Planet Sena
"So what? Leaving already?"
"Spare us! Please, spare us we surrender!" Rosa collapsed to his knees, begging desperately. He'd rather rot in a Galactic Patrol cell than vanish like Rona, not even leaving ashes behind.
"I already told you this ends one of two ways. Either I kill you, or you kill me. I'm not done playing yet. Besides, how many times have you heard the same begging before? Countless people on their knees, begging for their lives. Did you ever spare them?" Gohan's voice was cold.
"Damn it! Why won't you let us go?! They were nobodies ants! This universe births millions every day. What's wrong with us brothers having a little fun?!" Ropa roared, unwilling.
"Useless reasoning," Gohan snorted, then glanced skyward. "Hey, Merus, if I just finish them here, it doesn't go against Patrol regulations, right?"
"What do you mean 'just kill them'? Clearly they resisted arrest and you defended yourself. Sounds like self-defense to me." Merus feigned ignorance, wearing an exaggeratedly innocent look.
The truth was, Merus loathed the Evil Trio as much as anyone. If not for angelic restrictions, he'd have wiped them out himself long ago. Even as a trainee angel, he was still bound by rules though far less tightly than Whis.
"Heh, got it, Merus."
Gohan turned back toward the brothers.
"Don't get cocky! Killing us won't be so easy. Little brother, we fight!" Rosa barked.
"Yes, big brother!"
Ropa pressed his fingers to his temples. "Gura… Sara… Gurasara…"
A strange incantation spilled from his lips, and suddenly a wave of invisible psychic energy washed over Gohan.
"Great. Black magic now?" Gohan muttered as his head swam.
Rosa seized the moment, releasing a pink aura that enveloped Gohan's mind.
Instantly, visions filled his eyes countless beautiful women appearing all around him.
"Come… enjoy yourself…"
Black stockings, white stockings, silk, lace… every variety.
"Heh. A young, hot-blooded man, I don't believe you can resist my Enchanting Illusion!" Rosa smirked, flooding his aura deeper into Gohan's mind.
Ropa reinforced the attack with raw psychic force, making it impossible for Gohan to focus.
The truth revealed itself their unique abilities. One with phantasmic seduction, the other with mental assaults. No wonder one lusted after every female and the other craved brains their powers shaped their very vices.
"How bizarre… a male with an enchantment skill?" Merus muttered, curious but unconcerned. Even if Gohan died here, Merus could simply rewind time.
Gohan's eyes clenched shut, his brows furrowed tight.
"Big brother… isn't your skill supposed to make people feel good? Then why does his face look so… unhappy?" Ropa asked, confused.
"No idea… maybe he's… inexperienced? No way. Keep pushing!" Rosa doubled down, pumping more energy into the illusion.
In the past, their synergy had been flawless Ropa locking targets with psychic force, Rosa trapping them in illusions, and Rona delivering the kill. Even in large battles, the combo let them escape unscathed.
But with Rona dead, the weakness was clear: while using their powers, they were immobilized themselves. They couldn't attack or flee.
If Gohan broke free… they were finished.
And then.
FLASH!
Gohan's eyes snapped open, blazing with ki. His aura surged outward, blasting Rosa's pink haze to tatters.
"No...he broke free?!" Rosa's voice trembled.
Ropa vomited blood, his psychic backlash crippling him.
"You, using seduction magic on me? Fine. Filling my head with women? Fine. But do you not realize, I'm still a kid?! Don't you know I haven't even finished developing yet?! Do you have any idea how painful it is to be shown what you can't have?! Damn you!!"
Rage boiled out of Gohan.
WHAM! WHAM! SLAP SLAP SLAP!
He lunged at Rosa, unleashing a savage beating. Open-palm slaps cracked across Rosa's face, teeth scattering, blood spraying.
Ropa collapsed beside them, either fainted or faking it.
"Merus, I don't want to kill this one anymore. I just thought of something much worse… a punishment he'll never escape." Gohan's eyes gleamed with mischief.
"Oh? Suit yourself," Merus said flatly.
As for Ropa whether faint or feigning Gohan simply blasted him into dust.
"Let's head back, Merus. But do me a favor can you seal away his charm ability, but leave the shapeshifting intact?" Gohan asked.
"Hm? And why would you want that?" Merus frowned.
"You'll see soon enough."
Merus shrugged. "Simple enough." He touched Rosa with a glowing fingertip. The pink aura was sucked back into Rosa's body and sealed deep in his abdomen. His injuries worsened, his transformation undone, revealing his true form.
To Gohan's surprise, Rosa's natural features were delicate smooth skin, attractive by human standards. If not for the Adam's apple and the rather large appendage at his waist, he could've passed for a woman.
"Pah! Pervert! You're in for it now. Let's go." Gohan hauled him toward the ship.
Merus placed a hand on his shoulder, and in a blink, they returned to Galactic Patrol HQ.
Mission Hall
"Captain Merus, you're back?!" the receptionist gasped with delight.
"Yes. Submitting the mission." Merus uploaded the combat footage.
"Wonderful… cousin, you can rest easy now…" she whispered, eyes misty.
"Gohan, you still haven't said why you insisted on bringing him back alive," Merus prodded.
"Tell me, big brother do we have any inmates with… similar tastes to him?" Gohan asked, eyes glinting.
Merus blinked, then his face twisted with realization. "Kid… there's something wrong with you."
"Preferably male inmates." Gohan added casually.
"…Cough. Fine, follow me."
Half an hour later, they arrived at a peculiar prison block. Though filled with men, the air rang with unspeakable noises.
"You're really going through with this?" Merus asked.
"Evil meets evil. This is the punishment he deserves," Gohan said firmly.
Merus muttered nothing. If he hadn't heard Gohan's rant after breaking free of the illusion, he might've thought the kid was just being vindictive.
"Captain Merus, here for interrogation?" a deputy warden scurried over.
"No. I'm delivering a prisoner."
"This one? Heh… looks nice and fresh," the warden's eyes gleamed unnervingly.
"Take him. I'm done here," Merus said sharply, clearly disgusted.
"Here, he's all yours!" Gohan dumped Rosa at his feet. Even Gohan noticed something "off" about the man.
"Thank you, Captain Merus. Leave it to me."
Deputy Warden's Office
Rosa slowly regained consciousness.
"Wh… where is this? Who are you? Wait, no! Don't come closer, NO!!"
His screams of mingled pain and pleasure echoed down the halls, leaking beyond the prison walls.
Outside, Merus and Gohan both shivered involuntarily, quickening their pace away.
"Kid… next time, don't drag me into something like this. If you know people here, bring it yourself."
"Never again… that was terrifying," Gohan admitted, face pale.