One has to say: the Piccolo of this era still has sharp eyes.If he judges the other side isn't someone he can pinch at will, he'll be hard-edged and overbearing.But if the opponent is strong enough to crush him, he has the brains to retreat in order to advance.
"Before I answer that question, how about I take this move of yours first?" Logan Crane spoke.
At those words, the three people present were startled—no, it should be four!
Even Son Gohan understood, his two round eyes wide, dumb and adorable.
After a few seconds of stillness, before Piccolo and Son Goku could speak, the Raditz locked by Son Goku seized the chance, tore free of the hold in one wrench, and took back control.
"Damn you, Kakarot! You plotted against your own big brother like this—next I'll make you understand how foolish you are!"
Escaping danger, Raditz did not stay where he was for even a second; like grabbing a life-saving straw, he moved to Logan's side.
Instinctively, he took Logan as an ally.
Because of the string of accidents earlier, he had nearly been killed twice; his vigilance had risen a lot.
He didn't immediately launch a kill strike against Son Goku—in Logan's view, that was really stupid.
If it had been Logan, he would definitely have used this chance to counterkill on the spot!
They were playing for their lives, and you're still playing house? With a power level of 1500 you're only showing the level of a few hundred.
"I am a member of King Frieza's First Corps, Saiyan unit number B119. Our captain is Vegeta. My name is Raditz..."
As Raditz reported his identity, Logan glanced at him out of the corner of his eye.
There was absolute intimidation in that look.
Raditz, who had been ready to curry favor, fell silent at once and stood there obediently.
As far as Raditz was concerned, he was a complete bottom-rung warrior in the Frieza Force. He didn't know how high the person before him's power level was, nor what his status was—but he knew one thing: the man was definitely stronger than he was.
It was obvious from the model of battle suit Logan wore that he was at least a grade above him.
Judging from the aura the man released, his combat power was at least over 2000!
As for using a scouter to probe him… that would be downright disrespect!
Even if Raditz were an idiot, he knew that in the present situation probing someone else's bottom line was very impolite behavior.
If he irritated the other, he would become the other's punching bag.
"To tell the truth—You're a Saiyan, your combat power is clearly as high as 1500, and yet you got beaten into this state by two people who originally didn't even reach a thousand. That's truly pathetic." Without paying Raditz any more mind, Logan judged the situation from his own angle.
He was telling Raditz just how much of a piece of trash he was.
At that evaluation, Raditz flushed red; anger rose at once, but he didn't dare flare up directly and only muttered a rebuttal: "That's entirely because these Earthlings play petty little tricks, and besides they have methods to control their combat power! If not for that, how could they have taken advantage of me again and again… and that little brat..."
Before he could finish, Logan quietly turned and looked over at Raditz.
That movement made Raditz draw a deep breath.
As Logan let out a wisp of aura, the scouter on Raditz's eye began to change numbers.
At first there had been no display; now, because of the alarm, the numerical readout appeared.
The other party's power level climbed in one breath from 1000 to several thousand...
"Co—combat power… 5000!!! Y—you… Sir…"
Raditz was shocked in his heart, and at once he bowed and scraped even more.
He confirmed that this person's status was far above his—at the very least, he could be compared to a high-level warrior.
He had originally wanted to argue back a couple of lines, but what did his 1500 look like in front of this person?!
Even Nappa with a power level of 4000 was far from this person's match.
Unless it was the prince!
"Saying so much is just to cover your own incompetence!" Logan's eyes narrowed; in an instant his aura sank heavy.
He pressed straight down on Raditz, like a superior scolding a subordinate.
In that situation, Son Goku, Piccolo, and on the other side little Son Gohan might as well have been air.
But battle-hardened, experienced Son Goku and Piccolo both knew: this was their last chance.
No matter whether the newcomer was enemy or friend, or whether he was the same kind as Raditz, if they wanted to protect Earth they would have to win by surprise!
With a look, the two seemed to reach a decision.
In that very instant, they moved at the same time.
Piccolo's Special Beam Cannon shot straight at Logan, aiming at the blind spot in his back.
Son Goku staked everything and unleashed his final Kamehameha.
At such a development, Raditz—who had been wearing a scared face—started and reacted at once: "You really don't know life from death!"
He didn't wait for Logan to respond or speak; instinctively he swung back a blast wave that smashed hard into Son Goku's Kamehameha.
And Logan?
He turned around smiling; with a lift of his hand he pinched Piccolo's Special Beam Cannon in his palm.
Sneak-attacking him?
Not happening.
The gap in strength was far too big.
This big move that could pierce through everything in the world had the power to one-shot Raditz, but in Logan's hand it was like a toy.
If it had been a few years ago when his power level had not yet broken ten thousand, Logan might not have handled it so directly.
But now his power level had reached nearly 17,000; even if he only brought out performance at the 5,000 level, this move still couldn't hurt him.
What's more, his body's toughness was outstanding—surpassing warriors of the same tier by far.
All those years on that planet hadn't been for nothing, and on top of that his combat power was rising every second.
Combat power is a reflection of overall strength; it includes a synthesis of every aspect of the body's functions.
So with the present rise in power level, Logan's body was also growing stronger with every moment. The progress was slow, but it was something he could get without having to train.
...
Watching his ultimate finisher get blocked by the other with one hand, Piccolo's shock only became more absolute.
It was beyond imagining—at an attack that had pushed past the limits of his understanding, what kind of nerve did the other have to dare take it head-on like that?
[Is the gap really this big? Damn it!!! What have I been doing all these years?!!] Piccolo cursed in his heart.
For so many years, his narrow field of view had limited his growth. He thought he was invincible under heaven, that as long as he beat Son Goku he would be number one in the world.
He had never considered that the world beyond the world was so vast and broad...
An invader who shows up at random was an existence they could not resist even if they gave everything.
It was like this now; what about in the future?
These people stood for an enormous force behind them—the so-called Frieza Force...