"Are you asking to fight me?"
Nail frowned as he looked at Zuke, noticing the sharp look in his eyes and understanding his intent. He didn't think Zuke wanted to kill him; if that were the case, there would be no need for him to ask for permission. It seemed more likely that Zuke had gained a new ability and wanted to spar to test it out.
Instinctively, Nail was about to refuse. Although he didn't fear combat, he was, after all, the Grand Elder's guard. If he left, who would protect the Grand Elder? What if something unexpected happened?
However, just as he was about to decline, he paused for a moment and held his words back. Ultimately, he closed his mouth and nodded silently.
"So the Grand Elder agreed?"
Seeing this, Zuke guessed the situation and couldn't help but chuckle. He noticed Nail's reluctance, but it was apparent that the Grand Elder didn't mind letting him spar. The Grand Elder had likely used telepathy to tell Nail to train with him.
Even though Nail didn't seem to like Zuke much, he couldn't disobey the Grand Elder's orders, as the Grand Elder's wishes were his command.
"Enough chatter."
Perhaps due to his dislike of Zuke, Nail's tone became a bit harsher. He certainly wasn't as calm as when he had just helped Zuke make a wish.
"Don't fight here; let's go to my spaceship."
Seeing that Nail was about to engage, Zuke shook his head and pointed at a cube-shaped spaceship in the distance. The interior of the spaceship had been transformed by Shenron into a Hyperbolic Time Chamber, and Zuke wanted to test its effects.
After all, training under ten times the gravity should be more effective than outside.
"Aren't you worried about damaging your spaceship?"
Although he knew Zuke's intention was just to spar, and not a real battle to the death, he was still concerned that the spaceship might be too small. He was slightly worried that if he damaged it, Zuke might end up stranded on Namek.
If Zuke knew what Nail was thinking, he would likely scoff. What was there to stick around for on this entertainment-barren planet? Stay and wait a year to make another wish with the Dragon Balls?
"If you manage to break that ship, it would mean your strength is quite remarkable."
Hearing Nail's concern, Zuke could only say he was overthinking it. It was a ship of the gods, usually operated by angels, with a durability comparable to the toughest Plasteel in the universe—strong enough to withstand blows from Super Saiyan Blue Goku and Vegeta.
…
"So this is the Hyperbolic Time Chamber."
Upon entering the cube spaceship, Nail felt a weight press down on him, realizing why Zuke wanted to fight here. Training in such a harsh environment often yielded greater results, a basic principle for martial artists. Not only did time flow differently here, but the chamber also had ten times the gravity and low oxygen levels, which would significantly enhance their training.
Moreover, according to Dragon Ball Super manga, the Hyperbolic Time Chamber was an isolated space separate from the universe.
"Let's begin."
After stretching and adjusting to the gravity, Zuke eagerly looked at Nail. In response, Nail nodded and made the first move.
In a flash, Nail appeared in front of Zuke, his right fist striking toward Zuke's face. Though simple in appearance, his fist was charged with considerable energy, packing a dangerous punch.
Zuke raised his hand, intercepting the punch with his palm. Feeling the force, he evaluated it in his mind. The strength was significant but seemed roughly on par with his own basic punches.
Missing the first strike, Nail followed up with a swift high kick aimed at Zuke's chin. Zuke dodged, then summoned a dark bird from behind, which unleashed a flurry of punches toward Nail.
"What is…!"
Though unable to see the bird, Nail sensed a threat from all directions, and his expression changed slightly. Tracking the invisible attacks, he dodged with several swift maneuvers, deflecting one of the bird's punches with his hand and successfully evading the assault.
Landing, Nail realized Zuke had some invisible techniques up his sleeve, and his face grew serious. Zuke could sense that Nail's energy had thickened, indicating he was preparing to get serious.
In the next moment, Nail launched a fierce assault, using both fists and feet in a relentless barrage. Zuke countered, defending against Nail's strikes while using the dark bird to deliver a series of counterattacks.
At this point, Zuke noticed the difference between himself and Nail. In terms of pure combat power, they were evenly matched—Zuke's current power level floated around 4. He could gauge this based on the strength of Nail's attacks. However, Nail's combat skills and experience far surpassed his own. Despite matching Nail's power, Zuke could only barely block his strikes, struggling to find openings to counter.
Without the dark bird, Zuke would be on the defensive. Fortunately, the bird allowed him to launch counterattacks, creating a seemingly balanced fight.
Bang!
A punch landed on Nail's abdomen, making him grimace slightly as he was forced back. Initially, Zuke and the dark bird could only hold a defensive stance against Nail. Now, Zuke could create opportunities to strike.
"Impressive progress…"
Nail felt the pain in his abdomen and gritted his teeth, surprised that Zuke could land effective hits so quickly. He realized that while Zuke's power and speed matched his own, his combat skills lagged far behind. Zuke could only keep up due to that unusual ability of his. But now, that balance had shifted. Previously only able to defend, Zuke was now finding chances to attack.
If Zuke's capability had initially been at 50%, and the dark bird allowed him to perform at 100%, then now, with improved technique, Zuke could bring out 60% on his own. With the dark bird, Nail was starting to fall behind.
Zuke understood the reason for his rapid improvement.
"It's the Turtle School techniques," he thought.
In his sparring with Nail, the Turtle School techniques were flowing from his memory, becoming one with his body.
To be continued…
No spoilers! Gigamesh vs Zuke is peak, find out more on my Patreon!
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