Chen Hao's Choice

Chen Hao stood steady, his voice quiet but clear to everyone. "Since you want a beam clash, then I'll play along."

He slowly raised his right hand, pressing his index and middle fingers together. The gesture was casual, as though he were idly pointing at distant scenery.

In that instant, the air seemed to freeze, and everyone held their breath.

"Tenfold Kamehameha Wave!"

There was no preparation, no roar, no sweat, and no cracking ground.

Chen Hao merely flicked his fingertips lightly, and a streak of red energy suddenly shot forth, as if it had torn open heaven and earth.

The energy was thin and long, like a sword, yet as searing as molten lava.

The air warped from the heat, while the ground was carved open by the beam into a deep black ravine.

That red energy crashed directly into Cell's fully charged Kamehameha Wave.

BOOM!

The two forces collided wildly in midair, blue and red intertwining into a massive sphere.

The sphere grew larger and larger, crackling with arcs of lightning as shockwaves sliced through everything around it like blades.

Rocks were hurled into the air, trees were uprooted, and the gale blew Android 18's hair into a complete mess.

Cell's blue-white light struggled desperately, like some colossal beast caught by the throat.

But after holding out for only three seconds, the red energy began devouring the blue, inch by inch, crushing it completely like a whale swallowing the sea.

Cell's eyes widened, and the confidence on his face instantly shattered into terror.

"What?!"

That was all he managed to shout before the red energy engulfed him like a raging flood.

The glare was so blinding that everyone shut their eyes.

Cell was blasted away, his body tumbling through the air as the atmosphere behind him tore open into a visible white rift.

He slammed into the ground with a thunderous BANG, blasting out a wide, deep trench.

His body plowed across the earth like a cannonball, sending shattered stone and dirt flying everywhere and leaving behind a long, jagged scar.

At last, he crashed into a mountain peak.

RUMBLE— The mountain let out a despairing groan as countless boulders shattered and tumbled down. The peak was blasted apart at its middle, and debris poured down like a waterfall.

Dust rose and blotted out the sky. Black smoke and white ash blended together, making it impossible to see ahead.

Everyone was stunned.

"Th-this... is his strength?" Trunks's voice trembled. His lips had gone pale, and his clenched fists were white with strain.

Piccolo drew a deep breath, his chest rising and falling as he stared fixedly at Chen Hao's back. "Looks like we really worried for nothing."

There was a hint of self-mockery in his tone, along with respect he could not conceal.

Son Goku stood nearby with his arms folded, looking at Chen Hao with a complicated expression. His brow was slightly furrowed, and the fighting spirit and questions in his heart were plain in his eyes. "Just who is he...?"

At that moment, a low cough came from the distant ruins.

Cell pushed aside the rubble covering him and slowly rose to his feet.

His body was split open in several places, green fluid constantly seeping out and giving off white smoke.

He brushed the dust from his shoulder. He looked utterly disheveled, but the killing intent in his eyes had only grown stronger.

The battlefield was thick with the stench of blood. The huge hole in Cell's chest had nearly pierced straight through his body.

Shattered rib fragments and green flesh had been torn open and exposed. Thick green blood gushed out like a broken pipe, hissing corrosively as it fell onto the ground.

Fragments of his armor lay scattered all around, every piece edged with dark green slime.

Yet strangely, that horrifying wound was healing at a visible rate.

Severed blood vessels reconnected on their own. Fresh flesh kept growing and weaving together, while bone fragments were once more wrapped within writhing muscle.

The veins around the wound squirmed like earthworms, making nauseating gurgling sounds, as if some monster inside his body were roaring.

Cell slowly raised his head. His eyes were bloodshot and gleamed with a sickly light, while his lips curled into an almost crazed grin. "Interesting..."

His voice was low and hoarse, like sandpaper scraping over rock. "This is the opponent I've been waiting for!"

He wiped the corner of his mouth with his thumb, smearing a little green blood onto it, then gently licked it away.

Chen Hao remained where he was, his gaze indifferent as he looked over Cell's healing wounds as though examining a broken toy.