It had been almost two hours since Whitley and the others had arrived in the future timeline and started their battle with Cell MAX.
And Dr. Hedo, who had been crying like a two-hundred-pound child over his heartbreak, had finally calmed down a little. At the very least, he was no longer clinging to his communicator, sobbing to the two Gamma androids about his shattered "young heart."
Although he still looked a little listless, he was at least able to sit quietly at the side and watch the battle between the others and Cell MAX.
Whitley was currently sitting on the edge of a tall building. No. 21, as his personal little maid, was standing diligently behind him, kneading his back and shoulders with her small, fair hands with just the right amount of force.
And during this time, she would even, while Whitley wasn't paying attention, quickly lower her head and plant a small "smack" of a kiss on his handsome profile, and then immediately blush and pretend that nothing had happened.
This intimate posture, without any regard for others, was, for the lonely Dr. Hedo at the side, a continuous mental pollution!
"You two!"
Dr. Hedo finally couldn't take it anymore. He pointed at Whitley and No. 21, his voice filled with grief and indignation. "Can't you two..."
He had just started when Whitley casually glanced at him.
That gaze was calm and steady, but it made Dr. Hedo feel an invisible pressure. The accusations he had wanted to make got stuck in his throat, and his voice unconsciously weakened, turning into a slightly aggrieved mumble, "...can't you... be a little more considerate of me, a gradually wasting away... single person?"
"You? A gradually wasting away single person?"
No. 21 was already a little annoyed with Dr. Hedo for interrupting her intimacy with Whitley. Hearing his words, she immediately and unceremoniously began to mock him.
She looked Dr. Hedo's round figure up and down and sneered, "I think you mean a gradually fattening single dog, right?! you were already quite substantial before, and look at you now. How long has it been, and you feel like you've... expanded another circle? Is the food in your research institute really that good now?"
"Gr-gradually fattening? S-single dog? I... I am a gradually fattening single dog..."
Dr. Hedo was hit right in his weak spot by No. 21's precise and heart-stabbing retort. The tears he had just managed to stop began to well up in his eyes again, and he looked like he was about to have another breakdown.
"Alright, alright, it's not easy for him. Say a little less."
Whitley, seeing Dr. Hedo's "abandoned by the world" appearance, finally spoke up, reached out, and gently patted No. 21, signaling her to stop.
No. 21 obediently said "hmm" and said no more, just continued to gently massage Whitley's back.
Whitley signaled for her to take a break for a while, stood up, walked to Dr. Hedo's side, and patted his fleshy shoulder, his face wearing a seemingly gentle and comforting expression.
Dr. Hedo saw Whitley take the initiative to come over and thought his conscience had finally kicked in and he was here to comfort him. He immediately looked up, his small, hopeful eyes gazing at him, as if to say, "Quick, quick, say something nice to comfort me!"
Under Dr. Hedo's expectant gaze, Whitley smiled and said slowly in a very gentle and sincere tone, "Dr. Hedo, look, although you're still a single dog, and your figure... is indeed a bit... stout? But! you have to look on the bright side. Haven't you already successfully created such excellent androids as Gamma 1 and Gamma 2? See, when you're sad, at least you still have them to listen to you and comfort you, right? That's already pretty good."
He paused, a hint of a lonely, "it's lonely at the top" look on his face as he continued, "And then look at me... sigh, I'm different..."
Dr. Hedo was stunned by the first half of Whitley's consolation. Although he felt something was strange, when he heard Whitley say he was different, his curiosity was immediately piqued, and he quickly asked, "Different how?"
Whitley looked at him, his eyes incredibly serious as he said in a sorrowful tone, "Unlike me... I'm just surrounded by a group of ridiculously beautiful women all day. I don't even have a single good male friend to complain to or have a heart-to-heart with... sometimes, I also feel quite lonely."
Dr. Hedo: "..."
He stared blankly at Whitley, feeling his brain instantly overload!
Then he opened his mouth to say something, but found that he couldn't get a single word out.
In the end, Dr. Hedo could only let out a meaningless "…Huh?!" from his throat.
After coming to his senses, Dr. Hedo gave Whitley a look full of contempt, let out a heavy "hmph," and turned his head to the side, completely not wanting to talk to this late-stage Versailles patient anymore!
What the hell kind of consolation was that?! This was blatant showing off and a different kind of harm!
Whitley looked at Dr. Hedo's "our friendship is over" appearance and sighed softly to himself. "I was speaking the truth..."
He muttered to himself, "But why does no one believe me?"
He really missed the old days.
Ever since he had been surrounded by beautiful women of all kinds, besides Bulma, like Vados, No. 18, and No. 21, it seemed that it had been a long time since he had had a carefree get-together with friends like Goku and Vegeta, or just had a pure fight.
That kind of pure friendship and relaxation between men seemed to be getting further and further away from him.
Looking at Goku, Vegeta, and the others, who were still fighting fiercely with Cell MAX in the distance, Whitley suddenly felt a little disheartened.
This battle, which he had thought would be an exciting showdown, seemed to have more entertainment value than actual meaning for him.
He stood up, casually stretched his neck and wrists, and his joints let out a series of crisp "click" sounds.
His previously suppressed Super Saiyan form instantly erupted again!
"BOOM—!"
A golden aura, like a tangible flame, shot into the sky! The next second, his figure blurred and vanished from the spot!
At almost the same time, right above Cell MAX's huge head, Whitley's figure suddenly appeared out of thin air!
He floated in the air, his long golden hair and aura dancing in the fierce wind, his voice clearly spreading throughout the entire battlefield. "Goku! Vegeta! Everyone, listen up! I'm giving you one last minute! If you haven't dealt with this guy in one minute..."
"Not good!"
Vegeta was the first to react. His face changed instantly, and he whipped his head to look at Goku beside him.
Goku also reacted at this point. His excited expression instantly collapsed, and he kept muttering, "We're doomed, we're doomed! Whitley must think we're too slow!"
Only Trunks and Gamma 1 and 2 were a little bewildered, not quite understanding the situation.
Trunks scratched the back of his head and said with some uncertainty, "Whitley-san means... we have to defeat Cell MAX in one minute? Th-this... isn't this demand a bit too high? It's not very likely, is it?"
"You idiot!"
Vegeta immediately roared, wishing he could hit this slow-witted son on the head. "He means he's disgusted with our inefficiency! This is his ultimatum! If we can't handle this damn turtle shell in one minute, that bastard Whitley is going to step in and do it himself!!! Then we won't even have a chance to fight! Do you understand, you idiot!"
Vegeta's explanation instantly made Trunks and the two androids understand the seriousness of the situation.
And as if to confirm Vegeta's words, Whitley, who was floating high above, had already started to count down with a smile.
His voice was not loud, but his tone was clear as it reached everyone's ears. "57!"
"56!"
"55!"
...
This unhurried countdown was, for the proud Vegeta and the equally battle-loving Goku, more piercing than any sharp alarm!
For them, this was a blatant death knell! Especially for Vegeta, he did not want to experience the frustrating scene of the Tournament of Power again, where Whitley had taken on most of the strong opponents, and he could only be pushed around by Toppo at the side!
That scene was a disgrace to him for his entire life!
"Kakarot!!! You don't want to lose all face in front of that guy either, do you?!"
Vegeta roared at Goku with crimson eyes. "Give it everything you've got! Let's go together! HAH!!!!!!"
"I know! KAIO-KEN! TIMES FIVE—DAH!!!!!!"
Goku was also completely aroused!
He roared, and on top of his fiery red divine ki, a layer of violent red energy was superimposed!
This guy Goku had forcefully activated the five-times Kaio-ken!
BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!
Two terrifying auras, several times stronger than before, instantly erupted from their bodies like a tsunami!
The huge energy impact spread out from them as the center, and the entire land trembled violently, letting out a groan of being overwhelmed!
Countless rubble and metal wreckage were swept up into the sky by the violent airflow. On this ruin of East City, the end of the world had come again!
"57! 56! 55!..."
Whitley was still counting down unhurriedly, as if everything below had nothing to do with him.
This death-knell-like count made Goku and Vegeta completely crazy!
"HAH!!!! ADADADADADADADA!!!!!!"
Vegeta's Prince's Technique had reappeared!
His hands were even moving so fast they were just afterimages, rapidly swinging!
Countless golden ki blasts, as if they were free, turned into a dense rain of golden light, pouring down on Cell MAX!
The firepower was so fierce, it was insane!
Goku, on the other hand, had pushed his speed and power to the extreme with his divine form stacked with the five-times Kaio-ken!
He gritted his teeth, his figure like a red bolt of lightning, and launched a storm-like close-quarters attack around Cell MAX's massive body!
Under their nearly desperate and completely unrestrained wild assault, the previously defensively superior Cell MAX was actually, for the first time, suppressed to the point of constantly staggering backward!
Every time its huge foot landed, it would create a deep crater in the ground.
Trunks and Gamma 1 and 2, seeing this, although they were shocked by the terrifying power that Goku and Vegeta had unleashed, they were also filled with an infinite fighting spirit!
"Let's go too! Attack its lower body!"
Trunks shouted, and with his long sword in hand, he turned into a streak of blue light, specifically attacking Cell MAX's ankles and the back of its knees.
Gamma 1 and Gamma 2 also immediately adjusted their tactics. The two of them fired their arm cannons at full power, and in coordination with Trunks, they bombarded Cell MAX's support joints!
And this time, their attacks were finally no longer ineffective scratches!
Under the frontal assault of Goku and Vegeta and the fierce attack on its weak points by Trunks and the others, the previously indestructible body of Cell MAX finally began to show clear dents and cracks!
Although they were still a long way from completely defeating it, this was undoubtedly the biggest progress since the start of the battle!
Not far away, on a tall building, Dr. Hedo, seeing this, couldn't help but clench his fists in excitement.
His eyes were shining, and he muttered to himself, "So... so amazing! I never would have thought they were still hiding such great power! Maybe... maybe there really is a chance..."
Just as everyone thought that victory was in sight, suddenly! A sudden change occurred!
The massive body of Cell MAX, which had been being suppressed, suddenly stopped, all its movements instantly freezing.
Then, in the instant before Goku and Vegeta could react, countless green beams of light containing destructive energy shot out from all parts of its body without any warning!
Like an omnidirectional web of rays, it instantly covered all the space around Goku and the others!
"Whoa—!!!"
Goku, who was too far forward, was the first to be hit solidly in the stomach by a beam of light!
The powerful impact made him let out a cry of pain, and his whole body was sent flying backward like a broken kite!
Vegeta, on the other hand, with his superhuman combat intuition and speed, continuously dodged and weaved through the air, narrowly avoiding several beams of light.
But when the corner of his eye caught a beam of light shooting straight at Trunks, who had just landed and had no time to dodge, his pupils contracted sharply!
Almost without hesitation, Vegeta's figure vanished from his spot, and the next second, he had already appeared in front of Trunks!
He roared and crossed his arms in front of his chest, and his red aura instantly exploded!
"BOOM—!!!"
The beam of light viciously slammed into Vegeta's hands, producing a dazzling light and a huge roar!
Vegeta let out a muffled grunt, his body trembling violently, and the ground beneath his feet cracked inch by inch!
But he gritted his teeth and did not retreat a single step, steadily taking this fatal blow for Trunks!
"FATHER!!!"
Trunks looked at the tall and firm back that was shielding him, and his heart felt as if it had been hit by something. He couldn't help but cry out, his voice filled with shock and... an indescribable complex emotion.
Gamma 1 and Gamma 2 reacted extremely quickly. The two of them immediately abandoned their attack and nimbly weaved through the gaps in the beams of light, quickly closing in on Cell MAX's face.
The arm cannons they were equipped with were now firing at full power, bombarding its huge head, trying to buy enough time for the others!
And just then, Dr. Hedo's anxious voice came through Gamma 1 and Gamma 2's communicators. "No. 1! No. 2! Tell everyone! The monster's core weak point is in the center of the top of its head! That's its energy convergence and external command reception hub! Concentrate all firepower on that spot!!! Quick!!!"
"Yes, Doctor! I will relay it immediately!"
Gamma 2 responded without hesitation and then, through the external loudspeaker module, he loudly told everyone this crucial piece of intelligence!
Goku rubbed his slightly aching stomach, and Vegeta shook his somewhat numb arms. The two of them exchanged a look, and their fighting spirit was rekindled!
Just as they were preparing to launch a final, decisive all-out assault on Cell MAX's weak point according to Dr. Hedo's instructions—
"Time's up!"
A calm voice suddenly sounded from above the battlefield.
Whitley's figure had appeared at some unknown point between the group and Cell MAX. He was now with his back to them, facing Cell MAX's massive body.
Cell MAX also seemed to have realized the threat that Whitley posed.
It opened its giant mouth and let out a deafening roar. A huge, terrifyingly hot, bright red fireball gathered in the depths of its throat, like a small sun, and it spat it fiercely towards Whitley and the others!
"Good grief..."
Whitley couldn't help but complain as he looked at this huge fireball. "A one-trillion-degree fireball, is it? This sense of déjà vu... is getting stronger and stronger."
Faced with this terrifying attack that could melt a steel city, Whitley just casually slapped it away!
"SMACK—!"
After a light sound, the fireball, which contained a destructive energy, was as if hit by an invisible giant force. It flew back along its original path at a speed even faster than when it came, and directly smashed into Cell MAX's own chest, instantly exploding in a huge ball of fire!
"Whitley-san! Y-you... are you planning to deal with this monster by yourself?"
Trunks looked at Whitley, who was blocking their path, and asked with some disbelief.
Gamma 1 and Gamma 2 also changed their expressions upon hearing this.
They had fought so hard for so long, and in the end, did they not even have the qualification to participate in the final blow?
Only Goku's and Vegeta's reactions were different.
Goku clutched his stomach and looked at Whitley with eager eyes, his expression pitifully resentful.
Vegeta, on the other hand, directly crossed his arms and suddenly turned around, showing Whitley his back without a word.
But anyone who knew him could tell that Vegeta's current unwillingness and anger had reached its peak!
He was just forcibly holding it in and not erupting.
Whitley saw Vegeta's appearance and couldn't help but smile slightly, and then he spoke. "Don't put on that sour face, Vegeta. How about this, let's make a bet."
Hearing this, Vegeta's shoulders moved slightly, but he still did not turn back.
Whitley continued, "I'll only give myself thirty seconds for this attack. If I haven't dealt with this big guy in thirty seconds..."
He deliberately dragged out his words, and seeing Vegeta's ears clearly perk up, he said with a smile, "...then, I'll acknowledge you as my big brother! How about I call you big brother every time we meet in the future?"
Hearing this, Vegeta whipped his head back. Under Whitley's playful smile, his eyes, looking at Whitley, were filled with shock and... a hint of an imperceptible temptation!
But then he seemed to have suddenly remembered something and immediately turned his head back, his tone extremely angry. "Hmph! Despicable! You must have already known that guy's weak point to dare to make this bet with me, Vegeta! You cunning guy, Whitley! I will absolutely not fall for your trick again this time!!!"
Goku also chimed in from the side. "Yeah, yeah, Whitley, that's not fair!"
Whitley was amused by the two of them and said with a helpless laugh, "You two bastards! Fine, fine, I promise I won't attack its weak point on top of its head! The rules are still the same. If I lose, I'll acknowledge you as my big brother, Vegeta. But if you lose..."
He paused meaningfully. "...this time, it won't be something you can make up for by working at the company for a few days. So, Vegeta, do you dare to make another bet with me?"
Hearing Whitley promise not to attack the weak point, Vegeta's mind immediately began to calculate. 'That idiot Kakarot and I have been fighting for almost two hours and we still can't handle this turtle shell. This guy Whitley... thirty seconds? Without attacking the weak point? He can't possibly win?! Absolutely impossible!'
The huge temptation and the seemingly extremely high odds of winning instantly made Vegeta throw his reason to the back of his mind.
He whipped his head around and, with an arrogant expression, said loudly, "Alright! I'll bet with you! If I lose..."
He gritted his teeth and stated his wager. "...I'll go to your company and be your delivery boy for a whole year! At your beck and call!"
After saying this, the corners of Vegeta's mouth could no longer be suppressed and began to curve upwards uncontrollably.
"But! if you lose..."
Vegeta pointed at Whitley, his voice rising slightly with excitement. "...every time you see me in the future, you must respectfully address me as 'Your Highness Prince Vegeta'!!! Whitley! Do you dare to agree?!"
Whitley looked at Vegeta's "I've already seen the ending" excited appearance, stared at him for a long time, and suddenly couldn't help but let out a "pfft" of laughter.
Under Vegeta's gradually uneasy, and his smile beginning to stiffen, expression, he nodded heavily and said in a relaxed tone, "Alright! It's a deal! It's settled!"
After speaking, he no longer paid attention to the various expressions of the people behind him and flew unhurriedly towards the mountain-like Cell MAX in front of them.
"You can start the timer,"
Whitley said slowly with his back to Vegeta, his voice as calm as still water.
"Hmph! Then you'd better get ready! I'm starting!"
Vegeta looked at Whitley, who was still as unhurried as if he had victory in his grasp, and felt a little uneasy in his heart.
He suppressed the urge to go back on his word and constantly admonished himself in his heart. 'Stay calm! Vegeta! Don't be anxious! There's absolutely no way that guy can win this time! Victory... must be mine!'
He took a deep breath, suppressed his excitement, and quickly started the timer. "1—"
However, his "1" had just left his mouth, and the tail end of the sound had not yet completely dissipated into the air...
Whitley in front suddenly moved!
His movements did not look fast, and were even a little casual.
He just simply raised his right hand, formed a single palm, and aimed it at Cell MAX, who was preparing to launch another round of attacks.
There was no earth-shattering roar, no complex and flashy opening move.
At the moment his palm was aimed at the target, a beam of energy, extremely condensed, with a core that flashed with a destructive pure white light, and an outer layer that was wrapped in purple destruction divine power, as if it had broken through the limits of time and space, silently yet with a will that could end all things, suddenly shot out from his palm!
VMMMM—!!!!!!
There was no deafening explosion, only a deep and low hum, as if space itself were moaning, coming from Whitley's palm!
The next second, a scene that everyone would never forget for the rest of their lives occurred!
Starting from Whitley's palm, a beam of light that was a mixture of white and purple accurately hit Cell MAX's body.
No resistance, no explosion, no fragments!
Cell MAX's massive and incredibly hard body, which had been a problem for Goku and Vegeta, began to disintegrate inch by inch the moment it was hit by the beam of light!
At a speed that surpassed everything, it silently turned into the most basic particles and slowly dissipated into the air.
The whole process was so fast it was beyond the limits of vision!
From the moment the beam hit to Cell MAX completely disappearing, not even a speck of dust was left behind. The total time taken... was less than a second!
And only after Cell MAX had completely turned to nothing, as if it had never existed, did Whitley's calm voice, accompanied by a faint echo, slowly reach everyone's ears. "...Destruction Flash."
No heart-wrenching shout, no show-off declaration!
Only these two words, flatly echoing in this dead ruin, as if stating a simple fact.
Vegeta was still in the posture of shouting "1," his whole person frozen in place.
The expression on his face was frozen. The corner of his mouth, which had been slightly raised in anticipation of victory, now looked like a comical symbol.
What did he just see? Thirty seconds? No, not even one second!
That Cell MAX, which they had fought bitterly for nearly two hours and was virtually indestructible... was just... gone?
Faced with Whitley's teasing gaze, Vegeta raised one hand and, with an extremely serious expression, said something that made everyone, including Whitley, have a very strange expression.
Vegeta:
"I, Vegeta, swear here and now! From this day forward, if I ever make any kind of bet with this bastard Whitley again... then I, Vegeta, am a DOG!!!"
...
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