The Power of Awakening

Jiang Che's throat moved, and he blurted out instinctively, "Claim! I must claim it!"

His voice exploded, sharp and urgent, carrying a tone that suggested he wouldn't let anyone stand in his way.

He didn't even understand how he had arrived here, let alone what kind of tricks this so-called "system" might have up its sleeve.

Yet, he understood one simple truth: when a benefit falls into your lap for free, don't hesitate—grab it immediately. Only a fool would let it pass.

As for the situation—why worry about that?

There was no reason to refuse a gift delivered right to his doorstep.

Even if there were a trap ahead, he would have to jump into it first just to see what it was all about.

The moment the words left his lips, a crisp notification chimed in his mind: "Ding! Congratulations to the host for successfully claiming the Newbie Gift Pack!"

Immediately following, a cold, mechanical voice reeled off a series of terms: "Obtained: Super Saiyan God (and Super Saiyan) strength, transformation ability, ki control, Sky Dance Technique, and basic combat skills."

Before the last syllable had even faded, a surge of scorching energy suddenly erupted from his chest.

It was like a volcanic eruption, with magma overflowing, sweeping through his blood vessels and nerves to every corner of his limbs and bones.

Jiang Che felt his chest swell violently, his heart gripped by a giant hand and then suddenly released, after which that heat poured through his entire body like a waterfall.

He took a deep breath, his respiration becoming rapid, his chest heaving violently; every inhale felt like swallowing molten iron.

His lungs burned uncomfortably, but every muscle in his body was reveling in this new power.

A faint golden halo emerged on his skin—not blinding, yet carrying an inherent, sacred sense of oppression, as if a god had personally stamped him, shrouding Jiang Che in a hazy radiance.

The surrounding air began to vibrate slightly, and the ground beneath his feet trembled in response, causing small pebbles to hop and roll aside.

Jiang Che clenched his fist tightly, his knuckles turning white, and a muffled sound echoed from his palm—"Bang!"

The air groaned under the extreme pressure, a direct release of his power.

He looked down at his fist, where a circle of invisible air currents rippled between his fingers.

The corner of his mouth twitched.

"This is..." He slowly looked up, his eyes wide, the golden light reflected in his pupils.

His shock gradually transformed into a wild, incredulous joy. "This feeling... is this too absurd?"

He raised his other hand, fingers splayed, then suddenly clenched them—another "Bang!"

It was as if something in the air had been crushed.

This sense of power was something he was experiencing for the first time.

It felt as if the entire planet were trembling in his palm.

Jiang Che spread his arms, feeling the energy threatening to overflow from within him.

His heart raced so hard he could barely stand steady.

The earth beneath his feet felt too fragile, and the firmament above too small.

How to put it—

Right now, he felt he could shatter that entire mountain range over there with a single punch.

Not just that, he could probably destroy the very planet beneath his feet with one blow.

This power had long since transcended the definition of "strong."

Was this the strength of a god?

Jiang Che couldn't help but grin, the corners of his mouth stretching wider until it turned into a hearty laugh that echoed across the sky.

Memories of his past life flooded in—the cold bed frame of the orphanage, the musty rental apartment, the daily grind of squeezing onto the morning bus before dawn, returning home exhausted at night, too lazy to even shower, wanting only to collapse on his bed and watch anime on his phone.

On the screen, characters called "Saiyans," "Angels," and "Gods of Destruction" turned the world upside down, and he could only hide under his yellowed quilt and think: If only I could possess that kind of power.

He had lived his life in a daze, without even a proper dream.

And yet, the heavens had finally opened their eyes, throwing him into his favorite world of Dragon Ball and gifting him a god-tier starting kit right from the get-go.

"This is amazing." Jiang Che took a deep breath, closing his eyes to feel the rich life force in the air—the scent of grass, the smell of soil, the taste of the wind, and the low roar of some creature in the distance.

He slowly opened his eyes, his gaze becoming firm and bright. "Since I'm here, I'll live this life properly."

He didn't rush to do anything else, instead spending nearly an hour calming himself down from the ecstasy.

He sat cross-legged on the ground, hands resting on his knees, looking up at the transparent blue sky, reviewing everything that had just happened in his mind.

His breathing gradually slowed, and his heartbeat steadied.

He grew calm, sinking his focus into his mind to perceive that so-called "system."

Deep within his consciousness, an invisible door seemed to slowly creak open.

A vast, intricate interface unfolded, with dense rows of items shimmering like a galaxy.

The so-called "God-Tier Exchange System" was essentially a massive mall, with a dizzying array of goods.

The bloodline category was packed with Saiyans, Angels, gods, Majins, and more; the skill list was filled with Ultra Instinct, Spirit Bomb, Instant Transmission, Dragon Fist Explosion, energy blasts... just the names alone were enough to make Jiang Che's heart race.

There were also physique, enhancements, talent awakenings, time travel... every single option looked like a temptation tailored just for him, and the list alone was enough to dazzle him, making him want to bet everything on it.

But behind each item, there was an exchange value, and next to it, a cold prompt: Current balance: 0.

Jiang Che's mouth twitched, then he continued to grin.

He slid down the list, eyeing the outrageously high numbers, and secretly took note.

These exchange values could only be earned by completing system tasks. To put it bluntly, if he wanted to become a god, he had to fight for it himself.

It wouldn't be simple or easy.

But he wasn't afraid at all.

He had a tail, he had strength, he had dreams.

In this world that had just started, there were infinite possibilities.

Jiang Che stood up, clenched his fists, felt the lingering warmth in his palms, and a confident curve formed on his lips.

The wind swept past him, and his tail swayed gently along.

"I know the routine," Jiang Che shrugged, a hint of teasing in his smile, as if he saw through everything.

As he spoke, he brushed off the dust on his shoulders and casually swept his gaze around. "They give you a little taste first, then you have to grind it out slowly."

He straightened up again, legs slightly apart, firmly rooted.

He took a deep breath, slowly closed his eyes, as if brewing a storm.

The air suddenly became still, and the surroundings were so quiet that only his own heartbeat could be heard.

He lowered his head, his spirit sinking into a deep pool, releasing the Super Saiyan God aura within him.

The Super Saiyan God power surged through his blood, granting him almost supernatural perception.

His consciousness spread out like ripples on water, and the surrounding auras immediately appeared as clear images in his mind.

He could feel every tremor in the air, the rustling of leaves in the distance, even the wriggling of insects in the soil.

These auras intertwined to form an invisible net, which he captured one by one.

"Five auras..." Jiang Che's lips moved, and he muttered in a low voice, "Two are relatively strong, three are quite weak."

His brow furrowed, the lines on his forehead showing he was thinking.

Based on the power level at the beginning of Dragon Ball Z, there weren't many warriors who could make him feel 'strong'.

These auras were stronger than ordinary Saiyans, but they weren't like Frieza or Cell, whom he was familiar with.

So, the timeline... it clearly wasn't at the very beginning of the story.