69novels Page 200
Page 200
"What the hell is this thing?" Mirror Lin Ye struggled to activate the robotic arm's self-destruct program, only to discover that the core program had been compromised by the shadowy figure. "It's tampering with my code!"
Lin Ye felt his Saiyan aura being rapidly drained away, and his consciousness began to blur. Just then, the shard of creation on his chest suddenly shone with golden light, colliding violently with the energy of the dark figure. The cosmic energy he had previously absorbed now seemed to have found an outlet, surging wildly into his body.
"So that's the true purpose of the fragments of creation..." Lin Ye's body began to change, his golden hair gradually turned silver-white, and star-like patterns appeared in his pupils. "It's to absorb and transform this dark energy!"
He abruptly broke free of the tentacles, his body erupting with unprecedented light. Seeing this, Mirror Lin Ye also poured all his remaining energy into Lin Ye's body: "Don't let that old woman's scheme succeed! Destroy this damned thing!"
Lin Ye concentrated all his energy into his right fist, forming a gigantic fist of silvery-white flames, which slammed into the core of the shadowy figure. Amidst the violent explosion, the spacetime rift began to collapse, and countless fragments of spacetime fell like raindrops. Lin Ye grabbed the unconscious mirror image of himself and rushed out at the last moment before the rift closed, crashing heavily onto the ruins of the Temple of Time.
When Lin Ye awoke again, he found himself lying on an unfamiliar grassland. His mirror image lay not far away, its mechanical body completely destroyed, only the core chip still faintly flickering. The fragment of creation on his chest emitted a soft light, while the spacetime anchor had turned into a pile of black powder.
"Hey, you scum." Mirror Lin Ye's voice rang out weakly, "Next time you launch a suicide attack like this, remember to give me a heads-up."
Lin Ye smiled and struggled to sit up. He looked at the distant sky and saw a new spacetime rift appear, within which a massive spaceship could be vaguely seen slowly approaching. He knew that this war over spacetime had only just begun.
Chapter 445: Divine Aftereffects
Inside the medical bay of the Ark space station, pale blue restorative light enveloped Lin Ye's body like flowing water, smoothing away the deep, bone-revealing scratches on his shoulders and neck, and the burns on his waist. However, the cold sweat on his forehead grew thicker and thicker; he could clearly feel the energy within his body surging wildly like boiling magma—the conflict between divine power and Saiyan genes was even more intense than when he fought Chronos. The golden divine runes beneath his skin writhed like living things, each contraction bringing a chilling cold—the arrogant will unique to the God of Destruction was eroding his consciousness along his nerves.
"System notification: The divinization process has reached 23%. Host heart rate detected at 180 beats/min, abnormal brainwave fluctuations, and emotional threshold exceeding the safety line." Alice's holographic projection hovered beside the medical pod, with blue data flowing rapidly around her. "After excessive integration of chaotic energy and life force, the compatibility between the divinity module and human consciousness has dropped to 61%. It is recommended to immediately activate the 'consciousness anchoring procedure,' otherwise there is a 17% probability of consciousness assimilation risk."
Lin Ye abruptly raised his hand to press his temple, and a series of chaotic images flashed before his eyes: Beerus's indifference as he casually crushed a planet with his narrowed eyes, Champa's obsession as he overturned an entire planet for a plate of galactic sushi, and even his own arrogance as he stood on shattered stardust, overlooking the universe after transforming into a God of Destruction. These fragments of memories that did not belong to him surged in like a tide, gradually covering his original understanding as his divinity deepened.
“Mind anchoring?” he asked through gritted teeth, his knuckles turning white from the pressure and his fingertips throbbing at his temples. “How exactly do you do it? Don’t give me all that complicated jargon.”
“Find the strongest human bond as the anchor point, use emotional energy to build a barrier, and suppress the expansion of divinity.” Alice brought up a holographic panel, which clearly listed the names of all of Lin Ye’s important partners, with their bond strength values marked next to them. “According to the system analysis, Android 18 (bond value 92), Vegeta (bond value 89), and Trunks (bond value 87) are the optimal anchor point candidates. The success rate of anchoring the three together can reach 83%.”
The alloy door of the medical bay suddenly slid open with a hiss, and Number 18 walked in carrying a cup of steaming, pale green nutrient solution. The mechanical joint of her left arm still bore the marks of being cut by the Kronos energy blade, and the ends of her long silver hair were stained with a little dark purple cosmic dust, clearly indicating that she had just returned from external maintenance.
"How are you feeling?" She handed the nutrient solution to the tray by the hatch and tapped the transparent wall of the medical pod with her fingertip. "Bulma just shouted in the control room that your vital signs are like a roller coaster, going up and down."
The moment Lin Ye saw Android 18, the surging divine power within him strangely subsided somewhat. He stared at the faint old scar on her forehead, an injury she had sustained during the Cell Games while protecting Trunks. A flood of images rushed through his mind: the two of them chatting by moonlight on the Capsule Corporation rooftop during the Cell Saga, her awkwardly handing him a can of ice-cold cola; the Tournament of Power, where she unhesitatingly shielded him, her mechanical arm taking a punch from Jiren; and the time on Earth, when she accompanied Gohan's daughter, Pan, to fly a kite, the rare gentle smile on her lips. These warm memories acted like a solid barrier, temporarily protecting him from the erosion of the God of Destruction's will.
"I'm fine." Lin Ye pressed the unlock button on the medical pod, took the nutrient solution, and sipped it. The warm liquid slid down his throat, slightly relieving the burning pain in his body. His fingertips inadvertently touched the back of Number 18's hand, and the familiar mechanical coolness penetrated his skin, clearing his muddled consciousness a bit. "It's just that the divine power in my body is a bit out of control. I keep feeling like there's another voice in my head urging me to 'destroy the useless things'."
Number 18 sat on a metal chair beside the medical pod, gently stroking the pulsating golden divine runes on his collarbone, a subtle tremor emanating from her fingertips: "Alice has already updated me on the situation. You don't want to become a cold, aloof god like Beerus, do you?"
Lin Ye nodded emphatically, his eyes exceptionally firm: "What I want to protect—Xiao Fang's laughter, Bulma's inventions, and the noise of you guys—is more important than any God of Destruction's power."
Just then, heavy footsteps sounded outside the medical pod, and Vegeta and Trunks pushed open the door and entered. Vegeta's battle suit was still tattered, the shoulder guard on his left shoulder was nowhere to be seen, and his bare arm was wrapped with a blood-soaked bandage. However, a trace of calm golden light had appeared in the deep blue aura surrounding him, indicating that he had also tried to fuse a small amount of divine power during the repair process, but it was much more stable than Lin Ye's.
"Don't look like you're half-dead. The word 'can't hold on' doesn't exist in a Saiyan's dictionary." Vegeta snorted, his tone still sharp, but he pulled a Senzu Bean that was flashing green light from his pocket and handed it to him. "Eat this. Although it won't solve the fundamental problem, it can temporarily stabilize the chaotic energy in your body, so I won't have to help you suppress it later."
Trunks quickly stepped forward, holding a holographic notepad covered in formulas: "Mom has been researching ancient Namekian texts and found a 'Mind Anchoring Technique,' which supposedly strengthens the barrier of consciousness using the bond between people. However, this technique requires the energy of the anchor point and the host to be completely synchronized, so the three of us need to work together to cast it."
Lin Ye took the Senzu Bean and popped it into his mouth. A warm, gentle energy instantly spread from his dantian to his limbs and bones, greatly reducing the stinging pain from the divine transformation. He looked at the three people in front of him. Android 18 was wiping fingerprints off the medical pod with his sleeve, Vegeta turned his face away but quietly adjusted his stance, blocking the pod door, and Trunks was still muttering the steps of the Anchoring Technique. He suddenly realized that the "anchor point" Alice mentioned did not refer to any one person, but rather to the bond between them that had lasted for more than ten years, where they had fought side by side and entrusted each other with their backs.
"Let's get ready to begin." Lin Ye lay back down in the medical pod and pressed the fixed button on the wall. "With you all here, I feel at ease."
Android 18, Vegeta, and Trunks immediately surrounded the medical pod, pressing their palms tightly against the cool walls. As Bulma's voice came through the communicator, the launch port on top of the medical pod slowly lowered, and a ring of energy radiating soft white light enveloped Lin Ye's forehead.
"Concentrate!" Bulma's voice crackled slightly, yet remained remarkably clear. "Recall your most precious memories with Lin Ye. Don't try to think about grand events; the more ordinary the scenes, the better! Use this emotional energy to build a barrier, trapping those divine wills deep within your consciousness!"
Lin Ye closed his eyes, his mind instantly filled with memories: the warmth of Dende's palm as he handed him a Senzu Bean under the scorching sun on Namek; Krillin's laughter as he pulled him to sit on the lawn, bragging about beer, after Earth Defense Force training; Vegeta's roaring despite the pain as he broke through to Super Saiyan Blue in the gravity chamber; Android 18's helpless smile as he taught Xiaofang to ride a bicycle under the moonlight and fell over; and the warmth of everyone crowding into Bulma's living room last Christmas, eating roast chicken and watching fireworks together... These memories transformed into countless golden threads, weaving a strong net in his consciousness, firmly trapping the cold divine will that tried to devour him.
"System notification: Divinity process stalled! Current progress remains at 23%, human consciousness percentage increased to 79%!" Alice's voice was filled with obvious joy. "The Mind Anchoring Technique was successful! The risk of consciousness assimilation has dropped below 3%!"
The white light in the medical pod gradually dissipated, and the golden divine patterns beneath Lin Ye's skin lost their dazzling luster, becoming dim and docile. He opened his eyes, moved his fingers, and felt that although the energy within his body was still restless, it had gained a controllable calmness, like a wild horse that had been tamed into a docile warhorse.
"It's temporarily stable." Number 18 breathed a sigh of relief, the mechanical joints in her fingertips were no longer tense, and she raised her hand to wipe the sweat from her forehead. "But this is only a temporary measure. The effect of the anchoring technique will only last for 72 hours at most. We need to find a complete solution as soon as possible."
Vegeta nodded, withdrawing his hand from the bulkhead, his fingertips still tinged with the heat of intertwined energy. "I've contacted Whis via encrypted channel. He said the Angels have a 'Purification Technique' specifically for suppressing divinity, but it can only be learned by going to the God of Destruction planet in Universe 7. However, the chaotic energy of Kronos still lingers there, making the environment very unstable and dangerous."
Lin Ye pushed open the door of the medical pod, stood up, and stretched his limbs, his joints making a slight "crackling" sound: "We have to go even if it's dangerous. If we can't fully control this divine power, we'll still be on the defensive when we encounter an enemy like Kronos again. We can't always rely on our bonds to tough it out."
As soon as he finished speaking, a sharp alarm suddenly sounded on the Ark Space Station. Red warning lights instantly illuminated the corridor leading to the main control room, and an urgent AI notification came over the emergency broadcast: "Warning! Warning! Abnormal fluctuations in chaotic energy detected! Leakage detected in the Sector S sealing pod! Repeat, leakage detected in the Sector S sealing pod!"
Everyone's expression changed, and they immediately rushed towards the control room. When they pushed open the door, Bulma was staring intently at the central holographic screen, her fingers flying across the control panel, her bangs soaked with cold sweat.
"Something's wrong!" Bulma shouted, turning around with obvious anxiety. "The fragments of chaotic energy we extracted from Chronos have become active! They're breaking free of their seal and absorbing the space station's energy, fusing together to form new monsters!"
Lin Ye and the others crowded around the screen. The image showed the S-sector at the stern of the Ark. The sealed chamber, previously enveloped by layers of energy barriers, had cracked open, and countless black energy fragments were pouring out, rapidly converging in space. In just a few dozen seconds, these fragments pieced together a gigantic humanoid silhouette, resembling Kronos but even more ferocious than before. Twisted spacetime rifts swirled around it, and each movement caused a slight distortion in the surrounding stars.
"It's the remnant soul of Kronos controlling these fragments!" Trunks gripped the Time Sword at his waist tightly, the patterns on the scabbard glowing with the surge of energy. "He wasn't completely destroyed at all; he's just hiding in the chaotic energy!"
Lin Ye's eyes sharpened instantly, and a faint golden aura unconsciously emanated from his body, which he quickly suppressed: "It seems we don't have time to waste. Bulma, immediately set a route to Planet Destruction! Let's learn the Cleansing Technique first, and then we'll deal with this monster once and for all!"
“No problem! The flight path setting will take ten minutes, I’ll go prepare it right away!” Bulma immediately turned around and rushed back to the control panel, her fingers clattering on the keyboard.
Vegeta sneered, a dazzling deep blue aura erupting from his body, slightly overshadowing the surrounding red warning lights: "Just what I wanted. That bastard got away last time, this time I'll crush his remnant soul completely!"
Number 18 raised his hand and pressed it against the energy gun at his waist, staring coldly at the monster on the screen: "I'm going to check the ship's weapon system to make sure there won't be any problems on the way."
Trunks nodded: "I'll go with you, and while I'm at it, I'll recharge the backup energy bay, just in case."
Everyone performed their duties, and the atmosphere, which had been heavy due to the divine crisis, was now ignited by a new crisis, adding a touch of desperate resolve. Lin Ye stood in front of the observation window in the main control room, looking at the ever-expanding black monster in space, and reached out to touch the golden divine runes on his collarbone, where the energy warmth of his companions still lingered.
He knew that the journey ahead would be fraught with danger, but as long as he had these companions by his side, there was no obstacle he couldn't overcome.
Just as the Ark space station's engines began to warm up, preparing for the jump, the black monster in space suddenly raised its head, a crimson light flashing in its empty eye sockets, and let out a silent roar towards the Ark.
Chapter 446: The Trial of the God of Destruction
The Ark Space Station's warp drive emitted a low hum, ripples spreading through the space around the ship before breaking through the black mist of the chaotic energy remnant zone. When the alarms inside the cabin were deactivated, Lin Ye and the others crowded to the observation window, instantly stunned by the planet before them. Destroyer Star was far more desolate than they had imagined; its surface was riddled with bottomless ravines, as if repeatedly cleaved by a giant axe. The dark brown soil bore no sign of life, while the sky was an eerie deep purple, with golden flashes of lightning occasionally streaking through the thick clouds. A suffocating destructive energy permeated the air; even through the ship's hull, they could feel a stinging pain on their skin.
"The destructive energy concentration here exceeds the safety threshold by three hundred times." Number 18's mechanical eye flashed a red warning light. She raised her hand and pressed the energy core of her left arm. "My defensive shield can only last for one hour at most. After that, the mechanical parts will be corroded by the energy."
Vegeta frowned and clenched his fists, a deep blue aura unconsciously surging around him: "Tch, this level of energy is nothing, it can't even trap me." Even so, he still quietly adjusted his breathing, minimizing energy consumption.
Trunks stared at the scanner in his hand, his expression grave. "The scanner shows there's an energy source at the planet's center, which should be Lord Beerus's temple. But the surrounding space is very unstable, and spatial rifts could appear at any moment."
Just then, the spaceship's communicator suddenly lit up, and Weiss's gentle voice came through: "Mr. Lin Ye, welcome to Destroyer Star. Please land in the flat area of the planet's northern hemisphere. I'll be waiting for you there."
The group exchanged glances, and Bulma immediately steered the spaceship to its final landing. As the landing gear touched down, kicking up a cloud of dust, Whis appeared outside the hatch, still holding his signature silver spoon, his long white hair fluttering in the wind, and his face bearing the same gentle smile.
"Mr. Weiss, thank you for waiting for us." Lin Ye was the first to step out of the cabin. As soon as he stepped onto the ground, he felt a powerful pressure coming from all directions. The divine power within his body began to stir, and he quickly circulated his energy to suppress it.
Weiss smiled and waved his hand: "No need to be polite. After all, I promised to help you contact Lord Beerus. However, he might still be sleeping right now, so you should be prepared."
"Sleeping?" Vegeta was instantly enraged, his aura nearly knocking over the rocks beside him. "We risked our lives to get here, and that guy was just sleeping?"
“Don’t be so impatient, Mr. Vegeta.” Whis remained calm. “Lord Beerus’s schedule is always like this, but he will wake up if something important is mentioned. Come with me.”
The group followed behind Weiss, heading towards the center of the planet. The closer they got to the temple, the more concentrated the destructive energy became. Trunks couldn't help but cough a few times, rubbing his forehead and saying, "This energy is too domineering; I feel like my brain is being stirred up."
Number 18 took out three energy capsules from his pocket and handed them to Trunks and Lin Ye: "These are energy filters that Bulma made temporarily. Although the effect is limited, they can provide some relief."
Lin Ye took the capsule and crushed it. A cool energy instantly spread throughout his body, greatly reducing his discomfort. He looked up and saw a huge temple floating in mid-air, supported by four golden pillars at its base. The temple's doors were made of pure gold and engraved with intricate divine runes. Each rune exuded a powerful aura, inspiring awe in everyone.
"We're here." Weiss pushed open the door, and a wave of sleepiness washed over him. Beerus was lying on a huge velvet sofa, his belly bulging, snoring loudly, his drool soaking the silk cushions on the sofa, and there was an unfinished cake on the small table next to him.
"Hey! You lazybones! Get up!" Vegeta stepped forward and roared, his aura almost setting the carpet on fire.
Beerus snapped his eyes open, a flash of anger in his purple pupils. He sat up, rubbed his eyes, and said with displeasure, "Shut up, Saiyan brat. If Whis hadn't said you had something important to do, I would have turned you into cosmic dust long ago."
“Lord Beerus, I apologize for disturbing your rest.” Lin Ye stepped forward and bowed respectfully. “I wish to learn from you the secret technique of suppressing divinity. My body is becoming increasingly divine. If this continues, I will lose my humanity and become a cold-hearted God of Destruction like you.”
Beerus sized up Lin Ye, his gaze lingering on the golden divine markings pulsating on his neck. A mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips: "You can't even control your own power, yet you dare to call yourself a Saiyan? But considering you helped me defeat Chronos, allowing me to sleep peacefully, I can teach you. But you must pass my trial."
"What trial?" Lin Ye raised his head and asked with a determined look in his eyes.
Beerus stood up, unleashing a powerful burst of destructive energy that shook the entire temple violently, causing stones to fall from the roof. "It's simple," he said. "Take three of my moves. If you can withstand them, I'll teach you the secret technique; if you can't, you'll stay on this planet forever, be my servant, and bake me cakes every day."
"Don't go too far!" Number 18 immediately stepped in front of Lin Ye, his mechanical arm glowing blue. "Lin Ye just went through a battle, and his body hasn't recovered yet!"
Trunks gripped the Time Sword tightly: "Exactly! This kind of trial is completely unfair!"
“This is his own business, outsiders shouldn’t interfere.” Whis stepped forward, blocking Number 18 and Trunks. “Only by passing Lord Beerus’s test can he truly understand the nature of divinity and thus master it. This is the path he must take.”
Lin Ye pushed away Number 18's hand, took a deep breath, and said, "I accept." He flexed his wrists, and golden energy surged from his body. "However, I will not be your servant. Three moves are all I need to take."
"You've got some backbone, like a Saiyan." Beerus nodded in satisfaction and suddenly vanished from the spot.
"Watch out!" Vegeta shouted.
Lin Ye reacted immediately, turning around and conjuring a golden barrier made of fragments of creation. But Beerus's attack came unexpectedly; his hand had already appeared behind Lin Ye, and with a gentle wave, a black destructive energy struck Lin Ye's back.
"Pfft..." Lin Ye spat out a mouthful of blood, his body flying backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the temple wall, instantly creating a huge crack. He struggled to get up, only to find that the divine power within him had been fully activated by this attack, the golden divine runes pulsating wildly, and Beerus's voice echoed in his mind: "Destroy, destroy everything useless, only then can you become a true God of Destruction."
"Don't listen to him!" Number 18's voice pierced through the chaotic consciousness. "Think about what we need to protect!"
Lin Ye shook his head violently to clear the noise in his mind. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, leaned against the wall, and stood up: "I survived the first move. Let's continue."
Beerus raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. "I didn't expect you to be so resilient. But the second move won't be so easy." He crossed his arms, and two streams of black destructive energy condensed in his palms, forming a massive energy blade. "Take this! Destructive Slash!"
The energy blade hurtled towards Lin Ye with a whistling sound, tearing the air apart wherever it passed. Lin Ye took a deep breath, fusing the Saiyan energy within him with a small amount of divine power. The golden flames became even more intense, and he pushed his hands forward, condensing an even more resilient barrier.
"Bang!" The energy blade struck the barrier with a deafening roar. The barrier trembled violently under the impact, its surface cracking rapidly, threatening to shatter at any moment. Lin Ye's arms began to tremble, and cold sweat dripped from his forehead.
"Hold on, Lin Ye!" Number 18 clenched his fist, his nails digging deep into his palm.
Trunks shouted nervously, "Use the power of our past bond!"
Lin Ye closed his eyes, and images of his companions flashed through his mind: Bulma working late into the night in the lab developing weapons, Vegeta roaring as he trained desperately in the gravity chamber, Android 18's gentle smile under the moonlight, Trunks wielding the Time Sword to protect everyone... A powerful force erupted from his body, and the barrier suddenly turned golden, actually managing to block Beerus's second attack.
“Interesting.” A hint of surprise flashed in Beerus’s eyes. “It seems you’re not entirely without a chance. But for the third move, I won’t hold back.” The destructive energy around him began to surge wildly, and the entire temple floor began to collapse. “This is my signature move, Wrath of the God of Destruction!”
Black destructive energy condensed into a massive sphere in his hand, distorting the surrounding space and causing the temple's pillars to snap one by one. Lin Ye knew that this attack was powerful enough to destroy a planet, and he had to go all out.
"Come on!" Lin Ye shouted, fusing all the Saiyan energy, divine power, and life force within him together. The golden sphere of light in his hand expanded continuously, becoming even larger than Beerus's Destruction Energy Ball. He slammed the sphere of light towards Beerus's Destruction Energy Ball.
The two energies collided in mid-air, unleashing a deafening roar that instantly destroyed the entire temple, sending debris and dust flying everywhere. Everyone was thrown back by the shockwave, and Number 18 quickly activated his defensive shield to protect himself and Trunks.
As the smoke cleared, Lin Ye and Beerus stood amidst the ruins, their breathing somewhat disordered. Lin Ye's clothes were tattered, and his body was covered in wounds, but his eyes remained resolute. Beerus's hair was disheveled, but a satisfied smile played on his lips.
“Not bad, you passed the trial.” Beerus stepped forward and patted Lin Ye on the shoulder. “I didn’t expect you to withstand three of my full-force attacks. It seems I didn’t misjudge you.”
Lin Ye breathed a sigh of relief, but his body could no longer support him, and his legs buckled, about to collapse. Number 18 and Trunks immediately rushed over and caught him.
"Don't relax yet, I'll pass on the secret technique to you now." Beerus placed a hand on Lin Ye's head, and a warm energy flowed from his hand into Lin Ye's consciousness. Instantly, countless pieces of knowledge about suppressing divinity flooded Lin Ye's mind, from the way energy circulated to the techniques of controlling consciousness, every detail was crystal clear, as if branded into his mind.
“This is the ‘Divine Sealing Technique,’ which can temporarily suppress your divinization process.” Beerus withdrew his hand and said in a serious tone, “But this is only a temporary measure. To completely control the power of divinity, you still need to cultivate continuously and find your own way of balance.”
"Thank you, Lord Beerus," Lin Ye said gratefully. He could feel the divine power within him becoming much gentler, and the golden divine runes had dimmed.
Just then, a deafening roar suddenly erupted in the distance, and a gigantic black shadow appeared in the sky, blotting out the sun. Looking up, everyone saw a chaotic monster controlled by the remnant soul of Kronos hovering in mid-air. It was twice the size it had been outside the Ark space station, its body wreathed in even denser chaotic energy, and countless black tentacles lashed out behind it, destroying everything in its path.
"That guy actually tracked me all the way here!" Trunks gripped the Time Sword tightly and said angrily.
Beerus's face instantly darkened, a hint of killing intent flashing in his purple pupils: "Dare to run wild on my planet? This monster's got a death wish." He unleashed a powerful burst of destructive energy, standing shoulder to shoulder with Lin Ye. "Lin Ye, it's a good time to test your newly learned secret technique. This time, we'll take it down together!"
Lin Ye nodded, clenched his fist, and golden flames surged from his body once more. However, this time the flames carried a hint of composure, no longer as violent as before. Number 18 and Trunks were also ready for battle. The four of them stood on the ruins, their gazes fixed firmly on the chaotic monster in the sky.
The chaotic monster seemed to sense their hostility, letting out a deafening roar as countless black tentacles lashed out at them. A new battle was about to begin.