The heavy pressure only lasted for a brief moment, but it was enough to make Yamcha freeze in place, struggling to recover.
Then Uchiha Chiga's calm voice cut through the silence.
"Yamcha, shall we begin?"
Yamcha jolted back to reality, suddenly aware of the sweat dripping down his face.
Bulma frowned, puzzled by his strange behavior. To her, it looked like he was once again pretending to be clueless.
But Yamcha couldn't connect that overwhelming pressure to Chiga. In his mind, there was no way a high school student could unleash such immense Ki and then suppress it almost instantly. He shook his head, forcing the thought away.
Striking a casual pose, Yamcha smirked.
"Chiga, you go first!"
Chiga gave a small smile. Without another word, his figure blurred and vanished from sight.
Yamcha blinked in disbelief. In the next instant, Chiga was right in front of him, his fist already flying.
The blow was intentionally weakened, yet it still packed frightening strength. Yamcha's battle power was only around 177—Chiga knew one serious strike might leave him unconscious.
Even restrained, the punch sent Yamcha stumbling backward until his back slammed against a tree, stopping his retreat.
Bulma gasped, covering her mouth in shock, while Lazuli clenched her fists tightly, her eyes fixed on Chiga as she silently cheered him on.
Yamcha's confidence wavered. He hadn't expected Chiga to possess such ability. That punch alone told him this wasn't an ordinary human. With Yamcha's body, even being hit by a speeding car wouldn't leave him looking so battered.
He brushed dust from his clothes, forcing himself to meet Chiga's eyes with renewed seriousness.
Chiga's smile remained, but behind it was an unmistakable pressure. Even without his glasses, his calm gaze carried weight. Yamcha, facing him directly, felt it stronger than anyone.
Swallowing hard, he thought bitterly, Are high school students this terrifying now?
Yamcha steadied his stance, crouching low before launching forward with speed. His fists blurred, creating afterimages, and a faint phantom wolf seemed to circle around him.
"The Wolf Fang Fist!"
It was his proudest technique. Yet Chiga didn't flinch. Extending one hand, he effortlessly caught each strike in his palm.
The longer the fight dragged on, the more unsettled Yamcha became. None of his blows landed. Finally, with a burst of strength, he leapt back, flipping through the air to create distance.
Chiga lowered his hand, his long white hair flowing lightly in the breeze. The sight gave him an almost masterful aura, momentarily dazzling Yamcha.
Lazuli's eyes sparkled, captivated by the sight. Even without focusing on Chiga's face, that aura alone commanded attention.
Bulma too found herself staring, Chiga's image in her mind shifting into something harder to define.
Yamcha, unable to contain himself, demanded,
"Who… who exactly are you?"
Chiga spread his hands casually.
"I told you, I'm just a high school student."
He wasn't lying. In this world, that truly was his identity.
Yamcha, of course, didn't buy it.
"Impossible. You must have a master, right? It's not Master Roshi… Could it be Master Shen?"
Chiga tilted his head thoughtfully.
"If you mean a master, I have only one—Zephyr."
"Zephyr?" Yamcha blinked. The name meant nothing to him. He had never heard of such a figure.
Chiga had no intention of explaining further. His real purpose was to study the unique nature of Dragon Ball's Ki—especially how it condensed into an energy sphere. When he attacked Raditz, everything had happened too fast. He hadn't taken the time to experience it properly.
His gaze sharpened.
"Yamcha, at the Martial Arts Tournament, I saw you use a flying energy ball. I'd like to see it again. Could you show me?"
Yamcha hesitated, then asked, "A flying energy ball? You mean the Spirit Ball?"
"Oh, so that's its name? Spirit Ball… it has a nice ring to it."
Yamcha puffed his chest proudly.
"Ha! I thought so too. It's my original technique!"
The praise reignited his confidence. He knew ordinary moves wouldn't faze Chiga. If he wanted to prove himself, he had to unleash his best. And if he was going to show off, he needed to make it look good.
Planting his feet firmly, Yamcha drew a deep breath. His hands spread wide as he focused his Ki. A glowing blue sphere slowly formed between his palms, radiating with power.
Lazuli's eyes widened. This was unlike anything she'd seen before. The sight of Ki itself gathering into a tangible orb was beyond her understanding.
Chiga narrowed his eyes, feeling the concentrated energy. Whether in the seas of the Pirate World or the shinobi lands of Naruto, few could withstand such an attack through sheer force.
Yamcha grinned, pride in every word.
"This is my ultimate technique—the Spirit Ball! What do you think? Ready to taste its power? I'll warn you—it's far stronger than any bomb!"
Outwardly, Chiga smiled. Inwardly, he sighed. Powerful, yes. But if I remember correctly… this move has never actually killed anyone.
Lazuli tensed, worry flickering in her eyes. The energy radiating from the orb was overwhelming. Could Chiga really endure that? But when she glanced at his calm smile, her worry eased.
Chiga spread his arms slightly.
"Come then. I'm ready."
"Don't regret it!" Yamcha declared. He snapped his fingers into a guiding stance and hurled the orb forward. As it flew, his hand twitched, ready to control its path—the true essence of the Spirit Ball lay in his spiritual command.
But the next moment froze him.
Chiga didn't dodge. He simply extended his hand and caught the sphere mid-flight. The ball quivered in his palm like a toy.
Yamcha's jaw dropped. "What—!?"
He tried to detonate it remotely, but before he could, the sphere collapsed, shrinking into formless energy that seeped directly into Chiga's hand.
"Nani!?" Yamcha gasped, eyes bulging.
The impossible had just happened.
____
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