Nappa savored the feeling of the Namekian slumping in his arms with a sense of great satisfaction. To be perfectly honest, he had been pretty lenient on the Namekian as a whole, making sure the useless slug suffered no significant injuries, unlike the rest. If it had been left entirely to him, given what he did to Gohan, Piccolo might have found himself missing a few limbs. And possibly a face too. Nappa continued his chokehold for a bit longer, ensuring that the Namekian truly was unconscious. Too many enemies had played dead before, and he was not about to let the Namekian of all people employ such tactics.
His eyes flickered to the three-eyed warrior in the distance, who seemed reluctant to unleash his attack with his comrade in the way. Oh, how cute. The Triclops doesn't want to hurt his ally. Without warning, Nappa vanished, dropping the unconscious Piccolo on the ground as he catapulted himself toward Tien.
Moments before Nappa blurred away, Tien found himself trapped in a dilemma. Though the exceptionally powerful Dodon Ray poised on his still extended fingers should theoretically pierce straight through Nappa, it was useless if he did not have a clear shot. Ever since Piccolo's strategy had failed, both Nappa and Piccolo had been swiftly maneuvering through the air, and Tien had never been given a clear opportunity.
Firing the Dodon Ray at this moment, immediately after Piccolo's explosive move, would undoubtedly result in the attack missing its mark, given Nappa's focused state and the unfavorable distance. Tien knew he needed to reserve the Dodon Ray as a strategic trump card and not a weapon to be squandered recklessly.
However, Tien's plan crumbled upon first contact.
In the blink of an eye, Nappa materialized before Tien, the massive frame of the Saiyan casting a dark shadow over him. Before he could react, Tien found an energy-infused punch hurtling toward him.
The colossal force of Nappa's energy-infused punch collided with Tien's extended fingertips and triggered the premature detonation of the Dodon Ray. So immense was the impact that Nappa's fist compressed Tien's fingers into his fist, then his fist into his wrist, and finally, his wrist into his forearm. A visceral scream tore through Tien's throat as his once-extended hand was mauled under the brutal might of Nappa's attack, leaving it mangled and crumpled.
Perhaps driven by a surge of adrenaline or a second wind, Tien defied the excruciating agony and launched himself upward. With his remaining hand, he delivered a full-body haymaker in a desperate attempt to retaliate against his seemingly invincible foe. The forceful blow slammed into Nappa's cheek, but the Saiyan's head and expression remained stoically unchanged.
Tien's face twisted into a grimace. He raised his uninjured hand. "KIKO–"
Nappa did not give Tien the chance to complete his attack. With an unbothered expression, Nappa delivered a liver punch before seamlessly transitioning into a powerful roundhouse kick that struck Tien square in the chest, dispersing any Ki Tien managed to gather and also sending him violently into the distance.
Nappa observed Tien's figure landing in the distance with an arched eyebrow. Upon landing, the triclops immediately writhed in pain and cradled his chest, suggesting that his kick had likely broken a rib. Or five, Nappa doesn't really care how many. Given the likely chest injury and the wasted hand, Nappa can pretty confidently wager that three-eyes wouldn't be rejoining the battle. Nappa placed his hands on his waist as he scanned the battlefield, nodding in approval of his own performance. Good. All the chucklef*cks are down for the count.
Having completed his task, Nappa turned on his heel and casually strolled back towards Gohan. It's time to wrap up his lessons.
"Lesson 3 again, situational awareness! Three-Eyes had been cooking up something back there ever since I engaged the Namekian," Nappa bellowed, projecting his voice across the battlefield to reach Gohan. With a casual gesture, he pointed his thumb backward, indicating Tien. "And that segues into Lesson #4 – Strike When the Enemy is Charging! They're most vulnerable when they're busy charging up a move!"
But Gohan scarcely registered the words. His gaze had fallen upon the figure of Piccolo, sprawled on the ground by Nappa's relentless chokehold. A painful lump formed in Gohan's throat as his eyes remained fixed on Piccolo's motionless body. Although Mr. Piccolo had never said it, and Gohan doubted he ever would, he knew that Mr. Piccolo cared about him.
Gohan drew a shuddering breath, and gradually, the fear enveloping him began to dissipate. What had he even been so afraid of in the first place? Pain? He had endured plenty during his training with Mr. Piccolo. Death? Wasn't that just an inevitability for everyone? Disappointing the people he knew? Well, they were all dying before his eyes, and he hadn't lifted a single damn finger to help them.
A flicker of rage ignited in Gohan, and a searing heat started to burn within him, a fury he had almost forgotten he had.
Why was it always him? His father sacrificed himself a year ago to protect him from Raditz, and Gohan was too weak to make a difference. Now, history was repeating itself, with Mr. Piccolo stepping in to save him from Mr. Nappa and he was still too weak to make a difference. Why? Why was he so utterly useless? Why did the people he cared about always end up getting hurt?
The thought gave way to an intense surge of anger that blazed like an inferno deep within him. He was furious—not just at the world for thrusting him into this ordeal, not just at Mr. Nappa for harming everyone he cared about, but also at himself. Gohan's teeth clenched as his self-hatred fueled his anger, transforming his once trembling voice into a resolute growl.
Mr. Piccolo had been right. It was time to grow the hell up. There won't always be a savior coming, and he couldn't afford to be a child any longer. If he wanted things to change, he had to do it himself. No more tears, no more relying on others to fight his battles– he has to do it on his own!
Gohan felt a surge of energy course through his veins. The young Saiyan was no stranger to the power lying dormant within him, a power that was currently straining against him like a beast yearning to be unleashed. His gaze hardened, and a newfound determination gleamed in his eyes not present before.
"Hey kid, are you even listening to me?" Nappa's voice cut through the air from a few paces away. Oblivious to Gohan's inner turmoil, Nappa continued, "As I was saying, power level is king. If your enemy has a power level higher than yours, victory is essentially impossible, so you need to make your escape."
Gohan's gaze locked onto Nappa, causing the Saiyan General to halt in his tracks. Nappa blinked at the intensity in Gohan's eyes. The kid was distinctly different now—nothing physical, of course, but an accumulation of subtle changes in demeanor. There was a newfound determination in his eyes, a straighter posture, a more aggressive body language, and considerably more volatility in his energy. Nappa could state with certainty that the Gohan before him now was not the child he had been mere minutes ago.
Though Nappa did not know Gohan personally, he had witnessed the growth of countless Saiyan younglings in the past, and the sight of Gohan's fiery determination was a familiar one. Once upon a time, a young Vegeta had been the same, clenching his fists and screaming into the sky, vowing to surpass every Saiyan in existence. A grin spread over Nappa's face. He liked the heat in Gohan's eyes. Yes, this is much more like it! This is what a Saiyan should be!
Seeing Gohan's growth had ignited something within Nappa as well. Oh, how he missed this feeling! He had forgotten how it felt! It had been so long since he could finally cast off the identities of Nappa, the Commander General, and Nappa, the Warrior, and embrace the old, dusty mantle of Nappa, the Head Royal Academy Trainer. A surge of joy swept over Nappa, and a broad smile adorned his face. After decades, he was finally, finally in his element!
And he knew exactly how to draw out Gohan's potential.
With an air of arrogance, Nappa stared down at Gohan, his words oozing with disdain. "Does it make you angry? The fact that I'm beating the bloody piss out of everyone you know?"
Gohan, feeling a torrent of rage welling up within him, clenched his fists in defiance.
"Your ragtag group of friends were weak. They were pathetic and they were nothing before me!"
Gohan, grinding his teeth, started to tremble.
"Are you a coward, Gohan?" Nappa sneered.
Gohan, steadfastly averting his gaze, shook his head in silent refusal.
Unfazed by the lack of a verbal response, Nappa continued, manipulating Gohan's emotions with calculated precision. "I think you are, Gohan. You faltered when fighting Alpha. You were too afraid to engage me and stood idly by as I nearly killed everyone you knew. What do you call such behavior, if not cowardice?"
Nappa could keenly sense Vegeta's disapproving gaze boring into his back. Vegeta had consistently voiced his disapproval of Nappa's fraternization with the enemy in the past, admonishing him whenever the opportunity arose. He knew their routine by heart: he'd get a reprimand, he'd apologize, Vegeta would scoff, and then they'd do the same song and dance all over again the next time. For Vegeta, this time is no different, but for Nappa, this time is different. Very different.
Nappa could sense the boiling anger coursing through the trembling Gohan reaching a higher peak with each passing second. The young Saiyan was on the verge of breaking into something greater, teetering precariously between mediocrity and potential. Beautiful. He needs just a little more. As for stopping fraternizing? Now? Screw off. Vegeta can go suck a Super Saiyan's dick for all he cares!
"I'll ask you again. Are you a coward, Gohan?!"
"No!"
"Look at me in the eye when you talk, you weak, cowardly brat! YOU are the problem! You're the reason why everyone around you is dying! Your daddy died because of you! Now, that Piccolo will ALSO die because of–"
"ARRUGGGHHGH!!"
Before Nappa could complete his sentence, an anguished scream tore through the air. Gohan's pent-up frustration and seething rage erupted in a primal, guttural cry that echoed across the battlefield.
Gohan's already tenuous control over his wrath crumbled as the emotional tempest raging within him finally shattered the barriers that constrained his latent power. The young Saiyan's aura ignited in a radiant display of silver energy, with small sparks of lightning dancing around it. At this moment, Gohan achieved a level of power that surpassed any he had attained previously.
With an astonishing burst of speed, Gohan shot forward, closing the distance between him and Nappa in the blink of an eye. His fist, augmented by his unleashed fury and strength, collided with Nappa's face with resounding impact. The force of the blow sent small shockwaves rippling through the air and, for the first time in this battle, visibly forced Nappa to stagger backward.
With a mighty roar, Gohan tapped into his power and rained forth a torrent of unbridled physical attacks directed at Nappa's face. Gohan's fists blurred they flew faster and faster, each punch landing with precision on Nappa. Each blow carried the weight of Gohan's anguish and rage, a desperate attempt to avenge the suffering inflicted by Nappa.
Caught off guard by Gohan's raw power, Nappa found himself forced onto the defensive. He looked straight down as he lowered his head, hastily raising both forearms to shield himself from the relentless onslaught.
Midway through his furious attack, Gohan quickly realized the futility of launching straightforward attacks against Mr. Nappa's defenses. He's not getting through at all. Gohan narrowed his eyes. Lesson 2 – Fight Smart, Not Hard, is it? Fine, he could be strategic.
Halting his assault, Gohan skillfully flew beneath Nappa's outstretched hand. As he floated downward, the young Saiyan lifted his gaze and found himself locking eyes with Nappa, a defiant stare meeting a surprised one in the Saiyan General's eyes.
Without a single ounce of hesitation, Gohan's hand shot out, seizing the left half of Nappa's mustache. With a swift, resolute motion, he ripped it clean off.
Nappa howled in pain as his facial hair, his pride and joy, was mercilessly removed by Gohan. He gingerly held a hand to the now-bare portion where half of his mustache used to be, yelling in agony as all thoughts of battle fled his mind.
Gohan was far from finished with Nappa. Lifting both hands to his forehead, Gohan channeled his energy, creating a colossal ball of ki that crackled with an intensity and speed surpassing any previous attempts. With an enraged roar, Gohan unleashed the most powerful blast he had released in his entire life straight into Nappa's face at point-blank range.
"MAASENKOOOOO!!!"
Gohan maintained the pulsating surge of energy with an intensity and duration that surpassed his usual limits. The formidable beam, not unlike a scaled-down version of Godzilla's iconic atomic breath, engulfed the towering Saiyan General as it continuously descended upon him.
In due course, the energy reached a critical point, and a thunderous explosion resonated through the air. Gohan stopped, breathing heavily as the acrid scent of burnt ozone permeated his surroundings. He watched as the smoke gradually began to clear, revealing the aftermath of his fury.
The dissipating smoke unveiled a sight that sent a shiver down Gohan's spine. The effects of Gohan's point-blank attack were evident, as scorch marks and singed armor adorned Nappa's battle-worn form. Despite the visible damage, however, Nappa stood defiantly amidst the aftermath of the colossal blast. Gohan's wide eyes mirrored a mix of disbelief and horror as he slowly began to back away from the seemingly invincible Nappa.
Despite the searing pain, Nappa's laughter resonated triumphantly, laced with both approval and acknowledgment. A begrudging admiration gleamed in Nappa's gaze as his wild eyes bore into Gohan. Thanks to the fiery spirit within Gohan, the young Saiyan's power had risen to unprecedented levels among the inhabitants of this planet, and Nappa couldn't help but feel pleased as Gohan unleashed his potential. Take that, Namekian! Who's the superior teacher now?
"HAHAHAA! Subarashii! A spectacular application of Lessons 2 and 5!" Nappa's voice boomed, tinged with unbridled battlelust. "Remember that rage, Gohan! Never falter! Never surrender! Victory or death! That's how a Saiyan warrior should be!"
Having spoken his piece, Nappa blitzed through the scant distance between himself and Gohan, burying a devastating punch into Gohan's gut. Spit and blood erupted from Gohan's mouth, a consequence of the impact that forcibly expelled every ounce of air from his lungs. Gohan collapsed to the ground, breathless and reeling from the sheer force of Nappa's punch.
Nappa, his half-mustache twitching, advanced, poised to deliver the next blow. Unexpectedly, to his surprise, Gohan raised a shaky hand in the universal signal for a pause. Intrigued by this interruption, Nappa actually did halt mid-motion, lifting an eyebrow as his confusion momentarily disrupted his battle-induced fervor.
"What's this, kid? You asking for a timeout in the middle of a fight?"
Gohan, still catching his breath, nodded.
Nappa apparently found the request incredibly amusing because he burst into laughter. In a rather uncharacteristic fashion, he decided to indulge the request, allowing Gohan a brief respite.
"Alright, kid. You're hella lucky it's me you're up against. Most wouldn't entertain something as childish as this," Nappa chuckled. As he expected, it looks like the kid still has a lot to learn.
On the ground, Gohan couldn't hold it in any longer and puked. Even as he did so, Gohan could not believe that actually worked. Ha! Shows you, Mr. Piccolo!
Then, Nappa's eyes sharpened as he crossed his arms, transitioning to a more serious tone. "Listen up, Gohan. If there's one thing you take away from all I taught you, it's that a Saiyan should never let someone else walk all over them. You have to stand up for yourself in this universe because you can't rely on anyone else. I don't care if you're a peacemaker, a warmonger, or a genocidal maniac, reality is equally cruel to everyone."
After his brief words of wisdom, Nappa touched the beardless half of his face with a wince. He'd need to hit a recuperation tank relatively soon if he wanted to avoid regrowing his facial hair from scratch. After a momentary pause, Nappa scanned Gohan with his scouter once more.
"Not too shabby, kid. You peaked at 2800 during that blast, and now you're resting at a little over 1800, compared to your initial 1160 when this battle started," Nappa remarked. A rare flash of admiration crossed Nappa's face as he mused, "Not at Vegeta's level when he was your age, but you would've knocked Raditz's face in with that kind of power. Quite the improvement, Gohan. You wanna come with us?"
"N-no." Gohan gasped.
Nappa chuckled at the swift refusal. "Well, you've got until we finish making our wishes on the Dragon Balls to reconsider, kid." Stretching his arms, Nappa spoke his thoughts out loud, "Alright, let's take care of the others. I'd rather not go through the hassle of knocking them down all over again."