Chapter 2: The Shadowverse Unleashed
The dust settled as Vegeta hovered in the air, his aura blazing blue against the ominous black energy surrounding Klyrus. Below them, the crater's jagged edges glistened under the midday sun, a stark reminder of the battle's intensity. Goku stood at the edge of the destruction, his hands on his hips, watching Vegeta's fiery determination.
"C'mon, Vegeta, don't hog all the fun!" Goku called out, his tone light but his posture alert. "We don't even know how strong this guy really is yet!"
Vegeta scoffed without turning. "Tch! If you think you can do better, then by all means, jump in, Kakarot. But don't cry when I finish him off before you can even warm up!"
Klyrus chuckled darkly, his crimson eyes narrowing. "Fools. Is this the best you can muster? Bravado and petty rivalry? Pathetic."
Vegeta's eyes narrowed, his patience evaporating. "You talk too much!" He shot forward, his fist cocked back, ready to deliver a decisive blow.
Klyrus raised his hand, catching Vegeta's punch effortlessly. The force created a shockwave that rippled through the air, flattening the remaining trees around the crater.
"Impressive strength," Klyrus admitted, his smirk widening. "But still far from enough."
With a flick of his wrist, he hurled Vegeta backward, sending him crashing into the ground with enough force to carve a trench through the rocky terrain.
"Whoa! Vegeta!" Goku shouted, his grin faltering slightly. "Alright, guess I'm jumping in after all!"
He powered up, his aura erupting in a brilliant blue flash as he transformed into Super Saiyan Blue. Without hesitation, he launched himself at Klyrus, appearing behind the dark warrior in an instant.
"Gotcha!" Goku yelled, delivering a powerful kick aimed at Klyrus's back.
Klyrus turned just in time to block, but the force sent him skidding across the battlefield. He dug his heels into the ground, halting his momentum, and looked up with an annoyed expression.
"You Saiyans are persistent," Klyrus muttered, his aura flaring darker and more chaotic. "But persistence without purpose is meaningless!"
He raised both hands, summoning two crackling orbs of black energy. With a sharp motion, he hurled them toward Goku and Vegeta simultaneously.
"Look out!" Goku shouted, dodging to the side. The orb exploded behind him, creating a shockwave that sent him tumbling through the air.
Vegeta emerged from the rubble, his eyes blazing with fury. "You think cheap tricks like that will stop me?!"
He launched a barrage of energy blasts at Klyrus, each one detonating on impact. The explosions created a cloud of smoke that obscured Klyrus from view.
"Did you get him?" Goku asked, floating up beside Vegeta.
"Of course I did," Vegeta snapped. "No one survives an attack like that."
The smoke cleared, revealing Klyrus unharmed, his aura crackling with renewed intensity. "Is that all? Disappointing."
Klyrus raised a hand, and the two floating orbs beside him flared to life, their energy coalescing into jagged, shadowy tendrils. The tendrils shot forward, lashing out at Goku and Vegeta with blinding speed.
Goku dodged one tendril but was caught off guard by a second, which wrapped around his leg and slammed him into the ground. Vegeta managed to deflect a tendril with a ki blast but was struck by another, sending him hurtling through the air.
"Damn it!" Vegeta growled, steadying himself mid-air. "This guy's tougher than I thought."
Goku pushed himself to his feet, wiping a bit of dirt from his cheek. "Yeah, he's got some tricky moves, alright. But we've faced worse, haven't we, Vegeta?"
Vegeta didn't answer, his eyes locked on Klyrus. "Stop holding back, Kakarot. If you've got anything useful, now's the time to use it."
"Alright, alright!" Goku said, cracking his knuckles. "Let's see how he handles this!"
Goku powered up further, his aura shifting into a shimmering silver hue as he activated Ultra Instinct Sign. His movements became fluid and precise, his expression calm as he charged at Klyrus again.
Klyrus's eyes widened slightly. "What's this? A new form?"
Goku didn't respond, instead weaving effortlessly through Klyrus's tendrils and landing a solid punch to his gut. The force sent Klyrus flying, his body crashing into the side of the crater.
"Nice one, Goku!" Vegeta called out begrudgingly.
Before the Saiyans could press their advantage, a sudden surge of energy filled the air. The sky darkened further, and a portal of swirling black energy opened above the battlefield.
"What now?" Vegeta muttered, his fists clenching.
From the portal emerged a towering figure clad in ornate black armor. His presence dwarfed Klyrus's, and his aura radiated an oppressive, otherworldly power.
Klyrus pulled himself out of the rubble, kneeling as the figure descended. "Master Zephyros," he said, his voice filled with reverence. "I was just testing their strength."
Zephyros ignored Klyrus, his glowing red eyes locking onto Goku and Vegeta. "So, these are the Saiyans who defied the gods. Intriguing. Perhaps this universe will offer more entertainment than I anticipated."
Vegeta's jaw tightened. "Kakarot, this just got a whole lot worse."
Goku nodded, his grin returning despite the overwhelming pressure. "Yeah… but it's kinda exciting, don't you think?"
Zephyros raised a hand, and the ground beneath the Saiyans began to crack and tremble. "Show me the strength of Universe 7… before I erase it."
To Be Continued…