Alone

A thick cloud of smoke lingered where Piccolo had stood just moments earlier, the air still heavy with the aftermath of the battle.

Nappa glanced at his scouter, watching the reading drop lower and lower until it hit zero. "Yup. Down to zero," he said with a smirk.

Gohan stood frozen, his mind struggling to process what had just happened. His chest tightened, a sense of dread creeping up his spine. Could this really be it? Could this be... the end?

As the smoke began to clear, his heart pounded with desperate hope. Maybe, just maybe, Piccolo would still be standing—unfazed, wearing that familiar scowl, ready for more.

Gohan's breath caught when he saw a figure amidst the smoke.

"Huh?" Vegeta raised his eyebrows, surprised.

Piccolo stood there, but not as Gohan had hoped. His clothes were in tatters, and his body was riddled with deep wounds. Blood trickled down his green skin, painting a grim picture of his final moments.

And then, Piccolo's eyes rolled back, his body giving out as he collapsed forward, hitting the ground with a heavy thud.

Gohan's mouth fell open in silent horror. There was no energy coming from him anymore. Nothing. Piccolo was... gone.

Nappa yawned, stretching as if bored. "Oh man, I thought I'd get a decent fight out of that one. Too bad the toad got himself killed."

The words barely registered in Gohan's mind. He dropped to his knees, staring at Piccolo's lifeless body. It was over. Piccolo was gone, and with him, any hope Gohan had left. His dad was still out there in the vastness of space, too far away to help. He was alone.

Nappa casually handed his scouter to Vegeta. "I'm going to make the kid talk. He'll tell us exactly where Kakarot's hiding," he said, his voice carrying a cold confidence.

Vegeta took the scouter without a word, his face unreadable as he slipped it into his pocket.

Nappa began walking toward Gohan, his heavy steps crunching the broken ground beneath him. Without the distraction of the scouter, the big Saiyan felt completely in control. This was how he preferred to fight—no gadgets, just raw power and instincts.

Gohan was on all fours, tears streaming down his face despite his best efforts to hold them back. *This isn't what Piccolo would want to see,* he scolded himself, wiping his cheeks roughly. *Come on, Gohan. Be strong.*

But the weight of the moment pressed down on him, suffocating his resolve. He could feel Nappa's presence getting closer, his massive shadow swallowing the light around him.

Nappa grinned down at the boy. "What kind of man is Kakarot, huh? Hiding while his kid's left to fight his battles? No pride at all."

Gohan barely registered the words. His mind was a whirlpool of fear and grief, pulling him under. *God, give me strength...* he prayed silently, clinging to whatever hope he could find.

Nappa continued his taunts, his voice dripping with condescension. "Where's your father, boy? Hiding like a coward, I bet. Beginning to wonder if he's even a man." He waited, but got no response. Gohan was lost in his grief, too shattered to fight back with words.

"Not one to talk, huh?" Nappa chuckled darkly and pulled his foot back.

BAM!

Gohan cried out in pain as Nappa's boot smashed into his forehead, sending him tumbling backward. He collided with a jagged rock, and agony exploded through his skull. Warm blood trickled down his face, the familiar metallic taste filling his mouth. He gingerly touched his forehead, feeling the slick warmth of his own blood. The pain was excruciating, blurring his vision, but the physical hurt paled in comparison to the ache in his heart.

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Through the fog of pain, he could sense Nappa drawing closer again. His cruel voice droned on, mocking his father with every step.

"Come on, talk, boy. You're making this harder than it needs to be. I'm not a fan of using my full strength on kids," Nappa sneered, his footsteps heavy and deliberate, each one a promise of more suffering.

But Gohan wasn't listening. His mind clung to the one thing he had left—his will to fight. He couldn't give in. He wouldn't let Piccolo's sacrifice be in vain. He would die fighting, just like his mentor had.

With a shaky breath, Gohan gathered what little energy remained in him. His heart hammered in his chest, but with every beat, a new resolve grew within him. Piccolo had died to protect him, and he wouldn't let that sacrifice be wasted.

'I won't give up,' he thought, gritting his teeth as he forced himself back to his feet. 'Mr. Piccolo... I promise, I'll make you proud up there in heaven. I won't let your sacrifice be in vain."

Tac.

Out of nowhere, a figure dropped in front of Gohan, cutting off his view of Nappa. The newcomer's green pants fluttered slightly from the impact.

"Back off, you bald freak," Tien growled, his eyes narrowing in anger.

Nappa chuckled, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Look who's talking," he sneered.

Ignoring the taunt, Tien gathered his energy, sensing the immense power radiating from the two Saiyans. They were leagues ahead of Raditz. But something about the shorter one, the spiky-haired Saiyan, made Tien uneasy. He was holding back, no doubt about it. But how much?

Vegeta's lips curled into a smile, his scouter already detecting additional power levels heading their way.

Tac.

Krillin landed beside Gohan, quickly scooping the injured boy up before darting away, distancing them from the towering Saiyan.

Nappa watched, unfazed. The kid could wait—he'd make him talk later. But first, these new arrivals needed to be dealt with.

Tac. Tac.

Yamcha and Chiaotzu landed in quick succession beside Krillin and Gohan.

Gohan, still dazed, panted heavily. "K-Krillin... they... they..." he struggled to speak.

Krillin pulled out a small bag, his hand trembling. "Easy, Gohan. Take this first."

He fed Gohan a Senzu Bean, and almost instantly, the boy's eyes widened as his wounds closed and his strength surged back. The pain disappeared, replaced by renewed energy.

Krillin's eyes darted around the battlefield. "Where are those green little monsters?"

Gohan blinked, his mind still foggy. "They're dead... but how do you know about them, Krillin?"

Krillin forced a weak smile. "Thank the news."

Yamcha, his face etched with concern, turned to Gohan. "Where's Piccolo?"

Gohan's head dropped, his voice barely a whisper. "H-he's gone..."

"What?!"

Krillin, Yamcha, and Chiaotzu's eyes widened in shock, their gazes drifting toward Piccolo's lifeless body lying far off in the distance.

Tien, distracted by the commotion, turned to see his friends' horrified expressions. Following their line of sight, his heart sank. Piccolo, one of the strongest warriors and their ally, had fallen so soon.

Nappa's smile widened at their reaction. "Your green friend died fighting one of his own kind. I am not to blame..."

Sweat beaded on Tien's forehead. He dashed back to land beside the rest of Earth's fighters, his resolve hardening.

"Hey, Vegeta!" Nappa called, his voice dripping with arrogance. "What's the power level of these weaklings?"

Vegeta pressed a button on his scouter, the device whirring to life as numbers flashed across the screen. "The bald one's at 982... three-eyes is 1005... scar-face clocks in at 954... and the little doll? 700."

Krillin exchanged a wry smile with Yamcha, noting that he had surpassed his friend.

Nappa's booming laughter echoed across the battlefield. "That's it? Pathetic! "

Tien gave a quick nod to the others, and they all returned the gesture, a silent understanding passing between them.

Yamcha clenched his fists, determination blazing in his eyes. "Let's do this, guys."

Chiaotzu's expression turned serious, laser-focused on their enemy.

Krillin grinned. "Let's turn up the heat! !"

The ground trembled as white auras burst around the four human fighters, their energy crackling like electricity in the air.

"Haaaaaa!"

Vegeta watched, his expression unreadable, as the readings on his scouter spiked. The sheer force of their combined power whipped the wind around them, sending ripples through his spiky hair.

Nappa's grin grew feral, excitement blazing in his eyes. "Yes. Show me your best."

Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the power-up ceased.

Tien, Krillin, Yamcha, and Chiaotzu fell into their battle stances, their eyes locked on Nappa.

Nappa smugly crossed his arms over his chest. With a unified yell, the four fighters launched themselves at Nappa, their energy crackling through the air.

Do the fighters of Earth really stand a chance? Find out in the next exciting chapter of Dragon Ball Z: One!

To be continued...