Chapter 56

"You win!"

Jiren knelt on the ground. Even though Katakana had charged straight at him, he didn't react at all.

He had lost. The moment Katakana effortlessly deflected his final attack, Jiren knew he had been completely defeated.

Even if he refused to admit it, it wouldn't change anything.

That final move had drained every last ounce of his strength. Now, Jiren couldn't even stand.

"You admit defeat?"

Katakana stopped his fist just short of landing the final blow, surprised by Jiren's words.

He hadn't expected such a proud warrior like Jiren to admit defeat so directly.

This genuinely surprised Katakana.

He knew well that in the original timeline, Jiren was incredibly stubborn. He had even refused the position of Gods of Destruction candidate multiple times in pursuit of the killer of his people.

Accepting that position would bind him with responsibilities to protect his universe, and he couldn't allow that to hinder his mission of vengeance.

So, Jiren gave up the opportunity for greater power and influence in favor of following his heart.

It was a testament to his unbending will and refusal to compromise.

And yet… here he was, voluntarily conceding defeat.

Though Jiren's eyes held frustration, there was also a glimmer of respect.

Katakana's power was overwhelming. Even after unlocking new strength and pushing beyond his limits, Jiren still couldn't match him.

He was filled with regret.

But there was nothing he could do, he had already given it everything he had. Now, he couldn't even get back on his feet.

"I lost."

"But don't think just because you won this time, you'll win next time too."

"I respect your strength, but I, Jiren, will never accept being defeated forever. The next time we meet, I'll beat you with my own hands!"

Jiren's eyes burned with fierce determination.

When his ultimate move had been brushed aside so easily, this thought had already taken root in his heart.

He would train harder than ever before. Next time, he would win.

"Hmph… that's the Jiren I know."

"Alright, now you've got me looking forward to our next fight too."

"But I won't lose to you either."

The two locked eyes, grinning.

At that moment, they were no longer enemies, but rivals… maybe even friends.

Katakana suddenly extended a hand toward Jiren.

Jiren blinked in surprise at the outstretched palm, then smiled faintly and grasped it.

As their hands touched, a gentle stream of energy passed from Katakana into Jiren.

Almost instantly, Jiren felt some of his strength return.

"You…"

He tried to speak, but no words came out.

He hadn't expected Katakana to transfer his own energy to him.

But thanks to that, he could now stand.

Of course, Katakana had his reasons for doing this.

Jiren was the strongest mortal in the original timeline, possessing unparalleled strength and talent.

Winning his favor now could pay off in the future.

Even if Katakana had surpassed some Gods of Destruction, there was still a massive gap between him and the Angels, let alone the Grand Priest, Zeno, or the mysterious All Demons who stood at the top of existence.

Having someone like Jiren as an ally was a smart move.

"Thank you, Katakana."

Jiren met his gaze with genuine sincerity and nodded.

"Next time, I'll be the one to win."

Katakana paused for a second, then remembered he had introduced himself when they first met. He didn't expect Jiren to actually remember.

He returned the nod, eyes serious. "Alright. I'll be waiting for our next battle."

He knew Jiren would go all-out after this and eventually break past his limits again.

But as for surpassing him, Katakana didn't believe that would ever happen.

After all, he hadn't even gone all-out in this fight.

There was still much strength left untapped. But Katakana had no intention of revealing that.

This would be the closest Jiren would ever come to catching up.

From now on, the gap would only widen.

"Until next time."

Jiren nodded, and his body turned into a streak of crimson light, vanishing.

He didn't even look at Vermut once as he left.

That was just who Jiren was.

"Such a bad temper..."

Gods of Destruction Vermut clicked his tongue, watching him leave.

He was clearly annoyed by Jiren's attitude, but what could he do? After all the time they'd spent together, he knew Jiren's eccentric personality better than anyone.

That's just how he was.

He didn't care about rank or authority, not even a God of Destruction.

If Vermut weren't technically his mentor, Jiren might have ignored him entirely.

"Tch… I didn't expect Jiren to lose, and even then, I still couldn't see the true power hidden in that guy's body."

Angel Makarita looked visibly disappointed.

She'd hoped Jiren would push Katakana far enough to reveal whatever mysterious energy she had sensed before.

But even after being pushed to his limit, Katakana still hadn't tapped into that hidden power.

"Let's go, Makarita."

Gods of Destruction Vermut shot a glare at Katakana, his eyes burning with dark killing intent.

He flew straight in front of Katakana, towering over him.

"You're Katakana, right?"

"You're from Universe 7? What's your relationship to Beerus?"

His tone was high and mighty, like he could strike Katakana down at any moment if he didn't like the answer.

But Katakana just glanced up at him with an indifferent expression.

He narrowed his eyes and replied coldly:

"I don't see why I'm obligated to answer you."