One Punch Shatters Mountain

Before Vegeta could react, Chen Hao's right hand had already moved.

The palm strike came so fast there was almost no warning. His arm flickered slightly, and his hand landed on Vegeta's cheek. Only a crisp sound remained in the air—

Slap!

The sound echoed across the entire wilderness. Vegeta felt a sharp pain explode across his face, as though he had been struck by an iron hammer, and the taste of blood instantly filled his mouth. Then his feet left the ground, and he flew backward uncontrollably, his body tumbling several times through the air and whipping up a fierce gust.

With a thunderous crash, he slammed into a massive boulder thick enough for three people to wrap their arms around. The rock shattered into pieces on impact, fragments spraying like rain as dust billowed into the air. Vegeta rolled several more times across the ground, his back, shoulders, and arms scraping against the rough earth with a harsh rasp, leaving trails of blood behind.

At last, he came to a stop amid a pile of rubble. His golden hair had faded back to black, and the aura around him had completely dispersed. Only a few faint wisps of smoke rose from his body. Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, dripping from his chin and staining a small patch of dirt.

"F-Father!" Trunks ran over in panic, dropped to his knees beside Vegeta, and reached out to help him up.

Vegeta viciously slapped his hand away, the force making Trunks stagger back several steps. "Get lost!" he snarled through clenched teeth, his voice hoarse with rage. He braced both hands against the ground and struggled to rise, but the pain tearing through his body left him only half-kneeling. His knee pressed a hollow into the gravel as his body trembled nonstop. Sweat and blood dripped from his forehead. Panting heavily, he slowly raised his head and glared at Chen Hao.

His eyes were bloodshot, and deep in his pupils burned flames of unwillingness and disbelief. He opened his mouth, but only a low, muffled groan emerged from his throat before it turned into a heavy gasp.

Just one slap.

There had been no warning, no earth-shaking aura, not even the sound of air being torn apart. Yet that single slap had sent Vegeta flying dozens of meters, his body plowing a deep trench through the ground. By the time he stopped, a swollen crimson handprint covered the right side of his face.

The entire scene fell silent.

Android 18's eyes widened, her lips parting unconsciously, but no sound came out. Krillin sucked in a sharp breath, cold sweat beading on his forehead. Even the usually composed Android 16 narrowed his eyes slightly, his mechanical fingers curling unconsciously with a faint metallic scrape.

Trunks turned around, leaning forward slightly as his voice trembled uncontrollably. "Sir... p-please calm down! My father, he—"

"Don't worry. I didn't hit him hard enough to kill him." Chen Hao waved a hand, his tone as calm as ever, as if that slap had merely brushed dust from his clothes. Tilting his head slightly, he looked at Vegeta. "It was only a small lesson, so he could understand that there is always someone stronger."

He took two steps forward. The wind brushed past his clothes and lifted a few strands of black hair. "Now, do you still think you're the strongest Saiyan?"

Vegeta gritted his teeth, veins bulging across his forehead as unwillingness and fury burned in his bloodshot eyes. But he said nothing. His hands hung at his sides, his fingertips trembling uncontrollably. He tried to straighten his back, only to find his knees weak and barely able to support him.

Trunks hurried forward and gave a deep bow, bending at a full ninety degrees. "I'm sorry, sir! My father has always been like this. Please don't take it to heart! Thank you for saving us. May I ask... what is your name?"

Seeing Trunks's polite attitude, the cold lines of Chen Hao's face softened slightly. He let out a quiet sigh, his gaze sweeping past Trunks to the horizon behind him, dyed red by the setting sun. "My name is Chen Hao. I am indeed a Saiyan, and also a resident of Earth."

"Mr. Chen Hao..." Trunks repeated the name, his eyes full of curiosity and scrutiny. "Why did you..."

Before he could finish, the crunch of crushed gravel sounded behind him. Vegeta staggered to his feet, his knees still slightly bent and his body swaying now and then, as though he might collapse again at any moment. His face was pale, cold sweat covered his forehead, and dried blood remained at the corner of his mouth. Yet he still stubbornly held his head high, his eyes locked firmly on Chen Hao.

"I admit that you are indeed strong." His voice was hoarse, yet carried a trace of defiance. "But that doesn't mean I'll admit defeat."

Chen Hao shrugged and said nothing.