Duo Halfbreeds

Chapter Twenty-One: A Quiet Rage

As the winds swirled around, the blast vanishing, and the minor amount of dust fading, it revealed a clear image of a severely wounded Piccolo, his clothes in complete tatters, his shirt area nearly gone with only a small amount of thread hanging left shoulder.

Panting heavily Piccolo tried his best to hang on for dear life. "I t-told you not to g-get cocky, d-didn't I?" He uttered weakly. Goten's mouth hung open, stunned and frozen as Piccolo fell, chest-facing to the ground.

Goten's hand trembled as he feared the worst, getting close to Piccolo. "P-Piccolo?!"

Nappa scoffed. "This reeks! I was going to save that Namekian for a real match up later! Instead the brat survived." He shrugged and sighed exasperatedly. "Oh well what can you do?"

"The i-irony of m-me.. s-saving the brat i-identical to m-my mortal enemy." He gave a short chuckle, wincing from the pain.

Resisting the urge to spill tears, Goten dropped to Piccolo's side. "W-Why?!" He asked.

Piccolo ignored his question as he tried to stand up, only to flip over, his back-facing to the ground. "R-Run…Run now while y-you can, Goten!"

Goten formed a confused look on his face and ignored Piccolo's demand. "I don't get it! Why did you do that?!"

Piccolo laughed again, wincing mid-way and causing a short-groan of pain. "Who knows why I did what I did." He answered. "Perhaps I've gone soft.." He gave another short chuckle. "The Demon King going soft because of a child, sounds ridiculous doesn't it?"

((Flashback))

Some months ago on a mountaintop above…

"How the hell did you make the entire Animal Kingdom your friend anyhow?" Piccolo asked bluntly. He was sitting beside a fire at night, with Goten nearby.

Goten shrugged. "I dunno, I just did."

Piccolo scoffed. "Of course you don't…" He rolled his eyes, his thoughts and gaze drifting elsewhere. "A feat like that, being done by Goku's son? That about figures."

Silence loomed the area for a short moment. "My dad said you and him used to fight, did you guys actually fight?" Goten asked, breaking the silence.

Piccolo's gaze moved over to Goten, his eyebrow raised. "Used to? That fight is long from over, once I'm done here, he and I have a score to settle, and when it's settled I'm taking over this world."

"Oh well, dad used to tell us stories of when you guys fought." Goten said, bluntly. "And to be honest, you don't sound that evil anymore."

A vein bulged at Piccolo's forehead. "Really now? You'll wish yourself sorry you said that." He replied. "The second this mess is over, I'll come after both you and your Father, so you better well-damn be ready!"

Goten shrugged. "Eh…If you meant that, you wouldn't have told me to be ready. "

Piccolo snarled. "It's a rhetorical speech, I didn't actually mean it, brat!"

Goten made a face. "Nah you're more like this big green Uncle in our family, who thinks he's evil because his Dad was but really is just SUUUUPER grumpy." He pointed out.

Piccolo whipped his head to completely face Goten, his fangs bared. "Can it and go to sleep!" He yelled.

Goten frowned. "What? I don't wanna go to sleep, I'm not tired!" He pouted, crossing his arms.

Piccolo growled viciously. "You better or I'll make you go to sleep!" An energy sphere immediately formed above the hand he raised. Goten's eyes widened as he gulped and immediately changed position, his eyes closing.

((Flashback End))

His last dying breath came to him, his gaze turning to Goten. "This last year…It wasn't so bad!" His pupils disappeared as his lifeforce dropped completely.

"Y-You're going to be okay right? Right Piccolo?!" Goten said, his voice breaking and begging. He swallowed hard. "J-Just wait! D-Dad will be here! P-Please!" There was a silent pause."Piccolo….." Tears poured down his cheeks, his hands against the dirt as he scraped and formed a fist into his hand. "PICCOOLLOOOOOOOOO!" His head lifted high and his voice roared as loud as it could.

The short couple of seconds after, he stopped, swallowing the tears in, rubbing what was on his face away as he began to stand up, his fists clenching tightly, his head bowed down. "I'm gonna make you pay." He whispered through his teeth.

Nappa paused and stopped from having slowly walked towards Goten, a confused expression left on his face. "What? Speak up, brat! I can't hear you!" He shouted. "And you might as well, cause there'll be your last words!" A wide smirk formed on his face.

Goten's gaze pierced through the chaos, fixating on Nappa with seething rage. His countenance contorted with anger, his bared fangs reflecting the intensity of his emotions. "I'm gonna make you pay!" He roared, a slight echo occurring in the background. "Make you pay for what you did! For my brother! For Mister Yamcha! For Chiaotzu! And FOR PICCOLO!"

Power surged within him, steadily rising, as his very aura pulsed and crackled with an electric fervor. The world around him quivered in response, trembling beneath his wrath, while fragments of earth seemed to defy gravity, hovering weightlessly.

A radiant ray of energy enveloped Goten, as if the very essence of his being were converging and converging, channeled into a single focal point. It appeared as though the very ground struggled to contain the surging power, as if nature itself bowed before his raw might.

With a sudden flick of his head, a violent roar erupted from Goten's throat, reverberating across the landscape with an echo that reached the farthest horizons. It carried within it the echoes of a mighty Oozaru, an ancient power resonating through his veins. In an instant, his power surged, its magnitude soaring to unimaginable heights, fueling his every fiber.

With blinding speed, Goten lunged forward, his fist connecting with Nappa's arm as the Saiyan attempted to defend himself. The impact reverberated through the air, a collision of titanic forces clashing in a fierce struggle.

"Careful, Nappa! His power has reached three thousand!" Vegeta's warning pierced the tumultuous battlefield, an acknowledgment of the formidable adversary that stood before them.

Nappa's lips curled into a sinister smirk, relishing the prospect of facing an opponent of greater strength. Yet, his momentary lapse in vigilance allowed Goten's true prowess to manifest. As their fists collided, the young warrior vanished from sight, leaving Nappa bewildered in his wake.

Goten reappeared like a blinding flash and like a jolt of lightning his foot struck Nappa's shoulder junction, causing Nappa to be knocked against the ground, pushed for several yards away. Before Nappa could even have a flicker of fighting chance, Goten vanished, appearing ahead of Nappa, his foot aiming to strike Nappa's head.

However, unfortunately for the young halfbreed, Nappa spun around, regaining his balance, blocking as Goten's foot collided with Nappa's massive arm instead. Goten was quick to retract his foot to avoid getting gripped, jumping back to gain some distance.

Nappa grinned once again as he charged forward shoulder bashing into Goten in the rock formation behind him, causing Goten to yelp.

Noticing the situation, Krillin turned to face Tien. "We gotta help him!" Krillin shouted. Tien nodded in response, the two powered up and began to fly towards Nappa, but stopped as they saw Goten leap out, his clothes becoming ever more tattered as holes appeared around his knees.

Goten's fist landed powerfully against Nappa's face, actually pushing him back. Goten didn't stop there as he slammed his knee against Nappa's chin, then another barrage of blows to Nappa's cheeks. He dropped to the ground, a few feet away, the second after.

Goten placed the back of his left hand against his right palm as he raised it high, generating a tremendous amount of energy as it swirled like a smooth stream of solid air in front of it. Each sparkle quickly collected.

His aura flared, raging harshly, and as a sphere began to form, Nappa quickly gained his balance back, his head lowering to face Goten, at that exact moment, Goten extended his left knee while his right knee bent forward in unison and his hands thrusted forward.

"Magnum Blaster!" Goten roared. Goten's energy surged forth, manifesting as a sphere of power that pulsed with crimson intensity. But within the depths of his determination, something shifted. The sphere transformed, exploding into a torrential wave of crimson energy, its size expanding twofold in an instant. The unleashed force consumed the space, enshrouding Nappa in its fiery embrace.

Nappa, ever the stalwart warrior, swiftly raised his right arm, shielding his face from the onslaught. The impact was akin to an unstoppable tempest, a raging hurricane infused with the scorching heat of molten lava. Its sheer ferocity pressed against Nappa's defenses, each passing moment pushing him further back. The ground quivered beneath his steadfast stance, soil yielding to the forceful resistance exerted by his heels.

As the smoke and dust began to settle, an air of exhaustion hung heavy in the aftermath. Goten, his chest heaving with exertion, gasped for precious breaths. The dissipating haze unveiled Nappa, displaying signs of irritation and partial damage. Yet, despite the assault, his resilience remained unyielding, an unwavering testament to his unbroken spirit and readiness to continue the fight.

Goten looked exhausted, barely keeping himself above his knees as he embraced for impact when Nappa rushed forward, pushing Goten up as he slammed his fist into the halfbreed's gut. Nappa gave another powerful fist to Goten's right cheek, sending Goten into the ground a few feet away.

Goten landed on his knees, coughing out a mixture of saliva and blood, a front-tooth also falling out of his mouth, still keeping his bold look. Nappa followed his attack with a kick to Goten's side, sending Goten several yards away.

Realizing that Goten was in trouble once again, Krillin and Tien attempted to save him, hurrying to Nappa, but Nappa felt them come. He sent a powerful kiai wave with his left fist, blowing Krillin away and against a nearby boulder.

In a split second, Nappa spun around and smashed his fist into Tien's gut, knocking the wind out of him and doubling him over. He sauntered past Tien, giving a sharp elbow jab to the back of his neck before disappearing again.

Nappa reappeared in front of Goten, pulling him out from the rubble and by the collar of his shirt. "Looks like you're done. That's too bad, I was beginning to have some fun!" He said. Goten, struggling to lift his head, managed a defiant chuckle as he spat a mix of saliva and blood onto Nappa's cheek. Nappa's eyes widened in disbelief as he wiped off the disgusting residue. "Hey! That was uncalled for! I guess I'll have to teach you some manners!"

Nappa threw Goten in the air, pulling his back as he waited for Goten to fall back down, leveled with him. His massive fist struck Goten's right cheek, then another blow to his chin to keep him mid-air, another blow to his gut, and an elbow to his chest, sending him flying for over a hundred yards.

As Nappa continued his onslaught of attacks, Krillin tried to push himself up, failing to as his body trembled instead. "S-Stop! He's just a kid!" He begged. His pleas were ignored as Nappa sent another powerful punch into Goten's gut, sending him to the ground in front of him. He wanted to turn his head away, wanted to look away so hard but he couldn't.

Goten pulled himself up again, taking a stance despite his injuries, blood pouring from his forehead due to the blunt trauma, half of Goten's gi diagonally down on the right side was completely gone, and there was a mixture of saliva and blood that came out of his mouth once again.

"Goten! Just stay down!" Krillin yelled. He was ignored again as Goten mustered all of his strength to hurl his fist weakly at Nappa. Nappa grabbed Goten's arm, stopping his attack, and making Goten try to struggle his grip away.

Nappa lifted Goten up and swung him at a nearby boulder. A loud crack could be heard coming from Goten's back as he landed against the boulder, the boulder shattering from the impact. Krillin tried again to pull himself but was too weak no matter how much he try, everything felt too heavy, too painful to move.

Still Krillin tried, he couldn't bare to hear the onslaught being given to Goten. "How can you be that cruel!"

Vegeta scoffed. "Nappa! Silence the midget!"

Nappa stopped, releasing his grip from Goten as Goten fell to the ground. "Gladly." He turned around and walked forward. The second after however, Goten weakly pushed himself to his knees, anger rising in his voice.

"D-Don't…" Goten uttered, his voice was quiet and weak, his breathing was heavy and almost ghastly. Nappa turned, eyebrows arched, and his expression was curious. "Don't touch him."

Nappa chuckled. "And what do you think you're going to do about it?" He asked. Goten tried to take a step forward but fell back to his knees. "Yea that's what I thought."

A quiet and low growl escaped his throat as he pulled himself to his feet and Nappa continued walking again. "I said don't!" His head lifted high to face Nappa. His aura flared back up, raging once again as he clenched and raised his fists.

Nappa looked surprised. "So you still have some fight left in you?" He asked. He took a stance. "Fine then! Let's fight!"

At around the same time, Vegeta's scouter beeped, his eyes widening. "The kid's power shot up again? How?" He snarled. "Now it's over three thousand? He should've been out of energy by now but instead he's actually gotten stronger?!"

Nappa smirked. "Fine! Let's end this once and for all, brat!"

Goten gritted his teeth angrily and growled viciously as he charged simultaneously with Nappa. Goten lunged forward, hurling his fist but Nappa avoided it with ease. In one powerful and daunting blow, Nappa struck his massive fist into Goten's stomach.

This caused Goten to crash harshly, several yards in front of Nappa. The ground collapsed upon impact and the rubble covered over Goten.

(( ? ))

The sound of a nightingale chirping, echoed throughout the thick luscious forest that was lit both by a crescent moon and several stars. By a river, there were two large tents and a lowly lit campfire. Inside one tent, Goten slept quietly, donning his light blue purple-sleeved changshan.

He awoke a second later due to nature's call of "too much water before bed." When he got up, he noticed Gohan, who was originally sitting next to him, was missing. He got up and unzipped the tent, taking a step out as he looked around for Gohan.

Before he could get a good enough look, Goten decided he should head to the bushes first. After spotting some, he ran towards them but stopped the second he heard strange sounds. Goten looked at his surroundings, turning his head slowly all the way right then all the way left.

After confirming there was nothing, he sighed with relief, and continued to the bushes, but before he could the sound arose again. He froze in his tracks, tensing up, swallowing hard as he looked around once more.

"G-Gohan?" He said quietly, biting his lips. There was that sound again! It was like faint, distant whispers with the sharpest growl, it was coming from the bushes as the bushes shook a bit, almost as if something was rustling from there.

Goten took a step back, his hand trembling as fear set in. He couldn't tell if it was real or fake, but Goten had to know, something beckoned for him to know what it was. He moved forward, leaning in as he reached for the bushes, then something shot up.

It caused Goten to fall back, his eyes shut tight forcefully, and when he opened them not even half a second later, he saw something…dark. It was this vicious, razor-sharp, almost electrifying, midnight shadow.

It frightened Goten, causing him to scream, and look away. His body trembled with dread, the color drained from his face as the shadow quickly creeped closer to Goten.

(( END ))

As Nappa walked towards the rubble, Goten's hand broke free from it, causing Nappa to stop and watch curiously. Goten shot up, breaking free from the rubble, as his raised right fist struck Nappa in the jaw. Nappa went flying several feet away back, back-facing towards the unforgiving ground as he landed harshly.

The second after, Goten dropped back to the ground, his feet firmly planted in the ground. His demeanor seemingly had changed, his bared fangs looked more ferocious, his hair looked slightly wilder caused by his raging aura, and his eyes had this tinge of red. As Nappa pulled himself back up, he wiped his hand against his mouth, quickly noticing a bit of blood on his hand.

Nappa's eyes went wide from shock. "Blood?" He smirked. "You've been hiding your power, haven't you brat?!" He took a stance. "Good! Now we can actually have a real fight!" Goten lunged at a blinding speed, striking Nappa in the right cheek, who couldn't react in time.

Nappa went flying for several feet before quickly spinning to recover his stance, planting his feet in the ground as he slid for the last few seconds. His face showed an expression of slight irritation and anger.

"Nappa! Look out! The kid's power level just shot up to five thousand!" Vegeta yelled, anger reverberating through his voice.

Nappa turned to look at Vegeta. "What!? Five thousand?! That's ridiculous!" He shouted. "Your scouter must be bro-" A strike from Goten's foot into his abdomen interrupted Nappa, causing him to double over.

The oxygen in Nappa's lungs were pushed out, causing him to struggle for air. His eyes locked on to Goten the second after as he tried to recover. His face became much more visibly angry as he gritted his teeth.

"Damn little brat!" Persisting through the pain, Nappa tried to rush forward and attack Goten, but his massive fist was caught by both of Goten's fists. The powerful vibration from the clash, caused the ground beneath Goten to crack and then crumble as both fighters' energies crackled violently.

A quiet yet sharp growl escaped Goten as he pushed Nappa's fist away and then struck Nappa in his face with his knee. Goten bounced back the second after gaining some distance and Nappa's rage only bloomed by the second.

"What the hell?! His power level is only five thousand! I should be able to handle him!" Nappa thought angrily. He shook his head, and took a deep inhale. "Just..I Just need to regain my composure. Yeah that's all!" He exhaled deeply and took another deep breath after, retaking his stance as he powered up. "Time to end this brat!"

Goten remained silent, only the savage look on him remained, when Nappa saw it, something about it seemed familiar to him, but Nappa brushed it off as Goten charged forward. Goten unleashed a volatile flurry of attacks but Nappa blocked and dodged each attack.

Nappa hurled his fist forward, slamming into Goten's gut and sending Goten several yards away. As Goten went flying, Nappa chased after him, elbowing him in the abdomen, then a fist to Goten's right cheek, and a final double-ax handle blow to his forehead.

The onslaught kept momentum, making both fighters move further away from the others. The double ax-handle Nappa had struck Goten so hard, that he crashed into a nearby rock formation, causing most of it to turn to dust, with very little rubble leftover, piling over Goten.

Nappa waited and watched to see if Goten would get up again. Faint and weak movements from Goten caused a lot of the rubble that was poorly balanced on him to fall, but besides that there had seemed to be nothing.

Nappa walked up to the rubble and decided to finish it. He placed his hand in front of him, generating an energy blast but as he did, more faint movements occurred. Goten slowly and weakly began to rise from the rubble, panting heavily, his clothes tattered, somewhat soaked in blood in various areas.

Goten turned to face Nappa, his demeanor looking normal. "I'm…" He swallowed hard. "I-I'm..n-gh! Not done!" He took a stance, his face filled with determination.

Nappa looked impressed. "Resilient little brat." He said. "Fine." He took a stance and tightened his muscles. "This will be the clash to end the fight!"

As both fighters charged forward simultaneously, this sudden powerful shockwave appeared, and both fighters vanished from the spot. Nappa appeared, crashing away through several boulders and landing into a rock formation and as for Goten, he was several yards away on a yellow cloud.

In the area where both used to be, was the long-awaited Goku. "D-Dad…" Goten was stunned, speechless, unsure of this to be real, his body wouldn't tremble, wouldn't let him feel relieved until he was sure it was his father.

Goku turned to face Goten, moving closer to him, a smile forming on his face. "Hey Goten. Sorry I'm late…" He said. Goten chuckled weakly in response before passing out due to exhaustion. "I'm proud of you, Son.."

(( ? ))

The shadow disappeared as Goku arrived, lowering himself to Goten. "Goten! Are you okay?!" He said. He picked Goten up.

Goten began to cry. "I-I got up cause I-I had to go and I-I s-saw that Gohan was gone and I-I went to f-find him but th-there was s-something in th-the bushes and it tr-tried to attack m-me!"

Goku had a confused look on his face. "This bush?" He asked. Goten rubbed his eyes and nodded in response. Goku walked towards the bushes and moved them around but saw nothing. "Goten…There's nothing here."

Goten looked confused. "B-But I-I saw it!"

Goku scratched the side of his head. "Well..Whatever it is, it's gone now." He said. "There's nothing to worry about, okay? I'm right here, and next time, don't go out without me, alright?" Goten nodded in response.

(( END ))

Goku's eyes darted around the battlefield, noticing two dead bodies, and a single ki signature missing from the area. After scanning the area, his calm composure remaining, he turned and began to walk towards Krillin.

Around the same time Goku walked towards Krillin, Tien began to regain his consciousness, his vision blurry as he opened his eyes. He could barely make out the picture but as his vision came to and he pulled himself to his knees, he noticed something…different about Goku.

"Always at the last second with you, huh?" Krillin said, chuckling weakly as Goku approached him.

"Sorry, I took so long, but it looks like you've managed to hold your own." Goku replied. He turned his head to face Tien. "Hey, Tien! You don't mind if I give the Senzu to Krillin, right?"

Both Tien and Krillin were a bit stunned. "N-No..not at all." Tien answered.

Krillin looked confused. "No, I can't Goku, it'll just be wasted on me." He pointed out. "You should keep it for yourself."

Goku smiled. "It's fine, you need it more. Besides, Korin had an extra one finish in time." He explained. "So I'm all good to go."

Krillin formed a surprised look on his face. "I thought Korin was all out for a while, he actually had an extra one?"

Goku nodded. "Ye-huh, Korin said it was a miracle that this one managed to finish in time." He answered. "Here, why don't you and Goten take half." He split the bean with his thumb into two perfect halves.

Krillin sighed. "Guess I don't really have a choice, do I?" He asked. Goku shook his head in response, and sighing again, Krillin grabbed the half from Goku's hand.

At around the same time, Nappa who was still a bit disoriented, started to get back up, his face visibly angry. That anger quickly dissipated as he became sidetrack when his sights locked onto the newcomer, easily recognizing who it was but what confused him more was the sudden reenergizing of both Krillin and now Goten.

Tien shortly arrived to group with the others, still not quite figuring out what he saw that was so different about Goku. "That is you, right, Goku?"

Goku raised a brow. "Of course, It's me, what kind of question is that?"

Tien formed an unsure look on his face. "It's just you seem…different."

"The only different thing about me is that I've gotten stronger." Goku pointed out. 'I'm still the same old Goku. I can't believe how much stronger you've guys gotten." An impressed look formed on his face.

Krillin frowned. "I thought that as well…but, after fighting these guys…It was pretty clear we weren't as strong as we thought we were."

Tien's demeanor changed, his gaze to the ground. "They're dead, Goku…all dead, and there was nothing we could do to stop them." He slowly began to get visibly angry. "Yamcha, Chiaotzu, even Piccolo! It was like a game to them!"

"But hey! Goku's here now and with us healed up, they wouldn't stand a chance!" Krillin pointed out, lightening the mood.

Goku shook his head. "No, this isn't your guys' fight anymore. I'll take care of things from this point on."

Krillin and Goten's mouth hung open. "B-But Dad!" Goten said, pausing as Goku walked away, facing Nappa, his energy rising. Goten, Krillin, and Tien couldn't believe the incredible power Goku was emitting.

Tien's jaw slacked. "T-That's Goku's power?!" He gasped. "How did he get so strong?!"

Krillin shrugged. "I don't know but I've never seen him so angry."

This white glow of energy surrounded Goku as he got closer to Nappa who had a smirk on his face. As he continued to get closer to Nappa, his power continued to gradually rise. His fists were clenched tightly, a vein was visible at the corner of his forehead.

As he stood in front of Nappa, about ten feet apart, his teeth clenched down. "Is that how you want to greet your friends in otherworld?" Nappa mocked, chuckling wickedly.

Goku took a powering up stance, ignoring Nappa's taunt, his white glow fading as it was replaced by a nearly clear energy that flowed, released around him like little lines and specks of light. Chunks of Earth slowly broke apart from the ground.

His hair flowed up from the incredible winds being generated by his pure power, the ground trembled for miles. Vegeta's scouter continuously changed display as it tried to keep up with Goku's changing power, beeping for every marker Goku hit.

"Six thousand….seven thousand…" Vegeta couldn't believe his own eyes, his mouth slightly hung open. Releasing a powerful shout, Goku finished powering up, the blowing winds gave one final gust, the floating chunks of Earth jumped instantly higher by several feet, and the Earth around him had one smooth shake.

Taking his scouter off his head, Vegeta crushed it. "Nappa! Look out! His power is over 8,000!"

Nappa whipped his head to Vegeta's direction, stunned. "Eight thousand? Your scouter must be malfunctioning or something! That's not possible!" He scoffed and turned back to face Goku. "Forget that! I won't buy it for a second!"

He dashed towards Goku, attempting to grapple him but as he closed in, Goku vanished, appearing above and behind Nappa as his foot struck Nappa. Nappa was sent several feet forward into the ground, the watchers nearby were all shocked.

"D-Did he just knock him down?!" Krillin gasped. Goten nodded in response, his mouth hung open as well as he swallowed hard.

Nappa rose to his feet, fury etched on his face. His teeth ground together, his muscles tensed, and a throbbing vein protruded from his forehead as he emitted a deep growl. With an intense determination, Nappa pivoted to confront Goku and lunged forward, his colossal left fist hurtling through the air. But in a blink of an eye, Goku vanished.

Nappa stood bewildered, unable to fathom Goku's sudden disappearance. It was as if he had evaporated into thin air, leaving Nappa grasping at emptiness. Meanwhile, the rest of the onlookers caught a glimpse of Goku reappearing on the opposite side. Though they couldn't comprehend the mechanics behind his swift maneuver, it appeared as if Goku had effortlessly transitioned to his new position, seamlessly integrating into the fabric of that side.

"I'm over here," Goku's voice resounded, slicing through the chaos, and Nappa's eyes widened in astonishment. Like a tempest unleashed, Goku surged forward, a blur of motion that defied comprehension, vanishing in the blink of an eye as he stood mere inches from Nappa's towering form.

In a blink, Goku materialized atop Nappa's head, a phantom poised for retribution. Time seemed to pause, and Nappa's gaze slowly lifted, his hands futilely reaching out to seize Goku's feet, frozen in disbelief. Then, like a thunderclap, a devastating blow struck the depths of his gut, halting his advance.

Nappa stood transfixed, a mask of shock etched upon his face. His mouth gaped open, his eyes widened, their pupils dilating under the weight of agony. Despite his indomitable will, the searing pain proved insurmountable, extinguishing the fire of his rage.

"That... was for Yamcha," Goku's voice resonated, serene yet brimming with a pure, unadulterated wrath that reverberated through the air.

Air slowly refilled Nappa's lungs, a painful groan escaped his mouth. "D-Damn you,...I'...I'll.." He was still too panting heavily to finish his words, stopped instead as he inhaled deeply, releasing a roar and hurling his fist.

Goku nimbly sidestepped Nappa's lunging fist, evading it effortlessly as if it were a mere phantom passing through the air. Nappa, consumed by fury, unleashed a torrential storm of strikes—punches aimed with blind rage, kicks lashing out with brutal force. Yet, each blow found nothing but empty space, slipping through Goku's defenses as if guided by an unseen hand.

Undeterred by his futile attempts, Nappa's frustration swelled, fueling his aggression. He charged forward, attempting a shoulder ram with reckless abandon. But Goku's instincts were honed to perfection, his body an extension of his indomitable will. With a graceful sidestep, he gracefully eluded Nappa's charge, guiding him unwittingly towards a small pond nestled nearby.

In a moment of divine irony, Nappa hurtled forward, his momentum unyielding, and plunged headlong into the tranquil waters. The serenity of the pond shattered, disrupted by the colossal splash as Nappa's towering form collided with the liquid surface, leaving him floundering in a sea of his own miscalculation.

Nappa's fury surged like an unbridled tempest, his anger reaching unprecedented heights. He seethed with indignation, searing with the notion of being made a laughingstock—a mockery in the eyes of others. How dare they! Him, Nappa, an elite Saiyan! The very thought ignited a raging inferno within him, an inferno that consumed reason and fueled his explosive wrath.

With an explosive bellow that shook the very core of his being, Nappa rose from the depths of the evaporated pond, his energy erupting in a cataclysmic display. The once tranquil waters evaporated under the immense force, dissipating into a misty haze. "You think you can mock me? Think you're stronger?" Nappa's voice thundered, carrying the weight of his wounded pride. "I'll show you! I'll show you the true power of a Saiyan elite!"

His fists clenched with unyielding determination as he assumed a stance of unfathomable power. The ground quaked beneath his feet, echoing his brewing energy. Chunks of damp earth floated around him, swirling in a chaotic dance. Thick tendrils of yellow-hued electricity crackled and danced in harmony with his inner fury, forming a coruscating aura that enveloped his formidable frame.

As the swirling energy coalesced in his right hand, a barely perceptible sphere of light yellow radiance materialized above his raised palm. The atmosphere stirred, winds howling and whipping through the surroundings, disturbing everything in their path.

Trees bowed, foliage rustled, and even Krillin, Tien, and Goten were buffeted by the raw force unleashed by Nappa's immense power. Only Vegeta, Goku, and Nappa himself remained unperturbed, their resolve unshaken.

Vegeta's eyes burned with annoyance, his gaze fixed upon Nappa, his judgment resolute. Nappa completed the gathering of his energy, pulling back his charged hand before thrusting it forward with resounding force. The energy sphere erupted into a violent wave, surging forth with menacing intent, threatening to engulf Goku in its voracious embrace.

Yet, in the face of this impending onslaught, Goku's countenance transformed. He drew upon his own wellspring of energy, his fists clenching with unwavering resolve. With a swift motion, he thrust his hands forward and upward, palms open wide, releasing a powerful kiai. Simultaneously, Nappa's wild wave of energy approached its target.

In a breathtaking display of skill and strength, Goku's ki collided with Nappa's malevolent energy, deflecting the blast into the vast expanse of outer space. The sight left Nappa stupefied, his mind struggling to comprehend the swift turn of events. Before he could fully recover, a mere heartbeat later, Goku materialized behind him, executing a spinning kick that struck the brute's lower back with precision and force.

"That was for Chiaotzu!" Goku yelled as Nappa went flying through a rock formation. Shortly after, as Nappa came to once more, feeling much more exhausted than before and barely standing, he pulled himself out of the rubble and looked for Goku.

He refused to give up, he refused to let this, this "low class trash" beat and humiliate him. However, before he could even find Goku, so called "low class trash", another fist struck him in the chin.

"And that was for Piccolo!" Goku continued. Nappa found himself several hundred feet in the air as he stopped himself from flying any further. Again Nappa growled with intense fury as he tried to find Goku, only to have a double ax-handle to his neck. "And that was for the hundreds of innocent lives you've killed here on Earth!"

Nappa crashed instantly into the ground, generating a small crater beneath him, a build up for dust and smoke emerged. There was silence for a moment, the other three had wondered if this was it, but to no surprise at all, as the dust and smoke settled and Goku lowered himself to the ground by the crater, Nappa floated out of it.

His power was dropped incredibly, he was panting heavily, but one thing still remained was his burning anger. "You! Are you a bottomfeeder!" He snarled. "You shouldn't even be able to lay a finger on me! So how! HOW! HOOOOOOW!"

"Nappa!" Vegeta's voice cut through Nappa's fit of rage, causing him to stop as he turned to face Vegeta. "Calm the hell down! If you're gonna let yourself get that angry, you're only going to lower your ability to fight properly! So take a deep breath and get your head in the game!"

Nappa nodded, inhaling deeply as he lowered himself to the ground about twenty feet apart from Goku. "Alright, I admit it, you got me for a moment there, that was pretty slick but it won't happen again." He said. "This time things won't be as easy."

Goku smirked. "It's too bad, with all that strength you have, you don't even know how to use it properly." He said. "You could've been a much more fun fighter."

Nappa's eyes widened. "What!?"

"Nappa!" Vegeta yelled again. "Don't make me remind you."

Nappa took another deep breath. "Right.." He muttered. "Trying to slip a little taunt to get me all riled up again, eh?"

Goku shook his head. "No, I was just making an observation?"

"An observation?!" His anger rose for a split second but Nappa calmed himself. "How about we prove that "observation" of yours?"

Nappa clenched his fists, gathering all of his power to him, and now that he's regained his composure, his power came much more naturally to him, allowing the full use and extent of his current level of power.

Despite this however, when he charged after Goku, it still wasn't good enough. He hurled a barrage of attacks, most of which were easily dodged, but some clashed against Goku's own attacks, creating sharp-sounding but small shockwaves.

Goku smiled after the end of a quick struggle. "Now this is more like it."

Nappa's wicked smirk grew wider, his malevolence radiating from every pore. "More like it? You won't be saying that once I finish you off!" His fists clenched tightly, a manifestation of his concentrated power gathering within him. With a predatory gleam in his eyes, he focused all that energy into his wide-open maw.

In an instant, a brilliant white sphere materialized before Nappa's mouth, pulsating with untamed energy. Within a fraction of a second, the sphere erupted, hurtling toward Goku with devastating force. Goku's eyes widened, a realization dawning upon him of the immense power contained within that blast. Reacting swiftly, he thrust both hands forward, channeling his own energy into a surge of vibrant blue.

The collision of the two titanic energy waves echoed through the air, clashing and grinding against each other with unyielding ferocity. The atmosphere trembled under the weight of their power, unleashing a symphony of raw energy that reverberated through the battlefield.

But as the swirling smoke began to dissipate, the truth was revealed—Goku stood unscathed, untouched by Nappa's assault. The brute's expression twisted into a visage of rage and frustration, his fury fueling an even greater determination to overcome his opponent.

"Come down, you're done fighting, Nappa!" Vegeta shouted, stopping Nappa before he could even attempt to continue. Nappa had a mix of confusion and anger on his face as he turned to Vegeta. "I'll take things over from here."

Nappa's jaw was slacked. "B-But Vegeta!"

"I will not let you disgrace the Saiyan name any further! You've lost Nappa!" Vegeta shouted. "So come down here now and forfeit, to save at least some of your reputation!"

Nappa sighed, turning his head back to face Goku. "I guess I'll have to turn your execution over to Vegeta." He said. "But that doesn't mean I can't have some fun!" His gaze moved instantly to the three below as he suddenly charged after them.

Goku's jaw dropped. "Crap!" He tightened his fist as he chased after Nappa, but because of the headstart, he was struggling to catch up.

"Solar Flare!" In an unexpected burst of valor, Tien's voice pierced the chaos, diverting Goku's attention as he instinctively averted his gaze and shielded his eyes from the blinding radiance. The brilliant surge of light abruptly halted Nappa's advance, freezing him in his tracks. Seizing the opportune moment, Tien tapped into every ounce of his inner power, summoning an immense force.

With remarkable speed, he materialized before Nappa, launching a devastating kick aimed directly at the brute's abdomen. The impact propelled Nappa with tremendous force, hurtling him through a nearby rock formation, causing the rugged terrain to crumble beneath his weight, until he finally crashed to the ground below.

As Goku un-shielded his eyes, knowing it was safe, he saw Nappa having landed not far from Vegeta. He was a bit stunned. "That was some quick thinking Tien!"

"Didn't think it would work but I guess you've managed to wear him down enough." Tien replied, a drop of sweat falling from his forehead.

The two lowered themselves by Goten and Krillin. "If you hadn't done that, I was afraid I was going to have to use the Kaio-ken technique." Goku said.

The other three looked confused. "Kaio..what?" Tien blinked a couple of times.

Goku smirked. "A technique I learned in Otherworld by King Kai." He answered. "By gathering all of my energy up, I can double or even triple my power for very short periods of time."

"Double…your power?!" Krillin gasped. "If you had a technique like that why didn't you use it in the beginning?!"

Goku chuckled. "That wasn't an option, if I'm not in complete control while using it, I could really mess myself up." He explained. "The repercussions would've been disastrous, so I was hoping to never have to use it or at the very least save it."

"But if it's possible to do that then surely it's possible to negate those effects, right?" Tien asked.

Goku shrugged. "Dunno, I hadn't even considered it since I've only mastered the most basic of it all." He answered.

Nappa weakly lifted his hand to Vegeta. "V-Vegeta…M-Mind giving me a h-hand?"

Vegeta's face was impassive for a short second but then a smirk formed on his face as he grabbed Nappa's hand. "Sure." He said. Vegeta tightened his grip causing Nappa to groan in pain as complete confusion formed on his face. Vegeta's demeanor immediately changed as he swung Nappa high in the air.

Nappa went spiraling through the air. "V-Vegeta! W-Why!"

Vegeta scoffed. "A paralyzed Saiyan like you has no place with me!" He took a powering stance, his fists clenched and raised. "Say goodbye!" The incredible energy he output, caused massive winds to generate and alert the others nearby.

As Vegeta unleashed his incredible blast, Tien, Krillin, and Goten could barely hold their ground to keep from flying away, even Goku was a bit shocked at the pressure created. The white wave of energy struck and consumed Nappa, obliterating every shred and fiber of his flesh, bone, and DNA from existence.

When the commotion quickly ended, Goku was seen having pulled the other three away from the air, high in the sky.

"And I thought the Brute's power was intense!" Tien gasped.

Krillin swallowed hard. "But this guy is on a whole different playing field!" He added.

A serious look emerged on Goku's face. "You guys need to return to Master Roshi's." He said, bluntly. "I can't have you here while fighting him." Both Tien and Krillin were quick to understand as Goku began to float away, but Goten on the other hand…

"B-But Dad! We can't let you fight him alone!" Goten replied.

"Your father is right, Goten." Tien pointed out with a calm voice. "We'll only get in his way."

Goten swallowed hard. "What if he needs us?! We can't let him die!"

Krillin closed in and placed a hand on Goten's shoulder. "It'll be fine, Goten. It's better this way, if we stay here, we'll only get in the way and become a liability." He explained. "And if we become liabilities, he won't be able to fight to the fullest, you don't want that do you?"

Goten frowned and sighed. "No."

Krillin smiled. "Good. Let's go." He floated a few feet back and looked at Tien. "You ready?" Tien nodded in response as the two took off. Goten was a bit hesitant before he took off, taking a couple of extra seconds as he looked back.

Goku lowered himself over Vegeta but stayed mid-air. "Let's move, there's a place I know where there's no life nearby to get hurt."

Vegeta turned to face Goku, his arms crossed, he scoffed and rolled his eyes. "If that is what you wish, after all it will be your last." He replied. He floated up, leveled with Goku, before Goku took the lead.

To be continued…

Official Power Levels up to this point:

Vegeta: ? Much Higher than 8,000

Nappa: 8,000 (Full Power) | 6,000 (Drained + Against Goku) | 3,000 (Uncomposed) | 1,500 (Post-Energy Wave & Uncomposed | 5,000 (Composed/Drained) | 2,000 (Post-Final Energy Blast)

Goku: Over 8,000

Piccolo: 3,500

Tienshinhan: 1,980

Yamcha: 1,875

Krillin: 1,760

Goten: 1,360 (Minimal Power) | 3,000 (Angered) | Over 3,000 (Reserves)

A/N: FFNet's formatting is still broken, can't get it to work still :/. Ao3 has fixed formatting if you wish, it does play an important part but eh.