Review Response:
I will not be responding to the previous chapter reviews because there are too many to address individually, but I'd like to thank every single one of you who stuck by me and this story. It means a lot to me as a writer and as a Dragon Ball fan.
This next part will probably be even longer than the Wheelo Saga but will take more time to develop into a story that wraps up the whole series nicely.
PRIMAL ARC 3 will take a little longer to pump out because I am borrowing from two movies and I'm still planning the story as it concludes. So please be patient with me. The events of War of the XenoVerse aren't canon to Arc 3 but it answers some questions regarding the PRIMAL universe, so please read that as it comes along. That will end sooner than this story.
Other than that, I hope you enjoy the first chapter of the new arc!
Otherworld Stadium, Otherworld, Age 777
Peace has reigned over Planet Earth for three long years since the disaster that was dubbed the "Dark Revolution". Since then, the influx of souls entering the Check-In Station has lowered to its average yearly amount.
King Yemma was sure as hell happy about it now that his stack of paperwork had returned to normal. He swore that Earth was nothing but a magnet for trouble and mischief at times.
But because of the efforts of Son Gohan and his allies, one particular resident in heaven was at peace enough to resume his daily life and was inspired to master his new power.
This resident was the former Hero of Earth, Saiyan Legend, and the 23rd Strongest Under the Heavens, Son Goku.
Currently, he was brought back to the Otherworld Tournament Stadium by King Kai (North Kai), who called in a favor from both West Kai to test out how far his champion had come along with his newly acquired power. West Kai accepted, eager to bring his champion to redeem his honor since both fighters tied in the Otherworld Tournament under a technicality of stepping out of bounds at the same time. Surely, the West Kai believed that his precious warrior with three years of training would have more than enough power to overcome his rival's best warrior. Divine power or not.
Speaking of the Kai, King Kai and the monocle-wearing violet-skinned West Kai stood at the bottom stands where they observed their champions. Above those Kai was their superior, who sat in his own throne exclusively for him. The Kai had gray skin, wrinkles all over his face, a white mane that flowed to his lower back, black shades over beady eyes, and a long well-groomed beard. He wore yellow robes with a black mantle depicting the kanji symbol for Kai, as well as a hat with the kanji symbol for "Grand" on it.
This was the Dai Kaiō, the Grand Kai.
Standing in front of Son Goku, who still wore an adult-sized version of his original blue gi with red wristbands and a white belt with black martial arts shoes was a bald muscular green-skinned alien from the Western Quadrant. He had red irises with visible black pupils, and large rounded square ears with exposed holes in them. His skin seemed to have some kind of darker green pattern reminiscent of amphibians like frogs. His pink lips were small but thick and not only lacked a nose but also lacked eyebrows. For his attire, the alien wore a long, blue-sleeved shirt with white gi pants secured with a red sash and brown boots with beige footing. Over this were white robes secured with a brown belt with a golden circle in the middle, and a tall turban-like hat that had a matching golden circle in the middle with a long flowing white bandana over it.
This was the Western Quadrant's strongest deceased warrior, Paikuhan.
West Kai was engaging in small talk before the battle began, showing their rivalry in full display.
"Hmph! Your Saiyan brat doesn't seem that different! Surely, this little match will be in Paikuhan's favor." Said the darker-skinned deity.
"Is that right?" King Kai said, barely suppressing his snort. "Well, you keep telling yourself that. Those two are only tied due to a technicality. My guy would have won if it wasn't for that. Goku's gotten stronger since the Other World Tournament ten years ago."
"Please! There's not an ounce of change that I can sense in that boy. As far as I can tell, he's been slacking for the past decade. And besides, that tie was a fluke and you know that!"
"Slacking? Goku? BWAHAHAHAHA!" King Kai echoed out of hysteria before bursting with laughter.
The heated West Kai glared at his North counterpart and demanded, "What's so funny!?"
"T-That's a riot! That numbskull of alumni doesn't know the meaning of the word! Goku just keeps going on and on, training non-stop. You think that Super Saiyan was powerful, just wait and see what happens here because you haven't seen anything yet! Mark my words, old friend, this will be one hell of a show!"
West Kai can feel one of his eyes twitch out of anger at the North Kai's blatant arrogance. But given how Super Saiyan Goku managed to even the odds with Paikuhan in the tournament, West Kai had his doubts that what King Kai said was merely exaggerated nonsense. Still, he believed that the Saiyan's growth was not enough to bring down his strongest warrior.
After all, Paikuhan was his best student.
Meanwhile, Grand Kai watched Son Goku and Paikuhan from his throne, observing the idle man with eagerness and weariness.
'...Son Goku-chan, your power was great when I saw you battle Paikuhan-chan ten years ago. It has opened my eyes to how much I've fallen behind in my own training. And now, to hear from the Sennin no Ningen that you managed to awaken to your Divine Aura at such a young age is truly astonishing. Let us see how far you've come with your Godly power.' The Grand Kai thought to himself.
On the tournament battlegrounds, Goku smirked at his old opponent and friend. The Western alien smirked back, reminiscing on their battle as if it were yesterday.
"Son Goku, I have been looking forward to this day." Said Paikuhan. "My strength has grown leaps and bounds since the Other World Tournament."
"Oh yeah, I can tell from the energy you're puttin' out. Even when suppressed," Goku admitted, never changing his confident yet excited smirk. "Your power ten years ago doesn't even compare."
'How I am now, I wouldn't stand a chance. Super Saiyan wouldn't fare much better, and the Super Kaiōken is too much of a risk given how my ki started to act up the last time I tried to use it.' Goku analyzed mentally.
Paikuhan crossed his arms while closing his eyes, stating, "You're definitely not far behind. However, I'm curious about the growth of your Saiyan powers, there were rumors of a mortal hero in the Northern Quadrant who recently acquired the power of the gods. And I wish to see this power myself."
Goku's smirk broadened.
"How did you figure it out?" The Saiyan inquired.
"I didn't before, but now you've confirmed my suspicion." Said Paikuhan, now taking an offensive stance. "Show me your Godly power, Son Goku!"
Goku took his iconic stance; the one he took when he faced off against the Saiyan Prince.
The Saiyan retorted, "You're going to have to work for that, friend! Let's see what you've got!"
The Grand Kai held up a gong and a small mallet-like drumstick. After counting down from three, the god rang the gong, starting the match.
Immediately, Goku jumped to the second level of Super Saiyan to warm himself up. And while this was a surprise to Paikuhan, it did not distract his goal of attempting to land the first hit. However, Gohan saw his right punch move his head to the left, and stuck out his left elbow, bruising the Western Quadrant warrior's face. At a speed that the startled Paikuhan wasn't prepared for, Ascended Super Saiyan then kneed his opponent in the chin with his left leg, then spun around and landed a thunderous spin kick the side of Paikuhan's head, nearly ringing him out if it wasn't for the alien recovering from the assault by flipping and stopping himself by placing one hand on the ring.
West Kai was flabbergasted at the sight. The battle had only begun and Goku almost ended the fight in a matter of seconds! How the hell did he manage to catch his prized warrior off guard? And was that the same golden form he used ten years ago? Why was merely all of his hair standing on end? What's with the lightning surrounding him?
Many thoughts swarmed the brain of the darker-skinned Kai as he tried to catch his breath. King Kai, on the other hand, enjoyed every last minute of his counterpart's unsettled expressions and used his resolve to see the match through to keep himself from falling off of his seat and laughing.
"Come on, West Kai! Don't blow a gasket, yet! They've just gotten started!" The North Kai chortled.
"S-Shut up!" West Kai shouted at his counterpart.
Heading back to the fight, Paikuhan glanced behind him for a split second before turning back to his opponent. He mentally berated himself for creating an opening for Goku to attack him.
'...Damn! He almost did me in with just a few attacks!' Paikuhan hissed in his mind. 'He was nowhere near this powerful ten years ago. Is this the same golden state from before?'
Seeing that SSL2 Son Goku didn't so much break a sweat, Paikuhan decided to take a more strategic approach to the fight. Paikuhan created several After Images around the arena to distract his opponent as they charged at him. Goku, however, stood still. It was almost as if he was anticipating the tactic.
The Ascended Super Saiyan looked up to see Paikuhan pointing a right palm at Goku, only to rapidly fire a volley of orange energy bullets that rained down onto the ring.
Goku smirked, thinking aloud, "Good, he's plottin' more carefully. This'll be fun!"
The West Kai laughed, pointing at King Kai's face. "Bet your pet monkey didn't see that one coming!"
"Your racial slur is unbecoming of a Kai and as an owner of an actual pet monkey, I am ashamed to be associated with you." King Kai said, claiming the moral high ground.
"Bite me, North Kai!" West Kai said, flipping his Northern counterpart.
SSL2 Goku groaned and hissed in pain, saying, "Damn it! That sneak attack packed one hell of a punch!"
Gripping his hands, Goku channeled some of his energy throughout his body and destroyed the planet by emitting his golden and electrical aura from all directions of his body in a mighty shout.
From there, Goku and Paikuhan, cloaked in their own battle auras, began exchanging physical blows. Goku managed to punch the alien in the abdomen. Then Paikuhan landed a high kick on Goku in the chin. Goku followed up with a palm strike to Paikuhan's throat. But Paikuhan retaliated with several jabs to Goku's face and then kicked him in the groin area.
This exchange of striking limbs then turned to clashes that sent shockwaves across the space many feet above the ring, but not far enough for the two fighters to touch the roof, having learned their lessons in their official match long ago.
Paikuhan, feeling the need to get serious, took off his robes and head covering and tossed them to attack SSL2 Goku, who immediately moved away and allowed the airborne articles of clothing to hit a nearby dwarf planet.
"Gettin' serious are we?" Son Goku rhetorically questioned.
Paikuhan just smirked before rushing at his deceased rival at high speeds. From there, Goku immediately grabbed Paikuhan's hands, who tried to thrust his fists at Goku in a blitz.
"You've gotten much faster, Paikuhan. You almost got me there." Goku said, keeping his iron grip on the alien's wrists.
"Hmph! Almost?" Paikuhan confidently inquired.
"Huh?" SSL2 Goku uttered in confusion.
Opening his palms, Paikuhan unleashed two beams of ki at Goku's face, prompting the Saiyan to scream in pain. This was followed by Paikuhan landing a double ax handle on the back of Goku's skull, causing him to crash into the center of the arena.
Goku immediately got up, rubbing the bruise on his face before looking up to see Paikuhan taking a familiar stance and swaying his arms while consumed in a white fire-like aura. From there, Paikuhan's energy skyrocketed higher than he ever felt before.
Dai Kaiō watched silently, enjoying the dynamic between the rivals. West Kai had the biggest and most devious grin on his face, causing King Kai to frown.
"Heh heh heh! Well, North Kai, I believe this is a checkmate." The snarky and smug dark-skinned Kai told his lighter-skinned counterpart. "Your boy put up a good fight but it's all over."
"...Really, this technique again?" King Kai questioned, relatively unimpressed. "Goku's already seen that old trick. He could take that head-on no problem."
"The original Thunder Flash attack? Sure, I'd buy that. But what about a perfected version?"
"What did you say!?" The North Kai questioned, completely taken aback by the notion of an improved Kai technique.
SSl2 Goku shuddered at the amount of power being gathered by his opponent, stuttering, "T-There's no way! That can't be the-"
"TRUE THUNDER FLASH!" The Western Quadrant alien bellowed with his fists put together before unleashing a huge storm of hotter blue flames that surpassed the orange-red flames of West Kai's original Thunder Flash.
The storm was fired downwards, managing to hit Goku directly. The Saiyan howled in agony as he could feel his skin scorch and burn from the overwhelming power of the True Thunder Flash.
"GOKU!" The North Kai shouted out of fear.
Paikuhan kept up the power of his True Thunder Flash, trying steadily to push the Ascended Super Saiyan out of the ring. Goku could slowly feel himself sliding back as the turbulent flames of the divine attack continued to eat at his celestial body. Still, Goku's drive to overcome this obstacle drove him to stand his ground and power through.
Suddenly, Paikuhan noticed a tremendous spike of power emanating from below. This increase in raw energy did not go unnoticed by the Grand Kai or the West Kai. King Kai, however, sighed in relief as he knew what was about to come.
This was followed by a massive scream that was paired with a magnified power that shook the entire arena, causing everyone sitting to shriek in fear except for the Dai Kaiō, who chuckled.
Paikuhan started to sweat from the amount of power being produced, causing him to lose his concentration, allowing Goku's energy to cut through the True Thunder Flash's flames. As the setting continued to shake, lightning flashed from the sky while booming thunder and strong winds continued blowing around Goku, who was at the epicenter of the spectacle as the Saiyan's energy began warping the space around him.
Within twenty seconds, the climax of the event led to a brilliant flash of light while a tower of golden aura rose at least twenty feet in the air. As a result, everybody was met with a burnt and bruised topless Super Saiyan Level 3 Son Goku, shimmering in a golden hue, covered in a bright golden aura and blue sparks of electricity.
'...Fufufufu, how impressive! Goku-chan sure has grown exponentially in a few years.' The Grand Kai
"What in Zeno-sama's name is that!?" West Kai freaked out, feeling his whole body sweat buckets.
The glasses-wearing Kai smirked mischievously as he nonchalantly explained, "Oh, it's nothing special. The first transformation you saw was the Ascended transformation of Super Saiyan. A stronger form that doubles the strength of the first Super Saiyan. But this is a form beyond ascension and makes him four times stronger than the second level. But you can call this state Super Saiyan Level Three."
"F-Four times…!?" West Kai thought to himself, looking back at how Goku nearly ended the fight with a few shots as an Ascended Super Saiyan while Paikuhan was suppressed.
Paikuhan descended to the ring, meeting the fierce gaze of the teal irises and visible pupils of Super Saiyan Level Three Son Goku. For a moment, he was paralyzed by the striking difference in his opponent's appearance. The power output that Goku had was leagues above his own power at the moment. Hell, it took Paikuhan a lot more time to gather enough power to use his perfect technique to damage Super Saiyan Level Two Goku, but this was a different beast altogether.
'This man's power is astronomically high! Higher than my own! This can't be the Godly power, can it?' Paikuhan pondered.
"You should feel proud, Paikuhan. I've never faced an opponent who's pushed me this far before." SSL3 Goku spoke, now sounding more gruff and serious. "I was using a stronger Super Saiyan state before but this is the strongest version so far. It's actually my favorite out of the standard transformations. You can call it Super Saiyan Level 3."
"Level Three, huh?" Paikuhan echoed, feeling a bit of sweat running down the side of his head before chuckling. "You never cease to surprise me, Son Goku. I take it that this isn't the divine power that I spoke of earlier?"
"No, but you're gettin' pretty close." SSL3 Goku answered truthfully. "I figured I'd skip the warm-up, anyway. I mean, not every day that I get to use this form. Besides, I want to see how you fair against all of my Saiyan power at once."
Paikuhan slipped back into his stance and raised his power to its peak.
The West Quadrant warrior then said, "I am not the one to back down from a challenge! I will come at you with everything I got!"
"I would be insulted if you didn't," The eyebrowless long-haired blond Goku said before raising a hand and making a beckoning gesture. "Come."
The two continued their bout, creating stronger shock waves as they clashed with each other faster than the eye could track. Reappearing, Paikuhan fired five homing ki blasts at Goku. SSL3 Goku kicked one away, stopped two with his bare hands, took the last one in his hands, grew it into a moderately dense ball of ki, and fired it at Paikuhan.
Paikuhan avoided the ball of energy, causing the nearby dwarf planet to be blown up into bits. The alien decided to use his signature Burning Shoot rush technique to blitz the Saiyan. Unfortunately for Paikuhan, SSL3 Goku could see the attack from a mile away. And given that his opponent is a brilliant tactician, he couldn't afford to be tricked and blindsided when in an energy-draining state such as Beyond Super Saiyan no matter how better his control over the form was over the three years.
He raised his hands and shouted "Solar Flare" before shining a blinding light that caused Paikuhan to shout in pain from being temporarily blind.
'Now's my chance!' Goku recognized cognitively before rushing at the unguarded alien.
Goku began to pummel Paikuhan in the face and the chest, lacing his fists and feet with his sparking Saiyan power relentlessly. He finished this combo by sending Paikuhan away with a thunderous right hook, smashing the alien through five more planetoids and nearly out of bounds. But thankfully for West Kai, Paikuhan stopped himself at the last minute and tried firing three dozen Double Energy Waves to ward off Goku and come up with a strategy of taking him out of bounds.
Goku was having none of this and decided to bypass the stalling method using his Instant Transmission to bridge the space between them as he stood on a random planetoid. Paikuhan backed away, taking a defensive stance,
'Damn! I cannot shake him, nor can I overpower him with brute force! Son Goku's in complete control of the battle! …But this form does seem to take all of the power he has to maintain it. I need to find a way to force him to use up all of his power at once. If I can do that, it should tire him out, thus granting me the perfect opportunity to strike!' Paikuhan analyzed.
"You've been runnin' for a while, Paikuhan," SSL3 Goku pointed out.
"No, not running. Strategizing." The West Kai's disciple corrected. "And I've found a weakness in that form you've taken. That'll be the key to my victory."
Goku frowned at this, taking his rival seriously. After a second passed, Goku charged forward with two large orbs of golden ki cloaking the Saiyan's fists as a means to slam them into Paikuhan's face. However, Paikuhan managed to evade the attack by backflipping to another dwarf planet and began to perform the Flawless Stance and gather ki for the True Thunder Flash. SSL3 Goku saw this and then decided to match the attack with his own. Chanting the familiar words of his late master's technique, he began to pour his Super Saiyan Three energy into his cupped hands while remembering how powerful the flames were.
"Ka…Me…Ha…Me…!" The Beyond Ascended Super Saiyan spoke, feeling the energy he was pouring, and began shaking the poor little dwarf planet.
Crossing his arms and bringing his fists together, the alien fired the large blue firestorm, shouting, "True Thunder Flash!"
SSL3 Goku's cupped hands reached outwards and launched the remarkable and brilliant energy
beam while screaming, "HAAA!"
Both Goku's True Kamehameha Wave and True Thunder Flash clashed, but given that the flames were merely an element that was the result of ki conversion, the result of their collision was a massive explosion. The two warriors were sent hurtling down on both opposite sides of the ring.
Over in the stands, West Kai tried to hold on to his spot while screaming at his Northern counterpart, "DAMN YOU, NORTH KAI! YOU DRAGGED US INTO THIS MESS! NOW THOSE TWO ARE GONNA KILL US AND IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT!"
"Oh shut up, West Kai!" King Kai scoffed, trying to keep himself from flying out of the stadium.
However, Paikuhan happened to be the first one to recover mid-air right before Goku landed on his feet when he touched the ring.
Standing up, Goku mildly huffed at the amount of power that he used up when he suddenly looked upwards to see Paikuhan spinning horizontally. Goku knew the action all too well.
'...So that's what he's aiming for!' Goku realized.
From there, a large tornado, no, it was greater than a tornado. This twister was made of razor whirlwinds much stronger than anything Goku had previously seen.
King Kai's jaw dropped at the size of the familiar technique, recognizing Paikuhan's attack from ten years ago has gotten much stronger.
West Kai cheered, seeking that Paikuhan had a chance after all.
"YEAH! ATTA BOY, PAIKUHAN! TAKE THAT SAIYAN FOR A SPIN! SHOW HIM WHAT FOR!" The dark-skinned Kai stated.
Dai Kaiō glanced at the situation, and asked himself, "You may be strong, but Paikuhan-chan's mind is sharper than ever. What will you do now, Son Goku-chan?"
"These winds are too strong to be a Hyper Tornado! This is-"
"HYPER HURRICANE!" The spinning alien bellowed before stopping himself since the hurricane had been completed.
Paikuhan slammed the hurricane onto SSL3 Goku, causing the Saiyan to get swallowed whole and tossed around like a rag doll once again. Goku grunted and shouted, not only feeling vertigo but feeling the razor winds cut his bare skin all over his body.
"Son Goku! Your body won't be able to hold that form much longer! Show me your Godly power or fall!" Paikuhan demanded, smirking at the circumstances of the battle.
Seeing no other choice, Goku immediately dropped from Super Saiyan Level Three to Level Two, normal Super Saiyan, and finally reverted back to his base form. Oddly enough, Goku began to close his eyes as a warm yellow and red divine aura lit up and enveloped his entire body. The Godly aura radiated and rose up into the sky, creating a presence so strong that the Hyper Hurricane dissipated in a near instant.
Dai Kaiō stood up from his seat, sensing the incredible Godly energy.
"Here it is! Son Goku-chan's Divine Aura!" The Grand Kai identified, causing the West Kai to nearly faint upon hearing his superior's words and feeling the power Goku gave off.
"W-What am I sensing!?" West Kai uttered. "This can't be the same Saiyan brat from before! I-I-It's inconceivable!"
King Kai flashed a cocky grin while giving his rival a peace sign with his right hand.
"I believe that this is checkmate, old friend!" North Kai stated. "You're not dealing with the average Saiyan warrior anymore."
Paikuhan landed on the ground while gazing at his opponent. Every fiber of his being told him that what hovered above him was an entity that should not be trifled with. As Son Goku got closer, he saw that the Saiyan was coated in a unique yellow and red aura while he had reddish magenta hair that resembled his base form, reddish magenta irises with black pupils, with reddish magenta eyebrows. A notable contrast to Super Saiyan Level Three to Paikuhan was Goku's muscle mass was reduced to make him look lean as if he was a young adult (roughly around Gohan's age).
Paikuhan's face paled, but not by the power which he couldn't sense, but at the sheer godly pressure that Goku produced, thinking, 'The rumors were true after all. I can't feel his ki, but there's no mistaking this godly presence. This is Son Goku's true power!'
"Congratulations, Paikuhan," Saiyan God Goku said, descending to the ring as he stood several feet away from his opponent. "You've earned this. Now, you're up against a Saiyan that transcends beyond ascension. I call it Transcendent Saiyan, but you can refer to me as a Saiyan God."
Paikuhan decided to stay silent as he rushed to land a flying kick at Goku, who easily caught his leg and pushed the West Quadrant warrior back with his hand. He then tried throwing several jabs at Goku that were all dodged, then somersaulted over a leg sweep.
The speed difference was staggering. Goku could read, predict, and counter every move that Paikuhan made with grace. Even with the Burning Shoot rush-down method, Goku dodged, parried, and/or redirected the Western Quadrant warrior's attacks like it was nothing.
'Unreal! I can't land a hit on him! He is moving too fast!' Paikuhan thought to himself as he watched Saiyan God Goku blur in and out of sight.
Paikuhan jumped several feet in the air and fired ten consecutive orange ki blasts at Goku. Saiyan God Goku manipulated his Godly ki to erect a red barrier, blocking the incoming projectiles with ease.
Goku then did something that puzzled everybody. He stuck out his pointer finger and thumb with his right hand and pointed directly at his opponent.
Saiyan God Goku said calmly, "You've gotten really strong, Paikuhan. One of the strongest guys I've ever faced as a dead person. I have really enjoyed this fight, but I'm gonna end it here."
With that being said, Goku charged a small bit of his divine energy into his index finger and shot Paikuhan in the abdomen, sending him out of the ring unconscious.
This was known as the God Shot.
"NOOO! PAIKUHAN! HOW COULD YOU LOSE!?" West Kai wailed in outrage and sadness as distraught and hysterical waterfall tears fell from his eyes.
King Kai kept a smug look, crossing his arms while gazing at his old student with pride.
"Heh, like there was any doubt. He was my student, after all!" The paler-skinned Kai said.
Dai Kaiō clapped his hands, applauding both warriors for their progress as he was pleased to see that the two gave it their all to see how far they were willing to push one another. This train of thinking led the Core Person to notice something regarding Goku's movements.
'...Interesting. The way Son Goku-chan moved reminds me of the angel's technique. Maybe…' The old Kai humored the possibility before shaking his head. 'Perhaps that is too soon to be certain. I'll have to wait until Lord Beerus wakes up to request Whis-sama for more information.'
Throne Room, Grand Kai's Palace, Grand Kai's Planet, Otherworld
Two days have passed since the battle between two of the Otherworld's strongest warriors. After a day of rest, both the Western and Northern Quadrant warriors and their former teachers were called to the palace where they were expecting an audience with the Dai Kaiō. The lower-ranking Kai's stood beside their superior, staring at their alumni with pride.
Goku and Paikuhan kneeled before the Grand Kai, who sat in his throne room.
"Rise, children," Dai Kaiō instructed, prompting Goku and Paikuhan to stand.
"Both of you have done extraordinarily well in your battle two days ago. You have gone above and beyond to get this level of power. I command you, Son Goku-chan, Paikuhan." Dai Kaiō congratulated.
"It was an honor to fight in your presence, Grand Kai," The Western Quadrant warrior humbly bowed to Dai Kaiō.
Goku placed his unfolded hands together and gave the god a small bow, cheerily saying, "I'm glad you allowed me to participate. I've had a real blast in the battle. Thanks for the opportunity!"
The North Kai sighed tiresomely at Goku's attitude but was relieved that he at least showed some level of respect to his superior, saving him from embarrassment.
The Dai Kaiō continued speaking as he explained, "In truth, there is more to these tournaments than a mere contest of skill and strength. My planet is home to the strongest heroes across the four quadrants who were trained by my former protegees over the millennia. The purpose of these tourneys is to prepare warriors like you to service the gods to help preserve the Otherworld and prevent mass catastrophes in case of any disasters."
"Disasters? What do ya mean by that, Grand Kai?" The Saiyan questioned. "Ain't Otherworld the final restin' place for all souls?"
Dai Kaiō turned to North Kai, prompting him to answer his student for his former teacher.
"Think of it this way, Goku. There are quite a few gateways to Otherworld and other realms within this known universe, Goku. These gates, while heavily guarded, can be used to enter to and from the physical and celestial planes. If exploited, it can cause chaos between the living and the deceased realms and devastate the balance of all existence." Said King Kai.
"Huh, that would be bad." Goku acknowledged while thinking aloud as he crossed his arms. "If somebody like Frieza or Cell got outta Hell wouldn't do anybody no good."
"That is why as part of my duties as the Grand Kai, I am charged with overseeing all of the champions who were awarded their bodies and are to keep them in peak physical condition as their master. These warriors are to serve as protectors of Otherworld as they did so to their worlds when they were alive. That is the order of my superior and the will of Zeno-sama, the King of All." The Grand Kai finished explaining.
Turning to Paikuhan, Dai Kaiō told him, "My offer to be Olibu's second-in-command still stands, Paikuhan-chan. Your growth and tactical mind would be most beneficial to the other warriors."
This caught the attention of West Kai and North Kai, who were both shocked that such a high position within the roster of heroes was being offered a second time.
Paikuhan bowed, saying, "I am still considering the offer, Grand Kai. It is also an enormous responsibility to carry. Please, I would like more time to ponder such a great honor."
"Very well, child. Take your time," The old Core Person nodded before turning to Goku and speaking to him again. "Son Goku-chan, I would like to reward you for your performance."
"Um, it's not that big of a deal, Grand Kai. I'm pretty conten-" Goku said casually before King Kai slapped his mouth shut with one hand and forced him to bow, saying, "I-Ignore what he says, Master! He doesn't know any better! Goku gratefully accepts!"
Goku, Paikuhan, and Dai Kaiō sweatdropped at the North Kai's actions while West Kai snorted at both his counterpart and his counterpart's student's buffoonery.
'At least I got some enjoyment out of this humiliating day.' West Kai thought.
"That's wonderful to hear, old friend. Your former student may find some benefit to my reward." Dai Kaiō stated as he turned to Goku. "Son Goku-chan. What if I told you that it's possible to meet your birth parents?"
"My…parents?" Goku echoed back, confused at this. "Hm… The thought never came to mind, to be honest. I never considered myself a Saiyan until I got the Super Saiyan form. And even then, I always thought of myself as an Earthlin'. Besides, the only parent that I ever knew was Grandpa Gohan."
"Forty years have passed since the destruction of your birth planet. That is quite some time for warriors to grow in power." Dai Kaiō stated. "Your father, while a ruthless man he was in his heyday, was still a renowned commander amongst his generation and a brilliant warrior. And given that Saiyans generally never stop training even after death, your father could be your greatest challenge yet."
"You think so?" Goku asked, prompting the Grand Kai to nod. "Say, how strong was my dad in his prime?"
"I'd say he was about as strong, if not stronger than the last King Vegeta right before the planet got blown up by Frieza. And given Prince Vegeta's power when you first met him, he's far surpassed his father." King Kai answered for his former master.
"W-Woah! My old man eclipsed Vegeta's day!? Oh wow, different generations yet the same results." Goku joked before placing his arms at the back of his head. "Now, I'm curious! Say, Grand Kai, where and how am I supposed to meet him? Isn't he in Hell?"
The Grand Kai explained, "Every planet within the universe has its own section of the underworld with its own attributes and space-time. Earth, for example, has an underworld which you know as Jigoku or Hell. For Planet Hera, their underworld is called Hades. Since nearly every Saiyan on Planet Vegeta were wicked before their demise, they would have been sent to their underworld, the Wither. If one were to die off of their home planet, they would end up in that foreign planet's underworld."
Dai Kaiō turned to Paikuhan and said, "Paikuhan, I have a task for you. Before I send him to the Wither to bring him to his parents, I need you to accompany him to Jigoku and oversee his visit with his family. Can you do that for me?"
Paikuhan silently agreed then walked over to Goku and placed a hand on his shoulder.
Confused, Goku asked, "Hold on, why am I going to Hell if my parents are in this Wither place?"
King Kai then answered his question with another question, "Think about it, Goku. You don't even remember what your parents look like. Who did you meet on Earth that would be familiar with them?"
"I don't know. I guess it would be Vegeta, that bald guy I took out that came with him. You know, before Vegeta killed him." Goku thought out loud before realizing what was going on. "Well, there was my bro-OH! Right, of course! He died on Earth!"
West Kai and Grand Kai chuckled at Goku's oblivious nature before King Kai agitatedly said, "Just take him out of here for me, Paikuhan. And make sure he doesn't cause any trouble."
"Understood, Kai Kai!"
With that, Paikuhan whisked himself and Son Goku out of Dai Kaiō's world in an instant, not dissimilar to Instant Transmission.
Earth's Hell, Hell, Otherworld
Goku and Paikuhan found themselves teleported in a flowery field with trees throughout the area. The scenery felt surreal to Goku. He imagined something different when pondering the realm of Jigoku. Not…this!
"Here we are, Son Goku. Your planet's underworld." Paikuhan stated.
'...Huh. So this is Earth's Hell. I don't know what I was thinkin' but who would have imagined it turned out like this?' Goku thought while turning to his Otherworld rival. 'If only it was that fiery place that a lot of Earthlin's were talkin' about. It would have been a great place to train!'
"Say, Paikuhan, when did ya learn Instant Transmission? You could have used it in battle." Goku questioned.
"Your Yardratian technique is not the same as the Godly technique that the Grand Kai bestowed me," Paikuhan explained. "Because I am a mortal using an ability of the divine, I am limited to only warp to locations that I've seen or been to personally. The only real tactical advantage that I would have with Kai Kai is that I can retreat with it to places beyond your reach."
"Aw, man. That wouldn't be fun at all." Goku lightly pouted before his acute sensory for ki signatures kicked in.
"Woah! Hold up! Do you sense that?" Goku asked all of a sudden.
"What are you talking about?" Paikuhan inquired.
"I can sense some people. …Yeah, it's them alright." Goku confirmed. "Frieza, Cell, a couple of those Ginyu guys. There are a couple of strong guys that I can't recognize. Judging from their energy, I think they are related to Frieza. Heck, I could even feel that giant bald guy. What was his name… Napo? Nappy? Eh, it'll come to me later."
"If you're referring to your enemies that fell on Earth then yes, this is where they reside after being judged by King Yemma. But not everybody is in this specific area of Jigoku. There are many areas of place with varied degrees of damnation and punishment. Who you sense may not be in the same areas as this one." Paikuhan stated, gazing into the horizon of Earth's Hell. "I take it you can locate your brother using Instant Transmission?"
Goku nodded, placing his right index and middle fingers on his forehead and almost immediately locked on his older brother's energy.
"...Ah, there he is! Grab onto my shoulder Paikuhan." The Saiyan instructed and the ally did so accordingly.
Using the Yardratian technique, Goku took his fellow warriors to a different part of Hell where they stood in front of a tree that had a cocoon dangling from one of its branches.
"Hm… I could have sworn this is the right place," Goku said, looking for his brother. "I wonder where could Raditz be."
"Son Goku," Paikuhan called out, causing Goku to turn to him and see the Western Quadrant warrior pointing at the cocoon that had a bald head sticking out and a large bundle of spiky jet-black hair hanging out on the other side of the bald head.
The two warriors approached the cocoon Goku stated, "Wow! Ain't this creative? I know that everybody's judgment varies, but this surely takes the cake!"
As they got closer, the cocoon turned, allowing both Raditz and Nappa, who managed to share their petrified state together.
"Kakarot!" Raditz uttered in shock with his eyes widened at the shock of seeing his brother in a place where he was.
"K-Kakarot!? GRRR! You low-class trash!" Nappa spat in sheer malice. "I swear, once I get down from here, I'll make you pay for the humiliation you caused me fifteen years ago!"
"Oh, I didn't think you had a jail mate, Raditz," Goku said looking at Nappa. "Still holdin' a grudge after all these years, eh Napai?"
"IT'S NAPPA, YOU LITTLE WRETCH!" Nappa barked, practically burning red with rage.
Goku scratched his head sheepishly, saying, "Oh yeah! So that was your name."
"B-Brother, I, for one, bear no grudge against you! Honestly, I don't!" Raditz genuinely admitted before imploring. "Just please, I beg you, release me from this cursed larval casing! I cannot bear being close to this giant buffoon a second longer!"
Paikuhan then reminded his rival, "Let us not get sidetracked. Remember why you're here."
"Heh heh! Right, sorry about that." Goku apologized as he turned back to Nappa. "As much as I would like to fight ya again, I'm actually here for my brother."
"W-What!?" Both older Saiyans shouted in shock.
"Yup! I'm here for Raditz!" Goku said cheerily. "I need him for some important business. Thankfully, one of the big guys from upstairs gave me special permission for this endeavor."
Goku floated up to Raditz, touched his forehead with one hand, then used Instant Transmission to appear next to Paikuhan with a freed Raditz, who wondered what the hell was happening.
"What!? But h-how did you do that!?" Raditz exclaimed, completely lost at what was occurring as if this moment was a mere delusion of freedom.
Goku casually explained, "Oh, just a little somethin' I learned on Yadrat."
"You managed to learn one of the Yardratian's hidden techniques?" Raditz inquired out of awe.
"Well, I had the time so why not?" Goku shrugged. "Anyway, we should head out of here."
"HEY! DON'T YOU POOR EXCUSES FOR SAIYANS IGNORE ME!" Nappa bellowed, grabbing everybody's attention. "RADITZ, YOU BASTARD, I ORDER YOU TO FLY UP HERE AND FREE ME AT ONCE OR SO HELP ME I'LL-!"
In an instant, Raditz immediately opened fire on his former superior officer without hesitation. Goku and Paikuhan then saw that the long-haired warrior had a cruel smirk on his face.
"I no longer answer to trash like you, Nappa. From now on, I am my own warrior. I fight for myself, not for you, not for the House of Vegeta, nor for that bastard Frieza!" Raditz declared. "So enjoy the rest of eternity in that infernal pod."
"Y-YOU-!?" The larger Saiyan growled before the other warriors flew away to another location.
When landing away from the other trees, Raditz requested to stop and talk before they embarked on their next destination.
"Wait. I don't understand Kakarot. Why did you free me? Why are you taking me out of Hell?" Raditz inquired.
"You remember what our dad looks like, right?" Goku suddenly asked.
"...Yes, I do." Raditz nodded. "In fact, you take a lot after him in your appearance but you bear our mother's personality."
"Really? That's neat. Have you ever seen how strong Dad was?" The younger brother questioned.
"I've never gotten the pleasure to accompany our father on his missions with his Elite Squadron, but most of our class' hailed him as one of the greatest squadron commanding fighters of his generation. A prodigy unlike any of the low-ranking Saiyans ever seen." Raditz reiterated, harking back to the days he heard other children look up to his father, him included.
It was here where Raditz and Paikuhan saw the glint of excitement that Kakarot possessed in his dark eyes.
"That's great to hear, brother!" Goku said, walking up to him. "I wanna meet this guy, and you're gonna help me look for him!"
"...And you trust me to help you complete this task?" Raditz frowned with his guilt taking over his face and tone. "Even after what happened on Earth on that day?"
Goku placed a comforting hand on his older brother's shoulder, "Hey, that was a lifetime ago. And besides, that fight has been settled, so there's no use in dwelling on the past. If it makes ya feel any better, I ain't no good at holdin' grudges. So, I forgive you, Raditz."
Raditz looked down and clenched his fists.
"All my life, I was subjected to torment, and all because of our home planet's damned caste system. Despite our father's achievements, I was subjugated to be nothing more than worthless lower-class scum by those higher on top of the food chain. For all the attempts for respect and acknowledgment of my comrades, my loyalty was met with scorn as I was physically reminded that I would never amount to anything." Raditz confessed, recalling the beatings he would receive from Nappa and Vegeta. "Because I was assigned to be a part of Prince Vegeta's team, I had been forced under his bootheel, to be a lowly attack dog and whipping boy to use as he pleases. And after a couple of decades, I resigned to believe that was my reality."
Raditz then turned to Goku and said, "But when I found that Nappa had perished and informed me that you had defeated him, I was absolutely dumbfounded. To hear that you, a low-class warrior, my weaker younger brother, had suddenly gained the power to surpass an elite Saiyan warrior. It was incredible! And seeing that you're here now must mean that you somehow managed to survive a battle against the Prince!"
A haze of glassiness came onto him and kneeled before his younger brother, having been humbled by his inner and outer strength.
"All of the time that I've spent here, I could do nothing but think about the terrible things that I've done…and what I did to you and your family. My own flesh and blood! It's unforgivable! But for what it is worth, I can say without a doubt that I am proud of you! My little brother managed to do what the rest of our class could only dream of! You're undeniable proof that even those who were labeled as worthless can be great warriors!" Raditz expressed.
Raditz, however, was met with a hand reaching out to him. It was his younger brother's right hand.
"C'mon, Raditz. I don't care about any of that higher-class-lower-class stuff. I don't let it get in the way of gettin' stronger. And neither should you!" Goku said cheerfully, never losing his positivity.
"K-Kakarot…!"
"Get off your knees already, will ya? We got an eternity to spend together and a whole lifetime of catchin' up to do. So let's spare the past and the grief. We got the future to look forward to," Goku said, showcasing his worldly wisdom and growth as an honorable man.
Speechless, Raditz conveyed the same sentiment by taking his younger brother's hand for the first time since Goku was born, allowing Goku to help Raditz off his knees. Finally, they could finally join together both as Saiyans and brothers, just as Raditz had always wanted.
Paikuhan smirked, proud of Goku making peace with his brother.
"Kakarot, who is he?" Raditz questioned, pointing to Paikuhan.
"Who, Paikuhan? He's a strong guy I fought after I sacrificed my life again. He's helpin' us out as our guide at the moment." Goku explained. "You can trust him."
'...Wait, did he say that he was killed again!?' Raditz realized in his mind.
The adopted Earthling turned to his friend and told him, "Anyway, Paikuhan. We're ready. Take us to this Wither place."
Paikuhan nodded, placing one hand on each Saiyan brother before shouting, "Kai Kai!"
In a brilliant flash of light, three warriors were whisked away to another part of the underworld.
The Wither (Planet Vegeta's Hell), Hell, Otherworld
Ironically enough, the underworld of Planet Vegeta was not much different from the colonized planet that the Saiyans occupied. In fact, the warrior race had greatly adapted to the environment of their final "resting" place, with multiple generations that existed since the House of Vegeta claimed the former Planet Plant under their name lived in the section of Hell. However, the major defining attribute between Planet Vegeta and the Wither for the Saiyans was that the underworld was an eternal warzone.
Before Planet Vegeta, there was Planet Plant, home to the diminutive yet highly advanced race of human-like aliens known as the Tsufurians. The Tsufurians while seemingly docile and compromising enough to allow the vagabond race to co-exist with them, were truly elitist bigots who treated the Saiyans as lower-classed foreigner trash, forcing the remnants of the formerly Sadalan Saiyans into the badlands of Planet Plant. After a couple of generations and with the population of Saiyans, the third monarch of the Saiyan people enacted a cunning and ambitious plan. A young King Vegeta III managed to gather a formidable army to battle against the Tsufurians over control over the planet. Eventually, the Saiyan were victorious in claiming ownership over the world and exterminated every single Tsufurian including its last king and head scientist, King Lychee.
Due to the nature of both species, both the Saiyans and the Tsufurians who were wicked and died on the planet were sent to the Wither for their sins. And so as punishment for their oppressive ways, the Saiyans and Tsufurians kept their bodies to endure a neverending hellish war against one another. And since this was an underworld, neither group could truly perish from each other's assault. Neither people will know true peace, nor will there be a decisive victory against either species.
And while battles between the two people can last for a few days, within a macrocosm like Hell, time is irrelevant. What could be minutes could feel like days, days could feel like years, and so on.
Currently, Goku, Raditz, and Paikuhan find themselves watching a battle between the Tsufurians and the Saiyans. However, unlike the Tsufurians of the past that were merely limited to firearms and machines, quite a bit of them had become mechanically remodeled into cyborgs, or had mutated into green skinned variants of them due to adapting to the Wither's unique atmosphere and properties. Even King Lychee changed, now powered by Jaki and had gained telekinesis through evolving in the Wither.
"HOLY CRAP!" Goku exclaimed, watching rounds of plasma, ki blasts, and floating rocks being hurled at both sides of the conflict.
"WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON!?" Raditz shouted, rightfully freaked out at the chaotic battle. "Why is this a goddamn warzone down there!?"
Just then, Paikuhan, Goku, and Raditz narrowly dodged a stray ki blast from the Saiyan side of the battle.
"Tch!" Paikuhan scowled. "It's another incursion! The Tsufurians managed to start an attack on one of the nearby Saiyan settlements! And judging by the aggression of these forces, the last Tsufurian king is behind this assault!"
"The Tsufurians!? But I thought that King Vegeta and his army had wiped them decades ago!" Raditz stated.
"Huh? Ain't those guys were the folk that used to live on Planet Vegeta?" Goku questioned. "And here I thought they were mostly innocent."
"Make know mistake, Son Goku, as advanced and prosperous the Tsufurian civilization were, they were bigoted to those who they considered uncivilized and barbaric. Some Tsufurian scientists would stoop so low as to use live subjects for their unruly experiments, all in the name of research and the advancement of their species. Even going so far as to use their ill or the elderly or weakest Saiyan on the orders of their king." Paikuhan explained, receiving the bewilderment and the disgust of both Raditz and Kakarot. "So neither people are innocent, which is why their punishment is an eternal struggle with their worst enemy with no conclusion."
"Those putrid insects! Make us their lab monkeys, will they!?" Raditz gritted his teeth, feeling his tail twitch in rage while his Battle Power rose. "If they existed in our time, I'd kill them all myself!"
"Settle down, brother. We ain't here to join a war. We're lookin' for our father." Goku reminded his brother, then turned to his rival. "Paikuhan, is there any way we could momentarily stop the fightin' for a little bit?"
"It is possible, given our current levels of power. You may have to direct everybody's attention from each other to you and control the situation from there. Though, I would exercise extreme caution given the amount of warriors involved." Paikuhan advised. "I will provide my assistance whenever it is needed."
"Heh heh, thanks! But I think I got this. It ain't my first time dealin' with an army." Goku said, giving Paikuhan a thumb's up with his right hand. Goku reassured his Otherworld rival.
"What!?" Raditz shrieked, absolutely flabbergasted at his younger brother's words. "Kakarot, you couldn't possibly plan to get in the middle of this skirmish? I'll acknowledge your strength, but even after fifteen years, taking on both our race and the Tsufuurians is suicide! For gods' sake, we still don't know what happens if we were to die when already dead!
Goku turned around and gave his older brother his signature cheerful grin and said, "Don't worry! I've gotten lots stronger since my fight with Vegeta. And once I sort this out and we find our dad, I'll show the both of you what power we Saiyans are truly capable of!"
Raditz's eyes widened as he recognized the confident Saiyan-like smirk Goku had in his narrowed stare.
This was the look of an experienced warrior.
'...He looks just like Father just now! Perhaps there were more adversaries Kakarot must have faced. That would mean that those Earthlings must have been successful in bringing him back with the Namekian's wish granting orbs. But what kind of monsters did he have to fight against for him to be this confident to stop the full might of our people and these diminutive freaks' technology combined? And what kind of power was Kakarot alluding to.' The baffled Raditz questioned when a lingering thought came along. '...Wait a moment. Could it be that he has become…n-no! That couldn't be possible! That was just a fairytale! A mere myth.'
Goku waved to his traveling companions, then flew towards the war, dodging energy blasts and smacking some away.
Once he got close enough, Goku raised his base Battle Power, managing to garner the attention of the Scouters of both the Saiyans and the Tsufurians. What was perplexing to both Saiyan brothers and Paikuhan was that all of the Vegetan Saiyans stopped fighting as they recognized the hair of Goku, which was a common hair type for low class Saiyans. The Tsufurians had also stopped fighting, both weary of the enormous power for this new Saiyan and the uncanny resemblance he had to a particular enemy of the smaller race.
"HEY! I'M NOT FROM AROUND HERE!" Goku explained loudly as he used his ki to amplify voice. "I WON'T TAKE UP TOO MUCH OF YOUR TIME, BUT I'M LOOKIN' FOR SOMEONE! CAN YA STOP FIGHIN' FOR A MINUTE AND HELP ME OUT?"
Paikuhan and Raditz facepalmed, both forgetting to factor in Kakarot's childish naivety.
While all of the Vegetan Saiyans murmured to themselves which were inaudible to Goku, an old floating Tsufurian that was in front of the Tsufurian army made himself known to the Earthling Saiyan.
The Tsufurian man had long dark gray hair with a large beard, pale blue skin, dichromatic eyes (one white, one red) with no irises or pupils, and had a deformed forehead with bulging exposed veins. For attire, the man wore a white armor of large green shirts.
This was the head of the ministry of science of the last king of Planet Plant, King Lychee
"You insolent ape! The prestigious Tsufurian race would never comply with barbaric filth like you!" King Lychee said before firing a large wave of psionic power from his forehead. "NOW DIE!"
Many of the Tsufurians followed suit, firing their guns and mechanical weapons at Goku, seemingly making direct contact on the Saiyan and creating a powerful explosion.
The Tsufurians cheered at the sight of Goku's apparent destruction.
Raditz screamed for his brother and was about to frantically rush in to see if he was alright, only for Paikuhan to hold on to the armored warrior by his shoulder with one hand. When glaring at the Western Quadrant warrior, the green skinned amphibian-like alien shook his head and told him to look at both the Saiyans and Goku.
Raditz glanced at his people and noticed that they weren't at all taken with hysteria or grief like himself. In fact, they seem to be anticipating something. As if they knew something that he didn't. However, his thoughts were interrupted by a powerful presence being exerted and manifesting from the direction that Kakarot had been floating. When he turned around, the long haired Saiyan's jaw dropped.
What floated in his younger brother's face was not Kakarot, but a browless teal eyed man with the expression of a hardened warrior. He was cloaked in a golden aura with blue sparks radiating off of the aura. But the most notable feature was the wild golden hair that was of the same length as Raditz's hair. The man that was before Raditz had muscles while not as wide as Raditiz, were just as defined, giving Son Goku a distinct look.
The stare that Goku gave Raditz invoked fear and awe to the older Saiyan, prompting Raditz to freeze and render him speechless. But fortunately for the older brother, Goku gave him a soft but confident reassuring smile that showed that once again, he bore no hostility towards his brother.
Most of the Saiyans and Tsufurians yelped as their scouters and other devices blew up from the power Super Saiyan Level Three was producing. From seeing this state of Goku, the Saiyans bowed down on both of their knees and hands, showing their submission and respect to the man's power. The Tsufurians didn't know what to think but found this "Kakarot", as Raditz called him, to be the absolute enemy of Tsufurians at the moment.
King Lychee, after finding his own scouter-like wrist device combusting, begrudgingly and apprehensively turned to see Goku directly looking at him, with his dark pupils and teal irises piercing through his very soul.
The Tsufurian shook his head and reminded himself of his pride as he faced his cowering people and shouted, "DON'T JUST STAND THERE! RAISE YOUR WEAPONS AND BLAST THAT SON OF A SAIYAN OUT OF THE SKY!"
But right when the Tsufurian army was about to aim for the Saiyan, Goku charged his True Kamehameha, the used Instant Transmission to directly get in front of King Lychee much to the shock of both the Vegetan Saiyans and the Tsufuruians, and fired the energy directly at the Tsufurian king, sending the psionic royal miles away from their location as the old man screamed in agony.
SSL3 Goku then stood in front of the cowering and quivering remnants of the Tsufurian army, staring them down and making them feel like they were nothing but insignificant ants to him.
"ALRIGHT. LET'S TRY THIS AGAIN. AND THIS TIME, I WONT BE GIVIN' OUT ANY SECOND CHANCES. NOR WILL I BE REPEATIN' MYSELF" Super Saiyan Level Three Son Goku said, speaking in a loud but calm voice. "STAND DOWN AND RETREAT, OR I'LL SEND YOU BACK TO YOUR KING."
A nameless commander that was King Lychee's second-in-command was so overwhelmed by the power of Kakarot that he told everybody to retreat, causing the rest of the Tsufurians to run away from Goku and the rest of the Saiyans.
Once they were gone, Goku, Raditz, and Paikuhan descended to the ground as the youngest member of the trio dropped down to his normal state.
Raditz couldn't help but ask, "Kakarot, what was that!?"
Goku turned to his brother and flashed his signature happy-go-lucky grin like always.
"That's one of the things that I'm gonna show ya real soon!" Goku said before raising his index finger teasingly. "But I can't exactly explain it now. That'll spoil the surprise for you. We'll get back to it when we find our old man."
"Speakin' of which," The Earthling Saiyan said as he turned around and saw the army of Saiyan that were now standing.
Goku started to approach the Saiyans, bearing a more friendly expression with his brother and Paikuhan following close behind.
The former Champion of Earth raised a hand, happily greeting, "Hi, Saiyans!"
The Saiyans stared at Goku with a mixture of interested, awkwardness, weariness, curiosity, slight jealousy, and most of all, respect. Nobody greeted him back, however. Just a gesture he was using seemed out of place for their culture. Most of them had toughened and cold expressions that reminded Goku of Vegeta.
'...Man, talk about a tough crowd. No wonder why Vegeta and Raditz turned out the way that they did.' Kakarot thought to himself as he scratched the back of his head.
"Your power must have scared them, Goku. You're practically a god compared to them," Paikuhan whispered in the younger Saiyan's ear.
"I wouldn't go that far, but that transformation nearly gave me a heart attack," Raditz muttered in agreement.
"Uh, heh heh! Sorry about the scare, guys! I wanted to talk to you all and I figured gettin' rid of those other people would help us out, ya know?" Son Goku explained. "Anyway, I'll be out of your hair in a little while, I promise. I'm lookin' for someone. My name is Son Goku, but you probably know me as-"
"Praise, Kakarot," All of the Vegetan Saiyans worshiped in respect, kneeling down to Goku, catching the trio of warriors off guard.
Goku faced his brother, awkwardly asking Raditz, "Uh, Raditz? Is this normal in Saiyan culture?"
Radtiz slowly shook his head, saying, "Normal!? This doesn't make any sense! What they're doing right now shatters our Saiyan customs. Why would all of our people be kneeling to you? A lower class warrior? I'm flabbergasted that they even know your name. You were an infant when you were sent to Earth."
"Isn't it obvious? Times has changed," A gruff voice spoke amongst the crowd, which immediately rang familiar to Raditz. "But then again, you were always a short sighted child, Raditz."
Raditz, Goku, and Paikuhan watched as two people walked up to the trio amongst the Vegetan Saiyans.
One was a male who was the spitting image of Son Goku, albeit an older battle hardened Vegetan counterpart with an asymmetrical "X" shaped scar on his left cheek. The notable differences between this mysterious Saiyan and Goku was that for one, he had darker skin, A possible tan from being under the sun for years. For the Saiyan's attire, he wore black, white, and green Battle Armor with rectangular shoulder pads, black spandex trousers, and his boots are white with green tips. He wore a red headband wrapped around his forehead and matched red arm warmers, and had a brown monkey tail wrapped around him like Raditz did.
Next to the Goku look-alike was a shorter Saiyan woman with short yet shaggy black spiky hair that resembled Radtiz's hair, dark soft semi narrow eyes with no visible pupils. Unlike the rest of her kind, the Saiyan female had a softer and kind hearted demeanor. Like the rest of her kind, she wore a sleeveless black bodysuit and dark green combat armor highlighted with bronze and outlined by white, in addition to purple armbands and white boots. The woman's armor also had a thigh-length hoop.
These two were Bardock and Gine, a rare Saiyan married couple and the parents of Kakarot and Raditz.
"F-Father…M-Mother!?" Raditz stuttered, absolutely stunned at the sight of his parents after decades of not seeing them.
"It's been a long time, Raditz, Kakarot." Bardock spoke evenly, looking at his eldest and his youngest sons before sporting a small grin. "We finally meet again, my sons."
To Be Continued…
Author's Note:
What's up everyone, DSG is back here with a chapter of PRIMAL. I know it's been a while since the end of Wheelo but I am back and I am finally ready to tackle the final part of PRIMAL.
Here are fanmade moves or fanmade changes to canon moves!
真 サンダーフラッシュ (Shin Sanda Furasshu) *Lit "True Thunder Flash" (True Thunder Flash Attack)- A perfected version of West Kai's Thunder Flash Attack that Paikuhan himself created. This technique was developed after three years of intense training following the Otherworld Tournament. It is depicted the same way in the anime filler but his aura turns white and he shoots blue flames.
Fun Fact: While Kai Kai remains the same for gods, mortals are limited to only being able to warp to places that they have previously been to or have seen explicit details of. This is a PRIMAL exclusive change.
Now here are the answers about ideas, concepts, and moments scene by scene.
Scene 1:
Paikuhan is stronger than Goku in base and Super Saiyan. I wanted to make him relative to Goku's base at the very least. However, his perfected Kai technique is stronger than his Super Saiyan Level Two transformation given the nature of the Thunder Flash Attack requires highly concentrated energy. However, Paikuhan is no match for Super Saiyan Level Three, so he's not even touching Saiyan God.
Goku knows the Super Kaiōken and has done it again, only to develop On-Set Ki Disorder after trying to stack King Kai's technique with Super Saiyan Level Two.
The Otherworld Tournament did happen, but Goku did not meet Paikuhan, Frieza, Cell, or the Ginyu Force beforehand. He only met Paikuhan at the tournament.
And just a reminder, Saiyan God is based on the manga's take on Super Saiyan God. This means that Goku has not absorbed Godly Ki into his base form, nor has he achieved "Saiyan Beyond God". No, the only way Goku can access the aura of a god is to change the nature of his energy by transforming into the Saiyan God. He has no other way to use his divine aura. This is to keep Goku's power much more grounded than what the Super anime tried to do.
Scene 2:
The Grand Kai knows about Goku's parents and the circumstances regarding other planets including their underworlds due to him being the medium between the Outer Gods (Supreme Kai, Hakaishin, Whis, Grand Preist, and Zeno) and the Lower Gods (King Kai, West Kai, South Kai, East Kai, Korrin, and Wordly Guardians).
Paikuhan learned Kai Kai through West Kai, which isn't exclusive to the Supreme Kai's Attendants.
I am using the Super anime's concept of other planets having their own underworlds (Hells) even if they were already destroyed.
The Wither is the Hell of Planet Vegeta (Plant), which is a PRIMAL exclusive location.
Goku doesn't necessarily care about knowing his parents, but I figured he'd want to see just how strong and skilled his father was despite all Saiyans (to him) being "evil" in nature.
Paikuhan's knowledge regarding other places and privileges in Otherworld may have been a result West Kai and the Grand Kai being close to him due to his positive reputation as a formidable warrior and his being a loyal resident of the Celestial Realm.
Scene 3:
I've gotten the idea of Raditz apologizing to Goku from the video, "Old Man Goku Regains His Youth & Forgives His Brother Raditz | Full Story". All credit for the concept of the scene and its inspired dialogue goes to Rising Fist and their story writers. They are cool and I recommend checking out their content.
Scene 4:
The history of Planet Vegeta (Plant) between the Saiyans and the Tsufurians was adapted so that both sides of the story are canon in the PRIMAL universe. The Tsufurians were elitists who treated Saiyans poorly and even used their own sickly and stray weaker Saiyans for their experiments, but the few remnants of Saiyans that came from a destroyed Sadala and settled in the badlands were brutish and antagonistic to the Tsufurians for their small stature and lack of Battle Power. King Vegeta III did conquer them and killed them off, but when Planet Vegeta was destroyed, the Saiyans regained their bodies so that they could experience the pain of warring against their old adversaries for all eternity with no rest in the Wither.
In this continuity, Dr. Lychee from Plan to Eradicate the Saiyans was the Tsufurian king and the head scientist of Planet Plant. In the Wither, he mutated and gained telekinesis and psionic powers.
The Tsufurians in the Wither either mutated due to the environment and its harsh elements affecting their genetic makeup or like Dr. Myuu, managed to mechanize themselves and became cyborgs reminiscent of Hell Fighter No. 17.
I refer to the Saiyans on Planet Vegeta as "Vegetan" Saiyans because they were Saiyans that were on Sadala (the Ancient Saiyans). They would be referred to as Sadalan Saiyans. Sadalan Saiyans that were evil would have their own (unnamed) underworld as well.
The unusual behavior of the Saiyans and their actions will be revealed in the next chapter.
Please leave your comments, questions, concerns, and criticisms in the Reviews. Tell me what you like, dislike, what could be better, and what you enjoy about the saga and/or story so far by writing a detailed review for me. What are your favorite moments? Who would you like to see more of? Let me know these things, guys! It helps me grow as a writer, and I enjoy reading your thoughts on my work.
Anyway, I'll see you guys later!
-DarkShadowGames451