The earth trembled beneath Vegeta's monstrous footsteps. His colossal shadow stretched across the battlefield as the Great Ape form towered above mountains and forests alike. The artificial moon hung in the night sky, glowing with malevolent energy, and every Saiyan instinct inside Vegeta howled with primal fury.
"HAHAHAHA!!" Vegeta's thunderous roar shook the air. "Now, you insects will know the true power of a Saiyan elite! You thought you had me cornered? FOOLS!"
Dust and rubble scattered as Gohan, Krillin, Yamcha, Piccolo, and Rudra looked up at the towering beast. Goku, still lying on the ground, clenched his fists weakly. His Kaiō-Ken x20 had taken everything out of him—his body was screaming in agony, muscles twitching from the strain.
Rudra's sharp eyes narrowed. His chakra pathways were silent—completely drained. Even though the Senzu Bean had restored his ki and stamina, his mystical chakra refused to regenerate through such artificial means. He clenched his teeth in frustration.
"Damn it… I can't draw chakra. I can't summon my arts. Without it… I'm useless against that thing."
Piccolo's cape fluttered in the wind as he took a defensive stance. "Then we'll just have to rely on what's left of us. Krillin, Gohan, Yamcha—we'll buy as much time as we can!"
Krillin swallowed hard, sweat dripping down his bald forehead. "T-Time?! Look at that thing! He's like… like King Kong on steroids!"
Gohan's fists trembled, but his Saiyan blood boiled with courage. "I'll fight! I won't let him hurt my dad or anyone else!"
Yamcha cracked his knuckles, though the terror in his eyes betrayed his brave words. "Heh… guess we don't have a choice, do we?"
Rudra stepped beside Piccolo, even though his chakra was silent. His voice was firm.
"If I can't fight with chakra, I'll fight with ki. Even if it's not my strength, I won't stand here doing nothing."
Piccolo shot him a quick look, a mixture of respect and worry. "Just don't get yourself killed. You're already pushing your limits."
---
The Great Ape Attacks
With a savage roar, Vegeta slammed his massive fists into the ground, creating shockwaves that knocked everyone off their feet. Trees shattered, boulders split apart, and the battlefield itself seemed to groan under his overwhelming power.
"YOU'RE ALL DEAD!" Vegeta bellowed, his red eyes blazing with primal hate. He swiped his enormous arm through the air, sending a hurricane-force gust toward the group.
"MOVE!" Piccolo shouted.
The warriors scattered, leaping into the air. Gohan fired a desperate Masenko, the golden blast soaring toward Vegeta's face.
"MASENKO—HA!"
The blast struck the Great Ape's snout, forcing Vegeta to reel back with a growl of irritation—but it did little more than singe his fur.
"You'll have to do BETTER than that, brat!" Vegeta's booming voice shook the heavens.
Krillin dashed in, hurling a barrage of ki blasts, while Yamcha circled from the other side. Rudra joined in, releasing rapid-fire bursts of raw ki. Their attacks peppered Vegeta's enormous frame, exploding against his fur but barely slowing him down.
Then, with terrifying speed for his size, Vegeta swung his tail and swept the entire battlefield.
"LOOK OUT!" Rudra shouted.
The massive appendage struck Yamcha and Krillin like flies, sending them crashing into the ground. Dust plumed as both fighters groaned in pain. Rudra barely dodged with a burst of ki, landing roughly on the ground.
---
Piccolo's Plan
Piccolo clenched his fists. "We can't beat him head-on. We need to target his tail—cut it off, and he'll revert back to normal!"
Gohan gasped. "The tail… right!"
Rudra's eyes darted to the swishing tail, each swing carving craters into the earth. "Easier said than done… one wrong move, and that thing will crush us."
Piccolo's eyes narrowed. "I'll distract him. Rudra, back me up. Gohan, wait for the opening. Krillin, Yamcha—recover if you can!"
Without hesitation, Piccolo launched himself into the sky, unleashing a barrage of explosive ki blasts directly into Vegeta's eyes. The Great Ape howled in rage, swiping at Piccolo like a man swats at an insect.
"Over here, you monster!" Piccolo taunted, weaving through the massive swipes.
Rudra darted in from below, firing concentrated beams of ki at Vegeta's knees, forcing the beast to stumble slightly. "NOW, GOHAN!"
With a shout, Gohan surged forward, his small body moving with unexpected speed. His hands glowed with energy as he dove toward Vegeta's tail—
But Vegeta's massive hand slammed down, creating a shockwave that sent Gohan tumbling backward before he could make contact.
"PATHETIC!" Vegeta bellowed. His massive foot came crashing down where Gohan had landed—
"GOHAN!" Krillin screamed.
At the last second, Piccolo intercepted, blasting Gohan out of harm's way with a controlled energy wave. Vegeta's foot crushed the ground, leaving a crater where Gohan had been moments before.
---
Goku's Desperation
From the sidelines, Goku struggled to lift himself. His body burned from the backlash of Kaiō-Ken x20. He could barely breathe, his muscles twitching uncontrollably.
"D-Damn it… I can't let them handle this alone… Vegeta… is too strong…"
His vision blurred, but then he felt a hand on his shoulder. Rudra had landed beside him, breathing heavily, sweat dripping from his brow.
"Stay down, Goku," Rudra said firmly. "You've done enough. If you move now, your body will break completely."
"But… my friends…" Goku's voice cracked.
"They're my friends too." Rudra's gaze was unwavering. "I may not have my chakra, but I'll fight with every drop of ki I have left. Trust me—for once, let us protect you."
Goku blinked, his chest tightening. For the first time, he wasn't the only warrior carrying the burden. With a weak smile, he nodded. "…Alright. I'll believe in you."
---
The Saiyan's Fury
Vegeta roared once more, his glowing eyes sweeping across the battlefield. He spotted Krillin dragging Yamcha to safety, Piccolo shielding Gohan, and Rudra standing defiantly before Goku.
"ENOUGH OF THESE GAMES!" Vegeta thundered. "I'll crush all of you at once!"
Energy surged into his massive maw. A glowing red sphere began to form—his Mouth Blast, capable of erasing everything in front of him.
Piccolo's eyes widened. "He's going to wipe us all out!"
"Not if I stop him first!" Rudra shouted, gathering every ounce of ki into his palms. He fired a concentrated beam of white-hot energy straight into Vegeta's mouth.
The collision of beams exploded, detonating in Vegeta's face. Smoke and fire engulfed the Great Ape's head.
"GAHHH!" Vegeta staggered back, clutching his face, enraged more than injured.
"That… bought us a few seconds," Rudra muttered, panting. His chest heaved. "But I can't… keep this up much longer."
---
The Threat to Piccolo
Vegeta's red eyes burned with fury as he regained his balance. His gaze locked onto Piccolo, the Namekian breathing heavily.
"You… green slug… you control the Dragon Balls, don't you?!" Vegeta's booming voice thundered. "If I kill you, they'll vanish! But if you're alive, I can use them to gain immortality!"
Piccolo spat, standing tall despite his exhaustion. "You'll get nothing from me. If I die, the Dragon Balls die too. You'll never have your wish."
Vegeta's massive jaw clenched, his fury echoing in his roar. "INSOLENT WORM! I'll rip the truth from your corpse!"
The Great Ape raised his enormous fist, ready to crush Piccolo into the earth.
---
And there, the chapter closes with the suspense high—the Great Ape Vegeta ready to smash Piccolo, the heroes exhausted, Rudra at his limit, and Goku unable to rise.