The Three Legendary Saiyans
Chapter 74: The Ice Continent.
The sun high and shining over the once calm ocean waves only to be disrupted and churned up into a spinning flurry of crashing waves and currents caused by the two Saiyans clashing just under the surface; bursting out of the water was Raijin dressed in a simple pair of swimming shorts alongside Goku wearing an identical pair of shorts, both grinning as their fists clashed sending soundwaves slashing through the water leaving the parted water to crash back upon itself.
Grinning as their fists clashed again; Raijin and Goku flew across the surface of the water leaving a trail of ocean spray in their wake before striking each other with an elbow strike that released an impact wave that split the seas and sending ocean spray over the two levitating warriors.
Smirking through their drenched hair; Goku flung his fingers to his forehead as he vanished on the spot, Raijin knowing what was coming allowed his Instincts to sense his surroundings rather than his mind, feeling the impending strike from behind; Raijin allowed his body to float upwards just as Goku brought a hammer fist down on where Raijin had once been only for Raijin to counterattack with a dropkick to Goku's back thar sent him crashing into the ocean.
Flinching as his body collided with the ocean waters; Goku crossed his arms to block as Raijin dropped from the skies for a second attack with his bare footed dropkick that crashed directly into Goku's guard while the ocean beneath crashed and quaked with a resonating impact just as Goku vanished on the spot again only to appear with a crushing axe kick of his own striking Raijin's guard.
"Really thought I'd fall for that a second time?!" Raijin exclaimed loudly through the roaring crash of the waves in the ocean; his arms crossed in an X formation to block Goku's second warp attack.
"Nope; but this is new!" Goku chimed cheerfully as he pulled back to execute a new technique but felt a pull on his wrist; his line of sight moving to the fact that Raijin's Tail had wrapped around his right wrist and pulled it down from his forehead thus breaking that crucial concentration and preventing him from being able to teleport, Raijin quickly using the pull of his own tail and launch a surprise attack and land a backwards kick directly into Goku's unguarded stomach.
Goku felt his grin widen as Raijin had begun implementing his tail in close-quarters combat; feeling sore from where Raijin had been able to strike him, the sensations that felt similar to that of Ultra Instinct returning but not quite fully grasped as he looked up to witness Raijin float in the centre of a rotating whirlpool in the oceans caused by his own rising powers.
The waters rippled as Raijin's powers grew and grew; his body gleaming with a golden radiance that shone as brightly as the dawning sun, even Goku had to take some steps back as Raijin emerged from the life in his newly achieved Golden Super Saiyan 4 Form; with a serious expression on his face as his own powerful might had caused the ocean to bend and separate thus parting the ocean into two walls between himself and Goku.
"Amazing… now that I see your transformation up close it makes me want to fight you even more!" Goku spoke through an ever-widening grin; bearing witness to Raijin reclaiming his Limit Breaker Form and a spark of eagerness to do battle against such a power awakening in him.
"Then what are you waiting for? Show me what you got!" Raijin grinned as a beckoned Goku to come to him with the come here gesture of his hands, feeling a strain as his body was still not fully healed and would not hold the form for very long.
Goku couldn't bear to hold back anymore; clenching his fists as he too blazed with a radiant blue flame as he emerged from his own dazzling radiance cloaked in blue fire as he'd entered Mastered Super Saiyan Blue, the parted ocean walls splitting again into four pillars of water that spun and rotated around the two Saiyans.
"When I see those two parting the oceans with their techniques it seems almost biblical" Bulma chimed as she relaxed in a recliner; a beverage in her hand as she watched the pillars of water rise out of the oceans, the blaze of Super Saiyan light blazing more brilliantly than even the stars on a clear night.
"Indeed Bulma; tis quite the sight" Whis agreed; watching the sparring match with a look of satisfaction that Raijin had reacquired the power he'd gained during The Tournament of Power and Goku had reached his own Mastered Form of Super Saiyan Blue, but still saw that there was room to grow and improve even more.
"Raijin! Goku! Come on back before all the food has been eaten!" Bulma called out to the pair of Saiyans still out in the ocean, turning to find Whis and Beerus already at the table with their lips being licked at the prospect of having the entire spread to themselves.
10 Minutes Later.
"Goku, Raijin; I must ask why you seek to claim greater power than you already possess? Are you aspiring to become God of Destruction?" Whis spoke up from enjoying a barbecued grill of burgers, hot-dogs and steaks along with a salad side dish, asking on their desire to train further even though their wounds from battling their Tournament of Power foes had barely healed.
"You better not be! I don't plan on relinquishing my position to anybody and certainly not to any Saiyan!" Beerus snapped; dropping a large half-eaten hamburger down onto his plate, shooting Goku with a threatening glare to anybody he felt might topple him of his position as God of Destruction.
"Oh I have no such desire Lord Beerus; I only plan to become stronger and really why would I want to become a God when all Gods seems to do is sleep all day" Goku raised his hands when speaking though spat out several pieces of rice when opening his mouth; earning him annoyed looks from all but Raijin who remained quiet but grinned at the exchange between Whis and Goku when the unintended insult towards Beerus was spoken.
"That was uncalled for" Beerus grunted; feeling rather insulted while Bulma barely managed to stifle her laughter at the off-handed comment.
"Not only we must get stronger to vanquish a certain tyrant that a certain idiot brought back to life" Raijin spoke after swallowing a mouthful of a hamburger; his fingers catching the red ketchup dripping out from the bread bun as he rose to take another bite.
"Geez; aren't you ever going to let that go?" Goku shrugged his shoulders; trying to appear happy-go-lucky with his inconsiderate actions where Frieza's resurrection has been concerned.
"No! we don't even know what Frieza is planning! What if he shows up even stronger, he had already proven to be able to stand up to your Blue Form"
"You really think so?!" Goku answered with a noticeable tone of joy in his voice; the idea of fighting a version of Frieza who was even stronger being highly appealing to him.
"Yes I do; and this time his life is mine to take" Raijin answered; shooting down Goku's obvious happiness at a stronger opponent by reminding him that he'd already laid claim to vanquishing Frieza if he ever attempt to invade Earth again.
"Raijin; you're finally sounding like a true Saiyan, a pity its only taken this long…" Whis chimed in; speaking on how Raijin was speaking and acting more like a Saiyan rather than the human he lived like or the Namekian he was raised by and had adopted some characteristics in his youth but now exhibited a desire for more strength to defeat a future foe.
"I'm not sure if I should be saying thanks Whis; but I do know enough that we cannot stay the same, we barely managed to topple Jiren, Agnilasa and Kefla… so I'm concerned if Frieza can attain a new power… we might not survive if we stay at our current level of strength" Raijin shrugged off Whis' comments about his Saiyan-like actions and decisions but he could not deny their validity.
"But still; The Tournament of Power opened my eyes… I cannot stay at the level I'm at right now if Frieza really does return with a more powerful form then I must be ready!" Goku spoke rising from his chair as his black hair instantly wavered and changed to the gold of Super Saiyan though he was alluding to the power of Ultra Instinct and everyone knew he wanted to master and call on that power at will.
"Yeah; don't even think about using a Wish on Shenron to elevate your powers" Bulma remarked; sipping at her own drink with a sly smile when mentioning Shenron as the idea of using The Dragon Balls to increase one's strength was one that was well within The Dragon's powers to grant.
"Heh? I wasn't going to!" Goku and Raijin spoke in unison; looking to each other in stunned silence at their unified denial of using Shenron before breaking into laughter at having the exact same response as the other and they suspected that Vegeta would have made the same reaction.
"Speaking of Bulma; I've noticed you're one Dragon Ball short from your set, any reason for the sudden gathering of the orbs?" Whis chimed with a knowing look; his questioning catching Raijin's attention as even he had not noticed her gathering of the orbs.
"Whis; since you can detect lies I have no choice but to tell you all, I'm conducting an experiment and I need The Seven Dragon Balls to conduct it" Bulma felt she had to share something about he latest project, speaking carefully so not to reveal too much when she wanted to keep this particular experiment a secret for everyone at least until she could successfully conduct it.
"And what experiment is this? Does it involve that new machine you've been building?" Raijin spoke cautiously; knowing too well that Bulma would deny the construction of such a device even though she'd know that he'd seen it in The Research Laboratories during training bouts with her Upgraded Bio-Warriors.
"Sorry but that is still a secret" Bulma brought a finger to her lips as she smiled; hushing her words and being careful not to reveal too much when it came to what she had planned.
"Is Ewan involved?" Raijin asked; giving Bulma a suspecting look as he name-dropped Ewan causing even Goku to look up in curiosity as two who they could be discussing when he'd never heard of Ewan prior to now.
"He's my right-hand; of course he is" Bulma shrugged off the question; failing to notice the look of confirmation she unwittingly gave to Raijin as she turned her back on the table to tend to Bulla who began to cry out in hunger.
"Alright then; if he's included then it has to be something significant" Raijin thought to himself; mentally listing through a short list of possible experiments that could be performed using The Dragon Balls including the possibilities of creating counterfeit orbs to trick any other foes who came seeking the orbs, somehow amplifying Shenron's power but that seemed impossible or determining the exact origins of the legendary wish orbs when Raijin himself knew from Guru that they'd likely been created before the recording of Earth's human history, glancing over and catching a concerned look from Whis before realising that Whis was likely listening to his thoughts.
At that moment Goku and Raijin snapped up from their chairs; both sensing a presence within Bulma's Private Island Resort, an energy that neither of them recognised as Bulma's Phone rang out breaking a sudden silence.
Bulma snatched up the phone and answered to be met with a video call from Pilaf, "Miss Bulma! I swear I wasn't trying to steal those Wish Balls of yours… but two people in black and green armour a lot like the sort you make for Mr Vegeta stole your six balls and your radar".
"What?! I'll deal with you and your friends later but right now I need to recover The Dragon Balls" Bulma snapped at a fearful Pilaf; having to issue increasingly harsher punishments to Pilaf and his two friends for attempting to steal The Dragon Balls, slamming down her phone and hanging up instantly.
"Whis, Beerus, can you two babysit the kids?" Bulma took in a deep breath to calm her briefly burning temper, lifting her infant daughter out from a baby-seat in placing the baby in Beerus' arms as he laid down to take a nap with the sun slowly beginning to set in the horizon.
"Say what? I'm a Destroyer not a babysitter!" Beerus yelled with surprise; looking to Whis as he too rose from his seat and began to follow Bulma, Whis shooting Beerus with a glance that indicated that he desired to see what would play out once the seven balls were gathered.
"I'll make it up to you with some hot fudge sundaes once we get back!" Bulma answered back; knowing too well that Beerus would do anything she asked as long as a sweet treat was returned, she secretly enjoyed having a literal divine being at her beck and call to the point she felt she could do anything she wanted with that being her secret experiment.
"Oh very well then; just don't take too long" Beerus stared down into the bright and beautiful eyes of the baby girl as she curled up in Beerus' arms only to fall to sleep instantly, Raijin snatching the opportunity to snap a picture as he remained in his chair.
"Any idea's where The Seventh is?" Goku asked through a mouthful of meat; spitting out chunks as he spoke much to the disgust of everyone present at the table before rising to his feet feeling like a battle might unfold.
"It's on The Ice Continent; I was going to go retrieve it when I got a free hour or two but we'll need to prepare for the freezing temperatures" Bulma spoke with concern; shooting Raijin and Goku looks for their thin clothing whereas they'd not had to face a foe in freezing cold conditions in many years
"Ice fields, snow and frozen glaciers; always to have a nice change of scenery" Raijin spoke as he rose from his chair; shrugging his shoulders and breaking into a walk with Goku and Bulma by his side but couldn't shake the feeling that something major was about to take place on those frozen icefields.
On The Ice Continent.
Cold winds blew through the frigid icy terrain as a sole figure stood being heated by energy and a royal-blue winter coat for Vegeta had resumed his training in private after The Gravity Chamber had done all it could for him, Vegeta stared down at his open hands as he thought on what he'd witnessed: Goku transcending all known powers and achieving the full power of Ultra Instinct while Raijin at the moment where he needed it most had experienced that same power for a split second but had also achieved a goal that none other could have done by defeating Jiren, Vegeta knew that the power of Ultra Instinct was beyond his capabilities but another power might be within reach.
His thought process breaking as he observed an unfamiliar Hovercraft speeding across the ice before crashing into a glacier, opting to standing by and do nothing as he watched two men: one tall and skinny and the other short and rotund scurrying around in search of something but it was their black/green armour that caught Vegeta's eye.
"Keep searching! We need to find that Ball before that woman finds out we stole the other six!" the rotund soldier yelled; frustrated that they couldn't secure all seven from the island when they'd risked discovery by just being on the same island as two powerful Saiyans.
"I know! The Radar says its nearby!" the skinny soldier shouted back; pressing the button on the Radar for a greater range of view to locate the last ball, the screen showing it being extremely close to their position to the point of almost being on top of it.
"I found it!" yelled the rotund soldier; his gloves scraping through the snow directly under himself until uncovering the bright orange orb with five red stars centred within the orbs material.
"Fantastic, let's get off this rock before we're found!" the skinny soldier spoke up; hurrying back to the shuttle alongside his comrade, switching on the ignition moments before a sudden impact struck the shuttle.
Just as the engines ignited and the vehicle began to lift off the icefield; a blast struck the side of the shuttle sending it screeching across the ice and into a wall of frozen water and snow before bursting into flames, the two soldiers crawling out from the wreckage and into the snow moments before the shuttle was struck by a second blast and exploding into burning fragments of metal leaving behind a bent and warped frame.
Looming over the destroyed vehicle; the two soldiers cowered in fear as the more rotund of the two clutched The Dragon Balls to his armoured chest while the skinnier aimed a laser pistol to the figure of Vegeta as he walked through the flames, a single shot being fired and missing before a ki blast turned the pistol to dust in the soldier's hand.
"And what the hell do you underlings think you're doing?" Vegeta spoke; ignoring the pistol shot piercing his winter coat but deflecting off his armour, the newest model that Bulma had built now with a stronger base layer in the plates covering his vitals but with a new black/gold colour scheme.
"None of your business!" The skinny soldier barked; putting on a brave face when being met by Vegeta that was only met by a deadly cold stare from Vegeta that felt colder than the frigid winds blowing through the air.
"You'd run away from here if you knew what was good for you!" The rotund soldier spoke to Vegeta; giving him a warning with his fearful and shaky voice when taking out a small device from his utility belt and clicking the sole button on the device.
"I know what this is… that's a transmitter! You're sending a signal to Frieza! A pity you won't be here to greet him" Vegeta snapped as he spotted the handheld transmitter in the rotund soldier's hand, his eyes widening as his glare intensified only for the device to expose in the soldier's hand causing him to shriek in terror.
"Vegeta! Wait!" yelled a voice from out of nowhere; the pair of solders looking in surprise as Goku and Raijin suddenly materialised into the wide-open glacier while Vegeta barely reacted.
"God dammit! What do you want now Kakarot!" Vegeta yelled; unfazed by the fact that Goku and Raijin had just teleported into his presence without so much as a warning nor had he sensed them coming, spotting that both Goku and Raijin were wearing winter coats: with Goku wearing orange and Raijin wearing white.
"If you kill them; we won't learn what Frieza's intentions are for the Dragon Balls" Raijin spoke for Goku in the instance; speaking logically and appealing to Vegeta's own desires to end Frieza whereas gathering information would be crucial.
Vegeta narrowed his eyes at Raijin before begrudgingly lowering his hand thus his energy faded from view allowing the two soldier's to breath a sigh of relief before realising their predicament: three Saiyans all looming over them with the demand that they tell them their reasons for stealing The Dragon Balls, the two soldier's quivering in fear.
"I'm not telling you anything! Lord Frieza's business is his own!" the skinnier soldier yelled; his voice shaking with nerves and fear of speaking in defiance of The Saiyans when the fear of failing Lord Frieza was a greater fear.
"Really now? Goku, Vegeta… shall we?" Raijin spoke with a smirk; looking to his fellows as they too smirked in his direction, all three tensing as golden flames burst into life around their bodies before uniting into one glorious golden flame that engulfed the three Saiyans as all three transformed into their base Super Saiyan Forms, the display of intimidation quickly working as the pair of soldiers howling if fear to the point that they dropped the six wish-granting orbs slid out from their grip and into the snow.
The pair of soldiers howled in fear as The Three Saiyans all transformed, the golden flames burning off their bodies forming one large, unified flame of multiple colours, ranging from gold, yellow, red, blue and purple as their energies had mixed with a united aura, though the intimidation did not last long as Goku, Vegeta and Raijin all powered down and looked to the skies as a familiar ship broke through the veil of clouds.
Standing with his comrades either side of him; Raijin felt his face curl into a grimace of contempt as he watched Frieza's Ship break through the skies and begin its decent to land, the memory of having seen Frieza's Ship break through the skies on Namek coming back to haunt him.
Raijin's thought process halted as he felt warm hands press into his back; turning and seeing not only Bulma and Goku pressing a hand to his back but also Vegeta, a silent exchange being passed between Raijin and Vegeta as both had been victims of Frieza's cruelty in the past.
Standing in silence against the blasts of cold winds induced by the descent of the Spaceship; the landing legs extending and digging deep into the ice as a walkway ramp ejected from the side as an airlock door opened leading to a group of eight white-cloaked soldiers of various builds from short, tall, bulky and rotund whose identities were unknown via the hoods included with the cloaks; the eight forming two lines of four on either side as the airlock opened as Frieza along with Paragus and Broly began to walk down the steps towards the group of the three Earth-based Saiyans.
"Guys… don't those two walking beside Frieza look a lot like Saiyans?" Goku spoke carefully so Frieza would not overhear; catching notice of the two unknown Saiyan Men walking alongside Frieza.
"Yes; but where did he find other surviving Saiyans?" Vegeta spoke with surprise to see other Saiyans that survived their Home-World's destruction; the question remaining on his mind as Frieza's foot touched the ice.
"No idea but be ready, if they're with Frieza then they might not know the true history of the home planet" Raijin whispered quickly; glaring with an intent to kill Frieza if he made any move to declare invasion or annihilate Earth from the cosmos.
"Agreed; but I get the feeling it don't really matter" Vegeta nodded to Raijin in agreement; stopping his voice as Frieza finally spoke in his horrible condescending tone.
"Good day! It's been some time but it doesn't seem like you've done much while I have gained so much more than you can imagine" Frieza spoke with his arms cast wide in greeting; speaking condescendingly but using words as if he was addressing friends rather than the enemies he so desired the deaths of.
"Not long enough Frieza; what brings you back here? I believe Raijin told you never to try invading Earth again!" Vegeta barked back; his tone that of the royal stature he held though he knew without looking that Raijin was all too eager to put his fist through Frieza's chest.
"Oh I'm not here to invade; just introduce a few people to you as well as to make use of your planet's lovely Dragon Balls for a small matter" Frieza remarked mockingly; gesturing his hand in an arcing motion as The Seven Dragon Balls floated out from the grasp of the fumbling Soldiers before they fell face first into the snow and ice whilst the seven orbs floating into Frieza's beckoning hand and floated in perfect position in mid-air.
"You really think I'm going to allow that?!" Vegeta remarked; opening displaying his temptation to allow Raijin to tear Frieza apart but resisted by refusing to lower his arm and allow Raijin to pass him, Raijin however kept himself as calm as he could.
"You might notice these two fine Saiyan men walking beside me, I'll allow them to handle their own introductions" Frieza ignored the open hostility from Raijin and Vegeta and drew their attention to his newest recruits.
"I am Paragus; your father: the late King Vegeta dealt me a fate that I thought was worse than death but fortune comes to those with patience as his son shall pay for the father's sins" Paragus spoke as his one remaining eye stared daggers at Vegeta and Vegeta only; the fury he felt presenting itself as the snow under his feet lightly shimmered.
"My father was a bastard and if you think I'll just stand by and let you carve your revenge out of me then you have a second thing coming and that thing will be my fist" Vegeta exclaimed loudly; speaking in the royal tone that his fellows had not heard in some time, Goku and Raijin both taking a step backwards to allow Vegeta room to speak to their apparent foe.
"You speak in the same wretched royal tone as he did, the perfect picture of arrogance and that wretched pride" Paragus scoffed in disgust at the use of the royal tone; seeing Vegeta as not just the son of his vile enemy but as an incarnation of King Vegeta himself.
"And who might be the other Saiyan?" Vegeta disregarded the look of disgust Paragus was giving him and instead lining his sight up with Broly; feeling a chill when sensing the strength Broly possessed.
"This is my son Broly; he and I were exiled because King Vegeta feared his latent powers! A crime that I will carve out of your flesh regardless of whether you are living or dead" Paragus spoke as he cast out his left arm in gesture towards Broly, Broly himself looking upon Vegeta, Goku and Raijin with a furrowed brow; the years of hearing his father's plans for revenge having conditioned him to instantly hate the object of such rage without question.
"I still don't see what that has to do with me! If he's strong then he should have the strength to stand on his own feet rather than follow orders!" Vegeta retorted without care nor thought for what plight Paragus and Broly had undergone, his attitude causing Paragus to express disgust in his facial expressions.
"Such utter hogwash! Those utter lies spewing from that maw you call a mouth; it was because of those latent powers my son exhibited were dwarfing your own that your father committed his crime against me! We were sentenced to death because of his superiority" Paragus spat with a tone of sheer rage; his cloak covering his right-side billowing in the cold winds giving Raijin a glimpse of something that turned his stomach at the mere sight.
"As amusing as this verbal exchange is; I would like to see Broly's powers in action" Frieza spoke cheerfully; floating off the ground and retreating with The Dragon Balls in his possession, giving Paragus and Broly room to finally begin their long-awaited revenge.
"Yes! The time for our revenge has come my son! GO Broly!" Paragus roared in triumph; thrusting his right arm out from the cloak he wore over his right side revealing a series of horrific scars and burns that might have rendered an ordinary man's arm paralysed but not for a Saiyan, Broly taking the reveal of his father's right arm as well as the order to charge as the signal to battle; bellowing out a battle cry before rushing into battle with Vegeta as the first target.
