"I don't really understand what you mean," Goku admitted, scratching his head, "but I think I get the general idea."
Piccolo decided not to pursue the subject any further. "Either way, Vegeta's gotten ahead of you this time. That doesn't happen often. Back when we fought Zamasu, he was still well below you, wasn't he?"
"Yeah. There was a pretty big gap between us back then."
"Now his regular Super Saiyan 4 is probably comparable to your Super Saiyan Blue," Piccolo said, studying Vegeta's current strength.
Goku nodded. "Sounds about right."
"And if he stacks divine power on top of that, he might even surpass your Ultra Instinct Sign."
Goku didn't seem bothered in the slightest. "Then I'll just surpass him again."
Jaco stared at both Saiyans as if they were insane. "Are you two ever going to stop training? Even if there aren't any enemies left, you'll still keep doing it, won't you? You're both completely obsessed!"
"Jaco!"
Vegeta's voice cut across the battlefield.
Jaco looked over to find Moro sprawled on the ground, battered and visibly aged after having so much stolen energy stripped from his body.
"What?"
Vegeta glanced down at Moro. "Do you want this guy alive, or should I kill him?"
"Kill him!" Jaco answered immediately. "The only reason Moro was imprisoned in the first place was because nobody could actually kill him. If you can execute him now, do it!"
That was all Vegeta needed to hear.
He extended one hand toward Moro, destruction energy beginning to gather in his palm.
"Fine by me. Unlike Kakarot, I'm not interested in showing you mercy." Vegeta looked down at him coldly. "I was going to tell you to repent in Hell for breaking out of prison... but forget it. I think I'll just erase you instead. You don't even deserve Hell."
Moro slowly raised his head.
"And you think you won't end up there yourself?"
Vegeta's expression didn't change.
"I know I will. I killed plenty of innocent people in the past. I accepted where I was going a long time ago."
Moro gave a low scoff. "Is that so?"
"Enough talking."
Destruction energy swelled in Vegeta's hand.
Moro suddenly burst out laughing.
Vegeta frowned. "What's so funny? You think you can convert my destruction energy and eat it? Go ahead and try."
"I'm not dying here," Moro said, his grin returning. "There are still things I intend to accomplish."
"You barely have any strength left. Stop dreaming."
Vegeta fired.
At the same moment, Moro threw both hands upward. Magic surged through the ground, and a wall of fire erupted directly between them.
It accomplished almost nothing against Vegeta's attack. The destruction energy erased the flames the moment they touched.
But the fire had never been meant to stop it.
When Vegeta could see clearly again, Moro was gone.
His expression changed immediately. "Damn it!"
"Moro disappeared!" Gohan shouted.
Goku searched the battlefield, already realizing something had gone wrong.
Jaco spotted him first.
"Vegeta! Above you! He's heading for the ship!"
Vegeta launched himself into the air without hesitation.
Merus watched Moro race toward the enormous spacecraft. "Ken, what is he doing? Is he trying to escape?"
"I don't think so." Ken kept his eyes on Moro. "He still has something planned."
"But what could he possibly have left?"
They found out almost immediately.
Moro landed on the upper platform of the spacecraft, where Seven-Three and Shimorekka were waiting. Both stared at him in shock. The powerful, rejuvenated Moro who had descended to Earth was gone; Forced Spirit Fission had left him visibly old again.
"Moro-sama, what happened to—"
Shimorekka never finished.
Lightning erupted from Moro's hand and engulfed him at point-blank range, reducing him to ash before Seven-Three could react.
Seven-Three recoiled. "Shimorekka!"
Moro immediately turned on him.
A flash of magic washed over Seven-Three's body and locked him completely in place.
Moro smiled.
"Good thing I left myself a backup in you."
He grabbed Seven-Three and began forcing the artificial warrior into his mouth.
By the time Vegeta reached the ship, most of Seven-Three had already disappeared inside Moro, with only his legs still kicking uselessly outside.
Vegeta stared in disbelief. "What the hell are you doing? You're eating him whole?!"
There was no time to wait for an answer.
Vegeta thrust out his hand and fired a massive blast into the ship.
The explosion tore the spacecraft apart, sending burning wreckage in every direction. For several moments, smoke completely covered the sky.
Then Moro emerged.
Vegeta immediately realized something was wrong.
Moro no longer resembled the old goat-like wizard he had been fighting moments earlier. His face had become younger and sharper, his horns remained, and a blue crystal now sat prominently in the center of his forehead.
More importantly, his power had returned.
Goku felt it from the ground and stared upward. "Moro's ki is back... No, wait. He's even stronger than before!"
Piccolo's eyes narrowed. Seven-Three had disappeared with the ship, and the answer was becoming disturbingly obvious.
"Where's Seven-Three? Don't tell me..."
Moro appeared in front of Vegeta before anyone could finish the thought.
One punch sent Vegeta plummeting from the sky.
He slammed into the ground hard enough to leave a crater, instantly wiping away the confidence that had surrounded his victory only moments earlier.
"Vegeta!"
Everyone's attention snapped back toward the sky as Moro descended into view.
The goat-like features were gone entirely now. His new face was much more humanoid, framed by the same horns, while the blue crystal on his forehead made the source of the transformation unmistakable.
Merus raised his staff and examined him closely.
"Ken... Moro ate Seven-Three."
"That's right," Ken said. "Which means he inherited Seven-Three's abilities."
Merus finally understood why Moro had kept the artificial warrior alive despite his failures.
"So that's why he consumed him."
Goku looked up at Moro. "What did you do? Why do you look like that now?"
Piccolo was more direct. "What happened to Seven-Three?"
Moro smiled down at them.
"When I had Seven-Three copy me, I didn't only let him copy my magic."
Piccolo frowned. "What else did you leave with him?"
Kale tightened her fists, ready to attack if Moro made another move.
Moro touched the crystal embedded in his forehead.
"My power."
His smile widened.
"I stored a copy of my energy inside him too."
[End of chapter]
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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