On Namek
Huff!!
Fist clashed against fist, flesh against flesh. The fight between Goku and Frieza ignited a fire deep within Goku's heart, one he had suppressed for far too long.
Though his stamina was draining rapidly, the thrill of battle only grew stronger. He could feel the bottleneck inside him starting to crack. His power crept higher, thousands of points at a time small increments, but each surge brought him one step closer to the form that lay beyond: Super Saiyan.
"I'll admit it, you low-class monkey… I've never faced an opponent quite like you," Frieza sneered, though his eyes gleamed with excitement. "This is… interesting."
For the first time in his life, Frieza was savoring a battle. A dark, intoxicating thrill pulsed through his veins.
"Hah!!" Goku steadied his breath, eyes blazing.
"I'm just as fired up. Again!!"
BOOM!
They collided once more, fists smashing together, shockwaves tearing across the battlefield. Invisible gales uprooted boulders and sent shockwaves rippling across the land.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The two vanished into blurs, weaving through the air in a furious exchange of strikes.
"Let's see you handle this!" Frieza suddenly broke away, retreating a hundred meters. His fingers snapped forward, unleashing a barrage of Death Beams.
"I'll take them all!" Goku crouched low, channeling ki into his palm. With swift, precise motions, he swatted the beams aside, scattering them into the sky.
"What…?!" Frieza's eyes widened in disbelief.
Earlier, when Goku had shielded Raditz from a Death Beam, he'd relied on the Kaio-ken x10. But this time he hadn't activated Kaio-ken at all. At just two million in base combat power, he had deflected Frieza's beams through sheer control and timing.
The Death Beam was no trivial technique; it was the pinnacle of piercing power, a signature of Frieza's race. Even Gohan's Star-Piercing Strike, capable of drilling into Namek's core, was inspired by the memory of this move.
"Your attack has terrifying penetration," Goku admitted with a confident grin. "If I hadn't studied it after fighting you this long, I might not have managed it."
He didn't bother to explain further. In his mind, none of that mattered anymore. What mattered was fighting at his limit fighting freely.
High above.
"Gohan, your father's Saiyan bloodline may be weak, but his combat awareness, his precision… it's extraordinary," Merus said, visibly impressed.
"Of course it is," Gohan grinned proudly. "He's my dad, after all."
"Tell me, monkey," Frieza called out suddenly, "what's your name?"
"Son Goku," he declared firmly. "But among Saiyans, I'm called Kakarot!"
"Very well, Son Goku. I'll remember it. When I kill you, I'll make sure your corpse stays intact." For the first time, Frieza spoke his name with respect, no longer dismissing him as just another low-class ape.
"And I'll remember yours too!" Goku shouted back, his voice trembling with battle frenzy.
"Good! That arrogance keep it! Fight me!!" Frieza laughed darkly, preparing to charge.
Then he froze. His head tilted sharply toward the sky.
"Tch. Him… What's he doing here?"
Goku's face hardened as he sensed it too: a ki as overwhelming as Frieza's, perhaps even greater, plummeting toward Namek.
Everyone followed their gaze upward. A black speck appeared against the stars, rapidly growing larger until.
Whoosh!
The teardrop-shaped ship pierced the atmosphere, landing with a hiss.
Creak… creak…
Footsteps echoed from within the dark hatch.
The figure that emerged was chillingly familiar: blood-red eyes, dark-purple lips, twin streaks like bloody tears beneath his eyes, his body clad in gleaming violet bio-armor. Three clawed toes gripped the ground. His features eerily similar to Frieza's, yet taller, sharper, more menacing.
"Whoa," Goku muttered. "Frieza, he looks just like you! But… taller. And his power feels even greater than yours!"
"Silence!!" Frieza snapped, his face twisting.
Every word cut like a blade: taller, stronger. Goku had struck at the heart of his deepest insecurities.
"Well, little brother," the newcomer smirked, voice dripping with mockery, "that expression of yours am I not welcome?"
"Cooler! Shut your mouth! The North Galaxy is mine! What are you doing here?" Frieza roared.
"Why, dear brother, I heard about these marvelous Dragon Balls. Naturally, I'm interested too." Cooler's tone was smooth, taunting.
"You… you planted a spy in my army!" Frieza's fury spiked, the truth dawning instantly.
Above, Gohan frowned deeply. Cooler? In the original timeline, Cooler had only existed in the movies. His sudden appearance here could only be explained by one thing
the butterfly effect.
"Cooler! The North Galaxy is mine! Dragon Balls or not, they're none of your concern! Do you think I fear you?!" Frieza's voice was icy, his killing intent pressing down like a storm.
"Try me, little brother," Cooler smirked, eyes gleaming with contempt.
What Frieza didn't know was that Cooler had one more transformation beyond his own. And he had never revealed it.
"Cooler! You've just signed your death warrant!" Frieza lunged in fury, fist swinging
CRACK!
Cooler caught the blow with ease.
"What the... how?!" Goku blinked. "This fight just changed completely!"
Without thinking, he hurled a punch at Cooler's back.
"Son Goku, what are you?!" Frieza barked, startled.
"Heh. I don't know why you two brothers are fighting, but his energy feels stronger than yours. I want to fight him too!" Goku laughed, eyes burning with excitement.
"BASTARD! Are you mocking me?!" Frieza's rage exploded.
BOOM!
He lashed out, kicking Goku away only to be caught off guard as Cooler's fist slammed into his jaw, hurling him through the air.
Goku, regaining balance mid-flight, flared into Kaio-ken, blinking behind Cooler and driving a kick into his gut. Cooler's body bent like a bow, rocketing backward.
Frieza seized the opening instantly, unleashing a storm of Death Beams.
"You maniac!" Cooler cursed, hastily surrounding himself in a barrier of ki, arms crossed to shield his core.
Zzzzzzzzzt!
Beam after beam hammered into the invisible shield, shaking it to its limits.
And then Goku charged again.
Thus began the strongest three-way battle in history.
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