A/N: Yes, I'm evil aren't I? Just read the chapter and you'll see what I mean :)

Chapter Twenty-one - End of the world?

Bardock pulled his arm back and swung with all his might. Zarbon slipped around it and pounded his open palm into Bardock's chest. He felt a rib crack but ignored the pain that seared through his body. Normally such a blow wouldn't hurt so much but the Kaio Ken was wreaking havoc on his body, he couldn't contain this much power and it was slowly ripping apart his muscles. He brought his knee up into Zarbon's stomach before elbowing him in the head. Before Bardock could move again Zarbon had slammed his fist into his stomach several times.

A sudden blow to his back slammed Bardock into the center of the street below him. He sensed Zarbon land near-by as he pulled himself out of the ground panting. /Damn it! The Kaio Ken's straining my body to much, every blow he lands is doing quadruple the damage it should! I'm just making this easier for him, but if I drop back down to a double I'll have even less of a chance!/

Finally getting back up onto his wobbly legs Bardock took in his surroundings. The people of the city had fled to a distance they felt was safe but Bardock knew otherwise. The towering buildings lining the street he'd landed in were still in one piece but he knew that wouldn't last long. /Stupid Humans, don't know when to run away.../ "Yaaaaaaaaaa!" He charged heedlessly in at Zarbon no longer holding back anything, no longer being cautious, and swung his fist with all his might.

The blow caught Zarbon off guard and knocked him into the building to his left. Bardock followed him in. There were several quick flashes of light and the bottom floors of the building exploded outward bringing the rest of the structure down on top of the two clashing warriors. Before the dust even finished settling there was a flash of blue-green light that tore through the debris flinging it everywhere. At the center of the blast Zarbon stood panting lightly. He'd just started to smile when a pile of rubble a few yards away shifted and Bardock climbed out, his armor was cracked and shattered, his left leg was broken, and so were three of his ribs. His power had also dipped down, with these injuries he could only sustain a double Kaio Ken, and just barely. Still, he charged in at Zarbon again.

******

Goku landed behind Gohan and Krillin who were keeping a watch on the two fallen warriors. "Daddy!" Gohan cheered.

"Hey kiddo." he said kneeling down between Hotaru and Vadora. He pulled out the two Senzus and slid one into each mouth. It only took a moment for the two to recover.

"G-Goku?" Vadora asked sitting up. She looked around for a moment then stopped. "Is that Bardock? And Zarbon feels stronger too..."

Goku nodded. "Bardock's power is slipping but Zarbon's is still stable. I don't know how he got stronger..." he shook his head. "You guys stay here, I'll go help him." They watched after the disappearing Goku for only a moment before Vadora and Hotaru followed after.

******

Bardock slammed through six buildings before hitting the street and gouging out a six block trench with his body. His armor was completely shattered now, both of his arms were broken, multiple ribs, though luckily his neither his lungs or heart were punctured... yet. His legs were almost completely shattered, he couldn't even stand on them anymore, if he was going to get up he'd have to fly. Not that he thought he could do even that. He'd lost the Kaio Ken because his body couldn't sustain it any longer and his natural power had been cut by more than half.

He managed to sit up in time to see Zarbon land just a few feet away. "Well now Monkey, how the mighty have fallen." he laughed in a deep voice as his body shrank back down to normal. "It's time I get rid of you." Zarbon raised his hand over his head and began to charge a small energy bomb. However, before the blast was even charged, a hand grabbed his wrist. Zarbon looked back to see who had dared to grab his arm. /Kakkarotto, I'd forgotten about him./

"Well now, seems Bardock's little brat wants to play." Zarbon grinned turning around as Goku released his hand. "Though you should know that you stand no chance against me, even less then he did." he finished with a nod to Bardock who was being pulled aside by Gohan and Krillin. "After all, you're weaker than he is."

Goku smiled. "And yet, I'm better at the Kaio Ken than he is." Zarbon's eyes narrowed at Goku's words. "Let's get this over with. Kaio Ken times Four!" A red aura flared up around Goku as he charged in at Zarbon. The alien only had a split second to read Goku's power increase. /What! I need to trans.../ Goku's fist smashed into his face with a loud crack. Goku pounded on him forcing him up into the sky and out of the city. With a sudden spinning kick to the face Goku sent Zarbon sailing from the city it high speeds. Goku chased after him and went to punch him again. However Zarbon managed to transform and grab hold of Goku's hand at the last moment.

"Damn Monkey!" he cried smashing a knee into Goku's face.

Goku was knocked skyward but pulled himself to a stop quickly. "Kaio Ken times Five!" Again Zarbon's scouter picked up the increase but this time he wasn't worried, Bardock's maximum had been a bit stronger, this would be no problem. However he suddenly wound up with a fist planted in his stomach. As he recoiled from the impact Goku pitched him into him into the ground outside the city. A split second after hitting the ground Zarbon exploded back up into the air and rammed his head into Goku's stomach before elbowing him in the back of the neck. Turning around after the blow Goku launched a quick punch which Zarbon dodged before countering. However his fist passed through thin air and the image of Goku vanished. Just as it did Goku's foot slammed into Zarbon's back.

******

On the ground below Vadora and the others watched the battle above them. "This is amazing..." Vadora said in awe. "His power's incredible. How did he get so strong?"

"We had some... intense training." Bardock rasped. "He can u-use the Kaio K-ken better than I... My body was n-nearly torn in t-two by just a trip-triple."

"Kaio Ken?" Hotaru asked.

"It a-allows the user to d-draw on hid-hidden power making the-them stronger."

Hotaru nodded. /Similar to my Kinryoku... but obviously more effective. Drawing on untapped power instead of forcing an unnatural increase.../ she smiled lightly. /Less chance of killing yourself that way at least... but with it you'd need to have untapped power... That would meant that Goku and Bardock... what exactly? Perhaps the Kaio Ken's drawing on the power of their Oozaru forms... or what if... the legend? Could they be drawing... on the power of the Super Sai-jin?/

Above them they sky shook from the raging fight. It was obvious Goku was doing pretty well up there. His power was starting to slip but so was Zarbon's, at last. Though it didn't seem Zarbon was taking the idea to well. Vadora grabbed Bardock quickly and jumped with the others just before one of Zarbon's stray blasts hit were they had been.

"W-what I d-don't get..." Bardock continued. "Is why he's hold-holding back."

Everyone looked down at Bardock in shock. "Holding back?" Krillin managed. "What do you mean? He's not at his maximum?!"

Bardock shook his head slowly. "Not quite." he laughed raggedly. "Before having us w-wished back King Kai wanted to s-see our progress." He coughed a few times as Hotaru propped him up against a tree. "Goku has m-more power than h-he's showing..." As he finished he absent mindedly brushed a furry brown tail off his face.

"But why?" Vadora asked looking up as Zarbon hit Goku hard. "Why hold back?"

Krillin watched the fight for a moment before understanding dawned on him. "Because of us!" he cried. "Goku's trying to protect us. He's holding back so as not to accidentally hurt us."

"Then I say we move back." Hotaru said looking at the small group who nodded.

******

The fight had gone on for nearly a half hour now and Goku was starting to tire. However, he could tell Zarbon was growing weaker faster than him. As he dodged another punch he saw the others leaving the area. /Good, they're going./ That moment of distraction allowed Zarbon to hit him in the stomach and then slam him down into the ground. As the dust cleared Goku stood up slowly and glared up at Zarbon once more who was now panting heavily.

"Give this up Zarbon, you can't win." Goku called up.

Zarbon laughed. "Very funny monkey, but you're the one who can't win. You will die on this mud ball by my hand!"

"You don't get it do you? I'm not even at my full power yet. I'm stronger than you! Just give up now and you can leave! I don't want to have to kill you!"

Zarbon started laughing again. "A Sai-jin that doesn't want to kill?! Oh that's a laugh! And you can't seriously think I'd believe your little bluff. You were born to a third class Sai-jin, born with a measly power of 2. You could never hope to surpass me!"

Goku shook his head sadly as he braced him self. "Kaio Ken times Six!" His aura flared out larger and brighter as his power took another leap up.

Zarbon moved backward in shock at the new reading on his scouter, his eyes going wide. "No, that's not... this can't be! There's no way you can be that strong! You were born with a power level of only 2! It's impossible!"

"Now you see Zarbon, I'm stronger than you. You can't beat me so leave the Earth."

Zarbon started laughing. "And admit defeat to a stupid monkey! NEVER!" His blue green aura flicked a moment then flared to life around him. He thrust his arms up above him at an angle and thrust his legs down at an angle forming an x shape. "I'll destroy you by taking out this entire planet! Dodge this next attack if you can, try and block it if you like, but either way this planet is going to be destroyed and with it - you, your father, your allies, and everyone else! In the end victory shall be MINE!" There was a massive flash of light as his aura flared out to a hundred yard width. Still it pulsated with increasing power.

Goku stared up in disbelief at the building power, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to deflect it. "This is insane! You'd destroy yourself when you could live!?" He shielded his eyes as Zarbon's power began to kick up dirt and pebbles. /He's crazy! He's completely lost all sense of reason! I have to stop him, somehow I have to stop him!/ Quickly he cupped his hands to his side. "I will stop you Zarbon!" he cried up. "Kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

The entire ground shook with power, the clouds in the sky parted away from the two warriors. Rocks and dirt floated into the air and began to swirl in a massive circle around the two warriors as they each charged their attacks. Blue energy crackled between Goku's palms as more swirled about his hands. The energy slowly began to coalesce into an orb as his voice continued to cry out over the landscape.

Hotaru and Vadora shielded their comrades from the rushing energy as Gohan held tight to Bardock. They strained their ears and eyes to observe the battle, to understand who would come out on top. Fear and apprehension danced in their eyes for Zarbon's power was building faster than Goku's. There was a thunderous explosion in the sky as a vacuum formed and then refilled between the warriors. That explosion, which rang out like the gunshot at the start of race, signaled the start of the coming clash of power.

"Now you die!" yelled Zarbon. "Oblivion Buster!" He thrust his arms and legs down at Goku. His aura bulged outward a moment before a stream of energy as large as Zarbon exploded from the end of the alien's arms and legs and surged down toward Goku.

Goku waited a moment before thrust his arms into the air. "Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" The massive Kamehameha exploded forth with a size equal to that of the Oblivion Buster. The brilliant blue stream from Goku slammed into the blue-green wave from Zarbon in a brilliant flash. Goku strained as he forced more energy into his wave but he could feel Zarbon's attack pushing his back down, slowly overpowering him. /No! This isn't good! His attack's stronger than mine! I have... I have to stop him! I can't let him destroy the planet!/ He watched in horror as Zarbon's attack came within only fifty yards of him. /There's no other choice!/ his mind screamed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N: Told you I was evil :) Don't you just love cliff hangers?