The Beatdown
Gohan flew through the air, teeth clenched, his grip firm on Dende.
Dende peered ahead, eyes scanning the horizon.
"How much further?" Gohan asked, urgency in his voice.
"We're almost there," Dende replied, his tone tight with anticipation.
...
Meanwhile, Zarbon flew swiftly toward his destination when his scouter beeped sharply. "Hmm?" His eyes narrowed as two power levels appeared on the screen, moving in the same direction. In the distance, two small figures became visible, cutting through the sky like streaks of light.
"So, I'm not the only one headed there," Zarbon muttered, his lips curling into a smirk.
...
Gohan and Dende landed atop the cliff where Guru's house stood, and without hesitation, rushed inside. Nail, already at the door, quickly ushered them in and shut it behind them. Together, they hurried upstairs.
"Guru!" Dende called out as they entered.
The ancient Namekian, Guru, smiled warmly. "Ah, Dende, my child. We feared the worst for you. Thank God you've returned safely."
Dende, clearly impatient, nodded. "Yes, Guru. But it's all thanks to him," he said, gesturing toward Gohan.
"Hm?" Guru's eyebrow rose in mild surprise.
"I'm sorry, Guru," Dende continued, "but I'll explain everything later. Right now, I need you to unlock my friend's hidden powers. His companions are in danger, and he must help them."
Guru gave a small cough, considering the request. "Very well." His gaze turned to Gohan. "Come here, little one."
Gohan stepped forward, his body taut with anticipation.
BANG!
The house shook as the front door splintered and crashed to the ground.
Nail's eyes narrowed as he turned toward the disturbance. "An unwelcome guest..." he growled.
Guru met Nail's gaze, a silent command passing between them. Nail gave a firm nod and quickly descended the stairs to confront the intruder.
Guru exhaled deeply before placing his large hand atop Gohan's head. "Now then... let's see," he murmured, his voice gentle yet filled with purpose. As he concentrated, his eyes widened in surprise. "Oh my..."
"What is it, Guru?" Dende asked, his voice trembling with anxiety.
"This boy," Guru whispered in awe, "he holds an ocean of power within him... so vast, so deep... even I may not be able to unlock all of it. But I will bring forth as much as I can." His voice grew solemn. "It will take time."
...
Outside, Nail stepped onto the porch, his eyes locking onto Zarbon.
Zarbon chuckled darkly, hovering in mid-air. "Ah, I see you decided to come out on your own. Saves me the trouble of tearing this place apart."
Nail didn't bother with words. He stood motionless, the wind brushing past his robes. His eyes narrowed slightly, focusing, and in the blink of an eye—
BOOOOM!
A massive ki wave exploded from Nail with the mere flicker of his gaze, roaring toward Zarbon like a cannon shot.
"What the—?!" Zarbon barely had time to react, thrown backward as the blast slammed into him with violent force. He spread his limbs wide, halting himself mid-air, but his face twisted in shock. The sheer power behind the attack rattled him.
Before Zarbon could fully process what had just happened, Nail was upon him. With a flash of green light, Nail closed the distance in a heartbeat, delivering a rapid series of bone-shattering punches and kicks.
Zarbon's face twisted in pain. "Ugh! How—?!" He barely had time to register what was happening. This Namekian, who should have been no match for him, was pushing him back with shocking force.
With a roar, Zarbon's muscles bulged, his face contorting into a monstrous form. Blocking Nail's next attack, Zarbon caught the Namekian by the head and drove his knee into Nail's face.
"Argh!" Nail cried out as blood gushed from his nose.
With a swift kick, Zarbon sent Nail hurtling toward the ground. But to his surprise, Nail flipped mid-air and landed firmly on his feet, his resolve unshaken.
Zarbon growled, clearly annoyed. "Listen, Namekian," he spat, "I didn't come here to kill you. I'm looking for information about the Ragon mines. Give me what I want, and I'll leave you in peace."
Nail's lips curled into a smirk.
Zarbon frowned, pressing a button on his scouter. The device whirred for a moment before displaying a number. "28,000?" Zarbon's eyes flicked between the scouter and Nail. "Impressive... for a Namekian. But still not enough."
Nail's grin widened as he crossed his arms, his energy surging. His aura flared around him as he prepared to unleash his full power. 'This fool has no idea what he's up against,' he thought to himself with a smirk.
Meanwhile, far away, near Frieza's ship...
Vegeta handed the bag of Syanide to Crab behind the cover of the rock. "Now go ahead and finish him. I'll be waiting."
Crab nodded, slipping the bag inside his jacket, then walked back toward the ship.
"Hey!" a guard barked at him. "You took your sweet time in there. What's the hold-up?"
"Give me a break," Crab snapped. "I've been holding it in for hours. Took a little longer than usual."
The guard waved him off, grumbling. Crab continued into the spaceship, acting casual. He wandered the halls aimlessly at first, playing the part of someone who'd forgotten something. Slowly, he worked his way toward the kitchen, but as expected, two guards stood posted at its entrance. 'Perfect, just what I needed.' He cursed internally.
"Crab," one of the guards called out, eyeing him. "What are you doing here?"
"Ah, nothing important." Crab waved dismissively, feigning indifference, before heading back the way he came.
Outside, Vegeta paced in frustration, the muscles in his jaw clenched. When Crab returned, Vegeta's eyes flashed with anger. "What?!" Vegeta snarled, his voice low but dangerous. "Frieza's power level hasn't changed. Why?"
Crab shifted nervously. "I couldn't get close. Security's tighter than a drum. Not even a mouse could sneak in."
Vegeta growled deep in his throat, stepping closer. "Listen carefully," he whispered.
Crab leaned in, listening intently as Vegeta outlined the plan. When he finished, Crab raised an eyebrow. "You think it'll work?"
Vegeta's gaze was cold and unyielding. "It has to. Once you deal with the guards, use the password to enter the kitchen. Got it?"
Crab nodded.
"The password is 'Riskwhiskey,'" Vegeta added, his tone deadly serious.
"Got it."
Vegeta narrowed his eyes. "Say it."
Crab hesitated, then quickly spelled it out. "R-I-S-K-W-H-I-S-K-E-Y."
A slow smirk spread across Vegeta's face. "Good. Soon, we'll both have our revenge on Frieza."
Crab's face hardened in agreement. He turned and slipped back inside the spaceship. His heart pounded, not from fear, but from a seething hatred that had burned within him for years. Like Vegeta, he had his own score to settle with Frieza—his entire race wiped out, leaving only him and his brother, Brob. It was that shared torment that had forged a quiet bond between him and the Saiyans. And now, something which seemd impossible, felt unbelievably within reach.
Strolling casually down the corridor, Crab pulled out his phone, scrolling aimlessly to keep up the appearance of normalcy. His senses remained razor-sharp, however, eyes darting left and right. He waited for the moment when the hall was empty, ready to make his move.
Hundreds of miles away...
Yamcha and Krillin sped through the air, desperately trying to stay ahead of Dodoria, whose massive form loomed closer with each passing second.
Suddenly, Dodoria materialized right in front of them, forcing Yamcha and Krillin to a screeching halt.
"This is far enough!" Dodoria roared, his voice reverberating with menace. "We've crossed over a dozen hundred miles! Why haven't we reached the Ragon mine yet?"
Krillin forced a nervous smile, sweat pouring down his face. "It's just a little farther, big guy."
Yamcha's hands trembled as he tried to maintain his composure. He could see their bluff unraveling.
Dodoria's eyes narrowed in fury. "I see through your game. You're only stalling. Lord Frieza has ordered the death of every foreigner on this planet. There's no escape!"
Krillin and Yamcha floated backwards, their minds racing for a quick solution.
'Damn it,' Krillin thought, 'I considered leading him to Guru's place, but now—'
Yamcha's eyes widened with dread. 'Looks like it's all coming to a head...'
"Hey, wait!" Krillin called out desperately. "I think we took a wrong turn. The mine is actually that way!"
Dodoria's fury erupted. "Do you take me for a fool? The longer you delay, the more painful your end will be!"
Krillin's teeth chattered as he floated back, fear and desperation in his eyes.
Dodoria pulled back his fist, preparing to strike.
"Krillin, look out!" Yamcha shouted, but it was too late.
Dodoria's punch landed with a sickening crack against Krillin's face, sending him sprawling through the air. In the blink of an eye, Dodoria reappeared behind Krillin, his foot crashing down in a brutal overhead kick.
"Krillin!" Yamcha screamed, paralyzed with fear.
Krillin slammed into the ground, a plume of dust erupting from the impact.
Yamcha's rage ignited. He clenched his fists, trembling with fury. That was enough, he wouldn't stand for anymore of this.
Dodoria sneered, relishing the spectacle. "What's the matter, insect? Want to join your friend down there?"
Yamcha's eyes blazed with determination. "Shoot it. I don't give a sh*t about your power level, you pink menace. I'll show you! WOLF FANG FIST!"
With a roar, Yamcha charged, his dark aura crackling around him. He unleashed a flurry of wolf-like strikes at Dodoria, each punch and kick driven by desperation.
Dodoria effortlessly dodged Yamcha's attacks, a mocking grin plastered on his face. He sidestepped a fierce claw-strike and retaliated with a devastating blow aimed directly at Yamcha's abdomen.
THWACK!
Yamcha's body seized up as the brutal hit connected below the belt, his breath stolen in an instant. His eyes widened in sheer agony, every muscle in his body tensing, veins bulging from his temples as a surge of pain shot through him.
His legs buckled, and he gasped for air, the excruciating shock paralyzing him. He instinctively grabbed at his stomach, choking on the scream that threatened to escape his throat. Every fiber of his being screamed out in torment, his mind reeling from the sharp, overwhelming pain.
Yamcha doubled over, his body trembling uncontrollably. His vision blurred, but the raw humiliation of the attack only fueled the storm raging inside him.
Dodoria loomed above, his cruel smile never fading. He reached down, yanking Yamcha up by his hair. "Did you really think you could stand against me, insect?" he growled, his voice dripping with venom. Yamcha barely registered the words, his mind lost in the violent throes of pain that wracked his body.
"Time to say goodbye," Dodoria sneered. He released Yamcha's hair, raising his fists before landing a crushing haymaker.
With a deafening impact, Yamcha crashed into the ground, another cloud of dust erupting around him.
Dodoria's smile grew cruel as he formed a searing energy beam in his palm. He aimed it downward, the beam streaking towards Krillin and Yamcha with deadly speed.
As Krillin lay on the ground, he watched the beam approach in what felt like slow motion.
'I'm sorry, Gohan,' Krillin thought, his heart heavy with regret. 'We couldn't hold him off... He's just too strong...'
Yamcha lay on his side, eyes shut in pain. 'So this is it, huh? I never thought I'd meet my end like this...'
Suddenly, a powerful energy ball collided with Dodoria's beam mid-flight, causing a massive explosion that engulfed the sky.
Dodoria's eyes widened in shock as the explosion roared, sending shockwaves through the air.
"What?!" Dodoria exclaimed, his scouter beeping wildly.
As he turned to see the source of the interference, Dodoria's face drained of color.
"Who are you?!" Dodoria's voice trembled. He recalled the description given by a guard who had caught a fleeting glimpse of Apulle's killer through a ventilation window. This newcomer matched that description exactly.
The cloaked new-comer let out a slow and dark chuckle.
At Frieza's ship...
Finding himself alone for a moment, Crab swiftly pulled out the small bag of Syanide from his pocket. He took a deep breath, held it, and knelt down, carefully opening the bag. A sickly, poisonous odor immediately began to waft through the air.
The guards stationed at the kitchen entrance started to wobble, their faces growing pale.
"Whoa, what's happening?" one of them muttered, rubbing his temple. "My head's spinning."
The other guard nodded sluggishly. "Yeah… mine too."
Before they realized what was happening, their knees buckled, and they collapsed to the floor, unconscious.
Crab wasted no time. He could feel his lungs burning, desperate for air, but he had to move quickly. Sprinting to the entrance, he entered the password—*Riskwhiskey*—and slipped inside the kitchen. Once safely inside, he sealed the Syanide bag again, taking a deep, cautious breath.
His eyes scanned the kitchen. The chefs were busy with their tasks, chopping vegetables, stirring pots, and chatting amongst themselves, oblivious to his presence. Crab's gaze landed on a half-opened bottle of Royal Wine—the finest in the galaxy—standing on a counter a few rows back. 'That's got to be for Frieza.'
Crouching low, Crab moved silently, inching toward the bottle. His heart pounded in his chest as he crawled just a dozen feet behind the rows of busy chefs, careful to avoid drawing any attention. Once he reached the bottle, he quietly unscrewed the cap and poured the Syanide in, shaking it gently to mix. With the poison in place, he carefully replaced the cap, wiping his brow.
The chefs were still engrossed in their work, completely unaware of the deadly plan unfolding mere feet away.
Task complete, Crab retraced his steps, slipping out of the kitchen without a sound. He glanced at the guards near the entrance—still out cold, mumbling in their sleep. Perfect.
Moments later, Crab was outside the ship, casually resuming his post, blending back into the routine as if nothing had happened.
...
Vegeta stood waiting, his patience wearing thin. He noticed Crab moving discreetly, not approaching him directly, likely to avoid suspicion. But from the look on Crab's face Vegeta could tell this much. Crab had accomplished something.
Vegeta smirked, a cold glint in his eye.
At Guru's place...
Zarbon's eyes widened in terror as he glanced at his scouter. "Impossible!" he gasped, watching the numbers spike far beyond what he had anticipated.
Nail's aura continued glowing brighter before he finally threw his arms to the side, whipping up air as his power-up completed. "For the suffering you've inflicted on the Namekians," he said, his voice as cold as the winds of death, "I will make you pay."
Zarbon trembled, slowly moving backwards.
Can Nail put an end to the monstrous Zarbon? And is Vegeta finally close to his overdue revenge against Frieza? Also can Krillin and Yamcha survive? And who is their mysterious savior? Is he a friend or foe? Find the answers to these questions and much more in the next exciting chapter of DBZ: ONE!
To be continued...
Author's note: Thanks Anon, and ColdBlue for the feedback. I really appreciate the reviews, all of them, by all you readers.
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