Boom!
Rayden was struck in the chest by a crushing punch from Giant Ape Vegeta.
"Ahhh!"
He coughed up blood mid-air and was sent flying.
Crash!
He landed hard, the impact sending up a massive cloud of dust. Before he could recover, the giant ape roared and lunged forward, stomping down with brutal force.
Boom~!
The earth quaked as Rayden was driven into the ground, a deep crater forming beneath him.
Then, Giant Ape Vegeta opened his enormous mouth, gathering a glowing sphere of energy in preparation for a final, devastating blast.
---
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Suddenly, Son Gohan looked up at the artificial moon. His heart began racing. His body trembled—and started to grow.
"Roar~!"
From a distance, another giant ape appeared—just like Vegeta.
Son Gohan had transformed into a Great Ape too.
Blinded by instinct, Gohan rampaged, lashing out without distinction. He immediately began attacking Krillin and Yamcha.
"Gohan!" Krillin shouted, narrowly dodging a blast. "Vegeta is over there! Go beat him up!"
Perhaps it was his lingering human consciousness—or just luck—but the giant ape Gohan ceased attacking his allies and turned toward Vegeta instead. He launched several energy blasts from his mouth.
Giant Ape Vegeta was forced to stop his attack on Rayden. He growled, slammed his fists against his chest, and met Gohan's charge head-on.
In moments, the two giant apes were locked in a brutal clash, fists slamming and stomping, carving deep pits into the battlefield.
Rayden, recovering from his injuries, pulled out a Senzu Bean and ate it. His wounds healed instantly.
Krillin and Yamcha flew to his side.
"Cut off the tail!" Yamcha suggested. "That's how you break the transformation!"
Krillin nodded quickly. "Let's coordinate a plan!"
---
Boom! Boom!
"You damn brat!" Vegeta growled, landing a crushing kick that sent Gohan sprawling.
Vegeta then opened his jaws again and fired another powerful energy cannon.
Boom!
Gohan was hit directly and crashed into the ground, unable to fight any longer.
Rayden, Krillin, and Yamcha were still strategizing when a golden cloud streaked through the sky.
"Nimbus!"
Son Goku had arrived.
"Goku! You made it!" Krillin shouted, visibly relieved.
Goku's expression darkened as he looked around. "Where's everyone else?"
Krillin's face turned somber. "They're all gone. Piccolo, Tien Shinhan, Chiaotzu... all killed by the Saiyans. Gohan's down too. And that giant ape is Vegeta!"
"I see..." Goku's fists clenched. "I was too late."
He glanced at Piccolo's motionless body and gritted his teeth. If Piccolo was dead, Kami was gone too. And without Kami... the Dragon Balls were now useless.
"Piccolo, Tien, Chiaotzu... I'll avenge you."
"Be careful," Yamcha warned. "That thing is insane."
Rayden gave a nod. "Let's see what your year of training has accomplished, Goku."
"Kakarot... You've come," the giant ape rumbled, glaring down at him.
A strange familiarity stirred within Vegeta.
"Hrrrrah!" Goku screamed, igniting a red aura as he activated Kaio-Ken.
He immediately launched a blast of energy at the massive ape.
But Vegeta, despite his size, wasn't sluggish. He raised his giant hand and swatted the energy blast away like a mosquito.
Whoosh!
Goku didn't flinch. He darted forward and punched Vegeta square in the face.
No effect.
"Kakarot," Vegeta chuckled. "Was that supposed to hurt?"
With that, the massive ape retaliated. Goku tried to dodge, but he was caught in the overwhelming attack and flung away, spitting blood mid-flight.
Yet the pain only fueled Goku's fighting spirit.
He pulled out a Senzu Bean—one of the last two given to him by Korin—and swallowed it.
"Double Kaio-Ken!"
Roar!
Vegeta fired an energy cannon from his mouth again.
Whoosh!
Goku narrowly dodged, his body moving on instinct.
Vegeta laughed. "You're quick, I'll give you that."
Goku landed, panting. "Even with double Kaio-Ken... I'm not fast enough... not strong enough."
But he wasn't done.
"Even if it breaks my body—I have to go further!"
With a fierce cry, he tore off his shirt.
He popped the final Senzu Bean into his mouth.
"No turning back now!"
"Triple Kaio-Ken!"
From King Kai's planet, the old god watched in alarm.
"No, Goku! Your body can't handle it!"
"This might be too much..."
But Goku pushed forward, roaring with determination. His aura flared violently.
Across from him, Vegeta's energy also spiked. He refused to be surpassed by a "low-level warrior."
Goku cupped his hands at his side, forming the familiar calyx of energy.
"Kamehameha!"
Vegeta responded with a massive cannon from his mouth.
The blasts collided mid-air in an explosive clash of energy.
"Kakarot! Let's see you block this!" Vegeta taunted, pushing his attack harder.
"Aaaahhh!" Goku shouted, fighting back with everything he had.
The beams remained locked, crackling with unstable power. Then—Goku roared again.
"Quadruple Kaio-Ken! No—Quintuple Kaio-Ken!"
The blast suddenly pushed Vegeta's beam back.
"What?!"
Vegeta's eyes widened. He barely managed to leap away as the beam grazed him.
Boom!
The sky exploded.
Though he avoided the direct hit, Vegeta was now covered in wounds.
"This... This can't be happening," he stammered. "I'm the prince of all Saiyans! How can this... low-class warrior... be stronger than me?!"
Enraged, the giant ape lunged again.
Goku met him with Triple Kaio-Ken, and they exchanged blows.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Die!" Vegeta shouted, slamming his fist toward Goku.
"Ahh!"
Goku was knocked back again. But mid-air, he grinned, cupped his hands, and activated one of Tien's techniques:
"Solar Flare!"
A flash of blinding light lit the battlefield.
"Agh! My eyes! What... is this?!" Vegeta cried, staggering.
Taking advantage of the moment, Goku unleashed a barrage of fierce attacks.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The giant ape flailed blindly, unable to hit back effectively.
Finally, Goku kicked him high into the sky and prepared another blast.
"Kamehameha!"
Vegeta, blinking rapidly as his vision returned, raised both hands and blocked the blast.
Then—something strange happened.
His massive body began to shrink.
"Wh-what's happening?!"
He looked around. The artificial moon he had created was gone.
"No! The light's gone out! Damn it!"
He realized what had happened.
"This battle... has gone on too long."
Without the moon's energy, the transformation ended. Vegeta shrank back to his normal form—bloodied, worn out, and weak.
Son Goku, still using Kaio-Ken, descended on him.
Boom!
Vegeta was blasted out of the sky and slammed into the ground.
Crash!
His body lay motionless, battered and broken. He had completely lost the ability to fight.
"Damn it... Damn it all!" Vegeta growled through clenched teeth.
Rayden flew over with Gohan, Krillin, and Yamcha.
"Goku, that was amazing!" Krillin exclaimed. "You really took him down!"
Yamcha nodded, impressed. "I can't believe how strong you've gotten in just one year."
Goku scratched his head, smiling sheepishly. "He was already weakened... If you guys hadn't injured him, I might not have won."
He looked toward Rayden and gave him a grateful glance.
Rayden smiled in return, then spoke to the system in his mind.
"System, check Son Goku's combat power."
"Ding!"
> Son Goku:
Combat Power: 24,794
Bloodline: Saiyan
Note: Reached near-death in battle with Vegeta and consumed 2 Senzu Beans.
Øóffer going on for diamond tier
pàtreøn (Gk31)