Kryptonians: Man of Steel

Chapter 1673 The Despicable Cosmic Emperor
"I am an Earthling, and my name is Son Gohan!"

Son Gohan's voice was calm as still water, yet it carried a resolute quality that penetrated the soul.

His golden flames burned steadily, unlike the violent fluctuations of other warriors, but were as constant and intense as the sun.

There was no wavering in those emerald eyes, as if they were stating an eternal truth.

Frieza's crimson eyes narrowed slightly, and a cruel smile curled at the corner of his mouth: "Earthling? Very well, I'll remember you."

His body was undergoing terrifying changes; his muscles were expanding at a visible rate, and the energy field around him was becoming thicker and more frightening.

The land of Namek groaned under the immense pressure of his energy, and distant lakes began to boil, rising in a hazy mist.

At this point, Frieza had recovered 50% of his energy, and his fighting power had exceeded 6000 million.

He felt the surging power within him, and confidence returned to his face.

"Go to hell, Earthlings!"

Frieza brought his hands together in front of his chest, and a huge ball of energy quickly condensed into shape.

This was no ordinary energy wave; it was a fatal blow that concentrated most of his energy.

Dangerous purple arcs of electricity crackled across the surface of the energy sphere, while its interior was compressed with terrifying energy powerful enough to destroy a planet.

At this critical moment, Gohan's ki underwent another astonishing change.

His energy was compressed rapidly, like a turbocharger, and then exploded with a roar.

At that moment, his speed surpassed Frieza's visual perception, leaving only a fading golden afterimage in place.

Just as Frieza's energy ball was about to leave his grasp, Gohan appeared beside him like a ghost.

A precise chop to Frieza's wrist interrupted the energy ball's condensation process perfectly.

Immediately afterwards, Gohan's body spun around, and a heavy roundhouse kick slammed into Frieza's head.

With a muffled thud, Frieza was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing through three of Namek's distinctive emerald-colored mountains before finally coming to a stop.

Amidst the flying debris and dust, Frieza's face was extremely grim.

He wiped the purple blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, a shock he had never felt before welling up inside him.

"How can this be?"

Frieza pondered to himself.

"Even Burt of the Ginyu Force, known as the fastest man in the universe, couldn't possibly be this fast. Or does this Earthling possess some kind of time-related superpower like Gudu?"

As the emperor of the universe, Frieza had witnessed countless special abilities, but the combination of pure speed and power that Gohan displayed was completely beyond his comprehension.

What troubled Frieza the most was that Gohan's attacks could easily break through his defenses.

Even though there is a power difference of tens of millions between the two, Gohan's energy seems to have a peculiar property, capable of breaking through a point and causing substantial damage.

This passive and defensive situation made Frieza feel a long-lost sense of humiliation.

He recalled how he had just boasted that he would show these inferior creatures true power, but in the blink of an eye, he had been caught off guard by a teenager.

However, Frieza was ultimately an emperor who had roamed the universe for many years.

Realizing that he would have little advantage in a direct confrontation, he immediately changed his tactics.

His crimson eyes swept over the Namekians in the distance.

Frieza's lips curled into a sinister smile.

"Since I can't hit you, I'll make you come to me on your own."

Without any warning, a crimson beam of death suddenly coalesced at Frieza's fingertip. This beam was more concentrated than any of his previous attacks, and the energy it contained made even Namekians several kilometers away feel a chill.

The death beam shot toward Piccolo at an astonishing speed, distorting the space in its path.

Son Gohan's pupils suddenly contracted.

He had anticipated Frieza's intentions the moment the death beam was fired.

Although he knew it was likely a trap, he couldn't risk the lives of the Namekians.

"boom!!!"

Golden flames erupted once more, and Gohan vanished from his spot, reappearing in front of Piccolo in the next instant.

His movements were so fast that he left a clear golden afterimage in the spot, which slowly dissipated after several seconds.

Son Gohan crossed his arms in front of his chest, and his aura formed a solid shield.

The death beam struck the shield, creating a deafening explosion.

The energy shockwave spread outwards, stirring up clouds of dust, and the Namekian land was torn open by the aftershocks of this attack, creating several bottomless cracks.

As the smoke and dust slowly dissipated, Son Gohan still stood there, his golden aura showing no signs of weakening.

To Frieza's astonishment, the boy was not only unharmed, but hadn't even moved back an inch.

"How can it be?!"

Frieza finally couldn't help but gasp in surprise.

Son Gohan calmly gazed at the Emperor of the Universe, his eyes gleaming with wisdom.

Through the extreme compression of energy via turbocharging, his air has reached an astonishing density.

Although there is still a gap in overall combat power, he even surpasses Frieza in terms of energy defense per unit area.

"Hahaha, Earthling, why don't you keep hiding?"

Frieza quickly regained his composure and was thrilled that his tactics had worked.

"It seems these Namekians are very important to you."

Son Gohan's face remained calm, but a hint of coldness appeared in his eyes.

As someone who has undergone rigorous training and possesses a mature mind, he was not provoked by such despicable tactics. Instead, he calmly responded: "A dignified emperor of the universe, resorting to hostages as a threat when you can't defeat others? Is this all there is to your pride and dignity?"

These words were like a sharp sword, precisely piercing Frieza's sore spot.

The Emperor of the Universe's expression twisted instantly, his purple lips trembling with rage.

He was indeed proud of his strength, having ruled the universe for many years without ever encountering a worthy opponent.

But now they have no choice but to resort to such despicable means to deal with a teenager.

Pride? Dignity?

Frieza's voice became sharp and menacing.

"Only the living have the right to talk about these things! The dead have no right!"

Before he finished speaking, he waved his hands repeatedly, and dozens of beams of death shot out in all directions like a torrential rain.

These beams were not all aimed at Gohan, but were shot at every Namekian present at various tricky angles.

This is an extremely insidious tactic: if Gohan chooses to protect himself, the Namekians will suffer heavy casualties; if he wants to protect everyone, he will have to disperse his power, thus revealing a weakness.

(End of this chapter)