Vegeta sneered at the sight and stopped his pointless barrage of energy blasts, charging forward instead!
The two collided once more, fiercely, like planets crashing into each other!
Fists, feet, elbows, knees...
Every part of their bodies became a deadly weapon, and each collision unleashed a shocking burst of energy!
Overall, Vegeta had more combat experience and fought with greater ruthlessness. He gradually gained the upper hand, steadily pressing Goku back.
"Kakarot! Face reality!"
Vegeta kept up his taunts as he attacked.
"It doesn't matter if you refuse to admit it! Your blood determines what you are! You're a Saiyan! Conquest and battle are our destiny!"
He seized an opening in Goku's guard and suddenly put all his strength behind a heavy uppercut, slamming it into Goku's stomach!
"Ugh!"
Goku grunted, his body doubling over in pain.
But he gritted his teeth and endured the agony, then grabbed Vegeta's Battle Suit with his other hand!
"My name is... Son Goku!!!"
Goku roared and used the pull of his grip on Vegeta to yank himself closer. At the same time, he drove a vicious knee straight into Vegeta's stomach!
"Ugh...!"
Vegeta felt as though the blow had nearly forced the bile from his stomach. The pain made his vision go black, and his body locked up!
"Kamehameha!!!"
Without the slightest hesitation, Goku took advantage of Vegeta's paralysis and swiftly drew his hands together at his waist. Blue energy gathered wildly between them!
A point-blank Kamehameha—fire!!!
BOOM!!!!
The searing blue torrent slammed squarely into Vegeta's chest! The terrifying energy exploded in an instant!
"Waaaah!!!"
Vegeta let out a bloodcurdling scream as he was blasted away like a kite with its strings cut, crashing hard into a distant cliff face. Shattered rock flew everywhere!
It took quite a while before Vegeta managed to struggle out of the person-shaped crater.
He knelt on the ground, coughing violently, blood at the corner of his mouth. His chest was badly burned, and his Battle Suit was severely damaged.
He looked up at Goku, who was also panting heavily but still had a determined look in his eyes. Goku stood ready, waiting for him to get back up.
The fury and humiliation in Vegeta's heart, along with his disbelief that a low-class warrior had wounded him so badly, erupted like a volcano!
"Damn it...!!!"
Vegeta's voice trembled with unbridled rage.
"You... you low-class warrior... how could you... how could you beat me..."
He slowly rose to his feet. His energy began to grow wildly unstable as an indescribably terrifying power gathered inside him!
"You can't beat me..."
Vegeta lowered his head, his voice low and hoarse.
Golden flames began to spill uncontrollably from his body, growing more and more intense. "I am... I am..."
He suddenly raised his head. His eyes were bloodshot with rage as he roared deafeningly at the sky:
"I am Super Vegeta!!! Haaahhhhhhh—!!!!!"
RUMBLE—!!!
Golden flames burst from Vegeta like an erupting volcano, surging straight into the sky!
The powerful energy shook the entire ground! The air around him warped under the force of his terrifying power!
Vegeta's hair stood on end, each strand trembling in the golden flames as its color began to shift violently.
Finally, amid a blinding flash of light, it settled into a dazzling gold!
The spectacular, earth-shaking transformation, together with the suffocating aura that instantly overwhelmed everyone present, made the faces of everyone there except Vitelli change dramatically!
"Th-this is?!"
Goku's pupils contracted sharply. For the first time, his face showed utter shock and disbelief!
The aura made him feel an unprecedented, overwhelming pressure and a deadly threat!
Vegeta stopped roaring and slowly lowered his head.
Now his hair stood upright and golden, his eyes had turned emerald green, and boiling golden flames surrounded him. His whole body radiated tremendous power!
With a bold, arrogant grin, he pointed his right thumb at himself.
Looking triumphantly at Goku, who was braced for a tough fight, he declared:
"This is me! The one who surpassed the limits of the Saiyans—Super Saiyan Vegeta!!!"
After transforming, Vegeta's mere presence made it hard for Goku to breathe!
"I'll win!"
Goku gritted his teeth, summoned every last bit of strength, and surged forward in a burst of white flames!
But this time, everything was different!
Vegeta casually raised a hand to block or slap aside Goku's punches, kicks, and every other attack. He didn't even bother dodging!
Every one of Vegeta's casual counterattacks, whether a punch or a kick, carried terrifying force. He sent Goku flying with ease, blood spraying from the corner of his mouth again and again!
The gap between them was simply too great! Goku couldn't see any hope of winning this fight!
Watching from the air, Vitelli stroked his chin as a particularly wicked idea suddenly came to mind.
With a whoosh, he flew above Goku. Looking down at the bloodied Goku, who was struggling to hold on, he shouted in a voice full of urgency and anguish:
"Goku!!! Something terrible happened!!!"
Goku was barely managing to fend off Vegeta's attacks. Hearing Vitelli's voice, he instinctively looked up. Despite his pain, he managed to force a faint smile.
"Th-that's great, Vitelli, you're here... They..."
Vitelli didn't let Goku finish. His face was full of "anger" and "sorrow" as he interrupted in an almost shrill voice:
"Goku! Those people! Vegeta's men! While we were fighting here, they secretly sent someone to attack Kame House!! Master Roshi! Krillin! And Launch! They... they were all killed by those heartless bastards!!!"
"W-what?!"
Vegeta was about to attack again, but froze when he heard that.
Hovering in midair, he stared at Vitelli, completely dumbfounded, and ranted to himself:
When did we kill anyone on Earth?! And why would we go after Master Roshi? Could that idiot Nappa have been reckless enough to ignore Vitelli's warning and do it behind his back? No, that doesn't seem like Nappa. Raditz would be even less likely to do it!
Below, Goku felt as though he'd been struck by lightning. His expression froze in an instant.
"H-how could that be, Vitelli?!"
Goku jerked his head up and looked at Vitelli in the sky.
His voice trembled as he clung to one last desperate hope.
"Y-you're lying, right?! You're trying to trick me, aren't you?! How could Master Roshi and the others..."
Vitelli wore an expression of profound "pain" and "guilt." He shook his head forcefully, as if overcome by unbearable grief.
"I'm sorry... Goku... By the time I realized something was wrong and got there... it was... it was too late... They were all..."
"..."
Goku suddenly stood perfectly still.
He lowered his head, hiding his expression.
The whole world seemed to fall silent. Only the wind wailed as it swept across the barren land.
He felt as if something incredibly important inside him... had shattered...
One memory after another surged uncontrollably through his mind:
Master Roshi patiently teaching him martial arts, taking him to the Martial Arts Tournament, buying him new clothes, and quietly looking out for him even though his training was strict...
Krillin, his very best friend. They trained, ate, and played together. Whenever Vitelli picked on Goku, Krillin would get so angry he jumped to his feet and thumped his chest, promising to avenge him...
Launch, the girl whose personality changed whenever she sneezed. She would kindly and carefully mend his training clothes, cook all kinds of delicious food for him and Krillin, and always smile as she watched them play around...
Those precious, warm memories now cut into his heart again and again like the sharpest knives.
Vegeta frowned as he watched Goku's energy suddenly become wildly unstable. He was just about to say something.
"Hey! Kakarot! You don't really believe..."
Before he could finish, an indescribably vast and terrifying aura burst from Goku's body!!!
BOOM—!!!!
The ground began to shake violently! Countless rocks slowly floated into the air as if gravity had vanished!
The ground cracked inch by inch around Goku, forming a huge web of fissures.
"I'll never forgive you..."
A low, hoarse voice, filled with bottomless pain and fury, forced its way up from Goku's throat.
Goku slowly raised his head.
The sight of his face made Vegeta's heart skip a beat!
Goku's face was streaked with tears, but his eyes were no longer clear and bright. They were filled with endless sorrow and... a furious madness that threatened to destroy everything!
"Were my friends... all killed by you..."
Goku's voice trembled, and every word seemed to carry hatred.
RUMBLE—!!!
An even more immense golden aura surged from Goku like a tidal wave, swallowing him whole!
His formerly black pupils began to shimmer, gradually turning emerald green!
His black hair stood on end, shifting violently between black and gold!
"I'll never forgive you!!!"
"Vegeta!!!!!"
With that cry of unbearable rage and grief, Goku's aura finally erupted completely!
The dazzling golden light stabilized! His hair turned entirely brilliant gold, standing straight up like flames!
Cold fury burned in his emerald-green eyes!
The clouds began to break apart, and the earth groaned beneath him.
At that very moment, the legendary warrior—
The Super Saiyan—Son Goku!!!
Was born!!!
Chapter 31: Goku! Win!
Goku slowly raised his head. His eyes, now completely emerald green, no longer held their former clarity.
They held nothing but cold fury, fixed on Vegeta in the sky.
Under that icy gaze, Vegeta felt a sudden, inexplicable pang of fear.
He swallowed instinctively.
But then an overwhelming sense of humiliation surged from within him, instantly drowning out that hint of fear!
He! Vegeta! The noble Saiyan Prince! A genius among the Saiyans!