A/N: Long chapter ahead, binge-watching Dbz to make sure the dialogue for certain scenes is on point.
Miles away from the chaotic battlefield, a bright flash of light materializing over the rugged, turquoise plains signaled Piccolo's arrival on Namek.
Landing on a stone ledge, Piccolo crossed his arms over his white cape, his sharp ears picking up the weak, strained gasps of someone nearby. He walked down into a shallow crater, stopping in front of a badly battered Namekian lying broken on the blue grass
Piccolo stared down at him, raising an eyebrow.
"He looks like me," Piccolo thought to himself aloud. "Could be worse, I guess. This guy has definitely seen better days."
"Yeah... you can say that again," Nail wheezed weakly, opening a swollen eye to look up at him. "What a drag, huh?"
The injured Namekian continued. "Hey, it's you... So the Earthlings got to make their wishes. I love it."
"I see..." Piccolo's eyes narrowed as Nail coughed, blood staining his cracked lips. "Well, if you know me, then you know I'm out of time."
"I'm quite sure we've never met before," Piccolo continued smoothly. "But I'm glad your beating sure hasn't made you lose your sense of humor." Piccolo turned his back, preparing to head toward the massive power levels clashing in the distance. "You take good care of yourself, my friend."
"Wait a sec..." Nail called out weakly, forcing himself to raise his head. "I can sense your great power... but I just don't think it's going to be enough."
Piccolo stopped in his tracks, looking back over his shoulder. "We'll see."
"If only you had come back as your original self," Nail urged, his voice heavy. "You could have beaten Frieza for sure."
Piccolo scowled as he fully turned to Nail. "What?"
"I've fought him... I know how strong he is." Nail coughed out blood, beginning to pool under him.
His fellow Namekian scoffed, crossing his arms. "Kami, I'd have what I need right now? How ironic. He's probably laughing so hard we can hear him all the way from Earth."
"No, you're wrong," Nail countered firmly. "Nobody wants you to win as much as Kami does. His very survival depends on it. Kami... Piccolo... you are one."
"Well, it's too late now at any rate," Piccolo muttered bitterly. "And I think I would rather die than unite with that old geezer anyhow."
"Well... unite with me then," Nail offered softly, his vision starting to blur.
Piccolo blinked in surprise. "What do you mean?"
"It's the only help we can give," Nail continued, his breath failing him. "Sad but true... I'm the last warrior left on Namek."
"You are?" Piccolo scoffed, crossing his arms tighter. "That's just great."
"I know," Nail remarked, his hand reaching out to Piccolo. "But if we unite, you'll be much stronger than you are right now."
"I appreciate the offer, I guess," Piccolo shrugged, stepping back. "But there's just not enough room inside me for the both of us."
"Oh, your ego's too big, huh?" Nail chuckled weakly.
"I'd better be going now," Piccolo turned away. "Sorry I can't help."
"Not by yourself... but with me, you can," Nail pressed desperately, his hand trembling as it stayed elevated toward Piccolo. "I'm not trying to trick you, brother! Please, I'm just trying to help you out! You are one of us... We have to work together! Frieza is just too strong! If we don't use every scrap of what we have to fight him, then we're done for!"
Piccolo paused, eyeing the dying Namekian warrior carefully. "...Will I still be me?"
"For the most part, yes," Nail reassured him. "Sure, you'll notice a difference at first... but who knows? You might find it to your liking."
Piccolo smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Why not? All right, you're on. But if I don't like it, you're out, understand me?"
Nail let out a soft laugh. "Man, you're too much... Just wait. You'll be begging to keep me around."
"Yeah, right," Piccolo scoffed. "I doubt that. Now tell me what to do, quick."
"Right... just keep your hand right there," Nail instructed, pointing to his chest.
"You can stay until we beat Frieza," Piccolo growled, placing his palm flat over Nail's torso. "After that, I'm going to charge you rent. You got that?"
A sudden, blinding surge of white and blue light erupted between them. Nail's body dissolved into pure energy, flowing directly into Piccolo's chest. A tremendous explosion of power shattered the ground beneath Piccolo's feet, his aura flaring wildly into the dark sky as an unthinkable surge of Ki filled his entire body.
When the light faded, Piccolo stood alone in the crater, his eyes blazing with incredible, newly awakened power.
--------------------------
Also miles away from the battle, Bulma scrambled over a steep, rocky ridge, her boots skidding across the dirt as her heart hammered against her ribs.
"Why me?!" she shrieked at the top of her lungs, clutching her Capsule Corp case tightly against her chest. "Why do I always get stuck out in the middle of nowhere, left to fend for myself?!"
Behind her, the ground trembled with a rhythmic, thunderous cadence.
THUMP. THUMP. THUMP.
Bulma dared a glance over her shoulder and instantly let out a blood-curdling scream. Looming right behind her were two towering Namekian dinosaurs, massive, razor-fanged reptilian beasts, stamping across the plains and closing the distance fast.
"Stay back, you overgrown lizards! I'm warning you! I've got a weapon, and I'm not afraid to—!"
She ducked behind a jagged boulder, squeezing her eyes shut, pressing her back against the cool stone, and bracing for the end. She waited for the terrifying roar, the snap of huge jaws, or a claw ripping through the rock.
Instead, the deafening THUMP-THUMP-THUMP kept right on going, straight past her.
Bulma cautiously opened one eye.
The two giant beasts hadn't even looked down at her. They were practically leaping over boulders in a panic, their wide, terrified eyes locked strictly ahead, completely ignoring the helpless Earthling sitting right in their path. They weren't hunting her. They were fleeing for their lives.
Bulma stood up slowly, dusting off her tunic as she watched the massive creatures stampede away toward the horizon.
"Wait a second..." she muttered, squinting in confusion. "If those monster dinosaurs are running away that fast... what in the world are they running from?"
She turned around and looked toward the sky in the far distance.
A second later, a delayed shockwave hit her, sending a hot, terrifying gale of wind whipping through her hair and rattling the rocks around her feet. The faint, echoing roar of Frieza's energy blasts vibrated right through the soles of her boots.
A cold bead of sweat trickled down Bulma's cheek as the reality sank in.
"Oh, great..." Bulma whimpered, taking a slow step backward in the direction the dinosaurs were fleeing. "If the giant monsters think it's time to evacuate, maybe I should be running right behind them!"
Back on the main battlefield, Dende had already fled into the canyons, taking advantage of the initial shockwave to hide his energy signature. That left only the core fighters standing ground in front of the towering emperor: Vegeta, Escallion, Gohan, and Krillin.
The air pressure surrounding them was stifling. Frieza's colossal second form towered over the landscape, casting a massive, looming shadow over the fractured terrain
"Well, this is it," Frieza chuckled, his deep, transformed voice reverberating through their chests. "I hope you're not disappointed."
Krillin took an involuntary step back, his boots skidding across the loose rock as cold sweat drenched his forehead.
Frieza looked down at the trembling group, a cruel, mocking smile spreading across his giant face.
"My, my... what's the matter with you little insects?" Frieza purred, his voice dripping with condescending malice. "You seem frightened. Vegeta, you're speechless. Don't tell me that you've run out of bold threats already?"
Vegeta stood frozen, his jaw locked tight as his blood ran cold, staring up at the sheer wall of power radiating from the tyrant. Beside him, Escallion remained silent, his dark, pitch-black eyes fixed unblinkingly on Frieza's massive frame.
"Such paltry playthings... not worth transforming for," Frieza continued, folding his massive arms over his broad chest. "But I guess some amusement is better than none."
Without warning, Frieza flicked his tail. A sudden gale-force wind erupted instantly, blowing with enough violent force to rip rocks straight out of the ground and send Krillin and Gohan skidding back dozens of yards.
"How do you like that, hmm?" Frieza sneered, amused by their desperate struggle just to stay upright. "Most opponents never see it coming. I'm somewhat impressed by the way, Vegeta... did I happen to mention that my fighting power in this form is over one million?"
"What?!" Vegeta shrieked, his eyes bulging out of his head. "No way! ONE MILLION?! Don't believe it! That's impossible, even for him!"
Frieza's eyes narrowed into terrifying red slits as Vegeta's screech echoed through the desolate canyon. The tyrant let out a low, dark chuckle that rumbled in his massive chest.
"Disbelief... how utterly predictable," Frieza purred, slowly raising a single, heavy hand into the air, palm open toward the sky. "You insects really don't understand the vast ocean that separates my power from yours."
Veins bulged along Frieza's massive arms as his dark aura flared violently. Without another word, he thrust his raised palm straight down, letting out a deafening, monstrous roar that shattered the sound barrier and split the clouds wide open above them.
A blinding sphere of catastrophic white-and-pink Ki detonated right at Frieza's feet.
The sheer volume of raw energy exploded instantly outward, expanding into a colossal wave of pure destruction. The entire island fractured in a split second, the bedrock snapping like glass under the immense pressure.
"HANG ON!" Vegeta yelled, but his voice was completely drowned out as the shockwave ripped through the ground beneath them.
The explosive force tore the entire landmass to shreds, blasting the surrounding ocean backward into a hundred-foot tidal wave. Mountains were instantly pulverized into dust, and the very air superheated into a fiery maelstrom.
Krillin, Gohan, Vegeta, and Escallion were all caught in the violent concussive wave, launched backward through the air like ragdolls as the island vanished beneath them.
Ocean spray and shattered rock rained down in every direction, leaving nothing behind but a churning, hollow crater where the solid land had stood moments before.
As the blinding light faded and the towering wall of smoke began to drift over the boiling sea, Frieza floated suspended in midair at the center of the destruction, looking down at the scattered survivors struggling in the wreckage below with a dark, sadistic grin.
Gohan coughed violently, wiping a streak of soot and salt water from his face as he hovered over the churning sea. He looked frantically around the smoking crater where the island had stood just moments before.
"Krillin!" Gohan yelled, his voice cracking with desperation. "Krillin! Where are you?!"
The smoke shifted, and Gohan gasped in relief. Just a few dozen yards away, Krillin was floating above the waves. Clutched tightly behind his back, hidden safely from Frieza's line of sight, was Dende, shivering but unharmed.
Krillin caught Gohan's eye and gave a slight, tense nod, warning the boy to stay quiet and not draw attention to the small Namekian behind him.
High above the boiling water, Frieza drifted down through the haze, his massive horns silhouetted against the darkening sky. He crossed his giant arms over his chest, his crimson eyes gleaming with terrifying delight as he looked down at the battered survivors.
A dark sneer spread across Frieza's massive face, his deep voice echoing across the open ocean like thunder.
"Rejoice, little insects..." Frieza purred, his tail flicking lazily behind him. "For it is a beautiful day to die. Now who to kill first..."
Frieza's sneer suddenly vanished, his crimson eyes locking dead onto Krillin with terrifying precision.
"YOU FIRST!" Frieza roared, his voice tearing through the air, as his aura appeared around him.
Before the echo even reached their ears, Frieza vanished. A deafening sonic boom ripped through the sky.
Vegeta and Escallion didn't even have time to twitch. Gohan barely managed a sharp gasp. The speed was completely incomprehensible, a horrifying display of what a one million power level truly meant.
Krillin froze, his eyes dilating in sheer terror. A sickening CRUNCH echoed over the roaring waves.
Krillin let out a breathless, choked gasp, his arms falling limply to his sides. He looked down slowly, his eyes wide with uncomprehending shock.
Frieza was hovering mere inches in front of him, staring down with a hollow, sadistic glare. The tyrant had driven his massive, curved horn straight through the thick chest plate of Krillin's Frieza Force armor, tearing right through his torso and out his back with brutal, effortless ease.
Behind him, Dende shrieked, scrambling backward in the air as drops of Krillin's blood hit the churning water below. Frieza simply tilted his head, lifting his chin slightly to elevate Krillin higher on the horn like a macabre trophy, listening to the Earthling's desperate, suffocating wheezes.
Vegeta grit his teeth, sweating as he watched the horrifying spectacle above. "What an idiot! He should never have tried to protect that little Namekian kid!"
Vegeta barked, trying to mask his shock behind anger. "I tried to tell him, but would he listen? Now he's nothing but a shish kebab!"
Escallion stood right beside Vegeta, his black eyes unblinking, his brow furrowed in a tight, serious scowl as he watched Frieza hoist the helpless Earthling higher into the sky.
Krillin's hands clawed futilely at Frieza's massive horn, fresh crimson blood soaking the white chest plate of his armor and dripping down onto the tyrant's head. Krillin's eyes rolled back in agony, his chest heaving as he gasped for air.
Frieza slowly raised his hand, tilting his head up to gaze at Krillin with a sickening, high-pitched chuckle.
"Oh... I'm sorry," Frieza purred mockingly, his voice dripping with sadistic glee. "Does that hurt? I guess I just don't know my own strength!"
"I... I beg of you..." Krillin whimpered, his voice choking on his own blood. "Please... don't hurt me..."
"I... I can't... breathe..." Krillin gasped, his strength completely draining as his vision started fading.
Frieza only laughed harder, a deep, evil roar echoing from his broad chest as he began thrashing his head back and forth, casually tossing Krillin around on his horn like a broken toy. Below them, Gohan let out a horrified, blood-curdling scream, paralyzed by the sheer nightmare unfolding right in front of his eyes.
Krillin desperately forced his remaining strength into his leg, trying to drive his knee straight into Frieza's face. But the attempt was pitiful; Frieza didn't even flinch, the blow landing harmlessly against his rock-hard chin as the tyrant merely chuckled at the feeble effort.
Gohan's mind snapped. Tears flooded his eyes as a blind, violent rage took over, his aura erupting in a blinding, explosive burst. "LEAVE HIM ALONE!" Gohan roared, his voice cracking into an unhinged scream.
Escallion didn't hesitate; his dark, pitch-black eyes narrowed into a lethal glare, and his aura burst into life around him, rushing toward the tyrant.
Frieza sneered, casually flicking his massive neck to toss Krillin's limp, blood-soaked body off his horn. Krillin plummeted through the air, crashing into the ocean with a loud splash and sinking silently into the dark, murky depths.
Gohan watched the water swallow his best friend, his vision blurring with tears before snapping into pure, unadulterated fury.
"YOU MONSTER!" Gohan shrieked, his voice splitting the air as an astounding, crimson-tinted aura erupted around his small body.
Frieza barely had time to turn his head before Gohan was in his face. The half-Saiyan boy let out a feral scream, delivering a brutal, lightning-fast barrage of punches and kicks straight to Frieza's chest and jaw. The force of the strikes actually rocked the giant tyrant backward, forcing him to block frantically.
Escallion, flying right beside him, widened his eyes in absolute shock at the boy's explosive jump in power.
'It's just like on Earth. His energy... it skyrocketed in a split second!' Escallion thought, amazed by the child's raw tenacity.
Not wanting to waste the opening, Escallion surged forward, joining the onslaught. He ducked under Frieza's heavy tail swing, driving a hard right hook directly into the tyrant's side before instantly spinning around to kick him squarely in the temple.
Working in tandem, Gohan landed a solid boot to Frieza's chin, launching the monster upward, while Escallion rocketed above him. Interlocking his fingers into a heavy double-axe handle, Escallion brought both fists crashing down onto Frieza's head with a thunderous CRACK, sending the emperor plummeting straight down into a nearby rock formation.
Frieza smashed into the island, shattering the granite and kicking up a towering cloud of dust and debris.
Gohan's teeth were bared, his eyes completely blank with unhinged rage. Cup-shaped hands pulled back to his side, charging up a blinding, golden sphere of Ki that vibrated through the air.
"DIE! DIE! DIE!" Gohan screamed, thrusting his hands forward and releasing a relentless, unending storm of energy blasts straight into the crater.
The volley rained down like a carpet bombing, dozens of massive explosions detonating in rapid fire, swallowing the entire island in a towering inferno of smoke, fire, and shattering rock. Nearby, Vegeta stood floating over the sea, his jaw virtually hitting his chest as he stared at the boy in utter disbelief.
"I... I can't believe it..." Vegeta stammered, his body trembling. "That kid... out of nowhere, he's exploding with power as I've never seen before! It's impossible!"
The relentless volley finally ceased, leaving Gohan panting heavily, his small chest heaving as sweat poured down his face.
The dense smoke gradually drifted off into the sea air, revealing a massive, smoldering crater at the center of the shattered island. At the bottom lay Frieza, facedown in the rubble, his massive horns caked in dirt and his tail limp against the scorched earth.
Vegeta stared into the pit, his jaw tight, his hands trembling as he gritted his teeth in absolute denial.
"No... there's just no way the kid's that powerful!" Vegeta growled, the words tasting like venom on his tongue. He couldn't wrap his mind around a half-breed child unleashing that level of raw force.
Beside Gohan, Escallion hovered silently, his eyes wide as he looked between the exhausted boy and the crater below. He had known the child possessed hidden strength, but to physically overpower a tyrant whose power exceeded a million.
"You really are something else, kid," Escallion muttered under his breath, his guard still raised as he kept a sharp eye on the motionless form at the bottom of the pit.
'If push comes to shove, I may need to use that form again.' The older of the two thought to himself, weighing up the options. Unsure of whether or not he can control the Ikari form, he opts against using it.
The searing, blinding rage that had fueled Gohan's attack washed away, leaving him hollow, exhausted, and trembling from head to toe. Tears welled up in his eyes again as he stared blankly at the churning water where his best friend had disappeared.
A soft splash broke the silence.
From the water, Dende breached the surface of the ocean, dragging Krillin's limp body out of the waves and hauling him onto a flat shelf of rock. Krillin's chest plate was shattered where Frieza's horn had torn through, his skin deathly pale, but he was alive.
"Gohan!" Dende called out, his voice echoing across the quiet water as he looked up at the sky.
Gohan's head snapped toward the small Namekian, his breath catching in his throat.
"He's okay!" Dende shouted, wiping water from his face as he placed a hand over Krillin's chest, glowing green energy already beginning to hum from his palms. "He's still breathing!"
A massive, breathless gasp escaped Gohan's mouth, all the tension instantly draining from his shoulders. "Krillin..." he whimpered, letting out a weak, sobbing laugh of sheer relief as Escallion gently placed a steadying hand on the boy's shoulder.
Vegeta drifted up beside Gohan and Escallion, his face pale and his eyes fixed dead ahead on the smoldering crater. His voice was low, laced with a harsh, bitter urgency.
"Don't lower your guard," Vegeta growled, glaring down at the boy. "We don't have time to be worrying about Krillin."
Gohan blinked, turning to look at the Saiyan prince in confusion, but Vegeta didn't even glance back at him. He merely raised a trembling, gloved hand, pointing straight into the pit of shattered granite.
"If you think you finished off Frieza... just look."
Down in the crater, the rubble began to shift.
A heavy, terrifying rumble vibrated through the earth, sending loose stones rattling down the canyon walls. The white-and-purple titan slowly pushed himself up off the scorched ground, rolling his broad shoulders and dusting off his chest as if he were merely brushing away cobwebs.
Frieza stood tall in the center of the pit, his brow furrowed into a sharp scowl. He cracked his neck with a sickening snap, his crimson eyes locking dead onto Gohan with a dark, dangerous glare.
"I have to admit..." Frieza growled, his voice deep and laced with genuine irritation, "you actually managed to surprise me, you little pest."
Gohan's breath hitched in his throat, his brief moment of relief instantly vanishing as a cold wave of dread washed over them all over again.