The Earthlings gathered near the edge of the largest village on planet Namek; elder Moori's village. Krillin stepped forward and addressed the group which also included Dende who was quietly playing with Gohan. "All right so we have six Dragon Balls and Goku is bringing the seventh as we speak. Once we've got them all gathered Dende will summon their people's dragon and we can bring back Piccolo and Kami. With any luck the dragon will be generous enough to bring them back to life and teleport them with two wishs rather than three." He said, scanning the group.
No one interjected so he continued. "Assuming it works we'll keep the third wish as a contingency plan. It would probably be best to teleport everyone from Namek to Earth if things go south. That way we'll at least have a few more weeks to figure something out. Plus we'll still have the Earth's dragon balls." He surmised.
Everyone present nodded and Tien stepped forth. "So for now we're just playing the waiting game. When we spoke with him telepathically Goku said his true potential had bene unlocked. Knowing him he's probably way beyond any of us at this point so we'll leave the fighting to him but we can still help in other ways."
Bulma picked up where the triclops left off. "Basically it will be our job to protect the Nsmekians from Friezas armies. To that end we are going to gather all of the Namekians together and take them to our ship where it'll be safest. Our power is inconsequential to Frieza's own but his goons shouldn't be much of a problem if we work together and remember our training."
"Right!" They all yelled in unison.
Everyone present froze and their gazes all snapped towards the same direction. Their faces paled and the group collectively began shaking. Each of the powerful, skilled fighters present could feel the arrival of Frieza. It was a terror unlike any they had ever felt. The tyrant seemed to be a little earlier than expected..
"W-w What the hell!?" Yamcha stammered. "There's at least a couple thousand energy signatures and.. Maybe three or four massive ones?" Beside him Chiaotzu floated up and down in the air. "Frieza didn't come alone…" The short, paper white man concluded. The others could only nod in a shaky, numb agreement."
When Kakarot had received his power up he had kept his energy controlled within him so no one present knew how powerful he was but.. They doubted anyone on their side was powerful enough to win against the overwhelming forces they now felt.. The saiyans were all extremely powerful and Vegeta even seemed to match all but the strongest invaders but they were outnumbered.
As they sensed the battle begin the demeanor of the Earthlings only seemed to grow increasingly more desperate as one of the enemy's powers rose sharply, first once then twice. It was clear that Frieza or maybe one of his men could somehow transform.
The Earlings knew that they had lost the battle before it had even truly begun. Their only hope now was the dragon balls.
Or so they thought… A dozen minutes into the fight their shock somehow grew even greater when they felt the saiyans' power levels explode. The highest power level, which was most certainly Vegeta's, was completely even with the two highest powers on Frieza's side and his allies' dwarfed the majority of the evil emperor's army. In that instance the odds suddenly didn't seem to be so heavily stacked against them.
For whatever reason, Frieza's forces seemed content to let the saiyan prince battle his opponent for now. Based on what they were sensing the 2 highest power levels had yet to make a move.
Gohan stared wide eyed and hopeful at the sky but something gnawed at the back of his mind.. If the enemy's power rose much further.. It wouldn't even matter if the reason of the army joined in.. A second later he was jarred from his thoughts as someone landed in a crouched position not far away, dispersing the air in a ring of force. He turned and looked at the newcomer… "Daddy!" He yelled excitedly, running up to his father.
"Hey, buddy!" Kakarot greeted, hugging the boy and ruffling his recently cut hair. It was now more of a bowl type cut to keep it out of his eyes when fighting. He was hoping as he grew older it would continue spiking up like his father's.
The saiyan raised on Earth handed his son the large ball tucked underneath his elbow and smiled at everyone. "I'll leave this with you guys.. I'm sure you felt those power levels.. Even now the battle is continuing to grow crazier and crazier by the second." He observed. "I thought we might have more time than this…"
"Kakarot..?" Bulma asked worriedly. He looked at the group, specifically his wife and smiled proudly. "I'm sorry for how I acted before. I was scared and I let that fear turn into anger. I can take care of things from here. Just bring back our friends." He bent his knees and flew off into the air in a super sonic burst of speed.
The battlefield between the saiyans and arcosians…
Raditz groaned and slowly opened his eyes. Blood pooled from his mouth onto the Namekian grass below. He groggily sat up and gasped in pain. "My.. My fucking tail.." He murmured through gritted teeth. He looked out over the battlefield. A transformed Vegeta and Nappa were still standing but Vegeta was battling an increasingly powerful Frieza and Nappa was being picked apart by the acrosians; King Cold and Cooler.
"How the hell did it come to this..!?" The older brother of Kakarot cursed, punching the ground and cracking it.
twenty minutes earlier..
The four saiyans stood in a line and watched as not one, or even two but three Frieza force ships landed. Their massive, metalic spider-like legs crushed squares into the grass with each being the size of a garage. Vegeta's mouth formed a grim line and he crossed his arms. "I didn't expect him to bring his father and brother with him... All of this just for us? Aren't we so fucking fortunate." He spat.
The four saiyans shared a collective look of frustration and worry. The foot soldiers, regardless of how many there were, wouldn't pose much of a problem for them. But.. The two highest of all of the power levels were beyond their current selves. Even with all of their training and preparation it didn't look good for the resistance members.
The tops and sides of the ships opened and thousands of soldiers poured out into the sky, quickly painting it black. There were so many bodies that they blocked out whichever of the planet's three suns that was currently over their heads. Out of the center most ship a group of three powerful fighters floated upward through the cockpit and then casually down to the ground, smirking and sneering at the saiyans.
"The armored squadron." Turles observed. He was the most versed in pirate affairs so he quickly recognized Cooler's personal band of mercenary pirates. "According to the data books Dore the largest soldier's power is 800k, Neiz the goofy looking lizard boasts a power of 500k and Salza, the blond pretty-boy is a whopping 1.5 million..."
At this Raditz scoffed. "If these bastards are this powerful than how strong are Frieza and his family?!" He barked.
Nappa was the one to finally break the heavy silence following the question. "Well into the millions at least. Don't forget they have the ability to transform. But so do we." He smirked. The saiyans shared a collective grin before they roared and powered up…
Frieza, King Cold and Cooler respectively touched down on the green planet. They each had starkly different appearances but it was clear by the similar intent of their energy and their cocky demeanor that they were all cut from the same evil cloth.
"What a thriving and dreadful little planet.." Frieza lamented. He was currently on his first form making him the weakest of the three by far. His father currently resided in his repressed state.
Unlike his youngest son, King Cold only possessed his repressed state and his true state while Frieza boasted 4 transformations. Cooler, who inarguably had the greatest talent in Ki control of the family, only ever used his true form. This was the sleek and powerful form that was all elite Arcrosisan's true appearance.
Cooler scoffed and turned away as if he'd rather be anywhere in the universe other than here with his brother and father. Which wasmt far from the truth.
King Cold, who stood at a staggering ten feet tall, looked down at his youngest son and smiled. Unlike the disappointment that was his eldest son, who's true form was equal only in power to his father's repressed state, Frieza was quickly becoming the most powerful Acrosian in all of history, as he should.
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Cold beamed with pride. Already at only half the king's age, his youngest son nearly rivaled his father in power. "The show is yours, my dear Frieza and the saiyans were kind enough to deliver themselves on a silver platter. What shall we do? Give the order for the army to attack? Soften them up a bit?" The massive man asked in a catering manner.
Frieza hummed. "No need, father. I want to deal with the prince of monkeys personally. The army shall begin making preparations to move across the planet in search of the glorious wish orbs. I'll leave the other monkeys to you and brother. Do try and leave them alive will you? I want to see the terror in each of their eyes when I torture them." He cooed.
In a bold move, Frieza began walking up to the group of saiyans alone. Vegeta smirked and began moving forward to meet him. The others watched him go with uneasy eyes but did not stop him. They met in the middle roughly thirty yards from either party. Frieza smirked at the man. "Well, well Vegeta. I never thought this day would come, if I'm being honest with you. It's bittersweet you know?" He chuckled.
Vegeta rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Cut the crap Frieza. We're sick and tired of you having your way with us. From this day forth the saiyans are no longer under you or anyone else's rule. We are free." He said with finality in his voice.
Frieza's features narrowed menacingly before his features lightened and he chuckled. "You're right. Your loyalty ran out years ago.."
"When you killed my people and blew up my homeworld!" Vegets interrupted. "Naturally."
Frieza shrugged in response. "Your father pulled the same little stunt you're pulling now and well… You've seen the results. What do you think your punishment should be, hmm?"
"Hopefully it isn't more of your senseless rambling." The saiyan prince scoffed. Frieza narrowed his eyes. "Now you're being rude." He warned.
The saiyan prince raised an eyebrow. "Oh am I? Hard for a monkey to know any better. But I have a question for you, Frieza." He said.
The Arcrosian raised an eyebrow. "Ask, then." Frieza waved a hand through the air dismissively. Vegeta smirked in a menacing manner. "As I am, my power level far exceeds yours. What's to stop me from just hauling off and blasting you before you can transform?"
Frieza's eyes widened briefly before he bristled. "Much more powerful men than you have tried. I'm not so easy to kill. Besides I think your monkey pride wants to beat me at my best, doesn't it saiyan?" He countered. Vegeta hummed and stepped back.
"Tsk. You know us better than anyone.. and you're right about that. I want you to tremble in fear when you bring out your very best and I, the Legendary super saiyan, crush you in all your full glory." The prince said with arrogance.
Frieza's eyes narrowed before he schooled his features. "Still clinging to childish fantasies. How daft you monkey." He monotoned.
Vegeta rolled his eyes once more. "Transform Frieza. Let's finish this."
Frieza spread his arms out in a beckoning fashion. "So be it, Vegeta. Just remember when your head is being ground beneath my foot that you asked for this. I may have been merciful if you had just fallen to your knees and begged my forgiveness like a good little dog! Now bear witness to the true might of the most powerful being in the universe! Haaaa!"
The Arcrosian began to glow a bright violet color, his eyes flashing. As the wind blew out around him in all directions he began to pulse and grow larger to the point that his armor cracked and began falling off like a crab molting and outgrowing its shell. His horns curved upwards and elongated, sharpening further as they did so.
Frieza grew to nearly the same height as his father before his transformation tapered off. It was clear the youngest Arcrosian had modeled his second form after his father out of respect for the man.
"Well?" The large lizard-like man prompted in a voice that was now far deeper and more monstrous than before. "Are you scared yet? My battle power in this state is over a million I'll have you know!" He bragged with a cocky smile.
Vegeta stared back in disinterest at the man before crossing his arms. "Is that all, Frieza? Hardly impressive." Vegeta scoffed. Incredulous shock etched itself across the emperor's face which was quickly overtaken by a look of fury. "You insolate bastard!" He yelled.
The Acrosian crossed the distance between them in an instant, disappearing from the human eye and reappearing in front of the saiyan prince, arm reared back and poised to strike. "You're finished!" He roared, striking Vegeta with a thunderous punch to the jaw.
The saiyan prince's eyes snapped closed and his head jerked slightly when the blow struck but he was otherwise unaffected by the punch. He slowly opened his eyes and with his cheek still squished in, turned to glare at Frieza. The lizard-like man staggered backward in disbelief. "Im- impossible." Frieza stammered.
Vegeta smirked. "You'll have to do much better than that, Frieza." The saiyan prince bent his knees slightly and raised his left arm in front of him before exploding forward in a dash that broke the sound barrier dozens of times over. Frieza's eyes widened and he was left unable to react as the saiyan buried his fist in the Arcrosian's gut.
The lizard man's eyes bulged and spit flew from his mouth, the force of the punch driving him several dozen feet backward. Vegeta clenched his fists at his side and smirked, strafing sideways slightly as he addressed his bloody lipped opponent. "While you've been sitting on your lazy ass in your stupid floaty chair the last few years I have spent countless hours in the solitude and emptyness of space, a slave to my own ambitions! The ambition to see you die!" He roared mockingly.
Across from him Frieza wiped his mouth and gnashed his teeth, crouching slightly. "You think me weak Vegeta? Bah! Don't get cocky you blithering fool! I use my transformations to conceal my true power because the full totality of my might is too radical and devastating to be controlled! Now feel the terror of my third form!"
As the battle between the two prince's of their respective races continued to heat up, King Cold and Cooler began to stalk slowly towards their would-be prey. "Get ready.." Raditz warned. "Here they come."
"No shit, Sherlock." Turles said, rolling his eyes.
When the entirety of the Frieza fleet first landed they were all so densely clustered together that it was impossible to parse apart the individual power levels. Originally they had assumed that Frieza was the source of most of the overwhelming power they felt when the empire first arrived.
Now with the King of the Arcrosians and the eldest prince approaching them it was clear that these two were the majority of the cause for the massive Kis they felt prickling their senses. They desperately hoped that the two foes before them couldn't transform in the same manner Frieza could.
Even if they couldn't, and even assuming Frieza's final form wasn't too much more frightening than his family's power levels.. The saiyans saw no possible chance at victory. "No choice!" Nappa barked. "We have to use the power ball now!" He shouted.
Turles and Raditz nodded in agreement and collectively the three of them launched a massive fake moon into the sky.
Due to the fact that the three of them had combined their ability into one, the faux moon that appeared above the warrior's was many times larger and more potent than the one used by Nappa at the outpost half a year ago. Thus when it activated, the saiyans' transformations were far more rapid and violent than before.
As the three mighty saiyans burst into their great ape forms they roared and pounded their chest. Turles and Raditz began to grow restless, stomping around at random and preparing to fire off energy blasts from their open maws.
While the two of them had come a long way in their Ki control and their ability to hone their instincts, the sheer intensity and ferociousness of the inner saiyan wasn't so easily tamed. Nappa telepathically commanded his fellow warriors to focus and instructed them to direct their murderous rampage towards the approaching Acrosians.
Even now being more powerful than any of them ever had before.. Caution was paramount if they were somehow going to survive this.
Within his great ape mind Nappa shuddered. 'My instincts are causing me to shake in fear due to these two's approach. Their presence is completely overwhelming. I hope those Earthlings hurry up with whatever they planned to do with the dragon balls. We need a miracle..' He thought solemnly with a shake of his head.
"Saiyan battle spirit mode!" Nappa roared in his deep, gruff great ape voice. A moment later a golden Aura of lighting exploded all around him, encasing him in an extremely potent shell of offensive and defensive power.
The saiyans stomped forward, prepared to meet the Arcrosians three on two but an instant later the two impossibly powerful beings disappeared.
There were a few moments of stunned silence before Turles roared out on account of Cooler appearing a dozen meters above him and firing a beam of energy straight through his enlarged shoulder blade.
All three of the saiyans turned to the aggressor intending to blast him with a combined assault but their plan was disrupted as Cold appeared between Nappa and Raditz. "No one but me, lays a hand on my sons, you filthy monkeys." He chastised cooly with narrowed eyes.
He threw out his hands yelling "Authority of the King!" and a moment later the two saiyans were blown several dozen meters off the ground and onto their sides by an intense burst of crimson energy. There were violent tremors from the impacts as their bodies carved trenches in the planet beneath them.
Their landing caused a deafening roar similar to a volcano exploding or an atomic bomb going off.
As this was occurring Vegeta had finished his own great ape transformation and Frieza had fully assumed his third form as well. The evil emperor's third form was alien-esue in appearance, looking like something right out of a horrir movie. He possessed an extremely elongated cranium with multiple horns along the sides of his head and two large spikes protruding from his back.
His physical appearance was terrifying enough but his power level had jumped to nearly 5 million which would have completely overwhelmed any of the Z fighters individually.
At least it would have before the prince of saiyans transformed…
Frieza opened his eyes and growled menacingly just in time to bear witness to a massive white, gloved fist about to bury him into the planet's crust. "What!?" He gasped, as the saiyan prince's blow struck true, sending him into the dirt.
Turning quickly, Vegeta roared and fired a potent blast of energy from his mouth which engulfed both the unsuspecting King Cold and Cooler. In effect this allowed the other saiyans a small reprieve to gather themselves together and mount some semblance of a defense.
But still.. Vegeta was by far the most powerful of them all and his attack certainly seemed not to produce any long lasting effects on the Acrosians. As Frieza burst from the ground with a roar of rage he began pelting Vegeta at random with quick, precise beams of energy. Due to disparity in their power the beams barely made more than scratches on Vegeta's fur covered flesh, but they were annoying as all hell..
Vegeta shouted and cut an arm through the air which Frieza deftly weaved around and began pelting Vegeta again. The entire situation was pathetic and sad, like watching a bear try and defend himself from a malevolent wasp. The thought occurred almost immediately to Vegeta that this couldn't have been Frieza's full power. The Acrosian was toying with him.
After a particularly painful Laser to the forehead Vegeta winced and roared in irritation and anger. Dread began to rise in his heart as he quickly began to realize that this was a war they could not win.. They could escape but then what? Frieza would hunt them down and slaughter them for sport no matter where they went.
Though they had all become far more powerful than they ever thought possible, they completely underestimated their opponents. They knew Frieza would be strong but they never expected this and they certainly never expected him to bring his equally powerful family along.. Their hubris would be the cause of their deaths. "Damn it all. We never stood a chance. This.. Is my limit?…" The great ape prince cursed.
Present…
"How the hell did it come to this..!?" The older brother of Kakarot cursed, punching the ground and cracking it.
He looked up in time to see Nappa fall and land with bone crushing force. The saiyan commander rapidly began to shrink back down indicating that the man had most likely lost his tail as well. King Cold made to finish off the oafish saiyan, raising an open palm and launching a barrage of Ki blasts. But at the last minute Vegeta, still in his ape form and with only one eye open, roared before throwing himself in front of the blasts.
The prince hit his knees, moaning to the sky in misery. At this point all of the siayans' armors were cracked and torn in many places. Their energy was all but depleted. There was no hope left.
Frieza threw his hands out wide and cackled. Purple energy began to arc off of him and he began to shine in a brilliant light. Cooler and Cold floated backwards and watched as the prince of the Arcrosians assumed his final form. When it was over the emperor floated slowly forward in preparation to finish off the barely conscious prince Vegeta.
His power continued to rise as he grew re-accustomed to his true form, all the while rambling on about how pathetic saiyans were and how great he was in contrast.
Tears of frustration and desperation stung Raditz's eyes as he watched the scene unfold before him. "Dammit... Save us Kakarot!" He pleaded to the wind.
End of chapter 43.
Raditz: (great ape) 8 million
Nappa: (great ape) 5 million - 7.5 million
Turles : (great ape) 6 million
Vegeta: (great ape) 30 million
Frieza 1st form: 600k
Frieza 2nd form: 1.5 million
Frieza 3rd form: 5 million~
Frieza final form 10%: 15 million.
Frieza final form 20%: 30 million.
Cooler: 30 million
King Cold: (suppressed) 30 million