The beast's roars drew closer, growing more and more ferocious. Its heavy footsteps pounded the ground—thud, thud, thud—like war drums beating against their hearts, making the cave tremble slightly. Its massive silhouette completely blocked the light at the entrance, shrouding the cave in darkness. The pungent stench of the beast kept pouring in, making Grandpa Gohan wrinkle his nose and cover it.
"Oh no! It's a Black Wind Bear!" Grandpa Gohan's face changed dramatically as he snapped out of his daze, his eyes filled with fear and alarm. He instinctively pulled Ximen Qing protectively into his arms, hunching over as he grabbed the smooth, sharpened wooden stake from the corner. It was his hunting weapon, but he knew that the Black Wind Bear was the most vicious beast in the mountains. Its hide was thick, its strength immense, and its black fur as hard as iron. Ordinary blades could barely pierce it, and even several hunters working together would struggle to subdue one. When he was young, he had once fought a Black Wind Bear and only escaped by giving it everything he had. Since then, he had treated them with awe and never dared provoke one.
He couldn't understand how this savage beast, which usually roamed the deep mountains, had found such a remote cave. Had it been drawn by something inside, or had it been coming for them all along?
"Ximen Qing, don't be afraid. Grandpa will protect you!" Grandpa Gohan gritted his teeth, his gaze firming as fine beads of cold sweat formed on his forehead. He clutched Ximen Qing tightly. No matter how strange this child was, he was family—someone Grandpa Gohan had taken in. Even knowing he stood no chance, he would never let the child get hurt.
But Ximen Qing, nestled in his arms, wasn't afraid at all. Instead, he wriggled excitedly and giggled, his eyes full of anticipation, completely unfazed by the beast's murderous aura. He complained to himself, Protect me? Grandpa Gohan, you're holding the future ruler of the universe! This Black Wind Bear with a battle power of 100 is just here to give me experience. It's not even enough for a warm-up. Why would I need you to protect me?
As soon as the thought crossed his mind, a huge black shadow slammed into the cave. With a crash, the stone door shattered, sending fragments flying. Another furious roar followed, and bits of stone rained from the cave ceiling. The beast's murderous aura grew even stronger, almost suffocating them.
Ximen Qing looked up, fixing his gaze on the shadow, his eyes full of curiosity and excitement. The Black Wind Bear stood over three meters tall, with a build as bulky as a bull. Dirt, twigs, and dark red blood stained its hard, black fur, making it look terrifying. Its enormous head bore bloodshot eyes as big as copper bells, fixed on Ximen Qing. Thick drool dripped from the corner of its mouth, corroding little pits into the ground. Its limbs were thick, and its claws sharp as blades, glinting with a cold light. It had clearly been enraged and taken Ximen Qing for prey, ready to swallow him whole!
[ Ding! Warning: Black Wind Bear has entered attack range (battle power: 110). Its ferocity, attack speed, and strength have each increased by 10%. Host, attack immediately! ]
"Oh? Its battle power went up by 10 points? Still a weakling!" Ximen Qing raised an eyebrow and sneered inwardly. The Saiyan fighting instinct had fully awakened, and a powerful desire to fight spread through him, filling him with energy and making him itch to test his battle power.
He struggled with all his might, trying to wriggle out of Grandpa Gohan's arms, and shouted, "Let go of me! Grandpa Gohan, let go! How dare this stupid bear act so cocky and treat me like prey? I'll show it what a Saiyan can do and teach it what despair feels like!"
Grandpa Gohan froze and looked down at Ximen Qing, unable to believe what he was hearing. His eyes were full of worry. "X-Ximen Qing, what are you saying? You want to fight it? You're just a newborn baby. You can't even walk. How could you take on a Black Wind Bear?"
He knew the bear could swallow Ximen Qing in one bite. Going after it now would be suicide! Never mind defeating the bear—even getting close was incredibly dangerous. He would rather be killed himself than let Ximen Qing take that risk!
"Stop wasting time and let go!" Ximen Qing yelled impatiently, anger in his voice as he wriggled even harder. "If you don't let me go and that stupid bear smacks us both to death and eats us, don't come crying to me! I don't want to die in its jaws, and I definitely don't want to be its food!"
Just then, Ximen Qing's taunts enraged the Black Wind Bear. Its massive body lurched as it charged at the two of them, astonishingly fast and trailing a fierce gust of wind. Then it raised a huge paw covered in coarse fur and sharp claws, bringing it down on them with enough force to shatter boulders and turn them both into pulp!
"Oh no!" Grandpa Gohan went pale as paper. He instinctively shut his eyes and curled around Ximen Qing, ready to die. All he could think was, I'm sorry, Ximen Qing. Grandpa couldn't protect you...
But the blow never came. Instead, there was a sharp smack, followed by the Black Wind Bear's scream—a shriek of unbearable pain and disbelief that rang through the cave and made their scalps prickle.
Grandpa Gohan snapped his eyes open and looked up, bewildered. The sight before him left him completely petrified. The wooden stake fell from his hand with a clatter and rolled to the Black Wind Bear's feet. His eyes bulged, and his mouth gaped wide enough to fit two eggs. The shock on his face was a hundred times greater than when Ximen Qing had spoken. His breath stopped, and it felt as though his blood had frozen.
Ximen Qing had somehow escaped his arms and was floating half a meter above the ground, a faint white aura swirling around him. It was the Saiyans' innate, feeble ability to levitate, which he had forced into action. It was unstable, but enough to support his body. Even more astonishing, his tiny, tender hand was holding back the Black Wind Bear's enormous paw! The stark contrast between the two was bizarre and breathtaking!
The Black Wind Bear's face contorted with pain, its huge eyes filled with disbelief. It roared and struggled with all its might, trying to pull back its paw or press it down, but no matter how hard it fought, the paw remained motionless, as if blocked by an invisible boulder. It could feel the force in Ximen Qing's tiny palm—far greater than its own. Its whole body trembled, and it was close to losing the strength to fight back.
Ximen Qing furrowed his tiny brows in disgust, as if he were holding something filthy. His soft, childish voice was full of disdain. "I said, stupid bear, is that all you've got? And you call yourself a wild beast? You're weaker than I was when I carried packages and twisted bottle caps in my past life. You're disgracing the whole bear clan. I'm embarrassed for you!"
As he mocked it, he suddenly increased the force in his hand. A Saiyan's innate battle power was no joke. Even in an infant's body, his battle power of 100 could crush the Black Wind Bear's 110—Saiyans were naturally superior to ordinary beasts. And with the boost from his reincarnation, his potential far exceeded that of an ordinary Saiyan baby!
"Crack—"
The crisp sound of breaking bones echoed through the cave. The Black Wind Bear let out a scream of utter agony and despair as its massive body convulsed. Black blood gushed from its paw like a fountain, splattering Ximen Qing and staining the ground and cave walls. The scene was gruesome.
Ximen Qing shook his hand in disgust and muttered, "Disgusting. You splattered blood all over me. It's so sticky! Grandpa Gohan had better wash me clean later. If this mess ruins my wild fruit or gets my little body dirty, I'll tear you to pieces!"
With that, his tiny body flashed forward at astonishing speed, appearing above the Black Wind Bear in an instant. His movements were far too nimble for a baby. He clenched his little fist, the white aura around him growing stronger as he concentrated all 100 points of his battle power into it. Then, with the wind howling around him, he smashed it down on the bear's head!
"Bang!"
After a deafening crash, the Black Wind Bear's massive body fell straight to the ground like a heavy stone. The impact shook the cave and left a small crater in the floor. Its head was smashed to pieces, black blood and brain matter splattering everywhere. The light vanished from its huge eyes. After a few convulsions, it fell still, reduced to a cold corpse.
[ Ding! Congratulations, Host! You have killed the Black Wind Bear (battle power: 110) and completed the initial mission! ]
[ Ding! Rewards issued: Battle power +100 (current: 200); basic technique unlocked—Impact (concentrate battle power in your palm or fist to unleash a powerful short-range strike; power varies with battle power)! ]
[ Ding! Congratulations on your first enemy kill! Ki Sense unlocked (beginner; current level: weak). You can sense ki within 100 meters, including your own, and can gain basic control of your ki and hide your battle power! ]
A series of system notifications rang out as a warm current surged through Ximen Qing's body, spreading into every cell. A soothing tingling sensation ran through his limbs, and the exhaustion from forcing himself to levitate vanished in an instant. He could clearly feel that his strength, speed, and reflexes had all increased dramatically. He had also gained a strange new sense: he could clearly detect the ki of himself, Grandpa Gohan, beasts far outside the cave, and even the Black Wind Bear's corpse!
"Awesome! This is so awesome!" Ximen Qing waved his little hands excitedly, twisting his tiny body in midair, his face full of smug delight. His soft, childish voice was brimming with swagger. "My battle power doubled, and I unlocked Ki Sense and a new technique. What a bargain! That stupid bear really was here to give me experience! Frieza, just you wait. I'll have you eating dirt soon and show you what it feels like to get taken out in one hit!"
Grandpa Gohan still stood petrified nearby, his eyes vacant and his mouth hanging open. All that remained on his face was utter shock as he kept muttering, "N-no... It can't be... This can't be real..."
A baby who couldn't even walk had blocked the Black Wind Bear's paw and killed it with one punch? He could even float in the air and control his ki? What kind of baby was this? He was a divine being descended from the heavens—a monster out of legend!
Grandpa Gohan had just been ready to fight to the death to protect Ximen Qing. Only now did he realize that his protection had been entirely unnecessary. The savage beast he had feared was no more than a helpless insect in Ximen Qing's hands—not even enough for a warm-up before being killed in one punch! The complete reversal had left him utterly bewildered, barely able to think.
He had spent his whole life traveling through the mountains and had seen countless powerful people and fierce beasts, but never had he seen such a terrifying baby or such extraordinary strength!
Ximen Qing had finished playing around and slowly landed on the ground. He was still unsteady on his feet and could barely stand, but that didn't dampen his swagger in the slightest. He lifted his little head, saw Grandpa Gohan's stunned expression, and rolled his eyes. "Grandpa Gohan, did you go stupid? I just killed a stupid bear. Why are you so shocked? There'll be plenty of monsters and enemies even stronger than this once I grow up. If you keep reacting like that, you'll scare yourself silly!"
Grandpa Gohan suddenly came to his senses and staggered over to Ximen Qing. He crouched carefully in front of him, his eyes full of awe and a hint of fear. His body trembled as he asked in a shaking voice, "X-Ximen Qing, what kind of monster are you? How can you be so strong? How did you kill the Black Wind Bear with one punch and float in the air?"
Ximen Qing pursed his lips, planted his hands on his hips, and puffed out his little chest. His soft, childish voice was full of authority as he proudly declared, "What kind of monster? I'm a Saiyan—the strongest race in the universe! I'm going to become the ruler of the universe! This strength is just the tip of the iceberg. Once I grow up, I'll be able to shatter planets with one punch and rule the universe! Grandpa Gohan, stick with me and I'll protect you. Whoever bullies you, I'll punch them to death!"
Just then, Ximen Qing's Ki Sense picked up a faint but uncanny presence from 80 meters outside the cave. Its battle power was around 50. It didn't feel like a beast's ki, but a person's, mixed with a faint trace of Saiyan ki. It was weak, but he could sense it clearly!
[ Ding! Warning: Unknown ki detected (battle power: 50). Suspected to be a Saiyan Scout left behind on Earth, tasked with investigating the whereabouts of Saiyan infants. It is slowly approaching, most likely drawn by the Black Wind Bear's roars. Host, stay alert! ]
A Saiyan Scout? One left behind on Earth?
Ximen Qing's eyes lit up, his face full of eager excitement. What an unexpected bonus! A scout with a battle power of 50 wasn't strong, but he'd be perfect for a practice round with his newly unlocked Impact technique—and for earning more experience and increasing his battle power!
He lifted his little head toward the cave entrance, a cocky, icy smile curling his lips as he murmured, "More experience coming right to my door? Perfect! Only 50 battle power—just right for testing out my new technique! Now that you're here, you're not leaving. Today, you'll be my second stepping stone to greater battle power!"
Grandpa Gohan saw the sudden excitement and coldness in his expression, then glanced toward the cave entrance. A sense of foreboding welled up in him. He carefully tugged Ximen Qing's little hand and asked anxiously, "Ximen Qing, what's wrong? Is there danger again? We should hide. It's too dangerous!"
Ximen Qing shook his head and pulled his hand away, his expression cocky and resolute. "Hide from what? He's just a minor lackey! Grandpa Gohan, stay right here and watch me take him out with one move. Then you can see just how strong I am!"
Before you continue