CHP 38: 5th Month, Growth...

~Jacob's Pov~

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The air between was riddled with growing tension as the three of us clashed, our energies colliding in a large display of power...

In an instant caught Goku's lightning-fast punch with ease, my hand closing around his wrist like a vice. With a swift motion, I grabbed his arm and slammed him into Piccolo, the two of them crashing together in a tangled mess of limbs.

Piccolo's eyes flashed with anger as he struggled to free himself from Goku's unintended tackle. "GRAAHH!! You're going to pay for that, Jacob!!!" he snarled, his arm glowed with energy at his anger.

Goku, meanwhile, sprang to his feet, a fierce grin spreading across his face. "That was just a warm-up! Let's see how you handle this!" With a swift motion, he launched himself into the air, a Kamehameha wave building in his hands...

I raised my hand, a shield of chakra energy erupting from my palm to deflect the incoming attack. The force of the blast sent me stumbling back a bit, but I refused to yield. The battle us was far from over, and I was ready to take it to the next level. "Bring it on, Goku! I'm not planning on going down without a fight!" I smiled.

After achieving 80% control of my energy, I could use chakra to empower my ki attack, while even increasing my regular energy attack's potency. But, it wasn't perfect, I could only strengthen them by around 20% at most.

They've gotten used to my attack patterns now, it's time I changed it up a bit...

I stopped, and rose my right arm up-forth, then suddenly, a blast of icy energy erupted from my palm, a frozen energy that grew from the ground. The ground beneath their feet crackled, as if the very earth itself was being encased in ice.

Goku and Piccolo watched in awe, their eyes widening as they realized the full extent of my new abilities. "You've... Since when could you use this?!" Goku stammered, his voice sounded as if it was laced with admiration.

I didn't answer the question, of course. Instead, I warned them, "Keep your guards up... This fight is about to get much more difficult." With that said; I increased my ki, vanishing and then reappearing behind both of them.

"Shit! Behind us!" Piccolo yelled, but it was too late. In that moment, I felt a sudden clarity hit me, the area slowed down, unconsciously, I felt my breath become cold and my arms spread apart...

"Perma-Frost," I whispered coolly, releasing my ki in a burst that rapidly chilled the air around us. The once-heated atmosphere plummeted to freezing temperatures.

"Damn it!" Goku shouted, preparing to attack, but his movements were noticeably slower. I smirked, knowing I could use his lack of speed to my advantage.

Every breath they took now turned into a cloud of mist, their movements sluggish in the biting cold. I could see the frost forming on their skin and the strain in their eyes as they fought against the numbing chill.

Goku launched himself at me, his fist cutting through the frosty air. I sidestepped effortlessly, feeling the power of my ki flowing smoothly through my veins, unaffected by the cold I had summoned. His punches were slower, more predictable, and I could read his moves like a book.

"Is this all you've got?" I taunted, darting around him with ease. "I expected more from you, Goku."

Piccolo, determined not to be outdone, tried to flank me from the side. I could see the tension in his muscles, the way his breath came out in harsh gasps. He threw a series of rapid punches, but each one missed its mark, slicing through the air where I had been only a moment before.

"You can't win like this," I said, my voice steady and calm. "Not in this cold."

Goku's eyes narrowed, a spark of determination flickering within them. "We won't just give up," he growled clutching his arm, forcing himself to move faster, to push through the cold. "We'll never give up."

'Sure.' I thought, admiration for his resolve flickered in my heart, but I couldn't afford to let it sway me and make me go easy on them. I had to stay focused, had to keep the upper hand. With a swift movement, I drew my energy inward, readying myself for the next strike.

"Then come at me!" I challenged, my voice echoing through the icy landscape I had created. "Show me what you're made of."

Goku and Piccolo exchanged a glance, a silent agreement passing between them. They lunged at me together, their attacks synchronized. Despite the cold, despite the odds, they fought with a ferocity that was praise worthy...

But I was ready. This was my moment, my chance to prove my over the past month. With a yell, I unleashed my full power, a blinding burst of ki that lit up the frozen battlefield. The shockwave of energy sent them both sprawling, their bodies skidding across the now icy ground.

As the light faded, I stood tall, my breath steady, my heart pounding. They struggled to their feet, determination still burning in their eyes, but I could see the toll the cold had taken on them.

"Alright! Alright! I'm done for!" Goku said, his voice strong despite the exhaustion that weighed on him. Piccolo looked on, but nodded as well...

I nodded, powering down and respecting the fight we had, "I figured" and agreed. "I told you I would beat you guys..."

"Seriously, that was amazing! How did you do that ice attack with your ki?" Goku immediately asked.

I couldn't help but smile at his enthusiasm, "It's... actually something I realized in the middle of our little battle," I explained, "By focusing my ki in a specific way, I can manipulate the temperature around me... It's a technique I'm calling. Perma-Frost. It kinda fits, y'know."

That was the truth, it felt weird saying that; but when I used my ice abilities, it's like information just hit me all at once, and poof my body moved on its own...

Piccolo, still catching his breath, gave me a nod, "Impressive. Not many can control their ki to that extent. Even rarer that one can gain a technique like that mid-fight..."

I shrugged, feeling a bit of pride swell in my chest. "It's not easy. It took me a lot of practice with just my basic abilities, and concentration; even if the idea came to me in a flash during our fight. But in a battle, any edge can make the difference."

Goku grinned, his ki seemingly undiminished by the cold, "Well, it definitely gave you the upper hand. But just you wait—we'll find a way to counter it next time!"

I chuckled, knowing that with Goku, there was always a next time, he was the mc and a genius too, "I'm counting on it. Keeps things interesting."

With that, I waved them both goodbye...

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It's been a few hours, and now I'm just meditating, going through the battle we had earlier hundreds of times... Image training helped with honing one's skills, and it was also a decent way to grow stronger too.

But, I'm still confused; how the hell did I just get a new move like that? Not only that, I could instinctively use it too...

'I'll just think about that tomorrow... First, I'll need a plan on getting goku to train with King-Kai, but how the hell will I get it done...'

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END