The Call of Destiny

"Young man, you must have sensed it long ago."

Old Supreme Kai spoke. His voice was not loud, yet it sounded unexpectedly clear within the empty Kami's Lookout. Every word he uttered stirred ripples of echoes in the air. "The divine energy within you is not as simple as just that of a Super Saiyan God."

Jiang Che frowned, finally withdrawing his gaze from the murals on the wall to look at Old Supreme Kai. He did not rush to reply; instead, he tilted his head slightly, carefully sensing the energy within his body.

Indeed, this power was completely different from ordinary Super Saiyan God energy. It was heavier and more ancient, like some kind of primordial force that had existed since the moment the universe was born, now silently slumbering in the deepest reaches of his cells.

Yet, he merely looked at Old Supreme Kai calmly, his expression so indifferent that it seemed as if everything were within his expectations.

"What do you mean?" His tone was light and breezy.

"A Super Saiyan God does indeed possess divine energy, but this energy of yours..." Old Supreme Kai tapped his fingertips against the stone dais, producing a dull thud-thud sound. He seemed to be leafing through chapters of memory accumulated over hundreds of millions of years, his gaze appearing to pierce through the mist of long-lost ages.

"It is deeper and more ancient than anything I know. It is as if this power existed even before the birth of the Initial Star Domain. I have lived for millions of years, and I have never felt anything like it."

A slight ripple stirred in Jiang Che's heart. He guessed that this likely had to do with the gifted energy from his system. It had long since permeated his blood and bones, becoming a part of him.

However, he said nothing. His face remained devoid of emotion as he simply said, "And then?"

"I must warn you, this universe is about to face an unprecedented catastrophe."

Old Supreme Kai's gaze suddenly sank, becoming so heavy it was almost suffocating. He slowly raised his hand and pointed toward a direction outside the lookout.

"The shadow of dark forces has spread to several galaxies; even the corners of the cosmic frontier can no longer be held. I sense countless lives wailing and stars being extinguished. Even the Realm of the Kais cannot escape; Kibito Kai has already reported strange attacks in six territories."

"So what?" Jiang Che maintained his indifferent demeanor, arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against a stone pillar.

The ancient runes his shoulder touched immediately emitted a faint hum, and golden ripples spread from them as if they were awakening.

"I hope that, in the future, you can help resist that darkness." Old Supreme Kai looked at Jiang Che, a fire still burning in his eyes—the hope the old man had held onto for millions of years. He leaned forward slightly, wanting to get closer, but in the end, he stopped and gripped his staff tightly.

"With your potential, you are absolutely qualified to—"

"Enough."

Jiang Che raised his hand to interrupt, waving it casually as if snapping an invisible thread. His expression remained composed, but a chill crept into his eyes. "I came here for a mission. Destruction, catastrophe—these have nothing to do with me. I don't owe this universe anything, and I have no need to be anyone's blade."

Old Supreme Kai was stunned, but soon he let out a helpless laugh. That laugh contained both unwillingness and understanding, even a hint of appreciation. He shook his head, his beard swaying along with it. "You, young man..." He had wanted to say more, but in the end, he just sighed and tightened his grip on his staff.

Just then, the floor outside the lookout began to vibrate violently. At first, it was just a slight tremor, but then a thunderous roar followed, as if the entire hall were about to be torn apart. The golden runes on the stone pillars exploded with intense light as if they had gone mad, desperately trying to stabilize the lookout, but the shaking only grew more intense. Debris from the ceiling fell like rain, splashing against the floor with a series of sharp cracks as dust billowed, instantly filling the air with the scent of grit.

At the entrance, the figure of Kibito Kai suddenly flashed into view. He appeared with such speed that he brought a whistling wind with him. His face was full of panic, his forehead covered in cold sweat, and his robes were still fluttering behind him, unable to settle.

His breathing was ragged, and his voice was several octaves higher. "Old Supreme Kai, something terrible has happened on Earth!"

"What is it?" Old Supreme Kai stared at Kibito Kai, his brows knit together, his eyes filled with undisguised worry.

"Baby... Baby has been resurrected!" Kibito Kai's voice trembled. "And this time, it's not just a resurrection. He has completely controlled all the humans on Earth! He used a strange black liquid to infiltrate their mental realms, linking the life force of every human on Earth into one, and he restored his power instantly by absorbing that life force. Now, Baby's energy far exceeds the upper limit I can perceive, and this darkness is spreading crazily to other planets. The first target is Namek!"

A sharp glint flashed in Jiang Che's eyes.

At that moment, the power that had been slumbering within him erupted as if whipped. The blood in his veins surged, and the very air tightened, filled with a sense of oppression. The candles in the hall flickered, trembling as if in a storm.

"Kibito Kai, take me to Earth."

Jiang Che's voice was not loud, but every word landed like an iron block hitting the floor, direct and uncompromising.

"But—" Kibito Kai looked hesitantly at Old Supreme Kai.

"I said, take me to Earth."

Jiang Che gave no room for negotiation, staring straight at Kibito Kai with cold, piercing eyes. A pale blue aura erupted uncontrollably around him, as if igniting his will to fight.

Old Supreme Kai let out a long sigh that echoed in the hall for a long time. "Go. There are some things you can choose to reflect on only after everything is over."

He waved his hand, his gaze a complex mixture of emotions.

Kibito Kai had no choice but to walk quickly to Jiang Che's side and place a hand on his shoulder. His hand was cold, and Jiang Che could feel a subtle tremor—perhaps he was afraid, or perhaps he was simply nervous.

"Get ready," Kibito Kai whispered.

"Hmph." Jiang Che nodded.

The next second, a white light exploded, more blinding than the sun. Everything was swallowed up. Jiang Che felt as if his body had been dragged into a frantic vortex; time, sound, and scent vanished, leaving only the whistling wind and the roar of blood rushing in his ears.

The light faded, and silence returned. The two had vanished from the lookout, leaving behind only the silent hall and the golden runes that were slowly settling down. Jiang Che's divine energy still lingered in the air, like the fading scent of incense, slowly dissipating.

Old Supreme Kai stood where he was, motionless for a long time, watching the direction in which they had disappeared. After a long while, he nodded gently toward the distant Divine Axe, as if speaking to someone invisible, and whispered to himself, "Perhaps, this is fate."

Earth.

The sky had turned a deep crimson, like a gaping wound bleeding despair. Dark clouds churned as if some evil force were stirring within them, twisting the entire sky into a vortex. Blood-colored light tore through the clouds, staining the earth red. The air was thick with the stench of scorching and decay; the wind carried dust and debris, accompanied by a sound like whimpering.

Jiang Che returned to Earth, his pupils instantly constricting.

He hovered in mid-air, and the scene below made the Earth of his memory feel so distant. The cities had completely collapsed; the skyscrapers of the past were now nothing but broken walls and ruins, with exposed steel bars looking like bleached bones. Shattered glass on the ground reflected an eerie, bloody light.

Looking up at the sky, countless black spores floated, drifting down slowly as if they had a life of their own. Upon landing, they emitted faint popping sounds, consuming the ruins as they went.

The ground was filled with living dead controlled by Baby—their eyes hollow, their skin a deathly gray, black mist spewing from their mouths as they wandered step by step. Their limbs were entangled in dense, black fungal threads, as if they had become a permanent part of this hell.