Awakening of the Legend

"What?"

Frieza raised an eyebrow, his tone carrying a hint of amusement. "You have a way?"

I coughed up blood, feeling several more ribs break. But I couldn't care about that now.

What was a transmigrator's greatest advantage? Not strength, not bloodline—it was knowing when to go all in.

"Dad, listen to me." I forced the words out with difficulty. "Inside you... there's an even stronger power..."

"Anger... Use your anger to unleash it!!"

Frieza tilted his head at me as though he were listening to some childish joke.

"What stronger power? Haven't you Saiyans already proven yourselves to be worthless?" He chuckled, tightening his tail a little more. "What nonsense is this brat spouting..."

Pain darkened my vision, but I didn't shut up.

(I can't stop... I have to make him believe... No, make him realize that power exists!!)

"Dad!!" I roared at the blood-soaked figure in the distance. "You have Saiyan blood in you!! That power—the legendary power!! Believe me!!"

Goku stood where he was, his brow deeply furrowed.

"Legendary power?"

"Yes!!" My consciousness was gradually growing hazy. "Not Kaio-ken... Something even... even stronger..."

"Heh."

Frieza's voice cut me off.

"I see." He looked at me, a flicker of understanding passing through his eyes. "Are you trying to stall for time? Or cheer your father up?"

"What a touching display of father-son affection."

He licked his lips.

"Too bad it's useless."

He raised a hand and aimed it at my head.

"Since you have something to say... I'll let you finish saying one last thing."

Energy began gathering in his palm.

As I watched that energy grow stronger and stronger, my heart was strangely calm.

(Come on, Frieza.)

(Hit me harder.)

(Beat me to the brink of death, then let me see Son Goku's true power!!)

(In the original story, Krillin's death triggered Super Saiyan... but I can't gamble on Krillin dying.)

(Besides... who said the trigger had to be death?)

(It's anger. Extreme anger.)

(Would seeing his own son on the verge of death make Dad angry enough?!)

"Stop!!" Goku charged over.

Frieza didn't even look at him, casually flicking his hand.

Bang!!

Another dull impact rang out as Goku was sent flying.

"Dad!!" I cried out.

"Don't rush, brat." Frieza's voice sounded beside my ear. "One at a time."

He turned toward Goku and slowly approached.

"You want to save your son?"

"Then let me see... what this so-called 'stronger power' of yours really is."

"If you disappoint me..."

He glanced back at me, and his tail suddenly tightened.

"Your son dies."

I felt my spine creaking. The agony nearly made me lose consciousness.

But I didn't scream.

I only stared fixedly in Goku's direction.

(Come on, Dad.)

(Didn't you always want to become stronger?)

(Weren't you always searching for the limits of power?)

(In every battle, you chased stronger opponents... Vegeta on Namek, the Ginyu Force, and now Frieza...)

(But this time)

(The true strongest one is inside you.)

(Use your anger to touch that legendary realm!!)

"Gohan..."

In the distance, Goku climbed to his feet.

The look in his eyes had changed.

It was not despair, nor was it fear—

It was something I had never seen on his face before.

Grief and fury.

A look where sorrow and rage had intertwined deep in his bones.

The despair of losing the most important thing.

The struggle of wanting to destroy everything, yet being powerless to do so.

"Let go of my son."

His voice was soft, so soft it was almost inaudible.

But that energy—that energy was soaring madly.

"Tenfold Kaio-ken isn't enough?"

Goku slowly straightened up, covered in blood, yet standing like an unshakable mountain.

"Then I'll..."

His eyes... changed.

From their original black, they gradually turned a deep emerald green.

"Go even higher!!"

"BOOM!!!"

A terrifying aura erupted from within him.

It was like tangible pressure, instantly blanketing the entire battlefield.

The air trembled.

The earth cracked.

Namek's sky... seemed to have been torn open.

"This is!!" Frieza's pupils suddenly contracted.

My eyes widened as well.

No.

This wasn't Kaio-ken.

This was!!

"Father!!" I shouted, unable to contain my excitement. "You did it!!"

But Goku seemed not to realize what had happened yet.

He merely stared at Frieza, pure rage burning in his eyes.

"Gohan... my son..."

His voice trembled.

Not from fear.

From heartbreak.

The pain of seeing his child suffer while being powerless to stop it.

"I won't let you die!!!"

At that moment.

"BOOM!!!"

Golden light exploded from his body!!

As if the sun itself had descended upon the world!!

The light was blinding and blazing, carrying the force to destroy everything!!

The golden radiance instantly swallowed the entire battlefield, forcing back Frieza's dark aura!!

Goku's hair began to change. His once-black hair rose strand by strand, like blazing flames dancing in a violent wind!!

Its color shifted from black to gold, finally turning into a dazzling pure white!!

It was not the white of decay, but a radiance of ultimate purity, sparkling like diamonds!!

His eyes had turned completely emerald green, as though sparks were burning within his pupils!!

Not the green of rage, but the pure green of fighting spirit!!

Golden energy flared from his body, forming a massive halo that enveloped him!!

The aura was terrifyingly hot; even the surrounding rocks began to melt!!

The occasional arcs of electricity flashing through it were the distinctive mark of the legendary Super Saiyan!!

"This is..."

For the first time, Frieza's voice trembled.

"That color... that energy... could it be...?!"

"The legendary...!!"

Super Saiyan.

At that moment, I finally witnessed with my own eyes the greatest legend in the world of Dragon Balls descending.

"Gohan!!"

The golden figure appeared at my side in an instant.

I had not even seen how he moved.

It had happened in the blink of an eye.

Smack!!

Frieza's tail was seized in a single hand.

"What?!" Frieza cried in shock.

Then—Crack! It was torn off by force.

"Ah—!!!" Frieza let out a shriek, clutching his severed tail as he staggered back several steps, blood spraying everywhere.

"Dad..." I looked at the golden figure before me, my voice trembling slightly.

This had clearly been my plan.

I had clearly wagered everything on it.

But when this moment truly arrived...

I was still shaken to the core.

This... was a Super Saiyan.

This was the transformation that, according to Saiyan legend, appeared only once in a thousand years.

Golden energy burned around Goku, making him look like a war god descended upon the world.

He lowered his head to look at me, and there was a light in his eyes I had never seen before.

It was not anger, nor was it killing intent—it was gentleness.

The gentleness only a father showed when he saw that his child was safe.

"Gohan, you did very well."

He spoke softly.

"You've been helping me. You've been protecting everyone."

"Now..."

He turned to face Frieza, and the golden aura around him blazed even more violently.

"It's my turn."

Frieza clutched his severed tail, his face ashen.

For the first time, fear appeared in his eyes.

"This energy... this power..." he muttered. "Impossible... How could a Saiyan possess this kind of power...?!"

"How did you do it, Kakarot...?!" Vegeta's voice came from afar, filled with shock and disbelief.

He struggled to stand, but the agony of his broken bones left him unable to move.

Yet the shock in his eyes surpassed even his pain.

"This energy... it's far beyond one million... no... several million!! Maybe even higher!!"

"Is this the legendary Super Saiyan...?!"

There was jealousy in that voice, unwillingness, and... a faint, humble longing.

I leaned against Krillin as he helped me to the side. Tien Shinhan bandaged my wounds.

"Gohan, are you okay?" Krillin looked at me anxiously, tears still streaking his face.

"I'm fine." I grinned, baring my teeth from the pain. "I won't die."

(I almost really did die...)

(That was one hell of a gamble...)

(Good thing I won.)

I turned to look toward the center of the battlefield.

Golden and silvery-white light intertwined.

Goku stood before Frieza, his aura as deep and vast as the abyss.

That composure, that dominance—it was as if he were a completely different person from before.

For the first time... Frieza took a step back.

"Second form?" Goku tilted his head, a hint of disdain in his voice. "That's still not enough."

"Show me your full strength."

Frieza's face twisted.

Fear, rage, resentment, and... a trace of madness.

"Very well..." he said in a low voice, carrying a certain resolve. "Very well..."

His aura began to rise.

Stronger than before.

More terrifying.

"Looks like... I should get serious too."

The sky changed color once more.

Dark clouds churned as lightning flashed and thunder roared.

Frieza's body began to swell—he was about to transform into his third form!!

(Here it comes!!)

(Frieza's third form will have a power level of over one hundred million!!)

(But Super Saiyan gives a fiftyfold boost... Based on Dad's base power level of around three hundred thousand—)

(300,000 × 50 = 150 million!!)

(We've got this!!)

(...We've got this, right?!)

I clenched my fists.

(No matter what...)

(There's finally hope for this battle!!)

Golden aura and twisted black energy met beneath Namek's sky.

A collision between legend and reality.

A showdown between light and darkness.

The curtain... had only just risen.

(To be continued)