"Match Fifteen… Vegeta of Timeline One… versus… Nappa of the Saiyan Empire, Timeline Five!"
Vegeta's boots clicked against the arena floor as he stepped forward, arms folded, his expression carved in stone. His scowl was sharp, his pride even sharper, but beneath it flickered something almost unreadable: recognition. This was Nappa—his comrade, his subordinate, his shadow from another life. But this was not his Nappa.
The other side shook with each step as Nappa emerged, towering, massive, his chest broad as a wall of iron. His beard bristled, his eyes gleamed with battle-honed fire. The arrogance of the brutish soldier had been tempered into something else: conviction. He cracked his neck with a grin, his aura sparking faintly.
"Prince Vegeta," Nappa bellowed, his voice like gravel rolling across metal. "Heh. Never thought I'd get to do this. In my world, we killed Frieza together. Tore him apart. You remember that? That's right—you don't. Because you're this Vegeta." He spat to the side, his grin widening. "But I'm not the same fool you left to die."
Vegeta didn't flinch. His arms remained folded, his gaze cold. "You think your strength makes you my equal? Pathetic. Even here, in this distorted playground, you're still beneath me. Always were. Always will be."
Nappa's grin twisted into a snarl. His fists tightened, muscles bulging, veins rising across his forearms. "We'll see about that."
The gong rang.
The instant it sounded, Nappa lunged—faster than the crowd expected, his massive frame blurring across the arena like a meteor tearing through atmosphere. His fist swung toward Vegeta's jaw with enough force to break mountains.
Vegeta tilted his head a fraction. The punch missed by less than a hair.
Before Nappa could blink, Vegeta's elbow slammed into his ribcage with clinical precision. The impact cracked bone and sent shockwaves spiderwebbing across the tiles beneath their feet. Nappa stumbled but refused to fall, spitting blood with a growl.
"Is that it?" Vegeta's voice dripped with disdain. "Four decades of training, of war, of clawing for strength… and you're still this slow?"
Nappa roared, spinning with surprising agility, his knee slamming toward Vegeta's gut. But Vegeta caught it with one hand, unmoving, his eyes sharp and merciless.
"You're predictable," he muttered, twisting his grip. With a flick, he hurled Nappa across the arena like a ragdoll. Nappa slammed into the far wall with such force that the entire coliseum shuddered, debris raining from the impact crater.
The crowd gasped, but Nappa laughed—a guttural, wild laugh. He rose slowly, dust falling from his scarred body. "Heh… good. GOOD! This is the fight I've been craving."
He stomped forward, blood dripping from his lip, aura flaring brighter with each step. His power rose, shaking the very floor beneath them. "Don't think you're the only one who's grown stronger, Vegeta! You've had your world, your path, but I've had mine. I've killed kings, shattered empires, burned worlds to ash. I've fought every day, every night, never stopping, never bowing to anyone!"
His aura burst like wildfire, golden flames engulfing his massive body. His eyebrown shimmered, spiked, transforming into the golden mane of a Super Saiyan. His eyes glowed emerald, burning with fury and pride.
"I AM A SUPER SAIYAN!" Nappa roared, his voice shaking the arena. "And I'll prove it—by breaking you!"
The crowd erupted, mortals gasping in awe, gods narrowing their eyes in interest. Even some of the fighters leaned forward, recognizing the sheer force Nappa radiated.
But Vegeta… only smirked.
"Finally," he said quietly, arms still folded. "You show me something worth watching." His eyes gleamed, his tone sharp as a blade. "But you're still beneath me."
Nappa lunged again, fists blazing with golden fire. His blows came faster, harder, his strikes carving shockwaves through the air. He hammered down on Vegeta—overhand smashes, jabs, hooks, kicks that cracked the arena floor. His movements were feral but honed, a beast tempered by years of conquest.
And Vegeta dodged them all.
A tilt of his head. A step back. A shift of his shoulder. Each motion was effortless, surgical, a dance of disdain. Nappa's fists passed inches from his face, his ribs, his throat, but never connected. Vegeta didn't even raise his hands. His smirk widened with every miss.
"Too slow." He sidestepped a punch, planting his boot into Nappa's shin so hard it bent the giant's leg sideways. "Too wild." He ducked under a swing, ramming his palm into Nappa's chest and sending him skidding back with a grunt. "Too predictable." He blurred forward, his forehead smashing into Nappa's nose, breaking it in a spray of blood.
Nappa staggered, clutching his face, roaring in rage. He fired a mouth blast, a beam of golden fury that ripped across the arena like a cannon. The crowd shielded their eyes, the explosion blinding.
But as the smoke cleared, Vegeta stood untouched, not even a speck of dust on his armor. His base state aura flickered faintly, a calm storm.
"That all you've got?" Vegeta sneered. "You call yourself a warrior? You're nothing but a loudmouth wrapped in muscle."
Nappa's veins bulged as he screamed, energy bursting from his body in wild arcs. "SHUT UP!" He charged again, his fists swinging with desperate fury. He landed a blow against Vegeta's forearm, another against his shoulder, sparks flying with each hit. But Vegeta didn't flinch. His smirk only grew colder.
With a twist, Vegeta kneed him in the gut so hard it bent Nappa in half, the sound of air and blood ripping from his lungs echoing like thunder. Then Vegeta spun, his backhand cracking across Nappa's face, sending him spinning through the air. Before Nappa could hit the ground, Vegeta blurred behind him, planting a boot in his spine and slamming him into the tiles with enough force to crater the arena.
The silence that followed was deafening.
Vegeta stood over Nappa's fallen body, arms folded once more. His smirk faded into something darker. His eyes narrowed, his voice a razor whisper.
"You were never my equal, Nappa. Not in my world. Not in any world."
Nappa groaned, blood pooling from his lips, but his eyes burned with defiance. Even broken, even humiliated, he laughed—a hoarse, choking sound. "Heh… then maybe I'll die here… but I'll die a Super Saiyan. Not your dog. Not your shadow."
Vegeta's gaze sharpened. For the first time, a flicker of respect crossed his face. Just a flicker.
"Then get up," he growled. "And show me you're worth killing."
Nappa roared, golden aura blazing anew, his Super Saiyan power spiking even higher.
"That's Nappa…?" Krillin whispered, sweat on his brow. "He looks way stronger than the bald psycho we fought back home."
Tien nodded grimly, his third eye narrowing. "He's not the same man. Look at his stance, his aura. He's seasoned—he's been through war after war."
Future Gohan kept his single eye sharp on the field, arms crossed. "Strong or not, it doesn't matter. Vegeta's base form is humiliating him."
Piccolo grunted. "Don't underestimate him. Desperation makes fighters dangerous."
Bulma, sitting with Chi-Chi and the others, pressed her hands together. "Vegeta…" she murmured under her breath, both worried and proud. She'd never seen this Nappa before, but seeing Vegeta so utterly in control was almost surreal.
Uub clenched his fists tighter. "If this is how strong the weaker Saiyans are from other timelines… how am I supposed to stand against the real monsters like Broly or Black?"
Chi-Chi placed a hand on his shoulder. "you're far stronger than nappa, Just watch."
From Timeline Five, the Saiyan Empire's warriors roared in anticipation.
Rosan leaned forward, eyes wide, grin sharp. "Yes! That's it, Nappa—show him what the Empire's training does! Show him what it means to be reborn as a Saiyan warrior!"
Raditz barked with laughter. "About time the old man showed his teeth!"
Ruthless Kakarot grinned, aura flaring faintly with excitement. "That's it, Nappa! Prove that you can fight! Even if he kills you, make it glorious!"
Prince Vegeta smirked cruelly, his arms folded. "Hmph. The fool might impress them, but compared to me he's still a shadow."
King Vegeta's expression was more thoughtful, his chin tilted upward. "He's grown, I'll admit it. More than I expected. But this is not his stage to win. He's only sharpening my son's pride."
Nappa staggered upright from the crater Vegeta had smashed him into. His nose was broken, his chest heaved, blood dripped from his lip—but his eyes blazed emerald. His aura flared again, golden fire licking his frame.
But something changed.
A surge ripped through him, muscles tightening, veins bulging, sparks of lightning dancing across his aura. The coliseum rattled under the sheer volume of his ki as he screamed, teeth gnashing, his body stretching its limit.
Then it happened—his eyebrows shimmered, golden, his eyes gleamed brighter, green like molten emeralds. His aura roared outward, fierce arcs of lightning crackling through it. The crowd gasped.
"Super Saiyan Two," whispered Videl, holding onto Gohan's arm.
Bulma's jaw dropped. "Nappa… Super Saiyan Two?!"
Even Vegeta's eyes widened a fraction before narrowing again. His smirk faltered but only for an instant.
Nappa threw his head back and roared. "VEGETA! I AM NOT YOUR SHADOW! I AM NOT YOUR DOG!" His aura exploded, tiles cracking under his boots, waves of power surging across the stage. "I AM YOUR EQUAL!"
He crouched low, energy sparking around his massive arms. Ki condensed into his hands, sharpening, shaping. With a roar, his fists became blades of condensed energy—long, jagged scythes of pure destructive ki, glowing bright white edged with gold.
The crowd froze, stunned.
"What the hell is that?!" Krillin gasped.
"Something new," Piccolo muttered. "Something dangerous."
Nappa lunged. His "Burst" blades screeched through the air, cutting shockwaves into the stone itself. Vegeta dodged at first, his smirk curling back onto his face. But the edges of the blades sliced closer—one stroke grazing his armor, another skimming his cheek.
Then—one cut clipped his hair.
A single lock of Vegeta's flame-shaped black hair fluttered away into the air.
The entire arena seemed to freeze.
Vegeta's smirk vanished. His eyes narrowed. Slowly, deliberately, he raised his hand to touch his hair. His fingers came away with the smallest trace of heat from the cut.
Nappa grinned, mad with triumph. "HAH! Bleed, damn you! Feel it! I've pushed you, Prince!" His aura flared harder, lightning dancing, his blades screeching as he raised them again.
But Vegeta… chuckled.
The sound was low, dark, a rumble of pride and fury rolled into one. His aura began to flicker, golden embers sparking around him. His body straightened, his gaze locked on Nappa with killing intent.
"You've grown strong," Vegeta said coldly. "Stronger than I'd ever have believed. But you forget your place. You forget who I am."
His aura exploded.
Golden flames engulfed him, towering higher than Nappa's own. His hair flashed to gold, spiking upward, his eyes burning a deeper, sharper green. Sparks of lightning licked his frame, not wild and chaotic like Nappa's, but controlled, regal, absolute.
The coliseum shook under the roar of his Super Saiyan transformation. The crowd gasped, gods and mortals alike shielding their eyes from the brilliance of his aura.
Nappa's grin faltered. His blades flickered.
Compared to Vegeta's light, his Super Saiyan 2 aura looked dim, like a candle beside a bonfire.
Vegeta raised his head, golden hair blazing, his smirk returning—but sharper, crueler. "This… is the difference between a soldier and a prince."
Vegeta met him head-on.
No longer dodging with lazy smirks or folded arms, the prince of all Saiyans now struck back. His golden aura blazed like a second sun, burning hotter, brighter, sharper than Nappa's. Each movement was exact, calculated, and cruel.
When Nappa slashed, Vegeta's fist crashed into his ribs. When Nappa spun for a counter, Vegeta's boot smashed his jaw sideways. Sparks of lightning burst with every blow, each collision shaking the entire coliseum.
"DAMN YOU!" Nappa screamed, his blades carving downward in a furious cross-slash.
Vegeta caught both glowing edges in his bare palms. The ki seared into his skin, but his smirk widened as he forced the blades apart.
"You've grown strong, Nappa," Vegeta growled, golden eyes blazing. "But your strength is nothing to my strenght."
He drove his knee into Nappa's gut. The massive Saiyan wheezed, spittle and blood spraying from his mouth. Before he could collapse, Vegeta grabbed his face and hurled him across the arena like trash. Nappa slammed into the wall, cracking it like thin glass, then staggered forward again—still refusing to yield.
The crowd erupted in chaos.
From Timeline Five, Rosan shouted, "GET UP! PROVE OUR BLOOD!" while Ruthless Kakarot howled with laughter, thrilled by Nappa's suffering. King Vegeta smirked faintly, murmuring, "Even in another world, he bows."
From Timeline One, Gohan winced, fists clenched. "This isn't even close… Vegeta's toying with him." Krillin muttered, "That's toying? Looks more like butchering." Future Gohan kept silent, eye sharp, recognizing the inevitable.
Nappa roared, pushing his body beyond its limit. His aura flared, lightning sparking brighter, his Burst blades reforming with savage desperation. He charged, swinging wildly, hacking at the air, at Vegeta, at anything to land a blow.
And then Vegeta vanished.
In less than a blink, Vegeta appeared behind him, aura humming like a storm. His voice was calm, almost bored.
"Enough."
He kicked Nappa square in the back, launching him skidding across the arena. Dust and sparks trailed his body until he landed in a heap, groaning, half-broken.
Vegeta raised his hand. His aura condensed into a blazing sphere at his palm, the sheer pressure bending the air around it. The glow intensified, brighter and brighter until the gods themselves leaned forward.
"Final… Flash!"
The name alone sent shockwaves through the audience. Bulma from Timeline One covered her mouth, eyes wide. Even Krillin stumbled back from the sheer energy rolling off the attack.
Nappa looked up—and for the first time, fear glimmered in his emerald eyes. His arms shook as he tried to push himself upright, but the shadow of Vegeta's attack fell over him.
He dropped his arms.
His blades fizzled out.
And then, with a hoarse, broken voice, he shouted, "I… I SURRENDER! THE MATCH IS YOURS!"
The words echoed across the arena, silencing the chaos in a heartbeat.
Vegeta's golden aura flared higher, his attack seconds away from annihilation—then, with a sneer, he clenched his fist. The Final Flash collapsed into nothing.
The crowd exhaled all at once.
Vegeta turned his back on Nappa, his hair shimmering gold, his cape of aura flickering like fire. "Hmph. You know your place, after all."
The announcer, trembling with the weight of what he'd just witnessed, raised his hand. "A-And the winner of Match Fifteen… Vegeta of Timeline One!"
The reactions rippled outward.
Timeline One's bench erupted in pride and relief. Goku grinned wide, slapping Gohan's back. "Knew he had it in the bag!" Piccolo simply nodded, muttering, "That's Vegeta for you." Bulma exhaled, wiping a bead of sweat from her brow. "Cocky idiot… but he never disappoints."
Timeline Five's bench was split. Ruthless Kakarot laughed until his sides shook. "That's the way to fall, Nappa! At least you gave us a show!" Raditz frowned, clenching his fists. "Damn it… I thought maybe he could pull it off." King Vegeta's smirk was faint but clear. "He lasted longer than I expected. But in the end… the hierarchy remains."
In the stands of the gods, Beerus chuckled. "Hmph. Predictable, but amusing." Whis tilted his head. "Oh, but the data gained from this bout is invaluable. Quite illuminating, wouldn't you say?"
And indeed, in the mortal stands, both Bulmas were already deep in thought.
Bulma from Timeline One scribbled furiously on a holographic notepad she'd conjured. "Okay, okay… so Vegeta's base outclassed Nappa's Super Saiyan, and his Super Saiyan utterly dwarfed Nappa's Super Saiyan Two. That gives me a clear calculation range for power tiers in this bracket."
Future Bulma, arms folded, added with a serious nod. "It also gives us something more important: a ceiling. We can now chart exactly how strong each fighter we've seen is—except the outliers."
Bulma (T1) adjusted her glasses, eyes narrowing. "Right. Vegito. Broly. Gast. And that monster, Baby Vegito Black. They're beyond the data we've seen so far."
The two Bulmas exchanged a grim look. "But for everyone else… we finally have numbers."