Any Saiyan from Universe 7 who still has a tail will transform into a Great Ape when exposed to moonlight.
For members of the royal family, like Vegeta, the Great Ape transformation only causes a physical change and a tenfold increase in combat power. Their consciousness remains intact.
But for low-class warriors like Kakarot, the transformation is different.
They lose consciousness.
They can no longer fight normally.
They become nothing more than a slaughter machine driven purely by destruction.
They only revert once their tail is severed, or when the moon sets after a period of time.
That was precisely why Jaden chose this uninhabited region to test the Great Ape transformation.
He was confident that this level of bloodline influence wouldn't corrupt his will.
But for Erina's sake-
He needed certainty.
If the transformation truly proved uncontrollable, then before returning, he would cut off his tail without hesitation.
"People say that if a Saiyan who can already become a Super Saiyan transforms into a Golden Great Ape and regains consciousness, they can reach Super Saiyan 4..."
"But even ignoring whether that path actually exists, I'd first need to become a Super Saiyan at all."
"The Golden Great Ape would be even harder to stay conscious in."
"As for Super Saiyan..."
"Super Saiyan 1 should be enough."
"Super Saiyan 4 isn't necessary."
Jaden muttered to himself as moonlight washed over his body.
His frame began to swell.
Dark hair rapidly lengthened, spreading across his body.
His clothes tore apart under the violent expansion.
In moments, a massive ape stood beneath the moon.
"ROAR-!"
The Great Ape raised both arms and roared toward the sky.
Then-
Its fists froze.
Slowly, they drew back and clutched its shoulders.
The blood-red glow in its eyes flickered.
"Hehehe... hehe..."
A human voice came from the Great Ape's mouth.
"This violent impulse."
"This murderous urge."
"This craving for battle rushing straight into my head..."
"I see."
"So this is the Saiyan Great Ape transformation."
At first, the words were uneven.
Then, rapidly, they became steady.
"If I'd fused an adult Kakarot template when I first crossed over-even one with only a few hundred base combat power-then a tenfold boost like this..."
"I would've definitely regretted it later."
A Great Ape with three to four thousand combat power.
If it rampaged even once-
Nearby cities would have been erased completely.
But now-
The Great Ape slowly lowered its hands, straightened its massive back, and calmly wrapped its tail around its waist.
"It's fine now."
"This level of violence..."
"This lust for battle..."
"It can't shake my will."
The moment Jaden spoke, his Conqueror's Haki erupted.
The world seemed to fall silent.
As if between heaven and earth-
Only Jaden remained.
The sky blurred.
The land trembled.
Jaden clearly felt it.
His Conqueror's Haki had grown stronger.
He didn't know why.
He didn't know how.
But the sensation was unmistakable.
It had improved.
First, he confirmed one thing.
Through sheer willpower, he could forcibly maintain his sanity while in Great Ape form.
After that-
The massive ape raised its right fist.
Deep-red Armament Haki instantly coated it.
"After fusing Kakarot's panel, my Armament Haki improved significantly."
"And now..."
"After transforming into a Great Ape and multiplying my combat power tenfold..."
"My Armament Haki increased as well."
"In that case..."
"Let's see just how much power I can unleash in this state."
-
The night passed quickly.
Brunhilde stayed nearby the entire time.
She timed things carefully, never leaving, while discussing the Gate of Valhalla with the other twelve Valkyries.
Partway through the night, Jaden seemed to briefly use the Royal Orbs.
The consumption wasn't heavy.
Although the Valkyries noticed, none of them commented.
By the time the night ended and noon approached, Brunhilde projected her illusion outside Jaden's body once more.
She wanted to see what had happened.
And then-
She froze.
When they had teleported earlier, they were standing on a high plateau.
Relative to the sea, the position should have been the same.
But-
The plateau was gone.
Completely gone.
Their current location lay level with the horizon of the sea itself.
The surrounding area was riddled with massive craters, as though a super meteor shower had struck the region.
Jaden lay on the ground.
As if asleep.
When Brunhilde appeared, he opened his eyes and sat up.
"Did you reach a conclusion on the issue you were discussing?"
"Mhm, we did..."
Brunhilde paused, then looked around.
"But compared to that, Lord Yuki..."
"What exactly happened here last night?"
Jaden waved his hand casually.
"I ran a small experiment."
"The results were good."
"You don't need to worry about the details."
"Send me back to the Royal Court."
Brunhilde still felt curious.
But seeing Jaden's lack of interest in explaining, she suppressed it.
"I understand, Lord Yuki."
She transformed into a stream of light and returned to his body.
At once, she relayed his will.
The Thirteen Royal Orbs responded.
The Gate of Valhalla appeared.
Jaden pushed it open and stepped through.
In the next instant, he arrived once more in the familiar Royal Court City drifting within the void.
The place where he had first arrived.
He walked straight to the throne.
Behind it, four Royal Orbs were missing.
"Brunhilde."
"Where are the two Royal Orbs you took?"
She emerged again.
"Here."
She presented them.
"I previously studied the nature of the Royal Orbs and took them for research."
"However, Lord Yuki..."
"The Royal Orbs you originally possessed already carried divine curses."
"And after the explosion of the Gods' Paradise, the curse on the nine Royal Orbs embedded in the throne intensified."
"These nine are now extremely unstable."
"They shouldn't affect you directly, but they may be damaged or lose part of their effect during use."
"For that reason..."
"I don't recommend using the Royal Orbs here."
Jaden already knew about the curses.
But-
"The curse intensified again?"
"Yes."
"The destruction of the Gods' Paradise scattered your Royal Court into the void."
"And not all gods disappear immediately after their physical bodies are destroyed."
"If they harbor resentment, it lingers."
"It's likely that during that lingering period, they saw the Royal Court and placed additional curses upon it."
"Those curses were then absorbed by the already-tainted Royal Orbs."
"I see."
Jaden glanced at the two Royal Orbs in Brunhilde's hands.
"If I embed these two back into the throne..."
"Their curses will intensify as well, right?"
"That is correct."
Jaden thought for a moment.
Then he shook his head.
"Seal them somewhere else."
"Understood."
Brunhilde summoned the Gate of Valhalla and entered it.
When she returned and merged back into Jaden's body, he finally stepped forward and sat upon the throne.
Originally, he thought he would need to gather all thirteen Royal Orbs before he could leave.
But now-
As he sat there, he felt it.
If he wanted to return...
He could do so at any time.
Following that sensation, Jaden closed his eyes.
That dreamlike feeling surfaced again.
He sank into darkness.
When he opened his eyes-
The surroundings hadn't changed.
But two figures stood before him.
Sanzenin Mikado.
And Tennousu Athena.
"How much time has passed?"
"About ten minutes."
Jaden smiled.
"If I hadn't come back, would you two have waited here until you starved?"
"If you hadn't returned," Mikado replied calmly, "then according to the records, we would have been sent back, issued a new key, and made to wait for the next King."
"I see."
Jaden nodded.
He stood up from the throne.
"But I did come back."
And-
"I succeeded."