The Three Legendary Saiyans
Chapter 26: The Hardest Decision
The Time Machine warped back into the desolate ruins of Future West City; coming to a much softer landing than before as the canopy opened and Raijin practically launched out from behind the pilot seat with Bulma in his arms.
"It's good to finally be out of there" Raijin stretched his legs in mid-air before coming to a landing and setting Bulma down on her feet; taking a quick look around, a slight grin crossing his face as he saw that the odd-looking car was still there in the rubble.
"Yes; it sticks of testosterone in that machine" Bulma complained; holding her nose while narrowing her eyes at Goku and Vegeta, her gaze soon shifted to the ruins of the city; quickly spotting the crumbling dome of what used to be Capsule Corp, "So this is your world…"
"Yes; and we must hurry and find the refuge; I'm worried about the soldiers and civilians" Future-Trunks spoke in a resolute tone; reducing The Time Machine down into a tiny capsule before turning to the group.
"You mean you're worried about Future-Mai" Raijin cut in; a knowing smile on his face.
Bulma's lips curled into a sly but knowing smile as Goku chuckled at the unspoken truth, Vegeta remained as indifferent as ever while Future-Trunks face blushed bright pink.
"Enough teasing; we need to go" Raijin took the lead; flying off and checking every diverting path before their group crossed out into the open so not to attract any unwanted attention from their foes.
"Surprisingly all is clear… maybe Beerus really did erase Zamasu from the Timeline" Raijin gave a come forward signal with his right hand after checking the last intersection before reaching the abandoned subway where they'd hidden last time.
"We'll find out soon enough; we might still have Black to deal with" Vegeta muttered in a loud enough tone for only the group to hear him.
"Yeah… that Super Saiyan Rose is a toughie" Goku raised his hands to his head; clearly disappointed that Beerus might have done something useful for a change.
Future-Trunks raced off down into the hub of the abandoned subway station; closely followed by Raijin, Bulma, Goku and Vegeta, the murmur of the people living within the station resounded off the degrading walls at the very sight of Future-Trunks, Goku, Raijin, Vegeta and surprisingly Bulma; many of whom believed they'd been killed by Black during the last battle.
"Where is Future-Mai?" Future-Trunks instantly asked a wounded soldier; both of his arms as well as his right leg bound tightly in clean bandages that had been supplied with the clean food and water the people had been gifted with.
"She just went out on a recon patrol with a platoon an hour ago; we haven't had a Black Sighting in days but we're still patrolling just in case he resurfaces" The Soldier spoke slowly; a glimmer of newfound hope shining in his one remaining eye while the other was covered with an eyepatch.
"Days huh?" Goku smiled cheerfully.
"Don't let your guard down" Vegeta muttered; not convinced that Black or Zamasu could really be gone.
"Bulma; do whatever you can for these people, Future-Trunks; assist Bulma in any way you can, Goku… Vegeta… come with me" Raijin gave a nod to each of his family and friends; his feet floating off the ground as he along with Goku and Vegeta flew up the stairs and back out onto the streets.
Future-Trunks silently watched as Raijin, Goku and Vegeta all left; his sword on his back suddenly began to feel heavier to him.
Bulma glanced over to Future-Trunks; a soft motherly smile lighting up her face while she knelt down to assist a crying child, "Son; you can go find your girlfriend, I can handle this on my own".
"Are you sure?" Future-Trunks asked; concern resounding in his voice.
"Son; you know I can" Bulma shot back; giving Future-Trunks a soft slap to his left arm.
Future-Trunks couldn't help but smile to Bulma's words; his right hand reaching up and drawing his sword, the blade casting his reflection as he eyed the blade; a blade that he would bury in the chest of Black, his feet lifting off the ground and instantly flying off in pursuit of the other Saiyans.
Raijin, Goku and Vegeta stood in the very same courtyard where they'd faced Black and Zamasu; the same place where they'd been handed utter defeat, the remains of a clocktower laid on its side with the clockface permanently stuck at midnight, benches and statues had been reduced to less than rubble while craters and scorched earth littered the once-lushly green-grassed grounds.
"Do you think the same trick will work twice?" Goku broke the haunting silence with his question; his hand touching the slashed sections of his orange gi.
Vegeta stood silent; the pain of Black's Sword piercing him still fresh in his mind.
"It's worth a shot" spoke the voice of Future-Trunks; dropping down from the dull-green murk that clouded the skies and coming to a landing right beside a very displeased Vegeta.
"Yeah; can't hurt to try" Raijin agreed, Goku and Vegeta both nodding in silent agreement.
Raijin stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Goku and Future-Trunks while Vegeta stood with his back facing Raijin and in-between Goku and Future-Trunks; forming a perfect square between the four of them, all at once their energies began to spike upwards; a burst of golden flames igniting around all four of their bodies, a current of electricity sparking around as all four Saiyans all at once transformed into Super Saiyan 2's; the power they radiated shoot upwards and blowing a hole through the murk and exposing a small pocket of the perfect clear blue sky overhead.
Future-Trunks felt a sense of relief as the hole in the murk had been blasted open; feeling as if he'd hadn't seen a perfect blue sky in his own world for years.
"There really is no sign of Black or Zamasu… the plan really worked" Raijin laughed; cracking a smile as Beerus really did do something useful for once; though his laughter was cut short as a ki blast struck him in the chest.
"Raijin!" Goku shouted; looking to see where the blast came from only to find Black standing atop the ruins of a statue depicting Doctor Briefs.
"I cannot believe that you mortals had the audacity to return here! Though I do appreciate the gesture so I can use you all and become even stronger!" Black announced; casting his arms out in an act of leaving himself open to an attack.
"Black! Where is Zamasu?" Goku shouted; his eyes narrowing at their sole foe.
"Zamasu? By whom do you mean?" Black grinned as he spoke; his words unusually cryptic.
Vegeta clearly didn't care for Black's riddles; his form quickly changing from gold to blue as he tightened his fists and clenched his teeth, transforming directly from Super Saiyan 2 up to Super Saiyan Blue and charging for Black with his fists raised for attack; Black happily raised both hands to meet Vegeta's challenge just as his black hair flashed and changed to pink.
Vegeta roared as his fists met with Black's open hands; a golden shockwave blasting out from the clash of their fists and spreading across the skies; a rumble of thunder resonating in the shockwaves wake, Vegeta's blue aura concentrating in only his fists with a pair of duel Energy Fists while Black channelled his violet/pink aura into his right hand; his Energy Sword drawn for Vegeta for see.
Raijin grimaced as his eyes squirted open; his chest burning from Black's sudden attack, "Damn… that hurts".
Future-Trunks knelt down by Raijin's side; his eyes examining and judging that his burn was not fatal, "I'm glad you're alive; Black said…".
"I know what he said!" Raijin cut in; having heard Black's arrival despite being in pain, "Zamasu must still be alive and hiding somewhere!".
"How right you are" spoke a spine-chillingly cold voice from right behind Raijin.
Raijin instantly reached around with his left arm and fired a point-blank energy blast in the face who stood behind him; the blast tore through the remains of Doctor Briefs' fallen statue while the target remained unscathed, Zamasu…"
Zamasu grinned as Raijin's attack failed to do any damage to his body in the slightest.
Black floated back down from the skies; his Super Saiyan Rose hair fading back to its normal black, "You all wish for nothing more than to defeat us… you all crave it".
"Damn right! But I didn't come for myself; I came to create a future for this world and my son!" Vegeta shouted; remaining in mid-air while the blue energy burnt around his fists.
"Well; that's not very Saiyan" Black smirked; his smirk radiating the evil malice that permeated his dark aura.
Raijin smirked; he already knew that Vegeta did care for Future-Trunks but now those feelings were on full display.
"We know what you've done Zamasu; we know that you murdered Gowasu in cold blood, stole a Time Ring and used The Super Dragon Balls to create an evil copy of me!" Goku shouted; reading off all the evil acts Zamasu had done up until this point.
Zamasu stared down at Goku; the cold glare in his eyes unflinching.
"You think I'm a copy? How wrong you are Goku" Black laughed at the very notion that he was a copy, "This truly is the body of The Legendary Saiyan Warrior: Son Goku… down to the last battle scar; the perfect war machine and the perfect tool in our grand design".
"You lie!" Vegeta cried out; too stunned to believe what he was hearing.
Goku stared at Black and Zamasu; his eyes widened as he'd been fighting against his own body.
Even Raijin stared in shock at this revelation.
Future-Trunks stared in shock; his enemy had truly been the actual body of Goku all along.
"Oh but I'm not finished yet… once I learnt how to use this bodies power thanks to one Future-Trunks; but the mind within is not that of Son Goku… but is that of The Supreme Kai: Zamasu!".
"You stole my body?! How?" Goku spluttered; too shocked to even transform or attack.
"Why with The Super Dragon Balls of course; with the assistance of my comrade-in-arms here we stole The Time Ring; made this Zamasu nigh indestructible and destroyed the orbs so they cannot be used against us!" Black happily told the story; smiling gleefully in the thought that they were undefeatable when together, a fact that all too true.
Raijin, Vegeta and Future-Trunks stared aghast at the horrific facts; facing two opponents of whom one was formerly their undefeatable friend and the other was invincible.
Raijin felt the energy within his body building up; his golden aura burning fiercely around his body and about to burst out into a raging inferno of golden flames, "Future-Trunks; you go and find Future-Mai and her platoon; their survival is important to you… is it not?".
Future-Trunks stood with his sword drawn; ready to be a part of the imminent battle but a look of surprise overtook his furious expression and changing it to one of worry for his comrades, "Yes; but I want to fight alongside you".
"No son; your people are more important" Vegeta spoke without even so much as looking at Future-Trunks.
"Are you really discussing your battle plan right in front of us; and Future-Trunks… I believe this woman is a friend of yours?" Black shouted gleefully; floating down into an abandoned building and returning with a badly wounded and unconscious Future-Mai hoisted up with one hand.
"MAI!" Future-Trunks shouted; grief overcoming his sense of reason and charging for Black with his sword raised to slice of Black's head in blind rage, Black smirked an evil smirk; motioning Future-Mai in front of Future-Trunks' attack so he'd cut her down instead and be driven insane by his grief but a sudden lightning-fast punch struck Black in the side of his head and Future-Mai was released from his grip just in time for Future-Trunks to not only take Future-Mai into a free arm but also strike Black, Future-Trunks' sword found its mark and slashed across Black's chest; a ever so slight trickle of his blood leaking from the sudden wound.
Zamasu's eyes widened with a furious flame while he witnessed the sudden and unexpected double-teamed rescue of Future-Mai; but what infuriated him most was the form Raijin had taken.
Raijin floated in mid-air as a Super Saiyan 4 directly in front of Zamasu; a pleased smile on his face after landing a solid punch to Black and inciting Zamasu's anger, Raijin straightened himself up to face Zamasu one-to-one.
"You dare… to take such a primitive and beastly form in front of a God… you will pay for your insolence!" Zamasu spoke lowly; barely able to contain the rage ignited by Raijin's transformation, his right hand blazing with a dark purple Energy Blade; its edge humming as if it was cutting the air itself.
"Bring it!" Raijin spoke in confidence; he'd wanted to fight Zamasu since first laying eyes on the Kai at the tail-end of their fist battle and again during their mission to stop Gowasu's murder, and now he'd finally get to fight one-on-one.
Zamasu vanished from sight; but Raijin's instincts guided him to roll through the air as Zamasu attempted to kill him by slashing through his head, halting his roll and whipping around with his tail; Raijin's Tail gripping Zamasu's right wrist and allowing Raijin to try to same dropkick he'd used against Hit, the dropkick surprisingly landing unguarded to Zamasu's left shoulder and sending the Kai crashed down into the ruined buildings below.
"You won't kill me as easily like you did to Lord Gowasu!" Raijin shouted though something shook him; when he'd struck Zamasu he hadn't even flinched in fact he looked like being struck gave him some sick pleasure.
Raijin raised one hand up over his head; the golden glow of an orb growing within his palm lighting up the murk that blanketed the skies until Raijin threw the orb down into the rubble, watching with a straight emotionless expression while the orb's explosion tore through the ruins; leaving nothing but furious flames and scorched concrete.
Nothing and nobody returned from the burning rubble; only the flashes of blue and pink lit up the cities horizon while Future-Trunks had fled with Future-Mai in tow, Raijin allowed himself only the slightest of smirks for Future-Trunks escape before a surge of warnings resonated through his animal instincts though the warning came too late as a sudden heat spread through his lower back.
"You Saiyans… are a scourge of my universe, a disease that I will not permit to exist within my utopia" spoke the cold voice of Zamasu; his eyes narrowed in fury while his right hand as well as his Energy Blade had sunk into Raijin's fur-coated flesh.
"You keep calling a Universe without life a utopia; but it will only be so for you and you alone! What is a world without life? It is meaningless" Raijin spoke through gritted teeth as he again tried to dig down to his deeper energies; his God Ki.
"My grand design is far too complex for a mere mortal to comprehend; much less that of a filthy primate of a Saiyan" Zamasu smirked as he gloated; lording his superior standing and mind over Raijin.
Raijin let out a resounding roar as his aura of golden flames were momentarily replaced with a blazing divine flame; stunning Zamasu by the sudden display of divine energy, Raijin's God Ki returning for only a moment but still not quiet fully under his control.
"Damn… thought I had it" Raijin muttered; his left hand touching his lower back and feeling the wet patch of blood trickling from his wound and staining his already dirty and ripped clothes.
"Once again you mortals continue to disgrace the divine" Zamasu's brow furrowed in his anger though his expression relaxed all too quickly as he watched something out in the distance, "Look for yourself Raijin; your comrades will never survive".
Raijin spat out a blob of excess saliva before turning to see whatever it was that Zamasu was looking out at; a pillar of dark-pink and light-blue energy twisted and raked across the skies as Goku and Black fought to the death, the sounds and roars of fists colliding and Goku's voice shouting in roars of defiance.
"You claim to know all about us; about all the battles that Goku had fought but you know nothing" Raijin turned back to face Zamasu; a confident smile on his lips while his eyes reflected the same confidence, "Like Frieza, Cooler, Cell and Buu before you… somehow we will win".
Zamasu glared at Raijin with a venomous glare while listening to his speech, "A fine sentiment; worthy of being spoken by a God… however you are no God".
"Your right… I'm not" Raijin floated down to a pile of rubble; seizing a long shaft of steel piping and whipping it around for a strike across Zamasu's head, such a strike would normally cause a severe head injury or at least a bleeding wound; but Zamasu merely glared at Raijin while being totally unscathed.
Armed with a weapon; Raijin whipped and twirled his steel pipe around as if it was a staff he'd been using for years upon years; Zamasu barely even flinching each time the pipe struck him in the side of the head, ribs, arm or stomach, only a confident smirk lit up his remorseless face until swiping at the pipe with his own Energy Blade; the blade's length growing with every strike Raijin landed and slashing the pipe clean in half.
Raijin stared at the cut down weapon; the razor edge of the metal giving him an idea, an idea that caused the corners of his lips to curl into a grin.
Seizing even more of the rusted and worn steel pipes and hurling them at Zamasu only for Zamasu to effortlessly cut the pipes in half each time; a curious look in his grey eyes as he watched Raijin's futile efforts to defeat him, a sudden tackle from Raijin took Zamasu off-guard as he billowed through the falling pipes and crashed into the side of a pair of joined I-beams shaped like a cross; Zamasu groaned slightly from the impact of his body hitting titanium but a look of sheer shock filled his eyes and expressionless face as a series of stabbings happened across his indestructible body.
Raijin had driven the razor-edges of the severed steel pipes one by one through Zamasu's arms and legs; pinning him against the I-beam cross, effectively crucifying the Kai.
"You impress me Saiyan… a fine idea to immobilise me" Zamasu spoke without even a hint of what should be excruciating pain in his voice, "Did you forget that I am invincible?".
Raijin felt the blood-loss from his wound in his lower back slowly weakening him; he needed to hurry to get to Black's side of the battle and assist Goku and Vegeta in any way, "Stay there like the naughty little Kai that you are… once Black is dead we'll come back to deal with you".
"Take your time…" Zamasu spoke smugly; watching as Raijin flew off to the sight of the battle with Black.
Back at the other side of the city; Future-Trunks laid Future-Mai down on a folding bed Bulma hurrying to his side; seeing that the situation was no time for jokes about his relationship with her.
"She's barely breathing" Bulma spoke slowly; saddened by Future-Mai's current state and the extensive injuries she'd suffered, "I don't think she'll be able to eat one of the Senzu Beans I brought along with me".
"Give me one" Future-Trunks spoke; his eyes steeled with the resolve to save his friend.
Bulma hesitated for only a single second before handing Future-Trunks a bean from a small container in the pocket of her white lab coat.
Future-Trunks barely even hesitated; popping the bean in-between his teeth and chewing the solid bean into a paste before kneeling down to Future-Mai's side, leaning down to her to administer the Senzu Paste to her via mouth-to-mouth.
A little girl in a pink dress named Maki gasped at the sight; her cheeks shining brightly as she watched what she perceived to be their first kiss, her other brother Haru crossed his arms and pouted; considering the act to be yucky.
Bulma merely smiled a motherly smile as she watched the lack of any form of hesitation in Future-Trunks' actions, hoping that the Trunks and Mai in her own Timeline will someday have as strong a connection as their future counterparts do.
A full minute passed by before Future-Mai awakened; sitting upwards with a knee-jerk reaction to her sudden surroundings, "How? How did I get here… last thing I remember is being taken away by Black… Trunks?!".
Future-Trunks smiled a smile so wide that tears budded up in the corners of his eyes, "I'm so happy you're alive; I thought I'd lost you this time".
Future-Mai barely had any words to speak; smiling a soft loving smile as she wrapped her arms around Future-Trunks' shoulders and embracing him.
"As much as I'd hate to cut this short… the others might need your help" Bulma spoke; drawing their attention, Future-Mai looking shocked as Bulma stood before her eyes; alive and well.
"You're right; this battle isn't over yet" Future-Trunks' whole body tensed up as the golden radiance of Super Saiyan cloaked his body; kicking off the ground and flying straight out of the refuge and making a straight line for the battlefield.
Bulma, Haru, Maki and Future-Mai all watched as the golden trail he'd left behind faded; all sharing a look of concern.
Black had recounted his body-switching wish of The Super Dragon Balls to Goku and Vegeta; gloating and grinning a sickeningly satisfied grin in explaining how he murdered Chichi, Goten, and even Gohan, Videl and Pan before returning to The Tenth Universe to destroy the mind of Goku in Zamasu's original body.
The story had flung Goku into an uncharacteristic and aggressive rage, "Black! You've taken my body, my families lives, my world… you're going to regret telling me all that… because now I'm mad! Really really mad!" Goku's energies spiked into a pillar of blue flames; the wind generated by Goku's power forced Vegeta to take cover behind a concrete spire.
"Finally you rise to my challenge Goku; very well let us duel to the death!" Black's contorted into an expression of desire and lust for blood-spilling battle, casting his arms open; instantly transforming into his Super Saiyan Rose Form; his energy forming a pillar of dark pink that reached as high into the murky skies as Goku's blue pillar did.
Just as Goku's blue pillar faded away he kicked off the ground and rushed for Black; blindsiding the enemy with a single punch to the side of the head, quickly following up with a barrage of punches to Black's body while Black kept grinning maliciously while he slapped away every other punch while punches that broke through his guard felt like nothing more than love taps; Black's back pressed up against a ruined building known to be ZTV Headquarters though the power behind Goku's punches forced the building to crumble under the constant blows.
As the ZTV Building crumbled on top of Black; Goku rose back up into the murky sky and howling as he fired a barrage of golden energy blasts down onto the rubble, each blast tearing through metal and concrete until nothing was left of the building but a crater of smouldering rocks.
"Such power… a true example of the might you possess Son Goku" spoke a chilling voice from behind Goku's back; Black had escaped the assault without Goku even noticing, Black's eyes channelled entirely into his Energy Sword; of which having grown from a longsword to a more curved weapon akin to a scimitar.
"Kakarot you fool! Black's body is your body; so he must be able to use Instant Transmission!" Vegeta shouted; stepping out from behind the pillar and rushing into the battle, his Super Saiyan Blue Form blazing in the darkness of the West City Ruins.
Goku cursed himself for forgetting that Black might have that ability in his arsenal after Goku had trained his body and mind to use the technique on Yardrat all those years ago.
Vegeta and Goku both rushed Black as a double team; striking through his nearly-non-existent guard as the fists of both Goku and Vegeta slammed into the face, chest, shoulder, back and gut of Black, Black grit his teeth as he felt like he was in genuine danger when facing Goku and Vegeta at the same time; transferring the energy from his Sword back to his whole body and firing off a blast of air to distance Goku and Vegeta before soaring high into the air and hurling a pink and black energy ball from his right hand down on top of Goku and Vegeta.
Much to Black's surprise; Goku and Vegeta merely batted the energy ball away with a joined backhand strike, Goku rushing in and rushing Black with another volley of punches of which Black managed to block every punch but took a sudden skyward kick to his jaw from Goku, blinking his eyes as a seemingly blue comet hurtled towards him only to realise that Vegeta was divebombing him and executing a cross-chop to Black's unguarded body.
Black crashed down into the dirt; his body battered, bruised and defeated, "How can this be? I am Zamasu and I wield the mighty body and power of Son Goku? How can I be defeated?".
"It is because that you do not truly comprehend the might of a Saiyan Warrior" Vegeta spoke; crossing his arms as he and Goku floated overhead, the finishing blow about to be executed.
"Then what is it that I do now understand?" Black questioned; his expression turning blank.
"When we fight for something greater than ourselves; our power becomes that much stronger… strong enough to defeat even the likes of you" Goku spoke; his eyes having lost the look of enjoyment at a new challenge like they showed in their first battle and now showed nothing more than the intent to destroy Black.
Just as Goku and Vegeta began to move; Black bowed his head seemingly in defeat, listening to only the sound of Goku's cry as his fist arced towards Black's chest cavity when his hand shot out and grabbed Goku by his right wrist and halting his finishing punch; a sinister smile lit up his face when Goku grimaced in pain, a pink energy blast tore through Goku's body leaving a bleeding hole in his stomach.
"I thank you Saiyan; the sensation of imminent defeat was all I needed to become even stronger… now you'll meet your end by my blade" Black's godly confidence returned while watching Goku fall with a look of excruciating pain contorting his face; Black thrust out his right hand as his scimitar-shaped Energy Sword returned, taking off and charging for Goku just as an energy blast cut off his path towards Goku.
Vegeta gritted his teeth; the blast he'd fired had been meant to take off Black's head but narrowly missed by mere inches, Black grinned as he'd nearly forgotten about Vegeta in that precise moment; twirling his blade over his head and slashing through the air; a volley of smaller spear-shaped flew from the Energy Sword and impaled a stunned Vegeta throughout his chest as well as his arms and legs.
"And thus The Saiyan Prince falls once again" Black spoke with grim satisfaction.
Raijin rushed out onto the battlefield just as Vegeta screamed in the paid of the multiple spears sticking out from his body; his eyes widened in shock as he arrived to fight Goku laying face-down in the dirt with his blue hair fading back to black and Vegeta obscured by a cloud of black smoke.
Black kept smiling; ignoring that Raijin had even arrived on the battlefield, his attention was transfixed on somebody else.
Future-Trunks stood on the opposite side of the battlefield from Raijin; his own powers spiking near-uncontrollably to the point where Raijin felt it from all the way across the battlefield, Future-Trunks blazing aura flickered both gold and blue while he powered up; ascending from his own Super Saiyan 2 to an entirely new level.
"You never fail to impress me Future-Trunks… I'll be back soon" Raijin muttered watching as Future-Trunks took off into the skies as a gold/blue flame with Black pursuing him like a dark-pink comet; the pair clashing overhead with the sound of blades clashing indicating to the fight they were having, Raijin rushed over to the body of Goku and quickly checking for his pulse.
"Oh thank the heavens… he's alive" Raijin muttered to himself; spotting a wounded Vegeta falling from the smoke cloud and crashing into the ground only meters away, Raijin quickly rushed over to check Vegeta and successfully finding a pulse, "Good; they're both still alive".
"Yes… but for how long?" spoke a chilling voice from behind Raijin's back.
Raijin rolled out from the path of an Energy Blade's slash aimed for his neck entirely out of luck; spinning on the rocky ground only to find Zamasu standing before him, "And now there's this asshole"
"Do not be so crude when speaking to the divine" Zamasu growled under his breath; his eyes still conveying the disgusted impression he got from Raijin's Super Saiyan 4 Form.
"Maybe I would… if you were really a Supreme Kai instead of the Destroyer that you are" Raijin smirked; poking at Zamasu's pride as a divine being to get under his skin and rile him up.
"You dare question my divine existence! I AM THE ONE TRUE SUPREME KAI!" Zamasu grew enraged; finally losing his cool to a furious rage and raising his Blade again to take off Raijin's head.
"Hyper Masenko!" Raijin roared; thrusting both his hands into Zamasu's face and firing his signature blast point-blank in Zamasu's face, the force of the golden beam throwing Zamasu back and crashing into the ruins of a multi-story car parking lot.
Black and Future-Trunks both glanced down as Raijin lifted Goku and Vegeta onto his shoulders and began an attempt to flee the battlefield.
"You think you can escape!" Black roared; abandoning the sword duel he was fighting with Future-Trunks to pursue Raijin though Future-Trunks cut him off, slashing across Black's chest and nicking at left forearm and drawing the tiniest bead of blood.
"Your fight is with me Black!" Future-Trunks roared; circling around Black and cutting him off from Raijin, Goku and Vegeta.
Black grimaced as Future-Trunks had not only grown stronger, but stopped him and somehow caused a second injury; grinning as he spotted Zamasu stepping out from the car park and giving chase to Raijin, "Pity they'll never escape".
Future-Trunks glanced down and spotted Zamasu giving chase; but what he sensed from Raijin gave him a confident smile.
Raijin flew down every road he could; taking every corner he could in hopes to shaking Zamasu from his trail, sweat dripped from his forehead and chest as he flew with both Goku and Vegeta on his shoulders; hoping and praying that his God Ki would return and give him the strength he needed to escape.
"Goku… Vegeta… I'm sorry" Raijin muttered into his rival's ears before throwing both Goku and Vegeta's bodies into the air and swinging his arms into a skyward arc; firing a volley of blasts at Zamasu, the blasts striking and destroying the small buildings, roads and bringing down anything he could to stop Zamasu's pursuit for even a couple of seconds; grabbing Goku and Vegeta by their waists and rushing off before the dust cloud could dissipate.
Raijin flew up into the air to search for the refuge or a safe place nearby before he spotted it; Bulma, Future-Mai and Future-Yajirobe all gathered on a rooftop alongside The Time Machine waving to him, Raijin didn't have time to worry about their safety but they were the one and only escape route.
"What are you doing here? You should all be hiding somewhere safe" Raijin exclaimed; looking to Future-Mai and Future-Yajirobe for an explanation for Bulma's actions in simply being here.
"And who's going to save you when you need it?" Bulma barked back; crossing her arms while looking down on her husband despite Raijin being much taller than her.
"Ok; you win" Raijin smiled softly; having never won an argument with his wife.
"That's better; I can pilot the machine; get everyone inside and do it fast" Bulma smiled a confident smile; the left hand tapping on the pylon of The Time Machine that had the word Hope written on it.
Raijin did as told; lifting Goku and Vegeta up into The Time Machine and seating them back in their seating places while Bulma climbed up into the pilot seat with a little assistance from Future-Mai helping her up.
"Get in; this'll have to be done fast" Bulma told Raijin; the machine already humming to life and lifting off into the air while the canopy was still open.
Raijin glanced back at the direction he came from; still able to see the flashes of Future-Trunks' and Black's duel in the distance, and Zamasu was likely still headed this way, Raijin's eyes widened as he saw Zamasu not heading back to Black's side but heading straight for them.
"Shit… Zamasu is coming; get going NOW!" Raijin shouted; Bulma looking at the incoming enemy with a look of fear in her eyes, Future-Mai and Future-Yajirobe quickly taking cover.
"Raijin; hurry up and get in!" Bulma cried out; the canopy already beginning to close as a white light began to surround The Time Machine.
"I'm not going… go back and find a way to stop Zamasu permanently; I know there must be a way" Raijin smiled with confidence in his wife's abilities to solve problems.
Bulma watched Raijin with a tear in her eyes; giving a brief nod just as Raijin and Zamasu clashed again, Raijin grabbing a hold and pinning Zamasu's arms in an armlock just as The Time Machine vanished into the timestreams.
"You sacrificed your way home… why?" Zamasu posed a question; his expression one of curiosity in Raijin's chosen actions.
Raijin released his grip of Zamasu's arms; looking back at the space where The Time Machine vanished; though he was confident they'd all return with a possible path for victory but he needed to focus of the here-and-now, "I stayed so that they can come back with a way to defeat you… I am their saviour".
Zamasu chuckled at the notion of Raijin being a saviour, "You should know that a mortal like yourself will not survive to see that day".
Raijin chuckled too as he felt the calm sensations of his ki flowing throughout his body; his powers returning to him as his golden aura quickly replaced with burning crimson flames licking at his whole body.
Zamasu's confident smile faded as he watched Raijin; his brow furrowing as Raijin's form radiated the divine God Ki.
"I've been waiting for this moment…" Raijin smiled as his God Ki radiated throughout his whole body; finally grasping hold of the power and making it his own in order to ascend to a new level of his own, "Super Saiyan 4: Full Power!".