Blood Armor Clone Demonic Array Traps Enemy, Sky Burning Smashes Evil Lord Escapes

The three demonic shadow clones dove down at once, crimson demonic energy wrapped in bone-chilling yin winds. Three Demonic Origin Burst Cannons fired in unison, hurtling straight toward the three men on the sea.

"Good!"

Goku shouted and took the lead against the leftmost clone. Triple fission energy condensed around his fist, deep-blue motes bursting forth inch by inch as he met the Demonic Origin Cannon head-on. With a boom, a shockwave exploded outward. Goku was blasted back thirty feet, but he steadied himself after crushing two waves beneath his feet. The demonic shadow clone, meanwhile, had also been forced back several feet, faint light flickering across its demonic armor.

"Seventy percent of my strength is enough!" Fighting spirit blazed in Goku's eyes. His figure flashed as he charged forward, fist shadows layering upon one another, every strike carrying the heavy, forceful power of triple fission. The demonic shadow clone's moves were identical to Piccolo's, its fists steeped in baleful energy and its palm winds bone-eroding. But it was ultimately only a clone, far less precise than the original in its control of energy. After more than ten exchanges, Goku had figured out its patterns. His movements abruptly quickened, and he circled to the clone's rear flank before driving a heavy punch into a gap in the demonic armor around its waist and ribs.

Bang!

A section of the demonic armor caved in. The clone staggered forward, and before it could turn around, Goku's Kamehameha was already closing in on its back.

"Triple Fission, break!"

Deep-blue motes detonated. Demonic energy scattered from half the clone's shoulder as it stumbled toward the sea.

The middle demonic shadow clone faced Krillin. It opened with a barrage of Demonic Origin Bullets that filled the sky, dense as a sudden downpour. Krillin darted nimbly through the rain of shots, three Molten-Cutting Energy Blades spinning around his fingertips, blocking at times and launching surprise attacks at others. Though the demonic shadow clone's attacks were fierce, they could never so much as touch the corner of Krillin's clothes. Instead, the tracking energy blades repeatedly slashed its limbs, sending fragments of demonic armor fluttering down.

"Is running all you can do?!" the clone roared, bringing its hands together and firing a thick Demonic Origin Cannon straight at him.

Krillin neither dodged nor retreated. The energy at his fingertips suddenly spun, and a palm-sized energy disc rapidly formed. It was several times thicker than an ordinary energy blade, with flames dancing around its edge.

"Energy Disc: Molten-Cutting Core!"

The energy blade met the Demonic Origin Cannon and forcibly carved the beam apart down the middle. Without losing momentum, it slashed straight at the clone's face. The clone's expression changed in shock as it hurriedly twisted aside, but its left ear was still sliced off, demonic energy gushing from the wound.

"Damn it!" The clone covered its wound and retreated, its aura already noticeably weaker.

On the battlefield to the right, Yamcha and the demonic shadow clone were locked in an even fight. Two figures flashed rapidly over the sea, leaving countless afterimages that made it impossible to tell real from false. The clone's demonic shadow movement technique was unpredictable and bizarre, while Yamcha's shadow-hiding art was equally masterful. The sounds of colliding fists rose one after another, yet neither true body could be identified.

"Let's see how long you can stay hidden!" the clone roared, demonic energy exploding from its body as it tried to force out Yamcha's true form.

But just as the demonic energy spread, several afterimages converged at once. Yamcha's true body silently appeared behind the clone, the explosive flame power on his fist condensed to its limit as he smashed it brutally into the clone's back.

"Wolf Fang Fist: Explosive Flame Pierces the Heart!"

The fist force pierced the demonic armor, and fiery energy exploded inside its body. The clone spat out a mouthful of black blood and was hurled forward several yards. Spiderweb cracks split across the back of its demonic armor, and its aura weakened drastically.

In just moments, all three clones had fallen completely into a disadvantage. Goku and the others fought more fiercely with every exchange, the results of their month of grueling training in the volcanic deep sea fully on display. Whether in the density of their energy or the sophistication of their techniques, they far surpassed their former selves.

Yet in the central battlefield, the duel between Qi Tian and Piccolo's main body remained deadlocked.

Piccolo was clad in crimson Demonic Origin Blood Armor. Every punch he threw carried blood-fiend energy capable of corroding all things, his Demonic Origin Burst Flow pushed to its limit, his fists moving so fast they dragged out several crimson afterimages. But whenever his heavy blows landed within Qi Tian's thirty-meter aura domain, they seemed to sink into a mire. Their force was stripped away layer by layer, leaving less than thirty percent by the time they reached Qi Tian's body, while the aura's recoil left Piccolo's arms numb.

"What kind of absurd defense is this?!" Piccolo gritted his teeth and launched a furious assault. His fists landed again and again, yet achieved little, leaving him both shocked and enraged. After a month of secluded cultivation, his demonic arts had reached completion. He had thought himself capable of contending with Qi Tian, only to find that his opponent's defenses were several times more terrifying than before.

"The blood-fiend energy of the demon race is somewhat purer than ordinary demonic energy." Qi Tian's tone was calm as he slightly raised his right hand. A wisp of black-gold flame flickered at his fingertips. "Unfortunately, it is still an evil and sinister thing."

Before his words had even faded, he struck with his palm. Divine Origin Heaven-Burning Flame clung to the palm print, and the black-gold imprint, carrying scorching heat, shot straight toward Piccolo.

Piccolo's pupils contracted. He pushed his Demonic Origin Blood Armor to its limit, blood-red light surging from his chest as he forcibly took the strike head-on.

Boom—

Crimson and black-gold light exploded simultaneously. Piccolo was blasted back dozens of yards, a charred patch appearing across the demonic armor on his chest as cracks spread outward. Divine Origin Heaven-Burning Flame seared inward through those cracks, throwing his demonic origin into waves of disorder.

"It specifically counters demon energy..." Piccolo clutched his chest, wariness filling his scarlet eyes. He finally understood why Android 17 and Android 18 had lost so quickly. This strange black-gold flame was the nemesis of all evil and sinister energy.

"Clones, return to formation! Form the array!"

Piccolo gave a fierce shout. The three clones still entangled with Goku and the others simultaneously withdrew, transforming into three streaks of bloody light as they swept back and took positions around Piccolo—front, back, left, and right. The four figures raised their hands at once. Crimson demonic energy gathered and intertwined, forming a massive blood-red formation diagram in the air, its baleful aura soaring into the heavens.

"Four Symbols Demon Blood Array!"

The formation diagram rotated as four streams of Demonic Origin power converged at its center, condensing into a blood-red pillar of light as thick as a water vat. Carrying an aura of destruction, it blasted straight down at the people below. Wherever the pillar passed, seawater instantly evaporated, and even the air sizzled as it was corroded.

"Together!"

Goku shouted, bringing his hands together and unleashing his Triple Fission Kamehameha at full power. Krillin hurled out his largest Molten-Cutting Energy Disc, while Yamcha condensed all his explosive flame fist force into a single fist beam. The three attacks shot into the sky simultaneously to meet the crimson pillar.

Boom—!

The thunderous impact shook sea and sky. The three attacks collided with the pillar, but after only a few breaths of stalemate, they were steadily forced back. Goku and the others turned pale, their blood and energy churning. The illusory yet real demon blood-fiend aura surged back along their energy, causing stabbing pain in their meridians.

Just as the pillar was about to crush down upon them, a black-gold figure shot into the sky.

Qi Tian formed seals with both hands. Divine Origin Heaven-Burning Flame frantically gathered before him, eventually transforming into a black-gold fire dragon more than thirty meters long. The fire dragon raised its head and roared as it met the crimson pillar.

Sizzle—

The sound of flame burning demonic energy was piercingly harsh. Like snow beneath a blazing sun, the crimson pillar rapidly melted away. After smashing through the pillar, the fire dragon continued onward and plunged straight into the Four Symbols Demon Blood Array. The formation diagram shattered instantly. The three demonic shadow clones screamed simultaneously as the demonic armor around their bodies ignited, their demonic energy rapidly dispersing.

"No!"

Piccolo cried out in alarm, trying to recall the clones, but it was already too late. Goku and the other two seized the opportunity and attacked at once. The Triple Fission Kamehameha, the Molten-Cutting Energy Disc, and the Explosive Flame Heart-Piercing Fist struck the three clones simultaneously.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three explosions rang out in succession. The three demonic shadow clones completely collapsed, turning into demonic energy that filled the sky before being burned utterly clean by Divine Origin Heaven-Burning Flame.

Piccolo's main body suffered backlash as well. He spat out a large mouthful of black blood, and his crimson demonic armor dimmed by more than half. Looking at the unharmed Qi Tian, then at Goku and the others, whose auras were chaotic but whose fighting spirit remained, he felt a sense of helplessness for the first time.

With his clones destroyed and his main body injured, continuing the fight meant certain defeat.

"I refuse to accept this..." Piccolo ground his teeth, demonic blood boiling throughout his body. "I am the supreme ruler of the demon race!"

He suddenly bit the tip of his tongue and spat out a mouthful of his life-bound demon blood. The blood merged into the armor around him, instantly turning it as dark as cinnabar. Piccolo's aura surged explosively as he activated a forbidden demon-race art—the Blood-Burning Secret Technique.

"Qi Tian, even if it costs me my cultivation, I'll drag you down with me!"

Piccolo blurred, his speed multiplying severalfold as he appeared before Qi Tian in an instant. His fists, wrapped in burning demonic blood, hammered out madly. Every punch carried the force of mutual destruction, and the bloody baleful aura was so dense it was nearly tangible.

Qi Tian's gaze narrowed slightly as he drove his golden protective aura to its limit. His thirty-meter aura domain shrank to within a meter, pushing its defense to the utmost. The sounds of fists and palms colliding fell as densely as raindrops. The sea was shaken into towering waves, and the waters for miles around began to boil.

Under the Blood-Burning Secret Art, Piccolo's combat power surged by thirty percent. Every move was a desperate gamble, and for a time, he actually pressed Qi Tian back. Yet Qi Tian remained as steady as a mountain, alternating between dispersing force with his aura and rebounding the attacks, while the Divine Origin Heaven-Burning flames waited for openings and continuously scorched Piccolo's demonic essence.

After a hundred exchanges, Piccolo's aura began to decline. The side effects of the Blood-Burning Secret Art were immense; it could not be sustained for long.

"It's time to end this."

Qi Tian spoke calmly. His left hand closed around empty air, and several black-gold chains materialized out of nowhere—the Divine Origin Bind: Heaven-Burning Chains. The chains pierced through the bloody baleful aura and precisely wrapped around Piccolo's limbs, waist, and abdomen. Flames spread along the chains, wildly burning the source of his demonic essence.

"Ah—!"

Piccolo let out a pained roar and struggled with all his might, but the Divine Origin chains only tightened further. Heaven-Burning flames invaded his meridians, and his demonic essence scattered at a visible rate.

"I won't lose... Never!"

Ferocity flashed in Piccolo's eyes. The demonic essence around his body suddenly contracted inward, then exploded with a thunderous boom.

"Demonic Essence Self-Destruction!"

Terrifying scarlet energy swept outward, forcefully crushing a massive depression into the sea. The blast loosened the Divine Origin chains slightly, and Piccolo seized the chance to break free. Turning into a faint streak of blood-red light, he fled toward the mountains in the west without looking back.

"Qi Tian, I'll remember this debt! The day I fuse with the demon clan's origin will be the day Turtle Hermit Island is flattened!"

His cold voice drifted back from afar. Piccolo's aura rapidly receded, weakened to the extreme.

Goku leaped forward to give chase, but Qi Tian raised a hand to stop him.

"No need to chase him. He burned his blood and self-destructed; his origin has already been damaged. He won't pose much of a threat for a while."

Goku landed reluctantly. "It's such a shame to just let him get away."

Krillin panted, with traces of bloody baleful aura still clinging to his shoulder before he forced them out with his ki. "That guy's much stronger than before. If he really went all out, the three of us together wouldn't be his match."

Yamcha nodded in agreement, looking at Qi Tian with admiration. If Qi Tian had not stepped in, they might truly have fallen here today.

After everyone had sorted themselves out, they set off back to Turtle Hermit Island.

On the small boat, Qi Tian stood at the bow, extending his Divine Origin senses into the distance. Deep within the mountains, Piccolo's aura lay dormant in the deepest part of a cave—weak yet tenacious, clearly recovering slowly. Beneath the desert, the energy fluctuations from Dr. Gero's laboratory were unusually violent. A brand-new aura, somewhere between biological and mechanical, was rapidly growing. It was Cell.

And in the depths of space, the two Saiyan auras had drawn closer still, their savage pressure growing ever clearer.

Only five months remained until their arrival on Earth.

"Five months..." Qi Tian murmured.

Though Piccolo had been defeated, he was not dead and would surely become a grave threat in the future. Dr. Gero's Cell project was progressing steadily, carrying even greater unknown risks. Added to the approaching Saiyans, the threefold pressure made time increasingly urgent.

"After we return, we'll raise the intensity of training another level." Qi Tian turned to look at the three people meditating and regulating their breath inside the cabin. "Next, we'll aim for the fourth-stage fission of the ki core. Our bodies will need to rise another level as well."

Goku's eyes flew open, filled with excitement. "Good! I've wanted to try the fourth-stage fission for a long time!"

In the underground laboratory beneath the desert, Dr. Gero stared at the spherical cultivation chamber, the corners of his mouth stretching into a sickly smile.

Inside the chamber, Cell's insect-like form had begun to take shape. His dark green shell glinted with a metallic sheen, and the tip of his tail twitched faintly. Vast amounts of battle data were being injected into him, including Goku's ki core fission, Piccolo's demon clan secret arts, and Qi Tian's Divine Origin Heaven-Burning and aura-based force dispersal. All of it was being analyzed and fused.

"Soon... very soon..." Dr. Gero stroked the glass of the cultivation chamber, his voice hoarse with excitement. "Once you break out of your cocoon and absorb the cells of every powerful fighter, you'll become the ultimate life-form—the strongest in the universe!"

Inside the cultivation chamber, Cell's eyes snapped open, and a faint dark-red gleam flashed past.

On Turtle Hermit Island, a new round of grueling training was about to begin.

Everyone knew the storm was gathering faster and faster, and there would be no more room for testing the waters in the next clash.