The Ultimate Trial

Super 17 remains the same—cold and ruthless, as perfect as a killing machine.

He didn't have a single scratch on his body, and his movements were frighteningly steady.

It even leisurely adjusted its hovering height, and the red light in its electronic eye blinked steadily.

"What's wrong, Vegeta?" His mechanical, synthesized voice rang out, laced with blatant mockery, chilling to the bone. "Tired? Is this all your 'Prince's Pride' is capable of?"

Before he could finish speaking, his right arm suddenly moved.

Without warning or preparation, he threw a straight punch.

The speed was much faster than before; the silver-gray fist instantly pierced the distance between the two, leaving a milky-white sonic boom cloud in the air.

Vegeta's pupils contracted sharply; his body was too exhausted to dodge in time.

He could only turn his head slightly, but the fist still landed squarely on his left cheek.

"Bang--!"

The dull thud sounded like steel clashing.

Vegeta's cheeks instantly caved in, and his blond hair flew wildly from the impact.

He was thrown about like a baseball, tumbling out of control at high speed, tracing a pathetic arc before crashing heavily into the already riddled ground.

Boom!

Smoke and dust billowed into the sky, a mushroom cloud rose, and pebbles scattered in all directions like raindrops.

"Vegeta!" Gohan called out from afar, unable to resist rushing forward, his ki surging.

Piccolo crossed his arms, his green face ashen, his gaze fixed on the smoke and dust, his voice low and menacing. "The energy gap is too large... and that guy's energy is limitless. At this rate, Vegeta's defeat is only a matter of time."

"What should we do, Grandpa Piccolo?" Pan tugged at Gohan's sleeve, her eyes brimming with tears of anxiety, her voice choked with sobs. "Dad... where's Uncle Qi Heng? Where is he? Why hasn't he come yet?"

***

Meanwhile, the spacious courtyard of West City Capsule Corporation.

Sunlight filtered through the neatly trimmed leaves, dappling the ground with patches of light.

A gentle breeze rustled across the lawn, carrying the scent of fresh grass, but the distant sound of an explosion cast an eerie shadow over the tranquility.

Qi Heng stood in the center of the courtyard, dressed in simple dark clothes, with his hands in his pockets.

He tilted his head slightly, his unique golden pupils seemingly piercing through dozens of kilometers, quietly "watching" the shocking battle in the distance.

His face was expressionless, neither happy nor angry, and he didn't even twitch a muscle; he was as calm as a deep well.

That posture didn't resemble that of a comrade-in-arms in battle, but rather that of an observer standing outside of time, scrutinizing a drama that had nothing to do with him.

"Qi Heng!" The alloy door to the laboratory suddenly slid open, Bulma, her hair disheveled, looked flustered and confused.

She rushed to Qi Heng's side, following his gaze to the golden flames of the explosions in the sky, her voice shrill with urgency. "Why are you still standing here in a daze?! You can feel it, right? Vegeta is fighting a tough battle, he needs—"

"I know," Qi Heng said, interrupting her directly.

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried a calming power, as still as a windless lake.

Bulma was speechless at his composure, then her anger intensified, and confusion welled up within her. "You know?! Then why haven't you made a move?! Do you want to watch Vegeta get killed by that monster?!"

Qi Heng finally moved.

He slowly withdrew his gaze, turned his head, and looked at Bulma with his eyes that shimmered with golden light.

Sunlight shone on his profile, highlighting his calm yet resolute features.

"Because," he said slowly, each word clear, "It's still early."

His gaze turned to the distance again, and deep within his golden pupils, a more complex light seemed to flow, a light that contained something Bulma could not comprehend.

"Vegeta hasn't reached his true limit yet."

"Let him keep hitting."

"Bulma," Qi Heng's voice lowered, his gaze fixed like iron on the distant battlefield, "If I intervene now, Vegeta will never cross his own limits. This is a path he must walk alone— the Saiyan Prince's trial."

Bulma clenched her fists so tightly that her nails almost dug into her palms.

She gazed at Vegeta's swaying figure in the distance, her throat feeling choked up. In the end, she could only grit her teeth and swallow back the plea that was about to be shouted out.

The smoke and dust slowly dissipated.

Vegeta stood up once again.

He was covered in blood, his Battle Suit was tattered, and his bare chest and arms were covered in wounds, some of which were still bleeding.

A clear streak of blood hung from the corner of his mouth, dripping down his chin and splattering onto the gravel at his feet.

But his eyes—still like burning lava, with no trace of retreat in his golden pupils, only an almost stubborn, boiling fighting spirit.

"I... will never lose..." Each word seemed to be squeezed out from between his teeth, carrying the weight of blood and rage. "How could the prince of the Saiyan... possibly... be defeated by a mere android--!"

"Boom--!"

As soon as he finished speaking, an unprecedented shockwave exploded outwards from him!

The ground shattered layer by layer, and the debris was swept into the air by the turbulent air currents.

The already blazing golden flames expanded and churned as if doused with fuel, transforming into a towering golden pillar of light.

His black hair stood on end, trembling violently in the raging energy, the tips of which were covered in a dazzling golden light.

The golden light in his eyes was almost tangible, like two blazing little suns.

Super Saiyan 4 -- Full power, no holds back.

"Aaaaaaahh..."

A roar ripped through the sky, and Vegeta's figure suddenly blurred in place.

The next second, he had transformed into a burning golden meteor, tearing through the air and leaving a long trail of light and a sonic boom cloud.

All power, anger, and pride were shoved into his right fist.

The fist, imbued with the power to distort space, shrieked under the strain, and with unwavering resolve, slammed into Super 17's indifferent face!

Super 17 has finally moved.

He raised his right arm and held it horizontally in front of him, seemingly casually.

"Bang----!!!"

Like two meteorites colliding!

A visible circular shockwave spread wildly from the two people, crushing all the rubble and debris within a radius of hundreds of meters into powder.

The ground beneath Super 17's feet collapsed with a deafening roar, and his body was smoothly pushed back half a step by the punch.

The soles of the boots rubbed against the ground, carving out two deep furrows.

Vegeta's blood-stained lips suddenly curled into a wild arc, and the golden light in his eyes intensified.

"Efficient--!"

Hope ignites like wildfire.

He gave his opponent no chance to breathe, transforming himself into a destructive golden storm.

Fists, elbows, knees, and legs transformed into countless afterimages, each strike carrying the power to shatter mountains and split the earth. The sharp sound of air being torn apart was like a dense barrage of thunder crashing down on Super 17's arms and body.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang--!"

Explosions echoed continuously, reverberating throughout the battlefield.

Super 17 began to retreat, one step, two steps... no longer dodging with the same ease as before, but being overwhelmed by the fierce attack, his steps faltered, and he shattered the ground behind him.

For the first time, fine, burn marks appeared on his arm that had blocked the punch.