[No! This isn't his true strength! That technique called Kaio-ken forcibly raised Kakarot's power level, letting him reach a level comparable to Nappa. But if it's only to this extent, it's still far from enough.]
As expected of Vegeta, he saw through the amplification of Kaio-ken.
He had confidence in Nappa. He still believed that while a power level of 24,000 was indeed formidable, it wasn't enough to contend with Nappa's 25,000.
What's more, how old was Kakarot? The difference in body size alone was laid out plainly, something which is not easily overcome.
Besides, Nappa was a veteran warrior with countless battles behind him.
In both power level and battle experience, Nappa firmly suppressed Kakarot.
…
"The real show is about to begin. Kakarot, that brat managed to master Kaio-ken in such a short time, and he can even use it to this extent," Raditz said.
"We've always thought his talent was poor, but in truth, his talent might even surpass ours," Salari followed up.
Those words resonated with Raditz, and he nodded in agreement.
Talot didn't look at them, but in his heart, he couldn't help muttering: [He's the protagonist, of course he's different from ordinary people.]
Hearing this, Krillin, Yamcha, Tien Shinhan, and Chiaotzu all felt that their horizons had broadened once again.
Everything they were experiencing now was something their past selves had never been able to come into contact with.
…
"A power level of 24,000, huh? So this is the strength Raditz was talking about…" Nappa's demeanor changed, his expression turning serious.
With their strengths now evenly matched, he no longer held the same mindset as before.
Even though Goku was still just a child, this power level was already enough to pose a threat to him.
In this situation, if he didn't unleash his true strength, it would be impossible to win.
"Aaaahhhh!!!!" With a muffled roar from Nappa's mouth, every muscle on his body tensed, bulking up even further, veins bulging across his forehead.
A terrifying aura surged forth, overwhelming and fierce, though to Talot and the other two, it was nothing more than a gust of wind sweeping past.
They were strong enough, and even Vegeta wasn't much affected.
But for Krillin, Yamcha, Tien Shinhan, and Chiaotzu, it was another devastating shock.
The power Goku unleashed had already been terrifying, but he had controlled it well enough for them to withstand it. Nappa's aura, however, was different.
His outburst was completely uncontrolled, his energy leaking wildly. The storm of aura he released made their very souls tremble, their breathing grow difficult, as though death was only a hair's breadth away.
'Crackle crackle~~!!' Arcs of energy and lightning exploded around Nappa's body, and even a golden glow appeared on him.
If they didn't know this wasn't a transformation, they would have mistaken it for Super Saiyan 2.
Nappa's power level surged to its peak, unleashing his full firepower.
"What a ferocious aura. So this is your true strength? I'm getting more and more excited!" His battle intent fully ignited, Goku felt his blood boiling, itching for an all-out fight.
Nappa, however, kept a stern gaze fixed on Goku. The next instant, his right arm tensed, and with a mighty swing, he hurled a devastating energy beam at Goku.
Seeing this, Goku leapt into the air, narrowly evading the energy beam.
The missed energy beam smashed into a massive mountain several kilometers away.
'BOOOOOOM!!!!!!'
The earth-shattering explosion tore through everything within a hundred-mile radius.
In an instant, thick smoke billowed and flames spread across the sky.
Nappa didn't care at all about the destruction caused to Earth by his attack. He quickly locked onto Goku's position, his burly body shooting forward like a cannonball straight at him.
Seeing Nappa charging toward him, Goku, unwilling to back down, chose to face him head-on and collided with him.
'BOOM!!!!' With a violent muffled crash, the melee battle erupted once again!
Nappa and Goku clashed fiercely in midair.
Each blow landed with raw force, every strike sending destructive shockwaves rippling through the skies. The deafening rumbles echoed like muffled thunder in everyone's hearts.
With Nappa going all out, his punches were brutally fierce. His uncompromising fighting style allowed him to battle far above his level, leaving Goku, even with 3x Kaio-ken, completely on the defensive.
In terms of combat skill and battle experience, Nappa far surpassed Goku.
Yet against Nappa's relentless onslaught, Goku displayed incredible resilience, using his small, agile body to repeatedly evade and deflect Nappa's attacks.
"Brat, being able to fight me to this extent is already impressive. But if you don't surrender soon, don't blame me for being ruthless!" Nappa warned Goku for the last time as he continued his assault.
"Baldy, I told you not to underestimate me. Just use every trick you've got!" Goku's fighting spirit burned brighter than ever. Seizing the moment when Nappa relaxed mid-sentence, he launched a Kiai Cannon that blasted Nappa backward.
Caught off guard, Nappa staggered back several dozen meters before steadying himself. His massive body had taken Goku's Kiai Cannon head-on without sustaining a single injury.
"You asked for this!" Nappa's eyes turned cold as he erupted with even greater energy.
He opened his mouth wide, gathering a devastating mass of energy in his throat.
Sensing the danger of the technique, Goku dared not be careless. Bringing his hands together at his waist in a blooming-flower stance, he began charging azure energy in his palms.
Nappa's Break Cannon condensed fully, and in the blink of an eye, a massive energy beam shot out from his mouth, tearing straight toward Goku.
"Kamehame—Ha!!" Goku thrust his hands forward, sending out a blazing azure energy beam that collided head-on with Nappa's attack.
'BOOOOOOM!!!!!' The instant the two energies clashed, the space itself trembled, and the colour of the sky for miles around changed.
For a few seconds, there was a brief deadlock, until Nappa suddenly poured in more energy, widening his Break Cannon and instantly pushing back Goku's Kamehameha.
"This is bad!" Goku's expression changed drastically. Cutting off his energy flow, he crossed his arms in front of him, forming a Ki Shield.
'KABOOOOOM!!!!' The Break Cannon swallowed Goku whole, detonating in midair with a violent explosion. Raging flames engulfed the sky, the blast's destructive power was like a nuclear detonation, darkening the sky for dozens of miles around.
Witnessing this with their own eyes, the four onlookers trembled to their cores, utterly shaken.
Hit by such a terrifying energy beam, even if they survived, they would likely be half-crippled.
"It seems the winner has been decided. Kakarot has lost. According to our agreement, tell me the method to become a Super Saiyan." Vegeta turned his gaze to Talot, asking impatiently.
"Is that so? Vegeta, you seem to be celebrating a little too early," Talot replied casually.
"What?!" Vegeta frowned, confused by the response.
"My little brother's strength is far more than that. What you just saw was nothing but a warm-up. You don't really think Nappa can defeat Kakarot, do you?" Raditz added.
"Look back into the sky and you'll understand, Vegeta," Salari said, pointing upward.
Vegeta's eyes returned to the center of the explosion.
As time ticked by, the flames of the blast gradually faded away, and from within emerged Goku, completely unharmed.
"How… how is this possible? Even I might not be able to block Nappa's technique without suffering any injury…" Vegeta sucked in a deep breath, struggling to calm his mind.
...
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