Chapter 13: It Ends Too Soon
Noca powered towards Wun and plunged a strong punch deep into the brute's gut, and then he pulled back and used that same fist to propel an uppercut into Wun's chin, lifting the large man off of the ground. Noca then reached up, gripped onto Wun's leg with both of his hands and pulled him back towards the ground. Wun's body slammed into the ground and Noca jumped up, spiralling down, feet-first, into the brute's gut.
His feet crunched into Wun's stomach, causing him to arch up and let out a growl of pain. It sounded and looked painful, but Noca knew better than to believe that Wun was incredibly hurt or injured in any way. He jumped up, rising a little higher into the air, and glared down at Wun as the large fighter started to move and get back up to his feet.
In the lull, silence filled the stadium once again. The crowd knew they were witnessing something great, something incredible, but there had been far too much brutality and they were still terrified. The announcer was still standing by, waiting to call the fight, but he was far too confused.
"I don't know what to say. Who's the winner? Is Wun the champion, or is he disqualified for continuing the fight after Noca fell out, and for attacking a member of the audience," The announcer pondered, speaking into his microphone. Vegeta grunted and turned to face the man.
"Your tournament is over. There are no more rules in this fight. It's about life or death," Vegeta confirmed, putting it in the straightest terms possible. The announcer just stared at Vegeta and nodded. The Saiyan Prince looked back to Goku. "We should help."
"You're not typically the person who would make that suggestion," Goku commented, a smirk on his face. Vegeta wasn't amused, but he knew Goku was making a valid point.
There wasn't a lot of time for talking, the fight was still going on and it was heavily weighted in Noca's favour at that present moment in time. Wun clearly wasn't going to back down easily though. He jumped up, aiming his own attack for Noca, but the Saiyan, with his increased pace and power, simply grabbed Wun's arm and swung forward landing a strong kick against Wun's face.
The kick knocked Wun away and Noca followed on, flying around Wun to the other side, and smashed a kick in his ribs. Wun grunted, bending to the side and very quickly tried to go on the defence, but Noca had already moved again.
Wun wanted to try looking for him, but Noca already phased immediately in front of the brute and powered a fist right into his face. Wun rolled back from the impact of the hit and Noca continued to follow forward, plunging a fist into his stomach, causing Wun to bend forward. The young Saiyan had already darted back, flipping back, and kicking up into Wun's face. Wun's body was opened up by the impact and when Noca faced forward again he threw his hands forward and shot a single, yet powerful, Ki blast right into his torso. The blast exploded and Wun was thrown back, through the single remaining screen.
Noca lowered his arms and glared ahead, waiting to see what the brute would try next. His breathing was still heavy as he tried to contend with the rage that was beating through his body. There was a slight shift in the damaged screen and then Wun burst out, blowing the rest of it away. He seemed completely unfazed by Noca's onslaught, and the teenager knew things weren't about to get easy.
As the fight between Noca and Wun was going on, Videl and Goten had both jumped down from the stands and rushed to where Pan had been thrown through. They had pulled her from the wreckage and took her to the waiting area where they had managed to lay her down safely, comfortably. Videl gripped onto her daughter's hand, kissing it, hoping that she would be ok. A confirmation from sensing Pan's energy said she was fine but would need some rest.
Apparently, Pan's body didn't understand that because the girl started to shift and come back to consciousness. Videl was thrilled to see her open her eyes.
"Uh… what? NOCA!" She exclaimed, sitting up and looking through the waiting room doors, hearing the impacts from the fight, her senses told her Noca was on the front foot and he was showcasing a lot of energy. Pan went to stand up but Videl gently stopped her.
"Pan, you were hit hard, you need to rest," The mother pleaded with her daughter. Pan furrowed her brow and shook her head.
"I'm sorry mom, but I want to see what's going on," Pan said, jumping up and running to the doorway, staring out at the wreckage littering the outside of the stage, and watching as Noca pounded a punch into Wun's body that sent him flying down in the stage with a crash.
Noca looked down to the waiting area upon realising that Pan's energy was active. She was up. She was ok. Noca smiled, but the smile that Pan had started to fade as she realised Noca's energy slipped ever so slightly. Wun started to move and Noca had become temporarily distracted so he didn't manage to get his energy to the best defensive level as Wun shot up towards Noca, taking an offensive opportunity.
Wun blasted up, right towards Noca and swung a fist for the teen's face. Noca started to back away, narrowly letting Wun's arm sail past his face, just about, but he wasn't completely focused. Wun had an opening and he managed to pound a punch into Noca's side, which sent him careening away through the air.
Noca managed to roll and face towards Wun again, ready for the next incoming attack and he saw Wun's punch aiming right towards his head, and he ducked to the side and moved towards his enemy, smashing a quick one-two into the brute's chest, sending him back. Wun was halted but didn't adjust himself in time to defend Noca's flying kick that bounced off of his face. Noca moved back and flew forward again, tackling Wun around the waist and directing him towards the ground. He let go, using the momentum of his speed and power to send Wun flying back into the hard surface that was the main stage.
Wun crashed down and Noca powered Ki in both of his hands and rapidly fired a barrage of blasts that crashed down all around him, destroying much of the stage in the process. Noca finished it up by raising his hands above his head and throwing down one large Ki blast that exploded, engulfing the whole stage, and letting off a blinding light. The air was filled with smoke and Noca looked down, as if waiting for the inevitable.
The smoke cleared, and Wun was still standing. Noca sighed and let out a low, annoyed growl. He looked completely calm and composed. Nothing seemed to set him off. He was stone-cold. Noca was getting more and more frustrated.
Now that the worry for Pan's safety had left his mind, he was thinking about his chances of beating Wun and he couldn't find anything. He remembered back to what Uub had said. If he did an all-out attack and it failed Noca would be in a far worse position. Wun already made it clear he wanted to kill Noca and stated that someone had ordered it. He just had to hope that whoever was behind that brute wouldn't give the final order.
Noca wasn't getting the power boost that his rage had given him before, so that meant he was basically on his own with it. He had to utilise whatever power he had and maybe it did come down to a last resort. Noca's arms fell by his side and began to focus his energy to one spot. He just had to hope Wun wouldn't do anything.
"Kame," Noca started, muttering it so only he could hear, but everyone who could sense energy could tell what Noca was doing. He started to move into the stance, with his hands down by his side.
"Hame," He continued, the blue light of the energy gathering between the palms of his hands. Noca drew as much energy to that one spot as he possibly could, with his aura flaring, his body trembling, and his mind straining. Noca would put everything into that final moment.
Wun didn't move.
"HA!" Noca screamed with ferocity as he thrust his hands forward and unleashed the energy wave. The power all crashed down upon Wun on his position in the centre of whatever remained of the stage, destroying the remnants. Noca felt his energy slipping away as he unleashed the attack, knowing that it was going to take it out of him, but he had to hold hope.
It didn't help that Noca could feel pressure from the other side. Wun was doing his absolute best to hold off the attack, and he was succeeding. Noca didn't know if he could hold it but he continued to try and push more and more.
Pan looked around, noticing Goku's inquisitive look, almost as if he was just an ordinary spectator. It frustrated her because Noca was struggling and no one was doing anything to help him. Pan was about ready to start screaming at him to help but she was stopped when Goku spoke.
"Pan, this is what he wants," The older Saiyan stated, as if he knew that for a fact. As if Noca had somehow told him, but Pan wasn't so sure, because despite whatever knowledge true experience could actually give you, Pan knew Noca. She was his friend.
"You don't know what he wants," Pan muttered, glaring at Goku.
The energy of the Kamehameha had stopped flowing towards Wun and seemed to settle, as if the tide was turning, and Wun was taking control. Goku didn't react, but Pan could tell something was wrong. She could feel something, almost like a shudder in Noca's energy as he relinquished control, unwillingly.
The energy began to flow back the other way and Wun pushed the Kamehameha back towards Noca. The teen released the Ki, letting it sail overhead and way up into the sky, soaring into the distance. He looked back to Wun, but the brute remained in the same spot, as if he was waiting for something else. Noca sighed and began to descend. His breathing heavy.
Noca's feet touched on the ground, and almost instantaneously, Wun flashed towards Noca and smashed a strong punch square in his face, and then he grabbed Noca's head with both of his hands and sent it crashing into his knee, twice. He released on the second knee slam and hammered his fists down on Noca's head.
The teen thumped into the ground and Wun stomped down on his head, pushing him into the dirt.
"Someone needs to help him," Pan spoke up, looking around at all three of Goku, Piccolo, and Vegeta, just watching. "Anybody?"
Wun lifted Noca up by the scruff of his neck and plunged a punch into his gut, then he let go of Noca and kicked him like a football to the opposite side of the stage area, where the teen smacked into one of the stand walls before landing on the ground in a heap.
"He's beaten, why won't any of you do anything?" Pan questioned.
"It's about Saiyan pride," Vegeta said, even though he wasn't so sure they should be subjecting the boy to what was essentially a curb-stomp.
"He wants to prove himself he'll have to do something drastic to change the flow of this fight," Goku said, continuing to watch, as if something was about to happen with Noca. Piccolo looked to Goku, then to Vegeta, and the Namekian and the Prince shared something of a knowing look. "He has that strength."
"But he doesn't know how to use it, and he knows nothing of Saiyan pride. He wasn't trained from a very young age about Ki control, and he didn't know that Saiyans were an incredibly prideful people because Noca grew up in an isolated village, with a peaceful life," Pan snapped, doing her best to defend Noca and make everyone see sense.
"I did train with him," Vegeta started. Pan turned and looked to him to protest but Vegeta looked to Goku. "And while he has immense power it is all new to him, Kakarot."
Goku turned to face Vegeta, his brow furrowed.
"You don't think he can win?" Goku asked.
"Take a look, Goku. He's already lost," Piccolo said, stepping up. "And you're handling this the same way you handled Gohan's fight with Cell. You're heaping a lot of faith on this boy's shoulders and clearly he thinks of you in a positive enough light to think you're right."
"What do you mean, he barely knows me," Goku protested, not believing that to be the case.
"Grandpa!" Pan snapped, bringing the attention back to her. "He only came into our lives because he was looking for you. You're basically some sort of legend to him."
Goku seemed unsettled. He wasn't thinking clearly. He turned to look towards the fight again and watched as Noca was kicked across the space again and crashed into another wall. Wun walked back across, confidently, almost as if he was slowing down. Noca looked up towards Wun, barely keeping his eyes open and then he looked over to the group. To Pan.
They all watched him, but something seemed different, Noca was trying to tell them something, but only Pan truly realised it.
"He's talking to me…" Pan muttered.
"What?" Vegeta asked, genuinely surprised.
"He… he knows what we're saying…" Pan continued.
"How can that be?" Piccolo asked, believing he was the one with the best hearing.
Goku looked between Pan and Vegeta, realising there was something in Vegeta's face that meant he knew what was happening.
"He doesn't want help," Pan said, her concerns getting stronger. Vegeta let out a quiet sigh and looked across to Noca. Goku was watching Vegeta. Pan stepped forward but only once, knowing there was really nothing she could do, even if she wanted to interfere.
"I guess it's Noca's fight," Goku stated.
Noca was gradually returning to his feet, realising that Wun was allowing him the time to do so. He didn't fully understand why, but it was helpful. Noca was regaining some of that energy he wasted, even though it probably wasn't going to be enough to actually put Wun down. He had to hope he had a chance either way.
The boy stepped forward, feeling so much pain as he moved. He coughed and spat towards the ground, noticing that it was pretty much just blood. He winced, turning back to face Wun. He steadied himself took in a deep breath and flared up his aura once more. Noca blasted towards Wun with everything he had, smashing a fist into the brute's face, but Wun simply swatted Noca down to the ground.
Noca bounced back up, flying up to Wun again and kicking him in the neck. Wun grabbed Noca's leg and slammed him down in the ground. Noca hopped back and then flew for Wun again, unleashing a barrage of punches into Wun's gut. The large man was unperturbed and slowly looked down as Noca continued his barrage, but he quickly put an end to it by dropping his elbow into the top of Noca's head. The teen grabbed his head as he stumbled back, groaning in pain.
He was getting angrier again, his rage getting that chance to return to the surface. Noca let out a scream of anger, flared his aura again, almost as an intimidation tactic, and he thundered a punch into Wun's gut. This time, the punch had power and purpose and Wun was knocked off of his feet.
"He's getting back into it…" Piccolo stated.
Wun steadied himself and looked up, locking on to Noca again, but then something seemed to change. Wun's entire body tensed, almost like it seized up. It looked like his veins popped, protruding and become more noticeable, and his eyes widened, with his teeth bared. Noca flinched, slightly stepping back.
All of a sudden it seemed like Wun weakened and he fell forward a little, like he was hunched over. Nobody knew what was happening, and Noca was too confused to even make a move. Wun began to pull himself up again, and there was definitely a change. His face was almost villainous, unsettled, unhinged. His eyes settled into a hard frown, directed right at Noca.
"You have done well, my pawn. Now, kill him. Make it brutal. Embarrassing. Destroy him," A voice sounded through Wun's head, and it was all he needed.
Wun stepped forward a couple of times and Noca was stepping back, but after only a couple of steps Wun flashed towards Noca. The teen threw up a block in front of him, but no attack came immediately. Noca let his guard down slightly and was punished as a powerful punch smashed through Noca's block and into his face, breaking the teen's nose. Noca fell back, gripping his face, the blood pouring, the pain unbearable.
Wun wasn't done. He ran towards Noca, grabbed him around his head and smashed him down into the ground, running with him while pushing him across the ground. Noca couldn't do anything. Wun launched Noca into the air, jumped up above him and hammered him down into the ground with both of his fists. Noca was sent crashing into the ground again and Wun landed right on top of him, knee in the gut and then he unleashed a barrage of punches into Noca's face.
He stopped, pointing his hands forward, palms aimed at Noca, and he unleashed a huge Ki blast that exploded, engulfing both of them. The blast sent debris everywhere and when the scene settled Noca had been throw across to another side of the staging area and smashed right into a wall. There was plenty of cracks from where he had hit and there was a clear circular impact mark, plus traces of blood.
A quick look at Noca and his face was bloodied, battered, bruised, and his whole demeanour was destroyed. He was slumped on the floor against the wall, his arms and legs almost useless. His Gi top shredded to nothing, his torso covered in cuts and bruises. It was an awful sight to behold.
Wun blasted over towards him again and lifted him up by the throat, cracking him against that wall.
"Why don't I give you another chance to hit me?" Wun suggested. Noca didn't understand. Wun turned and threw Noca away again and he turned, walking towards the teenager. Noca had fallen in a heap and was trying his best to stand up. Wun stopped, about ten feet away, and watched Noca struggle. "Come on. Get up. Hit me!"
Nobody knew what Wun was doing, but they were sure it couldn't be good, not with the way things are going.
"We need to do something…" Vegeta muttered, not comfortable with saying it loud enough for everyone to hear, but Piccolo heard it.
Noca stood up and wobbled, but he steadied himself, as best as he could and ran towards Wun. He still had speed, but there was no way his attack was going to be strong. He threw a punch with as much ferocity as he could muster in the moment, although that wasn't a lot, and Wun easily blocked the punch from Noca's right, but the teen followed up with a weaker punch from his left, already pretty badly damaged arm. Wun caught that one with ease.
"Good," Wun stated.
Then he basically snapped Noca's arm like a twig. Noca's eyes went wide and he let out a blood curdling scream as his aura vanished, but he still had his hair up in Super Saiyan form. Pan's voice was caught in her throat, but someone else did the screaming for her. It was coming from the audience and the voice belonged to Holline.
Noca's arm dropped to his side and he looked down at it as it swayed, useless.
"Oh God…" Noca muttered. He looked up to Wun and did his best to find determination. He tried to flare up with aura again and went for another punch with his right arm but Wun knocked it to the side and punched down on Noca, knocking him into the ground, where he landed on his left side, letting out another incredible scream.
The audience were very, very uncomfortable.
Wun bent down and lifted Noca up by his hair. He looked into the Saiyan's face and punched him down into the ground again. The brute bent down again, getting Noca up to his feet. He put his left hand on Noca's back and smashed a powerful right-handed punch into Noca's gut with as much strength as he could. There was a cracking noise and Noca coughed.
Wun pulled his arm out again, and anyone paying enough attention could tell that Wun was going with a super-powered punch that time, and let's say that Goku, Vegeta, Piccolo, and Pan all noticed. Wun smashed the punch into Noca gut again and it was clear that he had broken though, there was blood dripping from Noca's gut, where he had been hit, and Wun's hand was inside.
"No…" Pan muttered, stepping forward. Instinctively putting her hand to her own gut. Vegeta noticed what Pan was doing, and also noticed how she wasn't using her left arm. He glanced back to the fight in time for the next thing, but it wasn't something anyone should have witnessed.
Wun opened his hand out, inside Noca, and fired a Ki blast through the Saiyan's torso. Noca's eyes went wide, but there was almost no life left inside of him. As the blast went through Pan screamed out in pain and fell to her knees. Vegeta moved forward and held her.
Wun pulled his hand out and looked at Noca as he wobbled for a moment, clearly about to fall down. The brute had one last move in him. He powered up Ki in his hands again and thrust his hands forward at Noca, blasting him away. Noca's body flew up and crashed into one of the upper levels of the stadium, but it was clear to anyone with the ability to sense energy…
Noca was dead.
