Earth, The Lookout.
Inside the Hyperbolic Time Chamber.
Levos and King Kai stood facing one another.
This chamber was slightly different from the last time Levos had trained here. The gravity had been reset to ten times Earth's normal level.
Fortunately, with Levos's current physical condition, he adapted quickly without issue.
King Kai stood with his hands behind his back, eyeing Levos seriously.
"Levos, are you ready?"
Levos raised his head and gave a firm nod.
"Yeah. I'm ready."
King Kai nodded back.
"Good. Then focus your energy the way I taught you. Begin."
As soon as King Kai spoke, a chaotic whirlwind of energy erupted around Levos's body.
It was the telltale sign of the Kaio-ken technique being activated.
As the swirling force grew more intense, pain gradually spread across Levos's face.
Every muscle in his body was under immense pressure, and it only increased as more energy was consumed.
But he grit his teeth and endured.
Finally, when the energy circling him condensed into a blazing crimson aura, Levos's eyes snapped open.
"Haaaaah!"
A thunderous roar erupted from his throat.
"Kaio-ken!"
BOOM.
In that instant, the entire space trembled violently.
The ground caved in beneath him, cracks spiderwebbing out in all directions like shattered glass.
Levos didn't move. He kept his eyes closed, concentrating, recording every change in his body with utmost clarity.
Moments later, he opened his eyes and looked at his hands.
His entire body was now wreathed in a fierce red aura. He looked like a war god, overflowing with power and dominance.
He clenched his right fist. A casual swing stirred the air into a blistering gust.
A crater exploded into the ground from the pressure of his punch alone.
As an android, Levos's base combat power was already staggeringly high.
He had superhuman regeneration and nearly limitless stamina.
Now, with the amplification of the Kaio-ken, his strength had soared to a whole new level.
Even more importantly, the Kaio-ken refined every muscle, joint, and bone in his body, optimizing him for maximum combat efficiency.
Sensing the immense energy, King Kai nodded with satisfaction.
"As I thought… All your hard work over the past half month is paying off. And your talent… hah… I definitely underestimated you."
He paused, then added,
"But you're still nowhere near strong enough to defeat Frieza in his current form. How about learning my ultimate move, Spirit Bomb?"
The Spirit Bomb was indeed a divine technique, capable of wiping out even Majin Buu.
But according to canon, it could only be wielded by those of pure heart.
Levos, being a reincarnated soul, didn't see the point in trying.
More importantly…
"Thank you for the offer, King Kai, but we leave tomorrow. There's no time to learn the Spirit Bomb now. I'd rather focus on perfecting Kaio-ken," Levos said, his eyes narrowing.
"Kaio-ken, times three."
BOOM.
A violent explosion of power surged from him.
The stone beneath his feet shattered into debris, forming an even larger crater.
King Kai was caught in the blast wave and hurled backward through the air.
"King Kai!"
In the instant Levos moved, the air cracked with a sharp boom. He reappeared beside King Kai, steadying him.
King Kai looked stunned.
"So fast! You jumped from 2x to 3x Kaio-ken that quickly?"
Levos frowned, still not satisfied.
"My body can handle the load, but my control over movement and form dropped. I need to adjust further."
"Heh… good kid." King Kai patted his shoulder with a grin.
"That's way beyond what I expected."
With that, King Kai retreated to the edge of the chamber to observe from a safe distance.
Time passed swiftly…
Outside the chamber, Goku and the others were waiting anxiously.
At last, Levos and King Kai emerged from the palace.
"So? Did you master the Kaio-ken?" Goku asked immediately.
Levos nodded.
"Yeah. It's ready."
The group let out a collective sigh of relief.
Goku used Instant Transmission to send King Kai back.
Then the team gathered for one last strategy session.
Fortunately, Levos had already briefed them all on the threat Earth was facing, and they had a solid plan in place.
Now, they just had to wait for Levos to rejoin them and then it was off to West City for the tournament.
Only a few people would remain at The Lookout: Dr. Hedo, Mr. Popo, Dende, and Future Mai.
Everyone else was heading to West City.
Only five minutes remained before the Martial Arts Tournament began.
"Uncle Piccolo… I still think I'd like to wear the same gi as you," Gohan said sheepishly.
Piccolo raised an eyebrow and shot a glance at Goku before lifting a finger.
In an instant, Gohan's clothes changed to match Piccolo's signature look.
"Well then, shall we head out?" Gamma 2 was already impatient.
The two Gamma Androids had fully recharged and were at peak condition.
Goku, Gohan, both Trunks, and Piccolo all were itching for battle.
"Mr. Goku, take them to register. I'll pick up Bulma and meet you there."
"Got it! We're off!" Goku nodded.
The group vanished.
Levos turned to the others.
"Dende, Mr. Popo, Dr. Hedo stay safe. If you hear anything about Merus, contact me immediately."
With everything in place, Levos began searching for Pilaf and his gang's energy signature.
Whoosh.
"Hmm?"
A breeze carried the faint scent of blood.
And in the wind, the sound of distant screams.
"Ah! Ash !"
"Mai, run! I'll hold them off!"
Levos's expression changed. He looked around sharply.
The underground lab belonging to Pilaf and his crew was now littered with corpses. Blood pooled across the floor.
The entire ceiling had been ripped open.
Nearby, Pilaf clutched a pistol in one hand and the unconscious Ash in the other.
Mai leaned against a collapsed wall, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. Her face was deathly pale, clearly injured.
Off in the distance, Android 16 was locked in battle with a small, slender figure.
The enemy was weak, but something about them felt… wrong.
"Levos… get out of here…"
The moment he heard that voice, Levos's heart trembled.
He looked up.
And then
Blood instantly rushed to his eyes.
A dark shadow hovered in the air, holding Bulma by the throat. Her face bore a bittersweet smile.
The next moment, the figure's other hand formed a sharp energy blade and drove it straight through her chest.
Bulma's lips parted, a line of crimson spilling out. Her gaze dulled.
Levos caught her as she fell.
His hands trembled, soaked in her blood.
An overwhelming killing intent surged from his body.
"You… hurt her."
Bulma slowly opened her eyes. Worry shimmered in her fading gaze.
That look gentle, quiet, and full of fear for him nearly crushed Levos's soul.
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