As the dust from the explosion settled, Krillin's figure slowly reappeared in front of Goku and the others. Though his body was covered in bruises and minor burns, his injuries weren't life-threatening—he could still fight.
For Goku, Vegeta, and Piccolo, this was no surprise. They had already sensed Krillin's ki and knew he was still capable of continuing. But for Frieza, the scene unfolding in front of him was nothing short of astonishing.
"How can this be...?" Frieza muttered, eyes narrowing in disbelief. "I just hit him with a full-powered strike. He should be in pieces!"
In his mind, Krillin—this tiny, bald Earthling—should've been flattened by that attack. It wasn't as if he had gone easy on him. That strike should've, at the very least, left him on the brink of death, if not vaporized entirely.
But now? Krillin stood there, panting slightly, but not even close to being mortally wounded.
This shattered Frieza's expectations.
If even someone like Krillin could endure his attacks, what about the others? What about Vegeta? What about Goku? Surely their strength couldn't be beneath this "little bald head." If Krillin had grown this powerful, then the others… could very well be stronger than him.
That possibility sent a chill down Frieza's spine.
"No… impossible," Frieza growled to himself, clenching his fists. "I am the Emperor of the Universe! I've never needed to consider anyone a threat. But these... these pests..."
Frieza's expression twisted with frustration. This whole encounter was turning into a nightmare. He had come here for revenge, but now, it seemed that his vengeance was slipping from his grasp once again.
Even so, Frieza wasn't ready to back down.
"I'll finish this Earthling first," he decided, focusing his attention back on Krillin. "I won't kill him yet—but I'll cripple him. Let the others see what's coming for them."
Frieza launched another barrage of attacks, his movements a blur as he closed the distance between them. Krillin did his best to defend himself, but the pressure was mounting.
As Frieza's strength surged, Krillin's situation worsened.
The gap between their power levels wasn't massive—but it was significant. Frieza could end the fight at any moment if he chose to go all out. But he didn't. He held back, worried about provoking Goku into another explosive transformation.
And so, Frieza settled for inflicting damage—not death.
One swift kick from Frieza caught Krillin in the side, sending him tumbling across the battlefield.
"Krillin, you've done enough," Vegeta said, stepping forward as Krillin lay groaning on the ground. "It's our turn now."
Krillin looked up, wincing, and gave a weak nod. "Yeah… with the way things are now, I can't beat him. I'll leave it to you and Goku."
Goku and Vegeta had been waiting for Krillin's signal. Now that he'd stepped aside, it was time for them to move.
But Frieza wasn't done yet. Energy gathered in his palm, forming into a crackling orb of destruction. He hurled it toward Krillin with intent to severely injure him.
In response, both Goku and Vegeta shot forward simultaneously.
Vegeta made a beeline for the energy attack. Without hesitation, he transformed into Super Saiyan Blue, catching the ball of energy in both hands. With a grunt, he redirected it back toward Frieza.
Goku, meanwhile, grabbed Krillin and whisked him away to safety near Piccolo and the others.
Krillin coughed as he landed. "Thanks, Goku…"
"Just hang in there," Goku said with a smile. "You did great."
Krillin could still move on his own, so Goku didn't linger. He turned and flew to rejoin Vegeta.
Meanwhile, Frieza's eyes widened as he saw his own attack flying back toward him.
"What?!"
He barely managed to dodge, the energy grazing his shoulder and exploding behind him.
Frieza's gaze shifted to Vegeta, who floated in the sky, arms crossed, smirking.
Vegeta had transformed into the same brilliant aura form Krillin had earlier displayed—proof that the Earthling's strength was no fluke.
Then came the unexpected.
Goku and Vegeta turned toward each other and began arguing.
"Vegeta, let's talk this out. Who's going to fight Frieza first?" Goku asked, grinning.
"You went to save Krillin, while I took the hit meant for him," Vegeta pointed out. "So it should be me!"
"But you didn't actually fight Frieza head-on," Goku countered. "I mean, catching an energy ball isn't the same."
"I don't care!" Vegeta snapped. "The fact remains—I stopped the attack. That earns me the right!"
"Come on, Vegeta! Let's decide it with rock-paper-scissors!" Goku suggested.
Vegeta scoffed but held out his hand anyway.
The two began their classic game, throwing fists repeatedly in quick succession—rock, paper, scissors—again and again. But each round ended in a tie.
Watching them argue while playing a children's game, Frieza's face contorted in fury.
"They're not even taking me seriously!" he roared in his mind. "This is humiliation! I'm the strongest in the universe!"
It wasn't just their attitude—it was the underlying truth. Goku and Vegeta had grown. They weren't just standing on equal footing with Frieza—they might've surpassed him.
That thought drove Frieza over the edge.
His fists trembled at his sides. His brow furrowed so deeply it looked like a crack. His pride was shattered.
And yet, Goku and Vegeta ignored him completely, too absorbed in their petty squabble to acknowledge his presence.
Every tie in their guessing game made Frieza's blood boil hotter. His power flared around him, creating shockwaves in the atmosphere.
"They're doing this on purpose…" Frieza growled. "They must be mocking me!"
Just then, something strange happened.
Goku and Vegeta abruptly stopped mid-gesture, their hands frozen mid-scissors. Their playful expressions faded as both turned their eyes toward the sky—looking straight ahead.
Frieza noticed it immediately.
"What are they looking at?" he wondered, following their gaze.
He glanced around and saw something even more bizarre: Krillin, Piccolo, Tien, and even Android 18—all staring in the same direction. Only Gohan seemed unaware, his attention elsewhere.
Frieza's eyes darted around. "There's nothing there. Nothing at all..."
But their intense, unwavering focus made him uneasy.
"Could it be… they're under some sort of spell? Possessed? No… no, that's nonsense!" Frieza shook his head, trying to dismiss the irrational thought. "I must believe in logic and science. There's no such thing as supernatural possession!"
Still, he couldn't shake the feeling. The air felt... different. As if something—or someone—was watching them from beyond.
Suddenly, a new message appeared in the group chat that connected all the fighters—created by Jack, the mysterious organizer of the "Thugs of Justice" mission squad.
> Jack: "@Everyone, a new task has been posted. Please review it immediately. It's not just about fighting anymore. This one… it changes everything."
As everyone in the group chat read the message, a chill passed through the warriors. Even Frieza, who didn't know the source of the message, noticed the change in their expressions.
Krillin, still bruised and battered, looked at his communicator. His eyes widened.
"No way… it's him again..." he whispered.
"Jack's updated the mission?" Goku said.
Vegeta's smirk returned. "Looks like the real show's about to begin."
Frieza, oblivious to the deeper workings of the mission system, stood confused and frustrated.
"What is this nonsense? Who is this 'Jack'? What mission?!"
For the first time in his reign of destruction, Frieza didn't have all the answers—and he didn't like it one bit.
All around him, his enemies were preparing for something much larger than a personal grudge.
And Frieza—Emperor of the Universe—was slowly realizing he might be the least important player in this war.
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