VOL 15: Chapter 142 - "Battle Within"

Lifting his head towards the sky, Seikyo felt a large jolt of energy as the dark clouds began to be enveloped in a flashing light. After resting for a bit after his fight with Jaduko, he managed to get to his feet. Unfortunately, he was still fairly weakened and was forced to hold onto his stomach to stop the pain.

"I can feel everything..." Seikyo muttered. "All of that power, it's nearly impossible to not feel it... As much as I wish it could be me unleashing all of that... I wish you luck in beating that thing for what it did to me..." Seikyo looked up towards the brightly lit sky as it returned to normal.

"Jaduko..." Seikyo smirked and closed his eyes.

Upon Seikyo close his eyes, a flash of bright light engulfs the entirety of blackness, leaving nothing except an empty white void.

The bright light in the white void begins to slowly fade away, revealing Jaduko's body as it slowly drops to the ground below. With a loud "THUD" and the splashing of water, the white void completely fades away revealing Jaduko laying on his back in a lake of ankle-deep water.

Lifting himself up and standing to his feet, Jaduko slowly opens his left eye while leaving his right one closed and noticed he's in a new area that isn't the Lookout. Small beads of sweat drip down his left cheek as his mouth slightly hangs open dumbfounded.

Opening right eye, Jaduko's vision began to fix itself and he noticed he was standing in the center of a very large pond that only ran up to his ankles. Surrounding the lake was white snowy grass with gigantic boulders scattered along the landscape. These boulders had frost covering the top of them and the entire area was raining, causing the water at Jaduko's ankles to bounce back and forth from the raining hitting it.

Looking around the area, Jaduko noticed that a rocky mountain range circled around the entire area with cliffs jutting out from the mountains. It's almost as if this pond and grassy, rocky area was at the bottom of a sinkhole.

Standing on top of one of the tallest rocks several yards away from the edge of the pond was a light blue skinned man. Jaduko hadn't seen this man before but he recognized the white hairstyle. It was a hairstyle similar to what Superior Kai had, that must mean this blue skinned, orange clothed wearing man was a Kaioshin.

It was Nether.

"Finally, you've awoken!" Nether shouted. "I'm very glad, as you've been under a slight comatose for several minutes. That last attack you fired on my Corrupted Shenron was very interesting, nearly destroyed my creation!" Jaduko noticed that Nether's "S" sounds were no longer dragged out.

Noticing something shining within Nether's grasp, Jaduko realized that this person was holding onto the Locket of Nether very tightly. This was definitely the physical embodiment of Nether, his true form. The man indirectly responsible for the death of Shishito and Future Taisuka through the creation of Reybuu.

"So you're Nether...?" Jaduko questioned as the rain caused his bangs to slightly drop in front of his eyes. He noticed his bangs were now brown and he was no longer in his Super Saiyan 2 form, but was rather back in his base form.

"Correct. Is this not an exciting meeting between the two of us?" Nether chuckled as he twirled the Locket around in his fingers on it's chain.

"Where am I." Jaduko demanded to know.

"You're within my soul." Nether replied, his voice calming down. "This is the World of the Nether Lock, the heart of the entire reality known as Netherworld. This has been my prison, but usually it's much nicer, there is a gigantic tree of life outside of this area that I usually spend most of my time when it's nice. But today... it seems to be quite dreary as you're here..."

"If this is the heart of Netherworld, how are you holding onto the Locket?" Jaduko questioned. "Shouldn't we be inside it?"

"You would think so, wouldn't you?" Nether replied. "On the contrary, this Locket is actually the gateway back into YOUR reality..."

"What?!" Jaduko shouted in shock, taking a step forward in surprise.

"Depending on which reality you're in, the Locket of Nether serves as a gateway towards the other side." Nether informed. "However as you've already experienced, it's quite tough to travel into the other reality, especially from this one into yours. It's why I've tried, numerous times, but have failed to do so without a proper opening from your side."

"If I'm in Netherworld right now..." Jaduko thought out loud to himself.

"Everything you've ever known or cherished, is within this tiny, Locket.." Nether began to swing it around on his fingers. Jaduko widened his eyes and dropped his jaw as he followed the Locket's movements. "Somehow your little trick within my Corrupted Shenron forced us into the World of the Nether Lock, trapping us back inside this pesky thing. So for that, I'm a bit ticked off with you, Jaduko..." Nether glared down at the Saiyan.

Jaduko closed his mouth and narrowed his eyes as he stared at Nether. Never before had he felt such hatred for one person. This monster was holding his entire reality in the palm of his hand and one little misstep from Nether could possibly destroy his chance in returning to his own reality.... or destroying everything Jaduko had ever known.

Thinking of everything that the Locket of Nether has done to Jaduko's life began to cause the Saiyan's body to pulsate in anger. The death of his father, the death of Future Taisuka, all of the pain and hardships caused to him, his friends, and his family over something as simple as a piece of metal. It didn't matter how special this thing was, it didn't matter if it had the power to serve as a gateway between realities. All of this anger building up in Jaduko has nearly reached it's climax, and now that Nether's physical form is standing in front of him rather than a dragon. He has something personal to take the anger out on.

"Your decision is to either allow me to return to your reality with you and resolve my business in enacting my vengeance on the gods who sealed me away within this hell." Nether bargained. "Or... we both remain trapped in Netherworld. Your choice." Nether chuckled.

"Be quiet." Jaduko threatened. The sound of rain splashing into the water at his feet went silent. Rain was still splashing into the water, but everything revolving sound had gone silent. Nether widened his eyes and his pupils grew very small as he stared at Jaduko, who was glaring back at him. The Saiyan's eyes were covered in the shadow from his bangs, but Nether could still see the whites of his eyes.

'I sense something in this boy...' Nether's pupils began to shake as he felt something emanating from Jaduko. It wasn't power.... but it was something entirely different, unnatural... 'Could it be...?'

"I have to be honest with you, Masurao." Nether spoke out, referring to Jaduko by his last name. "I always knew there was something special about you but I figured it revolved around how often the Locket of Nether tied into your family and friends, you were a pawn in my little game but I figured it was just something of a coincidence."

He hopped forward off of the boulder he was on and stepped across the snowy grass into the ankle-deep pond with Jaduko. Nether lifted the Locket of Nether and placed it around his neck as he stopped about 35 feet away from Jaduko.

"But there is something new about you. Most people tend to fear gods, but you, I can sense you're not that way." Nether remarked as Jaduko remained silent, the Saiyan's fists were clenched and trembling as Jaduko didn't remove his glare. "I wish to fight you personally. You've proven to be a match against Reybuu, in both the present and the future, and now you've proven to be a match against my Corrupted Shenron as your power dramatically increases each time. Come face me."

"You come to me." Jaduko's voice sounded grim as he lifted his head slightly, his hair bounced from the rain and it poofed out towards the side of his head to form his natural hairstyle. Nether noticed the Saiyan's eyes were very slim as if he felt bloodlusted.

"Very well." Nether scoffed as he took a step forward. A rapid pain jabbed into his stomach and he looked down noticing Jaduko's fist planted firmly below the Locket. Before a millisecond could pass, Nether was sent flying backwards into the boulder he was previously standing on.

Lifting himself out of the boulder leaving a Nether-sized hole in the boulder, Nether snarled his sharp Kaioshin teeth and watched Jaduko straighten his body. The Saiyan managed to inflict damage on a godly being, in his base form?!

"You must pride yourself on being friendly with Kaioshins of your realm." Nether randomly spoke as he stumbled to his feet. "I should inform you, I was the first of those Kaioshins, the godliest of them all! Kaioshins are considered to be peace gods, but I, am the mightiest advocate of them all!"

"I don't care if you're a god or a mere man." Jaduko muttered as he remained still in the water.

Creeping his blank face into a toothy grin, Nether rushed forward back into the pond towards Jaduko. Lifting his fist above his head and his right leg slightly above the water for emphasis, Nether proceeded to strike Jaduko.

However before any contact could be made, Jaduko blocked the punch with his left forearm and pushed Nether backwards, water began to splash up from rapid feet movement between the two. Lifting his left arm higher up into the air, Jaduko backhanded Nether across the face causing the Kaioshin to swiftly spun around. Sweeping his leg under the water to trip Jaduko, the Saiyan slammed his foot down into the ground causing Nether's foot to bounce backwards away from it.

Lifting his right hand, Jaduko grabbed onto Nether's hair tightly and slammed it into the ground, water dispersed away from Nether's head but quickly flowed back over it as Jaduko attempted to drown him.

The water began to bubble at Jaduko's hand and as if some type of magic were used for Nether to escape Jaduko's grasp, Jaduko felt his hand thrust down towards the dirt underneath the water. Lifting himself from the water, Nether rose to his feet behind Jaduko as the Saiyan straightened his body and turned around. As Jaduko's body was halfway turned around, Nether quickly sliced his finger across the air and a wave of water shot up towards the sky between Jaduko and Nether, forming a wall.

Lifting his fists up as if ready to recoil from an attack, Jaduko punched forward through the wall of water. Water dispersed around his fist and fell back to the ground as Nether was no longer seen.

Sensing movement behind him, Jaduko quickly spun around and lifted his right forearm just in time to block Nether's left forearm smashing into his. The two arm's formed an "X" formation if viewed from the side as sprays of water rose into the sky making a slight dome splashed around the two warriors from their arms making impact with each other. The dome of water expanded and a pillar of water shot into the sky, encasing the two in a tiny diameter to fight in.

As water rushed around the two warriors drowning out any sound, Jaduko and Nether quickly began exchanging a rapid barrage of punches and kicks. Nether would occasionally slip past Jaduko's casual defense forcing the Saiyan to either catch his fist or push it away. Sounds of arms and fists slamming together mixed with the sound of rushing water as sparks of electricity began to emanate from the two. They were moving so fast that it was causing friction even with a pillar of water around them.

Jaduko's eyes narrowed on the Locket of Nether dangling around Nether's neck as he mindlessly blocked and delivered attacks. Visions of Kyuti, Konno, Taisuka, Seikyo, Violouh, Kaj, Nitzu, K.O.N, Lori, Lori's father, Yamada, Vitalus, Yitoro, Lizz, Klio, Master Krillin, 18, Marron, his father, his mother, Future Taisuka, Rukiro the remainder of his friends and.... Resei.. Jaduko's newborn son, popped into his mind. All of them were within that Locket, all of them including the newborn son he promised to take care of for all eternity! All of this fighting and horrific actions in one day caused the concept of parenthood to vanish from Jaduko's mind. He wasn't fighting just for his friends, but for Kyuti, for Resei. He needed a chance to live, he deserved a chance at life.

Jaduko lifted his eyes and stared coldly into Nether's eyes as he remembered his journey ever since Rukiro's death up until now.

Recounting all of the stories his brother had told, the journey he went on to find the Turtle School, that time he helped Konno and Klio free themselves from the Crane School, the tournament where Lizz had allowed herself to be freed from Yui's death, the fight with the Saiyans where he dueled against Seikyo who was known as Seiyogi at the time, his first time meeting Kyuti and bonding with her on Planet Xerivon, encountering his friend's deaths at the hands of Zerox and his crew, meeting the Taisuka from the Future and showing him how to live life again, watching his student Taisuka ascend to a power that was potentially higher than his own at the time, meeting all of those new warriors from Netherworld who became his friends, watching his best friends grow up and create families, marrying the woman he fell in love with, and becoming a father.

All of these memories caused Jaduko's mind to become more focused. He felt like he was at his most powerful despite not even transforming into a Super Saiyan 2. Striking forward, Jaduko twisted around Nether's body and thrust his hand towards the Locket of Nether with immense speed. He ripped the Locket away from Nether's neck and stumbled backwards towards the wall of the water pillar. With one gigantic Kiai wave, Jaduko pushed Nether away, shooting him out of the water pillar along with dispersing the water away forcing the pond to fill up the empty void where Jaduko was standing.

Stumbling to his hands and knees, Nether lifted his head and noticed Jaduko confidently holding the Locket within his grasp.

"No..." Nether muttered as rain smacked into his face.

All of the noise was drowned out of Jaduko's ears as he was completely tuned into his own thoughts and senses. Rukiro's training came rushing back to him and he slightly smirked knowing how much he has surpassed his brother's training. If Rukiro were alive, he'd be very proud.

Shifting his head towards the Locket, Jaduko stared at the black gem in the Shenron's mouth and thought of Resei. It was a hard choice for him earlier, but for now.

He knew what he had to do.

Continue Onto Chapter 143: https://readuniverse93online.forumotion.com/t349-vol-15-chapter-143-peace