As soon as Zeltron's voice faded, the [Time Pause] attribute near Guldo's feet, along with the combat power attribute, converged like a golden stream directly toward Zeltron.
They seamlessly submerged into his body.
In the next second, the words [Time Pause] appeared boldly on the virtual ability column before Zeltron's eyes.
A surge of joy flooded Zeltron's heart.
'It feels incredible to gain an ability I want without even realizing it—like buying a lottery ticket and hitting the jackpot,' he thought with a rare smile.
Having secured the [Time Pause] skill, Zeltron's concern for the ongoing battle between Son Gohan, Krillin, and Guldo waned. Even if Vegeta were to kill Guldo in mere seconds, he would not stop him. The crucial time-stop attribute was now his.
Without hesitation, Zeltron eagerly prepared to test his new power—like someone excited to explore the features of a brand-new device.
[Time Pause]
As Zeltron held his breath, the entire world seemed to grind to a halt.
'Is this the world after time has truly stopped?' he wondered, standing and surveying his surroundings.
Son Gohan froze mid-air, the Masenko energy radiating from his hands suspended in perfect stillness.
Vegeta, Krillin, and the four members of the Ginyu Force all stood motionless.
Not just living beings—water flowed frozen, air stood still—everything in the space around him was suspended in time. Only Zeltron could move.
After a few seconds, his body began to feel uncomfortable.
The strain forced Zeltron to release the [Time Pause].
He sat back to catch his breath, and instantly, time resumed its flow outdoors—the air stirred, water rippled, Son Gohan shifted, and the Masenko shot progressed forward.
Since Zeltron had been seated before activating the pause, he remained seated afterward as well—so no one noticed that time had been stopped at all.
BOOM!
As time returned fully to "flow," Son Gohan's Masenko slammed into the ground, unleashing a powerful burst of air mixed with the crackle of an explosion.
'About five seconds,' Zeltron muttered softly, a voice only he could hear.
He had not only tested the skill but also roughly calculated the duration of the [Time Pause].
Five seconds might seem brief, but it was enough.
For masters, even a single second could decide life or death.
Moreover, five seconds was fifty times longer than Hit's famed 0.1-second time freeze.
Hit's tiny pause was devastating; imagine the possibilities with five seconds.
Of course, Zeltron's control over the time suspension was not fixed—
He could sustain it for five seconds, or release it after four, three, or even less.
To maximize its effectiveness in combat, Zeltron knew he needed to experiment constantly—applying the pause flexibly and creatively, much like Hit's lightning-fast strikes.
'With my current power and this time suspension... I wonder if I could take down a full-power Frieza?'
Zeltron clenched his fists, eyes burning with confident resolve.
While his raw power was "only" 43.15 million, with [Time Pause], it was as if Frieza simply stood there, waiting to be fought.
Of course, if Zeltron tried his strongest move too hastily, he could still be killed.
While deep in thought about Frieza, he noticed Guldo activating his Golden Binding Technique—webbing Son Gohan and Krillin together midair.
"The body… can't move!"
Krillin and Son Gohan, suspended as if nailed to wooden stakes, struggled in vain.
"Hey, don't waste your effort!"
Guldo's round face twisted into a playful grin, seeing his prey ensnared in his trap.
In the next moment, his palm shimmered—and the surrounding trees uprooted in an instant, transforming into four sharp wooden stakes aiming to pierce.
DING!
Zeltron's mind echoed with the mechanical beep of his system—a new attribute had dropped beneath Guldo.
"Host, have you acquired the [Superpower Control] attribute?" the system inquired.
Truthfully, superpowers were rarely decisive in combat, but any advantage was welcome.
Zeltron nodded firmly: "Pick it up!"
As his voice fell, the [Superpower Control] attribute spiraled from Guldo's feet into Zeltron's body.
Meanwhile, Guldo's expression turned murderous.
"Go to hell!"
Just as Guldo prepared to launch the four wooden stakes, Son Gohan and Krillin suddenly burst forward with astonishing force, crashing past Guldo.
The next instant, before the stakes could be released, Guldo's round head was severed cleanly, blood splashing into the air.
Behind Guldo stood Vegeta.
"Vegeta, you…"
Bart and Jeice's faces darkened upon seeing Gudu's sudden death.
Although they did not mourn the loss, they knew one thing clearly: Vegeta had broken the rules.
Previously, an agreement existed—the Ginyu Force would handle Son Gohan and Vegeta alone.
"Hmph! I never said I would abide by your rules." Vegeta coldly snorted after landing.
"Thank you, Vegeta-san!"
With Guldo's death, the binding on Son Gohan and Krillin immediately dissolved.
Son Gohan faced Vegeta, gratitude plain on his young face.
"Don't get me wrong—I'm not trying to save you. I just wanted to weaken their overall strength!"
Vegeta's arrogant words made Son Gohan and Krillin exchange knowing smiles.
Zeltron raised an eyebrow slightly—intrigued by the unfolding scene.