Piccolo's Retreat

Namek.

Due to the battle between Vegeta and the others against Frieza, this once quiet and peaceful planet was now suffering from crustal shifts and backflowing rivers. Every corner of the planet was affected, plagued by either earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. Fortunately, everyone else had been evacuated to Earth; otherwise, who knew if Bulma and the others would have been caught in the crossfire!

While Goku and Vegeta were conversing, Piccolo had already begun to clash with Frieza.

In the air, the two traded blows, locked in close-quarters combat.

With a flurry of swish sounds, they moved at high speeds, their figures impossible for an ordinary person to track. The violent collision of their fists made the very air feel heavy. If one looked closely, they would see a sneer of disdain constantly playing on Frieza's lips.

He was playing around, not using his full strength at all, while every punch Piccolo threw felt like striking steel. Frieza's rock-hard fists made Piccolo's arms tremble slightly—a reflexive reaction to the impact his body was sustaining.

Piccolo couldn't afford to worry about that and continued to press the attack. Seizing a moment of carelessness from Frieza, he unleashed a high kick aimed at Frieza's head. As Frieza's body tilted, Piccolo surged forward, having anticipated the movement, and followed up with a knee strike.

His knee made intimate contact with Frieza's head.

With a pop, Frieza was sent flying skyward.

Piccolo pressed his advantage, flying into the air and launching a relentless barrage of kicks at Frieza. A closer look at Piccolo would reveal that his other hand was pressed against his forehead, gathering his ultimate technique: the Special Beam Cannon!

This move possessed immense destructive power, but its only drawback was the long charge time. He had to seize every opening, attacking to stall for time while simultaneously charging the blast.

Frieza roared, "Enough! You wretched Namekian, I'm done playing with you!"

As he spoke, Frieza's tail suddenly whipped around and coiled tightly around Piccolo's right leg, bringing his assault to a screeching halt.

Frieza began to spin his body like a top, forcing Piccolo to spin helplessly in place along with him. The speed reached that of a tornado before Frieza released his tail. Piccolo was sent flying, the intense centrifugal force making it impossible for him to control his body. He crashed into the ground with a heavy thud.

The impact of Piccolo's body carved a massive crater into the earth.

Even then, Piccolo kept his finger pressed to his forehead, gritting his teeth to maintain the charge.

"Come out. That little attack of yours doesn't mean a thing," Frieza said loudly, staring down at the crater.

Piccolo seized the opportunity to continue charging in the pit. He didn't emerge; with the dust still unsettled, Frieza couldn't see exactly what he was doing.

Frieza, growing impatient, raised his arm toward the crater. His finger glowed as he condensed a Death Beam, firing them like bullets into the pit one after another.

Piccolo watched the beams strike the ground beside him, puzzled as to why they weren't hitting him. He suddenly realized that Frieza could not yet sense energy and was relying solely on his eyes to track him.

Before the thought could fully form, a beam grazed the skin of his right arm and struck the ground, leaving a tiny, steaming hole.

This won't do. Even if he can't sense my energy, these dense light waves are bound to hit me eventually! I have to get out of here! Piccolo thought to himself.

Piccolo flipped out of the crater. As the dust cleared, Frieza took a steady look and realized he had been secretly charging an attack. He said dismissively, "So you were preparing a special move? Don't worry, I'll give you the time!"

"Frieza, you are too arrogant! Let's see if you can handle this!" Piccolo shouted, incensed by Frieza's mocking expression.

"This Seat will give you the time. You had better put some effort into it, or I won't be sufficiently entertained!" Frieza taunted.

He took a horse stance, held his hands at his waist, and prepared to take the attack head-on.

Piccolo had finished charging. He roared, "Take this, Frieza! Special Beam Cannon!"

A massive yellow beam of light surged toward Frieza, accompanied by Piccolo's shout.

Frieza's entire body tensed as he felt a flicker of threat, but he was too proud to dodge, choosing to receive the attack directly.

The blast struck Frieza from the neck up, hitting him in the chin. Frieza's head snapped back.

Piccolo gasped for air; that last strike had significantly drained his strength.

"Piccolo, watch out! Frieza's energy hasn't dropped at all!" Goku shouted a warning.

Piccolo stared at Frieza in shock.

"Ho ho ho... not bad, Namekian. That strike actually gave me a sense of pain I've never felt before!" Frieza said, looking up at the sky.

He then straightened his body and looked at Piccolo with keen interest.

Before Piccolo could react, Frieza lunged at him. He threw a violent punch at Piccolo's nose, then grabbed his arm with his other hand, pulling him back in to deliver a heavy knee strike to the gut. Piccolo spat blood in agony and screamed.

"Aaaah!!!!"

Frieza continued his assault, unleashing a lightning-fast, relentless barrage of strikes. Piccolo's hunched body emitted a series of dull thuds.

Pop... thud...

An indescribable, intense pain flooded Piccolo's entire body, but he had no time to counterattack; Frieza's onslaught was simply too swift.

Piccolo could only grit his teeth and endure.

Frieza then delivered a backhanded strike with his steel-like arm, slamming it heavily against the side of Piccolo's left ear.

Piccolo screamed and tumbled away, the sheer force sending him rolling several times. Before he could stand, he fell to his knees, supporting himself with one hand while clutching his injured ear with the other, screaming in pain.

The sensitive cochlea of a Namekian was even more fragile than that of a human. Frieza's strike had already caused it to bleed.

"Hehehe... what's wrong? Is that all you've got? I haven't even used my full strength yet. Should I fight you with both hands tied behind my back? Consider that a special favor!" Frieza continued to mock him.

Piccolo slowly began to recover, the intensity of the pain subsiding.

He stood up, hovering in the air, and said, "Frieza, stop being so full of yourself! I haven't used my full strength either!"

With that, he removed his turban with one hand and his cape with the other, bundling them together and tossing them to the ground.

Bang! The ground shattered upon impact.

It turned out that throughout the battle, Piccolo had been wearing his heavy weighted clothing the entire time.

After shedding his clothes, his entire body felt light! It was as if the pain from moments ago had vanished along with the liberation of his body.

"Not bad. It seems you still have some strength! I have no talent under my command that can match you," Frieza said.

"How about it? Are you interested in working for me? I will place you above ten thousand, second only to me!" Frieza immediately followed up with an offer.

"Hmph, Frieza, I have no interest in being your dog! Besides, Vegeta is far more powerful than you. What 'second only to one, above ten thousand'?" Piccolo said with disdain.

"Then go to hell! You detestable Namekian!" Frieza roared! Having said that, he charged toward Piccolo.

Piccolo erupted with energy, a massive aura enveloping his entire body. His combat power had already surpassed 20 million, reaching around 25 million.

The two sides traded blows, locked in close-quarters combat once again.

At this point, Frieza had no interest in playing anymore. Every attack radiated a heavy, oppressive force! Piccolo gritted his teeth, holding his ground against the onslaught! His body trembled and twitched.

Bang, slap...

The clouds in the sky were scattered by the terrifying shockwaves of the two, leaving the sky clear for miles!

Piccolo could no longer hold on; he retreated from the fight, panting heavily.

"What, can't hold on anymore? Let me send you to your death..." Frieza said relentlessly.

He immediately raised one hand toward the sky! Above his palm, a circular disc of light condensed, just like Krillin's signature move, the Destructo Disc!

The disc of light spun sharply! It seemed as if it were about to tear through the very space at its edges!

With a wave of his hand, he threw it at Piccolo.

Piccolo wore an expression of disdain.

He could easily dodge an attack like this! Just as Piccolo jumped up to evade the disc of light, a wicked smirk appeared on the corner of Frieza's mouth! His fingers formed an incomprehensible seal, directing the disc of light—which resembled the Destructo Disc—to fly back!

"Piccolo, watch out behind you..." Goku shouted a warning.

Before the words had even faded, Piccolo sensed danger. His body, which was about to descend, forced itself to gain more height.

"Damn it..." Piccolo was shocked!

The disc of light swept past, and Piccolo's body began to separate from his waist down!

His legs were now severed from his torso!!

Goku erupted with energy and rushed toward Piccolo, quickly feeding him a Senzu Bean!

"Hehehe... what a pity... you managed to dodge it! Just be a cripple from now on!" Frieza laughed evilly!

"Damn you, Frieza... I will never let you get away with this!" Goku shouted angrily.

"Goku, don't worry. Don't forget our Namekian regenerative abilities!!!" Piccolo said.

As Piccolo swallowed the Senzu Bean, his body gradually regained its strength. He let out a loud shout! "Yahhh..."

At the site of the severed legs, two new legs burst forth!!

"I forgot about that... you scared me to death... how would I have explained this to Gohan if you hadn't made it back!" Goku let out a sigh of relief.

"Goku, I leave it to you... I can't beat him anymore! I've used all my strength!" Piccolo said with frustration.

"Alright, Piccolo, go get some rest! It's my turn!" Goku said, eager for the fight.

The thought of being able to battle such a powerful Frieza made his blood boil; his desire to fight was intense!

Piccolo retreated to Vegeta's side, manifesting the exact same cape and turban he had discarded earlier, and watched as Goku took the stage!