The golden light emanating from Goku's body cast long shadows across the devastated wasteland.
His transformation had completed, leaving him completely changed.
His once black hair now stood upright in golden spikes, his eyes had shifted from onyx to teal, burning with an inner light that promised retribution.
The golden aura surrounding him pulsed like a heartbeat, sending waves of energy across the battlefield with each throb.
Cooler stood frozen, his remaining arm hanging limply at his side as he stared at the transformed Saiyan. For the first time since arriving on Earth, genuine uncertainty flickered across his face.
"What... what is this?" he demanded, his cultured voice cracking slightly. "What have you become?"
Goku didn't answer immediately. He looked down at his hands, examining them as if seeing them for the first time.
Power coursed through his veins like liquid fire, yet his mind remained clear - clearer than it had ever been. Every sense was heightened, every thought crystalline in its precision.
"I am Saiyan from Earth who's home you've invaded," Goku finally replied his voice deeper, harder than before. "I am the warrior you've heard of in Legends..."
He raised his gaze to meet Cooler's, his teal eyes burning with cold fury.
"I am pure of heart and awakened by fury- that's what I am. " His aura flared brighter with each proclamation. "I AM-"
The ground beneath Goku's feet began to crack, fissures spreading outward like a spider's web. Small rocks rose into the air around him, suspended by the sheer force of his energy.
"THE SUPER SAIYAN!" His voice rose, the golden aura expanding further. "SON GOKU!"
With a roar that shook the very air, Goku thrust his palm forward.
A wave of pure ki erupted from his hand - not a beam or blast, but a wall of force that struck Cooler like a tsunami.
The demon, still stunned by the transformation, had no time to defend himself.
The impact sent Cooler hurtling backward, his body carving a trench through the earth as he tumbled uncontrollably across the wasteland.
He crashed through rock formations, each impact splintering stone before finally embedding into the side of a distant mountain.
Goku lowered his hand, his expression grim. His immediate concern wasn't Cooler but his fallen comrades. He turned, scanning the battlefield with his enhanced senses.
Piccolo lay face-down where Cooler had left him, his body paralyzed but still alive. Not far away, Vegeta's broken form was barely recognizable, his armor shattered, his body covered in severe burns.
Moving with a speed that would have been impossible before his transformation, Goku appeared at Piccolo's side. He gently rolled the Namekian over, noting how Cooler has paralysed him.
"Piccolo," he said softly, "can you hear me?"
The Namekian's eyes struggled to focus. "G-Goku? What... happened to you?"
"I've become what Vegeta always talked about," Goku replied simply, his tone broking no further questions, searching Piccolo's gi. "Where's the Senzu pouch?"
With tremendous effort, Piccolo managed to move his eyes toward his belt. "Inner... pocket."
Goku found the small brown pouch and opened it. Four beans remained. He took one and gently placed it in Piccolo's mouth.
"Chew," he instructed.
The Namekian complied, and within moments the healing properties of the bean took effect. Color returned to Piccolo's green skin, and he sat up, flexing his fingers as sensation returned to his limbs.
"Your power..." Piccolo began, his eyes wide as he fully registered Goku's transformation. "It's unlike anything I've ever felt from you before."
"There's no time," Goku cut him off, already moving toward Vegeta. "Cooler won't stay down for long."
The Saiyan prince lay in a crater of his own making, his breathing shallow and labored. Burns covered most of his visible skin, and his right arm bent at an unnatural angle. Blood pooled beneath him, soaking into the parched earth.
Goku knelt beside him, gently cradling Vegeta's head. Despite their year together in the Hyperbolic Time Chamber, he'd never seen the proud prince look so vulnerable- even from the beatings that he himself bestowed him.
"Vegeta," he called softly. "Can you hear me?"
Vegeta's eyes fluttered open, unfocused at first before settling on Goku's transformed visage. To Goku's surprise, a weak laugh escaped the prince's bloodied lips.
"Kakarot," he rasped, each word clearly causing him pain. "It seems... You were right... I didn't understand the legend... but you did."
"Don't waste your energy talking," Goku said, reaching for the remaining Senzu bean.
"You've done it," Vegeta continued, ignoring the instruction. "You're a Super Saiyan... the savior of our race."
His eyes burned with an intensity that belied his broken body. "The legend... I... misunder-"
Goku held the Senzu bean to Vegeta's lips. "Here. Eat this." he interrupted.
The prince stopped talking and accepted the bean, chewing it slowly. As the healing began to take effect, his expression shifted from pain to wonder.
"All these years," he murmured, sitting up as his wounds closed and bones knitted themselves back together. "I thought becoming a Super Saiyan was my birthright... that royal blood was the key."
He flexed his newly healed arm, staring at it as if it belonged to someone else. "But it was never about that, was it... It seems I was wrong my entire life... "
Piccolo approached, his tall figure casting a shadow over the two Saiyans. "We need to move quickly. If Cooler recovers-"
"He won't be a problem anymore," Goku interrupted, standing up. He tucked the Senzu pouch into his belt. "I'll make sure of that."
Piccolo's eyes narrowed. "Goku, you're injured. Why aren't you taking a Senzu bean yourself?"
"I'll do that later," Goku replied, his voice distant. The golden aura around him pulsed, sending another wave of energy across the battlefield.
"But your injuries-" Piccolo began to protest.
"It's useless," Vegeta interrupted, rising to his feet. "You won't convince Kakarot otherwise."
His eyes remained fixed on Goku's transformed state, a mixture of awe and acceptance in his gaze. "Besides, there's no need to worry. Kakarot is now the mightiest being in the universe. He's unstoppable."
Something in Vegeta's tone - a note of finality, perhaps - made Piccolo study Goku more carefully.
Behind the golden glow and teal eyes, there was something different about the Saiyan's expression. Something harder, colder than the Goku they knew.
Goku turned to them, raising a hand in a gesture that seemed almost like farewell. A sad smile crossed his face, there and gone in an instant.
Then, with a burst of speed that left a golden afterimage hanging in the air, he vanished.
Piccolo and Vegeta stood in silence, watching the golden streak disappear into the distance.
"Should we follow him?" Piccolo finally asked.
Vegeta shook his head slowly. "No. This is between Kakarot and Cooler now."
"But Goku isn't himself. Did you see his eyes?"
"I saw," Vegeta confirmed grimly. "The legend speaks of this too. The rage... All we can hope is that Kakarot's fate isn't like his ancestor. That his own power doesn't destroy him- and all of us with it..."
---------------------------
Miles away, Cooler was extracting himself from the mountain where Goku's attack had embedded him.
Purple blood flowed freely from the stump where his arm had been, and new injuries covered his body. His breathing came in ragged gasps, his once-perfect composure shattered.
"Impossible," he muttered, spitting out a mouthful of blood. "No Saiyan could possess such power. It defies all logic, all-"
A flash of golden light interrupted his thoughts. Goku appeared before him, hovering a few feet off the ground, his aura casting harsh shadows across Cooler's battered form.
"Get up," Goku commanded, his voice unnervingly calm.
Cooler struggled to his feet, his legs trembling with the effort. "What are you?" he demanded, trying to regain some semblance of dignity. "What is this golden form?"
"I am a Super Saiyan," Goku replied, repeating his earlier answer, his teal eyes boring into Cooler's red ones. "And I am your executioner."
Without warning, Goku shot forward, his fist connecting with Cooler's jaw before the frost demon could even register the movement.
The impact sent Cooler flying backward again, crashing through several rock formations before Goku appeared behind him, delivering a devastating kick to his spine.
Cooler howled in pain as he was launched skyward. Goku pursued, appearing above him with hands clasped together, bringing them down in a hammer blow that sent Cooler plummeting back to earth.
The crater from his impact was massive, dust and debris billowing outward like a miniature nuclear explosion.
Before the dust could settle, Goku descended into the crater, grabbing Cooler by the throat and lifting him with one hand.
"How does it feel?" Goku asked, his voice eerily controlled despite the fury evident in his eyes. "To be completely outmatched? To know your death is inevitable?"
Cooler struggled against Goku's grip, his remaining hand clawing uselessly at the Saiyan's arm. "You... you think this changes anything?" he gasped. "You're still just a monkey... a primitive beast playing with power you don't understand."
Goku's grip tightened, cutting off Cooler's air supply momentarily before loosening just enough to allow him to breathe. "I understand enough. I understand that you killed my friend. That you're responsible for countless deaths across the universe."
He threw Cooler aside like trash, watching dispassionately as the demon crashed into another rock formation. "And I understand that you're going to pay for every single one of them."
Cooler struggled to his feet once more, purple blood streaming from numerous wounds. Despite his injuries, a cold smile spread across his face. "Such righteous anger," he taunted. "Such moral superiority. Tell me, Super Saiyan, does it make you feel better to pretend your vengeance is justice?"
"Shut up, spare me the moral," Goku snarled, closing the distance between them in an instant. His fist buried itself in Cooler's stomach, doubling the frost demon over. "You don't get to talk about justice."
Cooler coughed, more blood spattering the ground, but his smile remained. "Why not? Because I'm evil and you're good? How simplistic."
He managed to straighten slightly, looking Goku directly in the eyes. "At least I'm honest about what I am. I don't pretend my violence is righteous."
Goku's response was another devastating blow, this one to Cooler's face. The frost demon's head snapped back, but he continued speaking through broken teeth.
"Look at yourself," Cooler wheezed. "The peaceful warrior I sensed upon arrival, so consumed by rage he can barely think straight. How many will you kill after me, Saiyan? How many lives will you end after this rage consumes you, like it did your primitive predecessor?"
'I need to buy time- this monkey, I sensed it, since the moment I arrived on this mud ball. He's too pure- too righteous, and forgiving. It permeated the entire planet when his energy enveloped it.'
'He even offered me leave, and did not wish to fight me. This one is also an abomination like those two, but he's one that is a contradiction to what a monkey is- an ape who wouldn't want to hurt even a fly.
'If I can just buy ti-'
"I said SHUT UP!" Goku roared, interrupted Cooler's thoughts, his golden aura flaring brighter.
He unleashed a barrage of punches, each impact creating a shockwave that cracked the very air around them.
Cooler's body jerked and twisted under the assault, yet somehow he remained conscious, his red eyes never leaving Goku's face.
"Does it bother you?" Cooler managed between blows. "That in your heart, you're enjoying this? That inflicting pain feels good?"
Goku's fist stopped a millimeter from Cooler's face, trembling with restrained force. "You're wrong," he growled, but there was a flicker of uncertainty in his teal eyes.
Cooler's bloody lips curved into a triumphant smile. "Am I? Then why not just kill me? Why draw it out? Why make me suffer?"
The question hung in the air between them, unanswered. Goku's fist slowly lowered, his expression troubled.
Taking advantage of the momentary hesitation, Cooler gathered his remaining strength and launched a surprise attack - a Death Beam aimed directly at Goku's heart. The red energy streaked toward the Saiyan, who made no move to dodge.
The beam struck Goku's chest and dissipated harmlessly, not even singing his gi. Cooler's eyes widened in disbelief.
"My turn," Goku said softly.
What followed was not a battle but a systematic dismantling. Goku moved, targeting every vulnerable point on Cooler's body.
Each strike was calculated to cause maximum pain without knocking the frost demon unconscious.
Cooler's attempts to fight back were futile. His energy blasts bounced off Goku's aura like raindrops.
His physical attacks were intercepted and countered. Even his speed, once his greatest advantage, was now meaningless against Goku's enhanced perception.
Throughout the one-sided battle, Goku remained eerily silent.
The only sounds were Cooler's pained grunts and the thunder-like impacts of Goku's fists against the frost demon's increasingly battered body.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of punishment, Cooler collapsed to the ground, unable to rise again.
His once-pristine bio-armor was shattered in dozens of places, purple blood pooling beneath him. His breathing came in ragged gasps, each inhalation clearly causing him agony.
Goku stood over him, his golden aura casting harsh shadows across Cooler's broken form. Despite the intensity of the battle, Goku showed few signs of fatigue. His breathing was even, his stance relaxed but alert.
For a long moment, neither spoke. Then, slowly, deliberately, Goku reached into his gi and pulled out the Senzu bean pouch.
He opened it, extracting a bean and holding it up for Cooler to see.
"Do you know what this is?" Goku asked, his voice unnervingly calm.
Cooler's swollen eyes fixed on the small green bean. "A healing... i- item of some kind I... reason," he rasped. "I sensed y- your friends recover. Th- there's no... othe...r purpose... for you to- have it."
Goku nodded. "This bean can heal any injury. No matter how severe. It could save your life, restore you completely."
A flicker of hope - quickly suppressed - passed across Cooler's face. "And... why would... you offer me such... mercy?"
Goku's expression hardened. "Mercy? No. This isn't mercy." He crouched down, bringing the bean closer to Cooler's face. "I'll give you this bean if you beg. Beg for your pathetic life. Apologize for all your sins and evils. Beg like the mad dog you are for mercy, and I'll let you live."
Cooler stared at Goku for a long moment, his red eyes searching the Saiyan's teal ones. Then, unexpectedly, he began to laugh - a pained, wheezing sound that nevertheless held genuine amusement.
The laughter grew, becoming almost hysterical despite the obvious agony it caused him. Blood bubbled from his lips with each exhalation, yet he couldn't seem to stop.
Goku's expression darkened. With a snarl of frustration, he kicked Cooler's prone form, sending the frost demon rolling across the ground until he crashed against a boulder.
"What's so funny?" Goku demanded, stalking toward him. "ANSWER ME!"
Cooler's laughter subsided into pained chuckles. He spat out a mouthful of blood before replying.
"You've already... made up... your mind," he said, his voice weak but clear. "Y- You decided my fate ten... minutes ago, when you turned into this... golden thing. There's no... point in begging and... humiliating myself only to die... anyway."
He managed to raise his head slightly, meeting Goku's gaze defiantly. "No, if I'm going... to die, I'll die with... my head held... high."
Fury contorted Goku's features. He closed the distance between them in an instant, grabbing Cooler by the throat and lifting him off the ground.
"You don't get to die with honor!" he snarled, shaking the frost demon violently. "Not after what you've done! You're going to beg! You're going to apologize for the lives you've taken!"
He threw Cooler to the ground and began stomping on him, each impact creating a small crater beneath the frost demon's body. "BEG!" Goku roared. "APOLOGIZE!"
Despite the renewed assault, Cooler continued to laugh - a broken, gurgling sound punctuated by coughs of blood. "I've won," he gasped between blows. "In a way... I've won."
Goku stopped, breathing heavily, his golden aura fluctuating with his emotions. "What are you talking about?"
With tremendous effort, Cooler pushed himself up onto his elbow, his broken body trembling with the strain. "From the moment I... arrived," he wheezed, "I sensed you. I've never... felt a calmer, more peaceful... more righteous... energy in the universe. It made me... sick."
He coughed, more blood spattering the ground, but his eyes remained fixed on Goku's. "But look at you now. A savage... A- A creature of destruction and death."
With a final surge of strength, Cooler lunged forward, grabbing the front of Goku's gi with his remaining hand. "LIKE ME!" he shouted, his face inches from Goku's. "YOU'RE JUST LIKE ME NOW!"
The words hit Goku like a physical blow. For a split second, his aura flickered, his eyes widening in shock.
Then rage consumed him once more. With a roar that shook the heavens, Goku grabbed Cooler's wrist, breaking his grip on the gi. In one fluid motion, he hurled the frost demon skyward with all his might.
"Shut the hell up and die already!" Goku roared.
As Cooler's broken body tumbled through the air, Goku cupped his hands at his side, gathering his ki for his signature technique.
"KA... ME..."
Blue energy swirled between his palms, far more intense than any Kamehameha he'd ever performed. The ground beneath him cracked and cratered from the pressure alone.
"HA... ME..."
The energy compressed, becoming blindingly bright. Goku's entire body trembled with the effort of containing it, his muscles bulging against the fabric of his gi.
"HAAAAAAA!"
The beam that erupted from his hands was massive - a column of blue-white energy that illuminated the entire region. It streaked upward, engulfing Cooler's tumbling form completely.
Caught in the heart of the energy wave, Cooler made no attempt to escape. Instead, he spread his arms wide, embracing his destruction.
His laughter, somehow audible even above the roar of the Kamehameha, echoed across the wasteland.
"WE'RE THE SAME!" he screamed as the beam carried him higher and higher, out of Earth's atmosphere, past the moon, beyond the planets.
"REMEMBER THIS MOMENT, SUPER SAIYAN! REMEMBER WHEN YOU BECAME LIKE ME! WHAT YOU HATE! I'LL TAKE THIS VICTORY WITH ME TO HELL AND WAIT FOR YOU THERE! HAHAHAHA!"
The Kamehameha continued its journey through space, pushing Cooler's broken body toward a distant star.
When they finally connected, the resulting explosion was visible even from Earth - a brief, brilliant flash that momentarily outshone every other celestial body.
And then, silence.
Goku stood alone in the crater his attack had created, his hands still extended, his breathing ragged. Slowly, he lowered his arms, staring at his trembling hands as if seeing them for the first time.
Cooler was gone. Vaporized completely to Goku's senses, his existence erased from the universe. The threat was over.
Earth was safe.
Goku looked down at his shaking hands.
With a troubled expression, Goku took to the sky, flying back toward where he'd left Vegeta and Piccolo.
The golden aura of the Super Saiyan continued to blaze around him.
---------------------------
(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all enjoyed the chapter!
So, finally Cooler's defeated.
And Goku's a Super Saiyan.
You're probably wondering- what the hell was Cooler on about? Let's just say, he wanted to have the last laugh, and knowing Goku's peaceful nature from arrival, decided he wanted to give him a final middle finger, and say this.
Also, Goku's Super Saiyan here was even more vicious than on Namek- that's intentional. After that blow to his head from Toji, resurfaced quite the Saiyan instincts. But he'll still always be Goku, no worries about that.
Well, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter... I need sleep...
Bye!)