Oppressive Aura

He smashed his right foot into the ground and shot forward like an arrow loosed from its bow, his fist blazing with dazzling light as it went straight for Cell's vital point. "Boom—!" A cold smile curled across Cell's lips. He neither dodged nor retreated, instead meeting the attack with a backhanded punch. The two world-shattering forces collided violently in midair, erupting with a deafening blast. A raging shockwave spread outward from the pair, scattering every cloud within miles. "Bang bang bang bang—!" The two became streaks of light, clashing fiercely in the sky. Brilliant sparks flew with every collision of fist and foot, while endless sonic booms shook the entire arena violently.

The surrounding mountains cracked apart inch by inch beneath the savage shockwaves. Countless stones poured down like rain, smashing dense craters into the ground. "T-too strong!" Krillin stared dumbfounded at the battle in the sky, his voice trembling. "Vegeta can actually fight Cell on equal footing!" Yamcha clenched his fists, cold sweat beading at his temples. "At this level of battle, we're not even qualified to interfere..." Tien Shinhan's three eyes remained fixed on the fight overhead, his voice full of profound shock. "Is this the true power of the Saiyans?"

"In just a few years, they've already reached heights we can never hope to match." Piccolo stood silently to one side, but his tightly furrowed brow betrayed his inner shock. He could clearly sense that the strength Vegeta was displaying had already far exceeded anything he understood. In the air, Vegeta suddenly flipped backward to open up some distance, bringing his hands together at his waist as golden energy gathered wildly. "Take this, Cell! Final Flash!" A blinding beam of energy tore through the sky, warping space itself in its path. For the first time, a grave look appeared in Cell's eyes. He crossed his arms before his chest, and a green barrier instantly unfolded.

"Boom—!" The shockwave from the collision of energies leveled the entire battlefield. The spectators had to gather all their strength just to barely remain standing. "Amazing!" Krillin cried out. "The power of Vegeta's attack probably means even Goku would have to go all out to block it!" Yamcha shook his head with a bitter smile. "The gap between us and them is so vast that we can't even see their backs anymore..."

A fierce gale swept dust across the arena, sending shattered stones spinning through the air. Vegeta flashed like purple lightning as he relentlessly launched attacks at Cell. His punches howled through the air, every blow carrying enough force to rip it apart. Yet Cell maintained that eerie smile, weaving through the dense barrage like a phantom. Not even the edge of his clothing was truly touched.

"Vegeta really has gotten much stronger..." Krillin wiped the sweat from his brow, his voice shaking. "But every one of his punches looks like it's hitting cotton!" Yamcha clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms. "Cell is too fast. We can't see his movements at all!" Just as everyone held their breath, Son Goku slowly walked to the edge of the viewing platform and gripped the railing with both hands. The dying light of the sunset stretched his upright silhouette long across the ground. The eyes that were always smiling were now filled with gravity. "But he isn't Cell's opponent." Son Goku's voice was quiet, yet it exploded beside everyone's ears like thunder.

Son Gohan abruptly turned his head, disbelief written all over his young face. "Dad? But Uncle Vegeta is clearly fighting Cell on equal terms!" Trunks also urgently stepped forward, his flowing purple hair whipping wildly in the wind. Son Goku gently shook his head, his gaze never leaving the two figures moving at high speed across the arena. "Gohan, look carefully. Watch Vegeta's breathing. Look at the sweat on his forehead." At his words, everyone focused their eyes on the battle. Vegeta's offensive remained fierce, but after every punch, the rise and fall of his chest grew noticeably heavier, and his golden aura was no longer as blazing as it had been at the start.

Meanwhile, Cell still looked completely at ease. Even the wings on his back had not flapped once. "Not good!" Piccolo suddenly growled, his green fingers clamping tightly around the railing. "Vegeta's punches are slower by 0.3 seconds!" The instant his words fell, Cell casually shifted aside to avoid one of Vegeta's heavy punches, his fingertips lightly brushing Vegeta's wrist guard. The seemingly careless motion shattered the wrist guard, forged from special alloy, on impact. "How is that possible?!" Tien Shinhan's third eye snapped open. "They haven't even been fighting for three minutes!"

Son Goku took a deep breath, golden energy unconsciously flowing around his body. "A Super Saiyan's energy consumption is too great. If he can't end this quickly..." He paused, his voice growing heavier. "Then we'll be the ones who lose." Piccolo suddenly spoke up, his green face tense. "I think Cell is using, at most, half his strength right now." The viewing platform instantly fell deathly silent. Only the sound of Vegeta's labored breathing could be heard in the distance. At that moment, Tang Yangbing, who had remained silent until then, slowly stepped forward, his black trench coat snapping in the gale. "No."

He softly uttered the single word, yet it made everyone's hearts leap into their throats. "I think Cell is using, at most, one-third of his strength right now." The words were like a bucket of ice water dumped over their heads. Son Gohan and Trunks simultaneously sucked in a sharp breath. Piccolo's pupils constricted violently, and cold sweat appeared at Tien Shinhan's temples. Everyone's eyes turned back to the arena, where Cell suddenly revealed a meaningful smile, as though confirming Tang Yangbing's assessment. Another one of Vegeta's heavy punches missed, and Cell finally stopped dodging. Slowly, he raised his right hand.

A suffocating pressure suddenly filled the air, and everyone on the viewing platform instinctively tensed every muscle in their bodies. Before they knew it, Vegeta's originally swift movements gradually became sluggish. His breathing grew heavier, fine beads of sweat forming on his brow. He gritted his teeth and tried to keep up with Cell's rhythm, but every punch felt as though it struck an invisible wall, its force silently dissipated. Fine cracks spread across the arena floor beneath his heavy steps, while dust billowed in the currents created by their fierce battle. Cell, on the other hand, still looked utterly composed. A faint, cold smile hung on his lips, and teasing light gleamed in his emerald eyes.

His long tail swayed lazily behind him, as if he were enjoying a performance whose outcome had long been decided. Even his breathing had not become disordered, as though their intense exchange until now had been nothing more than a warm-up. Whoosh—! Cell's figure suddenly blurred, leaving behind only an afterimage in the air. The next second, he vanished from where he stood. When he reappeared, his right arm was already shooting toward Vegeta's face with a shriek that tore through the air. Along the path of his arm, distorted halos of light could faintly be seen—the visual remnants left behind by a speed that had broken the sound barrier. "What?!" Vegeta's pupils contracted sharply, and an incredulous roar burst from his throat.

He instinctively arched backward, his battle suit screeching as it scraped in his desperate evasion. But just as his toes touched the ground and he prepared to retreat, Cell vanished again as if he had foreseen the future, leaving behind only a swirling vortex of air. "Too slow." The icy taunt came from behind him. Vegeta spun around and saw, to his shock, that Cell was somehow hovering in midair behind him, his elbow gathering a sinister glow that made one's blood run cold. The elbow strike crashed down with the force to shatter mountains and split stone, the energy bursting from his joint scorching the surrounding air until it faintly warped. Bang—! The heavy muffled impact made the railings of the spectator stands hum violently.