Stubbornly Going One's Own Way

After saying that, he turned and walked away, with no intention of looking back.

His boots crunched heavily over the gravel, every step sounding firm and final, leaving no room to turn back.

His cape whipped up a gust of wind, carrying dust into the air.

"Wait!" Android 18's voice suddenly rang out behind him, urgent and unwilling to let him go.

She hurried after him, her heels clacking rapidly against the concrete before stopping behind him.

With her hands on her hips, she stared fixedly at Chen Hao's back. "Where exactly are you going?"

Her voice drifted over the ruins, barbed with accusation.

Chen Hao did not slow down or turn around.

His voice came from ahead, dry and rough, as though filled with sand. "Somewhere quiet to train."

After speaking, he tilted his head slightly, revealing half of his cold, hard profile. Under the dim yellow light, his entire body seemed as sharp as a blade. "If Cell really comes back to kill you, I'll naturally show up."

The moment his words fell, his figure suddenly blurred.

It was like a reflection in water scattered by the wind. In the blink of an eye, he vanished from where he stood, leaving only a few pebbles rolling across the ground.

Everyone left behind stared in the direction Chen Hao had disappeared, but no one spoke.

The wind swept dust across their cheeks, carrying a faint chill.

Ash drifted down from the sky, flake after flake, like gray snow.

Krillin unclenched his fists and let out a long sigh, lowering his head to look at his callused palms. "Let's go."

His voice carried an indescribable weariness and frustration. "We need to find Goku and the others. At the very least, we have to tell him about Cell and Vegeta fusing."

He raised his head and looked toward Trunks.

Trunks still had not moved. He stood ramrod straight, his fists clenched so tightly they nearly pierced his flesh.

Trunks slowly closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the tear tracks on his face had dried, but a layer of ice had formed in his eyes.

He loosened his fingers one by one, then suddenly clenched them again. Blood flowed from between his fingers and dripped onto the dust-covered ground without a sound.

His voice was low and cold, like a blade scraping against stone. "Father... I'll avenge you. I swear I will!"

Sunlight broke through gaps in the clouds, as though something had torn them apart by force, casting patches of golden light over the mountain peaks.

The light was warm as it crawled across the cold rocks, coating the moss and wild grass growing from the cracks with a bright glow.

Chen Hao's figure streaked through the air like a meteor before finally landing on a cliff face.

The instant his feet touched down, the hard rock cracked apart. Fragments rolled down the cliff, striking the lower ledges and sending echoes reverberating outward.

He looked around, his eyes sharp as he examined every shadow that might pose a threat.

In the distance, mountains stretched one after another, lush and green, the forest canopy rising and falling in the wind.

Nearby, the rock walls bore the scars of erosion and time. Mountain eagles circled overhead, their cries trailing through the sky.

No one had followed him.

Chen Hao finally let out a breath of relief.

In the cold morning wind, his breath came out white, fading away moments later.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

What he drew in was not merely air, but something more like the aura of heaven and earth—heavy and vast.

The power of Super Saiyan 4 still surged through his body, so scorching that even his fingertips burned. His heartbeat pounded with the rhythm of war drums, leaving his chest faintly numb.

He knew that no matter how powerful he was, he remained an outsider in this world—like a freshwater fish fallen into the sea, forced to stay vigilant at every turn.

Power could become a weapon, but if used incorrectly, it could also cost him his life.

"First, let's see if I can switch forms."

He murmured, and his voice was swallowed by the wind in an instant.

The moment the thought arose, something like an electric current split from his mind and flowed throughout his body.

The red-gold fur covering his body slowly receded. The flame-like color withdrew across his skin like a reversing tide, gradually exposing the shore.

His crimson hair returned to pure black, glossy and dark, gleaming faintly under the sunlight.

The muscles across his body shrank back to normal as well. Veins gradually vanished beneath his skin, and his thick tail retracted into his body from the base. The last few strands of golden fur traced an arc before disappearing too.

Chen Hao flexed his fingers, his wristguards and gloves making soft leather rustling sounds.

He felt the changes in his body—he had suddenly become much lighter, as if a crushing burden had been lifted, making his whole body feel as though it might float away.

But exhaustion followed as well. His limbs felt hollow, as though the strength that had once filled his body had suddenly been locked away, leaving nothing but emptiness behind.

"Super Saiyan 2."

This time, his voice was crisp and decisive, without hesitation.

Electricity burst across the surface of his body—silver-white arcs writhed like tiny snakes, crackling loudly and carrying the scent of scorching.

His black hair stood on end, quickly swallowed by gold, like a wheat field set ablaze.

His aura swelled instantly. The rocks beneath his feet cracked again, and bits of gravel trembled, bouncing lightly a few times.

Chen Hao clenched his fists, his joints cracking sharply. Even the air seemed to tremble with him, while the distant woods rustled loudly.

"Let's try Super Saiyan 3 again."

This time, it was not a gentle expansion, but an eruption like a volcano, bursting explosively from within his body.

A pillar of golden light shot straight into the sky, frightening even the mountain eagles into scattering.

His hair swished down to his waist, every strand gleaming gold. When the air currents blew, it all floated upward.

His brow ridge became more pronounced, his features harder, and his gaze gained a cold, merciless edge.

His entire aura weighed down the surrounding air until it felt thick and sticky, making even breathing difficult.

After barely a dozen seconds, Chen Hao felt as though a giant pump was violently draining the energy from his body. Every passing second shaved away at his life; his heart pounded wildly, and his stamina drained at a terrifying rate.

"As expected, Super Saiyan 3 consumes too much."

He returned to normal, his black hair falling back down as his aura instantly diminished considerably, like the stillness after a storm.

Chen Hao frowned, a clear crease forming between his brows. "At my current stage, Super Saiyan 4 is still the most suitable. The energy lasts longer, and it has enough suppressive power too."

He was just about to find a more secluded place to get used to his body when he caught sight of the dense forest nearby. The swaying shadows of the trees looked like a shelter reserved specifically for him.

But the moment he took half a step forward, a sharp sound sliced through the air beside his ear.

Like a blade cutting through silk, it carried hostility rushing straight at him.

Someone was coming.

Chen Hao whipped around, his movements crisp and swift.

Even the wind seemed to turn with him.

He saw Android 18 slowly descending ten meters ahead of him.

Her hair was slightly disheveled, several golden strands clinging to her cheeks. Her skirt was stained with dust and grass clippings, and there was a tear along its hem. One look told him she had chased him for a long way.

Android 18 stared fixedly at him, without the slightest warmth in her eyes, like a hunter surveying her prey.

She landed almost soundlessly, the fine sand rubbing softly as if afraid of disturbing something—but the atmosphere had already changed.