Raditz Strikes
Gohan felt miserable. As soon as Raditz had brought him here, he had been confined inside a strange, metallic sphere. His chest ached from all the crying he had done. Now, he sat in silence, his throat parched from thirst and his heart heavy with fear. The material of the sphere was soundproof; his desperate cries for help were unheard in the desolate wasteland that surrounded him. Shadows lengthened as the sun began to set, casting an eerie glow over the barren landscape. No one was here to hear his prayers and pleas for water—no one, except one.
'Oh God, help,' he thought, tears brimming in his eyes.
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"Mmm," Raditz was enjoying a meal of deer flesh, the savory scent mingling with the cold evening air, when...
BEEP! BEEP!
"A power level of 656? No, there are two of them. One is 334 and the other is 322. Interesting..." He snickered to himself, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.
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Goku and Piccolo were flying at high speeds, the wind howling around them as they cut through the sky. Their plan was to catch their enemy off-guard with a sudden surprise attack. Raditz would never expect them to show up so soon after their last encounter.
"Hey Goku," Piccolo called out over the rushing wind. "Check out your GPS; we should be nearby now."
"I'm sorry, Piccolo," replied Goku, his voice strained. "But I haven't got a smartphone."
Piccolo scowled and pulled out his phone, reluctantly revealing his new device. "It shows we are near," he said, glancing at the screen.
Raditz's lips curled into a predatory smile as he tracked Goku and Piccolo on his scouter. The beeping device confirmed their approach. The two were moving fast, not slowing down, indicating an imminent attack.
Whooosh!
Raditz ducked just in time as Goku and Piccolo's fists sliced through the air, narrowly missing their target and sending them hurtling past him. The force of their failed strike stirred up dust, adding a gritty haze to the battlefield.
Goku and Piccolo landed on one foot, their heels digging into the ground, and spun around to spring back towards Raditz. The sun glinted off their sweat-soaked skin.
Raditz's grin widened as his opponents closed in, unleashing a barrage of punches and kicks. His reflexes were sharp, effortlessly blocking and dodging their attacks. "Is that the best you can do?" he jeered.
With a swift elbow to Goku's chest and a powerful punch to Piccolo's face, Raditz sent both warriors flying through the air. They recovered mid-flight, landing gracefully on their feet, determination etched on their faces.
Raditz's amusement was evident. "Oh, come on, Kakarot! You thought teaming up with the green man would help you beat me? I expected my brother to be smarter than that!"
Goku and Piccolo stood, panting, their breath visible in the cool, misty air.
Raditz's tone turned menacing. "I didn't come here to kill you, Kakarot, but it appears you leave me no choice."
Goku's lips curled into a confident grin. "Don't get ahead of yourself." With that, he removed his weighted wristbands, boots, and undershirt, each piece thudding heavily to the ground.
Raditz's eyes widened as his scouter beeped frantically. "Power level 450."
Piccolo followed suit, discarding his turban and cape, cracking his knuckles and massaging his neck. The air around him seemed to hum with his increased power.
Raditz's scouter blinked with new data. "His power level has jumped to 430."
Goku rotated his wrists, feeling liberated without his weighted clothing. "He doesn't look so comfortable now, does he?" he remarked, his voice steady.
Piccolo remained silent, his eyes narrowing in focus.
Raditz, baffled, let out a chuckle. "What exactly is this weighted clothing of yours made of, Kakarot?"
Goku raised an eyebrow. "Huh? It's made of Ragon metal."
Raditz sneered. "I didn't realize you were so rich, Kakarot."
Goku looked confused.
"Enough with the nonsense," Piccolo muttered, irritated.
But Raditz ignored him, locking eyes with Goku. "Is this metal easily found on your planet?"
Goku's expression turned serious. "Yeah."
Raditz's grin twisted into a scowl. "You fool! You don't even realize how valuable it is!"
"Huh?" Goku looked shocked as he raised his eyebrows.
Raditz continued with a sneer. "Ragon is one of the rarest metals in the galaxy. We use it to build our spaceships, scouters, and all our advanced tech! "
Both Goku and Piccolo were caught off guard by Raditz's sudden shift in tone and the revelation.
Raditz then grinned maniacally. "Well, I never knew I would hit such a jackpot when I landed on this planet. This planet is going to be sold for billions... easily..."
Piccolo growled. "Enough talking." He fell into his battle stance, his muscles tensing in readiness.
"Right," Goku agreed, matching Piccolo's stance.
Raditz merely stood in place, staring at his opponents with a smile as a breeze rustled through the trees.
In a blur of motion, Goku and Piccolo dashed towards Raditz. With a smirk, Raditz floated backward and upward in a graceful arc, his movements smooth and effortless. Goku and Piccolo followed, the battle now elevated to the skies. Raditz's speed was overwhelming, his every move a blur.
"How can we hit him when we can't even catch him?" Goku shouted, straining to match Raditz's pace.
Piccolo gritted his teeth, his arm stretching like rubber to deliver a punch to Raditz's abdomen. For a brief moment, the impact seemed to wind Raditz, but he quickly recovered, grabbing Piccolo's outstretched hand.
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Piccolo's eyes widened in horror. "Oh no," he muttered as he was yanked towards Raditz, his arm retracting.
"You're dead!" Raditz shouted, driving his fist into Piccolo's stomach with bone-crushing force.
Piccolo gasped, shockwaves of pain radiating through his body. Raditz then hammered him downwards with both fists, sending Piccolo plummeting towards the earth like a meteor.
Furious at allowing his weaker opponent to land a blow, Raditz charged energy in his hand. "NOW DIE!"
BEEP! BEEP!
"KAMEHAMEHA!"
A brilliant beam of energy struck Raditz from behind, pushing him forward and scorching his armor. Raditz turned, snarling. "Looks like you want to die first, Kakarot!"
Goku panted, a worried look on his face. "It didn't work..." Before he could react, Raditz crashed into him with a flurry of attacks.
Goku was forced onto the defensive, dodging and blocking as best he could, but many of Raditz's punches broke through his defenses, each strike worsening Goku's condition.
Raditz growled as he pummeled his little brother. "Why. Wouldn't you. Listen. To. Me..."
Goku winced with each blow, his body bruised and his orange gi in tatters.
Raditz pulled back his palm, forming a shining orb of energy. "Goodbye, little brother.. TUESDAY TREAT!"
BAM!
Raditz was startled as an elbow slammed into his head, his energy dissipating from the sudden loss of focus. His scouter had alerted him to another presence.
Goku, bracing for the end with eyes shut, looked up. A familiar face was here. "Tien!"
Tien, the newcomer, had his finger pressed against Raditz's back. "Dodon ray!"
Goku barely dodged as Raditz was sent flying past him.
Tien, not satisfied, unleashed a couple more Dodon rays. He turned to Goku. "Are you alright?"
Goku chuckled weakly. "Almost..."
Raditz halted just a few meters above the ground. He turned to face his brother and the newcomer, his expression dark with fury. "That is enough, Kakarot! I will not be humiliated any longer. HAAAA!"
Both Goku and Tien adopted defensive stances as Raditz charged at them with full might. In an instant, Raditz closed the distance and punched Tien in the cheek, feeling teeth break under his fist. He then kicked Tien downward, sending him crashing into the ground and creating a crater.
"Tien!" Goku exclaimed, his mouth dropping open and eyes wide in shock. He wanted to scream, but words failed him as Raditz kneed him in the stomach.
Raditz began to knee his brother repeatedly, finally stopping to let Goku double over in pain. With a scowl, he grabbed his brother's hair and dashed towards the earth.
BAM!
Dust erupted as Raditz slammed Goku headfirst into the ground, the earth quaking from the impact. The air was thick with the scent of dirt and blood. Raditz stood tall beside Goku, who lay sprawled on his back, his body riddled with cuts and bruises, his shirt hanging in tatters. Goku's eyes were shut tight, his face twisted in agony. Raditz placed his foot on Goku's chest, his weight pressing down. "I am going to make you pay," he growled, his voice dripping with malice as he stamped his foot down mercilessly.
"AARGH!" Goku shrieked, the sound of his ribs cracking echoing through the battlefield.
...
In the distance, inside the pod, Gohan huddled in a ball, his small body trembling. He could feel the vibrations from every blow Raditz landed on his father. Tears streamed down his face, soaking his shirt. His tiny fists clenched, knuckles white from the pressure. He had never felt so helpless before, so terrified. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw his father's face—bloodied, beaten, in pain.
"Daddy… please…" he whimpered, his voice barely above a whisper. He wiped his tears on his sleeve, sniffling as he pressed his ear against the cold, metallic wall of the pod. Goku's agonized screams echoed through the walls, each one a dagger through Gohan's heart.
"Stop… stop it…" Gohan whispered, his voice cracking. His breathing quickened as panic set in. "Someone… help him…" His chest tightened with fear, and his vision blurred as fresh tears spilled over. "Please…"
A wave of despair washed over him, followed by another gut-wrenching scream from Goku. Gohan's body tensed up. His heart pounded in his chest like a drum, and his breath came in shallow, ragged bursts.
And then, something snapped.
...
Raditz reveled in his dominance over Goku, every stomp eliciting a pained grunt from his younger brother. "Yes, Kakarot! SCREAM!" he howled, lost in his sadistic pleasure. The ground trembled beneath the force of his relentless blows, each one heavier than the last. Goku's breath came out in ragged gasps as his energy dwindled, and the beeping of Raditz's scouter became more frantic.
Raditz's grin stretched further, knowing full well Goku's power was dropping fast. He was on the verge of total victory.
Piccolo, watching from a distance, struggled to his feet. His body ached. He had been charging his energy the whole time, however it wasn't enough yet. As he looked at Goku getting beat up he couldn't find it in himself to interfere. Not that he cared for Goku, anyway. The sight of Raditz's brutality, however, stirred him.
Raditz's grin widened as his scouter beeped continuously, the reading of Goku's power level dropping with each hit.
Just then, Raditz's scouter emitted a sharp beep, louder and more insistent than before.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
"What now?" Raditz muttered, his eyes darting around. He looked back at his scouter, and confusion crept over his face as the device registered a sudden spike. "Huh?" He scanned the area, a momentary unease flickering in his eyes. "There's no one there..."
The battlefield fell eerily silent. Even the air seemed to still.
...
Raditz's pod began to shake violently, cracks forming along the metal exterior.
...
The pressure shifted, tension rising in the quiet like the calm before a storm.
Suddenly, the quiet was ripped apart by an intense, primal scream.
"HAAAAAAAA!"
Raditz spun around just as Gohan's small figure erupted from the confines of the space pod, the metal disintegrating into pieces. The young boy stood trembling, but not with fear—this was something else, something dangerous. His face was red with rage, tears streaming down his cheeks as an overwhelming aura flared around him, crackling with energy.
"What?!" Piccolo's eyes widened in disbelief. The sheer power radiating from the boy was like nothing he had ever sensed before.
Raditz's scouter went wild, beeping uncontrollably.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Raditz stared at the numbers flashing across his visor. "Impossible! Power level one thousand and—"
Before he could finish, Gohan shot forward, his scream echoing across the battlefield. His body was wrapped in a golden aura, moving faster than Raditz could react.
"HYAAAAA!"
The impact was immediate. Gohan's headbutt slammed into Raditz's chest with a sickening CRACK! The Saiyan warrior's eyes bulged as pain exploded through his body, his ribs shattering under the force. Staggering backward, Raditz gasped, his cocky grin vanishing as he collapsed to the ground, clutching his chest in agony.
Gohan's fierce energy dissipated as quickly as it came, and he collapsed, unconscious, his small frame hitting the ground with a soft thud.
Goku, barely conscious, blinked through blurry eyes. His heart swelled with disbelief and pride. "Gohan…?"
Raditz struggled to his feet, panting heavily. "That brat!" he exclaimed, furious. "Such power at such a young age... I will have to kill him first."
"No," Goku said, his voice strained with pain. "He is just a boy."
"A boy indeed, my little brother, but one stronger than all of us," replied Raditz, his tone dark and resolute. "This has to be done."
Slowly, Raditz walked towards Gohan, raising his hand and charging it with energy. 'You are a true Saiyan, my nephew... much better of a warrior than your disgrace of a father...'
Goku groaned, his heart pounding in his chest. 'No, Gohan...'
BEEP! BEEP!
"What now?!" Raditz exclaimed, annoyance turning to alarm. He turned to see Piccolo charging an attack, his jaw dropping open. "No! I underestimated these guys! Power level 1400! I can't block that! But... I can... dodge... Ah!"
Raditz's eyes widened in horror. He turned his head around.
"Gotcha!" exclaimed Krillin, who now stood behind Raditz. "I had some scores to settle with your tail." With that, the short fighter squeezed the furry appendage with all his might.
Raditz felt all his energy drain away in an instant. His legs buckled, but Krillin grabbed his long hair, keeping him upright.
Raditz turned pale, dread filling his eyes. He knew what was coming. 'No, it can't end like this...'
Krillin looked towards Piccolo. "Never thought I'd say this, but now it's up to you, Piccolo."
Piccolo snickered, dark satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. "It's a pleasure." With two fingers placed on his forehead, he glowed with energy, an ominous dark aura surrounding him.
Krillin gritted his teeth, fear gnawing at him. There was no trusting Piccolo. What if he took out both of them with his attack? 'No,' he told himself. 'This has to be done!'
Piccolo smirked, his attack almost ready. His fingertips crackled with golden ki. From where he stood, Raditz was facing perpendicularly away from him. His aim had to be spot-on. 'It's done.' ..."SPECIAL BEAM CANNON!" Piccolo screamed, thrusting his fingers forward. A spiraling beam shot towards Raditz.
Krillin shut his eyes tight. 'Oh God, please, s-save me...'
The beam of energy collided with Raditz's arm, drilling through his torso and out the other side. The air was filled with the scent of burning flesh and the metallic tang of blood.
Krillin opened his eyes and released Raditz, who crumpled to the ground, chest down, a dark pool of blood rapidly spreading beneath him.
Raditz coughed up blood, his breaths coming in ragged, gurgling gasps. Each exhale was weaker than the last, his life ebbing away.
It was over.
Piccolo strode towards Raditz, his satisfaction evident in every step. He stopped in front of the fallen Saiyan, his eyes cold and merciless.
"You fools," Raditz spat, his voice a rasping whisper. Blood trickled from the corners of his mouth. "Rejoice all you... want... but... it won't be... for long."
Piccolo raised his nonexistent eyebrows, a flicker of curiosity piercing him. 'What is he talking about?'
Raditz continued, his words slurred and labored. "This device over my eye... it's also a transmitter... my comrades have heard everything... a planet... full of Ragon... they would never let this opportunity pass..."
Krillin's eyes widened in shock. 'C-comrades?'
"When will they be here?" Piccolo demanded, his voice sharp and urgent.
"One year... is... all... you... got... Hehehhe," Raditz chuckled weakly, the sound twisted and hollow. "I wish I could see you die with my own eyes... but a man can't get... everything he wants, can he? Hahaha..."
"RAAAAH!" With an angry yell, Piccolo punched Raditz, finally killing him.
...............
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On a distant planet...
A barren, rocky landscape stretched out under a blood-red sky. Jagged mountains loomed in the distance, their peaks shrouded in mist. The air was thick with the acrid scent of smoke and decay.
"Raditz has died, Vegeta," said a huge bald man, his voice echoing in the desolate silence.
"Yes," replied a short, spiky-haired man, chewing his meal with a nonchalant expression. Both of them were seated on a rock, and the ground in front of them was littered with carcasses of their fallen enemies. The shorter man was currently gnawing on the limb of one of the dead bodies, blood dripping from his mouth.
The big man grunted. "Too bad. We will now have to do everything ourselves! Can't believe Raditz let himself get killed by such weaklings. Can I go to Earth, Vegeta?"
"No, Nappa," Vegeta replied, his eyes glinting with a cold, calculated light. "We will both go."
Nappa smiled, a sinister grin spreading across his face. "Yes. I love it when we go on missions together! With so much Ragon on our hands, we could finally stage our long-planned rebellion!"
"Exactly," replied Vegeta, his voice tinged with excitement. "I am fed up with eating dead bodies. I want some land to grow grains on, a farmhouse for meat, and a cook..."
"That sounds soooo good," replied Nappa, snickering as he imagined the possibilities.
Vegeta and Nappa stood up, their movements fluid and powerful. They walked towards a couple of white spherical objects nestled among the rocks. Each of them pressed a button on a pod's side. The doors hissed open, revealing the sleek, high-tech interiors. They both settled into their own spaceships, the seats conforming to their forms.
"Set a course to planet Earth," said Vegeta, his voice resonating with authority.
"Set a course to planet Earth," Nappa repeated, his grin widening.
With a thunderous roar, both spaceships took off, leaving behind trails of smoke and fire. The ground trembled as the powerful engines propelled them skyward, disappearing into the vast expanse of space.
To be continued...