Although Gohan had trained with Piccolo and Branch for a very long time, he had never truly fought a powerful enemy before.
When he fought the Saibamen earlier, it had been a complete one-sided stomp.
That hardly counted as a real battle.
But now—
Piccolo wanted him to face Nappa, a Saiyan warrior with a battle power of 80,000.
Gohan could feel his heartbeat accelerating.
Sweat slowly formed in his palms.
He raised his head and looked toward Piccolo, his large eyes filled with hesitation and unease.
"Broly, let Gohan try too," Piccolo said while turning toward Broly. "No matter what, Gohan has trained with me and Branch for a long time. It's time to test his real strength."
Piccolo's voice was calm.
But his tone carried absolute firmness.
He knew Gohan lacked combat experience.
He knew the boy was gentle to the point of weakness.
But precisely because of that—
Gohan needed real battle experience even more.
Flowers raised inside a greenhouse could never withstand true storms.
Only through battle could Gohan truly grow stronger.
"Sure."
Broly nodded without hesitation.
He also wanted to see what level this child, who had trained alongside his son for so long, had reached.
"Gohan, do your best."
Piccolo gently patted Gohan's back again.
His deep voice carried confidence.
"I believe in you. If you truly release your power, you'll become even stronger than me."
Those words were not encouragement.
They were facts.
Piccolo understood Gohan's potential better than anyone.
The boy possessed Saiyan blood.
He inherited Goku's terrifying talent.
If not for his overly gentle personality…
If not for his lack of killing intent…
Gohan's strength might have already surpassed Piccolo long ago.
"U-Um…"
Gohan scratched his head nervously.
I really don't want to fight…
Gohan shouted internally.
He hated violence.
He hated hurting people.
Even enemies.
He preferred solving things peacefully.
He preferred words over fists.
But Gohan also understood—
Sometimes fighting was unavoidable.
Just like now.
Nappa had killed Tien and Chiaotzu.
He destroyed this city.
A villain like that needed to be punished.
"There's still time, Gohan."
Piccolo continued persuading him after noticing the hesitation in his eyes.
"Don't you want your father to see the results of your training?"
Those words instantly sparked excitement inside Gohan.
That's right!
Piccolo Uncle is right!
Gohan's eyes suddenly lit up.
Dad will arrive soon!
I want to show him how strong I've become!
I want Dad to know I've grown up!
That I've become stronger!
That I can protect Mom and myself now!
That thought became a blazing fire inside Gohan's heart.
"Okay, Piccolo Uncle!"
"I'll try!"
Gohan nodded seriously.
His expression changed.
The earlier hesitation disappeared, replaced with determination.
There was still nervousness in his eyes—
But no longer fear.
Only respect for battle itself.
Nappa: "..."
Are you people done yet?!
One after another, you all want to fight me?!
Nappa glared at Gohan.
At the tiny child barely reaching his waist.
A ridiculous sense of humiliation exploded inside him.
First he was defeated by a Namekian in one strike.
Now he had to fight a little kid?!
And judging from their attitude—
This brat was clearly being used as practice!
Am I a punching bag?!
A training dummy?!
A tool for testing your power?!
Nappa felt unprecedented humiliation.
He was a Saiyan warrior.
A terrifying existence that countless races once feared throughout the universe.
And now—
A child was using him for combat practice.
"This brat is Kakarot's son?"
Nappa stared at Gohan carefully.
"He looks only five years old!"
"A little runt like this dares fight me?"
His voice was filled with contempt.
But beneath it—
There was a trace of unease.
In the past, he would never have cared about a child.
But after witnessing all the monsters on Earth—
Nappa no longer dared underestimate anyone.
Who knew if this child was another freak?
"Gohan."
"Release your true power."
Piccolo smiled faintly as he stepped back and gave the battlefield to Gohan.
"Yes!"
Gohan clenched both fists tightly.
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
Then—
When he opened them again—
Those normally gentle eyes shone with an unprecedented light.
Not killing intent.
Not brutality.
But pure determination.
BOOOOM!!!
A powerful energy instantly erupted from Gohan's body.
Pure golden aura rose around him.
It wasn't scorching or violent—
It felt warm like sunlight.
The aura only rose about two meters high, but its energy density was astonishingly concentrated.
A vast pressure spread outward from Gohan.
At that moment—
This tiny child seemed to become the center of the entire world.
All light.
All sound.
All attention—
Was drawn toward him.
After the energy storm settled—
Gohan's aura gradually stabilized.
Golden energy flowed gently around his body like liquid.
His expression became calm.
Far too calm for a child about to fight.
His eyes stared directly at Nappa—
Clear and unwavering.
"Not bad."
Broly nodded in satisfaction.
A pleased smile appeared on his face.
"The energy Gohan is releasing right now translates to roughly 80,000 battle power."
"Almost equal to Nappa."
Broly's tone remained calm.
But to Nappa and Vegeta—
Those words were like thunder exploding in their ears.
"W-What?!"
Nappa screamed in shock.
"This brat's battle power is close to mine?!"
He stared at Gohan in disbelief.
At that tiny five-year-old child.
80,000?!
What kind of joke is this?!
I only reached 80,000 after repeated near-death recoveries and multiple Senzu Beans!
How can this kid have the same level?!
Nappa felt dizzy.
For the first time, he wondered whether he had grown old—
Or whether the universe itself had gone insane.
A five-year-old Saiyan with 80,000 battle power?
If this information spread—
No…
Planet Vegeta was already gone…
If Frieza heard about this—
Even the Emperor of the Universe would probably be shocked.
Vegeta: "..."
Vegeta no longer even had the strength to complain.
Floating silently in the air, he stared at the small golden figure below.
Complex emotions churned inside him.
Shock.
Jealousy.
Confusion.
And strangely—
Relief.
So now basically everyone here is stronger than me?
Vegeta laughed bitterly inwardly.
Broly.
Piccolo.
Gohan.
That unseen Branch.
Maybe even the bald Earthling Krillin.
Everyone's battle power might already exceed that of the Saiyan Prince.
At least…
There's still one person weaker than me.
Vegeta glanced toward Krillin and finally felt a little comfort.
But then—
He remembered Krillin slicing Nappa in half earlier.
Wait.
That bald guy literally cut Nappa into pieces before…
The tiny bit of superiority Vegeta had regained instantly shattered again.
"I get it now!"
Nappa suddenly shouted as though realizing something.
"You all increased your battle power using Senzu Beans, didn't you?!"
His voice overflowed with jealousy and resentment.
"That must be it!"
"You used repeated near-death recoveries and Senzu Beans to increase your power again and again!"
To Nappa, this explanation made perfect sense.
Otherwise—
There was no way Earth's fighters could grow this strong so quickly.
It had to be the Senzu Beans.
Those magical beans allowed them to abuse Saiyan recovery boosts endlessly.
"You're wrong."
"Eating Senzu Beans doesn't increase MY power."
Piccolo answered calmly, a trace of sarcasm in his voice.
Nappa froze.
Then quickly realized—
The Namekian was right.
That's true…
Namekians don't gain power after near-death recovery.
"I'm talking about Kakarot's son!"
Nappa pointed at Gohan excitedly.
"He has Saiyan blood!"
"He must have eaten tons of Senzu Beans!"
"There's no other way a five-year-old could reach 80,000 battle power!"
To Nappa, this logic was flawless.
Gohan was half-Saiyan.
As long as he repeatedly recovered from near death with Senzu Beans—
His power could skyrocket.
"I never ate Senzu Beans."
Gohan shook his head seriously.
He was telling the truth.
His 80,000 battle power was earned entirely through training.
"Stop lying!"
"There's no way you reached that level without Senzu Beans!"
Nappa refused to believe him.
A five-year-old reaching 80,000 purely through training?
That sounded even more ridiculous than the Senzu Bean explanation.
It completely shattered Nappa's understanding of training.
"Enough talking."
"Hurry up and start already."
Broly finally sounded impatient.
His cold gaze made Nappa shiver involuntarily.
"Damn it…"
Nappa gritted his teeth and redirected all his anger toward Gohan.
I absolutely refuse to lose to some little brat!
Even if your battle power equals mine—
What about combat experience?
Battle instincts?
Killing intent?
You're just a five-year-old child!
How could you possibly possess those things?!
Nappa decided to end the battle immediately with overwhelming force.
He wanted these Earthlings to understand—
Battle power numbers weren't everything.
An experienced warrior could easily crush a rookie even with equal power levels.
"I refuse to lose to a little brat!"
Nappa roared and launched forward like a cannonball.
His body exploded across the battlefield at incredible speed.
The ground beneath his feet shattered from the recoil.
In an instant—
Nappa appeared before Gohan.
His fist shot forward with the full force of 80,000 battle power directly toward Gohan's face.
This was Gohan's first real battle.
Fighting Saibamen earlier had been nothing more than target practice.
Now—
He faced a warrior with battle power equal to his own.
A veteran Saiyan filled with murderous intent.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Gohan hurriedly raised his arms to block Nappa's first barrage.
But the immense force still pushed him backward several meters, leaving two trenches in the ground.
Nappa attacked like a violent storm.
Punch after punch.
Kick after kick.
No hesitation.
No mercy.
His fighting style was savage and direct.
Every strike targeted vital points—
Eyes.
Throat.
Heart.
Groin.
At first, Gohan was completely overwhelmed.
Combined with his lingering fear, he remained stuck on the defensive.
He mostly dodged and blocked.
Even when counterattacking, his hesitation weakened his blows.
"HAHAHAHA!"
"Kakarot's son!"
"Even if your battle power matches mine, you're still no match for me!"
Nappa laughed wildly.
"You can't keep up with my combat rhythm at all!"
And he was right.
Gohan possessed enormous battle power—
But almost zero combat experience.
He didn't know how to exploit openings.
Didn't know how to predict movements.
Didn't know how to maximize damage efficiently.
Nappa, meanwhile—
Though pathetic compared to Broly and Piccolo—
Was still an experienced Saiyan warrior.
He had fought countless life-and-death battles throughout the universe.
His combat experience was terrifyingly rich.
As he spoke—
Nappa accelerated his attacks further.
His fists became afterimages.
His kicks turned into a whirlwind.
Attacking from every direction.
Gohan could only defend desperately.
Soon his arms became swollen and bruised.
Blood appeared at the corner of his lips.
However—
As the battle continued—
Gohan slowly began adapting.
He consciously adjusted his breathing.
He began observing Nappa's shoulders.
He started moving his feet more carefully.
Though still inexperienced—
He was improving rapidly.
"HAHAHA!"
"Take this punch!"
Nappa laughed loudly after spotting an opening in Gohan's defense.
His fist shot toward Gohan's chest.
This strike used seventy percent of his power.
Fast.
Precise.
Targeting the heart.
If it landed—
Even an 80,000 battle power body would suffer severe internal injuries.
But this time—
Gohan didn't panic.
He noticed Nappa's shoulder sinking slightly.
Saw the subtle step backward.
Predicted the attack trajectory instantly.
Then—
At the exact moment the fist nearly connected—
SWISH!
Gohan suddenly leaped backward.
No—
Not leaped.
Floated.
His body drifted gracefully through the air like a feather.
Nappa's fist barely brushed Gohan's clothing.
Only one centimeter away.
Yet that tiny distance became impossible to cross.
BOOM!!!
Nappa's punch slammed violently into the ground instead.
A three-meter crater exploded open.
Mud and rocks blasted skyward.
Shockwaves swept outward violently.
Gohan lightly tapped the ground with one foot.
Like a dragonfly touching water.
Then—
Using that tiny bit of momentum—
His body sprang upward like a compressed spring.
A flying kick shot forward smoothly.
Far too smooth for a first-time fighter.
BANG!!
The kick landed directly on Nappa's face.
Gohan's foot smashed into Nappa's nose.
He could feel bones breaking.
Could hear the horrifying crack.
"GAAAAAHHH!!"
Nappa screamed even more miserably than when Piccolo attacked him earlier.
His massive body flipped backward and crashed hard onto the ground.
This time landing flat on his back.
The earth trembled slightly.
Dust rose everywhere.
Nappa clutched his bleeding face with both hands.
His nose was broken.
Two front teeth were gone.
Blood poured endlessly between his fingers.
"You little brat!"
"I'll kill you!!"
Nappa climbed back up while trembling with rage.
His eyes turned bloodshot like a demon's.
At this point—
He no longer cared about reason.
Plans.
Consequences.
Everything disappeared.
Only one thought remained—
Kill this child.
Kill him in the cruelest way possible.
Suddenly—
Nappa opened his mouth wide.
Energy rapidly gathered deep inside his throat.
"Gohan, dodge!"
Piccolo's expression changed instantly.
He realized Nappa had completely lost control.
This attack would be dangerous.
Even with equal battle power—
A direct hit could seriously injure Gohan.
"DIE!!!"
Nappa fired without hesitation.
BOOOOOOM!!!!
A blazing white energy beam erupted from his mouth.
Though only fist-sized—
The surrounding air twisted violently from its power.
The beam tore across the battlefield at extreme speed.
The ground split open wherever it passed.
Rocks and dirt instantly vaporized.
At this moment—
Nappa had fully accepted reality.
Broly will definitely torture me to death anyway.
The realization became crystal clear inside his mind.
From Broly's gaze.
From Broly's treatment.
From the fact that Piccolo and now this child were using him as training practice—
Nappa understood he had zero chance of survival.
Since I'm going to die anyway—
I might as well drag someone down with me!
A twisted grin appeared on Nappa's face despite the pain.
If they won't spare me—
Why should I hold back?!
I'll make these Earthlings pay!
A Saiyan warrior dies dragging enemies into hell with him!
The mouth beam shot toward Gohan at supersonic speed.
Like death itself slicing through the air.
Gohan also sensed the terrifying danger.
He could feel the destructive force.
The murderous intent.
If hit directly—
He might die.
Fear rose instinctively.
His heart pounded violently.
Cold sweat appeared.
His legs even weakened slightly.
This was the first time he had truly faced death.
The first time he felt pure killing intent.
It felt like icy water drowning him completely.
For a moment—
He almost wanted to run away.
But then—
Gohan remembered Branch's strength.
I also want to become someone as strong as Brother Branch!
Gohan shouted inwardly.
Only then can I protect everyone properly!
Mom.
Piccolo Uncle.
Krillin Uncle.
Everyone I love!
I can't lose to this giant idiot!
His eyes became firm once more.
If he couldn't defeat even this enemy—
How could he protect anyone?
How could he ever become a warrior like his father, Broly, or Branch?
I absolutely cannot lose!
"AAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!"
Gohan roared loudly.
Not from fear—
But determination.
Instead of dodging—
He charged directly toward the energy beam.
Both palms stretched forward.
Golden aura condensed around his hands like shields.
He intended to block it head-on.
"N-No! That's dangerous!"
Piccolo's expression changed drastically as he prepared to rush forward.
He understood Gohan's intention.
But this was too reckless!
Even with equal battle power—
Blocking such an attack directly would absolutely cause serious injuries!
"Relax."
"Gohan will be fine."
Broly smiled calmly and shook his head lightly.
His senses were sharper than Piccolo's.
He could feel the unique flow of energy inside Gohan.
The boy wasn't acting recklessly.
Piccolo paused immediately.
He trusted Broly's judgment.
And he also wanted to see—
Just how far Gohan could go.
At that moment—
Gohan caught Nappa's mouth beam with both hands.
BOOOOOOM!!!!
The collision produced a deafening explosion.
Golden aura and white energy clashed violently like giant serpents tearing into each other.
Shockwaves swept outward.
The ground peeled upward layer by layer.
Even distant ruins collapsed from the impact.
Gohan's feet sank deep into the earth.
His knees bent under the pressure.
His body leaned backward from the tremendous force.
His arms trembled violently.
Muscles tightened to their limits.
Veins bulged beneath his skin.
Sweat dripped down his face.
But—
He did not retreat.
Not even a single step.
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