"Was that you?" Majin Buu's face darkened.
The Supreme Kai was still confused.
What did I even do?
"You jabbed me awake from my nap. I'm not letting that slide," Buu snapped. "I'll pay you back double."
Whoosh!
Buu rocketed straight at the Supreme Kai.
The Kai went pale.
Merus started to move, but remembering how the Supreme Kai had been slandering him nonstop, he hesitated.
He won't die in a couple hits anyway.
Let him learn a tiny lesson. I'll heal him after.
Buu howled toward the Kai.
Seeing him charge, the Supreme Kai's eyes bulged; a wave of divine force slammed onto Buu—
Smack!
Buu's body tilted back slightly.
And that was it.
"That's your only move?" Broly asked, airy as a breeze.
The Supreme Kai: "…"
Now is not the time for quips.
"Help me!" he shouted at Broly.
"You yelled at me. So, no," Broly puffed, suddenly stubborn.
Thunk!
Buu swung. His fist crashed into the Supreme Kai's face.
"Aaaugh—!"
The Kai shrieked. His face didn't feel like a face anymore.
Bang!
A follow-up kick flipped him. He tumbled across the ground and lay there, sprawled.
Whap!
Buu hopped, flipped once in midair, and dropped butt-first onto the Kai.
"AAAUUGH!"
The Supreme Kai howled, blood spraying from his mouth.
"Supreme Kai!" Kibito blanched and dove in.
Thud!
His punch smashed into Buu's cheek.
Buu turned, eyes narrowing with a mean glint.
He flicked his hand.
Whoosh!
Kibito arced through the sky, slammed into a distant ridge, and rolled down.
By the time he hit the ground, he was out cold.
Only then did Buu lazily stick out one finger.
Squelch.
He poked that finger straight into the Supreme Kai's backside.
"AAAUUGH!"
The Kai saw stars.
"That's what you did to me," Buu whistled, pleased.
Pop!
He yanked his finger free and wiped it on the Kai's clothes.
Then clapped, delighted with himself.
Merus winced.
The mighty Supreme Kai of the Seventh Universe—done dirty by a pink fatso like that?
Still… the guy really is strong.
It's just… this look doesn't win fans.
Honestly, he might be even rounder than Champa…
Whatever. A body can slim down later.
Off to the side, Broly scratched his head till it almost smoked.
I'm the main character!
Why is none of this about me?
He stepped forward, face flat, and pointed at the Supreme Kai lying on the ground.
Buu glanced up, puzzled.
"He's mine," Broly said.
"Uh… then you do it," Buu nodded solemnly—and pointed at the Kai's butt.
"No," Broly shook his head.
Buu suddenly grabbed Broly's hand and sniffed it.
His eyes flashed.
"So it was you."
"Mm." Broly didn't deny it.
Thud!
Buu didn't bother with manners—his fist cracked Broly in the face.
Caught off guard, Broly rolled across the dirt.
Buu somersaulted three times and dropped to sit on him—
KRAKOOM!
Emerald fire burst off Broly. His hair shot up and turned green in an instant.
"Oh?" Buu blinked. His expression froze.
Glowing now?
Wham!
Now transformed into the Legendary Super Saiyan, Broly drove an uppercut into Buu and launched him skyward.
Whoosh!
He streaked up, palmed Buu's head, and spiked him toward a distant mountain.
BOOM!
He pile-drove Buu through the mountain, blasting out the far side. Birds and beasts scattered in panic.
Pow! Pow! Pow!
Broly seized the antenna on Buu's head and slammed him left, right, front, back—over and over.
Buu bounced like a rubber ball.
Whoosh!
Broly snapped him upward and, in the air, grabbed both ankles—one in each hand.
Riiip!
He tore Buu clean in two.
"AAAHHH—!"
Broly roared, pupils bleaching out—teetering on another berserk break.
He whipped his head around, hunting for the next target.
Luckily, Merus was ready. He raised his staff; the crystal orb aimed at Broly—
Fwoom.
A wash of angelic power flowed over Broly.
His eyes flickered, then steadied. He came back to himself.
Broly looked down at the two halves of Buu in his hands and scratched his head.
Whoosh!
He dropped from the sky and landed beside the Supreme Kai.
Plop, plop.
He tossed the two halves down at the Kai's feet.
The Supreme Kai rubbed his rear and pushed himself up, and when he saw Buu bisected, his face lit with joy.
As expected of the Legendary Super Saiyan.
So fast—and Majin Buu's already beaten?
Wonderful.
Happiness rushed in so hard even the pain in his backside faded.
"Got you your payback," Broly grinned.
"Th-thank you, Broly. Thank you for saving the universe," the Kai stammered, reaching to shake his hand.
Broly whipped his hands behind his back and shook his head hard.
Not touching you. Your hands stink.
The Supreme Kai: "…"
You're the one who smeared that gunk on me!
Merus covered his face. No words.
The world-ending Majin Buu… torn in two by Broly?
So this candidate for God of Destruction isn't great after all.
Way too flimsy.
Compared to Broly? No contest.
Why didn't I find someone like Broly first?
Ken poached a gem.
Merus's head throbbed.
—
Capsule Corporation – Bulma's home.
"Already over?" Vados mused, amused. "Hee-hee. Looks like Merus's trainee God of Destruction is middling at best."
Ken said nothing.
You angels seriously don't know Buu regenerates?
Then again, fair.
Why would angels track Majin Buu trivia?
Even if he regenerates, he's still a speck compared to an angel.
"If the Seventh Universe has a Legendary Super Saiyan… odds are our Sixth does too," Vados murmured. "Merus could recruit one there and raise them properly."
Ken still kept quiet.
He knew the Sixth's "Legendary" was Kale—a dark-skinned girl younger than Gohan would be.
And right now, Goku's barely three.
So Kale probably hasn't awakened yet.
Unless there's another Legendary out there… but if it's one per millennium, probably not.
"What are you even looking at? I can't see a thing," Bulma circled Vados, tip-toeing to peek at the orb.
Vados kindly lowered her staff. Bulma stared… at nothing she could read.
"Ken, Vados, you two eat. I'll start on the robot," Dr. Brief pushed up his glasses and headed to the lab.
A couple automated lifters trundled up, hoisted the softened "Luke" frame, and followed him in.
Mrs. Brief, full and happy, waved and left.
—
The empty mountains.
"Hahaha! Buu, how's it feel now?" the Supreme Kai laughed.
Kibito stirred awake, wobbled back over, and seeing Buu in two pieces, broke into relieved smiles.
"Finally, the problem that haunted us for years is solved." Ecstatic, he leapt in and hugged Broly tight. "Thank you for saving the universe!"
Broly: "???"
Didn't understand a word.
"Merus, your plan failed! You thought unleashing Majin Buu would help you rule the universe?" the Supreme Kai jabbed a finger. "You fiend—punishment will come!"
Merus didn't bother replying.
He wouldn't believe me anyway.
"I know it—Merus! You serve Bibidi, don't you? You hid well, sneaking into the Galactic Patrol!" the Kai snarled. "Anything to say now?"
Merus stayed silent.
"Broly, kill him—restore peace to the universe," the Supreme Kai ordered.
Broly looked from Merus to the Kai.
He stayed quiet for several seconds.
Then, haltingly: "Kill Merus?"
"Yes! He's Bibidi's man!" the Kai pressed. "Don't be fooled by appearances!"
"Isn't he an angel?" Broly frowned.
"Angels are devils in disguise," the Kai insisted.
"I don't buy it," Broly shook his head. "Angels are good people."
The Supreme Kai: "…"
Why won't anything get through to this kid?
"And I can't beat him," Broly added, shaking harder—remembering Vados casually waving her staff and turning that robot to mush.
That scene broke his worldview.
That robot was insanely tough—I kicked it a bunch and couldn't scuff it.
Her sister flicked a stick and it became sludge.
I'm not messing with people like that.
Broly wasn't stupid. He wouldn't pick a fight with Merus.
Smearing a little stink on him? That Merus probably wouldn't mind.
He seemed nice.
"You… can't beat him?" the Supreme Kai gaped.
You're the Legendary Super Saiyan. Who could you not beat?
You just tore Buu in half.
"Either way, Majin Buu is dead," Kibito whispered to the Kai. "As for Merus… we'll find another way. At least he isn't destroying planets right now."
The Kai thought it over. True—Buu's gone, leaving just Merus. He won't stir a universe-ending storm alone.
"Hmph. You made us lose sleep for years," Kibito muttered, and kicked one half of Buu.
Still annoyed, he walked around and booted the other half.
Smack. Smack.
Both halves twitched.
"Huh? Am I seeing things?" Kibito rubbed his eyes.
The Supreme Kai's face changed.
Something's off.
Merus's brows lifted too.
I saw that. The halves moved.
Could he… regenerate?
Pop!
To everyone's shock, the two halves wriggled—and turned into two small Buus.
Broly's eyes went saucer-wide.
Tore him in half and he's still alive?
And now there are two?
He scratched his head, baffled.
Sloop—
The two Buus hugged and melted back together into one.
Fat face now iced with cold anger, he narrowed his eyes at Broly.
"That hurt," Buu growled.
Broly scratched again, surprised despite himself.
"Supreme Kai… does Buu regenerate?" Kibito's voice trembled; his face drained white.
"Th-that…" the Kai shook all over. "I was knocked out then. When he fought Grand Supreme Kai, he didn't use regeneration. But I know Buu absorbed the Grand Supreme Kai—that's why he's this chubby form."
"This is getting bad," Kibito whispered.
"Just as I feared—he won't die so easily," the Supreme Kai sighed, despair creeping back.
Thought he was gone for good…
Nope. He regrows.
Hisssss—
White vapor jetted from Buu's pores.
His ki surged, raging higher and higher.
Sensing it, Merus brightened.
What a power spike. Now he's nearly level with Broly.
Excellent.
That means my trainee starts above Broly's floor.
With regeneration and that body, he'll be easier to raise.
Nice.
I almost gave up on him.
Whip!
Buu's arm shot out like elastic, stretching several times its length, and punched Broly in the face.
Broly staggered back, nearly toppling.
He swung back, copying Buu—but his arm, sadly, did not stretch.
"Ha ha ha!" Buu cackled. What an idiot.
Your arm can't stretch—why copy me?
Bang!
Mid-laugh, a dark-green blast erupted from Broly's fist.
Zzzzap!
It drilled through Buu's head.
His skull vanished; white smoke hissed from the stump of his neck.
It swelled—then a new head popped up.
Buu bared his teeth, angry.
Whoosh!
He lunged and head-butted Broly in the chest, blasting him backward.
RUMBLE—
He bulldozed Broly through a mountain and out the far side.
Pow-pow-pow!
Broly answered with a furious combo, fists and feet raining down.
Buu could only eat the hits.
"Heh!"
Broly surged in again—tore Buu in half a second time.
He hurled both halves upward, then opened his mouth—
Fwoooooom!
A dark-green beam roared out and swallowed Buu.
KRA-KOOM!
Buu burst apart into chunks that fluttered down like pink petals.
Pink "petals" drifted with falling snow. For one strange moment, it looked… poetic.
The Supreme Kai stood dumbfounded.
Kibito's eyes bulged.
Merus, too, was mildly surprised.
Edge to Broly, it seemed.
But that's fine.
If I'm right, Buu will come back.
Thup, thup, thup—
Chunks hit the ground.
"Quick, Kibito! Help me burn the pieces. If we don't, he'll recover!" the Supreme Kai barked.
"Yes, sir!" Kibito shot up with him.
The Supreme Kai spat divine flame onto the chunks—
Szzzz—
They sublimated into pink vapor and vanished.
"Broly! Burn the rest now, or he'll regenerate!" the Supreme Kai called.
"Uh." Broly thought, then shook his head.
The Supreme Kai: "???"
"Not done playing," Broly said.
The Supreme Kai: "…"
"Now is not playtime!" the Kai thundered. "If even you fail, no one else can stop him!"
"Ken can," Broly said, puzzled.
"Ken? He's no Legendary Super Saiyan," the Kai scoffed. "What can he do?"
Just a normal Saiyan. How's he beating Buu?
You barely keep up, and you're Legendary.
We've got a sliver of advantage—finish it by burning him.
"If you won't, I will. Don't stop me." He dove back down and kept incinerating Buu's bits.
Kibito joined in.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
More pink vapor rose and gathered in the sky.
The chunks dwindled.
Broly hesitated, then let them work.
—
Capsule Corp – Bulma's home.
"Maybe we should go in person?" Ken suggested.
"I'd rather stay and eat," Vados shook her head.
Two ants brawling. Food's better.
Or I could keep pondering how to relocate this planet to Universe 6.
Even a swap with their Earth would be lovely.
Leaving such a gem in Universe 7 feels wasteful.
"I'll go then," Ken decided.
These Western dishes didn't thrill him anyway.
"I'm going too," Bulma clasped his hand, pleading.
"Do you know what I'm going to see?" Ken asked, face serious.
"What? Something cool, right?" Bulma's eyes sparkled.
"You can't. You're too young—you'll have nightmares." He shook his head.
"What is it?" Bulma's curiosity doubled.
"Simple version: Broly ripped a guy in half. The visuals… you shouldn't imagine it," Ken sighed.
"Eep…!" Bulma blanched and slapped both hands over her eyes.
"Here—bite this to calm down." Ken offered a custard tart.
"No! How am I supposed to eat now?" she huffed, lips puffed into a perfect pout.
"I'll handle Broly and be right back." Ken pinched her cheek and shot into the sky.
Vados, saying nothing, retracted her staff once he'd left.
Honestly, this fight had less appeal than the dessert table.
Ken flashed through the air and stopped beside Merus.
"Ken, you're here?" Merus blinked, then smiled in greeting.
"Watching live hits different," Ken said, eyes dropping to the battlefield.
"What do you think of my trainee God of Destruction?" Merus asked, pleased. "He's trailing Broly a hair right now, but with regeneration and those physical gifts, his long-term ceiling should surpass Broly's."
"Mhm." Ken nodded.
Sure, let's go with that.
But tell me…
How old is Broly?
And how old is Buu?
Give Broly twenty or thirty years and he'll grind Buu's face into the dirt.
No need to rain on you now.
"I did underestimate his regen," Merus admitted. "The Supreme Kai burned him to cinders—yet I can still feel him reforming."
"You struck gold," Ken patted his shoulder. "Congrats."
"See that pink haze up there? He'll reconstitute from that," Merus said, pointing.
"Impressive," Ken nodded again. Then, suddenly, "Merus—trade?"
"Trade?" Merus blinked. "Trade what?"
"I swap you Broly for your Majin Buu," Ken whispered.
Merus: "…"
"Sorry, Ken. Once you settle on the right candidate, you shouldn't switch," Merus said with an apologetic smile—but firm resolve.
No chance I'm trading.
My Buu's performing great.
Sure, he's in pieces now—but he'll regenerate.
If their roles were reversed and Broly got blown apart… he'd be dead.
Broly doesn't come back.
"You sure?" Ken asked.
"Positive."
"Don't regret it. I gave you the chance," Ken said, patting his shoulder.
"I won't. He's my pick," Merus grinned.
"Finally done burning!" the Supreme Kai exhaled in relief.
"Job complete. He shouldn't come back, right?" Kibito relaxed.
Broly ignored them and lifted his gaze to the pink haze above.
A beat passed.
"What's that?" he pointed upward.
The Supreme Kai followed his finger.
Kibito looked up too, brow furrowing.
And then the pink mist rolled, massing, molding.
The Supreme Kai's smile locked in place.
Kibito's eyes filled with terror.
"H-how? Is he immortal?" the Kai's voice shook.
"Oh… he's still alive?" Broly grinned.
Pop!
The mist knitted back into Majin Buu.
He landed facing Broly.
"Still not dead?" Broly scratched his head.
"Heh-heh," Buu sneered, eyes blazing.
This might be the strongest opponent he'd ever met.
Whoosh!
He blitzed in, fists and feet flying.
They traded blows across the torn plain.
As the clash dragged on, Broly's advantage grew.
Unlike Buu, Broly's power only swelled the longer he fought.
Buu's was bleeding away—
and he hadn't woken from the seal with a full tank, either.
This wasn't the post-Gohan-absorption peak from the original tale—several tiers lower.
Before long, Buu was covered in dents.
Merus didn't despair.
A month ago, Broly couldn't even transform.
With training, my Buu will surpass him in time.
"Nice work, Broly! Keep it up!" the Supreme Kai cheered.
"That's enough. Time to stop them," Merus murmured.
Bam-bam-bam—
Broly turned it up another notch, stamping fist-marks into Buu.
Thud!
A final kick smashed Buu in the face and dropped him hard.
(End of Chapter)
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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