The air in the forest thickened, as if even nature itself held its breath.

  Piccolo stood still, arms crossed, antenna twitching. That ki… it was Goku’s, but corrupted—drenched in something vile. Not demonic. Divine.

  Footsteps approached softly. A figure emerged from the shadows—cloaked in black, red sash around his waist, a sickeningly familiar face twisted into serene disdain.

  “You…” Piccolo’s voice was tight. “Why do you have Goku’s face?”

  The man smiled faintly. “This form… belongs to me now.”

  He raised his hand calmly, fingers poised like a conductor ready to summon an orchestra of ruin.

  "watashi wa kami da (I am a god)."

  Piccolo’s eyes narrowed. “You picked the wrong planet to play god.”

  He vanished—boom!—dashing forward with a powerful punch aimed straight for Black’s head.

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  CLANG!

  Black raised his forearm, absorbing the blow, sliding back slightly. He didn’t flinch. Didn’t even blink.

  “You lack grace,” he muttered.

  A glowing pink blade materialized from his palm with a low hum. He slashed, forcing Piccolo back, then leapt into the air, hovering effortlessly.

  Piccolo spat. “Tch. That’s a poor imitation of a weapon.”

  “fufufu… odorō ka? (Shall we dance?)” Black whispered, eyes gleaming.

  He vanished in a flash—

  "shun!"

  A streak of rose light zipped past Piccolo—then another. Then another. Each left shallow cuts laced with unstable divine ki. Piccolo spun defensively, but Black’s movements were unpredictable. A haunting rhythm filled the battlefield.

  > "kami no mai: zan… (Divine Dance: Slash…)"

  Black’s body spun midair like a twisted ballerina of death. His sword extended, warping into a glowing, curved scythe made of concentrated divine energy. Every sweep left afterimages that bled malevolence.

  Then—he stabbed the air.

  “ima da. hazero. (Now. Explode.)”

  BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!

  The shallow cuts lining Piccolo's arms and chest ignited in a chain of delayed explosions. The blasts rippled with pink and black energy, shredding trees, shaking the sky.

  Piccolo roared in pain, crashing to one knee. His armor was cracked, blood leaking from his mouth.

  Still—he smirked.

  “I’ve fought worse.”

  But Black was already descending.

  He landed silently in front of the Namekian, blade dissolving as he adjusted his robe.

  "watashi wa kami da… soshite kore wa, batsu da. (I am a god… and this is your punishment.)"

  He raised a hand, gathering energy into a black sphere glowing with an ominous light.

  “burakku kamehameha… (Black Kamehameha…)”

  Piccolo’s eyes widened in shock.

  “BURAKKU KAMEHAMEHAAAAAAA!!”

  The blast erupted with godlike wrath, swallowing the forest. Fire and smoke consumed the land, and when the light faded—nothing remained but a crater and silence.

  High above it all, Goku Black floated, his expression calm.

  “They’ll come now,” he whispered. “Let them.”

  He turned away, vanishing into the clouds.