Son Goku: The Super Saiyan

by SSJ Sin

In an alternate timeline, Son Goku is sent to the Naruto-verse Earth and his presence changes everything! The consequences have yet to be revealed nor properly explored. How does everything unfold? Please Review. Read SGTSSJ: Universe for Rated M scenes. Actively Updated.

74. Casualties

Chapter 74: Casualties

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Frieza Planet 79's fortress was a labyrinth as Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, Ino, Lee, Hinata, and Bulma moved swiftly through the winding pathways, cutting down every obstacle that stood in their way. The air was laden with the stench of blood, the residue left behind by stray jutsu and blasts, and the adrenaline that coursed through their veins.

While the power levels of the basic soldiers were nothing to write home about, they were semi-disciplined, attempting to be relentless, and decently coordinated. A squad of them burst through the next corridor like a flood—more elite soldiers of the PTO, stronger and more battle-hardened than any they had faced so far.

In an instant, they fell into a coordinated formation, leveling their blasters at the group. "INTRUDERS! ELIMINATE THEM!" barked the soldier in front.

"Do your worst," Sasuke muttered as he quickly glanced back at Naruto and Ino, who nodded in silence. The corridors lit up with the energy of concentrated chakra and the glimmer of steel—Naruto's Kage Bunshin bursting forth like a tidal wave, slamming into the soldiers with explosive Rasengans while Sasuke weaved through like a ghost, his blade leaving arcs of blood and lightning in its wake.

WHAM! BOOM!

Hinata's eyes flickered as she covered Bulma's flank, fluidly deflecting energy blasts that tore through the walls like hot knives through butter. Her movements were too damn smooth, a dance of grace and absolute accuracy. A soldier thought he had her cornered, but she spun on her heel and lashed out with a vicious roundhouse kick to his skull, the crack of his helmet echoing through the corridor like a gunshot. Her strikes weren't just swift—they were surgical, each blow aimed to incapacitate with expert precision.

"Thank you," Bulma breathed, trying to maintain her composure while inputting codes into her handheld device. The look on her face was intense, but even through the chaos, she had a confidence in her eyes that overrode anything else.

"No need to thank me," Hinata responded. She pivoted sharply to catch an approaching soldier in the chest with a knee strike, driving the wind out of him as he crumpled.

"You okay back there, Bulma?" Sakura called out, pulverizing a soldier's armor with a Rasengan of her own, sending him smashing through a wall.

"I'm fine! Just don't let them blow my head off, okay?!" Bulma retorted, her eyes never leaving the screen of her device as she feverishly worked to locate the database.

They didn't have time to deal with these weaklings forever.

The number of soldiers felt endless. But for all their training and all their bravado of being stationed on one of Frieza's key planets, they were met with brutal efficiency from the shinobi. Ino carved through the chaos like a blade of her own, her mind like a web latching onto the consciousness of the soldiers. With a burst of telepathic energy, she seized control of one enemy after another, turning them against their comrades like puppets.

"You see how pointless this is?" Ino sneered as she commanded a squad of soldiers to open fire on their own, turning the corridor into a storm of friendly fire. The soldiers screamed in confusion, trying to wrestle back control, but they were powerless against her mental prowess. "You're outmatched. You never stood a chance against a real psychic."

"More like a real psycho!" Naruto's eyes darted through the battle as he jokingly shouted toward his "comrade." He could feel the rush of battle-high, but he couldn't let it consume him. He summoned more Kage Bunshin, bombarding soldiers with an onslaught of taijutsu combinations and Rasengans, battering them down systematically.

"We can't keep getting slowed down like this! We need to find that database!" the blonde said urgently.

"Agreed," Hinata responded, her Byakugan scanning for any power signatures that could be trouble. Her eyes sharpened. "Something big is coming. And it's close."

Before Naruto could respond, a powerful explosion detonated nearby, and three massive figures emerged from the smoke—Appule, a purple alien with yellow spots of Frieza's army, flanked by two warriors of Cui's race: Gorin and Strobe.

Gorin, the Commander, sneered arrogantly as he cracked his knuckles. "So... these are the intruders who think they can breach Frieza's stronghold," the soldier grinned. "Lord Frieza will pay a high price for your heads."

Naruto stepped forward, rolling his shoulders. "We don't have time for this. I'll take them out—"

"Not this time," Lee's voice cut through. "Let me handle this."

Lee's usual composed demeanor was potent, but there was a searing fire behind his eyes, a hunger for battle similar to Son Goku. He stepped forward, cracking his knuckles with eagerness.

The others paused, understanding that Lee's mind was more than made up.

Sasuke grunted, and Ino's lips curved into a smirk. "Just make it quick, Black Fist."

Lee nodded, the outline of his muscles tensing as he released his restraints. VWHHOOOOM! The air crackled around him as he opened the Seventh Gate, emerald flames of energy blazing around his form. "Kyōmon... Kaioken... OPEN!"

In an instant, Lee's aura doubled—no, tripled in intensity as the King Kai Fist layered upon the power of the Gates, his skin turning red as his muscles tightened.

The ground beneath him shattered into a crater, and before any of the three soldiers could react, Lee vanished from sight...

A second later, WHAM!

Gorin's body contorted as Lee's fist connected with his gut, sending him through several metal walls.

Appule and Strobe turned, wide-eyed, but they had no time to process what happened next. Lee's foot slammed into Strobe's face with the force of a comet, and his elbow cracked into Appule's ribcage, breaking bones with a sickening crunch.

The others didn't wait to see how the fight ended—they couldn't afford to. They tore through the corridor, pressing onward while Lee's battle cries and the sounds of devastation erupted behind them.

The fortress seemed to stretch on endlessly, a vast industrial nightmare of thick steel doors and mechanical security systems.

And then, just as they thought they were making progress, they felt it—a chilling aura that stopped them in their tracks.

A single blast exploded in front of them, cutting off their path with a wall of smoke and debris. From the haze of dust emerged a tall, allegedly beautiful figure, one whose presence exuded power and elegance in equal measure. His long teal hair cascaded over his shoulders, his face the embodiment of hubris and cruelty.

Zarbon. The quote en quote "stunning" warrior of Frieza's inner circle.

"Well, well, well..." Zarbon's voice was as smooth as silk, but with a tone of menace. "What do we have here? Some rebellious little insects trying to overthrow Lord Frieza? And here I was hoping for a challenge." His lips curled into a smirk as his eyes trailed over the group. "And what a pathetic little gathering you all make. Shall I crush you quickly, or... should I draw this out and make your deaths slow and painful?"

Naruto tightened his fists, his eyes narrowing. "You're one of Frieza's top dogs, right? That means taking you down'll be even sweeter."

"Top dog?" Zarbon chuckled darkly. "How crude. I prefer... 'commander' or perhaps 'champion.' Titles befitting my power." He began to pace back and forth, never breaking eye contact with the group. "But what chance do you have? A couple of weaklings in league with Vegeta and their little ninja tricks? Frieza will reward me handsomely for bringing him your heads, you know."

His dark blue eyes sparkled with a mix of interest and cruelty as he surveyed the trio of girls in front of him—Hinata, Sakura, and Ino—while Naruto, Sasuke, and the others stood ready to pounce at first notice. Despite the growing sense of killer intent, Zarbon's smirk remained elegant, casual even.

He had no idea what the hell was coming to him, did he?

"Oh, my, my... quite the array of beauties we have here," Zarbon said, letting his words hang. He took a few steps closer, his tall, muscular frame casting shadows in the fortress. "It's not often I come across women with such... spirit." He paused, eyeing Hinata's alert stance. "And you... with that lavender gaze and those delicate features..."

Hinata's eyes hardened, and her lips pressed into a thin line. She rose her left hand slightly to show the wedding band Goku had placed on her finger. The metal caught the light, shimmering in loud proud defiance.

"I'm married."

"Oh... married, are we?" Zarbon's smirk only widened as his eyes narrowed. "Ah, yes. I assume to that other Saiyan since Vegeta has too much of a stick up his ass to ever be a husband, and these other... less appealing men are hardly fit to lick your boots. Kakarot, or whatever that fool's name is. How charming." He tilted his head, studying her with cold amusement. "I suppose you and that brute must have quite the... passionate relationship. But surely, a beauty like you deserves better. Why waste your potential on a low-class Saiyan?"

His words dripped with condescension and ill-intent, each syllable like poison. And his attitude worked alright, he was actively pissing off the ones who were going to smoke him and all he stood for.

Ino sneered, fighting fire with fire. "Oh, I'm sorry... are we supposed to be impressed? You're nothing more than a glorified peacock. And trust me, I've seen better muscles and prettier faces." She let out a laugh, her voice mocking and cruel. "Tell me, do you stare at yourself in the mirror every morning? Or do you get your kicks from feeling superior to anyone weaker than you?"

Zarbon's smirk twitched slightly, the jab clearly hitting a nerve. "Ah, the blonde one speaks," he said with a condescending chuckle. "I like a woman with bite... perhaps you're not so useless after all." He took a few steps closer to Ino, his expression shifting to a more sinister curiosity. "I could spare you... or your friend here," he added, nodding toward Sakura, who was glaring daggers at him. "In fact, both of you could be spared... if you choose to stand by my side. I could show you what real power is. I could make you queens."

Sakura's hands balled into fists, the chakra inside of her flaring as she was more and more repulsed. "I'd rather die than spend a second with a creep like you," she spat. "You want to talk about power? How about you act like a man first?"

"Oh, my dear," Zarbon replied, his tone almost pitying, "how you wound me. I'm offering you the world... and you cling to your pathetic pride." His eyes flicked between Sakura and Ino, ignoring Naruto entirely as though he were a piece of furniture. "But if I had to choose..." Zarbon's eyes lingered over Sakura's form with a cruel, discerning leer. "I think I'd prefer the pink-haired one."

Ino laughed coldly. "Really? Good for you. But see, the thing is... you don't have a choice." Her voice grew dangerously soft as her hands clenched, a faint blue aura glowing around her as she prepared for a fight. "We're going to put you down like the arrogant dog you are."

Zarbon's eyes narrowed, amusement giving way to malice. "Ah, such fire... such passion. Very well."

His stance shifted as his aura began to flare around him, the cold, greenish energy making the metallic walls tremble. "I tried to offer you a place at my side, but if you insist on throwing away your lives for some insignificant cause... then so be it."

"Is this guy for real?" Naruto said, incredulous, trying to rein in his anger. "I don't know who you think you are, but these girls aren't gonna fall for your crap. And when they're done with you, I'm gonna make sure you're begging to tell us where that damn database is."

"Such vulgarity... is this your hero?" Zarbon mocked, the disgust evident in his voice. "A loudmouthed, rash fool... not unlike that monkey, Vegeta." He closed his eyes momentarily, shaking his head as if mourning the quality of his adversaries. "This universe is just full of barbarians."

Hinata's voice cut through the air with clarity. "If you think we're going to let you continue your madness, you're mistaken. We're here to put an end to it. And once you tell us where the PTO's database is... we'll show you just how barbaric we can be."

Sakura stepped forward as well. "Get ready to regret ever laying eyes on us, pretty boy." She didn't even bother hiding her loathing. This wasn't some misguided warrior or misguided foe—Zarbon was pure malice, one of Frieza's top henchmen, and he needed to be wiped off the map.

"Ladies, ladies," Zarbon said as he raised his hands in mock surrender, "such aggression. I assure you... you'll find I'm more than capable of handling all three of you."

Ino rolled her eyes at his antics. "Don't flatter yourself, you're about to get your ass kicked. And not in the way you're hoping for."

"Enough talking!" Naruto said, his voice a growl as his chakra flared. "Let's end this. Sasuke, Hinata, Bulma—you go try to find that database. We'll catch up after we get what we need outta him and put this bastard down."

"Right," Sasuke muttered, shooting one last look at Zarbon before nodding to Hinata and Bulma. "Be quick about it. Don't waste time."

Hinata gave Naruto a firm nod before following Sasuke and Bulma deeper into the fortress. They had to trust that the others could handle Zarbon... and that they'd get the information they needed.

Naruto stepped to the front, cracking his knuckles as Sakura and Ino flanked him on either side. The three of them were a picture of lingering drama, and yet the three of them looked absolutely petrifying from the perspective of the opposition.

"You better start talking right fucking now," the Uzumaki said, eyes narrowed with fierceness, "or this is gonna end really badly for you."

"Oh... I'm looking forward to this," Zarbon said, letting out a sinister laugh. "I'm about to make sure this fight... is truly unforgettable."

---

Gai roared as he closed the distance in an instant, cocking his arm back for a thunderous punch, only to meet the immovable wall of Recoome's massive forearm. The impact echoed like thunder through the battlefield, but Recoome didn't budge in the slightest.

"Not bad," the behemoth mused, his voice thick with mock amusement. "For the likes of you!"

With a terrifying grin, Recoome's arm swung around like a wrecking ball. Gai twisted midair, narrowly dodging the blow, but the shockwave sent him careening through the remnants of a wall, the debris scattering as his body bounced against the earth.

Tenten was next. Activating her repulsor systems, she zoomed in at breakneck speed, her Mark IV armor vibrating with energy as she opened fire with twin laser cannons. Blasts of plasma burned toward Recoome, tearing through the ground, but the brute merely stood his ground, arms crossed and grinning wide.

He didn't even flinch.

The blasts struck his chest and dissipated harmlessly, leaving only faint scorch marks across his skin. "Is that supposed to hurt?"

Tenten's response was to fire everything—turrets hummed to life, shoulder-mounted missiles launched, and micro-blades shot out in every direction. The storm of projectiles rained down upon Recoome, but the Ginyu Force member's laughter only grew louder.

Recoome swatted the incoming blades aside like annoying flies, and with one massive stomp, he shattered the earth beneath Tenten's feet, sending her crashing to the ground. She gritted her teeth, systems in her armor blaring warnings as she barely rolled away from his follow-up kick, the force of it cratering the battlefield much further.

Neji charged in next, his Byakugan glowing under the visor of his armor. His iron suit whirred with precision, jets propelling him forward as he came with bad intentions. With no chakra points to target on a ki-wielder, Neji adapted quickly, abandoning his traditional strikes for devastating hits enhanced by the armor.

He zipped in, firing a palm strike at Recoome's ribs—only to be swatted away mid-move. BAM! Recoome's massive fist collided with Neji's side, sending him flying into a nearby boulder. The stone shattered on impact, but Neji recovered, armor groaning under the strain as he stood once more..

"Persistent, huh?" Recoome mused, clapping his hands together with force. The shockwave blasted outward, sending both Tenten and Neji skidding backward, their combined efforts amounting to little more than amusement. "You guys aren't even a warm-up!"

But Kakashi... Kakashi was a different story.

Moving with a ghostly silence, the Hokage warped through the battlefield using his Kamui. His body flickered in and out of existence, phasing through Recoome's monstrous swings like a phantom.

Every time Recoome tried to hit him, Kakashi disappeared, only to reappear at a different angle, eyes gleaming with the power of his dual Mangekyo Sharingan.

"Stay still!" Recoome bellowed, frustration creeping into his voice as his hits kept missing, smashing the ground, rubble, and ruins around them—but never the elusive Copy Ninja.

"Stop being a coward and fight me like a man!"

Then came the counter.

From range, Itachi's hands moved like a blur, summoning a barrage of shuriken coated in fire chakra. They spun through the air toward Recoome, forcing the giant to raise his arms defensively, the explosions dancing harmlessly against his skin.

Recoome sneered. "Is that all?"

But that was the distraction.

In a flash, Kakashi appeared right under Recoome's guard, dual Sharingan spinning wildly. A Raikiri surged to life in his palm, the blade of lightning screaming with killer intent.

Recoome snarled, throwing a colossal punch, but Kakashi's form shifted—and vanished—just as the fist passed through him.

The instant the Hokage reappeared, he struck with the precision of a viper. TZZZZING!

The Raikiri flashed across Recoome's cheek, drawing the first line of blood.

A thin, sharp cut.

Recoome's grin faltered for the first time. He touched the wound, staring in disbelief at the crimson streak on his fingertips. "Blood?"

His eyes widened, his arrogant demeanor slipping for just a second. "You... actually cut me?"

Kakashi remained silent, only offering a sardonic smile beneath his mask.

It was Gai, who had recovered, who spoke next, a fierce grin spreading across his face. "See? Not invincible after all!"

Recoome's expression darkened, the playful grin morphing into a wicked, toothy smirk. "Alright... now I'm pissed."

Neji and Tenten regrouped, their breathing heavy but their confidence increasing based on what their Hokage managed to pull off.

"He's not unbeatable," the former muttered, reengaging his armor.

"Absolutely," Tenten said in a darker tone than usual, her weapons humming back to life. "Let's cut his head off this time."

Recoome's scouter beeped furiously, locking onto their rising power levels. "Don't get cocky," he growled, wiping the blood from his cheek with a furious swipe. "You're all gonna die."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed, the Mangekyo spinning ominously. "You'll have to catch us first."

Recoome grinned harder—a mad, terrifying grin. "Oh, I'll catch you... and when I do, I'll break you all in half."

Kakashi. Gai. Itachi. Neji. Tenten.

The five shinobi that stood before the Ginyu Force member were Earth's last tangible line of defense, an urgent assembly of warriors who each held reputations for their own impressive feats over the years, especially the first three.

But if you asked Recoome?

They were mere entertainment.

The rest of the Ginyu Force watched from a distance, not even hiding their boredom as they imagined themselves eating space parfait after the mission was complete. Jeice leaned back lazily against a broken pillar, Burter crossed his arms, and Guldo busied himself by telekinetically stacking rubble like blocks.

Then... then came a new presence.

A powerful gust of wind swept over the battlefield, scattering dust and debris. A white aura shot from the sky, and in an instant, Tenshinhan landed on the rubble-strewn battlefield. His green pants fluttered slightly, the red sash at his waist tight, black shoes planted firmly on the ground. His bare, chiseled chest was tense, coiled with ever increasing power and conviction.

Recoome glanced at the new arrival, his smirk deepening. "Another weakling to play with? Good!"

Tien didn't even acknowledge the taunt. His third eye gleamed with calmness as his gaze swept across the battlefield, assessing his allies, the remaining enemies, and the monster before them.

Kakashi's eyes brightened with recognition. "Tien... Took you long enough."

The crane fighter offered a brief nod. "I flew straight from Iwagakure the second I heard. There wasn't a moment to waste."

Neji, unfamiliar with Tien's presence or what his presence truly meant, measured him with his Byakugan. "So, this is Tenshinhan..."

Itachi gave a glance but stayed quiet, while Tenten allowed herself the smallest smile. "About time you showed up, Tien."

Tien cracked his knuckles, his stoic face giving away nothing. "I had a... busy morning."

There was an edge to his voice, and a brief memory flashed through his mind. He recalled Kurotsuchi's laughter, the way her body curled against his beneath the sheets...

His day job as planet protector sucked! Recoome and the other goons had to pay for this!

Aside from his recent musing, he promised to return to her, to finish what they'd started. But first, he had to see this through.

"I told her I'd be back."

Gai chuckled under his breath. "Still the same guy from a few years back huh?"

Tien allowed a smirk to touch his lips. "Let's say I've learned to appreciate life a bit more... actually a lot more."

He planted his feet, powering up with a sudden, ferocious burst of energy. His white aura surged violently around him, shaking the ground beneath him, as if to suggest he was more flowing and vibrant than ever before.

Gai, his body already glowing with the energy of the Seventh Gate, gave a fierce nod. "Good. I'm afraid we're going to need every ounce of that appreciation."

Recoome rolled his shoulders, his patience running thin. "You done talking, or are we gonna fight sometime today?"

Neji scanned Recoome's energy patterns, looking for a crevice of sorts. "He doesn't have any weak points... We'll need to create one."

Kakashi, lightning dancing around his fingertips, gave a nod of agreement. "We will. We have to."

Recoome let out a booming, wicked laugh. "Oh, this is gonna be fun!"

"Stay on guard!" Tien warned the others. "This bastards power... it's monstrous. Stay sharp, stay focused!"

"This brute will feel the strength of Konoha's Green Beast!" Gai shouted, his body trembling with his own surging power.

Itachi's eyes gleamed crimson, playing his cards a lot different in comparison to his previous encounter with an alien—the one that resulted in his death. And then, there was the legendary Copy Ninja and current Hokage, shifting his feet for better positioning while his own Sharingan glowed. Neji and Tenten, the inseparable pair, stood back-to-back, ready to cover the other with all their might.

The fight exploded in an instant.

Recoome laughed maniacally as he lunged forward, moving far faster than anyone his size should have been able to. His fist, a blur of raw power, crashed toward Tien, who managed to narrowly dodge it at the last second.

The sheer force of the missed blow sent a shockwave that ripped apart the nearby ground, kicking up a higher level of dust and debris.

Tien retaliated with a flurry of punches aimed at Recoome's midsection, but every strike felt like hitting solid steel—the giant's muscles absorbed every blow effortlessly.

"HA! Not bad, bald guy! Not bad!" Recoome shouted, bringing down a massive, bone-crushing chop that Tien barely sidestepped, countering with a quick Kikoho that exploded directly into Recoome's face.

Smoke and light enveloped the area, but when the dust settled, the brute emerged with nothing but a slightly singed lock of hair.

"Is that the best you got? Come on!" Recoome taunted, cocking back a fist that glowed with pure, destructive energy.

Itachi's voice cut through the chaos. "We can't fight him head-on like this... his power is overwhelming. I have a plan, but I need time—keep him occupied!"

Without hesitation, Gai shot forward like a missile, spinning into a brutal roundhouse kick with enough potency to shatter planets. The impact rang out like thunder as his kick connected with Recoome's ribcage, but to his horror, it felt like kicking an immovable wall.

Recoome didn't even budge.

"Nice kick!" the brute grinned, catching Gai by the ankle mid-air before swinging him like a rag doll into the ground, creating a crater beneath him. The Seventh Gate, Kaioken-empowered Gai tried to shift, but Recoome brought his foot down like a sledgehammer, stomping his back into the dirt viciously.

Blood sprayed from Gai's mouth as the pain wracked his body; it was like his bones broke under every individual strike, but his power of will still burned in his eyes as he forced himself to not wilt beneath the behemoth.

"I... won't... fall!" the taijutsu masters voice said while strained, which only induced Recoome into laughing harder and harder.

Meanwhile, Kakashi darted through the battlefield, his body phasing in and out of reality with his mastery of Kamui, looking for any kind of opening. "He's virtually indestructible... gotta find something, anything to—"

Suddenly, Recoome's fist crashed down, and though Kakashi phased partially through it, the shockwave alone sent him flying back. His body spun through the air before he recovered, landing on his feet in a crouch.

"He's faster than he looks... even phasing won't work on him for long."

Recoome's twisted grin stretched wider as he thundered forward, moving far faster than a man his size should be able to. Neji and Tenten exchanged a quick glance—they didn't need words.

Their chances of winning were slim to none, but they refused to fold in the face of said odds.

Tetsu and Iron-Neji were ready to die.

"Stick to the plan," the latter muttered as he mapped out Recoome's optics in real-time. His traditional methods were null and void, they needed to get the drop on him.

They needed creativity.

Tenten's suit whirred with life, her Iron Armor shifting as hidden compartments opened across her shoulders and wrists, revealing an array of missiles, smoke bombs, and kunai launchers.

"I'm right behind you," she whispered, her lips curling into a sly grin despite the situation.

Recoome barreled toward them, roaring with insidioius intent. "Come on, little bugs! Let's see what you've got!"

Neji was already in motion, blurring into the air and striking from a low angle, aiming a series of kicks at Recoome's knees to disrupt his balance. Recoome swung his massive arm down in response, but the Hyuga twisted mid-air, avoiding the crushing blow by a hair. His hands snapped forward with precision, targeting joints, muscles, and tendons.

Though the blows landed clean, they felt ineffective—Recoome's muscles absorbed it all.

Recoome sneered, swiping at Neji again, but Tenten was there. With a flick of her wrist, she launched a barrage of smoke grenades that exploded in front of Recoome's face, filling the battlefield with thick clouds of black smoke.

The brute coughed, waving his hand dismissively. "Cheap tricks aren't gonna—"

Tenten cut him off mid-sentence, activating the built-in thrusters on her armor. She rocketed toward Recoome through the smoke, her kunai launchers firing volleys of chakra-enhanced blades. Each kunai was laced with an explosive seal, detonating the moment they struck Recoome's torso.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The explosions knocked Recoome back a step, his laughter briefly interrupted as the shrapnel bit slightly into his skin.

Tenten followed up with a relentless barrage, flipping through the air as missiles spiraled toward him from her shoulder launchers.

Recoome grunted in frustration, wafting through the smoke and debris, unable to detect their exact location. "Where the hell are you little pests?!"

And that's when Neji struck.

Utilizing the cover of the smoke, Neji propelled himself forward at an angle Recoome couldn't foresee. His chakra flared, focusing into a razor-thin chakra-saber in his palm—an energy blade specifically designed to bypass Recoome's brute force. With a swift, surgical motion, Neji drove the chakra-saber deep into the back of Recoome's calf, lodging the blade where it could do the most damage.

Recoome roared in pain, staggering from the unexpected attack. "What the—?!"

Tenten was on the move once more. She flipped mid-air and landed gracefully, unleashing a hailstorm of bullets and micro-missiles directly into Recoome's face. Each impact sent jolts of force through the giant's body, obscuring his vision and buying Neji precious moments to retreat.

"You feel that?" she shouted, grinning as her weapons continued to unload. "That's the taste of Earth's finest! You're not invincible!"

Recoome growled, wiping the blood from the thin cut running down his calf. A crimson line trailed down his leg—and it pissed him off.

"You little bastards," he hissed, his grin contorting into a snarl. "You scratched me again. That... was a mistake."

Recoome flexed his leg, shattering the chakra-saber still embedded in his calf with sheer force. His eyes glinted with madness as he locked onto Neji and Tenten, who stood defiantly side by side.

"You think this is over?" the brute chuckled darkly. "You've got guts, I'll give you that. But now... I'm done playing stupid games."

Recoome shot forward like a cannonball, breaking the barrier of being fathomable as he lunged toward them. Neji and Tenten barely had time to react before he was on them.

His fist slammed into Neji's Iron Armor with the force of a colliding planet, sending him skidding across the ground in a blur of sparks. The impact left Neji coughing violently, blood dripping from his lips despite the shell covering his face.

Tenten moved swiftly to cover Neji, launching herself at Recoome with twin chakra sabers in hand. She spun them with lethal precision, the extensions of herself whistling through the air as she aimed for the brute's neck. Recoome dodged the first saber with ease, catching the second in mid-air.

"Nice try," he sneered, snapping the weapon in half like a twig before delivering a thunderous punch to Tenten's midsection.

The force of the blow launched Tenten across the battlefield, her armor sparking as she tumbled through debris and crashed into a ruined wall. She gasped for air, pain lancing through her ribs, but she forced herself to stand.

She had no choice. She glanced toward Neji, who was slowly pulling himself back to his feet as well.

Recoome rolled his shoulders, blood still trickling from the cut on his calf. "You two... might be my new favorite toys. Better, more fun than those other guys."

Neji locked eyes with Tenten, and despite the pain, they both grinned. They had landed one hit.

It wasn't much, but it was proof that they could hurt him. And where there was proof, there was hope.

"We're not toys," the Hyuga said, his voice low but steady.

"And we're just getting started," Tenten added, reloading her launchers with a dangerous glint in her eye.

Recoome's grin widened, full of malice. "Good... because this is about to end bad for you."

Neji and Tenten attacked in tandem, moving like a well-oiled machine. Neji's strikes aimed for pressure points, attacks that would cripple any ordinary opponent, while Tenten fired off volleys of chakra-infused kunai, shuriken, bullets, and missiles from her arsenal.

And yet Recoome brushed off their attacks like they were insect bites.

"Takes more than that to tickle me!" Recoome cackled, swinging his leg in a wide arc to smash them both aside like flies. Neji managed to dodge just barely, but Tenten wasn't so lucky—the kick hit her side, launching her like a bullet through the air and into a crumbling wall. She grunted in pain, but before Recoome could pursue, Neji reappeared in front of him.

"Hakke Rokujūyon Shō!" A flurry of palm strikes erupted from Neji's hands, targeting Recoome's torso with pinpoint accuracy, but each blow seemed to bounce off completely.

Recoome then grabbed Neji by the face, his grip like a vice, lifting him off the ground. "You wanna play, kid? Then let's play!"

He hurled Neji away like a doll, but as Neji rolled back to his feet, a surge of chakra from Tenten's armor propelled her forward to support her fiancé.

They couldn't afford a single misstep.

Every second mattered as Itachi remained behind, hands in a meditative stance as he gathered Genki—the life energy from all things around him. His fingers trembled from the gathering of power, but his determination was ironclad.

Recoome, eyes glinting with maniacal joy, surged forward with a terrifying speed.

In a blink, he was in front of Tien.

"Try this on for size, Baldy!" Recoome bellowed, his booming voice vibrating through the ruins. He raised his fist high and brought it down like a meteor crashing into the Earth. Tien barely had time to react, instinctively raising his arm in defense.

Big fucking mistake.

CRACKKKKK!

The sound of the impact was deafening. Tien's arm shattered instantly, snapping at the elbow with a sickening crunch. Blood erupted from the broken limb in a gruesome arc, splattering across the battlefield as the bones inside his arm crumbled like glass under a sledgehammer.

In another timeline, Nappa did the same thing to him during his invasion of Earth.

"ARGH!" Tien roared in agony, dropping to one knee as searing pain shot through his body. His left arm dangled uselessly as stump by side, but despite this Tien refused to fall completely apart.

He had no room to quit. If he did, he was a deadman.

"I'm… not… done," he growled in defiance, his teeth clenched as he glared at his foe, body shaking vigorously from the pain.

Recoome sneered, relishing the sight of Tien's visage. "Uh-oh! Looks like you are!"

With a sinister grin, the giant raised his arm for the final blow, ready to kill Tien in one more devastating punch.

But before he could strike, Gai exploded into action.

He shot forth, his foot ignited with green and red energy as he drove a brutal roundhouse kick into the side of Recoome's skull.

The force of the kick was cataclysmic.

Recoome's head snapped to the side, his grin faltering for just a moment as the unexpected blow rattled him and sent him stumbling backward a single step.

Gai's chest heaved with ragged breaths, his vision swimming from the overwhelming strain on his body. Blood seeped from open wounds across his torso and legs, his body barely holding itself together under the combined pressure of the Gates and Kaioken due to the damage he had previously received from Recoome prior.

Recoome's grin returned, more feral than ever. "That all you got?" he snarled.

With a speed that defied logic, the giant drove his knee into Gai's gut, delivering a decent amount of force from his monstrous strength.

The impact was like a meteor strike. Gai's eyes bulged, the air violently escaping his lungs as a choking gasp escaped his lips. His ribs groaned under the pressure, snapping instantly.

He crumpled to the ground, his limbs trembling, unable to rise again.

"Gai-sensei!" Tenten's voice broke with fear as she watched her sensei collapse.

Recoome sneered. "One down. Who's next?"

"Get… back…" Gai whispered, his voice a faint rasp. His body refused to move, but the fire in his eyes didn't flicker. "Get back… Tenten."

Before Recoome could actually kill him, Kakashi appeared like a phantom, his body phasing back into reality with a flicker of light. His Raikiri blazed in his hand—a concentrated lightning strike aimed directly at Recoome's neck.

The crackling energy surged forward, but Recoome's reflexes were inhuman. He twisted his massive frame with an unnatural speed, narrowly avoiding the deadly strike.

"Close... but no cigar, copycat!" Recoome laughed as he swatted at Kakashi with a backhand swing.

But Kakashi vanished again, phasing through the attack with precision.

Recoome's frustration boiled over. "*Enough!*" His lungs filled to capacity, and with a guttural roar, he released a deafening sonic scream.

The sound was pure, primal force. It wasn't just loud—it was *weaponized*. The air trembled violently under the pressure, and waves of energy blasted outward like a tidal surge, colliding with everything in its path. Rocks shattered, rubble flew, and the ground split open under the sheer pressure of the scream.

Kakashi, caught at point-blank range, felt the full brunt of the sound wave hit him like a sledgehammer to the chest. His body was sent flying backward, tumbling uncontrollably through the air. At the last second, Kakashi summoned his Susano'o—a towering, ethereal warrior of blue energy—that materialized around him, its massive shield absorbing most of the impact.

Even with the Susano'o guarding him, Kakashi was forced back across the battlefield, his heels digging into the cracked earth as he skidded to a halt. The energy of the sound wave had shattered portions of the Susano'o's shield, and Kakashi winced, feeling the strain in his body from both the impact and maintaining the form.

Recoome's maniacal laughter echoed across the battlefield. "That tickled, didn't it, ninja boy?"

Kakashi breathed heavily, the glowing eyes of his Susano'o narrowing. "Tch… this guy's on another level."

Recoome was not just a brute.

He was a freak of nature.

A monster.

It was clear that winning wasn't going to be easy.

Neji's mind raced as he had seen Hinata in a revolutionary manner do this maneuver against Son Goku in the Chunin Exams all those years ago—Basuto Modo—but he had never dared to try it himself. Not until now.

Not until the life of his fiancée, his Tenten, was on the line.

With a sharp intake of breath, Neji unlocked every Tenketsu point in his body, feeling the surge of chakra flood his system.

Recoome barely noticed him at first, his attention scattered just like his cognitive functions. But Neji moved like lightning, launching himself forward. His speed caught the brute off-guard, and he delivered a brutal strike to the giant's abdomen, a concussive blast of chakra actually sending a tremor through Recoome's towering frame.

Recoome stumbled back, surprise flashing across his face for a fleeting second. "What the—?"

But Neji didn't stop. He struck again, landing rapid blows to Recoome's chest, his neck, his arms—every strike flaring upon impact. The air crackled with energy as the Hyuga pushed forward, relentless in his assault.

With a surge of raw power, Recoome threw a massive kick toward Neji, only for the agile Hyuga to slip out of range, sidestepping with effortless precision. Recoome attacked once again, but each blow missed its mark, landing only on empty air as Neji danced around him, his movements as fluid as they were deadly.

For a moment, it seemed as though Neji might have the upper hand, but Recoome's grin only widened.

"You think you're fast, pretty boy? Let's see how long you can keep this up!"

The foe's body tensed, his muscles bulging as he unleashed a sudden burst of speed. Neji barely had time to react as Recoome's fist came crashing down, damn near shattering his armor and sending him sprawling backward. He skidded across the ground, pain radiating through him as he struggled to gather himself.

But Tenten wasn't about to watch her fiancé be brutalized. She gritted her teeth as she activated her suit's thrusters, propelling herself forward with a speed that caught even Recoome by surprise.

In a blur of motion, she jammed a specialized grenade into his teeth. Before Recoome could react, she slammed his head into a nearby pile of rubble and launched herself back in order to avoid repercussion.

BOOOM!

The grenade detonated with a thunderous blast, filling the air with smoke and debris.

A brief moment of silence hanging in the air as everyone held their breath, hoping that maybe, just maybe, it was over.

Even though everyone knew it wasn't over.

As the smoke cleared, Recoome emerged, his face bloodied, a few locks of his once-thick hair now remaining, with the rest being blown off. He stood there, disheveled but unfazed, a wicked grin plastered on his face as he wiped a residue of ash from his cheek.

"Oh, that was cute," he sneered. "But playtime's over."

Instead of going in close for another game of cat and mouse, Kakashi stayed on the periphery, watching, calculating, waiting for the perfect opening. With Recoome distracted by Iron-Neji and Tetsu, the Hokage saw his chance.

His Mangekyo Sharingan flared, the dark energy spiraling outward to form a massive, ethereal shuriken—the Kamui Shuriken. Its edges gleamed with a deadly precision, a void of pure death aimed directly at Recoome.

But just as Kakashi prepared to hurl the attack, he felt an invisible force clamp down on him, freezing him in place mid-action. His body locked, his muscles strained against the unseen hold, but it was no use.

Across the battlefield, Guldo's eyes narrowed as he clenched his hand in a telekinetic grip. "You idiot, Recoome!" he yelled, his voice dripping with frustration. "Keep an eye on them, especially the phasing guy. You could've been killed just now!"

Recoome looked over, visibly annoyed but still chuckling. "Aw, come on, Guldo! I'm just havin a little fun."

Guldo's frustration deepened. "If you're not careful, that fun is going to cost you your head! They almost got you back there, moron!"

Recoome shrugged, barely fazed, but he eyed Kakashi's still-spinning Kamui Shuriken with a touch more caution. "Guess I'll kill this one a little quicker," he muttered, his voice laced with menace as he sauntered over toward the immobilized Kakashi.

Meanwhile, Kakashi struggled within Guldo's hold, mind racing through every escape strategy he could think of. And once he escaped?

Recoome's head would be off his shoulders.

Guldo's head would roll too.

In fact, all of them.

Tenten and Neji, watching the scene unfold, exchanged a grim glance of silence and full on understanding of the stakes.

They both knew their roles; Kakashi was their last shot, their ace. The one person who might just be able to turn the tide.

And if that meant they had to throw themselves in front of Recoome to keep Kakashi alive, so be it.

Recoome, grinning like the maniac he was, looked poised to finish Kakashi off once and for all, his hulking form inching toward the immobilized shinobi with sinister intent.

But Tenten's voice cut through the chaotic battlefield.

"Hey, dumbass!" she shouted, her voice laced with bite, "What's the matter? Can't land a hit unless your little green friend helps you? Thought the mighty Recoome didn't need backup!"

Recoome froze, his brow twitching as he slowly turned his head. "What did you say, girlie?"

Neji smirked, catching on immediately, and added, "She's right. For a supposed elite warrior, you sure look like you can't handle a bunch of Earthlings on your own. Maybe that's why your team keeps you around—to babysit you."

Recoome's face contorted, that proud Ginyu ego flaring up as his sneer twisted into an outright snarl. "You think I need help with trash like you?"

"Oh absolutely," Tenten continued, pushing her luck. "You're all talk and no bite! All we see is a muscle head who's never won a fight on his own."

Recoome's eye twitched, the taunts striking deeper than any attack they'd landed on him thus far. "Big mistake, girlie," he snarled, cracking his knuckles with deadly intent as he stomped toward them. "I'll make sure to turn you into dust first!"

The brute gathered energy at his mouth, the Eraser Gun glowing like a miniature star. The air cracked with the hum of Recoome's energy, like the growl of a beast on the verge of pouncing.

Around Neji, Gai lay crumpled on the ground, battered beyond the ability to be of use, the Seventh Gate and Kaioken's might not enough to turn the tide. Tien's breath came out ragged and hollow as continued to struggle to his feet despite literally half of his left arm being missing in action.

And Kakashi, Tenten... Neji could see it in all of their eyes.

This wasn't a fight they could win.

Recoome, at this point sort of the devil incarnate, relished their suffering. "So, who wants to be first? You, pretty boy?" he cackled, the Eraser Gun glowing hotter and brighter with every passing second.

Neji's heart pounded in his chest, his Byakugan focusing on that one blinding point of power. He felt like he was staring into a supernova, the raw heat searing his eyes as if stamping the inevitability of death across his all seeing eyes.

It took everything within him to not fold then and there.

'No... this can't... I can't let this happen. I won't let this happen.'

"Tenten!" Neji's voice cracked, desperate. He couldn't think. Couldn't breathe.

But he knew one thing—the woman near him had to survive.

"GET OUT OF THE WAY!"

Tenten, her body shaking with exhaustion and terror, turned toward him, confusion splattered across her face like blood. "Neji—?"

There was no time.

He saw the glimmer of realization in her eyes, saw the way they widened as they began to understand.

The weight of his decision fell like a hammer upon both their hearts in an instant.

The agony of what must be done, the selfless cruelty of sacrifice—it all happened in the timeframe between heartbeats.

Recoome's laughter pierced the grimness. "Say goodbye!" he roared, and then there was a violent eruption of light as the Eraser Gun blasted forward, a blazing torrent of death hurtling toward Tenten.

There was no room for hesitation. Neji's body moved on instinct, driven by love, driven by despair, driven by the need to save the woman who mattered even more than his own life.

And so, he moved like he never did before, even with his chakra fully burst to its limits.

Tenten's blood ran cold as she glanced back. "Neji, don't—"

But it was too late.

Neji had already positioned himself in front of her.

"I love you," he said, his voice both a declaration and a promise.

She saw tears well up in his eyes as he forced the words out, raw and unfiltered.

"I love you so much, Tenten. And I'm not letting him take you away."

Neji's hands flew up, chakra blazing to life around him. He took a grounding breath, tapping into reserves he didn't know he had, willing every last ounce of his strength forward. He spun, his voice rising in a shout that tore through the chaos. "KAITEN!"

The world seemed to slow as the vortex of chakra spun, a swirling dome of defense shielding him and Tenten. The Eraser Gun collided with his Kaiten, and for a brief, impossible second, it held—the barrier pushing back firmly against the deadly force.

But the Eraser Gun was relentless, its pressure brutal, its heat consuming. Cracks spider-webbed through the chakra dome, light and energy spilling through like liquid fire.

Neji pushed harder, sweat pouring down his face, his teeth gritted in pure defiance.

And then, with a deafening shatter, his Kaiten collapsed.

The Eraser Gun struck him full force, blasting him backward with a sickening intensity. Pain, blinding and all-consuming, seared through him as the beam ripped through his torso. Every nerve screamed, yet somehow, he kept himself standing, his body stubbornly refusing to collapse unlike his ultimate defense.

"Ten-chan…" His voice was a mere whisper, breathless and broken, but he managed to turn his head, meeting her tear-filled gaze. The look in his eyes held everything he couldn't say—the love, the regret, the fierce determination to protect her, even if it meant his end.

Tenten's mouth opened in a scream that echoed across the battlefield, her face contorted in agony. She stumbled toward him, reaching out as if she could somehow change the future. "NEJI! NO! Please, don't—don't do this!"

A sad, wavering smile crossed his lips, his own tears falling freely. "I… I'm sorry. I couldn't… protect you like I wanted to." His words were a mixture of apology and devotion, each one dragging him closer to the brink as his body began to give way.

Recoome's laughter, monstrous and triumphant, relished the anguish in Tenten's voice, the broken expression on Neji's face.

"This is it? Is this all you've got, Earthlings? That was supposed to be heroic? Pathetic!" His eyes lit up with sadistic glee. "I hope that was worth it, because he's a goner!"

But Neji's eyes flared one last time, a glint of defiance sparking through the agony. Gathering the last shreds of his strength, he forced his battered body into one final stance, his gaze fixed on Tenten as he mouthed silently...

I love you.

And then, with one final shudder, he fell. His form faded into dust, his last, faint breath echoing the words he couldn't say again.

Tenten collapsed, clutching the empty space where Neji had stood just seconds before, her sobs raw and broken.

She was barely aware of Recoome, of the mocking laughter that filled the air.

Her world had narrowed down to a hollow, aching emptiness.

Neji was gone. He was gone.

"No... no..." Her sobs choked her, the agony of loss unbearable. "Neji-kun..."

Recoome took a menacing step forward as he looked down with scorn. "Where is all that bravado now? Your great hero, reduced to dust! Now let's see what you're made of, girlie."

Tenten's nails dug into the dirt as she trembled, hatred and grief warring within her. Her eyes burned with a ferocity she didn't know she possessed, but as she looked up at Recoome, towering over her, the tears blurred her vision, and all she could see was Neji's smile—the smile he'd never show her again.

It was a battle they could not win. And the reality was as bitter as the blood in her mouth.

"He… was the best... most humble man I could ever ask for. My best friend, my husband," she hissed, each word laced with venom. "And you took him from me."

Recoome snorted, his grin widening. "Yup! Stupid words from someone who's about to join him!"

---

The chaos in the rest of Kumogakure roared around Captain Ginyu, and the smirk on his face reflected his arrogance.

But arrogance wasn't helping him find those damned Dragon Balls.

He ground his teeth together in irritation, the situation wearing at his patience more and more by the second. A platoon of Frieza's soldiers scurried around him, their scouters beeping and flashing red lights with every power level detected and then dismissed.

Every failed search brought them closer to Ginyu's boiling point.

"What's the matter with you idiots?!" Ginyu bellowed, his voice thundering over the village's crumbling skyline. "Not a single clue? Not one Dragon Ball found? You're supposed to be the best of the best in the Galactic Frieza Army! So why—"

Tap, tap.

The sound was delicate, almost polite—so out of place in the chaos of the battlefield that Ginyu nearly dismissed it as a stray rock hitting the ground. But there it was again, more deliberate.

Tap, tap.

Like someone casually drumming their fingers on a shoulder.

Ginyu's eyes narrowed as he turned around, his face contorted into a mask of fury. "WHO THE—"

CRACKOOOOOOMMM!

A fist crashed into his face like a sledgehammer. Bone shattered, teeth flew like shrapnel, and the ground trembled as the mighty Captain Ginyu was launched back with a concussive shockwave, his entire body smashing through the stone buildings of the broken village like they were nothing more than rice paper, leaving trenches where his body bounced and skidded.

When the dust settled, Ginyu pulled himself from the rubble, his purple blood dripping down his face, a testament to the force of the strike. He spat a loose tooth to the ground, anger burning in his eyes as he focused on the figure who now stood before him.

Piccolo.

The towering Namekian's presence was like a shadow cast across the battlefield—a lone warrior amidst the smoldering remains of Kumo, wearing his typical weighted cape and turban that seemed to shroud him in even greater power.

His eyes bore into Ginyu with a ferocity that could cut through steel. He rolled his shoulders, his sharp ears twitching as the screams of the injured and dying filled the air.

The time for mercy had long passed.

Ginyu, trying to gather his composure, chuckled through purple bloodstained teeth. "You think you can scare me, Namekian? Your kind—I've killed your kind before. On Planet Namek, that little worm Nail—"

"Nail?" Piccolo's eyes narrowed, his expression shifting ever so slightly at the mention of a name he had never known, but one that echoed with familiarity deep within his soul.

His power flared—a sudden burst of aura that seemingly darkened the sky in comparison to his brightness, the wind swirling and howling around him like a hurricane.

The power level was unimaginable.

It soared past 100,000... 150,000... 180,000.

Ginyu's scouter exploded into fragments, unable to comprehend the raw energy Piccolo exuded. The captain's confident smirk melted into one of pure, unadulterated terror as he grasped the scope of the warrior in front of him.

He had expected a broken planet, a weak species, not... this.

"No... NO WAY!" Ginyu stammered, taking instinctive steps back.

Piccolo tilted his head, looking at Ginyu with disgust. "I don't know who this Nail is," he began, his voice carrying an eerie calmness that belied the power inside, "but if he was anything like me, I can guarantee you that killing him was the last mistake you ever made."

With a burst of speed, the Namekian closed the distance, and Ginyu could barely register the green blur before he felt the devastating knee connect with his gut, caving in armor and flesh alike.

CRUNCHHH!

The blow lifted Ginyu off his feet, and before he could even draw a breath, Piccolo's fist was embedded in his face, driving him back down to the ground like a nail being hammered into wood.

WHAMMM!

"AGHH!" Ginyu's cry of pain was barely audible over the sickening crunch of bone.

Piccolo gave him no time to recover—no mercy, no reprieve.

He was on Ginyu in an instant, his attacks relentless. Punches, kicks, elbows—they came faster than the eye could follow, each one making the ground quake, each blow delivered with pinpoint accuracy.

Ginyu was a ragdoll in the Namekian's grasp, his body flailing as Piccolo punished him, blow after blow, systematically dismantling him like a butcher carving a beast.

It was savage, it was methodical, and it was... righteous even?

"Where's that arrogance now?" Piccolo spat, his eyes burning like twin suns as he drove his elbow into Ginyu's back, damn near shattering his spine with a deafening crack.

"ARGGHHH!" Ginyu's scream pierced the air, a high-pitched wail that seemed to echo off the shattered stones of Kumogakure's ruins.

Recoome and the others could hear it in the distance, that scream carrying across the battlefield. But they ignored it, assuming that their almighty captain was simply toying with whatever opponent was unfortunate enough to stand in his way.

It was a grave miscalculation.

As Piccolo lifted Ginyu by the throat, holding him up like the worthless life-form he was, Ginyu's eyes glinted with desperation. His grip only tightened as he watched the captain struggle like a worm caught on a hook.

And then with a flick of his wrist, he tossed Ginyu down to the ground with disgust, his body hitting the earth like a sack of discarded trash. The evil one coughed, struggling to rise, any shred of his remaining pride having been crushed to paste.

That being said, Ginyu wasn't finished—not yet.

Desperation flared in his eyes, wild and crazed.

He had one ace up his sleeve, the last trick in a playbook that had never once let him down.

The reason why he possessed the body he currently did.

"CHANGE..." he shouted, his voice cutting through the air with a desperate hope of salvation.

But before the next word could even leave his mouth, Piccolo was never one to play with his food, even if he never ate anything a day in his nearly three years of life. With pinpoint precision, the Namekian raised his hand, a fierce golden and purple glow erupting at his fingertips, swirling with deadly intent.

He didn't need a heavy charge in this particular instance, he just wanted to execute his newly crafted technique in real-time.

"Special Beam Cannon!"

In an instant, the spiraling beam of lethal energy tore through the air, piercing Ginyu's chest with brutal finality. His eyes widened, a look of pure shock and horror twisting his face as the beam seared through his heart, the force of it propelling him backward.

The light in his eyes dimmed, his final gambit snuffed out before it could even begin.

There was no saving him. The Special Beam Cannon had drilled a gaping hole through his chest.

He was done for.

Ginyu's body went limp, the last of his strength dissipating as he crumpled lifelessly to the ground.

In the silence that followed, Piccolo stood over Ginyu's lifeless body, blood pouring from the gaping hole in his chest. And then, without hesitation, the last of his kind channeled ki into his hand and sliced down once more, severing Ginyu's head from his body in one clean cut. He left the body to remain a heap of flesh and armor as he Namekian calmly held the head aloft by its horn.

He stared into Ginyu's widened eyes, the silence of death still super loud despite the lack of sound.

Piccolo's expression was stone cold, a man no longer fighting against his own demons but embracing them fully for the sake of vengeance. For the sake of justice.

"This is for every Namekian you slaughtered," he muttered. And with a final burst of ki, he incinerated the body into nothingness—a reminder of the fury contained within the mightiest warrior on Earth.

Piccolo's gaze hardened as he looked out across the smoldering ruins of Kumogakure, his blood thrumming with power.

He had no sympathy, no pity—only the desire to see this through to the end.

He didn't know who or what else was out there, but as long as he breathed, Frieza was going to get what was coming to him. Holding Ginyu's head like a war trophy, he was ready—ready to make Frieza regret ever destroying his home planet, for destroying his people.

"Bring it on," the Namekian growled under his breath.

---

A deadly quiet followed Neji's sacrifice—he was gone.

And there stood Tenten, her fiancé's sacrifice to save her cutting deep into her soul. She didn't have time to mourn—Recoome's laughter was too disrespectful and more importantly obnoxious.

His mouth twisted in a cruel grin as he raised his arm to fire the next attack, a fatal shot meant to erase her from existence as well.

But Tien wouldn't allow it.

With the fire of desperation burning in his eyes, Tien launched forward, all pain numbed by emotion. He planted his feet, braced his body, and raised his remaining arm. The veins across his muscles bulged, his ki flaring violently as he drew out every last ounce of power within him.

He had one chance.

One moment to avenge the fallen.

One opportunity to save Tenten.

One last gasp to make this behemoth of a warrior pay.

Would he capture it? Or just let it slip?

"KIKOHO!"

The scream was guttural, the kind that carried every ounce of strength a man had. Tien's life force surged through his one remaining arm, condensing into a square-shaped explosion of blinding orange energy that erupted like a volcano from his palm.

The blast tore through the air, screeching as it made contact with Recoome's chest.

For a split second, Recoome's eyes widened in shock—the power of the Kikoho overwhelming his senses.

And then... it hit.

DOOOOOOOOSHHHH!

The force of Tien's attack smashed into Recoome's body like the wrath of a thousand exploding planets. His armor shattered damn near instantly, the blast incinerating it like paper. The entire region quaked beneath the force of the attack, crumbling as the Kikoho dug a massive square-hole beneath it.

Recoome stumbled back, smoke pouring from his mouth as blood dripped from his lips.

Meanwhile, Tien fell to his knees, his life force completely spent in that one desperate attack. And then he fell forward, face-first into the dirt, life leaving his body in an instant.

Dead.

Tien was dead.

And still, through the cracked and bloodied mouth, Recoome grinned. That twisted, haunting grin, though now missing some of his teeth.

Bruised a bit, battered a bit more—but still standing with casual ease.

"Well, well... that's one heck of a light show... for a dead man," the brute muttered, his voice still carrying that insufferable arrogance.

Tenten's eyes blazed with tears and fury. Before she could charge forward in order to rip Recoome apart herself, something rolled along the ground, coming to a stop in front of the remaining Ginyu Force members.

A head. Ginyu's severed head, eyes wide in eternal disbelief.

The remaining members of the Ginyu Force turned in unison, their faces shifting from curiosity to unadulterated horror as they took in the sight. The lifeless eyes of their captain stared back at them, twisted in shock, and the sight sent a chill down each of their spines.

Slowly, they looked up, dread pooling in their stomachs, and there he stood—Piccolo, like a grim reaper emerging from the mist. His dark aura radiated malice, the look etched on his face unmistakable. There was no mercy, no pity even hinted at in his demeanor.

He'd come to end them, and there was no mistaking it.

The last son of Namek? More like the bringer of the Ginyu Forces death.

Piccolo picked up and held the decapitated head up for all to see before casually tossing it down once more, his gaze sweeping over each of them, piercing through whatever bravado they had left.

They were fucking dead.

"Your captain's fucking dead," Piccolo said in a Team Four Star manner, punting Ginyu's head toward Guldo, forcing him to avoid his own brain being smashed to paste by the speed of the incoming projectile that used to be his Captain's skull.

This, as typically expected of Piccolo, was done with two steps in mind for the execution to come.

Real recognize real, and two geniuses know how to play off one another.

The ace was set free by the actual most powerful card in the deck—the joker.

"And the rest of you are next."

Before Recoome could even respond, a spiraling distortion formed around his neck—a swirling portal of space-time that whirled like a black hole.

He had just enough time to feel his grin falter before the Kamui snapped shut, and his head was erased from existence.

Recoome's body fell like a chopped tree, headless, the last vestiges of his arrogance swallowed up in an instant by Kakashi's deadly precision.

Speaking of which, the genius stood firm, Sharingan blazing and his expression harder than steel. "Hokage of the Leaf," he said, his voice cutting through the surprise turn of events like a blade. "We don't play fair."

Jeice and Burter's expressions went from horrified to enraged as they leaped into action. They bolted across the battlefield, a blur of red and blue, their movements synchronized like a dance of death.

"Let's finish this fast, Burter!" Jeice barked, charging his crimson Crusher Ball in one hand, his ki flaring with murderous intent.

"You got it, Jeice!" Burter yelled back, his voice smooth as he accelerated, aiming to rip straight through Piccolo's chest with his speed.

But instead of Piccolo, they found a figure waiting, calm and resolute. He was cloaked in an aura so fierce it seemed to ripple with otherworldly power.

Itachi Uchiha.

"I've gathered more than enough Genki," he said, his voice low and calm, yet resolute.

He felt it—felt the life force of every living creature that believed in the fight against tyranny, flowing into him like a torrent. He felt their power, their hopes and dreams, surge through his veins like liquid fire.

"This... is where your reign of terror ends."

With a radiant burst, Itachi's chakra roared to life, forming a towering Susano'o around him—a colossus of crimson armor edged with a pearly blue glow, the Genki energy woven into its very being. The Susano'o's gaze was sharp, merciless, as it faced the remaining Ginyu warriors.

The instant Burter tried to blitz Itachi with his super speed, he found himself looking up at the giant figure towering above him. The Susano'o's sword moved so fast it appeared as a blur even to him. He couldn't react in time, his eyes widening as he felt the blade slice through his arm, the pain delayed by mere milliseconds before it overwhelmed him.

SLASH!

The blade sliced clean through Burter's arm, severing it from his body. Blood sprayed out in a violent arc, and the speedster's scream tore through the air as he clutched his stump of a shoulder, his own momentum sending him crashing to the ground, writhing in agony.

"ARRRGH!" the speedster howled, the pain catching up to him after the damage was done.

Jeice, eyes wide, watched his partner collapse, his mind grappling with the impossible. He roared and hurled his Crusher Ball with every ounce of fury he had. The fiery orb shot forward, trailing fire and smoke... only for it to be utterly annihilated by the Yata Mirror.

And then, Itachi's gaze fell upon him, and in those scarlet eyes... Jeice saw his end.

Meanwhile, Guldo, who had been watching with his heart pounding in terror, saw no path to victory. His breaths came faster, panicked, his last-ditch idea forming in his mind. 'I'll hold my breath… stop time… get out of here!' he thought frantically, pulling air deep into his lungs in preparation for his desperate escape.

But before he could even fill his lungs—

SQUELCH!

A beam of pure light burst from Tenten's armored wrist—a photon chakra saber slicing through the air with lethal precision. Guldo's eyes widened in shock as the blade made contact, his head separated cleanly from his shoulders in a single, elegant arc.

It toppled to the ground with a dull thud, his expression still frozen in disbelief.

His mouth gaped open, blinking as though he was about to speak. But Tenten was not finished. Fury blazing in her eyes, she approached the severed head, her steps deliberate. With a silent snarl, she jammed a kunai through the center of his forehead, pinning his skull to the ground with finality, silencing him forever.

SHUNKK!

"For Neji," she hissed, her voice dripping with vengeance.

And with that, the energy had shifted.

The momentum had swung.

And the fate of the Ginyu Force was sealed.

---

"Look, you two, I don't need to be anywhere near this guy to know he's dangerous," Naruto argued. "I'll help you take him down faster. We'll make this a team effort."

Sakura scoffed, her glare fixed on Zarbon but her words aimed squarely at her ex-boyfriend. "We don't need you for this one, Naruto. In fact," her voice hardened, almost daring him to argue, "we'd rather you stay back. We're here to prove something, and it's not something you need to be involved in."

Naruto's jaw clenched, his mind spinning. He felt it, that undeniable pull toward her. His love for Sakura was simply ingrained in him at this point and he was reminded of it once more, a force that had shaped his life. But right now, in this moment, it was being pushed aside by her insistence, by the steely resolve in her eyes.

Though he tried to hide it, he hated the thought of either of them standing alone against Zarbon.

Ino stepped forward, her gaze sharp. "She's right, Goldie. You've been… usefully intense," she said, the edges of her words sharpened by a bitter familiarity, a closeness tainted by their recent history. "But this is our fight. We'll show you just how strong we are—how strong I am."

"Look, Ino-chan, Sakura-chan…" Naruto's voice wavered. "This isn't just about strength—he's kinda a monster. We might not know what he's capable of. I—"

"We know exactly what he's capable of, Naruto!" Sakura cut in, voice fierce. "What do you think we've been training for? To watch you, Lee, Sasuke, Hinata and Goku do everything? No." Her fists were alight with chakra, her seal radiating as her resolve hardened further. "It's time we stand on our own. Ino and I will handle him. We'll show you, and everyone else, that we're not just… support."

Ino's eyes met Naruto's, challenging him with that fire he'd seen too many times before—the same fire that had driven them to moments of reckless passion, to moments of breaking boundaries.

But this was different. This wasn't the Ino who smirked from the other side of the village training grounds, calling him to a rendezvous.

This was the Ino who would tear through hell and back to prove herself.

"You think we can't handle him?" her voice was low, dangerous. "Think again. I'm done sitting back, done letting everyone look past what I'm capable of." She clenched her fists, the green flames of the Seventh Gate flickering around her like a second skin. "So sit back, watch, and if you're lucky, we might let you finish him off."

Naruto's heart pounded, his emotions torn. He cared for both. His desire for Sakura was damn near sacred. She was the one he fought for, the one he dreamed of.

But Ino—she was the embodiment of everything Sakura kept hidden: raw, uninhibited, reckless, fun. His time with her had been as intoxicating as it was dangerous.

Naruto took a step back, his heart torn between admiration and unease as the two women he cared about most prepared to unleash everything they had.

He'd stay back. He'd let them prove their strength.

But he wasn't going anywhere. If they needed him, they could hate his guts later... but he was going to rip Zarbon to shreds.

No one was allowed to die with him around, especially not those two.

"Fine," he finally muttered, his voice strained. "You wanna handle this on your own? Then make sure you do. Prove me wrong."

Zarbon's mocking laughter sliced through their exchange, his gaze shifting between the three of them with an air of amusement. "What a pathetic spectacle. The two of you, thinking you have a chance against me. It's almost funny. Such wasted potential on you two," he sneered, his tone dripping with contempt. "And you," he added, his eyes settling on Naruto with disdain, "you're just as delusional as they are, letting them take the reins."

Sakura clenched her teeth, knuckles whitening as she forced back a retort. Her fists tightened, and the familiar pulse of chakra ran up her arms, feeding into the seal on her forehead surging through her body, her skin heating as her latent power woke up.

"I've got your wasted potential right here!" she spat.

Ino, on the other hand, was ice to Sakura's fire. Her eyes, a piercing blue, bore into Zarbon like daggers. Her platinum blonde hair whipped violently from the surge of power, her face was twisted into an cold expression.

"Why don't you shut up and fight like a man?" her words came out like venom, laced with contempt.

And fight... fight is what they proceeded to do.

Ino and Sakura circled Zarbon, moving in an almost natural tandem, their coordination honed by turbulence. Each glancing blow or feint was a test of Zarbon's defenses, a probe to expose a weakness they could exploit.

Zarbon sneered as he sidestepped a kick from Ino, her form a blur of motion, blocking her follow-up strike with a casual flick of his wrist. The Yamanaka gritted her teeth as she sprang back, eyes meeting Sakura's for a brief moment of silent communication before they both darted in from opposite sides, attacking him simultaneously.

"Your pretty faces won't win you any battles!" the enemy taunted, swatting aside Ino's kick as Sakura's fist shot toward his midsection.

SMACKKK!

Sakura's chakra-infused punch connected, and Zarbon's torso jolted, but he barely staggered, his smirk intact. "Pathetic. Is that really the best you can do?"

The rosette's eyes narrowed, but instead of responding, she stepped back, forming a Rasengan in her palm. The blue sphere of spiraling chakra buzzed with power, casting a fierce glow across her face. She lunged forward, feinting a high strike before bringing the Rasengan down at an angle aimed at his side.

"Rasengan!"

Zarbon twisted, narrowly dodging the attack, but the Rasengan grazed his arm, tearing through his armor with a screech of grinding chakra. BZZZT! The lieutenant's smirk faltered, but he quickly masked his surprise, sidestepping to avoid a follow-up kick from Ino.

Ino unleashed a Chakra Flare, and a blinding light exploded in Zarbon's vision, buying Sakura just enough time to send two clones rushing forward, each holding a smaller Rasengan. Zarbon deflected one clone with a backhanded strike, but the other managed to land its attack on his side.

WHAM!

The impact forced him back a few steps, and Zarbon's irritation grew as he glanced down at the scuff marks marring his once-pristine armor. "Not bad, but it's still not enough," he sneered.

Undeterred, Ino and Sakura pressed their advantage. They moved in perfect sync, Ino taking the lead with lightning-fast kicks while Sakura stayed back, waiting for an opening. The Yamanaka's strikes landed with rapid-fire precision, each kick aimed to unbalance or disorient, while Sakura continued her Rasengan-led assault as she prepared for a decisive hit.

Zarbon blocked, parried, and dodged, but Ino's relentless barrage was starting to pester him, and for the first time, his movements lost a fraction of their elegance due to irritation. Ino caught the look of said irritation in his eyes, and her smirk widened.

"What's the matter?" she taunted, her voice dripping with contempt. "Keeping up with wasted potential isn't so easy, huh?"

"You're worms beneath by boot, nothing more," Zarbon growled, swiping at her with a powerful kick that she dodged by a hair's breadth.

"Careful!" Ino barked to Sakura, darting in to engage Zarbon in close combat. The two clashed with ferocious intensity, their limbs moving in blurs as Ino matched his movements beat for beat due to the threat of Sakura as her number two, weaving around his strikes with fluid, deadly precision.

Naruto watched the fight from the sidelines, fists clenched, every instinct screaming at him to jump in. But he held back, caught in the tension of wanting to protect them and respecting their wish to handle Zarbon on their own.

"Come on you two… you've got this," he muttered under his breath.

Sakura seized the opening created by Ino, darting in with her Rasengan primed and ready. She struck low, aiming for Zarbon's legs. He sidestepped, but not quickly enough—her attack grazed his thigh, forcing him to adjust his footing as he unleashed a brutal backhand aimed at her.

THWACK!

Sakura spun away, using the momentum to steady herself as Ino leaped into action, creating another blinding Chakra Flare, which was an homage to her time spent on The Lookout training alongside Naruto, Sasuke, Yajirobe, and specifically Tien. To put it simply—it was a chakra variant of the Taiyōken—otherwise known as the Solar Flare. Speaking of which, the burst of light momentarily disoriented Zarbon and Ino capitalized on it, landing a kick squarely on his chest with enough force to slightly crack the surface of his armor.

CRACKKKK!

"You two are actually getting… annoying," Zarbon hissed, his voice laced with venom.

Ino surged forward once more, delivering a series of high-speed punches that kept Zarbon on the defensive. Meanwhile, Sakura closed in from behind, channeling her chakra to her fists in order to crush her opponent's skull.

Seeing this, Zarbon's composure continued to crack as he gritted his teeth in frustration. He lashed out, a brutal roundhouse kick aimed at Sakura's head, but she ducked, using the momentum to drive a quickly formed Rasengan into his side.

WHAM! He was sent skidding back, his face twisting in rage.

But before he could gather his bearings, Ino and Sakura were back on him, not giving him a moment to recover. Ino's diversionary assault and Sakura's clones launched a synchronized assault, creating a disorienting blur of movements that Zarbon struggled to follow due to his lack of combat ability. They struck from every angle, each blow coordinated to wear him down bit by bit.

Naruto's grin widened from the sidelines as he watched the two women he cared about most gradually dismantle Zarbon piece by piece. They were following the format of the kind of unpredictable, relentless strategy he himself had used countless times, and seeing them in action filled him with a fierce pride.

"They've really got him on the ropes," the blonde muttered, barely containing his excitement.

Zarbon, seething, aimed a devastating punch at Ino, only for her to dodge by the skin of her teeth, her Seventh Gate aura propelling her movements with blistering speed. Ino's smirk was cold as she delivered a brutal knee to Zarbon's ribs. CRUNCH! He winced, the blow forcing him to double over just as Sakura launched herself at him with a spinning Rasengan aimed at his chest.

The Rasengan hit its mark, the grinding energy tearing into his armor as he staggered back, his glare murderous.

"You two," Zarbon spat, "are going to regret this."

"Shut up," Ino growled in response as she readied herself for another assault.

Zarbon sneered, shrugging off the dust, cuts, and indentations that marred his armor. Without warning, he launched forward, his speed blurring as he drove his elbow straight into Ino's ribs, knocking her backward a visceral amount of force. She hit the ground, skidding, but soon after rolled to her feet.

"Sakura!" she shouted, and the rosette was already in motion. She darted forward, bringing her chakra-infused fist down like a sledgehammer. Zarbon twisted to avoid it, but the shockwave of her punch was practically unavoidable. Luckily for him, he was not as ground bound as his opponents, and the air happened to be a safe haven.

DOOOSH!

Zarbon let out a dark chuckle, deflecting another one of Ino's high-speed kicks with a casual backhand. His aura flared, a sinister bluish white that made the air feel charged with anticipation. "I think you both deserve some credit," he sneered, voice dripping with mock respect as he sidestepped a flurry of shuriken from Ino. "You actually managed to keep me... entertained."

The lieutenant smirked ever more, brushing dust from his shoulder. "In fact…" His eyes flicked between them, his expression darkening with a literal sadistic satisfaction. "I should thank you. For giving me such an invigorating warm-up. But you see… this isn't even my true form."

The taunt hung in the air, heavy with dread. And then he let out a laugh, low and rumbling, growing louder as his aura surged, wrapping around him like flames.

As the light intensified, Zarbon's body started to contort, bones twisting with quick, sickening snaps and cracks. His beautiful, statuesque form began to warp, skin bulging as muscles ballooned beyond plausibility. The sharp lines of his face stretched, distorting into something monstrous. His mouth elongated, teeth sharpening into jagged fangs and canines. His skin rippled, his previous smoothness turning beastly, muscular and terrifying as if he hailed from an intergalactic freak-show.

Ino and Sakura watched, their faces set but with a flicker of horror as Zarbon's transformation continued. Each second felt heavy as his handsome features melted away, replaced by a brutal, beastly visage. And finally, the transformation stopped.

Zarbon stood before them, towering, monstrous—his form hulking, powerful, radiating savagery. He opened his mouth, revealing rows of jagged teeth, and let out a bestial grunt that seemingly quivered the ground beneath them.

True to the statement, Zarbon went from a beauty to a beast.

"What's wrong?" he growled, his voice much deeper and rougher. "You wanted a fight, didn't you?"

Sakura's heart pounded, but she kept her stance steady. "We've seen worse," she spat, although that statement was actually false... for her at least.

She did not fight the Saiyans, nor Piccolo Daimao, nor his children, or anyone of note for that matter. The worst two individuals she ever had to face down in the field of battle happened to be Orochimaru and Kabuto, and were they worse than Zarbon?

They were certainly more creepy... but worse? Probably not, those two were absolute fodder in comparison to her current foe.

"Now," he rumbled, his voice guttural and distorted, "let's see how pretty you both feel when I'm grinding your bones to dust!"

The air grew heavy with dread as Zarbon's new form brought with it a terrifying, suffocating pressure. Ino's eyes went wide, and she instinctively took a step back—this was beyond anything she or Sakura had anticipated.

They were strong—strong enough to go toe to toe with many—but Zarbon's newly minted beast form?

A completely different story.

While he was still undoubtedly weaker than the likes of Goku, Vegeta, obviously Frieza, and even Hinata, Zarbon still happened to be substantially stronger than them.

And that was all that mattered.

Before they could react, Zarbon's speed overtook them. In a single, fluid motion, he was in front of Ino, his fist cocked back before plunging into her abdomen like a hammer into glass. Ino's breath left her in a wheeze, her body lifted from the ground as her ribs cracked, and she was flung backward, cratering the wall.

BANG!

Zarbon didn't stop—he was already on Sakura before Ino could hit the ground, grabbing her by the throat and lifting her off the floor effortlessly.

Sakura clawed at his grip, but Zarbon squeezed tighter, a monstrous smile creeping across his face. "This is what you get for defying me."

The rosette tried to fight back, tried to unleash a Rasengan to his face, but her vision blurred, consciousness starting to slip away as his grip tightened.

But then, a voice—an unruly one at that, entered the fray.

"LET. THEM. GO."

In an instant, Uzumaki Naruto burst forward, chakra arms blazing with a brilliant yellow light, his sheer speed leaving a streak of energy as he crashed into Zarbon with all the fury of a storm. THOOOOM! The impact sent Zarbon flying down the hallway, the beast's hulking form slamming through the walls rigorously.

Sakura fell from Zarbon's grip upon impact, gasping as she hit the ground. But before she could fully catch herself, she felt herself being lifted—scooped gently into Naruto's arms. The warmth of his touch sent a shock through her system, overriding the pain in her bruised throat.

"Naruto..." she murmured, her voice akin to a whisper.

For a fleeting moment, time seemed to pause as they looked at each other, a thousand unspoken words filling the space between them. She could see the fierce determination in his eyes, the will to keep her safe no matter the cost. The anger, the misunderstandings, the betrayal—all of it faded into the background as his hand, steady and warm, brushed a lock of hair from her face.

"You okay, Sakura-chan?" he asked, his voice brimming with sincerity.

It was more than just concern—it was a promise, an oath.

"I… I'm fine," she managed, her voice hoarse but steady, feeling her pulse quicken as he carefully set her down, making sure she was alright.

His gaze then shifted, landing on Ino, who had pushed herself up from the ground, clutching her side. Relief flickered in his eyes.

"How about you, Ino-chan?" he called, concern softening his tone as he shifted his attention to her. The blonde managed a strained smile, but her eyes held their own warmth as they met his.

Despite being in the middle of a war for their lives, their mess still remained. How fitting.

"Yeah, I'm not done yet," she replied as she looked between Naruto and Sakura, an understanding settling over her.

He may love her, but he really loved Sakura. And that was perfectly fine, she didn't have the heart to feel bitter about it, not in the slightest. Naruto's love for them both was undeniable, but every ounce of it was concentrated into his protective stance right now.

Killing Zarbon and then killing Frieza were far higher on her list of priorities than dawdling about the trivial matters of his estranged love life.

Naruto straightened, his attention snapping back to Zarbon, who was already rising, a dark, eager grin stretching across his features.

A low growl echoed through the corridor as he pushed himself to his feet, his fangs baring ferociously at his proverbial prey. "Well, well, finally joining in are you, weakling. Seems like you've got quite a bit of fight left in you," he sneered, cracking his knuckles with a sickening pop. "I'll be sure to enjoy this... slowly."

Naruto's face was calm, yet his eyes burned with an intensity that rivaled the sun. "You can try," he replied, his voice challenging. He stepped forward, placing himself solidly between Zarbon and the two women, his chakra coiling around him like a feral creature ready to strike. "But I'm positive you won't get the chance."

Sakura and Ino shared a look, feeling the weight of his words. They wanted to argue, wanted to tell him they could still fight, but there was something in Naruto's stance that stopped them—an immovable strength that spoke volumes. He would fight for them, and they knew he would rather die than let anything happen to them.

"Naruto... be careful," Sakura murmured, her voice barely audible, but he heard it. A small smile touched his lips as he glanced back at her.

"Always am," he said softly, a warmth in his voice that cut through the cold dread lingering in the air. "Just... stay safe."

With a last nod from Ino and Sakura, they moved back, giving him the space he needed. And then, without a moment's hesitation, Naruto turned to face Zarbon fully, his chakra arms forming again, blazing with yellow light that flooded the corridor.

The beastly alien snarled and lunged forward, but Naruto was ready. He shot forward with a ferocity that sent shockwaves through the fortress, colliding with Zarbon in a blinding flash of power, each strike infused with the determination to protect those he held dear.

BANGGG!

This fight was personal. Sakura quickly realized she wasn't watching just Naruto—the friend, the teammate, or even the ex.

She was watching a force of nature, a man who would fight through hell itself to keep them safe.

Naruto stood his ground, the weight of his promise to protect them hanging heavy in the air. The moment Zarbon lunged, the Uzumaki met him head-on, their clash ringing out like thunder as chakra and ki collided, sending shockwaves through the corridors. For every punch that Zarbon threw, Naruto had an answer—Kage Bunshin dispersed to absorb blows, kunai whirled in a flash of steel, and Rasengans tore through the air like spinning stars.

Zarbon's monstrous form seemed like an unstoppable force—his attacks were relentless, each one strong enough to shatter bones and crush steel. But Naruto's movements were wild yet precise, born from countless battles and an indomitable spirit. He dodged, ducked, parried, and retaliated, every hit creating craters beneath their feet, the corridor becoming a battlefield in itself.

The beast snarled, his pride wounded from being matched by this blonde warrior, even in his powered-up state. "You worm!" he hissed, bringing his full weight down on Naruto with an overhead smash. But the blonde vanished, a flicker in the air, before reappearing behind Zarbon, channeling one of his recently minted signature jutsu.

"RASENSHURIKEN!"

Zarbon bellowed in pain as the attack spun into him with vicious potency, launching him forward into the wall. Naruto didn't let up; he was on him again, slamming his knee into Zarbon's chest, dishing out a relentless onslaught that forced the beast back, step by step. Each strike was filled with a burning desire to protect, a passion that seeped into every movement, every attack.

Every time Naruto fought solely for himself, he was able to at least hold his own more often than not.

But whenever Naruto had the lives of others resting on his coattails? He was ungodly, a force that few would dare stand in the way of.

Ino watched, wincing through the pain. She could feel it—the way Naruto fought, the way he unleashed his anger but also his heart. It was quite simply awe-inspiring.

And Sakura... watching Naruto stand tall, defiant in the face of a monster, she felt a volley of concepts.

Regret. Hope. Motivation. Grief. Compassion. Fury. Repentance.

All tangled up in the boy who she had practically given up on. This was the Naruto she once knew—the Naruto she wanted to see again.

And for the first time in what felt like forever, she allowed herself to believe that maybe, just maybe, they could make it out of this alive.

Not just in a literal survival sense, but their relationship as a whole.

And so, Naruto Uzumaki, the shinobi who never knew when to quit, unleashed his fury upon Zarbon—a maelstrom of fists, shadow clones, and Rasengan variants—determined to end this battle, and protect what the hell he loved.

Speaking of which, his fists blurred as they connected with Zarbon with greater and greater force, a flurry of furious strikes that cracked through the air like thunderclaps. Rasengans flashed like lightning bolts, tearing through the confines of the corridor as the blonde drove the transformed, beastly warrior further and further back into being taken down.

However, even with the seeming advantage going to the shinobi, Zarbon wasn't an ordinary enemy. The monstrous alien had power, cunning, and all of a sudden the primal instincts of a predator. Every swipe of his claws aimed to disembowel, every brutal kick meant to break Naruto's feel and more importantly Naruto's will.

Still, the shinobi fought on, relentless as ever. His knuckles were raw, and his breath came in heavy bursts, but his will refused to break. His clones swarmed around Zarbon like wasps, buzzing and attacking from every direction.

Yet the monster swatted them aside, roaring with fury as he fought to regain control of the battle.

It was as if the fight brought the dog out of them both.

Zarbon's rage was mounting. This was not how this was supposed to go—these filthy Earthlings, these lesser beings, should not have been able to keep up with him, much less actually push him to this point! His mind was clouded with hatred, fury at being bested.

"HOW DARE YOU!" he bellowed, driving a fist into the ground and shattering the metal floor.

"Do you ever stop bitching? Talk with your fists!" Naruto shouted, his voice cutting through Zarbon's rage like a blade. "I thought you wanted a fight, right?" He grinned even more, his trash talk refused to cease. "Then try breaking out of this!"

With a flash of his hands, the blonde summoned a series of shadow clones that surrounded the beast from every angle. Zarbon snarled and whipped around, striking out wildly, but Naruto was already a step ahead. His clones moved in perfect sync, each evading Zarbon's attacks by mere inches, creating a supposedly impenetrable circle around the beast.

"Now you're mine!" Naruto's real body leaped above Zarbon, chakra surging through his hands as he activated a complex array of seals across his palms. With a sharp burst of energy, he slammed his hands onto his opponents shoulders, pressing down with an unyielding force.

"Fūinjutsu: Gravity Seal!"

An intricate web of symbols erupted from Naruto's hands and wrapped around Zarbon's limbs, amplifying the force of gravity to press him firmly into the ground. The lieutenant's muscles strained as he tried to rise, but every move he made was weighed down by the seals that the blonde had expertly placed across his body.

"You think this'll hold me?" Zarbon growled, his voice thick with venom as he thrashed against his ever increasing weight.

But Naruto only grinned, his eyes fierce. "That's just act one. You're not going anywhere."

The clones instantly seized their opening, darting forward to reinforce the restraint with chakra arms that latched onto Zarbon's wrists, ankles, and neck, pinning him further. Zarbon writhed and snarled, but the shinobi's clones tightened their hold, their golden arms glowing with an intense, fiery energy.

And then, as if summoned by the sheer force of his will, a swirling, pulsing sphere of raw, seething energy formed in Naruto's hand—a Boil Release Rasenshuriken. The heat from the jutsu radiated outward, distorting the air and bathing the corridor in a fierce red glow.

"And this one's for your boss," Naruto growled, his voice dangerous as he brought the Rasenshuriken directly in front of Zarbon's face.

WHRRRRRR... BOOOOM!

The Rasenshuriken expanded and exploded in a brutal flash of energy, releasing a wave of boiling chakra that seared Zarbon's skin and scorched the metal floor beneath him. In actuality, a strike like this was supposed to eviscerate his head and shoulder blades into molecules, but Naruto held back severely... enough to ensure the lieutenant wasn't even knocked unconscious.

He was definitely incapacitated however.

As Zarbon folded against the crushing pressure and the searing pain of a de-powered Rasenshuriken, Naruto signaled to Ino. "Now, Ino! Do your thing!"

She didn't need to be told twice.

She seized her opportunity, her eyes glowing an otherworldly blue as she linked her telepathy with Zarbon's mind, her hands clasped together, fingertips glowing with pure chakra. Her body tensed as she plunged into the depths of Zarbon's psyche, her mental presence tearing into his innermost thoughts like daggers.

Zarbon tried to clutch his head, his roar turning into a guttural howl of pain as the mental assault ravaged his brain. "What... what is this...?!"

Naruto's clones remained pinning him down, locking his arms and legs as the alien struggled, his monstrous form bucking and convulsing under the psychic pressure.

Despite this, Ino's eyes showed zero mercy. She ripped through memories, bringing to the surface the darkest shadows of Zarbon's mind.

His introduction to the Cold Force, the brutal conquest of planets, the torturous sessions under Frieza's sadistic eye—each memory surfaced like shards of glass, slicing through his thoughts. Ino found memories of Zarbon's strained loyalty to the Cold family. How King Cold forced him into servitude, how he was belittled and humiliated by having to partner with Dodoria's brutish presence, his outright evil ventures on Frieza Planet 304 via freak-offs, and above all, how he lived in constant, paralyzing fear of Frieza. The fear of what Frieza would do if he ever failed. How Zarbon's beauty hid a dark, desperate cowardice—a horror of the idea of his own destruction.

And the biggest revelation of all: the fact that Frieza could transform! It was something that Zarbon had never witnessed but would never forget, knowing that someone who made him feel like an ant to a dinosaur could become even more horrifying. This hidden, monstrous terrorizing concept...

Just what the hell was Frieza truly capable of?!

The psychic onslaught did not let up as she upped the ante.

"You're pathetic, Zarbon," she whispered, her voice resonating in his mind like a ringing bell. "You're just a slave to a monster, hiding behind your beauty and status. And now... now you're going to lose it all."

The fear—the humiliation—Zarbon's psyche was drowning in it. He let out a strangled scream, struggling wildly, but the weight of Ino's mental domination pinned him down like a chained beast. His monstrous form began to shiver uncontrollably as he desperately tried to tear free of the clones and gravity holding him down.

Finally, Zarbon was weakened—too distracted, too overwhelmed to continue the fight. He was subdued, his head hanging, his monstrous breath coming in labored gasps as his power waned.

This was the opening they needed.

Naruto's eyes flickered toward Ino, knowing she would need to finish this. Ino, pulling herself out of Zarbon's memories, focused her energy on a singular goal: finding the PTO database.

"Tell me where the database is," she demanded, her voice steady, cold.

In Zarbon's weakened state, his defenses were paper-thin, and she easily sifted through the scattered thoughts, finding the location—the precise coordinates.

"Got it," she murmured, eyes narrowing with determination. She had what they came for. Now, it was time to eliminate him.

"Ino..." Sakura's voice was soft as she stepped forward. There was hesitation in her eyes, a weariness to her stance.

She was utterly sick of the killing—the endless violence that tainted their hands and tore through their souls. It was eating at her. It wore her spirit thin.

"Let's just... get it over with."

Ino's blue eyes met Sakura's for a moment, and for a split second, her coldness faltered. "Sakura... if we let him live, he'll come back. And you know it." Her voice softened, though it still carried the weight of pragmatism. "This is war."

Sakura nodded, but the exhaustion in her face said more than words ever could. "Then... make it quick."

And make it quick, Ino did. She leaned in closer to Zarbon, her presence brushing against the fragile threads of his sanity. "Zarbon..." Her voice was now a gentle, seductive whisper as she painted false memories in his mind, warping his reality into something sweet, something perfect.

"You've done it. You've defeated Frieza," she cooed, weaving the threads of the illusion. "You are the Emperor now... ruling over the galaxy with me and Sakura at your side as your wives. Your power, your beauty... it's unmatched. You are the ultimate being, beloved by all."

The lie spread like a wildfire in his mind, burning away his pain, his fear, his agony. Zarbon's breathing steadied, a soft smile curling on his lips as he envisioned the grandeur of his dreams made real. The vivid images consumed him—a throne on a galactic empire, the women of his fantasies by his side, his glory stretching across the stars. Everything he ever wanted, all within his grasp...

And then, without warning, a blinding light flashed in his mind—a glaring, all-encompassing white that consumed everything, erasing all else.

It was as if the very sun had been brought down upon him.

Zarbon convulsed, his body twitching violently as he was overloaded with the psychic barrage, and then... silence.

His monstrous form began to tremble, foam bubbling at his mouth as his brain was fried, overloading from the sensory whiplash of conflicting realities. His eyes rolled back into his skull, blood streaming from his nose and ears as his muscles spasmed uncontrollably, the last vestiges of life draining away.

Within moments, Zarbon's body fell limp. And finally, like a puppet with its strings cut, he crumpled to the ground in a heap, lifeless. A pitiful mess of what was once a proud warrior, reduced to nothing but a broken body and shattered dreams.

Ino took a breath, letting the finality of the act wash over her. "Well... that's one way to shut someone up," she muttered, though her voice was tinged with weariness. She turned to Naruto and Sakura, the three of them sharing a moment of solemn, shared understanding.

They had won, but victory never felt clean. Ever.

Naruto nodded as he said, "One down... only Frieza left standing. Let's go."