That Year, My Hands Were in My Pockets

The dark green aura grew increasingly dense.

The ground beneath Son Gohan's feet began to sink layer by layer; before the shattered rocks could even fly into the air, they were ground into powder by that heavy energy.

The smile on Vegeta's face stiffened bit by bit.

That sense of oppression felt inexplicably familiar to him...

It was a fear stemming from the deepest, most instinctive depths of his bloodline.

Vegeta's throat moved, and he didn't even notice the readings on the scouter over his left eye skyrocketing.

His gaze was locked tightly onto Son Gohan.

"Could this energy be...!"

Son Gohan's entire body was thoroughly swallowed by the dark green energy.

Rings of energy gathered continuously, centered on him, as if the life force of the entire Planet Vegeta were being forcibly dragged toward him.

His body slowly grew taller amidst the intense light.

His muscles expanded, his broad shoulders and back instantly stretching his clothes, and his originally spiked golden hair was brushed with a brilliant grass-green hue.

Trunks stood in the distance, arms shielding his face to resist the powerful shockwaves of energy.

He had seen this form before.

Yet every time he saw it, he still felt his body grow heavy.

This was not the reassuring strength of Super Saiyan 4, but the embodiment of pure, wild violence!

Son Gohan fully opened the Legendary Super Saiyan energy pool, and near-infinite power surged madly from within his body.

Since Vegeta could rely on Miracle Power to constantly recover and grow stronger.

Then he would use the Legendary Super Saiyan form to have a good time with him!

It would allow him to contend with his opponent while also pushing his own combat potential even higher.

After all, Kakarot had yet to appear.

Every extra bit of strength meant a greater chance of success.

BOOM—

A thick pulse of green energy erupted from within Son Gohan's body and shot into the sky.

The dark red clouds of Planet Vegeta were torn apart in an instant.

The fleet of warships orbiting in outer space shook in unison; a large number of turrets exploded as they lost control from the shockwave, and countless garrison soldiers lay prone on the ground, lacking even the strength to lift their heads.

The intense light dissipated.

Son Gohan stood in the center of a massive crater, the only patch of ground within a kilometer radius that remained intact was the one beneath his feet.

His tall, two-meter-plus frame stood firm, his grass-green hair spiked upright, and a green aura enveloped his entire body like a wall of fire.

His face was filled with unbridled arrogance.

Vegeta's lips couldn't help but tremble, his voice low and raspy.

"Broly?"

As soon as that name was spoken, the expressions of the surrounding Saiyan officers changed completely.

Even though many had never seen that monster, they had heard the legends.

In the former Saiyan Empire, the number one person under the King was not Vegeta.

It was that legendary child of the Saiyans who obeyed no orders, the once-in-a-millennium Super Saiyan!

Broly!

Inside the palace throne room.

Kakarot reclined on the massive throne, several beautiful Saiyan women massaging his shoulders while others carefully brought exquisite delicacies to his lips.

In the void before him, a white light screen projected the battlefield.

The moment Son Gohan completed his transformation, Kakarot's previously lazy eyes finally flickered.

"Oh? Isn't this Broly's transformation?"

He raised a hand, and all movement around him ceased instantly.

On the screen, the one-armed youth was wreathed in grass-green flames.

Kakarot stared at him for a few seconds, his mouth slowly curling into a grin.

"Things are getting more and more interesting."

Back then, Broly had indeed caused him trouble.

That guy's combat power had been as high as ten thousand at birth, and his growth rate was so exaggerated it didn't seem like a Saiyan's.

The more he fought, the stronger he became; the angrier he grew, the more powerful he got—a wild beast impossible to tame.

Kakarot had attempted to subdue him many times in the past.

Every attempt had been rejected.

In the end, he had no choice but to take action himself and wipe out this nuisance once and for all.

He hadn't expected another one to pop up now.

Kakarot stared at Son Gohan's face, a strange smile playing on his lips.

On the battlefield.

Vegeta's expression had shifted from shock to ferocity, his fists clenched tight.

Broly.

He still couldn't forget the images that name conjured up.

Back then, he had just turned fourteen, full of spirit, having challenged every peer in the Saiyan Empire without a single defeat.

Just as he was riding high, intending to challenge another renowned, invincible genius named Broly, his dream of invincibility—along with his pride—was shattered.

With a single punch, Broly had smashed his pride deep into the ground.

No matter how he trained or how strong he became, that monster remained like a mountain looming over his head.

It wasn't until Broly repeatedly defied King Kakarot and was executed by the King that he finally ascended to the position of the strongest under the King.

But now.

Another living Legendary Super Saiyan stood before him.

And this guy had just been beating him while in a basic Super Saiyan form—was he looking down on him? Just like Broly had all those years ago!

Vegeta's entire body trembled slightly, his teeth grinding together with a clicking sound.

Fear?

No.

He refused to admit it!

He was no longer the Vegeta who could only look up to Broly!

He had the blessing of King Kakarot.

He had an immortal body.

He would only grow stronger the more he fought.

He would crush this legend in front of all the Saiyans and King Kakarot himself.

"Ha... Hahahaha!"

Vegeta suddenly burst into laughter.

The laughter grew louder and louder, eventually turning into a manic roar.

"Good! This is perfect!"

He threw his arms wide, and a golden aura exploded outward.

"I never expected you to bring me such a grand gift!"

Vegeta pointed at Son Gohan, his face twisted with excitement.

"I'll remember you, Son Gohan! Today, I will use you to show the entire Saiyan Empire who the true strongest under the King is!"

Son Gohan raised his eyes.

"You're rambling on so much—are you afraid?"

Vegeta's face darkened.

In an instant.

Son Gohan's figure vanished from his sight.

Bang!

Vegeta's abdomen caved in violently, his body arching backward as he spat blood half a meter into the air.

It was just an ordinary punch.

Vegeta's body turned into a golden streak of light, flying backward as he smashed through a dozen towers and pulverized an entire steel defensive perimeter.

Rumble--

The explosions trailed off into the distance.

Son Gohan remained standing in place, his fist still extended.

At the end of the dust cloud, Vegeta staggered to his feet.

His abdomen was nearly punched through, and his spine was bent at an unnatural angle.

White light surged forth.

His injuries mended.

His aura climbed once more.

"Again!"

Vegeta raised his head, his eyes growing increasingly fierce and frantic.

"I won't lose! I will definitely trample you beneath my feet!"

He erupted with power and charged forward.

Ten trillion.

Eleven trillion.

Twelve trillion.

The Miracle Power continuously rewrote his obsession with strength into reality.

Vegeta's fists, wrapped in arcs of golden energy, slammed head-on into Son Gohan.

Son Gohan did not dodge.

Bang!

Vegeta's fist smashed into Son Gohan's chest.

The green aura merely gave a slight tremor.

Son Gohan remained unmoved.

The wild laughter on Vegeta's face faltered for an instant.

"Is that all the strength you have?"

Son Gohan looked down at him.

Vegeta roared, smashing his other fist toward Son Gohan's face.

Snap.

Son Gohan raised his hand and caught it firmly.

He tightened his five fingers.

Crack.

Vegeta's knuckles were crushed.

Enduring the pain, Vegeta opened his mouth to condense a golden energy cannon, firing it at point-blank range toward Son Gohan's face.

Boom!

The explosion swallowed them both.

Smoke and dust filled the air.

In just an instant, the green aura tore through the smoke.

Son Gohan stood there completely unscathed, while Vegeta's head was pressed firmly in his palm, his entire body held in mid-air like a helpless chick.

"Hurry up and recover."

Son Gohan's voice was cold.

"You useless piece of trash!"

The muscles on Vegeta's face twitched.

These words enraged him more than any attack ever could.

He was the only one who ever called others trash.

Now, Son Gohan actually dared to call him trash!

"You one-armed cri..."

Son Gohan swung his arm.

Boom!

Vegeta was smashed into the ground.

Before he could struggle to rise, Son Gohan followed up, ruthlessly stomping his foot onto his chest.