On a remote island on Namek.
Vegeta was training there.
Before, an unparalleled aura had radiated from him, so terrifying that it could change the color of the very heavens and earth.
Now, however, he was frozen in shock.
There was only one reason: he had sensed Son Goku's energy erupt.
He had thought that after the Grand Elder unlocked his potential, his strength would increase dramatically. Even if he still fell short of Kakarot, the gap wouldn't be too great.
And over the past three days, he had undergone intense, brutal training. He'd been sure he wouldn't be inferior to Kakarot.
Yet now, sensing Kakarot's energy so clearly, he was dumbfounded.
Not long after came a gritted-teeth fury that went to the bone.
Once again, his dignity had been trampled underfoot.
He didn't compare himself to Ron because he knew his own limits. There was no way he could measure up in the short term—not unless he became a Super Saiyan too.
But Kakarot was still far above him, and he couldn't bear it.
Worst of all, the gap between them was growing wider.
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. Vegeta leaped into the sky and sped toward the battlefield at a pace that exceeded his limits.
He wanted to see with his own eyes how far the battle between Kakarot and Ron would go.
He wanted to see just how strong Kakarot could become!
On the battlefield.
Ron didn't feel much pressure from Son Goku's relentless assault.
The gap in their strength was plain to see. For now, Ron was merely playing along with Son Goku.
He was helping Son Goku warm up so he could go all out and use Kaioken to increase his strength.
Otherwise, it would be no fun.
Son Goku had dared to challenge him because he was counting on this technique. After all, Ron had agreed not to turn Super Saiyan and had given him a chance to win.
Naturally, the fight left everyone watching utterly stunned.
The Namekians in particular could only make out the rough outlines of the battle. They were shocked by its intensity, but couldn't tell who had the upper hand.
Of course, Piccolo and Son Gohan were strong enough to follow the fight clearly and understand how things stood.
"Uncle Piccolo, do you think Dad could beat Uncle Ron if he used Kaioken?" Son Gohan had apparently guessed his father's intentions as well, so he asked Piccolo.
Piccolo's expression turned grave. He didn't answer right away. After a while, he said, "Given your dad's current condition, even if he uses Kaioken, he'll probably only manage a draw against Ron. With his current strength, he should be able to handle Kaioken at twenty times."
Kaioken at twenty times!
Would that be enough to overcome Ron's Blood Burning Technique?
Piccolo didn't know.
But he was sure that if Son Goku used Kaioken at twenty times, his strength might rival Frieza at full power. He might even be able to defeat Frieza!
There was good reason to think so.
Back then, Ron had used the Blood Burning Technique to withstand Frieza's attacks.
So, by a rough estimate, Ron's strength after using the technique had probably been less than or equal to Frieza's.
Of course, that was only on the surface. Ron's strength with the Blood Burning Technique had only been enough to withstand Frieza's attacks.
It was only after Ron transformed into a Super Saiyan that he finally broke through Frieza's attacks.
Piccolo could only say that Son Goku, using Kaioken at twenty times, might be able to surpass the strength Ron had reached with the Blood Burning Technique when he fought Frieza three days ago.
And now, Ron had also had his potential unlocked.
So, if Ron used the Blood Burning Technique now, the limit of his strength would surely far exceed what it had been three days ago.
It would still be very difficult for Son Goku to win.
Piccolo didn't say that outright because he didn't want to discourage Son Gohan.
Hearing Piccolo's answer, Son Gohan's expression grew solemn.
"Don't dwell on it. Whether he wins or loses, your dad will come out of this fight stronger. Your job is to watch closely, learn as much as you can, and grow stronger yourself," Piccolo instructed Son Gohan.
"Yes, I understand, Uncle Piccolo." Son Gohan nodded seriously and promised to do so.
Just then, Piccolo shifted his attention to the distant east.
"Hmm? That energy... Is that Vegeta? As expected, this fight here drew him over too."
"Vegeta came too?" Son Gohan exclaimed in surprise.
Piccolo nodded and murmured in reply.
Three days ago, Vegeta had left alone to look for a place to train. After three days, his strength had indeed increased.
Piccolo understood why: it was because the Grand Elder had unlocked their potential. The same had happened to him and Son Goku, as well as Ron.
After a brief distraction, Piccolo quickly refocused on the fight between Son Goku and Ron.
Now wasn't the time to think about anything else.
By watching Ron's fighting style, Piccolo could learn a great deal from this battle, which would make it easier for him to challenge Ron in the future.
On the island.
The fight grew more and more intense, and Son Goku's attacks became increasingly ferocious.
The Turtle Hermit School's fighting style was supposed to balance offense and defense. But Son Goku had now gone all in on attacking, abandoning defense completely.
Son Goku had realized that Ron was giving him the chance to attack.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have had the chance to show his full strength.
As he continued to attack and the battle dragged on, Son Goku could feel his body heating up. His blood began to boil, and he desperately wanted a more intense fight to satisfy his hunger for battle.
Ron could naturally sense the change in him.
There was no denying it: Son Goku was a genius when it came to fighting. The original story hadn't exaggerated in the slightest.
He grew stronger in battle, constantly learned and improved, and saw through his opponent's moves so he could counter them.
Seeing that Son Goku had reached the very peak of his limits, Ron's lips curled into a smile, and the aura around him changed abruptly.
"That's enough, Kakarot! Show me your Kaioken!" No longer content to simply defend, Ron raised his hand and met Son Goku's fist with one of his own, driving him back and taking the fight to the next level.
Ron's power sent Son Goku flying. He didn't come to a stop until he had landed dozens of meters away.
"Fine! I'll show you right now!!" Son Goku shouted. He crossed his arms, and the snow-white aura around him was instantly replaced by a blood-red one.
Kaioken times two!
Son Goku's battle power had risen to at least 12 million.
A battle power in the tens of millions was in a different league from one in the millions.
This level of strength was already on par with Piccolo's current power.
Piccolo's potential had been unlocked and he'd been given some additional abilities. His strength had also increased considerably over the past three days.
Otherwise, Son Goku with Kaioken times two would have already surpassed him.
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