The spiraling beam shot forward like a venomous dragon from the depths of hell, mercilessly piercing through the two bodies locked together.
Sizzle...
The sound of flesh being vaporized by extreme heat was chilling.
The beam passed through their chests and blasted deep into the sand, leaving behind a charred crater so deep it seemed bottomless. The surrounding sand instantly melted into glass under the intense temperature.
"Ugh... ah..."
Raditz's eyes widened as he stared at the massive hole in his chest. His life force was draining away at terrifying speed.
He could not accept it.
He was an elite Saiyan warrior. How could he die on a remote backwater planet like Earth?
How could he fall to two fighters whose power levels were only a few hundred?
Goku coughed up a mouthful of blood. His arms finally dropped weakly at his sides as his body slowly collapsed backward.
The pain was unbearable, and the flame of life was fading quickly. Yet a small smile appeared on his face.
They had won.
Gohan was safe.
Piccolo walked forward, breathing heavily. As he looked at the two fallen fighters, a complicated emotion flashed across his face.
"Hmph. Son Goku. I didn't expect you would actually give your life to protect Earth."
He looked down at the dying Goku and snorted softly.
"But don't worry too much. Earth has the Dragon Balls. If we gather all seven, we can summon Shenron and make any wish come true. When that happens, we will bring you back."
The words were meant to comfort Goku, or perhaps it was Piccolo's awkward way of showing respect.
But Raditz, who should have been moments from death, suddenly let out a hoarse and eerie laugh.
"Cough... Dragon... Balls? They can grant any wish?"
He coughed blood as a twisted grin appeared on his face. It was the madness of someone in their final moments.
"That is... truly wonderful news..."
Piccolo's expression changed immediately.
"What did you say?"
"You fools... everything you said just now... was transmitted through my scouter..."
A vicious smile spread across Raditz's face.
"My two partners... Nappa and Vegeta... have been listening the whole time."
"What?"
Piccolo felt as if he had been struck by lightning. His body went cold.
"At first... they had no interest in reviving someone like me..."
"But the Dragon Balls... artifacts that can grant any wish... even immortality..."
Raditz's voice dripped with malice.
"Vegeta will definitely be interested."
He laughed weakly.
"One year. In just one year... they will arrive on Earth. And when they do... you will all die... for the Dragon Balls... hahaha..."
"Two Saiyans... stronger than you?"
Piccolo's voice trembled.
"How strong are they?"
"Strong? Hahaha... the difference is beyond comparison."
Raditz's eyes were already losing focus, but the mockery remained on his face.
"In front of them... I am nothing more than a guard dog..."
"Enjoy your last year... it is the countdown before hell arrives..."
Despair.
Absolute despair.
Defeating Raditz had already required a desperate sacrifice. Goku had paid with his life.
And now two even stronger Saiyans would arrive in one year.
It sounded like a death sentence.
Just as Piccolo stood frozen in shock, unsure what to do, a calm set of footsteps broke the silence.
Krillin walked forward slowly, holding Trin's hand.
There was no fear on his face. Instead, he carried an unusual calm that somehow put people at ease.
"Krillin?"
Piccolo looked at him cautiously.
"What are you planning?"
Krillin ignored him and looked down at the dying Raditz.
Through his AR data vision, he could clearly see Raditz's status.
[Target: Raditz]
[Status: Dying. HP: 0.1%]
[Extractable Reward: Low-Level Saiyan Bloodline Fragment. Trait Type.]
Krillin sighed softly.
"I originally planned to let you die with some dignity. But since you kept talking and tried to drag Earth into even greater trouble, I might as well send you off myself."
His voice was quiet but carried a cold certainty.
Raditz struggled to lift his head. His vision was blurry. All he could see was the outline of a shining bald head.
"You... who are you... no Earthling should have this presence..."
"That part does not matter. What matters is that your time is up."
Krillin slowly raised his right hand.
He did not touch Raditz. From half a meter away, he simply clenched his fist lightly.
"A normal punch."
Boom.
An invisible shockwave exploded in the air.
There was no dramatic spectacle. Yet Raditz's body seemed to suffer a blow at a fundamental level.
His last breath vanished instantly.
His head tilted to the side, and the elite Saiyan warrior died completely.
[System Notification: Elite enemy Raditz eliminated. Mission "The Art of Acting" completed.]
[Reward obtained: Power Level +800. Trin Potential Development +5%.]
[Special drop acquired: Low-Level Saiyan Bloodline Fragment. Trait: Near-Death Power Boost.]
[System Notice: The fragment has automatically converted into a passive physical ability for the host. No bloodline replacement required. After each recovery from severe injury, the host's physical strength will permanently increase.]
Krillin felt a warm current flow through his body.
His muscles seemed to grow denser and tougher.
A small smile appeared on his lips.
This was exactly what he wanted.
He had no interest in growing a Saiyan tail or inheriting their violent instincts.
But this near-death power growth ability, combined with the limitless growth of the Saitama template, was a perfect combination.
"Krillin! Goku is..." Piccolo began, pointing toward the motionless Goku.
Suddenly, Goku's body emitted a strange white light.
Right before their eyes, his body slowly turned transparent and disappeared completely.
Only bloodstains and torn pieces of his orange gi remained on the sand.
"The body... disappeared?"
Piccolo stepped back in shock.
"Was it completely vaporized?"
"Relax."
Krillin waved his hand calmly, as if everything was under control.
"God took his body."
"God?"
Piccolo frowned.
"That old man would bother with something like this? And why take the body?"
"Goku died protecting Earth. That kind of sacrifice moved the heavens. So God gave him special permission to keep his body in the afterlife."
Krillin spoke with complete seriousness, as if every word were fact.
"There is a powerful figure in the Other World called King Kai. He oversees the North Galaxy and possesses incredible martial arts knowledge."
"Goku will train there for a year. When the Saiyans arrive and he returns to life, he will be terrifyingly strong."
This was actually the original storyline, but when Krillin explained it, it sounded as if he had arranged everything himself.
"King Kai? Training in the afterlife?"
Piccolo narrowed his eyes suspiciously.
"How do you know so much? Or are you secretly planning all of this?"
"God told me beforehand. I am half his student, after all. Knowing some inside information is normal."
Krillin tapped his temple and smiled mysteriously.
"Besides, the important thing right now is not questioning me. It is figuring out how to grow stronger in the next year."
Piccolo snorted.
He did not believe Krillin completely. Something about the bald man always felt suspicious. But he had no evidence to argue.
And the way Krillin casually killed Raditz from a distance earlier made him even more cautious.
Just how strong was this bald fighter really?
"Alright. Since everything is settled, it is time for us to go our separate ways."
Krillin clapped his hands lightly and looked toward the unconscious Gohan.
"This little guy..."
"I will take him."
Piccolo spoke suddenly, his tone firm.
Krillin raised an eyebrow.
"And what do you plan to do?"
"The Saiyans will arrive in a year. We cannot win like we are now."
Piccolo looked at Gohan, his expression complicated.
"You saw the power he unleashed earlier. His potential is greater than Goku's. Maybe even greater than mine."
"I will train him for the next year. Turn him into a true warrior. He is our only hope."
"Special training, huh..."
Krillin rubbed his chin as if thinking.
That could work.
He was planning to follow Goku to King Kai's place and learn the Kaio-ken technique himself. It was practically a broken ability.
Gohan had grown up under Chi-Chi's protection. A harsh survival training under Piccolo would toughen him up.
Only after facing hardship could he truly grow into the future Super Saiyan Son Gohan.
Krillin had another idea as well.
If Trin trained alongside Gohan, the two boys could grow stronger together. They might even develop teamwork.
In the future, maybe they could even learn fusion.
A warrior that had never existed before.
How strong would that be?
The thought made Krillin grin.
"Alright. I will leave him to you. And take Trin with you as well. I need to visit God's place. I do not know when I will return."
Krillin nodded in agreement.
Vegeta would arrive on Earth in one year with a power level of eighteen thousand. If he transformed into a Great Ape, that number would become one hundred eighty thousand.
Pretending there was no pressure would be a lie.
"These two kids have incredible potential. Just make sure you do not train them to death. If Goku comes back and finds out, I cannot stop him from coming after you."
He patted Trin on the head and gestured for him to go.
"Dad, I am really going to train with that uncle?"
Trin tugged on Krillin's sleeve, curiosity written all over his face.
Trin had always been fearless. No homework and a chance to go on an adventure sounded wonderful to him.
Krillin smiled and nodded.
"Go ahead. Stay safe. I will come pick you up later."
Trin immediately ran over.
"Both of them, huh? Hmph."
Piccolo hesitated but said nothing more.
He grabbed Gohan and Trin, then shot into the sky.
In an instant, his figure turned into a streak of light and disappeared beyond the horizon.
Krillin opened the system panel and looked at the bright red countdown displayed on it.
[Time until Vegeta and Nappa arrive on Earth: 364 days, 23 hours, 58 minutes]
The storm had temporarily passed.
But a far greater shadow was approaching.
Deep in the distant universe, two spherical spacecraft cut through the stars, racing toward the blue planet with unstoppable speed.