The Three Legendary Saiyans

Chapter 23: Utter Defeat

A golden pillar of light erupted out of what used to be West City's Central Square; Raijin looked around at the exact spot where only a few days prior had had I mock battle with Mr Satan and couldn't help but wonder what happened to the man in this Timeline.

"There; if that doesn't get his attention then I don't know what will" Vegeta commented; taking a moment to relax his mind before Black inevitably arrived.

"Hey… Future-Trunks; what happened to Mr Satan in this Timeline?" Raijin asked; his curiosity getting the better of him as well as a need to get any wayward thoughts out before the battle started.

"Mr Satan? Oh; do you mean Commander Satan? He was the one who began the Anti-Android resistance… but he died after Android 18 punched a hole through his chest" Future-Trunks blinked as he struggled to recall Mr Satan's presence at The Cell Games; remembering how he was in this Timeline and explaining his fate with a grim voice.

Raijin couldn't help but laugh at his friends expense; recalling that battle-royal match at The World Martial Arts Tournament and how 18 looked like she was ready to kill Mr Satan at a moment's notice.

Before anyone could speak again a crack of golden thunder raked across the murky skies; the wind picked up and twisted into a small tornado of murky green clouds and golden bolts of thunder, the tornado reached down to the ground before being blown apart to reveal a figure clad in black and grey robes: Goku Black.

Future-Trunks gritted his teeth at the very sight of Black.

"Well… I never expected to see you here again… I thought I destroyed that Time Machine of yours"

"Never mind his; there is something I'd like you to see Black!" Vegeta spoke in his confident tone of voice; his body instantly igniting with a radiant blue flame upon his transformation into Super Saiyan Blue, "This is Super Saiyan Blue; the power that will bury you in the dirt!".

Raijin felt a surge of desire to jump headlong into Black and fight this menace himself; but the little-to-no reaction to Vegeta's Super Saiyan Blue unnerved him, glancing over to Future-Trunks and spotting that he was feeling the same way he was; while Goku remained calm and collected.

"A most brilliant and beautiful display; a Saiyan body clad in divine energy… even though its wrong" Black spoke chillingly in Goku's voice while clapping his hands in applause for Vegeta's transformation; instantly vanishing on the spot and reappearing with his fingers touching Vegeta's chin, "But while you've trained to an incredible degree… you are still just a mortal being".

Vegeta's eyes widened in shock; Black moving so fast that he'd lost track on him entirely for that single moment.

"If we're mortal beings… then what are you? A god?" Raijin asked; his line of sight focussing on his Time Ring, questions rising in his head as to how Black got that ring is he and this Zamasu weren't connected.

"It does not matter; nothing matters when facing with The Prince of all Saiyans!" Vegeta roared; his blue aura flaring up as he launched himself at Black with his fists raised and ready for battle, slamming Black's guarded arms with a vicious volley and left and right handed punches while blasting through multiple abandoned buildings; leaving only the blue trail of his aura.

Raijin and Goku both smirked; knowing full well how Vegeta ran headlong into fights, though Future-Trunks watched the battle with a look of concern for his father.

Vegeta finally pinned Black against a wall with a near-endless stream of punches striking against Black's shattered defence; every punch striking against a rib or what should be a vital organ with blue flames flaring off Vegeta's body with every one of his rapid punches until he suddenly stopped and leapt out from the crater his attacks had formed in the side of a building.

Raijin's and Goku's smiles quickly faded as they watched; a concerned look filling their eyes as Black strolled out from the crater and slightly brushing dust off from his robes, in a single fluid motion; Black straight kicked Vegeta in the stomach with such force that Vegeta spat up a large amount of saliva before being hurled backwards into a pile of rubble and jagged metal.

"Father!" Future-Trunks yelled before flying off after Vegeta.

"Get away from me; a warrior does not show concern for others in battle!" Vegeta shouted; shoving Future-Trunks to the ground once he'd risen out of the rubble and jagged metal and surprisingly having no injuries.

Raijin frowned after Vegeta's rejection of any assistance; even from his own son even though Future-Trunks was from an alternate Timeline, glancing over to Goku though Goku remained as calm as ever.

Black stood perfectly still except for the wide smile on his face; his black aura flaring round his body as his own energy levels began to rise, "You've come quite far for a lowly mortal… let me show you how far I have come!" Black's energy suddenly began to rise and blanket the entire City Square in darkness; only the blue light of Vegeta's aura and the sound of Black's chilling voice resonated in the empty section of the city.

Raijin felt cold in the harsh darkness Black was projecting until the darkness broke into a harsh new aura; an aura coloured a harsh violet.

"What the?!" Vegeta muttered; unable to believe what he was seeing.

Even Future-Trunks and Goku stared in shock at Black's New Form.

Black stood before the four Saiyans with a smug smile on his face and his hair spiked up exactly as Goku's did when in a Super Saiyan Form; only his pair was coloured a rosy pink instead of the usual gold, red or blue, "Tell me… what do you think of my Super Saiyan Rose! I named it thus since you Saiyans so enjoy naming your transformations".

"Vegeta! We cannot afford to fight Black one-on-one anymore; we're joining you!" Raijin shouted; crossing his arms over his chest and focussing on his energy control; building up his energy before transforming into his strongest form.

"I agree!" Goku and Future-Trunks shouted at once; Goku instantly transforming into a Super Saiyan Blue to match Vegeta while Future-Trunks jumped straight to Super Saiyan 2.

Black floated into the air while laughing a cold and humoured laughter; holding out his arms like he was bound to a cross, "At last… I have finally mastered Goku's powers and made them my own! Rejoice for you all bear witness to the beauty that you've sought for so many long years!".

Goku's concerned look faded away as he locked eyes with Black; a still silence falling over the Saiyan until Goku finally spoke, "I have no idea what you're talking about; just get on with the fight".

"Oh course you don't… your feeble mortal minds are incapable of understanding the grandeur of my success and the worthiness of my cause! The vast beauty of my being astounds all who bear witness!" Black preached about his successes of mastering Goku's powers and a cause he was working towards; raising his arms higher towards the murky skies as he procrastinated about the beauty of his Super Saiyan Rose.

A resounding shout came from Vegeta as he suddenly launched himself towards Black; throwing a blazing Energy Punch at Black though Black merely sidestepped the attack and countered with a hook punch of his own, Vegeta quickly grabbed Black's fist with his left hand before belting out a volley of lefthanded punches into Black's ribs once again.

"You talk too much Black; and now I'm going to end this fight… WITH ONE FINAL STRIKE!" Vegeta screamed; winding back his right fist before igniting his fist with the entirety of his Super Saiyan Blue Energy, roaring upon making his attack before Black quickly smiled; Vegeta's attack suddenly halted mere inches away from Black's face.

Raijin, Goku and Future-Trunks all stood horrified as Vegeta hung in the air; a shimmering violet Energy Sword piercing through Vegeta's chest and out through his back.

"How? How'd you do that?" Vegeta barely get his words out though blood-filled coughs; his face contorting in pain as Black twisted his Sword inside of Vegeta's chest.

"Oh Vegeta… you are merely an opening act before the main event… or an appetiser before commencing with the main course" Black wore a devilish smile as he spoke; taking pleasure in watching Vegeta's pained expressions while mocking him and his strength.

"You… you bastard" Vegeta grumbled while blood trickled from the corners of his mouth; his hair returning to its normal black as he fell from the air and into the ground.

"With each battle I grow stronger; watch as I commence in battle with Goku and grow to an even greater height of power!" Black proclaimed with his arms opened wide; his Energy Sword glowing strongly off his right hand with the violet aura he'd previously been projecting off his entire body.

"He's mine!" Raijin and Future-Trunks both spoke at once; both furious at Black's actions and words as well as how Vegeta was defeated.

"No; you two go and help Vegeta… I'll handle Black" Goku spoke while his brow furrowed; the blue flames of his Super Saiyan Blue growing bright and more intense as he kicked off the ground and flew up into the murky sky to meet Black in battle.

Raijin frowned; he wanted to face Black himself before letting Goku fight; but helping Vegeta would be more important, but the sight of Goku going into a battle at full power instead of testing his opponent first showed how seriously Goku was taking this foe.

Future-Trunks knelt down by his father; examining the bleeding wound with a look of dread and panic, Vegeta's left eye opened slightly just long enough to witness Goku rising to meet Black's challenge.

"I take it that any pain I inflict will only make you stronger" Goku questioned; his eyes narrowing on Black.

"I am already at a level no mortal can ever dream of reaching; and you crave a taste of my might… don't you?!" Black spoke with a voice that gave away how proud he was of the power he'd accumulated; thrusting his right hand out and pointing his Energy Sword directly at Goku's heart in a direct challenge to the Saiyan.

"Yeah I do!" Goku raised his fists as he confirmed what Black suspected; lunging in immediately and driving a fist directly into Black's face only for Black to grab the fist with his left hand, Goku swung his arm in an arc and casting out of volley of ki blasts in the same manner that Raijin had used when fighting Hit; though Black flew through the volley while cutting any blast that came near him with his Energy Sword, Black wound back his right hand to run Goku through with his sword but Goku quickly sidestepped the sword and delivering a kick into Black's abdomen and forcing a separation.

Black's devilish grin widened as Goku had kicked him in his abdomen just as his sword faded away and the violet flames engulfed his whole body upon beginning to rush Goku with a Meteor Rush; attacking with a vicious volley of continues and alternating punches and kicks, Goku gritted his teeth while having to defend against his own rush attack; slapping away Black's punches with the backs of his hands and blocking kicks with his knees though Black's strength allowed him to break through Goku's guard and rush Goku into the hard concrete.

Black stood atop a ruin with his hands ominously held together; a violet and black energy forming between his hands as he charged his beam technique, The Kamehameha.

Before Black could land his decisive and fatal blow to Goku; the skies darkened once again and golden lighting cracked and raked across the skies, the same signals that had beckoned Black's arrival parted away leaving only a pillar of sunlight to break through just as an unknown voice spoke out loud.

"That's enough… I will not allow any further independent action".

Inside of the pillar of sunlight breaking through the murky clouds; a tall green-skinned and white haired man descended as if from the heavens themselves; his grey robes almost exactly the same as those that The Supreme Kai's wore, the man halted his descent right beside Black; an ominous smile crossing his face to join his leering eyes.

"Zamasu? So you and Black are not the same person?" Goku spoke out loud; gasping down breath after being beaten down by his own technique as well as being stunned to see Zamasu here.

"So that's Zamasu" Raijin narrowed his eyes at the supposed-Kai; ever since hearing his name he'd been wary of him without ever meeting the man.

Future-Trunks and Vegeta both watched as Zamasu had descended from on high as if he believed he was gracing them with his presence.

"I believe I was the one who gets the honour of destroying Son Goku" Zamasu spoke in a high-and-mighty tone of voice; smirking down at Goku while showing little-to-no-interest in any of the others present.

"Zamasu? I thought you were a decent guy… but you're scheming with Black?" Goku shouted; struggled to get back up after taking a surprising hit from Black's Sword to his waist; the cut having been made just under his ribs.

"Scheming? What an unpleasant phrase… we are more akin to comrades in arms!" Zamasu cast his left arm towards Black; Black merely bowed his head towards Zamasu while continuing to wear his devilish smirk.

"So now we have two enemies… great" Raijin thought to himself; continuing to build up his energy so he could transform at just the right moment and jump into the battle at full power.

"Behold Son Goku; soon my wait shall be over and my ideal world will be made manifest… a truly just and perfect existence" Zamasu recited in the same tone of voice; preaching about his goal in the devastation he and Black had wrought of this Timeline.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Goku shouted after rising back to his feet; crouching low and raising his hands in preparation for combat, Raijin silently waiting and watching for Zamasu and Black to attack.

"Mortals are a disease and will not be welcome in my paradise" Zamasu proclaimed; his grin fading as he glared down at Goku; his distaste for mortals with God Ki evident in his glare.

Goku instantly kicked off the ground without another word; driving a lightning-fast right hook towards Zamasu only for Zamasu to ignite an Energy Sword of his own around his right hand, the two tensed in mid-air before Zamasu's sword extended and slashed through Goku's orange gi forcing Goku to back off to get some distance.

Zamasu smirked as Goku backed away; floating in mid-air and firing a volley of dark purple blasts to rain down on Goku's head, Goku raising his right hand to use Instant Transmission to get away from the raining blasts only for Black to rush in with his Energy Sword raised; a flash of golden came into Goku's vision as a Super Saiyan 4 Raijin shoulder-tackled Black.

"You're not going to double team Goku! Not as long as I'm here!" Raijin shouted in defiance; grinning as he'd finally gotten his turn to fight Black, though both Black and Zamasu glared at his form with a look of being insulted.

"Thanks Raijin; he was going for my blind spot" Goku gave a quick thumbs-up to Raijin for taking on Black so he could focus solely on Zamasu.

Raijin grinned as he left Goku to deal with Zamasu; turning his attention to Black of whom was staring at him with a look of distaste, "What's that look for?".

"That form…" Black began; his eyes narrowing as his teeth grinded together in fury aimed towards Raijin.

"Enough talk" Raijin snapped; cutting Black off before he could finish speaking after figuring he'd say something about how shameful his Super Saiyan 4 was and he did not want to hear it.

"That's the first smart thing you mortals have ever said" Black's look of fury changed to a look of confidence; rushing in and attacking with his Sword once again only for Raijin to sidestep but Black saw the sidestep coming and swiped into a follow-up slash and cutting across Raijin's chest.

Raijin gritted his teeth after his chest was cut; feeling his blood trickle from the wound as he again charged for Black and drove a hard punch into Black's gut, Black gasped upon taking the punch after having not bothered to guard at all; grinning as he again raised his sword high above his own head in an effort to take Raijin's head clean off.

A sudden golden ki blast fired from a distance and halting Black's attempted decapitation of Raijin; looking for the source only to find a weary and wounded Vegeta standing with his arms together for his Galick Gun before collapsing to the ground once again.

Raijin grinned upon spotting Vegeta; making a mental note to thank his rival later.

Raijin felt an instinctive need to duck as Black came for him once again; ducking just as Black's Sword slashed through the air exactly where his neck had been only moments ago, planting both hands on the ground and thrusting his feet back and planting a hard kick directly into Black's back; Raijin's tail coiling around Black's ankle and twisting around to perform a heel drop on back of Black's left shoulder.

Black grimaced after taking two hard hits; but his grimace quickly turned back to a grin though Raijin had briefly forgotten that any damage he'd deal to Black would only make him stronger.

As soon as Raijin's feet touched the ground; Black was already rushing him with his sword held aloft though his attack halted as another sword crossed between Raijin and Black, Future-Trunks had cut in with his own sword and blocked Blacks; Black smirked down at Future-Trunks before engaging in a vicious duel of swordplay.

Every slash, block and parry Future-Trunks made with his sword as met by Black's Energy Sword; the clashing of metal against energy sent shockwaves through the deserted street, Future-Trunks swung his sword in an arc to stop Black's attempt to take off Future-Trunks' head and following up with a swift knee kick and roundhouse kick combo and sent Black flying into the side of a wall.

Raijin and Future-Trunks both took advantage of the moment to catch their breath just as Goku rushed through the dust cloud and joined them; his arms littered with cuts and marks from his battle with Zamasu.

"Goku! What happened?" Future-Trunks spoke as his eyes widened with shock at Goku's physical condition.

"I don't know… nothing I do seems to hurt Zamasu… it's like he's invincible" Goku muttered; his blue hair fading in and out of blue and its normal black.

"It seems the same with Black; every time I hit him he just comes back stronger" Raijin spoke through heavy breaths; touching his wound and estimating that his bleeding minimal at best.

"You'd better pay better attention to your foes; mortals" shouted the chilling voice of Black; drawing the trio's attention to him just as he fired a dark purple Kamehameha Wave down upon the three remaining Saiyans.

Raijin barely had time to even try to dodge as Black's Kamehameha engulfed himself along with Goku and Future-Trunks; the blast tearing through the city and leaving nothing but dust clouds, rubble and devastation in its path.

"Very good; very good indeed" Zamasu commented; his eyes narrowing as he followed the path of destruction towards where he'd estimated Goku's body to be until an explosion of smoke blinded his field of view, "What is this?".

"Pesky mortals… they continue to resist" Black muttered; regretting having not finished off the resistance before facing the united force of Future-Trunks, Goku, Vegeta and Raijin.

When Raijin opened his eyes while feeling like his body had just been dragged across the ground in a very rough manner; his vision blurry but spotted that Future-Trunks and Goku were laying either side of him, "Who saved us? Vegeta?".

"Nope; not him… but me" spoke a rotund and bearded man; dressed in a dirty orange hakama and fur coat.

"Yajirobe? You're alive?" Goku shouted; his eyes widening in shock upon laying eyes on Yajirobe after having assumed he'd been killed by The Evil Androids.

"Keep it down! Otherwise those bad-guys will find us" Yajirobe whispered; holding his fingers to his lips to make Goku be quiet.

"How did you survive? We thought you'd died" Raijin asked while pulling himself up to a sitting position and realising he wasn't in his Super Saiyan 4 Form anymore; he'd reverted to his normal state while barely conscious.

"And I thought you went to New Namek… and you died long before the others died; but Korin forced me to leave the Tower and gave me the last Senzu Bean" Yajirobe spoke in a morbid and accusing voice; pointing to Raijin and Goku in turn before showing them the last bean.

"I'm sorry for your loss… do we still have The Time Machine?" Goku bowed his head to Yajirobe; turning to Future-Trunks of whom was staring down at the exact Capsule in his hands.

"Yeah… but he need to rescue Father first" Future-Trunks spoke; looking regretful for Vegeta's fate while staring down at the Capsule that contained The Time Machine.

Just as Future-Trunks mentioned his father; Future-Mai appeared on a battered-looking hover bike with Vegeta on the back, "Somebody mention a rescue?".

"Damn it Mai! Warn me before you do that… I thought the freaky goys had found us!" Yajirobe shouted; forgetting about keeping his voice down until Future-Trunks ran up and covered his mouth while staring up at the murky skies for a glimpse of Black or Zamasu.

Future-Mai snatched the Capsule from Future-Trunks hands and immediately set to firing up The Time Machine in preparation for another trip.

Raijin and Future-Trunks both lifted Goku and Vegeta up into the cockpit and sitting the pair on either side of the pilot seat and Future-Trunks and Future-Mai both worked on the many panels and got the engine working.

Raijin took another look around at the ruins of what used to be West City; thinking of the soldiers, the children and the elderly all living in hiding, Raijin hated having to leave and lick their wounds before returning for another shot at Black and Zamasu; but it was necessary right now, climbing up and finding himself a place to sit inside the canopy just as it closed.

"Good Luck Mai" Raijin spoke to Future-Mai; nodding his head though she wasn't paying attention to him but what locking eyes with Future-Trunks.

Future-Trunks gave a brief wave just as The Time Machine vanished into The Timestream once again; hurtling down the flow of time to their Timeline and hopefully discover a way to win after a crippling defeat.