Goku and Vegeta Defeated, Krillin Dead?

"Damn you, filthy monkey! Don't get cocky!"

Cooler smashed the rocks and snarled.

Impossible. His power was clearly greater than Son Goku's, so how had he ended up on the defensive just now?

"I'll kill you!"

Cooler raised his power again and shot toward Goku like a cannonball.

"Ha!"

Goku sensed Cooler's terrifying power and immediately used Kaio-ken, unleashing a battle power of over ten million.

"Whoosh!"

After using Kaio-ken, Goku's aura turned red. He immediately clashed fists with Cooler again.

Boom!

This time, neither of them had the upper hand.

"Is that all you've got? I guess I gave you too much credit."

Cooler sneered. His power had already climbed past twenty million, and Goku's attacks now felt weak.

Goku's right fist throbbed. Even after increasing his strength, he still wasn't a match for Cooler!

"Die!"

Cooler roared and slammed his knee into Goku's abdomen.

Goku immediately raised both arms to block, but he couldn't withstand Cooler's savage strength. His arms went numb from the impact.

"Ha! Yah!"

Cooler pressed his advantage, clasped his hands together, and brought them down on Goku's back.

"Cough! Ah!—"

Goku's mind reacted in time, but his body couldn't keep up. Cooler's blow still crashed into his back.

"Boom!"

With a tremendous crash, Goku plunged into the valley, and the entire mountain collapsed.

"Whoosh!"

But then, a dark red aura erupted like a volcano. Goku burst through the mountain, his fighting spirit still blazing.

"Kaio-ken x3!"

"Ha!"

The dark red aura flared even stronger. Goku's muscles swelled, and the veins in his body stood out.

He had raised his battle power again!

"Hmph, it's useless. Against absolute power, all your efforts are futile!"

Cooler powered up too. A purple whirlwind surged into the sky, blasting the rocks around him away.

The two torrents of energy rampaged across the land like tornadoes.

"Hey!"

Goku charged at Cooler again and swung a powerful punch.

Cooler casually leaned aside, but Goku seemed to have anticipated his move. He spun with the momentum, appeared behind Cooler, and drove an elbow into him.

"Ah!"

Cooler hadn't expected Goku to move so nimbly in midair. The blow sent him flying.

By the time he was about to crash into the mountains, Cooler had already adjusted to the force of the impact. He planted both feet against the rocks and steadied himself.

Crack!

The rocks beneath Cooler's feet immediately split like a spiderweb, unable to withstand his terrifying strength!

Just as Cooler tried to use the rocks to propel himself toward Goku, he saw a red figure right in front of him!

"Thud!"

Cooler's vision went black. His whole body kept flying backward, and blood spurted from his nose as if his nasal bridge had been broken.

To move faster, Goku kept raising the multiplier of his Kaio-ken. He knew he had to defeat Cooler before reaching the highest level. Otherwise, his body wouldn't be able to keep up, and he would certainly lose.

Cooler hadn't expected Son Goku to surpass his speed once again. He was caught off guard, and Goku's Kaio-ken assault rained down on him.

"Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam! Bam!"

Goku's attacks grew faster and faster. His fists and legs seemed to multiply, striking Cooler from every direction.

"Enough!"

Cooler suddenly powered up, blasting Goku away, then quickly put some distance between them.

"Huff!—Ha!—Huff!—Ha!"

Goku panted heavily, his body growing sluggish.

Cooler wiped the blood from his nose. Seeing his own body covered in bruises, he flew into a towering rage.

"You bastard! I'll tear you to pieces!"

Cooler roared.

He couldn't understand why people whose power was clearly weaker than his kept overpowering him and injuring him. For the Frieza Race, this was unforgivable.

This time, Cooler stopped holding back. He was truly furious.

"You damn monkeys, you're all going to die!"

"Ha!!!!!"

Only now did Cooler unleash his full power.

His Towering Purple Aura suddenly grew several times stronger!

"Whoosh!"

Goku braced himself and used Twenty-Fold Kaio-ken again.

"Boom!"

This time, Cooler moved at incredible speed and appeared behind Goku. He slammed his knee into him, sending him flying with a thud.

Cooler powered up again and chased after Goku, wrapping his tail around him. From behind, he punched Goku over and over in a frenzy.

"Ah!—"

Goku's agonized scream echoed through the sky.

"Weren't you so tough just now?"

"Thought you were strong?"

"Try breaking free!"

Cooler struck Goku again and again, venting the rage he felt after being humiliated.

Cooler swept his tail and flung Goku away, then sprang after him and kicked him.

"Rumble!"

Goku's body slammed into the ground like a cannonball, leaving a huge crater.

Badly injured, he lay on the ground, and his Twenty-Fold Kaio-ken state faded. Only then did its aftereffects set in.

"Ah!"

The beating he had just taken and the strain of Kaio-ken made his whole body ache unbearably. He couldn't help but cry out in pain.

He could barely even stand.

"Damn it! Is this really how it ends?"

Goku was filled with resentment. He had trained hard for a whole year and grown much stronger. Why did he still end up like this whenever he faced a powerful enemy?

On the other battlefield, Vegeta was faring no better.

At first, he had thought he'd simply been careless, but even as the fight went on, he still couldn't match King Cold and was thoroughly beaten.

Fortunately, Vegeta had spent plenty of time over the past year as a punching bag for Goku and Li Feng, so he was still full of fight. Still, he kept getting smashed into boulders or slammed into the ground.

He couldn't understand why one enemy after another could surpass him. Why couldn't he become a Super Saiyan?

"Heh, looks like it's over. You appetizers still can't compare to the Saiyan who killed Frieza!"

Cooler sneered, raised his right hand, and fired a purple Death Beam.

"No!"

"Dad!"

"This can't be!"

The Z Fighters watching hadn't expected Goku and Vegeta to be defeated so quickly. Worse, Goku was now facing a deadly threat!

Just as the Death Beam was about to pierce Goku's chest, a figure suddenly rushed onto the battlefield and shoved him out of the way at the last moment.

It was Krillin!

At the most critical moment, he had sensed Cooler's deadly attack. All he could think about was saving Goku!

Whoosh!

At the last possible moment, Krillin managed to shove Goku aside, but the beam mercilessly pierced his chest.

"No! Krillin!—"

Goku watched helplessly as Krillin pushed him away and was hit by the beam. Krillin's eyes went vacant, and at last he collapsed to the ground.

Had Krillin really died saving Goku?