Chapter Six

A Saiyan gets stronger every time he comes close to death

The next time Korrin and Mr Popo came by for Trunk's swordsmanship training, Vegeta used the opportunity to do some of his own, more extreme training away from his son. He locked himself in the gravity room and moved to the center of it, widening his stance and looking down at the bag of senzu's clenched his fist.

He'd done this before, but never alone. It was risky, but he had to try it. He held his palm flat against his abdomen, and focused his ki. The heat of it burned his abdomen already- but he wasn't going to stop. He shut his eyes, and took a deep breath before blasting a hole in his own lower torso. The pain of it was all consuming. It engulfed him- just as horrible as it had been when he'd made the short bald on do the same.

He hit the ground with a bang, pain blinding and consuming him as his organs struggled to function, his chest throbbing as his heart endeavored to keep going with so much blood pouring out of him. He pulled a Senzu bean out of the bag, and ate it.

The act of chewing it was so difficult that he almost didn't make it- he almost blacked out before he could swallow- but he didn't. He could feel his organs regrowing, slick and wet with blood as they healed and slipped back into place and the muscle and skin regrew around the wound.

It only took a moment, before he was completely healed, and felt like new. Better than new. He stood up and clenched his fist tightly. He was stronger than before. Much, much stronger. He could keep going. He was burning enough energy that it would be safe.

He did it again, this time placing the senzu in his mouth, between his teeth before he blasted his own leg off. The pain of it made him clench his jaw and bite down on the senzu- than all he had to do was swallow, and watch in disgust and amazement as his whole leg regrew- stronger than before. He did the other leg to even it out.

Than each arm.

Than his torso again.

And repeat.

And repeat.

And repeat.

By the end of the season, he was exhausted despite the beans. It was a mental exhaustion. He couldn't bring himself to do it again- while his body was healed the memory of the pain was still so fresh, and left phantom pains running up and down his limbs. Besides, he needed to train with his new strength, to get used to it. He didn't dare power up here in case it was too much and broke the most valuable room in the house.

He left the ship, flying past Trunks and Mr Popo, who were training just outside.
"Papa?" Trunks asked, pausing and looking up at his dad in amazement. "Papa wow! What did you do you got so much stronger-"
"I trained. I need to go test something. You stay put. I'll be back in… I don't know, an hour?" He waited for Mr Popo's little nod before he left. He needed to try out his power- someplace

away from Trunks, and the androids. According to the radio they were on a different continent now, so he should be okay if he just stayed low.

He found a little hunk of nowhere, then punched and blasted his way down into the ground. the rocks felt almost soft against his skin. When he was deep enough, he blasted out a little cavern, and stood in the middle.

Than, he powered up.

The golden glow came so easily now- he barely had to try before he was radiating it's power. He pushed more, and more, until the cavern around him was collapsing. The ground unable to withstand his power and breaking into rubble around him as he pushed himself.

At first there was nothing. No change, not really. So it had all been for nothing. He'd worked all this time, and nearly killed himself for nothing. Anger filled him so completely, that he stopped pushing- but the power kept coming. Flowing out of him harder and harder until he felt something give- like a damn in his chest. He felt the cool wash of new, untapped power flowing over him and it was incredible. He looked down at his hands, they were bigger than before- he imagined he was too. This was a new level of super saiyan. He wished he had a mirror- but didn't. From looking down, all he could see was that he'd bulked up, and that his hair had shot out of his head and now hung down below his ass while it bounced in his god like golden aura. Perfect. He could kill the androids now.

He didn't know what this new level was called but for now he'd refer to it as super saiyan three.

Trunks was waiting by the mouth of the cave when Vegeta returned. He hovered there with his fists clenched tight and his own power flowing around him. His eyes were wide with excitement, and awe as Vegeta broke the surface of the water. He flew to meet Vegeta before the man could even set foot on the shore.
"WAS THAT YOU DAD!?" He asked, wasting no time at all. "I couldn't just feel that! I could taste that! That was so amazing? how far away were you? How did you get that strong? Where did you go? Did you see the cyborgs? Did they attack you? Did you get into a fight with th-"
"Quiet, boy." Vegeta said, feigning aggression he didn't feel for his son right now. The boy looked so impressed, so eager to learn more- Vegeta couldn't help the swelling feeling in his chest.
"I've been training too, you know." He said simply. "I went about five hundred miles to the north, away from the cyborgs. But they can't sense power levels, so they had no idea where i was. I didn't stick around though."
"Why did you go out there, than papa?"
"I needed to test my strength. Popo and the cat didn't leave you here alone did they?"
"No, Mr Popo and Korin are at the ship. Popo said i could come wait for you after your energy went back to normal and they figured you were coming back." Trunks flew circles around his father.
"So why did you need to test it out there, huh papa? Is it because you were afraid you'd be sooo powerful you broke the ship?"
"Yes."
"Wow! Papa that's so cool I can't believe it can you train me more so i can be a super saiyan too? I wanna be strong like you! I know i can do it!" He bounced off the cave wall where it narrowed because he wasn't paying attention to where he was going. Vegeta snorted.
"Owww-" Trunks held the crown of his head where it had hit the rock. He even lowered himself to the ground to hold his head and hiss in pain.
"Come here." Vegeta landed by his son and picked through his hair to find the spot.
"Owww- Papa!" Trunks whined and tried to pull his head away.
"Hold still, boy." He pawed through the purple hair until he found the little bump. He wasn't bleeding.
"You're fine. You didn't break the skin." He told Trunks. "Just watch where you're going." He let Trunks go.
"Okay, but Papa- How did you get so strong?!" He rubbed the bump and shook his head.
"I just trained. This didn't happen suddenly, Trunks. You just weren't paying attention while you played with your sword."
"It's not playing, papa! Come on!" Trunks whined and followed his father deeper into the cave and to the ship.

Korin was standing outside, waiting.
"Ah good, Trunks! Get back to your practise swings while your father cleans up for dinner."
"Ah but Mr. Korin I wa-"
"No back talk. Do as he says, boy." Vegeta growled. Trunks pouted and sluggishly went back to his training.
"Mr Popo is waiting for you in the gravity room." Korin whispered when Vegeta passed.

Baffled, Vegeta went straight to the gravity room, and he understood at once. He'd left it a horrific mess. His own blood and limbs covered the floor and stained the walls. Mr Popo was standing there, quietly by the door.
"I made sure Trunks didn't see." Was all he said. It was all he needed to say.
"Thank you." Vegeta stepped into the room and considered how he'd go about cleaning this mess up. "Can you keep him busy until I'm done here?"
"Yes. But next time you decide to mutilate yourself for a shortcut to power, think of him and what would happen to his young mind if he were exposed to this."
"I was, as a kid." Vegeta Scoffed, and Mr Popo started down the hall, hands clasped neatly behind his back.
"My point exactly."

End

Notes: Thanks for reading! This ten chapter fic updates every Sunday night! So check back in next week to find out what happens next!