Special Beam Cannon

"Come at me!"

Four light words, yet they crashed over the deserted island like a thunderclap.

Raditz froze. Goku froze. Piccolo froze as well. Six eyes stared in unison at the little brat surrounded by a faint golden glow.

Gohan himself was a little stunned too. Fuck, did my mouth move faster than my brain? I just said it casually—don't actually come over here!

His heart pounded wildly, but he forced his little face to remain composed. He had no choice—he couldn't lose in terms of presence!

Raditz slowly turned his head and stared at Gohan for three seconds before laughing. It was the kind of laugh one gave a lunatic.

"Interesting. Truly interesting." His chest rose and fell with laughter, tugging painfully at his wound. "A little brat with a power level in the hundreds dares to challenge me?"

He walked toward Gohan step by step, each footfall making the ground tremble faintly.

"I was originally planning to spare your life and take you back to train you." Raditz licked his lips, his gaze cruel. "But you're far too disobedient. Disobedient toys should be taken apart."

He suddenly raised his hand, an energy blast crackling in his palm.

"Gohan, watch out!"

Goku and Piccolo cried out at the same time. They wanted to rush forward, but it was already too late. Raditz was too fast, and both of them were badly injured, moving as slowly as snails.

Gohan's pupils contracted sharply. Fuck, he's serious?!

He wanted to dodge, but his body felt as heavy as lead. The earlier outburst had drained more than half his strength; he was only holding on with sheer willpower now. The energy blast drew closer and closer, and he could even feel the scorching heat wave.

I'm done, I'm done—am I getting killed right after transmigrating? I'm only four years old!

Just as the energy blast was about to hit him—

"Haah!!"

A red figure streaked past like lightning.

Goku used the last of his strength to slam into Raditz from the side. Raditz staggered from the impact, and the energy blast veered off course, grazing past Gohan's ear before exploding into a huge crater behind him.

"Dad!" Gohan cried out.

"Kakarot!" Raditz was both shocked and enraged. "You want to die!"

But just as he tried to turn around, a pair of arms tightly locked around his waist from behind.

"Gohan... run..." Goku's voice came from behind him, thick with heavy breathing. "Piccolo... use that move..."

Piccolo immediately snapped back to his senses.

An opening! This is the only chance!

Without the slightest hesitation, he raised both hands above his head, fingertips pressed together as he began gathering energy. Purple lightning danced and crackled at his fingertips, growing brighter and brighter.

"Special Beam Cannon..." Piccolo gritted his teeth, every muscle in his body tensed as veins bulged across his forehead.

Their previous combined attack had already consumed much of his strength. Charging up again now was even more difficult than before.

"Kakarot! Let go of me!" Raditz struggled frantically, driving his elbow backward with brutal force.

"Ptuh!"

Goku spat out a mouthful of blood, yet his grip only tightened.

"I won't..." His voice was soft, but incomparably resolute. "I absolutely won't..."

Gohan stood there, watching the scene, his heart clenched tightly as if gripped by an invisible hand.

It's here. The famous scene from the original. Dad grabs Raditz from behind, and Piccolo pierces them both with the Special Beam Cannon. Then Dad dies and goes to train with King Kai.

But as he watched the blood continuously spill from Goku's mouth, watched the knuckles of those hands turn white from the strain, watched that back trembling in pain yet refusing to let go—

That was his father. Son Goku. That idiot who would throw away his life for his son.

"No..." Gohan muttered, clenching his little fists tightly.

No! It can't end like this! Dad died in the original because there was no other way. But I'm here now! I know the plot! I can't just stand by and watch him die!

"Gohan, don't come over!" Goku seemed to sense something and roared, "Run! Go find Grandpa Master Roshi!"

Run? Where could he run?

Gohan took a deep breath, and his golden aura surged once more. Though it was nowhere near as terrifying as the first time, it was still impressive.

"Uncle Piccolo!" Gohan suddenly shouted. "Aim at his left chest! A little to the left! That's where his heart is! You won't hit my dad!"

Piccolo froze, then his pupils abruptly shrank.

Right! How had he not thought of that? Raditz's heart was on the left, while Kakarot was holding his waist from behind, positioned more to the right! If he aimed at the left side of Raditz's chest, he could avoid the vital spots!

But the precision required was far too high! Even a one-centimeter deviation would be unacceptable! And once the Special Beam Cannon was fired, its trajectory couldn't be controlled!

"Stop talking and fire!" Gohan stamped his feet anxiously. "If you don't shoot now, my dad won't be able to hold on!"

Goku truly was reaching his limit. His consciousness had begun to blur, and he was holding on entirely through sheer force of will. His vision darkened, and his ears rang.

No... I can't let go yet... Gohan is still here... Piccolo's attack isn't ready...

"Kakarot... you lunatic..." Raditz panted, fear entering his voice for the first time. "You'll die with me..."

"So what..." Goku smiled, bloody foam dripping from the corner of his mouth. "As long as Gohan is safe... that's enough..."

"Dad..."

Gohan's eyes reddened. He bit his lip, refusing to let the tears fall. I can't cry! If I cry, I lose!

He took a deep breath, circled to Raditz's left, and his small body erupted with all its strength. He pressed both hands against Raditz's left arm and shoved desperately to the right.

"Move already!!"

He wanted to push Raditz's body to the right, fully exposing his left chest so Piccolo could land a more precise hit!

"You little brat... you want to die..." Raditz was shocked and furious. He wanted to throw Gohan off, but with Goku holding him, he could not move at all.

Gohan's little face turned bright red with strain, his golden aura flickering in and out. He had truly given it everything. But Raditz's body was too heavy; his tiny strength was like an ant trying to shake a tree.

Just then.

"Gohan! Get out of the way!"

Piccolo's voice exploded like thunder.

Without a moment's hesitation, Gohan rolled across the ground.

"Special Beam Cannon!!"

Piccolo thrust both hands forward.

A brilliant purple energy wave tore through the air with a world-destroying force.

Its target was Raditz's left chest!

Time seemed to freeze in that instant.

Lying prone on the ground, Gohan watched the purple beam rip through the sky and shoot straight toward Raditz's heart.

Please... let it be accurate... don't hurt Dad...

"Pfft."

The sound of the energy wave piercing flesh rang out clearly.

Raditz's body suddenly stiffened.

He lowered his head and stared at his chest in disbelief. Blood gushed from a hole in the left side of his chest.

And behind him... Goku was still holding him. Though his breath was weak, he... had not been pierced through!

It had missed... it really had!

Piccolo's Special Beam Cannon had punched directly through Raditz's heart, yet grazed past Goku's shoulder!

"It... worked..." Gohan muttered. Then he suddenly jumped up and cheered, "It worked!! We won!!"

Raditz's body crumpled limply to the ground. Goku fell with him.

"Dad!"

Gohan hurried over, trying to pull Goku out from beneath Raditz.

"Don't touch him." Piccolo walked over, his face pale but carrying a faint, barely perceptible sense of relief. "Let me check him first."

He crouched down, checked Goku's breathing, then felt his pulse.

"...He's alive." There was no emotion in Piccolo's voice, but the tightness at the corners of his mouth eased slightly.

"Really?!" Gohan's eyes immediately lit up.

"Yeah." Piccolo nodded. "His shoulder was grazed, and he lost a bit too much blood, but it's not fatal."

He turned to look at Raditz's corpse. That arrogant Saiyan warrior now lay on the ground, eyes still open in death.

Piccolo's feelings were complicated. He had thought this battle would end with either defeat or both him and Goku dying together. Yet somehow... they had won? And Goku had not even died?

He looked at the little brat hopping around nearby, his gaze complicated. It was all because of this kid. Two crucial bursts of power, two times changing the course of the battle.

"Uncle Piccolo, you're amazing!" Gohan suddenly ran over, looking up at him with sparkling eyes. "Your Special Beam Cannon was so accurate!"

Piccolo's face reddened slightly, and he turned away.

"Hmph, that guy was just lucky," he said stubbornly. "I was aiming there from the start."

In truth, his hands had been shaking just now. Half of it was skill, half luck, and the other half... this little brat's reminder. But he would never admit any of that.

Gohan secretly curled his lips. Keep pretending. Such a textbook tough-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside type. Won't you end up becoming my babysitter anyway?

"Cough, cough..."

Goku gave a light cough from the ground and slowly opened his eyes.

"Go... Gohan..." he called weakly.

"Dad!" Gohan rushed over. "You're awake? Are you okay?"

Goku looked at his son's anxious little face and smiled. With difficulty, he raised a hand and patted Gohan's head.

"Dad's fine..." His voice was soft, but gentle. "Our Gohan... has really grown up..."

Though his consciousness had been hazy just now, he had still heard Gohan's voice. That small figure had stood in front of him, throwing punches at an enemy dozens of times stronger than himself.

That was his son. Son Goku's son.

"Mm!" Gohan nodded vigorously, his eyes red-rimmed. "I'll become even stronger! I'll protect Dad!"

"Foolish child..." Goku smiled, deeply gratified.

Piccolo stood nearby, watching the father and son, feeling like an unnecessary third wheel. He coughed, interrupting the tender moment.

"Don't celebrate too soon."

Gohan and Goku looked at him at the same time.

Piccolo kicked Raditz's corpse, his expression grave.

"This guy has two more companions. Stronger Saiyans will arrive on Earth in a year."

The smile vanished from Goku's face.

Gohan also lost his playful expression. They were coming. Nappa and Vegeta.

Raditz alone had nearly wiped them all out. Two even stronger ones...

Piccolo looked at Gohan, his eyes flickering. He had witnessed this brat's potential firsthand. At just four years old, he could unleash a battle power of two thousand. If he were properly trained...

"Kakarot." Piccolo suddenly spoke. "Lend me your son for a year."

Goku froze. "What do you mean?"

"It means I'll train him for the next year." Piccolo folded his arms. "He has enormous potential, but he's too weak. If he doesn't train properly, when the stronger Saiyans arrive in a year, we'll all die."

Goku frowned. Let Piccolo train Gohan? He had fought Piccolo for so many years; he knew this guy all too well. Ruthless and willing to do anything to achieve his goals.

But... he looked at Gohan, then thought of the crisis a year from now. On his own, he probably couldn't train Gohan to the point where he could fight Saiyans within a year.

"Dad..." Gohan tugged at Goku's sleeve.

"Dad, I want to go." Gohan raised his little face and said seriously, "I want to become stronger. Then, if I meet bad guys again, I'll be able to protect you."

Goku looked into his son's earnest eyes, his heart filled with mixed emotions. His son... had really grown up.

"All right." Goku finally nodded. "But Piccolo, promise me you won't hurt Gohan."

Piccolo snorted. "He's my training material. What good would it do me if I broke him?"

The words were harsh, but they still counted as a promise.

"All right, time waits for no one." Piccolo cut them off, reaching out to grab Gohan by the back of his collar. "I'm taking this brat. We'll meet here again in a year."

"Hey, hey, hey? Wait a second!" Gohan flailed his arms and legs. "I haven't even said goodbye to Dad yet! And can't you carry me some other way? This is embarrassing!"

Piccolo turned a deaf ear and walked away.

"Piccolo!" Goku called from behind him. "I'm counting on you to take care of Gohan!"

Piccolo paused for a moment. Without looking back, he merely waved a hand.

The purple figure carrying the small child gradually vanished beyond the horizon.

Goku lay on the ground, watching the direction they had gone, a smile on his lips but reluctance filling his eyes.

"Gohan... do your best..."

On the deserted island, Raditz's corpse lay alone.

The scouter he wore before his death was still operating, emitting faint beeping sounds.

A weak signal passed through the atmosphere and flew toward the distant depths of space.

On a planet at the far end of the universe.

A Saiyan warrior with short black hair received the message.

He looked at the contents on his scouter, a cruel smile curling across his lips.

"Oh? Raditz is dead?"

"Interesting."

"Kakarot... and that little brat who can unleash a battle power of two thousand."

"I want to see what treasure Earth is hiding."

He turned to the tall, bald Saiyan beside him and said:

"Nappa, get ready."

"We're going to Earth."

(Raditz Arc Complete)