The wasteland burned silver under the false moon. Craters stretched into glass bowls, fissures glowed faintly red from heat, and the only sound louder than the wind was the laughter of a giant ape.
Vegeta loomed above it all, his Oozaru form blotting out the stars. Fur bristled, teeth bared in a grin too wide for nature, red eyes burning with intelligence sharpened by cruelty. His tail lashed behind him like a whip eager to carve more scars into the world.
Beneath that impossible shadow, one man still stood.
Goku's aura blazed crimson, Kaio-ken ×4 searing his body from the inside. Every breath ripped muscle. Every heartbeat threatened collapse. Blood trickled down his chin, steaming as it touched the red fire crackling around him.
He pressed both hands against Vegeta's colossal palms, trying to hold back the sun-bright orb of ki that the ape was lowering onto his head. His knees buckled, his boots sank into molten sand, but still he pushed.
Every breath was a scream.Every scream was defiance.
Krillin dragged Gohan behind a shattered ridge, both of them crouched low against the gale. The light from the clash seared their faces, too bright to stare at, too terrifying to look away from.
Krillin's teeth chattered as much from fear as from grit in the air. "He's… he's killing himself out there."
Beside him, Gohan's fists shook. His voice cracked but carried steel. "No. He's protecting us."
Vegeta's laughter boomed, shaking dust loose from the ridge. His voice was deeper than thunder, cruel and amused.
"Kakarot, you're burning yourself to ash just to delay me. Pathetic. Beautiful. Do you realize what you're doing? You're feeding me with every second you stand there!"
The System scrolled cleanly across his colossal vision:
[Critical Engagement]Opponent Output: ~30,000 (Kaio-ken ×4 unsustainable).Host Output: ~180,000 (stable).Victory Margin: 6:1.Projected Collapse: <90 seconds.Optional Exploit: Permit near-fatal strike → Zenkai Growth: +18,000.
Vegeta's grin widened. So even your strongest blows will serve me in the end.
Goku's body screamed for surrender. His arms trembled, veins bulging against skin ready to split. The Kaio-ken chewed at his muscles, ripped his tendons thread by thread. His vision blurred.
But through the pain he saw his son—small, terrified, staring up at him with faith burning in his wide eyes. He saw Krillin holding that boy back, even though his own knees were shaking. He saw Piccolo falling in the dirt, choosing death so this child could live.
And something deeper than muscle refused to quit.
"Stay… AWAY… FROM MY SON!"
The Kaio-ken fire flared brighter, his aura a sunburst of crimson. His scream split the desert in half. He shoved upward, and for one impossible heartbeat the Oozaru's massive hands shifted back.
Vegeta growled, fur bristling. "You think you can push me? You think a low-class mistake can match royalty?"
He raised one colossal foot and stomped. The shockwave cracked the desert floor and sent Goku to one knee.
"DAD!" Gohan cried, breaking free from Krillin's grip. His aura flared white-gold, his small body trembling but fierce.
Krillin lunged, grabbing for him. "Gohan, no!"
The boy slipped his grasp, a comet of stubborn light streaking across the battlefield.
The System pulsed another line across Vegeta's vision:
[Emotional Catalyst: Son Gohan]PL Surge: 3,400 → 5,200 (unstable).Volatility: High.Note: Potential long-term threat.Recommendation: Induce despair via incapacitation.
Vegeta's red eyes gleamed. "Yes, little cub… come closer. Watch your father break."
Goku coughed blood, chest heaving. His eyes widened as he saw his son charging the titan, tiny fist glowing with desperate ki.
"No… Gohan, STAY BACK!"
But the boy didn't listen. His scream split the battlefield as he flew straight toward Vegeta's massive face, aiming at the glowing red eye.