Dark Army-Chapter Fourteen
Demon Warriors of Makyo! The Immortal Garlic Jr!
While the battle against Hatchiyack commenced, Luttice and Cloud were tracking down Garlic Jr. As they flew through the air, Cloud cast his gaze over the area, searching for their enemy.
"Any sign of him," Luttice asked.
"None," Cloud replied. "Where is that little goblin hiding?"
"Hey! Do you feel that," Luttice asked. "I just sensed two strong power levels."
Cloud stretched out his own senses and sure enough, he felt it too. "Yeah. I feel them alright. They feel familiar."
"Well, whoever they are, lets hope they're on our side," Luttice said.
"I just hope everyone else is doing okay," Cloud said. "Especially Kora. She just joined up and then this had to happen."
"Well, given what we saw of her sparring with Scarlet, she doesn't seem helpless," Luttice said. "But then we are dealing with some of history's most ruthless villains."
"To be honest, some of them really worry me," Cloud said. "It stands to reason King Cold will be a problem, given he's Frieza's father. And we know about Android #13 and Bojack. But the other three, I'm not all that familiar with."
"We may not know about them, but I'm sure Garlic Jr shouldn't pose too much of a problem for us," Luttice assured him.
Cloud remained silent. Luttice might be correct, but then what did they know about Garlic Jr? What was he capable of? Towa wouldn't have chosen him for nothing. They couldn't afford to underestimate him.
"Hey! There he is," Luttice said, pointing down at the ground.
Cloud glanced in the direction his ally indicated. Sure enough, he spotted Garlic Jr down below. The two Saiyans swooped down and landed on the ground. Garlic Jr was sitting on a makeshift throne of rocks, waiting as the Saiyans approached.
"Welcome, gentlemen," Garlic Jr greeted them. "I'm so glad you could join me."
Cloud hesitated a moment. Garlic Jr was a little too nonchalant for his liking. He surveyed the area, suspecting their foe had set some kind of trap for them.
"Alright, Garlic," Luttice said. "I'll make this simple. Surrender or we'll destroy you."
"Oh, really," Garlic Jr replied, standing up from his seat. "Well, then, Saiyan, come and try."
"If you insist," Luttice said. Without hesitation he charged at Garlic Jr.
"Luttice! Wait," Cloud called after him.
However, his warning came too late. Just as Luttice got within range of Garlic Jr, he found himself attacked by three cloaked figures. Despite being caught unaware, Luttice managed to fight off his attackers. Cloud rushed in to lend a hand only to find himself being waylaid by four other figures wearing cloaks. Cloud reacted quickly, intercepting their attacks and countering. The two Saiyans managed to break away from their opponents and landed several feet away. The cloaked figures landed near Garlic Jr. Grabbing their cloaks, the figures removed them with a flourish, revealing seven non-humans.
"Looks like my hunch was right," Cloud said. "He had a trap laid out for us."
"Just where the hell did these fools come from," Luttice asked. "I didn't see them with the others."
"Allow me to introduce my subordinates," Garlic Jr spoke up. "Nicky, Ginger, and Sansho. And here, we have the Spice Boys: Spice, Vinegar, Mustard, and Salt. Demon warriors of Makyo who serve me."
"Eight against two, huh," Cloud said, smiling slightly. "This just got more interesting."
"I welcome the challenge," Luttice said, cracking his knuckles. "You'll regret challenging two Saiyans."
"You know, this isn't the first time I've dealt with Saiyans," Garlic Jr said. "I recently learned that Goku was in fact a Saiyan. And his son is also a half Saiyan if I'm not mistaken. I guess that would explain why they were as strong as they were."
"What's your point," Cloud asked.
"My point is, I'm aware that you two are Saiyans," Garlic Jr replied. "And I'm also aware of how strong you are. I'm prepared for whatever you have."
Luttice and Cloud looked at each other and smiled. Then they turned their attention back to Garlic Jr.
"Is that so," Cloud said. "I know you fought Goku once years ago. And you even faced Gohan. But you see, Garlic, you never saw the full potential of the Saiyans."
"You're wasting your breath, Saiyan," Spice spoke up. "Whatever so-called potential you claim to have will not help you here."
"Really? So tell me," Luttice said. "Have you ever heard of a Super Saiyan?"
"And just what is that supposed to be," Ginger asked. "Are we supposed to be impressed or something?"
"Yeah. Just what makes it so super," Mustard said. "Do you put on a cape and some tights?"
This brought derisive laughter from the gathered demons. Their laughter abruptly stopped when, in a brilliant flash of golden light, both Cloud and Luttice transformed into Super Saiyans. Needless to say, this definitely surprised their enemies.
"So, still think it's a laughing matter," Cloud asked.
"So your hair's a different color, big deal," Spice said.
"Oh, it's not just our hair that's changed," Luttice said. "Our power has increased exponentially as well."
"Prove it," Sansho challenged.
Luttice moved in a flash and before Sansho knew it, he was vaporized in an instant. The gathered demons stared in shock at the smoldering spot where their companion had been a moment ago.
"So, was that convincing enough," Luttice asked.
"Oh, you're going to pay for that," Nicky snarled.
Both he and Ginger pulled out blades and charged at the smirking Saiyan. Before they reached him, however, they were intercepted by Cloud. The Saiyan warrior blocked the blades with his arms and then shattered them. Grabbing Ginger, Cloud launched him into the air and sent a blast of ki after him, destroying him in an instant. Turning, he intercepted an attack from Nicky. He then landed a solid punch on Nicky and then obliterated him with a powerful ki blast.
"Three down," Luttice said, smiling at Garlic Jr and his men. "So who wants to be next?"
"Towa could have warned me about this," Garlic muttered. "Does Goku also have this kind of power?" Aloud, he said, "Fine. It seems I did underestimate your power. But don't think the rest of us will go down so easily. Towa gave us a means to combat you."
"We're well aware of Towa's magic," Cloud said. "Granted it will make you stronger, but that doesn't guarantee you'll still beat us."
"Oh, it's not just Towa's magic that will help us," Garlic Jr replied. "As it is, we brought along another source to further increase our power." He glanced up at the sky. "Ah! And there it is now! Take a look, Saiyans!"
Cloud and Luttice looked up and gasped in surprise! Positioned high above them was a red and black planet. An eerie feeling permeated the air making Cloud shiver.
"What the hell is that," Luttice demanded.
"That, my friend, is the Makyo Star," Garlic Jr explained. "Where my men and I come from. Originally it was destroyed, but fortunately Towa was able to use her power to bring it from the past to this location. That star enhances the power of all Makayans. With the combined power of Towa's magic and the Makyo Star, I'd say we'll be more than a match for you. Show them, boys."
At Garlic Jr's command, the four remaining warriors suddenly bulked up, growing bigger. At the same time, their eyes flared red and a dark aura surrounded them, signifying Towa's magic had just taken effect.
"Okay, now I'm a bit concerned," Cloud said.
"Nothing we can't handle," Luttice said. "We'll take two each. Then we'll deal with their boss."
Cloud nodded and then they charged at their enemies. Cloud aimed for Spice and Salt while Luttice went after Mustard and Vinegar. Cloud and his two opponents flew across the ground as they fought, the two demons moving fast and hammering at the Saiyan with fierce hits.
"I'll admit, Saiyan," Spice said as he attacked, "This Super Saiyan form of yours seems adequate enough. But ultimately, it will fail."
"We'll see about that," Cloud replied.
He gasped in surprise when Spice's hair suddenly began moving and then became longer. The strands shot out and grabbed onto Cloud, holding him tightly. Cloud struggled to break free. Salt suddenly appeared before Cloud and then began punching him repeatedly in the face.
"Not so tough now, huh, Saiyan," Salt mocked as he pummeled Cloud. "And here I thought you'd be tougher than this!"
Before he could any further, Cloud surprised both of them with a burst of energy as he transformed into Super Saiyan 2. The strands of hair broke and Cloud was free. Reaching out, he grabbed Salt and pulled the diminutive demon close so they were face to face.
"You want to see just how tough I am," Cloud said, his voice low and menacing. "Then let me show you."
His fist lashed out and caught Salt right in his face, rocking the demon warrior's head back and stunning him. Whirling around, Cloud sent Salt flying through the air to crash into a nearby building. The Saiyan warrior then turned his attention to Spice and flew at him. Both combatants clashed, throwing fierce punches and kicks at each other.
At the same time, Luttice was up in the air along with Mustard and Vinegar. Luttice put some distance between himself and his foes and launched a volley of ki orbs at them. Mustard and Vinegar dodged around the projectiles and then sent two energy beams at the Saiyan. Luttice charged up and fired off a powerful beam of his own. Both attacks struck and a struggle ensued, with both sides trying to overpower the other. Smiling, Luttice spread his arms and the beam separated into two more additional beams and curved around, converging on the two demon warriors. Both staggered as the beams struck, catching them off guard and allowing Luttice move in and resume the attack.
"Damn you, Saiyan," Mustard snarled.
"Let's see you handle this," Vinegar said.
The two demons concentrated their energy. From the ground, chunks of rock and other debris lifted into the air and flew towards Luttice. The Saiyan warrior dodged around several stones and then proceeded to blast the rest of the debris into dust.
"A cheap trick like that isn't going to stop me," Luttice said.
Suddenly a gigantic slab of stone came hurtling towards him. The slab slammed into him, sending Luttice crashing into the ground.
"Heh. So much for him," Mustard laughed.
As he finished saying this, there was a massive explosion and a bright golden light erupted from the stone slab, reducing it to pebbles. Standing there, aura glowing brighter and energy crackling around him, Luttice emerged from the dusty haze. Taking flight, he rejoined the two demons. He was battered but looked far from done.
"It's going to take a lot more than that to stop me," Luttice said. With that, he charged his two opponents and the battle resumed.
Down below, Garlic Jr watched the battle from the comfort of his stone throne. As he watched, he suddenly realized he wasn't alone. Towa had appeared and stood next to him.
"Ah, Towa," Garlic Jr greeted her. "Decided to drop in and see how things are going?"
"But of course," Towa replied. "I trust the Makyo Star is proving sufficient?"
"Absolutely," Garlic Jr said. "And your magic is certainly making a difference too. Still, those Saiyans are strong. I wasn't aware of those Super Saiyan forms."
"Don't worry," Towa said. "Strong as they are, they won't stand a chance against you and your minions."
"Hmm. We'll see," Garlic Jr replied. "So far, the fight seems evenly matched. It's possible those Saiyans could win. But then, they don't know that I cannot be destroyed."
"Exactly," Towa said. "Even if they prove to be stronger than you, thanks to your immortality, you'll outlast them. And once they've worn themselves out, they'll be easy pickings."
Back at the battle, both Luttice and Cloud were being hard pressed by the enhanced demon warriors. The two Saiyans managed to break off from the fight to regroup.
"Okay, so they're much tougher than I thought," Luttice admitted.
"They have two different power sources boosting their strength," Cloud said. "We've never dealt with anything like this before. I think it's time we stepped it up a bit more."
"Super Saiyan 3," Luttice asked.
"Super Saiyan 3," Cloud agreed.
Powering up, the two Saiyan warriors transformed into Super Saiyan 3. They then charged at their opponents and attacked. The four demons were caught off guard as the two Saiyans struck, surprising them with their enhanced strength and speed. Regrouping, the Makayans moved in to attack the two Saiyans.
"What is this," Garlic Jr exclaimed. "They changed again?"
"Super Saiyan 3," Towa said. "I guess they decided Level Two wasn't enough. I had a feeling they'd resort to this."
"Why didn't you warn me about this," Garlic Jr snarled. "The first form was surprising enough, but now there are two other levels as well?"
"Calm down, Garlic," Towa said. "This battle isn't over yet. And it's still 2 against 4."
"Well, that's all well and good," Garlic Jr said. "But that hardly changes the fact that this isn't quite going my way!"
"Then we'll just have to correct that," Towa said. "As it is I was prepared for this."
"What more can be done," Garlic Jr asked. "You've already infused my warriors with your power. And we already have the Makyo Star."
"It's true your men have the benefit of my magic," Towa said. "But, there is something else that can benefit from it as well."
She glanced up into the sky. Garlic Jr followed her gaze and saw she was looking up at the Makyo Star. An evil grin crossed his face as he got the gist of what she was getting at.
"Ahh, I see," he said.
"If you think the Makyo Star's power is great now, just wait until I infuse it with my magic," Towa said. Raising her staff, she pointed up at the star and activated her spell. The star was immediately enveloped in a darker aura and Garlic Jr felt his power increase even more.
"What a rush," he said. "This is amazing! I've never felt such power before!"
"And it's the same with your men," Towa said. "Look."
Up in the air, Luttice and Cloud had the Makayan warriors on the ropes. The power of their Super Saiyan 3 forms were proving effective. Before long, the Spice Boys were starting to look battered and worn out.
"Well, boys," Luttice said. "Hope you've had fun, because playtime's over.
However, Luttice's words fell short when Towa's magic kicked in and strengthened the power of the Makyo Star. Suddenly, the auras surrounding the demons flared up and the two Saiyans felt their power shoot up higher.
"What the," Cloud exclaimed. "Their power just increased even more!" He glanced up and noticed the aura surrounding the Makyo Star.
"There's the problem," Luttice said, also noticing.
"It must be Towa's doing," Cloud said. "She used her magic on the star and increased it's power."
"Well, this just got more complicated," Luttice growled.
With that, the Spice Boys charged at the two Saiyans, who now they found themselves on the defensive as their opponents began overwhelming them. Spice and Salt landed several hits on them and then Vinegar and Mustard launched strands of ki webbing from their fingertips, ensnaring Cloud and Luttice.
"Damn it," Cloud swore. "Not this again!"
"Hold them right there, guys," Spice said, smiling maliciously. "Salt and I want a little ''target practice''."
Laughing evilly, the two demons tightened their hold on the Saiyans. Spice and Salt then began pelting them with ki blasts.
Garlic Jr laughed as he watched the spectacle from below. "Now this is entertainment!" He called up to his men. "Don't kill them just yet, boys! I want to have a little fun with them before we finish them off!"
"You got it, boss," Mustard called back.
They released their hold on the Saiyans and let them drop to the ground where they reverted back to normal. Garlic Jr and Towa approached them, just as the four Makayan warriors landed on the ground..
"My, my," Towa said. "That power boost was even better than I expected."
"I can't thank you enough, Towa," Garlic Jr said. "With this power I'm invincible. I'll even be able to get revenge on Goku and his friends. But first there's the matter of these two."
"Hmm. Well, as much as I would like to stay and watch, I have to go check up on some things," Towa said. "I'll leave you to deal with them." With that, she disappeared.
"Suit yourself," Garlic Jr said. "Now then, time to finish these two Saiyans off."
Cloud looked up as Garlic Jr approached. He and Luttice were in pretty bad shape. But they weren't done yet. Nestled in his pocket was a bottle of Senzu Energy Drink. If he could get it out and take a drink...
"Well, Saiyan, this is the end of the line for you," Garlic Jr said.
He raised his hand, preparing to finish Cloud off. Suddenly a blast of ki streaked through the air and struck Garlic Jr, sending him flying backwards. Four more blasts caught Spice and his companions by surprise and sent them crashing into nearby piles of debris. Cloud and Luttice looked up as someone descended from the air and they were surprised to see it was Vegeta.
"So, is this a private party or can anyone attend," Vegeta asked.
"Whew. That was a little too close for comfort," Elder Kai said. "Thank goodness Vegeta showed up when he did."
"What gives," Jaco said. "I would have thought those two could easily handle those guys."
"I don't see you out there defeating anyone," Elder Kai retorted. "At least they're out there fighting instead of cowering in here."
"Oh, look who's talking," Jaco replied. "You're supposed to be a Deity, right? Why aren't you out there fighting?"
"Do I like look I'm in any shape to fight," Elder Kai snapped. "I'm too old for this sort of thing!"
"Please, calm down, you two," The Supreme Kai spoke up. "Jaco, you have to understand. Towa's magic not only enhanced the Makayan's powers, but they also had the Makyo Star to further boost it. And if that wasn't enough, Towa was able to use her power to increase the effects of the Makyo Star even more. That's a massive power boost, one that can give two Saiyan warriors like Cloud and Luttice a very tough fight, even when they're Super Saiyan 3. And something else to consider, SSJ3 can only be maintained for a short time. It uses up a lot of energy and those two have barely used it enough to get accustomed to it.
But it's not over yet. Don't forget, they still have one more ace up their sleeves. And with Vegeta there to help out, they'll definitely win this battle. But I'm more concerned about Garlic Jr himself. He's much stronger than his henchmen, and he's immortal. Even if those three can defeat his lackeys and manage to beat Garlic, they won't be able to destroy him."
"Hmm. That does pose a problem, doesn't it," Elder Kai said. "The usual tactics certainly won't work here."
"And unfortunately I doubt Garlic's going to open up the Dead Zone," Korin spoke up. "That's how Goku and his friends were able to beat him the last couple of times. He'll have learned from those last encounters."
"So what do we do about him then," Jaco asked.
"Well, even if Garlic cannot be destroyed, he can still be beaten," The Supreme Kai said. "If the others can weaken him enough, then he won't be able to pose a problem. If he's incapacitated enough, we won't have to worry about him until after this whole situation is resolved. Then we'll figure out what to do with him."
"Imprisonment is pretty much our only option," Elder Kai said. "Perhaps we might be able to open up the Dead Zone ourselves and banish him back there."
"If that's what it takes, then that's what we'll do," The Supreme Kai said. "It's certainly not the first time I've banished someone to another dimension."
Cloud and Luttice had managed to get to their feet and both had downed an energy drink and were now back up to full strength.
"Thanks for helping us out back there, Vegeta," Cloud said.
"You call yourselves Saiyan warriors," Vegeta said by way of reply. "Super Saiyan 3 and you still let them beat you?"
"Who the hell do you think you are talking to us like that," Luttice snapped. "We had them until that witch did something to that damn star in the sky!"
"What do you mean," Vegeta asked.
"Towa enhanced the power of the Makyo Star," Cloud explained. "It's power was strong enough, but with Towa's enhancement it's even worse. Not to mention she used her power on the Makayans themselves. I never imagined it would make them that strong. We underestimated them. A mistake we're not making a second time."
"Damn right, we're not," Luttice said. "I'm going to show them what happens when they challenge the might of a Saiyan!"
"Now that's more like it," Vegeta said. "I just hope you two can back those words up."
"Oh, we can and we will," Cloud assured him.
By now Garlic Jr and his men had recovered from Vegeta's surprise attacks. They approached the three Saiyans, Garlic in the lead.
"I don't know who you are," he said, addressing Vegeta. "But you'll regret interfering."
"I'm supposed to be intimidated by a little goblin like you," Vegeta taunted. "You should know you're up against one of the strongest Saiyans ever to live."
"Is that right," Garlic Jr said. "Well, then, perhaps I should slip into something more appropriate for this occasion."
Suddenly Garlic Jr expanded and shot up several feet. Standing before the Saiyan Prince, Garlic Jr now towered over him, his body bigger and bulging with muscle. Rather than look surprised or worried, Vegeta just smiled.
"So, you decided to show your full strength, huh," he said. "Let me return the favor and show the greatest power any Saiyan has ever achieved."
In a flash of brilliant blue light, Vegeta transformed into Super Saiyan God Super Saiyan. Everyone stared in surprise, including Cloud and Luttice.
"Is...Is that..." Cloud asked.
"Super Saiyan God," Luttice said.
"No," Vegeta replied. "This is a level past Super Saiyan God."
"A level past Super Saiyan God," Cloud exclaimed. "It's actually possible to achieve a level of power like that? Amazing."
"If you're done gawking, then I suggest you transform as well so we can finish this battle," Vegeta said.
"Oh, right," Cloud said. "Luttice? I think it's time we pulled out our trump card."
"I couldn't agree more," Luttice said.
Powering up, both Saiyans transformed. However, unlike before, they didn't go Super Saiyan 3. Instead, they went straight to their strongest form: Super Saiyan 4!
"Hm. Impressive," Vegeta said. "Now, lets show them why you should never underestimate a Saiyan."
End of Chapter Fourteen...