Vegeta stared at Turles in utter disbelief, fear creeping back into his eyes.
"No... Impossible. You're just a low-class warrior. How can you be this strong?!"
Even with his injuries, Vegeta's Power Level after transforming was at least 70,000 to 80,000. Yet, he had just been sent flying by a single punch from Turles.
"Heh. You're a big fish in a small pond, Vegeta. Did you really think you were the strongest?"
"HAAH!"
White flares of Ki erupted around Turles as his aura began to skyrocket.
The sheer pressure of his terrifying energy weighed down on Vegeta, forcing the massive ape to stagger back several steps.
"How is this possible?!"
Vegeta was arrogant, but he wasn't an idiot. Feeling Turles's Ki—which far surpassed his own—a flash of genuine terror appeared on the Great Ape's face.
"Now then, let's start the next round."
BOOM!
Turles's speed was far beyond anything Vegeta could imagine. Before the giant ape could even react, a fist slammed squarely into his chest.
CRACK!
"Guh... Argh!"
Vegeta let out a pained groan, spitting out bile. His gargantuan body was sent spiraling backward uncontrollably.
Zip!
Turles flickered and reappeared instantly behind the mid-air Vegeta, delivering a brutal kick that sent him flying in the opposite direction.
While Turles was busy using Vegeta like a volleyball, Krillin had managed to pull Goku to safety. He quickly fed him their very last Senzu Bean.
"Mmm... I'm back!"
Goku stood up the moment he swallowed the Senzu Bean. "Lucky we had one left, or I'd be in real trouble. But man, that Saiyan is incredible..."
"The Great Ape Vegeta is like a toy in his hands. I really want to spar with him..."
Seeing the battle-lust in Goku's eyes, a drop of cold sweat rolled down Krillin's forehead. That guy is a monster, and Goku actually wants to fight him?
Turles flickered once more, appearing directly above Vegeta's head. He brought both fists down like a hammer, smashing Vegeta into the ground.
BOOM!!
The massive shadow crashed into the earth, the impact so violent it triggered a localized earthquake.
"Enough. I've lost interest in playing with you."
Turles extended his hand, manifesting a blade of pure energy. With a sharp flick, he slashed through Vegeta's tail.
"Err... AAAAAAAH!"
As Vegeta howled in agony, the thick fur covering his body began to vanish. His massive frame shrank rapidly.
By the time Vegeta returned to his normal size, he didn't even have the strength to stand. "Curse you!"
Turles landed slowly and turned toward Goku. "Hey, Kakarot. How do you want to handle him?"
Goku blinked, pointing at himself. "I get to decide?"
"Yeah. I have no interest in taking his life. Do whatever you want."
Goku paused, looking at the wounded, self-pitying Vegeta. He suddenly broke into a smile. "In that case, let's just let him go."
"What?!"
Goku's words sent a shock through Krillin and Piccolo. Even Vegeta looked up at Goku in disbelief.
"He's a great rival," Goku explained. "It would be a shame if he died here, wouldn't it?"
"What? You... you..."
Vegeta thought he was hearing things. Goku was actually sparing his life.
Fearing they might change their minds, Vegeta began to crawl toward his Attack Ball. Once he scrambled inside, his face twisted back into a look of defiant arrogance.
"Kakarot! Turles! Just you wait! Next time, I will kill both of you!"
Under Turles's unimpressed gaze, the Attack Ball blasted off, streaking away from Earth and into the depths of space.
Honestly, Turles thought, pre-Buu Saga Vegeta is really annoying.
"Hey, you're Turles, right? Could you spar with me for a bit?"
Looking at the battle-hungry Goku, Turles sighed. He knew this martial arts nut would challenge him eventually.
"We can spar whenever, but Kakarot, you should probably think about how to handle the person coming this way."
"Huh? Oh no! That's Chi-Chi's Ki..."
Goku immediately wilted like a salted radish.
Sure enough, a large jet plane soon touched down nearby.
Chi-Chi was the first to charge out, her eyes scanning the area frantically. When she saw Turles, she froze. "Two Gokus?!"
However, as soon as she spotted Gohan, she threw the question out of her mind and sprinted over, pulling him into a tight embrace.
"Gohan! My Gohan! You must have suffered so much!"
"I'm okay, Mommy. Daddy and Uncle Turles chased the bad guys away."
"As long as you're safe... as long as you're safe..."
Chi-Chi ignored Gohan's explanation, simply holding him close.
Bulma stepped off the plane next. Seeing Turles, she also froze in place. She looked at Goku and asked, "Goku, is this... another one of your relatives?"
Goku scratched his head. "Hahaha, I don't really know... but since we look so much alike, probably?"
The others twitched their lips in unison. Likely? Except for the skin tone and the vibe, they were identical.
"Wait, where are Yamcha and Tien?" Bulma asked.
The mood turned somber instantly. Goku and the others went silent. "They..."
"I see... It's okay. We have the Dragon Balls. We can bring them back."
"Right, we still have the Dragon Balls."
"But Chiaotzu has already died once before..." Krillin cut in.
The silence grew heavy again. Seeing this, Turles spoke up.
"Dragon Balls? I recall that Planet Namek also has Dragon Balls. It's the home of the Namekians. Those Dragon Balls should be able to grant your wishes."
"The Dragon Balls on Earth were created by that Namekian over there, weren't they?"
"Planet Namek... So you really aren't an Earthling, Piccolo," Krillin remarked.
Piccolo looked stunned. "Planet Namek..."
"Alright! Now that we know where to go to make our wishes come true, we'll head to Planet Namek next!"
"Um, Daddy? I want to go too."
"What?!" Chi-Chi shrieked. "Gohan, you should go home and study! Leave those things to Goku. Don't be so reckless!"
"But Mommy, I'm an Earthling too. I want to do my part. If Uncle Turles hadn't shown up today, Earth really would have been in danger."
Seeing the resolve in Gohan's eyes, Chi-Chi fell silent.
Bulma walked up to Turles. "Hello. You're Turles, right? I'm Bulma. Thank you so much for helping us out!"
"Don't mention it. I just happened to be in the area. Kakarot would have handled it eventually, even without me."
"Since you mentioned Planet Namek, I assume you have the coordinates?" Bulma asked.
"Of course. My spaceship has the coordinates for Namek saved. However, it's a single-person pod. It'll need some modifications."
Bulma gave a confident smile.
"Modifications? In that case, leave it to me!"