The Chapter Ends, A New One Awaits

"I refuse to accept this! I truly refuse to accept this!"

Baby's voice echoed in the wind, thick with resentment and terror.

No matter how he struggled, it was useless; Jiang Che's divine power gave him no chance to resist.

Those crimson energies coiled around the black mist like chains, tightening with every movement, forcibly tearing Baby's soul away from Vegeta's body.

Finally, the black mist was completely stripped away, transforming into a pitch-black, writhing spherical shadow.

It floated in mid-air, looking like a filthy, dark star.

Jiang Che remained expressionless as he raised his hand toward the black mist.

A thin, crimson beam of light erupted from his fingertip—fast and fierce, piercing the darkness like a sharp arrow.

"Shoo—!"

The crimson beam penetrated the black mist, causing the shadow to tremble violently. A short, sharp scream erupted from within, followed by a thunderous explosion that shattered it into countless tiny specks of light, which vanished into the wind instantly, leaving nothing behind.

[Ding! Mission complete: Kill Great Ape Baby. Reward: 50,000 exchange points have been credited.]

As the system notification rang in his mind, the corners of Jiang Che's mouth curled into a satisfied arc, and his eyes brightened.

Behind him, Vegeta lay sprawled on the ground, limbs splayed, gasping for air as his chest heaved as if it might burst.

Sweat and blood mixed together, soaking the ground.

His fingers trembled incessantly, and he was too weak to even lift his head.

"Kid..."

Vegeta spoke with great effort, his voice so hoarse it sounded as if it were being squeezed from his throat, "Who... exactly... are you..."

"Who what?"

Jiang Che turned back to glance at him, his tone tinged with mockery: "Look at yourself first; this state is simply disgraceful."

He scanned Vegeta's body from head to toe and shook his head: "The Prince of Saiyans, reduced to this?"

Vegeta gritted his teeth so hard they rattled. Unable to even stand, he could only glare fiercely at Jiang Che's back, his eyes filled with rage and unwillingness.

Just then, the sound of rapid footsteps approached from the distance.

Son Goku, Pan, and Mr. Satan ran down from the hillside. Son Goku was in the lead, his robes fluttering in the wind, his face etched with anxiety.

Seeing Vegeta lying on the ground, safe and sound, they all let out sighs of relief, and their pace slowed.

"Thank goodness, Vegeta, you're alright!"

Son Goku hurried forward, crouched down, and excitedly patted Vegeta on the shoulder.

Vegeta let out a cold snort and reluctantly turned his head away: "Obviously, what could possibly happen to me?"

Though the words sounded tough, his lack of conviction was obvious.

Mr. Satan wiped the sweat from his forehead and chuckled: "See? I told you, with me around, how could anything major go wrong!"

Pan stood to the side, looking at Jiang Che with a sense of wonder, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Alright, since Baby is taken care of, I should be going."

Jiang Che stretched lazily and rolled his wrists, speaking casually.

A faint blue light began to shimmer around him as he prepared to teleport away.

Son Goku suddenly jumped up and shouted at him: "Hey! Kid! Wait a second! I still have questions for you!"

Jiang Che stopped his movements, and the blue light dimmed slightly.

He turned his head, a playful smile appearing on his face as he swept his gaze over Son Goku: "Questions for me? What kind?"

Son Goku opened his mouth, hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath and stared intently at Jiang Che: "Who exactly are you? And why did you help us?"

"Help you?"

Jiang Che let out a cold laugh, a sneer tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Don't flatter yourselves. I only did it for the mission."

He glanced at everyone present, his gaze indifferent. "You are merely pawns in the plot, and I am the player."

With that, his figure flickered, ripples distorted the air, and only a faint blue glow remained.

A second later, the spot was empty. The wind blew past, and the leaves rustled.

Son Goku stood frozen, staring blankly at the empty ground, his brow furrowed, unable to speak for a long time.

Pan tugged at the corner of Son Goku's robe and whispered: "Grandpa, he was so cool."

Son Goku continued to stare at the spot where Jiang Che had vanished; the void seemed to still hold a lingering pressure.

His shoulders heaved, his breathing was heavy, and his fists clenched and unclenched as he struggled to regain his composure.

He muttered under his breath, his voice hoarse and bewildered: "Mission... what kind of person is this guy..."

The wind passed through the ruins, kicking up dust at his feet, but it could not blow away the turmoil in his heart.

Just then, a deafening, tearing sound suddenly erupted in the heavens, as if the sky had been ripped open by an invisible hand.

The sky, once a brilliant azure, was now torn by a hideous rift, its edges glowing with a grayish-white light as the very space seemed to shudder violently.

Immediately following, a figure stepped slowly from the fissure, robes fluttering, enveloped in a faint golden radiance.

It was a man dressed in the attire of a Supreme Kai, his white tunic embroidered with ancient runes and cinched with a golden belt—it was none other than Kibito Kai.

He walked upon the air, each step landing as if on invisible stairs, sending ripples of transparent energy spreading beneath his feet.

Kibito Kai looked down at the battlefield below, his gaze sweeping over the shattered earth, the scattered boulders, and the smoking ravines, before he finally let out a long sigh of relief, his shoulders visibly relaxing.

He murmured to himself, a hint of release in his tone: "It seems everything is over."

His eyes drifted to Son Goku not far away, a complex mix of emotions flickering within them—respect, mingled with doubt.

Son Goku looked up, his eyes widening abruptly, pupils constricting as his face filled with astonishment.

He took two quick, involuntary steps forward, kicking a pebble that skittered away with a crisp sound.

"Mr. Kibito Kai?" he called out, his voice tinged with surprise. "What are you doing here?"

He instinctively rubbed the back of his head, maintaining his usual guileless expression, though a hidden wariness lingered in his eyes—for a Supreme Kai to come in person, the matter could not be simple.

Kibito Kai touched down, his feet landing firmly on the cracked ground and kicking up a puff of dust.

He smoothed his robes, his expression turning grave as he fixed a sharp, blade-like gaze on Son Goku, his voice dropping low: "I sensed that divine energy just now... Son Goku, where is that young man?"

As he spoke, his eyes searched the surroundings, as if trying to pierce through space to find a trace of Jiang Che.

"He left."

Son Goku replied, pointing toward the distant horizon with a sweeping arc of his hand. "He didn't leave long ago."

His tone carried a hint of helplessness, and his mouth twitched—that guy had left so decisively that he hadn't even left a shadow behind.

"He left?"

Kibito Kai's brows furrowed instantly, the wrinkles on his forehead deepening as anxiety flared in his eyes.

"Old Supreme Kai wanted to see him..."

He clenched his fists instinctively, his knuckles turning white, clearly frustrated at having missed Jiang Che.

"Don't be so anxious, Kibito Kai."

A voice suddenly rang out, calm yet impossible to ignore.

Jiang Che's figure appeared beside them without the slightest warning, as if he had been there the entire time, not even stirring the air with his robes.

He stood with his hands in his pockets, a faint smile on his lips, though his gaze was as sharp as a hawk's.

Kibito Kai gasped sharply, recoiling and nearly stumbling as he took a step back, his eyes filled with shock: "You... when did you..."

The words caught in his throat—this guy's ability to teleport was something even Kibito Kai couldn't perceive.