"You're going too, Merus?" Irico asked, still trying to make sense of everything he had learned about his fellow Galactic Patrolman in the last few minutes.
"Yes."
"Well... good luck out there."
Vegeta was already done wasting time. He pressed two fingers to his forehead, then gave Pybara and the Yardratian who had helped with his training a final look.
"Thanks for everything, Pybara. Hatska."
"You've got this, Vegeta!" Hatska said with a smile.
Before Vegeta left, Pybara waved one hand and restored his usual clothes. Vegeta had spent his training dressed in traditional Yardratian clothing, but there was no reason to bring that look back to Earth with him.
"You endured some brutal training," Pybara said. "Trust what you've learned and go fight with confidence."
He gave Ken and Merus a respectful bow before stepping back.
Vegeta closed his eyes and locked onto Goku's distant ki. This time there was no trash can waiting for him.
His body vanished.
Ken and Merus disappeared with him.
On Universe 6's Earth, Android 17 and 18 were still holding Moro off.
They attacked together, coming at him from opposite sides, but Moro braced himself and blocked both kicks. Realizing they weren't getting anywhere at close range, the Androids sprang back and gathered energy before sending a gleaming cross-shaped blast straight at him.
The attack exploded against Moro.
When the light cleared, he was still standing there as if little had happened.
"So it really is impossible to drain your energy," Moro said, regarding the two Androids with a trace of disappointment. "What a waste."
18 frowned. "And our attacks barely did anything."
17's expression had become far more serious. "This guy's a monster."
Gohan was already preparing to join them. "Piccolo, Kale, we should help."
"No." Piccolo stopped him immediately. "Our ki can be absorbed. If we rush in without a plan, we'll only feed Moro more power."
Kale hated having to stand there and watch. After everything Moro and his men had done, she wanted nothing more than to charge in and beat him into the ground, but Piccolo was right. Unlike 17 and 18, the rest of them would only make Moro stronger if they allowed their energy to be stolen.
Before anyone could find another solution, three figures suddenly appeared beside the fallen Goku.
Goku's eyes widened. "Vegeta? Ken? Merus?"
"Goku!" Merus immediately moved to help him up.
Ken stopped him. "Merus, stay out of this. It's their battle." He gestured toward the equipment they had brought from Yardrat. "Go set up the grill somewhere out of the way."
Vegeta folded his arms. "He's right. It's only Moro. Neither of you needs to interfere."
After everything Vegeta had endured on Yardrat, having Ken simply erase Moro would make the entire ordeal feel pointless.
Merus reluctantly stepped away from Goku. "All right."
Vegeta finally looked down at his battered rival and allowed himself a smug smile.
"Well, Kakarot. You look pathetic. I take it you still couldn't reach the real Ultra Instinct."
Goku stared at him for a moment before something much more important occurred to him.
"Wait. Did you just use Instant Transmission?"
"Don't get excited. I'm not stealing your technique." Vegeta looked back at him with complete confidence. "I probably couldn't do it a second time even if I wanted to, and I have no intention of practicing it. I learned something far more useful."
That immediately caught Goku's attention.
Piccolo and the others had also recognized the newcomers by now.
"Ken and Vegeta made it back," Piccolo said, relief finally entering his voice.
"Thank goodness," Gohan replied.
While everyone's attention shifted toward Vegeta, Ken found a suitable spot away from the battlefield and calmly began setting up the barbecue equipment. The grill, charcoal, seasonings, and skewers were arranged neatly as though they had come to Earth for a picnic instead of a fight that could decide the planet's fate.
Merus looked over the supplies once everything was ready.
"If we're having barbecue, where's the meat? Do you want me to bring some over?"
"No need." Ken smiled toward the battlefield. "We'll have some soon."
Merus looked at him for a moment, then decided he probably didn't want the explanation yet. In any case, Angels had no need to eat, so waiting wasn't exactly a problem.
Vegeta, meanwhile, called toward the Androids.
"17, 18. That's enough. I'll take over."
The two stopped attacking and moved back, both looking toward him.
"I'll finish him."
Moro's attention settled on Vegeta at last. "So you finally decided to show yourself."
"It's been a while, Moro." Vegeta smirked. "You still look as stupid as ever. Having fun picking on people weaker than you?"
"Weaker?" Moro laughed. "That's one thing you got right. While the two of you were hiding away and training, I became so powerful that no one has been able to give me a serious fight. There are hardly any beings left in this world—or even this universe—worth my attention."
Then Moro's eyes drifted past Vegeta.
He saw Ken.
The rest of his boast died immediately.
Vegeta noticed, but chose not to comment. "You won't have that problem much longer. There's someone stronger than you standing right here."
His body transformed, red fur spreading across his torso as he entered Super Saiyan 4. Vegeta hooked a thumb toward himself with his usual confidence.
Goku suddenly became very serious. "Vegeta, how many times do I have to tell you? Stop pointing your thumb at yourself like that."
Vegeta's eye twitched. "Shut up, Kakarot! There's no proof that stupid pose causes anything!"
Moro ignored their argument. His attention had returned to Ken.
"Ken."
His tone alone was enough to make the others wonder what had happened between them.
"You remember what you promised me."
Ken smiled. "Of course. Beat those two, and I'll release your master."
"Good."
Moro finally turned back toward Vegeta.
Gohan and Piccolo studied the Saiyan carefully, but neither could detect the dramatic change they had expected after two months of mysterious training.
"Vegeta's still just using Super Saiyan 4," Piccolo said.
"Yeah," Gohan agreed. "He doesn't look that different from before."
Vegeta had no intention of explaining.
He disappeared from where he stood and drove a fist straight into Moro's stomach.
The impact pushed Moro backward, his feet scraping two trails across the ground, but his expression barely changed. He straightened as though the punch had been little more than an inconvenience.
Gohan's optimism faded. "That didn't seem to do much."
18 folded her arms. "So much for all that confidence."
Moro looked Vegeta over with genuine curiosity.
"You have become considerably stronger. I can tell that much." His eyes narrowed slightly. "But why are you stopping at that transformation? If this is all you intend to use, you have no chance of defeating me."
Vegeta's smile never disappeared.
Moro still had no idea what he had learned on Yardrat.
[End of chapter]
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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