Chapter 70 — Shock
On the yacht
"Oh my, what an extraordinary mortal!" Whis said, momentarily setting down his dessert spoon as his gaze lifted toward the sky. "He's managed to awaken a state of battle even most gods can't maintain. But…"
Whis's usually cheerful tone grew serious, his staff reflecting the light of Lin Hao's silver aura above. "This Ultra Instinct… it's not complete. It's only the Sign an incomplete version of the true Ultra Instinct."
After several moments of close observation, Whis's divine senses confirmed it. Lin Hao's aura lacked the tranquil perfection that came from full mastery the silver energy flickered slightly, showing instability. He was indeed in Ultra Instinct Sign, the initial stage where instinct guides the body but the heart has not yet reached divine stillness.
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High above the sky
Beerus's violet energy sphere streaked through the air like a meteor, but Lin Hao's body didn't even flinch. Without conscious thought, his muscles moved on their own his head tilted, his body shifted, and the blast swept past harmlessly. His body, guided purely by instinct, instantly repositioned itself behind Beerus, using the subtle flow of movement Whis had once demonstrated to Goku during their sparring.
"Don't think… just move," Lin Hao murmured softly to himself. "Let your body react before your mind does. That's the essence of this power."
He closed his eyes briefly, his breathing calm, letting his senses stretch beyond sight. His awareness expanded until every ripple of energy, every flicker of Beerus's aura, was clear to him.
Beerus froze for a heartbeat, surprised that his attack had completely missed. A growl escaped his throat as he spun around, golden eyes flashing with disbelief. He wouldn't accept being toyed with by a mortal.
With a swipe of his clawed hand, he unleashed another burst of energy, his movement faster than lightning. The sheer force of his power distorted the space around him, his energy roaring like a purple storm.
But Lin Hao's form blurred, shifting aside effortlessly. In less than a blink, he was several meters away, standing casually as if nothing had happened.
Beerus's pupils narrowed. "What?! That's Ultra Instinct? He's evading my attacks without even trying!"
Though Beerus had glimpsed the technique before, seeing it performed by a mortal unsettled him deeply. He remembered how Whis once said that Ultra Instinct separates thought from motion allowing the body to act with divine autonomy. And yet, this human this Saiyan was doing it.
Lin Hao raised a hand, curling his fingers in a teasing gesture. "What's wrong, Lord Beerus? Can't land a single hit?"
"Damn you!" Beerus snarled, purple ki flaring violently around him. "You think you can mock a God of Destruction?!"
His power exploded outward, shaking the entire atmosphere. In a flash, he vanished and reappeared in front of Lin Hao in less than a tenth of a second.
"Let me show you the true might of a God of Destruction!"
His fists blurred into motion, each strike carrying destructive intent capable of erasing planets. The sky filled with shockwaves and rippling energy, every punch aimed precisely but each time, Lin Hao's figure shimmered and slipped away, leaving only afterimages behind.
The air echoed with the sound of rapid strikes.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Every hit from Beerus struck empty air. Lin Hao's movements flowed like water smooth, natural, unforced.
Beerus's expression twisted into frustration. "What the hell is going on?!" he growled inwardly. No matter how he increased his speed or poured in more divine power, Lin Hao's body always moved just ahead of each strike as though the universe itself whispered the next move to him.
Beerus roared in anger, his ki flaring brighter. Yet even with all his destructive force, not a single blow connected.
Even so, Beerus refused to accept defeat. His pride as a God of Destruction would not allow him to yield to a mortal. With a deep growl, he blurred through the air again and again, fists glowing with destructive energy. According to his understanding, even Ultra Instinct had flaws no being could maintain that serene state forever. The moment Lin Hao's focus wavered or his stamina dropped, that would be his chance to strike back.
But after several minutes of relentless combat, Beerus still couldn't touch him. Every blast of Hakai energy, every sudden feint, every tail swipe Lin Hao avoided them all. His movements were natural, seamless, like ripples in still water. To Beerus, Lin Hao's version of Ultra Instinct seemed almost too perfect. No matter which direction he attacked from, Lin Hao's body flowed around the blows as if the universe itself guided his motion.
"Tch!" Beerus clicked his tongue in frustration. "I said, you can't win by just dodging forever!"
"I've seen your speed," Lin Hao replied calmly, his silver-gray eyes glinting faintly. "But now, let me understand how my Ultra Instinct attacks really perform."
Beerus took several steps back, his golden eyes narrowing. He could tell Ultra Instinct was more than just a defensive form. Though he had never trained in it himself, he knew from Whis's demonstrations that true Ultra Instinct also carried divine precision in offense every counterattack perfectly efficient and without wasted motion.
"Attack? Hmph, so you're done running," Beerus smirked.
"To be honest," Lin Hao said, flexing his fingers and tightening his fists, "this is my first time using this form seriously. I want to see just how strong it really is. So, Beerus, be my test."
"Hah! You've been on the defensive long enough," Beerus growled, his aura igniting into violet flames. "Show me!"
Lin Hao's expression didn't change. "Alright… then I'll start."
In the next instant, Lin Hao's body flashed. A sonic boom echoed through the sky the sheer speed made him vanish from sight. All that remained was an afterimage where he once stood. In the blink of an eye, Lin Hao reappeared right in front of Beerus, his silver aura flaring, and threw a devastating punch.
Beerus barely had time to react. His instincts screamed danger, but before his body could move, Lin Hao's fist connected squarely with his chest.
"BOOM!"
The shockwave split the clouds. Beerus's body shot backward like a cannonball, tumbling through the air before he steadied himself, clutching his chest with wide eyes.
"This guy's power… it skyrocketed!" Beerus thought, shocked. He had assumed Lin Hao's Ultra Instinct merely enhanced his speed and awareness, not his physical might. But that punch sharp, efficient, and heavy felt as if every atom of Lin Hao's body had been focused into a single strike.
Lin Hao looked down at his glowing hand, the air crackling faintly around it. "Even though this is the incomplete Ultra Instinct," he murmured, "its reaction speed, power, and defense are already beyond mortal limits. I wonder… what would true, perfected Ultra Instinct feel like?"
Beerus's expression darkened. "Don't get cocky, mortal. That form may look divine, but it's still flawed."
"Then come and test that theory," Lin Hao said lightly.
"Hmph… gladly." Beerus vanished, his body flickering faster than lightning.
"BANG!"
This time, Beerus's counterattack struck Lin Hao square in the chest, sending him crashing backward hundreds of meters. The impact rippled through the atmosphere like thunder. Lin Hao flipped midair and landed on his feet, clutching his chest briefly.
"Heh… so I can be hit," he admitted with a grin. "Guess I'm still not dodging perfectly."
He analyzed the sensation quickly. Ultra Instinct allowed his body to react automatically, but only within the limits of his physical speed and perception. When an opponent's speed momentarily exceeded his reaction threshold, that divine instinct faltered. It wasn't true mastery yet, it was still the unstable, instinctive Omen state Whis once described to Goku.
"Still," Lin Hao said quietly, feeling the ache fade as his aura stabilized, "for an incomplete form, this much is already incredible."
Beerus straightened, purple lightning sparking across his form. "You're still standing after taking a direct hit from me. Not bad… most mortals would've been reduced to dust."
His sharp eyes narrowed slightly as he analyzed Lin Hao's aura. "Your durability's unreal. That punch should've crushed your ribs at least."
Lin Hao smirked faintly, silver light shimmering across his skin. "Guess I'm built differently."
Beerus's tail swayed behind him, his expression half amused, half annoyed. "Heh. You're not like those Saiyans I've fought before… You're something else entirely."
The two stared each other down, divine auras flaring silver against violet each preparing for the next clash that would shake the heavens.
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