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Chapter 61: Belt To Ass
The ground beneath his cracked as he landed after his warmup jump. His orange gi, loose and weathered from countless hours of training and combat, fluttered in the breeze as he tightened the blue belt around his waist. The symbol of the Turtle School emblazoned on his back and the kanji of Kami on his chest seemed to glow, a reminder of the teachings that had shaped him into the warrior he was today. His face was calm, but there was a steely glint in his eyes, a readiness that couldn't be denied.
His arch-rival stood beside him with his typical dark purple gi and flowing white cape. The warrior's green skin shimmered under the sun, and his antennae twitched as he cracked his neck and knuckles, the sound like thunder in the eerie silence. His eyes, sharp and focused, were locked on the horizon, where he knew their enemies would soon appear. The memories of his father's tyranny still haunted him, but Piccolo found himself less and less driven by that legacy. He was a warrior in his own right, and today, he would showcase it.
The girl, dressed in a form-fitting blue battle suit that accentuated her lithe yet powerful frame, took a deep breath, her Byakugan activated, veins bulging around her eyes. Her prayer to Kami had been brief but heartfelt, a plea for strength and willpower in the battle that lay ahead. Her long, indigo hair flowed behind her, braided loosely to prevent any distraction. As she began her warmup, her movements were fluid, almost graceful, but there was a power in them that could not be ignored. She was a far cry from the timid girl from years past. She had become a fierce warrior, and she had the Tenseigan as her trump card, should the battle demand it.
The arrival of reinforcements was like a gust of wind sweeping across the battlefield.
Naruto and Sasuke were the first to appear, their figures materializing as they landed almost silently. Naruto, in his black combat outfit with orange accents, exuded a different aura of raw power, his blond hair wild and untamed, his blue eyes fierce. Sasuke, clad in his dark, high-collared shirt and pants with a band over his bangs, looked every bit the warrior of legend he was becoming. The Uchiha's Rinnegan glinted next to his Sharingan, a weapon of rare air, ready to unleash. The two rivals and more importantly brothers exchanged a brief glance, unspoken words between them and all—this battle was not one to be taken lightly.
Ino and Tien arrived next, with the latter's shirtless, muscular frame a stark contrast to the former's refined appearance. The Crane prodigies traditional green pants and martial artist's wraps testified his years of training, his third eye intensely focused. Her outfit, a sleek, purple combat dress that hugged her form and allowed for maximum mobility, shimmered in the sunlight. Her medium length blonde hair was tied up, her eyes fierce. Despite her appearance of beauty, there was no mistaking the deadly precision with which she moved. She had grown far beyond the girl she once was, her mind techniques now deadly beyond her own preconceived notions.
The air rippled as Kakashi arrived via Kamui, his silver hair catching the light, the signature mask covering half his face giving him the typical enigmatic presence. His usual outfit was as practical as ever, his flak jacket and arm guards a testament to his experience in the field. His eyes, the ever illustrious Double Mangekyo Sharingan, was calm but dangerous. He had honed his Kamui to perfection and beyond during his time on The Lookout, and now he aimed to use it to its fullest extent.
Neji and Tenten were the last to arrive, their Iron-Man-like armors gleaming in the sunlight. Tenten's pink suit, sleek and deadly, covered her from head to toe, her eyes invisible through a high-tech visor that linked her directly to Shikamaru in the Iron Cave. Neji's grey armor was just as impressive, built for both offense and defense. His Byakugan was active, veins prominent around his eyes as he scanned the area for any signs of the approaching Saiyans. The two of them were a force to be reckoned with. Shikamaru's voice crackled in their ears through the comms, guiding them as he monitored the battlefield from afar.
As they all gathered, the anticipation only ramped up further. The lot of them were not just teammates; they were friends, comrades, and in some cases, lovers. But this was not the time for sentimentality.
Each of them knew what was at stake, and there was no room for error.
Naruto glanced around at the group, his usual grin replaced by a scowl. "Looks like we're all here. Time to show these Saiyans just what the hell we're made of."
Sasuke adjusted the band over his bangs, his voice low. "This isn't going to be easy."
Piccolo smirked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Not going to be easy? Speak for yourself, Uchiha."
"Oh so this is going to be easy, huh?" Kakashi's voice was cool, almost amused. "I'd prefer that. Means we were prepared."
Tien nodded in agreement. "They'll be strong, no doubt about it. But we've trained hard for this. We can take them."
Ino's eyes flickered with a cold light as she spoke. "Don't underestimate them, though. Raditz was allegedly nothing compared to what's coming, and even the likes of him killed some of our strongest."
Hinata, her voice calm, chimed in. "It doesn't matter, we can't afford to lose. Nobody dies this time."
Goku grinned as he cracked his knuckles. "I'm excited! Hopefully these guys can meet the hype!"
TCKK! THUD! Then, they heard it—a sound like thunder as four boots touched down on the earth, sending a wave of goosebumps through the group.
The defenders turned as one, their eyes locking onto the figures that had appeared. There they stood, the Saiyans—Nappa, towering and brutish, with a smirk that promised nothing but pain, and Vegeta, smaller but far more menacing, his aura of power suffocating in its intensity. They looked at the group before them with a mix of disdain and amusement, as though they were little more than ants to be crushed underfoot.
"Well, this is the welcoming committee?" Nappa's voice boomed, his laughter echoing through the wasteland. "You've got to be kidding me. Raditz must've been even weaker than we thought."
"Don't get cocky, Nappa," Vegeta interjected, his tone icy and authoritative. "There's something off about these weaklings. Their power levels don't match the confidence they're showing." He glanced at his scouter, the device blinking furiously. "It's clear they're hiding their true strength."
Nappa rolled his eyes but nodded, deferring to Vegeta's judgment. "Whatever you say, Vegeta. Let's just get to the killing part already. I'm itching for a fight."
As the Saiyans spoke, the defenders remained silent. Goku, standing at the forefront, remained calm, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. Beside him, Piccolo's expression darkened, his thoughts churning. He could feel the intensity of Vegeta's gaze, as if the Saiyan prince were peeling back the layers of his soul.
Speaking of which, the man's gaze settled on him, his lips curling into a smirk. "You… you're different from the others." His eyes narrowed as he scrutinized Piccolo, the scouter flickering in confusion. "You're not human, are you?"
Piccolo stiffened, his heart pounding in his chest. "What are you talking about?" he growled, his voice laced with suspicion.
Vegeta had amusement dancing in his eyes. "You don't know, do you? How sad. You've been living on this dirtball of a planet your entire life and you don't even know what you are."
Piccolo's eyes flickered with confusion. "What… I'm a demon, nothing more."
Vegeta laughed, a harsh, mocking sound that grated against the ears. "A demon? Is that what you've been telling yourself? No, you're a Namekian, a race of powerful warriors and healers. Though from the looks of it, you've been living in blissful ignorance."
Piccolo's breath hitched as the words sank in. A Namekian? An alien? All his life, he had believed himself to be the embodiment of his father's demonic legacy, but now… this revelation sent his world spiraling. He clenched his fists, struggling to process the truth that had just been dropped on him like a bombshell.
Did Goku and himself share more in common than they thought? Despite his blatant distrust of either of the two Saiyans, he couldn't help but discern that the smaller one told the truth.
The absolute truth.
Goku turned to Piccolo, his eyes wide with concern. "Piccolo… you okay?"
"It doesn't change anything," the reincarnation spat, though his voice trembled ever so slightly. "I am who I am. I'll deal with this later."
But in the pit of his stomach, a storm was brewing, a maelstrom of conflicting emotions.
Nappa, growing impatient with the lack of action, cracked his knuckles and shot his boss a glance. "So, what's the plan, Vegeta? Should we just crush them now?"
Vegeta's expression hardened, his eyes flicking back to the group. "Not yet, Nappa. Let's have a little fun first. Plant the Saibamen."
Nappa grinned wickedly, reaching into a pouch on his armor and pulling out several seeds. He crouched down and pressed them into the earth, his massive hands easily digging into the ground. As he poured a strange liquid over them, the soil began to bubble and crack, green, humanoid creatures sprouting from the ground in a matter of seconds.
Twenty Saibamen emerged, their bodies hunched and their faces twisted into grotesque grins.
"Go ahead, have at them," the brute said, his voice dripping with malice. "Let's see what these so-called warriors are made of."
The Saibamen let out ear-piercing screeches, their beady red eyes glowing with malevolent intent. They charged forward, their speed blinding, as they targeted each of the defenders with reckless abandon.
The battle exploded into chaos.
Goku met the first Saibaman head-on, his fist obliterating the creature's skull in a sickening crunch! The Saibaman's body crumpled under the force, but another was already leaping toward him, claws extended. The Saiyan spun, delivering a bone-shattering kick that sent the creature flying into a nearby boulder, which shattered on impact.
Naruto's hands blurred through a series of hand seals as he summoned three shadow clones to meet the onslaught. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" The clones swarmed the Saibamen, engaging them in a whirlwind of fists and Rasengans that resulted in all four of his green opponents becoming splat across the battlefield.
Sasuke, always precise and calculated, used his Sharingan to predict his Saibaman's every move. With a flick of his wrist, a Chidori Nagashi coursed through his blade, the electrifying energy sizzling in the air as he skewered the creature through the chest. The Saibaman's body convulsed violently before Sasuke sent a pulse of lightning through the sword, disintegrating it from the inside out.
The air was thick as the Saiyan prince and his hulking companion watched all of their Saibamen fall. One by one, the green creatures were obliterated, each in a different yet equally brutal manner. Goku's fist shot out like a lightning bolt, his punch so fast and precise that the Saibaman in front of him disintegrated on impact, its body leaving nothing but a puff of smoke in its wake.
His calm expression never wavered; the man was locked in.
Beside him, Piccolo's fingers extended in a blur, and with a sharp wave of his hand, his Saibaman was bisected cleanly. The creature didn't even have time to register its death before collapsing into two neat halves. Piccolo didn't waste a breath, his gaze already locking onto Vegeta and Nappa, his aura simmering with latent power.
He was locked in too, despite his revelation.
Hinata moved with an elegance that belied her lethal intent. Her feet barely touched the ground as she spun, her fists and feet a blur of motion. Her Saibaman was caught completely off guard, unable to anticipate her fluidity and speed. A well-timed backflip kick sent it careening into the sky, where she met it with a piercing strike to its chest, its body exploding upon impact.
Tien's expression was stoic as he charged his ki into his hand, his fingers forming a triangular shape. "Kikoho!" he roared, unleashing a blast of raw energy that incinerated the Saibaman in front of him. The ground beneath the blast cratered, the air vibrating with the aftermath of the devastating technique. He stood firm, his muscles tensed as he scanned the battlefield for any remaining threats.
Kakashi's Sharingan spun into focus, and with a subtle twist of his wrist, a dimensional ripple formed around the Saibaman approaching him. The creature's body began to distort, its limbs stretching and compressing unnaturally before random bits and pieces of it were sucked into the void of Kamui, its scream of terror cut short as it was ripped to shreds. He lowered his hand, his eyes narrowing as he turned his attention back to Vegeta, the wheels of strategy already turning in his mind.
Ino had a more challenging time, but she too emerged victorious. Her mind jutsu allowed her to take control of her Saibaman long enough to turn it against another, but her physical strength wasn't far above that of the creatures. And because she was designated as the easiest prey, she received the most attention. When one managed to get behind her in a Yamcha-like maneuver, Kakashi intervened, tearing it apart with a swift Kamui snipe. Ino's breath was heavy, but she gave Kakashi a grateful nod before refocusing on the remaining enemies.
Tenten and Neji worked in perfect unison, their armor amplifying their already formidable skills. Neji's Byakugan allowed him to see every movement, every attack before it came, while Tenten unleashed a barrage of weaponry from her Iron-Man-like suit, bombarding the Saibamen with missiles and energy blasts.
"Keep them at bay, Ten-chan," Neji ordered as he intercepted a Saibaman with a precise strike to its skull, rendering it deceased.
"On it, Neji-kun!" Tenten responded, her voice juiced up as she unleashed another salvo of missiles. The blasts illuminated the battlefield, turning the Saibamen caught in the crossfire into smoldering heaps.
Hinata, her blue battle suit glowing with chakra, fought with an intensity that belied her calm demeanor. Her Byakugan was focused, pinpointing every Saibaman's weak spot. She moved with a dancer's grace, her strikes precise and lethal. With a powerful spin, she unleashed her Gentle Step Twin Lion Fists, obliterating a Saibaman in a flash of blue energy. But there was no time to rest—another Saibaman charged at her, and she met it with a devastating palm strike that sent it crashing into the dirt. "They keep coming," she muttered, her breath steady as she prepared for the next wave.
Piccolo, still reeling from the revelation of his true heritage, fought with a fury that was almost primal. His hands glowed with ki as he fired off energy blasts, incinerating the Saibamen that dared approach him. "Namekian… Demon… It doesn't matter what I am. I'll destroy anyone who stands in my way!" His voice was a low growl, filled with a rage that he struggled to contain. Each blast he unleashed seemed to carry the weight of his inner turmoil, but his focus never wavered. He was a warrior, and that was all that mattered.
As the last of the Saibamen fell, their bodies reduced to smoking craters, the battlefield fell into an uneasy silence. The defenders regrouped, their breaths heavy, their eyes locked on the two Saiyans who had watched the entire skirmish with a mixture of amusement and contempt.
As the final Saibaman fell, crawling back to Vegeta and Nappa in fear, the formers eyes narrowed in disgust. "Pathetic," he muttered. Without hesitation, he extended two fingers, a small beam of energy shooting out and eviscerating the creature on the spot. He then began to clap slowly, mockingly, his cold smirk never leaving his face.
"Well, well, well," Vegeta drawled, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You managed to take down a few green pests. How impressive."
Nappa, on the other hand, seemed genuinely surprised, his eyes wide as he reviewed the scouter's readings. "Vegeta, their power levels… they spiked during the fight. That's not normal. How are they doing that?"
"Use your brain, Nappa," Vegeta snapped, his patience wearing thin. "They're suppressing their power levels. They're not as weak as they appear, but they're still no match for us. This was just the warm-up."
Goku stepped forward, his gaze steady as he looked directly at Vegeta. "It was? I really hope so."
Vegeta's eyes glinted with anticipation. "Oh, don't worry, Kakarot. The real fun is just beginning. I'm going to enjoy crushing that confidence of yours."
This was it. The real fight was about to begin.
Goku then turned his gaze toward both Vegeta and Nappa, his expression presenting an... arrogant disposition?
"Y'know," he began, his voice captivating everyone, "if you guys really want to stand a chance, you should transform into Great Apes now. It's the only way this fight will be worth anything."
Vegeta's eyes narrowed, his pride pricked by Goku's suggestion. "You insolent worm," he hissed, a mixture of anger and disbelief in his tone. "You think you're worthy of witnessing my true power? I don't need to become a Oozaru to deal with low-class scum like you!" He shot a glance at Nappa, his face contorted into a sneer. "Nappa, show them their place."
With a twisted grin, Nappa eagerly stepped forward, his massive hands cracking with sparks of yellow energy. "You heard the prince," he growled, "time to squash some bugs!"
But before Nappa could even take another step, Piccolo was already in motion.
ZZZOOOOOOMMMM!
In an instant, his arm stretched out with blinding speed, his hand clamping down over Nappa's face like a vice. The brutish Saiyan barely had time to register what was happening before Piccolo yanked him off his feet and slammed him into the ground with such force that the earth cracked beneath him. The impact sent a shockwave through the battlefield, making the others stagger slightly.
Without a moment's hesitation, Piccolo recoiled his arm, bringing his body forward and launching a vicious kick into Nappa's midsection. The sheer power of the blow sent Nappa rocketing into the sky, his body spinning out of control as he was flung hundreds of miles away. A second later, Piccolo's kiai wave blasted him even further, the boom echoing through the air as the Saiyan disappeared from sight.
Vegeta's eyes widened, his smirk fading as he processed what had just happened. "What—" he began, but Goku cut him off, his voice carrying a confidence that made his blood boil.
"Guys, follow Piccolo," Goku instructed, his tone firm but casual, as if they were discussing something as simple as the weather. "I'll handle Vegeta myself."
Vegeta's face twisted in rage, his fists clenching so tightly that his knuckles turned white within his white gloves. "How dare you dismiss me!" he shouted, his aura flaring up around him like a wildfire. "I want them to witness your death, Kakarot! I want them to see you fall at my hands!"
Goku simply shrugged, a small smile playing on his lips. "Fine by me. We'll all follow after Nappa then. Doesn't matter where we fight; the result will be the same." His words were confident, but there was no genuine arrogance in his tone—only a quiet certainty.
With that, the group launched themselves into the sky, following the trail of energy left in Nappa's wake. Vegeta hovered for a moment, his face contorted in fury, before blasting off after them, his dark blue energy flaring violently as he caught up.
The landscape below blurred into a streak of green and brown as they flew, the wind whipping past them as they soared at breakneck speed. Goku glanced back at the others, his eyes briefly meeting Hinata's. She briefly smiled at him, her gaze steady, before she focused ahead once more, her expression unreadable once more.
"You sure about this, Goku?" Tien asked, his voice strained from the exertion of keeping pace with the group. "These guys in their Great Ape forms are a different breed."
Goku's smile widened slightly. "That's exactly why I'm excited, Tien. I've been waiting for a real challenge."
"You're a freak, y'know that?" Naruto chimed in, exasperation in his tone. "But I guess that's why we're all still here, still alive."
"That makes two of us," Sasuke muttered, his Rinnegan eye glancing at the horizon as they neared their destination.
As they descended toward the crash site, Nappa's battered form was already struggling to rise from the crater he had created. His face was twisted in pain and fury, but before he could recover, the group landed around him, encircling him like predators ready to pounce on their prey.
Piccolo remained silent, his focus entirely on the battle ahead. The revelation that he was a Namekian, not a demon, had shaken him to his core, but he buried those emotions deep within him. There would be time to process that later.
Right now, he had one priority: eliminating the threat in front of him.
Vegeta landed last, his aura flaring with anger. "You'll regret underestimating me, Kakarot," he growled, his voice low and menacing. "When I'm done with you, there won't be enough left of your body to bury."
Goku's smile never wavered, his eyes locking onto Vegeta's."That's a lot of talk for someone who's about to get his ass kicked."
The ever increasing friction between them crackled like electricity in the air, the anticipation of the battle ahead growing with every passing second. Goku's heart pounded in his chest, not from fear, but from the sheer thrill of the fight that was about to unfold.
This was what he lived for—pushing his limits, testing his strength against the best the world, and now the universe, had to offer.
Vegeta's eyes narrowed, his pride refusing to let him back down. "Let's see if you can live up to that mouth of yours, Kakarot."
Nappa, seething with fury, clenched his fists as his aura flared around him, his power level surging to its peak. The ground beneath him cracked under the pressure of his energy, rocks trembling and shattering in the wake of his rage. He glared at Piccolo, his teeth bared in a savage grin. "You think you can just throw me around like that, you green freak? I'm done playing games!"
But as Nappa's scouter began to beep, signaling Piccolo's power level, the Saiyan brute's confidence faltered. His eyes widened in disbelief as the numbers climbed higher than he ever imagined.
"Vegeta…" Nappa's voice trembled slightly, his bravado slipping away. "This... this Namekian is almost as strong as you!"
Vegeta's scowl deepened, but he remained silent, his eyes narrowing as he watched Piccolo intently.
Nappa, for all his bluster, was beginning to understand that they had vastly underestimated their opponents.
Without hesitation, the Namekian launched himself at Nappa, his speed so immense that he blurred from sight. He reappeared right in front of Nappa, his fist driving into the Saiyan's stomach with such force that he doubled over, gasping for air. The sound of the impact echoed like a thunderclap, the shockwave flattening the nearby landscape.
KABOOOOOOMM!
Piccolo showed no mercy. He was relentless, his fists and kicks moving with precision and power, each strike more devastating than the last. Nappa couldn't keep up, his attempts to counter were easily evaded, and his attacks were effortlessly parried.
It wasn't just a fight—it was a massacre.
"C'mon, fight back!" Piccolo taunted, grabbing Nappa by the throat and slamming him into a rock formation, the jagged stones crumbling under the force of the impact. "Is this really all you've got? Where's all that bravado from earlier?"
Nappa roared in frustration, his aura flaring wildly as he tried to push back against Piccolo, but it was useless. The Namekian was far beyond him, his power overwhelming. Piccolo's fists blurred as he pummeled Nappa, sending him careening through the air before crashing into the ground, forming a massive crater. The earth shook from the sheer force of the blows, the very air around them vibrating with each impact.
The other fighters watched in stunned silence, each of them fully aware that Nappa had been utterly outclassed. Even Hinata, who had trained herself to be a total package martial artist, couldn't help but be impressed by the ferocity and skill Piccolo displayed.
He was a prodigy among prodigies!
Nappa lay on the ground, his body broken and battered, barely conscious. Blood dripped from his mouth as he struggled to lift his head, his vision blurring. Piccolo stood over him, his eyes cold and unforgiving.
"Pathetic," he spat, raising his hand to finish Nappa off. But before he could deliver the final blow, a voice called out.
"It's over Piccolo." It was Goku, his tone calm but firm. "He's beaten. There's no need to kill him."
Piccolo glanced at him, his expression unreadable, before eventually lowering his hand. He took a step back, allowing Nappa to fall into unconsciousness. "You're way too soft, Goku," he muttered, though there was little real malice in his words.
Meanwhile, Vegeta watched with growing anger and disbelief. His comrades were constantly making a fool of him. "Nappa… you worthless fool," he snarled under his breath, but his attention quickly shifted as Goku stepped forward, preventing the prince from disposing of his own comrade.
Not yet, at least. Once he killed everyone else, he was definitely killing Nappa too.
They were all going to die by his hand.
"Looks like it's just you and me now, Vegeta," Goku said, his voice even, but his eyes gleamed with the thrill of the challenge.
The Saiyan's lips curled into a sneer. "Don't flatter yourself, Kakarot. I'll show you the difference between a low-class warrior and a super elite. You may have beaten that oaf, but you're nothing compared to me."
Goku smiled, unfazed by Vegeta's arrogance. "We'll see about that. But first, why don't you check my power level? I think you'll find it quite interesting."
Vegeta scoffed, activating his scouter. "This is a waste of time," he muttered, watching the numbers on the device as it began to read Goku's power level.
15,000… 20,000… 40,000…
Vegeta's eyes widened as the numbers climbed rapidly, faster than he could process. "What… what is this?!" he shouted, his voice tinged with panic. The scouter beeped frantically as it struggled to keep up with Goku's rising power.
60,000… 80,000… 100,000…
BOOM! The scouter couldn't take it. With a high-pitched whine, it sparked and exploded, the shards scattering in the air. Vegeta stared in shock at the remnants of his scouter, his mind racing to comprehend what he had just witnessed.
"Impossible," he stated, his voice shaking with disbelief. "You're just a low-class Saiyan! How can your power be this high?!"
Goku's smile widened, but there was no malice. "I trained hard, Vegeta. Harder than you can imagine. It's not about what class you're born into—it's about how much you're willing to push yourself."
Vegeta's shock quickly turned into rage, his pride refusing to accept that a low-class Saiyan could surpass him. "You think training can overcome the natural superiority of an elite?! You're a fool, Kakarot! I'll show you a power no amount of training can prepare you for!"
His aura flared violently as he powered up, the ground beneath him shattering from the sheer force of his energy. "You're going to regret ever crossing me, Kakarot! Die!"
Goku's expression grew more serious as he mirrored Vegeta's stance with his own Kame style, his own aura flaring softly in response.
This was it—the "battle" that would determine the fate of the Earth.
Without another word, the two Saiyans charged at each other, their fists colliding in a shockwave that rocked the battlefield, the force of their clash sending debris flying in every direction. The ground beneath them cracked and splintered as they exchanged blows, each strike shaking the earth like an earthquake.
The others watched in awe, the sheer power of the two warriors far beyond anything the planet was typically accustomed to seeing.
Vegeta's scowl deepened as he stared at Goku, the reality of the situation sinking in. This low-class Saiyan had surpassed him—an elite, a prince—and done so effortlessly. But before he could fully process the shock, the younger Saiyan was already on him.
Goku blurred into motion, his fist crashing into Vegeta's face with a force that sent the Saiyan Prince skidding across the rocky terrain. Vegeta barely had time to react before Goku was on him again, delivering a punishing series of blows that left him reeling. Each punch felt like a sledgehammer, each kick like a battering ram. The ground shook with each impact, the shockwaves tearing through the battlefield, sending debris flying in every direction.
"You're supposed to be the Prince of all Saiyans?" Goku taunted, his voice laced with disbelief and disappointment. "Is this really all you've got, Vegeta? I expected more from a super elite."
Vegeta growled in response, his pride wounded far deeper than any physical injury. He tried to counter, launching a barrage of energy blasts at Goku, but the attacks were effortlessly swatted aside, dissipating harmlessly into the air. The younger Saiyan closed the distance in an instant, driving his knee into the prince's gut, forcing the air from his lungs in a painful gasp.
"Fight back, Vegeta!" the protagonist shouted, his voice echoing with a mix of urgency and frustration. "Or this is going to be over before it even begins!"
Vegeta, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, glared up at Goku with a fierce determination. But deep down, he knew he was outmatched. Still, he refused to give in. "You think this is over, Kakarot?" he spat, staggering to his feet. "I haven't even begun to fight!"
Goku's expression softened slightly, almost as if he felt pity for the proud Saiyan Prince. "You're strong, Vegeta, but you're holding back. I know there's more to you than this. Transform into a Great Ape if you want to stand any chance against me. If you don't, your friend Nappa is going to die, and it'll be on you."
Vegeta hesitated, the idea of resorting to his primal form insulting him to the core. But he knew Goku was right—he had no other choice. With a snarl, the prince raised his hand to the sky, summoning an Artificial Moon.
"Burst open and mix!" he commanded, and the sphere of energy exploded into the air, casting an eerie glow over the battlefield.
Nappa, who had not recovered at all from his earlier beating, managed to look up at the Artificial Moon and grin wickedly. "Finally!"
The brute's body began to expand as he began his transformation into a massive Oozaru. The ground shook beneath him as he grew, his power surging to new heights.
Goku watched with excitement as Vegeta's transformation began. "That's more like it," he said to himself, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Maybe now you'll be a challenge."
But before Nappa could fully revel in his rapidly increasing primal power, the shinobi made their move. Naruto and Sasuke, moving in perfect unison, launched themselves at Nappa's rapidly expanding chest.
"Rasengan!"
"Chidori!"
With a synchronized battle cry, Naruto drove a Rasengan into Nappa's heart, while Sasuke pierced through with a Chidori. The combined force of their attacks tore through Nappa's hyper expanded chest, the devastation from their jutsu searing and grinding viciously into his flesh, organs, and bones.
The Saiyan's roar of pain was cut short as Kakashi, both of his Mangekyo Sharingan spinning, aimed his vision at Nappa's head. "Kamui!" the Hokage intoned coldly, and in an instant, the entirety of Nappa's half humanoid half Oozaru head was ripped from his shoulders, warped away into the void of another dimension.
Nappa's lifeless body collapsed to the ground with a thunderous crash, but even then the assault wasn't done.
With a roar of his own, Piccolo unleashed a devastating mouth blast, the ki wave engulfing the Saiyan's body and reducing it to ashes, leaving nothing behind but a smoking crater.
The battlefield fell silent for a moment, the echoes of the battle still ringing in the air. The group of defenders stood in a loose formation, their gazes shifting to Vegeta, who was still in the midst of his own transformation.
"One down," Sasuke muttered, his voice cold. "One to go."
Goku could feel the power radiating from the Oozaru before him—a power so intense that it sent shivers of excitement down his spine.
For the first time in years excluding Mr. Popo, he felt outmatched, and he reveled in it.
Vegeta's transformation was complete, and the Prince of all Saiyans towered over Goku, his monstrous form casting a shadow that seemed to engulf the entire battlefield. The sheer size and power of the Oozaru made the ground tremble with each movement. The prince's eyes, now burning with a primal rage, locked onto Goku with a malevolent glare.
"Now, Kakarot," his voice boomed, distorted and beastly in his transformed state, "you will know what it means to face the true power of a super elite!"
Goku clenched his fists, his body tingling with anticipation. "This is exactly what I've been waiting for!" he shouted back, a wild grin spreading across his face. He knew that this was going to be the fight of his life, and every fiber of his being was ready for it.
Without warning, Vegeta charged forward, his massive hand crashing down toward Goku. The Saiyan barely had time to react, leaping into the air as the Oozaru's fist obliterated the ground where he had stood just moments before. The shockwave from the impact sent rocks and debris flying in every direction, the force of it rattling the bones of everyone who watched.
Goku flipped through the air, landing lightly on a nearby cliff, but Vegeta was relentless. The Oozaru roared, and a massive blast of energy erupted from his mouth, hurtling toward Goku with the velocity of a freight train moving at tens of times the speed of light.
"KamehameHAAAA!" Goku yelled, thrusting his hands forward. A brilliant blue beam of energy shot out, colliding with Vegeta's mouth blast. The two beams clashed in midair, the shockwaves of their power tearing through the surrounding landscape. But Goku quickly realized that his Kamehameha was not enough. Vegeta's blast was pushing back, overpowering his own.
The realization was exhilarating.
Goku gritted his teeth and poured more energy into the Kamehameha, but it was no use. Vegeta's raw power in his Oozaru form was too much. The mouth blast broke through, engulfing him in a massive explosion. The force of it blasted Goku back, slamming him into the ground with a thunderous crash.
Dust and debris settled around him as he struggled to his feet, his gi torn and considerably scorched from the blast. His muscles ached, his skin lightly bruised, but his spirit was far from broken.
In fact, it was ignited like never before.
"That's more like it, Vegeta!" Goku shouted, hopping back to his feet. "This is the kind of challenge I've been waiting for!"
Vegeta growled, the sound reverberating through the air like a low earthquake. "You fool! You think you can still win? You don't even have a tail! You've lost your true Saiyan heritage!"
Goku paused at this, glancing over his shoulder at where his tail had once been long ago. Vegeta's words stung, but only for a moment.\
He then turned back to face Vegeta, his eyes burning with determination. "You're wrong, Vegeta. I don't think it's the tail that makes a Saiyan. It's the will to fight, to push past your limits! And I'm going to prove that right here, right now!"
Vegeta sneered. "We'll see about that, Kakarot. Your lack of a tail is what will be your undoing. You can't tap into your true potential! You're nothing but a pathetic low-class warrior!"
Goku's expression hardened. "Maybe so, but I've never backed down from a fight, and I'm not about to start now."
Vegeta roared in response, firing another mouth blast directly at the group behind Goku. The massive beam of violet energy tore through the air toward Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, and the others.
"No!" Goku shouted, his power surging. He didn't think—he just moved. In a split second, his energy spiked as he entered his Ikari State, his muscles bulking up, his eyes turning wild with a ferocious determination. He thrust his right hand forward, catching the blast mid-air and holding it at bay with sheer force.
The ground beneath Goku cracked and crumbled as he pushed back against Vegeta's attack, his feet digging into the earth. With a primal roar, Goku literally flew toward the Oozaru's face with the blast in his palm, and smashed the attack back into Vegeta's face.
SMASHHHHHH!
The Saiyan stumbled back, the force of his own attack knocking him off balance and onto his back with a ground-shaking THUD.
The impact sent shockwaves through the area, creating a massive crater where Vegeta had fallen. Goku stood, his body still surging with the power of the Ikari State.
"I don't give a damn what you do to me!" he growled, his voice filled with an intensity that made even Vegeta pause. "But don't you dare touch my friends! You have no honor!"
The others watched in awe, the sheer power and willpower that Goku displayed was nothing short of breathtaking.
But there was no time to rest; the battle was far from over.
Vegeta slowly rose to his feet, a snarl on his lips. He was seething with anger, but for the first time, there was a hint of fear in his eyes. "You think you've won, Kakarot? You're still nothing compared to me!"
Goku smirked despite his rage overflowing. "You're strong, Vegeta. I'll give you that. But I'm not gonna let you win. I'm not gonna let you destroy my home."
The air was thick with the energy of battle as Ikari Goku faced off against Oozaru Vegeta once more, the primal fury of both warriors clashing in a fight that held historical and metaphorical significance.
The underdog vs the favorite. The low-class vs the elite.
The bottom vs the top. The outcast vs the creme of the crop.
The hard worker vs the naturally talented. Nurture vs Nature.
The righteous vs the wicked. The good man vs the evil man.
Goku vs Vegeta.
The former's Ikari form, his body rippling with barely contained power, made him a force beyond nature, his every movement leaving aftershocks of raw energy in its wake. Vegeta, despite his towering size and fearsome appearance, was now the one at a disadvantage, his brute strength failing to keep up with the precision and intensity of Goku's relentless assault.
Goku's eyes blazed with a ferocity that mirrored the deep, untamed energy coursing through his veins. He launched himself at Vegeta with the speed of a lightning bolt times a thousand, his body a blur as he closed the distance between them in an instant. His fist connected with Vegeta's chest, the impact resonating like a thunderclap. The Oozaru's massive body shuddered under the force, but Goku wasn't done. He followed up with a barrage of punches, each one faster and more powerful than the last, driving Vegeta back step by step.
BOOOM BOOOM KABLAMMM!
Vegeta's roar of pain and frustration echoed across the battlefield, but it was cut short as Goku delivered a punishing uppercut to his midsection. THOOOOM!
The blow lifted the colossal ape off his feet, sending him airborne. Goku didn't hesitate; he launched himself after Vegeta, his body leaving a streak of green ki in the sky. His fists and feet became a blur as he pummeled Vegeta from all sides, each strike sending shockwaves through the atmosphere.
BADOOMMM POWW POWW!
From below, the others could only watch in awe. Naruto clenched his fists, the intensity of the battle sparking a deep desire to join in, but he knew better than to interfere. "He's insane… to take on something like that alone," the blonde muttered, his voice tinged with both admiration and concern.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he watched Goku's onslaught. "Goku's always been a wild card. But this… this is on a whole different level." His hand instinctively rested on the hilt of his sword, ready to jump in at a moment's notice, though he knew Goku wouldn't appreciate the interruption.
Hinata, her Byakugan activated, observed every movement, every exchange of blows. "Goku-kun… he's stronger than I've ever seen," she whispered, a mix of pride and worry etched on her face. Her own power was nothing to sneeze at, but watching Goku fight was like witnessing the birth of a star—beautiful, dangerous, and impossible to stop.
Piccolo stood with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable. He had nothing to say, his thoughts were divided; part of him wanted to catch Goku off guard and kill him with his secret technique that no one but him knew about. This was counteracted by the Namekian's ever growing respect for Goku, and subsequently his desire to surpass him one day on his own merit.
Up in the air, Goku continued his relentless assault. Vegeta, still in his Oozaru form, tried to swat him away, but the younger Saiyan was too fast, too powerful, too much of a BEAST. Each time the Oozaru swung, Goku was already on the other side, landing another blow that sent shockwaves through the ape's body. The younger Saiyan's fist glowed with energy as he smashed it into Vegeta's jaw, snapping it shut with enough force to send the giant Saiyan tumbling through the sky.
Before Vegeta could regain his bearings, Goku was above him, hands clenched together in a hammer strike. WHAMMMM! He brought them down on the top of the Great Ape's head with the force of a quintillion meteors, driving the Oozaru toward the ground at breakneck speed. The Saiyan hit the earth with an explosion of dirt and rock, the impact forming a massive crater.
But Goku wasn't done.
He blurred into view beside Vegeta's massive body and with a ferocious roar, he unleashed a final, bone-shattering kick to Vegeta's side. The force of the kick sent his massive frame flying across the landscape like a ragdoll, his enormous form crashing through mountains of rock and leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.
Unfortunately, Vegeta found himself to be the first ever victim of Goku's newest martial artists combination: Meteor Smash.
The others stood in stunned silence as Vegeta's body finally came to a stop, embedded deep in the side of a canyon. The landscape was unrecognizable, torn apart by the wrath of Goku. Dust and debris filled the air, making it hard to see anything clearly.
Goku landed lightly on the ground, his breathing measured and tempered. His eyes were locked on the distant form of Vegeta, watching for any sign of movement. Despite the beating he had just delivered, the Saiyan's expression was one of determination rather than satisfaction. He wanted Vegeta to get back up, to fight, to push him even further.
He wanted more. He craved it.
Vegeta, bruised and battered, slowly pulled himself out of the rubble, his massive hands digging into the ground for support. Blood dripped from his mouth, and his breathing was ragged. But the fire in his eyes hadn't dimmed; if anything, it burned brighter.
"Kakarot…" he growled, his voice a mix of rage and disbelief. "You… how… how is this possible?"
Goku grinned, wiping the sweat from his brow. "I told you, Vegeta. I've been waiting for a challenge like this. Now get up. I know you've got more fight in you!"
Vegeta's eyes narrowed, his pride wounded as much as his body. "You… you think this is over? I'll show you… "
But even as he said it, Vegeta knew he was severely outmatched. The realization was like a poison in his mind, eating away at his confidence. He had always believed in the superiority of the Saiyan race, in the power of the elite. But now, here was Kakarot, a low-class warrior, standing above him, stronger than him. Stronger than he could have ever fathomed.
The others began to move forward, sensing that Vegeta was on the ropes. But Goku held up a hand, stopping them in their tracks.
"Stay back," he said, his voice calm but firm. "This is between me and Vegeta."
Naruto frowned, his shinobi instincts screaming at him to jump in and eliminate the threat. "But Goku—"
"Don't," Goku interrupted, his eyes still locked on Vegeta. "This is my fight. I need to finish this on my own."
The group hesitated but ultimately respected Goku's wishes. They knew this was more than just a battle; it was a test of wills, a clash of ideologies. He was fighting not just to win, but to prove something—to Vegeta, to himself, and to the universe.
Vegeta could not stand up, his massive form struggling mightily to do so. He knew it was losing effort of vanity, that Goku was much stronger. This reality... it gnawed at him like a festering wound.
But he would refused to admit defeat. Not to anyone.
And especially not to Kakarot.
Goku's growl increased, his rage visible. "Get up Vegeta, this can't be all you've got! Bring it on! I'm just getting started!"
The air crackled with energy as Ikari Goku loomed over the fallen Oozaru Vegeta, his chest heaving with each breath. The battlefield was littered with craters and shattered rocks, remnants of the fierce struggle that had just unfolded. Vegeta, despite his efforts could barely move, his body broken and battered by Goku's relentless onslaught.
The once-proud Saiyan prince was reduced to a state of helplessness, his massive form trembling under the weight of his defeat.
Goku's golden eyes with black irises, ablaze with power, narrowed as he studied Vegeta's colossal form. There was a momentary flicker of something in his gaze—pity, perhaps, or maybe a reluctant respect for the warrior who had finally pushed him into this form, with the last being Piccolo Daimao nearly three years ago. But that flicker was quickly extinguished as he steeled himself, knowing what had to come next.
Kakashi, who had been watching the fight with calculating eyes, decided to act. With a swift motion, his Mangekyo Sharingan was put to work, and the eerie spiraling void of the Kamui technique appeared. In an instant, Vegeta's tail was severed, disappearing into the dimensional rift. The Oozaru form began to shrink rapidly, leaving the original Saiyan in its place, his armor cracked and his body mangled internally and externally.
The Hokage then turned his gaze toward Vegeta's head, intending to end the battle for good.
But before he could release the deadly technique, Goku's voice cut through the tension like a blade. "Stop!"
Kakashi hesitated, his Sharingan still spinning, but he didn't release the jutsu. The others—Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata, Piccolo, Tien, Ino, Neji, and Tenten—watched in silence, their faces a mix of different reactions and emotions, with the chief one being confusion.
"What are you doing, Goku?" Sasuke's voice was cold, his Rinnegan glowing ominously. "We should finish this now. He's a threat."
Naruto, who had been standing slightly behind, nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Goku. He's already caused enough damage. We can't just let him go."
But Goku shook his head, stepping between Kakashi and the weakened Vegeta. "I know what you're thinking, but killing him now… it doesn't feel right. We should at least hear him out first."
"Goku, that's naive." Piccolo's voice was gruff, his arms crossed as he regarded the Saiyan warrior. "You truly think someone like him is going to change just because you give him a second chance?"
Goku turned to Piccolo, his expression unyielding. "Maybe not. But if we kill him without even trying, we're no better than he is."
Hinata, standing beside Goku, placed a hand on his shoulder, her voice soft but firm. "Goku-kun's right. We've all made mistakes… done things we're not proud of. We owe it to ourselves to at least consider that he might choose a different path after this."
"Not all of us," Goku added quietly, his gaze shifting to Piccolo. "Some of us were born into those mistakes. But even then, Piccolo for example chose to be different."
During this conversation, Vegeta crawled through the debris and shattered earth, his pride in tatters, his body battered and broken. Every breath he took was a struggle, a reminder of the humiliation he had just endured. As he reached for the remote to call his space-pod, his vision blurred with pain and anger, but before he could press the button, a shadow loomed over him.
Goku stood there, arms crossed, his face a mix of expectation and resolve. "You're not going anywhere until you answer some questions, Vegeta," he said, his tone firm but not unkind.
Vegeta spat blood onto the ground, his eyes burning with hatred. "To hell with you, Kakarot. You've made me into a joke, humiliated me… I'll never forgive you for this! I'll come back and destroy this planet, you and all your pathetic friends!" His voice was venomous, each word dripping with the bitterness of defeat.
Goku remained unfazed by the threats. Instead, he reached down, grabbing Vegeta by the scruff of his shattered armor, lifting him with one arm until they were eye to eye. The prince struggled weakly, but he was too drained to resist. The former then placed his other hand on latter's forehead, his expression shifting to one of deep concentration.
"What the hell are you—" Vegeta began, but his words were cut off as he felt something strange happening. A surge of energy, not physical but mental, pushed into his mind.
His eyes widened in shock. Goku was reading his thoughts.
It was an ability Goku hadn't fully understood until now. Kami's communication through telepathy had sparked something within him, an untapped potential that allowed him to delve into the minds of others, to see glimpses of their memories, their fears, their desires. As Goku sifted through the fragmented memories of Vegeta's life, a picture began to form—a picture of pain, loss, and an entirely relentless pursuit of power.
Fragmented visions and imagery flashed before Goku's mind's eye—Vegeta's childhood on a desolate planet, the oppressive rule of a tyrant named Frieza, the annihilation of the Saiyan race, and his desperate quest for immortality to finally defeat the one who had enslaved him and the rest of his people.
His mind was a storm of fury and despair, but beneath it all, Goku sensed something else: fear.
Fear of failure, fear of being weak, fear of Frieza.
Goku's grip tightened slightly as he focused on the most important revelation. "Frieza," he muttered, more to himself than to Vegeta. "So, that's who you're really afraid of."
Vegeta sneered, but there was a glimmer of something else in his eyes—something like desperation. "Frieza is a monster, Kakarot. The strongest being in the universe. He enslaved our people and probably destroyed our planet, and… now he'll likely come for you, too. But you… you might actually be strong enough to stop him"
Goku then released his grip on Vegeta, letting him slump to the ground.
The words tasted bitter in his mouth. Admitting that Kakarot might be the legendary warrior—the one foretold in Saiyan legends—was almost too much to bear. But the truth was undeniable. He had seen the power Kakarot wielded, the ferocity of his Ikari form. It was unlike anything he had ever witnessed, not even among the greatest warriors of the Saiyan race.
"So, you want immortality to take him down?" Goku asked, piecing together the fragments of Vegeta's thoughts.
"Yes," Vegeta hissed. "With immortality, I could surpass Frieza, destroy him, and rule the universe as I was meant to. But you…" He looked away, unable to meet Goku's gaze. "You're different. You might actually be the Legendary Super Saiyan, the one who can defeat Frieza. But if you're not careful, you'll end up just like the others—dead and forgotten."
Goku blinked in surprise at Vegeta's admission. "Me? But I'm just a low-class warrior. How could I possibly beat someone like that?"
Vegeta's expression twisted into a grimace. "You fool. You don't even realize it, do you? That form you took—the one with the green aura and the yellow eyes—you're a Super Saiyan."
The words hung in the air like a revelation, but Goku frowned in confusion. "Super Saiyan?"
"The legend of the Saiyans," Vegeta hissed through clenched teeth. "The strongest warrior in the universe. The one who's said to appear once in a millennia, every thousand years. I thought it was just a myth, but after seeing you fight… I'm not so sure anymore."
Goku's mind raced. He had always believed in hard work, in training and pushing himself beyond his limits. The idea that he could be some kind of chosen warrior—a legendary Super Saiyan—was foreign to him, but something in Vegeta's tone made him take it seriously.
He looked down at the broken Saiyan prince, a mixture of emotions swirling within him. "Vegeta, if this Frieza guy is as bad as you say, then we need to stop him together."
"Pfft! Together?!" the prince laughed, the sound harsh and broken. "You're a fool, Kakarot. Nevermind, I completely... take back what I said, you can't possibly be the legend. You're way too soft... to be a true Saiyan. Frieza will crush you... just like he crushed everyone else who stood in his way."
"Maybe," Goku admitted, a small smile tugging at his lips. "But I'm still excited. I want to face him even more now."
As his space-pod finally arrived, floating gently down just behind them, Vegeta's eyes narrowed. "Be careful what you wish for, Kakarot. And Frieza aside, you should have killed me when you had the chance."
"Maybe," Goku echoed again, his voice calm. "But I believe in second chances. Maybe one day, you'll see things differently."
Vegeta snarled but said nothing as the space-pod door opened, ready to take him away. Goku stepped back, allowing the prince to crawl inside, though his eyes never left the defeated prince. Before the door closed and the pod began to ascend, he smirked at his freshly-minted first or second most hated person in the universe, filled with bitterness. He had one more thing to say.
"R-Remember this well, you trash... There aren't going to be any more miracles... Next time we meet, you're all fucking dead! Be sure to enjoy yourselves to the fullest until then... When I come back to this planet... you're all going to suffer... and when you beg me for mercy I'll stare into your eyes as I crush the life out of you."
Goku watched as the pod disappeared into the sky, the weight of what had just transpired settling on his shoulders.
Frieza... Legendary Super Saiyan... Piccolo belonging to an alien race called the Namekians...
Everything just got a lot more complicated, didn't it?
Good! He was getting bored anyway!
