They came on in a sudden rush, fists and feet streaking right to left. But, with only a slight movement, Raditz blocked, stabbing under the attacks, then moved his arms left and right, forcing each attack to fly harmlessly off the mark. They split their numbers to better coordinate the attack. Kukyo on the left flank, Goku in the middle, and coming on the right flank was Piccolo. Raditz threw up a wall of defense, though he was outnumbered, and it appeared he'd be able to keep up with the trio, he pushed himself towards one of the nearby corners, stopping short by an intersection that cut into a mountain.
With a jerk of his wrist, Raditz stabbed straight ahead with a chop, and Goku had to throw himself backward, bringing his shin across as he did, trying to parry, but Raditz already retracted his fist by then and had settled back into an offensive rhythm. Against this man, their sudden flurry of attacks seemed exaggerated, inefficient, for Raditz blocked, countered, and deflected each strike with a slight hand movement.
For while Goku, Piccolo, and Kukyo were martial artists, Raditz was a ruthless mercenary, following a more aggressive fighting style, a killing style, one more effective against people in large groups, than a single person like their own. Now, as the battle played out between them and Raditz, the burly man's ruthless style was starting to show its brilliance. While they all leapt and spun, slashing side to side with feet and insteps, flying all about with great acrobatics, all of Raditz's movements seemed far more efficient.
They seemed far more direct. He didn't flip or spin. He followed a single line, front and back, his primary focus being the head and center mass, his feet and hands shifting to keep him constantly in perfect balance as he came on suddenly with devastating chops that had all three of his attackers stumbling backward.
"Come on! You're starting to disappoint me!"
His words spurred them forward, Piccolo racing ahead, vanishing into another series of spins and slashes, but Raditz only angled left and then right, just enough to send Goku's jumping kick shooting off to the side, forcing him to spin off to the side. The trio had to retreat soon after getting their footing, gasping for breath.
"I was expecting more than this. Let's make it more sport-like." Raditz curled his lips in a wicked smile.
Kukyo steadied herself. Goku shifted from foot to foot, getting a better grip on the ground. Then they exploded into motion, flashing ahead of Piccolo, ramming their elbows into Raditz's forearm, their limbs flashing all about as they attacked with twice the fierceness than before. Goku kept a better measure of his strikes this time, reversing his angles as much as he could, turning a wide kick into a sudden thrusting knee. Raditz snarled, working furiously to keep them at bay.
Piccolo pressed forward more forcefully, while Kukyo tried to expose Raditz's flanks. And then, to her horror, Raditz began pressing his own attack, his hands stabbing and retracting so quickly that most of her swift parries and quick kicks hit nothing but air. They had to jump back, and then back again, as Raditz moved ever closer to hitting home. Raditz stepped forward suddenly, breaking his steps so they were like a stutter, and swung his shin low for Kukyo's thigh.
Rather than intercept the blow, Kukyo lunged back, but to her shock, Raditz shot right for her, never losing any speed and thrust his fist right back out, up high and across the other way. There was no way she could block or slide back fast enough. Raditz's fist smashed hard into her stomach, and as she lurched forward, the long-haired Saiyan retracted his hand and snapped it back out along its original course, digging hard into her side.
Kukyo stumbled backward, tripping and crashing hard against the ground on her knees, but even as she fell, Raditz was right in her face, his boot screaming as it reached terminal velocity, and with a sudden crack, he sent Kukyo bouncing across the ground. Raditz shouted in joy, laughing as he slammed his fist forward, watching with glee as Goku's arm cut under it.
"Foolish little brother. I thought you would learn your lesson."
"I'm stubborn." Goku replied.
Kukyo came on, entire body whirling with such speed that she seemed almost encased by her limbs. Punching, kicking, and spinning, she pressed ahead, even when Raditz struck, rather than shifting backwards to evade. For the first time, Raditz allowed his little confident smile to lessen. He had to work furiously to keep the trio and their coordinated attacks at bay, dodging and blocking. He tried to step out to the side, but stopped, and his eyes widened a bit when he realized that Kukyo, in the midst of her reverse kick, pivoted and swung her other leg around.
"Little sister! You're impressing me!" He sincerely congratulated.
His grin widened, and with ease, Raditz put himself back on even footing with the trio, trading kick for punch and forcing them to dodge and block as often as they tried to strike. He came on hard, thinking to drive them back and off balance as he had driven Goku back. But, to his surprise, they struggled to hold their ground, stubbornly trading punch for punch so forcefully and precisely that none of Raditz's attacks got through the combined defense.
"Go for his face!" Piccolo shouted.
Together the three of them pressed Raditz. Goku on the left flank, Kukyo on the right, and Piccolo in the center, their combined efforts finally forcing Raditz into a more defensive stance. Raditz couldn't help but marvel at the speed and savagery of Piccolo, tempered by the fluid movements of Goku, and bolstered by the swift movements of Kukyo.
Their reactions were so keen, their combat instincts so pure, that they were able to sense and anticipate just not what Raditz was going to do even as it happened, then use his attacks to their own advantage, but they could sense and anticipate what the other would do. They were at an impasse, none of their attacks able to connect with Raditz himself.
He came at Kukyo again, his fist changing directions so quickly in mid attack that it looked almost as if his entire arm was warping. Kukyo barely held off the assault with a furious defensive flurry, breathing harder and harder with each strike. Each time she made a move, she was forced to expend desperate, frantic energy, to keep his fists and shins from stabbing into her.
Another exchange drove her backward. Raditz was starting to cut off the landscape, pushing the three of them into a corner to limit their movement, trying to limit their agility. Knowing she was no match for his strength, and there was nothing she could do about it, she took another step back. Goku understood that they couldn't hold out. All of them were expending many times the energy of the much stronger Raditz, and as soon as they tired, he'd make his move.
Goku watched in admiration as Piccolo worked strikes in perfect harmony, spinning them over and about with blinding speed and precision, while keeping each transition fluid and measured. And he watched with horror as Raditz's limbs surged, flashing ahead and back with equal precision, picking off attack after attack and even countering once or twice to interrupt the flow of the barrage.
Goku's heart leapt in hope as Piccolo charged forward suddenly, while Kukyo stabbed forward with a reverse high kick. He understood immediately, even before he noted Kukyo's other leg coming up and over the other way. The attack would push both Raditz's fists out of the way, clearing the path for the victorious strike!
But, Raditz reacted impossibly fast, and the trio's down cutting strikes hit the ground. Goku's spinning reverse kick flew off Raditz's wrist, but he swung around his other leg, igniting his ki as it came into contact with an upraised forearm. He rushed to the burly Saiyan with a frenzy he'd never known. Nor had Raditz. They locked forearm to forearm. When Goku pushed Raditz back to break the clinch, the older Saiyan struck his head with a chop. He stumbled backward even farther, and Raditz pursued him relentlessly, coming upon his other two foes in the process.
Blow upon blow, he forced them to retreat—back onto the terrain that crossed the vast, seemingly endless mountainous region to the plains. Piccolo was driven to his knees. He raised his arm to block yet another onslaught—and Raditz slashed Piccolo's right hand off at the wrist. The hand, along with blood, thudded on the ground while Piccolo tumbled over his feet. He stared at his twitching, severed hand. He had little time for anything else. Raditz stabbed straight ahead clenching his fingers, then with a sudden twist, ripped the limb from its elbow socket.
Half of Piccolo's arm flew to the side, his hand still half clenched on the ground several feet away. Raditz channeled his ki into his fist, moving far too fast for Piccolo to even trace. He fell on him like a shadow, viciously stabbing with chops, punches, and kicks, leaving him to stagger back until Raditz grew tired of the drunken dance and rammed his elbow hard into Piccolo's cheek.
"Piccolo!" Kukyo screamed.
Goku went on the offensive immediately, driving Raditz back. He fought hard to regain his fighting posture, but Raditz was relentless, thrusting repeatedly, keeping the young man stumbling backward and jolting in pain. Goku stopped, and lunged for Raditz, roaring and slashing hard with his leg. Raditz surged ahead and stabbed out, intercepting not Goku's kick, but sinking his knee into his gut, right below the ribs. Goku seized up. Spit and blood flew out of his mouth, his body, still rotating for the kick, crashed to the ground.
Piccolo managed to gather himself onto one knee breathing hard, face and body covered in blood.
"Has anyone seen an arm laying around somewhere? I see a green man and two brain damaged buffoons who just can't cut it. It must be horrible to know you didn't have the fire to make this good for sport."
Raditz sneered briefly, turning his focus towards Kukyo.
"Looks like it is just you and me. One arm green man and Kakarot are licking their wounds."
"I'm warning you Raditz..." Goku strained against the pain, pushing his knee into the ground.
"I'll be right with you Kakarot."
Raditz moved in again, his ki so violent that Goku could hear the sizzle as it split the air around them. Kukyo leapt forward to meet the challenge, digging in her power to anticipate and block the strikes moving too fast for her eyes to see. She felt the ki flowing through her like fire, and she was barely able to keep the paralyzing edges of Raditz's strikes at bay.
Kukyo's skull exploded with pain as Raditz's forehead slammed into her face. Pain turned her vision into a field of silver stars. The bones of her head jarring. Blind and dazed, she was able to parry the next strike only by instinct. But Raditz pivoted as his strike was turned away and delivered a kick that buckled Kukyo in the side and leveled an elbow against her forehead.
Kukyo collapsed, hands slamming into the ground as she braced her fall. Raditz crushed Kukyo's fingers under his boot, grinding them into the ground, then brought his knee up, cracking her right on the jaw. An elbow rocketed down, crashing right into Kukyo's temple with a hard thud. With a last, desperate burst Kukyo tried to hurl herself backward with a ki blast.
Raditz moved through the blast. He moved in close to finish the job. His stabbing blow skimmed off Kukyo's knee. He rushed her with a frenzy. Kukyo battled back fiercely, but it was evident that the advantage was still in Raditz's favor. He tried to press it like he had from the beginning, but Kukyo rooted herself, locking blows, body to body.
Raditz raised his arm to block yet another onslaught—Kukyo slashed Raditz's right ankle with a sweep. Raditz dug himself in, along with Kukyo, trading blow for blow. The first blows hit with thunderous impact. The next strike took Raditz higher up on Kukyo's left arm, and she staggered, barely conscious as Raditz stepped back, and reached out with his hand to grab her around the throat with a crushing grip. He raised his arms, lifting the muscular woman, then hurled her across the ground.
She lay motionless in a crumpled, bloodied heap. Blood from her nose and mouth clogged her throat. A coughing fit racked her body, and she heard rather than felt the grinding of her ribs. Bloodied and crumbled, she struggled to move from her spot, struggled to get back up to her feet. She caught a glimpse of a pair of bloodied boots towering over her.
"I'm going to give you both one last chance. Sarpa and Kakarot."
Goku's eyes widened in disbelief. "Raditz, stop!"
"Wait for your turn Kakarot!"
Kukyo spat out blood. "I am not Sarpa. My name is Kukyo!"
"Okay then." Raditz grinned, relishing the moment. "You're first, Sarpa."
Goku didn't know what to say.
Every lattice that made up the reality around him shattered.
Raditz waited until the last possible second before unleashing the rage built up within him in a tremendous rush of power. He channeled it through his tendons, ligaments, his heavy muscles and heavier limbs, smashing his boot on Kukyo's chest, crushing down viciously, feeling the bones buckling and giving way.
Piccolo watched Raditz with anger, burning with nothing but pure hatred at the hopelessness of his situation. Before he had been amazed at how swift and fluid, they had been in their assault on Raditz.
"Kukyo...Damn it all." Piccolo seethed.
He may have hated her, he may have detested her, and he may have wanted to kill her with every ounce of his will as much, if not more, than he wanted to kill Goku...However, that was his choice. It was his business. They had a long history. Hearing her scream of agony, being tortured by her own brother, before his eyes, and he could do nothing but watch, disgusted him.
Raditz paused in his torture, yanked inexorably off of his feet and flung to the side.
"I've had enough of you!" Goku hissed, struggling to keep his breathing in check.
Raditz could already see the strikes Goku snapped out became less fluid, the counters more sporadic than smooth, and the transitions far less powerful as he gradually wore down his defenses. The fog of exhaustion was slowly clouding his mind, and he knew it was only a matter of time until his foolish brother made a fatal miscalculation. Yet even though he was battling, Raditz's real struggle was with himself. Time and again he had to pull back to keep from lunging through an opening presented by his brother's increasingly desperate and futile assault.
He understood that the crushing victory he sought would only come through timing.
In the end he was rewarded.
Goku slowly became more and more frustrated as he continually tried and failed to bring his burly opponent down. As the prolonged physical exertion began to take its toll, his swings became wild and reckless, until he abandoned all pretense of defense in an effort to end the duel, he sensed was slipping away from him. Raditz waited until the last possible second before he let loose the murderous energy bottled up inside him in a tremendous rush of power. He channeled it through his muscles and limbs.
In the blink of an eye, he connected with Goku, smashing his forearm across the shorter man's face, nearly shattering his cheekbone, then spun through and brought his shin crashing into his opponent's lower leg. For an instant Piccolo wasn't even aware of what had happened in its entirety. It took him a while to register the blur of action that had occurred so much quicker than anyone's eyes could see. It took him longer to register that Goku was still writhing in agony.
He lay crumpled on the ground, shaking.
Raditz didn't even hesitate a split second before moving in to finish him off, savoring the moment.
"Enough, Raditz!" Kukyo shouted.
Raditz stopped his next punch from connecting with Goku's bloodied face, glancing over at the pitiful woman hobbled on the ground.
"Raditz! Stop it!"
Hardly pausing after staring at Kukyo for a few moments, Raditz smashed his boot into Goku's chest. Goku let out a silent scream, unable to even gasp as the oxygen was pushed inexorably from his lungs.
"Your turn Kakarot."
Goku nearly strangled out a cry of pain as the boot came back down, compressing into his torso with nothing but impact. Lifting his boot free of Goku's clutching hand, Raditz jeered and began to ground down on him, exerting more force.
"I told you to stop it!"
Kukyo's fury blistered, and she charged ahead.
"I said stop hurting him!"
Reaching full velocity, her four limbs arced to cut Raditz in half, her blows working so mightily that their precision and power was much higher than when Goku had been at the peak of his dance. Raditz held strong, parrying, striking, and blocking, each move backed by his full power. Just as he was about to launch a counter, though, Kukyo was gone, leaping high and turning a backflip into a somersault to land right behind him, in perfect balance, striking hard. Raditz reversed his angle and stabbed out behind him with his forearm, intercepting the blow.
He swung back around, jamming his elbow into Kukyo's forearm, stopping the blow. He spun about, driving both of them into the ground as he went, nearly heaving them through the earth. With a growl of rage, Raditz unleashed, letting his ki flow through him as if his physical form was a mere conduit for its power. His tempo increased suddenly, dozens of steps forward, continuing to press, perfectly balanced all the while. His fighting style was one based on balance and aggression, he initiated the attack, used counters, and depended on the back-and-forth charges, and sudden retreats.
Now he came at Kukyo with a series of cunning combinations that had her moving left and right. Never could he strike low, though, for Kukyo never seemed to be on the ground, leaping, corkscrewing, flipping, lunging, and spinning, shooting all about, parrying each blow, that had Raditz increasing his punches with thrice the effort, skipping backward.
Raditz hooked his fist up high, turning the angle of his elbow in anticipation that Kukyo would dodge left. But Kukyo, in complete anticipation of the movement, veered neither left nor right, but rather, lunged off the ground, diving forward with a kick. Raditz was prepared, already retracting the missed attack, and began a second and third stab with his knife hands, this time down low, but Kukyo had anticipated that, too, and went right back up behind the stabbing hand. A sudden reverse kick by Kukyo forced Raditz to take a quick step back, just a little off-balance, for the first time, but with another change of angle he sunk his knee into her back.
"You've impressed me again Sarpa!"
"We're getting toyed with..." Goku's voice shook with strain as he came to a stop in front of Piccolo.
Moving a bit lower, he helped him, and Piccolo accepted his help with his free hand, slowly supporting himself.
Goku wiped at the blood on his forehead. "Do you have an ace?"
Piccolo glared at him but nodded determinedly.
"I haven't been able to test it in battle. I planned to use it on you and Kukyo the first chance I got." Piccolo explained, smirking slightly.
"Now that's irony. You're using this to get rid of a space pirate instead of killing me and Kukyo. I'm sure it must put you out of your element."
Piccolo pushed himself away from Goku, trying to find a stable base. "I'll be using it on you soon enough."
Goku smirked slightly. "I have something to look forward to in that case."
"You're going to have to last a minute against him." Piccolo said.
"I got it. Just make sure to hit this guy."