Ozotto still refused to show himself, and the universe gradually returned to silence.
With a casual wave of his hand, Levos repaired Conton City's barrier as good as new, then hastily patched up the torn spacetime around them as well.
The fused warriors had long since separated. Every face was grim.
Even Levos felt a headache coming on.
He wasn't afraid of facing Ozotto head-on. What he feared was Ozotto deciding to hide, train in the shadows, and never come out.
That thing had already swallowed Zeno and the Grand Priest, and it had also gained Chronoa's unique ability to manipulate time.
"If he shows up again… he might even have avatars of Zeno and the Grand Priest!"
Levos made the severity of the situation clear to everyone.
Aeos clenched her teeth. "He wouldn't even need avatars. If Ozotto absorbs even a sliver of the Grand Priest's power, every timeline will be doomed beyond redemption!"
"We have to find that monster as soon as possible!"
"The universe is huge. Where are we supposed to look?" Time Patrol Vegeta asked, stone-faced.
"Toki Toki can sense the Supreme Kai of Time's location!" Time Patrol Pan lifted the Toki Toki Bird in her arms.
"That's it." Levos's eyes lit up. "Where Chronoa's true body is… that must be Ozotto's energy core."
"I can't believe I didn't think of that earlier." Aeos's spirits rose. "Toki Toki has an unusually tight bond with her!"
She snatched the bird and tapped it lightly with a fingertip.
Space split open to the size of a mirror, and within that "mirror," an image condensed into view: a gigantic building.
"Looks like a manor."
"Then that's where Ozotto's power originates," Levos said, eyes sharpening, "and where everyone he swallowed is being held."
"This could easily be a trap," Levos warned. "It's dangerous. I'll go alone."
The Time Patrol warriors immediately protested.
"We can contribute too!"
"Don't underestimate us!"
"Dad… the gap between us and Mr. Levos is too big." Future Gohanks spoke calmly. "We'll just become dead weight."
"Tch! Cowards can stay behind, then!"
"This isn't 'cowardly Vegeta.' The difference is just too big." Time Patrol Goku tried to talk him down. "If we go, we'll only get in the way."
"Damn it!" Vegeta clenched his fist, unwilling but unable to refute it. "I train like hell and the enemies still keep getting stronger. It's pissing me off."
Still, Levos told them the situation wasn't completely hopeless.
"Zeno and the Grand Priest might still retain some form of independence. If we can find them inside the manor, maybe we can borrow their power."
Aeos nodded. "That makes sense. Then we move."
She insisted on going with Levos.
"My Time Brocade Box can summon righteous warriors from other timelines and empower them. Ozotto has too many avatars someone needs to hold the outside."
"Then you and I can push into the core and find Chronoa."
Levos turned to Aeos. "You're sure you want to come with me?"
"Of course." Aeos's tone was firm. "My understanding of Time Power is deeper than yours. I can help you handle Ozotto's traps. Besides… Chronoa is also my responsibility."
Levos didn't argue. He patted Toki Toki's head.
"Good bird. Really, a good bird."
Toki Toki was enjoying it when it suddenly realized everything around it had gone dark.
That's right.
Levos took advantage of the bird's carelessness and performed a sneak-sip, wrapping it in his tail and taking one sip!
The instant Cell Max began deconstructing Toki Toki's unique ability, Levos truly formed a connection with Chronoa one that let him sense her position across spacetime.
The clock halos behind Levos's three Cell Max bodies flared brilliantly.
The drained Toki Toki bird flapped twice, then went limp. Its big eyes were full of terror.
"Let's go!"
A spatial rift was torn open. Levos and Aeos vanished from where they stood.
They passed through the passage and the world opened up.
A massive palace floated in the void. Around it drifted the wreckage of Kaiōshin worlds and God of Destruction worlds, their life energy completely dried up.
The entire structure radiated an unsettling presence.
"No one guarding it…"
Levos and Aeos stood on the empty plaza before the manor, scanning the surroundings with sharp caution.
"Do we go in?"
Staring at the wide-open palace gates, neither of them felt confident.
"First, let's see if we can force Ozotto out."
Three reinforced Kamehamehas slammed into the palace.
Rumble !
Space trembled, yet the attack didn't chip a single brick. Instead, the palace swallowed the energy outright.
"Even if it was built with materials from Kaiōshin worlds and Destruction worlds… it shouldn't be this freakish," Aeos muttered.
In a flash, the three Cell Max bodies rushed the palace, tail stingers stabbing straight into the wall.
Gulp gulp gulp !
"A building material that has a life aura?" Levos murmured. "Is this Ozotto's core?"
Levos immediately increased the absorption intensity.
Energy instantly flooded the three bodies until they were overflowing, their radiance blazing like miniature suns.
But Levos already knew something was wrong.
"The energy is too pure… and it has nothing to do with Ozotto's nature."
If he kept going, he'd end up facing another energy-bloat crisis.
Just then, the palace shuddered lightly.
A figure walked out from within.
"Chronoa!"
"Levos… you finally came to save me." Chronoa wore a pitiful expression. "You can feel my aura, can't you?"
"This place is very fragile. If you get overfilled and explode… we'll all be finished…"
Levos frowned. He could indeed sense Chronoa's aura.
But he also knew this was Ozotto's trick.
And the other side clearly saw through his plan as well.
To Levos, his other two bodies were disposable. He could detonate them as suicide bombs to injure the enemy.
"Don't be fooled!" Aeos shouted. "That's just the enemy's disguise!"
"I know," Levos replied coolly. Then he stared at "Chronoa."
"What game are you playing? You've got nowhere left to hide. And a place like this can be destroyed easily."
"True." "Chronoa's" lips wriggled yet Ozotto's voice came out. "But let me remind you…"
"If you destroy this place, Chronoa will perish along with me. You'll never get her back."
"She's already become part of me. Reviving her would be the same as reviving me."
"But maybe…" Ozotto's voice dripped with mockery, "maybe you'll find a way to separate us inside my manor."
"You want to save Chronoa? Fine."
"Enter my manor."
"Everything you want every answer you're chasing is inside."
Levos and Aeos both understood.
It was an obvious trap.
A hard light flashed through Aeos's eyes. "We have to find Chronoa's true body. That's why I came. It's also my greatest responsibility."
Levos glanced at her, surprised this woman cared so much about Chronoa.
But he had nothing to hesitate over either.
Together, he and Aeos stepped into the manor.
The moment Levos crossed the threshold, he realized something instantly
He was no longer in the same area as Aeos… nor his other two bodies.
"Welcome to my territory, prey." Ozotto's voice echoed from every direction. "You are now inside my body… keh-heh-heh…"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Oh, you like the story? Wow, who knew. Go ahead, drop a review and throw some power stones maybe I'll be motivated to keep going.
"Want to stay ahead of the game?Advanced chapters are up on my Patron. If you're enjoying the ride, swing by and check them out."
[email protected]/_theon
Change @ to "a"