Feeling the presence appear and vanish suddenly, Gohan immediately realized that Turles still had a few tricks up his sleeve.
After all, ordinary Saiyans would never think to hide their power.
Based on the current situation, if the opponent was not a time traveler, then they must have been specially chosen and reincarnated.
This kind of scenario is not uncommon in Dragon Ball Heroes and Dragon Ball: Xenoverse!
"It seems the first battle will not be so simple."
A flurry of thoughts passed through his mind. He knew this challenge would not be easy, certainly not as straightforward as he had initially imagined.
But everything was manageable.
At that moment, he also sensed the opponent's ki. According to his calculations, it was comparable to that of Prince Vegeta preparing to invade another world not an unbeatable foe.
Even if Turles, as a reincarnated warrior, had some tricks, Gohan had just learned the secret of the Kaio-ken from his father.
As long as he didn't give himself unnecessary overconfidence, defeating Turles should be no problem.
While contemplating this, Goku was explaining the key points of using the Kaio-ken to everyone.
Gohan calmed himself and listened attentively, but he continued to release his own ki to monitor the situation on Earth.
He understood Turles' nature; the Saiyan had another purpose for coming to Earth: planting the Tree of Might.
Once the tree grew, it would absorb all the planet's energy, and the resulting chaos would be enormous.
To defeat Turles with ease, this window before the Tree's growth was their last chance.
With this in mind, they returned to their home on Paozu Mountain late that night.
A deafening roar suddenly shook the mountains.
The ground trembled violently, as if an earthquake had struck.
Deep in the dense forest, flames and thick smoke shot up and spread, sending animals and birds fleeing in terror.
Gohan, always attentive to the situation, noticed immediately.
He put down his homework, opened the window without hesitation, and headed toward the heart of the forest.
As he entered, he saw a Kai dragon. The small dragon paused, its wide eyes filled with confusion.
Gohan hovered in midair, instantly recognizing his friend.
This was one of the limited companions he knew from the movies. Its home had been destroyed by Turles' ship, which was why it had come seeking help.
"Don't worry. I'll chase the villains away soon and get you back home."
Gohan gently stroked the dragon's head and then ascended, his gaze already fixed on the distant flames.
"Magic Flash!"
He darted through the air, hands clasped together, and a blinding beam shot forward.
Countless dazzling beams erupted, instantly engulfing the flames and smoke.
Wherever the ki blast reached, every fire in the forest was extinguished.
The view ahead became completely clear.
In the distance, half-burned forests and freshly blasted craters formed a dark, terrifying scene.
The Kai dragon, however, had not yet realized the extent of the destruction; it happily expressed its gratitude to Gohan.
In the distant crater, Turles held the Tree of Might seed and suddenly turned his head.
Surprised, he looked ahead as if encountering something incredible.
"I arrived a bit early this time!"
He tossed the seed into the abyss, a wicked smile spreading across his face.
"No matter. This time, everything is part of my plan. Kakarot, are you ready to be the stepping stone for me to claim the throne of the universe? Along with this planet?"
Amond and the others exchanged glances; they did not know who Kakarot was, but they trusted Lord Turles.
After all, he boldly claimed to be the one capable of opposing Lord Frieza.
They had witnessed his methods firsthand. By growing alongside the Tree, they would eventually dominate the universe.
"Prepare for battle, just like I taught you before!"
Turles, cloaked and floating in the air, scanned for approaching figures.
He remembered that last time, the first to arrive was not Kakarot!
Then he noticed Gohan interacting with the Kai dragon.
"Hmph, so it's the Kakarot kid."
He clearly saw the figure and a glimmer of understanding crossed his eyes, filling him with confidence in victory.
In his past life, he had wanted to recruit this child as a subordinate, but the little brat, after transforming into a Great Ape, had started playing with small animals. A true shame for a Saiyan.
From a distance, Gohan had already sensed Turles' ki.
Although the opponent could hide his energy, the method was crude. From afar, it might be subtle, but up close, it could not be concealed.
He gently nudged the Kai dragon aside, eyes fixed solemnly on his opponent.
Their gazes met in the air.
Turles' figure flickered and the next moment, he was ten meters in front of Gohan.
Crossing his arms and looking down, he sneered. "Hmph, as a descendant of Saiyans, to fraternize with ordinary animals what a disgrace to my Saiyan pride."
Gohan patted the Kai dragon's head, signaling it to leave, and then turned to face Turles.
"You may look like my father, but doing such terrible things makes me very angry."
"Kakarot?"
The name triggered a flash of ferocity in Turles' eyes.
In an instant, his figure vanished, leaving only his voice echoing in the air.
"I didn't bring a gift this time. Let your corpse serve as my gift!"
Gohan did not panic. He tensed every muscle and instantly raised his alertness to the maximum.
In the next moment, Turles suddenly appeared behind him.
His right hand shot toward Gohan's abdomen, clearly intending a merciless, lethal strike from the outset.
Gohan reacted faster. He spun around instantly, his right hand gripping Turles' wrist like an iron cuff. He pressed down and delivered a powerful kick to Turles' face.
Smash!
In his previous life, Turles had fought Gohan, believing the child ordinary and thinking he could kill him with a single move.
But he did not anticipate that Gohan's speed would surpass his own.
Caught off guard, he could not resist. The kick smashed half his face, sending him hurtling violently into the distance.
"Lord Turles!"
A chorus of astonished voices came from afar.
But while they gawked, Gohan's figure turned into a streak of light, chasing after Turles' falling form, leaving the opponent no time to react.