The air over the valley trembled with the aftershocks of Kael's clash with Raditz. Dust and splintered wood swirled around them like a storm, carrying the acrid scent of scorched earth. Kael's chest heaved, every heartbeat resonating like a drum in his chest. He could feel the lingering energy of Raditz's attacks, raw and violent, scraping against his own aura like waves against a rock.
He had never faced an opponent like this. Raditz's speed was staggering, his strength unrelenting, yet Kael's body moved with a precision that surprised even him. Each strike he dodged, each counter he executed, was guided not by thought but by instinct—something older, deeper, embedded in the very cells that carried the legacies of two lost civilizations.
Raditz hovered, smirking, but there was a flicker of uncertainty behind his arrogant eyes. "Not bad… not bad at all," he muttered. "But let's see how you handle this!"
Kael's fists clenched. He could feel his muscles tense and relax almost simultaneously, responding before his conscious mind could even register Raditz's next move. His tail flicked instinctively, balancing him midair, as golden energy shimmered faintly across his body. Every movement he made was fluid, almost preternatural.
What is this feeling? Kael wondered, thoughts colliding with raw instinct. Why do I know how to react even before he attacks? Why does my body… remember?
Raditz lunged, faster than the eye could follow. Kael met the assault head-on, their blows sending shockwaves that shattered nearby rocks and sent dust spiraling high into the sky. The village below trembled with every impact. Kael could hear the faint cries of the villagers, but they were distant, muted by the rush of his own heightened senses. His eyes glimmered gold, sunlight seeming to answer his awakening, amplifying his strength in ways he could not yet name.
He felt the pull of the solar energy within him, a rhythm that coursed through his veins and strengthened every strike. His fists moved like guided missiles, precise, instinctive, lethal only if he willed them to be. And yet, even as he fought, confusion lingered in the back of his mind. Who am I really? Why does my body feel… alive in a way I've never known?
Raditz's expression hardened as he unleashed a barrage of punches and kicks, each one more forceful than the last. He had fought countless Saiyans, toppled planets, and yet this boy—this anomaly—moved with a grace and power that defied explanation. "What… what are you?" Raditz hissed through gritted teeth, a mixture of frustration and curiosity lacing his words.
Kael could only respond with instinct. He twisted, dodged, and countered with flawless precision. Every strike he absorbed or deflected seemed to strengthen his aura, the golden light growing brighter, more radiant, as if the sun itself was lending him power. He didn't even need to consciously control it; it flowed naturally, effortlessly, from the core of his being.
This is… different from before, he realized. I'm not just strong… I'm… perfect? No, not perfect… something more…
The ground quaked as they exchanged blows, each impact sending clouds of dust into the air. Kael could feel Raditz's power pressing against him like a weight, testing the limits of his strength. But with every strike, every dodge, every counter, Kael's instincts sharpened. He sensed openings before they appeared, felt the rhythm of Raditz's movements, anticipated attacks almost before they began.
The villagers, now watching from a distance, could barely comprehend the spectacle. Trees snapped under invisible pressures, rocks shattered like glass, and the air itself seemed to hum with the intensity of the fight. Kael's adoptive father clutched his chest, awe and fear battling within him, but he knew this boy—his son, in all but blood—was extraordinary.
Raditz's smirk faltered for a moment, replaced by a flicker of unease. He had expected a strong opponent, perhaps a low-level Saiyan, maybe a prodigy—but nothing like this. Kael was different. He moved with instinct, reacted with a precision Raditz had never seen in any Saiyan before. And though he could not yet comprehend it, Raditz knew that this boy would not be easily defeated.
Kael's gaze hardened, golden eyes locking onto Raditz. He didn't know the full extent of his own abilities, but one thing was clear: he would protect this village, his family, and himself at all costs. His tail flicked, aura flaring, body humming with energy as if every cell had awoken.
The fight continued, a storm of light, speed, and instinct. And in the back of Kael's mind, a single truth echoed, unshakable: the quiet life he had known was gone. His existence had been irrevocably changed. The man before him was not merely a threat—he was the first test of everything Kael was meant to become.