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"Kakarot, let's fuse like this, then go Super Saiyan 4!"
Goku's face went grave. "Vegeta, we can't fuse in this state. It won't work."
The One-Star Dragon charged at them, fast and furious. "What a nuisance. I'll just take you both out at once."
Two brutal punches from the dragon sent them flying.
Boom!
They slammed into an abandoned building. The whole structure collapsed and sank downward.
Buried in rubble, Goku forced himself to sit up. "Hey, Vegeta — did you get a clear read on his attack?"
"Cut the chatter. How would I know?" Vegeta spat, and hauled himself to his feet.
They looked up and saw the One-Star Dragon hovering in the sky, holding a massive, glowing energy sphere above its head.
"I'll destroy the whole Earth in one blow."
"With a sphere that size, breaking a tiny planet is nothing."
Blood ran from the corner of Goku's mouth. "He's serious."
The dragon hurled the terrifying red energy ball downward. "Goku, disappear with the Earth!"
Vegeta pressed his palms together and exploded with energy. "Try my Final Flash!"
Goku shoved Vegeta aside and planted himself beneath the oncoming sphere. The thing was dropping fast. Goku roared, "I'll protect the Earth!"
He bore the crushing weight of the red orb with both hands. Stones and debris whirled outward.
Slowly, Goku began to sink into the ground.
"I won't let you succeed."
"We've used the Dragon Balls to revive the Earth many times in the past."
"But we won't keep doing that."
"This time, we'll protect it."
From his small frame poured a huge wave of energy that somehow held the red sphere aloft.
The One-Star Dragon pushed the orb harder. Goku sank deeper.
His expression hardened. He strained, pushing up with everything he had.
"Kakarot!"
"Dad!"
"Grandpa!"
"Goku!"
Voices called out from all around.
Goku's legs were buried in the earth.
"Chi-Chi, Gohan, Goten, Videl — the memories of my family and everyone on Earth are here!" he thought. "I will never let you destroy this planet."
A terrible aura burst from him. Boulders shattered into dust.
The Dragon Balls embedded in the One-Star Dragon glowed with an eerie light. "You fool," it sneered.
It slammed the energy ball downward again. The pressure grew unbearable. Stones were ripped into the air. A furious hurricane ripped everything around them away.
The red sphere detonated above the planet.
Boom!
For a moment the world turned white. When the light cleared, everything around was gone. Sand and dust stretched as far as the eye could see.
Gohan and the others watched anxiously from a high ridge. The battlefield had become a massive crater. Goku was nowhere to be seen.
The One-Star Dragon hovered above. "Sacrificing himself to stop the explosion. Is that the result? Was it worth it?"
Black, negative energy leaked from the dragon and spread upward, then drifted back down to blanket the Earth's surface.
"This time I will cover the world with negative energy."
"Son Goku, your death was for nothing."
Lightning struck. Tsunamis and disasters followed. The planet shuddered under the assault.
Vegeta slammed his fist into a wall. "Is there nothing we can do?"
Damn it. His home planet Vegeta had been destroyed by Frieza. He never expected Earth to suffer the same fate. He let his rage fuel him and rushed the One-Star Dragon.
"Dad!" Trunks' shout stopped him short.
"Trunks, Goten, Gohan — get to Bulma's ship and leave Earth now!" Vegeta ordered. "You have to avenge Kakarot. Leave immediately. That's an order!"
Trunks stared after Vegeta and then froze.
Vegeta stopped a short distance from the dragon. The One-Star Dragon turned slowly. "You're still alive."
"Hmph. Do you really think your pathetic techniques will kill me?" Vegeta taunted.
Vegeta exploded with energy, transforming into a Super Saiyan. Golden power flared into the sky.
From the depths of the dark crater came a voice. "Spirit... everyone lend me your spirit. If this keeps up, I'll die."
A fierce exchange followed in the sky. In only a few clashes Vegeta was thrown away, crashing into the ground.
Boom!
Someone appeared and pulled him up. Gohan, Goten, and Trunks had returned after making sure their families were safe.
Vegeta rose slowly, glaring. "You kids."
"We're Son Goku's sons," they said. "We won't back down."
They all screamed and erupted into golden energy.
…
Back on Earth, Chi-Chi collapsed. The Ox-King caught her. "Chi-Chi, are you all right?"
Master Roshi looked grief-stricken. "Goku… did he really die?"
"He fought his whole life to protect this planet. To think he'd die protecting it in the end."
Across the screen in the Saint Seiya world, Milo of Scorpio watched the ravaged Earth. "Son Goku, are you really gone?" he asked.
"Whatever you were protecting, you protected with everything. I don't believe he just died."
Aldebaran of Taurus' rough face showed anger. "Vegeta, ignite your cosmos and defeat that One-Star Dragon. I believe you can do it."
…
On the battlefield, after transforming, Gohan and the others launched themselves at the dragon and fired wave after wave of energy. Their attacks barely scratched it. A brutal fight followed. After a few moments they were gravely wounded and fell.
Vegeta crouched at the crater's edge. His eyes narrowed and a smile of grim satisfaction spread. "You're done for."
Rocks flew up from the pit and then, slowly, a massive Spirit Bomb rose into view.
The One-Star Dragon froze. "What?"
Then it saw a familiar figure emerge in its sight.
"Son Goku! You're alive!"
Goku held the enormous Spirit Bomb above his head and looked up. "Of course I'm not that easy to kill."
"I'm going to beat you first."
The life force of plants, trees, everything on Earth flowed toward the Spirit Bomb above Goku's head. People across the planet raised their hands.
Spirit poured in without end. The orb swelled and swelled.
When the negative energy in the sky touched the Spirit Bomb, it vanished like smoke.
Goku looked at the panicked One-Star Dragon. "This Spirit Bomb is everyone on Earth's hope."
"It's the cry of the world you so carelessly tried to destroy."
The dragon couldn't believe its eyes. "How can this be? I killed you."
It fired a storm of shockwaves at Goku. Smoke and dust surrounded him. Yet Goku stood unhurt and slowly closed his eyes.
"King Kai, can you hear me?"
King Kai's voice answered, "Goku, I hear you clearly."
"We'll have to finish this with the Spirit Bomb you taught me."
Goku's face hardened. "This Spirit Bomb isn't enough. King Kai, please broadcast my voice across the universe."
"I want to gather spirit from the whole cosmos."
"..."
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