I have some good news for you folks! I've finally finished writing this whole story out so expect more regular updates. Wow, I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders...amaaaaazing...

It didn't take long for Piccolo to track down his old man. In fact, the older Namek stood out in the open within the gnarl of the tree. Oddly enough, the hole didn't have a roof in the sense of a ceiling. Instead, the leaves from the tree created the closure over the two.

"So I see you left your allies behind," King Piccolo commented, his arms crossed over his chest. "They'll be in their graves shortly."

"That's what you think," Piccolo retorted. "I've fought with those two and they aren't pushovers. I wouldn't lower myself to fight with amateurs."

"And they say I'm arrogant," the older Namek said amused. "So I take it you think you can fight me as you are now."

"I'm more than enough to put you down permanently."

"So you say. But it's been years since we've been in combat."

"I'm not the same little boy I once was."

"I never showed that little boy my true power," King Piccolo answered back. "I always held myself back since you were to be my heir. Now though, I'll show you just exactly how strong I really am."

Losing the grin on his face, King Piccolo's eyes widened, firing thick, twin eyebeams at his offspring. Reacting, Piccolo dodged to a side, but not fast enough as the eyebeams pierced one of the shoulder guards on his mantel.

Growling, the Namek gathered his ki as quickly as he could and threw one of his hands out in front of him, firing a ki blast at his opponent. In response, King Piccolo dodged his younger foe's attack, gathering his own ki all the while. Raising up both of his arms as Piccolo's ki blast exploded behind him, the older Namek fired his own ki blast.

This time, Piccolo leapt high into the air as the counter ki blast detonated where he once stood. With one hand aimed at his father and the other one gripping his wrist, the Namekian fired another ki blast; once again his father dodging as he leapt forwards with an explosion erupting behind him.

Instead of counterattack, King Piccolo held his ground, crossing his arms over his chest once more as he watched Piccolo descend back to the ground. "Impressive. You've gotten stronger since the last time we met. You've even matured into a smart fighter as well."

"No thanks to you," Piccolo replied.

For once, King Piccolo lost his smug expression, replacing it with a frown. "You really wish to have nothing to do with me, don't you? Pity."

"You know my feelings," Piccolo said. "I have nothing more to say to you." Raising his hands, the Namek grabbed the collar of his mantle with one of his hands and the turban on his head with the other. With fluid movements, he removed them, leaving him standing in only his purple gi. "The only thing I have left that wishes to be involved with you are my fists."

Keeping his frown, King Piccolo said "So be it."

Instantly, the older Namek used a burst of speed to disappear from sight. Reappearing right next to his progeny, the old warrior held one of his hands out, his fingers slightly curled towards the palm, and slammed it into Piccolo's face, sending him flying.

Recovering, Piccolo twisted his body around to land on his feet and face where his opponent was. The only problem was that his father was no where to be seen.

Behind the Namekian, King Piccolo appeared with both of his hands clasped over his head. With a swing, he jackhammered his son on his head, causing him to collapse on the ground.

"A little disappointing," the Namek commented smugly. "Let's liven this up a little bit." Grabbing a hold of Piccolo's leg, his father then twisted his own body around and threw the younger Namek high into the air. Gathering his ki, he forced it up his throat and fired a ki blast from his mouth.

This time, however, Piccolo reacted much faster, dodging the blast. With a war cry, the Namek charged at his father, one of his hands crossed over his chest with his fingers stiff and the thumb curled into the palm.

Smirking, King Piccolo gathered his ki once more, focusing it into his hand. A moment later, a bright disk of ki appeared hovering over his hand. As his son closed in on him, the older Namek threw the disk, the attack flying at the incoming Piccolo.

Due to proximity, Piccolo couldn't dodge the disk completely, moving just enough to get most of his body out of the way. His left arm, however, didn't quite make it out of the way as the disk sliced right through it, severing it at the bicep.

With a cry of pain, Piccolo fell to the ground, managing to land in a crouched stance as he held the remains of his arm.

Loud laughter rang out soon after. "You've really slacked off in your training, haven't you?" King Piccolo mocked. "And here I was expecting a great battle. Just look at yourself. I've been dominating the whole match and you've yet to hit me!"

Clenching his teeth, Piccolo stood straight, looking at his opponent. "I'll admit that you've taken the upper hand so far. You're combat experience is in a league of its own."

"Obviously," the Namek agreed haughtily.

"But I have a few tricks on my own," the younger Namek said. "And here's one of them!"

Throwing his only good arm in front of him, the appendage immediately began to extend, flying at King Piccolo to land a punch to his face. In response, the Namek simply tilted his head to a side, allowing the extending arm to pass him without harm. "If that's the best you've got, you're in for a world of pain!" the green man shouted as be began to charge at his son.

Unbeknownst to the elder Namek, Piccolo's overextended arm stopped stretching. Bending itself at his elbow and pointing perpendicular to the rest of his arm, Piccolo began to retract his arm, the appendage returning faster than his opponent's movement. A moment later, the forearm of Piccolo collided with the back of King Piccolo's head, causing him to stumble in his charge.

After the impact, Piccolo's arm returned to its normal shape, allowing him to seize on his foe's opening. Using a burst of speed, the Namek was in front of his father in a second, imbedding his knee into the old man's stomach; his opponent bending over the knee as he lost his breath and spit from the blow.

Using his only hand, Piccolo, placed it on his father's shoulder and pushed him off his knee, sending the man staggering backwards. Balling up his fist, he leapt at his foe, punching him in the face viciously. The moment his feet touched the ground, he then raised one of his legs up and pivoted on the other, swinging the raised leg, and landing a kick to King Piccolo's head once more; this time sending the fighter a distance away before he landed on the ground, skidding for a few feet.

Instead of giving chase though, Piccolo chose to stand his ground as he straightened out his posture as he looked at his old man. Slowly, be began to gather his ki once more.

"Not bad," came the sound of his father's voice. Slowly, the Namek pushed his body up, soon getting back onto his feet. "That wasn't bad at all. Though you should've pressed your advantage more."

"All in due time," Piccolo responded. A second later, a hand, followed by an arm, burst from the stump of his left arm, green juices dripping off of it. "Now if you think that last attack was good, let's see what you think when I do it with two arms."

"Is that all you were—"

King Piccolo wouldn't be able to finish that sentence as his son suddenly fired twin eyebeams at him, forcing him to dodge to a side. Immediately, Piccolo used a burst of speed to disappear from sight, reappearing in midair behind the leaning figure of his father, his leg drawn behind him. With a swing, the Namek nailed a kick to the back of his father's head, sending him flying once more.

Landing on the ground, Piccolo threw both of his arms up towards his head, his hands hovering perpendicularly against each other in front of his forehead. Gathering his ki, he then thrust both hands out and fired a large ki blast, shouting "Masenko Ha!"

Opening an eye as he flew, King Piccolo saw the Masenko closing in on him. Twisting his body, the older Namek managed to dodge the beam. A scream of pain erupted from his lips, however, as he felt his arm get caught in the blast.

As the blast flew away and exploded on the gnarl wall, the older Namek landed on the ground, grasping his arm stump.

"Get up!" Piccolo called out curtly. "You and I both know you can regrow your arm. Get on with it so we can finish this fight."

King Piccolo growled at the remark. How dare that impertinent man scold him as if he were a five year old? He had more combat experience and power than that brat could ever dream of obtaining. He'd show him; oh he would.

Focusing his energy to his stump, a new arm sprouted out, dripping with the same green juices as Piccolo's new arm had previously. "I'll kill you where you stand!" King Piccolo shouted as he dashed towards his younger opponent; a war cry flying from his wide open mouth.

Patiently, Piccolo waited as his father closed in on him. As his old man swung a fist at him, he blocked it effortlessly with one arm, countering with a powerful punch to the Namek's gut. Stunned, all King Piccolo could do was gasp in pain, his eyes bulging from their sockets, a whimpering sound escaping from his lips.

Moving his balled up fist from his opponent's stomach, Piccolo gathered his ki into the same hand. Opening his hand up, he released the ki in the form of a shockwave, sending his father flying away until he crashed to the ground, skidding on his back several feet more.

A few moments passed before the fallen Namek let out a groan as he tried to get over the pain in his midsection, his eyes shut tight. How could this have happened to him? He had been one of the strongest Namekians on Namek when he had last been here. His son had barely been able to stand on his own feet, much less fight him the last time he had seen him; but now he'd been outclassed in every aspect of battle. The reality of it all was staggering.

Opening his eyes, the old Namek found himself look up to the branches of the Tree of Might; the ones that formed a canopy in this gnarl. Sitting in plain sight, a piece of fruit hung from its branch, looking ripe and waiting to be eaten.

That made King Piccolo's eyes widen. There it was, his chance at victory! All he had to do was ingest the juices of that piece of fruit and there would be nothing on this planet that could stop him!

That was when a voice made itself known. "Looks like you've gotten everything taken care of Piccolo." Tilting his head to a side, the old man saw two of his son's companions entering the chamber, each looking smug. They must've taken care of his bodyguards, the rotten scoundrels. No matter; not even they could stop his plan.

"Yeah, no worries," Piccolo spoke up. "I was just about to finish this fight."

"Not…over…my dead…body," King Piccolo retorted as he got back to his feet. "I refuse to let an upstart like you defeat me…"

"You have no choice, old man," his son shot back. "It's obvious I have this fight. Now die and be no more."

"Only in your wildest dreams," the Namek replied as he started to lift off the ground, flying up towards the canopy. "I've got one last trump card that'll be sure to finish you all off."

"If that's the way you want to play it, fine; give me your best shot," Piccolo said. "I'll render it useless and send you to the next world."

A small smile covered the old man's face. "That's what you think," he spoke softly before he poured on more speed, racing towards the fruit. Grabbing and yanking it off the branch, the Namek took off into the maze of tree branches, leaving his foes crying out in surprise.

"He's getting away!" one of the humanoid fighters shouted.

Using his ki sense, King Piccolo felt the three fighters give chase, trying to track him down. There wouldn't be any need for that though, once he got out into the open. Fortunately, that didn't take long as he burst out into open air. Putting some more distance between him and the tree, the Namek stopped and turned around, facing the tree with a smirk on his face.

Soon after, his pursuers flew out of the tree and immediately stopped upon seeing him. Something was up, all three of them knew, but what they weren't sure.

"Did you know that Namekians cannot digest food of substance?" King Piccolo asked the three. "One of the few races that are like that as a matter of fact."

"What's your point?" Piccolo demanded.

"Tsk, tsk, so impatient, aren't you, son?" King Piccolo said mockingly. "Allow me to demonstrate." Lifting up the piece of fruit in his hand, he explained "Were I or any Namekian to eat this, it would sit inside of our stomach, rotting away slowly. Our body functions don't allow us the proper digestive methods to dissolve the food and absorb its nutrients. Liquids, however, are a different matter." At that point, the Namek brought the piece of fruit to his mouth.

"Since we are a race that doesn't eat food, it raises up some questions, notably our teeth. As you can see, every Namekian has a set of fangs. These were originally used so that Nameks could obtain some sort of liquid nourishment, usually found within plants. All one would have to do is puncture the outer skin and a meal is ready to be served." As if to give an example of his speech, the Namek bit into the fruit, his lips closing against its skin as he began to suck. This action carried on for awhile until the old Namek had his fill and pulled the fruit away.

"And what's the point of this biology lesson?" Goten spoke. "What does this have to do with this fight at all?"

"The fruit you see in my hand is the one that the Tree of Might grows," King Piccolo explained. "Since I cannot eat the fruit, I must obtain its nutrients through another way; drinking its juice."

It was then that the three warriors felt King Piccolo's power skyrocket, much to their shock. The Namek's body suddenly convulsed and expanded, causing him to clench his grip and crush the fruit in his hand. "And with this new power of mine granted by the Tree of Might, you don't stand a chance!"