Dru-Zod's fist impacts Vandar's face once again. He knew that he wasn't as skilled in fighting as others, but to be beaten this badly? He didn't know that would happen. He had been training with Dru-Zod for an hour now and hadn't landed a single hit.
"Now you understand why I said that I could see your inexperience in fighting," Dru-Zod says.
"I am aware of that. But what martial arts are you using to move so effortlessly? You don't seem to think about what to do and just ... do it. As if you are following your instinct and nothing more."
"That is an interesting way of describing it. However, the truth is far more profound than that. What you have witnessed right now is called Torquasm."
"Torquasm?"
"Yes. Torquasm is an ancient Kryptonian mental and physical technique based on quantum mechanics. Specific movement exercises open up a person's meridian pathways, granting you access to several abilities. We differentiate Torquasm Vo and Torquasm Rao. It is a consciousness control which allows you to hone your mind into a perfect weapon. The adept can enter and maintain a hyper-calm, hyper-alert state of consciousness that would allow for perfect control and supremacy in battle."
"You have my attention."
"Torquasm Vo is a technique that, through meditation, places the practitioner in a state of waking dream, neither fully awake nor truly asleep, yet allowing one to control one's own perceptions. This makes one highly resistant to distractions, illusions, or psychic tracks. This is the first one you will learn.
Torquasm Rao is a discipline that utilises the meditative state of Torquasm Vo in unison with the practitioner's fighting ability. This technique offers one an exceedingly calm and heightened awareness through an increased ability to process all manner of external input. When put into practice during times of war, Kryptonian warriors would employ these two techniques to enter an almost trance-like state, enabling them to instinctively act or move their bodies accordingly to navigate all forms of mental and physical confrontation."
"How will we do that?"
"You are a scientist, aren't you? You're familiar with brain wave patterns. When you are awake and thinking, beta waves predominate; when you are asleep or enter a deep meditative state, theta waves are emanated. So we will do that. Telepathic attacks will assault you, and your job is to remain perfectly calm while still realising what is happening. And since you like to do things quickly, I will also attack you physically. Try to defend yourself."
"Oh boy."
.
Torquasm-Rao opens up the meridians, allowing the local energies of the universe to flow through the body. Torquasm gives access to the Shreearr, or what humans call Chi, Qi, or Prana. Shreearr, according to Kryptonitan lore, is the very energy of the universe itself. Torquasm was and is a key that opens several doorways in terms of the power that already exists inside a person. Not only does it make the Kryptonians much better fighters, but it can also give them full mastery over their powers while also allowing for the discovery of new powers.
Vandar was similar. He could feel the energy around him filling him as he progressed in Torquasm. Vandar had long planned to create a martial art based on the principles of Ultra Instinct from the Dragon Ball Universe. And now he had the chance. Torquasm Vo, the mental aspect, and Torquasm Rao, the physical aspect, were, when combined and applied, a power pack and the introductory level to Ultra Instinct, which Vandar was in the process of recreating.
But what does that truly entail?
The first is the Ultra Instinct Sign.
Ultra Instinct Sign's greatest strength is that it grants its user the Autonomous Ultra Instinct ability, providing an automatic and instantaneous reaction to any threat with the most suitable and seamless means to defend and attack. However, a notable weakness of the form is that while it possesses incredible heightened agility, its raw attack strength is comparatively not that impressive.
Then we have Perfected Ultra Instinct.
The form increases the user's power by two or three times that of their previous strongest transformation. In the manga, it is said that one must have complete emotional control to avoid disturbing the balance of the Ultra Instinct ability. Its most notable trait is that it grants its user complete mastery over Ultra Instinct, making all of his moves automatic and able to both defend and counterattack with ease, without being hindered by the thoughts that previously made the user's use of Ultra Instinct imperfect, as one let's go of all of his doubts and live in the moment to fully access the full potential of one's fighting ability.
Finally, there is True Ultra Instinct.
While Perfected Ultra Instinct possesses incredible power, its demand for calm and emotionless battle stems directly from the nature of beings, who are even more aloof from things that would normally concern even Goku, such as the threat of a loved one or a destroyed planet. As such, Goku found himself far less compatible with the form due to his Saiyan drive for battle and his internal emotional conflict with the enemies he faced. Attempting to mimic this aloof nature did not suit him, so he decided to embrace his nature as a Saiyan further.
While Ultra Instinct Sign initially only served as a precursor to the Perfected form, its usefulness as an "inferior" stage comes into effect when considering it requires less emotional detachment than its superior. Thus, Goku can tap into his Saiyan nature much more safely in the form, continuing to fight to his preferences with less emotional compromise - creating his "true" Ultra Instinct. This grants him great clarity, letting him battle even more effectively than Perfected Ultra Instinct. This form presents a combat style unique to Goku, completely different from those used in the other Ultra Instinct states.
So what does this mean for Vandar?
This means that he will have to find a form that is unique to him, and while Torquasm Vo and Rao are the first step, they won't be the last ones he takes. He has a long way ahead of him. Thankfully, he has a lot of time.
.
As time passed, Vandar grew more and more skilled in the use of Torquasm. He mastered Torquasm Vo and Rao both and has since competed with Dru-Zod whenever the latter had the time. Vandar enjoyed the sparring sessions with the Kryptonian General and used him as a grinding stone to perfect his Ultra Instinct and find his own True Ultra Instinct state. To do this, Vandar had to understand himself first and foremost, and he came to the conclusion that he enjoyed freedom and growth above all else. It was what drove him and what made him seek out greater challenges and in that way, he was similar to a Saiyan. But over the millennia he spent in the dimension with Hecate, he had also mellowed out a little and lost his insane thirst for growth and challenges. He had become a lot more detached and adapted to his new immortal existence.
He concluded that he represented both aspects of Ultra Instinct and Ultra Ego, which was somewhat of an opposite technique to Ultra Instinct.
When the Ultra Ego transformation is in use, the user becomes exponentially more powerful than before and can use the Power of Destruction in full. The user's aura can also be manifested in an opaque, flame-like state, which can destroy enemy attacks on contact. Vegeta names the technique Ultra Ego, in contrast to Ultra Instinct, which draws upon the principles of conquering oneself, while Ultra Ego seems to draw upon a severe level of self-indulgence in battle.
Whereas Ultra Instinct allows a user's efficiency and power to increase as he continues to evade and counterattack, Ultra Ego allows the user's overall power to increase as they takes more damage and delves more into their lust for battle. Vegeta's deeper dive into his Saiyan instincts displays this. Being able to endure and even enjoy the pain inflicted by enemy attacks can also allow the user to hold their ground and counterattack through openings in an attacking opponent's guard with even greater power.
The user must be careful not to let their battle lust take complete control, as though it may raise their strength to astounding levels, they may take unnecessary levels of damage whilst lost in their battle fervor. Unlike Ultra Instinct, Ultra Ego can be taken on at will once achieved, and unlike Goku, Vegeta even proved to be able to transform when severely damaged and drained.
This was perfect for Vandar, so he started to do exactly that. He trained and trained and trained until that one sparring session arrived.
...
Dru-Zod was fighting against Vandar in the fighting arena, and this time, it was different than before. It took Dru-Zod centuries to hone his skills as he had, and he was, without a doubt, the best at what he did. But now, there was another, someone who wasn't even a Kryptonian who, to his surprise, was somewhat keeping up with him. But he wasn't in the beginning.
*BAM*
Zod's fist impacts Vandar's face, causing him to turn slightly. But Vandar's fist shoots upwards in an uppercut, zooming forward. Zod manages to dodge the attack in the last second, trusting his mastery over Torquasm. He kicks out, hitting Vandar in the temple and follows it up with another attack to his chest. But Vandar twists before the fist can hit him and punches out again.
Zod is shocked. It wasn't supposed to be possible for Vandar to reach such a state so quickly, but what's more confusing to him is that he doesn't recognise he fighting style Vandar is using. There are pieces of Torquasm, but that's it. He ducks underneath a punch from Vandar and delivers a series of attacks directed at Vandar's pressure points. Instead of finishing the fight, though, Vandar suddenly grabs one of Zod's hands and pulls him in.
Zod is surprised at this drastic change in tactic, as it seems so brawl-like for someone who uses his mind in all things, like Vandar. But that's just because Zod doesn't know the true Vandar. Zod blocks Vandar's attack with his elbow.
*CRACK*
Vandar's hand breaks for all to hear, but he doesn't care. He has entered a deep state of understanding and functions off instinct and pure will. He kicks out and, while he's holding on to Zod's hand, pulls him back in again, closing the distance. Zod blocks the attacks with his second hand and his knee, proving his centuries-long experience in battle. He understands that he can't back off and instead goes on the offensive. He strikes at VAndar's sternum to stun him, then he attacks his face with a powerful uppercut.
*WOOOSH*
Zod's eyes widen, as Vandar's head moves back before his fist makes contact. That was not a conscious movement, Zod knows. But that would mean...
The Kryptonian blocks an attack, feeling the increased weight in that punch. He is confused again. What is going on here? Why was Vandar not down already and tapped out? How was his movement getting faster and more fluid while his strength and durability seemed to increase?
Zod moved again, deflecting an attack from Vandar and then another one, ducking underneath and hitting the pressure points on his arm to disable it. He punches Vandar in the face with his full power. His fist makes contact like it usually does, but in the same moment, Vandar's hand lashes out and hits Zod's face as well.
*BOOM*
Zod's face and his entire body are pushed to the side. He turns around, and a fist fills his field of vision. His body reacts to the threat automatically. He moved his upper body far back and then shot back up, hitting Vandar in his midsection. Zod goes on the offensive again. He goes all out. He attacks Vandar all over his body and deals what would normally be lethal attacks. His speed is as high as he can go, and he puts all of his strength behind the attacks. If he weren't using Torquasm, he might be angry right now.
*THUD*
Vandar stops Zod's hand. He holds his fist in his hand and starts to squeeze. There is blood all over his face and clothes. Zod pulls back his other fist and punches forward. But he doesn't hit; instead, Vandar's head moves to the side. Zod attacked again, but Vandar dodged once more. As Zod attacks once more, Vandar's fist hits his stomach.
"ARGH!"
Zod grunts in pain and wants to attack again. Vandar has let go of his fist and is waiting for him to attack. Zod tries to attack Vandar and hit him, but all of his moves are dodged without one wasteful movement. Instead, his efforts are met with painful attacks. Zod can't handle the pressure and pain, and after one powerful cross, he is knocked out.
Vandar had done it. He had succeeded in creating his own martial art by combining different theories and what he had learned from Krypton. And he had defeated Krypton's general, who had devoted his life to training. That was an impressive feat, but it also meant that a change was coming soon. It might be time to leave Krypton after many centuries of staying here. He had learned all Krypton could offer, and while he enjoyed his time here, he wanted to see more of the Universe. He would decide on a later date, once he had completed the Phalanx.