Son Goku's Unwillingness

A violent gale swept up, sending dust flying. Son Goku felt a mountain-crushing force slam into him head-on, lifting his entire body uncontrollably into the air as though an invisible giant hand had hurled him high into the sky.

Such incredible power! Son Goku was horrified, feeling his internal organs shake violently. He tried to steady himself, only to find that his body would not obey him at all.

In that split second, countless fist shadows poured down like a torrential rain. Son Goku felt as if he had become a battered old punching bag, his entire body engulfed by dense waves of fist force. Every punch carried enough power to split mountains and shatter rocks, striking heavily at his vital points.

"So fast!" Son Goku's pupils contracted sharply. He desperately tried to follow Tang Yangbing's movements, but all he could see was a blur of afterimages. That speed was beyond imagination, as though it had broken free of time itself.

"So strong! It hurts!" Intense pain surged over him like a tide as Son Goku's cheeks, chest, and abdomen were struck one after another. Each punch sent visible ripples of air bursting through the atmosphere.

Son Gohan and the others watching from outside the arena were dumbfounded. In their eyes, Son Goku was like a puppet controlled by invisible strings, slowly drifting backward through the air at an eerie pace. Tang Yangbing, meanwhile, remained as leisurely as if he were taking a stroll, every step landing precisely on a node in the airflow as he maintained a constant distance from Son Goku.

Even more chillingly, strange colors continuously spread across Son Goku's body. Bruised purple appeared at times, blood-red seeped through at others, and these wounds spread rapidly across his powerful physique like blooming poisonous flowers.

"What's going on? Why isn't Goku fighting back?" Krillin stamped his feet anxiously, fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms. He could only watch helplessly as his close friend was brutally beaten without being able to do anything.

Tien Shinhan pressed down on the agitated Krillin, all three eyes fixed firmly on the battlefield. "Don't act rashly! Goku isn't being controlled—Tang Yangbing's speed has simply surpassed the limits of our perception!" His voice trembled uncontrollably, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

As they spoke, Son Goku suffered another devastating blow. An unseen heavy fist smashed viciously into his abdomen, folding his body over like a shrimp. Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, gleaming a dazzling red beneath the sunlight.

Tang Yangbing's figure flickered in and out of sight, as if he were moving along the boundary between reality and illusion. Every strike he made carried a shrill whistle that tore through the air, and even space itself distorted faintly wherever his fist wind passed.

Son Goku endured the agony and tried to counterattack, only to discover that his movements were laughably slow in his opponent's eyes. The speed and strength he had always taken pride in were simply not worth mentioning before Tang Yangbing.

Is this... what a true powerhouse is like? Son Goku let out an unwilling cry deep in his heart, but an even fiercer fighting spirit ignited in his eyes. Though covered in wounds, his heart, which never accepted defeat, still pounded fiercely.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Trunks's forehead. His fists were clenched so tightly that his nails nearly embedded themselves in his palms. He did everything he could to catch Tang Yangbing's movements, but his eyes were like they were chasing an elusive phantom. Every blink seemed to make him miss a crucial moment. A suffocating pressure filled the air, as if even the wind had frozen solid.

Son Goku, meanwhile, was like a toy controlled by an invisible force, his body continuously twisting and tumbling through the air. Every time Tang Yangbing's fist wind swept past, it was accompanied by a thunderous crash like mountains and rocks collapsing. Rubble scattered like rain, dust filled the air, and the entire battlefield was shrouded in haze. Trunks could even hear the faint cracking of Son Goku's bones, a sound like ice breaking that sent chills down his spine.

"Exactly one minute. All right, it's over!"

Tang Yangbing's voice was calm and cold, as if he were merely stating an ordinary fact. The instant his words fell, Son Goku's body crashed heavily to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut, throwing up a cloud of dust. He curled up there, no longer possessing even the strength to maintain his Super Saiyan form. His golden hair faded back to black, while blood slowly trickled from the corner of his mouth and stained the ground beneath him.

"Cough, cough... You bastard... you could have beaten me with a single punch..." Son Goku's voice was weak and hoarse, each word seeming to be squeezed from his shattered chest. He felt as though every bone in his body had been crushed to powder; even lifting a finger had become incomparably difficult.

Tang Yangbing slowly walked over and looked down at him from above, his eyes utterly calm. "This is my thanks for learning your fighting techniques," he said flatly, without a trace of emotion in his voice. "Although you're seriously injured now, I know you won't die."

He paused before continuing, "Every time a Saiyan nears death, their battle power increases greatly. This is good for you."

It sounded almost sarcastic—beating someone until they were half-dead, then expecting them to be grateful for it. Yet that was Tang Yangbing's usual way. He never explained himself, nor did he ever show mercy, as if everything were under his control.

"Begin check-in!"

Standing beside Son Goku, Tang Yangbing closed his eyes. The surrounding air seemed to tremble slightly as an invisible energy slowly gathered around him. A moment later, a cold electronic voice rang out in his mind:

"Ding, congratulations, Host! Check-in successful! You have obtained a check-in gift pack."

"Would you like to open the check-in gift pack immediately?"

"Open it!"

A nearly imperceptible curve formed at the corner of Tang Yangbing's mouth, as though he had expected this all along. Son Goku, lying on the ground, could only watch helplessly, without even a shred of strength to resist.

A biting cold wind howled past, sweeping up sand and dust and dispersing some of the bloody stench from the battlefield. Dark clouds covered the sky, and occasional flashes of lightning tore across the heavens, illuminating the ravaged battlefield. Tang Yangbing stood atop the wreckage, his robes snapping in the wind. His gaze was frighteningly calm, as though the earth-shaking battle from moments ago had been nothing more than an insignificant game.

At that moment, a string of crisp electronic notifications sounded in his mind:

"Ding—"

The sound was like heavenly music, especially clear upon the silent battlefield. Tang Yangbing's lips curved upward slightly, revealing a faint smile that was difficult to detect.

"Congratulations, Host! You have opened the check-in gift pack and obtained the skill Instant Transmission!"

As the notification ended, a strange energy coursed through his body, as though every cell were cheering with joy. He could clearly sense the fluctuations of spatial laws; it seemed that with a single thought, he could cross mountains and seas.

"Ding—"

The second notification immediately followed, louder than the first.

"Congratulations, Host! You have obtained the skill Kaio-ken!"

A berserk energy instantly flooded his limbs and bones, and Tang Yangbing felt the blood throughout his body boiling. He could sense the explosive power contained within his muscles, as though using this skill would multiply his strength several times over in an instant.

"Ding—"

The third notification echoed in his mind for a long while.

"Congratulations, Host! You have obtained the skill Spirit Bomb!"

This time, he felt a vast and boundless energy, as if the power of the entire universe were converging upon him. Starlight faintly glimmered in the sky, seemingly answering the call of that power.

Tang Yangbing slowly turned, his gaze falling upon Son Goku, who lay collapsed some distance away. Son Goku's battle suit was already in tatters, his body covered in blood, and he lay sprawled on the ground like a dismantled doll.

"Son Gohan." Tang Yangbing's voice was terrifyingly calm, as though he were discussing the day's weather. "You brought Senzu Beans, right? Give one to your father. I broke every bone in his body."

He said it casually, but it made Krillin and the others shudder. Krillin instinctively took a step back, fine cold sweat forming on his forehead. He stared fixedly at Tang Yangbing, his lips trembling slightly as he cursed inwardly: This lunatic! He had to break every bone in someone's body just from fighting? He's a complete monster!

Piccolo stood in the distance, his green face filled with gravity. His fists were clenched tightly, nails digging deep into his palms, yet he did not dare act recklessly. A suffocating pressure filled the air, making even breathing difficult.

"Yes, we brought several." Son Gohan's voice shook visibly as he carefully flew over, afraid that a single misstep might anger the terrifying being before him. He took an exquisite small pouch from his clothes, poured out an emerald-green bean, and found his fingers trembling slightly from nervousness.

The Senzu Bean gave off a strange glow in the dim light, as though it contained infinite life force. Son Gohan carefully fed it into Son Goku's mouth, his movements gentle as though he were handling a fragile treasure.

The moment Son Goku swallowed the Senzu Bean, astonishing changes began to occur in his body. His broken bones let out a series of cracking sounds as they rejoined at a visible speed; his damaged muscle tissue rapidly regenerated, a faint white glow appearing around the wounds; even the meridians damaged by forcibly using Kaio-ken were swiftly restored by the miraculous effects of the Senzu Bean.

In only a short while, Son Goku stood back up completely restored. Not only that, but his aura was more solid than before, and a sharper light gleamed in his eyes. After enduring this life-and-death battle, his strength had actually risen to another level.

Yet, to everyone's surprise, Son Goku did not immediately challenge Tang Yangbing again. He stood silently where he was, gazing deeply at Tang Yangbing as though contemplating something.

Fine rain drifted down from the sky, soaking everyone's clothes. Mixed with blood, the rain spread into dark red stains across the ground.

"You'll be staying on Earth, right?" Son Goku suddenly spoke, his voice exceptionally clear amid the sound of the rain.

Tang Yangbing slowly turned around at those words. Raindrops slid down his sharply defined cheeks, tracing a meaningful smile at the corner of his lips. "What? Do you still want to challenge me?"

As expected of the legendary battle maniac. Even after suffering such a crushing defeat, he still could not stop thinking about fighting again. Perhaps it was precisely that unyielding spirit that had allowed him to reach, in just a few decades, heights that others could scarcely attain even after thousands of years.

Tang Yangbing looked up at the gloomy sky as raindrops struck his face, bringing a faint chill. "Probably. I can't say for sure where I'll go." His voice carried a slightly distant quality. "But I want to train at Kami's Lookout for a while. You can come challenge me whenever you want."

After three check-ins, the system had temporarily fallen silent. Since there were no new missions, Tang Yangbing decided to head to that legendary holy land. Not only were there stronger opponents there, but it might also conceal more opportunities to check in.

In the distance, Kami's Lookout flickered in and out of view amid the clouds and mist, as though calling out to him. A new journey was about to begin.

Tang Yangbing stood quietly amid the devastated battlefield. A breeze brushed through the slightly disheveled tips of his hair, while cracked earth and scattered rubble stretched out in the distance. He lowered his head and stared at his hands, feeling the unceasing power surging within him—an entire sixty billion battle power roared through his veins like a volcano poised to erupt. Yet his brow furrowed slightly, because he knew full well that those numbers were ultimately only superficial. How much strength he could truly wield still required countless trials and refinement.

He could not help recalling Vegeta's experience. The proud Saiyan prince had displayed strength so astonishing in the later stages that it left people speechless, yet what had truly transformed him was his period of training on Planet Yardrat. Although his battle power had not risen significantly, when he attacked again, the force he unleashed was several times greater than before—even Vegeta himself had been rendered speechless by that shocking improvement. The example rang in Tang Yangbing's heart like an alarm bell for a long time.

"A towering building rises from level ground..." Tang Yangbing murmured, his gaze gradually turning firm. He understood that strengthening one's foundation was the only path to becoming strong. And across all of Earth, there was no place better suited for his training than Kami's Lookout.

At that thought, the temple floating above the clouds seemed to appear before his eyes: white jade steps gleaming softly beneath the sunlight, vermilion halls appearing and vanishing amid drifting clouds. The mysterious Mr. Popo always stood silently at the center of the temple, and those eyes that saw through all things would surely guide him in gaining better control over his own power. Not to mention the abundant food and lodging there, as well as the legendary Hyperbolic Time Chamber—one day of training inside was equivalent to one year in the outside world. It was simply a sacred training ground that every martial artist dreamed of.

"You're going to Kami's Lookout?" Son Goku's voice pulled Tang Yangbing back from his thoughts. Upon hearing Tang Yangbing's decision, the ever-energetic Saiyan's eyes immediately lit up. He danced excitedly as he said, "That's great! I'll definitely come spar with you often from now on!" He clenched his fists, his face brimming with joy at having encountered a powerful opponent, but soon several traces of unwillingness appeared. "But before we meet again, I need to train even harder. This time, I didn't even get a chance to fight back..."

Tang Yangbing smiled faintly, his gaze inadvertently shifting toward Trunks, who stood not far away. The young man from the future looked as though he wanted to speak but hesitated. However, Tang Yangbing had no interest in Cell right now—with Son Goku around, there was no need for him to interfere.

"Trunks." Tang Yangbing suddenly spoke, his voice calm yet carrying unquestionable authority. "Remember, besides those two androids, there are other existences as well. Be wary of attacks from the shadows." When he saw Trunks open his mouth to say something, he raised a hand to stop him. "There's no need to persuade me. You can handle the androids yourselves. Remember, people must rely on themselves."

After saying that, Tang Yangbing did not linger. He pressed the index and middle fingers of his right hand together and lightly touched them to his forehead, beginning to sense Piccolo's ki. Fortunately, he had prepared for this long ago and remembered the ki signatures of these powerful fighters. As his senses spread outward, the surrounding air began to tremble faintly. His figure gradually blurred before finally turning into a streak of light and vanishing beyond the horizon.

Only Son Goku and Trunks remained where they stood, staring in the direction of his disappearance, each occupied by his own thoughts. Far away among the clouds, the outline of Kami's Lookout flickered into view, awaiting the arrival of a new trainee.

The temple hung high above the clouds, wreathed in mist as light as gauze around its majestic halls. Its golden glazed tiles shone dazzlingly beneath the sun. Piccolo sat cross-legged in the training grounds at the center of the temple, a faint green glow enveloping his body. His breathing was steady and long, and he had clearly entered a deep state of meditation. Training here not only allowed him to absorb the purest energy between heaven and earth, but also spared him the hardship of long-distance flight. It was killing two birds with one stone.

Just then, a faint spatial ripple suddenly shattered the temple's tranquility.

"Whoosh—"

Accompanied by an almost inaudible sound of air being torn apart, Tang Yangbing's figure abruptly vanished before the astonished eyes of Trunks and the others, as though he had never been there at all. Only a faint afterimage remained in the air, rippling like water before eventually dispersing without a trace.

Trunks opened his mouth, his azure eyes filled with disbelief. The hand that had been tightly gripping his sword hilt unconsciously loosened, and the scabbard struck his belt with a crisp sound. Before he could invite Tang Yangbing to train with him, the other man had already disappeared without a trace, drawing a helpless wry smile from him.

"What?" Son Goku's eyes widened sharply, his orange martial arts uniform fluttering lightly in the breeze. He scratched his signature black hair, his face full of surprise and excitement. "He knows Instant Transmission too? I thought that was an ultimate technique unique to the people of Planet Yardrat!"

Son Goku recalled his days training on Planet Yardrat: the strange rituals, the intricate hand signs, and the energy-control techniques that demanded extraordinary concentration. He clearly remembered that learning to sense ki alone had taken him a full three months. Yet Tang Yangbing's effortless manner when using Instant Transmission showed that he had clearly cultivated the technique to its absolute peak.

"He really is an incredible talent!" Son Goku could not help praising him, his eyes gleaming with the excitement of meeting a powerful opponent. He could sense that Tang Yangbing's control over ki had reached a level he had never even imagined.

While Son Goku was immersed in the joy of encountering a strong opponent, Tien Shinhan frowned tightly. A trace of worry flashed through his third eye, while his clenched fists revealed the unease in his heart. Sunlight shone on his smooth head, reflecting a fine layer of sweat.

"This person's strength is unfathomable..." Tien Shinhan said in a low voice, his tone carrying obvious concern. "I hope he won't become a threat to Earth."

At those words, Son Goku broke into his trademark hearty smile. He patted Tien Shinhan on the shoulder and said confidently, "Don't worry, Tien Shinhan! Tang Yangbing may feel mysterious, but his ki is pure and peaceful, without even the slightest hint of evil. I believe he won't do anything harmful to Earth."

At that point, Son Goku suddenly paused, as though recalling something unpleasant. He instinctively touched his ribs, where the agonizing pain from when Tang Yangbing had broken his bones seemed to remain. He gave a dry laugh and added, "Of course, that's as long as we don't go provoking him first. If we really make him mad, then who knows what the consequences will be."

A breeze swept through the temple, carrying the distant sound of the sea of clouds churning. Several pure white clouds drifted past them, casting mottled patches of light and shadow beneath the sun. Trunks was still gazing blankly at the place where Tang Yangbing had disappeared, while Son Goku had already begun considering how to ask Tang Yangbing about the secrets of Instant Transmission. Tien Shinhan's frown, meanwhile, had never fully eased.

At that moment, Kami's Lookout seemed even quieter than usual after that unexpected encounter. Only the green energy circulating around Piccolo continued to speak of the truth that training had no end.