Looking at the distant mushroom cloud, the Supreme Kai's face finally lit up with a look of relief.
"This time, Majin Buu must have been destroyed!"
"No," Turles interjected calmly. "Majin Buu's Ki hasn't vanished yet..."
"What?!"
Shin looked at Turles in disbelief. He couldn't fathom how Majin Buu could possibly survive such a horrific concentration of power.
Sure enough, as the smoke cleared, the pink blob in the deep crater began to writhe. What remained of Buu had turned into a puddle of viscous mud, slowly crawling together in mid-air.
Vegeta frowned. Even he was starting to find Buu's endurance a bit troublesome. He was certain his Final Flash had scored a direct hit, yet the monster refused to die.
Sizzle! Sizzle!
As the flesh coalesced, Majin Buu's form reappeared.
"Buu!!"
However, this version of Majin Buu seemed to be struggling to suppress something deep within.
"Buu is... very angry!"
Due to his fury, Fat Buu's normally somewhat jolly face twisted into a grotesque snarl.
"Buu is FURIOUS!"
The monster let out a piercing shriek. Pshhh—!
Every vent on his body began to release massive amounts of steam, and his Ki swelled once again.
BOOM!
A pillar of violet light shot into the sky, dyeing the atmosphere in a sickly purple hue.
"What now?" Vegeta muttered.
As the light faded, a second Buu appeared alongside the first.
This new entity was dark, emaciated—literally nothing but skin and bone—but his Ki was pure malice. His raw power was clearly far superior to that of Fat Buu.
"What?! Two Buus? How is this happening?"
Gohan and the others were stunned. Both signatures were undeniably real, yet the energy coming from Evil Buu was overwhelming.
"This can't be..."
The Supreme Kai began to tremble again. One Majin Buu was a nightmare; two was a catastrophe.
But in the next moment, to everyone's surprise, the two Buus began to pummel each other.
"What... what is the meaning of this?" Vegeta's brow furrowed deep.
Watching Fat Buu being systematically beaten back by his evil counterpart, Vegeta hesitated, unsure if he should interfere in a monster's civil war.
Suddenly, Evil Buu fired a beam. In an instant, Fat Buu was transformed into a piece of chocolate. Just as Evil Buu opened his mouth to swallow the treat, an energy blast slammed into his hand.
Though Turles' intervention protected the chocolate from being shattered, the impact forced it from Evil Buu's grasp, sending it flying.
"I don't know what you're planning, but I won't let you achieve it," Vegeta barked, landing between the two.
Evil Buu's gaze locked onto Vegeta, his eyes filled with pure, unadulterated spite. This wretched mortal had dared to interfere with his meal. It was unforgivable.
He lunged for the Fat Buu chocolate, but Vegeta cut him off again.
The chocolate itself flew through the air and landed safely in Turles' hand.
"Interesting. I didn't expect Vegeta to act like that," Goku noted.
"Yeah. Vegeta's changed a lot. He's not just the proud, selfish guy he used to be..." Turles added, watching the Saiyan Prince engage Evil Buu.
"But that power is fascinating. Turning someone into chocolate? Is that magic?" Goku asked. "Turles, what are you going to do with Fat Buu?"
"Do with him? The evil side has been completely purged from his body. I think he'd make a great playmate for Bulla. Besides, he's kind of cute when he's round, isn't he?"
"What?! Lord Turles, please reconsider! That is Majin Buu!"
Turles simply smiled at the frantic Supreme Kai.
"I know. But his evil side is gone, and he'll be under my watch. Don't worry. Besides, he might be useful later."
Turles was thinking of the Dragon Ball Super era, where Fat Buu manifested the Grand Supreme Kai's power to fight Moro. A powerful ally like that was worth keeping around.
"I... I see..."
Faced with Turles' steady gaze, the Supreme Kai went silent. He knew he couldn't beat Turles anyway; if he pushed too hard and got erased, there would be no one left to complain.
Bang! Boom! Pow!
As the fight continued, Vegeta's frustration grew. Between his "Prince's Tactics" and the Final Flash, his stamina was already half-depleted. In his Super Saiyan 2 form, he was no longer a match for the gray, emaciated Buu.
Vegeta hesitated for a moment. What should I do? Should I use Super Saiyan 3? But that was supposed to be my 'surprise' for Kakarot...
It was a testament to Vegeta's obsession that even in a life-or-death battle against a demon, he was still worried about his rivalry with Goku.
Zip!
Using Instant Transmission, Evil Buu appeared behind Vegeta. Caught off guard, Vegeta took a double-axe handle smash directly to his spine.
"Gah! Cough!"
BOOM!
Vegeta was hammered into the ground once again.
"Tch!"
Vegeta slowly stood up, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. His eyes burned with a cold fury.
"Fine. If that's how it is, I'll show you my ultimate power! Kakarot, this is a surprise I prepared just for you!"
"HAAAAAAA—!"
With a thunderous roar, a violent golden light exploded from Vegeta's body.
BOOM!
A massive pillar of energy pierced the clouds. Vegeta became a miniature sun, radiating staggering heat and light. Golden and blue lightning crackled around him in a frantic dance.
His hair grew long, cascading down his back. His eyebrows vanished, replaced by a heavy, protruding brow ridge. His expression became even more predatory and fierce.
Super Saiyan 3 Vegeta had officially entered the fray!
"Whoa... that pressure is insane!"
Gohan sucked in a sharp breath. He hadn't expected Vegeta to reach such a level. This power had clearly surpassed his own. However, seeing the excitement in Goku's eyes, Gohan knew his father likely possessed this transformation as well.
"This is amazing, Vegeta! You really did give me a massive surprise!" Goku shouted, his blood pumping with excitement.
With the power of Super Saiyan 3, Vegeta began to absolutely dismantle Evil Buu. The gray monster had no room to breathe, let alone fight back.
"What's wrong? Weren't you acting tough? Ambushes? Take this, you damn stick-insect!"
Vegeta unleashed a Ki blast that engulfed Evil Buu, blowing him into a pile of mangled flesh.
But just as Vegeta prepared to deliver the finishing blow, a sudden change occurred.
A terrifying surge of Ki erupted from Evil Buu's remains, and his physical form began to shrink and warp.
"Wait... this... this is impossible!"
The Supreme Kai began to shake with genuine terror.
"Majin Buu is reverting... to his original form!"
"What do you mean?" Goku asked.
"This is the Pure Buu—his original state! He started out as this small, emaciated form. Because he was so vicious, he slaughtered several Supreme Kais. Finally, the Grand Supreme Kai sacrificed himself to be absorbed by Buu, which is what turned him into the Fat Buu you saw earlier."
"Fat Buu was influenced by the Grand Supreme Kai's gentle soul, making him more like a child. but Kid Buu is different. He is a monster that exists solely for slaughter and destruction!!"