Neo Tri-Beam!

Although the Lion King had a humanoid form, it couldn't speak.

So it stretched out both hands and pointed at Lin Xia and Vegeta. Then it clenched its fists, stuck out its thumbs, and slowly turned them downward, its face full of contempt and provocation.

"Damn it, you ugly freak! How dare you look down on a Saiyan!?"

Vegeta was like a powder keg, ready to explode at the slightest spark. With a roar, he charged straight in.

Seeing this, Lin Xia followed close behind and launched an attack from the left.

The Lion King watched the two of them charge in from either side, but its expression didn't change. It merely rolled its neck, pushed off the ground, and chose to meet them head-on.

"Thud, thud, thud—!!"

Every time their fists and feet collided, muffled thumps rang out, sending shock waves rippling through the air.

Although Lin Xia and Vegeta were fighting two against one,

they lacked coordination and couldn't attack in sync.

This gave the Lion King a chance to fend them off one at a time.

But even the Lion King hadn't expected a level 5 Lin Xia and a level 1 Vegeta to be this powerful!

They were actually able to match it blow for blow. If their health bars weren't so short, the Lion King would have suspected that they were faking their levels just like it was.

After all, only the Lion King knew that although the panel listed its level as 6, its actual level was 8!

And it knew all too well why it had been created: to kill an Awakener named [Lin Xia]!

That's right—the very raggedly dressed boy standing before it!

Although the Lion King's health was dropping fast, it was still a boss, with a full thirty health bars!

Lin Xia and Vegeta had only one each!

If things continued like this, the outcome was obvious.

Lin Xia realized this too, and called out to Vegeta, who was still trading blows with the Lion King. "Vegeta, hold him down! Just buy me ten seconds, and we'll win!"

At once, Vegeta understood what Lin Xia was thinking.

He wanted Vegeta to restrain the Lion King while he charged up the [Neo Tri-Beam].

But that would mean Vegeta would die too, given how powerful the attack was!

Besides, he firmly believed he could beat the Lion King himself.

So, faced with Lin Xia's words, Vegeta acted as if he hadn't heard them. He paid no attention and kept attacking on his own.

Lin Xia didn't get angry. He'd expected Vegeta to react this way.

So he tried a different approach, his tone edged with a threat. "It doesn't matter if you die. You can just wait for your Card to cool down. But if I die... heh, you'll never see another sunrise!"

Lin Xia knew that Vegeta at this point in time was reckless, but also fiercely protective of his own life.

Sure enough, his words did the trick.

Veins bulged on Vegeta's forehead, and he clenched his back teeth so hard they nearly cracked. Reluctance was written all over his face, but he waited for his chance, rolled behind the Lion King, wrapped both arms around its shoulders, and locked his legs around its knees, leaving it unable to move.

"You idiot, what are you waiting for?!"

Vegeta roared. He didn't say it aloud, but from the strain on his face, it was clear he wouldn't last much longer.

Lin Xia could see that too. He backed away, making the hand gesture for the Ki Blast Cannon as he shouted without a shred of conscience, "Hang in there, Vegeta! I'll make it quick for you!"

"Tch, what a bastard!"

Vegeta cursed, then swallowed hard. The colorless look on his face showed just how afraid he was of the pain the Ki Blast Cannon would bring.

If Lin Xia's life weren't tied to his own, Vegeta would never have done something so heroic as sacrificing himself!

"Ah—!"

Meanwhile, Lin Xia's eyes were wide, the veins at his temples bulging. He crossed his hands in front of his chest as pale yellow energy churned and compressed wildly within the frame. The air within a hundred meters seemed to be sucked dry in an instant. The ground beneath his feet split apart, and broken stones floated into the air!

These were the terrifying signs of the [Neo Tri-Beam] charging up!!

As he aimed the frame at the Lion King, a charge bar appeared before his eyes.

1 second.

2 seconds.

3 seconds.

At that moment, every second felt unbearably long and agonizing to all three of them.

"Rrgh!"

Watching Lin Xia's imposing stance, the Lion King's heart began to race. A powerful sense of danger drove it to struggle with all its might.

"Hurry up! I can't hold him much longer!!"

Fortunately, Vegeta lived up to expectations and didn't let the Lion King break free.

"Neo Tri-Beam—!!!"

Lin Xia's earth-shaking roar rang out as a sharply defined, square wave of energy tore through the air, blasting from the frame in his hands with a deafening roar that seemed capable of destroying the world!

"Boom—!!"

The space in its path rippled with visible distortions. The rocks and tree stumps along the way vaporized instantly, and the blast swallowed everything ahead, leaving only a pale yellow trail.

"Rrgh, rrgh!!"

The Lion King's fur stood on end. It seemed to give up struggling, its whole body trembling uncontrollably.

It had never seen such a powerful attack!

How could someone who had only awakened recently learn such an absurdly powerful skill?!

For some reason, the Lion King was absolutely certain it couldn't withstand this attack!

Even with thirty health bars... it was certain it couldn't survive this move!!

The Lion King's eyes were wide open, but it could no longer see Lin Xia. All it could see was a pale yellow, square "wall" of energy!

It turned to look at Vegeta doubtfully, as if asking, Are we really going to die together?

"Damn it...!!"

Vegeta's mouth twitched. He watched the powerful wave of energy close in. Though terrified, he didn't let go. He could only stare as it came crashing toward him.

"Boom—!"

The instant the blast erupted, it plowed a bottomless ravine into the earth. Dust shot into the sky and lingered for a long time!

The Lion King and Vegeta, swallowed by the energy wave, seemed to melt in an instant and vanished without a trace.

Wu Ziyang and the Shadow Figure, who were in the Otherworld, also stopped what they were doing.

Both of them were drawn to the astonishing sight.

Not only that, but from the grass beside Lin Xia, a pair of blood-red eyes trembled violently, utterly shocked by the energy wave.

"Huff, huff..."

After unleashing the attack, Lin Xia collapsed to his knees, gasping for air. Beads of sweat rolled from his forehead like a downpour, and his muscles shook violently from the strain.

[Defeated the Lion Pride leader. Experience +1000!]

[Level up!]

[Level increased to LV7!!]

As a golden beam of light rose from beneath Lin Xia, signaling his level-up, he felt no excitement at all.

Or rather, he didn't even have the strength to feel excited. At that moment, even breathing was a struggle.

He knew the Neo Tri-Beam would consume his stamina, but he hadn't expected it to take this much!

Perhaps Lin Xia's level was simply too low and his strength too weak. His body couldn't handle supplying such a powerful skill with energy.

Just then, accompanied by the crackle of electricity, a portal appeared behind him.

It was the exit that appeared after clearing the Secret Realm.