The Illusory Black Hole--3

"I must obtain the power here!" Goku Black swore to himself. Ignoring the pain in his body, he charged toward the phantom figure once more. The phantom did not retreat, instead rushing forward to meet him head-on.

Goku Black surged forward like a frenzied beast, the dark aura surrounding him growing increasingly dense, as if it intended to swallow all the surrounding light.

His eyes flashed with a manic light, and every step he took cracked the ground, a testament to the terrifying power he contained.

The moment he drew near the phantom, Goku Black leaped high into the air, his right fist wreathed in black energy, smashing toward the phantom's head like a black meteor. This punch was heavy and powerful, accompanied by a whistling sound that seemed capable of tearing space itself asunder.

The phantom remained unhurried; it tilted its body slightly, easily evading Goku Black's fierce strike. Immediately after, it extended its left hand, and a beam of blue light shot from its fingertips, aiming straight for Goku Black's throat. Goku Black's reaction was lightning-fast; he performed a mid-air flip, skillfully dodging the lethal attack.

After landing, Goku Black did not pause for even a second. He quickly adjusted his stance and launched another attack. This time, he waved his hands rapidly before him, chanting under his breath. Following his movements, the surrounding dark energy converged rapidly, forming countless black spikes before him like sharp blades, which he fired toward the phantom.

Seeing this, the phantom moved its hands in a blur, forming a blue curtain of light that enveloped it. The black spikes struck the light curtain, emitting a series of sharp clangs and sparks, but the barrier remained as solid as a rock, without a single crack.

"Is that all you've got?" the phantom said coldly, its voice filled with mockery.

Goku Black was thoroughly enraged by these words. He let out a roar, and the dark energy within him erupted without reservation. A massive black energy sphere formed around his body, spinning constantly and emitting a powerful suction that drew in the surrounding rocks and dust.

"Disappear!" Goku Black shouted, hurling the black energy sphere at the phantom. As the sphere flew, it grew larger and larger, causing ripples to spread through space wherever it passed.

The phantom sensed the immense threat contained within the energy sphere and dared not underestimate it any longer. It took a deep breath, and the blue light radiating from its entire body surged instantly, illuminating the entire ruin. Subsequently, it gathered all its power between its hands, forming a massive blue orb of light.

The blue orb and the black energy sphere collided in mid-air, neither giving way, creating a powerful energy storm. The storm expanded outward from their center, destroying everything in the ruins to nothingness.

Both Goku Black and the phantom were sent reeling by the force of the storm. Goku Black's body was covered in wounds, his clothes were torn, and his hair was a mess, yet his gaze remained firm, filled with a desperate hunger for victory.

The phantom was not faring well either; its light had dimmed significantly, and its form wavered. But it knew it could not afford to lose; if Goku Black succeeded, this world would fall into endless darkness.

"It seems I have no choice but to use my full strength," the phantom whispered. It slowly closed its eyes and began to chant. As it spoke the incantation, the surrounding space began to twist, and a mysterious, ancient power surged from the void, converging upon its body.

Watching the phantom's transformation, a sense of unease rose in Goku Black's heart. Yet he did not retreat; instead, his fighting spirit was further ignited. "No matter what tricks you have, I won't fear you!" Goku Black clenched his fists, preparing to meet the phantom's next round of attacks in an even more heart-stopping showdown.

Watching the phantom prepare its ultimate technique, Goku Black unleashed his own. He focused his energy toward the phantom, condensing his aura rapidly into a sphere.

Goku Black bellowed, "Dark Kamehameha!" The gathered black energy sphere, resembling a miniature black hole, frantically devoured the remaining light and energy in the vicinity, rushing toward the phantom with a world-shattering momentum.

Wherever the energy passed, space seemed to be kneaded by an invisible giant hand, emitting a sizzling sound as black cracks spread like spiderwebs. The remaining rocks and debris in the ruins were swept into the flow of the Dark Kamehameha, hurtling toward the phantom together.

The mysterious and ancient power surrounding the phantom had fully bloomed, the blue light spreading like spilled mercury, making its form appear even more sacred and inviolable. Facing Goku Black's ferocious Dark Kamehameha, it did not dodge or evade, but moved its hands rapidly, its chanting growing more urgent.

The space before the phantom twisted and folded rapidly, forming a massive blue light shield. Runes flickered upon the shield, each one containing endless energy fluctuations, as if telling of an ancient, mysterious power.

In the blink of an eye, the Dark Kamehameha slammed heavily into the blue light shield. For an instant, the space containing the ruins seemed to freeze, followed by a deafening roar, as if the entire universe were crying out in pain from the collision of such power.

The powerful energy shockwave expanded outward in a ring from the point of impact. Everything it touched was instantly vaporized; the already crumbling ruins were reduced to nothing, and even the surrounding space was shattered, forming massive spatial vortices that devoured everything in their path.

Both Goku Black and the phantom were sent flying by the powerful recoil. Goku Black tumbled through the air like a kite with a broken string, crashing through several layers of spatial barriers before falling heavily into a desolate void. His body was riddled with holes, and blood flowed continuously from his wounds, staining the surrounding void a dark red. Yet, the flames of unwillingness still burned in his eyes as he stared fixedly at the phantom.

The phantom was in no better shape; its light had become extremely dim, and its body flickered in and out of existence, as if it might dissipate at any moment. However, relying on that mysterious and ancient power, it managed to steady itself. It looked at Goku Black, its eyes revealing a complex expression—a mix of surprise at Goku Black's tenacious vitality and worry over the outcome of this battle.

"Why are you so obsessed with this power? Do you not know that this will bring catastrophe upon the entire universe?" the phantom asked, its voice weak but firm.

Goku Black struggled to climb up from the ground, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with his hand, and sneered, "What does the life or death of the universe have to do with me? I only know that only by possessing absolute power can I control my own destiny and make those who once looked down on me crawl at my feet!"

With that, ignoring the pain in his body, Goku Black gathered his dark energy once more. His eyes were filled with madness, as if he had fallen into an obsession from which he could not extricate himself.