The forest had gone silent. The defeated cultivators groaned in the distance, their bodies half-buried under fallen trees and cracked earth. Kaiser stood in the center of the destruction, rolling his shoulders. His body still tingled from the brief Super Saiyan transformation, but the exhaustion was already creeping in.
"Tch. Ten minutes is garbage," he muttered, cracking his neck. "How the hell do other Saiyans in the series maintain it like it's nothing?"
His tail flicked in annoyance as he clenched his fists. He had power, but what was the point if he couldn't maintain it? The fight had been too easy. He hadn't even needed Super Saiyan, but he needed to test himself.
The thought irritated him.
He took a deep breath, closing his eyes. "Alright… again."
Golden energy flickered around him, his hair beginning to shift—
CRASH!
A branch snapped.
Kaiser's eyes snapped open. His senses flared as he turned toward the disturbance. Someone was nearby.
"Tch. Guess I got an audience."
He smirked. With a burst of speed, he vanished from sight, reappearing atop a tree branch. He crouched low, peering down at the source of the noise.
A lone figure moved cautiously through the undergrowth, his black robes dirtied from travel, his expression sharp with wariness.
Xiao Yan.
Kaiser's smirk widened. "Well, well. Look who finally showed up."
Xiao Yan's eyes darted around. He had felt the battle, the shockwaves, and the terrifying strength that had sent those cultivators flying like ragdolls. Yet, he saw nothing but destruction.
He took a careful step forward, muttering, "What kind of monster did this…?"
"You're looking at him."
Xiao Yan barely had time to react.
A voice rang out above him, lazy yet amused. His head snapped up just in time to see a shirtless man with wild hair, a swinging tail, and a cocky grin, lounging on a tree branch like he owned the place.
Kaiser tilted his head. "Yo."
Xiao Yan's hand immediately went to his ring, ready to summon Yao Lao. "Who are you?"
Kaiser yawned, stretching his arms. "Me? Just a guy enjoying his forest." He grinned, golden eyes gleaming. "But you, little brother, seem to have made some enemies."
Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed. "You did all this?"
Kaiser hopped down, landing effortlessly in front of him. His tail flicked. "Yeah. Those guys were pissing me off."
Xiao Yan studied him carefully. No Dou Qi presence. No robes indicating an affiliation. No weapons. And... shirtless?
Just who the hell was this guy?
Kaiser noticed the doubt in his expression and laughed. "Let me guess—you're wondering why you can't sense my Dou Qi, right?"
Xiao Yan didn't answer.
Kaiser smirked, crossing his arms. "That's because I don't have any."
That made Xiao Yan pause. "You don't use Dou Qi?"
"Nope."
"...Then what do you use?"
Kaiser grinned, flexing his fingers. "Something better."
Xiao Yan was about to press further when a SYSTEM NOTIFICATION appeared before Kaiser.
> MISSION UPDATE: Earn Xiao Yan's Trust.
Progress: 1%.
Kaiser rolled his eyes. "Damn system. Gotta do all this just for some pills."
Xiao Yan frowned. "What?"
"Nothing!" Kaiser waved him off. "Look, since I already helped you by wiping out those losers, how about you return the favor?"
Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow. "And how would I do that?"
Kaiser pointed at him. "Train with me."
Xiao Yan almost tripped. "What?"
"You heard me." Kaiser grinned. "You're pretty famous, y'know? But I wanna see if you're actually worth the hype."
Xiao Yan stared at him. Was this guy serious?
Kaiser stretched his neck. "Come on, kid. Show me what you got."
Xiao Yan hesitated. This man—whatever he was—was absurdly strong. He had taken out an entire group of Dou Spirit-level cultivators alone. Was fighting him a good idea?
But then…
Isn't this exactly why I left for training?
His hesitation faded. If he wanted to grow stronger, there was no better opportunity than testing himself against someone like this.
Xiao Yan exhaled. "Alright. But don't regret it."
Kaiser grinned. "I never do."
The wind shifted.
Xiao Yan made the first move. His Dou Qi surged, his feet pushing off the ground as he closed the distance in a blur. His palm strike shot forward, aiming straight for Kaiser's exposed chest.
But before it could land—
Kaiser vanished.
Xiao Yan's eyes widened.
A shadow loomed behind him.
"Too slow."
Xiao Yan barely had time to react before something hard slammed into his back. It wasn't an attack.
It was a tail.
The force sent him tumbling across the ground, dirt flying everywhere.
Kaiser yawned. "C'mon, that can't be all you got."
Xiao Yan gritted his teeth, flipping back to his feet. So he was fast.
Fine.
His Dou Qi flared. The ground cracked beneath him as he activated his techniques. "Flame Splitting Tsunami!"
A fiery wave erupted, scorching towards Kaiser at insane speeds.
Kaiser… didn't move.
He simply raised his hand.
The flames reached him—
And vanished.
Xiao Yan's breath hitched. "What—?"
Kaiser grinned. "Neat trick. But fire doesn't work on me."
Xiao Yan scowled. Not even a scratch?!
Kaiser cracked his knuckles. "Alright, my turn."
He disappeared.
Xiao Yan barely saw the blur before a fist slammed into his stomach.
Air rushed out of his lungs as his body lifted off the ground.
Kaiser appeared behind him in midair.
"See ya."
A kick sent Xiao Yan flying, smashing through several trees.
Dust settled.
Kaiser landed, shaking his head. "Man, I was expecting a little more."
A groan.
Then—movement.
From the rubble, Xiao Yan stood.
A smirk on his face.
"Oh?" Kaiser's eyes gleamed.
Xiao Yan wiped the blood from his lip. "You're strong. But don't underestimate me."
Kaiser grinned. "Now we're talking."
Xiao Yan charged.
Kaiser laughed.
The real fight was just beginning.