Artificial Moon

"Phew... phew..."

Vegeta floated in midair, his chest heaving violently.

He looked down at the Earth warriors below, who were still brimming with fighting spirit—especially Kaxiu, who always wore that infuriating grin. The rage in his heart was nearly enough to burn his reason to ashes.

Nappa was dead.

That useless fool had followed him for over a decade. Though Nappa deserved to die, this was still a slap in the face of the Saiyan Prince!

And after that brief exchange just now—or rather, that one-sided humiliation—Vegeta's sharp battle instincts had told him a cruel fact.

If he did not use his ultimate move, then today... he really might lose!

That Son Goku's battle power was above his own. In his twofold Kaioken state, Son Goku's normal battle power of ten thousand gave him a slight edge.

And then there was that Kaxiu. The way he had defeated Nappa just now was unfathomable.

"Damn it... Since you all want to die so badly, I'll grant your wish!"

Vegeta suddenly let out an enraged roar, turning into a streak of violet light as he shot straight toward an altitude of ten thousand meters.

"Huh? Is he running away?"

On the ground, Krillin raised his head and asked in confusion.

"No... that's not it!"

Goku's expression turned grave as he stared intently at Vegeta's figure.

"His energy hasn't weakened. It's becoming even more violent! What is he trying to do?"

Only Sun Wuxiu kept both hands in his pockets as he watched the sky, a flash of understanding passing through his eyes.

"He's looking for the moon."

"The moon?"

Krillin froze.

"What does he need the moon for? It's daytime!"

"Idiot."

Piccolo snorted coldly.

"Have you forgotten what happened when Goku turned into a Great Ape? As long as a Saiyan sees a full moon, he'll..."

Before Piccolo could finish, everyone's faces turned deathly pale.

A Great Ape!

That terrifying monster that existed only in nightmares!

"Oh no!!"

Goku's face changed drastically.

"If he turns into a Great Ape, his battle power will increase tenfold! That would be... one hundred and eighty thousand?!!"

One hundred and eighty thousand battle power!

It was a number enough to instantly vaporize the entire Earth!

"Stop him!!"

Tien Shinhan shouted anxiously.

Yet Sun Wuxiu merely waved a hand, signaling everyone to stay calm.

"Don't panic. Let him look."

Sun Wuxiu said calmly, "He won't find it anyway."

Sure enough.

After piercing through the clouds, Vegeta scanned his surroundings. The savage grin on his face gradually stiffened before turning into furious rage.

"Where's the moon?! Where the hell did that damned moon go?!!"

"According to my calculations, today should clearly be a full moon! Why isn't it here?!"

Vegeta roared madly in the sky.

He suddenly lowered his head and glared at the people below, his eyes bloodshot.

"It was you!! You despicable bastards destroyed the moon beforehand, didn't you?!!"

"Yeah, I did."

Piccolo crossed his arms and admitted it coldly. He had done so half a year ago to stop Gohan from going berserk.

"You damned bastard!!!"

Vegeta trembled with rage.

Without the moon, he could not transform into a Great Ape or gain that tenfold boost in power!

"But..."

Vegeta took several deep breaths, forcibly calming himself down.

His gaze settled on Goku and Sun Wuxiu.

"Kakarot has no tail. He can't transform."

"But that Kaxiu... that bastard still has his tail!"

A gleam flashed through Vegeta's eyes.

"If I transform too, will he transform along with me?"

"Hmph, so what if he does?"

A haughty sneer curled across Vegeta's lips.

"When low-class warriors turn into Great Apes, they become mindless beasts that know only destruction."

"But I! The noble Saiyan Prince! Even after turning into a Great Ape, I can perfectly retain my sanity and battle skills!"

"How could a beast driven only by instinct possibly be a match for a genius warrior like me?!"

"In that case..."

Vegeta extended his right hand, palm facing upward, as a peculiar energy fluctuation began to gather.

"It'll consume a little energy, but that no longer matters."

"I'll show you the true terror of the Saiyans!!"

"Gather! Artificial Full Moon!!!"

Bzzz—!!!

A sphere of blinding white light flew from Vegeta's hand and hovered high in the sky.

The sphere released specific Blutz Waves, recreating the effect of a full moon.

"That... that is..."

On the ground, Goku felt the blood within him begin to stir. Though he no longer had a tail, that instinctive reaction still made his heart pound with alarm.

"Oh no!! He can actually create a moon artificially!!"

Goku roared.

But it was already too late.

Vegeta, high in the sky, stared fixedly at that sphere of light, his mouth splitting into a grin that reached his ears.

"Ha ha ha ha ha!!! Tremble! Despair!!"

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

Dull heartbeats echoed between heaven and earth like war drums.

Vegeta's body began to swell violently. His battle armor stretched taut, black fur grew wildly over his body, fangs emerged from his mouth, and his human face rapidly twisted and elongated...

"Roooooar—!!!!"

Accompanied by an earth-shaking roar.

A massive ape over fifty meters tall, radiating an aura of destruction, appeared in the sky!

One hundred and eighty thousand battle power!

That indescribably terrifying shockwave instantly swept across an entire hemisphere!

The earth trembled, and the seas roared.

"This... this is... a Saiyan..."

Krillin collapsed onto the ground. As he looked at that monster blotting out the sky, his lips trembled.

Despair.

True despair.

Before that power, they felt as tiny as ants.

"Ka... xiu..."

Great Ape Vegeta lowered his head, his enormous crimson eyes locking onto Sun Wuxiu on the ground.

Though his voice had become as heavy as thunder, Vegeta's tone was still unmistakable.

"How is it? This power..."

"Does it make you despair? Do you want to kneel and beg for mercy?"

"Too bad... it's too late!!"

"Die!!!"

Boom!!!

Great Ape Vegeta raised one foot and stomped down like Mount Tai crashing from above!

That stomp covered dozens of meters. There was nowhere to run!

"Run!!!"

Goku shoved Krillin and Gohan aside, then charged straight toward that enormous foot.

"Threefold Kaioken!!!"

Boom—!!!

A crimson aura surged skyward, and Goku's battle power instantly soared to thirty thousand!

He raised both hands toward the sky, trying to block the stomp.

However.

Thirty thousand against one hundred and eighty thousand.

The gap was simply too vast.

Bang!!!

Goku felt as though a planet had slammed into him head-on. Both arms snapped instantly, and he was driven brutally into the ground beneath Vegeta's foot!

"Uwaaaaaah!!"

Goku let out a scream of agony.

"Goku!!"

Krillin and the others cried out in alarm.

"Ha ha ha ha!! Is this all you can do, Kakarot?"

Great Ape Vegeta laughed wildly, grinding his foot down with force.

"So weak! Too weak! Crushing you is as easy as stepping on an insect!"

"Damn it..."

Buried beneath the earth, Goku felt as though his organs were about to shatter.

But he could not lose!

If he lost, then Gohan, Krillin, and Earth behind him... would all be finished!

"I can only... go all out!!"

Goku clenched his teeth until they cracked, madness blazing in his eyes.

"Body... you have to hold on!!"

"Fourfold... no! Fivefold Kaioken!!!"

Rumble—!!!