In Dragon Ball: A brutal beating of Frieza at the start

Page 192

Chapter 427: Showdown Between Su Ying

The dome of the circular hall was constantly shedding rubble due to the energy impact. The time axis, enveloped in black energy, floated in the center, its seven-colored light reduced to a faint halo, like the last breath of a dying person. The corrupted Wukong stood before the axis, his black flames surging like a living thing, each breath causing ripples in the surrounding spacetime, causing the clock fragments on the ground to sometimes reverse and sometimes stand still.

He slowly raised his right hand, his five fingers loosely clenched. Lin Ye instantly felt as if his whole body was wrapped in a layer of wet cotton, even his breathing became heavy, and everything in his vision slowed down. Goku's leaping motion left afterimages, Vegeta's clenched fist knuckles slowly turned white, and even the trajectory of the air flow was clearly visible.

"Don't think you can do whatever you want just because you look like me!" Wukong roared, his golden aura suddenly surging, his figure transforming into a golden light that broke through the stagnant air, his fist slamming towards the face of the blackened Wukong with a tearing sound.

Just as his fist was less than half an inch from his opponent's skin, a layer of gray mist suddenly appeared around the corrupted Wukong. The mist seemed thin, but it was like an invisible barrier. As soon as Wukong's fist entered it, his originally tight skin loosened and wrinkled at a speed visible to the naked eye, and even his finger bones seemed to age and become brittle in an instant.

"Wukong! Stop your fist!" Lin Ye's heart tightened, and he shouted suddenly.

Wukong snapped back to reality, gritting his teeth as he withdrew his hand. The moment his fist emerged from the gray mist, the signs of aging stopped spreading, but his wrinkled, veiny hand was no longer the powerful hand he usually possessed. "What kind of hellish ability is this?" he stared at his hand, his voice filled with shock.

Vegeta snorted coldly, his body igniting with deep blue flames, the edges of which were crackling with tiny sparks of electricity: "Stop making a fuss here, it's just some underhanded tricks! Watch this!" He stomped his foot on the ground, the stone slab shattered with a crash, and his figure shot out like an arrow, his right foot kicking towards the waist of the corrupted Goku with a whistling wind.

However, the ending was exactly the same as Goku's. The moment Vegeta's boots came into contact with the gray mist, the metal guards at the toes began to rust and crack, and the skin on his ankles became rough and dry, as if it had been eroded by sandstorms for decades.

"Damn it! This bastard can make attacks age and become ineffective!" Vegeta suddenly retreated, looking down at his damaged boots, his eyes blazing with anger, but deep within that anger lay a barely perceptible trace of heartache. "You bastard, even when you're being controlled, you still have to resort to such underhanded methods? Where is the Kakarot who fought me to the death back then?"

The corrupted Goku remained unresponsive to his roar, his face still expressionless. He slowly raised his hand, a distorted ball of black energy gathering in his palm. Tiny fragments of spacetime were continuously being devoured from the surface of the energy, which then transformed into a black beam of light that shot towards Vegeta.

"Watch out!" Lin Ye reacted swiftly, immediately drawing his lightsaber from his waist. A flash of pale blue light cleaved the black beam in two with pinpoint accuracy. However, the fragments of the beam, upon hitting the ground, corroded deep holes like strong acid, causing the stone slabs to hiss and quickly turn into a pool of black powder.

“We can’t fight him head-on; his abilities are too bizarre.” Lin Ye gripped his lightsaber tightly, his brows furrowed. “We need to find the weakness in his abilities first.” As he spoke, he slowly closed his eyes, and a silver rhombus-shaped rune appeared on his forehead—the power of the Eye of Time and Space.

The next second, Lin Ye's vision completely changed. The previously chaotic spacetime became clear in his eyes, with countless silver timelines intertwining into a net, and dense black threads wrapped around the corrupted Wukong. These threads were like greedy parasites, one end rooted deep in his soul, the other constantly absorbing the surrounding time energy, turning it into the power to maintain the gray mist's abilities.

"Found it!" Lin Ye opened his eyes and took out a palm-sized fragment from his pocket. The fragment was crystal clear, with a faint light flowing inside; it was a fragment of the Key of Origin. He infused the fragment with the silver rune power from his forehead, and the fragment immediately emitted a soft yet resilient silver beam of light, which accurately shot towards the thickest black thread on the corrupted Wukong's body.

The moment the silver beam touched the black threads, the threads trembled violently, emitting a crisp sound like shattering glass. The corrupted Wukong's body stiffened abruptly, a fleeting trace of pain flashing in his empty eyes, and the black aura surrounding him dimmed slightly.

"It works!" Wukong's eyes lit up, and he immediately clenched his fist. "Lin Ye, give it your all! Maybe you can force out the control power within him!"

Before Lin Ye could increase his energy output, the black flames on the corrupted Wukong suddenly surged, scattering the silver beam like a tsunami. He abruptly turned to look at Lin Ye, a clear killing intent flashing in his empty eyes for the first time. His figure vanished from his spot in an instant—the next second, he was already in front of Lin Ye, his fist slamming into Lin Ye's chest with a force capable of tearing through space and time.

"Get out of my way!" Vegeta roared, lunging forward and crossing his arms to block Lin Ye. With a deafening crash, the immense impact forced Vegeta back, the stone slab beneath his feet shattering, leaving deep footprints with each step. His arms trembled slightly, and his deep blue aura became unstable under the pressure. "You bastard, get away from him!"

Perhaps it was the name "Kakarot," or perhaps Vegeta's roar triggered something, but the corrupted Goku suddenly paused. A flicker of confusion crossed his eyes, and his lips trembled slightly, as if he wanted to say something. But just a second later, the black threads tightened abruptly, lashing his soul like whips. His eyes returned to their vacant state, and with a powerful thrust of his arm, he sent Vegeta flying.

"Vegeta!" Goku shouted as he rushed forward, catching the flying Vegeta mid-air. Vegeta spat out a mouthful of blood, staining Goku's shoulder. He struggled to push Goku away, gritting his teeth as he stood up: "Don't worry about me... keep attacking! I refuse to believe... we can't break through this bastard's defense!"

Seeing the fleeting confusion in the eyes of the corrupted Goku, Lin Ye suddenly had an idea. "His original consciousness hasn't been completely extinguished!" he shouted to Goku and Vegeta. "We need to restrain him while using the power of the Key of Origin to attack those black threads. Maybe we can awaken him!"

As he spoke, he raised the fragment of the Key of Origin once more, the silver rune on his forehead shining even brighter: "Goku, Vegeta, help me hold him off! Try to buy him as much time as possible!"

Goku and Vegeta exchanged a glance and nodded simultaneously. Goku's golden aura surged to its peak, transforming into a golden whirlwind that rushed towards the corrupted Goku, relentlessly attacking with rapid punches. Although each contact with the gray mist caused his fists to age, he paid no heed, focusing solely on drawing the corrupted Goku's attention.

Vegeta circled around to the side, seizing the opportunity when the corrupted Goku turned around to launch surprise attacks from time to time. His attacks were precise and fierce, each time avoiding the core area of ​​the gray mist and only targeting the joints of the corrupted Goku's limbs. Although he could not cause any real damage, he successfully trapped him in place.

"Now!" Lin Ye seized the opportunity, focusing the silver beam to its maximum and precisely shooting it at the black threads on the head of the corrupted Goku. That was where the threads were most concentrated, and it was clearly the core controlled by Kronos.

A silver beam pierced through the black flames, striking the corrupted Goku directly on the forehead. He let out a painful roar, his body trembling violently. Cracks began to appear in the black threads, and the gray mist surrounding him thinned considerably. "Ka...Ka...Lot..." he managed to say, his voice hoarse like a broken bellows, his eyes filled with struggle, "Don't...don't come any closer...quickly...go away..."

"Great! He's almost awake!" Wukong shouted excitedly, intensifying his attack. "Just a little more effort, and we'll be able to get him out!"

Just then, the Supreme Kai's anxious voice suddenly came from outside the hall: "Lin Ye! Hurry! Our purification ritual has reached a critical moment!"

Everyone turned to look and saw the Supreme Kai and Leia standing at the entrance of the hall, surrounded by dozens of golden purification runes. The light emanating from the runes was constantly pushing back the spreading black corruption. However, the black energy around the time axis was becoming increasingly dense, like a black cocoon, wrapping the axis tighter and tighter, and even beginning to devour the surrounding timelines.

"Kronos is tightening his control!" Leah's voice trembled slightly. "Someone has to press the purification rune directly onto the timeline to completely purify the corruption! But we need someone to restrain him, otherwise we won't have a chance to get close!"

Lin Ye looked at the shrinking black cocoon, then at the struggling, corrupted Wukong, and made a decision instantly. "I'll inject the purifying energy!" he said.

Vegeta immediately shook his head: "No way! That bastard's attention is all on you, you can't get close at all!"

"What should we do? If this drags on any longer, the time axis will be completely corroded!" Wukong said anxiously.

Vegeta remained silent for a few seconds, then suddenly raised his head, a resolute glint in his eyes. He took a deep breath, and the deep blue aura surrounding him suddenly surged several times over, even taking on a silvery glow—a forbidden technique that fused his life force with his aura. His muscles bulged, his bones cracked, and his entire aura instantly rose to an unprecedented level.

"Vegeta, what are you doing?" Goku noticed his intention and his expression changed drastically. "You'll exhaust your life force doing this!"

"Enough with the nonsense!" Vegeta glared at him, but his tone carried an unusual seriousness. "Kakarot, this time... it's all up to you." He flashed and instantly appeared in front of the corrupted Goku, grabbing the other's arms tightly with both hands. Deep blue flames transformed into countless chains, binding the corrupted Goku's limbs and body firmly.

"Deep Blue? Time Imprisonment!"

The corrupted Goku struggled violently, his black aura clashing wildly against the chains, causing them to flicker with light and threaten to snap at any moment. Vegeta's mouth was bleeding, his face growing paler, but he still clung tightly to the corrupted Goku, roaring at Lin Ye, "Lin Ye! Now! Do it! Don't worry about me!"

Lin Ye didn't hesitate at all. He took the purification rune handed to him by the Supreme Kai. The rune was warm to the touch and emitted a soft golden light. He turned and rushed towards the timeline. Behind him, he heard Vegeta's suppressed groans and the clatter of chains, but he dared not look back. He knew that this was an opportunity that Vegeta had bought with his life.

He quickly reached the center of the timeline. He pressed the purification rune tightly onto the black cocoon, and the rune instantly lit up with a dazzling golden light, beginning to frantically purify the black energy. The black cocoon emitted a hissing sound as black mist was continuously evaporated by the golden light.

But just then, the corrupted Goku suddenly let out a deafening roar. Black flames erupted violently, actually cracking Vegeta's chains. He abruptly turned to look at Lin Ye, his empty eyes filled with killing intent. His right hand, freed from its restraints, gathered dense black energy, and he punched Lin Ye in the back.

"Watch out!" Goku and Vegeta shouted at the same time, their voices filled with despair.

Lin Ye could clearly feel the deadly pressure emanating from behind, a force powerful enough to tear his body apart. However, he was currently focused on channeling the power of the purification runes and couldn't turn around to defend himself. He could only watch helplessly as the fist, covered in black energy, drew closer, even feeling the bone-chilling cold emanating from it…

Chapter 428: Awakening of the Light of the Heart

A black fist, accompanied by a whistling sound that seemed to tear through space and time, hurtled straight towards Lin Ye's back. The corrosive power belonging to Kronos was like a bone-deep affliction, causing sharp pains down his spine, as if his body would shatter like weathered rock in the next second. Lin Ye pressed down hard on the purification rune on the time axis, his knuckles turning white from the force. The golden light of the rune clashed violently with the black energy, forming blinding streaks of light on the surface of the axis. The slightest relaxation would render all his previous efforts futile.

"Lin Ye!" Wukong roared, transforming into a golden light and charging forward. But just as he approached within three meters of the corrupted Wukong, he was repelled by the lingering black aura around him. Several strands of his golden fur were singed, emitting a pungent, burnt smell. He tumbled to the ground in a sorry state, then struggled to his feet again. "Bastard! Let him go!"

Vegeta strained with all his might, pulling on the deep blue flame chains. Veins bulged on his arms like writhing dragons, and the once solid flames thinned and dimmed from excessive exertion. "Hold on! I'll be able to..." Before he could finish speaking, he coughed up a mouthful of blood, which evaporated instantly on the chains. Cracks in the chains had already spread to his wrists, and they could break at any moment.

At this critical moment, the fragment of the Key of Origin in Lin Ye's chest pocket suddenly began to pulsate violently, as if it had come to life. The fragment broke free from the fabric's restraints and hovered before his eyes, its surface displaying countless intricate golden patterns, like a network of interwoven stars, seemingly responding to some distant call. Immediately afterward, countless blurry yet clear voices echoed in his mind—the prayers of billions of living beings on Earth.

"We must win! Don't let those monsters destroy our home!"

"Mr. Lin Ye, Mr. Wukong, I'm begging you!"

"Dad said you are the most amazing heroes and you will definitely protect us!"

These sounds converged into a warm current, flowing into Lin Ye's body through his eardrums and coursing through his veins. Images flashed before his eyes: the first time he met Goku on Mount Paozu, the days and nights he spent training desperately with Vegeta in the gravity chamber, fighting side-by-side with his friends against Majin Buu, and the smiles on the faces of people on Earth… A powerful belief surged within him: He absolutely could not fall here! He absolutely had to protect all of this!

"Ah...!" Lin Ye let out a roar that shook the entire temple, and suddenly a dazzling white light erupted from his body. This light was different from Goku's fiery golden aura, and also different from Vegeta's sharp deep blue aura. It was pure and gentle, yet it carried an undeniable power of order. Wherever it passed, the rampant black energy melted away as quickly as ice and snow meeting the blazing sun, and even the air became fresh.

"What kind of power is this?" Vegeta's eyes widened, his face filled with shock and disbelief. He had fought for many years and seen the power of countless strong individuals, but he had never seen such pure and vibrant energy.

Wukong was also stunned. He subconsciously reached out his hand, feeling the white light flowing in the air, and a moved expression appeared on his face: "Such a warm power... just like sunlight, it feels like it can purify all evil!"

The white light behind Lin Ye condensed into a pair of enormous wings. As the wings flapped, they created gentle air currents, firmly blocking the blackened Wukong's fist in mid-air. The black energy collided with the white light, producing a sharp "sizzling" sound. The black energy was continuously devoured and purified, turning into wisps of black smoke and dissipating. The blackened Wukong's arm also began to tremble slightly, clearly unable to withstand this power.

"Impossible... How could you have such power..." The voice of the corrupted Wukong was hoarse, and for the first time, there was an emotional fluctuation in his empty eyes, full of disbelief and resentment.

Lin Ye ignored him, focusing all his energy on purifying the runes. The wings of light on his back continuously contracted and expanded, pouring a steady stream of white light into the runes. The golden light of the runes instantly surged several times over, illuminating the entire hall like the midday sun, even filling the cracks in the dome with its radiance. The black energy cocoon at the center of the timeline began to contract violently, constantly evaporating black mist with the golden light, revealing a multicolored core within. As the core rotated, it emitted a gentle power that stabilized spacetime.

"We succeeded!" the Supreme Kai shouted excitedly, clasping his hands together, his eyes filled with joy. "The time axis is being restored! The spacetime disorder in the temple is also being alleviated!"

Lia breathed a sigh of relief, her tense body finally relaxing, and a long-lost smile appeared on her face: "That's great... We finally protected the temple and did not disappoint Lord Zeno's expectations."

Just then, the white light surrounding Lin Ye suddenly spread out, sweeping across the entire core of the temple like a tidal wave. The corrupted Wukong was enveloped in the light, letting out a painful scream. The black threads binding his body began to break inch by inch, making a crisp sound like shattering glass. His body trembled violently, his empty eyes slowly regained their light, and the gray mist around him completely disappeared, revealing his original appearance—almost identical to Wukong, except for a slightly pale complexion.

A few seconds later, the light faded, and the Wukong from another timeline collapsed to the ground, utterly exhausted, panting heavily, his eyes filled with confusion and weakness: "What...what happened to me? Why am I here? My mind is filled with chaotic commands..."

Goku immediately rushed over, helped him up, patted him on the shoulder, and said with a smile, "You were controlled by Kronos! But you're alright now, we've rescued you!"

Looking at the surrounding scenery and then at his own hands, Goku from another timeline suddenly realized what was happening and a look of guilt crossed his face: "So that's how it is... I actually helped that guy destroy the temple, I'm so sorry. Thank you, Kakarot, and everyone else."

Lin Ye also breathed a sigh of relief. The light wings on his back slowly dissipated. He felt a strong sense of exhaustion, and his legs trembled slightly, but his heart was filled with joy and a sense of accomplishment. He walked to the time axis and looked at the axis that had regained its seven-colored light and was rotating steadily. A relieved smile appeared on his face: "Finally... we protected it."

Just then, a chilling laugh suddenly echoed through the hall. The laugh seemed to come from all directions, carrying a bone-chilling coldness that froze everyone's smiles on their faces. "Hehehe... How unexpected, a bunch of little guys actually managed to repair the timeline."

Everyone's expression changed, and they looked around warily. Goku and Vegeta immediately assumed fighting stances, and Goku said in a deep voice, "Cronus! It's you!"

"Stop looking. I'm just the will attached to this wisp of power." Kronos's voice carried a hint of disdain. "You think you've won? How naive! The Timeline is just a small node in my plan. You've repaired it, but that only temporarily slows me down."

He paused, his voice growing even colder: "I have good news for you. My true form has awakened. It is drawing power from the shadows of the multiverse, steadily making its way into your universe. Everything you protect will ultimately be devoured by endless hunger!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the last trace of black energy remaining in the hall completely dissipated, and Kronos's will vanished along with it. But his words weighed heavily on everyone's hearts like a boulder, instantly turning the previously relaxed atmosphere into a somber one.

Just then, Lin Ye's communicator suddenly rang urgently. Rex's anxious voice, crackling with static, came through: "Lin Ye! Something terrible has happened! The Ark's detectors have suddenly detected an immeasurably massive energy source!"

Lin Ye's heart sank, and he immediately pressed the communicator: "Tell me in detail! Where was it found?"

"At the edge of the multiverse!" Rex's voice trembled slightly, clearly also stunned by the energy source. "It's emerging from the shadows of the multiverse, and the energy fluctuations are exactly the same as Kronos's power before! Moreover, it's moving towards Universe Seven at an extremely fast speed!"

Everyone's expression changed drastically. Goku clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white: "That must be the real form of Kronos! It's really coming!"

Vegeta also dropped his previous ease, his eyes becoming extremely serious: "I didn't expect this guy to actually have a physical body, and to find our universe so quickly."

In another timeline, Wukong struggled to his feet, a determined look on his face: "No matter how strong it is, we cannot back down! I've been controlled by it once before, and this time I must defeat it with my own hands!"

Lin Ye took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down, and asked into the communicator, "Rex, can you detect its exact strength? How long until we reach Universe Seven?"

"No!" Rex's voice grew even more anxious. "Its energy is too strong, exceeding the analytical range of our detectors. We can only confirm that its size is comparable to a star! Moreover, its speed is extremely fast; it's expected to reach the edge of the seventh universe in less than a day!"

Silence fell over the hall, everyone's face etched with solemnity. Although they had successfully protected the Temple of Time, purified the Timeline, and rescued Goku from another timeline, the real crisis had only just begun. Kronos's true form was about to arrive, a terrifying power beyond their comprehension. Universe 7, and indeed the entire multiverse, would face an unprecedented catastrophe.

Looking at his companions and then at the Timeline, now calm and radiating a soft light, Lin Ye felt all his weariness vanish, replaced by unwavering determination. He gripped the fragment of the Key of Origin that had returned to his palm; the golden light on the fragment flickered, as if echoing his resolve.

"Everyone, get ready!" Lin Ye's voice was firm and powerful, resounding throughout the hall. "Defending the Temple of Time is only the first step. The real battle is just beginning! We must unite and, no matter what, defend Universe Seven and everything we cherish!"

Chapter 429: The Prelude to the End

Alarms blared throughout the Ark's bridge, and red warning lights cast a somber glow on everyone's faces. On the main control screen, the once orderly star map was visibly warping and distorting, the points of light representing galaxies flickering and disappearing like fireflies swept away by a storm. Rex's fingers flew across the keyboard, the rapid tapping like a rapid drumbeat, cold sweat trickling down his forehead and dripping onto the control panel buttons.

“The frequency of spatial oscillations is still rising! Three small galaxies have already completely disappeared!” He stared at the red data jumping on the screen, his voice trembling uncontrollably. “Worse still, the flow of time is also beginning to become disordered—the probes show that the planet Zera at the edge of the seventh universe experienced the changing of the four seasons in a single day, while the neighboring planet Kalu has been completely plunged into eternal darkness, where even the light of stars cannot penetrate the time barrier!”

Lin Ye stood before the control panel, his hands clenched into fists. Looking through the ark's porthole, the once brilliant starry sky was now shrouded in a gray veil. Several bright stars had inexplicably extinguished, leaving only cold, lifeless debris drifting slowly through the universe like silent tombstones. This was the terrifying effect of Kronos's physical movement; it was like a colossal beast traversing the multiverse, causing spacetime to collapse and all things to wither wherever it went.

"Any news from Zeno?" Goku clenched his fists, golden aura rippled around him, and tiny cracks appeared in the metal floor beneath his feet from the unconscious power he released, clearly unable to contain his anxiety. Ever since learning that Chronos's true form was approaching, he had been on edge, itching to rush forward and fight him immediately.

As soon as the words were spoken, a golden light suddenly shone from the Ark's communicator, and a majestic yet calm voice resounded throughout the bridge, carrying a power that pierced the soul: "All Gods of Destruction, Supreme Kais, and powerful beings of all universes, heed my command—Chronos has broken through the multiverse barrier and is approaching the main universe group. The multiverse is in imminent danger. From this moment forward, all available forces shall gather at the border of the Seventh Universe and prepare for battle."

This was the Omni-King's order, yet it lacked its usual absolute authority, instead carrying an indescribable heaviness. A brief silence fell over the bridge. Everyone understood that this was more like a desperate struggle. Facing Kronos, who could easily distort spacetime and devour stars, even the combined might of all the strongest beings in the universe had a negligible chance of victory.

"Finally, we have orders." Vegeta snorted coldly, a flash of deep blue aura around him disappearing in an instant. Although he appeared calm on the surface, his eyes were exceptionally serious. "However, simply gathering our strength to fight head-on is probably not enough. That guy's abilities are too bizarre. We need to think of a more practical approach."

Lin Ye nodded, took out the shimmering fragment of the Key of Origin from his pocket, and placed it on the scanner of the control panel: "This is a fragment of the Key of Origin. It contains the primordial power that created spacetime and is the opposite of the corrosive power of Kronos. If we can collect all the fragments and make a 'spacetime regulator,' we might be able to neutralize its power and give us a chance to survive."

The scanner activated, and a star map covering the multiverse immediately appeared on the screen. Several flashing red dots marked the approximate locations of the fragments; some were in adjacent universes, while others were hidden in special dimensions marked "unknown." "The remaining fragments are scattered in other universes, and some are even in special dimensions like the 'spacetime rift,' making them difficult to find."

Just then, the Omni-King's communication came through again, this time with a special energy fluctuation. A golden permission chip popped out of the communicator and hovered in front of Lin Ye, with the Omni-King's exclusive star mark on it: "Lin Ye and his team are granted emergency inter-universe travel permission. They can mobilize the reserve resources of various universes and prioritize the search for the fragments of the Key of Origin without the approval of the Supreme Kais of each universe."

Rex immediately stepped forward and inserted the access chip into the system interface. The Ark's travel system instantly upgraded, and the previously grayed-out cosmic passages on the screen all lit up, turning into passable green: "Great! With this access, we can directly travel to various universes through official channels, without wasting time breaking through dimensional barriers, saving at least half the time!"

Looking at the location of the fragments on the screen, Lin Ye quickly formulated a plan: "Goku, you lead a team to Universe 10 and Universe 12. The fragment signals there are more stable, and the Supreme Kai of Universe 10, Kibito, has already sent a message that he is willing to provide assistance; Vegeta, you lead a team to Universe 3 and Universe 5. Be careful, the mechanical civilization in Universe 3 may interfere with the probes, and Vermouth, the God of Destruction of Universe 5, will also cooperate with your actions."

"No problem!" Wukong immediately agreed and turned to gather his men to set off.

"Wait a minute." Vegeta called out to him, his brow furrowed. "The two universes you're going to are quite far apart, so make sure to keep communications open. Don't try to tough it out if you run into trouble. Also, Lin Ye, the sixth universe you're going to is the territory of Champa and Vados. In theory, there shouldn't be any problems, but Kronos's advance team may have already infiltrated it. Be careful and don't let your guard down."