Ghost from the past

Gohan stood frozen, his mouth slightly open, as Guru's hand rested gently on his head. Despite Dende's constant reassurances that a massive power surge was coming, Gohan felt almost nothing.

Guru had mentioned the ocean of dormant power within him, but Gohan wasn't surprised. His father and Piccolo had always hinted at his hidden potential. Still, the thought of finally tapping into that strength, even a fraction of it, sent a thrill through his veins.

"Sir," Gohan's voice wavered, urgency creeping in, "Can you please hurry? My friends... they need me."

"I'm working as fast as I can, young one," Guru replied, his tone touched with irritation. "Patience. Without it, your strength won't increase."

"Okay," Gohan murmured, exhaling slowly as he tried to calm his racing thoughts.

Meanwhile, outside...

Nail, newly empowered, charged at Zarbon with lightning speed. His first punch was intercepted, Zarbon's face contorted in effort as he blocked the blow.

Zarbon retaliated, swinging a punch of his own, but Nail caught it mid-air. For a moment, the two warriors stood locked in a brutal contest of strength, neither willing to give an inch.

Then Zarbon smirked.

In a sudden move, he yanked Nail forward and drove his knee into his abdomen.

"Argh!" Nail choked, spitting saliva as the wind was knocked out of him.

Wasting no time, Zarbon delivered a sharp karate chop to Nail's side, sending him crashing into a nearby mountain. With a roar, Zarbon followed through, fists extended as he barreled towards his foe.

Nail had barely recovered from the initial attack when Zarbon slammed into him, both fists driving Nail through rocks and trees in a devastating path of destruction. As Zarbon halted, Nail flew forward, propelled by the momentum, only to have Zarbon reappear above him, slamming an elbow into his back. Nail plummeted into the ocean below with a tremendous splash.

"This is the end for you, Namekian," Zarbon growled, raising one hand and bracing it with the other as he charged a green energy beam. He unleashed it into the sea, sending up a massive spray of water.

Just as Zarbon smirked, believing it was over, he sensed a presence behind him.

Nail was smiling.

BOOM!

A shockwave exploded from Nail's punch, sending Zarbon flying through multiple mountains until a towering rock formation crumbled onto him.

Though Nail's body was battered, cuts crisscrossing his skin and his clothes in tatters, his energy didn't falter. He could still sense Zarbon—this battle was far from finished.

Suddenly, the ground where Zarbon had crashed erupted in a violent explosion, reducing the surrounding landscape to dust. Zarbon staggered out of the rubble, panting, his clothes shredded, and his once-pristine armor marred with scratches.

"You filthy slug!" Zarbon roared, fury burning in his eyes.

Nail's expression hardened as he drew back his fist.

Zarbon's eyes narrowed. 'What's he planning?'

"Hah!" Nail's arm stretched forward like elastic, wrapping around Zarbon's wrist.

"What?!" Zarbon gasped.

With a mighty heave, Nail flung Zarbon towards the sea. Before Zarbon could recover, Nail shot down, aiming to intercept him. But just as Nail moved below him, Zarbon vanished.

"What—?" Nail spun just in time to see Zarbon reappear, delivering a rapid barrage of blows. Nail blocked and deflected as many as he could, parrying with precision before launching his own counterattack.

A shimmering barrier of energy surrounded them as their fists clashed at blinding speed, the intensity of the battle building with every strike.

Near Frieza's ship...

Vegeta gritted his teeth, tension gripping his every muscle. He just hoped the plan would work. Crab had met him a few moments ago, having excused himself from his post by telling his colleagues that a supposed UTI forced him to relieve himself frequently. It was the perfect cover. Behind the boulder, Crab would meet Vegeta to discuss the proceedings.

Vegeta growled impatiently. "Come on," he muttered, his voice low and dangerous. "Give me your scouter."

Without hesitation, Crab handed over the device.

Vegeta immediately pressed the button, his eyes narrowing as Frieza's power level flared on the screen. Yes, Frieza was still there, as powerful as ever. Vegeta tapped the scouter again, scanning for additional readings. As he had sensed, Zarbon and Dodoria were far off, seemingly locked in combat with some surprisingly strong opponents. 'Who could they be?' Vegeta wondered. They couldn't be the Ginyu Force. Whoever they were, their power levels were significant, but still inferior to the Ginyu elites. The situation made no sense.

"Here," Vegeta grunted, wiping sweat from his brow. "Take it back. Now, we can only hope Frieza drinks that wine soon."

Crab nodded, his face pale with tension. "Right." He turned and resumed his post, blending back in as one of the guards patrolling the ship.

Inside the ship, the chefs hurriedly arranged the lavish tray meant for Lord Frieza, placing it on the serving cart with meticulous care.

Frieza, reclining in his luxurious chair, drummed his fingers impatiently, eagerly awaiting his meal.

Moments later, the waiter arrived, setting the extravagant table adorned with dozens of dishes before the tyrant. The scent of finely prepared cuisine wafted through the air.

Frieza's gaze sharpened, locking onto the waiter.

Without a word, the waiter took the cue, lifting a spoon and dutifully tasting each dish, one by one. Ever since Zarbon had informed Frieza of Vegeta's attempt to acquire Syanide—and even suggested that Vegeta had tried to bribe Zarbon and Dodoria into poisoning him—Frieza had adopted this new, cautious routine. Syanide was fast-acting. If anyone had managed to slip it into his meal, Frieza would know before it could harm him.

As the waiter finished sampling the dishes, his eyes darted eagerly toward the glass of Royal Wine—the finest in the galaxy—standing untouched on the tray.

Frieza smirked, reading the waiter's expression with ease. A lucky fool, he thought. Most would kill for just a sip of Royal Wine, and here this servant was, savoring it with every meal. "I believe you indulged in my wine at the previous sitting, did you not?"

The waiter's face fell in disappointment. "Yes, sire."

Frieza chuckled darkly. "Then you may go."

The waiter bowed his head and turned, leaving the room, his face a mix of relief and frustration.

Alone at last, Frieza raised the gleaming glass of wine to his lips, eager for a sip before indulging in the rest of his meal. The liquid shimmered under the light, and a faint, sweet aroma rose from the glass.

Outside, crouched behind the boulder, Vegeta's patience was wearing thin. His pulse quickened with every second. 'Come on, Frieza... you should have had your drink by now!' His fingers flexed, his mind teetering between hope and dread, knowing that the poisoned wine was their best chance at ending this tyrant once and for all.

Elsewhere on Namek

Dodoria growled, his patience wearing thin. "Who are you?!" he barked, his voice rough with irritation. "Tell me. Now!"

The mysterious figure stood silent, his face obscured.

"Come on!" Dodoria snarled, energy crackling around his hand as he prepared to fire.

But the stranger calmly raised his hand to his head, as if preparing to reveal himself. Dodoria hesitated, lowering his attack, heart pounding in anticipation.

Slowly, the figure pulled back the cover, unveiling his face.

Dodoria's eyes narrowed, studying the familiar features for a moment. Recognition flickered, but doubt clouded his mind.

"Don't you recognize me, Dodoria?" the stranger asked, his voice edged with mockery.

Below, Krillin staggered to his feet, his legs wobbling under the weight of exhaustion. His heart leapt—this could be their chance, a desperate flicker of hope for him and Yamcha, who lay trembling, barely conscious. Escape seemed possible.

Krillin's eyes darted up to the stranger, just catching a glimpse of spiked hair, the familiar line of his jaw. His breath hitched, eyes widening in disbelief before an overwhelming wave of relief crashed over him.

"Goku!" Krillin shouted, his voice shaking with emotion, barely able to contain his joy. "I knew you'd come! I knew you'd save us!" He floated upward, eagerness and relief intertwining in every movement.

Dodoria's gaze briefly flicked to the small, battered warrior. "Hmph. Study little runt," he muttered, a sneer twisting his lips. His focus snapped back to the stranger. "So… these weaklings are your 'friends' now, huh?" His voice dripped with disdain. "Just as pathetic as the ones you surrounded yourself with back then."

The newcomer's frown deepened. "Those," he said, his voice cold, "were my friends."

Dodoria smirked, raising a brow. "Oh really? Do you remember what I did to your 'friends'? If you did, maybe you wouldn't have shown your face today, coming to meet the same fate as them." His grin twisted into something grotesque, a reminder of the cruelty he reveled in. "We thought you were dead. You should've stayed dead. I'll give you the same 'treatment' they got."

The words hung in the air like poison, and in an instant, the dam broke inside the stranger. His body trembled, fists clenching with the force of his rage.

The stranger flinched, pain cracking through his stoic façade. His mind was assaulted by flashes of the past—the mutilated bodies of his comrades. Their ears and noses severed, their fingers torn from their hands. Intestines spilling, hearts ripped out. The horror stained his soul, every moment replayed, every face lost.

His energy spiked, flaring violently around him, a fiery aura of pure rage. His eyes locked onto Dodoria's with a look that could burn through steel. The time for words was over.

"You're dead, Dodoria…" the stranger growled. "For everything you've done to me, for all the pain you've caused… I, Bardock, will destroy you."

What's this? Bardock, the forgotten Saiyan warrior, is alive and back. Will this unexpected encounter buy Krillin and Yamcha precious time? And can Nail hold-off Zarbon long enough for Guru to unlock Gohan's hidden strength? And has Vegeta succeeded at last in his plan for revenge?

Find out, next time, on DBZ: ONE!

To be continued...