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Just recalling the video was enough to make Nagato's chest feel hollow.
The overwhelming might of Madara Uchiha—power that looked capable of crushing stars in his palm—had already smashed what little pride he had left to pieces.
And that wasn't even counting the others who came after.
Saitama.The Saints.Cell.And those world-destroying Super Saiyans.
Compared to them, everything he had once flaunted—his arrogance, his confidence—now felt laughable. He was like a clown performing under a spotlight, thinking he was the main act.
"Nagato…"
Konan looked at him, her beautiful eyes filled with worry. The air around him felt heavy, suffocating. Dangerous.
Nagato closed his eyes and slowly shook his head. When he spoke, his voice was hoarse, but resolute.
"I understand now, Konan. With strength like ours… we can't even begin to touch a dream that grand. If we want to make it real, we have to become stronger."
"Then what's the plan?" she pressed.
He opened his eyes. The Rinnegan glowed with a determination she had never seen before.
"Recall every member of the Akatsuki. Immediately. We enter closed-door training for three years."
"Three years?"
"We push our power to the point where it can overturn everything. Only then will our chances of achieving peace increase—even by a fraction."
Silence fell.
Then Nagato's voice turned cold as ice.
"And that masked fool calling himself Madara… watch him closely. Every move. If he shows the slightest sign of betrayal…"
His killing intent filled the room.
"No mercy."
Soul Society — The World of the Living
That evening, Ichigo's group happened to be gathered at his house. After dinner, Chen Fang's newest video notification popped up on everyone's screens at almost the exact same time.
Since they were already together, they decided to just play it and watch the "Battle of the 17 Gods and Demons" as a group.
The moment Cell unleashed that earth-shattering Kamehameha—
All four of them sucked in a sharp breath.
Ichigo actually shot up from his chair.
"Are you kidding me?! That's insane!"
He whipped his head toward Orihime and Ishida, completely rattled.
"That kind of destructive force… it's terrifying."
Rukia pressed her lips together and nodded heavily.
She'd recently picked up some basic astronomy concepts while studying in the Human World. So when she saw that beam punch straight through a massive asteroid of absurd diameter in outer space—
It wasn't just impressive.
It was worldview-shattering.
She ran through every Kidō spell and every Bankai ability she knew from Soul Society.
None of them came close.
Even Bankai felt pale compared to that blast.
"It's obvious," Ishida said coolly, adjusting his glasses, "the combat capability of beings in that world isn't even on the same dimensional scale as ours."
"And what's worse," he continued, "that creature named Cell showed no strain after firing that attack. No emotion. As if it were trivial."
"In other words… using that level of power is as casual to him as low-level spells are to us."
Rukia's expression darkened.
After the Saint Seiya video, her brother Byakuya Kuchiki had informed her—strictly confidentially—that Soul Society was already holding emergency discussions about how to respond if beings like these ever appeared in their world.
She wasn't allowed to tell anyone.
And she understood why.
They were too weak to help.
Knowing would only cause panic.
Aside from the relatively carefree Ichigo and Orihime, everyone else watched the screen in silence, burdened by an invisible weight pressing on their hearts.
Land of Light — Ultra Brothers' Base
Zoffy crossed his arms, analyzing Cell's Kamehameha with keen interest.
"That energy output… it's comparable to some of our standard beam techniques," said Ultraman Ace in amazement. "Humans really shouldn't be underestimated."
"Cell doesn't appear to be purely human," corrected Ultraseven, his tone serious.
"I suspect," Zoffy added thoughtfully, "that the human called Son Goku can use that technique as well. He recognized the move instantly before Cell even fired."
"Enough theory!" interrupted Ultraman Taro impatiently. "The fight's just getting started!"
He wasn't here for analysis. He wanted action.
Back to the Battlefield
The shattered asteroid debris faded into the void as the camera returned to the arena.
Cell stared at Goku, disbelief in his eyes.
"Why? That Kamehameha should have vaporized you."
Goku exhaled, steady but slightly winded.
"It would have… if I hadn't gotten out of there."
Realization dawned on Cell's face.
"So that trick. The one where you vanish and reappear."
"It's called Instant Transmission," Goku said plainly. "I used it to dodge."
Cell blinked. He'd assumed it was just extreme speed. But teleportation?
"Instant Transmission… what a troublesome ability."
Goku's face hardened.
"I need to ask you something. If I hadn't flown upward in time—would you have fired that blast and blown up Earth?"
Cell folded his arms, smirking lazily.
"Hard to say. All I know is, at that moment, your only option was to run."
Goku relaxed slightly.
"Good. At least you're not completely insane."
If Cell had truly been a planet-destroying madman with zero restraint, this fight would've been far more complicated.
Cell clicked his tongue.
"Spare me the lecture. I have no interest in destroying Earth. But this slow-paced battle? I'm bored."
His figure blurred.
Gone.
Goku's pupils shrank.
Cell had gotten even faster.
Before he could react, an elbow smashed into his face and sent him flying like a cannonball.
He twisted midair, regained balance, and countered with a powerful, ki-infused punch—
Cell vanished.
Reappeared behind him.
Raised a fist—
But it was a feint.
A knee drove viciously into Goku's abdomen.
A sweep knocked out his footing.
Goku planted his hands just before hitting the ground and flipped back into the air—
Exactly as Cell predicted.
Cell appeared above him, hand slicing downward like a blade, slamming Goku into the arena floor.
Goku bounced up instantly—
Too slow.
A roundhouse kick cracked into his ribs and launched him across the stage.
The sheer speed shattered his rhythm.
He became a moving target, pummeled by a blur of fists and kicks. For a moment, the fight looked completely one-sided.
But Goku was still Goku.
Under the storm of attacks, he adapted at a frightening rate.
Then—
As Cell flashed behind him for a finishing blow—
Goku sensed it.
A ripple in space.
He spun and threw a thunderous punch straight into Cell's charging fist.
The collision exploded outward in a shockwave of ki.
The ground shattered. Cracks radiated from their feet. Smoke swallowed them whole.
Then—
They reappeared at the other side of the arena.
This time, Goku's side kick barely intercepted Cell's sweep.
Boom.
In the next few seconds, their movements became too fast for even the camera to track clearly. The audience could only catch fleeting afterimages, punctuated by explosions like rapid drumbeats.
Then they shot into the sky.
Punches. Knees. Elbows. Kicks.
Every part of their bodies became a weapon. Two blurred shadows clashed midair in a deadly ballet.
Krillin stared, jaw hanging open.
"That speed… Goku, your future self is insane!"
He swallowed and glanced at the "present" Goku beside him.
"Cell's a monster…"
But the real Goku didn't hear him.
His eyes were locked on the screen—on himself.
His battle spirit burned like wildfire.
He didn't understand why his future self's hair had turned gold, or what this "Super Saiyan" transformation truly meant.
But he didn't care.
This fight—
This pure, no-holds-barred clash—
It gripped his soul.
He didn't even notice when little Gohan climbed onto his lap, watching in silent awe.
Tenshinhan frowned, troubled.
"How…? No matter how hard I train, the gap just keeps widening."
Was there truly such a thing as a once-in-a-generation martial genius? Someone whose growth left others choking on dust?
Goku tuned them all out.
Right now, his blood was boiling.
He wanted a fight.
A real fight.
One where he could let loose completely.
Unfortunately…
Most of the people here weren't strong enough anymore.
A faint hint of regret flickered across his face.
Then he clenched his fists, eyes blazing.
"Damn it… I want to fight Cell right now."
"....."