The next chapter begins with a ferocious collision of fists between Mori and Elec, their impact shaking the battlefield. The force of their blows sends them both skidding back, each gauging the other's strength. Mori smirks, stepping back and shaking off the dust. "Not bad, seedling. We've only been fighting for two minutes, and already I can see your style improving." His tone is filled with a strange mix of admiration and challenge.
Elec, his aura pulsating with raw energy, grins. "What can I say? I guess I take after you, StarScourge." The way he says the title carries weight—almost like a taunt, but with underlying respect.
Mori's eyes narrow at the mention of his old moniker. "StarScourge, huh?" he mutters, lost in thought for a moment. Memories flood back to the first time he earned that name—a distant, forgotten planet, its skies bathed in darkness after he obliterated its stars to save it from impending destruction. He remembers the awe, the fear, the power. Shaking the memory away, Mori refocuses on Elec. "It's been a while since anyone called me that." His voice is softer now, but his expression sharpens. "Alright then, Elec, if you can make me use at least 20% of my power, I'll tell you why they called me StarScourge."
Elec's eyes flicker with anticipation, his aura crackling with power. "Fine," he says, rolling his shoulders, his confidence rising. "I'll reach that goal... FATHER." He emphasizes the last word, both a claim and a challenge, charging forward with renewed intensity.
Mori's smirk widens, and he braces himself. "Then bring it on, my seed." Their fists meet again, creating a shockwave that ripples through the landscape. The battle shifts in intensity, Elec unleashing a relentless barrage of punches and kicks, his movements becoming sharper and more refined with each attack. Mori counters with ease, blocking, dodging, and occasionally landing a counter-blow, testing Elec's limits.
Suddenly, Elec finds an opening. A powerful punch slams into Mori's gut, sending him flying backward. Not wasting any time, Elec follows up with a series of ki blasts that surround Mori in a hailstorm of energy. With a swift motion, Elec vanishes, reappearing behind Mori and delivering a vicious kick that propels him into the sky. Before Mori can recover, Elec clenches his fist, and the ki blasts he had fired earlier converge, engulfing Mori in a massive explosion.
Through the smoke and debris, Mori emerges, floating in the air, seemingly unscathed but visibly impressed. "Not bad at all," he compliments Elec, his voice carrying a hint of pride. "But you're not there yet."
With a sudden burst of speed, Mori vanishes and reappears in front of Elec, landing a brutal lariat that sends him hurtling through the air. Mori doesn't let up—he's instantly on Elec's tail, striking him again and again, sending him higher with each blow. With one final strike, Mori grabs Elec in mid-air, locking his arms around him. "Let's take this up a notch," he mutters, and with a swift motion, he drags Elec downward, crashing him into the ground with enough force to create a massive crater.
Mori lands gracefully at the edge of the crater, dusting himself off as he peers down at the damage. He pauses for a moment, his mind briefly shifting to the others dealing with Babidi's forces. "They should be fine," he muses, sensing their energy from afar. "Probably breezing through those clowns."
But his thoughts are interrupted as Elec rises from the crater, his body glowing with a new, darker energy. His ki has shifted—now a chaotic mix of green, gray, and purple swirls around him like a storm. Mori raises an eyebrow, intrigued. "Well now, that's something new."
Elec doesn't waste time with words. He charges at Mori with blinding speed, delivering a savage kick to Mori's midsection that makes the seasoned warrior hunch over. Not giving him time to recover, Elec follows up with a knee to the face, sending Mori staggering backward. Elec sweeps Mori's legs out from under him and grabs him by the neck, slamming him into the ground with a thunderous crash. He raises his foot, aiming for a finishing stomp, but Mori catches his leg at the last second, pushing him back with ease.
Elec steps away, breathing heavily but still filled with determination. His eyes lock onto Mori, who is now standing tall once again, dusting himself off. But before Elec can attack again, he freezes. Something has changed. The air around Mori has shifted, becoming heavier, darker. Mori's ki is leaking out, slowly at first, then more steadily, like the buildup of a storm.
Mori's expression grows serious. "You wanted to see why they call me StarScourge?" His voice drops low, carrying an ominous weight. "Fine." With a sudden burst of power, Mori releases 50% of his full strength. The ground quakes violently, cracks forming beneath his feet as his ki flares, illuminating the battlefield with the shimmering colors of the galaxy. His aura is no longer just energy—it's like looking into the heart of a nebula, stars and planets swirling around him in an ethereal glow.
Elec's breath hitches as he takes a step back, his body instinctively trying to retreat. For the first time, he feels a genuine, primal fear. But that fear quickly twists into something else—desire. This was the power that birthed him, the foundation of his existence. "YES," Elec shouts, his voice trembling with excitement. "That's it! That's the ki that created me... It's my birthright! I WILL NOT FALL BEHIND!"
Mori watches as Elec's eyes blaze with determination. "Oh? Is that right?" Mori taunts, crossing his arms. "If you think you can handle it, prove it. Show me if you're really worthy of being called my son."
With a roar, Elec surges forward, pushing his body to its limit as he tries to absorb Mori's overwhelming energy. At first, it's too much—his body trembles under the strain. But slowly, Elec begins to take it in, absorbing the ki and growing stronger by the second. His aura intensifies, the colors of his ki becoming more vibrant, more alive. "YES!" Elec cries out, his power growing exponentially. "I'm getting stronger! This is my foundation... I WILL SURPASS YOU!"
The two charge at each other again, their fists colliding with a force that creates a shockwave, causing the ground beneath them to buckle and collapse into a deep crater. They exchange blow after blow, each strike shaking the earth. But Elec's power continues to rise, and soon he surpasses Mori's 50% strength.
With a powerful kick, Elec sends Mori flying into the sky. Smirking, Elec prepares his next move, mimicking one of Mori's signature techniques. Crossing his arms, he channels his energy before unleashing a massive greyish-purple beam of energy. "GRIMWAVE!" he yells, the attack surging toward Mori with devastating force.
Mori looks down at the incoming attack, eyes narrowing in disbelief. "Did this boy really just use my own move against me?" he grumbles before the blast hits, engulfing him in a massive explosion. When the smoke clears, Mori is left bleeding, his body bruised from the blast, but his eyes gleam with pride and anticipation.
"Alright, Elec," Mori mutters, wiping the blood from his lip. "You've earned it." He pushes his power even further, surpassing the 50% mark. His aura flares violently as he suddenly appears behind Elec, grabbing him by the head. With a sharp twist, Mori hurls Elec out of Earth's atmosphere, sending him crashing into the surface of the moon with enough force to create a massive crater.
Mori floats down to the moon's surface, arms crossed as he stares down at Elec, who is lying in the crater. "Get up," Mori commands, his voice cold and challenging.
Elec rises slowly, shaking off the dust. But when he looks up at Mori, something snaps. He sees what he thinks is disappointment in Mori's eyes, and that sight ignites a deep, burning rage within him. "No…" Elec growls, his ki flaring wildly. "I'M NOT A FAILURE!" His energy surges uncontrollably, his body straining as he starts absorbing even more of Mori's ki.
Mori feels the drain immediately. "He just took 45% of my ki reserves," he thinks, eyes widening in shock. "The kid's strong… stronger than I expected."
Now filled with his father's energy, Elec's power skyrockets to a level far beyond anything Mori anticipated. Enraged, Elec charges at Mori, kicking him in the head and sending him flying back toward Earth. Before Mori can recover, Elec appears behind him, grabs his head, and slams him into the ground, dragging him across the battlefield. They crash through the top of Babidi's ship, the structure crumbling under their weight.
Mori feels blood dripping from his face, his body aching from the brutal assault. "This kid's serious now," Mori thinks as he stands, wiping the blood from his brow. "But I'm not done yet." Taking a deep breath
, he channels his energy again, preparing to unleash his full power.
But before he can react, Elec is already there, his fist crashing into Mori's gut. The force of the blow sends Mori staggering backward, gasping for air. "I've surpassed you, old man!" Elec shouts, his voice filled with both triumph and fury. "This is what it means to surpass your creator!"
Mori coughs, blood splattering onto the ground, but a grin spreads across his face. "Good... That's what I wanted to see," he says weakly, staggering to his feet. "I'm proud of you, kid."
Elec pauses, his anger faltering as Mori's words sink in.