Rudra stood firm, his eyes locked on Dodoria's bulky frame. The battlefield around them still trembled from the earlier clashes, smoke rising from shattered rocks and fallen soldiers. His chest rose and fell heavily, but his gaze was calm, sharper than a blade.
"I only have five minutes," Rudra thought to himself, his inner voice cold and decisive. "Before this ability fades… I have to finish Dodoria and his lackeys within that time. No hesitation."
Slowly, he turned to Vegeta, who was still trying to steady himself after his own injuries. His voice carried both urgency and clarity.
"Vegeta," Rudra said, his tone direct, "can I trust you?"
Vegeta raised his head, his eyes narrowing with a mix of disdain and annoyance. His pride bristled at the question, but his situation forced honesty.
"Trust?" Vegeta spat, his voice edged with frustration. "Hmph! No. I don't trust anyone. But…" His eyes flicked toward Dodoria and the dozens of Frieza Force soldiers gathering around. "…for pests like these… yes, I'll fight alongside you."
Without another word, Rudra stepped forward, placing his hand firmly against Vegeta's chest. A pulse of energy surged between them, almost like a heartbeat.
"What—?" Vegeta's eyes widened in shock as strength rushed back into his limbs. His muscles flexed, his breathing steadied. He clenched his fists, feeling power flood into him again. "What did you just do?"
Rudra's voice remained calm.
"I'm giving you my ki… all of it. Enough to restore you."
Vegeta smirked, rolling his shoulders as he tested his renewed strength. "So, that's it, huh? But then, how will you fight? Without ki, you're nothing."
Rudra's gaze hardened as he turned back toward Dodoria. His voice was almost like steel striking stone.
"I don't need ki to fight. For five minutes, I can use… something else. An ability you've never seen before. And in those five minutes… I'll kill Dodoria. While I handle him, you wipe out the rest of Frieza's soldiers. Can you manage that, Prince of Saiyans?"
Vegeta froze for just a moment, his pride stung that anyone would give him orders. But as the meaning sank in—a power beyond ki, a different ability entirely—his curiosity sharpened into interest.
"So that's your secret," Vegeta muttered, his lips curling into a half-smile. "Fine. Do as you like. I'll crush the rest of these insects."
Without hesitation, Vegeta launched himself at the surrounding soldiers, his fists and blasts tearing through them like paper. The air filled with the screams of Frieza's men as the Saiyan prince vented his rage on them.
Dodoria's small eyes widened as he saw Vegeta moving freely again. "You fool!" he roared, turning toward Vegeta. "You dare—?!"
But before he could strike, Rudra stepped between them, his hand raised. Shadows stretched unnaturally from the ground, twisting like living serpents. In an instant, they coiled around Dodoria's legs.
"What is this—?!" Dodoria shouted, panic flashing across his face.
Rudra clenched his fist. The shadows yanked downward, slamming Dodoria's massive body headfirst into the ground with a sickening boom. Dust and rock burst upward as the ground cratered beneath him.
Piccolo's eyes widened, his usual stoic face cracking with shock. "What… what was that?"
Krillin stumbled back, his jaw nearly hitting the ground. "Did you see that?! He didn't even use ki! He just—he just threw Dodoria like a rag doll!"
Even Goku, though battered and bruised, narrowed his eyes. He wasn't thinking about the soldiers or Vegeta's strength—his mind lingered on Rudra.
He gave me ki before… and now he's giving ki to Vegeta too. But then… how does he still have power left to fight like that?
Goku clenched his fists, regret stinging him.
I didn't use his energy properly. If only I'd pushed myself harder with it…
Drawing a deep breath, Goku steadied himself. His aura flared as he shouted:
"Kaio-ken… ten times!!"
The red aura engulfed him, his battered body screaming in protest, but his determination pushed through. With renewed power, he launched himself beside Vegeta, cutting down soldiers with rapid strikes.
Vegeta glanced at him from the corner of his eye and scoffed. "Hmph. Don't slow me down, Kakarot!"
Back in the center of the battlefield, Dodoria roared in rage, trying to free himself. His arms flailed as his body resisted Rudra's grip. "You worthless worm! How dare you make a fool of me?!"
But Rudra only raised his hand again. The shadows tightened, flipping Dodoria upside down and slamming him into the ground once more. Then again. And again. Each impact sent tremors across the battlefield, leaving craters in the earth.
Every slam drained Dodoria's power further, his ki flickering like a weakening flame. His body quivered as pain wracked through him, and when he finally tried to summon a ki blast, sparks fizzled in his palms but vanished instantly.
"No… no, this can't be!" Dodoria gasped, his voice breaking into desperation. "My ki—it's… gone?!"
Rudra's eyes narrowed, his voice laced with cold finality.
"Every time you meet the ground, I strip away more of your strength. Your body… your ki… your will. Until nothing remains."
Piccolo's breath caught in his throat as he realized the truth. "He… he's not just fighting. He's breaking Dodoria, piece by piece."
Krillin swallowed hard, shivering despite himself. "Who is this guy? He's not… he's not an ordinary human at all."
Meanwhile, Vegeta and Goku continued their slaughter of Frieza's troops, explosions lighting up the battlefield. But even as he fought, Vegeta's sharp eyes flicked toward Rudra, narrowing in curiosity and suspicion.
He's not a Saiyan. Not Namekian. Not like any warrior I've seen. What are you, Rudra?
Dodoria, panting and trembling, tried to lift himself, his pride shattered, his face bruised and bloodied. "You… you'll pay for this!"
But Rudra only smirked, his calm demeanor unshaken. He tilted his head slightly, his voice cutting through the chaos like a knife.
"Dodoria… now tell me." He leaned closer, shadows swirling at his feet. "Which one of us is truly garbage?"
Dodoria's eyes widened in fear as his body failed him again, collapsing helplessly onto the ground.