True Terror

The two warriors reset, staring each other down as their auras crackled with power. This time, Frieza took the offensive, dashing forward with a flurry of rapid blows. Piccolo did his best to weave and block, but a few well-placed strikes slipped through, making him grit his teeth in pain.

Seeing an opening, Piccolo swung a powerful punch, but Frieza caught his fist with ease. Piccolo immediately went for a follow-up strike with his other hand, but Frieza snatched that one too, locking them both in a power struggle. The two pushed against each other, muscles straining, the air distorting around them from the sheer force of their clash.

Then, with a sudden smirk, Piccolo fired an eye beam straight at Frieza's face. The tyrant barely managed to dodge, tilting his head at the last second, but the distraction was enough.

BAM!

Piccolo drove a crushing knee into Frieza's gut, making him gasp, before following up with a devastating head kick that sent Frieza hurtling toward the ground. The impact shook the battlefield, dust and debris shooting into the air.

Piccolo landed smoothly, watching as Frieza slowly got up, his expression a mix of anger and intrigue. The tyrant snarled and launched himself at Piccolo once more.

But Piccolo was ready.

He unleashed a rapid barrage of ki blasts, forcing Frieza to cover up and block the relentless assault. Explosions erupted all around him as he tried to push through the attack, his body disappearing into the smoke.

Piccolo didn't hesitate. He dashed forward at blinding speed, driving a powerful punch straight at Frieza. The tyrant blocked it just in time, but the sheer force of the strike caused a massive shockwave that rattled the battlefield.

Watching from the sidelines, Gohan and Krillin cheered loudly.

"Yeah, Piccolo! Keep it up!" Gohan shouted, fists clenched in excitement.

Krillin nodded. "He's actually pushing Frieza back! This is insane!"

Cado, arms crossed, smirked slightly. "He's impressive… I didn't know a Namekian could attain such levels of power," he admitted, genuinely surprised.

Even Vegeta had to acknowledge it, though he kept his arms crossed, scowling. "Tch."

Frieza suddenly unleashed a powerful blast, catching Piccolo off guard and sending him flying through the air. Vegeta and Cado both took a step back, their expressions blank for a moment before they simultaneously scoffed.

"Hmph. I take back my compliment," Vegeta muttered, arms crossed.

"Yeah, forget what I said," Cado added, shaking his head.

Meanwhile, Gohan and Krillin, who had just been cheering moments ago, face-vaulted into the ground, their excitement instantly deflating.

Before Piccolo could recover, Frieza followed up with another devastating blast, this one hitting Piccolo dead on, engulfing him in a massive explosion. Smoke and debris filled the air, the force of the impact making the ground tremble.

But then—

WHOOSH!

Piccolo shot out of the smoke, looking completely unharmed, his face set in a confident smirk. He landed gracefully, rolling his shoulders before reaching up and casually removing his weighted cape and turban, tossing them to the ground with a heavy thud. The ground beneath them cracked from the sheer weight.

Frieza narrowed his eyes. "Oh? Decided to take this seriously now, Namekian?"

Piccolo smirked. "Yeah, I was just getting warmed up. But now…" He clenched his fists, his aura flaring up as the ground beneath him cracked even more. "Now I'm going all out."

A surge of power erupted around him, his energy skyrocketing as he powered up to his max. The force of his energy sent shockwaves rippling across the battlefield, making Frieza's expression darken slightly.

Piccolo smirked before vanishing in an instant, reappearing right in front of Frieza and slamming a powerful clothesline across his chest. Frieza's eyes widened in shock as the impact sent him stumbling back, momentarily stunned. But Piccolo wasn't done.

In a flash, he dashed past Frieza, striking him with a rapid series of precise and devastating blows—each punch and kick landing with enough force to crack the very air around them. Frieza quickly realized Piccolo's speed and power were overwhelming, but just as he started to adapt, he caught one of Piccolo's punches clean.

For a moment, there was silence. Frieza grinned, thinking he had finally gained control. But then, Piccolo smirked right back. The punch had done absolutely nothing.

"What?" Frieza hissed in disbelief.

Piccolo took advantage of the moment, unleashing another brutal onslaught, each blow sinking into Frieza's body with bone-crushing force. The ground beneath them shattered as Frieza was forced on the defensive, struggling under the sheer ferocity of Piccolo's attack.

Determined to regain control, Frieza dodged a powerful right hook and retaliated with a barrage of rapid punches. Piccolo dodged some, blocked others, but Frieza was now adapting. Their exchange of blows intensified, shockwaves erupting across the battlefield as they traded strike after strike. This time, Frieza was no longer being dominated. His strength and speed had adjusted, and now, he was winning the exchange.

With one last devastating uppercut, Frieza sent Piccolo skidding backward. Both fighters took a moment to reset, panting slightly from the intensity of their battle.

Then, Frieza started to laugh.

"You're impressive, Namekian. But you're still hopelessly outclassed." His smirk widened. "Because you see… I still have two more transformations."

Piccolo's eyes narrowed. "You're bluffing."

Frieza chuckled darkly. "Oh? Am I?"

Suddenly, his body began to shift. His muscles expanded grotesquely, his features morphing as his power skyrocketed. The air itself trembled under the sheer force of his transformation. His head elongated, his horns curled upwards, and his once sleek form became a monstrous, towering figure of raw power.

The entire battlefield fell silent as the transformation completed.

Piccolo, Vegeta, Cado, Gohan, and Krillin all stood frozen, their faces filled with disbelief.

Frieza flexed his new form, the very movement sending out a pulse of overwhelming energy. He grinned at the stunned warriors before him.

"Now then… Shall we continue?"

Vegeta narrowed his eyes, his fists clenching at his sides. "It seems Frieza now has a greater degree of control over his power. His transformation didn't just increase his strength—it refined it."

Gohan, still wide-eyed from the terrifying transformation, gulped. "And… it looks like he healed all the damage Piccolo did, too."

Piccolo, still hovering in the air, furrowed his brow. "Tch… figures," he muttered before smirking. "Not that it'll make a difference."

Without hesitation, Frieza dashed toward him, his monstrous new form surging forward with terrifying speed. But Piccolo, quick to react, shot upward into the sky, easily evading the charge.

"Still not fast enough!" Piccolo mocked, looking down at Frieza with a cocky grin.

Frieza, however, only smirked in response. Before Piccolo could react, Frieza suddenly vanished.

A chill ran down Piccolo's spine.

"Looking for me?"

Piccolo's eyes widened in horror as Frieza's voice came from directly behind him.

Before he could even turn around, a searing pain shot through his body as Frieza unleashed a barrage of devastating finger beams at point-blank range.

One after another, the piercing blasts struck Piccolo with precision, exploding on impact and sending him reeling as the air filled with flashes of purple light. Piccolo grunted in pain, his body jerking violently with every hit, unable to escape the relentless assault.

Far below, the others could only watch in horror as Frieza continued his merciless onslaught.

Cado gritted his teeth. "Damn it… he's playing with him."

Vegeta clenched his fists, a bead of sweat running down his forehead. "Piccolo's speed was keeping him in the fight, but now Frieza has closed that gap."

With one final, concentrated blast, Frieza sent Piccolo hurtling toward the ground, smoke rising from his battered body.

Frieza chuckled darkly as he hovered in the air, his tail swaying lazily behind him. "Oh, come now, Namekian… I thought you wanted to go all out?"

Gohan's eyes blazed with fury as he rocketed toward Frieza, his aura flaring wildly. "Leave Piccolo alone!" he roared, throwing a powerful kick that connected flush against Frieza's face, snapping his head to the side.

Frieza snarled, but before he could react, Gohan cupped his hands together and charged a massive energy blast. His power surged, the ground trembling beneath him as he unleashed the attack with a deafening scream.

The golden wave of energy crashed into Frieza, engulfing him in a brilliant explosion. Frieza growled as he braced against it, his feet grinding against the rocky ground as he struggled to push it back.

Cado, watching from above, narrowed his eyes in shock. Damn… the kid can put out this much power?

He clenched his fists, realizing that Gohan's attack alone wouldn't be enough. They needed more power—a lot more.

Without hesitation, Cado shot into the air, his hands raising toward the sky. He began forming a Power Ball, his energy pouring into the growing sphere. The sky around them darkened as the artificial moon took shape, crackling with energy.

Meanwhile, Krillin prepared to charge in as well, but before he could move, Vegeta grabbed his wrist, stopping him.

"What are you doing?!" Krillin shouted.

"You have no chance against him," Vegeta snapped. "But I do—if you blast me and let that Namekian heal me." Seeing the puzzled reaction he got, Vegeta elaborated further. "Every time a Saiyan recovers from the brink of death, they grow stronger. Much stronger."

Krillin hesitated, his expression torn. "You expect me to trust you? After everything you've done?"

Vegeta scowled but kept his tone firm. "If you don't, we're all dead."

Krillin clenched his fists, looking between Vegeta and the raging battle. Gohan's energy beam was starting to waver as Frieza slowly began to overpower it.

Krillin swallowed hard. "Damn it…!"

He had a choice to make.

Frieza's malevolent grin widened as he finally overpowered Gohan's energy blast, hurling it back toward the boy with a flick of his wrist. Gohan's eyes widened in terror as the massive wave of energy barreled toward him, but just as it was about to engulf him—

BOOM!

A powerful blast intercepted it, detonating the energy mid-air. Gohan turned his head to see Piccolo, arm extended, his breathing heavy but his resolve unwavering.

"You alright, kid?" Piccolo asked, not taking his eyes off Frieza.

Gohan nodded, panting. "Y-Yeah… thanks, Piccolo."

Frieza, floating above them, narrowed his eyes, tapping his chin in thought. "Interesting… That little brat's power skyrocketed out of nowhere," he mused, his tail flicking idly. Then, as the realization struck, his lips curled into a sneer.

"Ahhh…" Frieza chuckled darkly. "Now I see. That child isn't just some Earthling. He's part Saiyan."

Gohan flinched, and Frieza's smile only widened.

"I should have realized sooner. Only a Saiyan's filthy blood could explain these sudden bursts of power. Your kind really is resilient… but it won't matter. I'll erase every last trace of Saiyan filth from existence."

He raised a hand, charging a death beam aimed straight at Gohan's heart—

Then, he paused.

Something felt off.

His crimson eyes darted around the battlefield, his sharp instincts screaming that something was wrong.

"Wait… where's the other monkey?"

Frieza looked around frantically, then something in the sky caught his attention. His pupils shrank in shock as he saw Cado, floating high above the battlefield, his hands raised toward a glowing sphere of energy.

"BURST OPEN AND MIX!"

With a mighty roar, Cado hurled the Power Ball into the sky, its artificial moonlight bathing the battlefield in an eerie glow. Almost instantly, his body convulsed as a primal energy surged through him. His muscles bulged, his teeth elongated, and his eyes glowed red as his form began to expand at an alarming rate.

The others watched in awe and terror as Cado's silhouette grew larger and larger, his roar shaking the very ground beneath them.

He was transforming.

Into an Oozaru.

Gohan stared up, his mouth slightly open as the sheer magnitude of Cado's transformation unfolded before him. The ground beneath them trembled as Cado's form expanded, his muscles swelling, his eyes glowing a menacing red. The once calm sky now crackled with tension, illuminated by the eerie glow of the Power Ball floating above.

"H-He's huge…" Gohan muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.

Piccolo crossed his arms, his expression unreadable as he kept his gaze fixed on the transforming Saiyan. His sharp mind analyzed the situation instantly, and his lips tightened.

"Don't get too excited, kid," Piccolo said, his tone grim. "This… this is a desperate attempt."

Gohan looked up at him, confused. "Desperate?"

Piccolo nodded, narrowing his eyes. "Cado isn't doing this because he wants to—he's doing it because he thinks he has to. He knows we don't stand a chance against Frieza as we are… but I don't think it's gonna be enough."

Gohan's stomach twisted at the words, but he didn't deny them. The overwhelming power Frieza exuded made it hard to believe anything could take him down.

A distance away, Krillin clenched his fists, watching in disbelief as Cado continued to grow in size. Beside him, Vegeta stood with his arms crossed, scowling. The Saiyan prince didn't look impressed—if anything, he looked troubled.

Krillin glanced at him. "W-What's wrong? I mean, this should be a good thing, right?"

Vegeta scoffed. "You fool. The fact that Cado is resorting to this means he doesn't see any other option. He's throwing everything he has into one last gamble." His eyes darkened. "If even he doesn't think we stand a chance, then we really are in trouble."

Krillin swallowed hard. He didn't like the sound of that.

Then, Vegeta's sharp gaze snapped to him. "Enough waiting around. Blast me."

Krillin nearly choked. "W-What?! Why would I—"

"Blast me, damn it!" Vegeta snarled, stepping forward. "I told you already, the only way I'm going to get strong enough to actually fight Frieza is if you put me on the brink of death so that Namekian brat can heal me. Do it."

Krillin hesitated, gripping his fists. He knew Vegeta was right—but that didn't make it any easier.

Meanwhile, Frieza's wicked laughter rang across the battlefield as he floated in the sky, arms casually crossed as he watched Cado's transformation unfold. The emperor's lips curled into a cruel smirk, his tail flicking with amusement.

"My, my, what a show! I have to admit, I almost admire your determination," Frieza mocked, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "But tell me, little monkey—why, out of all the things you could have done, would you bank on such a worthless form?"

His laughter boomed louder, his eyes gleaming with sadistic delight.

"Did you really think that growing bigger would make you any less pathetic?"

Cado roared in fury, his massive Oozaru fist crashing down toward Frieza with enough force to shatter mountains. But in an instant, Frieza raised a single hand, stopping the strike dead in its tracks. The sheer force of the impact sent shockwaves across the battlefield, yet Frieza didn't budge an inch.

"What an absolute waste of energy," Frieza sighed, shaking his head as if disappointed. Then, before Cado could react, the tyrant vanished.

BOOM!

A devastating blow struck Cado in the stomach, making the massive ape double over in agony.

CRACK!

A second strike to the jaw sent him staggering backward, his enormous frame shaking the very ground beneath them.

SLAM!

Frieza darted around him with terrifying speed, delivering a vicious barrage of kicks and punches to the Oozaru's body, each attack sending shockwaves through the air. Cado tried to retaliate, swinging wildly, but Frieza dodged with ease, his movements fluid, effortless.

"Oh dear, is this really all the mighty Saiyans have to offer?" Frieza taunted, floating just out of reach. He tilted his head mockingly. "Your father spoke of a warrior of legend—an unstoppable force that would rise to challenge me. Surely he didn't mean you?"

Cado growled, his blood boiling. He lunged forward again, only for Frieza to slip past his defenses and slam a glowing finger into his gut.

BOOM!

A point-blank Death Beam tore through Cado's stomach, sending the giant ape crashing into the ground, howling in pain.

Meanwhile, Krillin watched in horror. He clenched his fists, his mind racing. There was only one way—they had to risk it. With a determined glare, he turned to Vegeta, who was still watching the fight with an unreadable expression.

Without hesitation, Krillin fired a blast straight into Vegeta's chest. The explosion sent the Saiyan prince flying, smoke rising from his scorched armor.

Gohan and Piccolo spun around in shock as Krillin landed next to them, panting. Dende, now kneeling beside Piccolo, tensed up when he saw Vegeta's broken body lying motionless nearby.

"Krillin, what are you doing?!" Gohan exclaimed.

"He's trying to make Vegeta stronger," Piccolo muttered, eyes narrowing. "Saiyans get stronger after recovering from near death."

Krillin turned to Dende. "You have to heal him!"

Dende's eyes widened in horror. "No! That monster killed my people! He and that other Saiyan—Cado—they're both murderers! Why should I save him?"

Piccolo placed a firm hand on Dende's shoulder, his tone calm yet commanding. "Because we need him."

Dende hesitated, looking back at Vegeta's unconscious form. His hands trembled, but he could see the urgency in their eyes. If they had any chance against Frieza…

Reluctantly, he raised his hands and began to heal Vegeta.

Back on the battlefield, Frieza loomed over Cado's fallen form, chuckling darkly. "Is that it? No final words? No last desperate attack?" He sighed. "Pathetic. I expected at least some entertainment from you monkeys."

He lifted a single finger, a bright glow forming at the tip.

"Now, die."