Dragon ball:cosmic fighter group one-piece

"I am. So, you're the employer, right? You need help?"

No. 17 looked at Jack, trying to speak as gently as possible.

Naturally cold and reserved, No. 17 only ever showed warmth when dealing with his sister, No. 18. However, the man standing before him was not only his employer but someone with the power to evaluate him. That alone made No. 17 want to restrain his usual tone and act more amicably.

"You… Can you help me deal with him?" Jack asked, pointing at Zhu Wushen with hope sparkling in his eyes.

The moment Jack realized that No. 17 had come to help him, joy surged within him. He didn't hesitate to ask for assistance.

"Do you want me to kill him, or just defeat him?" No. 17 asked calmly.

"This..." Jack hesitated.

Hearing the question, Cheng Zhengfei, Duan Tianya, and Guihai Yidao glanced at one another in silence. Finally, Duan Tianya took a deep breath and said with a conflicted expression:

"If possible, please... kill him."

His voice trembled slightly. It was obvious how difficult it was for him to say those words.

Though their relationship had fallen apart, Zhu Wushen had once raised Duan Tianya like a son. Even if it turned out he only saw Tianya as a tool in the end, there had been a time when he had shown genuine fatherly care.

Before Su Xin appeared, Zhu Wushen had ambition, yes—but it was restrained. He could still love, still guide. But after Su Xin entered the picture, Zhu Wushen's ambition surged uncontrollably, and he began treating everyone as nothing more than pawns.

Duan Tianya, Guihai Yidao, and even the late Haitang had all once felt that warmth—what they thought was love from a father figure. But now, Zhu Wushen had changed.

Duan Tianya knew that if they simply stripped him of his martial arts, Zhu Wushen might one day recover and rise again. A man like him—brilliant, ambitious, and ruthless—could always stage a comeback.

Only death could truly stop Zhu Wushen and restore lasting peace to the world.

"Okay," No. 17 nodded. Though the employer himself hadn't said it directly, he hadn't objected either. That was enough.

He turned his attention to Zhu Wushen, who was standing atop the large dragon-shaped stone statue. A flicker of interest passed through No. 17's eyes.

Although he didn't know the full story, he had arrived just in time to see Zhu Wushen attempt to hurl an entire building at Jack. That kind of attack wasn't impressive by his standards, but the telekinetic control did catch his attention.

"Who are you?" Zhu Wushen asked sternly, scanning No. 17 with narrowed eyes. "You're not from the martial world. I've never heard of someone like you."

His clothing was odd—clearly not from any known school or sect. And yet, just moments ago, this stranger had kicked Hulong Villa into the sky and then destroyed it with a single palm.

That kind of power went beyond the capabilities of a typical top-tier martial artist. To perform feats like those required not only mastery but also a massive internal reservoir of energy.

Zhu Wushen was sure of one thing: this man should be famous. And yet, his name didn't appear in any known records or intelligence collected by Hulong Villa.

No. 17, for his part, didn't fully understand what Zhu Wushen meant by "martial world." But he understood that the man was asking for his identity.

"I'm just a passerby. Someone needed help, so I came to offer it," No. 17 replied flatly.

"Although you and I have no personal grudge, since the person who hired me wants you dead, I will carry out the task."

Zhu Wushen suddenly laughed—a cold, arrogant, defiant laugh.

"You? Kill me?"

He stepped forward and sneered.

"My martial arts are now the best in the world! Even if Gu Santong himself were resurrected, he couldn't defeat me! Your strength is considerable, yes—but kill me? That's impossible!"

Though wary of No. 17's power, Zhu Wushen wasn't afraid. He had climbed to the summit of martial prowess and believed there was no one alive who could match him.

"You're just some nameless man from who-knows-where. And you think you can kill me?"

Zhu Wushen's voice thundered as he leaped down from the dragon-shaped stone statue. He stretched out his hand toward it and activated his supreme martial technique—the Star Absorbing Dafa.

Suddenly, the dragon statue began to tremble. A rumble echoed through the air.

"The Flying Dragon... Soars in the Sky!"

As he shouted those words, the dragon statue seemed to come to life.

What had once been stone now moved with the grace and power of a living creature. The massive figure ascended into the sky, swirling in the air as though animated by real flesh and spirit.

This was the pinnacle of Qigong Dafa.

More than just a martial art that absorbed energy from opponents, Star Absorbing Dafa allowed the user to steal internal strength, copy techniques, and even transfer power to others.

Now, Zhu Wushen had taken it a step further.

He had infused part of his own spirit and internal energy into the statue, giving it a semblance of life. While such a feat sounded fantastical, this was a world where myth and reality blurred—where the incredible could happen with enough power and will.

And Zhu Wushen had both.

In this world, the Star Absorbing Dafa stood among the most fantastical and forbidden martial arts ever devised. It had always been feared, but now its true potential was being unleashed.

As the animated dragon twisted and coiled in the air, casting its enormous shadow over the battlefield, even those watching from afar felt the pressure. The sheer aura emanating from the statue made their knees weak.

Guihai Yidao gritted his teeth. "He's even stronger than before…"

Duan Tianya clenched his fists. "We have to believe in him—No. 17."

Jack remained silent, his eyes never leaving the sky.

The dragon swooped low, its stone body gleaming with an unnatural luster, powered by Zhu Wushen's transferred spirit energy.

Zhu Wushen stood proudly, his robe flapping in the wind, and shouted, "This is my ultimate technique! You should feel honored to witness it before your death!"

No. 17, however, remained calm.

"Is this the best you can do?"

He stepped forward, a slight hum of energy surrounding his frame.

Zhu Wushen's expression twitched. Even now, the stranger looked relaxed—unmoved.

"You're too arrogant," Zhu Wushen growled. "Let's see how long that calm lasts when the dragon crashes down on you!"

He directed the dragon downward. It dove like a comet, its mouth wide open, ready to devour everything in its path.

But just as it approached, No. 17's hand rose slowly.

In the blink of an eye, a shockwave erupted from his palm. The force met the descending dragon mid-air, and—

Boom!

The stone dragon shattered like fragile porcelain. Fragments rained down in every direction, crashing into the ground like meteors.

Silence followed. Then dust.

Zhu Wushen stood frozen.

"What…?"

No. 17 took a step forward. "Your martial arts are interesting. But they're still not enough."

Zhu Wushen's pupils trembled.

Was this what true power looked like?

Had he finally encountered a force that even the Star Absorbing Dafa couldn't surpass?

A chill ran down his spine as No. 17 raised his hand again—this time, to end it.

patreon(Jutsu_143)