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DRAGON BALL HARDCORE
RADITZ THE SURVIVOR, part 2
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Raditz woke up in a cold sweat. He was covered in bandages and still hurts to move. His tail was missing, so at the very least his nightmare was not fake. Bojack and 73 are dead; that's as far as he remembers. He had no idea for how long he'd been out, but he needed to find the rest of his crew. The ship wasn't working, and there was an ominous sound outside. The wind was rushing.
He found himself in some sort of yellow hell of strong winds. A desert planet of holes and rocks. He found Cheelai and Lemo outside trying to fix the ship to no avail. Too many parts were busted after they were shot down and left to wander space randomly. They don't even know what planet this is. Lemo managed to patch all of Cheelai and Raditz 'wounds, and by now they should be ready to explore. They have to find someone to help them.
They explore the planet's vast emptiness but it doesn't seem like anyone lives there. If it is really uninhabited they are doomed. Raditz had to carry their broken ship on his back; it wasn't heavy for him but sure was annoying. Eventually they figure that civilization should be somewhere inside these holes. The planet was hollow, and inside it all got furry and full of wildlife. They explored for a while, but it soon showed to be a grievous mistake. They were attacked by a gigantic spider. Not only that, it was a really fucking strong spider. Raditz could barely fight it in his current condition. If he could turn into an ape this would be easier.
Thankfully, it seemed they were not the only ones on that planet. Someone came flying and smashed the spider's brain in a single hit. It was a humanoid for once, black hair, fur clothes, lots of scars, and… a tail.
What?
He calls himself Broly, and he has no idea what they are. Broly very clearly is either insane or doesn't have basic education; his instincts were primitive. It has been so long since he had a reason to talk that he almost forgot how to. They try to befriend him but he's very cautious of them. He seems to like Cheelai more than the other two, probably because her pretty face and big bazongas are causing some sort of Neuron Activation within him, and he can't stop staring. She convinces him to take them to the only place he can call safe.
…
The four arrived by the remaining pieces of what once were a complete space ship. Not too far off was a nearby grave, Broly saying it was his fathers resting place. Raditz immediately recognized the design as being an old transport ship from the Saiyan army. This planet, these creatures, and now this… it rang a memory in Raditz. A story he heard from Nappa many years ago, about the previous general of the Saiyan army and his son.
The group got together by a campfire while Broly feasted on the giant spider that he killed. Their story was quite simple but tragic, and it was told to them by Broly's father's diary. Broly didn't know how to read so that was also a first for him.
"We were painted as traitors when in reality they were the betrayed ones!" was the first line in there. Paragus served King Vegeta for many decades, being one of the smartest strategists of the Saiyan race. But then came the day that Paragus's child was noticed in one of the castle's incubation pods. A baby with the whopping power level of 13.000; rivaling prince Vegeta at the time. No one knew who the mother was, what brought a thicker layer of mystery and distrust. King Vegeta felt threatened that someone outside of the royal family could be this strong, so he made a drastic decision. He faked a conquering mission for the baby Broly, with the intention of sending him to a planet where he would certainly die. Paragus took notice of the plot and took a ship to save his son, but was shot down in the process. They have been stranded ever since. Paragus managed to protect Broly until he was old enough to fight on his own, and eventually Paragus died of old age.
…
The trio realizes no one is there beside Broly. They will have to find another way out. Broly was completely confused at the basic thought of escaping. He tried flying high into the sky but he would always run out of breath and was forced back. He was curious if there was really something beyond all of this. Cheelai quickly comes up with a plan to use the parts of the two broken ships to fix Lemo's and get them out of there. They just needed patience.
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…
Soon after the successful hit, Granolah returned to the Heeter's castle to get his bounty and deliver the remains of 73. He managed to survive the planet explosion with his Katchin form, but now he's just a torso and a head. Elec was pleased to see him. He did everything he asked for to a tee, and so Elec asked if it felt good killing one of the Saiyans that he hated so much. Granolah states that he's glad those monsters are sure to be wiped out now, and promises that Frieza will be next. Elec laughs at him, and wonders what he could possibly do against Frieza. Granolah simply answers, "I'm working on it."
And so he leaves, saying Elec can do whatever he needs with the remains of 73. Several months ago he copied 73's memory in order to find someone. 73 was an android belonging to a certain crew of soldiers from South Galaxy, who were fabled to have found the great Zuno; the one who knows all about the universe with his magic powers. Elec wanted to find Zuno for a literal century, and now he knows why he could not. He was kept locked away in a strange planet, unknown to anyone else. Now that he is 73, he can finally move on with his plan.
He and his little brother made an assault on the planet. They had to fight through a lot of elite fighting robots, the Cyclopian Guards, but Gas was now really strong after eating a fruit of might. Elec wasn't a bad shot either, wielding the strongest hand blaster ever created. They tore through the army of droids until they arrived in front of Zuno's door of pure Katchin. Elec held 73's head up to the scanner, and the system recognized him as one of the top members so it led him access inside.
Zuno was sleeping inside for Kai knows how long. He is actually a godly being, not needing food and not aging like normal people do. His job was to pass on universal knowledge to struggling mortals, but evil people just take advantage of his power for their own gain. He didn't even seem threatened or bothered by them. After a short talk Elec goes straight for the golden question.
Elec above all else was a superstitious man, and as such he was one of the people most familiar and interested in the old legends. He surely remembered the legend about the Namekian who went about the galaxy, granting wishes of power and immortality to those who found him. Elec knew of the Dragon Balls, and now he only had one question. "Are the Namekians extinct?"
"No. Even if their planet suffered a crisis, they were still smart enough to send their younglings away in personal ships so they could live on other planets. Most didn't survive that long."
"Are there any more alive today?"
"… Why of course. The nearest one should be at… planet Chirial."
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…
Granolah returned to his home planet after meeting with Elec, or at least what used to be his home planet. 26 years ago planet Chirial belonged to the Ceralians. They were not strong, but even so they were opposed to Frieza's rule, and because of that they suffered utter extermination by Frieza's dogs, the barbaric Saiyans. Granolah still had nightmares of that day. The memory most etched into his mind was when their hideout was discovered by one of the giant monkeys. The last thing he remembered was looking up, and seeing the big red eyes and the scar on the ape's cheek.
After all the chaos he was rescued by a certain someone, and raised under his wing. Planet Chirial was healthy and blossoming, so it didn't take long for it to be sold. That was the first time Granolah met Elec. He gave him jobs and work to survive, and most of Granolah's youth was spent building a city for the new denizens, the Shugarians. He grew strong from all the work and the training from his mentor, and eventually enlisted as one of Elec's bounty hunters.
Today he spent some time buying supplies in the Shugarian city, but eventually he had to return to his house in the mountains. The scattered ruins of his old town still are visible in the horizon, and the anger he feels from that sight motivates him every day.
His mentor was waiting patiently, reading a book as he often does. Monaito, one of the last immigrant Namekians currently living. The two sit on a small table as they eat together, though Monaito only needs to drink water. Granolah reveals to him that he killed one of the Saiyans, which makes Monaito mock him for only thinking about his revenge even after all these years. Despite being weak Granolah wishes nothing more than seeing Frieza's empire fall. He continued to train every single day but he knows he's still far from ever reaching Frieza's power level. Ceralians don't have the physical advantages that other races possess. But despite that Granolah still had hope, and a trump card up his sleeve.
On their mantelpiece are 6 dragon balls, missing only the two star ones. They were rather small for normal dragon balls, which made them even harder to find. Granolah has been looking for them ever since Monaito told of their existence. In 20 years he managed to find 6 of them, scouting the planet every day and looking methodically in every nook and cranny, every hole and puddle. Granolah knew it was powerful from the legends, and he was hoping to use such power to destroy Frieza. Monaito knew it was only a matter of time before he found it. These dragon balls were never brought together, and because of that he told Granolah to be very mindful of what they can do.
Once again Granolah went out on foot to train the entire day, and also search for the last dragon ball in his spare time. Elec paid him well, so he has all the time in the world to conclude his mission.
…
Gas and Elec watch on from a far. To think Granolah kept the last known Namekian in seclusion all along. They can see the orbs in there, but they have no idea what they are for. Thankfully they still had Zuno, and he promptly explained what the dragon balls are, how they work and even how to summon the dragon. Gas was unsure of what to do, but Elec had a plan. He asked Zuno to point at the direction that the last dragon ball is, and so they went after it.
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Back on planet Vampa, after a month of work and scavenging, Cheelai and Lemo managed to rebuild Lemo's ship by using Paragus's broken transporter. They were glad to finally leave this stupid rock and eat something other than roasted spider. They turned it on, but something went wrong. The engine suddenly started to mess up, and made a very horrible sound at a low frequency. Cheelai knew what went wrong and rushed to fix it, but outside came the real problem. Every single one of the powerful beasts that live on this planet were driven mad by that sound, and they were coming right at them.
Raditz and Broly were forced to jump out and fight them off while Cheelai and Lemo got the engine running. The battle was going pretty bad, the planet's monsters were really powerful and they were hundreds; like a nightmare of creatures eating each other. But while Raditz struggled, Broly seemed to change as the battle went on. He was getting locked in a fantasy of blood and violence, and the enemies didn't seem that strong to him anymore. He was holding out dozens of monsters on his own, biting and eating them on the spot. Cheelai finally got the engine working and told everyone to jump in, but Broly wouldn't listen to Raditz commands. He had gone savage.
Eventually Broly got hit by a monster's stinger, and its poisonous effect seemed to have brought his senses back. It was just enough time for Raditz to put him on a naked rear choke and drag him inside the ship. And so they blast off as the beasts continue to rampage.
…
They were low on resources, and they had to stop at the literal first planet they found. They took their sweet time getting patched up, eating well and resting for days. Broly had been in a complete state of bewilderment the entire journey. He was more scared of this new world than the one full of monsters. Cheelai took upon herself to teach Broly about the universe, and for the first time gave him water to drink instead of blood. He was a surprisingly good boy, probably because he wasn't raised with bad influence by other Saiyans or Frieza's war. It didn't take much for them to develop a really cute friendship. He felt okay being around them now, and Raditz saw it was best if they stick together. Broly is the same age as Kakarot but he might as well be a child from his intelligence.
Now that Cheelai got her hands into new gear, she got a Scouter and was told by Raditz to read their power levels. Broly had a great 40.000; not unexpected for someone that survived a level-20 planet for 25 years. But Raditz, after holding on to dear life for weeks while his wounds barely closed each day, found himself with a prestigious… 600.000.
While Cheelai and Lemo reacted with absolute shock, Raditz only smirked. Who would've thought; Frieza was right. If given a chance, Saiyans can become a real problem. If this is where a low class can reach, then his fear of them wasn't unwarranted. He won't need to worry about anyone else other than Frieza himself coming for him.
Enough about all this recreational crap. Raditz lost his damn tail forever, lost a crew member and almost got killed, so it was time for Elec to bring his part of the deal. Once everyone was ready, and Cheelai managed to get Broly into a shower and new clothes, they set off to the castle of the Heeters.
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…
After all, Granolah finally got what he wanted. It only took 20 years. He was going to train and search for the dragon ball another day, but was surprised to see it… right in front of his doorstep. He warned Monaito, who was just as confused. Maybe someone or some force heard his plight. Granolah would be skeptical, but he was also overjoyed. At long last, his plan can begin.
From afar, Gas questions why Elec gave the dragon balls to Granolah instead of stealing it. Elec explains that Granolah will use their power to destroy Frieza, which is the one thing they both want in common. Once the wish is made, Zuno said the dragon balls will be scattered around the planet again. For now let it be. Once Granolah gets rid of Frieza, only then the Heeters will take the dragon balls. Making a move too soon will be unwise.
…
Granolah reunited the dragon balls with Monaito, and so he called out for their power.
"Wake up, Torombo! We have an offering for you!"
The blue dragon emerged from the light, and so the skies turned black. Granolah and Monaito had no idea of what the dragon is capable of, and so they ask him.
"I am a wise dragon, and with my wisdom I can grant a wish. However, I am not as powerful as other dragons. I shall grant you any wish, as long as you can give me something worth it in return" said the dragon who barely opened its mouth.
Granolah went straight for it, and asked that the dragon kill the evil Frieza. Torombo saw that as a near impossible task, but he could grant it on one condition. Granolah would have to sacrifice the lives of a hundred million people in order to give Torombo enough power to kill Frieza. Granolah thought that to be utterly absurd and ridiculous, so he gave up on that instantly. There's gotta be another way; this can't all be for nothing. In a last passing thought, Granolah asked the dragon:
"What would it take to make me stronger than Frieza right now?"
Monaito already gave him the side eyes. Torombo stated that Granolah would need decades of training in order to catch up to him. He can give Granolah said power right now, in exchange of all these years that he would have to spend training otherwise. Monaito told him to not do it, but it was too late. Granolah accepted; he didn't even think twice. The dragon eye's glowed a white light, and soon the entire forest was consumed by it.
…
After all that, Torombo said; "I hope our deal benefits you to no end. Farewell."
The dragon turned into light and returned to the dragon balls. Then they flew up and scattered around the planet.
By the time Monaito could see again Granolah's figure had already changed. He was a little taller, with long hair reaching all the way to his knees. Ceralians don't change their appearance past their youth, but Granolah had indeed lost 40 years of his life. It wasn't for nothing, as his power grew 100 times of what it once was.
Monaito was disappointed that he traded most of his life for power. Granolah didn't mind at all. With this power he can kill Frieza for sure. As long as no one else has to suffer what Granolah suffered because of Frieza, then it will be worth it. Monaito questions if it was really altruism guiding him, or it was vengeance? Granolah quickly cuts off his excessive hair. He'll try to get accustomed to his new level of strength and then he will depart for his final mission.
…
The scouter Gas had exploded, being poorly calibrated for the new power. Elec was satisfied. Once Granolah kills Frieza, he'll be able to swoop in and take control. Maybe he can manipulate Granolah to kill Cooler as well. His day just keeps getting better and better. Now all he had to do was return home and wait.
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…
Elec lived a rather simple life for how stupidly rich he is. He appreciated a good drink and fine women, sometimes craftsmanship and arts as well. In contrast, it was hard to find something Gas liked. He was supposed to be the successor, but all he really cares about is helping his brother with whatever he needs; a mindless servant. They were from the same race but not actually brothers, and family was something cherished among Heraseijins. Elec wanted someone to share and give all his riches to. He kept searching until he found a kid in the streets that reminded him of his younger days.
That kid gave him a purpose. He felt satisfied working to ensure Gas's future as one of the most important beings in the universe. The quest to destroy all of those in power for the sake of Gas is what really drives Elec. For a man who literally has everything, the struggle for conquest is the only thing he truly enjoys. Soon enough Frieza will be gone and the two will find themselves being an integral part of the universe once an inevitable republic takes the place of the empire. Life couldn't be better.
Now, you can't imagine his shock.
Raditz just arrived in his landing zone and was making his way through the bridge. The sensors detecting his power level keep going up and up until they bug at the number 600.000.
How was he alive? Why is he here? Is he here to kill Elec? Did he find out? Questions were running through his head. Ten seconds before they barged in his throne room Elec psyched himself up and managed to facade his smug smile.
To his surprise, Raditz wasn't mad or anything. His gang even seemed cheery and happy to see Elec and Gas. And now they had another Saiyan with them (WHAT?! Elec shouted in his mind).
Raditz recounted how the fight with Bojack went, told him of their crash landing in Vampa, and then demanded that Elec manage his part of the deal. Elec realizes he has no reason to lie, so he just expresses how everyone thought Raditz died. Elec went ahead and declared him dead in the fight against Bojack. Raditz didn't have to worry, now that the entire galaxy thinks he's gone and his wanted posters were removed.
Raditz and his crew were glad that it all finally ended. Now that this was over, he wanted to call his entire crew back to the ship to discuss their future, and said his goodbyes to Elec. At that moment, Elec was in deep shock on the inside.
Raditz cannot live. Not just for all he knows about his schemes, but now he realizes he just created a second Frieza. He never expected Raditz to reach such power, and now there is no one to stop him. Even Frieza himself is beaten by the power that Raditz now has. He had to get rid of Raditz.
And so he thought of a plan on the fly and immediately spoke out. Elec reveals he knows exactly who tried to shoot down his ship and left him for dead. Suddenly Raditz was all ears to him again, because he wanted payback. Elec told him of the powerful Granolah, who had a vendetta against Saiyans. Granolah had access to something called "dragon balls'' that made him extremely powerful. Elec pretended to not know what they were, but Raditz knew very well. He was completely persuaded. It's been a full year since he talked with Vegeta; by now he must have arrived on Earth, killed Kakarot and got the wish he wanted. If Vegeta ever comes after Raditz, maybe the power of the dragon balls can undo his immortality. He needs them. And besides… he wants his goddamn tail back!
Elec explained where his planet was, and so Raditz decides to go there for a nice little talk with this Granolah bastard.
Elec knew this was not gonna end well. He needs Granolah alive to kill Frieza and Raditz. So after they leave, he puts on another facade and called Granolah through his scouter. He explained how the Saiyan Raditz survived. He returned to Frieza's army and now he's on the way to planet Chirial. There was nothing Elec could do to stop him, he forced Elec to talk. Granolah saw as the perfect opportunity to test his new power. Now he was gonna kill this Saiyan in a fair fight, and he won't show as much mercy as last time.
With the two sides preparing to engage in battle, Elec and Gas fly off towards planet Chirial as well. Elec wants to be there so he can manipulate whatever happens to the best possible outcome.
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…
The Raditz crew was much welcomed by the Shugarians. They discover that Granolah lived deep within the mountain woods, along the old hermit of the planet Chirial. The others didn't want to accompany Raditz all the way to the boonies just to watch him kill someone, so he goes off alone and says he'll be the only one to get his wish. Needless to say Cheelai thought all that legend and magic crap was fake.
Raditz was heading up the mountain path, and his scouter wasn't getting anything. The warrior Granolah seem to have the ability to hide his energy level like many others Raditz has faced. That can only mean he's aware Raditz is here and is hiding; he has to be careful. But from a far Raditz spots the ruins of a town. He doesn't know why, but he felt the need to go there.
The destruction was decades old. And as he investigated further he found tombstones for dozens if not hundreds of people, all looking the same. What truly stood out for Raditz was something… familiar. A giant foot track, not of a beast, but a great ape of the Saiyans.
Suddenly, a sixth sense hits Raditz; one that he has been developing for the past year. He felt energy rising somewhere. His scouter warned him way too late. Suddenly a sharp death ray comes from behind. It almost hits Raditz straight in the face but he manages to slightly dodge it, and the death ray destroys his Scouter instead. Two more were coming his way, fired all the way back to the mountaintop. Raditz manages to jump away and take cover. How the hell can someone aim so perfectly from so far away?
At the very top of the mountain Granolah was firing the death beams with his two fingers. With his Scouter removed, Granolah now activated the special ability of his race. They are able to focus ki in their eyes and gain superior sight, acquiring a red coloration. He was the ultimate sniper of the universe; he could see Raditz as if he was right in front of him, while Raditz would only see a minuscule dot in the distance at best. Raditz tried hiding away behind the ruins, but even if Granolah can't see him, he can still sense his ki. He fires, and the death ray goes through the rubble and hits Raditz right in the leg.
The Saiyan was now wounded and he was pissed. If this cowards wants to hide, fine!
He charged a Double Sunday and fired it towards the mountain Granolah was. The entire thing was consumed by the explosion and turned to dust. Everyone in the city saw the destruction and light. Broly, Cheelai and Lemo knew Raditz was fighting, but this is ridiculous. They decided to head over in their ship. However, soon they spotted a very luxurious ship passing by the atmosphere, and its fanciness made it very clear that it was the Heeter's ship. Lemo found it way more interesting than the fight, and decided to follow them from a safe distance.
…
Raditz thought that explosion would kill his attacker for sure, but it wasn't the case. Granolah easily dodged it by flying since he had a lot of time to react, and now he came to realize an even better position. He was hiding among the clouds, and had an even better sight of the land below him. He began firing again, and left Raditz on the defensive. Every time he tried to close the distance Granolah would adapt and counter attack from the distance, there was no way he could approach like this. He needed to draw Granolah out. Raditz needed his energy signal to disappear like other fighters did to have a chance.
In that dastard moment, he remembered when he asked the same thing to Mamoto when they met. For people that are strong enough, techniques like that just come naturally once they are made aware of their existence. Mamoto explained that energy is like a river, and all they need to do is calm the water. And so that's what Raditz envisioned. He tried to be like calm water; absorb its essence and visualize within. He took a deep breath and focused.
Granolah didn't give him down time, and shot him in the chest as soon as he stopped dodging. He wasn't moving anymore; Granolah could feel his life dwindling. He put down his guard and approached Raditz 'body out of vengeful satisfaction. He stared at the dead Saiyan for a few seconds until he decided to shoot him a final time for good measure. When he did, Raditz suddenly regained life and deflected the death ray with his fist.
"Got you!"
He quickly unleashed a powerful blast at Granolah, and he could barely block it. The energy wave drags him across the ground until he finally manages to push it away, burning his arms in the process. The assault wasn't done however, as Raditz appeared by his side and kicked him. He tried to finish his combo but Granolah picked up the pace and fought him off, showing that he's as capable in close quarters as he is in range.
The two have the opportunity to exchange a few words. Raditz sees that Granolah was that green hair prick that he saw at Heeter's castle. Raditz guessed at this point that this was Granolah's planet before the Saiyans came, and that's why he hates them. He guessed absolutely right. Well, that reminds Raditz of something. Now he came to realize why this planet's name was familiar, and asked if Granolah wanted to hear a story.
26 years ago a small Saiyan battalion attacked this planet. But out of the thirty Saiyans that came, only one returned home alive. It was Bardock, Raditz father. He survived a brutal fight against someone who killed all the other Saiyans, and because of that he was promoted to captain and went on to command his own elite squad of the Saiyan army. "Tell me, do you remember his face? He had a big scar right here."
The memories of that night came flooding in Granolah's mind. The guy who found them and killed his mother… was this asshole's father?! The universe does indeed like to play games, and it gave Granolah the opportunity to take ultimate revenge. After his mother was killed and he blacked out, Monaito came to save them. He had killed all other Saiyans left on the planet, but Bardock was just too much of a tough bastard. The least he could do was take Granolah and run away from the enraged great ape.
Now Granolah was boiling with rage. He promised to destroy Raditz and all other traces of the pitiful Saiyan existence as well as Frieza. Raditz laughed at him; if he thinks his current power is enough to kill Frieza then he is a fool. Granolah explained the wish that he made, and Raditz immediately spotted his mistake. He wished to be stronger than Frieza now, but there is a common myth among the ranks of his army, and it tells that Frieza can transform and become stronger like other races. He may be stronger than Frieza now, but what about tomorrow? What about someone stronger than Frieza?
Granolah refused to believe him and the two continued to fight.
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…
Lemo kept following after Elec for quite a while, and they watched Gas and Elec collecting little orange balls with the help of a fat guy with bluish skin. It didn't take too long until Elec saw them. He knew it was just Raditz stupid friends so he didn't think twice as he drew the guns and shot their ship. Lemo managed to dodge the fire and keep on their trail. Lemo tried to contact Elec and tell them they just want to talk but it didn't cut it. Elec had to find the dragon balls as soon as possible. He told Gas to dispose of them.
Gas quickly flew out and kicked Lemo's ship to the ground, making it crash below. They were fine but Gas had not ended his assault. He busted through the window, making Cheelai scream. They were about to get killed when Cheelai managed to put Broly in action. The two immediately started to fight.
Broly had absolutely no idea of how to combat human opponents, and Gas was really strong thanks to Elec's exploits. He was a good martial artist and had adept ki control, which made Broly seem like a useless punch bag just flailing his arms. He was tanking those attacks however, and soon managed to throw a fist that sent Gas flying. That battle was sure to get interesting.
Elec almost had all of the dragon balls. He had to take them away as far as possible just in case Raditz defeats Granolah. Gas is stronger than Broly so he doesn't need to worry.
…
Granolah and Raditz continued on their brutal battle, constantly getting good shots and wounding each other, only to receive the same amount of damage in return. As they fought and cursed each other, Raditz points out that none of this would've happened if he hadn't shot his ship. Granolah is confused how he found out it was him, and reveals that the hit was ordered by Elec. Soon the two were piecing together that Elec was messing with them both, and that something was going on.
Their battle only came to a stop due to the sudden arrival of Monaito. He came to warn them that this whole fight was pointless, they were tricked into fighting each other and all the while someone is gathering the dragon balls with unbelievable accuracy.
Granolah paid attention and saw that another fight was taking place on the other side of the planet. One of the energy signatures was slowly growing and becoming more uncanny. Raditz figured that must be Broly and blasted off after them. Granolah and Monaito feared what the Dragon Ball would do in the wrong hands, and so they went right after Raditz.
…
Gas and Broly's fight was getting more destructive as time went on. Broly was getting stronger but was losing control of his mind, almost as if he's inheriting the power of the great ape without the need to transform. Gas was forced to get serious, he took off his red tunic and started charging up. The advanced form of the Heraseijins gave Gas more power and made his skin receive a green coloration. Cheelai and Lemo were forced to run to escape the sheer destruction of that battle.
Soon Raditz and Granolah arrive at the scene. They immediately try to question Gas about what Elec is plotting, but suddenly Broly gets a second wind. He started attacking Gas as well as Raditz and Granolah. Somehow his angered state made him even more powerful than all three combined. Gas takes the opportunity to piss off and let them kill each other.
With their two fighters down and one rampaging, Monaito was forced to step in. He tried using a magic spell to calm down Broly and induce him into deep sleep. It didn't seem like it was going to work. He was about to punch Raditz again when Cheelai suddenly jumped in front of him. She didn't know why Broly was doing that, he was not being himself. Her words seemed to make the spell work better; Broly started recovering his mind. Soon enough he was sleeping like a baby as Cheelai sang a little lullaby to him.
The raging Saiyan was dealt with, but on the other side of the planet… a new threat was born.
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…
Elec had gathered the seven dragon balls. He was just waiting for Gas to come back so then both can get the hell out of there. Eventually he did, but he wasn't in good shape. Gas explained that Granolah and Raditz found out about their plot, and will most likely come to kill them. Elec thought that to be the worst case scenario, but Gas had a plan.
Gas finally understood this universe to its core. Power is everything, period. Gas doesn't have the current power necessary to save his brother and kill their enemies, but he knows how to get it. He snatches away the dragon balls and utters the secret code to summon Torombo.
The dragon appears ready to make another trade. Elec asks what the hell Gas is planning to do, and Gas simply apologizes to Elec, knowing this is not what he wanted.
Gas went ahead and asked the same wish as Granolah, giving away all the future centuries of his lifetime in exchange for power. However, he dared to go even higher. Elec shouted at him to stop but he didn't listen. Gas wished to become as strong as King Cold; the once emperor of the universe. The dragon accepted the exchange, and so his glowing eyes shined upon them.
…
Once Torombo disappeared, Elec looked back to his brother with shock in his eyes. Gas has grown tall, taller than Elec. Gas threw away around 600 years of his Heraseijin life span, making him even older than Elec and way past the age they used to die.
The man simply fell to his knees after seeing what his brother had done. With his new power, Gas immediately flew off to confront Raditz and Granolah once again.
…
Granolah, Monaito and even Raditz can feel this nightmarish power coming to life, and then heading straight at them. Monaito knew he had to make a move quickly, so he used magic to heal Raditz and Granolah's wounds as fast as he could. Raditz tells Cheelai and Lemo to take Broly and get the hell out of there, and so they do.
As his wounds closed up, Raditz could feel immense power coming back to him. His powers should be somewhere in the millions at this point; no scouter can truly tell anymore.
Now the older and taller Gas has arrived to kill them all. Raditz immediately stepped up to fight him, but he was still deeply outmatched. Raditz thought that to be a hopeless fight, so he took a note from his early days and ran off to hide and think. Gas followed after to finish his target, judging Granolah to be of lesser importance since he can't grow powerful like the Saiyan.
Granolah started cursing himself. He was a fool; he spent 20 years looking for the dragon balls only to waste them on a useless, dim-sighted wish. But the one who was feeling worse was Monaito. For long centuries he lived on this planet before he created the dragon balls. He never thought that one day they would be so sought after, to the point gigantic battles will take place for their possession. But there was a light at the end of the tunnel. After Monaito is gone, the dragon balls will be no more. With the last of his life, he decided to aid one final time this stupid edgy brat that he grew so close to calling his son.
Monaito then used a strange magic, one far too powerful for him to support in current condition. It took his life to use it just once. He placed his hand on Granolah and used magic to awaken his hidden potential. Granolah felt near uncontrollable power run through his body, but he wasn't happy. He managed to catch Monaito before he fell to the floor. The two exchange final goodbyes… before Monaito passes away.
Granolah's first instinct was to scream in bloody anger, but then he realized.
All of this was his fault. Anger and revenge guided him thus far, and it all led to this. He was about to lose everything again.
No more. Now all he wanted to do was write his mistakes. Granolah carried his master away to somewhere he can rest in peace, and so he blasted after Raditz and Gas. This surge of power awakened an unwavering determination.
…
…
Raditz was in a desperate fight for survival. Gas fought him like an absolute terminator and didn't hold back. Raditz's dirty tactics didn't work this time around; his death was imminent. But it was at the dastard time that the unexpected happened. Granolah joined the fight on his side, and suddenly the two were double teaming Gas. Granolah could overcome Gas's speed by using his enhanced eyesight, which is now so powerful that he can pretty much see the world in slow motion. With their combined strength they are able to deliver a powerful hit on Gas, and draw some blood from him. But that was not the worst thing it revealed.
Gas is rapidly looking older the more energy he uses. He was looking dry and his muscle mass was being altered. He didn't get any less powerful though, and managed to fight back still. Raditz and Granolah figured that if they survive long enough Gas might as well turn to dust for overusing the dragon balls wish. It wasn't going to be easy, since Gas' most notable skill was being able to form perfect weapons out of his own ki, and they were quite deadly.
…
…
Cheelai and Lemo took Broly back to the city so then the Shugarians could treat his wounds. However, the city outside the hospital seemed to be undergoing an absolute crisis. People were running around, locking themselves to their houses and carrying weapons. Cheelai turns on the radio and finds out the news. A powerful enemy force is approaching the planet and the city is closing down. Lemo looked up, and there he saw…
…
…
Elec was left alone in the blond fields of planet Chirial, taking a smoke of a fancy cigarette, but he didn't seem to be happy. His expression was blank and boring. He came to realize that ultimately he failed at his quest to give Gas the life Elec wanted as a kid. He created a murder machine that is soon to self-destruct. He had no dragon balls, there's an omniscient god locked on his ship, and all the money he ever made felt completely worthless. He showed no sign of worry or interest as the gigantic ship appeared in the sky and came down to him.
…
The being who landed there was the last person Elec expected to see in these parts.
Lord Cooler, ruler of the South and West galaxies, and Frieza's older brother.
He walked around in his first form, way shorter than the two body guards around him, Salza and Dore. He approached Elec rather courteously. Cooler came to return something that was stolen from his care. Elec told him that the dragon balls were already used, and that he had to search for them again.
"Oh? Oh no, I'm not talking about dragon balls. You stole Zuno from his hideout. I feared this day would come and injected him with a micro tracker to know his location at all times. Didn't expect you would be the one who kidnapped him though."
Apparently, Cooler had Zuno under his thumb for decades. Elec questioned why he didn't want the dragon balls, and Cooler revealed that he knew about them for decades. He once questioned their existence to Zuno, however the oracle revealed that their legends are bogus. Though they do exist and can perform many miracles with their powers, they do not hold control over the other world; none of them ever did. The only thing Cooler wanted from them was to become immortal, but since they cannot grant such wishes he gave up on them.
"So… since you serve under my brother, I believe you know what happens now?"
Yep. Elec knew Cooler would have to kill him. That's how war works. Elec regretted everything, and did not have any intention of running away. He told Cooler where Zuno was and the code to unlock his shackles, then he stepped up and accepted his fate with a long puff of smoke.
Cooler proceeds to erase him from existence with a powerful energy blast. Nothing was left of the man that mere seconds ago was the 2nd richest being in the universe, behind only the King himself. After that Salza looked at his scouter and with a sweat he told Cooler of the three immensely powerful energy readings on the planet.
"Yes, I can sense them"
Cooler proceeded to hunch down, and so he began charging up energy within him. Soon enough he had transformed, going straight to his 4th form. He could feel this to be enough to surpass whoever those three might be. And so Cooler blasted off into the sky, telling his two guards to release Zuno and take him along.
…
Despite taking the upper hand when fighting together, Gas soon picked up the pace and began destroying them again. The most brutal part of the fight was when Gas managed to do a surprise counter attack, and using a ki sword he slashed through Granolah's left eye. That left his super sight abilities in a terrible state. Though they were losing, Gas was starting to die of old age despite not receiving any serious damage yet.
But everything really went downhill once Cooler had transformed. Suddenly all three of them perceive this immense new power that just skyrocketed out of nowhere. Gas realizes it comes from the same direction he left Elec. A few seconds later the three were confronted by the super powered Cooler.
They all immediately and loudly wondered what he was doing here in the North Galaxy, but he wasn't there to give them answers or satisfaction. He did recognize Raditz as the pitiful Saiyan that managed to get under his brother's skin. He was there for an absolutely professional reason. His ascension into power will occur fast, and he can't allow powerful beings such as these three to roam freely once he does.
Cooler began to effortlessly and thoroughly beat them to a pulp. It had been a whole day of fighting and they were physically and mentally tired. Gas gave the best fight against Cooler, but he ran into a problem. Cooler himself seemed to be more powerful than King Cold in that form, and he was beating the older Gas to his grave.
However, Cooler made a mistake.
He started to talk smack about Gas for obtaining all this power by not only cheating but also giving away his life. He was nothing but a soldier with no master to serve under anymore. Finally, Cooler promises that he will send Gas to be along with Elec in hell.
Gas understood at last; Elec was dead. The person who gave everything to him, who took him out of the streets and into near godhood was dead. Elec was like a deity to Gas, one that he swore to help and serve for the rest of his existence. But now confronted with his death, Gas exploded in unbridled anger. His eyes turned white, and he assumed some sort of savage mode of the Heraseijins. His old age seemed to disappear as he grew an intense bulk. He started fighting Cooler completely recklessly. The planet and battlefield was getting destroyed by the absurd power these two packed, Raditz and Granolah could barely understand anything. Granolah had used too much of his energy and ended up passing out.
But out of nowhere, Cheelai and Lemo came in with their ship to pick them up and leave this planet pronto. They just got out of Frieza's sight and they didn't want to be under Cooler's. Surprisingly, Raditz grabbed Granolah by the arm and tossed him inside the ship. Raditz will get stronger the more he physically suffers, so he told Cheelai to forget about him and focus on patching up Granolah; the two will have a lot to talk about once he wakes up.
…
The fight between Cooler and Gas seemed to reach a gruesome end, once Cooler managed to plunge his whole arm into Gas's stomach. That didn't seem to do the trick though, and as a final mad effort Gas held onto Cooler in a bear hug. He started screaming and gathering all the energy he had left. Together they blasted into the sky, and soon into space.
As a last ditch effort, Gas blew himself up along with his opponent. Cooler failed to free himself, and was taken by the explosion at point blank.
…
…
All inhabitants of planet Chirial and Raditz's crew witnessed the explosion that seemed to be another sun. The force was enough to bug out their ship as they fled. Cooler's forces see the thing happen on land and they all immediately retreat from the planet. Though the lower soldiers looked shocked, Salza looked nonchalantly at the explosion, and ordered his troops to return to base at once. Both Gas and Cooler's ki had disappeared.
…
…
…
Granolah woke up with bandages covering his body, still being tended by Cheelai. His left eye was still slashed, but it should heal if they get him to the healing pod in time. He found himself in the living room of the ship; Broly was sleeping on the ground while Raditz eyed him menacingly from across the room. He proceeded to explain what had happened, and told Granolah his planet seems to be in one piece still. Raditz didn't know exactly why he saved him, but he tells Granolah to not make him regret it.
It was a long and awkward silence between those two. Cheelai left the two there while she took care of Broly. He was asleep ever since the fight and was really injured. The only thing that woke him up was an injection of formula that should accelerate his healing factor. He was so scared of needles that Cheelai had to run around the ship to catch him.
Granolah finally broke the silence.
"Raditz… do you even regret what your people did? Have you ever felt remorse for all the people you all killed?" he asked. Raditz closed his eyes for a moment to think, but it wasn't a difficult question.
"There is no regret in survival. Everything that I've done was for the sake of staying alive, and there is no shame in the desire to live. I think you can understand that much.
I am a Saiyan, but for Frieza we were nothing other than slaves. Mere instrument of war for an empire that we loathed. I was never given a choice either to kill or not, not by my superiors or my enemies. If you don't like me, then you're welcome to try and kill me; the rule goes both ways. But don't you dare pretend that you're any better than me once you do.
So no, Granolah. I don't regret a single thing I've done in my entire life. Because if I did, I would be long dead; those two idiots would be long dead; that buffoon would've been stuck in a wild planet for the rest of his life, and YOU WOULD BE DEAD!"
…
"You're a prick, Raditz, and I hope you die. But if there's someone who's gonna kill you eventually… it's not gonna be me." Granolah got up and decided to rest alone in the cargo room. He had one final remark as he stood by the door. "We're not alike at all. But even so, we're both survivors. And if we survived… it has to be for a reason."
While the bounty hunter secluded himself to the other room, Raditz gave the order to stop at the first technologically advanced planet Lemo could find. Thankfully to them, they were at the borders of the West Galaxy, and soon they spotted planet Yardrat on the radar.
…
…
…
…
Yardrat was a curious planet, shared by hundreds if not thousands of different races that all lost their homes in the conquest of either Cooler or Frieza. The whole planet was like a never-ending city of huge buildings of all kinds of design. The Raditz ragtag of randoms fit just perfectly in there. Granolah told Raditz to lower his energy signature because Frieza's army was still active on this planet. But something seemed to be wrong.
They arrived in time to see Frieza soldiers burning away their gear and partying out all throughout the city. It might come as shocking and almost impossible news, but the city's journal doesn't lie.
Frieza was killed.
In search of something in a forgotten planet called Namek, he and his top soldiers engaged in battle and were slaughtered by what people started to call "the legendary super saiyan." The battle didn't end pretty though, as the planet exploded and the news only came out thanks to the soldiers that got scared and ran away.
For once even Raditz had a shocked expression. Both Cheelai and Lemo turned slowly to him, bug eyed and hanging jaws. Granolah was utterly wordless for what he just heard, but seeing their expressions made him wonder:
"Hey… what… what have you done?"
…
…