The Price of Kaio-ken

Three hours.

Not long, but not short either.

For Gohan, they were the longest three hours of his life.

He lay on a makeshift stretcher as Piccolo used ki to treat his wounds. Green light flowed over his right arm, barely correcting the displaced bones, but the severed tendons and veins... could only heal slowly with time.

"Don't move around." Piccolo's voice was cold, but his hands were gentle.

"Piccolo, be gentler..." Gohan grimaced. "It hurts."

"Endure it."

Gohan secretly glanced at Piccolo's expression.

Piccolo kept telling him to endure it, but his eyes never left him. The worry hidden in those eyes was impossible to conceal.

And... guilt.

Piccolo was blaming himself.

"Piccolo," Gohan suddenly said.

"What?"

"About what happened earlier..."

"Shut up." Piccolo cut him off. "Don't mention it again."

"...Okay." Gohan smiled. "Then I won't mention how your eyes were red."

Piccolo's hand paused.

Then he pressed down twice more on Gohan's wound with his ki.

"OW!! Piccolo, what are you doing?!"

"Stopping the bleeding."

"I think you're trying to silence me by killing me!!"

Piccolo ignored him and turned to look into the distance.

Goku sat cross-legged on a large boulder, his eyes closed as he regulated his breathing. His ki was slowly recovering. It was very gradual, but they could feel that power steadily rising.

"Krillin," Piccolo suddenly said.

"Huh?" Krillin moved closer.

"Three hours from now... what can we do?"

Krillin fell silent.

He knew what Piccolo was asking.

18,000.

Vegeta's battle power was 18,000.

Even if Goku recovered to his peak, he would only be around 8,000 at most. Even with Kaio-ken, he could only temporarily raise it to 16,000.

And Vegeta...

"There's nothing we can do." Krillin's voice was quiet. "In a fight at that level, we're not even qualified to intervene."

"..."

"But." Krillin looked at Gohan. "At least we can protect Gohan and retreat. If the battle goes badly..."

"I'm not going anywhere," Gohan suddenly said.

"Gohan?"

"I said I won't let anyone sacrifice themselves for me again." Gohan's voice was soft, but his tone was firm. "This time is no different."

"You're injured. What kind of hero are you trying to be?"

"I'm not trying to be a hero." Gohan closed his eyes. "I'm just doing what I should do."

Krillin and Piccolo exchanged a glance, and both saw helplessness in the other's eyes.

This kid... was just as stubborn as Goku.

Three hours later.

"Time's up."

Vegeta's voice broke the silence.

He slowly rose to his feet, and his ki began to climb.

That oppressive presence was even more terrifying than it had been three hours ago.

"Are you ready?" Vegeta looked at Goku, an amused smile on his lips. "Ready to be crushed?"

Goku opened his eyes and stood up.

"I've been waiting for this moment for a long time."

"Oh?" Vegeta raised an eyebrow. "You're quite confident."

"Not confident." Goku rolled his neck, his joints cracking sharply. "Excited."

"It's been a long time since I've met a worthy opponent."

Vegeta froze for a moment.

Then he laughed.

"Interesting. Very interesting."

"Nappa."

"Yes."

"That brat is yours." Vegeta pointed at Gohan. "Finish him, then watch me have some fun with this 'low-class warrior.'"

"Understood."

Nappa rolled his neck and fixed his gaze on Gohan.

"Brat, we meet again."

Gohan struggled to get to his feet.

"Gohan, don't move." Piccolo tried to hold him down.

"Uncle Piccolo, let me..."

"Too slow!"

Nappa's figure suddenly blurred as he charged at Gohan.

"Gohan!!"

Piccolo stepped in front of Gohan, crossing his arms to block.

Bang!!

Nappa's fist slammed into Piccolo's arms, blasting his entire body away.

"Uncle Piccolo!!"

"I'm fine..." Piccolo steadied himself, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "This guy... he's stronger than before?"

"Of course." Nappa licked his lips. "That was just a warm-up."

His aura rose again.

"This time, I'm getting serious."

"You're all... going to die!"

Nappa stomped the ground, turning into an afterimage.

"Look out!!" Krillin shouted.

Just as Nappa's attack was about to hit Gohan—

"Hey, where do you think you're going?"

A hand suddenly appeared, blocking Nappa's path.

It was Goku.

"...!" Nappa's pupils contracted.

"I'm your opponent." Goku's voice was calm. "Don't get it wrong."

His aura began to rise.

Red.

A deep, intense red.

Kaio-ken!!

Goku's aura surged wildly, directly surpassing his previous double Kaio-ken.

Triple!

"15,000... 16,000... 18,000..." On the scouter, Goku's reading kept rising before finally settling at 19,200.

"This..." Nappa's expression changed.

"How is that possible?! Three hours ago, you were only a little over six thousand!"

"You talk too much."

Goku vanished.

The next second, he appeared in front of Nappa.

Bang!!

A heavy punch smashed into Nappa's face.

Nappa was sent flying, flipping several times through the air before crashing to the ground.

"Cough, cough..." Nappa climbed up from the ground, his nose already broken and blood pouring from it. "You..."

Before he could finish, Goku appeared in front of him again.

"Bam!!"

Another punch.

Nappa was sent flying once more.

"Bam!! Bam!! Bam!!"

Goku's fists rained down on Nappa, every blow carrying terrifying force.

Nappa was beaten so badly that he had no chance to fight back.

He tried to counterattack, but Goku was too fast. He simply could not keep up.

"No... don't..." Nappa was covered in blood. "Stop... stop!!"

"What?" Goku stopped punching and looked at Nappa. "Weren't you acting pretty cocky just now?"

"Didn't you say you were going to kill everyone?"

"Didn't you say you were going to send Gohan to meet King Yama?"

Goku's gaze turned icy.

"What did you do to my son?"

Looking into Goku's eyes, Nappa suddenly felt a bone-deep chill.

This man's aura...

It was too terrifying.

Even though the numerical gap between him and Vegeta was not that great, facing Goku now made him feel as though he were standing before a towering mountain.

"I... I surrender..." Nappa dropped to his knees. "I surrender!"

"Please... spare me..."

Goku looked at him in silence for a moment.

Then he turned to Vegeta.

"Hey, Vegeta."

"Hm?"

"Your companion surrendered." Goku's voice was calm. "What do you say?"

Vegeta stood with his arms folded, his expression unchanged.

"Companion?"

He gave a soft laugh.

"He's just trash."

"What?" Nappa froze.

"I said you're trash." Vegeta's tone was flat. "Getting beaten into this state by someone who was classified as a low-class warrior three years ago... you've disgraced the Saiyans."

"Vegeta... Prince..."

"And besides." Vegeta cut him off. "What did you just say? Surrender?"

"We Saiyans don't know how to write the word 'surrender.'"

He raised a hand.

"So..."

"Die."

A golden energy wave shot from Vegeta's palm, striking Nappa with perfect accuracy.

"Ah!!!"

Nappa let out a piercing scream.

His body gradually disintegrated within the energy wave, leaving not even ashes behind.

"..."

Everyone present stood frozen.

Nappa... was dead?

Just like that?

Killed by his own companion?

"Vegeta!!" Krillin roared. "Are you even human?!"

"Human?" Vegeta gave Krillin a contemptuous glance. "I'm a Saiyan."

"Saiyans don't need worthless companions."

"If he lost, he had no value in staying alive."

Gohan watched the scene, chills running through his entire body.

He knew this was part of the original plot.

But seeing it with his own eyes, the impact still exceeded anything he had imagined.

Vegeta...

He really was a complete and utter bastard.

But it had to be said, that cold and ruthless personality... truly fit the Saiyan Prince's character setting.

"Hey." Goku's voice broke the silence. "Vegeta."

"Hm?"

"You killed your companion. Now it's our turn."

Goku took up a fighting stance, his energy rising once more.

"Come on."

Vegeta looked at Goku, a dangerous smile curling across his lips.

"I've been waiting a long time for you to say that."

His energy began to rise as well.

18000... 19000... 20000...

It finally stopped at 22000.

"What?!" Piccolo's eyes widened.

Vegeta... hadn't even revealed his full strength yet?!

"Goku..." Krillin clenched his fists. "Be careful!"

Goku didn't answer.

He took a deep breath, and the red aura around him grew even denser.

Fourfold Kaio-ken!

28000!

"Come on, Vegeta!"

The two figures vanished at the same time.

The next second.

"Bam!!"

A deafening crash rang out, and a shockwave spread in every direction.

Krillin, Tien Shinhan, and the others were forced back, while Piccolo shielded Gohan.

"Such a powerful shockwave..." Krillin struggled to open his eyes.

On the battlefield, Goku and Vegeta were locked in a fierce clash.

They moved so fast that the naked eye could barely follow them, leaving only two afterimages colliding again and again.

"Bam! Bam! Bam!!"

Every punch carried terrifying force, and every kick was enough to shatter rock.

"As expected of the Saiyan Prince..." Goku wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. "You're even stronger than I imagined."

"You're not bad either." Vegeta licked his lips. "The boost from Kaio-ken truly is astonishing... but how long can you keep it up?"

Goku didn't answer.

He could feel it.

His body was sounding the alarm.

The side effects of Kaio-ken were beginning to show.

His heart hammered wildly, his blood boiled, and his veins endured pressure far beyond normal limits.

If this continued...

"What's wrong?" Vegeta noticed Goku's hesitation. "Tired?"

"I told you..." Goku took a deep breath. "I've been waiting for this moment for a long time."

He charged forward again.

"Bam!!"

Their fists collided once more, and the shockwave shattered everything around them.

"S-So strong..." Gohan watched the battle, his heart pounding wildly.

Was this Dad and Vegeta's true strength?

Too strong.

Strong enough to drive one to despair.

Yet at the same time, strong enough to make one's blood boil.

"Gohan." Piccolo's voice rang out beside him.

"Hm?"

"Your dad... is forcing himself to hold on."

Gohan froze for a moment.

"What?"

"The side effects of Kaio-ken." Piccolo's expression was grave. "His body can't take it anymore."

Gohan looked carefully.

Sure enough.

Goku's movements had begun to slow. Large beads of sweat seeped from his forehead, and his face had grown even paler.

"Kaio-ken puts a huge burden on the body," Piccolo said quietly. "He already used double Kaio-ken once, and now he's using quadruple... If this continues..."

Gohan's heart sank.

If this continued, Dad would die.

"Uncle Piccolo..." Gohan clenched his fists. "I want to help."

"You?" Piccolo glanced at him. "In your current state, going out there would be suicide."

"I know." Gohan gritted his teeth. "But..."

"Enough." Piccolo cut him off. "Let's watch the situation first."

Just then.

"Enough!"

Vegeta's voice exploded.

He blasted Goku back with a punch, then pressed his palms together.

"Since you're so eager to die, I'll grant your wish."

"I'll show you what a true Saiyan looks like!"

His energy began to surge wildly.

18000... 20000... 25000...

"This..." Krillin's pupils shrank. "He's getting stronger?!"

"No..." Piccolo narrowed his eyes slightly. "This energy..."

"Something's wrong!!"

Vegeta's body began to change.

His eyes sharpened, and fangs emerged from his mouth.

Most horrifying of all, black fur began to grow across his body.

"This..." Gohan's eyes widened. "Great Ape Transformation?!"

"No." Piccolo shook his head. "He's still conscious. His pupils haven't turned into those of a beast..."

"This is... another Saiyan form!!"

Vegeta's body continued changing, his frame beginning to swell.

His energy soared with it.

30000... 35000... 40000...

"Gohan." Piccolo's voice turned serious. "Get ready to retreat."

"What?!"

"This battle... is no longer something we can interfere with."

Piccolo looked at Vegeta on the battlefield, a complicated expression flashing through his eyes.

"Even if Goku gives it everything he's got, I'm afraid he still won't be a match for him."

Gohan's heart sank to the bottom.

Was the plot... still going to follow its original course?

No.

That couldn't happen.

He wouldn't let this happen.

"Uncle Piccolo." Gohan suddenly spoke.

"Hm?"

"Do you still remember... what you promised me?"

Piccolo froze for a moment.

"I said... no matter the outcome, I would make sure you left alive."

"No." Gohan shook his head. "Not that."

"You said... if there was a way, you'd give it everything you had."

"..."

"Now, I've thought of a way."

Gohan took a deep breath and pushed himself up with his left hand.

"But I need your help."

Piccolo looked at Gohan and fell silent for a moment.

"What do you want to do?"

"Help Dad." Gohan's gaze fell on the battlefield. "Even if it's only a little..."

"I want to be of help too."

Piccolo fell silent.

Then he sighed.

"You idiot..."

He reached out and helped Gohan to his feet.

"Tell me. What do you need me to do?"

Gohan smiled.

"Thank you, Uncle Piccolo."

"But before that..."

He looked toward the figure on the battlefield that was steadily growing stronger.

"Dad... hold on a little longer."

"This time, it's my turn to help you."