Chapter 75: Upping The Ante
Lee's strikes cracked the air like thunder, and each one landed with the force of a collapsing star. Appule was first—a one-hit massacre. CRUNCH!
Lee's palm thrust came crashing down like a guillotine, viscerally disintegrating the alien's spine with a sickening crunch that reverberated through the corridors of the Frieza hub. Appule didn't even have time to scream before he was a crumpled, lifeless heap on the metallic floor, his life vanquished.
Lee's eyes burned with resolve as he whipped around to face Gorin and Strobe, both of whom gawked at him in stunned silence, their minds unable to reconcile the annihilation of Appule. Before Gorin could react, the Black Fist of Konoha closed the distance between them in a single, fluid motion—a green blur moving at blistering speed.
SNAPPP! In the next moment, Gorin's head snapped to the side as Lee's leg smashed into his jaw, the full power of the Seventh Gate plus Kaioken twisting his head completely around.
Blood sprayed through the air like mist, and Gorin's neck twisted grotesquely as his body was flung through several walls, creating craters and bursting pipes in his wake before collapsing in a disjointed heap. Dead.
Lee landed on the balls of his feet, his breath coming out as a hiss through gritted teeth. He was still maintaining the Kaioken stacked on top of the Gates, every muscle in his body pulsating with power. His skin burned red-hot, veins bulging, his chakra and ki overflowing together to a point that it was akin to an inferno.
Strobe, the strongest of the three, shook himself out of his stupor, his eyes narrowing in rage. "Y-You... filthy—!"
He raised both hands to charge a devastating blast of energy, one that hoped to rip through Lee, but it was far too slow. The air hummed with a boom as Lee vanished from sight and reappeared directly in front of Strobe, fist already cocked back.
"Much too slow," Lee stated, voice laced with grimness.
DOOSHH! His punch struck like a meteor. A blow so fast and so powerful, Strobe's chest cavity caved in, ribs snapping like twigs, and the air was filled with the squelching sound of internal organs rupturing.
That being said, Lee's punch didn't stop at the chest... it blasted straight through, exiting out the other side as though the alien's torso were wet paper. Strobe's eyes widened, disbelief and agony filling visage gaze before he, too, collapsed, his body lifeless before it hit the ground.
Lee's white, blank eyes glimmered as he turned toward the task at hand, evidence of rubble, destruction, and bodies left in his wake. The world around him blurred as he jetted off, moving with high speed and ferocity, rocketing through corridors, piles of debris, and pathways with a purpose.
Finally, he skidded to a halt just as he reached the others: Naruto, Sakura, and Ino, who stood near the floor that hosted the lifeless body of Zarbon. Even in his twisted, mutated form, the alien's death was evident, sprawled across the ground in a rather brutal picture.
Lee let out a breath of relief, the green and red hues of his power fading away as he allowed his body to relax. "I see... you were victorious as well," he said, a note of respect in his voice.
Naruto turned toward Lee, giving him a wide grin. "You betcha! Ino-chan and Sakura-chan handled it like pros," he said, his voice full of pride for his teammates. He made a thumbs-up gesture, and despite everything they had been through, the exhaustion, the bloodshed—his cheerfulness was still intact.
Sakura's eyes met Lee's, and her voice carried gratitude. "We finished him, but... it's not over yet, is it?" She gestured around them, toward the chaos still erupting in various parts of the base.
Case in point: the battle felt endless.
"No... not yet," Lee acknowledged, his eyes steeled over as he glanced to the side. "But it will be soon."
Ino's face was taut with concentration, her telepathic prowess on full display as she established a mental link with Sasuke, Hinata, and Bulma, relaying the precise coordinates of the PTO database through a series of quick mental flashes.
'There. That's where we need to go,' she projected, her voice echoing in the minds of her teammates. 'You know what to do—destroy the data and make sure Earth stays hidden from Frieza's grasp.'
Sasuke's mental reply was immediate, calm but determined. 'Understood. We're not far... just hold on.'
Ino's eyes flickered open, returning to the physical world around her. "They're on their way to the database," she announced aloud. "Now we just have to make sure the plan goes through without any more problems."
"What should we do, then?" Naruto asked, his face creased in thought. "We've already cleared most of this area. Should we head over and help them?"
Ino shook her head. "No, we've done what we can here. And once they get to the database... we need to be ready for the final boss." Her voice lowered slightly, more grim. "Frieza's still out there... so we can't let our guard down, not for a second."
And then, the ground beneath them trembled violently, nearly knocking everyone off their feet. The whole planet quivered like a fragile pane of glass, barely able to contain the magnitude of power being exerted roughly a thousand or two or three kilometers away. All of their faces turned toward the sky through the giant holes generated by their battles, where the sheer pressure of ki was bleeding through the transparent atmosphere, choking the planet itself under the weight.
Naruto's brows furrowed as he sensed the powers colliding—the signature of Goku, Vegeta, and Frieza all at once. It felt like three giant storms were colliding, lightning crashing against lightning, thunder drowning out all other sounds. The intensity was terrifying, and yet... Naruto couldn't help but smirk a little.
"That's Goku and Vegeta out there, probably Frieza the fight of his life I'd bet."
"Yeah," Sakura said softly, her voice filled with awe and anxiety. "And the humbling thing is... we're nothing compared to them right now."
Lee's hand tightened into a fist, feeling the reality of Sakura's words crash over him like a wave. He had trained relentlessly, endured hellish sessions under the gravity of King Kai's world, combined Gates and Kaioken... and yet, standing here, he knew his best would only put him on the fringe of that battle, like a firefly against the sun.
"If I pushed to the Eighth Gate, maybe... just maybe..." Lee mused aloud, his thoughts heavy. "But even that... wouldn't be a guarantee."
"Let's not think about that just yet," Ino interjected firmly, killing the atmosphere of doubt. "We need to focus. We're not done until the data is gone, until we're sure Earth's safe. After that... we'll do whatever it takes to kill that bastard."
Naruto nodded, his blue eyes sharpening. "Yeah... yeah, you're right. We just gotta trust them. And trust each other, watch our backs."
Every breath felt like it could be their last; every glance exchanged seemed to hold tones of grimness and more importantly fear. Their attention turned back to the fractured pathways that lay ahead as if it were a reminder of the many turnings the tide of this battle could have, knowing that only by securing the victory against Frieza could they hope to make it out alive.
All the while, the seismic power of Goku, Vegeta, and Frieza burned through the sky, shaking the very core of the planet.
Sasuke's Sharingan blazed with intensity as he, Hinata, and Bulma entered the expansive room housing the database of Frieza Planet 79. The walls were lined with various machinery, wires running across the floor like snakes. Massive computer screens hummed with coded data flickering across their surfaces, casting eerie green and blue hues that painted the room in shifting shades.
This was no ordinary or run of the mill control center like the one they encountered on Frieza Planet 304; it felt like the very nerve center of the PTO's operations—a place meant to be respected, even feared.
"This is it," Sasuke muttered, his eyes darting around the room, sharing glances with Hinata and Bulma. "The heart of Frieza's tech on this rock."
Hinata's Byakugan was already activated as she scanned their surroundings. Everything appeared more fortified, more dangerous—the walls themselves seemed to pulse with energy signatures that spoke of hidden traps or troops. Her vision roved through the walls and floors, ensuring there were no hidden foes or fail-safe mechanisms that could prevent their success.
But there was something else in the shadows, a flicker of movement that no ordinary eye would have caught.
"There," Hinata whispered, pointing to the far corner of the room, where the shadows coalesced into the outline of a figure. "Someone's hiding."
Sasuke's expression hardened, and he lifted his arm to channel a Chidori, the crackling lightning illuminating his Sharingan with a deadly glint. He prepared to strike, to end whoever lurked in the darkness without hesitation, but Hinata placed a gentle, firm hand on his wrist, stopping him.
"Wait," she said softly. "Let's not be hasty."
As if on cue, the figure stepped forward into the pale light—a green-skinned, slender man with orange-red hair shaped in a Mohawk, dressed in a crisp lab coat. He trembled slightly, fear evident in his bloodshot eyes as they darted nervously between the three intruders. A name tag dangled from his chest, inscribed in a language they couldn't read. The man was intelligent-looking, with an almost academic air about him, but the sweat trickling down his forehead betrayed his terror.
"W-Who are you...?" he stammered, eyes glued to the deadly glow of Sasuke's Chidori.
Hinata stepped forward, holding her hands up in a placating gesture. "We're not here to hurt you. At least, not if we don't have to," she began. "We know you're afraid, but we also know what kind of monster Frieza is. We're trying to protect our world from him... but we can't do it without help."
The man's eyes widened, a conflict of emotions battling for dominance on his face—fear, curiosity, and even a bit of hope. It was like staring into the eyes of a man standing on the edge, unsure of whether to leap or hold on for dear life.
"You... you want to go against Frieza?" The man's voice cracked with disbelief. "Do you have any idea... any idea what he'll do to you? What he'll do to all of us if he finds out—?"
"Better to die fighting than to live under his heel," Sasuke cut in sharply, his eyes narrowed in anger and disgust. The Chidori's hiss grew louder, as if echoing his disdain. "Help us, and you have a chance to be free. Or don't, and I'll make sure you don't have a choice in the matter."
Malaka visibly swallowed as he glanced nervously from the Uchiha's eyes to Hinata's calm yet piercing gaze. "I... I hate him," he whispered, his voice quivering. "I hate everything about him, but... but you don't understand. There's nowhere safe from him. Nowhere in the galaxy, not even—"
"We know what kind of power he holds," Hinata interrupted, cutting through the man's panic. "But we also know what it means to fight for something greater than fear. Please, help us save our world. Don't let fear control your choice—control you."
Malaka's eyes softened ever so slightly, the walls of terror he had built around himself beginning to crack under the sincerity of her voice, the vulnerability she allowed herself to show. He had never seen such hope, such courage. And then his eyes met Sasuke's—a promise of swift death if he chose not to comply.
The look made it clear: this was his only chance to atone for a lifetime spent enabling Frieza's tyranny.
"...Fine," he finally whispered, his voice hoarse but firm. "I'll help. But if Frieza finds out... we'll all be rebelling in hell together."
Without another word, Malaka hurried to a nearby console, his fingers dancing over the keys like someone who had spent a lifetime at a computer screen. Data lines scrolled across the monitors faster than any regular human could track, windows of information appearing and disappearing as his fingers searched through the massive digital library for Earth.
Bulma watched him work, her face an unreadable mask, though her eyes were sharp and calculating as she absorbed the intricacies of the alien technology.
The information was too fast for any regular human... but for her it was child's play.
"Got it," Malaka said after several moments, his fingers stopping over a specific panel. "Earth's data. All records of visits, energy scans, known inhabitants... everything. Last visit... today."
The realization of that word hit them like a cold gust of wind. Today. Which meant... whatever they did would only be a temporary erasure until the invaders who landed on Earth transmitted new data back to the database.
Bulma's face was pale but determined as she reached for her comm device. It flickered to life, connecting to the holographic feed that shimmered into existence, showing Tenten's face with flickering static. The kunoichi was battle-worn, dust smeared across her face, but thankfully she answered the call.
"Tenten... we've got a problem," she said, her voice wavering slightly. "We need you and or Neji to destroy the space-pods that landed on Earth. And if anyone still has a scouter, it has to be destroyed too. Any tech from the PTO... it all has to go. Can you do that?"
For a moment, Tetsu's face was stoic, focused, like she was ready to take on the task without question.
But then, her expression cracked, just a hairline fracture of emotion spilling out.
"Bulma..." she whispered, her voice breaking with a bitterness that couldn't be hidden. "Neji... Neji's not... he's gone."
The words hung heavy in the air, suffocating them like an unbearable weight. Sasuke's teeth gritted together in frustration, his eyes flickering with both fury and grief at the loss of someone he had come to respect in a variety of ways over the years.
Hinata, though... her entire world seemed to collapse in on itself for a moment. Her heart felt like it had been gripped by an icy hand, stopping it dead in her chest.
"Neji-niisan..." she breathed, the words barely escaping her lips. How could he—how could someone like him—be gone? Memories of her cousin's stern, watchful eyes and his quiet pride and protectiveness flashed before her like lightning—before disappearing into the void of the reality she now faced.
Tenten, swallowing her own grief, steadied herself and continued to speak. "I... I'll get it done. I promise. I won't let anything else happen... not to our world."
The hologram flickered out, leaving only silence in its wake.
"Neji..." Hinata whispered again, and Sasuke placed a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it gently but firmly.
"Now's not the time to mourn," he said, his voice softer than usual. "We'll honor him... after we kill Frieza."
Malaka, though tense and still fearful, turned back to his console, ready to complete his part. "The moment they destroy the tech, all traces will be permanently erased," he muttered. "And maybe... just maybe... the universe will have a fighting chance."
They had to finish this—whatever it took. Whatever the cost. And they would.
For Neji. For Earth. And for everything that remained worth fighting for.
Kumogakure had been engulfed in a nightmarish storm of energy blasts and broken bodies, the battleground for a war it never knew it would have to fight.
And amidst the flames, the fallen buildings, and the bodies of those caught in the onslaught, Itachi stood tall, ethereal in the blue-green glow of his Genki-empowered Susano'o. The spirit warrior loomed like a mythical titan, its form shimmering with an almost divine brilliance, brimming with pure energy.
Burter zipped back and forth through the air, desperate to escape the relentless might of the Susano'o. Each evasive maneuver seemed to only delay the inevitable, and the more he fled, the more frenzied his movements became—a blue blur in the sky, desperately avoiding the inevitable.
Beside him, Jeice was the perfect contrast; brutish and defiant, throwing down massive ki blasts with reckless abandon, attempting to shatter the Susano'o's armored defense with zero success or headway being made.
Itachi's Sharingan focused, his gaze unflinching amidst the chaos. Every pulse of Genki that surged through him heightened his senses, amplifying his clarity.
They were swift, but he could see their every move before they made it.
"Reckless. Disorganized. They have no formation... and they have no hope."
With an exhale, Itachi's chakra surged to its peak, and the Susano'o moved—one fluid motion, a flash of blinding energy as the Totsuka Blade came down like a divine executioner's guillotine. In one brilliant arc, it cleaved through the air with a speed that Burter couldn't hope to match. For a fleeting instant, the soldiers eyes widened in a mix of shock and realization.
And then, silence—a grim, eternal silence—as the blade passed through him like he was nothing but vapor, sealing him instantly into the ethereal realm within the sword.
No body, no blood. Just pure erasure.
Jeice, stunned at his comrade's disappearance, let out a scream of defiance. "You filthy—!"
But before the words could leave his mouth in full, the Totsuka Blade was already in motion once again. Jeice's form was devoured by the blade's light, his final curse silenced, leaving nothing but an empty void where the Ginyu Force member once stood.
Both were sealed away, trapped for eternity within the endless realm of the Totsuka.
The battlefield was emptied of its high-speed flashes and berserk fury. Only Itachi stood, the Susano'o slowly dispersing around him as the glow faded, and the spirit warrior dissolved into the ether. The raven-haired Uchiha let out a slow breath, his eyes burning as they returned to their normal black shade... but he was steady, unfaltering even.
A storm had been quieted.
Meanwhile, Piccolo stood at the edge of the village, his arms crossed as he surveyed the remaining Frieza soldiers. One of them, gritting his teeth and foolishly charging forward, was met with an open hand and a quick flash—a perfectly aimed blast of ki vaporized him in midair.
Piccolo's eyes narrowed in grim satisfaction. He was not here for mercy.
And then Kakashi—the Copy Ninja, the Rokudaime Hokage, the protector of Konoha—flickered between the soldiers, his presence like that of a phantom. He wielded no mercy either, utilizing his Kamui to vanish the remaining foes into another dimension, dispersing limbs and torsos like fragments of sand in a storm. His expression remained cold, clinical, and resolute; each soldier sniped and ripped apart was another step toward preserving their world.
Piccolo nodded at him in approval, both warriors recognizing the duty that lay before them. Within moments, they turned what remained of the Frieza forces into a chaotic mess of screams and dust—wiped from existence, gone in a blink of terrifying efficiency.
And with the soldiers gone, only an ominous silence followed, broken by the whistling hum of energy filling the village—a building crescendo that quickly erupted into a powerful pulse. Above Kumogakure, Tenten hovered while clad in her iron armor that remained functional despite the battles prior. In her hand was a device she and Shikamaru had designed and planned for this very moment: an EMP emitter, compact but powerful.
She had to destroy everything. The pods. The scouters. Every piece of tech that could transmit data.
Shikamaru's voice played over in her head, calculated despite the turmoil: "No mistakes, Tenten. Wipe them all out in one swoop. It has to be quick."
"Right..." she muttered under her breath. "Let's do this."
ZZZZZTTTTT!
The EMP blast detonated with a thunderous roar, a rippling wave of blinding energy that swallowed everything in its path. The sky glowed bright white as the electromagnetic pulse radiated outward from the core of Kumogakure, every corner of the village enveloped in the wave. It was as if the world itself had gone silent, all light and sound consumed by the brilliance of the EMP.
The results were immediate. Each of the five space-pods owned by the deceased Ginyu Force sparked and then imploded with a shuddering force, their metal husks collapsing in on themselves like crumpled paper before exploding into piles of molten scrap. The scouters on the soldiers' corpses blew up like fireworks, and most importantly the signal was gone—every last piece of Frieza's tracking technology wiped out at once.
And as the wave settled, leaving nothing but the silence of a world devoid of invading tech, Tenten floated back to the ground, her breath heavy and uneven. She landed on one knee, the iron mask of her armor clinking as she reached up to unbuckle it. Her hands shook slightly as she finally removed the mask, letting it fall to the dirt beside her.
For the first time since this madness began, she let herself feel—let herself process.
The grief. The loss. The anger and the fear. It was all there, burning in her chest.
"Neji... I did it," she whispered, the wind carrying her words to nowhere and everywhere. Her eyes welled with tears, the pain of his loss more raw now that the battle had ceased. "I kept fighting... just like you would have wanted. And now... now it's done."
Swallowing down her sorrow, she reached for her comm device, fumbling with it for a moment before the line connected to Bulma's holographic image. The scientist's face, tense with anticipation, flickered into view, searching Tenten's eyes for some sign of success.
"We're clear," she croaked out, her voice cracking. "Earth's safe. I... I did it."
The relief was true, but the deeper truth is that it was incredibly hollow—a quote en quote victory marred immensely by the death of her beloved.
Bulma's shoulders visibly relaxed, and she nodded in solemn acknowledgment. "Thank you, Tenten," she said softly, her voice sincere and grateful. "It's all up to us now. You did your part."
Tenten gave a weak smile and a tired nod. "Good... because I'm gonna take a long... long break."
She cut the connection with a final press of the button, letting the comm device drop to the ground beside her as she allowed herself to finally break down, to let the tears fall unchecked for all that she had lost—and for all that she had saved.
Kumogakure lay in ruin, but it was free—the price of a battle waged, the cost of a world preserved.
The Home Tean bought their world one more day, and now... it was time for the Away Team to finish the job.
Naruto, Sakura, Ino, and Lee stormed into the room, adrenaline spiking from the havoc they'd caused to get there. Each of them, battle-hardened and weary, were drenched in sweat. They'd fought through practically the entirety of Frieza Planet 79 to get to this point, and now they stared down at the other three, human members of their entourage: Bulma, Sasuke, and Hinata.
But their attention was quickly drawn to the trembling figure standing behind them—Malaka.
The green-skinned scientist was shaking as his eyes darted between the newcomers and Hinata, as if searching for an answer as to whether his life was about to end.
Lee's gaze hardened, the lines on his face pulling tight. "Is this another Frieza lackey?"
Naruto stepped forward, his knuckles crackling with yellow chakra. "Of course he is. And we can't risk any of his men transmitting data, it's probably better to wipe every last one of them out. Better safe than sorry." His eyes, once full of vibrant hope, were cold and unforgiving—each step he took radiated the intent to kill.
"Wait—!"
Hinata's voice cut through, strong yet pleading as she moved to stand directly between Malaka and her comrades. There was no aggression in her stance, only a firm position to protect the defenseless. "He's not what you think," she continued, her tone calm but commanding enough to demand pause. "Malaka helped us. He's the one who erased Earth's data from the PTO's systems. He chose to go against Frieza. We can't kill him."
Sakura's eyes narrowed as she looked over the quivering Malaka, then back to Hinata. Her voice was tinged with skepticism. "But why help us? Why would someone like him—someone who works for Frieza—change sides?" She shot Hinata a challenging glance. "How do we know this isn't a ruse?"
Hinata didn't flinch, didn't step back. Instead, she locked eyes with each of them one by one. "Because he was just like all of us once," she said softly, the words carrying her empathy. "Trapped. Forced to follow orders out of fear and compulsion. Victimized. But he made a choice to break free today. To help us save our world."
The silence that followed was thick, broken only by the tremors of the planet beneath them as Frieza's battle raged on, seismic booms echoing through the metallic walls. Malaka swallowed hard, lowering his hands slightly as he dared to speak for himself.
"I-I never wanted this... any of this," he stammered, the panic in his voice painfully evident. "I was forced to work for Frieza. To do things—things I regret. But... I swear, I only want to help you now, if only to stay alive. So please, just... let me live."
Ino's eyes were sharp, the depths of them swirling with a tumult of mistrust and disdain. "So we're just supposed to forgive him, then? Let him walk away after being part of the empire that tried to destroy our world?" Her words were cutting, biting in their accusation as she folded her arms, turning to Naruto. "What do you think? Are we just letting bygones be bygones?"
Naruto closed his eyes for a moment, contemplating. Every instinct in him was to eliminate any possible threat, to make sure that no one remained who could endanger their home ever again.
But then... there was the Hinata factor. Her words, her heart, cut through the bitterness that clouded his judgment.
She was right. Some people needed to be set free to find their own redemption.
"It's not up to us to decide who gets a chance at redemption," he finally said, his voice low but clear. "If he's really helping... then let him."
Sakura sighed, torn between the duty to end a threat and the path of mercy her friends were steering toward. "If you trust him, Hinata... then we'll follow your lead. But one wrong move..."
"I understand," Hinata nodded, her eyes never leaving Malaka. "But he won't betray us. Not now."
The ground shook again, more violently this time, as if the planet itself was threatening to tear itself apart. The ceiling cracked above them, and the tension that held them in place suddenly snapped like a taut string.
There wasn't time for more debates; there wasn't time to argue over morality.
Sasuke clenched his fists, the sharpness of his decisiveness cutting through the indecision swiftly. "This is a waste of time. What we need to figure out is if we help Goku and Vegeta or wait to see if they can finish Frieza themselves. Our presence there could make all the difference... or get us killed."
"Goku..." Hinata whispered, her eyes looking toward the ceiling, as if her gaze could pierce through it to find her husband in the sky. Every fiber of her being burned with the need to go to him, to stand by his side. "I... I won't sit back and wait. I'm going to help my husband."
"Are you insane?" Sasuke spat, incredulity lacing his tone. "You go out there, you're as good as dead. You think Frieza will just stand by while we—"
"I don't care!" Hinata's voice rose, cutting him off with an intensity none of them were expecting. Her eyes burned with an otherworldly light, reflecting the love and desperation that filled her chest. "Goku's out there, fighting for all of us. And so is Vegeta! I'm not saying they'll lose. I'm saying they shouldn't have to fight alone."
Naruto's hands tightened into fists, his nails biting into his palms. He felt it—the gnawing urge to join the fight, to be in the thick of the action.
But he glanced at Ino, then to Sakura. They were his comrades, his team. They'd all been through so much already, and the plan was to wait for the right moment, to ensure Bulma's safety, to make sure Earth's data stayed erased.
"If you go... then what happens if Frieza overwhelms you?" Naruto asked, his voice rough with genuine concern. "This isn't just about you and Goku, Hinata. If you die out there, what's the point?"
Bulma, who'd been silent up to now, folded her arms and leaned back against the terminal. "Hey, as much as I love watching all of you debate life-and-death decisions like it's a soap opera, we have to make a call. Now. There's no more time left to hesitate."
Hinata squared her shoulders, the resolve in her eyes solidifying into something unbreakable. "I can't stand by and do nothing. I'm going. Goku may be the strongest person I've ever met, but even he needs someone by his side sometimes."
Lee stepped forward, fire in his eyes. "If Hinata is going to fight, then so am I. Goku has been my one-sided rival for years, a friend, and a protector of our world. And if someone as vile as Frieza stands in his way, then I will use every ounce of my strength to help crush that tyrant into dust."
"Count me in too," Ino flashed a grin. "I'm not much for sitting on the sidelines either, y'know? Besides, if there's one thing I know... it's that you don't win fights like this by playing it safe."
Sakura, though visibly conflicted, nodded. "If it's all of us... then maybe we can tip the scales. We can back them up... give them just enough support to make the difference." Her voice softened as she looked at Hinata. "But we're not going out there to die. We're going out there to win. You get that, right?"
Hinata met Sakura's gaze, her expression steady. "I understand. We fight to win. We fight to live."
Sasuke, still fuming at the thought of any of them risking their lives unnecessarily, finally sighed in resignation. "Fine. Just don't get in their way. And remember, if we fail, Frieza won't just kill us—he'll kill everyone we care about."
"Yeah... We won't fail." Naruto said, his voice being more resolute than ever. "Because failure's not an option damnit."
And with that, their decision was made.
With one final look at Malaka, whose fate had been spared for now, they left him behind in the crumbling fortress.
Goku stood silent, feeling the electricity hang heavy in the air. Every inch of Frieza Planet 79 felt as if it were straining to contain the power swirling around the combatants. His eyes darted between Vegeta and Frieza, his senses tuned to the slightest shifts in ki, the ebb and flow of the battle between the Saiyan prince and the tyrannical Emperor.
Vegeta, feeling the intoxicating rush of his newfound strength flooding through him, faced off against the creature who had tormented him all of his life.
The prince of all Saiyan's eyes were wide, wild with battle-lust and adrenaline. The exertion of matching Frieza's power had pushed him to new heights, and for a fleeting moment, the prince had allowed himself to believe—to truly believe—that this would be the day he'd claim his vengeance.
Frieza, on the other hand, stood in the moonless sky as a beacon of chilling poise, his reptilian features twisted into a devilish smile. Not a single twitch or bead of sweat betrayed even the slightest hint of exertion; his ruby eyes locked onto Vegeta's, savoring the apparent naivety of the Saiyan's triumph.
And then, in the midst of Vegeta's panting, Frieza's eyes glittered with amusement as he raised his hand with a casual grace. He studied his fingertips as though they were more interesting than the battle unfolding around him.
"Is this all you've got, little prince?" Frieza said softly, his voice a mockery of innocence. "Oh my, how far you've came since that day I took you away from the king. But don't think for a second that you have any idea what you're up against." He dropped his gaze back to Vegeta, his grin widening into something far more sinister. "You see, Vegeta… this is only my first form."
The air grew colder in an instant.
Vegeta's chest heaved, breath catching in his throat. His eyes narrowed, teeth gritted. "What the hell are you saying?" His voice trembled, just for a second, but he quickly brushed the fear away, plastering over it with bravado. "You expect me to believe your cheap theatrics?!" He spat onto the ground in disdain. "If you've got a trick, Frieza, then show me! Transform, if you dare!"
Frieza's grin remained, his voice dripping with dark amusement. "Ah, your arrogance is so... delicious, Vegeta. Very well, as you wish."
And then, like the first cracks of ice across a frozen lake, Frieza's body began to tremble with a power that rippled outward, distorting the very air around him. Goku's eyes tightened with concentration, feeling the raw energy pouring out of him like an overflowing dam. The tyrant's body seemed to pulse with every heartbeat, muscles spasming as if barely able to contain what was about to be unleashed.
First, it was subtle. Frieza's body rippled and his frame seemed to grow, his limbs stretching as though he were shaking off invisible chains. Pieces of his battle armor creaked and snapped, falling away to reveal his bare skin beneath.
At this, Vegeta scoffed loudly. "So this is it, huh? Shedding some armor? Grew two inches? Pathetic! You'll need more than that to—"
Vegeta's words died in his mouth as Frieza's body began to swell, a sickening transformation taking place. Every fiber of Frieza's being seemed to writhe and twist, his veins bulging visibly under his skin as his limbs lengthened and thickened unnaturally. The power emanating from the tyrant's core grew and grew, building to an unbearable crescendo as the transformation accelerated. His muscles expanded, doubling, then tripling in size, each movement accompanied by a wet, snapping sound as bones realigned and cracked into place, his entire structure shifting into something monstrous.
"AAAAAAAAHHHH!"
And then came the scream—a deep, guttural howl that tore through the air like a siren, vibrating through the bones of all who heard it. It was as if the very planet quaked in terror at the sound. Goku's senses screamed as the sheer malevolence of Frieza's ki pressed down on him like a heavy weight, and Vegeta's bravado began to crumble more and more.
"Y-You... you freak," the prince muttered, the words almost catching in his throat. His fists clenched harder, knuckles whitening. "What... what the hell is this?!"
Frieza's body elongated further, his stature now towering over Vegeta, his height increasing to a monstrous level that dwarfed those present. His face stretched into a grotesque caricature of itself; his once feminine features twisted into a sharp, cruel visage. His horns extended, curving wickedly like the talons of a beast from the depths of a nightmare, and his eyes shone with a sadistic, almost childlike glee at the horror etched across Vegeta's face.
Finally, the transformation finished with a resounding BOOM—an explosion of energy that tore through the rock and steel beneath them, creating a crater that seemed to sink the ground around them into oblivion.
Dust and debris filled the air, swirling in a chaotic frenzy before finally settling to reveal Frieza's new form.
There he stood, the towering tyrant. Muscular, monstrous, and feral. His body radiated raw power, unadulterated evil, a force so consuming, so suffocating.
He no longer seemed the slight, almost effeminate creature from moments ago, but a brutal, towering figure, horns like jagged scythes and his tail whipping around with a lethal grace. His once soft voice now carried a dark, menacing timbre as he spoke, words dripping with mockery and malice.
"Well now," Frieza said, voice deeper, far more menacing, yet oddly calm in its cruelty. "Do I seem more... intimidating to you, Vegeta? I'd say this form suits me quite well, don't you think?"
Vegeta stared up in horror, unable to mask the raw terror in his eyes, his entire body trembling as the realization crashed down upon him like a tidal wave.
This... this was the power that had enslaved his people. The power that had crushed his father.
The power that had laughed as it tore apart everything Vegeta had ever known or loved.
It was all he could do to keep from screaming.
Vegeta's breath hitched in his throat as he stood frozen, trying to shake off the terror clawing at his insides like a parasite. He could hardly bear to look at Frieza—his worst nightmare realized, a behemoth of malice made flesh—but he forced himself to face it. His pride demanded that much.
But right now... what meaning did his pride even have?
He was certifiably fucked.
His jaw clenched, shaking with fury. He cursed himself silently. This wasn't supposed to happen. None of it was.
He was Vegeta, Prince of all Saiyans—the strongest, the heir to a lineage of conquerors, the avenger of a race annihilated by this... this monster!
But standing here, face to face with Frieza's towering second form, all of that seemed to pale. In his wildest imagination, even in his darkest dreams, he could never have foreseen this transformation—a form that defied all reason, all logic, all hope.
Goku's voice cut through the cacophony in Vegeta's mind, his tone light yet charged with concern. "Hey, Vegeta... want me to step in?"
Vegeta's pride surged like a wounded animal, fighting back against the fear and insecurity gnawing at his chest. His eyes shot toward Goku, wild with both desperation and rage. "NO! Stay OUT of this, Kakarot!" his voice cracked like a whip, venom lacing every word. "I don't need your pity, damn you! I don't need YOU!"
Every syllable was drenched in scorn, the anger in his voice a desperate attempt to mask his fear—fear of Frieza, fear of being weak, and worst of all, fear that maybe, just maybe, Goku was actually the only one who stood a chance.
The thought alone was like swallowing shards of glass.
For a moment, the air stilled, a quiet before the storm.
Frieza's smirk widened, his lips curling back over razor-sharp teeth. And then, with a flicker of movement so fast it was like the world blinked, he struck.
BAM!
In one heartbeat, Frieza's massive frame propelled forward with an impossible speed, closing the gap between him and Vegeta in less than a blink. His fist buried itself into the Saiyan's gut, knuckles digging deep into muscle, bone, and organs alike.
The force of the blow was like being impaled by a cannonball, and the sound that came from Vegeta's mouth wasn't a scream or even a gasp—it was a choked, gurgling cry as saliva and blood sprayed from his mouth, eyes bulging from the pain.
Before Vegeta could double over, before he could even register the damage, Frieza followed up with the sharp point of his elbow smashing downward into the crown of Vegeta's skull. The collision of bone rang out like a gunshot as the prince was sent hurtling face-first toward the ground—but Frieza was already there, his knee rocketing upward to meet Vegeta's falling head.
THOOOOM! The collision was brutal; the impact clacked Vegeta's teeth together with such force that his jaw almost dislocated, his vision going white from the pain, and the sound echoed like thunder across the barren plains.
Vegeta's body crumpled like a rag doll, but before he could hit the dirt, Frieza's clawed hand seized a handful of the Saiyan's dark hair, yanking his head up sharply. The sadistic amusement in Frieza's eyes alone was enough to make the planet quiver in fear. Blood trickled down Vegeta's face, dripping from his jaw, and Frieza's tongue darted out, tasting it as though it were the sweetest nectar.
"Mmm," Frieza purred, savoring the taste. "A taste worth savoring... Prince Vegeta."
The words dripped mockery, as if Frieza were a cat toying with a mouse. His tail snaked out like a viper, coiling around Vegeta's throat, constricting with such power that the bones of Vegeta's neck threatened to crack under the pressure. "All those years, little monkey... I watched you grow, suffer, cling to your meaningless pride. But there is still time for redemption. You could be a part of my army, Vegeta. I could forgive your... misdeeds. Serve me again. Be my right hand." Frieza's voice oozed with honeyed cruelty. "Or perhaps... I'll break you, here and now."
Vegeta's hands clawed at the tail around his throat, muscles bulging as he struggled in vain to pull away, but it was like fighting a mountain—a mountain that sneered back at him, enjoying every moment of his helplessness.
That was when Goku could no longer stand idle.
The earth beneath him began to quake as his fury rose, green ki bursting around him like a wildfire of increasing rage and power. He unfolded his arms slowly, each motion deliberate, the resolve on his face hardening. His eyes flickered with a flash of yellow, pupils turning black as they narrowed like a predator's.
"Enough."
The word reverberated with such force that even Frieza faltered, the corners of his grin turning downward in annoyance. Goku's ki blazed upward in a pillar of green light, reaching out to the cosmos, lighting up the planet like a miniature sun. His muscles bulged, veins pronounced beneath his skin as they throbbed with life and energy. The ground around him shattered into dust and debris, pieces of the planet tearing away as if the world itself could not handle the fury of the Saiyan.
"GRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAGGGHHHHH!"
And then came the growl, deep and guttural, like the roar of a great beast rising from the depths of a jungle—a growl that rose into a full-throated scream as Goku's aura exploded around him, like a primal flame refusing to be extinguished. His ki blazed hotter, and hotter, until the energy felt as though it would melt the very core of the planet.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"
Goku's hair rose, spiked outward, strands twisting in a wild array as if caught in a hurricane. His eyes burned with a primal gold, locked onto Frieza, and the rage of an entire lineage of warriors seemed to coalesce within him. He could feel it, the power of his Saiyan bloodline, the rage of the Oozaru—a primal, savage strength, rising up from the depths of his being.
Frieza's smirk disappeared, replaced by an almost startled look of recognition—this power... it was unlike anything he'd seen from a Saiyan before.
Vegeta, gasping through the constriction around his neck, forced his eyes toward Goku, the edges of his vision blurring as he tried to comprehend the form before him.
Then it happened.
Goku's transformation completed as a torrent of energy cascaded around him, a raw, untamed force that surged through the planet and beyond, visible even from orbit. Every muscle on Goku's body flexed as if they were going to burst from his frame, his presence on the battlefield growing larger, more imposing, more wild.
He was the perfect image of the Saiyan rage—a primal warrior, stripped of mercy, stripped of restraint.
The ground under Goku's feet disintegrated, leaving nothing but a molten pit as his energy radiated out like a force of nature.
And there he stood—no longer just Goku, but the embodiment of his lineage, of all the Saiyan fury and strength that had been eradicated by Frieza's genocide. His aura swirled like an emerald storm, dancing with an untamed brilliance, his body vibrating with a relentless power that quaked the entire planet much worse than before.
Frieza's eyes widened in rage and perhaps, just perhaps, genuine fear.
Goku, now in his Ikari state, stepped forward, each footfall shaking the planet beneath him. His eyes met Frieza's, burning with the promise of retribution.
"Vegeta... get out of the way."
The war cry that followed echoed across the void of space, and the battle for Saiyan vengeance began.