Hit nodded, silently catching the fruit that emitted strange energy fluctuations. Without hesitation, he swallowed it in a few quick bites.
In an instant, a majestic surge of life energy flooded his limbs and bones. His exhausted stamina recovered at an astonishing speed, seemingly even surpassing his previous peak condition.
The purple aura surrounding him became more solid and powerful than ever before. The fruit's efficacy far exceeded his expectations.
"Truly a miraculous fruit. Not only has it restored all my stamina and healed almost all my injuries, bringing my energy back to its peak, but my physical strength has also increased slightly. Though minute, I can feel it," Hit said, looking at Kratos with a surprised expression after consuming the fruit.
To think he would give such a miraculous item to his enemy... If his teammates had eaten this earlier, perhaps this match wouldn't have even required his appearance.
"Dad, is that something similar to a Senzu Bean?" Son Gohan looked at Goku with curiosity.
"Yes, Gohan. It's amazing, even better than a Senzu Bean. Not only does it restore stamina and heal injuries, but it also slightly improves your physical constitution," Goku nodded and said.
"It is just that at our current level, the improvement isn't obvious. If the Saiyans had just arrived on Earth and I received this fruit, eating one would have allowed me to crush the Ginyu Force with one hand, let alone Vegeta."
"If it is so miraculous, why give it to the opponent? That guy just fought you and Vegeta, he must be exhausted. Now would be a good chance to defeat him," Son Gohan said with a puzzled look.
These words immediately incited Vegeta's dissatisfaction, and even Goku sighed.
"Hmph, you foolish brat. You don't have even a shred of Saiyan pride. When we Saiyans fight, we fight to defeat the opponent at their strongest. We don't take cheap advantages. What Kratos is doing now is the true Saiyan style. Learn from him," Vegeta scoffed coldly.
What kind of joke was that? Saiyans did not take advantage of others. If they did, how would that differ from bullying the weak?
At this moment, the audience in the stands began to converse. They were surprised by the miraculous fruit, noting its similarity to Senzu Beans. However, they had not brought Senzu Beans to this tournament.
"Gohan, it is just like Vegeta said. We Saiyans would never seek victory in that manner. If we fight, we fight fair and square," Goku said, looking at his son. "When will you grow into a true warrior?"
"That thing's effects are just like a Senzu Bean!"
"It seems similar, but perhaps even better than a Senzu."
"Interesting. It looks like we will see a spectacular duel."
The Z Fighters and their families in the Universe 7 stand looked down at the arena with anticipation.
"Like that guy named Son Goku earlier, you are an opponent worthy of respect. I will use my full power. This is the best repayment I can offer you," Hit voiced his heartfelt approval, accepting Kratos's 'gift' and responding to his powerful confidence.
Killing intent coalesced once more as a terrifying aura erupted from Hit. He was a genius warrior in his own right.
During the fight with Son Goku, he had exceeded his limits once again, raising his strength to a new tier.
Perhaps this opponent in front of him would allow him to break through yet again, surpassing the realm he had just reached.
"Let us begin."
Kratos's voice was low and filled with fighting spirit. His body lowered slightly as a primal, violent aura began to rise.
Red fur instantly covered his body, his physique swelled, and his crimson pupils appeared even more ferocious against the backdrop of red fur.
Super Saiyan 4!
Previously, when Goku fought Hit, he had utilized Super Saiyan Blue and did not use Super Saiyan 4.
Therefore, Hit possessed no intelligence regarding Super Saiyan 4. Kratos had considered this carefully and decided to use this transformation to meet the challenge.
"...Completely different from that previous transformation. I thought you would turn your hair blue as well," Hit said no more, his figure vanishing instantly.
It wasn't high-speed movement, but time being 'skipped'. The Time-Skip!
0.5 seconds!
Hit's figure appeared like a phantom on Kratos's left, a hand-sword charged with powerful purple energy silently slicing toward his neck, a speed transcending visual limits.
"What?!" For the first time, a trace of genuine surprise flashed in Hit's eyes.
His Time-Skip had been 'seen through' and reacted to by non-temporal means in the very first exchange!
Although Kratos's grappling attempt missed, Hit's assured strike also failed to connect.
He disappeared from his position again, opening the distance to re-evaluate this opponent with red fur and black eyes.
"Intuition? Or... prediction?" Hit's voice remained cold.
"Don't underestimate me, Hit, the assassin of Universe 6. You have fought two matches already and revealed almost all your cards. I have seen the flaws in this Time-Skip of yours. You had better get serious, or you will lose this match for sure," Kratos scoffed.
As a successor personally taught and trained by the Emperor, he possessed at least this much combat talent. He had watched the battles between Hit, Goku, and Vegeta without blinking, so he was intimately familiar with Hit's attack patterns.
"This is getting interesting. It seems if I don't bring out something new, I really will lose this match," Hit smiled and said.
It was rare. Having lived for a thousand years, he seldom met strong opponents, yet today he had encountered three full-force adversaries.
Kratos grinned, revealing white teeth, the wild battle spirit of a Saiyan thoroughly ignited. "Come again!"
This time, Hit did not probe. He increased the Time-Skip to one second! His figure shuttled through the gaps in time, his attack angles incomparably tricky. Fists, palms, fingers, elbows...
Every appearance was accompanied by a lethal killing move. Purple energy struck like a venomous snake, assaulting Kratos from all directions.
However, the immense power of Super Saiyan 4, along with its terrifying sensory abilities, allowed Kratos to anticipate the opponent's attacks.
On the arena, Kratos's figure dodged at high speed under the siege of countless purple afterimages.
His movements were wide and sweeping, full of power. Every block resulted in a dull, thunderous sound that shook the entire arena.
The power of the fourth form allowed him to tank the killing intent condensed in Hit's energy, while his beast-like intuition allowed him to avoid critical hits in the nick of time, even launching violent counterattacks in the intervals of Hit's assault!
Boom!
Kratos smashed a fist into the afterimage left behind by Hit's instant movement, the violent airwave tearing a massive rift in the sturdy floor of the arena.
In the next instant, Hit's knee strike had already appeared at Kratos's side!
"Hah!" Kratos roared, his waist muscles instantly tightening like steel to forcefully tank the blow.
His body swayed only slightly as he countered with a heavy elbow strike aimed at Hit's head. Hit activated Time-Skip again and vanished, causing the elbow to strike nothing but air, creating a sonic boom.
The intensity of the battle far exceeded the previous clashes between Hit, Goku, and Vegeta.
Super Saiyan 4 Kratos used absolute strength, defense, and combat instinct to make up for his disadvantage in speed, forming a stalemate against Hit's ghostly Time-Skip.
Every collision was like meteorites crashing together, sending shockwaves of energy diffusing outward and causing the protective barrier to tremble violently.
The spectacle kept everyone's eyes glued to the scene; even the two Destroyers in the stands stared fixedly at the battle.
"So... so amazing! Big Brother Kratos can actually fight that monster to this extent!" Son Gohan watched with surging emotions.
"Hmph, watch closely. This is a battle that belongs to a true Saiyan." Vegeta stood with arms crossed, his gaze locked on the battlefield as he analyzed the trajectory of Hit's strange Time-Skip.
"Kratos... doesn't seem to have used that blue power yet?" Whis said with a smile.
Axis smiled but remained silent.
That boy Kratos had his own pride; the power of Super Saiyan 4 was a complete challenge to Hit.
"Damn it, why do Universe 7's Saiyans have so many transformations? First the gold hair, then the blue hair, and now this red-furred monster," Champa, the Destroyer of Universe 6, said unhappily.
"Like father, like son... The two fighting down there have reached their limits. Shall we consider Hit as a Destroyer candidate for our Universe 6?" The angel Vados smiled and said.
Since her younger brother had already found a Destroyer candidate, she could not be too lax; she needed to nurture a suitable candidate as well.
"Tch! Talk about it later! Hey Cabba, you are a Saiyan too, why can't you use that transformation? Go back and reflect on yourself properly!" Champa looked at the Saiyan of his universe and barked.
"Yes! Yes!" The Saiyan Cabba stood up respectfully and bowed to the Destroyer. The Saiyans of Universe 6 were gentle and mild-tempered, completely unlike the fierce and violent ones of Universe 7.
On the field, Hit could not break the stalemate. His eyes became sharper as he realized that mere fractional Time-Skips and conventional attacks could not breach Kratos's terrifying defense and intuition. He took a deep breath, and the purple aura around him surged violently!
1-Second Time-Skip!
Under Kratos's pressure, Hit broke his limits once again.
This time, Hit disappeared for a longer duration, and the coherence and suddenness of his attacks reached a completely new level!
He seemed to launch attacks at several points in time simultaneously.
Countless purple fist shadows and finger blasts poured down like a rainstorm from impossible angles, completely covering all of Kratos's evasion space!
"It's over." Hit's cold voice seemed to resonate from within the temporal rift.
Facing this all-encompassing strike that transcended physical laws and seemingly came from the future, even Kratos in his Super Saiyan 4 state felt unprecedented pressure.
His intuition screamed warnings frantically, but his body's reaction could not keep up with the attack frequency brought by the time jumps!
Puchi! Puchi!
Several sharp purple finger blasts pierced Kratos's formidable defense, leaving deep wounds on his strong body covered in red fur. Blood instantly seeped out.
However, the intense pain thoroughly ignited the ferocity deep within the Primarch's bloodline! A roar that shattered the clouds erupted from his throat!
"ROAR—!!!"
Accompanied by this roar, a blinding azure light shot into the sky! The red fur covering his body receded instantly, replaced by an aura burning like holy blue fire, and his hair turned a deep, profound blue.
Super Blue!
The aura of a god instantly filled the arena! Speed, strength, and perception underwent a qualitative leap under the enhancement of the Godly realm!
At the same time, a trace of red aura entangled with it; that was the power of Super Saiyan 4. Kratos had begun attempting to fuse the powers of the two transformations.
In the perception of Super Blue Kratos, the trajectory of Hit's attacks, which were previously too fast to capture, became clear!
The 'skipped' gaps in time, under the insight of the Godly realm, seemed to show a ripple, however faint!
"Got you!" Kratos's cold blue pupils locked onto the next position where Hit was about to appear within the time rift.
When Hit reappeared with his killing blow, what greeted him was not evasion or a block, but a fist wrapped in holy blue flame, moving at a speed that seemed to ignore time itself!
Bang—!!!
A dull, heart-stopping thud resonated!
Hit's body flew backward as if struck by a supernova, moving faster than his initial approach. He smashed ruthlessly into the protective barrier at the edge of the arena.
The entire barrier caved inward, forming a terrifying depression as cracks spread instantly! He spat out a large mouthful of blood, and his purple aura flickered violently, nearly dispersing.
"Cough... God's realm... You are stronger than the guy called Son Goku." Hit struggled to stand, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth.
Looking at Kratos, who was bathed in blue divine flame like a descended war god, his eyes filled with unprecedented gravity and... a trace of excitement at meeting a worthy opponent. "I see... so this is your full power."
There was no point in fighting further.
He was no match for the young man before him! Today, he had continuously broken his own limits, and he had reached his absolute end.
The entire venue fell silent as this peak duel finally drew to a close.
Hit looked silently at Kratos.
A few seconds later, he slowly straightened his body. Although heavily injured, his momentum had not completely withered.
He gave Kratos a deep look. On that icy face which remained unchanged for ten thousand years, there seemed to be a minuscule shift in expression.
"...You are strong, Kratos. This time, I accept my defeat wholeheartedly."
After speaking, Hit turned and walked directly off the arena.
The actions of Hit, the assassin, explained everything.
The ace assassin of Universe 6, Hit, had been defeated!
After a brief silence, the spectator seats of Universe 7 erupted in massive cheers! Kratos had used absolute strength to defeat the arrogant Time-Skip assassin head-on!
"Great job! Kratos!" Goku shouted excitedly.
Vegeta also gave a heavy grunt, but his eyes held recognition for the strength of a powerful warrior. This kid, Kratos, was the kind of Saiyan he acknowledged.
In terms of teaching his son, Axis had done well. Unlike Trunks, whom he had spoiled, Trunks would absolutely not grow into a qualified warrior in the future.
Only the Future Trunks from the other timeline, growing up in that harsh environment, could be called a qualified Saiyan warrior.
"He is indeed very amazing." Number 18 couldn't help but praise him.
"Truly a remarkable kid. His battle power is even stronger than Goku and Vegeta's."
People from other cosmic regions nodded as well; everyone acknowledged Kratos's power.
The Universe 6 side, however, was dead silent. Even their strongest, Hit, had lost. They only had one contestant left... the furious Destroyer, Champa.
Champa's face had turned from purple to black with rage. His fat body trembled violently from anger, and the terrifying aura of a Destroyer spread uncontrollably, enveloping the entire venue in a suffocating pressure.
"Trash! A bunch of trash!" Champa's roar was deafening. "To end up this pathetic, requiring me to personally take the field!"
It was simply too humiliating, especially in front of Beerus.
The other side still had two contestants remaining, which meant he had to fight two mortals.
But it didn't matter. They were just two mortals; he simply had to use his full power to knock them down.
He pointed violently at Kratos, who had just walked down from the arena and was accepting the cheers of the Universe 7 crowd. However, his gaze stabbed like a knife past Kratos, toward the figure who had been watching calmly from behind.
"You! Axis! Your son is finished, now it's time for the father! Aren't you a Destroyer candidate? Come on! Let this lord see exactly how much weight a candidate from Universe 7 carries!"
A direct challenge from a Destroyer! He completely ignored Kratos and Gohan.
Everyone's eyes instantly focused on Axis. Beerus also sat up straight, his eyes twinkling with excitement, while Whis maintained his smile, though a hint of anticipation lay deep in his eyes.
Axis faced Champa's gaze, which seemed ready to spew fire. He slowly stood up, saying nothing.
The corners of his mouth merely curled into a calm arc filled with battle intent. taking one step, his figure appeared in the center of the arena, standing opposite the furious Champa.
However, Kratos on the field had no intention of just stepping down.
"Father, coming up at this time isn't according to the rules. I haven't lost yet! And the one named Son Gohan hasn't even taken the stage!" Kratos said.
"That is enough. You and Son Gohan are not opponents for a Destroyer," Axis said.
At this moment, Son Gohan also leaped down from the stands. Watching several blood-boiling battles had caused his Saiyan blood to burn once more.
The nerdy Gohan was gone; the warrior Son Gohan had returned.
...
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ps?