Babidi's eyes widened with exaggerated excitement as he shouted,
"There's another one, Dabura! Be careful—and leave him alive!"
Dabura nodded, his expression turning grim. Even without words, he could feel it—Vegeta's power after transforming was completely different from before.
Seeing Vegeta charge forward, Jiren didn't interfere. He wanted to use this opportunity to let Vegeta get accustomed to his new strength.
This was the first time Vegeta faced a true enemy in his Super Saiyan form. The overwhelming surge of power filled him with excitement. Pointing proudly at himself, his expression turned haughty and wild.
"Trash," he taunted, his lips curling into a smirk, "I'll make you pay for what you just said!"
Dabura said nothing. With a flash, he appeared before Vegeta, his leg lashing out for a sudden kick meant to strike first.
But Vegeta only snorted. Catching Dabura's leg mid-swing, he twisted and hurled him toward Babidi's position.
Babidi, whose combat ability was practically nonexistent, screamed in panic. Luckily, Dabura managed to stop himself in time—otherwise, the little wizard would have been crushed into paste.
"Hey! Watch it!" Babidi shouted furiously, trembling. "You almost hit me, you fool!"
Even under control, Dabura turned and bowed slightly, offering an apology.
Vegeta sneered in disgust. "You really are a well-trained dog. What's so special about that little creature that you'd grovel for him?"
Dabura's eyes flared with anger. "You know nothing! It was Lord Babidi who granted me even greater power!"
Vegeta chuckled mockingly. "Oh really? You don't look all that strong to me. Makes me wonder how pitiful you were before."
Dabura gritted his teeth, his patience finally gone. With a flick of his wrist, a long, dark spear materialized in his hand.
That single gesture made even Goku and Jiren pause in surprise. Fighters at their level rarely relied on weapons—after all, their fists were far deadlier.
Dabura raised the spear and lunged, spinning it rapidly as his aura flared.
"Poison Dragon Drill!"
Vegeta didn't flinch. He raised his hands in front of his chest, palms open, and braced himself to meet the attack head-on.
The two clashed, their collision ringing out like grinding metal. The shrill sound of friction echoed through the air, and Vegeta's white gloves were nearly shredded from the force.
Watching from below, Goku's blood boiled with excitement. "Man, that looks awesome! I should've jumped in first," he muttered.
Truthfully, Dabura was no pushover. For Goku and Vegeta—who had not yet reached Super Saiyan 2—he was a serious threat. But if the two had decided to fight together, Dabura wouldn't have lasted minutes.
Of course, that wasn't their style. Saiyans only teamed up when faced with an overwhelmingly strong foe. Against an enemy close to their level, they'd rather go one-on-one. For them, that was the true romance of battle.
After exchanging a flurry of blows, Dabura suddenly retreated skyward, ending his assault.
Vegeta snorted and burst upward after him, Ki flaring like a golden comet. The two soared higher and higher, trading blows as shockwaves rippled through the sky.
Below, Goku raised a hand over his eyes to watch.
"It's really heating up. Jiren, what do you think? Can Vegeta win this one?"
Jiren looked upward, his tone calm but deep.
"Vegeta's fighting talent is excellent. If he keeps his composure, he has a good chance. But…"
"But what?" Goku pressed.
Jiren's eyes narrowed slightly. "His arrogance. That pride of his will get him hurt one day—maybe even today."
Up above, Vegeta unleashed his classic Prince's Fighting Style—a relentless barrage of Ki blasts. The onslaught lit up the sky like a storm, forcing Dabura to dodge frantically.
At one point, a blast struck Dabura's back, sending him spinning. Vegeta laughed triumphantly. The barrage intensified, his arms moving so fast they blurred. Ki explosions filled the sky, engulfing Dabura in a storm of golden light.
When the dust settled, a thick cloud of smoke drifted in the air. Dabura's silhouette was lost within it.
Vegeta smirked confidently, floating in place as he waited for the smoke to clear. He didn't even bother to prepare another attack—too convinced of his own power.
As the haze lifted, Dabura emerged unscathed, arms crossed over his face. Aside from a few scuffs, he looked perfectly fine.
Vegeta raised his chin, his trademark smirk spreading across his face. He looked utterly pleased with himself.
Dabura, however, saw right through him. Arrogant, overconfident, careless—exactly the kind of opponent he loved to break.
Perfect, he thought. Let's see how the mighty prince likes a taste of humiliation.
It wasn't entirely Vegeta's fault. His sudden surge in power had made him reckless, like a man who'd just won the lottery overnight. He needed to show it off. And after being utterly crushed by Jiren in their last spar, this was his chance to vent.
A cruel smile crept across Dabura's face. He stumbled deliberately, pretending to be injured.
Vegeta took the bait immediately.
"As expected, you're trash! Now you see the true power of a Saiyan, don't you?"
Dabura stayed silent, flying higher into the atmosphere.
"Running away, huh!?" Vegeta yelled, chasing after him again. The two shot upward, climbing rapidly until the blue of the sky began to fade into black.
As they neared the edge of the atmosphere, Dabura slowed down, pretending to tire. Vegeta smirked.
"What's wrong? Out of breath already? If you've got guts, fly right out of Earth!"
Dabura didn't answer—but the sinister smile twisting his lips said everything.
By the time Vegeta noticed, it was too late. Dabura lowered his head and spat a glob of glowing saliva downward.
It struck Vegeta on the neck before he could dodge. He grimaced in disgust.
"Ugh, disgusting! What kind of pathetic move is that? You really are out of tricks!"
Dabura's grin widened, his mocking eyes fixed on Vegeta's face. He was already anticipating the panic that would come next.