Nappa's fear gradually faded, and he shifted all of his anger onto Krillin and the others opposite him.
"Damn it! I'm gonna grind all five of you into the dirt!" Nappa roared, energy surging out of him.
The huge wave of power shook the whole area violently.
"Tien, my psychic power doesn't work on him!" Chiaotzu cried.
"What a terrifying guy…" Krillin said in a low voice.
"H–How powerful is he…" Piccolo's whole body was shaking, his green face even paler than usual.
Gohan was practically scared into wetting himself. He couldn't even make a sound.
"Who wants to die first?" Nappa's body flared with bright light as he laughed wildly.
Then, without the slightest hesitation, he charged straight at Piccolo and the others.
In a flash, Nappa was right in front of Tien.
Tien's three eyes went wide. Almost instinctively, he raised his arm to block.
"Bang!"
Nappa's fist crashed forward.
"Move!" Piccolo shouted.
Crack!
Tien's arm was blown off on the spot by Nappa's punch.
"Ahhhh—!"
Tien let out a howl of agony as blood sprayed from the stump like a fountain.
Krillin was stunned.
Gohan trembled even harder, a deep seed of fear planted in his young heart.
"Tien!" Chiaotzu screamed.
"Hmph. Pathetic," Vegeta snorted, a mocking smile on his face.
"That's one down. Get ready to die," Nappa grinned, lifting his fist high, ready to punch Tien to death.
Didn't you say you weren't going to interfere?
You almost killed me with a fart just now.
If Broly isn't stepping in, that means he doesn't care that much about these guys.
No need to show mercy.
And hey, someone already died earlier, didn't they?
Looks like as long as I don't verbally trash-talk Ken, I'm fine.
Just as Nappa was about to punch Tien to death, Tien suddenly shot into the air.
"You bastard!" Tien roared, forcing himself to endure the agony of his severed arm.
If Tien were a little better with words, every curse in existence would be pouring out of his mouth right now.
"Hmph." Nappa chuckled lightly and immediately shot up as well, appearing right in front of Tien.
Tien flinched.
After venting some of his anger, Nappa's heart had calmed down a bit. He realized if he killed Tien with a single punch, he might piss Broly off and get hit with another fart.
Better test the waters first.
"Bang!"
Nappa didn't use much power. He lightly kicked Tien, knocking him out of the sky.
Tien plummeted to the ground, crashed into it, bounced once, then landed face-down again.
Chiaotzu's soul almost left his body. He cried out again and again, his face filled with worry.
Gritting his teeth, Tien struggled back to his feet, his body shaking wildly as he seethed with humiliation and frustration.
"Stubborn little cockroach. Still breathing, huh?" Nappa said with a mocking smile.
"Ah…" Gohan trembled violently. He still hadn't recovered from his fear.
"What an enormous power…" Piccolo muttered.
Watching this, even Merus could hardly bear to look.
Ken didn't step in to save them.
This was their experience to gain.
Ken could protect them for a while, but he couldn't protect them for life.
Once Goku and Vegeta both left Earth, who would protect this world?
They simply had to grow up as fast as possible. Their ceiling might not end up very high, but—
These experiences would become the greatest treasure of their lives.
Besides, at this level of battle, even if they died, Ken could bring them back from the underworld.
As long as the soul remained, an angel could revive them.
From an angel's perspective, true death was the disappearance of the soul.
If just the body was gone, that didn't count as death.
"I really should drag him off to the Galactic Prison," Merus said darkly.
"Merus, your dad sent you to the Galactic Prison to train, not to haul people in," Ken sighed, looking at him.
Merus didn't respond.
"Your dad wants you to gain a deeper understanding of good and evil in the universe through your time with the Galactic Patrol and the prison. That way you can refine your angel power to be more pure. After all, angels are condensed from the essence of the universe itself. The more refined it is, the stronger you'll become," Ken said with a smile.
"You're not wrong," Merus replied with a stiff smile.
I understand the theory.
You don't need to lecture me that much.
The two of them turned their eyes back to the projected fight.
As for Bulma, she'd already run back to her room to do research.
"You bastard!" Krillin shouted, rushing toward Tien.
"Leave him. He's done for," Piccolo barked.
"You're an even bigger bastard!" Krillin snapped back, sprinting past Piccolo without a second's hesitation.
"Busybody," Nappa snorted. He casually waved a hand, sending an invisible blast of energy straight at the ground in front of Krillin.
"Rumble!"
In the blink of an eye, a deep black crater opened right where Krillin had been about to step.
He almost peed himself. Luckily, he dodged just in time. Otherwise he would've been dead.
"That hole looks bottomless… just how strong is his energy?" Piccolo shivered.
Krillin took a deep breath, then suddenly realized Chiaotzu was nowhere to be seen. "Where's Chiaotzu? Where'd he go? Did he get killed?" he cried.
"W–What did you say?" Tien's face twisted, his voice breaking.
"Nappa, behind you," Vegeta laughed, kindly giving him a heads up.
"Hm?" Nappa blinked, not understanding what was going on.
Chiaotzu shot in from behind and latched onto Nappa's back like a sticky piece of gum, clinging to him tightly.
"Chiaotzu!" Krillin yelled, an awful feeling rising in his chest.
Tien's face shifted again and again.
"Hmph, you little runt, get off!" Nappa reached back with both hands, but his arms were too short. No matter how he grabbed, he couldn't pry Chiaotzu loose.
"What are you doing, Chiaotzu?!" Tien shouted, his voice hoarse. "Let go of him!"
"Goodbye, Tien. Don't you dare die," Chiaotzu's voice shook with grim resolve.
"Wait… are you—" Tien suddenly realized what he meant to do.
Chiaotzu was smiling. Tears slipped from the corners of his eyes.
"Don't do this, Chiaotzu!" Tien screamed in despair.
"Boom!"
Without hesitation, Chiaotzu self-destructed.
Krillin was frozen.
Piccolo's face twisted in shock.
Gohan's terror only grew deeper.
Vegeta just smirked in contempt.
Watching Chiaotzu gradually fade away in the sky, Tien's pupils shrank. His grief and fury hit the absolute limit.
Unfortunately, Tien wasn't a Saiyan.
"Chiaotzu!" Tien cried helplessly up at the sky.
"What a brave kid, taking the enemy with him," Piccolo murmured with a faint smile.
But as soon as the words left his mouth, his smile slowly froze.
The smoke in the sky dispersed, revealing Nappa's untouched body.
"Heh heh. You don't understand our terror at all. Aside from Saiyans themselves, Earthlings can't even scratch us," Nappa said with a cold grin. "I'll finish off that three-eyed brat, then take my time with the rest of you. I'm going to crush you one by one."
"H–How is he completely fine…?" Krillin was terrified. "This is insane. Chiaotzu gave his life…"
"Broly… could seriously injure him with a fart. The gap between us and that guy is way too big," Piccolo said, his expression growing heavier.
"Chiaotzu's already been revived once with the Dragon Balls. He can't be brought back again," Tien said, his body shaking violently, determination burning in his eyes. "I'll never forgive you!"
"Three-Eyes, I'll send you to the other world to join your little friend soon. You should be thanking me," Nappa laughed.
"Listen. Right when he attacks, he has a brief opening. We'll wait for that moment," Piccolo whispered to Krillin and Gohan, quickly outlining his plan.
"What a brilliant little plan. Good luck out there," Vegeta said with a mocking smile.
Piccolo glanced back at Vegeta, but said nothing.
"That's better. Just standing around doing nothing would be boring," Vegeta chuckled.
"Laugh while you can. Once Goku gets here, that smile's done," Piccolo snorted.
"Oh? Son Goku? You mean Kakarot? Why hasn't he shown up yet? What's he hiding for?" Vegeta suddenly perked up. "Or is it that, after all this training, he still hasn't gained power beyond mine? If that's the case, he should just admit defeat now so fewer of you have to die."
"Vegeta is right," Merus said seriously, turning to Ken. "Shouldn't we hurry up and bring Goku back? That way all these people don't have to die."
"Merus, as an angel, do you really want to meddle in mortal affairs?" Ken sighed.
Merus: "…"
"Fine. I'll give you a chance. You go pick Goku up," Ken said.
"You're serious?" Merus blinked.
"Yeah. Go on. If you head to the entrance to Snake Way at the underworld of Universe 7 now, you'll catch him just as he arrives," Ken nodded. "By the time you get there, he'll be almost at the gate."
"You… you had me sit here eating this whole time just to wait for the right moment?" Merus finally understood.
"That's why you're my best friend. You get me," Ken said with a grin.
"Understood. I'll bring Goku back," Merus said solemnly, tapping his staff lightly on the ground.
Crack.
Merus flared with light as brilliant as the stars.
"I'm off, Ken," he called.
"Yeah, yeah, go," Ken waved.
Whoosh!
Merus shot into the starry sky and soon appeared in outer space.
As he flew, though, something started to feel off.
How did I turn into the one fetching your future Supreme Kai?
This doesn't feel right.
Shouldn't you be going yourself?
Glancing back at the shrinking Earth, Merus felt like crying inside.
I let you talk me into it again.
You've sweet-talked me so much I'm basically limping along behind you…
Ken, I really do admire you.
Ken had intended to have Merus collect Goku from the start.
It was a long way from here to Universe 7.
And Ken was too lazy to move.
Sending Merus to run errands was clearly the best option.
Ken turned his eyes back to the projection.
Nappa let out a roar, his face twisted with murderous intent, and dove toward Tien.
"Now!" Piccolo shouted.
"Right!" Krillin answered immediately.
Gohan's face went pale.
I'm not ready. Can't I have a little more time…
In a blur of motion, Piccolo and Krillin vanished.
In an instant, Piccolo appeared behind Nappa.
Tien, who had been about to unleash his full-power Tri-Beam, narrowed his eyes and quickly pulled his energy back.
"Bang!"
Piccolo's heavy punch smashed into Nappa's face, twisting his features out of shape and knocking him sideways.
Nappa's body flew off to the side.
Whoosh!
Krillin flashed above Nappa, clenched both fists, and hammered him with a heavy blow.
Nappa fell from the sky.
"Gohan, hurry, it's your turn!" Krillin yelled.
"Attack now!" Piccolo urged.
But when Piccolo took a closer look, he realized Gohan was still rooted to the spot, not even trying to move.
Gohan just stood there shaking, the shadow of fear in his little heart spreading wider and wider.
"Gohan!" Piccolo barked.
This useless brat.
I've trained you for so long and this is what I get?
Piccolo was furious that iron wouldn't turn into steel.
"I–It's scary… I'm scared…" Gohan shook his head over and over, drenched in cold sweat.
Krillin: "…"
Is this kid really Goku's son?
Did they swap babies at the hospital?
He's so timid.
When Goku was a kid, he was afraid of nothing.
"You little idiot!" Piccolo roared.
"Let's attack," Krillin said.
Piccolo and Krillin stopped hesitating and fired a blast of energy toward Nappa.
Nappa adjusted his body midair and dodged the attack.
"Damn," Piccolo muttered, frustrated.
"He dodged it. We missed the best opening," Krillin said, disappointed.
Nappa rubbed his aching face, his expression growing more and more vicious.
"Not bad. You did alright. I'll make sure to take my time with you and make you wish you were dead," Nappa said coldly, his eyes brimming with killing intent. "No need to kill you in order anymore. I'll start with you two."
"Chiaotzu, I'll avenge you. Wait for me. I won't let you be alone," Tien snarled, eyes bloodshot as he threw his right hand up.
He poured all his remaining energy into a Tri-Beam and fired it at Nappa.
Nappa flinched.
When his energy ran dry, Tien stared up at the unharmed Nappa in the sky and his heart sank completely.
"Phew…" Nappa let out a long breath. For a moment, he'd thought it was some terrifying technique, but it turned out to have no real follow-through.
"D–Damn…" Tien collapsed slowly to the ground and died.
"That idiot used up everything just to die for nothing," Vegeta snorted.
"Goku, hurry up and get here!" Krillin shouted in despair.
"Heh heh heh. Another one dead. Now it's your turn," Nappa said, smiling as he turned to Piccolo and Krillin. "Leave the Namekian called Piccolo alive. We need to ask him about the Dragon Balls."
"Piccolo… you think we can win?" Krillin asked from the corner of his eye.
"No," Piccolo answered without hesitation.
Krillin: "…"
His heart sank.
"I never thought they'd be this strong… I figured the other one would be about the same as Raditz at most… I underestimated them," Piccolo said grimly.
"It's over. This time we're really dead. I don't even have a girlfriend yet…" Krillin looked ready to cry.
"Let's take this to the ground," Piccolo said. "He's better at aerial combat than we are."
"Hmph. Makes no difference where we fight. You're just delaying the inevitable," Nappa laughed.
Krillin and Piccolo dropped from the sky and landed on the ground.
Nappa dove after them.
"Here he comes!" Krillin shouted.
"Dad!" Gohan covered his eyes and yelled.
"Nappa, wait," Vegeta called.
Nappa stopped in midair and turned to look back at Vegeta.
There was a brief silence.
"What is it, Prince Vegeta? Why stop me?" Nappa asked.
"Don't rush. I have questions for them," Vegeta said with a snort, smiling as he looked at Piccolo and the others. "The Son Goku you mentioned—is that Kakarot?"
"Yes… didn't Ken tell you before?" Krillin asked back.
"Where is he? How many people have to die before he shows himself?" Vegeta snapped.
"He must have his reasons! But he will come!" Krillin clenched his fists and yelled.
"You can't beat Goku," Piccolo said, brimming with confidence in him.
"Then why isn't he here yet? That low-class warrior could never defeat Prince Vegeta," Nappa scoffed. "Forget Prince Vegeta—someone like me, an elite warrior, is already beyond him. He must have run away…"
As Nappa spoke, he was about to bring up Ken's name.
But the moment he remembered how terrifying Broly was, he clamped his mouth shut and didn't dare say another word.
He didn't even dare mention Ken's name.
"He'll come! Dad will definitely come and defeat you!" Gohan shouted.
"You really trust him," Vegeta chuckled. "Ken once told me Kakarot would become my greatest rival in life. In that case, I'll wait here for him. I'll wait for him to show up."
"Are you kidding me, Vegeta?!" Nappa yelled. "He's not coming. If he was, he'd be here already. No way he'd leave us hanging this long. Don't do anything stupid. Let's finish them and get out of here. Don't forget, Broly is still on this planet!"
"Three hours. I'll wait three hours," Vegeta said, holding up three fingers. "No more."
"Three hours?!" Nappa shouted. "What can we even do in three hours? We've been sleeping nonstop up until today. My body's itching for a fight. Waiting is meaningless!"
With that, Nappa dove again.
"Time to play," Nappa said, readying himself to attack and ignoring Vegeta's decision.
"Nappa, are you disobeying me?" Vegeta's voice turned ice-cold.
Nappa snapped back to his senses and stopped short midair. His face went pale as he hurriedly apologized. "S–Sorry… I got carried away."
"That's enough. I've already extended your lives," Vegeta said with a smile, glancing at Krillin and the others. "Tell Ken I'm a pretty decent guy, yeah? I didn't wipe you out."
…
In the vast starry sky, Broly and Majin Buu sped through space.
"Hey, Broly, who're we fighting first?" Buu asked eagerly.
"We'll start with Universe 6," Broly said, having already chosen his first target as he pulled out Champa's card. "As long as they put their handprint on this card, it means they approve of me becoming the Great God of Destruction."
"Mhm, mhm," Buu nodded repeatedly. Then he asked, "Can I turn them into chocolate and eat them?"
"We don't know the rules of this fight yet. I don't know if we're allowed to kill Gods of Destruction," Broly shook his head.
"I wanna eat Gods of Destruction chocolate. Crunchy," Buu said, smacking his lips. As he spoke, he pulled out a piece of chocolate and popped it in his mouth, savoring it happily.
Broly: "…"
The two of them were still talking when—
Whoosh.
A figure suddenly appeared right in front of them, blocking their path.
When they saw who it was, Broly stopped immediately and knelt on one knee.
Buu scratched his head, then awkwardly dropped to his knees as well.
"Greetings, Grand Priest," Broly said.
Buu didn't say anything. He just kept bowing his head to the ground over and over.
[End of Chapter]
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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