"As expected of a Destroyer form!" Bardock muttered, staring at Vegeta and carefully sensing the aura swirling around him.
"Hmph," Vegeta chuckled, glancing toward Bardock with a smirk.
"Oh? A Destroyer form?" Frieza paused, his smile instantly freezing. His eyes grew grave for a split second before being replaced by a look of pure disdain. "Nothing but grandstanding! Do you really think changing your color will let you defeat me, Frieza?"
"Come and find out, Frieza! Let me see just how strong your Black Gold Mode really is!" Vegeta settled into a fighting stance, feet shoulder-width apart, right hand forward and left hand back. Violet-red energy began to coalesce in his palms, ready to strike at a moment's notice.
"Then I won't hold back!" With a cold snort, Frieza transformed into a streak of purple light. He lunged toward Vegeta like an arrow from a bow, moving so fast he left a trail of afterimages and the lingering scent of Black Gold energy in the air.
Vegeta's gaze narrowed. He cocked his right fist and threw a vicious uppercut at the charging Frieza. The punch carried immense power, as if it could shake the very heavens, with the violet-red energy of Destruction concentrating into a sharp, piercing point.
WHACK!
But in the next instant, Vegeta felt his fist hit nothing but air. He looked up in shock. Frieza had vanished, leaving behind only a faint purple blur.
Vegeta didn't dare lower his guard. He scanned his surroundings, his violet-red aura intensifying as he pushed his senses to their absolute limit. Soon, he spotted Frieza floating behind him, a mocking smirk playing on the tyrant's lips.
"Fast, aren't you?" Vegeta snarled. He blurred into a violet-red streak, closing the distance instantly. He swung a knife-hand strike toward Frieza's back, the blow whistling through the air with enough force to tear the atmosphere.
Frieza, however, remained completely unphased. He casually rubbed his nose and flickered out of existence again, vanishing as if he had never been there. This time, a wave of genuine panic washed over Vegeta. His eyes darted around frantically, and his senses flared outward, but he couldn't find even a trace of Frieza's energy.
"What's wrong, Vegeta? Did I move a little too fast for you to track?" Frieza's voice drifted from behind him. The tyrant's smile widened, his tone dripping with mockery and condescension.
Vegeta turned his head mechanically, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief. His body trembled slightly. Are you kidding me? I can't even catch a glimpse of him? This is impossible! Absolutely impossible! I'm in my Destroyer form! Even Bardock could fight him to a standstill—am I really weaker than Bardock?
"Destroyer form? Vegeta, you're making me laugh!" Frieza's cold chuckle grew even more insulting. "You call yourself a Destroyer with that? Don't embarrass the title, please. You can't even keep up with my speed, yet you want to fight me?"
"This... this is impossible!" Vegeta gritted his teeth, a flicker of desperation in his eyes as he detonated his full power.
BOOM!
A pillar of violet-red light shot into the sky, scattering the clouds and making the very ground of the Sacred World of the Kai tremble. Yet Frieza simply crossed his arms high in the air, looking perfectly composed and confident. He even let out a yawn, as if Vegeta's outburst were nothing more than a child throwing a tantrum.
Down on the ground, Trunks' mouth twitched as a wave of worry settled over him. Why is the gap so massive? Has Father not shown his true power yet? Or is Frieza's Black Gold Mode really that formidable?
"It's no use. Prince Vegeta has improved significantly, but compared to Frieza's Black Gold form... the gap is still too wide," Bardock said, shaking his head with a light sigh of regret.
"Yeah... Frieza's too fast. Vegeta can't keep up at all," Goku added with a nod.
Trunks was left speechless, his body swaying slightly. Father has become so strong, and yet he still can't beat Black Frieza? Young Trunks also hung his head, his earlier excitement replaced by a deep sense of disappointment.
"HAKAI!"
Vegeta let out a roar of fury, thrusting his hands forward as a massive sphere of violet-red Destruction energy erupted from his palms. The energy swelled rapidly, the light expanding as the surrounding space began to warp and buckle.
"Prince Vegeta! Do you plan to destroy the entire Sacred World of the Kai?" Bardock's face paled as he shouted a warning, his voice laced with urgency. The power of the Hakai was immense; if it went out of control, the entire realm would vanish into thin air.
Broly stared at the massive sphere of energy. He hesitated for a moment before turning to Bardock. "Will it be okay? He's aiming it into the sky, so it shouldn't hit the ground."
"That's Destruction energy! One slip-up and this entire world will be reduced to smithereens!" Bardock's voice was low and grave, his eyes locked onto the energy sphere.
"Vegeta, don't be reckless! Pull it back!" Goku shouted, his head throbbing with the stress of the situation.
Broly: "..." He watched the growing sphere of energy, his mouth twitching slightly.
"What? Is this the best you can do, Vegeta?" Frieza taunted from the air, his smirk widening. "Just so we're clear, I won't be letting that hit me. If your energy goes off-course and wrecks the Sacred World of the Kai, that's on you!"
Frieza paused before adding, "If Lord Beerus ever comes looking for someone to blame, you lot better testify for me! It was Vegeta who lost control, not me!" Frieza was already washing his hands of the whole affair; he had no intention of taking the fall for this.
"Frieza, you coward! Are you afraid to face it?" Vegeta snarled, his eyes full of contempt. "If you have the guts, take my attack head-on! Stop scurrying around like a rat!" With a savage grin, Vegeta thrust his hands upward, his violet-red aura flaring like a raging inferno.
WHOOSH!
The massive sphere of Destruction energy surged toward Frieza like a rogue meteor. Wherever it passed, the air warped from the heat, and the debris on the ground was hoisted into the air by the sheer pressure.
Frieza: "..." He rolled his eyes. You want me to catch that dangerous thing? Do you think I'm stupid? Although he was confident he could stop the energy at his current level, it would drain a massive amount of his stamina. If he ended up exhausted, he might just get pummeled by Broly again. No way, I'm not touching that.
Frieza flickered into a purple blur and vanished instantly, showing zero intention of making contact with the Hakai. He had learned his lesson. After living as long as he had, he was no longer the young and reckless Emperor of the Universe who had fought on Namek.
The Destruction energy tore through the afterimage Frieza left behind, leaving a lingering mist of violet-red light.
"Coward!" Vegeta gritted his teeth so hard they creaked, his sharp gaze scanning the area.
"Your petty tricks won't work on me!" Frieza's voice drifted down, heavy with mockery. "There's no reason for me to face that energy head-on. But you... you just expended a massive amount of energy on that shot. You must be exhausted, aren't you?"
Vegeta snorted coldly.
Frieza's condescension grew even sharper. "You were never my match to begin with, and now your stamina is depleted. Do you really think you still have a chance, Vegeta?" Frieza blurred into a purple streak, screaming toward Vegeta like a bolt of lightning. He was moving so fast his path was almost invisible, leaving only a faint trail of purple light in the sky.
"N-No!" Vegeta's face paled as he scrambled to mount a defense. But the exhaustion from the Hakai was too much; his body couldn't react in time, and he could only watch as Frieza closed in.
In a heartbeat, Frieza was upon him. However, a small, cunning smirk tugged at the corner of Vegeta's mouth. A glint of slyness flashed in his eyes, as if he had been waiting for exactly this moment.
"That look in Father's eyes... does he have a trump card?" Trunks' eyes lit up. He leaned forward, his heart racing with anticipation. He felt sure his father was preparing a counterattack that would take Frieza completely by surprise.
"Will it even work?" Goku muttered, shaking his head with a furrowed brow. Unlike Trunks, Goku understood Frieza's current level far better and didn't share the boy's optimism. Trunks paused, confused by Goku's doubt.
"HAKAI!"
Vegeta didn't hesitate. As Frieza lunged in, he unleashed a small, concentrated sphere of Destruction energy. This was his hidden move—a trap set for when Frieza grew overconfident. Though small, it contained the bulk of his remaining power.
This time, the Hakai hit Frieza dead-on. It didn't miss.
However, Frieza seemed to have anticipated this as well. The moment the energy struck, a faint purple barrier flickered into existence around him. The shield, shaped like a translucent eggshell, held firm, its surface shimmering with a soft light.
THOOM!
The barrier took the full brunt of Vegeta's sneak attack. The energy rippled across the shield's surface but failed to break through, eventually dissipating into a shower of light.
"What?" Vegeta's eyes bulged, his mouth hanging open in shock. Frieza can even block the Hakai? How is his barrier this strong?
"Hmph. You miscalculated, Vegeta," Frieza sneered, his voice dripping with triumph. Seizing the moment of Vegeta's shock, Frieza swung his hand and delivered a stinging slap across Vegeta's face.
SLAP!
The sharp crack echoed through the Sacred World of the Kai, sounding like a whip against skin. Vegeta stumbled, staggering backward before collapsing onto the ground. A trickle of blood leaked from the corner of his mouth, staining his chin red.
Frieza stepped forward and planted his foot firmly on Vegeta's chest. He slowly increased the pressure, his eyes full of malice. "Now do you see the gap between us? You will never be my match!"
"Pffft..." Vegeta coughed up a spray of blood that splattered across Frieza's boot. A wave of agonizing pain shot through his chest, as if his ribs were about to shatter, but he continued to glare at Frieza with a look of pure, unyielding defiance.
BOOM!
In the next instant, a streak of emerald light shot into the sky from the ground. It moved with the speed of a falling star, an afterimage trailing behind as it rapidly chased down the massive sphere of Destruction energy that had missed earlier.
The energy sphere, having missed its target, was currently screaming toward the edge of the Sacred World of the Kai. If left unchecked, it would likely slam into the planet of the South Kai, which would be vaporized instantly.
Just moments before, the Supreme Kai had sent a telepathic plea to Broly. He begged Broly to save the South Kai's planet, promising him a feast of delicious food—including the roasted meats and fruits Broly loved—as a reward.
Broly had given it some thought and decided that the South Kai's planet was worth saving. After all, the South Kai had made him a special dish once—chicken and mushroom stew—and it had been quite tasty. If the South Kai died, he'd never get to eat it again.
Without a second thought, Broly erupted into his Legendary Super Saiyan 2 form. Enveloped in an emerald inferno, he rocketed into the sky and caught up with the Hakai sphere.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Broly unleashed a flurry of blows upon the fifty-meter-wide sphere of Destruction energy. His fists and feet carried such immense force that every strike rang out with a dull thud. Under his relentless assault, the sphere began to shrink, violet-red sparks flaking off like rain.
In no time at all, the massive sphere was hammered into nothingness by Broly's attacks. It finally vanished, dissolving into a shower of violet-red sparks that drifted harmlessly down to the ground. Aside from slightly singeing the grass and yellowing a few leaves, the energy caused no further damage.
Having finished the job, Broly powered down and descended back to the ground. He turned toward Vegeta and shot him a sharp, annoyed look. If Vegeta hadn't been so reckless with his energy, Broly wouldn't have had to go through the trouble.
Vegeta's mouth hung open, his eyes wide with shock. He was speechless. He hadn't expected Broly to neutralize the Hakai so effortlessly; the sheer level of power was beyond his wildest imagination.
Frieza was equally stunned. He stood frozen for a long moment, staring at Broly with wide eyes. Is this that monster's true power? He wiped out Vegeta's Hakai like it was nothing! How can he be this strong? Frieza began to do the math in his head. Even at my absolute peak, I might not be a match for him.
Frieza's mouth twitched, and a flicker of genuine fear touched his heart. He even instinctively lifted his foot off Vegeta's chest, no longer daring to bully him. If he annoyed Broly, he might be the next one getting pummeled.
"Um... I just remembered! I left something very important in that other dimension. I have to go back and get it!" Frieza said, his voice hurried as he scrambled to make an excuse, lifting his foot off Vegeta's chest.
WHOOSH!
Frieza rocketed into the sky, desperate to flee before Broly could set his sights on him. He didn't hesitate for a single second.
But how could Broly possibly let Frieza escape? Back when he had been low on energy, Frieza had given him a brutal thrashing, and Broly had been simmering with a belly full of rage ever since. Although he had already claimed some measure of revenge earlier, he was far from satisfied!
WHOOSH!
Broly blurred into a streak of emerald light, closing the distance instantly. As he moved, he erupted back into his Legendary Super Saiyan 2 form. The emerald inferno enveloped his body, pushing his speed even further as he lunged toward Frieza like an arrow from a bow.
GRAB!
Broly caught up to the Black Gold Frieza in a heartbeat. He reached out and snatched Frieza's tail, clenching it in a vice-like grip. His fingers dug in so deep it felt as if the tail might snap. No matter how much Frieza thrashed, Broly wouldn't let go, his hand locked on like an iron pincer.
"Y-You... let go of me! Broly, don't you think you're being a bit excessive?" Frieza's face paled as he twisted his body and flailed his arms, desperate to break free of Broly's hold. But his tail was caught fast; he couldn't move an inch, and every struggle only sent a fresh wave of agony through his tail.
WHIRL! WHIRL! WHIRL!
Broly ignored Frieza's frantic struggles. He began to spin Frieza by the tail, faster and faster, whirling him in place. The emerald and purple glows bled into one another, forming a blurred silhouette like a spinning top. The surrounding air was sucked into the rotation, creating a localized tornado that hoisted debris and dust from the ground.
Frieza had no idea how many times he had been spun. His head was swimming, and he felt as if his skull were about to burst from the vertigo. His vision was a total blur. His tail felt like it was being torn from his body, the pain almost unbearable. Yet, for some reason, that tail was incredibly sturdy and refused to snap off. For the first time in his life, Frieza felt that having such a resilient tail was a curse. If it were a bit more fragile and had just broken off, he might have had a chance to escape.
WHOOSH!
Broly suddenly let go. Frieza's body shot away like a cannonball, tracing a long arc through the sky at a speed almost too fast for the eye to follow.
CRASH! CRASH! CRASH!
Frieza slammed into the ground below. He tumbled across the landscape, shattering several massive trees. The sound of trunks snapping rang out clearly through the air. Finally, Frieza skidded to a halt, caked in mud and dust, looking utterly pathetic.
He lay prone on the ground, his head spinning as stars danced before his eyes. He didn't even have the strength left to stand, and he could only lie there, gasping for breath.
But Broly wasn't finished. He dove from the sky like a hawk pouncing on its prey, screaming toward Frieza once more. His eyes were burning with battle-lust, and a small grin played on his lips—he clearly hadn't had his fill yet.
"Curse you! I'm in peak condition! Do you really think I'll lose to you?" Frieza snarled, forcing himself to stand with every ounce of strength he had left. He gathered his remaining energy and threw a heavy punch at the descending Broly. The purple energy concentrated on his fist, forming a sharp, piercing point of impact with enough force to shatter solid rock.
BAM!
Frieza's fist slammed squarely into Broly's face. The blow was so powerful it sent one of Broly's teeth flying. The tooth traced an arc through the air and landed somewhere in the distant grass.
Broly, however, simply let out a savage grin, as if he couldn't even feel the pain. A trickle of blood leaked from the corner of his mouth, but his eyes only grew more excited, as if the blow had finally sparked his true fighting spirit.
Frieza's expression froze, his body stiffening as a wave of disbelief washed over him. Broly... he's completely unfazed? He's actually looking excited?
Broly's grin widened. He ducked low and drove his knee upward with explosive force, slamming it directly into Frieza's gut.
"GAAAH!"
Frieza let out a piercing scream, his body instantly doubling over like a boiled shrimp. He clutched his stomach, the pain so intense he couldn't even speak, and tears began to well in his eyes.
Broly seized the opening. He grabbed Frieza's head and slammed his face into the ground of the Sacred World of the Kai.
THUD!
The impact left a shallow crater in the earth, sending dirt flying. Then, Broly kept his hand on Frieza's head and dragged him across the ground, plowing through the dirt and leaving a long, deep trench in his wake.
Frieza's screams—sounding like a stuck pig being slaughtered—rang out in waves, never-ending.
Goku and the others watched from the sidelines, letting out a collective sigh of pity. Poor Frieza. He's being pummeled so badly by Broly that he's probably going to have psychological trauma for the rest of his life.
Vegeta watched the scene, his jaw dropping in pure shock. The gap between me and Black Frieza was already that massive. And yet, compared to Broly...
Vegeta suddenly felt a deep, soul-crushing weariness. A sense of profound powerlessness washed over him. I've trained so hard. I even achieved the Ultra Ego state that my future self was supposed to master. And yet, I can't even beat Black Frieza!
Should I... should I just stop fighting from now on? No matter how hard I try, I can never catch up to them. Maybe I should just give up.
We're all reincarnators—by what right are Kakarot and Frieza both able to surpass me? I can't accept this!
To be continued…
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