Super Saiyan 3

"Give Dad back!"

While Son Goku and Son Goten were arguing about the Great Ape Transformation, Trunks could no longer contain his fury at seeing his father absorbed. With a roar, he charged at Buu.

"Trunks!" Seeing Trunks rush at Buu without a second thought, Son Gohan shouted and charged after him.

"Stop arguing for now. Anyway, you can forget about turning into a Great Ape for the time being." Seeing Son Gohan and Trunks charge at Buu, Son Goku shot Son Goten a glare, instantly transformed into a Super Saiyan 2, and joined the battle.

"Heh. Worthless trash."

Buu curled his lip in disdain and casually raised both hands, catching the enraged Trunks and Son Gohan's punches. A sonic boom rang through the air, but Buu wasn't affected in the slightest.

"What?"

Trunks stared in disbelief. Even a full-power punch couldn't make Buu budge.

Buu grabbed Trunks and Son Gohan by their fists and flung them apart. Their bodies shot through the air, completely out of control.

"Haahhh—"

Son Goku's face contorted as the energy inside him compressed and condensed at a frantic pace. His power kept soaring, and the terrifying energy spilling out of him turned the heavens and earth a different color.

"Rumble, rumble."

The whole planet seemed to plunge into disaster. The earth and sky shook as if in a magnitude-ten earthquake. Son Goku's entire body was enveloped in golden energy, and the clouds gathered around him in response to the fearsome power he unleashed.

Buu watched Son Goku in surprise. Judging by the memories he'd absorbed from Vegeta, he didn't seem to have seen this transformation before. If Vegeta were still here, he'd definitely be cursing up a storm.

WQNMLGB, you had power like this and didn't use it when you fought me? You thought I wasn't worth the effort, huh?!

Too bad he was gone. Vegeta had already been absorbed by Buu, unlike in the original, where he'd died in a self-destruct. Still, at least there was a chance to save him—there was still a chance for him to come out and love Son Goku all over again.

(Vegeta inside Buu: Buu, let me out for a second. I'll hack that dogshit author to death!)

Son Gohan and the others looked terrified. The mere sight of Son Goku's transformation was enough to scare the shit out of them. Son Goten only furrowed his brow slightly. His dad's Super Saiyan 3 form was awesome, but it still wasn't enough to measure up to Buu after absorbing Vegeta.

"Stop, Goku! Don't keep going. This will use up the time you have left among the living!" North King Kai cried out from King Kai Planet, where he'd been keeping an eye on Earth.

"Haahhh—"

As everyone watched in stunned silence, Son Goku's upright golden hair began to grow longer, and his energy surged once more.

The golden light faded, revealing a completely transformed Son Goku. His golden hair reached his waist, his eyebrows had disappeared and his eyes slanted slightly downward. A second green ring showed in his light-green irises, and his fierce expression made him look a lot like Piccolo. A lock of golden hair fell across his forehead.

"Surprised?" Son Goku said calmly. "This is what happens when you go beyond the limits once more, on top of surpassing Super Saiyan."

As everyone stared in shock, Son Goku slowly continued, "This is Super Saiyan 3."

"I see," Buu said with a faint smile. "This transformation wasn't in Vegeta's memories. Looks like you were holding back!"

"Heh." Son Goku watched Buu gravely, a bead of sweat on his forehead. Even as a Super Saiyan 3, he wasn't confident he could beat Buu as he was now. Unless he used the Spirit Bomb—but Vegeta was inside Buu. What could he do?

"Boom."

Son Goku pushed off against the air and shot toward Buu. Buu smiled faintly and rushed at him too.

"Boom!"

"Crackle, crackle."

The two collided in midair. Their fists clashed, sending ripples through the air, while arcs of electricity crackled around them.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

Son Goku and Buu exchanged a glance, then turned into afterimages as they collided over and over in midair. Ripples spread through the air wherever they went, and the deafening booms continued long after each impact.

"So strong! Dad's so strong!" Son Gohan stared blankly at Son Goku battling in midair, admiration in his eyes. Trunks was no different.

Son Goten still looked grave. Son Goku might be holding his own against Buu for the moment, but he was dead. There was a time limit on how much power he could use in the living world. Couldn't they see he'd already started sweating?

Damn it. If I could turn Super Saiyan 4, then even if Buu absorbed everyone, I could still pin him down and beat him until he called me Dad.

Son Goten's hand tightened around his tail.

"Damn it," Son Goten muttered, turning to Supreme Kai. "Supreme Kai, do you know how to use the Artificial Moon?"

"Huh?" Supreme Kai froze.

"What do you mean, 'huh'?" Son Goten was so furious his nose nearly twisted out of shape. "I'm asking if you know any techniques like the Artificial Moon. Magic works too!"

"Uh... I do," Supreme Kai said after a moment's thought, then confirmed it.