Raditz completely lost the strength to resist, his aura rapidly diminished, and Talot slowly withdrew his fist.
As the fist that had originally been embedded in his flesh was pulled out, it brought Raditz another wave of heart-wrenching pain.
"D-Damn it… Even though I expected it… this punch of yours… is really vicious…" Raditz said, trembling, while forcefully enduring the pain as if his body were being torn into pieces.
"But this punch can also wake you up and make you realize that even though you've broken through, you still aren't truly strong." Talot wasn't joking this time. He was stating the truth.
Upon hearing this, the corner of Raditz's mouth twitched.
His mood had already sunk to rock bottom, and after Talot's words, it was as if he had always been an insect from the very beginning…no, less than an insect.
"The road is still long, and the real goal is still far away! A new era has arrived, Raditz. We must become even stronger! Not remain stagnant and self-satisfied! That's exactly why Cooler died at my hands," Talot said.
That's right!
A new era has already arrived.
At least for them, they had now stepped onto new heights.
Compared to the past, they had indeed reached a new peak. But when compared to those even stronger beings, they were still far behind.
Not to mention the God of Destruction or the Angels… Just looking at Universe 7's known entities, even with their current strength, they couldn't be considered absolutely powerful.
On Earth alone, there was the sealed egg of Majin Buu. Once it broke free, its strength would be at least in the tens of billions range.
Not to mention beings like Majin Buu, just take the Androids that appear in the future, or Demon King Dabura, or even the movie villains that might exist in this world's version of the story…
It might seem like they have plenty of time, but in reality, there aren't many years left.
In just one year, it would be the 22nd World Martial Arts Tournament. In three years, the 23rd would take place…
Then, after a five-year gap, the Grand Universe Era of the Z Saga would begin.
Of course, the plot had already changed. The future, how it would unfold, was entirely up to him.
But when everything was added up piece by piece, there were at most ten more years. In that time, Goku and Vegeta's rise would far outpace the progress they had made over these past years.
Sure, in the original work, their growth came from constantly facing powerful enemies and being pressured into getting stronger. But on the flip side, once the storyline started, if their power didn't surpass that of Goku and Vegeta's generation, they would soon be overtaken.
If they worked hard twenty years in advance and still got left behind, then they'd truly be trash.
That was exactly why Talot had always been pushing forward with all his might.
And also why he kept encouraging Salari and Raditz, why he kept guiding them.
Who says the future must belong to the original work's protagonists, Goku and Vegeta?
Who says the future must follow the original work's storyline?
After all the experiences of these years, Talot was more than prepared, especially now that both Salari and Raditz had achieved the Super Saiyan transformation. Once they adapted a little more, it would be time to go find Frieza.
…
The fight with Raditz concluded, and Talot brought him back to the ground, using his healing ability to treat the injuries he had sustained.
The healing ability was something he had obtained through a wish to Porunga back then. Normally, he rarely used it; after all, they had Senzu Beans.
But in the current situation, since he hadn't completely exhausted his stamina and had only suffered some minor injuries, using a Senzu Bean would've been a bit of a waste.
Even though the current supply and production of Senzu Beans was enough to meet their needs, they still had to prepare for the future.
What if they ran out someday?
With his injuries healed, Raditz's strength received a boost thanks to this explosive breakthrough and the battle.
His base power level soared from 3.5 million to 3.8 million.
This showed that Raditz's potential was in no way inferior to that of his younger brother Kakarot or even Vegeta.
His poor showing in the original work was entirely due to his own recklessness. Of course, part of it was also that he never really got a chance to demonstrate his combat ability.
During that time, it was always Nappa and Vegeta who resolved things. The most he did on the battlefield was serve as support in the rear.
"3.8 million power level… If I transform into a Super Saiyan, that's 190 million power level!" Raditz clenched his fists excitedly.
Even though he had just been beaten up by Talot, he didn't mind one bit.
If even Talot couldn't one-shot him, then the respect he held for Talot would gradually fade, and he'd also lose his sense of direction; after all, it was Talot who had always been the one to explore the path ahead.
"Got beaten up by Brother Talot, and my strength increased again. 190 million power level… With my base at 3.3 million, even if I become Super Saiyan Grade 2, I probably still won't be able to suppress you," Salari said, slightly provoked, though she remained proudly defiant as she added, "But, if it's Grade 3, I can still beat you easily."
Salari's words were meant to show off her own abilities.
Her base power didn't rise as quickly as Raditz's, but when it came to insight and progression in the Super Saiyan forms, Raditz was far behind her.
"Don't get too cocky, Salari. I've already achieved the Super Saiyan transformation too. Just give me a little time—not just Grade 2 or Grade 3—I'll surpass you and reach Full Power even faster," Raditz said, his eyes clearly challenging her to see who would reach it first.
Though Raditz knew he lagged far behind Salari, that was also one of his goals.
Even if he lost in the end, at least he had always been moving forward.
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