One Punch

Piccolo had completely lost his mind.

The humiliation of being toyed with by an ant had shattered his reason.

His pupils were shot through with bloodshot veins, his breathing ragged and erratic.

"I'll kill you! I'll destroy this whole world!!"

He leaped backward, his cape snapping in the wind as he shot straight up a hundred meters into the sky.

The already gloomy sky darkened further, thick storm clouds churning as if stirred by an invisible hand, forming a massive vortex.

The center of the vortex loomed directly over the arena below, like a giant demon's eye.

Blinding lightning danced wildly through the clouds, thunder rolling in deafening waves.

Piccolo hovered in midair, arms flung wide, his ki beginning to gather frantically.

Purple arcs of electricity crackled around his body, his green face twisted into a demonic grimace of pure rage.

"Since I can't hit you... I'll blow this island—and you, you monster—to ashes!!!"

He roared hysterically, the light in his palms growing brighter and brighter.

The destructive energy waves made the sea below boil, massive waves crashing against the shoreline with a thunderous roar.

"Super Explosive Demon Wave!!!"

With his furious shout, the energy sphere in his hands swelled to its limit, radiating a terrifying, heart-stopping aura.

Purple light illuminated the entire sky, casting every face below in a ghastly pallor.

"He's insane! He's lost it!"

"Run! This island is going down!"

"Help!!"

"I don't want to die!!"

The audience completely broke down, screams and cries piercing the heavens.

If that level of energy actually came down, forget the arena—the entire Papaya Island would be wiped off the map in an instant, not even a speck left behind.

Despair spread through the crowd like wildfire.

Even Master Roshi and Tien Shinhan's faces were deathly pale.

Tien's three eyes were locked on the sky, his body trembling slightly.

"Ki like that... it's on a monster's level. Can we... stop it?"

"Goku! Go stop him!"

Bulma shrieked, her face white as paper, clutching Oolong's clothes.

Goku was about to launch himself into the air, but a hand stopped him.

It was Mr. Shen.

Mr. Shen looked up at the sky, a strange light flickering in his aged eyes.

It was trust in the strong, and an inexplicable certainty.

"Wait."

His voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable weight.

"Watch Krillin. He... hasn't gotten serious yet. This battle belongs to him."

Center of the arena.

The wind whipped Krillin's Gi, making it snap loudly.

Facing the scene above—like the sky itself was collapsing—his expression remained eerily calm, not even a flicker in his eyes.

System data streams scrolled furiously before him:

Code
[Warning: High-energy reaction detected.]
[Energy level: Sufficient to destroy a small island.]
[Recommended countermeasure: Serious Series · Beatdown.]
[Correction: Target must not be killed. Recommend significant output reduction.]

"What a pain in the ass, always trying to blow up the planet. Is this teenage rebellion or what?"

Krillin sighed, shaking his head with a hint of resignation.

He stepped his right foot back half a pace, crouched slightly, sank his center of gravity, and slowly clenched his right fist at his waist.

He closed his eyes, feeling the vast, star-sea-like power within him.

It was the absolute strength granted by the One-Punch Man template from that other world—the divine power that had broken the limiter.

That power surged through his body, like a sleeping dragon awakening.

"About thirty percent... should be enough."

Krillin's eyes snapped open, a sharp glint flashing through his pupils.

"One Regular Fist, Modified, Thirty Percent Power!"

He threw a punch at the sky, at that arrogant Demon King—utterly ordinary, unadorned.

No dazzling light effects, no flashy moves.

Just a dull thud, as if space itself had shattered.

Thump!

An invisible yet unmistakably terrifying pressure erupted from Krillin's fist.

It was a shockwave born from pure physical force compressed to its absolute limit.

That power surged skyward like an intangible dragon, head held high.

The next moment, a miracle occurred.

The dark clouds, the raging lightning, and the energy sphere in Piccolo's hand—enough to destroy an island—all met an invisible eraser in that instant.

The fist pressure transformed into a transparent pillar of air, tearing through everything with ruthless force.

Piccolo's energy sphere didn't even have a chance to explode; it was scattered into specks of starlight and vanished.

Then, the residual force pressed onward, piercing the atmosphere and shooting into the vast cosmos.

Boom...

A massive hole several kilometers in diameter was blasted through the clouds.

The gloomy sky cleared instantly, golden sunlight pouring down through the gap.

It bathed Krillin, making him look like a god descending to earth.

High in the sky, though Krillin had deliberately avoided a direct hit, the mere brush of his fist wind shredded Piccolo's clothes in an instant.