Was the gap in strength really this enormous? If this really was only fifty percent of his power, then just how strong was he at full power?!
This is the power of Frieza, the Emperor of the Universe. I thought too highly of myself...
Forget it. If I don't use a higher multiplier of Kaioken now, he'll kill me!
Faced with Frieza's terrifying aura, Son Goku struggled with himself briefly before finally making his decision.
Even if he died, he would rather not leave his life in someone else's hands.
Even if forcing himself to use Kaioken x20 caused irreversible damage, and even if he still lost, at least he would try to break through this deadlock himself.
"Oh my, oh my~~! From the look of you, you still don't seem willing to admit defeat." Frieza clasped one hand behind his back and raised the other slightly.
Right before Son Goku's eyes, an intensely rich, deep-red light gathered at the tip of Frieza's raised finger.
"Very good. I do like a tough one. Since your performance has been satisfactory, I'll let you witness my absolute power. I hope you'll still have the courage to stand after you've seen it."
Having said that, Frieza gave Son Goku more than enough time to react.
Then he swung his right hand, which had gathered a terrifying amount of energy, down toward Son Goku.
In an instant, a deep-red energy beam of unimaginable power shot out.
The attack was so fast that there was no time to dodge.
Son Goku sensed the deadly threat. He could only cross his arms in front of himself to defend, instinctively retreating a little.
The terrifying energy beam cleaved into the ground in an instant.
The entire island was split in two!
No!
It wasn't just the island. It seemed as if the entire planet had been cleaved apart.
The chasm stretching over ten thousand kilometers was enough to make anyone's blood run cold at a glance.
That was the power of a casual strike from Frieza.
It meant that if he wanted to destroy Namek, it would be child's play.
"Oh ho ho ho~~! Well? That attack of mine used only fifty percent of my power." Frieza spoke to Son Goku as if showing off the destruction he had wrought.
Son Goku was truly terrified now.
He could think of only one thing when he looked at Frieza: the man was a lunatic.
He casually unleashed attacks like that. If he'd used even a little more force, the planet's crust would have been completely split apart.
And then the planet really would explode.
Cold sweat covered Son Goku's body, and he trembled slightly.
He slowly landed and stared at Frieza, yet didn't know what to say to express how he felt.
For now, all he could do was give Kaioken x20 everything he had.
He hoped Kaioken x20 would deal Frieza a devastating blow.
On the cliffs of an island in the distance,
Piccolo, Krillin, and Son Gohan were all dumbstruck by Frieza's attack, cold sweat pouring down their bodies.
If that energy wave had been aimed in their direction, they would already be dead.
"So this... this is Frieza's true power!" Son Gohan said, his body trembling.
"That beam looked like it split the entire planet in two," Krillin said in alarm.
Piccolo looked calm on the outside, but inside he was panicking. Fear was spreading through him. Frieza's terrifying power had once again surpassed his expectations.
He knew that if things continued like this, Son Goku was going to lose.
At that thought, Piccolo suddenly snapped back to his senses and said to Son Gohan and Krillin, "You two, while there's still time, get out of here! Find that woman Bulma. She should be able to pilot the spaceship Son Goku arrived in! You have to leave Namek immediately!"
"What? Piccolo, what do you mean?" Krillin asked, his mouth falling open.
"There's no time to explain. Son Goku is probably about to lose. He's already at the end of his rope, and I need to be ready to step in and help at any moment," Piccolo said through clenched teeth.
Krillin's expression turned grim.
Son Gohan looked just as unhappy, but with his dad here, he had no intention of running away.
"No! I'm staying. Even if I die, I'll fight alongside Dad to the end!" Son Gohan now had his own conviction as a fighter.
He wouldn't abandon his dad just to save his own life.
Hearing Son Gohan's words, Piccolo was filled with emotion.
He was pleased by the answer; it showed that Gohan had grown. But he would never let Son Gohan die on Namek.
"Idiot! What do you think you can do by staying? You'll only get in the way. You can't help us at all!"
Piccolo's cold reprimand made Son Gohan look like a scolded child, his face full of hurt.
"But..."
"No buts! Either leave now, or I'll kill you right here so you can't get in our way later!" Piccolo snapped coldly once more.
Son Gohan's eyes immediately welled up with tears.
"Uncle Piccolo, I won't get in the way..."
"Yeah, Piccolo, you don't have to be like that," Krillin added quickly.
"Enough nonsense! I'm King Piccolo! I don't have time to argue with you! Krillin, you'd better get this brat out of here right now, or I'll kill you too!" Krillin knew the reason behind Piccolo's actions.
Torn between his choices, he glanced toward the distant battlefield.
At last, he made up his mind and said to Son Gohan, "Piccolo's right. Come on, Gohan. We're just too weak. We can't help at all by staying here."
After hearing that, Son Gohan understood that he couldn't force his way into staying.
He knew Uncle Piccolo, and he also knew Uncle Piccolo was telling him to leave quickly for his own safety.
If he refused, he would be rejecting Uncle Piccolo's kindness.
"I understand, Uncle Piccolo. I'll do what you say." Son Gohan's voice was choked with tears.
Krillin sighed and was about to say something.
Just then, a series of mocking "tsk, tsk" sounds came from behind them.
A teasing voice followed.
"What a touching display of fatherly love. It really makes you marvel at the power of family. Anyone who didn't know better might think a father was pretending to be heartless for his son's sake."
The three of them tensed and immediately turned around.
Before them stood a human nearly six foot two, with an almost perfect physique.
His clothes, however, were in a sorry state.
It was clear that he was wearing a Battle Suit from the Frieza Force.
But it was so worn that it looked as if he'd had it for years, and it didn't fit him very well.
"Who are you?!" Piccolo shouted. He had already stepped in front of Krillin and Son Gohan.
This man was too strange, and he had appeared too suddenly. They couldn't sense his ki, yet he gave off a powerful, oppressive presence.
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