"Stop!"
Kindhearted Gohan couldn't hold back. He fired a Ki Blast, instantly knocking Salza's Ki Blast off course.
"Boom!"
The two blasts canceled each other out. The shockwave rocked the plane, but after a few violent jolts, it eventually flew away safely.
Gohan had saved everyone on the plane, but his group's whereabouts had still been exposed.
He clenched his fists, his bones cracking.
"What?"
Krillin realized that Gohan had actually stepped in to save innocent people.
"I won't let you hurt innocent people!"
Gohan stepped forward.
"Beep, beep, beep..."
As Gohan fired a Ki Cannon, his hidden energy was completely exposed, and Salza's Scouter began beeping.
"Hmph, so you finally showed yourself?"
Salza saw that the Scouter displayed a power level of ten thousand. Clearly, a hidden powerhouse had joined the fight.
"Then consider this a warm-up."
With that, he flew toward Gohan.
"Bang!"
Salza and Gohan's fists collided with a thunderous boom.
"What?!"
Salza had thought he could easily handle Gohan. But after exchanging blows, he discovered that the little kid's strength was astonishing. One punch sent him flying!
"We're going in, too!"
Seeing Gohan make his move, Krillin and the others flew out of the woods and began knocking down their opponents.
Nearby, King Cold and Cooler remained perfectly still.
"Hmm, well done. Your plan to draw them out worked nicely," King Cold praised him.
But Cooler furrowed his brow.
"Something's wrong. Their power levels are low!"
"They're not strong enough to have killed Frieza!"
King Cold's expression turned vicious.
"Hmph, it doesn't matter. Kill them all. Let's see if those Saiyans can keep hiding after that!"
"Kill them all!"
King Cold sent his own Battle Force into the fray as well.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
The battle began. Tien Shinhan, Yamcha, Chiaotzu, and the others fought back, while Bulma knew she would only get in their way. The moment Gohan started fighting, she slipped away quietly.
Her training with Li Feng came in handy. She couldn't raise her ki, but she had learned to conceal her energy just like Gohan and the others, keeping it from being detected.
Her main goal now was to escape and find a way to get in touch with Li Feng.
She knew Krillin and the others were only buying time. If they took too long, they might all die. Though the Dragon Balls could bring them back to life, she was as kindhearted as Gohan and couldn't bear the thought of her companions dying.
"Boom!"
"Thud!"
King Cold's soldiers were no match for the Z Fighters. They were taken out in a single exchange.
"You little brat! Aagh—!"
Salza, who had been so arrogant, was now being effortlessly trounced by Gohan. The 170,000 power level he was so proud of was like that of a three-year-old facing an adult tiger—he stood no chance at all.
"Ha!"
Gohan was furious at someone as despicable as Salza. Influenced by Li Feng, his Saiyan bloodlust flared, and he charged at Salza again!
"Bang!"
Gohan punched his furious fist into Salza, making him double over in pain.
"Hah!"
Gohan didn't stop. He kicked Salza into the air, then swiftly formed a Ki Blast in his right hand!
"Boom!"
Gohan's Ki Blast, backed by a power level of one million, struck Salza in an instant and blasted him to pieces.
"What?"
"Captain Salza!"
Dray and Nez of Cooler's Mecha Squad were shocked to see their captain blown to pieces. They quickly knocked Krillin and Tien Shinhan away with a punch and a kick, then flew toward Gohan to fight him.
The combat power of everyone present was as follows.
Cooler (Fourth Form): 200,000,000 King Cold (Second Form): 100,000,000 Son Gohan: 1,000,000 Dray: 185,000 Nez: 163,000 Krillin: 160,000 Tien Shinhan: 130,000 Yamcha: 120,000 Chiaotzu: 50,000
"Haah—!"
Gohan's power level had now reached one million!
Influenced by Li Feng, Gohan had trained relentlessly at home during this period. He was far stronger than his counterpart in the original story at the same point!
He grew stronger with every fight, powering up in an instant. Facing two opponents at once, he didn't show the slightest fear. In a single exchange, he knocked Dray and Nez flying.
"Pfft!"
"Argh!"
The two elite warriors each spat out a mouthful of blood. They couldn't believe that the little kid in front of them was so strong!
Facing the invaders, Gohan showed no mercy. He spread his hands, quickly gathered his energy, and fired two Ki Blasts at once!
"No!"
"Lord Cooler, save me!"
Faced with Gohan's Ki Cannon, Dray and Nez felt death looming. They hadn't expected that the kid had killed their captain Salza not by luck, but through sheer terrifying strength!
Though the two begged for mercy, it was already too late.
"Boom!"
Two blasts rang out in the sky, and Dray and Nez were instantly blown to pieces.
"That was amazing, Gohan!" Tien Shinhan exclaimed.
"Gohan's gotten so strong!" Krillin couldn't help marveling.
"Maybe this time we can take down those two terrifying demons," Yamcha murmured.
"Incredible. He really is Goku's son!"
Everyone was astonished by Gohan's burst of power, then praised him.
Hope began to rise in Krillin's heart. He had felt Gohan's energy surge just now. Maybe they really could hold out until Li Feng returned.
But when Krillin sensed those two astonishing power levels, he realized that even though Gohan was strong, he was still nowhere near their level. His newfound hope was doused.
"Whatever happens, our first priority should be taking out their army!" Tien Shinhan realized that his own power was weak, but he could still contribute. He made the suggestion to Krillin and the other fighters.
Everyone agreed. They powered up again and swept through the battlefield like scythes through grass.
The battle appeared overwhelmingly one-sided, with the Z Fighters seemingly cutting through their opponents. But the terrifying Cooler and King Cold still hadn't entered the fight, and their other soldiers were no match for the Z Fighters.
The proud Cooler and King Cold didn't care about their weak underlings. Instead, they were quite interested in the little kid, Gohan.
"Heh heh heh, how interesting. I never expected anyone besides the Saiyans to have such a high power level on this remote planet," King Cold said with a laugh.
"Kid, you have impressive power. Join my forces and work for me. Under my command, I'll make sure you want for nothing!"
King Cold made Gohan an offer. He believed that if Gohan joined his forces, he would have a new source of strength to help him deal with Cooler's army and expand his own power.
Although they were father and son, each had his own agenda. Both wanted to seize more of the other's territory and expand their influence.
Unfortunately, Gohan coldly rejected what seemed like a tempting offer.
Before you continue