[A/N] Hey guys, SilverSaiyan44 here back with the 21st chapter of Revenge of the Saiyans. Deepest apology for the slight delay on this chapter. I honestly got lazy and lost motivation, no excuses. I'll definitely try to get the rest of this saga out at a much more regular pace.
But enough about this boring scheduling nonsense. Back to the story! So the reception of the last chapter was more than I had expected considering the long hiatus I took, which is greatly appreciated. The fact that so many of you have been so patient with this story is so incredible. Not to mention the surge of new followers and reviewers that emerged in my absence, which is just incredible.
That being said though, I think you guys deserve a bit more of an action-packed chapter after that expositional onslaught I hit you with last time. So I hope you guys enjoy the chapter as always, and I'll see you at the end.
Chapter 21 Guldo, Psychic Master
"The Ginyu what…?" Yamcha stated in genuine confusion. It had been almost a full minute since the mysterious invaders had made their grand entrance, yet the scar-faced fighter was still questioning whether or not he'd been knocked into a delusional coma.
"They're known as the Ginyu Force," Vegeta grumbled as he stood up to face the group of aliens. "One of Frieza's most effective and feared special tasks groups, the Ginyu Force is a name infamous around the galaxy for their unrivaled kill counts and sadistic tactics," the Saiyan prince explained through gritted teeth as his gaze met Captain Ginyu's intense stare.
The captain smirked cockily at Vegeta's harsh scowl. "I'm glad to see our reputation precedes us," he said.
Tien Shinhan slowly got up, the blast mark still evident on his white shirt. "You can't be serious," the triclops remarked skeptically as he glanced at the five flamboyant aliens.
Nappa grunted as he stood up. "Believe it," he said grimly. "They may look fruity, but these bastards can do some serious damage."
Just from the intensity in Nappa's eyes, Tien could tell that the former general was speaking genuinely.
Several seconds later, all of the Z warriors had gotten up and brushed off their minor injuries.
Goku, who now held a frightened Gohan in his arms, glanced at the five mysterious warriors. He could tell just by looking at them that they were a serious threat. Unlike Turles and his band of pirates, it was clear that the Ginyu Force was disciplined and coordinated. Their initial attack alone was enough to give the spiky-haired fighter chills of both uncertainty, and excitement.
At that moment, Krillin stepped forward. "You don't have to convince me," the former Orin monk interjected. "With the way those freaks came at us, I'm surprised we're still breathing."
As the Earthlings chattered about the Ginyu Force's power, Vegeta focused his attention on the captain himself; who had remained relatively silent since his arrival. The cocky grin plastered onto the horned alien's face only made the Saiyan prince's already strained patience run thinner.
"What do you want here, Ginyu?" the flame-haired warrior inquired, breaking the silence that had befallen the group.
The captain smiled and crossed his arms over his chest. "I think we both know why I'm here, Vegeta," he answered. "You and your Saiyan friends made the suicidal decision of betraying Lord Frieza. My men and I are here to ensure your capture," Ginyu explained matter-of-factly.
Nappa felt his blood beginning to boil at the captain's statement. "And what makes you think we'll come quietly?" the bald Saiyan said while threateningly cracking his knuckles.
Ginyu's smile never faded. "I was hoping you'd say that," he mused. "My men could use a warm up."
Just as Nappa began to consider lunging at the cocky Ginyu Force leader, the former general felt a gloved hand grip his shoulder.
"Easy, Nappa," Vegeta said in a calming tone. Though the Prince of all Saiyans would normally be more than happy to watch Nappa beat an arrogant opponent into the ground, he also knew better than anyone that when dealing with the Ginyu Force, caution was mandatory.
Once Nappa had been sufficiently calmed, Vegeta refocused his attention back onto the infamous captain. "Tell me, Ginyu," the Saiyan prince began, his eyes locked with Ginyu's. "How did you find us?"
The purple alien smiled. "Curious eh?" he said casually. "Well if you really want to know, we tracked you to this planet by following your pal Turles back after his trip to the planet Raxus," Ginyu explained.
At the mention of Raxus, Nappa began to tighten up. The elite Saiyan realized almost immediately that it was he that had led the PTO forces to Earth by stealing Turles' conspicuous ship.
Just as Ginyu and his team began snickering at the shocked expressions on the Saiyans' faces, a familiar face caught the captain's eye. The militaristic alien narrowed his gaze on the spiky-haired man in the orange gi before smirking.
"Speak of the devil," Ginyu said, causing the man in question to flinch. "Took me a second to recognize you, Turles. You always were good at blending in."
A look of confusion sparked onto Goku's face as he realized that Ginyu was addressing him. "Me? Oh, you have me confused, I'm not Turles," the Earth-raised Saiyan clarified.
"Is that so…" Ginyu said, his tone reflecting his skepticism. "Who exactly are you then, mystery monkey?" the elite soldier inquired.
Goku smiled. He took a moment to set Gohan down before replying. "My name is Son Goku, and this planet is my home," the Savior of Earth greeted with an expression of determination on his face.
"Well then, Son Goku," Ginyu began, saying the man's name in a mocking tone. "That leaves one Saiyan unaccounted for, and trust me when I say that we won't hesitate to tear apart your precious planet piece by piece until Turles turns up," the captain stated threateningly.
Before Goku could respond, Nappa stepped forward. "I'll save you the trouble, Ginyu," the bald warrior said. "Turles is dead. He fled to Raxus from us; I pursued and killed the bastard myself."
The captain's eyes widened in genuine surprise. Ginyu's shock was short lived however, as he quickly refocused on the matter at hand. "Well that'll make for an interesting story during your interrogation," he mused. "I suppose that leaves the rest of you for the taking," Ginyu said, cuing the rest of his team to get into their offensive stances.
The Saiyan and Earthling warriors noticed this aggression and began squaring off as well.
All except Goku, who rushed forward suddenly and held a hand up towards each group. "Wait!" the tailless Saiyan pleaded, attracting everyone's immediate attention. "If we have to fight, let's do it somewhere else," Goku suggested. "This city is far too populated, if we fought here, innocent people would get hurt."
Ginyu stared at the gi-clad fighter intensely. Several tense seconds later, the captain let out a low chuckle. "Interesting little Saiyan you picked up here, Vegeta," he jeered, earning a scowl from the prince. Ginyu then turned his back on the warriors and looked up at the clear blue sky. "Alright, Son Goku, I agree to your terms."
Despite the captain's obviously threatening nature, Goku found himself smiling. "Thank you," he said genuinely. "Just give me one second," the spiky-haired man requested.
Goku took the next few minutes to go and tell Bulma everything that had transpired. After she was filled in, he returned outside and saw Gohan, who had calmed down slightly since the attack, standing next to Raditz. The Savior of Earth kneeled so that he and his son were at eye level. "How are you feeling, Gohan?" he asked.
"Better," the child responded, still sobbing slightly.
"Well I told Bulma to take you home, so you can go rest until this is all over," Goku explained with a warm smile.
"You don't want me to come?"
"No, I… I just don't want you to get hurt, Gohan," the second son of Bardock clarified.
"But I can help!" the young hybrid insisted.
Before Goku had a chance to argue, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up only to see his brother standing over him.
"In all fairness, Kakarot," Raditz started. "I didn't train the boy so he could run and hide when a threat arrives."
Goku stood up to face his older brother at eye level. "It's not that I don't believe in him Raditz, but I don't know if he's ready for-"
"HEY, WHAT'S THE HOLDUP!?" a booming voice exclaimed from afar.
The two Saiyans turned only to see the large redheaded being known as Recoome standing impatiently.
Raditz shot his little brother a stern look, silently conveying his point.
Goku sighed as his eyes darted between his brother's stern expression and Gohan's pleading face for several seconds. "Alright, Gohan, you can come with us," he agreed.
"Yay!" the young boy cheered.
"Just try to stay close to me, okay?" Goku instructed as he bent down and picked up his son.
"I will," Gohan replied happily.
The two Saiyan brothers then turned to face the Ginyu Force along with their allies. "Okay, we're ready," Goku said.
Ginyu casually cracked his knuckles before speaking. "Lead the way, Son Goku."
With that the Earthling and Saiyan fighters, led by Goku, blasted off into the sky, followed ever closely by Captain Ginyu and his team.
As they flew, Goku glanced at his older brother. "Hey Raditz," he called.
"What is it, Kakarot?"
"You guys seem to know a lot about these Ginyu Force weirdos, so tell me, just how powerful are they?" Goku queried.
Raditz considered his answer for a moment before speaking it. "After the destruction of Planet Vegeta, there were rumors that Frieza dispatched the Ginyu Force to wipe out a large majority of the remaining Saiyans," the long-haired man explained.
"And did you guys believe the rumors?"
Raditz shook his head. "At the time, we had no reason to suspect that Frieza was responsible for Planet Vegeta's annihilation, so we deemed such rumors as impossible."
"What about now?"
The first-class Saiyan sighed deeply. "I'm not sure," he answered honestly.
Goku took his brother's hesitation as a sign that he'd asked enough for the time being. Thus, the warriors continued their journey in silence, preparing to face one of the galaxy's greatest threats.
After an hour of flying, the two groups arrived at their destination; a large grassy plains region located several hundred miles from West city. The area was completely uninhabited by neither human nor animal. It was the perfect location for the legendary bout.
"Alright, Ginyu, you made the challenge. How do you want to do this?" Vegeta asked in a tone of disdain.
"Why not have some fun with it, eh?" the captain said with a smirk as he stood mere meters away from the Saiyan prince.
"What did you have in mind?" the flame-haired warrior inquired.
Ginyu eyed the Saiyans and their new allies for several seconds before answering. "How about a little tournament?" he suggested. "You and your boys will fight my men and I one at a time, the first to 3 victories wins," the horned alien explained.
"What are the terms?" Vegeta asked bluntly.
"If you lose, the three of-" Ginyu paused for a moment as Goku caught his eye. "Sorry, the four of you, will come quietly," he restated with a grin.
Goku clenched his fists in anger as the servant of Frieza eyed him. "And if we win?" the Savior of Earth queried.
Ginyu chuckled at the idea. "Then my men and I will leave this planet," he responded. "We'll report to Lord Frieza that Turles was a false lead, and that we found no signs of Saiyan activity in this galaxy."
Upon seeing that Ginyu was waiting for an answer to his challenge, Vegeta turned around to consult his allies.
"It's clear that we can't defeat them in an all-out assault," the Saiyan prince stated in a low tone. "They're far too powerful and have a level of coordination that we lack."
"I say we just take their challenge," Goku said. "If we put our heads together, I'm sure we'll be able to take down these bozos."
Raditz grunted. "Even if we do win, there's no guarantee that Ginyu will keep his word when reporting to Frieza," he pointed out.
A devilish smile lit Vegeta's face upon hearing his comrade's concern. "Trust me, Raditz, when we win, Ginyu and his cronies won't be getting off planet," the elite Saiyan said with a chuckle.
Nappa held up a clenched fist, an expression of eagerness on his face. "That's what I like to hear."
Having made their decision, the group turned to face their intimidating opponents. "We agree to your terms, Ginyu," Vegeta announced.
The captain smiled. "Glad to hear it," he said. Ginyu then turned to address his men. "Alright boys, time to decide who's up first. You know what to do," the horned alien stated in a commanding tone.
"Yes, Captain!" the four advanced soldiers responded in unison. With that, the four Ginyu Force members got into a circle and each placed a hand in the middle.
Ginyu stood next to his team. "Alright, 3, 2, 1, GO!"
"ROCK PAPER SCISSORS!" the Ginyu Force members chorused as they began playing a lightning-fast round of the classic children's game.
The Earthlings watched the odd display in bewilderment. "You can't be serious…" Yamcha said in utter disbelief.
The game of rock paper scissors lasted for eleven rounds before the green-skinned Bas, Guldo, was crowned the victor. "Ha! Once again, brains triumph over brawn," the four-eyed alien effused as he raised his arms in success.
"Don't rub it in, shorty," Jeice quipped.
Captain Ginyu walked up to Guldo. "Alright, Guldo, the choice is yours," he said, gesturing towards the Saiyan and Earthling warriors. "One thing though," the captain added before the Bas could make his decision. "Don't pick Vegeta. I want to see what the Saiyan prince is made of myself," he instructed.
Guldo shot his commanding officer an expression of surprise, "But Captai-"
"That's an order, soldier!" Ginyu commanded in a stern tone.
"Y-Yes sir," the newest member of the Ginyu Force replied obediently. Guldo then refocused his attention onto the remaining warriors.
The Bas soldier had been looking forward to finally taking revenge on Vegeta, who'd mocked him viciously when he was still a cadet. But with his rival out of the picture, Guldo had no clue who he wanted to fight.
Eventually, the short alien stepped forward. "Listen up, scum, I have decided to be sporting and allow you to decide which of you will battle me," he stated.
Vegeta snickered. "Bold choice, for a toad," he mocked.
Guldo sneered at his rival's insult, enraged that he wouldn't get the opportunity to show the Saiyan prince what he was made of.
Vegeta turned once again to address his allies. "Alright, this first round should be an automatic victory," the flame-haired man said.
Nappa stepped forward. "Leave it to me, I'll squash the four-eyed freak," he volunteered.
Vegeta shook his head. "No. Guldo may be weak, but I want you fully energized for the upcoming battles," the elite warrior explained, simultaneously stealing a glance at the enemy team's more intimidating members. "The same goes for you, Raditz," he added.
Yamcha crossed his arms impatiently. "So what's the plan then, your highness?" he asked jeeringly.
Vegeta looked over the Earthling fighters for a while. He briefly considered the strengths and weaknesses of the warriors he'd come to know. Eventually, the elite warrior's eye caught one particular Earthling, and he knew immediately that it was the right choice.
"I have an idea," Vegeta said as he approached Goku. "The boy will fight Guldo," he claimed, pointing to the child in the spiky-haired man's arms.
"What! You want Gohan to fight that guy?" Goku asked in a tone of shock.
Vegeta simply nodded. "Raditz tells me that the two of you have been training the boy. I think it's time to put that training to the test," he stated.
Krillin shot Vegeta an irritated look. "You can't seriously expect a kid to take down one of those guys after the what they did to us before," the bald fighter said, his tone assertive.
"The team as a whole may outmatch us in power, but Guldo by himself is a complete pushover," the Prince of all Saiyans retorted.
Goku stood his ground. "I saw that Guldo guy completely waste you back at Capsule Corp," the second son of Bardock argued, recalling the prince's initial defeat.
Vegeta scoffed. "The fool caught me off guard. Had I been seen him coming, the little bastard would be nothing but a green stain on my boot by now," the Saiyan stated pridefully.
Before Goku could continue arguing, Raditz placed a hand on his shoulder, attracting his brother's attention. "In all fairness, Kakarot, this is why we trained Gohan in the first place. So that he could combat threats like the Ginyu Force," the long-haired warrior said.
Goku stared at his brother in disbelief, "Don't tell me you agree with this."
"The boy is a Saiyan, Kakarot, he needs to fight for his home," Raditz remarked.
Just as Goku was about to comment, Vegeta's communicator suddenly activated, projecting the red hologram of Royal. "I must concur with Prince Vegeta," the AI said. "Considering the power of the Ginyu Force, sending a fighter such as your son to deal with Guldo does make sense, strategically speaking."
Raditz's communicator activated moments later as Spectre also projected himself before them. "I hate to say it, Kakarot, but Royal's got a point, sending Gohan is technically the best call," he added. "Plus, from what I've seen of your training, I think the kid's got a shot at beating him."
Goku paused to consider what to do. He didn't want to put Gohan at risk, but at the same time, deep down the Saiyan part of him was eager to see the results of his son's training.
Surprisingly, Gohan spoke up. "I'll do it, Dad," he said.
The Earthling warriors gasped at the claim. They couldn't believe that the boy was so eager to fight after what he'd seen the invaders do.
"Are you sure, Gohan?" Goku asked slowly.
The toddler nodded. "Uncle Raditz is right, Earth is my home, and I have to fight for it."
"Okay," Goku replied neutrally as he set his son down. The tailless Saiyan kneeled to face Gohan. "But be careful out there. The second you feel like you're in danger, just shout and I'll come for you," he instructed.
"Don't worry, Dad, you're the one that taught me, remember?" Gohan recalled with an innocent smile. With that, the young half-Saiyan began walking towards his opponent.
"Hey!" Raditz called, capturing Gohan's attention. "Remember your training, boy," the elite warrior said.
Gohan nodded confidently. "I will, Uncle Raditz," he promised before turning and continuing his stride towards the four-eyed alien.
Guldo watched curiously as the young boy approached him. "What does that little brat think he's doing?" the green-skinned Bas thought to himself.
Despite the sudden surge of fear that gripped him upon getting a closer look at his opponent, Gohan remained determined. Without a word, the Saiyan hybrid stepped forward and dropped into the fighting stance his father had taught him.
Guldo burst into laughter as he realized that the child was serious. He shot a glance at Vegeta, who was looking smug as always. "Is this really the best challenger you've got for me, Vegeta?" the four-eyed alien asked.
The Saiyan prince grinned devilishly. "Well we thought the challenger should befit the challenge," he remarked.
Guldo balled up his fists in anger at his rival's insult. He then turned his attention onto the boy. "Get ready for the fight of your life, brat!"
Gohan didn't speak, choosing instead to remain stoic and wait for his opponent's first move.
The two combatants squared off for several seconds before Guldo finally initiated the battle by lunging at Gohan and striking the inexperienced fighter with a lightning-fast punch to the jaw.
The blow sent Gohan staggering backwards. Fortunately, the boy's trained reflexes allowed him to recover in time to block another devastating punch from his Bas opponent, and barely dodge the two strikes that followed it. Mustering up all of his strength, Gohan threw a punch aimed at his opponent's face.
To the young boy's dismay, Guldo caught the punch with ease. The four-eyed alien smiled sinisterly before using his free hand to grab Gohan by the collar of his gi. The advanced soldier then lifted his smaller opponent off the ground and tossed him backwards.
Gohan flew through the air for several frantic seconds before landing with a THUD and skidding to a sustained a few scrapes from sliding across the rough grass, the half-Saiyan attempted to push himself off the ground, only to be struck with a ki blast to the back.
Guldo flew towards his helpless opponent gleefully. He was eager to finally prove himself to the rest of the Ginyu Force. As he approached, the green-skinned Bas noticed the bushy brown tail waving behind the stirring boy. "Time to finish this," he thought to himself with a smirk.
Just when Gohan was about to stand up, he suddenly felt pressure on his tail and flinched in pain.
Guldo laughed manically as he squeezed the boy's tail with his left hand while also charging energy into his right hand. "Come on, Boy, tell me you've got more fight in you than that," the four-eyed being taunted.
Off on the sidelines, Goku was growing anxious as he watched his son get brutally beaten by the Ginyu Force member. "This is getting too serious, I have to move now!" the Savior of Earth stated as he began marching forwards.
Before the determined father could take off, Raditz snap-vanished in front of his brother and held an arm out to block his path. "Be patient, Kakarot," he said calmly.
Goku's face hardened at his brother's nonchalant tone. "He's going to kill my son, Raditz!" he retorted in disbelief.
"Just watch, Brother," Raditz insisted, gesturing towards the two combatants.
Though he was still wary of his elder sibling's calm reaction to the situation, Goku reluctantly turned his head to glance at his son.
Gohan laid flat on the ground, appearing as though he were being held down by a thousand pounds of weight.
Guldo smiled as he watched his opponent struggle. The elite soldier couldn't wait to watch the cocky smirk disappear from Vegeta's smug face after he vaporized the pathetic brat.
Goku continued to stand impatiently. Every second that he watched his son being tormented did he consider shoving past his brother and rescuing Gohan. But despite his fatherly instinct screaming at him to act, the spiky-haired Saiyan couldn't help but keep his eyes glued to the action, praying that Gohan had some sort of trick up his sleeve.
The green-skinned Bas had just finished charging energy into his hand as soon as the lovely image of Vegeta's defeated expression left his mind. "Any last words, monkey-boy!?" Guldo asked facetiously as he pointed his charged hand at the toddler's back.
"Y-Yeah," Gohan said weakly, speaking through gritted teeth. "Surprise!"
Before Guldo could even flinch, Gohan had propelled himself off the ground and elbowed him in the face; causing the four-eyed alien to lose his grip on the boy's tail, and the energy in his hand to fade.
While his opponent was dazed, the young Saiyan hybrid rushed at Guldo. The boy struck him with two lightning-fast punches to the chest before knocking the alien back with an uppercut to the jaw.
Off to the side, the Saiyan and Earthling warriors were in awe over what had just transpired.
"Woah!" exclaimed Yamcha. "I didn't think the kid had it in him," the former bandit admitted.
"Agreed," replied an equally shocked Tien. "I feared the boy was a goner."
Raditz chuckled pridefully. "You see, Kakarot, I knew what Gohan was getting into," the elite warrior said reassuringly, slightly gloating over the fact that he had so perfectly predicted his nephew's actions.
While his lifelong friends were gawking at Gohan's skilled maneuver, Goku simply took a deep breath, relieved that his son was still safe. "Okay, you were right," he admitted. "But I'm not taking that chance next time," the gi-clad fighter clarified. Raditz smiled and nodded in response.
The other Saiyans were equally shocked at Gohan's quick thinking. Nappa shot his long-haired comrade a skeptical glance. "Hey, Raditz," he called. "Wasn't that the same trick you used to pull back in the day?" the former general inquired.
Raditz smirked devilishly. "Perhaps," he responded coyly.
"I suppose that was the training you eluded to," Vegeta commented in a tone of elation, still giddy after watching the arrogant toad get knocked back by a mere child. "Most impressive, Raditz, most impressive."
Back on the battlefield, Guldo staggered backwards for several seconds, unsure what exactly had just hit him. Once he readjusted, the Ginyu Force member immediately saw the child staring back at him with an innocent expression.
"I'm sorry if I startled you too bad," Gohan said genuinely. "I just wanted to try out that technique," the boy added.
Enraged by the child's playful tone, Guldo lunged at Gohan, throwing a hard punch at the boy's head.
Using the evasive skills he'd learned from his father, Gohan was able to barely avoid the attack by performing a backflip onto his hands and launching himself backwards, creating a safe distance between himself and his opponent. Upon landing, the young half-Saiyan glanced up at the hateful expression on Guldo's face.
"I guess it's t-time to get serious," Gohan said in a tone mimicking his father, repressing the fear that clung to him. With that, the son of Goku reached for the sheath tied to his back and pulled out a long red staff.
On the sidelines, Goku smiled upon seeing the weapon. "Now you get to see what I taught Gohan, Raditz," the second son of Bardock said.
Raditz eyed his brother skeptically. "I don't get it, Kakarot, what's so special about a staff?" he inquired.
"That's not just any staff," Goku replied, the prideful smile still evident on his face. "That's the Power Pole."
Raditz couldn't help but snicker at the name. "Power Pole? That's about the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard," he said dismissively.
Vegeta grunted. "To be fair, we didn't believe in the magical wish-granting dragon at first either," he recalled.
Raditz said nothing in response as he realized that the prince had a point. Even the wonders he'd seen on Kami's lookout would have seemed ridiculous before. "Alright, point taken. Let's see what this mysterious 'Power Pole' can do," the long-haired Saiyan conceded before turning his focus back onto the battle.
Guldo eyed his opponent curiously. "What the hell is a staff supposed to do against me?" he thought to himself. "No matter, the boy will soon learn that a piece of wood isn't enough to stop the mighty Guldo."
With that, the green alien rushed Gohan. Just as he was about to strike, the boy, in the blink of an eye, swung the staff around and struck Guldo's ankle with considerable force, causing the pudgy being to topple over.
While he was down, Guldo could faintly hear a burst of laughter from the sidelines. To the Bas' dismay, the laughter was coming from his old rival, Vegeta.
"What's the matter, Guldo? Are the other children bullying you?" the Saiyan prince jeered, greatly enjoying the sight of the once mighty Ginyu Force member lying flat on his face at the feet of a child.
Enraged by his humiliation, the newest member of the Ginyu Force jumped up and attempted to strike the boy with a downward chop. However, Gohan managed to easily block the attack with his staff before countering with a smack to the face.
This exchange continued for a while, with Guldo attempting to break through his opponent's defenses, while Gohan used the Power Pole to keep the alien at a distance.
"I must admit, Kakarot," Raditz began, "Gohan's skills with this 'Power Pole' are impressive, but it still seems like an ordinary staff to me."
Goku smiled coyly at his brother's comment. "Trust me, you haven't seen anything yet," he said vaguely.
The older Saiyan raised a brow in curiosity before glancing back at the two combatants, eager to see what was so special about the staff his nephew was wielding.
The two combatants had been exchanging blows for several minutes before Guldo finally decided to change his strategy.
As Gohan swung yet again to deliver another hard smack to his opponent's bulbous head, Guldo jumped backwards, dodging the strike while simultaneously charging energy into his right hand. Upon landing, the four-eyed being fired a large ki blast directly at the young fighter.
Gohan stared at the oncoming energy bolt fearfully. None of the lessons by Raditz or his father had prepared him to deal with such an attack, leaving him confused and scared. Paralyzed by fear, Gohan simply raised his arms in an attempted defense as the ki blast struck him and exploded.
The area around the toddler was instantly masked with smoke. Gohan coughed hard, struggling to breathe as the thick gas assaulted his senses.
Seeing his opportunity, Guldo rushed into the smoke cloud to finish off his confused opponent once and for all.
As the smoke began to clear, the young fighter was met with the truly terrifying sight of Guldo charging at him with a sinister expression on his face. Seeing no other option, Gohan held the power pole out in front of him and uttered the words his father had instructed him to use in emergency situations. "Power Pole Extend!"
To the shock of both the Saiyan warriors and the spectating Ginyu Force members, the Power Pole began to suddenly grow at a rapid pace, hitting an unsuspecting Guldo in the chest. "What the…!?" the Bas exclaimed as he was shoved backwards against his will.
After being pushed several meters back and getting over his initial shock, Guldo grabbed the red staff with both hands and planted his feet firmly on the ground, attempting to stop or at least slow the growth of the mystical pole. But to the green alien's chagrin, the Power Pole continued extending despite his efforts.
Upon growing to a size of roughly twelve meters, the Power Pole finally stopped, allowing Guldo to catch his breath.
Before the Ginyu Force member had a chance to retaliate in any way, Gohan swung the elongated power pole upwards, smacking Guldo in the chin and knocking him onto his back.
Off to the side, Vegeta and his comrades stood with their mouths agape over what had just transpired.
Goku chuckled at their surprised expressions. "I told you it was special," he said.
Nappa grunted. "Why can't anything on this planet be normal?" he muttered.
Raditz chuckled at his ally's comment. "I guess it adds to the charm," he quipped.
Vegeta snickered, "I wonder how 'charmed' Guldo's feeling at the moment," he joked, focusing his attention on the Bas.
Across the field, the spectating members of the Ginyu Force were also quite surprised at the impossible acts that had taken place during the battle.
"How the hell did that little brat do that?" Burter queried, speaking the thoughts of his comrades.
The short red-skinned Brench, Jeice, seemed more unimpressed with his ally's display. "Seems like Guldo's buggered this one up," he scoffed in a stern tone. "Couldn't even beat a little kid."
The leader of the team shook his head in disapproval. "I wouldn't be so quick to count out Guldo, Jeice," Ginyu stated. "He's proven in the past to be a valuable member of this outfit. I for one have faith that he's got something up his sleeve, and so should you, soldier."
"Yes Captain," Jeice muttered obediently.
With that, the four deadly warriors turned their attention back onto the battle at hand.
Having finally gained the upper hand, Gohan stared at his opponent with an expression of newly found determination.
Guldo shot his opponent a hateful expression. "You'll pay for this you little brat!" he shouted at the top of his lungs.
Gohan gritted his teeth in anger. "TAKE THIS YOU BIG BULLY!" the young fighter yelled in response as he raised the twelve-meter power pole over his head before swinging it downwards.
Just when it seemed like Guldo would be done in by the enormous staff, the four-eyed alien focused his mind and thrusted his arms forwards. "Time Freeze!" Guldo exclaimed while simultaneously sucking in air and holding his breath.
Suddenly, the world around Guldo stopped moving. The pole that was meant to finish him off was now frozen in midair. The clouds in the sky were now completely motionless, appearing as though they were mere paintings in the air. Even the colour seemed drained from this now frozen world as Guldo was the only being that still showed any signs of motion. Without any of the warriors realizing it, the Bas had completely frozen time itself.
With time now completely at his mercy, Guldo rolled to the side and stood up, completely avoiding the potential attack before it even had a chance to strike. The advanced soldier then began jogging towards his opponent, pacing himself so as not to run out of breath and prematurely end the time freeze.
Guldo watched with a humored expression as Vegeta and the other Saiyans continued to stare at the spot where he was still laying from their perspective. "Wish I had more frozen time so I could show the monkey prince what I'm made of," he thought to himself.
Upon reaching his opponent, Guldo stared at the unsuspecting half-Saiyan maliciously. "Time for revenge," he thought with a smile. The Bas began by punching Gohan hard in the stomach. Naturally, the boy remained motionless, as time had not yet caught up with the attack.
Guldo then turned his attention to the long red staff in Gohan's hands. "Now to get rid of that meddlesome thing," he mused before striking each of the child's wrists. The Ginyu Force member then concluded his spree of literal pre-emptive strikes by delivering a hard kick to the back of Gohan's knee.
"That ought to do it," Guldo thought, satisfied with his actions. As he felt his breath beginning to thin, the four-eyed alien took several steps back, finally released his breath, and sat back to watch the show.
Gohan swung the power pole down with all his might, striking the Earth with a loud THUD! The young fighter looked ahead to see the result of his attack, only to come to the shocking realization that his opponent had disappeared.
Just as the son of Goku was about to question where his enemy had gone, he suddenly felt a sharp spike of pain in his stomach, causing him to bend forwards in discomfort. Soon after, Gohan's wrists began to ache greatly, as though they'd just been struck; causing him to drop his power pole onto the ground.
But the suffering for Gohan wasn't over yet, as the young boy then felt yet another spike of phantom pain; this time in the back of his leg. The agony was so great that Gohan involuntarily fell to one knee.
Before he could even cry out, the sound of someone clearing their throat caught Gohan's ear. He turned, to the best of his ability, only to see Guldo staring at him with a knowing smile.
"Surprise," Guldo said mockingly before throwing a lightning-fast punch at Gohan's face, sending him flying back.
"Gohan!" Goku cried as he watched his son land helplessly on the ground.
On the other side of the plains, Ginyu watched his soldier's comeback gleefully. "Ha ha! What did I tell you, Jeice?" the captain stated ecstatically. "Any member of the mighty Ginyu Force can fight his way out of even the toughest jams!"
"I stand corrected, Captain," the Brench admitted, his tone revealing his own surprise at his comrade's maneuver. Jeice smirked to himself as another thought came to him, "Now we'll see if he can finish the job."
Despite the beating he'd just received, Gohan still wasn't out of the fight. The half-Saiyan slowly pushed himself up to face his opponent, who stared back at him with an arrogant expression.
"What happened to all the fight in you, boy?" Guldo taunted. "Don't tell me all of you Saiyans are this pitiful."
A surge of anger pulsed through the Saiyan hybrid as he clenched his fist. Though he still didn't know much about the Saiyan race, he had learned enough from his uncle to respect their memory. "Don't you dare say that about us!" Gohan yelled as he lunged at Guldo.
As happened before, the four-eyed alien took a deep breath before disappearing suddenly. Before Gohan even landed on the ground, Guldo reappeared in a different position and kicked him in the stomach.
Upon recovering, Gohan attempted an uppercut, only for Guldo to disappear again and reappear behind him. The Ginyu Force member then grabbed Gohan by the tail and flung him backwards.
The son of Goku performed a midair flip and landed on his feet, instantly dropping into his fighting stance.
Gohan dove at Guldo yet again, continuing their clash. They exchanged blows for several more minute. Despite the young fighter's attempts to hold his own, Guldo's time-freezing ability combined with his superior training and combat experience made for a one-sided confrontation in the Bas' favor.
Off to the side, the Earthling warriors were beginning to panic at the outcome.
"How did he do that?" Yamcha asked in bewilderment.
"It's like he's just teleporting!" Krillin added.
Tien nodded. "Exactly, I couldn't even sense him moving. He switches locations in less than a second," the triclops said in a tone of disbelief.
Goku grew restless as the battle continued. "It's clear Gohan is outmatched, but I can't interfere," he thought to himself in frustration. The tailless Saiyan continued to watch the battle for a while, studying Gohan's opponent in detail.
Gohan went in for yet another punch to Guldo's face, only for the four-eyed being to breathe in and disappear once again.
The Ginyu Force member reappeared next to Gohan before the boy's attempted punch even missed, and proceeded to stick his leg out to trip his opponent. Gohan did indeed trip, landing face first on the grass for what felt like the hundredth time.
Goku's eyes widened as he witnessed the alien's impossible act. Finally deciding enough was enough, the third-class warrior stubbornly marched over to Vegeta. "I want answers, Vegeta," he demanded. "You know this guy, so what's going on?"
The Prince of all Saiyans never broke his gaze on the battle as he responded. "I can honestly say I have no idea," Vegeta said, his tone more curious than concerned.
Just when Goku was about to persist, the communicator at Vegeta's hip suddenly activated with an audible beep! "I believe I may have the answers all of you are looking for," the voice of Royal stated as it projected itself from the device.
The Saiyan and Earthling warriors were surprised at the fact that the AI's voice was speaking directly through the earpieces Bulma had given each of them. As such, the Earthling warriors crowded around the hologram to get a better view of the situation.
"Is that so?" Vegeta inquired.
"Indeed, your Highness. I am still programed with the Planet Trade Organization's databank in my system," Royal explained. "Perhaps I can reveal a weakness by studying this Ginyu Force member's background."
Goku's expression brightened at the idea. "That sounds perfect, please do it!" Goku said excitedly.
"Very well, pulling up Guldo's file," the AI reported as it scanned the databank. Several seconds later, Royal returned with the file. "There we have it. Guldo is a male of the Bas species, and a current member of the infamous Ginyu Force," Royal began, reading the first line of the file.
"What are the characteristics of the Bas?" Vegeta queried.
Royal took a moment to scan the file before replying. "The Bas are a highly intelligent race that hail from the planet Basalak," the AI stated. "They can be male or female, come in a variety of skin tones, and most notably, possess various levels of psychic abilities."
Tien took a second to glance at Guldo, who was still engaging in hand-to-hand combat with Gohan. "I haven't noticed this guy using any psychic abilities," the stoic martial artist pointed out.
Vegeta raised an eyebrow curiously before redirecting his attention onto his AI partner. "Royal, does the file say anything about the Bas possessing the ability to teleport or move at impossible speeds?" the flame-haired man asked.
"No, nothing of sorts, but I believe the trait you're alluding to is related to Guldo himself," Royal answered.
"Go on then," Vegeta instructed.
"You see, the Bas' home world, Basalak, was occupied by the PTO in Age 714," Royal stated. "The Bas themselves were enslaved by the Arcosians and used primarily as laborers or miners due to their psychic connection," the AI went on.
As impatient as he was to save his son, Goku held his tongue, allowing the AI to continue.
"Guldo was one of the enslaved Bas working in the mines, but unbeknownst to the soldiers, Guldo was no ordinary Bas," Royal said.
Nappa grunted, "Heh, I could have told you the little runt was a weirdo," he quipped.
"That's not exactly what I meant, General," Royal rebutted. "I was actually referring to the fact that Guldo is considered a mutant among his people."
Yamcha's interest was piqued at the word 'mutant'. "A mutant?" the former bandit questioned.
The red hologram of Royal nodded. "Yes, while the other Bas possessed only rudimentary psychic connections, Guldo's prowess with telekinesis was far superior," the AI explained. "He exemplified this during an incident where he telekinetically crushed one of his overseers inside the soldier's own armor."
The group was taken aback by the claim. "Well that's… grim," Yamcha responded.
"That still doesn't explain his ability to disappear," Raditz pointed out.
"Actually, it does," Royal countered. "You see, Guldo's access to incredible psychic powers gave him the unique ability to temporarily stop time," the AI explained.
Once again, the group was shocked by what they were hearing. "Guldo can stop time?" Vegeta said in an almost irritated tone. "I suppose that's how he got the jump on me back at the lab," the elite Saiyan thought to himself.
Tien crossed his arms skeptically. "How was he able to achieve this?" the bald fighter inquired, desiring proof.
Royal scanned the file again before responding. "It seems he was somehow able to teach himself how to manipulate the time-space continuum by… holding his breath," the royal-class AI answered.
Yamcha sighed, "I swear you guys are just making this stuff up as we go," he jeered.
It was at that moment that Goku recalled the way Guldo acted as he fought Gohan. "Wait, it makes sense! Every time that Guldo guy would disappear, he'd always breathe in first," the spiky-haired man said.
Krillin's face lit up in realization, "I get it, that's when he'd freeze time and move to a different position," the former monk theorized.
Tien thought for a moment. "That would also explain why we couldn't sense him moving from place to place. He was moving at a speed faster than time itself," the triclops added.
Nappa snorted, "Great, we know how he does it, but that still doesn't help us take this bastard down."
Realizing that the older Saiyan was right, Goku turned once again to face the red hologram. "Royal, how was Guldo defeated before?"
The AI checked the middle section of the file. "After rebelling several times against his captors, Guldo was eventually detained when high command sent in elite soldiers with electronically charged staffs," Royal explained.
"Electric staffs?" Vegeta said in confusion.
"Yes, apparently the longer range of the staffs allowed the soldiers to counteract Guldo's time tricks, and the electricity interrupted his brain waves, rendering his psychic powers useless," the AI elucidated.
Raditz raised a brow. "What happened to him after that?" the first son of Bardock asked curiously.
Royal took a moment to skim the last two paragraphs of the file. "It seems that after his capture, Guldo was deemed too dangerous to work in the mines, and was transported to a more secure facility," the AI replied. "After spending several months in this facility, Guldo eventually caught the attention of Frieza himself, who offered the Bas a chance to join his army due to his incredible abilities."
The group listened intently as Royal was coming to the end of the story.
"Guldo then served as a sergeant for many years before finally applying to join the Ginyu Force in Age 758. The rest, my friends, is history," Royal concluded.
"What did we learn from that that will help us?" Tien queried.
Despite the situation, Yamcha chuckled to himself. "It's simple, all we need is a high-tech electric staff and we're golden," the scar-faced man jested.
Krillin thought for a moment before turning and staring off into the distance. "Well we may not have an electric staff, but we do have the next best thing," he said cryptically.
Goku turned to follow his best friend's gaze, only to see the still elongated power pole laying in the grass. "That's it! Krillin, you're a genius!" the savior of Earth exclaimed as an idea popped into his mind. "Gohan was holding his own, until that Guldo guy used his time freeze to get rid of the power pole," Goku recalled.
"That's when Guldo gained the upper hand and started running circles around him," Raditz added.
Goku smiled knowingly at his brother. "Exactly. And we know from what Royal said, that Guldo was taken down by staffs, so clearly-"
"Range is the key," Vegeta interrupted, having pieced the solution together.
With the plan set in stone, Goku turned to once again watch the two combatants. "Hey Gohan!" he shouted, gaining his son's attention in the brief instance where Guldo was a safe distance away. "You have to get to the Power Pole! It's the only way you can beat him!" the spiky-haired Saiyan instructed.
Gohan took a moment to take in his father's words before scanning the area around him for the weapon. He eventually spied the power pole resting on the ground more than twenty meters away.
Unfortunately, Guldo stood firmly between the child and his prize. "You'll have to get past me if you want your precious stick, boy," the Bas soldier taunted, having overheard his opponent's dilemma.
The young Saiyan hybrid thought for a moment about how he could sneak past his opponent. "There has to be a way to get him to move," Gohan pondered. He briefly considered how his opponent had acted in the battle so far. "I've got it!" the young boy thought with a smile as an idea came to him.
With that, the Son of Goku dropped into his fighting stance and pulled his right arm back. "Take this!" Gohan exclaimed triumphantly as he lunged towards his opponent with his fist in the air.
"Heh, too easy," Guldo mused dismissively before sucking in air to freeze time and avoid the attack.
As Gohan had expected, Guldo disappeared before his punch connected. But rather than follow through with the attack, the young fighter broke off the feint and leapt into the air, narrowly avoiding a surprise punch to the back from the Ginyu Force member.
Upon landing, the monkey-tailed toddler immediately broke into a sprint towards the power pole. "I have to make it," he though desperately to himself as he closed the distance. Once the pole was within meters of him, Gohan dived forwards; hoping to grab the weapon before Guldo could catch up to him.
But just as Gohan was about to finally grab the mystical weapon, a familiar four-eyed alien appeared before him. "Not so fast!" Guldo gibed before placing his arm out in front of him and firing a yellow beam of energy directly at his opponent.
Without even a second to react, Gohan was struck with the energy beam, sending him flying backwards yet again. The toddler flew through the air for several seconds before crashing into the ground.
The Saiyan halfling slowly pushed himself to his feet, feeling as though he'd landed right back where he started. Gohan limped out of the small crater his body had created and looked up to face his opponent.
Guldo stood in the same spot, his expression smug. "I have to say, kid, that was pretty clever," the green-skinned being admitted. "But it'll take more than cheap tricks to outsmart the mighty Guldo."
Gohan ignored his opponent's words, his sights were set on the power pole. He knew that staff may be his only key to victory; or even survival. "Can't… give up," the Son of Goku chanted within his mind, focusing on those words as he took one step at a time.
Off on the sideline, Raditz watched his nephew intently. "His power his rising, I can feel it," he thought to himself.
Meanwhile, Vegeta was having similar thoughts. "What is this? I never imagined such power and endurance from a mere child."
"CAN'T GIVE UP!" Gohan screamed as he charged forwards, now invigorated with a power he couldn't even describe. The young boy now ran at a speed no human eye could process. A blue aura seemed to emanate around him as he moved, illuminating the ground he walked on.
Guldo flinched slightly at his oncoming opponent. Though not equipped with a scouter, the Bas could sense the sheer power the child before him was giving off. "I don't think so," he said through gritted teeth as he pointed his fingers down and focused his psychic power.
The mutant Bas lifted his hands up a second later, summoning what appeared to be hundreds of pebbles from within the Earth to float before him. Without a moment of thought, Guldo thrusted his arms forwards, telepathically pushing the swarm of pebbles towards his opponent.
The now invigorated Gohan barely reacted; simply raising his arms to shield his face from the attack. He continued to move at a steady pace as his entire body was struck with tiny rocks. Though the psychic attack failed to completely stop the supercharged Saiyan hybrid, it did succeed in significantly slowing him down.
"Wow… this is insane," Yamcha said in awe as he watched Goku's son repel the pebble storm with nothing but his arms.
"Gohan…" Goku whispered to himself, deeply concerned over what his son was doing.
Gohan continued pushing through the intense pebble storm for several seconds before finally deciding enough was enough. "Hraah!" the young fighter shouted as he leapt into the sky, completely escaping the psychic attack.
As he was about to fall back down to Earth, the blue aura surrounding Gohan grew even more intense. While he descended, the powerful toddler pointed his clenched fists out in front of him, appearing more like a blue missile than a young boy. Gohan charged towards the ground with determination; though now it was clear that he was no longer aiming for the power pole, but rather Guldo himself.
Guldo released his psychic hold over the floating pebbles and stared up at the oncoming threat. The advanced soldier focused all of his power onto the boy in the sky. "Time to finish this!" he exclaimed as he raised his arms in a crane style. "Psychokinesis!"
Just as Gohan was about to collide with Guldo, his body suddenly stopped in midair. Confused and disoriented, the boy's built up adrenaline began to fade as he realized what was happening. He looked down only to see his opponent focusing some sort of power on him. It was then that Gohan realized he had been telepathically frozen in midair.
Guldo smiled before thrusting his arms down, forcing Gohan to the ground with a CRASH!
Gohan remained unmoving on the grass, squirming in pain as he was still experiencing what felt like an extraordinary weight on his back.
With his opponent contained, Guldo was finally able to relax. "Ah, this was fun, kid, but all good things must come to an end," he said. The mutant Bas then proceeded to point one arm down at the ground while the other was still pointed at Gohan. He used his psychic power to scan the ground for several seconds, seemingly looking for something.
A smirk lit Guldo's face as he found something. The four-eyed alien raised his arm up, telekinetically pulling a large boulder from the ground.
Guldo positioned one hand so that it was slightly above the other, telekinetically moving the boulder so that it hung precariously over the young child.
The Earthlings were in shock as they realized what Guldo was about to do.
"He's going to kill him…" Yamcha said in disbelief.
"The boy fought well," Tien added stoically.
Krillin watched the display with horror. Despite the young fighter's best efforts, it was over. "Gohan… no," the former Orin monk uttered in defeat. He then turned to look at Goku, who was staring at his son in silence with a clenched fist at his side.
With his victory seemingly seconds away, Guldo looked down at his struggling opponent with admiration. "I have to admit, kid, you fought well," the Ginyu Force member stated. "I've never seen a monkey, especially one of your age, put up that much of a fight," he went on.
Guldo sighed before speaking again. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry it has to end this way," the Bas murmured in a tone Gohan thought he recognized as genuine.
The young boy wasn't given much time to ponder the sincerity of his opponent's words as Guldo released his telekinetic hold over the boulder hanging above, causing it to fall. Gohan gritted his teeth and closed his eyes as tight as he could, preparing for his death. He silently prayed that it would be quick and painless.
Just when Gohan felt he was about to be turned into paste, he suddenly felt an explosion rock the air above him. The young Earthling slowly opened his eyes deversl seconds later upon realizing that he was still alive. As he looked around, Gohan realized that the area around him was peppered with exploded bits of rock.
Gohan looked above to confirm it, the boulder was gone; a small cloud of smoke lingering in its place. It had clearly been destroyed, but by whom?
Guldo looked at his opponent with an expression of equal bewilderment. But before the advanced soldier had the chance to ponder what had just happened, the answer revealed itself as a spiky-haired man in an orange gi appeared before him.
In less than a second the man had punched Guldo hard in the jaw, causing him to stagger backwards and simultaneously lose his telekinetic hold over Gohan. Once he regained his bearings, the four-eyed alien stared ahead to get a better look at the mystery fighter, only to see him cupping his hands at his side.
"Kamehameha!" the fighter exclaimed as he fired an azure beam of energy directly into Guldo's chest.
The energy beam launched Guldo backwards. The pudgy being soared through the air for what felt like an eternity before eventually crashing into the ground and rolling to a halt at the feet of his Ginyu Force comrades.
All of the spectating fighters were in shock over what had just transpired. Goku stood in the middle of the battlefield, having singlehandedly saved Gohan's life and taken down Guldo in an instant.
Despite the fact that his old rival had just been humiliated, Vegeta's expression was tense. "That idiot! If Ginyu gives the command for an all-out attack, we're done for!" the Saiyan prince thought frantically as he watched the captain carefully.
On the other side of the field, the Ginyu Force was equally shocked with the final results.
"What happened to Guldo?" Recoome asked in a tone of confusion.
"He cocked it up, just like I said," Jeice responded smugly.
Burter chuckled, "I have to admit, that guy was fast."
Ginyu remained silent for a while as he contemplated how they would proceed.
At that moment, Guldo slowly got up and put a hand on the spot where he'd been punched. "What the hell happened?" he asked groggily.
"That bloke did," Jeice quipped, pointing to Goku.
Guldo looked up to see the man that had attacked him. A hateful expression crossed the Bas' face as he clenched his right fist. "I'm going to tear him apar-"
"Wait!" Ginyu stated, blocking Guldo's path with an outstretched hand. "Let me handle this, Guldo," the captain instructed as he turned away from his team.
"But sir?"
"That's an order, soldier!"
"Y-Yes Captain," Guldo replied obediently before taking a step back to join his comrades.
Captain Ginyu stepped forward to address the tailless Saiyan. "Son Goku, what is the meaning of this interruption?" he inquired.
Goku lowered his hands to his sides and took a deep breath. "Captain, Gohan couldn't take down your soldier," he admitted. "I accept the fact that you won this round, but please, please spare my son from death. He means everything to me," the Savior of Earth pleaded.
The captain raised a hand to his chin as he considered the request.
Considering their familiarity with the Ginyu Force's reputation, Vegeta and his squadmates stood ready should the encounter turn violent.
Two agonizing minutes passed before they were given an answer. "Very well, I accept your son's forfeit. The first round goes to us," the captain announced with a smirk before turning to walk back to his team.
"Thank you, I won't forget this," Goku said with a warm smile.
Vegeta breathed a deep sigh of relief at the answer. Despite this, he stared daggers at Goku as the younger Saiyan ran to his son.
"Gohan!" Goku beamed as he picked his son up off the ground.
"D-Daddy," the boy replied in an equally happy tone. Though his expression quickly darkened. "I'm sorry I couldn't beat him, Dad," the toddler apologized as tears welled up in his eyes.
Goku shook his head slowly, his smile still evident. "Don't be sorry, you did great, son," he responded reassuringly.
The spiky-haired Saiyan took a moment to grab the power pole and shrink it down to its original size before rejoining his allies.
"Goku! Thank Kami you and Gohan are safe," Krillin said with a smile.
Yamcha and Tien walked over to join them. "Yo, Gohan, you kicked serious butt out there, kiddo," Yamcha complimented with a wink.
"Yes, your skills were most impressive," Tien added.
Gohan blushed slightly at the praise. "Thank you," he answered shyly.
Before long, Vegeta and his comrades walked over to the group. The flame-haired warrior's expression was still hardened. "You have some nerve risking everything like that, Kakarot," Vegeta scoffed.
Goku shot the Prince of all Saiyans an irritated look. "He was going to kill Gohan, Vegeta, I couldn't just stand there and watch," he argued.
"And in the process of saving him, you nearly got all of us killed. I doubt that would have done much for the brat either," the prince barked.
Krillin scowled and stepped forward, "Lay off, Vegeta."
Goku shot a glance at his older brother. "Raditz? Don't you have anything to say?" the gi-clad fighter challenged.
Raditz remained silent for a second before replying. "While I admit that Gohan did well against Guldo, I must concur with Vegeta. Taking a risk like that could have jeopardized the mission," the long-haired warrior explained coldly.
Goku couldn't believe what he was hearing. "I thought you cared about him," the younger Saiyan seethed in anger.
Raditz's expression remained cold, "Right now, I care about surviving this and beating these bastards… no matter the cost."
"We don't need to risk lives to stop them," Goku asserted.
"With all due respect, brother, you don't know who you're dealing with."
"That doesn't mean I'm going to play their game."
Nappa stepped forward and stared Goku right in the eyes. "This isn't a game, Kakarot, this is war," the former general corrected. "Sometimes, in war, sacrifices need to be made."
"Not on my watch," Goku retorted before turning away from the three Saiyans.
"Do me a favor, Kakarot," Vegeta called after the third-class warrior. "Next time someone is put in danger, don't concede the point to our enemy," the elite Saiyan quipped.
Goku turned his head, shooting Vegeta a frustrated look. "You were the one who wanted Gohan to fight in the first place," he recalled. "So don't get mad at me for cleaning up your mess."
Vegeta grunted. "Admittedly I assumed Raditz's training would be enough for the boy to take out a weakling like Guldo. I suppose I was wrong," the first-class warrior sneered as he walked away from the rest of the group.
Off on the other side of the field, the Ginyu Force had observed this brief altercation. "Looks like they were arguing over something," Burter commented.
"Yeah, it seems like these Earthlings don't trust the monkeys too much," Guldo noted.
Jeice chuckled, "That just makes our job easier."
"Speaking of which," Ginyu began, "Who's up next?"
Jeice turned to the rest of his team. "I think it's- hey, where'd he go?" the brench said in confusion as the man in question seemingly disappeared.
The four Ginyu Force members looked around for a moment, only to see their comrade dancing around in the middle of the battlefield.
"Now you will face the wrath of… RECOOME!"
[A/N] And that was the 21st chapter of Revenge of the Saiyans. I hope you guys enjoyed the first battle of the Ginyu saga, as well as Gohan's first real fight period. I apologize once again for the delay on the chapter, but hopefully I'll be a little more consistent with the rest of this saga.
With that being said, let's move on to the review responses for this chapter.
Review (Ch. 20): Well this should be interesting.
-Jack905
Response: Nice to see a new reviewer! Especially after all this time. Anyways, I'm really glad you've enjoyed the story so far and I hope my work continues to live up to your expectations. Peace! :)
Review (Ch. 20): Good to see you back. Going to be interesting to see how you handle the Ginyu Force appearing on Earth. Nice to see the AIs continuing to evolve.
Qotc- Not really seeming much of a difference in the writing style other than being a bit more descriptive.
-Daughterofrisingson
Response: Nice to see you return, daughterofrisingson! I really appreciate how patient you've been with this story since I started. Anyhow, I'm happy to see that you enjoyed my new tech for the AIs, and the fact that my writing hasn't gotten rusty after all this time. XD So thank you so much for the review, and I hope you continue to enjoy the story. Peace!
Review (Ch. 20): Interesting. You made the Ginyu force stronger than in the anime. Recoome didn't have a power level over 60,000 in the anime, and considering Raditz, Vegeta, and especially Nappa have higher powers than that and Nappa's attack did nothing, this will be interesting to see how the new version of the Z-Fighters survive.
-Kuma Akuma
Response: Yet another new reviewer. I'm glad to see that my constant hiatuses don't discourage new readers from checking out my work. But regardless, thank you SO much for the review and for looking so in-depth to the powers of the characters. As I'm sure you noticed earlier in the story, I inflated the power levels quite a bit to serve my narrative. This would obviously lead to different interactions between these characters and a diverse story. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed the bout between Guldo and Gohan, and that you continue enjoying my story. Peace!
Review (Ch. 20): Hey Silver Saiyan, this has been great! Another good chapter and I liked what you've done!
I loved how with Yamcha, being alone at Capsule Corp. it was funny how he was training by himself; but when you went into detail about him fighting imaginary enemies, having Yamcha, work on his lighting fast sword play?! I was like, rock on cool! For all those precision strikes though, I can't wait for him to think up a name for the technique. I loved it when Bulma, called Yamcha, over to help her with the tech. I know he helped her the best way he could, and he didn't understand everything. But, the best part of it all was he was there for her. It's just so sweet how they're both blossoming in the relationship, showing a deeper love than I ever thought possible in actual canon.
-Hugodrax
Response: Hello Hugo! I'm glad to see yet another of my older reviewers return. Anyway, I'm glad you enjoyed all of the little tweaks I did with the new technology and particularly with the Yamcha Bulma relationship. As you can probably tell, I'm REALLY trying to push this relationship just because I always wanted it to be canon throughout DBZ and I think it works a lot better than Vegeta and Bulma. Anyways, thank you again for this detailed review, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Peace! :)
Review (Ch. 11): Man, this series hits me in the feels department quite heavily. This story isn't what I expected and I'm happy for it. Listening to "Vegeta's Super Saiyan Remix" while reading this, and I like the buildup you've done so far. The outtakes with Frieza worrying about 3 Saiyans are great for foreshadowing.
-Some Guy in an Ambulance
Response: Glad to exceed your expectations. ;) Anyway, I'm really glad (once again) to see a new reviewer experiencing the story. I am also pleased that the story is "hitting you in the feels" with all the emotional bits and character development. This chapter had a bit of that so I hope you appreciated it. So I greatly appreciate the review and hope you continue to enjoy the story. Peace! :)
And that's all for the review responses. I know I've said this a million times, but it warms my heart to still see new reviewers interacting with the story even in my absence. It's that kind of dedication that encourages me to get off my butt and write this story.
Anyways, mushy stuff aside, let's move on to the QotC (Question of the Chapter). So rather than ask you the obligatory "who is your favorite Ginyu Force member?" (which will come at some point) I'm going to focus this question on our four-eyed friend, Guldo.
So I know Guldo is probably the least popular of the Ginyu Force (understandably) but I wanted to give him the spotlight in this chapter. In doing so, I created a little mini backstory for him and fleshed out his fighting style and abilities a touch. So essentially my question today is: What did you think of my interpretation of Guldo and the backstory I created for him? Feel free to give me your thoughts in your reviews and I'd love to start a little discussion.
Well that's about it. I really appreciate all of you that have stuck with me in this story and continue to enjoy it with each (usually delayed) update. I honestly don't deserve all of the readers and reviews that I have, but as long as you guys choose to dedicate your time to my work, I'll keep making it.
But as always, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, a review would be greatly appreciated, and this is SilverSaiyan44 signing out. See you guys in chapter 22!