NOVEL NEXT Chapter 189: Hidden Strengths
"That guy Goten is strong, but I don't think he's a match for the Grand Priest. These beings have lived for hundreds of millions of years—there's no telling how deep their power runs."
"Goten's talent is impressive, no doubt. But at the end of the day, he's only trained for a short time."
Vegeta frowned as he spoke, watching the battle unfold.
The truth was, their fight hardly mattered in the grand scheme of things. Even if they died here, it wouldn't change the outcome. The real battle—the one that determined everything—was between Goten and the Grand Priest.
If Goten could win, then they had a chance to leave this place alive.
If he lost… they were all as good as dead.
But strangely, Vegeta felt no fear.
Even if this was the end, there was something exhilarating about standing on this battlefield, facing these impossibly powerful beings. His strength had reached a level he never dreamed of before. If he had to die, there was no better place for it.
Then, just as everyone turned their attention to the fight, the Grand Priest underwent yet another transformation.
His once neatly tied hair loosened, standing up wildly. His eyes darkened to black, and his pupils burned red.
Behind him, the angelic halo shifted—expanding into a multi-ringed, spiky formation.
An overwhelming wave of divine energy radiated from him, sending shivers through the gods watching.
They had never seen the Grand Priest's ultimate form before.
This was a first.
A deep sense of fear gripped the gods. The sheer presence of the Grand Priest's transformation was suffocating. It was a power far beyond anything they had ever witnessed.
But at the same time, many of them were filled with excitement.
With this power, the Grand Priest could eliminate anyone who dared defy Zeno's rule with ease.
Goten of Universe Seven would be crushed in an instant.
"Oh! The Grand Priest has entered his ultimate form! In all these billions of years, he has never taken on this form. Looks like Goten is done playing around—he's angered the Grand Priest for real."
Zeno's childlike voice carried a hint of excitement.
Even he was surprised. It had been an eternity since the Grand Priest had unleashed his ultimate form. Goten was in for a world of suffering now. But it was his own fault. Killing gods and angels was a grave offense.
Had he simply accepted punishment when the time came, none of this would have happened. If he had become the Grand God of Destruction back then, he might have even been able to destroy them without consequences.
But now, it was too late.
This battle would end only one way.
There was no kindness left in the Grand Priest's expression. His gentle smile was long gone, replaced by an icy, emotionless gaze. His red pupils radiated nothing but merciless power.
He looked down at Goten, his tone as indifferent as ever.
"Wake up, Goten. No matter what you do, you cannot defeat me in my ultimate form. I will erase you in an instant."
His words were not a threat. They were a statement of fact. In his eyes, from the moment he entered this form, the outcome had already been decided.
Goten was nothing more than a fish on the chopping block. No matter how much he struggled, it would all be meaningless.
"Hmph." Goten let out a cold snort.
[T/N: So cold, that even an Uchiha would orgasm!]
"Is that all? To borrow a line from you—you're too confident in your own strength. Don't think you're the only one who hides their power."
Despite the overwhelming force before him, Goten remained unshaken.
The Grand Priest's ultimate form was impressive.
His strength was indeed terrifying.
But it wasn't enough to make Goten cower.
Over the past six years, he hadn't remained in his Super Saiyan IV Limit Breaker state.
He had already surpassed it. He had reached a level beyond.
"Still being arrogant?"
The Grand Priest's voice remained emotionless.
"Then show me your power."
In his normal state, he had never enjoyed fighting.
Mainly because no one was ever a worthy opponent—aside from Zeno himself.
That was why he had almost never needed to enter his Ultimate Angel Form.
"Looks like I'll have to," Goten smirked.
"This current form won't be enough to deal with you. But you'd better prepare yourself—because the one who dies here today… will be you."
The Grand Priest's expression briefly flickered with uncertainty.
Why was Goten still so calm?
He had just witnessed the Ultimate Angel Form—a form beyond comprehension—yet he showed no fear.
And it didn't seem like an act.
Could it be… that Goten had broken through his limits yet again?
Could he truly match him, even in this state?
The thought was absurd.
A mortal was still a mortal.
It should be impossible for a being who had lived less than a hundred years to reach his level.
And yet…
Goten's confidence didn't seem fake.
Was it possible?
On the sidelines, Zeno's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Whoa!! Can Goten actually increase his power even more?"
"That's crazy!"
"This is going to be such a fun fight to watch!"
Zeno wasn't the least bit concerned about who would win.
For him, this was just entertainment—the ultimate battle between Goten and the Grand Priest.
His two guards, however, weren't as amused.
"Lord Zeno, that Goten is just bluffing."
"There's no way a mortal, who has lived for less than a century, can match the Grand Priest."
They had seen the Ultimate Angel Form before.
They knew how absurdly powerful it was.
And they were certain—no matter how much talent a mortal had, they would never be able to defeat the Grand Priest.
Zeno tilted his head slightly, his smile widening.
"You two shouldn't underestimate Goten! I don't think he's bluffing. Even now, he's as confident as ever. Maybe—just maybe—he really does have what it takes to fight the Grand Priest in his Ultimate Angel Form!"
His words left the guards speechless.
Zeno, the Omni-king, had confidence in Goten?
Could he really be right?
As the tension in the battlefield reached its peak, all eyes turned to Goten.