Reinforcements Arrive! Shadow Appears, Altar Whispers

Several powerful golden-red streams of energy tore through the pitch-black universe, piercing the pervasive cold stillness like sharp blades as they sped toward the outer edge of the atmosphere—the support squad returning from the two major star systems had finally broken through the scattered obstructions of strange energy and arrived as scheduled. The lead warrior was drenched in blood, his armor long shattered beyond recognition. Though the golden-red aura around him was in disarray, it still carried the razor-sharp edge of one who feared no death. The warriors behind him were likewise covered in wounds, their clothes stained with blood, yet every one of them had blazing eyes and wills as unyielding as steel, without the slightest intention of retreating. Their arrival was like an injection straight into the heart, instantly igniting hope in every warrior along the defensive line. Amid the waning morale, a faint ripple of defiance quietly emerged.

"Reinforcements! The support squad is here!" A warrior on the verge of losing consciousness caught sight of those golden-red streaks. Light suddenly burst into his eyes, and he used the last of his strength to roar. His previously feeble aura even stirred with a faint wave of energy.

Nappa's taut nerves finally eased slightly, and a trace of relief at having survived disaster flashed across his face. Yet the gravity in his eyes did not fade in the least—his energy had already been exhausted, dark-red blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and his armor had been blackened and cracked by the strange energy's corrosion. Even his arms trembled uncontrollably. Had the reinforcements arrived any later, the first defensive barrier would already have shattered, and the strange energy would have broken through the line and dragged Earth into irredeemable darkness.

"Quick! Pour your energy in and reinforce the defensive barrier!" Nappa roared at the support squad, his voice hoarse but forceful. "This strange energy is incredibly corrosive. The barrier is already on the verge of collapse. We must hold this line—we cannot give them any opening!"

The support squad's warriors did not hesitate. They immediately spread out and activated the remaining golden-red energy within their bodies, channeling it toward the tottering first defensive barrier. Countless powerful golden-red streams intertwined and layered together, merging with the barrier's originally weak glow. The dim golden-red radiance abruptly flared, the cracks spreading across its surface gradually healed, and the barrier's aura grew increasingly stable as it stubbornly resisted the frenzied impacts of black energy from beyond. Golden-red and black light collided violently, erupting with piercing energy roars that made even the edge of the solar system tremble faintly. Fine fragments of energy scattered in every direction before vanishing into the void of space.

Ximen Qing stood at the center of the defensive line. Feeling the powerful energy brought by the support squad, the tension at the corners of his mouth eased slightly. Yet the intense pain within him still spread wildly through his meridians. The coldness of the strange energy clung to his spiritual veins like a disease in the bones, constantly corroding them and making him furrow his brows. The metallic sweetness in his throat surged up once more. Slowly withdrawing the energy from his palm, he took advantage of the brief stability of the barrier to close his eyes slightly, focus his mind, and probe the essence of that strange energy again, attempting to pinpoint the Black Altar's exact location in the depths of the universe.

Son Gohan stood guard beside Ximen Qing. The power of purification quietly circulated around him as he helped resist the cold aura's erosion while warily staring into the depths of space, his eyes filled with gravity. "Qing'er, don't push yourself too hard. The barrier is stable for now, and we're here. Take this chance to recover a little. This strange energy is far too bizarre—we need to understand its nature before we can find a way to break it."

Ximen Qing gently shook his head and slowly opened his eyes. A sharp glint flashed through them, and his voice was hoarse but resolute. "There's no time, Grandpa Gohan. This strange energy is only the vanguard. Its true body hasn't appeared yet. And I can feel the Black Altar's fluctuations growing stronger and stronger. Those strange fragments are responding to it more and more frequently. If we don't locate the altar soon, then once they gather enough fragments and activate it, it'll be too late for everything."

The moment he finished speaking, a strange whisper suddenly arose from the depths of the universe. Obscure and incomprehensible, cold enough to pierce the bones, it was identical to the incantation the puppets beneath the altar had been muttering in Ximen Qing's mind. It pierced the energy barrier and wound around every warrior's ears like whispers of the dead, unsettling their minds and chilling them to the bone. Many warriors with weaker wills had already begun to tremble all over. The energy within their bodies fell into chaos, their eyes gradually becoming vacant as they nearly had their wills eroded by the incantation.

"Not good! It's the altar's incantation!" Ximen Qing's expression changed drastically, his eyes full of shock and gravity. "They're using the incantation to strengthen the strange energy's corrosive power while drawing in all the strange fragments to speed up the altar's activation!"

Son Gohan's face also turned pale. His fingertips trembled slightly as the power of purification around him surged wildly, attempting to resist the strange influence of the incantation. "This incantation is too bizarre. It can erode a person's will. If we let it continue echoing, our warriors will be controlled. By then, the strange energy won't even need to act—we'll fall into chaos ourselves!"

Just then, Gray Shadow's voice abruptly came through the communicator. It was hurried and grave, carrying an undisguised hint of panting and exhaustion. "Grandpa Gohan, Lord Ximen Qing! Something's wrong! We found a large number of strange fragments deep within Earth. They're responding to one another and giving off powerful strange energy! And there are many black figures around the fragments, exactly like the altar puppets you described. They don't fear pain and are charging at us like madmen. They're desperately gathering the fragments and rapidly approaching the location of the Twinborn Token!"

"What?!" Ximen Qing and Son Gohan exchanged a glance, each seeing shock and anxiety in the other's eyes. "There are puppets deep inside Earth too? They've already infiltrated the planet's interior!"

Ximen Qing took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the pain in his body and the anxiety in his heart. His tone was firm as he issued an order into the communicator. "Gray Shadow, heed my command! Immediately lead part of the warriors to defend the Twinborn Token's location to the death. No matter the cost, stop the puppets from collecting the fragments. They must not get anywhere near the Twinborn Token! Also, leave some warriors behind to keep gathering the scattered strange fragments. Make sure to collect every fragment as quickly as possible, cut off their fluctuations, and stop them from responding to the altar!"

"Understood!" Gray Shadow's voice remained urgent, but it carried a trace of resolve. "I will defend the Twinborn Token to the death. Even if I have to expend my final breath, I will not let the puppets succeed!"

The communicator cut off. The strange whispers from the depths of space grew ever stronger, and the strange energy's corrosive force surged along with them. The defensive barrier outside the atmosphere shook violently once more. Its glow flickered between bright and dim, while the cracks that had only just healed reappeared and spread. Though the support squad continued pouring in energy, the strange energy still came without end, crashing against the barrier like tidal waves. Every impact forced the warriors to endure tremendous energy shocks. Many were shaken until they coughed blood and staggered backward, their auras growing weaker and weaker as they neared their limits.

"Hold on, everyone!" Ximen Qing's roar pierced through the strange whispers of the incantation and rang across the heavens. "Gray Shadow and the others are stopping the puppets inside Earth. As long as we hold the outer defensive line, keep more strange energy and puppets from entering Earth, and stop more fragments from being gathered, we still have hope! Remember—behind us is Earth, the future of every living being. We must not retreat!"

"Hold the line! Never retreat!"

All the warriors roared in unison, their voices loud and resolute, drowning out the strange whispers and dispelling the fear and confusion in their hearts. Even covered in wounds, even with their energy exhausted, even as the incantation eroded them and coldness wrapped around them, they still gave everything they had to activate the lingering energy within their bodies and pour it into the defensive barrier. With their willpower and unwavering resolve, they resisted the strange energy's frenzied impacts.

Just then, the black energy in the depths of the universe abruptly stopped attacking, and the strange whispers weakened with it. The strange energy that had been gathering without end slowly receded like a tide, gradually condensing into a towering, enormous black figure. That figure was shrouded in strange energy so dense it could not be dispersed, its appearance impossible to distinguish. Only a pair of scarlet vertical pupils could be seen, radiating bone-chilling coldness and violence. The pressure emanating from it was several times greater than the Dark Sovereign at his peak, crushing the entire solar system until it shook violently. Every warrior could not help trembling all over, their energy in disarray, unable even to circulate the power within their bodies properly.

"What is that?!" Nappa's face turned deathly pale as he stared fixedly at the enormous black figure, his voice filled with shock and wariness. "Is it the true body of the strange energy? It actually condensed into form!"

Ximen Qing stared fixedly at the black figure, his eyes filled with shock and gravity. The golden-red aura within him instinctively surged violently, clashing fiercely with the strange energy emitted by that figure. A powerful impact swept through his body, forcing him to grunt and stagger back several steps as a trace of bright-red blood spilled from the corner of his mouth. He could clearly sense that the figure's aura matched the Black Altar's fluctuations perfectly, and that it contained a dense, ancient aura of deathly stillness. It was obvious—it was the Black Altar's guardian, one of the masterminds controlling the strange energy and the puppets. Its terror far surpassed that of the Dark Sovereign.

"It isn't the true body of the strange energy," Ximen Qing said, his voice hoarse and trembling but carrying a trace of certainty. "It's the Black Altar's guardian, one of the masterminds behind all this. Its power comes from the Black Altar and those strange fragments. Its purpose is to gather every fragment, draw upon the Twinborn Token's energy, activate the Black Altar, and complete that terrifying sacrifice!"

The black figure seemed to understand Ximen Qing's words. Its scarlet vertical pupils shifted slightly, locking onto the defensive line outside the atmosphere before it let out a strange, piercing howl. That howl could not possibly have come from any living creature. Cold, violent, and deafening, it carried the momentum to destroy heaven and earth as it echoed throughout the universe. Under the force of that howl, the defensive barrier shook violently again. Cracks raced across its surface, dense as a spiderweb, and it nearly shattered completely.

After the howl, the black figure slowly raised its enormous hand. A dense mass of black energy rapidly condensed in its palm. It was purer and more powerful than the strange energy around it, radiating bone-chilling coldness and deathly stillness. Wherever it passed, space itself decayed and collapsed, while even starlight was instantly swallowed. It formed into a black pillar of energy and smashed viciously toward the defensive barrier outside the atmosphere with world-destroying force.

"Not good! Reinforce the barrier!" Ximen Qing's face changed sharply as he roared, desperately activating the energy within his body. Together with Son Gohan, Nappa, and every warrior of the support squad, he poured all their remaining energy into the defensive barrier. The golden-red barrier flared brilliantly as it stubbornly resisted the black energy's attack. The two forces collided violently, erupting in dazzling light. The piercing energy roar was deafening, and the entire solar system shook violently as though it were about to be destroyed.

Bang—!

The black energy slammed into the defensive barrier. A deafening boom resounded through the universe as the barrier shook violently. The cracks on its surface instantly spread across the entire shield, dense as a spiderweb. Its golden-red light dimmed rapidly, nearly extinguishing completely. Countless warriors were blasted into coughing blood by the energy impact and staggered backward. Many collapsed unconscious on the spot, their auras faint to the extreme. The defensive barrier was already on the brink of shattering. At any moment, it could break completely, allowing the strange energy to breach the line.

Ximen Qing gritted his teeth hard, his entire body shaking violently. The meridians inside him were already on the verge of rupturing, and blood continuously rose in his throat, soaking his clothes. Yet he still did not give up. He desperately activated the final power of his spiritual veins, nourishing his damaged meridians as he squeezed out every trace of remaining energy and injected it into the defensive barrier. In his mind, the image of the Black Altar surfaced clearly once again—the fragments at its center, the kneeling puppets, the obscure incantation, and the scarlet vertical pupils of that black figure. They intertwined together, making his mind tremble, yet also strengthening his resolve to hold the line—he could not let them succeed.

"We can't lose!" Ximen Qing's roar carried a hint of despair, yet it also rang with defiance. "If the barrier breaks, the strange energy and puppets will invade Earth, the Twinborn Token will be taken, and the altar will be activated. The entire universe will fall into eternal darkness and deathly stillness! We have to hold on. Even if we fight until our last trace of energy is gone, even if we fight until only one of us remains, we must hold this line! We must protect the last hope of every living being!"

Hearing Ximen Qing's roar, Son Gohan, Nappa, and all the surviving warriors burst forth with defiant light in their eyes. Even though they were covered in wounds and their auras were weak, even though they were near unconsciousness and their meridians were rupturing, they still gave everything they had to activate the last trace of energy left within them and pour it into the defensive barrier. Golden-red light rose once more. Though faint, it was incomparably steadfast as it resisted the black energy's corrosion and engaged the black figure in a stalemate that would decide the survival of all life in the universe.

Meanwhile, deep within Earth, Gray Shadow led the warriors in a desperate battle against the black puppets. The puppets' bodies were twisted and their faces hideous. They did not fear pain or know fatigue, charging toward the Twinborn Token's location like crazed demons. Gray Shadow and the warriors fought desperately to stop them. Shadow energy and golden-red energy intertwined and collided, while blood stained every corner of Earth. Though the warriors fought with all their strength and feared no death, the puppets continued to grow in number and strength. Gradually, they fell into a disadvantage. Casualties continued to mount, and they were nearly unable to hold on any longer.

In the depths of space, the black figure continued driving the strange energy forward, battering the defensive barrier without pause. The barrier's light grew ever dimmer, its cracks ever deeper, as though it might shatter completely at any time. Inside Earth, the puppets pressed forward step by step, while Gray Shadow and the warriors stood at the brink of despair amid heavy casualties. Outside the atmosphere, Ximen Qing and the others were covered in wounds and exhausted of energy. Every time they activated their power, they had to endure pain as if their meridians were being torn apart. Yet they still held the line without the slightest thought of retreat.

The strange whispers sounded again, clearer and more bizarre than before, like death-bringing curses wrapping around every warrior's ears. The Black Altar's fluctuations grew stronger and stronger. The strange fragments scattered across various places still responded to one another, rapidly gathering toward the Twinborn Token's location. An even harsher and more terrifying struggle had entered its most intense stage. Ximen Qing and his companions were trapped in a desperate situation, attacked from within and without, but they did not retreat in the slightest. They could only give everything they had and press forward without hesitation, using their perseverance and courage to fight the unknown darkness and strangeness, protecting the final thread of hope for all living beings.

Ximen Qing looked at the towering, terrifying black figure in the depths of the universe, then thought of Gray Shadow and the warriors trapped in desperate straits inside Earth. A trace of final resolve flashed through his eyes. He slowly raised his palm. The golden-red aura and spiritual vein power inside his body intertwined and burned wildly, while a force even more powerful than before quietly gathered within him—he knew clearly that if he wanted to hold the line, save Earth, and stop the altar from activating, he would have to pay any price. Even if he had to burn his own spiritual veins, even if it cost him his life, he had to drive back the guardian before him, support his companions within Earth, and preserve this final thread of hope.