The battlefield was in ruins. Shattered craters, burning rocks, and trembling earth echoed the ferocity of the clash that had already taken place. Rudra, bloodied and breathing heavily, stood barely on his feet. Vegeta's aura was flaring violently, his pride fueling his rage, and with one final blow, the prince had prepared to end Rudra's life once and for all.
Just before Vegeta's energy sphere could detonate, a sudden voice cut through the tension—calm, yet unshakable.
"That's enough, Vegeta."
The energy blast dispersed in the air as another figure appeared, landing gracefully between Rudra and Vegeta. His orange gi fluttered against the dusty winds, his black hair spiking naturally, his face calm yet determined.
"Goku…" Rudra gasped, eyes widening in relief. "You finally made it!"
A faint smirk tugged at Goku's lips. "Heh, yeah. Sorry I'm late. The Snake Way… took a lot longer than I thought. But don't worry, from here on, I'll handle things."
He reached into a small pouch at his belt and tossed a small bean toward Rudra. "Eat this. You'll feel good as new."
Rudra caught the senzu bean with trembling hands and popped it into his mouth. In moments, warmth spread through his body, his wounds knitting, his stamina refilled, his energy surging once again. He clenched his fists, astonished.
"Incredible… I'm completely restored," he said, nodding gratefully. He rose into the air, hovering. "Then I'll go check on Piccolo and the others. This fight… it's yours now, Goku."
And after saying this, Rudra launches himself into the sky and goes to where Piccolo and the others are. Piccolo, Krillin, Gohan, Yamacha were also able to sense the fight of Goku and Vegeta.
And from the lookout, Kami, Popo, Korin, Yajurobi, everyone was able to sense and watch the fight.
And there Bulma was sitting in Kame house, and was repeatedly asking Master Roshi about the battle.
The two remaining Saiyans faced one another.
Vegeta's lips curled into a cruel grin. "Well, well, if it isn't the low-class Saiyan himself. Kakarot!"
Goku adjusted his stance, stepping lightly onto a rocky cliff. His expression was serious. "The name's Goku. I don't care about your Saiyan classes or bloodlines."
Vegeta descended onto the cliff opposite him, smirking as his aura flickered violently. "Hmph. Say what you want, but you can't deny what runs in your veins. You're a Saiyan, just like me. And no matter how much these weak Earthlings have softened you, you can't erase that truth."
Goku's eyes narrowed, his fists tightening. "Maybe I can't erase my blood… but I can choose who I fight for. And I'll protect this planet, no matter what."
The two dropped into fighting stances. Silence consumed the battlefield. The wind howled, dust swirled, and even the distant rubble seemed to hold its breath.
Then—
"HRRAAAHHH!!"
Both warriors lunged at once. Their fists collided midair with a thunderous boom, shockwaves rippling outward.
The warm-up began.
Goku weaved in and out with sharp martial arts techniques—disciplined strikes, clean counters, fluid movements born of Earth's fighting schools. Vegeta, by contrast, fought like a beast unleashed. His blows were wild yet precise, his movements carrying the sheer brutality of Saiyan battle instincts.
Fist clashed against fist. Knee met elbow. Rocks shattered beneath their feet as they moved faster than the eye could follow. Every strike sent ripples through the air, forcing even the distant Z Fighters to shield their eyes.
Piccolo muttered, sensing Two powerful Ki Clashing - "Tch… their power… it's on another level."
Rudra landed beside them, still in awe. "He's fighting evenly with Vegeta. That's… unbelievable."
Back on the battlefield, Goku slipped past a savage kick and countered with a quick palm strike to Vegeta's chest. The prince skidded backward, smirking, as if enjoying the challenge.
"Not bad, Kakarot… I'll admit, your training has paid off. But let's stop playing around."
His aura surged violently, rocks levitating under his power. Goku's eyes narrowed. He knew what was coming.
Vegeta raised his hands, charging purple energy that crackled with deadly intent.
"Galick Gun… FIRE!!"
The massive beam tore across the battlefield, swallowing everything in its path.
Goku braced himself, cupping his hands together, gathering a swirling orb of blue light. His voice thundered with determination:
"KA… ME… HA… ME… HAAA!!"
The two beams collided midair, light blinding, earth quaking under the clash. Energy ripped across the sky, turning day into night for a moment. Both warriors gritted their teeth, veins bulging as they poured every ounce of strength into the struggle.
But Vegeta's power was overwhelming. With a roar, he poured even more energy into his Galick Gun, slowly forcing Goku's Kamehameha back.
"Give it up, Kakarot!" Vegeta snarled. "You can't hope to match a Saiyan elite!"
Sweat beaded down Goku's face as the wave inched closer to him. In a last-second move, he let his Kamehameha collapse, sidestepping just before the Galick Gun exploded into the mountainside, leveling an entire section of terrain.
Using the smoke as cover, Goku launched a barrage of ki blasts, striking Vegeta from multiple angles. The prince snarled, shielding himself before charging back through the storm.
The fight shifted into the air, their bodies colliding again and again, each clash echoing like thunder. The ground split beneath them as stray blasts cratered the battlefield.
Watching from afar, Master Roshi adjusted his sunglasses, his face grim. "That Vegeta… he's fighting like a cornered beast. But Goku… he's still holding back, isn't he?"
Back in the sky, Goku dodged a vicious kick, panting slightly. His mind raced. Vegeta's power… it's monstrous. But if I don't push myself further, I won't be able to protect anyone.
Vegeta's grin widened as he noticed Goku's hesitation. "What's wrong, Kakarot? Don't tell me this is all you've got. Show me the true power of a Saiyan, or I'll crush you right here!"
Their fists clashed again, shockwaves shattering the air. The fight had only just begun.
And yet, somewhere deep in the void of space, another shadow was already moving toward Earth—Dodoria, leading Frieza's soldiers, their eyes set on the Dragon Balls.
The stage was set for the battles yet to come.