Chapter 441: An Unexpected Turn
Grand Zeno's guards hadn't even used their full strength—but even a casual punch from one of them gave Uchiha Dali an overwhelming sense of power, one he knew he couldn't possibly resist.
Realizing that in his normal state he could never dodge that strike, his body reacted on instinct, instantly entering the Ultra Instinct state.
"Ultra Instinct: Advanced!"
Uchiha Dali didn't reveal his full hand.
He merely activated the second stage of Ultra Instinct—his body instantly wrapped in flowing silver lines.
This scene made the Grand Priest raise an eyebrow in surprise, while the Grand Zeno's guard narrowed his eyes slightly, astonishment flashing across his face.
"I didn't expect he's already mastered Ultra Instinct."
The Grand Priest murmured with clear interest. "I suppose that's also one of the main reasons why Lord Zeno made an exception and allowed him to become an Angel."
Upon hearing that, the Grand Zeno let out an excited "Wow!" and began clapping again, clearly delighted by Dali's performance.
Nodding, Zeno said, "That's right. His power already surpasses that of a God of Destruction, so there's no problem with him becoming an Angel."
"As long as it pleases you, Lord Zeno," replied the Grand Priest.
The two turned their attention back to Uchiha Dali.
At that moment, Dali, having entered the Advanced Ultra Instinct state, barely managed to evade the guard's punch by a hair's breadth.
But just as he dodged that first strike, the guard's second punch had already followed—its speed and angle so precise it was almost impossible to counter.
"It seems the second stage of Ultra Instinct isn't enough to handle this guy…"
Shocked, Dali immediately transitioned into the full Ultra Instinct state.
This stage of Ultra Instinct was often considered the "perfect" form.
But in truth, very few people knew there was actually a realm beyond the so-called perfect Ultra Instinct.
Right now, Dali was probing little by little, trying to gauge exactly how powerful the Grand Zeno's guard really was.
Once he entered the third, "Perfect Ultra Instinct" stage, Dali could at least keep up with his opponent's movements.
Even so, he couldn't completely read the guard's attack trajectory.
It was like someone with a power level of one hundred facing an opponent of one hundred and fifty—barely managing to defend, but unable to mount any meaningful counterattack.
The realization left Dali shaken.
"As expected of someone second only to the Grand Priest… truly formidable!"
He hoped his "Heaven-Defying Comprehension" could once again help him evolve quickly under pressure.
After all, back in the lower dimension, he had relied on this very method—relentlessly pushing himself—to grow rapidly and reach his current level.
However, this time, things didn't go as he hoped.
Although his inner system prompt had informed him that his comprehension had "evolved" to adapt to this higher dimension, there was no immediate improvement in his actual strength.
"That earlier system notification… I got distracted when the guard attacked—I didn't catch all of it…"
"I think it mentioned something about increasing my divinity… looks like this 'divinity' doesn't directly boost combat power."
While Dali was still puzzling over that thought, the guard suddenly struck him square in the face.
Boom! His vision spun as he was sent flying backward, balance lost, stars flashing before his eyes.
But the Grand Zeno's guard didn't stop there.
He darted forward faster than Dali could recover, closing the gap instantly and attacking again.
Rumble!
Before Dali could even react, the next blow slammed him down from midair straight into the ground.
Of course, the Grand Zeno's palace was no ordinary place.
Its floors were far sturdier than anything imaginable.
Even though the guard's punch carried immense destructive force, the result was only a small crack on the surface where Dali hit—nothing catastrophic.
"This guy's too strong!"
"Even Perfect Ultra Instinct can't hold him off…"
Dali quickly leapt to his feet, narrowly dodging the guard's third strike.
"Impressive," the Grand Priest remarked approvingly. "He already possesses the strength of the Angelic race."
Zeno once again clapped enthusiastically from the sidelines.
At that moment, Dali's aura suddenly surged—his energy spiking sharply.
"In that case… looks like I have no choice but to show my true power."
As his voice fell, the silver lines on his body faded, replaced by a layer of dark-gold brilliance that spread across his skin.
In an instant, his entire presence shifted—imbued with an aura of darkness and divinity combined.
His power level skyrocketed to a terrifying new height.
Having entered the "Black-Gold Ultra Instinct—Transcendent Mode," Dali could finally sense the Grand Zeno guard's true existence.
Previously, even in Perfect Ultra Instinct, he hadn't been able to perceive the guard's full strength.
Now, the difference between them wasn't impossibly vast—it was still large, but no longer beyond reach.
"Even so… I can still feel it—his power is greater than mine," Dali thought with a silent sigh.
The guard's eyes, however, had changed.
He stared at Uchiha Dali in disbelief. "I didn't expect someone from a lower dimension—a sub-god—could wield such power. I underestimated you!"
"There's something I've wanted to correct for a while now," Dali said firmly. "To be precise, I'm not just from a lower dimension. I'm the Supreme God of the lower dimension."
"And besides, I've never thought of myself as inferior. Yes, I came from below—but I'm still a god."
For the first time, Dali voiced his protest.
Since the beginning of their encounter, he had clearly felt the guard's condescension—the disdain of someone from the "upper realm" toward those "beneath."
It was the same contempt as that of a city dweller looking down on a villager.
"Then prove it with your strength!"
The guard wasted no more words. With that declaration, he launched himself at Dali once more, initiating another furious exchange.
But this time, Dali was no longer flustered or defensive.
In his Black-Gold Ultra Instinct state, he calmly parried and countered each attack, his movements fluid and precise.
As the battle raged on, the entire divine palace began to tremble faintly, the air echoing with deep, thunderous rumbles—boom… boom… boom…