"Kakarot and his habits," Karnel muttered, standing up and stretching his back lazily. "Always hiding one trump card after another. How many
"Kakarot and his habits," Karnel muttered, standing up and stretching his back lazily. "Always hiding one trump card after another. How many tricks does he need to feel secure?"
Just then, Piccolo's enhanced hearing picked up several familiar energy signatures approaching from the distance. "Someone's coming. Feels like Master Roshi, and... Tien and Chiaotzu are with him."
"Those three together?" Krillin looked surprised. "What are the odds they'd all show up at the same time?"
Karnel smirked to himself. That old turtle probably got distracted by some magazine on his way here, he thought with dark amusement. While the others watched the approaching figures, he walked over to where Raditz lay motionless and gave him a few testing kicks.
"Hey, Raditz. Still breathing, I see. You look pathetic, it must sting getting beaten so badly by your 'useless' little brother," Karnel said with mock sympathy.
The kicks jolted Raditz back to consciousness. He struggled to turn over, his face caked with dirt and blood, glaring up at the mysterious Saiyan with a mixture of anger and wariness. His eyes then shifted to where Goku was locked in fierce combat with Nappa.
"Tell me," Karnel said, genuine curiosity coloring his voice, "what's Vegeta up to these days? With his power level hitting around 250,000, I'd have expected him to go hunting for Frieza by now."
Raditz struggled to prop himself up, his earlier defiance quickly dissolving into fear. "Prince Vegeta... he wants to rebuild the Saiyan race. He found a planet with life that Frieza's forces haven't discovered yet. Nappa and I came here hoping to recruit Kakarot, add some population to help restore our people."
Karnel frowned. "Since when does Vegeta care about racial preservation? That doesn't sound like him at all."
"Karnel, you're a Saiyan too, aren't you?" Raditz asked carefully, nursing his aching ribs. "Don't you want to see our race rise again in this universe?"
The question earned him a cold sneer. You violent thugs think you represent what Saiyans should be?
"I couldn't care less," Karnel replied, his tone completely flat and emotionless. "Even if every last one of you died tomorrow, it wouldn't matter to me."
He raised his voice slightly, not bothering to look back at Raditz. "When Nappa loses, you two had better clear out of here."
As Karnel walked away, his thoughts turned darker. Everything's going off-script. This isn't how things were supposed to unfold.
Meanwhile, the three newcomers, Master Roshi, Tien, and Chiaotzu, had arrived at the observation area. Despite their presence, none of them made any move to assist Goku. They simply didn't have the power level necessary to make a difference in a battle of this magnitude.
And what a battle it was! Though Nappa's raw power matched Goku's at 8,000, he was being systematically outclassed. Goku's Earth-honed martial arts techniques and combat experience were proving superior to brute Saiyan strength. It was becoming clear that Nappa's defeat was inevitable.
"Master Roshi!" Karnel called out as he approached the elderly martial artist. "At your age, you really should cut back on those... personal habits. They're not good for your health or your spiritual development."
Master Roshi looked confused for a moment before understanding dawned on his face, along with a deep blush. "What are you implying, you impudent brat?! I'm a respectable martial arts master! I would never engage in such... such embarrassing behavior!"
"Sure, sure," Karnel chuckled, clearly not buying it. "My mistake. I suppose even old men need to maintain some dignity."
"Goku's become incredibly strong," Tien observed, his three eyes tracking every movement of the battle. His muscular frame tensed with barely contained excitement.
"Yeah, that Saiyan's getting completely dominated," Krillin agreed, though his voice carried a note of envy. More than ever, he yearned for that kind of overwhelming power.
Karnel glanced at the battlefield just in time to see Nappa gathering energy for what was clearly going to be his last desperate gambit. A playful smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
Suddenly, a blinding flash erupted across the battlefield. Nappa, bloodied and battered, had finally resorted to his ultimate technique, a massive energy blast aimed directly at Goku from point-blank range.
"Interesting. How will Kakarot handle this one?" Karnel mused calmly, watching as the devastating beam streaked toward its target. "A direct hit from that would definitely sting."
But Goku's reflexes were lightning-quick. In one fluid motion, he spun around and thrust his hands forward.
"KAMEHAMEHA!"
The iconic blue energy wave met Nappa's desperate attack head-on.
"Game over," Karnel announced matter-of-factly, already knowing the outcome based on the collision of energies. "That muscle-bound fool is finished. Though I wonder if he'll survive the feedback from his own technique when Kakarot overpowers him."
Master Roshi and Piccolo, their experienced eyes reading the same signs, began to cheer as they realized the battle's conclusion.
"Wait!"
Karnel had started to turn away when Piccolo's voice stopped him. He looked back with mild curiosity. "Yes? Something else you need?"
Piccolo hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and forced out the words. "That place... where did Goku train to become so powerful?"
The question immediately drew the attention of Krillin, Yamcha, and the others, all of them leaning in with barely concealed eagerness.
Karnel's expression shifted, and he let out a low, unsettling chuckle that sent chills down everyone's spines. "You really want to die that badly?"
The creepy laugh made several of them step back involuntarily, but Piccolo stood firm.
"I'm not afraid of death," Piccolo declared, his voice steady despite the intimidating aura. "Goku has surpassed me completely, but I am Piccolo, a fighting genius of Namek! I refuse to fall behind him!"
A glimmer of respect flickered in Karnel's eyes. He studied Piccolo for a long moment, then spoke in a low voice, repeating the same explanation he had given Goku about King Kai's planet and the arduous journey required to reach it.
When he finished, he looked around at the assembled group. "Anyone who's serious about this training can meet me in three days. I'll arrange transportation to... that special place."
The offer hung in the air like a challenge, each warrior forced to weigh their desire for power against the ultimate price of admission.