Krillin blinks several times as he tries to comprehend what he is seeing. One second it was the deteriorating planet of Namek, and now it is a humble forest. However, the sky is black as night with dark clouds.
He turns to Nail who looks just as dumbfounded.
"Uh, Nail, did Namek explode? Are we dead?"
"I … don't know. I have no idea what happened."
A distant voice calls Krillin's name, extending each syllable. He turns to see Bulma jogging over to him. He laughs and takes flight to meet her. They embrace in a big hug.
"I'm so glad to see you," says Krillin. "I didn't know what might have happened after Freeza tried to blow up the planet."
"He what! That explains the catastrophes I guess," says Bulma, ending their hug.
"Yeah, Goku got a huge power boost and pushed Freeza to thinking he needed to destroy the whole planet to defeat him."
"That's crazy. What a monster. I'm glad you and Nail are okay. But where's Gohan? All the rest of the Namekians seem to be here, but I haven't seen him."
Krillin bows his head with a devastated expression. Fear strangles Bulma's stomach.
"Oh no," she says, anxiety welling in her stomach. "Did Freeza get our little Gohan?"
Krillin nods as his cheeks fight back tears. Bulma hugs him again, needing it just as much as him.
Nail approaches Lord Guru, Moori, and the rest of the Namekians gathering around them. Krillin and Bulma follow.
"My people," says Lord Guru, "we were brought to Earth by the use of their Dragon Balls. Goku chose to remain behind in an attempt to defeat Freeza."
A bellowing voice roars at them. The great dragon Porunga tells them in their native language that it grows impatient and demands a third wish be made.
Guru responds with a request for the third wish.
"What's he saying?" says Bulma.
"Freeza gained immortality from Porunga," says Nail. "Lord Guru asked Porunga to remove that immortality."
"That's great," says Krillin.
"Only one problem," says Nail. "Freeza is too powerful for Porunga to affect him unwillingly. It's up to Goku to weaken Freeza enough for the wish to actually work."
"Oh Goku," says Bulma, gazing up at the black sky. "I wish you didn't have to fight such a dangerous enemy alone. Please be safe."
###
Goku and Freeza trade blows on the dying planet. As the fight persists, Namek deteriorates around them. The sky fills with smoke, the ocean turns to tar, and the land shatters apart.
Freeza notices the sky has lost the magic darkness brought on by the summoning of the dragon. It now reflects the burning and molten colors of the decaying earth. In between strikes, he searches for the dragon, but it is nowhere to be seen. He scans the ground for Goku's friends, but they are missing as well.
Goku catches Freeza's eyes drifting attention. He drops back to rest from the exertion. He smiles and speaks through deep breaths. "What's wrong, Freeza?"
Freeza's eyes stop their darting and land on Goku's. "Where's the dragon and your worthless comrades? Did they sneak off and use the last wish?"
"Something like that. But what are you so worried about? You're immortal right?"
Goku snickers.
Freeza growls. "I don't know what game you're trying to play, but your tricks won't work on me."
Goku readies a stance despite the painful shocks assaulting him from even the smallest motions. The clotting puncture wounds in his torso hurt with every breath.
Freeza prepares for the next exchange. They stare one another down.
A bolt of lightning flashes across the sky. Their titanic powers clash again.
Musclebound strikes hammer both combatants as they deliver a deluge of fury. The speed and strength on display pushes their muscles to exhaustion and beyond. The fatigue eats away at their bodies like an acid.
A patchwork of horrible colors flush their skin with bruises. Their flesh splits open along the seams of their bodies as the brutal punishment pounds wounds open. Bloody flaps hang loose in the howling wind.
Goku cannot hit through Freeza's muscular guard. The defensive, crouching posture conceals the softer torso and head behind the hulking arms. Freeza makes full use of his legs and tail for striking at Goku without ever overextending himself.
Goku rolls back while bringing his knees to his chest. A sweeping kick from Freeza swishes under him. He shoves his feet out into Freeza's forearms. The limbs fall aside to expose his opponent.
Goku clamps his ankles around Freeza's neck and pins him in place. He laces his hands together over his head and does a hefty crunch with his abs. He swings the bottoms of his hands down as his body rises above Freeza. His double axe handle smashes Freeza's face.
Blood explodes from Freeza's nostrils as the force breaks him free of the neck-lock. He fires like a missile, but not before slipping his tail around Goku's shin to drag him along.
With a wrench of his tail, Freeza swings his foe behind him. As their backs are about to crash, he throws an elbow down his side. It stabs Goku's spine, sending him straight at the ground.
Freeza adjusts to drop like a spike with his heels pointed down. He lines up with Goku intending to crush his torso with the massive force.
Goku smacks the ground and recoils from it. He uses the bounce to push himself sideways. The rush of air as Freeza passes him gusts his face.
Freeza impales the ground up to his waist as Goku lands beside him in a crouch. Goku leaps from his squat and kicks Freeza in the chin with his right foot. The force lifts Freeza out of his hole. Goku raises his left fist to follow up with a punch.
Freeza plants both feet and pushes off at Goku. He rams his crystalline shoulder into Goku's sternum to intercept the punch. Goku gasps for air as it leaves his lungs.
Freeza grabs Goku's left wrist with his right hand and darts to the side. He drags Goku along with his momentum. The arm stretches in his grasp.
Freeza forms a fist with his left hand. He punches the knuckles into the inside of Goku's forearm. The two bones inside snap with a satisfactory sound that brings a smile to Freeza's cracked lips.
Goku yells in pain as he drops to his knees before Freeza. He looks up and sees a sharp bone sticking out beside his left elbow.
Freeza laughs.
"Tell me monkey, how bad does that hurt? Don't spare any details."
Freeza twists Goku's wrist back and forth while enjoying the pained screams they draw out. He kicks Goku in the jaw, sending him flopping across the earth. Goku collapses in a gangly pile.
Goku seethes saliva as the agony of his new injury overtakes the rest of his suffering. He tells his body to get up, but every nerve protests by stabbing him.
His entire body wobbles as if without bones as he tries to stand up. His rigidless form slips and slides while his feet get beneath him. His flowing, golden hair brushes the ground as his weary legs straighten. His arms dangle, fingertips swinging above the surface.
Goku's lower back pulls once, but it cannot lift his heavy torso. His broken forearm cries in anguish. Blood trickles from the wound to join several other streams. They run down the palm and back of his hand. Upon reaching the ends of his fingers, they drip from the nails.
Freeza stalks towards him. Goku rises to an almost standing position. Every muscle sags from the effort to maintain himself at near his full height.
Freeza throws a couple kicks. Goku stumbles around them. He throws a punch to retaliate, but Freeza blocks with his forearm.
Freeza's tail coils around Goku's good arm. It pulls it aside to open Goku's stance. He takes a couple shots at his opponent's exposed torso and head with his fists.
Goku tries to fend them off, but his left arm is useless and his kicks just get countered by Freeza's legs. A couple more shots ring his head and crack his ribs.
Goku tries to summon a ki blast but the fury bubbling inside his mind interferes with the focus necessary to do so. Two more shots break his ribs and bruise his organs. Goku recoils from every hit, unable to defend himself.
Goku's survival instinct awakens from the threat. His body pumps adrenaline as his Saiyan Soul burns for a final push before death.
Goku flexes his right bicep. He pulls his wrist to his mouth. Teeth bite the coil of the tail wrapped around it. Freeza squeals but continues punching away. Goku's jaw sinks deep, and he pulls as hard as he can with his neck. The coil loosens for just a moment. Goku slips his hand free.
Another punch is already on its way to Goku's head. Goku grabs Freeza's right wrist with his good hand to deflect a punch. He yanks it aside so it passes harmlessly by his face. As he does, he rams his left shoulder into Freeza's so they are side by side. The bump shakes Freeza's stance for a small window of opportunity.
Goku pulls Freeza's wrist forward and lifts his injured arm above it. He drives his left elbow along Freeza's arm towards the face. The sharp bone protruding from his skin aligns with Freeza's eye. It is the last thing Freeza sees before the white spike pierces his socket.
Freeza whips his head back to pull it off the bloody pike. He cups his punctured eye with his right hand. It fills with blood as his left hand fills with unstable energy. The asymmetrical mass bubbles in uncontrolled rage as he swings it at Goku. The energy explodes, blasting Goku away.
Freeza flattens the pad of his palm below his thumb to his impaled right eye and screams in agony. Blood gushes from underneath his hand.
Goku bounces hard off the ground several times. Each one aggravates the burns from the explosion peeling off his skin. His broken arm bashes against rocks, sending shooting pains. He finally slides to a stop on his belly.
His aching body wishes to remain there, but Freeza staggers toward him still holding the bleeding hole in his face. Goku leans on his good arm while his knees slide under him. He regains his feet as Freeza takes a swing at him.
Goku dodges to the left to try and stay in Freeza's blind spot. Freeza lashes out with every limb. Pain and anger imbue each strike. The ugly, gaping wound stares Goku down as he dodges to that side of Freeza's body to avoid the relentless assault. Goku cradles his left arm against his abdomen to keep the pain of it jostling around to a minimum.
Goku plays keep away by dancing in and out of Freeza's range. His longer legs keep Freeza back with their reach. However, the movements are taxing on his stamina. He notices Freeza's muscles shrinking a fraction with each expenditure of effort. He presses on with the maneuvers trying to focus on each miniscule foot placement knowing perfect distance must be maintained.
Freeza sees Goku's golden hair flicker to black for a split second. His mind runs wild with glee realizing he has his adversary in a desperate situation. He presses harder with his strikes despite the fatigue burning deep in his bones. Goku's magnificent aura sputters once. Strands of Goku's hair revert to black without retaking their blond eminence.
When Goku's hair loses half its new color, and Freeza reaches half his original size, the two combatants cock back an arm to deliver a knockout blow. Their arms explode forward.
Goku's fist crushes the temple of Freeza's head. Freeza's knuckles smash against Goku's chin. The waves of energy rattle their skulls and ripple through their brains. Goku's hair blackens as the luster snuffs out completely. Freeza's extra body mass deflates like a lung losing air. He returns to a slender tone.
Goku falls backward while Freeza stumbles sideways. Their minds cloud with a fog of concussion. They hobble about trying to keep their feet.
Unconsciousness sneaks in slowly around Goku. After all of the physical and emotional trauma, he welcomes the chance to rest.
Freeza finds his footing. His body stabilizes. He watches Goku fall backwards without bracing. Freeza smiles knowing he has won.
Goku's thoughts turn to dreams. Gravity takes control of his body. An image of Gohan's corpse startles his spirit. The lethal injury upon his tiny body reignites the fire of anger.
Goku's foot moves behind him to stop his fall. It slides. It holds. His core muscles work to straighten his body. Furious eyes flash open to glare at Freeza.
They stare at one another, unable to hold an upright posture. They hunch in exhaustion hoping to regain a little energy.
Saliva, phlegm, bile, and blood mix in Goku's mouth. He cannot swallow because he cannot afford to miss a breath. It drips from his mouth in a viscous tether. It catches in the stormy breeze and whips about on his lips.
Freeza huffs and puffs for air. His breath no longer chills the air like usual. He growls in frustration realizing his body has heated up from the physical exertion.
They grit their teeth as they prepare for another round.
A tremendous fissure splits the ground between them. A hot glow fills it. They take flight just before a wall of lava consumes where they were standing. Black smoke fills the air. The toxic air chokes Goku's lungs desperate for oxygen. It blinds Freeza's remaining eye.
Goku instinctively searches for Freeza's ki now that the furious, golden energy no longer consumes his mind. He locks onto Freeza's ki. It seems disoriented and panicked. He holds his breath despite aching lungs. He plunges deep into the smoke around the plume of lava.
He careens at Freeza and throws a punch aiming for the missing eye. The fist connects. Freeza flies free of the smoke in a tumble. Goku darts out of it. He gasps for the pure air.
Freeza takes control of his momentum. His lips pucker in dissatisfaction until he sees Goku wheezing. He races over to him and hammers Goku's back with closed fists.
Goku crashes flat to the earth of the sinking island. Freeza yells while descending for another strike.
Goku rolls onto his good arm to get out from under the crushing forearms of Freeza. He kicks his opponent's face with his left foot and then stomps him on the chest. Freeza staggers back as Goku stands up.
Freeza charges to initiate another round. He brawls with manic fury. His slender arms slap at Goku's extremities, but Goku evades the worst of it.
Goku settles into a rhythm as he adjusts to Freeza's frantic attacks. He finds moments to take deep breaths while slipping and sliding out of their reach.
He pesters Freeza with a few attacks of his own to entice Freeza's anger. The tactic works as Freeza commits more and more energy to his flailing assault. All the while, Goku senses Freeza's ki dwindling faster than his own.
Goku brushes a kick from Freeza aside. He strikes with an open palm to push Freeza off balance.
Freeza levitates an inch from the ground to reorient himself. He lands and strikes once more.
Goku drops low and sweeps a foot out from under Freeza. Again he shoves him with a heavy palm to the chest. Freeza floats back with his toes and tail dragging on the ground.
"What's wrong Freeza?" says Goku. "Is that all?"
Freeza screams and stomps over to him. He almost falls on Goku as he starts slapping his arms against him. He twists at the hips to compensate for his exhaustion.
Goku blocks the gangly arms with his good arm and legs. Freeza's blows slow. Goku shoves Freeza in the chest for a third time.
Instead of floating away, Freeza hops around on one foot for balance. Goku attacks.
He stabs his foot into Freeza's side with a quarter circle kick. His leg pulls in and lashes back out to smash Freeza's stomach with a stomping heel. Freeza grabs his torso and buckles at the waist.
Goku's muscle memory takes over. The hours upon hours of hard work drilling martial arts strikes into his instincts act without thought.
With his strength exhausted, he generates power with proper form. By pushing from the earth, he channels the weight of his own body for maximum efficiency. He unloads a combination of hits that renders Freeza senseless.
Goku punches Freeza in the nose. He elbows him in the missing eye. He clobbers the right side of Freeza's face. He stalks his opponent, shuffling from every blow. Over and over he beats the same spot with heavy hits.
Blood runs from Freeza's ear, and he collapses to the ground.
Goku stops and backs away. His chest heaves for breaths. Freeza does not move. He watches him. The tremendous power he once feared is nearly undetectable.
Freeza's eye blinks open. He slithers along the ground. He rises to his feet and strikes with a punch. Goku jumps back and propels himself up out of reach.
Freeza stumbles without anything to stop his momentum. He looks up at Goku.
Goku gazes back, his body too weary to even form an expression.
Freeza jumps up and throws a punch. Goku ascends higher to avoid it. Freeza drops back to the ground. He almost collapses upon landing. He wobbles to a straightened position. Freeza sends Goku a seething look.
"Get down here and fight me monkey!"
"It's over Freeza. You're finished."
"Nonsense. Nothing's over until I declare it is."
"You're out of ki. It's over."
"My power is infinite you shit slinging monkey."
Freeza points a finger at Goku. A purple orb sparks from it. It flickers and sputters before fizzling out. Smoke trails from the tip. His hand trembles. He withdraws the finger and stares at it.
"How can this be? It's not possible."
"It's sad really."
Freeza glares up at Goku.
Goku sighs. "If you hadn't spent all that energy trying to destroy Namek, you would have had enough left to defeat me. Now you're going to die alongside the planet you doomed yourself."
"You idiot. I'm immortal. Nothing can kill me."
"We wished away your immortality. You have nothing left."
"No. That's a lie. You and your worthless friends could never undermine me!"
"Shut up Freeza! Look around you! This is what your greed and hatred has brought you. Now after killing Planet Namek, the Saiyans … my son … and however many other people, you will spend your last moments living in their despair, begging for mercy to a fate that doesn't care. Goodbye Freeza."
Goku twirls and floats toward the horizon.
Freeza hobbles after him along the unstable ground. He flaps his arms and hops with his legs.
"Get back here monkey! I'm not finished with you yet. You're afraid of me, that's all."
His feet splash into the ocean. He scrambles after Goku who shrinks into the distance, never looking back. Thick, murky water slaps his body as he wades up to his waist. The chaotic tide sloshes over his shoulders in random directions.
"Come back monkey."
An explosion booms on Freeza's left. A volcano erupts and expels planetary waste as ash. A howling wind whips up on his right. Twisters spews the earthy excrement in every direction.
Freeza looks back to where he last saw Goku, but he has vanished from sight.
Freeza drops to his knees. A huge ocean wave washes over him, submerging him beneath the surface. When the wave subsides, Freeza is nowhere to be seen.
Author's Note 12/15/2023: The seemingly insurmountable Freeza falls by the hand of Goku. The universe feels safer for the first time since his tyrannical control began. Its people may start to heal when they hear this news. But what of Goku, trapped on a planet soon to explode, and the people who care about him? Find out next time in the final chapter of Dragon Ball Ki.