The Beginning

The first thing Qi Heng felt when consciousness returned was pain.

It burrowed out from his bones, as if it were about to grind even his soul to pieces.

Every bone in his body felt as though it had been repeatedly hammered by some massive mallet, cracks spiderwebbing through them. His muscles were no better off—torn apart and carelessly stitched back together. Every breath felt like someone was stirring fire through his flesh.

He tried to open his eyes, but his eyelids were unbearably heavy, as though someone had pressed an iron door over them. His lashes were stuck together too, and after struggling for a long while, he could only barely force open a slit.

His hearing returned faster than his vision.

The sound of wind slipped into his ears first, carrying scents utterly unfamiliar to him—faint dust, green grass, and an indescribable freshness.

As the breeze brushed lightly over him, he truly felt that he had arrived in another world.

Just then, a young voice pierced through his headache.

Clear and bright, it went straight into his mind. "...Are you okay? Hey! Wake up! Can you hear me?"

It was a girl. Her voice was crisp, like a mountain stream striking rocks, but it carried a note of anxiety now and even trembled slightly—as though she were forcing herself to remain calm.

Only then did Qi Heng pull his focus back, desperately gathering his thoughts and using every bit of strength he had left on his neck and eyelids.

A low groan escaped his throat, hoarse like sandpaper scraping iron.

At last, he forced his eyelids open.

At first, all he saw were blurry patches of color swaying around, mixed with blinding light.

He blinked, and tears welled up, moistening his dry eyes. Only then did the outlines of the world gradually become clear—like a camera coming into focus.

The first thing that entered his sight was a sky so blue it seemed unreal, wisps of cloud hanging lazily like cotton fluff.

Then a face suddenly leaned over, nearly pressing into his world.

He could clearly see every tremble of those long lashes, as well as his own bedraggled reflection in those violet eyes.

She was a girl of fifteen or sixteen. Her short purple hair was lifted in several stray tufts by the wind, shining with healthy luster.

Her features were delicate, with a high nose bridge and pale cherry-pink lips. Yet there was nothing yielding about her expression; a heroic air filled her brows. Now, however, they were slightly furrowed with concern.

That face... made his heart jolt, as if something deep within his memories had been struck.

Not any specific memory, but that sense of familiarity rippled through him like rings spreading across water.

"Whew... You're finally awake!"

Seeing him open his eyes, the girl let out a sigh of relief, her shoulders sagging.

She took a step back and put her hands on her hips, her tone carrying lingering fright and a hint of reproach. "Honestly! You suddenly went whoosh—falling out of the sky—and then bang, you smashed right into the middle of the road! You scared me to death! I thought you were some meteor or experimental subject. I almost blasted you with a shockwave!"

Qi Heng did not rush to answer. His mind was still a mess, and he needed to figure out the situation first.

Enduring the pain that made his entire body feel as though it were about to fall apart, he propped himself up on the cold, rough ground with his elbow and slowly sat up.

That movement immediately brought out a layer of cold sweat. Beneath his tattered clothes, every muscle screamed in agony.

Only then was he finally able to look around.

He was sitting in the middle of a broad street.

The ground was made of some grayish-white synthetic material, flat and clean.

The buildings on either side had a rather distinctive style, blending retro and futuristic elements—streamlined walls, rounded corners, large glass windows, various green plants, and oddly shaped public facilities.

Sunlight fell over them, and the buildings reflected a soft glow.

Farther away stood taller towers shaped like capsules.

The air was fresh, carrying a scent he could not identify—perhaps energy, perhaps plants. In any case, it was completely unlike the world in his memories.

"Where... is this?"

He finally spoke. His voice was as hoarse as a broken bellows, unfamiliar even to himself.

He instinctively cleared his throat, only to break into a coughing fit.

"West City, obviously!" the girl answered matter-of-factly. She tilted her head, her amethyst-like eyes filled with curiosity as she carefully studied him. At last, her gaze fell somewhere behind him.

"Don't tell me you actually got knocked stupid from that fall? Or... are you some wild Saiyan who crawled out of a deep mountain forest?"

Her gaze eventually settled on the top of his head and behind him.

"Your hair color changed back? But that tail... it's pretty authentic."

A tail?

Qi Heng froze for a moment, then followed her gaze and looked down at himself.

The blazing silver-white hair was gone, and his Super Saiyan Fifth Stage form had vanished as well.

All he had now was a head of short black hair hanging over his forehead.

His skin had returned to a normal wheat tone, no longer that pale white.

Most eye-catching of all was the brown, furry Saiyan tail loosely wrapped around his waist, its tip swaying unconsciously.

"Something like that," he answered vaguely. His voice was still hoarse, but his mind was already racing, piecing together his scattered memories.

Just moments ago, he had been fighting on the battlefield at the end of all things. Now, he had fallen into this familiar yet unfamiliar animated world.

"Hey! Why are you spacing out again?"

Seeing him lost in thought, the girl couldn't help waving a hand in front of his face, stirring up a faint breeze. "Did you really knock your brain loose? Or did the fall make you blind?"

There was more concern in her voice as she leaned closer to examine his complexion. "You fell from that high up. Even with a Saiyan's physique, there's no way you could be completely fine, right? Stop forcing yourself!"

She straightened up, brushed nonexistent dust from her hands, and pointed her thumb toward one side of the street, her tone brisk and unquestionable. "Looking like that, you won't be able to explain what happened anytime soon. Don't just sit here like an idiot. Come home with me first! My mom's home today, and she's one of the smartest scientists in the world! She can examine you and find any internal injuries! Are you coming or not?"

"No need." Qi Heng slowly rose to his feet. His movements were still somewhat heavy, but there was already confidence in his stride.

Lowering his head, he casually brushed the dust from his shoulders and collar. The fine specks glinted under the sunlight for an instant before vanishing.