Goku unleashed everything he had learned on King Kai's planet, holding absolutely nothing back.
Yet—He was still at a disadvantage.
Vegeta's fighting style was pure killing intent, while Goku's was martial arts, and Vegeta's combat power far exceeded Goku's.
The difference in strength was overwhelming.
Bang!
A precise elbow strike slammed straight into Goku's chest.
Goku's body was sent flying, carving a deep trench across the battlefield.
"Too weak."
Vegeta looked down from mid-air, eyes filled with the casual cruelty of a cat toying with a mouse.
"Your punches are like a child's—soft and pathetic."
Goku coughed out blood.
He was inferior in both experience and raw power.
"Damn it…"
Watching Goku being completely overwhelmed, Krillin felt his heart sink to rock bottom.
Could even Goku be unable to win?
Nearby, Loren lazily shifted on his sunning rock and scratched his ear, irritated by the explosions.
"Ugh. What a terrible fight."
He muttered with pure disdain.
"It's the same few moves over and over. No creativity. And they've made the ground uneven again—how the hell am I supposed to sunbathe on this battlefield?"
Then—
"Kaio-ken times two!!"
A defiant roar erupted from the crater.
BOOM!
A crimson aura exploded skyward like a volcanic eruption.
Goku's muscles expanded, veins bulging with power.
Kaio-ken—King Kai's forbidden technique—temporarily boosted his strength, enhancing his combat power exponentially.
At Kaio-ken ×2—
His power doubled instantly.
The mocking smile on Vegeta's face froze.
What?!
Why did this low-class warrior's combat power suddenly skyrocket?!
Before Vegeta could react, Goku blasted through his line of sight.
Bang!
A fist struck Vegeta's abdomen squarely.
"Ugh—!!"
Vegeta's body bent like a shrimp as he was hurled backward.
Impossible!
He steadied himself mid-air, face twisted with shock.
How could a low-class warrior wield such power?!
He had never heard of a technique that instantly raised combat power like this.
Krillin and Gohan watched in stunned awe.
"He did it! Goku actually did it!"
"Hm. Not bad—now it's getting interesting."
Loren's lazy voice drifted over.
"Hey! Prince Vegeta! Don't tell me you're actually losing to that 'low-class warrior' you look down on!"
Vegeta's eyes snapped toward Loren.
More than Goku's attack, Loren's tone—as if he were reviewing a street performance—infuriated him beyond reason.
To this man, a Saiyan life-or-death duel was just "interesting"?
And he, Prince Vegeta, was merely part of the entertainment?
"You…"
Vegeta's teeth ground together.
"I will kill you! I will definitely kill you!!"
The battle escalated.
The enraged Vegeta and Kaio-ken ×2 Goku traded explosive blows.
Fists whistled. Ki blasts streaked across the battlefield.
Two overwhelming auras collided, shaking the entire region.
Goku, boosted by Kaio-ken, suppressed Vegeta temporarily. Each strike pushed Vegeta back.
But Vegeta was still an elite warrior with countless battles behind him.
He adapted quickly.
"It's over, Kakarot!!"
Vegeta suddenly broke away.
He crouched, lowering his stance, hands drawn to his side as destructive purple energy gathered between his palms.
"I'll show you the power to destroy this planet!"
"Galick Gun!!"
Goku's expression tightened instantly.
He could feel it—the destructive force in that blast could erase him completely.
There was no retreat.
Goku inhaled sharply.
"Kaio-ken… times THREE!!"
BOOM!
Pain surged through his body as his aura flared violently.
"Ka… me… ha… me… ha—!!!"
Red Ki intertwined with blue light, gathering into a massive Kamehameha wave.
"DIE!!!"
"HAAAAA—!!"
A colossal purple beam and a swirling red-blue wave fired simultaneously.
BOOOOM!!!
The clash detonated in mid-air with earth-shattering force.
The planet trembled.
Krillin and Gohan were blasted back, desperately clinging to the ground to avoid being swept away.
"AAAAAHHHHH—!!!"
Goku and Vegeta roared, pouring every ounce of power into their beams.
The purple Galick Gun and the red-blue Kamehameha locked in a terrifying stalemate.
But slowly, inevitably—
Vegeta's side began to push forward.
His 18,000 combat power was too solid.
The purple light advanced, inch by inch, swallowing the blue.
"It's over, Kakarot!"
Vegeta sneered coldly, already picturing Goku being reduced to dust.
Far away, Loren remained seated on his rock.
He casually raised a hand to shield his eyes from the glare.
No panic.
No concern.
Not even slight tension.
"Seriously… why does the universe keep picking fights with the Son family?"
Loren shook his head.
"Vegeta's about to become Trageda."
And then—
Goku roared and drew out his final ounce of strength.
The red aura and blue light fused, blasting through all limits.
The Kamehameha exploded in size—
Completely overwhelming the Galick Gun.
The torrent of energy swallowed Vegeta whole.
The explosion leveled the surrounding mountains.
Shockwaves spread for hundreds of kilometers.
Had it ended?
Goku collapsed to one knee. His crimson aura faded. Every cell in his body screamed in agony.
Kaio-ken's side effects crashed over him like a tidal wave.
He gasped, struggling even to remain standing.
Vegeta slammed into the ground nearby, dust bursting around him.
His armor was shattered, burns covered his body, and blood trickled down his lips.
Yet—
He was still alive.
Even worse, Vegeta's fury burned hotter than before.
"Kakarot…"
"You low-class… bastard… how dare you make me look like this…!"
Vegeta still had one last trump card.
"Let me show you the true terror of a Saiyan!"
He raised a hand to the sky.
A glowing orb formed—rapidly compressing and expanding.
"Come forth!! Artificial Moon!"
The orb shot into the sky, growing into a massive sphere emitting intense blue light.
Loren's relaxed expression immediately fell.
"Still transforming?"
He sighed deeply.
"Will this ever end…?"
Because Loren still had his tail, he shut his eyes to avoid turning into a Great Ape.
But then—
[Ding! High-concentration Blutz Waves detected.]
[To prevent the Host from transforming into a Great Ape, a special ability has been granted.]
[Passive ability acquired: Blutz Wave Immunity.]
[Active skill unlocked: Autonomous Great Ape Transformation.]
[You may freely choose whether or not to transform when exposed to Blutz Waves.]