Dragon Ball Z: The Catalyst
Act II:
Chapter 30: Makankosappo!
The large, bulky form of Frieza tried to rise briefly from the shattered ruin of rocks it found itself. Humiliated, humiliated at the hands of a pitiful Namekian. Not only had he defeated his second stage, he was now in the process of humiliating his third. It was incredible to have seen.
What a wasted potential this Namekian is. His power could have been harnessed for much more. Instead he has decided to die with the others. The fool.
Cargo, the Namekian child he'd taken under his wing, had the potential for this kind of power. If one could achieve it, any of them could. The child would prove useful to him in the future if this kind of power could be harnessed.
But these points were all moot to the mighty Lord Frieza at the moment. Now, he had come to the realization that this Namekian had forced him to change forms. He would have to reveal his true power to guarantee a victory against his lime coloured opponent. Just as this was the first time he'd been forced to use this form to beat a non-Arcosian, this would be his first time needing to show his true form to fight one as well.
The Namekian's power was at its zenith, there was nothing left for his to draw off of after this. He would make an example of him and the Saiyans easily enough. Perhaps torturing the child could derive some pleasure before allowing it to expire as well. These creatures had earned their fates. Rejecting his rule, as Vegeta and Raditz had. Challenging him openly as the earthlings and that third class Saiyan had. Denying him his wish for immortality. And now, the Namekian had fought back as none had before.
Slowly rising from the rubble around him, Frieza felt himself lowing towards the Namekian soil below, preparing to confront this "Piccolo" again. The fighter was exactly where they'd been before, his body hunched and clearly gathering energy. It was amusing to Frieza, until he saw raw bolts of energy flickering off the Namekian's body. Two glowing fingers pressed to his head as well.
He's concentrating power for an attack.
Transformation would have to wait. He wouldn't survive it if this damned Namekian caught him in the midst of changing with a serious attack. This meant he first had to at least deal with what he was doing.
"Powering an attack are we? I certainly hope its worth your life. It doesn't look very ready yet. It is a pity isn't it?"
The look in response Frieza received, was nervous. Good, that was exactly what he wanted to see. That telltale sign told him it was time to make a move, engage now while he could. But there was one complication, red eyes narrowing as three blurs appeared in front of the Namekian.
The two third class warriors and the child had arrived.
They will take but moments to crumble beneath my assault.
It was a delicious thought to Frieza as his jaw dropped down and gave an almost growl of anticipation.
"Welcome," his voice whispered to them. "I see you've come prepared to die."
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
There was a nervousness in Raditz's gut as he watched Frieza's shape only metres away, the monster grinning at them like a blood hungry Vecosian Jackal, intent on finding its prey.
"Namek," Raditz finally said out loud. "Be ready, we'll buy you the time you need."
He didn't look behind him, his eyes glued to Frieza instead.
The second this monster moved, he had to be ready to defend. They had to hold out for a few minutes at least. He knew full well the attack Piccolo was powering, he saw its work when it tore through Goku. He felt its work when he, Raditz, a man three time Piccolo's power, was nearly killed by it. This would work if they just held together.
"Which one of you to kill first?" Frieza mused, slowly shifting his hungry eyes across the three of them.
All three merely stood in defiance.
"... The child," Frieza chuckled.
In a blinding blur of speed, Frieza screeched ahead before a dark laugh echoed out over the shattered ruin of rocks they were fighting over.
Shit.
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
There was a brutal collision between Frieza's form and Gohan's body. The child was sent flying back, past Piccolo who growled with frustration. In a blur of motion Raditz was quickly on Frieza, only to find an elbow slammed into his gut, cracking his armour. When Frieza's forearm and hand shot up from his gut, knuckles found their place in Raditz's face, sending the warrior back in pain before Frieza's torso twisted towards him. In another vicious motion, the tyrant's huge hands did their work, laying one fist, then another, into Raditz.
The big Saiyan dropped back, hitting his back on the ground. Looking up towards him it was very clear that he was in pain and in the inferior.
"Hey Frieza!"
Standing behind, Turles felt himself charging up his attack. The very attack he'd intended to use before against Frieza's last stage. The energy swirled around his body violently as his hands remained in place, near his back. Bolts of purple energy shot across the ground around him ripping at it, his aura raged violently, his eyes narrowed dangerously. The smile on his face said it all.
Seeming entirely unconcerned, Frieza started to chuckle.
"Oh? Is this another one of those 'Calamity' Blasters? I'm so worried. Please, don't throw yet another one of those at me. You couldn't even harm my second stage," Frieza chuckled, before kicking Raditz violently away.
Well, he's going to be stupid enough to take this head on... Superb.
"We'll see if you're still alive after this one Frieza," Turles said, his voice becoming strained but his smile becoming more sinister, his eyes becoming more malicious.
Frieza just seemed to revel in it.
Unable to help it as the last of his energy drew into the attack, Turles roared for several seconds. The ground around him beginning to give way, cracks in the ground becoming fissures. The tyrant across from him didn't even raise a defence as the aura around Turles disappeared. His palms at his side, energy hidden within them, Turles thrust his hands forward finally. Light burst around him in that moment.
"Cataclysm Cannon!"
The blast emerged from his hands in a violent bolt of energy. Purple energy illuminated the very world around them in that moment. The ground below the attack tore apart at its force. Shock-waves of energy thrummed from the bolt even as it rocketed towards its target. Before the light was too bright to see his features, the alien monster's eyes widened in shock as the 'weakest' of his three adversaries sent the wave into him.
The energy crashed against Frieza a second later, and kept on going.
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
Hands pressed against the purple energy bolt as the ground beneath continued to rip and tear apart from the energy. Frieza felt his feet sliding back, even as the soil below built up with his motion, creating a small hill of dirt almost behind him.
That rotten monkey. How did he amass the energy for an attack like this?
If he'd not been so arrogant, if he'd kept his guard up this wouldn't have been happening. Now he was struggling to catch up to this bolt's power and his hands felt like they were on fire. The pulsing shock-waves from the orb didn't help either, each wave made his muscles feel like they were trying to collapse. It was certainly an interesting technique. There was genuine surprise that a monkey came up with it.
Finally, Frieza dropped to one knee as he pushed back against the attack. The advance of the attack finally started to slow as it thrummed still around him, attempting to compel Frieza's body to cease resistance. When Frieza looked up, his eyes beginning to narrow furiously, he heard from above.
"You're going to die here Frieza," the self righteous Saiyan remarked. "But don't worry, I'll make sure I run that empire of yours better than you ever could. You'll just be remembered as my first conquest."
These wretched monkeys are as arrogant as they are stupid.
Gritting his teeth, Frieza forced his own power to the fore, finally managing to halt the attack. As soon as it stopped, the thrumming noise became seemingly almost unstable.
And then, the bright purple light, got a lot brighter. The ground around him tore away, and a blast-wave struck. The attack had detonated.
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
Two black eyes watched from the green figure as the blast detonated. Waves of energy washed over him, but Piccolo stood firm. Now wasn't the time to lose concentration, he was too close to completing the attack. If he managed a direct hit on Frieza, they could end all of this. Frieza's reign of terror would be over and his people would be avenged.
But right now, Piccolo was in a state of disbelief. The Goku look alike was an incredible fighter by anyone's standards, but he was nothing compared to Frieza. But that attack, that cannon blast of energy had completely put Frieza on a back-footing. Had Frieza prepared himself, that attack would have been much easier to stop. Of course Frieza was arrogant and hadn't taken concentrated energy, or a strange technique into consideration, that much was clear to Piccolo.
In the near distance, Piccolo could see the smoke belching crater, now filling with water. Frieza had been at the point of detonation. To the Namek however there was no doubt Frieza had survived. Turles would be the one to feel the full measure of his wrath in a moment.
The universe would have few tears for the Saiyan killer in the air.
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
Hanging above the smoke, Turles just smiled to himself with a satisfied grin.
"That was too easy," he chuckled to himself.
The Cannon was too powerful to use continuously. Even now his limps felt like lead from the use of the attack, his energy levels were dangerously low. But it'd paid off. Just as he'd told Bardock, he had been the one to... kill...
Thought slowed down as the smoke finally parted below, revealing Frieza laying there, his body splayed out. The problem wasn't that it was there, the problem was it was moving, slowly rising.
No. I am stronger than Kakarot. How could Kakarot defeat this monster if I cannot? Even the Namek down there would never be able to kill this thing. That vision, the conversations... I must be losing my mind.
"Hey, heads up. This next part hurts," Bardock's voice said into the back of his mind as Frieza's head leered towards him.
"I must say, Saiyan, you surprise me. You aren't the first one to do so with a face like that," the Arcosian said, his eyes narrowing as he focused on Turles. "However, I can already tell that was the best you had. Allow me to demonstrate your place in this world,"
Several beads of sweat had formed on his brow as he looked down uncomfortably, this was going to be very, very bad. There was a slight tremble as he felt his body shift back instinctively. Unable to even follow, Frieza appeared in front of him with a dark look on his face.
Armour shattered as the knee slammed into his sternum. Blood and spit immediately coughed up from the force of the blow before Frieza's tail viciously slapped him down to the ground below. Landing shoulder first, Turles hit with a sickening thud, his pauldron breaking easily before he rolled several metres after the initial collision.
Pain was the most pronounced thing floating in Turles's mind before his eyes shifted up, seeing Frieza land in front of him. Carefully pulling himself to his feet, Turles realized just how massive the gulf between the two of them was. He'd not been able to harm in one full stage before this, barring with his Cataclysm Cannon. There was one plan left, but he needed time. Breathing raggedly, Turles knew that unless he could find a way to gain that time he would be dead in very quick order.
Pointing his finger towards him a moment later, Frieza grinned, energy gathering at the end of it. The crimson energy caused his eyes to almost squint.
"I was going to kill you before Vegeta interfered on your behalf before. But as of right now the Namek looks a bit occupied, and that worthless third class fool and child are no match for me. I do hope you say hello to the rest of your race in Hell for me. It's been so long since I sent one of you there,"
Before the beam could be launched, there was a sudden blur of motion in front of Frieza, a small hand rising up violently to slam into the despot's elongated head. Vicious, angry, snarled teeth were seen on the attack.
Outdone by a child, the son of Kakarot.
These were the only thoughts Turles could form before Gohan managed to round house kick Frieza away, the monster sliding across the ground angrily.
"I'm tired of you Frieza!" Gohan screamed, raising his hands above his head.
"MASENKO!"
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
The child, again. With another energy wave. There is no way he will-
When the massive golden blast slammed into Frieza however, the mighty Lord Frieza felt every fibre of his being pushed to its limit. The beam was powerful, incredibly powerful. More powerful than the Cannon he'd just been shot with. This time he'd been prepared, his power already at the fore of his being. Prepared or not however, it was as if was an island, and a great wave had crashed against him threatening to wash him away.
The arms on him struggled, but they'd recovered since Turles's fierce blast. Had this attack come at him after Turles's there was little doubt in Frieza's mind he would be facing a very different reality now. Struggling still, he growled as he felt the beam intensifying.
I am Lord Frieza, I will not be defeated by a child.
With that, Frieza used all his might to push back against the blast. His fingers pushed into the beam itself, breaking the barrier of energy around it. Roaring, Frieza tore to each side with his arms. The beam split around him, two golden arcs forking around him. Each arc exploded into a thousand lesser bolts of energy as Frieza stood at the heart of this beam, his body pressing into it with all his might. In the distance thousands of explosions blasted across the landscape, ripping apart yet more of what had once been the pristine Namekian surface.
When the beam finally faded, the child floated a few feet off the ground, his eyes widened with horror. Frieza could almost taste the panic coming off him.
Delicious.
Grinning to himself, Frieza prepared to embark on his assault against the child. It was then however, that he heard a deep chuckle. His eyes turned sharply to his left, seeing the Namek's black eyes locked on to him, and a smile that even brought fear to his own cold heart. That look told him the attack was finished.
"Let's see you stop this one," Piccolo said confidently.
Raditz had also come into his vision on the periphery.
This smug, wretched, green skinned annoyance had finally struck a nerve with Frieza as the alien scowled at him.
"Well come on then! I've crushed your friends, and you are almost out of power! Let me see this attack you've wasted so much time gathering energy for!"
The words left Frieza's mouth furiously.
"You want it Frieza? Its all yours!" Piccolo shouted.
"Makankosappo!"
For the third time in seemingly as many moments, the world flashed violently with colours as light exploded outwards. Energy rippled through the air towards Lord Frieza.
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
Watching his allies fight had been one of the hardest things Piccolo had to do. Raditz and Gohan being eliminated right away had been a shock for him. But the Saiyan that looked like Goku, a Saiyan he'd written off as a weakling, had thrown something unexpected at Frieza. That attack had stopped Frieza in his tracks.
Of course, it hadn't lasted long.
When Gohan intervened next, another attack had been thrown at Frieza, this one more terrifying than the last.
And despite nearly stopping the monster in front of them, once again it'd fallen short.
But now, now Piccolo felt his own attack reaching its zenith. He'd been given enough time. Between the three of them they'd managed to stave off Frieza long enough. A smile stretched across his face as he realized this was it. This was where Frieza's terror would end. They had stopped him.
All his remaining power was in his fingers, there was no longer an aura around him, only in the two glowing, dangerous digits that now prepared themselves to unleash a power Frieza had yet to see.
"Let's see you stop this one," Piccolo said openly to Frieza.
The look on Frieza's face said it all. The monster in front of him looked scared, like a piece of ice had just been run down the inside of his gut. Both Piccolo and Frieza knew this was a key part of the battle, perhaps even its climax. Frieza had two options. Dodge the beam, or take it head on. It depended on how arrogant the monster in front of him was.
The scared look on his face, made Piccolo realize he'd have to present it just right to get the monster to risk the attack.
Piccolo felt his grin widen as Frieza began to look more defiant.
"Well come on then! I've crushed your friends, and you are almost out of power! Let me see this attack you've wasted so much time gathering energy for!" Frieza ordered him furiously.
Good, he was going to take the beam.
The last mistake you ever make Frieza.
"You want it Frieza? Its all yours!" Piccolo shouted.
"Makankosappo!"
Piccolo's arm shot out, the two fingers pointing directly towards Frieza's centre of mass. The corkscrew like bream shot from his fingers, spiralling through the air around the central beam. This drill of energetic death had been launched, there was no going back. The air itself seemed to rip apart in its wake, like a great whale travelling through the seas, parting the waves as it moved.
The monster stood in place, making no motion beyond poising himself to receive the hit. When it landed, the sound of the beam hitting his armoured frame could be heard... and the grinding of the bone like, natural armour Frieza had.
Eyes widened in astonished pain on Frieza's face as blood pumped from his mouth in that moment, his face written with complete shock. As the attack penetrated his body, the terrible black-gold light made the monster look all the more vulnerable. The beam reached its end, and it exploded inside Frieza.
In the heart of this massive blast, a mushroom cloud formed so much power had been exerted.
Raditz, Gohan, and Turles were all wiped away by the impact of the huge shock-wave.
Piccolo stood in defiance to the blast. The huge cloud hung in the air before him, as the half of the island Frieza was on began to slip into the ocean, completely ruined by being the focus point of the blast.
What should have happened, was Frieza's energy should have begun to disappear. Instead, Piccolo felt wild spikes and random fields of energy within the core of the blast. Where Frieza had been. As the smoke cleared, Piccolo saw Frieza standing there, his face still in shock, blood dripping from his lips.
"Wh..." Frieza swallowed, trying to find room to speak as a wave of pinkish red energy rolled from his body, causing the ground around him to become even less stable. "What have you done to me?" Frieza wheezed.
In his chest there was a gaping wound, deep purple blood pumped from it. The burn marks around the edges said it all. This beast, this demon in front of him, was finished.
Frieza moved slightly and more gore poured from the wound, his face wincing. Finally however, Piccolo noticed his entire body began to crack around the wound. Like somehow his body had been nothing but a glass shell. Energy flared violently out of him as this happened.
"No... not... not like this!" Frieza shouted finally, his body exploding with raw energy, an energy so volatile Piccolo had no choice but to begin to pull back, Frieza screaming as he turned to gain distance. If he didn't know better, and he didn't, he'd think Frieza was about to explode.
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
Vegeta felt the terrible power in the distance. Piccolo had gotten his wish, he'd struck Frieza down with his ultimate attack. Only he hadn't. Instinctively, Vegeta could feel this new power and knew it wasn't Frieza's death throws, it was likely his true power being released. Something was happening.
He's transforming again.
There was no denying it anymore, this was the same energy he felt when Frieza had transformed the first two times, only this time it was even more terrible.
"Krillin," He said, turning his eyes towards the human. "Listen to me very, very carefully."
When the human looked at him, his face half written with fear, Vegeta felt his own adrenaline rush forward.
"I need you to beat me to within an inch of my life."
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
Power, power overwhelming him from every direction.
The Namek's attack had served to maim him, breaking his outer shell, shattering the illusions he encompassed his true form in. This procedure normally took minutes of time to prepare, and was a massive exertion and undertaking. Having not been given time to prepare, having his outer shell damaged so badly, this transformation had not been voluntary. This created a severe problem for Frieza, who now desperately tried to reign in his true form's power before it had a chance to overwhelm him.
And right now, it felt as though it could overtake him. His true form wasn't prepared to take on its own power.
The very safety precautions he'd put in place, his previous forms, had become the chains that bound him to a deadly fate. Desperately he held on as much as he could as fragments of his third form began to break from his body. Shoulder plates fell away, as well as pink flesh. Surging energy wrapped around him violently, threatening to tear his core body apart.
I must control this. I must. I am Frieza, the ruler of everything I touch in this universe!
Spurred on by a determined will to not die, and to not be humiliated by a Namek and his cohort of misfits, Frieza drew his power in, his body protesting every moment of the way. With the draw, and with his frame not prepared for it, it was agony, as if any moment he could explode... but he survived. The power hadn't overwhelmed him as he feared it could have, but it'd been only by a sliver. This Namekian, this pathetic, lesser creature... had nearly killed him.
Standing at his full height, his body twitching for a moment as his power safely contained itself within, Frieza let out a long, shaky, but related exhale.
In front of him, red eyes stared forward at Vegeta, who was standing in front of Turles and Piccolo.
Which one to kill first?
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
Several Minutes Earlier:
Standing over Vegeta's maimed and dying body was Raditz and Gohan, looking down at him with pitiless eyes.
"Please Dende, if we don't do this, it could all be over," Gohan urged. "We can all feel Frieza changing, if we don't heal Vegeta, if we don't fight him with everyone, we're done for."
Dully Vegeta heard the boy talking. The blasted Namekian child had refused to heal him, and now Kakarot's son was pleading for his life. How humiliating this was. Asking that stupid bald headed fool to try and kill him was not panning out as he originally expected.
That... cursed child... how dare he not... heal... me?
The beam had torn through his flesh when baldy had attacked him. The oozing, gaping wound now lay at the core of his being, vital organs damaged. If he didn't receive help, very, very soon, this would be over for him. It couldn't be allowed to end like this, he was the Prince of all Saiyans. His birthright was to be the Legendary Super Saiyan.
"Please Dende," Gohan urged.
What a strange feeling, to be begged for.
"I would say let him die, Dende. But right now the only way we will survive this is to let him live. I would rip his heart out of his chest myself. I still might," Raditz sneered. "But without him, Frieza will kill us all."
The hatred dripping from every one of Raditz's words almost made the dying prince smile. It was clearly the right decision to kill that woman, the only mistake he'd made was not killing Raditz as well. After this was all over, he would make sure Raditz had an opportunity for his revenge, and then he would kill him. Yes, killing Raditz would bring a certain level of happiness to his life.
It was then, that Vegeta felt his body beginning to become almost light, warm. Flesh missing became new. His heart began to race as new life pumped through his veins. The child was healing him. Soon the true power locked away inside him would be made real. The power of the Saiyans to become stronger after every major injury, after every battle, would prove true once more. He would surpass Raditz, he would surpass that wretched Namek Piccolo... and he would surpass Frieza.
There was sudden rush, a surge of energy throughout his body as he felt himself completely healed. It was incredible, the power he felt at every part of his being was overwhelming. This was what it meant to be a god amongst weaklings. Even Raditz's power paled in comparison to his own now. He knew the Namekian lagged behind as well. He'd sensed their power before and now? Compared to his own? They were by far his inferior.
Rising to his feet, Vegeta smiled arrogantly at Raditz.
"Rip my heart out, Raditz?" he asked with a sinister smile. "After I am done with Frieza over there, you may bow before you're Prince once again."
Walking past a moment later, Vegeta could feel the raw anger rolling off Raditz. The hatred was so pure it could be almost be tasted just by being near him.
Ahead, Turles and Piccolo stood closest to Frieza as the monster continued his transformation. Stepping ahead of the both of them, Vegeta just braced his arms.
"The two of you are no longer needed," he announced arrogantly. "I will defeat Frieza,"
Frieza was nothing to him now, even feeling the power rising before him, even as the beast completed his final transformation, Vegeta knew he would win. How could he not with the power he'd just achieved?
I am a Super Saiyan. Prepare yourself Frieza.
()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()
A/N: Alright guys, good news and bad news. We'll start with the bad news. Fridays after today, will no longer be the update day. My work schedule has changed, and so the day I do updates has changed.
The Good News! Everyone can now read new chapters of The Catalyst every Monday. I was really torn, to start these updates this coming Monday, or next Monday. Because my time is being pulled in a lot of directions right now, it'll be NEXT Monday. Which means you can expect the story to be updated:
Monday, September the 16th, 2013
Only six more chapters of the Frieza Saga remain. And things really start to ramp up once Frieza transforms. Expect the unexpected ;)
And a quick note about Zenkai:
Zenkai throughout Dragon Ball Z, is whatever it's needed to be. I've noticed some reviewers, and people messaging me, have come the conclusion that I have Zenkai double people's power levels. This is not true. I approach power levels, and Zenkai, in much the same way as Akira Toriyama, power levels are what they need to be with a Zenkai boost. There are huge progressions made in Dragon Ball with Zenkai, and there are minimal, pitiful ones. I don't like using Zenkai much, but it's an integral part of the battle against Frieza, and pre Planet Namek Saiyans. So, I just felt I should give everyone a bit of an explanation of my approach to Zenkai.
Now then, let's answer some reviewers:
Reviewers:
fightingchampion: Goku and Turles fusing? I think you'd get something that looks like... Kakarot. Lol
Cosmic Cannon: Ah Cannon, thank you very much for the review and favourite. I'm glad you are enjoying the ride so far. It gets better too, or at least I think so. Violet's a character who really helps sculpt Raditz into who he is now. It's not even her really, but the idea of her that Raditz had built in his mind that does it. When that illusion is shattered by Vegeta the way it was? It was the only way to get Raditz to question what he is, and what his motives are. It ended badly for Nappa, as everyone knows XD
Jason9000: Piccolo is likely to be a big player in the series. So if people like Piccolo, they'll get enough of him, I promise.
DaOneinDaCorner: Demon Ken is a one time use. Basically, it doubles Piccolo's power like the Kaio-Ken attack. However, there is no Demon-Ken x3! Or ect.
Pointer39: Sorry to disappoint another one of your predictions XD
Demod20: More cool stuff to come too.
Super Mystic Gohan: Piccolo is a much more powerful fighter than in the canon at this point, because honestly I think it fits the story I'm writing. I'm glad you are enjoying the battle so far :)
The Catalyst: Oh god, my main villains have taken Reviewer Form! Run everyone! Hide! XD
I update at a rate I think is appropriate to not overwhelm people, or get overwhelmed myself :)
Treeger: Piccolo's Beam Cannon nearly killed Frieza. No, I didn't make it that way to spite you, this chapter was finished a month ago XD
Ness Frost: I think I can channel Lord Frieza because I'm in-tune with my Frieza side. I think we all have a little Frieza deep down, who just wants to help us and let us all know he loves us XD
Dark Impaler: I hope this was enough action for you. :)
Aedrex: I would like to sincerely thank you for the compliment. I hope you continue the enjoy the story :)
takee: Which, the story or the chapter? But thank you either way :)
coldblue: I think you may be surprised how things go.
Once again, I want to thank everyone who reviews my story. It's always great to get feedback, and really helps encourage me to continue writing more. I do this mostly for myself, but the fact others enjoy it makes me pleased with my work. Thanks again everyone.