Goku punched Vegeta in the face.
Vegeta spat out saliva in pain, his right foot sweeping out in response.
Bang!
Goku's side ribs were heavily struck.
"Ugh."
Goku spat out a mouthful of blood, his body trembling slightly, then he roared:
"Haa—!"
He released a Ki blast from his palm, aiming it at Vegeta's abdomen.
However, Vegeta was a step faster, pushing the Ki blast that was about to hit him into the sky.
Using the recoil from the Ki blast, he created distance from Goku.
"Huff, huff—"
Vegeta was gasping for air, wiping the saliva and blood from the corner of his mouth.
"I didn't expect, Kakarot, that you, a low-class warrior, would push me to this extent."
Goku held his right ribs where Vegeta had just kicked him with one hand, while wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth with the other, and laughed: "You're the one who surprises me, Vegeta, even though I've trained so hard, I still can't beat you."
If he hadn't been killed by Raditz and gone to King Kai to learn new techniques, he probably would have been at Piccolo's level when facing Vegeta, and even fighting Nappa would have been his limit.
Goku could already feel his Ki decreasing.
The burden of the 3x Kaio-ken was too immense for his current self.
Although, judging by his condition, he should still be able to briefly activate 4x Kaio-ken.
But, there's no need for that, is there?
"Vegeta, you won this fight."
"Hmph!" Vegeta snorted lightly, "You still have energy, Kakarot, your Kaio-ken is only three times, if I'm not mistaken, you should be able to go up to four times, right?"
"That… that's right." Goku was silent for a moment, unsure of Vegeta's thoughts, "At that multiple, my body might collapse the moment I activate it."
"Since you're not here to destroy Earth, I don't need to go to that extent."
King Kai had reminded Goku that with his current physical strength, 3x Kaio-ken was already his limit; 4x would completely drain his body.
"So, if Nappa and I had tried to destroy Earth from the start, then… you would have used 4x Kaio-ken to fight me?"
"What do you want to do!?" Goku was startled.
"Don't worry, my objective hasn't changed, I'm not here to destroy Earth."
As Vegeta spoke, a white orb of light appeared in his right hand.
"What is this?" Feeling the strange energy fluctuations within it, Goku was quite surprised.
It didn't look like a Ki blast at all.
"Kakarot, even if you activate 4x Kaio-ken, you won't be my opponent." Vegeta held the orb of light in front of him, glancing at Goku, "Have you ever transformed into a Great Ape?"
"Great Ape?" Goku was stunned, "What's that?"
Vegeta was taken aback, seeing that Goku's eyes didn't seem to be lying.
So, he could only educate Kakarot.
After the explanation.
"Ten times the base combat power, that's truly terrifying." Goku sighed with emotion, "In that case, I really wouldn't be your opponent."
Goku also thought of something at this moment, that the death of his grandpa, Gohan, was likely related to him.
"It's good that you understand. I, a high-class warrior, am not so easily surpassed." Seeing the red and white Ki flame disappear from Goku's body, Vegeta did not attack him.
Instead, he focused a part of his consciousness into the Chat Group.
[Vegeta: "Group Leader Beryl, are you there?"]
[World's No. 1 Princess: "I'm here, Vegeta."]
[Vegeta: "See? I won! Your judgment was wrong, I didn't lose."]
[Beryl: "…"]
In the God of Destruction Realm, looking at Vegeta's smugness in the Chat Group.
Beryl was speechless.
Yes, yes, you won, I was wrong, alright.
It was only because of the Ki sensing I taught you back then, for attacking and dodging, that you barely managed to drag it out until Goku's Kaio-ken power decreased.
After all, using Ki to sense enemies and counterattack is much faster than seeing with the eyes, which is also why Vegeta is better than in the original work.
But, what are you boasting to me about?
[World's No. 1 Princess: "Well, congratulations. From the past to the future, after all these years, you finally won against Goku once. Hmm, though it was a verbal victory."]
[Vegeta: "?"]
[Vegeta: "What do you mean, a verbal victory? Using 4x Kaio-ken, his combat power would be 32,000, and I'd be at least 180,000 after transforming. How could I lose? Even without transforming, given Kakarot's condition, if we kept fighting, I'd still win, alright?"]
He, Vegeta, wasn't a woodpecker, to only be good with his mouth!
This was a real comparison of strength. I, Vegeta, am simply stronger than Kakarot.
And not by just a little bit.
Seemingly sensing Vegeta's anger in the Chat Group, Beryl continued to type in the group's public chat.
[World's No. 1 Princess: "Vegeta, your transformation has a preparation; you need to create a moon. Goku doesn't."]
[Vegeta: "Hmph, so what? The artificial moon is already completed. Transforming is just a blink of an eye."]
[World's No. 1 Princess: "Well, let's just say it is. I won't argue with you."]
Vegeta, who won the argument, almost had his tail wagging to the sky.
But looking at the Chat Group's content, he suddenly thought of something.
[Vegeta: "Wait, Group Leader, what do you mean I haven't won against Kakarot in the past or future?"]
[World's No. 1 Princess: "It means exactly what it says. In other words, in the predetermined future, you and Nappa came to Earth and were utterly defeated by Goku."]
[Vegeta: "That's impossible, I am an elite warrior…"]
Vegeta hadn't finished speaking when a sudden sound interrupted him.
"Roar~"
It wasn't the sound from the Chat Group.
Instead, it was coming from nearby, more like the roar of some large animal.
He quickly turned his head to look behind him.
"Vegeta, look out!"
Goku's exclamation brought Vegeta back to his senses.
"2x Kaio-ken!"
Vegeta was momentarily stunned, only to see Kakarot suddenly rush in front of him, using his technique against the energy wave that was shooting directly towards him.
"How is that possible!"
Vegeta's gaze went past Goku, seeing the giant ape that had launched the attack.
"Damn it, Nappa, are you crazy? You can't fully control your transformation, why are you looking at the moon?!"
Couldn't he look somewhere else?
Vegeta only had one thought in his mind: 'What the hell?'
This huge energy wave hitting him, was Nappa planning a rebellion?
"Damn it!"
Seeing the energy wave released by Goku slowly being pushed back by the opponent.
Vegeta didn't think much, instinctively exerting force in his hand, directly crushing the formed artificial moon.
"I don't need a low-class warrior to save me!"
Vegeta immediately appeared to Goku's right.
He placed both hands in front of him, beginning to gather energy.
"Galick Gun"
Vegeta's ultimate attack combined with Goku's Kamehameha.
This made the energy wave striking the opponent thicker and larger.
Vegeta and Goku, both exerting full power.
They completely pushed back the terrifying attack released from the Great Ape's mouth.
Boom!
A cloud of explosive smoke rose from the Great Ape's body.
Vegeta and Goku both gasped for air.
"Not bad, Vegeta." Goku gave Vegeta a thumbs-up.
"Hmph, I don't need you to save me. Even if I were alone, I wouldn't lose." Vegeta replied coldly.