Goku's expression tightened as he nodded. He glanced back at Gohan and Krillin. "Gohan, Krillin—once the fight starts, look for an opening. Grab Frieza's Dragon Balls and get to the Grand Elder right away. Make the wish."
"Kakarot, don't get clever!" Vegeta ground his teeth. "The moment you try that, Frieza will destroy this planet without hesitating! We Saiyans can't survive in outer space, but he can!"
"Huh? He can?" Goku blinked. "Yeah… that makes this tough."
"Then we beat him first, and make the wish after." Vegeta didn't hesitate. He shot down from the sky.
"Looks like that's the only play." Goku followed him down.
One after another, they landed across from Frieza, all of them staring him down with grim faces.
"Vegeta… you've really grown bold." Frieza looked him over with a pleasant smile. "Fine. Today I'll show you just how terrifying I am. Come at me together!"
With that, Frieza rose from the hover pod, and an enormous surge of power erupted from his body. His ki rolled outward like a tidal wave. He pushed his power straight to the limit, then casually tossed the Dragon Balls behind him.
The instant they sensed that pressure, Goku and the others stiffened.
"Hmph!" Vegeta snorted, jaw clenched so hard it looked painful.
"What terrifying power…" Gohan shook from head to toe.
"Why is this guy so scary?" Krillin went pale.
"That ki is no joke…" Goku muttered, rubbing the back of his head like he'd just realized how bad this was. "This won't be easy."
"Hah. Four little ants think they can beat a dinosaur?" Frieza sneered. "Before we start, let me be clear. If anyone dares steal the Dragon Balls during the fight, I'll destroy this planet without hesitation."
"Just like Vegeta said…" Goku's face hardened even more. "So we really do have to beat him first."
"Don't get smug yet, Frieza," Vegeta said with a low chuckle. "You'll be crying in a minute. I've got a way to deal with you—so watch yourself."
"You're still running your mouth, Vegeta!" Frieza's smile vanished. "You've provoked me again and again. I'm done sparing you!"
He shot forward in a blur.
Vegeta's power exploded outward at once. At the same time, a speck of destruction energy—no bigger than a sesame seed—formed in his right palm.
Frieza's punch came in fast. Vegeta snapped his left hand up and clamped down on Frieza's wrist.
Frieza's eyes widened. He clearly hadn't expected Vegeta to catch him.
"Hakai!"
Vegeta flicked his right hand forward. The purple-red speck slammed toward Frieza's chest.
Frieza's pupils shrank. He whipped his palm across and swatted the speck away.
The purple-red light traced an arc across Namek's sky and dropped into a nearby lake.
In the next instant, the lake was erased clean.
A massive body of water—gone in a blink—leaving only a deep gouge and exposed lakebed, as if it had suddenly evaporated.
Frieza stared, shock written all over his face.
Water from surrounding areas rushed in with roaring force, surging and churning as it poured toward the empty basin.
"Incredible, Vegeta," Goku said, stunned.
"What was that?" Krillin sucked in a sharp breath. "A tiny little dot, and it wiped out an entire lake… If that hit someone, they'd vanish on the spot."
"That's the Ultra Ego Ken-ojisan taught him," Gohan said.
"Ken's such a cheapskate," Krillin grumbled. "What he taught Goku doesn't look anywhere near as good as Vegeta's Hakai."
"Krillin, I don't think that's true," Goku said, shaking his head. "They're just different. If you train either one to the limit, they'll reach a real level of power. Which is stronger depends on the person using it."
Krillin's voice dropped. "Frieza's still stronger, though… Vegeta's Hakai didn't land."
"I wonder what would happen if it did," Gohan said, eyes fixed on Frieza. "Would Frieza disappear instantly?"
"Would he?" Krillin asked Goku.
"I don't know," Goku admitted. "We'll have to find a way to make it hit."
Frieza hovered there, still staring in the direction the speck had flown. The moment he saw the destruction energy's power up close, his face darkened.
"That was… Hakai?" His expression shifted again and again.
He'd seen Beerus use destruction energy before—purple-red specks just like that.
What Frieza hadn't expected was Vegeta using it too.
And Frieza still remembered the God of Destruction battle—Universe 11's apprentice God of Destruction, Toppo, had used Hakai as well.
Vegeta's looked disturbingly similar.
So it really was destruction energy.
When did Vegeta learn something like that?
"Hmph. You dodged in time, Frieza," Vegeta said, wearing a smug, amused grin.
"Who taught you Hakai?" Frieza demanded coldly.
"That's none of your business," Vegeta replied with a light laugh. "But judging by your face, you know exactly how dangerous it is."
Frieza didn't answer.
"You're finished, Frieza," Vegeta said, smiling. "With my strength now, wiping you out wouldn't even be that hard."
"Do it again," Frieza said suddenly.
Vegeta froze. "...What did you say?"
"Use that Hakai again." Frieza smiled pleasantly at him.
Vegeta's eyes narrowed. "What are you playing at?"
"I want you to fire it again. This time I won't dodge, and I won't swat it away." Frieza snorted.
"You arrogant bastard…" Vegeta spat. "Fine. Don't blame me!"
He lifted his right hand, and another purple-red speck formed in his palm.
"Is Frieza really not going to dodge?" Krillin whispered.
"Maybe he figured out a counter," Gohan guessed.
Goku nodded. "If he's saying it out loud, he must have a way to handle it."
Krillin shivered. "If even that can't kill him… then this guy is a monster."
Goku's face stayed heavy. "Frieza's worse than I thought."
"Ready, Frieza?" Vegeta said, brimming with confidence as the destruction energy gathered.
"Send it." Frieza beckoned with two fingers. He was smiling, but his eyes stayed sharp and wary.
He understood how terrifying that technique was.
Destruction energy—A God of Destruction's technique.
Just a sesame-sized speck, yet monstrous power packed inside it.
But Frieza had already thought it through.
In the God of Destruction selection tournament, even Legendary Super Saiyan Broly had endured Hakai head-on with raw power.
So it wasn't unstoppable.
If your energy was strong enough, you could block it.
"I hope you don't regret this!" Vegeta snapped, hurling the speck straight at him.
Frieza's power surged violently. A protective barrier wrapped around his body.
The Hakai struck the barrier.
The barrier shattered instantly and dispersed.
And the purple-red speck—like it had completed its task—vanished right along with it.
"Goku… look." Krillin's mouth twitched as he spoke. "He blocked it."
"He really is something," Goku said, even more grim now. "This is bad… he's not easy to deal with."
"That's it?" Frieza sneered. "I've gotten a nice, clear read on how strong that is."
He tilted his head, smiling. "If we were stubborn enough to convert your little purple-red speck into a battle power number… Vegeta, I'll admit it. That speck was impressive. It was at least three million."
Vegeta's eyes went wide. "Three million…? Are you saying your battle power is already above three million?"
The moment he said it, childhood memories surged up in his mind—Ken's words from years ago.
"Frieza can transform three times. That form is his base. Battle power: 530,000. First transformation: one million. Second: two million. Third: three million. And if he pushes all of his power in that third form, he can reach 120 million."
Back then, Vegeta had scoffed and called it nonsense.
Now, hearing Frieza say it, Vegeta's stomach dropped. Ken had been right.
Did this monster really have a ceiling of 120 million?
If Vegeta's Hakai only had the force of three million, then it wasn't going to hurt him at all.
"Well?" Frieza said with a cold grin. "Now you understand, don't you? That's why I let you hit me. I didn't want you trying a sneak attack later."
He shrugged. "Now that I know exactly how strong your little trick is, I can resist it head-on. So go ahead—try to ambush me later. It won't matter."
Vegeta's face turned ugly.
I underestimated him.
Silence hung for a brief moment.
"Transform, Frieza," Vegeta said at last. "Show me what you really look like!"
"You seem awfully sure," Frieza said with a smile. "How do you know?"
"Zarbon told me," Vegeta replied.
"Fine." Frieza snorted. "If you want to die, I'll give you all a proper show."
"Transform?" Krillin blinked.
"I've never heard of that," Goku said, shaking his head.
"Vegeta, what do you mean?" Krillin asked, turning to him.
"Some aliens can change their appearance when they need to," Vegeta explained. "It's a disguise—keeps their extra energy consumption down."
"I'm not like that." Frieza smiled. "I have too much energy, so I compressed myself into this form on purpose. It reduces energy drain during normal movement."
"Too much energy…?" Krillin trembled again.
"Stop bluffing!" Vegeta barked. "I'm sure you can't transform at all!"
"Hmph. Then watch closely." Frieza's smile sharpened. "When I destroyed Planet Vegeta, I didn't even need to transform. Vegeta… your father was truly pathetic."
"Tch." Vegeta snorted. "So what? Even as a kid, my battle power surpassed the king's."
"Hah!"
Frieza's aura flared, and his armor shattered off his body.
"That's your 'transformation'?" Vegeta scoffed. "You just broke your battle suit!"
In the next moment, Frieza's body began to change violently.
In a blink, he grew much taller and bulkier.
Goku and the others all stared, stunned.
Frieza had shifted into his second form.
"He… he really can…" Vegeta's eyes bulged, sweat pouring down his face.
So Frieza really might have 120 million.
What kind of nightmare-level battle power was that?
"His ki…" Goku's expression turned razor-serious.
"We're dead…" Gohan trembled.
"This is a nightmare," Krillin whispered, face drained white.
"Krillin, Gohan—listen," Goku said, voice tight. "I'll try to hold him back. You two get off this planet as fast as you can!"
Goku understood the gap between himself and Frieza far too well.
Before, he'd thought he might be able to challenge him.
But after Frieza transformed, the odds felt awful.
Goku's current battle power wasn't high—his base was only 90,000.
Even with a ten-times Kaioken, he'd reach 900,000, still short of a one-million Frieza by 100,000.
And Goku could tell Frieza still hadn't shown his true strength.
This guy was a black hole.
"Heh heh… be careful," Frieza said with a cold laugh. "I'm very, very strong now. And there's so much energy in my body that if I'm not careful, my battle power jumps past one million by accident."
"You… what?" Vegeta's face twisted.
"Hah."
Frieza lifted his right hand.
A massive energy storm exploded outward from his palm.
The island below was blasted apart and sank instantly.
Goku reacted without hesitation—he grabbed Gohan, yanked Krillin, and shot up into the sky, barely clearing the blast. Vegeta was even faster, already hovering high above, his face darker than ever.
When the island detonated, the Dragon Balls were scattered into the lake.
Frieza's eyes swept the surface at once, memorizing where each one fell.
That group attack had at least spread the Dragon Balls out. Now they couldn't sneak a wish mid-fight.
Frieza felt pleased with himself.
"You ran pretty fast," Frieza said with a cheerful smile. "But that was just the opening. Saiyans love doing pointless stuff like that too, don't they?"
"Krillin, Gohan—get out of here," Goku ordered again, expression grim.
"What about the Dragon Balls?" Krillin asked.
"We don't have another choice right now," Goku said. "We have to beat him."
"But where can we even go?" Krillin said, frustrated. "Ken didn't send the spaceship over."
Goku went silent.
"Vegeta," Frieza said, grinning wider, "you look like you've lost all your color. You didn't expect me to be this strong, did you? Next, I'll send you all to the other world one by one. Now… who should I send first?"
His gaze slid across Goku, Vegeta, Gohan, and Krillin.
"Decided."
Frieza launched forward and rammed straight at Krillin.
His horn pierced through Krillin's chest.
Krillin froze in midair, shaking uncontrollably.
"So fast!" Vegeta's face changed.
"Krillin!" Goku roared, fury detonating.
"Krillin-san!" Gohan shouted, shaking with rage.
"A-Ah…" Krillin's life force drained away in an instant.
Am I going to die?
I don't even have a girlfriend.
"Oops," Frieza said with a smile. "I've got too much energy. It's hard to control my force… and I accidentally skewered you."
"Heh!"
Frieza snapped his head and flung Krillin down from the sky.
"Krillin!" Goku's eyes went wide. He shot after him at full speed.
Gohan started to move too, but when he saw his father go, he stopped in midair.
Frieza moved even faster.
In a blink, he appeared directly in front of Goku, smiling as he blocked Goku's path.
[End of chapter]
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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