A Different Kind of Strength

by ScarlettBeat

ALSO ON AO3 UNDER SCARLETTBEAT When the Saiyans arrive on Earth, no one expects the third warrior to be a girl Gohan's age. As the daughter of Prince Vegeta, Cellera was raised to be the perfect Saiyan warrior - tactical, efficient, and merciless. But something about Earth's defenders makes her question everything she was taught about strength. Through their battles, both Gohan an

11. Chapter 11

"H-He killed Dende!" Gohan's voice cracked as they stared at their friend's lifeless form, smoke still rising from his small body.

Cellera's mind tormented her with alternatives, calculating each moment she'd wasted arguing with her father. If she'd simply told Dende to run immediately, given him those precious extra seconds to escape... She clenched her fists, forcing back the useless regret. Her mother had always warned her that dwelling on past mistakes during battle only led to more of them.

Before they could process their grief, Frieza vanished from his position across the battlefield. He materialized beside their group with impossible speed, his transformed features twisting into a cruel smile. "I promise to show you a nightmare beyond the horrors of hell."

Without hesitation, Gohan charged at Frieza, his small fist aimed for the tyrant's face. Cellera followed her friend's lead, coordinating her attack to complement his as Krillin drove in with a kick and Piccolo swiped from above. Despite their synchronized assault, Frieza evaded every strike with fluid grace, barely seeming to move at all.

The assault continued, Krillin and Gohan pressing their attack while Cellera joined Piccolo in the air. They launched coordinated ki blasts downward, forcing Frieza to leap clear - exactly as planned. Gohan and Krillin immediately followed up with their own energy attacks from below, but Frieza slipped between them as if they were moving in slow motion.

"Behind you!" Vegeta's warning rang out.

Cellera's breath caught as she saw Frieza raise his arm - that same casual gesture that had ended Dende's life now aimed at Gohan. Her body moved instinctively even as her mind calculated the impossible distance. She wouldn't reach him in time. She couldn't save him.

Two deadly beams shot from Frieza's fingers, slicing through the air toward Gohan. At the last possible moment, Vegeta's kick sent the boy tumbling clear of their path. "Dodge, you fool!" The blasts struck a distant island instead, the explosion lighting up the Namekian sky with devastating force.

Krillin stared at the explosion's aftermath, his voice shaking. "I couldn't even see that attack..."

"If not for my father, Gohan would be dead," Cellera said, her usual steady tone wavering. Her mind froze as she realized how close she'd come to losing her first real friend. She saw death before, witnessed countless executions at Frieza's command, but this was different. After everything they'd been through - their fight on Earth, their growing trust, those precious moments of laughter during image training - the thought of watching Gohan die like Dende made something deep inside her crack.

The realization steadied her voice as she continued analyzing the advantage they'd gained from her father's power boost, though her hands still trembled slightly at her sides. "It was a gamble, but it seems the power he gained from his near-death experience paid off."

"What do you mean?" Piccolo demanded, his eyes narrowing.

"Every time a Saiyan recovers from near death, their power increases," She explained. "That's why I had to..." She trailed off, glancing at her father.

Gohan turned to Vegeta, gratitude evident in his expression. "Thank you for saving me."

"Don't get the wrong idea," Vegeta scoffed, though his eyes flickered briefly toward Cellera. "I didn't do it for you. I simply wanted to demonstrate my new abilities."

The look that passed between father and daughter wasn't lost on Gohan. Despite Vegeta's harsh words, both children recognized the truth behind his actions.

"You truly believe you can defeat Frieza?" Piccolo demanded.

"You're all in my way," Vegeta smirked. "Step back and watch closely."

Frieza chuckled, his transformed features twisting with mock pity. "My dear Vegeta, your helpless situation must have made you delusional. Has your arrogance finally broken what little sense you possessed?"

"Go ahead - laugh and smirk all you like," Vegeta's confidence never wavered. "But you're looking at what you've always feared most: a Super Saiyan."

There was a moment of absolute silence before Frieza's laughter cut through the air. "I never knew you had such a sense of humor, Vegeta."

The group turned to Cellera, seeking confirmation of her father's claims.

"I can't confirm if he's achieved it," She said, her voice carrying a hint of skepticism. "There hasn't been a Super Saiyan in over a thousand years. I truly hope he's right - we need that power now more than ever - but..." She trailed off, thinking of all the times her father had made this same claim, each time proven wrong.

"KAKAROT WON'T EVEN GET HIS SHOT!" Vegeta roared, launching himself at Frieza with explosive force.

But just as Vegeta's strike should have connected, Frieza vanished. He reappeared at a distance, his laughter echoing across the battlefield. "So I make one little move at full speed and suddenly your head's spinning? And you call yourself a Super Saiyan." The mockery in his voice cut through Vegeta's confidence like a blade.

"I AM A SUPER SAIYAN!" Vegeta's scream tore through the air as his rage exploded outward. "DIE FRIEZA!" He channeled all his power into a massive blast, the energy crackling with enough force to potentially destroy the planet.

"He didn't listen at all," Cellera hissed through clenched teeth, her voice tight with frustration. "His anger and need to prove himself has completely blinded his tactical judgment."

"Are you trying to blow up the entire planet?" Piccolo shouted at Vegeta.

But Frieza simply lifted his leg, deflecting the devastating attack into space with a casual kick. The group stared in stunned silence.

"H-he just..." Piccolo stammered, "H-he deflected that attack with just a single kick."

"Vegeta must have put everything he had into that attack!" Krillin's voice shook with disbelief.

Cellera watched in shock as her father's body trembled with genuine fear - something she had never witnessed before. When their eyes met, she saw tears forming in his own, and her mind immediately flashed back to the only other time she had seen her father cry..

She had been two, clutching the pendant one of Frieza's soldiers had just delivered along with news of her mother's death. Unable to sleep, she had crept from her bed to find her father. Through the crack in their quarters' door, she saw him sitting alone in the darkness, silent tears falling as one hand covered his face. It was the only time she had ever seen the proud Saiyan prince break. She had retreated without a sound, never telling him she witnessed that moment of vulnerability.

Now, seeing that same raw despair in her father's eyes, Cellera's hand unconsciously moved to where her mother's pendant still lay hidden beneath her armor. The gravity of their situation truly set in - this wasn't just fear, this was the complete shattering of everything her father believed about his own power.

Cellera's own body began to tremble as she watched her father's will to fight drain away, leaving only naked fear behind. For the first time in her life, she saw her proud, unstoppable father utterly defeated - not by physical blows, but by the crushing weight of his own powerlessness.

Frieza struck with devastating speed, his head connecting with Vegeta's face before a brutal kick sent the Saiyan prince crashing to the ground before them. The double impact left her father's body battered and broken in the dirt.

Cellera's thumb pressed against her lip so hard she tasted blood, but she barely noticed the pain. She tried to think of different scenarios, trying to find some way to help, but they all turned up useless. Despite her own increased power from their battles, despite everything she'd learned since coming to Namek, she remained helplessly outmatched. All her knowledge, all her careful planning, meant nothing in the face of Frieza's overwhelming strength.

My Saiyan pride won't let me watch my friends die... Her own words from earlier echoed mockingly in her mind. Cellera's fists clenched at her sides as she watched Frieza approach with predatory grace. Does that pride not extend to my own family? My own father? The conflict tore at her - wisdom warring with the desperate need to act as Frieza drew closer to her father's broken form.

As if sensing her intentions, Vegeta's voice cut through her internal struggle. "Stay back," He growled. "Don't you dare-"

His words cut off in a choke as Frieza's tail wrapped around his throat, lifting him into the air. Cellera's mouth opened to protest, but before she could speak, Frieza's fist drove into her father's kidney. Again and again, the tyrant methodically pummeled the same spot while keeping Vegeta suspended and helpless.

Frieza paused in his assault, turning to look at the watching warriors. His eyes fixed on Cellera with cruel amusement. "You're free to come help him at any time," He taunted.

Cellera's body tensed, preparing to launch forward, but a trembling hand caught her wrist. She glanced down to find Gohan holding her back, his grip shaking with what might have been fear or rage - or both. When she tried to pull free, her eyes met her father's gaze. The look he gave her screamed "STAY AWAY" with such intensity it froze her in place.

But there was something else in that moment - a silent exchange between Vegeta and Gohan. Her father's eyes flickered to the boy with something like acknowledgment, and Cellera realized Gohan's intervention hadn't been spontaneous. Even now, being tortured by Frieza, Vegeta had managed to communicate with the half-Saiyan child, ensuring his daughter would be kept from throwing her life away in a futile rescue attempt.

Vegeta's body crashed into the mountain with devastating force, the impact leaving a crater in the rock face. Small fragments of stone crumbled around his limp form as Frieza observed with obvious disappointment.

"How boring," Frieza sighed. "I expected more of a fight from the proud Saiyan prince. Oh well - time to make him suffer properly first."

For the first time in her life, Cellera's rational mind failed her. Her careful calculations, her thought out assessments - none of them mattered as she watched Frieza's cruel gaze turn toward her. She pulled free from Gohan's grip, knowing retreat was futile but refusing to die cowering.

"Cellera, no!" Gohan cried out, reaching for her again. "Don't!"

But she was already moving, her attack precise despite her fear. Even now, she maintained the disciplined form her father had drilled into her, refusing to let emotion compromise her technique.

Frieza caught her punch with casual ease, his grip tightening around her small fist until she felt bones crack. "Such calculated desperation," he mused. "Not quite your mother's foolish sentiment, but close enough." He held her in place, ensuring Vegeta could see everything. "I think I'll kill her first, Vegeta. Let you watch your legacy die before you follow her."

Cellera struggled against his grip, her broken hand screaming in protest. The cold certainty in Frieza's voice terrified her more than the pain - he wasn't just going to kill her, he was going to make her father watch.

Vegeta's heart hammered against his broken ribs as he watched his daughter stand before Frieza. Everything he'd done - every brutal training session, every harsh lesson in survival, every attempt to harden her into the perfect warrior - none of it mattered now. He was going to watch his child die, just as helpless as he'd been when Frieza took Rhuba from them.

"Don't worry, you two," Frieza's silky voice carried across the battlefield. "You'll be reunited as a family soon enough." The tyrant raised his hand for the killing blow.

A streak of orange cut through the air like a meteor, the shockwave of its passage sending debris scattering in all directions. The figure materialized between Frieza and his victims, orange gi bright against Namek's green sky. The very air seemed to vibrate with power as Goku stood before them, his expression uncharacteristically stern.

Frieza's grip on Cellera loosened as he turned to assess this new threat, allowing her to scramble backward. She bit back a cry of pain as her broken hand scraped against the ground in her retreat.

Late as usual, Kakarot, she thought, but relief flooded through her nonetheless. Something was different about him - his energy signature had changed completely from their earlier encounters. It radiated with a calm intensity she'd never felt before, making even Frieza pause to reassess his position.

Goku walked past Piccolo and the others, his usual cheerful demeanor tempered by the gravity of the situation. "So it really was you, Piccolo - that mysterious huge ki I felt." He offered a small smile. "Thanks to you all, I've recovered from the damage I took earlier. Sorry I'm late - let me handle it from here."

Turning to face the tyrant, Goku's expression hardened. "You must be Frieza." His head tilted slightly as he assessed the being before him. "You're a lot smaller than I thought you'd be."

Cellera might have laughed at the casual dismissal if she hadn't experienced Frieza's power firsthand. The memory of how close she'd come to death moments ago - the feeling of her bones cracking in his grip - kept any trace of amusement at bay.

Frieza's eyes narrowed as he studied the newcomer, an odd sense of recognition nagging at him."It seems I overlooked some garbage," he said smoothly.. "If you want your turn at death, you'll have to wait. I have unfinished business with Vegeta first." Yet something about this Saiyan's face troubled him - where had he seen it before?

"Kakarot..." Vegeta's voice rasped from his position against the mountain.

"Kakarot?" Frieza's eyes widened slightly. "A Saiyan name..." His mind flashed to a memory - a defiant Saiyan warrior who had stood against him just before Planet Vegeta's destruction. The resemblance was uncanny.

Cellera caught the look of shock that crossed her father's face. She recognized that expression - it was the same one he wore when measuring up a significantly stronger opponent. He must sense it too, she thought. Whatever happened during his recovery, Kakarot's power has increased dramatically.

"I'm afraid I can't permit a single Saiyan to live," Frieza said, his voice carrying that familiar deadly sweetness. "Why don't you save yourself the trouble and bow before me now? It would be so much easier than resisting."

"I'm sure I can," Goku replied with quiet confidence.

Frieza launched forward, his leg whipping out in a devastating kick - only for Goku to counter with a kick of his own, catching the tyrant squarely in the face. The impact sent Frieza flying backward.

After catching himself and landing gracefully, Frieza's laughter echoed across the battlefield. He raised his hand, fingers glowing with deadly energy. "Insolent pest!" A barrage of death beams shot toward Goku as Gohan and Krillin scattered for cover. "Dodge!"

But Goku didn't move. Instead, he lifted one hand and casually swatted away each beam as if they were nothing more than annoying insects. Cellera stared in disbelief, struggling to process what she was seeing. Even at her father's peak, he couldn't have managed such a feat.

"Impossible..." Frieza's voice carried a note of genuine shock. "He deflected them all... with a single hand?" For the first time since his transformation, uncertainty crept into the tyrant's expression.

Vegeta's laughter cut through the air - a harsh, desperate sound that made Cellera's blood run cold. "Don't underestimate Kakarot, Frieza. He's become what you fear most..." Her father's voice carried a wild edge she'd never heard before. "A Super Saiyan!"

"Father, please," Cellera whispered, recognizing the dangerous glint in Frieza's eyes. "Stop-"

"Finally," Vegeta continued, ignoring her plea, "You'll get exactly what you deserve!"

Time seemed to slow for Cellera. She saw the subtle shift in Frieza's expression, the casual lift of his finger, the deadly purple light beginning to gather at its tip. Her body moved before her mind could process what was happening, but she knew she wouldn't reach him in time.

The beam pierced straight through Vegeta's heart.

Cellera froze, her world narrowing to the sight of blood spraying from her father's mouth as he slumped backwards. Her own voice seemed to come from far away as she screamed, "FATHER!"

"Oh my," Frieza's silky voice cut through her horror. "Have you already forgotten, Vegeta? I do so despise unfunny jokes."

"That was unnecessary," Goku's voice hardened with rare anger. "He could barely move. There was no reason to-"

"Oh, but there was," Frieza interrupted smoothly. "It serves him right for prattling on about that nonsensical Super Saiyan legend."

Blood trickled from Vegeta's mouth as he fixed Kakarot with a desperate glare. "You... fool. Still preaching mercy..." Each word seemed to cost him tremendous effort. "That proves... you're not... truly a Super Saiyan."

"Stop talking!" Cellera's voice cracked as she knelt beside him, her hands hovering uselessly over the fatal wound. Part of her knew it was pointless, knew there was nothing she could do to save him, but she couldn't stop herself from searching for some way to help. "Please, just... stop talking. Your mouth is what got you here in the first place!"

Her words carried years of frustrated love - all the times she'd watched him challenge those more powerful, all the moments his pride had nearly gotten him killed. But this time was different. This time there would be no recovery, no healing pod, no miraculous rescue. And still he wouldn't stop talking.

"Listen..." Vegeta gasped, "You must... harden your heart, Kakarot. Mercy... will get you nowhere with Frieza."

"I don't care what you say," Goku replied firmly. "I could never act as cold-blooded as you. Besides, I don't really understand this whole Super Saiyan thing anyway."

"Cold-blooded?" Cellera whirled on him, her voice rising with desperate fury. "I'll tell you who's cold-blooded! Frieza! Kakarot, Frieza has destroyed so many planets, so many families! He-" Her voice caught as she looked back at her father, struggling to hold back the tears that threatened to spill over. All her life she'd tried to be strong like both her parents, but now... now she was watching her father die, she would lose him just like her mother, and she couldn't maintain that mask anymore.

"Listen to me, Kakarot," Vegeta rasped, blood staining his lips. "Our planet... it wasn't destroyed by a meteor. That was a lie. Frieza... Frieza did it."

Cellera felt her heart stop at her father's words. "Father, please," she begged, "don't waste your strength-"

But Vegeta continued, his voice growing stronger with a desperate need to reveal the truth. "We served him loyally, followed his every command. And still... still he murdered us all. Only a handful survived. He killed them all - your parents, my father the king, my daughter's mother..."

"Hmph. So you say," Frieza's casual dismissal cut through the air.

"Stop talking, please," Cellera pleaded, tears flowing freely now. For the first time since she was two years old, she let herself cry openly. "Father..."

Gohan watched in helpless anguish as his friend's carefully maintained composure shattered completely. Her small frame trembled with barely contained sobs as she clutched at her father's armor, desperate to keep him with her just a little longer. Gone was the warrior who had taught him to fight for what matters, now she was replaced by a terrified child about to lose her only remaining parent.

"He feared us," Vegeta continued, his own tears now mixing with the blood on his face. "Feared a Super Saiyan would rise against him. That's why... that's why he killed Rhuba. Her influence on the remaining Saiyans... her talk of mercy and protection... he couldn't allow it." His voice cracked with emotion he'd never shown before. "She left our daughter at only two years old. I had to... had to make Cellera strong enough... train her to survive... so Frieza couldn't take her too..."

"Kakarot... you must kill him. He has to die... by Saiyan hands..." Vegeta's eyes fixed on Goku with desperate intensity before shifting to Cellera. For the first time in her life, she saw pure love without any mask of pride or duty. "Don't let mine and her mother's hard work at protecting her be for nothing."

With trembling fingers, Vegeta reached up to place his hand on his daughter's head, the gesture so reminiscent of how he used to acknowledge her successes in training. His hand slid to her cheek, thumb brushing away her tears as his lips curved into the smallest, gentlest smile she'd ever seen him wear.

Cellera grabbed his hand, holding it against her face, but she felt the strength leaving his fingers. "Father... please..." she whispered, but his eyes were already closing, his final breath carrying away the last of his strength as his hand went limp in hers.

He's gone. The thought echoed through Cellera's mind as she clutched her father's lifeless hand, tears falling onto his armor. Her carefully constructed world - built on analysis, tactics, and controlled emotion - shattered completely.

Goku and Frieza's standoff continued, but their words became meaningless noise, drowned out by the ringing in her ears. Her small body shook with hyperventilating breaths as she tried desperately to maintain control, to think rather than feel as she'd been trained. But for once, her analytical mind offered no solutions, no tactical advantages, no way to undo what had happened.

Guru's words from their meeting floated through her consciousness: "The power was always within you. You need only to trust yourself to feel it, not just think it. It is not a sin to feel emotion, but a gift."

Something broke inside her. All the pain she'd suppressed since her mother's death, all the fear she'd hidden behind analysis, all the grief she'd denied in the name of survival - it erupted at once. Her scream carried five years of contained emotion as golden light exploded outward from her small form. Her dark hair blazed to life with brilliant gold, her eyes shifting to piercing teal.

But Cellera barely noticed her transformation. Her mind focused on a single, burning truth: Frieza would pay. For her mother. For her father. For everything he'd taken from her. For everything he's done to a multitude of others within the universe. He would pay for it all.

"My, my," Frieza began, his silky voice carrying that familiar mockery. "Another monkey playing at-"

The tyrant's words cut off as Cellera's good fist connected with his face, the force of her Super Saiyan-enhanced strike actually making him stagger. For the first time since his transformation, genuine surprise crossed his features.

Something primal stirred within her as she pressed her attack - not just the raw power of Super Saiyan, but something deeper, more instinctive. Her usual calculated strikes gave way to fluid movements that seemed to flow from somewhere beyond conscious thought. Each punch, each kick carried not just power but an almost feral grace that made even Frieza work to defend himself.

"No more words," Cellera's voice carried an edge none of them had ever heard before. Gone was the careful analysis, the measured responses. "You took my mother when I was two. You've spent years trying to kill me. And now..." Golden energy crackled around her small form as she met his red eyes without fear. "Now you've taken my father too. I don't need to think anymore - I JUST NEED TO MAKE YOU PAY!"

She launched into a series of attacks that made even Frieza work to defend himself, her usual precise technique amplified by raw emotion and Super Saiyan power.

"Incredible," Piccolo muttered, watching the young warrior hold her own against the being they'd all failed to damage. "Her power..."

"It's different from before," Gohan added, his eyes wide as he watched his friend fight. "She's not just analyzing anymore - she's actually feeling her way through the battle."

"Her fighting spirit is amazing," Goku said, watching her movements with growing respect. "To have this much skill at her age..."

Frieza managed to create distance between them, wiping blood from his lip with an expression of growing fury. "You insignificant little-"

Cellera's golden aura flared brighter as she cut him off again, this time with a Nova Frame that actually forced him to dodge rather than deflect. "I said no more words!"

But even as she pressed her attack, Goku could see what she couldn't - her newfound power, while impressive, wouldn't be enough. She was running purely on rage and grief, and against Frieza's final form, that wouldn't be sustainable.

He had to honor Vegeta's last wish. He had to protect his daughter.

Each successful strike fueled Cellera's confidence. Her Nova Frame had actually made Frieza dodge. Her punch had drawn blood. The power coursing through her felt limitless, and a familiar smirk - one she'd inherited from her father - crossed her features.

"Not so untouchable now, are you?" she taunted, pressing her advantage. "All those years thinking you were invincible, and now you're bleeding from a punch thrown by a five-year-old monkey."

The moment the words left her mouth, she realized her mistake. Frieza's expression shifted from fury to cold calculation. His next movement was too fast for even her enhanced senses to track. Pain exploded across her body as he landed a devastating combination of strikes, sending her crashing toward the ground.

Before she could impact, Goku caught her. His eyes held both understanding and determination as he set her down, positioning himself between her and Frieza.

"Let me handle this," he said, glancing toward the fresh mound of earth where he'd buried her father. "I made a promise to Vegeta. I intend to keep it."

Cellera looked at her father's grave, his final words echoing in her mind: Don't let mine and her mother's hard work at protecting her be for nothing. All her life, she'd thought her father's harsh training was only about making her stronger, making her worthy of their Saiyan heritage. But now she understood - every brutal lesson, every demand for perfection, had been his way of keeping her alive. Just as her mother had protected her through gentler methods, her father had shielded her the only way he knew how.

Her golden aura flickered as tears threatened again, but these weren't tears of rage or grief. For the first time, she truly understood the depth of her father's methods - and how staying alive would honor that love more than throwing her life away in vengeance

"We need to get out of here quickly!" Piccolo's voice cut through the tension. "We'll only get in the way of this battle."

Frieza's eyes tracked Cellera's movements, a cruel smile playing across his features. "Run along, little princess. I think I'll save you for last. After all, watching you suffer through everyone else's deaths will be so much more entertaining."

"Your fight's with me now, Frieza," Goku's voice hardened. "Or are you that afraid to face a full-grown Saiyan?"

The taunt had its intended effect - Frieza's attention snapped back to Goku, his earlier amusement replaced with cold fury.

Gohan turned to his father, faith and determination mixing in his expression. "Good luck, Dad. Give Frieza what he deserves!"

As the others began to retreat, Cellera remained for one final moment. Her golden aura still flickered around her small form as she met Goku's eyes. "Kakarot... don't just avenge our race." Her voice carried a new kind of strength - not the analytical precision she usually maintained, nor the raw rage of moments before, but something deeper. "Do this for Namek, for all the lives he's destroyed. For everyone who never had anyone to protect them."

Understanding passed between them before she turned to follow the others. In that moment, she wasn't just Vegeta's daughter seeking revenge - she was her mother's daughter too, carrying on Rhuba's belief that strength came from protecting others. A strength that Kakarot had demonstrated since their first encounter on Earth, and one that Gohan had shown in his own way - power drawn not just from rage at those who threatened his loved ones, but from the deep-seated need to protect them. She understood now why his strength had always fascinated her; he had unconsciously merged both paths to power, just as she was beginning to do.

From their vantage point on a distant ridge, the group watched the battle unfold between Goku and Frieza. Despite the gravity of the situation, Krillin couldn't help but stare at Cellera's transformed appearance.

"Your hair..." He started, "It's actually golden. And your eyes..."

"They're teal now," Gohan added, studying his friend with wonder. "Is this what a Super Saiyan really looks like?"

Cellera glanced at a lock of her now-golden hair, attempting a weak smile. "I'm not sure if Father would be proud that I'm the first Super Saiyan in a thousand years, or furious that it wasn't him." Her voice softened. "I guess... I'll never find out now."

Their conversation broke off as Frieza suddenly appeared behind Goku, landing a devastating kick that sent him plunging into the Namekian sea.

Krillin leaned forward anxiously when Goku didn't surface. "Why isn't he coming up for air?"

"It's okay," Gohan said, his eyes fixed on the water's surface. "Dad's energy hasn't dropped at all."

"Kakarot must be staying under deliberately," Cellera agreed, her analytical nature resurfacing even through her grief. "He has something planned."

As if confirming their theory, two ki blasts suddenly erupted from the water toward Frieza. The tyrant dodged both attacks with a smirk, not noticing Goku materialize above him until it was too late. Goku's kick sent Frieza crashing through a nearby island, the impact sending debris flying in all directions.

"Clever move by Kakarot," Cellera observed, her analytical habits resurfacing despite everything. "Using ki blasts to divert Frieza's attention since he can't sense energy like we can."

Their appreciation of the strategy turned to scowls as Frieza emerged from the rubble, casually cracking his neck. The attack hadn't even scratched him.

"Your attack earlier seemed to do more damage," Piccolo noted, watching Frieza dust himself off.

"I can feel how much stronger this transformation makes me," Cellera admitted quietly. "But I got cocky. I'm too unfamiliar with it, and I have years less fighting experience than Father or Kakarot." Her voice softened. "I wish it had been one of them who achieved this power instead."

Then she glanced at Piccolo, a small smirk crossing her features. "Though it's not like I'm the only one who wounded his pride today. Gohan stood against him twice. Krillin outsmarted him, even took his tail. And you..." She raised an eyebrow at the Namekian. "You actually had him on the defensive for a while."

Piccolo's mouth twitched upward slightly at the acknowledgment before he huffed. "Unfortunately, Frieza wasn't even using his full power then. He was just toying with me."

Their attention snapped back to the battle as a massive surge of energy lit up the Namekian sky. The group watched in horror as Frieza trapped Goku in a massive sphere of energy, hurling him into a nearby island. The resulting explosion obliterated the entire landmass, leaving nothing but churning water in its wake.

"He's not even taking this seriously," Krillin said, his voice tight with tension. "He could destroy the whole planet if he wanted to."

"Wh-where's dad?" Gohan leaned forward anxiously, scanning the devastation.

"Don't waste time worrying about him," Piccolo replied sharply. "Frieza isn't the only one holding back."

Cellera crossed her arms in an unconscious mirror of her father's stance at Kakarot's cheekiness. "He's right. Look behind us."

Krillin and Gohan turned just in time to see Goku touch down before launching himself back toward Frieza.

"How did Goku manage to...?" Krillin gaped in confusion.

"He escaped from his paralysis at super speed the instant it exploded," Piccolo explained.

"He did something that amazing in just an instant?" Gohan's voice carried equal parts awe and pride.

A small, knowing smile crossed Cellera's features as she watched Goku engage Frieza again. "His Saiyan blood is showing through - he's actually enjoying testing his strength against Frieza." Her expression turned more serious. "But the warm-up is over. The real battle is about to begin."

As if confirming her words, Goku and Frieza vanished, their battle carrying them across several islands in the blink of an eye.

The group watched as Goku and Frieza exchanged a fierce series of attacks. When Goku suddenly clamped his teeth down on Frieza's tail, Cellera couldn't suppress a small chuckle - it was exactly the kind of unexpected tactic that seemed to throw the tyrant off balance. Goku followed up with a devastating combination of kicks and punches before Frieza managed to land a solid hit to his face.

"Kakarot's actually making him feel overwhelmed," Cellera observed, noting the growing frustration in Frieza's movements.

The two warriors suddenly stopped, facing each other in absolute stillness.

"What are they doing?" Krillin asked, leaning forward.

"They're waiting for the right moment to attack," Piccolo explained. "The force of their energy alone is almost smothering."

"My dad can still beat him though, right?" Gohan turned to Piccolo, worry creeping into his voice.

"Their abilities are far beyond my comprehension now."

Gohan looked to Cellera, hoping her tactical assessment might offer more clarity. She bit her lip and narrowed her eyes in speculation at the two fighters.

"I think Kakarot has a chance," She said slowly, "But something about Frieza is still bothering me. The way he's moving, the way he's responding to attacks..." She shook her head. "I think he's still holding back a substantial amount of power."

Cellera's analysis proved correct as Frieza suddenly launched forward, his movements becoming sharper, more precise. He unleashed a brutal combination - elbow to face, devastating kick, tail wrapping around Goku's neck before driving a punch deep into his stomach that sent him crashing to the ground.

Goku attempted to counter with a kick, but Frieza effortlessly evaded. Even when Goku's body flared red with Kaio-ken power, Frieza simply responded with a kick that sent him flying. When Goku pushed himself back up, his heavy breathing betrayed his growing exhaustion.

"This isn't good," Piccolo's voice carried rare concern. "The gap between Frieza and Goku's hidden power is too much."

They watched helplessly as Frieza continued his assault, forcing Goku to retreat to a nearby mountain peak. Before he could catch his breath, Frieza raised his hand, index and middle fingers extended. The casual gesture belied its devastating effect - a sweeping motion that cleaved not just the mountain, but a massive portion of Namek's surface in half.

"Did... did he just slice through the planet?" Krillin's voice shook as they stared at the devastating display of power. "Please tell me Goku has some kind of plan. This is starting to look pretty one-sided."

"He doesn't," Piccolo said grimly.

"Frieza is stronger than any of us could have prepared for," Cellera added, her brain struggling to calculate just how much power that casual gesture had required.

A familiar red aura suddenly erupted around Goku as he pushed the Kaio-ken technique beyond its normal limits. Cellera felt her stomach twist with worry - she remembered all too clearly what Kakarot had told them about the technique's dangers. The strain on his body at this level...

Her concerns momentarily faded as Goku's enhanced speed allowed him to land a devastating punch, sending Frieza flying. He pursued immediately, blue energy gathering in his hands as he chased the tyrant through the air.

"Ka... me... ha... me... HA!"

The massive beam lit up Namek's sky, but Frieza merely raised one hand to catch it. The collision created a blinding explosion, forcing them all to shield their eyes as debris rained down around their observation point.

When the smoke finally cleared, Cellera's breath caught in her throat. Frieza stood there, bruised but far from defeated. She saw the same shock she felt reflected in Kakarot's face - even his most powerful attack had failed to do significant damage.

"I can't believe it," Krillin said, shaking his head in disbelief. "That Kamehameha should have done some serious damage!"

"Dad's energy level has dropped drastically," Gohan noted, worry creeping into his voice.

"The Kaio-ken technique," Cellera reminded them, her earlier concerns proving justified. "While it multiplies his power, it extracts a heavy toll on his body and energy. Each use drains him further."

Piccolo's fists clenched at his sides. "It's over. King Kai was right - we never should have crossed Frieza."

They watched helplessly as Frieza examined his scratched body, his expression morphing from surprise to pure rage. "FILTHY SAIYAN!" he roared, touching down before Goku. His next words carried a deadly promise: "THAT HURT!"

Before Goku could react, Frieza's head slammed into his with devastating force, sending him flying through the air like a broken doll.

Frieza continued his assault, kicking Goku high into the air before slamming him back to the ground. "Where has all that strength gone?" He taunted, casually sweeping his hand to create a massive crater in Namek's surface.

"I can't watch this anymore!" Gohan started forward. "I have to help-"

"Wait!" Cellera grabbed his arm, her eyes fixed on something above them. "What is Kakarot doing?"

They all looked up to see Goku standing with his hands raised to the sky, his face set in deep concentration.

"The Spirit Bomb," Krillin breathed, recognition lighting his features. "It's the same attack he used to defeat Vegeta on Earth. It's a last resort technique that gathers energy from all living things on a planet and concentrates it into a single powerful sphere."

"But will it work here?" Gohan asked, looking around at Namek's barren landscape. "There's not nearly as much life as Earth had..."

Cellera remembered Dende's stories about how Namek had once been a lush, thriving world before the climate shift. Now its surface was largely empty except for the scattered Ajisa plants and sea life.

"Goku knows that," Krillin said grimly. "But what other choice do we have?"

A massive shadow suddenly caught Cellera's attention. She looked up, her eyes widening. "Everyone, look!"

Above them, an enormous sphere of energy hung in the sky, its size dwarfing anything she'd seen before.

"Would you look at the size of that thing," Krillin gaped, shielding his eyes to stare upward. "And it's still growing!"

"If I had to guess," Cellera said, automatically calculating the scale, "It's already about fifty meters in diameter."

"So it's not normally this large?" Piccolo asked, turning to the others.

Gohan held his hands about a foot apart. "The one Dad used on Earth was only about this big."

"There's no way Namek has enough life energy left to create something that massive," Krillin said. "Goku must be drawing power from nearby planets too."

Cellera's attention shifted back to the battle below. "Frieza still hasn't figured out what's happening. He looks confused by Kakarot's stance." Her thumb pressed against her lip thoughtfully. "Kakarot must not think he has enough energy yet to defeat him. He's still gathering more."

"Come on Dad, hurry..." Gohan whispered anxiously.

Cellera tensed as Frieza's patience finally snapped. The tyrant's kick caught Goku across the face with devastating force, sending him flying. "Insolent bastard!" The impact broke Goku's concentration, temporarily halting the Spirit Bomb's growth.

"He's figured it out!" Krillin exclaimed in panic.

"No," Piccolo cut in sharply.

"Piccolo's right," Cellera agreed. "Frieza still doesn't understand what Kakarot's doing."

Piccolo turned to Gohan and Krillin. "Give me some of your energy. I'm going to help buy Goku more time."

"I'm going too," Cellera stepped forward, her transformed state still crackling with power.

"Stay back," Piccolo warned. "You've already-"

"We went through too much to wish you back just to watch you die again," Cellera cut him off, her voice carrying that same precise tone she used when explaining battle strategies. "I'll follow your lead, but let me help. This is my fight too."

Piccolo studied her for a moment, seeing the same determination he'd felt when facing the being who'd destroyed his own people. After a moment, he nodded. "Fine. But we move together."

The unspoken understanding passed between them - two warriors united against the monster who had devastated both their races.

Krillin and Gohan quickly transferred some of their energy to Piccolo. "Stay put," he commanded them firmly. "No matter what happens, don't leave this spot."

A movement caught Cellera's attention - Frieza's gaze had finally drifted upward toward the massive Spirit Bomb. She exchanged a quick nod with Piccolo before they launched into action, streaking toward where Goku had just attempted a desperate punch. Frieza caught his fist easily, smirking as he raised a finger point-blank at Goku's face.

Piccolo's kick caught Frieza completely off guard, connecting solidly with the back of his head and sending him flying over the nearby lake. Cellera followed through immediately, bringing both hands down in a brutal hammer strike that drove Frieza deep into the Namekian waters.

"Hurry and finish charging it!" Piccolo shouted to Goku. "We'll buy you time!"

Frieza burst from the water, hovering before them with barely contained rage. His eyes fixed on Cellera as she adopted her father's signature smirk.

"What's wrong, Frieza?" She taunted, channeling Vegeta's familiar arrogance. "Having trouble with children again?"

Frieza's hand rose with deadly intent, but before he could strike, multiple ki blasts struck him from behind. Cellera's eyes widened as she spotted Krillin and Gohan - they'd completely ignored Piccolo's order to stay put.

Frieza's eyes slid toward Krillin and Gohan, his expression darkening with murderous intent. "You won't rest until I've been pushed to the limits of my patience, will you?"

His power suddenly exploded outward as he raised his hand skyward. "THIS ENDS NOW! I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOY SHARING YOUR FATE WITH THIS PLANET!" A massive sphere of deadly energy began forming above his palm, growing large enough to destroy all of Namek.

But above them, Goku had finally completed charging the Spirit Bomb. The enormous sphere of energy dwarfed anything they'd seen before, its light casting strange shadows across Namek's surface.

"NOW, KAKAROT!" Cellera screamed.

"THROW IT, DAD!" Gohan shouted simultaneously.

"DO IT, GOKU!" Krillin and Piccolo's voices joined the chorus.

Goku brought his arms down with a mighty roar, launching the Spirit Bomb directly at Frieza. The tyrant turned just in time to see the massive sphere bearing down on him. He raised his hands, attempting to resist its overwhelming force through sheer strength alone.

But the Spirit Bomb's power proved too great. It drove Frieza down to the ground with inexorable force before detonating in a cataclysmic explosion that engulfed a significant portion of Namek's surface, the light momentarily turning night to day.

Cellera stared at the enormous crater the Spirit Bomb had carved into Namek's surface, watching water cascade endlessly into its depths. A small shiver ran through her as she realized what an attack of this magnitude would have done to Earth. For once, she found herself grateful for Kakarot's tendency to hold back.

She spotted Krillin and Gohan pulling themselves onto a nearby rock, both soaked from the massive displacement of water. Flying down to join them, she managed a tired smile - the first genuine one since her father's death. The strain of maintaining her Super Saiyan form while helping fight Frieza was beginning to wear on her, but the relief of potentially being free from the tyrant's shadow made it worth the exhaustion.

"Where's Dad? And Piccolo?" Gohan asked anxiously, unable to sense their energy signatures.

Cellera pointed to a small island across the churning waters. "There." They watched as Piccolo emerged from the waves with Goku's limp form, hauling him onto the rocky surface.

The three made their way over, moving slower than usual with Krillin and Gohan's ki reserves depleted. Despite their exhaustion, the boys couldn't contain their joy, their cheers echoing across the Namekian sea.

Cellera hung back slightly as Gohan threw his arms around his father's neck, Krillin clapping Goku on the back in relief. Even Piccolo wore a rare smile at their victory. Watching their celebration, Cellera felt an unfamiliar warmth in her chest. Mother... Father... you can rest now. The monster who tore our family apart is finally gone.

"Let's go home," Gohan said, still grinning.

"We can take the ship I arrived in," Goku replied. "Should only take about five days."

"Five days?" The others exclaimed in shock.

Cellera shifted uncomfortably, her golden aura flickering as reality began to set in. While the others discussed their return to Earth, she found herself at a loss. With her father gone and Frieza defeated, she had no clear path forward. Despite everything that had led her here - the battles, the losses, the pain - she'd found something unexpectedly precious in her time with Gohan, Krillin, and Bulma.

Gohan noticed her withdrawal, recognizing the lost look in her eyes. It was the same expression she'd worn when they'd first allied on Namek, before Bulma had started treating her like-

"BULMA!" Cellera's sudden cry made everyone jump. "We need to make sure she's okay!"

"Don't scare me like that!" Krillin clutched his chest before breaking into a grin. "But you're right - we better find her fast. She might be scarier than Frieza when she's angry."

The shared laughter that followed felt like a release of everything they'd been through together. Even Cellera found herself joining in, though her thoughts still drifted to what would come next.

"At least the Grand Elder and the others can rest in peace now that Frieza is gone," Piccolo murmured.

Cellera's eyes snapped to him, her analytical mind racing. How does he know about the Grand Elder? Only we and Nail knew... Suddenly, the dual energy signature she'd sensed in him made perfect sense. What did he do? Did he somehow...

Her thoughts cut short as she noticed Krillin's face drain of color. He was staring upward, pure terror etched across his features.

Following his gaze, Cellera felt her stomach plummet. There, perched on a nearby cliff, stood Frieza. Though battered, with one eye swollen shut, he was very much alive. And his remaining eye blazed with a fury that made his previous anger seem mild in comparison.

"No..." The word slipped from her lips in a terrified whisper.

Before anyone could react, a purple beam pierced through Piccolo's chest. The Namekian warrior's eyes went wide with shock as he collapsed, blood pooling beneath him.

"PICCOLO!" Gohan's anguished scream echoed across the water as Goku's power flared with renewed rage.

The brief moment of peace, of victory, of planning their return home - all of it shattered in an instant. The nightmare wasn't over. It was just beginning.

"I must admit," Frieza's voice carried cruel amusement, "For a moment there, even I thought I might die. But your belief in my defeat was... premature."

"Gohan, Krillin, Cellera - get out of here now!" Goku commanded. "Find Bulma and take my ship. Leave this planet!"

They hesitated, and Cellera stepped forward. "I know you're trying to honor my father's wishes," she said. "But you can't defeat him alone. Let me help. Together, we might have a chance." Mother, Father... forgive me, she thought. I know you spent years keeping me from his reach, but I can't run now.

"Do you think I'll let you go?" Frieza's silky voice cut through her plea. "Not one of you will leave here alive." His hand raised, and suddenly Krillin's body jerked upward, suspended in midair. "Starting with you!"

"No, stop!" Goku's desperate shout held real fear. "FRIEZA!"

But the tyrant just smiled, clenching his fist. Krillin had time for one final cry - "GOKU!" - before his body exploded from within, leaving nothing but scattered atoms in the Namekian air.

"KRILLIN!" Cellera and Gohan screamed in unison, her hand still reaching toward the empty space where their friend had been moments before. Her world seemed to tilt on its axis as reality crashed over her - Frieza had taken everything. Her planet, her race, her family, and now her friend. Soon, he would take the rest of them too.

"Now then..." Frieza's cruel smile widened as his gaze shifted between the two children. "Which brat should be next?" His eyes lingered first on Gohan, then Cellera.

But something was happening to Goku. His power began to rise, anger radiating from him in waves unlike anything Cellera had ever felt from the usually gentle warrior.

"You're not going to get away with this," Goku's voice carried deadly promise. "I won't let you. You're going to pay for what you've done!"

Cellera watched in awe as his fury peaked. His dark hair blazed golden, eyes shifting to the same teal blue as her own transformed state. The golden aura that erupted around him dwarfed her own Super Saiyan power, its intensity making even Frieza take a step back.

This was what a true Super Saiyan looked like - not her accidental transformation born of grief, but pure righteous fury channeled through years of mastered power. Even through her own golden transformation, Cellera found herself trembling not from fear, but from the sheer magnitude of Kakarot's awakened strength.

Cellera could hardly believe this was the same Kakarot who had shown such mercy on Earth. The hatred radiating from him now eclipsed even that battle's intensity. His Super Saiyan power overwhelmed her own transformation completely, and she knew with absolute certainty that this wasn't the same warrior who had spared her father's life. This was a Saiyan pushed beyond his limits, barely containing his fury as he turned to address them.

She could see him struggling to maintain his last threads of control, his voice tight with restrained rage. "Piccolo's still alive, but barely. Take him and find Bulma. Get back to Earth."

"D-dad?" Gohan stuttered, never having seen his father like this.

"GET OUT OF HERE WHILE I STILL HAVE SOME CONTROL OVER MYSELF!" The raw power in Goku's shout made them both flinch.

Even then, Gohan hesitated, shocked by his father's transformation. His feet seemed rooted to the spot until Goku's next words cut through his daze.

"Hurry! If Piccolo dies, Kami dies too. You know what that means."

The words triggered a memory for Cellera - Krillin explaining about Kami being Piccolo's other half, promising to tell her the whole story once they got back to Earth. Her heart clenched painfully. A story I'll never hear him tell…

Cellera turned to Kakarot, her transformed state matching his. "Are you sure you want to face him alone?"

"Don't worry about me," Goku's voice carried absolute certainty despite his barely contained rage. "I'll come back to Earth after I've taken care of this." His eyes met Cellera's. "I'm trusting you to make sure Gohan and the others get back safely."

The weight of his trust hit Cellera hard. She stood straighter, nodding with the same dutiful determination she'd once shown her father. "I promise," She said, the words carrying the same gravity as when she'd sworn to return to Gohan after facing Dodoria, the same conviction as her promise to come back for Bulma.

She took one last look at Kakarot, his golden aura blazing against Namek's green sky. "Give him hell, Kakarot."

With that, she and Gohan launched into the air, Piccolo's unconscious form draped across Gohan's shoulders as they raced toward Goku's ship. Behind them, the power of a true Super Saiyan crackled through the atmosphere - a warrior pushed past his limits by fury, ready to end Frieza's reign of terror once and for all.