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Meanwhile, far to the north—
Deep beneath the vast, stormy sea, the black pillar of energy surged higher, its sheer force parting the waves and distorting the atmosphere.
A silhouette emerged from the swirling darkness, his form coalescing as his long-banished presence returned to the world.
Demon God Piccolo.
His crimson eyes gleamed with unrestrained malice. A sinister grin stretched across his face as he raised his arms, reveling in his newfound freedom.
"Finally…"
After centuries of imprisonment, he had returned at last.
This time, he felt an unprecedented surge of power coursing through his aging body— strength beyond anything he had ever possessed.
"Hah! Release me, and you will be honored! I will grant you the privilege of serving under me!" Demon God Piccolo let out a deep, resounding laugh, his eyes locking onto the figure before him.
"I never expected such weak kin to possess such pure demonic energy. But since you do, you shall become a part of me!" Slug's voice carried a mixture of surprise and ruthless intent. The next moment, a pulsating green light engulfed Demon God Piccolo.
"AAAHH!"
"Damn it! What are you doing?!"
The glee in Demon God Piccolo's expression vanished in an instant, replaced by sheer horror.
But it was too late.
A terrifying realization struck him— his body was dissolving, being drawn into Slug like a drop of water into an ocean. He struggled, but there was no escape.
"Impossible! Damn you! Who… who are you?! I am the great King Piccolo!" Demon God Piccolo's furious cries echoed in vain.
Yet, despite the power he had gathered through the negative energy of the Dragon Balls, it wasn't enough. He was nothing compared to Slug.
He could only watch, helpless, as his form was utterly consumed—his consciousness fading into oblivion.
Unlike ordinary Namekians, the Dragon Clan wielded abilities that set them apart, and the demonic lineage held dark secrets of its own.
A normal Namekian fusion required mutual consent, but demons could assimilate by force.
And that was exactly what Slug was doing.
With Demon God Piccolo's power merging into him, Slug's broken body rapidly regenerated. His aura surged, becoming even more formidable.
Demon God Piccolo might not have been a powerhouse in terms of raw strength, but the assimilation granted Slug a significant boost.
Had he not still been recovering from his injuries, his power would have far surpassed his former peak.
"How foolish… to divide one's own power!"
"Next, I will claim the Dragon Balls… and that Kami Piccolo."
"With the Dragon Balls, I shall restore my body completely. And once I consume Kami Piccolo as well… my strength will reach unimaginable heights."
"Frieza… just you wait!" Slug sneered as he sifted through the memories of his latest victim.
This planet had given him far more than he had anticipated.
Not only were the Dragon Balls here, but also a kindred spirit whose strength was now his own.
And this was just the beginning.
Even after absorbing only half of his target, he could already feel the changes deep within himself.
Once he devoured the rest, there would be no limit to his power.
At that point, Frieza would be nothing more than a stepping stone and he would reign as the supreme ruler of the universe.
The true cosmic emperor.
With his eyes gleaming in excitement, Slug's figure burst from the ocean depths.
A shockwave erupted as he shot into the sky, splitting the sea apart beneath him. A dark, oppressive aura spread across the Earth, twisting the very air itself.
Above, the sky rumbled as thick, churning clouds blotted out the sun.
A storm of darkness was coming.
…
"Boom!"
A massive surge of energy erupted from the Lookout.
"This is the power of a Saiyan God? What an overwhelming presence!" Celipa murmured to herself, her heart pounding as she gazed at Raditz, whose entire body radiated an intense and fearsome aura.
The others were equally stunned.
In that moment, the sheer power flowing from Raditz was unmistakable.
"Kakarot, check my power level! What is it now?"
Raditz's excitement was evident— his body felt like it was brimming with an unstoppable force.
"Alright! Raditz!" Goku nodded and activated his scouter.
A series of beeping sounds filled the air as the device struggled to process the fluctuations in Raditz's energy.
Finally, the reading stabilized.
"Raditz, it's 130,000! Your power level is at 130,000! That's incredible!" Goku exclaimed, his enthusiasm spilling over.
"130,000? Just 130,000?" Raditz, Celipa, and the others were momentarily taken aback by Goku's excitement.
"Only 130,000?"
"Kakarot, are you sure?"
Raditz frowned in confusion.
"Yes, it's 130,000. Why? What's wrong?"
Goku looked puzzled, double-checking the scouter before nodding again.
"Hmm…"
"I'm not exactly sure what a Saiyan God is supposed to be, but if it's truly a god, it should possess divine Ki. I don't sense anything divine from Raditz." Piccolo's deep voice cut through the air.
"It's not?" Raditz's brow furrowed, doubt creeping into his expression.
Jiang Chen had told him that five righteous hearts were needed to achieve the transformation. He had believed he met the requirements.
Yet the result was far from what he had expected.
"Let's try again. This time, let Kakarot take the lead!" Raditz contemplated for a moment before gritting his teeth and addressing the group.
"Alright!" Toma and the others nodded, eager to proceed without hesitation.
Once again, they formed a circle and focused their energy.
"Boom!!"
Five powerful auras flared to life.
This time, Goku stood at the center.
The combined energy of the five warriors surged toward him, causing his aura to expand rapidly— far faster than Raditz's previous attempt.
"Is it working?" Raditz and the others watched intently, eyes gleaming with hope.
They pushed their energy to its limit. But before the transformation could take hold, a voice rang out.
"What you're doing won't work. You're just amplifying your Ki. The power of a Saiyan God comes from more than raw strength— it requires a righteous heart and unshakable resolve."
The voice was calm but carried immense weight, filling the six warriors with surprise and relief.
They immediately halted their efforts.
"Aspara!" Celipa gasped.
Raditz and the others turned to see two figures approaching.
It was none other than Jiang Chen and Mr. Popo.
Jiang Chen's presence was serene, his energy completely undetectable, while Mr. Popo, drenched in sweat, appeared utterly exhausted from over a year of intense training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
"Aspara, what do you mean by 'unshakable resolve'?" Raditz asked, unable to contain his curiosity.
Jiang Chen was about to explain when his expression suddenly shifted.
A powerful presence was approaching.
His eyes narrowed.
"Raditz, what's going on? Whose energy is this?" A chill ran down Jiang Chen's spine as he asked.
The sheer magnitude of the aura was terrifying. It was unlike anything he had ever felt.
Even from this distance, it was enough to make his heart pound.
"Aspara, it's a Super Namekian named Slug. He lost to Frieza in battle and now he's come to Earth. He's likely fused with Kami's evil half."
"He's unbelievably strong, second only to Frieza. We tried to stop him earlier with the Galactic Patrol, but even in his weakened state, we couldn't hold him back. That's why I used the Dragon Balls to grant us righteous hearts, hoping it would unlock the Saiyan God transformation." Raditz quickly explained.
Jiang Chen absorbed the information, his mind racing.
Slug, a failed interception, a wish upon Shenron…
He hadn't expected so much to happen during his time in training. And Shenron had actually granted them righteous hearts?
"Aspara, we need to act now. He's probably already on his way here. Maybe you should take charge." Celipa nodded, then suddenly froze, realization dawning on her.
"No, it's too late. He's already here! Slug was injured before, right? How strong was he then?" Jiang Chen pushed aside his surprise and focused on the critical question at hand.
Transforming into a Saiyan God was no longer an option.
(To Be Continued…)