Here's Raditz's eyes narrowed, confusion flashing across his battle-hardened face. The human before him—this man called Rudra—was walking toward him as though nothing had happened. Dust and smoke still hung in the air from the volley of energy blasts Raditz had just unleashed, blasts strong enough to vaporize mountains. Yet Rudra moved casually, his stride calm, his gaze steady, as though strolling through a garden.
Raditz snarled. Impossible. No human should be able to do this…
He roared and raised his hand. A swarm of blazing ki blasts shot outward, lighting the sky with streaks of burning gold. The earth trembled as the volleys struck, carving craters and sending shockwaves across the battlefield.
But every single blast passed through Rudra without leaving a mark.
Goku's mouth fell open. "What the—? He didn't even block!"
To Raditz, Earth and its people were nothing more than insects. He had seen planets crumble before the might of the Saiyans. But now, standing before him was a man whose power level barely reached two hundred—at least, according to his scouter—yet this human was ignoring attacks from Raditz that carried over four hundred in force.
Rage boiled inside the Saiyan warrior. "You dare mock me?!" Raditz screamed. He pulled both hands to his side, ki swirling violently as he charged a fully concentrated blast, his strongest attack so far. The air around him crackled as if reality itself strained under the pressure of his power.
He hurled it forward, a ball of destructive light large enough to swallow a city.
For the first time, Rudra stopped walking. He extended his hand toward the incoming blast. His calm expression didn't waver. With a steady breath, he whispered words unfamiliar to both Saiyans and Earthlings alike.
"Chakra Kavach (Chakra Shield)".
The colossal sphere of energy screamed through the air, shaking the ground, shattering rocks in its path—only to vanish the moment it reached Rudra's outstretched palm. Not explode. Not deflect. Simply disappear.
Piccolo's eyes widened in horror. That blast carried enough power to tear the Earth apart. If this mysterious man had failed, they would all be ash.
But Rudra stood untouched, surrounded by a faint shimmer, as though the air itself bent to protect him.
Raditz staggered back, disbelief etched across his face. "Impossible…! You didn't block, you didn't dodge—you… absorbed it?!"
The truth was beyond his comprehension. Rudra had tapped into something alien to ki itself: the natural energy of life and the world around him. For him, absorbing Raditz's destructive energy was nothing more than a warm-up.
Goku's fists clenched with excitement, his eyes sparkling. "Wow! This guy's unbelievable!"
Piccolo, usually the skeptic, reluctantly nodded. "I don't know what he just did, but… he turned an impossible situation into nothing." His sharp senses told him something strange: Rudra's ki felt weak, laughably so, as though he truly was just an ordinary human. But that couldn't be. He had performed a feat even gods might hesitate to attempt.
"This isn't normal ki…" Piccolo muttered under his breath. "This is something else entirely."
At last, Rudra spoke, his voice calm but carrying an authority that sent a shiver even through Raditz.
"Tell me… can Vegeta hear me?"
Raditz froze. His breath caught in his throat. "W-What? How do you know that name?!"
Goku tilted his head, puzzled. "Vegeta? Who's that?"
Piccolo's narrowed eyes scanned Rudra. This man… he knows more than he's letting on.
Raditz's frustration exploded. He lunged forward, fist cocked, aiming to crush Rudra's skull with raw power. But before the blow could land, Rudra caught Raditz's fist in his palm, his grip unyielding. With a twist, he slammed the Saiyan into the ground, the earth cracking beneath the impact.
"M-My arm—!" Raditz growled, struggling against the hold.
Rudra's tone hardened. "I said… let me speak to Vegeta."
Raditz roared in defiance, his pride wounded from the one-sided fight. Just as he was about to break free, a crackling voice echoed from his scouter.
"Raditz? Who's there with you?"
Vegeta's voice.
Raditz opened his mouth to reply, but Rudra moved faster. He ripped the scouter from Raditz's ear, tossing the battered Saiyan aside with a swift kick. Raditz hit the dirt, unconscious, his pride shattered as easily as his body.
Rudra pressed the device to his ear. A faint beep, then the voice returned.
"…Raditz? Answer me."
Rudra's lips curled into a faint smile. "Not Raditz. The one who defeated him."
On the other end, silence hung heavy. Then came a low chuckle, followed by a deeper, more amused voice—Nappa. "Heh! Did I hear that right? Some Earthling claims he beat Raditz?"
Vegeta's voice cut through, cold and sharp. "So… Earth still has strong fighters left, does it?"
Rudra chuckled, pretending to reveal less than he knew. "Your brother isn't dead. Just unconscious. If you want to save him, come to Earth… and try."
Nappa's laughter boomed through the channel. "Oh, we'll come all right. Even if you had killed him, we'd still come. Earth will fall either way."
Vegeta's tone turned deadly serious. "Six months. That's all you have. In six months, we'll come to Earth… and when we do, both you and your planet will be erased."
The connection went dead.
For a moment, silence blanketed the battlefield. The wind whistled through the broken terrain, carrying with it the weight of what had just transpired.
Rudra lowered the scouter, satisfaction glinting in his eyes. Everything was falling into place. His plan, his path, was finally set into motion.
Goku's fists trembled—not with fear, but anticipation. "Six months… So they're coming here. Stronger than Raditz."
Piccolo crossed his arms, his expression grim. "If that's true, then Earth's in more danger than ever. But…" He looked at Rudra, a spark of curiosity in his gaze. "…who exactly are you?"