A bolt of light zapped across the sky, delivering a devastating blow to the fearsome emperor. While the creature suffered from a tremendous impact, the Super Saiyan spun and kicked Freeza in the head. As the men spiraled toward an island, Vegeta's laughter trailed behind as the prideful warrior followed and closed the distance within a second. The prince curled his fingers together and rocked Freeza in the back with his solid fists.
"What's wrong, Freeza? Had enough? Do you finally realize who you're dealing with!?"
The arrogant voice made the already angry emperor livid. He emerged from the rubble, almost losing his mind. A throbbing vein appeared on the creature's temple as he glared at Vegeta with hatred. He clenched his teeth and closed both fists so tight that his blood started to drip on the ground.
"No! I refuse to accept it! No matter what type of change you undergo, I, Freeza, the Emperor of the Universe, won't be toyed around by an inferior monkey!"
Pinkish glow and electricity surrounded the mad tyrant as he flexed his muscles. With a mighty scream, Freeza rushed at Vegeta with venom in his crimson eyes.
"Die, Saiyan!"
As he was closing the distance, Freeza fired a large ki blast. The attack struck its target, which caused the creature to smirk. He pushed through the smoke, noticing a silhouette, and released another shot. The energy cleared away the smoke, thus rendering the emperor confused for a moment as there was no one.
"Looking for me, Freeza!?"
As the addressed tyrant glanced up, his eyes widened before getting struck by Vegeta's elbow. Blood poured out of the creature's mouth as he groaned out of severe pain. The blow to the head disoriented Freeza, which his nemesis took advantage of. Vegeta seized him by the arm and brought Freeza closer, only to crash a devastating knee to the midriff. The strike paralyzed the ruthless lord, who could only stare at the smug prince as the golden-haired warrior moved the fist and uppercut him.
Freeza's limp body floated in the air briefly before Vegeta got closer and fired a close ki blast. The energy attack carried the howling creature across the planet's surface until it collided with an island and caused a massive explosion.
The power behind the blast was so great the entire planet trembled. While Krillin and Gohan held onto Piccolo for support, Son Goku stared at the prince basking in golden light with awe. A drop of sweat raced down his cheek as a smile surfaced on the martial artist's face.
"Goku! It's not wise to stay here! Somehow the tables have turned, and Vegeta has the upper hand! However, who knows what Freeza might do... He seems unstable!"
Son Goku snapped out of his thought and looked at the Namekian holding his best friend and son. He agreed with Piccolo, as he too could sense turmoil inside Freeza, and it wasn't looking good. If anything, he could bet that Vegeta wasn't aware of it since this new, incredible power seemed to could his mind.
The Saiyan raised on Earth approached his son and softly touched the boy's head. "You guys find Bulma and take her to my ship. I'll stay here and make sure Freeza doesn't do dirty tricks." He instantly shifted his gaze to the west from where the said tyrant emerged.
"But Goku, we can't leave you here with those monsters! Even if Vegeta wins, the dude hates you and will try to kill you!"
Before Goku could say something, Gohan opened his mouth and held the man's strong hand. "Krillin's right, dad! Please, come with us! We can all leave together for Earth in your spaceship!" Tears began to roll down the boy's chubby cheeks.
As a loud impact produced a powerful shockwave, Goku lowered and placed both hands on Gohan's shoulder guards. "Somebody needs to stay behind and make sure either of them doesn't go after you or, even worse, to Earth. Besides, I got stronger too, and I wouldn't mind seeing how I fare against that kind of power." There was a fire in Son Goku's dark orbs as he looked at Vegeta.
Gohan and Krillin wanted to speak more, but the Namekian got in the way. "Do as he says. We're outclassed by those two..." It pained Piccolo to say that, but it was a fact. "Either way, the winner of this battle will sustain damage and fatigue, and that's the opportunity you need to take, Goku!" Piccolo shot a fierce glare at the warrior, who responded with a solemn nod.
"Go now, before it is too late!"
Krillin nodded meekly and flew away along with Piccolo. Gohan hesitated for a moment. "Dad! You must come back home! We still need to go fishing... you promised!" The hybrid blasted into the green sky, leaving a smiling warrior behind.
Now that his friends and son had left, he could focus back on the intense battle before him. "Vegeta, you're truly an incredible warrior, and the power you awaken is amazing! But you need to finish this now! Freeza... he's up to something!" The wild-haired martial artist took flight as the fight moved further away. Son Goku couldn't stop worrying and thinking that the merciless emperor, who got backed into a corner for the first time in his life, would do something dreadful.
BANG!
A heavy, propelled fist crashed into the Saiyan's cheek, blowing away the golden glow surrounding the warrior. "There! Got you now, filthy monkey! You thought you were my equal, but you're a tiny pebble compared to me!" Freeza closed his other fist tightly and struck the prince in the gut.
"More, more, more! I'll return everything tenfold! How dare you even assume for a second that you could best me, the strongest warrior in the galaxy!"
The tyrant repeatedly punched Vegeta in the gut and face until the creature grew tired. "Know your place! Kneel before me, as you did for all your life, monkey!" Freeza spun and propelled his long tail toward the flame-haired warrior, but to his surprise, the strike got blocked.
"Why you! Get your dirty hands off me, Vegeta!"
Freeza tried to free his tail from the Saiyan's firm grasp, but it was in vain. The tyrant halted when he heard the warrior laughing. "I give you a couple of free shots, thinking I'd feel something, but all I felt were tickles..." Freeza's eyes widened at the realization that the man had been toying with him all this time.
"I might've kneeled before you to survive all those years, but no more! I bow to no man anymore! As I'm Prince Vegeta, a Super Saiyan!"
The golden aura erupted from the prince once more. Enveloped in a bright glow, Vegeta pulled Freeza closer and struck the emperor with a knee. "You're done for, Freeza! Your time has come, as you no longer threaten me!" By releasing a powerful blast, the prince sent Freeza flying and ultimately crashing against the bottom of the sea.
While the drops of water splashed all over, the arrogant prince couldn't stop smirking and admiring his strength. "At least I made it! After enduring so much and groveling beneath others, I have reached the top, as it was destined! The power of legend is all mine!" As he tightened his fists, the golden aura spiked. Now he understood what triggered the change. However, the bottomless feel and the astonishing well of power that opened upon letting go of everything couldn't get described in words. This was the power he needed to rule the universe, which was finally his.
The Super Saiyan closed his eyes and floated in the air momentarily. "Tch! You can't fool me, Freeza! You're trying to get me from behind, but that won't work! Unlike you, I developed further and learned a neat trick back on Earth... I can sense where you are, moron!" Vegeta swiftly turned around and smacked away a fireball that, upon falling on a small island, obliterated it.
"Vegeta... You're using all kinds of words now that you got somewhat stronger, but just because you got stronger doesn't mean your victory's assured!"
Freeza's words only made the prince laugh even more. "That's rich, coming from you! Look at you; you're pathetic! Trying to prolong the inevitable when we both know you're about to die! I can sense your energy dropping with each passing minute... I can even defeat you with only one hand! What do you say? Maybe you manage to land in a few shots!" Vegeta put his right arm behind him and gestured at Freeza to come at him.
Naturally, that made the emperor insane. However, Freeza snickered as he put both hands in front. "So foolish... Tell me, Vegeta, can Saiyans breathe in space? From what I know, your kind can't breathe in the vacuum of space, which is unfortunate. After all, you are an inferior species." A wicked laugh escaped the tyrant's mouth as dark and pinkish energy formed around his hands.
"Enough! Time to end this; it's no fun toying with you anymore... You're now just a weakling, not even worth my time. Go to hell, Freeza!"
Vegeta bent forward and dashed at Freeza, who oddly continued to smirk. The prince got blinded by his power and ego that he didn't even think Freeza could be up to something. Mere seconds before reaching the enemy, the creature lifted both arms, surrounded by dark and pink energy. Freeza quickly spread the arms, causing the focused energy to expand and create a giant orb of pure power.
"The only one going to hell will be you, Vegeta! Die together with this miserable planet!"
Upon realizing what Freeza was doing, the Super Saiyan halted. "N-No! Freeza!" Despair got a hold of Vegeta, who was furious with himself for not being able to see what Freeza had planned. He swirled after the energy orb with all he got but was a few seconds behind it. Vegeta cursed as the blast was about to collide and pierce through the planet when a blue energy wave struck the orb out of nowhere and stopped its progress momentarily.
Vegeta froze, unable to figure out who did that, when a familiar voice caught his attention. "Do it now, Vegeta!" The prince saw the struggling warrior from Earth enveloped in crimson light holding the orb from destroying the world.
"Kakarot..."
Seeing the Saiyan struggling and keeping Freeza's fearsome attack at bay for so long forced the prince to smile, unknowingly. "Raahhh!" Bluish light danced around his hands as he poured out more energy. The golden warrior unleashed the blast, which carried Freeza's deadly attack to outer space. Their combined attacks struck a nearby world which unfortunately exploded.
While the remains of the destroyed planet fell across Namek, Vegeta stared at Son Goku for a brief moment. "So, you're here as well, Kakarot... I see you've developed even further than ever before." Both warriors stared at each other, wearing smirks on their drenched faces.
"That's true. Training under 100G on my way to Namek was tough, but I got stronger than ever before, even more so than my training with King Kai."
Upon hearing what Goku went through, Vegeta made a mental note. "100G? Artificial gravity simulator... Very impressive, Kakarot! However, even after all that hard work, your power pales compared to what I've obtained!" The prince flexed his strength by igniting the golden aura.
"Stay where you are, Kakarot, and witness the power of a Super Saiyan, the warrior of legend! After I finish Freeza, you and I have a score to settle... "
As the prince turned away, Son Goku descended to the nearby cliff and observed the Saiyan prince. "I don't understand what a Super Saiyan is, but I know it's mighty when it can force a man like Freeza to act like that out of fear." His dark orbs moved to the emperor, who was visibly shaking.
With the element of surprise gone and all the cards on the table, Freeza had nothing more to show. Fear and despair finally got hold of the ruthless tyrant who denied it until now. His crimson pupils quivered as the golden warrior slowly closed the distance. He cursed the Saiyan and himself for allowing Vegeta to develop so far. If only he had listened to his advisors and killed Vegeta as a brat, then none of this would have happened. He allowed this to transpire, and by toying with the Saiyan, he unleashed a monster capable of taking down him and the family empire.
"No, no, noo! I-I refuse to accept such a thing! I'm Freeza, the Emperor of the Universe! All kneel and cover before my might! I'm the mightiest being in all the..."
Freeza's speech got cut short when Vegeta materialized mere centimeters from the creature's face. "But you are not! I'm the strongest now, and I've proven it! You've fallen out of your throne, Freeza!" Vegeta didn't strike or raise a voice, yet the tone and posture frightened the cold tyrant.
"It's over. You've tried every trick in the book and failed Freeza. All that's left for you is to die by my hand... as it was supposed to happen!"
Freeza stood there, consumed by terror, staring at the Saiyan. "N-No! I-I still have to unleash my full power, y-you fool!" Slowly, the creature began to back away from the prince, who lifted an arm. "Y-Yes! I-I have yet to unveil my full power to you, Vegeta! N-Now, as a true warrior and a Saiyan who relishes a challenge, I'm sure you're curious to see and test your new profound Super Saiyan power!" He managed to put quite a distance as he tried to trick Vegeta into allowing him to power up.
There was a surge in power, and Son Goku immediately sensed it. "Incredible! Freeza's power is going up again!" Sweat trailed down the warrior's temple as his black hair swayed on the wind. "Vegeta should take him down! But then again..." Goku was torn. On the one hand, it would be safer to beat Freeza now before the man reached its peak. However, the warrior in him would have let the opponent go all out so he could test himself against such power.
Dark clouds gathered around the area as the emperor started to bulk up. Those dilated crimson eyes had a mad look as the energy kept rising. The prince stared at the creature with a stern expression. Like Son Goku, he could feel the steady increase in Freeza's ki. He allowed the enemy to do it while judging if it would be worth facing Freeza at full power. Vegeta observed the man who destroyed his homeworld and reduced the mighty warrior race to only two. Just thinking of it increased the rage from within and made his blood boil. The man bit his lower lip and released a growl as he felt Freeza's power about to reach the ceiling.
With a simple humph, the warrior coated his hand with a golden ki blade, causing Freeza to sweat nervously. "Time to put an end to all of this... Freeza, in the end, your fears and suspicions came true even after you slaughtered every Saiyan. However, you made a grave mistake by letting the one with the most talent grow and become your executioner!" The prince shifted to the side and closed his other hand tightly, preparing himself to put an end to Freeza.
"Vegeta! I'll kill you! I'm the mightiest! A mere Saiyan cant be stronger than me! I'm the only one above everyone!"
Consumed by fear, Freeza poured all he had into one single blast. "Die, you foolish monkey!" His hateful scream got overpowered by the released blast. The power behind the attack was tremendous, even forcing the one who unleashed it to stand firm.
The intense attack ripped through the sky and produced an incredible shockwave. Even the likes of Son Goku had to use a lot of power to be able to stand his ground and not be blown away. The Saiyan got worried that such a blast could prove to be deadly even for a Super Saiyan. Despite the danger, Goku was about to jump in and help Vegeta. However, he realized his help was not needed. His eyes widened as Vegeta gave a fierce growl and forced the arm down. The golden blade cut through the large blast, thus slicing it in half.
While the sliced parts demolished more of planet Namek, Vegeta immediately dashed at Freeza, who couldn't believe it. "N-No! S-Stay away from me, you m-monkey!" Desperate, the creature created a ki disc and tossed it at the Super Saiyan. But that poor attempt also got cut to bits.
"I'll see you one day in hell, Freeza... Until then, get out of my sight!"
With a mighty roar, the golden-haired prince sliced the tyrant in half with the energy blade. "N-Not like this... N-Not by an m-mere m-monkey..." Blood and organs fell out of Freeza as his legs and waist fell into the ocean. Still clinging to life, the strong creature stared at Vegeta, who stood in front of him and a stern expression.
"Y-You think you a-accomplished something great... b-but mark my words V-Vegeta... y-you will pay what y-you have done... I-I..."
Having enough, Vegeta placed an open palm forward and obliterated the mighty tyrant until there was nothing but ashes. The wind carried the ashes away, but the prince hovered in the same spot for quite some time. Getting to terms with it was hard, but he was finally free. The chains were broken, and he finally got what he had worked hard for. There would be no one ordering him around or mocking him. No! He was now the strongest warrior in the galaxy, and everyone was about to know that well.
"It's over... I've gotten my revenge and obtained the power of a Super Saiyan!"
Vegeta's loud laughter echoed all over the sky. The prince got consumed by several emotions that Goku could have sworn Vegeta even cried for a second. However, the wild-haired warrior had to do something now. The martial artist flew slowly and carefully approached the Super Saiyan from behind. Once he reached the prince, Vegeta sensed him and turned around.
"Kakarot... What do you want? Curious to test yourself against a Super Saiyan? I'd be happy to oblige such a death wish... After all, I owe you a proper beating after I had to endure that humiliation on Earth."
Son Goku remained quiet and stared at Vegeta. He was curious, indeed. He wanted to know how it feels to have such an incredible power surge through you all the time. However, he would not ask Vegeta such a question. He needed to do it alone; otherwise, it wouldn't feel right. Besides, something inside him told him he could also obtain such power. It was within, but as always, he needed to work hard to get there,
As usual, the Earth's hero smiled and scratched the back of his head. "Well, no, I don't have a death wish... You know I died once, and it wasn't pleasant, so I would like to avoid that:" Goku nervously laughed, which Vegeta detested, but much to the man's surprise, the prince let out a short-lived chuckle.
"Humph, you're not as stupid as you look, Kakarot. I'll give you that."
Goku didn't know if he should feel insulted or what by that, but before he could speak, Vegeta continued. "It wouldn't be appropriate... As much as I despise you and want to smash your skull into the ground, I want our battle to be proper! A real fight to the death between the last two full-blooded Saiyan warriors." The prince crossed his arms and relaxed, which caused his muscles to go back to normal size while the golden glow died out and the hair returned to normal.
"Are you sure, Vegeta? If you give me time to prepare, I might surprise you and even turn Super Saiyan like you."
Vegeta burst out laughing once the Saiyan said that. "Quite a funny man, huh, Kakarot? There's no way a third-class like you could ever obtain the power of legend! Only I'm capable of wielding such intense power... But please, try your hardest and do surprise me, Kakarot. Return to your precious Earth and train hard; I'll someday visit you." The prince turned his back to Goku and was about to leave when the taller male asked a question.
"Wait! Tell me, what are you going to do until then? Vegeta, don't do what I think you're about to go and do! You can do better with that kind of power! Come to..."
Suddenly, Son Goku got forced to react swiftly and raise a hand to block Vegeta's punch. "Just because I'm postponing your death doesn't mean you can tell me whatever you want, clown!" It stung, and he had to use all he had to hold onto Vegeta's fist. However, he could not block the strike from below; it was too fast.
"Gahh!"
While Goku held his gut, Vegeta backed away and spat on the ground. "As I said, return to Earth and prepare... I have some work to do, so you'll have plenty of time to grow stronger if possible." The prince chuckled and was on his way to find a space pod so he could leave planet Namek and never return to it again.
Meanwhile, Son Goku overcame the pain and released a sigh. "Damn! I couldn't test my new strength to the fullest, but now I know there are greater levels within reach if I apply myself... I promise you, Vegeta, when you get to Earth, I'll be a Super Saiyan and able to beat you on my own!" The wild-haired martial artist smiled as he stared at the distant dot.
Now that the battle on Namek was over, it was time to fix things. First, he needed to regroup with Gohan and the others. He could feel they stayed on the planet and waited for his return. Son Goku flew toward the east, heading back to the ship while thinking if it would be possible to bring back all the good people Freeza and his men killed for selfish reasons.
-X-
Weeks went by since the signal from planet Namek got lost. None knew what occurred there or what happened to their lord. They tried their hardest to get some contact, but there was nothing, only static sound. Worried, the second in command of the station ordered a scouting party to head out for planet Namek and figure out what was happening. The soldiers, medics, and all the personnel within the station grew restless. They wondered if something terrible had happened to their leader. However, the ones directly under the emperor denied such a possibility.
It wasn't until the twenty-seventh day since they sent the scouting party that a spaceship returned to the station. The soldiers were immediately informed and gathered in front of the building to welcome the arrival. While they waited for the pod to land, one of them couldn't help but ask a question.
"So, who's pod is that?"
A humanoid reptile nearby replied. "According to what I heard, the pod belongs to Jeice of the Ginyu Force..." The creature hissed as it adjusted its helmet correctly.
"That's strange... Those guys always travel as a group. Why's he coming here alone? Something's up; I'm sure of it!"
The soldier gave him a look, but most of them were thinking the same. However, there was a better time for pondering about that. The space pod breached the planet's atmosphere and landed on the dock. As the engine died out, the gate of the pod started to lower on the floor. Everyone waited patiently and nervously for the warrior to get out; they wanted to know where the rest of the army was. The metallic doors were finally down, and everyone focused on the dirty, battered glove that reached out. Once the warrior emerged from the pod, soldiers gasped when they saw the Saiyan prince instead of Jeice.
A worn-out Vegeta exited the pod and glared at everyone around him. "Humph, I suppose you expected somebody else, but let me assure you, none of them are coming back!" As he stepped forward, a prideful smirk surfaced on the warrior's bruised and bloody face.
"W-What do you mean by that, s-sir!?"
The prince glanced at the newly enlisted soldier and replied coldly. "Freeza and his men are dead! Zarbon, Dodoria, Ginyu and his little dancing group, and of course, that detestable Cui all died by my hand!" His words shocked the garrison; some even stumbled backward.
"N-No! T-That's impossible! A Saiyan besting Lord Freeza!? The Ginyu Force!? No cha..."
A sudden blast took out the loudmouth and frightened the others. "Don't believe me? Go to Namek, and I'm sure you'll find some remains of them... Freeza's legs should be at the bottom of the ocean." Vegeta's chuckle sent shivers down the soldier's spines as he walked through them.
"T-That... T-That's treason! Guys, gather around and blast this bastard to hell!"
Those extremely loyal to Freeza and the empire formed a large circle around the rebellious prince. "Humph! I'm going to give you lot only one chance! Either back away and pledge your allegiance to your new emperor, or you can join your beloved Freeza in hell!" A stern voice and fierce look on a bloody Vegeta made him look even wilder and more threatening.
"D-Dont listen to the traitor! Fire!"
Blasts came from every single direction, but Vegeta didn't seem bothered in the slightest. "Idiots. Death it is!" The prince placed both hands together and in front of his torso. He summoned enough energy and released it all at once, overwhelming the blasts and blowing away the soldiers who dared to threaten him.
Once the smoke settled down, only corpses lay around the flame-haired prince. He shifted his dark orbs to the side and saw a man trying to crawl toward the building. The warrior crossed his arms and approached the lone survivor.
"M-Must get in... C-Contact... K-King... C-Cold..."
Upon hearing the name, a devilish grin appeared on Vegeta's face. "King Cold? Oh yes, the one responsible for everything..." The prince landed his boot on the soldier's back and pressed hard enough for the man to breathe barely. "Listen to what I have to say, scum! Go to Cold and tell him the murder of his son will soon visit him! Go! Tell him the Super Saiyan Vegeta is coming after him next!" He lifted the boot and walked away from the soldier.
As he walked through the corridor, exhaustion and injuries got to him. "J-Just a little more, and I'm there..." The wounds from the fierce battle and the toll of everything were heavy. He barely managed to deal with the soldiers and kept a facade through everything. After excruciating five minutes, the prince reached the medical room and felt relief upon seeing the healing tank. He quickly typed some stuff on the panel and dropped inside once it opened. The greenish liquid slowly filled the tank while the wounded prince wore an oxygen mask on his face. Once properly attached, the warrior lost consciousness and floated inside the healing machine.