat searing the ground under them. Seji raised his staff, and a buff figure appeared. "There's also another one that I wish to train with."

Broly was there, looking around in confusion. He then saw Goku and Vegeta, then saw Seji. "What am I doing here?"

"You will be training with us," the sage replied. "Broly, I want you to go full power alongside them. Don't hold back."

The brute turned toward Goku, who nodded. He narrowed his eyes and vanished next to them, yelling. He roared, his muscles bulking up. Broly's hair turned green as he entered his full-power Legendary Super Saiyan. "GRAAAHH!"

"I can't believe it," Goku thought. "To think I've become the weakest out of the four of us. I must catch up."

"Before we start, I have a question for you, Seji," Vegeta said. "Why didn't you take part in the Universe Six tournament or the Tournament of Power? You could've easily led your universe to victory."

"I am well aware of that," the sage replied. "Unfortunately, as you might've seen, my relationship with the gods isn't... positive. Plus, I am technically a god, which forbids me from participating."

[Music: Dragon Ball Super Opening 2 Full『Kiyoshi Hikawa - Genkai Toppa × Survivor』]

"Then, let's begin!" Goku shouted, his aura covering the entire planet. He yelled, a demonic roar being heard from him. He launched forward, alongside Broly and Vegeta. The three of them split apart, circling the namekian.

The sage stood there, his face expressionless. Vegeta went first, dashing in at full speed. He yelled, covering his fist in dark blue energy, and swinging it at Seji. He deflected the prince's punch before tapping him with his staff lightly.

Suddenly, he exploded back, being sent flying. Broly went next, launching a massive green beam from his mouth. Seji punched it toward Goku, who vanished out of the way.

Broly darted behind him, going to maul him. His rage continued to increase, as the namekian struggled against his raw strength a little. Goku took the chance to shoot behind him faster than a lightning bolt.

He raises his fist, a bunch of white air particles hitting him. Seji skidded forward, glancing toward Goku, who had a massive energy avatar around him. "Oh? Interesting."

The Saiyan floated in the air, having an avatar of himself around him. "You really have mastered the principle of Ultra Instinct. You are able to create energy constructs similar to mine."

A golden energy projection of himself appeared behind him, being the same size as Goku's. The two avatars went forward and clashed with a punch, a massive glowing light tearing a part of the planet beneath them.

They clashed back and forth, being extremely quick. Broly and Vegeta shouted, launching behind Seji. They went to kick him, but it barely affected the energy projection. Seji glanced at them, raising his hands and creating a bunch of orbs around them.

They exploded, each of them being a different element. While he was distracted, Goku nailed a punch into his avatar's face, sending him flying. "GAH!"

Goku's Ultra Instinct avatar then fired a massive Kamehameha that hit the namekian, sending him into outer space. He yelled, powering up into his Dragon God namekian form. Seji shot forward toward Goku at speeds that exceeded his, slamming him into the ground.

The Saiyan grunted, his avatar dispersing. He clashed back and forth with the namekian but had no chance. The namekian kicked him in the gut, making him cough up spit.

Vegeta then flew up behind them, so Seji tossed Goku into him, knocking them down. Broly plowed through the land, running at incredible speeds. He roared, brought back his fist, and swung it, but the namekian stopped it with his palm.

Seji's hand shakes slightly, as he then nailed Broly in the face, sending him tumbling back. "FINAL... KAMEHAMEHA!" Goku and Vegeta launched a combined Final Flash and Kamehameha that headed toward the sage.

Seji yelled, launching a blast to counter and overpower it. Goku and Vegeta were sent flying, as Broly stood up, growling. He twitched uncontrollably, running forward. The namekian had an idea, as he raised his hand.

He made Broly experience his father's death again, and he paused. Broly then roared, the ground shattering under them. His hair further spiked up, electricity surrounding him.

He roared, launching forward even faster than before. He grabbed the namekian's face, dragging it across the floor and throwing him. Seji replied with a massive blast, sending the legendary saiyan flying into outer space.

Goku vanished behind him, slamming a punch in his face. Seji flinched, grunting. He then grabbed Goku, sending a massive pulse in his body. Goku coughed up a lot of blood, falling out of his form.

Vegeta was the only one standing there. He yelled, powering up, but then he fell out of his form on the ground, shaking. "W-What the hell?!"

He grunted in pain, black electricity shooting everywhere. Seji watched on, his smile fading. "You've pushed your body too far with the white divine energy today. It is incredibly straining on your Ki network. It looks like I win this battle."

[MUSIC STOP]

Whis and Vados vanished in Daishinkan's palace, bowing before him. "Father, we have failed to apprehend them," Vados reported. "Please forgive us. We will not fail next time."

Daishinkan growled, turning toward them. His look unnerved the angels, as he had red, bloodshot irises now. "I see. Those mortals must still be in Universe Six. Search for them. Don't report back to me until you've captured them."

Whis gazed on with concern but knew he could not do anything about it. He bowed his head as he and his sister vanished from the palace. Daishinkan glanced up at the stars, a cold smile appearing on his face. "This is the kind of night sky I desire. Don't fret, Daishinkan. Those two mortals are who I want, after all."

The Grand Priest laughed as it echoed through his palace and beyond.

To Be Continued in Chapter Fifteen

Things are kicked up into high gear now. The son of Zalama will train the three Saiyans, especially Goku. Will Goku be able to evolve his Ultra Instinct? Will Broly be able to properly control his rage form? What has happened to the Grand Priest? Find out next time on Dragon Ball Aftermath: Rewrite!

~ Scruffy

Chapter 15: The Mystification

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

Vegeta and Seji continued their devastating battle, causing damages to the universes. Before it could continue, Whis, Vados, Beerus, and Champa appeared to stop them, and to also take them to the Grand Priest because of an order. Before they could be taken, however, Seji saved Goku and Vegeta and took them away to a far corner in Universe Six, on the densest planet in the multiverse to train them, also bringing Broly on board.

Chapter Fifteen - The Mystification

Two months later, the three Saiyans finished training with Seji. They had not only gotten stronger, but they also greatly improved their techniques. Goku was in the normal Mastered Ultra Instinct, with a massive avatar behind him. Across from him was Vegeta, who was in Mastered Super Saiyan Blue Evolution.

The two stared at each other before yelling and launching forward. They clashed elbows, a massive explosion shaking the land. Vegeta's Super Saiyan Blue mastery was incredibly powerful at that point, not far below Ultra Instinct.

They clashed back and forth before Goku dodged all of his attacks. He then mauled Vegeta to the ground, sending a Kamehameha toward the prince. Vegeta landed and back-flipped to avoid it. "GALICK GUN!"

He fired it, but Goku deflected it before zooming behind him in a blur, kicking him into a mountain. It exploded, sending loads of debris everywhere. The prince stood up, wiping blood off his mouth. "Hmph."

Goku's face remained unchanged as Vegeta roared, his hair flashing white. Suddenly, they saw a sight they hadn't expected. Mojita, the angel of Universe Nine, suddenly appeared and grabbed Vegeta, restraining him.

Goku leaped back as Kusu vanished behind him, restraining him as well. "Grhh! Damn it! I was hoping I'd have more time!"

Broly got angry, but Camparri restrained him with ease, the brute desperately trying to get free. "HELP!"

Seji glanced toward the angels, as there were six of them, alongside their gods of destruction. "This isn't good." He entered his Namekian Dragon form, but then Marcarita vanished behind him, chopping his neck.

He grunted, falling to his knees and using his willpower not to fall unconscious. Slowly, he turned toward the Saiyans. "I can't move... I let my guard down..."

Whis vanished in front of Goku, grabbing him. Vados did the same with Vegeta, as they were teleported to a familiar place. They were now in Daishinkan's palace.

Vegeta struggled, trying to power up, but inevitably failed because his energy was being drained. "Damn you! What the hell is this?!"

They heard footsteps as the Grand Priest stepped down from his throne, looking at them with red eyes. Goku's eyes widened in surprise. "What the...?! This feeling..."

[Music: Twelve Titans Music - Path Of Light (Epic Choral Emotional Trailer)]

Daishinkan stopped when he was in front of Goku and Vegeta, looking down at them with cold eyes. "Son Goku and Vegeta. You were the ones who killed Abysus, correct?"

"I did what you angels couldn't," Vegeta replied angrily. "Why are we here?! I thought we settled things after the Beerus incident!"

The Grand Priest walked up to him. "You? You're the one who killed Abysus?"

Some angels looked at him nervously. Whis even spoke up. "Father, they have helped the gods. Something hasn't quite been right with you. Perhaps-"

Daishinkan summoned his staff, raising it threateningly toward the angel. "I did not permit you to speak, Whis. My matter is with the one who killed Abysus."

Beerus growled slightly when he saw this, but didn't say anything. Daishinkan's red eyes faded, and he gazed down at the prince with disappointment. "I see." He turned around, moving back up to his throne. "I simply do not want a repeat of the incident with Zateus and Omesus billions of years ago. Now... execute them, Whis."

The angel walked forward, having a dark expression on his face. He raised his staff toward Goku, closing his eyes. "Forgive me, Goku. This is simply an order from my father."

Beerus did the same, turning toward Vegeta. He raised his hand as a purple aura surrounded him. "It's been fun, Vegeta. You both have gotten strong. I..."

He faltered for a moment as Daishinkan and Whis turned toward him. The destroyer looked down, remembering that Goku and Vegeta had risked their lives to save his. Over the time he had been on Earth, it had really started to change him.

"Whis." Beerus glanced toward his mentor, giving him a look. "I'm sorry."

He shouted, exploding the entire floor. All the destroyers were knocked back, and the angels were confused. He entered full power, glowing symbols appearing on his chest. "These two Saiyans have changed me."

Goku, Vegeta, and Broly looked on in awe as Beerus turned toward the rest of the gods. "The rest of you... Look at you... You destroyers are pathetic, always sitting around, doing nothing. And you wonder why the Omni King has lost faith in us."

He glared at Daishinkan, who stared at him, irritated. "You aren't Daishinkan. The real Grand Priest wouldn't do this."

The Grand Priest's eyes widened as Beerus then turned toward his mentor. "Whis, you can either kill me right now or join me. You know this isn't right."

Whis turned his glowing staff toward him before his expression softened. He then stood by Beerus, taking a stance. Daishinkan glared at them, hovering toward them. "You traitors."

He raised his hand, turning toward the destroyers. "Kill them."

All the destroyers power up to their maximum, with symbols appearing on their chests. They dashed forward, attacking the group. Vegeta yelled, now released. He entered Mastered Blue Evolution, black lightning coiling around him.

Goku entered Ultra Instinct, launching forward. He clashed with two gods of destruction, shock waves cracking the floor. Champa launched toward Beerus, the two clashing elbows.

Broly roared, entering his full power. He was now in control of it for the most part. He launched forward, clashing with some other destroyers.

Beerus smirked at his brother, and Champa faltered for a moment before yelling and clashing with Beerus. They dashed back and forth. Beerus was above in power and speed, but Champa was above in technique. They were equal.

The remaining destroyers went after Vegeta, who glanced up, smirking. The black lightning coiling around him manifested into an energy projection around him. He was using white divine energy without transforming with it.

It formed into a giant glowing fist, launching toward the destroyers and sending them crashing back. Broly joined in the battle, charging a massive green energy ball. He fired it toward the destroyers, knocking them down.

Seji was watching from the sidelines, as there was a group of angels surrounding him. "It seems I'm at a disadvantage," he said. He yelled, entering his Namekian dragon form. His eyes then turned silver as he added Ultra Instinct on top of it. He had gotten a bit stronger as well.

Mojita launched forward in an instant, going to grab him, but the sage dodged, closing his eyes. He raised his hands, creating a lot of orbs around them. Ropes made of god ki grabbed the angels, restraining them.

Seji then fired out a bunch of exploding orbs, but it hardly damaged them. Awamo sliced through the restraints, swinging his staff and sending Seji back, making him cough up blood. "Tch. I can't enter stage two. They've drained my power."

The sage stood up, creating multiple energy projections of himself around the angels. "Symbols of Incarnation!" Each energy projection formed together to create a dragon that towered in the palace. It let out a roar, shaking the universes.

Goku yelled, kicking many destroyers away, but more took their place. He started to get overwhelmed before he manifested his glowing avatar. He swung a punch, sending the destroyers back. Whis fended off the angels. He struggled, glancing at the Grand Priest. "This isn't right. Even I don't sense any mind control, but he's not acting like himself."

Suddenly, more angels started to overwhelm him, knocking him back. After Goku defeated the destroyers, he turned to see a familiar angel in front of him: Vados. "You..."

She stared at him before walking forward. Goku took a stance, but then she stopped right in front of him. "You're... not going to attack me, are you?"

"Of course not," she replied, turning toward the Grand Priest. "Something isn't right about Father. He's... changed. Those red eyes... Goku-san, we have to save him. He must be under mind control, even undetectable to us angels... Have you ascended Ultra Instinct yet?"

The Saiyan shook his head. "I got close, but I didn't have enough time to achieve it. I do have one trick up my sleeve, though."

Goku watched Daishinkan glare at him before vanishing in front of them, his hands behind his back. "Vados, explain yourself now."

The angel went into a stance, entering True Ultra Instinct—the ascended state Goku was aiming for. "Goku-san, take this." She raised her staff toward him, surprising him.

"You... want me to take your staff?" Goku asked, surprised.

She nodded. "Bring it to Seji as soon as possible. You need to trust me on this."

The Saiyan agreed and ran away. Daishinkan was about to go toward him, but then Vados shot forward in a trillionth of a millisecond, standing in front of her father. "Not so fast."

Goku dashed past Beerus, who was fighting his brother. One angel noticed him and launched toward him, but then Broly got in the way, distracting them. "Do whatever you need to, Goku!"

The Saiyan nodded and flew over to Seji, landing by him. Said angel was Merus, a god in training. He had previously been working for the Galactic Patrol but had to stop for the time being because of an emergency summoning.

Broly took a stance, with a massive aura surrounding him. He darted forward, barraging Merus with a flurry of punches and kicks. He had greatly improved his fighting style.

The angel dodged his attacks with ease. "That won't work." He raised his palm and hit Broly in the chest, stunning him. Without moving, a bunch of compressed air blasts hit the Saiyan from every angle, sending him flying back.

"GRHH!" Broly crashed into the wall, causing part of it to collapse. He stood up, watching Merus walk closer to him. He then shouted, electricity coiling around him. Energy gathered from him, sending shock waves across the palace.

Vegeta stopped his battle, glancing at him. He smirked as Broly's hair grew longer, entering Legendary Super Saiyan 3. He got into a stance, charging up a blast. "GALICK..."

He had learned the technique from Vegeta during their training. "... GUN!" He fired a massive blast that rapidly shifted from green to purple. Merus vanished out of the way, instantly appearing behind Broly.

He swiped his hand, slicing into the brute's back. Merus punched him after he cried out, sending him crashing back. Broly pants as the angel walked over to him, charging a blast.

He got increasingly angry, his true legendary power manifesting. "GRR... GRAHHHHHHHH!" An explosion of energy momentarily distracted everybody. Merus leaped back as Broly clenched his fists, trembling.

He remembered the hopelessness he felt against Goku and Vegeta before Frieza killed his father. He powered up, a dark green aura consuming him. Broly opened his eyes as they glowed red.

Vegeta's smirk disappeared when he saw this. "That form... During our training, it took the combined power of Kakarot and me to take him down. It's like he turned into a demon. This might be a problem."

The green aura around the brute almost looked like a fire, like the flames of hell itself. Broly stomped forward, his power completely unrestrained. He cackled before shooting forward.

He swung a heavy punch, forcing the angel to block it with their staff. The resulting shock wave blew a hole in the palace before destroying many galaxies. Merus went to punch him, and it landed, a loud crunch being heard.

Broly's nose was broken, but he seemed unphased by the pain. He then roared, launching a point-blank beam. Merus blocked it, skidding back. "Tch... How could a mortal be this powerful? If only Whis were here to help."

He took a stance, entering Mastered Ultra Instinct. "I have to win this battle. Even if I haven't ascended my Ultra Instinct yet, I have to hold him off."

The brute cracked his knuckles, his eyes piercing into Merus like daggers. Merus froze, sweat going down the side of his face. "This malice... This evil... What is this feeling?"

Broly slammed his foot on the floor, completely shattering it. He dashed forward at full speed, covering his fist with energy. He swung it, but Merus dodged it, spinning around and chopping him on the ground.

He slammed into the ground but got up as if he were invincible. In an instant, Broly swung around and nailed Merus right in the face, causing blood to shoot out of his nose and send him flying back.

Whis vanished, catching his brother. "Merus, are you all right?"

He grunted, holding his face. "Sorry, Whis. I'm not strong enough to take him on."

Whis set him down and turned toward Broly, who launched toward him. Whis blocked a punch before entering his full power in Ascended Ultra Instinct. In an instant, he sent Broly crashing back through the walls of the palace, unconscious.

"The situation is chaos," he said, healing Merus. "We need to put an end to this before Zeno himself gets involved. I'm afraid that might soon become the case."

Goku ran over and helped Seji up. "Seji, there's no time. Vados told me to give you this."

Seji's eyes widened as he took the staff and looked at the top of it. "I see... She's suspected it too."

Beerus and Champa went back and forth, explosions riddling the area. Beerus got the upper hand, chopping his brother to the ground. He then landed in front of him. "I've been wanting to finally find out who is the superior one."

Seji raised the staff, and lightning went into the sky. All the angels stopped fighting, turning toward the namekian. Seji smiled as a bright light appeared. A pillar of light hit the ground as a familiar being manifested.

It was... one of Zeno's guards. He stood there, turning toward Seji. "Emergency summoning. At your service."

Seji pointed at the Grand Priest. The guard narrowed his eyes, seeing Daishinkan's red eyes. "I see." He then glanced at the angels, sending a pulse from him that made them immediately back down.

He then took a stance, immediately in front of Daishinkan, faster than any angel could react. He then grabbed him. The Grand Priest grunted, struggling against him. "You?! Tch, why are one of you here?"

The guard's antenna then glowed, blue electricity dancing across the room. "Leave his body, Zateus."

Daishinkan then cackled maniacally, the room turning a dark red. "Oh, I am not Zateus... You could say I am... an acquaintance of his. They will attack you soon. Farewell."

He then closed his eyes, slouching forward. The guard set him down, turning toward the remaining angels. "Cease the battle now. I will let this slide just this once."

He flew up in the air, vanishing. Daishinkan slowly woke up, his eyes returning to normal. He held his head, getting up. "I, unfortunately, was unable to resist such a powerful spell. I saw everything that happened."

Daishinkan turned toward Whis and Beerus, nodding. "My children, step forward. It seems the being that controlled me threw everything into disarray. I will punish none of you for your actions, despite breaking angelic law."

He tapped his staff on the ground, and the palace started to repair itself. "Whis, please tend to Merus. The rest of you will guard the palace for the time being."

Daishinkan then turned toward Goku, Vegeta, Seji, Beerus, and Broly, hovering down to the ground in front of them. "Hello, Goku-san, Vegeta-san, and Broly-san."

He glanced toward Seji, and his expression tightened. "Seji. You'd gone into hiding millions of years ago. You finally decide to show yourself."

The sage got into a stance nervously, but the Grand Priest raised his hand to stop him, looking at them with a deadly serious expression. "We will deal with these matters later. After all, we have a bigger problem to deal with."

He raised his hand, healing them. Daishinkan then turned toward Goku and Vegeta. "I do have a simple yet extremely painful way to get you two stronger in terms of raw power. I've observed you doing the Tournament of Power, and I've realized you get stronger when near the brink of death."

"You're suggesting we do constant Zenkai boosts?" Vegeta replied. "That could work, but it might not work fast enough for the enemy's attack."

"Then we shall get started now," Daishinkan replied as he raised his hand. Suddenly, Goku, Vegeta, and Broly felt extreme pain, almost dying in an instant, but then they were healed, gaining a Zenkai boost.

"This will also build up your pain tolerance," he continued. "I would train you properly, but we don't have time. We will need as much help as possible in this battle. We don't know how strong Omesus or Zateus have gotten. Seji, you will spar with Marcarita and Cognac."

The sage reluctantly nodded, heading off toward the two angels. Twenty minutes of Zenkais later, they finally took a break. Goku, Vegeta, and Broly had nearly tripled in power level. Seji slightly refined his skills after years of very little activity. Right as Seji finished his spar, the entire wall exploded, sending a burst of wind that affected the entire universe with its energy.

Goku raised his arms to block it, grunting. "Shit... They're here already?! This power... It can't be..."

A buff Saiyan stepped forward, electricity dancing around him. It was none other than Omesus, the original Saiyan god. He had gotten many times more powerful since the last time he fought his kind. Behind him was a tall figure with short black hair and red irises. He had a resemblance to his son, Abysus. He looked around, evaluating all the fighters who were currently turning toward him.

Whis gripped his staff tightly, narrowing his eyes at the figure. "There he is. Zateus... The first mortal."

To Be Continued in Chapter Sixteen

Here it is! A fight is about to happen, even crazier than the first arc with Abysus. The first mortal and the first Saiyan versus the gods, Goku, Vegeta, Broly, and Seji.

How will things continue from here? Find out in the next chapter!

~ Scruffy

Chapter 16: The True Destroyer

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

Two months later, after Goku, Vegeta, and Broly were trained by Seji, suddenly, the angels finally found them, restraining each of them. This time, they couldn't escape as they were taken to Daishinkan's palace, but something was off about the Grand Priest. He ordered for Goku and Vegeta to be executed, but Beerus defied his orders, standing up against the gods. Whis did the same, and a massive battle ensued. After Seji summoned one of Zeno's guards to take care of the problem, as it turned out, Daishinkan was possessed by an unknown figure, who retreated after having no choice. After recovering, Daishinkan helped Goku, Vegeta, and Broly quickly get more powerful until Omesus and Zateus arrived, ready to have their revenge.

Chapter Sixteen - The True Destroyer

[Music: Adam Peters - Wave Power (Official Audio) [Robin Hood 2018 Trailer Music]]

The Grand Priest and Zateus made eye contact, staring each other down. Everybody watched as Omesus slowly walked forward. "Hello again, Whis... I see my kin are here too."

The angel narrowed his eyes at him. "Omesus. I thought you had perished during our last battle."

The brute cracked his knuckles, and a massive aura shot up around him. "This time, things will be far different. I will go all out... FROM THE START!"

He roared, beams of divine energy shattering the floor of the palace and collapsing parts of it. He entered Super Saiyan White—his full power. His energy was massive, and its power was off the charts.

Vados watched, just being healed. She had fought Daishinkan when he was controlled, but she had stood no chance against her father's power.

Vegeta stepped forward and smirked. "Know your place, Omesus. You might've been the strongest Saiyan for millions of years, but..."

He shouted, entering Super Saiyan White as well. Black electricity coiled around him, the weight of his power collapsing the other half of the palace, leaving nothing left behind.

Omesus's eyes widened as he clenched his fists, grinding his teeth. "You... How did you do it?! You obtained my form?! Nonsense! Your genes... were diluted from mine!"

The prince chuckled, raising his fist. "It's only right that I obtain this power! I will kill you myself."

Goku went into a stance as well, entering Ultra Instinct. Behind him, Beerus powered up to his full power, and Whis entered Ascended Ultra Instinct.

"Never thought I'd see the four of us work together," Goku said. "I will use a new combination. I'm able to do it now that I've completely perfected Ultra Instinct."

He closed his eyes, a blue aura surrounding him. His hair spiked up, turning a light blue. He opened his eyes and combined Super Saiyan Blue and Ultra Instinct. "I can't maintain this for long, and it isn't nearly as powerful as Vegeta, but it'll help."

Broly moved forward, powering up into Legendary Super Saiyan 3. "I won't be left behind. I'll join this battle as well."

Together, the five of them dashed forward toward the Saiyan God, who took a stance. They rapidly clashed with him, sending explosive shock waves across the universe. The remaining angels, destroyers, and Daishinkan watched the four of them attack. Omesus's eyes darted around, having a bit of fun with this battle. He clashed with their attacks, starting to press on with more force.

Seji watched on in silence, now having a plan to defeat these evil beings. He retreated, allowing the others to serve as a distraction.

Beerus yelled, launching a massive barrage of glowing Hakai orbs. Omesus leaped out of the way toward Goku, who then punched him in the back, hardly making him flinch. Omesus tried to grab Goku, but he dodged, launching a Kamehameha. The brute slapped it away with his hand toward Beerus, who tried to block it but was sent flying far back. "AGHHHH!"

"BEERUS!" Vegeta growled, launching forward at full speed. He brought back his fist, covering it in white divine energy. He swung it, landing a direct hit on Omesus's face. The brute glared at him, grabbing his hand and slamming him to the ground. The prince coughed up blood before being thrown. He stopped himself, launching toward Omesus again.

Broly joined him, and the two attacked simultaneously. Omesus grinned widely, parrying each of their punches. He uppercut Broly, sending him flying up. He then blocked an attack from Vegeta, with the two clashing back and forth.

Vegeta yelled, trying to attack him, but was losing in his new form for the first time. The Saiyan God punched him in the face, sending him flying back. He then vanished behind the prince, kicking him up. Broly shot behind Omesus alongside Whis. The legendary Saiyan swung a punch, but Omesus caught it before grabbing him and throwing him up toward Vegeta, with the two colliding in midair.

Whis rapidly barraged him, sending him back a bit. Omesus then grinned, launching forward and clashing a punch with him, breaking another layer of ground. Omesus barraged the angel, who dodged his initial strikes, but then one landed, sending Whis flying back.

Omesus's strength was still unmatched, sending a tremor through the angel's body and breaking his bones, sending him flying back. "Don't forget... Physically, I'm still currently the strongest mortal."

Suddenly, Beerus vanished behind him, front-flipping and slamming his foot in his back. It did nothing, as Omesus then grabbed him, bringing back his fist. The destroyer's eyes widened as he got scared.

"LORD BEERUS!" Whis cried out, but Omesus swung a punch. Just then, it stopped... The Saiyan God gazed at Beerus, and his eyes widened. He'd been the one to stop it.

Goku watched from a distance, shocked. "He... did he hesitate against Beerus? Why?"

The Saiyan God lowered his fist. "You look just like him..." He then grabbed Beerus, throwing him, but not with full force. The destroyer landed on the ground, unhurt, but completely paralyzed from confusion, fear, and anger.

Goku powered up, feeling his combined forms slowly fading. "I have no choice... If I use Kaioken, my Ultra Instinct will disappear in less than a second because of the violent nature of the technique... I have no choice."

He roared, his muscles bulking up. He yelled, an explosion of energy tearing more of the land apart. "KAIOKEN... TIMES THREE!" His body felt like it was tearing itself apart as he launched forward, having combined Kaioken with Ultra Instinct and Super Saiyan Blue.

He slammed a punch into Omesus, making him skid back a little. Goku then powered down to his base form, panting heavily. The brute towered over him, a massive aura surrounding him. "Your friend might've obtained my transformation, but I have more experience using its power."

Suddenly, Broly vanished behind Omesus in a more menacing form. Omesus turned around to see Broly using the True Legendary form he used against Merus. "What is that? I haven't seen that before."

The legendary Saiyan's aura spread across the ground like flames, illuminating the area with a green light. He cackled, having completely lost himself. He brought back his fist, swinging it at Omesus.

Omesus clashed with his punch, and a vortex of green energy surrounded them. The Saiyan god watched, intrigued, as Broly rapidly barraged him. Omesus countered the attacks. "I see. It's like the True Super Saiyan energy... He's somehow ascended it, but it has completely taken over his personality."

He yelled, uppercutting the brute, but Broly glared back at him, not feeling any pain but having sustained a lot of damage. He yelled, releasing a massive barrage of energy beams everywhere. His power was completely unrestrained.

"It took Vegeta in Super Saiyan White and me with my Ultra Instinct and Super Saiyan Blue combination to defeat him," Goku explained to the other angels. "He had no restraint. At this rate, he'll grow so strong that he might explode."

The beams Broly fired got bigger as every angel created a barrier around everyone except Omesus and Broly to protect them against the blasts. Zateus raised one hand, the blasts simply swerving around him.

The legendary Saiyan's attacks consumed everything, causing a massive explosion that destroyed multiple galaxies around them. When the smoke faded, there were no signs that there was a palace in the first place.

It was a barren wasteland, now scorched by the raw power that Broly released. The smoke dispersed, and Omesus stood there, his arms raised to block it. There were huge burn marks on them.

He lowered them, an expression of satisfaction on his face. "Hmph... Not bad. All of my kind should've been as powerful as you and dominated the multiverse. No matter, though. It's time to end this."

Broly stood there, not feeling his fatigue, although his aura had gotten much smaller. He darted forward, slower than before, barraging Omesus. The Saiyan god took the punches, barely moving from his attacks. Omesus brought back his fist, covering it in white divine energy. "Time to shatter all of your bones with this one punch. You'd be lucky if you survived this."

He yelled, swinging it. Broly's eyes widened, regaining consciousness right as a barrier appeared in front of his face. Omesus's fist slammed into it, shattering it. Multiple more barriers stopped his punch as he gradually broke through each one of them.

At the last barrier, it nearly broke, but finally stopped his attack. The resulting shock wave had still sent Broly tumbling back out of his transformation, unconscious. Omesus turned to see all eighteen of the multiverse's angels in a stance. "Hmph... Finally, a challenge. I will take all of you on."

In an instant, all the angels launched forward, creating a sparkling trail. It gave Goku and Vegeta déjà vu from the first fight against Abysus. All the angels worked together in perfect synchrony. They were so fast that it seemed as if they were flying everywhere at once. They rapidly clashed with Omesus, who was struggling heavily. He grunted, trying to barrage them.

Most of them dodged the attacks, and a few of them were launched down to the ground and injured. The others damaged him with various coordinated attacks. Omesus got angry and roared, his massive aura blowing them back. He dashed past them and headed toward Whis, swinging a powerful punch. Merus intervened and raised his staff to block it.

His staff broke, and the punch nailed him in the gut. His irises faded away as he fell to the ground, unconscious. Whis got angry as he launched forward at blinding speeds. He slammed a punch into Omesus's face, making him grunt. Vados then vanished behind him, raising her hand. She chopped him to the ground, sending debris everywhere.

[Music: Eternal Eclipse - Chosen One]

He got up and continued fighting with all the remaining angels. For some reason, he wasn't targeting the ones from universes thirteen to eighteen as much as the others. Daishinkan observed the battle, scrunching his eyebrows. "What's going on?"

Zateus watched the battle and then raised his hand. "No need to pretend anymore, Omesus. Let them have their revenge."

Omesus nodded toward the angels from universes thirteen to eighteen as they suddenly turned toward the rest of the angels, attacking them. Daishinkan watched in shock and disappointment. "So, they desired revenge against Zeno for erasing them. Zateus must've brought them to his side in their moment of weakness. This is not good..."

With Omesus and the five angels assisting them, they pushed back the remaining angels. He punched Vados back, sending her flying farther back. Whis vanished behind Omesus, going to slice his neck, but he caught it. His hand shook as he glanced up, smirking. "Finally... Now I get to pay you back for all those years when we were kids."

He slammed Whis in the face, the ring around his neck shattering. The angel grunted as Omesus rapidly barraged him, each attack as loud as an explosion. Whis coughed up blood and was critically injured.

The remaining good angels tried to save him, but the evil ones stopped them in their tracks, clashing with them. In a desperate attempt, all the destroyers powered up, launching toward Abysus. All of them combined managed to stop Omesus for a moment as Beerus took Whis, flying him away. "Whis, we must do that technique that only you and I know. It'll be enough to take him down."

Whis opened his eyes weakly. "My lord, are... you sure? It's risky. It could be permanent."

"Just do it!" the destroyer replied, as Omesus had already taken down each destroyer except for him. The angel nodded as a bright light engulfed the two of them. A new figure appeared. Whis had used a similar fusion technique to Daishinkan.

Whirus turned around toward Omesus. The Grand Priest watched on, intrigued. "A fusion between angel and destroyer... Interesting."

The Saiyan smiled. "Show me your true power."

Whirus raised one hand, creating a Hakai orb in it. In the other, he summoned white divine energy. "This will be extremely dangerous and is forbidden by my father. I hope he will forgive me for this."

He turned toward Daishinkan, who nodded. He then pressed his two hands together, infusing the Hakai orb with white divine energy. Its power consumed him, with electricity incinerating massive chunks of the landscape. The power of destruction was amplified at the level of the angels. He roared, a massive glowing white aura surrounding him. The pure energy coming from him erased many, many galaxies.

"I can't believe it," Vegeta grunted. "Beerus and Whis can fuse? A destroyer angel... Such pressure..."

Whirus dashed forward, entering Ultra Instinct Stage 2 on top of his white divine Hakai aura. He appeared in front of Omesus at speeds that could nearly hold a torch to Daishinkan. The Saiyan was taken aback as the destroyer angel slammed a punch in his face, sending him flying back. "AGHHHH!"

Whirus vanished behind him, kicking him to the ground. He then raised his staff, charging a deadly, dark purple blast. He shouted, launching an anti-matter Hakai blast at the Saiyan. Omesus barely managed to avoid it, as the attack went clean through the floor, incinerating parts of reality. Whirus then vanished behind him and slammed him to the ground. The brute coughed up blood, unable to fight against this new being.

The angelic destroyer then raised his hand, a flickering white and purple orb appearing. "Your time is up, Omesus. Hakai-"

Suddenly, he felt an overwhelming presence, as something stopped the Hakai. "What?!"

Whirus suddenly felt fear, despite his powerful fusion. He slowly turned around to see red eyes piercing into his. It was Zateus who was following Whirus without him even knowing. The fusion spun around and swung a punch, but Zateus deflected it. He closed his eyes, as suddenly a massive force sent Whirus flying to the ground with great speed.

"Sorry about this," he said, as Whirus defused back into Beerus and Whis. "I cannot let you kill my only comrade."

He went over to help Omesus up. "Rest for now, Omesus. I will protect you and fight the remaining obstacles."

Zateus stepped forward, each step echoing across the vast wasteland that used to house Daishinkan. He stopped when he was a fair distance away from the remaining fighters, unmoving. Daishinkan decided to ask a question he had on his mind for a while. "Who was the one that mind-controlled me, Zateus?"

The evil god's expression remained unchanged. "I will not disclose that information unless you can defeat the both of us..."

He glanced toward Goku and Vegeta. "So, your energies feel familiar. I assume you are the ones that killed my son?"

Vegeta walked forward, crossing his arms. "I killed the bastard. He was foolish to attack us."

Zateus turned toward him. "I see. I'm not as cruel as he was, but... I simply cannot let the fact that you were the one responsible for it pass."

The prince completely stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening. Zateus released some of his divine ki, and Vegeta's vision turned black and white. He fell to his knees, trembling, as he saw a massive pair of red eyes staring down at him, judging him.

He felt the dark power and ground his teeth. "T... This presence... It's unbelievable... It's like Abysus back during the first battle, but heavier."

Vegeta then yelled, breaking out of it with all of his power. Zateus slightly smiled. "Oh? Not bad. You escaped my Judgment Lock. I can now see why you were able to kill Abysus."

The prince panted heavily, sweat dripping on the ground beneath him. "He... he could've killed me right then, but he didn't..."

The evil god walked forward again toward the fighters, red lightning rapidly striking the ground in the distance. "I may not be quite as powerful as Abysus was in his prime, but that will not stop me."

Daishinkan hovered down next to the fighters, raising his hands. He healed each of the fighters and good angels, fully recovering them. Goku, Vegeta, Broly, all the destroyers, and thirteen angels, including Merus and Daishinkan, stood side by side. The Grand Priest pointed his finger. "Attack him now!"

Goku powered up into Ultra Instinct, Vegeta powered up into Super Saiyan White, the destroyers powered up to their full power, and the remaining angels entered Ultra Instinct Stage 2. (Which will be what it is referred to from now on.)

First, the destroyers launched forward, rapidly attacking Zateus. He stood there, taking their attacks as if they were nothing. Daishinkan walked forward. "All destroyers, I give you permission... to use your forbidden attacks."

Beerus's eyes widened. His attack had nearly gotten him erased, and now he was allowed to use it. He had only used it once against Abysus. Simultaneously, all eighteen destroyers stood in a circle around Zateus, their hands raised. They all charged up different ultimate Hakai attacks they created over the years.

Beerus raised his hand. "I am the authority of Universe Seven, God of Destruction Beerus. You will be erased from the rest of the cosmos. Judgment will now be passed onto you, Zateus."

He flickered as more and more galaxies disappeared. "100%... Absolute Hakai... Disappear." Simultaneously, all the other destroyers fired their forbidden attacks as well. A bright explosion out-shined all the stars and all the galaxies.

To Be Continued in Chapter Seventeen

I find it interesting that now two chapters end with Beerus using his ultimate technique. I hope you enjoyed this absolutely insane chapter. Things will be even crazier the next one.

Prepare for true action.

~ Scruffy

Chapter 17: The Next Step

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

Omesus and Zateus arrived, with the former fighting Goku, Vegeta, Broly, Beerus, and Whis. Despite having multiple chances to kill Beerus, Omesus hesitated, not wanting to end his life. As all the other angels joined in, Omesus stood no chance, until some angels from the formerly erased universes joined his side to get revenge on the gods. After being critically injured, Whis fused with Beerus to create Whirus, combining the power of destruction and the angels. He was about to kill Omesus, but Zateus stopped the fusion, causing it to split back apart.

Now that Omesus was out of commission for the time being, the destroyers started attacking Zateus and were permitted to use their forbidden attacks to get rid of him by Daishinkan.

Chapter Seventeen - The Next Step

Zateus stood there with a very faint burn mark on his body. "Not bad, destroyers." Without moving, all the destroyers suddenly fell to the ground, panting.

Vegeta narrowed his eyes. "What the hell did he do? I couldn't see him move."

"That doesn't matter right now," Goku replied, getting into a stance. He closed his eyes, combining Super Saiyan Blue and Ultra Instinct. "We're up next. We can do this."

Vegeta shouted, powering up into Super Saiyan White. Broly entered Legendary Super Saiyan 3 but suddenly fell to his knees, powering down. "Grh... Sorry, you two. That power took too much of a toll on my body."

"It's fine, you've done enough," Goku assured him. He and Vegeta launched forward at full speed, swinging a kick. Zateus caught them, throwing them in opposite directions. Vegeta grunted, shooting behind the evil god and launching an attack. "ANTI-FINAL FLASH!"

A massive dark beam headed toward him, but Zateus turned around and caught it, throwing it at Goku, who barely dodged it. The Saiyan used Kai Kai, teleporting behind him. He rapidly barraged the evil god, who deflected his punches with ease.

Zateus then brought back his hand and shoved it into Goku, making him cry out in agony. He then ripped the glowing essence out of him, which had been his energy. Goku coughed up blood, falling to his knees. "It's like Seji's technique…"

The god absorbed his energy, turning toward Vegeta. The prince growled and leaped back. "Come to think of it, where the hell has Seji been this entire time?"

"He told me his plan," Whis told him. "He is preparing for something."

Vegeta nodded and zoomed forward, covering his fist in white divine energy. "TAKE THIS!"

He went to punch Zateus, but he caught it, staring at him. He then crushed his fist before throwing him. Vegeta grunted, holding his wrist. "Son of a bitch... He's toying with us..."

Suddenly, he saw Seji teleport in. "You... What took you so long?"

The sage smiled, cracking his knuckles. "I've been charging up my energy." He inhaled, entering Ultra Instinct Stage 2. Almost faster than Vegeta could perceive, he zoomed in front of Zateus, swinging a kick.

The evil god blocked it, scrunching his eyebrows. "You... You're the son of him. The sage of the namekians."

Behind the sage, the angels went to attack Zateus, who clashed with all of them with an expressionless face. "I may not be as powerful as my son was in his prime, but... I am far more experienced than him."

He raised his hands as they turned into a blur. Suddenly, all the angels fell to the ground, grunting. Seji smirked, rapidly barraging him. Zateus dodged all of his punches before uppercutting Seji, sending him flying up. "UGHH!" The namekian landed on his back before getting up, fixing his jaw. He flickered and turned into afterimages, creating a lot of exploding orbs around Zateus. They all detonated, resulting in a cataclysmic blast.

When the smoke dispersed, Zateus was completely unaffected. He raised his finger, launching a tiny beam that pierced through Seji's chest. He coughed up spit, stumbling forward.

"Stand aside, son of Zalama," Zateus warned. "My business is with Daishinkan."

Seji smiled, raising his fist. "I'm afraid not." He launched forward again, raising his hand. "FIST OF ZALAMA!"

A massive, glowing fist formed, bigger than the solar system. It came crashing down onto Zateus, who launched a beam that sliced cleanly through it. "That won't work." Suddenly, Zateus flickered, not moving, but Seji was slammed in the gut, his pupils disappearing. He was launched back, crashing through the ground. He coughed, twitching in pain.

The evil god moved past him, heading toward Daishinkan. "You fought valiantly, but, as I said, my business is not with you."

He suddenly stopped as Seji stood up, the entire multiverse rumbling. Lightning shot far up into the sky. "It's finished charging. It's time to end this."

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Flameheart]

Zateus turned around, raising an eyebrow. Daishinkan's eyes widened. "What is this? I've never seen him use this much power before."

Seji raised his fist as the ground broke apart. "Prepare yourself, Zateus. I am going to use my ultimate trump card. Come forth, Konton!"

An ear-piercing roar was heard as a black dragon with glowing red eyes landed behind the sage. It wasn't like the normal wish-granting dragons, but it was a full dragon slightly bigger than Daishinkan's palace. Everybody watched in awe. Vegeta stepped forward. "Wait... Didn't you say that the dragon was a part of you?"

"I did," the sage confirmed. "We are connected through life force. I have changed him into a companion for battle. The only wish he grants now is the death wish."

Konton snarled, glaring at Zateus. The evil god watched on, intrigued. "As expected from the son of Zalama. It seems summoning your dragon takes a long time, but the outcome is worth the wait."

Seji leaped up, landing on top of the dragon. "This dragon is above even the angels. Maybe it could even could give Daishinkan himself trouble. He will be your main opponent now."

"Fine," Zateus said, turning around and raising a finger. He charged a red beam that turned the entire area red. "I have warned you to not get in my way, but now you must die."

He fired it, but the dragon opened its jaw, eating the blast. The evil god paused before the dragon zoomed forward, flapping its wings. It roared, biting down on Zateus.

Zateus grunted, feeling the teeth piercing into him. "What?!" Konton then flew up at full speed, a glowing trail following it. It went into space before glowing and launching Zateus out of its mouth with a blast toward a distant galaxy.

A moment later, Zateus reappeared, his chest bleeding. He raised his hand, closing his wounds. "You caught me off guard. I underestimated you."

Goku and Vegeta were slack-jawed, unable to comprehend what was going on. Konton shot forward again, its massive feet shattering the ground with each step. Zateus went into a stance before stretching out his hand. Suddenly, the dragon stopped in place. He then swung his arm, launching the dragon back without touching it.

Konton didn't like this at all. It roared even louder than before, getting angry and launching a massive beam out of its mouth, and Zateus did the same. The two beams clashed, breaking apart reality around them.

Seji suddenly hopped off and darted behind Zateus, kicking him into the blast. It consumed him, destroying multiple surrounding galaxies. Omesus's eyes widened. "Zateus!"

Zateus stood there, smoke curling off him. There were multiple burn marks on him. He opened his eyes, looking up toward the dragon. "It's time to stop fighting you in my base form."

Seji's eyes widened, hopping back on Konton. "Y... Your base form?!"

Zateus closed his eyes as a massive heatwave forced Konton to back off. He opened his eyes, and they glowed a bright silver. His hair stood up, and it turned silver as well. "This is my Ultra Instinct."

"What makes your Ultra Instinct different from everybody else's?" Seji asked, unphased.

The evil god chuckled. "Being the son of Zalama, I thought you'd have known..."

"What is he talking about?" Goku asked, sweat going down his face from the intense heat. "This heat... It's not normal. This pressure is so intense, I can barely move."

Zateus stepped forward, the ground under him scorched. "I... CREATED ULTRA INSTINCT."

[Music: Two Steps from Hell - Power of Darkness]

Seji shook, being terrified. Everybody else except the angels was shocked. Beerus clenched his fist. "Impossible... No... Stop lying... THAT TECHNIQUE WAS CREATED BY THE ANGELS!"

He turned toward Whis, who closed his eyes. "The truth is out. The first mortal, Zateus, created the technique. We angels learned it after he was defeated."

"Zeno destroyed universes thirteen through... nineteen," Zateus revealed, shocking the mortals even more. "Right after retreating to Universe Nineteen, we were erased shortly after. Recently, though, we were brought back by the Super Dragon Balls."

"Universe Nineteen? How can that be?!" Vegeta clenched his fists. "The gods said there were only eighteen of them!"

"It's a long story, Vegeta," Vados replied. "Right now, we must be careful."

Konton roared, glowing. It shot forward, flapping its wings. It went to bite Zateus, but he flickered out of the way, his eyes closed. He then waved his hand, and the dragon was knocked down in an instant.

"I couldn't even see him move!" Goku exclaimed, stepping back in shock.

Konton grunted, falling to the ground. Seji leaped down and knelt down, placing a hand on Konton's snout. "Forgive me for putting you in danger, old friend."

The dragon gazed up at him, then closed its eyes. It dispersed, retreating from the battle. Seji stood up, his robes swinging from the wind. Lightning struck in the distance as he turned toward Zateus. "I forfeit," Seji said. "If I die, so will my companion. I cannot do that to him."

The evil god stepped forward, his expression unchanged. "Unfortunately, as I've said, I will have to kill you now. I have warned you not to get in my way."

He flickered forward at speeds only matched by Daishinkan. He swung a punch, but suddenly it was stopped by a hand. Daishinkan had stopped it, grunting. His arm shook, the ground breaking under them.

"Defending your enemy?" Zateus inquired, raising an eyebrow. "I see. We'll fight one-on-one."

They flew up, their auras intertwining. They went back and forth, each clash shaking the universe. Daishinkan dashed forward and swung his staff, but the attack was dodged. He then charged a beam, but Zateus blasted him away before he could fire it. Daishinkan's eyes shone as he entered Stage 2. He yelled, slamming a punch into Zateus's face and sending him flying.

The Grand Priest shouted, going to grab him, but Zateus flickered, punching him out of the way. He looked up to see Daishinkan gone and raised an eyebrow. He turned around to see a fist flying at him.

It slammed him in the face, sending him flying. Daishinkan launched forward and spun his staff, trying to jab him with it. Zateus weaved out of the way of the attacks, chuckling. He then raised his fist, covering it in white divine energy. He slammed it into the Grand Priest's gut, sending him flying down onto the ground. Daishinkan opened his eyes, getting up.

"I will not let you win this battle!" He exclaimed as he closed his eyes, raising his staff. He flew up toward Zateus, who sent a flurry of energy blasts. Daishinkan dodged all the attacks, shooting in front of the evil god. He spun his staff and slammed it on Zateus, sending him flying down. Daishinkan launched after him, covering his fist in white divine energy and swinging it. Zateus flickered out of the way instantly.

The shock wave from the Grand Priest's punch created a blinding light, forcing the other fighters to look away. Zateus growled and spun around, slamming his elbow into Daishinkan's face.

The angel grunted before raising his staff and charging a blast. "I'm not done yet! HAAA!" He fired the blast, a massive explosion sending everybody, even the angels, flying.

Zateus dispersed the smoke, his glowing aura getting brighter. "I'm impressed, Daishinkan. You've improved since our first battle. To think you've stolen my technique just like that."

A harsh red glow surrounded him as he entered stage 2 of Ultra Instinct. "Now, how will you fight stage 2?"

The Grand Priest took a stance before launching forward and barraging him. Zateus deflected the attacks with ease before flicking his fingers and barraging him with millions of invisible forces. Daishinkan coughed up blood, falling to the ground. Goku got nervous, glancing up at Zateus. "Just with one attack... This guy's less powerful but deadlier than Abysus! How do we stand a chance?"

The evil god then raised his hand, looking down sadly at everyone. "For the sake of the multiverse, I will eliminate the gods and take on the role of Omni King. I will give a chance for the mortals to stand aside."

In response, Vegeta powered up further, warping space around him. "Like hell I will, you bastard!"

Goku did the same, getting in a stance. He entered Ultra Instinct, his hair spiking up slightly for a moment. Whis watched and smiled before powering up into stage 2. "Prepare yourselves!"

Zateus charged a massive red energy ball, launching it down at the fighters. All the angels powered up, trying to stop the blast. Daishinkan stood up and did the same, along with the destroyers and everybody else. The blast almost completely stopped, but it still inched toward the fighters. Seji roared, trying to disperse it. "Its power is too much! We can't hold it for much longer!"

[MUSIC STOP]

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Stormwatch]

Goku closed his eyes, his hands slowly being consumed by the blast. I have to... catch up. Against Seji, I haven't been able to unlock the next stage. What can we do?

He saw a tall figure appear in his mindscape, one with an aura that looked like a galaxy. It held a staff, its presence being overwhelming. "I will help you unlock it, Saiyan. The gods need you. Wake up."

Goku opened his eyes, his hair spiking up, almost like a Super Saiyan. A light red aura surrounded him, a vortex of energy surrounding him. He yelled, dispersing the massive blast into several pieces. They scattered across the area, breaking more parts of it. Goku wasn't in Ultra Instinct anymore, but in the next stage. Whis turned toward him, his eyes widening. "Goku-san... you've done it!"

He had unlocked Ultra Instinct Stage 2 with the help of an unknown being in the direst of times. Vegeta glanced at him, smirking. "Finally. You caught up to me. No, you've gotten even stronger. What a pain..."

Goku glanced at his hands. "This isn't the state I used against Whis and Daishinkan, but it'll do."

Zateus watched from above, narrowing his eyes as Goku's aura outshone the other angels. "His power... How unusual. I wonder how he can use it this well?"

Daishinkan stood up from the ground, supporting himself with his staff. "It's time, my children. As we have once done against Abysus, we must fuse again."

He raised his hand as all the angels placed their hands on his. There was a bright light that was eerily calm. A new angelic being emerged, being even more powerful than Daishinkan. He had multiple rings surrounding him. "Behold... It's time for your end, Zateus. This time, no mercy."

The angelic fusion dashed forward at incredible speeds, clashing with the evil god. A massive shock wave shot out, shaking the universes. "HAAAAAA!" The two clashed back and forth, tearing everything in the vicinity apart.

Goku observed the battle from below, lowering his power to sustain his transformation longer. "You can do it..."

Zateus clashed with Daishinkan's attacks at an extreme speed with an expressionless face. "The angelic fusion... I was curious as to when you would do that again. However, don't forget, I created Ultra Instinct."

He sped up to an unreasonable pace in stage 2, sending the fusion flying. But Daishinkan darted toward him at full speed, kicking him back. The two continued clashing, countering, blocking, and dodging attacks. It was an amazing sight for any. They leaped far away from the fighters, shooting across the galaxies. Each punch sent galaxies back, forming wormholes in space.

Unfortunately, despite being weaker, Zateus was much more experienced in Ultra Instinct than even Daishinkan himself. He rapidly barraged him, being extremely fast. He then chopped the fusion back toward the fighters, splitting the entire area in half. The evil god leaped down, landing in front of the fusion. "No matter what you do, you cannot win, Daishinkan."

Daishinkan grunted, having sustained a lot of damage from his attack. "This is bad... At this rate, Zeno himself will appear from the damage to the multiverse. I have to kill him before that happens."

He raised his hand, launching a giant anti-matter blast. Zateus did the same, and the two beams clashed, eroding the ground away. They both yelled, with the beams getting bigger. Vegeta growled, leaping by Daishinkan and trying to assist him. "ANTI-FINAL FLASH!"

Daishinkan's beam got slightly bigger, but it wasn't enough. The blast got closer, and Vegeta's eyes widened, realizing the mistake he had made. "SHIT!"

At the last second, Daishinkan sent a burst of wind that knocked the prince out of the way as the attack consumed him. "AGHHHH!" He flew back, falling to the ground. He defused, leaving nobody else left to battle against the evil god. Goku watched from below, getting nervous. "This is bad... I can't phase him in my new form..."

He then remembered talking to a figure familiar to himself. He opened his eyes and entered his mindscape, looking around. "Hey! Come out! I need your help!"

There was no response, and he clenched his fists. "Give me the power I used against Whis and Daishinkan! It's urgent!"

He then heard a faint laugh as the figure appeared, walking toward him. "You're pathetic. Trying to rely on power from somebody you don't even remember. Give me one reason I should even give you a slight HINT of it."

"My friends and the gods are in danger!" Goku replied. "Who even are you?!"

The figure cackled as he then stepped out of the shadows, and Goku's eyes widened. "Who are you?"

Goku then found himself back in reality. He glanced at his hand, but wasn't in the same transformation. He felt something odd, though. Zateus stepped up to Daishinkan and the angels, creating a dark red energy blade. "I wish it didn't have to come to this in the first place, but this was your choice."

"You won't be able to get past Zeno's guards," Daishinkan said weakly, coughing up blood. "You... stand no chance."

"I have already thought of that," the evil god replied. He then raised his hand, an earring manifesting in it. Daishinkan's eyes widened. "No... You don't plan to..."

Zateus smiled. "That's right... I plan to fuse with Omesus to create the ultimate warrior capable of destroying Zeno himself."

"You bastard!" Goku then felt an ominous glow manifest in his hand. He roared, launching a massive neon blast that sent Zateus flying. "AGHHHH!"

He flew into a distant galaxy, and Goku powered down, falling to his knees. "I summoned that... power... I'll have to thank him later..."

Zateus reappeared with burn marks on him. He grunted, his hands shaking. "What was that...? This feeling... The pain... What is it?"

Daishinkan weakly turned toward Goku. "That... power... Son Goku, come... over here... There's... something we need to do for you..."

Goku ran forward, and Zateus didn't stop him, surprisingly. "Daishinkan! You're going to be okay!"

Whis tried to get up but couldn't. "Goku-san, there's a... secret form we will give you to defeat him, a form that will boost your Ultra Instinct Stage 2. But... It..."

Vados stared the Saiyan in the eyes. "It will require... the sacrifice of all of us angels."

To Be Continued in Chapter Eighteen

This has to be the craziest chapter yet! Seji's ultimate technique, Daishinkan fighting, Goku unlocking stage 2, a potential fusion between Omesus and Zateus, and a hint of Goku's unknown power! But I assure you, the next chapter will be even crazier! Prepare for chapter eighteen. It will blow your socks off!

~ Scruffy

Chapter 18: The Unexpected

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

With the destroyers failing to destroy Zateus, it was now up to Goku and Vegeta to take on Zateus, but they were easily outclassed by the godly figure. Seji stepped in, and after being unable to defeat Zateus in his full-power, he summoned Konton, his companion, to fight with him. He was able to injure Zateus and send him flying, but the latter entered Ultra Instinct Stage 2 to defeat Seji while also revealing he was the creator of Ultra Instinct. Before he could finish off the sage, Daishinkan started fighting Zateus. While that was happening, Goku managed to finally unlock Ultra Instinct Stage 2, having a massive power boost.

Daishinkan fused with his children and started to fight on even terms with Zateus. Desperate to help the Grand Priest, Goku once again tapped into that unknown energy, managing to damage Zateus. Seeing no other choice, the Grand Priest decided it was time to sacrifice himself and all other angels to help Goku unlock Stage 2's secret form.

Chapter Eighteen - The Unexpected

Goku closed his eyes. "I won't let you do that. Without you guys, the multiverse will be doomed."

"It will give you enough power to save it," Daishinkan replied. "When it does, Zeno will come without a doubt. You must end it quickly. If he gets angry, he could erase everything."

The Saiyan then paused and smiled, turning toward Vegeta. "Sacrificing all of you won't be necessary. Would you guys need fewer sacrifices for a fusion?"

Daishinkan pondered this. "Perhaps. What are you planning?"

Before Goku could answer, the evil angels surrounded them after they let Zateus fight alone for a while. They all raised their staffs, charging a powerful attack. Zateus stepped over, ready to incinerate the angels. Goku flew over to Vegeta, grabbed him, and flew away. "GCH... Kakarot! What the hell are you doing?!"

Goku sat him down. "Vegeta, there's no time. We haven't had much practice with it, but we have to do the Fusion Dance."

With all his strength, Whis stood up and flew over, guarded by other injured angels. "Goku, Vegeta... You're planning to do the Metamoran Fusion Dance?"

Vegeta scoffed at Goku. "Whatever. Not like arguing will work with you."

The angel nodded, raising his staff. "I know about the Metamoran Fusion, of course, being an angel. I will correct your movements, so you are less likely to fail."

Zateus raised his hand, signaling for the evil angels to back off. "End of the road, Daishinkan, all of you angels. You've caused enough pain. It's time to die." He yelled, charging a massive blast. Right before he fired it, a massive burst of wind stopped him, surprising him. "What's this energy?"

Zateus turned to see beams of energy shooting toward him. He blocked them, being knocked back. "Ghh... What's this force?"

A new fusion flew over, landing on the ground. Its aura was light pink, small, and pulsating. "My name is... Gogeta!" He powered up, now in a combination of Super Saiyan White and Ultra Instinct Stage 2.

Daishinkan watched from below. "Gogeta-san, I will prepare the technique. I need you to buy me time to do it."

Gogeta smirked, launching forward at blinding speeds. He brought back his fist and nailed it into Zateus's gut, sending him skidding back. "Gck! Shit. This must be a fusion technique. I got too careless about those mortals!" The fusion flew toward him, zig-zagging around him. He then shot in front of him, launching a beam. Zateus dodged it, kicking Gogeta into the ground. "A fusion between two beings on the level of an angel... Impressive."

He then paused, remembering what Daishinkan had told Gogeta. He immediately darted toward the Grand Priest, launching a dark red beam at him to incinerate him. Gogeta intercepted and went into a stance. "ANTI-FINAL KAMEHAMEHA!" He launched a massive swirling blast that clashed with Zateus, causing visible tears to appear in the universe. "HAAA... HAAA!"

Gogeta's blast overpowered the evil god, sending him flying back. "GAHHH!"

He crashed through the ground, coughing out blood. "What kind of technique is this?! The Angelic Fusion technique shouldn't be this powerful!"

The fusion landed in front of him, smirking. "This is a different technique. Maybe I won't need Daishinkan's technique to kill you!"

He shouted, swinging a punch, but then Zateus powered up, knocking him back. "What the?!"

The evil god zoomed forward, the two shooting through the air and clashing. Zateus glared at him and put him in a Judgment Lock, but he easily broke out of it. "Looks like you're getting desperate, Zateus."

Zateus covered his body with white divine energy, attacking him at full speed. Gogeta responded by briefly using Kaioken, slamming him into the ground with full force. He stood up, holding his gut. "Destroy him!" He yelled, raising his finger. All the evil angels dashed toward Gogeta, beginning to fight him. He was easily dealing with them, having fun with the battle.

That was his biggest mistake. Zateus tossed a black earring at Omesus. "Let's do this, my friend. We will become the ultimate warrior!"

Daishinkan noticed this and cried out, "GOGETA-SAN! STOP HIM!"

Gogeta flew forward but let his guard down as he was punched in the face. It didn't hurt, but it distracted him long enough for Omesus to put the earring on as he and Zateus flew toward one another.

[Music: Sōsuke Aizen battle theme song]

Immediately, the entire multiverse trembled. Cracks in the cosmos appeared, slowly tearing it apart. Explosions tore apart star systems, galaxies, and even parts of universes. Massive pillars of light shot out from the ground, illuminating the universes. The two Zenos immediately noticed and were confused. Their guards glanced up at the flashing cosmos, getting nervous.

The Z-Fighters watched the events unfold from Earth, the cosmos outshining the Sun. The namekians, the yardratians, the Pride Troopers, the Frieza Force, and many more had witnessed the chaos. In the center of the area, a new figure appeared. Their name was Ozatus, the ultimate warrior. He was in his base form, but his energy still unnerved even Gogeta.

He opened his eyes, hovering in the air above them. "Good. Now, not only will the gods perish, but I will avenge my son's death."

"This being… He's even more powerful than Abysus was back in his prime," Seji muttered.

Quitela clenched his fist. The gods of destruction were still recovering, but they had no choice. "You're FULL of CRAP!" All the destroyers powered up, flying toward the fusion.

"STOP IT, YOU IDIOTS!" Gogeta shouted.

Ozatus's eyes remained expressionless as Geene shot behind him, trying to slice his neck. He stood there, unaffected. He raised his finger, as suddenly blood spewed from Geene. His stomach opened up with a slice. He fell to the ground, barely clinging to life. Liquiir was next, but the evil fusion then vanished behind him in less than a quintillionth of a millisecond, the fox's arm flying off. "AGHHH!"

Beerus hesitated, sweat going down his face. Quitela roared, his hand raised. "HAKAI!"

The destruction energy didn't affect him, as Ozatus turned around. "Useless." A slice went through Quitela's neck, and he paused. Beerus watched in horror as Quitela's head flew off, making him angry at his helplessness.

Beerus shouted, launching forward. He raised his hand. "ABSOLUTE... HAKAI!"

Before he could use it, Ozatus caught his hand. "Zydis..." The destroyer stopped, feeling like he'd heard that name before. The fusion then threw him to the ground, not being as brutal on him as he was with the other destroyers.

Seji enters Ultra Instinct Stage 2, launching forward. He brought down his hand, a massive energy fist appearing. "FIST OF ZALAMA!"

It hit Ozatus, but it didn't scratch him. "Bold move to call that technique the 'Fist of Zalama'. If it really was his fist, I would be dead by now."

The sage watched in horror as Ozatus fired a beam through his chest. He fell to the ground, powering down. Broly yelled, entering full power. Seeing everyone get hurt enraged him. He roared, his aura turning into green flames. He entered the True Legendary state.

He dashed toward Ozatus, kicking him. However, the fusion didn't move even from this powerful attack. He placed a finger on Broly's chest before a massive beam shot through his chest. Broly fell unconscious, falling to the ground. Gogeta powered up and flew toward Ozatus, clashing with him.

The evil fusion parried all of his attacks before uppercutting Gogeta, sending him flying. "AGH!"

He stopped himself, briefly using Kaioken. He zoomed around Ozatus, barraging him from every angle. These attacks knocked around the evil fusion, and he grunted. He then powered up into the last transformation Gogeta would expect.

He entered True Legendary Super Saiyan, with Gogeta's attacks now ineffective. "No way... This fusion has more transformations?!"

Ozatus chuckled before knocking Gogeta to the ground. Gogeta grunted, getting into a stance. But suddenly, Daishinkan grabbed his leg. "Gogeta, it's ready. Please forgive me, Cognac, Marcarita, and... Vados."

Gogeta's eyes widened as he turned around. Vados smiled at him as she began to crumble, her essence going into the Grand Priest. "You can do it. I know you can."

The fusion nodded as he suddenly felt amazing power coursing through him. Daishinkan poured his energy into him, along with the remaining good angels. Gogeta's aura flared up, getting even stronger than before. His stage 2 got a massive boost in power. Three glowing rings formed behind his head, one for each angel. Wings of energy formed out of his back, and he roared, the ground exploding.

Ozatus observed the transformation from above. "I see. The angels have discovered a way to break Stage 2's limits. This power... It's impressive. It's almost like a third stage."

Gogeta inhaled, then exhaled slowly. He then opened his eyes, instantly in front of Ozatus. "WHAT—"

He then slammed a punch on his face, and a massive explosion of energy sent Ozatus flying across the universe. "AGHHHH!"

The evil fusion stopped himself, flying back toward Gogeta. The two clashed back and forth, going through different layers of reality. Ozatus punched him in the face, but he barely budged. Gogeta roared, slamming his fist into his chest with full force. Ozatus flew back, yelling. He then got angry and powered up into Super Saiyan White. "Even as a Dark Fusion, two mortals have managed to do the impossible and hurt me."

The Saiyan fusion chuckled. "You two will eventually split up. The time limit of Potara Fusion isn't as long as the Fusion Dance."

Ozatus smirked. "The Dark Potara Earrings last much longer than the ones created by the Kais. They can last up to twelve hours. That's more than enough time."

He shot forward at ridiculous speeds, grabbing Gogeta and throwing him into a nearby star. "I'm not full power, and yet I can defeat you in an instant."

The star exploded, and Gogeta shouted, his aura flaring up to be even bigger. "I'm not done yet!" He launched forward, kicking Ozatus back. He then crossed his arms and spread them, pouring energy into the evil fusion. He used a Meteor Explosion, a colossal beam of energy that consumed the evil god.

He then raised his hand, creating a Stardust Breaker. Gogeta yelled, launching it at the fusion, but he dodged it. Smoke curled off of him, as he was almost entirely unscathed by Gogeta's attack. Gogeta watched in horror as he felt himself splitting apart back into the two Saiyans. Ozatus raised his hand, charging an energy ball bigger than an entire star. "I could've spared you two had you not interfered in the first place. It's over now."

Goku and Vegeta then felt themselves being teleported back to the area where the palace used to be, and they saw a massive explosion that almost consumed all of them. Goku turned to see Daishinkan with his hand raised. "This is bad," he said, panting. "We're out of options. Ozatus can get to Lord Zeno with no obstacles. If he destroys him, it's over."

Ozatus vanished above them, charging an energy ball even bigger than the one before. "The angels with me escape this area," he ordered. The evil angels barely got up from Gogeta's beating earlier, but they escaped. Ozatus fired the massive energy sphere toward the fighters, its gravity tearing everything apart.

"Is this it?" Vegeta asked himself. "Tch... We're out of options. Kakarot, you have to use that form!"

The sphere was so powerful that it had gravitational lenses around it. It attracted nearby stars. Goku felt himself uncontrollably levitating toward it. "VEGETA!"

The prince leaped up and grabbed his hand, trying to keep his footing. "God damn it! Don't let go, Kakarot!" It got more intense as the destroyers got pulled toward it, including Beerus. He tried to fly but could not. He braced for impact, but he then found himself falling to the ground.

[Music: Dragon Ball Super OST 56 Blue Saiyan (HQ)]

Beerus coughed and glanced up to see the blast flickering before vanishing. "Wait... No... Only one being I know can do that."

Daishinkan looked up, sweat going down his face. "Just as I feared. He's arrived."

Two tall figures stepped forward alongside a smaller one. It was none other than Zeno and his guards. The Omni King looked unhappy with the situation. "What is happening?"

Ozatus vanished a fair distance away from him, staring at him. "You've finally arrived, Zeno."

One guard narrowed his eyes at the fusion. "You're the one behind the destruction of the multiverse. The fusion of Zateus and Omesus."

Zeno glared at the fusion, then raised his hand. "Bye-bye." A glow surrounded the figure, and he immediately disappeared. The Omni King lowered his hand, turning toward the rest of them. He moved toward the Grand Priest, going to speak to him.

Suddenly, a hand shot right behind him, trying to grab his head, but then the guards deflected the attack, knocking the fusion back. "How did you survive our lord's erasure?!"

"I was never erased," Ozatus replied, smiling. "I am impervious to erasure. Do you think I've done nothing these past years? I've found a way to negate its effects."

He gestured to his earrings. "These negate all forms of erasure. A sorcerer far more powerful than any of you created them... My second son, Qhuteus."

Goku clenched his fists. "How many of them... are you?!"

Ozatus glanced at him. "Qhuteus hasn't been seen in many, many years. He's learned different ways to manipulate magic. He can do anything. He likely masked his presence, even from the gods. Even I don't know where he is. If I somehow lose, he will eventually arrive. My greatest weapon."

Zeno, for the first time since Goku met him, was furious. He glared at Ozatus, then pointed his finger. "Destroy him." The guards then took a stance before launching forward. The first one kicked Ozatus in the gut, while the other one elbowed him, sending him flying. "AGHHH!" He flew into the center of a faraway galaxy, falling into its black hole.

Goku and Vegeta's jaws dropped to the ground. Even Daishinkan was surprised at the power of these guards. "Amazing... So these are Lord Zeno's guards."

Zeno watched on as Ozatus flew out of the black hole, launching toward the guards. "I will kill the two of you in an instant!" He switched from Super Saiyan White to Ultra Instinct Stage 2.

He dashed in front of the guards, rapidly barraging them. He clashed with them briefly before being overpowered and knocked back. One guard shot forward, rapidly barraging him. "UWAGHH!"

The other chopped him toward the area, forcing everybody to get out of the way. It split apart, with the shock wave sending even Daishinkan flying. Ozatus stood up from the ground, blood dripping from his mouth. He closed his eyes. "Now's my chance to kill him." He combined Ultra Instinct Stage 2 and Super Saiyan White, able to do so because of being a fusion. He roared, launching forward.

The guards got in the way, but he knocked them to the side, heading toward Zeno. Goku launched forward, yelling. "ZEN-CHAN!" The Omni King watched him come closer and remembered the Tournament of Power. He looked at his hands and then raised them. "Fwoosh!"

He launched a massive white beam that sent Ozatus flying, tearing part of his arm off. "GAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The power from it also sent Zeno flying back, tumbling across the ground. "Woahh!"

Goku teleported behind him, catching him. "That was awesome, Zen-chan! Guess you learned a thing or two from me."

Zeno hopped down, brushing his robes off. "I don't like fighting at all, but I had to save myself."

The evil fusion leaped down, holding his arm. He growled, slowly regenerating it with Zateus's abilities. "Since when did the Omni King have the capacity to fight?!"

The guards vanished in front of him, rapidly barraging him. He blocked the attacks, skidding back. "Grrr... HAA!" He launched them back, launching a massive beam that knocked one away. Ozatus then headed toward the second guard, clashing punches with it. "Even in full power, you are keeping up with me."

The guards leaped back, gaining some distance. They then pressed their hands together, their antennae glowing blue. "No more holding back! We must defend the Omni King!"

Electricity danced everywhere in the multiverse. Vegeta clenched his fists, trying to handle the pressure of their energy. "That's... the attack they used against Abysus, but far more powerful!"

"OMNI FLARE!" A massive, glowing blue beam shot out. Ozatus brought back his fist, charging up his attack as well.

"Divine Upheaval!" Ozatus roared, launching an electric white beam, and the two attacks clashed. The multiverse was tearing itself apart, with rifts appearing everywhere. Goku shouted, flying back from the force.

"Shit... At this rate, nothing will remain!" he grunted. The two beams went back and forth, ripping everything apart. Ozatus roared, his beam getting bigger. He started to overpower the guards, shocking them as his aura got bigger. "DIE!"

The beam consumed the guards, and a catastrophic explosion occurred, tearing apart chunks of the entire timeline.

To Be Continued in Chapter Nineteen

The craziest chapter yet! Gogeta is an ascended stage 2, Zateus and Omesus's fusion, Zeno's arrival, and his guards... The list goes on! Only og readers know who Qhuteus was in the old version of this story. I just thought the new name would be cooler.

How do you think this arc will end? Let me know what you think in the reviews.

~ Scruffy

Chapter 19: The Calling

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

Having an idea, Goku decided to fuse with Vegeta so that the secret form of Stage 2 would require fewer angel sacrifices. Gogeta alone was easily able to take on Zateus, but the latter fused with Omesus to create Ozatus—a warrior that even far surpassed Abysus's power. The gods of destruction tried to fight the fusion, but Ozatus picked them off one by one, killing many of them. Seeing this, the others tried to help, but they couldn't scratch him. Gogeta was the only one able to take the evil fusion on, but even he was unable to overpower Ozatus. Just then, the ritual was ready, and three angels were sacrificed for Gogeta to obtain Full-Power Stage 2. With this, he was easily able to take on Ozatus. However, Gogeta soon split apart from the time limit, and Goku and Vegeta would've died if it weren't for Zeno and his guards arriving.

Zeno tried to erase Ozatus, but the fusion was immune, so the Omni King's guards went to fight Ozatus, able to injure him. Ozatus tried to kill Zeno, but from watching the Tournament of Power, the latter learned to shoot a beam that greatly damaged him. Both the guards and Ozatus charged their most powerful attacks, and when they clashed, the entire multiverse was at stake.

Chapter Nineteen - The Calling

The after-effects of the explosion were indescribable. The surrounding reality slowly reformed, but most of the multiverse had sustained significant damage. All fighters got up, protected by a barrier from Zeno. His guards fell to the ground, injured. Ozatus hovered down, towering over them. "Finally, I was able to surpass Zeno's guards. Nobody will stand in my way now."

He moved toward the remaining fighters, but then Daishinkan stood in the way, raising his staff. He then coughed up blood. "You won't... You won't hurt Lord Zeno!"

He fell to his knees, trembling. He was unable to comprehend a being of this level, completely paralyzed. Ozatus glared at him, still walking. "What's wrong, Daishinkan? You and your children killed him... My son... Zydis… I will not make the same mistake..."

Goku flinched, realizing this was one vision he had back at the time chamber before he used that unknown power and pinned Whis to the ground. The evil fusion raised his hand, but suddenly Zeno's guards grabbed him, yanking him back.

Zeno's eyes glowed red with anger, and Ozatus shouted and destroyed the guards before launching toward the Omni King himself. Broly tried to get up to intervene, but couldn't. The power he exerted during the battle had taken too much of a toll on his body.

Daishinkan dashed forward, trying to stop him, but they connected, and a bright light appeared. When the light dimmed, there was a figure who had stopped the attack with a staff. The figure was unrecognizable, surrounded by darkness. "This ends here."

Vegeta watched this happen, narrowing his eyes. "What the?! He could stop an attack from the fusion?!"

Zeno's eyes widened. "You are..."

Ozatus leaped back and fired a colossal beam toward the figure, who also powered up and deflected it. "I'll handle it from here."

Goku then realized this was the same figure he saw in his mindscape other than his clone. "You... Who are you?!"

"I'd prefer not to reveal my identity at the moment," the stranger replied. They then took a stance and darted forward, a sparkling trail following them. Ozatus's eyes widened as the figure shot past him at blinding speeds. Nobody, not even Ozatus, could keep up with the movement.

Suddenly, his earrings shattered, forcing him to split back into Zateus and Omesus. "I... Impossible! This energy... could it be...?"

The two turned around to see the figure, but they didn't recognize their appearance due to them being shrouded in darkness. The figure hovered toward them, raising a staff. "Time to correct my mistakes." The being then fired a massive neon blue beam. As it got closer, Zateus recalled his own life until now. The Birth of the Multiverse... The first mortals... The first god of destruction... Creation of Ultra Instinct... What led me down this path…? Who truly am I…? Was this all a mistake...? Am I... doing the right thing?

Suddenly, another figure appeared and raised its hand, a strange glowing essence surrounding them. It then consumed the dark figure's blast, dispersing it. Zateus was even more shocked. "You... What are you doing here, Qhuteus?! How did you get this powerful?"

Qhuteus was a figure with red and black robes and spiky white hair. "I still need you two. Especially you, father."

The dark figure vanished in front of the remaining gods, taking a stance to protect them. Qhuteus smirked. "It seems like we're outmatched here."

Zeno stepped forward, raising his hand. "All of you will go bye-bye now. You're super annoying."

"That won't be necessary," Qhuteus replied. "My magic can negate your powers. It's how I prevented the fusion's erasure." He inhaled, then roared, a massive aura the size of an entire galaxy surrounding him, blowing everything back. Electricity shot up in the sky, causing every planet, every star, every galaxy, and every universe to shake.

He then stopped, as Goku took a step back and then fell to the ground, coughing blood. "This energy... its pressure actually damaged me..."

The only one unaffected by his power was the dark figure protecting them. "If you plan to fight right now, I'll kill you in an instant, Qhuteus."

"I was merely showing how outclassed the rest of the gods are," the sorcerer replied. "All of you better prepare... I will restart this multiverse under our rule."

He raised his fist. "I am the end of the gods. The angels are nothing to me. Soon, not even Zeno will." Qhuteus glanced at Goku straight in the eyes, and it felt like all the information was sucked out of the Saiyan. "Hm... Interesting. Farewell, gods and mortals. I will strike within two million takks."

He vanished along with Zateus and Omesus, leaving only the gods and the strange, dark figure remaining. The figure turned toward the rest of the gods, then Goku, nodding. "I'll be back." He left as well, and Daishinkan turned toward the rest of them. "Two million takks is about two years, if I'm not mistaken."

Zeno moved over to the rest of them, angry. "Maybe I should erase everything. I don't like it."

All the remaining gods comedically stood up, despite their injuries, and bowed down to the Omni King. Daishinkan did so as well. "Please do not worry, sir. We will solve this problem."

Goku walked over as well, smiling at his friend. "Zen-chan, you don't need to worry. If you erased everything, that would mean erasing me, too."

Zeno pondered this for a moment. "Okay. I trust you, Goku. Don't let it happen again."

"What will we do about the angels who have turned on us?" Whis inquired. "And what about the fallen ones, such as... my sister?" He closed his eyes. Daishinkan turned toward them, clearing his throat. He raised his staff as all the angels from universes thirteen to eighteen rose off the ground, regaining consciousness.

They gazed at the Grand Priest, terrified. He stared at them coldly. "My lord, what shall we do with them?"

Without hesitation, Zeno raised his hands, erasing the five of them. "They broke the rules. They go bye-bye."

Goku flinched, and his eyes were as wide as quarters. "B-But, Zen-chan, what about their respective universes?"

"We will need new angels to train and replace them," Daishinkan explained. "Until then, those universes will be frozen in time until they have new angels, as they are required for a god of destruction to maintain the universes."

The remaining angels walked forward, holding their staffs. The Grand Priest levitated up in the air, looking down at everybody. "I have an announcement that I will broadcast to all the universes."

Twelve mirrors appeared in front of them, showing all twelve active universes. "We are declaring war against Qhuteus. All gods and mortals will unite as one to destroy this new foe..."

In universe seven, all the warriors of Earth watched this broadcast, shocked. Master Roshi glanced up from his island, alongside Krillin. "Krillin, we've got work to do." Dende watched it as well from the lookout, getting nervous.

Frieza saw the broadcast from above his ship, scoffing. He fired a finger beam through the projection, destroying it. "As if I'd help those monkeys and that colorful brat of an Omni King... I'll train myself to destroy the gods before that fool does!"

In Universe Eleven, Jiren stepped forward, looking at the massive projection. "Son Goku, I'll surpass you once again."

The remaining warriors of the universes saw the broadcast and immediately prepared to train harder than they'd ever had before. Daishinkan ended the message and hovered back down to the ground. "We must save the multiverse together."

He turned toward the gods of destruction. "All of you will work as proper destroyers. No more slacking. You must train and help your universe's warriors get exponentially stronger."

The Grand Priest smiled. "I, Daishinkan, hereby repeal the angelic law restricting angels from battling mortals. I also repeal the angelic law of angels becoming inactive after their destroyer has passed away."

Everybody gasped, even the angels. Whis's eyes were wide. "Father, are you saying... We are allowed to fight against our students properly?"

Daishinkan nodded. "That's correct, Whis. You must all help the remaining destroyers train the mortals. We need all the help we can get. We cannot restrict ourselves. After the battle, we will use the Super Dragon Balls to resurrect Vados, Cognac, Marcarita, Quitela, and many others that have and will fall during the battle. We simply do not have time to collect them right now."

Champa was reminded of Vados and turned his back to the rest of them, clenching his fists. "Vados..."

Meanwhile, Beerus was partially listening to the conversation, thinking about that name... Zydis... Who is that? Why did the fusion call me that? Abysus also called me that name. Who is Zydis?

Goku was puzzled. "Wait... If you can't fight mortals, then what about Omesus and Zateus?"

The Grand Priest glanced at Goku. "They were exceptions to the rule, for good reason. Goku-san, I wish to personally train you in the Angelic Chamber."

Vegeta took a step forward. "What?! What about me?!"

Daishinkan turned toward him. "You must remain and help the mortals train. Son Goku here has a special power that even I don't know what it is. Your time will come after the war, assuming we win."

Vegeta grumbled. "Fine. At least I was able to surpass Kakarot for a while."

Broly stood up from the ground, bowing. "Please, sir, may I be trained alongside Vegeta?"

Daishinkan nodded. "Rest assured, I'll have Whis train you."

Goku walked forward as Daishinkan fully healed him. "So, is this like... the Hyperbolic Time Chamber?"

"The chamber differs from yours," the Grand Priest replied. "It is far more intense, even something the angels struggled to handle. You will train in there for two thousand years, which is two years outside."

The Saiyan nodded. "Training for two thousand years... That sounds unimaginable, but I have to do it to protect everybody. When do we start?"

"We'll start soon," the Grand Priest answered. "You best say goodbye to your friends and family beforehand. Whis, escort him, Vegeta, and Broly back to their home planet."

The angel bowed before tapping his staff and sending them away. Minutes later, they arrived back on Earth by Capsule Corp, where most of the fighters were gathered to discuss the broadcast.

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Start Again]

Chi-Chi noticed Goku and ran over, hugging him. "Goku, you're okay! What happened?"

Goku smiled, accepting the hug. "Everyone, things are bad."

Gohan, Androids 17 and 18, Krillin, Yamcha, Puar, Tien, Master Roshi, Bulma, Goten, Piccolo, and Trunks came over to see what was happening. Goku stepped forward, turning to all of them with a serious expression. "The entire multiverse is at stake."

They all gasped at this. Bulma stomped forward, grabbing Goku by the collar. "There BETTER not be another tournament, Goku!"

"Nope," he replied, "but the stakes are probably higher. Listen, all of you. A new figure that may even challenge Zeno himself has declared war on everybody. The gods, the angels, and the mortals!"

"Can't the gods of destruction or angels take care of this matter?" His son, Gohan, asked. "They're the highest-ranking beings!"

Goku then explained the entire battle to them, and everybody was dumbstruck. "All of you need to train. And I mean ALL of you. The Hyperbolic Time Chamber and Gravity Chamber will need to be used as much as possible."

He turned toward Beerus and Whis. "Beerus, Whis, I'll need you to train the most capable fighters on your planet."

Beerus sighed. "More people on my planet... Oh well, I guess there's no choice. Who do you recommend coming with us?"

Goku tapped his chin, looking around. "Broly and Gohan. They have insane potential."

Gohan sighed. "But my studies..."

Chi-Chi turned toward him, then back to her husband. "That's right! Gohan needs to finish his-"

Goku placed a hand on her shoulder, staring into her eyes. "I understand, Chi-Chi, but if the multiverse is destroyed, there will be nothing left to study. We all need to train, even you, Chi-Chi. We won't know how much stronger our enemies will get."

She was taken aback by this request. "Me? Train? Goku, I've long since retired from fighting. I'm getting a little too old for that."

The Saiyan smiled. "It's your choice, Chi-Chi. We need as much help as we can get. This is dire. If you train, I swear I'll get a job and work in it asap. Besides, you were a great martial artist back in the day. Don't you miss that?"

"I'll help you train if you decide to," Piccolo added.

Chi-Chi crossed her arms, thinking about it. "... Fine, but you better promise that you'll make us plenty of money, Goku. I'll help, but don't rush me. I have my responsibilities, too."

Goku smiled widely, hugging her out of joy. "Alright! I'll see you soon. Good luck!"

He prepared to fly off, but then he saw a familiar figure land on the ground. "Wait... Is that…?"

Piccolo glanced over and his eyes widened. "Who is that?"

Seji, the grand sage of namekians, moved forward. "Wait just a moment, Son Goku. I have a proposition."

The Saiyan walked toward him, stunned. "You're... alive?"

He nodded. "Just barely. I would've died if Merus hadn't healed me during the battle. Anyway, I want to help train the fighters, especially the fellow namekian, over there."

In response, Piccolo raised his fist. "Who are you? Your power... It's overwhelming!"

The sage walked toward Piccolo. "My name is Seji, the sage of all namekians. I reside in the sixth universe. I've heard tales of you back on Namek, said to have been able to take on Saonel and Pirina."

Piccolo nodded. "That's right. I've never heard of you."

Seji smirked. "I prefer to keep my presence hidden. Tell me, have you awakened Dragon God yet?"

The namekian was surprised. "Dragon... God? Do namekians have transformations? How can that be?"

"It's not as simple as yelling and powering up like a Saiyan," the sage replied. "It's a little difficult to explain, but you must unlock your inner Shenron."

"Inner... Shenron?" Piccolo narrowed his eyes. "What kind of nonsense are you blabbing about?"

In response, the sage shouted and powered up. His appearance shifted to be more like that of a dragon than before, with his antennae spiked up like horns. "This is Dragon God."

The force caused Piccolo to stumble. "No way... This power... It's unbelievable!"

"I will help you unlock this power, but it won't be easy," Seji explained. "You are going to need to use that power to create a Shenron on yourself in a way."

"I'm from the warrior clan," Piccolo replied. "I can't make dragon balls, even if I wanted to."

"Nonsense," the sage replied. "Perhaps you need... an awakening of your other side. You have fused with a member of the dragon clan in the past, so it shouldn't be too difficult for me to do such things."

"You can do that?!" Piccolo asked, slack-jawed. "Hm... Maybe I can finally catch up to the two Saiyans."

The sage nodded. "Rather than rely on that time chamber of yours, anybody who isn't going to use the gravity chamber or go to Beerus's world may follow me. That includes you, Piccolo. I have an interest in you."

"How do you know so much about us?" Piccolo replied.

"I'm a sage, and as well... the son of Zalama." Without another word, Seji tapped his staff, taking him and a couple of others back to Universe Six with him.

Vegeta stepped up to Goku, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Kakarot, you better not disappoint me."

Goku looked up at the moving clouds, not looking back. "I won't. Thanks, Vegeta."

He rose from the ground, waving at everyone. "Good luck with your training, everybody! The fate of the multiverse rests in our hands."

They all smiled, waving goodbye. Broly watched from below, more motivated than ever to train. "I will catch up to you, Goku. Thank you." Goku then turned toward Beerus, and the two smiled appreciatively at each other. The Saiyan then turned around and used Kai Kai, teleporting back to Daishinkan's palace.

The Grand Priest stepped forward, shaking his hand. "Prepare yourself for the longest training session of your life, Goku-san."

"I look forward to it," the Saiyan replied, as Daishinkan raised his hand, creating a portal to a white dimension with dense, pink fog. "After you."

Goku nodded and walked into the portal, finding himself in a dimension with such pressure that he fell to the ground, trembling. "I... I can't lift a finger... Feels like my body is being crushed!"

Daishinkan stepped in after him, closing the portal. "As I suspected, you haven't gotten accustomed to such astronomically massive amounts of pressure."

Goku powered up into Super Saiyan Blue but still could not move. "Gck... Son of a..."

"This is the first step of your training," the Grand Priest explained. "You must be able to get up and walk around before your soul is destroyed."

The Saiyan chuckled weakly, still trying to move. "So, you're saying I have a time limit... Heh... This is going to be difficult."

"You have two thousand years ahead of you, Son Goku," the angel said, summoning his staff. "I will not go the slightest bit easy on you. This will be the most painful and difficult training you've ever had by far."

Beerus, Whis, Gohan, and Broly landed on their planet. Gohan looked around, mesmerized. "Come to think of it, I've never seen your planet before, Lord Beerus."

Broly walked over to the lake, feeling peaceful. Beerus clapped his hands to get their attention. "Ahem! No playing around. The two of us will be training you to control your power. Er... Goku's kid, Goham, am I right?"

A bead of sweat went down on the Saiyan's head. "I get the feeling you misspelled my name on purpose."

"You have to achieve god ki," the destroyer explained, ignoring him. "That ultimate form of yours draws out your latent potential, from what Whis and I have observed during the Tournament of Power, but it lacks any godly energy."

"I've never been able to achieve that power," Gohan replied. "Just now am I getting the chance to train with you, Lord Beerus. I suppose I could try to obtain it."

Beerus grumbled. "Just trying isn't enough!" He walked over to Broly. "So, that power you used against Merus... Use it again."

The brute turned around, looking at him innocently. "Um... I don't know how, mister cat."

Tick marks appeared on the destroyer's forehead as Whis laughed in the background. "It's BEERUS! LORD. BEERUS. Call me 'mister cat' again, and I'll destroy you."

Broly stood up and turned toward him, clenching his fists. "Destroy me? Are you threatening me?!"

He growled, his energy slowly rising. Beerus sighed, placing a hand on his forehead. "Well, I guess this is one way to start training. Yes, Saiyan. I am going to destroy you right now."

The brute dashed forward in an instant, swinging a heavy punch toward the destroyer. Beerus swung his fist as well in retaliation, and the two punches clashed, cracking the ground below them.

To Be Continued in Chapter Twenty

The training for the final fight against Omesus, Zateus, and Qhuteus has commenced! The final battle against the evil mortals is upon us, which will conclude this entire section of the story.

It will be an insane battle that will put the Ozatus battle to shame. Get ready for it!

~ Scruffy

Chapter 20: The Preparation

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

After a great battle between Zeno's guards and Ozatus, the latter came out on top and killed Zeno, but an unknown dark figure appeared, saving his life. The figure split Ozatus back into the two evil gods and attempted to kill them before Qhuteus arrived, saving the two. After they departed, Daishinkan made an announcement for all twelve universes to prepare for a multiversal war. How will our heroes take on the most powerful beings in the multiverse? Find out now.

Chapter Twenty - The Preparation

Broly dashed forward in an instant, swinging a heavy punch toward Beerus. The destroyer swung his fist as well in retaliation as the two punches clashed, cracking the ground below them. The Saiyan yelled, going to knee him, but Beerus leaped up and grabbed his shoulders, flipping him over and slamming him to the ground. "Agh!"

Broly stood up and powered up into his Wrathful State, launching forward. He punched Beerus in the face, sending him flying back. The destroyer stopped himself and skidded back, chuckling. "I felt that one a little." He fired an energy beam, and Broly knocked it to the side before flying toward the destroyer. The two went back and forth, flying around the planet. "I must admit, Saiyan, you've gotten stronger than before. Don't forget that I'm the god of destruction for your universe, though."

Beerus whacked him with his tail, sending him crashing to the ground. He then raised his hand, launching a Hakai orb toward the brute. Broly got up and powered up into Super Saiyan, leaping out of the way. He fired a beam out of his mouth, which Beerus kicked to the side, grunting. The two flew toward one another and clashed elbows, creating a massive explosion.

Gohan watched from below, stunned at their speed. "Well, I guess I'll join in on this battle. Broly looks like he needs some help." He shouted and powered up into his ultimate form, flying up toward the destroyer. While Broly distracted him, Gohan nailed Beerus in the face. Broly took the chance to do so as well, as now the Saiyans had the upper hand. The destroyer got increasingly angry, and a purple aura flared up around him, sending them flying back.

He darted forward, grabbing Gohan by the face, spinning around, and throwing him into Broly, sending both of them spiraling back. Broly managed to stop himself, catching Gohan and throwing him toward Beerus to give him a boost.

The Half-Saiyan roared, a white trail of energy following him. "MASENKO!" He used an old technique, launching a yellow beam toward the god. Beerus knocked it to the side, but it was actually a diversion for Broly to get an opening. The Saiyan roared, nailing a powerful strike into Beerus's gut. He coughed up spit, flying down to the ground.

He landed on his feet, chuckling. Beerus slid his foot back and focused his eyes on Broly. "No more playing around. It's time to get serious."

Gohan zoomed behind him, but the destroyer nailed him with the back of his hand, stunning him. He then shot up toward Broly, instantly behind him, much to the shock of the Saiyan. He raised his hand and chopped the brute to the ground, completely shattering it. "GAHHHHH!"

Broly got increasingly enraged, powering up into his Legendary Super Saiyan form. Waves of energy shot out from him, disrupting parts of the universe. He launched a barrage of green energy blasts out of him in all directions, covering the planet in smoke. Whis created a barrier around him. "Oh, dear. Beerus is not going to be happy about this."

As he expected, Beerus shouted, and his aura alone cleared the smoke. Broly glared toward him and vanished behind him, slamming his fist on the side of his face, sending him tumbling across the planet and crashing through the enormous tree.

Beerus landed and wiped his mouth, looking to see that there was a bit of blood. He was furious and roared, his purple aura becoming massive. Symbols appeared on his chest as he entered full power. In an instant, he darted in front of Broly, slamming him in the gut with full force. The brute coughed up blood, convulsing. The destroyer then leaped up and kicked him back.

Gohan observed from below nervously, holding his nose, which had been nailed by Beerus earlier. "I can't do anything... He's pushed Beerus to full power, while I can't do anything."

He clenched his fists. "This is all my fault. Before the tournament, I didn't train enough. I wasn't able to help against Jiren. I wasn't able to help against Broly... I wasn't even able to help against Omesus or Zateus..."

He closed his eyes, his aura getting bigger. Whis watched, intrigued, as the Half-Saiyan's irises turned blue. "No more will I fall behind..."

Gohan's power grew exponentially, a new power coursing through him. He dashed up toward Beerus, kicking him and catching him off guard. "What?!"

Whis smiled. "He's done it. His power is greater than I thought it would've been. Half-Saiyans truly do have remarkable potential."

Gohan had obtained God Ki, immediately boosting his ultimate form to new heights. It was as if he were in Super Saiyan Blue or even greater. "We'll fight this battle together, Broly."

The brute nodded, powering up into Legendary Super Saiyan 3. Beerus smirked. "So, Goku's brat has finally done it. Fine... I will not pull any punches, so prepare yourselves." He roared, his destruction aura flaring up to the maximum and incinerating part of the ground below everybody.

In the gravity chamber, Vegeta stood across from Krillin, Yamcha, Tien, Master Roshi, and Chiaotzu. "I don't know why I'm having to be the one to train you five. Seji took Piccolo, Goten, Trunks, and Androids 17 and 18, Beerus took Gohan and Broly, and Kakarot is training with the Grand Priest. No matter, I'll whip you into shape, but don't expect me to go easy."

Tien smirked, cracking his knuckles. "I'll be able to handle whatever you throw at me, Vegeta."

The prince chuckled. "Is that so?" He pressed a button and turned the gravity on. The five humans immediately struggled to stand up, nearly falling. Tien grunted, slowly looking up at the Saiyan. "Is this... what you train through?"

"This is nothing," Vegeta replied. "I even put on weights when I'm training. I told you I wouldn't go easy on you, not even slightly. All four of you, come at me."

He got into a stance, as slowly, Krillin was the first to walk to him. He grunted and tried to swing a punch, but Vegeta nailed him in the face, knocking him to the ground. "GOWW! How are we supposed to fight you?!"

"Quit your whining," Vegeta said, scoffing. "You've barely just started. If you humans want to get closer to our level, you have to endure it."

Master Roshi yelled, launching a Kamehameha. Vegeta shouted and punched it away as it bounced around the gravity chamber before nailing Vegeta in the back of the head. "WHA-?!"

He turned toward Yamcha, who was trying not to laugh. Tick marks appeared on his head as he raised his fist, clenching it. "If I can recall, you are the weakest human out of the bunch, and I'll make you even weaker if you don't attack!"

"Buu wants to have fun too!" Vegeta glanced over to see Buu walk into the gravity chamber, smiling. "Buu wants to get stronger too! It's not big enough, though."

He tapped his chin and then raised his finger, zapping the gravity chamber. Using his magic, it suddenly doubled in size, shocking everyone. "There. Now friends have plenty of room!"

Vegeta smirked. "Alright, get ready, Buu. You better not fall asleep after getting fit again."

Buu shook his head. "Nope! Buu will not fall asleep before battle. He wants to have fun. He will also heal friends if they get hurt."

The prince took a stance, releasing his aura. "Come at me, all of you. No holding back. Buu will heal you if you're close to death."

At the edge of universe six, Seji had brought Piccolo, Goten, Trunks, and Androids 17 and 18. "Welcome to the edge of universe six. This is one of my hideouts and my training ground."

He turned around to see the five of them on their knees, struggling to get up. "Ah, I forgot to mention this planet has the most density out of any other. It's quite marvelous that it hasn't collapsed in on itself. I've also used my magic to make it even heavier."

Piccolo yelled, forcing himself to his feet. He clenched his fists, his legs shaking. "I will become stronger than ever before! I will unlock this new power."

Seji smiled. "Good. That is the optimism I like to hear..." After Piccolo, the rest of the fighters stood up.

Goten sank into the ground a little. "My feet hurt..."

"No complaining," Android 18 replied. "You're not kids anymore. You've grown too soft living with your families."

Piccolo turned toward Goten and Trunks. "Don't worry. Both Seji and I will help you two get stronger. You both have great potential, like Gohan has, due to being Hybrid Saiyans."

The sage waved his hand, the impact of gravity lessening. "All of you will fight me at once and show me your current abilities. Do not hold back."

[Music: Dragonball Super - The Ultimate Tag Team [HQ Cover]]

Trunks smirked and powered up into Super Saiyan, a burst of wind sending dust everywhere. He launched straight toward Seji, with Goten doing the same. The two yelled and barraged the sage, who took the attacks, unmoving.

"Your lack of experience shows in your attacks," the namekian noted. Goten jumped back and yelled, launching a barrage of energy blasts, followed by a Kamehameha. Seji caught it and threw it toward Trunks, who barely avoided it.

The young Saiyan slid across the ground, leaping toward his opponent. "GALICK... GUN!" He used a purple blast that Seji kicked back toward the kid, shocking him. Before it hit, Androids 17 and 18 stopped it, saving Trunks.

"This guy's completely unphased by their attacks," Android 17 said. "It's our turn now, eighteen."

She nodded as the two ran toward the namekian at incredible speeds. Android 17 leaped up and zigzagged to make himself unpredictable before going to kick him. Seji blocked the attack, and his arm shook at the impact. "Not bad."

Android 18 darted behind him and shouted, launching a full-power energy blast. Seji shot above them in an instant, launching a barrage of homing energy beams toward them. Android 17 fired counter-beams at them with perfect accuracy, destroying them. Piccolo joined in the battle, launching a Special Beam Cannon. The sage yelled and raised his hand, stopping it in place.

"What an interesting technique," he said, smirking. "Perhaps I could learn it sometime." He managed to stop it, his hand scorched. He zoomed down, kicking Piccolo away. Gotenks suddenly appeared in Super Saiyan 3, kicking Seji in the back. He took it, but the attack was still not working. "Ah, the Metamoran Fusion Dance... I see now."

He elbowed the fusion in the gut without turning around, sending him flying. Piccolo leaped toward him, stretching his arms out to ensnare him. "NOW!" Android 17 and 18 yelled, launching a full-power beam. It consumed Seji, and an explosion shook the planet a little. He was burned by the attack, grinding his teeth. Seji placed a hand on Piccolo's stretched arm as thousands of slices went through it, severing it.

Piccolo cried out in pain before regenerating his arm. "I didn't even see him move... Is this the power of the Dragon God's son?"

"You have good teamwork skills," Seji stated. "However... I am going to be serious now."

He took a step forward before shooting behind Android 18 in an instant, kicking her into Gotenks, the two of them flying far back. Android 17 and Piccolo launched a combined beam toward their opponent, who easily deflected it. Seji then flickered and created a glowing golden energy projection of a hand that grabbed them. He summoned his staff, which had two golden dragons curled around it. "This one technique will end the battle."

Thousands of energy fists formed around them, all barraging them simultaneously. "Golden Storm!"

The five of them were completely helpless against his attacks, as they were knocked down one by one. He let them go, knocking them to the ground. "You have nowhere near the power to challenge me, but I will make you far stronger than before. You will need to trust me."

He tapped his staff as green particles enveloped them, healing them at a rapid rate. "Prepare yourselves. These are a few of the many injuries you will sustain."

Goku sparred with Daishinkan five years later, almost entirely accustomed to the pressure of the Angelic Chamber. "I still have no chance against you, Daishinkan. Heh... I'm still working on achieving stage two again. By the way... I've had a question on my mind... How the heck am I supposed to live for two thousand years?"

The Grand Priest smiled, stopping the Saiyan's punches with one finger. "I have the power to stop your aging, Goku-san, which is a simple task for me. Your body will not age, but your mind and power will."

Goku stopped attacking him, panting. "It's already been five years here... I miss everyone, but it's for the sake of our multiverse."

Daishinkan lowered his staff. "It has only been about two days outside. You must not only perfect your Ultra Instinct, but also tap into that unknown power from back then."

The Saiyan took a couple more breaths and then got into a fighting stance, entering Ultra Instinct combined with Super Saiyan Blue. "Alright, let's continue!" He closed his eyes, forming an energy avatar. For a split second, his aura faintly turned red.

Universe Nineteen

The doors to the dark palace opened, with Zateus walking toward his second son, Qhuteus. There were hundreds of random, pitch-black soldiers. Qhuteus held his hands to the sky, blue energy emitting from him. "That damn Omni King... He's discovered this universe and keeps trying to erase it."

He turned his head to see Zateus. "Ah, father... What brings you here?"

Zateus stopped right by him, staring at him. "Qhuteus, what are these creatures for?"

"They are part of the first stage of my plan," the sorcerer replied. "To gather... samples, you could say."

His father narrowed his eyes, walking past him up to the throne. "Samples? Of what?"

Qhuteus chuckled, his cold eyes even unnerving Zateus. "To achieve my ultimate goal after we win this war."

He lowered his hands, sensing Zeno giving up for the time being. He turned toward his soldiers. "Go to each universe and complete your mission. Only resort to fighting if absolutely necessary. When you have the samples, retreat immediately."

The dark creatures all nodded at him, their irises glowing purple. Most of them dispersed into black smoke, teleporting to the other universes. A couple of them suddenly leaped toward Zateus and Qhuteus, grabbing them.

Zateus pushed them away, turning toward his son. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Calm down," Qhuteus replied. "I made these creatures to take DNA samples of every capable species in the multiverse. As you know, my origins differ from yours. They'll also head toward Omesus as well."

Reluctantly, Zateus lowered his guard as the creatures turned their hands into needles and took samples of their blood before creating vials of it and handing them over to Qhuteus. "Good work. Head to the other universes and collect more samples."

The creatures went through the universes stealthily, working on collecting blood samples from each species. It was an effortless task for them to collect blood samples from humans undetected. Some of them headed deep into universe seven, where a certain emperor resided. Frieza felt the ship shaking, and he decided to take a look himself. He saw many soldiers on the ground, bleeding. "Hmm?"

The dark creatures had taken blood from them and now turned toward Frieza, flying at him. He chuckled and fired death beams that pierced their chests, expecting them to die instantly. However, the creatures didn't have any organs or vital parts. Seeing the threat, they screeched as many more flew into the ship, surrounding the emperor. Frieza growled and burst his aura to stop them.

"How dare you make me exert effort, you damn beasts?!" Frieza launched beams that sent some of them flying but didn't damage them. He continued to punch them away, but more took their place.

Before he knew it, he felt a stabbing pain in his back, and he turned to see one creature taking his blood with its hand in the shape of a needle. He ground his teeth as he then roared, powering up into his golden form. Frieza grabbed the creature's arm, ripping it off. Black smoke poured out of its wound, confusing the emperor, as it then reconnected with its arm. After it finished extracting the emperor's blood, all the creatures started to fly out.

Frieza was even more ticked off that they were treating him as a fool. He fired an energy beam that incinerated a couple of them, but the others escaped. "Damn these things!" He darted over to see the hole in his ship and that the creatures were long gone. He clenched his fists before he took a deep breath and smirked. "No matter. I'll find wherever they came from and blow them all up."

Frieza paused before walking over to a coughing soldier, wrapping his tail around their neck, and picking them up abruptly. "Go to the control panel and request a ship repair or die."

He tossed the soldier down, who stood up and scampered off. Frieza powered down from his golden form and sighed. "Those creatures... Perhaps they are connected to that so-called Qhuteus. As much as I hate it, I must train to take him down, should he threaten my empire. I wouldn't mind him disposing of those monkeys, though."

To Be Continued in Chapter Twenty-One

The ultimate battle is soon to come! The battle with mortals and gods against three powerful individuals. We also had Gohan unlocking god ki and powering up his ultimate form.

~ Scruffy

Chapter 21: The Invasion

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

Our beloved heroes continued to train for the upcoming battle, preparing themselves to protect the multiverse. Qhuteus had sent strange, dark figures to collect DNA from as many species as possible for his plan. Will our heroes be able to stop the evil deities, or will the multiverse forever change under a new ruler?

Chapter Twenty-One - The Invasion

In the Angelic Chamber, many years later, two figures flew across the void at an astonishing pace. Goku clashed with Daishinkan and was now able to keep up with him. The two clashed elbows, cracking the dimension. Goku was in Ultra Instinct Stage 2, his hair glowing. The Grand Priest spun his staff and swung it at Goku, who caught it and nailed him in the face, sending him back.

Daishinkan closed his eyes and entered Stage 2 as well, continuing to clash with the Saiyan. "You have greatly improved over the years, Goku-san. You've become my rival."

Goku smiled, clashing a punch with him. "We still have three hundred years left. At this rate, I might surpass the evil gods."

The two landed on the ground, cracking it. The Grand Priest put his staff away, looking at him sternly. "Do not underestimate them. Qhuteus is most likely a being far above my level. I'm concerned we may not have enough time for you to unlock that unknown power."

The Saiyan cracked his knuckles before his aura flared up. A full, glowing red avatar of energy formed around him, similar to the one used during the first stage of Ultra Instinct. "Then let's continue, Daishinkan!"

After getting DNA from a majority of the species in the multiverse, the dark figures retreated to their master. They could not gather samples of beings such as Jiren, Beerus, Champa, and many others. Qhuteus took the vials of blood from each of them, studying them. "It seems you did your mission better than I expected. You're dismissed."

The dark figures bowed and dispersed into black smoke. He looked at each of the multi-colored blood vials. "Interesting... That day is closer at hand than I thought."

Omesus approached him. "It's been nearly two years since you declared war on the multiverse. When will we commence the attack?"

Qhuteus paused, turning toward him. "It'd be foolish to wait the full two years. It'd be best to catch them off guard..."

"That's a dishonorable way to settle this war," Omesus replied, and the sorcerer scoffed. "Look at you, talking about honor at a time like this. If we strike now, we'll catch them off guard, and it'll make our job easier."

"Think about this, Qhuteus," Zateus chimed in. "Are you certain the three of us are ready to attack?"

In response, the sorcerer flicked his finger, opening a glowing portal. "Let's see... Where should we strike first?"

He cycled through hundreds of planets, then stopped on a familiar one. "Ah, the perfect battleground. No distractions, plenty of space, and it's fragile..." Qhuteus had created a portal to a wasteland on Earth. "We'll take over the universes from the inside..."

And so... The war for the multiverse had begun...

[Music: The Dark March - James Dooley]

Qhuteus stepped out of the portal, breathing in the fresh air. "Ah... I like the atmosphere of this planet. Too bad we're about to destroy it." Behind him, Omesus and Zateus walked out of the portal. "Allow me..." The sorcerer raised his hand as a giant beam shot up in the sky, shaking the entire multiverse. Electricity consumed everything, and darkness slowly clouded the cosmos.

Immediately, all the gods noticed his presence. Vegeta turned toward the source of the energy, sweat going down his face. "Impossible... The attack was supposed to be two months away!"

He clenched his fists, turning toward Krillin, Master Roshi, Tien, Yamcha, Buu, and Chiaotzu. "We need to go. They're here on Earth."

His aura flared up, and he flew off, with the others following him. On Beerus's planet, Gohan, Broly, Beerus, and Whis immediately took off toward Earth at full speed, flying past galaxies. Seji growled, glancing up at the sky. "We're going to have to cut this short, but your training should be sufficient." He turned to his students, including a grown-up Goten and Trunks. "I'm teleporting us there right now."

He tapped his staff, as they were now on Earth, a fair distance away from the evil gods. Not long after, Vegeta and the others arrived as well. "Seji, you must've sensed that energy, too."

Gohan walked up to Goten, ruffling his hair. "Man, you've gotten tall. I'm proud of you, Goten."

Beerus stepped forward, the wind whistling around them. "There they are... What the hell are they doing here, of all places?"

In the Angelic Chamber, Daishinkan had been sparring with Goku, but he paused, sensing something. "This is bad..."

"What is it, Daishinkan?" the Saiyan asked. "Could it be…?"

"We have to leave right now, Goku-san," Daishinkan replied, tapping his staff. A gateway to Earth opened for a split second, but then dispersed. "What?"

"Let me try," Goku said, walking forward. He raised his hand and concentrated as a portal slowly formed. "I can't get a good reading... What's going on?"

The Grand Priest clenched his fists. "Qhuteus has trapped us in here. It will take some time for us to break out of here, Goku-san. We have to count on our allies to hold off the forces."

"Damn it..." Goku grunted. "All this training, and I can't even help them..."

On Earth, the evil sorcerer walked toward the fighters, who got into a stance. "Soon, I will become one with reality. Stand down, mortals and gods, for I will bring true peace to the multiverse..."

"Cut the crap," Tien growled, a glowing white aura surrounding him. "You're our enemy. We're going to stop you right here."

Qhuteus chuckled as he knelt and placed a hand on the ground, many distinct patterns spreading around him. "I'll have some fun while I wait for the Omni King to arrive. Why don't you fight your old enemies?"

One by one, many figures formed from his magic. The first warrior was General Blue, followed by Mercenary Tao. The next was King Piccolo, in his youth. "I'm back on Earth... I will finally have the chance to kill Son Goku!" He cackled, then paused as he locked eyes with Piccolo.

A familiar, long-haired Saiyan with armor stumbled forward, clutching his chest. "Where... the hell am I?" It was Raditz, a large hole in his chest closing. "I'm alive?" He gazed up toward the fighters and locked eyes with Vegeta. "Vegeta? You... What the hell are you doing here?!"

"Raditz?" Vegeta scoffed. "Of all the warriors to bring back, you bring HIM? He's a weakling."

"I'll show you who's weak, you bastard!" Raditz roared, his aura flaring up. Suddenly, his power flew off the charts, confusing the fighters.

Nappa stepped forward alongside him, cracking his knuckles. "I am going to get revenge for what you've done to me, Vegeta. All those years I've been by your side, and you killed me all that time ago."

"That was years ago, Nappa," Vegeta replied, crossing his arms. "Besides, the scum of Planet Vegeta deserved death."

"How dare you?!" Another Saiyan walked forward, shocking Vegeta. "You're a failure of a Saiyan. What the hell kind of outfit is that?" It was his father, King Vegeta.

The Ginyu Force flew down and did multiple dances, introducing themselves. Alongside them were Zarbon and Dodoria. King Cold pushed past them, glaring at Trunks. "You... You're the one that killed me and my son."

Trunks was confused about what he was talking about, as he hadn't been the same person as Future Trunks. Dr. Gero and Android 19 also manifested from the magic. "I've watched everything from hell," Gero said. "I've planned out my revenge for Son Goku." Alongside him, Cell chuckled, placing his hands on his hips. "You and me both... I wonder where that Saiyan has gone, anyway." Behind him were the Cell Juniors.

Babidi retreated to a safer distance, with Dabura guarding him. Kid Buu followed him as well, the wizard having much higher levels of magic to control him, thanks to Qhuteus. The next beings to form were Goku Black and Zamasu, separated from their fusion. Zamasu glanced at his hands in awe. "What's the meaning of this? Zeno erased me, and now I'm suddenly here."

He turned toward Qhuteus. "Are you the one who has summoned me? Explain yourself!"

The sorcerer glared at him, and the evil kai took a step back, sweat going down his face. "Erm... Pardon me, your graciousness."

After all the villains had been brought back, Qhuteus then focused his attention on a pattern bigger than any other. "This will make our victory even more of a guarantee..." The figure had short, gray hair, tan skin, and a black robe. Their eyes glowed red. It was... Abysus. He opened his eyes, a burst of energy shaking the universes.

Zateus watched in awe as his son turned around. "I've returned, father."

All the fighters watched in horror at the entire army of villains against them. Qhuteus cackled at their expressions. "Oh, I forgot to mention... Your old enemies are exponentially more powerful than before."

Vegeta, Seji, Tien, Androids 17 and 18, Yamcha, Master Roshi, Goten, Krillin, Trunks, Buu, Piccolo, and Chiaotzu went into a fighting stance. Their opponents were the four most powerful beings in the multiverse, plus many others. Abysus, Omesus, Zateus, and Qhuteus stood side by side, their dark presences distorting the multiverse. Just then, Beerus, Whis, Gohan, and Broly arrived on the scene, joining the rest of the fighters.

Chi-Chi, Dende, and Mr. Popo arrived as well, shocking the Son family. "M-Mom?!" Goten's jaw dropped to the ground. "What are you doing here?"

She huffed. "I've been training with Mr. Popo, Dende, and King Kai. Goku insisted I get back into martial arts."

"The Hyperbolic Time Chamber has allowed Mr. Popo and me to get strong as well," Dende added. "For once, I'll be able to contribute to the battle."

More portals opened around them, and the rest of the reinforcements arrived. Toppo, the new God of Destruction for Universe Eleven, stepped out, followed by the Pride Troopers and Marcarita. Champa and Vados walked out of another portal, followed by Hit, Caulifla, Kale, Cabba, Botamo, Magetta, Saonel, Pirina, Frost, and Dr. Rota.

Quitela, Cognac, Caway, Damon, Dercori, Gamisarasu, Ganos, Majora, Monna, Nink, Shantza, and Shosa came out of another portal. All the warriors from the Tournament of Power arrived one after the other. The gods and mortals gathered on one side of the battlefield, and the villains gathered on the other. It was a crazy sight to behold.

"We outnumber them 109 to 27," Gohan stated. "We might have a chance, after all. I don't know where Father is, but I hope he arrives here soon."

"Make that 110," a voice said from above. They all looked up to see Frieza flying down in his golden form. "I hate you monkeys, but I hate the fact that my empire is being threatened even more."

King Cold observed his son come down, narrowing his eyes. "Frieza? Explain what you are doing on their side."

The emperor glanced at his father, smirking. "Well, well... What a pleasant surprise. I didn't think you'd ever come back to life." He then turned toward King Vegeta, and his smirk turned into a sour expression. "More monkeys... What is the meaning of this?"

"Many of our old enemies have been resurrected," Vegeta replied. "Ordinarily, I'd kill you right there. However, as much as I hate to say it, we need your help in this battle. I'll deal with you later."

The Ginyu Force then flew over, landing in front of Frieza. Ginyu bowed to his former master. "Lord Frieza, it is an honor to meet your acquaintance once more."

The emperor walked up to him, chuckling. "Well, well, once again we meet, Ginyu. Your dances bring back... memories." He said the last word with a hint of disgust.

"We will serve you once again in the Frieza force," Burter chimed in. "We-... You will dominate the universe once again."

"I'm afraid not," Frieza replied, raising his finger and charging a death beam. "I don't need the Ginyu Force back, as I've had many soldiers in training who are far more powerful. You've failed your mission, and you will pay the price."

The beam went toward Ginyu, who slapped it away, much to Frieza's surprise. "It was worth a shot. Well, after being in Hell for so long, I know you are just more bark than bite."

Tick marks appeared on the emperor's head. "Why you... I'll make you suffer for saying that so casually to me..."

Qhuteus crossed his arms. "Now then... this battle shall commence. Go, my warriors."

[Music: A Hero Rides With Us - Epic Score (Aaron Sapp)]

General Blue shouted and raised his hand, launching an entire mountain using his telekinesis. Yamcha flew up as he spun and sliced it into many pieces with his bare hands. "WOLF FANG FIST!" Mercenary Tao fired a Dodon Ray that clashed with one from Chiaotzu. Tien vanished behind General Blue and kicked him to the ground, while Jimizu from Universe Two put his fingers to his head, using Instant Transmission to vanish behind Tao.

King Piccolo fired a mouth beam toward Saonel, who leaped out of the way, launching a counterattack. He yelled and kicked Saonel's blast away as Chi-Chi ran up to him, swinging punches at him. He blocked the attacks, going to grab her, but then she spun around and kicked him into the ground, shocking the namekian. "What the?!"

Raditz dashed over to Piccolo, going to grab him, but then he got nailed in the face by a kick from Krillin and knocked into the rocks. "Just repaying the favor, Raditz."

The Saiyan brushed himself off before launching a Double Sunday. Master Roshi yelled, launching a Kamehameha to counter it. Cabba entered Super Saiyan, shocking Raditz.

"That can't be... Has a mere runt obtained the legend?! That can't be possible!" He roared and darted forward in a fit of rage, grabbing Goten and slamming him to the ground. "You look just like Kakarot. You must be his brat! If I can't kill him, then you're the next best option!"

Nappa raised his two fingers as a massive explosion of energy erupted under Vegeta, who leaped up to avoid it. "Tch... You're so petty, Nappa. Holding a grudge for this long."

"SHUT UP!" Nappa yelled, launching lasers out of his eyes that forced Vegeta to block. He grunted, the force of the attack sending him to the ground. Kale ran forward, launching an energy ball toward King Vegeta, who punched it away.

Paragus walked forward, grabbing Broly's attention. "It can't be... Is that…?" the brute wondered.

The old Saiyan raised his hand, launching a giant yellow energy blast at Vegeta, but Android 18 shot in the way, slicing it in half. "I'll help you take them on, Vegeta."

Zarbon raises his hand, charging an orange ball of Ki. He aimed it at Dende, firing a massive energy wave. The guardian responded by spinning his wooden staff and infusing it with energy, blocking it, while Mr. Popo stood to guard Dende.

Caway from Universe Four leaped up behind Zarbon and slammed a massive energy hammer on his head, stunning him and sending him down to the ground. Dodoria fired an energy wave toward her. "DIE!"

Chappil from Universe Nine leaped up in front of her and tanked the attack with his metallic skin before launching a blast of fire at Dodoria, who blocked it, grunting. "Damn you!"

Dodoria turned just in time to be nailed in the face by a punch from Mr. Popo, who had a calm expression on his face. "GAH!"

Zarbon looked up to see Ganos from Universe Four sending electricity at him, stunning him once again. Dyspo dashed forward, using his incredible speed, toward Qhuteus, but Burter got in the way, clashing with his kick. "He can match my speed?!"

Jeice went to join in, but Cocotte created a dimensional barrier around the two of them, containing them. "That's as far as you go, villain."

"Justice Spin!" Zoiray shot toward Guldo, attempting to drill into him. Guldo reacted by holding his breath and stopping time to get out of the way, facing this new threat.

Kunshi created energy threads that wrapped around Recoome, ensnaring him. "Stop right there! You won't be harmed if you surrender—"

The brute broke out of them with ease, walking up to him. "You are so tiny compared to Recoome. I will squash you where you stand!" He raised his foot, going to slam it on him, but then Kettol leaped in and created swarms of energy balls that surrounded the brute.

"Sorry, captain, but I must go help Zoiray," Tupper stated, running off, leaving Kahseral and Vewon to face Captain Ginyu himself.

Frost moved up to King Cold, who noticed him. "Frieza? No, you're different. I've never seen you before."

"You could say I'm not from your universe," Frost replied, launching a death beam at his chest. King Cold blocked it and his arm was now singed.

"Why, you...!" he growled. Suddenly, a slice went across his cheek, catching him off guard. Hop from Universe Nine backflipped behind him, a bit of blood dripping off her long claws.

"Never let your guard down in a fight to the death," she taunted King Cold.

Hyssop, who was also from universe nine, launched a volley of small ice spears toward the king, forcing him to fly up to avoid it. King Cold fired a volley of death beams at the fighters, but Murichim from Universe Ten leaped in the way, creating an energy barrier to block it.

Dr. Gero and Android 19 walked forward, seeing Goten. "Algorithms are 94 percent positive that is Son Goku," Android 19 said.

Gero scoffed. "Fool, that isn't Son Goku. You're just outdated technology, but you will still suffice as a distraction for my real project." He turned to see Paparoni from Universe Three walking toward him, spinning his staff. Behind him were his robots, Panchia, Bollarator, Narirama, and Viara. Dr. Gero raised an eyebrow at this. "Robots? How terribly basic."

"My creations will prove otherwise," Paparoni replied, standing confidently. "Let us begin now, shall we?"

Bollarator flew up and extended his arms, going to strike the two of them. "Take this, Bolla!"

The two androids vanished out of the way. Dr. Gero appeared in front of Paparoni, going to grab him, but then Viara jumped in the way, grabbing the doctor and throwing him in the air. "Tch!"

As the chaos ensued, Zateus observed and leaned over to whisper to Qhuteus. "Their opponents are doing a mediocre job at taking them down. Are you sure you have this under control?"

Qhuteus's expression remained unchanged. "I simply boosted their power to new heights, though I still have plans for them. One way or the other, they'll kill the mortals. This is just entertainment."

To Be Continued in Chapter Twenty-Two

The war for the multiverse has begun! The universes fight against the old enemies of the Z-Fighters, who are far more powerful than before. Will they be able to take on the villains, or will Qhuteus overthrow them without having to fight himself? Find out next time!

~ Scruffy

Chapter 22: The Trepidation

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

Qhuteus had arrived early, catching the gods and mortals off guard. While waiting for Zeno himself to arrive, he trapped Daishinkan and Goku to distract them while he summoned the old enemies of the Z-Fighters to take them on. Luckily for our heroes, reinforcements from the twelve universes had arrived to assist in the final battle.

Chapter Twenty-Two - The Trepidation

Viara jumped in the way, grabbing Dr. Gero and throwing him in the air. "Tch!" He fired lasers out of his eyes toward the robot, only to be met with Koitsukai, who launched a beam from its eye to counter his.

Panchia scanned him from a distance, analyzing his abilities. Bollarator extended his arm to hit him, but Android 19 intervened, slicing the arm off with his hand. Perfect Cell stepped forward, raised two fingers, aimed a beam toward Android 17, and launched it toward his head. Gohan launched a Kamehameha that knocked it out of the way, intriguing the Bio-Android.

"Ah, I recognize your energy," he said, smiling at the Half-Saiyan. "You've grown up, Gohan. Too bad I won't make the same mistake and let you live. I'll take you down from the start!"

He fired a Kamehameha toward the Half-Saiyan, who powered up into his ultimate form for a split second, knocking it in the distance. "I wouldn't be so sure, Cell. I'm not the same as before."

The Cell Juniors were about to attack, but then multiple beams completely consumed them out of nowhere, incinerating them. Frieza suddenly shot behind Cell, kicking him in the back and sending him forward. "Wha-?! Frieza?!"

"Mode Change!" Katopesla leaped up, kicking Cell into the ground. "Raging Battle Mode! In this mode, I am three hundred times—" The Bio-Android laughed, grabbing Katopesla by the head and slamming him to the ground. "UGHH!"

Cell then spun him like a lasso, throwing him into a mountain. "I've been watching your battles in hell for years, Gohan. I have many new techniques up my sleeve, though I won't need my full power to end you." Cell slid his foot back, charging a Final Kamehameha. "Not only have I been training intensely, but I have also been heavily modified by Dr. Gero..."

He teleported behind Gohan, shocking him. "That's... the Kais' technique!" Cell shouted, launching a Final Kamehameha that sent him flying back. "AGHHH!"

Many fighters at this point had noticed Babidi, Dabura, and Kid Buu and headed after them. The wizard growled. "Dabura, kill them!" The demon king smirked and launched forward, splitting some fighters away from his master. Babidi took a step back, getting nervous. "Buu, kill them!"

The Majin roared, pounding his fists against his chest. He went into a stance by his master, launching a beam that sent most of the fighters flying. Babidi raised his hands, chunks of ground breaking apart. Shantza from Universe Four pressed his thumbs together, creating a red dome around the wizard. "What's the meaning of this?"

A shadowy figure formed in front of him. He saw a copy of Kid Buu with glowing red eyes, smirking at him. The real Kid Buu cackled, launching a candy beam that went through his copy, confusing him.

Gamisarasu, who was also from Universe Four, snuck behind Babidi. He was able to seemingly fly under the radar, being invisible. He went to snatch the wizard, but then a pink blob stuck to him, shocking him. It consumed him, sending him toward the Majin, who absorbed him. Babidi smirked, launching chunks of the terrain toward a couple of other fighters. Majora from Universe Four fired a Ki blast that incinerated the rock.

He dashed up toward the wizard, his sense of smell compensating for his blindness. He smirked and went to punch Babidi, but Kid Buu continued to protect him, attempting to absorb him. At the last second, the fox leaped out of the way. "Damn it! We're one fighter down."

"One down, many to go," Babidi said, as the copy of Kid Buu that Shantza created went to attack the real Kid Buu, who got irritated and growled.

Babidi got a bit nervous, strengthening his magic to keep Kid Buu under his control. "If he goes out of control, I'll be done for!" The fake Kid Buu continued to attack, as the real one then noticed Shantza peaking over a rock. He roared, launching a blast toward him. Just then, Good Buu got in the way, deflecting the blast.

The Majin had gotten fit ever since training with Vegeta. "Buu won't let you harm friends!"

Roselle from Universe Nine dove toward the Majin, as Maji Kayo from Universe Three leaped off his back, enlarging his hand to grab Kid Buu. "Take this!"

Meanwhile, the love warriors from Universe Two and Rylibeu from Universe Ten faced off against the Demon King Dabura.

"I am the warrior of universe two, Brianne de Chateau!"

"Sanka Ku!"

"Su Roas!"

"Let it bloom. Let it ring. The song of love and victory!"

Dabura watched in disbelief as the three warriors from Universe Two transformed, now ready to fight him. "Is this some sort of joke?! A dream?"

Rylibeu observed their transformation as well with curiosity. Ribrianne raised her fingers, forming them in the shape of a heart. "Pretty... Cannon!" The demon king came to his senses and leaped up, firing a sphere of dark energy toward them. Kakunsa shot up, growling. She sliced through the blast using her claws, going up toward Dabura.

She rapidly went to attack him, slashing at him, but the demon king blocked it before launching a blast out of his mouth that sent her flying back. Rozie caught her as the two flew up toward him once again. "Yacchaina Fist!" Rozie rapidly began to barrage him, with blasts shooting out of her hands. "Ya cha cha cha cha!"

"ENOUGH!" Dabura got angry as his aura blocked out the blasts. "Your techniques are pathetic and disgusting!" He used his magic to create a sword, flying down toward Ribrianne. Rylibeu spread her wings and charged toward him, covering her body in an energy aura. She rammed into Dabura, catching him off guard. "What the?!"

Jiren walked forward toward Goku Black and Zamasu, and Hit and Caulifla followed closely behind to assist their former enemy. Goku Black smirked when he saw the three powerful warriors approaching him. "Hello, mortals. I've been given another chance, and I will not fail my Zero Mortals plan this time..."

Zamasu raised his fist, creating a Ki blade. "Bow before us, you low-level scum. Mortals are nothing but a hindrance that ruins the perfect balance of the—"

He paused, seeing many pink, metallic spheres surrounding him. "What?" Suddenly, a blast rapidly shot through the spheres, piercing the kai's chest. "Ugh! Who dares?!" He looked around the rocks but wasn't able to see anybody.

Hit used time skip to appear in front of Goku Black, going to punch him in the gut. The Saiyan blocked it, skidding back. "Tch... Teleportation? That's bothersome."

"Don't be fooled, companion," Zamasu said. "It isn't teleportation, but rather time skip."

Hit leaped back, getting in a stance. "How do you know that?"

The kai smirked. "Because I'm the Zamasu from this timeline. I saw you in the Universe Six and Seven tournament. The Dark Lord brought me back instead of that other version of me."

Goku Black powered up into Super Saiyan, firing a barrage of blasts at the fighters. Caulifla and Hit dodged and deflected them while they swerved around Jiren. Hit time skipped, appearing in front of Zamasu. He nailed him in the gut, stunning the kai. Hit then kicked him, sending him flying down to the ground. "Gah! Damn it!"

"It seems all the fighters have chosen their opponents," Qhuteus said from the sideline.

"The villains are struggling against them," Abysus noted. "At this rate, they'll be beaten with relative ease."

[Music: Overlord OST CD1 01 'Overlord ruler of death']

"You don't need to concern yourself about that," the sorcerer replied. "I'm preparing a spell that will change the tide of this war entirely. For now, enjoy the chaos."

Explosions ruptured the landscape, sending chunks of it flying everywhere. The angels stepped up and tapped their staffs, a blue glow engulfing the planet for a split second. "That should make the planet much more durable than before," Whis said, as the planet's destruction halted for the moment. "Marcarita, would you mind quickly evacuating all the life forms?"

"Certainly," Marcarita replied, flying toward the horizon in an instant. The rest of the angels walked up toward the four evil gods, or... mortals. Their presence was bending the surrounding reality. The gods of destruction joined in, led by Beerus. Broly, Seji, Trunks, Toppo, and the remaining fighters of the twelve universes stepped up to face Abysus, Omesus, Zateus, and Qhuteus.

Thunder boomed from above, as the entire cosmos was destabilizing. Omesus uncrossed his arms and walked forward, each step cracking the ground. "It's time for round three... This will either be my final battle or my rise to power."

Seji clenched his staff as sweat went down the side of his face. "We don't stand a chance against Zateus or Qhuteus, but we must survive until Son Goku, Daishinkan, and Zeno arrive."

Beerus chuckled, cracking his knuckles. "I've been training with Broly and Gohan, so I should be powerful enough to help."

Broly glared at Omesus, the two brutes locking eyes. The legendary Saiyan clenched his fists, feeling uneasy about the other. "I'll go first in this battle," Omesus said as he roared, a massive aura bursting above him and going into the sky. Rocks rose around him, the entire planet shaking. "I will show you why I remain... the strongest mortal."

He slammed his fist on the ground, shattering it and forcing the fighters to leap up. He flew toward Broly, swinging a punch covered in energy. The brute did the same, and the two clashed fists. Omesus's eyes widened. "He could counter my punch? How is this possible?"

"You aren't the strongest mortal anymore," Broly said, pressing on with full force. He entered his Wrathful state, kicking Omesus to the ground.

"Guck! Son of a bitch!" Omesus growled.

Tien, Chiaotzu, Yamcha, and Jimizu vs. General Blue and Taopaipai

Piccolo, Chi-Chi, Saonel, and Pirina vs. King Piccolo

Master Roshi, Krillin, Cabba, and Goten vs. Raditz

Vegeta, Android 18, Bergamo, and Kale vs. King Vegeta, Nappa, and Paragus

Ganos, Chappil, Caway, Mr. Popo, and Dende vs. Zarbon and Dodoria

Dyspo, Kahseral, Cocotte, Vewon, Tupper, Zoiray, Kettol, and Kunshi vs. Captain Ginyu, Jeice, Burter, Recoome, and Guldo

Frost, Hop, Hyssop, and Murichim vs. King Cold

Paparoni, Panchia, Bollarator, Narirama, and Viara vs. Android 19 and Dr. Gero

Gohan, Frieza, Katopesla, and Android 17 vs. Cell and Cell Jrs.

Dr. Rota, Gamisarasu, Majora, and Shantza vs. Babidi

Fat Buu, Maji Kayo, Dercori, and Roselle vs. Kid Buu

Ribrianne, Kakunsa, Rozie, and Rylibeu vs. Dabura

Obuni, Jiren, Caulifla, Prum, Harmira, and Hit vs. Goku Black and Zamasu

Angels, gods of destruction, Broly, Seji, Trunks, Toppo, and the rest vs. Abysus, Omesus, Zateus, and Qhuteus

Mercenary Tao fired a Dodon Ray that clashed with one from Chiaotzu. Tien vanished behind General Blue and kicked him to the ground, while Jimizu from Universe Two put his fingers to his head, using Instant Transmission to vanish behind Tao.

He charged a Ki orb, going to slam it against the cyborg. Tao leaped out of the way as General Blue grabbed Jimizu using his telekinesis, throwing him back. Yamcha flew forward, launching a Kamehameha toward General Blue, who blocked it, skidding back.

Tien raised his finger, firing a massive Dodon Ray at Tao, who countered it with a Super Dodon Ray of his own. General Blue glared at Chiaotzu, paralyzing him with his psychic eyes. He launched forward, going to grab Chiaotzu, but Jimizu teleported in front of him, blocking his advances. "Out of my way, you damn martian!"

The yardratian formed a pink Ki orb in his hand, slamming it against the general's chest. "GAH!" An explosion of energy sent him flying back into a mountain.

Taopaipai shouted, his beam overpowering Tien's. The triclops leaped up, forming his fingers in the shape of a triangle. "KI-KO-HO!" An enormous blast slammed into the mercenary, digging into the ground. Taopaipai cried out in pain, trying to fight back against the overbearing force.

Chi-Chi leaped up and went to kick King Piccolo again, but he blocked it, punching her away with the back of his hand. "Explain yourself, son. Who are these blue imposters?"

Piccolo threw off his weighted clothing, cracking his knuckles. "There's a lot you should know, father. You're not a demon, but part of the namekian race."

King Piccolo narrowed his eyes. "What nonsense. What happened to you? You were supposed to carry my legacy! You were supposed to take over the planet."

Piccolo took a step forward, then shot in front of his father and slammed him to the ground. "I used to desire that, but I've changed over the years. We were sent to Earth from Planet Namek to save our lives."

The king yelled, grabbing Piccolo's arm and throwing him back. "Stop speaking nonsense, you fool!" The namekian skidded back, launching a blast toward King Piccolo, who blocked it, flying back. "You're a failure! A good for nothing! Namekians?! We are demons!"

Pirina stretched out his arm, wrapping it around King Piccolo to immobilize him. Saonel dashed in front of him, holding a Ki blade to his neck. "That's as far as you go. You're corrupt. Stand down, and you will not be harmed."

Raditz darted forward, pinning Goten to the ground. The young Saiyan retaliated by kicking him in the gut, stunning him. Krillin raised his hand, creating a Kienzan. However, this attack wasn't like the original. It spun at such speeds that a twister of dust formed around him. "Now, Master Roshi!"

The old warrior leaped next to him, raising his hands to the spinning disk. The two launched the attack toward Raditz. "Thunder Shock Kienzan!"

The power of the spinning disk caused the wind to blast Raditz in the face as it got closer to him. It sparkled with electricity. He smirked, grabbing Goten and putting him in front of the trajectory. "You fool!"

Goten entered Super Saiyan and kicked him in the shin, making him let go. The Thunder Shock Kienzan got close to the Saiyan warrior. Raditz shouted, letting his bottled-up emotions release in a wave of fury. His hair spiked up as he entered Super Saiyan, flying up to avoid the blast. "Haha! I did it! I have achieved the legend!"

In the corner of his eye, he saw Cabba leaping up to him and swinging a kick. He blocked the kick, his arm shaking. "Not so fast, runt." He roared, slamming the young Saiyan in the chest with a kick, causing him to cough up spit. "None of you can defeat me! I will kill you four, then Vegeta, then Kakarot!"

Goten stepped forward, past the others. "I wouldn't be so sure. I heard stories about you from Piccolo. You fought my dad, remember?"

"I knew you looked just like Kakarot," Raditz responded, crossing his arms. "Tch... That fool had another brat. What, are you gonna cry like that Gohan brat did back then?"

The Half-Saiyan yelled, his aura bursting. "We'll see about that." He entered Super Saiyan 2, leaping up to Raditz.

"What the—?!" Raditz began, but Goten yelled, slamming a punch in his face and sending him spiraling back. "DAAAGH!"

Krillin vanished in his path, kicking him upward. Master Roshi leaped up and fired a Kamehameha that sent Raditz flying into a mountain.

Nappa shot lasers out of his eyes, forcing Vegeta to block them. The prince growled and raised his hand, charging a blue energy ball. "Big Bang Attack!"

It flew toward the Saiyans, killing two weaker ones behind King Vegeta. "What low-class trash. Do you expect me to be impressed?" the king inquired. He turned to see Vegeta suddenly in front of him. "What the?!"

The prince flicked him on the nose, sending him back. "GOW! You little shit!"

Paragus launched a barrage of Ki blasts that Vegeta easily dodged before going down toward Nappa and grabbing and throwing him. Nappa launched forward, bringing his fist forward. "HAAAA!"

Vegeta deflected the punch with the back of his hand before knocking down Nappa with a simple knee to the gut. "You're still trash, as usual, Nappa."

His father's rage boiled up as he entered Super Saiyan, launching forward at his son and slamming a punch in his face. Vegeta flinched before glancing back at him, chuckling. "I-Impossible! Not even the legend?!" King Vegeta exclaimed.

Vegeta then entered Super Saiyan for a split second, and it took one punch to knock his father out. "Hmph. You're so below me, it's almost a pity to kill you."

He then turned toward Paragus, who stumbled back, frightened. "Vegeta! You won't get away with your and your family's actions!"

Vegeta immediately vanished in front of him, grabbing him by the collar. Seeing his father and Nappa again made his blood boil. "Let me make one thing clear to you: I am not my father. I am his son. Now, piss off and kill your former king if you really want revenge." He tossed him to the ground and turned to see Android 18, Bergamo, and Kale watching the entire fight go on. "I took care of them. No thanks to you."

"It looked like you had it all handled," Android 18 replied, her hands in her pockets. "Guess we'll need to go help the others soon."

Zarbon glanced up to see Ganos from Universe Four sending electricity at him, stunning him once again. "That's enough!"

Zarbon yelled, his muscles bulking up as he entered his monster form, launching toward Ganos. He swung a punch, sending him back. Zarbon then turned to see Caway swinging an energy hammer on him, and he blocked it with a grunt.

Dodoria ran toward Dende, rapidly barraging him, but Mr. Popo leaped in the way, parrying his attacks with great skill. Mr. Popo reeled back his fist and slammed it into Dodoria's gut, creating a concentrated air blast that made him cough up blood. Chappil went to help by breathing fire into Dodoria. "Ow, HOT!"

Ganos shouted, transforming into his true avian form. He leaped forward, coating his fist in green energy. He slammed it into Dodoria's gut, making the brute cough up more blood. Chappil roared, mauling Dodoria to the ground from behind and knocking him down. Zarbon punched him in the chest, but did nothing against his metallic skin. "What the?!"

Suddenly, an energy spear went through Zarbon's chest, paralyzing him. He slowly glanced over to see Caway. "Why you...!"

Ganos dashed over and drop-kicked him to the ground alongside Dodoria, knocking them out. "We did it..."

From the distance, Abysus crossed his arms. "The warriors are dropping like flies, Qhuteus. Whatever you're planning, do it now."

"Be patient!" Qhuteus snapped. "I'm aware my warriors are going down quickly, but... this spell will be done soon."

He placed his hands on the ground, multiple markings appearing on all the resurrected villains. "Now to prepare to make them true warriors..."

To Be Continued in Chapter Twenty-Three

Our heroes are taking on their opponents with relative ease, but it seems as if it isn't over yet. What has Qhuteus planned? Find out in the next chapter!

~ Scruffy

Chapter 23: The Retribution

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

All the villains have chosen their opponents. Our heroes are taking them down one by one, and it seems Qhuteus's initial plan is failing. However, he is still preparing something huge. What will it be? Find out now.

Chapter Twenty-Three - The Retribution

From above, lightning danced across the universes, as the Pride Troopers faced off against the Ginyu Force. Dyspo darted through the air, clashing with Burter. "I'm impressed you're able to hold your own against me."

Burter smirked, swinging a punch that the Pride Trooper dodged. "You're fast, but I'm the fastest."

Guldo raised his hands, paralyzing Zoiray with his telekinesis. He lifted a rock, sending it toward him. At the last second, Zoiray broke out and spun to become a twister, destroying the rock.

Recoome's eyes darted around to see all the energy blasts Kettol created. He opened his mouth, charging a blast. "RECOOME-" Kettol raised his hand as all the energy balls headed toward the brute at once, colliding with him. "UWAAGHH!"

"Crusher Ball!" Jeice fired his attack toward Cocotte, but a small dome around her stopped it, confusing him. "Huh?" She dispersed the dome, launching an energy blast that sent him flying back onto the edge of the bigger dimensional dome.

Dyspo continued to clash with Burter, but he was only warming up. He sped up rapidly, the blue warrior struggling to keep up with him. "I-Impossible! Nobody out speeds me!"

The Pride Trooper went full speed, kicking Burter around like a rag-doll before kicking him to the ground, knocking him out. He leaped over to help Kahseral, Tupper, and Vewon face Captain Ginyu. The three of them clashed back and forth, about equal in level. Dyspo slid his foot back and dashed forward, a sparkling trail of energy following him. He had greatly improved since the Tournament of Power.

"JUSTICE KICK!" The Pride Trooper front flipped and slammed his foot on the captain's head, sending him crashing through the ground. He turned to see Zoiray drilling into Guldo and taking him down, injuring him.

"Well done, Pride Troopers," Kahseral said, seeing the unconscious bodies of the five warriors. "We'll arrest them once the battle is over. We'll need to go assist the others."

King Cold leaped down after Murichim blocked his blast, and he got irritated. "Why you!"

Suddenly, he turned just in time to see Frost's foot slam in his face, sending him tumbling back and crashing through multiple rocks. "I expected far better from Frieza's father."

The Frost Demon got off the ground, powering up. He roared, entering his third, then final form. King Cold chuckled, launching a barrage of death beams toward Frost, who raised his arms to block them, skidding back. "Grrr...!"

Hyssop launched more icicles, which the king dodged, but was then met with Hop, who slashed his back. "DAGH! Damn you, pest!" King Cold spun around and nailed her in the face with a punch, sending her skidding back. He then leaped up and went to maul her, but she jumped out of the way, extending her long claws and piercing them through the Frost Demon's chest.

He paused, coughing up blood. From behind, a death beam pierced his chest and left him further injured. "D-Damn you... How dare you do this to me?!"

Murichim leaped down from above as he slammed a punch on King Cold's head, knocking him unconscious.

Android 19 intervened, slicing Bollarator's arm off with his hand. He turned to see Narirama rapidly spinning toward him. He darted out of the way, but then Panchia caught him, wrapping its arms around the android. The robot glowed, sending energy blasts into the android at point-blank range, shooting holes through him. Dr. Gero cursed, launching forward to blast Paparoni, but was protected by Viara.

The robot brute roared and slammed a punch in the doctor's face, sending him spiraling back. He crashed to the ground, with sparks flying out of his damaged parts. "Tch... Fine... I guess I'll have to unleash it early."

He grabbed a remote, flicking the switch on. On another part of the battlefield, Cell felt endless energy coursing through his body, and he yelled, a massive aura shooting up around him. "Finally, looks like Gero has activated my infinite energy engine," he said. "Now then... Enough playing around."

He dashed forward toward Gohan, swinging a kick. The half-Saiyan blocked it, skidding back. "Gck... Damn it..." The momentum of the Bio-Android's kick had sent him flying back into a mountain. "Cell's gotten stronger than I could've expected."

Cell chuckled before turning toward Paparoni and his creations in the distance. "Wait here. Unfortunately, I still need Gero in the meantime."

He flew over at insane speeds, shocking Paparoni. Cell fired a death beam that went through Viara's head, causing the robot to malfunction and fall to the ground. He then shot toward Paparoni, reaching out to him. At that moment, Gohan got in the way, powering up into his ultimate form and catching his punch. "What?! Gohan?!"

The Half-Saiyan shouted, slamming a punch into Cell's face and sending him flying far back. He then turned toward Paparoni. "You, fix your robot. We'll need you to fuse them."

Cell stood up to see Frieza flying over and slamming a kick in his gut, causing him to cough up spit. From behind, Android 17 flipped and kicked him to the ground, stunning him. Katopesla ran from the mountain he was thrown to in his ultimate mode, kicking Cell back. "This is my Ultimate Mode! In this mode, both my power and speed are 300 times as normal."

The Bio-Android landed on his feet before yelling, a glowing aura surrounding him. He entered a form the others knew all too well: his golden form. He smirked at Frieza's shocked expression. "That's right, Frieza. Unlike you, I've been training for years to obtain more power than before. Now... it's time to end this."

Gohan vanished in front of Cell, going to drop-kick him. The Bio-Android blocked it, his arms shaking. "Gh... You've improved, but you cannot win against me! I have infinite energy!"

Rylibeu rammed into Dabura, catching him off guard. "What the?!"

Rozie vanished in front of him, nailing him in the chest with multiple Ki blasts. "Ya cha cha cha cha cha!"

"Pretty Love Machine Gun!" Ribrianne fired a barrage of heart-shaped blasts that Dabura tried to block but was overwhelmed by them. Kakunsa leaped at him from behind, rapidly slashing him.

"AGHHH!" Dabura cried out. Out of nowhere, Rylibeu rammed into him with full force, sending him flying to the ground.

Babidi yelled, launching more giant rocks that Majora plowed through, heading toward the magician. He flipped over, kicking Babidi to the ground. Majora pinned him down as he growled, trying to break free of his grip. "Unhand me this instant!"

Dr. Rota laughed, raising his hands. "Let me show you why I, Dr. Rota, am called Doctor! My ability is—"

A stray Ki blast from the battle against Gohan and Cell knocked him in the back of the head, making him unconscious. A bead of sweat went down Babidi's face. "That takes care of one of them. Buu, help me out here!"

Maji Kayo laughed, having the Majin in his grip. "This pink monster isn't going anywhere!"

However, Kid Buu yelled, easily squeezing out of his grasp. He dashed down toward Majora, immediately kicking him away. Roselle dove toward Buu, trying to grab him, but the Majin dodged and pinned the winged demon to the ground. Pink goo surrounded Roselle as Kid Buu absorbed him, grinning. He cackled maniacally, pounding his chest, though he seemed a bit calmer. A red slit appeared on his forehead and opened, revealing a red eye.

"He's already absorbed two of us," Dercori said. "I'll handle him."

Kid Buu noticed Dercori throwing energy markings into the surrounding terrain, confusing him. He then glanced over to see all the fighters sinking into the ground. He ran forward and dug into the dirt, but found nothing. Buu blinked, not realizing it was a part of Dercori's illusions. The battles were seemingly coming to a standstill as he darted around, and he felt the world distort around him. Buu turned around to see a massive version of Dercori towering over him, smacking him away with her hand.

He fell through the ground into a dark and empty place, with the only thing there being a light in the center. Dercori emerged, powering up in the darkness. She gained markings on her face, her hair turned white, and her limbs became longer. "In the darkness, I am unstoppable!"

Kid Buu got angry before roaring. A massive shock wave shot from his mouth, sending her back. The sheer power of it broke the terrain, in turn dispersing the markings. Buu broke from her illusion and yelled, flying toward her. Dercori screamed, being absorbed by the Majin. "NOOOO!"

Kid Buu slowly turned toward Majora, Maji Kayo, and Good Buu, grinning, but wasn't yelling anymore. Maji Kayo stuck his tongue out to anger the Majin, and it worked. Kid Buu flew toward him, but then Maji Kayo turned his hand into a giant fist, slamming it into Kid Buu and sending him flying back. Good Buu took this chance to shoot behind Kid Buu, uppercutting his counterpart.

He then followed it with a full-power Majin Kamehameha, attempting to vaporize his foe. Kid Buu regenerated and was now angrier than ever. He turned into a ball, dashing toward him at insane speeds. Maji Kayo turned into a net and got in the way as the ball landed in it. "Score!" He laughed, grabbing Kid Buu and slamming him to the ground. The Majin lost his temper and powered up, a pink aura surrounding him. Energy blasts shot everywhere, unnerving the jelly-like humanoid. "H-Hey!"

Kid Buu turned into pink goo, attempting to absorb him, but the latter did the same, and they were in a struggle. Ultimately, Buu won the struggle, absorbing Maji Kayo. The Majin stood up, turning slightly more purple. He cackled as he shot toward Good Buu with great versatility. Good Buu tried to attack him but wasn't able to land a punch. "Fine, Buu will turn meanie into candy!"

Good Buu tried to turn his counterpart into candy, but Kid Buu deflected the beam back at him, reversing the effect. He then looked at the piece of candy, took a bite out of it, and ate it. His eyes widened as he screeched, with pink smoke shooting out of him. A cloud covered the arena, distracting some fighters. Gohan glanced over, his eyes widening. "No... You have to be kidding me."

Super Buu formed in place of Kid Buu. Babidi's jaw dropped as he slowly stepped back. "He's too powerful for my magic to hold! He's completely out of control!"

The Majin turned toward Majora and Babidi before walking toward them. Majora turned around and tried to escape, but then Super Buu vanished in front of him, immediately absorbing him. "NOOO!"

He did the same for Dr. Rota, and the only one left was Babidi. "D-Dabura! Help me! DABURA!"

The wizard saw an unconscious Dabura on the ground, as a shadow towered over him. Super Buu laughed as he turned Babidi into candy, eating him. "I'm finally back... I need more candy."

Goku Black roared, entering Super Saiyan 2. Obuni ran toward him, multi-colored holograms of his energy trailing behind him. He rapidly barraged the Saiyan, confusing him. "His energy is scattered... I've never seen a technique like that..."

Zamasu stood up, regenerating because of his immortality. He dashed toward Jiren, attempting to slash him. Of course, the attack did nothing. "What the?!" The Pride Trooper raised one fist, sending a burst of wind that sent the Kai flying across the mountains, almost flying into outer space. Seeing this, Black immediately entered Super Saiyan Rosé, his aura sending Obuni flying back.

Harmira fired another beam that traveled through Prum's orbs, going to strike the Saiyan. He deflected the laser with ease, creating a scythe of energy. Black flew toward Prum, going to slash him, but Jiren intervened, catching his hand. "That can't be possible!" Sweat went down Black's face as the warrior towered over him. "No mortal can have that kind of strength! It's repulsi—"

Jiren shouted, punching him in the face. Immediately, the Saiyan was knocked out as he dropped him to the ground. "It's over."

Broly entered his Wrathful state, kicking Omesus to the ground. "Guck! Son of a bitch!" The Saiyan God got up, cracking his knuckles. "Fine, I guess there's no room for playing around."

He entered his Legendary Super Saiyan form, an explosion of energy tearing apart the ground. In an instant, he grabbed Broly by the hair, slamming him to the ground. He stomped on him continuously, attempting to kill him. Toppo ran forward and slammed a punch on Omesus's back, which did nothing. Omesus went to grab the Pride Trooper, but then Beerus slammed into him out of nowhere, sending him back.

Beerus landed on his feet, using one hundred percent of his power. A glowing purple aura of destruction surrounded him, vaporizing parts of the land. Omesus skidded back, chuckling. "Well, well... I never would've expected you of-..." He'd paused when he saw Beerus, then growled.

[Music: Audiomachine - Obsidian]

He darted forward, clashing with the god of destruction. The rest of the angels watched from the sidelines, but Seji stepped forward, spinning his staff. "I'll put an end to this battle right now!"

He shouted, powering up into his Dragon God form. He flew past Omesus and straight toward Qhuteus. The sorcerer smiled as the sage tried to hit him, but Qhuteus raised his finger and flicked. A massive burst of wind tore the landscape apart, even sending some angels flying back. Explosions the size of atomic bombs sent ripples across the landscape, disrupting everyone.

Seji cried out as his body plowed through the ground. Craters after the other formed under him as he dug into the ground. He finally stopped, paralyzed. "Such power... How... is it possible?"

The after-effects of the attack rippled across the galaxy. Vegeta grunted, flying up to avoid the destruction. "God damn... What kind of power does that bastard hold?!" Super Buu laughed at the carnage. Gohan and Perfect Cell continued to clash, despite the damage.

"This won't be an easy battle to overcome," Master Roshi said. "Krillin, Cabba, and Goten, let's go join our allies."

"Where do you think you're going, worms?" A voice asked behind them. Raditz rose from the ground and was now fully healed. He chuckled as multiple markings went around his body, with his power rising exponentially.

"What's going on here?" Krillin asked, getting into a stance. "He's supposed to be defeated."

He glanced over to see Qhuteus's hand on the ground. "Your battles have only just begun, warriors... When I resurrected the villains, I only gave them a boost in power... But it's time to show you what my magic can do," the sorcerer said.

General Blue and Taopaipai stood up with the same markings on their bodies. The rest of the fallen villains, except for the ones Buu absorbed, rose from the ground, even more powerful than before. Jimizu raised his fingers to his head, vanishing behind General Blue. He went to grab him but was suddenly paralyzed. "What the?"

The general spun around and slammed him in the face, sending him flying back. Tien split into multiple forms, surrounding the two of them. "KI-KO-HO!"

A massive blast hit them, knocking them down momentarily. They then got back up, and Taopaipai turned toward him, raising a finger. "DODONRAY!" He fired a colossal beam that consumed each of the Tiens, sending them into a mountain. Yamcha leaped forward, launching a Kamehameha toward Taopaipai, who kicked it back toward him.

Chiaotzu stopped it with his telekinesis, but then General Blue grabbed him, slamming him to the ground.

King Piccolo roared, breaking out of Saonel's grip. He launched a mouth beam that sent the namekian flying back. He then grabbed Chi-Chi and was about to crush her skull, but then Piccolo swiped her at an insane speed. The self-proclaimed "Demon King" chuckled, turning toward his son. "As expected... you've developed a liking for these fragile life forms."

"Yeah, so what?" Piccolo replied, setting down Chi-Chi and walking toward him. "You're corrupt, end of story. I was willing to give you another chance, but you've sunk too far."

He swung his fist, stretching his arm and swinging a punch at his father, who blocked it, his arms shaking. "No, it's you who have sunk too far, Piccolo. I will kill you where you stand!"

King Piccolo roared, using an explosive demon wave to destroy the area they were in. He chuckled while looking up, but then his eyes widened to see a barrier surrounding all the fighters, including Piccolo. "I'm not the same namekian I was before," Piccolo replied. "The sage of the namekians has trained me, and I am here to take you down once and for good."

Two giant energy hands formed from the ground, grabbing King Piccolo and squeezing him with full force. The king yelled, sending a shock wave to destroy them. He launched forward, but Piccolo wasn't there. He turned to see Piccolo launching Special Beam Cannons out of his fingers. King Piccolo tried to avoid all of them, but each of them changed direction rapidly, thanks to Piccolo's perfect Ki control.

The king launched a beam out of his mouth that destroyed the Special Beam Cannons, and he looked up to see millions of Ki blasts surrounding him. Piccolo closed his arms, all of them heading toward him. "Hell-Zone Grenade!" King Piccolo tried to escape them, but all the blasts split into smaller ones, similar to what Seji did to Vegeta in their first battle.

"NOOOO!" King Piccolo cried out as a catastrophic explosion rocked the land, shattering the terrain. King Piccolo fell to his knees, smoke coming from his mouth. "D-Damn... you..."

He fell to the ground, unconscious. Piccolo turned to a nearby battle to see General Blue beating Chiaotzu and immediately flew toward them, stretching out his arm and punching General Blue back. Taopaipai turned toward him, launching a Dodonray. The namekian leaped over it and drop-kicked the mercenary into the ground, knocking him out with one clean hit. Without looking, he aimed his fingers toward General Blue, launching a Special Beam Cannon through his chest.

He walked over and helped Chiaotzu up, a green glow enveloping him. He was healing him. "P... Piccolo...? How are you doing... that...?"

"We'll talk about it later," the namekian replied. "I took down three of our enemies, but we have many more to defeat. We must assist the other battles as soon as possible."

He moved over and healed Tien, Yamcha, and Jimizu as well. "We still have a long battle ahead of us that will decide the fate of everything. We must work together."

Behind him, Saonel, Pirina, and Chi-Chi joined in, uniting with their group. In the distance, Qhuteus watched Piccolo defeat the villains and could only smirk. "This could be more entertaining than I first thought..."

To Be Continued in Chapter Twenty-Four

The battles are heating up even more than before. Piccolo was able to defeat three of the villains alone, but how will the other fighters fare against their new powered-up opponents? Find out in the next chapter.

~ Scruffy

Chapter 24: The Breakout

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

Thanks to the efforts of our heroes, most of them were able to take down the villains, at least temporarily. Qhuteus has used a spell to further power them up. How will this war end? Find out now.

Chapter Twenty-Four - The Breakout

Raditz stood up from the rubble, the markings on his body glowing. He turned toward Master Roshi, Krillin, Goten, and Cabba, cracking his knuckles. "It's time for round two. This time, it's you assholes I will kick around."

He yelled, entering Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan 2, then Super Saiyan 3. His hair grew even longer than before, touching the ground. "Let's play..."

"Kamehameha!" Krillin shouted, firing a blue beam toward the Saiyan, who knocked it away with the back of his hand. Raditz dashed forward, kneeing Krillin in the gut and sending him spiraling back. Master Roshi entered his muscular form, swinging a potent punch. The Saiyan deflected it, kicking him away. "Funny, as soon as I'm defeated, I suddenly gain power beyond the legend. Probably the work of that weird sorcerer."

Cabba entered Super Saiyan 3 as well, rapidly barraging the brute. Raditz blocked his attacks with one finger, smirking. "HA!" He elbowed the young Saiyan, knocking him to the ground.

"It's time the low-class Saiyan trash learn their lesson," he said, charging a Saturday Crush. "Only the elite can truly master this godly power." He recalled when Piccolo killed him and his brother. "It's time to quit following in Vegeta's and Nappa's footsteps. Now I am the strongest Saiyan."

The Saiyan roared, launching the pink Ki ball toward Cabba. Just then, a red flash knocked the blast to the side, confusing Raditz. "What?"

Goten stood in front of Cabba with a fiery aura surrounding him. He was in Super Saiyan God, having learned God Ki thanks to his training with Seji. "I'll show you what godly power truly is."

He zoomed forward, crashing into Raditz and sending him flying through a mountain. Raditz coughed up spit, getting on his feet. "God damn it! DOUBLE SUNDAY!" He launched purple dual-energy waves. Goten stopped it with one hand, as he channeled his God Ki through the blast, engulfing Raditz. "W-What the?! I can't move!"

The Super Saiyan God moved forward, raising his fingers. "I've used the God Bind on you. You're not going anywhere."

Vegeta hovered to the ground, seeing the Saiyans rise once again. "Oh? I would've expected a knock to the head to put you down for good."

Nappa, King Vegeta, and Paragus immediately powered into Super Saiyan, then Super Saiyan 2. Nappa raised his two fingers, a huge pillar of energy erupting from under the prince, who barely got out of the way in time. He turned to see King Vegeta behind him, his hair growing longer. He entered Super Saiyan 3, nailing the prince in the face and sending him back. "GAH!"

Paragus leaped in his path, kicking him upward. Vegeta glanced up to see Nappa also entering Super Saiyan 3, mauling him to the ground. He coughed and spit as he landed, a crater forming beneath him.

Android 18, Bergamo, and Kale leaped into the battle, fighting against the Saiyans. Bergamo sprung toward Nappa, and the two clashed elbows. Kale powered up into her controlled berserk state, clashing with King Vegeta. Android 18 shouted, launching a barrage of energy blasts at Paragus, a lot of which hit the terrain, breaking it. Vegeta observed the battle from behind, letting them have their fun.

Nappa leaped back, launching a large, white Ki sphere at Bergamo, which exploded on impact. Bergamo growled, slightly growing in size from absorbing the damage. He vanished behind Nappa, kneeing him in the back. The brute grinned as he nailed his elbow on the wolf's face, sending him back. Once again, Bergamo grew, the ground cracking from his mass. He fired a blue energy wave toward the Saiyan that consumed him. "Danger Beam!"

Nappa walked out of the smoke with scorching marks on his body. "Hmph, damn mutt. I'll put you down myself."

He raised his two fingers, a massive explosion erupting under the wolf and sending him flying up. He grunted, unable to break free because of his velocity. Bergamo looked up in time to see Nappa slam him in the back with his two feet, sending him crashing to the ground. He stood up, now three times his normal size. He spun around and launched a full-power beam that sent the brute back a bit.

Nappa got ticked off, launching at him at full speed. He tried to grab Bergamo with both his arms, but he vanished before that could happen. He turned just in time to see a massive fist collide with him, sending him flying back. "OOF!"

The Saiyan felt a couple of his ribs crack as he crashed through multiple mountains, coughing blood. On the other side, Bergamo waited for him. The gray wolf spun around and nailed him in the face with a kick, knocking him down.

Kale and King Vegeta clashed back and forth, with explosions riddling the area. The king grabbed her by the hair and slammed her on the ground repeatedly, smirking. In response, she uppercut him, launching a volley of green blasts into him. The king coughed up spit, skidding back. Kale raised her hand, charging a massive green sphere. She fired it toward him, who did his best to stop it. "You damn wench! Saiyan women should be cooking food for us, not trying to fight on our level!"

Kale closed her eyes, feeling angered by his sexist comment, as a blue glow enveloped her. A flash went right by King Vegeta, a cut appearing on his cheek. "What?!"

He grunted, trying to stop her blast. King Vegeta roared, launching a blast that destroyed it. The king turned to see Kale in a unique form, more of a greenish-blue color. "I'm going to end this battle right now. I have bigger priorities than to fight you any longer."

King Vegeta took a stance, his aura growing to its maximum size. "Come!" In an instant, Kale sent him flying with a kick, using her Super Saiyan Blue form. Android 18 avoided all of Paragus's attacks, irritating the old Saiyan. He shouted, going to barrage her, but she was dodging all of his attacks with ease. She went to kick him, but Paragus caught her leg, throwing her back. "Don't underestimate me!"

He yelled, launching a full-power beam. Android 18 smiled, vanishing out of the way of the blast. "Unfortunately, you've chosen the wrong opponent." She vanished behind him, kicking his legs to make him fall to the ground.

The Saiyan leaped up, continuing to barrage her, but she stopped his punches with her palms. "I trained under someone pretty strong, so I learned a thing or two." Multiple energy clones of herself appeared and chased after the old Saiyan.

Paragus darted around, trying to punch them, but his fists went through the projections. "What's the meaning of this?!" The energy clones latched onto him and glowed brightly. "N-No! You bastard!"

"Goodbye," the android said, closing her fist, and the energy clones self-destructed, a catastrophic explosion shaking the land.

Vegeta smirked, leaping down to the ground. "I'm impressed. You took them down without my help."

"Don't mention it," Android 18 muttered. Nappa slowly crawled forward, only for Bergamo to walk in front of him, stopping him.

"Prepare to die," Bergamo growled. The gray wolf leaped up, launching a massive blast, but King Vegeta intervened by firing a Power Ball into the sky, resulting in an artificial moon. Before anybody could react, the remaining Saiyans transformed into Golden Oozarus.

King Vegeta let out a roar, the ground shattering under him. He turned toward the dead body of Paragus and cackled before leaping up and going to slam his foot on Kale, who leaped out of the way. "He's gotten stronger than before!" Vegeta growled, dodging a mouth beam from Nappa. "I've never seen an Oozaru like that. We were too careless!"

Nappa vanished above him, swinging a punch at him. Vegeta entered Super Saiyan and blocked it, digging into the ground. "Damn it!" The golden Oozaru barraged him, irritating the prince. "YOU ASSHOLE!" Vegeta roared, entering Super Saiyan Blue in an instant. He vanished in front of Nappa, his hand raised. "Disappear."

He fired a beam that immediately vaporized the Saiyan.

In the distance, Goten stepped toward Raditz, raised his hand, and charged a blast. "Here's how it's gonna go. You will not cause any more problems, and I won't kill you. Got it?"

Raditz saw the artificial moon in the distance and chuckled. "Indeed, I'll listen... I'll listen to your bones crunch!" He roared, growing into a golden Oozaru as well. Goten took a step back, sweat going down the side of his face.

"W-what the?!" he exclaimed, shocked.

"We have to cut off his tail!" Krillin said, charging a Kienzan. "It's the only way for us to beat him!" He yelled, launching a spiraling disk that headed toward Raditz, but the ape caught the Kienzan between his teeth, crushing it. It roared, launching a mouth beam toward Krillin.

Goten leaped in the way, pushing it away with a lot of struggle. "His power's increased a lot. How did he get so much stronger? Krillin and Roshi, go get help from Vegeta's group. I'll hold the big guy off."

They nodded, flying toward Vegeta. The prince noticed them, and then Raditz. "Hm, I see. Looks like that weakling's a problem too. I took care of Nappa, and they're fighting my father."

Bergamo, Kale, and Android 18 clashed with King Vegeta, who slowly pushed them back. That was until Kale entered Super Saiyan Blue, sending the king flying back with a beam. Goten clashed fists with Raditz, who suddenly stopped moving, confusing him. "What? Has he given up?"

King Vegeta roared, sending debris flying in all directions. He leaped forward and slammed a punch on Bergamo, sending him crashing to the ground. In response, the gray wolf grew to be even bigger, almost at the king's level.

They wrestled back and forth, and Goten turned around to assist. He flew over and kicked the king in the face, sending him stumbling back. Kale took the opening to ram into him with full force, crashing through his armor and almost going through his chest. The Oozaru fell to his knees as Goten roared, launching a blast to finish him. The only one left was Raditz, and he didn't move. Goten, Krillin, Master Roshi, Cabba, Android 18, Bergamo, Kale, and Vegeta surrounded the golden Oozaru, slowly closing in.

"Something's not right," Cabba said. "His energy... It's calm. It's almost like..."

Raditz shrunk down in a new form, slowly turning toward the group. He opened his eyes, walking toward them. "Well, well... I guess I got lucky. I don't know what this power is, but it'll serve me nicely."

The Saiyan had achieved a powerful form known as Super Saiyan 4. He looked at his hands, flexing his fingers. "It's almost as if I've mastered the power of the Oozaru... Plus, I got another boost in power."

Vegeta turned to see Qhuteus, who was smirking at him. "Tch... Damn wizard! He boosted him when he transformed into the Oozaru!"

Cabba yelled, entering Super Saiyan Blue. He flew toward Raditz, along with Kale. They attacked him, but the Saiyan swiped his hand, sending them crashing into a mountain.

"It's like the power of a god..." Raditz turned toward Goten. "You're next, you little shit." Vegeta powered up into Super Saiyan Blue Evolution, dashing forward. However, a dark portal opened in front of him, sending him to an odd place with two familiar energies. He fell to his hands and knees as the pressure was immense, and he fell out of his form.

Qhuteus chuckled, lowering his hand. "If I let him run loose, there'd be no fun in this battle. His friends will have to fight Raditz alone."

Vegeta saw a familiar figure run over to him and help him up. "Who are-..."

He looked to see none other than Goku and Daishinkan. "Vegeta, how the heck did you get here?" the former inquired.

The prince growled, the pressure still hitting him. "Daishinkan..." The Grand Priest snapped his finger, and the pressure was immediately gone. The prince panted for a second, then got up. "Kakarot, things are getting intense. I was going to help them defeat Raditz, but that wizard bastard sent me here."

Goku waved his hands. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down. Raditz? What are you talking about? How is he here?"

"Qhuteus resurrected all of your old enemies and made them leagues above where they used to be," Vegeta replied. "The others are risking their lives to defeat them!"

Goku turned around, raising his fist and punching the ground, making a small crack. "Tch... It's no use. Qhuteus also made it so that I could not transform. I don't know how we're going to escape at this rate. We have to figure something out."

Vegeta turned toward Daishinkan. "How far away is the Angelic Chamber from the rest of the universes?"

"It's in a distant corner of the multiverse," the angel replied. "Qhuteus has a tight grip on this dimension."

Suddenly, the dimension cracked, and everything shook. Goku grunted and raised his hands, trying to create a portal. "Damn it! We're running out of time! Qhuteus is destroying the entire dimension alongside the three of us!"

"Is it possible to go to Zeno's palace?" Vegeta asked, avoiding the cracks in the ground. "If we stay here, we'll die!"

Goku paused as he reached into his pocket and took the Zeno button. "Please still work... Everyone, hold on to me!" They did so, and he pressed the button, and something unexpected happened. Zeno himself appeared, and Goku took a step back, shocked. "Crap! I forgot which button did which!"

"Kakarot, you idiot!" Vegeta yelled, then took a deep breath. "Lord Zeno, we humbly request you to save us from this dimension."

Zeno looked around, confused. "Isn't this Daishinkan's place? Why are you here?"

The ground cracked under them, and Goku raised his hands to his head. "Zen-chan, we don't have the time. I'll tell you everything when we get out. Just please stop Qhuteus's influence."

The Omni King looked up. "Ohh... So that's what's been happening. Okie-Dokie."

He raised his hand, closing it. Immediately, the dimension stopped breaking, and Goku opened a portal, seeing Earth slowly being destroyed by the attacks. "I thought the battle would've barely started by now. What happened to the time chamber stuff, Daishinkan?"

"It seems Qhuteus has made an error in his plan and prevented the dimension from properly functioning when he contained us," the Grand Priest replied. "Let's enter the battle."

A dark figure appeared in front of the portal, launching a blast of wind to knock them back. He leaped into the chamber, getting into a stance. "I cannot let you go any further, Daishinkan, Son Goku."

Goku narrowed his eyes, immediately recognizing the figure. "Abysus..."

The god stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. Zeno turned toward him and raised his hand, prepared to erase him, but then he was suddenly pulled into the portal, which closed behind him.

"Zen-chan!" Goku ran toward the portal, but Abysus shot in front of him, punching him in the face and sending him back. "Out of the way, Abysus!"

The evil god chuckled, a dark aura overcoming all of them. Vegeta nearly fell to his knees from the pressure, but Goku and Daishinkan stood their ground. "Oh? Impressive. I would've expected my aura to have crushed you, Saiyan. Something is different about you."

Goku walked forward, his eyes turning silver, with no aura around him. He entered Ultra Instinct Omen. "I'll handle this, Daishinkan. You focus on making the portal."

Abysus chuckled before raising his fist. "So you're volunteering to die? Very well." He swung a heavy punch, but it phased through Goku, confusing him. "What?"

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Icarus (SkyWorld)]

The Saiyan vanished behind him, not doing anything. He spun around and went to kick Goku, but he was already gone. "That's impossible. I'm as strong as I was in my prime... Is it this dimension?"

Daishinkan smiled, slowly opening the portal to Earth. "Goku's been training for two thousand years. He's the most powerful warrior in the multiverse."

"What a bunch of bullshit!" Abysus yelled, powering up. He zoomed toward Goku and swung a punch, forcing the Saiyan to block it. Their momentum sent them far away from Daishinkan, flying across the dimension. Goku smirked as he grabbed Abysus and slammed him to the ground, destroying it. "GAHHH!" Goku then kicked him up, sending him flying. "BASTARD! I'll wipe you out with this entire dimension!"

They went back and forth, flying at incredible speeds. Abysus entered his full power, a massive golden aura surrounding him. He did a front flip and slammed his two feet into Goku's gut, sending him crashing through the floor.

"Cocky bastard," he growled, hovering to the ground. "You don't know who you're dealing with."

"I could say the same about you," Goku said, getting up.

The evil god took a step back, sweat going down his face. "You're... alive?!"

Goku closed his eyes, and his hair spiked up. He combined Super Saiyan Blue with Ultra Instinct Omen, sliding his foot back. "Now it's my turn."

At speeds previously thought impossible by a mortal, he appeared in front of Abysus, slamming his fist into his gut. The evil god took a step back, completely stunned. His pupils faded as he fell to the ground, unconscious. The Saiyan powered down, teleporting next to Daishinkan. "That takes care of him. He's not the real problem, though. Qhuteus is my main enemy."

They flew through the portal, appearing on Earth. Immediately, all the fights came to a halt. Everybody looked up to see Goku, Daishinkan, and Vegeta descending to the ground.

Krillin smiled. "It's good to see you again, Goku."

Gohan leaped away from Cell and looked up in awe. "No way... Dad? His energy... It's like he's become an actual deity!"

"It looks like the battle can truly begin," Dende said, as a bit of sunlight shone through the dark clouds.

Frieza scoffed. "This atmosphere is sickening. I'm going to return to the battle now."

Omesus growled at the sight of them. "Those two again..."

Qhuteus picked up Zeno by the arm using two fingers. "I wouldn't be so cheerful... I have the one responsible for the entire multiverse. Right now, I could crush his fragile head, but I won't yet. After all, that would kill all the fun."

He tossed Zeno into an energy cage and closed it. "Now... let the battles continue."

To Be Continued in Chapter Twenty-Five

Raditz has obtained Super Saiyan 4, Goku fought Abysus, and he, alongside Daishinkan, was able to escape the trapped dimension. With Goku there, the tides of the battle may tip in their favor. Find out what happens in the next chapter!

~ Scruffy

Chapter 25: The Merciless

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

Raditz has obtained Super Saiyan 4 against our heroes. Thanks to an additional boost from Qhuteus, he is a formidable opponent. Goku and Daishinkan have returned thanks to the efforts of Vegeta and Zeno, but the Omni King was captured by Qhuteus, who is now being held hostage. How will our heroes be able to win this battle? Find out now.

Chapter Twenty-Five - The Merciless

"You must battle Qhuteus, Goku-san," Daishinkan said, summoning his staff. "I must go assist the gods in the battle against Omesus and Zateus."

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Rise Above]

Goku nodded, teleporting in front of the other gods. He walked straight toward Qhuteus, a glowing aura surrounding him. Zateus leaped in the way of him and swung a punch, but he deflected it, kicking the evil god away. He stopped in front of Qhuteus, and the two stared each other down. The sorcerer uncrossed his arms, his smile fading. "A shame. I would've expected you to stay there until the battle ended."

The Saiyan took a stance, entering Ultra Instinct. His hair turned silver, and an energy avatar manifested around him. "I am your opponent now, Qhuteus. I've been training for thousands of years to defeat you."

"Is that so?" Qhuteus raised his hands, the entire multiverse shaking. "Let's find out if you're worthy of fighting me."

He swung his hand down, launching millions of energy spikes toward Goku. The Saiyan leaped up and avoided all of them, running on one spike toward the sorcerer. He leaped up and went to kick Qhuteus. The sorcerer didn't move, as Goku's kick connected with a barrier that created a shock wave that knocked the Saiyan back. "You have no chance against the most powerful being in existence. I've spent my entire life learning to manipulate the laws of reality."

Goku skidded back, his feet digging into the ground. "Guess I should fight seriously." He closed his eyes as his hair spiked up, glowing brightly. A light red aura surrounded him, a vortex of energy swirling around the planet. He got into a stance, transforming into Ultra Instinct Stage 2.

Qhuteus went into a stance as well, and the two dashed at each other, clashing with a punch. Its sheer power sent them to another layer of reality, causing an explosion that decimated part of the galaxy.

Goten runs forward, a flaming trail following him. "TAKE THIS!"

He threw a punch at Raditz, who caught it with ease, kneeing his opponent in the gut. "Die, runt." Raditz went to grab him, but Bergamo intervened, kicking him in the face. He flinched before grabbing the gray wolf and slamming him to the ground. Vegeta watched from above and flew down to help them, but then Super Buu stopped him.

"What the?! Buu?!" Vegeta exclaimed.

Raditz kicked Bergamo continuously, injuring him. He then went to finish him, but Cabba, Kale, and Android 18 attacked him to defend Bergamo. "Insects..." He roared, a massive golden aura flaring up around him. "DOUBLE... SUNDAY!" He fired two giant purple beams that sent everybody flying back. He roared, pouring more power into the attacks and making them bigger.

Goten grunted, his feet digging into the ground. "Son of a..."

He yelled, sending the blast away. He flew toward Raditz, and the two clashed elbows. They leaped up to the sky, clashing rapidly. Raditz had the upper hand, but Goten put up a good fight. He was the strongest of the group. As the young Saiyan fought Raditz, he remembered a talk he had with Seji during their training.

You don't have to follow in your father's footsteps, he said. What you need is something unique to you and only you. You need your own identity.

His energy was rising even further as he clenched his fists. He shouted, his aura exploding because of his determination. He slowly pushed Raditz back, shocking the Saiyan. "How are you overpowering me?!" Goten yelled, kicking Raditz back. The two went back and forth, with Raditz desperately trying to defend himself. "What's going on?!"

Cabba gasped as Goten's aura exploded further, flashes of white in his hair. "What is he doing?"

Goten roared, powering up beyond his current form. He opened his eyes, and his aura turned a darker red with white particles within it. Seji turned and smirked. "Looks like he's perfected it. He's evolved his Super Saiyan God transformation. Not only that, it has hints of white divine energy in it."

Goten opened his eyes, sparkles flashing around him. "I'll call this... Super Saiyan God Evolution."

Raditz yelled, launching toward Goten at full speed. They went back and forth, but the young Saiyan had the upper hand now. He spun around and kicked Raditz, sending him flying back. He darted behind Raditz and raised his hand. Goten placed a hand on his back and pulled out a massive orb, forcing him to power down. "Wh-What the?! My energy! My form!"

Goten raised his hand, having learned this technique from Seji. "Here's your energy back." He fired all of Raditz's Super Saiyan 4 energy back at him at once, sending explosions everywhere.

Vegeta clashed back and forth with Super Buu before entering Super Saiyan 2 and kicking him down to the ground. "That'll serve you right!"

Raditz yelled, flying down to the ground and crashing into it. He panted heavily, now out of options. "Damn it all... That sorcerer is distracted by Kakarot... I don't have a chance of fighting anymore." He turned to see a pink blob scooting over to him and forming into Super Buu. He grinned and raised his hand, completely healing Raditz. "What the? How did you...?"

Buu offered his hand, and the Saiyan took it. "Who are you? Why did you help me?"

The Majin laughed maniacally, trying to absorb him, but Raditz punched the Majin in the chest, sending him flying through many mountains. "What the hell are you?!"

A pink blob of goo then stuck to him from behind, slowly covering him. "NOOO!" He burst his aura, trying to get rid of the pieces, but more took their place. "STOP... HIM!"

Goten yelled and dashed forward, launching a full-power beam to finish Raditz off. It consumed him, and a massive explosion shook the landscape, sending debris in all directions. He lowered his hand, but something was off. He turned to see a new figure behind him. Buu's energy exploded, and he reformed, smirking. "Now... you're next... All of you!" He cackled, now having Raditz's power.

Zarbon and Dodoria stood up, now more powerful than ever. Zarbon yelled and entered his monster form. He flew up, kicking Ganos back and catching him off guard.

Dodoria darted toward Dende, but Chappil got in the way, breathing fire toward him. He avoided the flames and yelled, slamming a punch into Chappil's chest and cracking it, causing him to cry out in pain. Dodoria then spun around and kicked Chappil to the ground, knocking him out. Ganos, Caway, and Mr. Popo flew toward Dodoria and Zarbon, barraging them. Thanks to their incredible boost in power, they were able to fend them off with ease.

Caway shouted, swinging a massive energy hammer at them, but Zarbon punched through it, shattering it. Ganos tried to electrocute Dodoria, but he fired an energy beam that sent him flying. Mr. Popo tried to strike both of them from behind, but they backhanded him away, sending him flying.

Dende spun his staff, trying to hit Dodoria, but he snapped it in half, grabbing the namekian by the neck. "This brings back some good memories. It's time to crush yer skull!"

Suddenly, a powerful punch hit him, sending him crashing through many mountains. Dende fell to the ground, but a familiar friend caught him. Piccolo, alongside his group, had arrived to help. "This war's nothing but chaotic," Piccolo said, setting the guardian down. "Those two are nothing compared to our real enemy. We'll take them down together."

Zarbon dashed forward, trying to grab Piccolo, but the namekian vanished above him, kicking him to the ground with his two legs. Dodoria leaped behind him and nailed him in the face, making him flinch. "That'll teach ya!"

Piccolo turned toward him, the punch almost doing nothing. "My turn. Special Beam Netto!" He raised all ten of his fingers, many beams surrounding the two warriors as a net and closing in. Everybody watched in shock as the attack completely decimated them.

He walked toward Chappil and knelt, healing his wound. "Come on. The others need our help."

Dende went over and did the same for Caway, Ganos, and Mr. Popo. Piccolo stood up and moved forward, seeing the sunlight shining through the gaps of the dark clouds. "I have a bad feeling."

A massive shock wave shot out from another direction, nearly knocking him off his feet. "What the?!" He turned toward two lights clashing with each other at speeds even he couldn't follow. "Goku's fighting Qhuteus... Their battle is insane! We need to finish our battles and assist the others."

Chi-Chi watched on sadly. "I hope you can do this, Goku. The fate of the multiverse depends on you."

Goku and Qhuteus went back and forth, each punch causing rifts in reality. They locked hands, pressing against each other with full force. Chunks of the landscape rose above them, with lightning crackling above. Their battle far outshone any other. Qhuteus roared, charging an energy ball between his hands. He raised it to the sky, and a grid of light beams went across the entire universe, illuminating it. "TAKE THIS!"

He fired the energy ball, and it slammed into Goku, sending him flying back. "UWAGHHH!"

The Ginyu Force got off the ground, all of them attacking the Pride Troopers at once. Dyspo grunted and launched toward Burter at full speed, clashing a kick with him. The blue warrior dodged it and punched him, sending him flying back.

"Justice Saber!" Kahseral created an energy blade and went to slice Ginyu, but the captain caught it, his hand shaking. He shouted and kicked the Pride Trooper in the gut, sending him flying back.

Cocotte surrounded Jeice in a zone, trapping him. "Here we are again. I've given you the chance to surrender, but you—"

Jeice fired a Crusher Ball toward her, this time being much bigger. It slammed into her and sent her crashing into the border of the zone, knocking the wind out of her. "Let's do this, Tupper!" Zoiray yelled as he spun, combining attacks with his friend. "Double Pride Spin!" They spiraled toward Guldo, who yelled, launching a massive rock at them to stun them.

Kunshi and Vewon tried to ensnare Recoome with as much as they could, but the brute easily broke out of it. He raised his fist and roared. "Recoome... MACH PUNCH!" The wind force from the punch slammed into the two, sending them crashing back. The Ginyu Force overpowered the Pride Troopers, knocking them down one by one with the intent to kill.

Captain Ginyu towered over them and raised his hand, charging one of his most powerful attacks. "Let's take them down, men! Galaxy... Dynamite!" He fired a stream of energy bullets toward each of the Pride Troopers.

"Now, Pride Troopers! Let's show them what we're made of!" All the Pride Troopers got together and did various poses before launching a combined attack. "United Justice STREAM!"

The two ultimate attacks clashed, with Ginyu slowly getting the upper hand. "Don't give up, Pride Troopers! We can do this! HAAA!"

They all roared, slowing down Ginyu's blast, but it wasn't enough. Right before it reached them, Toppo flew over, parting from the battle against the dark mortals. "HAAAA!"

He launched an attack that combined with the Pride Troopers', completely overpowering Ginyu. "No! That's impossible! I don't have the time to body swap!"

Guldo leaped back and grunted, stopping time to get them out of the way. They all hovered down to the ground, panting. Toppo stepped forward as a destructive aura began to surround him. He tapped into the power of destruction, not fully transforming into it. "Damn you, copycats!" Ginyu growled, dashing toward the Pride Trooper. "Don't get so cocky!"

Toppo raised his hand, a purple orb forming in it. "Hakai." He fired a massive Hakai orb that consumed the Ginyu Force and completely erased them, leaving no trace.

Kahseral walked forward, panting. "Thank you, Toppo. Without your help—"

"Don't mention it," Toppo interrupted, powering down. "We need to split up and help the other groups. They are struggling against their opponents."

King Cold stood up, with a purple aura surrounding him. He was in his final form from the fight against Frost, Hop, Hyssop, and Murichim. He growled and yelled, a golden aura surrounding him.

"I'll play your game..." He transformed into a golden form similar to Frieza's. "Oh, look at me, I'm a Super Saiyan! I am the legend, no... I am far better and more sophisticated than a form fit for primates."

Hyssop fired many small ice spears from his mouth toward King Cold, who deflected them with his finger. He vanished behind the spiked brute and shoved his hand into his chest, stunning him. "I just realized something," King Cold said. "None of you have had a single casualty yet. Allow me to change that."

He charged and launched a blast through Hyssop's chest, vaporizing his organs. His eyes went blank, and he fell to the ground, lifeless. Hop shouted, leaping forward and going to slash the frost demon.

King Cold grabbed her hand and crushed it, making her scream in agony. "You were able to defeat me briefly, though I have unlocked a new power." He formed a Ki blade and raised it to her neck. "Now then... Tata."

Murichim yelled and went to punch him on the head, but he turned around and caught his punch without looking. "I don't think so." Frost flew forward and slammed a kick into King Cold's chest, catching him off guard. He skidded back, dropping Hop. "I almost felt that puny attack. You remind me of my son back then. He was as unrefined and brash as you are now."

"Shut up!" Frost fired a barrage of death beams that bounced off the king's chest. He walked forward, launching a beam that sent Frost tumbling back. "What's the matter? Did I strike a nerve? Why don't you transform as well? Do you have your own golden form?"

Frost paused, the anger fading from his face. He'd never figured out how to transform since the Tournament of Power. He'd never learned that golden form that blasted Frieza had, but he felt so close, he knew it. Frost took a deep breath and smiled coldly at the king. "No, I'm afraid not, though I don't need it to kill you myself. I may not have that golden form of his, but I do have something else. I obtained this months ago."

Frost clenched his fists and yelled, growing in height. King Cold watched, intrigued, as Frost grew four horns on his head, his eyes turned blue, and gems appeared on his forearms. He looked up, a visor forming over his mouth. "Behold, my fifth transformation!"

King Cold chuckled. "What an interesting display... Will it be enough to take me on?"

In response, Frost slammed his foot on the ground and dashed forward, clashing a punch with the Frost Demon. They clashed back and forth, shattering the ground below them. King Cold parried his attacks, mostly toying with Frost. "Well, this is certainly more powerful than before, if I do say so myself. Unfortunately for you, you're nothing."

He launched a beam, but Murichim intervened, creating a barrier. Unfortunately, it went right through and pierced his chest, causing him to fall to the ground and cough up blood. "My barrier wasn't enough...?"

Frost got even angrier, launching a barrage of blasts toward King Cold, which the Frost Demon deflected. "Why... won't... you... DIE?!"

The king shot in front of him and uppercut him in the gut, making him cough up a lot of spit. "Simple, really. I'm just that powerful. You're nothing but a failure, doomed to die a weakling like the rest of our species... until I came along."

Frost coughed as King Cold grabbed him by the head, raising him off the ground. "You do remind me of my other son, though. He had to branch off and make his own little group. It's flattering, though he was still a failure. Even I don't know where he's gone."

He slowly closed his fist on Frost's skull, making him cry out in agony. "The pain you feel right now... It's nothing compared to the pain I felt being humiliated by those monkeys on their planet. Frieza didn't even think to resurrect me. What a shame, truly."

Frost closed his eyes tightly, remembering back to the Tournament of Power. Frieza betrayed him, and he lashed out, only to be erased by the Omni King. Even further back, he remembered being caught using that poison needle against the other universe and being humiliated. For a long time after the tournament, he'd been on the run, too weak to fend for himself against the more powerful foes. Frost was nothing to Hit... He wasn't strong enough compared to the other fighters in the multiverse.

He slowly opened his eyes, staring at King Cold. "Oh? Is there something you've got to say to me? Perhaps an apology? Do you wish to declare your loyalty to me in exchange for sparing you? Oh, I love it when they do that before they die."

The crystals on Frost's body glowed and shone, confusing the king. He yelled, a massive aura bursting around him. King Cold grunted, letting go of him. "What the hell is this?"

Frost clenched his fists, and his eyes glowed neon blue, with the ground cracking under his weight. "Yes... I've finally done it! I've obtained my true power! True perfection! This is... my diamond form!" He launched forward, ramming into King Cold and sending him crashing through many rocks. "AGHHH!"

He raised his finger and fired a giant death ball toward King Cold, who pressed his hands against it, skidding back. "You honestly think that this kind of attack will kill ME?!"

The Frost Demon roared, scattering the blast. "I will have your head!" He darted toward Frost, swinging a kick, but he blocked it and punched King Cold's face, sending him flying again.

"Let's see how you like it!" Frost yelled, raising all ten of his fingers. He launched death beams out of all of them as they pierced through King Cold's chest rapidly, riddling him with holes. "HAAAAAAA!"

King Cold howled in pain as his pupils disappeared. He fell to the ground as the barrage finally stopped. Frost hovered down to the ground and powered down, panting heavily. "I did it... I've finally become the strongest... Just you wait, Frieza... I'll have my revenge for what you did to me!"

To Be Continued in Chapter Twenty-Six

A truly insane chapter! Goten and Frost have obtained new transformations and bested their opponents. Find out what happens in the next chapter!

~ Scruffy

Chapter 26: The Divine Potential

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

The battle between Goku and Qhuteus has begun, and many of the fights are starting to wrap up, leaving room for the others. Raditz has obtained Super Saiyan 4, but Goten was able to ascend his Super Saiyan God, even having traces of white divine energy in it.

Frost has also unlocked his fifth form and diamond form, making him far more potent than before. He was able to defeat King Cold. How will the next battles end? Find out next time.

Chapter Twenty-Six - The Divine Potential

Explosions shook the landscape as the fighters continued to fight the villains, the outcome being unclear. Paparoni raised his staff, as all of his robots clashed with Dr. Gero and Android 19. Viara yelled and ran forward, going to maul Dr. Gero into the ground. Android 19 got in the way and swung a kick, knocking its arm clean off. Narirama spun toward them rapidly, attempting to chop them to pieces.

Dr. Gero fired an eye laser at it, causing a massive explosion. Narirama's head fell to the ground as it powered down. He then flew toward Viara and shoved his hand through its head, short-circuiting it.

The other robot fell to the ground as they turned toward Paparoni, Panchia, Bollarator, and Koitsukai. Paparoni chuckled. "Well, then... There's no choice left but to use Plan X."

Dr. Gero narrowed his eyes. "Plan X?"

Paparoni spun his staff and pointed it at his robots. "Plan X. Programming phase! Begin!"

"Plan X. Order received," all three robots responded, leaping up to the sky. "Koitsukai! Panchia! Bollarator! Merge!"

All three robots merged into Koichiarator, walking forward toward the androids. Paparoni laughed. "Functions fully unleashed at one thousand two hundred and fifty-six percent!"

"I've got no time for your silly mechanical games," Dr. Gero replied. "Androids are far more reliable than mere robots. Nineteen, dispose of them."

Android 19 dashed forward and swung a punch, causing Koichiarator to skid back. It roared, launching an eye beam at Android 19, which sent him flying. Dr. Gero growled and flew forward, launching a massive beam toward the fusion. Koichiarator knocked the attack away and leaped toward Dr. Gero, stretching out its arm and nailing the android in the gut, blasting a hole through it. He flew back, crashing into a rock.

Android 19 leaped behind it and tried to latch onto it to self-destruct, but the fusion spun around and slammed its fist into Android 19, sending its head flying clean off. It turned toward Dr. Gero and stepped toward him. Paparoni chuckled, walking behind Koichiarator. "You've made a mistake insulting my creations. You're out of options now."

Dr. Gero grunted and turned toward Perfect Cell, who was fighting Gohan. "I have no choice. I'll need to start the transmission. It's the only way."

Gohan, in his Ultimate form, launched forward and kicked Cell in the gut, sending him back. Cell growled, his golden aura flaring up. He slammed his foot on the ground and darted forward, firing a Kamehameha at him. Gohan vanished out of the way and shot behind Cell, kicking him up into the sky. "MASENKO!"

The Bio-Android spun around and punched the blast away with the back of his hand. "Impressive. You're even able to keep up with me in my golden form, but I am just warming up!"

Electricity was crackling around him as he shouted. He dashed toward Gohan, using energy blasts to propel himself. He swung a punch that Gohan blocked. "So am I, Cell. So far, our rematch is in my favor."

Gohan uppercut him, sending him tumbling back. He then raised his hands and fired an energy blast in the form of a dragon's head. Cell looked down to see it consume him, vaporizing part of his body. "UWAGHHH!"

Frieza chuckled and powered up into his golden form, running forward. "My turn." He whacked Cell with his tail, sending him flying toward Android 17, who spun and kicked him to the ground. Cell stood up and his tail opened, expelling out newly created Cell Juniors to assist him.

Katopesla leaped above him, aiming a blast toward him. "Katopesla: The Final Mi-" Cell snapped his fingers as a Cell Junior latched onto Katopesla, stopping him in place. It flew down and slammed him to the ground, stunning him. Gohan grunted as the other Cell Juniors attacked him.

He burst his aura, sending them flying back. Cell got up, his fists clenched. "Fine... If it's a battle you want, then it's what you'll get..." The Bio-Android roared, a blue aura overlapping his golden one. "Surprised? I've learned God Ki a long time ago."

He fired a barrage of death beams toward Gohan, sending him flying. Frieza launched a death ball at him, but he kicked it back toward the emperor, sending him back. Android 17 yelled and launched a barrage of energy blasts, but Cell flew out of the way, launching a Kamehameha that forced the android out of the battle for a moment.

Katopesla ran forward, charging a beam. "Let's try this again... Katopesla: The Final Mission!"

He launched a concentrated blast toward Cell, but he knocked it out of the way, grabbing the warrior by the neck. "I've had enough of you. You're nothing but an unworthy flea."

[Music: Jo Blankenburg - Reign of The Wichtelmen]

Before Gohan could stop him, Cell closed his hand, snapping Katopesla's neck and killing him. He dropped the body to the ground, turning toward the Half-Saiyan. "That'll be you next..."

Gohan roared, enraged. "No, I will not let you kill anybody else! You heartless bastard!"

"You should know me by now, Gohan," the Bio-Android replied, walking forward. "When will you learn? When will you stop suppressing yourself?"

The Half-Saiyan paused and clenched his fists. "Fine. I was hoping to save this until the battle against the evil gods, but I have no choice."

He shouted, a massive pillar of energy shooting from him. Cell's eyes widened, and he raised his arms to block the pressure. "Wha... What is this pressure?!"

Gohan roared, his hair flashing white, for a brief moment. His energy exploded, as he was now in full power. He opened his eyes, his ultimate aura more violent than ever. His hair shone, and his eyes glowed blue. "Is this what you wanted, Cell?"

He had combined the power of white divine energy, God Ki, and his Ultimate form. Vegeta watched in shock, a bead of sweat going down the side of his face. "H... He's even more powerful than me!"

Gohan flew forward, the energy encasing him in a white glow. He slammed his fist into Cell's chest, tearing a hole through it. The Bio-Android yells, coughing up blood and saliva. "Wh... When did you...?!"

The Half-Saiyan roared and grabbed him, throwing him with full force out of the atmosphere. Cell yelled as he crashed into the moon, causing a massive crater on it. "This... How did he get this power?!"

Gohan was briefly attacked by the Cell Juniors, but he promptly incinerated them with a blast, flying after Cell. Cell looked up to see Gohan already in front of him. The Saiyan kicked him back toward Earth. He crashes into it, sending tremors across the planet. "How can a runt turn into this?!"

Gohan darted down and landed in front of him, walking forward. "My potential as a Half-Saiyan has allowed me to surpass even Vegeta. It's time to finish this now..."

Cell stood up and roared, his aura turning dark blue and wavy. "Don't get ahead of yourself, kid! DIE!"

He yelled, launching a Super Kamehameha. Gohan raised his finger and charged a tiny Ki blast, flicking it toward the Kamehameha. It consumed it entirely, slamming into Cell and exploding.

The Bio-Android yelled, disintegrating from the attack. Despite this, Gohan stepped forward toward the spot where he presumably died. "I know you're still here, Cell."

Cell regenerated, panting heavily. "Damn it... DAMN IT! I WILL NOT LOSE TO YOU AGAIN!" He flew up and charged an attack, illuminating the area in a blue light. "This attack is the same one I used against you all those years ago before you killed me! I WILL BLOW UP THIS ENTIRE GALAXY IF I HAVE TO!"

Suddenly, he stopped, and Dr. Gero closed his eyes. Cell glanced at his hands and smirked, stopping his attack and hovering back down to the ground. "Good... My plan has succeeded."

He glanced toward the confused Half-Saiyan. "I have taken over Cell's mind, though I still retain his knowledge. With my intelligence and his fighting skills, I stand a much better chance."

In the corner of his eye, he saw Koichiarator running toward him. Without batting an eye, "Cell" raised two fingers and launched a blast that sent the fusion crashing through many mountains, shocking Paparoni. Gohan went into a stance as Cell launched toward him, zig-zagging around him. Suddenly, he kicked Gohan from the back, but the Saiyan barely flinched. "Are you done?"

Cell growled and leaped up, launching a Special Beam Cannon, which Gohan deflected with the back of his hand. "Impossible!"

The Half-Saiyan prepared an attack, but suddenly he saw a body flying toward him, and he instinctively caught it. His eyes widened to see the battered body of Goten. "Goten! What the?!" He looked up to see Krillin, Master Roshi, Android 18, Bergamo, and Kale flying away from a massive energy. He saw Super Buuditz holding Cabba by the neck before throwing him to the ground, laughing.

"Get behind me, guys!" Gohan said, getting into a stance.

"To hell with that!" Frieza replied. "I've let you do all the work. I'll handle this myself." He yelled and powered up into his platinum form, shattering the ground.

Android 17 walked forward, reuniting with his sister. "This guy's trouble. We'll need to team up to beat him."

Kale cracked her knuckles, entering Super Saiyan Blue. "Let's do this."

Krillin leaned down and pulled a Senzu bean from a bag in his pocket, feeding it to Goten. "I'm low on these, so I'd prefer to save them, but we'll need his help, too."

Goten chewed on the Senzu bean before getting up and standing next to Gohan. "Let's do this together, brother." He roared and entered Super Saiyan God Evolution.

Seeing no choice, Cell sided with Buu, keeping a good distance away from him. "We have a common enemy, so I think it'd be in our favor to ally."

Super Buu scoffed but didn't argue. Frieza leaped over to Super Buu, swinging a kick. The Majin blocked it, grunting. Goten vanished behind him and mauled him to the ground, stunning him. Krillin and Master Roshi fired a combined Kamehameha, attempting to eradicate the Majin, but Buu knocked it away, running toward them. Cell blocked attacks from Android 17, 18, Bergamo, Kale, and Gohan, unable to keep up with them.

He was kicked around like a rag-doll, hopelessly trying to parry their attacks. Kale roared and mauled him to the ground, causing a massive crater to form. Cell panted heavily as fighters surrounded him, charging an attack.

Seeing no other option, Cell raised his fingers to his forehead, teleporting to Super Buu. He grabbed him and raised his tail, attempting to absorb the Majin. Buu yelled, trying to break out of his grip. The Majin punched Cell in the gut, damaging him, but he didn't stop. The Majin went through his tail and into his body. Cell opened his eyes and smirked, getting in a stance. "Yes! I've done it!" He then pauses. "Why am I not more powerful?"

He then suddenly cried out in agony as pink goo covered him. Super Buu was able to prevent his absorption using magic. The goo consumed him, and a new figure was born. Super Buu opened his eyes, walking forward. He looked even more humanlike than before. Android 17 vanished behind him, swinging a kick. "HAAA!"

The Majin blocked it and turned his head 360 degrees toward the android, grinning. He went to grab him, but Goten leaped in the way and kicked his hand, grabbing Android 17 and retreating.

Majin Buu flew after them, his power spiking rapidly. He used Maji Kayo's ability and turned into a tiny blob, moving with great versatility. Immediately, he shot behind Master Roshi and engulfed him in goo, shocking the master. "GOHAN!" He absorbed Master Roshi and got a bit more buff. Buu raised his fingers to his head and teleported to Gohan, trying to absorb him as well.

"No, I will not make the same mistake!" Gohan yelled and fired a massive blast that sent the Majin flying back.

"Grrrr!" Buu roared and launched toward Gohan, kicking him and sending him flying back.

"Damn it... My energy's getting low... I can't fight at full power!" Gohan grunted.

Android 18 raised her hands, and energy clones of herself formed. They all flew toward Majin Buu and detonated, stunning him briefly. "Now!"

Android 17 raised his hands and created many layers of massive, super barriers around Buu to contain him. "Everybody, we must combine our greatest attacks!"

He created an energy construct in the shape of a funnel that connected to Buu's cage. "Now, DO IT! We can resurrect the others later!"

Gohan, Goten, and Krillin all launched a Kamehameha into the funnel, and everybody else fired their own beams. The funnel concentrated it into one singular blast that hit Buu from within the cage and created a catastrophic explosion that sent everybody flying back. Everybody surrounded the crater, which had nothing in it. Gohan panted, the form draining his energy rapidly. "Did we... did we beat him? There's no way he could've survived it, right?"

"Guys!" They all turned toward Android 17, who tried to shake off the pink goo stuck to his leg. "No way... Could it be when I kicked him after he transformed?! Shit!"

The blob consumed and absorbed him as Super Buu reformed. He was even more powerful than before. He raised his hand, charging a blast. "It's time for you to die now."

Frieza, in his platinum form, raised two fingers and charged a death beam. "I'm afraid not, you mistake of nature." Out of nowhere, something rammed into Frieza, stunning him. "What?!"

Frost stepped forward, laughing. "Hello, Frieza. I've come to get my revenge on you for back in the tournament."

Frieza blinked, then chuckled. "Oh? And what can you do? You defeated my weakling of a father, so what?"

Frost roared, entering his Fifth Form. The emperor crossed his arms, unimpressed. "You can't even hope to scratch me in that form."

"I will wipe that smirk off your face!" The universe six Arcosian roared, entering his diamond form on top of it. His energy exploded, catching Frieza off guard.

"What the hell is that?" Frieza wondered, surprised. Frost leaped forward and slammed a punch in Frieza's face. The two went back and forth while the rest of the fighters took on Super Buu. Kale leaped up behind Super Buu, trying to blast him, but the Majin spun around and nailed her in the face, sending her spiraling back.

Android 18 sent energy clones toward him that detonated, but he walked through them, unphased. He raised two fingers and aimed them at Bergamo, launching a point-blank blast. The gray wolf tried to stop it, but it was powerful for him. "Damn it! I can't..."

Two other figures rushed over from behind him and kicked the blast away, shocking him. "Who–" Basil and Lavender stood next to him, powered up.

"Sorry, we were late," Basil said, lowering his leg. "That sorcerer bastard cut off all connections to the other universes after most of you arrived, but now he's distracted."

Cabba stood up, coughing blood. He looked to see Super Buu in a different state. "That guy... If he absorbs more people, he'll become unstoppable."

Gohan and Super Buu went back and forth, but the Saiyan slowed down, low on energy. The Majin tried to absorb him, but Goten kicked him away, grabbing his brother and retreating. "Take a moment to rest," he said, setting Gohan down. "We'll handle this."

White divine particles were circulating around Goten as he shouted. Gohan raised his hand, charging a blast. He fired a massive blast that headed toward Super Buu, but the Majin bent his body to avoid it before laughing. He launched toward Goten at incredible speeds and turned into a pink goo, almost surrounding him. Suddenly, Android 18 kicked him out of the way, being absorbed in his place.

"EIGHTEEN!" Krillin cried out, getting angry.

Goten stumbled back, seeing the Majin absorb her. Super Buu stood up and chuckled, walking toward the Saiyan. "Now then... I will turn you into candy!"

He launched a pink beam from his antenna, but another blast deflected it. His smile faded as he turned toward the source. It was Ribrianne, Kakunsa, Rozie, and Rylibeu. "Pretty Cannon!" Ribrianne yelled, launching a heart-shaped blast at the Majin, who took it, completely unaffected. In the distance, Dabura was still on the ground for some reason, unconscious, despite everybody else getting a boost. He seemed to be concentrating on powering up.

"Weak," Buu said, launching a simple blast that sent the four fighters flying back. Rylibeu grunted and flew up, an aura coating her. She launched toward Buu, trying to ram into him, but that was her biggest mistake. Buu yawned and fired a candy beam that hit her, turning her into chocolate. The chocolate retained its momentum, and the Majin caught it in his mouth, eating it. He raised his hand and launched many energy clones that flew toward the remaining three and detonated, injuring them. This was Android 18's technique.

"Time to end this. I'm bored," Buu said, raising his hand and charging a massive pink energy ball. "Not even worth turning to candy. Die."

He fired it down, and everybody watched in horror as it inched closer and closer. Suddenly, something sliced the blast clean in half. It exploded, and Buu looked in front of him, confused.

It was Dabura in a new form. "Finally... Thanks to that sorcerer being distracted, I was able to break free from both of their control."

The power boost he'd gotten finally kicked in, as he was in his new Demon God transformation. He had horns on his head, his skin was lighter colored, and he had a black cape. He raised his sword, which pulsated with energy. Majin Buu shouted and went to attack him, but Dabura vanished out of the way and sliced him into many bits.

"We will settle this now, brothers!" Bergamo said, charging a beam. "TRIANGLE... DANGER... BEAM!"

The three Trio de Dangers launched a combined, multi-colored blast that zoomed through the air, heading toward Majin Buu. It caught him off guard and consumed him, sending him back. Dabura glared at the wolves before vanishing behind Bergamo and shoving his sword through his chest, stunning him. The demon king smiled sadistically, pulling it out and dropping the gray wolf to the ground.

"I'm not here to help you, but to get my revenge. This battle is mine and mine alone," he said. "Do not interfere, or you will die."

To Be Continued in Chapter Twenty-Seven

A lot happens in this chapter. Two fights have concluded and two more have begun. Things are starting to get out of hand for our heroes. How will they be able to defeat Buu or Dabura?

Find out next time!

~ Scruffy

Chapter 27: The Wishful Companion

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

After killing Katopesla and losing to Gohan and the others, Cell resorted to absorbing Buu, but it went wrong for him. The Majin had negated the absorption using magic and absorbed the Bio-Android instead, giving him a great power-up. Frost finds Frieza and engaged in a battle against him. Buu would absorb Android 17, Android 18, and Rylibeu, before being attacked by Dabura in a new Demon God form.

Chapter Twenty-Seven - The Wishful Companion

The two wolf brothers watched in shock as Bergamo fell to the ground, gasping for air. "Consider that your only warning," Dabura said as he turned and walked back over to Super Buu. Basil and Lavender ran to their brother's side, trying to comfort him.

"Sorry, you two," Bergamo said with a strained voice. "It looks like this is where my days end."

The two teared up as they saw his life fade away. He closed his eyes, his energy disappearing. Lavender stood up, poison covering his entire body. He roared and ran toward Dabura like a feral animal at incredible speeds, foam dripping from his mouth.

"LAVENDER! NO!" Basil tried to stop him, but Lavender leaped up and attacked Dabura. The demon king swiped him away with ease, knocking him out while not batting an eye. He then turned around and leaped toward the remaining Trio de Dangers, attempting to slash them. Suddenly, Vegeta shot in the way in Super Saiyan White, catching the sword. He growled, his arm shaking. He charged an energy ball and slammed it into Dabura, sending him spiraling back.

The demon king stopped himself and saw Buu flying toward him from behind. He spun around and fired a blast of hellfire from his mouth to stop the Majin temporarily. He dashed toward Vegeta, but Goten got in the way and kicked him, catching him off guard. The demon growled and grabbed the Saiyan, throwing him into a mountain. Super Buu raised his hand and fired an energy beam toward the other fighters, sending them flying back.

Kale darted toward him and launched a barrage of green energy blasts, but he knocked them all away, rushing toward Kale and attempting to absorb her. Gohan shouted and entered his ultimate form, knocking her out of the way.

The Majin went to absorb Gohan instead, but he burst his aura, barely escaping the blob. "Damn it... I can't use my full power, only my Ultimate form. I stand no chance against him like this."

Buu chuckled, walking up to Gohan and reaching his hand out. "You will become part of me once again, Gohan. Accept your fate."

Out of nowhere, a blur slammed into Buu, stunning him for a split second. The figure grabbed Gohan and ran to a safe distance, setting him down. "You're..." Dyspo and the Pride Troopers flew in to assist the rest of the fighters. "The Pride Troopers!"

Ganos, Chappil, Caway, Mr. Popo, and Dende flew over as well, joining up with the groups. After them, Piccolo, Chi-Chi, Saonel, Pirina, Tien, Chiaotzu, Yamcha, and Jimizu joined in.

Ribrianne, Kakunsa, and Rosie flew over, having recovered from their initial battle alongside Hop and Murichim. Paparoni and Koichiarator ran over as well, joining the massive group. Dabura growled, coating his sword in fire. Buu turned toward all the fighters and smiled menacingly, his aura flaring up.

Piccolo stepped over and placed a hand on Gohan's shoulder, healing him and slowly restoring his energy. "Good job, Gohan. You've gotten more powerful than I could've imagined."

The Half-Saiyan chuckled. "The real battle hasn't even begun yet, Piccolo. We'll do this together, though."

Vegeta yelled, the sky flashing white for a split second. "Enough talk. Let's destroy these bastards!" He roared and launched forward, alongside everybody else. Over thirty fighters were flying all at once. They split up into two groups that took on Majin Buu and Dabura.

The Pride Troopers, Piccolo, Saonel, Pirina, Dende, Mr. Popo, Caway, Ganos, and Chappil fight Dabura, while the rest take on Buu.

Dabura yelled, leaping down toward them and bringing down his sword. Piccolo created a barrier, barely blocking the attack. Caway shot behind the demon king and swung a massive hammer made of energy, which shattered on impact. "Huh?!" The demon king spun around and kicked her, sending her crashing through the ground. Ganos yelled, launching electricity that Dabura simply walked through. He went to grab Ganos, but then Dyspo kicked his arm.

Chappil roared and launched a wave of fire, but Dabura then raised his fist and flew over, slamming it through his chest and paralyzing him. He kicked him away and punched Saonel to the ground.

Piccolo caught Chappil and threw him to Dende. "Dende, heal him! I'll take care of Dabura!"

He fired multiple Special Beam Cannons from his fingers that darted through the air, all of them flying toward Dabura. The demon king deflected them with his sword and dashed forward, ramming into the namekian and sending him flying. "AGHH!"

Mr. Popo went to strike Dabura in the gut with a powerful blow, but the demon king caught his punch and kicked him into a distant mountain. Kahseral and Kettol flew up toward Dabura, trying to slash him, but the demon king simply waved them away, sending them spiraling back. Tupper dropped on him from above, increasing his weight, but the demon king caught him, completely unaffected.

"Insects..." He grabbed Tupper and ripped his leg off, making him cry out in agony. Dabura then tossed him to the ground, knocking him unconscious. Pirina yelled and swung a punch, but Dabura swung Tupper's severed leg and hit him to knock him away. Piccolo stood up and shouted as two energy hands formed out of the ground and grabbed Dabura, trying to crush him. The demon king roared and burst his aura, shattering the hands. He coated his sword in hellfire and leaped toward Saonel, slashing through him.

Piccolo's eyes widened as he saw the namekian sliced in half, with hellfire consuming him. He got enraged after seeing one of his kind die. Everybody backed away from Dabura, horrified.

Pirina punched the ground, trying not to cry from his loss. "Damn it all..."

Energy shot from Piccolo, distracting everybody. He roared, a pillar of light going into outer space. The entire planet shook, with cracks spreading through the ground. He stood there in a new form. He now looked more like a dragon than before, with his antennae spiked up like horns. Thanks to Seji's teachings, he had unlocked Dragon God. A staff formed in his hand, with electricity dancing around him. Dabura smirked and leaped down to him, swinging his sword.

The namekian spun his staff and deflected his sword before kicking the demon king in the gut, causing him to cough up blood. "Ugh... What?! That's impossible!"

Piccolo back flipped and kicked Dabura up, damaging him. Dabura turned toward him and roared, firing a beam that forced the namekian to block. "A simple power-up is nothing! I am the demon king–no... The Demon God!"

He raised his hand, charging a full-power energy blast. The namekian stepped over to Dende and placed a hand on him. "Dende, I'll need to borrow your Dragon Balls."

"Why?" the guardian asked, confused.

Without responding, seven orbs flew down toward Piccolo, surrounding him. "Come forth, Shenron!"

The Dragon Balls of Earth glowed as a massive green dragon flew out of them, looking at Piccolo. "State your wish, and I shall grant it."

"I have only one wish, Shenron," Piccolo said. He spun his staff and raised it, a bright light emanating from it. Around him, the dragon balls shattered, but Shenron was somehow still there. "Be my companion in battle, and we will defeat them together."

The dragon's eyes widened, but he felt as if he could trust his new master. "As you wish."

Piccolo leaped onto his back and placed a hand on him. "Awaken, Shenron!"

A massive explosion of energy distracted everybody on the battlefield for a moment as Shenron's eyes turned golden and his claws grew sharper. He roared and flew down toward Dabura, ramming into him with his head. "GAHHHH!" The demon king flew through multiple mountains, each of them collapsing. Dende watched the battle in awe. "No way... He turned Shenron into a god! A companion!"

Shenron opened his mouth and charged up an attack. Piccolo did the same, as they both launched an enormous combined beam that hit Dabura, resulting in a massive explosion. Dabura fell to his knees before getting up and flying toward them. He teleported behind Shenron and went to slice his head off, but his sword only bounced off his scales. "What the?!"

Shenron spun around and whacked him with his tail, sending him flying back. Piccolo leaped off the dragon and slammed his staff down on Dabura, sending him spiraling down.

The dragon flew over and snatched Dabura in his mouth, piercing him with his teeth. The demon king yelled in pain, unable to fight back against the battle. Shenron charged a beam into his mouth, launching it toward the sky alongside Dabura. The beam slowly eradicated the demon king as he flew into space and collided with the sun, ending him for good.

Gohan and Goten swung a combined punch, nailing Buu in the face. Vegeta spread his hands and shouted, charging a dark blast. "ANTI-FINAL FLASH!"

A massive black beam shot through the air, bending reality around it. It slammed into Buu and nearly incinerated him. He growled and yelled, launching a Double Sunday that sent some of them flying back. Murichim created a barrier that partially blocked it, while Cabba and Kale flew toward Buu side by side and kicked him. Buu blocked both attacks and blasted them away, injuring them.

"Big Armor!" Ribrianne placed her hand on the ground, and strands of energy wrapped around Buu, trapping him in a heart-shaped cage of energy. Krillin raised his hand and launched a Destructo Disk through the cage that sliced the Majin in half, which he quickly regenerated from.

However, this was only a distraction, as Vegeta, Gohan, and Goten attacked him simultaneously, knocking him around. Buu hit his breaking point, and he roared, an explosion knocking everybody away. He slammed his foot on the ground, shattering it. White electricity surrounded him as he spread his hands, launching pink blobs everywhere. They formed weaker clones of himself, as they attacked everybody.

One by one, they started to absorb some fighters, increasing the Majin's power even further. Vegeta watched and growled, his aura spiking up. "Gohan, Goten, this guy will be unstoppable at this rate. I'll need you to lend me all of your energy!"

"That kind of power would be too much for you to handle, Vegeta!" Gohan replied. "Who's to say it won't fail?"

"Just trust me!" He snapped, his aura growing to full size. "Do it!"

Without any other option, Gohan and Goten powered up to their full power, placing a hand on Vegeta's shoulders and lending him all of their energy. Vegeta yelled, the sheer force of his voice cracking the ground. His muscles bulked up, and his aura destabilized. "I've been developing this technique, but it requires more energy than I can output!"

The rocks around him rose from the ground as he charged a full-power beam. "ANTI... FLARE!"

He fired it, and the attack rapidly flashed white and black. It split into many homing, smaller blasts that surrounded Buu and hit him, leveling the area. Vegeta powered down, panting heavily. Clouds of smoke dissipated as Buu still stood there, reforming. The prince fell to his knees, defeated. "I... I can't move! My body..."

Buu flew up to him and kicked him in the chest, cracking his ribs. He coughed up blood and tumbled back, crashing into a rock. Vegeta then looked to see him absorbing Gohan and Goten. "Damn it..."

The Majin absorbed the rest of the fighters who tried to escape, leaving only him. He rose into the air, his presence disturbing the entire universe. "Looks like I'm the winner. Time to die, Vegeta." He raised his hand, charging a blast. Suddenly, a massive dragon slammed into him and sent him spiraling back. Vegeta looked to see Piccolo riding... Shenron? No, that wasn't possible.

Piccolo was in his Dragon God form, having just defeated Dabura. Shenron let out an ear-piercing roar, flying toward Buu. The Majin shouted and slammed his fist on its snout, knocking him down.

Shenron recovered and growled, firing a beam at Buu. The Majin yelled and swiped his arm, knocking it to the side. He flew toward Piccolo, who vanished out of the way before he could be absorbed. The namekian vanished behind him and yelled, slamming his staff down. Buu grunted and rubbed his head before swiping at Piccolo, who leaped out of the way. "Insect!"

Piccolo darted around him, planting markings on the ground around the Majin. Buu destroyed some of the ground where they were, but more markings took their place. He got impatient and leaped toward the namekian, but he pushed him back with his staff.

Piccolo leaped back and placed a hand on the ground, patterns connecting all the markings. "This technique is normally used for removing and scattering an opponent's energy, but I will repurpose it here."

A bright light engulfed Buu, and he yelled, bunches of lights shooting out of him and onto the markings. Master Roshi got up, rubbing his head. "Oh, my... What just happened?"

Gohan coughed, and Goten helped him up. "We're safe... But how?"

Vegeta looked over and gasped as he saw Raditz, Babidi, and Cell stand up from the ground, fully restored thanks to being in Buu. Piccolo went over to Vegeta and placed a hand on him, healing him. However, the namekian started to feel exhausted. He panted slightly as Vegeta got up and transformed into Super Saiyan White. "Tch... Wait here."

"Vegeta–" Piccolo was about to say something, but the prince dashed over toward Kid Buu, who noticed him and widened his eyes. Vegeta roared and launched a full-power beam that immediately incinerated the Majin, leaving no trace left.

Cell immediately rushed over but stopped in place as he felt a dark force overcoming him. He gripped his head, grunting. "What the hell is this?!"

Babidi cackled, taking control of him and Raditz. With little trouble, he turned them into his servants. Majin symbols appeared on their heads, and they walked in front of the wizard to protect him. "You there, absorb the Saiyan," Babidi ordered. Cell bowed his head toward him, and Raditz tried to resist, but the wizard used his magic to restrain him. The Bio-Android absorbed the Saiyan and transformed, now being more powerful than ever.

Gohan glanced at Vegeta, and the two knew what they needed to do. "Well, there's a first time for everything."

They began to do the Fusion Dance, and their fingertips connected as a new warrior appeared. The fusion opened its eyes. "We... are Gohgeta."

Cell darted forward and yelled, launching a Kamehameha. The fusion knocked it away with the back of his hand, completely unphased. The Bio-Android barraged him with a set of punches, but Gohgeta stopped them with the palm of his hand. He yelled and slammed a punch in Cell's gut, sending him spiraling back into Babidi and also sending him flying. Cell clenched his gut, getting increasingly angry. "How?! I've become even more perfect than I intended my project to be!"

Gohgeta vanished in front of Cell and grabbed him by the neck, throwing him up in the air. "It's time to end this for good. We have other matters to tend to."

He roared, launching a massive yellow blast. "FINAL... MASENKO!" Cell cried out as the blast consumed him and broke him apart, destroying him for good.

Babidi took a step back, horrified. "No! I cannot die again! I cannot go back to Hell!"

He tried to run away, but the fusion placed a finger on his head, stopping him in place. "Maybe you'll learn your lesson this time, Babidi. Think about your mistakes in Hell."

He threw the wizard up and blasted him, completely incinerating him. Gohgeta lowered his hand and stepped toward the fighters. "Looks like we had some casualties during the battle. Come, everyone. Let's settle this war." Everybody cheered as they all flew off toward the battle with the gods.

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Fallout (Choir)]

Meanwhile, Goku Black and Jiren went back and forth, the former having unlocked a new transformation. They clashed elbows, and Goku Black laughed, as his hair was longer. "What do you think of this form, mortal? A true spectacle, is it not?" He had unlocked Super Saiyan Rosé 3. Jiren grunted and kicked him in the gut, sending him flying down.

Black landed on his feet, skidding back. He created a scythe using his energy and leaped up, going to slice Jiren's head off. Caulifla got in the way and entered Super Saiyan Blue, deflecting his weapon.

Zamasu did his best to fend off Hit and Obuni, but it was a struggle, even with his new boost. He sliced into Obuni's arm, but Hit used his time skip and kicked him back, stunning him. He saw many orbs floating in the surrounding air as beams traveled across them at an insane speed, piercing through the kai. "AGH!"

Black vanished next to him and deflected the rest of the beams, launching a blast that sent Harmira flying. "There's only one thing we can resort to. You know what it is."

Zamasu smirked as he put on an earring, with his counterpart doing the same. They glowed and collided with each other, a beam of energy shooting up. The new fusion hovered in the air, having longer hair than the original.

"The true god of this multiverse has arrived," he said, raising his hand. He fired a volley of powerful red energy blasts toward the fighters, forcing them to dodge. Jiren slid his foot back and swung a punch, the pressure of the attack traveling through the air and toward the fusion. Zamasu blocked it with one arm, hardly phased by the attack. Hit shot in front of him and went to kick him, but a white barrier of light blocked his attack, confusing him.

The fusion shouted, swinging his arm and launching the assassin away. Caulifla flew up to him and launched a beam at him, but he walked through it, grabbing the Saiyan and electrocuting her. "GAHHH!"

Fused Zamasu then kicked her into a portal, which led behind Obuni, resulting in a collision between the two. Harmira stood up and yelled, launching a laser toward the god, but he deflected it with his finger. Zamasu went through a portal and appeared behind Prum, slashing his back. Zamasu then looked up, and his eyes widened to see a fist collide with his face. Jiren, with his other hand, charged a red Ki blast and blasted the fusion into the atmosphere.

The Pride Trooper leaped above him and kicked him down to the ground with his two legs, resulting in a gigantic crater. Zamasu coughed up spit and stood up, clenching his fists. "I will not lose again to a mere mortal! I am... GOD!"

He roared, lightning dancing around him. He materialized blocks of Katchin out of thin air, launching them toward Jiren. The warrior powered up and shouted, shattering all of them with a single punch. The force of the attack was so potent that it reached Zamasu and knocked him to the ground. "It's over. You stand no chance against me."

Zamasu got up, his eyes flashing white. "You-"

He suddenly paused, feeling massive red eyes stare down at him. The fusion shakily looked around, seeing a projection of Qhuteus placing a hand on his shoulder. "You're the only one who can stop those fools from delaying my plans. I will give you a small boost in power, well... Small in my terms. Succeed, and you will become a god in the new multiverse."

Zamasu grunted, feeling a massive amount of energy radiating from him. He yelled, a force of wind knocking even Jiren back. Everybody on the battlefield watched as Zamasu's figure changed. His skin turned a paler blue, and his hair glowed brighter. He opened his eyes, and they looked as if he were in Ultra Instinct, but red. "As you wish, master..."

To Be Continued in Chapter Twenty-Eight

I hope you enjoyed this new chapter! I wanted to get things really moving along in this arc, which explains a load of content in this chapter. The battles will be over soon, and the main event will begin.

~ Scruffy

Chapter 28: The Suspense

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

After defeating Cell, Raditz, Babidi, and Buu, the rest of the fighters flew off to assist the gods in the battle against Omesus and Zateus. Zamasu lost to Jiren, but Qhuteus gave him one last chance to stop the fighters from further delaying his plans, thus giving him a tremendous boost in power. Will the fusion be able to succeed in stopping our heroes, or will he fall under their combined power? Find out now.

Chapter Twenty-Eight - The Suspense

Jiren vanished next to Zamasu, swinging his fist. The fusion caught his punch and uppercut him, sending tremors throughout the area. He spun around and kicked the Pride Trooper, sending him flying through a massive rock. Hit used his time skip and landed a blow on Zamasu's chest, irritating him. He leaped back and raised his hand, a purple outline surrounding Zamasu and stopping him in his tracks. "I've got him trapped in my Time Cage. Do it!"

Caulifla yelled, powering up once again. She leaped forward, firing an energy beam at the god, but he simply raised his hand, breaking out of the time cage and deflecting it.

He vanished behind the Saiyan and went to slice her in half with an energy blade, but a hand caught it. He turns to see Gohgeta holding it. "You... That energy..."

Jiren dashed forward in his full power, nailing Zamasu in the back with no effect. Gohgeta roared and spun around, swinging a kick at his face. Fused Zamasu blocked the attack and shouted, sending the fusion away with a beam of light. Gohgeta entered his full power and appeared next to him, nailing him in the face with a kick and sending him flying across the entire battlefield. Omesus turned around just to be hit by Zamasu, skidding back. "What the hell?!"

Whis turned toward Gohgeta in the distance, raising his eyebrows. "Oh, my. That's new."

[Music: Revenger - Lux-Inspira]

Beerus smirked as he saw an entire group of fighters fly toward them, joining them. "It's about damn time."

Seji watched as Piccolo landed next to him, panting. "I came as fast as I could, master. Zamasu's the only one left." Kale, Cabba, Hop, Murichim, Ribrianne, Chappil, Paparoni, the Pride Troopers, Yamcha, Chiaotzu, and many more arrived.

Gohgeta and Goten landed next to the gods and angels, getting into a fighting stance. Champa turned in time to catch a body. It was Frost's battered body. Frieza stepped forward, chuckling. "He's quite the formidable one."

The god of destruction growled, tossing the body to the ground. "Bastard... Whose side are you on?!"

"Oh, he isn't dead yet," the emperor replied, smiling. "You best get one of your angels to heal him, though. He's fading quite quickly."

"I'll handle this," Whis said, walking forward. He spun his staff and tapped it on the ground, healing everybody and restoring their energy. "Goodness, that was quite a bit."

Omesus grabbed Zamasu by the neck, slowly crushing it. "It looks like you've failed to be useful. What a shame."

A projection of Qhuteus appeared behind Omesus, shocking the Saiyan. "I gave him a boost to act as a catalyst for our... plan... He has immortality, after all."

Omesus grunted, dropping the fusion to the ground. "Don't get in my way."

Seething in rage, Zamasu roared and kicked him in the gut, sending him flying through a mountain. This shocked all the fighters. "Don't you dare talk down on me, you damn mortal!" he yelled, his eyes flickering white. "I will be the one to handle this myself."

The projection of Qhuteus glared down on him, freezing him in place. "Don't be mistaken, puny kai. If you interfere with our plan—"

"You have no power over me!" The fusion replied, swiping his hand through the projection. "After all, you're distracted by your fight with Son Goku. I'll put you all in your place myself."

The distant mountain exploded as Omesus dashed toward Zamasu and swung a punch, forcing the fusion to block. He grunted, the sheer force of it nearly breaking his arm. The fusion yelled and created a massive Ki blade, going to slice Omesus's arm off, but the brute avoided it by launching a blast at him with his other arm. "Tch… Qhuteus shouldn't have given him this boost. What was he thinking?"

"Save your energy for the others," Zateus said, walking up to Zamasu. "I'll handle this one."

Zamasu suddenly felt a pair of red eyes staring at him. He froze as Zateus walked up to him and pinned him by his arms with one hand. "We'll handle you later. Do not interfere."

The fusion tried to kick his leg, but he didn't budge. "Tch... Damn you!" Omesus launched toward the fighters in his Legendary Super Saiyan form. Broly powered up as well, launching toward the Saiyan God and clashing a punch with him. The ground split apart, with an explosion sending many of the fighters back.

Omesus roared and kicked Broly in the gut, sending him flying back. "GAH!"

The Pride Troopers swarmed Omesus, barraging him with attacks. He waved his hand, sending them flying with little effort. Tien flew above him, yelling. "KI-KO-HO!" The massive blast slammed into Omesus, but it didn't affect him at all. He vanished in front of Tien and went to grab him, but then Trunks deflected his attack. "Oh?"

The two landed on the ground in front of each other. Trunks shouted, entering Super Saiyan Blue. "Looks like Goten finally broke his limits. I'll go all out as well!" He roared, the terrain exploding under him. Gohgeta's eyes widened as his aura turned dark blue and wavy. The young Saiyan entered Super Saiyan Blue Evolution, with a bright light engulfing the area.

Goten landed next to him in Super Saiyan God Evolution, and the two darted side by side, barraging the Saiyan God. He parried their attacks, his face expressionless. "You two have superb skills for your age, but we are enemies, unfortunately."

He clapped his hands, sending a shock wave that sent the two Saiyans flying. Toppo ran forward, entering his destroyer form. He roared and swung a punch, which Omesus blocked, his arm shaking slightly. Jiren vanished in front of him with his full power, slamming a punch into his gut. Omesus coughed up spit, surprised by the attack. He then roared, the force of his aura alone sending the Pride Troopers away.

Chi-Chi yelled and kicked him, which did absolutely nothing. He went to flick her, but Krillin pushed her to the side and dove under the attack, launching a Kamehameha.

Omesus knocked the blast away with the back of his hand, launching Krillin back with a simple blast. Frieza leaped up and front flipped, kicking him in the chest. The brute tumbled back, giving an opening for Gohgeta, who fired a Galick Gun. "DAAGHH!" The brute flew back through multiple mountains, the prince's pure power knocking him down for a brief moment. Everybody dashed toward the Saiyan, but he stood up, entering Super Saiyan White.

Gohgeta leaped toward Omesus, but Zateus got in the way and blocked his attack. "You're going to be fighting me, fusion."

Gohgeta entered his full power: his Ultimate form mixed with god ki and white divine energy. He charged up and launched blasts out of his feet, flying toward Zateus at full velocity. He fired a Masenko that the evil god blocked, skidding back. "Hm... A unique transformation you have."

The brute waved his hand, and a burst of wind hit Gohgeta, stunning him. Frieza roared, launching a barrage of death beams that Omesus deflected with his finger. "What the?! That can't be!"

Omesus vanished behind him and nailed him in the side of the head with a punch, sending him tumbling back. "You remind me of somebody I met a long, long time ago in my early days. Someone like you."

The emperor grunted, getting off the ground and pushing his limits. "Damn it... Even in my platinum form... I WILL NOT YIELD!"

He darted forward, swinging a kick, but the Saiyan caught it, staring at him. "Ah, I remember now. The Frost Demon King, Qube. Sentenced to erasure by the Grand Priest for killing the gods of destruction."

Frieza grunted and kicked him in the shin, making him let go. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Qube was a powerful being, maybe even more powerful than I was," Omesus replied. "He gave birth to the Frost Demon race, a race too powerful for the multiverse. They ruled over many universes and even killed some gods of destruction in protest. Daishinkan himself had to step in."

He turned toward Daishinkan, who observed the battle from a distance. "They nearly went extinct, but they still seem to linger to this day. Why don't you perhaps join me, emperor? Frost Demons are known for their sense of superiority. You will be a god."

Frieza paused, and Omesus turned toward the others. "The decision is yours. You could build your empire with no interference."

The emperor recalled his previous failures, all starting on Planet Namek, where Son Goku obtained the Super Saiyan transformation against him. He later died to another one of his kind, but was resurrected years later after obtaining his golden form, only to lose the battle again.

Even with Broly, he still wasn't able to win. With these Saiyans around, he wouldn't have a chance to do anything. He'd been desperate for years to destroy them. Goten stood up and leaped forward toward Omesus, but Frieza stepped in the way and kicked him down to the ground, stunning him. Omesus chuckled, walking toward the rest of the fighters. "Very well."

Trunks clench his fists, running toward the emperor. "TRAITOR!" He yelled and launched a blast that Frieza blocked and knocked away. "I was never on your side. I only agreed to help the monkey because we both share a common interest. We both want our obstacles gone."

Frieza raised his hand and created a Ki blade. "Honestly, even the evil gods are too merciful. Allow me to demonstrate." He vanished behind Hop and stabbed the blade through her heart, shocking everybody. He pumped energy into her, which resulted in a gigantic explosion. "One down... Many more to go."

The emperor smiled coldly toward the rest, who flew after him, yelling. Kunshi tried to entangle him with ropes, but Frieza leaped above the Pride Trooper and stabbed him in the chest, doing the same thing he did to Hop.

Another explosion ensued, and the other heroes watched in shock as he cackled. "Two down... Who's next?"

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Stallion]

Good Buu leaped forward, yelling. He swung a punch, but Frieza dove and stabbed the blade into him, pumping energy into him and causing an explosion. "HA HA HA HA!"

Buu reformed, wrapping himself around Frieza to restrain him. "What the?!"

Android 18 created energy clones and sent them toward Frieza, which exploded on contact. He grunted and burst his aura, breaking out of Buu's grip. He back flipped, with burn marks on his body. "Tch..."

"KAMEHAMEHA!" Krillin and Master Roshi fired a combined blast, but Frieza whacked it away with his tail and ran forward at insane speeds, grabbing Krillin by the face and slamming him to the ground. Omesus plowed through some other fighters, injuring them. Master Roshi launched a Kamehameha, which he dashed through and sent the human flying.

Goten and Trunks stood side-by-side, watching the carnage go on. "There's only one option left, Trunks."

Trunks nodded in agreement as the two started performing a familiar dance. "FUU... SION... HA!"

Their fingertips connected, and an explosion of energy distracted both Frieza and Omesus. A ray of light beamed out as Gotenks walked forward, his hair half red and half dark blue. White divine energy particles swirled around him, far more intense than before. "Alright!"

Without giving Frieza the chance to react, the fusion grabbed him and threw him into Omesus, launching him back as well. "What is this force?!"

Omesus dashed forward, barraging the fusion, but Gotenks blocked the attacks, stepping back and slamming a punch in his face, stunning him. Frieza vanished behind and tried to blast him, but Gotenks leaped up with great versatility, wrapping a Galactic Donut around the emperor. Omesus roared, launching forward at full speed. He entered full power and went to grab Gotenks, but Whis vanished in front of him and knocked his hand away with his staff.

"Buy me some time to use my ultimate attack!" Gotenks said as he inhaled all the way and blew what looked like steam out of his mouth, slowly forming something.

"As you wish," the angel replied, as the rest of them flew forward and attacked Omesus, keeping him occupied. Daishinkan summoned his staff and moved toward the battle between Gohgeta and Zateus, preparing to help them out. Omesus yelled, punching the angels back. Broly stood up after being knocked out for a moment and roared, his aura exploding. He powered up, with a dark green aura consuming him. He opened his eyes, and they glowed red.

His aura waved back and forth like a fire. He growled, almost having full control of the state. He flew up and rammed into Omesus, knocking the wind out of him. "How is this possible...? Losing to my kind? Something's not right..."

He darted back, watching everybody get closer to him. "How could the mortals have gotten as strong, no, stronger than the angels themselves? What powerful being could've done something like that? Daishinkan was preoccupied with Son Goku."

Omesus then noticed somebody in the corner of his eye. He glanced down to see Seji, and his eyes widened, sweat going down his face. "Could he... have done it?! The son of Zalama, the dragon god? But why would he..?"

Gotenks chuckled as he waved his hand, a massive, transparent figure moving toward the Saiyan god. "What the hell is that?!"

"This is... the Ultimate Ghost Kamikaze Attack!" The fusion yelled as a massive ghost crashed down on Omesus, detonating. The resulting explosion was catastrophic. Omesus fell to the ground with burn marks all over his body. He was severely damaged by Gotenks's attack.

"I can't win against them, even in my full power... Zateus, forgive me. I couldn't bring true peace by destroying the gods," Omesus muttered.

He slowly looked up to see Seji walking up to him. "I know who taught you how to use your true power."

The Saiyan god's eyes widened. "Lies... You're lying!"

"Your true master... was my father, Zalama," Seji said, as everybody fell silent for a moment. "My father allowed your escape from the wrath of the gods and taught you and Zateus how to use your true powers."

"How do you know this?!" Omesus asked, swinging a punch, but Seji dodged it, his expression unchanged.

"... He just told me," Seji revealed.

The Saiyan's anger faded, and he lowered his fist. "What...? He's... alive?"

Seji raised his staff, charging a blast. "You were misguided ever since your closest friend's death by the hands of the gods. And now, I shall pass the same judgment on you."

A blur shot by in an instant, surprising Seji. Zateus had grabbed Omesus, flying to a safe place. "Are you okay, Omesus?"

"I'm fine," the Saiyan God replied. "He... he knows about our past. Zalama told him."

Zateus's eyes widened, and he turned toward Seji, getting increasingly enraged. Suddenly, Gohgeta vanished in front of him and went to attack, but he split back apart into Vegeta and Gohan, surprising the two. Zamasu got up and laughed, his energy rising. "Finally, I am free! Time to die, mortal–"

A dark glob of energy surrounded him and restrained him, shocking him. "What the?!"

He turned his head to see a figure forming behind him. It was... Abysus. "I'll do my father's work while I heal. You're not going anywhere."

"HAAAA!" Zateus shouted and sent the fighters out of the planet's atmosphere with a flick of his wrist. Daishinkan took a step forward and zoomed in front of Zateus, slamming his staff down on him. The evil god grunted, blocking the attack. "You didn't fuse with your angels, and yet you're this strong?"

He roared and sent a burst of energy that sent the Grand Priest skidding back. He leaped forward as the two clashed back and forth, their power tearing part of the surface apart.

Zateus closed his eyes and flickered into Ultra Instinct, zapping Daishinkan away with an electric blast. The angels flew up toward him, attacking him, but his eyes turned red, and all of them fell to the ground, grunting. He used his Judgement Lock, freezing everybody in their place. Many passed out completely, unable to comprehend his power. "It's time to finish this battle."

Zateus raised his hand and charged up a blast, its very presence shaking the multiverse. Rays of light illuminated the galaxy. "You may have gotten stronger, but so have I..."

He threw the blast, the entire universe warping slightly. Daishinkan stood up and entered Ultra Instinct Stage 2, smiling. "You may be the first mortal and have bested me twice..." He walked forward, his staff glowing brightly. "But... I am the attendant of Lord Zeno. I have been training with the most powerful mortal to ever exist for two thousand years."

Daishinkan spun his staff and slammed it on the ground, a giant energy avatar manifesting around him. "Allow me to show you how much better I've become!"

The avatar blocked Zateus's attack, surprising him. "Now... Let's begin our rematch, Zateus. Do not hold back."

Goku and Qhuteus flew toward one another and clashed with their fists, causing an explosion of energy that affected the order of the entire multiverse. Cracks opened on the earth's surface, with a bit of lava pouring out. "I'm quite impressed with your raw power," Qhuteus said. "We've been fighting like this for half an hour. Why don't we kick things up a notch?"

Goku roared as his aura sparkled and glowed. He instantly appeared in front of Qhuteus, launching a Kamehameha. An invisible barrier stopped the attack, and Qhuteus cackled, swiping the Saiyan away.

The Saiyan stopped, grunting. "You're strong, Qhuteus. I'm only getting started, though!"

He raised his finger, and millions of Ki, God Ki, and White Divine orbs appeared above him. He fired all the attacks toward the sorcerer, who knocked them away without moving. They went toward each other again and clashed elbows, another massive shock wave shifting the universes. Qhuteus raised his hand, covering it with a strange, ominous red energy.

"What the–" He slammed it into Goku, making him cough up blood. Dark red electricity stabbed through Goku, shocking him. The sheer force of it pushed him back, crashing into the landscape and splitting it in half, knocking all the fighters back.

"I've discovered a certain power of my unknown species," Qhuteus said, lowering his hand. "The ability to manifest dark energy is something I don't even know much about, but it's capable of damaging anything. Perhaps it's something even greater than your white divine power."

Goku teleported behind him, shocking him. The Saiyan roared and swung his fist, landing it on the sorcerer and sending him flying back. Daishinkan leaped toward Zateus, a glowing blue trail following him.

He entered Stage 2 and appeared above Zateus, slamming him to the ground with his staff. He went to finish him, but Zateus kicked his staff away, nailing him in the gut with a kick. The Grand Priest skidded back, retrieving his staff. "Looks like Goku-san's battle has picked up as well. This is your last battle, Zateus. It's time to put an end to billions of years of conflict."

To Be Continued in Chapter Twenty-Nine

The arc is getting close to its peak! I've been excited to write the main battles. I will see you in the next chapter!

~ Scruffy

Chapter 29: The Desolation

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

After fighting the resurrected enemies, our heroes banded together to take on the mortals beyond the levels of gods, known as Abysus, Omesus, and Zateus. The fight between Goku and Qhuteus is heating up, becoming more and more intense. Will Earth, let alone the multiverse, be able to handle the growing intensity? Find out now.

Chapter Twenty-Nine - The Desolation

[Music: I Am Unbreakable by Niklas Johansson - [Metal Rock, Action Music]]

Zateus raised his fist, covering it with white divine energy. He leaped up and yelled, swinging it at Daishinkan. The angel raised his staff to block the attack, skidding back. "Grah!" The Grand Priest sent a blast of energy out of his staff that caused Zateus to stumble. Daishinkan then spun his staff and rapidly jabbed at the evil god's chest, knocking him back. Zateus growled and shouted, grabbing his staff and snapping it in half.

He swung a punch down at Daishinkan, but he flipped out of the way, launching an anti-matter blast that sent his opponent flying. Zateus grunted, skidding back, as the Grand Priest then teleported behind him and slammed him to the ground with a kick.

Zateus chuckled, closing his eyes, and entered Ultra Instinct Stage 2 in an instant. "Very well. I will fight you seriously, Daishinkan." The two dashed at each other and clashed elbows, causing an explosion that broke a chunk off the planet's surface. Omesus watched on, but he saw some fighters charging toward him from the corner of his eye.

"Tch..." He yelled and powered up into Super Saiyan White, raising his fists. Jimizu used Instant Transmission to teleport behind him, but he nailed the Yardratian in the face without looking, knocking him out.

Roselle and Rylibeu dove toward him, firing a combined energy blast, but he flicked it back, knocking them out of the sky. Broly clenched his fists and leaped forward, clashing a punch with the Saiyan god.

Jiren dove behind Omesus, punching him with full force. It didn't make him move, but it annoyed him. Omesus roared and burst his aura. It was so dense that it acted as its own force field. Good Buu and Maji Kayo slithered toward him, attempting to surround him, but it was no good with his powerful aura. He leaped forward and slammed his fist in Caulifla's face, sending her tumbling back.

Gotenks dashed past the others, ramming into Omesus. "GUH!"

Vegeta shouted and tried to kick him from the side, but the brute blocked it, his arm shaking. "Why, you...!"

Piccolo leaped on Shenron and flew forward. All the fighters got out of the way in time for Omesus to be met with Shenron. The dragon went to ram into him, but he raised both of his hands and skidded back, slowing its momentum. The rest of the other fighters barraged him, making it more difficult for him to stand his ground. "FROST DEMON!"

Frieza smirked and dashed toward the rest of the fighters, launching a death ball that sent many of them flying. Frost powered up into his diamond form and rushed at his enemy, trying to stab him with a Ki blade. Frieza deflected it and shoved a hand through Frost's chest, stunning him and knocking him to the ground. Gohan tried to grab the emperor, but because of his weakened state after the fusion, he wasn't able to match him.

The emperor spun around and kicked him into Murichim, putting the two of them out of commission. Paparoni smirked and hovered in the air, a bright light engulfing him and Koichiarator.

Anilaza formed and roared, launching a massive mouth beam at Frieza, who blocked it, chuckling. "This is nothing." Piccolo jumped down from Shenron and kicked Frieza to the ground, causing a small crater to form. "What the?!"

"I knew not to trust you from the start," the namekian said, before repeatedly slamming his foot on the emperor's chest. Frieza coughed up spit before yelling and flaring up his aura.

He punched the namekian in the face, stunning him. "DIE!" He raised his finger, firing a death beam. Shenron pushed Piccolo out of the way as the beam pierced him. The dragon fell to the ground, grunting. Seeing this, Piccolo got enraged and yelled, rushing forward and slamming a kick into Frieza, knocking him across the landscape.

He knocked the Frost Demon back and forth, and the emperor completely couldn't fight back. Piccolo raised his hand, glowing lights appearing at the tips of his fingertips and palm.

"Special Be-" Omesus rushed forward and elbowed Piccolo in the head, knocking him back. "GAH!"

Frieza panted, getting off the ground. "I didn't need your help."

"I do not abandon my companions, even if I haven't known them for long," the brute replied, punching Kakunsa back. "The end of the gods is near."

The frost demon scoffed, holding his gut. "As long as I get to be the one to kill those two colorful Omni King brats and those two other monkeys, I'll be satisfied."

Daishinkan rapidly barraged Zateus with precise movements, but he countered most of them as his face remained expressionless. "It will remain the same outcome as the last two times, Daishinkan. I did not plan to make your death painful, but you're leaving me with little choice."

He closed his eyes and inhaled, energy drawing toward him. The Grand Priest glanced up with his enhanced vision to see the surrounding galaxies drawing toward the Milky Way. The evil god raised his hand, and all of that energy gathered in his palm. The orb pulsated with energy and had gravitational lensing around it. It slowly chipped away at the surrounding reality. "Farewell, Daishinkan."

Seji saw the attack, and his eyes widened. He slammed his staff on the ground, a barrier surrounding every individual. "RUN!"

[MUSIC STOP]

"Cosmic Ravaging," Zateus said, launching a beam that sent everybody flying, even disrupting Goku and Qhuteus's battle. A pure white beam traveled across the planet's surface, vaporizing it.

Vegeta and Gohan watched in shock as they, along with many other fighters, were in the attack's path. "SHIT!" The beam collided with them and traveled through outer space, erasing stars and galaxies in its path. It kept going until it dispersed right before it left the universe.

Everybody's ears rang, and Goku watched in horror at the devastation caused to his planet. Most of the surface was covered in charred rocks and lava. "What have you... done? They're all..."

He turned to see four familiar figures in the smoke cloud. It dispersed, as all four of Zeno's guards had arrived just in time. Zateus's eyes widened, sweat going down the side of his face. "No... Not them..." All the fighters stood up, still alive, thanks to the guards. The other Zeno stepped forward, angry at the evil gods. He raised one finger and pointed to his counterpart in the cage.

"Free him," he ordered.

"Yes, sir!" All four guards flew forward at full speed, dashing past Zateus and Omesus in an instant. They yelled and punched the cage, completely shattering it. Qhuteus growled at the sight of this, crossing his arms.

"Well, well... Now I have to deal with two of them," he muttered. Seji yelled and powered up into his Dragon God form, vanishing next to Piccolo and placing a hand on his chest, healing him.

"Come, Piccolo. We need you to help us."

Piccolo grunted and got up, powering back up next to his master. "It looks like we've got reinforcements. We need to put an end to this war for good."

Omesus dashed forward toward them, yelling and covering his fist in white divine energy. "It's time to end your bloodline! You dishonor Zalama-sensei!"

Piccolo leaped forward and shouted, swinging his staff and clashing with the brute. Seji raised his fist as the ground broke apart. "Come forth, Konton!" Everybody on the battlefield heard a roar, and a colossal black dragon landed behind the sage. "It is good to see you once again, old friend."

Seji leaped on Konton's back, and it roared, rushing forward. Each step broke the ground, causing more lava to spew out. Omesus knocked Piccolo back, but then Konton bit down on the Saiyan. "GAHHHH!"

Blood went down his body, dripping on the ground. He yelled, punching the dragon's snout, but it only angered it. Its mouth glowed as it fired Omesus into space with a beam.

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Never Back Down]

He crashed into the moon, completely shattering it into pieces. He coughed up blood, panting heavily. "Zateus, I will not... fail my mission! I'm sorry, old friend, but... I have to use my ultimate attack." Omesus darted down toward Earth, a sparkling white trail following him. His power increased beyond anything he'd ever felt before, and his hair grew longer. "This was a transformation I failed to master. A power even beyond my true form. If I use it at full power, I'll die."

He entered the atmosphere, and his aura encased him completely, forming a white dragon with red eyes. The attack resembled Super Shenron himself. "This is... my trump card!"

Seji's eyes widened, and Omesus flew down toward him, clashing with Konton. The sage yelled, nearly falling off his companion. Konton growled, skidding back from the force of his attack. Suddenly, Shenron roared and rammed his head into Omesus, assisting Konton with stopping the technique. Seji glanced over to see Piccolo next to him, his hands raised. Despite their efforts, the Saiyan God continued to overpower them, damaging their companions.

The rest of the gods watched from below. Beerus clenched his fists, his destruction aura surrounding him. "Ever since Abysus, I haven't been able to do anything..."

The gods of destruction around him flew over to Piccolo and Seji, doing their best to help them. Beerus closed his eyes and remembered one thing Whis taught him millions of years ago. A god of destruction's duty is to help maintain order in the multiverse, Whis had said. You must remain strong.

He had destroyed his entire race because of their threat to the universe. He could never live down that trauma. Before then, he was dedicated to his role as a god and worked as hard as he could to make sure Universe Seven flourished. But when his race became corrupt over time and threatened the universe, he had to do the hardest thing of his life, and that was to eliminate them, even his own family. Since then, he has become a shell of his former self.

He opened his eyes, and his pupils glowed white. Beerus's power exploded, much to the surprise of Whis and some other angels. It was his fault that his universe had fallen from grace, and now he would not let it be destroyed.

His destructive aura distorted and turned white. He roared, the ground under him vaporizing. Whis's eyes widened. "Could it be...? Beerus has unlocked the power no other god of destruction has been able to." The white divine energy flowed through Beerus's veins, mixing with his destruction ki. He yelled, launching forward and vanishing in front of Piccolo and Seji on Konton's head, surprising them. On one hand, Beerus summoned destruction energy. In the other, he summoned white divine energy.

He pressed them together and amplified the power of destruction. He raised his hand, black electricity shooting everywhere. "True Hakai."

The earth pulsated as a massive glowing beam shot out of Beerus's hand, completely stopping Omesus. He yelled, his body crumbling from the amplified destruction ki. Omesus looked down at Beerus and shed a tear before vaporizing in the destroyer's beam. Beerus lowered his hand, then closed his eyes and fell from the dragon, plummeting toward the ground.

Whis darted over and caught him, carrying him to safety. "Well done, my lord. You've prevailed against one of our greatest enemies."

Zateus stared at the place where Omesus died with wide eyes. He stood there, completely paralyzed. "O... Omesus..."

Daishinkan raised his hand, the two halves of his staff reconnecting. He picked it up and leaped forward toward Zateus, yelling. He went to jab it at the evil god, but Zateus stopped it with his hand, still staring at the spot. Abysus vanished beside Zateus and yelled, slamming a punch into Daishinkan's face and sending him tumbling back. "Father, get a hold of yourself!"

White divine energy exploded around Zateus as his stage 2 flickered a bit, slightly going out of control. He glowed and launched toward Daishinkan. He grabbed the Grand Priest and slammed him to the ground, releasing an explosion from his body that damaged both of them.

Goku launched himself toward Qhuteus, firing a Kamehameha toward the sorcerer. Qhuteus smirked and opened his mouth, eating the blast and spitting it back at him. The Saiyan raised his arms to block the attack, flying back. Goku clapped his hand, creating hundreds of Katchin blocks and sending them toward Qhuteus, but the sorcerer simply sliced them in half with his bare hand. Goku vanished behind him and went to nail him in the side of the face with a kick.

Qhuteus blocked the attack and raised his hand, releasing red lightning that once again stabbed through the Saiyan's body, making him cry out in pain. "I would've expected better from a Saiyan trained under Daishinkan himself."

Goku chuckled, clutching his chest. "Is that so? You underestimate my potential."

He raised his hand, a staff forming in it. "I rarely like to use weapons, but there's only one that clicks with me."

Master Roshi watched from below, his eyes widening. "Is that…?"

The Saiyan created a glowing power pole. He took a stance, and Qhuteus stared at him, then laughed. "What sort of staff is that? Is this some sort of joke?"

"Extend!" In a quintillionth of a millisecond, the power pole expanded and nailed Qhuteus in the face, launching him away.

"OOF!" The staff pushed him through a mountain, surprising him. "What the hell?!"

"He's remade that old power pole of his," Master Roshi said, as he couldn't help but smile. "Never thought I'd see him using one again."

The sorcerer vanished in front of Goku and went to swipe at him, but Goku blocked it with the pole, and then it extended and wrapped around him with a lot of flexibility, encasing him. The Saiyan yelled and swung it down, slamming Qhuteus on the ground repeatedly. Qhuteus got irritated, and lightning crackled around him, breaking the power pole. "Fine. I'll fight seriously as well."

He shouted, his spiky white hair standing up. He raised his hand and summoned a red staff. The reality was distorted around it. He raised it to the air, and lightning shot into the sky, shaking the entire multiverse.

Goku smirked and reformed the power pole in his hand, getting in a stance. "Let's go!" Qhuteus roared, launching forward at the Saiyan. The two clashed with their staffs, causing rifts in the universes.

Zateus yelled, pummeling Daishinkan to the ground in his fury. He flickered out of stage 2, not in the right state of mind to handle it. Thanks to this, Daishinkan was able to kick him back, knocking him to the ground. He stood up, panting.

The angels and gods of destruction landed next to Daishinkan to help him. Some angels began to heal Daishinkan with their staffs. Zateus stood up, his eyes bloodshot. "YOU KILLED HIM!" He roared and flew forward. Some angels tried to stop him, but he plowed through them, going to grab Daishinkan. The Grand Priest spun his staff and nailed him in the face.

Zateus growled, grabbed him, and kneed him in the face with full force, breaking his nose. He thrashed the angel, severely injuring him. "YOU ARE THE REASON FOR ALL OF THIS! ZYDIS'S DEATH, OMESUS'S DEATH!"

He raised his fist, feeling himself tear up. "JUST DIE!" The evil god swung a punch to finish the Grand Priest off, but a blue hand stopped it. He looked up to see one of Zeno's guards towering over him. The guard uppercut him, sending him spiraling away.

Zateus landed on the ground, panting. Another guard vanished above him and slammed his foot on his chest, resulting in a sickening crunch. He coughed up blood, completely unable to move.

One Zeno walks up to him, raising their hand. "It's time to say bye-bye, Zateus. You've been a big problem for a long time."

Suddenly, Abysus teleported in front of Zeno and roared, slamming a punch into the Omni King's face. The guards watched in horror as he flew back because of the attack, crashing into a mountain. The evil god cackled, his fist smoking. "I finally... did it! I killed the Omni King!"

A white glow enveloped him, and his smile faded. He looked at the other Zeno in horror as he closed his hand, with Abysus disappearing from existence. Two guards rushed over to where Zeno had landed, while the other one walked up to Zateus.

Zateus teared up at the sight of Abysus's erasure. "Damn it... Is it over? No, Qhuteus can still... do this..." He gazed up at the blue sky, seeing the chaos slowly destroy the multiverse. "Zalama-sensei... I apologize... I won't be meeting you again after we create a new peaceful multiverse..."

A white glow enveloped him, and he closed his eyes. Zeno closed his hand, erasing Zateus from existence. The remaining fighters watched on as Zeno looked up toward the battle with Goku and Qhuteus.

The other two guards flew over, carrying an unconscious Zeno. "One of our lords is alive but damaged. We will need immediate assistance from the angels."

The angels flew over, going to help Zeno, as Vegeta walked forward, powering down to his base form. "Kakarot... It's all up to you now. We're counting on you."

Seji stepped over to help Jiren up. He then turned toward Piccolo. "Piccolo, there are many casualties, but we can still save some of them."

"Buu can help with magic," Buu said, walking over to Caulifla and kneeling. He placed a hand on her forehead, instantly healing her. "There. You are all better!"

Caulifla grunted and stood up, stretching. "What... happened? Wait, is the battle over?"

"Our primary threat still stands," Toppo replied. "... Wait, where's Frieza?"

Vegeta paused, looking around. "Tch... That coward probably ran off. I knew it was a mistake to resurrect him ever since the Tournament of Power!"

Out of nowhere, Zamasu rushed forward from the side, laughing. "DIE, VEGETA!" He went to stab him in the chest, but Whis vanished to the side of him and stopped his attack with his staff. "I'm afraid not. I haven't forgotten about you, Zamasu."

The angel tapped his staff, a cage surrounding Zamasu. He growled, trying to break out of it, but couldn't. "LET ME OUT!"

Lavender and Basil walked over to Bergamo's dead body, getting on their knees and mourning their loss. Pirina did the same for Saonel.

Vegeta moved forward and powered up in Super Saiyan White for a brief moment, slamming his foot on the ground to get everybody's attention. "This isn't the time to mourn your losses! Kakarot is fighting for us, and we need to put our hopes in him!"

Gohan walked up, standing next to the prince. "He's right, everybody. We need to stick together. You might all have a bad history with my dad, with the Tournament of Power and all, but he's never had the wrong intentions. Right now, he's the most powerful fighter on our side."

There was silence between everybody for a second, until Toppo stepped forward, followed by the Pride Troopers. "Son Goku has earned my respect. I will root for him."

One by one, the fighters walked forward, joining the group. The other Zeno woke up, rubbing his head. "Owie..."

Vegeta inhaled and shouted at the top of his lungs, "KAKAROT!"

Goku and Qhuteus's fight stopped as the Saiyan turned toward his friend, his eyes widening.

"DON'T HOLD BACK!" the prince yelled as the angels tapped their staffs, creating a powerful barrier around them. "SHOW THAT BASTARD WHAT YOU CAN DO! DON'T WORRY ABOUT US!"

Goku saw that there were no enemies left other than Qhuteus and smirked. He glanced toward the sorcerer, cracking his knuckles. "Guess I don't need to hold back my power for the planet's sake. It's time for our final battle, Qhuteus."

He inhaled and roared, an aura the size of a skyscraper flaring up around him. Its force was so tremendous that part of the entire planet crumbled, and many galaxies in the multiverse disintegrated.

To Be Continued in Chapter Thirty: The Arc's Finale

The finale of the arc is the next chapter. It will probably be longer than usual. It'll be a special, action-packed, emotional finale for the Qhuteus arc. Look forward to it!

~ Scruffy

Chapter 30: The Departure

Chapter Text

DRAGON BALL: INFINITE HORIZONS SPECIAL

QHUTEUS ARC FINALE

Chapter Thirty - The Departure

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Nero (Archangel)] [Start at 1:00]

Goku finished powering up, and his appearance changed. A glowing ring formed behind his head, and wings of energy formed from his back. "Let the true fight begin."

"That's... the form our fusion used against Ozatus!" Vegeta said. "But how did he…?"

Daishinkan coughed as some angels slowly healed him. "Goku has ascended to such a level that he can maintain that power on his own, though it drains his energy quickly. He's truly mastered stage two."

Qhuteus flew forward, and Goku did the same. The two shouted and clashed weapons, a bright light outshining the Sun. They went back and forth, flying across the Earth's atmosphere. Each clash caused more rifts in the multiverse, tearing it apart. Goku roared and extended his power pole, nailing Qhuteus in the gut. The sorcerer coughed up spit before launching a volley of multi-colored beams that slammed into the Saiyan.

Goku grunted and plowed through them, grabbing the sorcerer and throwing him to the ground with full force, almost splitting the entire planet in half. Qhuteus chuckled and raised his finger, a bunch of misty projections of himself flying toward the Saiyan.

Goku shouted and clashed with them, dispersing many of them and flying down toward Qhuteus. The evil god raised a finger, and pillars of lava shot out of the earth, flying toward the Saiyan. The Saiyan flew through the lava, completely unaffected, but it was a distraction by the sorcerer. Qhuteus darted above him and yelled, swinging a kick at him. Goku blocked it, grunting.

He then looked up in horror to see an energy figure bigger than the entire planet swinging its massive hand down toward him as well. Goku kicked the sorcerer away and flew up, firing a Kamehameha at the figure. The beam destroyed the massive figure, causing a massive explosion that reached the earth. Qhuteus dashed behind him and nailed him in the back with a powerful blow from his staff, making him cough up blood.

Goku tried to attack, but his fist phased through the evil god. "What?!"

"Don't forget, I'm not just powerful, but I'm a sorcerer, capable of manipulating the universes at my fingertips," he said. Qhuteus raised his hand, creating a black orb. "This will drain your energy in an instant!"

He thrust it toward the Saiyan, but one of Zeno's guards vanished in front of it and took the attack, falling to the ground. Goku's eyes widened. "Zen-chan..."

Qhuteus smirked and sent red lightning toward the Saiyan, but he flew above it, firing a barrage of Ki blasts toward the sorcerer. "KAAAA!" The evil god flew toward them, avoiding all of his attacks. He created a portal, flew into it, and appeared behind Goku, kicking him back. The Saiyan grunted, flying toward him and clashing another punch with him.

They went back and forth, each attack tearing up the universes. Goku leaped back, his power pole materializing in his hand again. He yelled, repeatedly jabbing it at the sorcerer, who blocked it with a barrier.

The pole then warped around the barrier and wrapped around Qhuteus, immobilizing him. Goku roared and swung it, extending it all the way to the sun. A massive solar flare occurred as the sorcerer collided with the star, affecting the entire solar system. Qhuteus growled, teleporting in front of Goku. "It's time to put an end to this battle."

In an instant, the entire multiverse dimmed as he raised his hand, charging a powerful attack. "This contains the power of reality itself! THE POWER TO DESTROY THIS ENTIRE MULTIVERSE!"

Goku inhaled and exhaled, raising his fist. "I can only use this once in a battle. I haven't mastered this unknown power yet that I used against Whis and Daishinkan, but..."

The quantum energy of space and time gathered in it, charging up a massive blast. "I can still partially access this power. I don't know what it is, but it's far beyond even Stage 2."

Qhuteus roared, firing his orb at Goku. The Saiyan swung his fist and clashed with the attack. In that instant, the entire galaxy surrounding them exploded in a massive light show. Everybody watched through the barrier, stunned. "This is... the battle between the highest level of gods," Gohan says, seeing the chaos destroy the multiverse.

"If it weren't for the reinforcement, this planet would be long gone," Daishinkan said.

Goku roared, briefly overpowering Qhuteus and shocking the sorcerer. "WHAT?!" The Saiyan slammed his fist into Qhuteus's gut, causing him to cough up a lot of blood. "How...?! What kind of power is this?! What is this feeling?!"

Goku then shouted and raised his fists, mauling the sorcerer through the surface of the planet and splitting it in half. Goku hovered down toward him, panting. "It's over, Qhuteus. Give up."

The sorcerer laughed, flying up from the cracks in the planet. "Even without his help again, you harmed me. I'm impressed."

Goku paused, flying closer to him. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't you remember? That strange cloaked figure who saved Zeno's life," the sorcerer replied. "Not even Daishinkan told you this secret, but... that figure..."

Zeno's eyes widened as Qhuteus looked up. "That figure... was the Dragon God, ZALAMA."

Goku landed on the ground and took a step back, sweat going down his face. "But... how?! Why?!"

"I don't know... his true intentions," Qhuteus replied, "but this is the first time he's appeared in a billion years. That being... is far more powerful than even me. That power you used just now... It's almost as if..."

Goku grabbed him and slammed him to the ground, holding him by the neck, but the sorcerer continued to speak. "That energy... It's almost as if Zalama himself is helping you defeat me."

The Saiyan stopped, and his eyes widened. "All this time... No, you're lying! There's no way that power belongs to Zalama!"

"Throughout hundreds of millions of years, I've discovered everything there is to know about the multiverse," the sorcerer said, grabbing Goku's neck and squeezing it. "All except what Zalama's power is... And now, I'll finally be able to harvest it and properly learn how to control it. No one, not even the guardians of the timelines, will stop me."

Goku grunted, prying off Qhuteus's hand from his neck and crushing it. "What are you talking about? Guardians?"

"I didn't care about this multiverse from the start," the sorcerer said, getting up and leaping back. "Zateus, Omesus, and Abysus could've had it for all I cared. All I wanted was to kill Zeno and absorb his power so I could search for Zalama and take his power as well. With his power and the power of everybody else, I will be unstoppable. We both know this... isn't the only multiverse."

He powered up once again, flying toward Goku. The two leaped at each other and clashed with a punch, the ground shattering beneath them. "You were just using your family for your selfish desires!"

The sorcerer chuckled. "I have plans for them they may not completely agree with."

The three remaining Zeno guards flew forward and grabbed Qhuteus, pinning him to the ground. Because of his weakened state, he was unable to move. "Damn you! LET ME GO!"

Goku darted up and charged up a full-power Kamehameha. "This is the end for you, Qhuteus! You will never take over our multiverse!"

He yells, firing it. Qhuteus narrowed his eyes as he kicked the guards out of the way so he could escape. The blast pierced through the planet, exploding out the other side. The sorcerer sighed, turning toward Goku. "Fine... It's time to become the supreme god of existence..."

He placed a hand on the ground, three patterns forming. Much to the horror of everybody, Abysus, Omesus, and Zateus reappeared. Zateus's eyes widened when he saw the others. "Qhuteus, what's going on? I thought we were erased..."

Qhuteus opened his hand, creating five dark Potara earrings. "Silence... It's time to create the grand fusion."

"STOP HIM!" Goku yelled as he and the guards dashed forward, but the four evil gods created a massive barrier to keep them out.

"Qhuteus, we cannot do this," Omesus said. "Who knows what'll happen to us? Combining four minds might completely change us. What about our visions of the future?"

The sorcerer waved his hand, cutting the Saiyan on the cheek. "Fool. I don't care about your desires. Why take over one multiverse when we can take over all of them?"

Zateus ran forward, trying to grab his son. "Stop this, Qhuteus!"

The sorcerer grabbed him by the neck and slammed him to the ground, breaking it. Abysus and Omesus powered up and flew toward him, barraging him, but Qhuteus stopped their attacks with his hands, completely unphased. He raised his fingers, levitating them up into the air. He turned toward Zamasu, breaking him out of Whis's cage and bringing him over as well. "It's time to serve your purpose, Kai. Your immortality will certainly benefit our fusion greatly. The only reason I gave you power was so you wouldn't be sealed away."

"Damn you!" Zamasu yelled, firing a blast at the evil god that did absolutely nothing. "This is the problem with you mortals! You always ruin everything!"

"Separating yourself from a mortal is laughable," the sorcerer replied, as one Dark Potara earring appeared on Zamasu's ear. "You're just as frail and weak as one."

He turned toward a frightened Zateus. "Don't worry, father. I will still respect your visions, but I will destroy all the gods AND mortals beyond this realm."

"Don't do this, Qhuteus!" Zateus cried out, trying to break out of his control. "We only wanted to destroy the gods in this realm for what they have done to the mortals! Why are you doing this?!"

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Lonely Are The Brave (feat. Felicia Farerre, Merethe Soltvedt)]

"Think of this as helping me help you," the sorcerer replied, as the rest of the Dark Potara appeared on each of their ears.

Goku watched hopelessly, seeing the sad fate of reality dawn upon them. "NOO!" The five beings drew toward each other and collided as the entire multiverse started to disintegrate. Goku grunted, barely able to stand his ground as the planet crumbled under him. "How are we supposed to win?! They're fusing into an omnipotent being!"

Vegeta watched hopelessly as the barrier surrounding them slowly cracked. "Impossible... With five of them fusing, it'll spell the end of us all!"

A bright light consumed everything as Zeno's palace exploded alongside every other universe. The dark void surrounded everyone, threatening to consume them. Just before everybody was consumed, suddenly, the entire multiverse reformed in a split second, with the damage completely gone. There was an eerie silence, with the sun illuminating the destroyed landscape through the clouds. Goku stood up off the ground, confused. He looked around to see everybody scattered around the battlefield.

He looked in front of him to see an unfamiliar figure. It opened its eyes, with its pupils in the shape of a diamond. "Finally... My name is... Qhuzarus..."

Qhuzarus hovered in the air, looking down at the gods. "I feel infinite power coursing through my veins! I can control reality at will!"

Goku powered up and flew up to the fusion, extending his power pole. The fusion caught it with his two fingers, completely unaffected. He then cackled maniacally, sending a stream of energy up the power pole. The Saiyan let go of the weapon as it completely disintegrated. Qhuzarus raised his finger to his eye, so it looked like it was in front of Goku from his perspective. He flicked it, and it sent Goku flying, breaking his bones and knocking him to the ground.

Zeno's guards dashed forward, yelling. Their antennae glowed as they fired a beam toward the fusion. The fusion inhaled and blew it back toward them, annihilating the guards. The two Zenos raised their hands, trying to erase him, but he simply vanished behind them and grabbed them by their two heads, bashing them together. "That takes care of that."

The gods watched in horror as both Zenos fell to the ground, lifeless. "This is my multiverse now. I suppose that means I'm the Omni King, am I not?"

Daishinkan growled and raised his staff, with all the angels drawing toward him. They fused with him, and he darted forward, launching an anti-matter blast. The rest of the fighters powered up and followed close behind.

Qhuzarus opened his mouth and ate the anti-matter blast like it was nothing. Daishinkan swung his staff, but he caught it, staring into the Grand Priest's eyes. "You're first."

He tapped him on the forehead, confusing him. Then, in an instant, Daishinkan cried out, crumbling into dust alongside the other angels. Broly roared and tried to crush him, but Qhuzarus burst into his aura, destroying the brute as well.

"HAKAI!" Toppo launched a massive purple orb, which just phased through Qhuzarus, not affecting him. He flicked his finger, and a burst of wind hit Toppo's chest, immediately stopping his heart. He fell to the ground, lifeless. The Pride Troopers flew toward Qhuzarus, but he waved his hand, eradicating them. Androids 17 and 18 tried to attack him, but he fired a beam that consumed them, killing them instantly.

Seeing this, Krillin roared with rage, launching a barrage of Destructo Discs at the fusion, but they grazed off of it, soaring into the distance. He walked up to Krillin, raising his hand.

Vegeta kicked his hand, but it didn't budge. The prince leaped back and launched a Final Flash, but Qhuzarus glared at him, and a spear of energy manifested and went through the prince's chest, knocking him to the ground. Gohan and Goten tried to escape, but the evil god vanished in front of them, tapping their chests. "One by one, all life forms fade..."

The Half-Saiyans watched, tears going down their faces, as they crumbled into dust. The rest of the fighters, except a horrified Chi-Chi, Piccolo, and Seji, rushed forward, trying desperately to fight him.

The fusion coldly smiled before flicking and sending an air blast that instantly killed Krillin. Buu tried to absorb the fusion, but he flared his aura, disintegrating the Majin. Maji Kayo created a giant fist and swung it down on him, but he didn't budge when it impacted him. He flicked his finger, sending Maji Kayo and many other fighters into the sun instantly. Vegeta coughed up blood, pulling the spear out of his chest. He roared and dashed forward, launching a weaker version of his most powerful attack, "ANTI-FLARE!"

It split into many beams, homing in on Qhuzarus. Without moving, the evil god redirected the blasts to the other fighters, killing a majority of them. The prince yelled with rage and flew forward, swinging a full-force punch.

The fusion stopped it with his finger, tapping the prince's chest. Vegeta glanced down at his decaying body in silence for a moment. "Kakarot, it's all up to you now."

He roared, flaring up his energy to the maximum. He used his Final Explosion, destroying a part of the planet. When the smoke faded, nothing was left of the prince except Qhuzarus, who was completely unphased. Piccolo's eyes twitched, and Seji placed a hand on his shoulder, looking at the ground.

"Forgive me, Piccolo," he said, before summoning Konton and rushing forward. The dragon roared, firing a powerful beam toward Qhuzarus. The fusion waved his hand, slicing into Konton's chest. Seji's eyes widened as he fell to the ground alongside his dragon. "Konton... No..."

The dragon gazed up at him sadly before dispersing into energy. Seji looked up at the sky, feeling his life force fading. "Father... please, I will give everything I have... My life... Please save the multiverse..." He closed his eyes, dying. The evil god finished off Piccolo and walked toward the only one left, who was Chi-Chi.

Goku stood up, healing thanks to his powers. He looked to see the devastation caused, and tears welled up in his eyes. He powered up into stage 2 and rushed forward toward them, trying to save the only one he had left.

Qhuzarus placed a hand on Chi-Chi's head, who was paralyzed with shock. "Goodbye." Goku's wife crumbled into dust before his very eyes. Goku stopped and fell to his knees, punching the ground. Qhuzarus raised his hands as the entire multiverse sank into darkness.

"It's time to recreate this multiverse," he said, waving his hand. The Saiyan looked up to see the entire multiverse shifting before his eyes. Everything shook as he sensed all remaining life forms disappear. The sun faded, leaving the planet in complete darkness. The stars and galaxies in the sky disappeared, leaving a pitch-black multiverse. Qhuzarus shouted and swung his arm as a crack split down the entire universe, splitting it in half.

Below him, Goku felt his body slowly disintegrating. The Saiyan gazed down at the ground, lava covering a majority of the surface. He remembered the second vision he had in the Time Chamber. This was it.

He suddenly found himself in his mindscape again. He stood up, looking around, before he heard footsteps. Goku looked over to see the figure that looked like him walking forward. "You..."

It chuckled, a strange aura radiating off of it. "You're helpless without me. Pathetic. Even training for two thousand years did you no good."

Goku roared and rushed toward the figure, grabbing it and slamming it on the ground. He yelled, punching the figure in the face. "SHUT UP! I LOST EVERYTHING! THE MULTIVERSE IS DOOMED! WHO ARE YOU?!"

The figure head-butted him, knocking him down. "Why do you care, Goku? Thanks to your grandpa, your consciousness split apart."

Goku's eyes widened. "What? Are you talking about Grandpa Gohan?"

"You don't remember who you were before they sent you to this planet," the figure replied, walking toward him. The light slowly illuminated him, shocking Goku. "You don't remember our parents, Bardock and Gine. You became a shell of your former self. After all, I'm you."

"I don't... understand..."

The figure grabbed Goku by the collar, pulling him forward. "Don't you get it, you fool?! My name... is Kakarot! I am your Saiyan side!"

Goku fell to the ground, stunned. "But how...? How are you speaking to me?"

"That doesn't matter," Kakarot replied, walking away from his counterpart. "After all, why should I care if you die? Wouldn't make a difference."

Goku stood up. "You have to help me. You need to give me that power! Wait... If you're my Saiyan side, then how did you learn that?"

"That would be me," another voice said. The Saiyan looked over to see a glowing namekian with a robe and a staff. His very presence made Goku feel like dropping to his knees.

"You're the other one I had in my visions," Goku said. "You must be... Zalama."

"I lent you my power many times," Zalama said, walking up to the Saiyan. "And now... you must master it. Unfortunately, I have been trapped for eons. I could only summon a fragment of my power to save Zeno from my students."

"Why did you teach them to use such power?" Goku asked. "Why would you cause all of this?"

"You'll understand one day," Zalama replied, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I finally was able to obtain a physical form here after learning of my son's death. Goku, Kakarot, you must... master my power. This is your final chance."

Kakarot scoffed. "Reuniting with my counterpart..."

"I taught Kakarot greater power so you can be at true peace with yourself," Zalama explained. "That way... you can utilize the greatest power."

"What's this power even called?" Goku asked. "It's far greater than even stage two..."

"That's because... it's the next stage," the dragon god replied. "What the unknown power you've been using all this time is... is Ultra Instinct Stage 3." A light engulfed Goku, and he looked at his hands, feeling more powerful than he ever thought possible. His entire mindscape cleared up.

Kakarot crossed his arms as Goku stepped up to him, offering his hand. "I know you resent me for everything in the past, but we must move forward. I'll accept you if it means we can save the multiverse."

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Love & Loss]

Kakarot looked at it and then narrowed his eyes, shaking it. Kakarot faded away alongside Zalama. In the real world, Goku opened his eyes, and his hair grew a bit, glowing a bright neon purple. Below him, his body stopped disintegrating and reformed.

Qhuzarus looked over at him, his eyes widening. "What? Sensei?!"

The Saiyan stood up, seeing the entire multiverse from a new perspective. He opened his eyes, and they were a fiery blue. "This is... Ultra Instinct Stage 3."

Qhuzarus cackled, raising a finger and instantly charging a blast the size of an entire planet above what was left of Earth. "A third stage? That's simply not possible. Even the creator of the technique couldn't obtain that." He waved his finger, launching it toward the earth. Goku raised his hand and fired a blast through it, instantly destroying it. Qhuzarus's smile faded as he was about to create an even bigger one, but Goku vanished in front of him, grabbing him and throwing him to the other side of the universe.

The fusion growled, launching a beam the size of a galaxy toward him. Goku closed his eyes as it consumed him, scattering him into energy particles. Qhuzarus laughed, lowering his hand. "That's it?"

The particles then shot behind Qhuzarus, reforming back into Goku. "What the?!" The Saiyan placed his fist on the fusion before a million energy spears pierced him. "Fool, I am immortal! I cannot die!" He laughed and powered up, grabbing the Saiyan by the face and throwing him across the multiverse. Goku appeared in the World of Void, stopping his momentum. Qhuzarus vanished in front of him, his eyes glowing.

The fusion summoned hundreds of black holes, launching them toward Goku. The Saiyan used Kai Kai to teleport away, with the evil god following him. They found themselves in a familiar location.

Goku looked to see the scattered, abandoned remains of the Tournament of Power. He landed on one platform, and Qhuzarus did the same in front of him. "Don't you see, Saiyan? This place is an example of the misdeeds of the gods. Zeno forced you to fight for his own enjoyment."

Goku's eyes widened, and the fusion chuckled. "That's right. I know about this brief event of his. The Tournament of Power. Whichever universe loses gets erased. If the victor didn't use the Super Dragon Balls to bring them all back, the entire multiverse gets erased."

He vanished in front of Goku in an instant, grabbing him by the collar and slamming him into the massive pillar, demolishing it. "Don't you realize?! The gods hated mortals from the start! THEY WERE ALWAYS A HINDRANCE TO OUR GROWTH!"

A bright aura formed around the Saiyan, and he grabbed Qhuzarus's hand, crushing it. "It's true the gods have done bad things in the past, but... What makes you different from them, Qhuteus?!"

The fusion's eyes widened before he roared, his aura flaring up. "WHAT?!"

"You are selfish," Goku continued. "You just killed every god and mortal for your benefit. Omesus and Zateus might've been evil too, but the likes of you misguided them. You betrayed your own family. You're worse than the gods."

Qhuzarus shouted, flaring up his power to the maximum. The entire world of void turned red as he swung a powerful punch. "YOU KNOW NOTHING OF WHAT THE GODS DID!"

Goku blocked it, grunting. "... JUST DIE!"

The evil god sent him flying back, but the Saiyan stopped himself, closing his eyes. "It's time to end this battle before what's left of the multiverse is gone." He raised his hand, and a multi-colored orb twice the size of him formed. Its power was strangely calm. Qhuzarus raised his hand, gathering the remaining energy from the multiverse and his own. He roared, his fist glowing red.

"With you gone, I'll finally begin my true goal: conquering every timeline!" Qhuzarus yelled. He fired a massive, dark red beam, and Goku did the same. Their attacks clashed as the World of Void itself distorted. Goku watched the desperation in the fusion and input more power into his blast.

Qhuzarus grunted, struggling against his attack. "You fool! You're throwing your freedom away by doing this! With me, there will be no supervision from the gods! NO RULES IN THE MULTIVERSES!"

Goku inhaled and roared, his aura looking like a star field. His beam turned white and completely consumed Qhuzarus, and he cried out, completely powerless against the Saiyan. "This Hakai power… It's far greater than Zeno's… Not even my immortality can help! Stage 3... It really is real..." His earrings shattered, and an explosion rattled existence, even slightly affecting other timelines.

Zateus opened his eyes to see some stars in the dark sky. He sat up to a familiar yet almost completely destroyed universe. "Where am I?"

Beside him, Omesus stood up, helping Zateus up. "Are we alive? How is this possible?"

"I don't know," Zateus replied. "Where's Abysus and Qhuteus? I don't sense any life forms except..."

He turned to see a familiar figure sitting down on the ground behind them. Goku glanced up, his gi torn up. "You're awake."

Omesus's eyes widened as he clenched his fists, walking over to the Saiyan. "Where are we?!"

Goku sighed and got up, looking at the sky. "You're in Universe Nineteen, at least what's left of it."

"Where are the others?" The brute replied, and Goku looked up with a bitter expression.

"Abysus and Qhuteus are dead. You're the only two I wanted to save," he replied.

Omesus shouted, swinging a punch at him. "How dare you?!"

Goku caught his punch with ease, launching a small blast that sent him back. "The only reason I saved you was because I wanted to know the truth."

He stood up and walked away from them. Zateus followed behind. "Where are you going?"

The Saiyan stopped, turning toward the two evil gods. "I'm going to find a way to bring everybody back. I won't rest until I do."

Zateus clenched his fists. "You're going to bring the gods back? Have you learned nothing?!"

"It's time to heal the rift, you two," Goku replied. He turned around, his expression colder because of his fusion with his Saiyan side. "Whatever the gods did back then, you'll explain to me later, but I also want to hear their side."

Omesus got up and narrowed his eyes before looking at the ground. "There's nothing we can do to stop him, Zateus."

Zateus closed his eyes, walking away. "It's pointless, Saiyan. You cannot heal a billion years of conflict."

"Then why don't you prove you can run the multiverse without them?" Goku asked, shocking the two of them. "This is your chance. In the meantime, I want you two to repair the damages caused by the war."

Before they could respond, Goku powered up into Stage 2 and flew through the multiverse. He dashed by each of the universes, finding himself in front of a glowing barrier—the edge of the multiverse. He raised his fist and roared, slamming his fist on the barrier and shattering a hole in it.

Goku gazed back at the destroyed universes. "I'll bring everybody back. This isn't the end." He flew through the hole in the barrier, leaving the multiverse.

QHUTEUS ARC - END

To Be Continued in Chapter Thirty-One

I hope you enjoyed this crazy finale to the Qhuteus arc! Ultra Instinct Stage 3 revealed, Qhuteus and Abysus are dead, Zalama revealed, etc! Expect more in the next chapter!

~ Scruffy

Chapter 31: The Metaverse

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

After powering up, Goku defeated Qhuteus, only for the sorcerer to create a five-way fusion that decimated the multiverse with its raw power. It killed everybody in the multiverse, leaving only Goku. The Saiyan reunited with his Saiyan side, obtaining Ultra Instinct Stage 3. With Qhuzarus defeated, he now had to go on a quest beyond his multiverse to bring everything back to normal.

Chapter Thirty-One - The Metaverse

Goku flew away from the multiverse, a dark, cloudy void in front of him. He recalled everything that had happened, and he closed his eyes, tearing up. "I will find a way to bring everybody back. I don't know how yet, but I will."

He glanced up to see the darkness around him clearing up. His eyes widened as he burst out into a sight he barely could comprehend. He saw endless dots in the distance, brighter than a night sky. Immediately, he sensed powerful energies in every direction. "Where am I...?"

Suddenly, a pod flew over, opening its door. "Life form detected. Please enter the pod to escort you to safety."

Seeing no other choice, Goku moved over and got in. The door closed, and the pod took off at speeds even faster than he could fly, disorienting him for a moment. Light bent around him as he then landed on a massive floating chunk of land. Goku stepped out, looking around. He saw pods flying above him, left and right. "Has this been outside my multiverse this entire time? This has to be a dream."

Goku looked in front of him to see a female angel walk over to him. She looked at him, and then a screen manifested in front of her. She scrolled through it, squinting. She tapped a button, and a light scanned the Saiyan, confusing him.

"You're Son Goku from Multiverse #1094625419582," the angel said, clearing her throat. "What's a mortal doing beyond the confinements of their multiverse...? Well, I can't say it's uncommon."

"Where am I?" Goku asked. "Who are you?"

The angel raised an eyebrow. "Did your Omni King not give you directions? Then why are you here?"

"My multiverse was destroyed," Goku said, and the angel raised her eyebrows.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Perhaps I could-"

"I want to bring everybody back," the Saiyan interrupted. "A powerful fusion named Qhuzarus destroyed my multiverse. I defeated him and—"

The angel raised her hand. "Hold on a second. Did you defeat a Code Q? Not many outside the Guardians have handled those with ease. How were you able to do that?"

Goku opened his mouth and was about to tell the truth, but decided not to. "I caught them off guard and destroyed their potara."

The expression on the angel's face immediately told Goku that she didn't believe him. "Right... Unfortunately, there's not too much I can do about the destruction of your multiverse. It's the natural order of this Metaverse."

"Metaverse?"

"It's the space that contains the multiverses you can see. There are four of them in the Omniverse, which holds existence itself," she explained. "You could find a multiverse just like your own before it was destroyed and doesn't have a Son Goku."

"I'm not going to do that," Goku replied, getting irritated. "Don't you have a pair of Super Dragon Balls on hand?"

"Using Super Dragon Balls outside their origin multiverse is a crime," the angel replied. "The Guardians are powerful beings beyond our comprehension, so don't try anything. One law is broken, and you could be erased."

"No matter what, I am going to restore my multiverse," Goku said. The angel sighed, tapping on the screen.

"Suit yourself. I only serve as a guide, so I'm unable to do anything of any value in my sad existence."

Goku squinted at her. "What's your name?"

"The name's Adia," she replied. "I'm one of the many, many, many guidance angels. The Time Council assigned certain angels to be guides with no choice. I was unlucky enough to be one of them."

"I haven't met an angel like you before," the Saiyan said. "Usually they're completely neutral."

"26 billion years of service will do that to anybody," Adia replied. "Now, if you don't mind, there's a long line behind you, and I need to get it moving before I'm in trouble."

Goku turned around to see a massive line of many familiar and unfamiliar individuals around him. "Oh, right." He stepped forward, admiring the beautiful sight of the countless multiverses around him. Suddenly, he saw a massive white trail fly over his head, so fast that he couldn't react to it until it was past him. "Huh?! What was that?"

An alarm behind him went off, and Adia turned around, sighing. "Everybody, we have a Code Q for the second time today. Please remain calm."

"Qhuteus?!" Goku growled, powering up into stage 2. Adia turned around, creating a barrier around him.

"Leave it to a Guardian to take care of the problem. You don't need to interfere," she assured him.

Flashes went through Goku's mind as he sensed a massive energy in the distance. He remembered Qhuzarus destroying everybody with ease. He shouted and swung a punch, shattering Adia's barrier. The angel's eyes widened. "What strength!"

Goku darted up, zooming past the many pods in the sky. One multiverse in the distance lit up and exploded, sending many into a panic. He put his fingers to his head and used Instant Transmission, appearing behind the massive energy. Without a doubt, it was his worst fear. Qhuzarus glanced at Goku from behind him, smiling. "Ah, another multiverse... I'll start with you."

Goku leaped back and yelled, entering Ascended Stage 2. He dashed forward and swung a kick, but it did nothing to the fusion. It slowly raised its hand, but the Saiyan teleported out of the way, sweating. "Come on... Come on... I have to use Stage 3 again!" Goku clenched his fists, feeling a tingle of power, but nothing happened. Qhuzarus vanished in front of him and grabbed him by the neck.

"A new beginning for all realities..." He smirked. Suddenly, a beam hit Qhuzarus from the side, sending him spiraling back. "What?!"

Goku leaped back and glanced to the side to see a colossal figure. It had glowing, neon-blue armor. "Guardian #910672 at service. Code Q will be contained."

Qhuzarus laughed before waving his hand. A massive arc of energy flew toward the guardian, but it shot out of the way, disappearing from Goku's vision. The guardian darted behind Qhuzarus and went to grab him, but the fusion dashed out of the way. "I won't lose against the Metaverse's Loyal Guardians!" the fusion said. He roared, an explosion of energy affecting the nearby multiverses and even damaging them. The guardian reached down and unsheathed a white blade.

Before Goku could blink, the Guardian instantly vanished in front of Qhuzarus and shouted, going to slice him. The fusion raised his hand and created a blade out of Qhuteus's dark red energy, and the two clashed, the shock wave sending Goku flying. Adia observed from below, tapping the screen in front of her to create a protective barrier around the entire area. Qhuzarus swung his arm, launching the guardian back. It stopped and flew toward him, wings of energy forming out of its back.

Goku's eyes widened. "It's using Stage 2's full power!"

"It looks like I've pushed you to full power," the evil fusion said before raising its hand. "Your death will be one of many."

Goku powered up into full-power Stage 2 as well, catching the guardian's attention. He dashed forward, the quantum energy of space and time gathering in his fist. "Time to use my Stage 3 Attack... I can't access the real form right now because I'm still drained from my battle, but I can use its energy!"

The guardian's eyes widened when he saw Goku's power. "Impossible."

The Saiyan dashed toward Qhuzarus, who looked at him with a blank expression. "What are you do—"

Goku roared, swinging his fist toward the fusion. He blocked it and grunted, a massive explosion sending him crashing back. The guardian darted behind the fusion, and a slice went down the middle, shocking him. The guardian towered over Qhuzarus, sheathing its blade. "Code Q neutralized."

A white light spread through the fusion's body, and he yelled, dispersing into energy particles. Goku watched, and his jaw dropped. "Our biggest threat, just gone like that..."

The guardian turned toward Goku, his face expressionless. It then flew away, leaving Goku alone. The Saiyan hovered back to the ground next to Adia, who walked over and helped him up. "How... how did you do that? I thought it was foolish of you to engage in battle with a Code Q, but you were able to harm it. You claimed to have defeated one when it was off guard, but now I see that isn't true. Lying to a guidance angel isn't wise. Tell me the truth."

Goku sighed, looking down at the ground. "Do you know about something called Ultra Instinct Stage 3?"

She blinked. "Yes, all guidance angels know about that form. It is exclusive to the Overlords and beyond. Why is that?"

The angel then realized what she said and covered her mouth. "Err... Udun, mind filling in for me? I'm going on break."

An angel Goku didn't notice before stood up and yawned. "You haven't taken a break in two million years, but sure."

He moved over, maintaining the queue, as Adia grabbed Goku's hand and dragged him away, much to the confusion of the Saiyan. When they were in a place where nobody could see them, Adia turned toward him.

"First things first. How do you know about the existence of stage 3?" she inquired. "Not even the Omni King class has any knowledge of the form. The guardians know about it, but they can't use it. Explain yourself."

"Look, it was a long story," Goku replied. "I met Zalama in my mind after Qhuzarus destroyed my entire multiverse, and he gave me his power."

Adia didn't respond for a while, so the Saiyan glanced up to see her staring at him, her eyes wide. She then realized and cleared her throat, regaining her composure. "The Dragon God Zalama, the former second-most powerful Overlord in the Omniverse? He's been missing for a very, very long time. You claim you met him?"

Goku explained the entire story that happened during the Qhuteus war, and Adia stood there in silence for a moment. "I ordinarily wouldn't believe you, but there's no possible way you could know about Zalama's connection to Stage 3. You mustn't tell anybody about this, not the guardians, not even the Council. If they learn a mortal has somehow obtained stage 3, they will start pointing fingers at the other quadrants of the Omniverse, and an all-out war could begin."

"A war?" Goku raised an eyebrow. "Aren't these quadrants all connected?"

"No, they aren't," Adia replied. "Nearly a quadrillion years ago, three quadrants were at war with each other. It nearly led to the entire destruction of reality as we know it. Even the Founder had trouble stopping it."

"The Founder?"

"She's the creator of everything," she explained. "She's the most powerful being in the Omniverse."

"What will that guardian do now that he's seen my power?" Goku asked.

"... Hopefully, like many others, it won't report this finding to the Council," she replied. "It knows better than to risk causing a war."

Goku nodded slowly. "So... does this mean I can't use Stage 3?"

"Not unless it is absolutely necessary," Adia said. "Listen, Son Goku. Whatever the reason is that Zalama contacted you, make sure the Council doesn't find out your secret. Right now, you might be on the level of an Overlord. Also, could I ask you a favor?"

"What is it?"

"Please don't tell anybody you talked to me," she pleaded. "If they find out your secret and learn I was involved, I could be erased as well."

"No problem, but in exchange, please help me restore my multiverse," Goku replied, and the angel gazed down at the ground, then back up again.

"Alright. I'll do what I can. I can't guarantee anything, but I do have an idea," Adia said.

"Where should I stay in the meantime?"

Adia tapped her chin. "Perhaps you need to stay in the Central for a few hours. You best lie low, just in case that guardian wishes to find you. It's a massive metropolis that connects all four quadrants of the Omniverse. There are plenty of things to do there."

"Alright, will do. Thanks, Adia," Goku said, and the angel nodded. He leaped off a platform, with a pod detecting and stopping in front of him. He stepped in and sat down, hearing the pod speak to him.

"Welcome, Son Goku from Multiverse #1094625419582," it greeted. "Please vocalize your destination."

"Take me to the Central," Goku replied, and he heard a ding before his pod shot forward past millions of multiverses at an incredible speed. The Saiyan grunted, holding on for dear life. After thirty minutes, the pod finally stopped. Goku stepped out, his knees feeling like jelly. He looked up to see a seemingly endless city spanning in every direction in front of him. "Whoa... And I thought West City back on Earth was impressive."

He saw countless angels in all directions, many of them unrecognizable to Goku. Suddenly, he noticed a familiar face pass by him, and his eyes widened. "Whis?!"

The angel halted, turning toward him while raising an eyebrow. "Hello. Have I met you before?"

The Saiyan pauses. "It's me, Son Goku."

"I haven't met you before," Whis replied. "You must be confusing me with another multiverse's version. I'm currently on my every-one-billion-year break."

Goku sighed. "Well, at least I got to see a familiar face." He walked away, leaving the angel alone. "Where do I go? I've never felt this lost in my entire life." He headed down an alleyway and turned a corner, walking ahead and ending up in an unfamiliar area. Goku glanced up to see a body flying toward him. He dove and turned around to see an angel slam into the wall, grunting. "What the?!"

He turned to see a cheering crowd in three stands overlooking an arena match. An angel that looked similar to Daishinkan stood in the center of the arena, with an intense aura surrounding him. "Does anybody else wish to challenge me?" He asked. Without a second thought, Goku walked up to the arena and leaped up, landing a distance away from the angel.

"I'll give it a go!" he said, getting into a stance.

The angel smirked. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Daishinkan of Multiverse #70941959127."

"I'm Son Goku of Multiverse... whatever number it is," Goku replied. "You seem different from the Daishinkan I know."

Daishinkan chuckled as his eyes glowed red. "In my multiverse, I have killed and absorbed all my children shortly after joining Zateus."

"I don't even want to know what caused that," the Saiyan replied, getting in a stance. "In my multiverse, you were always on the good side. You killed Zateus."

The Grand Priest's smile faded. "I assassinated Zeno and absorbed his power. Because of that, I have become an even greater Omni King than I once was..."

"What do you mean—?!" In an instant, the angel vanished in front of Goku and slammed his staff into his gut, making him cough up spit.

"You let your guard down," Daishinkan said, chuckling. A massive anti-matter beam consumed the Saiyan, nearly sending him out of the arena. Goku shouted and powered up into Super Saiyan Blue, breaking out of it. Daishinkan's eyes widened. "What? How is this Son Goku so powerful?!"

The audience cheered, with many of them bewildered. "KAMEHAMEHA!" Goku fired a blue beam that traveled through the air, heading toward the angel. Daishinkan yelled and spun around, slamming it away with his staff toward the crowd. It hit an invisible barrier and exploded upon contact, sending a burst of wind in every direction. Daishinkan entered Ultra Instinct and darted forward at a quick pace, instantly in front of the Saiyan.

In an instant, Goku entered Ultra Instinct Omen and dodged a punch from the Grand Priest, confusing him even further. "He dodged it?"

"KAAAA!" Goku shot forward in an instant, his face expressionless. Millions of invisible forces hit Daishinkan from every direction, stunning him. He fell to his knees, bleeding.

"How can a Goku be so powerful? This shouldn't be possible," Daishinkan muttered, grunting in pain.

The audience watched in confusion as well. Daishinkan stood up and flickered, entering Ultra Instinct Stage 2. "Come."

Goku inhaled, his hair turning silver. He entered Mastered Ultra Instinct and dashed forward, clashing a kick with Daishinkan. A massive explosion shook the entire area, cracking the ground under them. Goku raised his hand and created a power pole made of energy—the same one he used against Qhuteus. He aimed it at Daishinkan and shouted. "Extend!"

In less than a millisecond, it nailed Daishinkan in the gut, making him cough up blood as it sent him to the invisible barrier with full force, cracking it. The crowd cheered, starting to chant his name. "GO-KU! GO-KU! GO-KU!"

The Grand Priest fell to the ground before getting up and clutching his gut. "This... this isn't over!"

Behind him, another figure took a step onto the arena. Daishinkan turned, and his eyes widened, sweat going down the side of his face. "You're..."

A man Goku knew all too well stepped forward, wearing the attire of the Omni King. Goku took a step back. "V... Vegeta?!"

"That's Omni King Vegeta to you," Vegeta replied. Daishinkan tried to attack him, but he waved his hand, swatting the angel out of the way. "Guess you're another Kakarot."

"You're not the Vegeta I know," Goku replied. "Why are you wearing Zeno's outfit?"

"When the evil gods declared war on the multiverse, Daishinkan and Zeno's guards trained me to truly master the power of destruction in the Angelic Chamber for thousands of years. The war began, and Qhuteus trapped us in—"

"Yeah, I know that part," Goku said. "I've experienced the same thing."

"... Before the battle with Qhuteus began, Zeno passed his power onto me to give me an advantage. I combined Super Saiyan White with the great destructive power of Zeno to defeat him." Vegeta's face darkened.

"That's before that bastard Qhuteus resurrected the other three and fused with them, destroying my multiverse... I was the only one that escaped."

"The same happened to mine recently," Goku said. "When did this happen?"

"It happened three years ago," the prince replied. "I've lost everything. I've tried to find a way to bring everybody back, but it's no use."

Goku paused, then took a stance, his power rising exponentially. "We're no different after all. We all suffered because of Qhuteus. I'll find a way to help us both. But in the meantime, I'm itching for a good battle."

Vegeta chuckled, cracking his knuckles. His hair spiked up and turned purple. His eyebrows disappeared, much to Goku's confusion. "I'll start with this form then... Ultra Ego. Show me what you can do."

Goku yelled, a massive glowing aura surrounding him. He dashed forward, with his rival from another timeline doing the same. The two roared and clashed elbows, an explosion splitting the arena down the center.

To Be Continued in Chapter Thirty-Two

The next arc has begun. Now we know that the multiverse the entire story took place in thus far was only one of many. It opens up endless new possibilities for the progression of the story.

~ Scruffy

Chapter 32: The Immorality

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

After defeating Qhuzarus and learning about the metaverses thanks to Adia, Goku has gone to the Central and found an arena for fighting freely. With little difficulty, he defeated an alternate Daishinkan, but he now has a true challenge: his rival from another multiverse.

Chapter Thirty-Two - The Immorality

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Timebomb]

Goku and Vegeta roared and clashed elbows, an explosion splitting the arena down the center. They ran across the arena, clashing fists with one another. They locked hands and pressed against each other, the whole place shaking. Goku growled as Vegeta smirked. Vegeta then shouted, head-butting the Saiyan. Goku yelled, flying back and skidding across the ground, his nose bleeding. He chuckled and dashed forward, a glowing trail behind him.

Vegeta raised his hand, launching a purple blast that Goku sliced in half with his hand. The Saiyan swung his fist, sending bursts of wind that slammed into Vegeta's gut, causing him to stumble back.

"Is that all?" Goku's eyes widened as Vegeta instantly shot in front of him, grabbing his face and slamming him to the ground. Goku tried to punch him in the face, but he barely budged.

"What the?!" he exclaimed.

The Omni King grabbed and threw Goku in the air, then raised his hand, charging an energy ball. "BIG BANG HAKAI!"

A Hakai orb flew toward the Saiyan, surrounding him. Goku grunted, struggling against its power. "I've never felt Hakai energy like this!" He inhaled, and white divine energy burst out of him, dispersing the Hakai orb. He closed his eyes, transforming into Super Saiyan Blue. His calm aura shifted to a light blue as he stacked the two forms. Goku landed on the ground, slid his foot back, and got into his fighting stance.

Vegeta grinned, running forward at full speed. He went to ram into his rival, but Goku brought his fist back and uppercut him with a lot of force, resulting in a shock wave. The king yelled, flying up in the air. Goku followed it with a Kamehameha that traveled through a portal he created. Another one appeared behind Vegeta, resulting in the beam nailing him in the back. "AGHHH!"

Goku created more portals, with the beam hitting the Omni King from all directions. "HAAAA!"

Vegeta's eyes opened, and he roared, the Kamehameha dispersing. His purple aura turned darker, and the symbols of a Hakaishin appeared on his chest. He landed on the ground, his eyes glowing purple. "This is Ultra Ego Stage Two," Vegeta revealed, cracking his knuckles. He was even more buff than before. "Aka, the full power of a God of Destruction."

Goku remembered seeing that state for the first time in the first battle with Abysus. Beerus had used that state but still stood no chance against the evil god. Thinking of this reminded the Saiyan of his home, which saddened him for a moment. He snapped out of it when Vegeta rushed forward, swinging a powerful punch. Goku clashed with it, a pillar of energy shooting into the sky. They went back and forth at an incredible speed, with cracks splitting the arena further.

Goku yelled and punched him in the face, causing him to flinch. Vegeta got angry, and his purple aura flared up even more. Vegeta grabbed his head and slammed his knee into his rival's face, stunning him. The Omni King then summoned white divine energy and combined it with a Hakai orb, resulting in a powerful attack. Black electricity crackled around him, and he raised it in front of Goku's face. "True Hakai."

A massive glowing beam consumed Goku, and the pain was immense. He cried out, losing his transformation. "Shit! I'll die if I don't..."

Vegeta roared, putting more power into his attack. Suddenly, it blew apart, surprising him. Goku stood up, now surrounded by a harsher aura. His hair spiked up a little, and his irises glowed white. He had entered Ultra Instinct Stage 2, and a burst of wind caught Vegeta by surprise. He growled and dashed forward, swinging a kick at his rival, but Goku caught it with an expressionless face.

He brought his fist back, and hundreds of thousands of blows hit Vegeta in the gut, making him cough up blood. "You bastard!" With his other hand, Goku fired an anti-matter blast that consumed Vegeta and sent him crashing into the invisible barrier, nearly breaking it. He fell to his knees and clutched his gut.

He coughed, then laughed, getting up. "No more playing around."

The Omni King roared, entering Super Saiyan White and stacking it with his destruction powers. It was a deadly combination. Black electricity coiled across the entire arena, shocking Goku. Vegeta flew forward, the entire arena shattering and crumbling into dust. "ANTI-GALICK GUN!"

"KAMEHAMEHA!" Goku launched a beam as well, clashing with his rival. He grunted, shocked by how much power Vegeta was outputting. "This is what Vegeta is capable of?!"

For a split second, he activated an older technique of his. "KAIOKEN!" A red aura enveloped him as his beam overpowered Vegeta, sending him back. He powered down, walking toward the Omni King. Vegeta went to uppercut him, but Goku leaped out of the way and kicked him, knocking him back. Vegeta turned toward him, wiping blood off his lip. He smirked and darted forward, ramming into Goku and knocking him to the ground.

Goku got up, clutching his gut, as Vegeta landed, walking up to him. "Is that all, Kakarot? I should've expected better from you."

The Saiyan opened his eyes, which were glowing. Vegeta's eyes widened, and he took a step back. "What the?!"

Goku roared, a halo appearing behind his head and wings forming out of his back. A massive beam of energy crashed through the arena's barrier and shattered it. Vegeta grunted, skidding back from the force. "That's..." His eyes widened. "That's the same form Gogeta used against Ozatus! But that's impossible..."

Goku entered Full-Power Stage 2. He stepped forward, an intense, glowing aura surrounding him. Vegeta leaped back and fired a Final Flash that impacted him, but it dispersed into nothing. The Omni King flew forward, swinging a punch, but Goku stopped it with a finger. "What?!"

The Saiyan flicked Vegeta on the head, sending him flying out of the arena's bounds. He crashed through multiple buildings in the Central, coughing up more blood. "This power... I can't hold back against him! Never have I been pushed this far since Qhuteus..."

In an instant, Vegeta leaped back up and landed in the arena, powering down from his destruction powers. "Nicely done, Kakarot. Guess there's no point in holding back anymore. I'll go full power."

He clenched his fists, and the symbols on his attire glowed. A calm white aura surrounded him, erasing the ground under him. He opened his eyes, and they were completely white. "This is the destructive power of Zeno combined with my own... Let's begin."

One by one, the crowd dispersed from the area because of the lack of a protective barrier. Goku and Vegeta flew toward each other and clashed with a fist, causing a massive shock wave to destroy more of the surrounding area. Angels ran away as the force blew others back. The two Saiyans went back and forth, destroying more of the area. Just then, a winged figure dashed toward them, holding a white blade.

Right before the Saiyans clashed with another punch, a blade stabbed into the ground in between them, stopping their battle. They looked up to see a Guardian, much to their shock.

"Enough," he commanded, aiming a blast toward them. "Guardian #2827104 in service. You are causing destruction. Stop, or you will be apprehended."

Vegeta grumbled while Goku scratched his head. "Sorry about that. Guess we got too carried away." He waved his hand as all the destruction repaired itself. The guardian lowered his hand and spread his wings.

"Consider this your only warning," the guardian said, and he flew off, leaving the two Saiyans alone. They powered down and hovered to the ground, walking away from the scene. Just then, they sensed energy rapidly coming toward them from behind.

Daishinkan from earlier yelled and dashed forward, a glowing trail following him. "DAMN YOU!" He passed by many confused angels, going to swing his staff at them. Simultaneously, the two Saiyans launched a combined blast that sent him flying hundreds of miles away. Vegeta scoffed, turning around and moving again. "I've never fought anybody as powerful as you. Kakarot died to Qhuzarus... Everybody, even my Bulma. It still haunts me to this day."

Goku slowly nodded. "Yeah... I just lost mine. But I am trying to find a way to bring us back."

"I've already tried that," Vegeta said. "I tried to use a pair of Super Dragon Balls, despite the guidance angel's warning. A guardian apprehended me and punished me before I had the chance."

Goku stopped, thinking for a moment. "There has to be a way. There are countless multiverses, right?"

Vegeta sighed. "Just give it up, Kakarot. With those damned guardians in the way, I can't accomplish anything."

Goku glanced at him, seeing the expression of a crushed man. "What if... we could help each other? What if we could work together and figure this out?"

The king pondered this for a moment. "But how would we avoid the guardians? There are tens of millions, probably more."

He looked into Goku's eyes and saw a flash of blue and purple light, confusing him. "What the?"

"Trust me," Goku said. "I have a guidance angel that might be able to help us. Her name is Adia."

Vegeta closed his eyes, turning away. "Fine. What will you do in the meantime?"

"I'll check up on her soon," Goku replied. "How will we stay in contact?"

The king pulled something from his pocket and handed it to him. The Saiyan took it and studied it. "An ID?"

"It'll draw a trail to me when you focus your energy on it," Vegeta explained. "Everybody that enters the Central automatically gets it and can pass copies of them to others they want to keep in contact with."

"Gotcha." Goku put the ID in his pocket and walked away. "I'll get in touch when it's time. For now, I'm going to explore a little and then talk to Adia."

He then stopped, falling to his knees. "What's... this feeling...?" His vision became blurry, and his eyes flashed blue and purple. "Crap... The fatigue from the war and using stage 3 is too much... I've barely recovered from it, and the fight with Vegeta only made it worse..."

Goku fell forward but stopped himself using his hands. He sweated, feeling hot. Vegeta ran toward him, trying to figure out what was wrong. "Kakarot? Kakarot!" Goku panted as electricity sparked around him. He closed his eyes and woke up moments later to see a true hell before him. His eyes widened as he saw the entire Metaverse in shambles. Many dark figures flew everywhere, causing chaos. Red lightning struck everywhere, tearing reality itself to shreds. The vision he had of Qhuzarus back after Abysus was first defeated was nothing compared to this. Reality fought with itself, constantly struggling to keep its form.

A dark being vanished in front of him, and he leaped back in retaliation, entering Ultra Instinct Stage 3. Goku brought his arm back and fired a blast as wide as a planet toward it. It growled and grabbed the blast, tossing it away. "You have the power of Zalama..."

"Impossible! Even stage 3?!" Suddenly, everything faded around Goku, and the only thing left was the figure of Zalama staring him in the eyes. But something was different. This time, he didn't feel the same warmth as he had felt before when meeting the dragon god in his mind.

This time, he only felt darkness. Goku could see the chains locking the namekian up. Zalama glanced up weakly. "Wake up."

Goku opened his eyes and found himself in a healing pod, far more advanced than the one on Namek. "Where... am I? What happened?" He pressed a button, and the hatch opened. He climbed out, his legs feeling stiff. "Wait... I fell unconscious hours ago, probably."

An angel stepped forward, stopping him with his staff. "Ah, good. You're finally awake. You've been out for 93.6 Tiks."

The Saiyan grunted, feeling fully recovered. "How long is that?"

"Approximately two months."

Goku's eyes widened, and he looked around, shocked. "T-T-Two months?! How did that happen?!"

The angel tapped his chin. "I had very peculiar readings of your energy. It's not one hundred percent conclusive, but it seems as if... you're an Overlord."

The Saiyan paused before walking up to the angel. "Listen, I need you to not tell ANYONE about this."

The angel raised an eyebrow. "Why are you hiding? How is a Goku able to tap into the power of one?"

"Listen, if anybody finds out, it could spell war for the entire Metaverse," the Saiyan replied. "Please, it's a very long story, but I promise I'm not here for evil intentions. You have to believe me. You cannot tell anybody."

The angel chuckled. "Well, even if I wanted to, I'm unable to share this kind of information without your consent. I do wish you luck, though. Please be careful."

"Thank you for healing me," Goku said. "Uh, how do I call one of those pod things?"

"Just ask for one out loud when you leave the building, and it will come."

Goku nodded, leaving the area. "Man, the Central is really convenient. Everything is free and simple." He walked down the streets of the Central, where there were floating holograms everywhere. He saw something that caught his eye, and his stomach rumbled. Goku held it, groaning. "I haven't eaten in so long... Not since before I left the Angelic Chamber."

He walked over, and an angel stepped forward. "Greetings. How may I serve you?"

The Saiyan glanced at the menu, tapping his chin. "You know what? I'll just have one of everything."

The angel nodded before waving their hand, and an orb the size of a baseball appeared on the countertop. "Enjoy."

Goku picked it up, confused. "Uhhh... Okay. How do I pay for this?"

The angel smiled. "We don't pay for food in the Central. It's completely free."

"Oh, cool. Thank you." Goku moved away, holding the baseball-sized orb. "What the heck am I supposed to do with this?"

He squeezed it, and it glowed, confusing him. Immediately, bunches of food materialized on the ground in front of him in the middle of the street. The passing residents looked at him with a strange look. Despite this, he plopped down on the ground and ate at his heart's content. After he finished all the food, he cleared his throat. "Uh... Can I get a pod over here?"

For a second, nothing happened. Then Goku saw a gleam in the sky for a brief second before a pod shot down and landed in front of him, opening its hatch. "Pod delivered. Please step inside and vocalize your destination."

The Saiyan walked forward into the pod and sat down. "Take me to Adia, the guidance angel."

Without warning, the pod shot forward and pinned him to the wall. It flies away from the Central and past countless multiverses. It halted at a familiar floating island. "You have reached your destination."

It landed next to Adia, alarming her. "Wh-what?!"

The hatch opened, and Goku stepped out, brushing himself off. "I'm never gonna get used to that. Uh, hi, Adia. It's been a while."

"Hello," she replied, tapping the screen and keeping the line going. "You've been gone for longer than I expected."

"Let's just say I had a big drawback using... 'that'," Goku replied, and she nodded. "Yeah, it's expected for a mortal that doesn't have the body to maintain it for long. I haven't come to any conclusion about your issue with your multiverse."

The Saiyan sighed. "I was afraid you'd say that. Is there nothing I can do? I have to bring my family back, everybody."

"Udun, mind filling in for me again?" Adia asked, and her friend groaned.

"Again? What's your deal?" he complained.

"I'll give you a full day off from here."

"Deal."

Adia gestured for Goku to follow her, and he did. They walked around the corner, and she sighed. "Alright, look. The only way you can possibly pull that off is with a pair of Super Dragon Balls. But it's far too risky to attempt."

"Is it possible to do it without the Guardians finding out?" The Saiyan asked. "There has to be a way."

She shook her head. "It's not possible. They have incredible senses. If they find out, one of them will probably report it to the Time Council, and war could begin."

"That is, if they can get there."

Adia flinched. "You're not suggesting..."

"I am," Goku replied, crossing his arms. "If they find me, I'll enter stage 3 and incinerate them. No witnesses."

She clenched her fists before summoning her staff and aiming it at his chest. "I will not allow that, Saiyan. Killing a Guardian is an unforgivable crime."

Goku grabbed her staff and crushed it, staring her in the eyes with killing intent. It was his Kakarot side taking over. "It's either I kill some or a war begins that destroys the Metaverses. I'm not making any compromises. I'm bringing back my home."

Sweat went down the angel's face as Adia experienced fear for the first time in a long time. "F-Fine... Didn't have to crush my staff for that..."

"I'll do it with another version of Vegeta," Goku explained.

Adia gave him a concerned expression. "Very well. What will you do now?"

"I'm going to visit an old friend of mine and borrow their Super Dragon Balls." Goku turned and went back into the pod. "I'll see you later, Adia. Right now, I want to see some familiar faces."

He pressed a button. "Bring me to Future Trunks's timeline. Uhh... The same guy who visited my multiverse."

"Searching..." The pod beeped for a moment. "'Future Trunks's timeline' could not be located."

Goku sighed and reached his hand into his pocket, pulling out his ID and reading it. "Alright, uhh... I'm from multiverse #1094625419582. Take me to where Future Trunks resides."

"Scanning... Multiverse #1094625917542 located. Inhabited by a Half-Saiyan named Trunks, previously known for visiting your multiverse. According to records, he has broken multiple laws of time."

The pod shot forward, with Goku holding on tightly this time. Moments later, it arrived in front of another multiverse. It flew in and landed in a palace unlike Zeno's. The Saiyan stepped out, confused. "Where... am I?" He turned to see a familiar figure on a golden throne. "What?! You're... Zateus!"

The god glanced at him, confused. "How did you get here, Son Goku?" He stood up and walked over to him. "Ah, you're not from this multiverse..."

Goku went into a stance, entering Ultra Instinct. "Why are you here, Zateus? Where's Zeno?"

"They've been gone for ten years," the god replied. "We won the war as Ozatus and killed the gods. We have created a peaceful reality."

The Saiyan blinked, looking around. "Uhh... Okay? I'll head to Earth now."

Zateus cleared his throat. "No need. Abysus, my son, would you mind taking this one to Universe Seven's Earth?"

A muscular figure walked forward toward Goku. "Yes, father. Let's go, Saiyan."

Goku took a step back. "Hold up. Why are you acting so different? Why are all of you so... nice? And how are you alive, Abysus?"

"Our only goal was to eliminate the gods," Abysus explained. "Our intention was never to kill the mortals unless they got in our way. We wanted a better multiverse without the restrictions of the gods. He resurrected me using the Super Dragon Balls. Father has plans to bring back Zydis soon."

He placed a hand on the Saiyan's shoulder, and they teleported to a familiar location in West City. Goku sensed the energies in the multiverse and felt the mortal level had improved from his own. "Uh, thanks, Abysus," he said, walking forward. He found the Gravity Chamber and walked into it to see Future Trunks training with weights on. "Ahem."

The Half-Saiyan paused and turned off the gravity. "Oh, hey, Goku. You're already done with your training with Omesus?"

Goku tried to speak, but no words came out of his mouth for a moment. "Uhh... Hey, Trunks. I'm not the Goku from this reality."

Trunks took a step back, getting a little nervous. "Are you a time traveler? Wait... Now that you mention it, your energy is different."

"I'm the Goku you gave the medicine to all those years ago," he replied, and the Half-Saiyan's eyes widened.

"G-G-G-Goku?!" he exclaimed. "I haven't seen you since the aftermath of Zamasu. How did you get here?"

Goku sat down and filled him in on everything. From the arrival of Abysus, to Broly, to Zateus, and then Qhuteus. After he finished the story, Trunks stood there, shocked. "Your multiverse... I can't believe it."

He sat down with Goku. "So that's who that towering figure that warned me was... I don't get it, though. If you guys have pods that can go to any location in the Metaverse, why am I not allowed to have my own machine?"

"Probably because it's dangerous and unstable," Goku replied. "Look, I... I have to use the Super Dragon Balls to bring back two multiverses at once. I just hope Super Shenron's able to do it."

He glanced up at the Half-Saiyan. "But enough about me. How have you been? Where's Mai?"

"She's actually become a police officer alongside Krillin, believe it or not," Trunks said. "I've also obtained a new transformation."

An aura shot up around him, and he yelled, entering his ultimate form. A white aura enveloped the room, shaking it. "Elder Kai unlocked my potential, and now I have a form just like Gohan."

Goku smiled. "That's pretty neat." He then looks down at the ground, feeling off.

"What's wrong, Goku?"

"It's just... ever since fusing with my Saiyan side, I've been different," the Saiyan explained. "I've been crueler and less like I used to. I don't know if it'll be like this forever."

Trunks placed a hand on his shoulder, powering down. "Look, everything's going to be alright. Trust me, I know your pain. I've lost my home to one of those Omni Kings... At least you have a chance to bring yours back."

He gazed up at the sky. "I came here years after... Zateus, was it? After he killed the gods, I didn't mind. In fact, I liked it. A Zeno erased my home. It felt nice knowing he wasn't going to be a problem to anybody anymore."

Goku leaned his head on the Gravity Chamber's wall, thinking for a moment. All this time, he was blind to the fact that Zeno really had done terrible things in the past. Despite having a childlike mind, it was almost as if... he had never got the right guidance.

His eyes widened. How could Zeno have created the multiverse? He'd only seen the Omni King erase, not create. They relied on Daishinkan to do those things. Master Roshi told him that the Zenos seemingly had trouble keeping up with him and Jiren's battle, according to his observations.

He stood up. "Trunks, I'm gonna go take a walk. You keep training, alright?"

The Half-Saiyan nodded. "It was nice seeing you again, Goku." He turned the chamber back on, and Goku left the area, trying to contemplate things. No way could Zeno have created the multiverse. But who could've? They rely on-...

His eyes widened, and everything clicked with him. There was no other probable explanation. Plus, the Daishinkan he had fought back in his arena said something that implied he used to be the Omni King. This meant…

His Daishinkan was the former Omni King.

To Be Continued in Chapter Thirty-Three

Sorry for the delay! I hope this chapter was worth the wait. Will Goku succeed with his plan? Find out in the next chapter!

~ Scruffy

Chapter 33: The Homecoming

Chapter Text

DRAGON BALL: INFINITE HORIZONS SPECIAL

THE RETURN

Chapter Thirty-Three - The Homecoming

After realizing this, Goku stood there for what felt like hours. He took a deep breath and moved forward, raising his fingers to his forehead. He used instant transmission to teleport to an energy level just like his. His teleportation had gotten so potent that he could teleport anywhere in the multiverse with ease.

Goku found himself in the Angelic Chamber, where Omesus trained with another version of himself. The two went back and forth, clashing fists and elbows. Our Goku watched them before clearing his throat. The two stopped and looked down at him, confused. Goku 2 flew down alongside the Saiyan God, getting on guard.

"Who the hell are you?" Omesus asked, walking forward and towering over him. "You look just like my training partner."

Goku wasn't the least bit intimidated by his stature. "I'm studying this multiverse. With you guys taking over as the new gods, I'm intrigued. Who keeps the mortals in check?"

"Nobody," the Saiyan God replied. "Mortals deserve freedom from the gods after what they did. Daishinkan erased Zydis, but we will soon bring him back. He didn't deserve it."

"That's ridiculous," Goku replied. "If there is nobody to maintain the mortal levels, they'll go out of control. You'll have a tyrant like Frieza running around with nobody to stop him."

"We only interfere if a situation such as that occurs," Omesus said. "We only wish for peace in the multiverse. Ever since we eliminated the gods, we have gotten closer to that goal."

Goku nodded. "What about Qhuteus?"

The Saiyan God's eyes widened as he swung a punch, with the Saiyan catching it. "How do you know that name?!"

Goku 2 finally decided to speak. "Hey, uh... I'm really confused right now. Why is there another me? Who's Qhuteus?"

"I'm from another timeline," Goku explained. "One where Qhuteus forcibly fused with Abysus, Omesus, and Zateus and became an unstoppable god. He wrecked my reality."

"That's impossible," Omesus said. "Qhuteus is under his father's guidance. He wouldn't betray us."

The Saiyan grunted, turning away. "I'll handle this." Before either of them could do anything, he teleported to Universe Nineteen in front of a familiar figure. Qhuteus looked up, his eyes widening.

"What the?!" he exclaimed. In an instant, Goku activated Full-Power Stage 2 for a brief second, launching a beam that completely incinerated the evil god. He powered down, brushing himself off.

"I just did them a favor," he muttered. He sat down in the dark palace, thinking to himself. Were the gods meant to rule the multiverse, or should Zateus and the others have taken over? He'd have to figure that out in his timeline.

After a moment, Goku stood up and placed a hand on the ground, concentrating. "It's time to bring my home back. I'm not waiting any longer." He used an angel technique he learned from Daishinkan, and seven Super Dragon Balls vanished above him, reflecting the stars in the sky. He glanced up at them, feeling hope.

He opened his mouth to say the incantations. "Emoc Htrof-" Suddenly, three figures vanished in front of him, stopping him. It was Abysus, Omesus, and Zateus, charging a beam in his direction.

Goku closed his eyes and sighed. "I'm trying to bring back my multiverse. Go away."

"I'm afraid not," Zateus replied. "You have killed my son, and you will pay for your actions."

"I did you a favor," the Saiyan said. "He was going to betray you and then try to take over the other multiverses."

Omesus lowered his hand and charged forward, powering up into his Legendary Super Saiyan state. He leaped in front of Goku and swung a heavy punch, coating it with energy. Goku raised his arm and blocked the attack with ease. A massive shock wave shot out and damaged the palace, cracking the floor and walls. "I said piss off."

Abysus and Zateus fired a combined beam that nearly consumed him, but he vanished out of the way in time. "Tch..."

Omesus shouted and powered up into Super Saiyan White, flying toward the Saiyan. Goku got in a stance and powered up into Perfected Super Saiyan Blue, closing his eyes. The brute swung a powerful kick, which Goku deflected with one hand. He brought his other fist back and slammed it into Omesus's gut, paralyzing him. Omesus coughed up blood, falling to the ground.

Zateus used his Judgment Lock, but it didn't affect the Saiyan. He growled and powered up into stage 2, launching toward Goku alongside Abysus. Goku used Kaioken times ten with no strain, punching them both in the faces simultaneously. Abysus yelled, flying back, while Zateus stopped himself, wiping blood from his chin. "Bastard!"

"I've given you a chance to back off," Goku reminded him. "Maybe discipline them better if you don't want them to die."

The mortal darted forward, a glowing trail following him. He brought back his fist and rapidly barraged the Saiyan at an insane pace. Goku powered up into Kaioken times forty and took the attacks without budging. He raised his hand and chopped Zateus to the ground with full force, knocking him unconscious. "Those idiots will get in the way again when they wake up. I better relocate."

He amped up his Kaioken to times two hundred and flew across the universes, levitating the Super Dragon Balls around him. "Sorry, Trunks, but I'll visit you later. Right now, this is my top priority."

Goku dashed toward the barrier and powered up into stage 2, smashing through it. He left the multiverse, heading away from it. A pod flew to him, but he shouted at it. "Lead me to Multiverse #1094625419582!"

The pod took off in another direction at a slower pace, and he followed it. "I'll be able to see everybody again. Vegeta, Gohan, Chi-Chi, Goten, Krillin, Master Roshi, Daishinkan, Zen-chan..."

He pulled the ID the other Vegeta gave him out of his pocket and channeled his energy into it. "Come on... You gotta respond, Vegeta. I can't come to you right now." Goku yelled and entered full-power Stage 2, increasing his speed. He flew past many multiverses with the pod. "I'll probably have to fight those damned Guardians, but I'll do whatever it takes."

After half an hour, he finally arrived in front of his wrecked multiverse with the pair of Super Dragon Balls. Goku noticed the structure of the multiverse was back thanks to Omesus and Zateus's work, and he smirked. But that didn't matter now.

Goku laid out the dragon balls in front of him and powered down, sighing. "Emoc Htrof, Enivid Nogard! Dna Tnarg Ym Hsiw, Saep dna Storrac!"

The Super Dragon Balls glowed as Super Shenron himself shot out of them, roaring. It towered above Goku, looking down at him. As soon as he locked eyes with the dragon, the Saiyan noticed its energy calming down as if it trusted him. Goku then remembered. He had Zalama's energy within him. Super Shenron must've sensed it. He opened his mouth. "Alright... It's time. GnirB kcab htob um-"

A winged figure vanished in front of him, along with four others. He looked up to see guardians looking down at him. "Son Goku of #1094625419582, you are under arrest for breaking time law. Do not resist."

Goku clenched his fists and entered Ultra Instinct Stage 2, a massive aura shooting up around him. "Let me pass. I'm just trying to bring back two multiverses that were unfairly erased."

He flew around the first guardian, but another stopped and grabbed him in its massive hand. "We said to not resist. This is your final warning." The Saiyan used Kai Kai to teleport above the guardian and yelled, launching a Kamehameha towards him. He knocked it away with a finger with minimum effort, flying toward him and swinging a punch.

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Love & Loss]

Goku's eyes widened as it slammed into him, shattering his ribs. He vomited out blood, flying back. He coughed, holding his chest. "Damn it..."

Another guardian vanished above him, going to grab him, but he leaped out of the way, powering up into Full-Power Stage 2. He roared, a massive avatar forming around him. He flew forward and summoned a massive power pole, launching it toward one guardian. It blocked the attack, skidding back a bit. It flew forward, unsheathing a white blade.

It swung it toward Goku, and he was about to block it, but then Vegeta vanished and kicked him out of the way in his Omni King form, flying next to him. "Fool! Don't let that blade touch you! It can pass through anything."

He leaped forward, attacking a guardian with a huge white destruction beam. "Kakarot, make the wish! I'll hold them off!"

"Right!" Goku flew forward, swerving past the guardians. He darted up to Super Shenron. "Super Shenron! nirB kcab htob sesrevitluM #2859145264901 dna 2457195264901!"

The dragon's eyes glowed, and it roared, two beams of light going into his multiverse and two others going into the far distance. Slowly, the multiverses started to return, but even Super Shenron struggled to do this much. Goku moved forward, his aura growing to full size. He went to attack a guardian with his power pole, sending it back. The guardian took a stance and powered up into Full-Power Stage 2 as well.

Sweat went down the side of the Saiyan's face. This was going to be tough. Goku shouted and fired a beam that the guardian knocked away. He flew toward Goku and swung a heavy punch toward him. Vegeta vanished next to Goku, creating a massive barrier alongside him. They barely blocked the punch, but their barrier shattered.

"Kakarot, the only way we'll be able to defeat them is if we fuse," the Omni King said begrudgingly.

Goku shook his head. "That won't be necessary. After all..." One guardian flew forward, bringing down its white blade on him. The Saiyan caught it with two fingers, his eyes a fiery blue. The surrounding multiverses shook.

"Nothing, not even the guardians, will stop me from bringing back my multiverse," he said. Goku twirled his index finger, the white blade warping around it and then shattering.

Vegeta's eyes widened. "What the?! This power... It's far beyond even my own!"

The guardian leaped back, grunting. Two others flew forward, swinging a punch, but Goku roared, his hair spiking up and glowing a neon purple. He deflected their attacks, his face expressionless. He swiped his hand, slicing them in half and destroying them. The remaining guardians darted back and fired a combined beam toward him that hit Goku and incinerated him, spreading him into many particles.

"KAKAROT!" Vegeta yelled, but the particles shot behind the guardians and reformed back into Goku's physical form. He raised his hand and yelled, forming a massive orb in front of him. He launched a beam out of it that completely consumed the guardians and eradicated them.

A massive shock wave shot out, shaking many multiverses around them. Goku turned and flew past a shocked Vegeta. He went up to Super Shenron, who still struggled and growled. He smirked and raised his hand, channeling his energy into the dragon. The stars on the Super Dragon Balls glowed a neon blue, and Super Shenron flew up, his eyes glowing brighter than before.

He roared, spreading back into the Super Dragon Balls. All seven of them flew toward Goku and shrunk down, confusing him. They then surrounded him and infused themselves into his arms and chest. Goku gazed at his body, speechless. "I guess he thinks I'm Zalama... I don't know what this means, though."

Vegeta flew forward, powering down. "You did it... What was that form?"

"It's Ultra Instinct Stage 3," Goku replied. "Hopefully, nobody comes after me. I did what I had to do."

The Omni King nodded. "Thank you, Kakarot. We'll meet again. I owe you a lot."

"Don't mention it." Goku turned toward his multiverse and saw all eighteen universes returned. Tears formed in his eyes, but he wiped them away. "Maybe you could repay us by training our version of Vegeta later. I have to go, though."

He shook Vegeta's hand and flew off, heading toward his multiverse. Meanwhile, without his knowledge, a guardian had watched the whole incident from a distance. They turned around and flew away, going to report this to the Time Council.

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - His Brightest Star Was You]

Goku entered the multiverse, remembering what had happened in the Qhuteus war.

The fusion coldly smiled before flicking and sending an air blast that instantly killed Krillin. Buu tried to absorb the fusion, but he flared his aura, disintegrating the Majin. He flicked his finger, sending Maji Kayo and some of the other fighters into the sun instantly. Vegeta looked down at his decaying body in silence for a moment. "Kakarot, it's all up to you now."

The fusion waved his hand, slicing into Konton's chest.

Seji's eyes widened as he fell to the ground alongside his dragon. "Konton... No..."

The dragon looked up at him sadly before dispersing into energy. Seji looked up at the sky, feeling his life force fading. Qhuzarus placed a hand on Chi-Chi's head, who was paralyzed with shock. "Goodbye."

Goku's wife crumbled into dust before his very eyes.

Goku used Kai Kai and teleported on Earth, back to the battlefield, seeing everything back. People got off the ground, confused. Vegeta looked at his chest, seeing the energy spear gone. Chi-Chi fell to her knees, still shocked. "W-W-What happened? I thought we all died..."

Seji opened his eyes, seeing Konton above him. The dragon helped him up, and he looked at the sky, which was no longer riddled with lightning. "Did we win?"

Goku stepped forward, smiling. Everybody looked at him, and Chi-Chi broke down into tears, running over and hugging him. "Goku! You're okay!"

"It's been hard without you guys," the Saiyan replied, unable to control his tears. "I defeated Qhuzarus and brought back everybody using a pair of Super Dragon Balls."

Beerus coughed, still feeling the after-effects of the white divine energy. Whis walked over and helped him up, smiling. "We're back, my lord."

Goten, Gohan, and Krillin rushed up to Goku, joining in the hug. Vegeta stepped forward and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Good work, Kakarot. But how did you defeat him? What are those markings on your body?"

"That's a story for another time," Goku replied. "For now, I'm just happy everybody's back. However, I have something to tell everybody, especially the gods. You might not like it, though."

Daishinkan walked forward, smiling. The Zenos got up and walked forward, smiling at the Saiyan. Jiren nodded to Goku before walking away with the Pride Troopers. Belmod cleared his throat. "Marcarita, mind sending them back?"

"As you wish, my lord," the angel replied, tapping her staff and teleporting them away. Trunks ran over and hugged Vegeta, who accepted it just this once. Broly held his head, feeling a headache from using his full power earlier.

"I'm glad we won," he muttered, relieved.

Gohan noticed something in the corner of his eye and saw a ship flying away. He growled, but Goku placed a hand on his shoulder. "We'll deal with Frieza later, Gohan. Let him go."

He let go of the hug and stepped toward Daishinkan and the Omni Kings. "It's a long story, but... I mastered that power, Daishinkan."

The Grand Priest nodded. "I knew you would. What's it called?"

"Err... I'll reveal that soon," the Saiyan replied. "I left the multiverse after its destruction and learned about the Metaverse."

Daishinkan closed his eyes. "I was worried the mortals would find out one day."

Goku then remembered something and went up to Daishinkan, speaking to him in a tone only the two of them could hear. "I know the truth about the Omni King." The Grand Priest's eyes widened, but he didn't say anything. Goku placed two fingers on his head. "I need all the gods to stay here for a moment. I need to go talk to them."

Before they could ask questions, he teleported to a palace inhabited by Omesus and Zateus. They glanced at him, having mixed feelings about this. Zateus walked forward. "Are you sure this will work?"

"It has to," Goku replied. "You need to heal the rift with the gods. You can compromise and change the way the multiverse works."

"It's unlikely they will accept us," Omesus reminded him. "We've been their biggest enemies for a billion years, and we cannot forgive them either. They killed Zydis and have shown they are corrupt."

"We'll sort everything out soon," the Saiyan told him. "I'll need to know the full story of what caused your hatred for the gods and who Zydis is. Maybe, just maybe, we could bring him back."

He placed a hand on the ground and concentrated. He sent an energy signal to the gods from the palace, and the first one to appear would be Daishinkan himself. His eyes widened as he looked at Omesus and Zateus. "Goku-san, what's the meaning of this?"

The two Omni Kings teleported in next, confused. The angels and gods of destruction appeared. When Zateus saw them, he clenched his fists, trying to keep his composure. Goku turned toward them. "It's time to heal this rift once and for all."

Whis stepped forward, clenching his staff. "Goku, please step aside. They are threats."

"I'm not moving," the Saiyan replied. "Just listen to me."

"You killed Zydis," Zateus interrupted, leaping down and walking toward them. "You forced mortals to participate in an event that would ultimately lead to their erasure. Zeno nearly destroyed the multiverse over a game of hide and seek."

Two of Zeno's guards took a stance, an aura surrounding them. Goku got frustrated. "Listen to me, all of you!"

Daishinkan ignored his student. "It's time to settle the score once and for all, Zateus. Step down, or we will be forced to annihilate you."

Zateus powered up into stage 2, and Omesus entered Super Saiyan White. "We'll allow the mortals freedom!" Goku yelled, but his cries were unheard. The gods of destruction, angels, Daishinkan, and Omni Guards flew forward, heading toward the two mortals.

"This is the problem with you gods!" Zateus shouted, flying forward alongside his companion. The Saiyan clenched his fist and yelled, unleashing a massive shock wave that stunned everybody.

"ENOUGH!" Goku yelled as he entered Ultra Instinct Stage 3 and darted up. "NO MORE FIGHTING!" He waved his hand, sending a blast of wind that launched both sides away. They all looked at him, shocked, especially Daishinkan and Whis.

"That's the power," Whis said. "This godly energy... it far exceeds even Lord Zeno's."

Goku towered over them. "I've had enough of this war. If you continue to fight, I will kill you myself. Qhuteus, the one pulling the strings, is dead. Abysus is dead. Zateus and Omesus are the only two left."

Vegeta and a couple of others teleported in thanks to Shin, looking up at Goku in his new transformation. Goku flew down to the ground, cracking the floor. "This is... Ultra Instinct Stage 3. The power of Zalama."

Zateus fell to his knees, trembling. "That can't be... Stage 3 can't be real. How did you get his power?"

Goku filled them in on everything that had happened. From him meeting Zalama and merging with his Saiyan side, to meeting Adia and another version of Vegeta, and to killing the guardians and bringing everybody back.

"You killed the Guardians of the timelines?!" Sweat went down Daishinkan's face. "They'll be looking for you now, Goku!"

"I'll deal with them myself if they do," the Saiyan replied, turning toward Zateus. "It's time to end this conflict, Zateus. Zalama himself wanted me to stop you. I want to know the full story. Who is Zydis? How did this hatred for the gods develop?"

The mortal sighed, sitting down alongside his friend. "Very well... This is going to be a long story, so you better get comfortable. I'll tell you everything I know."

To Be Continued in Chapter Thirty-Four

The multiverse is back, and now Zateus is going to explain his full story! I hope you enjoyed this special chapter, and I will see you soon!

~ Scruffy

Chapter 34: The Beginning

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

After visiting Future Trunks in his new timeline, Goku took the Super Dragon Balls to his multiverse, ready to restore it, and the alternate Vegeta's as well. However, the guardians interfered, and he was forced to enter Stage 3 and kill them. After restoring his home, he met back up with everybody and stopped a fight between Zateus, Omesus, and the gods. Now, Zateus will explain the entire story to them.

Chapter Thirty-Four - The Beginning

Zateus cleared his throat. "It all began when we were born-"

Daishinkan stepped forward. "I'm going to stop you there. I feel that... everybody needs to know the real truth about the gods."

Omesus scrunched his eyebrows. "What are you talking about, Grand Priest?"

The angel sighed, turning toward everyone. "I wasn't always the Grand Priest, all of you. I've been someone else even before Zateus was born."

Zateus paused before looking down at the ground. "Even now, you still hide the truth. Enough games, Daishinkan. Tell us everything, or Omesus and I will fuse again and take care of matters ourselves."

"You wouldn't!" Vegeta shouted, raising his fist. "Zeno and his guards are here, even Kakarot!" He turns toward his old friend. "... Kakarot?"

Goku stood there, glaring at Daishinkan. Everybody noticed something had changed about the Saiyan. He didn't have the same kindness as he did before. "Zateus is right, Daishinkan. I won't stop them if they do fuse."

Everybody, even the angels, gasped. Beerus stomped forward and grabbed Goku by the collar. "What the hell are you playing at, Goku? I thought you were on our side."

Goku grabbed Beerus's hand and shoved him to the ground, away from him. "We'll see which side I'm on after I hear everything. I have more than enough power to eliminate either side."

Even Zeno was nervous. Daishinkan sighed, raising his hand. "Very well. I owe you a debt I cannot fully repay, but I will do my best." He snapped and showed everybody a vision. Initially, the multiverse was unstable, having only just formed. In the middle was a tall figure. Goku expected to see Zeno, but he saw somebody else.

Daishinkan opened his eyes, wearing Omni King attire. All the gods of destruction and mortals gasped when they saw this vision, but the angels remained unphased.

The Omni King opened his eyes, waving his hand and creating the nineteen universes. "It's time to create my own reality as the Omni King. I will have children to oversee the universes as their populations grow."

He hovered away, creating a palace in front of him. Daishinkan opened his hand, summoning what looked to be white divine energy, but something was different. It was amplified by his Omni King destruction power. Daishinkan waved his hand, and it split into nineteen beams. They spread and concentrated on different spots in front of him. Multiple figures formed, and they bowed in front of their father.

Whis opened his eyes, and there was no ring around his neck, and his hair was darker due to them not yet having access to Ultra Instinct. Daishinkan towered over them, looking at each of them. "I have created you all out of energy. Tell me your names."

They did so, and he turned around, sitting on his throne. "Should any mortal step out of line, they will be immediately erased. You will oversee all nineteen universes as their gods and maintain the mortal level."

They bowed before Daishinkan placed his hand on the ground, another pillar of energy appearing much bigger than the others. A figure with Grand Priest attire appeared, looking similar to Daishinkan in the future. "Your role will be as my attendant," Daishinkan replied. "Your name is Zateus. You are the leader of the angels."

Zateus bowed before him. "Y-Yes, my lord. What is my... first order?"

"Send the angels to their respective universes," the Omni King replied. "They will closely monitor progress on the first lifeforms."

The Grand Priest turned around and tapped his staff, sending the angels away. "You plan to create a population of lifeforms across the universes? I... I don't understand, my lord."

"They will evolve into something greater," Daishinkan replied. "I have plans for these beings, as they could be useful to us gods in the future. Should they go against us, they will be extinguished without remorse."

Zateus paused, then bowed. "I... I understand. What must I do at this present time?"

"Not at this present time, but in the future," Daishinkan corrected. "Forward time to two billion years from now to when the first lifeforms have developed and the galaxies have formed."

The Grand Priest spun his staff and slammed it on the ground, a shock wave consuming the palace. As Daishinkan observed, the universes transformed over time. The angels continued to watch them, with the passage of time being the blink of an eye to them. It was then 11.7 billion years in the past from the present day.

The Omni King stood up. "You must seek training from Whis. You lack experience, but he will help you in the ways of an angel. Dismissed."

Zateus teleported away, deciding to visit a nearby universe. He admired the beauty of the galaxies, his eyes widening. "Stunning... This is what Lord Daishinkan has planned?" He flew down to the universe, finding a planet that looked similar to what Beerus's world looked like today, but with rock-solid ground. He landed on it, looking around. "What is this place?"

In the corner of his eye, he saw Whis walking toward him. "Greetings, Lord Zateus. What brings you here?"

Zateus shifted uncomfortably. "Hello, Whis... My father wants you to train me in the ways of an angel. To be a reliable Grand Priest, I have to do this."

Whis's lips curled up into a smile. "I see. Of all my siblings? I'm flattered. Very well. I'll teach you what I can. I did see you forwarded time, so you are already quite powerful." He moved over to a huge rock. "To serve Daishinkan, you must have the power and knowledge to do so." He swung a punch and hit the rock, shattering it into pieces. "Even I still lack some experience. Tell me, how would you fight a potential intruder? Pretend I'm trying to attack Daishinkan."

Zateus immediately dashed forward, swinging his staff. Whis blocked it with one hand before bringing back his fist and slamming a punch in his gut, knocking the wind out of him. This was unlike the angel's present fighting style.

"You've left yourself wide open," the angel explained. "In terms of physicality, you lack it. Perhaps Father intentionally made you weaker than us, so you could learn from the best. Maybe to set an example for us angels. I'm not quite sure myself."

The Grand Priest ran forward again, rapidly jabbing his staff at the angel. Whis deflected all of his attacks, smiling. "That isn't going to w—" Zateus shouted, firing a massive anti-matter blast that scorched and caused part of the landscape to explode. Whis vanished out of the way, seeing the damages. "Dear me... You're quite destructive. If you were one of us, you sure would give those lifeforms quite a scare. They wouldn't want to go against us."

He thought about it for a moment, giving Zateus an opening. Zateus opened his eyes, an aura shooting up around him. He raised his staff and slammed it down, forcing the angel to block it.

Whis's arms shook before he smirked and powered up as well, chopping him on the shoulder and knocking him out with one attack. Zateus's eyes closed as he fell down. The angel leaped down and caught him before he hit the ground, setting him down. "You have a long way to go, Lord Zateus. It will take eons for you to perfect your power, but once you do, you will be worthy to be Daishinkan's right hand."

As billions of years went by, Whis trained Zateus, allowing the Grand Priest to become more and more powerful. Meanwhile, basic lifeforms formed, still being mere bacteria. As many planets cooled down, atmospheres and oxygen started to make them breathable. One day, both angels visited a planet and were amazed. Of all planets, this one was later known as Earth.

Zateus kneeled, seeing water flowing down a river. He looked closer with his enhanced eyesight, seeing Cyanobacteria releasing oxygen into the atmosphere. "What is this?"

"These are alive, according to my observations," Whis explained. "Real lifeforms will soon roam the land. They will be able to reproduce and continue to grow."

The Grand Priest cupped water in his hands, feeling the wet sensation. "Why does Lord Daishinkan want to be so... strict about maintaining life? Shouldn't they be able to live without interference?"

"I cannot go against the Omni King's wishes," Whis said. "Even I do not know why he wishes to create these fragile beings that only live for a short time."

"I wonder what it's like to be a mortal..." Zateus dropped the water, walking up to his mentor. "To live a limited life, knowing you could die at any moment... To have a family and live with them without the responsibilities of an angel..."

He blinked, clearing his throat. "Thank you for training me, Whis."

The angel smiled. "You best return to Father. He would disapprove of me keeping you here. I've taught you all I could."

Zateus bowed before tapping his staff and shooting off into the stars. "Should angels be the only beings to monitor the universes? Even that will be challenging for them alone when the mortal population grows."

A smile curled on his lips as he stopped in the middle of space. "Before I return, I should give some lifeforms a helping hand and accelerate their evolution." He landed on a random planet in universe seven and tapped his staff, with a glow enveloping the entire area.

Zateus darted off, leaving the lifeforms to evolve. Little did he know, he had made a decision that changed everything. He entered his father's palace, bowing before him. "I have returned, my lord."

Daishinkan stood up, walking over to him. "Well done. Might I ask why you stopped on your way here?"

"I've decided to accelerate the evolution of a planet's lifeforms on the way here," Zateus explained. "I find the concept fascinating."

The Omni King narrowed his eyes at him. "You cannot disrupt the balance, Zateus. I gave you clear instructions."

"B-But, sir, I still had training from Whis," the Grand Priest replied. "I only accelerated the evolution of the lifeforms."

"Very well," the Omni King said. "Your training is complete, then, I presume?"

Zateus nodded. "Yes, my lord. I've mastered the powers of the angels." He yelled, and a purple aura flared up around him, shaking the throne room.

"Ah, destruction energy," Daishinkan hummed. "Good. That means you're ready to assume your rightful position as the Grand Priest. Well done."

The Grand Priest's eyes widened, having never gotten a compliment from the Omni King before. "Uh, thank you, sir."

The Omni King turned around, walking back toward the throne. "Now, we must get to work on creating these so-called lifeforms. Despite you accelerating the growth of a certain planet without my approval, I find interest in them as well."

"Imagine what it would be like to become a mortal," Zateus said, looking up at the ceiling. "A short life with no impact on the vastness of the multiverse, confined in a weak body."

Daishinkan turned around. "I see. Your comment has given me an idea. How about we take a break before you begin your eternal duties as my attendant?"

The Grand Priest glanced at him, raising an eyebrow. "Wh... What do you mean, my lord?"

The Omni King twirled his finger, and Zateus lurched forward, feeling his angelic powers being stripped. His staff dissipated in his hand. "If you find the concept of lifeforms fascinating, then perhaps you should go down to their level for now."

The former god's eyes widened as he looked at his hands. They went from a light blue to a tan color. "Daishinkan!"

"You will be the first non-immortal to populate the multiverse," Daishinkan said, turning around and walking back to his throne. "You are the... first mortal. You will monitor them and report back to me. You'll still have the capability to contact me. Report on their progress. I'm curious to know how these mortals would behave without knowing there is a god in their presence."

"But... What am I now, my lord?" Zateus asked. "If I'm not an angel... what am I?"

Daishinkan smiled. "You're a Fallen Angel. You're you, but without the majority of your powers."

The Grand Priest glanced at his body again. "I understand. I'll monitor these lifeforms to the best of my ability."

"Good. After all, you have the honor of being the first mortal to ever exist." The Omni King tapped his staff, time forwarding a bit millions of years later. Lifeforms evolved, but there was one such planet that already had a small civilization. He opened a portal, gesturing to it. "Watch over this civilization for me."

Zateus stepped through the portal, ending up behind a massive rock. He walked around to see a small village inhabited by powerful, human-like beings. These, of course, were the first Saiyans. The Grand Priest leaped down onto solid ground, watching the Saiyans fight and hunt for food. "They look like me, a fallen angel... Did Daishinkan do this to me so I could blend in?"

He headed toward the village, and a couple of Saiyans noticed him, yelling. They ran toward him and went to attack, but he dodged all of their moves with ease. "I'm not here to cause trouble."

A large buff warrior dashed forward, going to maul him, but Zateus deflected the attack, grabbed the hand, and slammed him to the ground. Immediately, the other Saiyans backed off. "I told you I'm not here to fight," Zateus said, letting go of the Saiyan. "Who may your ruler be?"

He heard footsteps behind the group of Saiyans, and they turned around before running away in terror. The god walked forward, looking... down at the tiny figure. "Oh?"

A Saiyan kid stepped forward, glaring up at him. "Erm, are you... by chance, the ruler?"

The kid kicked his shin, but he didn't budge. "No talk me like that! Bow!"

The Saiyans watching cowered in fear, but Zateus didn't budge. "Is that so... What is your name, young one?"

"I is King Omesus!" The kid raised his fist, sparking with energy for a brief moment. "Most powerful Saiyan ever lived!"

"A Saiyan?" the Grand Priest knelt to his level. "So, your name is Omesus. Interesting."

"Respect I!" the child roared and darted forward, cracking the ground with each step. He swung a punch covered in energy. Zateus stopped it with one finger, and a shock wave shot out.

Omesus's eyes widened, and he took a step back. "How? You be... not hurt?"

Zateus realized he had already made it clear he wasn't like the others, but he tried to brush it off. "I am a Saiyan like you who has trained for years to become the king of this planet."

The child crossed his arms. "You too weak for beat me. I will show you."

He yelled, his irises turning yellow. He entered the Wrathful form, leaping forward and swinging a kick that Zateus blocked again, but he decided to play along and launched himself into the rocks. "Oof! You are... truly too powerful for me! I beg for mercy, my king!" Zateus fell to the ground, pretending to beg. Omesus powered down, scoffing.

"You be servant to me for rest of life or die to fist," Omesus demanded.

The Grand Priest raised an eyebrow but didn't argue. "Very well, King Omesus. Interesting, the Saiyans have chosen a child to be their king, but you have proven your worthiness."

Omesus tilted his head. "You talk funny. You is stupid."

A bead of sweat went down the side of the former angel's face. "Yeah... I'm the stupid one."

The kid huffed and walked away, with the rest of the Saiyans watching him nervously. Zateus glanced at the others for a moment, thinking. They made a child their king, all because of his extraordinary power. Surprisingly, their civilization hasn't collapsed yet.

He followed the kid into a hut bigger than the others. Omesus plopped down on a wooden throne and crossed his arms. "Tell name."

"My name is Zateus, sir," Zateus replied, feeling humiliated for treating this child as his superior. "I have been training for a bil-... ten years to become the greatest warrior on this planet."

"What is you know about my kind?" Omesus asked. "Never see you before."

"I've been living on my own for twenty years," Zateus explained. "I've finally come out to err... open my heart to people, if that's what you call it."

The Saiyan spat on the ground in front of him. "Your ways disgust I. If want to be servant, you protect and help me rule everything."

The fallen angel thought about it for a moment before nodding. "Very well, Lord Omesus." Omesus gets up, waving him away.

"Leave. I call you when need," the child commanded.

Zateus stood up, leaving the room. He headed outside into the fresh air, contemplating his choices. "Well, it can't be that bad, right? I'll get my powers back in time and become the Grand Priest." Out of nowhere, a huge strike of lightning hit nearby, knocking many Saiyans back. Zateus looked up, alarmed. "What in Daishinkan's name was that?"

A spiked, anthropomorphic figure rose from the ground. They had a tail and gems all over their body and were muscular. Their body was completely white, with blue eyes. It opened its eyes, gazing at Zateus and the Saiyans. "I'm back, insects..." In an instant, they had raised a finger, launching a beam that careened right toward a Saiyan's heart, but Zateus shot in the way, knocking it to the side.

The figure faltered before laughing. The former angel narrowed his eyes, not knowing who or what it was. "Who are you? Why are you attacking these innocent people?"

The Frost Demon walked forward, the planet trembling at its power. "My name... is Qube. I don't know what I am, but I call myself a Frost Demon, the soon-to-be ruler of the universe."

Omesus ran out, seeing the Frost Demon king. "What?! Servant, kill!"

Zateus walked forward, cracking his knuckles. "You're planning to rule over the universe? I'm afraid I will not allow that."

Qube chuckled. "Are you going to stop me? You're just a mere Saiyan. You fools have survived only because of my mercy. Don't make me regret it. Now kneel."

Instead, the former angel took one step before shooting forward at insane speeds, elbowing Qube in the cheek and sending him flying. All the Saiyans, especially Omesus, watched in complete shock at his power. The Frost Demon grunted, landing on the ground, before getting up and laughing. "You're not a Saiyan... That fighting style is too sophisticated. What are you?"

Zateus manifested a fake staff out of energy and pointed it toward Qube. "It doesn't matter who I am, but you will not be harming innocent lifeforms."

To Be Continued in Chapter Thirty-Four

Sorry for the long wait. I've been focusing on other things recently after I got my new GPU. I do stuff like Uberduck. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

~ Scruffy

Chapter 35: The Capture

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

Zateus had begun explaining his backstory, but Daishinkan cut in, revealing a big secret to everybody. In the beginning, Omni King Daishinkan created nineteen angels, including Zateus, who soon became the first Grand Priest.

After training with Whis for billions of years, he returned to his master, but Daishinkan had other plans. He temporarily stripped Zateus of his powers, leaving him mortal, and sent him to watch over a particular planet of mortals with great potential. There, he met Omesus and dedicated himself to being his servant. However, tragedy struck, and the first Frost Demon, known as Qube, paid a visit to his playthings.

Chapter Thirty-Five - The Capture

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Rising Force (Choir)]

Zateus created a fake staff out of energy and pointed it toward Qube. "It doesn't matter who I am, but you will not be harming innocent lifeforms."

The Frost Demon smiled, slowly walking forward. "You speak of these lifeforms like you're above them. You might be above these monkeys, but nobody is above me."

He took one step and flickered forward, swinging a kick. Zateus blocked the attack, the ground shattering beneath them. Qube back flipped and raised his finger, using telekinesis to launch massive rocks toward the god. Zateus swung his staff, sending an arc of energy that sliced right through the rocks, causing them to explode into pieces. The Frost Demon growled and vanished behind him, going to elbow him.

The angel spun around and deflected his attack, hitting him with thousands of palm strikes that immobilized him. "Wh... What the hell are those techniques?!"

Qube was about to fall to one knee, but used all of his willpower to keep himself up. "I will never kneel before you. I will show you who you're messing with!" He glowed and roared, his aura exploding. Zateus jumped back instinctively as the creature transformed, gaining more spikes and a mask. It was a step above the fifth form. He grinned before charging forward, the ground breaking with each step.

He grew two more arms and went to grab the god, but Zateus was already gone. Zateus darted above him and closed his eyes before immediately opening them. Qube sweated and immediately fell to his knees, feeling a lot of pressure, both physically and mentally.

The Frost Demon's vision turned black and white, and he saw a pair of red eyes glaring down at him. Zateus hovered down to the ground, glaring at him. "You are immobilized now. Cease your violence."

Immediately, Zateus grunted and fell to the ground, holding his head as the attack dissipated. "My mortal body can't... handle this ability very well. This is bad..."

Qube glanced up at him, panting. "Mortal... body...? I knew it... You aren't like any of us, are you? You're some sort of deity!"

He flew up, the light from the sun shining on his back. "I suspected I wasn't created from nothing. There are higher beings that watch us... How annoying! Perhaps I should claim my rightful place as king."

He glanced up at the sky before raising a finger and charging a massive death ball. "Be gone, you pitiful worms." He fired it before flying away from the planet and out of the star system. The gravity of the attack affected the landscape as cracks spread throughout the ground, breaking it apart. Many Saiyans screamed, trying to flee, while some braver ones launched their attacks to try to stop it, to no avail.

Omesus watched in shock before he clenched his fists. Zateus stood up, holding his head as he saw it rapidly approaching. "This is bad..."

Out of nowhere, Omesus roared, and his hair spiked up, a pillar of energy shooting up from him. His hair turned green as he entered a Legendary form. The other Saiyans watched in awe at their ruler's transformation. Omesus flew toward the blast, bringing back a fist. "RAHHH!" He punched the death ball with full force, a massive shockwave shooting out as the attack dispersed into energy. Zateus watched, and his jaw dropped.

"This is... the potential of a mortal?" he muttered. Omesus looked down toward them, his figure blocking out the sun.

"FOR SAIYANS!" He let out one last battle cry, and the rest of the Saiyans cheered loudly for their ruler. Omesus smirked in satisfaction before he paused and closed his eyes, falling toward the ground. Right before he landed, Zateus shot forward at blinding speeds, catching him. Omesus powered down, peacefully sleeping. The god smiled, carrying him back toward the village.

"I'm impressed, young one," he muttered under his breath. "When you're older, you could perhaps become a great ally for the gods. But you need a lot of training before that. For both body, mind... and grammar."

Later, the Saiyans had a feast in celebration of their victory and (seemingly) getting rid of Qube for good. Zateus sat down, munching on cooked meat since he now had hunger to worry about, being mortal and all. Omesus's nose twitched, and he opened his eyes, the smell of food having woken him up. He sat up and grunted, his entire body aching. Zateus moved over and helped him up, but he waved him off.

The Saiyan stood up, stretching. "I defeat monster, but body hurt."

Zateus sighed. "Om-... My king, you mustn't push yourself. You've unlocked an amazing power."

Omesus glanced up at him before crossing his arms and pouting. "You lie to I! You isn't Saiyan, but higher being! I should execute you!"

The god smiled at his reaction. The ruler was just a kid, after all. "Execute me?"

The Saiyan glanced at him before looking away. "You get off with warn, but never lie no more. You are servant."

"I understand, my king," Zateus said, offering him a stick of meat. Reluctantly, Omesus took it and chowed down on it. After he was finished, he belched and patted his stomach, feeling satisfied.

"I have reque- I mean... order!" He raised a fist in the air, smirking. "You train me to become strong than you! If tell anyone, I kill you." Zateus pondered this for a moment before sighing.

"Very well, my king," he agreed. "It will be a long process, but I have a feeling you'll do well." The next morning, Zateus took Omesus away from the village, the latter having appointed one of his strongest guards to keep watch. They stood in the middle of a barren wasteland, across from each other.

The Saiyan raised his fists, grinning. "What is first step? Sacrifice? Murder?"

Zateus chuckled. "No, King Omesus. We won't be doing any of that today." He flickered, and Omesus felt a blow to his cheek, grunting.

"What?!"

"Your stance is wide open," the god said, flickering around him. "Simply raising your fists will not work. You're open from the side and the back."

He vanished behind the Saiyan and placed a finger on his head. Omesus wasn't able to move. "That impossible!"

Zateus corrected his stance, sliding his right foot back and pulling his left shoulder forward. "With this, you'll have an easier time reacting to attacks from any direction."

He flickered again, and Omesus glanced to the left before leaping back and avoiding a quick punch from Zateus. "Very good. A refined stance can change the tide of a battle."

The Saiyan back flipped before yelling and entering his Wrathful form. He leaped forward and rapidly barraged Zateus with punches, but he easily dodged all of them. "Your technique is sloppy. That transformation seems to be affecting your emotions negatively, too."

From that point forward, Zateus mentored Omesus day after day, seeing improvement in his fighting style, techniques, and power. Saiyans were fast learners, after all.

For two years, this training continued. Omesus was twelve years old before the training, but now he was fourteen.

Omesus shouted, bringing back his fist and covering it with energy. He dashed toward a giant rock hurtling toward him, smashing it into pieces. He glanced to the right and saw Zateus launching three more at him with his telekinetic abilities. The Saiyan closed his eyes and slid his foot back, thrusting his palm out and shattering the rock. He fired an energy beam to destroy the second and watched as the final one careened toward him.

Right before it hit him, Omesus flared up his aura, which alone was powerful enough to destroy the rock. He took a deep breath and hovered down to the ground. He had gotten taller and had much more muscle definition. Zateus walked over to him, smiling. "Well done, my king. Your training has been a success, and you show no signs of reaching your potential."

Omesus scoffed. "I told you to stop calling me king. You can call me Omesus, remember?" His grammar had drastically improved over time. "I guess soon you're going to leave?"

The god moved over and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Unfortunately, yes. Soon, I will need to serve the Omni King for eternity. I am proud of you, though."

The Saiyan smiled before clearing his throat. "This is getting awkward. I guess this is goodbye?"

Zateus nodded before starting to walk away. "You will likely never see me again, but I've enjoyed our time together. You're like a little brother to me."

Omesus paused before he clenched his fists. Zateus stopped, feeling something was off. He turned around to see his student tearing up and crying. "Omesus? Was it something I said?"

The Saiyan quickly wiped his tears away. "It's nothing." He had no family growing up. His parents abandoned him soon after he was born, and he had no siblings. When Zateus considered him a little brother, he'd never been happier.

Zateus smiled. "I'll try to visit you at least once every twenty years, but I'm not sure if Daishinkan would allow that. He is very strict. Farewell, Omesus."

He transformed before the Saiyan's very eyes. His hair turned white, and his skin turned blue. He transformed into a full angel. A pillar of light consumed Zateus, and he left the planet in an instant, leaving Omesus alone.

A pillar of light hit the floor in the palace, and Zateus stood up, approaching the Omni King and kneeling. "Father, I am at your service."

Daishinkan glanced toward him. "Yes, I got your message and granted you your powers back. I want a full report of everything these 'Saiyans' have done."

"I've actually mentored a child warrior for the two years I've been there," the angel replied, and Daishinkan narrowed his eyes.

"You mentored a young child and taught him the techniques of the angels?" he asked.

Zateus nodded. "Yes, my lord. He has great potential, and my mentorship has greatly benefited him. He's grown kind with my influence." Zateus expected his father to be proud, but he wasn't.

Daishinkan stepped down in front of him. "Zateus, you can never make connections with mortals. Their time is limited. And teaching them our combative techniques? That is unacceptable."

The angel's heart dropped when he heard this. "But father, I was only trying to help the mortals develop."

"Just as you helped the Frost Demons?" The Omni King replied, confusing Zateus.

"What do you mean, my lord?"

"I've seen what you did to that particular planet," Daishinkan said, showing a hologram of Zateus years ago.

A smile curled on Zateus's lips as he stopped in the middle of space. "Before I return, I should give some lifeforms a helping hand and accelerate their evolution." He landed on a random planet in universe seven and tapped his staff, with a glow enveloping the entire area.

He flew off, leaving the lifeforms to evolve.

Zateus's eyes widened. "No... That was the reason Qube was so powerful..."

Daishinkan sighed and stepped back up to his throne, sitting down on it. "Because of your impatience, you've accelerated the evolution of this species tenfold. I've watched you during the first attack with this so-called 'Qube'. No mortal should be that powerful."

Zateus bowed his head, feeling an emotion no other angel had felt for the first time: guilt. "I apologize, father. I did not realize my actions would've caused an issue like that."

"You are on thin ice right now, Zateus," Daishinkan said, "but I suppose I am partially to blame as well. I did not realize these lifeforms would eventually be a threat to even us angels. That is why... we need beings of great power to monitor the mortals."

"But, my lord," Zateus began, "aren't us angels more than enough to keep these beings in check?"

"That is what I thought initially, but that is no longer true," Daishinkan explained, getting up. "I've diluted my power enough by creating my guards and my children, so I'm afraid I will weaken if I create these destroyers myself."

He waved his staff, revealing a hologram of a planet of purple cat-like anthropomorphic beings. "One of these warriors will become the first destroyer. They have excellent energy control and composure. They are also intelligent."

Zateus scrunched his eyebrows. "What about the Saiyans, my lord? Yes, they are more rash and barbaric, but they have potential even greater than those warriors. Omesus could perhaps be the destroyer inste-"

Daishinkan tapped his staff, making the angel flinch. "I will not debate this with you anymore, Zateus. The Saiyans have potential, yes, but they aren't developed enough to handle the task. They've made brash decisions that could cause chaos in the universes if they took on the role of the god of destruction."

Zateus frowned but didn't reply, only bowed. "I sense a being with extraordinary potential compared to the rest of them—a child. I want you to take the little one away from home and to Whis."

The angel bit his tongue, infuriated that he would think of kidnapping a random child to serve the gods, but he bowed again. "It will be done, my lord." He walked away, clenching his staff and teleporting to the planet.

Zateus landed, seeing a large population of these catlike beings. He sensed the child close by and walked forward, looking around. Some people noticed him and were confused by his appearance. He locked eyes with a young child, who glanced at him in confusion. The child had dark purple fur and big ears. "What are you?" he asked.

"I was sent by the Omni King to retrieve you, young one," Zateus replied, feeling sorry for having to do this. "You will be trained for your life to become the first God of Destruction of Universe Seven."

The child just blinked before turning around. "Mom, this strange creature wants to kidnap me!"

A lady walked over, having short hair. She glared at the angel, pushing her son behind her. "Be gone, you demon! Leave my child be!" Her yelling attracted the attention of the other sphinx cats, and they moved over, forming a crowd.

"This is not my decision to make," Zateus replied, tapping his staff and teleporting the child next to him. "He will still be able to visit you, but he will be trained to be the strongest in the universe."

Suddenly, three warriors dashed toward him, rapidly barraging him with precise attacks. He still dodged all of them, impressed. "I can see why Daishinkan chose this particular planet."

The mother of the child shouted and ran at full speed, spinning around and swinging a kick. The angel blocked it with ease, squinting. "Calm down. This is not my decision to make."

"As if we could believe a monster like you!" one warrior shouted, firing a massive beam of energy that Zateus swiped away into the sky. "You cannot take the child prodigy!"

The child prodigy watched on, shocked that this powerful being was taking on this planet's guardians with no issue. The god grabbed one of them, spun around, and threw them into a building. "That is enough. I will be taking this child now. You will reunite with him later on."

He closed his eyes, tapping his staff, as he heard the child's mother crying out for him, saying a name Zateus didn't catch. They zoomed across outer space, with the child panicking. "W-What's happening?! I wanna go home!"

The child cried, and Zateus felt guilty for doing this. "I'm sorry, little one, but this is what my father wants. ... What's your name?"

The kid sniffled and gazed up at him. "Z... Zydis... Everybody says I'm... a prodigy..."

Zateus nodded before kneeling and placing a hand on the kid's shoulder. "Worry not, Zydis. I'll make sure you can visit your mother when you aren't training."

Zydis looked up at him before he weakly smiled. "Thanks... You have a lot of explaining to do, though, mister."

Shortly after, they landed on Whis's planet, and Zydis stepped forward, looking around. "This place is... weird. And boring."

"What brings you here, Zateus?" They heard a voice behind them as they turned around to see Whis walking up to them, smiling. "And who is this adorable little prince?"

"This one's name is Zydis, the one that Father wanted me to retrieve," Zateus explained. "He will be your student."

Whis nodded. "Ah, our new God of Destruction." He turns toward Zydis and smiles, who nervously backs up. "Worry not, child. I will not harm you."

The child hesitated, then nervously nodded. "Okay... This man said I can visit my mom when I'm not training."

The angel turned toward Zateus, raising an eyebrow. "My, Zateus, you've grown soft. You've allowed Zydis this much freedom?"

Zateus scratched the back of his head. "Yes, I wanted to... comfort him. Omesus has rubbed off on me, and vice versa. Please don't tell Daishinkan about that."

"Worry not, Zateus," Whis said, winking. "I won't say a thing." He turned toward Zydis. "Are you hungry, little one?"

In response, the child's stomach growled, and he blushed, embarrassed. "Yeah, I haven't eaten all day. Mom and I are poor, so we have one meal a day if we're lucky."

The angel frowned at this. "Well, worry not, Zydis. You will not go hungry here. Shall we begin your first lesson?"

He nodded in response and followed Whis away, with Zateus following close behind. Whis placed his hands behind his back. "I want to see how you can fight, Zydis. Do not hold back against me."

Zydis's eyes widened. "But... every time I've done that, I've hurt somebody! I don't wanna hurt anybody."

"You must attack me with your full strength," Whis insisted. "Do not worry about me. Pretend I'm somebody you envy."

The child looked down at the ground, remembering being pushed around by a bully who was also royalty, chastising him just because he was poor. They pushed him around, and even with his potential, he couldn't fight them, or he and his mother would be executed. Others were too afraid to help Zydis, despite their respect for him. He clenched his fists and yelled, a white, glowing aura enveloping him. He flew forward, going to maul the angel. Whis dodged out of the way as Zydis slammed his fists into the ground, shattering it and sending debris everywhere.

Zateus watched, smiling, as Zydis chased Whis around, barraging him with all he had. He raised his hands and charged an energy ball, flinging it toward the angel. His eyes widened when he realized what he'd done. "Watch out, mister!"

The angel grinned, simply flicking it back toward him, and he was barely able to dodge. Zydis's jaw dropped as he stared at Whis. "You... you are amazing!"

"Why, thank you, young one," the angel replied, walking toward him. "I must say, you're quite powerful for your age. Given the right training, you could become quite the powerful God of Destruction. You must be starving. I'll have a full meal prepared just for you."

Zateus watched them leave and sighed, closing his eyes. "This is going to be a long ten billion years as Grand Priest."

After he left, Zateus was officially promoted to Grand Priest. He served his lord for eighteen years, occasionally checking in on his siblings, as they were also tasked with training their respective gods of destruction.

When he had time to himself (which was rare), he visited Omesus and Zydis to check up on them and grew closer to them. One day, however, Zateus encountered a unique figure.

Zateus opened his eyes as he and Daishinkan felt an intense energy radiating from Universe Nineteen. The Omni King stood up, nodding toward Zateus. "Investigate the signature."

The Grand Priest bowed before he teleported to Universe Nineteen, where the source was. He was there just in time to see a planet explode, with a glowing figure floating in the middle of its destruction. Zateus cautiously approached it, seeing a young child with spiky white hair and a red aura. "Another child with power...? Third time's the charm." He vanished in front of the child, clenching his staff. "Young one, who are you?"

The figure gazed up at him with cold eyes before smiling. "I made this planet go boom. I saw everybody scream in terror right before I incinerated all of them, and I liked it." He giggled, and Zateus's eyes widened. This child's a psychopath! he thought.

Suddenly, the child leaped forward at speeds Zateus could barely keep up with, shocking him. It leaped around him at insane speeds, kicking him from all sides. "That's impossible... How can a mere child fight on par with me?!"

The figure back flipped and fired arcs of strange red lightning that caused rips in space-time. Zateus barely avoided the attacks, grunting. "What's your name, young one?"

The child's smile faded. "I don't have a name. I lived somewhere far away from here until one day I was zapped into this plane of existence. I can't remember where I came from."

Zateus relaxed a bit, taking a deep breath. "I see. I can't allow you to roam freely without constant supervision. Perhaps Father was right in not trusting mortals."

The child grinned. "Mortal? I'm no mortal. Don't you dare address me as such. I don't know what I am, but I am far above your level, you insect."

The angel's face remained expressionless, not believing their words. "I will monitor you. If I tell the Omni King about your existence, he will most likely destroy you. I will take care of you."

He hovered up to the child, placing a hand on their head. "I will name you... Qhuteus. I will adopt you and make you my own."

To Be Continued in Chapter Thirty-Six

A lot of new content is packed into this chapter! We're introduced to Zydis and young Qhuteus now.

~ Scruffy

Chapter 36: The Deluge

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

After Omesus destroyed Qube's attack with a new transformation, he swallowed his pride and asked Zateus to train him. The angel accepted and trained him for two years, turning him into a powerful warrior, before saying goodbye. Daishinkan learned of his connection with the Saiyans, and Zateus was the reason Qube existed and was so powerful already.

Seeing that mortals had far more potential than he initially thought, Daishinkan sent the angel to retrieve a young mortal with great potential to become the multiverse's first God of Destruction. Without any choice, Zateus forcefully took Zydis from home. After he handed the child to Whis to be trained, he came across a very powerful being. It was a child of unknown origin with power that nearly matched his own. He adopted the child as his own, naming him "Qhuteus".

Chapter Thirty-Six - The Deluge

Zateus continued to serve the Omni King as his attendant, but in secret, he was raising Qhuteus. He was fascinated by the child's powers and believed Qhuteus would be a great ally to the gods. He didn't want to tell Daishinkan yet because he might erase the child in paranoia.

Ever since leaving Planet Omesus, the home of the Saiyans, Qube had hidden in a corner of the universe, preparing to overthrow the gods. He stood on a barren planet, an army of Frost Demons bowing to him. He watched from above, having trained twenty years after encountering Zateus. Electricity sparked from him as he swung a punch, a powerful current destroying the land behind him. "My children, I created you for only one purpose, and that is to serve me."

Qube turned toward his army, whom he'd been birthing all this time. "Years ago, I discovered that there are beings above our comprehension, but that will not stop us from conquering the universes."

He raised a fist, his aura glowing. "Soon, my children, we will claim what is rightfully ours. These so-called 'gods' will perish, and we will rule everything!"

The Frost Demons shouted wickedly, cheering for him. Qube smirked and glanced up at the sky, lightning crackling above. "Soon, I will have my revenge on you, angel."

Zydis entered the Omni King's palace alongside Whis. "This... is the creator of all's home?"

Whis nodded, keeping him close. "Don't wander off too far, Zydis. Father requested an audience with you. He wishes to meet you."

The child nodded and walked up to a throne, where Daishinkan was seated, with his two guards next to him. Zydis looked up at him, sweating nervously, before bowing. "G-Greetings, great Oni King."

Whis chuckled, a bead of sweat going down his face. "It's 'Omni King', little one."

Daishinkan glanced down at the child, studying him. He stood up and walked down the steps. "You are Zydis, the child prodigy of Planet Sufinkusu. I've watched your progress from here, and I am impressed."

Zydis didn't dare look up at the Omni King, refusing to let himself show weakness. "Yes, my lord. Th-thank you."

The Omni King stopped right in front of him. "Raise your head, Zydis."

The child did so, looking the god in the eyes. It was like looking at a galaxy. "The universes need a guardian like you as soon as possible. That is why I am here to grant you a boost in power."

Daishinkan tapped his staff, and Zydis's eyes widened as he felt a massive aura shoot up around him. "I have planted the power of Destruction in you, and now you must learn to tap into it. Ordinarily, I wouldn't consider this, but this is crucial for the growth of the universes."

Zydis bowed again. "Thank you. If I may ask... What about the other universes?"

Daishinkan turned around, slowly heading back up to his throne while replying. "I have my eyes set on numerous other individuals who have similar potential to your own in their respective universes. You need not concern yourself. Whis, I want you to train Zydis under intense pressure to ensure that he becomes the God of Destruction as soon as possible."

Whis nodded. "Understood, Father. It will greatly strain his mind, body, and soul this way, but I will do what is necessary."

The Omni King nodded, sitting down on his throne. "Good. You are dismissed."

The two bowed again and teleported away, leaving him alone. Daishinkan took a deep breath and sighed. "Zateus has been absent more and more lately. Something isn't right..."

As if on cue, the Grand Priest teleported in and bowed before his lord. "My humblest apologies, father, for being late. I paid a visit to the Saiyans once again."

Daishinkan grunted, slamming his foot on the ground and scaring Zateus. "What have I told you about making connections with mortals, Zateus? Their time is limited, and they cannot comprehend the existence of beings such as ourselves."

The Grand Priest frowned. "But, my lord... Omesus's development has exponentially improved. Surely you can give him a chance? And Zydis, he and Omesus are like my little brot-" Suddenly, a blow struck him in the cheek, knocking him to the ground.

The Omni King towered over him, glaring at him with cold eyes. "This is your last chance, Zateus. I'm now giving you an order, and that is to cut off all connections with these mortals. If you do not comply, you will be severely punished."

The Grand Priest's eyes stung, but he managed to keep his composure. "I-It will be done, father." He teleported away, leaving Daishinkan alone. The Omni King's expression softened before he stood up and left the palace, thinking to himself.

"Surely gods and mortals cannot interact," he said to himself. "It could be catastrophic, but I have seen that young Zydis's progression. His kindness and pure heart are unmistakable."

He paused, watching over all nineteen universes. "... Perhaps I treated Zateus too harshly. This 'Omesus' that he speaks of could be of some use."

Zateus flew away from the palace, feeling his cheek bruising. He remembered his father's words. I'm now giving you an order, and that is to cut off all connections with these mortals. If you do not comply, you will be severely punished.

He paused, saddened. He had to stop seeing Omesus, whom he'd viewed as a little brother, and would no longer be able to interact with Zydis, whom he'd also grown fond of. And what about his adoptive son, Qhuteus? It was already difficult to find the time to take care of him as it was, but if his father became more strict, he may need to give him up.

Zateus found himself back on Planet Omesus, sighing. He stepped forward, seeing the Saiyan population having grown and progressed a little, their villages now being bigger. He walked across the streets, getting weird looks from the warriors. Zateus turned his head and saw an arena they had built where they were sparring and training. He smiled at how much they'd already grown before he remembered what he was here for.

He stopped in front of a gate, where two guards glared at him. "Hey, get lost, freak! This is private property!"

The angel sighed, not having time for this. He tapped his staff, immediately teleporting into the big house. There, sitting down, was his greatest friend/brother, who was now 32 years old. "Hello, Omesus."

The Saiyan shot up, raising his fists. "Who the—?! Zateus? It's been four years since we last met!" Before the angel could react, Omesus ran over and wrapped his arms around him, crushing him in a bear hug. He still had childlike qualities. "I've missed you!"

The Grand Priest chuckled before wincing a little. "Indeed, it has, brother. Are these ladies yours?" Omesus immediately stepped back, blushing.

"No, no, they're my servants. Come in, let us talk," he replied.

Omesus headed to another room, with Zateus following him. The house creaked because of the wind, being made of wood (or this planet's equivalent of such).

"Your living conditions have significantly improved," Zateus noted as they sat down, and after a couple of minutes, the servants came over, giving them food. It mostly consisted of various kinds of meat, with the occasional vegetable. Zateus took a bite, pleasantly surprised by its flavor. "You didn't need to do this for me, Omesus. I appreciate it, though."

The Saiyan grinned, taking a massive bite out of the meat on a bone. "You rarely visit me. Are your duties as Grand Priest..." He paused, finally noticing the bruise on the god's cheek. "What happened?"

Zateus's smile faded, and he set down the food, sighing. "It's... what I came here for, Omesus. I..." He clenched his fists, and the Saiyan stared at him, confused.

The Grand Priest took a deep breath, looking up at him. "This will be my final visit."

Omesus stared at him with wide eyes as he dropped the meat onto the floor. He knew Zateus would never joke. "What...?"

Zateus cleared his throat. "Father punished me for making connections with you and the Saiyans. I must sever our bond for the good of the multiverse."

Omesus grabbed him by the arms, shaking him. "No! He cannot do that! You're lying!"

The angel took his arms, gently pushing them away from him. "I must. I've enjoyed every second I've spent with you, my broth- friend..." The Saiyan flinches when he corrects himself.

Zateus stood up, his expression tightening. "Goodbye, Omesus. I hope you live a good life."

He turned to walk away, but then he heard a familiar voice. "That will not be necessary."

His eyes widened, as in the corner of the room was the Omni King himself alone. "F-Father? I don't understand..."

"I've thought about it further, and now I realize that perhaps I was too harsh to judge these warriors," Daishinkan replied. Omesus watched in awe before he realized who he was and bowed.

"The creator of everything in my home?" he muttered, shocked.

The Omni King placed a hand on Zateus's shoulder. "For now, you may continue your bond with this Saiyan. If he is as gifted as you say he is, then perhaps Vados should train him to be the God of Destruction for universe six. The previous candidate, unfortunately, perished recently."

The Grand Priest's eyes widened when he heard this. "That would be delightful, Father."

Daishinkan nodded. "Very well. As of today, Omesus is a candidate for Universe Six's God of Destruction. I will trust your judgment on this one, Zateus."

Zateus bowed, smiling. "He will not disappoint you. His power is unlike anything I've seen thus far. His species has its own transformations."

After the meeting was finished, the angel said goodbye to Omesus before they parted ways for the time being. For three years, the first set of the Gods of Destruction were trained by their respective angels. When Zydis wasn't on duty, he visited his home planet and eventually got married. His wife was eight months pregnant with two children. Zateus continued to raise Qhuteus in secret, with his son being very intelligent. He quickly picked up any technique Zateus taught him, even developing his own. Everything was perfect for Zateus.

He resumed his duties as the Grand Priest while also being able to visit Omesus in Universe Six from time to time. He was making significant progress and got closer to unlocking his Destruction power.

However, everything soon went wrong.

Qube trained constantly, swinging punches that leveled the land and caused ripples across the galaxies. His army of Frost Demons had grown even bigger, and now he was ready to strike. "My children, it is time for us to destroy these wretched beings!" He declared, raising his fist. "Let us wreak havoc across the universes and put the age of the gods to an end!"

He had trained them for years, and now they were unbelievably powerful. The Frost Demons laughed and cheered before Qube raised his hand, opening millions of different portals. He had finally mastered this technique. They all led to different places in all the universes.

In the Omni King's palace, Zateus and Daishinkan felt a disturbance as they sensed a lot of powerful energies scattering across the universes. The Grand Priest stepped forward, narrowing his eyes. "I can sense him... It's Qube..."

Daishinkan nodded. "It's time to correct your mistakes, Zateus. Go and stop these creatures before it is too late. Fail, and you will pay for your actions. I will warn my other children."

Zateus bowed before shooting off from the palace at full speed. He entered Universe Six, seeing many planets being destroyed by these Frost Demons. He grunted and vanished in front of one, holding his hand up. "Hakai." The Frost Demon cried out, being erased from existence. The other Frost Demons powered up and rushed Zateus, attacking him. With a wave of his staff, the Grand Priest knocked two away, but three replaced them.

Meanwhile, in Universe Seven, Whis got the message on his staff and turned toward Zydis, who was grown up by now. "Lord Zydis, we have a situation."

Zydis ran out, a purple aura surrounding him. "I know, I can sense it too. What the hell is this?"

A moment later, he saw various beams of energy flying toward the planet, and he dashed up, firing a counter-barrage of his own to overpower them. Numerous Frost Demons flew down toward him, yelling. Zydis dodged attacks from all of them, kicking and erasing some unfortunate ones. "What are these things, and why are they so powerful?!"

In Universe Six, Omesus grunted, fighting off some Frost Demons on his planet as well. "That bastard Qube must be behind this! That coward, relying on his own kind!"

He entered into his Legendary Super Saiyan form, waving his hand and killing a huge chunk of them with a powerful blast. "Vados, take me to Qube."

Vados frowned at him. "That won't be necessary, my lord. He's here."

Immediately, all the Frost Demons backed off, flying away from the planet as a familiar figure landed, nearly splitting the world in half. "If it isn't Omesus, the brat who commands the monkeys."

The Saiyan took a stance, his aura growing by the second. "Enough with the games, demon. What are you planning?"

Qube stepped forward, smirking. "Nothing, except overthrowing the gods. You see, having beings above me doesn't sit well with me, especially since your angel friend dared to cross me. I want to be the king of everything. I will be the emperor of the multiverse."

"You stand no chance as you are now," Omesus replied. "My power is above yours. I will destroy you and your army."

"I'm aware I cannot defeat you as I am, but what if I do this?" Qube roared, the color of his body changing. He finished, now shinier than before. "This is my silver form... I'll start with you, your angel, and then destroy your planet."

Omesus shouted and charged forward, shattering the ground under him. He covered his fist in energy and reeled it back. "No strength can outmatch mine! I AM THE KING OF ALL SAIYANS!" Qube charged as well, grinning, and the two clashed with a powerful punch, sending ripples across the universe. The battle between the King of Saiyans and the King of Frost Demons warped reality itself.

Zateus swung his staff, incinerating the last of the Frost Demons in this part of the universe. He grunted and flew off, killing off any stragglers who were escaping from him. "This is bad. The gods of destruction in the other universes are in trouble. They are barely powerful enough to meet my father's standards!"

Daishinkan observed the carnage from above his palace, clenching his fists. "Zateus, you fool... This situation is happening because of you. This is not good."

Meanwhile, Zydis back flipped, avoiding various energy beams. He darted up and yelled, plowing through many frost demons and launching beams to incinerate them. "This is overwhelming! I haven't finished my training yet!"

One demon vanished behind him and kicked him in the back, launching him to the ground. "GAH! Wh... Whis, I need you to remove my limiters!"

The angel paused before raising his staff. "I certainly hope you can control your powers. If not, I will need to intervene." Zydis's muscles bulked up as he roared, and the symbols of Destruction appeared on his chest. His eyes glowed a faint red, and his aura turned a darker purple.

He grunted, barely able to contain this power. He darted up at full speed, incinerating hundreds of Frost Demons. "HAAAAAAA!"

Omesus clashed back and forth with Qube, struggling against the Frost Demon. The latter was unbelievably strong. Omesus was the most powerful mortal warrior in existence, yet this being was taking him on with little difficulty. Qube thrust his palm out and slammed into Omesus, making him cough up blood. "Damn you!" The Frost Demon then fired a death beam that pierced his arm, making him yell. "AGHH!"

Qube then leaped up and spun around, whacking him in the face with his tail. Omesus went limp, flying across the land and slamming into a massive rock. "Is that all? I expected more from somebody as potent as you."

Omesus slowly stood up, wiping the blood off his face. He turned around, staring at the Frost Demon menacingly. "Well done... But pain is merely an obstacle I can overcome." His hair shifted into a dark aqua color, and he yelled, activating his full power.

"This... is the power of God Ki!" He flickered and was instantly in front of Qube, much to the latter's shock. Omesus slammed a punch into his gut, and the Frost Demon cried out in pain, coughing up spit. Omesus rapidly barraged Qube, not letting up for a second. "HAAAAAAA!" He then slammed him into the ground repeatedly before launching a beam to send him away. The Frost Demon flew back before landing on the ground, panting.

Omesus walked up to him, raising his hand and charging up a final blast. "Call off your attack, or the last thing you'll see is your body burned to a crisp."

Qube got up, coughing up blood. "I've never expected anybody to push me to my limit, but here we are... I was saving this for when I fight your friend, but I have no choice."

"I WON'T LET YOU!" Omesus fired the blast, but the Frost Demon knocked it out of the way, much to the Saiyan's shock. "What?!"

Qube glanced up, his energy rising by unbelievable amounts. "This is the true power of my kind. Nobody has been able to achieve it but me, but... I call it... Primal Evolution."

A massive pillar of energy consumed the entire world, sending Omesus skidding back. The Frost Demon roared as many spikes grew from his body. He grew taller, and all the gems on his body converged into one giant gem on his chest. He opened his eyes, and they glowed neon purple. His voice now sounded distorted. "Now, let's begin the real battle, shall we?"

To Be Continued in Chapter Thirty-Seven

New Frost Demon form revealed: Primal Evolution! The backstory has multiple chapters to go, but more will be revealed.

~ Scruffy

Chapter 37: The Banishment

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

After finding out about Zateus's connections with Omesus and Zydis, Daishinkan punished him and ordered him to sever his bonds, or there would be dire consequences. Reluctantly, the Grand Priest obliged, having gone to Omesus's world to tell him the bad news. Before he left, Daishinkan rethought his choices and told Zateus that he didn't have to cut ties with Omesus, giving the Saiyan a chance to prove himself and train under Vados to become the God of Destruction of Universe Six.

Later, Qube finally decided to enact his plan of taking over the multiverse with his Frost Demons. Omesus, Zateus, and Zydis would have to take down the army and Qube together to save reality from the king's tyranny.

Chapter Thirty-Seven - The Banishment

Qube opened his eyes, and they glowed neon purple. His voice now sounded distorted. "Now, let's begin the real battle, shall we?"

He flickered and dashed forward at a speed Omesus could barely react to. The Saiyan grunted, blocking a punch that sent him flying. "This speed!" The Frost Demon vanished behind him and brought his fist back, slamming it against his back. Omesus spat out blood, feeling his spine crack. He flew forward, tumbling across the ground and landing on his stomach.

Qube walked forward, grinning. "What was that about no strength being able to outmatch yours? Your title as the King of Saiyans means nothing. To me, you're just an insecure ant."

Omesus panted before getting up and getting into a stance. "Nothing will keep me down, demon. No matter what, I will defeat you."

Qube's smile faded as he raised his finger, charging up a powerful blast. "Is that so? Let's test that theory, then. Maybe ten percent of my power will do."

He fired a death beam at blinding speeds, which went through the Saiyan's chest and narrowly avoided his heart. Omesus coughed up blood, his body trembling. His legs shook, but Omesus growled and kneeled, digging his fingers into the solid ground. He roared, grabbing hold of the terrain and throwing it up, destroying the surface of the planet. Qube growled before flying up to avoid the devastation. Omesus took the chance to vanish above him, going to hammer him to the ground.

When his fists collided, he watched in shock as Qube turned around, smiling. He was completely unphased. "Pathetic." He swiped his hand, cutting his chest open, and the Saiyan's pupils faded for a moment.

Omesus's vision became blurry as blood poured out of him. He began to feel dizzy but stayed conscious out of pure willpower. "I indeed have no chance against you, but..." He slowly rose, trembling. "... I will protect my universe and my people, no matter the cost."

For a split second, his irises glowed white as he brought back a fist, covering it with pure energy. He slightly tapped into the white divine energy. He slammed his fist into the Frost Demon's gut, and he reeled back, coughing. Qube clutched his stomach before getting angry and powering up, bringing back his fist. "I WILL SEND YOUR SKELETON FLYING BACK TO YOUR PLANET!" He swung it at full force, and the Saiyan closed his eyes, preparing for his demise.

Suddenly, an unfamiliar figure vanished in front of Qube and easily caught his attack, shocking the Frost Demon. "Who the hell are you?!"

The caped figure glanced up, and two neon blue eyes glared at the Frost Demon. In an instant, faster than Omesus or anybody else could react, Qube was sent flying through outer space, going to a faraway place. Omesus looked up, trying to keep his eyes open, but with his blurry vision, he saw the figure pull down its hood, and it looked... green. He then passed out, thinking this was his end.

Zydis incinerated a majority of the Frost Demons, kicking the others away. He shouted, his power spiraling out of control. The ground under him started to disappear, along with the planet. "HAAAAA!" He charged forward, punching more of the creatures into outer space, feeling the strain on his body.

He swiped his hand, sending an arc of concentrated Destruction energy that completely eradicated twenty of them. "H... how many are there?! It's as if Qube sent most of them to wipe out the gods themselves." Suddenly, he cried out in pain, falling to his knees. He powered down, panting heavily. Frost Demons swarmed him, beating on him. He was unable to fight back, as his energy was completely drained. "W... Wh..." He coughed out blood. "WHIS!"

Immediately, all the creatures were flung back as Whis stood in front of Zydis, his staff raised. "That is enough. I will not allow you to further harm my student."

Despite his warning, the Frost Demons cackled and charged forward, and the angel took a stance, narrowing his eyes. One of them went to grab him, but Whis shot his palm out, sending them flying into their siblings. The creatures swarmed Whis, and despite his best efforts, there were too many of them. Even Whis wasn't able to take on this many warriors at once. He slammed his staff on the ground, a massive shockwave shooting out and knocking all of them back.

They all stood back up and attacked him again, forcing him to create a barrier of energy. "This is quite the predicament... These creatures are powerful both on their own and in large numbers. That's a problem. We must retreat, my lord."

Despite his urgency, Zydis didn't listen and raised his hand, charging a powerful technique. The angel's eyes widened when he realized what this was. "Zydis, you mustn't! That technique is too dangerous!"

"I know, but… these freaks need to be stopped!" Zydis roared, and a massive shockwave shot out, affecting the entire multiverse. "Ultra… HAKAI!"

A beam of Destruction energy shot out, eviscerating a majority of the Frost Demons. It got bigger and started to consume the planet. Whis moved over as quickly as he could, tapping his staff. A pillar of light consumed him and Zydis, and they darted off into the sky right before the attack destroyed the entire planet.

Zateus spun his staff, eradicating a majority of the Frost Demons in this section of the multiverse. "This is bad. I'm sensing some of the destroyer candidates dying from these monsters."

He powered up, using the power of Destruction. He charged forward, erasing many others in an instant. Suddenly, a figure zoomed past him at blinding speeds, crashing through a nearby planet. "What the?!"

He flew toward it, and his eyes widened to see Qube, who was bruised and groaning. "What?! But... I sensed him fighting Omesus. How did he end up here...? No god can launch something with that much velocity."

The Frost Demon growled and powered up, noticing Zateus. "You... were you the one who launched me?! You will pay for that!"

He charged forward, swinging a heavy punch, but the Grand Priest blocked it with his arm knocked back. "You've gotten stronger, Qube. Haven't you learned your lesson yet?" Qube roared and powered up even further, rapidly barraging him, but Zateus created multiple barriers of energy to block it. "This time, I won't let you survive."

In an instant, Zateus vanished in front of him and slammed many punches into the weakened Frost Demon, knocking him back and forth. "GWUAAHH!"

The Grand Priest darted up and slammed Qube down to the nearest star. He grunted, flying back up and panting. "Damn you, gods!" He yelled, firing a barrage of death beams that Zateus dodged. The angel vanished behind him and kicked him in the back, knocking him back.

"This is the end, Qube. Your attack has failed, and you will be erased for endangering the multiverse," Zateus said. He raised his staff, charging up an anti-matter blast. "Any last words?"

Qube coughed, smirking up at him. "Yeah, just one. Die."

Suddenly, multiple Death Beams pierced Zateus's chest, and he coughed up blood, grunting. He looked behind him to see thousands of Frost Demons attacking him. "He's caught me off guard!"

Qube took the chance to rush forward and kick him in the gut, sending him flying. Zateus stopped himself, bleeding, before he yelled and powered up. He combined white divine energy and Destruction energy, creating True Destruction. He dashed forward, nailing Qube in the stomach with a punch and sending him flying back. "AGHH!"

Zateus charged a full-power blast, shaking the entire universe. "True Hakai!" He fired it, a massive white beam slamming into Qube, and he shouted, flying into the nearest star once again, and it began to erupt.

The Grand Priest poured all of his power into it, and it became even bigger, causing the entire star to explode in a supernova. He watched, seeing nothing remaining of Qube. "The deed is done."

The supernova destroyed the remaining Frost Demons in this area as he created a barrier around him to protect himself. "I must go report to Daishinkan."

Zateus closed his eyes and teleported to the entrance of the palace, opening the door. "Father, I have returned. Qube is dead, and..." He paused, beads of sweat forming on his face.

There, pinned down on the ground, was his son, Qhuteus. Daishinkan towered over him, holding him by the head. "Well done, Zateus. I'm dealing with this intruder."

Qhuteus grunted, trying to kick Daishinkan off of him, but he wasn't powerful enough. "Father, this asshole is disrespecting me!"

Daishinkan glared up at Zateus, narrowing his eyes. "'Father'? Explain this at once, Zateus!"

The Grand Priest's heartbeat sped up, as he was barely able to form words. "M-My lord... He's... I... I... I adopted him years ago."

There was complete silence until the Omni King picked Qhuteus up and threw him in front of Zateus. "Time and time again, you cause problems for me. First, you allowed the Frost Demons to evolve this quickly. Secondly, you associate yourself with mortals without my permission."

He stepped forward and stopped right in front of Zateus, glaring into his eyes. "And finally, you adopt a child—a child with power too great for a mortal's. Enough is enough, Zateus."

The Grand Priest swallowed. "But I... I defeated Qube, my lord. I adopted Qhuteus because-"

Daishinkan brought his arm back and slammed a punch into Zateus's face, sending him flying to the wall. He coughed up blood, falling to his knees. "It's over, Zateus. I have given you enough chances, but you aren't fit to be my attendant."

He raised his hand, and Zateus lurched forward, feeling his angelic powers being completely stripped away. "You are not worthy of holding the powers of the gods. You've shown your dedication to mortals, so perhaps you should live as one forever."

"Father, please!" Zateus felt himself tearing up. "Please give me one last chance! I won't fail you again!"

The Omni King stared down at him coldly before closing his eyes. "You are no son of mine, Zateus." Upon hearing this, Zateus trembled as Daishinkan started to walk away. "I will alter your and your friends' memories. You will have no recollection of being the Grand Priest or knowing me. Omesus will not become a destroyer, either. I will transport you to Planet Omesus to reside for the rest of your life, where you will have Saiyan parents adopt the two of you."

He stopped in front of Qhuteus, picking him up. "Until further notice, I will seal this child until I decide what his fate is. Goodbye, Zateus."

"FATHER!" Zateus cried out, but his mind became blank as he fell unconscious. Daishinkan stepped up to him, and his face softened before he closed his eyes and sighed.

"You were meant for so much more, Zateus..." he muttered softly.

Zateus got out of bed, yawning. He stood up, went outside, and took a drink of fresh water to hydrate himself. He was ready for another day of training with his brother, Omesus. From what he remembered, he came here as a baby from an unknown origin, and his two Saiyan parents raised him alongside his adoptive brother Omesus. He wasn't a Saiyan, but he still had potential as a warrior.

When Zateus was sixteen years old, a being calling himself the God of Destruction and his attendant had arrived on this planet, coming to visit these powerful warriors and make sure they stayed good. He called himself Zydis, and he, Zateus, and Omesus quickly got along.

Later on, Zydis even took the two brothers to his planet and asked Whis, his angel, to train them. Strangely, the angel was hesitant, as if this were a bad idea, but complied. Sometimes, Zateus dreamed of himself being a powerful being like Whis, bowing in front of a superior figure, but the details were blurry and he couldn't understand them, thinking it was simply a figment of his imagination.

For decades, Whis trained him and Omesus to become powerful warriors, even capable of fighting on par with their best friend Zydis. Zydis also told them he had a wife who was seven months pregnant with two children. He told stories about his wife and how her temper easily got out of control, but she was still sweet to him.

In his spare time, Zateus also met a Saiyan woman named Riasa, to whom he quickly grew attached, and they expected a child of their own soon. Riasa was a fierce warrior with a lot of potential, and even Omesus didn't want to mess with her. Not out of her being more powerful than him, but more so because of her being scarier than him.

One night, something strange happened. Zateus and Omesus both had the same dream about a godly figure who called himself a namekian. His name was Zalama, the Dragon God. He offered to train the two to prepare for a big event that was soon to happen. Despite being suspicious, curiosity overcame their concerns, and they agreed to train with the deity.

Zalama told them to enter the portal when they woke up. After they agreed, sure enough, they opened their eyes to see a portal next to their beds. Reluctantly, they headed into the portal.

Omesus and Zateus ended up in a completely blank dimension, with the Dragon God himself in front of them. He stepped forward, wearing a white cape, having a blue glow around him, and having neon purple eyes. "Greetings, Zateus, Omesus. We meet in our corporeal forms."

Zalama tapped his staff, solid ground forming beneath their feet. "You may not know me very well, but I am from a place beyond this universe or any other." Projections of countless multiverses appeared behind him, stunning the two warriors. "I know every possible event this multiverse has taken in the past, present, and future," he explained. "I am merely a fragment of my true self, here to train you two to allow the events to continue as they are destined to."

He turned toward Zateus. "You do not know at this present moment, Zateus, but... you already have a son."

The mortal took a step back, stumbling. "What?! You're lying! I would never cheat on my wife!"

"You misunderstand me," Zalama replied. "His name is Qhuteus."

Immediately, multiple blurry memories rushed through Zateus's head, and he fell to his knees, with Omesus running over to help him. "Are you okay, brother?"

Zateus grunted, holding his head. He had blurry visions of himself witnessing a strangely familiar child destroy a planet before he adopted him. "Why... why do I now remember all of this?"

"You don't know your past, young one," Zalama explained. "I cannot tell you everything, as you must remember the rest on your own. However, I will dedicate myself to training you to become a god."

"A... god?" Zateus muttered in shock. "I... But how? I'm only a mortal."

The Dragon God smiled at this comment, finding it amusing since he knew the truth. "You are mortal, yes, but do you think Zydis was always a god? His journey began as a mortal, just like you."

Omesus chimed in. "Sir, what about our family?"

"Worry not, little one," Zalama replied. "I've split you two, so there are exact copies on your home planet for now. Once I reunite both halves, you will remember everything."

He stepped up to Zateus and Omesus, placing his hands on their heads and closing his eyes. "It's time to awaken your inner potential. Zateus, you are what is known as a Fallen Angel. You used to be like Whis."

Zateus's eyes widened. "But... how? I was sent here as a child."

"Your memories were altered," the Dragon God explained. "What you think you remember is a lie. One day, you'll know the truth."

He awakened their potential, and massive auras engulfed the two warriors, shocking them. Omesus gazed at his hands, which were trembling slightly. "This is what I'm capable of...?"

Zalama nodded. "That's correct, Omesus. Now, we will begin your training. Zateus, you will focus on creating your own unique fighting style. You must learn to move without thinking. Omesus, you will master white divine energy and use that power in conjunction with your Saiyan abilities."

In an instant, he was meters away from them, placing his hands behind his back. "I will now spar with the both of you. Show me your full power."

Omesus and Zateus looked at each other and nodded before they both shouted and powered up, massive glowing auras surrounding them. Omesus's muscles bulked up as he combined God Ki with his True Super Saiyan form. The only thing about Zateus's appearance that changed was that his irises glowed white, but his power increased exponentially. "Let's do this together, brother."

The two yelled and dashed toward Zalama at full speed. They fired a combined beam that Zalama easily evaded, vanishing behind them and sweeping their feet, knocking them down to the ground. Omesus spun around and covered his fist in energy, going to uppercut him, but the Dragon God simply pushed the punch to the Saiyan's own face, which connected and sent him flying, immediately knocking him out.

Zateus slammed his foot on the reflective ground and roared, going forward at full speed. He swung a punch that sent white particles of energy flying toward the Dragon God, who spun his staff and knocked it away.

Zalama launched a barrage of beams, which the warrior dodged with difficulty. Zateus ran forward and leaped up, going to drop-kick him, but Zalama stepped out of the way and went to punch him.

The punch phased through the warrior due to it being an afterimage. Zateus dashed around him, barraging him with punches and kicks. Zalama summoned a cup of tea and a levitating book, casually sipping and reading as he stopped Zateus's attacks with his palm. After this went on for a while, Zalama got tired of it and then simply flicked Zateus back. The mortal grunted, clutching his gut. "He's toying with me... This being is beyond my comprehension! I must settle this with one final attack."

He raised his hand and yelled. "Divine Upheaval!" An electric white beam shot out, hitting Zalama and vaporizing him. The warrior realized what he'd done and gasped, powering down. "I-I killed him!"

Suddenly, behind him, Zalama's particles reformed back into his full body, and he smirked at the shocked expression on Zateus's face. "Interesting fighting style," he noted. "Perhaps you should create a technique specifically for that."

"Never mind me, how the hell did you do that?!" Zateus asked, bewildered. "That isn't normal!"

"One day, you'll know what it is," Zalama replied. "Now, I've seen all I need to see. Omesus relies too much on his brute force, which allowed me to decommission him almost immediately. However, you... You rely on your brains too much. Your movements are predictable and slow, as if you're thinking of each move you need to make."

"But isn't that the point, sir?" The mortal replied. "This is how I learned to fight growing up."

"You cannot overthink everything, young one," the dragon god said, walking away. "Try to move without thinking. Now, let's wake up Omesus. That punch knocked him out cold."

To Be Continued in Chapter Thirty-Eight

Zateus has been stripped of his position and reduced to a mere mortal with fake memories, and Zalama makes another appearance in this chapter! The backstory will soon reach its conclusion in the next couple of chapters!

~ Scruffy

Chapter 38: The Forfeiture

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

After losing to Qube, a mysterious figure saves Omesus, taking him to safety. Meanwhile, the swarm of Frost Demons forced Zydis and Whis to retreat from their homeworld. To solve this issue before it got any worse, Zateus went all out against Qube and defeated him with a powerful True Hakai blast. When all was seemingly well, Daishinkan found out about him adopting Qhuteus, which was the last straw.

The Omni King stripped Zateus of his angelic powers and altered his memories to forget about his godhood, while also banishing him to be a mere mortal for the rest of his life. Little did he know, though, that Zalama, the Dragon God, was now training Omesus and Zateus.

Chapter Thirty-Eight - The Forfeiture

In Daishinkan's palace, the Omni King paced back and forth, thinking about the recent events. Meanwhile, all of his children, the nineteen angels, bowed before him. Daishinkan glares at them, now on edge ever since Zateus's betrayal of his trust. "I am only going to warn you about this once, and that is, if you ever think about betraying or being dishonest with me, I will erase you with no hesitation."

The angels were still shocked about what happened to their Grand Priest, but they didn't question the Omni King's authority. "I am going to think about who will be the new Grand Priest. Cognac, Mojito, Brue (Universe 17 Angel), Sakee (Universe 19 Angel), and Martinu, you will seek the strongest mortals in your respective universes and train them to be the new Gods of Destruction, as Qube and his demons killed the previous candidates. Now leave."

They all bowed and vanished from the palace, leaving him alone once again. Daishinkan sighed, tapping his chin. "Perhaps... being too lenient is what led to these events in the first place. I need a second mind to help me with these decisions."

He paused, an idea popping up in his head. "This is risky, but it could work. This young one could instill fear in the gods and mortals, preventing them from acting up again. The unpredictable nature of a childlike being... They could potentially erase everything out of boredom or anger. The gods will want to keep this one pleased and follow his orders with no question."

He raised his hand and focused, and a small figure with a wide head formed in front of him. "Welcome to my palace, Zeno."

Zeno stumbled forward, looking around with confusion. "Who are you?"

"My name is Daishinkan, and I will be your attendant," The Omni King replied, placing a hand on Zeno's head. "You are the Omni King now."

Three years later, Omesus and Zateus exited through a portal, their clones immediately fading away. They remembered everything that had happened on both sides. Omesus yawned, now considerably bulkier. "Finally, I've missed my home."

Zateus nodded as Zalama followed them out of the portal, looking around. "Ah, back in the real world. You both have done exceptionally well these past years."

Zateus turned toward him sadly. "Is this where we have to part ways, sensei? I liked having you as our teacher."

The Dragon God smiled, placing a hand on his student's head. "This is goodbye for now, but I'll be back before I depart from this reality. I have a task to do. However, I have a parting gift."

He spun his staff and tapped it on the ground, giving them new outfits. Omesus had a new set of Saiyan armor that was more flexible, and Zateus had a black robe instead of Saiyan armor. From that day forward, they still wore them to honor their sensei. The two warriors bowed as Zalama waved and flew off, going across the multiverse in an instant. He stopped at the Omni King's palace, opening the doors. He stepped forward, seeing Daishinkan in a different attire.

He was wearing a dark blue, long-sleeved top with drooping shoulder pads. "Who must you be?" Daishinkan inquired, now being the Grand Priest.

Zalama raised an eyebrow, looking to see a new figure on the throne: Zeno. The childlike god swung his legs back and forth, staring at him curiously. "Greetings, Lord Zeno and Daishinkan," the Dragon God greeted, bowing in respect. "My name is Zalama, the Dragon God."

Daishinkan's eyes widened, recognizing that name. Before creating the multiverse, he'd heard of the Overlords and how Zalama was the second most powerful. "As in... the Overlord? What brings you here?"

"I've come to ensure events go as planned," Zalama replied casually, confusing the two. He raised his staff, and powerful beams of energy split in seven directions through the ceiling, damaging it. Above them, planet-sized orbs formed, known as the Super Dragon Balls. Super Shenron flew out of them and roared, an ear-piercing sound going through the palace. Daishinkan went up to Zalama, raising his staff.

"What have you done, Dragon God?!" he demanded.

Zalama wasn't phased by his threatening stance. "It's a gift from me. They will prove to be useful to you. They are called the Super Dragon Balls, seven wish-granting orbs the size of planets."

He waved his hand, teleporting Zeno and the Grand Priest outside of the palace and showing them Super Shenron towering over them. The dragon looked at its master and tilted its head, seemingly smiling. The Dragon God flew up to its head, gently placing a hand on it and rubbing it. "This is Super Shenron, the most powerful entity in the multiverse. You will be able to summon him after you gather all of these orbs."

"But why are you giving us such power?" Daishinkan asked him, skeptical. "How do we know we can trust this dragon?"

Zalama glanced up at Super Shenron, opening his mouth. "repuS nornehS, morf htrofecneh, nehw denommus morf eseht neves sbro, uoy lliw tnarg yna hsiw eht renommus sehsiw.'

Daishinkan nodded, understanding the language of the gods. The Dragon God turned back toward them, clearing his throat. "This being is capable of even restoring universes. I'm aware Zeno has no knowledge of how to create, only destroy, which is why Super Shenron will be here to fill that role."

His face then went serious. "So, I've heard about the events with Zateus and Omesus."

The Grand Priest looked to the side before nodding again. "Zateus has disobeyed me, and Omesus... He's an accomplice, so I also have decided to alter his memories and strip him of his rank as the Destroyer Candidate."

"What of the Eza-... Qhuteus?" Zalama asked, and Daishinkan's eyes widened before he remembered that this being knew everything, being an Overlord.

"I've sealed that child away," Daishinkan explained. "I haven't decided what to do with him yet, but I might ask Lord Zeno to erase him."

The Dragon God tapped his chin. "I see... Very well, but remember, he is a mere child. Do with that information what you will. I must now leave and reunite with my main body."

He moved away and tapped his staff, a multicolored beam surrounding him. He looked up at Super Shenron, smiling. "uoY era dessimsid, ym dlihc." He then disappeared, leaving the dragon.

Super Shenron roared and flickered before going back into the Super Dragon Balls and spreading across Universe Seven and Six. Daishinkan and Zeno sat there, thinking of what Zalama had said. The Grand Priest walked down the steps, sighing. "That child is too powerful. I mustn't release him."

Suddenly, Whis vanished and bowed before his father. "Father, Zydis's training has finished, and, unfortunately, I haven't had the time to visit you about this, but he used the forbidden technique three years ago."

Daishinkan spun around, his eyes wide. "Why have you delayed in telling me this news, Whis?"

"I've been preoccupied fixing the damages to universe seven," Whis replied. "I apologize, father. I've repaired the damage Zydis has done to the multiverse, and I did warn him not to use it."

The Grand Priest sighed, shaking his head. "Zydis has made a huge mistake. I've personally warned him against using it, as it could endanger the multiverse. I've always been suspicious of him because of his relationship with Omesus and Zateus."

Whis frowned. "Does this mean you're going to..."

Daishinkan turned toward him, nodding. "The other gods have also developed their own dangerous techniques that risk erasing their universes. We must set an example for the gods. My apologies, Whis, but he will not perform his duty."

Whis bowed before him. "Understood, Father. What will happen to Universe Seven?"

"All of these issues have originated from it," the Grand Priest replied. "The Frost Demons, the Saiyans... Twice, they've created powerful beings capable of threatening the gods. Soon, we will freeze Universe Seven in time until we have more than enough power to handle these issues. I want you to gather Omesus and Zateus for the trial. They will have more information about Zydis."

Whis nodded before teleporting away.

Two hours after Zalama left, Omesus and Zateus explored their home, having a moment's peace for a change. The two were incredibly powerful, even more so than before. "I'll miss Zalama-sensei dearly, but we will now be able to protect our home even better than before," Zateus said, smiling. "Maybe I can teach my new techniques to Zydis too once he comes back."

"That won't be the case," a voice replied behind them. They turned to see Whis, confused. Omesus stepped forward, not seeing Zydis with him.

"Whis...? Where's Zydis?" the Saiyan asked.

The angel closed his eyes. "He's on trial for using a strictly forbidden technique. Father has requested the two of you to attend, as his fate will be decided there."

Both the warriors' hearts skipped a beat. Zateus trembled before clenching his fists. "Will... will he die?"

"That's up to Daishinkan to decide," Whis replied. "Now come; we mustn't be late."

He tapped his staff, taking them to a different palace than the old one that Daishinkan built shortly after giving up his title. Minutes later, they arrived alongside the rest of the gods of the nineteen universes. They watched as Zydis walked up to his throne, bowing down in front of it.

"Zydis, the god of destruction of universe seven, it is now time to decide your fate for using a strongly forbidden destruction technique," Daishinkan declared, walking forward. "As you know, using such a technique could've eradicated not only Universe Seven, but possibly even some of the surrounding ones."

This was a similar speech to what he used against Beerus many years later. "Would you explain why you didn't leave your homeworld with your angel instead of engaging these demons?"

Zydis had a solemn look on his face, knowing he had made a huge mistake. "My apologies, sir. My only wish as a destroyer is to protect my universe from harm."

"I understand where you're coming from, but Whis did warn you to never use that power," Daishinkan replied. Omesus and Zateus were getting furious but managed to keep their composure.

"I could've well handled that situation if you'd simply reported in alongside Whis," the Grand Priest continued. "The gods must learn not to disobey their superiors. Your fate has been decided, Zydis."

Zateus sat up and moved forward, surprising the other gods. "Stop! Zydis doesn't deserve this!"

Daishinkan glanced over at him and narrowed his eyes as if he knew the mortal. "Zateus, you have no leverage against something of this importance. However, I did bring you here to ask you one question. Why did you decide to befriend Zydis in the first place?"

"Because, unlike you, he's kind and respectable!" Zateus called out, shocking the gods even more for his insults. "Why would you erase Zydis for something so petty? He only did what he could to protect the universe from that Frost Demon attack. Maybe you should've stepped in sooner rather than letting your other destroyers be killed—"

Whis went behind him, yanking him backward. "My apologies for their outburst, Father."

[Music: AGE OF WONDER - by Scott Buckley]

The Grand Priest stared at Zateus for a moment before raising his hand and creating a blue orb, turning toward Zydis. "You will feel no pain, Zydis. Farewell."

In an instant, something in Zateus clicked, as his eyes flashed silver and his hair stood up, shining. He zoomed forward past everybody, grabbing Zydis and flying him out of the way, just as Daishinkan fired a small beam that erased the ground. Seeing this, Omesus also joined in, powering up into his True Super Saiyan God form and flying toward Daishinkan, launching a blast. The Grand Priest spun his staff and knocked it to the side, destroying the wall.

Zateus landed, holding Zydis and setting him down. He was in Ultra Instinct Omen. "I will not allow you to erase my best friend. He means everything to me, and you'll have to erase me first before you erase him!"

Zydis watched his friend in shock, unable to form words. Daishinkan glared at Zateus and Omesus, clenching his staff. "So be it... You two will also be erased for interfering in this trial. Marcarita, Vados, restrain them."

Vados vanished in front of Zateus, swinging her staff. The warrior managed to dodge out of the way, surprising Daishinkan. "Interesting... What is that technique? It's as if he's moving without thinking."

Right as he leaped, Zateus's hair turned silver as he entered the completed state. He flickered, and a flurry of blows hit Vados, sending her back. Seeing this, Marcarita summoned the power of Destruction, rapidly jabbing at him with her palms. The warrior dodged, blocked, and deflected her attacks. I owe Zalama my life... He thought as he darted behind her in an instant, a thousand blows hitting Marcarita from every direction.

Omesus jumped in to help, but the other gods attacked him, preoccupying him in the meantime. Marcarita grunted, falling to her knees. Both angels retreated, with the other gods on high alert. Daishinkan hovered down to the ground, walking forward. "I will take matters into my own hands."

He slid his foot back and vanished in front of Zateus, going to grab him, but the mortal barely managed to dodge his attack. "He's fast!" Zateus grunted as he flew forward, firing multiple energy blasts that the Grand Priest deflected. Daishinkan raised his two fingers, and Zateus felt his body flying toward him. The Grand Priest brought his fist back and shouted, slamming it into Zateus's gut. Zateus coughed up blood before yelling and rapidly barraging him.

Daishinkan growled, blocking the attacks, before kicking him into the wall and launching a beam that Zateus avoided. "You are only delaying the inevitable, Zateus!"

The warrior landed on his feet, smiling. "I'm not going to allow you to erase my best friend. Either give him another chance, or I'll defeat you myself."

"His fate has already been decided," the Grand Priest replied, before closing his eyes. An aura of destructive power surrounded him, illuminating the room with a purple light. "I will now fight you seriously."

In an instant, he grabbed Zateus by the face and slammed him into the ground. The mortal cried out in pain, trying to kick him off. "Damn you!"

Suddenly, Omesus plowed through the gods and roared, slamming a punch into Daishinkan's face that momentarily stunned him. "Now, brother!"

Zateus leaped back and charged his ultimate attack, the raw energy destroying chunks of the palace. Gravitational lensing surrounded him, bending reality itself. "Cosmic Ravaging!"

A colossal white beam fired from him, heading toward Daishinkan. Right before it hit, all the angels drew toward him. The beam consumed him and the entire palace, completely destroying it. Zateus panted heavily, falling to one knee. "We did it..." Zydis stepped up to him, staring at him, before pulling him into a hug. Zateus smiled, accepting it. "You're safe now, Zydis."

Zydis then realized something. "Wait... But if we're now enemies to the gods, then... I can't be the God of Destruction."

"That won't matter," Omesus replied, walking up to him and placing a hand on his shoulder. "You can live as a mortal and have a peaceful life. Besides, it's not like your new powers are going anywhere. You'll be able to defend your home planet."

Zydis thought about this for a moment and smiled, before suddenly his eyes widened, feeling a sharp pain in his chest. Zateus and Omesus looked to see Daishinkan's hand shoved through the former destroyer's chest. Daishinkan looked slightly different, now fused with his angels. He was even more powerful than before. "Hakai." A pulse shot out as Zydis glanced down to see his body disintegrating.

The two brothers watched in complete shock as Zydis smiled at them, tearing up. "I love you, guys... Say hello to my sons, Beerus and Champa, for me."

He faded away, and Omesus and Zateus's visions turned black and white before focusing on Daishinkan. In an instant, the Grand Priest darted forward and slammed his staff into the two of them, sending them crashing away.

Zateus fell to his knees, trembling. Everything else was blurry around him, as all he saw was Daishinkan himself. "You... you killed him."

The Grand Priest hovered in front of them, raising his hand and charging a powerful blast. "Your time is also up. You've caused enough chaos over the years, Zateus."

The mortal glared at him, his mind nearly blank. He only focused on one thing: revenge. His only wish now was to kill Daishinkan for what he had done to their friend. His hair spiked up and glowed white as a concentrated red aura surrounded him. Meanwhile, Omesus twitched in rage, black lightning striking around him. "Zydis... YOU... DAISHINKAN!" He roared, his hair turning white as he completely transformed at the same time as his brother.

He entered Super Saiyan White, and the two dashed forward in an instant, landing a combined punch on Daishinkan's face. The Grand Priest cried out, blood shooting out of his nose as he crashed through the wall.

Before he landed, Zateus vanished behind him and kicked him upward, with Omesus flying above him and kicking him to the ground, completely shattering it. They barraged Daishinkan with blasts, injuring him. The Grand Priest grunted, crawling forward and trying to reach his staff, but Omesus slammed his foot onto his back, breaking it. He cried out, and with his remaining power, Daishinkan yelled and flared up his aura, knocking them back.

He grabbed his staff, and it glowed, with three new figures landing in front of the two and knocking them back. Zeno and his guards arrived, looking ticked off. The Omni King stepped forward, looking up at the two mortals.

"Destroy them," he ordered, and the two guards, faster than either could react, kicked them into the wall, breaking their ribs. They coughed up blood, landing on the ground and powering down.

Zateus weakly gazed up, realizing all was hopeless. "No... Why did I hesitate to kill that bastard?! He's... The creator of everything is going to erase us!"

The guards walked up to them, their antennae glowing. "By order of Lord Zeno, we now eradicate you."

Out of nowhere, a massive explosion occurred from the rubble of the palace as Qhuteus shot out, shocking all of them. Zateus recognized this figure because of Zalama. "Qhu... Qhuteus?!"

Qhuteus smirked, now older, having somehow broken out of his seal. "Hello, Father, Omesus. I'll save you."

The guards turned toward him, walking up to him. "Stand back, or be erased."

Qhuteus chuckled before immediately shooting forward and swerving around them. It wasn't enough to surpass the speed of the guards, but it caught them off guard. Qhuteus grabbed Zateus and Omesus and closed his eyes, focusing. Right before the guards attacked them, they vanished and teleported to Universe Nineteen. They landed on a random rocky planet with a breathable atmosphere, panting. Zateus gazed up at the night sky, his vision clearing up. "You... You saved us, Qhuteus... But why?"

Qhuteus stood up, brushing himself off. "While I was sealed, I formulated a plan to destroy the gods. I've also listened to Daishinkan's conversations, and it seems your universe will be frozen in time soon."

Omesus's eyes widened. "The Saiyans... Wait... Zateus, we need to save your wife!"

"There's no time to do that," Qhuteus replied. "However... she recently gave birth to your child, right as you were in the palace."

He placed his hand on the ground, and a pattern appeared, and a Half-Saiyan baby appeared on the ground, crying. Omesus's jaw dropped. "But... shouldn't she raise her own child?"

"I've simply teleported it across the multiverse," Qhuteus replied. "The child will be a valuable asset. With them being a Half-Saiyan, Half-Fallen Angel, their potential is limitless. Do you have a name for them?"

Without another word, Zateus stood up, despite his injuries, and picked up the baby, holding it in his arms. Immediately, the infant calmed down, falling asleep. Ever since Zydis's erasure, he'd wanted nothing more than one thing, and that was to eliminate the gods.

He looked up. "Abysus... This child's name will be Abysus..."

To Be Continued in Chapter Thirty-Nine

The backstory is nearly over! I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter. Abysus is a Half-Saiyan, yes, but the reason for his absence of Saiyan powers will be explained in the next chapter.

~ Scruffy

Chapter 39: The Covenant

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

After creating Zeno and transferring his powers to him, Daishinkan found out that Zydis had used a technique so dangerous that it could've endangered the universes. Feeling the need to set an example for the gods, he put the new destroyer on trial, prepared to erase him. However, Zateus and Omesus interfered to save Zydis, but they failed to stop the erasure.

Seeing this, the two unlocked Ultra Instinct Stage Two and Super Saiyan White, respectively, and easily thrashed Daishinkan around. Seeing no other choice, the Grand Priest summoned Zeno and his guards to save himself, and they would've won if it weren't for Qhuteus, who teleported them to Universe Nineteen.

Chapter Thirty-Nine - The Covenant

For nineteen years, Omesus and Zateus raised Abysus to be a powerful warrior and one day annihilate the gods. It was the only thing on their minds now, as they were blinded by their hatred for Daishinkan. Because of their change in attitude, Abysus grew up to be a violent fighter. At some point, he entered Super Saiyan and nearly killed Zateus and Omesus with his insane power, forcing Qhuteus to suppress his Saiyan transformations.

Abysus snuck off one day and wreaked havoc on the universes, with the gods finding out about his existence. He declared himself to be the end of the gods. However, Zateus soon found him and brought him back to their home to lie low.

To cover their tracks, Qhuteus spread bits of their energies in Universes Thirteen through Nineteen to confuse the gods and get them off their tails.

Unfortunately, that time soon came, as Zeno made the rash decision to erase all of those universes to stop them from ever returning. From then on, those four powerful beings ceased to exist. Daishinkan froze Universe Seven in time, wanting to learn this mysterious technique Zateus used, as it could perfectly suit the angels and make them a lot more powerful. Over hundreds of millions of years, he trained himself and the angels to utilize Omen, then Stage One, then Stage Two.

To prevent this from ever happening again, he and Zeno agreed to create a law to prevent the angels from interfering in mortal matters or fighting them.

After 900 million years since the fight, Daishinkan unfroze Universe Seven, confident in the gods' ability to suppress these mortals should they get out of hand again. Now back in service, Whis taught Beerus to become the new God of Destruction, and vice versa for Vados and Champa. Everything was peaceful in the multiverse for a long time. That was, until Android 17 wished to bring back all the erased universes, including the ones the enemies resided in.

Zateus found out he'd been erased for a billion years, enraged, alongside Abysus and Omesus. Qhuteus departed from them, going to learn more about how the multiverse worked, while, months later, Zateus ordered Abysus to wreak havoc upon the gods, not thinking about the possible repercussions.

His son proceeded to kill the strongest warriors in Universe Eleven before going to Universe Seven, finding Whis on Planet Earth alongside its destroyer. Suddenly, there was a strange feeling consuming the entire planet. Goku felt a lot of weight, falling to his knees. "Gck... What is this...?"

Beerus felt the effects as well, but was still standing. "Whis, what the hell is this?"

Whis darted at a speed Goku and Beerus would've thought impossible, as a massive lightning strike then slammed down and hit the city, completely obliterating it. The smoke faded, and Whis created a barrier around Capsule Corporation, protecting Goku, Beerus, Bulma, and her parents. All the Z-Fighters on the planet had sensed this powerful presence. A muscular figure started walking toward them, his aura blasting all the smoke away. He had short, gray hair, tan skin, and a black robe.

His eyes were glowing red as he stopped. He examined all of them. "Well, well... If it isn't Whis and... Zydis...?" He'd heard stories of the sphinx cat from his father and uncle.

Beerus narrowed his eyes. "It's 'Beerus'. Kindly explain why you ruined my mood before I destroy you."

The figure snorted and then turned toward Whis. "Ah... you must be Whis, my father's mentor."

Whis slowly moved forward, dispersing the barrier. "Your name is Abysus, son of Zateus. Am I wrong?"

THE END

After listening to Daishinkan and Zateus explain the full backstory, everybody remained silent for five minutes, processing everything they'd heard. Zateus fell to his knees, devastated.

"All this time... I've lived two lives," he muttered, trying to keep his composure. "I used to be a god, but then I was cast and changed. I've lived a life full of lies. Why, Daishinkan?"

The Grand Priest gazed at him solemnly, feeling guilt for what he'd done. "I apologize, Zateus, but it was for the sake of the multiverse. Zydis—"

Goku growled and went up to him, grabbing him by the collar and picking him up. "G-Goku-san!"

The Saiyan glared into his eyes, ticked off at him. "You did the same thing to Zydis as you nearly did to Beerus. You erased his father and nearly destroyed him for the same reason. You haven't learned, have you?"

He dropped Daishinkan and glanced over to Beerus, who was facing away from them, trembling. "Zydis... was my father? All this time..." Champa stood silently next to his brother, contemplating this new information.

Omesus sat up, walking over to them. "What do you mean the same nearly happened to Beerus?"

Seeing no other choice, the Grand Priest snapped his fingers, showing them the entire memory of Beerus's trial, from Goku and Vegeta interfering, to Goku entering Stage 3 for a short period and hurting Daishinkan, and the rest.

When it finished, Zateus glared at Daishinkan with even more hatred than before. "I see... So Son Goku and Vegeta were in the same situation... We were wrong to judge them. You gods brainwashed them."

"That's not—" Whis was about to say, but the Grand Priest raised one hand to stop him.

"My intention was never to use those two for our gain," he replied. "It was to protect all the mortals and gods in the multiverse from you and Qhuteus. You took your hatred too far and endangered the lives of everybody."

He waved his staff, and Zateus jolted, feeling all of his past memories rush back to him as an angel. He grunted, holding his head, but then he recalled some moments between him and his father. Despite their occasional disagreements, Daishinkan did care about him, but he kept a cold exterior to set an example for his children. "I never wanted this, but I had to banish you to prevent anything else from happening. Ordinarily, I would erase my children for their disobedience, but I couldn't do it to you. When you interfered in the trial, I... I had to put my emotions aside."

Daishinkan turned toward Omesus and did the same to him. The brute's eyes widened as he fell to his knees, shaking. "I don't understand… Then that figure who saved my life from Qube… He must've been Zalama!"

"Zeno started the Tournament of Power to give mortals another chance," Daishinkan said. "It was all thanks to you, Goku-san. If not for you, he might've erased all the universes by now. He has taken a liking to you."

Vegeta stepped up to Omesus, crossing his arms. "You said you were the first Saiyan, but you're clearly like the rest."

Zateus snorted when he heard this. "My brother says that to make his title more special."

Omesus turned toward him, raising his fist. "I do not!"

Zateus rolled his eyes in response. "You also say you're the strongest mortal. How big of an ego do you have?"

The two argued for a moment before the Grand Priest cut in. "And now, I will make things right," he said, walking forward. He spun his staff and tapped it on the ground, a buff figure reforming. Abysus falls forward on his knees, panting, before looking up, shocked.

"Where... Where-" Before he could say anything, Zateus ran over to him, pulling him into a hug. He paused, confused at this gesture. He'd never received any kind of hug before. "Father?"

Zateus then turned toward Daishinkan. "As difficult as it may be, perhaps this... conflict needs to end. I cannot forgive you yet, but I am responsible as well. Our actions have endangered everybody."

He walked up to the Grand Priest, slowly holding a hand out. Everybody watched, anticipating his response. Daishinkan looked up at him before smiling and taking it, shaking it. "Perhaps we both have something to learn, Zateus. If we can fully patch things, perhaps I can restore your godhood and even... bring back Zydis."

Zateus smiled as well before he sighed, walking toward Goku. "Son Goku, that power you used against Qhuzarus... I didn't think it was possible."

Goku nodded. "Yeah... Right before he deleted me alongside everything else, I spoke to your master in my head. I had to reunite with my other half to complete myself and enter that state. What I did was rash, but... I'm glad you all are back. I don't know how much I'll change, but hopefully, I'll remain the same old Goku."

Abysus stood up, turning toward the gods angrily, but Zateus moved over and placed a hand on his shoulder. "The war's over, Abysus. Calm down." Reluctantly, the brute lowered his fists, still not trusting them. He then turned toward Goku.

"Our fight isn't over, Son Goku. I will get more powerful and defeat you in battle one day," Abysus declared.

[Music: Two Steps From Hell - Mercy in Darkness (Archangel)]

He walked away with Zateus. Right before they left, a vortex of energy appeared in the middle of the room, shocking everybody. Omesus spun around, his eyes widening. "This presence... it can't be!"

A transparent figure of Qhuteus himself appeared, smirking at them. Immediately, they all took a stance as the god walked forward, glitching in reality. "Well, well, well... What's with this peaceful atmosphere? You didn't make peace with them, did you, Father?"

"Qhuteus, why did you go through with all of this?!" Zateus yelled. "You betrayed me, your father!"

Qhuteus paused before laughing. "You call yourself my father? Daishinkan sealed me away. And what did you do? Nothing. I had to be the one to save your sorry ass."

Zateus clenched his fists. "I had no choice... He erased my memory of you!"

The god growled before smiling. "It doesn't matter now... I've activated my final gambit, my trump card, if you will..."

Trillions upon trillions of projections of himself went everywhere at once, surrounding the palace. "I've learned... EVERYTHING... I've linked myself with every version of myself from every multiverse! I know who and what I am..."

He began to fade away, along with all the other projections. "My story isn't over yet. I'm nothing from your reality. I'm an Ezarian, an ancient race of warlocks that once ruled the Omniverse, but we were nearly all destroyed when the Founder arrived..."

Qhuteus cackled as he faded away, leaving everybody shocked. Vegeta walked up to Goku, who looked at him. "Vegeta, will... Will things ever be the same again?"

Vegeta was silent before looking away. "I don't know, Kakarot. You have a massive target on your back now. Beings beyond even Qhuteus know of you. I must catch up to you."

Piccolo turned toward Omesus. "What was that power you used against us back in the war? It was above even Super Saiyan White."

"There's an evolution of the form. I had a theory that existed for several years now, and I was able to tap into it during training before the war," the Saiyan god replied. "It nearly killed me just to use it. I wasn't able to use its full power even when I sacrificed myself. Otherwise, I'd have exploded before I even got the chance to attack the namekians. Even I can't handle that much energy."

"Then I will achieve that form and master it," Vegeta stated, crossing his arms. "Kakarot is far beyond me now, and I will catch up to him."

Daishinkan turned toward Seji, walking up to him. "If Zalama left after he gave us the Super Dragon Balls, how were you born hundreds of millions of years later? You caused problems for us such as hiding the Super Dragon Balls, nearly killing an angel, and nearly destroying universes by fighting Vegeta..."

"Truthfully, Zalama did come back to the multiverse to birth me," Seji replied. "I don't know why. Perhaps, I'm a second pair of eyes to him, in a way. He told me who he was, gave me power, and left me to be raised by the other namekians."

Daishinkan nodded. "I will pardon your actions, Seji, but you must never be so reckless again."

"We must leave now," Zateus said, placing his hands on Omesus and Abysus's shoulders. "We will train as well to assist the gods." They vanished away, leaving the remaining gods and mortals alone.

"Mojito and I will gather the Super Dragon Balls to resurrect everybody who has fallen to Qhuteus, his summoned warriors, Omesus, and Zateus," Cognac stated. "I miss my fallen siblings dearly."

The Grand Priest nodded at him. "Please do. Lord Zeno and I will focus on repairing the damage to the multiverse."

"I will assist Son Goku in repairing his planet and returning the earthlings to it," Seji added. "I owe him everything for what he's done."

[Music: Permafrost - Scott Buckley]

Goku nodded, using Kai Kai to teleport home. He saw Dende and Buu healing everybody as they recovered from the war. He moved up to Chi-Chi, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, Chi-Chi."

She broke down into tears and held him, burying her head into his chest. "This... is what you have to face? Beings that threaten our home, our galaxy, and our universe... All this time, I never truly understood what it was like to fight against something like this..."

Goku's expression softened, despite his changing personality. "It's okay, Chi-Chi. We're safe now. The war is over."

She eventually calmed down, wiping her eyes. "All those years, I always chastised you for training Gohan, but all I cared about was him studying. I'm a terrible mother..."

"You're not a terrible mother, Chi-Chi," Goku replied. "You wanted Gohan to have a normal life, yet I was the one that dragged him into the Cell Games, into fighting all these threats."

He sighed, getting up. "I won't be as ignorant as before. I've changed, and... I don't know if it's for the better or worse. All I know is that things are going to get more difficult as time goes on, but I'll have you and the rest by my side."

Chi-Chi sniffled before slightly smiling. "Yeah... Did you fix things with the gods?"

He nodded. "For now. I don't know how long the peace will last, but I'll protect everybody, no matter the cost."

Goku walked away, leaving his wife to think alone. He looked at the wrecked landscape, with lava pouring out of the cracks. They did a number on their planet. In front of him, Seji teleported in, alongside his dragon Konton. Krillin stepped over, alongside Android 18. "I'm going to need a long, good night's rest after this. How're you holding up, Goku?"

"I'm doing fine, Krillin," Goku replied. Krillin nodded and flew off alongside his wife, and Goku turned back to Seji.

The sage nodded before raising his staff. Electricity shot out as the landscape repaired itself underneath them. Wildlife returned, along with the trees in the distance. Goku felt a bunch of familiar Ki's return. "I've restored all damage to the planet and brought back the evacuated earthlings just now."

Konton leaned down to Goku and sniffed him before tilting his head and looking at the different Super Dragon Ball markings on him. Seji glanced at them as well and sighed. "Ah, yes, I've been curious about those. Do they perhaps mean anything?"

Goku shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I'll find out in the future. Could be good or bad."

Seji turned toward Konton, placing a hand on his snout. "Alright, Konton, you're dismissed." The dragon closed his eyes, dispersing back into energy. Seji teleported away as well, and Goku sat down, enjoying the peace and quiet for a change.

After thirty minutes, he teleported to Capsule Corporation, walking up to the entrance. Bulma ran out, seeing him. "Goku? How'd the war go?"

"It went fine. I'm just... exhausted, both physically and mentally," Goku replied. Bulma noted his unusual behavior and was a little concerned.

"Oookay... Well, while you were gone, Beerus and Wh—" she started but was cut off by a familiar figure.

Beerus walked forward out of the corner of his eye, alongside his attendant Whis. "So, you saved the multiverse. Went from surpassing me to surpass even Grand Zeno. You saved me from being erased, and then you saved me while I was erased."

He held out a hand, smirking. "It's been a pleasure fighting alongside you, Saiyan."

Goku smiled before taking it, and, to his surprise, Beerus pulled him into a hug, much to the amusement of Bulma and Whis. He leaned over and whispered in Goku's ear. "Tell anyone else about this, and you're dead."

He walked off, leaving the Saiyan alone. Did Beerus just... hug him? Goku decided not to dwell on it before teleporting to his house. Chi-Chi wasn't there yet, but Gohan and Goten were in the kitchen, washing the dishes. When Goten saw Goku, he ran up and hugged him, which his father accepted, smiling. "I'm proud of you, Goten. You've grown so much these past years."

He looked up at his other son. "You too, Gohan. You even surpassed Vegeta. Maybe you'll be able to surpass me like you did when you fought Super Buu long ago."

Gohan chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Unlikely, but you never know. You should get some sleep, Dad. You've been through a lot."

The Saiyan nodded before going to bed. He lay down and pulled the covers over him, not having had a good night's sleep in what felt like weeks. Despite his passing out in the Central, he never truly felt at peace until now. Goku yawned before closing his eyes, ready for a dreamless, silent sleep. Unfortunately, he wasn't so lucky. He opened his eyes in his mindscape again, looking around. He heard laughter and spun around, seeing Kakarot once again.

"It can't be," he muttered, taking a step back. "But... I merged with you!"

"Did you think I'd be so foolish as to merge with you?" Kakarot replied, walking forward. "I never did in the first place. Our goals remained the same, so I simply let you use me to complete them."

He suddenly swung a punch that Goku blocked, skidding back. "I have no intention of stopping until I'm back in control of MY body. It is rightfully mine, after all. You're just a fake created when your grandpa dropped you."

Goku clenched his fists, getting into a stance. "I don't trust you. What would you do if you had full control?"

Kakarot smirked. "I'm a Saiyan warrior. Do you think I'd have time for connections, friendships, and family?" He slammed his foot on the ground, showing a hypothetical projection.

In the projection, Kakarot looked down at a city, entering Super Saiyan. "Raditz died, Nappa died, all because of Goku. I must atone for my mistakes by doing what my brother wanted me to do and then erase Frieza from existence for what he's done to the Saiyans."

He threw a simple energy ball that eradicated the city, killing tens of thousands. "Vegeta has grown too soft living with these primates. If I can't convince him to go back to his old ways, I'll kill him, too."

Suddenly, Vegeta and the other Z-Fighters flew toward him, yelling as they attacked him. Kakarot smirked, easily able to fend them off. He punched Krillin with such force that it broke his skull and sent his body to the moon.

Piccolo fired a Special Beam Cannon, but Kakarot slapped it toward Tien, instantly killing him. He then leaped forward and stabbed his finger into Piccolo's chest, killing him before he could transform. Seeing this, Gohan roared and darted forward, entering his full power. He fired a massive Masenko that Kakarot punched back toward him, sending him flying. He entered Ultra Instinct Stage 3, and the fighters' attacks were no longer phasing him.

In an instant, he shot above the atmosphere and flicked his wrist, destroying the entire planet and everybody on it. Goku watched the projection in horror, knowing he could not let this happen.

He growled, turning toward his counterpart. "Why would you do that?!"

In response, Kakarot spat on the ground in front of him, scoffing. "After I kill them, I'll revive the Saiyans of Planet Vegeta using the Super Dragon Balls, so we can kill Frieza, the gods, and rule as the supreme rulers of all timelines. No Guardian, Overlord, or even the Founder will be able to stop us."

"That's where you're wrong," a familiar voice said behind them. They turned to see Zalama walking toward them, his aura intimidating. "Unfortunately for you, I need Goku's help."

Kakarot's eyes widened as he shouted, entering Ultra Instinct Stage 3. He zoomed forward at blinding speeds, punching Zalama and sending him back. The Dragon God skidded across the ground, smirking. The Saiyan created a massive blast and prepared to launch it at Zalama. Goku tried to power up into Stage 3 but found himself unable to. Instead, Goku entered Full-Power Stage 2, trying to deflect the blast with one of his own.

It didn't work, as it inched closer to the Dragon God. Zalama's eyes glowed as he flew forward at speeds that even surprised Kakarot, cutting through the blast. He hit the Saiyan with his staff, dispersing him into particles.

The particles scattered as they went into his staff. Zalama turned toward Goku, sighing. "That won't hold him for long, but you must master Stage 3 and learn to activate it on your own. If you succeed, Kakarot will become one with you."

He vanished away, leaving Goku alone.

To Be Continued in Chapter Forty

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Things are finally settling after the end of the Qhuteus arc. However, a new problem arises for Goku. Will he be able to overcome his counterpart?

~ Scruffy

Chapter 40: The Forgotten

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

After the backstory's explanation was complete, Zateus and Omesus also found out about Beerus's trial being similar to Zydis's, which made them angrier. Daishinkan restored Zateus's memories, explaining all of his past actions and wanting to make things right with the mortals. After the two sides made peace, Goku returned to Earth, hoping for everything to return to normal. Unfortunately, he had a dream about his other half showing his face again and trying to take control of Goku's body. Fortunately, Zalama intervened.

Chapter Forty - The Forgotten

Goku slowly opened his eyes, finally feeling peaceful for the first time since before Omesus's first arrival. He got out of bed, stretching and yawning. He looked at the clock, and his eyes widened to realize he had slept for thirteen hours. The sun was rising as he walked into the kitchen.

In front of him, Bulma and Chi-Chi were cooking up a big breakfast. At the thought of food, his stomach grumbled loudly, catching their attention. Chi-Chi turned around and smiled, walking up to her husband. "Goku, are you okay?"

Goku nodded, smiling at the fact that his wife seemed to be feeling better. "Yeah, I can't remember the last time I slept that long. You guys are making food?"

His wife nodded. "Of course, we need something to eat after the trauma we've endured."

Goku left the kitchen, going to take a quick shower. After he put his Gi back on, he ate breakfast and left the building, finding Vegeta and Gohan. "Hey, guys!"

Gohan cheerfully waved at him, and Vegeta nodded. "Kakarot, the gods are working on getting things back to normal. We haven't heard anything from Omesus, Zateus, or Abysus since."

"It'll take some time for the rift to heal between the gods and them," Goku reminded him. "I'm concerned about what the repercussions will be since I killed those Guardians. Vegeta, you need to start catching up with me."

"Well, it won't be easy, but I know what to do next," the prince stated.

"What about the dead angels?"

"They were resurrected earlier today," Vegeta confirmed. "Something's wrong with Beerus, but I can't blame him, considering he learned about his father."

Goku frowned, feeling bad that he hadn't thought to comfort him yesterday. "I see... Anything about Frieza?"

The prince shook his head. "Nobody knows, but if that shithead ever shows his face here again, not even the Super Dragon Balls will be able to resurrect him after I'm through with him."

Goku raised his fist, clenching it tightly. "Things are just beginning. There'll be no warning if those Guardians show up, or even the Overlords."

Vegeta crossed his arms. "With your Stage 3 power, you'd be able to hold your own against them. It did come from Zalama."

"I'm not so sure about that, Vegeta," the Saiyan replied. "While Stage 3's the most powerful form I've ever used by far, even far surpassing all the gods of this multiverse, Zalama himself told me I need to master it. For all we know, these Overlords could be far above my level."

"Whatever the case, I'll surpass you once again, even if I have to train for ten thousand years," Vegeta said, raising his fist. "I have an idea of how to surpass Super Saiyan White."

Goku grinned at his response. "I'll be looking forward to it! Zeno's guards are the closest thing I have to a rival right now. It isn't the same, though."

Vegeta turned around, keeping an expressionless face. "Where did you last see Whis?"

"I saw him on Beerus's planet," Goku replied, and the prince yelled, black lightning flaring around him. He entered Super Saiyan White, the terrain shaking. "What the heck are you doing, Vegeta?"

"I'm going to fly there," he simply stated, taking off. In less than a millisecond, he was out of the planet's atmosphere and flying through the solar system. A bead of sweat appeared on the side of Goku's face. "But that's on the other side of the universe..."

Frieza flew across the galaxy on his ship, exhausted from the war against Qhuteus. "Damn them... Damn all of them! I could sense that monkey's presence from across the universe... He's ascended far beyond even that colorful Omni brat!"

Unknowingly, a force took hold of his ship and sent it flying toward a nearby planet. "Training alone isn't going to suffice anymore, but nobody except those monkeys and gods can challenge me!"

He had been drifting aimlessly for hours now, trying to get in contact with his rebuilt empire. Unfortunately, the ship's communication system was damaged because of the war.

He descended upon the lifeless planet, exiting the ship. He looked around before sensing a potent energy that outclassed him. His eyes widened as he took a step back. "Wh... What the?!"

It vaguely resembled his own. He flew toward it, soaring over a rocky landscape. It was completely barren and lifeless. It didn't take long until he found a cave. "This is Lord Frieza! Show yourself!"

His response was a deep chuckle that sent chills down his spine. He growled and powered up, his base aura acting as a light source and defense. He walked forward, heading deeper into the cave.

The eerie silence left him on guard, and he wondered if it was a situation similar to when he found Broly on Planet Vampa. Even if it was, he was not about to make the same mistake and rely on another Saiyan monkey to fight for him.

Soon, he ran into a tall figure that towered over him. "Who the hell are you? Answer me or I will obliterate your miserable existence!"

The figure opened its eyes, its gaze piercing into Frieza's and unnerving the emperor. "Emperor Frieza, son of King Cold and brother of Cooler. I've heard stories about you, little one. Once the dominant force in the universe, but reduced to nothing by a mere Super Saiyan..."

A tick mark appeared on the Frost Demon's head as he raised a finger, charging a Death Beam. "I would choose your next words very carefully. Perhaps you have a death wish to talk down to me."

The figure got up, slowly approaching Frieza. "Cute, you remind me of myself back when I was young."

It had spikes, a long tail, and gems all over its body. Frieza's jaw dropped when he realized what it was. It's... a Frost Demon?!

The Frost Demon chuckled, whipping his tail against the ground. "I've been waiting to meet you. My name is Qube... I am the king of your race."

Frieza remembered Omesus mentioning this name mid-battle. According to him, Qube was sentenced to erasure by the Grand Priest. "How are you alive...? You're over a billion years old! That's impossible!"

Qube smirked. "It is possible for one of our kind to live forever if they are willing to do something as cruel as birthing a child just to absorb its life force. I've done it for eons now. You see, little did Zateus know, I survived his attack."

Zateus stopped himself, bleeding, before he yelled and powered up. He combined white divine energy with Destruction energy, creating True Destruction.

He shot forward, nailing Qube in the stomach with a punch and sending him flying back. "AGHH!"

Zateus charged a full-power blast, shaking the entire universe. "True Hakai!" He fired it, a massive white beam slamming into Qube, and he yelled, flying into the nearest star once again, and it began to erupt.

The Grand Priest poured all of his power into it, and it became even bigger, causing the entire star to explode in a supernova.

The emperor's jaw dropped as he heard Qube's brief explanation of his backstory. "You… How did you survive that attack?!" he asked.

Qube smirked before letting out a hearty laugh. "I almost didn't. In fact, the only thing left of my body was my head and torso, and the only thing keeping me alive was my will. I was able to recreate my body using spare parts."

Now that he mentioned it, Frieza noticed how mechanical his body looked. It was very similar to the time he became Mecha Frieza, but the technology on the king seemed to be a lot more advanced than his was back then.

Frieza regained his composure as he charged a death beam again. "Well, since the gods couldn't end you, I'll put you out of your misery. You annoy me."

He launched it, but it bounced off the king's chest, much to his shock. Qube walked up to him and glared down at him, grabbing his arm and slamming him against the wall. "I must commend you for your audacity, but I wouldn't do that again if you value your life. I will admit you're close to my pupil's level, though."

Frieza leaped back, preparing to fight him. "You have a pupil?"

Qube snapped his finger, and a figure came out of the shadows. Their identity made Frieza take a step back in shock.

It was Cooler, his brother. Cooler strutted up to him, his arms crossed. "If it isn't my little brother. I've heard Father is long dead?"

The emperor's body twitched in rage. "Cooler! You dare have the audacity to show your face to me?!"

His brother laughed. "Ah, there's the little brat I remember. You haven't changed, always the one spoiled by your daddy. You didn't have to do anything, and you had an entire empire handed to you."

In an instant, he grabbed Frieza's arm and slammed him on the ground with a lot of force, cracking it. "Nearly two years ago, I discovered this planet and decided to ask Qube to train me so I could one day kill you. Let's take this battle outside, shall we?"

He kicked Frieza across the cave, sending him spiraling outside. He grunted, skidding across the ground. Qube followed them as Frieza yelled, entering his golden form. He leaped forward and clashed with his brother, sending the surrounding terrain exploding.

He grunted, kneeing Cooler in the gut, but his brother took it, unphased. He chuckled before slamming his elbow into Frieza's head, sending him spiraling toward the ground. "Is that all you have to offer? I'm disappointed."

The emperor got up, shocked that his brother was unphased in his base form alone. "Is that so... Then I won't hold back!" He yelled as he entered his platinum form, going full power. The entire planet shook as the terrain shifted.

In an instant, he nailed Cooler in the face with a powerful punch that sent him flying back. Frieza ran forward and launched multiple Death Beams that Cooler dodged, struggling. "What kind of form is that?"

Qube watched on, intrigued. The emperor leaped up and went to slam his foot into Cooler's chest, but his brother vanished just in time. His foot connected with the ground, creating a colossal crater visible from space.

His brother grinned as he yelled, entering his fifth state. A mask covered his mouth. Before Frieza could react, he launched the emperor across the atmosphere. Frieza coughed up spit, wanting to deny everything that was happening to him. Even in his new form, he stood no chance against his outcast of a brother. In the corner of his eye, Frieza saw Qube smirking at him. Enraged, he launched himself over to the Frost Demon King, slamming a kick into his chest. It connected, but he didn't budge. "Try that again, and things won't end well for you, child. I've been training for millions of years."

Frieza leaped back, sweat going down his face. "Shit... These two outclass me!"

He tried to fly off, but Cooler intervened by vanishing in front of him and simply chopping him down to the ground. The emperor fell out of his form, panting. Suddenly, his eyes widened as he felt a death beam pierce his chest.

Frieza closed his eyes, losing consciousness. Cooler towered over him, prepared to kill him, but Qube stopped him. "There's no point in killing one of our kind, as we are far and few these days. I see potential in that little one. He reminds me of myself back in my glory days."

Despite his utter hatred for his brother, Cooler reluctantly obliged, lowering his hand. "What are your plans for him?"

Qube grinned, walking up to Frieza and picking him up by the arm. "I will train him as well. Perhaps he will be able to do what I couldn't and take over the multiverse."

Beerus sat on a rock on his planet, thinking to himself. Ever since he learned about who his father was and the truth about the all-time greatest threat to the gods, he had been keeping to himself.

He sat for hours on end, replaying the events of the war and the backstory in his head repeatedly. It was overwhelming for him.

Shortly after becoming the God of Destruction, he had to make the most difficult decision he had ever made, and that was to destroy Planet Sufinkusu—his homeworld. Many years ago, a cult worshiping Zydis took over the planet in his name. They were nothing more than a bunch of corrupt, powerful nobodies.

One day, Beerus made the mistake of telling the people of the planet what happened to the former god, not knowing he was really his father. Outraged, the cult grew and started planning ways to destroy the gods for taking their own.

Seeing there was no way to convince them otherwise, Whis informed him, and, with tears in his eyes, he had to use the Hakai to erase the entire civilization. He killed his own relatives, his mother, and everybody he knew.

To this day, he regrets his decision. He wanted nothing more than for it to return to normal, but it was impossible. Even if he used the Super Dragon Balls, they would be the same as when he destroyed them.

Eventually, once Beerus and Champa retire and pass on, their species will be extinct for good. There was no possibility of keeping his bloodline alive, but he had learned to accept that fact by now.

As he sulked, he heard footsteps behind him and saw Whis looking at him with concern in his eyes. "My lord, what troubles you?"

Beerus tried to play it off and muttered. "It's nothing, just enjoying the peace and quiet."

The angel's expression remained unchanged. "I know when you're being dishonest with me, my lord. Are you thinking about him?"

Beerus didn't respond for a full minute before he sighed. "Not just him, but... everybody. My entire race. My mother..." He tries to keep his composure. "I was too weak to do anything in the war."

Whis walked over and placed a hand on the god's shoulder. "You've unlocked a power no other destroyer has, my lord. Unlocking white divine energy is no small feat, you know."

Despite his words, Beerus didn't feel any comfort. Whis smiled. "Goku and Vegeta remind you of her, don't they?"

He slowly nodded. "My mother loved to fight. It's an anomaly that she wasn't born into a Saiyan body. No matter what, she had the will to keep fighting. She had a fiery temper at one moment, yet was kind and gentle at another. She single-handedly took down an entire army in one war. She's the one that inspired me to go this far."

He looked up at the sky, unable to resist the tears building up in his eyes. "Everything for me was perfect when I took on this role, but then I had to eliminate my own people. Now Champa and I are the only ones left."

"You may one day meet your father," Whis said, making him pause before replying. "I never knew him. He perished when I was an infant, most likely."

He cleared his throat, wiping his eyes. "Well, anyway... That's enough talk about me. Anything about those mortals?"

"They're currently residing in Universe Nineteen," the angel stated. "We've heard little from them, but they have stopped suppressing their energies to no longer hide their presence. We're still keeping a close eye on them, though. Not entirely sure if we can trust them yet."

Suddenly, they sensed a powerful energy close by as Vegeta landed on the planet, powering down from Super Saiyan White. Beerus's jaw dropped when he saw him. "When did you get here? Did... Did you fly all the way here from Earth?!"

The Saiyan nodded casually, crossing his arms and walking up to them. "Whis, I need a favor from you. I need you to take me to them."

Whis's eyes widened. "Are you sure, Vegeta? It could be dangerous, and we don't know if we are able to trust them. But contrary to that, Father hasn't ordered us to stay away from them, so I will."

The prince nodded. "I'm ready. I want to speak with them myself." The angel nodded and tapped his staff, creating a portal in front of them to Universe Nineteen. Vegeta walked through and looked around, now in a dimly lit palace.

He looked up to see a dying universe, squinting. "This is far from desirable. Have they lived here all these years?"

Vegeta walked through the main hall of the palace before a figure landed in front of him, getting into a stance. "What do we have here? An intruder?"

He looked up to see Abysus glaring down at him, prepared to attack, but a voice stopped him. "That's enough, Abysus."

The prince looked over to see Zateus sitting on a throne, with Omesus standing next to him. He got up and walked forward, strolling up to Vegeta. "What brings you here to our universe, Saiyan?"

"I'm not here to attack you, if that's what you're wondering," Vegeta stated. "I need a favor from the two of you."

Omesus, intrigued, walked forward as well, crossing his arms. "Why would you need a favor from us, Vegeta? Aren't we your enemies?"

"Former enemies," the prince corrected. "Besides, there are far bigger problems than our conflicts. Kakarot is in danger, and I need to catch up to him."

Zateus dropped his guard. "Are you... asking us to train you?"

"That's exactly what I'm asking," Vegeta confirmed. "I want to learn the powers you possess, including the new transformation Omesus has yet to perfect. I also wish to learn how to utilize Destruction energy. Based on the backstory, Omesus knew how to train for it, just not to tap into it."

"That's a rather bold favor to ask, don't you think?" Omesus replied. "Why should we help you?"

"Because you owe it to us after endangering the multiverse," Vegeta replied, and they fell silent at this statement. "Besides, those Guardians are the least of our worries. Qhuteus is still out there, more powerful than ever, and so are those Overlords. I don't know how strong they truly are, but they could possibly even defeat Kakarot in his Stage 3 form."

"I'm still curious as to why Zalama chose this multiverse out of every other," Zateus chimed in, tapping his chin. "Surely there is a reason, or could it be based on dumb luck? Whatever the case, very well, I'll train you."

Omesus thought about it before he sighed. "Fine. I am curious about your potential, Vegeta. I wish to know just how much we truly differ. Perhaps you could surpass even me. I just have one condition, though."

He grinned. "Bring that Saiyan Broly as well."

To Be Continued in Chapter Forty-One

Qube is still alive, Cooler is his disciple, and now Frieza will train under him! More of Beerus's backstory, and Vegeta is now going to train under Omesus and Zateus! I hope you enjoyed this latest chapter!

I haven't updated this fanfic since December, which is a long time—almost a year. Me and a friend of mine have been focusing our attention on a crossover story called Calamitous Intervention. It's helped me significantly improve at writing. This chapter was actually made back in December, but I never ended up publishing it for some reason. I made some improvements to it, though. The way I write has changed.

Just know that updates to this story for the foreseeable future will be very slow since my main focus is my current fanfiction, which is a very long story.

~ Scruffy

Chapter 41: The Inevitable

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

After making peace with the gods, Goku had a dream about his evil self and Zalama saving him. Meanwhile, Frieza encountered Qube and Cooler on a deserted planet, preparing to train with them. As Beerus thought about his past with regret, Vegeta flew all the way to his planet to ask Whis to take him to Zateus, Omesus, and Abysus so that they could train him and help him catch up to his former rival.

Chapter Forty-One - The Inevitable

Piccolo hovered over the edge of a cliff next to a waterfall, quietly meditating. For the first time in what felt like forever, he felt peaceful. The gentle sounds of nature surrounded him, helping him concentrate on his mental training.

Ever since he trained with Seji, he had hit a roadblock. Since he was at the level of his mentor now, he didn't know any way to get more powerful. Unless there was somehow a form beyond the one that even Seji had, he would have to find other ways to keep up with the others.

As Piccolo pondered this, he sensed a familiar presence behind him and opened his eyes. "What brings you here, Seji?" he asked.

The sage walked forward and placed a hand on his student's shoulder, a serious expression on his face. "I've come to check up on you after the events that took place," he replied. "I suspect we're having similar thoughts."

Piccolo remained silent for a moment before speaking. "Yeah, I've been thinking about what to do next. This Zalama being... Even a mere tiny fraction of his power can make a set of Super Dragon Balls capable of undoing the Omni King's actions."

Seji chuckled at this. "Well, I don't know much about my father or why I'm here. Despite learning about the backstory of this multiverse, there's still a gap." His face darkened. "There hasn't been any mention of me."

His student considered this, realizing the sage was right. "There has to be a reason he left you here," Piccolo said. "Though if you do exist in other timelines, which is likely, then something doesn't add up."

"You're correct in assuming that," Seji agreed, closing his eyes. "Son Goku hasn't been the same since the war. I'm worried he's becoming corrupted by something within him. Chances are, if he can't overcome it, he could end up being our downfall. With his power, not many can stop him."

"We can't let that happen," Piccolo stated, lowering himself to his feet. His white cape waved back and forth in response to a passing breeze. "Everybody's still recovering after what happened. I… don't think things will go back to the way they were before."

"You're right," the sage agreed. "Everybody's a lot tenser and less in the mood to relax. Qhuteus is still out there, and everybody has taken training more seriously. Even that Gohan kid has been focused on training."

His student turned toward him, sighing. "We have to keep developing our power, one way or another," Piccolo said. "The stakes have gotten far worse than they've ever been before. Not only isn't Qhuteus gone, as you said, but the Overlords are onto Goku. There's no telling how powerful they are, but they could possibly be even above Qhuzarus."

Universe Six

Caulifla bounded toward Cabba, yelling. She took off from the ground and flew forward, sending a powerful punch toward him. He got into a stance and deflected it, surprising her, before knocking her back with a kick.

"Caulifla, you've been attacking me for hours," Cabba said, tired of this duel. "You need to rest. You've pushed your limits too far."

She panted heavily, knowing deep down that he was right, but she refused to acknowledge it. Raising her hands, she launched a volley of blasts that flew everywhere, leveling parts of the surrounding area. Despite her fatigue, she had been getting stronger.

Cabba grunted, backing away to defend himself from the attacks. Knowing he had to put an end to this, he leaped up and entered Super Saiyan 2, launching himself toward her. Before she could react, he had already nailed her in the chest with a kick powerful enough to send her flying.

Caulifla coughed up spit and landed on the ground, tumbling back. His attack had completely knocked the wind out of her as she clutched her chest, panting. Cabba landed in front of her, knowing this was the chance to get through to her. "Caulifla—"

Before he could continue, she glared up at him, having a fire in her eyes. This let him know that she was not going to make this easy for him. "I cannot be left behind after I was so casually killed by that bastard!" she yelled, briefly surprising him, but he quickly regained his composure.

"You're going overboard," he told her, gesturing toward an injured Kale. "You've pushed your closest friend too far, and the only reason I'm still standing is that I'm stronger than you, Caulifla."

She punched the ground, tired of being looked down upon. "So, what? Am I just supposed to stop training? Are we just supposed to sit on our asses while we fall even further behind Universe Seven?! What's the m—"

"SHUT UP!" a voice behind them yelled, making them flinch. Champa, alongside his newly resurrected attendant, Vados, walked forward, a vein visible on his head. "I've had enough of both of you arguing! How am I supposed to get ahead of my brother if you two can't even focus?!"

He continued before either of them could reply, "Tch... I'll show those Universe Seven Saiyans! I'll have Vados here train you even harder than before!

Universe Eleven

As the rest of the Pride Troopers watched, some of them sparring from a distance, Toppo ran toward Jiren at full speed, shattering the ground beneath his feet. A red trail followed him as he launched forward, clashing a heavy kick with his rival.

A shockwave erupted, followed by a giant crack in the earth that sent debris flying in every direction. They were sparring after Toppo became the new God of Destruction for his universe. Belmod had recently retired after the war, and it was now his time to protect what he held dear to him.

Jiren brought his fist back and slammed it into the god's face, sending him stumbling back. What followed was a burst of wind that made all the Pride Troopers flinch. Toppo retaliated by launching a massive blast, forcing Jiren to block it.

The brute grunted, skidding across the ground at the god's attack. He had never expected Toppo to grow this fast, but he was nonetheless impressed at how far he could push him.

Jiren smirked. "You've improved, Toppo."

The destroyer got into a stance and closed his eyes, powering up to his full power. A purple aura surrounded him, and his eyes turned purple. "As have you, Jiren," he replied. "How is the training with Marcarita?"

Toppo took a step forward and instantly was in front of Jiren, launching a Hakai orb that the brute could narrowly avoid. Jiren hovered high in the air, a potent red aura surrounding his figure. He flickered and shot in front of the god, nailing him in the gut with a punch that created an enormous crater under them.

The destroyer, not having expected this, coughed up blood. He knew that he had underestimated Jiren, who was previously high above him. Toppo roared and grabbed Jiren's arm before slamming him on the ground. What resulted was a powerful gust of wind that formed into a twister, affecting the weather on the planet.

Jiren got up and grabbed Toppo's face, dragging him across the ground while running forward. He then threw the destroyer across the landscape, watching as he crashed into a mountain, causing it to collapse.

The brute looked at his hands, feeling sparks of power he had never felt before. "I will soon surpass my limits."

Universe Nineteen

Vegeta slid his foot back and yelled, powering up from the perfected Super Saiyan Blue Evolution into Super Saiyan White. A pillar of light shot up into space, illuminating the sky. Black lightning coiled around him, dancing across the area.

Across from him, Omesus stood there with dark aqua hair, utilizing God Ki alongside his main Saiyan transformation. He waited for the prince to attack, and he did. The pressure coming from Vegeta was enough to unnerve the Saiyan God, but when he attacked, he could barely block it.

Omesus felt his bones creak as the punch landed. He was barely able to block it, but being one of the strongest mortals, he could withstand the prince's angelic power.

Energy covered his fist as he swung it at Vegeta, who dove and nailed him in the gut with a punch that knocked all the wind out of him. Despite this, Omesus refused to move from this attack. He stood there, taking the full force of the attack without moving back. Blood leaked from his mouth as he smiled, feeling a rush of excitement.

His eyes flickered white as he entered Super Saiyan White as well. Vegeta took a step back, watching as an angelic avatar with wings briefly surrounded the brute. In contrast to Vegeta's form, white electricity surrounded Omesus.

Even then, his power was unreal to Vegeta. He was not yet at Omesus's level, but he knew he was quickly closing the gap. It was clear that the brute had much more experience with Super Saiyan White than the prince.

Vegeta launched forward in a blur, swinging a punch that clashed with Omesus, sending a massive sonic boom across the atmosphere. They shot up and flew through the air, clashing back and forth at a rapid pace. In no time at all, they had already left the atmosphere, flying through space.

As they clashed elbows and energy blasts, each attack caused parts of the galaxy to blow apart, sending thousands of stars flying through the cosmos. Omesus spun around and kicked him in the side, knocking him back. Vegeta grunted and blasted him in the face, sending his adversary flying back.

The prince's aura flared up, and he flew forward, weaving around multiple stars as he flickered above Omesus and spread his hands, launching an Anti-Final Flash toward the brute. Omesus smirked and punched right through it, but his opponent was gone.

Vegeta vanished behind him and went to kick him, but he blocked it, grabbing the prince and throwing him toward the center of the galaxy. Behind him, Vegeta felt a powerful gravitational force, but he was swallowed in darkness before he could react in time.

He opened his eyes, feeling massive amounts of pressure from every direction. He grunted, finding himself in a black hole—the one that held the galaxy together. He did his best to resist the power of the singularity, which was almost enough to start tearing his body apart.

Omesus hovered in front of the supermassive black hole with a smug expression on his face. "Even with such power, a mortal's body struggles to survive the power of a singularity—one of the fundamental forces of the universes.

Inside the black hole, Vegeta felt as if his mind could split in half at what he saw. It was impossible to describe, but the only way he could was to see everything at once. He saw an infinite mirror effect in front of him, as if the universe were a long cylinder.

Managing to keep his mind together, he roared and flared his aura up to the max, cracking the distorted reality around him. The singularity started absorbing his energy, as from the outside, the black hole started glowing white, overflowing with power.

Omesus's eyes widened as he flew back just in time for a massive gamma-ray burst to shoot out of the white hole, propelling Vegeta toward him. Before he could do anything, he was already nailed in the gut with a powerful punch, making him cough out blood.

The prince followed it with a kick, sending Omesus flying back. As the gamma-ray approached him from behind, Vegeta concentrated and absorbed it, feeling his muscles bulk up. All of the energy of the many stars that the black hole had destroyed over time flowed through his veins, making him more powerful than ever.

With enough energy, he yelled, launching his ultimate attack. "ANTI-FLARE!" A giant beam that rapidly flashed white and black soared through space toward a baffled Omesus.

He raised his arms to block it, but what happened next was unexpected. The attack split into hundreds of smaller, homing blasts that swerved around and bombarded him from every angle, making him almost vomit out blood.

Each attack was incredibly powerful, with not even his durable body being able to tank it. He flew backward at speeds far faster than light, barely able to stop himself as he panted a little. "I've underestimated him…" he muttered to himself, scowling.

Just then, Vegeta appeared behind him, swinging a punch, but he seemed to have slowed down. Omesus caught it, his fist shaking. The prince was panting at this point, his ultimate attack having taken a lot out of him.

Now with the advantage, Omesus grabbed him by the hair and flew all the way back to the palace, slamming Vegeta onto the ground. The floor shattered as the prince spat out blood, barely able to move.

Zateus and Broly watched from nearby, intrigued. The fact that Vegeta was able to fight on par with Omesus proved he had gotten stronger since the war. Out of nowhere, he sensed a power far above his own and turned around, his eyes widening. "What the hell?!"

He couldn't believe the pressure he was feeling. It was like Goku's, but... It's also himself? Before he could think about it any more, a figure flickered down in a blur, creating a burst of wind that surprised everybody.

When Vegeta opened his eyes and got up from the crater, he was shocked to realize who it was. "You're…"

It was another version of Vegeta with Omni King attire—the same one that Goku had met in the Central. "... that alternate version of me Kakarot mentioned!" Vegeta finished.

Omni Vegeta smirked when seeing his other version. "I snuck off back to his multiverse. I still owe your Kakarot a favor for bringing back my home. That's why I've come to join you in this training session."

Omesus raised an eyebrow, not understanding how he knew Goku. "You're going to train… yourself?"

"That's correct."

Zateus walked up to Omni Vegeta, studying him and his unfathomable power. "So, you became the Omni King of your timeline? Intriguing... Your power is at a similar level to that of Goku during the war."

Broly watched with astonishment, barely able to form a sentence. "So this is what Goku was talking about... "

Omni Vegeta ignored them, walking up to the Vegeta of the current timeline with a stern expression. "I will help them train you and teach you how to tap into the same power I can," he said. "Is it just you and Broly being trained?"

"Not quite," another voice said behind them. They turned around to see Beerus alongside Whis. "If both Vegetas and Broly are going to be training with some of the most powerful warriors in the multiverse, I simply cannot pass up this opportunity," the destroyer continued, grinning with excitement. "I will join in and help teach Vegeta the ropes of Destruction energy and get stronger myself."

A bead of sweat went down the current Vegeta's face. "I'm going to train with six godlike beings... What the hell is going on?"

Omni Vegeta's smirk faded as he looked around, realizing just how barren this universe was. "Why the hell are you guys training in a place like this? It's an eyesore."

Omesus raised an eyebrow, slightly offended by his comment. "Pardon?"

The Omni King walked up and waved his hand, creating a portal that sent a burst of wind across the area. When Vegeta looked into the portal, his eyes widened to see that it was the same Angelic Chamber Goku and Daishinkan used—the same one Qhuteus had sent him into as a diversion.

"We don't need to waste time by being here," Zateus agreed, also showing surprise on his face. "I haven't been able to go there once until now. This will be interesting."

Frieza stood next to Cooler in front of Qube with his arms crossed. "It took four months alone for me to obtain my golden transformation back then. It'll take far longer to become strong enough to destroy those monkeys for good. I don't have the time to do that."

"I've taken that into consideration already," Qube replied. "Recently, before you arrived, I traveled the universe and discovered a time chamber on a certain planet you've yet to conquer. You'll be able to train there for ten years' worth of time."

Frieza grinned wickedly. "Ten years, did you say? And I'm able to do that without spending nearly as much time outside? That's perfect."

Cooler scoffed. "As much as I hate you, brother, even I have to admit you have potential that exceeds even my own. You're a mutant."

Qube raised an eyebrow when he heard this. "A mutant? Interesting. So you have potential that even exceeds mine. Very well. With the ship you came with, we'll be able to locate that planet once more. It may take some time, though."

For two months, everybody trained in preparation for the possible return of Qhuteus or something even worse. Meanwhile, Goku slowly became a bit distant from everybody, even not wearing his gi as often.

Soon enough, the inevitable happened. The Time Council found out about the deaths of the Guardians and summoned some of the Overlords.

Within the very center of the Central, four beings appeared, their power far above what was normally possible. In front of them, the Time Council looked down at them, with the head right in the middle of them.

The head of the council looked down at them with expressionless eyes before clearing his throat. "Today, we have summoned you to address a recent issue that has come to our attention." He raised his hand, presenting a hologram of Goku fighting and killing the Guardians.

The Overlords walked forward, kneeling in front of the Time Council. "We have found the location of the Dragon God Zalama. However, an obstacle stands in our way."

It raised its hand, creating a projection of Goku in Ultra Instinct Stage Three. "This version of Son Goku has obtained the power of an Overlord without explanation. Bring him to me alive. I am sending four of you to handle this issue, which should be more than enough. Miru."

Miru looked up, being the sixth strongest and weakest Overlord. She bent the surrounding light, her levels of energy truly palpable. She had long, white hair and pale blue skin. Her eyes were purple with black sclerae. She donned a dark blue robe that seemed to almost levitate off of her, the edges wisping away into pure Ki.

"Eikyo."

Eikyo kneeled, being the fifth strongest overlord. His skin was a light grey, his eyes were pitch black with a harsh red gleam, and he had a black suit on. His appearance looked similar to Jiren's, but it wasn't him, but another member of his species from an unknown multiverse. His presence alone caused the palace floor to crack. His strength was unmatched by the group.

"Zykoku."

Zykoku nodded, being the fourth strongest overlord. He wore an outfit resembling that of a god of destruction, with a black and grey pattern. His skin was a dark purple with big ears, resembling that of Beerus. He wore a mask on his face, hiding his identity. Something about his presence seemed familiar, as a deadly presence could be felt from him.

"And Tateru."

Tateru bowed, having a blank expression. He was a being made of pure white energy, unable to contain his unfathomable power within a mortal body. The only thing keeping him together was his perfect control over his energy. He was the Number One Overlord, even above Zalama. He simply waved his finger, repairing the damage Eikyo was causing. "At your service."

The head of the Time Council manifested a staff and tapped the ground, a massive portal opening in front of them. Five guardians flew down from above, stationing themselves behind the three overlords.

"This Goku possesses power similar to that of Zalama, according to my readings, but those estimations may be off," the head of the Time Council informed them. "You are to capture him by any means necessary. You are hereby permitted to use your full power for this mission if such an event comes to pass."

"Two of us, plus good old Tateru over here?" Miru mused, chuckling to herself. "With all due respect, that might be a little overkill."

"While it may be excessive, this mission is far from your usual kind," the head replied. "Our search for Zalama has proven to be a complete failure after our last attempt two billion years ago. However, we now have a possible lead to his whereabouts. This means he could possibly be alive."

"We'll just have to see about that," Zykoku muttered, nodding to the others as they all stepped through the portal, entering Multiverse #1094625419582.

Meanwhile, Daishinkan's eyes shot open as sweat went down his face. He quickly left the two Zenos behind, clenching his teeth. "Goku-san… I warned you about this!"

At his house, Goku ran out of the front door, feeling this unimaginable power. He clenched his fists, the Super Dragon Ball markings on his body briefly glowing a neon blue. "It can't be... This power… How did they find out?!"

In Universe Nineteen, the fighters all stopped in the middle of their training, feeling this energy. Zateus looked up, sensing the powers heading toward Universe Seven. "As I feared, it's..."

"The Overlords," Vegeta finished, growling as he powered down from a new transformation he was working on. "Damn it, and right in the middle of my training! They must be headed for Kakarot!"

Goku's eyes narrowed, having dreaded that this day would come. A bead of sweat formed on his face as he got into a stance, now on full guard. The pressure coming from these three beings almost shook him to his core, but he stood strong, not daring to show any weakness to his enemies. Thankfully, he was far enough from Chi-Chi's house to (hopefully) not cause any damage. As he stood idle, suddenly, many beams of light hit the ground in front of him, illuminating the barren landscape. As Goku had expected, three overlords stood meters in front of them. Behind them, five guardians stood in a protective stance, serving as their support.

"So, this is our guy, huh?" Miru muttered, an unimpressed expression on her face. "Sure, his power is above average, but he otherwise looks like most others of his kind." She sighed, walking forward, so she was within hearing distance of Goku. "Let's cut to the chase. I don't really feel like fighting another weakling, so let's all just make this easy by having you come with us. No fights, no games. Just a nice trip to the Time Council. What do you say?" She plastered a fake smile on her face.

Goku stared at her blankly, hints of confusion showing in his expression. Was she serious? Did she really expect him to come with the overlords willingly? If they knew what he had done to those guardians, then this wouldn't end well in the slightest. "Sorry, but I'm staying here. I don't care about the natural order of how you guys run things; I did it to save my friends."

Zykoku took a couple of steps forward, heading closer to the Saiyan. "It's nothing personal, really. We have to enforce these rules to maintain order in our existence. Besides, you've done a lot worse than breaking the Super Dragon Ball law. You've also killed multiple guardians, which is unforgivable."

He was about to launch forward, but Miru placed a hand on his shoulder to stop it. "No need to dirty your hands, Zykoku. I'll handle this one." She stepped forward, her eyes unblinking as the pressure in the air increased, making Goku's muscles twitch in anticipation. Suddenly, her robe started glowing as she raised her hands, covering them in an armor of Ki so dense that it became solid.

Goku took a deep breath, closing his eyes. If these overlords were as strong as Adia had said, then he couldn't afford to mess around too much. A bright, glowing aura encompassed him, with pure angelic power emanating from him. He opened his eyes, and with a burst of power, he entered Ultra Instinct Stage Two. His hair spiked up a bit, turning white, and his irises were glowing. In this form alone, his power eclipsed that of anyone else living in the multiverse.

Bringing back his fist, Goku swung it forward with tremendous force, unleashing a powerful current of air toward Miru to gauge her abilities. The blow struck Miru right in the chest, the impact alone causing chunks of the rocky landscape to break apart under her. However, she stood there, completely unaffected by his attack.

Before the Saiyan could blink, Miru was already in front of him. An avatar of Ki briefly formed around her as she swung a punch. It landed on Goku's face, slightly distorting it from the sheer force behind it. Goku yelled as he flew back, tumbling through the landscape as he crashed through several large rocks, completely disintegrating them in the process.

Goku managed to stop himself, skidding across the ground as he spat out blood, watching as one of his teeth flew out, hitting the ground. A bruise started forming on his cheek as he touched it, stunned by her strength.

"Not bad," Eikyo muttered under his breath, his lips twitching a bit.

Goku sneered at her but took a deep breath to calm his growing anger. He got up from the ground, flaring up his aura once again. He took off toward her at great speeds, weaving around pillars of rocks as he spun around, going to kick her. However, before the kick could land, he suddenly stopped, feeling a great strain on his body. "What the?!"

Mirai held up a glowing hand, making the Saiyan cry out, his muscles tense. He wondered what this pain was. Wanting to break out of it, he tried to form a Ki blast, only to realize his Ki wasn't cooperating with him. That made him realize... "You… can manipulate my Ki?" he grunted.

"That's correct. Quite perceptive of you," Miru confirmed with a smirk. "I have the greatest Ki control in the Omniverse. However…"

She swung her hand, her powers resembling that of telekinesis, as he crashed into the ground, causing it to shatter. "I am not just a Ki manipulator… I created Ki."

Goku was shocked at what she had said. She was the original creator of Ki itself? But how? Not wanting to lose this battle, he roared, flaring his white divine energy, forcing Miru to let go of him. "I won't lose this battle. I have too much to lose to let the likes of you stop me."

"Give it up," the overlord told him, slowly inching closer to him. "If this is your full power, you stand no chance as you are. After all, I am the weakest overlord out of the six."

Goku leaped back, starting to transform. If the creator of Ki itself was the weakest of the overlords, then he was going to have to really step it up. He inhaled and let out a yell, a massive aura taller than a skyscraper forming around him. Miru leaped back, surprised that the Saiyan had so much power in reserve. Was he really holding back against an overlord?

The surface under them crumbled as a bright, glowing ring formed behind Goku's head, with wings made of energy sprouting from his back. Goku had entered Full-Power Stage Two, his sheer presence shaking the multiverse. His power was even greater than when he used it back during the war against Qhuteus.

He walked forward, a power pole made of energy forming in his hand. Now the fight was really going to begin, and Goku couldn't wait to see what else the creator of Ki had in store for their grand battle.

To Be Continued in Chapter Forty-Two

The Overlords have finally arrived on the scene! Will Goku and his friends be able to fend off these powerful beings, or will they lose and Goku be captured? Find out in the next chapter!

It's been quite a long time since I've updated this fanfic, as my friends and I have been focused on writing Calamitous Intervention. But I just couldn't help myself after rereading this story again and remembering what ideas I had in store for it. Of course, this story won't be updated very often, but I might revisit it on occasion if I get a bit burned out from writing CI.

~ Scruffy

Chapter 42: The Degradation

Chapter Text

Previously on Dragon Ball: Infinite Horizons

Fighters across the universes continued to train, motivated after their devastating loss to Qhuzarus's might, while Goku slowly grew distant with his loved ones, slowly changing. Unfortunately for him, the Overlords learned about him killing the Guardians, and went to his multiverse to capture him. However, he was not going to go down without a fight, and he also had allies to rely on.

Chapter Forty-Two - The Degradation

[Music: Thomas Bergersen - Reborn]

Tensions were high in the air as in the distance, the Z-Fighters, Daishinkan, Omesus, and Abysus arrived to observe the battle, ready to intervene if necessary. It was clear that Miru alone could outclass Qhuteus, which was a major issue. If things went wrong, this could make the war against Qhuteus look like a water balloon fight.

Goku spun his power pole and extended it toward Miru in less than a millisecond, who blocked it, deflecting his attack. She vanished behind Goku and went to grab him, but he barely managed to move out of the way, grunting. What speed…! he thought. He leaped back and created hundreds of blocks of Katchin, throwing them at her with full force.

Miru moved forward and summoned an energy sword in her hand, slicing cleanly through them with little to no effort. Goku extended the power pole toward her once again, but she dodged. However, this was what he had planned. The pole bent around and wrapped around Miru, immobilizing her. He yelled and spun around, slamming her onto the ground with full force. This caused Earth to tremble, with chunks of ground breaking apart.

The Overlord stood up with not a single scratch on her as she smirked at him. Waving her hand, she shattered the power pole and, in an instant, had a hold on his energy once again with her manipulative powers. "I've had enough. We don't have time to be messing around with you."

Suddenly, a blur shot behind her as Omesus, in Super Saiyan White, nailed her in the back with a punch, sending her skidding forward and freeing Goku. Miru turned toward Omesus, her eyes narrowing. "You're not my target. Eikyo."

"Got it," Eikyo replied, stepping toward Omesus. The Saiyan god covered his fist in energy and swung a devastating punch, but Eikyo simply blocked it with his palm. The force alone completely shattered the landscape into pieces, forcing the other Overlords to fly up into the air to avoid being pelted by debris.

From behind Omesus, Broly flew forward in his Legendary Super Saiyan form, letting out a roar as he fired a blast from his mouth at the Overlord. With his other hand, Eikyo simply flicked it away. "An interesting alliance."

"Miru, you're being too slow," Zykoku grumbled as he walked forward, a faint purple aura surrounding him. "We have an entire quadrant to maintain."

"You're fighting me," a voice from behind him growled, and Zykoku turned around to see none other than Vegeta. The Saiyan had his arms crossed as he stood there in Super Saiyan White, his eyes blinking purple. Alongside him were Whis and Beerus.

Tateru had an indifferent expression as he observed the warriors trying to defend the criminal. It was far from the only time he had seen something like this happen, and it never ended well for the opposing side. Just then, Daishinkan, Abysus, and Piccolo vanished in front of him, all three of them on guard.

"What are you planning?" Piccolo asked him cautiously. "You seem to have no concern for your allies."

"That is because there is no reason to be concerned," Tateru said with a blank expression, his eyes radiating an unknown energy. "They will handle their battles with ease. Do you plan to get in my way as well?"

"I'm afraid so," Daishinkan replied, his eyes glowing white for a brief second. "I cannot allow you to take Goku-san away from us after all he's done."

Abysus scoffed, glaring at the Grand Priest from the corner of his eye. He had learned to tolerate the gods, but he still felt wary around them. After all, they had killed him and foiled his plans many times. "I'm only here because my father wants me to protect that Saiyan."

On the other side of the battlefield, Goku darted forward, launching a Kamehameha at Miru, who simply absorbed it into her body. "Ki attacks don't work on me, as I am one with Ki. You're at a disadvantage."

At this point, it was clear that she wasn't taking the fight against the Saiyan seriously, but Goku wasn't about to give up until he was unconscious. If he couldn't use Ki attacks, that was no issue. He had other types of energy as well. Raising his hand, he created a white glowing orb in his hand and compressed it, causing it to turn pitch black. "KAAAA!" he shouted, launching an anti-matter blast at Miru.

Miru's eyes narrowed as she caught it with both of her hands, and electricity coiled around her. "This attack is far too weak to phase me." She compressed it further and threw it at Goku, who tried to dodge it, but the attack followed him.

"Damn it!" Goku grunted, trying to dodge it, but Miru immobilized him, causing him to be engulfed by his own attack, with a colossal explosion following suit. "AGHHH!"

Omesus darted forward, covering his fist with excessive energy. He yelled, trying to nail Eikyo with a punch, but the Overlord stepped out of the way of each attack, the sheer wind force causing the clouds to be blown apart. Eikyo raised a hand, unleashing a simple shockwave that sent Omesus careening back in a blur, crashing through an entire mountain, collapsing it, and causing an earthquake.

Broly flew up into the air and raised a finger, charging a massive green energy ball and tossing it at Eikyo. The Overlord was about to disperse it, but then the remains of the mountain in the distance exploded as Omesus shot forward at blinding speeds, with a white trail following him. He yelled, going to grab Eikyo, but the Overlord simply kicked him into Broly's blast, injuring both warriors.

Vegeta shouted and spread his hands, then pressed the bases of his palms together, charging a massive anti-matter blast. "Anti-Final Flash!" He fired it at Zykoku, who plowed through it, going to grab the prince. However, Beerus darted in the way, entering his full-power destruction form. He raised his hand, attempting to use Hakai on Zykoku, but it simply didn't happen.

The god of destruction's eyes widened in surprise, finding himself unable to use the Hakai against this being. "But how—" Zykoku backhanded him away, going to take out Vegeta, but Whis knocked the prince out of the way, now going to be the one to face the unknown being.

"We far outclass you angels," Zykoku said, glaring at Whis. "You could be charged if you interfere in our business."

"My apologies, but Goku had a reason for his actions," the angel replied. He entered Stage 2, and his eyes flickered as he barraged Zykoku at such speeds that it looked as if multiple fists were flying from him.

They landed on him, but the Overlord simply walked through them, unphased by Whis's power. On one hand, he summoned a white divine orb, and on the other, he summoned a Hakai orb. "I warned you." He slammed the orbs together, causing a huge shockwave that sent Whis flying back, crashing into a boulder.

Vegeta dashed forward and spun around, going to kick Zykoku, but he simply blocked each of his attacks with his arm, approaching the prince. "My name is Zykoku, the Supreme God of Destruction in the Omniverse," the Overlord revealed, shocking them. "This battle is over."

In a flash, Beerus darted in front of Zykoku, making the latter's eyes widen. Beerus roared, his destruction aura distorting and turning white. He powered up into the same state he had used to eradicate Omesus in the previous war. He raised a hand, combining his Hakai and white divine energy. "True Hakai!" A massive glowing beam shot from his hand, heading toward the Overlord.

In retaliation, Zykoku raised a hand, using a basic Hakai beam to counter Beerus's, the entire planet pulsating. Once the attack faded, the two of them were standing in front of each other in a massive crater. Beerus was panting heavily, his white divine reserves low.

Sweat went down the side of Piccolo's head as he got into a stance in front of Tateru. "This guy… Which Overlord is he, Daishinkan?"

Daishinkan swallowed as he clenched his staff, his hands visibly trembling. "If I recall, that is Tateru, the God of Matter itself. He is the number one Overlord, even more powerful than Zalama himself."

Piccolo's eyes widened, his eyelids twitching. "T-That's… impossible… Tch… As long as he stays put, we don't have to fight him."

As if the Omniverse itself hated the namekian, Tateru glanced toward the fight with Goku and Miru. He turned, starting to walk toward it. "I sense not the power of Zalama from this being. But no matter."

Manipulating the sound waves themselves, Tateru amplified his voice so that everybody on the battlefield could hear him. "Overlords, wrap it up and capture the target."

"Damn it all! I have to at least delay him!" Piccolo growled. Tateru watched as Piccolo powered up into his Dragon God form and dashed toward him, launching Special Beam Cannons out of his fingers around the Overlord. "Special Beam Netto!"

Many beams surrounded Tateru and started to close in on him, but just by glancing at Piccolo, the namekian coughed up a lot of blood, and in an instant, he was sent flying out of the atmosphere and throughout the multiverse. He went so far that he ended up in Universe Two. Daishinkan took a step back, terrified of this being. Sure, Zeno had made him nervous at times, but even he was nothing compared to this primordial being. He knew he didn't stand a single chance.

Abysus, however, didn't take the hint. He shouted, a large golden aura manifesting around him. He darted forward and threw a punch at Tateru, but it phased through him, confusing him. Abysus shot past the Overlord and skidded on the ground, growling. "Bastard… I'm in my prime, yet this god isn't flinching!"

Abysus yelled and threw a barrage of red orbs toward Tateru. They surrounded the Overlord and connected, creating a red transparent cage around him to stop him. Abysus smirked triumphantly, ready to detonate it, but… Tateru was already behind him. He couldn't even see him move, nor did he notice the Overlord was behind him until it was already over.

Tateru flicked the back of his head, and just like that, Abysus was on the ground and bleeding. From nearly defeating the gods to being reduced to dead weight, Abysus felt disdain and felt as if he had once again failed his father, as he always had. He closed his eyes, losing consciousness.

Omesus and Broly roared, barraging Eikyo with full force, causing crater after crater to form under them, getting deeper each time. The Overlord took their attacks, which were too weak to even get past his passive energy barrier. Broly's rage only grew as his eyes started to glow red, his attacks growing more powerful. However, they still weren't enough to change anything.

Getting bored with the "fight," Eikyo decided to end the whole thing right there. He raised two fingers, pressing them against Omesus and Broly's chests. "Heavenly Spear." In an instant, a bright light consumed the two Saiyans as, in an instant, their armors had completely shattered and a massive shockwave shot from them. Both their pupils disappeared as they fell to the ground, completely out cold.

Zykoku heard Tateru's command and sighed. "Looks like I don't get to have any fun. Oh, well." He nailed Beerus in the side of the face with a punch, knocking him out. With Whis already out of commission, Vegeta was the only one left able to fight this hopeless battle. Despite that, his pride wouldn't let him go down without a fight.

He tried to charge an Anti-Flare, but Zykoku was already behind him, holding his head. He applied a bit of pressure, and Vegeta cried out in agony, his head throbbing and feeling like it was going to explode. Vegeta fell out of his form, unable to focus on anything else but the pain. Zykoku slammed his face on the ground, and he stopped moving. Brushing his hands off, the Overlord started walking toward their primary target.

Goku flew forward, rapidly barraging Miru with his fists, but she dodged each of them with ease. She raised her hand, forming her Ki into a gauntlet as she went to punch him again. The Saiyan dove out of the way and tried to impale her with an energy spike, but it shattered before it could even touch her.

Miru raised a hand, freezing Goku in place once again by manipulating his Ki. He grunted, feeling helpless as she slammed him onto the ground, making him cough up spit. "I can't counter that ability of hers!"

Goku panted, trying to come up with something. Suddenly, he had an idea, but it would be risky and would possibly kill him, but he had no choice if he wanted to stand a chance against Miru. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, summoning his white divine energy.

He let out a roar, a massive aura surrounding him. Miru watched on, mildly impressed as she felt his Ki starting to disappear. Her eyes widened a bit. "That's reckless… Is he crazy?" Daishinkan was surprised as well, as not even he nor the angels could sacrifice all their Ki to pull off a move that risky.

Goku yelled, lightning striking down from above as he started to convert his Ki into white divine energy. It was something he had never attempted before, and he wasn't sure if he could revert it, but if he succeeded, Miru would no longer be able to move him so easily.

His muscles bulked up as he let out one last roar, feeling his senses sharpening. He opened his eyes, electricity sparking around him. All his current Ki supply was now completely converted to white divine energy, and he felt more powerful than before.

Goku took one step and dashed forward, recreating his power pole. He spun it and went to slam it down on Miru, but she created Ki out of armor to protect herself. Miru dashed up to him as the two clashed elbows, a massive shockwave shooting out.

"That technique is impressive. However, I am still above you. I wouldn't be an overlord if I didn't have the power to do so," Miru stated. She raised her hand, creating a massive Ki orb the size of the planet, then shrunk it down to the size of a golf ball, compressing it so much that it vibrated and turned a dark blue. It was so dense that it was a few steps away from becoming a singularity.

Miru yelled, throwing it at him, and Goku was briefly blinded as a bright light consumed him. He cried out as the Ki ball detonated, creating a devastating explosion that consumed him, destroying his clothes.

When the smoke faded, Goku was on one knee, panting heavily, with sweat dripping from his head. "Damn it… I can't even land one scratch on her… I have to enter stage 3…"

He managed to get up on his two feet, coughing up blood. He took a deep breath and concentrated, remembering the sensation of entering his greatest form, but… nothing happened. It was almost like something or someone was preventing him from using it. Cursing, his aura flared up as the cosmos shook, destabilizing. Electricity coiled around him as Miru watched from a distance.

"Alright, I've had enough of this," she said as she raised a hand, charging a simple Ki blast. "We've got to report back to the Time Council. If we take too long, they may assume the worst." Miru swung her hand, launching the Ki blast at blinding speeds toward the Saiyan.

Goku's eyes shot open, and right before the blast hit him, he created a portal, causing the blast to end up behind Miru, surprising her. "When did he—"

While Ki blasts couldn't affect Miru, the explosions they caused could. In an instant, an explosion so big that it sent Goku flying across the landscape occurred, shaking the entire planet. Plumes of lava shot up from the area as it rapidly heated, causing a lot of devastation in the nearby cities.

Miru skidded back, grunting as her arms were partially singed from the attack, while the other Overlords created a barrier around themselves. Goku got up and flew forward as Miru was off guard, flying through the massive mushroom cloud the explosion left behind. He roared as the Super Dragon Ball markings on his body flickered neon blue for a second, and he fired a beam of white divine energy at Miru, sending her flying further back.

Goku fell onto one knee, panting heavily, as his vision started to blur a little. He powered back down to his normal Stage 2 form, greatly weakening him. "Th… that's all the power I had… Damn it… Why can't I use Stage 3?"

Just then, Eikyo vanished in front of him, his fist glowing. He yelled, slamming it into the Saiyan's chest. Goku's vision turned white as he felt unbearable pain, yelling in agony as his entire ribcage was shattered. The punch launched him up into the sky and past the atmosphere. He stopped when he was a million miles away from the planet.

Goku trembled, then coughed out a lot of blood from his mouth, holding his chest. The pain was excruciating, easily the most damaging punch he'd ever received. He was lucky that it hadn't hit his heart, or he would've died. Goku slowly looked up, his vision clearing a bit, to see Miru and Eikyo appearing a good distance from either side of him, ready to take him down. In the distance, Tateru and Zykoku let the other two take care of the problem.

"I… if only I had Stage 3…" Goku muttered to himself, more blood leaking from his mouth. Suddenly, he heard his own voice speaking to him.

"Look at you, all helpless again without me," Kakarot taunted. "First Qhuzarus, then those bothersome Guardians."

Goku turned around, now in his mindscape. "I thought Zalama stopped you… Why are you stopping me from using that power?!" he demanded.

"That bastard can suppress me all he wants, but he can't get rid of me. I'll give the power to you on one condition," Kakarot replied, stepping closer. "Let me take control and show you how to really take these assholes down a notch."

"But you'll kill my friends!" Goku growled. "Why would I agree to that?"

"Oh, please. Relax," Kakarot scoffed, rolling his eyes. "That isn't my top priority right now. Right now, we both want those Overlords gone. It's either you let me take over, or we both find out what that so-called Time Council has in store for us."

Goku remained silent for a moment, then sighed, holding a hand out to his counterpart. "I have no choice then. As long as you can stop those guys, then I'll let you take over my body for now."

Kakarot grinned sinisterly and took his hand, a bright light starting to consume them. "With pleasure…" Back in reality, Eikyo hovered forward, ready to knock Goku out with a punch.

"It's time to end this. I pity you when you have to face Kojin himself," he said, and yelled, swinging a powerful punch. In an instant, Goku—no, Kakarot—opened his eyes and vanished out of the way, surprising him. "What?"

The other Overlords' eyes widened, as Kakarot was now a good distance away from them. Kakarot's hair grew and started to glow a bright neon purple, while his eyes were a fiery blue. An aura so powerful emanated from him that it made every Overlord, even Tateru, get on guard.

"This power… It can't be…" Miru's eyes were wide. "The Council was right… It resembles that of…"

"Zalama," Tateru finished, his eyes narrowing. "This is the power that eradicated those Guardians."

Kakarot's eyes darted to each one of them, his gaze piercing. He was now in Ultra Instinct Stage 3, his greatest transformation. "I feel even more powerful than the last time I used this…" His eyes locked with Miru, making the latter's eyes widen. "I think it's time to pay you back for that punch earlier…"

He flickered, winds shooting out as he was instantly in front of Miru, causing a horrified expression to appear on her face. "This speed?!" Kakarot laughed and yelled, swinging his fist toward her face. Before it even hit, the force alone started to distort her face completely, knocking some teeth out.

When the punch hit her cheek, she reeled back, screaming as her pupils disappeared, blood flying out of her mouth. The aftereffects of the punch destroyed part of the solar system and caused a good chunk of the multiverse to be ripped apart. Kakarot's eyes darted toward Eikyo, who was shocked. "Now it's your turn!"

He dashed forward in an instant, now behind Eikyo. He stood completely still, but suddenly, multiple devastating blows landed on Eikyo's gut, making him yell out in pain, his pupils twitching.

Kakarot slowly turned around, smirking. "Looks like even the mighty Overlords can't stand up to me."

To Be Continued in Chapter Forty-Three

The Overlords have arrived, and were easily able to dominate the fight. However, Goku, or Kakarot, has once again entered Ultra Instinct Stage 3, easily able to overpower Miru and Eikyo. Will he be able to defeat the Overlords, or will he be captured and brought to the Time Council? Find out next chapter!

~ Scruffy