~~With Piccolo and Gohan~~
The animals of this area have begun to fly and scatter, almost as if they could feel the upcoming conflict that is about to take place in this surrounding area. Their instincts screamed bloody murder and forced them to run away with a tail between their legs, and in some species, this is quite literally what happened as they ran away. Piccolo removed the spell that made their weighted clothing weigh so much, they have no reason to keep that enchantment on since it'll only slow them down during combat. Sure, they could take off their clothes in the middle of the fight to surprise an opponent but it is considerably safer to simply remove the spells before they're pushed around by the Saiyajin invaders.
The Namekuseijin of the duo did remove his cape, it's simply too risky to keep it on since anyone could grab it in the middle of a fight and use it to their advantage. "We might have not been able to train for a full year but we have advanced leaps and bounds compared to the people we were once we started, in more ways than one. Brat- no, Gohan, you've become an admirable martial artist and someone I am proud to have under the tutelage of the Demon Clan. Starting from today onwards you are not just an apprentice under me, but my equal. The men we are about to face will be unlike anything you've experienced while training with me, those men will not just stop at beating you into a pulp, they WILL kill you if given the chance. Do not give them a chance."
Gohan tightened the red sash wrapped around his waist, tail swishing left and right behind him as he did so. "We trained really hard just for this moment, I'll hate to let you down right at this point of the race." He looked up at his companion and grinned. "Besides, I'm too much of a stubborn brat to give up just because a couple of scary men are trying to punch me to death." He definetely should be feeling scared right now, right? That's what a normal person should feel when faced with a situation like that. Sure, he's anxious, nervous, even! But scared? No, he's not scared at all. Maybe he's just screwed in the head. "I'll proudly wear this 'Akuma' symbol on my back, Mister Piccolo."
Piccolo clicked his tongue at the 'Mister' being added bore his name. "Didn't I already tell you to stop calling me th-" His antennae twitched as he felt several powerful Ki signatures approaching from all around them. Looks like Gohan also felt it because his body tensed up in a fighting pose. They both stood back-to-back(Well, as much as a little kid and a tall Alien can be given the circumstances.) without a word as they prepared for a possible attack.
A flash of pale orange as the sun shined into a reflective surface and hit Piccolo's eyes. The only reason why he didn't instinctively attack the sound of that light is due to years of training and self-control. Good thing he didn't, or else he might have just gored Kuririn. The Namekuseijin quickly rubbed his eyes and groaned in annoyance while crossing his arms. "Kuririn." He calmly greets the bald man and after a short moment, his eyes flick to the left. Ah, so he's not alone.
The scarred bandit grins at the Demon Clan duo while Kuririn raises a hand in greeting. "Yo! It's been a while, hasn't it?" The Turtle School member palmed the back of his head and chuckled awkwardly as he floated down to meet with them, Yamcha following him but eyeing Piccolo warily.
The former bandit doesn't trust Piccolo just yet, sure, he might be willing to fight the Saiyajins and save Earth but that might just be due to his own selfish goals. Who's to say he won't just turn on them the moment this is all done and over? He'll rather be prepared and ready instead of blindly trust a man who was willing to kill one of his best friends without any hesitation. Shit, he even went as far as to kidnap his son! At least Gohan looks unharmed, so that's already a big relief.
Regardless, it looks like they've grown considerably stronger since the last time Piccolo has laid eyes on them. At least they're taking this Saiyajin invasion just as seriously as Gohan and he is. "You're stronger than before, you two might just be useful instead of becoming nuisances that'll only get in our way." Are the other Ki signatures the rest of the human fighters, then? Piccolo wondered with some amusement if the Turtle Hermit will join the fray after all those years of being inactive, but he doubts it.
Kuririn's eyebrow twitched. "Jeez, can't you give a guy a break? I'll have you know me and the rest of the gang worked our asses off during this year! There's no way in hell we're leaving all of the dirty work to you two to clean up. Goku's our friend and I'll be damned if I like anyone hurt his son or let his sacrifice be in vain." Speaking of Gohan... the kid has really grown up in just a year, huh? It's like he's staring at a completely different kid since this Gohan looks so sure of himself without showing even a hint of fear. Maybe being alone with Piccolo has really helped toughen him out. just what kind of hellish training must have he experienced to become like that?
Yamcha leaned down, rubbing his chin between his index finger and thumb as he looked at Gohan up and down. "Y'know, I had this whole mental image of you being just like your Daddy, but besides the tail, you two are really different." He kinda reminds him of Chi-Chi to be honest, he has that fire behind his eyes that leave a fierce first impression. "But you definetely hold yourself just like Goku, that's for sure!" Just like they say, the apple doesn't fall very fall from the tree.
The Hybrid Saiyajin has to hold back the smile that is threatening to split his face. How can he not smile in a situation like this? Those are Krillin and Yamcha! Well, Kuririn in this universe but that's beside the point. He has been with Piccolo for almost an entire year but he's still amazed every time situations like this happens and reminds him that this is not a world that he should belong in. Fictional characters are now very much real and they have actual emotions instead of just written or doodled ones. He wonders just how complex their lives are considering their inhuman abilities and experiences. Still, he's supposed to be a good little boy and he has a part to play.
Gohan also wonders if he's a good actor or if he's not even acting at all, it is hard to know for sure considering how strange his feelings on the matter and those around him are. "Krill-Kuririn and Yamcha, right? Dad and Mister Piccolo told me a bit about you two. Sorry about how things went last time we met, Kuririn. Looks like my uncle wasn't in a good mood at all." The boy tried to lighten the mood while rubbing the back of his head, feeling actual awkwardness over it despite the past Gohan not being him just yet.
The vertically challenged man felt a ghost pain on his cheek and instinctively rubbed it as Gohan mentions what has happened. "Y-yeah, family, am I right? Can't pick them so sometimes we're stuck with the worst kind of people." Well, not like he has much experience with genocidal alien uncles. Or at least he hopes he doesn't have a secret alien uncle that goes around purging planets, because that'll be the opposite of good. That'll be bad. Very bad.
Piccolo spoke before the chit-chat could continue on for Kami knows how long. "Will the others be showing up as well? I am feeling some signatures coming this way but I'll rather know now if they're actually joining up or if they'll just observe from a distance like cowards." It wouldn't surprise him if they chickened out once the time to fight comes, but then again, they didn't run away even while being overwhelmed by Piccolo Daimaoh so they might just surprise him with their hubris.
Kuririn turned his attention to Piccolo and nodded. "Yeah. Guess me and Yamcha were the closest ones. I'm sure they'll arrive soon so-"
Their eyes widened as they felt two powerful presences right above them. They had lowered their guard while talking with each other so they only noticed it once the two Saiyajins were right under their noses.
The taller Saiyajin smirked while rubbing his chin. "Hooh, looks like we hit the Jackpot here, Vegeta. The Namekuseijin and the brat are both here." How very convenient to the space-traveling warriors. "Looks like we don't have to zigzag around the planet after all, aren't we just the luckiest fellas around?" Nappa chuckled.
Vegeta crossed his arms and stared down at the Hybrid Saiyajin with a strange expression on his face. 'So this is Kakarotto's brat. I knew Kakarotto looked just like his father but this boy looks like his Grandmother.' He thought to himself as he tightened the grip on his arms without even noticing the fact he did so. "Lucky indeed." The shorter and yet more dangerous Saiyajin agreed with Nappa's words.
The Saiajins descended from up in the air until they stood a few meters away from the group. Sweat ran down Piccolo, Kuririn, and Yamcha's foreheads as they felt the immense pressure of Saiyajin's duo Ki. Now that they are so close it feels like one wrong move and they'll be crushed under that pressure.
And yet...
Gohan showed no signs of being nervous as he looked the Saiyajin Prince in the eyes. 'And here is my favorite character in this franchise. I know this is the Vegeta before all of his character progression but even now I am feeling elated by meeting him. There's no way I'll be able to fight against him straight now yet, even with Piccolo's help. That Ki of his is really absurd now that I really pay attention to it. If I remember right he should be around 18.000 while Frieza is on the 500.000's. If Vegeta already feels this big then I can't help but feel anxious about how that space lizard will feel... but I am looking forward to meeting the Emperor as well.' The boy grinned like an idiot while having such thoughts, catching the attention of the Prince.
The man furrowed his eyes as he met Gohan's gaze, then he focused his attention on the Namekuseijin since he looks like the leader of this little group. "I take it you lot have been waiting for us." Vegeta drummed the fingers of his right hand against his forearm as he looked down at the makeshift group. "Well, here we are."
Piccolo took a step forward while subconsciously using his body to shield Gohan from possible harm. 'The shorter one command authority, even without being able to feel his Ki I would have noticed he's the one in charge. Tch.' The green man held his arms to his sides and leered at the Princeling. "You could have eliminated us from a distance but you haven't done that yet. What are your intentions here?"
Both Vegeta and Nappa could recognize Piccolo's voice from when Raditz's scouter transmitted his last moments to them. Vegeta is the one to point that out. "I remember your voice. Then you're the one who killed Raditz." An affirmation, not a question.
Piccolo's smirk is the only response Vegeta received but that smirk is replaced by a look of surprise as Nappa speaks up. "That one's a Namekuseijin, innit? Ain't they supposed to know magic or something like that? I wonder what the hell he's doing on a planet like this." How very curious, the big green man is certainly very far from home.
Vegeta gave Piccolo a second look while ever so slightly tilting his head. "Hm. You're right, Nappa. Now it makes a tad more sense that Raditz was beaten since Namekuseijin warriors are known to have power levels that are above average. And as you said, some of them are also able to perform impossible acts of magic. Are you perchance the maker of the Dragon Balls?" The geas in Vegeta's head is turning as he eyes Piccolo.
Yamcha and Kuririn gasped at the words they heard, but Kuririn is the one who spoke first. "Y-you know about them? How?!" The short human man turned his head to Piccolo. "Did you know that they knew about the Dragon balls?" He asked Piccolo while clenching his fists tightly.
Piccolo have a nod of confirmation and Yamcha glared at him. "What the hell, man?! Why the hell didn't you mention that to us? You had a whole year to warn us of that!"
The Namekuseijin snarled to Yamcha to shut up while Nappa laughed mockingly at the interaction. "Hah! They look like they're about to tear each other throats and we haven't even done a thing yet! Looks like our job here will be even easier than we thought." Vegeta is inclined to agree with Nappa's words.
Piccolo narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips. "Tch. You're going to have to try harder than that if you want to destabilize us." He gave a warning glance to the two humans before continuing to speak. "But no, I am not the one who created the Dragon Balls. I may know some magic but I am more of a warrior." He assumed a battle stance while grinning sharply, teeth glinting against the sunlight. "And you're about to see just how difficult we'll make your job."
Vegeta rested one hand on his hp guard. "If you don't spit up the location of the Dragon Balls we're going to have to do things the old-fashioned way." Well, not like he expected things to go any differently. This is just how things are with people like them after all. They always find trouble one way or another.
Nappa pressed a button on the side of his scouter and began to read off the power levels of the present group. "Now, let's see what we're dealin' with here. 1301, 1726, 1584..." He stopped before listing the last power level due to Vegeta knocking his knuckles against his left arm.
"We won't be needing our Scouters here. These maggots are able to change their power level output, your scouter will only leave you confused once they begin showing their true power. Raditz blindly trusted those numbers and now he's dead, so you better not commit the same mistake and fall into their trap." Vegeta said while taking off his scouter.
The taller Saiyajin rubbed his chin and took a second look at the group. "Heh, Raditz may have been a lower-class Saiyajin but he still lost to these bugs. Maybe they're a bit smarter than they look." He removed his scouter as well.
Kuririn and Yamcha assumed the Turtle School fighting pose in preparation for the inevitable battle while Gihan tightened his sash while took a deep breath.
A bead of sweat dripped down Piccolo's forehead. "Those people consider a warrior like Raditz a lower class?" He gritted his teeth.
Yamcha looked at Gohan and quietly whispered to the boy. "Hey, is that true? I know these guys are supposed to be stronger than that other guy but are you really that far ahead of him?"
Gohan scratched his cheek while trying to think of a way to properly formulate his next words without making it look like he knows about something he should not. "Well... I didn't really know how to properly sense Ki back then since I was running on instinct but if I compared the shorter one over there to Radtiz I'll say he is at least around ten times as powerful as Raditz."
Kuririn swallowed drily while hearing that comparison and Yamcha is not too far away from having the same reaction as well. The short human spoke. "And Goku and Piccolo barely managed to somehow beat Raditz..." The bald man's hand began to shake as he stared at the Saiyajins.
Vegeta's tail momentarily unwrapped itself from his waist as he appreciated the terrified look on the human's faces. "Let's play a little game, shall we? Nappa, we still have six seeds. How about we see if they have what it takes to fight some Saibamen?"
Nappa grinned and retrieved a vial from his armor. "You sure are in a playful mood today, Geets." Not like he's complaining about that, he also wants to see if they can manage to survive against the Saibamen.
Kuririn's eyes widened at the name. "...Saibamen?"
Yamcha frowned and grits his teeth. "The hell's a Saibamen?" He might not know what it is but that sounds like trouble to him.
Gohan glanced at Yamcha and then at the vial while furrowing his eyebrows. 'This time... this time I won't let you die to that thing. I don't care if that's how things are supposed to play out but I'm not going to sit back and let you die like that. What's the point of being here if I can't change how the story goes?' The boy thought to himself while glaring at the Saibamen seeds.
The taller Saiyahin spun the vial on his index finger. "We got exactly six of 'em. You have a really good memory, Vegeta. As expected of my Prince." Nappa chuckles while kneeling down pressing his thumb against the soil, making six holes for the Saibamen seeds. "I can tell that the soil of this planet is pretty damn good. They're gonna grow strong." He grinned at the thought. "Heh, we might actually end up just watching these bugs get squashed by them." He covered the holes after planting the seeds and then dripped a green liquid that was inside of the vial where the seeds have been planted. "Now... grow strong, my beauties." Nappa took a step back.
Everyone except for the Saiyajin duo and Gohan was wondering what Nappa did. The Saiyajins already knew what was coming after all, so there was no surprise there. Right?
Six creatures popped from the soil, three of them were green while the other three had different colors. Black, Pink, and Gray. Now even Gohan looked surprised at their appearance and Nappa couldn't help but comment. "Hah! I knew this soil was the real deal! Looks like we got a Copyman, Tennenman, and a Jinkouman!" Nappa listed them in order of appearance.
The Prince was pleasantly surprised at their appearance. "I'll be damned, is the soil of this planet really that good? We might make a fortune selling Earth if that's not a fluke." Even if they somehow are unable to acquire the Dragon Balls then they might just be able to sell this planet and cut their losses with it.
"Those colors... this is going to be more difficult than I thought," Gohan muttered to himself while looking at the Saibamen variants and pursing his lips.
Piccolo grunted. "So you've noticed as well. They feel more powerful than the green ones, keep your guard up against them since they might have a trick up their sleeves." Their Ki... they remind him of Raditz Ki output...
Krillin made a disgusted expression as he looked at the small creatures. "Ugh... these things look and smell horrible!" Yamcha is very inclined to agree with Kuririn's assessment of those beings, the smell alone is almost enough for him to puke.
Speaking of the former bandit, he looked back as he felt two powers approach from behind him. Tenshinhan and Chiaotzu landed near the group just as he was about to point that out to the others.
Tenshinhan leered at the Saibamen and the Saiyajins. "I was informed that there would only be two enemies." He glanced at Kurirn for an explanation, the shorter man looked a bit sheepish and Chiaotzu nervously stood near Tenshinhan.
"Well, looks like things got a bit out of hand..." He said to Tenshinhan while rubbing the back of his neck and awkwardly chucking.
Vegeta's expression turned giddy. "Well well well, ain't this a lovely coincidence? Looks like we have six maggots to face our Saibamen. Let's make it a game, shall we? We won't send all of the Saibamen at the same time but in exchange for this kindness, you lot will take turns fighting them one by one. Doesn't that sound fair?"
A throbbing vein popped on Piccolo's forehead as he snarled at the suggestion. "Stop speaking nonsense! Do you think this is a game?! We have matters to settle so stop with this absurdity!" The Namekuseijin looked about ready to jump in and attempt to tear Vegeta's throat open if it were not for Gohan laying a hand on his leg and frowning at him.
"Piccolo, remember me when you told me to keep calm and collected?" Gohan said to Piccolo. "You're the one who needs to gather your wit before you make a mistake." Was Piccolo really that nervous to the point of snapping that easily...?
Kuririn also stepped forward to try to calm Piccolo down, but it seems like Gohan already did a pretty good job at doing that. "Right? Besides, we gotta wait for Goku either way so why don't we use this to our advantage instead? If we draw out the fights we might be able to hold them off for enough long time for Goku to arrive!"
Tenshinhan decided to step while Gohan and Kuririn spoke with Piccolo. "A game, huh? Well, I'm not much for games but this one might just suit my tastes. I'll be going first." He eyed the strange creatures, noticing how the oddly colored ones seemed and felt more dangerous than the green ones.
Vegeta hummed and glanced at them as well. "Hmm. What do you say, Nappa? Do you think he can handle a Tenneman?" The pink Tennemen is the second strongest variant of Saibamen right after the grey Jinkomen variant, normally standing at around 1500 to 1600 PL while Jinkomen have around 1800 to a 2000. Surprisingly enough, Copymen might appear to be weaker than a regular Saibamen but they possess a most unique innate ability to copy their opponent's moves... and something even more surprising as well.
The bulky Saiyajin took a good long look at the warrior known as Tenshinhan. "He's a big lad, ain't he? I'm sure he can handle a Tenneman. And if he doesn't then that's going to be just fine as well." He gave Tenshing a vicious grin as Vegeta ordered Tenneman to face Tenshinhan.
Chiaotzu wished Tenshinhan good luck while standing behind with the other warriors. Piccolo managed to calm down after a few more words with Gohan. "What do you think? The green ones are almost just as strong as Raditz but the ones with different colors feel far more dangerous, even the black one has a different feeling than the others despite feeling like the weakest. It might just be the most dangerous of them all."
Gohan nodded at Piccolo's assumption while trying to recall the origins of those Saibamen versions. He is pretty sure they appeared in Xenoverse to diversify the enemy rooster but he's not sure if there's much difference when compared to the regular green Saibamen. This whole thing already changed before he even had the chance to attempt to save Yamcha.
Tenshinhan took a deep breath and braced his body as he stared the Tennemen down. His three eyes are focusing on the short pink thing as the muscles of his chest flexed just as he released the breath he took.
The Tenneman moved first with a sudden burst of speed, its left foot dragged across the soil and left a trail from where it sped towards Tenshinhan. The Crane School warrior moved before the Tenneman reached him by lifting an arm and shooting a blast of pressurized air at the thing, sending it flying back several meters back while spinning around until it fell on its back.
Tenshinhan quickly followed through with his attack by taking advantage of the Tenneman's prone position to swing his arm down while making a fist but despite being with its back to the ground it still managed to react fast enough to roll away from the attack and counter with a flying kick at Tenshinhan's belly after it used its hands to push its light frame by using the ground below it as leverage.
Its legs connected with the intended target, momentarily knocking Tenshinhan's breath for but a second. That second is enough for the Tenneman's head to split open and send a spurt of acidic fluid toward the scarred warrior's face. The man thankfully managed to move his head at the last moment and dodged the corrosive attack.
The acid flew between Yamcha and Kuririn as both of them stepped from it before it could touch their bodies. The ground between them wasn't as lucky since it began to fizzle as the acid ate it away. Tenshinahn's eyes narrowed and he smacked the seedling away with the back of his hand, sending it far up into the sky and disorienting it since its head was in the process of closing and making it extra vulnerable to any type of attack.
This is the moment Tenshinhan was waiting for. The perfect opportunity to finish the thing off. A finger is pointed at the stunned creature as a beam of energy charges up. "Dodonpa!" A bust of light as his Ki flew at the Tennemen's head with deadly precision, finishing the damn thing off as the Dodonpa pierced its brain.
Tenshinhan observed as its corpse fell to the ground with a fleshy sound, its brain matter dripping from the hole the Dodonpa made on its forehead. He released another breath and walked back to the group without saying another word as he rested a hand against his stomach and winced. 'My ribs... at least one is definetely broken or at least badly bruised.' Tenshinhan kept his thoughts to himself.
Nappa is surprised by how quickly this human managed to dispatch a Tenneman. "I'll be damned... looks like they might not be all talk. That one was even stronger than Raditz." He sighed while kicking the corpse away. "Man, what a waste. And here I thought it was going to last a bit longer."
Kuririn and Chiaotzu are quite vocal as they complimented Tenshinhan on his win. "That was awesome, Tenshinhan!" Even Piccolo is looking at Tenshinhan with a gaze of respect while Gohan stared at the Tenneman's corpse.
'That thing is definetely stronger than a Saibaman. I know Tenshinhan easily took a Saibaman out in canon but to manage to beat this one so easily as well... this Tenshinhan must be even stronger than the one I know from the manga and anime. But why? Why is he stronger than he should be?' It's not like Gohan even met him before, so there's no way he's the reason why Tenshinhan is more powerful, right? Or is this just another quirk of this Universe? Things are trickier than they might seem to be...
Vegeta's smirk is enough to tell his opinion regarding the Tenneman's defeat. "Look at that. We'll have some proper entertainment." This warrior is clearly one of the strongest among them. The Namekuseijin and the Hybrid brat must also be stronger than the other three leftovers so he's going to save the variants for them to fight against. 'I might not be able to feel their power levels but it is clear just by observing how they interact with each other who is the most powerful warriors there.' He wonders just how much power they're hiding.
Nappa rested his hands on his hips and grinned. "Things are gettin' interesting! C'mon, who's next?!"
Yamcha tapped his knuckles on Kuririn's forehead and grinned. "Looks like I'm up." The Turtle School member walked past Tenshinhan while giving him a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Good job bro. Wish me luck." Tenshinhan shook his head with some amusement and patted Yamcha's back.
Kuririn looked with some concern but in the end, he trusts Yamcha to pull through.
But...
Why does Gohan look so concerned? He didn't look like that when Tenshinhan steeped up so why is he so worried about Yamcha? Sure, Yamcha might not be as strong as Tenshinhan but he's still pretty damn strong! So why is he only showing that concern for him...?
The scarred bandit took an offensive position and smirked at the Saiyajin duo. "Playtime's over, show me what you got!"
Vegeta laughed. "This one's cocky! Let's see if you can put some money where your mouth is. Saibamen,m you're up." HE ordered one of the green ones to enter the combat zone.
Yamcha's eyebrow twitched. "Really? Do I look that weak to you? And here I thought you were going to send me one of the colored ones. Looks like this dog is going to show you his tricks since you ain't putting respect in my name!" Yamcha did not wait for the Saibaman to make the first move, he instead moved first by sending a Ki blast between himself and the green thing to kick up a cloud of dust. 'The Saiyajins can't sense Ki so I bet this thing can't sense it either.' He smirked as he flew up just as the Saibaman jumped from the dust cloud with its arms and legs spread open in an attempt to grab into Yamcha.
It missed Yamcha by a mile since he was flying right about the thing. Yamcha smirked and held his hands together above his head. "HAAAAAAAAAH!" He cried out just as he quickly flew down in a burst of speed and hit the back of the Saibamen's head with a double hammerfist, forcing it to eat dirt.
The Saibamen struggled to get up and Yamcha took advantage of that by kicking it across right into its midsection. His eyes flashed as the kick sent it right where he wanted, right at eye level with himself. The former bandit's hands formed a claw shape as he rushed forward. "WOLF!" It slashed the Saibaman across the arms. "FANG!" An upwards slice that took a chunk of its chin, purple blood spurting from the wound and splashing against his chest and face. "FIST!" He finished by slamming both of his hands against his opponent's chest which sent it flying straight into one of the many mountains, breaking it and making the stones succumb over its body.
And yet, it was still not dead. "You're one stubborn bastard, eh? You came from the ground so I'm about to send you six feet under!" The mountain is already all smashed up so there won't be a problem if he finishes the job, right? Yamcha pointed a palm at the Saibaman who was slowly getting out of the broken mountain. He charged a powerful Ki blast right above his hand that finished charging just as the thing crawled out of the mountain.
It widened its beady eyes while freezing in fear at the sight of Yamcha charging a blast. "Gii... GIIIAH!" It rushed in a last-ditch effort to attack the man, frenzied eyes entirely focused on this person. IT jumped and Yamcha fired the blast. The blue blast completely enveloped the Saibaman, disintegrating his body and leaving no trace of it ever existing behind.
Yamcha smirked again and rested his fists against his hips while craning his head back to look at his friends. "Heh."
Kuririn cheered and Chiaotzu clapped while Piccolo and Tenshinhan offered respectful nods to acknowledge his feat.
Gohan... looked shocked. "Eh?" He blinked twice at the sight of Yamcha absolutely massacring the Saibamen before it could even touch him. "He... did it?"
Yamcha seemed to deflate a bit at Gohan's words. "H-hey... what the hell has Goku told you about me? I'm not that weak, y'know!" He seemed genuinely offended by Gohan's expression while Gohan tried to look apologetic as an embarrassed blush took over his face.
"S-sorry! I guess I thought you had more of a bark than a bite, but you proved me wrong! That was incredible, Yamcha!" And it really was, Gohan is not lying there. Yamcha looked a bit happier now that Gohan complimented him, giving the boy a thumbs up.
Nappa scratched the back of his head and grunted. "Hey, Geets. They might actually end up clearing them all." A shame, Nappa really wanted to see one of his beauties kill at least one of them, but it looks like this ain't happening. Was this long-haired man supposed to be the weakest among them? If that's the case they might as well finish the rest of the Saibamen because they don't stand much of a chance against the Earthlings.
Vegeta hummed and tapped his boot on the ground. "I see that, Nappa. They might be maggots but they're strong maggots, we can at least respect that. Besides, the Saibamen are just a game, I'll be very disappointed if they lost to those things after managing to off Radiz. So we might as well enjoy the Saibamen's deaths as the aperitifs before the main dish." Still, respect where respect is due. Those Earthlings are far above and beyond the inhabitants of this planet. It is noteworthy how they managed to grow to such levels considering the low gravity and the lack of strong enemies to face off against. What is the secret to their training regimen? "This is just the warm-up, the real fight is yet to come." The Prince gave his General a smile.
The taller Saiyajin nodded and grinned. "You're right. It'll be too boring if we actually just sat back and let the Saibamen handle it after all. It's much more fun to get our hands dirty instead!" Nappa smashed a fist against an open palm, the sound echoed around the area. "Hurry up and choose the next fighter! Now I'm all pumped up for a fight and I can barely wait anymore!" His laugh came straight from his belly.
Kuririn looks at the others. "Do you guys mind if I go next? Watching Yamcha fight motivated me to do my best as well." He rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish smile.
Piccolo grunted and crossed his arms. "I don't care." He looked away but he glanced back to Kuririn after a few short moments. "Don't die." He'll say before looking away again while acting uninterested.
Gohan gave a thumbs up. "Do your best, Kuririn!" He also offered a smile to the short man.
The bald man grinned and walked up to Yamcha while Yamcha calmly walked back to the rest of the gang.
Their palms met as they crossed each other. Yamcha grinned and Kuririn smirked as he stepped into the battle area and prepared himself "I'm ready!"
One of the green Saibamen was stepping forward before Vegeta stopped it. "Did I order you to move?" The thing began to sweat while looking at its master with wide eyes. "Get back into the line." The Prince ordered and then looked at the other green Saibaman. "Your turn." He doesn't expect much from the Saibaman so he offers no more words to it. Not like he cares either way.
The Saibaman and Kurirn face each other off without making a move. Kuririn didn't move because he was observing the Saibaman and the Saibaman didn't move because it knows what happened to the other two who faced the previous Earthlings, it is wary of this short bald man.
Kuririn took a tentative step forward.
It took a step back, as if scared.
The bald man furrowed his eyebrows before he came up with an idea. He suddenly thrust his arms forward while crying out. "Hiya!"
"GYAH!" The thing jumped to the side in fright at what it perceived as an attack, beads of sweat poured down its shiny head as it cowered with fear for a few seconds until it realized there was no attack.
The sound of a hand smacking against the forehead is heard by all as Vegeta face-palmed. "God... damn it... Nappa."
Even Nappa looked ashamed of the thing. "Do us all a favor and kill it already." He pinched the bridge of his nose while groaning.
The Saibaman looks absolutely terrified at Vegeta and Nappa's reaction and it slowly turns its head back to the grinning human.
"Gladly!" Kuririn cupped his hands to his side and began to chant. "Ka..." The Saibaman screeched and pounded its fists against its head. "Me..." It fell to its knees and screamed its lungs out. "Ha-"
It exploded.
Just like that.
It self-destructed.
Vegeta looks at the crater it left with an absolutely unimpressed expression on his face. "It killed itself to not feel any pain." He said flatly as Nappa looked away as he felt second-hand embarrassment.
Kuririn blinked. "E-eh? Did I scare it to death...?" That's... kinda cool, actually. He stopped charging his Kamehameha has scratched his cheek. "So... I win, right?" It's a bit of a letdown but that certainly boosted his confidence a bit, to be honest. A guy really needs this kind of win in his life every now and then.
Prince Vegeta waved the Earthling off. "Yes, yes. You win, congratulations." He deadpanned. "Next." That last fight was just depressing to watch.
Chiaotzu raised his hand. "Oooh! Me!" He spoke while levitating towards the middle of the arena after Kuririn returned to his previous spot. "Watch me, Tenshinhan!" The pale boy said with a determined expression on his face.
A rare smile crossed Tenshinhan's face. "Show them Earthlings are nothing to scoff at, Chiaotzu." He trusts that Chiotzu will have no problem facing those Saibamen, even if it is that strong Grey one. No one ever expects to face against someone who is as good as Chiotzu is with telekinesis. He might look weak but he's a top-notch Esper.
Vegeta nodded to the previous green Saibaman that tried to step forward before being ordered to.
It rushed Chiotzu without another word. It knew that if it didn't surprise the pale boy then it would stand no chance against him, so it went all out from the start as a gamble. But will that gamble pay off? That remains to be seen.
Chiotzu's eyes glowed bright blue as he stopped the seedling in place. Vegeta and Nappa frowned at the act, wondering what exactly is going on there. Then Chiotzu raised both of his index fingers and pointed at the Saibamen. "Dodonpa!" He cried out while firing off several Dodon Rays into the Saibaman's body.
"Ack! G-gyah!" It kept screeching while trying to open the dome on his head to shoot acid at the strange boy without much success. All it managed to accomplish was slightly opening its dome and making its acid drip from the opening into its face and the ground.
"I apologize, but it seems like my aim is a little off, Tenshinhan. I promise I will make sure this Dodonpa be the last one in the
name and pride of the Crane School of martial art." And he did exactly as he said, pointing a finger straight at the opening in the Saibaman's dome while closing one of his eyes to aim better. "Bang." He fired a supercharged Dodonpa straight into its head, completely destroying it instead of just piercing the head.
Its body fell limply after Chiaotzu release his hold on what was left of the Saibaman. "Did you see me, Tenshinhan?" He levitates back to stand next to Tenshinhan while looking up at his best friend.
Tenshinhan patted Chaotzu's head. "That was impressive, Chaiotzu. Your telekinetic abilities have become even stronger than before. I think even I would have a lot of trouble handling them." The broad-shouldered man complimented his place friend who in turn flushed at the praise he received from Tenshinhan.
Piccolo had enough of waiting around and stepped forward.
"Mister Piccolo?" Gohan raised one of his eyebrows and looked at his back. "Already got impatient?"
The Namekuseijin grunted while crossing his arms. "I've grown tired of watching and I feel the itch to fight. I suppose you of all people understand that itch as well, don't you?" The boy chuckled while rubbing the back of his neck, agreeing with Piccolo's words.
"I guess it is really frustrating to watch everyone fight while waiting for your turn, at least there are just two Saibamen left so I know I'll be the one to fight after you." It's true, ever since Yamchqa fought the urge Gohan has to fight one of the Saibamen has been growing stronger and stronger. The Saibamen are nothing but mobs for him but that doesn't mean they make his desire to fight any less small. It will be an actual fight instead of just a sparring session so he's very excited about it.
Vegeta rubs his chin in thought as Piccolo steps forward into the fray. "I assumed you were going to be the last one to fight since you're clearly the strongest here. Or am I wrong?" The Prince spoke before glancing at Gohan and frowning. "You and the boy seem to be pretty close, then there's the fact you two are wearing matching outfits. Hm. You both are training partners. Now that's interesting... but why would a strong Namekuseijin like you keep a kid as a training partner? The3 only reason I can think is if he's almost as strong as you... or even stronger."
Piccolo cracked his neck and then his knuckles before grunting at Vegeta's words. "Tch. Got it all figured out, do you? That brat's potential is something quite terrifying if I do say so myself. Or maybe this is just a bluff and he's the weakest of us, he is a child after all." He held a hand in front of himself in a claw shape while resting the other one on his side. "What will it be? Do you think I'm the strongest or the second strongest? There are only a gray and a black one left now. Will you send the strongest or the weakest after me?"
The Prince stared at Piccolo for a few seconds before a lopsided smirk appeared on his face. "Jinkouman." Nappa looks startled for a second as if he questioned the choice. But if he did question it he stayed quiet and wondered what Vegeta's plan is. "It's your turn now."
The green man's plan appears to be successful, now there is only the black one left for Gohan to fight, which is also the weakest one of the bunch. Perhaps it is a defective Saibaman. "Come at me with all you good, freak," Piccolo said to the Jinkouman as it calmly stepped up. This one seems to be at least a tad smarter than the previous ones as it observes Piccolo.
It bent down until its clawed hands touched the ground. Then it dove into the ground while kicking a cloud of dust behind it. 'It plans to hide underground and catch me by surprise? A sound plan.'
If he didn't know how to sense energy, that is. That little fact makes the Jinkouman's maneuver extremely foolish since Piccolo can track its movements coming from the underground. His eyes tracked the powerful energy signature until stood a few feet right in front of him, allowing it to come closer and closer as he prepared a counterattack.
Vegeta and Nappa had smug expressions on their faces as if they knew something Piccolo did not.
And just like that, the energy signature suddenly lurched forward, bursting forth from the ground, and the moment it happened Piccolo instantly jumped back and stretched his left arm to grab the Jinkouman with it. But... Piccolo winced in pain as the hand instead took hold of a burning Ki sphere. with no Jinkouman in sight "!" He's been tricked?! How?! He was not following the Jonkouman's signature, it was its Ki trap all along!
A sharp pain invaded his brain as his stretched arm fell into the ground as the real Jinkouman jumped up and sliced it with its sharp claws. "Gi gi gi~" It laughed in his face as Piccolo grabbed his bleeding stump and glared at the disgusting creature.
He growled in anger, this is his own fault for underestimating an enemy. He got too used to watching those other weakling Saibamen to the point of getting too comfortable facing one without giving it the proper respect. One wrong move is all it takes to decide on a fight and he does not have the luxury of allowing himself to commit another mistake. His own hubris is to blame for this injury. "Tch... if you think cutting my arm off is enough to stop me then you'll be disappointed."
The thing didn't seem to care for Piccolo's words as it slowly circled him. It knows the same trick will not be enough so it is waiting until the green man loses enough blood to become faint and sloppy. It doesn't need to rely on brute strength alone when it can use what little battle tactics it has instead.
So it is waiting it out, huh? Its intentions are clear to Piccolo. But it looks like Piccolo has an actual advantage now since he will not bleed to death due to his innate regeneration and endurance capabilities. "Playing the long game, are you? Fine. Suit yourself." He might not bleed out but it's not like Piccolo can just blitz the thing either, the Jinkouman has proven to be too fast for Piccolo to do that.
But he can't just sit around and do nothing until it decides to attack once it realizes Piccolo will not bleed out either. A plan began to form as Piccolo leered at the creature. His eyes widened as he cried out, using his only arm to send several Ki blasts toward the Jinkouman. "Damn you to hell!" He needed to make it seem like he was getting desperate by firing more and more blasts.
Of course, the Jinkouman's superior speed proved to be advantageous to it as the thing jumped, slid, and twirled around the numerous ki blasts, effortlessly dodging every single one of them while mocking Piccolo with its high-pitched laughter.
"W-what the...!" A surprised Nappa exclaimed suddenly.
Piccolo smirked at the exclamation and the Jinkouman immediately looked toward Nappa with wide eyes. So that was Piccolo's plan...?! The Jinkouman is surrounded by several floating Ki blasts. It looked at Piccolo again as it tried to jump through an opening but just as it began to move the opening is closed by a few more blasts. "Hellzone Grenade!" He closed his fists tight and all of the suspended Ki spheres began to close in on the Jinkouman as it screamed in an unknown language only it and the other members of its kind knew how to understand.
Gohan breathed a sigh of relief, watching Piccolo lose an arm was... nerve-wracking. But he managed to come over on top by making a quick plan against the nasty little bugger. "And then there was one." He muttered. Gohan was really not expecting Piccolo to use the Hellzone Granade so soon but he's very glad he did so.
Yamcha wolf-whistles. "C'mon, that was totally inspired by my Spirit Ball!" Piccolo leered at Yamcha as he prepared to regenerate his lost arm.
Tenshinhan admired the quick plan. "That was impressive, Piccolo. You managed to think of a counter very quickly, your battle instincts are as sharp as always, maybe even sharper than before." He complimented the Namekuseijin. Still, losing an arm must be tough, even if you can regenerate it. That can't be a pleasant feeling at all.
Nappa watched with fascination as Piccolo regenerated his arm, blood spurting as the new one grew from the stump. "Hooh? So Namekuseijins can do that, huh? Now that's pretty damn wicked, don't you think so?" To be able to recover lost limbs like that... Nappa knew some old warriors who would love to have an ability like that if they were still alive.
Vegeta is inclined to agree, that could be a very useful ability, especially if Saiyajins also had it alongside their innate ability to receive a Zenkai boost after particularly near-death encounters. "Mondo cool." He'll say while crossing his arms. "There is only one left on both sides, looks like this will be the last warm-up bout before the real fight starts. Are you ready, brat?" He glanced at the Copyman and smirked.
Gohan cracked his neck much as Piccolo did, it might not have been as loud as when Piccolo does it but it is still pretty loud. "...I can't stop shaking." He admitted much to the concern of Piccolo and the rest of the Gang.
Piccolo's face has some worry as he looks at the trembling Gohan.
The Prince laughed at his words. "What? Scared already?" How very disappointing, he expected better from a fellow Saiyajin like him. Sure, the brat might only be a half-breed but he's still a Saiyajin, so Vegeta expects better from him.
Kakarotto's son throws his head back and laughs while clenching both fists tightly until his knuckles turned white. "The opposite! I've been waiting for it for a while now and I can't stop this feeling of excitement from taking over my whole body!" He runs a hand over his hair until they're no longer obscuring his eyes, his dark eyes are dangerously sharp.
Nappa sucked in a breath at the expression on the boy's face, catching Vegeta's and Gohan's attention. "Those fucking eyes..." The General barked out a deep laugh. "He has his eyes!" A hand covers his face as he laughs. Vegeta and Gohan are puzzled by that statement and Nappa catch on to their feeling. "This brat has the same eyes as Bardock. They have that sharp glint to them like he knows more about you than you do." It's been a long time since he thought about Bardock, so it is refreshing to think of his old friend when he's about to watch his grandson fight. "Sorry, sorry, looks like I made things get a little sidetracked."
Vegeta crossed his arms and took a good look into Gohan's eyes. His own eyes widened as an image of Bardock flashed in his mind. "Tch. Looks like you're not talking crazy, Nappa." How can someone simultaneously remind him of someone like Gine and Bardock? Both Saiyajins were as different as one could be and yet they found each other. What a strange situation. "But that doesn't matter now, let's see if you also inherited his fighting prowess."
Gohan is... confused. Old Bardock was just a low-class warrior who didn't contribute much to the story until Granolah's arc. But it seems like Nappa is speaking quite fondly of him and even Vegetaq seems to acknowledge that fact. Just how different is this Bardock to leave such an impression on those two Saiyajins...? Well, it's not like he can think too much about it since he has more important things at hand right now. "I'm ready." He entered a battle stance similar to Piccolo's, but instead of leaving one arm to hand by his side, he stretched it behind him while also making a clan shape with his fingers.
The copyman calmly stepped forward... then smoke took over its body. And then He stepped out of the smoke.
Who stepped out of the smoke? Himself. Well, that is, a grey-skinned and red-eyed version of himself stepped out of the smoke. It reminded him of the clones you had to fight in the campaign mode of Dragon Ball FighterZ. "Huh. That's... not what I expected at all."
Copy Gohan grinned. "What did you expect? Name's Copyman in case you haven't noticed." It assumed the very same position Gohan had.
The gang made several noises of surprise and in some cases shock.
Gohan blinked twice. "And you can talk as well. That's... I'm in trouble, ain't I?"
Copy Gohan tilted his head back to stare the original down. "Don't you know? You always save the best for last." He spoke with a chuckle.
Piccolo gritted his teeth and clenched his fists until his sharp nails dug into his flesh. "That bastard..! He knew the Jinkouman was not the strongest variant left!" He spat out in anger.
The Copy pointed a finger at Piccolo. "Bingo! Give that Namekuseijin a prize!"
"Oh God... you copied more than just my appearance, didn't you?" Gohan said while cringing at the clone's attitude.
He shrugged his shoulders. "Not a big fan of mirrors? That's a shame. If you were then maybe you could deflect THIS!" The Copy launched a quick ki blast at the original.
Gohan lifted an arm to block the weak ki blast, covering his eyes with his arm since it seems like the copy aimed here. He felt the blast harmlessly connect to his arm but hitting Gohan with a Ki Blast was not the only part of the Copyman's plans since he followed up with a mighty kick to the very same arm that blocked the blast, sending Gohan skidding back several meters due to the force of the attack.
The clone landed on one foot and began to mockingly hop around while alternating which leg he used to hp. "C'mon now! Look alive Gohan! You and I both know you're more than a punching bag waiting to get his teeth knocked off." He spread his arms wide and took some steps forward.
"You want to dance? Then I hope you don't mind me leading!" The original raised his right arm in front of his chest and formed a dangerously sharp blue Ki Blade much like Zamasu's. "Caliburn!" He rushed the clone, quickly slicing downwards at the Copyman and managing to land a glancing blow against his shoulder that left a small gash on the spot, and blood leaked from it.
Copyman laughs. "A Ki Blade? Thanks for teaching me that!" A gray Ki Blade formed on the Copycat's left arm, exactly the same as the original's with the only difference being its color.
Gohan hesitate. "Wait... so you didn't know how to make it until I made it?" He asked with furrowed eyebrows due to Copyman's words. If that's the case then he might have a way to win this after all...
"I'm a Copyman, I can only copy what I see. I can't read your mind, boy." He rested his right hand on his hip while looking at Gohan with an expression of superiority. "The more you show me the more I become until I completely surpass you."
The boy frowned while circling the clone. "What about Piccolo and Tenshinhan? Why not copy them instead?" He kept stepping around, his copy doing the same as he is until both are walking in circles. "Could it be that you can only copy the techniques of the ones you fight?"
It snapped its fingers at Gohan. "Now that's a smart boy! You're God damn right, I can only copy the moves of the person I am currently facing. There's a reason why we Copymen are so desired. It is truly a shame we require a very particular type of soil to grow. But looks like Earth has just the right for us to pop, eh? How very unlucky of you."
Gohan hummed and then chuckled. "You can't feel Ki, can you? You somehow managed to copy my Ki moves but you have to SEE it happen, otherwise, you can't copy it."
The Copyman leered at Gohan due to his words. "What are you trying to get at, boy?" I did not like admitting to not being able to copy some moves.
"Just the fact that you feel right into my trap." Gohan shrugged with a smile, a carefree expression is on his face as he began to quicken his pacing.
A vein popped on Copyman's neck. "You're bluffing." He has to be. What kind of trap could he have done without making it obvious? He kept a close look on his hands and he did not channel anything through them.
The hybrid smirked. "Then I guess it's time for you to go all in. Isn't that right? Let's see who has the sharper blade. Spoiler alert: It's me." He spoke with such confidence in his words that it began to piss the Copy off. "After all... you're nothing but a cheap copy that can't even fully copy me. I mean, red eyes? Really? Are you trying to look edgy?" Gohan took some steps back, leaving the circle they made while they were pacing around in circles.
Bloodshot eyes turned into pinpricks as the copy screamed. "I'LL SLICE YOU INTO RIBBONS!" He quickly flew straight into Gohan while screaming in anger due to being called a cheap copy. Such words were a heavy blow to someone petty like a Copyman who had so much pride in his abilities.
The copy rushed the original, preparing to surprise Gohan by elongating the Ki Blade to catch the boy off guard. And just as he began to the extent of the length of the blade his world suddenly flipped. "Eh?" A wall of Ki had shot out from the ground, bisecting the copyman and splitting his upper body from his legs. "W-what?" He weakly said while coughing up blood. "...How...?"
Gohan crouched in front of the Copy. "You see, I used my feet to channel Ki into this precious soil that made you. The moment I knew how your ability worked I realized that as long as you didn't directly see anything you would have not to realize what was happening down there. I also made sure to distract you with my words and by making my hands look occupied, diverging your attention from my legs and feet. I'm not really used to channeling Ki from the soles of my feet so it took me a while to get the hang of it until I managed to lay a trap under the ground."
It weakly chuckled as the light began to disappear from his eyes. "G-guess that's why we're called Copymen... In the end, we're just copies... haah..." The Ki Blade disappeared as the Copyman returned to its original form due to his death.
The boy fell back into his ass and leaned back while using his hands as support."Hah... that was spooky... never thought I would kill myself. I don't think I'm going to be able to not think about me getting cut in half now." He wiped the sweat that formed on his forehead and looked back to the gang. "Heh." He made a peace sign.
Piccolo looked relieved, he was moments away from stepping in to help Gohan, and judging by Kuririn's and Yamcha's expressions they were not too far off as well. 'Of course, those two would not allow the son of their friend to get killed, knowing how those idiots are they would even go as far as to sacrifice themselves for Gohan. Right, they would do that without even thinking twice...' He kept such thoughts to himself as he approached Gohan.
The sound of clapping caught the attention of the Earthlings. Vegeta is clapping with a satisfied expression on his face. "Congratulations! It seems like you Earthlings are more than you look. I am surprised that none of you fell against the Saibamen, truly. This is the first time this has ever happened." He continue clapping, he made sure to slow the claps with each second that passes until he stopped clapping altogether. Nappa, could you be a pal and say what their reward for surviving all six Saibaimen is?"
Nappa happily stepped forward while cracking his knuckles. "Why, of course!" He grinned savagely while leering down at the warrior. "Your reward? You'll have the honor to die to a Saiyajin Elite!"
The mood turned heavy. Now, this? This is the real deal.
They'll have to fight tooth and nail to survive starting from now.
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Oh my, it has been quite a while since the last update! I am deeply sorry about that so please take this extra long chapter to make up to it. This is the longest chapter as of now with over 10K words, without even counting this note! I am happy to be back since I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. Are you surprised no one died yet? Well, so am I! It just felt natural to write those scenarios as I did.
And look at that, more differences in this Universe! I wonder what or who might be causing that... truly a mystery.
I am hearing some of Videl, Android 18, Bulma and Android 21. as suggestion. Caulifla(But surprisingly no Kale, poor gal.) has been suggested once as well. No, Chi-Chi does not count!
Anyway, I believe the next chapter MAY be an interlude, but don't quote me on that. Who knows if I'll change my mind.! As as always, I'll really love a review, even if it a very short one to say you liked X thing in the chapter or to suggest something you'll like to read down the line for funsies. Please, no need to be shy. And even if you are you are free to send em a direct message with what you want me to read!