Yamcha slows his flight speed when he realizes the evil aura approaching is too fast to outrun. Moments later, a burst of ki cuts him off. The man's waist length hair swirls around him before settling from the momentum. With a flick of his head, the untamable locks fall into place along his back. The eye behind the green lens of the scouter scrutinizes the symbols it reports.
Man this guy is quick, thinks Yamcha. I couldn't even get to Krillin before he showed up. He feels as strong as the practice Saiyans, and I never beat them.
Hmm, still almost 1,480, thinks Raditz. Can this guy fly without using any energy?
Yamcha's intestines worm themselves into knots.
"So you're the big bad Saiyan we've heard so much about," says Yamcha. "Well I'm not impressed."
"Hmph. That's funny coming from someone who couldn't even handle one of our foot soldiers."
"Heh, he sure seemed surprised when our power levels rose higher than he expected. I can't wait to see the same reaction from you."
"Enough with your empty bravado. I'm here for information about the Dragon Balls. You can save your miserable life and my valuable time by telling me everything I want to know."
They stare one another down. Yamcha smirks and descends to the open field below. Raditz growls and follows. Yamcha spreads his feet apart and raises his hands.
"I don't feel very chatty today, but my hands are itching for a fight."
"Have it your way. I don't mind beating it out of you. Besides, your voice reminds me of an annoying mosquito buzzing in my ear."
Raditz does nothing to ready himself for the fight. Yamcha glares.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" says Raditz. "Do you want me to strike a stupid pose too?"
Yamcha grits his teeth and dashes forward. Raditz smiles. Yamcha throws punch after punch and hurls kick after kick. None of them so much as brush the opponent.
Damn, thinks Yamcha. He moves way faster than the practice Saiyans. Could his control over his active ki be better than mine? This isn't looking good.
"Ahahaha. Is that the best you got?" says Raditz, crossing his arms. "Honestly I feel bad for you if that pitiful display was all you came up with after all the prep time you had to get ready."
Yamcha ignores the taunt and grabs his right wrist. Electricity runs up each finger. A yellow orb bounces from his palm. He drags it back behind his head before ripping his arm at Raditz. He jabs two pointing fingers.
The ball rockets across the distance between them. Raditz vanishes before reappearing in the same spot causing the sphere to seem to phase through him. Raditz's lips curl up gleefully. Yamcha smiles too while making a 'come on' gesture with his extended fingers.
They charge at one another. Raditz's scouter goes off pointing behind him. He twists his head to find the orb has reversed trajectory straight back at him. The now unavoidable attack explodes across his armor beneath his trailing hair. His abdomen bends forward to where the opponent waits.
Yamcha drives a knee into Raditz's gut with enough force to overcome the explosion's propulsion. Raditz falls backward barely keeping his feet. An instinctive hand clenches the cracked spot on his armor.
He does not have time to focus on the pain as his scouter chirps again. Yamcha's power rises rapidly above its previous max.
"Unreal," says Raditz. "He's actually doing it."
Yamcha focuses all his ki as he conjures images of what he's fighting to protect. The memories of his last kiss with Bulma, his last laugh with Puar, and the day of fun with everyone else move through his mind on an emotional current.
The scouter screams up over 1,700.
Concentrate, he thinks. Control all of it or you're just wasting energy.
Raditz finally adopts a fighting pose as his scouter settles on 1,854
"Rogafufuken!"
Yamcha leaps forward. He bounds left and right to bewilder Raditz's defense. He sees him raise his arms as a default precaution. Yamcha disappears from view. Raditz starts to turn his head right to search for the foe only for a fist to smash his cheek the opposite way.
Yamcha swings a quarter circle kick into Raditz's stomach. He lifts both arms above his head and drives one clawing hand after the other downward. Knives of ki rip gashes across the armor. Bent at the waist, arms extended wide, Yamcha snaps his hands together like a clamping jaw while stepping into the strike. His aura takes the shape of a wolf's head.
The palms smack hard on Raditz's torso, and the fingers bite deep. The impact knocks him away in a gale force wind.
Yamcha breathes heavily while Raditz crashes to a stop. Slashes in the armor expose bleeding flesh.
The reprieve does not last long as Raditz picks himself up. Yamcha feels out for his passive ki and tries to draw some of it out for the battle ahead. Little comes to his relief.
I sure hope he's hurting as bad as I'm exhausted after that one, thinks Yamcha.
Raditz checks his scouter after getting to his feet. It ticks down to 1,090.
"That was a neat trick," he says. "But one spike in your power level won't be enough to defeat me."
"Well you better get used to it buddy. I may be able to do it with close combat, but I know some guys who can do the same thing with energy blasts."
So he's a melee type, thinks Raditz. Nappa would have been better suited for this one after all. But, while that ability may give him an advantage, it seems to tire him out. If I can survive one or two more assaults from it, I should be able to outlast him.
His scouter starts to ramp up again as Yamcha's breathing returns to normal. The power level reaches 1,428, and Yamcha lets loose again.
###
"Oh man," says Krillin, "why does one of the bigger power levels have to be coming towards me?"
He slaps his cheeks twice.
"Okay Krillin. Here we go. You've been training for this. Time to make it count. Your friends are depending on you."
Nappa follows the blue screen of his scouter towards a power level. The smile on his face grows larger the closer he gets. Then it starts to slip away as the power level decreases. It lowers to the point of matching the tiny life forces of the living things around it, blending in with the plants and animals. Nappa stops mid-flight.
"What the hell is this?" he says. "Vegeta said to watch out for their power levels increasing above what the scouters read, not the other way around."
He searches from his vantage point high above the ground for any signs of an opponent. He sees nothing but wilderness and plenty of places to hide. His scouter rings in his ear.
He follows its arrow behind him and upward. Sunlight infiltrates his eyes as he looks directly into the bright yellow orb. His eyes turn into slits as a shadowy figure moves before him.
A heavy punch crushes against the side of his head. He hears the crunching of his scouter as electric sparks zap his ear. He sways back from the hit.
"Why you!"
He raises his cupped hands and slams them down on the attacker's back just below the neck. He watches as a man in orange clothes zooms towards the ground.
Krillin backflips just in time to land in a crouch. He immediately massages the bruised area. His relief efforts cannot tend to the full scope of the injury as the huge hands bludgeoned his entire back.
"That was a cheap shot runt!"
Nappa dives down hard.
Keep calm at all times.
Nappa slows his descent and inhales deeply a few times, expanding his already massive chest.
"Man this guy is unreal," Krillin says, as he watches Nappa's approach. "That one hit nearly took me out by itself. Even though he's using half of his full power, it's still way above my max. That sneak attack may have been my only chance to get in some real damage. I was hoping to do more than just break his scouter. Uh oh. Here we go again."
Nappa touches down with his arms crossed.
"That was a dirty move you little punk," he says. "But I don't need my scouter to track you now. And I certainly don't need to call in backup. So I hope you're ready for a beatdown."
Krillin gulps and prepares for combat. Nappa's foot deforms the ground as he pushes off it. He drives a punishing fist at his adversary with mach speed.
Krillin slides out of the way making sure to keep his distance. Nappa sticks close keeping him on the defensive. Krillin remains just out of reach. They bound around the battlefield in quick sprints before stopping the same distance apart they started.
"He's fast for someone with such a puny power level," says Nappa. "Makes me dizzy just watching him."
He looks at his throbbing arm. The red line has nearly reached his elbow.
"Damn. The physical exertion is speeding up the infection. If it gets to my heart, it could kill me."
He refocuses his attention on Krillin who ripples with delirious heat waves.
Nappa charges again, but this time Krillin takes to the air. They zigzag about, and still Nappa cannot get his hands on his foe. They land in the same neutral position as before to catch their breaths.
He seems to expend a bit more energy in the air, thinks Krillin. Perhaps I can wear him down a bit by keeping the battle there.
Nappa acts the aggressor once more with Krillin responding by flying off. Ki gathers in his muscular arm. Yellow lightning crackles from shoulder to fingertips. He swaths his hand across the front of him. The air around Krillin turns to fire as several explosions erupt.
Nappa waits for the flames and smoke to clear. When they do, nothing remains in the targeted area.
"No way!" says Nappa. "There should at least be a body. Could he have really moved even faster than he already was and gotten away? Where the hell could he be hiding? Now I do need my scouter."
The sensation of his head emptying unsteadies him. He waits for a rush of heat and chills to stop battling for control of his body. He wipes a hand from his forehead to the back of his skull. Cold sweat sticks to his fingers. He begins searching the battlefield.
Krillin breathes in deep, rapid heaves. His back presses to the side of a tall rock formation. He barely peeks around enough to keep an eye on Nappa who whips his head quickly in every direction.
"Man I had no idea he could produce such a devastating attack out of nowhere like that," he says. "My Kōsoku Idō was barely fast enough to get me out of there. But that kind of speed really cost me."
He sucks wind over and over, but it never seems to be enough.
"I guess there's really only one thing to try now. Time to bank everything on my new technique."
He raises a palm open to the sky while continuing to spy on his opponent. His ki swirls like a maelstrom up his arm and concentrates in his hand.
###
An enormous ki presses deeply into Piccolo's senses. The closer it gets, the harder it becomes to repel the dread. As it grows, Gohan's shrinks away.
"Don't let fear weaken your resolve, Gohan! This is what you've trained for. There's no stopping what's about to happen. If you must die today, do it with honor and courage."
"But I don't want to die Mr. Piccolo. We can't possibly beat someone with power like that. He's way stronger than even you. Aren't you scared at all?"
"There's no point in being afraid. There's only a small chance we survive this battle, and fear will snuff out even that. We might as well fight with our best spirit."
Gohan traces Piccolo's face with his eyes. He searches with his ki sense. He feels plenty of anxiety but not paralyzing terror like his own. The bravery inspires him a bit against the looming power storming in.
A spiky haired man appears in the sky above them. The scouter on his face beeps and flashes lights across its red lens.
How remarkable, thinks Vegeta. To think someone could go from struggling against a weakling like Cui to almost rivaling Nappa in such a short time. And the kid with the tail is Kakarot's brat no doubt. His power level is impressive for someone so young and born to the bloodline of a commoner.
Piccolo grinds his teeth. The aura from the Saiyan changes the air around him to lead. It clings to his skin and shortens his breaths.
The repressed voice emerges from his subconscious.
This is more hopeless than we imagined isn't it? it says. And Gohan is just as useless as a secret weapon as I thought. You should have spent more time training with me than trying to teach the boy.
Shut up, thinks Piccolo. What's done is done.
The voice laughs before speaking again.
But you know what? Maybe Gohan will save us yet. After all, this is the first place Goku will come when he returns.
Piccolo smiles at the thought.
"What's so funny Namekian?" says Vegeta.
The smile vanishes from Piccolo's face.
"What do you mean Namekian?" he says.
"Don't tell me you don't know what you are? Cui must not have known either since it wasn't in his report, but I've come across your kind before. I suppose it's not too surprising your knowledge is lacking given the history of your people."
Piccolo growls.
"Are you saying I'm from another world beyond Earth? Explain yourself!"
"To tell or not to tell. Hmm. It must be aggravating to know so little about your past and find someone who has all the answers but won't say a word."
Vegeta smiles.
"Enough games. Are you looking for a fight or what?"
"Always. But I'm also interested in a few answers about the Dragon Balls. How about a trade? You tell me what you know, and I'll tell you what I know."
"Not a chance. I don't bargain. I take what I want."
"Haha. You're not like the other Nameks I've met. They're never looking for a fight. I like you. Tell you what. You give me a good battle, and I'll impart some knowledge upon you."
They both smirk and prepare their battle poses.
Piccolo opens with a blast from his palm. Gohan barely senses its formation before it explodes over the enemy. A blur dashes out of the smoke. Gohan struggles to follow the movement.
A thud and a grunt sound at his side. He turns to find Piccolo blocking a punch from Vegeta. Except they are not there anymore. Gohan stares at a fading afterimage wondering where they went.
He catches delayed images of the fight as it progresses around him. For split seconds he sees blurry moments of their battle. The sounds and flashes of combat bounces his attention from one spot to another without ever letting him keep up. Then Piccolo smashes into the ground, grinding to a halt. He pushes himself to his knees and wipes a forearm across his chin.
"Feel free to join in any time Gohan," he says.
His eyes never leave Vegeta who floats above them, still smiling.
"How am I supposed to fight? You guys are moving too fast for me to keep up with."
"Don't use your eyes Gohan. Sense out our energy. Follow that."
Piccolo vanishes again. When Gohan looks for Vegeta, he is no longer there. Again the thuds and glints dance around him. Gohan breathes deeply. A giant ki overwhelms him like a bad odor. He separates Piccolo's from Vegeta's. Rather than bodies clashing, he sees ghostly figures of aura outlining their forms. They move as shadows across the battlefield.
Piccolo's silhouette lashes out with its sharp nails. Vegeta ducks and slides forward. He pushes from the legs and delivers an uppercut to the chin. Piccolo launches backwards hitting the ground shoulder blades first. Gohan rushes to his side.
"Are you okay Mr. Piccolo?"
His mentor brushes him aside so he falls on his butt.
"Out of the way."
"I was able to follow that time."
He rubs his butt after standing up.
"Heh that's good, but he's still half-assing it, and I can't keep up at all."
"What! Really?"
"Yep."
"Grab his tail."
"What?"
"His tail. Whenever mine gets squeezed, the strength drains out of my body."
Piccolo sees that Vegeta has one wrapped around his waist rather than extended like Gohan's.
"I might have to try that."
Don't listen to the child! says the voice. Let me out and we'll double team him.
No way, thinks Piccolo. Besides, I know another way to do a little damage.
"What's wrong, Namekian?" says Vegeta. "Don't you want to know more about your people?"
Piccolo roars and races in. He throws a left punch. Vegeta raises the same palm to catch it. Before the hands collide, Piccolo's arm stretches in length and coils around the defending one. His hand grabs under the armpit while the rest of his arm tightens in a snake grip. Vegeta's eyes widen at the maneuver. Piccolo channels his full power into the other fist. He strikes hard at the elbow between the coils of his arm. The knuckles hammer the soft joint, and he feels it give beneath the force.
Vegeta's face pulls back in anguish as his elbow bows the wrong way. He roars with pain that transitions to rage. He flexes his bicep through the stabbing pangs so the elbow straightens. It curls toward himself, pulling Piccolo close. Vegeta delivers a ferocious kick to the side of his foe's gut.
Piccolo's organs slap against each other as the blow pushes them out of their usual place for a moment. His arm unwraps itself from Vegeta's so both can slink limply beside their owners. Piccolo starts to drop to his knees, but Vegeta slams his right palm against his chest before he can. The hit knocks Piccolo onto his back.
"You'll pay for that!"
Vegeta wraps his injured arm around Piccolo's left shin and tucks the ankle into his armpit. He drives his good elbow into the knee so it snaps backward. The leg bends at an inverted ninety degree angle. Piccolo yells and writhes. The screaming intensifies as Vegeta stomps on his stomach and presses his foot deep.
He begins to pull on the leg. It stretches until it shreds apart one tendon at a time below the knee. Vegeta stumbles back as the leg rips free. Piccolo slides backward on his forearms as Vegeta throws the dismembered appendage aside. He grabs his left elbow to examine it.
Piccolo levitates some distance away and lands in a kneeling position so the ball of his foot is curved to the ground like a racer about to start. He rests on what remains of his left knee, careful not to drag the bleeding stub in the dirt.
He actually managed to injure me, thinks Vegeta. I guess I was being too careless.
"Mr. Piccolo, are you okay?" says Gohan.
He runs over, unable to take his eyes off the dripping wound and pooling purple blood.
"Yeah but you need to listen," says Piccolo. "The only chance we'll have against this guy is to strike him where he's weak."
"But he doesn't feel weak at all. His power is enormous."
"Only if you look at his ki as a whole. But ki does not naturally distribute itself evenly within the body. That's something you have to train it to do. I noticed the soldier from a year ago couldn't do it. And as strong as our current opponent is, he can't do it either."
Gohan turns his eyes to the enemy who twists his forearm back and forth.
"I can see it now. The ki is densest around his head followed by his chest and abdomen."
"Right. Which is where all the important organs are. The body protects itself by concentrating most of its life force in those areas, making them the best defended. But the arms and legs are more vulnerable. At least when he isn't consciously channeling ki to them for any kind of attack."
"So we should attack his extremities when he's defending and wait for him to make his torso or head more vulnerable when moving some of that ki to a hand or foot for an attack."
"Exactly. Now get out of the way. He's ready for more."
"But how will you fight without a leg."
"I'll manage."
"Alright Namekian," says Vegeta. "I'm going to rip off the rest of your limbs and make you talk."
Vegeta charges forward, and Piccolo pushes off into the sky. Vegeta gives chase while Piccolo maneuvers about using every direction available. Piccolo shoots a few ki bolts but Vegeta brushes them aside and heads straight for him.
Piccolo tries to be offensive with melee strikes, but his adversary overpowers him with an extra leg to work with.
Piccolo punches, but his right fist catches in Vegeta's fingers. He attempts a karate chop with the other hand that gets intercepted by another clutching grasp around the forearm. When the grips do not release, his good knee tries to find Vegeta's gut but gets blocked by his foe's shin. Piccolo feels all of his limbs being pushed back as Vegeta's life force flows into his own. Then he senses the ki around Vegeta's center dip as it drops to his free foot.
The leg reels back for a strike. As it swings forward, Piccolo kicks the stub of his damaged leg over the attack. He points the still bleeding injury at Vegeta's neck. A foot juts out of the wound followed by a shin and knee as the whole thing regenerates.
The newly grown heel drills Vegeta's chin. Blood spurts from the mouth as Vegeta bends backward from the attack and falls away.
Piccolo lurches forward and grabs the exposed tail of his enemy. Vegeta cries out and droops into a helpless position. Piccolo holds the furry appendage as his victim arches at the waist. He descends to the ground where Gohan is jumping up and down and woohooing.
"Thanks for the tip Gohan. I wouldn't have been able to beat him other—"
An elbow from Vegeta stabs him in the abdomen. The breath rushes out of him, and he drops to his knees as Vegeta reclaims his feet. He clutches his stomach while attempting to force air down his throat. His lungs seem permanently collapsed and refuse to accept it.
"I have to commend you Namekian," says Vegeta, "that trick would have worked on any low class Saiyan but not an elite like me. Still, I thought you deserved a moment to revel in your success, so I played along. You've proven yourself a worthy warrior. You got me good there. That's no easy feat."
Vegeta adjusts his jaw with a thumb and finger.
"However…"
He punches Piccolo in the side of the head. Piccolo twirls a couple times through the air as his mind darkens.
You should have listened to me…
The voice echoes from far away. He lands facedown, still. Gohan gawks at his motionless master.
"So kid."
Vegeta turns to Gohan.
"How good of a fighter are you?"
Author's Note 02/06/21: Our heroes are up against overwhelming odds in the battle with the Saiyans. How can they possibly win? Find out next time on Dragon Ball Ki, The Battle Rages!