I wish I owned DBZ, but I don't. I own DVD's and tapes, but it just isn't the same. I also don't own the rights to any of the music pieces you see selected, just copies of merchandise, such a shame. The artists that created them are geniuses and we all must bow to them.
Chapter 91: Dark Tourney 14: Glimpse of Potential
Verto stared up at Gohan in surprise as he was offered a hand up. "What are you doing here?" Verto asked.
Gohan smiled lightly, "What's wrong, you sound like I shouldn't be? Last time I checked, we're friends, and friends don't act alone against overwhelming odds."
Verto grunted a bit as Gohan helped him up to his knees, "Spare me the lecture, I didn't know he was this strong. How'd you get here anyway?"
"Same way you did I think, Leira brought me up to speed when she brought Piccolo back. Why did you face this alone?" Gohan asked.
"The favor for saving Lenz like she did. But I figured Vegeta would have told you guys all about it. Hell I'm surprised she didn't bring everyone since she wants this guy dead so badly," Verto pointed out.
Gohan glanced away, "You've been gone for a month bro. I came to get you because there's trouble at home too, I'll fill you in after we deal with this guy."
Verto stared at him, "A month?"
"I know, but we have to get this guy first," Gohan said as he turned. He met Ranot's gaze, which was filled with intrigue to Gohan's arrival.
"I can see that you're at least part Saiyan, but I don't know you," Ranot said.
Gohan grinned slightly as he posed, "I'm son of Goku, guardian of all that is good, Gohan."
Ranot snorted at the pose, "I hope you have another ridiculous dance in mind for when you meet the residents of the afterlife."
"Well aren't you going to tell me your name? I'd hate to beat someone I don't know the name of," Gohan said.
Ranot smiled back evilly, "I'm Ranot, your newly appointed executioner!"
Gohan pulled his arms up, "We'll see about that!" Gohan's aura fluctuated briefly as his eyes shifted to bright blue while his hair changed to silver.
Ranot's smile vanished as he quickly recognized the transformation, "Interesting..."
Laysh, who was making her way over to Verto, stiffened in pure shock, "Him too?" Gohan's Super Mystic transformation cracked the ground and scattered the dirt with strong winds, but remained calm. Once the air settled, Laysh felt brave enough to approach Verto, who was watching the power display with serious intent.
Gohan's power is stronger than before. Is that a result of this place, or has he been training like crazy? Verto winced sharply as he tried to stand up, only to have his back give out from the intense pain it was under.
"Stay down! You're in no condition to even move. I can't believe you're even alive at this point!" Laysh scolded.
Verto's nostrils flared in annoyance, "If you want to keel over, be my guest. I've been hurt worse."
"And lived?"
Verto closed his eyes and grinned, "Sort of."
"So who the hell is this guy? He's as strong as you!" Laysh exclaimed.
"My best friend Gohan, and for the record, he's stronger than me. He's Goku's son, you might know him as Kakarot," Verto replied.
"No, but the name Goku seems familiar, I can't quite place it though," Laysh said confused.
"The one who first defeated Frieza," Verto reminded.
Her confusion grew, "He looked alive when he and that Namek were hanging around you."
"Frieza has been dead for years. That business earlier is a little complicated to get into right now, but know that we have friends in high places," Verto said.
Laysh snorted lightly, "With you, I would expect nothing less than complicated." Verto ignored her rebuttal and focused on the ensuing battle between Gohan and Ranot.
Verto's brow filled with wrinkled worry, Gohan definitely is stronger than before, but I don't think it's enough to beat this guy. If I wasn't so torn up, we could do it together. Both Saiyans stared each other down with confidence, though it was fairly obvious that neither knew what to expect from the other. Both silver and purple auras were flowing with anticipation, clashing occasionally in between Gohan and Ranot. Gohan made the first move by charging in with a punch aimed at Ranot's head. Ranot moved to block with his left arm, prompting Gohan to phase out before the contact. Ranot swung his left fist counter-clockwise, grazing Gohan's face as he ducked away. Ranot continued his spin, coming around again with his right foot. Gohan blocked it, taking the whole blow in his upper arm. Gohan winced slightly as he got a feel for what he was up against and backed off cautiously. Ranot allowed the brief reprieve as he crossed his arms and smirked.
"I see why Verto had so much trouble, you're good, not just strong," Gohan admitted.
"I've been alive much longer than the two of you combined, it's only natural," Ranot said smugly.
Gohan matched his smirk, "In that case, I can't hold anything back can I?"
Ranot's grin deepened, "Not if you want to live." Gohan suddenly phased out, instantly smashing Ranot in the back of his head with a single knife hand strike. Ranot stumbled before turning back, only hitting air when Gohan vanished again. He kicked Ranot in the side this time, sending the larger Saiyan flying towards one of the few walls remaining, crashing into it a moment later.
"I couldn't see that move! It's like his energy just vanished and reappeared at once!" Laysh pointed out.
Verto smiled lightly, "That's to be expected, your captain probably didn't expect to see Instant Transmission either." The resulting rubble pile blew apart as Ranot floated out of it and came back towards the middle of the arena.
His smirk had been effectively wiped off and replaced with dirt, "You use the same Instantaneous Movement technique that Frost does. I warn you now that I dislike him and everything he stands for. I don't normally let hatred rule my fighting, but that Frost is certainly worthy of it. To see you employ his technique makes fighting you problematic, and utterly annoying. My rage just might get the better of me and I'll end this fight much faster than had previously I wanted to."
Gohan grinned as he dropped back into his stance, "Well thanks, I guess I should be honored."
Ranot held his palm up and charged his next attack with vicious purple ki, "Like I said though, problematic, but not impossible. Bane Blaster!" The blast flew towards Gohan, who looked ready to deflect it.
"Gohan, don't try to block or deflect that one. Use the sword technique to try and alter its direction!" Verto called out telepathically. Gohan heard the advice, but didn't heed it, knocking the blast towards his right. He seemed to get the message through when it shifted into a fast moving beam that seared across the island before detonating in the ocean.
"Whoa, I see what you mean. Doesn't really help that it takes some of your energy at the same time. I'll bet that's what causes that attack to shift forms like that," Gohan pointed out.
Verto's eyes widened, "It does?" Ranot fired off another blast, and Gohan deflected it in the same direction. Verto felt a small amount of Gohan's energy go with it this time, confirming what the teenaged Saiyan had told him.
"No wonder it takes off like that. I probably couldn't tell before due to the strain that the triple Kaio-ken caused. He must use it for both bystanders and to wear down opponents. The sword technique nullified it really well earlier, probably because it can't take energy directly from you then," Verto suggested. He barely needed to remind Gohan, as he formed his own Chi sword just in time to stop the next two attacks by slicing through them.
Ranot stopped the short assault once he saw this, looking rather perplexed, Very interesting. They've had similar training as well. Ranot floated down as Gohan stood ready with his energy sword held defensively.
"I couldn't help but notice that the two of you use some of the same techniques and your powers are nearly the same. How are you two related?" Ranot asked.
Gohan shook his head, "We're not related, just friends. I'm sure you don't have many of those. And yes, some of our training is the same. He's better at energy control, counter moves and specialized techniques though. I'm a bit different in that regard."
Ranot grinned, "Good."
Both Saiyans charged each other, and the melee was on again. Fists and kicks were flying at ridiculous speeds, most of which did not connect. That stopped when Ranot ducked out of one of Gohan's punches and elbowed him in the face. Gohan flew back before spinning, catching Ranot in the side with a hooking kick. Gohan rushed the momentary advantage and smashed Ranot across the back with both hands. Ranot plunged into the dirt, but came up so fast that Gohan couldn't react. Ranot landed a stiff uppercut that walloped Gohan's abdomen. He grabbed the side of Gohan's head and smacked his own against it. The head-butt sent Gohan flying backwards, and Ranot gave chase. Gohan's eyes snapped open as he fired a quick Chi blast, one that Ranot barely avoided. Both fighters landed, and both were wary of what the other would do. Gohan took the chance to wipe a slight trickle of blood from his cheek where Ranot's blows had connected. Ranot still seemed confident, while Gohan wasn't as much as he had been.
I can't beat this guy in a head on fight, he's too strong and too good. I'll just have to use instant transmission more, otherwise he'll just wear me down. I have to be careful though, if someone as young as Verto can counter it, there's no telling how fast this guy might adapt. Ranot lifted a single finger and pointed at Gohan as he charged purple ki into it.
Gohan's eyes widened, That's Frieza's move!
"Dread Spike!" Ranot shouted as he fired. Gohan dodged the potent beam by hair lengths and turned to see it puncture part of the wrecked stadium. Another shot was fired low, which Gohan jumped to avoid. On the third, Gohan instantly moved, smashing Ranot's face with his fist. Ranot fell to the ground, where Gohan buried a kick into his side to send him tumbling. Ranot flipped out of his roll long enough to fire another Dread Spike, but Gohan was already gone again. Ranot's eyes darted sideways just before he was nailed again by Gohan's boot. Ranot skidded to a stop and stood up to wipe his face off, smirking slightly. Gohan's eyes narrowed a bit, given the misleading advantage he currently had.
Ranot chuckled, "Your instantaneous movement is trouble, even if I figure out your attack pattern. You still move too fast for me to counter it."
"Then why are you so confident?" Gohan asked. Ranot rose into the air as his energy spilled out into his aura. His answer came as he prepared a similar pose to his one handed Bane Blaster move, but the blast became much, much bigger. Gohan's eyes widened as he realized what was about to happen, and he quickly dropped his hands back behind him to answer the challenge.
Ranot laughed, "As I thought, now let's see what you've got! Bane Maelstrom!"
Gohan's answering beam took form just as he fired it, "Kamehame….HAAA!" The two huge beams collided, which churned out a massive onslaught of wind that quickly ripped apart what was left of the stadium. Any demon that was still alive was sent barreling away. Yusuke's friends barely managed to stay on the ground as they fled the scene with Yusuke's body in tow. A sizable ball of unstable, multi-colored energy formed between their beams, and it swelled in size quickly.
Verto's eyes widened with fear, "We have to go, now!" Laysh didn't have to be told twice and draped Verto's arm over her shoulder in order to assist. Verto gritted his teeth to try and block out the pain of her arm around his charred back. Laysh flew them both away just as the explosive ball began to destabilize. Gohan pushed back with all his energy, and the collision ball moved back towards Ranot before it stopped cold. Ranot grinned wickedly as he released another surge of power before phasing out. Gohan's power flared as his beam doubled in size, but it was already too late. All light on the island was instantly overtaken by the incredibly massive explosion that followed. Trees were either blown down, ripped out, or completely disintegrated, depending on how close they were to the epicenter of the blast. The few mountains left on the island were blown away, leaving only rocky stumps behind. Once the explosive blast's light was gone, the island was covered in a smoke that was shaped like a nuclear cloud. The smoke slowly cleared up, revealing Gohan and Ranot in defensive postures while the land around them sizzled from the heat their blasts had produced. Ranot's confidence was still present, despite his body being blemished, bruised and bleeding slightly from the explosion. Gohan was breathing heavily now though, as he had tried to overpower Ranot's attack. The result had pushed the explosive ball further into the air and saved anyone still left, but at a heavy price. Gohan's power level had fallen off by quite a bit, and they both knew it.
Gohan glared at Ranot, who was stepping towards him slowly, "That was a dirty trick."
Ranot snorted, "A true warrior will do whatever it takes to win. You elected to try and save whoever's left on this island and it cost you."
"And if I hadn't?" Gohan asked.
"You know the answer to that as well as I do. This planet would be well on its way to blowing up. That would have been a bit inconvenient for me, but I knew you'd try and stop it before I had to," Ranot replied. Gohan's silver aura came back to life in anger, as he tried to power up with anything he had left.
Ranot smirked at the struggle, "You don't honestly think you can defeat me now do you? Your power has dropped too far to even be a threat, and your instantaneous movement will use too much energy for your resources to last very long. Meanwhile, I can keep this up all day. So go ahead and try boy, you'll only hasten your death!" Gohan growled a bit before phasing out, hammering Ranot's face as hard as he could. Ranot's head turned slightly from the impact, but he just grinned back like nothing had happened. Gohan could barely blink before a heavy blow floored him.
Far away, Verto's eyes snapped open as he leaned on Laysh for support, "Shit."
"What is it?" Laysh asked.
"Gohan's power has dropped too far, we have to go back."
"Now I know I didn't hear that right. Leave him, you know full well we won't survive now," Laysh suggested.
Verto's eyes glowed bright red, "I don't leave my friends. You will turn around and take us back, now!" Laysh blinked sharply with concern at Verto's outburst, but shrugged it off.
"Your devotion is honorable kid, it really is. But for your own good, let me decide what's best for us," she advised. Laysh was knocked away suddenly when Verto got his arm loose and pushed off roughly.
He fell to the ground painfully while Laysh got back up a bit agitated, "I'd kill you for that if you hadn't saved my ass before, so I'll let that one slide. Now quit so damned stubborn, you won't do anything in your condition and you know it!"
"Then let me deal with him," a voice said from behind. Laysh spun and Verto's eyes snapped open at the sound of the British, feminine voice.
"Leira?" he asked as he stumbled around to meet the newcomer. His eyes faded back to blue quickly and he groaned as the brief burst of energy had made his pain worse.
Laysh had a much different reaction, "It's you, how dare you show up here?"
"What took you so long?" Verto asked instead.
Leira smiled a bit as she ignored Laysh, "A few loose ends to tie up, you look like hell."
"Gee, thanks. I don't suppose you can heal me so I can help Gohan, can you?" Verto asked.
"I'll do better than that," Leira offered.
Laysh stepped between them, as if to shield Verto from Leira, "Don't trust this bitch if you know what's good for you kid. She'll stab you in the back the first chance she gets!"
Leira tossed one of her small brown candies towards Verto, "He doesn't have to be told that, girl. He hasn't trusted me completely since…well, ever."
Verto grimaced as his wounds quickly began to heal, "Don't sound so disappointed." He stood up straight as a brief burst of power rushed through him, signaling the return of his energy.
"Thanks, I gotta go," Verto said with a nod.
"Hold on, give me your hands," Leira ordered. Verto's eyebrows lifted before he did what she asked. Her hands glowed for a moment before two bright collars appeared on Verto's hands just before they snapped apart.
Verto instantly felt his ki returning and smiled, "That's much better."
Laysh paused in amazement, "You've been fighting this whole time with your power sealed up?"
"Suppressed is a better word, and only his ki. However, you're not going to easily defeat him now either. You'll be limited to a single level of Kaio-ken again since you have your full power back. Ranot is a much better fighter than Frost and his energy reserves are just as deep. Any power you can achieve that matches his won't last long enough to do much," Leira warned.
"I get it, he's tough. So what do you suggest?" Verto asked. Leira pulled a small jar from her back, which contained a strange red fluid.
Verto stared at it, "What is that?"
"Something that will give you a temporary boost, if it works," Leira answered vaguely.
Verto frowned, "Okay, what's the risk? What happens if it doesn't do whatever it's supposed to?"
"Well, I'm not sure exactly. No reason that it won't work on someone like you though. It's been tested and it worked perfectly. It will wear off within fifteen to twenty minutes though, so you mustn't waste any time once it kicks in. Don't worry, I have faith that it will work fine," Leira said with encouragement.
"You still haven't told me exactly what it is and what it might do. I don't just ingest shit without knowing if it's going to poison me or something," Verto said with slight distain.
Leira sighed, "Verto, please, just this once, trust what I say. If it works, we will all know exactly what you're capable of, for better or worse." Verto's eyes narrowed at the shift of her vocal tone, and reached for the jar.
"Don't be stupid kid, it's a trick!" Laysh warned.
Verto glanced at her, "Thanks, but if she wanted me dead, she's had plenty of opportunities." Verto then popped the cork and downed nearly half of the jar's fluid before Leira took it back. Verto didn't feel any different initially, aside from the bittersweet taste in his mouth.
"Ugh, so how long does this take to kick in?" he asked.
"With your metabolism, probably just a minute or two. Be warned, the onset can be a little unsettling and you might pass out until it brings out the full effect," Leira said.
"Oh that's just great. You're trying to poison him and get him drunk. Such a winning combination. Next time, feed him something that will make him grow up faster!" Laysh shouted back.
Leira grinned as she closed her eyes, "Amusing, when you put it that way." Verto shook his head slightly before he felt a distinct change within his body. He doubled over in extreme pain as his stomach appeared to be having a violent reaction. He dropped to his knees and screaming in agony as he felt as if his body was being ripped apart. As his lungs emptied, he suddenly felt constricted and couldn't breathe. He was on the ground a second later as his breath barely registered a wheeze.
Laysh moved to try and help him, but Leira blocked her way with a single arm, "Relax, he's fine, you'll see." Verto's eyes closed as he slumped, causing Laysh to grab Leira by the red shirt collar under her black leather outfit.
"I hope you're happy you bitch! You just killed the one person that could have saved us!" Laysh spat in her face.
Leira ripped Laysh's hand off her and threw her to the ground, "I told you to relax. He'll be up in a minute."
"If he isn't, or is damaged in any way, I'm putting you on ice!" Laysh growled.
Leira smiled as she shut her eyes again, "Fair enough."
Laysh was about to add to this when Verto's body started glowing bright white. Laysh's eyes grew wide at this, and grew wider when this light expanded in size.
Gohan spit the dirt from his mouth as he recovered from being forced to eat it. He made it back to his feet long enough to see Ranot rush towards him. Gohan instantly phased out, appearing behind Ranot with a hard punch ready. Ranot ducked down just in time, allowing Gohan to strike at only air. Ranot spun and came up fast, ramming his mostly bald head into Gohan's wide open jaw. Gohan's stunned body drifted upward from the harsh impact, more than long enough for Ranot to decide where the next attack would land. He chose the stomach, and Gohan fell forwards as Ranot lined up his next move like he had planned it all out. Ranot gave Gohan's bloodied face more of a pounding with a hard knee or two before he threw him aside. Gohan's hair shifted back to black upon landing, and Ranot frowned slightly.
"So that's it huh? I suppose I got a little excited and rushed that fight. It's too bad we didn't meet in our own dimension, you would have lasted a lot longer, pity," Ranot said.
Gohan stood up shakily, "This fight isn't over yet!"
Ranot grinned, "For you it is." He held up his palm and charged a different finishing technique while Gohan gasped for breath. A large and deep red ball formed above Ranot's head, which had a stark similarity to the Death Ball that Frieza and Cell had produced before.
"Prepare yourself, Gohan. I truly enjoyed the short fight we had, but like all good things, they must come to an end!" Ranot declared.
"For someone who supposedly hates Frost, you sure do fight like him," Gohan muttered. He held out both of his hands and a blue Psi sword formed in front of him.
Ranot frowned, "I respect and make use of powerful techniques, where you obviously don't. Stupid fool, you won't be deflecting this one! Bane Bomber!"
Gohan returned the expression, "You're right about that!" The huge red ball of death came down slowly, and Gohan held up his Psi sword to stall it. There was a very brief clash before Gohan adjusted his hands, and the Bane Bomber was quickly sucked away. Gohan's aura filled with gold as he absorbed the attack, which gave Ranot pause for concern. His Bane Bomber completely vanished before Gohan stood up with some erratic energy flowing off him.
Ranot's concern seemed to melt off though, "I see, I should have expected that. After all, the boy used that technique on one of my former soldiers as well. Good, this may get interesting yet."
Gohan frowned slightly, He won't make that mistake again, and that boost may not be enough to win either. I've got to be careful, going to that enhanced Super Saiyan level is risky since I'm not used to it yet. Gohan's thoughts were put on hold when he sensed a disturbance nearby. It was a strong power level that was coming towards them fast. Ranot glanced over, seeing a bright ball of light coming closer.
Gohan smirked, Looks like Verto's back in the fight. Together we can find a way to beat this guy.
Ranot snorted lightly, "So that kid wants some more. I'll be happy to bury him again!" The bright silver light tore through the skies before rushing head on into Ranot, knocking him out of the air. Ranot landed on his feet, agitated that the newcomer had the nerve to attack him.
When he looked up, his eyes shot open in pure shock, "You?" Gohan stared at Ranot's surprised before he followed the stare and felt his own flush of puzzlement. The person in the sky was similar to Verto, except he had to have been at least ten to fifteen years older. He wore an all black martial arts outfit with a blue cummerbund, similar to Piccolo. His eyes were dark blue like Verto's were normally, but his hair was now a messy black mop that hung down instead of standing straight up.
Gohan was amazed, That's definitely Verto's power signal, but it's his adult form that he had before the Zerg showed up. How did this happen? Adult Verto had an intense death glare directed at Ranot, whose lip was quivering like he had seen a ghost.
"How? I killed you!" Ranot shouted.
Gohan wasn't sure what to make of this either, He thinks it's someone else. Sure it seems like it, but even he should be able to tell. Verto dropped to the ground between the two, keeping his eyes locked on the enemy.
"How did you do that?" Gohan asked.
Verto barely turned and spoke telepathically, "Leira gave me a potion from this place that can temporarily cause age regression. In my case though, it restored what I had prior to the Zerg invasion. Obviously the biggest difference is that I know how to use my full power now, unlike then."
"Well good, let's take him down," Gohan said.
Verto scowled, "No offense, but I want to do this alone. I can handle it from here."
"Are you absolutely sure?"
"I have to know what I'm capable of Gohan, you understand how that feels. And I can't do that unless I fight him alone. I'm not exactly sure if I'm going to maintain control either, so let's just call it 'making sure'. Don't worry, you might get another crack at him if I can't win."
Gohan took note of Verto's extremely serious words and backed away, "Alright, give him hell!" Verto nodded knowingly and faced Ranot, who still looked shocked beyond belief.
"So, are you going to explain this one? Did some higher being think you deserved a second chance just to make sure you got revenge? Did Leira dig you up and reanimate your body somehow?" Ranot demanded.
Verto's eyebrow went up before dropping back down, "You've obviously gotten me confused with someone else."
"Oh I don't think so, maybe your memory is just as dead as your body was. I killed you, so unless that little redheaded bitch used time travel to bring you here, you should still be in a grave somewhere," Ranot claimed.
Verto shook his head slightly, "Whatever you say, I lost any interest in your view awhile ago. As I said before, I don't care!" Verto phased out and Ranot was hit hard from behind by a strong knife hand blow to the back of his head. Ranot swung back around wildly, only grazing an after-image. Verto buried his fist into Ranot's back, sending the larger Saiyan tumbling away for the moment.
Gohan did a double-take at what he had just seen, His speed just now, I could barely see the movement! And he isn't even transformed! Verto kept a vicious stare on Ranot, who quickly got back up, lacking the confidence he had earlier.
"Well, your speed is certainly at the level I would expect. The strength behind those punches isn't anything to be concerned with however. I don't think I need to remind you that you'll need to take things up a few notches to defeat me!" Ranot declared. He charged in, missing on a punch attempt when Verto sidestepped him. Ranot attacked again with a flying elbow that Verto narrowly ducked under. He met Ranot's next punch with one of his own. Ranot quickly grew flustered and picked up the pace with dozens of rapid punches, all of which Verto matched with little difficulty. On his last try, Ranot threw an unexpected spin kick that appeared to catch Verto by surprise. With a lightning quick reflex, he caught Ranot's ankle and blocked the blow completely. Verto dragged Ranot by the leg and heaved him into the air. Ranot somersaulted a few times before recovering, looking angrier at what had just transpired.
Gohan stood by, amazed at the display, It's like Verto isn't even trying! He needs to beat this guy while he can, this isn't the type of fighter that he can just play around with.
Ranot's purple aura crackled to life as he held out one hand and charged up a small by potent energy blast, "Now we'll see your true colors! Bane Blaster!" Verto remained undaunted as a more intense version of his Psi shield came up around him, flowing with a thicker and more vivid blue hue. Ranot's Bane Blaster struck the shield at an angle before it went roaring right back the other way due to reflection. Ranot's eyes widened before he ducked out of the way and watched his own attack rocket into space. He gritted his teeth in anger and turned back, right into Verto's rising knee lift that drilled him in the jaw. Ranot fell backwards, stunned from the attack enough that he couldn't avoid the next one. Verto dropped in at terminal speed and planted both feet into Ranot's abdomen, sending him falling out of control. Above, Verto's aura erupted back to life as his hair stood on end before it changed to silver while his blue eyes glowed. His hair in the Super Mystic state also looked different from before, but only that his hair was standing up at a spiky angle from front to back.
Gohan shifted nervously when he felt Verto's full power level, Wow, how did we miss this kind of power before? Is this what he's fully capable of? He's stronger than all of us! Gohan didn't have time to ponder this though, as Ranot was free falling towards him with Verto chasing him down at top speed. Ranot managed to snap out of it long enough to glide aside as Verto came roaring through and passed by. Ranot raised both arms and funneled a huge amount of ki into his large Bane Bomber technique. It expanded exponentially, easily spanning nearly half the size of the island. Verto landed next to Gohan and held his hands out, forming an intense Chi sword, which sparked with brief lightning.
"Don't be crazy, you won't be able to absorb that much!" Gohan claimed.
Verto's glare darkened as he briefly looked over before he refocused his attention, "I said I can handle this, don't assume that you know what I'm going to do and don't tell me how to fight!" Gohan felt a cold shiver run through him from Verto's biting words, as if he had assumed his Berserker state and was ready to lash out.
Above, Ranot laughed victoriously, "Say goodbye!" Just as Ranot directed his Bane Bomber Death Ball downwards, Verto adjusted his arm and threw his sword as a high speed javelin. Ranot saw this, but didn't panic, assuming it was a poor attempt to counter attack. He found out otherwise when his huge ball of ki destabilized too early and exploded, blinding anyone within a thirty mile radius. Both Verto and Gohan shield their eyes to the intense blast. On the other end of the island, Yusuke's friends were taking cover behind a large boulder. Laysh and Leira were close by, holding position far easier.
"That was the captain's ultimate technique, we should all be dead! What happened?" Laysh asked in astonishment.
"Verto probably caused it to detonate early. At this level, he's stronger than Ranot by a fair margin," Leira replied with a deep smile.
"So, is this what he'll be like when he's grown up?" Laysh asked.
Leira glanced at her, "Perhaps, but there's always bigger fish in the sea."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Leira scowled, "Forget it. We should make sure Yusuke and his friends are alright."
Laysh scoffed, "What, those humans? You may have missed it, but they were carting the kid's corpse off for a reason."
Leira paused, "Yusuke's dead? Are you sure?"
Laysh nodded, "Positive, the captain broke his neck and all of his ribs with two hits. His energy signal died out awhile ago."
Leira turned her head slightly, "But his body is still intact, correct?"
Laysh looked confused, "Yeah, more or less. But why should that matter? Dead is still dead."
"You'll understand soon enough that just because someone has died, doesn't mean that they can't be brought back," Leira explained.
Laysh scoffed, "You're full of it."
Back at the battlefield, Verto and Gohan searched for Ranot's power signal, but were having trouble finding it.
"Alright, I'm pretty sure that wasn't enough to beat him, so where is he?" Gohan asked as he looked around.
"A guy like him, I seriously doubt it. He's probably just pulling a Buu and stalling to consider his options. As soon as he shows his ugly face, I'm gonna turn it into goo," Verto said in a cold tone.
"I've never seen you this intense, well, unless you've snapped again. And I don't think you have," Gohan noted.
"I felt it before during those few months that I was grown up before. It could be that my deepest power just brings it along for the ride," Verto guessed.
Gohan's eyes narrowed, "That might be it, but your energy signal seems especially strange right now."
"How so?"
"I sense trace amounts of human and what I think is demon type of energy in there as well. There's another type in there that I don't know, but I've felt it from the Kais before, and Leira too. It's all mixed together so it's difficult to pinpoint, but you're honestly starting to remind me of Cell," Gohan admitted.
Verto gave him a confused expression, "I don't feel any different, and it's not like I can absorb things like that freak could. But it's true I used to be human and I've been wondering how I can have the same energy as the Renegades if I'm supposedly not one of them."
"Yeah, good question. Maybe you should ask Leira or Old Kai," Gohan suggested.
Verto snorted, "Yeah right, since when have they ever been that forthcoming about anything? I'm more likely to be told that it's none of my…" Verto's serious face came back to life as his head snapped to his left.
"I feel it too, he's coming back," Gohan said. Verto lifted off into the air a few feet, but didn't need to fly off to meet Ranot, who came screeching to a halt a dozen feet away. His body was fairly beat up all over and bleeding in multiple places, but he was still clearly ready for another round.
"So, did you honestly think you would get rid of me that easily? In our dimension, we would fight for hours, and being here won't be very different," Ranot claimed. Verto didn't answer, keeping his intense death glare locked on his enemy.
"Aren't you going to answer with some sort of witty response, you were so talkative before. Or has the thought of revenge simply overwhelmed you over the last several millennia?"
"I don't have all day to listen to whatever or whoever you're referring to, so just get on with it instead of stalling," Verto replied.
Ranot's eyes narrowed, "If you're telling the truth…that means you really are that kid! I get it now, you ingested some of that age reversal fluid that one of those humans had. No wonder I was so confused, I honestly thought you were someone I killed long ago. Makes perfect sense now though, you're clearly related to him somehow. You know who I'm referring to now don't you?"
Verto's head turned slightly at the question, "No, and I don't care."
Ranot sighed, "Now that's a lie if I ever heard one. Don't want to know the truth eh? That's too bad, you seem like the type that prefers all the facts before you decide how to handle things, but I guess I was wrong."
Verto scowled deeply, "No, you weren't."
He phased out, landing a solid right hook on Ranot's jaw, sending the elder Saiyan flying away. Verto stood still for the next few seconds before Ranot came roaring back towards him, a bit more encouraged to continue. Verto easily dodged Ranot's large fist by just moving his neck, and then buried his shin into Ranot's stomach. Ranot stopped dead in his tracks and doubled over painfully. Verto jumped up and smashed his opponent's shoulders with a hard elbow, putting Ranot into the ground. He held out his right hand as his Chi sword sparked back to life and then held it over the back of Ranot's neck.
"It ends, now!" Verto growled as he swung down. Ranot's eyes flew open in realization and he quickly concentrated his energy, which brought his energy barrier back around his body. Verto's sword stopped an inch above the skin accordingly, sparing Ranot's fate for at least a little longer.
Verto bared his teeth as Ranot chuckled, "Did you forget already? You can't cut me with your sword, and that will never change!" Verto's sword faded and he clenched his fists tight. He suddenly kicked Ranot in the side hard, sending him tumbling for a moment. Verto dashed after him, leaping past long enough to stomp down on his face. Ranot's legs came up into the air as his head was forced further into the dirt. Ranot's hands went down to support himself as he followed through the motion, catching Verto's neck between his shins. Verto struggled to get free, but was unable to shake off Ranot's hold.
Verto's eyes narrowed as Ranot grinned just above the ground, "Now this is more like it. Have any last words before I snap your neck?" Verto's eyes glowed bright blue just before his hands flashed with green. All at once, Ranot's body became covered in various waves of green Chi lightning. Ranot shouted out in pain and eventually released Verto's neck as he fell completely to the ground in a smoking heap. His body was dotted with black burn marks where the Chi storm had hit hardest with his barrier down. Verto stood up straight and glared down at Ranot, who was beginning to breathe heavily.
"So, are you going to take this seriously yet? Or do I have to keep kicking the shit out of you first?" Verto asked bitterly.
Gohan's eyes widened from a short distance away, "You mean he's still not at his maximum?"
Verto turned to glance at him, "No he definitely is, he's just not fighting back hard enough."
Ranot's evil eyes snapped open as he got to his feet, "Be careful what you wish for kid."
Ranot was floored by a sudden charge by Verto, knocking him back down. Verto grabbed Ranot by the leg, swinging him up and over his shoulder, creating another crater from the force of the impact. Ranot had no time to register much from the move before Verto's Chi sword suddenly snapped to life and stabbed him through the leg. He screamed in painful agony as his leg began to bleed out while the sword vanished. Verto seemed to grow angrier from the noise and dropped a heavy elbow shot to the back of Ranot's head to silence him. He then flipped him up into the air before rushing up to meet him with an uppercut. Ranot was stunned and freefalling back to the ground, but Verto wasn't going to let him recover just yet. He raced to Ranot's position and aided the fall with a double-arm smash. The moment Ranot landed, Verto jumped onto the mount position and began punching Ranot's unguarded head over and over again. Blood splattered from all over Ranot's face as multiple gashes opened up around his eyes, nose and mouth. Verto kept hammering away with a look of intense rage in his eyes, eerily similar to what he had done to Chal.
Gohan stared at the violent scene with concern, Don't tell me Verto is going to end up being a ruthless killer? I can't let him fight like that!
"Hey, take it easy! You don't need to sink to his level. Don't let your power go to your head, finish him off as fast as possible!" Gohan shouted. Verto paused as he glared back at Gohan, before smashing Ranot's face one last time.
Broken teeth flew out before Ranot lay still, and Verto stood up, "He likes to see others suffer, I figure it's his turn."
Gohan grimaced slightly as Verto stepped away for the moment, "I just don't want to see you go down a dark path."
Verto's head snapped towards him, "It's not like that hasn't happened before. But I do agree with you, there's no good reason to take my time with this piece of shit."
Verto held up his palm as he charged up his Final Shine technique, darkening the area from its bright green light. Ranot's bloodied eyes opened up slowly, widening when the green blast came barreling towards him. Ranot suddenly launched into the air at the very last moment, barely avoiding the blast as it blew up beneath him. Verto glared upwards as he followed Ranot's trail.
He turned his palm up and powered a spinning ball of green Chi that crackled with lightning, "Spirit Orb!" He then threw the spinning ball at Ranot, who moved to avoid it. To his surprise however, Verto's orb arced towards him. He glanced down to see Verto guiding the ball, and he moved away. Ranot fired a series of blasts to try and disrupt it, but Verto maneuvered his orb brilliantly around each diversion.
Ranot stopped and appeared ready to catch it instead, causing Verto to smirk, "Just what I wanted you to do!" Right as Ranot's hands made contact, several thick and erratic streams of lightning burst out of Verto's Spirit Orb, striking Ranot in multiple places. During the onslaught, Ranot's energy barrier fluctuated on and off as he tried to protect himself. It finally brightened and deflected the rest of the lightning orb, but the damage had been done. Long, thick and bloody gashes had been ripped into Ranot's body, most notable a deep wound in his torso and shoulder just above the heart. The area around his left shin was also hit, in conjunction with the sword wound Verto had put in it earlier.
"Nice one, but I thought you couldn't throw that technique?" Gohan asked.
Verto glanced at him, "If I want the lightning to be precise, no. I learned a new variation while I was here, fighting with his troops. I knew he would probably try to overpower it with his barrier if I used any lightning techniques straight away from a distance. He seems to rely on it for any focused energy techniques, like the sword. How much time has passed since I came back?"
Gohan put a finger to his chin, "Well, I'm not sure, maybe eight or nine minutes. Ten at the very most, why?"
Verto frowned as his aura shot up around him, "That long already? I need to hurry then." Verto blasted off towards the battered Ranot, who was floating in place. His eyes widened upon seeing Verto coming and he began powering up a large ball of ki, aimed for Verto. He stopped in midair and stayed ready, unsure what his enemy was going to do.
Ranot grinned slightly, "Alright kid, let's see how you deal with this. I have my doubt that you will be able to take it head on."
Verto's blood boiled at the challenge, "We won't know until you do something."
Gohan gasped from below, "No Verto! He's going for broke and pouring most of his energy into that! You can't seriously think you can survive that one, no matter how strong you've become!"
Verto ignored him, "I haven't got all day, get on with it!"
The huge ball nearly tripled in size and shifted to purple and black, "Super Bane Bomber!"
Verto held steady in midair while the gigantic mass of purple energy came towards him. At the very last second he pulled his right hand back and charged up another Final Shine to answer. He threw it forward just as the Super Bane Bomber arrived, causing a short clash inches away from his hand. Initially it didn't bode well for the younger Saiyan, but he eventually pushed the huge ball back with his green energy beam. Ranot's eyes lit up in surprise as his own attack came back at him. Verto grinned slightly just before he released a burst of energy that made Ranot's attack look small. Ranot caught his blast and attempted to push back, but found it was impossible with all of Verto's added energy coming towards him. Within moments, Verto's beam overwhelmed the Super Bane Bomber and destabilized it. An incredible bright explosion followed that made the previous rounds seem like fireworks. The entire island trembled as many parts of its shoreline crumbled into the sea. Whatever was left of the local plant life was quickly eliminated, making the island completely desolate. Due to the altitude and direction of the blast, any remaining demons and humans all survived. All of them were stunned though at what they had been witness to. Yusuke's friends all had to pull themselves out of the sand that had blown across the area. Gohan himself was amazed that Verto had not only countered such an immense attack, but had overpowered it with relative ease. He only saw Verto in the skies above him, and he was hunched over slightly, breathing heavily.
Gohan sighed slightly, He's maxed out, he must have gone all out to overpower that blast. I hope it worked, he could have wiped out our Earth a hundred times over if he used that kind of power back home! There was no clear sign of Ranot, but Verto kept his focus despite the fatigue he was feeling.
Verto's eyes darted from left to right as he tried to locate Ranot, I couldn't sense him move with all that energy going at once, but I can't believe he would just sit there and die in an explosion like that. I doubt he could have survived it either, so he's got to be masking his ki and hiding somewhere. Verto's thoughts were put on hold when he sensed a sudden energy spike nearby. His aura sprang back to life as he raced to where he had sensed it. On the ground he spotted the battered mass that was Ranot, holding a darker haired human up by the throat. When Verto landed, he realized that it was Sakyo being strangled.
"Let him go, your fight is with me!" Verto shouted as he landed.
Ranot barely turned his head and bared his teeth, which included what looked like short fangs, "Just a minute boy, I'm busy!"
Gohan dropped in next to Verto, "What's he doing?"
"Not sure," Verto replied, curious himself. Their answer came when Ranot's energy barrier erupted, only it was blue and broad rather than gold and thin. Sakyo's body also glowed blue before the energy was pulled into Ranot's body. Sakyo's skin paled into a blue and gray hue and he stopped breathing completely. Ranot glowed with a more intense blue momentarily before it shifted back to a white-gold. Gohan's eyes were wide with surprise while Verto scowled heavily. He had sensed what had just happened, which was further evident when Ranot's wounds rapidly closed up and healed, leaving only a trail of steam behind in each place.
"So that's your special ability, I was wondering how you healed earlier. Now I see why I found that human in a similar state earlier," Verto said.
"Did he just take that poor man's soul?" Gohan asked.
"Something like that," Ranot replied with a smirk.
"He drained it, it's kind of what we've seen before with androids, demons and whenever someone is overloaded with Psi or Chi energy. I can barely detect it now, but the low amount of energy that guy had was definitely absorbed. It not only heals him, but makes him a bit stronger too," Verto explained.
"You're mostly correct kid, unfortunately this pitiful being doesn't have the kind of energy I would need to overpower you at your best. Even if he did, it doesn't quite work that way as I merely recover from injuries much faster and gain some of his memories in the process. I would have to drain a thousand souls like his before you could even notice a real power increase. Though you may not feel the same about that since my body is now healed. Frost would have been in the same position as you if he didn't have that regression technique to fall back on," Ranot said.
"Hmph, if you wanted more power, why not take someone stronger like other Saiyans?" Verto asked.
"I could, but you see, I have to be very careful about that. I cannot absorb too much from another soul at once. Otherwise it will cause, as you said, a Psionic overload and I will weaken instead. Call it an unfortunate coincidence that I have all this ki and barely an ounce of Psionic energy to use. So you two are safe for now, I'll settle for a more conventional slaughtering," Ranot claimed.
"Well, it does explain why you're so strong without being a Super Saiyan. And also how you've lived so long," Verto replied, ignoring the threat.
"Wait, how old is he?" Gohan asked.
"Probably several hundred years or more. That also explains your dealings with Leira, since she's also a Saiyan," Verto answered.
Gohan was stunned, "What?"
Ranot's grin grew, "So, you are starting to figure it out, I thought you didn't care?"
Verto's glaring eyes shifted, "I really don't, but some of the details were sent to me in some sort of dream vision. I didn't really piece it together until you yourself admitted that you killed the only one she ever cared about shortly before I got to see it for myself."
"Well done boy, but you are missing a few key points," Ranot said.
Verto shuffled his feet into his stance, "Like you said, I don't care."
"A shame, but I suppose it doesn't really matter right now. How shall we end this epic struggle?" Ranot asked. Verto phased out and smashed Ranot's face with a ferocious punch that restored some of the bruising that had been there before.
"How about we end it with I'll kill you and ask questions later?" Verto suggested.
Ranot wiped off his face with a sneer, "Perhaps, but can you? I can sense your impressive power has dropped off considerably, time is running out."
"So has yours," Verto pointed out.
"This is true, but it is of no concern. What do you say we just go all out and see what happens?"
Verto tilted his head a bit, "Your move." Ranot phased out and hammered Verto across his unguarded face, mimicking the action of the moment prior. Verto glided back, seemingly stunned as Ranot charged in with a follow-up knee. Verto caught the attempt with both hands, but failed to avoid another blow to his face.
Gohan filled with worry, Oh no, he's lost his speed advantage!
Ranot backed off for only a moment to let things sink in, "Not so confident now are you?"
Verto spat the blood from his mouth as he got back up, "Is that all you've got?"
Ranot's eyes widened, "What?"
Gohan held the same expression, He can't possibly… Verto's bright aura exploded outward erratically with enough force to knock Gohan off his feet. Ranot was forced to shield himself against it as well, but far from easily. Verto leapt into the air and rushed in, eyes glowing bright blue. Ranot ducked his punch attempt, only to turn into a harsh back fist. Fresh blood oozed over Ranot's eyes from his forehead, blinding him to the flying kick coming in. Ranot went down from the sheer force of Verto's momentum, and painfully clutched his head. Verto phased in above him and began dropping punch after punch in rapid succession, pounding Ranot's unguarded body. Verto's aura dropped off as this happened, and Gohan could feel his power fading with every excursion while Ranot's barely fluctuated.
Gohan frowned, Verto's energy is fading too fast, something is wrong! Ranot grinned slightly as he peeked out at Verto's desperate slugging, which were barely being felt now.
He laughed, "Looks like you're at your limit boy!"
Verto shouted in anger and backed off long enough to fire a large, point blank blast that shredded the ground and blinded all. Ranot's body lay in the deep crater that it left, smoldering slightly. Verto, however, came out of the blast with a different appearance. His body had shrunk back to its child form, and he was back in his tattered green uniform.
Verto dropped to his knees and panted hard as he stared at his own hands, "Damn it!" Ranot slowly climbed to his feet as he stared up at the once again adolescent Verto, grinning wickedly.
"It's time for payback kid, sit still and I might make it quick," he declared. Verto's silver hair faded as he tried to catch his breath and didn't respond.
Ranot strode up the crater wall, taking his sweet time, "That was certainly clever of Leira to give you such a boost. Too bad you let your emotions get in the way and couldn't get the job done. Oh well, only yourself to blame."
Verto continued to breath heavily, "Let me have…another crack at it and we'll see what happens."
Ranot laughed again, "Such a grand idea. Yes I think it is very tempting, but only in your dream world. This is reality, and there are no second chances!"
"After our fourth fight, you come out and say that? You're so full of shit," Verto retorted.
"You've only lived this long because I've allowed it. Rest assured, you won't be living a moment longer. You and that other kid die here and now!" Ranot claimed.
Verto smirked, "If you say so, there's just one problem with that."
"And what would that be?"
"If my hunch is right, 'that other kid' is about to put your claim to the test," Verto boasted. The area was suddenly showered in golden light as the wind increased, kicking up waves of dust. Verto's smirk held as they both turned to see a bright column of gold shooting into the sky. At its base was Gohan, sporting spiky blonde hair and an electric intensity as he powered up.
"What is this?" Ranot asked with a hint of concern in his voice.
"You should know, but I'm happy to give a history lesson. That is a Super Saiyan, which used to be our main transformation state until we gained access to Psi energy," Verto explained.
"I know what a Super Saiyan is you little brat, and that kind of power is too much to be a mere Super Saiyan," Ranot said spitefully.
"You obviously don't know it that well, since it has several different states. Gohan is an ascended Super Saiyan, or just Super Saiyan two for short. With his Psi abilities, he can recharge his ki enough and use that form to exceed the silver haired state we both use," Verto pointed out.
Ranot looked slightly impressed, "Really? This should be fun then. Now that my power has dropped a bit, he should pose a decent challenge if that is true."
Verto laughed as his hair blew sideways, "Oh yeah, you should enjoy this, especially since you gave him all that energy to absorb through the energy sword before I got back here." Ranot's eyes widened just before Gohan rushed in and leveled Ranot's face with the initial blow.
Verto grimaced a bit as the next round in the battle began, Alright, I did everything I could given the situation. Finish him Gohan, we can't let him leave here alive!
Power levels
Verto (severely injured): 35,000
Ranot: 900,000
Gohan (Super Mystic): 760,000; weakened: 550,000; SS2: ?
Adult Verto: 500,000; Super Mystic: 1,000,000
A/n: And obviously if you want the true Z-style power levels, add a few zeros to those numbers.