Probing and Duel

In the air, Gohan's and Vegeta's ki collided silently, causing the gravel on the ground to jump and bounce against each other with a series of crisp sounds.

Within a radius of tens of meters, the birds flew away as if terrified, and panicked animal cries and rustling footsteps echoed from the depths of the forest.

This battle, to put it plainly, was about to begin.

The earth seemed to be struck hard, and cracks spread wildly like a spiderweb, bottomless. Gravel flew everywhere in the air currents, landing with dull thuds.

Dust billowed up, obscuring the entire field of vision.

Gohan was pushed back several steps by the air current, the ground beneath his feet cracking again as he stepped on it.

He barely managed to steady himself, his brow furrowed tightly, his eyes filled only with anxiety and worry.

He raised his hands and shouted at the golden figure in front of him, "Uncle Vegeta, don't be impulsive! Mr. Jiang Che has no ill intentions, there's really no need to fight!"

Vegeta didn't even turn his head, his voice filled with indifference and resolve, "Whether he has ill intentions or not, we'll know after we fight!"

After speaking, he completely ignored Gohan's words, stomped his foot, and the ground instantly exploded into a large pit, gravel flying out like cannonballs.

He turned into a golden stream of light, the air tearing with a sharp explosion, and he lunged at Jiang Che like a meteor.

Vegeta's fists were clenched, white energy crackling around his knuckles.

He swooped down, his fist breaking through the air, the airflow pressing down and distorting the surroundings, heading straight for Jiang Che's face.

The momentum of that punch was so fierce, like a collapsing mountain and a surging sea, that it caused the surrounding space to vibrate violently even before it made contact, kicking up gravel.

Jiang Che's pupils contracted sharply, and he captured almost every detail of the surrounding air.

He immediately sensed the power of this punch—fierce, but not at full strength, as if testing him, trying to gauge his depth.

Vegeta's eyes were filled with fighting spirit and curiosity, as if waiting for him to reveal a weakness.

Since you want to test me, I don't need to hold back either.

As the thought flashed, a dormant flame ignited within Jiang Che.

His ki suddenly erupted, golden flames soaring like a volcano, reaching the clouds.

The flames churned, distorting the air, and the ground beneath his feet was torn apart by the air current, forming a scorched circular pit.

The hair on his head stood on end, a sharp light erupted in his eyes, and his aura surged to its peak.

"Wh-what?" Gohan's eyes widened, his pupils still trembling, his mouth agape, his voice cracking.

He stumbled back a step, cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.

He clearly felt the ki emanating from Jiang Che—deep, domineering, and sharp, like an ancient beast that had suddenly awakened from its slumber.

This ki collided fiercely with Vegeta's burning aura in the air, causing a dull roar, and transparent waves of energy swept up the surrounding dust and gravel, scattering everything.

On the ground, two golden lights confronted each other, like two dragons about to tear each other apart.

BOOM--!

The two men's fists collided fiercely in mid-air, like two meteors crashing into each other.

Vegeta's pupils narrowed to pinpricks, the muscles in his swinging arm tensed instantly, veins bulging, the energy around his fist distorting the light.

But he couldn't stop—the punch had been thrown, like a wild horse breaking free.

The moment their fists met, the world seemed to fall into a second of deathly silence.

The next instant, a sky-splitting explosion erupted, its shockwave sweeping in all directions.

RUMBLE--!

!

With the two men at the center, the ground was struck as if by a giant hammer, instantly bulging and then cracking into a spiderweb pattern.

Cracks spread wildly, turning a radius of tens of meters into a sea of gravel.

Soil, rocks, and grass were thrown tens of meters into the air, only to be torn into powder by the air currents.

Waves of energy rolled, and white shockwaves spread out in rings.

Surrounding trees were uprooted as if by giant hands, their trunks tumbling and breaking in the air, their branches and leaves falling like a torrential rain.

Gravel shot out, leaving countless pits on the mountainside.

Dust filled the sky, obscuring half of it.

Gohan crossed his arms in front of him, bracing himself firmly on the ground, but he was still pushed back more than ten meters by the air current, his soles plowing two deep furrows in the ground.

He gritted his teeth to steady himself, his eyes fixed on the center of the dust, his forehead covered in fine sweat.

After this exchange, both men retreated.

Jiang Che's feet left seven or eight deep pits, each step causing the ground to tremble violently; Vegeta retreated further, his heels digging two drag marks before he finally stabilized.

Vegeta slowly straightened up, flexing his numb right arm, a look of solemnity appearing on his face for the first time.

His gaze was sharp, fixed on Jiang Che, his voice low and tinged with disbelief, "Super Saiyan... you can indeed transform."

Jiang Che hadn't responded yet, merely slowly rotating his wrists, his blood and ki surging within him like lava.

The numbness in his arm was gradually replaced by a strange excitement, his blood coursing, his heart pounding like a drum, every muscle trembling slightly—not from fear, but from a deep, soul-stirring excitement.

A smile he couldn't quite define tugged at the corner of his lips.

Is this what battle is like?

Before his transmigration, he'd been an ordinary office worker tapping away at a keyboard. He'd never imagined standing on a battlefield like this, trading blows with the legendary Saiyan Prince.

The feeling of his blood boiling, his whole body trembling, was like a flame igniting in his chest and spreading through his veins to every limb.

Even though that punch had left his arm numb, his hand aching, and his bones buzzing, the sheer exhilaration made him more excited than ever—like a beast finally breaking free from chains after years of confinement.

"Interesting," Jiang Che murmured, his voice hoarse and slightly shaky.

His eyes narrowed slightly, the depths of his pupils blazing with fighting spirit, like sparks igniting in the night.

Vegeta heard him, his expression darkening. He snorted coldly through his nose, "Kid, don't get too cocky. I didn't even use half my strength in that last punch."

He crossed his arms over his chest, chin raised, radiating the arrogance and disdain of a Saiyan royal.

Yet, a slight twitch at the corner of his eye betrayed his inner turmoil.

"What a coincidence," Jiang Che smiled faintly, his grin looking both dangerous and composed amidst the dust and light, "I was just throwing a casual punch myself."

As soon as he finished speaking, the air between them grew heavy, like a great storm brewing.

The streets of West City were bathed in a faint golden light. The distant neon signs hadn't lit up yet, and the sky was a mix of deep blue and fiery orange.

A few pedestrians hurried past on the street, none noticing the abandoned industrial district—a surge of energy powerful enough to shake the earth had just erupted there.

"You—" Vegeta's voice, like grinding steel, was forced out from his throat.

Veins bulged on his forehead, the arteries in his temples throbbing. His knuckles turned white as he clenched his fists, his entire aura exploding outwards. Pebbles and dust flew up from the ground, kicking up a cloud of smoke.