CHAPTER 27

c27 – The Weight of Power and the Shadow of Jiren

"I admit it… your strength truly exceeds mine perhaps by a significant margin."

Toppo's voice was low but steady. Though the admission stung his pride, especially as a candidate for God of Destruction in Universe 11, he couldn't deny what had just transpired.

He, Toppo, bearer of Hakai energy, had been decisively outmaneuvered—struck by a technique so fast and seamless that he hadn't even registered Linze's movement. There was no trace of ki, no visual blur, no vibration of space. Just one instant, and he was down.

That kind of control over energy and body... was terrifying.

"But even with that said," Toppo continued, "I still don't believe you are ready to face Jiren. His strength... it goes beyond what I can explain. It transcends my understanding of power."

"Is that so?" Linze raised an eyebrow, a faint smirk playing on his lips. "Then I'm even more curious."

"For someone walking the path of cultivation," he said calmly, "isn't it only natural to challenge stronger foes? That's how growth happens, no?"

The conviction in his voice was firm, without arrogance. A true martial artist's desire not for glory, but for progress.

Toppo paused, his expression shifting slightly. Linze's words resonated. He wasn't wrong. Those who pursued power were destined to cross blades with those stronger than themselves.

But Jiren... Jiren was different.

"I understand what you're saying," Toppo said quietly. "But Jiren isn't just strong he's absolute. Not even I have ever seen him go all out."

He clenched his fists slightly, recalling their spars sparring sessions where Toppo, even at full power, could not land a clean hit. "He's reached a level where even Gods of Destruction hold him in high regard. He doesn't fight for pride. He fights from something deeper something unshakable."

Linze's eyes narrowed with intrigue.

"So where is he now?"

Toppo looked off into the horizon. "Jiren comes and goes as he pleases. He doesn't report to the team or even to the Grand Priest. No one not even I knows where he is at any given time."

He then turned his gaze back to Linze, his tone softening. "Still… I'll say this as advice, not as warning. If you fight Jiren before you're ready, it could break more than just your body. It could fracture your confidence."

It wasn't arrogance Toppo's voice held genuine concern.

Linze nodded thoughtfully. "Thanks for the reminder," he said with a polite bow of the head. "But I'll take that risk when the time comes."

He turned, prepared to leave.

"There's no point lingering here if Jiren isn't around."

"Wait."

Toppo's voice stopped him mid-step.

Linze turned his head, half-curious, half-expectant. "What's this? Want another rematch already?"

Toppo shook his head and gave a tired but genuine smile. "Even though I'm still frustrated by the loss… I know I can't win right now. That said—" He reached into his uniform and pulled out a shimmering golden card, embossed with the sigil of the Pride Troopers.

"This is a Pride Trooper Membership Card," Toppo said, handing it forward. "Whenever you feel like it, you can visit our base or join a mission. You'd be welcomed anytime."

Linze raised a brow and took the card with mild amusement. "This thing really necessary for me? If I wanted to visit your base, I doubt anyone there could stop me."

He wasn't wrong. Except for Jiren, there was no one among the Pride Troopers—Toppo included who could truly block Linze's path now.

Toppo chuckled, unoffended. "True. You could walk through our gates unchallenged."

"But this card has privileges across Universe 11 and beyond. With it, you won't have to deal with minor obstacles security checks, planetary tolls, or the occasional arrogant enforcer. It signals you're with us, which is enough to keep troublemakers away."

His expression darkened slightly. "What I don't want… is someone foolish enough to challenge you over some petty misunderstanding, and end up losing their lives."

Linze nodded slowly, now understanding. It wasn't a formality, it was a protective gesture.

"Is that so? Then I appreciate it."

He tucked the card into his belt and looked back at Toppo one last time.

Although Linze absolutely didn't need such a thing with his current level of strength even if he walked into a restaurant and ate an "Overlord's meal" without paying, there wasn't anyone in Universe 11 who could stop him, he still refrained from doing so.

It wasn't fear. It was principle.

He didn't want to harm innocent civilians, nor waste precious time dealing with unnecessary conflict.

With that, Linze walked calmly to No. 18's side.

"Let's go," he said simply.

He reached out, took No. 18's hand, and the two vanished into the distance, leaving nothing behind but the scorched battlefield.

"Captain, are you alright?" Taba asked with concern, walking over the cracked earth.

"Haaah~"

Toppo let out a long breath, trying to ease the stiffness in his body. His entire form throbbed with pain Linze's final kick had landed cleanly, with force on par with what he'd expect from Jiren in serious mode.

"That guy... he's really something else."

Toppo wiped the sweat from his brow. Even now, Linze's movement and the pressure he exuded remained vividly imprinted in his mind.

"Listen carefully," he said, turning to Taba with a stern face. "Effective immediately, pass down the order: all members of the Pride Troopers are forbidden from engaging Linze in conflict."

"Also notify the planetary peacekeeping forces let them know that Linze is not to be provoked. As it stands, the only one in our universe who might be able to restrain him… is Jiren."

"Yes, Captain. I'll make sure the message is delivered without delay."

Taba nodded firmly.

He hadn't fully understood Toppo's urgency before. But now, after witnessing Linze's raw power and surreal speed with his own eyes, he realized the captain's precautions were completely justified.

…

After parting ways with Toppo, Linze took No. 18 on a relaxed trip across Universe 11.

And to his surprise, the golden Pride Trooper card Toppo had given him turned out to be incredibly convenient.

It was a universal access pass free food, clothing, lodging, transport, even high-end cultivation facilities all at the highest standard available in the universe. In a sense, Linze now moved through Universe 11 as a guest of honor.

Toppo's influence clearly ran deep. His name commanded trust and reverence across planets.

So, the days passed.

Most of Linze's time was spent in seclusion and training, focusing on his ki control, martial combat, and refining the limits of his current transformation.

The rest, he spent with No. 18 accompanying her on city strolls, shopping for clothes, and exploring the luxurious urban districts of various planets.

And just like that four years passed.

But in all that time… Jiren never showed up.

It irritated Linze more than he wanted to admit.

The whole reason he came to Universe 11 was to fight Jiren to experience a high-level battle that might force him to break through the barrier holding him back from reaching the next stage: Super Saiyan 4 Full Power.

And yet, for four years, there was no sign of the stoic warrior.

"Haaah..."

"Still no breakthrough. What the hell is going on?"

Linze sat atop a tall mesa overlooking a barren wasteland planet, the wind rustling his cloak. His golden aura pulsed softly, stable and vast but unmoving.

"It's already been seven years since I reached the gateway to Super Saiyan Four... and I'm still stuck at zero percent."

The frustration was evident in his voice. His power had grown exponentially in the past four years, especially through his Flash Movement mastery and enhanced Saiyan physiology.

The energy was there. The potential was ripe.

But something elusive kept him from transcending.

It was maddening.

"Maybe... if I can feel Jiren's ki again... maybe that pressure will push me over the edge."

He closed his eyes, trying to sense any trace of Jiren's ki in the galaxy.

Every day for four years, he had searched.

And every day nothing.

He sighed deeply. The window for patience was closing. The time of God of Destruction Beerus's awakening was drawing near. If he couldn't ascend soon, he'd be at a disadvantage when the real battles started.

"If Jiren doesn't show himself soon... I'll have to look to the other universes for a way forward."

Just as those thoughts passed through his mind

BOOOOM!!

An overwhelming surge of power rippled through the atmosphere. So dense, so refined, it made Linze's hair bristle.

His body instantly tensed. That pressure!

It was overwhelming.

Like a mountain had dropped into space itself.

Even his advanced ki control was momentarily shaken.

"This power…!"

Linze's eyes snapped open, burning with excitement.

"Is it... Jiren!?"

His heart pounded.

A smile crept onto his face.

At last after four long years of waiting the real challenge had finally arrived.

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