"Yes! I am willing!" Toppo took a deep breath and stood up, bowing deeply to the Grand Minister and Zeno. He didn't dare show even a hint of defiance. This was a command from Zeno and the Grand Minister themselves; if he refused, the consequences would be unthinkable.
"Then please, both of you, step onto the stage. We shall begin the match as soon as possible, so as not to keep Lord Zeno waiting," the Grand Minister commanded.
"This is a great opportunity, Toppo," Belmod, the God of Destruction from Universe 11, said, patting Toppo on the shoulder with a light chuckle. "That guy came to our universe with Broly and the others last time. Even though he didn't fight, he was definitely part of that provocation. We need to win back the face we lost last time through this kid. Let him know the power of Universe 11!"
"I understand, Lord Belmod. I will do my best!" Toppo nodded with a solemn expression.
In the next moment, Toppo hesitated no longer. He leaped forward, landing lightly on the stage to face Goku. The two stood about ten meters apart, an invisible pressure radiating between them. The ground of the stage began to vibrate slightly, and the atmosphere instantly turned tense.
The Grand Minister slowly flew to their side and announced the rules of the match to Goku and Toppo. "Taking the recent battle of the Gods of Destruction into account, we are adding some restrictions! To ensure Lord Zeno can see clearly, flying is prohibited, weapons are prohibited, and killing your opponent is prohibited. If you fall out of bounds, you lose the match!"
"Eh? We can't fly? Flying is a very important combat technique! If we can't fly, I won't be able to use a lot of my moves," Goku blinked, scratching his head with a look of difficulty.
"This is a request from Lord Zeno, made so the match is more direct and easier to follow," the Grand Minister nodded, his tone leaving no room for argument. "I ask for your understanding, Mr. Goku."
"Well, alright then. Since it's Zen-chan's request, I'll follow the rules," Goku shrugged helplessly, then comforted himself. "But my opponent can't fly either, so it's still fair. This will be a good way to hone my ground combat skills."
The Grand Minister said no more and flew off the stage.
"Hey, you! Goku!" Toppo suddenly spoke up, his voice filled with seriousness.
"What's up?" Goku looked at Toppo, his eyes full of confusion.
"We met in Universe 11 last time, but we never had the chance for a proper fight. This is a great opportunity, and I'm going to give it my all!" Toppo chuckled, his voice brimming with battle spirit.
"Yeah, yeah! I'm looking forward to sparring with you too!" Goku nodded with an excited smile, already starting to stretch his limbs.
"Did Broly not come?" Toppo asked suddenly.
"He didn't," Goku shook his head, answering truthfully.
"That's good," Toppo let out a long sigh of relief, as if a massive weight had been lifted from his chest. That guy Broly was simply too powerful; even Jiren was no match for him. Luckily he hadn't come, or Toppo wouldn't have even had the courage to spar.
"The second match, Goku vs. Toppo, begins now!" the Grand Minister announced loudly, his voice echoing through the entire palace.
Toppo immediately took a fighting stance, his feet shoulder-width apart and his fists held in front of his chest. He kept his eyes locked on Goku, not daring to relax for even a second.
Goku took a deep breath. Instead of transforming into a Super Saiyan, he challenged Toppo in his base form. There were no obvious energy fluctuations around him, and he looked perfectly relaxed.
"Why isn't that kid Goku transforming?" Beerus asked.
"He's likely trying to test Ultra Instinct in his base form," Whis guessed.
"Come on, Toppo," Goku called out.
"Aren't you going to transform? Or are you simply unable to?" Toppo asked with a smile.
"I'll try without transforming first," Goku replied with a slight grin.
"Then I won't hold back!" Toppo huffed and turned into a streak of light, charging rapidly toward Goku.
"Thump! Thump! Thump!"
Toppo launched a fierce assault on Goku. Goku used Ultra Instinct, nimbly dodging every single punch and kick Toppo threw his way. After attacking for quite a while without even touching Goku, Toppo began to feel a bit unsettled.
"This is so interesting! Toppo's been attacking for so long and hasn't touched Goku once. Goku's dodging is incredible!" Zeno sat on the highest platform, clapping excitedly. He kicked his feet back and forth, his eyes glued to the stage, afraid to miss even a single detail.
"My, my, it seems Mr. Goku has mastered the basic form of Ultra Instinct, allowing him to dodge attacks with such ease," the Grand Minister said with a slight smile, standing beside Zeno.
"Can mortals master Ultra Instinct too? I thought only Gods of Destruction or Angels could do it," Zeno blinked, turning to look at the Grand Minister with a look of curiosity.
"Only a very few exceptionally gifted mortals can master Ultra Instinct. It requires extremely high standards for one's personality and state of mind," the Grand Minister explained patiently. "Mr. Goku has a pure heart and keeps his mind free of distractions during battle. In many ways, he is indeed very well-suited to mastering Ultra Instinct."
"Wow, that's so cool! I want to see how much longer he can keep dodging!" Zeno clapped again, his excitement growing even more palpable, even softening the expressions of his two guards.
Toppo: "..."
Standing on the stage, Toppo felt like a clown. He was fighting seriously, yet Goku was using him as a target for dodging practice. He'd been attacking for ages and hadn't even brushed the edge of Goku's clothes. I'm over here working my tail off, and all you're doing is dodging! What's the point of fighting like this?
"Huff... huff... huff..."
Toppo panted heavily, his chest heaving and his forehead drenched in sweat. He glared at Goku with frustration and a deep sense of being slighted.
"Sorry about that. This Ultra Instinct move of mine is really hard to hit. I wasn't trying to mess with you on purpose," Goku said with a sincere smile, not showing off at all.
"Hmph! What else can you do besides dodge? Once your stamina runs out and you can't dodge anymore, you're finished!" Toppo snorted, sounding unconvinced. "I don't believe you can keep dodging forever. I'll hit you eventually!"
With that, Toppo took a deep breath and charged at Goku again, using both his fists and feet in a new round of fierce attacks. Every move carried powerful energy, trying to force Goku into a corner where he couldn't dodge.
Goku continued to dodge using the instinct of Ultra Instinct, his body as light as a willow catkin in the wind. Every one of Toppo's attacks flew past him, always missing by just a tiny fraction. Toppo was huffing and puffing, his arms starting to feel sore, yet he still couldn't touch Goku. His face grew darker and darker.
"Damn it! Has this Goku guy really mastered Ultra Instinct?" On the Universe 11 spectator stand, Belmod was starting to feel unsettled, his brow furrowing deeply. If Toppo lost, Universe 11 would lose a massive amount of face. And he'd be humiliated in front of the entire multiverse!
"It seems he's only mastered the basics; it's not the complete Ultra Instinct yet. There are still tiny pauses in his dodging every now and then, but Toppo just hasn't caught the opening," Marcarita observed carefully for a moment before answering seriously.
"That's good! If he had truly mastered the complete Ultra Instinct, Toppo wouldn't be a match for him at all," Belmod let out a slight sigh of relief. He then shouted toward Toppo on the stage, "Toppo! Show us your true strength! Don't go embarrassing Universe 11! Show the spirit of a God of Destruction candidate!"
"Yes! Lord Belmod! I won't let you down!" Toppo looked back at Belmod. Seeing him nod solemnly, his fighting spirit was reignited, and he clenched his fists tight.
Goku looked at Toppo calmly, his eyes clear. He didn't waste any words, merely adjusting his breathing and waiting for Toppo's next move.
Beerus, on the Universe 7 spectator stand, let out a contemptuous chuckle. Show his true strength? You probably have no idea how strong this kid Goku is. His power has already surpassed mine. This little bit of skill of yours is nowhere near enough.
"I'm going to get serious now. You'd better be careful not to get knocked off the stage!" Toppo snorted, the battle spirit in his eyes burning like fire. Faint energy fluctuations began to ripple around his body.
"Alright, I'll take this seriously too," Goku nodded, his body tensing slightly as he prepared for the fight.
"Pop!"
A purple-red aura suddenly erupted from Toppo's body, his energy surging into the sky like a volcanic eruption. The ground of the stage trembled under the force of it. Toppo had directly entered his God of Destruction form, his aura instantly multiplying several times over, and his eyes became much sharper.
Feeling the powerful energy coming from Toppo, Goku's expression became a bit more solemn. He was no longer as relaxed as before. This energy was indeed very strong.
"Whoosh!"
Toppo's speed increased abruptly. He turned into a purple-red streak of light and instantly appeared right in front of Goku. His right fist, condensed with thick destruction energy, slammed toward Goku's chest. The wind from the punch whistled with a sharp, air-tearing sound.
In that moment, Goku felt that dodging was becoming a bit difficult. Toppo's speed and power had both increased significantly, and the reaction speed of Ultra Instinct needed to be pushed to its limit to keep up.
However, Goku didn't panic. He quickly raised his left arm, attempting to block Toppo's incoming fist. A faint golden energy flickered on his arm as he prepared his defense.
Yet Toppo had no intention of clashing with Goku head-on. Just as his fist was about to land, his body blurred again, vanishing from the spot like a ghost. He intended to use his speed to circle behind Goku and launch a sneak attack.
In a split second, Toppo appeared behind Goku. His right foot, condensed with destruction energy, kicked out fiercely toward Goku's back. The movement was so fast it was almost impossible to react to.
Goku's reaction was also lightning-fast. Relying on the instinct of Ultra Instinct, he performed a graceful spin, crossing his arms behind his back to take Toppo's kick head-on.
"Boom!"
Toppo's foot slammed heavily into Goku's arms. The purple-red destruction energy collided with the golden defensive energy, letting out a dull, heavy thud. The shockwave rippled outward, sending tiny cracks through the ground of the stage.
Goku's body was pushed backward by the force, his feet skidding across the ground and leaving two long tracks on the stage. He slid for over ten meters before finally steadying himself, his arms throbbing with a numbing pain.
"How was that, Goku? Why didn't you dodge this time? Was it because you couldn't?" Toppo chuckled, his voice full of pride as he looked at Goku with a trace of provocation.
"Yeah... that one was definitely hard to dodge. You're much stronger than you were just a moment ago," Goku admitted with a nod, rubbing his numbed arms.
"Wow, Goku couldn't dodge it! Is he going to lose?" Zeno asked with a smile, watching the situation on the stage.
"Yes, after entering his God of Destruction form, Mr. Toppo's strength has increased significantly. The gap between them has indeed become quite large," the Grand Minister nodded, speaking the truth. However, his gaze remained fixed on Goku, as if he were expecting something.
"Is Goku going to lose? That would be so boring. I haven't seen enough yet," Zeno said, sounding a bit disappointed.
"It's hard to say. I get the feeling Mr. Goku hasn't shown his true strength yet. It seems he's still holding something back," the Grand Minister mused, a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
On the stage...
"Now you know your strength is no match for mine, don't you? You're simply not in my league!" Toppo's lips curled into a slight, confident smirk, his grin growing wider.
"True. In this current form, I'm far from a match for the power you have in your God of Destruction state," Goku nodded, not denying it. His tone remained calm, showing no hint of discouragement.
"So, it's not too late to surrender. You can avoid being knocked off the stage in such a pathetic way and save a bit of face," Toppo snorted with a smile, as if he were giving Goku a way out.
"The match isn't over yet; why would I surrender?" Goku smiled, a glint of mischief flashing in his eyes. "It looks like I'll have to do a simple transformation to give you a proper fight."
"Transformation?" Toppo's pupils shrank slightly, and the smile on his face vanished, replaced by caution. This guy can transform too? Does he have hidden strength?
"Pop!"
A dazzling golden light suddenly erupted from Goku's body. Golden fur emerged, his hair stood on end and turned a brilliant gold, and a golden aura swirled around him. His eyes became much sharper. Goku had directly triggered the Super Saiyan transformation, and his aura instantly skyrocketed.
Toppo was startled and instinctively took a step back, his eyes filled with shock. This energy... it's so much stronger than before!
However, seeing that Goku had only turned gold without any other special changes, Toppo's racing heart settled a bit. Luckily, it's just a regular transformation, not that terrifying form Broly has.
"You're not going to turn into that dark green form Broly has, are you? The one where the hair and eyebrows are green and the aura is terrifying," Toppo couldn't help but ask, his voice carrying a hint of wariness. He definitely didn't want to face an opponent on Broly's level.
"Dark green is Broly's special form. I can't do that one. My transformations are all gold," Goku shook his head, answering truthfully without any concealment.
"That's good! As long as it's not that form, I'm confident I can beat you!" Toppo let out another sigh of relief, the pressure on his mind easing significantly. The battle spirit in his eyes reignited. "So, can this golden transformation of yours really defeat me? I won't be holding back."
"We can find out. You never know if you can win until you try, right?" Goku smiled slightly. He crouched down, kicked off the ground, and vanished from his spot in an instant. Goku was planning to take the initiative and launch an attack, rather than just passively dodging.
In the next moment, the two stopped wasting words and charged at each other simultaneously. Golden aura and purple-red destruction energy collided on the stage, igniting a fierce clash.
"Thump! Thump! Thump!"
Fists met fists, legs crossed legs, and energy ripples constantly exploded on the stage. The golden and purple-red lights intertwined, forming brilliant streaks of light and shadow. Their figures blurred across the stage, moving so fast they left only afterimages behind. For a while, Goku and Toppo seemed evenly matched, neither able to gain a clear advantage. The battle had entered a stalemate.
"Is that guy Goku fighting seriously? He doesn't look like he's giving it his all," Beerus said from the spectator stand, frowning as he asked Whis. His eyes were full of doubt. With Goku's strength, there was no way he should be struggling this much against Toppo.
Before Whis could speak, Beerus added, "I mean in that Super Saiyan form of his. Is he still holding back?"
"Mr. Goku has a very good sense of proportion," Whis shook his head and praised. "He's intentionally controlling his power and the rhythm of his attacks to make the battle more visually entertaining. This way, Lord Zeno can enjoy a more exciting match, unlike the messy fights the Gods of Destruction have."
"That kid... he actually thought of that? He used to have no consideration for others' feelings and only knew how to bury his head in a fight," Beerus marveled, looking at Goku with a newfound sense of approval.
"Yes, indeed. Mr. Goku is constantly growing—not just in strength, but in his state of mind as well. He's much more mature than before," Whis said with a smile, sounding very satisfied.
Goku and Toppo fought on the stage for a full five minutes, yet a winner still hadn't been decided. Both of their breathing was a bit ragged, and their foreheads were drenched in sweat, but the battle spirit in their eyes hadn't faded one bit.
"Eh? Goku looks different! His hair and eyes have turned gold!" Zeno suddenly pointed at the stage and shouted, his voice full of surprise. He had been so focused on the fighting that he hadn't even noticed Goku's transformation until now.
The Grand Minister: "..."
Standing to the side, the Grand Minister's mouth twitched slightly. They've been fighting for so long, and Lord Zeno only just noticed Goku changed his look? His observation skills are a bit slow...
"Mr. Goku is using a transformation called 'Super Saiyan' to fight. This is a special ability of the Saiyans that allows them to increase their strength through transformation," the Grand Minister explained patiently, afraid Zeno might get bored.
"Oh! This golden transformation is so cool! It looks much better than before!" Zeno clapped his hands excitedly, his eyes lighting up as he watched Goku.
"It is said that Mr. Goku has several different transformations, each with a unique form and power. Some are even more powerful than this Super Saiyan state," the Grand Minister added with a smile, intentionally piquing Zeno's interest.
"There are more? He has that many transformations? I want to see them all! I want to see what the most powerful one looks like!" Zeno was instantly intrigued, his eyes wide with anticipation.
"Of course. One moment, Lord Zeno, and I will have Mr. Goku show them to you," the Grand Minister bowed slightly. He then called out to the Universe 7 spectator stand, "Mr. Whis, please inform Mr. Goku that Lord Zeno wishes to see all of his transformation forms."
"Yes, Grand Minister!" Whis bowed in response. He raised his scepter and shouted to Goku on the stage, "Mr. Goku, please pause the battle for a moment. We have something to tell you."
Hearing Whis's voice, Goku immediately stopped his attack and leaped back a few steps to put some distance between himself and Toppo. He looked a bit confused. Why the sudden pause?
Toppo: "..."
Toppo stood to the side, his face turning green with frustration. He had heard everything Whis said perfectly. Goku actually has several more transformations? Is this a joke? I'm over here pushing myself to the limit in my God of Destruction form, and he's still hiding all those trump cards?
"Lord Zeno wants to see all of your transformation forms. You can show them to him one by one," Whis explained with a gentle smile.
"Eh? Oh, okay! I got it! No problem!" Goku nodded and readily agreed. He also wanted to show Zeno his strength to get him even more excited for the upcoming Tournament of Power.
"You... you were hiding six more transformations! When you were fighting me just now, you weren't even using your full strength!" Toppo felt truly slighted, his voice full of bitterness. If he had known Goku had so many transformations, he wouldn't have been so confident from the start.
"Hehe, I never intended to use all of them. Super Saiyan is enough for a spar with you," Goku grinned, not hiding a thing. He then waved toward Zeno and announced loudly, "Lord Zeno, this form I'm in right now is called Super Saiyan 1. It can also be called the basic Super Saiyan form. It was the first transformation I ever mastered!"
"Oh, oh! Super Saiyan 1! I'll remember that!" Zeno nodded, seriously repeating the name to himself as he kept his eyes glued to Goku, afraid to miss the next one.
"Crackle... crackle..."
The golden light around Goku became even more intense. Arcs of golden electricity began to pop and crackle around his body, his hair stood up even more than before, and his aura doubled in strength. Goku had entered the Super Saiyan 2 state.
"This is Super Saiyan 2! It's stronger than Super Saiyan 1, with much more speed and power. It even comes with lightning effects!" Goku explained seriously, pointing to the electricity around him.
"Eh? It just got a bit brighter and added some lightning. It doesn't feel like a big change," Zeno said, scratching his head with a look of disappointment.
To be continued…
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