Adjustments and a Showdown

"Let me get myself into shape first," Jiang Che muttered. He turned, walked to the bed, and sat down cross-legged.

He closed his eyes and rested his hands naturally on his knees, slowly regulating his breathing.

Air entered through his nose, passed down his throat, settled in his lower abdomen, then gradually spread throughout his body.

He repeatedly calmed his mind, trying to feel the energy flowing through his veins.

This body was indeed frighteningly strong—its bones and muscles were several times tougher than an ordinary person's. That kind of strength was almost monstrous.

But with so much power, it was actually hard to control.

Like when he'd traded punches with Vegeta earlier, he should have been able to absorb the impact completely. But once they were actually moving, his strength always responded half a beat too slowly, wasting a lot of power.

If he could get those details right—even if his efficiency improved by only ten percent—his strength would undergo a complete transformation.

The room was quiet as time slowly passed.

The birds outside grew more distant, replaced by the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze.

Under his guidance, the energy within him became clear, strand by strand, like silk being untangled. Its disordered flow became an orderly cycle—through his elbows, wrists, knuckles, and every other tiny detail, everything adjusted anew.

He was immersed in his training when a sharp whoosh suddenly came from outside the window, as if something had torn through the air at incredible speed, brimming with murderous intent.

Jiang Che frowned sharply, opened his eyes, and looked out the window.

Vegeta was hovering in midair, arms crossed over his chest, his Battle Suit gleaming like metal in the sunlight.

His dark eyes fixed coldly on Jiang Che inside the room, brimming with challenge.

The wind swept his bangs upward, and a dangerous smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"Kid." Vegeta's voice pierced through the glass, low yet perfectly clear, as if it had traveled straight into the room. "Fight me."

Jiang Che raised an eyebrow, lifted his fingers from his knees, and stretched. "Now?"

"Exactly." Battle lust burned in Vegeta's gaze, the flames almost leaping from his pupils.

He leaned forward slightly, as if ready to charge into the room at any moment. "Our fight earlier wasn't finished. Since you're not afraid of fighting, let's have a real one."

Jiang Che was silent for a few seconds, his gaze lingering on Vegeta's face.

He could see Vegeta's clenched fists trembling slightly in front of his chest—not with fear, but excitement, the frenzy of a beast that had caught the scent of blood.

To be honest, he really did want another fight.

The force of their earlier clash still lingered in his mind, traveling from his arms to his chest and spreading through his whole body. His blood was practically boiling.

That pure collision of strength, the vibrations of bone striking bone, had every cell in his body clamoring for another round.

But the reality was—this wasn't his place.

Bulma had just taken him in. It wouldn't exactly be appropriate to turn around and start fighting her husband.

There were beautiful flowers in the lawn outside, decorative paintings hanging on the walls, and the windows were brand-new. If their fight broke anything, Bulma certainly wouldn't let him off lightly.

Vegeta narrowed his eyes, his mocking smile growing wider. "What? Scared? You were pretty cocky earlier. Now you're backing down?"

Jiang Che looked at him calmly. "I'm not scared. There's just no need."

"No need?" Vegeta scoffed, his voice like a beast's growl. His tone grew more forceful. "Who do you think you are? Some Saiyan with no idea where he came from, and you dare talk to me like that? Let me tell you, this planet is my turf. If you're here, you follow my rules—might makes right!"

As soon as the words left his mouth, Vegeta's energy erupted!

Golden light exploded like a bomb. His hair stood on end as he transformed into a Super Saiyan, golden flames raging wildly around him.

The violent surge of energy around him blasted through the glass and into the room. Books flew into the wall; the curtains whipped wildly; the vase on the bedside table wobbled before crashing to the floor, shattering and spilling water everywhere. The air in the room turned scorching hot in an instant.

"Get down here." Vegeta pointed at the ground, golden light flickering at his fingertip. "Quit hiding in your room like a turtle."

Jiang Che glanced at the mess on the floor, then looked up at Vegeta, wrapped in golden light outside the window. His eyes shifted, and an almost imperceptible smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

The floor beneath his feet trembled slightly under the pressure of Vegeta's energy.

Jiang Che slowly rose and walked to the window. He braced one hand against the frame and pushed the window open with the other, letting the golden current of energy rush over him and ruffle his hair.

"Fine," he said, unhurried, with a hint of amusement. "Let's fight."

His brow furrowed even more, nearly knitting into a deep crease.

His fingers tapped lightly against the windowsill, but the cool touch did nothing to ease his irritation.

This guy Vegeta... Was he really going to keep pestering him?

In the middle of the courtyard, Vegeta stood on the lawn, golden flames swirling around him like a sea of fire. The grass flattened beneath the pressure, and cracks split the earth.

The pieces of the Fountain Beast he'd smashed lay scattered across the ground. Droplets of water reflected the sunlight in tiny flashes, like a silent warning.

Whatever.

If the other guy really wanted to fight that badly, then they'd fight.

Jiang Che took a deep breath, igniting the restlessness he'd been suppressing for so long.

He'd been testing the limits of his strength all along. He'd just been missing a worthy opponent—someone he could go all out against.

The Saiyan before him, wreathed in golden flames, was the perfect whetstone.

This was the perfect chance to test his limits.

"If you're that eager to get beaten up, I'll humor you." Jiang Che rolled his neck, and it cracked several times.

He shoved the window open, and the frame struck the wall with a dull thud.

Beneath the moonlight, he planted one foot on the windowsill and sprang forward, leaping from the second floor like an eagle spreading its wings. He landed steadily ten meters in front of Vegeta.

The ground trembled slightly as grass and dust flew up, then slowly settled.

The two stood facing each other, ten meters apart.

The air seemed to freeze.

The insects' chirping, the wind, even their heartbeats—all were smothered beneath an invisible force, leaving only the two of them.

The golden flames around Vegeta grew more and more intense, almost like real fire.

The grass beneath his feet collapsed under the pressure, forming a three-meter-wide crater as soil churned and grass roots were exposed.

His eyes burned with fervor and battle lust, his pupils seeming to hold two blazing flames.

His clenched fists trembled, his barely contained excitement written all over his face—the frenzy of a hunter with his prey right before him, ready to tear his enemy apart.