THUMP! THUMP! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Raditz's heart beat powerfully, faster and faster, as if hundreds of drummers were striking his chest simultaneously. Thick hair sprouted across his body as he suddenly swelled in size, stretching his battle suit to its limits and crushing the rubble beneath him. The transformation happened rapidly—before Vegeta could reach him, Raditz had become a Great Ape.
"ROAR!"
The ferocious beast awoke with a thunderous bellow.
Two Great Apes?! Goku and the others retreated in horror, unsure what to do. The situation had spiraled far beyond their expectations. Raditz had explained the Great Ape transformation to them, and they had deliberately removed the moon to prevent this very scenario. So why was moonlight still appearing in the sky? They gritted their teeth anxiously as they stared at the mysterious ball of light hanging in the darkness above.
"Have they both gone berserk?"
"No, Vegeta hasn't. When transforming into a Great Ape, most Saiyans lose their minds, but elite warriors can overcome this with minimal training, just like they train to overcome tail weakness. If a lower-class fighter wants to maintain sanity, they need to go through many transformations. And... my brother said he wasn't sure if he could control himself."
Goku's words made everyone gasp.
Only Nappa spoke up, his teeth clenched: "Raditz isn't consistent. His chance of going berserk after transforming is about fifty-fifty. Sometimes he maintains control perfectly, other times he loses himself completely. You'd better be prepared for the worst."
With such odds, wasn't it too dangerous to risk everything on this battle that couldn't be lost? Goku wanted to help, but his power level meant nothing against a Great Ape. Rushing in blindly would be suicide.
At that moment, Raditz stood upright, beating his chest with both hands before spewing several energy blasts from his mouth in all directions.
Vegeta was delighted by the wild, indiscriminate attacks. It confirmed his suspicion—Raditz had indeed lost control in his Great Ape form!
Vegeta let out a battle cry and launched a devastating punch aimed at Raditz's head. The angle was clever, targeting the temple. Enormous strength erupted from his massive arms, both fast and ruthless, brimming with killing intent.
"BOOM!"
There was a breathtaking crash as one of the behemoths crashed to the ground! Everyone was shocked—it was Vegeta who had fallen! Just as the punch was about to connect with Raditz's head, Goku nearly activated his Kaio-ken to rush forward. But in that critical moment, Raditz nimbly dodged and hooked Vegeta's ankle with one foot, causing him to topple.
Raditz hadn't lost his mind at all. In fact, due to his soul's transformation, his mental strength had become several times more powerful. He wasn't just conscious—he was completely in control!
His apparent clumsiness had been a ruse to make Vegeta careless.
Once such a massive body fell, it wasn't easy to regain footing. The initiative in battle quietly shifted.
Raditz roared triumphantly, but in his moment of celebration, he made a critical error.
Vegeta also had a tail, which he swiftly wrapped around Raditz's ankles. With a quick jerk, Raditz's center of gravity destabilized, his knees buckled, and he too crashed down.
Both Great Apes had fallen! Raditz, now kneeling on the ground, lunged at Vegeta and landed a powerful slap across his face. In response, Vegeta delivered a heavy blow to his abdomen. The two colossal forms grappled with each other, rolling several times and crushing the earth beneath them.
They resorted to pure wrestling, trading fierce blows. Raditz even employed biting—the most primitive, clumsy, yet brutally effective attack! Vegeta howled in pain: "Trash, let go of me!"
Surprisingly, Raditz actually released his bite, only to deliver a lightning-fast punch directly to Vegeta's nose, repaying his earlier injury.
"Yes, I was weak before, but don't you think people eventually grow stronger? The weak can become powerful one day. The desire to improve burns in everyone's heart. I may not be of noble birth like you, but using that as the basis of your arrogance is a mistake!"
"Today I'll defeat you and prove it." Raditz stepped forward, activating the Kaio-ken while in Great Ape form!
His enormous figure moved with unbelievable speed. Rising to his feet, he struck instantly, his massive palm covering Vegeta's head, slamming him to the ground and pinning him firmly into the earth!
"Ridiculous! Ugh... what do you know? I was born a prince..." Vegeta's contemptuous smile twisted with pain. "I am the strongest..."
"Really?!" Raditz applied more pressure, delivering another punch to Vegeta's face. The impact sank the ground for several feet in a thousand-meter radius, its force nearly penetrating the planet!
Vegeta continued defiantly: "Do you know what I'm going to do? You don't need to dictate my actions. I have my own path."
"You and your brother cooperated with these Earthlings against me. You've lost the dignity of true Saiyans. You're both traitors to our race." His passionate speech caused him to cough up blood, which flowed like a waterfall.
Raditz maintained his grip on Vegeta's head, feeling the warm, sticky liquid in his palm.
"That's your reasoning? You think I don't know the truth about Planet Vegeta?" Raditz raised his arm and struck Vegeta's chest, causing the ground to sink even further.
"It was Frieza who destroyed our planet, then kept us working for him, humiliating us in every possible way. Any disagreement met with cruel punishment. No one has forgotten those days!"
Another devastating punch followed his words.
"Indeed, we lacked the strength to challenge Frieza back then. But if we keep living as his servants, when will we ever take our revenge? Will Frieza simply die of old age? You pride yourself on being the Saiyan prince—then act like one! If you want power, we have the means to gain it! A prince's dignity isn't measured by others' fear, and the title of 'prince' isn't what makes Saiyans proud! Only by growing stronger, gaining power, surpassing our limits, defeating Frieza, and becoming the mightiest warriors in the universe can we honor the true fighting spirit of the Saiyans—"
"OUR PRIDE!!!"
Raditz gathered all his strength for one final punch, raising his massive fist high before bringing it down.
His last two words echoed with deafening power.
The fist stopped just centimeters from Vegeta's face. Even without impact, the sheer force of the blow made the Great Ape's face distort slightly, his fur standing on end from the displaced air.
"Make your decision. Training with us is definitely the fastest path to greater strength. I only want to help you—I won't interfere with your goals." Raditz opened his fist and extended it in a gesture of partnership. "My brother over there, Kakarot, also has a power level over 20,000, and when he uses the Kaio-ken, he's no weaker than you. If you want to challenge us, you're welcome anytime."
Raditz actually admired the pride in Vegeta's heart. This quality made Vegeta different, worthy of respect.
When channeled properly, his arrogance was impressive and commanding, occasionally revealing unexpected depth and even a certain charm. More importantly, it was his motivation to keep growing stronger.
There were countless powerful beings throughout the vast universe. Dealing with Frieza would be just the beginning.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
Vegeta's prolonged scream seemed to expel all his frustration, the world-shaking sound waves clearly expressing his reluctant surrender.
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