Chapter 23

In an instant, the entire battlefield seemed to be torn apart by an invisible force. The golden aura surrounding Tang Yangbing surged wildly like boiling lava, releasing sharp rustling sounds. The scorching energy fluctuations warped the air around him, while the planet's surface beneath his feet shook violently under the impact of that power, splitting open with countless savage cracks.

A fierce golden light flashed in Tang Yangbing's eyes. Every muscle in his body tensed, and every inch of skin seemed wrapped in golden flames. Slowly, he raised his right hand, gathering a dazzling sphere of light in his palm, so blinding that no one could look directly at it. With a low roar, the sphere abruptly erupted, transforming into a golden pillar of light that pierced heaven and earth as it shot into the sky.

At the same time, Broly's figure darted across the battlefield like a phantom. After blasting Tang Yangbing back with one punch, he did not pause for even an instant. His crimson eyes locked tightly onto Son Goku in the distance. In his warped mind, that Saiyan who always wore a resilient smile was the target that had to be eliminated first.

"Roar—!"

Broly let out an earthshaking roar and slammed his fists together before his chest. Pale green energy erupted from his body like boiling magma, gathering at his shoulders into an ever-expanding sphere of energy. Dangerous lightning flickered across its surface, while within it lay terrifying power capable of destroying stars.

"Ah... ha..."

With another furious roar, Broly violently shoved the energy sphere, over ten meters in diameter, toward Son Goku. Wherever it passed, space split open with black cracks. The ground crumbled inch by inch beneath the pressure of its energy, and the debris flung into the air instantly vaporized.

At that critical moment, a golden figure streaked across the battlefield like lightning. A cold gleam flashed in Tang Yangbing's eyes. Just as the energy sphere was about to hit Son Goku, he appeared between them. Facing the destructive energy rushing toward him, he did not retreat. He spread the fingers of his right hand, forming a thin golden barrier in his palm.

"Boom—!"

A deafening explosion rang through the sky as Tang Yangbing's single palm collided violently with the energy sphere, bursting with blinding light. Shockingly, the energy sphere, powerful enough to destroy a planet, was casually slapped away by him. After changing direction, it streaked across the sky with a long flaming tail, finally exploding into a brilliant firework far beyond the atmosphere.

Tang Yangbing slowly withdrew his hand, the golden aura around him leaping even more wildly. He stared coldly at Broly, a dangerous curve lifting at the corner of his mouth. The planet beneath them continued to tremble violently, as though it were shaking in fear of this battle beyond all limits.

"Your opponent is me."

Tang Yangbing's low voice remained clear amid the raging wind, every word carrying unquestionable force. The golden aura around him surged once more, becoming a pillar of light that pierced heaven and earth, standing in stark contrast to the pale green energy constantly churning around Broly. The strongest powers of two planets were about to begin their ultimate confrontation upon this shattered land.

Rumble...

The deafening roar seemed to tear apart the sky. As the energy sphere left Broly's hand, it fell like a meteor, carrying destructive power as it crashed straight toward the ground. In that instant, the air seemed to freeze and time itself came to a halt. Only the dark blue glow flowing across the sphere's surface carved a chilling arc through the dim ruins.

Boom—!

With a thunderous blast like primordial chaos splitting apart at the birth of heaven and earth, the energy sphere finally struck the ground. In an instant, the earth shook violently, as though the entire planet were groaning in agony. The ruins, already battered beyond recognition, crumbled and collapsed like fragile sandcastles beneath the energy impact. One-third of the area was reduced directly to dust, while smoke and debris surged into the sky, blotting out the already gloomy heavens. An enormous, boundless crater appeared on the surface, its depths unfathomable. Molten light still glowed along its edges, radiating searing waves of heat.

A massive mushroom cloud slowly rose, like a ferocious giant spreading its enormous body and nearly covering the entire planet. Lightning flashed within the clouds, and low rumbles of thunder sounded from time to time, as if announcing the utter destruction of this land. Smoke, dust, and lingering energy waves intertwined into a chaotic domain, and even the distant stars seemed dimmed by this power.

At the exact moment the energy sphere struck the ground, Tang Yangbing's figure shot out like a phantom. The palm strike that had casually sent the sphere flying had been as effortless as brushing dust from his shoulder. Now, without the slightest hesitation, his body became a streak of light as he charged straight at Broly with astonishing speed. The air tore apart in his wake with piercing howls, and the ground beneath him cracked inch by inch from the force of his charge, leaving behind a horrifying trail.

Broly's patience had long been worn away. Violent flames burned in his crimson eyes, and his chest rose and fell sharply with rage. This man from nowhere had ruined his killing moves again and again, like an irritating moth endlessly throwing itself into a deadly flame. Broly growled low, muscles bulging all over his body as a green aura wrapped around him almost tangibly, exuding suffocating pressure.

"Courting death!" Broly squeezed out the words through clenched teeth, his voice hoarse and full of killing intent. He stepped forward as well, charging directly toward Tang Yangbing. Every step he took caved in the ground beneath him, turning rocks underfoot into powder. Filled with the conviction to kill, he had only one thought in his mind—to crush this troublesome bastard completely.

In an instant, the two figures crashed together in midair.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Deafening impacts rang out one after another, like dense drumbeats pounding against everyone's hearts. Tang Yangbing and Broly's figures crossed, separated, and collided again in the air, moving so fast that only blurred afterimages could be seen. Every clash erupted with blinding light, and ripples of energy spread outward from them. Wherever they passed, the earth split apart, mountains collapsed, and even the air twisted.

Tang Yangbing's fist winds were sharp as blades, every strike precisely aimed at Broly's vital points. His movements flowed like water, sometimes as cunning as a serpent and sometimes as forceful as a massive axe. Broly, meanwhile, relied entirely on brutal strength. Every punch carried overwhelming force, while green energy swept around him like a raging hurricane, dragging everything nearby into a vortex of destruction.

The aftershocks of their battle left countless marks of destruction across the planet. The already devastated land was now riddled with holes. Bottomless cracks spread like spiderwebs, lava erupted from underground, and the sky was dyed blood-red. The air was filled with the smell of scorching ash mixed with the acrid stench left by burning energy, enough to make one nauseous.

Amid this apocalyptic scene, Son Goku, who had been lying on the ground, finally struggled to his feet. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, the vivid red stain especially striking against his pale face. His fighting gi had long been torn to tatters, exposing bruises beneath it. Every movement brought piercing pain throughout his body, yet he still forced himself to stand straight.

When his gaze fell upon the two figures fighting madly in the sky, a blazing light burst from those eyes that always carried a smile. Despite his serious injuries, an excited curve rose involuntarily at the corner of his mouth. He could sense those two immensely powerful auras colliding without end, every exchange making his blood boil.

"So strong..." Son Goku muttered, his voice trembling slightly with excitement. He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deeply into his palms, yet he did not feel the pain at all. In his eyes, Tang Yangbing and Broly's battle had surpassed a simple contest of victory and defeat. It had become a feast of power, an ultimate showdown that made his heart race.

Boom—!

Another earthshaking collision sent Tang Yangbing and Broly back several steps at the same time before they steadied themselves in the air. They stared at each other from afar, their eyes filled with the determination to fight to the death. Energy gathered around them as they prepared for an even fiercer next assault. And this battered land seemed to tremble in anticipation of even greater destruction.

A colored aura roiled around Broly like a burning star. His muscular body swelled amid the energy storm, every inch of skin seeming to contain power capable of tearing apart stars. The air was filled with the scorching smell of ionization, while the ground beneath his feet cracked into spiderweb-like fissures. Rubble was swept into the air by the violent currents, only to turn to dust the moment it touched the golden halo.

"Is this... the legendary Super Saiyan?" Son Goku's voice trembled as the knuckles of his clenched fists turned white. In his sight, that green figure was violently clashing against Tang Yangbing's silver-white aura. Every collision between the two streaks of light unleashed deafening sonic booms, while the shockwaves flattened distant mountains. He felt his heart pounding wildly in his chest, his boiling blood racing and roaring through his veins, his battle instinct making every cell in his body tremble.

When Tang Yangbing suddenly unleashed unprecedented energy, a vortex of azure and silver-white shooting into the sky, Son Goku's pupils contracted sharply. He saw that figure trace a perfect arc through the raging energy currents, using a hand strike to split Broly's violent green energy blast. The flash from the explosion drained all color from the sky.

"Still not enough..." Son Goku bit through his lower lip, the salty tang of blood spreading between his teeth. He dropped to one knee, his palm sinking deeply into the scorching rock as sweat evaporated the instant it emerged from his pores beneath the rampaging energy. "The way I am now, I can't even get close to the battlefield..." His tattered gi snapped in the gale as he stared at the constantly collapsing horizon in the distance, his throat working with difficulty.

Suddenly, he raised his head sharply, blazing fire igniting in his eyes. "Just watch, Tang Yangbing! Broly!" His roar pierced through the thunder of explosions as the blue light of the Kamehameha flickered in and out in his palm. "I won't be a spectator forever!"

"Kakarot!" Paragus's crazed laughter came from the communicator. The elderly Saiyan was crouched behind a massive cracked boulder, his bloodshot eyes fixed on the wildly fluctuating numbers on the energy monitor. "Savor this suffocating terror! Even if you fall into the deepest hell, you'll never see such a magnificent feast of battle again!"

Yet Son Goku suddenly lifted his dust-covered face, baring a bloodstained grin. "I believe in Tang Yangbing." His blazing gaze remained fixed on the figure standing firm amid the green storm. "And battles like this..." The young man wiped away the blood seeping from the corner of his eye, revealing firm muscles beneath his tattered gi. "There'll definitely be more and more of them in the future!"

"Naive!" Paragus frantically hammered the control console that was on the verge of breaking down. Within the holographic projection, Broly's figure was continuously tearing through the atmosphere. "Once the legendary Super Saiyan awakens, he will never stop unless he drains all the energy of Planet Vegeta and crushes every trace of life!" His bony fingers dug deeply into a crack in the console, his crazed laughter gradually turning into sobs. "We'll all become dust in the universe..."

When Broly suddenly threw back his head and howled, with ominous dark red energy beginning to mix into his green aura, Paragus's voice abruptly turned ice-cold. "Kakarot, enjoy this hellish feast." A teeth-grating cracking sound came from the communicator. The old man's clouded pupils reflected the collapsing heavens. "Wait to be torn to pieces by the rampaging legend..."

Within those eyes that were gradually losing focus surged malice that spanned dozens of light-years. It was the hatred of the exiled, the curse of one who had lost his home, and the endless battle lust and desire for destruction flowing through every Saiyan's bloodline.

"The legendary... Super Saiyan!"

Son Goku slowly clenched his fists, his knuckles turning faintly white from the force. His gaze was as sharp as a hawk's, piercing through the dust swirling through the sky and locking firmly onto the distant figure radiating a terrifying aura. Cracked earth stretched beneath his feet, while rubble rolled with soft rustling sounds in the surging currents of air. The atmosphere was filled with a scorching scent.

"Hahahaha—"

The next instant, deafening laughter suddenly broke through the heavens. Son Goku threw back his head and laughed, his voice brimming with uncontrollable excitement and fighting spirit. The sound waves echoed through the sky, shaking the clouds into endless turmoil. His upright body remained completely still in the raging wind, with only the crimson cape behind him snapping wildly.

"The legendary Super Saiyan? I'll never lose to you!"

A chilling gleam flashed in Son Goku's eyes. Those eyes that always carried a smile were now sharp as blades. Unshakable conviction boiled within his chest, as though it would ignite every inch of his flesh and blood. He leaned forward slightly, his muscles drawing taut like a bow beneath his fighting suit, while a faint golden glow began to spread around him.

"Ah—ha—!"

With a world-shaking roar, dazzling golden light erupted from Son Goku's body. Scorching waves of energy exploded outward from him, and golden aura surged into the sky, illuminating the entire heavens as brightly as day. His black hair transformed into brilliant gold in an instant, every strand standing upright like burning flames. The surging energy fluctuations made the ground for miles around begin to shake violently.

"Boom—!"

The violent shockwave swept outward, carrying shattered rocks with it. Paragus, who was closest, did not even have time to react before he was violently hurled away by the irresistible force. He tumbled backward through the air for several hundred meters before crashing heavily into a rocky mountain, sending dust flying everywhere.

"No... that's impossible!"

Paragus struggled out of the pile of rubble and stared in terror at the dazzling figure in the distance, radiant as the sun. Beneath his cracked mask, his pupils contracted sharply in shock, and his voice trembled uncontrollably. "Why... why weren't you affected by Broly's aura?"

Golden energy flames danced merrily around Son Goku, every strand of light containing power capable of destroying heaven and earth. He floated in midair, looking down at the disheveled Paragus with a defiant curve at the corner of his mouth. At that moment, he resembled a war god descended upon the mortal world, every glance carrying a terrifying pressure.

Broly's aura continued to surge like boiling lava, even more violent than before, as though it would swallow the entire world whole. The energy fluctuations around him distorted the air as tangibly as physical matter, producing a piercing hum that sent chills down one's spine.

On the other side, Broly's figure abruptly shot upward. His arms swung like a hurricane, instantly gathering hundreds of energy spheres that flickered with an eerie green glow. The spheres poured down like torrential rain, densely blanketing the sky as they crashed downward with destructive force. Every one of them contained terrifying power sufficient to rip the earth apart. They carved countless dazzling trails through the air, staining the once-clear sky an unnatural green.

Deafening explosions rang out one after another, and Tang Yangbing's position was instantly swallowed by dense smoke, dust, and flying rubble. The ground shook violently, splitting open into countless bottomless ravines, as if the earth itself trembled before this devastating force. Smoke and dust spread like thick fog, obscuring all sight. The air reeked of scorched ash and sulfur, making it hard to breathe.

"Hahahaha..."

Broly stood high in the sky, looking down at the ruins shrouded in smoke and dust as he burst into wild laughter. His laughter was filled with madness and triumph, as though he had already witnessed his opponent being utterly destroyed. Bloodthirst gleamed in his eyes, and his mouth twisted into a savage grin, as if he were savoring this feast of destruction.

Yet amid the chaos and devastation, a faint voice suddenly emerged from the thick smoke, calm as though not the slightest ripple had touched it.

"Is it that funny?"

Broly's laughter came to an abrupt halt. The ecstatic delight on his face froze instantly, replaced by an icy chill. His gaze turned blade-sharp as he stared fixedly at the heart of the smoke, as if trying to see straight through it.

As the smoke gradually dispersed, Tang Yangbing's figure slowly came into view. The ground beneath his feet seemed to be protected by an invisible force, forming a lone stone pillar that stood high amid the ruins. Everything around it was a mess, with rubble and dust scattered everywhere, yet the spot where he stood remained completely unharmed, like a patch of pure land.

Tang Yangbing stood straight as a pine, golden energy flames swirling around him with the brilliance of a burning sun. The flames surged upward with a soft hum, enveloping his entire body in a sacred radiance. His eyes were calm and profound, as though the explosion that had been capable of destroying everything was no more than a breeze brushing past him.

Broly's expression darkened further, and the killing intent in his eyes nearly took tangible form. He clenched his fists tightly as energy once more surged wildly around him, as though he were ready to unleash an even fiercer attack at any moment.

Tang Yangbing, meanwhile, remained standing atop the stone pillar. Golden energy flames surrounded him like a shield, as if proclaiming to the entire world—his strength was still far from its limit.