The sudden change hit like a bolt of lightning, freezing the already tense atmosphere in an instant.
Of everyone present, Hit was by far the most shocked. For the first time in a long while, the legendary assassin completely lost his composure. His eyes widened in fury, disbelief, and utter shock as he stared at the man who had broken free of the prison he had painstakingly maintained.
His feet felt rooted to the ground, yet he instinctively took a step backward, a tiny movement that betrayed the turmoil raging inside him. His entire body trembled, his pupils shaking violently.
Everything that had just happened lay completely outside his expectations, as if his belief in his own technique had suddenly collapsed.
Nearby, Super Perfect Cell watched the whole scene, the corner of his mouth twitching with obvious skepticism.
"Hey, Hit," Cell said, his sarcastic voice breaking the tense silence. "Weren't you the one who swore he couldn't move? So what's this? You really talked yourself up."
But when Cell turned fully toward Hit, intending to press the issue, he froze. Hit looked genuinely terrified.
The calm expression he always wore was gone, replaced by large beads of sweat rolling down his forehead and eyes that had lost their usual focus. For perhaps the first time, he seemed to be doubting his own abilities.
'He's completely rattled,' Cell thought. 'I can't count on him anymore. Boss is our only hope now.'
He stopped bothering with Hit altogether and turned toward Trunks.
Truthfully, the black-clad Saiyan had already caused Cell enough trouble, and while the man had been immobilized, Cell had happily gotten a little revenge. Now that the Saiyan was free, Cell suddenly felt a pang of worry.
'...He's not going to pay me back for those punches, is he?'
Swallowing nervously, Cell quietly edged behind Trunks, hoping his boss would keep him safe.
"Boss... what do we do now?"
Trunks stood perfectly still, his eyes never leaving the black-clad Saiyan for a single moment as he focused inward. Gathering every ounce of concentration, he attempted to maintain the Time Prison's power himself.
According to Hit, Trunks' mental strength was superior to his own, which meant that in theory, Trunks should have been able to take complete control of the space, perhaps even strengthening it enough to imprison the Saiyan once again.
But before he could put that thought into action, something utterly unexpected happened.
The black-clad Saiyan suddenly raised both hands, his arms trembling strangely as though being pulled by an invisible force. Then he clutched his head, an expression of unbearable agony spreading across his face as if the pain reached into his very soul.
The next moment, he completely lost control and began striking himself over and over. His fists rained down on his own head with terrifying force, as though he were desperately trying to smash the agony out of his mind. Then his hands moved to his face.
'Smack! Smack! Smack!'
He slapped himself repeatedly without mercy, the sharp sounds echoing through the silent space and sending chills down everyone's spine. It was as if he were desperately fighting against something inside his own body, some terrifying power struggling to break free.
Watching from the side, Super Perfect Cell couldn't help blurting out, "Has this guy gone completely insane?! What the hell is wrong with him?!"
Trunks frowned deeply as his mind raced. 'No... This doesn't look like someone who's lost his mind. It's more like he's desperately trying to suppress something inside himself.'
Then, without any warning, the black-clad Saiyan stopped. Just as suddenly as he had gone berserk, he returned to normal, the madness vanishing as though it had never existed. Once again, he wore that same arrogant, superior smile.
"Heh... So that's how it is. I never expected the truth to be this interesting."
There was unmistakable mockery in his voice as he looked toward Hit, the contempt in his eyes making it clear he didn't think Hit's abilities were even worth acknowledging. Then he turned to Trunks.
The atmosphere instantly grew tense again. Trunks instinctively clenched his fists and shifted into a combat stance, while Super Perfect Cell powered up, his aura flaring as he prepared for another fight.
Everyone expected the black-clad Saiyan to attack, but instead, he asked a question.
"What you were saying just now... was it true?"
His tone had completely changed. The arrogance from moments ago was gone, replaced by a calm, almost sincere voice.
The sudden shift caught everyone off guard, and even Trunks couldn't hide his confusion.
Cell frowned. "What do you mean, 'what we said'? What are you talking about? Can you be a little clearer?"
The black-clad Saiyan's expression grew serious. "I heard every word you said. I'm talking about the Tournament of Power. It sounds like something completely unexpected has happened. I just want to confirm... is it all true?"
His voice echoed through the silent battlefield. Trunks studied him carefully, and their eyes met for a brief moment before the Saiyan immediately looked away. It felt intentional, as if he were deliberately avoiding Trunks' gaze, which only made Trunks even more suspicious.
The black-clad Saiyan turned back toward Hit. "Hey. I'm talking to you. And stop beating yourself up over your technique. That little prison of yours isn't anything special, if someone's strong enough, anyone can move inside it. So stop acting like the world's ending."
The words struck straight at Hit's pride, but fortunately, after being snapped out of his daze earlier, Hit had already regained his composure. He took a deep breath.
"Yes. What we said was true. Why? Is there something you want to ask?"
The black-clad Saiyan smiled faintly. "So... it really is different from what I expected. Interesting."
He completely suppressed his aura and slowly walked toward the three of them.
"If that's the case... I'd like to see how this all plays out. It seems this Tournament of Power is hiding far more secrets than I realized, and I have no intention of staying in the dark."
As he walked, he rested one hand on his chin, lost in thought. After a few moments, he spoke again.
"In that case... I should conserve my strength. There are too many variables in this tournament, and no one knows what's going to happen next. I can't afford to waste any more energy before then."
He stopped in front of them, and looking directly at Trunks and Cell, he said something none of them had expected:
"I want to form an alliance with you."
(End Of This Chapter)
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