Jiren roared in fury, his singular thought consumed by vengeance. With blinding speed, he rushed toward the Great Villain.
Bang!!!
Jiren's right fist collided with the villain's, the sheer force of their clash generating a powerful shockwave that cracked the ground beneath them.
Suddenly, a sinister presence filled the battlefield.
A man with red skin marked by black stripes, crimson pupils surrounded by darkness, and an upper body bare except for black trousers and cloth shoes appeared. His dark aura was suffocating.
It was Abura, the former king of the Demon Realm before Dabura's rule. Dabura had once been nothing more than Abura's servant.
"What a malevolent aura!" Toppo exclaimed, his senses immediately alert.
The Pride Troopers, battling Universe 15's army, felt Abura's presence and turned their attention toward him.
Abura smirked, his gaze fixed on Jiren.
"So, this is Jiren," he mused, his voice dripping with malice.
Dark energy began to coalesce around him.
"Darkness… Devil Flame Bomb!" Abura bellowed, unleashing a rain of black energy blasts toward Jiren.
Jiren dodged swiftly, but the explosions ravaged the battlefield, creating craters and filling the air with dust and smoke.
Ignoring Abura, Jiren resumed his assault on the Great Villain. Their clash sent invisible ripples across the universe, obliterating uninhabited planets in their wake.
"Ha!!!"
Jiren roared, landing a devastating punch on the villain's face and sending him hurtling into a distant mountain.
Boom!!!
Jiren's breathing grew heavy as he prepared to deliver the final blow.
Suddenly, the battlefield shifted, and an illusion unfolded before his eyes. He saw Toppo and the Pride Troopers lying lifeless, while the villain and his forces had vanished.
"Toppo!" Jiren shouted, his aura flaring violently.
In reality, Toppo called out to Jiren. "Jiren!"
But Jiren couldn't hear him—he was trapped in Abura's illusion.
"Captain, Jiren's under an illusion!" Kokoto said urgently.
"An illusion?"
"Yes, I think it's the work of that man who appeared!" one of the Pride Trooper replied, pointing toward the sinister figure.
Toppo turned to Abura, his expression hardening.
Before Toppo could act, Abura transformed into black smoke and entered Jiren's body.
"Jiren's been possessed!" Toppo shouted, rushing toward him.
The Great Villain intercepted Toppo, blocking his path.
"Move!" Toppo roared, his body surging with power. His previously bulky frame transformed as his muscles grew and his clothes shredded, revealing the glowing lines of his God of Destruction form.
Toppo unleashed his newfound power, radiating purple destructive energy.
The Great Villain's expression turned grim. Though he was formidable, his injuries from battling Jiren made Toppo a genuine threat.
Toppo wasted no time, launching a fierce assault. The villain barely managed to defend himself, stepping back under the relentless barrage.
Meanwhile, Dyspo shouted desperately at Jiren. "Jiren, wake up! It's me, Dyspo!"
"It's no use," Kokoto interjected. "Jiren must break free on his own. Only then can he escape the illusion."
Dyspo clenched his fists, his voice filled with determination. "Then we have to believe in him!"
Inside the Illusion
Jiren had begun to realize the falsehood of his surroundings. The illusion dissolved into a blank white space.
Suddenly, a dark version of himself appeared—this was Abura, manifesting as a copy of Jiren.
"Who are you?" Jiren demanded, his tone cold and commanding.
Abura grinned. "I am you, and you are me."
"Don't spout nonsense. There's only one me in this world!"
Abura smirked. "If you don't believe me, fight me. You trust your strength, don't you?"
Jiren didn't hesitate. "Fine!"
He lunged forward, his right fist aiming for Abura's face.
Abura dodged, but Jiren followed with a knee strike to his abdomen.
"Argh!" Abura cried as he was flung backward.
Jiren gave him no respite, appearing behind him in a flash and delivering another powerful punch.
Bang!!!
Abura crashed to the ground but quickly regained his footing.
"Damn it," Abura muttered. "His movements are faster than I can anticipate!"
"Ha!!!"
Jiren's body glowed red as he charged forward again.
Abura smirked, summoning two identical clones that grabbed Jiren from either side.
Jiren roared, his energy surging outward and hurling the clones away.
Abura, undeterred, summoned even more clones to overwhelm Jiren.
Though Jiren fought valiantly, the endless onslaught of clones wore him down. Exhausted, he finally succumbed to Abura's power.
When Jiren fell, black patterns appeared on his body, and his crimson pupils darkened to match Abura's. He stood, his aura now twisted and malevolent.
"Hahaha!" Abura laughed, his voice echoing in triumph.
Jiren joined in, his laughter dark and sinister.
"Jiren!" Dyspo and the Pride Troopers cried out in disbelief, watching their comrade turn into something unrecognizable.
The Great Villain, however, smiled faintly. Everything had gone according to plan.