Chapter 22: A Power Level of 12,000

Seeing Xavier still in deep meditation, Popo didn't disturb him but chose to sit at a distance instead.

The space inside the Hyperbolic Time Chamber was immense. Although Xavier's previous activities had caused some local fragmentation, they hadn't impacted the overall stability of the space. Honestly, to truly break the spatial structure of the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, Xavier would need to reach at least the level of Super Saiyan 3.

The spatial cracks that had appeared seemed massive, but that was merely a superficial effect caused by his spatial abilities, creating only a small subdimensional layer within the chamber, far from breaking the void and establishing new rules.

After all, his current power was still far too removed from the level of Majin Buu.

In Xavier's understanding, the world of Dragon Ball is filled with powerful beings. While it's not exactly teeming with gods, the fact that there are as many strong fighters as there are is undeniable. What it takes to be considered strong varies with time, but one thing is certain: any one of those top-tier "gods" might unexpectedly emerge from some obscure corner of the universe, inexplicably unknown.

"Gods" are few, but even one could be deadly!

The world of Dragon Ball is dangerous because even a slight delay in progress could result in being ousted from the competition. Therefore, Xavier dislikes only training reactively when threatened by enemies. This doesn't suit his character; he prefers to take the initiative, striving to surpass everyone before any enemy even appears.

Some might view this as a kind of psychological insecurity, a paranoid delusion stemming from a lack of self-confidence. However, this has nothing to do with confidence. Knowing that the world of Dragon Ball is perilous, wouldn't it be foolish to wait until the last moment to train seriously?

To live a better and more prosperous life in this world, strength is regarded as an essential self-imposed requirement, almost a truth.

In Dragon Ball, the strongest enemies sequentially are Frieza, Cell, and Majin Buu, and perhaps later the likes of the God of Destruction Beerus and Zen-Oh should be considered as well.

Knowing the strength of his adversaries, Xavier has no reason to sit back and wait for his demise.

First and foremost, Xavier will soon face the destruction of Planet Vegeta, where he'll confront the first major boss of the Dragon Ball world—Frieza. Of course, to avoid drawing Frieza’s attention and to gain more time to grow, Xavier could choose to dodge this battle, postponing it for a few years.

With the advantage of knowing while the enemy is unaware, and the freedom to make decisions as he sees fit, Xavier relished having the initiative. By now, he no longer regarded characters like King Vegeta as significant threats.

...

The sky above the temple was as serene as ever, the blue sky looking immaculate as if freshly washed by rain, with thin wisps of white mist gracefully floating around the crimson temple.

On the white stone-paved plaza, rows of palm trees stood isolated on either side of the temple.

Not far off, a small girl tirelessly swung her fists and feet, her sharp movements breaking through the air resistance with a buzzing sound, the leaves rustling, the whirlwind she created momentarily overwhelming the trunks of the trees lining the plaza.

Suddenly, Celine’s expression changed slightly, her delicate eyebrows lifting, her silky black hair dancing in the wind.

"This energy, Xavier is out!" she murmured to herself, a hint of joy creeping onto her face.

Sure enough, as she looked towards the entrance of the temple, she saw an orange figure appearing there. Xavier was smiling as he approached her, but as he got closer, Celine frowned, noticing that he had once again grown taller than her.

"Look at you, all sweaty, hair all clumped together."

Xavier chuckled as he touched her cheek and casually draped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into a half-hug.

Celine immediately showed her displeasure, about to speak, but then she sensed the vast, wave-like surge of energy from within Xavier. Her expression grew complicated, and with a cold voice, she said, "Xavier, release all your energy. I want to see just how strong you've become."

Xavier paused, observing the serious yet delicate features of the little girl, and internally noted her competitive spirit. He shrugged helplessly.

Stepping back to maintain a distance from Celine, he then began to unleash his power.

"Whoa!"

Xavier exerted himself, and an overwhelming aura suddenly filled the temple, causing the entire structure, including the Korin Tower below, to tremble as if on the verge of collapse.

A halo of white brilliance hovered inches from his skin, with a pale golden light enveloping his body.

"Crack!"

The stone slabs on the ground trembled and seemed to defy gravity, as if they might float away at any moment.

"Enough!" Celine shouted, sensing instantly that Xavier's power had now overwhelmingly surpassed her own. She pulled out her power scanner and strapped it to her ear, pressing the activation button. In moments, the surge of power transformed into a set of figures right before her eyes.

"12,862!"

A power level over twelve thousand! Celine was secretly astounded, finding it hard to believe that Xavier had surpassed her so greatly after just a year of training in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber. After all, she had prided herself on a power level of only 9,600 until now, but suddenly felt rather sheepish.

It was said that even King Vegeta's power level was just over ten thousand. Could it be that Xavier was now on par with King Vegeta himself?

Her brother... had become the strongest among the Saiyans!

Celine felt a mix of bewilderment and a sudden tremor of pride.

To cover her thoughts, she cleared her throat and haughtily said, "Hmph, your energy might have increased a lot, but I wonder how you'll actually fare in real combat. Don't just talk a big game and fail when it truly matters!"

"Why don't we test it out?" Xavier teased.

"No need for a test. Who wants to train with you..."

Her voice faltered, and in frustration, she bellowed, yet her tone betrayed her nervousness, causing Xavier to burst into laughter.

"Ah, you two should stop bickering. Honestly, that power level I felt earlier gave me chills. Your progress is truly remarkable," Kami said, leaning on his staff as he walked over, smiling at Xavier and Celine.

Despite their quarrels, their bond was exceptionally strong.