As the dust settled, Goten's body shot out of the massive crater in the arena, his silver-white aura blazing. He hovered in mid-air, gasping for breath, his energy taxed from the relentless battle.
Below, Astrion and Celion stood at the edge of the crater, their gazes fixed on Goten.
"Still standing," Astrion muttered, his frustration evident.
Without hesitation, the two guards teleported skyward, appearing before Goten in an instant.
Goten's eyes widened as they launched their coordinated assault. Using his Flash Time Power, he narrowly evaded their strikes and ascended higher into the air.
The guards pursued him, their fists flying at blinding speed. Goten parried and blocked, his movements fluid yet strained. Suddenly, one of their combined attacks struck him, and his body plummeted to the arena like a meteor.
BOOM!
The impact raised a massive cloud of dust, leaving a bottomless crater in the arena floor.
"Go… Goten!" Supreme Kai Shin exclaimed in alarm.
Astrion and Celion paused, hovering over the crater's edge. They scanned the hole intently, waiting for any sign of movement.
Moments later, a brilliant silver-white figure surged from the depths, soaring into the sky.
It was Goten, now fully embracing Ultra Instinct.
His calm yet imposing demeanor sent a ripple of unease through Astrion. "He's using it now?" Astrion grumbled, visibly annoyed. The last time they fought, Goten refrained from using Ultra Instinct, and now he seemed to have held back until the fight had dragged on. To Astrion, it felt like an insult.
Fueled by indignation, Astrion rushed at Goten with all his strength.
"Astrion, wait!" Celion called, but quickly followed suit.
Goten closed his eyes, his body relaxing as the two guards charged toward him.
"Close his eyes?!" Merus exclaimed, watching intently from the sidelines.
"Yes," Supreme Kai Shin replied. "Closing his eyes allows Goten to focus on his instincts rather than his vision. It makes him calmer, but… this approach has its risks."
The three clashed in mid-air, their movements too fast for most to follow. Each strike created shockwaves that shook the arena, and the resulting storms of energy tore through the air.
The Grand Priest quickly formed a barrier to shield the Zenos, and Merus followed suit with his own protective shield.
"HA!!"
With a roar, Goten struck Astrion's abdomen with blinding speed, sending him crashing into the palace wall with immense force.
The impact caused the entire palace to tremble.
"It looks like the battle is nearing its end," the Grand Priest said with a small smile.
"Ending?" Zeno asked, tilting his head.
"Yes," the Grand Priest confirmed.
As if on cue, Celion was launched like a meteor into another wall, landing beside Astrion with a thunderous crash.
Ding!
Congratulations to the host for defeating Astrion. Reward obtained…
Ding!
Congratulations to the host for defeating Celion. Reward obtained…
Hearing the system's voice in his mind, Goten exhaled heavily, his energy flickering. "Are you two going to keep coming?" he asked, his tone calm yet firm.
Bruised but determined, Astrion and Celion rose from the rubble and prepared to charge again.
Seeing this, Goten smirked. "In that case, I'll beat you into submission this time!"
In a blur, the guards rushed at Goten. The three fighters clashed again, exchanging blows with incredible speed and force.
"Bang!"
Goten delivered a powerful knee strike to Celion's abdomen, sending him flying. Astrion attempted to counter with a fierce punch, but Goten deftly dodged and retaliated with a devastating punch to Astrion's midsection.
Astrion let out a pained scream as he was hurled into another wall.
"Enough!" the Grand Priest's voice echoed, halting the battle.
Despite their unwillingness, Astrion and Celion stopped in their tracks and stood down.
The Grand Priest descended onto the arena and began healing the two guards with his staff. Their injuries vanished in moments, restoring their strength.
Merus approached Goten and healed his wounds as well, his staff glowing softly.
"Shall we return to the palace?" the Grand Priest asked once everyone was healed.
The group nodded, and the Grand Priest waved his staff. The arena platform floated upward, carrying everyone back to the palace.
Back in the King's Palace, Goten turned to the Grand Priest.
"Master Grand Priest, thank you for the opportunity," Goten said respectfully.
The Grand Priest nodded. "Goten, your power is remarkable. If you continue to refine your Ultra Instinct, you may one day surpass even me."
"Surpass you?" Merus exclaimed, stunned.
The Grand Priest's words carried significant weight. The Realm of Transcendence of Ultra Instinct was the highest level achievable, a level even Whis had yet to attain despite living for countless millennia.
The Grand Priest turned to Goten. "From today onward, you will remain here in The Grand Zeno's palace to train and master your abilities."
"Understood," Goten replied after a moment's thought.
"Merus, you may return for now," the Grand Priest instructed.
"Yes, Father," Merus replied, bowing.
Supreme Kai Shin also prepared to leave. "Lord Zeno, if there's nothing else, I'll take my leave as well."
The two Zenos nodded in unison.
With that, Merus and Supreme Kai Shin departed, leaving Goten with the Grand Priest and the two Zenos.
The Zenos immediately descended from their thrones, their eyes shining with excitement.
"Goten, since you're living here now, can you play with us?" one of the Zenos asked eagerly.
"Yeah, yeah!" the Future Zeno chimed in.
Goten glanced nervously at the Grand Priest, unsure of how to respond. He had come here to train, not to spend his days playing.