Chapter 73: False Hope
The dread that hung in the air as the ship glided through the abyss of space only intensified as they neared their destination, but before anyone could focus on the battle before them, a new sound broke through the silence—an urgent, repetitive beep from Bulma's console.
"That's Tenten's signal," she said as her eyes darted to the comm device, tapping the screen to bring up the call. Her voice was calm, but there was an anticipation that made her skin crawl. "Wonder what's going on back home."
The screen flickered and stabilized, revealing Tenten, her face set in grim determination, her breath coming out heavy as if she had been running. The way she glanced to her surroundings projected a sense of urgency...
Something was wrong.
"Tenten?" Bulma's voice held concern. "What's going on?"
The kunoichi took a deep breath before speaking, her words coming out like arrows loosed from a bow. "It's bad, Bulma. Earth's under attack. We got invaders—Frieza's troops—here right now. They're in Kumogakure, and from what I've seen, they're not pulling any punches. Neji and I are about to head out. We can't wait around or there won't be anyone left to save."
Goku immediately straightened, his eyes narrowing. "Kumogakure... that's the Raikage's village, isn't it?"
Beside him, Hinata gasped, her eyes widening. "No... Kumogakure... Why them?"
Naruto's hands shook slightly, concern etched across his face as he grit his teeth. "Then that means Bee's probably already fighting. Damn it! We should be there! I should be—"
"No time to worry about that!" Tenten interjected, her voice cutting sharply through Naruto's outburst. "Neji and I are suiting up right now, and we're heading out to provide support. Kakashi, Itachi, Gai-sensei, maybe even Tien—they should all be gearing up to defend the Kumo, or at least what's left of it. We have to find a way to win... or at least hold the line until... until you all get back."
She hesitated just a fraction, her eyes darting to Neji, who stood behind her, a steely expression on his face as he tightened his gloves in preparation for the battle ahead.
Neji, without looking at the screen, added in a voice devoid of hesitation, "Do what you need to do on Frieza Planet 79. We'll handle the situation here as best we can. If we die, we die fighting."
Tenten nodded in agreement. "You already destroyed the Earth's data from the PTO's database, right? So if these invaders make new data, it's on you, Bulma, to destroy it again. Otherwise, even after this is over, Earth won't ever be safe."
The gravity of the situation settled in on Bulma as her fingers danced over her console to check for any possibility of an incoming transmission delay, searching for any sign of hope. "Yeah, I got it," she muttered, realizing what needed to be done. "I'll get to work as soon as we land. And... please, be careful."
"We don't have much of a choice," Tenten replied. "Gotta protect home, right?"
"Right," Bulma nodded, and a split second later, the call ended.
For a moment, silence reigned in the ship. The reality of the situation weighed on them all like the silence before a storm—an impending darkness that seeped into every corner of their thoughts.
"So this is it, huh?" Naruto finally broke the silence. "The fight's already started... and we're not there."
Sasuke closed his eyes, his voice low. "It means if we don't finish things here quickly, there won't be an Earth left to go back to."
Lee was steady, his fingers rhythmically tapping against his leg. "This is why we're here, right?" His words were firm, calm. "To make sure we don't have to fight two battles at once. We have to trust our comrades on Earth, just as they trust us to deal with... this."
"Easier said than done," Ino cut in, her voice carrying through the room. "I hate... feeling helpless. I hate it."
Hinata's hands clutched Goku's arm tighter, her voice barely a whisper. "If they're really in danger... I don't know how to just... stay here. And focus on this." She felt the guilt, the conflict between staying true to their mission and wanting to protect those she cared about back home.
It twisted inside her like a knife.
"You stay focused because if you don't, we're all fucking dead," Vegeta finally spoke, his voice a cutting edge. "Frieza is the true threat. Your planet will survive for now, but if you fuck uo here, it won't matter. Earth will be blown to smithereens. It's as simple as that."
"Vegeta's right," Goku said affirmatively. "If Frieza's not on Earth, then our job stays the same. We stop him before he can touch home. So let's... let's finish this. Do our part here,"
Bulma cleared her throat, regaining their attention. "Brace yourselves."
Her fingers flew over the controls, and suddenly, the view of the planet from the ship's window changed dramatically as they broke past the moon orbiting Planet Frieza 79 and shot straight toward the atmosphere.
"We're entering the atmosphere now, and it's going to be a rough landing!"
The ship began to rumble violently, the turbulence shifting their bodies as they plummeted toward the surface. Due to the lack of a tangible atmosphere of ozone and coloring, the futuristic landscape of Planet Frieza 79 sprawled out before them like a twisted painting.
Vegeta stood at the viewport, his eyes narrowing at the sight of Frieza's fortress—a massive metallic structure that jutted out from the surface like a jagged spear. "There it is," he muttered, his voice barely audible. "The heart of this wretched empire."
Goku's eyes followed Vegeta's, the familiar excitement of an impending battle creeping into his grin. "Finally... "
The ship's engines roared as they descended rapidly, the friction from entering the atmosphere forming streaks of fire along its edges. Bulma's knuckles turned white as she gripped the controls, her mind laser-focused as she maneuvered them closer to the surface.
And then, as suddenly as the descent had begun, they hit solid ground—landing rather softly due to the nature of the exoplanets gravity.
At last... they had landed.
A silence settled over the ship for a moment, and not the silence of peace... it was the silence that came before the storm.
The kind that filled every heartbeat, every breath, every moment with the electric charge of looming battle.
Goku stepped toward the hatch, his silhouette framed by the dim light as he looked back at the others, his grin confident and ready.
"Let's show 'em what we're made of."
And with that, the hatch opened, and the full, hostile world of Planet Frieza 79 stretched out before them—a world where one wrong move could mean the end of everything they held dear.
They stepped forward into that world, into the jaws of death, into the shadow of the galactic tyrant.
And so, the stage was set. The final battle had kicked off.
As Itachi stood at the entrance of the home he shared with Yugao, Haku, Shisui, and Sarada, he couldn't help but feel a deepness in his chest, an ache between his duty as a shinobi and his life as a boyfriend, brother, uncle, and father. The familiar giggles of his child and his niece did little to calm the storm raging within.
Inside, Yugao moved with a forced calm, cradling their nearly year-old son Shisui in her arms as she watched Itachi quickly pack his gear. Despite her best efforts to hide it, the worry and fear were plain in her eyes. She tried to offer her typical supportive smile, but it was strained, barely holding together under the idea that she couldn't take another loss.
After all, Itachi had already died once.
And even though he had come back, the trauma of that day, when Raditz ripped through their world, never truly left her.
She couldn't afford to lose him again. Not now. Not ever.
"Itachi..." Yugao began, her voice wavering slightly despite her best attempts. "Promise me... promise me you'll come back this time."
Itachi paused, standing still for a moment before turning to face her. His sharp, discerning eyes—once cold, now filled with warmth—locked onto hers. He stepped forward, gently reaching out to take Shisui from her arms and cradle the boy close to his chest. He kissed his son's forehead, feeling the gentle heartbeat beneath, before handing him back to Yugao.
"I promise," he said, voice unyielding, trying to inject every ounce of conviction he had into those words. "I won't make the same mistakes as last time. I've grown, I've trained... and I'm not going to let anything happen to me or to you. Or to any of us."
Yugao's eyes filled with tears, the memories of the aftermath of his death washing over her. The horror, the helplessness as she heard the news of Itachi's demise at the hands of that alien brute... it was too much. And now, knowing he was about to fly headfirst into danger again, her calm shattered.
"You said that before, Itachi... and I... I remember what it was like... hearing that you died. And then ultimately coming to grips with that reality... I can't... I won't let that happen again." She trembled, clutching Shisui closer, her composure cracking even further.
Itachi stepped forward quickly, closed the distance between them, and firmly pressed his lips to hers, silencing her. The kiss was strong and intense, filled with a notable level of passion and reassurance.
When they finally parted, he rested his forehead against hers, and spoke in a low, soothing voice. "I'm not going to die this time. I swear it to you on our son, on everything we've built. You have to trust me."
Yugao's breathing steadied as Itachi's words washed over her. She felt the strength in his voice, the promise in his touch. It wasn't like before—she could sense something different in him, a renewed determination, a clarity that hadn't been there during the last battle. It wasn't just the power he gained but the resolve.
Slowly, she nodded as she forced a smile, pressing another kiss to his lips. "I trust you," she whispered, voice soft as the breeze.
Shisui, still cradled in her arms, reached out and grabbed at Itachi's hair playfully, making Itachi chuckle, the sound light and comforting. And for a moment, all was well.
Turning to Haku, who sat with Sarada watching them silently, Itachi gave her a small nod, the unspoken acknowledgment carrying a thousand words of respect, understanding, and kinship. "Haku... take care of them all. And watch over our children."
Haku met his gaze with her usual calm and graceful demeanor. "I will, Itachi-san." She pulled Sarada closer to her side, the young girl babbling innocently, blissfully unaware of the impending war. "Make sure you come back, so we can celebrate this victory as a family."
Itachi offered one final smile before he turned, heading toward the entrance of the compound where Neji, Tenten, Kakashi, and Gai were already waiting. His movements were fluid, precise, carrying with them the assurance of a man who had seen death and defied it.
Kakashi's Hokage cloak flapped in the wind as he stood there, while Gai stood stoically next to him, the Perfect Susano'o flickering faintly around them both like a shadow of power.
As Itachi took to the skies with the others, he couldn't help but take one last glance back at his home. At Yugao, holding Shisui close. At Haku, with Sarada by her side. And then, with a final breath, he pushed it all down, locking in for what lay ahead.
He had a mission, a duty. He was finished letting anyone down.
The five of them flew swiftly, the wind whipping against their faces, cutting through the sky like arrows. And then, amidst the whirling wind and pounding hearts, Neji and Tenten's wrist communicators blinked to life, the holographic screen flickering on as Shikamaru's voice came through the intercom.
"We're patched into the drones, and per usual I'll be your eyes from here in the Iron Cave," Shikamaru's calm, analytical voice echoed through. "Tenten, Neji, brace yourselves. What you're about to see... it's not good."
The surveillance footage from the drones showed Kumogakure—formerly a thriving village of thunderclouds and stone—now a war zone. Buildings were crushed to rubble, plumes of smoke rose high into the sky, and the ground was stained with blood and debris. And in the midst of it all, a group of four alien warriors seemed to revel in the chaos and destruction, tearing through the strongest shinobi of the village as if they were paper.
The camera zoomed in on the carnage: an orange muscle-head guy towering over the Raikage, his grin twisted as he easily overpowered the giant of a man; and in the distance, a band of soldiers scouring the ruins, grabbing any and all signs of the fabled Dragon Balls.
Tenten's eyes were wide as she watched, her fingers twitching against the grips of her weapons. "They're slaughtering them..." she whispered, barely containing the shock and anger in her voice. "They don't even stand a chance."
"Stay focused," Neji said, his voice strained as he processed the devastation on the screen. He turned toward Tenten, his eyes hardening with resolve. "We need to hurry. They're holding out, but..."
"...But not for long," Kakashi finished, his voice grave. He didn't take his eyes off the footage, watching the destruction unfold. "We have to reach them. Quickly."
"Then let's not waste time," Gai said, his tone determined. "The Raikage may not hold out much longer."
And with that, the team jetted forward, faster than before, their urgency driving them to their limits. Neji and Tenten activated the thrusters on their feet, propelling them through the air in bursts of blinding speed. Itachi's Sharingan flared as he pushed himself forward with his Susano'o, the world blurring around him as they cut through the sky.
In the heart of the storm, one thought pulsed in their minds—a single word:
Survive.
And those invaders will learn to fear the wrath of those who had everything to lose.
Kurotsuchi's body, slick with sweat and heat, curled against Tien's broad chest, and she could feel every labored breath he took after their primal, electrifying night together. Her fingers traced lazy circles across the hard lines of his muscles, reveling in the raw, fiery connection they shared—the kind that burned the outside world away, even if just for a wild string of fleeting moments.
Tien lay beside her, his bare chest heaving softly as he recovered from the intensity of their intimate union. His eyes were closed, and for once, the iron-willed warrior allowed himself a moment of peace, of vulnerability, the world outside their bedroom slipping into an almost dreamlike haze.
"How do you do it?" Kurotsuchi's voice broke the silence, soft yet strong, her tone tinted with the familiar playfulness and admiration she had for her lover. She leaned in closer, planting small kisses along the side of his neck. "How do you make me forget everything else exists? It's like... everything fades except you."
Tien smirked, one eye cracking open to gaze at her, the corner of his lips curving upward. "Guess that's my secret," he replied in his typically grounded tone, the confidence and strength in his voice flowing like a steady river. His arm snaked around her waist, pulling her closer against him.
Despite everything—the wars, the battles, the endless training—moments like this felt timeless, like they belonged to another life.
They stayed like that for a while longer, caught in a world that only seemed to contain the two of them, their bodies warm and close. But then... the silence was broken by a faint but urgent beeping sound—the communicator on Kurotsuchi's nightstand, pulsing like a heartbeat in the stillness.
She grumbled under her breath, eyes narrowing at the cursed device that dared to intrude on her morning solace.
"Damn it..." she muttered, reaching over reluctantly to answer the call. Tien's senses immediately sharpened, and his body went from relaxed to alert in an instant.
He didn't need to see her face to know what was coming... back to the bullshit they go.
"Kurotsuchi-sama," came the distressed voice of one of her messengers, echoing through the device with panic. "Kumogakure... it's under attack! We don't know what it is—it's not human, not shinobi—it's... something else. They're tearing through the village like paper! The Raikage is... he's..."
Tien's expression darkened, and his gaze snapped to Kurotsuchi's face, watching the way her eyes widened. In all her strength, all her power, she found herself at a loss, and that realization brought a hollow feeling to her core.
Beings not of this world? Tearing through Kumo?
She remembered the Five Kage Summit concerning extraterrestrial threats, of alien warriors far beyond the strength of even the most legendary shinobi... but she didn't expect the horror of that reality to come crashing down so suddenly, so close.
Tien's voice possessed an edge that could slice through steel. "I'm going," he said firmly, no hesitation in his voice.
His three eyes bore into her, and she could see the flicker of battle hunger in them—the same fire that had drawn her to him in the first place. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, rising to his feet, every muscle in his body readying for what was to come.
Kurotsuchi clenched her fists. She wanted to protest, to tell him to stay. She was the Tsuchikage, for Kami's sake!
But the power gap between even a Kage and the otherworldly monsters they were facing—it was like trying to compare a flame to the sun. She knew Tien had the power to at least stand a chance, and in this moment, her pride meant nothing compared to the lives at stake. She took a deep breath, pushing the lump in her throat down, and nodded.
"Yeah... go. But if I was stronger—"
"Don't say that," Tien interrupted, his tone softer as he moved closer to her, placing his hands on her shoulders. "You've got your duty to protect Iwa, and I've got mine to protect this world. You're strong, Kurotsuchi—stronger than most people can even imagine. But right now... this is something I have to do."
Kurotsuchi's eyes closed for a brief moment, steeling herself against her tidal wave of emotions. A part of her wanted to fight beside him, to be in the thick of it, but she knew that her strength, her status as one of the five great Kage, meant absolutely nothing against the incomprehensible might of beings like Goku or Piccolo.
She had come to terms with that reality long ago. The shinobi world, once the end-all, be-all, was now just a tiny piece in a universe far larger and more powerful than they had ever imagined.
"Damnit," she said finally, voice low and resigned but laced with that fierce fire that made her who she was. She reached up, cupping his face with both hands, staring into his eyes with an intensity that faded the world. "Kick their asses for me. And don't you dare die, Tien. Not before I can join you out there."
Tien gave her a nod, placing his hands over hers, squeezing them tightly. "I'm coming back," he promised. "And when I do... we'll finish what we started."
He kissed her then, hard and deep, savoring the last taste of her lips before he pulled away, his body already thrumming with energy. He moved to the corner of the room, grabbing his green gi pants and throwing them on in one swift motion, tying the red sash around his waist. His bare chest, sculpted from years of relentless training, glistened under the morning sun as he slipped on his yellow socks and black shoes.
Kurotsuchi watched him with a mix of pride, desire, and fear that she desperately tried to push down. She knew she couldn't stop him, and she knew he was right to go. But that didn't make it any easier to let him walk out the door.
"Be careful," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper as Tien opened the window and stepped onto the ledge, ready to take flight. "I'll be waiting."
Tien turned back, giving her one last, confident smile—the kind that told her he was ready for whatever hell awaited him out there. "I'll be back soon, sit tight," he said. And then, with a blast of ki, he launched himself into the sky, the force of his takeoff shaking the room as he rocketed toward Kumogakure.
As she watched him disappear into the distance, Kurotsuchi sat on the edge of their bed, hands clasped tightly together, praying to whatever gods were listening that he would make it back to her.
Because as strong as she was, as powerful as she had become... in this world of gods and monsters, there were still things that even the strongest human couldn't defend against.
And all she could do was wait. Wait and hope.
High above the clouds, the world below was nothing but a blur to Tien as he soared through the sky, his mind focused on one thing and one thing alone: the fight.
He didn't know what was waiting for him in Kumogakure, but whatever it was, he'd be ready. He'd trained, fought, and bled for years, and he wasn't about to let some alien scum overrun his home while he had breath in his lungs.
It didn't matter what their power levels were. It didn't matter who they served.
If they thought they could threaten his world, they were about to learn a painful lesson.
The last surviving member of the Crane Hermit was coming.
And he was ready to show them what the humans were truly capable of.
The moment Goku and his crew stepped out of the ship onto the barren surface of Planet Frieza 79, the atmosphere changed instantly. A suffocating, tangible pressure hung in the air—a power so malignant that it felt like it might crush the life out of anyone who dared to oppose it. Even Bulma, with no ability to sense ki, could feel the weight of the energy pressing down on her.
It was unlike anything they had ever experienced. It radiated pure malice and supremacy, seeping into their bones, chilling their blood.
Frieza's power—undeniable, monstrous—was out there, close.
"D-Damn," Naruto muttered, swallowing the lump in his throat. "That's Frieza? It feels like... like drowning in a nightmare."
Ino's eyes were darting everywhere, as if trying to lock onto something to fight but finding nothing to focus on but the feeling itself. Her mind was bombarded with endless waves of raw power, a sensory overload unlike any she'd felt before.
"It's like he's everywhere... he's not even here yet, and it feels like we're already surrounded."
Bulma's face went pale as her hands trembled, despite herself. She was used to danger, but nothing like this, nothing on this scale. "I... I can feel it too," she said, clutching her arm to steady herself. "And I don't even have a way to sense ki like you guys. Is that... really what Frieza's power feels like?"
"Yeah," Goku said, cracking his knuckles, a fire in his eyes. "It's strong, no doubt. But not unbeatable." His face, while grave, had a certain calmness to it. He was sizing up the power—calculating, thinking, preparing. For all the stories he had heard, all the times Vegeta had warned them... this was the moment he had been preparing for.
There was no room for fear. Only victory.
Before anyone else could react further, a wave of Frieza soldiers surged from the far-off structures—hundreds of them, all armed to the teeth, each one aiming their blasters right at the group. They formed a battle line, and without hesitation, began raining down a hailstorm of ki blasts. The air screamed as bolts of energy cut through the sky, explosions rocking the ground and shaking the dirt loose from the surface of the planetoid.
Vegeta was faster than the eye could follow. He leapt forward, his face curled into a feral smirk, his hand raised high. "Pathetic vermin!" he spat, his voice dripping with contempt. "You're not even worthy to speak my name, much less live in my presence!"
The prince's hand flicked once. A violet energy blast formed at his fingertips, then expanded outward like a tidal wave as he swiped his hand, its power vaporizing the entirety of the soldiers in an instant. They didn't even have time to scream; their forms disintegrated in a blinding flash, reduced to nothingness as the ground around them crumbled, the shockwave sending debris scattering for miles.
BOOM!
The noise was deafening, the flash blinding, and when the dust finally settled, not a single Frieza soldier was left standing. Just scorched earth and the smell of ozone burning in the air. Vegeta's smirk only widened, his black eyes gleaming with wicked fury. He lowered his hand and spat on the ground where they stood.
"Kill or be killed," he said, his voice echoing with authority. "Those are the rules today. Frieza and that worm Zarbon are en route as we speak. When they get here, it will be chaos incarnate. You weaklings," he gestured to the group, "do yourselves a favor—stay the hell out of my way. I will handle this."
Goku stepped beside Vegeta, nodding in agreement. "Once again he's right," the younger Saiyan said. "This fight... it's not like the others. We're gonna do our best to take Frieza down. But if things go south, if we don't make it..." He turned to Bulma, his expression hardening. "You capsulize the ship, erase Earth's data from the database again forever this time, and then, you and everyone else get the hell outta here, as far away as you can."
Bulma nodded, her face more serious than it had ever been. "Understood. But don't you go dying on us, Son Goku. That's an order."
There was a slight quiver in her voice, but she steadied herself defiantly. Her eyes then flickered to Vegeta, who simply rolled his own, the faintest of smirks touching his lips for a super brief moment..
"Yes ma'am, I don't plan on it." Goku's gaze moved back to his wife, who stood there, staring back at him. Her hands were clenched into fists, and her lavender eyes brimmed with emotion. She stepped forward without saying a word and wrapped her arms around him, holding him close.
Goku returned the embrace, his hand softly caressing her hair as he whispered in her ear. "Be safe. I love you."
Hinata pulled back slightly, enough to look up into his eyes, and nodded. "And I love you," she whispered back.
As they pulled away, Goku's carefree grin returned, lighting up his face. Despite the quote en quote fear in the air, he was excited.
Then, without another word, he took off into the sky, a trail of bluish white ki blazing behind him. Vegeta, for all his harshness and pride, allowed himself one last look at the group, and at Bulma in particular. His eyes lingered just a moment longer, a silent acknowledgment of what was at stake.
"Try not to die while I'm gone. And do me a favor..." he smirked viciously, "keep things warm for us."
And with that, Vegeta rocketed into the sky after Goku, leaving the group on the ground to watch as the two Saiyan warriors ascended higher and higher, becoming specks against the transparent alien sky.
Bulma clenched her fists as she watched them go, then quickly turned back to the others. "You heard them! Stick to the plan!" she shouted, more to steel her own nerves than anything else. "We head straight for the database, no distractions! Get me there in one piece, and I'll handle the rest."
She promptly pulled out a device from her pocket and capsulized the ship with a quick POP and puff of smoke, tucking the tiny capsule back into her pocket.
"Guess there's no turning back," Naruto muttered, his blue eyes scanning the horizon in expectance of another wave of enemies.
"Nope," Sasuke said, his Sharingan spinning into life, his scarlet dojutsu glowing. "There isn't. We're going to finish the job."
Ino cracked her knuckles, eager to lay waste to anyone who got in their way. "Right on... let's make some noise, huh? If this Frieza bastard wants to come to our world, then he and his team better be ready to get their asses kicked."
Hinata took a deep breath as her Byakugan activated, scanning for any incoming threats. "Let's move quickly. Frieza's men know we're here, and we need to buy Bulma the time she needs."
With one shared, wordless look of understanding, the group charged forward, moving as one toward the heart of the planet—a heavily fortified string of buildings that withheld the primary PTO database.
Meanwhile, soaring across the sky, Goku and Vegeta tore through the atmosphere, leaving trails of ki in their wake.
It was a race against time, a race to meet their fates head-on.
"Don't think you're going to hog all the glory, Kakarot," Vegeta growled as they flew, his eyes fixed on the far-off energy of Frieza that pulled them forward like gravity.
Goku just smirked, the fire of battle in his eyes. "Then don't let me take it."
The winds of Kumogakure howled in despair, the once thriving village now echoing with screams of panic and the smell of destruction.
Recoome, the juggernaut of the Ginyu Force, loomed over the broken and battered shinobi, his wild hair spiked upward like an orange flame licking the sky. His body stood like a monstrous pillar amidst the chaos, muscles bulging with unchecked power, while his sneering, sadistic smile taunted any who dared look upon him.
His eyes scanned over the crushed remnants of C's body, the twisted limbs of Darui—whose neck Recoome had casually snapped with the poke of a single finger—and the remnants of the Raikage, torn limb from limb, his mighty strength meaning nothing before Recoome's absurd power.
The Raikage's bloodied torso lay discarded like so much refuse, a symbol of the hopelessness the shinobi felt, his formidable arm converted into a bloody stump in one strike as he tried to mount a final stand against Recoome's overwhelming might.
It was brutal, ruthless—utterly without mercy.
Killer Bee, in his full Eight-Tails transformation, fared no better. He fought valiantly, every one of his titanic tails lashing out with explosive chakra, his massive form casting long shadows over the burning village. But Recoome laughed. Laughed as he toyed with Bee, grabbing one tentacle at a time and ripping them out as if he were dismembering a bug. Tentacles splattered the earth, the thick black chakra blood of the Hachibi mixing with the soil, staining it. Bee roared in fury, pain wracking his body with every limb torn off, his chakra leaking from his open wounds as his strength rapidly waned.
"This is too easy!" Recoome shouted, raising a clenched fist and bashing it down upon Bee's back, each blow causing a tremor through the earth that sent cracks spider-webbing through the surrounding buildings. "Man, you guys are pathetic! Is this really what passes for strong around here?!"
Every taunt, every jeer, seemed to magnify the terror as the Frieza soldiers tore through the remaining Kumo forces like a relentless tide. The village that once stood proud was being dismantled, brick by brick, soul by soul. The shinobi barely had time to form defenses before being mercilessly cut down, beams of ki vaporizing entire families, homes reduced to rubble in mere seconds.
Suddenly, a massive burst of pure energy lit up the sky.
Neji and Tenten rocketed through the air, their arrival marked by shockwaves that parted the clouds above, trailing brilliant streams of light. Beside them, Itachi's Sharingan burned scarlet like the fires of hell itself, Kakashi's double Mangekyo flaring with lethal intent. And last but not least Gai, his aura blazing in a aura of green light. They landed, their feet cracking the ground beneath them.
The Home Team. Ready to face whatever apocalypse this was.
Recoome didn't care. Yugito Nii, the Two-Tails Jinchuriki, lunged at him, her body rippling with the heat of blue flames as she took on her full bijuu form in a desperate, final gambit to destroy the monster before her. The flames cascaded from her mouth like a torrent of molten fury.
But Recoome's sneer widened. He raised his hand, a small ball of energy appearing in his palm like a flicker of death, and in one brutal instant, he hurled it forward, the orb racing like a comet straight into Yugito's core. The light expanded, and for a second there was silence—a heartbeat, an eternity—before the entire sky erupted in a blinding flash.
BOOM!
Yugito was disintegrated, her flames snuffed out as her very essence was reduced to nothing but particles scattered to the wind. The impact deafened the world, and her form, her life, ceased to be. There was no body to bury, no soul to mourn—just an empty void where once stood a fierce kunoichi.
"Pathetic," Recoome grumbled, brushing his hands off as though Yugito had been nothing more than a speck of dust.
He was only disappointed that she went out so easily.
Killer Bee, now crippled and stripped of his power, lay helpless, and Recoome turned back to finish the job. But before he could deliver the final blow, the air around them warped, rippling like a pond disturbed by a stone, and in a flash, both Bee and Darui vanished.
Kakashi stood at the ready, his eyes glowing as the spatial distortion of Kamui returned to normal. He had sent them to safety.
"You have no right," the Hokage began, his voice low and cold like the blade of a guillotine, "to be here."
Recoome paused, and then the Ginyu Force as a whole turned to face their new prey. Jeice's white hair whipped around as he gave a mocking laugh, and Burter, the self-proclaimed fastest in the universe, even cracked his neck with a blistering speed. Guldo's eyes bulged with curiosity, and his ugliness was enough to send shivers down the spines of those present. Ew.
"Well, well," Jeice cooed, his voice dripping with condescension. "Looks like we've got some more bugs to squash. And who might you be, love?" he added, twirling a lock of his hair as he ogled Tenten.
She scowled, initiating her Mark 4 armor in response, covering her appearance via the assembly of her greatest invention to date.
Guldo scoffed, "Why do they even bother? This is Ginyu Force business... they should know better than to get in our way."
Itachi stepped forward, his Sharingan a stark contrast to the fires raging around them, spinning dangerously. "We're the ones who are going to stop you," he said simply, the words slicing through the tension like a knife. He spoke without bravado, without doubt, his eyes locking with Recoome's as if trying to pierce his soul. "You've taken your last life here."
Recoome cracked his knuckles, the sound like boulders colliding. "Oh? And you think you can stop me? Oh, this is gonna be fun!" His grin stretched wider, maddened and unhinged, as he gestured for them to come at him.
Neji's Byakugan flared, his 360-degree vision capturing the vast battlefield around them as his fists clenched with silent rage.
"We don't care who you are," he said, the meticulous nature of the Hyuga never more evident. As he spoke, his own set of armor began to forge onto his body, readying himself to join his fiancée as an Iron-Duo. "You're not leaving here alive."
Burter gave a hearty laugh, voice rumbling like a storm. "Not leaving here alive? Who talks like that? We're the Ginyu Force, and nobody stops the Ginyu Force!"
Suddenly, without a word of warning, Recoome's fist whipped around, punching through the air like a missile and slamming into the ground where Neji stood. The earth split open from the impact, debris flying in all directions as Neji leaped back just in time to avoid being pulverized.
Recoome's power was overwhelming—so much more so than anything they had ever faced before—and the reality of the challenge before them hit like a sledgehammer.
Gai's voice cut through the chaos like a battle cry, fists already glowing with green chakra. "This is the fight we were born for! Don't hesitate, don't look back—just fight like your life depends on it!"
And with that, the Green Beast launched himself forward, the sheer force of his leap leaving a crater in his wake as he drove himself toward Recoome with all the strength and speed he could muster.
The standoff dissolved into a storm of violence, and the battlefield became a blur of movement. Energy blasts painted the skies, shockwaves tore through the village, and the Home Team threw themselves headlong into the fray, each one a force of nature in their own right, yet all painfully aware of the monumental power they faced.
They had to hold on until the others arrived, until they killed their foes, or until they were all dead.
In that moment, there was no fear. Only the will to win.
Fuck The Ginyu Force.
The surface of Planet Frieza 79 was a barren, desolate landscape that screamed inhospitable. And yet this was where the fates of Saiyans, Earthlings, and the most ruthless tyrant in the universe would be decided.
The two groups met mid-flight, their auras clashing like tidal waves in the sky.
On one side, the white and blue ki of Goku and Vegeta sparked and crackled, the sheer energy emanating from them causing the air to tremble with invisible power.
On the other, a specific slick purple and white armor gleamed under the star nearest to the planet, his piercing red eyes radiating a cold cruelty. The other person, Zarbon, hovered beside his master, long green hair flowing behind him like a viper's tail, his smirk dripping with confidence and disdain.
There was no mistaking the hatred in this meeting—years of resentment, oppression, and torment boiled down to this moment.
The lips of the tyrant curled upwards, the sharpness of his grin cutting through the silence like a blade. "Well, well, if it isn't the Saiyan Prince and his... monkey compatriot." His voice was smooth and mocking, like poisoned silk. "And here I thought you'd be too scared to actually come face-to-face with me. I do have that effect on people after all."
Vegeta's eyes burned with a rage that could incinerate the world. "Enough of your cowardly words, Frieza!" The veins on his forehead bulged, the years of suffering as a slave to Frieza's will rushing to the forefront of his mind. "Today, you pay for everything you've ever done to me with your life. And I promise it's going to hurt."
Frieza's eyes flashed with amusement, a sneer forming on his lips. "Ah, so melodramatic! You speak as if you've forgotten your place. A monkey, trying to play king." He waved his hand dismissively. "Tell me, how does it feel, Vegeta, to be standing before your superior? No crown, no planet, just your empty arrogance." He laughed—a cruel, mocking sound that reverberated through the air.
Zarbon added to the taunting, staring down Vegeta. "It's almost... sad, really. That you still cling to this delusion of superiority. Your race was wiped out for a reason, Prince. You're lucky you've lived this long to see your pathetic rebellion crumble before you."
Vegeta's teeth ground together, fury burning in his eyes. "Zarbon," he snarled, "I'm going to enjoy tearing you limb from limb."
The words dripped with such malevolence as Zarbon's smirk grew, his condescension targeting Vegeta. "You're welcome to try, monkey."
At that, Goku stepped forward, his eyes darting between Frieza and Zarbon with a calm focus. He cracked his knuckles, the sound like a thunderclap across the barren land. "Vegeta, forget about him. The others will take care of Zarbon. You've waited long enough for this."
Vegeta glanced at Goku, a split second of surprise flashing before he buried it under his scowl. "Kakarot... Stay out of this."
But the Saiyan Prince couldn't hide the eager glint in his eyes. This was the moment—the moment he'd dreamed of for years. To see Frieza's smug face twisted in agony. His entire life had led to this single point, to finally prove himself against the monster who enslaved him, who made him into his image.
It was time to bring death to Frieza.
Speaking of which, the tyrant simply yawned, clearly bored. "Enough. Zarbon, find Vegeta's pitiful little group of friends and dispose of them. All of them. Immediately." He waved his hand, dismissive and cruel, as if sending Zarbon off to sweep the floor.
"Yes, Lord Frieza," Zarbon said with a smile, ready to take off in a streak of green light.
"Not so fast!" Vegeta's voice boomed through the air, and in a blink, he was on Zarbon's tail, intent on tearing him apart right then and there. But before he could get close, a thin beam of energy seared past the prince's head, burning a path through a side of his hair.
It was precise, sharp—a Death Beam. Vegeta leaned right just in time, the heat grazing his skin but missing its mark.
Frieza's tail flicked lazily, his eyes narrowing in amusement. "Oh, Prince Vegeta, it seems you've forgotten your manners. Running off to play while I'm still here." His voice held a venomous edge, a reminder of the deadly force beneath his exterior. "I suggest you remember your place."
Vegeta's eyes flashed dangerously as he turned back to Frieza, hatred pouring off of him in waves.
But before he could charge, Goku stepped forward once more, a hand raised as if to cool the tension between them. "Vegeta, don't waste your energy. You don't need Zarbon. Focus on the big picture. We've got one goal."
Vegeta growled low, but his rage subsided, just barely. "Fine, Kakarot. Now shut the hell up and witness." His eyes bored into Frieza with an intensity that threatened to attempt to melt the tyrant on the spot. "This is mine."
The corner of Goku's mouth lifted into a half-smile. "All yours. I just wanna see if you've really got what it takes. I still don't know what this Super Saiyan stuff means... so show me."
The words struck Vegeta like a whip, the legendary status of the Super Saiyan echoing in his mind. Yes... he could feel it. His power, his confidence—it all pointed to this.
The transformation was close.
The very legend Frieza feared was about to stand right in front of him.
And it wouldn't be Kakarot, it would be him.
Frieza laughed at the sight, rolling his eyes. "Oh, what is it with you Saiyans and your fairy tales? Super Saiyan this, Super Saiyan that. Tell me, are all of you so deluded, or is it just Vegeta spreading more lies and misinformation?"
He hopped out of his hovering pod, his feet touching the ground without a sound, and the planet seemingly trembled beneath his presence. His aura burned like an endless flame, licking the air with a heat that choked the life out of anything nearby.
Goku's expression hardened, and he stepped back, allowing Vegeta to have his stage. The Prince's ki flared around him, blue yet hot like the fires of hell, the planet beneath them shivering once more under the force of it.
"Frieza," Vegeta said, every word dripping with absolute conviction, "I am going to make you pay for every insult to my pride."
His fists clenched tight, and the power within him surged.
Frieza's eyes narrowed, bored of the speech already. "Blah, blah, blah. Can we get on with this? I've got more lives to ruin."
Vegeta didn't wait. He lunged forward, his movements a blur of speed. Frieza fired a series of red energy blasts, each one screaming through the air like a meteor, but the prince moved like a dancer, weaving and ducking between them, his confidence growing with every evasion. The red blasts scorched the ground, turning rock to molten lava, but none found their mark.
"Hmph!" Frieza fired one last massive blast, a flaming ball of death aimed right for Vegeta's chest.
But with a roar of defiance, Vegeta's fist met the blast head-on, a shockwave exploding outwards from the impact as the ball of energy was sent flying into the sky, detonating in a massive explosion of red and orange, the light bathing the battlefield in an almost ethereal, otherworldly glow.
Vegeta stood tall, the smirk on his face wild and unhinged. "Is that the best you can do, Frieza? I expected more!"
Goku watched with a keen eye, feeling the ripples of power from Vegeta, his own heart pounding with the anticipation of what was to come. A war for survival, for revenge, for pride.
Vegeta stood at the ready, adrenaline coursing through him. The prince of the Saiyans was about to fight the monster who had tormented him his entire life.
And at that moment, there was nothing more he wanted than to rip Frieza apart.
But before Vegeta could move once more, before he could unleash the pent-up rage that burned inside, Frieza's cold, twisted smile interrupted his focus. The tyrant's eyes glittered with cruelty and something deeper—glee, almost—as if he had been waiting for this moment for years. His tail flicked lazily behind him, the only sign of movement in his otherwise perfectly composed frame.
"Vegeta, Vegeta, Vegeta," Frieza began, his voice smooth and slow, like oil spilling over the dust-covered ground. "So eager for your little revenge, are we? You're so much like your father, the King... Always rushing headlong into things beyond your station."
Vegeta's scowl deepened, the mention of his father twisting his features into a mask of hatred. He said nothing, but his clenched fists spoke volumes. Goku could feel the prince's power rising like a chaotic tidal wave, but it was still contained—barely.
"Ah yes, King Vegeta," Frieza continued, almost as if savoring the words. "You know, your father was quite the... intriguing figure. He had his day, just like you're having yours." The tyrant chuckled, the laugh dancing on the line between delight and contempt. "Yes, he strutted about the palace, all arrogance and pride, just like you. The self-proclaimed King of the Saiyans, the mighty Vegeta-sei! Oh, he was so sure of himself."
Vegeta's eyes narrowed to slits, the memories of his childhood flooding back to him—memories of a father who stood proud, only to be crushed under the weight of Frieza's might. The cracks in his will began to show, and the fury in his gaze was like lava ready to burst.
"Let me paint a picture for you," Frieza continued, his voice dripping with a sadistic pleasure. "I remember it as if it were yesterday... your father, standing before me, fists clenched, just like you. He stormed my ship, demanding that I release you and return your people their so-called honor." Frieza's laughter echoed through the stillness, a mocking melody to the hopelessness of the memory. "Honor... how ridiculous. As if you monkeys ever knew anything of honor."
Frieza's face turned cold, the smile stretching his lips. "But your dear father... he put up quite a fight, I'll give him that." The emperor gestured with a wave of his hand as if casually dismissing an insect. "In the end, I simply... crushed his skull."
Vegeta's teeth ground together, he could feel it in his bones, the humiliation of his race. The humiliation of his namesake, of himself.
Goku's face tightened with shock as he listened. Even he felt the anger bubbling within him, hearing the casual cruelty in Frieza's words, the utter lack of respect for life. But the younger Saiyan remained silent, watching the build-up, feeling the power radiate from both sides. He could sense it—this fight was Vegeta's, his moment of truth.
And there was no way in hell Goku would step in. Not yet.
"And here you stand before me," Frieza continued, taking a step closer to Vegeta, "the last royal fool of a lost people, thinking yourself a legend. Thinking you could ever—ever—challenge me."
Vegeta, despite the circumstances, allowed a vile smirk to grace his lips once more. "No Frieza... not just a mere challenge. You're not dealing with my pathetic excuse of a father, or any of those other weaklings. They deserved to die. But that's not all. Soon I'll be a Super Saiyan, your worst nightmare!"
"A Super Saiyan huh? Well we'll cross that bridge when we come to it." It was at this moment Frieza's mocking tone shifted. His eyes hardened, glowing with an inner malice, and the intensity erupted. "That is if we ever come to it, fool!"
And with that, Frieza rocketed forward, his speed a blur to even the most seasoned of fighters. The dust and rubble beneath his feet exploded outwards, creating a sonic boom that cracked the very surface of the planet. Vegeta's eyes widened, but he was ready, instincts honed from years of battle flaring to life. He threw his arm up just in time as Frieza's right hand closed in, aiming to crush his skull in the same way as he crushed King Vegeta.
WHAM!
Vegeta's fingers locked around Frieza's wrist, the impact splitting the air around them like a thunderclap. Their auras collided violently, each fighter's ki pushing against the other like opposing magnets. Dust spiraled into the sky, and the rocks around them levitated before being crushed to powder by the sheer pressure of their energy.
"Not... this time... FRIEZA!" Vegeta's voice was a snarl of defiance, his teeth gritted as every muscle in his body tensed against Frieza's strength. Veins pulsed visibly along Vegeta's forehead, the power swelling within him far greater than it had ever been as he palmed Frieza's other fist, stopping him dead in his tracks. Every ounce of pain, every bitter moment of his life under Frieza's heel, all of it surged forward now.
He would not let Frieza dominate him today!
"You lowlife Saiyan... how dare you," Frieza hissed, trying to overpower Vegeta and crush him like the gnat he was. His scouter beeped rapidly, analyzing the rapid changes in Vegeta's power level. "You think you can match me, monkey?!"
Vegeta's eyes blazed with fury, his muscles rippling with newfound strength. His aura flared, growing in intensity, swirling and lashing like a storm, burning with an intensity he had never felt before. And then it happened—his power spiked violently, the scouter on Frieza's face emitting a shrill beep... beep... BEEP as the numbers kept climbing, soaring beyond expectations.
"What?!" Frieza's scouter read out the numbers: 200,000... 300,000... 400,000...! The sudden jump in power made Frieza's eyes widen in shock. He dug his feet into the ground, trying to push through Vegeta, but the Saiyan Prince refused to yield.
Not this time.
Vegeta's voice grew louder, stronger, as if every word was hammering down on Frieza's ego. "I AM THE PRINCE OF ALL SAIYANS! YOU WILL NOT OVERPOWER ME!" He roared, the force of his voice creating a ripple in the air, his power burning bright as a star. And then, Frieza's scouter let out a sharp, final BEEP before shattering into pieces, sparks flying as it disintegrated on his face.
Frieza's mouth hung open in disbelief, his own power straining to overcome Vegeta. And then he saw it vividly prior to the explosion of his scouter—the moment Vegeta's power met his own, the point of no return.
530,000.
Vegeta's power soared to meet Frieza's own strength, the two warriors locked in a deadlock, straining against each other with a fury that shook the planet itself. The ground cracked beneath their feet, deep fissures spreading outward like veins, as if the planet were trying to break away from the overwhelming energies pressing down upon it.
Goku stood back, shielding his eyes from the flashes of power radiating from the clash. He could feel it—the overwhelming rage and determination pouring out of Vegeta, the raw, untamed power that had pushed him to this level.
It was incredible.
And Goku, ever the lover of battle, couldn't help but grin in admiration. "Wow, Vegeta... You're amazing."
He clenched his fist, his own Saiyan blood boiling at the sight of such power. The rivalry between them only added fuel to the fire, and Goku knew—right here, right now—Vegeta's strength had far surpassed his own in their base forms. The prince's body had become a vessel of destruction, a fury honed and channeled into raw, overwhelming strength.
He truly was a Super Elite.
But was that enough? Was any of it enough to bring down the demon standing before them, to finally put an end to the reign of Frieza?
The planet trembled as Vegeta and Frieza continued their struggle, each refusing to back down, each intent on destroying the other.
And amidst the chaos, Goku's mind raced.
Whatever came next, it would define them all.