"Qi-Shattering Wave!" Goku Black hurled the black energy sphere in his hand at the phantom figure. In an instant, it shot forward like a black comet off its leash, carrying enough power to destroy the heavens and the earth as it tore through the void.
Where it passed, space was ripped apart, leaving a long black fissure like a massive wound in the universe.
The phantom figure felt the terrifying power contained in the Qi-Shattering Wave, and its expression grew more grave than ever. It knew that if it took the attack head-on, it would be reduced to dust.
Without hesitation, the phantom figure summoned every last bit of its mysterious power and poured it all into the blue defensive barrier before it.
Bolstered by that power, the blue barrier blazed like a dazzling blue sun, a stark contrast to Goku Black's black Qi-Shattering Wave. As the two were about to collide, all of space seemed to freeze, and time itself appeared to stop.
Then the black Qi-Shattering Wave slammed into the blue barrier. Boom! The earth-shattering impact seemed to shatter the entire universe in an instant. A massive shockwave erupted from the point of impact, expanding in a ring in every direction. Everything it touched was instantly vaporized, wiped out of existence.
Brilliant light illuminated the dark void. A tremendous storm of energy swept everything around them into its grasp, including the shattered fragments of space and the remnants of dark energy and mysterious power.
Both Goku Black and the phantom figure were hurled away by the impact. They tumbled through the void like two leaves tossed about by a gale.
The phantom figure teetered under the cataclysmic force. Its light grew dimmer and its body more transparent; it truly couldn't hold on any longer. Though the barrier it had built with all its strength had barely withstood Goku Black's Qi-Shattering Wave at first, the terrifying energy left in its wake kept eroding it like a rising tide.
Every impact weakened the phantom figure further. It could feel its consciousness fading, and knew it was about to vanish from the void completely.
And yet, even in its final moments, there was not a trace of fear or regret in its eyes.
Goku Black, on the other hand, had been battered by the shockwave and badly wounded in several places, blood gushing from his injuries. But when he saw the phantom figure on the verge of fading away, an indescribable thrill rose in his heart. "Hahaha! You're still going to lose to me in the end!" he roared with laughter. His laughter was mixed with painful coughs, but the greed in his expression only grew stronger.
"Don't... get too pleased with yourself..." The phantom figure mustered its last strength to speak. "You think... that obtaining the power here... will let you control everything? How... naive... This power... hides endless calamities..."
"Shut up!" Goku Black roared. "I don't care about any calamities. As long as I have power and can do whatever I want, nothing else matters!" Ignoring the agony wracking his body, he slowly approached the phantom figure, intending to uncover the secrets of all the power in the ruins before it vanished completely.
As Goku Black drew closer, the phantom figure's light dimmed further, and its voice faded until it was barely audible. "You... will pay for your greed... The balance of the universe... must not be broken..." Before it could finish, it turned into countless blue motes of light, scattering like fireflies in the wind before disappearing into the void.
Goku Black gazed at the spot where the phantom figure had vanished, a triumphant smile spreading across his face.
He eagerly turned toward the ruins, now utterly devastated by their battle, his eyes gleaming with greed. "Everything here belongs to me now!" he murmured, then strode deeper into the ruins.
But the instant he stepped inside, the surrounding space began to shake violently. The dark energy that had quieted down surged once more, more wildly than before, and this time it seemed to carry an even stranger, more dangerous presence. Goku Black felt a pang of unease as a sense of foreboding crept over him, but greed had already clouded his mind. He had no intention of retreating.
He continued deeper into the ruins, determined to find the power said to make him the ruler of the universe.
The farther he went, the stranger his surroundings became. The ancient writing and murals seemed to come alive, flickering with eerie light as they let out deep roars, as though warning Goku Black not to go any farther.
But Goku Black paid no heed to the warnings. His gaze remained fixed on an object deep within the ruins, shrouded in a mysterious glow. He was certain that if he obtained it, he would gain limitless power and become the true ruler of the universe.
At last, he reached the glowing object and reached out to touch it. Suddenly, a powerful force burst from within the light and sent him flying. At the same time, the entire ruin began to shake violently. Black fissures spread across the ground, as if they were about to swallow the whole world. Only then did Goku Black realize that he might have underestimated the terror of this power.
The force sent Goku Black flying. After tumbling through the air several times, he slammed into a cracked stretch of ground. He struggled to get back up, but his body felt as if it had fallen apart. Every joint throbbed with pain, and his limbs were weak and useless.
"What... what's going on?" Confusion and frustration filled Goku Black. He stared at the mysterious glow, greed still burning in his eyes. Though he had been badly hurt and danger was closing in, he still refused to give up his pursuit of power.
The dark energy in the ruins grew more violent. Like a raging black tide, it battered the surrounding space without pause. Strange howls echoed from the black fissures spreading across the ground, as if countless demons were about to break free from the depths of hell.
Goku Black gritted his teeth and slowly rose to his feet, enduring the pain.
He scanned his surroundings, searching for a way to deal with the danger. Suddenly, he noticed grooves in the ruin's walls that he hadn't seen before. They seemed to be connected somehow to the mysterious glowing object.
"Could these... be the key to breaking the seal on the power?" Goku Black wondered. Ignoring the danger, he headed toward the wall. With every step, blades of black energy sliced across his body, leaving cuts and streaks of blood behind. He barely noticed. Only one thought filled his mind: obtain the power.
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