"Whoosh!"
Merus quickly brought Gohan and Piccolo—who'd been searching everywhere for a spaceship—straight to the scene.
"Gohan-nii! Thank goodness! I knew you'd be okay!" Kale threw herself into Gohan's arms.
"Kale… you're back to normal?" Gohan blinked, then laughed. "That's great."
"Huh? Why are you saying it like that?" Kale looked confused.
"Do you remember what just happened?" Gohan asked.
"What happened?" Kale scratched her head.
"Never mind. It's not important." Gohan didn't explain. The more he said, the more she'd start doubting herself.
Not yet.
Gohan immediately looked over at Krillin and Vegeta.
"Krillin-san… you're alive?!" Gohan lit up.
Krillin: "…"
What kind of eyes are those? I'm like this and you're still asking?
"Krillin-san… what happened to you? Why does your body look like this?" Gohan rubbed his eyes, staring at Krillin's form.
"I'm dead. This is my soul." Krillin pointed at himself.
Gohan finally got it, then turned and sized up Vegeta.
Vegeta, furious, stomped up and grabbed Piccolo by the collar. "Piccolo, you bastard! Why did you give my wish to Kakarot's kid?!"
Piccolo didn't answer.
Do I really need to say it?
If I'm not on Gohan's side, who is?
Good thing I gave it to Gohan. Otherwise Frieza would've killed him.
I'm not letting Gohan end up like Krillin—floating around as a soul.
"Piccolo, you wait! I'll settle this with you properly later!" Vegeta snorted and shoved him away.
Piccolo watched him calmly. He didn't get angry, just let a faint smile slip.
"Hah… hah… hah…"
Below them, Frieza gulped air in ragged breaths.
He'd pounded Goku around, but it had taken a lot out of him too.
"So? That was just a warm-up for my finishing blow." Frieza spoke coldly.
"Was it?" Goku lifted his head and smiled. "That's disappointing."
Frieza's temper flared. Teeth clenched, he snapped, "Before you die, I'll praise you once. Well done! Powerful future Supreme Kai!"
Goku didn't respond.
"This planet's blowing up in three minutes, at most. Getting nervous, future Supreme Kai?" Frieza said, voice sharp.
Goku stayed calm.
"You're stalling to buy time for the little brats to find a spaceship and escape, aren't you?" Frieza's eyes narrowed as it clicked. "Fine. Even if they get off this planet, I'll go to Earth and settle the score!"
"No need to stall." Goku's voice stayed even. "You're about to die right here."
"Big talk. I'll shut you up!" Frieza roared.
Goku set himself to strike.
At the same time, he widened his senses, trying to pick up Gohan's ki.
The moment he did, he froze.
Gohan and Piccolo were far away, high up in the sky.
Why are they over there?
Did they already get on a spaceship?
No… that other ki—
It's Kale.
They found each other?
And they're all holding position.
Which means what?
Did Ken pull them together?
It's not impossible.
If it's Ken, then I don't have to worry.
Then I'll focus on this fight.
Frieza shot in at full speed, appearing directly above Goku, and fired a dense mass of energy straight down.
Goku shifted aside and let it pass.
Frieza chased immediately, flashed behind him, and drove a fist in.
Goku slipped away, clamped Frieza's arm, then slammed his head back.
"Argh—!"
Frieza screamed.
Goku kept hold of his arm and wrenched it into a hard bend.
Frieza howled, joints screaming like they were about to shatter.
Goku spun him in place by the arm, faster and faster.
"Whoosh!"
He released, whipping Frieza up into the sky.
Frieza tumbled hundreds of times, then hurriedly blasted out energy to steady himself in midair.
His eyes went bloodshot with rage.
"Boom!"
With a shriek, Frieza flared even more power, wrapping himself in an energy barrier.
"Whoosh!"
He dove straight at Goku.
Goku gathered ki in both hands and slammed a relentless energy wave right into Frieza.
"Boom!"
It crashed against the barrier.
Frieza screamed, forcing his power higher and higher just to keep it from breaking.
"Snap!"
Then he cut sharply in midair, appeared at Goku's side, and rammed him hard.
Goku shot backward and plunged into the lake below.
A moment later, he rose from the water, lifting his head and body into view.
"That stubborn bastard!" Frieza ground his teeth. "This time I'll blow you apart like that Earthling!"
"Like that Earthling?" Goku's voice dropped. "You mean Krillin?" He snapped, "Don't you say Krillin's name!"
"Goku…" Krillin's tears poured down.
"Crackle… crackle…"
More and more lightning tore across the planet, like the world was coming apart.
The sky dimmed further.
"The planet's starting to contract. Two minutes until it explodes!" Frieza said grimly. "So what comes first—me killing you, or the planet exploding? Either way, you can't survive in space! You're finished!"
"Is that so?" Goku didn't budge.
"Get ready to die! I, Frieza, will defeat you!" Frieza's eyes bulged.
Goku gave a small, quiet smile and drifted down, landing on solid ground.
"Oh? Hand-to-hand?" Frieza sneered. He dismissed his barrier and dropped to the ground, facing Goku.
They clashed fiercely.
After several exchanges, Frieza got knocked down again and again, yelping in pain.
When he finally pushed himself back up, his breathing had turned frantic.
Goku's breathing stayed steady.
Fear and frustration surfaced in Frieza's eyes.
"Damn it! What is Kakarot doing? Finish Frieza already!" Vegeta snarled through clenched teeth.
"Dad, you've got this! Beat Frieza!" Gohan pumped his fist.
"Gohan's dad, you're amazing!" Kale bounced in place, cheering.
Everyone glanced at Kale.
A moment ago, your transformed self was terrifying.
You had Frieza dangling and getting beaten senseless.
You really don't remember any of it?
"Stop fighting." Goku suddenly said.
Frieza froze.
Krillin and the others froze too.
Even Merus stared, puzzled, eyes locked on the scene.
"Why?" Frieza demanded. "What are you talking about?"
Merus and the others listened closely, trying to understand what Goku was doing.
He was about to win—why stop now?
"You went all out at 100%, but the result is the opposite. Your ki keeps dropping." Goku's tone stayed flat. "There's no point dragging this out. I'm not interested in fighting you anymore. I've seen everything you can do. In this universe, aside from gods, the strongest 'humans' are Saiyans."
Frieza said nothing.
"You're already shaking." Goku sighed. "Beating you like this doesn't mean much. While you're still alive, leave."
Then he added, "About your brother… I'm sorry. I didn't have a choice. I had to hit hard. Don't take it personally."
"…What did you just say?" Frieza trembled with rage.
You're really stabbing where it hurts.
"Did you hear that?" Vegeta snarled. "That's why I hate Kakarot! He looks kind, but the things he says are the worst!"
Piccolo stayed silent, like Vegeta's words had hit him too.
Before you showed up, that's exactly how Goku tortured me.
"You're misunderstanding something." Krillin spoke up for him. "Goku's always been like this. That's our Goku."
"Baldy, don't forget." Vegeta snorted. "If Kakarot lets Frieza go, is that supposed to comfort you about dying?"
Krillin: "…"
That one hit him right in the soul.
Goku, weren't you going to avenge me?
If you let Frieza go, how is that revenge?
Kale and Gohan stayed quiet. They were still too young to fully grasp all of this.
"Merus, you tell them." Ken patted Merus on the shoulder. "What do you think?"
"Son Goku does have the qualities of a Supreme Kai…" Merus said with feeling. "A Supreme Kai needs a kind heart. For Goku to do this—rare."
"Merus, I'll give you that." Ken raised a thumbs-up at him.
Merus didn't respond.
Merus suddenly realized something: purely in terms of mindset, Goku was far beyond Jiren.
Nothing else mattered—just that kind heart. Jiren would struggle to match it.
If it were Jiren here today, Frieza would be dead, clean and fast.
But Goku… Goku was trying to let him live.
Ken didn't have much to complain about.
Sure, in Ken's old life, this kind of thing would get called "too saintly" in web novels.
But this is Dragon Ball. This is Goku.
If you change Goku's personality, is he still the Goku people love?
There was that plot point where, because of Goku, Zeno-sama was going to erase eight universes.
Later, the manga gave a more reasonable explanation.
It wasn't that Goku made Zeno-sama decide to erase those universes. Zeno-sama had already planned to do it, but because of Goku, those eight universes got a chance to survive—the Tournament of Power.
After that, Universe 7 won the Tournament of Power and brought the erased universes back.
So Ken watched Goku's choices and didn't intend to change him.
Honestly, Goku took after his mother—though his father played a tiny part too.
Among Saiyans, Goku's parents were relatively kind.
Especially his mother. "Sweet but clueless" fit her perfectly.
"Frieza, stop doing evil." Goku spoke, then dropped back to normal.
"Snap!"
He took off into the air and flew upward.
Frieza stayed where he was, trembling harder. His expression looked uglier by the second.
You don't get to humiliate me like this.
"I won't lose to someone like you!" Frieza exploded, flinging his arm. A Tsuiseki Kienzan screamed toward Goku.
Goku sensed the razor-edged ki and dodged fast.
Still not fast enough.
The Disc grazed his cheek as it shot past.
A long cut opened, blood trailing down his face.
Goku stared after it, then looked down at Frieza. His patience snapped.
"I can't deal with you." Goku's golden aura erupted as he turned Super Saiyan again. "One last chance!"
"Whoosh!"
Under Frieza's control, the Kienzan curved around and came back from another angle, streaking straight for Goku.
Goku weaved through the sky.
The disc kept tracking him, like it had eyes.
"Hahahaha! With my control, it'll chase you to the ends of the universe! It can cut through anything!"
"So that's your final move?" Goku snorted. "Frieza, that's all you've got?"
"Whoosh!"
Goku shot straight toward Frieza.
"You're flying at me so you can dodge at the last second and make me take the hit, right?" Frieza smirked. "You think I'd fall for something that cheap?"
"Piccolo, I remember you falling for that exact trick at the World Martial Arts Tournament." Krillin sidled up and muttered.
"Get lost." Piccolo's voice went dark.
"Haha—just kidding, just kidding. Don't take it seriously." Krillin laughed.
Goku didn't answer. He pushed his speed higher.
"That trick doesn't work anymore!" Frieza yelled.
As Goku closed in, he suddenly shot upward.
Frieza barked and lifted his arm, steering the disc in a high arc so it climbed after Goku.
"Slice!"
The disc passed straight through Goku.
"Hit!" Frieza shouted, thrilled—
Then the sound died in his throat.
He stared harder and saw Goku's body blur and turn transparent.
"Frieza, I'm right here." Goku's voice came from behind him.
Frieza twisted around, realization hitting him.
He caught the falling Tsuiseki Kienzan in his hand and grit his teeth. "That was the Afterimage Technique, wasn't it?"
"I still don't feel like fighting you." Goku shook his head. "Your skill is terrible. If you want a real fight, come back after you've recovered your stamina."
"You're calling me weak?" Frieza snarled. "How about two, then!"
He formed another disc.
Now two discs spun rapidly in his hands.
"Whoosh!"
With a swing, Frieza sent both slicing toward Goku.
"Clueless idiot." Goku shot up again.
The two discs chased him higher.
Goku dove down, streaking straight toward Frieza.
"Same old routine!" Frieza sneered.
Goku calmly fired a single energy shot into the ground beneath Frieza.
"Boom!"
Dust and debris exploded upward.
Frieza's grin locked in place.
His head went blank, like a whole herd of alpacas stampeding through his brain.
You—!
Why would you do that?!
Now how am I supposed to see where the discs are?!
With his vision blurred by dust, Frieza panicked and launched into the air.
He barely avoided one of the discs.
But the instant he rose, he looked up and saw Goku already waiting above him.
Frieza's expression changed in a flash.
It was like Goku had been up there forever.
"Wham!"
Goku didn't hold back. An elbow smashed down into Frieza's head.
Frieza's face twisted, blood spraying from his mouth as he dropped out of the sky.
The moment he hit the ground, he tried to push himself up—
Completely unaware a disc was roaring in from behind.
"Don't get up! Down! Stay down!" Goku shouted.
Frieza sensed the death threat an instant too late and whipped his head around.
Before he could even see what was coming—
"Slice…"
The disc sheared through him cleanly, cutting him into pieces.
Dark blood spilled out.
"W-why… is this happening…" Frieza vomited blood and crashed to the ground.
His body split into four parts: one arm, a severed tail, his lower half, and his upper half.
"Ah… agh… it hurts…" Frieza screamed again and again.
Goku descended and landed beside him.
"Playing with fire. This is what you earned." Goku's voice was heavy. "Pathetic."
"You bastard…" Frieza spat, unwilling to accept it.
"I'm leaving this planet." Goku turned away. "You can stay here and share the fate of the planet you ruined."
"H-Hey, don't go… please! Save me! Save me!" Frieza's body jerked violently. "I know you can heal!"
Goku hesitated.
"Save me…" Frieza begged, weaker by the second.
"You wish!" Goku snapped. "How many people begged you like this, and you killed them anyway? Besides, I'm out of energy for healing. I can't heal you!"
"Please…" Frieza's voice thinned to a thread.
"Kakarot, you idiot! He's like this and you're still hesitating?!" Vegeta roared.
Piccolo stayed silent.
"Whoosh!"
Goku released a sphere of energy and laid it over Frieza.
Frieza's body surged with power again.
That crushing sense of death instantly eased.
"I'm giving you some of my ki." Goku clenched his teeth, emotions tangled. "You can live now. After that… do whatever you want."
"Haha… that's Goku." Krillin laughed. "Didn't Goku save Piccolo the same way back then… except he gave Piccolo a Senzu Bean?"
"Shut up!" Piccolo's face went even greener.
Would it kill you to stay quiet?
"Hmph. Kakarot and his soft heart." Vegeta looked disgusted.
Gohan and Kale said nothing. Watching it all, each of them felt something different.
Merus, meanwhile, grew even more thoughtful.
Why do I suddenly feel like this "human" named Son Goku is better suited to become a true Angel?
That kind, pure heart…
Isn't that exactly what an Angel should have?
And then there's Ken.
Way too black-bellied.
All day, all he does is play mind games with me!
Wait, where did I even pick up that phrase? From Tights?
So in terms of mindset training, Son Goku has already surpassed Jiren by a mile.
Merus's feelings turned complicated again.
But at least, in strength, Goku's path had gone the wrong way.
He went down the Super Saiyan God route instead of the Ultra Instinct route.
Even if you gave him time, he might not surpass Jiren.
I still have a chance to win.
And Kale is stronger than Vegeta, isn't she?
Vegeta might really be finished.
Ken just stood to the side, smiling without saying a word.
Vegeta's finished?
Ken didn't believe that for a second.
In the time ahead, I'll train Vegeta properly.
I'll make him into a real God of Destruction.
"You giving me energy… that surprised me." Frieza floated up slowly, looking at Goku.
"You can survive back out in space, right?" Goku asked. "Then hurry and leave. Just… learn to value your life."
Frieza's irritation deepened.
Is he lecturing me?
I'll kill you.
And nobody else can ever find out I begged.
"Hmph. Hmphhmphhmph!" Frieza kept sneering, then looked at Goku with cruel delight. "Planet Namek is about to explode. Where are you going? You can't survive in space, can you? All you can do is die."
"That's true. I can't survive in space." Goku answered. "I'm going to try your spaceship and see if I can get out."
"Hahaha! That ship's busted. Vegeta broke it—there's no flying anywhere." Frieza laughed. "How ironic! You won, but you're going to die. I'll be the one who lives! Serves you right. You shouldn't have given me energy!"
Goku: "…"
"I think Ken might be over there." Goku pointed toward a spot in the sky. "If I find him, I might live."
"…W-what?" Frieza's smile stiffened. His words started stumbling. "Ken is on this planet?"
"Just don't do evil anymore." Goku rose into the air as he finished speaking.
Watching Goku fly farther and farther away, Frieza's face twisted with endless fury.
So what if Ken is here?
I won't forgive you!
I want you dead!
"I'll kill you!" Frieza roared, blasting a massive surge of energy from his hand.
The energy howled toward Goku.
Sensing it behind him, Goku glanced back. His eyes narrowed.
"Bastard." Goku swung an arm back and fired.
"Boom!"
Goku's blast knocked Frieza's attack right back at him.
Frieza's pupils shrank.
Despair flooded his face.
"BOOOOM!"
With a deafening explosion, Frieza was blasted into a deep crater, vanishing from sight.
Goku's hand trembled once. His expression tightened.
Then he stopped hesitating and turned away.
"Whoosh!"
Goku shot into the sky, racing toward Ken and the others.
Before long, he punched through the clouds and arrived beside them.
"Ken? Merus? Gohan? Piccolo? Kale? You're all here?" Goku stared, shocked and delighted—then his gaze snapped to Vegeta and Krillin. "And Vegeta and Krillin too… you're alive? Wait… why do your bodies look like that?"
"Goku… you idiot, why did you say Vegeta before me?" Krillin's soul rushed up and hugged Goku hard.
Goku: "????"
What do you mean, before you?
"Hmph!" Vegeta glared, still seething. "Kakarot, don't get cocky just because you became a Super Saiyan!"
"Vegeta, let's work hard together." Goku smiled. "Aren't you aiming to become a God of Destruction?"
[End of chapter]
[100 Power Stones = Extra Chapter]
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