Devoured

That careless taunt pierced King Cold's pride like a sharp arrow. The former emperor of the universe was furious and was just about to retort when a sweet, bloody taste suddenly surged up his throat.

"Pfft—"

Dark red blood sprayed across the scorched earth. King Cold staggered back two steps, his face filled with humiliation and unwillingness. He roared madly in his heart: Bastard! I even used my trump card and coughed up three liters of blood, yet you're saying I wasn't serious?!

Once upon a time, King Cold needed only to stamp his foot to make an entire galaxy tremble. Yet now he had been reduced to this—he had not only been beaten until he coughed up blood, but had even been deprived of the right to talk back. This was the most pathetic and humiliating moment since he had begun dominating the universe.

The setting sun stretched everyone's shadows long across the ground, as though telling of the turmoil churning within every warrior's heart on this extraordinary evening. Mountains in the distance continued to collapse beneath the energy impacts, and amid the dust filling the sky, the gears of fate quietly began to turn...

Kuriza's face flushed bright red, as though scorched by flames. Veins bulged across his forehead, his teeth clenched tight, and even his breathing became hurried. He kept his mouth shut with all his might, afraid that the instant he opened it, the rage and humiliation filling his chest would turn into a mouthful of blood. The very thought of it was unbearable.

"Damn it! Damn it! I'll kill you, you bastard!" Frieza finally struggled upright from that utterly humiliating face-down, ass-up fall. Every muscle in his body tensed, and rage nearly burst from his eyes. Tang Yangbing's contemptuous mockery was like a sharp blade driven straight into his pride, robbing him completely of reason.

"Death Beam!" Frieza practically roared the words as he raised a finger. Several blinding red beams instantly gathered at its tip. Like venomous snakes, they shot forth at terrifying speed, tearing through the air with piercing shrieks. Every beam carried enough dreadful power to destroy a mountain. Wherever they passed, even space seemed scorched and warped, while the air filled with a burnt stench.

Yet Tang Yangbing merely gave them a casual glance and could not even be bothered to move his feet. The corner of his mouth lifted into a disdainful sneer, as though the lethal attack before him was nothing more than child's play. "Trash. Is this all you can do?" His voice was calm and cold, yet carried a suffocating sense of oppression.

"Pfft, pfft, pfft!" A series of Death Beams struck Tang Yangbing's body with perfect accuracy. Wild joy instantly appeared on Frieza's face, and he nearly burst into laughter. Yet that joy lasted less than a second before his expression froze, his face turning as pale as ash. The red beams, which could pierce steel, left not even the faintest mark the instant they touched Tang Yangbing's skin. It was as if they had merely brushed across water without stirring even a ripple.

"No! Impossible!" Frieza's voice trembled, his eyes filled with terrified disbelief. He suddenly recalled his battle with Son Goku. That terrifying opponent had also taken his Death Beams so casually, without suffering the slightest injury to his skin. "Are you a Super Saiyan too?!" he screamed almost hysterically, before wildly shaking his head in denial. "No, that's not right! You don't have golden hair! Your eyes aren't green either! You can't be a Super Saiyan!" The term Super Saiyan clung to him like a nightmare, nearly driving him mad.

"Too weak. Far too weak." Tang Yangbing gently shook his head, his tone full of undisguised contempt. Though he appeared calm on the surface, he felt utterly exhilarated inside. Crushing an opponent like this felt like drinking a cup of fine wine—intoxicating beyond measure.

"Kuriza, if you still refuse to go all out, that old man beside you might hold his breath until he dies!" Tang Yangbing continued firing a Kamehameha one-handed. The dazzling energy beam was like a roaring dragon, firmly pinning Kuriza and King Cold in place. His movements were relaxed and effortless, as though he were doing something utterly insignificant, yet the vast energy made even the surrounding air tremble. Loose stones were swept up by the turbulent currents and scattered in every direction. Under the crushing pressure, Kuriza and King Cold found even breathing difficult, their expressions growing uglier by the second.

The moment his words fell, everyone's gaze snapped toward King Cold. His face was flushed crimson, veins throbbing at his temples as though all the blood in his body had rushed into his head. He panted heavily, each breath seeming to exhaust all his strength, his chest heaving violently while his bloodshot eyes nearly bulged from their sockets. His fists were clenched so tightly that his nails dug deeply into his palms. He looked as though an invisible force had seized him by the throat, and he could suffocate at any moment.

"Damn it! We can't drag this out any longer!" Kuriza gritted his teeth, a ruthless gleam flashing through his eyes. "I can only enter my Fourth Form. Otherwise, we'll definitely die at this man's hands today!"

His eyes darted rapidly in their sockets, calculating every possible angle of attack like a precision instrument. An eerie purple glow began to spread over his body, winding around his muscular frame like a living thing. The air was instantly filled with a suffocating pressure. He slowly assumed a fighting stance, every muscle hard as iron and poised to strike.

"No! I refuse to believe it!" Frieza roared hoarsely, his voice filled with unprecedented fury and humiliation. His battle suit had long since been reduced to tatters, covered in cracks of varying sizes like a patched-up rag. Every wound reminded him of the disgrace he had just suffered—when had he, the emperor of the universe, ever been treated with such contempt?

Violent rage churned in his chest. He suddenly hunched over as a dazzling golden aura erupted from his body. The wave of energy spread outward like something tangible, whipping up dust across the sky and reducing every stone beneath his feet to powder.

"Nova Strike!"

With an enraged roar, he transformed into a streak of golden light and charged straight at Tang Yangbing with speed that seemed to rip through space itself. The air in his path was compressed to the extreme, producing piercing sonic booms as though a true meteor were tearing through the heavens.

"Utterly foolish! You think such a disorderly attack can contend with me?"

Tang Yangbing snorted coldly and casually threw out his right fist. The punch seemed light and unremarkable, but the instant it was unleashed, it triggered a change in heaven and earth. Space twisted and warped in its wake, letting out a teeth-grinding ripping sound.

"Boom—!"

Fist and skull collided violently, erupting with a deafening crash. Centered on the two of them, the solid earth cracked apart inch by inch like fragile glass. Countless fissures spread outward in all directions like living things, covering hundreds of meters of ground in an instant. Stones were hurled into the sky by the terrifying shockwave, only to be crushed into dust the next moment.

Frieza flew backward like a kite with its string cut, tracing a miserable arc through the air. He slammed heavily into a distant hill, causing the entire mountain to collapse. When the smoke and dust gradually cleared, a bright red fist mark could be seen on his bald head. The imprint was so deep that bone showed through, with blood still steadily seeping from its edges.

The excruciating pain from that strike made Frieza's vision go dark, with countless stars spinning wildly before his eyes. He struggled to stand, but the world spun around him, everything swaying before his sight. His ears rang, and even the sound of his own panting became indistinct.

The sky seemed to split apart, and the entire planet trembled violently. The air was saturated with scorching energy, while the ground cracked open into countless bottomless ravines and shattered stones sprayed through the air like rain. In the distance, Frieza's figure—once enough to make countless people quake in fear—was now flung away like a kite with its string cut by an invisible force, smashing heavily into a mountain and sending dust into the sky.

"This... this is unbelievable!" Krillin's eyes widened, his voice shaking with shock. He watched helplessly as the emperor of the universe, whom he had considered nearly invincible, was now like a toy in a child's hands, utterly unable to fight back. Frieza's proud purple armor was covered in cracks, crimson blood continuously leaking from the corner of his mouth. In those eyes that had once looked down upon all living things, only terror and disbelief remained.

"Get away from here! This energy is too terrifying!" Fine beads of sweat formed on Tien Shinhan's forehead, all three of his eyes widening at once. He could clearly sense the violent energy fluctuations raging through the air, a pressure powerful enough to tear apart one's soul. Without hesitation, he turned and shot backward in a streak of light, the gust he created sweeping up loose stones into a small tornado.

The air reeked of burning, and the shockwaves produced by the colliding energies spread outward in wave after wave like solid walls. Yamcha's face turned deathly pale. He could feel every cell in his body screaming a warning. "Move!" he shouted hoarsely. Exchanging a glance with Krillin, the two rose into the air at the same time, no longer caring about concealing their energy.

"Tien, wait for me! This is so scary!" Chiaotzu's voice carried a sob as his small body wobbled through the air. He stared in terror at the pillar of energy piercing heaven and earth in the distance, its brilliance so blinding that he could barely open his eyes. The heatwave created by the energy fluctuations struck him head-on, making him feel as though he were standing inside a furnace.

Piccolo's green face was filled with gravity as he narrowed his eyes at the center of the battlefield. There, a blurry figure was slowly withdrawing its hand, and that simple motion alone warped the surrounding space. Piccolo took a deep breath, then turned without hesitation and flew away, his dark green cape snapping wildly in the gale.

"Damn it! I'm not afraid of this much energy!" Vegeta clenched his teeth, his purple battle suit shaking violently amid the energy storm. He stubbornly remained where he stood, fists clenched tight enough for his nails to dig into his palms. As the prince of the Saiyans, he could not flee in such a pathetic manner like those Earthlings. He was the most outstanding genius among the Saiyans! The title of strongest in the future universe was destined to be his!

Vegeta snorted, his crimson eyes sweeping over the fleeing crowd as a mocking curve rose at the corner of his mouth. "Tch, low-class—"

"Bang!"

Before he could finish, a world-destroying wave of energy crashed into him like a tsunami. Vegeta did not even have time to assume a defensive stance before his entire body was sent flying uncontrollably, as though struck by a meteor. He tumbled through the air, smashing several floating boulders before finally crashing heavily into a distant crater, kicking up dust that filled the sky.

"Damn it! How did this happen?!"

With an unwilling roar, Vegeta's body was blasted away by a violent impact like a kite with its string cut, slamming heavily into the distant ground and sending dust flying. Trunks' heart tightened, and he nearly rushed forward, but he forcibly stopped himself. He understood that Vegeta—his father, who was always proud and never willing to show weakness—would never accept anyone's pity or sympathy.

The gale howled as energy surged forth like a raging tide, tearing cracks through the surrounding earth. Amid the chaos, only Trunks remained still. He stood not far from Tang Yangbing and Frieza, allowing the violent energy storm to batter him head-on and toss his hair into disarray, yet it could not scatter the questions churning in his heart. His brows furrowed as his gaze locked tightly onto Tang Yangbing, his heart filled with confusion and shock: Who exactly is this suddenly appearing man with unfathomable strength?

"Forget it. There's no fun in bullying you lot. Let's end this."

Tang Yangbing's voice was cold and calm, as though he were stating the most ordinary fact. He slowly raised his right hand, and a heart-pounding energy gathered in his palm. The next instant, a dazzling Kamehameha surged forth like an enraged dragon emerging from the sea, ripping through the air and rushing toward King Cold with unstoppable force. Its light was too blinding to look at directly, and even space seemed to tremble wherever its energy passed.

King Cold's pupils shrank sharply, his face filled with terror and despair. He opened his mouth as though he wanted to say something—perhaps to beg for mercy, perhaps to make one final struggle—but it was already too late. The Kamehameha swallowed him whole like a flood, leaving behind not even the slightest trace.

As for Kuriza, that cunning opponent erupted with all his strength at the critical moment. His body retreated rapidly like a ghost, narrowly escaping the Kamehameha's lethal range. He panted heavily, a trace of relief flashing through his eyes, though even more prominent were his solemnity and vigilance.

"This guy is incredibly strong—at least stronger than me! Who is he? Why does he have a time machine too?"

Trunks watched it all, his heart roiling. Tang Yangbing's strength far surpassed his imagination and even made him feel an inexplicable pressure. Although Tang Yangbing was also targeting Frieza's group, Trunks had never seen this man's name in any historical records. If he had truly existed, how could the future world have been ravaged by the androids to such an extent? The question lodged itself deeply in his heart like a thorn.

"Dad..."

Trunks murmured softly, his gaze instinctively turning toward Vegeta. Frieza, meanwhile, had completely flown into a rage. He glared at Tang Yangbing through gritted teeth, his voice full of fury and confusion. "Ah, you damn bastard! Who exactly are you? How did we offend you?"

Elsewhere, Kuriza did not relax just because he had narrowly escaped death. He knew full well that against an opponent like Tang Yangbing, only going all out gave him even a sliver of hope. So, without hesitation, he began transforming. Amid low, pained roars, Kuriza's body underwent an astonishing change—his muscles swelled, his bones stretched, and the energy radiating from him grew increasingly intense, like an ancient beast about to awaken.

The atmosphere across the battlefield froze at that moment. Everyone's eyes focused on Tang Yangbing and Kuriza, as though an even fiercer battle was about to begin...

A violent blast of air suddenly erupted, like an invisible beast roaring as it swept dust and sand into the sky, seeming to tear even the air apart. Trunks stood at the center of the storm, his golden hair whipping wildly in the wind. His face instantly turned pale, and his pupils reflected unimaginable horror.

"This energy... how could it be this powerful?" he murmured, his voice trembling slightly. "History was never supposed to be like this... First that mysterious freak, and now Kuriza has appeared. Could it really be because I traveled through time and disrupted the original course of events?"

His thoughts churned like a raging tide. The scene before him was utterly different from the history he knew, as though the entire world were collapsing beneath his feet and reforming itself. An intense sense of unease coiled around his heart like a venomous snake.

"No! We absolutely can't let him complete his transformation!" Trunks gritted his teeth. Feeling the terrifying energy rising relentlessly from Kuriza's body, he did not hesitate to draw the Hero's Sword from his waist. The blade gleamed with a frigid light, reflecting the resolve in his eyes. He stamped his foot down, ready to rush forward and interrupt the dangerous process.

"Don't rush." A calm yet unquestionable voice suddenly rang out. Tang Yangbing raised a hand to stop him, a teasing smile curling across his lips. "Let him transform slowly. Just stay here and watch. If you make any reckless moves, I won't mind dealing with you too."

There was a trace of mockery in Tang Yangbing's eyes, as if he were watching an entertaining show about to unfold. He thought to himself, What fun would a battle be if the villain weren't allowed to put on a proper performance? The best moment is when they think victory is already in their grasp, only for you to personally cast them into the abyss. That feeling of crushing everything is simply unparalleled.

"You're too arrogant!" Trunks shouted anxiously, fine beads of sweat forming on his forehead. "If we don't take him out now, you'll be the one who regrets it later!" Having endured countless life-and-death battles in the future, he understood well the principle of striking while an enemy was down and finishing them off. Battles had always been swift and decisive; there was no room for even the slightest hesitation.

"With trash like them?" Tang Yangbing sneered. His figure flashed like a phantom, and in an instant, he appeared before Frieza. He moved so quickly that he was nearly impossible to see, leaving only an afterimage behind. His fist, carrying destructive force, slammed brutally into Frieza's chest.

"Wah!" Frieza screamed. His body bent into an arch like a kite with its string cut, and a mouthful of blood gushed from his lips, staining his twisted face red. Before he could react, an icy hand had already clamped around his throat like iron pincers, lifting his entire body off the ground. Frieza's feet kicked helplessly in the air, his eyes filled with terror and unwillingness.

Tang Yangbing looked down at him from above, his eyes utterly calm, as though he were looking at an insignificant ant. The air around them seemed to freeze. In the silence, only Frieza's agonized gasps and Trunks's heavy breathing echoed.

"Damn it! Who exactly are you?!" Frieza's voice echoed across the empty battlefield, trembling with disbelief. His gaze was filled with fear and fury, as if he wanted to see through the mysterious figure before him completely.

"You talk too much. Die." Tang Yangbing's voice was cold and calm, devoid of the slightest ripple, as though he were merely stating a long-decided outcome. Too lazy to waste another word on him, he slowly raised his right hand. A blinding white light suddenly shone from his palm, like the first ray of sunlight at dawn—yet it contained the power to destroy everything.

Boom!

A deafening explosion tore through the air. A violent shockwave spread outward from Tang Yangbing, kicking up dust that filled the sky. As the smoke slowly dispersed, Frieza had vanished completely. Not even a trace of residue remained, as though he had never existed at all. Only the smell of scorched flesh and the lingering, heart-palpitating energy waves remained in the air.

At the very moment Frieza was utterly annihilated, Kuriza finally completed his transformation. His body rapidly expanded amid surging energy, his muscles bulging as his frame grew a full size larger than before, like a volcano on the verge of eruption. His skin had taken on a dark metallic sheen, glinting dangerously in the faint light.

Starting from his head, four sharp horns extended backward like a demon's crown, radiating an aura that sent chills down one's spine. His mouth was covered by a hard shell resembling a mask, leaving only a pair of scarlet eyes exposed, filled with brutality and a desire to kill. His shoulders rose high like protruding breastplates, while two curved horns grew from his back, resembling a pair of wings that had not fully spread.

His arms had changed as well. Blade-like protrusions grew along the outer sides of his forearms, glimmering with cold light, as if they could tear apart any enemy standing in his way at any moment. His entire form was filled with power and oppressive force, like a savage beast crawling out from the abyss, inspiring fear at first glance.

"The Fourth Form is so ugly!" Tang Yangbing remarked lightly, the corner of his mouth lifting in a disdainful smile. His gaze swept over Kuriza's body like a sharp blade, as though appraising a work of art that was not quite perfect.

Trunks stood some distance away, his brows tightly furrowed as he watched Kuriza's changes with a grave expression. He felt a powerful aura radiating from Kuriza's body, its tangible pressure making it almost hard for him to breathe. "Such powerful energy... it may have already surpassed mine," Trunks murmured, unease rising in his heart. He had originally hoped Kuriza would heed his warning, but now it seemed that this battle was unavoidable.

With that thought, Trunks turned his gaze toward Tang Yangbing, a complicated look flashing through his eyes. The man before him possessed unfathomable strength, yet he remained composed and unhurried, as if everything were firmly under his control. Trunks knew that they would have to join forces now if they were to stand any chance against this powerful enemy.

"470 million battle power. As expected, you really are the strongest of the Frost Demon Clan." Tang Yangbing's voice broke the silence. Excitement flashed through his eyes, as if he had finally found an opponent worth fighting. "This makes things a little more interesting. Come on!" He crooked a finger at Kuriza, the gesture casual and provocative, as though summoning a disobedient pet.

"Damn it! I'll kill you!" Kuriza's furious roar exploded like thunder. His eyes were bloodshot, and every muscle in his body was taut, as if he could erupt with destructive power at any moment. In the blink of an eye, both of his companions had completely disappeared, leaving him alone to face these two powerful enemies. Rage and unwillingness burned within him. He swore to tear Tang Yangbing to pieces to vent the hatred in his heart.

The atmosphere on the battlefield instantly tightened to the extreme, like a bomb on the verge of detonating. Fluctuations of energy intertwined in the air, forming invisible vortices, as though even space itself were trembling. A world-shaking battle was about to begin.

Kuriza's muscles tensed all over, blazing battle intent burning in his eyes. He made as if to charge at Tang Yangbing, looking savage enough to tear heaven and earth apart. The ground beneath his feet cracked inch by inch as he gathered power, sending shattered stones flying and filling the air with suffocating killing intent. Yet just as everyone thought an earth-shattering battle was about to erupt, Kuriza suddenly spun around and shot toward Earth's sky like a bolt of lightning!

His sudden action instantly turned the tense atmosphere absurd. Kuriza's figure carved a dazzling trail through the sky, moving so fast it was nearly impossible to follow, leaving only a string of afterimages drifting in the air.

"Fuck, he actually ran!" Tang Yangbing stared wide-eyed, almost unable to believe what he was seeing. He had already prepared to fight with everything he had, yet Kuriza had completely ignored all expectations. Trunks, standing nearby, was utterly dumbfounded as well. His mouth hung open, his eyes full of disbelief, as if they were saying, "Is this guy serious?"

A cold curve formed at the corner of Tang Yangbing's mouth. A glint of icy light flashed through his eyes as he slowly turned his right hand upward. With his movement, the surrounding air seemed to be churned by an invisible force, emitting a low hum. Immediately afterward, a massive black energy ball rapidly condensed in his palm. Dark arcs of electricity rolled across its surface, radiating a devastating aura that made one's heart tremble.

"Death Energy Ball!" Tang Yangbing shouted in a low voice, carrying unquestionable authority.

"Stop!" The instant Tang Yangbing's words fell, Kuriza—who was about to break through the atmosphere and fly into space—suddenly came to a violent halt, as though an invisible giant hand had firmly seized him. His body froze in midair, unable to move forward even an inch.

"Telekinesis from a distance?! How is that possible? That's Frieza's psychic power! How can you..." Kuriza's eyes widened in terror, his voice shaking with disbelief. He struggled desperately, only to find that his body seemed nailed to the void. He could not move even a single finger.

Cold sweat instantly soaked his back. Kuriza finally realized just what kind of terrifying existence he was facing. He hurriedly begged for mercy, his voice carrying unprecedented fear. "Don't—don't kill me! I'm willing to acknowledge you as my master!"

However, Tang Yangbing only gave a cold smile, his eyes devoid of mercy. "Too much nonsense. I don't need you."

Before his words had even faded, he swung his right hand sharply. The Death Energy Ball, more than ten meters in diameter, shot toward Kuriza with world-destroying force. Wherever it passed, space itself twisted, as though it would devour everything in its path.